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with past demolitions in other West Bank Jewish communities. All those arrested were later released, but charges were filed against one of them.Migron residents who had hoped to make a deal with the state to delay the demolitions were caught by surprise; particularly given the amount of political support they had received along with IDF pledges of advanced warning.“We were expecting a visit Monday by high-level security officials to discuss the issue,” said outpost spokesman Itai Chemo Monday morning as he stared at the rubble of one of the homes.Instead, late on Sunday night, they saw masses of Border Police nearing the area, and immediately feared the worst.After a chain of SMS messages, activists, mainly teenagers, raced to the outpost with knapsacks and sleeping bags. In some cases they were driven there from other settlements. In other instances residents of nearby settlements began to hike to the outpost.But only several dozen had made it onto the hilltop when a young woman saw the Border Police by one of the three endangered homes.“The police are here,” she began shouting as uniformed men and women with helmets and plastic shields created a single-file circle around each home. Police stood shoulderto- shoulder on the small paved paths.One commander reminded his men, “remember, keep a poker face. No one can interact with anyone [Migron residents].”A police spokeswoman said the Border Police had gone to Migron to help the Civil Administration execute a demolition order. She added they were not armed with any dispersal weapons and had only brought defensive items with them.But a few Migron residents yelled “evil” at them because they had come in the middle of the night to destroy homes.“Tell me, are you Jewish?” shouted one woman who wore a headscarf and a skirt.“Are we in Germany?” screamed out another resident in a subtle Holocaust reference.One young woman simply tried to push her way through the police line, with her arms flailing, yelling “Asses.”Only residents of the three homes and some neighbors were allowed to enter to help a team of workers provided by the security services, who packed up the belongings.They stacked sofas, books, tables, chairs and boxes in a helter-skelter fashion on the dry grass outside the structures.One young teen poked around in the dark to make sure that everything was there.In some instances, some Migron residents were forcibly removed from the homes, including one man whom Border Policemen carried out by his legs and arms and then dropped on the ground.One neighbor simply sat outside her caravan on the ground in the dark and cried.Residents of Migron began phoning politicians hoping they would intervene. One of the residents sat on the side of the road with a laptop coordinating cell phone calls between activists and politicians.“Has anyone spoke with [Minister] Yuli Edelstein (Likud)?” he asked.Then the Border Police shut down the streetlights. The sudden blackness quieted the scene.For a while, in the eerie silence under the bright stars, the only sounds and movements were of people packing. Everyone else watched and waited.The lights of Ramallah twinkled in the distance. Over the loudspeaker, a Migron resident called out, “God is with us. Stay strong.”He then recited prayers, particularly lamentations of forgiveness, as large brightly-lit orange cranes with loud engines rolled up to the homes.The cranes stopped suddenly at 2:30 a.m., when Migron residents, with the help of the Binyamin Citizens Committee, received an emergency injunction from the High Court of Justice until a hearing was held on the matter no later than 1 p.m. that same day.Initially, the five cranes kept their lights on and their motors running. But after half an hour, they turned them off. The Border Police relaxed and put down their shields as they gathered in small groups to chat and wait.Suddenly, however, close to 4 a.m., Judge Neal Hendel withdrew the initial injunction that he had issued, following an appeal by the prosecutor’s office.With that action, all hope for a reprieve died.Only last week, Migron residents had held a small rally of support at the outpost.Rally-goers spoke of the need to protect the three homes and the outpost, in light of a decision by the High Court of Justice earlier this summer that the entire outpost was illegally constructed on private Palestinian property and must be removed in March. The decision was in response to a petition by Peace Now.Outpost residents have claimed that their small hilltop community of 50 families built over a decade ago with state funds could be legalized.The High Court of Justice has declared that the outpost is illegally built on private Palestinian land. Outpost residents have argued that the property was either abandoned or purchased from Palestinians. Most of it is composed of caravans but there are close to 10 permanent structures.Three such homes were built in the last year after a 2008 agreement between the state and Council of Jewish Communities of Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip to relocate the outpost to the nearby settlement of Adam.Yesh Din petitioned the High Court of Justice against these three homes. In response the state promised to remove them in September, thereby separating the fate of those structures from the rest of the outpost.Early Monday morning as cranes broke through the walls of the first of the three homes, located near the entry way to the outpost, dozens of teens gathered in a last ditch attempt to save the other two homes located further inside.On the count of three, they rushed at the police who had their shields up and pushed them back, as they banged their fists on the hard plastic. Activists tried this a number of times with little success as police chased them away.A few teens threw stones. In others instances, teens and the police scuffled.As cranes broke through the ceiling of the second home, however, the activists quieted down. As the crane tore a hole in the wall, workers were busy pushing a crib out the window of the third home.“But they haven’t taken all their stuff out,” cried a neighbor as she held hands with Tammy Guttman, who had lived in the home with her husband and five children.Police tried to assure her that the cranes would only take down the house after her belongings had been removed.“But why do they need to break the window frames?” asked the neighbor.Once the two homes had been reduced to piles of rubble, Migron residents heckled the Border Police with sarcastic comments about their brave actions against women and children.“You are real heroes,” they said.As the sun rose, one man sat in the dirt by the rubble with his hands on his head and chanted lamentations of destruction and ruin. Join Jerusalem Post Premium Plus now for just $5 and upgrade your experience with an ads-free website and exclusive content. Click here>>Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Fifth Harmony headed to Chicago for festival Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Fifth Harmony, Prince Royce, DNCE, Fat Joe, Jeremih, Lupe Fiasco, Carl Thomas and Felix da Housecat are among the musical lineup headed to Guaranteed Rate Field (home of the Chicago White Sox) for the inaugural all-day Get IN It MusicFest, to be held Sept. 16 at the ballpark, it was announced Monday. The festival also promises “special surprise celebrity guests and sports figures.” Tickets, $35-$150, go on sale August 11 at ticketmaster.com. The festival is slated to run from noon to 10:30 p.m. The festival will benefit Get IN, a collaborative of local nonprofit organizations “working to prevent violence and support Chicago’s youth,” through various community programs, according to the official announcement from the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority. A portion of the ticket sales will be donated to Get IN. “Get IN Chicago was founded four years ago to be a catalyst for change and innovation in reducing youth violence,” said Jim Reynolds, Get IN Chicago board co-chair and ISFA board member. “We are thrilled to partner with ISFA to work together in building a safer, stronger Chicago for the city’s youth.”Thank you, North Korea. Today’s latest firing of a missile over Japan into the Pacific surely demonstrates the most exquisite failure of western diplomacy in modern times. Another missile plops into the Pacific. Nobody is dead, no territory is conceded, no demand threatened. It was the dull rattle of an antique sabre, intended to do one thing: to humiliate the so easily humiliated west. It did just that. Tillerson on North Korea: Russia and China must take 'direct action' over missile launch Read more North Korea is demolishing the two most useless weapons in international affairs, verbal abuse and economic sanction. The vacuous damnation of Pyongyang by Washington, London, the United Nations, even its despairing allies, Russia and China, is clearly driving that country’s tin-pot ruler Kim Jong-un into ecstasies of delight. He can set off bombs and send whizz-bangs into the sea, then sit back and watch the most powerful nations on Earth go into paroxysms of impotent rage. The mouse roars, over and over again. The thesis that trade sanctions can alter policy for the better in primitive dictatorships is a total fallacy. Every scrap of evidence over 50 years shows that they impoverish, isolate, entrench, fossilise and prolong. They reward rich insiders and hurt poor outsiders. It has been shown in their deployment against Cuba, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Burma, Libya, Russia and many others. Sanctions arguably prolonged white rule by a decade in then-Rhodesia and South Africa. They are low-cost, feel-good aggression, the global morality of “something-must-be-done”. The best thing to do about North Korea is plainly to ignore it. It has no conceivable interest in actually bombing Japan or America, and if it did, it really would be suicide. If the west really wants to bring change to North Korea then it should do it from within, not without. It should bomb the place with trade, rot it with contact, bribe and suborn its apparat and its families, exchange its students, conquer it with capital. It should favour alternative power groups to the military monolith, as is slowly happening in China. The enemy of communist dictatorship is not bombast but capitalism. Stop verbal war and try economic peace. This is what Barack Obama sensibly began to do in Iran and Cuba – and Donald Trump is trying to stop. What has Kim Jong-un done for us? Made nuclear bunkers relevant again \| Deborah Orr Read more Meanwhile China can relax as its deranged foster child depicts America’s paranoid state as even more of a paper tiger almost by the week. It knows that even Trump will not obliterate North Korea just for sabre-rattling. South Korea and Japan can go about their business, and western diplomats can think up more blood-curdling synonyms for “unacceptable”. So long as stupid rules, Kim Jong-un will keep his smiling visage on every front page. • Simon Jenkins is a Guardian columnistBook Title Author Comments Sword and the Dagger Ardath Mayhar The 31st Century begins Decision at Thunder Rift William H. Keith Jr. Saga of the Grey Death Legion -- Book 1 Mercenarys Star William H. Keith Jr. Saga of the Grey Death Legion -- Book 2 The Price of Glory William H. Keith Jr. Saga of the Grey Death Legion -- Book 3 Warrior: En Guarde Michael A. Stackpole Birth of the Federated Commonwealth--Book 1 Warrior: Riposte Michael A. Stackpole Birth of the Federated Commonwealth--Book 2 Warrior: Coupe Michael A. Stackpole Birth of the Federated Commonwealth--Book 3 Wolves on the Border Robert N. Charrette Heir to the Dragon Robert N. Charrette Lethal Heritage Michael A. Stackpole The Blood of Kerensky -- Book 1 Blood Legacy Michael A. Stackpole The Blood of Kerensky -- Book 2 Lost Destiny Michael A. Stackpole The Blood of Kerensky -- Book 3 Way of the Clans Robert Thurston Jade Phoenix Trilogy -- Book 1 Bloodname Robert Thurston Jade Phoenix Trilogy -- Book 2 Falcon Guard Robert Thurston Jade Phoenix Trilogy -- Book 3 Wolf Pack Robert N. Charrette Main Event James D. Long Ideal War Christopher Kubasik Is there room for Honor in a dirty little war? Natural Selection Michael A. Stackpole Assumption of Risk Michael A. Stackpole Blood of Heroes Andrew Keith Close Quarters Victor Milan Far Country Peter L. Rice D.R.T James D. Long Tactics of Duty William H. Keith Jr. Bred for War Michael A. Stackpole I am Jade Falcon Robert Thurston Star Lord Donald G. Phillips Highlander Gambit Blaine Lee Pardoe Hearts of Chaos Victor Milan Operation Excaliber William H. Keith Jr. Malicious Intent Michael A. Stackpole Black Dragon Victor Milan Impetus of War Blain Lee Pardoe Double Blind Loren L. Coleman Binding Force Loren L. Coleman Exodus Road Blaine L. Pardoe Twilight of the Clans -- Book 1 Grave Conenant Michael A. Stackpole Twilight of the Clans -- Book 2 The Hunters Thomas S. Gressman Twilight of the Clans -- Book 3 FreeBirth Robert Thurston Twilight of the Clans -- Book 4 Sword and Fire Thomas S. Gressman Twilight of the Clans -- Book 5 Shadows of War Thomoas S. Gressman Twilight of the Clans -- Book 6 Prince of Havoc Michael A. Stackpole Twilight of the Clans -- Book 7 Falcon Rising Robert Thurston Twilight of the Clans -- Book 8 Threads of Ambition Loren L. Coleman The Capellan Solution -- Book 1 The Killing Fields Loren L. Coleman The Capellan Solution -- Book 2 Dagger Point Thomas Gressman Ghost of Winter Stephen Kenson One of the MechWarrior Books, while set in the BT Universe, presents no information that furthers the time line. Roar of Honor Blaine Lee Pardoe One of the MechWarrior Books, while set in the BT Universe, presents no information that furthers the time line. By Blood Betrayed Blaine Lee Pardoe & Mel Odem One of the MechWarrior Books, while set in the BT Universe, presents no information that furthers the time line. Illusions of Victory Loren L. Coleman Is the game world of Solaris VII a reflection of the Inner Sphere? Flashpoint Loren L. Coleman Measure of a Hero Blaine Lee Pardoe Path of Glory Randall N. Bills Test of Vengeance Bryan Nystul Patriots and Tyrants Loren L. Coleman Call of Duty Blain Lee Pardoe Initiation to War Robert N. Charette A MechWarrior Book, it does further the time line The Dying Time Thomas S. Gressman A MechWarrior Book, it does further the time line Storms of Fate Loren L. Coleman Imminent Crisis Randall N. Bills A MechWarrior Book, it does further the time line Operation Audacity Blaine Lee Pardoe EndGame Loren L. Coleman Ghost War Michael A. Stackpole First of the MechWarrior Dark Age books: set approximately 80 years after End Game A Call to Arms Loren L. Coleman Ther Ruins of Power Robert E. Vardeman A Silence in the Heavens Martin Del Rio Truth and Shadows Martin Del Rio Service for the Dead Martin Del RioEST “Following every great bubble the senior currency eventually became ‘chronically’ strong relative to most asset classes, including commodities, and other currencies for most of the time.” – Bob Hoye, chief strategist of Institutional Advisors *** With the U.S. dollar in the throes of a rally that has been rampaging since June, it’s time to revisit an idea that I first wrote about nearly twenty years ago – that a short-squeeze on the dollar could eventually cause a meltdown of the global financial system. Although doomsdayers have put forth many theories about how economic Armageddon might play out, it was always a given that the dollar would be at the very center of the crisis. The reason for this is that there are vastly more dollars in play globally than the central banks, even acting in concert, could hope to manage when the day of reckoning arrives, as it most surely will. There are perhaps a quadrillion digital dollars swirling in the financial ether right now, most of them created not by the central banks, but by modern-day alchemists who have transformed the very flotsam of the securities world – Bolivian reverse floaters, non-performing receivables of all kinds, rehypothecated brokerage accounts and such — into seven- and eight-figure bonuses for every partner on Wall Street. Each and every one of those dollars represents both an asset and a liability on the macro ledger, and although they would cancel each other out at some level, it can hardly be assumed that this would occur in an orderly way, if at all, in the event of a financial panic. That the preponderance of those quadrillion dollars are being used to sustain an epic financial Ponzi scheme is inarguable, since the output of real goods and services in this world amounts to no more than around $80 trillion. The huge excess of funny money is tied mainly to debt instruments with life spans measured not in months or years, but in days or weeks. At present, the market for these instruments continues to function smoothly. This is mainly because a U.S. stock market trading at record highs has provided a psychological barrier against fear. However, if some unforeseeable event were to disrupt normal loan settlements, short-term borrowers unable to roll their debts would be pressed hard to settle up in cash. Given the sums involved, this would be like trying to evacuate Manhattan via the Holland Tunnel in an hour. As a result, the banking system would lock up overnight, triggering branch closures that could last for weeks or longer. The Fed would be powerless to act, since the fragile trust that currently allows the banksters’ to ply their Ponzi scheme will have been irretrievably lost. Cash would be in ruinously short supply, credit cards would no longer be accepted by anyone, and the economic world would be pushed into a state of barter. For anyone holding actual currency, fives, tens and twenties would be the coin of the realm, since that’s the only kind of money sellers of food, gas and emergency supplies would recognize at that point. “Are You Nuts?” When I ran this scenario past a few international finance professors some years ago, they acted like I was nuts. Even the authors of The Incredible Eurodollar, the book that had led me to believe that a short-squeeze on the dollar was possible, averred only that the theory sounded “interesting.” From a deflationist perspective, however, a panic-driven scramble for dollars seems not merely plausible, but likely. For readers unfamiliar with the concept of a short squeeze, a brief explanation is in order. A short squeeze can occur when it comes time to repay a loan in some good or medium of value that has been overborrowed. If, in the interim, the supply of the good or medium has been reduced or curtailed for some reason, the borrower might have to pay up for it to acquire it for delivery. This happens all the time in the stock market. Speculators bet against companies by shorting a company’s shares in expectation of replacing them at a lower cost. They have effectively sold shares that exist only in virtual form outside of the float, and if there’s a dividend to be paid, the short seller must pay it out-of-pocket. If the stock price falls, the short sale will be profitable; but if the price rises, short sellers will be on the hook to deliver at the original price. A contractual seller of nearly any item could conceivably be caught in such a bind. Consider the builder who promises in writing to complete a home for $1.25 million that includes copper roofing and gutters. If the price of copper were to rise by a significant amount, the extra cost to the builder might wipe out his profit or even produce a loss. Subprimes Are Back! To put this in the context of the dollar, all who owe have effectively taken short positions against the dollar. As such, they are implicitly rooting for inflation, since it will allow them to retire the debt in cheapened dollars. That’s a very big bet in the aggregate, since it encompasses all mortgage debt. Unfortunately, the opposite holds true for borrowers right now. Deflation has begun to overwhelm the expansionary goals of monetary easing, particularly in Europe. Meanwhile, the dollar is becoming dearer by the day despite the Fed’s best efforts to keep it in plentiful supply. And although inflation is obviously rampant in the stock market, it no longer obtains in the housing sector. Nor will it return any time soon, judging from the Fed’s wantonly desperate attempt to power real estate inflation with a new gusher of subprime loans and 3% downpayments from those who could not otherwise afford homes. So far, the rise in the dollar seems benign, even if it has begun to negatively impact overseas earnings of U.S. multinationals. But if the dollar continues to move higher, you can be certain this will unsettle the arrangements that have swelled the derivatives bubble to its current size. More to the point, a steepening or even parabolic rise in the dollar would begin to suck money out of all investments and into the presumptive safety of Treasury paper. Thus would the world’s investment capital come to reside in securities yielding 2.5% (and falling), sending all other classes of investable assets into a tailspin. That would be debt deflation at its worst and most unstoppable. With real estate prices falling more steeply than during the financial crash of 2007-08, even 3% mortgages would become a crushing burden on homeowners. Against this outcome, we can only pray that the dollar stops rising. However, on the basis of the foregoing we already know why this is occurring, and so we shouldn’t get our hopes too high. In the meantime, the old adage applies: He who panics first panics best. That means leaping into long-term Treasurys right now with abandon, before most investors begin to figure out that the already impressive bull market in U.S. debt has been merely a warm-up. For a detailed commentary on this that appeared on Rick’s Picks a month ago, click here: Inflation, Deflation and Our Very Confident Bet in T-Bonds.Spread the love Two undercover agents and 6 uniformed officers of the LAPD were dispatched in a sting operation that led to the arrest of a man who was clearly endangering the lives of millions by selling his handmade bracelets on the Venice Beach Boardwalk. Luckily no one was killed by these dangerous bracelets prior to these brave officers putting their lives on the line to prevent their sale. Thank you LAPD, for keeping us safe and protecting our freedom! Thankfully there are police out there willing to sacrifice all logic and reason to protect us from the likes of the villainous Joey Courteaux, who would dare sell a handmade bracelet in public. After all, without these public servants, graced with their super power ability of dismissing sound judgement, who would protect us from the dangers of bracelets and lemonade stands? Obviously there is a tinge of sarcasm in the previous paragraphs and that was used to shed light on the utter stupidity of tax-payer money being used to shakedown innocent people trying to make a living. Joey Courteaux was in a designated artist/vendor space, selling handmade items that he personally makes himself, when an undercover officer came up and purchased one of his $5 leather and copper bracelets. He was literally right next to other vendors who were selling mass produced imported plastic jewelry; they were left alone and he was arrested. We understand how hard this can be to believe, so we obtained a copy of Mr. Courteaux’s citation in which it clearly states that his selling of the leather bracelet is in fact the violation: Mr. Courteaux was in violation of a ridiculous and completely selectively enforced city ordinance LAMC 42.15 which states that, “Persons can Vend the following items, which have been created, written or composed by the Vendor or Performer: books, audio, video, or other recordings of their performances, paintings, photographs, prints, sculptures or any other item that is inherently communicative and is of nominal value or utility apart from its communication.” It should be noted that the above paragraph is completely subjective and thus part of the reason for its selective enforcement. To make sure that this law can be selectively enforced the paragraph below immediately follows the preceding one. “Although an item may have some expressive purpose, it will be deemed to have more than nominal utility apart from its communication if it has a common and dominant non-expressive purpose. Examples of items that have more than nominal utility apart from their communication and thus are subject to the Vending ban under the provisions of this Section, include but are not limited to, the following: housewares, appliances, articles of clothing, sunglasses, auto parts, oils, incense, perfume, crystals, lotions, candles, jewelry, toys and stuffed animals.” Of course a leather bracelet could be construed in any number of fashions. Apparently in the instance of Mr. Courteaux, LAPD construed it in such a manner that they felt it necessary to employ tax-payer dollars in an undercover sting operation to remove this man from the street and place him in a cage. Immediately after the undercover officer purchased the bracelet, Mr. Courteaux was not only cited, but placed under arrest, as seen in the video below, and put in jail. His bail was set at $100. How on earth can these cops sleep at night? Do they really feel that they are providing some type of public service? Was he arrested because he didn’t jump through all the hoops and have all the licenses and permits needed to be a re-seller on the Boardwalk? No, Mr. Courteaux has his applicable re-sellers license and L.A. business license as well. Mr. Courteaux expressed to us that he was singled out by these cops who were selectively enforcing an arbitrary ordinance because he was always able to verbalize to them that he was indeed an artist and that his work is his expression as it is his creation and some of his work is inspired by Native American spirituality and tradition. So because he refused to roll over, lie down, and lick the boots of the tyrants, he was subsequently thrown in prison. Of course Mr. Courteaux fought the charges and refused to waive his right to a timely trial, so the city only had 45 days to drag it out, instead of months. Once the DA realized the Mr. Courteaux was not going to back down, the ticket was dismissed and the misdemeanor was dropped to an infraction with no fine or penalty.Show full PR text NHL GameCenter launches on Xbox LIVE NHL GameCenter™ is now available on Xbox LIVE* around the globe, giving Gold subscribers access to their favorite NHL hockey action right from their Xbox and just in time for the 2013 season to take center ice. NHL GameCenter™ for Xbox 360 brings you live games, replays, classic games, and videos from NHL VideoCenter™, plus controller-free entertainment with the power of Kinect for Xbox 360. NHL GameCenter™ on Xbox LIVE offers the following features: Follow the Action from the 2013 NHL Season – Get real-time game scores, player stats and team standings. All Xbox LIVE Gold Members can also follow the action on and off the ice from the NHL VideoCenterTM. Watch the best goals, saves and hits from around the league this season. · Live Games and Replays with NHL Game Center LIVE – With your NHL GameCenter LIVE™ subscription ($49.99 USD for the 2012-13 season), watch live, out-of-market games from the NHL regular season. Miss a game? Watch full-length archived games or condensed replays from this season and last. · Every game with an HD-Quality Picture – NHL GameCenter™ delivers every game in a beautiful, HD-quality picture, and each broadcast gives every fan the option of the Home or Away audio feed. With NHL GameCenter™ on Xbox 360, you will feel like your team is the home team. · Keep Up With Your Favorite Teams – NHL GameCenter™ on Xbox 360 lets you personalize the experience to get to the information you care about most. Select up to five teams to follow so you can be sure not to miss a beat on your favorite teams and players. Get the scores, player stats, schedule and live games, right at your fingertips. · Season Central – A quick calendar view of the league schedule or just your favorite teams is a click away. Season Central is the best way to find out what games are on today, this week, or next month. · Mini Guide – The Mini Guide gives you a quick preview of all of today's action right at the bottom of your screen, and makes it easier than ever to switch between games. · Split Screen – Keep an eye on the rest of the league while cheering on your home team! With Split Screen, you can watch two games at once and do just that. Watch live games on both screens or a live game on one while you catch up with a game recap on the other. You can control both screens independently, pausing and rewinding each separately so you never miss a second of the action. · Classic Games from NHL Vault™ –Relive your favorite moments in NHL history with on-demand access to over 800 classic games from NHL Vault™. Watch some of the best Original Six battles from the 1960s or re-watch the best games from the Stanley Cup® Playoffs through the years. You now have the best way to watch these games on your big screen with Xbox 360. · Voice and Gesture Control with Kinect for Xbox 360 – Focus on the puck instead of looking for the remote. Navigate through Season Central, or play, pause, and rewind that behind-the-back goal, all with the power of Kinect for Xbox 360. With the addition of NHL GameCenter™ to the existing lineup of sports partners, including ESPN, UFC, NBA and MLB, Xbox is taking live sports on TV to a whole new level with personalization features, deeper interactivity, and social connectivity found only on Xbox 360. For more information, visit www.xbox.com.What would Calvin do without Hobbes? After losing his own tiger plush toy at the airport, 6-year-old Owen Lake found himself asking the same question. But when the stuffed animal, who shares the name of the beloved comic strip character, Hobbes, was found, it was taken on an adventure around the airport by staff before being returned to its family, FOX 13 reported. When Owen’s family retrieved Hobbes, they were presented with a photo album of all the tiger’s escapes. “It was very, very sweet,” Owen's mother, Amanda Lake, told the news outlet. “We already told [Owen] over and over that Hobbes was on an adventure so it was nice to get back and show him that Hobbes really had been on an adventure.” Hobbes was left behind at Tampa International Airport when Owen was traveling with his family to Texas, Tampa Bay Times reported. Noticing the toy was missing after they’d already left Florida, Lake called the airport to report the stuffed animal. "When Owen asked for Hobbes on the plane, my husband and I looked at each other and our hearts sunk,” Lake said to the news outlet. “We knew he was left behind.” How do they keep these planes so shiny and clean? Posted by Tampa International Airport on Monday, June 15, 2015 Luckily, the stuffed animal was recovered by staff at Tampa International, but Hobbes had some time to kill before the Lake family returned. Tony D’Aiuto, the airport operations manager, decided to take Hobbes on a tour of the airport, photographing it in each location visited. "I pitched this idea a couple of months ago after I saw a similar idea where someone took a stuffed lion around a museum," D’Aiuto said in a statement released by the airport. "This seemed like the perfect opportunity." Mmmm... gelato at Carrabba's. Blood orange sounds pretty good. Posted by Tampa International Airport on Monday, June 15, 2015 The plush toy stopped by the airport gym, information desk, bought some gelato, rode the luggage cart and even visited the control tower and fire department. When Owen and his family touched down in Tampa on Thursday evening, they were greeted with a hardcover book of all of Hobbes’ adventures. At last, Owen returns for me and I get to show him what I've been up to for the last five days. I had so much fun at TPA. Can't wait to come back! Posted by Tampa International Airport on Monday, June 15, 2015Aathira Haridas By Want to ferry the smart way? And that too in a ‘smart’ auto rickshaw? Then Thiruvananthapuram is the place to be. ‘Vehicle ST smart auto’, an app based auto service, launched by Bangalore based startup company ‘VehicleST.com’ has roped in around ten autos in the city. The first city in Kerala to boast of this app-connected auto service, the autos are equipped with a tablet which has an emergency button for assistance. Five autos from the Janamaitri auto stand near Pettah police station, one each from Pattom and Pallimukku area and three autos at Thampanoor are plying passengers the smart way. The venture has gone down well with the commuters as well as the drivers. “We had a great experience and the driver was very pleasant. The tablet helps as we can even monitor the route and ensure the auto doesn’t deviate from the route. It helps check any foul play and assures safety. This should be implemented across the state,” says Margaret Stanly, a music teacher at St Mary’s HSS Vizhinjam. The passengers can locate autos through the app and contact the nearest driver through the phone number listed in the app. A tablet greets the passengers in the auto which gives details of the driver. The passenger can enter the destination, monitor the route, estimated time and speed of auto and browse internet for free. “ The tablet has an emergency button connected to the police control room which ensures safety and till now all the passengers are totally content. They are happy as they can travel safe,” says Suresh Kumar M, driver at Janamaitri auto stand, Pettah. “It helps people who aren’t familiar with the city. Last day a family from Ernakulam who were new to the city found it useful as they could monitor the route as they travelled,” adds Joseph Augustian, another driver from the stand. As the passenger alights, they will be prompted to rate the ride. Further they can post reviews about the auto drivers and at present as many as 40 passengers have reviewed the drivers. “The response has been overwhelming. We are flooded with requests by drivers to enlist them,” says Alwin George, CEO, Vehiclest. The company which gave the tablets for free is currently looking for sponsors. Apart from the passenger fare, the auto drivers earns five percent share of the revenue generated from the ads of local businesses advertised in the tablets. The service is provided by the website VehicleST.com and the mobile app of the site.FLORHAM PARK – Sometime before the Jets’ season opener Sunday against the Raiders, coach Rex Ryan watched Saalim Hakim cover kickoffs in practice. Ryan’s mind started to churn with ideas about how he might be able to utilize the speed and tackling ability of this player on the fringe of the roster. “We can use this guy some on defense,” Ryan thought. The Jets retained Hakim, a wide receiver, primarily to serve as their kickoff returner and gunner on punt coverage. Hakim, who entered the NFL in 2012, had just two touches in a regular season game before Sunday. Both came last year, when he had two rushes in three games with the Jets. Hakim on Sunday returned two kickoffs, including the opening kickoff of the season for 44 yards. Ryan also followed through on his preseason idea and used Hakim for two snaps on defense, in the Jets’ nickel package. Hakim had not played defense since 2007, his senior year in high school – the first year he ever played organized football. Hakim was a safety back then. He lined up in a safety/nickel back role during his two snaps Sunday. On one of them, he blitzed rookie quarterback Derek Carr, but Carr was able to get the ball away, for an incomplete pass. On Hakim’s second defensive snap, he immediately ran back into the deep part of the field, in case a pass went there. On Hakim’s blitz play, he lined up to Carr’s right, in the slot area. It was third-and-25 at the Oakland 26-yard line, on the Raiders’ first drive of the second half. In the image below, look for No. 15 in the white jersey, at about the 25-yard line. (We have circled Hakim in red, to help you spot him.) Hakim was able to get into the backfield unblocked, but running back Darren McFadden stuffed him before he could reach Carr. Still, Hakim enjoyed his experience. “It felt good, trying to get me a sack,” he said. But the play frustrated Ryan because it didn’t unfold like he envisioned. “The bad thing is, if we run the blitz right, golly,” Ryan said Monday, shaking his head. “It just bothers me because it was one of those things that kind of set up in the preseason and I was like, ‘Ah, if we get him on this one.’ And we don’t run the darn thing right. “Saalim is supposed to be the last guy through (on the blitz), not the second guy through. And if he is (the last guy through), and if we had another player run the thing right, nobody would’ve seen him. He would’ve been wide open on it. It’s unfortunate because he was ready. He runs a 4.2 (in the 40-yard dash). He would’ve been on top of (Carr) before he even knew what happened.” Hakim returned to the nickel package in the fourth quarter, on third-and-11 from the Raiders’ 19. He again lined up in the slot area, this time to Carr’s left. But this time, Hakim turned and ran deep, right after the ball was snapped, to defend a potential long pass toward the middle of the field. “Just in case they try to throw it deep, I’m going to go intercept it,” Hakim said. Carr did throw to Hakim’s side, but it was an 8-yard completion that cornerback Antonio Allen handled tackling duties on. “(Hakim) has some defensive abilities, and we were just
be likely to have been seen for an incidence of 1/200 or greater. But remember, these numbers refer to a 95% likelihood of observing a single ADR 39, and of recognizing it as such. Nonetheless, the current clinical data argue against ‘very common’ or ‘common’ serious ADRs being found with PEA following these treatment times, whereas there is insufficient data to give information in the ‘uncommon’ or ‘rare’ categories. Figure 3 Open in figure viewerPowerPoint 39 Number of patients treated with PEA in the studies summarized in Table 1 as a function of the length of treatment. The dotted lines represent the number of patients needed for a 95% likelihood of observing a single ADR at the frequency of occurrence shown Treatment of chronic pain is not likely to be short term, and for ≥60 days of treatment, the number of patients is insufficient to rule out a frequency of ADRs of less than 1/100. That does not, of course, mean that such ADRs will occur, merely that there is insufficient data to judge whether or not they do occur. Efficacy of PEA The studies are summarized in Tables 1 and 2. The total number of participants is high in two trials (n ≈ 600) whilst the others are more modest in size, ranging from 20 to 118 participants in all. Some of the trials compare PEA to placebo, others investigate PEA as an add‐on to standard treatments. Many of the PEA clinical trials have limitations in terms of design: case reports (Table 2) have little value in terms of external validity, and open labelled trials (Table 1) do not take into account placebo effects, which are a major issue in pain studies 40. The strongest indicator of efficacy is the RCT and we identified six blinded RCTs. The efficacy of PEA in the six blinded RCTs is summarized in more detail, together with our assessment of their strengths and weaknesses, in Table 3. The largest of the studies, investigating the effects of PEA on lumbosciatica 41 was included in the meta‐analysis of 21. The differences between days 0 and 21 for the VAS scores can be used to calculate a treatment effect size, assuming that the VAS scores are normally distributed (this was not stated explicitly in the article), and leaving aside the issue that VAS is an ordinal measure. From their data and using an online calculator (http://www.psychometrica.de/effect_size.html; last accessed 14 June 2016), we estimate Cohen's d values of 0.43 (95% CI 0.23–0.62) and 1.35 (95% CI 1.14–1.56) for 300 and 2 × 300 mg PEA, respectively. The latter value is a large effect size. Table 3. Efficacy and strengths/weaknesses of the six blinded RCT investigating the effects of PEA in pain Efficacy Strengths (+) and Weaknesses (−) Guida et al. 41 lumbosciatic algias with 300 or 600 mg Normast Significant reduction of VAS scores on day 21 from 6.6 ± 1.7 (means ± SD) to 4.6 ± 1.7 for placebo; 6.5 ± 1.9 → 3.6 ± 1.8 for 300 mg PEA and 7.1 ± 1.8 → 2.1 ± 1.7 for 600 mg PEA. Similar result found for Roland‐Morris disability questionnaire (measures back pain) Very few dropouts in the PEA groups + Well‐powered study (636 patients) + Clear inclusion and exclusion criteria + Intention to treat analysis; repeat measurements of VAS scores and drug safety − Efficacy data only reported for end of study data (Day 21). Authors did not report their findings on Days 7 and 14 of treatment. Canteri et al. 43 follow‐up study to 41, significant reduction on day 21 for PEA groups compared to placebo Smaller, confirmatory study (35–38 patients per group) − Efficacy data reported graphically (without error bars) for end of study data alone (day 21) Bacci et al. 37 Patients undertaking bilateral lower third molar extractions; randomized, split‐mouth, single‐blind study. Placebo or Normast 600 mg from 6 days before surgery to 9 days after surgery VAS scores on day 3 were 3.8 ± 3.1 cm vs 5.5 ± 2.4 cm; day 7: 1.0 ± 1.8 vs. 1.5 ± 2.2 cm (Normast vs. placebo) Small study (30 patients, 26 completed protocol) − hard to assess its clinical relevance compared with, say, the standard NSAID treatment, where studies of pain relief have usually focussed on h after dosing 64 as opposed to days, as here Cobellis et al. 44 women with pelvic pain, PEA (2 × 400 mg) + transpolydatin (40 × 2 mg/day) vs. placebo and vs. celecoxib (200 × 2 mg/kg/day × 7 days) reported VAS scores for dysmenorrhea, deep dyspareunia and non‐menstrual chronic pelvic pain. Found efficacy of PEA + transpolydatin at 3 months (example for pelvic pain score): placebo reduced from ~7.3 → ~4.8 cm; PEA + transpolydatin reduced from ~7.5 → ~2.2 cm (celecoxib reduced from ~7.8 → ~1.4 cm). + Used non‐parametric statistics for VAS scores since they were not normally distributed. + Long‐term treatment + Comparator drug (celecoxib) − Small study (20–21 patients/group) − Data presented graphically rather than in a table Marini et al. 42 patients with temporomandibular joint inflammatory pain, Normast (300 + 600 mg per day) vs. ibuprofen (600 mg ×3 per day) for two weeks. Similar reduction in VAS days 1–8. Thereafter ibuprofen plateaued out (at ~3.7 cm) whereas PEA group continued down to 0.8 cm on day 14. − Small study (24 patients) The patient population appears to be remarkably homogeneous in terms of their pain scores, with, for example, baseline and final VAS (in mm) of 70 ± 0.22 and 7.7 ± 0.19 (means ± SE) for the PEA group. The variation of the VAS is usually an order of magnitude higher. Murina et al. 35 60 days of treatment with PEA (2 × 400 mg per day) + polydatin (2 × 40 mg per day) vs. placebo in patients with vestibulodynia. All patients received transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). Large response in placebo (TENS) group (from 6.2 ± 1.1 → 2.3 ± 1.5 cm). Greater effect of TENS in patients with recent onset of the disorder who were given PEA + polydatin + Long treatment time − Small study (20 patients) − Large response in placebo (TENS) group (from 6.2 ± 1.1 → 2.3 ± 1.5 cm) per sig reduce chance of seeing additional PEA effect − Unclear whether the significant finding was part of the original study design or a post‐hoc subgroup analysis In terms of the strengths/weaknesses of the studies, there are several issues that emerge, the small size of most of the other studies being the most obvious. Key issues are the nonreporting of time points other than the final time point 41, lack of (or surprisingly small values 42), information as to the variation in VAS scores among the patients; data presented graphically rather than in tables 43, 44; floor effects in the comparator group and possible post‐hoc subgroup analyses 35; and evaluation time points that are difficult to compare with current treatments 37. Two of the studies had NSAID comparator groups; in one, the patients fared better with celecoxib than with PEA + transpolydatin 44, whilst in the other, the patients fared equally well with PEA and ibuprofen over the first eight days, after which the effect of ibuprofen plateaued out, whilst those patients treated with PEA continued to improve 42. All in all, the data point to efficacy of PEA over placebo (assuming no publication bias), but more information is needed to be able to gauge this efficacy vs. current treatment regimes. Formulation of PEA PEA is a poorly water‐soluble substance and as such the dissolution rate is often the rate‐limiting step for oral absorption and bioavailability. Dissolution rate is influenced by, among other factors, particle size and therefore drug substances are usually micronized in order to achieve a more rapid dissolution. In the clinical trials discussed here, ultramicronized or micronized PEA was used except in three studies where the quality of PEA was unknown or not stated (Tables 1–3). Focus has been placed on the importance of micronization of PEA, in particular the advantages (or lack thereof) of micronized PEA over unmicronized PEA (see 45 for a flavour of this particular debate; note the conflict of interest statement at the end of that article). In brief, the process of micronization results in smaller particles and hence a larger total surface area. This allows the gastrointestinal milieu more access to free surfaces on the drug particle and hence a faster dissolution can be achieved. This may lead to a better adsorption of the drug molecules 46. There is a report in rodents that orally administered micronized and ultramicronized PEA are more efficacious than unmicronized PEA in the carrageenan model of inflammatory pain 47. However, in that study the formulations of PEA were dissolved in carboxymethylcellulose prior to oral or intraperitoneal administration, i.e. already in solution, which would be expected to bypass the contribution of the micronization. Head‐to‐head comparisons of the different formulations of PEA in humans are lacking, and thus there is no clinical data yet to support the use of one formulation over another, which is an unsatisfactory state of affairs. Conclusions As pointed out in the introduction, PEA has been the subject of a number of reviews in recent years (e.g. 20, 22, 23), usually with a focus on the biochemistry of the endogenous compound, its variation in physiological and pathological conditions, and the preclinical pharmacology of exogenously administered PEA. Pharmacokinetic data has largely been neglected, and the clinical data has been listed and described, rather than subjected to close scrutiny. We have attempted to rectify this in the present article. Our analysis of the pharmacokinetic properties of PEA suggests that the compound has a high volume of distribution. Perhaps the most intriguing finding was the concentration of label in the hypothalamus after oral dosing of PEA tritiated in the acyl side chain 31. It would clearly be of interest to confirm this finding and to identify potential novel PEA targets that are preferentially expressed in the hypothalamus. With respect to the safety of PEA, our analysis suggests that too few patients have been treated for more than 60 days to argue that the compound lacks ADRs when given long term. This may well turn out to be the case, but further data is needed to allow a reasonable risk assessment. The clinical studies investigated in detail in the present review are of variable quality. In all cases, the authors have focused on the change in VAS scores, rather than the proportion of subjects experiencing a reduction in pain to under a clinically meaningful cut‐off point, although this issue was addressed in survival analyses undertaken in the meta‐analysis 21. Further, comparative studies with current treatments are rare, although in the case of endometriosis, PEA did not perform as well as celecoxib 44. The clinical data are clearly promising, but more clinical trials are necessary, ideally with publicly available study protocols. Study size, treatment lengths and choice of scales for primary outcome measures are all important considerations 48, as well as head‐to‐head comparisons of unmicronized vs. micronized formulations of PEA (in order to determine whether or not one formulation is clinically superior to the other), and comparisons vs. standard treatments. Given the promising data so far accrued with this compound, it is to be hoped that these data will be forthcoming. After this article was accepted, Andresen et al. 67 have reported a well‐conducted double‐blind multicentre study comparing ultramicronised PEA (2 x 600 mg) and placebo as add‐on treatments in 73 patients with neuropathic pain following spinal cord injury. Over the 12 week period, no superiority over placebo was seen. Competing Interests All authors have completed the Unified Competing Interest form at www.icmje.org/coi_disclosure.pdf (available on request from the corresponding author) and declare no support from any organization for the submitted work, no financial relationships with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work in the previous 3 years and no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work. The corresponding author thanks the Swedish Science Research council (Grant no. 12158) and the Research Funds of the Medical Faculty, Umeå University for research support. Supporting Information Appendix S1 Further pharmacokinetic analysis of published data on PEA Appendix S2 Search methodology used in the present review Filename Description bcp13020-sup-0001-appendix1.docxWord 2007 document, 139.1 KB Supporting info item bcp13020-sup-0002-appendix2.docxWord 2007 document, 91.8 KB Supporting info item Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.Phoenix leaders told us which presidential candidate they'll support. Hint: It comes down to either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. (Photo: The Republic - Getty Images) Every week, The Republic asks Phoenix City Council members and the mayor to respond to a question about an issue affecting city government. We asked: Whom are you supporting for president of the United States? Why would Phoenix residents benefit most if he or she were elected? Background: Arizona’s presidential preference election is on March 22. Voters must already be registered with the Democratic, Green or Republican parties to cast a ballot. Independents cannot participate, unlike Arizona’s primary elections for state offices. Here are the answers of city leaders who responded to the question: Greg Stanton (Photo: Phoenix) "Hillary Clinton is a progressive who gets things done. She has, time and again, broken down barriers, delivered results and created real opportunity for working families. With her as president, Phoenix families will have an ally in the White House who will work to create more high-paying jobs, lower health care costs, close the skills gap, make college affordable, and help them save more for retirement. She’ll be an exceptional president who will have a policy agenda that addresses what keeps Phoenix families up at night and be a tireless fighter for their priorities." — Greg Stanton, Mayor Phoenix City Councilman Sal DiCiccio. (Photo: Sal DiCiccio) "Trump. Establishment politicians in both parties have created the problems of today; from international wars, failures to deal with immigration and tightening the border, the national debt and racial strife to name a few. It is the government that has been profiting on the poor, and I believe it is time for an outsider to be president. There are two candidates from both parties that fit the outsider role, Trump and Sanders. Self-serving politicians have created this global mess, and it is time for an outsider to clean it up." — Sal DiCiccio,District 6,Ahwatukee and east Phoenix Phoenix City Councilwoman Laura Pastor. (Photo: City of Phoenix) "I’ve joined several of my council colleagues in endorsing Hillary Clinton for president. I think Phoenix residents and our country will benefit from Secretary Clinton’s vast experience starting with her early career as a lawyer for Children's Defense Fund and all the way through her years as our country's top diplomat. She has shown her care and concern for those facing injustices and will continue fighting to break down barriers. Her tenacious yet thoughtful leadership is what we need now." — Laura Pastor, District 4,parts of central and west Phoenix Phoenix City Councilman Michael Nowakowski. (Photo: Phoenix) "A primary economic challenge of our time is raising incomes for hard-working Americans, and I believe Hillary Clinton is the most qualified of all the candidates to pave a path for the American Dream to be obtainable for all. She has championed amazing causes, including equal rights, affordable health care, immigration reform and our labor unions. I believe she can lead our nation on national security issues in a way that strengthens our alliances and keeps America safe. From her time as First Lady to most recently as Secretary of State, she is prepared to be Commander in Chief on Day 1." — Michael Nowakowski, District 7, southwest Phoenix and parts of downtown Kate Gallego is a Phoenix City Council member. (Photo: Phoenix) "I am supporting Hillary Clinton for President because she has the temperament, the platform, and the skill-set we need in a President. On issues ranging from immigration to equal pay for women, Hillary is the candidate who gives Phoenix residents an option that will substantively improve their lives. I’m voting for Hillary on March 22nd because she can best make the Democratic Party’s case to the American people: in November, when voters face their starkest choice in living memory, Hillary can persuade Phoenicians and all Americans to reject bigotry and make the choice that will bring our country together." —Kate Gallego, vice mayor (District 8), southeast Phoenix and parts of downtown Got a question we should ask the mayor and City Council? Send it to me at dustin.gardiner@arizonarepublic.com or via Twitter @dustingardiner. Read or Share this story: http://azc.cc/1p4cckDHow much CGI is too much CGI? Let’s take a look at ten issues I have with modern CGI. It seems like “good” CGI, or at least audiences perceptions of good CGI, is in decline over the past few years. Sure, you have amazing anomalies like Gravity or Interstellar, but on a whole, CGI quality is trending downward. Is CGI getting worse? Or are audiences harder to please? Let’s take a closer look at the state of VFX industry in the following post. 1. CGI has transitioned from a complimentary dish to the main course. CGI had major limitations when first introduced. Because of this, is was used as a last resort. Even Steven Spielberg had this mindset until he introduced Shia Leboeuf going full-on Tarzan with CGI monkeys in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The CG Supervisor for that movie had this to say: “Viewers will hardly notice the 45 minutes of CGI in the film.” Really? Jurassic Park is a great example of complimentary CGI. They couldn’t design the animatronics to walk around for the wide shots, so they used CGI to solve this problem. What you got were wide CGI shots offset with closeup live action animatronics. The CGI reinforced the idea that the dinos weren’t just static robots, and the robots reinforced the idea that they were really in the scene with the actors. 2. The physics are off. After the success of movies like Terminator 2 and Jurassic Park, it became apparent that CGI was the best way to create realistic effects. One of the main reasons CGI outshined techniques like stop-motion was movement. It got the physics right. Now, over 20 years later, Hollywood has lost the concept of realistic movement with CGI. Scenes from movies like Matrix Reloaded or Catwoman showcase stunts that are impossible to perform with an actual human. Movies have abandoned the concept of physics and with it goes the audience’s perceptions of reality. Cracked.com took a look at some of the pitfalls of modern CGI. What made the top of their list? A complete disregard for gravity, friction and intertia: There might be a time when CGI finally traverses the uncanny valley and becomes indistinguishable from the real world. Only none of that will matter as long as filmmakers continue to apply physics with a spongy fist…sometimes having that “sky’s the limit” freedom means knowing when to keep it grounded. Hollywood is trying to rewrite the laws of motion…. Isaac Newton must be rolling over in his grave. “An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same speed and in the same direction…unless the script says otherwise.” 3. CGI has put us in a state of denial. CGI’s purpose should be to make a stunt or effect look more real. Whenever we see good CGI, we shouldn’t realize it’s good CGI. We shouldn’t even notice it at all. It should be so real and grounded that it pulls us into the story instead of distracting us. We’re in a state of denial where we keep telling ourselves ‘But it’s really good CGI! Look at how good that CGI is! Wow, I can’t imagine how many hours were spent rendering that! Every frame is so dense.’ If we have to discuss CGI, then the CGI didn’t do its job. CGI is getting worse because it’s trying to impress us rather than fool us. 4. The move to HD and 4K make CGI less convincing. CGI is far from perfect. But when the delivery format was celluloid and SD, it masked the imperfections of CGI and made everything look more realistic. Filmmakers furthered the illusion by purposely compositing CGI into poorly lit scenes and behind elements like smoke and rain. Now with the stunning clarity of 2K and 4K (and even more so with HFR), we’re starting to see the cracks in the pavement. As resolution increases, CGI is becoming less convincing. 5. Stylized grades and CGI don’t mix. The over-saturated color scheme blooming with every conceivable tone of orange and teal is ruining CGI. CGI needs all the help it can get when composited into a scene. When you splash a hyper-realistic grade over the top, it makes everything look fake including the CGI. This is why Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and Jurassic Park look incredibly real. They incorporated CGI into scenes that had realistic lighting and color. The Cracked post also commented on the perils of the “Blockbuster” grade : Movies like Transformers and The Hunger Games are so aggressively teal and orange that they look like big-budget adaptations of a Spencer Gifts blacklight poster. As we’ve explained before, the reason for this is that those two colors are on opposite sides of the color wheel, and as such are immediately pleasing to human eyes. Since human skin best resembles orange more than anything else on that wheel, color graders had an easy starting point to completely ruin every film they work on. Case in point? The new Jurassic World looks like a super hero movie. I half expected Tony Stark to be training raptors with Chris Pratt. The oversaturated grade makes it look more like a fantasy where dinosaurs only exist on a computer screen. 6. There’s no restraint. Christopher Nolan shows incredible restraint with CGI. If it’s too expensive or just not feasible to capture in camera, he’ll rely on CGI to recreate the effect realistically. Hollywood doesn’t know how to show restraint with CGI. Their mentality is ‘Because we can, we will’. They want it faster, bigger, brighter, more colorful, and 10X as epic as the last time. However sophisticated your computer-generated imagery is, if it’s been created from no physical elements and you haven’t shot anything, it’s going to feel like animation. -Christopher Nolan 7. CGI-driven action is sequel-oriented. The CGI in every sequel has a major goal: it has to be more impressive, complex, and crazier than its predecessor. The stakes have to be higher. Filmmakers try to create engagement with more explosions rather than letting story, plot, and character development produce interest. Another huge issue is that in a world of endless sequels, we no longer have to worry about our main character’s well-being. We don’t need to be invested in the characters because there’s no chance they’ll die. They aren’t in any real peril. The actors have already signed up for two sequels! James Cameron is working on three Avatar sequels simultaneously! What’s happening now is that filmmakers are making scenes more and more extravagant to offset this sequel fatigue. They keep pushing the limits to keep us saying ‘well surely they can’t survive this’ until it gets utterly ridiculous. 8. CGI is dangerous. CGI is paralyzing the film industry. It’s taking over production time, budgets, story, and even replacing real characters. It’s making films worse. If we allocated the amount of resources we spend on CGI toward hiring better writers, creating cooler set designs, and minimizing post production, we’d have better cinema. Because of the damage done by CGI, Hollywood can only finance CGI-fest films with bloated budgets. The people demand CGI and the only way to keep the demand up is to increase the dose of CGI. 9. CGI encourages lazy filmmaking. CGI has put filmmakers in the ‘we’ll fix it in post’ mindset. It has made them incredibly lazy. There’s no dedication to the craft when you can endlessly fix imperfections on a computer screen. Why go the extra mile to capture a stunt in-camera when you can hand it over to ILM to recreate? Take Jurassic World for instance. They recently released a raptor training scene. There are so many opportunities to use animatronics in this scene, but they didn’t. Even the closeup shots were CGI. Where’s the passion? Where’s the commitment to realism? It’s a shame, and it’s so lazy. 10. CGI has made us complacent. CGI is like a drug. The more we keep exposing ourselves to it, the less effect it has on us. We’re chasing the dragon, so to speak. A collapsing practical indoor set isn’t cool anymore. You know what’s cool? An entire building collapsing! A chance encounter with Darth Vader on Cloud City? Lame. We need a 12 minute duel filled with over the top action on a volcanic planet costing 70,000 man hours to create. What this has lead to is a complacency with traditional movie drama. It leaves us less impressed with real life situations and settings. It makes us yawn at authentic dramatic tension because it doesn’t contain a sweeping CGI destruction shot. Need more anti-CG ammunition? Check out “6 Reasons Modern Movie CGI Looks Surprisingly Crappy” over at Cracked.com. Want to learn more about the VFX industry? Check out a few of the following posts: What are your thoughts? Is CGI actually getting worse? Share your thoughts in the comments below.FIRST: Don’t wait for people to tell you what to do! Most new employees assume that their manager is the source of truth in all things related to the company and their career — that somehow by simply following their instructions they will achieve upward momentum. Although this is generally a really good starting point, it is isn't the best approach. Doing only what your manager tells you to do limits your options to the set of things your manager a) knows about and b) wants you to work on. The trick to fast advancement is in aggressively expanding your available options. But how? Story time. I vividly remember my first day on the job. My manager was out on vacation and had totally forgotten about my arrival. By day two I’d run out of onboarding documents to read. And my manager was still out, probably laying on the beach somewhere. On day three I decided I’d had enough waiting around. I scheduled meetings with my peers, all the line managers in the organization, the general manager, and the highest ranked team members I could find in the employee address book that would talk to me. If you’re ever new to an organization, make sure you do this early. There is a narrow window in which people will give you “new guy” meeting access and a free pass for dumb questions. During each of these meetings I always asked, “what would you do if you had an extra person to help out?” I guarantee that if you ever need ideas to get ahead, at any point in your career, a 5-minute conversation with your peers or manager starting with this question will pay off because of how quickly it surfaces unmet needs. Ask it to yourself right now and you’ll come up three ideas in the next minute. By the end of that first week I’d collected a list of requests longer than my arm: bug fixes, internal tools, cool project ideas, documentation tasks, etc. One guy named Kevin had an extremely good idea: “Rewrite the Word spell checker so that it works in more languages than English.” With Kevin’s encouragement and approval from my manager (of course!) I jumped at the opportunity. Let’s just be honest. If you ever see a red spellchecker squiggle in a Microsoft product, that’s probably me helping you out. The code I wrote ended up shipping in Word, PowerPoint, Excel, SharePoint, Exchange, and a bunch of other Microsoft apps. As a result, it’s used by a billion people around the world in more than 100 languages. Even better, the spellchecker provided me with a network and a personal brand. Anyone from around the company that wanted proofing tools in their app eventually found their way to my office. Real talk: this project landed me about 3 promotions and it all started with that simple question. Now, I don’t want you to get the wrong idea — I’m skipping over all the late nights of coding, long meetings, cans of Mountain Dew, pouring through MSDN articles with broken sample code, scrambling to fix build breaks. Getting all those promos took years of effort and you will need to put the hours in no matter what. But my point is that I didn’t sit around waiting for the opportunity, I got out and found it myself. Every day we are surrounded by endless opportunities to get ahead, if we’re only willing to stop, ask, and maybe learn something new.RJ Rockers Brewing Co. will unveil a new beer this week as a fund-raiser to help complete the 500-mile Palmetto Trail in South Carolina. RJ Rockers Brewing Co. will unveil a new beer this week as a fund-raiser to help complete the 500-mile Palmetto Trail in South Carolina. The Spartanburg-based brewer has crafted “Palmetto Trail Pale Ale” in partnership with the Palmetto Conservation Foundation. The new brew will debut Wednesday during an event at 11 a.m. at Craft and Draft at 2706 Devine St. in Columbia. RJ Rockers will donate a portion of its sales to the foundation’s “Finish the Trail” campaign for land acquisition and construction of the 150-mile middle portion of the trail. When it’s completed, the trail will span from Oconee County to Charleston County. “It has been a lot of fun working with Palmetto Conservation,” said John Bauknight, RJ Rockers’ owner. “We believe it is our duty to give something back to our community and state. Our employees really got fired up about it when they started working with the folks from Palmetto Conservation. Their creativity really took off. We are very excited about it.” At Wednesday’s event, Palmetto Conservation will provide existing members and members who sign up that day with a pint glass for one sample for free. KC Hotdogs will serve food starting at 5 p.m. T-shirts will also be on sale. Craft and Draft will sell the brew through July. From 3 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, RJ Rockers will host a similar event, offering foundation members and individuals who sign up that day a free glass and pint of Palmetto Trail ale. Spartanburg’s “On the Rocks” band will perform. “RJ Rockers is excited to be able to play a role in finishing the trail,” said Henry Depew, president of RJ Rockers, in a statement. “It is exciting to partner with people who are passionate about what they are doing. That passion pays off as we look forward to the state of South Carolina having a great hiking trail.” According to its designers, the new brew is a special blend of hops and malt that conjures “the adventure of trail treks.” It will be available in a can, on tap and in take-home growlers. Bauknight said Palmetto Trail ale will be served at the brewery in downtown Spartanburg and at select restaurants and bars. RJ Rockers will expand the brew’s offering based on demand, he said. The foundation said the trail is meant to inspire active, healthy living, and to showcase the state’s diverse natural beauty and history. It includes passages through wilderness, woods, urban areas, rail trails, greenways, country roads and the steps of the State Capitol. More from Trevor Anderson: Twitter \| ArticlesHisense Sero 7 Odexed, Themed, Inverted ROM built off Stock System Dump Remember to backup first. (These instructions assume that you're already rooted, and have Clockwork Mod Recovery Installed from previous posts in the thread) Download Preparation.zip from attachments in this post. Download Serolicious From Link Below Flash Preparation.zip FIRST! SeroliciousHisense Sero 7 Odexed, Themed, Inverted ROM built off Stock System DumpI know there are a lot of flashaholics that will be going through withdrawals without a ROM to flash, so I threw this together this morning for y'all.We now have 4 of these tablets in our neighborhood, two in our building alone. They're all running this ROM now with no problems, so it's safe to play with. If you're having problems, take your tab back to Wally's and get an iPad mini!I tried to get it as close as I could to my Nexalicious7 ROM for the Nexas 7 in the short time that I had.You don't take a dump without wiping your azz after, so don't flash a ROM without a complete wipe first!Place both files on your External SD Card.Boot into Clockwork Mod RecoveryFlash Serolicious.zipReboot!As always, I'm not responsible for you borking your tabs out of ignorance, blah, blah!Off to the Drive-Ins![YOUTUBE]gjm9JpRwdtE[/YOUTUBE]Future of 238-strong chain under threat as loan terms unlikely to be met in January and April, chief executive says HMV is in talks with banks over its future following worse-than-expected trading in the runup to Christmas, the new chief executive of the entertainment group says. Trevor Moore, who joined HMV from the camera chain Jessops, said current market conditions suggested the group would not meet expectations for the year to April. As a result, the terms of its bank loans were not likely to be met in January and April, placing the future of the 238-strong chain under threat. HMV said like-for-like sales fell 10.2% in the 26 weeks to 27 October as its pre-tax loss narrowed to £36.1m, compared with £50.1m the previous year. The dismal results come despite reports that HMV has received £40m in financial support from its suppliers in a bid to keep it going over the festive period. HMV shares crashed more than 40% in early trading on Thursday morning, to just 2.375p, giving the retailer a market value of just £10m. Suppliers including Universal Music came to HMV's rescue last January with a deal that helped the retailer shed some of its huge debt. Both music publishers and film studios are keen to see the struggling business survive as internet retailers such as Amazon chip away at their profit margins. It is understood HMV has secured improved access to music and film suppliers' back catalogues and is buying stock on consignment, meaning it only pays for products if it sells them. Its struggle has seen it sell off several parts of its business, including the Waterstones book retailer, to reduce its debt, while closing loss-making stores. It recently offloaded its Hammersmith Apollo venue for £32m, enabling it to negotiate a new deal with lenders. It said on Thursday that sales in the first half of the year were hit by the light release schedule, as suppliers held back on significant product launches due to the Olympics. The group said it managed to boost its share of the declining market by doing more promotional offers such as "2 for £15" on CDs or "5 for £30" on Blu-Ray discs. At the end of the period, the business had a 38% share of the physical music market and a 27% share of that for the physical visual – DVD and Blu-Ray. Moore said closing more stores or placing the business into administration was not "part of our plan". "It's been a tough first half but we've reduced losses and in a difficult market we've continued to grow share." In May, when Simon Fox was still in charge, the group said it was looking for pre-tax profits of at least £10m for the 2012-13 financial year. Freddie George, an analyst at Seymour Pierce, said he was unconvinced that measures taken by the group were enough to "offset the structural pressures on its core business of music, vision and gaming". Maintaining his sell recommendation on HMV shares, George said: "We continue to see HMV as a value trap with potentially insurmountable structural issues."“Did I leave the oven on?” This question will sometimes pop up at the most inconvenient times. Sometimes when you just left your house. Sometimes on your way to work. Sometimes on a plane while you’re on your way for a long vacation… There are different solutions for this problem: The rubber band method Saying / singing it out loud (like Samuel L. Jackson) Labeling your appliances or even making a checklist that includes the oven before leaving the house to a long vacation. Or, we can do something better… In this tutorial we’ll try the technical approach to the problem. Full code can be found on Github. Problem definition In our case, we need to decide on the signal that we’ll use in order to determine if the oven is on / off. In my kitchen, that signal is a red light on top of the text “OVEN ON”. When the red light is on, the oven is
the hands of the dictator. Elaborating a bit freely on stated policy, I asserted that the question as to whether or not there were viable weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in Iraq did not matter. After all, the UN had clearly documented that Iraq possessed the intellectual capital to build them. The capability, therefore, could not be eradicated. Saddam had already demonstrated the willingness and intent not only to build WMD, but to employ them against his neighbours, and even his own people. As capability could not be addressed, intent would have to be. The only option, therefore, was regime change; and only an invasion could effect it. Now, a similar calculus is at work in the context of another Gulf power thought to be close to developing nuclear weapons. The issue, as always, revolves around the factors of capability and hostile intent. The West, Israel, and most of Iraq's Arab neighbours are deeply mistrustful of Iranian intent, and are therefore adamant that Iran should not develop nuclear weapons capability. Iran's intentions The question of intent cuts two ways: Does Iran intend to develop nuclear weapons - or at least a so-called break-out capability - and, if so, how would it intend to use such a capacity if it got it? Inside Story: Can Iran survive the sanctions? On the first question, the Iranians are clearly fostering a climate of ambiguity. Iran could meet all the demands of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regarding transparency, and thus assuage international fears, if it chose to. It does not. The suspicion is that Iran's reluctance in this regard reflects a desire to develop and maintain an ability to quickly develop nuclear weapons if it should choose to do so, while preserving, in the meantime, a claimed right to international assistance in developing nuclear power. Thus, much of the discussion surrounding Iranian nuclear development revolves around ensuring Iranian compliance with its obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Surely, it is understandable that many, at least, in the international community would seek to use diplomacy, sanctions, and as many other non-military levers as possible to gain adequate assurances that Iran is in fact meeting its treaty obligations, and will continue to do so in future. The intent behind ever-more-stringent sanctions is to so increase pressure on the current regime as to convince it to meet international demands, or to visit sufficient discomfort on the Iranian population as to induce it to demand either a change in current policy, or a change of regime. All of this seems logical enough. The US and the West wish to force the Iranian regime and the Iranian people to make a choice, and to influence that choice in the desired direction. The only problem with this thinking is that there is no recognised Iranian expert of whom I am aware who thinks that sanctions will ever have the desired effect. Indeed, there appears to be a national consensus in Iran that Iranians should not only have the right to nuclear power, but to preserve all options in their own defence. That alone may not be a reason to abandon sanctions: experts are often wrong, and the West risks little in pursuing them - unconvincing Iranian threats to close the straits of Hormuz notwithstanding - at least until they produce considerably higher world oil prices. Saddam Hussein redux? However, should even the current sanctions on Iran's central bank fail to produce Iranian compliance, as seems almost certain, it will be time for the West to make some hard choices itself concerning available options. In order to simplify the calculus, let us suppose that the Islamic Republic decided to remove all ambiguity concerning the first question of intent. Let us suppose that they opted to abandon the NPT, and to claim the right to produce nuclear weapons. What then? Surely the question is not just about possession of weapons. France has nuclear weapons, and seems to generate little concern. For that matter, so do Israel, Pakistan and India. The world, if not universally comfortable, seems quite willing to live with this situation. Is the case of Iran qualitatively different? And if so, is it sufficiently so to risk the unintended consequences attendant on war? Is this Saddam Hussein redux? "Clerics in Tehran are hardly devoid of calculation: quite the contrary. They are endlessly scheming... the Iranian regime has embraced self-preservation as a necessity of the highest order." Surely, the clerical dispensation in Tehran makes for an unlovely regime. If there were doubts on this score, the aftermath of the 2009 presidential elections would have put them to rest. More troubling, the legacy of the Islamic Republic is one of violent skullduggery, whether perpetrated directly against its oppositionists abroad, or through surrogates. And the fact that the exercise of power in Tehran is anything but monolithic, and accords wide latitude to radical actors such as the Revolutionary Guard, does not generate greater confidence in the aggregate good sense and stability of the regime. All that said, the clerics in Tehran are hardly devoid of calculation: quite the contrary. They are endlessly scheming, and masters at finely calibrating ends with means, even when neither of them meet with Western approval. Far from being oblivious of its own survival, as some breathless alarmists would claim, the Iranian regime has embraced self-preservation as a necessity of the highest order. 'Coldly rational' Indeed, Imam Khomeini himself, in what some regard as a blatant heresy, raised the survival of the Islamic regime in Tehran to the level of an obligation under Islam - a justification to which he made reference when, in the face of possible regime destabilisation in August of 1988, he accepted a ceasefire with Saddam Hussein. And unlike the late Iraqi dictator, modern Iran has never invaded its neighbours, nor seriously threatened to do so. There is a growing chorus of those in the US who advocate resort to military measures against Iran in the event that sanctions do not impede their perceived progress toward nuclear-weapons status. And the prospect that Israel might decide unilaterally to take military action in a manner which would inevitably implicate the US seems to elicit nothing but passive acquiescence in Washington. No one can seriously suggest that limited measures, such as air or missile strikes, would do anything more than slow Iranian nuclear development, and then perhaps only marginally. Indeed, from the pattern of violent attacks on Iranian nuclear scientists, it would appear that a campaign of limited warfare, most likely by Israel, has begun. The Iranian reaction to such attacks does not appear to make Iranian acceptance of Western demands more likely. Indeed, what we can expect in future is a pattern of reprisals which, once begun, may be difficult to control. And anyone even contemplating an invasion of a hostile nation of the size and capabilities of Iran in order to effect regime change is flatly daft, even before one takes the asymmetric options available to the Persian state into account. There may be good reasons to attempt to dissuade Iran, through a variety of means and appeals, from its apparent nuclear course, and there are many options available to contain the Iranian threat, such as it may be. But in calculating risks and gains, and assessing the impact of combined intent and capability in the Islamic Republic, regional powers, the West, and the international community at large would be well advised to do so with a coldly rational eye. Are we facing an August, 1990, moment? I think not. Robert Grenier is a retired, 27-year veteran of the CIA's Clandestine Service. He was Director of the CIA's Counter-Terrorism Center from 2004 to 2006. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial policy.Oops! South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) on Monday said she can’t back up a claim she made about job seekers’ drug use in her state. Earlier, Haley claimed that about half of the applicants at a nuclear site in South Carolina failed a drug test — evidence she used to justify the need to drug screen applicants for unemployment benefits. But it turns out that less than 1 percent of applicants failed the drug test, the Associated Press reports.“I’ve never felt like I had to back up what people tell me,” Haley told the Associated Press. “You assume that you’re given good information. And now I’m learning through you guys that I have to be careful before I say something.” “I’m not going to say it anymore,” she added. Haley said she was at the Savannah River Site nuclear reservation and heard the drug testing claim from people there, a comment that “had a huge impact” on her. “It is the reason you’re hearing me look into whether we can do drug testing,” she said. “It’s the reason you hear me focus so much on job training. Somebody can’t say that and it not stick you in the gut.” Despite the evidence against it, Haley is still seeking drug tests tied to applicants for unemployment benefits, according to the report. Read the rest here. Get the day’s best political analysis, news and reporting from the TPM team delivered to your inbox every day with DayBreaker. Sign up here, it takes just a few seconds.1:42pm: Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press has some further detail on Boyer’s deal (Twitter links). Boyer will earn $750K if he makes the big league roster, with an additional $100K available via performance bonuses. His contract also contains a March 30 opt-out clause that can be exercised if he has not been added to the 40-man roster. 10:28am: The Twins have signed right-hander Blaine Boyer to a minor league contract with an invitation to Major League Spring Training, team director of communications Dustin Morse announced (on Twitter). The 33-year-old Boyer returned to the Majors for the first time since 2011 last season, firing 40 1/3 solid innings out of the Padres’ bullpen. Though he averaged just 6.5 K/9, Boyer showed strong control, averaging just 1.8 walks per nine. His fastball lost very little of its heat despite the two-year gap between big league stints, as he averaged a healthy 93.1 mph on the pitch. Despite his solid season, however, Boyer was outrighted by the Padres following the year. He had projected to earn $1MM in arbitration, via MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz. The Twins’ bullpen currently features All-Star closer Glen Perkins and several solid, albeit unspectacular setup men. Casey Fien and recent signee Tim Stauffer (another former Padre) will serve as right-handed options for new skipper Paul Molitor, while Brian Duensing and perhaps Caleb Thielbar will join Perkins as southpaws. Others in the mix include righties Ryan Pressly, Michael Tonkin and Lester Oliveros in addition to southpaws Logan Darnell and Aaron Thompson.TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- Investigators are working to find the source of a gunshot that injured a 20-year-old man in a vehicle near a shooting range Thursday. The man was shot once in the shoulder after he left a shooting range on South Sandy Road, according to Loyd Baker, commander of the Tuscaloosa County Metro Homicide Unit. The man was driving toward U.S. Highway 82 when the bullet came in through the car window, traveled through the man's shoulder and went out the other window of the vehicle. "It appears the shot came from some distance and may have been accidental," Baker said. "Investigators are working to discover the source of the shot." The man was transported to DCH Regional Medical Center and treated for injuries that were not life-threatening.Ottawa spent $707,000 in legal fees fighting a Canadian Human Rights Tribunal order since January 2016 that insisted they stop discriminating against Indigenous children, according to the attorney general’s office. New Democrat MP Charlie Angus asked Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould on April 10 what the government’s total legal costs were in the battle between the First Nations Child and Family Caring Society and the Assembly of First Nations against the government since Jan. 25, 2016. Federal Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould was asked to provide the legal costs spent fighting a Canadian Human Rights Tribunal order. ( Adrian Wyld / THE CANADIAN PRESS ) Angus just received the answer of $707,000 for legal costs, including disbursements. That is nearly twice the $380,000 needed by Wapekeka First Nation for emergency mental health care after the northern Ontario community uncovered a suicide pact last year. Health Canada denied them the funding and two 12-year-old girls, Jolynn Winter and Chantell Fox, took their lives in January. “How is it possible the office of (Indigenous Affairs Minister) Carolyn Bennett and (Health Minister) Jane Philpott decided it was awkward to spend money to keep those girls alive but it wasn’t awkward to spend money on lawyers to fight the tribunal?” Angus said Thursday. After a prolonged legal fight, the tribunal ruled in January 2016, that Canada was breaking the law by not making equitable health and social services payments to Indigenous children living on reserves. On May 26 the tribunal slammed the government’s slow reaction to their ruling, saying they squandered “any chance of preventing” the deaths of Winter and Fox. Article Continued Below The $707,000 could have gone a long way for mental health services for children in need, said Cindy Blackstock, the executive director of the First Nations Family Caring Society. “I just don’t understand it,” she said. The government has received a series of non-compliance orders from the tribunal since their 2016 ruling. In an act of desperation, Blackstock wrote a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, asking him to personally intervene in this case. “It should be abundantly clear by now, after four non-compliance orders and the most recent order linking Canada’s non-compliance to the tragic deaths of two 12-year-old girls that these departments are either unwilling or unable to do it on their own. They need leadership from the Prime Minister’s Office to do it,” she said. “I worry about this non-compliance as each day passes because children and their families continue to live in crisis.” When contacted by the Star on Thursday, a spokesperson for Philpott’s office pointed to the joint statement released last week by the Health and Indigenous affairs ministries after the latest non-compliance ruling. The statement said more than 4,900 requests for health, social and educational products or services have been approved for children under the Jordan’s Principle Child-First Initiative. “We are reaching out to First Nations families, health providers and key stakeholders to raise awareness of Jordan’s Principle, encourage families to come forward, and help families obtain the services and supports they need,” the statement said. Article Continued Below In an emailed statement, James Fitzmorris, spokesperson for Bennett, said the department “strongly agrees” with the tribunal’s order to put children first in its approach to First Nations health and social spending. He said the government has been responding to the legal case at the tribunal and “can’t ignore orders to appear. “Canada fully accepted and is implementing the CHRT ruling of 2016 — all legal fees incurred since then are related to responding to orders from the CHRT to appear and explain the steps Canada is taking to ensure an end to discrimination against First Nations Children in Child and Family services,” the statement said. Blackstock said the government knows what to do — and that is fund all children equitably — but they are just willingly not doing it. “That is a very hard thing for me to think about. I have always believed in the goodness of people. I can’t wrap my mind around why good people would not comply with four legal orders,” she said, adding she sent the letter to Trudeau on Monday. At the heart of the tribunal case is the definition of “Jordan’s Principle,” named after Jordan River Anderson, a 5-year-old boy from Norway House First Nation who died in 2005. Parliament unanimously passed a motion to adopt Jordan’s Principle in 2007, to ensure that all Indigenous children immediately get health and welfare services they need. In January 2016 the tribunal ruled the government’s definition of Jordan’s Principle was too narrow in its focus on cases where children had “multiple disabilities.” This led to “service gaps, delays and denials for First Nations children,” the tribunal found. Last year, the Liberal government committed up to $382.5 million over three years to pay for services highlighted by the tribunal’s first ruling on discrimination. Correction – June 2, 2017: This article was edited from a previous version that misstated the amount spent by the Federal government in legal fees as $770,000 in one instance. Read more about:Scientists at the University of Cambridge in the UK have found a way to improve the efficiency of photovoltaic cells by as much as 25% through harnessing more of the sun’s spectrum than most traditional silicon-based solar cells can. The new design, developed at the university’s Cavendish Laboratory in the Department of Physics, can absorb both red and blue light, and generates electrons from photons at a two-to-one ratio on the blue light spectrum. Most current solar cells lose blue photon energy as heat, leaving them unable to turn more than about 34% of the sunlight they absorb into power. The team, led by professors Neil Greenham and Sir Richard Friend, recently published results in a paper. The hybrid cells have an added organic semiconductor called pentacene, which helps harness blue light energy to strengthen the electrical current coming from the cell, making the product up to 44% efficient. The university’s team also innovated on how the cells are made, by producing the cells in bulk using a roll-to-roll printing technique. While cheaper, more efficient photovoltaics sound promising, there remain hurdles to be overcome. The greatest costs in building a solar power plant are installation hardware, labor and land, so a cheaper solar cell is only a piece of the puzzle.There's never a quiet moment, is there? On the heels of GLORY 14 and UFC Fight Night 37 on Saturday comes a very good and highly important UFC event on Saturday in UFC 171. In the absence of Georges St-Pierre, this event sets to reorient in the division. There's a title fight, an arguable number one contender's bout and even more behind that. The card is also filled with other intriguing bouts plus top prospects like Alex Garcia and Justin Scoggins. Bellator also returns Friday with an important main event. The organization has invested in Pat Curran and pushed him as a key face of the organization. After being trounced by Daniel Straus in their rematch at Bellator 106, this is his chance to reclaim his position and fulfill the promise Bellator said was awaiting him in his career. Oh, and the GLORY 14 ratings are excellent. Happy to answer any questions about that. Or other stuff. You know how this works. There's a lot going on, so join me today to discuss all of this and more. In terms of today's chat, anything is up for discussion, but I will lead with this and it all kicks off at 1 p.m. ET. As is customary, I'll post the video window here as the event draws near and I'll answer any questions you may have if you post them in the comments section below. Be sure that you click the'rec' button for those comments/questions you believe most deserve a response. Be sure to link this page and use the hashtag #chatwrappers on Twitter or even Facebook when you're watching this to let everyone know you're taking part is this activity of ours. Talk with you all at 1 p.m. ET.NEWARK — NJIT's Division 1 men's basketball team will be playing in a post-season tournament for the first time. Jim Engles, the coach of the only independent Division 1 team in the league, tweeted confirmation this week that his team will finally be taking part in March Madness. According to his tweet, the team accepted a bid into the CIT, CollegeInsider.com Tournament. March Madness comes to Newark, NJ! NJIT has accepted a bid to the College Insider Tourney. We will be hosting on Mar 16. #NJITbracketparty — Jim Engles (@CoachJimEngles) March 4, 2015 According to a post on the school's website this week, it will host the first game of the tournament on March 16. Its opponent is to be decided. "I am so excited for the players in our program to have a chance to experience 'March Madness' in the CIT," Engles said in the school's announcement. "You start the season with a goal of showcasing your program on a national stage. This CIT bid allows us to compete for a postseason championship in a national tournament." The appearance will mark the Highlanders' first in a post-season tournament. Angela Lento, the co-founder of the website that sponsors the tournament, speculated that the move may help the team get into a conference. "We are thrilled that NJIT will be a part of the 2015 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament," she said in the post. "Head coach Jim Engles has done a phenomenal job again this season and should be a National Coach of the Year candidate. We hope the Highlanders' participation in the CIT will help their chances of getting into a conference." The news comes a few weeks after school officials confirmed a plan to build a $100 million events center on its Newark campus. In addition to other functions, the building will serve as a home to the school's athletic teams, school officials said. "We need to meet certain standards" to be admitted into a conference, New Jersey Institute of Technology President Joel Bloom told NJ Advance Media last month. "This arena will meet them." "I think it could help," NJIT Athletic Director Lenny Kaplan said of whether or not the facility, slated to be opened in 2017, could help get the school into a conference. "The conferences we've spoken to, the first thing they bring up to us is the facility." Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has railed against the political establishment’s migrant policy, calling for the deportation of over a million migrants from the European Union (EU). Regularly at odds with EU leaders in Western Europe, the Hungarian Prime Minister has said that the political bloc needs to consider deporting over a million migrants who flooded into Europe over the last year, reports Spiegel Online. “All who have come illegally should be picked up and taken away,” Mr. Orbán told Hungarian media. After securing the borders of his own country, Mr. Orbán is taking his secure border ideology to the rest of the EU, targeting German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s open-door migrant policy. Mr. Orbán said that he didn’t want to see migrant camps set up within the borders of the EU but rather the bloc should create migrant camps on islands or on the North African coast. He proposed that the camps should be financed by EU member states, where all migrant claims could be rigorously scrutinised before those designated as ‘refugees’ are allowed into the bloc. The lack of background checks has led to radical Islamic extremists, including members of Islamic State, being admitted into the EU. So-called ‘refugees’ have gone on to commit acts of terror in Paris, Brussels, and several cities in Germany. Law enforcement officials have been alarmed by the scale of the network of Islamic State-linked fighters who were able to walk into Europe thanks to the migrant crisis. Processing migrants offshore is a system that Australia has practised for years and has been proposed by Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz for incoming migrants. Mr. Orbán’s idea to remove existing migrants from Germany and elsewhere and place them overseas is a more radical version of the plan. These comments come less than two weeks before the Hungarian people vote in a referendum on whether or not to accept any migrants into Hungary as part of the EU’s proposed migrant redistribution policy. Mr. Orbán hopes that the people will vote to not allow migrants to be sent from Western Europe to Hungary, and polls show that the Hungarian people strongly support his tough stance. Earlier this week Mr. Orbán’s spokesman Zoltan Kovacs spoke in Brussels and attacked the so-called “migrant helpers” who drive many migrants out of Hungary and across the borders to Austria and Germany, calling them organised criminals. Mr. Kovacs also noted that if the government won the referendum, the EU could expect even tougher migrant laws to be passed in the Central European nation.If you wish to put them in the fridge or freezer and use within 3 months, you can skip this step. If you wish to preserve them (for up to 2 years in a cool dark cupboard) you will need to boil. This will force the air out of the jars from the inside, and create a vacuum. I have read everything from 5 - 25 minutes, but most sources say that for jelly, 5 - 10 minutes is sufficient. The key is to take the water to just below boiling, and put your jars in, and not directly on the heat source, so if you do not have a jar rack, or rack from a pressure cooker, you will need to McGuiver one. Some people take an extra dish rag, and put that in the bottom. Allow the watter to come to a slow boil, and start your timer. If you look carefully, you will notice tiny little bubbles coming out of the jars (from the top) along the bands. This is expected and desired. You can take them off when the bubbles stop coming out, which should coincide with 10 minutes or so.Vice Witherspoon Institute I Grew Up in a Polyamorous Household By Benedict Smith Kelsey Wroten ...My parents are polyamorous, a Greek/Latin mishmash word meaning romantic non-monogamy with the consent of everyone involved. As a kid, I lived with my dad, my mom, my mom's partner, and for a while, my mom's partner's partner. Mom might have up to four partners at a time. Dad had partners too. I was raised by an interconnected network of grownups whose relationships which weren't exclusive, but remained committed for years, even decades. They first explained it to me when I was about eight. My four-year-old brother asked why James, my mom's partner, had been spending so much time with us. "Because I love him," mom said, matter-of-factly. "Well, that's good," my brother replied, "because I love him too." It was never really any more complicated than that. Looking back, that's what I find most extraordinary about our situation: how mind-numbingly ordinary it all was.... I never resented my parents for hanging out with their partners. We all went on trips to the movies and narrow boat holidays together. Having more adults around the house meant there was more love and support, and more adults to look after us. Dad and James didn't get jealous or resent each other either, far from the alpha male antler clattering you might expect. They were good friends. I do remember the first time James told me off. I was eight, and had almost toddled into traffic, when he pulled me to the pavement and shouted at me for not looking left and right. I remember thinking: Oh, this grownup is allowed to discipline me too? But it didn't take me long to realize that it also meant that another grownup had my back — and would keep me from being flattened by oncoming traffic — and that this was a good thing after all. ----------------------- ...Our church community, on the other hand, did find out about my parents' arrangement. We were very close to our parish at a local Anglo-Catholic church in East London — my mom even taught at Sunday school. We never lied about our family dynamic, we just didn't want to broadcast it. James was called "a family friend," which worked for a while. Eventually though, we were outed. Someone trawled the web and tracked down my mom's LiveJournal page, and word got out that my family was poly. Most people tried to understand, but not everyone could. One family was so condemning of our parents' lifestyle that they forbade their kids from playing with us.... Good parents are good parents, whether there are one or two or three or four of them. Fortunately, mine were incredible. ...All in all, my upbringing shaped my personality for the better. I got to speak to adults from all manner of varying backgrounds, whether they were my parents' partners, or parents' partners' partners, or whoever. I lived with people who were straight, gay, bi, trans, writers, scientists, psychologists, adoptees, Bermudians, Hongkongers, people of wealth, and benefits claimants. Maturing in that melting pot really cultivated and broadened my worldview, and helped me become the guy I am today. I never envied my friends with monogamous parents.... A lot of people ask me whether having poly parents has shaped the way I look at love as an adult, which is hard to answer. Growing up with polyamory as the norm, monogamy seemed alien and counterintuitive. We can love more than one friend or family member at the same time, so the idea that romantic love only worked linearly was befuddling. I'm in my 20s now, and I tend to have multiple partners (though that's more my libido than a philosophical conviction). I don't consider myself poly, but I am open to having either multiple partners or just one. Life is mostly pain and struggle; the rest is love and deep dish pizza. For the cosmic blink of a moment we spend on this tiny dust speck of a planet, can we simply accept that love is love, including love that happens to be interracial, same-sex, or poly? Discrimination against love is a disease of the heart—and we get enough of that from the pizza. Polyamory Isn’t Good for Children: My Story By James Lopez Redefining marriage increases the chances that children miss out on one of the greatest gifts any person can be given: being raised by the man and woman whose love brought them into existence. Recently, I had a discussion about marriage with someone who calls herself a “Darwinian gay feminist.” I asked her, “Is there any principled reason that marriage should be limited to only two people? There is now such a thing as a ‘throuple’ — a three-way relationship. Should they have a right to marry?”... This isn’t just a hypothetical question. Last April, the New York Post published a story with this headline: “Married lesbian ‘throuple’ expecting first child.” ...My own childhood gave me a glimpse of what it is like to be raised in such a household. I grew up in a household living with not only my mother and father, but also my half-brother and his mother. My father had two kids: one with my mom (me) and one with another woman (my half-brother, who was three months older than I). When my mother was not there, I would see my father and my half-brother’s mother kiss and cuddle. When my half-brother’s mom wasn’t there, I would see my mother and my father kiss and cuddle. Although I was very young, these images still remain with me. My mother and the mother of my half-brother were best friends. When they were in their late teenage years, they came from Guatemala together to the United States and developed a bond on their journey. My half-brother and I got along very well, but having the same father yet different moms in the household was confusing and troubling. It was confusing and troubling for me because I was never the center of my father’s attention, especially when he would mistreat my mom and when he would show affection to my half-brother’s mom.... When I was six years old, my father broke off ties with all of us and started a new family with a third woman. It was at this point that my half-brother’s mother and my mother went their separate ways. From that point onward, my mother raised me by herself. Although this complicated romantic situation was not technically a “throuple,” because the adults each had their own beds and did not engage in three-person sexual acts, it gives a glimpse of what children would experience in such a household.... As a teenager, I found myself following the relationship patterns my father had modeled, even though he had not been part of my life for over ten years. I would always have two or more girlfriends at the same time. What exactly explains this behavior? I am not sure, but I have a hunch that my childhood experiences played a major role.... James Lopez is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Political Science at Indiana University and a Masters Degree in Philosophy at Biola University. He is the president of Biola Anscombe Society and a research coordinator at the International Children’s Rights Institute. A lovely story has appeared on the website of— a powerhouse of an online and print magazine that aims at a young demographic. The author, raised in London, is in his twenties.Read the whole article (June 2, 2015).-------------------------------------------------This piece stands in quite a contrast to a tale of poor parenting that's been going around Christian conservative sites in the last three weeks. It seems to have originated from the Witherspoon Institute, a leading culture-war think tank located in Princeton, NJ, and co-founded by Princeton professor Robert P. George of anti-gay-marriage fame.Here's the whole article (May 11, 2015). What the author seems to have had is a chaotic home with a runaround, mostly missing father who "would mistreat" his mother, and for ideological purposes he's trying to generalize that experience to where it doesn't apply. Labels: children of polyamory, kidsCanadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is on a roll. On Tuesday, he cheered women's rights advocates by lifting the country's ban on using foreign aid money for abortion services. He's reversed the policy of his predecessor and enthusiastically welcomed 25,000 Syrian refugees. He implemented a tax cut for middle-class Canadians, cutting the second tax bracket from 22 percent to 20.5 percent, and raised the top rate from 29 to 33 percent for Canadians making more than $155,000. Most significantly for the nation's poor, he's consolidated and boosted its programs for families with children by creating a single, simple cash benefit offering up to US$4,935 per child under 6 and US$4,164 per child ages 6 to 17. What explains this? Is Justin Trudeau just an unusually awesome leader, bringing the kind of sweeping change that's sometimes evaded President Obama? Not really. The difference is that Trudeau is a prime minister, and it's vastly easier for prime ministers to get their agenda passed than it is for presidents. And because left-of-center people tend to like it when the government does stuff and passes bills, that has an asymmetric benefit. Parliamentary government produces more left-wing policies than presidential government — and Americans of a left-of-center tilt ought to be thinking of ways to move the country toward parliamentary rule. Parliaments mean more government spending The main argument supporters of parliaments make is that parliamentary systems tend to collapse into dictatorship a lot less often than presidential systems. This point was most influentially made by the late Yale political scientist Juan Linz, who noted in 1990, "Aside from the United States, only Chile has managed a century and a half of relatively undisturbed constitutional continuity under presidential government — but Chilean democracy broke down in the 1970s." Despite some critics, the finding that presidential systems increase the risk of democratic breakdown is borne out by the historical record, even when you take into account the fact that presidential democracies were more likely to sprout up in countries with histories of military coups. That argument has bipartisan appeal, but there's another reason for liberals and leftists in particular to favor parliamentary government: It tends to lead to more government spending, and in particular more redistribution, than the alternative. "Empirically, presidential systems are associated with lower government spending and lower redistribution," Claremont Graduate University's Melissa Ziegler Rogers writes in her book The Politics of Place and the Limits of Redistribution. Indeed, economists Torsten Persson and Guido Tabellini provide considerable evidence for this proposition in their 2003 volume, The Economic Effects of Constitutions. They find that presidential regimes tend to have smaller governments, to the tune of 5 to 8 percent of GDP. For the US, that means a reduction of $911 billion to $1.46 trillion per year. They also find that presidential regimes have significantly lower welfare spending; on its own, this finding isn't very robust, but it is, and grows larger in size, when you restrict the sample to older, developed democracies like the United States. Persson and Tabellini further divide up regimes into majoritarian systems — those like Canada, the UK, and US with winner-take-all elections — and those with proportional representation, like Germany, New Zealand, and most Scandinavian countries. Majoritarianism also shrinks government and welfare spending, by similar magnitudes as presidentialism. The record is pretty clear: Parliamentary governments with proportional representation spend more, including spending more on welfare, than majoritarian presidential governments like that in the US. The problem is that presidential systems make it too hard to pass popular laws But is this caused by differences in government systems, or just correlated with them? It's hard to tell, but there's solid reason to believe this has something to do with veto points. When Trudeau wanted to increase welfare state spending by creating a big new entitlement for families with children, he put it in the budget, and within months checks are going to start going out. His party has a parliamentary majority, the Senate almost never rejects legislation, and the House of Commons features incredible party discipline. If Trudeau wants a child benefit, it's law. Similarly, the UK now has a soda tax more or less because Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne (basically the UK's Treasury secretary equivalent) got up one day and said, "There should be a soda tax," and so it became. By contrast, in the US, for something to become law it has to make its way through committee markup in the House, and pass the full House, and get marked up in the Senate, and pass the Senate, and arrive at a compromise version in conference committee, and have the conference report pass the House, and have the conference report pass the Senate, and have the president sign it. Also there's little party discipline in either the House or Senate, and the Supreme Court strikes stuff down more than the judiciary in Canada or especially the UK does. When it's so much harder to pass anything, why wouldn't it be harder to pass expansions of the welfare state in particular? Yes, it's true that there would be fewer formal barriers to Republicans, say, repealing Obamacare if the US had a parliament. But they still wouldn't. Government benefits are really popular, and tend not to get repealed due to the intense outcry that would ensue. Republicans had majorities in both houses of Congress
. "Democracy is not just voting." Maduro has warned that the newly-elected opposition governors will have to swear allegiance to a new constituent assembly elected in July. The opposition considers the entirely pro-government legislative superbody illegal. The new assembly supersedes all other institutions, including the opposition-controlled congress. ap/rc (Reuters, AP, AFP)Another black eye for the Veterans Affairs Administration. A new report shows the medical center in Riviera Beach is among those VA hospitals that manipulated wait times to make the facility look better. The findings are spelled out in a report just released by the VA Office of Inspector General in Washington. And it says when staff set veterans' appointments, some things were done improperly. Federal investigators looked at scheduling practices at the WPB VA Medical Center going back to 2014 and found that policy in some cases was violated. Veterans who wanted to see a doctor were supposed to get an appointment within 14 days. But if schedulers didn't have a date open in that two week period, they would use the next available appointment date. But the hospital would enter the appointment into the computer as the date the veteran requested. This practice of manipulating wait times doesn't sit well with some vets. "Nothing with this administration surprises me. Nothing at all," said Herbert Loreti, a veteran from West Palm Beach. "I don't think it's a good idea. These guys have enough problems being seen when they need to be seen," said Robert Ratuis, a veteran from Boynton Beach. The report says one VA employee told investigators quote: "Her supervisors taught her how to game the system." The WPB VA Medical Center denies that -- and says nothing improper was done, at least not intentionally. The center emailed us this statement: "The 2014 investigation did not substantiate that West Palm Beach VA management directed staff to inappropriately schedule clinic appointments." And leaders at the center say they've dealt with it through on-going training and on-going scheduling reviews. The bottom line, the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center says no one here intentionally scheduled appointments to meet the 14 day goal. A spokeswoman at the WPB VA Medical Center says if there were inappropriately scheduled appointments, it was due to the volume of appointments that are made each day. With so many appointments she said, there could be an error. She said they're working on updating their scheduling software to lessen chances for mistakes.Denmark's Foreign Ministry announced on Friday that it was halting financial aid to several Palestinian NGOs over ties with terror groups. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter In addition, Copenhagen set stricter conditions for Palestinian NGOs' eligibility for aid in the future to ensure the money is used for the right purposes, rather than go to terror groups or the BDS Movement. The decision was made in the wake of an internal investigation in the Danish Foreign Ministry ordered by Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen at the urging of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Strategic Affairs Minister Gilad Erdan. Danish Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen (Photo: AP) Starting 2018, aid will be provided to only 10 Palestinian NGOs instead of 24. The Danish Foreign Ministry said it will "continue to support civil society organizations focusing on the human rights situation in Palestine, which is a priority under the Danish foreign policy," but starting next year, "the funds will be transferred under new and stricter conditions. Donor cooperation will end at the end of the year, and the remaining Danish funds from 2017 will be used for expenses related to the administrative completion of the program." The Danish investigation into the matter was launched after the Palestinian Women's Affairs Technical Committee (WATC), which enjoyed Danish aid money, opened a center for women last June named after the terrorist Dalal Mughrabi, who murdered dozens of Israelis in the 1978 Coastal Road massacre. Dalal Mughrabi, right, and the coastal road massacre WATC received half a million dollars through the Ramallah-based Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law Secretariat, a donor program sponsored by Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland. According to Israel's Strategic Affairs Ministry, the Secretariat funds many Palestinian organizations that promote the de-legitimization of Israel as well as boycotts against it. Some of these NGOs, such as Al-Haq and Addameer, also have ties to the terror organization Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). Minister Erdan praised the Danish Foreign Ministry's decision, calling it "a significant achievement for Israel in its resolute struggle against the boycott organizations, which suffered a severe blow today." "It cannot be that European countries continue funding Palestinian organizations working to promote boycott and present a distorted image of Israel, and more gravely - having ties with terror elements," he said. "I'm glad Denmark has realized the Danish tax payer does not wish to fund - directly or indirectly - Palestinian organizations with ties to terrorism. I call on other nations on the European continent to take the same measure of moral responsibility and take similar steps," Erdan added.I've always loved Puma and Adidas shoes, because they fit my narrow feet and high arches extremely well. Puma (like Adidas) have low ankle cut-outs which provide excellent lateral movement, and no "cutting" under the ankles as you walk/run. These particular shoes took about 2-days of wearing 6-8 hours/day around the house and light shopping, to fully break-in. Out of the box, they were quite comfortable, but stiff in the toe-box and heel. Wearing them with a thicker sock for the first few days allowed them to loosen-up and mold to my foot appropriately. The plastic shank (torsion control) works extremely well, as your foot is prevented from awkward rolling or twisting, which makes for a very secure footing. The gel-heel feels 10X better than any Nike-Air ever felt on my feet! While these are billed as a running shoe, they are a bit heavy, and I would recommend them for recreational running/jogging, workouts, training, or for the reason I purchased them... for casual-wear, because they just look sharp, and are comfortable enough to wear all day (once they are broken-in)! If you are use to wearing Nike, NewBalance, Fila, Asics, etc. expect these to be more narrow and snug, so you may need to order 1/2-size larger than you would in your other brands. Puma and Adidas run about the same sizing, so if you wear a 10 in Adidas, order a 10 in Puma. Adidas and Puma are also more consistent in size across all their models (a 10 is a 10 in all their different shoes)... unlike Nike, et-al... I've worn many Nike, and worn everything from 9-11.5 to get a comfortable fit, and my foot hasn't changed size in 35 years!Ever reached for a Perl 6 type and found it good enough, but not perfect? Perhaps, you wanted an IntEven, StrPalindrome, or YourCustomClassWhereAttrFooIsBar. Never fear, Perl 6’s subsets are here! What Are Subsets? You can think of them as a refinement on some type and you can use them in most places where you’d use a type, such as in type constraints. To create one, use the subset keyword, along with a where keyword specifying your refinement: subset Even where * %% 2 ; say 1 ~~ Even; # False say 2 ~~ Even; # True The WhateverStar * is the value being checked and the %% operator checks if that value is evenly divisible by 2. We can now use our subset on the right side of a smartmatch operator to check whether a value is an even number! Pretty awesome. What else can we do with it? How about type-constraining a variable: my Even $ x = 42 ; # all good $ x = 43 ; # and this? # Type check failed in assignment to $x; expected Even but got Int (43) # in block <unit> at script.p6 line 3 Or type-constraining input and output of a routine: sub takes-an-even-only (Even $ x ) { $ x ² } sub returns-an-even-only returns Even { $ ^ x ² } say takes-an-even-only 42 ; # 1764 say returns-an-even-only 42 ; # 1764 say takes-an-even-only 43 ; # Constraint type check failed for parameter '$x' # in sub takes-an-even-only at script.p6 line 2 # in block <unit> at script.p6 line 8 say returns-an-even-only 43 ; # Type check failed for return value; expected Even but got Int (1849) # in sub returns-an-even-only at script.p6 line 3 # in block <unit> at script.p6 line 13 That’s all pretty sweet, but our Even accepts strings and other weird stuff: say'42.0000'~~ Even; # True say class { method Real { 42 } }. new ~~ Even; # True There’s a reason for that: we never specified what type we’re making a subset of, so by default, it used Any. Let’s fix that! Getting Typical If you want to create a subset based on some type, specify that type with the of keyword: subset IntEven of Int where * %% 2 ; Now, before the where refinement even runs, the value we’re checking against must first pass the Int type constraint: say 42 ~~ IntEven; # True say 43 ~~ IntEven; # False say'42.0000'~~ IntEven; # False say class { method Real { 42 } }. new ~~ IntEven; # False We’re not limited to numerics! Let’s try a Str : subset StrPalindrome of Str where {. flip eq $_ given. comb (/ \w + /). join. lc ; } say ’Madam, I'm Adam. ‘ ~~ StrPalindrome; # True say'1 on 1'~~ StrPalindrome; # False We’re now using a more complex refinement in the where clause, using a code block. Just like the WhateverCode version with the *, the block receives the value to check as its argument, which it aliases to $_ topical variable. The code block tells us whether the argument is a palindrome, by returning a truthy or falsy value. So how far can we go with the type constraints in our subsets? Custom Made We can type-constrain a subset using any class we have lying around! How about this one: class Awesome { has $. awesomeness-level } my $ obj1 = Awesome. new : : 10000 awesomeness-level; my $ obj2 = Awesome. new : : 31337 awesomeness-level; We make a class called Awesome that has a public attribute called awesomeness-level. We also create two instances of that class, setting the awesomeness-level to 10000 in $obj1 and to 31337 in $obj1. So how about a subset that checks whether awesomeness-level is a prime number? It’s just a single line of code: subset AwesomePrime of Awesome where. awesomeness-level. is-prime ; say $ obj1 ~~ AwesomePrime; # False say $ obj2 ~~ AwesomePrime; # True The where block of the subset is “thunked,” which means the compiler takes an expression and turns it into a code block for us, so we don’t have to explicitly use a codeblock here, nor do we need a WhateverStar. The value being checked is in the $_ topical variable, which is what method calls use when you don’t specify what you’re calling them on. Thus, our subset expects a thing of type Awesome and then checks whether its awesomeness-level attribute is a prime number! By using such subsets, you can create routines that only accept your custom objecs of a specific configuration. For example, in code of an IRC::Client bot, we can create a subset of IRC::Client::Message for messages that are received from bot admins, and then register events only for such messages: subset BotAdmin of IRC::Client::Message where. host eq conf < bot-admins >. any ; multi method irc-to-me (BotAdmin $ e where /: i ^'run'$ < steps > =.+ $/ ) {... } The subset calls the subroutine that reads configuration and provides a list of bot admin hosts against which the host of the sender of the message is checked. We’re encapsulating the logic that checks we have an acceptable object to work with, and we’re able to call that logic even before we enter our method. So if we can do that with subsets… is there anything we can’t do? Time for Some Heavy Abuse! Let’s do something crazy! A subroutine that fetches a link to a website and checks whether it contains a mention of Perl 6: use LWP::Simple; sub is-perl-site { LWP::Simple. get( $ ^ website ). contains :'Perl 6'} There’s nothing crazy about that, you say? Then, how about we use that subroutine as a refiner in a subset where clause: subset PerlWebsite where & is-perl-site ; say'http://perl6.party'~~ PerlWebsite; # True say'http://lolcats.com'~~ PerlWebsite; # False In fact, we can make a routine that only accepts URLs to websites mentioning Perl 6: sub ain't-taking-non-perl-stuff (PerlWebsite $ url ) { say " Why! I can already tell $url is awesome! " ; } ain't-taking-non-perl-stuff'http://perl6.party'; # Why! I can already tell http://perl6.party is awesome! ain't-taking-non-perl-stuff'http://lolcats.com'; # Constraint type check failed for parameter '$url' # in sub ain't-taking-non-perl-stuff at script.p6 line 8 # in block <unit> at script.p6 line 15 But do you notice something off? The error message is rather poor… Let’s improve it! What we know so far is the where clause takes some code to run and if that code’s result is falsy, the typecheck will fail. That means inside the where we can know whether or not the typecheck will fail before we even return from it. Let’s put that to use: sub is-perl-site { given LWP::Simple. get( $ ^ website ). contains :'Perl 6'{ when : so { True } when : not { say ’This ain't no website containing " Perl 6 "! ‘; False ; } } } subset PerlWebsite where & is-perl-site ; In the routine that checks a website mentions Perl 6, in the case when it does :not contain a mention of Perl 6, we say a helpful message, indicating what exactly was wrong. Let’s run this: sub ain't-taking-non-perl-stuff (PerlWebsite $ url ) { say " Why! I can already tell $url is awesome! " ; } ain't-taking-non-perl-stuff'http://perl6.party'; # Why! I can already tell http://perl6.party is awesome! ain't-taking-non-perl-stuff'http://lolcats.com'; # This ain't no website containing "Perl 6"! # This ain't no website containing "Perl 6"! # Constraint type check failed for parameter '$url' # in sub ain't-taking-non-perl-stuff at script.p6 line 16 # in block <unit> at script.p6 line 23 Whoa! The message printed twice. What gives? It’s actually expected that the refinement in subsets is an inexpensive and relatively simple operation… With that expectation in mind, the parameter binder—which doesn’t know how to generate errors—simply passes its stuff through the slower code path—which does—and it’s that slower code path that runs the where code the second time, triggering our message one more time. So yes, doing overly complex stuff in subsets is abusive. However, you can throw an exception inside the where to avoid the repetition of the message: sub is-perl-site { LWP::Simple. get( $ ^ website ). contains :'Perl 6'or die ’This ain't no website containing " Perl 6 "! ‘; }... ain't-taking-non-perl-stuff'http://lolcats.com'; # This ain't no website containing "Perl 6"! # in sub is-perl-site at z.p6 line 4 # in any accepts_type at gen/moar/m-Metamodel.nqp line 3472 # in sub ain't-taking-non-perl-stuff at z.p6 line 11 # in block <unit> at z.p6 line 18 And don’t forget to check out Subset::Helper and Subset::Common modules. What About a Light Spanking? There is one type of abuse cheating with subsets that can get you out of a bind: fiddling with narrowness when it comes to resolution of multi candidates. For example, let’s say you hate humanity and you wish to change the meaning of the infix + operator on two Int s to do subtraction instead of addition. You, of course, write this: multi sub infix:<+> ( Int $ a, Int $ b ) { $ a − $ b } But as you run a sample code, over the sound of your evil laughter… Ambiguous call to'infix:<+>'; these signatures all match : : ( Int : D \a, Int : D \b --> Int : D ) : ( Int $ a, Int $ b ) in block < unit > at z. p6 line 4 … the complier errors out. You see, core language already has an infix + operator that takes two Int s! When you add one of your own, you create an ambiguity. To resolve this issue, we need to somehow create an Int that the compiler thinks is narrower than an Int, but in reality isn’t. Sounds tough? Not an issue for subsets: subset NarrowInt of Int where { True }; multi sub infix:<+> (NarrowInt $ a, NarrowInt $ b ) { $ a − $ b } say 42 + 2 ; # 40 It worked! We created a subset of Int, so we match all of Int s, just like we wanted. In the refinement, however, we specify a single code block that always returns True, making that refinement always succeed, and making our subset accept all the values a regular Int accepts, while being narrower than a regular Int as far as multi resolution goes. If you’re wondering why we had to use an explicit block, it’s because the where smartmatches, and the smartmatch against a True produces a warning, because it’s always true, and while that is what we want here, in most code such a construct is a mistake. But if you’re upset about writing one-too-many characters, here’s neat trick: multi sub infix:<+> ( Int $ a where { True }, Int $ b where { True }) { $ a - $ b } say 42 + 2 ; You don’t need to create an explicit subset, and can stick a where clause right onto the thing you’re working with to refine just that thing. The type constraint on it will function as the of... of a subset. You can also type constraint a variable with a subset and still add a where clause. Or create a subset of a subset of a subset and still add… well, we’re getting carried away. When they stop calling… Consider this piece of wonderful code: class Thingie { multi method stuff ( $ where / meows / ) { say " Meow meow! " ; } } class SubThingie is Thingie { multi method stuff ( $ where / foos / ) { say " Just foos... " ; } } SubThingie. new. stuff :'meows and foos'; # Just foos... You have a class with a multi method. Along with it, you have a subclass of it with another multi method of the same name. Both have a where clause and when you call the method with input that can match either multi, the subclass’s multi gets called. But what do you do if you want to reverse that… you want the parent class’s multi to be called, if both multies matches the input. The first solution is very simple. Just add a type constraint (we’ll use Str ) in the parent class, while leaving it off in the child: class Thingie { multi method stuff ( Str $ where / meows / ) { say " Meow meow! " ; } } class SubThingie is Thingie { multi method stuff ( $ where / foos / ) { say " Just foos... " ; } } SubThingie. new. stuff :'meows and foos'; # Meow meow! The presence of a type constraint on the method in the parent class makes it narrower than the one in the subclass, so even though the subclass’s method can also accept the input, it’s the parent class that gets to take care of it. However, what if we wanted the same Str type constraint on both methods? The parent class we’ll leave as is: just a normal Str type constraint. In the kid, however, we’ll use a wider subset of Any (that’s the default if you don’t specify the of, remember?), but in its where clause we’ll smartmatch against Str, to ensure the subset accepts only Str s: class Thingie { multi method stuff ( Str $ where / meows / ) { say " Meow meow! " ; } } class SubThingie is Thingie { subset WiderStr where { $_ ~~ Str }; multi method stuff (WiderStr $ where / foos / ) { say " Just foos... " ; } } SubThingie. new. stuff :'meows and foos'; # Meow meow! The result is the opposite of a cheat we made in the previous section: instead of a subset that matches a type exactly, but is narrower than it, we now created a subset that matches a type exactly, but is wider than it, as far as multi candidate resolution goes. And yes, you can just merge the two where clauses instead of creating a subset, producing: multi method stuff ( $ where { $_ ~~ Str and $_ ~~ / foos / }) { say " Just foos... " ; } It’ll work the same. Conclusion Subsets are a powerful feature that lets you specify refinements on existing core and custom types. You can smartmatch against a subset to perform a check on a value, or you can use subsets to type-contraint variables, parameters, and return values. You can use the subset keyword to create a named subset, or you can attach a refinement onto a specific variable or parameter with a where clause. Subsets can also be used to effect alternative narrowness of a parameter, to affect multi candidate resolution order. Subsets can also be abused to perform very complex operations, but… that’s probably a bad idea. -Ofun0 SHARES Facebook Twitter Google Whatsapp Pinterest Print Mail Flipboard RNC Chairman Michael Steele has only been on the job for a handful of weeks, yet he is likely to face a no confidence vote after the special election in New York to fill the vacated House seat of now Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. Republicans are so dissatisfied with Steele that they are ready to boot him out. Originally it was thought that Steele’s fate as chairman hinged on the outcome of the special election, but Teagan Goddard is reporting that Republican sources are telling him that the outcome of the election won’t matter because the second place finisher in the RNC election is organizing a no confidence vote against Steele. This information contradicts an AP story yesterday afternoon that claimed that Steele still has party support. Steele was not elected chair by an overwhelming mandate. He defeated Dawson on the sixth ballot by only 14 votes. The RNC apparently panicked and tried to install a black leader of their own to counter President Obama. However, it seems that this situation came about because RNC members were not enthralled with any of the candidates. Steele’s rise to power mirrors the same path that John McCain took to win the Republican nomination last year. It seems that both men won their elections more by default than enthusiasm. The GOP has a long history of scapegoating its leaders. in contrast, the Democratic Party tends to bury its losers. Rarely, does a failed presidential candidate get a true second chance in the Democratic Party. Part of me thinks that the GOP is trying to use Steele as an excuse for why Obama is routing their opposition right now, but more realistically I believe that the Republicans have not accepted Steele’s message that their party has to change. Many Republicans are still in denial about 2006 and 2008, and they want to be fed the lie that things will be fine if they keep doing what they have been doing. Many Republicans don’t want their party to be more appealing to the urban hip hop crowd. They like their identity the way it is, and they see no need to change it. If Steele is removed it will be another ugly symptom of the complete turmoil inside the GOP, and will also illustrate just how far the Republican Party has managed to fall in a few short years. If you’re ready to read more from the unbossed and unbought Politicus team, sign up for our newsletter here! Email address: Leave this field empty if you're human:The idea seems reasonable enough. Because the Three Sisters Bridges across the Allegheny River are about to undergo extensive renovations, why not ask the public what colors the bridges should be painted? The suggestion to paint the three (located at Sixth, Seventh and Ninth streets) came from a call-in show with Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. A caller said we should paint the Rachel Carson Bridge green and the Warhol Bridge silver. Fitzgerald and Mayor Peduto ran with the idea. They set up a survey on the web and gave participants four options, which also included repainting them their current color of yellow. A press release has encouraged participants to vote. This is hardly Pittsburgh's most pressing issue, but it's crucial that we get it right. Thus far, though, no vocal public figure has. Painting the bridges is a matter of procedure as much as actual color. Because federal funds will support a large portion of the renovations, we are obligated to undergo the National Historic Preservation Act's obscurely named Section 106 process, which follows the same guidelines as are used for the National Register. Bill Callahan, Western Pennsylvania community-preservation coordinator in the state Bureau of Historic Preservation, explains that his bureau will determine whether the proposed renovations fit the character of the historic structures. PennDOT will then have the obligation to "avoid, minimize or mitigate any adverse effect." Under the Section 106 process, there is an opportunity for public input, but it comes only at a point in the process at which historically suitable proposals for the given structures have been proposed. Opening this to a vote as a first step — even a non-binding one — before understanding what our historic precedents and possibilities are is a substantial procedural blunder. It negates the considerable achievement of placing such things on the National Register, and it diminishes our sense of obligation to historic-preservation rules and guidelines, which are already much less powerful than most people realize. Pittsburgh cannot claim to value its historic structures if it takes this renovation project, with its established rules for preservation, and runs roughshod over them. Painting something green to honor the environmental legacy of Rachel Carson is like listening to a ten-dollar bill to honor the musical achievements of Johnny Cash. More importantly, it clearly runs counter to the original intentions of the designers of the bridges. They placed a priority on identical appearance of the three structures, and they didn't remotely consider outlandish colors (though thematic Aztec Gold, which has been in popular use in recent years, might yet be the subject of debate). "At minimum," says Callahan, "they should be identical." There might yet be disagreement on the degree to which changing paint colors is allowed on historic bridges. As an architectural historian with a Ph.D. and some specialized research in early-20th-century bridges here and in New York (where debates preceded the practices in Pittsburgh), I will argue that consistent and suitable colors are crucial to the bridges' historic character. Research is not yet even clear on what the exact color was originally. It would be instructive and arguably necessary to do what architect Roxanne Sherbeck suggested on social media: Do historic paint analysis to determine the bridges' original colors more definitively. It matters most that we identify them with historical accuracy and appropriate process. I would also argue that we should make the bridges city historic monuments, which would place them under closer scrutiny and tighter city control. They are already nationally recognized. Why haven't we done this already? It would (or at least should) put the question of color into the purview of the Historic Review Commission (and then city council), under whose guidance there would still be opportunity for public comment. Neither type of listing, national or city, offers complete protection for a structure's historic character or authenticity. Under current laws, PennDOT has too much sway in the final actions. All the more reason why we should treat them as historic assets from the start, not as subjects for some sort of popularity contest.PARIS — European governments and the prime contractor for the future Ariane 6 rocket, Airbus Safran Launchers, have reached a tentative agreement on program development funding following an incendiary letter from the company alleging a nearly $1 billion shortfall, European government officials said. But while both Airbus Safran Launchers and the European Space Agency signed a two-page document that appears to express a common view of Ariane 6 costs, the two sides agree that the underlying disagreement over who pays what remains unresolved. “There are many, many questions to be solved over the division of responsibility between industry and government, and we all knew it would be a long road to settle,” one European government official said. “There is no catastrophe. The program is moving forward. But at some point these issues will need to be resolved.” The document presented March 18 to ESA’s ruling council is designed to show a common analysis of the Ariane 6 situation by ESA, whose government ministers in December approved the multibillion-dollar project; and by Airbus Safran Launchers, which agreed to assume what in Europe is unprecedented responsibility for the rocket’s design, cost and future commercial profitability. Government officials said the two-page document reaffirms that Ariane 6 development will cost 3.215 billion euros ($3.91 billion) between 2015 and the planned inaugural flight of 2020. The figure does not include the new Ariane 6 launch pad, which is being built under the authority of the French space agency, CNES. Airbus Safran Launchers and ESA had settled on the 3.2-billion-euro figure well before ESA ministers in December agreed to finance the project and a companion effort to upgrade Europe’s Vega small-satellite launcher. Vega and the heavy-lift Ariane 6 will use common solid-fueled rocket stages, Vega for its first stage and Ariane 6 for the strap-on boosters — two in the case of the Ariane 62 rocket, and four for the heavy-lift Ariane 64. But with so little time between a late-summer 2014 agreement on the Ariane 6 design and the ESA ministerial conference, ESA and Airbus Safran were forced to leave open certain details. “There are many, many questions to be solved over the division of responsibility between industry and government, and we all knew it would be a long road to settle,” one European government official said. “There is no catastrophe. The program is moving forward. But at some point these issues will need to be resolved.” One of those details was how much of the 3.2 billion euros in Ariane 6 costs Airbus Safran Launchers and its subcontractors would be obliged to pay on their own. Earlier this year, ESA told the company that the agency had identified about 400 million euros of the total that industry should finance. In addition, the agency said some 200 million euros that it had budgeted for technology work related to the solid-fueled strap-on boosters might not be needed. For Airbus Safran Launchers, that meant 600 million euros that would be removed from the government share of Ariane 6 development financing, with up to 400 million euros the company would need to find on its own. The company also identified another 200 million euros in costs whose funding source remained unclear, meaning a total of 800 million euros in charges for which it wanted ESA to assume responsibility. In a letter to ESA, the company evoked the 800-million-euro figure. ESA and officials from several of its member governments said the letter appeared to be an attempt to scrap the previous agreement in the hunt for increased Ariane 6 government financing. “If they are saying they need more money than we allocated, we stop the program,” one government official said. “If they are saying they cannot build the vehicle to the performance requirements we agreed to, then we stop the program. They cannot play bait and switch with us. There is no more money available for Ariane 6.” The letter from Airbus Safran Launchers to ESA was first disclosed in the March 3 edition of the French financial newspaper, La Tribune. By the time of the March 18 ESA council, Airbus Safran and ESA were able to present the two-page document outlining Ariane 6 costs, which had not changed, and evoking the 400 million euros in costs ESA wants industry to pay but that the company has not yet accepted. “The letter was a way of signaling the uncertainties about these different costs and who would pay them,” one industry official said. “The idea was to put these issues on the table earlier rather than later. It was not intended as blackmail, or to suggest industry is walking away from its commitments.” Since the December ESA ministerial approval of Ariane 6, Airbus Safran Launchers has been negotiating with its principal subcontractors — MT Aerospace of Germany, Avio of Italy and Ruag of Sweden, Switzerland and Austria — on their Ariane 6 component prices. Subcontractor price commitments were not included in the figures that Airbus Safran Launchers and ESA agreed to. Instead, the prime contractor used estimates to arrive at the final figure presented to government ministers. ESA Launcher Director Gaele Winters said Airbus Safran Launchers will present a more-precise Ariane 6 development proposal to the agency by early May. In a March 28 interview, Winters said ESA expects to be able to complete negotiations in time for a late-June contract for the full development. Winters declined to discuss the Airbus Safran Launchers letter, saying only that “it was a bit unfortunate, and appeared to mix cost and funding issues.” “People got the impression that all of a sudden things had changed. We are saying: Nothing has changed since the December council — nothing. The good news is that we now have a joint assessment of the situation” with the prime contractor, Winters said. Winters acknowledged that Airbus Safran Launchers has not agreed with ESA’s assessment that industry’s share of the development cost is around 400 million euros. “They told us they have not signed off on the 400 million [euros], and this is correct,” Winters said. “It is an assumption we made, which we will look at next during the full Program Implementation review scheduled for mid-2016. Industry is prepared to invest in the program, and one important condition is that we need to be sure they have a fair rate of return on their investment.” Winters said ESA is sensitive to the fact that additional costs borne by industry will find their way into the Ariane 6 pricing structure, which would undermine the vehicle’s competitiveness on the international commercial market. Winters said the 200 million euros that ESA proposes to remove from the 3.2-billion-euro cost estimate is for elements the agency is not sure are needed but may ultimately be reinserted into the design. There is no urgency on this point, he said. The French and German governments are the two biggest Ariane 6 backers. Jean-Yves Le Gall, president of the French space agency, CNES, sought to minimize the difficulties of the program, saying tension between government and industry is to be expected at the early stage of such a large investment. “Everyone knew the program would be challenging, but I see nothing at this point that should cause any alarm,” Le Gall said in an April 2 interview. “There are open issues, but this is to be expected.” Johann-Dietrich Woerner, chairman of the German Aerospace Center, DLR — who will become ESA director-general in July — said he remains confident that today’s disagreement on funding will not upend the Ariane 6 program. In a March 31 interview, Woerner said Airbus Safran Launchers’ funding concern “does not interest me in and of itself. It was a letter from an industrialist thinking he’ll get the money in any event. We have a fixed amount of money. Industry must now solve the problems.” But he said ESA is open to discussing the 400 million euros penciled in as industry’s commitment. Airbus Safran Launchers declined to comment for this article.By Catherine J. Frompovich Are humankind, plus all life forms on Planet Earth, heading toward a catastrophic physiological event resulting from vested-interest businesses, industries and advertising campaigns advancing a meme that has morphed into an acknowledged addiction? That addiction, or dependency, is to microwave technology ‘smart’ gadgets and appliances which emit electromagnetic frequencies in various ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum with damaging health effects. It must be noted that 32% of industry-sponsored EMF/RF/ELF research found non-thermal wave adverse effects, which microwave industry professional societies like ICNIRP totally disregard as non-factual, even non-existent, and does not cite them in the ‘science’ it provides to government agencies! That’s a HUGE conflict of interest, I’d say! Whereas, independent non-industry and academic research studies found 70% harmful non-thermal effects! Study the charts below to understand the implications. Source Now, carefully consider what’s going on with all the electronic/microwave technology-run gadgets and appliances that innovatively have been forced upon consumers “for our benefit”! Source According to this source, Radiation emitting devices include electronic products, such as medical and non-medical equipment, lasers, x-ray systems, ultrasound equipment, microwave ovens, color TVs, laptops, tablets, and PDAs. According to the FDA, a radiation-emitting devices [sic] is any product that uses electricity to power an electronic circuit. In the above chart, take special note of the appliances you may be using, especially one you even may not be aware of—your newly retrofitted electric, natural gas or water AMI Smart Meter, which emits EMFs/RFs from the
accidentally leaked from a state-of-the-art Chinese nuclear submarine moored in Dalian Port in Liaoning Province in the northeastern part of China. The rumor was first reported on Saturday by Boxun.com, a website for overseas Chinese, before it was picked up by Sina Weibo, a Chinese microblogging site similar to Twitter. Citing People's Liberation Army sources in Dalian, Boxun.com reported that there was an accidental leakage of radiation when engineers from a Chinese electronics company were installing equipment on the submarine. Boxun reported that the accident happened suddenly, and that Chinese authorities had sealed off the area while an investigation was under way, while taking steps to ensure news of the accident did not spread. The Chinese media and government have so far refrained from commenting on the rumors, which have stoked fears among netizens. China possesses around 70 submarines. Six of them are nuclear-powered and five are part of the North Sea Fleet deployed around Bohai Bay. Only two Chinese nuclear submarine ports in the North Sea Fleet have been identified by outsiders. One is in Dalian and the other is in Qingdao. In 2007, a U.S. spy satellite captured photos of a Chinese Jin-class nuclear submarine moored in Xiaopingdao, an island near Dalian. The submarine at the center of the latest rumor is a Jin-class nuclear sub, which measures 133 m in length and has a displacement of 8,000 tons. It is also equipped with intercontinental ballistic missiles with a range of 8,000 km. Two nuclear submarines have been commissioned so far, but three or four more are being made, according to military sources. Chinese authorities earlier denied news reports that an oil leak had occurred on an offshore drilling platform in Bohai Bay in June, only admitting the leak one month later after netizens had already learned of the accident. Boxun.com has often carried articles that are critical of Beijing, citing sources in China, as well as covering some sensitive issues that the Chinese media have been reluctant to handle. But it has also been known to make mistakes, with the latest being an erroneous report that former Chinese leader Jiang Zemin had died.Minnesota Historical Society acquires handwritten Prince lyrics for 1977 song ‘I Hope We Work it Out’ A segment of a lyric sheet acquired by the Minnesota Historical Society, featuring Prince's autograph (Courtesy MNHS) Sponsor Sponsor The Minnesota Historical Society has acquired a new artifact that documents a pivotal moment in Prince’s career: The year he signed his record deal with Warner Bros. and entered into a contract he would wrestle with for much of his career. Back in 1977, Prince Rogers Nelson was a rising star in the North Minneapolis funk-rock scene, known for playing high school proms and “Battles of the Bands”-style showcases with his group Grand Central. With the help of his first manager, Owen Husney, he would fly out to California to ink the deal with Warner Bros. that would ensure the nationwide release of his debut solo album, For You — and to say thanks, he wrote Warner Bros. a little song, ominously titled “I Hope We Work it Out.” The handwritten lyric sheet for that unreleased song was acquired through auction by MNHS, who will house it in their massive permanent collection in St. Paul. The lyric sheet is one of several Prince artifacts in the collection; most notably, they also have the infamous purple jacket, white ruffled shirt, and studded pants Prince wore in the movie Purple Rain, and a pair of purple lace gloves from the same period. Here is the full item description from MNHS: Prince. “I Hope We Work it Out” lyrics, 1977. 0.1 cubic feet. Single sheet holographic document, signed by Prince, containing working lyrics for the unreleased song “I Hope We Work it Out”. Written on lined yellow paper, the lyrics contain Prince’s embellishments in the title and numeric notations on the bottom of the page. The song was presumably recorded at Sound80 in Minneapolis in 1977. This song was written at the suggestion of David Rivkin and was played at a private luncheon when Prince flew to California to sign his contract with Warner Brothers (referred to as W.B. in the lyrics). Purchased at auction with the assistance of Adam Scher. The lyric sheet also includes a little math in the bottom left corner, where someone (presumably Prince) needed to subtract 10 from 74 and and crunch a few other numbers. The song was never officially released, but a version of it (labeled “We Can Work It Out”) exists on YouTube:CHEMNITZ, Germany (Reuters) - German police commandos stormed an apartment in the eastern city of Chemnitz on Sunday and detained a man in connection with a hunt for a Syrian refugee suspected of planning a bomb attack. “Nobody was injured and no shots were fired. We’ve taken the man into custody and we are questioning him now,” said Tom Berhardt, spokesman for the Saxony state criminal investigation office. Police found explosives in another apartment they raided in the city on Saturday but have been unable to track down the suspect, 22-year-old Jaber Albakr. Police saw him at the door of the apartment block before he slipped through their grasp. Police evacuated the residential building and fired a warning shot before storming the first apartment only to find Albakr was not there, said Kathlen Zink, another official at the Saxony state criminal investigation office. The German authorities have informed foreign security services about Albakr, Zink added. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office said it was taking over the case. “The overall picture of the investigation, in particular the amount of the explosive found, suggests that the person was planning to carry out an Islamist-motivated attack,” a spokesman for the Federal Prosecutor’s Office told broadcaster SWR. Police found several hundred grammes of explosive in the apartment they raided on Saturday. The suspicion that a refugee was planning a bomb attack will prove unwelcome news for Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose conservatives have lost support to the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party over her open-door migrants policy. Merkel, who last month said she wished she could “turn back the time by many, many years” to better prepare for last year’s influx of almost 1 million migrants, has yet to say whether she will seek a fourth term as chancellor in elections next year. In July, Islamic State claimed responsibility for attacks on a train near Wuerzburg and at a music festival in Ansbach which wounded 20 people. Despite deploying hundreds of officers, police have been unable to find Albakr. Slideshow (10 Images) “We must continue to assume that this person poses a danger,” said Bernhardt. Police earlier appealed to the public for any information on Albakr. They described him as wearing a black hooded top with a bright pattern on the front, and warned people to be careful of him. Albakr had been in Germany since last year and was officially recognized as a refugee, Bernhardt said. He was not previously known to police, who raided the first flat after a tip-off from the domestic intelligence service.Pictured: The cat and bear best friends who simply can't bear to be apart As far as lifelong friendships go, Muschi thinks her large and loveable friend Maeuschen is the cat's pyjamas. The feline, which struck up the unlikely friendship with the 40-year-old Asian bear eight years ago, now can't bear to be apart from her friend. In fact, the pair are so close that zookeepers at Berlin Zoo had to reunite them after Muschi, or 'pussy' in German, pined for Maeuschen - 'little mouse' - after they were separated. Best friends Muschi, the cat and Maeuschen the bear are so close that zookeepers in Berlin have had to reunite the pair after they were separated The two lovable chums have become a star attraction at the zoo since striking up a friendship eight years ago The pair were split up last October when the bear was locked in a cage while her living space was enlarged. The distraught cat soon caught the attention of zoo keepers after she remained sitting outside the bear's cage pining for her friend. This week, keepers took the unusual step of allowing the feline into the cage with her shaggy-haired pal. 'They greeted each other and had a cuddle and now they're happy,' said Heiner Kloes, a member of the zoo's management board. The friends share everything including an enclosure and food at Berlin Zoo 'The cat has a real fan club, mostly among our older, regular visitors.' But where Muschi, a normal black domestic cat, came from remains a mystery. 'She appeared from nowhere in 2000 and we decided to leave them together because they got on so well,' Mr Kloes said. 'They sunbathed together and shared meals of raw meat, dead mice, fruit and bread.' The enlarged enclosure will reopen in the spring.Mud on the Carpet On the night of April 19th, 2026, the Veil broke. Ten thousand years of strain building up against the fabric of postdiluvian reality finally proved too much to bear, and the Self-Keeping-Secret tore like moth-eaten cloth stretched too far. In a single night, the foundations the world had built itself on were swept away, and the pillars beneath were exposed for the first time in ages. In a single night, magic returned to the world. The Ways opened once more, and the old gods woke from their slumber and wandered again in the world of men. Secrets lost since the dawn of man found themselves new voices. In a single night, the world returned to how it had been before. In a single night, everything happened. All at once. — A trail of muddy footprints wound across a once-pristine carpet. The prints belonged to a pair of taped-up sneakers, and the sneakers belonged to a little girl wearily treading her way across the room. The girl’s name was Naomi, and she was very tired. The air was warm, musty, thick with motes of dust suspended in beams from an illusory sun. Perhaps on another day, she would have pulled books from the shelves and found a comfortable corner. But not today. Too tired. Exhausted. The act of standing was almost too much for her to bear. She didn’t know when she had last slept, how many hours had passed since then. It hadn’t been much sleep, she knew. A few hours on hard ground. A cough tickled at the back of her throat: she swallowed it down. The books absorbed the noise of her passing, looming with polished hardwood and leather binding. The girl felt very small, treading through this place. Very small, and acutely aware that something was missing, that she was not truly a child anymore. Not fully? How could she be, with what she had seen over the last few months? Everything that was familiar, her home, her school, her neighborhood, most everyone she knew, gone. Never to return. She felt…hollowed out. What was the line? Butter scraped over too much bread. Too true a phrase, now that she had lived it. Some thoughts dragged themselves through her autopilot mind. Her shoes were ruined, that was first. Soaked right through. Her feet were cold, her socks were a lost cause, and she definitely had some blisters swelling up. She made a note to get a pair of proper boots. The jacket was okay for a while longer, though she was beginning to pick up the rather distinctive stink everyone else claimed it had acquired. With her group of refugees led away by the docents from processing, she had closed up the Way, as she was obligated to do, and now had to file a report with the Head Librarian. Her report would then be copied down and filed with the Archivists, with further copies disseminated to the other Conductors. As the crow flies, it would take just under eighteen thousand years to walk to the Head Librarian’s office from where she now stood in the marginal stacks. Of course, crows are notoriously unsubtle creatures with a bad head for direction in esoteric dimensions. In taking advantage of the various junction points between there, here, and somewhere, the walk could be made in twenty minutes or so. Naomi’s muddy footprints eventually dried up as she made her way across narrow hallways and reading rooms. The architecture, direction of gravity, and even what classified as a book shifted often. Spider-legged Pages scuttled about the shelves, readers lurked in the corners, and all seemed to be as it normally was. Today she saw a trio of pale purple fish-men discussing philosophy in burbly voices, the Minister of Clouds (May He Forever Be Voluminous and Fluffy) pacing through a section on practical application of romance theory, and a large bucket of curly fries leafing through an atlas of the Amberbradcht Food Zones. One got quickly used to the number of alien forms found in the Library: most were welcome, after all. Past a brilliantly illuminated reading room inside of a god and a corkscrew passage of slate-blue steel, she arrived on a little balcony in the edge of the center chamber of Library: the Head Librarian’s office. It was at this point that Naomi’s sense of scale and proportion hung itself right then out of self-preservation. It was the only way of viewing the enormity of the room, and the thing that filled it. The Serpent moved. A serpent the size of a planet, coils of muscle bunching and twisting. A head the size of a continent rose up, a pair of pince-nez spectacles balanced on its snout. “Hello, child.” “Hello, Satan.” “I suppose you’re here to tell me that you’ve brought more refugees to my Library.” The Serpent continued moving about, pulling country-sized, granite-bound books from the walls of its office with its tail. “They’re tracking mud on my carpets, child.” Naomi glanced down at her own feet for the briefest of moments before looking back at the Serpent. “Sorry.” “Bah. What is one more pair of feet? How many this time?” “Twenty-one. Through the Yzlotski-Rubharbic Way.” “Anything else to report?” “It’s still stable, but there’re a lot of Ten-Colors running around, trying to get in.” “Go on.” “We tried talking to them, but they didn’t feel like listening. Three people died.” Naomi felt like she should feel something about that, should feel something about watching them die. She knew she did, once, but that was…only a few months ago. Only a few months to strip her of that. To turn that switch off. “Mmm. Very well. We will re-route through the Pendlock and Whaizha Ways until this is settled. I will send a squad of Collectors to regain control. You have done well, child. Go, rest. I suspect your father is awaiting your return.” Naomi nodded, but instead of leaving, she sat down on the balcony, arms on the railing, legs dangling off the edge into thousands of miles of space. “You’re a lot nicer than people say you are.” “Pure character assassination. Better than confusing me for that thrice-damned rapist on his sodding throne, I suppose, but please restrain presumptions of nicety. I am a tester of men and a god of difficult choices and a keeper of delicate knowledge. An ass by trade. But, that said, I do have a vested interest in keeping mankind alive and well. They keep me both entertained and employed.” “Someone’s got to do it, I guess.” “Precisely. Someone must provide the options. My sister was the one for all the sense and order and right judgment. Order and chaos, free will and instruction working in unison. Wisdom impotent without the full knowledge of good and evil, and that knowledge self-destructive without the guidance of wisdom. Beautiful system. Of course, dear sister Sophie is in pieces now, which complicates matters greatly.” Gears clicked into place inside Naomi’s head. “Wait, that means she’s…” “Aye, she is.” The Serpent paused for a moment. “Were she in her right mind at the moment, I feel you would appreciate her company. Now, that you can blame me for.” The Serpent went back to sorting his books, occasionally writing in them with a Europe-sized quill pen, dipped in an inkwell Mediterranean. After a while, the Serpent spoke again. “You are still here. Speak, child. I can tell you are uneasy.” Naomi let out a long, tired breath. “I don’t know if I can do it anymore. Conducting, I mean.” Break the dam, and words keep bubbling out. “Everyone always says that I’m so much like my mom, and…I just want to tell them so what? I never met her. She’s just like…a name and a face but I don’t know who they belong to, and everyone expects me to be just like her and I try my best but I just can’t. The Serpent was silent. “And I can’t talk to dad about this because he still misses her, and he’s so stressed with Tribunal work, and I don’t want to disappoint him…” The Serpent was silent. “And I just…I’m just tired.” A pause, and then the Serpent spoke. “Go along and rest, child. Return when you are ready. You have done more than enough good, at a great cost to yourself. No one could rightfully blame you. You have not failed. "Your mother killed a god, and the shadows of god-slayers are both wide and heavy. It is easy to be crushed under that shadow. Too many men and women have been. ‘My father has done great things: I have no worth until I have matched his feats with my own’ they say to themselves, and this guilt of failure eats away until they are hollowed out. "But you do not have to become her. You do not have to walk in her shadow, and I have no doubt that she would have you standing at her side, not behind. She did not kill Moloch for her own glory: She struck down the Horned King because she loved you. Those around you want to see you become good and kind and strong, as she was. Any inbred barbarian with a magic sword can kill a god. It takes something more to be a good person in a cruel world. "You stand on the threshold of innocence and knowledge, passing through from the simplicity of one to the bare cruelty of the other. It is a test. My test. It is not easy.” There was a hint of a smile behind the glasses. “But it is not impossible. That is all I have to say on the matter. Go now. Your father is waiting.” Naomi stood up, and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. — It was several hours later when Salah returned to the makeshift apartment that served as home in the Library. The lamp hanging from the rafters was turned low, just enough for him to see his way to the bathroom door at the end of the hallway without stubbing his toes. He poked his head into Naomi’s room, to see his daughter curled up on her cot, sleeping as deeply as King Arthur under his mountain. She was still wearing her mud-crusted shoes. Salah smiled wearily, and went about preparing himself for bed. He was exhausted: trying to coordinate order out of chaos of the world was not an easy task, and he was not suited for the Tribunal, even in the temporary manner he now served, despite what others claimed. He completed his proper nighttime rituals, trudged back to his room of the room, and saw on his pillow a folded piece of paper. The writing inside was in a small, tidy hand, and read: Got back okay. I love you. N The N was big and cursive and embellished, though perhaps not as detailed as it often was. Salah folded the paper back up and set it on the desk by the head of the cot, and then turned off the lamp.Officials in western Wisconsin have rejected a proposed 725-acre mine in Trempealeau County over environmental and other concerns. A La Crosse Tribune report says the Environment and Land Use Committee voted 5-3 Wednesday to deny the permit. AllEnergy Silica was seeking a conditional-use and reclamation mine permit. The company was hoping to mine nonmetal quarry from a proposed mine near the town of Arcadia. But several committee members say the application felt rushed, and that the company was vague about how it planned to truck sand and mining output. Officials also expressed concern about how close the mine would be to the Trempealeau River and Trout Run Creek. Company spokesman Mark Riley says the company was prepared to invest $45 million, and would be "good stewards of the land."A fake Nobel keynote speaker played an embarrassingly minor role in the IPCC. How scant can a person’s contribution to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) be before they start imagining they’re a full-blown Nobel laureate? The case of Woodrow (Woody) W. Clark II is instructive. Clark is the keynote speaker at an upcoming Toronto trade show called All-Energy 2014. Last week, organizers issued a press release describing him as a Nobel Peace Prize winner. This is called false advertising. Anyone who has purchased a ticket on this understanding deserves a refund. I’ve previously explained why Clark is unequivocally, absolutely, and conclusively not a Nobel recipient (see here). What I didn’t mention was the embarrassingly paltry nature of Clark’s actual IPCC contribution. In an interview, he explains that he wasn’t chosen by the IPCC in the normal course of events as that organization attempted to recruit leading experts (see here and here). Instead, Clark self-selected. He volunteered. Did the IPCC then assign him a meaty and prominent role in their signature climate assessments – those massive editions of the climate Bible released every six years? Nope. Clark claims he was “a participant in the [IPCC’s] panels throughout the ’90’s.” Additionally, a footnote on page 40 of a book he co-authored declares: Co-author Woodrow Clark was a co-editor and co-author for the UN IPCC Third Assessment Report in 2001… [italics in original, bolding by me] But Clark’s name is nowhere to be found in connection with the IPCC’s third assessment. It doesn’t appear The IPCC website acknowledges Clark’s participation in one instance only – in connection to an obscure, minor document titled Methodological and Technological Issues in Technology Transfer that the IPCC released in 2000. Approximately 225 individuals were responsible for writing and editing the various sections and 16 chapters of that document. It’s important to understand that there is a hierarchy at the IPCC. Coordinating Lead Authors – who serve as chapter heads – top the pyramid. Then there are lead authors. Then there are contributing authors. Was Clark in charge of an IPCC chapter? No. Did he serve as an IPCC lead author? I’m afraid not. Instead, he was a lowly contributing author for Chapter 2, titled Trends in Technology Transfer: Financial Resource Flows. His sole additional role appears to have been an essentially administrative one. He was one of two Review Editors for Chapter 3, International Agreements and Legal Structures. Clark further says he was asked to be the first research director for one of the areas of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change; I was to look at environmentally sound technologies like solar, wind, and others and see how they could be transferred from developed countries to developing countries. I had 6 co-authors covering things like wind from Denmark and solar from Japan. It was a landmark study. The UNFCCC is an international treaty. It and the IPCC are two separate entities. So far, I’ve been unable to discover any online info about that landmark study from a source not linked to Clark himself. His firm’s website says it’s titled Six Country Reports on Environmentally Sound Technologies from Developed to Developing Countries, but I’ve been unable to trace it. To recap: there is no evidence that Clark participated in the IPCC’s signature climate assessments he was a contributing author – the most junior position in the IPCC hierarchy – in one chapter of a minor IPCC report he served as a review editor in a second chapter of the same minor report On that basis, Woodrow Clark has spent years claiming to be a Nobel laureate. . I alerted the All-Energy 2014 organizers that Clark is not a Nobel laureate on Wednesday, February 26. I drew their attention to the IPCC’s official statement which makes this matter clear. Nearly 72 hours later, Reed Exhibitions – which bills itself “The World’s Leading Events Organizer” – has yet to retract (or amend) its press release. It continues to falsely advertise Clark’s credentials and its own event. . See also this biographical sketch, which appears at the bottom of a book review Clark authored six weeks ago:Hello people, Debz here with a new drawing of Underfell Toriel, this was my first time drawing this version of Toriel, I wanted to draw her a long time ago and also I must say that I'm really happy with the result. I see UF Toriel as a strict, kind of obsessive mother, in this drawing I've decided to emphasize more the Underfell side of the character, drawing her as strict, evil goat mom. To make this, I used the regular colors that are used in the AU, like red, yellow, black and some others. My favorite part of this drawing were the eyes, because of it's shape, the long I evil eyelashes, and for the different colors that I used to color it, I guess you could say that I fell in love with the eyes 😅 I started this drawing last night, and I've finished today, I think it took me 5 hours to make it. I hope you like it <3Albert Almora Jr. drove in the go-ahead run with a ninth-inning double, Dexter Fowler had two hits and the Chicago Cubs defeated the Washington Nationals 4-3 on Tuesday night. Addison Russell led off the ninth with a walk from Sammy Solis (1-2) and was sacrificed to second before Almora, who entered the game in the eighth inning, lined a shot to left center. Jason Heyward provided a two-run single for Chicago, which evened the three-game series between division leaders. Washington, which had won four straight, tied it in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Anthony Rendon off closer Hector Rondon. Rondon (1-1) pitched the final 1 2/3 innings for the win. Washington was without closer Jonathan Papelbon, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a right intercostal strain. Ben Revere’s sacrifice fly in the seventh pulled Washington within 3-2. Chicago’s John Lackey, making his 400th career start, left after hitting a batter and allowing a double to start the seventh. He gave up two runs and four hits while striking out seven and walking two. Gio Gonzalez gave up three runs and five hits over 6 1/3 innings. The Nationals starter struck out nine and walked four. Bryce Harper was 0 for 2 with two walks and scored a run. Chicago’s Anthony Rizzo (0 for 5) saw his 10-game hitting streak end. The Cubs bunched three hits with two outs in the third, starting with a single by Lackey and ending with Heyward’s two-run single. David Ross singled home Ben Zobrist to make it 3-0 in the fourth. Washington’s first run came on Jayson Werth’s third-inning bases-loaded sacrifice fly. Lackey hadn’t allowed a run in his previous two starts, covering 13 2/3 innings. The Nationals reinstated RHP Matt Belisle, who missed 45 games with a right calf strain, following a rehabilitation assignment. The Cubs‘ Jason Hammel (7-2, 2.36) starts in the series finale. He’s 9-0 with a 3.16 ERA in 12 career starts against the Nationals. The Nationals’ Stephen Strasburg (10-0, 3.03) has won 13 straight decisions dating to last season. He hasn’t faced the Cubs since August 2013. Lackey joined Bartolo Colon (479) and C.C. Sabathia (462) as the only active pitchers with at least 400 starts. Copyright © 2019 The Washington Times, LLC.DONETSK, Ukraine — After Ukraine’s new president, Petro O. Poroshenko, told reporters in Kiev on Wednesday that he might soon order a temporary, unilateral cease-fire as part of a broader 14-point peace plan, it took all of several seconds for pro-Russian militants to rule it out. “I am a condemned man,” said a stick-thin fighter who, like many others here, identified himself only by an alias, Tarik, for security reasons. Sipping tea in the gloom of the lobby of Donetsk’s rebel-occupied administration building on Wednesday afternoon, he patted the magazine of the automatic rifle slung across his chest. Any cease-fire would certainly be violated by the Ukrainian Army, he said, adding that he and other pro-Russian separatists would be arrested the minute the government had the opportunity. “What peace can they possibly offer me?” he asked. “If they want peace, then they can leave.” Tarik and a dozen other rank-and-file fighters here reacted to Mr. Poroshenko’s proposal with a dark, belligerent skepticism. Most rejected the idea of disarming until a patchwork of amorphous conditions were met, suggesting that a truce would be awfully difficult to achieve.Drilling for Clean Energy Drilling and clean energy are concepts rarely used together in the same sentence, but when it comes to geothermal energy, drilling is a major part of the process. In Iceland, engineers have created a drill — which goes by the name “Thor” — that has drilled up to a record-breaking depth of 4,659 meters (almost 3 miles). While this drilling project is experimental, it could potentially produce 10 times more energy than conventional fossil fuels. Geothermal energy comes from the Earth, and since the team is digging in volcanic areas, it’s abundant. These areas, when accessed with a drill like Thor, contain extremely hot (427 degrees C (800 F), pressurized liquids that give off enough steam to turn a turbine, which then generates clean electricity. This project, the Iceland Deep Drilling Project (IDDP), is still in its experimental phases, and has been given two years to demonstrate how successful and economically viable it can be. A Geothermal Answer? Iceland currently runs on 100% clean, renewable energy: approximately 25% geothermal and 75% hydroelectric energy. However, while geothermal energy is much more environmentally-friendly than the use of fossil fuels, it is not completely green. According to Martin Norman, a Norwegian sustainable finance specialist for Greenpeace, drilling for geothermal energy is not “completely renewable and without problems. As soon as you start drilling you have issues to it, such as sulphur pollution and CO2 emission and they need to find solutions to deal with it.” While Iceland is making great progress with renewable energy, there are still improvements that can be made to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, according to The Institute of Economic Studies at the University of Iceland, due to their produced emissions, the country will not be adherent to the Paris climate agreement.Story Highlights Twenty-eight percent are satisfied with country's direction Down slightly from 31%-32% in first three months of 2015 Satisfaction remarkably flat during Obama's presidency to date PRINCETON, N.J. -- Twenty-eight percent of Americans are satisfied with the way things are going in the country, while 70% are dissatisfied. Satisfaction remains higher than it was for much of 2013 and 2014, but it is down from 31% in March and from 32% in January and February. Satisfaction Remains Historically Low At 28%, overall satisfaction with the direction of the country remains on the higher end of what Gallup has recorded since President Barack Obama took office at the start of 2009. However, that range, between 11% and 36%, is still on the low side of what Gallup has recorded since 1979. In the past 36 years, satisfaction twice peaked at or near 70% when the economy was particularly strong -- in 1986 and 1999 -- and twice at times of high national patriotism: at the start of the Gulf War in 1991 and in the first few months after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. Satisfaction hit its low point of 7% in October 2008 as the global financial crisis unfolded and the U.S. stock market plummeted, but also reached low levels in 1979, 1992 and as recently as 2011 and 2013. Satisfaction Remarkably Flat During Obama Presidency The annual satisfaction ratings for recent two-term presidents provides one way to evaluate the general tenor of the times during which each president presided. Already, Obama has served through the longest stretch of low satisfaction of any of the past four two-term presidents, with satisfaction averaging no better than 27% in any full year. While 2015 has started with a 31% average in the first four months, that average includes the recent dip to 28%, which is not as encouraging. The first year of Ronald Reagan's and Bill Clinton's presidencies were marked by satisfaction levels similar to Obama's in 2009. But for each of these earlier presidents, satisfaction improved to 45% or better in their final years in office. The path of satisfaction was altogether different during George W. Bush's presidency, peaking in his first year, related to the surge following 9/11, and ratcheting down thereafter until it hit record lows in his final year. Whether or not U.S. satisfaction improves in the coming 18 months may not greatly affect Obama's own presidential power or policies, but it could influence his party's chances of retaining the White House in the next election. Both presidents who presided over relatively good times in their final years in office -- Reagan and Clinton -- saw their party's subsequent nominee win the national popular vote for the presidency, including Al Gore in 2000, even though he lost in the Electoral College. Bush, on the other hand, saw his party's nominee lose handily. Of course, outgoing presidents' approval ratings are another key indicator of their party's chance of holding the White House, meaning Obama's improved job score in recent weeks is a positive development for Democrats. However, as Gallup has noted previously, Obama receives significantly higher job approval ratings relative to U.S. satisfaction than his predecessors generally did. So far this year, as U.S. satisfaction has averaged 31%, Obama's job approval rating has averaged 46%. So unless satisfaction rises to a level closer to Obama's approval rating, as happened for Clinton in 2000, the value of Obama's job approval rating to the 2016 Democratic nominee may have to be discounted some. Satisfaction Under 50% for All Party Groups The slight drop in satisfaction this month is almost entirely attributable to declines among Republicans and Democrats. Among Republicans, satisfaction fell six points since March to 9%, and dropped eight points to 42% among Democrats. At the same time, satisfaction is unchanged among independents, at 28%, matching the figure among all Americans. Bottom Line Though down slightly this month, Americans' satisfaction with the direction of the country is higher than the 2014 average as well as most individual readings throughout Obama's presidency. Still, satisfaction remains historically low -- well below its average level in 1988 and 2000 when the presidential candidate of the same party as the sitting president won the national popular vote. U.S. satisfaction is currently closer to the extremely low level that existed in 2008, a state of affairs that likely hindered the incumbent party's candidate in that year's election. Both U.S. satisfaction and presidential job approval bear close watching as November 2016 draws near. But if satisfaction continues to lag approval by a sizable margin, the election outcome may indicate which measure is more critical for the president's party: the president's own image, or the public's sense of whether the country is going in the right or wrong direction as his party asks for another turn at the helm. Survey Methods Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews conducted April 9-12, 2015, with a random sample of 1,015 adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. For results based on the total sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is ±4 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting. Each sample of national adults includes a minimum quota of 50% cellphone respondents and 50% landline respondents, with additional minimum quotas by time zone within region. Landline and cellular telephone numbers are selected using random-digit-dial methods. View complete question responses and trends. Learn more about how Gallup Poll Social Series works.French Monsanto Research Site Damaged in Suspected Arson Attack from St Louis Post Dispatch A Monsanto research center in western France suffered heavy fire damage in a suspected arson attack early Wednesday morning, the official in charge of the site said. The official, Jakob Witten, said police investigators “strongly suspect it was a crime as no electrical or other sources were found.” The fire was ignited from two different places at the site, where about 10 people work and which is specialized in corn research. The smell of gasoline lingered near the building, which had heavy damage in its reception hall and offices. “No Monsanto sites in Europe have so far been the victim of fires of criminal origin, this is unprecedented violence,” Witten said. The Creve Coeur-based company is the frequent target of criticism in France over concerns about genetically modified crops it has developed. The government said last month it would use a new European opt-out scheme to ensure a ban on the cultivation of GM crops in France remains in place. Share this: Google Reddit Twitter Facebook Print Email More LinkedIn Pinterest Pocket TumblrBEIRUT - ISIS has been bombing regime-controlled areas of Deir Ezzor with rudimentary weaponized drones, the terrorist group’s first use of the tactic in Syria. On Friday morning, a drone operated by the jihadist group dropped explosive devices on the Al-Jaz, Al-Barid and Howeika district of the eastern Syrian city, according to an activist group. Al-Nateq did not elaborate on casualties or property destruction caused by the unusual bombing raid, the latest in a series of attacks conducted by ISIS using remotely-guided aircraft to drop explosives in Deir Ezzor. Only days before, the pro-opposition
has been published in the scientific publication Carbon. About graphene: Graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms, is stronger than steel yet lightweight and flexible. Electrons flow far more quickly through graphene than silicon. It is also a transparent electrical conductor that combines electrical and optical properties in an exceptional way. Graphene is a very good thermal conductor, ten times better than copper. There are several methods of producing graphene that can be scaled up to industrial level. For electronics applications, high quality graphene can be produced using a method called chemical vapour deposition. For more information, please contact: Johan Liu, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden, jliu@chalmers.se “This discovery opens the door to increased functionality and continues to push the boundaries when it comes to miniaturising electronics,” said Chalmers Professor Johan Liu who heads the international research project.Last year at this time, Domino's launched a , in which the company admitted that (shocking surprise) its food was mediocre -- but it vowed to improve! Now it's time for a followup, and we've got a suggestion for a new spokesman: Isaiah Pickens, who apparently loves Domino's grub so much that he when he allegedly robbed a delivery man at gunpoint last night, he only took pizza and wings, and didn't bother with any cash. Continue Reading As detailed in a Colorado Springs Police Department release on view below, a delivery was ordered to a vacant apartment from a pay phone. But cops were able to track down Pickens, who was at what sounds like a party where music, loud conversation and Domino's were among the main attractions. The delivery man subsequently ID'd Pickens as the man who pulled a gun on him and took his food but didn't bother swiping any money. What better proof that the company's food is now actually edible? If Pickens did the deed, he may have a lucrative TV career ahead of him -- plus all the Domino's he can eat. Here's a look at Pickens's full-size mug shot, as well as the CSPD release and the Domino's January 2010 "documentary" about its improvement mission: Colorado Springs Police Department release: Incident Date: January 4, 2011 Time: 10:23:00 PM Title: Robbery Location: 3349 E Fountain Blvd. Summary: On 01/04/11 at approximately 10:23PM Officer Kris Fish and Officer Nate Johnson were dispatched to the Domino's Pizza, 2850 S Academy Blvd, regarding a pizza delivery man being robbed at gun point during a pizza delivery at the Cedar Ridge Apartments, 3349 E Fountain Blvd. During the robbery only pizza and hot wings were taken. There were no injuries. Officer Fish and Officer Johnson completed the interview of the victim at the Domino's Pizza on S Academy Blvd before going to the Cedar Ridge Apartments, 3349 E Fountain Blvd, to check for a scene, witnesses, and possibly the suspect. Sgt Mary C Walsh went with Officer Fish and Officer Johnson to the Cedar Ridge Apartments. When Officers arrived, they found the original address the pizza was ordered from to be a vacant apartment. The phone number used to order the pizza listed to a pay phone at the apartment complex. Sgt Walsh, Officer Fish, and Officer Johnson began walking through the apartment complex checking for occupied apartments in hopes of locating a witness or the suspect. Officers heard loud voices and loud music coming from 3355 E Fountain Apartment B. Officers made contact with the occupants of 3355 E Fountain Blvd #B. One of the occupants matched the description of the robbery suspect. A show up with the victim was conducted. The victim of the robbery identified the male located at 3355 E Fountain Blvd #B as the person who robbed him. The male, 20 year old Isaiah Pickens, was taken into custody for Aggravated Robbery. At the time of this ETACS, the investigation is still ongoing. More from our Colorado Crimes archive: "Paper Cha$ers Ink: Lee Lacey, ten others accused in identity-theft, counterfeiting ring."Seattle, Washington (CNN) -- Authorities have a familiar suspect in the theft of a plane that alarmed air traffic controllers when it flew near airspace restricted for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics: They're looking for "the Barefoot Burglar." Investigators say it's the fourth plane they believe Colton Harris-Moore has stolen and flown away, despite the fact that he is only 18 and does not possess a pilot's license. "We think it fits his pattern," San Juan County Sheriff Bill Cumming said. "We are looking for him." The plane, a Cirrus SR22 worth about $650,000, was undamaged even though it came to rest in mud near a landing strip on Orcas Island, off the Washington coast, said Allen Kenitzer, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman. Previous plane thefts of which authorities accuse Harris-Moore resulted in thousands of dollars in damage to the aircraft. The sheriff said the four planes all appear to have been flown by an untrained pilot and were stolen from or crashed near an area near where Harris-Moore is known to have lived. Cumming said that authorities suspect Harris-Moore in the four thefts and that investigators are gathering and processing forensic evidence from the stolen planes. Harris-Moore has not been charged in the plane thefts, but he faces at least 11 charges for driving a stolen car, Internet identity thefts and burglaries. He is alleged to have committed some of the crimes barefoot. That earned him the nickname that has become part of the lore surrounding the young fugitive in the small Camano Island community where he grew up. Investigators have received reports that Harris-Moore has lived in the woods and in other people's homes. They do not know where he is, but they're looking for him -- and trying to determine whether someone is helping him. 'Barefoot burglar' takes to the skies "He will typically break into a home or vehicle and copy down the credit card numbers," Island County Sheriffs Department spokesman Ed Wallace has said. "He then leaves the credit cards behind so people don't realize they have been stolen." Wallace has said that Harris-Moore has charged thousands of dollars worth of video games, GPS devices and police scanners online, using stolen credit cards. When Harris-Moore wasn't squatting in homes, he took to the woods with survival gear to elude police, they said. He's been known to hide in the trees. "He's almost like a feral child," Wallace said. In the latest stolen-plane case, police say the pilot of a small plane approached the no-fly zone Wednesday before bringing the aircraft in for a hard landing on Orcas Island, off the coast of Washington state. Cumming said police also suspect that the pilot broke into a nearby grocery store and stole $1,200. The thief left a calling card too, Cumming said. On the floor was written "C-Ya" and the outlines of two feet drawn in chalk. In 2008, Harris-Moore went from being a convicted serial burglar considered to be a nuisance by residents and police to an outlaw making international headlines after he broke out of a juvenile halfway house shortly before someone started stealing and crashing planes. Time magazine, in a December dispatch, dubbed him "America's Most Wanted Teenage Bandit." Facebook fan sites show nearly 30,000 "friends" for him. Island County Sheriff Mark Brown, whose department oversees Camano Island, said he is sick of Harris-Moore's growing fame. "It should be more about the apprehension of an adult felon criminal and not so much about everything else making this person into a Robin Hood or cult hero," Brown said. Harris-Moore's mother, Pamela Kohler, has not responded to questions about the latest incident. Earlier, she told CNN affiliate KIRO that she wanted her son to turn himself in. She said she was "proud" if her son had actually taught himself to fly. In October, police called Harris-Moore a suspect in the theft of a plane from Idaho that crash-landed in a clearing northeast of Seattle. Since then, there have been no solid leads on Harris-Moore's whereabouts. But on Wednesday, a Cirrus SR22 plane was stolen from a small airport in Port Angeles, Washington, Cumming said. The plane was "flying erratically" before making a hard landing about 40 miles to the north on Orcas Island. Cumming said the plane was damaged on landing. Orcas Island, a 57-square-mile island with a population of about 4,500, is mainly known as a hub for whale-watching tourists.HOUSTON -- Everything seems so easy for James Harden these days. It's not as easy as he's making it look, of course, as Harden isn't alone on the basketball court. But the ease and level at which he is playing makes everything look so smooth and effortless. Harden was at his superlative best again, producing 31 points, 10 assists and no turnovers in leading the Houston Rockets past the Jazz 111-102 late Saturday afternoon. It was such an ugly game, with both teams missing too many shots at the rim and struggling to find an effective offensive pace to push forward. But there was Harden, bringing a calmness and beauty to the game with two fourth-quarter plays that symbolized what he means to the Rockets. "We've been playing against each other since high school," Patrick Beverley said. "[Harden] can ball, man; he doesn't get enough credit. I feel like he's the best playmaker in the NBA right now. His IQ is high; every year he gets better. I feel like he doesn't get enough credit, but it's cool. We're going to turn it around this year by getting wins instead." James Harden's scoring and creating skills were too much for the Jazz to handle. Thomas B. Shea/USA TODAY Sports With the Rockets up 14, Harden had just stepped across midcourt and threw a pass toward the left corner of the backboard. Clint Capela, who is playing so well right now, reached up from the baseline with two hands for the dunk. "That was thrown nicely but also not easy to do," Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni said. Harden's pass resulted in his last assist of the game. He has scored at least 30 points and picked up at least 10 assists an NBA-high six times this season and has accomplished that feat 14 times since last season, which is far more than any other player. His passing ability has been a revelation to those who don't watch him on a nightly basis. Last season, Harden averaged 7.5 assists per game, a career high. But his willingness to pass was overlooked last season amid a distasteful 41-41 campaign in which he felt the urge to do more scoring. While he continues to score now, his trust level in his teammates has never been higher. A pass from half court with a defender on him was a prime example of why he's so elite. "I had confidence in throwing it," Harden said of the pass to Capela. "I knew where he was going to be. It's the kind of chemistry that we're trying to build, to know where guys are going to be. So everything looks easy and looks fluid." HOUSTON ROCKETS Check out the team site for more game coverage UTAH JAZZ Check out the team site for more game coverage Capela, who scored a career-high 20 points, is taking advantage of Harden's passing abilities, receiving lobs at the rim and cutting toward the basket in pick-and-rolls, making himself open for layups as defenders crash toward Harden. When Harden does score it's a delightful experience, no matter what the game clock says. He closed the show by crossing over Dante Exum in the frontcourt with 14 seconds to play, stepping back and hitting a 25-foot 3-pointer. The afternoon crowd at the Toyota Center went wild as Utah coach Quin Snyder called timeout, his team now down 11. Harden stood at half court with his arms spread out enjoying the cheers. He walked from midcourt to the basket near the Utah bench, spinning his index finger in a cooking-like motion as the ovation began to grow. It's moments like these that were nearly absent last season, as the Rockets grinded their way through a coaching change and sneaked into the postseason on the last day of the regular season. Based on what we've seen in the first 13 games, tiptoeing into the postseason won't be in the Rockets' plans. The team will charge into it. Harden is the focal point when he runs an offense which varies pace in half-court sets, giving opposing defenses fits. "The main thing you try to guard the guy [Harden] but [he's led] the league for many years in betting fouled," Utah's Rodney Hood said. "So that's the big thing to try and keep him off the line. He is a really good player and in their offense, they have a lot of shooters around him. Those guys know their roles, and it's pretty effective.' Saturday afternoon was just another example of Harden simply being Harden.November 2015 emerged as the warmest November in Hong Kong since records began in 1884 with a record-breaking mean temperature of 24.0 degrees, 2.2 degrees above the November normal of 21.8 degrees. The anomalously warm weather was mainly attributed to the relatively high sea surface temperatures over the northern part of the South China Sea and the rather weak advection of cold air from the north despite the prevailing northeast monsoon. The month was also drier than usual with only 22.8 millimetres of rainfall, a deficit of about 39 percent as compared to the normal figure of 37.6 millimetres. The accumulated rainfall of 1810.2 millimetres since 1 January was about 24 percent below the normal figure of 2371.7 millimetres for the same period. Under the influence of the northeast monsoon, the weather in Hong Kong was mainly fine but appreciably cooler on the first two days of the month. With the setting in of an easterly airstream over the coast of Guangdong, the weather was a mixture of cloudy days, sunny periods and some light rain patches for the next five days. With the clouds thinning out gradually, there was more sunshine on 8 and 9 November, and the weather became warmer with temperatures at the Hong Kong Observatory rising to a maximum of 30.3 degrees, the highest of the month, on 9 November. Meanwhile, a cold front over inland Guangdong moved southwards and crossed the coastal areas on the night of 9 November. A strong northeast monsoon associated with the cold front brought windy and slightly cooler weather with rain patches to the territory over the next four days. After a brighter day on 14 November, the setting in of a fresh to strong easterly airstream over the coast of Guangdong brought windy conditions again with more rain patches on 15 and 16 November. The weather turned generally fine apart from some coastal mist patches on 17-18 November. Windy and mainly cloudy conditions returned with an easterly airstream for the ensuing three days, before clouds thinning out gradually and fine weather setting in on 22-24 November. An intense northeast monsoon reached the coast of Guangdong on the morning of 25 November and winds strengthened gradually form the north that day. While the weather remained mostly fine under the dominance of a dry continental air mass, it became appreciably cooler as temperatures at the Hong Kong Observatory fell to a minimum of 15.3 degrees, the lowest of the month, on the morning of 27 November. With the moderation of the northeast monsoon, temperatures recovered gradually towards the end of the month.A PC is an essential tool for most any household, for applications as diverse as staying connected with friends and family, competitive gaming or earning a living. Finding the right computer deals sets you up with maximum performance for little cash. No two people have quite the same requirements for what they need out of a desktop computer, so it's important to find the right discounts for your situation. Who Has the Hottest Computer Discounts? The big sites like Amazon often have outstanding prices on complete PC systems, but you can also find useful deals on smaller sites, such as PCM. You can get computer coupons directly from the manufacturers, either for brand-new models or for those that are repaired and refurbished customer returns. With refurbished units, you get the same performance for less, with the only difference usually being a couple cosmetic dings. Software makers that have entered the hardware field, such as operating system giant Microsoft, can bundle a computer system with exclusive app suites for productivity, connectivity and fun. DIY Computer Deals If you're really thrifty and handy, it's often more economical to assemble your system directly from computer parts. This allows you to select the level of performance that you need. Most major manufacturers use proprietary components, which makes it difficult or impossible to upgrade their systems. If you take advantage of computer discounts to make your own system from scratch, you also have the option of upgrading it piecemeal as newer and more powerful components come to market. This is especially important if you plan to use your PC for gaming or graphic and video design, as the latest software tends to require powerful system specs. Extend Your Savings with Accessories Some computer sales give you further discounts if you purchase a bundle that comes with computer accessories. If you're at the set-up stage, grab a monitor, speakers and everything else. Some desktop manufacturers also produce printers and offer computer deals that include all-in-one scanner/fax/printer machines for less than the cost of getting the PC and printer separately. Other accessories to bundle include gaming controllers, premium wireless keyboards, theater-quality speakers and external hard drives for secure storage.How To Create a Zen Garden in Your Backyard Bob Hobbs Blocked Unblock Follow Following Jul 12, 2015 Creating a small Zen Garden at home dramatically improves the physical landscape of your yard. But that’s not even half of it. What is of much greater importance is that the innately profound tranquility that Zen Gardens offer will provide you with a perfect place to ease your mind, destroy the stress and rise above all things that bother the calmness of our minds. Hence, the mental landscape of your garden will be even more dramatically changed, and for the better and better alone. Arranged according to ancient Eastern principles that have evolved over the centuries, Zen Gardens, similarly to the bonsai, represent nature in miniature. Mastering this seemingly elusive art is not difficult and creating your very own Zen Garden at the heart of the city, where usually we are lacking much in terms of peacefulness, will make all the difference in your life. Just picture it — switching from the crowded streets of the City (of London) to a serene Zen Garden at your backyard. Priceless. So keep reading to see how easy this could be achieved. What You Need to Build the Perfect Zen Garden First of all, you have to figure out how much space you can afford for the Zen Garden in your backyard. Always be mindful that a Zen Garden represents a much bigger natural landscape in miniature. It’s like brining nature’s serenity to our homes. Although space is obviously important, I can’t stress enough that a Zen Garden, no matter its size, will essentially incorporate the same elements. If you are after a “rock Zen Garden”… …sand is the basic element that’s indispensable to its creation. A rock Zen Garden must truthfully represent the feeling that mountains and dry river beds produce. Rake the sand with gentle strokes and arrange some stones on random places. Although the ancient Japanese masters have used a certain number of stones — 15 — only fourteen of which can be seen at any given time, you could be a bit more liberal and use your imagination to create something pioneering and beautiful. But always keep in mind your ultimate goal. The karesansui (枯山水), as the rock garden is known in Japanese, is meant to be a picturesque view of mountains and rivers, so arrange in such a way as to see exactly that when you look at your Japanese Rock Garden. If you have any doubts about it or regarding the plants you are to plant in your garden, better consult with the boys at Gardener Oxford, they will give you the right advice. Moss holds a special place in Japanese culture… Really suitable to what the good people of Japan enjoy in terms of climate, moss has become the basis of certain types of Zen Gardens.The Saihō-ji temple (西芳寺) in Kyoto is a prime example. Moss goes really well with small stones scattered around the place. If we ignore the fact that these stones closely resemble the figures of Go, which adds a bit of “Japaneseness” to your garden, still you can easily achieve a desirable “chessboard effect” with it. Combining it with small bodies of water is also an excellent idea and a foundation on which many landscape Eastern gardens, both Chinese and Japanese, are based. Since any Zen Garden’s primary function is to produce an atmosphere of tranquility… … the one in your yard doesn’t have to be any different. Heeding the philosophical aesthetics of Buddhism, it’s worth underlining that the importance doesn’t hide in the size, but in the meaning the sand, the water and the stones signify for your garden and how they help you go deep into Zen state of mind. So if you are short on space, worry not. A small body of water is absolutely good enough and serving its purpose to perfection. That’s because Eastern gardens and especially Japanese ones follow the idea that less is more and that simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. That’s to say, in practical terms, that you can simply have a small pond and a few stones on some green moss in a small space at the back of your yard. But if done right, that’s a Zen Garden as good as any other in the world, especially if it helps you elevate your mind to a higher place. My friend Poppy already told you about the nitty-gritty of moss growing (and truth be told, it isn’t that difficult either), but in a nutshell — provide it with at least partial shade (proper shade is advisable), enough moisture and high levels of humidity. Moss in Zen Gardens also combines extremely well with virtually all Zen statues. A beautiful and symbolically-rich Buddhist figure covered in moss is a stunning thing adding much to your garden and the atmosphere of calmness and thoughtfulness you wish to create. Then you can add a few plants or a bridge to complete the picture. Bamboo is an obvious choice. You can create a natural fence with it and that adds another nuance to your Zen Garden. Ferns is another plant that every Zen Garden will do well to incorporate, as well as the water iris and the Japanese apricot tree. Place them well, and you would complete a picture of perfect stillness, peacefulness and sereneness. And, at the end of the day, that’s the goal, isn’t it?Mid-Twentieth-Century Los Angeles was a place built on cars and hamburgers. As the city abandoned public transportation and became car-dependent, it also grew to love roadside restaurants, where a driver could pull over and have a burger and shake handed to him right through the window. Several of today's most popular fast food chains started in greater LA, more often than not in oddball buildings designed to attract the attention of passing motorists. To help our pals at Eater celebrate Classics Week, here's a look at where the classics all began: Original Tommy's, Westlake The original Original Tommy's still stands today at Beverly and Rampart, where it was founded in 1946 by Tom Koulax on the back of the then-novel chili burger. Fatburger, Jefferson Park A black woman named Lovie Yancey founded Fatburger (then Mr. Fatburger) in a tiny building on Western Avenue in 1947, serving hamburgers because "they were the fastest-selling sandwich in America," according to an interview she gave in the 1980s. The three-stool outpost hosted Redd Foxx and Ray Charles over the years and stayed under Yancey's control even after she sold the chain in 1990. She died in 2008 at the age of 96 and her first burger stand has been incorporated into an affordable housing development on the site. In-N-Out, Baldwin Park Though it has locations in other Western states, In-N-Out is synonymous with California fast food. The structure believed to be the drive-through that launched an empire—California's first for hamburgers when it opened in 1948, the chain's website claims—was demolished in 2011. The company built a replica of the restaurant at the same location, but it only serves souvenirs. McDonald's, San Bernardino What was in the water in 1948? That was also the year that the first McDonald's burger joint opened in a hexagonal structure at a San Bernardino location on E Street. (Richard and Maurice McDonald first opened McDonald's Bar-B-Q, a drive-in with a large and varied menu, in 1940, on the same site. They retooled after they realized everyone just wanted hamburgers.) The restaurant was demolished in 1957 in favor of the golden arches version, and the spot is now owned by roasted chicken chain Juan Pollo; it serves as a combination Juan Pollo office and McDonald's museum. The oldest operating McDonald's—the third ever opened—is in Downey. Wienerschnitzel, Wilmington Today hot dog chain Wienerschnitzel is known for its A-frame huts, but the original location opened on Pacific Coast Highway in 1961 in a walk-up/drive-through, flat-roofed little shack. Founder John Galardi worked for many years for Taco Bell founder Glen Bell and this site sat next to one of Bell's pre-Taco Bell restaurants; Bell encouraged Galardi to open his own fast food joint, so long as he didn't sell tacos. Bell's wife suggested the nonsensical name. The shack is now a Los Angeles city landmark. Taco Bell, Downey Glen Bell opened the first Taco Bell in March, 1962, serving fake Mexican food (in hard taco shells) in this fake Mission building in Downey, California. The building later became an independent Mexican restaurant, eventually lost its bell, and today sits closed behind a fence; the Downey Conservancy is hoping to preserve the building. Meanwhile, there is, naturally, a combination Pizza Hut/Taco Bell just across the street. Panda Express, Glendale Panda Express began in Pasadena in 1973 as the upscale Panda Inn, founded by Chinese immigrant Andrew Cherng, with Mandarin and Szechuan recipes from Andrew's father, chef Ming-Tsai Cherng. He expanded to Glendale, where he caught the attention of the operators of the Glendale Galleria, who asked him to open a fast food version in 1983. Andrew brought in his wife Peggy to help run the operation and the couple are still in charge today. There are now two Panda Expresses at the Galleria. · Classics Week [Eater LA]Three people with health problems explain how LSD affected them Douglas, historian From the age of eight I suffered frequent and severe headaches, usually three or four a week, which caused acute and persistent pain and interfered with work and games alike. These persisted into adulthood. I first tried 200 microgrammes of LSD in 1970. After it, I had no headaches for three weeks. I then had another headache, though not as severe as usual, and the next day took another 200 microgrammes. This time the headaches disappeared for six months. After that, whenever I had a bad headache I took a dose of LSD, usually 100 microgrammes. My headaches have since become very rare, perhaps one or two a year. I believe the doses of LSD are the most likely cause of this very welcome relief. Jess, 40, London Taking LSD on a regular basis has improved my health and life. I had an eating disorder for 12 years after leaving school, yo-yo-ing between binge eating and then eating nothing for days, which was debilitating. Then, at 26, I was introduced to LSD and told that, while I was on it, I must maintain my sugar level in order to avoid the symptoms of hypoglycaemia. On the first trip I ate scrambled eggs and a whole king-size bag of Minstrels. I remained in complete control. Equally as fascinating for me was that I couldn't sense the weight of what I'd consumed: in other words, I was eating but not putting on weight, which is music to an anorexic's ears. The LSD enabled me to rise above my negative and destructive thoughts and see things in a new and positive light. I now take it once a month and as a consequence have maintained not only a healthy eating balance but also a more positive frame of mind. Philip, 54, London Five years ago I had just finished my third chemotherapy session for leukaemia, which was the worst experience of my life. I didn't eat for 21 days, my weight dropped to eight stone and I was bald. I took acid at a party. I wasn't in remission, so I shouldn't have taken it, but it was an amazing experience. It made me euphoric. I'm not religious but I had a wonderful experience, like angels coming over the walls and white clouds out of a blue sky. I thought, "I've got to live"; it gave me the will to carry on. It gave me the strength that I could do it. The LSD helped me with my leukaemia by mentally helping me to get over it.I felt that I could beat the cancer, which was the first time I'd felt like that since being diagnosed with leukaemia.I have cystic fibrosis. Writing that out still feels strange to me, in part because I have only been able to do it for about a week now. I practiced for years in my head, of course, rolled those words around like worry stones. You don’t get a diagnosis like CF after almost 33 years in the dark without some pretty serious clues early on about what you’ve been living with. You also don’t usually get a diagnosis like CF after almost 33 years, period. Every time I tell someone about my diagnosis, I get the same question: “Aren’t people with CF usually diagnosed when they’re very young?” Yes…and no. Some of us fall through the cracks of health systems ill equipped to deal with people whose diseases present in even slightly atypical ways. And some of us never make it out of childhood. I almost didn’t. The average life expectancy for adults with CF in the United States is currently 37 years. The list of things that have almost killed me is long and detailed at this point, and I’m still four years shy of that mark. CF is a genetically inherited disease that affects the entire body. It’s often stereotyped as a lung condition, but this is a misnomer. What actually happens when you have CF is that your mucous membranes don’t work the way other people’s do. Instead of producing relatively fluid mucus that effectively lubricates your tissue and generally helps your body to function, they instead produce a sticky substance best compared to rubber cement. This sticky mucus plugs up ducts in places like the kidneys, liver, and pancreas. It traps bacteria and when those bacteria multiply, they attack and destroy the surrounding tissue, which becomes inflamed and scarred with progressively greater severity in the absence of effective treatment. Over time, the function of different organs gets more and more disrupted. Because of the ways in which it leads the body to attack its own tissue, CF may qualify as a form of autoimmune disease. This is currently debated in the literature, with a focus on whether autoimmunity is primary or secondary to the disease. Autoimmune conditions like reactive airways disease, interstitial cystitis, microscopic colitis, and Sjogren’s syndrome often occur in people with CF. I’ve been diagnosed with all of these and more in the past. Whether they are direct components of the CF syndrome as a whole or consequences of it remains unknown. But knowing I have CF certainly helps to explain why my diagnostic surgeries have always shown a certain baseline level of inflammation even after long periods of avoiding allergic triggers. What this looks like on a daily basis for me is that my entire GI tract functions poorly even with medication management, and my lungs require daily inhalations of corticosteroids to remain relatively infection-free. All of my mucous membranes are very scarred, and I have had surgery to remove severe scarring from my bladder that was pressing on the nerves and causing agonizing pain. I have also had multiple surgeries to rebuild my gums using connective tissue from the roof of my mouth. My heart is badly damaged from years of unmanaged electrolyte wasting, causing chronic long QT syndrome. Blood vessels everywhere and nerves in my hands and feet are damaged. My kidneys are showing signs of strain, but at least now I know why my urine is full of rubbery white clumps. Damage, damage, damage. I have been hospitalized several times, including a stay in the cardiac ICU. My care has been expensive, fragmented, and often totally ineffective. And yet sometimes the worst costs of all are the intangible ones, the fear and the anger and the loss. Life with CF is a constant state of uncertainty even when you know you have it. Sometimes infection hits like a train and we scramble to recover. Sometimes we drift in and out of hospitals. Sometimes we receive organ transplants. Sometimes we have other types of surgery to salvage damaged tissue. Sometimes medication helps us. Sometimes we just get lucky. Sometimes we get diagnosed early and conclusively and sometimes we wander for years. Sometimes we are told we probably won’t survive. I’ve had a mixture of all of the above experiences except organ transplantation. That may yet be on the list depending on what my next round of kidney testing shows, though I’m loath to even consider the idea of accepting an organ from a living donor. I say I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. If having a future means doing nightly home dialysis, I’ll take it in stride. At the end of the day, the relief of knowing feels exponentially better than the fear of wondering. So why did I not know for so long? I grew up at a medical school, the child of two developmental neurobiologists whose passion for research and education was exceeded only by their love for me. My parents put an astronomical amount of effort into arguing with doctors who dismissed their concerns that I had CF. Years later, these concerns would come full circle and I would see their faces darken with remembered anger. I would feel the heavy silence in the room when my mother shared her genetic testing results with me, having taken the plunge and submitted a 23andMe test kit because she knew it could help me to know what her genome looked like. I should mention at this point that I am donor conceived. My parents have always been my parents, but I am not a direct genetic relative of my father. Because I was conceived in early 1983, before the laws about sperm donation records were changed so that families could get medical information about anonymous donors, we never knew until that moment that my CF must have come from the donor’s side. I watched my mother’s face as we reviewed her results, which showed no copies of any of the nearly three dozen gene variants associated with CF. This brings me to the second question I get asked: “Can’t you only have CF if you have matched copies of at least one variant?” The answer, at least according to more recent clinical literature, is a resounding no. Scholars first raised the possibility that heterozygous people could also present with CF as early as 1990, but it took nearly 25 years for the field as a whole to catch up. I am now paying for every one of those 25 years. The effort to recognize heterozygous forms of CF was driven largely by clinicians who noticed that many people with inconclusive results on the old “gold standard” detection method for CF—a sweat conductivity test—actually had fairly textbook symptoms. This has been the case with me. I have severe involvement of all organs potentially affected by CF except for the pancreas and liver, at least so far. Indeed, a history of inconclusive sweat tests and minimal pancreatic involvement are both common in people with both late-diagnosed CF and heterozygous CF. Another common thread in late-diagnosed CF is somewhat better long-term survival, although any epidemiologist worth their salt would tell you that’s mostly a selection effect. I can handle being a living and thankfully breathing example of cohort inversion, though. Being alive today, getting ready to celebrate my 33rd birthday, gives me opportunities to advocate for others who struggle to get their voices heard by health professionals and people in their everyday lives. It gives me a chance to fight for the next generation of people who walk the path I’ve walked, and perhaps to spare them some of the pain and suffering I’ve experienced. In some ways, my diagnosis is the best—if strangest—birthday gift I’ve ever received. Being diagnosed with CF doesn’t usually instill feelings of cheer and celebration for patients and their families, but after 33 years of being slowly killed by a disease with no name and no evidence basis for treatment, I feel like I’ve won the lottery. I’m also conscious that winning the lottery in many other ways earlier in life gave me a fighting chance of surviving long enough to receive a coherent clinical diagnosis. Ultimately, I’m writing this post today because my privileges in life enabled me to hang on long enough—with a combination of therapies and supports that have sometimes felt like throwing spaghetti against walls to see what sticks—to get some answers that make sense. This is in spite of decades of having good access to health care and associated social resources, as well as both the knowledge and tenacity to advocate for myself. After working in public health for 10 years, I know what has probably happened to many others like me. Most people with CF are white, yes. But not all of them grew up affluent or had parents with medical research backgrounds or many of the other social privileges I enjoyed. The question of “whose deaths matter” looms large here. The knowledge that I have survived where others have not brings a sense of responsibility, which led me to create an advocacy project (Write Where It Hurts) focusing on the work of scholars who have experienced severe illness and other forms of trauma. If I could say one thing to other members of the scientific community, it would be this: Nothing—not a sweat test, not a response to medication, not a physical exam—is more important than a person’s own experiences. In a truly person-centered health system, my clinicians would have asked a lot more questions a lot earlier. They would have told my parents part of the reason the sweat tests were inconclusive was that they couldn’t make me sweat because I was so hypotensive. They would have asked me if under circumstances where my face did sweat, the fluid was so salty it burned my skin. They would
nocultural Empathy (SEE) is the only formally published measurement of ethnocultural empathy.[14] SEE is composed of three instrumental aspects: intellectual empathy, empathic emotions, and the communication of those two. Intellectual empathy is the ability to understand a racially or ethnically different person's thinking and/or feeling. It is also the ability to perceive the world as the other person does; that is, racial or ethnic perspective taking. The empathic emotions component of ethnocultural empathy is attention to the feeling of a person or persons from another ethnocultural group to the degree that one is able to feel the other's emotional condition from the point of view of that person's racial or ethnic culture. In addition, it refers to a person's emotional response to the emotional display of a person or persons from another ethnocultural group. The communicative empathy component is the expression of ethnocultural empathic thoughts (intellectual empathy) and feelings (empathic emotions) toward members of racial and ethnic groups different from one's own. This component can be expressed through words or actions. Application [ edit ] Ethnocultural empathy is usually applied in cross-culture and/or cross-ethnics analysis. The levels of ethnocultural empathy were reported to vary by demographic features and societal factors. Previous research indicated that women were more likely to report higher level of ethnocultural empathy than men,[15][16] Non-White individuals[where?] were found to have significantly higher levels of general and specific ethnocultural empathy than their White counterparts. Racism was negatively associated with ethnocultural empathy.[17] People with different levels of ethnocultural empathy were also reported to respond distinctively to individuals who are similar with themselves and those who are not. For example, people with higher level of enthnocultural empathy had been found to work more successfully with individuals from other cultures.[18] Enthnocultural empathy not only functioned in cross-cultural context, but was also extended to a variety of situations, such as majorities vs. minorities, males vs. females, natives vs. non-natives. High levels of enthocultural empathy were reported to be predictive of positive attitude towards minority groups, such as rape victims,[19] domestic violence victims,[20] female leaders,[21] etc. Enthnocultural cultural empathy has been used in many other research areas such as racialism, feminism, multiculturalism, ethnic identity, etc. See also [ edit ] References [ edit ]~Skarbrand the Exiled One~(2015)Skarbrand was one of the greatest champions of the Blood God. He has slain untold millions, left entire worlds ravaged in his wake, and even ravaged the realms of the other Chaos Gods. It is he who destroyed the First Palace of Slaanesh and killed Nurgle's great poxviathan. In the great battle with the most mightiest of Bloodthirsters, he received his axes - Slaughter and Carnage which imbued with the spirits of defeated enemies. However, it is also this unswayable dedication to destruction that proved to be Skarbrand's undoing.Tzeentch, having taken note of the prowess of Khorne's favoured slaughterer, fuelled Skarbrand's rage even more with his whispers. With constant taunting, Tzeentch goaded Skarbrand into ever greater acts of destruction, until his rage grew so great that Skarbrand took up his axe against Khorne himself when his attention was elsewhere. Although powerful enough to fell an army, Skarbrand had only succeeded in opening up a chink in the armour of the Blood God. Enraged, Khorne snatched up Skarbrand in his clawed grip, and choked him until all vestiges of personality and thought had left the Bloodthirster, leaving only his rage behind. Khorne dragged Skarbrand to the pinnacle of the Brass Citadel and held him aloft for all to see. Then Khorne hurled Skarbrand across the Warp, where he flew for eight days and nights, leaving a blazing trail of destruction across the realms of the Gods. Skarbrand's landing carved out a massive canyon, and tore his wings to shreds. (Source: lexicanum)The first double page spread I did for Games Workshop from the recently released campaign book The Realmgate Wars: Balance of PowerI am very happy working on this piece as I learn or shall I say improved on certain techniques. If you guys like me to zoom in on any area, just drop me a comment belowCopyright 2015 Games Workshop LimitedHere are some other places you can find me:Artstation: www.artstation.com/artist/Okit… Facebook: www.facebook.com/LeosNgOkita Tumblr: leos-ng.tumblr.com/ Twitter (for my rants): twitter.com/leos_ng DrawCrowd: drawcrowd.com/leos Support me at my Patreon tooWhat Did I Do to Deserve This, My Lord!? 2 is the latest real-time strategy/god game following its first predecessor exclusively for download through the Playstation Store. Gamers step into the role of the God of Destruction and servant of the Overlord Badman, who is trying to conquer the world. The basic objectives of the game are to build dungeons and create a monster army through the use of a natural food chain to defend the Overlord Badman from human heroes that try to seek out and slay him. The game world is made up of nine areas that contain a certain amount of waves of heroes to defeat in order to gain control of the region. Once you choose which region you would like to attack, the dungeon screen is brought up showing the surface and the underground where there are soil blocks that players dig with the cursor in a shape of a pickaxe in order to carve out a confusing labyrinth to thwart the inevitable attack of the heroes on the surface. However, you are given a limited amount of dig power, so players need to find a balance between creating an economical and effective dungeon and creating a strong monster army. Once you’ve created a nice balance of confusing mazes and strong monsters, heroes begin their descent into the dungeon. After you’ve defeated each wave of heroes, you are able to upgrade your monster’s attack and defense attributes. Once you defeated all the heroes in that area, the region becomes a part of Badman’s dominion and a section of the Overlord’s castle begins to surface in the middle of the ocean from the depths of the netherworld. The concepts of monster creation in WDIDDTML2!? are somewhat complex. Beginning with the soil blocks, they are rated at different levels containing a certain amount of nutrients and mana, which are necessary to create your monster army. For instance, the level 1 soil block is the most basic, which creates the soilmoss, who are nutrient carriers. In order to get the wheels moving in your monster ecosystem, you need to create these nutrient carriers in order to spread nutrients to other soil blocks in order to enrich those other blocks to create new and more powerful monsters. Knowing how to balance the food chain can take a couple playthroughs. The food chain process can be better explained in the game’s extensive tutorial as there are so many different combinations to create monsters. Once players become familiar with the basics of the gameplay, the game becomes highly addictive because each playthrough allows for players to try different ways to create new, unique monsters providing for a new gaming experience. Also, as you discover new creatures and heroes, their information becomes compiled in the monster almanac, which allows you to see their unique attributes so that you can plan and emphasize on a much more efficient fighting machine. Overall, What Did I Do to Deserve This, My Lord!? 2 provides an entertaining and satisfying gaming experience as it contains a good combination of in-depth gameplay in the form of the monster ecosystem, and a straightforward goal. The graphics are pretty basic at best, but represents the genre well since it is mainly a dungeon labyrinth game with creature creation not requiring a lot of graphical depth. In addition to the main story, the tutorial also contains an expanded experience by including an abundance of addicting challenges that will occupy you for hours. This game will be great for puzzle lovers and casual gamers alike.Imagine a 365-day season without droughts, freezes or infestations. Or growing multiples more heads of lettuce per area of horizontal growing space, because you can grow in racks that extend to the ceiling of a warehouse. Farewell fruited plains; hello high-rise hydroponics. Read MoreEmerging industries with big growth potential: VC From my vantage point of doing deals across a variety of segments, this is an area that has potentially massive long-arc potential for growth. Global demographic and environmental change is reshaping our world, and we, as inhabitants of this world, must in turn change as well. 850 million people, or one in nine people on Earth, today go to bed hungry. Without some sort of disruptive paradigm shift in today's unsustainable agriculture model, the 850 million will surely increase. These global changes are, and will continue to, impact us all. While the sequencing and severity may vary by region or economic standing (first world versus third world), the challenge, and opportunity exists everywhere. For investors, this might be the next big thing. Read MoreThe powerful $75 smartphone is coming Expertise in vertical farming has emerged from a variety of unusual places, including Dutch bioengineers, NASA, staffers in Antarctica research stations, indoor marijuana growers, and a professor at Columbia University named Dickson Despommier, who has been an active proponent. Vertical farming technology capitalizes on years of research and development in photosynthesis and "grow medium" composition. In fact, plants grown in an indoor, vertical space typically are not grown in traditional soil, but rather some other growing substance. Add the falling cost of LED lighting, plus changing consumer tastes toward healthier and safer foods, and you have a trend in the making. Advantages: There's a controlled climate. Crops can be grown on significantly less land closer to market, which reduces transportation costs. Less water is needed — and it can be recycled. There is a diminished — or no — need for soil and fertilizer. And there are more, sometimes many more, potential harvests per year as well as higher yields. Read MoreThe next hot tech bet... farming? Here come the watering drones... Disadvantages include the cost of construction, and, depending upon the system, higher electricity bills. That said, newer LED systems are bringing the expense of lighting down. In certain cities, too, traditional farms and other forms of urban farming — such as crops grown on rooftops or vacant lots — may only be 60 to 100 miles away, close enough to compete with vertical farms. Vertical-farming projects have sprouted up in several North American cities as well as in the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Germany, Korea, Japan, Abu Dhabi and Singapore among others. The farms are economically viable, on an unsubsidized basis, only in affluent countries thus far because of the cost of technology, small volumes and the associated high cost of the produce. Often, food grown in this way is a luxury. In China for instance, wealthy people are increasingly growing their own produce at small "dachas" outside of big cities because they don't trust where their store-bought food is coming from and whether it has been grown in a polluted environment. Read MoreSpaceX is looking to hire an experienced farmer Representative of a pioneer in the space, Ecopia Farms is a vertical indoor farm in the San Francisco area founded in an 8,000-square-foot warehouse by a group of Silicon Valley veterans. In purple light thrown off by the red and blue LED lighting that can make an indoor farm look like a nightclub, these techie-farmers grow organic lettuce, micro greens and other produce in soil, on racks piled on top of each other covering less than one-fifth of an acre of floor space. To grow the same amount of produce, it would take 30 acres outdoors and 30 times more water. Scalability is vital to a vertical farm and has been the industry's biggest challenge. An operation needs to produce enough crops to sell at a profit to the large grocery chains and not just to high-end, independent specialty markets, a much smaller segment. Yet there is a proliferation of these innovative agriculture companies. Whole Foods has provided funding in the Chicago area to FarmedHere, a vertical farm that also raises tilapia, with the nutrient-rich byproducts in the water being filtered off to benefit the produce crops. Sometimes funding comes from surprising places. Japanese electronics conglomerate Panasonic has moved into farming technology, helping provide equipment for what it says is the first licensed indoor farm in Singapore. Read MoreThe smart money is betting on this sector To be sure, vertical farming has an infinitesimally small share of the existing agriculture market in the U.S., and many start-ups in this niche in the agriculture space will not survive, either through a faulty business model, bad management or a lack of technology. In fact, as is typical in any emerging industry, several have struggled or failed over the past decade. Keep in mind that the average tomato today travels 1,800 miles on a tractor-trailer from farm to table. Someday, that tomato's trip may be a few blocks by taxi — or maybe even Uber. What's that worth? Commentary by Craig Lawson, managing director at MHT MidSpan Partners in San Francisco. Disclosure: None of the companies mentioned above are current clients of MHT nor does MHT have investments in any of the firms. MHT has advised Ecopia Farms on a capital raise in the past, though it is not a current client of the firm.The first ten or so years of my teaching career I would bring up John Dee (1527-1609) in one of my classes–he’s relevant to most of them really, whether it’s English history, or Atlantic history, or my courses on the early modern witch trials or the Scientific Revolution–and my students would look perplexed: who? Once I told them a bit about the “Arch-Conjurer of England” they definitely wanted to know more, but they had no prior knowledge. That all changed about a decade ago when the first book in Michael Scott’s adolescent novel series The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel was published, which features John Dee as a central character (Joan of Arc, Machiavelli and Shakespeare also show up as the series unfolds): now I’ve got a generation of students who know all about John Dee, or at least they think they do: in any case, the stage has been set. For me, Dee represents one of the last generations of men who could pursue “magic” and “science” at the same time: his life’s work represents just how blurry the line was between these two endeavors in the sixteenth century. He’s also a great example of the multi-faceted Renaissance Man, or at least an English example thereof. It’s really difficult to confine Dee’s interests and activities to a short blog post, but I’ll try: he was first and foremost a mathematician, but this foundational field drew him into so many others: astrology, astronomy, alchemy, geography, cartography, linguistics, cryptography, optics. He started out his professional life, while still in his teens, as an academic, but clearly sought to be a courtier, and enjoyed a close relationship with Elizabeth I, who at one point called him “hyr philosopher”. This connection gave him security, prestige, and influence, which he used to advocate for a stronger imperial policy for England; indeed he is generally credited with coining the term “British Empire”. It must have enriched him too, as he spent considerable money (and time) amassing a huge library which he installed at his primary residence at Mortlake, just outside London. He was an avid manuscript-hunter, pursuing and collecting all written knowledge on “high” (learned) magic, predominately alchemy and cabalism. But written, human knowledge was never enough for Dee: he came to believe that all of his questions could be answered only by beings of a higher order: angels. His pursuit of communion with the angels ultimately drove him down a path that threatened both his livelihood and his reputation, as a Renaissance magus practicing learned, “white” magic had to be very careful not to cross the line into the “black” arts of divination and necromancy in this age of intensive witch-hunting. Dee died a natural death, but lost his fortune, and his complex character was reduced to that of Prospero and Dr. Faustus by his contemporaries Shakespeare and Marlow. Modern scholars (as well as authors of adolescent fiction) love Dee and have restored much of his complexity, but it is a difficult task to reconcile the scientist and the spirtualist. And now there is a new exhibition of materials (and instruments) from his own library at the Royal College of Physicians Museum in London: Scholar, courtier, magician: the lost library of John Dee. Perhaps this is an opportunity for Dee to “speak for himself”: the RCP website states that: “Our exhibition explores Dee through his personal library. On display for the first time are Dee’s mathematical, astronomical and alchemical texts, many elaborately annotated and illustrated by Dee’s own hand. Now held in the collections of the Royal College of Physicians, they reveal tantalising glimpses into the ‘conjuror’s mind’.” I’m bringing students in my Tudor-Stuart class over to London during spring break this year, and this is on my itinerary–I think we can build on Nicholas Flamel a bit.(CNN) At the age of just four, Satabraq finds soldiers and rockets more normal than classrooms and schoolmates. Satabraq meanders the alleyways in the Old City of Mosul, a place that is both her home and a frontline. Dressed in red floral pajamas, she is led by Iraqi troops who laugh and play with her between firing mortar rounds. "The first environment she has ever been exposed to is the police. She loves them more than she would students in a school," Abdullah, her father, said. "She plays with them and they bring her sweets." Satabraq's family is among the estimated 400,000 civilians, about a quarter of Mosul's pre-war population, trapped in the Old City, according to the United Nations. The densely populated historic center of Iraq's third largest city once bustled with life, but now most streets are quiet, spectral. "Civilians in Mosul face incredible, terrifying risks," Lise Grande, the UN's humanitarian coordinator for Iraq, said this week. "They are being shot at, there are artillery barrages, families are running out of supplies, medicines are scarce and water is cut off. Nothing is more important than protecting civilians -- nothing." Iraqi federal police Hummer firing towards ISIS positions in the Old City of Mosul. #cnn #mosul #isisbattle A post shared by Salma Abdelaziz (@salmaazzizcnn) on Apr 20, 2017 at 12:22pm PDT Trapped by ISIS Satabraq's family sits near an Iraqi federal police firing position, making their home an obvious target for ISIS -- a reality that either doesn't bother or doesn't occur to the girl's father. The alleyway is ringing with the constant cacophony of war. Satabraq's disabled grandfather sits in a wheelchair sporting wrap-around shades, holding an old ice cream tub of his medication and wearing an indifferent expression. "She was supposed to go to school but she couldn't under ISIS, so she has trouble speaking," Abdullah said. "There was nothing for her, no education, nothing. ISIS came, we shut our doors, and she was never allowed out." The brutal fight for Mosul At the center of the Old City's winding streets is al-Nuri Mosque, the ideological heart of ISIS in Iraq. In 2014, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi stood on its 12th century pulpit and announced the creation of the so-called Islamic caliphate. It was the first and last time the leader of the terrorist group spoke publicly to his followers. Now, on the mosque's famed leaning minaret, the black and white ISIS flag still flutters. The Iraqi federal police, who defend and fight for this area, exclaimed, "Next Friday, God willing, we will pray in al-Nuri." It is a difficult promise to keep. The police units are losing men daily to ISIS's counter assault. And the frontline, just on the outer edge of the Old City, is so fluid, it's often hard to tell who has the upper hand. Narrow alleyways make it difficult for Iraqi troops to fight back ISIS in Mosul's Old City. #isisbattle #mosul #isisbattle A post shared by Salma Abdelaziz (@salmaazzizcnn) on Apr 20, 2017 at 12:26pm PDT At best, Iraq's federal police are engaged in a brutal game of hide and seek, advancing a number of meters at a time, only to risk being pushed back there or elsewhere by extremists. Each day that troops fail to gain ground, ISIS's mass hostage standoff of civilians trapped inside continues, unabated. Families are herded into kill zones, unwilling cannon fodder as the group desperately tries to cling to control. "They would besiege us and use (us) as human shields. If you left your house, you would be killed," Raji Abu Fawaz, a Mosul resident, said. "They would call on the mosque loud speaker saying, 'Do not leave your homes.' And some left and were killed." "ISIS would take people and families... we would see them from our house." Children who fled the fighting in western Mosul waiting at a collection point for displaced families. Waiting for relief Every street, every home bears the scars of the grinding urban warfare. A colonel says the battle could be hastened with precision firepower from the US-led coalition. "So far the (American) contribution is weak," he said stoically. "The American military has very strong capability. They have advanced and precise weapons, and with their intelligence they can help us. We hope they will help us more." Many children are among the families who've fled Mosul, with harrowing stories of their treatment by ISIS fighters. On the outskirts of the city, those lucky enough to have escaped the hell inside sit with bundled belongings, waiting for buses to transport them to safety. But escape from ISIS has not relieved them of fear for loved ones. "Up until now my brother is besieged and so is the rest of my family. My brother, they came and hit him with sticks and dragged him to another neighborhood. He is crippled and they wouldn't let him go anywhere," Ifsha Mohammed, a Mosul resident who fled, said. "If they (ISIS) want to take someone, they come to the door with their weapons and threaten them. Either they go with them or they die."Interview: Andy Bell (Kaiju Big Battel) Jan 31, 2012 Going to a Kaiju Big Battel event is something you will never forget, even if professional wrestling isn’t exactly your thing. In Kaiju (which means beast in Japanese) Big Battel, performers dress up like ferocious monsters and wrestle in matches that walk the line between campy and cinematic. These brave performers adorn elaborate costumes and fight on top of carefully constructed buildings on the surface of a pro-wrestling ring in tournament-style performances. Many of the Kaiju matches mimic great fight scenes from classic monster movies, filled with oversized beasts towering over helpless cities and villages. Beyond simply showcasing monster battles, Kaiju has a mythology that traces the roots of its characters through interweaving backstories not unlike a classic sci-fi program. The man who builds many of these artificial cities, and has held nearly every position in Kaiju over the years, is Boston based performer/producer Andy Bell. What makes Andy more than your average member of the entertainment industry? When he’s not building costumes for aliens and monsters to engage in epic battles, Andy Bell teaches high school art near Boston, Massachusetts (full disclosure: he was my teacher). I recently sat down with Andy to learn more about Kaiju Big Battel and understand how the unique environment informs his pedagogy. If aliens landed on Earth, how would you describe Kaiju Big Battel to them? Well, it’s a tough call. I don’t know if I’d stay in character or out of character. Before this interview, I was wondering if I would stay in character. Sometimes fans are into it. We don’t break the fourth wall. It’s wrestling; it’s kayfabe. Monsters are real, we will concede that our wrestling is fake, but monsters are real and danger can happen. I’d tell the alien that some of its friends are involved, tease and joke with it, and say: Kaiju is a conflict of epic proportions; good versus evil. We allow monsters to fight in the ring to save cities everywhere. If they were battling through Manhattan or Boston, it would be untold destruction. We create a safe format for monsters to fight everywhere. We can’t have monsters running around major cities. We create a format that is safe and enjoyable for them to fight without damaging cities everywhere. We work with a lot of independent wrestlers, lots of punk rock bands, and very talented video/audio people. At a Kaiju event, you’re not Andy Bell? No, no, no, I’m Andy Salbino. I’m a construction worker. I design all the buildings that act as the mat of our wrestling ring in Kaiju! I signed my first autograph this year, actually. I’m a total character while there. I create the cities and put them in the crushable urban cityscape between matches or during matches. Since I’m in charge of the buildings, when bad monsters of low moral standing start to fight, it’s my job to say, “hey! Don’t destroy that building! It took me a long time to create these buildings!” Which isn’t a lie. I actually do create these buildings. I created most of them, though not so much anymore. Randy [Borden, creative director of Kaiju Big Battel] actually designs most of them now. If they’re into the back-story of Kaiju then they’ll know me. A lot of people show up for the first time, so they don’t know. I’m almost always there. If it’s a travelling show, then I may sit it out, but its been years since I’ve missed a show. They see me in character wearing a hardhat, drinking beer (which is fake), setting up buildings, and catching pieces of the set if it flies into the stands. Sometimes I have to be a bouncer and kick people out. If people get too close to the ring, then it’s an insurance liability, so I have to ask those people to leave. How strict are you about remaining in character at Kaiju events? I don’t take it too seriously. During the show is when I’m on. Lots of people have had my character since the late 90s. I started in 2003. Some people use fake Italian accents, which I don’t. I just yell at the monsters for ruining my buildings and chat with kids in the front row. I ham it up, drink my fake beer, and have fun with the crowd. We try to do fun things at Kaiju that play off the location of the event. Hell Monkey, the satanic simian, almost got married at a Kaiju show in Las Vegas. He chose someone out of the audience, some gorgeous chick, and brought her up. There was a wedding, big music, and then the hero came out to ruin everything. We have to maintain kayfabe, you know, the babyface monsters have to go over the heel. Tell me about your history as a pro-wrestling fan prior to working with Kaiju I was a fan like everyone was of the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in the 1980s. I always liked the characters and all the production elements. Their bodies are superhuman and they’re elaborate characters. I stopped following wrestling in the 1990s, so I came to Kaiju from an artistic standpoint, not a wrestling fan. However, after doing Kaiju for almost ten years, I have a healthy respect for the business. I’ve seen lots of great wrestling. I’ve worked with Dragon Gate USA and they’re awesome; they do crazy maneuvers off the ropes. I love Chikara, those guys are awesome, but I don’t follow the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) much. In the Kaiju van, when you’re talking with other employees or veteran wrestlers, you’ll hear stories, like,“Oh, did you hear about Jake the Snake? Did you hear about Big Boss Man?” I met Honky Tonk Man recently and he was cool. He was eating his breakfast sandwich and was totally nice. He was not involved with Kaiju, but I met him at a nearby comic-con. That’s something Kaiju often does; we try and schedule events near conventions that might attract new fans. How about the feud between Warrior and Hulk Hogan? Is it still going? They’re nuts. [Ring of Honor wrestler] Chris Hero has worked with us a few times, he’s super sweet and very nice. The first time he worked with us, he actually gave us some pointers on how to run matches. We’ve also had the Japanese wrestler Munenori Sawa work an event for us. Tell me about your history with Kaiju Big Battel. I started in 2003 as a production assistant. I was an artist. I had just moved to Boston and there wasn’t much for me. The art scene wasn’t ready for me at that time and I wasn’t ready for it. There wasn’t a lot going on. So, I found another group of artists doing something offbeat and weird. I was already doing costumes and weird stuff, so I fell into it pretty nicely. I started just doing production, but now I do a lot of organization and coordination. I act as a producer for the most part nowadays. Kaiju has always been centered in Boston, but in 2010 they moved to New York City. So I’m not as involved with day-to-date operations, like paperwork and those things. It’s fine with me because I don’t want to be a paperwork guy… I’m not sure what I want to do. Before 2010, my role was getting larger and larger. As people left, I took their responsibilities. I was essentially an office manager: making calls, finding people for live events, filming on sets at various studios or in live locations, acquiring props, or usually producing live shows. One of my former students is the audio guy. Before him, I’d coordinate music for the event, organize lots of the video work, and make sure cameras were where they needed to be. Basically, I’ve done everything except creative directing. Describe how your role with Kaiju changed since 2003 when you began. I’ve stepped back since they moved to New York. I adjust my schedule when shows are coming up and then coordinate which performers and workers come in to the show. I’m not hiring new people; they do that in the New York office. We work with Chikara, but I don’t really know those guys. They’re great performers and awesome dudes. I coordinate the old group, and the New York office does the newer projects. My role is getting smaller and smaller, which I’m fine with. I have my own project I want to work on. I want to create a pilot. I’m making costumes and starting production. I know video people, I know audio people, and now that I’m moving away from Kaiju’s coordinating duties, I have lots of free time. Likewise, I know pro-wrestlers who I hope to get involved. A lot of wrestlers, by their 30s, are trying to slow down. I know one girl in particular who feels she’s getting too old to wrestle. You mentioned that there’s a mythological backstory within Kaiju. How important is that story to fans? Is it always evolving? Like any wrestling show, there are plots lines for each character that go for a while or get dropped when it’s exhausted. Maybe one character will have a running joke for a long time. We had a monster that always lost and he still does, so when he wins it will be great. We use a lot of classic wrestling tropes. Instead of a single heel and babyface, we have stables. Kaiju Big Battel is essentially four factions: Heroes, Dr. Cube’s posse (they’re evil depending on the city), the Rogues (they’re all out for themselves and are not on anyone’s team), and Team Space Bug. The crowd usually wants the Heroes to win and they get behind them. Other towns support Dr. Cube and his posse. Our fans take these factions very seriously. Dr. Cube garners a lot of heat. He got punched in the face at an event one time. Does the Kaiju universe exist in a vacuum or do they acknowledge things from the real world? We definitely rely and react to things going on in the real world. We joked about Hell Monkey’s ear being bit off by Dr. Cube after Mike Tyson bit Evander Holyfield’s ear off [during a boxing match]. Hell Monkey still has the bite mark to this day. We maintain these jokes forever. We did a lot about Occupy Wall Street when we were in New York. People get it and they’re talking about it. Sometimes it goes too far. Dr. Cube once joked about a Tsunami that killed a lot of people in the south Pacific. We have meetings before every show so we can touch base and go over everything before we go out there. At our creative meeting beforehand we decided not to use that joke. Some people thought it was funny, but I knew it wasn’t cool, even if Dr. Cube is a villain. People were on the fence. The performer decided not to do the joke, but at the show, Dr. Cube did the joke. If you look at the tape, people clearly have their hands on their heads. Our heels are wildcards, they’re villains, they’re unpredictable. Going off that example, each monster in Kaiju does things the performer would never do in their ordinary life. How important is it to separate the individual from the character? I think it’s very important. A lot of performers get into that. When dressed up like monsters for Kaiju Big Battel, they can do things they’d never do in real life. We do a lot of appearances, like dance nights, where it’s a “Monster Dance Night.” People that would never dance at a party are now dancing because they’re in character. If things go over the line, like the Tsunami incident, it does make me uncomfortable. Just as Kaiju lets people use characters to take personal risks, do you try and transfer that sentiment to your classroom? That’s something I’ve never considered. Everybody takes their own role as an art teacher, just as they might as a producer. For me, I like making things, making art, and that’s how I run my class. I do a lot of jobs to make money, where I’ll build something that I don’t have a big emotional investment in. Sometimes it’s work. A lot of art teachers try and focus on helping students create deep meaningful pieces, as if that’s what’s important about art class. Instead, I try and say to students, “here you go, you need to learn these tools, you need to learn how to make stuff. If you have a job, you have a deadline and you need to put it out there. You need to learn how to meet a deadline.” I’m more of a dude. I’m more of a guy. You said that the Boston art scene wasn’t ready for you, and you weren’t ready for it. Tell me more about where you were as an artist in 2003. I didn’t think there was a lot going on, and to an extent I still don’t think there is. I’m still disappointed with how it works. A lot of galleries are focused on established artists or university artists. Some are university run and hard to get into. There are little places to show if you’re some lowbrow artists like me. It was easier to join forces with a group that already does cool things. I have a day job which supports me, and allows me to take odd jobs doing art that brings in a couple bucks here or there. It’s not a fast track to financial success. What was your philosophy on art when you first got to Boston and joined Kaiju? Well, a quick background. When I graduated college and eventually came to Boston I didn’t know my identity as an artist. Back then I was like, “well, I draw, I paint, I do a lot of things.” I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do. Then I realized that I needed to do costuming and performance. I’ve always been obsessed with monsters, so finding Kaiju was perfect for me. Building costumes was something I really wanted to get into. I started at the bottom when Kaiju asked people to make buildings. I’ve made hundred of buildings to date. Everything you see at a Kaiju show gets smashed and it was all hand-made beforehand. It dovetails with my philosophy of art, which I try to carryout in my day-job. I’m a high school art teacher. I try to tell my students and employees at Kaiju that it’s not about the product that you make, but it’s about the process. We did a Kaiju show at the Warsaw in Brooklyn and spent two months creating a scale model of the Empire State Building. It was smashed in ten minutes. People asked, “doesn’t that hurt?” and I said, “no, it’s about making it. It’s process over product. That’s important.” How do you negotiate your role with Kaiju with your job as a high school teacher? It doesn’t really conflict at all, honestly. I get a lot of time off as a teacher, about three months a year. Things always work out. I use my two personal days a year as a teacher to go do shows in New York or Philadelphia, as I did last month. I use my vacation time to work with Kaiju and make art for them. Sometimes, I think I have to be two different people. As a teacher, I’m different than I am as a Kaiju person. Backstage at Kaiju, I’m not as sensitive with adults as I am with kids in my classroom. Working with kids and knowing how sensitive they are has made me more approachable as a manager with Kaiju. We used to have an executive producer who was tough to work with. However, he helped people reach excellence as best they could. Now, coming back to teaching after working with people in a more business environment in the entertainment industry, I don’t sweat dealing with managers or supervisors because it was so much harder doing it with Kaiju. How do you find talent for Kaiju? Performers? Ok, well we usually go for independent wrestlers. Kaiju began as a school project with Randy [Borden] and his friends in Boston. They realized that people loved getting involved with the monsters in public. They started doing wrestling matches and eventually began
on science nor is it objective — regardless of which side you are on). So, in a nutshell I accept that accumulating carbon dioxide has the potential to change the climate — and may very well be doing so now — but I believe skeptics should be engaged scientifically rather than shouted down. On the flip side, I believe skeptics must engage on the basis of the science and not engage in ad hominem attacks. Not all skeptics are idiots. But not all proponents are well-informed, as I show in today’s column. Organized Environmentalists are Often Naive I have always considered myself an environmentalist, in that 1). I care about the environment; 2). I want to protect and preserve our wildlife; 3). I try to promote sustainability; and 4). I try to minimize my impact on the environment in my personal life. I recycle, drive a fuel efficient car, grow a portion of my family’s food, walk or bike when I can, etc. However, the “environmental movement” has often come to represent something I do not wish to associate myself with, because it often appears to me to be synonymous with willful ignorance. Certainly, many (if not all) who would characterize themselves as being a part of this movement are sincere and caring people who believe their actions are just, warranted, and effective. But far too often their actions are based upon misinformation. An example of just how misinformed this group is can be seen in the recent “Twitter storm” against fossil fuel subsidies. The Guardian described the campaign: Activists hail success of Twitter storm against fossil fuel subsidies Climate and anti-poverty activists have launched a 24-hour “Twitter storm” against the hundreds of billions of dollars of government subsidies paid each year to the petroleum and coal industry, despite the global economic downturn and the rise in emissions. The blitz, which has been supported by Stephen Fry, Robert Redford, actor Mark Ruffalo, politicians and environmentalists, took the hash tag #endfossilfuelsubsidies up to number two in the ranking of globally trending topics and number one in the US. “This world has a few problems where a trillion dollars might come in handy – and we’d have a few less problems if we weren’t paying the fossil fuel industry to wreck the climate,” said 350.org founder Bill McKibben. “This is the public policy no-brainer of all time.” As I will show here, there is great irony in the fact that anti-poverty activists were actively involved, and a great deal of misinformation along the lines of McKibben’s claim that we are “paying the fossil fuel industry to wreck the climate.” Incidentally, McKibben is the friend of a good friend of mine. My friend – who walks the talk because he lives the life of an environmentalist – described McKibben to me as a caring and sincere human being, but said that he is “in error”, that “environmentalists don’t understand energy,” and that “I suspect they are naive, well-intended idealists.” So please don’t misconstrue this as a personal attack on McKibben. I just believe he is wrong. Fossil Fuel Subsidy Numbers: Full of Misinformation The source that McKibben and company relied upon for the claim that $750 billion or $1 trillion of fossil fuel subsidies is being paid out each year is Oil Change International. (I know this because I asked). The site claims $775 billion in global annual fossil fuel subsidies — a number that was repeated often during the Twitter storm — and they said the number was “quite possibly higher.” Naturally advocates went with the “quite possibly higher” number, which is the source of the $1 trillion claim. Here is the irony. Of the total of $775 billion, $630 billion was for “Consumption Subsidies in Developing Countries” and another $45 billion was for “Consumption Subsidies in Developed Countries.” In contrast to McKibben’s claim that these are handouts to the fossil fuel industry, they are overwhelmingly handouts to poor people so they can afford fuel. Examples of these subsidies are Venezuela’s policy of keeping gasoline prices very low for consumers, and the Low Income Heating Assistance Program (LIHEAP) in the U.S. that liberals have staunchly defended. Thus, you have anti-poverty activists and liberals arguing to eliminate programs they actually staunchly support because they are ignorant of what these subsidies actually entail. Of course some will argue (and indeed have argued with me) that these aren’t really fossil fuel subsidies, and that isn’t what they are against. The problem is that LIHEAP, for instance, is mentioned by name as a fossil fuel subsidy and the amount spent on that program is included in the total. Thus, 87% of the total subsidies being cited are directed at making energy more affordable for consumers. A fossil fuel subsidy? Sure, and one that results in increased fossil fuel consumption. A “massive giveaway to Big Oil” which is how the issue has been framed? No, and by constantly framing the issue as such people are being grossly misinformed. Thus, climate change advocates are shooting at the wrong target. They are making a lot of noise for sure. They are raising a lot of money (more on that below). But is their campaign going to have any impact on policies in Venezuela or Nigeria to stop subsidizing fuel for their citizens? Of course not. Thus, campaigns like this are totally impotent at getting the desired results because they have spent their money and their time in the wrong area. The Environmental Movement is a For-Profit Industry I am not so cynical to believe that this is all about money, but I do question how money influences some of the environmental organizations. I recently spent some time looking through the financials of a prominent environmental “non-profit.” They have $250 million in assets, annual donations of more than $100 million, and a dozen employees listed as receiving more than $200,000 a year in compensation. I think it is safe to say that environmentalism is indeed a lucrative business for some. Climate change advocates would argue that this sort of funding is necessary because they are up against the deep pockets of Big Oil. I am sure they would deny that money influences their objectivity just as it influences the objectivity of the banking industry, the pharmaceutical industry, or the oil industry. I do not reject this notion, because I get press releases every day from environmental organizations that are misleading, factually incorrect, and grossly misinformed. Waging Battle Away From the Wrong Target Yet despite all of the funding and activity of the advocates, carbon dioxide emissions are not only increasing, in the past few years they have accelerated. Why haven’t the advocates managed to make a major impact? Because most climate change advocates in the U.S. are fighting a tiny local skirmish, while the real war rages elsewhere. The following graphic from my recent article Global Carbon Dioxide Emissions — Facts and Figures tells the story: From that graphic, one can see that U.S. emissions 1). Are a small fraction of Asia Pacific’s; and 2). Have declined in recent years. In fact, since 2006 the U.S. is the world leader in reducing carbon dioxide emissions. But the biggest reasons for the decline in carbon emissions have nothing to do with the environmental movement. People have cut back on fossil fuel consumption due to high oil prices and a recession. Low natural gas prices have resulted in a large shift for power producers from coal to natural gas. Not only did environmentalists have nothing to do with any of this, they have actively fought against the growth of natural gas. Further, if one were to limit the emissions to only emissions from U.S. consumption of oil (which I will do in a follow-up), you can immediately see that a lot of money is being spent in an area that will have little to no impact on the overall problem. It’s as if you are trying to cure obesity by launching a major campaign to ensure that everyone clips their toenails. Sure, it will help you lose a tiny fraction of an ounce, but is that really where you want to focus your efforts? Does that really address the root problem? The Danger of Misinformation I believe some of these organizations do more harm than good by misleading people, because misinformation causes people to spend their money and expend their time in the wrong places. Meanwhile, a new year brings a new record for global carbon dioxide emissions. The truth is that current and future emissions are being driven by developing countries, and developing countries are the overwhelming source of fossil fuel subsidies cited in the recent Twitterstorm. The narrative being spun by the environmental movement tells a story that is disconnected from the facts. Environmentalism is big business, so there is a large incentive to spin misleading narratives that stir people’s emotions if that helps with the fundraising. Perhaps most of these organizations are started with the purest of intentions, but I suspect somewhere along the line the people in charge recognized a profitable opportunity. So if they can keep people angry enough about fossil fuel subsidies to companies like ExxonMobil, the donations come pouring in. I am not suggesting that there is nothing at all to be done in the U.S., but I am suggesting that a disproportionate amount of money is being spent on an increasingly marginal part of the problem. So it should come as no surprise that while their misleading narratives are effective at raising money, these organizations have been wholly ineffective at impacting the real problem.Thanks to IPN-ISOC Board Member Keith Scott of Mitre Corp. for providing the contents for this post! Thanks to MITRE’s Technology Transfer Office, the latest version of the DTN Development Kit is now hosted on a MITRE server and available for download: http://www2.mitre.org/public/ DTN_Dev_Kit/DTNDevKit_2.0_ ion3.5.0.iso The Development Kit ISO is an Ubuntu VM with ION 3.5.0, the Common Open Research Emulator (CORE), and some utilities to help users get started with DTN, and ION in particular. CORE is a virtualization environment that allows for easily running multiple ION nodes and controlling the connectivity and communication parameters (latency, packet loss rate, etc.) among them. Sample scenarios are included that emulate constantly-connected nodes (for easy testing), a data mule scenario, a Mars scenario, and an Earth-observing satellite scenario. In the sample scenarios, connectivity is controlled by an emulated wireless link and a simple mobility script. ION contact plans are synchronized to the mobility script to allow testing of scheduled connectivity. [NB: this process is not perfect, the contact plans may end up misaligned by a few seconds, so contacts that last several 10s of seconds are recommended. Also, many of the scenarios rely on IP routing to reach even next-hop neighbors (e.g. if a next-hop neighbor has multiple interfaces) – it may be necessary to wait 30s or so at the beginning of a scenario for OSPF to converge before BP can take over and function.] To run any of the scenarios, boot the virtual machine and log in as user: core password: cvm and start the core-daemon with ‘core-daemon &’, then start the core-gui with ‘core-gui &’. From there you can use the file menu to navigate to the DTN Dev Kit Scenarios under ~/.core/configs and launch one. There’s documentation in the NSA_DTN_CORE_Scenarios folder in the user’s home directory. Screenshots of the scenarios: A simple scenario with a satellite that moves in and out of range. A Mars scenario with 3 ground stations, a rover, and an orbiter. An Earth-observing satellite scenario with multiple ground stations: Network Management A new and relatively untested feature: the DevKit now incorporates an Elasticsearch / Logstash / Kibana (ELK) stack and simple scripts to exercise ION network management. The network management script DOES require that you (one time) follow the instructions below Everything below will be done automatically in future versions of the Dev Kit, but for now: [Ensure you have your http_proxy and https_proxy environment variables set] Run: sudo -E apt-get install python-pexpect From within the DevKit VM, start Firefox and go to localhost://5601 to get the Kibana interface. Select the ‘Settings’ tab in the top ribbon. If ‘bpnm’ show up under the ‘Index Patterns’ on the left side, select it and click the red trash can to delete it. From the ~/NASA_DTN_CORE_Scenarios/ CORE_configs/3GS/MO/link/ NMConsole directory, run the following to set up the datatypes in the Elasticsearch database. This needs to be run from a terminal on the DevKit VM itself (NOT one of the emulated machines inside CORE that are running ION). Run: sudo./def.sh Again click on the Kibana page with the ‘Settings’ tab, so that it says “Configure an Index Pattern” and in the bar where you can type, type ‘bpnm’ (no quotes). This should enable the ‘time-field name’ selection, where you want ‘receive_timestamp’. NOTE: yes, there’s a ‘SendTimestamp’ that you might think would be better, but I think SOMEBODY (probably me) in the chain doesn’t handle daylight savings time right – send timestamps come out an hour in the future, so until that gets sorted out, let’s stick with receive timestamps. Network management is only enabled in the 3GS scenario. In the 3GS scenario, double-click on the ‘MO’ node (ION node 5 in the lower left) and cd into the NMConsole directory of the node. The nm_reqfull.py script will pull basic network management information from a node and insert it into an elasticsearch database (do ‘nm_reqfull.py –h’ for usage, but ‘nm_reqfull.py –m ipn:5.6 –a ipn:2.5’ will pull information from node 2). You can then get at the data from Kibana by going to the ‘Discover’ tab and selecting ‘bpnm’ from the list of index patterns (dark grey bar upper left) Future enhancements will include scripts that will plot e.g. the number of bundles resident at a node over time, etc.This article has been corrected. China’s annual meetings of the National Peoples Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) are underway. Dubbed the “two sessions,” they’re usually staid, well-scripted affairs that generate little controversy, even though 5,000 officials, bureaucrats, and advisers are meeting to discuss China’s future. But this year’s proceedings are off to an atypical start. An unusual number of CPPCC members, who serve as advisers to the party from industry and academia, are openly advocating broader freedom in China—and domestic media are even reporting their statements. Their comments come as China is in the midst of a severe crackdown on free speech, online information, human rights, and media. Since President Xi Jinping took office in 2012, outspoken citizens have been silenced, human rights lawyers jailed, restrictions on online and broadcast television increased, and journalists who report on politically sensitive issues face jail time. That doesn’t appear to be stopping some Party advisers, though, or local media. Jiang Hong, a professor at the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, told news outlets he planned to speak about freedom of speech at a closed-door session in the meetings, after a March 3 interview he gave to well-respected business publication Caixin was scrubbed from websites. In the interview, he argued that the government had an obligation to ensure that the Chinese people could express themselves. As for affairs within the Chinese Communist Party, I am an outsider. I have no right to criticize or make irresponsible remarks. But as a citizen, [my] freedom of expression must be protected. The Cyberspace Administration of China demanded Caixin remove the article, arguing it contained “illegal content,” according to a report on Caixin’s English language site (which has also been removed). The remarks were also scrubbed it from Jiang’s personal WeChat account, where he had sent it out to his followers. He called the actions “completely unacceptable” in a subsequent interview reported by the Global Times. The incident has drawn enough attention that a 2015 piece, titled “Jiang Hong: Only when we have democracy can we curb corruption,” is currently making the rounds on WeChat. In the piece, the author openly calls for democracy (link in Chinese)—something that’s grounds for punishment in China. In order to curb corruption, we must carry forth reform of the political system. [In order] to contain power within the cages of regulation, we must completely eradicate the roots of corruption from the soil. This is what democracy is. The piece remains accessible from Caixin’s website, where it was published originally. Jiang isn’t the only person with ties to the government to make similar calls as the two meetings convene. Zhu Zhengfu, deputy chairman of the All-China Lawyers Association, spoke at the CPPCC on Thursday, condemning China’s increased use of televised confessions before trails: There are too many possibilities that may lead suspects to plead guilty against their will, or against the facts. Before a judgment by the court, we should stop society from treating them as criminals. Wang Guoqing, the press spokesman for this year’s CPPCC, meanwhile, pledged to answer reporters’ questions, a rare event. “As long as it does not affect national security and the overall situation, why should we shrink from some questions?” China Daily, the state-affiliated English newspaper, published an editorial lauding Zhu and Wang’s comments, and calling for more transparency, “The thornier the topics, the more candid the discourse needs to be,” China Daily wrote. China Discipline Inspection Daily, a newspaper tied to the top Party watchdog, “weighed in with an old saying that a thousand yes-men cannot compare with one person who criticizes frankly,” the state-backed tabloid Global Times reported. Representatives from the media and entertainment industry are speaking out as well. Zhang Guoli, an actor and producer, lamented the growing number of restrictions (paywall) that studios face when producing film and TV at another CPPCC panel. From submitting an application to the final censorship, you have to negotiate with and get the nod from each relevant government department. Bai Yansong, a popular CCTV anchor, appeared at a CPPCC meeting yesterday advocating for greater press freedoms. He argued that journalists require autonomy to report on subjects like the China’s pollution problem, which the government has promised to alleviate. I speak for my colleagues in news when I say: When it comes to guiding public opinion, the media can greatly help efforts to save the environment. If you want green development you must give media the green light. China’s media environment has grown more conservative since President Xi Jinping took office in 2012. Restrictions on online and broadcast television have increased, and journalists who report on politically sensitive issues have faced jail time. The “two sessions” provide more room for political debate than there is in China most of the rest of the year, William Nee, who researches human rights in China for Amnesty International, told Quartz. But, “one gets the sense that these calls for greater protections for human rights–and the fact that they are covered in the mainland media at all–could be indicative of the profound displeasure that some journalists and legal reformers have over the worrying direction of the country,” as civil society, journalism, academia, and religion have all come under greater Party control. Correction: An earlier version of this piece erroneously stated that Jiang’s piece calling for democracy was dated March 9, 2016. It was dated March 9, 2015.As William Goldman once said, when it comes to pop culture prognosticating, nobody knows anything. It is unwise for me to concede this. As a member of the shadowy, all-powerful cabal of manipulators and charlatans known as the entertainment media, this undermines my livelihood and sells out thousands of industry brethren in the process. I’m doing what Afghan Whigs’ Greg Dulli did to the male species on Gentlemen, only I’m less magnetic. And yet this statement seems so self-evident at this point that to deny it would require a lethal dose of delusion. We all know that the media has been decentralized in the past three decades and the audience has been carved up among countless, niche-oriented platforms. From a consumer perspective, this is mostly a big improvement. If it were still the bad old days, you wouldn’t be checking this website for pop culture coverage, because it wouldn’t exist. Instead, you’d be stuck with the lifestyle section of your local newspaper and forcing yourself to be interested in a story about Halloween decorating tips. The future is now, and it’s much more readable. Among other unexpected consequences, the exponential increase in media choices has made our choices less meaningful. Choosing one thing doesn’t necessarily mean not choosing something else a little later on. Technology has allowed us to watch multiple TV shows that air on the same day and time. We can eventually get around to seeing every major Hollywood blockbuster from the summer if that sounds even remotely appealing. We can cherry-pick the best stories from dozens of publications without any single source being favored over the other. We might even prefer things that, in the old-media landscape, would have been depicted as being diametrically opposed to one another. Our heads are full of proverbial dogs and cats, living together in weird non-hysteria. This is where it gets tricky if you’re in the business of predicting and analyzing “movements” in culture. In 2012, the biggest story being reported in the music media is the rise of EDM, also known as “electronic dance music” or simply “dance pop” or perhaps (depending on your perspective) “that untz-untz bullshit.” EDM has converged on the mainstream from the bottom up and the top down; it started as a grassroots movement of celebrity-averse DJs and illegal rave parties, and is now aggressively marketed by record labels and other corporate interests as the next big live-music trend. In February, Skrillex won three Grammy Awards, and in spring EDM’s biggest star generated largely noncritical, even fawning coverage from many of the most prominent music magazines and websites. In April, in a New York Times story about the explosion of EDM festivals like the Electric Daisy Carnival, Live Nation chief executive Michael Rapino declared that “if you’re 15 to 25 years old now, this is your rock ‘n’ roll.” A couple of things: The phrase “your rock ‘n’ roll” in this context is supposed to mean “the latest form of youth music,” even though rock music hasn’t been the primary signifier of youth culture since (at least) the early ’90s. But Rapino’s point still stands: A lot of people in their teens and early twenties are going to EDM shows. (Which is very good for Michael Rapino.) What’s less clear (and probably less likely) is whether those people are only going to EDM shows. After all, there are practically large-scale rock-oriented festivals every week in the spring and summer, and it’s reasonable to assume that the group of people going to rock festivals isn’t completely separate from the group going to EDM festivals. Any event involving loud, visceral music and the possibility for a preponderance of drugs and/or alcohol and/or willing sexual prospects is going to be popular with the kids. EDM isn’t replacing anything; it’s simply another item on the menu. EDM might be your rock ‘n’ roll today; tomorrow, it might be Justin Bieber, it might be Taylor Swift, it might be Odd Future, it might even be an actual rock record. Or it might be all those things simultaneously, or none of those things simultaneously. Unless you’re some kind of militant entertainment separatist, there’s no need to be an “either/or” person anymore. We choose everything, and therefore choose nothing. Looking ahead, it’s generally assumed that culture will continue to break down into an infinite series of hyper-specific subsets with finely detailed points of demarcation between micro-genres. But I wonder if we’re actually headed in the opposite direction, where genres will become so jumbled in our heads that they will cease to have meaning as distinctively different properties. Maybe all forms of pop music in the future will basically sound like the same nonsensical mess operating on its own sense of bizarre yet unerring inner logic; the only differences will be the headgear and footwear of the performers. If this is where we’re headed — a future where all music sounds like everything at once — the only rock band that appears at all prepared is Muse. Muse is a British trio that has been putting out records since the late ’90s and can be credibly called one of the world’s most popular rock bands. Critics frequently compare Muse to Radiohead and Queen, because front man Matthew Bellamy sings a lot like Thom Yorke, and the band affects a mock-orchestral grandiosity that borders on camp. But for the most part these comparisons are reductive; lazy writers decided these were Muse’s most appropriate reference points in 2003 and haven’t paid close enough attention since then to update them. The just-released The 2nd Law, as per usual for a Muse record, begins where Radiohead ended with “Paranoid Android”; the most flamboyant track in Radiohead’s catalog sounds like a four-track demo compared to the average Muse song. The most Radiohead-like tune on The 2nd Law is, unsurprisingly, also the most restrained; “Animals” begins with a “Morning Bell”–style keyboard riff laying down a warm bed for some slippery, Santana-style guitar licks. It sounds like the most extroverted track left off of Amnesiac. It’s on the opposite end of the tastefulness scale from “Follow Me,” a brassy disco anthem that incorporates a snippet of the vocal melody from “I Will Survive,” the wubby-wobble of dubstep, some industrial rock guitar, and a light but steady rhythm paced by the in utero heartbeat of Bingham Bellamy, Matthew’s recent newborn with his partner and repurposed retro band-aid, Kate Hudson. Radiohead worried that ambition made you look pretty ugly; Muse insists it makes you fucking gorgeous. As for the Queen influence, Muse stays true to that band’s “anything goes” attitude but with a 21st-century multitasker’s mentality. Bellamy has described The 2nd Law as a “Christian gangsta-rap jazz odyssey, with some ambient rebellious dubstep and face-melting metal flamenco cowboy psychedelia.” Actually, it’s a lot more convoluted than that. “Panic Station” is like an outtake from an unreleased Rush album from 1986 produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, except really odd. The torch-y balladry of “Explorers” imagines a scenario in which Celine Dion performs Jeff Buckley’s Grace in its entirety while riding a flaming seahorse through downtown Las Vegas. The very pretty “Save Me,” one of two songs sung by bassist Christopher Wolstenholme, dials it back a bit, crossbreeding Led Zeppelin’s “The Rain Song” with the opening track from Jimmy Eat World’s Clarity. This probably sounds awful, and some of The 2nd Law is exactly that. I consider myself a Muse fan, but I’d never argue this band gets it right most of the time. I find that the idea of Muse is often more enjoyable than Muse’s music. One-third of Muse songs are unlistenable, another third are merely ridiculous, and the final third are stupidly exhilarating. The ham-fisted Olympics-themed “Survival” belongs in the first category, the curiously inert two-part title track belongs in the second category, and “Madness” — which starts out as a bump-and-grind R&B sex romp that morphs into yet another dubstep track and then morphs again into U2’s “Stuck in a Moment You Can’t Get Out Of” — somehow, against all odds, belongs in the third category. But even when The 2nd Law is incomprehensible I can’t dismiss it; there are parts of this record that I suspect were sent from a distant time to assassinate my brain, and I can’t fault them for doing so successfully. This is thoroughly futuristic rock music, in the sense that it puts things together in ways that don’t yet make complete sense. It was created for a world where Skrillex’s Bangarang EP is a deathless classic that future rock fans will enjoy playing simultaneously on one of four stereos with Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation 1814, Yes’s Fragile, and the Labyrinth soundtrack. At the very least, if The 2nd Law is a hit, every popular rock band will be incorporating massive drops into their songs by this time next year, if not much sooner. Rock will sound more like EDM, and EDM will take on more characteristics of rock as it continues taking over arenas. Music will be different, but also the same. Everything will change, and therefore nothing will change. The future is now, only it’s too diffuse for us to find meaning in it.We don't know who, when and where CM Punk will actually be fighting, but his mentor and WWE personality Paul Heyman has some idea as to why. While the vast majority of professional athletes are motivated by things like money and self preservation, Heyman says that's not the case with Punk. "I don't think money is the motivating factor in CM Punk's life whatsoever. I think it's the challenge to do this," Heyman told professional wrestler Steve Austin on his podcast (via FOX Sports). "This is something he's been eyeballing since he was a kid, and I think he looks back and he probably regrets not getting into it five or six years earlier, but this was the time to pull the trigger on it." Following a career with WWE, Punk was signed by the UFC in December and began training under Duke Roufus full time shortly thereafter. In February, Punk said he was five months away from he his team having a serious discussion about when to make his UFC debut, ultimately leaving that decision up to his coaches. "I think he firmly believes he is either going to step in that Octagon and shock everybody by beating somebody's ass, or he's going to get punched in the face and knocked out or tapped out and beat up, and I think that he's very accepting of the fact that that's a possibility," Heyman said. "He's man enough to walk in there and take his chances." 5 MUST-READ STORIES Shot fired. Ben Rothwell questions how UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez will perform when new PED tests start. 'If anyone takes offense to that, maybe they ought to look at themselves and look at their problems.' 'You want to test me right now?' Cain Velasquez is stunned by Ben Rothwell's PED implications. 'I'm never known for physique.' Monday Morning Analyst. Luke Thomas breaks down the techniques from UFC Fight Night 68, WSOF 21 and GLORY 22. 'I thought I matched up really well with Cormier.' Ryan Bader says he's a'more dangerous' opponent for Daniel Cormier than Alexander Gustafsson. Not done. Vitor Belfort says he plans to start another run at UFC middleweight title. 'I know I'm still at the top of the division.' Watch The MMA Hour with Ryan Bader, Ben Rothwell, Travis Tygart, Ovince Saint Preux, Javier Mendez, Luke Barnatt, Cathal Pendred, Darren Till and Brian Ebersole. MEDIA STEW UFC 188 embedded episode 1. Dan Hardy breaks down UFC 188. Stipe Miocic says he's the best in the heavyweight division. Behind the scenes and recap of GLORY 22. Cain Velasquez trying to trash talk. Raging Al with a shot at Bobby Green. Long watches. Countdown to UFC 188: Gilbert Melendez vs. Eddie Alvarez ... ... TWEETS Interested? Hey @danhendo CONGRATS on your win. Enjoy the rest. Lets talk to @danawhite about doing a Fight For The Troops card and putting on a show. — Tim Kennedy (@TimKennedyMMA) June 8, 2015 Meathead. I'd like nothing more than to hide my face, but that won't accomplish anything. I'ma striker, it showed. Not wrestler, that showed too. — Matt Mitrione (@mattmitrione) June 8, 2015 Fully believe that I'm the best, most dynamic striker w TDD in my division. I made a split second dec. I'll be slanging heavy leather soon — Matt Mitrione (@mattmitrione) June 8, 2015 For all those that want to critique & bring heat, c'mon. Felt like he was frustrated & the TD was going to crumble him. Crumbled me instead. — Matt Mitrione (@mattmitrione) June 8, 2015 Excited? Get well soon. Well everyone i have unfortunate news. I have a torn Labrum in my hip and have to get it fixed with surgery. 4 to 6 months recovery time :( — James Vick (@JamesVickMMA) June 9, 2015 Beef. Wow @AlexGarciaMMA, ur horrible at trash talk & I'm horrible at wanting to hear it. How about u train hard and we settle it at #UFC189. @ufc — Mike Quick Swick (@officialswick) June 8, 2015 Still talking @Pendred!! Dude give it a rest. I guess the only way to settle this is to fight again. Maybe you will stop tkn then.@ufc — Sean Spencer (@seanspencer170) June 9, 2015 DC approves. This needs to be said, I love Ben Rothwell @RothwellFighter he's a dark force the world has never seen before. His evil laugh was money. DC — Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) June 8, 2015 Tiny Tornado. Tough call. at dinner and @LukeRockhold and I wanna know what opening odds would be in our fight. I say me-300 and Luke +250 I need ur thoughts go — Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) June 9, 2015 Imagine me with 40 more pounds, to catch up to @dc_mma — Luke Rockhold (@LukeRockhold) June 9, 2015 Sholler u can't even keep the stage clear lol my man. Are u coming to Mexico? https://t.co/kH4pyRkXF9 — Daniel Cormier (@dc_mma) June 9, 2015 FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS Announced yesterday (June 8 2015) Neil Magny vs. Demian Maia at UFC 190 Sara McMann vs. Amanda Nunes at UFC Fight Night: Saint Preux vs. Teixeira Anthony Christodoulou vs. Scott Holtzman at UFC Fight Night: Saint Preux vs. Teixeira Goiti Yamauchi out, Pat Curran vs. Emmanuel Sanchez at Bellator 139 FANPOST OF THE DAY Today's Fanpost of the Day comes via Graham Douglas. The silver lining of Bader not getting the title shot. I'm a fan of Ryan Bader. He's tough and has fought some of the best guys on the planet. He wouldn't like what I'm about to say, but it's a matter of opinion. It's not a matter of being disrespectful. The silver lining as I see it, is that the UFC isn't going down the road of rewarding a gong show. Those pro wrestling displays are not welcome by most fans. Ariel Helwani mentioned that the video of the Cormier/Bader press conference has almost a million views. Well, therein proves the point.... Check out the rest of the post here. Found something you'd like to see in the Morning Report? Just hit me up on Twitter @SaintMMA and we'll include it in tomorrow's column.Do you feel that? Do you feel the cold air starting to descend upon your homes? Do you yearn for it to be socially acceptable to wear footie pajamas everywhere you go? Do you see the grass frosting over every morning as you begin a new daily ritual of turning on your car 5 minutes before you have to leave for work? Of course you do. It’s almost December. As a Texans fan, the start of winter has always meant one inescapable truth – it’s time to start looking at who Rick Smith will be selecting in the top 10 of next year’s draft. However, this isn’t just any winter. The Texans are 10-1 and practically clinched a playoff berth two months ago. Despite the favorable position that the Texans have found themselves in this season, I just couldn’t kick the habit. After Week Ten or Eleven of every NFL season, I can’t help but go into full blown evaluation mode, and this week the targets of said evaluations were the outside linebackers, in particular Whitney Mercilus. With 2013 being such a factory for top-20 pick caliber pass rushers of every shape and size, the Texans would do well to keep a couple names in the back of their minds should one of them be the odd man out and fall all the way to the bottom of the first round. With Brooks Reed and Connor Barwin becoming suddenly (and inexplicably) ineffective pass rushers, Rick Smith has to allow for the possibility that one or both of them need to be replaced in 2013. Connor Barwin is the more likely of the two to get bumped from the starting lineup, considering Reed is a very recent (and high) draft pick who at least is dominant against the run, while Barwin is going to be a free agent and so far has offered much less as a complete package than almost any other starting Texans defender. So what happens if Barwin doesn’t get brought back next season? Well, Mercilus would naturally step into his role as the weakside pass rusher next to Antonio Smith. That much is almost a certainty. What isn’t certain, however, is what happens behind Reed and Nubs on the depth chart. Bryan Braman has a legitimate claim to the title of "the best special teamer in the NFL", but as a rotational pass rusher, he doesn’t bring a lot to the table. If Wade Phillips wants to keep his potentially post-Barwin edge rush alive and well in 2013, it is very likely that Rick Smith will have to invest in yet another tweener prospect in the first two rounds for the third consecutive season (and fifth time in six seasons). You might be saying to yourselves, "But what if Barwin does come back? What happens then?" Well, to be honest I think either way Whitney Mercilus will still ascend to the starting lineup full time in 2013, if not by the end of this
export 360 million tonnes of iron ore a year from the Pilbara by 2017. "We've been doing engineering work on that now for many years, so we've done a lot of preparation and we'll soon move into an execution phase," he said. "Effectively, you're taking a driver off the train and you have an algorithm that basically is running the train." Mr Smith says the project has been years in the making. "It'll be a ramp up process, we won't be doing it overnight. It will be steady," he said. "We're already commissioning some of the trains. That's quite a process. It will probably take all year to commission the number of locos we've got." Topics: mining-industry, mining-rural, karratha-6714 First postedWauwatosa Police Detective Robin Schumacher faces charges she stole drugs from evidence. Credit: Milwaukee County Jail SHARE By of the A Wauwatosa police detective accused of stealing prescription drugs from the department's evidence room will be back in court Aug. 2. Robin L. Schumacher, 38, is charged with misdemeanor theft and two felonies, drug possession and misconduct in public office. Schumacher was arrested July 16 by Wauwatosa police following an internal investigation and placed on administrative leave, Police Chief Barry Weber said. Weber said he will request she be fired. Schumacher had an initial appearance Tuesday where she was represented by Atty. Michael John Steinle and already had posted her $100 bail. The investigation of Schumacher began when a police clerk was taking inventory of drugs in the evidence room that were set to be destroyed and found some missing. Schumacher was seen on surveillance video entering the police station at times that matched electronic records showing someone entering the evidence room in June and July, according to a criminal complaint. Weber said the drugs taken from the evidence room were from cases that already were closed. Even though he doesn't think any active cases are affected by the theft, Weber said the department is conducting a complete inventory of the property room. "The members of the Wauwatosa Police Department do not accept inappropriate behavior or illegal conduct by its members," the chief said in a news release. "When the discrepancy was brought to our attention by our own employees, it was immediately investigated, and a person was arrested and has subsequently been charged."Announced at E3 2001, Great Bay (グレートベイ, Great Bay) is a stage in Super Smash Bros. Melee and returning in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate that could be considered Young Link's stage (it is where the player fights him when they attempt to unlock him, and Young Link was the main protagonist in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, from which this stage originates). In All-Star mode, this stage is where Link and any of his teammates are faced. Contents show] Stage layout The left side of the stage consists of three platform. The bottom ones have enough space for two fighters, and the left one floats and reacts to the fighters' weights by rocking. The raised platform, which has barely enough space for four characters is solid: this can be exploited by throwing opponents against its bottom to cause a stage spike and possibly an early KO. The right side is occupied by a large turtle which acts as a platform. When the battle starts, the turtle is present and looks to the left: after about 30 seconds it sinks, carrying away any fighters still on it. It periodically emerges and sinks again, and can either look left or towards the screen. The trees on its back act as further platforms. The parts not covered by grass have lower traction, like ice and oil. Notably, when the turtle is absent the right blast line is very far from the stage: therefore, staying on the right is in this situation very advantageous. Tingle floats around on a red balloon over the bottom right platform. Its balloon acts as a platform: standing on it for enough time or attacking it makes it pop, causing Tingle to fall down on the ground or in the water while flailing his limbs. Contact with him in this state causes 1-2% damage and negligible knockback. After a while, he reinflates his balloon and floats back up: if Tingle falls on the lower left platform, when he reinflates his balloon he is trapped under the main platform and his balloon automatically pops. The Moon in the background steadily falls: when it gets close enough to the ground, the Four Giants appear, stop it and throw it back up into the sky. The cycle lasts about three minutes, and has no effect on the gameplay. Origin This stage is from The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. This stage takes place in the area in Termina called the Great Bay Coast. In this stage the players fight on the marine Research Lab located in Great Bay. The overall design of the lab looks similar to how it appeared in Majora's Mask, except the lower platform is now to the right of the building rather than in front of it and the lab and the platforms have been scaled down. In Majora's Mask, the lab is facing toward the shore, but in this stage, the lab is facing away from shore. If the player wanted to save his progress in Majora's Mask he must "check" an owl statue. One of the locations of the owl statues is on the lower platform. The owl statue seen in Majora's Mask is also seen in this stage on the lower platform. The background of this stage is almost identical to the area in Majora's Mask. Tingle, a character from Majora's Mask is featured in this stage is seen hanging on a red balloon. In Majora's mask, if the player wants to talk to Tingle, the player must use a bow and arrow to pop his balloon and make Tingle fall to the ground. When Tingle is on the ground, he spins around for a little bit, and blows another balloon to float back up to where he was. In Melee he repeats this behavior. In Majora's Mask there is a giant turtle that must be awaken to get to the Great Bay Temple. In this stage, the giant turtle is retained, but the turtle has also been scaled down. The giant turtle never goes to the marine research lab, and the turtle also never goes back in the water. In Majora's Mask the moon (depicted to have a hideous face) is falling towards Termina thanks to the titular antagonist Majora, and Link has three days to stop it from falling. The moon can be seen getting closer and closer as time progresses in Majora's Mask and if Link fails to play "The Song of Time" before time is up, it will destroy Termina and Link will have to do the cycle all over again. Ironically, Termina's name is named after the word terminal, meaning "will perish soon." Once the player has completed all four dungeons (representing four giants), the player must play the song Oath to Order to get all four of the giants to come, and grab the moon to stop it from falling. In this stage in Melee, the moon can be seen falling closer towards the ground as time progresses. When the moon gets to a certain height, the four giants come and stop the moon, but the giants now push the moon back where it was previously rather than destroying it like in Majora's Mask.[1] There are three songs for this stage, two of which are heard at all times. One song is an orchestrated version of the main theme from The Legend of Zelda and the other song is a slightly remixed version of Saria's Song from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. [2] Gallery TriviaNow the head of the CIA wants to get tough on the “non-state hostile intelligence service.” That won’t be so easy. Last July, Rep. Mike Pompeo spotted an article on the conservative website RedState about Wikileaks publishing more than 19,000 emails stolen from the Democratic National Committee. The Republican from Kansas rather gleefully retweeted the story, adding, “Need further proof that the fix [for Hillary Clinton’s nomination] was in from Pres. Obama on down?” Yet nine months later, Pompeo, now director of the CIA, took the stage at a prominent Washington, D.C. think tank to denounce the radical “transparency” organization and its founder Julian Assange. “We at CIA find the celebration of entities like WikiLeaks to be both perplexing and deeply troubling,” he said. The days of using “misappropriated secrets…ends now.” That same urge that led Pompeo to tweet last July shows why it won’t be so easy. In a wide-ranging discussion at the Center for Strategic and International Studies on Thursday, Pompeo declared Wikileaks to be “a non-state hostile intelligence service” aided by Russia, a connection that was already well-known to the cybersecurity community last summer. He added that the CIA would start aggressively and publicly pushing back against Wikileaks and other sites that attack the CIA and other Western targets using stolen information (or information that leakers claim is stolen.) He also said that the agency was already working to improve its counterintelligence efforts — that is, stopping insider threats and finding ways to make leaks less harmful. Pompeo was responding to Wikileaks’ March 7 dump, which the organization said contained hacking tools stolen from the CIA’s Center for Cyber Intelligence. Researchers around the world pored through the documents and largely concluded that the dump was much ado about not much. Belying the organization’s claims, the tools did not allow the CIA to remotely hack into all sorts of devices and services, nor did the dump reveal wrongdoing or domestic spying. Wikileaks had oversold its goods. The CIA, however, can’t come out and just say that. Their policy has always been to not confirm the existence of stolen assets, tools, or intelligence even if the purported stolen goods don’t amount to much. That policy won’t change. But on Thursday, Pompeo said the CIA would use more aggressive messaging to counter actions by Wikileaks. The CIA chief put it in slightly more forceful and menacing terms: “We have to recognize that we can no longer allow Assange and his colleagues the latitude to use free speech values against us.” When Defense One asked CIA officials what that meant, a spokesperson told us that it was an indication that the agency was willing to start “calling a spade a spade.” Wikileaks responded to Pompeo’s speech by retweeting that July message from Rep. Pompeo. Tweet sent by CIA Director Mike Pompeo on 24 July 2016 https://t.co/sTMHw2nvOG pic.twitter.com/Qd0mYRl5QF — WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) April 13, 2017 Journalists were quick to note the apparent hypocrisy. Mike Pompeo was sharing Wikileaks documents on his Congressional Twitter account less than a year ago pic.twitter.com/cl5P6vnXSE — Jessica Schulberg (@jessicaschulb) April 13, 2017 Importantly, when Pompeo was asked about the tweet during his confirmation hearing, he claimed a foggy memory and said that he did not consider Wikileaks to be “a credible source of information.” Pompeo’s charge — that Wikileaks is a non-state hostile intelligence service — may have a ring of obvious truth. But it’s a service that just months ago found an endless stream of customers for its product among conservatives and even liberals: embarrassing information about political elites. Until that product loses its appeal, or the American public (and future CIA directors) at least stop passing it around so cavalierly, the days of hostile intelligence services using misappropriated secrets will likely continue. On Friday, Wikileaks released a new dump from its claimed CIA file, purporting to show additional hacking tools and CIA meddling in French election activities. In January, Defense One, reported that the Kremlin is in fact targeting the French election (through the same FANCY BEAR actors targeting the U.S. elections.) That charge was later repeated by lawmakers on the Senate Intelligence Committee.In December, President Donald Trump’s press secretary Sean Spicer was on a panel when he said keeping an open channel from the White House to the press is the difference between “a democracy vs. a dictatorship.” Spicer barred several major U.S. media outlets from attending an informal, on-the-record White House press briefing Friday. READ MORE: Some media blocked from White House briefing after Donald Trump attacks ‘fake news’ during CPAC speech The list included CNN, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and Politico. The Trump campaign was well-known for banning reporters from his campaign events for weeks at a time. FLASHBACK: @seanspicer in Dec. says Trump WH won't ban specific media outlets. "That's what makes a democracy a democracy vs a dictatorship" pic.twitter.com/qYd6xE4IwN — Kenneth P. Vogel (@kenvogel) February 24, 2017 In the most recent twist of irony for the Trump administration, Spicer was on a panel hosted by Politico’s Jake Sherman in December, where he was asked about barring reporters from attending presidential events. Spicer said: “There’s a big difference between a campaign where it is a private venue using private funds and a government entity, and I think we have a respect for the press when it comes to the government that that is something that you can’t ban an entity from — Conservative, Liberal or otherwise. I think that’s what makes a democracy a democracy vs. a dictatorship.” READ MORE: Donald Trump’s old tweets about Barack Obama prove ironic again During Spicer’s informal briefing, he denied he was playing favourites by his actions. “We’ve brought more reporters into this process. And the idea that every time that every single person can’t get their question answered or fit in a room that we’re excluding people. We’ve actually gone above and beyond with making ourselves, our team, and our briefing room more accessible than probably any prior administration. And so I think you can take that to the bank. READ MORE: Trump has a ‘healthy respect’ for media he called ‘enemies’: Sean Spicer “We do what we can to accommodate the press. I think we’ve gone above and beyond when it comes to accessibility, and openness and getting folks – our officials, our team.”Despite years of online allegations that one of the most popular dog food brands has been poisoning pets, it wasn’t until just weeks ago that the cat was let out of the bag in a court filing. A class action lawsuit was filed that blames the deaths of thousands of dogs on one of Purina’s most popular brands of chow. Googling Nestle Purina Petcare’s Beneful brand will get you the pet food manufacturer’s website, a Facebook page with over a million likes, and, in stark contrast, a Consumer Affairs page with 708 one-star ratings supported with page after grim page detailing dogs suffering slow, agonizing deaths from mysterious causes. Internal bleeding. Diarrhea. Seizures. Liver malfunction. It reads like something from a horror movie or a plague documentary, but a suit brought in California federal court by plaintiff Frank Lucido alleges that this is all too real—and too frequent to be a coincidence. But it all relies upon finding a chemical that may be in the food—and has been a staple in dog food recalls in the past—with an experiment that neither Lucido, his lawyers, or even independent scientists have even begun to conduct. Lucido said it began last month when his beloved German shepherd began losing an alarming amount of hair, smelled strange, and wound up at the vet with symptoms “consistent with poisoning.” A week later, his wife found one of their other dogs, an English Bulldog, dead. An autopsy showed signs of internal bleeding in the stomach and lesions on the liver, symptoms eerily similar to the shepherd’s, according to the complaint. Then their third dog also became ill. “All these dogs are eating Beneful,” explained Jeff Cereghino, one of the attorneys representing Lucido in the action. “And the dogs are all, for a variety of reasons, not in the same house. So you take away the automatic assumption that the neighbor didn’t like the dogs or whatever. He was feeding them Beneful at the start of this, and one got sick and died, the other two were very ill. And then he started doing a little research, and he realized the causal link, at least in his mind, was the food.” It doesn’t take much digging to uncover what appears to be a pattern of allegations, Cereghino said. Lots and lots of allegations. After hearing Lucido’s story, Cereghino checked it out for himself. “We found a significant number of folks who were trying to draw exactly the same causal link. Thousands,” he said. The sheer volume is what made the seasoned lawyer—one who said “a good part of our business is class action work”—realize something may be fishy. “If it’s a hundred or so, it’s like, ‘Okay, a lot of dogs eat Beneful; things happen.’ But when you start getting into the thousands… The long and short of it is the complaint pyramid is such that even with the Internet–easy access to complain about things– there’s still a very large percentage of folks who simply don’t complain, or whose vet tells ‘em, ‘We don’t know what happened,’ and they’re not drawing conclusions or leaping to assumptions, “ he said. “But when I look at 4,000? Holy hell, there’s a lot of people out here.” So Cereghino and his partners started talking to those people, comparing more and more of the stories of heartbreak. “There seems to be somewhat of a singular event. [The dogs] are vomiting. They’re having liver problems, failures,” he said. “I’m not a vet, but you look at some of this stuff and say, ‘OK, we’re starting to have similar symptoms across the board, and we’re starting to have causation.’” When these dire accusations first started appearing online years ago, the initial accusation was that one of the additives in the food, propylene glycol, was the culprit. Purina maintains the type of propylene it uses is perfectly safe for consumption, saying on its website: “Propylene glycol is an FDA-approved food additive that’s also in human foods like salad dressing and cake mix.” It’s also the same substance that caused the spiced whiskey Fireball to be recalled in Europe, which found excessive amounts of the chemical, also used in antifreeze, in the cinnamon swill last fall. The tainted liquor was from the North American batch because, in the U.S., much higher volumes of antifreeze additives are OK for human—or canine—consumption. “It’s horrible. That is something that you don’t want in dog food,” noted veterinarian and author Karen "Doc" Halliga n when reached by phone. “It’s controversial. Why do you want to take a risk if there’s any kind of chance that that could be bad for them?” But whether it’s good for dogs or not, food grade propylene glycol has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. It also hasn’t been linked to toxicity, especially the type being alleged against Beneful. Cereghino thinks there’s another culprit in the mix, and he’s named it in the lawsuit. They’re called mycotoxins. Translated directly from the Greek words for “fungus poison,” mycotoxins are, essentially, a toxic byproduct of mold. When it comes to ducking discovery, they’re an especially crafty brand mold byproduct, and one found in all types of grains. In fact, a new study, released this month, indicates they’re even pretty common in breakfast cereal. Related: The Toxin Hiding in Your Cereal If you read the ingredients label of Beneful, it sounds an awful lot like breakfast cereal: ground yellow corn, corn gluten meal, whole wheat flour, rice flour, soy flour. Sure, there’s some “chicken byproduct meal” and “animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols,” but the food is certainly more grain than meat. “In the channels of trade, grain is quite a lot like hamburger these days. As in ‘There’s multiple cows in a hamburger,’ if you will,” explained Dr. Gregory Möller, professor of environmental chemistry and toxicology at the University of Idaho and Washington State University joint School of Food Science. “It’s a mixed and blended commodity. So one farmer, one granary, or one mill, may have not stored their product well, which allowed for mold growth in storage.” Even if a scientist were to stumble upon a load of grain rife with mycotoxins, Möller added, he or she could test it and still miss them. “You can go into a sample that is known contaminated,” Möller noted. “But the particular sub sample you pull may not have enough on it to actually see. There is that challenge.” This can be exacerbated when the host grain is earmarked for non-human use. “Commodities that are targeted towards pet foods are managed a little bit differently, in terms of the regulatory criteria they have to pass,” he continued. “It is a very large industry. There is attention and concern about quality, but there is a difference in how the concern is managed.” In layman’s terms? “I think what’s put forth here is a plausible scenario,” Möller said. When asked about the alleged symptoms described in the class action suit and online, especially the repeated liver failure, Halligan was clear in her potential diagnosis, especially as it pertained to animals of a variety of ages. “Toxins would be real high on my list. If an animal ingests some type of toxin, that can lead to liver disease because the liver has to process it,” said Halligan. But there have not yet been any tests to determine if mycotoxins are in Beneful at all—or any other dog food, for that matter. Cereghino said he’s determined to find that out. “As soon as we are able to, and the federal courts move at a fairly rapid rate, we will get discovery,” said Cereghino. That’s when Cereghino will get to find out where Beneful’s products come from, how they’re stored, whether there’s a “connecting piece in the storage or the grain, the sourcing of it all, that sort of make sense.” He plans on running tests on the food both he and other members of the class action suit have saved to send over to a lab in the next few weeks. That’s when they’ll know if those potentially dangerous chemicals are in the formula. And, if they are, they’ll still have to fight to prove that the mycotoxins are dangerous enough to make thousands of dogs sick. As for Purina, when approached for comment, Keith Schopp, vice president of corporate public relations, read this statement to The Daily Beast: “We believe the lawsuit is without merit and we intend to vigorously defend ourselves. Beneful is a high-quality nutritious food enjoyed by millions of dogs each year and there are no product quality issues with Beneful.”The online shopping store in Islamabad posted several pictures of the chaiwala The blue-eyed chai wala who had set the Internet’s heart racing has landed a modeling contract. “Arshad chai wala will be working for fitin as a model,” an online shopping store in Islamabad, Fitin.pk, posted on their Facebook page. This chai wala is brewing more than a cup of tea The online shopping store in Islamabad posted several pictures of the chaiwala, identified as Arshad, in fashionable attire on Facebook. The company announced in its post that Arshad will be working as a model for its ‘full version launch’. The online store in a cheeky tag line stated: “Chai wala is no more chai wala, now he is fashion wala!” If the description in the Twitter bio is to believed, Arshad Khan, is now active on social media. “This page is managed by team Arshad Khan all tweets posts here are signed by him. Keep in touch with us on hashtags,” the account description reads. Everyone’s favourite chai wala reveals which actor he thinks he resembles I never thought I will be that famous. #Arshad — Arshad Khan (@Arshaadkhan01) October 18, 2016 So you can now keep tabs on him. The chai wala shot to fame when an Instagram user @jiah_ali posted a picture of him while he was brewing tea in Islamabad’s Sunday Bazaar. Tweets soon surfaced acknowledging his exceptionally good looks and sharp features. The picture instantly became a hit with women drooling over the man. Express News embarked to find out more about Arshad and to everyone’s joy, managed to find him at his usual spot. When asked if he has an idea of how famous he is now, Arshad humbly replied, “Yes, I am aware of my newly found fame and I am incredibly happy. My friends have been showing me pictures since this morning.” Meet the man behind Shumaila Bhatti — a solution to all desi girls’ problems When asked what star he resembles, Arshad adorably responded, “Shah Rukh Khan” to the chuckles of the crowd gathered around him. Khan shared that he has been working at the tea stall for the past three months. He also said, “I have been told I have beautiful eyes by many girls but nothing ever happened. Since my picture has gone viral, I realise that I am famous now.” He doesn’t remember who took his picture though but seems quite elated that he’s getting so much attention. Arshad shares he has 17 siblings and is an avid fan of Hollywood movies and wouldn’t mind working for one. Read full storyPhoto On Monday, just a few hours after Yahoo officially announced it had purchased Tumblr for $1.1 billion, the company unveiled a new version of Flickr, a photo-sharing Web site. It sure is pretty, with lots of high-resolution, rectangular photos and a clean, grid design. The company is also offering everyone on the site a free terabyte of space to store their photos. That’s potentially enough to stores hundreds of thousands of photos. But the new Flickr still feels like it’s missing one thing: social. Like its counterparts, including Facebook, Instagram and Google Plus, the new Flickr site has a familiar design: There is a banner across the top, which is a place to showcase a person’s favorite image. There is the classic square profile picture for each user off to the left. To the right, a counter shows the number of photos someone has uploaded to the site and when they joined the service. Where Flickr deviates from the rest of the social pack, however, is with the company’s choice not to show how many friends or followers a user has. Yes, this might sound like a much-needed departure from the norm of ego-driven social Web sites, but how many people follow someone on a social site can do a lot for the users of the service. First, for people browsing a social Web site like Flickr, a follower count can be a quick signal to help someone understand if a person is worth following. It’s almost a quantified look at the so-called wisdom of crowds. There is, of course, the ego aspect of displaying such a number. A simple search on Twitter for ““more followers than”” shows tens of thousands of friends publicly prodding each other as they race to gain a larger following on the site. On Instagram, there are more than 370,000 images tagged with hashtag #moreFollowers. There are also over three million pictures tagged with #100likes, where people desperately hope to pass 100 “hearts” on a photo they have taken. Although Flickr offers a “star” button to say someone likes a photo, its almost impossible to find on the site, especially for newcomers. These numeric signals are more than just ego, they help create both a game dynamic and a reward system on these social sites — one that still seems to be missing from Flickr. Last year, Yahoo unveiled a new Phone application, which begged the question: could Flickr, once the best photo-centric Web site on the Internet, regain that crown? Its latest design seems to push it closer to that point. Now it just needs to show people how many new friends the site has made.I know it has been a while since I posted, and I’m sorry to say this isn’t a terribly deep or interesting one. I like the value-supply package on hackage. It takes (essentially) an infinite list of things and arranges them into an infinite tree randomly… but a particularly useful kind of random. The first one you look at just happens to be the first element of the list, the second one you look at comes from the second element, etc. This sort of magic isn’t useful for its magic, it’s just useful because you can use something like Int and not run out of bits too soon. All I ever use it for is unique labels in computations that would be made too strict by the state monad. As a contrived example of such a computation: allocateLabel :: State Label Label labelList :: State Label [Label] labelList = liftM2 (:) allocateLabel labelList bad :: State Label [(Label,Label)] bad = liftM2 zip labelList labelList The problem is that we don’t know what label to start with on the second labelList in bad… we never finish using them up in the first one. But if all you care about is uniqueness of labels, rather than their order, this computation is easily definable as a function of a Supply from value-supply: labelList :: Supply Label -> [Label] labelList sup = let (a,b) = split2 sup in supplyValue a : labelList b good :: Supply Label -> [(Label,Label)] good sup = let (a,b) = split2 sup in zip (labelList a) (labelList b) Great. Only problem is, we can only make Supplys from the IO monad. As it should be, since the supply uses a nasty form of nondeterminism to assign elements to its trees. But, if all you care about is uniqueness, which is the case for me more often than not, you can squash IO out of the interface (not the implementation, unfortunately). Like this: runSupply :: (forall a. Eq a => Supply a -> b) -> b runSupply f = f (unsafePerformIO (newSupply 0 succ)) In my opinion, this is the best possible interface for such a thing. Value-supply is only to be used when all you care about is uniqueness, not ordering or the precise values. Well, this interface encodes that exactly. When you use this function, all you are allowed to care about is uniqueness, any other concern is hidden behind the type system. It is also impossible to confuse indices from different supplies. And this is a perfectly well-behaved function. You could demonstrate that by giving a pure implementation of Supply [Bool] (which just traces the path to the given leaf from the root). The unsafe business is merely an optimization (and for some use cases, like labelList above, a very potent one). Hooray. I get my favorite evil module, with all of its evil safely contained in a jar that they call a box for some reason. AdvertisementsA beauty pageant judge has called out Kiwis as "trashy" dressers who have a poor sense of style. Timaru resident Lesley Walker has been judging the Junior Miss Cutie and Miss Cutie contests at the Caroline Bay Carnival, where children line up to be judged on appearance, attitude and confidence, for the past four years. "New Zealanders as a whole we dress quite trashy, we don't dress up any more," Walker said. TETSURO MITOMO/FAIRFAX NZ Caroline Bay Carnival Junior Miss Cutie and Miss Cutie judge Lesley Walker thinks Kiwis do not dress well. The 74-year-old said the poor sense of style is one of the reasons she still supports annual pageants and believed the fashion sense of Kiwis had deteriorated since she was young. READ MORE: Carnival pageant still popular Despite having no background in fashion, Walker has plenty of experience in judging, having been a regular dog show judge for many years. David Rowland/Phototek.nz Denise L'Estrange Corbet says Aussies and Europeans beat Kiwis "hands down" when it comes to dressing well. Some of Walker's sentiments have been echoed by fashion heavyweight and WORLD co-founder Denise L'Estrange-Corbet, who said New Zealanders needed to "ramp it up". "New Zealand women I have seen who attend black tie events tend to not dress up as much as the event requires. I understand we are a 'casual' nation in our dress, but I have been appalled at what women, and men, wear to weddings and events. "We need to ramp it up, the Aussies and Europeans beat us hands down, and it's not as if we don't have great designs here, but people always seem so afraid of dressing up - whereas I am always afraid of being under-dressed." ESTHER ASHBY-COVENTRY/FAIRFAX NZ Caroline Bay Princess of the Sands judge and beauty therapist Hope Dragalev would like to see Kiwi women feeling more confident in the way they dress. However, fashion blogger and editor of NZGirl Belinda Nash disputed the notion that New Zealand women were "trashy". "Kiwi women have mastered refined elegance that's both bold and original, exemplified by some of our most stylish girls such as Lorde, Georgia Nott and Hollie Smith. Our designers, including Miss Crabb, Coop, RUBY and Liam, Jarrad Godman, Juliette Hogan, twenty-seven names and Adrian Hailwood, to name just a few, design for chic, feminine silhouettes that flatter the female body, she said. To call its wearers 'trashy' is a bit petty and entirely missing the point of our unique Kiwi aesthetic." But Walker said she believed people did not want to "tidy themselves up" because they were lazy. "My father would never let us wear jeans, so I have never worn them in his honour. He said women in jeans looked 'trashy'." Recalling a time when everyone got themselves dressed up for all occasions, whether it be to attend church or Christmas Day celebrations, the great-grandmother said it was rare to see people well turned out these days. She had noticed the change from well presented to casual in the past 15 to 20 years. "No-one dresses their babies up and pushes them down Stafford St in a pram any more." Walker said she liked seeing pageant entrants dressed up, as it wasn't something she often got to see. But while L'Estrange-Corbet agreed with Walker about the style of Kiwi women, she was not a fan of children's pageants. "I feel the make up particularly sexualises children, and sometimes the outfits worn are just not appropriate. "Children should be children and not have to be travelling around the country, entering these events, which are tacky, training, having new, more elaborate outfits made, to only not win and have the disappointment to contend with. "They always seem to be more about the mother wanting the child to win, more than the actual child." Walker's fellow Caroline Bay Carnival judge and beauty therapist Hope Dragalev, who has travelled the world, thought the "Kiwi style" was what made New Zealand "unique". "I guess we (Kiwis) could do with embracing more confidence and sassiness, to up our game a bit." She said it was harder for women in New Zealand to access the variety of styles available in Europe. A tourist visiting Timaru from the United Kingdom, Dylan Read, thought casual was good. "You're all beach dwellers, if you wear nice clothes you'll get sand in them and ruin them." He said European women spent hours looking they way they did, "stylish and chic", but he did not like that look. He preferred the more natural image.Ruler has become a go to tool for us on external engagements, easily turning compromised mailbox credentials into shells. This has resulted in security being pushed forward and Microsoft responding with patches for the two vectors used in Ruler, namely rules and forms. These were patched with KB3191938 and KB4011091 respectively. This puts us back into the cat and mouse game of attack versus defence, with attack needing to find a new vector. Turns out the rules of three holds true, and where two vulnerabilities lurk, a third surely exists. tl;dr There is a new attack built into Ruler. New version of Ruler: https://github.com/sensepost/ruler But you need to read this post to get the exploit ;) The Home Page While searching for a new code execution vector, we came across the Outlook Home Page, a legacy feature not many use or are aware of. The homepage allows you to customise the default view for any folder in Outlook. This allows specifying a URL to be loaded and displayed whenever a folder is opened. This URL has to be either HTTP or HTTPS and can be either an internal or external network location. When Outlook loads the remote URL, it will render the contents using ieframe.dll, which means we have numerous options available to us for customising the page. The one thing you want from an Outlook Home Page is the ability to include actual Outlook content into the page. To do this, the Outlook ActiveX controls can be used. A simple Outlook Home Page, which will display the message “Hello Alex” and then display the contents of the folder would look as follows: <html> <head> <meta http-equiv="Content-Language" content="en-us"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=windows-1252"> <title>Outlook</title> </head> <body> <h1>Hello Alex</h1> <object classid="clsid:0006F063-0000-0000-C000-000000000046" id="ViewCtl1" data="" width="100%" height="100%"></object> </body> </html> The magic source being the OutlookViewCtl CLSID embedded as an Object; <object classid="clsid:0006F063-0000-0000-C000-000000000046" id="ViewCtl1" data="" width="100%" height="100%"></object> At this point we have a nice home page to display whenever we log into Outlook and we get greeted by name, great. ActiveX Fun Since we have ActiveX controls and our page is hosted in an ieframe, it stands to reason that we should be able to include some vbscript/jscript to interact with the ActiveX control. And it turns out we can. The first thing we did was try and skip straight to the command execution, maybe this ieframe isn’t constrained by the usual security zones and other protections. <html> <head> <meta http-equiv="
is that I don’t have to watch Saban lift another crystal football. The Tide’s schedule the rest of the way? • vs. Arkansas • vs. Tennessee • vs. no. 6 LSU • at Mississippi State • vs. Chattanooga • at no. 24 Auburn And yep! Unless LSU can save us, it’s probably happening again. Bama will go undefeated into the SEC championship game, probably maul some lame SEC East team unless Georgia gets there, and even then it’s hard to imagine Bama losing. Accept it. Accept it and try to cope by watching Oregon instead, or Clemson, or A&M, or any college football team that’s actually fun. But we all know how this ends. And if you think we’re not appreciating Bama here, don’t worry. There is no better testament to Alabama’s greatness than how much people like me hate this team and wish it would just disappear forever. That goes for the fans, too. You know what? I hope Alabama gets to the national championship. I hope Marcus Mariota and De’Anthony Thomas drop 60 on a stone-faced Saban as 70,000 fans spend the night in dead silence. Take it as a compliment, Alabama. I hate you all so much. See you in January. Les Is Always More The Miracle in Waco Bryan Curtis: The day Baylor turned into a secular-school-slaying quarterback factory was not, as the conventional wisdom would have it, the day Robert Griffin III arrived. It was the day RG3 left. That was before the 2012 season, when some dude named Nick Florence became the Bears’ quarterback. RG3 was a nationally ranked hurdler who ran a 4.41 40-yard dash. Florence was some dude. Florence had a goofy smile and a Clayton Kershaw beard and a mildly intellectual bent. As a high school player, Florence failed to make lists of the top 100 prospects in Texas. Besides Baylor, he received only one other scholarship offer, from Purdue. After his college career, Florence was so uninterested in the NFL that he declared his love for Waco and preemptively retired. In 2012, Nick Florence threw for more yards than Griffin had during his Heisman-winning season the year prior. When you understand Florence, you begin to understand what Baylor is up to. This year’s Bears, who are 5-0, are averaging 63.4 points and 431.6 passing yards per game. They have another relatively obscure quarterback, Bryce Petty, who has an adjusted QB rating second only to Oregon’s Marcus Mariota. The Bears have as good a chance at winning the awful Big 12 as anyone. They have figured something out. But what? Well, three things. First, to win in Texas, you have to install the spread offense. Back in the mid-’80s, a handful of Texas high school coaches — like Baylor’s Art Briles — started spreading their receivers across the field and using their quarterbacks to run the zone read. Briles’s teams won four state titles. A lot of teams copied the blueprint. Soon, the state was producing Vince Young, Colt McCoy, Case Keenum, Kevin Kolb, Christian Ponder, Darron Thomas, Matt Stafford, Andrew Luck, Ryan Tannehill, Johnny Manziel, etc., etc., etc. Once you’ve implemented the spread, you’ve got to innovate within the system. Briles does this better than just about any coach. For example, Briles likes to line up his slot receivers so wide that they’re basically standing next to the band. This helps with wide receiver screens and foils a lot of DB blitzes. (Read the linked article for more on Briles’s innovations.) Third, you’ve got to pluck the right spread quarterbacks out of high school. Or, if you’re Baylor, you’ve got to pluck the right quarterback after the bigger schools have gotten first pluck. With RG3, Briles took a chance on a guy many schools didn’t see as a pure quarterback. With Florence and Petty, Briles molded the passer himself. Baylor’s QB factory is reminiscent of the old University of Houston. In 1989, Andre Ware was considered a once-in-a-lifetime miracle (and, like RG3, won the Heisman). But the next year, David Klingler stepped in and threw for more yards and nearly matched Ware’s yards per attempt. By the time Petty took over at quarterback, Briles was feeling as giddy as Jack Pardee. “A reasonable expectation is to break every Baylor record there is offensively,” Briles said in August. “That’s what we expect him to do and what he plans to do. His expectations are to win every game and be the best quarterback in the United States of America.” For his part, Petty said he planned to become a “legend.” What happened in Waco? The Bears decided not to wait for miracles. They decided to manufacture them. A Major Identity Crisis for #GoACC Shane Ryan: Here in ACC country, writers and fans of America’s most consistently embarrassing major football conference have a favorite Twitter hashtag: #GoACC It’s not meant as a rallying cry, the way SEC fans chant their conference’s name when an SEC team beats up on a hapless outsider. Nor is it meant to inspire a group of well-meaning underachievers, the way New Age parents might cheer on their stumbling children at a T-ball game. In fact, there’s nothing positive at all about #GoACC. It’s 100 percent negative and demeaning, but only to ourselves. #GoACC is a symbol of self-loathing. If we put this in terms of the British Isles — and why wouldn’t we? — the SEC would be the English: powerful, self-assured, and total dicks. The ACC would be the Irish: haunted by history, hampered by insecurity, and eager to mock themselves because, in the absence of hope, a shared sense of low self-esteem is all they have left. (I can say this because I have an Irish name, I think.) As ACC fans, our lot in life is to laugh at our own foibles. UNC loses to ECU at home in a blowout? #GoACC. Ball State destroys Virginia in Charlottesville? #GoACC. Duke and Pittsburgh play a 58-55 game in which neither one seems capable of tackling? #GoACC. But something odd is happening in 2013. It started in Week 1, when Dabo Swinney and the Clemson Tigers charged down “The Hill” on national television, looking decidedly badass, and actually beat Georgia — an SEC team, you guys! A week later, Miami took down Florida — ANOTHER SEC TEAM HOLY SHIT — at home. Then Florida State’s 19-year-old Jameis Winston emerged as one of the nation’s best quarterbacks, and the Noles have decimated everyone in their path. Virginia Tech has bounced back from an opening loss to Alabama to reel off six straight and set up a Coastal Division showdown with the Canes. Even Maryland got in on the action, trouncing West Virginia 37-0. Right now, the ACC and SEC are tied with three teams each in the top 10. That’s insane. That doesn’t happen. That is emphatically not #GoACC. Furthermore, the winner of this weekend’s FSU-Clemson game will be ranked third in the country (Clemson is no. 3 now), hot on the heels of Alabama and Oregon for that coveted second spot. And with a potentially undefeated Miami team awaiting the Noles-Tigers winner in the ACC title game well hold your breath the ACC could place a team in the BCS championship game. On one hand, that’s obviously great news for the conference. On the other, though, it does raise a question: What will happen to ACC fans’ cultivated sense of inferiority? What will replace our proud tradition of self-hate? We might need to hire consultants from Boston to teach us how they coped after 2004. The whole paradigm would be flipped on its head. In the end, though, the question will probably prove moot. Deep down, we still stink, and everyone knows we’ll screw it up somehow. #GoACC. Johnny Being Johnny Missouri’s Defense and the Nature of Fandom Robert Mays: During my junior year at Missouri, my friends and I had a rule: If Mizzou led by 28 or more at any point in the second half, we were allowed to leave the football game. It was a decree brought about by basic human need. By that point in the day, we were usually some degree of drunk or hungover, and leaving meant pizza and a couch. When Buffalo managed to hang around all half, it was pure misery. Typically, though, we were gone before the fourth quarter. My time at Missouri happened to be the football program’s most successful stretch in its history. The Tigers tallied 39 wins in those four years, thanks mostly to a sudden and devastating offense. Four receivers from the 2007 team went on to play in the NFL. The quarterback, Chase Daniel, got a considerable amount of money to become the Chiefs’ backup this offseason. If Mizzou was going to win in those days, it was going to be by putting up a ton of points; Mizzou won a lot. I’ve been a bad fan in the three years since I left Columbia. I watched every snap of the win against no. 1 Oklahoma in 2010, but after both Blaine Gabbert and my friends covering the team left, my engagement dissipated. That’s probably why this past Saturday was so surprising. I knew the basics. James Franklin — of whom I’m not a fan — was still the quarterback. Dorial Green-Beckham was the program-changing recruit who hadn’t changed much. Mizzou, in its second SEC season, was finally ranked and headed to Athens to play Georgia’s MASH unit of an offense. The Tigers won, jumping to no. 14 in the AP poll and sending their fans to certain late-season disappointment. Franklin played well before getting hurt, which is what he does. Wide receiver L’Damian Washington was great too. But I’m not interested in that, because Michael Sam was on the field Saturday, and that’s all that mattered. Sam was a starting defensive end last year, but for the season, he managed only 4.5 sacks. This year, he’s delivered two games with three sacks. He went without a sack against Georgia, but he was still the best player on the field for Mizzou. I counted four different times that Sam took Aaron Murray to the ground. Sam bothered Murray in the pocket on another half-dozen snaps. If you’re looking for a comparison, Sam’s 50-something number and below-average stature prove fitting: He reminds me of Elvis Dumervil. Sam was everywhere, and he wasn’t alone. The fumble he returned for a touchdown came on a sack by Shane Ray. Markus Golden added another sack. Missouri’s pass rush was downright terrifying, and I loved everything about it. I watched Aldon Smith collect 11.5 sacks during his freshman season at Mizzou, but somehow, this group effort seemed different. Watching the defensive line Saturday reminded me about the nature of college sports. As a Chicago Bears fan, the relationships I’ve had with Lance Briggs and Charles Tillman are two of the longest I’ve had in my entire life. I’ve watched them play every Sunday for 11 years. The Bears’ identity didn’t waver for a decade. But that doesn’t happen in college, no matter the strength of the system or the recruiting. At some point, a blip in talent at a certain position will alter how we see a program. Just this week, Nick Saban lamented Julio Jones’s season-ending injury by saying Jones “changed the culture of the receiver position at the University of Alabama.” Sam isn’t quite doing that at Missouri, but he’s further proof that the constant turnover in college football means that the chance to try on a different kind of team is also constant. This Saturday, I’ll be looking forward to every chance the Mizzou defense gets. I like how that fits. Stanford’s Sad State Mallory Rubin: Why, Stanford? Why don’t you want to give the people what they want? Why don’t you want to grab life by its student-mascot-crafted branches? Why don’t you want to play for the national championship? Are you afraid of Alabama? Is that it? Because in 2010 and ’11, you lost to Oregon when winning that game would have put you on a nearly unimpeded path to the BCS title game. Last year, you didn’t even wait that long before shitting the bed. You fell into the dreaded Thursday-night road-game trap, losing to Washington before stumbling against Notre Dame two weeks later. And then you BEAT Oregon. What is that all about? You don’t want to play for the national championship, but you don’t want any other Pac-12 team to get the chance, either? Whatever happened to conference pride? It looks like you’re sticking to that 2012 script this season, because you lost to Utah last weekend, a genuinely inexplicable result for a top-five team facing a quarterback who’d thrown six (SIX!) interceptions against UCLA the week prior. And now you’ll probably go ahead and beat the Bruins this weekend and the Ducks in November, setting the stage for some sort of hideous Louisville–Fresno State apocalypse title clash after Alabama, Clemson, Florida State, and every other legit national championship contender catches your infectious disease. Don’t you get it, Stanford? This anger, this angst it comes from a place of love. We WANT you to be good. We WANT you to win. WE WANT YOU TO BEAT ALABAMA. But you can’t beat Alabama if you don’t play Alabama, and you can’t play Alabama unless you keep your shit together until January 6. You’re the kind of team impartial fans can get behind. The stink of scandal has polluted other top-tier programs, but you guys are the genuine student-athlete articles. You’re nerds who can also play sports, and that’s awesome. And you don’t simply play sports; you play them really, really well. Kevin Hogan may not be Andrew Luck, but he’s a gamer and a winner. That Guy Tyler Gaffney missed being a part of the Cardinal so badly, he paused his efforts to make it as a professional baseball player to come back this season. Shayne Skov, one of the nation’s best linebackers, characterizes himself on Twitter as a “linebacker,” an “obsessive gamer,” and an “engineer,” and if that’s not the quintessential Stanford trifecta, I don’t know what is. So, please. Stop letting fear rule you. Focus on the task at hand, because you’re good enough to make it all the way if you do. Only, at this point, maybe you should wait until next year. Maybe this time you should let Oregon win. Because the Ducks well, they’d be fun to watch against Alabama, too. Laugh to Keep From Crying WVU takes a 10 point lead into halftime. Dana's hair is up by 50. #okstate http://t.co/ErZRcS0TWy — Carson Cunningham (@CarsonC5) September 28, 2013 Not Bucking the Trend Matt Borcas: Q: When is a signature win not really a signature win? A: When it comes against Northwestern. Yes, by season’s end, Ohio State’s most impressive victory will probably still be its 40-30 nail-biter over the Mildcats, and that won’t be enough to land the Buckeyes a national championship game berth. When your schedule is almost entirely composed of Little Sisters of the Poor, you can’t just beat your opponents; you have to dominate them, and the Buckeyes have looked far from dominant this year. Preseason Heisman hopeful Braxton Miller finds himself mired in a mini-QB controversy with backup Kenny Guiton, a shaky secondary hemorrhages big plays on the reg, and potential season-ending defeats (in the regular-season finale and Big Ten title game) of Michigan won’t earn much respect from pollsters after the Wolverines’ derpfest 4OT loss in State College. Alabama, Oregon, and the Florida State–Clemson winner will all undoubtedly top Ohio State in the BCS standings, to say nothing of lurking one-loss LSU and Texas A&M. The Bucks need help, or else they face the very real threat of finishing undefeated in back-to-back seasons with no national title appearances to show for it. Last year’s bowl ban was a blessing in disguise: It allowed Ohio State to end its season on a high note, rather than in a postseason mismatch against Notre Dame or Alabama, and surely kept the team extra-motivated during the winter doldrums. But this year is different. While even the most ardent Bucknuts will admit that the Big Ten has regressed since the halcyon days of Woody and Bo, no one ever thought the conference’s widespread mediocrity would become pernicious enough to prevent Ohio State from the rightful honor of getting shellacked by a Nick Saban team. I mean, Clemson? No disrespect, but Clemson’s coach is named Dabo. Hard-luck 2004 Auburn? Those Tigers ain’t got a thing on these Buckeyes, folks. The BCS-Busting Replacements Ian Cohen: The Replacements were never far from my mind when I watched the Pat Hill–era Fresno State Bulldogs between 1997 and 2011. Maybe it was their brazen, “anybody, anytime, anywhere” motto when it came to throwing down. Maybe it was their tendency to get just close enough to the big time only to realize how far away they really were. Or maybe it was simply that former coach Hill’s mustache made him look like the kind of guy who could probably drink Paul Westerberg under the table in his prime. It certainly wasn’t because their on-field product reminded me of “Gary’s Got a Boner” or anything. Those Bulldogs were the closest thing college football had to a shit-kicking, blue-collar, ill-fated punk team. Much like the Replacements inadvertently invented “alternative rock” while failing upward, Fresno State’s influential-but-doomed Hill teams showed the world how to be a BCS Buster before we even knew what that really meant. This cuts both ways: In the same way that the ’Mats are to blame for Dave Pirner’s trips to the White House and Winona Ryder’s bedroom in the early ’90s, Fresno State has played a huge role in defining a term that now triggers little of its initial buzz. It’s not unthinkable, for example, that Northern Illinois could inflict its MACtion on the BCS twice on account of finally beating Iowa. And yet, on October 15, 2013, the Replacements were nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And Fresno? Fresno has carved a path to a BCS bowl. Unsatisfied no more? But truly, Fresno feels more like Paul Westerberg circa Singles, a patron saint who hung around long enough for the more conservative version of his former self to not so much succeed as to be set up not to fail. Whereas Hill was a grizzled lifer, his replacement, Tim DeRuyter, is relatively young and fresh-faced and will be one of the leading candidates for every BCS conference coaching gig west of the Mississippi, up to and including USC. The Bulldogs’ offense is led by Derek Carr, the brother of Bulldog record holder/NFL clipboard holder David Carr. The younger Carr has been great, though the Bulldogs haven’t needed to tackle much while playing a weak slate: They beat lame-duck AAC squad Rutgers by one point in overtime, toppled a not-what-it-used-to-be Boise State (also by one point), and missed the chance to beat Pac-12 cellar dweller Colorado after that game was canceled on account of biblical flooding. Their biggest remaining challenge is a trip to Laramie and a potential rematch against the Broncos in the MWC championship game, which is almost assured since Utah State is a nonfactor following the season-ending Chuckie Keeton injury that made atheists of us all. As of now, ESPN’s bowl projections optimistically posit that Fresno will be Fiesta Bowl cannon fodder for Baylor, and truth be told I wouldn’t turn that down, no more than I’d turn down a 2013 Replacements reunion at a venue larger than the band ever played in its heyday. If Fresno runs the table and DeRuyter goes, hopefully the program will do the closest thing possible to “getting the band back together” by having Hill and his mustache return to serve as the interim coach. It’s within our reach. BlissEvery day computers make many millions of electronic trades by performing delicate calculations aimed at eking out a tiny edge in terms of speed or efficiency. Increasingly, however, more significant trading decisions are being made by smarter, more autonomous algorithms. Both established trading firms and a handful of startups are exploring whether such trading techniques, borrowed from the field of artificial intelligence, could help them outfox other traders. And anyone with money invested might well be curious to know if the trend could alter the dynamics of markets. Quantitative hedge funds, including Bridgewater Associates, Renaissance Technologies, D.E. Shaw, and Two Sigma, have, of course, been using advanced algorithmic approaches for some years. Many of the methods employed by these businesses are found in areas of artificial intelligence research. But the past couple of years have also seen a tremendous resurgence of interest in artificial intelligence, thanks to new machine-learning techniques—especially deep learning (involving training a large virtual neural network to recognize patterns in data)— that have made computers capable of human-level perception of images, text, and audio (see “10 Breakthrough Technologies 2013: Deep Learning”). Now the question is whether AI can do the same for financial data. It’s clear that this recent progress has caught the attention of engineers working in finance. At an important academic event for AI researchers, the Neural Information Processing Systems (NIPS), held in Montreal last December, several thousand academic and industry researchers gathered to discuss progress in developing new machine-learning algorithms. In an area reserved for poster presentations by graduate students, big tech companies, including Google, Facebook, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and IBM, had paid to set up recruitment tables, hoping to lure the hottest new talent to come work for them. But almost half of the companies recruiting at NIPS were not tech companies at all but hedge funds and financial firms. One of the companies there was the large British investment firm MAN AHL, which for years has been focused on using statistical approaches to devise investment strategies. Anthony Ledford, chief scientist of MAN AHL, explains that the company is exploring whether techniques like deep learning might lend themselves to finance. “It’s at an early stage,” Ledford says. “We have set aside a pot of money for test trading. With deep learning, if all goes well, it will go into test trading, as other machine-learning approaches have.” Trading might seem like an obvious place to apply deep learning, but actually it isn’t clear how comparable the challenge of finding subtle patterns in real-time trading data is to, say, spotting faces in digital photographs. “It’s a very different problem,” Ledford admits. Academic experts also sound a note of caution. Stephen Roberts, a professor of machine learning at Oxford University, says deep learning could be good “for extracting hidden trends, information, and relationships,” but adds that it “is still too brittle with regard to handling of high uncertainty and noise, which are prevalent in finance.” Roberts also notes that deep learning can be a relatively slow process, and cannot offer the kinds of guaranteed behavior that other statistical approaches offer. In general, he says, there is a certain amount of hype around the idea of AI in finance. “AI is a very broad subject,” he says. “And many standard statistical techniques used are being rebranded as AI and machine learning.” That said, new financial firms that advertise themselves as AI-focused may be on to something. These include Sentient, based in San Francisco, Rebellion Research in New York, and a Hong Kong–based investment company called Aidyia. One of the most promising uses of relatively new AI techniques may be processing unstructured natural language data in the form of news articles, company reports, and social media posts, in an effort to glean insights into the future performance of companies, currencies, commodities, or financial instruments. Aidyia was founded by a well-known artificial intelligence researcher, Ben Goertzel, who is also the founder of Hanson Robotics and the chairman of an open-source AI project called OpenCog. Aidyia began trading last year, and Goertzel says his company’s approach is far more ambitious than the techniques used by most hedge funds today, taking inspiration from evolutionary programming, probabilistic logic, and chaotic dynamics. “Our system ingests a variety of inputs, including price and volume from exchanges around the world, news from various sources in multiple languages, macroeconomic and company accounting data, and more,” Goertzel told MIT Technology Review. “It then studies how these various factors have interrelated historically, and learns an ensemble of tens of thousands of predictive models that appear to have predictive value, based on its study of historical data,” which help guide the company’s investments. There is certainly a trend toward increasing automation among financial firms. Preqin, a company that provides financial industry data, reports that 40 percent of hedge funds created last year were “systematic,” meaning they rely on computer models for their decisions. Not everyone is convinced that an AI revolution in finance is imminent, however. David Harding, the billionaire founder and CEO of another British trading company, Winton Capital Management, is generally skeptical of hype over machine learning and AI. “If I squinted a little and looked at Winton, I’d say that’s more or less what we’ve been doing for the past 30 years,” he says. Harding also remembers that a similar boom in interest in neural networks resulted in many startups during the early 1990s. “People started saying, ‘There’s an amazing new computing technique that’s going to blow away everything that’s gone before.’ There was also a fashion for genetic algorithms,” he recalls. “Well, I can tell you none of those companies exist today—not a sausage of them.” Ledford, of Man AHL, also has a few words of caution for anyone who thinks the latest machine-learning techniques could offer a shortcut to riches. “It’s important to remember how humbling the market can be,” he says. “I’d say don’t pat yourself on the back too much, but equally don’t get too disheartened.”A former National Security Agency employee pleaded guilty Friday to keeping top secret U.S. defense material at his home — the latest in a series of breaches involving workers at the nation's largest spy shop. Nghia Hoang Pho, 67, of Ellicott City, Md., pleaded guilty to willful retention of national defense information, according to federal law enforcement officials. The guilty plea said that between 2010 and March 2015, Pho removed and retained at his home paper and digital copies of U.S. government documents and writings containing national defense information. Starting in April 2006, he worked as a developer in the National Security Agency's Tailored Access Operations unit, which is involved in cyber operations. The charges carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, but prosecutors are recommending he serve eight years, according to his attorney, Robert Bonsib. Pho, who was born in Vietnam and is a naturalized U.S. citizen, is free pending his sentencing, which is set for April 6, Bonsib said. He declined to give further details about the case. The New York Times quoted unnamed government officials as saying Pho took the classified material home to assist him in reworking his resume. The officials told the newspaper that Pho's home computer was using antivirus software made by Kaspersky Lab, a top Russian software company, and that Russian hackers are thought to have exploited the software to steal the documents. Bonsib declined to answer questions about Kaspersky. The guilty plea was announced by Stephen Schenning, acting U.S. attorney for the District of Maryland; Dana Boente, acting assistant attorney general for national security; and Gordon Johnson, special agent in charge of the FBI's Baltimore Field Office. NSA has suffered a series of setbacks in recent years. Most notably, former NSA contractor Edward Snowden disclosed a cache of classified material in 2013 exposing U.S. government surveillance programs. In August 2016, Harold Thomas Martin III, 51, of Glen Burnie, Md., was arrested by the FBI after federal prosecutors said the former NSA contractor illegally removed highly classified information and stored the material in his home and car. Reality Winner, 25, a former Air Force linguist who worked as an NSA contractor at a facility in Augusta, Ga., was charged in June with copying a classified U.S. report and mailing it to a news organization.JEREMY Clarkson, the veteran broadcaster and denim enthusiast, has exploded at news of the proposed 80mph motorway speed limit. BBC officials say Clarkson was in Rwanda, halfway through filming a section for Top Gear – testing the new Porsche to see how many mass graves it would jump over – when he received the lethal news from one of his many friends at News International. Director Tom Logan said: “We were just setting up a shot of him sneering at a village when he paused to read a text message on his phone. The next minute the car’s whole interior was spattered with a bright red and oily black substance.” “We’ve managed to identify the bigger lumps and can only assume that black, oily stuff is a physical manifestation of his soul. But if this puddle of entrails and curly hair in the glove box of a sports car was a lady, it’d be…erm….well, you know the sort of thing he used to say.” It is believed Richard Hammond is still weeping in a foetal position after the explosion, which was very much like something from the now-largely-forgotten David Cronenberg film Scanners, while James May is largely oblivious to anything outside of the 1950s. The move to raise the speed limit is designed to help commuters get more quickly to jobs that won’t exist in six months’ time, as well as allowing them to feel a tiny bit like Lewis Hamilton for the nine seconds per week the motorways are actually empty enough to reach 80mph. The search is now on to find a replacement for Clarkson, and with producers looking for the same mix of arrogance, contempt and a face like a trout that’s just had its greenhouse vandalized, they have already asked Pete Hitchens if he has a driving license. Logan said “While we’re all very upset, for a given value of ‘very’, we have to get on with things. Specifically, in my case, shovelling a load of twat offal into bin bags.”How is it possible, this close to an election between one of the most qualified people ever to seek America’s highest office and an orangutan with a bad haircut and a worse attitude, that polls not only show the race is close but actually give the orangutan a chance to win? How is it possible, after eight years of among the worst, most ineffective Congresses in the history of the United States, featuring a Senate that prides itself on not doing its job, with an approval rating in the single digits, that polls continue to indicate that voters are willing to keep these clowns in office? How is it possible, given the unequivocal fact that Donald Trump has, from the very second he declared his candidacy, done everything he could to undermine every standard of decency previously adhered to by Presidential candidates, even to the point of tearing down the veil that had masked the racism and misogyny of his party for decades and placing it front and center, that he has not already been relegated to the garbage heap of history? How is it possible, as we actually watch the “deplorable” behavior of his supporters again and again for ourselves, that anyone anywhere has any doubt that the adjective fits perfectly? There are some who would provide a two-word answer to these questions—Hillary Clinton—and others would nod and understand: of course, only in a contest against someone as horrible as Hillary could these Twilight Zone occurrences be happening. Only a candidate this outrageously bad could keep Trump in a race that should have been over before it began. Only a nominee with more baggage than a Dahmer/Manson ticket could have this kind of impact. But the real two-word answer is far different: false equivalence. False equivalence is what happens when you are led to believe that two things should be given equal weight in your considerations as you come to any given decision, while those two things are not in any way actually equivalent. For example, let us consider the matter of climate change. John Oliver, on his HBO program Last Week With John Oliver, debunked the usual cable TV false equivalence in this issue dramatically last year. While today’s media tends to have one “expert” present each “side” of an argument, Oliver pointed out that, in the case of climate change, where 99/100 scientists agree that it is real and caused by humans, this one vs. one presentation creates a clear misconception for the viewer: a false equivalence. So he did the truly “fair and balanced” thing: he had 99 scientists argue against 1 in favor of man-made climate change. This year’s political race is only close because of false equivalence. When people say, as the vast majority of Americans do, that we are choosing “the lesser of two evils,” they have succumbed to a meta-message about Hillary Clinton that has been carefully nurtured for two and a half decades by those with something to gain in order to create the notion that she is untrustworthy, when the truth is diametrically opposite to that. Did I mention before that Hillary Clinton is one of the most qualified people ever to seek the Presidency? That is not my opinion. No less a personage than President Barack Obama said it at the DNC. But Obama didn’t just pull that notion out of his ears either. In March, 2015, Dan Payne of WBUR penned an article in which he argued: Despite ceaseless attacks on her that continue to this day, in 2014 she was named — for the 13th straight year and 19th time overall — by the American people as the most admired woman in the world, according to the Gallup organization. Forbes magazine ranked her as one of most powerful people in the world nine times. She has been named eight times to Time magazine’s most influential 100 people on the planet. He quoted former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, among several others: “She would be the most qualified person to enter the White House in modern history. She’d be the best qualified person we’ve seen — with all due respect to President Clinton when he went in, President Obama and President Bush and everybody else.” Now we can argue all we want about whether being well-qualified will make you a good President. What we can’t do is argue that her opponent is qualified in any way, shape, or form. But back to the Hillary Issue, the matter of false equivalence: Why DO so many people—a large majority of Americans—seem to feel that this is an election between two bad choices? The lesser of two evils? It’s easy to see the evil in Trump. Only his “basket of deplorables” can’t see it, and honestly that should disqualify him right there. But why do so many people feel Hillary is just as bad? And they do: not just uneducated people, not just Republicans, but perfectly educated Democrats as well. So many of them repeat ad nauseum their concerns about all of the investigations (she must have done something) or the Foundation (Pay to Play!!!) to Benghazi (let it rest, for God’s sake! Eight GOP-led hearings and zilch!!!) to emails (again, nada: oh, she needed to be more careful... is that the sum total of all they have after 25 years of digging for dirt?). Seriously: They repeat these things again and again as if (A) they have actually read about them (which in most cases they have not, and (B) they mean anything at all (which they simply don’t). “WHAT?” You say. “They don’t mean anything?” Well, no. First of all, they are all lies propagated by the GOP as parts of a concerted 25-year-long effort (a very successful one, I must acknowledge: nice work, guys!) to smear and discredit Hillary Clinton because a successful independent woman threatens them. It began when Bill was running for President—before that, even. And it has not let up. I’m not going into all of the details here; it’s been done far better elsewhere. But the fact is that those who really know her agree that she is one of the most real and honest people they’ve met. Besides the fact that they are untrue on their face, let’s just play a little game, shall we? What if they were true? Let’s say, for the sake of argument, that Hillary Clinton made an error in judgement that led to the deaths in Benghazi, and further that the 2% of her Secretary of State meetings that were related to her Foundation (which FYI included heads of state and a Nobel Prize laureate) were somehow linked to those donations, and even further that she actually did know there were some not-really-classified-but-sort-of-classified emails on her server. Well, let’s see: people do make mistakes, even egregious ones. That’s bad, it’s true. But I seem to recall President Reagan allowing hundreds of Marines to die in Beirut. President Bush (W) oversaw 39 embassy attacks with 87 deaths while he was in office (not to mention a tiny thing we refer to as 9/11, which he was warned about). I suspect these things were all errors in judgement. And, oh yeah, the Foundation: since no moneys were actually paid to the Clintons from the Foundation, the “worst” that could happen would be donations to help fight world AIDS. Yes, I can see why that would be terrible. And then there is the email: well, in that case she definitely would have lied to us, right? And that would have to be disqualifying, right? But... what about the dozens of lies Mitt Romney told leading up to the election in 2012? And what about Trump, who can’t even open his mouth without lying? And, yeah, what about Trump? While people are so worried about fake scandals and ridiculous health issues regarding Hillary (so a 68-year-old woman who works every single day in the hot sun with no breaks contracted pneumonia and, while trying to work through it, felt faint: duh!), they are taking their eyes off the ball regarding Trump. (Example: Assume that she is acting in bad faith until proven otherwise. I am not kidding. Nor am I
the 2014 state budget until March, increasing the risk of Portugal being forced to request a second bailout programme. “A new programme would likely be more demanding and have harder conditions than the current one, with direct and dramatic effects in families’ daily lives,” he said. Massive tax hikes and spending cuts under terms of the bailout have pushed Portugal into its deepest economic slump since the 1970s and boosted unemployment to record levels near 18 percent. The Social Democrats and the CDS-PP said they would consider the president’s proposals before responding. Cavaco Silva said he will contact the three parties to analyse the solution.(Reuters) - Monsanto Co, one of the world’s largest seed and agrichemical companies, said on Wednesday that it was slashing 2,600 jobs and restructuring operations to cut costs in a slumping commodity market. A bushel of soybeans are shown on display in the Monsanto research facility in Creve Coeur, Missouri, July 2014. REUTERS/Tom Gannam The company, which said it expected low prices for agricultural products to squeeze results well into 2016, also reported a much wider quarterly loss and gave an outlook below many analysts’ expectations. The layoffs would affect 11.6 percent of Monsanto’s regular workforce, according to the company. The global restructuring will also include an exit from the sugar cane business and “streamlining and reprioritizing” some commercial and research and development work. To try to shore up investor confidence, the company announced a $3 billion accelerated share repurchase program that Chairman Hugh Grant said would be completed in the next six months. Its shares, which fell as much as 4.3 percent early on Wednesday, were nearly unchanged in afternoon trading. Monsanto said it expected to incur restructuring costs of $850 million to $900 million. When completed, the moves should help save as much as $400 million a year. The restructuring, which caps a year when Monsanto’s sales fell more than 5 percent, comes during an agricultural slump and a currency collapse in the important Brazilian market. Swiss rival Syngenta AG, which Monsanto had tried to acquire over the summer, has said it is trying to bolster its bottom line by selling a vegetable seed business and undertaking a $2 billion share repurchase. And DuPont, which operates agricultural seed seller DuPont Pioneer, has lowered its profit outlook. Monsanto forecast earnings per share of $5.10 to $5.60 for its new fiscal year, which began on Sept. 1. That is well below many analysts’ expectations for more than $6.00. The company said its losses widened to $1.06 a share in the fourth quarter ended on Aug. 31 from 31 cents a year earlier. Sales of corn seeds and traits, Monsanto’s key products, fell 5 percent to $598 million in the quarter. And sales at the company’s agricultural productivity unit, which includes Roundup herbicide, dropped 12 percent to $1.1 billion. Despite the bleak results, Grant said the company’s fundamentals were strong. Monsanto will remain focused on achieving growth targets for its core seeds and traits business and be “disciplined” with its herbicide business, he said. The company said it would still meet its target of more than doubling fiscal 2014 earnings per share, excluding special items, by 2019. Strong demand for corn and soybeans remains a key fundamental for Monsanto, Grant said. The company has particularly high hopes for new soybeans, corn and cotton that can be sprayed with a new combination of Monsanto’s glyphosate-based Roundup and dicamba herbicides. The combination is aimed at combating widespread weed resistance to glyphosate. Monsanto still needs final regulatory approvals but said advance orders for “Roundup Ready Xtend Crop System” soybeans were on track to sell out by early December, company officials said. It expects pricing at a $5-to-$10-an-acre premium. Monsanto also wants to expand sales of agricultural digital data products designed to help farmers boost crop yields. It will soon start field trials in Brazil, officials said. While farmers have shown interest in the new software and hardware data products offered by Monsanto and several competitors, they have been reluctant to pay for them. At Tuesday’s close, the stock had dropped roughly 30 percent from a high set last February, and the company’s growth strategy has under intense investor scrutiny after the failed Syngenta takeover attempt.Chicago aldermen agree to legislation combating sexual harassment Mayoral hopeful Bill Daley has proposed shrinking the City Council, and now is backing a citywide referendum to let voters decide whether to draw a new map with 15 wards instead of the current 50. \| Sun-Times Sexual harassment allegations against Hollywood movie mogul Harvey Weinstein have prompted a “Me, Too” avalanche of allegations against men in acting, the media, the restaurant industry and politics. On Wednesday, the “Me, Too” campaign spread to the legislative reaction to those scandals. Aldermen agreed to hold themselves and Chicago’s three citywide elected officials accountable for sexual harassment on their staffs and gave victims of sexual harassment and bullying a new tool to protect themselves. The quick action by the Finance Committee and the full Council on a pair of ordinances championed by Chairman Edward Burke (14th) came one day after the Illinois General Assembly rushed to take its own steps in response to a sexual harassment scandal triggered by a victim rights advocate’s allegations against State Sen. Ira Silverstein (D-Chicago), the husband of Ald. Debra Silverstein (50th). After the council meeting, Mayor Rahm Emanuel said the decision to close a legal loophole that has allowed elected officials to escape responsibility for sexual harassment on their staffs is only the beginning. “It’s clear post the election, Roger Ailes, O’Reilly, Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey that there also has to be a change in attitude — and not just for women, but for men,” the mayor said. “There’s a lot more work that needs to be done to make sure there’s not a culture that gives a permission slip for a behavior…where women feel put upon and, because of a man’s position, they can’t speak up.” The Illinois General Assembly has come under fire for allowing the job of legislative inspector general to remain vacant for two years, leaving 27 pending complaints to languish. Unlike Springfield, the City Council has no such backlog. The Burke-sponsored legislation is aimed at keeping it that way. The second ordinance has broader implications. It would create what Burke called a “quasi-criminal violation for individuals who feel they have been victims of bullying or sexual harassment.” Rules Committee Chairman Michelle Harris (8th) was asked why the City Council even needed to act preemptively to inoculate itself from a sexual harassment scandal that doesn’t exist at City Hall. At least not publicly. “There are no scandals here, but it’s just to keep people honest. That’s all,” Harris said Wednesday. “I don’t think it’s a feel-good, me, too in light of what we see happening at all levels of the society. It’s just, we want to put the protections there. It’s not that anybody down here is probably doing anything that. It’s just to give people a protection.” Harris smiled, then laughed when asked whether she has ever been the victim of sexual harassment since she became an alderman in 2006. “Who would do that to me? No. We’re a nice family here. I like to think of us all as family. So, I doubt that my family would be sexually harassing me,” she said. Earlier this week, Northwest Side Ald. Nick Sposato (38th) said the “Me, Too” legislation scared the heck out of him. He warned: “A false accusation could wreck someone’s career and life” and an alderman could get in trouble for being “nice” and “too touchy-feely.” On Wednesday, Sposato voiced no such concerns. In fact, he made it clear he “100 percent supports” the ordinances that Burke claimed would make Chicago the nation’s first major city to approve such a strong anti-bullying ordinance. “This isn’t something new to us. We’ve been in front of this issue — or at least I have and I’m sure all of my colleagues have and every commissioner in the city have been in front of this issue about sexual harassment. “It’s something we talk about in our office frequently to make sure everybody understands what they can and can’t do. I just want to make a statement that this is something that’s been going on for a long time.” Steve Berlin, executive director of the city’s Board of Ethics, has assured aldermen that sexual harassment investigations by the inspector general would be handled confidentially, then adjudicated by the Board of Ethics. Still, Budget Committee Chairman Carrie Austin (34th) has wondered aloud what would happen “… if I’m an employer and I reprimand someone and their retaliation is saying I’m sexually harassing” them. Austin also took issue with Inspector General Joe Ferguson doing the investigating. Two years ago, Austin unleashed a profanity-laced tirade at Ferguson for what she called the “witch hunt” investigation that forced the resignation of her son. At the time, Kenny Austin resigned from his $72,384-a-year city laborer’s job after an internal investigation concluded he crashed a city vehicle while driving on a suspended license, then had a co-worker cover for him to avoid taking a mandatory drug test. Also on Wednesday, Ald. Marge Laurino (39th) introduced an ordinance making annual sexual harassment training mandatory for all municipal employees — including the mayor, city clerk, city treasurer and aldermen. Laurino said she wants to “clarify any ‘gray areas’ as well as send a regular message to city personnel that this behavior will not be tolerated.”Have you ever seen a private torrent tracker managing to recruit nearly 20000 members in the beta phase itself? Well, CGPeers has done just that. CGP is a BitTorrent tracker specializing in computer graphics and animation – it’s a project by the same crew who run the huge direct download link forum CGPersia (see end of post for links to full review). Just like its big brother, CGPeers specializes in graphics design and animation tutorials, models, textures, premium plugins, full software for graphics authoring and animation and other similar themed content. Powered by the Gazelle codebase, CGP sports a nice, clean look and provides users with features such as advanced search, fast navigation and detailed torrents descriptions. After being in development for more than 7 months, CGPeers has now entered its semi beta phase – public registrations are currently open and interested readers are welcome to check the site out. Despite still being in beta, CGPeers has managed to recruit around 19000 members. This almost magical feat was achieved mostly thanks to promotion through CGPs big brother, the CGPersia DDL forum (which already has a massive user base of 140000+ members). Wondering why the need for a separate BitTorrent tracker when you already have a successful forum going? Here’s the explanation: CGPeers is a new torrent site introduced by the creator of the CGPersia Forum. The goal was to create a home where CG enthusiasts can freely share their passion through the wonders and convenience of BitTorrent. Why BitTorrent? BitTorrent offers many advantages over traditional sharing methods. For example, Being able to download content quickly without having to pay for "Premium" accounts. Or no longer having to worry about your upload(s) being deleted. Welcome to the world of peering. Most of the files related to computer graphics and animation such as texture packs are pretty large in file size. These are usually spanned across multiple DDL links on CGPersia and some might consider this a hassle to download. These issues are non existent on CGPeers tracker – it already indexes over 1000 releases in 6 categories (Full Applications, Plugins, Tutorials, Models, Materials and Misc) including some packs which exceed 30GB in file size. Registrations for CGPeers is currently open – anyone is free to create an account without the need for an invite code. Keep in mind that this site is still in beta – you might run into undiscovered bugs or glitches. However, we didn’t encounter any issues during our test run it seemed to be a pretty stable site. If you have any interest in the fields of graphics design, computer animation, etc. you might want to check this tracker out. Site Name: CGPeers (http://cgpeers.com) Signup URL: http://cgpeers.com/register.php Also From CGPeers Crew:Bitcoin Breaking News Brief Peter Todd Double Spends On Coinbase Developer Peter Todd has caused quite a stir in the community by committing a double spend on Coinbase. Taking $10 from the company and buying Jeremy Gardner of the Augur project some reddit gold. Todd admitted to the action via Twitter and GitHub with the crack he created. Gardner says: Also read: Use Bitcoin to Play the $1.3 Billion PowerBall Lottery “At 2:30 this morning @petertoddbtc committed a double-spend attack on @Coinbase by buying me Reddit gold and then redirected the payment” — Jeremy Gardner https://twitter.com/petertoddbtc/status/686362883756695553 At this time, Gardner says he and Todd were conversing, and Todd had decided to “make a point about security in the industry” Gardner goes on to say that he had succeeded on his first try and was able also to snap a screenshot of the action. Many people in the community went crazy on Twitter following this announcement. Charlie Lee of Coinbase and creator of Litecoin also jumps into the tweets “we are willing to let one steal $4 for better UX for everyone else. Of course, will change if there’s abuse.” A lot of people within the community had thanked Peter Todd for his honesty. Todd writes via Twitter, “Yeah relying on honesty is fine, but let’s make sure the general public understands that’s what we’re doing.” Other people such as Brian Hoffman of OpenBazaar wrote, “trying out for the clown Olympics” Following this tweet-fiesta the post was then added to forums like r/bitcoin and r/btc causing a frenzy in those online areas. After this drama, even more craziness ensued as Peter Todd was banned from reddit. “I’m not sure if this is a risk that coinbase minds, but when Peter Todd discusses bitcoin security flaws, they’re worth listening to,” — Jeremy Gardner When this the statement was submitted to the subreddit /u/petertodd was indeed suspended for unknown reasons. However the creator of this post writes: “/u/petertodd has been suspended: https://www.reddit.com/user/petertodd Background: The bitcoin protocol currently operates on a zero-confirmation basis, where users are free to accept transactions without confirmation if they so choose. Typically, merchants do this to improve customer experience – the rationale being: “no one is going to double spend attack this transaction for their coffee.” Additionally, the cost of securing low-value transactions is not worth the money saved in identifying them. Developers on the QT implementation (this includes Peter Todd) want to run replace-by-fee and eliminate zero-conf transactions. Event: You can read the whole thing here, but essentially Peter Todd double-spend attacked coinbase. He appears to have committed fraud and announced it on reddit. You can specifically see the conversation between him and coinbase here.” At press time, Todd’s account was reinstated on reddit and it seems to be operational. Many people on the suspension post on r/bitcoin claimed Todd had broken some kind of law. And nobody could figure out which law he broke and this caused yet another heated debate. However one person writes, “/u/petertodd released information on how to attack companies service for what can essentially be called free money, he then chose not to contact Coinbase, and instead bragged about it. I’m pretty sure that’s both illegal and can be considered “confidential information”. With the latest fighting between Bitcoin.org and Coinbase, the heated block size debate, and everything in between its never a dull day in Bitcoin-land. What do you think about what Peter Todd did? Let us know in the comments below. Images courtesy of Shutterstock, and PixbayScarlett Johansson has had a good year at the box office. Between a top role as the Black Widow in blockbuster hit Captain America: Civil War, which grossed over $1.15 billion worldwide, plus an ensemble part in the much less commercial Hail, Caesar!, Johansson is 2016's top-grossing actor, bringing in $1.2 billion at global ticketing booths. She narrowly edges costars Chris Evans ($1.15 billion worldwide), who plays the titular character in Marvel's Captain America series, and Robert Downey Jr., otherwise known as Iron Man. The pair tie for second with $1.15 billion grossed worldwide. All three have Captain America: Civil War to thank for their totals; it became the top-grossing movie of the year. Full list: The Top-Grossing Actors Of 2016 Along with Deadpool's Ryan Reynolds (No. 8), Johansson, Evans and Downey Jr. comprise the Marvel contingent on the list, which is largely made up of the stars of cinematic comic book creations. The actors of Warner Bros.' D.C. Comics efforts, such as Suicide Squad and Batman v Superman, account for 50% of the top-grossing actors list. In fact, the only actor without a comic to thank for her total is Star Wars' Felicity Jones. The recently-released Rogue One: A Star Wars Story has already grossed half a billion dollars since its December debut--and counting. Its star, British actor Jones (No. 9), joins the top-grossing actors list this year for the first time with the Lucasfilm spin-off. Thanks in part to hits such as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, when 2016 wraps up this week, analysts expect it to conclude as the biggest ever year in U.S. cinema history. The North American box office has already cleared an estimated $11.05 billion, with projections inching the total to some $11.3 billion by year-end. The World's Highest-Paid Actors 2016 To calculate the ranking of top-grossing actors, we added up the 2016 global ticket sales of top actors’ films released this year, using data from Box Office Mojo as of December 27, 2016. We did not count animated movies where only actors' voices were used and only included actors who were top-billed and/or had the most screen time. Another new addition to the list: fourth-ranked Margot Robbie, who is one of four women on the list. Suicide Squad was panned by critics but still played well at the multiplexes, where it grossed $745.6 million worldwide. Combined with a role in The Legend of Tarzan, these blockbusters account for her impressive $1.1 billion total. Rounding out the top five is Amy Adams. Though Arrival is still playing in theatres, its incomplete total, combined with a part as Lois Lane in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, is still enough to nab Adams a spot on the list. Full list: The Top-Grossing Actors Of 2016A Swedish judge has upheld the arrest warrant issued for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. “The Court has decided that there is still probable cause concerning the suspicions directed towards JA (unlawful coercion, sexual molestation and rape, less serious incident) and that there is still a risk that he will fail to appear or in some other way avoid participation in the investigation and the following proceedings,” the Stockholm City District Court said in a statement on Wednesday. Further Reading Julian Assange seeks asylum in Ecuador The Australian remains wanted in Sweden for questioning relating to alleged sex offenses dating back to 2010—however, Assange has not yet been formally charged with a crime. According to Assange’s own September 2013 affidavit, he stated that the women that he slept with specifically said they were not accusing him of rape and that police “made up the charges.” As a result of the case, Assange has been holed up in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, where he was granted asylum in 2012. The embassy, in turn, is constantly surrounded by London police—the city government is spending around $16,000 each day to keep an eye on Assange. He refuses to go to Sweden over fears that he will be extradited to the United States to face further potential charges relating to WikiLeaks’ publication of classified material. “We don’t agree with the decision,” Thomas Olsson, one of Assange’s lawyers, told reporters after the ruling. “This means that the decision will be appealed.”Bill Valavanis trusted me with this Hinoki Cypress, the tree was simply too tall and the style was lost, having previously worked by Corin Tomlinson a few years ago my job was to bring the tree back on track. I pre-wired most of the lower branches in the morning prior to the demo that took place at noon. This is because watching somebody wire a tree for a couple of hours is frankly mind numbing. I attempted to create some drama with the upper part of the tree by making a twisted jin, this works superbly on green wood however the heartwood of the tree was too stiff making the bending impossible. I noted at the start of the demo that it may well be cut off if the technique was not successful. I was very pleased that the finished tree made a record figure in the Auction at the end of the event. Thanks to Bonsai Empire for recording the demo, take a look at their website here, its full of great content.Turkey declared Sunday one day of mourning nationwide after the Egypt mosque attack that killed over 300 worshippers and injured 128 others in Sinai peninsula. The government has ordered flags at half-staff at the state buildings inside and outside the country. The gun and bomb assault on the Rawda village mosque in restive North Sinai roughly 40 kilometres (25 miles) west of the provincial capital of El-Arish killed 305 people including 27 children during the weekly Friday prayers. Authorities said up to 30 militants in camouflage flying the black banner of Daesh surrounded the mosque and massacred worshippers. The Sinai Peninsula has remained the epicenter of a militant insurgency since mid-2013, when the army ousted and imprisoned Mohamed Morsi, Egypt's first freely-elected president, in a military coup. Hundreds of security forces and civilians have been killed in the insurgency, which has been largely confined to the desert region. Many Turkish officials, including President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım, condemned the terror attack and offered their condolences to the Egyptian nation. Turkey's political relations with Egypt have remained rocky since Morsi was ousted. However, recent years have seen signs of readiness from both sides to normalize relations on the condition of reciprocity.Mark Kelly is a Navy combat veteran, retired NASA astronaut and co-founder with his wife, Gabrielle Giffords, of Giffords, formerly known as Americans for Responsible Solutions. Sunday night started out as a beautiful evening in Las Vegas, with country music in the air and the lights of the Strip mingling with stars. At least 59 people lost their lives at such a uniquely American scene, and more than 500 were injured. Thousands more will fight emotional scars, and tens of thousands will grieve and question along with them. The phenomenon of the mass shooting — and the political paralysis that follows us — is sadly also a uniquely American scene. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Americans are 25 times more likely to be killed by a gun than people in other developed nations. Over 100,000 people are shot each year, 33,000 of those fatally. We can offer thoughts and prayers and move on through life numb to these losses. We can accept this galling reality. We can assume that other people — like my wife, former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords — will pay the price for our status quo. We can accept the enormous social, moral and economic cost imposed on this country by accepting gun violence as simply the cost of living in America. Or we can choose courage instead of cowardice. I flew combat missions in Operation Desert Storm, orbited the Earth 854 times as a NASA astronaut and wake up every morning next to Gabby, the toughest human I’ve ever met. I choose courage every time. So what do we do? [Gabrielle Giffords: We need courage to face our gun-safety problem] First, we have to recognize just how entrenched the problem is. In the last few weeks, Congress was actually pursuing looser gun laws — making silencers easier to buy. There’s no reason to make gun laws less restrictive. Gabby and I, and Americans across the country, had been working our hearts out to stop this bad legislation. We can’t go backward on gun laws. But even on our toughest days, we’re optimists. And if we want to make our country safer, we can’t just work to defeat bad legislation like federally mandated concealed carry and the deregulation of silencers. We also need to push for solutions, to pass good legislation that keeps extremely deadly weapons out of the wrong hands. That means we need to demand leadership from the people who are elected to lead. A woman lights candles Monday at a vigil on the Las Vegas Strip after a mass shooting. (Chris Wattie/Reuters) Americans need more than President Trump’s prayers — we need his plans. We need a Congress that will stand up to the special interests, look at the research and act to save lives. Public safety must be our top priority. Predictable as clockwork, though, the refrain we all know came immediately on Monday: It’s too soon. It’s not the right time to talk about politics. It’s what people told me after Gabby was injured, and something I’ve said myself in the past. Not the right time to talk about politics? Gabby and I have come to reject this. Every day of her life since the shooting, Gabby has honored those hurt and killed alongside her by working to enact policies that will prevent others from experiencing this terrible pain. Don’t let anyone tell you not to talk about politics when we talk about guns. Gabby got into politics because she wanted to govern. The people we elect can take us backward, condemning us to many more days when we wake up to more carnage and more lives lost — or if we make them, they will take us forward, toward a safer country. [Why I boycotted Congress’s latest empty moment of silence for gun victims] No one gun law will prevent every shooting, but we know that these policies will work to reduce gun violence and save lives. We can’t only react to the horror of what unfolded in Las Vegas; we must work to make all American communities safer from gun violence. Here are a few things our leaders can and should do today that will keep America safer: • Pass universal background checks to make sure everyone gets a background check before they obtain a gun. The studies are clear: Where these laws are passed, fewer people get shot. Where they have been repealed, murder and violence have increased. And background checks aren’t controversial: A recent poll found that 94 percent of Americans support requiring background checks for all gun buyers, including 93 percent of Republicans. • Subject the sale of the most lethal weapons to stronger oversight and regulation. You can buy an AR-15 in a parking lot with no background check at all. That’s insane. • Require guns to be safely secured in the homes of gun owners, so kids can’t get their hands on them. • Stop domestic abusers from getting guns. Women are too often killed by abusers with firearms. And most mass shootings start as domestic violence incidents. • Allow restraining orders to stop folks in crisis from accessing firearms, just like we do with domestic abusers. • Establish a federal firearms trafficking statute to stop the illegal trafficking of guns from states with weak laws to states with strong laws. • Require the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and our public health agencies to invest in preventing gun deaths and injuries — like we do for every other similar cause of death and injury. For 20 years, Congress has effectively banned the study of gun violence because of pressure from the gun lobby. • And as a first step, Congress should establish a special bipartisan commission to come together around solutions that will save lives. The truth is policy solutions that reduce gun violence are not controversial — they are broadly supported by Democrats, Republicans and gun owners. Now is the time for members of Congress to listen to their constituents. This could finally be a heroic moment of progress for our elected leaders. But it would mean looking into the face of deep-pocketed special interests and saying: Today, we’re choosing Americans. It means channeling the bravery and determination of first responders in places like Las Vegas, and the bravery and determination of people like Gabby, who fight through the emotional and physical pain of gun violence every day. Thoughts and prayers are important. But thoughts and prayers won’t stop the next shooting. Only courage and leadership will save us. Read more: Giffords: The Orlando shooting and Jo Cox’s murder show the horrors of gun violence I’m a responsible gun owner. So I destroyed my gun. I own guns. But I hate the NRA.Just make lots of noise and we’ll be fine (Image: Joel Jorgensen/Nebraska Game and Parks Commission) Dense fog can not only ground planes but also birds – just not always. Eileen Kirsch of US Geological Survey’s Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center in La Crosse and her colleagues were observing sandhill cranes in the Horicon wildlife refuge in south-east Wisconsin one November morning. Heavy fog settled, but the cranes still set off from their night roost to reach foraging areas, albeit later than usual. Advertisement This provided a rare opportunity to study how birds behave when flying in heavy fog. The cranes flew cautiously, staying close to the roost, and went in circles rather than straight lines. “They were going every which direction, which we’ve never seen before,” says Kirsch. She thinks they were probably reluctant to fly further than they could see and also wanted to keep the flock together. They also vocalised much more frequently and loudly than normal. This is common among birds flying in low-visibility conditions, says Graham Martin at the University of Birmingham in the UK. It probably allows them to stay in touch when they cannot be seen. When there is fog, mist or heavy rain, larger birds such as cranes, ducks and geese usually prefer to stay put until conditions improve. “They can afford not to venture to foraging grounds for a couple of days,” says Martin. Kirsch thinks hunger and their impending southern migration might have driven the sandhill cranes to flight, despite the poor visibility. “It was very cold, and energetically they needed to eat,” she says. Night-time challenge But if some birds avoid flying in fog, how come many other species are happy to fly at night? Kirsch says that most birds that do so typically set off at sunset, when there is enough light available for them to orient themselves. And like airplane pilots, night-time flyers don’t rely only on vision. They also navigate using acoustic and magnetic cues, as well as the positions of the stars and moon, says Andrew Farnsworth of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. But even so, they can get confused. Light pollution is a particular concern for nocturnal flyers like songbirds, which are drawn to artificial light. And if they are dazzled, they also display circling flight behaviour, says Farnsworth. Fog and darkness aside, many birds are betrayed by their own eyes even in broad daylight, says Martin. Some literally can’t see straight ahead while flying and trying to track prey or predators at the same time. The placement of their eyes means that they have several blind spots that make them prone to crashing, in particular into artificial structures like transmission lines and towers, which they don’t expect to encounter. Birds that dive for food face the additional challenge of seeing underwater. This can be difficult even for birds with keen sight. Puffins and guillemots, for example, are not particularly vulnerable to crashing when airborne, but are prone to being entangled on gill nets. Martin and his colleagues have found that this is because the peculiarities of their visual fields mean that they may not be able to see straight ahead in the water. Journal reference: The Wilson Journal of Ornithology, DOI: 10.1676/wils-127-02-281-288.1Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) said Tuesday that he won't seek reelection in 2012. Paul posted to his official Twitter account a message had he had "decided not to seek re-election to Congress," along with a link to a website, The Facts, on which he explained his decision. “I felt it was better that I concentrate on one election,” Paul told the Texas news outlet. “It’s about that time when I should change tactics.” ADVERTISEMENT Paul's decision marks somewhat an end of an era for the congressman, who's been elected to a combined 12 terms in Congress. During that time, he's been an obstinate voice for the more libertarian wing of the GOP, showing a willingness to break with his party on certain issues, especially foreign policy. The decision by Paul to decline reelection puts all his focus now on seeking the Republican presidential nomination. He built a significant political organization during his 2008 bid for the Republican presidential nomination. Paul didn't win the nomination, but he cultivated a grassroots organization and fundraising powerhouse that fueled, in part, the rise of the Tea Party movement. Paul is seen still as a relatively long-shot candidate for the Republican nomination in 2012; he ranks as the choice of 7 percent of Republican primary voters, according to the latest Gallup poll. The latest poll in Iowa pegs him at 6 percent among likely GOP caucus-goers, and he checks in at 7 percent in New Hampshire, good enough for third place. His decision now could well be fueled now that there's a clear heir to his mantle in Congress; Paul's son, Sen. Rand Paul Randal (Rand) Howard PaulThe Hill's Morning Report — Emergency declaration to test GOP loyalty to Trump The Hill's 12:30 Report: Trump escalates fight with NY Times The 10 GOP senators who may break with Trump on emergency MORE (R-Ky.), was elected last fall. Sen. Paul flirted with running for president before his father decided to enter the race. Paul hails from Texas's 14th congressional district, a seat seen as heavily leaning toward Republicans. But his redrawn district, as proposed by Texas's GOP-controlled legislature, made the new version of the district less favorable to Paul. —Updated at 12:14 p.m.Robert Durst, the New York Real Estate scion who may finally be charged with at least three murders, lived in Dallas for at least a year at The Centrum in Oak Lawn. Durst was “the oldest son and heir apparent to a real estate magnate father, and grew up in privilege outside New York City, according to the New York Times. He was passed over for the presidency of the Durst Organization in 1994 in favor of his younger brother Douglas, but he remained a wealthy real estate mogul.” Douglas Durst, estranged for years from Robert, described his brother to the New York Times as brilliant, disturbed and dangerous. He said his brother had come to his house with guns and wanted to kill him. He also said Robert was removed from the line of succession after urinating in a wastebasket. Durst was arrested in New Orleans last week and extradited Monday — looks like justice may finally be coming after the airing of a documentary on Durst: The LAPD re-opened the unsolved case of author Susan Berman over the last week in the wake of new evidence gained by The Jinx filmmakers. The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst chronicled three mysterious deaths during the life of the real-estate heir. Durst’s wife Kathleen first disappeared in 1982 and has never been found. Later, Durst’s long-time friend and press spokesperson Berman was shot and killed in her Los Angeles home in another unsolved case. In 2003, he was acquitted in the killing of his neighbor Morris Black on the grounds of self-defense. That killing took place in Galveston after his year in Dallas. Self-defense, eh? He cut up Black’s body cleanly, yet a sharp attorney got him off. The judge who presided over the case, former Texas District Court Judge Susan Criss, now an attorney in private practice, says she found the cleanly severed head of a cat on her doorstep shortly after the trial. She also believes Durst “practiced dismemberment techniques on his the seven dogs he owned, all of which were Malamutes named “Igor.” Well, turns out Durst lived in Dallas in the late 1990’s at the Centrum on Oak Lawn. Dallas Realtor Jill Crowder Lucas showed him around town. This was in March of 1998 BEFORE the Black murder: “In March 1998, I showed residential high rises to a new lease client from New York. After driving him around in my car, for 2 days, and showing him 8 plus high rise buildings… he chose a unit at the Centrum on Oak Lawn in Dallas & signed a one year lease. That client is now on every TV news channel in the world & featured on a HBO Special….the infamous accused murderer Robert Durst. Obviously…. I met him after he fled New York & before he moved to Galveston! Kinda’ gives me chills! “ No kidding! I called Jill and she told me Durst was very quiet — “I bet he never said more than 40 words in 2 days,” she said. He was very nice, polite, and looked old even then, she said. “I showed him every high rise in town,” recalls Jill. “He stayed at the Adolphus. He was very insistent that I pick him up, but he wanted me to pick him up at an old office building at Central and Fitzhugh, kind of in a parking lot. Still, I never got any bad vibes,” she says. She showed him all up and down Turtle Creek Boulevard, including units at The Warrington, but Durst ended up at The Centrum, where he had a one year lease and may have extended it in 1999. Lucas said he lived in Dallas until moving to Galveston. “I thought of him as a nice little old man,” says Jill. Will Terry was the manager of the Centrum at the time, and the building was undergoing a renovation with new carpet placed in many of the units. After hearing that Durst had been arrested, Jill called Terry who recalled how Durst said he didn’t want carpet in one of the rooms because he said he “deals with a lot of chemicals.” “A couple years after the Galveston case, I was on a plane to California reading PEOPLE Magazine and it said that Durst had leased a luxurious Dallas high rises,” says Jill. “So I have kept his file.” She also said
be called the last public statement where he says the US government was headed towards bitcoin. He was proven right to some extent because Gavin Andresen received a request by the CIA to speak with them, something which Andresen publicly revealed on April 27th 2011. Bitcoin was on the radar, so Nakamoto left. Things could have, at that point, developed in many ways. The way they did develop was an explosion in popularity between December 2010 and April 2011. The latter is probably around the time most tech geeks learned about the project, with it gaining significant attention on Hacker News and other fora, with its price surpassing dollar parity and then rising to a high of around $30. Bitcoin had taken a life of its own and there was nothing anyone could do about it. Now, there are thousands of bitcoins, with the millennial generation in particular flocking to it. This space is booming. The underlying tech might even bring forth an industrial revolution, so said the current Chancellor of the Exchequer. Its use and application is being contemplated in every industry imaginable. Central banks are racing to employ the technology. Nations are engaged in jurisdictional competition for blockchain talent and businesses. From Putin to Macron, being seen with Buterin or a Ledger Nano bitcoin wallet is now huge PR. They all see it is a better way of doing things and they even want to encourage it because blockchain technology is a very 21st century technology. Just as time marches, so does human ingenuity and innovation. Our ancestors had stones, gold, and paper money. We have digital currencies. Money we code by if and then to do things automatically so that we can better handle the ever increasing complexities, freeing our time for matters that require lateral thinking.By Brendan O'Neill Whenever the debate about sex offenders rears its ugly head, we are reminded of this incident and its cruel irony: how protesters targeted a paediatrician (a doctor who cares for children) because his or her job title sounded vaguely like paedophile (a sexual deviant attracted to children). Last month, when education secretary Ruth Kelly was under pressure to reveal how many individuals on the Sex Offenders Register work in our schools, various newspapers revisited the paediatrician/paedophile story. A columnist for the Independent criticised the tabloid attacks on Kelly, warning that we might once again end up with a "howling mob" consumed by a "paediatrician-bashing hysteria". The Glasgow Herald lamented the current "hysteria over alleged sex offenders", and reminded us of the "illiterate lynch mob" that attacked the home of a paediatrician the last time there was such hysteria. Who what where The paediatrician incident is mentioned endlessly, but rarely examined in detail. Commentators refer to it all of the time but don't explain where and when it took place, and what exactly happened. It was part of a wave of incidents sparked by Sarah Payne's murder In fact, it was a relatively minor incident, which has been exaggerated and distorted in the re-telling - and turned into a symbol of mass hysteria among the tabloid-reading sections of the population. If you search the web or back issues of newspapers to discover the truth of the paediatrician-bashing incident, expect to be confused. Some reports say a male paediatrician was attacked, others that it was a female paediatrician. There are clashing reports of where the incident took place. Some say it was in south Wales, others that it was in Portsmouth. In an article in 2001, the Daily Mail asked: "Who can forget the targeting of an innocent children's doctor in Portsmouth by a populace too ignorant and enraged to recognise the difference between paedophile and paediatrician?" An online magazine, The Register, also says that it was in Portsmouth that "dictionary-starved and enraged mobs attacked a paediatrician". Yet on a discussion board of a website that focuses on strange events, one contributor says the incident took place in London. Lynch mob There are conflicting reports as to what happened. A 2001 Guardian article says a female paediatrician was "hounded" from her home by her own "neighbours, who confused 'paediatrician' with 'paedophile'." Message on a balcony According to some accounts she was asleep in the house while the mob vandalised it; according to others she only discovered the vandalism upon returning from work. Some say it was far more serious than just offensive graffiti. In 2003, a Northern Irish newspaper recalled the time that "Portsmouth became famous when paedophile-hunting locals chased a paediatrician down the street" (there's that mention of Portsmouth again). This account suggests the paediatrician may have been in real physical danger. A student newspaper at the University of Essex described how "a group of people in Portsmouth... burned down a paediatrician's office in righteous anger." On one online discussion board it said that "a howling mob stoned [the paediatrician's] house and firebombed it". In the mainstream media, meanwhile, there are clashing reports over whether the paediatrician was attacked, hounded, chased or abused, but they all agree that it was an "hysterical mob" that did it. Police talk Just what is the truth? In August 2000, a female paediatrician consultant called Yvette Cloete was indeed labelled a "paedo" after a campaign by the News of the World to name and shame paedophiles in the community. The incident took place in Newport, Gwent, not in Portsmouth (where there had been anti-paedophile protests after eight-year-old Sarah Payne was murdered) or London. It looks as though it was just a question of confusing the job title for something else - I suppose I'm really a victim of ignorance Yvette Cloete, speaking in 2000 It was no doubt a very distressing incident for Ms Cloete, who decided to move home shortly afterwards. But there is no evidence that a mob was involved or of any threats or incidents of physical pressure or violence. "Why let the truth get in the way of a good story?" says Chief Inspector Andrew Adams, of Gwent Police, who was the liaison officer in charge when news of this incident broke six years ago. He remembers very well that stressful night, when he gave 18 live interviews to various media outlets. "There was no big mob," he says. "Nothing like that happened. I know because I was there and I was involved. The lady was not in her home when it happened. She came home from work to see her door daubed with anti-paedophile graffiti. "When we heard about it we set about dispelling the rumours that she or anyone else in that house was a paedophile. We explained to the local community the difference between paediatrician and paedophile." Who did the graffiti? Mr Adams says he still isn't sure. "We think it was youngsters, probably someone in the 12 to 17 age bracket." And the community was outraged by the incident and "supportive of the woman involved", he says. Nevertheless, the story has taken on a life of its own, transformed into a dire warning about hysterical mobs who threaten the fabric of our nation. The irony is that some in the media, in challenging the scaremongering over sex offenders, indulge in some scaremongering of their own. They raise fears about violent tabloid-reading protesters who will attack, hound and destroy a paediatrician - which seem to be just as unfounded as the fears about thousands of paedophiles stalking the land.So you like clicky keyboards. If that’s the case, you probably have a favorite model (or switch type) — maybe, for example, the one my colleague Paul Miller recently dubbed “the clickiest keyboard of all time.” But Deskthority forum member and mechanical keyboard expert HaaTa reminds us that these pronouncements are a fool’s errand, for there is no way a mere human could really, objectively judge the nature of a click. For that, you would need something like the Force Curve Gauge, a fairly remarkable side project that HaaTa lays out in detail. As the name suggests, it’s a jury-rigged device that measures force curve — the relationship between the distance of a keypress and the force it transfers, or to we users, how much tactile feedback we get while hitting keys. So instead of describing whether a keyboard feels good or bad, you can point to something like this: The catch is that coming up with any kind of consistent, meaningful data requires serious precision and solid equipment. Just one of the pieces, the force gauge stand, apparently cost about $1,000, and setting the entire machine up took a substantial amount of tinkering — the picture above is from an early prototype. You’re probably not going to buy your next keyboard based on a force graph, but if your co-workers complain about the clicking, maybe you can point to one to explain just why you love it.HAMMONDSPORT, N.Y. -- When one thinks of the pioneers of aviation, the Wright Brothers generally come to mind. But Steuben County native Glenn Curtiss worked right alongside them. "He's been saluted before but he's definitely one of the forgotten people in aviation," said Jacquie Doherty, of the Glenn Curtiss Museum. "People don't realize how important he was to this area." Curtiss was born and raised in Hammondsport. But in the early stages of his career, he manufactured bikes and motorcycles -- even racing them. "He actually set the land speed record which stood for years, 136+ miles an hour," said Doherty. Curtiss then switched gears, moving into aviation. He became a member of the Aerial Experiment Association, a group that worked to get men up into the sky. What put him on the aviation map was designing and flying "The June Bug." It was the first aircraft to fly over a kilometer -- and it took off in Steuben County in 1908. "They wanted the Wrights to do it, but Curtiss said 'I'm ready to go out and do it,'" said Doherty. "There were literally thousands of people in Hammondsport for that flight. It was the first time people had ever seen an airplane fly." But that was only the beginning. Historians say what coined Curtiss as the 'King of the Air' was his flight from Albany to New York City in 1910. It was the longest attempted and completed flight of the time. "It was the first flight that proved that airplanes could go from one site to another site," said Doherty. He then went on to create the first "air boats," earning himself another nickname as the "Father of Naval Aviation." While Curtiss has done so much for the industry, some area residents feel his story isn't well known. "He is somebody that a huge number of people don't know anything about," said Doherty. "For the people traveling in aviation he has done far much more to do with it than the Wright Brothers." In response, the county legislature pledged their support for a coin to be minted in his honor. "Right now, the U.S. mint is honoring different people in manufacturing technology and innovation and we think Glenn Curtiss would be another great person to recognize," said Steuben County Manager Jack Wheeler. Those in support of the coin hope it will bring more awareness to Curtiss' life and contributions. If the coin is approved, a portion of its sales will go to the Glenn Curtiss Museum.150 new jobs have been announced this morning in Cork. US cybersecurity firm Cylance announced that the jobs will be created over three years in their new Cork office. The firm will be based on the South Mall in Cork city and is currently looking for sales, sales engineering and customer support roles, and might be adding malware analysis and software development roles in the future. Cylance CEO Stuart McClure cited Cork's reputation as an “international cybersecurity and technology centre” as one reason for opening an office here. Speaking at the announcement, the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O'Connor TD warmly welcomed the investment by Cylance. “I am delighted to be here today for the launch of Cylance's operation in Cork. We already have a strong footprint of Information and communications technology (ICT) companies in Cork city and we are very keen to expand that by attracting a wider range of specialist IT companies. “We are all aware of the crucial importance of being able to deal with cybersecurity threats and it is terrific news that a company of the stature of Cylance has decided to locate here. We have the IT skills available to enable the company to grow and to embed their operations in Ireland. Their arrival is a great vote of confidence in what Cork has to offer," she said. “Cork has become an international cybersecurity and technology centre, and we are proud to be a part of that,” said Stuart McClure, president and CEO at Cylance. “Our mission has always been to protect everyone under the sun, and tapping the rich technology pool in Ireland will help us greatly in this effort. The IDA Ireland has been extremely welcoming and we greatly appreciate their expert assistance.” Cylance uses arificial intelligence-based security software to proactively prevent threats and malware. Cleints include Panasonic, Toyaota and Gap. Martin Shanahan, CEO, IDA Ireland said: “Cylance is one of the fastest growing companies in the history of cybersecurity. The choice of Ireland for the new EMEA Operations centre for Cylance is an endorsement of the emerging cybersecurity cluster in Cork. The city’s tech infrastructure, talent pool and supportive academic network have created a compelling business environment which will continue to attract investment from companies operating in this space.” For more information on jobs visit cylance.com.The band have been nominated for Best British Group and Best Live Act Muse have revealed that they will be performing their track ‘Supremacy’ with a full orchestra and choir at this year’s Brit Awards. The rock trio, who have been nominated for Best British Group and Best Live Act, will perform the first track from their sixth studio album, ‘The 2nd Law’, at the ceremony live from London’s O2 on February 20. Speaking to Radio.com, front man Matt Bellamy said: “We’re going to perform there hopefully with a full orchestra and choir to do a full rendition of ‘Supremacy’, which is the first song on the album. It’ll be nice to perform with an orchestra.” Bellamy and co will join Mumford and Sons, Beyonce, One Direction and Robbie Williams on the line up of performers at the ceremony which will once again be presented by James Corden. The nominations for this year’s awards were announced earlier this month with Alt-J, Mumford And Sons and Muse and all picking up multiple nods. Muse are set to return to the UK this summer for a four-date stadium tour. They kick off the shows at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena on May 22, 2013, before playing a pair of dates at London’s Emirates Stadium on May 25 and 26, and wrapping up at Manchester’s Etihad Stadium on June 1. To check the availability of Muse tickets and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/TICKETS now, or call 0871 230 1094.PixelFire Gaming have announced that they have ventured into Counter-Strike with the signing of the team known as Orgless. The European mixture, featuring players from Hungary, Denmark and Sweden, had been on the lookout for a new organisation to represent since parting ways with CSGO.one earlier in the week. It was under the skin jackpot website that the team achieved their best results, but the relationship between the players and the management hit a breaking point when Viktor "flash" Tamás Bea & company were allegedly asked to fix matches in Operation: Kinguin #2. flash & company sign for PixelFire With the European Minor and Assembly Winter around the corner, the team have been handed a timely boost as they have signed for PixelFire Gaming, a recently-created organisation that was looking to break into the Counter-Strike scene. "After receiving many proposals, we thought PixelFire was the best option for us," team member André "BARBARR" Möller told HLTV.org. "With their support, we will be able to fully focus on our own game." PixelFire will face DenDD in the first round of the European Minor's Group B, also featuring HellRaisers and Lemondogs. The team's lineup is the following:“The Jihad, the Islamic so-called Holy War, has been a fact of life in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Near and Middle East for more than 1300 years, but this is the first history of the Muslim wars in Europe ever to be published. Hundreds of books, however, have appeared on its Christian counterpart, the Crusades, to which the Jihad is often compared, although they lasted less than two hundred years and unlike the Jihad, which is universal, were largely but not completely confined to the Holy Land. Moreover, the Crusades have been over for more than 700 years, while a Jihad is still going on in the world. The Jihad has been the most unrecorded and disregarded major event of history. It has, in fact, been largely ignored. For instance, the Encyclopaedia Britannica gives the Crusades eighty times more space than the Jihad.” The quote is from Paul Fregosi’s book Jihad in the West from 1998. Mr. Fregosi found that his book about the history of Islamic Holy War in Europe from the 7th to the 20th centuries was difficult to get published in the mid-1990s, when publishers had the Salman Rushdie case in fresh memory. A few years later, an even more comprehensive book, The Legacy of Jihad, was published by Andrew G. Bostom. Bostom has written about what he calls “America’s First War on Terror.” Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, then serving as American ambassadors to France and Britain, respectively, met in 1786 in London with the Tripolitan Ambassador to Britain, Sidi Haji Abdul Rahman Adja. These future American presidents were attempting to negotiate a peace treaty which would spare the United States the ravages of Jihad piracy – murder and enslavement emanating from the so-called Barbary States of North Africa, corresponding to modern Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Libya. Andrew Bostom notes that “an aggressive jihad was already being waged against the United States almost 200 years prior to America becoming a dominant international power in the Middle East.” Israel has thus nothing to do with it. The Barbary Jihad piracy had been going on since the earliest Arab-Islamic expansion in the 7th and 8th centuries. Francisco Gabrieli states that: “According to present-day concepts of international relations, such activities amounted to piracy, but they correspond perfectly to jihad, an Islamic religious duty. The conquest of Crete, in the east, and a good portion of the corsair warfare along the Provencal and Italian coasts, in the West, are among the most conspicuous instances of such ‘private initiative’ which contributed to Arab domination in the Mediterranean.” A proto-typical Muslim naval razzia occurred in 846 when a fleet of Arab Jihadists arrived at the mouth of the Tiber, made their way to Rome, sacked the city, and carried away from the basilica of St. Peter all of the gold and silver it contained. During the 16th and 17th centuries, as many Europeans were captured, sold, and enslaved by the Barbary corsairs as were West Africans made captive and shipped for plantation labor in the Americas by European slave traders. Robert Davis’ methodical enumeration indicates that between one, and one and one-quarter million white European Christians were enslaved by the Barbary Muslims from 1530 through 1780. White Gold, Giles Milton’s remarkable account of Cornish cabin boy Thomas Pellow, captured by Barbary corsairs in 1716, documents how Jihad razzias had extended to England [p. 13, “By the end of the dreadful summer of 1625, the mayor of Plymouth reckoned that 1,000 skiffs had been destroyed, and a similar number of villagers carried off into slavery”], Wales, southern Ireland [p.16, “In 1631 […] 200 Islamic soldiers […] sailed to the village of Baltimore, storming ashore with swords drawn and catching the villagers totally by surprise. [They] carried off 237 men, women, and children and took them to Algiers […] The French padre Pierre Dan was in the city (Algiers) at the time […] He witnessed the sale of the captives in the slave auction. ‘It was a pitiful sight to see them exposed in the market […] Women were separated from their husbands and the children from their fathers […] on one side a husband was sold; on the other his wife; and her daughter was torn from her arms without the hope that they’d ever see each other again’.”], and even Reykjavik, Iceland! Bostom notes that “By June/July 1815 the ably commanded U.S. naval forces had dealt their Barbary jihadist adversaries a quick series of crushing defeats. This success ignited the imagination of the Old World powers to rise up against the Barbary pirates.” Yet some Arabs seem to miss the good, old days when they could extract Jizya payments from the West. Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has stated that he thinks that European nations should pay 10 billion euros ($12.7 billion dollars) a year to Africa to help it stop migrants seeking a better life flooding northwards into Europe. He added without elaborating: “Earth belongs to everybody. Why they (young Africans) emigrated to Europe – this should be answered by Europeans.” Apart from being a clear-cut example of how migration, or rather population dumping by Third World countries, has become a tool for blackmail in the 21st century, this is a throwback to the age when Tripoli could extract payments from Europe. Sadly, Americans seem to have forgotten the lessons from this proud chapter in their history, when they refused to pay ransom to Muslims like the Europeans did and instead sent warships to the Mediterranean under the slogan “Millions for defense, not one penny for tribute!” Since WW2, we’ve had three major conflicts in the Balkans: In Cyprus, in Bosnia and in Kosovo. On all three occasions, the United States have interfered on behalf of Muslims. Yet despite this fact, two of the 9/11 hijackers said that their actions were inspired by an urge to avenge the suffering of Muslims in Bosnia. As Efraim Karsh, author of the book Islamic Imperialism: A History points out, America is reviled in the Muslim world not because of its specific policies “but because, as the pre-eminent world power, it blocks the final realization of this same age-old dream of a universal Islamic empire (or umma).” According to Hugh Fitzgerald, “One must keep in mind both the way in which some atrocities ascribed to Serbs were exaggerated, while the atrocities inflicted on them were minimized or ignored altogether. But what was most disturbing was that there was no context to anything: nothing about the centuries of Muslim rule. Had such a history been discussed early on, Western governments might have understood and attempted to assuage the deep fears evoked by the Bosnian Muslim leader, Izetbegovic, when he wrote that he intended to create a Muslim state in Bosnia and impose the Sharia not merely there, but everywhere that Muslims had once ruled in the Balkans. Had the Western world shown the slightest intelligent sympathy or understanding of what that set off in the imagination of many Serbs (and elsewhere, among the Christians in the Balkans and in Greece), there might never have been such a violent Serbian reaction, and someone like [Slobodan] Milosevic might never have obtained power.” In 1809, after the battle on Cegar Hill, by order of Turkish pasha Hurshid the skulls of the killed Serbian soldiers were built in a tower, Skull Tower, on the way to Constantinople. 3 meters high, Skull Tower was built out of 952 skulls as a warning to the Serbian people not to oppose their Muslim rulers. Some years later, a chapel was built over the skulls. Similar Jihad massacres were committed not only against the Serbs, but against the Greeks, the Bulgarians and other non-Muslims who slowly rebelled against the Ottoman Empire throughout the 19th century. Professor Vahakn Dadrian and others have clearly identified Jihad as a critical factor in the Armenian genocide in the early 20th century. This genocide by the Turks allegedly inspired Adolf Hitler in his Holocaust against the Jews later: “Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?” As Efraim Karsh notes, “The Ottomans embarked on an orgy of bloodletting in response to the nationalist aspirations of their European subjects. The Greek war of independence of the 1820s, the Danubian uprisings of 1848 and the attendant Crimean war, the Balkan explosion of the 1870s, the Greco-Ottoman war of 1897 – all were painful reminders of the costs of resisting Islamic imperial rule.” In his book Onward Muslim Soldiers, Robert Spencer quotes a letter from Bosnia, written in 1860 by the acting British Consul in Sarajevo, James Zohrab: “The hatred of the Christians toward the Bosniak Mussulmans is intense. During a period of nearly 300 years they were subjected to much oppression and cruelty. For them no other law but the caprice of their masters existed. [...] Oppression cannot now be carried on as openly as formerly, but it must not be supposed that, because the Government employés do not generally appear as the oppressors, the Christians are well treated and protected.” Bosnia’s wartime president Alija Izetbegovic died in 2003, hailed worldwide as a moderate Muslim leader. Little was said in Western media about the fact that in his 1970 Islamic Declaration, which got him jailed by the Communists in Yugoslavia, he advocated “a struggle for creating a great Islamic federation from Morocco to Indonesia, from the tropical Africa to the Central Asia. The Islamic movement should and must start taking over the power as soon as it is morally and numerically strong enough to not only overthrow the existing non-Islamic, but also to build up a new Islamic authority.” Alija Izetbegovic also received money from a Saudi businessman, Yassin al-Kadi, who has been designated by the United States, the United Nations, and the European Union as a financier of al-Qaeda terrorists. Evan F. Kohlmann, author of Al-Qaeda’s Jihad in Europe: The Afghan-Bosnian Network, argues that the “key to understanding Al Qaida’s European cells lies in the Bosnian war of the 1990s.” In 1992, the Bosnian Muslim government of Alija Izetbegovic issued a passport in the Vienna embassy to Osama bin Laden. The Wall Street Journal reported in 2001 that “for the past 10 years, the most senior leaders of al Qaeda have visited the Balkans, including bin Laden himself on three occasions between 1994 and 1996. The Egyptian surgeon turned terrorist leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri has operated terrorist training camps, weapons of mass destruction factories and money-laundering and drug-trading networks throughout Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, Bulgaria, Turkey and Bosnia.” Samuel Huntington mentioned already in 1993 in his famous article “The Clash of Civilizations” in the journal Foreign Affairs that both the Shi’a Muslims of Iran and the Sunni Muslims of Saudi Arabia supplied substantial funding, weapons and men to the Bosnians. Thousands of foreign fighters or ‘Mujahadeen’ from Islamic countries came to Bosnia to fight on the side of local Muslims in the bloody 1992-1995 civil war. Many of these Mujahadeen remained in Bosnia after the war, and some have been operating terrorist training camps and indoctrinating local youths. Terrorists have been working, not just in Bosnia but in Albania and all over the Balkans, to recruit non-Arab sympathizers – so-called “white Muslims” with Western features who theoretically could more easily blend into European cities and execute attacks. Saudi Arabia is said to have invested more than $1 billion in the Sarajevo region alone, for projects that include the construction of 158 mosques. The Islamic world is thus using the Balkans as a launching pad for Jihad against the rest of Europe and the West. “There are religious centres in Bulgaria that belong to Islamic groups financed mostly by Saudi Arabian groups,” the head of Bulgarian military intelligence warned. According to him, the centres were in southern and southeastern Bulgaria, where the country’s Muslims, mainly of Turkish origin, are concentrated, and “had links with similar organisations in Kosovo, Bosnia and Macedonia. For them Bulgaria seems to be a transit point to Western Europe.” He said the steps were taken to prevent terrorist groups gaining a foothold in Bulgaria, which shares a border with Turkey. Bulgaria’s Turkish minority accounts for 10 percent of the country’s population. The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia passed a law allowing ethnic Albanians to display the Albanian national flag in areas where they form the majority. The decision came as a result of seven months of heavy fighting in 2001 involving Albanian separatists, and following pressure from the European Union, always ready to please Muslims. Ethnic Albanians make up about 25 per cent of Macedonia’s population. If the demographic trends are anything like in Kosovo, where the predominantly Muslim Albanians have been out-breeding their non-Muslim neighbors, the Macedonians could be facing serious trouble in the near future. In Kosovo, dozens of churches and monasteries have been destroyed or seriously damaged following ethnic cleansing of Christian Serbs, all under the auspices of NATO soldiers. In a commentary, “We bombed the wrong side?” former Canadian UNPROFOR Commander Lewis MacKenzie wrote, “The Kosovo-Albanians have played us like a Stradivarius. We have subsidized and indirectly supported their violent campaign for an ethnically pure and independent Kosovo. We have never blamed them for being the perpetrators of the violence in the early ’90s and we continue to portray them as the designated victim today in spite of evidence to the contrary. When they achieve independence with the help of our tax dollars combined with those of bin Laden and al-Qaeda, just consider the message of encouragement this sends to other terrorist-supported independence movements around the world.” Martti Ahtisaari, former President of Finland and now Chief United Nations negotiator for Kosovo, caused anger in Serbia when he stated that “Serbs are guilty as people,” implying that they would have to pay for it, possibly by losing the province of Kosovo which is seeking independence. I disagree with Mr. Ahtisaari. It is one thing to criticize the brutality of the Milosevic regime. It is quite another thing to claim that “Serbs are guilty as a people.” If anybody in the Balkans can be called guilty as a people, it is the Turks, not the Serbs. The Turks have left a trail of blood across much of Europe and the Mediterranean for centuries, culminating in the Armenian genocide in the 20th century, which Turkey still refuses to acknowledge, let alone apologize for. Dimitar Angelov elucidates the impact of the Ottoman Jihad on the vanquished Balkan populations: “[T]he conquest of the Balkan Peninsula accomplished by the Turks over the course of about two centuries caused the incalculable ruin of material goods, countless massacres, the enslavement and exile of a great part of the population – in a word, a general and protracted decline of productivity, as was the case with Asia Minor after it was occupied by the same invaders. This decline in productivity is all the more striking when one recalls that in the mid-fourteenth century, as the Ottomans were gaining a foothold on the peninsula, the States that existed there – Byzantium, Bulgaria and Serbia – had already reached a rather high level of economic and cultural development. [...] The campaigns of Mourad II (1421-1451) and especially those of his successor, Mahomet II (1451-1481) in Serbia, Bosnia, Albania and in the Byzantine princedom of the Peloponnesus, were of a particularly devastating character.” This Ottoman Jihad tradition is still continued by “secular” Turkey to this day. Michael J. Totten visited Varosha, the Ghost City of Cyprus, in 2005. The city was deserted during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 and is now fenced off and patrolled by the Turkish occupiers. The Turks carved up the island. Greek Cypriot citizens in Varosha expected to return to their homes within days. Instead, the Turks seized the empty city and wrapped it in fencing and wire. In March 2006, Italian Luigi Geninazzi made a report from the same area. 180,000 persons live in the northern part of the island, 100,000 of whom are colonists originally from mainland Turkey. According to Geninazzi, the Islamization of the north of Cyprus has been concretized in the destruction of all that was Christian. Yannis Eliades, director of the Byzantine Museum of Nicosia, calculates that 25,000 icons have disappeared from the churches in the zone occupied by the Turks. Stupendous Byzantine and Romanesque churches, imposing monasteries, mosaics and frescoes have been sacked, violated, and destroyed. Many have been turned into restaurants, bars, and nightclubs. Geninazzi confronted Huseyn Ozel, a government spokesman for the self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, with this. Most of the mosques in Greek Cypriot territory have been restored. So why are churches still today being turned into mosques? The Turkish Cypriot functionary spreads his arms wide: “It is an Ottoman custom...” A person from Finland, one of the northernmost countries in Europe which has had very little direct experience with Jihad, can perhaps be excused for understanding so little of it. But people from Russia, a country which was once under the Tartar Yoke, should know better. So why are the Russians helping the Islamic Republic of Iran with missile and nuclear technology that will eventually be used to intimidate the West? Are the Russians so naive that they believe this beast won’t eventually come back to bite them, too? Iran is secretly training Chechen rebels in sophisticated terror techniques to enable them to carry out more effective attacks against Russian forces, The Sunday Telegraph has revealed. Islam was controlled in the Soviet Union but has had a renaissance since its downfall in 1991, helped by funds from the Middle East. This re-Islamization of Central Asia should really worry the Russians. They are spending hundreds of millions of dollars on a border security project in the region, partly to avoid being demographically overwhelmed by Muslims. But the problem exists within Russia itself, too. Russia’s non-Muslim population is declining, but numbers are rising in Muslim regions. Will the country called Russia still exist in the future? And if so, will it be the Russia of Pushkin or of Abdullah? It is understandable that the Russians have Great Power ambitions of their own. However, one would hope that they will wake up, remember their history and realize that there are worse threats out there than American power. Paul Fregosi has pointed out that “Western colonization of nearby Muslim lands lasted 130 years, from the 1830s to the 1960s. Muslim colonization of nearby European lands lasted 1300 years, from the 600s to the mid-1960s. Yet, strangely, it is the Muslims, the Arabs and the Moors to be precise, who are the most bitter about colonialism and the humiliations to which they have been subjected; and it is the Europeans who harbor the shame and the guilt. It should be the other way around.” Janos (John) Hunyadi, Hungarian warrior and captain-general, is today virtually unknown outside Hungary, but he probably did more than any other individual in stemming the Turkish invasion in the fifteenth century. His actions spanned all the countries of the Balkans, leading international armies, negotiating with kings and popes. Hunyadi died of plague after having destroyed an Ottoman fleet outside Belgrade in 1456. His work slowed the Muslim advance, and may thus have saved Western Europe from falling to Islam. By extension, he may have helped save Western civilization in North America and Australia, too. Yet hardly anybody in West knows who he is. Our children don’t learn his name, they are only taught about the evils of Western colonialism and the dangers of Islamophobia. Western Europe today is a strange and very dangerous mix of arrogance and self-loathing. Muslims are creating havoc and attacking their non-Muslim neighbors from Thailand to India. It is extremely arrogant to believe that the result will be any different in the Netherlands, Britain or Italy, or for that matter in the United States or Canada, than it has been everywhere else. It won’t. If we had the humility to listen to the advice of the Hindus of India or even our Christian cousins in south-eastern Europe, we wouldn't be in as much trouble as we are now. On the other hand, if we didn’t have such a culture of self-loathing, where our own cultural traditions are ridiculed in favor of a meaningless Multicultural cocktail, we probably wouldn't have allowed massive Muslim immigration, either. There doesn’t have to be a contradiction between being proud of your own cultural heritage and knowing that there may still be lessons you can learn from others. A wise man can do both. Westerners of or our age do neither. Sun Tzu, a contemporary of the great Chinese thinker Confucius, wrote The Art of War, the influential book on military strategy, 2500 years ago. It is a book that deserves to be read in full, but perhaps the most famous quotation from it is this one: “So it is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles; if you do not know your enemies but do know yourself, you will win one and lose one; if you do not know your enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle.” The West has forgotten who our enemies are, but worse, we have also forgotten who we are. We are going to pay a heavy price for this historical amnesia.For the English comedian, see Crissy Rock Christopher Julius Rock III (born February 7, 1965) is an American comedian, actor, writer, producer, and director. After working as a standup comic and appearing in small film roles, Rock came to wider prominence as a cast member of Saturday Night Live in the early 1990s. He went on to more prominent film appearances, with starring roles in Down to Earth (2001), Head of State (2003), The Longest Yard (2005), the Madagascar film series (2005–2012), Grown Ups (2010), its sequel Grown Ups 2 (2013), Top Five (2014), and a series of acclaimed comedy specials for HBO.
I am surprised that election is tomorrow I tweeted that the BJP has not released it’s manifesto. Today Jaitleyji comes at 3 and says this is the manifesto. We did not get time to put BJP leaders pictures on this, will put it tomorrow. It was prepared in BJP’s office did they ask you.” 6.05 pm: Attacking Congress, Modi said, “Any party that is anti-development and prefers to divide society will never be accepted in Gujarat and that is why Congress won’t win. Gujarat has not forgotten the mis-governance of the Congress.” Advertising 6.02 pm: The population of our middle class is rising and so is the strength of our middle class. This section of society aspires to progress at a quick pace: PM Modi 6.00 pm: PM Modi is addressing a rally in Ahmedabad. “After travelling across Saurashtra, Kutch, South Gujarat and North Gujarat I am now in Ahmedabad. What I am seeing is extraordinary. It is clear that BJP will emerge victorious,” he said. 4.50 pm: Rahul also criticised PM Modi over a slew of other issues. “Modi ji now talks about Afghanistan, China, Pakistan. He will take you all around the world. But he will not talk about 22 years of BJP rule in Gujarat. He does not speak even a word about Jay Shah. He does not speak a word about Rafael jet deal. He does not talk about cotton prices farmers are getting.” 4.45 pm: Continuing his attack on PM Modi over the controversial Tata Nano project, Rahul said, “Nano factory has shut down. It manufactures only two nano in a day. Nobody wants to buy nano”. “Modi ji took 45000 hectares of land from villagers in Mundra, Baroni, luni, siracha and Tunda villages in Kutch district and gave it to his friend Adani ji,” he adds. 4.30 pm: Meanwhile, PM Modi has started his speech in Himmatnagar. “Kem cho? have you forgotten me,” he says. The crowd responds “Modi Modi Modi.” Highlighting his government’s initiatives, PM Modi said, “Which Congress Government in Gujarat worked towards bringing water to this district. It is the BJP which has got water and worked for the farmers. It is this NDA Government that saw the importance of LED Bulbs. The poor and middle class have gained most due to LED bulbs as it leads to savings.” 4.20 pm: While addressing a rally at Ranesar in Ahmedabad district, Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being arrogant. “Modiji says. Brothers and sisters. BJP will rule in Gujarat for 100 years. Modi ji has decided himself. See, his arrogance,” the Congress said. People respond to Rahul by shouting “feku”, “feku”. “But Modi ji will know the truth in the next 15 days,” Rahul continues. “Modi ji took the entire land of farmers belonging to farmers and gave it to Tata’s for manufacturing of nano car. Modi ji promised to give job to the youths of these villages. He took your land, water, electricity and also Rs 333,000 crore of public money and gave it to Tata’s. But not a single youth of these villages has got a job in Nano factory.” 3.50 pm: Addressing a rally in Kalol, PM Modi attacked Congress leader Kapil Sibal over the long-standing Ayodhya case. “For the last two days a top Congress leader and an illustrious lawyer has been speaking. He is free to represent whoever he wants to, that is his prerogative. But, why does he want to prolong the Ayodhya Case when all stakeholders want an early solution,” Modi said. “Instead of coming clear on why he wants the Ayodhya Matter to be discussed in court after 2019, this Congress leader is busy saying whose lawyer is he. He says he does not represent the Sunni Wakf Board but then he should say who is he representing,” he added. 3.31 pm: Targetting the Opposition, Jaitley claimed that the Congress’ vision for Gujarat is based on constitutional impossibility and financial improbability. 3.20 pm: While releasing the manifesto, Jaitley said Gujarat’s GSDP growth is highest in India and that the state grew at an average rate of 10 per cent amongst large states in the last five years. 3.10 pm: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has released BJP’s manifesto in poll-bound Gujarat. 2:31 pm: BJP will be releasing its manifesto at 3 pm today. 2:25 pm: Crowd gathered at Himmatnagar town in Sabarkantha district for PM Modi’s public meeting. Crowd building up at Himmatnagar town in Sabarkantha district for prime minister Narendra Modi’s public meeting. #GujaratElections2017 @IndianExpress @lynnmis pic.twitter.com/jrDHrEmWrz — satish jha. (@satishjha) December 8, 2017 2:05 pm: The leader was addressing the media in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. 2:04 pm: Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday taking a dig at Mani Shankar Aiyar’s remarks on PM Modi says, “fun, pun and satire are part of politics but abuse is not part of politics.” 1.48 pm: PM ends his speech. Next stop: Kalol in Gandhinagar. 1.46 pm: “The yield of pomegranates, potatoes and vegetables has increased by four times since BJP government came into Gujarat. Now, I am Prime Minister. So, you have ladoos in both your hands. One in Gandhinagar and one in Delhi,” Modi said. “Now, you can come to Delhi and call out to me and say, ‘Narendra bhai, wait, I have to talk to you’. Will you get such a Prime Minister? Will you get such a chance that for the next five years, Delhi will stand for your service. Press the ‘kamal’ button.” 1.44 pm: Mani Shankar Aiyar meanwhile said that if his remarks caused any damage to the party, he was “saddened by it.” “I had no such intention. I am ready to accept any punishment that the Congress party wants to give me,” Aiyar was quoted as saying by ANI. Modi says, "Now, you can come to Delhi and call out to me and say, 'Narendrabhai, wait, I have to talk to you'. Will you get such a Prime Minister? Will you get such a chance that for the next five years, Delhi will stand for your service. Press the 'kamal' button" @IndianExpress — Aditi Raja (@aditijf) December 8, 2017 1.38 pm: Modi criticised Congress for questioning the 2016 surgical strikes. “Didn’t the surgical strikes carried out by India over Pakistan fill you with pride? Congress was the only entity that did not believe it and raised questions,” the PM said in Bhabhar. “Congress said Pakistan denied that surgical strike was carried out by India. So, do you want to believe India or Pakistan? They said, none of our soldiers got shot. They don’t like Indian soldiers coming back safe from war.” 1.36 pm: Modi accused Congress of backing Aiyar’s statement in Pakistan. “I was elected Prime Minister through the process of democracy. They go to Pakistan and talk about ‘Modi ko raste se hatao’. What have I done to them? It is their mentality,” he said. 1.34 pm: “Congress party hindustan ke PM ki kursi ka aadar karti hai. Aur congress party mein galat shabd prayog karke koi bhi PM ke baare mein nahi bol sakta. Modi ji humare baare mein kuch bhi keh sakte hain. Isliye humne Mani Shankar Aiyar par sakht karyawahi ki (Congress respects the PM’s chair and nobody in the party can use wrong words for the PM. Modi ji can say anything about us. This is why we took action against Mani Shankar Aiyar’s commments),” Rahul Gandhi in Chhota Udepur. 1.33 pm: Modi brings up suspended Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar’s neech remark. “Is this abuse for me or for you? The Gujarati people will give him a reply,” he said. “This is the same man, who went to Pakistan and held a meeting there. He spoke of ‘removing Modi from the way’ to solve the India-Pakistan issue. Why did the Congress suppress this? What does ‘raste se hatao‘ mean?” 1.31 pm: Modi said neem-coated urea “cannot be used by chemical factories”. “It has stopped this black marketing of urea to chemical companies. Couldn’t the Congress have done this? They could have. But their nature is Atkana, Latkana, Bhatkana, as I said,” Modi told the crowd. “Don’t you think that by taking this step of introducing neem-coated urea I have ended business of black merchants? Don’t you think they will avenge it? Don’t you think they want to attack me for it? Who will protect me? I carry my ‘maut in my mutthi’,” the PM said. 1.29 pm: “I have seen the pain of farmers, who is waiting to marry off his daughter but delay in urea turns his crop unproductive. So, I have the mind to frame policies that are friendly to farmers and people. Under, UPA regime, black market of urea thrived,” Modi continued. “Do you want me to work for the betterment of farmers? You do, right? So, we have decided to coat urea with Neem oil. It has resulted in making urea more potent. If you needed 10 kg earlier, now 7 kg neem-coated will suffice. It will bring you profit.” 1.27 pm: Modi blames UPA government for delay in providing urea. Modi said, “When I was the CM and Manmohan Singh was PM under Sonia Gandhi, we kept telling them that I need sufficient urea for my farmers in time. I would keep asking but they would not reply. During the Congress rule, you farmers would have to queue up at nights to purchase urea. And if the merchants did not give you urea, you would have to purchase from the black market. Is it true or not?” 1.25 pm: “So, you have electricity and pumps running on electricity. Now, we will bring pumps that will run from the direct energy of the son, on solar power, and you will not pay a single rupee for electricity,” Modi said in Bhabhar. @IndianExpress 1.22 pm: Modi in Bhabhar: “I want to congratulate the BJP government in Gujarat and CM Vijay Rupani. It was his decision to disburse farm loans at 0% interest rate. Just imagine, the BJP government is paying the interest for the farmer’s loans. So, we need your blessings now.” 1.20 pm: Rahul Gandhi in Chhota Udepur: “Congress party within 10 days of winning the elections will make a policy for farmer loan waiver.” He also said that the Congress would win elections in Gujarat an no one would be able to stop it. 1.16 pm: “People want peace. Congress has three qualities in its nature -Atkana, Latkana and Bhatkana. Tell me, if the Congress was in power, would the Narmada water have reached you?” Modi said. “BJP has brought Narmada into the taps of your homes. It has brought Narmada to your fields to turn them green. It is because there was ‘Kamal’ here.” 1.12 pm: In Bhabhar, Modi asked people to “punish the Congress in such a way that they do not escape to resorts during times of need, punish them to improve them.” 1.10 pm: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi is also addressing an election rally in Chhota Udepur. “BJP aapke liye kya karna chahti hai unhone woh aapko abhi tak nahi bayata hai, manifesto abhi tak tayar nahi kiya,” he said. 1.09 pm: Modi said when Gujarat received the warning of Cyclone Ockhi, CM Vijay Rupani rushed to be stationed in Surat; “When I was CM, I cleaned the streets of Surat during their time of need. I came to conduct an aerial survey in Banaskantha. Congress dumped people.” 1.07 pm: Modi recalled Indira Gandhi’s visit to Morbi in 1979, when a dam burst had caused a severe deluge. “A magazine carried pictures, it is not I saying this. Indira Gandhi walked with a handkerchief to cover her nose while RSS people helped pick the dead bodies,” he said. 1.06 pm: “Where were BJP leaders during the floods? Where were Vijay Rupani, Shankar Chaudhary and other candidates? They were walking with you in waist deep water; Congress leaders were diving into the swimming pool in Bangalore,” he said urging Banaskantha voters to “not forgive” Congress. “A person who does not share in your sorrow, even if he is born of your own mother cannot be forgiven. Will you forgive the Congress?” he asked the crowd. 1.05 pm: PM Modi criticised Congress on their reaction towards Banaskantha floods. “It will take just a minute to find the difference between BJP and the Congress. When floods came, where were Congress leaders? In Bangalore. Doing what? Having fun” he said to crowd. Accusing BJP of horse trading, Congress had flown around 40 MLAs to Bengaluru in July to avoid resignations and defections ahead of the crucial Rajya Sabha polls. 12.55 pm: The PM asks people perched on trees to get down. “You have seen me now, step down. If something happens, it will be accounted on me. I do not want trouble,” he said. 1.00 pm: PM Modi begins his public address in Bhabhar, introduces candidates from Assembly constituencies – Parbhat Patel (Tharad), Shankar Chaudhary (Vav), Keshaji Chauhan (Deodhar), Kirtisinh Vaghela (Kankrej), and Lavingji Thakor (Radhanpur). 12.50 pm: BJP’s Shankar Chaudhary, Gujarat MoS for Health and Family Welfare, Medical Education, Environment and Urban Development, had won the Vav Assembly Constituency in 2012 polls by 11, 911 votes, defeating INC’s Geni Thakor. Shankar Chaudhary and Geni Thakor take each other on once again. 12.43 pm: Bhabhar falls under the Vav Assembly Constituency which votes on December 14. BJP won Vav in 2012 and 2007. 12.38 pm: PM Narendra Modi’s chopper arrives in Bhabhar. 12.36 pm: “You are lucky, you have the chance to show the ‘outsiders’ their place in Gujarat; ask them to account for every thing they have done,” said Rupani. 12.34 pm: CM Rupani said people of Gujarat “have not forgotten the communal tensions during Congress rule when Jagannath Yatra and Muharram Tazia processions could not be taken out in peace.” He added: “Since the 2002 riots, Gujarat has witnessed peace. The Jagannath Yatra and Muharram Tazia processions can be taken out in peace.” 12.32 pm: Gujarat CM Vijay Rupani in Bhabhar accuses Congress of mocking the poor, Dalits, by calling Prime Minister Modi “neech”. Rupani is referring to the comments of Mani Shankar Aiyar, who was suspended by the Congress on Thursday. 12.30 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will shortly address a public meeting in Bhabhar in Banaskantha. 12.25 pm: Gujarat BJP to declare its election manifesto for Gujarat assembly elections today in the presence of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. 12:09 pm: Speaking in Ahmedabad, former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav criticised the ruling party saying, “People in BJP can even go on to say that aircrafts were faulty which is why they could land at the Expressway (Yamuna Expressway) otherwise the Expressway is not upto the mark.” He was referring to Indian Airforce aircrafts carrying out a two-hour emergency landing drill on the Expressway near Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh on October 24 this year. 11.21 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also be addressing rallies in Bhabhar, Kalol, Himmatnagar and Nikol. 10.40 am: BJP President Amit Shah is also slated to hold multiple election rallies in Banaskantha, Panchmahal, Kheda and Ahmedabad districts. 10.35 am: Gandhi on Friday also posed his 10th question to the Prime Minister in his ‘a question a day’ series on Twitter. The Congress V-P questioned the government on the Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana which was designed for the development of tribal people. “Palayan ne dia aadiva samaaj ko tod. Modi ji kahan gaye vanbandhu yojana ke 55,000 crore? (Displacement of the adivasis broke their community. Mr Modi, where are the Rs 55,000 crore allotted for VKJ scheme?)” he wrote on Twitter. Gandhi also raised questions on the land rights and employment opportunities for the tribal youth. In his campaign rallies, PM Modi has spoken of the tribal community, listing the work done for them by the state government. 10.30 am: Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi is schedule to address rallies in Chhota Udepur, Ahmedabad, Anand and Kheda. Schedule for Rahul Gandhi’s meetings on Saturday 12.00 pm: Public Meeting at APMC Ground, Pavi Jetpur, District: Chhota Udaipur 2.15 pm: Visit to Mogal Dham Mandir, Ranesar, District: Ahmedabad 2.30 pm: Public Meeting at Ground Opposite of Super Gas, Ranesar, District: Ahmedabad 4.00 pm: Corner Meeting at Ground Opposite of Ila Park, Tarapur, Khambhat – Tarapur Road, District: Anand 5.15 pm: Corner Meeting, Ground Near Rice Mill, Limbasi, District: Kheda 6.15 pm: Swagat at Magrol, District: Anand 6.30 pm: Swagat at Sojitra Chokadi, District: Anand 7.00 pm: Public Meeting at Vyayamshala Ground, Loteshwar Bhagol, District: Anand Advertising The 89 Assembly constituencies that are gearing up to vote for the next Gujarat government on Saturday lie in the following districts: Kachchh, Surendranagar, Morbi, Rajkot, Jamnagar, Devbhumi Dwarka, Porbandar, Junagadh, Gir Somnath, Amreli, Bhavnagar, Botad, Narmada, Bharuch, Surat, Tapi, Dangs, Navsari and Valsad.The US Marine Corps says it will investigate a video posted on the internet which appears to show US soldiers in Afghanistan urinating on corpses. In a statement issued on Wednesday after the footage came to light, the corps said the matter would be fully investigated. "While we have not yet verified the origin or authenticity of this video, the actions portrayed are not consistent with our core values and are not indicative of the character of the marines in our corps," the statement said. John Kirby, a Pentagon spokesman, said: "Regardless of the circumstances or who is in the video, this is... egregious, disgusting behavior, unacceptable for anyone in uniform. "It turned my stomach," he added. The video, which was first posted on the Live Leak website, shows four men in military uniforms urinating on three bloodied bodies on the ground, apparently aware that they were being filmed. One of them jokes: "Have a nice day, buddy." The other makes a lewd joke about a shower. The multinational security force in Afghanistan, ISAF, as well as the country's government, strongly condemned the actions portrayed in the video. 'Deeply disturbed' Rosiland Jordan discusses the video's content and context "The government of Afghanistan is deeply disturbed by a video that shows American soldiers desecrating dead bodies of three Afghans," said a statement from Afghan President Hamid Karzai's office on Thursday. "This act by American soldiers is simply inhuman and condemnable in the strongest possible terms. "We expressly ask the US government to urgently investigate the video and apply the most severe punishment to anyone found guilty in this crime." In a statement on Thursday, the NATO-led international coalition in Afghanistan called the actions depicted in the video "inexplicable and not in keeping with the high moral standards" it said were expected of co-alition forces. It said the video appeared to show a "small group of U.S. individuals, who apparently are no longer serving in Afghanistan". Lieutenant Colonel Jay Stout, a former US Marine Corps pilot, told Al Jazeera he found the incident "disturbing". "I am disturbed. Look, marines kill to win, and sometimes they kill a lot and that's good, that's fine, that's war. But in victory we are trained to be compassionate, we are trained to be respectful and this incident was neither of those." 'Trained to spread horror' In a statement, the Taliban said the incident was "against all international human rights" but "not the only example of the horrific actions that the Americans have done in Afghanistan". "American soldiers are trained to spread horror and this is one of the examples," the Taliban said. However, the group's statement added that the incident would not affect negotiations with the US after US officials said Washington would send an envoy to Afghanistan to prepare the ground for direct peace talks. About 20,000 marines are deployed in Afghanistan, mostly in Kandahar and Helmand provinces in the south of the war-ravaged country. The video could aggravate anti-US sentiment in Afghanistan after a decade of a war that has seen other cases of abuse. The US military has been prosecuting soldiers from its army's 5th Stryker Brigade on charges of murdering unarmed Afghan civilians while deployed in 2010 in Kandahar province. In that case, photographs published last March by two magazines - Der Spiegel and Rolling Stone - showed soldiers posing with the bloodied corpse of an Afghan boy they had just killed. A Muslim civil rights group in the US condemned the alleged desecration of corpses in a letter to Leon Panetta, the US defence secretary. "Any guilty parties must be punished to the full extent allowed by the Uniform Code of Military Justice and by relevant American laws," the Council on American-Islamic Relations said in the letter, a copy of which was sent to media organisations.DALLAS — Dennis Smith Jr. is flying several feet above the court. It’s the Dallas Mavericks season opener, a sold-out affair at the American Airlines Center, and the rookie point guard with volcanic hops has picked this moment in the second quarter to show off every smidgen of his 48-inch vertical leap. Smith had just baited his defender, Atlanta’s Taurean Prince, into a screen, only to blow by him the opposite direction. He plants with his left foot just inside the line that separates the second player from the third on free-throw attempts, and he rises with the ball in the right hand. He’s barely 12 minutes into his professional career, and he’s attempting a dunk that would be remembered for the rest of it. Prince is behind Smith and another Hawk, John Collins, is ahead of him. They’re both sensational athletes whose max verticals measured at 36 and 38 inches, respectively, at the draft combine — the top 1 percent of the 1 percent, you could say in your best Bernie Sanders accent. All three rise up together like a Hollywood action section. Smith first absorbs contact from Collins and then Prince. The ball flies off one way as the baseline official calls a foul. Smith’s body twists at the waist, his torso parallel with the ground and his legs flailing beneath him. His left knee bends at a 45 degree angle, and he sinks back to the ground awkwardly. Though Smith pops up instantly, he purposefully takes a foul to head to the locker room. The Mavericks call it an ankle injury, but Smith plays normal minutes in the second half. “It was just a rough collision, or whatnot,” Smith says after the game. “I just took a quick breather.” Smith misses the next two games with swelling on the same left knee reconstructed from ACL surgery his senior year of high school. The Mavericks have invested their future in Smith, and he’s a case study for a massive undertaking. How do you make sure an explosive, franchise-changing talent stays that way? We tend to view injuries as a cosmic dice roll, only talking about them after they’ve happened. It’s a backward-facing approach. Much more goes into injury prevention than what’s seen on the surface. Dr. Jeff Taylor, an expert in biomechanics and injury prevention at High Point University, is trying to change that. Taylor has helped author 10 different studies on these topics in an effort to raise awareness in the public sphere. Why? Because what happens before an injury, he said, is infinitely more important. “If you start looking at rehabbing after an injury, it’s already too late,” he told SB Nation. “From an injury prevention standpoint, if we can prevent that initial injury, we’re going to prevent all of the financial and psychological and physical after-effects.” “If you start looking at rehabbing after an injury, it’s already too late.” The NBA increasingly understands injury prevention. Training staffs treat every ailment for cause nowadays, not just effect. A symptom like back tightness, for example, could actually be due to a hip problem. “A preventative approach, in terms of training and preparation for a season, it’s what the NBA is now,” said seven-time NBA All-Star Grant Hill, now a Turner sports analyst. “So it’s a lot different than it was 20 years ago.” Hill is the most famous example of an injury-prone player shedding his label. He played in just 47 games from age 28 to 31 due to severe ankle injuries but had a career renaissance as a role player in Phoenix, which had one of the first training staffs to adopt holistic medical practices. Injury prevention is now a “big science,” Mavericks trainer Casey Smith told me. Mavericks players all have biomechanical screenings that help find what Smith calls “movement inefficiencies.” These often point to asymmetric weaknesses in the body — if one leg is stronger than the other, it can lead to debilitating physical problems. Athletes are particularly susceptible to repeated problems once they have a history. “The biggest predictor of injury in the NBA is previous injury,” Smith said. Dennis Smith Jr. is the Mavericks’ most important patient, and much of that work will happen behind the scenes. But laypeople like us need visible examples that Smith displays on the court to get a clue into the Mavericks’ larger plan. You should have already noticed the most prominent one. It’s the way Smith lands. THREE WAYS YOU SHOULDN’T LAND 1. Don’t land with your feet outside your base. If you’re standing straight up, imagine a straight line drawn from your shoulders to the ground. Upon landing, your feet should be inside those lines, if possible. “If your foot is extended away from your trunk, this often leads to the knee collapsing inwards,” Taylor said. “If you’re talking about knee injuries, that’s a tell-tell sign; if the foot gets out too far, the knee collapses inwards.” 2. Don’t land with your legs straight. Your knee is a joint, so imagine it both 90 degrees — at an L-shaped bend like you’re sitting in a chair — and a 180 — if you’re standing straight up with your knees locked. Upon landing, the closer your knees come to 180, the more dangerous it is. When you land with your knees in a relatively straight position, it hurts your ability to sink into the landing. “The most common way for many players is not even landing on not even necessarily a straightened leg, but a leg at about a 160 degree joint angle,” Ayers said. “So what that does is sends a lot of force up through the leg, and it’s not absorbed by the muscles.” 3. Don’t resist the urge to fall. Especially in a sport like basketball, where mid-air contact is expected, it’s not always possible for a perfect landing. In instances where your leg strays away from your base, or you’re at risk of landing straight, it’s OK to fall down. “Ultimately, I think the two mistakes I see the most are landing on a straight leg and then resisting the urge to fall down when you’ve landed in a relatively awkward position,” Ayers said. Smith’s titanic clash against Atlanta is, in a sense, the worst-case scenario when a player jumps into the air. Every jump requires a landing, and every landing comes with physical force that must be distributed somewhere. The concern with incredible leapers like Smith? The higher up they go, the harder they must come down. It’s simple science. Taylor, the doctor who has studied these situations, pointed out two clear dangers. First is when they land with their feet outside of their shoulders, or “trunk.” The second is when the leg hits the ground relatively straight, rather than angled at the knee. Both actions put additional force directly on the joints. “Something we certainly try to do with our athletes is teach them how to land,” Taylor said. “Land differently, land better, land more safely.” Vince Carter regretted not learning this sooner. He didn’t really figure it out, and didn’t care to, until he was in his 30s. “I’m paying for it now,” he told me. “I would recommend learning how to land because, shoot, I came into the league in the era where if you fly like that, you were allowed to knock guys out of the air and there was no ejection,” Carter told SB Nation. “These guys have it good, to be honest with you. They can say what they want, but back then, you were trying to fly through the air and Alonzo Mourning and [Charles] Oakley could knock you out of the air. It is what it is, but you’d better learn how to fall.” The best way for a player to realize the importance of falling properly is through bad experiences that expose poor technique. By then, though, it’s usually too late. The most obvious case study is Derrick Rose. Even when not bothered by defenders, Rose often landed with his legs too straight. His biomechanical tendencies caused his legs to flail in the air, too. Because Rose failed to sink into his landings, his joints absorbed far too much force. Those examples originally showed up on By Any Means Basketball, a YouTube channel that analyzes potential causes of injury. The man behind it is Coleman Ayers, who runs an athletic performance training organization. He harped on another factor that can help explosive players avoid injuries: falling. “Some players have something against falling down when they land,” Ayers said. “They land in an awkward position, because a lot of landings in the NBA, it’s such a high speed game, it’s impossible to land in a perfect position every time. When you land in a vulnerable position, a lot of players try to absorb that force in the wrong way, rather than falling down.” Rose was one of those players, and his knees have paid for it. And one player who draws comparisons to Rose — a player who has even compared himself to Rose — is Dennis Smith Jr. The good news for Mavericks fans: Smith’s mechanics bear few similarities to the former MVP. He generally lands correctly and on both feet when unhindered by opponents or contact. He’ll sometimes smooth his landing by taking two or three quick steps when he comes back to the ground, another natural way to reduce the force that comes with flying so high. Take this dunk from Smith, his own variation on Rose’s reverse dunk above. Smith’s legs don’t flail like Rose’s did, and his legs are much less straight upon landing: Still, anytime a player flies that high, there are dangers. “His landings are a little more severe,” Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle admitted. No one can land perfectly every time. Grizzlies center Brandan Wright told SB Nation that he was taught how to land from an early age to take impact off his body. He has still suffered from various lower body injuries that have combined with other ailments to limit him to 40 games the past two years. “I used to be, early in my career, a one-foot jumper, but for safety reasons I started jumping off two feet a lot more,” Wright said. “I can land a little bit stronger; I can take contact better in the air. I can prevent more injuries.” He’s not the only player to change his style for health reasons. Clippers star Blake Griffin wrote an article on The Players’ Tribune titled “Why Ain’t He Dunkin?” explaining why he went from about 200 dunks each of his first four seasons to just 68 last year. Minnesota point guard Jeff Teague, now 29, said he stopped dunking entirely. Smith’s worst landings come from his most audacious dunk attempts, such as the ones at the Las Vegas Summer League and that show-stopping attempt in the regular-season opener. So far, the only consequence has been the two missed games, but every improper Smith landing adds additional stress and opens up the possibility for catastrophe. Ayers and Taylor both suggested that the nature of the dunk attempts are Smith’s problem. While Smith declined to talk about his landings for this story, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban told SB Nation that Smith is aware of the concerns about the way he lands. This isn’t to suggest Smith should stop dunking, but not everything can be dunked. Dallas has every incentive to keep its young future star healthy for the next decade, whatever it takes. “He's been working extremely hard to do a lot of things with our guys, with balance, with core, with all those things,” Carlisle said. “All those things help strengthen the joints. He's been doing that stuff from day one since he got here. He's made great strides in every area. Look, we've got to watch it, and he's got to keep working.” The science of injury prevention is just that — preventative. No one can land perfectly every time, and it isn’t a panacea for violent collisions several feet in the air, like Smith’s aerobatics in the season opener. Eight teams passed on Smith in the draft, and the possibility of serious injury in the future may explain why. The Mavericks benefited from those teams’ decisions, because Smith is the kind of player who can shepherd this franchise into a post-Dirk Nowitzki era. But that will only happen if his body holds up, something the Mavericks and Smith are working toward every day. “Can we prevent every injury? No,” Taylor said. “But the non-contact injuries certainly can be prevented.”Two new reports in the US emerged late yesterday of Samsung's "safe" replacement Note7 smartphones catching fire. One, in Kentucky, actively went unreported by Samsung (the fire happened on Tuesday) and caused a man to be treated at a hospital for smoke inhalation when his phone caught fire in his bedroom overnight. The second gave a 13-year-old a minor burn when a Note7 battery failed in her hands. Both reports seem extremely reliable. The case in Kentucky is actively being handled by Samsung (the man refused to give them the device, but Samsung still paid for an x-ray scan and did not refute claims it was a replacement), and the owners in the Minnesota case provided receipts proving the device was a replacement. Return your Note7. This isn't the time to "wait and see what happens." If your retailer or operator will not allow you to return the device, contact their customer support or reach out on social media (letting Samsung know couldn't hurt, either). Given Samsung's attitude of sitting on that first case for five days, it's clear the company really, really doesn't want to go through the pain of a second recall. Samsung and their partners will not act expeditiously unless customers make it clear this is a priority. I can only imagine how many announcements we'll be seeing of cancelled retail sales of the Note7 by various stores and carriers this week - and hopefully most of them will do right by customers and allow a no-questions-asked refund. Additional unconfirmed reports of a replacement phone catching fire in Samsung's home market of South Korea have also emerged, but all that is provided is a brief video.By Miguel Rivera According to Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya, his side is more than ready to finalize a fight between Mexican superstar Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez (48-1-1, 34KOs) and WBC/IBF/WBA/IBO middleweight champion Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin (36-0, 33KOs). There are ongoing discussions to stage that fight next September during Mexican Independence Day weekend. De La Hoya says his star fighter, Canelo, is not holding up the deal and he's not running from the fight. The Golden CEO says Canelo is ready to sign on the dotted line. In an interview last month with BoxingScene.com, De La Hoya revealed that his company made an "eight figure offer" to Golovkin. The amount is reportedly a flat fee guarantee of $10 million. Golovkin is not happy with flat fee guarantee and his team countered back with a firm demand for a fair percentage split. De La Hoya is shocked that Golovkin is not accepting the offer and questions whether the unified champion is fully aware of how much money is laying on the table for this fight. De La Hoya is ready to make the fight when Golovkin is ready to accept the terms. Until that moment comes together, Golden Boy is going to push forward with Canelo's career - which at this moment in time is potentially going to be three fights in 2017. "Golovkin says it's not about the money. Let's make the fight for the people, for the public. The arrangements can be made, so there is no problem, but we have to make the fight. Look, the one who is running here is
][151] In 2012, Musharraf's senior officer and retired major-general Abdul Majeed Malik maintained that Kargil was a "total disaster" and bitterly criticised General Musharraf.[152] Pointing out the fact that Pakistan was in no position to fight India in that area; the Nawaz Sharif government initiated the diplomatic process by involving the US President Bill Clinton and got Pakistan out of the difficult scenario.[152] Malik maintained that soldiers were not "Mujaheddin" but active-duty serving officers and soldiers of the Pakistan Army.[152] In a national security meeting with Prime minister Nawaz Sharif at the Joint Headquarters, General Musharraf became heavily involved with serious altercations with Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Fasih Bokhari who ultimately called for a court-martial against General Musharraf.[153] Taking participation in the arguments, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal PQ Mehdi quoted that "any intervention by the Navy and the Pakistan Air Force into disputed land of Indian-controlled Kashmir would be perceived as an escalation to all-out declared war".[154] After witnessing Musharraf's criticism given to his fellow officers, ACM PQ Mehdi decided to give Musharraf a favour after issuing orders to PAF's F-16s for the patrolling missions near the Skardu Valley.[155] The Pakistan Navy largely remained camouflaged during the entire conflict, and only submarines were deployed for patrolling missions.[citation needed] With Sharif placing the onus of the Kargil attacks squarely on the army chief Pervez Musharraf, there was an atmosphere of uneasiness between the two. On 12 October 1999, General Musharraf staged a bloodless coup d'état, ousting Nawaz Sharif. Benazir Bhutto, an opposition leader in the parliament and former prime minister, called the Kargil War "Pakistan's greatest blunder".[156] Many ex-officials of the military and the Inter-Services Intelligence (Pakistan's principal intelligence agency) also believed that "Kargil was a waste of time" and "could not have resulted in any advantage" on the larger issue of Kashmir.[157] A retired Pakistan Army's Lieutenant-General Ali Kuli Khan, lambasted the war as "a disaster bigger than the East Pakistan tragedy",[158] adding that the plan was "flawed in terms of its conception, tactical planning and execution" that ended in "sacrificing so many soldiers".[158][159] The Pakistani media criticised the whole plan and the eventual climbdown from the Kargil heights since there were no gains to show for the loss of lives and it only resulted in international condemnation.[160][161] Despite calls by many,[who?] no public commission of inquiry was set up in Pakistan to investigate the people responsible for initiating the conflict. The Pakistan Muslim League (PML(N)) published a white paper in 2006, which stated that Nawaz Sharif constituted an inquiry committee that recommended a court martial for General Pervez Musharraf, but Musharraf "stole the report" after toppling the government, to save himself.[162] The report also claims that India knew about the plan 11 months before its launch, enabling a complete victory for India on military, diplomatic and economic fronts.[163] A statement in June 2008 by a former X Corps commander and Director-General of Military Intelligence (M.I.) that time, Lieutenant-General (retired) Jamshed Gulzar Kiani said that: "As Prime minister, Nawaz Sharif "was never briefed by the army" on the Kargil attack,[164] reignited the demand for a probe of the episode by legal and political groups.[165][166] Though the Kargil conflict had brought the Kashmir dispute into international focus, which was one of Pakistan's aims, it had done so in negative circumstances that eroded its credibility, since the infiltration came just after a peace process between the two countries was underway. The sanctity of the LOC too received international recognition. President Clinton's move to ask Islamabad to withdraw hundreds of armed militants from Indian-administered Kashmir was viewed by many in Pakistan as indicative of a clear shift in US policy against Pakistan.[167] After the war, a few changes were made to the Pakistan armed forces. In recognition of the Northern Light Infantry's performance in the war, which even drew praise from a retired Indian Lt. General, the regiment was incorporated into the regular army.[83] The war showed that despite a tactically sound plan that had the element of surprise, little groundwork had been done to gauge the politico-diplomatic ramifications.[168] And like previous unsuccessful infiltrations attempts, such as Operation Gibraltar, which sparked the 1965 war, there was little co-ordination or information sharing among the branches of the Pakistani Armed Forces. One US Intelligence study is reported to have stated that Kargil was yet another example of Pakistan's (lack of) grand strategy, repeating the follies of the previous wars.[169] In 2013, General Musharraf's close collaborator and confidential subordinate Lieutenant General (retired) Shahid Aziz revealed to Pakistan's news televisions and electronic media, that "[Kargil] adventure' was India's intelligence failure and Pakistan's miscalculated move, the Kargil operation was known only to General Parvez Musharraf and four of his close collaborators".[170][171][172] Casualties Memorial of Operation Vijay Pakistan army losses have been difficult to determine. Pakistan confirmed that 453 soldiers were killed. The US Department of State had made an early, partial estimate of close to 700 fatalities. According to numbers stated by Nawaz Sharif there were over 4,000 fatalities. His PML (N) party in its "white paper" on the war mentioned that more than 3,000 Mujahideens, officers and soldiers were killed.[173] Another major Pakistani political party, the Pakistan Peoples Party, also says that "thousands" of soldiers and irregulars died.[174] Indian estimates stand at 1,042 Pakistani soldiers killed.[175] Musharraf, in his Hindi version of his memoirs, titled "Agnipath", differs from all the estimates stating that 357 troops were killed with a further 665 wounded.[176] Apart from General Musharraf's figure on the number of Pakistanis wounded, the number of people injured in the Pakistan camp is not yet fully known although they are at least more than 400 according to Pakistan army's website.[177] One Indian pilot was officially captured during the fighting, while there were eight Pakistani soldiers who were captured during the fighting, and were repatriated on 13 August 1999.[178] India gave its official casualty figures as 527 dead and 1,363 wounded. Kargil War Memorial, India The main entrance of Kargil War Memorial by the Indian Army at Dras, India The Kargil War memorial, built by the Indian Army, is located in Dras, in the foothills of the Tololing Hill. The memorial, located about 5 km from the city centre across the Tiger Hill, commemorates the martyrs of the Kargil War. A poem "Pushp Kii Abhilasha"[179] (Wish of a Flower) by Makhanlal Chaturvedi, a renowned 20th century neo-romantic Hindi poet, is inscribed on the gateway of the memorial greets visitors. The names of the soldiers who lost their lives in the War are inscribed on the Memorial Wall and can be read by visitors. A museum attached to the Kargil War Memorial, which was established to celebrate the victory of 'Operation Vijay', houses pictures of Indian soldiers, archives of important war documents and recordings, Pakistani war equipments and gear, and official emblems of the Army from the Kargil war. A giant national flag, weighing 15 kg was hoisted at the Kargil war memorial to commemorate the 13th anniversary of India's victory in the war.[180] Popular culture The brief conflict provided considerable dramatic material for filmmakers and authors in India. Some documentaries which were shot on the subject were used by the ruling party coalition, led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in furthering its election campaign that immediately followed the war. The following is a list of the major films and dramas on the subject. Many other movies like Tango Charlie[190] drew heavily upon the Kargil episode, which still continues to be a plot for mainstream movies with a Malayalam movie Keerthi Chakra.[191] The impact of the war in the sporting arena was visible during the India-Pakistan clash in the 1999 Cricket World Cup, which coincided with the Kargil timeline. The game witnessed heightened passions and was one of the most viewed matches in the tournament.[192] Notes ^ Note (I): Operation Vijay", were thus preferred. After the end of the war however, the Indian Government increasingly called it the "Kargil War", even though there had been no official declaration of war. Other less popularly used names included "Third Kashmir War" and Pakistan's codename given to the infiltration: "Operation Badr". See also References Further reading Indian literature on Kargil war Pakistan literature on Kargil theatreAn Essential poll shows 24% of Australians supporting a ban on Muslim immigration; a previous poll put the number at 49%. But with such wildly varying numbers, what’s really going on? And are we asking the right questions? So what do Australians really think about selecting migrants based on religion? A new Essential poll shows that Australians generally don’t support discriminating on the basis of religion alone for immigration purposes. The poll asked: “When a family applies to migrate to Australia, should it be possible for them to be rejected purely on the basis of their religion?” Twenty-four per cent of respondents said yes, it should be possible to discriminate. But 56% said no. This follows previous Essential polls which showed 49% of people supported Pauline Hanson’s proposal for a ban on Muslim immigration, à la Donald Trump. False perceptions: what lies behind our attitudes to Muslim immigration \| Peter Lewis Read more Previous polling by Roy Morgan from October 2015 found that 65% of Australians supported Muslim immigration, with only 28% opposed. So, what’s going on here? Why is there such variation between poll outcomes? There would be some variation due to time and genuine changes in public opinion; normal variance due to sampling error; and some differences may be due to polling methods used. A large part is also likely due to the way polling questions are constructed. According to Peter Lewis of Essential, people’s reported concern about Muslims drops when they’re given accurate information on the proportion of Muslims in Australia alongside the question. Andrew Markus is a Monash University professor who oversees the Scanlon reports, a long-running survey which aims to measure social cohesion in Australia. His analysis of such polling variations was published in the Conversation and is worth reading in full here. “Surveys do not simply identify a rock-solid public opinion; they explore, with the potential to distort through questions asked,” he wrote. He gave an example of how changing question structures can affect the response: “For example, with regard to asylum seekers, nine polls between 2001 and 2010 using various methodologies asked respondents if they favoured or opposed the turning back of boats. The average for these surveys was 67% in favour of turnbacks. “But, in 2010, the Scanlon Foundation survey tested opinion on this topic by offering four policy options, ranging from eligibility for permanent settlement to turning back of boats. In this context, a minority of just 27% supported turnbacks.” The Scanlon Foundation has also taken a longer-term look at attitudes towards different religions, with repeated surveys from 2010 asking survey respondents for their personal attitudes towards Christians, Muslims and Buddhists. Their figures show that personal attitudes towards Muslims’ personal attitudes towards have shifted somewhat, with an increase in those with neither positive nor negative views.Yours to discover: Parking garages, strip malls and Tim Hortons drive-thrus. A pair of European tourists say they’re coming back from a five-week tour of Canada, including Ottawa, with a disappointing impression. Now, Holly Chabowski, 30, from England, and her girlfriend Nanna Sorensen, 23, from Denmark are calling out Canadians for our car culture, our obesity and what they describe as the general lack of “fulfilment” in our communities. In an open letter sent to the Citizen and several Canadian politicians — including Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson, the ubiquitous Toronto Mayor Rob Ford and federal Transport Minister Lisa Raitt — the tourists denounce the smoggy, traffic-filled state of Canada’s major cities. (Scroll down to read the entire letter.) “I write this letter to appeal to you to take radical steps to transform Canada into the healthy, happy and sustainable country we were expecting,” Chabowski wrote. Don’t get these tourists wrong: They said they had a great time in Canada. They couch-surfed with local people for most of their trip, and call their journey through some of Canada’s busiest metropolises an “incredible adventure” where they met “the most wonderful Canadians.” Nonetheless, the couple, who just got home Friday, describe their overwhelming impression of the country as “great oceans of car parks.” Chabowski said they expected better infrastructure for bikes and pedestrians. She said Ottawa was one of the “better” places they saw. “We just had this impression of Canada being quite different, a bit more European,” said Chabowski, who has also visited the United States. She said the strip-mall culture was disappointing. “The downtown core, which in most places was quite pleasant, was surrounded by this sea of Tim Hortons and McDonald’s and Walmarts and another Tim Hortons,” she said. “You had to fight your way through to get to the nice stuff.” It’s a far cry from Aarhus, where bike paths and sidewalks are built in to almost every street. “We were treated like second class citizens compared to cars. The air was dirty, and the constant noise from horns and engines was unpleasant.” Aside from visiting major cities including Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City and Halifax, Chabowski told the Citizen they did visit more scenic areas including Algonquin Park, the Bay of Fundy and the Gaspé region. Obviously they weren’t visiting in February. @EmmMacfarlane@jandrewpotter — Bill King (@BillKingLanark) August 4, 2014 Having asked Canadians how we feel about their reliance on vehicles, the tourists picked out a few examples: “Trying to solve traffic problems by building more roads is like trying to solve obesity by buying bigger trousers,” they quoted one person from Ottawa. “We just chatted to people. We didn’t have a pitchfork or anything like that,” said Chabowski. “Most people agreed. Granted, you tend to speak to like-minded people.” The couple notes that a few cities were “making an effort to make life livable” by having small businesses, bike lanes and streets suitable for pedestrians. “It felt like a token gesture rather than a genuine effort to make Canada a healthy, happy and sustainable country,” the letter states. Chabowski and Sorensen encourage Canada to take “radical steps” to turn Canada into “the healthy, happy and sustainable country we were expecting.” Bike infrastructure would go a long way, said Chabowski, adding she spoke to many Canadians who want to cycle but don’t feel safe. Though she cycles every day in Denmark to reach her job as a physical education teacher, “I wouldn’t have cycled in any of the cities in Canada,” she said. Chabowski admits European cities are built differently, with most cities having been designed with pedestrians and horse-drawn carriages in mind rather than cars. “We’re lucky, in a way, because we grew up around these market squares and it grew organically,” she said. “We were given the right basis.” The major defences for why Canada “needs” cars don’t stand up under scrutiny, according to Chabowski. That Canada is a big country has little to do with urban planning, she said, and travel between cities is just as easily accomplished by train. She noted that in Scandinavia, which sees its fair share of snow and ice, people who cycle simply buy winter tires for their bikes. Bike paths get salted before roads do, she said, in icy conditions. “I don’t want to sound like I’m on my high horse,” said Chabowski, who seemed a little nervous to be speaking with the Citizen. But spending all our time driving from point A to point B makes us miss out on some of the smaller pleasures in life, she said. “You don’t have those opportunities to meet people or have those spontaneous interactions, or just enjoy being outside,” she said. “It’s time taken away from your family, time taken away from your friends.” Chabowski wrote that our “fantastic people” deserve better. msmith@ottawacitizen.com twitter.com/mariedanielles An open letter to the people who hold power and responsibility in Canada, My girlfriend and I (Danish) were tourists in your country for 5 weeks this summer. We had the most incredible adventure and met the most wonderful Canadians, who welcomed us warmly into their homes. Apart from these people, who sincerely do your nation credit, our overwhelming memory of Canada is one of cars, traffic, parking and the related obesity and unfulfilled communities. It is an impression that we have since shared with other tourists who have visited Canada. Before arriving in Canada we had a genuine impression of a clean, healthy and sustainable first world country. Upon arrival in Toronto we were horrified to see great oceans of car parks deserting the landscape and 12 lane high ways, rammed packed with huge SUVs, with people going no where. A greater shock came when we discovered that this kind of infrastructure is not reserved just for the sprawl surrounding towns and cities but that highways actually run through city centres too. As humans trying to enjoy Canada’s major cities (Toronto, Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa and Halifax) we were treated like second class citizens compared to cars. The air was dirty, and the constant noise from horns and engines was unpleasant. An observation that was especially noticeable in Halifax was the sheer amount of land in the city centre given to parking. Ginormous swaths of prime locations for living (parks, shops, cafés, market squares, theatres, playing fields etc – human activities which are key to quality of life) concreted over as homes for an ever increasing number of SUVs (most trucks and SUVs we saw contained only one person. The most SUVs we saw in a row were full of singular people driving through Tim Hortens). We asked the Canadians that we met how they felt living in such a car culture, here are a few of their responses: ‘Trying to solve traffic problems by building more roads is like trying to solve obesity by buying bigger trousers.’ Ottawa ‘It’s only 10km to my work place. I would love to cycle, it would only take 30 minutes but it is simply not possible. I don’t feel safe. Instead I park and sweat, meaning after 25 minutes stuck in traffic I drive my car to the gym and waste another 25 minutes of time I could spend with my family.’ Quebec City ‘I hate cars in the city so much that I actually find myself slowing down as I cross the road, in a tiny effort to exert my authority as a human being over all that metal.’ Toronto ‘It seems to me that birds fly, fish swim and humans walk. Except in North America where you are expected to drive-everywhere. You wouldn’t put a fish in a submarine!’ Montreal ‘I am obese. My children are overweight and most of the people who live around here. I am surrounded by fast food chains, car parks and highways. I would love to ditch the car. My neighbourhood doesn’t even have sidewalks.’ Levis As we explored more of the country we tried to console ourselves that at least a few cities were making an effort to make life liveable for humans – small local businesses, cycle infrastructure and pedestrianised streets. However, it felt like a token gesture rather than a genuine effort to make Canada a healthy, happy and sustainable country. Pedestrians were squeezed onto narrow pavements and forced to stop every 100m to cross the road, bike lanes were little more than paint on the ground for the cyclists to help protect the parked cars lining every street. We heard that the mayor of Toronto, Rob Ford, is actually tearing up bicycle lanes to make way for more cars! Walking and cycling are human activities that bring great life, health and economy to communities. Streets that prioritise cars over humans are bad for business, bad for health (mental, social and physical), unsafe and break down communities. I write this letter to appeal to you to take radical steps to transform Canada into the healthy, happy and sustainable country we were expecting. You are a nation of the most fantastic people, we know because we met them everywhere! As citizens they deserve much, much better. Come on Canada! When tourists visit Canada make sure they remember it for for its parks rather than parking. Sincerely yours, Holly Chabowski DenmarkNew York State's recent decision to take a closer look at United Water's proposal for a Rockland County desalination plant has spurred a chorus of voices. Local leaders and activists have sounded off on the move, which will have New York officials examining the need for installing costly infrastructure on the Haverstraw shoreline. The plant, with a price tag that would top 100 million, would turn Hudson River water into drinking water. Officials with United Water told Patch they do not believe state finding will clash with the water company's proposal. "We don't anticipate any significant change in need," said Deb Rizzi, a spokeswoman with United Water. Rizzi said the state has reaffirmed United Water's finding several times over the past years—and also noted further delays to the project cost United Water customer money. Environmental groups—who were quick to assail the project years ago—have lauded the state for taking a closer look at the proposed project. "This is a major victory for the people and environment of Rockland County," said Scenic Hudson Senior Vice President Steve Rosenberg said. Scenic Hudson is a local environmental group. "The PSC deserves strong praise for understanding that this large industrial plant could have big consequences for an ecologically sensitive and heavily populated area," he added. "This proposal merits a serious vetting with broader public input." Local lawmakers have been swift to weigh in since the state unveiled its plan to examine the plant. "An honest and transparent review is what is needed so that ordinary residents will have a chance to make their voices heard," said Senator David Carlucci (D-New City). "Since the proposed plan began, new information that would impact the county's water supply has been discovered, not to mention that there has never been a comprehensive study done on the cost effectiveness and alternatives to this plan," Carlucci added. Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski was pithier than Carlucci, but echoed his sentiment. "Do we need the water?" he asked. "I thank the PSC for agreeing to re-examine this question and hope it will give Rocklanders a clear answer," he added. "Whether or not our county even needs the water should obviously be answered prior to the DEC examining the other issues and concerns with this project." Officials with United Water did not immediately respond to calls for comment; this story will be updated accordingly.CLOSE Coloradoan sports columnist Matt L. Stephens answers reader questions, including whether Rashard Higgins should go pro and his thoughts on the CSU football team's opening at defensive coordinator. Matt L. Stephens Buy Photo CSU wide receiver Rashard Higgins, left, hugs his mother, Jeanette Jackson, before the Arizona Bowl in Tucson, Arizona. CSU coach Mike Bobo will meet with Higgins and Jackson in Dallas on Wednesday about the wide receiver's future. (Photo: Matt L. Stephens/The Coloradoan)Buy Photo It's not a recruiting trip. Mike Bobo isn't going to beg Rashard Higgins to stay. What it is, the first-year CSU football coach said, is a chance to lay out all of the facts so his top wide receiver can make the most educated decision about whether he should turn pro or return for his senior season. Bobo and Colorado State University wide receivers coach Alvis Whitted will fly out to Dallas on Wednesday to meet with Higgins and his mother, Jeanette Jackson, to discuss the 2014 All-American's future. MORE: Higgins seems unlikely to return to CSU Higgins, 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, is ranked as the No. 11 receiver in this year's draft class according to NFLDraftScout.com, and No. 14 by WalterFootball.com and CBSSports.com, which projects him to be drafted between the third and fourth rounds, should he forgo his final season of eligibility. He had 75 receptions for 1,062 yards and eight touchdowns this past year as a junior, following a 1,750-yard, 17-touchdown season as a sophomore in 2014. "I want what's best for all of our players and all of our coaches. We want to provide as much information so that he can make an educated decision," Bobo said. "Obviously, we want Rashard to come back, but at the same time, I don't want to be so narrow-minded that I don't present all of the facts to him to make an educated decision about what he should do." Bobo, who said earlier in the season he doesn't think a player should leave school early unless he's a first-round pick, wouldn't say what advice he'll give Higgins, nor would he comment on if he believes the junior is ready for the NFL. Whitted, an NFL veteran who played receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Oakland Raiders from 1998 to 2006, should be able to provide keen insight for his pupil. HIGGINS: Hollywood's heart is at home with his mother Whitted, a seventh-round pick out of North Carolina State in the 1998 NFL draft, has had multiple conversations with Higgins as of late, Bobo said. Eleven underclassmen wide receivers, including Biletnikoff Award winner Corey Coleman (Baylor) and finalist Laquon Treadwell (Mississippi), have already entered the 2016 NFL draft. The deadline for Higgins to declare for the draft is Jan. 18. For insight and analysis on athletics around Northern Colorado and the Mountain West, follow sports columnist Matt L. Stephens at twitter.com/mattstephens and facebook.com/stephensreporting.A Spanish court has thrown out an arrest warrant issued for a political ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin wanted for alleged mafia links. On 22 January a Spanish judge issued arrest warrants for 12 people, including senior Russian politicians with close links to Putin. Among them was Vladislav Reznik, an MP for the ruling United Russia party and deputy head of the Russian Duma's finance committee. It came as part of an investigation into the operations of alleged Russian mafia kingpin Gennady Petrov, who was arrested in Majorca in 2008 and subsequently fled to Russia when released on bail. In a ruling published on Thursday, 19 May, Spain's highest court said it had annulled the warrants for Reznik and his wife, Diana Gindin, because they were cooperating with the inquiry from Russia. "They are being represented by a lawyer and they have testified by video conference," the court said in ruling, reported AFP. Petrov is believed to have laundered millions through his Tambov Gang's criminal activities, which allegedly include arms and drugs smuggling, assassination, extortion, forgery, and robbery. Spanish investigators claim that Petrov has links to key figures in the Russian political establishment, who allegedly performed political favours for him and gave him information. Among them are Igor Sobolevsky, former deputy director of the Investigative Committee of Russia, and Nikolai Aulov, deputy head of Russia's Federal Antinarcotics Service (FSKN). In a March stament, the FSKN branded the warrant "another move to fulfil a political instruction to discredit Russian Federation officials".IT’S yourself! Come away in, Jeremy. Welcome to Scotland. When we heard your first visit as UK Labour leader was imminent we thought it was only right to arrange a traditionally warm Glasgow welcome. Like the one we gave your predecessor you say? You are a card, Jeremy. Coming to Glasgow with a name like Jeremy, a man would have to be. We know you have been in Edinburgh at the Parliament, so you will not have had your tea. Sit yourself down, and someone will be through in a minute with a bite to eat. Have no fear. Despite some of the patronising jokes you might have heard down south, it will not be a deep fried Mars Bar and chips. Heavens, no. A lovely big plate of sugar sandwiches is coming right up. Wholemeal bread, naturally. While we are waiting for the kettle to boil, it might be helpful to run through a few things about Scotland, and in particular why, at the last General Election, the party proved to be about as popular up here as ringworm. I know this is something that concerns you. Indeed, you touched upon it in your leader’s speech to conference this week. So what if it was for just a minute? If it is good enough for a Radio 4 game show, it is good enough for us. We were chuffed to have any mention at all. As you know, there has been a slight frostiness between London HQ and Scotland recently. We had foolishly thought that inventing the Labour Party, voting Labour for donkey’s years and putting lots of bahookies on the green benches at Westminster somehow meant we were due a little respect. But it turned out that, in the words of a former leader – Johann Lamont, she was the one before “Lucky” Jim Murphy – that Scottish Labour was merely a branch office, not even trusted to choose which colour of Post-It notes it used. That hurt, Jeremy. No, I don’t think I do want to call you Jez. Anyway, here's to new beginnings. And what a fine start you have made, telling us that Kezia will be the head honcho up here, the capo di tutti capi. Yes, she might have said previously that a Corbyn victory would consign Labour to “carping on the sidelines” but she knows her own mind, does Kez. She particularly knows when to change it. Let us crack on then; one of us has a train to catch. By the by, you got the memo about the SNP not privatising ScotRail? Easy mistake; just don’t do it again. So, the first item on the agenda concerns timescales. What puzzles us, Jeremy, is that London and Scotland seem to be working in two different time zones. I beg your pardon? You would rather we kept the word Scotland out of the conversation and referred instead to individual cities? Oh, I see. Apparently, you have been advised not to use the S word because it plays into the Nationalists’ hands. Jeremy, son, if you think the gap between the SNP and Labour in Scotland can be closed by not saying the word “Scotland” then you are even more of a bam than the media have thus far suggested. We will come to your analysis of the problem with Scottish Labour in a moment, but let us return to the timescale difficulties for now. Imagine two different calendars. In the Scottish Labour calendar there is a dirty great red circle around May 5, 2016, the date of the Scottish Parliament elections. Then there is the calendar for UK Labour. Actually, you would have a five- year diary because calendars for 2020 are not even out yet. The UK party’s date with destiny is May 2020, the date of the next General Election. By then, assuming Mr Jeremy Corbyn is still leader, all the various policy reviews will have concluded and Labour will finally be singing from the same hymn sheet. In the meantime, while the party down south is running around like headless chickens debating Trident, benefit caps, Europe and much else, Labour in Scotland has to convince the electorate that it is a united force, sure of its policies and what it wants to do with power. It is good to talk Jeremy, but not for too long. With that, we turn to where you think it all went wrong for Labour in Scotland. You reckon that Labour’s participation in Better Together was to blame for last May’s wipeout. As we said before, Jeremy, the baw was burst long before that. Disillusionment with Labour had set like concrete. Fair enough, you accept that. People have told you that the Labour Party lost its way. “We need to win back their trust,” you said this week, “by showing them exactly what difference a Labour Government would bring to their lives”. In this scenario, your taking the party to the left will go down a storm in a country that is traditionally seen as being more radical than other parts of the UK. Just a suggestion, but perhaps it might be wise to take note of what one of your former colleagues, Tom Harris, wrote in The Daily Telegraph recently. “As in the rest of the UK,” said the ex-Labour MP for Glasgow South, “the hard left represents a tiny sliver of public opinion in Scotland. The SNP have triumphed, not because of their appeal to the hard left, but to the moderate centre, where there are millions, not thousands, of votes.” Have a think about that. What is of real concern is that, when it comes to Scotland and the rise of the SNP, you, in common with a fair few of your countrymen and women, seem to have been asleep for the past 20 years. When you try to dismiss the SNP by saying they are “intent on having the arguments of the past rather than looking to the future” it shows an inability to grasp that independence, the embracing or rejection of such, is the political issue that has defined this country for decades and will go on doing so. It might be convenient to believe that nationalism versus Unionism is some quaint debate whose time has come and gone, and that voters are far more interested in improving education, health, transport and so on. Here is the thing, though. They can be passionate about both. They can see the two as inextricably linked. As you, and your deputy Tom Watson will learn from all the visits to Scotland that lie ahead, the independence debate is in with the bricks up here now. It was not a passing fad, like corduroy flares (although I see you are still wearing those), or motorbiking holidays in East Germany. It has to be tackled, head on. Tough on nationalism and tough on the causes of nationalism, eh? Goodness, look at the time. Your tea has gone cold and those sugar sarnies are untouched. How we Scots gab. Anyway, away and catch that train. Don’t be a stranger now!Eyes On The Street: L.A.’s Grand Avenue Bike Lanes Getting Grander SBLA reader Ryan Johnson emailed us some photos of the nearly-completed bike lanes on Grand Avenue extending from Downtown Los Angeles into South Los Angeles. The first phase of the Grand Avenue bike lanes, installed in 2012 (all installation dates per LADOT Bike Program website map), are part of the Downtown Network. They extend from the T-intersection end of Wilshire Blvd to Washington Blvd, where the Metro Blue Line runs in front of L.A. Trade Tech College. That stretch of Grand is one way southbound, so Grand is half of a paired bike lane couplet with a corresponding northbound bike lane on Olive Street. In December 2013, the Grand Avenue bike lanes were extended to 30th Street. 30th is a sharrowed bike route that gets riders across the 110 Freeway and to the bike lane network just north of USC. From the look of the fresh thermoplastic striping, LADOT extended the Grand lanes again over the past few weeks. They now extend to 39th Street, with the exception of a short gap where there’s diagonal on-street parking at Mercado La Paloma. The lines are striped, but the bike symbols weren’t there yet, as of late last week. This project is another city of Los Angeles road diet, reducing a travel lane and increasing safety. The new Grand Avenue bike lanes end at 39th Street, a block short of where Grand dead-ends at the 110 Freeway. Cyclists can turn onto 39th Street and, after just two short blocks, arrive at Exposition Park, right by the “Christmas Tree Lane” entrance near the California Science Center and Colliseum. The roughly 2.8-mile long facility now connects Downtown L.A. with Trade Tech, Mercado La Paloma, USC, Exposition Park, as well as neighborhoods in the northern end of South L.A. As Ryan Johnson stated in his email:A judicial review sought by the Ottawa police in their continued efforts to fire an incompetent officer has ruled that a civilian police commission’s order to reinstate the officer was “perverse.” Const. Emmanuel Diafwila was ordered in March 2013 to resign in seven days or be fired in a rare case of “unsatisfactory work performance” under the Police Services Act, which governs officers in the province. In March of last year, the Ontario Civilian Police Commission ordered that Diafwila be reinstated as a second-class constable after finding that the force didn’t comply with its own policies before attempting to fire the officer. The commission found that the original hearing officer erred in both fact and law. Chief Charles Bordeleau said the force agreed with and accepted the original hearing officer’s decision. The Ottawa Police Association, the union that represents officers, appealed that decision to the OCPC, which overturned the conviction. Under the chief’s direction, the service appealed the commission’s ruling through a judicial review, which was heard at the end of January. Bordeleau said his position on sentencing remains the same. “I am seeking dismissal,” he said. The police commission initially ruled that the service breached its own established procedure on performance evaluation, that the hearing officer didn’t address Diafwila’s evidence or the evidence of his three witnesses in his final decision and that the hearing officer ignored important evidence. In a 2-1 decision released in early March of this year, a panel of three judges ruled that the commission was over-enforcing a regulation that set out what needed to be done by the police force before an officer could be fired for their on-the-job performance. “The Commission’s reversal of the hearing officer was the product of its unreasonable construction of the regulation, which resulted in its failure to give due deference to the hearing officer’s findings of fact,” the ruling says. “The Commission’s decision was intelligible and transparent but it was not justifiable. It imposed a number of confusing and impossibly demanding preconditions that the law simply did not require.
can save all your hashes and keys, and recall them when needed, on occasion. Some are more secure than others as they don’t sync to a central server which could be hacked. Some people believe that open source password managers are better. Make your own judgment and find one that works for you in terms of ease of use, security features, and budget. Security Suites We also recommend a complete security suite with antivirus and internet protection, not only on desktop or laptop computers, but also on smartphones. Internet protection software and an antivirus will stop any known malware from infecting your computer when browsing the web or installing applications downloaded from “not so well known” sources. Don’t forget to keep your security suite up to date by downloading the latest virus definitions regularly because new viruses and malware are released every day. Once again, do your own research and see which product suits you and your system best. A quick Google search for “antivirus” or “internet security” will present you with numerous options. References [1] The Guardian, “Edward Snowden: NSA whistleblower answers reader questions”, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/17/edward-snowden-nsa-files-whistleblower, June 17, 2013 [2] The Next Web, “This could be the iCloud flaw that led to celebrity photos being leaked“, http://thenextweb.com/apple/2014/09/01/this-could-be-the-apple-icloud-flaw-that-led-to-celebrity-photos-being-leaked/, September 1, 2014 [3] The Next Web, “4.93 million Gmail usernames and passwords published, Google says ‘no evidence’ its systems were compromised”, http://thenextweb.com/google/2014/09/10/4-93-million-gmail-usernames-passwords-published-google-says-evidence-systems-compromised/, September 10, 2014 [4] Google Online Security Blog, “Cleaning up after password dumps”, http://googleonlinesecurity.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/cleaning-up-after-password-dumps.html, September 10, 2014 [5] LastPass, “The Scary Truth About Your Passwords: An Analysis of the Gmail Leak”, http://blog.lastpass.com/2014/09/the-scary-truth-about-your-passwords.html, September 16, 2014 [6] Symantec, “The Simplest Security: A Guide To Better Password Practices”, http://www.symantec.com/connect/articles/simplest-security-guide-better-password-practices, January 17, 2002Fans at Wolves certainly feel they got the better deal. Portugal's Ivan Cavaleiro and Sweden's Oscar Lewicki in action Wolves fans were dealt plenty of disappointment during the transfer window. The ambition and financial clout of their new Chinese investors saw them heavily linked with Benfica pair Anderson Talisca and Luisao. In the end both deals failed to materialise, but it has still been a positive window for the Molineux club. Wales' Hal Robson-Kanu scores their second goal Yesterday they pulled off a real coup by securing the signature of Portuguese international Ivan Cavaleiro. The 22-year-old was signed in a club record deal from Monaco and Wolves fans are absolutely ecstatic at the deal for the talented young attacker. Cavaleiro, who has two caps for Portugal, has impressed in European football with the likes of Deportivo and Monaco so Wolves have undoubtedly pulled off a coup. Ivan Cavaleiro (R) celebrates scoring the third goal for Portugal Fans at the Molineux are rightly excited for the season ahead – with high hopes of a potential promotion tilt. They are also fairly confident they have done better business than local rivals West Bromwich Albion. They signed Welsh forward Hal Robson-Kanu on a free transfer yesterday but Wolves fans on Twitter made it clear that they felt Cavaleiro would be a better buy. Here is some of the best reaction from Twitter… @SmallClaims4 you signed Kanu we signed Cavaleiro — Ben Husband (@BenHusband) August 31, 2016 I'd rather us of signed robson-kanu than cavaleiro. #wwfc — Phil Owen (@flowin74) August 31, 2016 Cavaleiro or Robson-Kanu? Know which I'd rather sign. #wwfc — Simon Garner (@therealsigarner) August 31, 2016 #wwfc - Iorfa staying, Cavaleiro in, Stearman in. #wba - Rejected 100x already, now singing Robson-Kanu. Loving this — Jord (@jrdtalbot) August 31, 2016 @EpsomWolvesOffi I was even hoping for maybe Robson Kanu at 1 point. he can naff right off now. #Cavaleiro — Justin Leadbetter (@BilstonBabby) August 31, 2016 We sign Cavaleiro, Albion go for Robson-Kanu... pic.twitter.com/7vJswxZzit — Benjamin Middleton (@benjamiddleton) August 31, 2016 We sign Cavaleiro as Albion are on the brink of signing Robson-Kanu..... #wwfc pic.twitter.com/hAlmPuEFRI — Ben Woodall (@woodall85) August 31, 2016 We've just signed Cavaleiro and then I see Robson-Kanu is having a medical at West Brom! — DL (@JonDannyBod) August 31, 2016Why isn't it easier to travel between neighboring rich-hipster (ripster?) enclaves Silver Lake and Los Feliz? Both have local DASH bus routes circling the 'hoods, but they're not very popular. They could be, though, if they'd join together into one powerful route that would connect Vermont and Hyperion via Fountain Avenue. At least, that's what two members of the respective neighborhood councils think, says the Los Feliz Ledger. They're saying that a new route could attract more riders and eliminate some traffic by offering alternative ways to get to John Marshall High School and the Silver Lake Gelson's and Trader Joe's. The current Los Feliz route, says Los Feliz's Neighborhood Council Transportation Chairman, is a "loop-de-loop. It wastes time." Plus, the DASH only has a couple stops in Los Feliz Village and only travels the area on weekdays. The DASH bus to Griffith Obervatory comes once every half hour on the weekends—not exactly convenient. The Silver Lake Transportation Chairman says that Silver Lake has been trying to get changes made to the DASH route for 10 years. But changes to the DASH are not a high priority for city officials, because ridership is down. (Would it be higher with different routes? We may never know.) Another obstacle to extending the line, maybe the biggest one, is money, says a rep for the LA Department of Transportation, which oversees the DASH; there's not a ton to go around, so why spend it on a system that not a lot of people seem to use? LADOT is expecting to get a report on bus ridership from an outside consultant by the end of the year, but there's no guarantee that those findings will help the two neighborhood councils make their point any more persuasively. · Los Feliz Wants to DASH to Silver Lake [LFL]Judicial Watch attorney Michael Bekesha joined Breitbart News Daily SiriusXM host Raheem Kassam to discuss 413 pages of newly released Justice Department documents regarding the infamous Bill Clinton-Loretta Lynch tarmac meeting. The documents reveal that Loretta Lynch used the alias “Elizabeth Carlisle” for official emails as attorney general. The emails were provided to Judicial Watch and the American Center for Law and Justice after they issued Freedom of Information requests, or FOIAs. While saying that “this practice went on all throughout the Obama administration,” Bekesha said, “What the concern is, if she was using this email address, did she tell the people that were responding to records requests, ‘This is my email address. When someone like Judicial Watch asks for my emails, don’t forget to search Elizabeth Carlisle’s email account’”? “We don’t know if that was happening,” Bekesha continued. “We don’t know if anybody knew that was her alias so that we could make sure that those records are being produced and made available to the public. It raises more questions that the Justice Department doesn’t share, or just doesn’t answer. The Justice Department didn’t come out and say, ‘Here are some emails, but that Elizabeth Carlisle, that’s really Loretta Lynch’s emails.’” Bekesha said, “The head of the Environmental Protection Agency, Lisa Jackson, used the name Richard Windsor. Eric Holder used Lew Alcindor for a period of time.” Lew Alcindor is basketball great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s given name. Bekesha pointed out that the broad use of aliases comes from “the same administration that allowed Hillary Clinton to use a private email server.” Breitbart News Daily airs on SiriusXM Patriot 125 weekdays from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Eastern. LISTEN:Kim Dotcom has accused the US government and Leaseweb, one of the hosting providers of former file-sharing site Megaupload, of deleting millions of personal files "without warning." #Leaseweb has NOT warned us about deleting #Megaupload servers. They informed us TODAY that servers were deleted on February 1st, 2013. — Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) June 19, 2013 The information stored on the dormant servers – “petabytes of pictures, backups, personal & business property” – was what Dotcom called evidence in the case US authorities launched against him in January 2012. Dotcom is wanted in the US on criminal charges for facilitating copyright fraud on a massive scale. “This is the largest data massacre in the history of the Internet,” Dotcom wrote on Twitter. Lawyers representing his former company “have repeatedly asked Leaseweb not to delete Megaupload servers while court proceedings are pending in the US,” he added. Dotcom, who made a fortune from his file-sharing service Megaupload, is currently under a federal investigation launched by the US Department of Justice after by police raided his home. He is currently free on bail in New Zealand, and is wanted in the US on criminal charges for facilitating copyright fraud on a massive scale, racketeering and money-laundering, which carries maximum sentence of 20 years. His extradition trail is set for August. US authorities claim Megaupload cost copyright holders upwards of $500 million in lost revenues because of content illegally uploaded to its servers. The Department of Justice also believes Dotcom illegally earned $175 million by selling ads and subscriptions on the site. Last January, on the anniversary of his arrest, Dotcom launched a new file-hosting site dubbed ‘Mega.’ We asked the DOJ to release some of #Megaupload's frozen assets to buy ALL servers. They refused. Now the data stored at #Leaseweb is gone. — Kim Dotcom (@KimDotcom) June 19, 2013 “My goal is, within the next five years, I want to encrypt half of the Internet. Just re-establish a balance between a person – an individual – and the state,” Dotcom said in an interview with RT. “Because right now, we are living very close to this vision of George Orwell and I think it’s not the right way. It’s the wrong path that the government is on, thinking that they can spy on everybody.”There's a new candidate for Texas Lieutenant Governor. Democrat Mike Collier officially announced his bid for the position in Round Rock Saturday afternoon. A large crowd of supporters came to the Sharon Prete Main Street Plaza to hear his plan to take on Dan Patrick in 2018. He told the crowd they need a lieutenant governor that will bring Texas together, not apart. He criticized Patrick on his priorities this legislative session, like the so-called bathroom bill. He says if he wins the race, he'll focus on fixing Texas' economy and school funding. "We're very different in terms of public education," Collier said. "I'm pro-public education. I'm pro-teacher and retired teacher and he's not. We have very different points of view in terms of tax policy. I attribute high property taxes to republican fiscal policies. I'll show that on the campaign trail. "When you look at what he stands for you'll see that he's trying to do good for everyone not just for certain interest groups," supporter Sharon Covey said. Collier, a long time accountant at PriceWaterhouseCoopers in the Houston area, was the Democratic nominee for comptroller in 2014. He lost to Glen Hegar. Saturday, he said his experience running in a statewide race will help him in this election cycle.When Stumptown Footy Managing Editor Zach Kay asked if anyone wanted to review a Timbers-themed bobblehead—in other words, if someone wanted to bring a weird-looking plastic doll into their home and examine it in detail—my answer was immediate: Of course I do. Let’s go over the basics. This is a sample in an upcoming line of retro-themed MLS bobbleheads made for the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame, a bobblehead purveyor and yet-to-open museum. There’s one for each MLS team and rather than modeling them after specific players, they’ve gone with a generic vintage look that harkens back to the days when men were men, the Cold War was raging, and soccer was still a fringe sport in the States. Review I’ve decided to review my new friend based on three categories: authenticity, craftsmanship, and functionality. Authenticity At a first pass, this bobble boy is wearing what looks pretty faithful to a real Timbers kit. It’s got the crest, complete with miniature star, the Alaska Airlines logo, and, impressively, the Portland flag jock tag. The MLS logo appears on each shoulder, with the crossed axes on the back of the neck. The only thing missing from the shirt is the Adidas logo on the right breast—along with the trademarked triple shoulder stripe. I’d assume that’s because the manufacturer couldn’t get permission from Adidas. Except, for some reason, the three stripes do appear on the bobblehead’s shorts and socks. Curiously, the right sock, but not the left one, reads “Timbers” in tiny letters. Color- and texture-wise, the uniform is a little off. I don’t have a 2017 kit in front of me, but based on photographic evidence, the bobblehead’s kit is closer to olive than the real one, which has a somewhat bluer tint—perhaps the manufacturer thought that shade of green looked more “vintage,” like a sepia-tinted photo? The front of the shirt also has a bunch of horizontal lines etched into it, perhaps to try to emulate the plaid texture of the real kit, but it doesn’t really work. This is the weirdest part of the uniform: on the back, right above the crossed-axes emblem, there’s an absolutely minuscule line of gold text. It’s fking tiny. Like, probably about a quarter of a millimeter in height. When I first looked at the doll, it was dark outside, and I couldn’t even tell for sure by the light in my kitchen that it was text at all and not just a random yellow smudge. Alas, text it is, and as far as I can tell, it reads, “There’s a party in Portland - No one is sleeping tonight”. The real kit has those words on the inside of the collar. If this is an attempt at an extra layer of authenticity, it’s a misguided one. For one, those words aren’t even visible when a player wears the actual uniform. For another, it’s so god damned small I’m not even sure that’s what it says. Finally, although we all know those words as a line from a beloved Timbers Army chant, the words “no one is sleeping tonight” start to take on a new, sinister tone applied to a normally-out-of-sight surface of what is—and I think it’s time to acknowledge what we’re all thinking—a fairly creepy-looking doll. The bobblehead has, at his feet (clad in vaguely old-timey-looking boots), a lazy facsimile of an MLS ball with a single x-shaped American flag decal applied to the ball’s outside-facing side, alongside the MLS crest. Score: 6.5/10 Craftsmanship This is where I feel our boy starts to fall a little short. No pun intended there; it is, in fact, an almost upsettingly large collectible toy. Here’s the doll with a banana for scale: The doll’s construction, unfortunately, leaves something to be desired. For being so big, it’s surprisingly light. I’d estimate it weighs roughly the same as my equally-collectible Wesley Matthews bobblehead, despite being bigger in all dimensions. The paint job is fine, for the most part, but gets a little sloppy around the eyes. As you can see in the photo above, if you look closely, the bobblehead’s pupils bleed slightly onto his face, giving the impression that despite his boyish smile, he’s filled with a long-suppressed, barely-contained rage. The other slightly off feature of the eyes is that the little white dots representing reflected light on the irises are painted on the opposite side of each eye, which is simply not how light works. The skin seems to have been painted in multiple layers, with a sprayed-on brown color applied on top of the lighter base color. Around the arms, this was done unevenly, looking like a spray tan that’s beginning to rub off. On the face, the coloration is well-applied, but the resulting skin tone—and unfortunately, none of these photos quite capture how it looks in person—is a faintly grayish-yellowish one. I suspect this is also another attempt at making the doll look “vintage,” but it can really only be described as “sallow.” Score: 5/10 Functionality Okay, enough about looks. Time to take this baby for a test bobble: As you can see, a gentle bobble works just fine, but anything firmer reveals an issue with the doll’s construction: the body is too light, relative to the head, leading to a precarious full-body wobble. Score: 3/10 Takeaway If, in spite of yourself, you find this wobbly lad endearing and cute rather than faintly menacing and/or possibly cursed, you can buy one for yourself direct from the Hall of Fame for $25. While you’re there, you can also pick up this limited-edition depiction of Jordan Morris about to swallow the MLS Cup whole: Sweet dreams...Jihadist News Created: April 5, 2014 The Afghan Taliban has claimed over 670 attacks throughout Afghanistan, targeting voting stations and the roads leading to them, in an attempt to disrupt the presidential election. In dozens of postings on its website and Twitter accounts, the group’s spokesmen, Muhammad Yusuf and Zabihullah, and website representatives, have reported that fighters attacked buildings used as voting stations, including schools, causing them to be shut down. Zabihullah claimed that 246 attacks were carried out before noon and that most voting stations are closed, and the number was later updated to 672 before 6pm. The spokesmen also claim that Afghans are boycotting the election, despite the government allegedly threatening to levy heavy fines against them, fearing harm. In one instance, the group claimed a “powerful blast” inside a voting station in the area of Maghul Khelo in Logar’s Muhammad Agha district, killing six policemen and injuring civilians, but noted that these civilians were warned against participating in the elections. Prior to the election, the Afghan Taliban had vowed to disrupt it, calling the democratic process a “sham” to rubberstamp the Americans’ appointed successor to Hamid Karzai. It also warned civilians to stay away from voting stations, considering this a way to absolve itself of responsibility if people are harmed. The group declared in its last statement: “The Islamic Emirate announces again and for the last time, that all parts of the elections are under the threat of attack by the mujahideen, and every polling station and every employee of the elections are in danger. A massive series of attacks will begin all over the country, so the responsibility for whoever is harmed in the bogus elections will be on his own shoulders as per the Shariah and traditions, and it does not assume any responsibility for any kind of consequences later.”Not many expected the Akron Zips to be in the semi-finals of the Charleston Classic, but here they are. The Zips blasted USC 66-46 on Thursday behind strong games from posts Kwan Cheatham and Pat Forsythe, who scored fifteen points each. Freshman point guard Noah Robotham also played well, scoring fourteen points including two threes. Up next for Akron is undefeated but unranked Miami, who just four days ago knocked off #8 Florida in Gainesville thanks to this incredible shot from junior point guard Angel Rodriguez: Rodriguez, a Kansas State transfer, leads Miami in scoring on the young season, averaging twenty points per game. He also averages three assists and three and a half steals per game. Another transfer, Sheldon McClellan from Texas, is the second of the 'Canes 1-2 punch. McClellan at 6-foot-5 plays the small forward role and averages fourteen points and five and a half rebounds per game. Miami's only problem: they are an extremely small team. Of the guys that play meaningful minutes, only three are over 6-foot-5. Tonye Jekiri, a 7-foot center, has been the most effective this year scoring seven points per game. Freshman Omar Sherman and senior Joe Thomas have played decent minutes (both are averaging nineteen) but only average six points between them. The good news for Akron is that Miami's lineup is similar to USC's: guard-heavy. Although Miami's guards are much more talented than USC's, the Zips will have the advantage down low with Forsythe, Cheatham and Isaiah Johnson roaming the paint. Look for Keith Dambrot to feature the frontcourt early and often against the 'Canes. If any of Jekiri, Sherman or Thomas get in foul trouble, Akron should be able to get anything they want down low. The onus will be on Nyles Evans and Robotham to try and stop Rodriguez, who is quick and does a little bit of everything on the offensive end. That's a lot to ask for a freshman, but Robotham is a talented enough of a defender to cover the impressive Rodriguez. The winner of the game will face either Charlotte or South Carolina in the Championship Game at 9:00 on Sunday. The loser of this game will play the loser of the other semi-final at 6:30 that same day.The upcoming episode of Doctor Who, “The Wedding of River Song,” will be the season finale. The biggest question that people are asking is “Who will she marry?” and “Will it be the Doctor?” Someone on Reddit noticed some similarities between a scene in “The Impossible Astronaut” and a wedding: Invitations were sent out, and the Doctor and River Song, dressed in white, stand on a beach while their friends look on, and her “veil” is lifted back… Of course, this is Doctor Who, and so to the extent that this resembles a wedding (with the suit-wearing Silence as groomsmen?) it a very weird one indeed. A lot of pointers suggest that the Doctor and River do indeed marry at some point. When he asked her if she was married, her answer seemed to indicate as much. And when she said she dreamed of marrying him one day, he later told her that he would indeed do just that. This could create a problem for any future attempts to bring the Doctor into contact with his earlier regenerations, in view of the fact that the Doctor doesn’t seem to have known her before the first encounter in the David Tennant era. Then again, up until now the fact that they may be married doesn’t seem to have resulted in them doing anything more than meeting up from time to time. As for who I would have hoped would get an invitation to the wedding, and who deserved to, it would definitely be this person more than anyone else: But I’d settle for a story line in which Susan turns out to be the grandchild of the Doctor and River Song, and that she is eventually sent back in time to be raised by the Doctor’s earlier self, whether intentionally in order to protect her from some danger, or by accident. Then again, the show has recently been emphasizing the possibility of time being rewritten, and so the possibility that what has happened on the show up until now will turn out not to have happened at all, or will have happened differently, is always an option. And if nothing else, talking about such transformations gives me the excuse to share this picture… What do you think will happen in “The Wedding of River Song”?Ant-Man “Micro” – Tournament Weekend! Attention HeroClix Fans and Retailers! The weekend of July 18 is going to be incredible for super-fans, as Marvel’s Ant-Man releases in theaters, while at the same time, WizKids will be launching special Ant-Man-themed micro-tournaments in partnership with US retailers. At stake is more than just players’ reputations in the WES system, but exclusive Ant-Man “Avengers ID” cards that players can use in their own HeroClix games. These ID cards allow the player to bring in support characters to help during HeroClix games, and will only be available as prizes during the Ant-Man Micro-tourneys, so don’t miss out! Retailers, is your store already in the Wizkids Event System? If not, now’s a great time to get signed up, as we’ll be choosing 400 tournament participants from some of the top WES participating retailers, and 100 random WES stores. After you’ve placed your order with your distributor, don’t forget to put your events in the WizKids Event System by July 1!Extremely subtle and profound, Boxing theory is not to be taken lightly. At the beginning of history martial art was of paramount importance; And it was there that science of learning has its root. Its essence has largely been lost, having been distorted to a sheer absurdity. This Boxing is based on spirit and mind, Merits of all schools are included in it. Most earnestly I advocate the rejuvenation of shadow boxing, With a view restoring it to its original essence. In doing so I devote myself to the exploration of theory, While considering the combat techniques as only secondary. To master the quitessance of shadow boxing, Start with pile-stance keeping. With the universe in your mind, You learn trial of strength through perception. Keep bones all over the body well balanced, Bending of joints is kept with a limit. As if it where from high in the clouds, Your breathing should be deep, smooth and gentle. Feeling comfortable and leisurely, You behave as if you where mad. Dismiss all distracting thoughts from your mind, Concentrate on it as if to listen to the drizzling rain. Away from the world your body seems, Nothing is allowed to attached to it. Visible, the form is like flowing water, Invisible, it is like the atmosphere. Lithely you act is if you were drunk, Leisurely you move as if you were bathing. In meditation you face up towards the sky, Without desire you set your mind on nothing. Practicing shadow boxing is like going through a furnace, Everything mental and physical is tempered and moulded. Mind is transformed from within, Breathing is regulated by the quiet mind. In quietness you are like a maiden, In motion you are like a dragon. Discharge strength in relaxation while keeping the mind tense, Let hairs stand out like halberds gathering momentum. Muscles tighten and relax like frightened snakes, steeps are swift as sweep winds. Huge waves rise underfoot which sweep in length and breadth, Like a whale turning and swimming across the sea. At the top of the head a magical force exits, From a thread the body seems to suspend. With eyes slightly closed and mind concentrated, You see nothing and hear next to nothing. Lower abdomen should remain full, while chest is held back a bit. The force discharged from finger tips is like electricity, The tips of the bones are like edges of spears. Be like an agile monkey in appearance, Be like a cat in moving your steeps. Let strength burst out at a mere touch, Make it stay on without interruption. As learner you mustn’t feel mysterious about it, Its plain theory will engender your natural interest. Mountains seem to be flying when the mind is used, Seas seem to be overflowing when strength is applied. Return to infancy to search for the sounds of Nature, Make the body as slithe as that of a baby in bath. Don’t do anything like pulling the seeding to make it grow; But proceed step by step according to the course of nature. Knowledge contained in shadow boxing is infinite, Combat skills constitute only a trifling part of it. First of all strength should be evenly distributed, And the body squarely erect and well-balanced. Motion rests in stillness and vice versa, With spirit directing them both. Route should go through where centre of gravity falls, Coordinate relaxation and tension without slipperiness or stagnation. Turning should be done steadily, accurately and in one breath, Hooking and filing work together and suit each other rightly. Fortune or misfortune, wisdom or folly, it depends upon careful calculation of the opponents intentions. Bending and stretching succeed each other immediately, substantiality and insubstantiality interchange automatically. Strike a deadly blow at the enemy as fast as lightning. Display your imposing manner with an eye-expression of a vulture or a tiger, Move your feet solidly and steadily as if moving in mud. Like a bird of pray swooping down on and a dragon overturning the sea, You are full of strength within and around. Concentrate your mind on the target accurately, mercilessly and ruthlessly, Be courageous and cautious at the same time. Wether chopping, winding, drilling, wrapping or horizontal striking, Make effort to choose the right time and opportunity. Keep on practicing it like this with perseverance, The skill will come to you of itself. Changes most be made in an invisible way, Movements must be performed with no fixed intention, With heroic spirit you can shake the heaven and earth, With a broad mind you have the worlds in your heart. What can this boxing be compared to? It can be compared to Taoist and Buddhist doctrines; It can be compared to Ban Gu’s writings; It can be compared to Wang Youjun’s calligraphy; It can be compared to Wang Wei’s paintings; Being similar to them in profundity and subtlety. How can such great attainments be accomplished? The answer lies in skillful cultivation of the great noble spirit. What has been said above is abstract though, Spiritually you must practice it conscientiously. Reference: Dachengquan by Wang Xuanjie Hai Feng Publishing Co. May 1988 ISBN: 9622381111 Pages: 14-17 Share this: Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print More Google LinkedIn Pocket Reddit Tumblr Like this: Like Loading...The organisers of the Heineken Cup have confirmed that Leinster will face an arduous five-day turnaround in the last two rounds of the pool matches in this year’s competition. The three-time champions will travel to France where they take on Castres at 1.35pm local time (12.35pm Irish time) on Sunday, January 12th. And Matt O’Connor’s side, who are likely to need at least eight points from the remaining two fixtures to secure a home quarter-final, will then play host to the Ospreys in the RDS the following Friday at 8pm. Ulster, who are in pole position for a home berth in the knockout stages as the only side still boasting a 100 per cent record, have been handed a friendlier assignment by the ERC. Mark Anscombe’s side entertain Montpellier at Ravenhill on Friday, January 10th before rounding off their campaign against Leciester at Welford Road on Saturday, January 18th. Munster will also enjoy an eight-day turnaround, travelling to Gloucester on Saturday, January 11th before playing Edinburgh at Thomond Park the following Sunday. Connacht will be seeking an unprecedented third win of their campaign on Saturday, January 11th before facing Saracens a week later. Round Five (all times Irish) Friday, January 10th Pool 5 Ulster v Montpellier (Ravenhill, 8pm) Pool 4 Racing Métro 92 v Scarlets (Stade Yves-du-Manoir, 8pm) Saturday, January 11th Pool 4 Harlequins v Clermont Auvergne (The Stoop, 1.35pm) Pool 5 Benetton Treviso v Leicester (Stadio Comunale di Monigo, 1.35pm) Pool 2 Exeter Chiefs v Glasgow Warriors (Sandy Park, 3pm) Pool 3 Connacht v Zebre, (The Sportsground, 3.40pm) Pool 2 Toulon v Cardiff Blues (Allianz Riviera, 3.40pm) Pool 6 Edinburgh v Perpignan (Murrayfield, 6pm) Gloucester v Munster (Kingsholm, 6pm) Sunday, January 12th Pool 1 Ospreys v Northampton Saints (Liberty Stadium, 12.35pm) Castres Olympique v Leinster (Stade Pierre Antoine. 12.35pm) Pool 3 Toulouse v Saracens (Stade Ernest Wallon, 3pm) Round Six Friday, January 17th Pool 1 Leinster v Ospreys (RDS, 8pm) Northampton Saints v Castres Olympique (Franklin’s Gardens, 8pm) Saturday, January 18th Pool 3 Saracens v Connacht (Allianz Park, 1.35pm) Zebre v Toulouse (Stadio XXV Aprile, 1.35pm) Pool 2 Cardiff Blues v Exeter Chiefs (Cardiff Arms Park, 3.40pm) Glasgow Warriors v Toulon (Scotstoun Stadium, 3.40pm) Pool 5 Leicester Tigers v Ulster (Welford Road, 6pm) Montpellier v Benetton Treviso (Stade Yves-du-Manoir, 6pm) Sunday, January 19th Pool 6 Munster v Edinburgh (Thomond Park, 12.35pm) Perpignanv v Gloucester (Stade Aimé Giral, 12.35pm) Pool 4 Scarlets v Harlequins (Parc y Scarlets, 3pm) Clermont Auvergne v Racing Métro 92 (Stade Marcel-Michelin, 3pm) Qualification for the quarter-finals The pool winner will be the club with the highest number of match points in each pool. The best-placed runners-up will be the two clubs with the highest number of match points out of the six clubs that finish second in their respective pools. For the quarter-finals, the pool winners will be ranked 1 to 6 and the best-placed runners-up 7 and 8 by reference to the number of match points earned. If two or more clubs in the same pool are equal on match points, their ranking will be determined by the matches played between the relevant clubs as follows: * the club with the greater number of match points from those matches; or * if equal, the club that scored the most tries in those matches; or * if equal, the club with the best aggregate points difference from those matches. If ranking remains unresolved and/or if clubs have not played each other previously in the pool stage, ranking will be determined as follows: * the number of tries scored in the pool stage; or * if equal, the best aggregate points difference from the pool stage; or * if equal, the club with the fewest number of players suspended for incidents in the pool stage; or * if equal, by drawing lots. The third, fourth and fifth ranked pool runners-up will qualify for the quarter-finals of the Amlin Challenge Cup.Dear Reader, As you can imagine, more people are reading The Jerusalem Post than ever before. Nevertheless, traditional business models are no longer sustainable and high-quality publications, like ours, are being forced to look for new ways to keep going. Unlike many other news organizations, we have not put up a paywall. We want to keep our journalism open and accessible and be able to keep providing you with news and analysis from the frontlines of Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish World. Iran must not be allowed to develop its nuclear program, Quartet envoy Tony Blair said Tuesday during a panel discussion as part of the three-day Israeli Presidential Conference in Jerusalem. "If we allow Iran to develop nuclear capabilities, there will be consequence, therefore we must not let that happen," Blair said. RELATED: Other speakers at this year’s President’s Conference will include Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, opposition head Tzipi Livni, former Shas chairman Arye Deri, British Ambassador Matthew Gould, US Ambassador Dan Kurtzer, US diplomat Dennis Ross, hi-tech entrepreneur Yossi Vardi – and, of course, President Shimon Peres. Plenary sessions will deal with nations, ethics, trends, challenges, decisions, global perspectives for tomorrow and future media. During the panel discussion entitled, "Nation, Interests and Ethics in the Journey Toward Tomorrow," Blair said he sees Israel as a model for the region."Through it's belief in the creativity and endeavor of the human spirit, Israel can be seen for what it is as a country of hope and human values," he said.Commenting on moral decisions that leaders must take, Blair said "If we fail to intervene where people are being killed, that is a decision that has consequences," and gave Sierra Leone as an example."I believe that today more than ever before, because the world is interconnected, we have an interest in promoting the values that we believe in."Israeli author Amos Oz, who also spoke at the panel discussion, began by saying that he hope's next year's
her for using notes — even while they read from their own notes — and demanded she answer with “yes” or “no,” as if they were prosecutors grilling a defendant. The lines of inquiry that the Republicans pursued were muddled, directionless and confusing, seemingly even to them. As the Democrats repeatedly pointed out, after all the tumult over Clinton’s emails, the proceedings of this committee so far, after several legislative and administrative investigations, have revealed nothing new about the terrorist attacks in Benghazi — their prelude or their aftermath. So what may American taxpayers have gleaned from those 11 hours of hearings, the culmination of an expenditure of 17 months and $4.8 million? They learned that Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., the committee’s chairman, is obsessed with someone named Sidney Blumenthal, a friend of Clinton’s who sent emails to her about Libya and other topics. He’s not just weirdly preoccupied, as anyone could see, but truly obsessed, to the point of choking rage. Those who have followed Gowdy’s conduct during the months leading up to this moment will find this Blumenthal business all too familiar. Having discovered that Blumenthal sent some emails to Clinton about Libya, largely incorporating information he had gathered from retired intelligence personnel, the chairman and his colleagues sought to fabricate a conspiracy theory of the Benghazi attacks that somehow involved him. Actually, “conspiracy theory” is too coherent a description of their aimless maundering on the topic of Sidney (who also happens to be my friend). Gowdy appeared to believe — or perhaps pretended to believe — that if only the secretary of state had ignored Blumenthal’s emails, the Benghazi attacks might somehow have been prevented. According to this theory, she was paying too much attention to him and not enough to Stevens. In fact, as Clinton patiently attempted to explain over and over, she naturally delegated decisions about the safety of the Benghazi compound and personnel — and all perilous diplomatic posts — to the State Department’s security staff. Moreover, her communications with Blumenthal were and are entirely irrelevant to the matters that Gowdy purports to be investigating. Should Gowdy ever really wish to know why it is difficult to protect our embassies, consulates and foreign service officers abroad, he might investigate himself and all the other Republicans who — as Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, acknowledged Thursday — voted repeatedly to slash hundreds of millions of dollars from the State Department’s security budget. By the time Gowdy finally gaveled the hearing to a close, there was little doubt that Hillary Clinton’s composed, dignified demeanor — and the contrast between her and the Republicans — had notched another political victory for her. She had movingly recounted the events of that awful night in Benghazi, explained her actions in detail, firmly defended the honor of Accountability Review Board Chairman Tom Pickering and Adm. Mike Mullen, the board’s vice chairman, and pleaded for a return to statesmanship. Her strong performance rallied skeptical liberals to her side, while furious conservatives whined in despair. And when it was over, she rose from the witness chair, smiling and greeting friends, while Gowdy stalked out, stone-faced and perspiring, as if he had seen his own demise. To find out more about Joe Conason and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.NEW DELHI: Noting that India's rise is in America's interest, the US today said it was looking at partnering with India to work together not only in Asia but also in Middle East and Africa, a continent which is seeing a lot of Chinese investment.The relationship with India matters enormously to the US and the new Indian government has injected energy, focus and vision into bilateral ties, said American Under Secretary for Political Affairs Wendy R Sherman while addressing a group of journalists and students at University of Chicago Center here.Asked about China, Sherman said the US is hopeful that China will be prosperous, peaceful and that the countries could have a cooperative relationship."I am sure we will be competitors in market place, that is good for everybody because then you will give your best. What we ask for and what I believe India asks for is China to play by international norms and rules," she said."If it is a fair playing field, then everything is normal... If China invests in Africa and it helps to create a rising middle class and a consumer class that can buy Indian and American products, we all win," she said."All of us can rise if we follow international norms," she said.Sherman is here along with Assistant Secretary, South and Central Asian Affairs, Nisha Desai Biswal; Assistant Secretary, Near Eastern Affairs, Anne Patterson and Assistant Secretary, African Affairs, Linda Thomas-Greenfield.Noting that the relationship with India is profound, the senior official said her colleagues not only had consultations with broader groups but consultations with their counterparts here.This she said was to see where both countries could "partner together in Africa, where we can partner together in Middle East," she said adding that Asia is in constant conversation.next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 A commercial vessel carrying a ton of supplies for the International Space Station ran into thruster trouble shortly after liftoff Friday and will miss its docking date, despite a day spent scrambling by flight controllers to fix the problem. In a press conference Friday afternoon, SpaceX founder Elon Musk said the company had resolved issues that prevented three of the four sets of thrusters on the company's unmanned Dragon capsule from kicking in, delaying the release of solar panels -- and ultimately preventing the vehicle from making its planned docking date. Dragon's twin solar wings swung opened two hours later than planned as SpaceX worked to bring up the idled thrusters, which Musk said should happen shortly. “We’ve been deeply engaged in trying to find out what went wrong with the Dragon thruster system,” Musk said over the phone from SpaceX mission control in California. "I’m optimistic that we’ll be able to turn all four thruster pods on and restore full control” soon, he added. The Dragon is equipped with 18 thrusters, divided into four sets, and can maneuver adequately even with some unavailable. The thruster issues caused SpaceX to miss its scheduled rendezvous. “Fortunately, we have quite a bit of flexibility in our birthing date,” explained Michael Suffredini, International Space Station program manager. Musk noted that the capsule could orbit safely for up to a month before docking, if needed. And because the cargo is largely scientific, a delay won't put the station crew in any jeopardy. The problem cropped up following Dragon's separation from the rocket upper stage, nine minutes into the flight. The liftoff was right on time and appeared to go flawlessly; the previous Falcon launch in October suffered a single engine failure that resulted in the loss of a communications satellite that was hitching a ride on the rocket. This is the first major trouble to strike a Dragon in orbit. Two similar capsules, launched last year, had no problem getting to the orbiting lab. “It was a little frightening there,” Musk admitted, stressing that the Falcon rocket performed perfectly despite the minor troubles with the Dragon capsule. More than 1 ton of space station supplies are aboard the cargo craft, including some much-needed equipment for air purifiers. SpaceX has a $1.6 billion contract with NASA for 12 deliveries to restock the space station, and hopes the venture will lead to transporting astronauts there in a few years. A company-sponsored demo mission kicked everything off last May. Launch controllers applauded and gave high-fives to one another, once the spacecraft safely reached orbit. The successful separation of the Dragon from the rocket was broadcast live on NASA TV; on-board cameras provided the unique views nine minutes into the flight. Then the trouble struck, and the coverage ended. The space station and its six-man crew were orbiting 250 miles above the Atlantic, just off the New England coast, when the Falcon soared. Astronauts are to use a hefty robot arm to draw the Dragon in and dock it to the station. SpaceX tucked fresh fruit into the Dragon for the station residents; the apples and other treats are straight from the orchard of an employee's family. Also on board: 640 seeds of a flowering weed used for research, mouse stems cells, protein crystals, astronaut meals and clothing, trash bags, air-purifying devices, computer parts and other gear. NASA's deputy administrator, Lori Garver, said using commercial providers is more efficient for the space agency. It's part of a long-term program, she noted, that has NASA spending less money on low-Earth orbit and investing more in deep-space missions. That's one reason why the space shuttles were retired in 2011 after the station was completed. The goal is to have SpaceX, or Space Exploration Technologies Corp., and other private firms take over the job of ferrying astronauts to and from the space station in the next few years. SpaceX -- so far the leader of the pack -- is aiming for a manned Dragon flight by 2015. Competitor Orbital Sciences Corp. has yet to get off its Virginia launch pad. The company plans to launch a free-flying test of its Antares rocket and Cygnus supply ship in April, followed by a demo run to the space station in early summer. Then the so-called operational supply runs can begin. Russia, Japan and Europe regularly make station deliveries as well, and Russia is the only option for astronaut rides. But only the Dragon is designed to bring back substantial amounts of research and used merchandise. This Dragon is scheduled to spend more than three weeks at the space station before being cut loose by the crew on March 25. It will parachute into the Pacific with more than a ton of medical samples, plant and cell specimens, Japanese fish and old machinery, and used spacewalking gloves and other items. SpaceX plans to launch its next Dragon to the station in late fall. More than 2,000 guests jammed the Cape Canaveral launch site Friday morning to watch the Falcon take flight. It wasn't much of a show because of all the clouds. The Associated Press contributed to this report.A bill that legislates work experience is now law. Public Law 20-13, which Sen. Justo Quitugua (Ind-Saipan) authored and Gov. Ralph DLG Torres enacted in late September, would allow fresh graduates to claim up to four years of job experience—even if they don’t really have that experience—if they apply for a government job. Under the newly enacted Senate Bill 20-09, fresh graduates with an associate degree can claim having two years of experience, while fresh graduates with a bachelor’s degree can claim four years of experience—that is, if they apply for a government position related to their field of study. “Gov. Torres was very pleased to sign SB 20-09, SD1 into law and commends Sen. Quitugua and the House and Senate for passing the legislation for the benefit of the Commonwealth’s recent college graduates, who are looking to enter public service,” said press secretary Kevin Bautista in a statement. He pointed out that students from the CNMI have been “venturing away from home” due to the lack of job opportunities. A statute in the Civil Service Act states that only individuals with past experience may be hired in government offices, regardless of their educational attainment. “Such policy is in contradiction to the CNMI Scholarship and municipal financial assistance policies where students that are granted financial assistance while in college must return and work in the CNMI,” said Quitugua in a previous statement. According to Bautista, the Torres administration shares the same view—that P.L. 20-13 would provide more opportunities for college students to return to the CNMI. “The government must continue to be a partner in setting up our college graduates for success. The administration has made significant strides in attracting more recent graduates to come back home, and we hope to extend this trend to all our government agencies,” said Bautista.A group of farm laborers who chose to seek shelter from the suffocating smoke of a California wildfire last week were terminated for taking a break. At least 15 workers at Crisalida Farms in Oxnard, California, found themselves struggling to breathe last week as the Camarillo Springs wildfire blackened the sky with smoke and ash. The blaze damaged more than a dozen houses, threatened 4,000 homes, and burned a store of highly toxic pesticides that caught fire at an agricultural property. Located just 11 miles south of the fire, workers at the Southern California strawberry farm had a difficult time breathing as they laboriously worked in the fields. Their boss had warned them that taking a break would compromise their jobs, and they were faced with a dilemma. “The ashes were falling on top of us,” one of the workers told NBC LA. “[But] they told us if we leave, there would be no job to return to.” On the evening of May 2, the Camarillo fire had reached about 10,000 acres and was only 10 percent contained. About 11,500 people had been evacuated at this point as hazmat teams warned locals not to inhale the smoke – especially since it contained toxic chemicals from the pesticides that had caught on fire. But this warning was ignored by the management team of Crisalida Farms. The workers ultimately had to choose between their health or their jobs – and a group of 15 chose to walk off of the fields on May 2 to seek shelter from the suffocating smoke and ash. When the workers returned to the fields on the morning of May 3, they found out that they had all been fired. “While it hurts to lose work, one’s health is more important,” said one terminated farm worker. Distressed about the situation, the laborers contacted the United Farm Workers union. Even though none of them were union members, the group tried to help them as best as they could. Lauro Barrajas, a UFW representative, met with the farm’s management team and argued that no laborers should be forced to work under dangerous conditions where health or safety is at stake. “The smoke was very bad. [There’s] no doubt about that,” he told NBC. A representative for Crisalida Farms argued that the workers left without permission and needed to file orders before walking off the job, according to the American television network Telemundo, which broadcasts in Spanish. After negotiations, the farm company came to an agreement with the union and offered to rehire all 15 of the laid-off workers – but only one chose to return to the company that put its workers' health at risk.The Laravel 5.5 Shift automates the upgrade of your Laravel application from Laravel 5.4 to Laravel 5.5. Using the Laravel 5.5 Shift to automatically upgrade your Laravel application has an estimated time savings of 1 hour. Requirements A Laravel application running Laravel 5.4. Core Upgrades The Laravel 5.5 Shift automates many of the upgrades listed in the Laravel Upgrade Guide, including: Adding new core Middleware for Laravel 5.5. for Laravel 5.5. Changing the fire method to handle in Commands. method to in. Finding outdated references to Eloquent and Request methods. and methods. Converting old Test methods for Laravel 5.5. methods for Laravel 5.5. Detecting backward incompatibilities within your application code. Updating composer.json for Laravel 5.5. Additional Upgrades In addition to the Core Upgrades, the Laravel 5.5 Shift performs additional upgrade beyond those listed in the Laravel Upgrade Guide, including: Adopting the PSR-2 coding style to match the coding style in Laravel. Modernizing PHP syntax, such as the short array syntax. Converting string based class references to ::class references. references. Updating core config files to their Laravel 5.5 versions. Manual Upgrades There are some upgrades the Laravel 5.5 Shift can not perform automatically. When Shift detects these upgrades it adds a detailed comment on the Pull Request to help guide the manual upgrade.What is to be done? YOGENDRA YADAV THE idea of India faces an unprecedented challenge. Preventing irreversible damage to the Republic of India, as we have known it, is the most pressing political task of our times, our yugadharma. So far the response to this challenge has been marked by intellectual lethargy and political paralysis. A better response would require that we appreciate the dangers, acknowledge the depth of the challenge and then prepare a road map that combines short- and mid-term strategies with a long-term vision. This is what the present essay offers. It argues that the challenge is at once more serious and deep-rooted than we care to admit. We are up against nothing short of a hegemonic regime that enjoys power with legitimacy. Having said that, it suggests that at least some of the sense of doom and gloom that surrounds the defenders of the idea of India is self-created, that we have more resources to take on the present challenge than we imagine, and that this challenge requires us to respond creatively. Paradoxically, this crisis could well be an opportunity. First, a candid look at the nature and extent of the challenge. There can be an argument about whether we have reached the lowest point of democratic freedoms in the history of post-independent India. But not about the fact that we are passing through the most trying time, so far, for the ideals that the Republic of India stood for. While the current challenge is unprecedented, it is not the first time that one or the other constitutive element of the idea of India has faced a serious challenge. India’s democratic record was tainted by the Emergency and regularly smudged by many milder but chronic failures. Our commitment to diversity has been punctured by episodes of majoritarian excesses like the Sikh massacre of 1984 and Gujarat carnage of 2002 and by failures in regions like Kashmir and Nagaland. There is not much to write home about the idea of development for the last person, an ideal that has been practiced mostly in its breach. Yet, the present juncture represents an unprecedented challenge to the idea of India in multiple ways. One, all the core ideas – democracy, diversity and development – are under simultaneous and vigorous challenge. Two, this challenge does not arise from a mere failure or violation of the vision; rather it is informed by a vision that stands in opposition to the idea of India. Three, for the first time the onslaught enjoys considerable popular backing; there is a real danger of the republic being undone by the public. T he challenge has caused more damage than we are willing to admit. This onslaught has already downscaled constitutional commitment to diversity, halted the deepening of democracy and further distorted the developmental trajectory. The present juncture has not just exposed the long-standing weakness of the institutional edifice of our democracy, it has taken de-institutionalization to a new low. The gains from a deepening of democracy in the 1990s have largely been reversed. Many higher education institutions have been politically captured with little resistance from the top. Anti-corruption agencies have either been packed with yes-men or put in deep freeze. The higher judiciary has been part-infiltrated and part-tamed, though not without some flashes of dissent. The Election Commission too appears weaker than ever in the post-Seshan era. The regime has found ways to circumvent the Rajya Sabha. The national security apparatus as well as intelligence and investigation agencies have been aligned, more than ever before, with the demands of the ruling party. Extra-legal actions by security agencies face less scrutiny than ever before, even as vigilante groups on the street and social media trolls enjoy visible political patronage. There is a brazen shift to a ‘growth-only’ paradigm of economic development. Most of the welfare measures introduced in the post-liberalization era face a quiet but effective roll-back. The environmental safeguards built over the last three decades are being dismantled, one after another. There is a naked disavowal of commitment to diversity; Muslims have de facto been reduced to second-rung citizenship, though without a change in their de jure status. A ll these changes have been accompanied by a significant shift in the spectrum of public opinion in favour of a majoritarian consensus, achieved through a mix of image positioning, aggressive ground action and media control. A Modi cult has been carefully built up with the help of communication, media amplification, spin doctoring and social media management. A series of critical events were engineered for assertion of aggressive nationalist rhetoric so as to brand and silence all voices of dissent. Above all, mainstream media has been compromised through a mix of clever spin doctoring, meticulous capture of key media positions, misuse of state patronage alongside brazen use of money power, blackmailing and arm-twisting. The real challenge is, however, much deeper. If this onslaught continues for a significant duration, we may well be looking at a fundamental disfiguration of the Indian enterprise. The end product may not be ‘fascism’ in a textbook sense, but likely something different if not worse. It is hard to outline the features of this evolving deformity, but some of the elements can be anticipated. The political system could be ‘competitive authoritarianism’ where representative democracy and party competition would be limited to episodes of elections, with the playing field severely skewed in favour of one party. In between elections, it would resemble an authoritarian system with a presidential form of governance, severe curtailment of civil liberties, and a higher threshold of tolerance for deviations from constitutionally mandated procedures. Concentration of power would take many forms: state power into the Union government, governmental power into the ruling party, and the power of the party into the hands of one person. Development would mean a no-nonsense rule of the capital, with occasional populist discount but minimum ‘hindrance’ from ecological considerations. On the diversity front, it would be a non-theocratic majoritarian rule with minor tweaking of some of the secular laws but effective delineation of the hierarchy of religious communities. The existing system of affirmative action may be diluted in a series of small steps. For its survival and popular endorsement, this regime would depend on occasional electoral endorsement, informal regimentation of the media, crushing of dissent, ongoing crusades against ‘internal enemies’ and a possible military adventure. To sum up, we may be looking at the mutilation of the idea of India. F or all these dangers, this challenge also presents us with an opportunity. The struggle against this onslaught must not be a battle for restoration, of going back to an India that existed prior to 2014, for it would simply not succeed. It must simultaneously be a battle for transformation. A successful response to this challenge would open up space to renegotiate settled equations in multiple spheres. It can force a reconfiguration of the party system, making way for the emergence of alternative political forces and a realignment of voters with parties. It can also provide an opportunity to fortify democratic institutions, push through radical electoral reforms, loosen up economic limits to politics, redefine the paradigm of development, reform our clearly flawed practice of ‘secularism’, and re-imagine the existing frame of social justice. This crisis may facilitate, indeed necessitate, a radical rupture with business as usual of democratic politics. T he current challenge has deeper anchors than is normally conceded. Narendra Modi is no doubt the face of this challenge, yet he is not the challenge. He happens to occupy a unique point of intersection of multiple lines and embodies the opposition to the idea of India. As such, he represents a constellation of forces, not all of which draw energy from the RSS-Jan Sangh-BJP lineage. While there was nothing inevitable about his ascent to power in 2014, Modi is not an accident or aberration. We are not just dealing with someone who happens to have won an election and captured state power. His popularity has faced its first crisis in the fourth year of his government. The BJP’s victory and Modi’s rise to power has been accompanied by a realignment in the social basis of politics and a shift in the spectrum of public opinion. Thus, the challenge to the idea of India comes from a force that is at once widespread, well entrenched and popular. The Modi regime should be characterized as a hegemonic power since it combines state power with street power, electoral dominance with ideological legitimacy. The Modi regime wields far greater legal and extra-legal coercive power than enjoyed by any ruling party in post-independence India. It uses every possible constitutional-legal power sans the constraints imposed by democratic conventions: dismissal of unfriendly state governments, use of CBI and other investigative agencies and, of course, the use of armed forces. This is supplemented by the use of state apparatus for extra-legal coercive measures: harassment and persecution of political and ideological adversaries, protection to vigilante groups and the misuse of anti-terror laws. The most pernicious aspect of the BJP’s use of coercive state apparatus is the silent, everyday form of surveillance, intimidation and infiltration. This coercion draws its legitimacy from the BJP’s growing electoral dominance. The BJP may not match the Congress in its heyday of one-party dominance, but it does resemble the Congress during its one-party salience period in the 1980s. Despite reversals in Delhi and Bihar, the story of the BJP since its spectacular performance in the Lok Sabha election of 2014 is one of expansion and growth. It has spread to virtually every nook and cranny of India, including the hill states of the North East, and is a force to reckon with even in the coastal belt from Kerala to Bengal, though it is as yet in no position to win elections. The organizational machine, the election machine and the propaganda machine put together make the BJP the most formidable political force to emerge in recent times. I t would be a mistake, however, to think that Modi’s power rests only on political dominance and a coercive state apparatus. The Modi regime enjoys a hegemonic position because it has also successfully secured moral, cultural and ideological legitimacy. The BJP’s and Modi’s continuing popularity in opinion polls draws upon something deeper than an approval of its governmental performance. The packaging and positioning of the PM’s image as ‘hardworking’, ‘tough’, ‘selfless’ and ‘driven by larger national goals’ has more takers than many would care to admit. The BJP has successfully shifted the entire spectrum of public opinion towards its ideology. It has more or less captured key symbols of nationalism, Hinduism and our cultural heritage. The demons invented by the BJP troll brigade – ‘anti-national’, ‘westernized’, ‘secular’, ‘enemies within’ – have come to acquire a life of their own. To be sure, Modi’s legitimacy is categorically different from the deeper ethical appeal of a Gandhi or a Nehru, or even the legitimacy of the Congress in the post-independence era. In a sense, a typical BJP supporter is saying, ‘We may not be ethical as per the highest standards; but what the hell, why do we need to be saints?’ A latent societal meanness has found a legitimate political outlet. It needs to be underlined that the BJP’s hegemony is far from total – no hegemony ever is. Its coercive power is frustrated by the endemic inefficiencies and the notoriously modest capacity of the Indian state. Its electoral dominance peters out at the geographical and the social peripheries. The BJP is not a serious contender in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, West Bengal and smaller states like Tripura, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland and, of course, the Kashmir Valley. This hegemony is predicated on the exclusion of the Muslims and mostly Christians as well. The inclusion of Dalits is still tentative, the peasantry’s association is still tenuous as is its hold over the youth. For all its seeming ideological dominance, it is yet to find acceptance among the intellectual elite, both in English and Indian languages. None of this takes away from the fact of BJP’s hegemony. But it does point to spaces available for counter-hegemonic action. M odi’s rise to hegemony has deeper historic causes which we cannot detail here. While certainly not the only possible outcome, long-term failure of political action and imagination combined with structural deficits in our capitalist modernity clearly contributed to it. First, our democratic institutions have always been weak, subject to routine indifference and occasional capture. At the best of times we have shown little respect for the rule of law and institutional autonomy. This was partially made up by a deepening of our democratic practices, especially in the wake of ‘the second democratic upsurge’. But the gains of the deepening of democracy were not consolidated. The earlier system was unsettled without being replaced by a new one, thus opening the space for a sudden capture. Second, the failure of economic growth to deliver well-being to a vast majority of our population created a political constituency that could be easily mobilized by populist promises. Rising inequality and growing media density in a society gradually coming out of absolute poverty in the post-liberalization era has created a class whose aspirations are completely out of sync with reality. This underclass is an easy prey for miracle masters as well as hate mongers. T his was reinforced, third, by the cultural logic of modernity in a post-colonial society. The imitative character of India’s modernity created a shallow public sphere marked by envy and anxiety. The modern Indian citizen, pushed into urban experience craved for a sense of belonging and self-respect. The failure of the so far dominant liberal-secular ideology to fulfil this need gave rise to a huge vacuum. Fourth, the weakening of the existing instruments of political action contributed to the vacuum which Modi occupied. Over the last few decades, political movements have declined and are forced to exist in an agitational mode, useful for sectoral gains but not worthy of general trust. This period has also witnessed a hollowing out of political parties as they essentially turn into election machines, indispensable yet illegitimate. Finally, the sudden death of modern Indian political thought in post-independent India resulted in a drying up of intellectual resources in politics and disjunction of political ideology from popular imagination. The task of making sense of reality was left to university based academics and high-end media with little feel for or touch with ground realities. The challenge of shaping public opinion was thus completely neglected, leaving the field open to lowbrow media, ever amenable to propaganda, hate speech and myth-making. C ogent thinking about what is to be done must begin with clarity on what is not to be done. So far, this clarity has eluded Modi critics. It is a sign of our times that those who seek to uproot the republic are proactive, innovative and energetic, but the defence of the republic is reactive or kneejerk, if not lethargic or paralyzed. Opposition to the Modi regime is marked by an inability to fathom the extent of the challenge it poses, unwillingness to recognize its deep roots and failure to think beyond quick-fixes. No wonder, anger at history has replaced serious criticism, fear mongering is the only response to hate mongering, fright has prevented any farsighted action. So far, the Modi regime has evoked a series of predictable responses from its opponents: a passive wait for the bubble to burst; simple-minded anti-Modiism, attempts to take on the regime on its own turf, and trying to build a grand anti-BJP coalition. None of these strategies is likely to succeed. The actions, or rather inactions, of the Congress party symbolize the first approach, i.e. wait for an unravelling of the Modi regime by its own blunders, for the Modi bubble to burst thanks to the sheer magnitude of its original lie. Now, it is true that Narendra Modi made irresponsible and impossible promises – achche din, Rs 15 lakh in each account – giving rise to unreal expectations. Even as the public is sharp enough to perceive the gap between promise and delivery, it is also quick to scale down its expectations to ‘realistic’ levels and overlook some rhetorical excesses of a power seeker. By now the Modi regime has accumulated a big heap of blunders, arguably bigger than its counterparts in the recent past. Even as its mismanagement of the economy is staggering – with incontrovertible evidence of all round economic failure such as falling growth rates despite a favourable climate, job shrinkage, aggravation of agrarian crisis, decline in manufacturing and fall in exports made worse by the demonetization disaster and GST mismanagement – the government’s failures in other domains are only waiting to be exposed, be they of its highly publicized missions or of its foreign policy initiatives to yield results when needed or indeed the counterproductive nature of its internal security measures. Y et, a blunder is a blunder only when seen to be such and there are layers of mediation between reality and popular perception. The Modi government’s ‘brilliant’ management of perceptions to turn the demonetization disaster into at least short-term political dividends is a textbook illustration of this eternal truth of politics. Besides, usually, governance blunders have political consequences only when there is an assurance that an alternative would be better. There are occasions when the people could not care less for an alternative, when they just want to ‘throw the rascals out’ as they believe than no one can be worse than the incumbent. But it would be fanciful to think that the Modi regime’s popularity has already hit that point. When the opposition graduates from not doing anything to doing something, more often than not it takes the form of simple-minded ‘anti-Modiism’. A typical opposition tactic in competitive politics, it involves countering the ruling party in anything and everything that it does in the hope that some of the criticism will stick. The luxury of playing opposition obviates the need for coherence and consistency in these oppositional manoeuvres. So, the opposition can criticize the prime minister for spending time abroad; if he did not, he would be accused of relinquishing his international responsibility. Deeper maladies that have afflicted the country across all regimes –railway accidents, malnutrition, farmers suicides – are now attributed to the Modi regime as if they are happening for the first time. The Congress party that drafted and pushed for a GST (Goods and Services Tax) not too different from what this government has implemented, can happily blame the BJP for its consequences. Unfortunately, such short-sighted criticism soon loses legitimacy as the public begins to see it for what it is – opposition for the sake of opposition. These tactics may work once the regime has lost public confidence, but cannot be deployed to undermine the legitimacy of an otherwise popular government. In fact, they could end up eroding the legitimacy of the opposition. A more proactive and consistent form of anti-Modi politics has tried to take on the BJP on its own turf. Over the last three years, ideological and political opposition to the Modi regime has focused on its jingoist nationalist rhetoric, its anti-minority stance and its promotion of obscurantism. Hence, the campaigns against cow vigilante-led lynching, award wapasi to protest against the murder of rationalists, opposition to the move for a uniform civil code, questioning of the ‘surgical strikes’, a critique of brutality by security forces in Kashmir Valley and elsewhere, mobilization against the murder of Gauri Lankesh and rejection of anti-Romeo squads, and so on. There is no doubt that each of these acts of opposition is in itself worth undertaking and necessary. Yet, taken together, an obsessive focus on these issues plays into the hands of the sangh parivar. The Modi regime might even welcome criticism on these counts, as it would bring desired publicity for the regime. An indictment of Modi regime for its anti-minority orientation sends a positive signal to the majority community that the regime stands with them. The opposition to a uniform civil code usually ends up as evidence of politics of ‘minority appeasement’. Any questioning of the regime for its jingoist nationalism ends up reconfirming its nationalist credentials. It is not that the regime cannot or should not be confronted on its cultural agenda. The present essay goes on to suggest several long-term measures to this end. Yet, we must admit that as of now the opposition does not possess cultural weapons to match the BJP in this battle. A premature battle on this ground can be counterproductive. F inally, much of the oppositional politics falls back on forging a grand coalition of anti-BJP parties. As we inch towards 2019, this anti-BJPism (to replace anti-Congressism) seems to be the default strategy, or perhaps a response of helplessness that the opposition is drifting towards. The logic is self-evident. On the face of it, there is an arithmetic advantage to a pre-election coalition in a first past the post system. Aggregation of non-BJP votes can help the opposition edge past the BJP, even if it retains its peak vote share of the 2014 parliamentary elections. This can be decisive in states like Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka where the non-BJP parties enjoy a distinct and complementary vote base, provided it is transferable. Besides actual aggregation, opposition unity can also help create a perception of winability and the possibility of an alternative to the BJP at the national level. B ut these possible advantages of opposition unity may not translate as well in a real life scenario. For one, the benefits from an aggregation of votes are overstated. First, opposition unity is irrelevant in a large number of states. These states either witness a direct BJP-Congress contest, with virtually no other party for the Congress to align with, or do not have the BJP as one of the top two parties. Second, the mechanical advantages of aggregation of votes may be overstated in many cases where votes of non-BJP parties are either non-complimentary (Congress and JDS in Karnataka) or non-transferable (CPM and Congress in WB and Kerala, also SP and BSP in UP?). Third, the benefits of opposition unity may be uncertain when possible allies – parties like TRS, TDP, DMK, JKNC, BJD and BSP – could as easily shift their loyalty to the BJP in a post-poll scenario. Moreover, the calculus of arithmetic advantage of opposition unity fails to add up some serious minuses. One, unity of major parties (e.g. RJD and JDU in Bihar, regional party and Congress in Odisha, Telangana and Andhra) tends to create a void, as many voters of either party feel ‘orphaned’. This space vacated by the opposition could result in a consolidation of votes in favour of the BJP. Two, the perception of everyone ‘ganging up’ against Modi can create sympathy for him. He could well improvise upon the famous retort used to deadly effect by Indira Gandhi vis-à-vis the Grand Alliance against her in 1971: ‘Woh kehte hain Indira hatao, main kehti hoon garibi hatao.’ The bottom line on a grand anti-BJP alliance is simply this: a carefully crafted unity of major oppositional forces may yield some dividends for opposing the Modi regime in 2019, but a ragtag coalition of all non-BJP parties cannot be an alternative to Modi; an electoral alliance cannot substitute for a coherent vision, a credible leadership and a clear road map. W hat, then, is to be done? In one word: think. Those of us who are serious about taking on this challenge to the foundations of the republic
Earth’s acceleration.” The researchers, however, are looking for something else — they want to simulate complex quantum systems. Many physicists are currently trying to simulate plant photosynthesis this way with small quantum systems, because the photosynthesis phenomena can’t be simulated by today’s supercomputers. The first step to a simulator like this would consist of modeling the movement of electrons in solid bodies, gaining insight for electronic devices. For something like this to work, though, in addition to the individual atoms being well controlled, they would have to be linked together using the laws of quantum mechanics. “For us, an atom is a well-controlled and oiled cog,” said Dr. Andrea Alberti, the team lead for the Bonn experiment. “You can build a calculator with remarkable performance using these cogs, but in order for it to work, they have to engage.” “This is where the actual significance of splitting atoms lies: Because the two halves are put back together again, they can make contact with adjacent atoms to their left and right and then share it. This allows a small network of atoms to form that can be used — like in the memory of a computer — to simulate and control real systems, which would make their secrets more accessible.” Source: University of Bonn Image Credits: molecule and Model via ShuterstockApple chief Tim Cook launches the Apple Watch. AP People are balking at the price of the Apple Watch — up to £13,500! — and questioning whether there will be a real market for them. It doesn't work unless you also carry an iPhone. And they're expensive — they start at £299 ($349). A gold Apple Watch Edition may be technologically obsolete in a couple of years, like an iPhone 4. Who knows if you will be able to keep that £13,500 ($17,000) trinket updated? If you're one of those people who is saying right now, "I don't want a smart watch, I don't want an Apple Watch," then just remember what happened back in 2007, when Apple introduced the iPhone for the first time. There were lots of people who did not want a smartphone. Now everyone has one. Here is why. Apple Watch will be huge, for one obvious reason. Apple has once again launched a product that markets itself through product signalling. This time — and this is the really interesting bit — the watch's signal is both a marketing gimmick and a specific technical function of the watch. Product signalling is an extremely important part of the way products become widely adopted and Apple is a master at it. Here is how it works: A huge part of getting people to buy a new product is to have the product advertise itself by repeatedly signalling its presence to others until it feels like "everyone" around you has one of these things except you. The best non-tech example of this is Corona beer. There is no reason for a lime to be in the top of a bottle of Corona. But ever since Grupo Modelo figured out that you sell more Corona if bartenders put limes in the top, limes and corona have gone together. It works because when a customer sees someone else getting a bottle with a lime in it for the first time, they say "what is that? And can I have one too?" A Corona with a lime in is distinctive. If you get any other pint of beer in a glass, there is no way for anyone to tell what brand you're drinking. Apple has a history of marketing via product signalling. When the iPod launched, it had white earbuds and wires. Until then, headphone wires were mostly generic black. The white wires and buds signalled to everyone, "Hey, I have an iPod." Getting your own white wires was like joining a visual club. Not having white wires announced, "I don't have an iPod. I have a sad, off-brand music player." After a short time, everyone had white wires coming out of their ears. The iPhone was an extension of this. When the iPhone launched first launched in 2007, it was easy to figure out who owned a new iPhone — because those people told you about their new iPhone every five minutes. One of the reasons people were able to do that was because the phone had a lot to talk about. Messages! Photos! Apps for things! The device signalled its presence because there was so much for users to talk about to their friends. But the iPhone has stopped signalling its presence. Everyone has a smartphone now. The iPhone isn't that distinctive anymore. When I switched from iPhone to Samsung's massive, white Galaxy Note 4 I was surprised by how much more strongly the Note signalled its presence than an iPhone. As I said at the time, one cool thing about the Note 4 is that if you want to draw attention to yourself, just pull it out of your pocket and plunk it down on the table in any social setting. It's so massive, it just stops the conversation right there. It's like sitting at a bar in a Hummer. Now, any wearer of the Apple Watch will be checking it repeatedly, or get notified via alerts to check it repeatedly, so that everyone around them will know they're wearing an Apple Watch. Apple Watch wearers will instantly become the most annoying people in meetings at work because they won't be paying attention — they will be checking their wrists and signalling the product to everyone else around them. Your PowerPoint is boring. I have an Apple Watch! (Prediction: some companies will make headlines when they ban the watches from meetings.) Early adopters will function like free ads. Later adopters will make it feel like "everyone" has one. And the very late adopters will be constantly reminded that they are just that — late to the party. You can share your heart beat with another Apple Watch user. Apple The Apple Watch actually has a built in signalling device that will enhance its sales. The Digital Touch function lets users send a pulse signal, their heartbeat, to a "friend." And by "friend" obviously we're talking about lover. This is an extra added bonus: The heartbeat signal is a great couples gift. Every time one sends the heartbeat signal to the other, attention will be drawn to the watch, which will then do its job as a self-ad. Other couples will then be pressured into getting watches as love gifts. After all, if you really loved me, you'd have bought me an Apple Watch like Joe and Joanne over there, right? Not these lousy flowers! The genius of all this is that while the Apple Watch is signalling itself and advertising itself all over the world, it will be dragging iPhone sales behind it. You can't use the watch without the phone, in much the same way as you couldn't use the iPod without a Mac and iTunes. So if you're buying one you're buying the other. That's why Apple Watch will be at least as important as the iPod was at its peak to Apple sales. Cantor Fitzgerald estimates 20 million units will be sold in the first year. The iPod routinely sold 20 million units per quarter at its height (usually in Q4, for Christmas).Former NBA star (and, briefly, Los Angeles Clippers coach) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar appeared on This Week with George Stephanopoulos to discuss Clippers owner Donald Sterling’s lifetime ban. He argued that racism still persists in our culture, and said the league and the public needed to focus more consistently on the underlying issues of race in sports. “I did a little bit of research: more whites believe in ghosts than believe in racism,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “That’s why we have shows like Ghostbusters and not shows like Racistbusters. It’s something that’s still part of our culture. People hold on to some of these ideas and practices, just out of habit and saying, ‘Well, that’s the way it always was.’ But things have to change.” “I think all the NBA has to do right now is keep the issue in people’s minds when it’s appropriate,” Abdul-Jabbar said. “It’s not something you can constantly be harping on. But when it’s appropriate, and they see people doing things that don’t line up with how we’re supposed to be feeling about things, then people have to speak up. It’s like watching the temperature. Somebody gets a temperature, something might be wrong. You gotta deal with it quickly.” Watch the clip below, via ABC News: [h/t POLITICO] [Image via screengrab] —— >> Follow Evan McMurry (@evanmcmurry) on Twitter Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.comA Friday afternoon bank robbery in La Porte, Ind. was followed by a more than 100 mile police chase that included money being tossed out of a vehicle's window and onto the Interstate. A La Porte Savings Bank location, at 6959 W. Johnson Rd., in La Porte, was robbed at gunpoint, police said. The robber fled in a vehicle and got on Interstate 94, ultimately crossing the state line. Along the way, several drivers reported seeing money blowing in the wind and covering the roadway. "There was a bank robbery and all the money was on the highway! We gave it back to the police though #goodsmaritan," Marissa Villarrubia said in a message and photo posted to Instagram. Police Chase Suspected Bank Robber, Make Arrest NBC Chicago's helicopter was in the air as police chased a driver suspected of robbing a bank, surround an Elburn home and make an arrest. (Published Friday, April 20, 2012) David Ziesel, 32, was ultimately arrested at a home in Elburn, in Kane County, at about 3:30 p.m. NBC Chicago's helicopter was above the home when authorities walked a handcuffed man out of the home. The pursuit involved authorities from the Indiana State Police, Porter and Lake counties in Indiana and Kane County. Ziesel was charged in Kane County with aggravated fleeing and attempted to elude a police officer, a class 4 felony, and resisting a peace officer, a class A misdemeanor. Charges in other jurisdictions are pending. Villarrubia posted this photo of some of the estimeted $5,000 in cash she and friends picked up from the road:(CNN) The tears didn't stop, but they were tears of joy. After almost four months apart, Dilbireen, a 2-year-old Yazidi boy, was reunited with his parents and his newborn brother at the Hilton Boston Logan Airport hotel Monday night. His parents, Ajeel Muhsin and Flosa Khalaf, couldn't contain their emotion. "They both burst into tears," said Sally Becker, founder of the UK-based charity Road to Peace, which facilitated Dilbireen's reunion with his family. Dilbireen, who traveled to the United States with his father and Becker in October to undergo medical treatment and surgeries for severe burns, simply smiled and gazed at his parents and the baby brother he had never met, until now. CNN was there exclusively to capture the reunion. "Thank God we're all together again," Muhsin said in comments translated from Kurdish. "I want to thank everyone involved in this, to help us come here to do his surgeries," Muhsin said. "It's really hard to stay away from your child even when they're healthy, let alone he was burned and he was here alone." The only one who wasn't crying during the reunion was Dilbireen, noted Becker. She accompanied the family on their flight from Iraq to the US on Monday. "It's been a long time, but he completely accepted them, and it's as if they've never been away now," Becker said of Dilbireen's reaction to his family. "And he seems to love his little brother. That's terrific, but it's been a very long road, this road to peace. A lot of false starts." Overcoming bumps along the road Dilbireen's parents have been desperately waiting to be by their son's side since their visas were revoked in early January and a passport application for Dilbireen's brother was denied. Later that month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to keep most citizens of seven predominately Muslim nations from entering the US for at least 90 days from when the order was signed. Iraq, the family's homeland, was among the nations affected, leaving Dilbireen's parents even more concerned that they would not be able to visit their son in the United States and bring him home. While the family was in limbo, Dilbireen was left in the care of Adlay Kejjan, director of the Yazidi American Women Organization. The next round of surgeries he needed were put on hold until his parents and newborn brother could enter the United States. JUST WATCHED Burned toddler's future waits on Trump's ban Replay More Videos... MUST WATCH Burned toddler's future waits on Trump's ban 03:36 Last week, desperation turned into joy for Dilbireen's family, all of whom had been issued new US visas to accompany Dilbireen as he continues his treatments at Shriners Hospitals for Children in Boston. "Dilbireen requires intensive surgery, and the aftercare is extensive. Having both his mother and father here to provide that care will make an enormous difference in his recovery both physically and emotionally," said Scott LaStaiti, a Los Angeles-based film producer and philanthropist who was involved in finding Dilbireen medical care. "In terms of his overall well-being, he's a 2-year-old child who has been without his parents for several months now. I do not think I can begin to quantify the benefits of being reunited with his family again, including his baby brother," LaStaiti said. A family seeking solace from terror Dilbireen, whose name means "wounded heart" in Kurdish, was born January 4, 2015, at a camp for internally displaced persons. His family, who are Yazidis, fled to the camp to escape the carnage being committed by ISIS near their home. The United States declared last year that ISIS committed genocide against the Yazidis, a minority group in Iraq living around Mount Sinjar. Then, on Dilbireen's first birthday, the family experienced more heartbreak. Photos: Yazidi toddler waits without his parents for surgery Dilbireen Muhsin, a 2-year-old boy from Iraq's Yazidi community, was born in a refugee camp January 4, 2015. Hide Caption 1 of 12 Photos: Yazidi toddler waits without his parents for surgery Dilbireen, a cheerful child, has a love of animals. Hide Caption 2 of 12 Photos: Yazidi toddler waits without his parents for surgery Around his first birthday, Dilbireen was burned in a fire. He flew to the US for reconstructive surgery on his face in October. Hide Caption 3 of 12 Photos: Yazidi toddler waits without his parents for surgery Since his first surgery, Dilbireen has been cared for by a Yazidi advocate, Adlay Kejjan, in Michigan. Hide Caption 4 of 12 Photos: Yazidi toddler waits without his parents for surgery As Dilbireen waits for his second round of surgeries, his parents, who are still in Iraq, have finally been issued visas so they can come to the US to be with their son. Hide Caption 5 of 12 Photos: Yazidi toddler waits without his parents for surgery Dilbireen celebrated his 2nd birthday in the US last month. In a message to the boy, father Ajeel Muhsin said, "I am hopeful that we will come soon. Finish all your operations. After that, we will return to Iraq. We love you. Kisses." Hide Caption 6 of 12 Photos: Yazidi toddler waits without his parents for surgery Dilbireen has grown into an independent toddler who brushes his own teeth. Hide Caption 7 of 12 Photos: Yazidi toddler waits without his parents for surgery Kejjan said said she prayed that Dilbireen's parents would get the travel visas they needed to by their son's side. Hide Caption 8 of 12 Photos: Yazidi toddler waits without his parents for surgery Dilbireen has started to notice that "he is different," Kejjan said. Hide Caption 9 of 12 Photos: Yazidi toddler waits without his parents for surgery "When he plays with kids, he like touches their eyes and nose. He realizes there's something different about him, and it's really, really sad, because these kids, they run away.... They're always scared of him," Kejjan said. Hide Caption 10 of 12 Photos: Yazidi toddler waits without his parents for surgery Kejjan, who works as a pilot, has shown a curious Dilbireen how airplanes are operated. Hide Caption 11 of 12 Photos: Yazidi toddler waits without his parents for surgery Kejjan, who also works as a paramedic, has shown Dilbireen some of her medical equipment. Hide Caption 12 of 12 Dilbireen was severely burned on his face and feet when a gas heater malfunctioned and set his crib ablaze inside a prefabricated hut at the camp. Khalaf, Dilbireen's mother, was baking bread outside when the fire erupted. Doctors in Iraq tended to Dilbireen's burns but advised that his parents seek treatment outside the country, said Dilbireen's father, Muhsin. LaStaiti and Becker, founder of Road to Peace, made arrangements for Dilbireen and other injured refugee children to receive medical treatment at Shriners Hospitals for Children at no cost. Road to Peace works with groups around the world to help build alliances between communities in conflict and facilitate specialized medical care for refugee children. camp where his parents have been living since fleeing their home on Sinjar mountain, this amazing and resilient little boy is a symbol of the suffering of the Yazidis and other religious minorities in the region," Becker "Born in acamp where his parents have been living since fleeing their home on Sinjar mountain, this amazing and resilient little boy is a symbol of the suffering of the Yazidis and other religious minorities in the region," Becker said last week "The Yazidis have been victims of many genocides over the centuries, and there are only around 800,000 left in the world," she said. "So this mission isn't just about helping Dilbireen; it's about highlighting the plight of his people." What's next for Dilbireen and his care Dilbireen underwent the first round of surgeries to restore the appearance and function of his face in October. Muhsin was by his side during the procedure but returned to Iraq in November to be with Khalaf as she gave birth to Dilbireen's brother. "America is helping us to do surgery on our boy," Muhsin said in an interview this month. "We want to show our appreciation to America for what they are doing for our boy." The couple named Dilbireen's brother Trump. He was born the day after the US presidential election. As the family made attempts to travel to the United States to accompany Dilbireen during his next round of surgeries and to introduce him to his brother, Trump, they were both confused and disheartened by the resistance they faced. "First time they denied our visas, they thought we were coming here to stay. They thought, if our entire family comes here, we would not return," Muhsin said. "Originally when we had visas, my wife was pregnant. If our intention was to stay here, we would have come all together. Our child would have been born here. He would have been a US citizen. But we had no intentions to stay here." JUST WATCHED Toddler facing surgery in US without parents Replay More Videos... MUST WATCH Toddler facing surgery in US without parents 03:25 Now, the family seems both relieved and content to be together again. "My understanding is that this next round of surgeries will focus on the scar tissue around his right eye, but ultimately Shriners will determine what's next for Dilbireen after they see him this week," LaStaiti said. After seeing Dilbireen on Tuesday, doctors at Shriners say that he is doing well and that he will begin his next reconstructive surgery soon. They hope to space out the procedures to improve the form and function of his face. Meanwhile, Khalaf said she remains grateful that her son can continue his surgeries. "As long as his surgeries are done and he gains his health back," she said in comments translated from Kurdish. "We don't want anything else in life." 'The most meaningful thing I've known' While Dilbireen and his family are saying "hello again," the tenacious toddler and his caretaker, Kejjan, will be saying "goodbye." Kejjan, a paramedic and pilot based in Lansing, Michigan, serves as an advocate for the Yazidi community and cared for Dilbireen at her home in Michigan for the past few months. Join the conversation See the latest news and share your comments with CNN Health on Facebook and Twitter. Yet she said that not only has she cared for Dilbireen, he has cared for her. "He's given us unconditional love. He's such an easy child to take care of. He doesn't ask for much. He's very independent. He just gives love freely and unconditionally. It doesn't matter who it is, whether it's me, my family or a stranger," Kejjan said. "I'm excited because he's going to see his parents but at the same time sad because I won't have him. He's been the center of my life the last three and a half months," she said, adding that she plans to help more children in need of medical care. "It's been the most meaningful thing of my life, the most meaningful thing I've known."Chrysler Group Chairman and CEO Sergio Marchionne hit the nail on the head with a half-joking answer to a question he got precisely a year ago: how could Chrysler possibly hit its ambitious goals for 2011? “There’s an incredibly stupid and crass answer to that question, and that is to sell more cars,” Marchionne said. Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Fiat did just that in 2011. The result was $183 million for the Chrysler Group in net income for the year. The company also said yesterday, Feb. 1 that it posted an operating profit of $2 billion. Still, a profit is a profit, and that represents a big turnaround from a net loss of $652 million in 2010. Chrysler's title for its fourth quarter earnings presentation was "Back in Black." Cue AC/DC. For 2012, the Chrysler Group is shooting for net income of $1.5 billion, the company said. Within the group, Jeep had the biggest percent increase in 2011 sales, up 44 percent to about 419,000, according to AutoData Corp. Dodge increased 19 percent to about 709,000. The Chrysler brand rose 12 percent to about 221,000. The Fiat brand also accounted for sales of close to 20,000 units of the tiny Fiat 500. All together, that added up to a 26 percent increase, to about 1.4 million. Sell more cars, make more money? As obvious as that sounds, that’s something Chrysler, Ford and General Motors couldn’t seem to get right until the last couple of years. Fundamentally, the U.S. companies are so much smaller and more efficient today they can turn a profit with annual U.S. auto sales of fewer than 13 million cars and trucks a year. That's something they previously had trouble doing consistently when sales were 16 to 17 million units a year. As a group the domestic automakers are also taking better advantage of global economies of scale. Until the mid-2000s, U.S. auto sales were much higher but profits were thinner or nonexistent. The U.S. manufacturers complained they had no choice but to keep their factories building in excess of customer demand. The companies said they needed the revenue, largely to pay fixed labor costs and spiraling medical benefits for employees and retirees. Building too many cars and trucks led to bigger and bigger discounts – and even thinner margins. The saying in the auto industry was that the car companies lost money on every car, and made it up on volume. Chrysler and GM rode that vicious circle all the way to bankruptcy in 2009. Ford had a close shave, too, but it avoided bankruptcy and a federal bailout. Chrysler turned all that on its head in 2011. Now on average it’s making more money on every car, and selling a lot more volume. The same can be said of its cross-town rivals. They still employ discounts. The average Chrysler Group incentive was $3,200 in the fourth quarter, even with a year ago. However, incentives were as high as $4,100 in the second quarter of 2010. Meanwhile the company’s average transaction price in the fourth quarter was $29,000, up $900 from a year ago. The mix of less-profitable sales to fleets was also down, from 36 percent in 2010 to 28 percent in 2011. That sort of math is working in Marchionne’s favor.A write up on the games we streamed during December & January, posted in February! So professional! EDIT: I changed the embedded Twitch clips to links (the automatic semi-preload made the page take too long to load). Titanfall 2 Pros: Awesome campaign. Cool details. Smooth gameplay. Punching those helper bots to the ground even though all they want to do is work. Cons: I don’t like playing as Titans – I’d rather it was just Fall. Thanks to KiwiBearz for getting us the game! The Final Station Pros: The theme song. Cool atmosphere. Neat visual style. Cons: The theme song is not long enough. Bit repetitive (apparently it picks up again near the end though). Thanks to Senior Fish Face for getting us the game! CLIP: Dropping Chair Technique CLIP: FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF Overwatch (Winter Wonderland) Pros: Got Tracer skin. Got Torbjörn skin. Cons: Had to buy Zenyatta’s Nutcracker skin with credits (I NEEDED IT, for I am Tchaikovsky’s great great great great great grandson). dna results pending Planet Coaster Pros: Crazy amounts of customization. Easy to use and implement other people’s creations if you’re too lazy to customize. Graphics look great. Can make a skeleton decoration poop dirt over people waiting in line. Cons: Tricky to make money (WELL AT LEAST FOR ME (a lot of people online are saying it’s too easy; maybe running a business just isn’t my forte (says the webcomic artist))). Thanks to Omega Lairon for getting us the game! Enter the Gungeon Pros: Awesome style. Awesome gameplay. Quick to enter, hard to master. Cons: NOT BEATING THE LEVEL 4 BOSS THAT ONE TIME, COME ON IT WAS SO CLOSE Thanks to Senior Fish Face for getting us the game! CLIP: It was LIKE THIS!! IT WAS LIKE THIS!! WARNING: LOUD SCREECHING I am the Eggman This is a game I helped make with a friend during this year’s Global Game Jam. You can get it from here if you want to play it (download link is at the bottom). NOTE: Your PC will need to be beefy because this game only comes with one setting: EGGSTREME. Pros: Eggs. Cons: Not enough eggs. Thanks to Pat, Randy, and myself for making the game! For Honor (Closed Beta) I’m still getting used to Ubisoft games not being terrible. The open beta will be starting soon if you’re interested in checking it out! Pros: Looks amazing. Great animations. Deeper gameplay than I initially thought. Cons: I suck (but I eventually started to realize WHY I sucked). Cool faction-based war overall theme becomes a bit redundant when Vikings + Samurai can be on the same team. Thanks to komocode for inviting us to the closed beta! CLIP: See yah CLIP: Baten Arms And that’s a wrap! It’s been a lot of fun, and I’m looking forward to finishing Resident Evil 7 for February’s post! Already got a few great clips out of that game alone. Watch me play more games, and/or watch me draw these comics by following me on Twitch! See you in the chat!Apple still hasn’t said a word about the new A6 SoC within the iPhone 5, but no matter: Chipworks — a company that specializes in reverse engineering computer chips — has now completed its initial analysis of the A6, and the results are very interesting indeed. The A6 features a custom, in-house, laid-out-by-hand dual-core design (pictured above) that is neither a Cortex-A9 or A15, and a tri-core GPU. By far the most exciting aspect of this news is the fact that the A6’s dual ARM CPU cores have been manually laid out — an approach that used to be the norm, but which is now almost unheard of outside of Intel (even AMD has given up). Today, chips are nearly always laid out using advanced, CAD-like software — the designer says he wants X cache, Y FPUs, and Z cores, and the software automagically creates a chip. Hand-drawn processors, on the other hand, are painstakingly laid out by chip designers. This approach obviously takes a lot longer (and is a lot more expensive), but if it’s done correctly the end result can be a lot faster. In the case of the A6, which benchmarks very well indeed, it would seem that its chip design department knows what it’s doing. This probably isn’t a big surprise, though, when you remember that Apple acquired PA Semi back in 2008, for the purpose of bolstering the capabilities of its mobile devices. PA Semi was founded by one of DEC’s lead chip designers and has over a hundred engineers who have worked on chips at Intel and AMD, among others. I wouldn’t be surprised if PA Semi has been working on the hand-made A6 since its acquisition. As far as the custom core’s actual functionality, we still don’t have much to go on. At this point, it still looks like the A6’s CPU core is similar to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon S4 Krait — roughly doubling the performance of the Cortex-A9 chip, while still remaining very power efficient. GPU, die size, manufacturing process, and more Now, the tri-core GPU. Chipworks says that the GPU cores Imagination Technologies PowerVR cores — but beyond that, we don’t know exactly what they are. Judging by Apple’s boast of “2x the performance,” we are probably looking at the same SGX543 GPU cores found in the A5 and A5X SoCs, but at a higher clock speed. Beyond the hardware specs, Chipworks’ reverse engineering also confirms that the A6 is produced using Samsung’s 32nm HKMG process, and that the total die size is 9.7mm by 9.97mm (96mm2). This is actually quite large, when you bear in mind that the 32nm A5 only had an area of 71mm2. The 26-square-millimeter difference is mostly accounted for by the larger, hand-made CPU cores in the A6, and the addition of a third GPU core. Unfortunately, beyond the CPU and GPU cores, Chipworks hasn’t labeled any other SoC features. We know that most of the right and bottom edges are the interface, and the silver squares on the mid-right are PLLs — but beyond that, the other squares are unknown. If you recognize any of the features, leave a comment below. For lots and lots of pretty photos, be sure to hit up Chipworks. Not only have their engineers reverse engineered the A6, they’ve also taken a look at the Sony camera sensor — and over on iFixit, Chipworks has shared some die shots of the Qualcomm MDM9615 radio and the Broadcom WiFi chip. Now read: Scuffgate: Will Apple have to recall the iPhone 5?SPANISH POLICE clashed with and arrested demonstrators last evening as thousands surrounded the parliament building in Madrid to protest against the government ahead of a crucial few days for the economy. The protesters, who staged popular assemblies and rallies across the capital throughout the day, were angry at government economic policy, although the day’s actions were directed at Spain’s political class as a whole. Although most of the day passed without major incidents, as the demonstration approached its climax outside the Congress building in the evening, there were clashes with police and arrests. “The problem Spanish people have is that we don’t know what’s going on, and we don’t participate in the running of the country,” said Laura Matos, a young lawyer who gathered with hundreds of other protesters for a popular assembly opposite the Prado art museum in the afternoon. “The only way we participate is by having to put up with cuts to areas such as healthcare and education.” The “Occupy Congress” protest was led by two new social organisations, and was backed by dozens of other, mainly left-leaning groups. The build-up to the day’s actions was tense, due in great part to the organisers’ stated aim of pressuring the government to step down and Congress to dissolve. However, about 1,400 police were deployed to Congress and the area around the building was cordoned off throughout the day. María Dolores de Cospedal, the deputy leader of the governing Partido Popular, on Monday criticised the planned protest as undemocratic. “The last time I remember Congress being surrounded was when there was an attempted coup d’état,” she said, in reference to Spain’s failed putsch of 1981. This comparison of current demonstrators with pro-Franco rebels from a dark episode in Spain’s past drew harsh criticism from other political parties. Spain is in a double-dip recession and has Europe’s highest jobless rate at 25 per cent. The conservative government has embarked on a severe austerity programme in an effort to meet EU targets and slash the deficit. “This government is leading us towards an economic dictatorship,” said telecoms technician Guillermo Ruiz, who was standing within view of Congress behind a makeshift fence erected by the police as the protest got under way. “We need these incompetent people to resign.” The government of Mariano Rajoy is expected to unveil the proposed 2013 budget tomorrow, along with a raft of structural reforms. Although few details are available, many believe the measures announced will have the blessing of Brussels and will pave the way for a possible sovereign bailout for Spain. Details of audits carried out on Spain’s banking sector are to be released on Friday. In June, Spain requested a rescue package of up to €100 billion for its banks. The audit results should make clear exactly how much of that amount is needed. The troubles of Spain’s lenders have helped send the country’s borrowing costs spiralling to unsustainable levels in recent months, fuelling speculation that a full bailout is imminent. So far, September has lived up to its billing as one of the most challenging months of Rajoy’s tenure. A huge demonstration in Barcelona on September 11th in which Catalan nationalists called for independence from Spain was followed days later by major anti-austerity protests in Madrid. Yesterday Catalan premier Artur Mas put the central government under further pressure by calling early elections in his region for November. “People have felt for some time that their politicians are just taking care of themselves,” said Manuel de la Rocha, of the Fundación Alternativas think tank.Enrique Peñalosa Londoño stepped into a familiar role when he was sworn in as mayor of Bogotá Friday in a ceremony that began at 11:30 a.m. In some ways, the city he now leads as Colombia’s second-highest elected official has changed dramatically since his first term as mayor ended in 2001. In others it looks remarkably similar. Security and transportation — the two major themes of Peñalosa’s campaign — have improved somewhat since he left office 15 years ago. But persistently high rates of muggings and petty theft have kept public perception of security low, and traffic too often stalls in gridlock across a city of more than 8 million people. Only 27 percent of Bogotanos believe the city is headed in the right direction, according to a 2015 survey by Bogotá Como Vamos, a polling organization. “I know that Bogotá’s citizens expect very positive results immediately, and we will work hard to achieve that,” said Peñalosa during the ceremony. “There won’t be miracles. But we are prepared to confront the challenges we have.” Perhaps most notably, Peñalosa stands to become Bogotá’s first mayor in the post-conflict era if a peace process between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the world’s oldest active guerrilla army, is successful. Colombia’s President Juan Manuel Santos announced in September that he hoped to reach a final agreement with the FARC by March. “This is the year of peace, and you, as mayor will be charged with consolidating it in this city,” said Santos during the swearing in ceremony. A peaceful end to the nation’s five decades of civil conflict would offer unprecedented opportunities — and challenges — for the leader of Colombia’s largest city and economic center. But at least in the short term, Peñalosa seems prepared to tackle more manageable, tangible issues that he argues will significantly improve quality of life in Bogotá. Tackling the first 100 days In October, Peñalosa presented a 10-point plan on security and transportation for his first 100 days in office, consisting of the following: Immediately intervene in 750 crime hot spots by increasing police presence, adding lighting and cleaning up trash and graffiti. Recuperate 100 parks with high rates of crime and drug sales to take them back from gangs and criminals. Identify, and hopefully capture, the 10 most dangerous cellphone robbery gangs through a joint effort between the police and the Attorney General’s office. Bring together the mayors of the 20 largest cities to push legal reforms that will ensure that criminals go to prison. Create a special police search team to break up gangs that sell drugs to minors near schools. Fill in potholes, with a priority for corridors where Integrated Public Transportation System (SITP) buses circulate. Provide weekly updates. Improve scheduling of TransMilenio routes to decrease wait times and improve travel times by 15 percent. Improve mobility at 50 critical intersections by creating a Security and Control Center and anti-gridlock squadrons. Remove illegally parked cars and fine their owners. Paint pedestrian crosswalks to reduce accidents by 25 percent. Improving mobility In terms of transportation, Mayor Peñalosa is considered by many to be an international authority, having worked with dozens of cities around the globe on issues related to public transit and mobility. His first term as mayor of Bogotá was marked by major reforms in
site, selling over 15,000 deposits on season tickets. Balsille also sold out 80 corporate luxury suites, all without actually purchasing the team. The stunt backfired in 2007 when the NHL took him out of consideration and Nashville rallied city-funded incentives to help keep the ownership group local. Meanwhile, Poile scrambled to keep a winning team on the ice while free agents like Paul Kariya bolted for more stable franchises. Wednesday marked the Preds' eighth trip to the playoffs in 16 seasons, with this season's 104-point finish bearing Poile's latest reclamation: Barry Trotz, head coach since the franchise's inception, was let go after a two-year playoff drought in favor of former Philadelphia Flyers head man Peter Laviolette. Long known for stalwart defensive play -- defenseman Shea Weber is arguably the franchise's most important player in history -- the grinding, forechecking Predators became faster and more offensive. And as a byproduct, the team on the ice became more fun to watch for casual fans. "Winning pays the bills, first and foremost. And Barry will forever be loved, but action and offense generates interest," said Charley Jordan, a Predators fan since '98. Jordan is an U.S. Army pilot who drives 65 miles from Clarksville, Tenn., to watch each game wearing blue and gold face paint and a gold kilt. Peter Laviolette's offensive style is certainly easier to sell than the beloved Barry Trotz's grinding defense-first mentality. (USA Today Sports Images) "You might hear a question once in a while about an offsides call, but things have changed so much since the beginning." Jordan's grandfather was a North Dakota native who loved the Minnesota North Stars. When they moved to Dallas, Jordan picked the local team instead. He's watched the fan base wane and rise through uncertainty, and he's a proponent of the Tim McGraw mystique. "You have to win, and then after that you have to entertain. When Sean Henry and his guys came in, they got it. Those guys are masters at motivating energy in that arena." There's no greater demand for that when the Blackhawks swap goalies down 3-0. Scott Darling replaces Crawford and Nashville loses center Mike Fisher to a lower body injury in the second period. In one period Chicago comes back to tie the game. Then, silence on the ice. The music goes, the crowd prompts itself, and everything goes to script except for the hockey. Through double overtime, Chicago and Nashville remain scoreless. Darling stops 42 shots, and a long Duncan Keith shot broke through to end the game. The Blackhawks took Game 1 in a four-goal comeback on the road. Outside the arena, transplanted Chicago fan and Tennessee resident Sean Mojzis smoked a cigarette while poking holes in the "Keep Out The Red" attack. Friday's Game 2 will bring many, many more 'Hawks fans into the building both by virtue of the series' momentum and the weekend. "Nashville's a great town. I love it here. They're still new to all this, and the ploy to try and take home ice advantage ends up being kind of funny and childish. This is a well-traveled city. Why not let people come visit it?"Blackhawks chants come with frequency and volume. The band stages are broken down, the visiting team's fans are set to invade the Lower Broadway bars. A woman in a homemade yellow T-shirt honoring Predators goalie Pekka Rinne -- "CHICKS DIG A BIG PEKKA" -- tries to start a chant against the Chicago celebration. There is gold everywhere, a fact of itself that qualifies as a win for the organization. And the sweaters. Oh, that ugly, ugly Nashville Predators hockey jersey. The logo itself stems from the discovery of a sabre-toothed tiger fossil in downtown Nashville in 1971. When Henry and new chairman Tom Cigarran revamped the team's branding in 2011, the dominant color became bright yellow -- "gold" per the marketing team -- with piano keys lining the collars and a guitar pick on the shoulder. The goal wasn't to shy away from the gaudy look of a non-traditional logo in a non-traditional market. Nashville wanted to lean in to the concept of non-traditional. To explain, Henry pulls out his cell phone. "Here's a picture of my son at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit wearing a Predators jersey? See that? You can't help but see that gold. It's just like down here in the SEC. Fans might not love orange, and some fans hate it. But they know what it means -- Tennessee. It's the same concept. Whether you're in Nashville or anywhere else in the NHL, now you can't help but see the Predators."A Certain Special Workshop "As we understand Personal Reality, or reality unto one's self, one other thing that cannot be avoided is quantum theory, based on the uncertainty principle postulated by Heisenberg. What Personal Reality and quantum theory have in common is that both of them are rooted in probability..." As the woman of child stature continues to lecture in her likewise cute voice, a girl is trying her hardest to study, but the concept is well above her head. Simple notes are scribbled on her notebook, but they are no different than a summarized entry she could find in any school textbook. As she doesn't understand the principle in the first place, it won't make a difference what is copied or written. It simply isn't sticking on the poster board of her mind. Trying her best not to get distracted, the girl of middle-school age focuses again on the teacher of elementary size. Tsukuyomi Komoe continues to quote and explain theory like a professional, while the students absorb practically none of it. It's not really surprising considering they're taking this Special Workshop in the first place. After all, this is where- Finally reaching the girl's ears over the cute voice of the teacher, slightly averting her glance she sees a boy's pencil furiously tapping away as he transcribes the majority of the lecture to paper. Shaking her doubt, the girl refocuses on her own efforts. She can't forget, there is a reason she is here! If she truly desires to improve herself, she must take this workshop seriously! Understanding or not isn't the point; it's about the effort! A couple hours pass and the girl feels no further enlightened. Still, she's proud of herself. The majority of her notebook is filled. Even if she doesn't understand now, she can take it home and repeat it to herself over and over again. Maybe not the next time, or the next ten times, but perhaps eventually these words she'll understand, and a whole new world will open to her. She can only hope. With a curious fancy, the girl turns to again glance at the boy. She wanted to compare the size of their notes, but finds the boy gone. Well, it's not surprising. After all, the teacher recessed from the lecture in consideration for lunch. Uh oh. "-Well, stinking up the place here won't help. Why don't we eat?" The girl missed most of the conversation between her three friends, but considering the circumstances no one would blame her. The important thing, however, is that, "I forgot to bring a lunch." As the girl left the comfort of her associates, she exits the classroom in search of an alternative. This isn't her school, so the girl knows little of the layout other than the path she's already taken. Though that isn't to say she can't find it on her own. In the end all school layouts are similar, and finding the cafeteria isn't a particularly difficult task. But before the doors to the lunch hall- "Of course the cafeteria is closed. We're the only ones here. Such misfortune." It was the voice of a boy. Before the more relevant issue of how to fill her stomach, the girl considers the identity of this encounter. Can it be the very same one who so attentively listened to the lecture? Curiosity is one of the girl's strongest virtues, though to her degree it might be considered a vice. As the girl leans to peek through the door, the boy has turned to face said door. Their eyes meet as they distinctly notice the other. Tough she might be curious about the boy, it doesn't necessarily mean she wishes to engage. Now that she's been caught just as her play was beginning, she's thoroughly unprepared. She freezes. It's the boy who first speaks, "Did you forget to pack a lunch too? It's a shame, but it looks like we're both out of luck." Now feeling silly he would nonchalantly react while she has become embarrassed, the girl rushes inside as if nothing was wrong in the first place. "Ah, that's too bad. It's bad enough they have us come out here to study, but they starve us as well?" She regrets the words coming out of her mouth. She doesn't feel this way at all. This Special Workshop is important for everyone in attendance. To belittle it while speaking careless words make her feel ashamed. Not particularly dissecting her tone or aforementioned irritation, the boy continues, "Well, there's a store down the hill we could go to. It may take a little while but we can make it back before the afternoon class starts." Did he really just ask her out without a care? Maybe it's due to his age. As far as the girl can tell, he's a high schooler, where she's only in middle school. Possibility a difference of three or four years. Though as to his experience, he isn't particularly handsome. In some ways he's of little resemblance to a monkey, especially with that spiky black hair. The girl finds it hard to believe he's experienced with women, but instead regards gender with indifference. No, the girl concludes, he isn't trying to hit on her. Before she can speak the boy suddenly looks past her, "Oh, sorry, I didn't know you were here with a friend." Noticing nothing, the girl turns to find a presence that wasn't there before. If the girl had to say, this intruder appeared as a ghost. It's another female, of the short stature variety. She has long bangs which cover most of her face, and hair tied back into twin buns, making her look somewhat like a mouse. Likewise does this person carry a "mouse" presence. The girl appears almost frightened, ready to run away and hide in a hole at a moment's notice. "You noticed me?" her voice squeaks out. Unsure what that meant, the boy can only continue to gaze in confusion. "Huh? Y-you mean, you're taking this workshop too, Miss Jufukuu?" The middle school girl knows this intruder, Miss Jufukuu. Most recently they've been involved in a number of incidents together. Actually, it isn't surprising at all Jufukuu being here in the first place. What surprised the middle school girl was she missed her acquaintance's presence altogether. "Sorry," she apologizes, "I didn't even notice you." Jufukuu gently shakes her head, "My ability Dummy Check, is the ability to affect one's recognition that they are looking at a subject, isn't it?" "You made yourself disappear?" "No," turning her head down, "my level is too low, so I can't do that. I can just make things lack a certain presence, you might say." Then, looking up to the boy, "I didn't want to intrude, so I tried to hide myself like in class." Feeling as if inadvertently doing something wrong, the boy scratches at his head with his right hand in reaction, laughing slightly as he does. "I guess you can say those kinds of things don't work on me," nervously he spits out. Does it relate to his ability, the middle school girl wonders. Taking certain notice of the object held in Jufukuu's hand, "Well, it appears not everyone is as unlucky as I am. Were you going to ask your friend to eat with you?" Jufukuu's lips pucker lightly, perhaps out of irritation she couldn't give the invitation herself, but otherwise pays it no heed. "Yes." Feeling proud of the warm scene he helped usher, the spiky-haired boy nods, "Good. I'll just get out of your hair then. I still have to find something for myself." And just like that, the boy gives a wave and leaves the girls to themselves. Silence follows as she watches him leave. "Um, do you know him?" Jufukuu's sudden question surprises the middle school girl. "Oh! No! Never seen him before. We just ran into each other because we forgot each our lunches." With this explanation, Jufukuu breathes a sigh of relief, "I thought you were dating," she softly mumbles. "What was that?" Shaking her head, "Nothing. So, would you like to eat lunch with me?" The girl finds it hard to refuse, not that she particularly wants to. She wants to be nice to Jufukuu, but sometimes the shorter girl's introverted and attached personality can make it difficult. Still, the middle school girl feels a bond with this mousy girl that isn't shared between her three classmates who are also attending this Special Workshop. It doesn't take long for the invitation to lift her spirits. "Yes! Certainly!" As stated before, the two of them were involved in a couple of incidents. The first was a foolish attempt to exact revenge on girls who attended a certain all girl's middle school, and ended up attacking her in a case of mistaken identity. It ended in abysmal failure for Jufukuu, but somehow she managed to bond with the girl before her now. This relationship started with correspondence between the two while Jufukuu was serving in detention. The middle schooler accepted every letter and always wrote a response, though Jufukuu complained the girl never wrote first. She would have to work on that. As pure as the first incident concluded, the second was anything but. The middle school girl had her suspicions before the Special Workshop, but upon noticing Jufukuu she is now certain. The people gathered here from different ages and schools all have one thing in common. They used Level Upper. These students, despite their schools, all belong to Academy City. Academy City, taking up one third of Tokyo, is a massive scale experimental ground for the development of Extra Sensory Perception, or ESP. The subject of these experiments are the school children like Jufukuu, the middle school girl, and the spiky-haired boy. Otherwise known as Espers, some of the children have developed extraordinary abilities. Jufukuu's Dummy Check is one of them. With it, she can hide in plain sight; not making her invisible but otherwise hard to notice. So to speak, kind of like hiding a tree in the forest, but without the forest. Many variety of abilities have been uncovered. However, as one would expect not all abilities are created equal. Jufukuu's might make her able to escape any kind of social discomfort, it's not nearly as spectacular as using a electromagnetic discharge to fire a piece a metal faster than the speed of sound. Jufukuu's ability is considered Level 2, where as the electromaster is Level 5, the highest classification currently recorded. One could imagine Jufukuu not being satisfied with even this superhuman ability. While Level 5 is considered the highest, there are actually six ranks. Level 0, or no ability whatsoever. It's curious how they even got admitted to Academy City, but they exist. The middle-school girl is one such individual. Such cruel realities are what gave rise to the appeal of Level Upper. As the name states, it's a way to raise one's level without the normally accepted therapies within Academy City. Jufukuu rose to Level 4 and could completely conceal herself from all human senses. Another could use gravitons to cause aluminum to erupt, rivaling C4. Similar results surfaced from use of Level Upper. But like all miracle cures, it came at a price. In truth the raised ability was only a by product of the true experiment. Level Upper's hidden purpose was to match the brainwaves of all who used it, creating a type of psychic network. This put the individuals who used Level Upper into a comatose-like state. Jufukuu was one, as well this middle-school girl. And now she was certain, everybody attending this Special Workshop used Level Upper. That spiky-haired boy included. After lunch the class reconvened on the track field. They were led by another teacher, introducing herself as Yomikawa. She's a tall woman with fantastic proportions but little feminine sense. Most of her supple body was hidden underneath a rather drab track suit and pants, and long lustrous black hair tied in a simple ponytail. It was little question what subject she taught. "Alright, what do you say we start with an endurance run?" Nearly everyone voices their displeasure. "Heh," Miss Yomikawa reacts with a grin, "want to challenge your limits?" Practically nobody does. Reluctantly most take to the starting line, while the rest did with a defeatist attitude, the middle-schooler included. All except one she notices. Again, it's the spiky-haired boy. In fact he seems enthusiastic, going as far as performing simple stretches beforehand. He takes Yomikawa's challenge in stride, nearly issuing one of his own. The middle-school girl didn't notice prior as he was in a school uniform, but in gym clothes she sees his sturdy build; namely his legs. A task such as this might actually be right up his alley. Dedicated to making the most of this experience, the girl can't let herself fall behind; enthusiasm-wise at least. The middle-school girl is no slouch herself. At the starting whistle she blasts from the pack and their lazy stride. As the remaining students of the Special Workshop came closer to understanding something about this lecture, their motivation dropped to the point they merely did as instructed with as minimal effort required. The girl won't, she refuses to. If bringing the victims of Level Upper to one place is to mean something, she will do her best to understand the lesson attempting to be taught. She will take their every instructions in full stride. And to say the least, the spiky-haired boy is doing very much the same. And dang is he fast. "Stop dragging your feet! Run! Run!" Yomikawa's voice was intended for everyone minus those certain two, the middle-school girl could tell. "When you think you can't run anymore, raise your hand!" The middle-school girl tries to channel out all other distractions and focus on her own running. Perhaps she can be considered an athletic type, but that isn't particularly through her own effort. For her age she's pretty tall and has developed her secondary sexual characteristics before most of her peers. She can pass for several years older than she really is. Likewise does she possess an inherent strength and endurance which allow her to lead the females of the Special Workshop despite not being an avid runner. If she would truly work at it, she could be incredibly fast. Several long minutes pass before she finally feels herself approaching her limits. For the first time in a while her greater focus fades and takes notice of her surroundings. All but three of the student have since retired. The spiky-haired boy of course is still going strong, but there's also an overweight boy who's all-too-clearly giving his all. She admires the effort of both individuals, but she can continue only so much further. It might be time to finally call it quits. "I can't...I can't..." and she raises her hand. "Giving up?" the girl suddenly finds Yomikawa jogging right beside her. "Yes..." "Alright, make this last lap a dash." "Huh?" to say the least, she couldn't believe what she just heard. As would a drill sergeant, Yomikawa simply commands, "Dash!" Perhaps motivated more by fright of this teacher's enthusiasm, the middle-school girl summons her last well of strength and pushes her legs even harder. Muscles protesting in trembling support, lungs inflames, the girl completes that last lap. And just as she crosses the finish line, falling to her knees, Yomikawa tells her, "Good, good! Now, how about one more lap?" Even more ridiculous than her previous request, the middle-school can't even summon the strength to be shocked. "I can't," she flatly states. "Get up." Yomikawa doesn't take that proclamation lightly. "Hang in there for one more lap." "What you're doing isn't training!" cries from an uninvolved party who had since given up. It's a high-school girl who came surrounded by boys. They call her "Anego" (big sister) the same way a gang might call their boss. It isn't difficult to imagine her as a delinquent. "It is training," Yomikawa regards this interruption with near-indifference. "How so? You're just putting her through the ringer!" To emphasize this point, she grabs the teacher by the collar and forcibly pulls her forward. This might not be the best of ideas. The teacher Yomikawa is still well taller than the high-school girl. "Why don't you just call it what it is? It's punishment! This whole workshop is meant to punish us, right?" Everyone's attention is now on the two of them. Even the spiky-haired boy has ceased in his stellar performance. "You've got it wrong," Yomikawa states matter-of-factly. "Then explain to us what the meaning of this endurance run is!" Without missing a breath, "It's meaning is how to overcome your limits. Look at him." The focus wasn't directed at the spiky-haired boy, but regardless he continues running. Instead Yomikawa motions to the overweight boy. "He was the first to raise his hand, and yet he's still running." And true to her word, he is. "When you give up, saying you can't do any more, you're finished. Even though you may still have some strength you're not even aware of. Take her," and now the conversation is finally brought back to the middle-school girl, "she thought she couldn't do any more, and ran another lap. Where did the power for that lap come from? It's the same for developing your abilities. The lesson is, you can't decide what you're own limits are." At that moment, something seems to fit into place a piece of the esper puzzle in the girl's mind. But the person in question aside, "Don't give me that rhetoric!" the high-school girl takes a swing at the teacher. Which practically anyone could tell would be a mistake. Yomikawa catches the fist, pulls it forward, kicks at her foot, and splendidly throws the high-school girl to the ground. The teacher made it look all to easy. "Anego!" her lackeys cry. They further threaten the teacher, but Yomikawa likewise disregard their yelping the same she did the high-school girl, "Class dismissed." Taking it personally, the high-school girl cries, "You're running away?" But the teacher doesn't look down, and instead up, "Time is up." Just as she says, clouds blot out the sun and it begins to rain. Back in a classroom the girls change out of their wet gym clothes and into their uniforms. The middle-school girl's friends check the weather report on their phones and inform her it shouldn't last much longer. There's to be one further lecture and an ability test, and afterwards the Special Workshop will officially come to a close. After changing but before reuniting with the boys, something the high-school girl mentioned has become the main topic of interest. Namely, "Punishment, right?" Upset with the entire situation, the older girl rants, "Sheesh, first we slip into comas, then we are forced to take these classes. Out of the frying pan and into the fryer. Something shady's going on here. They could just come out and say we're being punished without calling it a 'workshop.'" Even further continuing, "Man, what did we do that was so wrong? If you can easily raise your level, you should use whatever you like." And perhaps the saddest thing is this sentiment isn't felt by her alone. Everyone at one point decided exactly that, any many still agree despite what happened. And yet, "It's not right to cheat." It's the middle-school girl. What made her stand up to the older girl is perhaps not entirely certain, but knows it's something she firmly believes. "We cheated, so it's only natural we'd be punished." The older girl isn't the type to take this lying down, but at the same time doesn't respond. In no way did she relent under the younger, smaller girl's rebuke, but neither react. Perhaps something was understood, an intention conveyed, and in a display of maturity the older girl pursues this topic no further. "Hmph, you're pretty earnest, huh?" And with that, she leaves to return to the final lecture. The three friends immediately rush to the side of the middle-school girl. In truth she was absolutely terrified of the older girl. Her stare was intense. However, it was something the younger believed entirely, and she simply couldn't let it go. It wouldn't relate to her ability whatsoever, but standing up for her ideals made her feel stronger. "Since it appears there are some who have gotten the wrong idea," the child teacher Komoe begins when everyone's changed and the lessons resumed, "I would like to go over something once again." As she says this, the middle-school girl has the word "punishment" written on an empty page of notes. She was correct, wasn't she? After what they did, isn't it only natural to pay some sort of price? However, the next set of words change that, "This workshop is not to punish those who used Level Upper." This draws the entirety of not only the middle-school girl's attention, but everyone's. "Certainly, it is not laudable for you to have so lightly turned to Level Upper to raise your levels. However, there is no need for you to disproportionately feel remorse, or overly blame yourself for doing so. As far as 'punishment' goes, you have all been through the bitter experience of falling gravely ill and being in a coma. You have already atoned for what you've done the hard way. "So now, don't you think you should make the most of that experience? By having used Level Upper, you have all temporarily had a greater taste of the ability that you already possess on your own now. Or in other words, as Miss Yomikawa would say, 'You've overcome the limits you thought you had.' "Okay then, we will now being the last class of the workshop. Please remember that sensation. Close your eyes, focus, and as closely as you can, imagine the time you used your power. Each of you should achieve your own Personal Reality, or at least, improve the footholds you already have." As instructed, everyone remembers the time when they achieve the power they've sought. The middle-school girl too. Being Level 0, she's never tasted the effect of an ESP ability in the first place. Despite what happened afterwards, the girl could only describe the experience as incredible. After leaving her family and traveling all the way to Academy City, going through years of experimentation and not receive a single reward, the experience of Level Upper would still be one of the highest of her life. And it hurt her, how much she nearly sacrificed for just those fleeting moments. And how much she still desires them even now. But deep down she knows it, knows it well, that a time her ability will reflect that fledgling produced by Level Upper will never come again. Still, that's alright. Her life's worth isn't solely determined by her ESP ability. As she comes to this conclusion, the clouds part and rays of sunlight break through the sky. At the moment she's the only one to witness this beautiful scene. Perhaps she is different. Perhaps everyone is trying their hardest to reach the height they were once able. But the middle-school girl knows different. She knows that time will never come. So in a way the purpose of this lesson wasn't to strive for what she once achieved, but to let go. If it happens it happens, but there is so much here for her in Academy City, it honestly doesn't matter. The girl can only smile at this because this is the true lesson taught. Finally parting her view from the breathtaking sky, she glance back to the rest of her class. For just a brief moment she wonders about the spiky-haired boy who also tried his hardest, who now appears incredibly nervous. In fact he's sweating bullets. All that focus and motivation from before completely vanished. To where, the girl has no idea. He nearly appears a completely different person at this moment. As previously stated, the Special Workshop concluded with an ability test. Some of students scores actually rose, many stayed the same. As for the middle-school girl, she didn't even need to check. Without a doubt she is still a Level 0, yet doesn't feel the slightest bit dismayed. In fact she feels relief. Not entirely certain why, all the same she cherishes this moment. The chain which was her lack of ability was shattered. Even if she never develops, no longer will it hold her down. At this moment she can almost fly. As she and her friends leave the Special Workshop and discuss what to do to celebrate, the girl finds an envelope hidden within her locker. There's no question, it's from Jufukuu. "Oh, sorry, go ahead without me. There's something I need to take care of." Her friends accept the excuse easily enough. They were slightly upset about the distance she was keeping throughout the entire workshop, but her entire atmosphere has improved considerably. They accept their friend's request for privacy and continue on their own. Looking for a private place to read her letter- "Kyaaa," "Whoa," Inadvertently she crashes right into someone as she walks. Keeping her balance, she's able to meet the identity of this small misfortune. She almost isn't surprised to find it to be the spiky-haired boy. "Sorry about that," they both apologize, as both were apparently distracted. "Are you okay?" he further speaks. "Yes, I'm fine." Though she might have felt something of a pull towards this boy, they don't really have anything further to say. Giving an apology, the boy continues on his way. Yet the girl can't help but notice the way he's dragging his feet. Since she's feeling so well right now, she can't possibly let him go with his mood as it is. "Your level didn't improve, did it?" Stopping, he turns and almost appears confused, "Eh? No. It's still 0." To be this similar to her comes as a surprise, but a pleasant one. The reason he was trying so hard is the same as the girl's. "I'm a Level 0 as well." "Oh. Okay." It feels a bit odd he can't read the atmosphere and tell where this conversation is heading, but the girl braves through and tries to be encouraging, "You shouldn't let it get to you, you know? I felt the same way after all. I've never been able to produce an ability until Level Upper, and now that it's gone again I fell into a depression. Or I tried my very hardest not to. I know I still want it, but I also know my life won't be determined by one. So you shouldn't beat yourself up even if your scores don't improve." She says all this with a genuine smile, but that sentiment doesn't appear conveyed. The boy still has the same confused expression. Irritation bites at her but tries not to let is show. "Um," he finally speaks after a long period of silence, "I've been wondering about this for a while, but what exactly is Level Upper?" ... The girl simply has no words. At that moment her brain completely freezes and requires a reboot. "I'm sorry, what did you say?" Scratching at the back of his head, "Well, um, what is Level Upper?" "How can you not know that?" practically screaming. "What were you even doing here in the first place?" Completely on the defensive and speaking rather fast, "Apparently I'm an idiot and came here thinking it was just remedial lessons! I haven't even heard of Level Upper before today!" Still, her brain nearly refuses to function. What was spoken almost couldn't be comprehended. "You haven't heard of Level Upper?" Rapidly he shakes his head. "And you just came to this school thinking everything was normal?" Now he's rapidly nodding. "And nothing about any of this felt odd?" Still sweating, "Well, students from other schools felt odd, but otherwise it was normal up until the PE class was ending. And then everyone was arguing about 'punishment' and 'Level Upper' and I had no idea what was going on! I swear!" All previous images she had of him shatter like glass. Her secret admiration of his ethic and effort, the courageous face held throughout, and perhaps some small inkling she herself wasn't aware of; all of those just up and vanish. She has absolutely no idea what to think of this boy now. "Ha," so she laughs, "bwahaahahahahahahahahaaha!" Side-splitting, hold on to her gut, bent over laughing out loud. Her hysterics are uproarious, laughing away not only his predicament, but her own as well like a lame joke; a joke so stupid it can only be funny! And it is! The ridiculous nature of this situation is simply too much to even attempt to comprehend. So all she can do is laugh. Scratching the back of his neck nervously, "Jeez, cut me some slack here." The sight of his ashamed expression only add to the ridiculousness, and she doubles over. It takes quite some time before she finishes finding humor at his expense. "Sorry," she wipes the tears which have spilled from her eyes, "but is such a mistake even possible?" Apparently it is. "I just spent the past ten minutes being raked over the coals by Komoe-sensei, and I still have to go to my regular scheduled lessons later. I still have no idea what Level Upper is!" The clarity of his eyes are entirely truthful. He really doesn't know a thing about Level Upper. Should the girl really spend her time explaining it to the spiky-haired boy and risk reopening her wounds? She thought this, but dismisses nearly immediately. Perhaps it will be good for her. "Come on, sit down and I'll explain it." Recounting in near entirety, the girl tells the story of how she came to find Level Upper, nearly abandoned it altogether, passed it to her three friends who also attended the Special Workshop, and how she fell into a coma. All the while he listens intently, an expression so serious he appears several years the more mature. Frankly, she finds it handsome. "I see." After telling him everything minus a few of the more personal details, she concludes, "Couldn't you understand why we did it? You're also a Level 0, so haven't you ever wanted your ability to grow stronger?" The boy's reaction isn't exactly what she expects, "No," and his words feel like God-honest truthfulness, "if anything I'd want it gone." Looking at his right hand for some reason, "My ability is Imagine Breaker. It's," and pauses as if not sure how to explain, "extremely Bad Luck. Take today for example," he weakly smiles, "I though I was doing good making up a lecture I'd have otherwise missed, but it was for victims of Level Upper and I still have to come back on another day. Things like this happen all the time. If I were to tell you everything that's happened, you'd realize my Bad Luck is an ability in and of itself." The girl never thought of it that way. Let alone a weak or powerful ability, but an ability so dangerous it brings the bearer harm. To him, Level Upper must seem like an aberration that shouldn't exist. Or maybe that's how he sees himself. But the next couple of words completely overturn her assumptions, "Well, it's not like something like that will ever happen." Catching the girl by surprise, it fells as if she'd just been called stupid for even attempting Level Upper, "But, if you could get rid of your Imagine Breaker, wouldn't you jump at the opportunity? If you knew of a method that with certainty would remove your misfortune, wouldn't you take it?" "Absolutely not," he states firmly. "Bad luck might seem terrible from the outside, but I'm far from miserable. I've lived with it my entire life, and I deal with it. But every so often I take somebody else's misfortune as my own, and you know what, I can alleviate their suffering. I won't say it's all roses, that sometimes I sigh and throw my hands up into the air, but at the end of the day I can put things in order and continue with the world as it was meant to be. I wouldn't be me without my misfortune, and frankly, I like me." Suddenly the girl's heart begins to race. A deep impression is made on her. She doesn't know from where it originates, but she knows one thing. She has to say something. She has to ask him a question. "How would you define Personal Reality?" The sudden question throws him for a loop. All he can do is try and shrug it off, "Um, didn't I already say I was taking remedial lessons? I'm actually pretty stupid." Despite attempting to skirt the question, she insists. She must hear the answer. She must hear his answer. Seeing he's not getting out of it, he can only respond to her insistence, "Um, this is just my opinion, but it always felt like they explain it backwards. They always say, 'a reality unto one's self,' but to me it feels more like 'one's self unto reality.' To call it how one views reality isn't correct. That's 'perspective.' Personal Reality is recognizing the world, your self, and imposing one over the other. I guess you could simplify it by saying it's forcing your will over the world's will." And then to the side, "Or maybe that's closer to the definition of magic." The girl doesn't particularly pay attention to that last comment. After all, aren't abilities like magic in the first place? Regardless, his answer greatly contributes to her own. Feeling closer to grasping the truth, she honestly thanks him, "Thank you for putting up with my sudden question. If you're dumb for being here by mistake, I'm even dumber for being here on purpose." He almost objects, but
the well-hidden secret that it has long been a huge redistribution program from the bottom up.” He writes that it’s about large landowners and farmers parking Ferraris between their tractors, or a famous law firm investing an 8-digit sum in a solar park with the state guaranteeing a handsome profit. It’s about a Bavarian farmer with hundreds of solar panels on his barn’s roof laughing his way to the bank: “That’s 20,000 euros per month.” The German socialist and green parties used to be about protecting the little guy, making sure that their money and assets don’t get transferred from the bottom to the top. Today, however, they’re making sure that it does get transferred to the top! It just happens many Greens and socialist honchos are at the top reaping the benefits of political sellout. Slowly but surely, it is all coming out. Von Buttlar writes: … a few days ago the Consumer Protection Agency complained about high electricity costs: In 2007 every household paid on average 35 euros for alternative energies. Beginning in 2013, when the share in the costs rises from 3.5 cents to 5 cents, that number will jump to 185 euros.” Von Buttlar reminds us that many Germans still accept this and view it as a “good cause” – a position he calls naive. We should at least be honest – these are times when armies of corporate representatives and “advisers” from Enercon, Repower, or the numerous obscure solar companies are invading the countryside. It is not about a lofty objective or a good cause. That’s the story that gets told at town meetings. No, it’s about money. More precisely said: it’s about lots of money for a very few – money that is being divided up between plant operators, investors, leasing companies and manufacturers. 16.4 billion euros was the energy feed-in allocation in 2011. In the coming year it is going to be 20 billion.” This is the reality that I hope my friends in Vermont are going to wake the hell up to – soon. The whole thing is a financial scam. And it is not going to have a bit of impact on the weather. Not only is it going to cost you lots of money, but, as you are now painfully witnessing in Vermont, it is wreaking environmental damage of catastrophic dimensions. Your mountains and landscape are being devoured by industry. How do you like the face of climate protection now? Citizens are not only going to be paying a lot more for power, but they are paying an awful environmental price right now. Site for 1 of 21 turbines now being installed on Lowell Mountain in Vermont. Photo source: Mountain Talk Rich landowners, says von Buttlar, are leasing their land to windpark operators for 2000 to 10,000 euros an acre. Farmers can now kick back and do nothing but watch the money roll in. The alternative energy situation in Germany has skidded so much out of control that even one of the fathers of the environmental movement has switched sides. Enoch zu Guttenberg, symphony conductor and co-founder of leading environmental activist group BUND, left the group in protest in May. Von Buttlar writes: ‘BUND appears to have sold out’, and he no longer wanted to crane his hands ‘near every money barrel,’ that corrupts. ‘Unfortunately we are no longer talking about the responsible future of energy management in Germany,’ zu Guttenberg writes. “We are talking about making a really fast buck’.” Hopefully Germany’s disastrous energy model will act to deter others from following on the same path, which clearly Vermont has already embarked on in a radical way. Von Buttlar concludes his Financial Times article: The next time you see a wind turbine, don’t think about whether it is attractive or ugly, or whether it is clean or polluting. Just think: Great! Now there’s sombody that has gotten seriously rich!“ And also ask: At who’s expense?Escafé is a popular place to get a drink, a place a group of people out on the town might choose for a nightcap later in the evening. “It’s an end-up place,” says owner Todd Howard. And that has the restaurant in trouble with the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. That’s because to get a license to sell mixed drinks in Virginia, a restaurant must have no more than 55 percent of its sales from booze and at least 45 percent from food. Restaurants can sell all the beer and wine they want because those alcoholic beverages don’t figure into the ratio. As for bars, forget about it. Virginia has been steadfastly anti-saloon since, well, Prohibition. It wasn’t legal to order a mixed drink in the state until 1968. “By definition, you can’t have bars in the commonwealth,” says Howard. “You have to fight very hard to get those food dollars anyway you can.” At the same time, restaurant owners don’t want to overprice their food or underprice drinks. Some, says Howard, go so far as to manipulate their sales numbers to comply with the ratio. Because Escafé did not meet the food minimum last year, it’s facing a 30-day suspension of its license and a $2,500 fine. “You can imagine what it would do,” says Howard. “I don’t know how patient my creditors would be. And coming up with $2,500 would be tough.” A bill in the General Assembly could save establishments like Escafé or The Box, the popular watering hole on Second Street Southeast that closed in 2014 because its alcohol sales were too high. Delegate Scott Taylor’s HB219 would reduce the food ratio to 25 percent. The Virginia Beach Republican has called the ratio “antiquated” and “anti-competitive.” Yet as common sense as the bill might sound to those not from the teetotaling Bible Belt, House Minority Leader David Toscano says, “I doubt this will pass.” Nor does he think Virginia is moving toward allowing bars. “I think that decision was made a long time ago. I think people like the idea that if you go somewhere and have a drink, there should be some element of food available.” He says the rationale behind not having bars is there’s less “disorder” than what’s found in other states. However, Toscano says, “I’m sad Escafé is being threatened with that suspension. I will look into that.” Restaurants can’t force their customers to order eats with their drinks, says Howard. When the Supreme Court ruled on gay marriage June 26, people flocked to Escafé. “Where else are you going to celebrate but at the gay bar?” asks Howard. “It’s not like I can say, ‘I hope you’ll buy food.’ That night was an incredible bar-heavy night that sort of blew my ratio that month.” Rapture owner Mike Rodi sees HB219 as part of an overall attempt to put Virginia’s alcohol laws into something “resembling, not the 21st century, but the second half to the 20th century. The laws are rooted in Prohibition values. I do think it needs an overhaul.” Rodi says he has no problem meeting the ratio, but he understands the problem it presents for some restaurant owners. “How do you force someone to eat or say, ‘I can’t sell you a drink because it will put me over my ratio?’” Rapture had its own skirmish with the ABC in 2014 when an agent cited it with “ceases to qualify as a restaurant.” Rodi says he doesn’t know where that came from because even if the dining room is closed, food is still available. He had to pay $500, and sees such enforcement as “a way to harass businesses.” He notes the investment he’s made in a quality kitchen staff, equipment and ingredients. “It’s insulting for the ABC to come in and say, ‘You’re not a restaurant,’” he says. “Why? Because my hood isn’t working one day?” Rodi thinks the entire ABC regulation book needs an overhaul. He points to a law that regulates “how much of a nipple can be exposed.” Says Rodi, “Obviously the code is caught up in moral issues. There are safety issues, there are business issues. Let’s get down to what are actual issues instead of weird moral issues from the 1930s.” Howard finds it ironic that the ABC boasted record profits in 2015—and yet wants to penalize a business that sells too much alcohol. The food/alcohol ratio was last changed in 1980. “The 35-year marker is important to note,” he says. “Many things have changed since then in public attitudes and social attitudes.” Howard recounts what one person said when he described his current travails with the ABC: “You tell that board Governor McAuliffe is pro-business and Virginia is pro-business. Suspending your license is anti-business.” On January 12, Howard appealed the suspension to the ABC Board, which has 30 days to decide what to do.Two Israeli Arab athletes will represent the country at the Special Olympics in Athens this year, for the first time in history. Tennis players Muhammad Kunbar of East Jerusalem and Jafar Tawil from Beit Safafa, both 20, will strive for the gold this week alongside Elad Gevandschnaider, 22, of Be'er Sheva and Tamir Segal, 34, of Katzrin. The Special Olympics tennis delegation at a training camp at the Wingate Institute. Israel Tennis Center The Israel Tennis Center, under whose auspices Kunbar and Tawil have trained for the last five years, declared it an honor that the sport would be part of such a historical moment. Kunbar and Tawil discovered their hidden skill with the help of physical education teacher, Mahmud Karayin, during their studies at the al-Salam School in Beit Safafa. Karay'in closely observed their physical progress during school sports lessons and encouraged them to play tennis. He brought them to the Israel Tennis Center in Jerusalem to train and participate in competitions, giving them the opportunity to meet and work with many volunteers, teachers and coaches. Kunbar and Tawil began training twice a week with a group from their school, under the guidance of coach Itamar Hen, and last February joined Segal and Gevandschnaider at a training camp at the Wingate Institute. The athletes practiced with Shaya Azar, coordinator of tennis in the Special Olympics and director of the ITC branch in Ashkelon, and with Nadia Golbez, a coach at the ITC branch Jaffa, both of whom accompanied the players to the Olympics. Keep updated: Sign up to our newsletter Email * Please enter a valid email address Sign up Please wait… Thank you for signing up. We've got more newsletters we think you'll find interesting. Click here Oops. Something went wrong. Please try again later. Try again Thank you, The email address you have provided is already registered. Close Azar lauded the center for giving the young men a chance to improve both their tennis and communication skills by playing with other athletes, both from the Special Olympics track as well as from the regular program. "When training, they are often unified, meaning you take one player from Special Olympics, and one from the regular program and they play doubles," said Azar. "You can see them getting better with communication on and off the court." Communication has been one of the main challenges for these athletes, said Azar, as their mental disabilities are at different levels. Tawil does not speak Hebrew and he cannot read or write in Arabic, so his verbal communication is quite limited. Kunbar has a higher level of communication, according to Azar, and often serves as a translator between Tawil and the coaches. "[Kunbar] helps me communicate with Jafar," said Azar. "Having both of them together really helps with communication. They are both really good at tennis even though they started at a low level, and have gotten better and better." Making it to the Olympics On May 12, 44 tennis players from the Israel Tennis Center's branches across the country competed in the national championships in a bid to qualify for the Special Olympics. Both Tawil and Kunbar finished first in their categories and were chosen to represent the country in the international competition, which is held once every four years. The competition was very professional, and played according to all the international rules," said Azar. "This is the biggest competition we have organized in Israel, and I really hope we can keep on growing, and the number of participants will keep increasing." Gevandschnaider and Segal, the other two athletes representing Israel this week in Athens, are already national champions in their own right. Segal won a bronze medal at the Olympic Games in 2007 and the gold at the 2006 European Championships in Berlin. Gevandschnaider, who trains at the ITC - Beer Sheva, is a volunteer soldier and won a silver medal at the European Championships in Poland this year. The team was especially motivated by their fellow athletes' inclusion in the Olympics, said Ilan Maman, the director of ITC-Jerusalem. Their standing in the most recent national tournaments improved following the announcement, he added. "They are a great bunch of young men that enjoy every second they can spend on the court; they appreciate the center and they appreciate the coaches and the efforts of their school," said Maman. Although this is the first time Israeli Arabs have been chosen to represent the country in the Olympics, Azar said that the tennis center has always welcomed participation regardless of religious or linguistic differences. "Its for everyone," he said."I went here as a child more than 30 years ago. I would say 20 percent of the special needs athletes are Arabs." The Israel Tennis Center is funded both publicly and privately by Israeli citizens as well as patrons outside the country. The Jerusalem municipality fields many of the other costs for the 84-athlete team, their 30 coaches and many volunteers, including shuttle services to practice, equipment, and flights and accommodations. Some 7,000 will represent 165 countries at the Olympics this year. The Israeli team might be surprised to see just how big this event is, said Azar. "Im very proud to go with them. I hope to bring medals back to Israel, and I think that the opportunity to go with these athletes is a gift from God," he said. "I hope to give them back what they give me. To work with these athletes makes you a different person.A polling station in Bucharest, Romania on December 11, 2016 \| Andrei Pungovschi/AFP via Getty Images Romania’s Social Democrats on track for landslide election win A year after the PSD’s Victor Ponta was ousted as PM by popular protests, the party is poised to take back power. Romania's Social Democrats (PSD) won a landslide win in parliamentary elections on Sunday, according to preliminary results, which could enable them to take over from the year-old technocratic government of Prime Minister Dacian Cioloş. With just over 80 percent of votes counted, PSD won 46.5 percent in Romania's Senate and 46.3 percent in the Chamber of Deputies. This will allow the party to form a coalition with one of Romania's smaller parties and return to power in Europe's second-poorest nation a year after the PSD's Victor Ponta was ousted as prime minister following public protests. Liviu Dragnea, the current PSD leader, said immediately after exit poll data was released that his party would go for an alliance with ALDE, a party run by Senate leader and former premier Călin Popescu-Tăriceanu. ALDE secured just under 6 percent of votes for the Senate and Chamber of Deputies. President Klaus Iohannis' Liberal party (PNL) came a distant second with 20.5 percent of votes for the Senate and 20.1 for the Chamber. The PNL and the Bucharest-based anti-corruption movement Union Save Romania had hoped to combine forces to keep Cioloş in power. “It’s not that PSD won and PNL lost today. Romanians won today,” Dragnea told reporters soon after polls closed. At least 29 of the 588 MPs elected in 2012 have been found guilty of criminal conduct or have been investigated by the National Anticorruption Directorate. “The result, if confirmed, will be a historic one,” said Dragnea, who declined to say who the PSD would propose as prime minister. Iohannis has vowed to stop anyone with a criminal record from becoming prime minister, which would rule out Dragnea, who has a two-year suspended jail sentence for attempting to rig a referendum in 2012. At least 29 of the 588 MPs elected in 2012 have been found guilty of criminal conduct or have been investigated by the National Anticorruption Directorate, according to the Romanian Institute for Public Policies. When the PSD prevailed in local elections in June, Dragnea said Romanians had to decide "if they prefer to have running water" or put politicians "in handcuffs." One alternative PSD contender for the premiership is Vasile Dîncu, a minister in the current interim government led by Cioloş. The anti-corruption Union Save Romania hailed its projected 9.2 percent result — which would make it the third biggest party — as a strong outcome given that it was only founded in February this year. Party leader Nicușor Dan, who wants the party to act as an anti-corruption watchdog in parliament, called it a victory for democracy in Romania. "Today's vote is the beginning,” said Dan. "We'll fight against illegality, we'll fight against abuse of authority, we'll fight against the looting of public money. We will be what has not existed before: a partner for citizens in their relation with Romanian public authorities.” The PSD's campaign promises included a hike in the minimum wage and cuts to income taxes and public administration fees. If implemented, such moves would endanger EU-mandated budget deficit targets and potentially jeopardize economic growth which, at 5 percent this year, is the highest in Europe, according to IMF projections. Unlike many recent elections around Europe, none of the parties competing in Romania campaigned on an openly Euroskeptic platform and Dragnea immediately promised that under PSD leadership, the country would respect all of its international commitments. However, the PSD's campaign did promote nationalist values and rejected foreign candidates for parliament, such as the French-born businesswoman Clotilde Armand of USR. “Today, Romanians voted to bring Romanian villages back to life and for us to feed ourselves with the fruits of our land, not low-quality imports,” Dragnea said on Sunday night. "This vote shows that Romanians want to feel at home in their country, they want Romania to be a better home for all its citizens, not just for some.”JOHANNESBURG -- A lion killed an American woman and injured a man driving through a private wildlife park in Johannesburg on Monday, a park official said. The attack occurred at around 2:30 p.m. when a lioness approached the passenger side of the vehicle as the woman took photos and then lunged, said Scott Simpson, assistant operations manager at the Lion Park. "They had their windows all the way down, which is strictly against policy," he said. "The lion bit the lady through the window." The driver then tried to punch the lion and was scratched by the animal. Park staff quickly chased the lion away from the car and an ambulance arrived promptly. "Unfortunately, she did pass away," said Simpson, adding that the U.S. Embassy had been informed. A man walks past warning signs at the Lion Park, near Johannesburg, Monday June 1, 2015 where a lion killed an American woman and injured a man driving through a private wildlife park a park official said. AP Earlier, the U.S. Embassy confirmed that it had received reports of an "incident involving a U.S. citizen" at the Lion Park and was ready to offer "any assistance possible." The Lion Park is a popular destination for tourists who can drive in their own vehicles through large enclosures where lions roam freely. Visitors can also pet lion cubs in smaller pens or have supervised walks through cheetah enclosures. "Nowhere can you get closer to a pride of lions and other animals and still be completely safe," says the park's website. The park would review its policies, said Simpson, but he believes existing safety measures are "more than adequate," if visitors follow them. Big signs advise visitors to keep their car windows up and drivers entering the park are also handed a paper with the same warning, he said. The lion whisperer The park was featured in a November "60 Minutes" story about cub petting and the canned hunting industry - where people can pay to go into an enclosure and shoot a lion. As correspondent Clarissa Ward reported, The Lion Park is one of dozens of places in South Africa where tourists, many of them Americans, pay top dollar for the privilege of petting lion cubs. The parks breed their lions constantly to ensure a supply of cubs year round, but once the lions reach maturity, they are too dangerous to be near tourists. Earlier this year, South African media reported that an Australian tourist was bitten by a lion when he was driving in the park with his windows open. In April, a teenager was attacked by a cheetah when he tried to cut through the park on his bicycle, reported local outlet, News24.Advertisement A Hawaiian street artist painted an incredible mural in Canada that shows a woman disappearing and reemerging with the changing tide. Sean Yoro used non-toxic paint to keep the waters as clean as possible to create his 30 by 45 foot masterpiece at the Bay of Fundy in eastern Canada. For legal purposes, he did not disclose where exactly the artwork is located. He had to paint quickly as well with the tide that changed approximately one foot every 15 minutes, he told CNN on Tuesday. Yoro told CNN: 'Calculating the lifespan is very difficult because of variables such as sunlight and currents around the wall itself, but a safe estimate would have it lasting two to three months.' Sean Yoro used non-toxic paint to keep the waters as clean as possible to create his 30 by 45 foot masterpiece at the Bay of Fundy in eastern Canada For legal purposes, Soro did not disclose where exactly the artwork is located. He had to paint quickly as well with the tide that changed approximately one foot every 15 minutes he said that 'calculating the lifespan is very difficult because of variables such as sunlight and currents around the wall itself, but a safe estimate would have it lasting two to three months' In total it took him nine days to complete the mural and he had to paint quickly and consider the tide But with using the eco-friendly paints, Yoro said the artwork could last up to two years under perfect conditions. He had to experiment with different kinds of paints and work with a wall that was already wet. It took him nine days to complete the artwork. It is his latest work in a series of water murals that have appeared in locations including Puglia, Italy and West Palm Beach, Florida. According to his Facebook, Yoro is a self-taught street artist who grew up on the east side of the island Oahu. He discovered his passion for graffiti and tattooing in his late teenage years. Yoro - known by his artist name Hula - transforms the dilapidated constructions by balancing on a paddle board to paint the enormous faces and figures, often with tribal markings on their bodies. He moved to New York to pursue his career and painted semi-submerged murals in the water. According to his Facebook, Yoro is a self-taught street artist who grew up on the east side of the island Oahu He discovered his passion for graffiti and tattooing in his late teenage years. He is seen above painting the mural A work of art: He had to experiment with different kinds of paints and work with a wall that was already wet His designs can brighten up even the dullest of buildings, and leave visitors with pleasant memories that could have so easily have been negative. Hula writes: 'Merging his backgrounds in both street and fine art, Hula works entirely with oil paint and uses traditional techniques to create soft, female figures interacting with the surface of the water.' 'Hula’s work often leaves you feeling an array of emotions while proposing an environmental discussion.' Some images show just a woman's head, as if emerging from the water, while others show women at angles, as if they are swimming. Hula's designs can brighten up even the dullest of buildings, and leave visitors with pleasant memories that could have so easily have been negativeWhen Apple launched its new payment service last October, it boasted of support from major partners such as American Express, Chase, and Macy’s. But Apple had also spent months ahead of the launch working with a relative minnow in the world of financial technology: a four-year-old San Francisco startup called Stripe. Stripe CEO Patrick Collison Stripe got started in 2010 selling tools that make it easy for businesses to add credit card payment functionality to a website or mobile app. It quickly earned a reputation for being friendlier to coders than more traditional payment processors, making it popular with app makers and a natural choice for Apple when it began designing Apple Pay. Today, Stripe’s products have expanded to include subscription billing services and an online checkout system. Customers include Walmart, Twitter, and the ride-sharing app Lyft. The company has received $190 million from venture funders including PayPal cofounders Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, and Max Levchin. “A new, successful, behavior-altering payments product is a big deal and represents a crack in that frozen ice of the industry and the way things are done.” —Patrick Collison, CEO of Stripe In an interview with MIT Technology Review’s San Francisco bureau chief, Tom Simonite, in the cafeteria at his company’s headquarters in the Mission district of San Francisco, CEO and cofounder Patrick Collison explains how he is trying to increase the small fraction of spending that takes place through e-commerce. Payments processing seems like a fairly simple function. What makes it important? Today the most exciting technology companies are the mobile marketplaces, companies like Airbnb and Lyft. Software is suffusing every industry and sector and market. As technology companies expand into more markets that have been traditionally offline, it’s natural that business models are more about payments. Stripe is providing the infrastructure for the next wave of these companies. Only 2 percent of commerce worldwide is e-commerce today. Why is that share so small? There are major infrastructural deficiencies. If you’re in Latin America or China and go to a website, it’s almost guaranteed that you can’t buy from it. By only accepting credit cards, which is what the majority of websites do, they’re essentially restricting themselves to selling to North American and Western European buyers. Even in the U.S., e-commerce only accounts for just over 6 percent of all retail. Is that a business problem or a technology problem? It’s absolutely a technology problem. Think of the places where you’re likely to discover something that you want to purchase. You no longer stumble across it when you’re walking down the high street; you find it in your Facebook or Twitter feed, on your phone. But think about what you’re supposed to do on a mobile device: click on the link, get bounced to some random e-commerce website, click “add to cart,” zoom in, peck in your address and credit card number, and click on checkout. It’s a 10-step process, and it might not even work at the end of it all. I can hand a dollar to somebody really easily in the store; it’s really difficult for me to digitally hand them a dollar. Apple Pay, which you worked on, seems to work well, and there are a lot of partners. But it’s not very radical, is it? I think Apple was quite aggressive on a number of points. Giving merchants a “token” versus your credit card number is a very important shift. If that business is compromised, you’re not liable to anyone in the world stealing from you. The privacy changes are not insignificant. It would have been very natural for Apple to try to aggregate all this data and use it for ad targeting, but they haven’t. There’s no point proposing some utopian vision that doesn’t come to pass. A new, successful, behavior-altering payments product is a big deal and represents a crack in that frozen ice of the industry and the way things are done. Stripe is invested in some more radical ideas. You support payments made via Bitcoin, and you’ve invested $3 million in a Bitcoin alternative called Stellar. Bitcoin is kind of a financial Rorschach test; everyone projects their desired monetary future onto it. What we care about is making digital transactions and commerce more universal. There is the element to Bitcoin of just being a universal means to transport value. Bitcoin has some user experience issues. Transactions take minutes to clear. There’s the difficulty of obtaining bitcoins. With Stellar you can use real, normal currencies in addition to digital ones. Transactions clear instantly. We backed this because we’re in favor of anything that seems it might help us build a more ubiquitous, useful commerce infrastructure for the Internet. Can you really make as much money as other high-margin software startups by taking a small slice of transactions you handle? The economics of the business generally work better than people think. Look at PayPal’s income statement and margins—they’re really good. We’re a technology provider and happen to bill for that as a function of the transaction volume, but that’s an implementation detail of the pricing. Do you price it as a percentage of the transaction or as a monthly fee or an annual fee? There’s no reason why the margins should be that different.Ontario English public high school teachers have reached a tentative agreement with the province and public school boards, but it's unclear if the deal will speed negotiations with other unions and avoid job action with the school year now less than three weeks away. The Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) returned to the bargaining table on Wednesday and struck a deal within 24 hours, according to a news release. The tentative agreement must be endorsed by each local sector of the union before it becomes official. Those leaders are expected to meet in the coming days, the OSSTF says in the release. Premier Kathleen Wynne said it was a challenging negotiation, but collaboration prevailed. "This is a very significant and happy day in terms of getting our kids back to school," she said. "I know our teachers want to be in school, I know our support staff want to be in school, and our kids want to be in school — they may not know they want to be in school but they do want to be in school — and certainly their parents want them in school learning, so this is a great step." Education Minister Liz Sandals said Thursday she's happy a deal has been reached with OSSTF. "Negotiations were challenging for all sides, but it speaks to the dedication and commitment of everyone involved that collaboration prevailed and a tentative agreement was reached," she said in a statement. Sandals said the government is working to get deals with other unions for teachers and education workers "throughout the remaining weeks of the summer in order to reach agreements at all tables." OSSTF president Paul Elliott said key to breaking the "logjam" was the premier's office becoming involved earlier this month, and management's willingness to take certain sticking points off the table. Other unions still working out deals Other unions still don't have agreements for the upcoming school year. They include the: Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario ( EFTO ), with 76,000 members. ), with 76,000 members. Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association ( OECTA ), with about 50,000 members. ), with about 50,000 members. Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens ( AEFO ), which represents about 10,000 teachers and workers in Ontario's French-language schools The OECTA Is scheduled to resume bargaining Thursday. The ETFO doesn't return to the table until Sept. 1. Hours after the OSSTF deal was announced, ETFO president Sam Hammond outlined how his members would begin working to rule if a deal is not reached by the time the school year resumes. Hammond said his members will not take part in field trips, respond to emails from principals outside of school hours or take part in parent-teacher nights until a deal is reached. Wynne said the OSSTF deal makes her optimistic about reaching deals with the other unions. She added there are similar issues at each table, but would not go into details about the deal or the other negotiations. 'Net zero' among sticking points Details of the tentative deal struck early Thursday have not been made public. CBC Queen's Park reporter Mike Crawley reported last week that sticking points in negotiations included the province's demand for "net zero" wage increases, which means that any wage hikes would have to be offset by wage savings in other areas, such as days off without pay. Teachers and school boards also wanted more wiggle room on hard caps on class sizes. Elliott said the next step is for the union — which represents 60,000 teachers, educational assistants and support workers — to take the deal to local union presidents across the province in a meeting later this week. After that, he expects a ratification process that likely won't wrap up until mid-September. He said the OSSTF deal could help clear the way for agreements with the other unions, but said "there are some different issues at the different tables." No new money for salaries Wynne has said the government will not fund any salary increases for civil servants or anyone in the broader public sector — more than one million Ontario workers — until it eliminates an $11.9-billion deficit, which it plans to do by 2017-18. The unions have warned of co-ordinated job actions if there are no new agreements when classes resume, but none is threatening a full-scale strike.Most of us do our best to limit the amount of non-nutritional junk sitting around the house, especially those of us with kids. The St. Petersburg Times, in Florida, has just published the results of an investigation they undertook to discover the arsenic levels of popular apple juice brands found in grocery stores. The newspaper had an independent third-party laboratory carry out the actual tests. Altogether, there were 18 samples of apple juice examined. More than one-fourth of the tested apple juice brands showed arsenic levels ranging between 25 and 35 parts per billion. These are concentrations high enough to warrant the US Food & Drug Administration's official "level of concern" rating for arsenic. For the most part, The products tested were the very same ones you see every time you visit the grocery store: Mott's, Tree Top, Minute Maid, and Nestle's Juicy Juice brand, as well as Target and Walmart generics. Some of the less well-known names marketed primarily to schools and similar organizations were also sampled. If you think shopping organic keeps you off the hook, unfortunately, this time you're mistaken. One of the samples taken from Apple & Eve's Organic Apple Juice contains some of the highest levels of arsenic found in the entire study. Equally alarming was the whopping range of arsenic found in different bottles of the same brand juice. For example, while one batch of Walmart's Great Value label juice contained almost undetectable levels of the toxin, another contained more than 25 parts per billion. The same goes for samples taken of Juicy Juice and several others. Arsenic: No Amount Is Safe While the news may come as a shock to much of the general public, many of us in the natural health and science community are not surprised. We've been warning the public about the dangers of arsenic overburden for many years. Arsenic is a naturally occurring metalloid element commonly used in pesticides and herbicides, as well as a wood preservative and in the manufacturing of numerous metal alloys. It's also one of the most dangerous poisons known to man. While the FDA does have an unacceptable level, I believe that no level of arsenic exposure should be considered safe. Because it is found in nature, a healthy adult human body can cope with trace exposure here and there. But as levels of arsenic accumulate in the body, they can have devastating effects. To help ensure your body's ability to keep heavy metal and metalloid levels in check, I recommend doing a heavy metal cleanse at least once a year. †Results may vary. Information and statements made are for education purposes and are not intended to replace the advice of your doctor. Global Healing Center does not dispense medical advice, prescribe, or diagnose illness. The views and nutritional advice expressed by Global Healing Center are not intended to be a substitute for conventional medical service. If you have a severe medical condition or health concern, see your physician.Chief Executive Officer Europe at Deutsche Bank Stephan Leithner arrives at a parliamentary hearing in Berlin November 28, 2012. REUTERS/Thomas Peter FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Deutsche Bank board member Stephan Leithner is leaving Germany’s largest bank ahead of a restructuring under its new chief executive officer, two financial sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday. Leithner, a former investment banker who joined the Deutsche board in 2012, will join private equity firm EQT as a partner in Munich next year, one of the people told Reuters. Leithner, who was criticised in a report by Germany’s financial watchdog over the Libor scandal, currently serves as chief executive officer for Europe, excluding Germany and the UK, and is head of personnel. He would be the first member of the management board to leave since the arrival of John Cryan as chief executive in July. Cryan is due to announce details of the “Strategy 2020” revamp plan on Oct. 29. The Briton is accelerating plans to shed assets and exit countries to shrink the bank, and earlier this month revealed a record pre-tax loss of 6 billion euros ($6.8 billion) in the third quarter and warned investors of a possible dividend cut. Deutsche Bank and EQT declined to comment, while Leithner could not be immediately reached. The move was first reported by Bloomberg.In my previous post about The Mayflower I noted that the the flag for the United Kingdom and the flag for Denmark are shown on the ship. Unfortunately it seems as though the developers got both of these flags wrong. Initially I thought they just gone one flag wrong, but as my historically astute readers have pointed out, they missed the mark twice. It shouldn’t be the flag for Denmark, but rather an inverse of those colors, which would be a white flag with a red cross. That flag is known as St. George’s Cross, and it is historically known to be one of the flags flown on The Mayflower. The other problem is the flag for the United Kingdom, known as the Union Jack. At that time in history, the Union Jack did not have the red diagonals. Those red diagonals (i.e. St Patrick’s Cross) were added to the Union Jack
hard told HuffPost that these early practices were fairly standard and that their specialness is something that could only fully be seen in hindsight. Further elaborating, Burckhard said, "They were pretty normal, but we used to call it, drinking fish beer. Basically because we drank a lot of that animal beer back then." Image: Aaron Burckhard Facebook BONUS: Aaron Burckhard thinks Kurt Cobain was a much happier person than he ended up being remembered. Concluding his 2014 interview with Nirvana News, Burckhard said, "[Cobain] wasn't always depressed. He was never depressed, he was always pulling pranks and funny stuff. Everybody portrays him as this depressed, hating life type of person." Similarly, Burckhard told HuffPost that Cobain was fun-loving at heart, but heroin changed that: "Everyone paints him as sad, but he wasn't, he was happy," he said. "He just got a hold of a whole lot of heroin and that fucked him up. I'm a recovering addict myself, I've been clean almost five years. When you're on that shit, you don't even want to live."In this ongoing series, we ask SF/F authors to describe a specialty in their lives that has nothing (or very little) to do with writing. Join us as we discover what draws authors to their various hobbies, how they fit into their daily lives, and how and they inform the author’s literary identity! I have often been asked why I am so interested in animation, and in anime specifically. What I think it comes down to is genre—what I’m really into is SFF, and as a teenager growing up in the 90s, at least in terms of television, animation was the best place to get it. Every so often a live-action show would break through (Babylon 5 played a big role in my formative years) but in animation virtually every show had an SF or fantasy element. In the early 90s, a few U.S. TV companies had gotten the idea that mining the booming Japanese animation industry could serve as a cheap source of cartoons for the American market. Respect for the source material was low to non-existent—the idea was that the footage, which cost next to nothing to license, could be sliced up as needed and combined with dubbing to create shows. The grandfather of this trend was of course Carl Macek’s Robotech, which splices together three Japanese shows (Macross, Mospeada, and Southern Cross) into a single extended continuity. (Which almost worked, visually, since the ultra-successful Macross‘ style had been widely copied.) That was before my time, though I saw it eventually, but at age twelve or thirteen I had Sailor Moon and Dragon Ball. Perhaps most influentially among me and my friends, we watched Teknoman, the U.S. adaptation of the series Tekkaman Blade. I’m not actually sure at what point I really understood that this was originally from Japan, but we knew fairly early on that it was different; dark, weird (Tekkaman starts with most of Earth being destroyed), with a plot that continued from episode to episode and a willingness to kill characters and bring in new ones. This gave it pride of place over the U.S. cartoons that were in endless syndication (think G.I. Joe, He-Man, and so on) with their episodic, tame stories and toy-lineup casts. The next step was into anime proper, courtesy of the SciFi Channel (as it was then spelled) and its Saturday Anime block. This started in 1995, and showed, in retrospect, an astonishing variety of stuff. It had everything we’d liked about Tekkaman and more—it was dark, story-driven, and weird. SciFi was running these on the cheap, even by the standards of anime adaptations at the time, which made things even stranger. They would often have some episodes of a series but not others, and rather than recut or censor the casual nudity that was such of feature of anime at the time they would simply drop whole chunks of a show with no explanation. The dubs were, to put it mildly, sub-par, with the same team doing so many shows that we got to recognize them. And yet we were hooked. We wanted more! I honestly forget who it was that first showed us around Chinatown in NYC. It is probably a succinct description of my suburban upbringing to say that taking the subway down to Canal Street felt slightly daring. There was a mall there, full of strange products with incomprehensible labels, and in the basement of this mall there was a guy who sold anime. This was an extremely shady sort of operation, with shelves that could be swung closed and packed into the back of a van at a moment’s notice. But in terms of price and selection, it blew away anything you could find at the record store. (Anime was for some reason sold at record stores? Does anyone else remember that?) Home we came, backpacks bursting with Nth-generation tapes. This was the first time I really considered myself an anime fan. Instead of just watching what was on TV, we made special trips to acquire our favorites, and even knew (through third-hand translations of BBS posts) when new stuff was coming out. Not coincidentally, this period also saw the release of Neon Genesis Evangelion, which was one of those era-defining classics that forever divides a genre into “before” and “after.” That single show encapsulates both the highs and lows of anime for U.S. fans. It had parts that were spectacularly good, so that setting them beside something like He-Man seemed like a joke. It had parts that were incredibly strange or incomprehensible, which brought with them endless debates about whether the translators were doing a good job and whether there was some bit of Japanese culture we were missing that would explain things. It was more R-rated then anything U.S. media would sanction for fifteen-year-olds, sometimes in completely baffling ways. And it was unquestionably brilliant but, ultimately, unsatisfying. (Inasmuch as the ending is more of a chronicle of the director’s descent into depression and madness than a coherent story.) When I left for college, in 1999, it was in the post-Eva world. My viewing had declined somewhat from the glory days of our runs to Chinatown, but I thought I was more or less keeping up with the times. When I arrived at Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, I was happy to see that two doors down from me in our freshman dorm someone had already hung an anime poster on his door. Something to talk about! I said hello. “Have you seen Neon Genesis Evangelion?” I said, very impressed with myself. The guy, whose name was Konstantin, said he had. Then he showed me his anime collection. I was expecting something like mine, a double handful of tapes; instead, Konstantin had a cardboard box of perhaps two cubic meters in volume, full literally to bursting with VHS cassettes. I couldn’t even lift it. That was when I went from a mere fan to a lost cause. Konstantin and I watched through all the classic 90s series that I’d missed—Slayers, Rurouni Kenshin, Card Captor Sakura, Revolutionary Girl Utena, and on and on. Sometimes they were on copied tapes that were so bad they’d fritz out and become unwatchable, so we’d have to piece together stories like archaeologists working from incomplete texts. We joined (and later ran) Vermillion, the CMU anime club, which was plugged in to a cross-country network of fansubbers who mailed one another amateur translations of new shows. Getting my tapes from Chinatown turned out to be fortuitous, because it meant I’d been watching subtitled shows instead of dubs. The 90s and early 2000s were the heyday of the format wars, fought between the (evil, untrustworthy) side that favored English dubs and the (righteous, correct) side that preferred subtitles. This was a big issue because tapes could only have one or the other, and the whole conflict went away after the switch to DVDs, which could hold both. Ironically, this was also about the time dubs went from “three guys in the producer’s basement” to real, professional productions I could actually watch. [Nowadays I even have friends in the dubbing industry, like Apphia Yu (also a Vermillion member!) and Cassandra Lee Morris, who narrates my Forbidden Library audiobooks!] It just goes to show that even the most gruesome conflicts fade away with time. The next big change was the internet, obviously. Napster arrived in 2000, and with it the idea of peer-to-peer file-sharing. CMU had a fast internal network, so sending video around was practical long before that became possible more broadly. A number of networks came and went, squashed by IT or by legal challenges, and anime clubs and fansub groups started running their own invitation-only FTP servers, with logins jealously guarded to preserve precious bandwidth. A bunch of fellow computer science students and I set up a massive (for the time, which meant something like six HUNDRED gigabytes!) server and made ourselves popular in those circles, although not with campus IT. (It was called Bloodgod, after Warhammer 40,000’s Khorne; this is why bloodgod.com still goes to my website! Its shorter-lived partner was called Skullthrone.) Finally, BitTorrent blew all that wide open. It’s hard to overstate the effect this had on the social scene; anime groups had been insular, jealously hording their stashes and doling them out to privileged followers. With BitTorrent, the more people who shared something, the faster it went—overnight, the social landscape became open and sharing. It was the end of the anime club’s special position, but I wasn’t sorry to see it go. That brings us roughly to the modern era. (Sort of. There’s the rise of streaming, but that’s another article.) I still watch anime with Konstantin (whose meticulously-detailed collection can be seen here) and even blogged about it for a while at SF Signal. And it’s filtered into my writing in interesting ways. In my series The Forbidden Library, for example, the image of an endless library of worlds owes a lot to the anime Yami to Boushi to Hon no Tabibito (literally Travelers in Darkness with Book and Hat, or something similar), while the magic system, where Readers must subdue magical creatures and can later use their powers, was inspired by of Card Captor Sakura with a dash of Pokemon. TV is getting a lot better than it once was for SFF fans, and nobody is more excited about it than I am. Even today, though, anime lives and breathes the genre in a way few live-action shows do. I’m a fan, and I don’t plan to stop watching! P.S. Go watch Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica. Trust me. You won’t be sorry. Top image from Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death & Rebirth. Django Wexler is a self-proclaimed computer/fantasy/sci-fi geek. He graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with degrees in creative writing and computer science, worked in artificial intelligence research and as a programmer/writer for Microsoft, and is now a full-time fantasy writer. Django is the author of The Forbidden Library series, as well as the adult fantasy series The Shadow Campaigns. He lives near Seattle, Washington. Follow him on Twitter at @DjangoWexler.Q: Taxes are a normal cost of life, you know the joke about death and taxes. What is disingenuous is Micky Arison flaunting his lavish, cruising lifestyle on Twitter and then saying he does not want to spend money on the Heat's payroll. The Heat cannot afford paying the NBA taxes, yet pictures of yachts and luxury liners abound the Heat's social media channels? I do not want to pay taxes or for that matter pay any bills, but paying the piper is part of life. It seems like complaining about spending money has become a fixation with Heat Nation. Nothing in life is free. -- Leonard, Aventura. A: Look, how an owner lives or how he chooses to express himself is separate from the business side. This team had gone deep, deep, deep into the tax in championship mode, especially during the Big Three years, and before that during the Alonzo Mourning-Tim Hardaway era. And the mantra from Pat Riley has always been the same, that Arison will pay to win a championship. So when it comes to this season's payroll, what you really have to ask, and honestly ask, is whether this roster, at this time, against this competition, is in championship mode. If you believe that to be the case, then the Heat definitely should pay whatever it takes. And if Micky believes that (or if Riley convinces him to believe that) then I believe he would. But is this Heat roster better than LeBron James and the Cavs, better than the best of the West? Or is the reality being a season away. Those are the questions Pat, Micky and their bookkeepers have to resolve. And it doesn't matter whether Micky does it on a yacht or in a penthouse or a sunny beach. What matters is that the spending equates with the reality of the moment. Q: Is it possible Shabazz Napier and Mario Chalmers might be in play to get traded to the 76ers? They need a point guard and we need them off the books, and I'm sure we could get a pick out of it. -- Trey, Lithonia, Ga. A: I doubt you would get anything out of it. In fact, quite the opposite. The 76ers would likely want you to pay in order to be able to use their cap space, which also would generate the benefit of trade exceptions for the Heat. I'm still not sure why, with such a benign salary, Napier would be such a priority when it comes to a trade. That is, of course, unless the Heat don't think he's good enough. But if the Heat think that way, why would anyone else think otherwise? Q: I am afraid we might lose Josh Richardson to another team if we don't act soon. I like having a defensive minded guard on the roster. -- Jesus, Miami. A: The Heat can't lose Richardson to another team as long as they make the required qualifying offer, which they assuredly will. The question is whether the Heat want to make more than the minimal offer, in order to lock Josh up for more than one year. The delay in his signing likely is more of a product of getting the rest of the roster (and payroll and tax) in order before addressing Josh. It's safe to say that he will be viewed as a keeper.The term “disruptive innovation,” coined by business consultant and author Clayton M. Christensen in 1995, means “a process by which a product of service takes root initially in simple applications at the bottom of a market and then relentlessly moves up market, eventually displacing established competitors.” Okay, but what does that actually mean? Can we have some examples? This probably comes as no surprise, but historically, companies create innovations faster than their consumers adopt them. This usually ends up causing an excess in goods or services that are too complex and expensive for their audiences. Selling these luxury items or services creates a huge profit margin for a company, but it also leaves a space for new innovations to break in at the bottom of the market. These new innovations may have smaller profit margins, a more narrow niche market, or a less complex technology, but they can become more advanced and sophisticated over time. As these new products and services find their space in the market, they may move in and take the place of previous market leaders. A disruptive innovation is born. A Case of Disruptive Innovation Still confusing? Let’s look at an historical example. When pocket calculators were invented, desktop calculators were much more popular. They had stellar computing performance. However, they were not portable. As pocket calculators started to become widespread, they proved to have worse computing performance, but they were portable, and thus, very convenient. The use of pocket calculators became more popular, so more time and effort was spent researching and developing them. Additionally, pocket calculators were cheaper to manufacture and could be sold at a wider variety of retailers, whereas desktop calculators were expensive and had to be sold in specialty stores. These improvements allowed pocket calculators to take over the market space of most desktop calculators. Looking Ahead… So, how does this translate into today’s innovations? What new products on the market may eventually be disruptive innovations? It is difficult to tell what will be tomorrow’s disruptive technology without being able to look into the future. With the leaps and bounds 3D printing has made in the medical, manufacturing, and design fields in the past several years, it would be a safe bet to predict that 3D printing is going to shake things up in any number of industries. Some more recent examples of disruptive innovation include Craigslist (stemming from classified ads), iTunes (stemming from record stores), and Uber (stemming from taxis.) Researching recent developments can help to predict what is coming in the near future, although sometimes disruptive innovations seem to come out of nowhere. Another way to predict these innovations is to watch authority media surrounding this topic. TechCrunch hosts several conferences each year called TechCrunch Disrupt which “gather the best and brightest entrepreneurs, investors, hackers, and tech fans” for several events including a startup competition, a “Hackathon” where coders and developers have 24 hours to build something from scratch, and of course, some good ol’ panel discussions. Past winners of the Startup Battlefield include some rather prestigious names, including Dropbox and Mint.The mayor of Vagli di Sotto, a town of 1,000 people in the Lucca province, hopes the €80,000-project will bring tourists from over the pond to see the magnificent marble statue, which will be erected in the town's Park of Honour and Dishonour this summer. As to which of those attributes Trump might represent, mayor Mario Puglia says that's for history to decide. "I'm not going to enter in discussion over whether his actions are right or wrong," Puglia told The Local. "But at the moment Trump is the only politician who is following through on his promises, doing what he said on the campaign trail." The money for the huge statue will come from a variety of donors, including English, American and Italian businesses, Puglia explained, though he is doubtful that Trump will come to visit his marble likeness. A photo posted by Travel Travel Travel (@bandinimatteo) on Jan 7, 2017 at 7:58am PST Some of the statues in the park. "I don't think he will come, because of everything he has to do, but we're in contact with the American ambassador and we want to invite them." He is also confident that the unusual statue will bring even more tourists to the 1,000-strong town, which welcomed almost 250,000 visitors last year. As well as the Park of Honour and Dishonour, which houses dozens of marble statues, Vagli di Sotto is known for the submerged village of Fabbriche di Careggine in its lake - which often dries out during the summer months so that tourists can see it. But the idea of the new statue isn't so much to celebrate the reality TV star-turned president, as it is to celebrate the town's marble. "Our marble is the most beautiful in the world," says Puglia, explaining that the marble in the park alone is worth hundreds of thousands of euros. Last year, a marble likeness of singer David Bowie was commissioned, a project which cost €65,000 and again was funded by private businesses. The statue was completed last month and will join the others in the park over the next few days.The second debate for top Republican presidential candidates included bashing Donald Trump, a fiery Carly Fiorina and an admission from Jeb Bush that he says his mom won't like. (CNN) The second debate for top Republican presidential candidates included bashing Donald Trump, a fiery Carly Fiorina and an admission from Jeb Bush that he says his mom won't like. (CNN) Donald Trump spoke the longest and the loudest at a primetime debate here Wednesday, but it was Carly Fiorina who won rave reviews for a polished performance that stood out on a crowded stage of Republican presidential hopefuls. At times, the debate moved along without Trump, as the billionaire mogul repeatedly found himself on the defensive and his limited policy knowledge exposed. Fiorina delivered some of the biggest applause lines and distinguished herself with depth on issues, steeliness and agility in responding to attacks from Trump. During a three-hour debate on a visibly toasty and uncomfortable stage, much of the discussion was notably substantive and brought into stark relief the real policy differences within the Republican Party. The candidates sparred over issues domestic and foreign, from abortion rights to immigration policy to the rise of Islamic State terrorists and the growing aggression of Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Russia is a bad actor, but Vladimir Putin is someone we should not talk to, because the only way he will stop is to sense strength and resolve on the other side, and we have all of that within our control,” Fiorina said. “We could rebuild the Sixth Fleet. I will. We haven’t. We could rebuild the missile defense program. We haven’t. I will.” Still, the debate returned again and again to Trump — specifically, questions about the front-runner’s character, temperament and judgment as a potential commander in chief. 1 of 15 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad × The top quotes from the second Republican presidential debate View Photos Memorable quotes from the second GOP debate. Caption Memorable quotes from the second GOP debate. Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue. Tangling with former Florida governor Jeb Bush over the Iraq war, Trump said he opposed former president George W. Bush’s 2003 invasion. “I’m a very militaristic person,” he said, “but you need to know when you need to use the military. It’s about judgment.” Bush countered by noting that Trump once said he thought Hillary Rodham Clinton would have been the best negotiator to deal with the Iranians. “The lack of judgment and the lack of understanding about how the world works is really dangerous,” he said. And when Trump said George W. Bush’s presidency was “such a disaster,” Jeb Bush defended his brother: “He kept us safe. He really did.” “I don’t know,” Trump shot back. “I don’t feel so safe.” Later on, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie recalled his service as a U.S. attorney under George W. Bush. “I absolutely believe that what the president did at the time was right,” he said. Referring to the Bush administration’s stepped-up pursuit of terrorism suspects, Christie added that he supported Bush’s instructions to federal prosecutors: “Don’t prosecute these people after the crime is committed, intervene before the crime happens.” Many of the candidates spelled out specific plans for deterring a nuclear Iran and dealing with Putin. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, for instance, tried to show strength talking about foreign affairs and accusing Obama of not keeping the nation safe. “We are eviscerating our military and we have a president that is more respectful to the ayatollah of Iran than he is to the prime minister of Israel,” the Florida senator said. Other candidates sparred over the nuclear agreement with Iran: Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said they would rip it up on Day One of their presidencies, while several others disagreed. “It’s not a strategy to tear up an agreement,” Bush said. The Republican presidential contenders had a lot to say to Donald Trump on his controversial comments about Carly Fiorina's "persona," among other topics. Here's how Trump responded and his most memorable moments from the second GOP debate. (CNN) Trump displayed less facility and depth on world affairs than the senators and governors onstage. He spoke in broad and idiosyncratic strokes, such as when he said Putin had “no respect” for Obama and that, if he were elected, “I will get along, I think, with Putin...and we will have a much more stable world.” He acknowledged his relative lack of knowledge about the major actors and running conflicts in the Middle East, which was exposed in a recent radio interview with Hugh Hewitt, one of the debate’s questioners. In a telephone interview early Thursday with MSNBC, Trump voiced confidence that he performed well in the debate. He said Fiorina and Rubio “did well” and Bush “did fine.” But Trump added that he “didn’t see a standout” among his rivals. “A lot of people didn’t get any time,” he said. Trump spoke for more than 18 minutes, more than anyone else. Bush was right behind with 17 minutes. Fiorina got about 13 minutes. The CNN debate’s opening minutes revolved, as the Republican nominating contest has all summer, around Trump. Fiorina dismissed him as “a wonderful entertainer.” Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky slammed his character and temperament as “sophomoric.” Bush suggested he lacked a “steady hand.” Walker said he bankrupted his companies and warned he would do the same to the country. Trump defended himself with the confidence bordering on braggadocio that has defined his campaign. “I’ve dealt with people all over the world,” Trump said. “Everything I’ve done personally has been a tremendous success.” The stakes for Wednesday’s debate were high, holding the potential to shake up the race anew. The first GOP debate, on Aug. 6, drew a record television audience of 24 million people and scrambled the field, providing a jolt of momentum to candidates like Fiorina and retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson and delivering setbacks to those like Walker who struggled to stand out on stage. The debate was held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, on a stage built atop three stories of scaffolding with the jetliner that served as Air Force One in Reagan’s time standing as a grand and imposing backdrop. The debate came at the end of a raucous summer on the campaign trail in which a cast of political outsiders have upended the nominating contest in both parties. Trump and Carson have gained traction by running against the establishment and by feeding the angry electorate’s hunger for authenticity. Carson reminded the debate audience that pundits doubted his candidacy. “I in no way am willing to get in the bed with special interest groups or lick the boots of billionaires,” he said. Fiorina, whose standing in the polls relegated her to the undercard debate last month, took advantage of her debut on the big stage. The former technology executive — the only woman on a stage of 11 candidates — had a handful of big applause lines, including for her vivid remarks describing her opposition to abortion and on whether to defund Planned Parenthood, which is under fire for a series of disputed undercover videotapes. Other candidates, including Walker and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, also spoke forcefully against abortion rights and Planned Parenthood funding. Later in the evening, Fiorina spoke emotionally about the scourge of drug addiction. “We need to tell young people the truth: Drug addiction is an epidemic and it is taking too many of your young people know this sadly from personal experience,” she said, noting that she lost a stepdaughter to drugs. From the outset, the debate’s moderator, CNN anchor Jake Tapper, tried to prod Trump and the candidates with whom he has sparred on the campaign trail in recent weeks to confront each other on stage. Tapper asked Fiorina to respond to Trump’s interview with Rolling Stone in which he criticized the appearance of her face. “I think women all over this country heard very clearly what Mr. Trump said,” Fiorina said, drawing cheers from the live audience of about 500. Trump responded: “I think she’s got a beautiful face and I think she’s a beautiful woman.” Some of the sharpest exchanges came between Trump and Bush. All summer, Trump has taunted Bush, including over whether he lacks the physical energy to be president. Bush in recent weeks mounted a fierce counter-attack, highlighting Trump’s past support for Democrats and liberal causes. On Wednesday night, the two men, standing only a few feet apart on stage, confronted each other face-to-face. Tapper asked Bush whether he would be comfortable with Trump controlling the nation’s nuclear codes. Bush demurred, but said, “You can’t just talk about this stuff and insult leaders around the world and expect a good result. You have to do this with a steady hand.” Walker interjected himself into the debate with a reference to Trump’s former NBC show: “Mr. Trump, we don’t need an ‘apprentice’ in the White House. We have one now.” That sparked a prolonged back-and-forth between Walker and Trump over Walker’s fiscal record in Wisconsin and Trump’s history of bankruptcies at his companies. Bush stood silently in the middle, smiling awkwardly. But minutes later, Bush and Trump were at loggerheads again. Bush defended himself against Trump’s charges that he would be a “puppet” to his wealthy donors. He suggested it was Trump who once tried to control Bush, by donating to his Florida gubernatorial campaign at the same time he was pushing for legalized gambling in the state so his properties could profit. As Bush talked, Trump smirked, made uncomfortable facial expressions and chimed in with insults. “More energy tonight,” he told Bush. “I like that.” Trump’s insults of Paul were even nastier. After suggesting Paul “shouldn’t even be on this stage” because he was polling so low, Trump added: “I never attacked him on his looks — and believe me, there’s plenty of subject matter right there.” With so much attention paid to the personal barbs by or about Trump, some other candidates, including Ohio Gov. John Kasich, grew frustrated. “If I was sitting at home watching this back and forth, I’d be inclined to turn it off,” Kasich interjected at one point. “People at home want to know what we’re going to do to fix this place.” Sullivan reported from Washington. David A. Fahrenthold in Washington contributed to this report.A GOVERNMENT booklet linking environmental activism and alternative music to violent extremism has been widely ridiculed by Australians. Australia’s anti-terror minister Michael Keenan launched the Radicalisation Awareness Kit earlier this week, urging it be shared in schools. But the use of a case study of a girl called Karen – who gets into music and student politics, then criminal protests – has sparked both concern and humour. The #freeKaren hashtag started trending yesterday, and inspired offshoots #IamKaren and #JeSuisKaren. The publication, Preventing Violent Extremism and Radicalisation, says young people can become violent because of ideologies such as “environment or economic concerns, or ethnic or separatist causes”. The case study says Karen grew up “in a loving family” but when she went to university “Karen became involved in the alternative music scene, student politics and left-wing activism. In hindsight she thinks this was just ‘typical teenage rebellion’ that went further than most”. “One afternoon Karen attended an environmental protest with some of her friends. It was exhilarating, fun and she felt like she was doing the ‘right thing’ for society.” The booklet goes on to describe Karen’s involvement in violent environmental protests before describing how she eventually became disillusioned and cut ties with the group. She struggled to “recover” from radical activism, but reconnected with family, found a job and developed a “more moderate eco-philosophy”. The International Association for the Study of Popular Music said it “strongly objects to the linking of participation in the alternative music scene to radicalisation of any kind”. “There is no reputable evidence to suggest that listening to certain types of music leads to particular political outcomes for the audience,” it said in a statement. “The idea that young people who like certain types of music are problems waiting to happen needs to be challenged, as it has consequences for them.” The booklet comes amid concerns that Australia is facing an increasing domestic terror threat from people linked to or influenced by militant groups overseas. Speaking earlier in the week, Australia’s new defence minister said the threat from groups such as Islamic State was “very serious”. “There is absolutely no doubt that there are individuals, leaders in that organisation, who are intent upon disrupting Western democracies,” Marise Payne said. “I don’t think that the magnitude of the threat should be underestimated.”While the technology behind Beats Music may have eventually led to the recently-announced Apple Music, it looks like Apple's acquisition of the company may have ended in a casualty as well. According to a new report, Beats was developing a high-end home speaker system to compete in the same sphere as Sonos, but the project was eventually killed or shelved after Apple acquired the company in 2014. From Variety : The product was supposed to be introduced in time for the holidays last year, but was effectively killed post acquisition. Some of the engineers working on the project have since left the company, while others have been shuffled to other projects, according to sources as well as information available on Linkedin and elsewhere. The report goes on to mention that reasons for the early death of Beats' Sonos competitor were due to a number of production issues the ultimately caused the company to delay the product's launch date several times. Beats isn't new to the speaker space at all; while its most popular products are, without a doubt, its headphones, the company also makes Bluetooth speakers. However, Variety notes that Beats was looking to go a step further with a range of speakers that would use Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and NFC to do things like start play music when you entered a room. It isn't entirely clear if the project was entirely killed off completely, or just temporarily shelved. It's entirely possible that Apple could debut a system of its own at some point in the future that works off of Homekit and AirPlay, for example. Source: VarietyThe New York Times has a dilemma. Like every other newspaper, the Times characterized as baseless President Trump’s recent accusation that his campaign was wiretapped. Or, more precisely, the paper said that Trump didn’t provide any evidence of the alleged wiretapping. Fair enough. Trump didn’t give any proof. He just sent out one of his infamous tweets. But does that mean he’s wrong? I’ll get back to that. The reason the Times has a dilemma is that, on Jan. 20, the paper ran a front-page story with the headline “Wiretapped Data Used in Inquiry of Trump Aides.” There were four bylines on that story, which read, “American law enforcement and intelligence agencies are examining intercepted communications and financial transactions as part of a broad investigation into possible links between Russian officials and associates of President-elect Donald J. Trump, including former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, current and former senior American officials said.” So, would the Times like to retract the Jan. 20 front-page article? Or would it like to amend its piece about Trump’s allegations that his campaign was wiretapped by adding, “Trump may not have proof, but the Times confirmed back in January that wiretapping did occur.”? It’s unclear whether the wiretapping to which the Times is referring was of Trump’s people or whether Trump’s people were picked up on electronic surveillance — which is the proper term — of Russian phones. Either way, the Times knows — and I’m told its reporters saw transcripts of the conversations — that Trump’s people had been recorded on bugs. So there are two choices: Either correct the Jan. 20 story or admit that Trump may be at least a little right. Now, I’m going to take a stab at what really happened based on an educated guess by an intelligence source that has been excellent in the past. The Obama White House probably didn’t wiretap Trump or hack his emails. Too sloppy. Too obvious. And I’d hope an American president would be above all that. But that doesn’t mean one US intelligence agency, on its own, didn’t record Trump conversations. And since Obama was president, he could have received the transcripts of those conversations just by asking. Which agency? My bet is on the National Security Agency, whose job it is to spy on folks, both foreign and domestic. And that’s how the Times could have come to learn about the wiretappings. The only people who know the true origin of the story are those four Times reporters and their editors — and, of course, their sources. So Trump may be right in alleging his people were wiretapped, although maybe not in Trump Tower. The Obama White House is correct in saying it didn’t do anything. And the Times’ Jan 20 story would be accurate, since it probably did learn of the wiretaps through “current and former senior American officials.” And in the meantime, the Times needs to decide which side of its dilemma it wants to stick to. It can’t have it both ways — Trump is either correct or its Jan. 20 story is wrong.Marvel Cave is a National Natural Landmark located just west of Branson, Missouri, on top of Roark Mountain in Stone County. The cave was known by the Osage Indians in the early 16th century, after a tribe member fell through the cave's main entrance, a sinkhole. There is evidence that in 1541 the Spanish explored the cave, but the first recorded expedition was in 1869, led by Henry T. Blow. The unofficial Stone County chapter of Bald Knobbers, a local group of vigilantes, were rumored to have taken people to the top of Roark Mountain, and thrown them in the sink hole. Marvel Cave was originally called Marble Cave, after explorers in 1882 saw what they thought was marble on the cave's ceiling. This started the Marble Cave Mining Company, although later it was realized that there was never any marble in the cave. The Marble Cave Mining Company ceased all operations after only four and a half years. William Lynch purchased the cave in 1889, and soon after opened the cave to the public. In 1950, Hugo Herschend leased the cave for 99 years. The Herschends made renovations to the cave, and later opened a theme park, Silver Dollar City, on the surface above the cave. Marvel Cave is known for being one of the largest caves in Missouri, having one of the largest cave entry rooms (the Cathedral Room) of any cave in North America, and for being one of the longest running tourist attractions in the Ozarks. History [ edit ] Osage Indians [ edit ] Legend says in the early 16th century, the local Osage Indians were on a bear hunt, chasing two black bears along the White River until one went up a tree for safety. But a well placed arrow took it out. They continued to chase the other bear up Roark Mountain, and the bear fell onto a ledge in the sinkhole. The hunting party didn't want to all jump down to kill the bear and have to drag it back up so, a brave young tribe member climbed down
/darcsden/patches 8. discuss on #darcs, or ping me (sm, simon at joyful.com) to merge it Credits ------- Alex Suraci created darcsden. Simon Michael led this release, which includes contributions from Alp Mestanogullari, Jeffrey Chu, Ganesh Sittampalam, and BSRK Aditya (sponsored by Google's Summer of Code). And last time I forgot to mention two 1.0 contributors: Bertram Felgenhauer and Alex Suraci. darcsden depends on Darcs, Snap, GHC, and other fine projects from the Haskell ecosystem, as well as Twitter Bootstrap, JQuery, and many more. darcs hub news 2013/07 ====================== http://hub.darcs.net, aka darcs hub, is the darcs repository hosting site I operate. It's like a mini github, but using darcs. You can: - browse users, repos, files and changes - publish darcs repos publicly or privately - get, push and pull repos over ssh - grant push access to other members - fork repos, then view and merge upstream and downstream changes - track issues The site was announced on 2012/9/15 (http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.version-control.darcs.user/26556). Since then: - The site has been deploying new darcsden work promptly; it includes all the 1.1 release improvements described above. - The server's ram has doubled from 1G to 2G (thanks Linode). This means app restarts due to excessive memory use are less frequent. - The front page's user list had become slow and has been optimised, halving the page load time. - BSRK Aditya is doing his Google Summer of Code project on enhancing darcsden and darcs hub (mentored by darcs developer Ganesh Sittampalam). Find out more at http://darcs.net/GSoC/2013-Darcsden. - The site is being used, with many small projects and a few well-known larger ones. Quick stats as of 2013/07/19: user accounts 317 repos 579 disk usage 2.5G uptime last 30 days 99.48% average response time last 30 days 1.6s - The site remains free to use, including private repos. Eventually, some kind of funding will be needed to keep it self-sustaining, and could also enable faster development. Donate button? Gittip? Charge for private repos? Let's discuss. Please try it out, report problems, and contribute patches to make it better. Best, -SimonSince everyone else is focused on Houndoom's departure, I'd like to give my initial thoughts on the suspect at hand, Weavile. Be aware that these are just my first thoughts about Weavile before getting to build some teams and play matches with him, so feel free to disagree with my sentiment. I'll start with going over Weavile's basic strengths and weaknesses. Weavile is blessed with high speed and attack, as well as a killer offensive typing and a movepool that, while somewhat barren, still gives him enough to work with in order to become a dangerous offensive threat. He also comes with Pursuit, giving him some offensive utility and making him a great teammate for pokemon who appreciate Weavile's prey being removed. On the flip side, the same typing that makes him an offensive powerhouse also makes him a defensive liability, and, coupled with his laughable bulk, forces him to either be brought in via volt-turn, doubles, or sacks. Furthermore, said defensive typing saddles Weavile with a weakness to rocks, which, coupled with life orb recoil (Weavile's most commonly run item), makes him easy to wear down, and forces you to run hazard control if you wish to use Weavile to his fullest extent, restricting teambuilding. On to his place in the meta, it feels like Weavile is being thrust into a meta that isn't as kind to him as it once was. While he has few viable switch-ins, those that do exist (Buzzwole, Cobalion, Scizor, etc.) are already extremely good and are common sights in UU, meaning that most teams will usually, in some fashion, be prepared for Weavile as is. Furthermore, while Weavile is fast, he's nowhere near the speed demon he used to be, being humbled by Sceptile, Beedrill, and Aero, all of which possess a means to ohko Weavile from full and take advantage of him being choice-locked into koff or icicle crash, if banded (As for LO, Bee and Aero can eat a Ice Shard in a pinch, taking around 60-70% each and killing back, though this will definitely be a niche situation and not a very appealing one for Weavile's opponent). Lastly, priority is another obstacle for Weavile, since he is weak to the two most common forms of it (Bullet Punch and Mach Punch), allowing the opponent to keep him in check even if they have nothing to outspeed him. All of this is not to say Weavile won't be good. He comes with a stellar offensive typing, great offensive utility through pursuit trapping, and is overall a force to be reckoned with. However, I feel like the counterplay available, including defensive and offensive checks, keep Weavile in check, and, as such, make him a balanced pokemon in UU. I'll make a more in-depth post on Weavile once I have the time to really play with him.Dancers Ellesha Newton, 22, and Sherinne Anderson, 25, claim they were stopped from going on stage and abused by an Indian organiser ahead of a match at Mohali. Miss Newton, from Islington, north London, told The Sun newspaper: “An organiser pulled us away. He said the people here don’t want to see dark people. “The 'n' word was used and they said they only wanted beautiful white girls. We were crying. I could understand if it were the crowd but they were very receptive.” The two women were among a group of a dozen dancers being used to promote the money-spinning Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament which has attracted star players from around the world. The incident happened a month ago ahead of a game involving the King’s XI Punjab and came to light when the two women spoke to the Calcutta Telegraph. Miss Newton told the newspaper that they were going to take their positions on stage when a member of staff from the pre-match show organisers asked them to leave. She said: “We were surprised and asked them why and they told us it was because of the colour of our skin.” The organisers, Wizcraft International Entertainment, denied any knowledge of the incident. A spokesman told the Calcutta Telegraph: “We work with international clients and our employees are trained to interact with them. “If there had been any racial discrimination I would have received a complaint but I know nothing of it.”Rep. Zoe Lofgren says the United States has a long history of welcoming immigrants. During a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Feb. 5, 2013, Lofgren, D-Calif., turned to the history books for perspective on the question of what status to grant newcomers to the United States. "What makes America special is that people come here, assimilate and become American with all of the rights and responsibilities citizenship bestows," Lofgren said. "With the exception of slavery and the Chinese Exclusion Act, our laws have never barred persons from becoming citizens, and we should not start now." Lofgren is an immigration lawyer and law professor, which made us that much more interested in checking out her claim that only twice in history has the U.S. "barred persons from becoming citizens." Lofgren’s examples As the debate over immigration reform cranks up, a key point of contention is citizenship vs. legal residence. On one side are those who favor an arduous checklist that, once completed, grants immigrants all the rights of natural-born Americans. Opponents call that amnesty and argue that immigrants should be limited to a status such as permanent legal residence. In the hearing, Lofgren warned that anything less than full citizenship could create a "permanent underclass," then mentioned slaves and Chinese immigrants. It’s clear from the context of the discussion that Lofgren was talking about ethnic groups in history who were subject to sweeping bans. But we would point out that even current law prohibits some groups of people from becoming U.S. citizens, namely those convicted of crimes. The law says applicants must be of "good moral character" who adhere to "the principles of the Constitution of the United States." "The ‘attached to constitutional principles’ (provision) is rarely invoked," said Kevin R. Johnson, dean of the law school at the University of California-Davis. "It previously was used to bar communists, anarchists and sympathizers from naturalization. It also was invoked previously to bar Jehovah's Witnesses who rejected mandatory military service. Criminal convictions are the most likely modern exclusion for naturalization." Criminals aside, we are focusing in this fact-check on Lofgren’s claim regarding ethnic groups in history. Starting with slavery, it might seem self-evident that slaves were not considered citizens, but here’s a bit of background. Delegates to the Constitutional Convention in 1787 clashed over how to count slaves for purposes of representation in Congress and distributing taxes. Southern slave owners wanted them counted, while Northern delegates argued to count only free people. They ultimately reached a compromise that three-fifths of the slave population would be considered for apportioning seats in the House of Representatives. Even though their owners argued for slaves’ "personhood" in this conflict, in all other ways slaves were considered property, not people. Nearly 100 years later, the U.S. Supreme Court case Dred Scott v. Sanford provided some of the most explicit direction on the subject. Scott was a former slave who had moved to a free state and petitioned the court to grant him his freedom. Chief Justice Roger Taney wrote the opinion that slaves "were not intended to be included under the word ‘citizens’ in the Constitution, and can therefore claim none of the rights and privileges which that instrument provides for and secures to citizens of the United States." The decision was overturned in 1868 by the adoption of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which proclaimed citizenship for "all persons born or naturalized in the United States," regardless of race. Now, about the Chinese. About 20 years after the 14th Amendment was adopted, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882 in reaction to the flood of Chinese immigrants drawn by the California gold rush. The act suspended immigration of Chinese laborers and required any who were already here to obtain certification to re-enter if they left the country. It also explicitly prevented state and federal courts from granting citizenship to Chinese resident aliens. What else? We asked several immigration historians if Lofgren’s statement was accurate and learned that it needs some clarification and additional information. Erika Lee, director of the Immigration History Research Center at the University of Minnesota, pointed to the 1790 Naturalization Act as the first U.S. law to limit the rights of naturalized citizenship to "free, white men." We think that falls under the heading of slavery, as Lofgren mentioned, but it’s interesting to note that that law remained in effect until 1952. What’s more, Chinese immigrants were not the only group besides slaves to be blocked from citizenship. Bill Ong Hing, a law professor at the University of San Francisco and author of the book Making and Remaking Asian America Through Immigration Policy, 1850-1990, said the naturalization laws of 1870 were intended and later interpreted by the Supreme Court to bar all Asian immigrants from becoming U.S. citizens, not just the Chinese. "The law restricted naturalization to ‘white persons’ and people of ‘African descent,’" said Carl Bon Tempo, a history professor at the University of Albany. "This had the effect of barring certain persons from naturalizing as citizens – most importantly Asians. The Supreme Court, in fact, upheld this racialized naturalization process in the 1920s. In Ozawa v. U.S., the court ruled against the application for citizenship of a Japanese immigrant on the grounds of his race." Chinese were finally allowed to naturalize in 1943, Hing said, when the Exclusion Act was repealed; Filipinos and Asian Indians in 1946, and other Asians including Japanese in 1952. Our ruling Lofgren said that, "with the exception of slavery and the Chinese Exclusion Act, our laws have never barred persons from becoming citizens." Immigration experts told us that history is more complicated than Lofgren described, with the most important point being that other Asian groups were also targeted by federal immigration laws. Her statement is accurate but for that detail. We rate it Mostly True.The crash of the Louis Émile Train monoplane The 1911 Paris to Madrid air race was a three-stage international flying competition, the first of several European air races of that summer. The winner was French aviator Jules Védrines, although his win, along with the rest of the race, were overshadowed by a notorious fatal crash at takeoff. Organization [ edit ] The air race was organized by the French newspaper Le Petit Parisien, at least partly inspired by the success of its competitor Le Matin in sponsoring the Circuit de l'Est air race of August 1910, and profiting from its increased circulation.[1] The first stage was to begin at the French airfield at Issy-les-Moulineaux and end 400 km (250 mi) to the south-southwest in Angoulême; the difficult second stage from Angoulême over the Pyrenees to the seaside Spanish town of San Sebastián; the final leg of about 462 km (287 mi) from San Sebastián over the Sierra de Guadarrama range to Madrid. The first prize was 100,000 francs, with 30,000 francs as second prize and 15,000 francs for third place [2] Start of race and accident [ edit ] An estimated crowd of 300,000 spectators[3] gathered in the pre-dawn hours of Sunday, 21 May 1911. The competitors were to take off at five-minute intervals starting at 5.00, but flying started at around 3.45, when Jules Védrines and Andre Frey made short trial flights. The first competitor to take off, at 5:10, was Andre Beaumont, followed by Roland Garros and Eugène Gilbert. Frey took off at 5:35, made a circuit of the field and landed: after some adjustments he tried again at 6:00, but damaged a wheel and had to delay his attempt for repairs. The next competitor was not ready, and the following, Garnier, only made a short flight. He was followed by Jules Védrines, who immediately after take off attempted to land since his aircraft was not handling properly. The crowd had begun to get out of control at around six, spilling out of the enclosures onto the flying field, and although no-one other than the aviators, their assistants and race officials were meant to enter the flying area, a party of government ministers had also left their grandstand. In an effort to avoid the spectators he crashed, escaping injury but severely damaging his aircraft. At 6:22 Le Lasseur de Ranssay departed and at 6:30 Andre Train was called to the starting line. In Train's own words:[4] " As soon as I left the ground, I perceived that the motor was not working well. I was about to land, after making a turn to one side,when I saw a detachment of cuirassiers crossing the flying track. I then tried to make a short curve to avoid them, and to land in the opposite direction, but my motor at that moment failed more and more, and I was unable to undertake the curve. I raised the machine, so as to get over the troops and to land beyond them. At that very moment a group of persons, who had been hidden from my view by the cuirassiers, scattered before me in every direction. I tried to do the impossible, risking the life of my passenger to prolong my flight, and to get beyond the last persons of the group. I was about to come to land, when the apparatus, which had been raised almost vertically, dropped heavily to the ground. I got out from under the machine, with my passenger, believing that I had avoided any accident. It was only then that I learned the terrible misfortune." Prime Minister of France Ernest Monis was left unconscious, with a broken leg. Monis's son, and the tycoon and aviation patron Henri Deutsch de la Meurthe were both injured. The French Minister of War, Henri Maurice Berteaux, lost an arm and sustained a fatal head wound.[5] The crash caused a panic in the crowd, causing more injuries and the suspension of all further activity. With the approval of the injured Monis, the event continued the next day, but only two more flyers departed, Védrines and Andre Frey. Competitors [ edit ]By Allan Little BBC News, Bhopal Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play. Advertisement In Bhopal no-one uses the term "accident" to describe the calamity that took place here in the early hours of 3 December 1984. For "accident" implies blamelessness. And in Bhopal the hunger for justice among those who suffered seems undiminished. Those who survived remember the terrible randomness of it. Eyewitnesses saw a dense cloud of poisonous gas settle on the slum areas that crowded the Union Carbide pesticide plant. As it passed through the dimly lit streets, the direction of the wind determined who lived and who died. Within three days, 8,000 were dead. Thousands more died in the months afterwards. And 500,000 people were exposed to the gas. Many still suffer life-long chronic illnesses. 'Ruined life' The Chingari Rehabilitation Centre is a small charitable organisation - a drop-in day centre for children born with severe disabilities, whose parents were exposed to the gas. "These are the second generation affected," says Tarun Thomas, who runs Chingari. "These children are like this because of the gas, or because their parents drank contaminated water afterwards. We are determined to collect the statistical data that will prove it." Jagdeesh is 22 but looks much younger The neighbourhood of PJ Nagar was one of the worst affected areas. Leela Bai's son, Jagdeesh, is usually taken for a 10-year-old boy. But he is one of many children born after 1984 whose growth and development have been severely impaired. In fact, Jagdeesh is 22. But he has never developed into adulthood. "The gas ruined his life," says his mother. "Sometimes I wish God had never given Jagdeesh to us. It would have been better if he had never been born." There is some evidence that inhalation of the gas can impede the production of testosterone in boys whose parents have been exposed to it. Campaigners say the statistical evidence is all around. But proving the direct causal link is hard. 'Still contaminated' Campaigner Satinath Sarangi says he has ample evidence that the Union Carbide plant is still, after all these years, leaking toxins into the ground water supply on which many people still depend. "We are talking about thousands of tons of waste that was dumped here and covered over. It has never been cleaned up," he says. BHOPAL'S DEATH TOLL Initial deaths (3-6 December): more than 3,000 - official toll Unofficial initial toll: 7,000-8,000 Total deaths to date: over 15,000 Number affected: Nearly 600,000 Compensation: Union Carbide pays $470m in 1989 Source: Indian Supreme Court, Madhya Pradesh government, Indian Council of Medical Research Memories of the Bhopal disaster Bhopal site 'not leaking toxins' "Every time it rains it washes toxins into the ground water. We have ample evidence going back many years." Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Chouhan dismisses the claims. In an interview with the BBC to mark the 25th anniversary of the disaster, he told me that the communities around the plant had been supplied with clean drinking water. "It took some time," he said. "But... we can say that we are providing 100% clean water." The Union Carbide plant had also been made safe, he said. Campaigners angrily dismissed his claims. "Even with people who settled here long after the gas," says Satinath Sarangi, "what we find is a very high incidence of diseases: damage to the kidneys, the liver, the brain, the skin. The incidence of birth defects in these areas is at least 10 times what you would find in similar socio-economic populations." In a neighbourhood just north of the Union Carbide plant, we found people drawing groundwater from a pump. We took a sample and had it tested at a laboratory in the United Kingdom. The test found that it contained nearly 4,000 micrograms per litre of carbon tetrachloride - nearly 1,000 times the World Health Organisation's safe limit. "Carbon tet", as it is known, is a highly toxic pollutant which is known to cause cancer and liver damage. In 1989, Union Carbide reached an out-of-court settlement with the government of India. The company agreed to pay $470 million. The Indian government had initially demanded nearly 10 times that. The money built a hospital for those who continued to suffer ill-health. The survivors of the gas got about $1,000 each in compensation. The agreement represented a full and final settlement of Union Carbide's civil and criminal liabilities. 'Night of the gas' "The environmental damage caused by the toxic contamination was never part of that settlement," says Mr Sarangi. The night of the gas leak continues to haunt the people of Bhopal "Very little was known about the toxic contamination at the time. Data started coming out in 1990 and 1991 about the high levels of organochlorines, talids, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy metals." Sambhavna, the charity Mr Sarangi runs, wants Dow Chemical, the US company that bought Union Carbide, to pay to clean up the ground. In a statement the company said: "The groundwater issue at the Bhopal site is best addressed by the state government of Madhya Pradesh, which owns the site and is responsible for clean-up activities. "Our understanding is that the central and state governments have plans for the site clean-up and we're hopeful they will follow through with their remediation plans, including addressing concerns about groundwater." For Union Carbide the matter is, in a legal sense, closed. For the people of the affected areas, it is far from closed. In 25 years, no-one has been successfully prosecuted, either for the original leak, or for the continuing alleged groundwater contamination. And the shadow of what happened on that toxic night reaches down through the decades, and into the lives of generations who were not even born on what everyone in Bhopal refers to as "the night of the gas". Bookmark with: Delicious Digg reddit Facebook StumbleUpon What are these? E-mail this to a friend Printable versionMOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia has put security forces on combat alert in the southern Stavropol region after the discovery of five bodies with gunshot wounds and an explosive device, a regional security spokesman said. Russia has already tightened security before next month’s Winter Olympics in Sochi, on which President Vladimir Putin has staked a lot of political and personal prestige, and is on high alert after suicide bombers killed at least 34 people in separate attacks in the southern city of Volgograd last month. The five corpses were discovered on Wednesday in four cars in two separate districts outside the regional capital Stavropol, a gateway to the North Caucasus, where Russia faces an insurgency by Islamist militants who have threatened to try to prevent the Olympics going ahead. An unidentified explosive device was also found near one of the vehicles, said a spokesman for Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) in Stavropol. No other details were immediately available. Putin said after the Volgograd attacks that he would annihilate all “terrorists” in Russia. The Winter Olympics open in Sochi on February 7. The Black Sea resort is on the western edge of the Caucasus mountains where the insurgents want to carve out an Islamic state. The head of Russia’s Olympic Committee has said no more can be done to safeguard the Games because every measure possible is already in place. Russian forces went on combat alert in Sochi on Tuesday and about 37,000 personnel are now in place to provide security at the Games, Russian officials say.Actor Jason Patric has been fighting for custody of his 4-year-old son Gus for nearly a year. His ex-girlfriend, Danielle Schreiber, is now filing a restraining order that would ban Patric from saying Gus' name or showing his face anywhere in public or in private without her permission, CNN's Chris Cuomo reports. The ruling would impact "Stand up for Gus" – Patric's organization that aims to help other unmarried dads in similar custody battles. Though the actor says everything he's done has been for his son – whom he longs to be reunited with. "She wants to take away my constitutional, First Amendment rights," Patric said, adding that if she is successful, everyone's right to freedom of speech is endangered. Thanks to a loophole in California's law on sperm donors, a man whose sperm is used by a fertility clinic must have agreed in writing to their plans to co-parent. Otherwise, he is not considered the natural father. Patric says he and his ex-girlfriend, Danielle Schreiber, tried to have a baby together for years before eventually getting pregnant through in-vitro fertilization using Patric's sperm. But Schreiber says she was always supposed to be the sole parent.I spend a lot of my life at my computer, for work and pleasure, so my keyboard matters. So I bought an Ergodox and I love it. Why did I think blank key caps was a good idea when I can't touch type on a normal keyboard... pic.twitter.com/SFGVM1exRt — Kristian Glass (@doismellburning) February 13, 2017 What’s an Ergodox? The Ergodox is a mechanical keyboard with split design, ortholinear layout (the keys are in a regular grid rather than offset as on conventional keyboards) and highly customisable firmware. I followed along as George Hickman assembled his and was keen, but didn’t fancy the idea of assembling my own. Then Tom Nemec introduced me to the Ergodox EZ, a pre-built version - problem solved! What’s it like to use? The Ergodox definitely took some getting used to at first! It didn’t help that in 25 years I’d never learned to touch-type, and had ordered it with blank key-caps… With practice and the aid of gtypist this was rectified, and now I absolutely love it. I definitely under-use the thumb cluster, and my layout could almost certainly be more ergonomic, but my hands feel happier, I feel like I type faster, and everything just generally feels better. How to get one? If you’re hardcore, you can assemble your own I’m not, so I bought mine from Ergodox EZ. I bought the black model, with the wrist rests and tilt/tent kit - I didn’t expect to use it, but I like having mine slightly tilted outwards. I got Gateron Brown switches - Cherry MX Browns seemed to be the general “if you don’t know what you want then get these” option, and at the time only Gaterons were available - and I got the blank keycaps. Blank keycaps were a deliberate tradeoff - it was “blank and sculpted” or “printed and uniform” - the former having a different shape for each row with improved ergonomics, and I figured it would be a good incentive to learn to touch-type! What layout? I’m using a layout somewhat customised from the Ergodox default, but more like a conventional ISO QWERTY keyboard. Notable differences include: Esc, Tab, Ctrl, Alt, Cmd, Enter and Backspace all in positions similar to a conventional ISO QWERTY layout ,,,,, and all in positions similar to a conventional ISO QWERTY layout Arrow keys in hjkl layout layout Layer 2 as my “media” layout I’m probably losing a lot of the ergonomic benefit with this but it helped me get onboard quickly, and I don’t want to risk losing the ability to use conventional layouts on my laptop / other machines! George is a little more hardcore than me and compiles his own firmware with some funky configuration… Keycaps Here’s what my Ergodox looks like now: Meanwhile finally got my Tai Hao Dark Blood caps on my Ergodox so I can glance-check one-off key presses! pic.twitter.com/Splf3UGLeq — Kristian Glass (@doismellburning) June 24, 2017 It’s a bit of a Franken-keyboard but I like it. I’m a sucker for custom keycaps so I’ve got: Tai Hao Dark Blood alphanumerics Ducklings for Cmd A tigricaps 8-bit skull on F1 A zinc Dota 2 keycap on F4 Ultra-stylish masking tape for my middle symbol keys so I remember what they are… I can now touch-type but sometimes for hotkeys or when gaming I wanted to press a single key without having to go via the home row, so printed keycaps were super useful. Wrist Rests I eventually tired of the Ergodox EZ wrist rests because the plastic-y rubber-y material just retained dirt. They were easy to wash, but it was annoying to have to do so. Currently I’m using a pair of Falbatech bamboo wrist rests and enjoying them - they’re much bigger so I need to take my watch off, but they’re also much easier to keep clean! So? It’s not cheap, it’s not easy to get used to, but I definitely found it worthwhile!A former German nurse has emerged as the country's worst ever serial killer after police linked to at least 106 deaths. Niels Högel, who is already serving a life sentence for six murders, is suspected of killing the patients during his time working at two clinics in northern Germany. But astonishingly he is only known as Niels H. inside the country because reporting restrictions mean journalists are legally blocked from releasing his second name. Niels Högel, a former nurse, has emerged as Germany's deadliest serial killer after being linked to the deaths of at least 106 patients he administered with lethal drugs German privacy laws mean authorities will not fully identify criminals, sometimes even after they have been convicted. Suspects in criminal cases are often only identified in German media by their first name followed by the first letter of their surname. Journalists only printed the first name of Berlin truck attack Anis Amri and censored his face, even while asking the public to help track him down. Högel was jailed back in 2015 after admitting to police that he injected two patients with life-threatening drugs before trying to revive them in order to play the hero. When quizzed further by police he said he was unable to remember the full extent of his activities, though bragged: 'To be honest I stopped counting after 50.' That lead authorities to exhume 134 bodies at cemeteries in German and as far afield as Turkey and Poland in their search for the truth. Investigators have now linked Högel to 106 deaths but say the total is likely far higher because many patients who died in his care were cremated, obliterating any evidence that would have implicated him. He will now face charges of killing a further 100 people at two clinics next year. Högel is believed to have administered the drugs so he could revive the patients and play the hero, before eventually killing them Inquiries into how he was allowed to go on killing for so long will likely continuing long after he died behind bars, but it is clear that bureaucratic inertia coupled with fears of police probes costing executives their jobs were partly to blame. Högel was born on 30 December 1976 in the German port city of Wilhelmshaven. He grew up in a Catholic household he would later describe to his court appointed psychiatric expert Konstantin Karyofilis as 'warm-hearted and sustainable.' Högel's father is a nurse out of conviction and a solid supporter of the SPD - Germany's Labour Party equivalent. His mother trained as a lawyer's assistant but only found work as a cleaning lady. Högel has an older sister who later became a dental assistant. 'A thoroughly helpful family', say acquaintances from Wilhelmshaven. 'Helpful, kind, caring,' said a neighbour to a local radio station. The first sign of trauma in the family came when Niels was 11 as his parents briefly split, which appeared to have a profound effect on his young mind. During this period, he told his psychiatrist, he developed 'fears, insecurities.' His performance at the local comprehensive school, hitherto all A's, slipped. He assumed the mantle of 'class clown' - a role guaranteed to bring him some of the attention he craved. Högel decided at 16 that he wanted to become a firefighter but discovered he suffered from vertigo, and entertained thoughts of being a doctor but found the study too difficult. He dropped out of school shortly before his Abitur exams, the German equivalent of A Levels, before deciding to become a nurse like his father. At the age of 17 he began nurse training at the St. Willehad Hospital where alcohol and drugs began to occupy a large place in his life, he later told police. He passed the nursing exams with'mediocre' results and 1999 he started at the highly-regarded heart surgery intensive care unit of the Oldenburg Clinic. Högel struggled early on with the demands of the work, describing the first surgery he assisted on as a 'traumatising experience'. He is already serving life in jail for six murders, but is due back in court next year to face charges over 100 more deaths. Police say the full extent of his crimes will never be known He went on to develop depression and anxiety and began to drink more as a result. An attention-seeker from birth, Högel uses his access to potentially lethal drugs in an attempt to play the hero. His first known murder was carried out in February 2000 at the clinic in Oldenburg in Lower Saxony, close to the Dutch border, where he injected a patient and attempted to revive them without success. After killing at least another 35 patients, he moved in 2002 to a hospital in Delmenhorst near the north-western city of Bremen, where he resumed his grisly practice within a week of starting his new job. It is believed Högel was suffering from a rare condition known as Munchausen by Proxy syndrome, in which sufferers harm in order to act as'reviving angel'. Högel's preferred drug of choice were potassium-based medication used to treat heart patients with circulatory problems, though he would use five different types of cardiovascular medications over the next few years. But his grim practices soon began to attract attention, with a coworker noting down all of the deaths and resuscitations that take place while he is on duty. In just one weekend the worker noted there were 14 re-animations to five patients. All of the patients ultimately died, but rather than calling the police, Högel's bosses simply transferred to another department, anesthesia. Fearing that the net may be closing in on him at Oldenburg Hospital he applied for another job in nearby Delmenhorst in 2002 and began work there on December 15. A week later, he killed his first patient there. In 2003 and 2004, superiors note, the death rate on the intensive care unit was about twice as high as in previous years. The consumption of the drug Gilurytmal - his preferred killing tool - was seven times higher than usual, doctors noted. But still nobody reported the young nurse to authorities or raised concerns. Even after Högel was caught injecting a 63-year-old patient who died shortly after, superiors took no action. It was only towards the end of that year a leading doctor at the hospital carried out an audit on the cardiac drugs, calculated the number of patients who had died while Högel was on duty, and went to the police with his suspicions. Högel was arrested and sentenced to seven and-a-half years imprisonment for murder in 2008, a sentence upped to life in 2015 after he confessed to more deaths. His parents are still alive in Wilhelmshaven and have been to see him inside. 'The victims were play figures for him in a game in which only he could win and the others could lose everything,' said the presiding judge in his 2015 sentencing. Ten years ago, a German nurse was convicted of killing 28 elderly patients, saying he gave them lethal injections because he felt sorry for them. He was sentenced to life in prison.Franklin Pierce was elected as the 14th and possibly worst president of the United States on Nov. 2, 1852. During his presidency he confronted two divided houses: the growing friction between the North and the South and his wife’s unhappiness with his political career. Handsome Frank Pierce was born in a log cabin on Nov. 23, 1804 in Hillsborough, N.H. His father, Benjamin, served as governor of New Hampshire. Pierce first succeeded at law and then parlayed his charm, reputation and family connections into a political career. He married Jane Means Appleton, the daughter of the president of Bowdoin College, Pierce’s alma mater. Their courtship lasted eight years and finally ended shortly after he won election to Congress. They held their wedding in 1834 at her family home in Amherst, N.H., and then left immediately afterward for Washington, D.C. It wasn’t a great match. He was gregarious, vain, a drinker and a son of the frontier. She was shy, sickly, refined, a teetotaler and a proper daughter of New England’s theocracy. Washington Jane put up with his first session of Congress, but returned home to her mother in New Hampshire for the second. She had a reason: she was pregnant with their first child. Their son, Franklin Jr., was born in 1836, but he only lived a few days. Jane Pierce managed another season in Washington
do if it’s not a big production, just like you might feel uncomfortable asking your friends to sign a model release because, after all, they’re your friends, right? To answer your question: my mum signed a model release when I took her portrait.This might make me look a bit of a nutjob, but the night before the shooting I mentally go over the whole process: I lay in bed staring at the ceiling and imagine every step of the shooting; me taking out the camera and choosing a lens, me moving lights, etc. if I get stuck at some point, I know I have a problem to solve, then I figure out a way to do that and I come up with a plan B. This is particularly helpful when you have to transition between several sets. Your model will need to wash her face from glitter before wearing a white dress and you’ll be outdoor: did you get wipes?It’s not going to be like this each and every time, of course. And experience is going to play a great part in being able to get a good portrait even if my hair is on fire and my subject hates me. But being prepared gives me the luxury to make the most of the time I will have with them. If I get the picture I want in 15 minutes and the model is there for a whole hour, I now have at least 55 minutes to experiment and that is exactly what I want (I’m not great at math, but I’m quite good at pushing time limits).__________Coming next: Part 2: During the ShootingGuardians Picture Book Reveals Jack Frost’s “True” Origin DreamWorks’ upcoming Guardians of Childhood picture book promises to reveal the TRUE origin of Jack Frost. The recently released plot synopsis (courtesy of Simon & Schuster) reveals some HUGE SPOILERS. Read on if you’re curious… Discover how Jack Frost keeps the hearts of children happy in the third picture book in Academy Award winner William Joyce’s New York Times bestselling and “dazzlingly inventive” (Publishers Weekly) The Guardians of Childhood series. Before Jack Frost was Jack Frost, he was Nightlight, the most trusted and valiant companion of Mim, the Man in the Moon. But when Pitch destroys Mim’s world, he nearly destroys Nightlight too, sending him plunging to Earth where, like Peter Pan, he is destined to remain forever a boy, frozen in time. And while Nightlight has fun sailing icy winds and surfing clouds, he is also lonely without his friend Mim. To keep the cold in his heart from taking over, he spreads it to the landscapes around him and earns a new name: Jack Overland Frost. But a true friend always comes through, and on one particularly bleak night, Mim shines down and shows Jack a group of children in great peril. Through helping them, Jack finds the warmth he’s been yearning for, and realizes bringing joy to others can melt his own chill. It is this realization—that there will always be children who need moments of bravery, who need rosy cheeks, who need to build snowmen, and who are then eager for a spring day—that makes Jack realize why he is a forever boy, and worthy of becoming a Guardian of Childhood. Okay, so how does all of that fit in with the back-story we saw in the movie? We’ll just have to wait and see! Pre-order Jack Frost (from The Guardians of Childhood series) now and save 25%Email Share +1 91 Shares In anticipation of the upcoming Trump administration, at least one LGBT advocate insists the movement will continue to pursue its full agenda, although the election results have dampened expectations and sent advocacy groups back into a defensive posture. The surprise win by Donald Trump dashed plans for continued LGBT progress under Hillary Clinton. With unified Republican government at the federal level and unprecedented Republican control of state legislatures, LGBT rights may take a few steps back. Stacey Long Simmons, director of public policy and government affairs for the National LGBTQ Task Force, nonetheless struck an optimistic tone, citing recent wins for the LGBT movement. “I believe that combined momentum-slash-angst that our community may be feeling because of how vehemently anti-LGBTQ the Trump administration is shaping up to be could actually put us in a position to come together in alignment with other movements that are similarly dealing with high rates of profiling, hate crime attacks, assaults on our personhood and violations of privacy,” Long Simmons said. Prior to the election, the Human Rights Campaign had reportedly prepared a memo calling for the next administration to enhance LGBT rights further after progress under the Obama administration. Among the requests was the appointment of the first-ever openly LGBT Cabinet member and eliminating the ban on HIV-positive people serving in the U.S. armed forces. It’s hard to see how that could happen under the Trump administration. Jay Brown, a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, said his organization is bracing for the fight ahead in the new administration. “In the days since the election, President-elect Trump has created a team that includes Jeff Sessions, Ben Carsons and Tom Price, among others,” Brown said. “Personnel is policy and these appointees will play a huge role in leading agencies that are charged with protecting LGBTQ people. We are going to be aggressive in blocking any attempt to roll back or undermine our rights. The reality is the vast majority of Americans still support LGBTQ rights and we are going to fight to ensure our voices are heard loud and clear these next four years.” After Trump’s election, a number of groups have experienced a surge in donations likely out of fear civil rights will be undone. The American Civil Liberties Union is among the groups that support LGBT rights experiencing a spike in donations since Trump’s election. As of Monday, the ACLU has reported nearly 295,000 donations totaling almost $20.5 million. The group has pledged to use that money to protect civil rights for transgender Americans in addition to ensuring safety for Muslims in the United States and “Dreamers” who received presidential deferred action protection. Long Simmons said she was unable to speak to any increased donations to the Task Force in the aftermath of the election, but the uptick generally is unsurprising. “I’ve heard before that in times of difficulty, there are people who more inclined to give to non-profits just generally speaking because they’re angered by what they see and want to make a change, and so people donate with their time or they donate with their money,” Long Simmons said. Over the course of his presidential campaign, Trump has taken anti-LGBT positions despite saying he’d protect LGBT people from a “hateful, foreign ideology” during his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention and waving an upside down Pride flag with the words “LGBTs for Trump” at a rally in Colorado. Trump has signaled support for the First Amendment Defense Act, a federal “religious freedom” bill that would enable anti-gay discrimination, said he’s “with the state” on North Carolina’s House Bill 2 and said he’d rescind guidance instructing schools to allow transgender students to use the bathroom consistent with their gender identity. Although Trump said after the election he’s “fine” with the U.S. Supreme Court decision in favor of same-sex marriage, he urged social conservatives during the campaign to “trust” him to oppose it. The president-elect continues to stock his Cabinet with officials whose common feature seems to be hostility toward LGBT people. Just this week, Trump tapped as energy secretary former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, famed for an ad during his 2012 presidential campaign in which he said, “There’s something wrong in this country when gays can serve openly in the military but our kids can’t openly celebrate Christmas or pray in school.” Trump’s choice for interior secretary, Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.), implied in a debate this year his opponent, Denise Juneau, was a lesbian by choice. After North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory lost his bid for re-election — a defeat observers attribute to his signing the notoriously anti-LGBT HB2 — Trump met with the Republican last week at Trump Tower. According to a report in the Charlotte Observer, a source close to Trump’s transition team said the ousted governor “definitely” has a place in the upcoming administration. Emboldened by Trump’s commitment to pass the First Amendment Defense Act, Republicans who support the bill, as Buzzfeed reported, are eager to move forward in the next Congress. Conn Carroll, a spokesperson for Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah), said her boss, the chief sponsor of the First Amendment Defense Act, is among the lawmakers eager to move forward with the legislation. “Sen. Lee does plan to reintroduce the First Amendment Defense Act in the next Congress and we are hopeful the next White House occupant will be more supportive of the legislation than the previous one,” Carroll said. The state level also may be a place of anti-LGBT attacks. In Texas, lawmakers have pre-filed bills in anticipation of the upcoming legislative session that would roll back LGBT rights. Among them is Senate Bill 92, which would prohibit localities in Texas from enacting pro-LGBT non-discrimination ordinances. Despite these ambitions, undaunted in efforts to advance LGBT rights under a Republican-controlled Congress and a Trump administration is Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.). Martina McLennan, a Merkley spokesperson, said her boss intends to reintroduce LGBT non-discrimination legislation known as the Equality Act in the upcoming Congress. “With an incoming administration that is indifferent at best and hostile at worst when it comes to LGBT rights, Sen. Merkley believes it is more important than ever to keep fighting for LGBT equality,” McLennan said. “The American people are firmly on our side, with a large majority saying that they not only believe that full non-discrimination protection is the right thing to do, they believe it is already law. As the saying goes, the best defense is a good offense, which is exactly why Sen. Merkley will keep pushing for a vision of full equality by reintroducing the Equality Act and by pressing the Trump administration and congressional Republicans to make clear if they stand for or against equality.” Long Simmons said the major defeats on Election Day shouldn’t diminish the expectations for achievement because “there are still pockets of the nation where people are standing with us.” She called for building a grassroots apparatus in preparation for the 2018 midterm elections. “I feel like it’s going to be the way that we protect what we’ve already won as we put forward our voices and whatever manner of resistance makes sense, and also just making sure that there’s absolute full engagement in our democracy on the part of as many people as possible,” Long Simmons said.Dassault Aviation of France is making an aggressive bid to sideline the F-35 and to sell its own jet fighter to Canada, offering to transfer technology, create jobs and share billions of dollars in business if Canada buys its Rafale fighter to replace its outdated fleet of CF-18s. Dassault leads the French consortium that makes the twin-engined Rafale for the French air force. The Rafale, unlike the F-35, has been combat-tested in Afghanistan, Libya and Mali. Although not yet sold outside France, India has announced plans to buy the Rafale on the strength of pledges to transfer the technology. The agreement provides that 108 out of 126 Rafales will be built in India, not France. A similar deal with Canada would allow major components to be manufactured here, according to Dassault's vice-president, Yves Robins. "Should the Canadian industry wish to assemble or produce part of the Rafale in Canada, we are fully open to it," Robins told CBC News in Montreal. The French air force flies Rafale B fighter jets like this one photographed in operations over Mali last year. Dassault Aviation wants Canada to choose the Rafale as a replacement for the CF-18, and is willing to have the planes assembled in Canada. (Anthony Jeuland/French Air Force) Robins said the "intellectual property" associated with the Rafale would be part of any sale, including the source codes for the fighter's computer system as well as the know-how to adapt and update the aircraft — both hardware and software — throughout its lifespan. "The Rafale will be Canadianized," said Robins. This would mean, he said, "transfer of technology to the Canadian industry, creating high-value jobs and integrating the Canadian industry in the global supply chain." Robins said the jobs created in Canada would far exceed those that would flow from a purchase of the F-35. The Rafale's backers dismiss concerns that a French plane will not work well with U.S. forces, saying it did just that in both Afghanistan and Libya. They add that its attachment points for bombs and missiles are built to NATO standards. Contest comes down to earth Even so, the Rafale offer suggests the contest for billions of dollars in fighter sales to Canada is increasingly focused on the spinoff benefits — meaning, jobs on the ground — and less on how the competing planes perform in the air. All the rival fighters claim to be fully capable of conducting sovereignty patrols in the Arctic, as well as combat missions such as the overthrow of Libyan dictator Moammar Ghadafi in 2011. Canada's CF-18s took part in that operation, but are due to retire over the next five years. Prime Minister Stephen Harper's governing Conservatives had picked Lockheed Martin's F-35 stealth fighter to replace them, until the government's lack of candour about the cost provoked a political storm and a scathing report by the auditor general in 2012. That forced the government to retreat, saying it would "hit the reset button." After years of delays and cost overruns, the F-35 program is still in its early stages. Canada's fighter purchase is now going nowhere as the government tries to decide whether to stick with the F-35 or to hold a competition with some or all of its rivals — the Boeing Super Hornet, Dassault's Rafale, the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Saab Gripen. Jobs, jobs, jobs By coincidence or not, the Dassault bid comes a month after the Canadian government announced a new procurement strategy emphasizing the creation of jobs. Discussing the plan in Vancouver last week, Public Works Minister Diane Finley said, "The whole idea behind it is, anyone who is competing on the procurements, the various ones, has to make sure that they are investing in Canada — that Canada's getting benefits." Dassault says that's exactly what it is doing, and that it already has a supplier network in Canada, led by Thales, a French multinational specializing in aerospace and defence hardware. The Thales plant in Montreal produces actuators that move the flaps on the wings of the Rafale. Thales Canada CEO Mark Halinaty told CBC News that the company employs 1,300 Canadians, and that an influx of French military technology could be exploited for growth in many other fields. Already, Thales makes control systems for commercial aircraft, railroads and the Canadian Forces. "It's not just about transferring technology and know-how for a particular program," said Halinaty. "What that does is provide us with the expertise which allows us to develop our own Canadian-originated projects, which we can then export." Not just a chance to bid, but a 'guarantee' Robins, the Dassault VP, added that "we are not only limiting this offer to the Rafale." Robins said that Dassault's partnerships with hundreds of other French companies will allow it to include Canadian industry in other high-tech projects — in space, unmanned drones and avionics. This, he said, would be "a guarantee of activity amounting at least to the equivalent of the procurement budget for the aircraft — and going much further later on." Dassault Aviation's Yves Robins says the 'intellectual property' associated with the Rafale fighter jet would be part of any sale to Canada. (CBC) To date, the Canadian government has budgeted $9 billion for the purchase. Robins said Dassault would promise in writing to invest that much in Canada. "This is a commitment. A contractual commitment, even with penalties written in the contracts. We are not saying the Canadian industry could potentially, maybe go up to $10 (billion) or $11 billion by bidding for such-and-such contracts. We are saying we guarantee this return to the Canadian industry. It's a totally different philosophy from some of our competitors." That's a direct shot at Lockheed Martin, which says it will offer Canadians the chance to bid on "$11 billion in opportunities" over the life of the F-35 program. There's no guarantee that Canadian firms would win those contracts. Even so, Lockheed Martin vice-president Steve O'Bryan says he has already signed $600 million in contracts to build parts of the F-35 in Canada. "These are real contracts... all before Canada has even decided on a single airplane," O'Bryan told CBC News. "This isn't mundane work. This is software, this is avionics, this is composite work. These are the technologies in the aerospace industry you need for years to come." From stealth fighters to windmills Lockheed Martin's F-35 has been the leading choice to replace Canada's fleet of CF-18s, but has run into political turbulence over escalating costs. (Samuel King Jr./U.S. Air Force/Canadian Press) In the Ottawa suburb of Gloucester, a small company called GasTOPS is one of Lockheed Martin's 70 Canadian suppliers. Having developed a specialized sensor for another stealth fighter — the top-secret F-22 — GasTOPS now makes an updated version for the F-35. It's an early-warning system that checks the oil flow for microscopic pieces of metal which might indicate a looming engine failure. Although the devices are worth $5,000 each, the F-35 production line is still not rolling at full speed and Lockheed Martin has only bought 500 of the sensors so far. But GasTOPS has expanded into a much larger market for the same sensor: for wind turbines, which are in use all over the world. Dave Muir, the CEO of GasTOPS, says "the key thing is these are knowledge-based, what you would call highly qualified, professional jobs. These are jobs that are hard to come by. They're hard to create." Of course, Dassault is not Lockheed Martin's only rival. Although the Eurofighter and Saab bids are not seen as strong contenders at the moment, Boeing's Super Hornet, like the Rafale, has combat experience and lower operating costs than the F-35. It's an updated version of the CF-18s Canada currently uses, which Boeing says implies an easier learning curve for Canadian pilots. The U.S. has bought dozens of Super Hornets to bridge the gap until the F-35 reaches full-rate production. As a global aviation company, Boeing also has a network of 200 suppliers in Canada and, like Dassault, dismisses Lockheed Martin's offer on jobs as inferior. For now, though, all the fighter companies interested in Canada's business can only wait for the government to make a decision: will it hold a competition, or not? And will its decision reflect the commitment to Canadian jobs, or not?Days after Donald Trump urged the owners of professional sports teams to fire any player who protests during the recitation of the national anthem, public schools in at least one state have issued statements threatening to punish any student who protests against racism and police brutality at school-sanctioned sporting events. In Bossier Parish, school Superintendent Scott Smith issued a statement on Wednesday morning warning students that coaches and principals are given sole discretion to administer punishment to any player who chooses not to stand during the national anthem. “It is a choice for students to participate in extracurricular activities, not a right, and we at Bossier Schools feel strongly that our teams and organizations should stand in unity to honor our nation’s military and veterans,” Smith wrote. At least one school official told the Shreveport Times that potential punishments could range from a one-game suspension to actual corporal punishment, forcing players to run extra laps if he or she chooses to kneel or otherwise protest during the national anthem. Advertisement On Thursday, journalist Shawn King tweeted a photo purportedly showing a letter written by the principal of Parkway High School, located in Bossier Parish. In it, principal Waylon Bates writes that “Parkway High School requires student athletes to stand in a respectful manner throughout the National Anthem during any sporting event in which their team is participating. Failure to comply will result in loss of playing time and/or participation as directed by the head coach and principal. Continued failure to comply will result in removal from the team.” Handing down punishments for public school students who choose not to stand during the national anthem is—like all prohibitions limiting free speech—unconstitutional. In West Virginia v. Barnette, a 1943 case regarding a requirement that students stand during the Pledge of Allegiance, the Supreme Court ruled that “no official high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein.” Bossier Parish’s directive follows the re-issuance this week of a 2016 statement by the statewide Louisiana High School Athletic Association in which it abdicated any decision making on protests to individual schools and districts. “Any/all decisions related to individual(s), and/or team(s) expression(s) exhibited during any pre-event National Anthem at a LHSAA regular season and/or post season game, match, meet or contest, will be determined by each individual member school and/or member school’s school district,” wrote LHSAA Executive Director Eddie Bonine. Elsewhere in Louisiana, some districts are taking a far more measured approach. In neighboring Caddo Parish, football players at Green Oaks Performing Arts Academy announced their intention to stand with arms locked during the national anthem before their game on Friday. They play on the road at Plain Dealing High School, located in Bossier Parish. Advertisement Though they’re only separated by the narrow Red River, Caddo and Bossier Parishes do have some notable distinctions. With over 250,000 residents as of the latest census, Caddo is twice as big as Bossier. One more thing: Forty percent of Caddo’s population is black. In Bossier, that number is less than 19 percent.Roads Minister Duncan Gay has raised concerns about the way "scarce street parking spaces" are being allocated to car-share schemes. Car-share schemes such as GoGet, in which users book the use of cars parked locally for private use, have dramatically increased in popularity in recent years, in particular in inner-city Sydney areas. Richard Poulton, of AFEX, uses GoGet vehicles to get around. Credit:Wolter Peeters Proponents of the schemes, which include the City of Sydney Council, argue they help free car parking spots by removing the need for nearby residents to own their own cars, or second cars, and park them on the street. According to figures provided by GoGet, the dominant car-share operator in Sydney, the number of members grew more than 45 per cent between 2013 and 2014, from about 30,000 to 44,000.Rep. Steve King (R-IA) expressed sympathy last week for the motivations behind the suicide plane attack by Joseph Stack on an IRS office in Austin, TX. Although there has been no widespread public outcry over King’s remarks, former civil rights lawyer Glenn Greenwald of Salon.com believes they amount to “endorsing violence” and are “very dangerous.” “I think if we’d abolished the IRS back when I first advocated it, he wouldn’t have had a target for his airplane,” a smiling King told an interviewer from Think Progress. “The IRS is an agency that’s unnecessary, and when the day comes when that that is over and we abolish the IRS, it’ll be a happy day for all Americans.” MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow was aghast at King’s remarks. “It will be a happy day when that guy, who just killed a government worker and flew a plane into a government building, gets what he wanted,” she exclaimed on Wednesday. “That will be a happy day.” “It does seem remarkable to me,” Maddow commented to Greenwald, “that a member of Congress can get away with talking about the legitimacy of this type of act against the government and not have caused a firestorm.” “I think it’s important to distinguish between discussions of whether the underlying grievances are valid … and justifications for the violence itself,” Greenwald replied. “You can have discussions about whether the underlying grievances of, say, Islamic radicals are justifiable — things like the fact that we bomb their countries and invade and occupy them, overthrow their governments, prop up tyrannies — without justifying terrorism.” “But what the right tends to do in this country, Greenwald continued, “at least when they’re out of power … they adopt very extremist anti-government rhetoric that suggests not merely that the government is acting wrongly, but that the government is a legitimate target for attack. … And what Congressman King said, I think, clearly crosses that line from merely talking about the underlying grievances into endorsing violence itself. And it’s very dangerous and should provoke a much stronger reaction.” Greenwald is not alone in singling out King’s remarks for criticism. Even libertarian and self-described anti-tax activist Wesley Messamore expressed dismay in an op-ed for the Christian Science Monitor over the unqualified statements of support for Stark’s actions he received from fervent Tea Partiers after he condemned the attack at his blog. “I sympathize strongly with the grievances of the tea party movement and have been active in it from the beginning,” Messamore wrote. “I hate to paint it in a bad light, because I believe it is a mostly peaceful movement. … So why on earth can’t they just call Stack a terrorist? … At a time like this, if every disgruntled American did what Stack did, our great country would be reduced to ashes. If the tea party wants to be taken seriously, it is going to have to take the complex world we live in more seriously. He may not have been a Muslim, but Joe Stack was a terrorist. Period.” Greenwald’s concluding statement to Maddow was almost identical to Messamore’s. “If you read the manifesto, for lack of a better word, that Joseph Stack left, what it said was, ‘I‘m doing this in order to inspire others to give up their bodies in pursuit of these political ideas.’ I mean, if that‘s not terrorism, then I don‘t know what is. … We’re reluctant to call it that because these are Americans and the premise seems to be that Americans don’t commit terrorism, only foreigners do.” This video is from MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show, broadcast Feb. 24, 2010. Download video via RawReplay.comA former coworker of the jihadi responsible for the death of at least 49 people in a mass shooting at Orlando’s Pulse LGBT night club says “angry, sweating” Omar Mateen was regularly talking about committing a massacre, but the security firm they both worked for did nothing about it because Mateen was Muslim. Daniel Gilroy, a former Fort Pierce police officer, worked alongside Matteen at the security firm G4S and told USA Today he had to leave his job because he was uncomfortable with Mateen’s routine hatred and threats of violence. “I quit because everything he said was toxic and the company wouldn’t do anything,” he said. “This guy was unhinged and unstable. He talked of killing people.” Gilroy described Matteen as “homophobic” and racist and an overt concern for the company. Gilroy also said he complained multiple times to his superiors and was ignored because Mateen “was Muslim.” Gilroy eventually quit when Mateen became fixated with him, sending up to 30 text messages and 15 voicemails a day. “I complained multiple times that he was dangerous, that he didn’t like blacks, women, lesbians and Jews,” Gilroy told The Los Angeles Times in a separate interview. “He was always angry, sweating, just angry at the world.” Gilroy added an anecdote that Mateen had once openly wished “he could kill all black people” upon seeing a black man drive past him. Mateen’s father, a known Taliban sympathizer named Seddique Mateen, confirmed to authorities that Mateen hated LGBT people. He told reporters that, years ago, he recalled Mateen becoming infuriated at the site of a male same-sex couple kissing. Mateen’s ex-wife Sitora Yusifiy, also told reporters he was an extremely violent person, and she filed for divorce after becoming a victim of routine domestic violence. “He beat me. He would just come home and start beating me up because the laundry wasn’t finished or something like that,” she told the Washington Post. Despite multiple complaints and an FBI investigation against him, authorities cleared Mateen for a concealed weapons permit in Florida and he continued to work as a security guard for G4S up until this weekend. G4S employs over 600,000 people worldwide and is known to provide security to sensitive venues like oil and gas industrial sites and airports. Mateen cleared the G4S background check twice. G4S regional chief executive for North America John Kenning issued a statement following the attack: “We are cooperating fully with all law enforcement authorities, including the FBI, as they conduct their investigation. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of the friends, families and people affected by this unspeakable tragedy.”You are here: Alternative System of Health Care Alternate Systems of Medicine Ayurveda is that knowledge of life, which deals elaborately and at length with conditions beneficial or otherwise to the humanity, and, to factors conducive to the happiness, or responsible for misery or sorrow besides indicating measures for healthful living for full span of life. Ayurveda - More details... (External website that opens in a new window) Yoga is a science as well an art of healthy living physically, mentally, morally and spiritually. It's systematic growth from his animal level to the normalcy, from there to the divinity, ultimately. It's no way limited by race, age, sex, religion, cast or creed and can be practiced by those who seek an education on better living and those who want to have a more meaningful life. Yoga - More details... (External website that opens in a new window) Naturopathy or Nature Cure believes that all the diseases arise due to accumulation of morbid matter in the body and if scope is given for its removal, it provides cure or relief. For treatment it primarily stresses on correcting all the factors involved and allowing the body to recover itself. The five main modalities of treatment are air, water, heat, mud and space. Naturopathy - More details... (External website that opens in a new window) Homeopathy has been practiced in India for more than a century and a half. It has blended so well into the roots and traditions of the country that it has been recognised as one of the National Systems of Medicine and plays an important role in providing health care to a large number of people. Its strength lies in its evident effectiveness as it takes a holistic approach towards the sick individual through promotion of inner balance at mental, emotional, spiritual and physical levels. Homeopathy - More details... (External website that opens in a new window) Unani postulates that the body contains a self-preservative power, which strives to restore any disturbance within the limits prescribed by the constitution or State of the individual. The physician merely aims to help and develop rather than supersede or impede the action of this power. Unani - More details... (External website that opens in a new window) Siddha is very similar to Ayurveda. In the Siddha system, chemistry had been found well developed into a science auxiliary to medicine and alchemy. It was found useful in the preparation of medicine as well as in transmutation of basic metals into gold. The knowledge of plants and mineral were of very high order and they were fully acquainted with almost all the branches of science. Siddha - More details... (External website that opens in a new window) Acupressure is the application of pressure or localized massage to specific sites on the body to control symptoms such as pain or nausea. This therapy is also used to stop bleeding. It is derived from traditional Chinese medicine, which is a form of treatment for pain that involves pressure on particular points in the body knows as “acupressure points”. A practitioner puts pressure on specific points on the body with his or her fingers in order to relieve pain and discomfort, prevent tension-related ailments, and promote good health. This treatment is gaining popularity in India and several private practitioners have a booming practice. Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese form of medicine, which involves the insertion of pins in certain vital points of the body. It is used for the treatment of chronic pain conditions such as arthritis, bursitis, headache, athletic injuries, and posttraumatic and post surgical pain. It is also used for treating chronic pain associated with immune function dysfunction such as psoriasis (skin disorders), allergies, and asthma. Some modern application of acupuncture is in the treatment of disorders such as alcoholism, addiction, smoking, and eating disorders. Modern methods of treatment - Telemedicine Telemedicine generally refers to the use of communication and information technologies for the delivery of clinical care. It may be as simple as two health professionals discussing a case over the telephone, or as complex as using satellite technology and video-conferencing equipment to conduct a real-time consultation between medical specialists in two different countries. The Department of Information Technology (DIT) - External website that opens in a new window had taken up the initiative for defining the Standards for Telemedicine Systems (1.1 MB) (PDF file that opens in a new window) in India, through the deliberations of the committee on "Standardization of digital information to facilitate implementation of Telemedicine system using IT enabled services" under the chairmanship of the Secretary, DIT. Simultaneously, DIT undertook another initiative, in a project mode, for defining "The framework of Information Technology Infrastructure for Health (ITIH)" (2 MB) (PDF file that opens in a new window) to efficiently address information needs of different stakeholders in the healthcare sector. The department has issue specific guidelines for practicing telemedicine in India. The Apollo Hospitals Group (External website that opens in a new window) has managed to use this technique because of their network of hospitals across the country. More details on Rehabilitation. Source: National Portal Content Management Team, Reviewed on:27-05-2008Given the fact that Jadeveon Clowney, the consensus No. 1 high school player in the country, decided against announcing his school of choice on National Signing Day, it was expected there would be plenty of rumors, speculation and innuendo until he picked a school. 10 days ahead of the expected announcement on Valentine’s Day, the rumor mill is not disappointing anyone searching for some Clowney gossip. Arguably the biggest tidbit to come out regarding Clowney is that he may be heading out west for a visit with Oregon. The Ducks have barely been on the radar, if at all, for Clowney’s services, so this certainly is viewed by recuitniks as a significant development if the talk comes to fruition. In another fairly significant development if accurate, the Spartanburg Herald-Journal reports that Alabama seems to be fading in their pursuit of Clowney. The Tide and South Carolina have long been thought of as the Rock Hill (S.C.) defensive end’s most likely destination; however, Clowney announced on signing day that another in-state school, Clemson, was very much back in the picture. Clowney was extremely impressed with the Tigers’ top-ten recruiting haul Wednesday and is seriously considering Dabo Swinney‘s program. So much so, in fact, that some observers have now labeled Clemson as the front-runner, although that may be a bit premature right now. It may not be premature, though, as Clowney is expected to take an unofficial visit to a Clemson basketball game two days before his expected announcement.THE MAN WHO WOULD FEED THE WORLD / John Jeavons' farming methods contain lessons for backyard gardeners too (HANDOUT PHOTO) (HANDOUT PHOTO) Photo: HANDOUT Photo: HANDOUT Image 1 of / 10 Caption Close THE MAN WHO WOULD FEED THE WORLD / John Jeavons' farming methods contain lessons for backyard gardeners too 1 / 10 Back to Gallery On a visit to the University of California Santa Cruz's Farm and Garden a few years ago, I met an apprentice who was trying to grow an entire year's food supply in one small corner of the farm. He planted wheat, corn, beans, potatoes and a variety of salad crops. Although it would be several months before the first harvest, he had already put himself on a diet consisting only of the food growing in his garden. He looked skinny, but not malnourished, on his diet of bread made from wheat he ground himself, dried beans and canned tomatoes. "The only thing this diet lacks," he told me, "is a good source of vitamin B12. It's hard to get enough B12 from vegetables." I pointed out that his diet was also deficient in chocolate, decaf lattes and fettuccine alfredo, three items I considered essential to my own health and well-being. He just laughed, shrugged his shoulders, and went back to sowing beans. I didn't know it at the time, but this earnest young apprentice was a disciple of John Jeavons, organic gardening expert and author of "How to Grow More Vegetables Than You Ever Thought Possible On Less Land Than You Can Imagine." For more than 30 years Jeavons has been preaching the benefits of small- scale, sustainable farming. Now, on a farm just outside Willits, Jeavons operates the nonprofit Ecology Action and teaches his methods to gardeners from as far away as Siberia, Africa and Latin America. Sitting in his kitchen one afternoon, Jeavons shows me snapshots from those workshops. The students stand in a circle around him while he demonstrates his soil preparation technique. He is a distinguished fellow of 60-something who manages, in his trademark tweed coat and cap, to make digging in the dirt look elegant. In fact, he looks more like an Ivy League professor than an organic gardening visionary, and it is easy to see how he could be effective in both worlds: He recently presided over a worldwide food and soil conference at UC Davis in which farmers and scientists came together to address the looming food shortage that is the focus of Jeavon's work today. Jeavons sets the photographs aside and recalls the question that led to the development of his farming techniques. "In the early 1970s, I went to the San Joaquin Valley, where approximately 30 percent of the food in the United States was being grown at the time, and I asked farmers this question: "What is the smallest area you can grow all your food and income on?' And they said, "Well, we don't know, but if it's a good year, if you have a thousand acres of wheat, you'll be able to pay your bills.'" "I realized that if I wanted to know the answer to my question, it was 'tag- you're it.' " By 1972, Jeavons had formed Ecology Action and was farming nearly four acres
a time comes like that again, you have to be able to find it like that again. -Kyle Schwarber -Quote obtained by Chicago Tribune writer Paul Sullivan After his World Series heroics a season ago, Schwarber had a forgettable beginning to the 2017 MLB season. He carried an unsightly.171/.295/.378 slash line through 64 games and 261 plate appearances, and had no answer for the exaggerated shifts that defenses routinely used against him. An inability to consistently barrel up the ball has been another culprit that has contributed to his struggles this season. What’s strange is that there hasn’t been any real change in Schwarber’s approach: He’s still plenty selective at the plate, with a 13.8% walk rate that’s a mirror image of his 2015 mark. His contact rates, meanwhile, have actually gone up from 2015, and his swinging-strike rate has dropped. But there are a few numbers that suggest that Schwarber simply isn’t making consistent hard contact. His infield fly-ball rate has doubled, going from 7.6% in 2015 to 14.5 this year, and his line-drive rate has fallen from 17.3% in ’15 to 12.3 in ’17. His average exit velocity, meanwhile, is 87.3 mph, roughly at the MLB average (86.9) and nearly four miles per hour off his 2015 numbers (and 10 mph slower than 2017 leader Miguel Sano). -Content created by Sports Illustrated writer Jon Tayler At the advice of Chicago Cubs minor league hitting coordinator Andy Haines, Schwarber has made noticeable mechanical adjustments to his swing including lowering his hands and taking the bat off his shoulder prior to the pitch. This inconsistent Cubs offense could certainly use Schwarber’s new and improved bat in the middle of the lineup. Since his demotion, the Cubs are 21st in MLB in batting average (.234), 22nd in runs (36), and fifth in strikeouts (92). Integrating Schwarber back into the MLB lineup also involves figuring out where he fits in the batting order puzzle. Batting leadoff like he did for most of the season prior to his demotion isn’t ideal because opposing teams can shift as drastically as they want against him with no runners on base. He slashed.185/.304/.356 in 171 plate appearances this season batting leadoff and slashed.137/.222/.288 in 81 plate appearances when he was the first batter in an inning. The best spot to put Schwarber is in the middle of the lineup behind Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo. Ideally, you want him batting with as many runners on base as possible because of his ability to hit the long ball. An ACL/LCL tear didn’t stop Schwarber from helping his team end a 108-year World Series drought last season. This season, he vows that his early hitting struggles at the MLB level won’t prevent him from contributing to what the Cubs hope becomes another special season. I’m not going to back down at all — trust me. My goal is to get back up there as soon as I can — and I’m going to work my butt off. -Quote obtained by The Des Moines Register writer Tommy Birch After his heroic comeback from a major injury last season, it’s difficult to bet against him. Stats don’t take into account the Iowa Cubs game on Sunday night or the Chicago Cubs game on Sunday afternoon. Paul Steeno spent 11 years pretending he was good at running. After hanging up the track spikes and officially becoming an elite hobby jogger, he decided to do something that he was actually good at: like writing about the Cubs. He is also a perpetually frustrated Chicago Bulls fan. This one time he got super lucky and ran 3:52 in the 1500 meter run. Please follow me on Twitter! @KingSteenoWhen Sega first announced that 2D series revamp Sonic 4 would be released as a series of short, downloadable episodes, the company was careful not to say just how many episodes it planned to release. Right now, it looks like that number is going to be two, as Sonic Team producer Takashi Izuka recently told Digital Spy the team is "currently not planning to release another episode," after the second. Sonic 4's first episode got mixed reviews (including a glowing write up from Ars) and equally mixed sales across a number of downloadable game platforms. The game premiered as the top downloadable title on the PlayStation Network after its October 2010 launch, and peaked at No. 3 on iTunes' top-grossing games charts, but the Xbox 360 version sold considerably less than contemporary releases like Super Meat Boy, according to online leaderboard data. It's probably safe to assume the WiiWare version of the game didn't sell so well either—while Episode 2 is coming back to Xbox Live Arcade, PSN, PC, iOS, Android, and Windows Phone later this year, Sega announced in December that there wouldn't be a Wii version of the title's second episode. This might seem like a bad sign for Sega's once-venerable Sonic brand, but it might just represent a shift toward the more robust Sonic Generations series, which rode its mix of 2D and 3D gameplay to over 1.6 million sales since its November release, according to Sega.Compared to other European ski destinations, Iceland is a relative new arrival to the global ski scene. Geographically isolated from the rest of Europe, the local economy was based on fishing and whaling, which gathered little attention to the first traveling skiers of the early 20th century. However the economic boom experienced by Western Europe after WWII transformed this nation into not only one of the strongest democracies in Scandinavia—which is saying a lot—but also into a competitive global destination with tourism now as it’s main source of foreign income, particularly during the crisp and mild summer months. Thanks to its relatively late industrial development Iceland is still underneath its aura of cosmopolitanism, progressive politics, and Viking heritage, a cluster of villages straight out of a Tolkien novel, with the simple twist that they are happy to take as many dollars as you bring with you. One quick Google search of Iceland will have you begging for them to take your money. Nonetheless, compared to the Alps, Dolomites, or even Norway, Iceland is still flying under the radar of many skiers. If you’re sharing a gondola car with a local and ask them what they know about Iceland, behind their mirrored goggles, their glassy eyes might light up and cough up an answer that would probably contain a variation of: trolls (not the internet kind), blue hot-springs, and you need an app to avoid making out with a cousin. These are all true; there’s an Icelandic Elf School in the capital Reykjavik that teaches Icelandic folklore, and just as recent as 2013 major road construction was stopped after elf supporters protested the destruction of elves “natural habitat”. The famous Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spa, is prominently featured in tourism ads, and also true is that due to its relatively small population (320,000), low immigration, and local surname practices, students at the University of Iceland developed a popular app to keep your late night hookups incest-free. What perhaps your local ripper doesn’t know is that you can also get world-class backcountry skiing late into spring for a fraction of the cost of a ski trip into mainland Europe. To top that the best backcountry lines in the country are located, where else, but in the Troll Peninsula, where you can stay in a fishing village right by the ocean and ski major spring lines down to the beach and soak in one of many public hot springs. Icelandair, the major national airline, has been pushing to make the local international airport a global hub for transatlantic flights. What this means for US skiers is that you can get a round trip ticket from Denver to Reykjavik for less than $500 (my upcoming May trip cost $480 to book); so for less than a weekend stay in Teton Village you can actually put your passport to good use. Some might discourage you with fearful tales of high prices once you arrive to the land of elves, and sure, beers will be more expensive than the last six pack of PBR you picked up with your bulk granola, but it’s also quite easy to embrace your inner dirtbag. Due to its many mountainous and pristine national parks Iceland has an extensive offering of cheap RV rentals, especially in prime ski mountaineering season, when low tourist season is in effect. For the price of a discounted Vail Resorts lift ticket you can actually rent a modified camper/van/RV to travel throughout the island while cooking and sleeping in the back. Most backcountry skiing is located in the Northwest corner of the island, starting near the city of Akureyri, all the way to the Troll Peninsula, which contains a series of fjords cuddling small fishing villages surrounded by the most photogenic lines you have ever dreamed of ripping. If you can afford it, the best way to visit the area is on a sailboat, where you travel from one fjord to the other, disembark to ski all day and eat like a Viking at night. If you’re a peak bagger and want to take a shot at the highest point in the country, you might need to do some driving, but it’s quite worth it. Hvannadalshnúkur is the highest summit on the island (elevation 6,920ft), and is located on the Southeast corner in Vatnajokull National Park. This heavily glaciated peak is by it self worth the trip, and considering all the trekking you can do around the National Park it’s a destination in it self. When you consider that the capital is also known for it’s nightlife and music scene—after all, Bjork, the musician, is the country’s most famous cultural export—and that you can see northern lights pretty much eight months out of the year, the real question is not if you should visit, but, do you really want to be the last one in your Facebook feed to post pictures of sea-to-summit lines and beers in hot-springs with a Scandinavian crowd? The only correct answer is: cheers! Or as they say in Iceland skál! When to visit: Ski season runs from November to May, best backcountry skiing goes from late March until early June. April and May is low-tourist season with best airfare prices. May might be too late most years to see Northern light though, if you want to get a good scope of this make sure to visit by April. • Prices: Iceland has five major ski resorts. The 5×5 lift pass runs around $150usd and lets you ski all five resorts in five days. A six day guided trip in the Troll Peninsula costs about $3,000usd. • Accommodations: Rooms in and around the Troll Peninsula coat between $100-200usd/night during low season, but you can rent a small van for two people for about $500-600usd for six nights with unlimited mileage.Rather than embracing the F.C.C.’s alerts-only proposal as a less costly solution than one that would suspend service, the wireless industry is fighting regulation of any kind. This month, the carriers and their allied trade groups have filed formal objections to the F.C.C.’s proposed alerts. The wireless industry’s trade group, C.T.I.A.-The Wireless Association, argues that the F.C.C.’s proposal “violates carriers’ First Amendment protections”; it contends that compelling carriers to provide use alerts is a form of “compelled speech.” So, by this logic, the carriers should be allowed to remain silent while your phone gobbles up data bits beyond your plan’s allocation. Photo The industry says customers can check their current charges by going to their carrier’s Web site and looking them up — or by sending short codes on their phones or installing apps on their smartphones that can provide a tally of minutes and data use. And if customers don’t remember to check, the carriers can shrug and say, “Not our fault.” Overage charges may simply reflect a customer’s intentional extra use of a service, suggests Christopher Guttman-McCabe, vice president for regulatory affairs at the C.T.I.A.. “There are months when my water bill or electricity bill goes up significantly,” he said. “That doesn’t mean I’m unhappy with the water or electricity utility.” I wonder, however, whether cellphone service is like other utilities. There’s no water faucet in my house that I could turn — intentionally or accidentally — that would lead to a $68,505 bill for the month. That’s the amount of the largest bill-shock complaint received by the F.C.C. in the first six months of 2010. (An F.C.C. spokeswoman said that the commission’s staff had investigated and confirmed the details of that particular complaint.) Newsletter Sign Up Continue reading the main story Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up You will receive emails containing news content, updates and promotions from The New York Times. You may opt-out at any time. You agree to receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. Thank you for subscribing. An error has occurred. Please try again later. View all New York Times newsletters. Mr. Guttman-McCabe says the F.C.C.’s alerts requirement would cost “tens, if not hundreds, of millions of dollars to implement.” But the C.T.I.A.’s own written statement describes an industry that has already made considerable investments in infrastructure that enable real-time alerts about use. AT&T already provides three alerts to iPad users: when data use has reached 80 percent of the plan’s allocation, again at 90 percent, and once more when the allocation has been reached and overages begin. The C.T.I.A. mentions this example but says Apple iPad users “can” receive alerts rather than saying they “will” receive them. The phrasing implies that users must opt in. In fact, the alerts are automatic as well as free — exactly what the F.C.C. would like to provide all cellphone users. THE C.T.I.A. cites the SmartAccess program from T-Mobile among exemplars of “alerts and cut-off mechanisms” that carriers provide without being compelled to do so by Washington. It said SmartAccess allows customers to set a spending limit and, if their account charges exceed the limit, service automatically stops until payment is made to reduce the balance. But consumer protections not mandated by Washington can disappear at any time. For example, a week after the C.T.I.A. praised it in its filing, I couldn’t find SmartAccess among offerings at the T-Mobile Web site. When I asked T-Mobile what had happened, a spokesman said SmartAccess no longer existed. (The next day, a spokeswoman offered T-Mobile’s $4.99-a-month “Family Allowances” program as an equivalent service, but it doesn’t cover data use and comes with a disclaimer that it “is not intended to prevent overages.”) Advertisement Continue reading the main story Currently, most wireless customers must remember to manually check their use tallies. And check again and again. Without the protection of mandated warnings, they risk being the next $68,505 loser.“During the last five years, the Syrian resistance front didn’t allow the Takfiris [extremists] and their allies to reach their goals,” said Mohammad-Javad Abtahi, an Iranian lawmaker, according to a Farsi report by ICANA. “While the plotters of Syrian war imagined that Damascus would fall soon, the Syrian people defended their legal administration, not letting this malicious objective to be achieved.” He then referred to the Syrian new Constitution draft, prepared by Russia, and said, “Syria’s integrity must be regarded as an inviolable principle.” “This principle has apparently been stressed in the Constitution proposal. Deep down, however, the draft paves the way for Syria’s disintegration by giving Kurds and some other ethnic groups cultural autonomy.” “In no circumstances should Syria become the subject of other powers’ ninetieth century-like political deals,” he emphasized. “The disintegration is the strategy the US pursues in the Syrian war,” Abtahi noted. “We are worried about its effects on the Middle East.” “Iraq and Turkey’s disintegration will follow Syria’s; it finally leads to the repetition of disastrous conflicts such as Yugoslav wars.” He went on to say that Tehran has always supported Syria’s integrity. “We are holding on to our boundaries while they are shaping their own future.”The glottis is the opening between the vocal folds [1] (the rima glottidis).[2] Structure [ edit ] Function [ edit ] Phonation [ edit ] As the vocal folds vibrate, the resulting vibration produces a "buzzing" quality to the speech, called voice or voicing or pronunciation. Sound production that involves moving the vocal folds close together is called glottal.[3] English has a voiceless glottal transition spelled "h". This sound is produced by keeping the vocal folds spread somewhat, resulting in non-turbulent airflow through the glottis.[3] In many accents of English the glottal stop (made by pressing the folds together) is used as a variant allophone of the phoneme /t/ (and in some dialects, occasionally of /k/ and /p/); in some languages, this sound is a phoneme of its own.[citation needed] Skilled players of the Australian didgeridoo restrict their glottal opening in order to produce the full range of timbres available on the instrument.[4] The vibration produced is an essential component of voiced consonants as well as vowels. If the vocal folds are drawn apart, air flows between them causing no vibration, as in the production of voiceless consonants.[citation needed] The glottis is also important in the valsalva maneuver. Voiced consonants include /v/, /z/, /ʒ/, /d͡ʒ/, /ð/, /b/, /d/, /ɡ/, /w/. Voiceless consonants include /f/, /s/, /ʃ/, /t͡ʃ/, /θ/, /p/, /t/, /k/, /ʍ/, and /h/. Additional images [ edit ] Larynx The entrance to the larynx, viewed from behind. The entrance to the larynx. Glottis Larynx, pharynx and tongue. Deep dissection.Posterior view. Larynx, pharynx and tongue. Deep dissection.Posterior view. Larynx, pharynx and tongue. Deep dissection.Posterior view. References [ edit ]Robby Mook has been spending a lot of time on the phone. The all-but-announced campaign manager for Hillary Clinton’s all-but-certain presidential campaign has spent the past month making calls, including to many top people from President Barack Obama’s two campaigns and his White House, asking for advice on whom to hire and how to run the campaign. Story Continued Below He’s nowhere near done. Despite widespread assumptions that Clinton has assembled a campaign juggernaut ready to be unveiled as soon as she makes her White House run official, the reality is that she has little more than a budding operation that’s far from set — either in how the jobs will be structured or who will be in them. “It’s a common misconception that there was some sort of campaign-in-waiting. They are building this deliberately and smartly — one piece at a time,” said a Democrat familiar with the process. The integration of Obama’s and Clinton’s worlds will be propelled by people with both Clinton and Obama ties for the jobs of chairman (John Podesta), communications chief (Jennifer Palmieri) and campaign consultant (Jim Margolis). Mook has also been looking to Obama alumni for top press, political, field and data jobs — and not just his close friend Marlon Marshall, a Clinton 2008 staffer who later joined the Obama orbit and departed the White House late last year on what was seen as a natural trajectory toward Clinton HQ. Obama loyalists who have been part of, or the subject of, hiring discussions for the campaign and advisory roles include Betsy Hoover, Obama’s 2012 director of digital organizing, who could head up Clinton’s digital operation. While White House deputy press secretary Eric Schultz is being discussed as a later, post-primary addition, former National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor, who helped the Clinton camp with June 2014’s book rollout, is also frequently part of the discussions. And Yohannes Abraham, currently a top aide to Valerie Jarrett, is seen as joining the political staff. Other operatives who have featured in conversations among Democrats building the campaign include first lady Michelle Obama’s former communications director Kristina Schake, who is currently the chief communications officer at L’Oréal USA and who is seen as headed for a deputy role on the communications team. Matt Canter, the former deputy executive director at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, who has no direct Obama ties, could also join down the road. Obama 2012 pollster John Anzalone has been active in Clinton’s circles, and two more top 2012 campaign officials — deputy campaign managers Stephanie Cutter and Jen O’Malley Dillon, who co-founded Precision Strategies — have also been part of the ongoing discussions for advisory roles. Mook has essentially been putting markers on prospective staff to keep them accessible as he holds off on formal hires. In the meantime, he’s building an operation to grapple with the unique problems a Clinton campaign poses, including reassembling the biggest network of old Democratic hands since her husband’s presidency while limiting dysfunction and infighting. He also needs to keep Clinton vibrant in the midst of the least competitive non-incumbent presidential primary in decades. “They’re being extremely thoughtful and deliberate in their approach,” said one person involved. “But it’s a process, and there’s a lot of work left to do.” Already, two themes are becoming clear: The Clinton campaign, determined to avoid the 2008 mistake of being caught unprepared for the changes in politics and campaign tactics, will rely heavily on Obama alumni to get it up to speed. And between the Obama infusion and the Clinton loyalists quickly returning to the fold, there will be few prominent slots open for up-and-coming Democratic operatives looking to break in. That’s created more than just anxiety that the Obama-Clinton drama of 2008 will linger — it’s also created fear that a new generation of Democratic operatives will be left out of the 2016 cycle entirely. The staff overlap may also complicate efforts to show a necessary distance between Clinton from Obama — and it’s already sparked worries that the Clinton operation might repeat some of the Obama operation’s mistakes, particularly in messaging that’s often fallen short when not centered on the force of his personality. The highest-ranking Obama confidant likely to enter Clinton’s orbit is pollster Joel Benenson, though some see a more direct role for Obama’s 2012 campaign manager Jim Messina. He’s the co-chair of the pro-Clinton super PAC Priorities USA Action, where Obama’s 2012 get-out-the-vote director Buffy Wicks is now the executive director. There’s also Jeremy Bird and Mitch Stewart, veterans of both Obama campaigns who are backing Ready for Hillary through their firm 270 Strategies. Obama’s 2012 digital director Teddy Goff has also been in talks with Clinton’s orbits, and he could be joined by Andrew Bleeker, an Obama online advertising strategist. Mook did not respond to a request for comment, and none of the potential hires — some of whom have spoken directly with Mook — would comment about their possible roles in the emerging campaign. “I’m going to stick to my rule of no name-gaming,” said Clinton spokesman Nick Merrill. Despite the fact that few of these people have been hired for set roles, Mook—the rare Democratic operative who’s young and experienced but without direct Obama ties — is working to build a structure that coheres, though many figures on both sides acknowledge some tension between the two worlds remains. The presence of Mook, who was the executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and campaign manager for Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, is a relief to many Clinton loyalists, much like Benenson’s hiring was a strong sign to Obama allies of the Clinton orbits’ seriousness in bringing on Obama’s world. “Joel has been a close adviser to the president since the beginning of the campaign in 2007, so the fact that he’s going on in a broader role in the Clinton campaign was a significant indicator of the level of outreach to people who worked for President Obama,” said Obama’s 2012 campaign press secretary Ben LaBolt. The bad blood between the Obama and Clinton inner circles generated by their brutal 2008 primary battle still exists, but it doesn’t appear to affect these staffers. Even among the Obama core, there’s an acceptance that Clinton is more than just a quasi-incumbent Democrat to support based on party loyalty — her election would be critical to preserving much of the legacy Obama is trying to build at the end of his term through executive actions. Still, some young operatives who have not spoken with Mook are griping that they will very likely miss the cycle entirely. Unlike the 2008 race, where there were so many candidates that the debate stages were packed even after Evan Bayh and Mark Warner abandoned their presidential runs early — and staff jobs abounded — a threatening challenger to Clinton has yet to emerge, and expected candidates Martin O’Malley and Jim Webb have not been making comparable hiring inquiries. With Clinton putting off her launch for months, the people who are looking to lock down their paychecks are getting antsy. “People thought she’d launch a PAC, start staffing up in a big way, and launch in January, February or March,” said one Democratic operative who worked for Clinton in 2008 and Obama in 2012. “There isn’t anywhere for the nervous energy to go. And it’s not just that, people want to start working. The people who want to start working for Hillary are pretty well established, but [others] aren’t couch-surfing waiting for that job.” Republicans have used the lull to develop a line of attack that Clinton is “hiding,” even as they continue to seed the attack lines of an “Obama-Clinton economy” or “Obama-Clinton foreign policy.” While such criticisms mount, Clinton allies are fine with her operation keeping quiet — for now. “The lack of a significant challenger in the primary buys the Clinton campaign some time to focus on building out a grass-roots organization and fundraising, and gives them a longer runway to get the plane in the air,” LaBolt said. “But they will have to deal with Republicans who are out at red-meat events, guns blazing, who will be attacking the campaign and the Democratic Party each and every day.”The head of Canada’s second-largest mortgage-default insurer is warning against increasing the minimum down payment for buying a home. Andrew Charles, chief executive of Canada Guaranty, whose owners include the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, says a full roll out of the minimum down payment for government-backed insured mortgages to 10 per cent from five per cent will heavily impact first-time buyers while failing to alleviate some of the price stresses in the Vancouver and Toronto housing markets. “The first-time home buyer market in Canada represents approximately 30 per cent of the entire housing market,” Charles said. “The insured segment of the market has a $1-million cap in terms of maximum. We take the view that increasing, or further penalizing, the first-time home buyer does zero or has minimal impact on price valuations in two specific markets.” Ottawa increased the minimum down payment for buying a home in February to 10 per cent from five per cent for the portion of the selling price over $500,000. The federal government, which backstops companies like Canada Guaranty and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp., a Crown corporation, that insure banks for mortgage losses, capped maximum home coverage at $1-million while the Tories were in power. Pressure is building for the federal government to rein in housing markets in Vancouver and Toronto, which recorded year-over-year price increases of about 30 per cent and 16 per cent, respectively, in May. The chief executive of the Bank of Nova Scotia, Brian Porter, suggested last week he was concerned about the state of the market in those two cities and his financial institution “took our foot off the gas” in the last couple of quarters, slowing mortgage growth. Others, including the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, have warned about the risks rising debt and elevated housing prices in Canada. But while Canada’s finance minister Bill Morneau did indicate his government is watching the housing market closely and is ready to take a “deep dive” into what is causing imbalances, it doesn’t appears the Liberals are set to announce more changes in the short-term. “The deep dive includes thinking about what the drivers are. We’ve got populations with demographic issues. Toronto and Vancouver there’s higher population growth. We’ve got better labour markets in Vancouver and Toronto. It’s much lower unemployment,” Morneau said. Charles said any move to increase the minimum down payment won’t do much for Toronto and Vancouver, where average detached home prices are well beyond the $1-million threshold of government-backed mortgages. Consumers with a down payment of less than 20 per cent must buy mortgage default insurance. “An increase in down payments will negatively impact the Calgary, the Edmonton, the smaller urban centres where we’ve seen prices values moderate and in some cases decrease,” Charles said. “This just isn’t a first-time home buyer challenge.” Charles says the market froth in Canada’s most expensive cities is being caused by conventional mortgages, which is consumers who have that 20 per cent down payment on a home and are not governed by federal insurance regulations, including restrictions on the length of amortization. Insured mortgages can only be amortized over 25 years, but in the uninsured market they are often as long as 35 years. A longer amortization produces a lower monthly payment and allows a consumer to qualify for a larger loan. gmarr@postmedia.com twitter.com/dustywalletShepard Fairey, whose blue and red portrait became the defining image of the 2008 campaign, says president did not live up to the hype – ‘not even close’ The man on the poster is still president. But the artist behind the poster has moved on. Shepard Fairey, whose stencil portrait of Barack Obama with the caption “Hope” became the defining image of the 2008 presidential campaign, told Esquire magazine in an interview published on Thursday that the politician had not lived up to the propaganda. “Not even close,” Fairey said. “Obama has had a really tough time, but there have been a lot of things that he’s compromised on that I never would have expected. I mean, drones and domestic spying are the last things I would have thought [he’d support].” The Hope poster represented an unusually explicit foray into politics for the Los Angeles-based artist, who first won renown for an image of Andre the Giant with various captions, including the command “Obey”. Fairey based his “Hope” creation on an Associated Press photograph he failed to credit at the time. In 2011 the artist and the AP settled a copyright lawsuit for an undisclosed sum. Fairey is not a wholesale detractor of Obama, however. “I’ve met Obama a few times, and I think Obama’s a quality human being, but I think that he finds himself in a position where your actions are largely dictated by things out of your control,” Fairey told Esquire. “I’m not giving him a pass for not being more courageous, but I do think the entire system needs an overhaul and taking money out of politics would be a really good first step.” As for whom he is supporting in 2016, Fairey said: “I mean nothing against Hillary [Clinton]. I agree with Hillary on most issues, but campaign finance structure makes me very angry.” In 2014, Fairey released a poster that was evocative of the Obama image, but which featured a different, anonymous politician holding a fistful of cash. The image was captioned: “Sold”.While we’ve gotten used to CRISPR-Cas9 blanketing the science news and even inspiring #CRISPRfacts, now we’re getting CRISPR in our mainstream TV shows. The new Marvel Netflix show, Luke Cage, used CRISPR genome editing to explain Carl Lucas’ transformation into superhero Luke Cage. Ahhhh! CRISPR mention on Luke Cage! — Ed Yong (@edyong209) October 5, 2016 But that CRISPR shoutout was dwarfed when the Hollywood Reporter announced Jennifer Lopez’s new NBC tv project called ‘C.R.I.S.P.R.’, and yes it’s really named for ‘clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats’. The show is described as a ‘procedural thriller’ that each week will ‘explore a bio-attack and crime’ Thoughts on potential CRISPR tv show? Is there a show you'd like to see starring genome engineers? https://t.co/l7O2Y6GLLD — PLOS Synbio (@PLOSSynbio) October 20, 2016 Science twitter was filled with what could mostly be called incredulousness. For one, there’s little faith that the science in each episode will be at all accurate. More importantly though, it’s likely from these early reports that the show will focus more on stoking fears of genome editing technologies than conveying any sense of scientific truth. .@PLOSSynbio Glad the idea of DNA hacking is going mainstream. Unfortunate that it's in the context of bioterrorism. Also… terrible name! — Khalid K. Alam (@BiochemPhD) October 21, 2016 Twitter users were quick to register their concerns about portrayals of genome editing and synthetic biology in TV storylines that supposed to explore the “battle for control over the human genome”. Some people had fun with the idea though, and Wired even sketched out a full season for them complete with a Jennifer Doudna guest appearance. @meganjpalmer @THR There is a ton of interest in the tv and movie industry about CRISPR right now. This is the first of many. — Sri Kosuri (@srikosuri) October 19, 2016 Doudna herself avoided getting too excited over CRISPR on TV(or any guest spots for that matter). She told Motherboard, “It is important to introduce it to the public and characterize it correctly but we must remember that this show is dramatized science fiction.” We’ll have to wait and see if the ‘C.R.I.S.P.R.’ script order comes to fruition as a full show, but in the meantime you can read what it’s really like to pursue bioterror threats. O if you get your own idea for how you’d put CRISPR technologies in TV, let us know on Twitter @PLOSynbio.The New York Times backs the attack on WikiLeaks By Alex Lantier 28 December 2010 With a brief Christmas Day editorial, “Banks and WikiLeaks,” the New York Times editorial page finally broke its silence on the official campaign targeting WikiLeaks, the news site that has published leaked US diplomatic cables. The Times did so, however, only to give its backhanded support for the campaign, led by the Obama administration, against WikiLeaks. The Times has maintained a complete silence in the face of the threats of prosecution against the web site, which have escalated in the wake of the leak of hundreds of thousands of State Department documents. It has said nothing about the calls for Julian Assange—the organization’s founder—to be arrested, declared an enemy combatant and even assassinated. Its first editorial on the persecution of WikiLeaks came at the bottom of the editorial page on Saturday. This obscure position itself highlights the newspaper’s tacit support for the campaign against WikiLeaks. Acknowledging that WikiLeaks “has not been convicted of a crime,” the Times writes that “the financial industry is trying to shut it down.” It cites the decision by Visa, MasterCard, PayPal and Bank of America to refuse to process transactions and donations involving WikiLeaks. The editorial makes clear, however, that the Times has no principled objections to this attack on democratic rights and freedom of the press—which essentially amounts to a threat by US banks to strangle any news organization that falls afoul of Washington. Indeed, the New York Times apparently believes the banks should have such powers. It writes: “The Federal Reserve, the banking regulator, allows this. Like other companies, banks can choose whom they do business with. Refusing to open an account for some undesirable entity is seen as reasonable risk management. The government even requires banks to keep an eye out for some shady businesses—like drug dealing and money laundering—and refuse to do business with those who engage in them.” This comparison is profoundly inappropriate and misleading. WikiLeaks is not a drug cartel or a mob outfit, but a news organization engaged in legal, constitutionally protected journalism. As significant as what is said about WikiLeaks is what is not said. The organization has revealed details of contemporary politics of great public interest, warning of the dangers posed to the world by imperialist diplomacy. Prior to their revelation by WikiLeaks, these facts had been hidden by mainstream news outlets. They include the US planning of wars against major powers such as China, Russia and Iran, and various secret deals between US officials, leading European politicians and Arab monarchs. As it cynically lumps WikiLeaks together with “shady businesses,” the Times is silent on the persecution of WikiLeaks by US and allied governments. Its founder, Julian Assange, faces trumped-up charges of sexual misconduct in Sweden. The Obama administration—which has held alleged leaker Bradley Manning in solitary confinement for seven months without trial—is reportedly preparing espionage charges against Assange. If he is extradited to the US, a show trial there could lead to his receiving a life sentence. US Vice President Joe Biden has denounced Assange as a “high-tech terrorist.” To stress that it does not defend Assange, the Times adds: “Our concern is not specifically about payments to WikiLeaks.” One is entitled to ask: if the Times does not object to banks’ attacks on press freedoms and if it does not defend WikiLeaks, why has it written an editorial titled “Banks and WikiLeaks?” A possible reason is to appear to raise objections to the treatment of Assange, in line with the sentiments of the many Times readers who support WikiLeaks. It appears, however, that the Times’ main concern relates to its own operations. It ends its editorial with the remarkable admission that it fears the banks could strangle newspapers, such as the Times itself, which publish WikiLeaks documents. It remarks that WikiLeaks, which reportedly has access to the hard drive of a Bank of America executive, will soon release data on corruption in the financial industry. The Times writes: “What would happen if a clutch of big banks decided that a particularly irksome blogger or other organization was ‘too risky’? What if they decided—one by one—to shut down financial access to a newspaper that was about to reveal irksome truths about their operations? This decision should not be
your screen to countdown the last 15 seconds or so of an upgrade. It looks like this:Please go test it out if you get the chance! I have been playing with it myself for a few days now and everything has worked perfectly for me but maybe you guys will find some problem I could not! My hope is that it will be used for the Naniwa versus Scarlett showmatch this weekend, and it will be unless you guys find a reason for it not to be.More good news! The team colored effects system I said I would implement to make it up to you guys for not doing the notifications system (which I am not doing because the MIT guys were already working on it!) is almost ready for implementation. Please keep in mind like all features in GameHeart, only observers will be able to see these colored effects. To players it will look like a normal game.While I have got most of the effects I wanted to working with team colors some do not look very good. And we need to decide which of them should be team colored and which shouldn’t of this group. The following effects have had team colors implemented:Force FieldGuardian ShieldTime WarpPsi StormEMPScanner SweepFungal GrowthBlinding CloudI have created a map where you can easily test these effects for yourself. You can find it in the custom games section of the NA region. It is called. Please go check it out, tell me which effects you think should not be team colored (I am leaning towards removing it from Fungal Growth) and which colors on each effect you think are too strong or not strong enough so I can adjust this to be perfect before it goes in.Okay so that’s it for now for the things I would like you guys to go test. Onto some other topics.Something I wanted to do this week was thank all of the people who have helped me with this project over the last year and a half. By no means is the project over. This isn’t something I am doing to wrap it up. I just wanted to get this out there so you guys could know more about the people who have been contributing to this project, some of which you may not have been aware of. There have been a lot of people and hopefully I won’t miss anyone.I am not going to include the IndieGoGo contributors on this list. I am going to do another thank you specifically for them in the next blog update. Believe me I am VERY grateful for the people who have financed this project and enabled me to continue to work on it. This list however will be for people who have directly had their fingers in the project one way or another.Ahli joined this project early this year, but even before that he was answering my questions on the sc2mapster forums. He starting working on his own observer mod for Starcraft, but eventually decided to join me in working on GameHeart so we could produce a single mod that was as good as it could be.Because he is extremely knowledgeable about UI files I mostly leverage his help when dealing with interface files. But make no mistake, he is a really solid developer of SC2 mods. He is the developer of the Diablo mod for SC2 and was also involved in the Temple Siege II project. Whenever I get stuck on something I go to him first, and often times he points out something stupid that I did almost immediately.I am actually going to do a section specifically about Blizzard and their relationship with the GameHeart project after this thank you section. To be honest from my perspective the relationship between Blizzard and GameHeart has felt up and down at times but overall it has been very positive, especially in the last few months.John was a huge part of getting GameHeart into GSTL earlier this year. The amount of testing he did to help me prepare the old version of GameHeart for tournaments was extraordinary. Unfortunately they no longer use GameHeart for their broadcasts, but I hope that with the new version out now they will look at it again someday.Dreamhack adopting GameHeart was a huge win for the project. And they have steadfastly stuck with GameHeart for all of their events this year. While I have no retired the older version of GameHeart they were using, I hope they will consider using this new version for their events next year.They were also a huge part of developing the look of the main GameHeart UI. I worked with their graphic design and producers to find a design that could accommodate them, and it has turned out to be immensely successful with dozens of tournaments and broadcasters now using the same interface.Adebisi is a pretty cool guy. He has been providing me with input from the perspective of a dedicated observer for over a year. I have made a lot of changes to GameHeart over the last year based on his input.While I only interacted with them through John both Heaven and Legend did a lot of testing with GameHeart before it was used in GSTL, and I made quite a few changes based on their feedback.While not a direct contributor to the project anymore, he was part of the original GameHeart team and someone I almost always share my troubles with regarding the project so I can benefit from his sage wisdom. He also created both of the promotional videos for GameHeart. Thanks man!Awesome dudes. Besides giving me a bunch of money they have developed a huge number of cool spectator tools of their own. The best part? They have agreed to implement most of those features into GameHeart rather than just creating a competing spectator mod so that tournaments can get the best of both worlds!Thanks Nick and Philip!Chanman has been really good to the GameHeart project. He has had me on climbing the ladder twice, first to discuss the project and it’s incorporation into Dreamhack earlier this year, and then again to discuss my IndieGoGo campaign more recently. I really appreciate his support.Pzea is the developer of the stronger team colors mod and he has been helping create new STC textures for HotS units that I will get into GameHeart eventually. Great dude!These guys were the first tournament to take a chance on using the earliest version of GameHeart. Thank you so much! You really helped me at a time when I was struggling to get people to realize the potential of the project.Zolden is an awesome guy. He can usually be found lurking around the sc2mapster IRC channel. I always go to him when I need some custom model produced for GameHeart. The model that I use to display logos on the ground was created by him for example.Renee is the developer of the GAx3 mod for SC2. This mod provides a lot of tools that are not necessarily built into the editor to make it easier for other developers like me to build their mods. I have used Renee’s tools pretty extensively during the project. I would also like to note that Renee is probably the most knowledgeable person when it comes to the SC2 editor outside of Blizzard. I don’t think I have ever had a question that Renee was unable to answer.Some of you may not be aware but Scarlett was actually a bit of a mod developer back in WC3. After she played in GSTL on GameHeart for the first time I asked to get her feedback on playing with it in a high pressure setting and she was very helpful. Even going so far as to look at my code to help me find problems!The PA forums have been really helpful when it comes to testing GameHeart. And I really appreciate all of their help. Especially guys like Kambing who are usually willing to hop in a game with me to test something that he probably won’t even be able to see!Honestly I am sure there are a lot more people I should be thanking but there are so many that it’s hard to keep track of them all. Thank you everyone who has been involved!I wanted to take a moment to thank Blizzard in particular for their help over the last few months. Behind the scenes of this project I have been sending them bugs and suggestions for them to fix/implement in the 2.1 patch and they have been really going out of their way to accommodate me. Here is an example of some of the things thator said that they will fix that I have sent them:I do the best job I can to present my issues so that they can address them as easily as possible, but I do not always understand why something is going wrong so it can be difficult. Beyond this they have also been pretty supportive in the past. They have fixed bugs I have reported and even at one point looked through my code to find a mistake I made that I had reported as a bug with the editor. After something like that it would be easy for them to disregard problems I send them in the future, but they have continued to support me.While it’s true that they do not use GameHeart for WCS I think their reasoning is pretty fair. The old GameHeart was pretty bulky and they felt in order to okay it for WCS they really needed to QA it themselves, which would have been a pretty significant task. Beyond that they are also concerned that a mod like GameHeart could open the door to mod developers and perhaps tournaments trying to rebalance the game themselves. It is possible with something like GameHeart to adjust the movement speed or damage output of a unit, which is dangerous for competitive play. I have no interest in doing that and I promise that nothing like that is done in GameHeart. It is open source so anyone can download the GameHeart mod files to see for themselves. I do manipulate data but only to achieve things like swapping textures for stronger team colors, or putting logos on the ground. With the new GameHeart being so much simpler than the previous version I am hoping they will reconsider it for WCS someday.Sometimes GameHeart feels under pressure when they add features that are in GameHeart to the default spectator tools. But there is nothing wrong with them trying to improve their game, and honestly that pressure pushes me to continue to improve GameHeart and come up with new ideas to keep it ahead of the curve. I hope that GameHeart has also served as a tool for them to figure out what spectator features are worthwhile and are justified in being added to the game itself.I brought this up back in Update 2 but after feeling like I did not get much of a response I decided to move away from it. But Liquid Nazgul came around and said that he liked the idea and wanted to see it implemented, and offered any help he could to get it there.He has put me in contact with people from some of the biggest teams so I can put together a limited test version of this concept. I have sent them a document detailing what I need from them to make it happen, and as soon as they starting sending stuff in I will begin working on it.Here is the new mockup for how I would like to implement team sponsor logos into GameHeart:Now before you get too worked up about it being distracting or what have you, be aware that this will only show up for the first 1-2 minutes of the game and then it will fade away. The idea is for it to be there during the “starting in the bottom left” player intros that are common in tournaments, while there is virtually nothing else going on to be distracted from.Because some tournaments I have shown this to have expressed concern that their sponsors may not be okay with the conflict of showing team sponsors it will be a toggleable option. However I hope that all tournaments will eventually come around and see that we need to generate investment in teams so that they can grow and get stronger, provide better games with bigger personalities to strengthen the esports scene of Starcraft II. And all tournaments will benefit from a stronger SC2 esports scene.I am also considering some other possibilities for showing team sponsors throughout the game, but right now this is the main concept. Please share your thoughts in the comments below or on the reddit thread for this blog update!Thanks guys!-Ryan Gameheart7. Gavin Cecchini, SS Height: 6'2”, Weight: 200 lbs. DOB: 12/22/1993 (22) Acquired: 1st round, 2012 Draft (Alfred M. Barbe High School, Louisiana) Bats/Throws: R/R 2016: Las Vegas (Triple-A): 117 G, 499 PA,.325/.390/.448, 8 HR, 4/5 SB, 11.0 strikeout rate, 9.6 walk rate / New York (MLB): 4 G, 7 PA,.333/.429/.667, 0 HR, 0/0 SB, 28.6 strikeout rate, 0.0 walk rate Cecchini continued stinging the ball, following up on a 2015 that saw him hitting.317 with the Binghamton Mets with a.325 batting average with the Las Vegas 51s, good for third highest in the league behind teammates T.J. Rivera and Brandon Nimmo. His walk rate and slugging percentage stayed roughly static, and it’s problematic that he didn’t for more power in the Pacific Coast League. Thanks to batting mechanics that do not generate much force, the 22-year-old remains primarily a one-dimensional contact-oriented hitter, possessing gap power and the ability to send mistakes over the fences. While the ability to hit for average is admirable, having few secondary baseball tools to do more with it limits Cecchini’s value. Also hurting his value is the fact that the Mets have not done more to transition him to second base, as it is very apparent that he is not a shortstop. Cecchini has soft hands and generally has no problem with the advanced footwork of the position, but thanks to a below-average arm and sub-par range, he is forced to rush his footwork, glove work, and throws, leading to the comically-high error totals that have plagued him over the last few seasons. The 22-year-old should be much better suited to second base, where those limitations should stop hurting him. Greg says: The only reason Gavin Cecchini remains a prospect is because he makes a lot of contact. That’s not a bad foundation to work with, but the problem is that he doesn’t hit for power and he’s bad at playing shortstop. We don’t know how he will handle second base—his almost-certain future position. The thinking is that his throwing issues will be hidden at second, but I’m not convinced. His issues go beyond throwing. The arm is the worst part of his defense, but everything else, from actions to hands to footwork, is all fringy. There’s still hope the bat can develop well enough to paper over the defense, but this ranking is far too aggressive in my opinion. Lukas says: Cecchini can probably hit major league pitching a bit, and he also draws a decent share of walks. However, the power is middling at best and the defense is horrendously bad at shortstop. This leaves you with, optimistically, an okay second baseman that can get on base at the top of the lineup. More likely, Cecchini becomes the next Wilmer Flores, roving around the infield in a utility role and making you cringe when he plays short. Steve says:A missile has hit a health centre operated by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in northern Yemen, killing three people and wounding 10 others (AFP Photo/) Dubai (AFP) - A missile strike on a Doctors Without Borders clinic in Yemen killed at least four people, the group said, condemning what it called a "worrying pattern" of such attacks. The raid was the third of its kind in four months in the war-ravaged country, where a Saudi-led coalition has been battling Shiite Huthi rebels who have seized territory from the internationally-recognised government. It also follows a US strike in Afghanistan on a facility run by the Paris-based medical humanitarian organisation, known by its French acronym MSF, which killed 42 people. MSF could not specify whether the medical facility was hit in an air strike by the Saudi-led coalition or by a rocket fired from the ground. Three MSF staff were among 10 people wounded in the Yemen strike, and two other members of staff were in "critical condition", MSF said in a statement. "The numbers of casualties could rise as there could still be people trapped in the rubble," it said, adding that the missile hit the medical facility in the Razeh district of Saada province. All staff and patients had been evacuated, with the patients being transferred to another MSF-supported hospital in Saada, it said. MSF director of operations Raquel Ayora denounced the strike and repeated that the organisation constantly shares the coordinates of its facilities with those fighting in Yemen. "There is no way that anyone with the capacity to carry out an air strike or launch a rocket would not have known" that the clinic was a functioning health facility supported by MSF, Ayora said. "We strongly condemn this incident that confirms a worrying pattern of attacks to essential medical services and express our strongest outrage as this will leave a very fragile population without healthcare for weeks," said Ayora. "Once more it is civilians that bear the brunt of this war," she added. - MSF hospitals hit - MSF last month accused the coalition of bombing its clinic in Taez, southwest Yemen, wounding nine people including two staff members. The coalition said it would investigate that claim although it has repeatedly insisted it does not attack civilians. And in October, air strikes hit another hospital run by MSF near Saada without causing any deaths. MSF facilities have also been hit elsewhere, with the deadliest recent strike coming during a US air raid on the hospital in the Afghan city of Kunduz. Washington has said the October strike, which came as NATO-backed Afghan forces clashed with insurgents for control of the northern provincial capital, was "caused primarily by human error". The EU led international condemnation of the latest strike, describing it as an "unacceptable attack". Saada is the heartland of the Shiite Huthi rebels that the coalition has been bombing since March in support of Yemen's beleaguered government. More than 5,800 people have been killed in Yemen since the start of the bombing campaign, about half of them civilians, according to the United Nations. At least 27,000 people have been wounded and 80 percent of the population is in need of humanitarian aid, according to UN figures. The UN envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, arrived in Sanaa on Sunday to convince the rebels and their allies to attend a new round of peace talks. He had met with Yemeni government officials temporarily based in Riyadh, before he headed to Sanaa. Foreign Minister Abdel Malak al-Mekhlafi told AFP the talks, initially scheduled to start on January 14 had been postponed until January 20 or 23. The government sat down with the rebels and their allies last month in Switzerland for six days of talks that ended without a major breakthrough. Also on Sunday, Yemeni intelligence colonel Ali Saleh al-Nakhibi was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in second city Aden, a security official said.Last October, news broke that Couchsurfing CEO Tony Espinosa suddenly stepped down, the latest in a long line of setbacks for the newly private company. In this article, originally published in Bootsnall, I explore how an idea with so much promise lost its foundation – its member-build base – leading to its present day downfall. When I logged onto Couchsurfing a few months ago in San Francisco, California, and put my couch status as “available,” I expected to be bombarded. That was how it was four years ago, when there were only a fraction of the members on the site. Now, with 7 million members, and, me, hosting in one of the most popular travel destinations in the world? I braced myself. Days passed. Then a week. Not a single request, Despite 183 positive references and 42 vouches, no one wanted to surf with me. My long-time Couchsurfing friends in the city told me it was the same for them. Sparse requests, and those that came, poorly-written, often from empty profiles. Guests who never showed up, messages that were never responded too. The site had changed. I knew the situation was bad. The heart of Couchsurfing – hosting and surfing – was disappearing, the very same city where the site itself has its Corporate headquarters. But once management put the values of venture capital funders over the organic, self-organized traveler base, and reorganized with a top-down, “start-up” mentality, it was, to me inevitable. An Idea that Could Change the World What Couchsurfing did was utilize the power of the internet to enable and expand the natural human spirit of openness. It allowed people with similar worldviews to connect over vast distances. Knocking on a stranger’s door turned into sending a couch request. Seeking friendly locals on the streets turned into travelers coming to weekly potlucks or cafe gatherings. The positivity was incredible – in the first few years as a Couchsurfer, I never heard a single negative experience. Couchsurfing was Globalization done right; sharing culture, ideas, with no or little financial transaction. Uniting over commonalities across cultures, that, itself, could change the world. That’s why I organized my first event, in 2008, as a potluck in a San Francisco park – so that everyone could attend. That was why, then, I accepted every single request, regardless of profile, gender, or age. Because it was the right thing to do, true globalism. We built Couchsurfing, not management, who, in those days, did little more than provide a basic, buggy, but functional website. We, who believed in the idea, the Couchsurfing spirit of sharing, setup local groups, potlucks, events, and told our friends about this new, radical, powerful social network. It wasn’t perfect; Couchsurfing had its turf battles, conflicts, and, too often, an elitism exhibited by long-time members, but despite that, it was revolutionizing travel. The sky seemed the limit. Warning Signs After my yearlong trip around the world – during which the discovery of Couchsurfing, as a host and surfer in Spain, Germany, Hungary, Turkey, Malaysia, Thailand, and Japan, made my trip what it was, I donated $50 to the site to become a verified member, hoping to donate more once I had a steady income. Five months later, Couchsurfing announced that it was opening a “basecamp” in the Bay Area, a place for volunteers to gather to help develop the site. The local community buzzed – this was a city was some of the brightest people in both technology and non-profit management. There was so much potential to work and build a stronger, better Couchsurfing that could, finally, meet its true potential. That hope quickly faded, as basecamp became a metaphor for the disconnect between management and members. Tucked away in a house in posh Berkeley, basecamp showed little interest in either the local community, or San Francisco’s vast knowledge network. Techie friends of mine tried to contact basecamp, eager to help fix some glaring holes in code or database structure, but were rebuffed. Basecamp members turned out to be Casey Fenton’s, Couchsurfing founder, inner clique, unaccountable, and, even more amazingly, invisible. They almost never came to San Francisco events, rarely had the community over, and gave little inkling of what was happening inside. Even more shocking – they were getting free rent, a generous per-diem, and even had an in-house chef with a generous budget. My donation was going to fund their vacations in comfortable California digs. This lack of transparency, sadly, continues to this day. I never donated to Couchsurfing again. Stealing Couchsurfing from its Members Couchsurfing announced in 2012 they had failed to receive non-profit charity status and were going to reorganize as a B Corporation. In fact, they already had $7.6 million in funding from venture capitalists, and without any consultation with members, a new CEO, Espinoza, had been hired. It was a coup. The site we had built and organized was suddenly under the control of a CEO who had never before used Couchsurfing and investors who were interested more in the site’s monetary potential than its power to break barriers between cultures. Immediately, with money flowing in, member input became irrelevant. The wiki was removed, group pages were transformed, statistics about the site became “private information,” and the Ambassador program was revamped. Couchsurfing was now a start-up. Millions of new members created empty profiles, while thousands of older ones stopped logging in at all. As a “service,” CS even experimented charging customers. The problem was that WE, the members, were what management was trying to sell, the connections, networks, and communities we had built. They couldn’t profit off of our work because money was rarely a motivation. Not surprisingly, Couchsurfing Inc failed to monetize the site, leading to Espinoza’s resignation and the uncertainty the site finds itself in today. The Future of a Nine-year old “Start-Up” That CS was having problems was no secret. My article on the Rise and Fall of Couchsurfing struck a cord – getting nearly 7,000 Facebook likes and hundreds of comments. Couchsurfing inc. responded as a Corporation would – with boilerplate PR talking points, copied and pasted to forums all around the web. One staffer, however, sent me a personal message, expressing surprise at my opinions and wondering if we would talk more about my concerns. Was this Couchsurfing finally listening? Was there hope? We met at a cafe, and, for nearly 45 minutes, I was subject to being talked at about all the great things going on at CSHQ, why my article was wrong, and how all the Couchsurfers she knew (later I saw her profile only had 14 references, almost all from fellow staffers) were happy about the changes. It wasn’t a meeting to understand the frustrations and anger of members, but to convince me that HQ was right, and that we should trust in their opaque vision. Like my articles, anything I said would not be taken seriously. Members, like me, would have been willing to donate to the site if they could show, with full transparency, how money was being spent, and allow for greater participation in development. Instead, they rebuffed our attempts to help, ignored our concerns, and kept spending money in secret. Couchsurfing made a deal with the devil – venture capital money – and lost its base. It’s a lesson to any social network that aims to connect people in meaningful ways. Empower your members. Be transparent and collaborative. As my experience in non-profit social activism has shown me, people want to be part of something big, to have ownership. Couchsurfing was built on that collaboration, and once that was taken away, everything we had built came crumbling down. As any civil engineer knows, a building needs its foundation to stand strong. Likewise Couchsurfing needed its foundation – members – to survive.A collection of computer servers A row of racks in a server farm A server farm or server cluster is a collection of computer servers – usually maintained by an organization to supply server functionality far beyond the capability of a single machine. Server farms often consist of thousands of computers which require a large amount of power to run and to keep cool. At the optimum performance level, a server farm has enormous costs (both financial and environmental) associated with it.[1] Server farms often have backup servers, which can take over the function of primary servers in the event of a primary-server failure. Server farms are typically collocated with the network switches and/or routers which enable communication between the different parts of the cluster and the users of the cluster. Server farmers typically mount the computers, routers, power supplies, and related electronics on 19-inch racks in a server room or data center. Applications [ edit ] Server farms are commonly used for cluster computing. Many modern supercomputers comprise giant server farms of high-speed processors connected by either Gigabit Ethernet or custom interconnects such as Infiniband or Myrinet. Web hosting is a common use of a server farm; such a system is sometimes collectively referred to as a web farm. Other uses of server farms include scientific simulations (such as computational fluid dynamics) and the rendering of 3D computer generated imagery (also see render farm). Server farms are increasingly being used instead of or in addition to mainframe computers by large enterprises, although server farms do not yet reach the same reliability levels as mainframes. Because of the sheer number of computers in large server farms, the failure of an individual machine is a commonplace event, and the management of large server farms needs to take this into account by providing support for redundancy, automatic failover, and rapid reconfiguration of the server cluster. Performance [ edit ] The performance of the largest server farms (thousands of processors and up) is typically limited by the performance of the data center's cooling systems and the total electricity cost rather than by the performance of the processors.[2] Computers in server farms run 24/7 and consume large amounts of electricity, for this reason, the critical design parameter for both large and continuous systems tends to be performance per watt rather than cost of peak performance or (peak performance / (unit * initial cost)). Also, for high availability systems that must run 24/7 (unlike supercomputers that can be power-cycled to demand, and also tend to run at much higher utilizations), there is more attention placed on power saving features such as variable clock-speed and the ability to turn off both computer parts, processor parts, and entire computers (WoL and virtualization) according to demand without bringing down services. Performance per watt [ edit ] The EEMBC EnergyBench, SPECpower, and the Transaction Processing Performance Council TPC-Energy are benchmarks designed to predict performance per watt in a server farm.[3][4] The power used by each rack of equipment can be measured at the power distribution unit. Some servers include power tracking hardware so the people running the server farm can measure the power used by each server.[5] The power used by the entire server farm may be reported in terms of power usage effectiveness or data center infrastructure efficiency. According to some estimates, for every 100 watts spent on running the servers, roughly another 50 watts is needed to cool them.[6] For this reason, the siting of a Server Farm can be as important as processor selection in achieving power efficiency. Iceland, which has a cold climate all year as well as cheap and carbon-neutral geothermal electricity supply, is building its first major server farm hosting site.[6] Fibre optic cables are being laid from Iceland to North America and Europe to enable companies there to locate their servers in Iceland. Other countries with favorable conditions, such as Canada,[7] Finland,[8] Sweden[9] and Switzerland,[10] are trying to attract cloud computing data centers. In these countries, heat from the servers can be cheaply vented or used to help heat buildings, thus reducing the energy consumption of conventional heaters.[7] See also [ edit ]By By Walter McDaniel Jun 12, 2014 in Food A strain of bacteria which is resistant to most normal antibiotics was discovered at a grocery store in Saskatoon, Canada. This has some troubling implications for food safety. Contamination of food by antibiotic resistant strains has become more and more common. Chicken is just one of the many types of food that has Despite these findings federal governments in Canada and the United States continue on with business as usual. After all the current standards are supposed to be sufficient to keep contamination like this from happening. It will likely take a mutation of one of these strains that leads to an outbreak before swift action is taken. You can read more about the study in a report by the The strain is known as pseudomonas fluorescens is not dangerous to most people. While it is extremely resistant it can be fought off naturally. However it can exchange genes and characteristics with deadlier strains. Theoretically it could exchange immunity and/or severity with another strain of bacteria. If it were to be introduced into our rotation of bacteria in North America it could have dangerous results.Contamination of food by antibiotic resistant strains has become more and more common. Chicken is just one of the many types of food that has been shown to contain strains similar to this. Now we can add squid to that list as well.Despite these findings federal governments in Canada and the United States continue on with business as usual. After all the current standards are supposed to be sufficient to keep contamination like this from happening. It will likely take a mutation of one of these strains that leads to an outbreak before swift action is taken. You can read more about the study in a report by the Center for Disease Control More about Seafood, North America, Health More news from Seafood North America HealthCudi just took to his Twitter account to let his followers know that he will be announcing the official release date for his fourth studio album next Tuesday. In mid-December Cudi took to Twitter to announce that 'Indicud' was going to come out sometime in March. We will find out on February 12th if he still plans to release the album then. Announcing official release date for INDICUD next week Tuesday.The fire rises.Stay tuned — Scott Mescudi (@ducidni) February 7, 2013 I just wanna say thank you from the bottom of my heart for everyones patiencew me and support with this project. — Scott Mescudi (@ducidni) February 7, 2013 Its the best.No one will top it or come close and thats just what its gonna be.Ahead of everyone forever. — Scott Mescudi (@ducidni) February 7, 2013The new Blackmagic DaVinci 12 is out and available as a free download. The famous color grading software has improved editing features among other things that are worth checking out. Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve 12 comes with a large number of updates over the previous version including multicam editing features, improved trimming functionality and audio plugin support. In terms of grading they added perspective tracking, 3D keying, custom curves and more. You can download DaVinci Resolve 12 for free, which comes with some limitations in comparison to the “Studio” version that costs $998. For a full feature list and comparison chart check out this page. In summary it seems as though the free versions offers most of what normal users would need including editing and processing up to UHD resolutions. The paid version, DaVinci Resolve 12 Studio, comes with any of the new Blackmagic Cameras, like the URSA Mini, URSA Mini 4.6K and the large URSA cameras. Get Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve 12 for free HERE. Let us know how you like the new DaVinci Resolve 12 in the comments. Are the new editing features sufficient to consider a switch to this free NLE?Spread the love Jacksonville, FL — Brian Dennison, 29, was rushing home to retrieve his 6-year-old daughter’s asthma medication Monday night when he was stopped by Jacksonville Sheriff’s deputy, J.C. Garcia. Upon exiting his cruiser, Garcia immediately drew his sidearm and fired into the car of unarmed Dennison and his 6-year-old daughter. According to the police report, Garcia spotted a green Ford Focus driven by Dennison speeding through a parking lot near West University Boulevard and St. Augustine Road. Garcia began following the car, and said it blew through a stop sign as it turned onto DuPont Station Road, nearly hitting another car and heading the wrong way toward St. Augustine Road. At this point Garcia turned on his lights and pulled over the car as it turned into Plantation Apartments. At a media briefing Tuesday, Assistant Chief Chris Butler told reporters the officer initially believed the suspect was armed so he pulled out his own weapon and fired. In the initial police report, however, no mention of the shooting was even made. First Coast News asked JSO why they failed to mention the fact that one of their officers fired at an unarmed man and his young daughter, to which JSO spokesperson Melissa Bujeda responded, “The shooting is a separate investigation.” A second incident report, filed after the fact, noted that the officer fired his weapon but it gave no explanation. On 11-24-14, a JSO Patrol Officer conducted a traffic stop on a suspicious vehicle at 3900 Toledo Rd. During the traffic stop the Officer fired his handgun one time. No one was injured. The Cold Case Unit will follow up the investigation. Now for the kicker, Garcia, who negligently fired his weapon at an unarmed man and his daughter has not been placed on any type of leave or suspension. What would have happened if the bullet would have hit Dennison? Or his 6-year-old for that matter? Would the public have been told that Garcia feared for his life over threats from an asthmatic first-grader? Tragically after being shot at by an overzealous cop, Dennison was arrested on misdemeanor charges of knowingly driving with a suspended license and driving with a suspended license. For failing to pay a traffic ticket, Dennison was shot at and is currently in the Duval County Jail while his daughter, likely traumatized from this incident, is unable to see her father. It takes a special kind of person to shoot at a man and his daughter and then arrest that man in front of his daughter. Below is the copy of the intial incident report. Oddly enough, there were two shootings by JSO officers that fateful Monday night. The other shooting occurred an hour before the one Dennison was involved in, but the driver of the other vehicle wasn’t so lucky. Leonardo Little was also driving on a suspended license and was pulled over for an expired inspection tag. During his arrest, officer Cecil Grant shot and killed Little after a struggle ensued. Grant was not injured in the struggle.Vagrant Records The world can be a scary, tumultuous place, and when you can't find solace in yourself, that madness can feel amplified tenfold. Bad Suns tackle such a crisis of the self on "Salt," a song inspired by conversations the band members had with a close friend struggling with issues stemming from their gender identity. I spoke with Bad Suns' Christo Bowman, about the L.A. rock band's latest Language & Perspective single, as well as its accompanying music video, which just premiered on MTV at badsuns.mtv.com. Watch it below, although -- trigger warning -- know that the clip contains potentially upsetting visuals relating to gender dysphoria, attempted suicide, drug addiction and sexual assault. Much like Sia's "Chandelier" and Ed Sheeran's "Don't," the video, directed by Daniel “Cloud” Campos (a renown dancer who's toured with Madonna and who directed Panic At The Disco's "This Is Gospel" video and Paramore's "Now" video) tells its story through a beautifully choreographed dance sequence. The video documents the journey of its transgender protagonist, played by choreographer Tamara Levinson, who also happens to be married to Cloud, as she accepts the gender identity she can no longer run from. This character's transition involves hormone replacement therapy and sex reassignment surgery (though it should be noted that not every transgender individual's transition -- if they choose to transition at all -- includes such steps). The video simply tells a trans
wall and was badly damaged. R-44 281 received some light damage. The consist was (s) 374-375-333-208-284-281-215-176 (n). (full photo) > 04/25/1986. "The motorman, Alick Williams, 54 years old, of St. Albans, Queens, suffered a heart attack, apparently causing the IND train he was operating to derail in a tunnel near the 179th Street station in Jamaica, Queens, at 11:10 P.M.... [he was] turn[ing] the train around on a relay track near the end of the F line [when he] crashed into a wooden barrier at the end of the tunnel. Mr. Williams... was trapped in the wreckage of the first car, [and] was pronounced dead at the scene. A conductor who was in the fourth car of the eight-car train was unharmed. There were no passengers on board." -- New York Times, 4/27/1986. (full photo) 07/03/1981. A subway motorman was killed and more than 135 passengers were injured when an IRT train crashed into the rear of a train stopped in a Brooklyn tunnel. 1970-1979 > 11/24/1979. Rear-ending accident at Morris Park, Dyre Avenue line. (full photo) 05/18/1978. R-33s 9014-9015 were slightly damaged in a derailment within 207th St. Yard. 05/22/1975. Collision on the center track of the Astoria Line near 30th Avenue (Grand Avenue) Station. R-30s 8507 and 8545 were badly damaged. The car bodies were reportedly transported by truck to the Corona Yard. (They must have been removed from the el by crane.) The damaged end of 8507 was cut off and transported to the Coney Island Yard. R-30 8507 was later scrapped but 8545 returned to service around June of 1977. The mate of 8507, #8506, ended up part of the Transit Museum collection. > 10/25/1973. Fire in master controller unit of car 9203, in Pelham line tunnel near Longwood Avenue station. Fire also affected car 9224 which had a large floor section cut out during firefighting (it was subsequently scrapped). The following train ended up rear-ending the disabled train due to low visibility caused by the smoky fire. (full photo) 10/04/1973. Southbound #4 train derails near Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn, around 10:00 pm. All four tracks closed due to subsequent fire. Service restored around midnight. Consist: s-8756-7,6620,6677,7615,6632,7600,7128,6226,5998-n. 09/12/1973. A southbound #3 train derailed south of Borough Hall, Brooklyn, at 4:45 pm. Consist: s-7319,5966,5967,5975,7305,5748,5718,8610-1-n. 08/28/1973. A 20 foot long chunk of a concrete ceiling duct in the Steinway Tunnel near 1st Avenue hit the first car (R36 9759) of a Queens bound 7 train at about 4:50 PM. One person in the first car was killed, 18 injured. "One man died and 1,000 passengers were trapped in 115-degree heat and heavy smoke yesterday after an archway in the ancient Flushing line tunnel under the East River collapsed on the first car of a Queens-bound IRT train."--New York Times. 08/23/1973. A northbound #2 train derailed in the Clark Street tunnel heading toward Manhattan at 12:08pm. Full service was not restored til the next day. Consist: n-8793-2,5823,5859,7693,7081,8735-4,8711-0-s. 08/11/1973. "State of the Art" SOAC cars derail during testing at US DOT test track in Pueblo, Colorado. Train rams standing freight cars alongside test track; the operator is killed. The cars seriously damaged but rebuilt and arrive in New York City for testing on April 18, 1974. 08/06/1973. Southbound #4 train derails at Rogers Junction, Brooklyn at 6:15am. Service resumed by 10:00 am. Consist: s-8910-1,8718-9,7133,8956-7,8789-8,7633-n. 05/18/1973. A northbound #5 Lexington Av Express derailed south of Grand Central-42 Street Station about 10PM. The first eight cars of the ten car train derailed. The consist was (n) 6239,7912,7771,7093,6633,7733,5822,6598,7071,7260 (s). Car 6239 sideswiped the wall and car 7771 hit the northbound local rail. #6239 is now part of the Transit Museum collection; #7771 is now a school car at Rockaway Parkway (Canarsie) Yard. 01/06/1971. Accident at 59 Street/Colombus Circle involving R-10 #3283 hitting R-42 #4798 on NB crossover. 08/01/1970. Tunnel fire near Bowling Green kills 1, injures 50. The one death occured when a woman, who returned to the train to retreive her purse, died of smoke inhalation. 07/17/1970. An Manhattan bound E train keyed by a red signal north of the Hoyt-Schmerhorn Street and rammed a halted A train, injuring 37. The E train consisted of 10 R-6�s, (n) 986-1161-1183-1318-1055-1141-944-958-905-1136 (s). The A train consisted of 10 R-10�s, (n) 3065-3173-3076-3309-3234-3327-3089-3080-3338-3133-3062 (s). Cars 986 and 3062 were damaged. > 05/20/1970. An empty Brooklyn bound GG train running on the southbound local track (D1) crashed into another GG train west of Roosevelt Avenue that was crossing from the southbound express track (D3) to the southbound local track (D1). The empty GG had left Continental Avenue at 7:13 AM and developed brake trouble. Passengers were discharged at Woodhaven Boulevard and the first two cars were cut out. The motorman then operated the train from the third car with the conductor signaling with a flashlight from the front of the train. Because of the stalled train southbound EE and GG trains were routed to the express track (D3) and then crossed back over to the local track (D1) west of Roosevelt Avenue. The home signal tripper on the local track (D1) was working but as the empty train was running with the first two cars cut out it did not engage the trip cock in time. The empty train rammed into the train crossing over to the local track between the 6th and 7th cars. Two passengers were killed and 77 injured. The motorman, conductor, and an inspector were held responsible by an inquiry. The consist of the empty train was (s) 4501-0, 4043-2, 3992-3, 4548-9 (n). Note that this was a mixed consist of R-38, R-40M and R-42. R-40M 4501 was badly damaged. The rerouted GG train had cars (s) 6344-6492-6318-6469-6304-6468-6315-6355 (n). 6304 was so badly damaged that she was cut up on the spot. 6468 was moderately damaged. The other six R-16s were back in service in a week. (full photo) 02/27/1970. An IRT train hit a bumper at the Pelham Bay Park station (Bronx), injuring 7. An inquiry found that the train apparently came into the station too fast. 1960-1969 > 12/29/1969. A southbound IRT train derails near east 180th St. in the Bronx, injuring 48. An inquiry found that the motorman misread a signal and failed to slow his train. Car 5815 cut up and scrapped on spot. (full photo) 05/04/1965. On May 4, 1965, a work crane fell from the IRT New Lots El on the center track where it ends near the portal beyond Utica Ave. One man was killed and some were injured and service was suspended from 2 AM until about 8 PM. A shuttle was operated between New Lots Ave. and Junius St. and passengerswere given transfers to a shuttle bus or to the BMT Canarsie line. Cars involved were: Crane 20149-ex-102, Low-V's 20376-ex-5496 (badly damaged), 20251, 20273, 2038O, 20294 and Flat S-75. --NY Division ERA Bulletin, June 1965. > 04/21/1964. Suspicious fire at the Grand Central shuttle platform destroys several train cars including the "SAM" test train 7509, 7513, 7516. See: IRT Times Square-Grand Central Shuttle (full photo) 09/12/1963. A Navy jet crashes into the Coney Island Yards after being struck by lightning around 9:30 pm. The pilot, Lt. William A. Gerrety, bailed out and landed in a parking lot a few blocks away on Avenue U. The plane was an A-4D single jet fighter. It landed in a clear area at the south end of the yard. The debris caused no damage to trains except a few broken windows. 11/28/1962. A railroad crane toppled off a 40-foot-high IND elevated track onto a street in Coney Island, killing three men. 1950-1959 09/26/1957. NY Times Headline: "MOTORMAN KILLED IN SUBWAY CRASH; His Empty IRT Train Rams Into Another in Bronx-- 3 Hurt in BMT Mishap Riding on Middle Track. A subway motorman was killed yesterday morning when his empty ten-car train crashed into the rear of another empty train. The accident occurred on the elevated section of the IRT Broadway-Seventh Avenue line at 230th Street, the Bronx." 04/19/1957. NY Times Headline: "65 HURT IN CRASH OF SUBWAY TRAINS ON BROOKLYN LINE; Accident Occurs on the IND Near Myrtle Avenue Station With Hundreds Aboard CREW MEN ALLAY PANIC Passengers Led to Safety on Catwalk--Motorman Is Rescued From Cab Suffers a Crushed Leg." 06/19/1955. Two Sea Beach express trains collided at Stillwell Ave. in the only known accident involving Triplexes. Units 6043C and 6078 A and B suffered extensive damage and were scrapped. 6078C was grafted onto 6043B and renumbered 6043C. The number of injuries and/or fatalities is unknown. 1900-1949 08/27/1938. IRT collision at 116th Street kills 2, injures 51. 08/24/1928. Derailment in Times Square kills 16, injures 100. 08/06/1927. Two bombs explode, one in the 28th St IRT (Lex Line) station and the 28th St (B'way) BMT station. "[The bombs] injured many persons, one of them it was believed, fatally." (NYT 8/6/1927). 11/01/1918. A dispatcher, filling in for striking motormen, loses control while entering the tunnel at Malbone Street (Empire Boulevard) and 97 are killed, with 200 injured. (The worst accident in subway history.) See: Malbone Street Wreck (New York Times, 1918) 10/03/1918. The New York Times of October 4, 1918, reports: "A train of empty cars southbound on the elevated extension of the subway halted not far from Brook Avenue, the Bronx, to allow for switching about 5 o'clock yesterday morning. The passenger-filled train following stopped behind it at the Jackson Avenue station. While the two trains were stopped a local train which left 180th Street at 4:50 o'clock bound for South Ferry, ran by the signal at the north end of the Jackson Avenue station and crashed into the train ahead. Two persons were killed and about twenty-eight were injured. Many of the passengers were thrown from their seats and showered with broken glass.... Charles Bulkleu Hubbell, Chairman of the Public Service Commission, went to the scene... This is what Chairman Hubbell found: 'It seems that the front the train was a five-car train standing at the south end of the station where it would normally stop. The "trip" stop at the north end of the station "tripped" the rear train and would have stopped it before collision if the motorman had been reducing his speed sufficiently to make his required stop at this station. Back of the trip signal at the north end of the station was a caution signal set against the train. The cause of the accident, of course, lay with the motorman of the rear train who had stopped at Prospect Avenue and took on and discharged passengers at that point. The schedule time from that stop to the Jackson Avenue station is only a minute and a half.' Mayor Hylan wrote Mr Hubbell a letter in which he advocated a rearrangement of the automatic stops so that if a train attempts to enter a station, at high speed or in disregard of signals it will be stopped befire it has a chance to collide with any train that happens to be in the station. To this Chairman Hubbell replied giving the Mayor the cause of te accident as the commission found it. 'Your suggestion as to the relocation of the automatic signal will be given careful consideration' he wrote and to this he added this information: 'I have ascertained that the motorman, who was killed, had been on duty about five hours, as he had gone on duty at 12 o'clock midnight after sixteen hours off duty'". Page Credits Sources: Electric Railroaders' Association New York Division Bulletin, Associated Press, The New York Times, New York Daily News, Newsday, NY1, WCBS-AM.A story of the durability of the B-24 Liberator, from Informational Intelligence Summary, No. 44-17, Office of the Assistant Chief of Air Staff, Intelligence, Washington, D.C., May 30, 1944. B-24 vs. 50 GERMAN FIGHTERS The surprising durability of an AAF B-24 on a deep penetration mission over Germany when attacked by an overwhelming number of German fighters is described in this article, based on crew’s report. Target time was assigned as 1300A and all planes of a B-24 Group had proceeded as planned until just over the heavily defended target of Regensburg, Germany. The flak over the target was heavy, intense and accurate. At 20,000 feet, just before the signal “Bombs Away,” the B-24 was hit by flak in No. 1 engine. A fire broke out in this engine but was soon extinguished and the prop feathered. Proceeding in formation with only three engines, the bombardier scored direct hits on the target. Shortly after, many enemy fighters soon noticed the feathered engine and, thinking it was a good target, began to swarm in. Attack after attack was made and soon the No. 2 engine was knocked out, but it also was feathered successfully. By that time enemy fighters seemed to multiply. With two left engines gone, the Liberator gradually lost altitude and began dropping to the rear of the formation, soon to find itself without “friends” but in the company of some fifty enemy aircraft. The air speed had been cut considerably and a terrific tail flutter had developed due to 20-mm hits on the horizontal stabilizer. The left wing was down 30° and full right rudder trim was used to maintain as near normal flight as possible. The Alps had yet to be crossed. Me 110s in pairs assembled high astern, and made repeated attacks knocking out the tail turret, but not until the tail gunner had accounted for two Me 110s destroyed. The top turret and ball turret were destroyed and many other hits had been scored on the B-24. After crossing the Alps, the co-pilot noticed that the oil pressure was indicating zero on the No. 4 engine but it did not quit. This engine operated for approximately one hour longer before it finally ceased to function. The pilot tried to feather the engine but the electrical system had been rendered useless. With only one engine left and losing altitude very rapidly, the pilot decided to set her down. Finding this impossible and knowing they were over friendly territory, he ordered the crew to “hit the silk.” All then alive landed safely. The final score: • Tail gunner–2 Me 110s destroyed. • Waist gunners–2 Me 109s destroyed. • Bombardier–Me 109s destroyed. The bombardier manned the right waist gun when the gunner was injured and accounted for one Me 109, which, in recovery from a dive to blast out a fire in his engine, collided with another in mid-air. One U.S. gunner killed. One B-24 crashed.Here’s your weekly roundup of all the news that the powerful and corrupt would rather you didn’t know about. The corporate contributions behind Congress’ tax overhaul The lawmakers who drafted the tax bills have taken a shocking amount of money from corporate interests over the years. The tax overhaul bills moving through Congress include major benefits for the corporate sector, including a permanent reduction of the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 20 percent. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the reduction in the corporate tax rate and other business related measures in the Senate’s tax bill would save corporations $669 billion over the next ten years. The corporate sector in the US has been posting record profits lately, so why is Congress’ bill so generous to corporations? According to research by the Center for American Progress, the 66 lawmakers that serve on the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee—the committees that were in charge of writing the tax bill—have received a combined $1.5 billion in campaign contributions from corporate sources over the course of their careers. To put that in context, “senators on the Finance Committee have done enough fundraising to get contributions from at least 170 corporations and 315 corporate employees every year for their combined 360 years in office,” the report states. The bottom line: When you look at the inputs to the system, the outputs start to make sense. Our campaign finance system relies heavily on contributions from corporations and wealthy donors, and time after time it biases politics and policymaking in favor of their interests. The campaign to block Obama’s Supreme Court pick was financed by a single secretive mega-donor The money was funneled through two dark-money groups so it would be incredibly difficult to trace. When ads began blanketing the airwaves in 2016 pushing senators to block President Obama’s nominee for the Supreme Court, it felt like a grassroots campaign. “This isn’t about Republicans or Democrats, it’s about your voice,” one of the ads stated. “You choose the next President; the next President chooses the next Justice.” But it turns out the campaign was anything but grassroots. In fact, it appears that all of the money for the campaign came from a single individual. Researchers at MapLight reviewed the 990s and found that the Wellspring Committee—the non-profit that provided nearly all of the funding to the group that ran the ads, the Judicial Crisis Network—received a $28.5 million contribution from an unnamed individual in 2016. Before 2016, Wellspring had never received more than $13.2 million in total contributions during a single year. Unfortunately, the Wellspring Committee doesn’t have to reveal their donors because they are registered with the IRS as a “social welfare” group and thus exempt from disclosure requirements. The bottom line: Loopholes in the rules around political money mean we may never know who actually financed the campaign to block President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee. One thing is for sure, however: when a single person can take down a Supreme Court nominee through a secretive, multi-million dollar donation to a dark-money group, the laws meant to prevent our government from being bought and sold are woefully ineffective. Someone submitted more than a million fake anti-net neutrality comments at the FCC Cable companies have a history of financing astroturf efforts to further their causes, so this is suspicious. As the Federal Communications Commission gets ready to vote on repealing net neutrality rules and giving ISPs like Comcast and Verizon more power over the Internet, researchers have found that a large portion of the public comments supporting the repeal of net neutrality are in fact fake. Jeff Kao at Hackernoon analyzed the comments submitted to the FCC and discovered that at least 1.3 million of the comments were generated by someone using natural language processing techniques and submitting them via stolen identities. When the fake comments are excluded, Kao found that 99+% of the comments submitted to the FCC were in support of keeping the net neutrality rules in place. In 2014, a dark-money group called American Commitment was caught submitting fake comments to the FCC against net neutrality. The cable industry has a history of financing front groups like Broadband for America and the American Consumer Institute to make it look like there is strong public support for doing away with net neutrality (recent polling shows that just 18% of the population opposes the net neutrality rules). While there is no smoking gun linking this latest round of fake comments to the cable industry, the fact remains that someone has financed and executed a massive effort to fraudulently oppose a policy that is overwhelmingly popular among the general public. The bottom line: Money flows in politics in many ways, including the financing of astroturf efforts to influence regulatory decisions. Kochs in the White House The libertarian billionaires have managed to have incredible influence in an administration that was supposed to be about protecting the little guy. President Trump and the Koch brothers haven’t always been political allies. The Kochs opposed Trump’s candidacy and Trump pledged to resist their influence while on the campaign trail. “I don’t want their money or anything else from them,” Trump tweeted in reference to the Koch brothers shortly after he declared his candidacy. “Cannot influence Trump!,” he added. But now that he’s running the White House, the Kochs and Trump seem to have patched things up. According to a new report from Public Citizen, 44 Trump administration officials have close ties to to the Koch brothers and their political organizations, including 21 who are working inside the White House or have been nominated for White House jobs. As a result, the Koch brothers are making progress on many of the policies they have been pushing for years. Of the 16 regulatory changes the Koch-backed Freedom Partners included in their “roadmap to repeal” agenda, nine have already been achieved since Trump took office, and one—the repeal of net neutrality rules—is set to be finalized in a matter of weeks. The bottom line: The Koch brothers have spent a fortune on building a vast political network, and their investment is paying off. Many of the regulatory changes they have already achieved through their work inside the Trump administration will directly benefit their bottom line with their work in the fossil fuels industry. — That’s all for this week, folks. If you have a corruption story you’d like to see covered here, send me an email at donnydonny [at] gmail [dot] com.Ripple supports Washington, DC based Coin Center. Image: Shutterstock Innovation in banking often results from the convergence of three key domains: financial services, technology, and regulations. The regulatory framework is a crucial aspect of innovation. When crafted in a balanced, proactive way, regulations can directly drive positive innovation and market competition. This is why Ripple has been an active participant in key policy discussions, advocating for policy that supports innovation and participating in industry initiatives such as our role on the Steering Committee of the Federal Reserve’s Faster Payments Task Force. Regulatory frameworks help ensure the safety and security of financial products and the technologies that enable them. They create certainty, instill customer trust and enable broader adoption. For this reason, it’s vital that the frameworks developed to govern new technologies, such as virtual currencies, be done so in a way that mitigates risk and protects customers, yet are balanced to allow further advances to occur. Our work for balanced, effective regulatory frameworks is not a solo mission – which is why this year Ripple is supporting Coin Center, the leading policy advocacy group focused on cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. Through their expertise and thoughtfulness, Coin Center has been effective at driving a positive regulatory climate needed for further blockchain innovations. Most recently, Coin Center was instrumental in assembling the new Congressional Blockchain Caucus, formed to build awareness among policy makers. Ripple is pleased to join their work and formally support Coin Center. Jerry Brito, Coin Center’s Executive Director commented, “Preserving the freedom to innovate with cryptocurrency and blockchain technology is something that benefits us all, so it’s also great to see that the effort to do that has a broad and growing base of support.” As our co-founder Chris Larsen has stated, we at Ripple believe it’s a very important time in history for this industry. Much like when the internet was formed in the early 90s, there’s a huge opportunity to support the creation of an Internet of Value: a system that moves money as seamlessly as information. We’re heartened to see several market developments that show a thorough, thoughtful approach to regulation, allowing innovation to flourish while mitigating risks. Last month, the Governor of the Bank of England and Chair of the Financial Stability Board, Mark Carney, spoke about the enormous potential of fintech, stating: “Consumers will get more choice, better-targeted services and keener pricing. Small and medium sized businesses will get access to new credit. Banks will become more productive, with lower transaction costs, greater capital efficiency and stronger operational resilience.” Yet, Carney points out, we cannot ignore the risks. While fintech may be new, the types of risk it may pose are not. We have well-founded principle-based frameworks for mitigating risk in financial services. These offer a great lens for looking at fintech. We’re not starting from scratch. And most recently, Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank President and CEO Patrick Harker has stated that proper fintech regulations not only protect the consumers, but also the innovators by providing certainty and ensuring safety and soundness as companies grow. Balanced regulatory frameworks enable the promise of new technology to be fully realized while ensuring robust security and customer protections. We look forward to many positive developments in 2017. For more information, please visit our Policy Framework page.Mauno Henrik Koivisto GOIH ( Finnish pronunciation: [ˈmɑuno ˈkoiʋisto]; 25 November 1923 – 12 May 2017) was a Finnish politician who served as the ninth President of Finland from 1982 to 1994. He also served twice as Prime Minister, 1968 – 1970 and 1979 – 1982.[1] He was the first Social Democratic Party member to be elected President of Finland. Early life [ edit ] Koivisto was born in Turku, Finland, as the second son of Juho Koivisto, a carpenter at Crichton-Vulcan shipyard, and Hymni Sofia Eskola, who died when he was 10. After attending primary school, Koivisto worked a number of jobs, and at the beginning of the Winter War in 1939 joined a field firefighting unit at the age of 16. During the Continuation War, Koivisto served in the Infantry Detachment Törni led by Lauri Törni, which was a reconnaissance detachment operating behind enemy lines. This detachment was only open to selected volunteers.[2] During the war he received the Order of the Cross of Liberty (2nd class) and was promoted to the rank of corporal. While reflecting on his wartime experiences later in life, he said "When you have taken part in a game in which your own life is at stake, all other games are small after that".[3] After the war, he earned a living as a carpenter and became active in politics, joining the Social Democratic Party. During his early years, Koivisto was also influenced by anarchism and anarchosyndicalism.[4] In 1948 he found work at the port of Turku. In December 1948, he was appointed the manager of the Harbour Labour Office of Turku, a post he held until 1951. In 1949 communist-controlled trade unions attempted to topple Karl-August Fagerholm's social democratic minority government, and the Social Democratic leadership of the Finnish Confederation of Trade Unions (SAK) declared the port of Hanko an "open site", urging port workers who supported legality to go there. Koivisto went to Hanko to take charge of the harbour-master's office and recruit workers to break the strike, the government having banned strike action. The Communist newspapers branded Koivisto as their number one enemy due to his status as a major figure in the struggle for control of the trade unions. Banker and politician [ edit ] In addition to his political engagements and ongoing career, Koivisto continued with his education, passing his intermediate examination in 1947 and his university entrance examination in 1949. In 1951 he became a primary school teacher. On 22 June 1952,[5] he married Tellervo Kankaanranta (born 1929). Together they had a daughter, Assi Koivisto (born 1957), who was later voted to the electoral college during the 1982 presidential election. Koivisto graduated from the University of Turku with a Master of Arts degree and a licentiate in 1953, and had plans to become a sociologist. Three years later he completed his doctoral thesis, which examined social relations in the Turku dockyards. Koivisto also served as a Vocational Counselor for the City of Turku, and as a member of the Turku City Council. Mauno Koivisto and daughter Assi in 1957. In 1957, he started working for the Helsinki Workers' Savings Bank and served as its general manager from 1959 to 1968. In 1968 he was appointed the chairman of the board of the Bank of Finland, a position he held until 1982.[6] During the 1960s, he witnessed a number of internal schisms within the Social Democratic Party, and made efforts to improve the party's relationships with both the communists and with President Urho Kekkonen.[citation needed] The 1966 parliamentary election's Social Democratic victory saw the formation of a government under Prime Minister Rafael Paasio, with Koivisto, the party's expert on economic policy, assuming the role of the Minister of Finance.[7] By the beginning of 1968, many SDP members had become disillusioned with Paasio's leadership style, and Koivisto emerged as the chief candidate to succeed Paasio as Prime Minister. Koivisto became the Prime Minister of his first government, the Koivisto I Cabinet, on 22 March 1968. He served as Prime Minister for two years until the 1970 parliamentary election, which saw the other parties in the coalition government – Centre, SKDL, SPP, and TPSL – suffer heavy losses, bringing about Koivisto's resignation. In the 1970s, President Kekkonen started to regard Koivisto as a potential rival. To counter this, he threw his weight behind Koivisto's Social Democratic colleague, Kalevi Sorsa. For most of the decade, Koivisto concentrated on his work as the chairman of the Bank of Finland. The 1979 election saw him return as Prime Minister, forming a coalition government between the SDP, Centre, SPP, and SKDL. By this point there was increasing dissatisfaction with the aging President Kekkonen, whose failing health was becoming difficult to conceal, and also a perceived lack of change. As Prime Minister and chairman of the Bank of Finland who enjoyed high ratings in opinion polls, Koivisto began to be seen as a likely future candidate for the presidency. In early 1981, President Kekkonen began to regret Koivisto's appointment as Prime Minister and started to offer support to those who wanted to get rid of him. In the spring of 1981, members of Centre, which was serving as part of the government coalition, launched a behind-the-scenes attempt to bring down the government through a parliamentary motion of no confidence, so that Koivisto would not be able to conduct a presidential election campaign from the position of Prime Minister. At the critical moment Koivisto managed to gain the support of the SKDL; by now, Kekkonen no longer had the energy to topple the government when Koivisto called his bluff by refusing to tender his resignation. Finnish historians, political scientists, and journalists still debate whether Kekkonen really wanted to dismiss Koivisto or whether Kekkonen simply wanted to speed up Koivisto's slow and ponderous decision-making. Some question whether this government crisis was just a part of the ruthless "presidential game" that top politicians such as Koivisto and Social Democratic chairman Sorsa were playing with one another. Later that year, as Kekkonen became too ill to carry out his duties, Koivisto became the acting President and was able to launch his presidential election campaign from the position. During the campaign, Koivisto was questioned particularly thoroughly on two issues: the nature of his socialism and his relations to the Soviet Union. Describing the nature of his socialism, he referred to Eduard Bernstein, a revisionist social democrat, saying: "The important thing is the movement, not the goal." To a journalist's question, intended to be a difficult one, on the issue of relations with the Soviet Union, Koivisto replied that they were nothing to boast about; this answer increased his popularity. Koivisto did not want to be elected with the support of the Soviet Union. Koivisto postage stamp from 1983. The voter turnout in the presidential elections was nearly 90%. Koivisto's wife and daughter were among the members of the electoral college. Koivisto won 167 of the 301 votes of the electoral college in the first round; his closest competitor, NCP candidate Harri Holkeri, received 58. As a result, Koivisto became Finland's first Social Democrat to be elected president. Presidency [ edit ] President Mauno Koivisto and Tellervo Koivisto visiting Dresden, East Germany, 1987. As president, Koivisto kept a low profile and used less authoritarian leadership tactics than Kekkonen had employed, refraining from using some of his presidential powers and initiating a new era of parliamentarianism in Finland. On the other hand, he had an occasionally difficult relationship with journalists, which he famously called "lemmings". One practical problem that quite a few reporters had with Koivisto's statements was their deeply pondering and philosophical nature. Those statements were not often easy to interpret, unlike Kekkonen's blunt and sometimes harsh statements (see, for example, "The Republic's President 1956-1982"/Tasavallan presidentti 1956-1982, published in Finland in 1993-94; "The Republic's President 1982-1994"/Tasavallan presidentti 1982-1994, published in Finland in 1993-94; Mauno Koivisto, "Two Terms I: Memories and Notes, 1982-1994"/Kaksi kautta I. Muistikuvia ja merkintöjä 1982-1994, Helsinki: Kirjayhtymä Publishing Ltd., 1994). As the leader of Finland's foreign policies he initially continued Kekkonen's line until the collapse of the Soviet Union. He also continued the established practice of returning Soviet defectors to the Soviet Union,[8] a custom now prohibited as a human rights violation by the Finnish constitution. Koivisto created close contacts with Mikhail Gorbachev, George H. W. Bush, and Ronald Reagan.[9] He carried on private correspondence with Gorbachev and Bush.[10] His ties to the other Nordic countries and Nordic colleagues were very close and trustworthy. He spoke fluent Swedish, English, and German, and also learned Russian.[11] In the critical moments during which the Soviet Union was collapsing, and the Baltic countries, particularly Estonia, were declaring themselves independent, Koivisto referred to the policy of neutrality and avoided publicly supporting the Baltic independence movement, but its members were allowed to work from Finland. Koivisto's Finland recognized the new Estonian government only after the major powers had done so. Koivisto made two bold unilateral diplomatic moves that significantly changed the Finnish political position. In 1990, after the reunification of Germany, Koivisto unilaterally renounced the terms of the Paris Peace Treaties which limited the strength and armament of the Finnish Defence Forces. The rationale was that after Germany had been given its full rights as a sovereign state, Finland could not remain bound by the antiquated treaty. The renunciation caused no official protest from Soviet Union or Great Britain. The other major move was the renunciation of the Finno-Soviet Treaty (Finnish: YYA-sopimus) in 1991, concurrently with the fall of Soviet Union. The treaty, the military article of which had shaped Finnish foreign policy for decades, was substituted with a new treaty without military obligations in the next year. In 1990, partly motivated by nationalism, partly by the fear of the declining work force, Koivisto proposed that any Soviet citizen with either Finnish or Ingrian ancestry be enabled to immigrate to Finland as a returnee.[12][13] The proposal resulted in a modification of immigration laws to this end during the year. In the 1988 presidential election, Koivisto was re-elected with 189 out of 301 votes in the electoral college during the second round. After the collapse of the Soviet Union
's attraction to people of the opposite sex, but also to people of the same sex. In the study, researchers approached 83 heterosexual adults who were walking between bars in a Midwestern town late at night. They had the participants complete a survey, which included questions about how many drinks they'd had that night. In addition, they watched a 40 second video of either a physically attractive man or woman drinking at a bar and chatting with the bartender. Afterward, they rated how willing they would be to perform various acts with the person in the video—everything from buying them a drink to going home together to having sex. In a surprise to no one, the men were more interested when the video featured a woman rather than a man, whereas women showed the reverse pattern. Men also expressed more sexual interest overall than women, consistent with a large body of research that finds men tend to be more open to casual sex with strangers. But then things get really interesting. The researchers looked at how the amount of alcohol consumed was related to sexual interest in the target. What they found was that, for men, they were equally willing to have sex with the female target no matter how little or how much they'd had to drink. Basically, alcohol didn't seem to affect whether guys were DTF with an attractive woman. But the more that guys drank, the more interested they became in the male target. While guys who had nothing to drink reported next to no interest in getting it on with a dude, guys who said they'd had more than ten drinks expressed almost as much interest in the man as they did the woman. The results, however, were a little different for women. Whereas men's interest in the opposite sex didn't change depending on how much they drank, it did for women. Specifically, sober women expressed very low interest in the guy, but the more women drank, the more interested they became. Their interest in the female target followed the same pattern. In other words, as women consumed more alcohol, they become more sexually interested in people of both the opposite and the same sex. So what's this all about? Why does alcohol seem to increase straight people's interest in experimenting with gay sex? It likely has something to do with the fact that alcohol reduces our anxieties and inhibitions in general, thereby leading us to consider trying all kinds of things we might not normally attempt, sexually and otherwise. Put another way, when we're drunk, we stop worrying about what we're "supposed" to do. This may lead us to say or do things that would typically lead us to feel ashamed or embarrassed. Experimenting with a same-sex partner is one such thing, given that it's generally considered to be taboo—especially for men. Because Americans are more approving of female than male bisexuality, guys who have any bisexual inclinations often feel pressure to hide them. We know there are a lot of guys concealing these attractions because sexuality is something that falls along a continuum—and can be fluid over time. Translation: People don't fit neatly into gay and straight boxes. As some evidence of this, recent research has found that a surprisingly large number of straight men report watching gay porn and having gay sexual fantasies. Clearly, there's a great deal of same-sex interest and curiosity bubbling under the surface for a lot of straight-identified men; however, because there's a lot of stigma attached to male bisexuality, these same-sex desires remain hidden most of the time (meaning, when they're sober). Of course, there's a lot of same-sex interest among women, too—in fact, research suggests that sexual fluidity is even more common in women than it is in men. But whereas men are under pressure specifically to conceal same-sex desires, women are under pressure to conceal all sexual desires. This double-standard helps us understand why sober women didn't report much sexual interest in anyone. All of this is to say that we shouldn't be surprised to learn that alcohol seems to increase same-sex attraction among people who identify as heterosexual—booze might just be a convenient way for men and women alike to unshackle sexual desires they've been told they're not supposed to have. Justin Lehmiller is the Director of the social psychology at Ball State University, a faculty affiliate of The Kinsey Institute, and author of the blog Sex and Psychology. Follow him on Twitter @JustinLehmiller. Read This Next: What is Sexual Fluidity, Really?Hotspot Shield VPN, a popular service that claims to enhance users' privacy while providing anonymity, has been reported to the Federal Trade Commission. The Center for Democracy & Technology has called for an investigation, claiming that the service logs user activity and employs third-party tracking mechanisms to deliver targeted advertising. With online privacy becoming an increasingly hot topic, large numbers of companies are offering products which claim to stop third-parties from snooping on users’ Internet activities. At the forefront are Virtual Private Networks (VPN), which push consumer traffic through encrypted tunnels and remote servers to hide activity from ISPs while offering varying levels of anonymity. Claims made by VPN companies are often scrutinized by privacy advocates but if a complaint filed this morning by the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) gains momentum, there could be a government investigation into one of the most popular. Developed by AnchorFree, Inc. and initially released more than nine years ago, the Hotspot Shield application allows users to connect to a VPN service. According to its makers, it’s been downloaded 75 million times and provides “anonymous web surfing with complete privacy.” That claim, however, is now under the spotlight. In a complaint filed this morning with the Federal Trade Commission, CDT notes that Hotspot Shield makes “strong claims” about the privacy and security of its data collection and sharing practices, including that it “never logs or stores user data.” Crucially, the company also claims never to track or sell its customers’ information, adding that security and privacy are “guaranteed.” Countering, CDT says that Hotspot Shield engages in logging practices that contradict its claims, noting that it collects information to “identify [a user’s] general location, improve the Service, or optimize advertisements displayed through the Service.” The complaint says that IP addresses and unique device identifiers are regularly collected by Hotspot Shield but the service gets around this issue by classing neither sets of data as personal information. CDT says it used Carnegie Mellon University’s Mobile App Compliance System to gain insight into Hotspot Shield’s functionality and found problems with privacy. “CMU’s analysis of Hotspot Shield’s Android application permissions found undisclosed data sharing practices with third party advertising networks,” the group notes. “While an ad-supported VPN may be beneficial in certain instances, it should not be paired with a product or service that tells users that it ensures anonymity, privacy, and security.” CDT also says that Hotspot Shield tries to cover its back with a disclaimer that the company “may not provide a virtual IP Address for every web site you may visit and third-party web sites may receive your original IP Address when you are visiting those web sites.” But this runs counter to the stated aim of the service, CDT writes. Accusing Hotspot Shield of unfair and deceptive trade practices, CDT calls on the Commission to conduct an investigation into its data collection and sharing practices. Hotspot Shield is yet to respond to the complaint or accusations but in a 2014 blog post, welcomed the FTC’s involvement in online security issues. Full complaint here, courtesy ArsTHE Pebble smartwatch ignited interest in watches that put the functions of your phone — texts, calls, emails, calendar and even apps — on your wrist. The second version of the Pebble, called Pebble Steel, is at once more grown-up and less useful than it should be. The Pebble Steel is meant to be the more sophisticated upgrade to the original Pebble, which had a plastic face and came in bright but not altogether adult-looking colors like hunter’s orange. In that the new smartwatch partly succeeds, with attractive stainless steel and an elegant, brushed-metal bezel. The band options are simple black leather or silver metal, and both are included in the $250 purchase price. The whole package feels premium, especially compared with the previous model. The Steel, however, is still quite big and decidedly masculine. The shape and thick strap made me feel as if I were wearing my (extremely geeky) father’s watch. The watch is a big rectangle with sharp corners, so the style seems dated, and its navigation buttons are a bulbous add-on to either side.The Carolina Panthers weren’t the only big losers this Super Bowl weekend. New releases such as “Hail, Caesar!,” “The Choice,” and “Pride & Prejudice & Zombies” failed to connect with moviegoers, sending ticket sales tumbling 8% from last year’s Super Bowl period. Total revenue topped out at $93.5 million, down from $101.8 million in 2015 when “American Sniper” racked up $30.7 million, according to ComScore. Final numbers have yet to be released so the results could change slightly. Thanks to the continued success of “Kung Fu Panda 3,” which generated $21 million in its sophomore weekend, overall ticket sales did trump the Super Bowl weekends of 2014 ($86.1 million) and 2013 ($88.7 million), although they trailed 2012, when “Chronicle” and “The Woman in Black” combined to lift sales to nearly $116 million. “Hail, Caesar!” fared the best among new releases, making $11.4 million, but “The Choice,” an adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ romance novel, and “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies,” a horror comedy for those who like their Jane Austen served up with the undead, both flopped, earning less than $7 million each. There are problems on the horizon that dwarf the migration of consumers opting to watch the Denver Broncos win football’s biggest game. In a recent note, MKM Partners analyst Eric Handler wrote that the first quarter box office is down 0.2% and will likely keep dropping this month, as films such as “Deadpool” and “Zoolander 2” are likely to fail to match the big returns enjoyed by last year’s hits such as “Fifty Shades of Grey” and “Kingsman: The Secret Service.” But hope springs eternal. “Despite these tough comps, we are still projecting 7% box office growth and look for a strengthening in March,” wrote Handler.Protesters gathered across the street from the Worcester funeral home where the body of Tamerlan Tsarnaev is being kept. WORCESTER — An independent autopsy on the body of Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev was scheduled to be performed Sunday, a step requested by Tsarnaev’s parents, who believe their sons were framed by the US government. Preposterous as it may sound to Bostonians, that view is catching fire on the ground with some in Russia. The Tsarnaevs say the autopsy results could undermine the US officials’ account of Tamerlan’s death by showing that he was not run over by his brother, Dzhokhar. That, the parents believe, would throw into question law enforcement officials’ entire account of the case. In a telephone interview last week, the suspects’ father, Anzor Tsarnaev, dismissed the charges that his sons plotted to set off the bombs as “a complete fabrication.” His contention is picking up popular support in Russia, particularly in the semiautonomous region of Chechnya and other restive territories in southern Russia, where the Tsarnaevs have relatives and roots. Advertisement Posters with Dzhokhar’s picture have appeared on walls in Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, and a fund-raising drive for the family has sprung up. Many members of the Russian-language social media site VKontakte have replaced their profile pictures with a photo of Dzhokhar with the words, “Totally Innocent.” Get Metro Headlines in your inbox: The 10 top local news stories from metro Boston and around New England delivered daily. Sign Up Thank you for signing up! Sign up for more newsletters here Thousands of miles away, Boston and US law enforcement officials have no doubt that the Tsarnaev brothers are responsible for the Marathon attacks, which killed three people and injured more than 260. What remains uncertain is where the final resting place of Tamerlan Tsarnaev’s body will be. On Saturday, the body lay in a cooler in the basement of a funeral parlor in Worcester. The Tsarnaev family wants Tamerlan to be interred in the Boston area. Peter Stefan, owner of Graham Putnum & Mahoney Funeral Parlors, vowed to secure a plot quickly. “This ends Monday,” Stefan said. “We will find a cemetery by the end of the day Monday.” Stefan said he was determined to give Tsarnaev a proper Muslim burial in a cemetery with what he referred to as a designated Muslim section. The Gardens at Gethsemane in West Roxbury and Knollwood Memorial Park in Canton have said no so far, he said. Neither cemetery had a comment. Advertisement George Milley, president of Forest Hills Cemetery in Boston, said the Tsarnaevs should consider alternatives, such as cremation or shipping the body back to Russia. “I think this family has distressed enough people,” Milley said. Stefan’s funeral home, a stately white Victorian on Main Street, became the center of a bizarre scene over the weekend as protesters waved signs, police arrived to stand guard, and traffic slowed to a crawl for a half-mile in each direction. Stefan, 66, held court in his second-floor office, fielding calls from international media while neighbors stopped by with muffins and doughnuts. “If they had asked me to bury Adolf Hitler, I would have buried him,” Stefan said. “It’s what we do.” Advertisement Russians who believe American law enforcement officials are lying cite a 30-second section of grainy video that has gone viral. The voices are unclear, and the origin of the clip is not apparent. In it, two voices seem to be saying, “We give up” and “We didn’t do anything,” followed by repeated gunshots. The Tsarnaev family argues that the video depicts Dzhokhar and Tamerlan trying to surrender to police. Yuri M. Zhukov, a fellow with the National Security Studies Program at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University, said “innocence campaigns” after the detention of young men accused of rebel activity are common in the North Caucasus, along Russia’s southern rim. The region has seen two devastating civil wars in Chechnya, where Moscow has sought to quell an Islamic insurgency. “Counterinsurgency and policing practices there have traditionally been quite indiscriminate, with most evidence and intelligence collected through coercive interrogations,” he said in an e-mail. “The local population is inherently skeptical of charges leveled against suspected terrorists, in part because, in the North Caucasus, the evidence used in such cases is often not reliable.” The quick apprehension of the Tsarnaev brothers, he said, has added to the perception that they were set up. There is also general anti-Americanism in the region because of the unpopularity of the US military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, he said. For years, Russians have used reports of abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay to defend their own practices, Zhukov said. Conspiracy theories about US intentions abound in the region, he said, although different political factions ascribe conflicting motives to the Americans. The belief, for example, that the 9/11 attacks were an “inside job” is more mainstream in Russia and the North Caucasus than in the United States, he said. The “free Dzhokhar” movement follows in the same tradition. “It is not clear what Washington gains by setting these boys up, the story goes, but clearly they are up to something,” Zhukov said. Stefan, who has been criticized for taking Tsarnaev’s body, has said that it will be washed according to Islamic tradition following the completion of the second autopsy. He said he plans to file a death certificate and burial permit with the city of Boston on Tuesday. If no cemetery will take Tsarnaev, Stefan said he will call the FBI, Mayor Thomas M. Menino of Boston, and Governor Deval Patrick and urge them to help. He also said the City of Cambridge may be obliged to bury Tsarnaev, as a former resident with nowhere else to be buried. The Cambridge mayor and city manager did not respond to requests for comment Saturday, and the cemetery superintendent could not be reached. Outside the Worcester funeral home, protesters said Tsarnaev should be cremated or, as Osama Bin Laden was after he was killed in a raid by US Navy SEALs, buried at sea. One of the protesters, Darlene Olsen of Leicester, carried a sign that said, “Bury the Garbage in the Landfill.” “He just doesn’t belong here,” she said. “Just burn him and throw him in the sewer,” said a young man who was walking by. Stefan said he has not discussed cost with the family, but if relatives cannot afford a burial, he will cover the costs himself. He said that at least 10 people had called offering to donate money for the burial. But he said the home is not accepting money, and if any arrives, it will be sent to the One Fund to benefit bombing victims. Kheda Saratova, a human rights activist in Russia who has been helping the Tsarnaev brothers’ parents, said the family has considered bringing Tamerlan’s body back to Russia if no one in the United States will bury him. But they would rather not, she said. “According to Muslim custom you must do everything possible to bury the body as soon as possible,” Saratova said by telephone from Russia. She said the family has been receiving money and support from “all over the world.” Lisa Wangsness can be reached at lwangsness@globe.com. Wesley Lowery at wesley. lowery@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @WesleyLowery. David Filipov at dfilipov@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @davidfilipovNEW YORK — In response to a court order in a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, the Obama administration has released a redacted version of the White House document that sets out the government’s policy framework for drone strikes “outside the United States and areas of actual hostilities.” The Presidential Policy Guidance, once known as “the Playbook,” was issued by President Obama in May 2013 following promises of more transparency and stricter controls for the drone program. But while the administration released a short “fact sheet” describing the document, it did not release the PPG itself, or any part of it. In February, U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon, who is presiding over a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed last year by the ACLU, expressed skepticism that the document could be withheld in its entirety and ordered the government to submit the PPG for the court’s review. Rather than continue to defend its withholding of the entire document, the government told the court that it would prepare a redacted version of the PPG for public release. Justice Department lawyers turned the PPG and several other documents over to the ACLU on Friday evening. “We welcome the release of these documents, and particularly the release of the Presidential Policy Guidance that has supplied the policy framework for the drone campaign since May 2013,” said ACLU Deputy Legal Director Jameel Jaffer. “The PPG provides crucial information about policies that have resulted in the deaths of thousands of people, including hundreds of non-combatants, and about the bureaucracy that the Obama administration has constructed to oversee and implement those policies. The PPG should have been released three years ago, but its release now will inform an ongoing debate about the lawfulness and wisdom of the government’s counterterrorism policies. The release of the PPG and related documents is also a timely reminder of the breadth of the powers that will soon be in the hands of another president.” The document released today provides many new details about the policy standards that govern drone strikes. It also provides a window into the administration’s “nominations” process for targeting individuals with lethal force or for capture, and it describes the government’s procedures for conducting “after action reports” to assess the consequences of its lethal and capture operations. But questions remain about where the PPG applies, whether the president has waived its requirements in particular instances, and how the PPG’s relatively stringent standards can be reconciled with the accounts of eye witnesses, journalists, and human rights researches who have documented large numbers of bystander casualties. Together with the PPG, the government also released four Defense Department documents, two of which it had previously released to the ACLU with more redactions: · A March 2014 document titled “Report on Process for Determining Targets of Lethal or Capture Operations,” which discusses the legal and policy standards in the PPG. · A July 2014 document titled “Report on Associated Forces,” which separately lists groups the government considers to be “associated” or “affiliated” with al-Qaida. (The difference between the two categories of groups is important because the government has relied on the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force to justify attacks against “associated” forces.) · A December 2013 document titled “Department of Defense Implementation of the Presidential Policy Guidance,” which is a heavily redacted memorandum shared with Congress. · A March 2014 document titled “Report on Congressional Notification of Sensitive Military Operations and Counterterrorism Operational Briefings,” which summarizes the PPG’s congressional reporting requirements. The documents released today come in one of three ACLU FOIA lawsuits seeking records on targeted killing. In the other cases, two appellate courts have held that some of the secrecy surrounding the drone campaign is unlawful. In 2014, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York ordered the release of a July 2010 memo from the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel authorizing the killing of a U.S. citizen, Anwar al-Aulaqi. That case is again before the Second Circuit. In 2013, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals found that the CIA could not lawfully refuse to confirm or deny that it had an “intelligence interest” in the drone program. That case was dismissed in April 2016. The Presidential Policy Guidance is at: https://www.aclu.org/other/presidential-policy-guidance DOD Implementation of Presidential Policy Guidance is at: https://www.aclu.org/dod-implementation-presidential-policy-guidance DOD Report on Associated Forces is at: https://www.aclu.org/report-associated-forces-2014 DOD Report on Process of Determining Targets of Lethal or Capture Operations is at: https://www.aclu.org/dod-report-process-determining-targets-lethal-or-capture-operations Report on Congressional Notification of Sensitive Military Operations is at: https://www.aclu.org/dod-report-congressional-notification-sensitive-military-operation More information on the case is at: https://www.aclu.org/cases/aclu-v-doj-foia-case-records-relating-targete...There’s a lot of interest in growing medical marijuana in Minnesota. Whether that interest will translate into applications to become one of two state-registered growers is another question — particularly since there’s a $20,000 nonrefundable application fee. On Friday, state officials tested the waters with a forum in St. Paul for potential applicants. More than 100 showed up, although some sounded skeptical about the state’s new program. “It seems like it is going to be very hard to make this work,” Ben Streit of Duluth said during a question-and-answer session. “What if no one applies?” “That would be a very bad outcome,” replied Manny Munson-Regala, assistant commissioner at the Minnesota Department of Health. “I go on an hourly basis from thinking we’ll have zero applications to thinking we’ll have 62.” The meeting Friday at the Minnesota History Center was the latest step in implementing Minnesota’s medical marijuana law, which Gov. Mark Dayton signed earlier this year. Minnesota is one of 21 states plus the District of Columbia that has passed a law for medical marijuana programs. Two of those states also allow recreational use of marijuana, while another 11 states provide more limited access. The law will allow patients in Minnesota to obtain medical marijuana in pill or liquid form if they had one of eight qualifying conditions such as cancer, glaucoma or seizures. Marijuana also could be available to patients with terminal illnesses and a life expectancy of less than a year. “We have some really sick people in our state who aren’t being aided by our medical structure today,” Munson-Regala said. “Medical cannabis has the potential to fill some of the gaps.” For the program to work, manufacturers must come forward and be willing to pay not just the application fee, but also invest in facilities for growing marijuana and turning it into medicine. Each manufacturer that’s selected by the state also must operate four distribution centers — one center located in each of the state’s eight Congressional districts. Start-up capital requirements could run in the neighborhood of $10 million, said Eric Reichwald, an attendee at Friday’s event who said he did lobbying at the Legislature this spring in support of the medical marijuana law. Reichwald said he hopes to work with a Colorado company to help test the quality of marijuana grown by manufacturers here. Keeping facilities secure is one of the big expenses for manufacturers, Reichwald said. Streit said he is working with a group that’s considering an application to become a manufacturer. He agreed that start-up costs could run in the neighborhood of $10 million and said the high costs explain why some are frustrated with Minnesota’s program. The Legislature opted against medical marijuana available for patients with intractable pain — a diagnosis that would have broadened the market. Currently, the state expects about 5,000 people per year to use medical marijuana, although some industry sources had suggested the actual figure could be closer to 15,000, said Munson- Regala, the Health Department official. In an interview, he said he wasn’t sure exactly how much manufacturers would need for start-up costs. The $20,000 application fee is high, Munson-Regala agreed, but he said the funds will help cover the cost of making sure that applicants have the experience and resources to produce high-quality products. Anyone interested in applying to become a manufacturer must signal intent to apply by Sept. 19. Semi-finalists would be named by late October, and the final two manufacturers registered by Dec. 1. Manufacturers would begin providing medical marijuana to patients from at least one distribution center by July 1, 2015; all four centers would need to be operating a year later. Minnesota’s medical marijuana law does not let patients smoke the drug. Physicians would certify that patients have a qualifying medical condition and contribute information to registry for tracking patient outcomes. Christopher Snowbeck can be reached at 651-228-5479. Follow him at www.twitter.com/chrissnowbeck.MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — In the same affluent, suburban city where Google built its headquarters, Tes Saldana lives in a crowded but tidy camper that she parks on the street. She concedes it’s “not a very nice living situation,” but it also is not unusual. Until authorities told them to move, more than a dozen other RVs filled with people who can’t afford rent joined Saldana on a tree-lined street in Mountain View, parked between a Target and a luxury apartment complex. Homeless advocates and city officials say it’s outrageous that in the shadow of a booming tech economy — where young millionaires dine on $15 wood-grilled avocado and think nothing of paying $1,000 for an iPhone X — thousands of families can’t afford a home. Many of the homeless work regular jobs, in some cases serving the very people whose sky-high net worth is the reason housing has become unaffordable for so many. Across the street from Saldana’s camper, for example, two-bedroom units in the apartment complex start at $3,840, including concierge service. That’s more than she brings home, even in a good month. Saldana and her three adult sons, who live with her, have looked for less rustic accommodations, but rents are $3,000 a month or more, and most of the available housing is distant. She said it makes more sense to stay in the camper near their jobs and try to save for a brighter future, even if a recent city crackdown chased them from their parking spot. “We still need to eat,” said Saldana, 51. “I still want to bring my kids, once in a while, to a movie, to eat out.” She cooks and serves food at two hotels in nearby Palo Alto, jobs that keep her going most days from 5 in the morning until 10 at night. Two of her sons, all in their 20s, work at a bakery and pay $700 toward the RV each month. They’re all very much aware of the economic disparity in Silicon Valley. “How about for us people who are serving these tech people?” Saldana said. “We don’t get the same paycheck that they do.” It’s all part of a growing crisis along the West Coast, where many cities and counties have seen a surge in the number of people living on the streets over the past two years. Counts taken earlier this year show 168,000 homeless people in California, Oregon and Washington — 20,000 more than were counted just two years ago. The booming economy, fueled by the tech sector, and decades of under-building have led to a historic shortage of affordable housing. It has upended the stereotypical view of people out on the streets as unemployed: They are retail clerks, plumbers, janitors — even teachers — who go to work, sleep where they can and buy gym memberships for a place to shower. The surge in homelessness has prompted at least 10 local governments along the West Coast to declare states of emergency, and cities from San Diego to Seattle are struggling to come up with immediate and long-range solutions. San Francisco is well-known for homeless tent encampments. But the homeless problem has now spread throughout Silicon Valley, where the disparity between the rich and everyone else is glaring. There is no firm estimate on the number of people who live in vehicles in Silicon Valley, but the problem is pervasive and apparent to anyone who sees RVs lining thoroughfares; not as visible are the cars tucked away at night in parking lots. Advocates for the homeless say it will only get worse unless more affordable housing is built. The median rent in the San Jose metro area is $3,500 a month, yet the median wage is $12 an hour in food service and $19 an hour in health care support, an amount that won’t even cover housing costs. The minimum annual salary needed to live comfortably in San Jose is $87,000, according to a study by personal finance website GoBankingRates. So dilapidated RVs line the eastern edge of Stanford University in Palo Alto, and officials in neighboring Mountain View have mapped out more than a dozen areas where campers tend to cluster, some of them about a mile from Google headquarters. On a recent evening, Benito Hernandez returned to a crammed RV in Mountain View after laying flagstones for a home in Atherton, where Zillow pegs the median value of a house at $6.5 million. He rents the RV for $1,000 a month and lives there with his pregnant wife and children. The family was evicted two years ago from an apartment where the rent kept going up, nearing $3,000 a month. “After that, I lost everything,” said Hernandez, 33, who works as a landscaper and roofer. He says his wife “is a little bit sad because she says, ‘You’re working very hard but don’t have credit to get an apartment.’ I tell her, ‘Just wait, maybe a half-year more, and I’ll get my credit back.'” The plight of the Hernandez family points out one of the confounding problems of the homeless surge along the West Coast. “This is not a crisis of unemployment that’s leading to poverty around here,” said Tom Myers, executive director of Community Services Agency, a nonprofit based in Mountain View. “People are working.” Mountain View, a city of 80,000 which also is home to Mozilla and 23andMe, has committed more than $1 million over two years for homeless services, including money for an outreach case manager and a police officer to help people who live in vehicles. At last count, there were people living in more than 330 vehicles throughout the city. Mayor Ken Rosenberg is proud of the city’s response to the crisis — focusing not on penalties but on providing services. Yet he’s also worried that the peace won’t last as RVs crowd into bike lanes and over-taxed streets. Last week, Mountain View officials posted signs banning vehicles more than 6 feet high on some parts of the street where Saldana, Hernandez and others living in RVs were parked, saying they were creating a traffic hazard. The average RV is well over that height. That follows similar moves over the summer by Palo Alto, which started cracking down on RVs and other vehicles that exceed the 72-hour limit on a busy stretch of El Camino Real. In San Jose, officials recently approved an ordinance pushed by an interfaith group called the Winter Faith Collaborative to allow places of assembly — including gyms and churches — to shelter homeless people year-round. Ellen Tara James-Penney, a 54-year-old lecturer at San Jose State University, parks her old Volvo at one of those safe-haven churches, Grace Baptist Church, and eats in its dining hall. She is paid $28,000 a year to teach four English classes and is carrying $143,000 in student debt after earning two degrees. She grades papers and prepares lessons in the Volvo. At night, she leans back the driver’s seat and prepares for sleep, one of two dogs, Hank, by her side. Her husband, Jim, who is too tall for the car, sleeps outside in a tent cot with their other dog, Buddy. The Bay Area native remembers the time a class was studying John Steinbeck, when another student said that she was sick of hearing about the homeless. “And I said, ‘Watch your mouth. You’re looking at one.’ Then you could have heard a pin drop,” she said. “It’s quite easy to judge when you have a house to live in or you have meds when you’re depressed and health care.” In response to growing wealth inequities, unions, civil rights groups and community organizations formed Silicon Valley Rising about three years ago. They demand better pay and benefits for the low-income earners who make the region run. SEIU United Service Workers West, for example, organized roughly 3,000 security guards who work for companies that contract with Facebook, Google and Caltrain, the mass transit system that connects Silicon Valley with San Francisco. One of those workers is Albert Brown III, a 46-year-old security officer who recently signed a lease for half of a $3,400 two-bedroom unit in Half Moon Bay, about 13 miles from his job. He can barely afford the rent on his $16-an-hour salary, even with overtime, but the car that doubled as his home needed a pricey repair and he found a landlord willing to overlook his lousy credit. Still, Brown worries he won’t be able to keep up with his payments. His feet have been hurting. What if a doctor tells him to rest for a few days or a week? “I can’t miss a minute. If I miss a minute or a shift? No way, man. A week? Forget it, it’s over. It’s all downhill from there,” he said. “It’s a sad choice. I have to decide whether to be homeless or penniless, right?”ProFootballTalk and its founder and editor will be sticking around with NBC Sports. The network announced Tuesday that they’d signed a multi-year extension to their multiplatform deal with Mike Florio and PFT, and that it will include daily video content from Florio on the site going forward: NBC Sports today announced it has extended its multi-platform partnership with ProFootballTalk, the innovative, NFL-focused website created by Mike Florio. As part of the new long-term extension, ProFootballTalk will feature increased video content, with Florio providing daily, short- form video reports to supplement PFT’s extensive written coverage on breaking NFL news. Florio and ProFootballTalk joined forces with NBC Sports in July 2009, with PFT quickly becoming a signature component of NBCSports.com. Since then, both PFT and NBCSports.com have seen tremendous growth in traffic, with ProFootballTalk averaging 1.9 million page views and 725,000 unique visitors daily. “The decision to partner with NBC continues to be the single best professional decision I’ve ever made,” said Florio. “Of course, I usually make pretty bad professional decisions. So there really isn’t much competition for the top spot.” “Mike and PFT are a highly respected voice and destination for news in the sport, and have been significant to the growth of NBCSports.com,” said Rick Cordella, Senior Vice President & General Manager, NBC Sports Digital. “As video becomes increasingly important to our digital business and viewers consumption habits, we agreed that this was the perfect opportunity to extend our partnership and expand PFT’s video presence.” Florio and his staff of PFT writers, Michael David Smith, Darin Gantt, Josh Alper, Zac Jackson and Curtis Crabtree produce an average of nearly 50 NFL news stories a day, with Florio himself writing at least 15 posts. During the first day of this year’s NFL free agency, Wednesday, March 9, PFT staff posted 137 new stories and helped the site to its most trafficked day ever with 4.7 million page views. NFL free agency coverage also boosted PFT to its best week ever for video consumption, delivering 600,000 video starts from March 7 – 13.Co-living company Ollie hired five former employees of Magnises, the black-card startup founded by Fyre Fest mastermind and accused fraudster Billy McFarland. Ollie’s co-founder Chris Bledsoe was adamant that his firm is merely hiring former Magnises employees to help run events and is not acquiring Magnises. The distinction matters because McFarland was arrested on fraud charges last month. Magnises, founded in 2014, bills itself as an elite membership platform that gives its users access to exclusive events in return for a $250 annual fee. In January, Business Insider reported that the platform had almost 40,000 members, mostly in New York. Ollie, which is backed by real estate developers Jonathan Simon and Matthew Baron, had signed a contract with Magnises to offer residents at its buildings monthly events, such as happy hours and food tastings. Bledsoe said he now hired the employees to be able to continue offering events. McFarland became infamous earlier this year when the Fyre Festival, a music festival in the Bahamas he promoted along with rapper Ja Rule, took a disastrous turn, leaving
the game, but where and how the product line is received is fluid at this time. Candidly the industry is evolving, product models are evolving, and distribution channels are... imperfect. The future of all those things are dependent upon how well the product designs are received and what evolutions they need to go through to better meet the desires of the fanbase. [Question] While I realize you wouldn’t be where you are unless you liked the game, are you PASSIONATE about Battletech? [Answer] Good God man, you have no idea. I'm a die hard gamer who really only plays 1 game: BattleTech. I was originally hired by Jordan Weisman as a subject matter expert on the game. I've read every piece of fiction - many of them many times. I consider TROs to be 'light bathroom reading material.' I have an active player group who plays only BattleTech and we've played every other week for 15 years. And frankly the main reason I work at Catalyst is for the chance to work on BT. So yeah, I'm passionate about it. There's a reason I'm Randall's partner for Masters&Minions every year. [Question] When did you get your start in the game, how long have you been playing? [Answer] I actually got addicted to BT through the fiction in 1997. Six months later I'd read every novel and was memorizing TROs. I bought my first computer solely to play MW3. Then Clix happened and I got used to playing BT as a minis game (won 2008 pairs tourney with Ward - yes his real name.) Transitioned my player group from Clix to BT shortly thereafter and have been pure BT ever since. [Question] Aside from your Avatar, what are your favorite Houses, Clans, and other groups? [Answer] Dang that's tough because I value the heroes and villainous tints to all the factions, but that said I do of course have some faves and dislikes. Clan Wolf because they seem to best capture that Sparta balance between strength and cunning. Everyone who knows me will point to my blatant connection with the Wolves. The Rasalhague Dominion as the ONLY successfully integrated union of Clan and Inner Sphere so I love 'em. Davion ever since I read about the Kentares massacre and the national fervor that rose up to avenge them. The Magistracy for their female dominated society. The Gray Death Legion as the gateway drug that so many fans accessed the IP. Clan Nova Cat for following their visions despite the danger and risks involved. And frankly I've always like the St. Ives Compact because of Kai... that guy was just an awesome character. [Question] Doesn’t matter if it is something that does make it through, or gets trashed as a bad idea….as a fan of the game, what do YOU want to see happen in the Inner Sphere Houses, Clans, and Home World Clans? [Answer] Ooooh... I can't really answer that one, too many landmines until the metaplot is locked in. There are two things I want to see which I will answer though - I want to see a story that tells the full story of the Black Thorns (which were unintentionally killed off camera) AND I want to see a rebirth of the Gray Death Legion. That's been a big one for me since before I joined Catalyst. There's two of my three wishes right there. For the next batch of questions I'll be brief, as much info has come to light during my delay in responding. Plus my short answers will likely inspire more intrigue about what's to come. (It really will be awesome - literally - and I can't wait for you to sink your teeth into it.) [Question] Will we see more printed material on the Home World Clans, in the Dark Age, in the next year or two? (this is currently a big complaint from us Clan loving guys!) [Answer] Clan home worlds - yes. Dark Age - no. [Question] Will we get novels about the Home World Clans during the Wars of Reaving? [Answer] Actually no, not in the short term, and if you had the power you wouldn't change that. Novel content releases at a really slow pace and there are much more important universe-plot-driving stories that need to be told. I'd love to see a series of Novellas telling those tales, but the chaffing you are feeling about that content is a downside of using sourcebooks to drive an IP (which was a reality Herb/Ben faced but which has changed for my tenure in the role.) Like I said, the industry is evolving, and we have to fit the stories we want/need to tell into a solicit-able schedule. Hope that makes sense. [Question]...ilClan.... [Answer] Yes this product will come out. And we all feel your pain on this one. But frankly the product as it was originally outlined would have absolutely failed to deliver the story that the IP needed. It had to be rewritten in a way that launches a whole new generation of the game. Sometime you need to look at your battle line, scrap it, are rearrange in the face of a superior enemy... this was one of those times. You will get an ilClan book - and it will be worthy. But the street date will have a 2018 date on it. [Question] Where did the Kell Hounds go? [Answer] When you find out the answer you'll need to be wearing waterproof undergarments. I can't wait to tell you. [Question] Will we EVER know who knocked out the HPG network? [Answer] Yes. What we may never know is why or what they hope to get out of it. [Question] Can you give us more details, or possibly hints, about the markings that were on their mechs? If I recall, it was something like a sword, with a snake coiled around it, and I think a sunburst or something like that (think Blood Spirit sunburst icon comes to mind as the description was written for some reason). [Answer] No comment at this time. [Question] Is there anything left of the Word of Blake as far as the actual group? i.e. I don’t mean their technology, I mean the actual people that formed the Word. [Answer] Discussing this now actually. No comment. [Question] Will Clan Wolverine ever make a comeback, or will they always be the boogeyman for the Clans? [Answer] Magic 8 ball says "Answer unknown - try again later." [Question] Will there be another Box Set...and will there be a Clan version of it, or maybe a combo box set? [Answer] Yes there will be 2 new box sets that replace the existing one. One will be a new Game of Armored Combat, and one will be an actually Beginner Box set. We had mock-ups and details at GenCon. The fate of any box sets after that will determine on how well those are received. The whole of Catalyst wants to see a strong expanding line of Box Set related products but they are a high dollar risk so we can't fight the math on these. Two boxes first, the rest to be determined. [Question] Now, the hardest question of all...what happened with the Valkyrie & Wasp? [Answer] Yes your instincts were right. Now that word of the Harmony Gold lawsuit has come out, you see why we had to be silent about it. Literally can't say a word until the suit has some resolution. I will say though that the redesigns on these were AWESOME and we went to great lengths to change/overhaul these units so they didn't share any details with the Unseen. They looked awesome. Just hope they can land in fans' hands someday. [Question] On the coming release page...there has been some products on there for a VERY long time. The XTRO and TRO’s come to mind. When will these get released? Perhaps we as a community are wrong, but we alway thought that once they were “announced” on that page...they will be out at some point. Well, that may still be true, but some of those products have been there for probably a year or more. What’s the holdup? [Answer] Wow - lots of problems there actually. The website overhaul has caused terrible access to almost every corner of the site, and that's yet to be fixed for several reasons I can't discuss. As for all the support products, when it was clear we needed to overhaul ilClan and redesign the whole BT plot and product line, it put a hold on lots of products large & small because they were going to one direction and we were taking the IP in another. What you ask about is just the price paid for abandoning a failing plan and forging a new one. Once ilClan comes out you'll see a steady flow of product once again. There you go Dragon - that should give you enough to chew on and keep you up at night wondering "what if..." Thank you for your interest and love of BattleTech. Peace of Blake be with you. BrentIntroduction Let’s begin by considering: “What is Refactoring?” The definition of refactoring is: a disciplined technique for restructuring an existing body of code, altering its internal structure without changing its external behaviour Refactoring is a term originated from the Smalltalk community of developers back in the mid-late nineties. Two of the most prolific programmers of recent times, Martin Fowler and Kent Beck literally wrote the book on the subject of refactoring called “Refactoring: Improving the Design of Existing Code” (well, written by Martin with contributions from Kent). In 2009 both Martin and Kent helped with a rewrite of the book that focused more on the Ruby language than the original book’s target language of Java. This follow-up book was called “Refactoring: The Ruby Edition” and it’s that book which is the primary driving force of this post. Since reading the Ruby edition I wanted to have a short summarised version of some of the more commonly used refactoring techniques (mainly for my own reference). By that I mean the techniques described in the book that I find interesting and use a lot in my day to day programming life. Languages These refactoring techniques aren’t specific to the Ruby language. You can use them when working with JavaScript or PHP (or any other language for that matter). Programming languages don’t all offer identical APIs and so sometimes you might need to tweak the examples slightly to fit your environment. Regardless, the idioms and syntax differences between languages become redundant when you just focus on the pattern(s) behind the proposed solution. Why refactor? The purpose of refactoring is to improve the quality, clarity and maintainability of your code. Simple really. But also, refactoring can be a great lesson in understanding an unfamiliar code base. Think about it, if you inherit a poorly designed code base that you’ve not seen before and you now need to either fix a bug or add a new feature, then implementing the code necessary would be a lot easier once you had refactored it to be in a more stable, maintainable and ultimately ‘understandable’ state. Otherwise you would be forced to retro fit your new code on top of a poorly designed foundation and that would be the start of a very unhappy relationship. When should you refactor? You’ll usually find the time you start refactoring the most is when you are fixing bugs or adding new features. For example, you typically first need to understand the code that has already been written (regardless of whether it was you who wrote it originally or someone else). The process of refactoring helps you better understand the code, in preparation for modifying it. But don’t fall into the trap of thinking that refactoring is something you set aside time for, or only consider at the start/end of a project. It’s not. Refactoring should be done in small chunks throughout the entire life cycle of the project. As the great Uncle Bob once said: leave a module in a better state than you found it …what this suggests is that refactoring is essential to your daily coding process. Tests Before we get started, it’s important to mention that you should have tests in place when you’re refactoring. You can refactor without tests, but realise that without tests to back you up then you can have no confidence in the refactoring you are implementing. Refactoring can result in substantial changes to the code and architecture but still leave the top layer API the same. So while you’re refactoring remember the old adage… program to an interface, not an implementation We want to avoid changing a public API where ever possible (as that’s one of the tenets of refactoring). If you don’t have tests then I recommend you write some (now)… don’t worry, I’ll wait. Remember, the process of writing tests (even for an application you don’t know) will help solidify your understanding and expectations of the code you’re about to work on. Code should be tested regularly while refactoring to ensure you don’t break anything. Keep the ‘red, green, refactor’ feedback loop tight. Tests help confirm if your refactoring has worked or not. Without them you’re effectively flying blind. So although I won’t explicitly mention it below when discussing the different refactoring techniques, it is implied that on every change to your code you should really be running the relevant tests to ensure no broken code appears. Refactoring Techniques There are many documented refactoring techniques and I do not attempt to cover them all, as this post would end up becoming a book in itself. So I’ve picked what I feel are the most common and useful refactoring techniques and I try my best to explain them in a short and concise way. I’ve put these techniques in order of how you might approach refactoring a piece of code, in a linear, top to bottom order. This is a personal preference and doesn’t necessarily represent the best way to refactor. Final note: with some of the techniques I have provided a basic code example, but to be honest some techniques are so simple they do not need any example. The Extract Method is one such technique that although really useful and important, providing a code example would be a waste of time and space. So without further ado, let’s begin… Rename Method The single most effective and simple refactoring you can implement is to rename a property/attribute, method or object. Renaming identifiers can reduce the need for code comments and nearly always helps to promote greater clarity. You’ll find that renaming things is a fundamental part of other refactoring techniques to aid understanding of the code. This technique relies on giving items a descriptive name to ensure the developer knows at a glance exactly what it does. The following technique Introduce Explaining Variable is effectively the same. Introduce Explaining Variable So here is a technique specifically based around the premise of renaming. If you have a complicated expression (for example, you’ll typically have a long winded set of conditions within an if statement) then place that complex expression into a temp variable and give it a descriptive identifier. For example: unless "This is a String with some CAPS".scan(/([A-Z])/).empty? puts "capitalised text was found" end Should be: caps_not_found = "This is a String with some CAPS".scan(/([A-Z])/).empty? unless caps_not_found puts "capitalised text was found" end Note: this is the only technique that finds temps (i.e. local variables) acceptable. This is because temps are deemed to be less reusable than methods (due to their very nature being ‘local’) and so introducing temps is something that shouldn’t be considered lightly. Maybe consider using the Extract Method technique instead before using this particular technique. Also, don’t worry about performance until you know you have a performance issue to worry about. Developers will always suggest that calling methods is slower than running code inline, but good programming is about readability and maintainability, and extracted methods are not only easier to understand but are much more reusable by other methods. So if you are considering using the Introduce Explaining Variable technique, first decide whether the temp would be more useful if it was available to other methods (that way you could use Extract Method instead and avoid defining a temp altogether). Inline Temp Temp variables are a bit of a code smell as they make methods longer and can make the Extract Method more awkward (as you’d have to pass through more data to the extracted method). Inline Temp effectively removes the temp variable altogether by just using the value assigned to it (I’d only suggest doing this if the temp is only used once or if the resulting value has come from a method invocation). For example: def add_stuff 1 + 1 end def do_something temp_variable_with_descriptive_name = add_stuff puts "Number is #{temp_variable_with_descriptive_name}" end Should be: def add_stuff 1 + 1 end def do_something puts "Number is #{add_stuff}" end Note: a temp by itself doesn’t do any harm, and in some instances can actually make the code clearer (especially if using a result from a method invocation and the method identifier doesn’t indicate the intent as well as it should). But most likely you’ll end up using this technique to aid the Extract Method technique as less temp vars means less requirement to pass through additional parameters to the extracted method. Split Temp Variable This technique aims to resolve the concern of violating the SRP (Single Responsibility Principle), although slightly tamer in the sense that SRP is aimed more at Classes/Objects and methods, not typically variable assignments. But regardless if a temporary variable is assigned to more than once and it is not a loop variable or a collecting/accumulator variable then it is a temp considered to have too many responsibilities. For example: (this is a daft example, but what the heck) temp = 2 * (height + width) temp = height * width Becomes: perimeter = 2 * (height + width) area = height * width As you can see, the temp variable was handling more responsibility than it should be and so by creating two appropriately distinct temps we ensure greater code clarity. Replace Temp With Query This technique has a very similar intent to Inline Temp in that one of its primary focuses is to aid the Extract Method. The subtle but important difference between this technique and Inline Temp is that the complex expression assigned to the temp needs to be first moved to a method (whereas the Inline Temp technique is different in that the temp may already be using a method invocation). For example: class Box attr_reader :length, :width, :height def initialize length, width, height @length = length @width = width @height = height end def volume # `area` is the temp area = length * width area * height end end Becomes: class Box attr_reader :length, :width, :height def initialize length, width, height @length = length @width = width @height = height end def volume # notice `area` is now a direct method call area * height end def area length * width end end This technique can help to shorten a long method by not having to define lots of temp variables just to hold values. If the extracted query method is given an identifier that aptly describes its purpose then the code still can be considered clear and descriptive. Also, it is considered bad form to define a variable which changes once it has been set (hence moving to a method better indicates an unstable value). Note: this technique can sometimes be made easier to implement once you’ve used Split Temp Variable. Remember this technique (as with other techniques) is an incremental step towards removing non-essential temps, so consider using Inline Temp afterwards, thus removing the need for the temp altogether. Replace Temp With Chain This is yet another technique designed to rid your code of temp variables. If you have a temp variable holding the result of calling an object’s method, and follow the assignment by using that temp to carry out more method calls, then you should consider chaining method calls instead. The implementation is quite simple, you just have to ensure the methods called return self (or this if using a language like JavaScript). By allowing methods to chain we again have the opportunity to remove an unnecessary temps. For example: class College def create_course puts "create course" end def add_student puts "add student" end end temp = College.new temp.create_course temp.add_student temp.add_student temp.add_student Becomes: class College # static method so can be accessed without creating an instance def self.create_course college = College.new puts "create course" college # return new object instance end def add_student puts "add student" self # refers to the new object instance end end college = College.create_course.add_student.add_student.add_student Extract Method Here it is! In my opinion ‘The’ most used and important refactoring technique. The implementation behind this technique is very simple. It consists of breaking up long methods by shifting overly complex chunks of code into new methods which have very descriptive identifiers. For example: class Foo attr_reader :bar def initialize bar @bar = bar end def do_something puts "my baz" # notice this is duplication puts bar end def do_something_else puts "my baz" # notice this is duplication puts "Something else" puts bar end end Becomes: class Foo attr_reader :bar def initialize bar @bar = bar end def do_something baz puts bar end def do_something_else baz puts "Something else" puts bar end def baz puts "my baz" end end But be careful with handling local variables as you’ll need to pass them through to the extracted method and that can be difficult if there are lots of temps in use. Sometimes to facility the Extract Method you’ll need to first incorporate other techniques such as Replace Temp With Query and Inline Temp. Inline Method Sometimes you want the opposite of the Extract Method technique. Imagine a method exists whose content is already simple and clear, and whose identifier adds no extra benefit. In this instance we’re just making an extra call for no real benefit. So to fix this problem we’ll convert the method invocation into an inlined piece of code (unless of course the method is used in multiple places, in that case leave it where it is as having it in a separate method keeps our code DRY). Move Method In a previous post about Object-Oriented Design I explained that you should query your classes/objects to ensure the methods they define are actually where they should be (another reason is ‘feature envy’, if a method is asking another class a lot of questions then it may be an indication the method is on the wrong object). The Move Method technique ensures this decoupling by simply moving the identified misplaced method onto the correct one. Once the method has been moved you should clean up the previously passed parameters by seeing what can be moved over to the other object or whether additional data needs to be passed over now via the method invocation. For example: class Gear attr_reader :chainring, :cog, :rim, :tire def initialize (chainring, cog, rim, tire) @chainring = chainring @cog = cog @rim = rim @tire = tire # let's asked the question: # "Please Mr. Gear what is your tire size?" # hmm? notice this doesn't sound like it quite fits the purpose of a 'Gears' class end def ratio chainring / cog.to_f end def gear_inches # tire goes around rim twice for diameter ratio * (rim + (tire * 2)) end end Becomes: class Gear attr_reader :chainring, :cog, :rim, :tire def initialize (chainring, cog, rim, tire) @chainring = chainring @cog = cog @rim = rim @tire = tire.size end def ratio chainring / cog.to_f end def gear_inches # tire goes around rim twice for diameter ratio * (rim + (tire * 2)) end end class Tire def self.size 5 end end From the original class/object keep the original method in place while you test and change it so it now delegates to the method on the new object. Then slowly refactor by replacing delegating calls throughout your code base with direct calls to the method via its new host. Finally, remove the old method altogether and the tests should tell you if you missed a replacement somewhere. Replace Method With Method Object You may run into a problem where you have a long method you want to use Extract Method on, but the number of temporary local variables are too great to allow you to utilise the Extract Method technique (because passing around that many variables would be just as messy as the long method itself). To resolve this issue you could look at different types of smaller refactors (such as Inline Temp) but in some cases it would actually be better to first move the contents of the long method into an entirely new object. So the first thing to do is create a new class named after the long method and add the temp local vars as properties/attributes of the class/object. Now when you try to implement Extract Method you don’t have to pass around the temp vars because they are now available throughout the class/object. Then from within the original class/object you can delegate any calls to the original method on to the object (you’ll still pass on the original arguments to the method within the new object but from there on the method extraction becomes easier). For example: class Foo def bar puts "We're doing some bar stuff" end def baz(a, b, c) if a =='something' # do something end if b == 'else' # do else end if c == 'none' # do none end end end Becomes: class Foo def bar puts "We're doing some bar stuff" end end class Baz attr_accessor :a, :b, :c def initialize(a, b, c) @a = a @b = b @c = c if a =='something' # do something end if b == 'else' # do else end if c == 'none' # do none end end end From here we’re now in a better state to use both the Extract Method and Replace Conditional with Polymorphism techniques to refactor the Baz class. Replace Loop With Collection Closure Method If you write a loop that parses a collection and interacts with the individual elements within the collection then move that interaction out into a separate closure based method (meaning you replace the loop with an Enumerable method). This refactoring may not be as clear or impressive as other refactoring techniques but the motivation behind it is that you hide the ugly details of the loop behind a nicer iteration method, allowing the developer looking at the code to focus on the business logic instead. For example: managers = [] employees.each do \|e\| managers << e if e.manager? end Becomes: managers = employees.select { \|e\| e.manager? } Ruby has a few of these types of enumerable methods but other languages such as PHP and JavaScript aren’t so lucky. JavaScript has a couple of accumulators: Array#reduce and Array#reduceRight but they aren’t very useful as closure based collection methods compared to Ruby which has methods such as Enumerable#inject, Enumerable#select (seen in above example) or Enumerable#collect. Note: in JavaScript you can implement a similar effect with clever use of closures. Pull Up Method When you have duplicated code across two separate classes then the best refactoring technique to implement is to pull that duplicate code up into a super class so we DRY (Don’t Repeat Yourself) out the code and allow it to be used in multiple places without duplication (meaning changes in future only have to happen in one place). For example: class Person attr_reader :first_name, :last_name def initialize first_name, last_name @first_name = first_name @last_name = last_name end end class MalePerson < Person # This is duplicated in the `FemalePerson` class def full_name first_name + " " + last_name end def gender "M" end end class FemalePerson < Person # This is duplicated in the `MalePerson` class def full_name first_name + " " + last_name end def gender "F" end end Becomes: class Person attr_reader :first_name, :last_name def initialize first_name, last_name @first_name = first_name @last_name = last_name end def full_name first_name + " " + last_name end end class MalePerson < Person def gender "M" end end class FemalePerson < Person def gender "F" end end Form Template Method The technique is reliant on inheritance: a parent class and two sub classes of that parent. The two sub classes have methods which have similar steps, in the same order and yet the steps themselves are different. The technique involves moving the sequence of steps into the parent class and then using polymorphism to allow the sub classes to handle the differences in the steps. Here is a silly example (I’m no good at giving real examples; you may have noticed), here is an example of our problematic code… class Foo; end class Bar < Foo def initialize @hey = 1 @hai = 2 end def qux @a = @hey + @hai @b = @a * 10 @a + @b end end class Baz < Foo def initialize @hey = 5 @hai = 7 end def qux @a = @hey + @hai @b = @a * 10 * 20 @a + @b end end bar = Bar.new baz = Baz.new puts bar.qux puts baz.qux …we could try to inject the values each sub class requires but then we still have a lot of duplication in this code. We can see the sequence of steps is: determine what a should be determine what b should be return a specific calculation …so we can clean up our code a little by abstracting the commonality… class Foo def initialize(hey=1, hai=1) @hey = hey @hai = hai end def qux determine_a determine_b result end def determine_a @a = @hey + @hai end def result @a + @b end end class Bar < Foo protected def determine_b @b = @a * 10 end end class Baz < Foo protected def determine_b @b = @a * 10 * 20 end end bar = Bar.new(1, 2) baz = Baz.new(5, 7) puts bar.qux puts baz.qux Extract Surrounding Method If you find you have different methods which contain almost identical code but with a slight variant in the middle, then pull up the duplicated code into a single method and pass a code block to the newly created method which it yields to in order to execute the unique behaviour… def do_something puts 1 yield puts 3 end do_something { puts 2 } This is actually a common pattern in Ruby known as the ‘wrap around’ method. This technique is similar to the Form Template Method, but is different in that you can use it without forcing an inheritance model on your code. Note: JavaScript doesn’t have the ability to pass a code block but it can be replicated by passing a function that acts like a callback… function doSomething (callback) { console.log(1); callback(); console.log(3); } doSomething(function(){ console.log(2); }); …although in the latest versions of Node (as of November 2013) Generators are implemented and would allow JavaScript code to yield similar to how Ruby works. Self Encapsulate Field When inheriting properties from a parent class/object then it can be more flexible if the parent class only allows access to the properties from within a getter/setter. The motivation for this technique is that a sub class can override and modify the behaviour of the getter/setter without affecting the parent class’ implementation. Which is similar to how the Decorator design pattern works (e.g. modifying the behaviour without affecting the original). This technique should only be used once you find the coupling between objects is becoming a problem. Otherwise direct access to properties and instance variables should be acceptable initially. For example: def total @base_price * (1 + @tax_rate) end Becomes: attr_reader :base_price, :tax_rate def total base_price * (1 + tax_rate) end Introduce Named Parameter When method arguments are unclear then convert them into named parameters so they become clearer (and easier to remember). Although Ruby supports named parameters… def turnOnTheTV (channel: 1, volume: 1); end turnOnTheTV(channel: 101, volume: 10) …neither PHP or JavaScript do, so for PHP you can pass an associated Array and with JavaScript you can pass an Object/Hash. For example (JavaScript): function turnOnTheTV(c, v){} turnOnTheTV(101, 10); Becomes: function turnOnTheTV (config) { // config.channel === 101 // config.volume === 10 } turnOnTheTV({ channel: 101, volume: 10 }); Note: ECMAScript 6.0 (the latest JavaScript specification - which is still being worked on as of Nov 2013) implements named parameters. Remove Redundancy This isn’t an explicit technique, more a grouping of techniques. The principle idea being that: code evolves, and as it evolves you may find techniques you previously implemented (as part of an earlier refactoring) have since become redundant. Imagine you implemented the “Introduce Named Parameter” technique (passing a hash with named properties as a single argument instead of multiple unidentified arguments). Now, after some other refactorings have taken place, you discover the method originally refactored is no longer as complex and so your argument hash refactor has been reduced down to just a single named property. In this particular scenario you should remove the named parameter and simply pass a single argument instead. This principle applies with other refactoring techniques. Imagine an earlier refactoring included implementing a default parameter value for a method call. As your code evolves, if you discover you now only ever call the method with an argument then the default value becomes redundant and makes the code more complex than it needs to be by providing a default value. So just remove the redundant code. Dynamic Method Definition Sometimes defining multiple methods can be wasteful when functionally they carry out similar steps. For example, imagine we had the following code… def failure do self.result = "failure" end def success do self.result = "success" end def error do self.result = "error" end Notice how the functions are structurally identical. They simply set a result property to have a value This can be refactored using Ruby’s define_method method (which let’s you create methods dynamically at run time)… [:failure, :success, :error].each do \|method\| define_method method do self.result = method.to_s end end Note: you could also abstract this code into a more reusable (and easier to maintain) function like so… def dynamic_methods(*method_names, &block) method_names.each do \|method_name\| define_method method_name do instance_exec(method_name, &block) end end end You can also use this technique to help ease creating properties on an object. For example, I used this technique in my MVCP blog post to dynamically create instance variables… require 'app/presenters/base' require 'app/models/person' class Presenters::Person < Presenters::Base attr_reader :run, :name, :age def initialize @run = true model = Person.new('Mark', '99') prepare_view_data({ :name => model.name, :age => model.age }) end end module Presenters class Base attr_accessor :model def prepare_view_data hash hash.each do \|name, value\| instance_variable_set("@#{name}", value) end end end end Extract Class This is a pretty standard technique which helps ensure your objects abide by the SRP (Single Responsibility Principle). If you find your classes are doing too much then simply create a new class and move the relevant fields and methods over one by one (while running the tests as you go to ensure all code continues working as expected). Doing so you’ll end up with two small, focused and clean classes which are easier to manage. Hide Delegate This technique focuses on the principle of object encapsulation. Specifically decoupling two or more objects by reducing the context the objects have of each other. The following code demonstrates the idea… module Bar def display puts "Bar Stuff" end end module Baz def display puts "Baz Stuff" end end class Foo include Bar def do_something display end end foo = Foo.new foo.do_something …as you can see, the user only needs to rely on the interface having a do_something method. The implementation details of do_somthing (in this case the delegation off to another method) are hidden. If we changed include Bar for include Baz, or maybe we don’t mixin a module at all and just write some code inside of do_something, it doesn’t matter because the public interface is set as far as the user is concerned. Replace Array with Object The motivation for this technique is to convert a simple data container which holds multiple data types into an object with clear and descriptive identifiers. This principle helps to present your complex data into a more sensible format (I demonstrated this in a previous post on object-oriented design). This technique also makes the data interaction more maintainable by providing an easier and understandable interface to the data. Here is an example where we’re violating the principle of a clean data interaction… class Foo attr_reader :data def initialize(data) @data = data end def do_something data.each do \|item\| puts item[0] puts item[1] puts '---' end end end obj = Foo.new([[10, 25],[3, 9],[41, 7]]) obj.do_something Notice in the first example how our code has far too much knowledge (context) about the object it’s interacting with. It knows that the Array index zero holds an X coordinate and the Array index one holds a Y coordinate. If that format was to change (let’s say the X and Y swap places) then that would cause our code to break in unexpected ways. But now take a look at the following example which works around this issue by converting our complex data structure into a cleaner data format… class Foo attr_reader :new_data def initialize(data) @new_data = transform(data) end def do_something new_data.each do \|item\| # now we are able to reference easily understandable # property names (rather than item[0], item[1]) puts item.coord_x puts item.coord_y puts '---' end end Transform = Struct.new(:coord_x, :coord_y) def transform(data) data.collect { \|item\| Transform.new(item[0], item[1]) } end end obj = Foo.new([[10, 25],[3, 9],[41, 7]]) obj.do_something …here we convert the Array into an object and instead can more easily and safely reference the data we’re interested in via recognisable property identifiers. This doesn’t mean if the data source changes that we’ll totally avoid all problems but it’ll be clearer where the problem is arising. Replace Conditional with Polymorphism This is one of the most useful refactoring techniques available to you, and there are two ways it can help: It removes the code smell of conditional logic It
34425 6 8 0,15 0,2 34 33 tw Taiwan 23119772 3 3 0,13 0,13 37 34 br Brazil 192272890 20 21 0,1 0,11 36 35 by Belarus 9648533 1 1 0,1 0,1 35 36 mg Madagascar 20653556 2 2 0,1 0,1 44 37 gr Greece 11306183 1 3 0,09 0,27 33 38 kr South Korea 48758000 4 6 0,08 0,12 39 39 ec Ecuador 14790608 1 1 0,07 0,07 40 cl Chile 17063000 1 2 0,06 0,12 42 41 ru Russia 141927297 7 8 0,05 0,06 43 42 ro Romania 22215421 1 2 0,05 0,09 45 43 co Colombia 45393050 2 3 0,04 0,07 41 44 ve Venezuela 26814843 1 1 0,04 0,04 40 45 pe Peru 29461933 1 1 0,03 0,03 46 46 tr Turkey 72561312 2 2 0,03 0,03 47 47 za South Africa 49991300 1 8 0,02 0,16 38 48 mx Mexico 111211789 2 2 0,02 0,02 49 49 th Thailand 66404688 1 2 0,02 0,03 50 50 eg Egypt 78737000 1 2 0,01 0,03 51 51 in India 1184344000 7 7 0,01 0,01 52 52 cn China 1338612968 6 10 0 0,01 53 53 ua Ukraine 45888000 0 0 0 0 48 54 873 1410 61,91% We now have 62% of active DDs while we had 73% last year. This year's campaign of MIA work has been somehow "successful", apparently No earthquake happened in Finland and there hasn't been a huge increase in DD birth in Switzerland, so the first two stay the same. And Luxembourg didn't have a second DD to beat this. Sweden lost many active DDs and is no longer close to Switzerland. New Zealand made its way in the top 3. I want them to make a special haka for this Ireland won 4 places and is now in the top 10. Thanks for their 3 new active DDs And France still hasn't kicked Belgium's ass. Maybe will we win when the country splits out? A few interesting facts:Papua New Guinea are set to gain some valuable high-level experience via three matches against Australian state teams in August and September. In a major boost for the developing cricket nation, the PNG Barramundis will take on Tasmania (Aug 31), Western Australia (Sept 2) and Queensland (Sept 5) over the space of a week at the Maroochydore Cricket Ground on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. Quick Single: Smith goes extra mile in drive to win The 50-over contests will serve as warm-ups for the Barramundis, who will then head to Darwin to take part in the South Australian Premier League Cup, between September 15 and October 9, as they have done for the past three years. Queensland coach Phil Jaques welcomed the opportunity to not only aid the development of a fledgling cricket nation, but also provide his own squad with another source of off-season action. "The more we can grow our region, and cricket in general, the better," Jaques told cricket.com.au. "As long as they're competitive fixtures, you're going to get takers, especially in the pre-season, for guys wanting to play some games." Quick Single: Johnson 'keen' on Scorchers Big Bash deal PNG are currently ranked fourth on the Associate ODI rankings table, and are sitting third behind the Netherlands and Hong Kong on the World Cricket League Championship ladder. "They've got a talented bunch of guys from all reports, some really good cricketers, and any high-level cricket we can play in our pre-season, we'd much rather be playing games than training," Jaques said. "So to be able to play against an international side will be a good hit-out for us." For the Bulls, the match will be played as an additional part to a 16-day state camp, and a chance for Jaques to assess the depth of his talented young squad. Quick Single: Matador Cup heads to Brisbane, Perth "We'll be missing some Australia, Australia A and National Performance Squad guys, so there's a really good opportunity there to blood a few young guys, play a few guys who are on the fringes and see where everyone is at. "We're playing a lot more trial games this off-season to give guys some exposure. It won't necessarily mean more games for our starting team, but it'll be a good mix of games across our whole squad to be able to get guys ready for the season. "We’re also playing a couple of games against an Auckland touring side, we're playing an Indigenous team prior to the state camp, a couple of extra games against South Australia, so we'll be going through a good solid workout of games leading into the season."An Arizona woman found a note inside a purse purchased from her local Walmart from a Chinese "prisoner," KVOA reports. Laura Wallace, daughter-in-law of the Walmart customer, says she had the note translated and found it "stated that the person who wrote that was a prisoner in China. Basically what their situation was and how they work long hours, 14 hours a day. And they don't have a lot to eat." The note was translated by at least three people and all reported similar accounts. Walmart issued a statement saying their "requirements for the suppliers who supply products for sale at Walmart is all work should be voluntary as indicated in our Standards for Suppliers." A full translation of the note reads: "Inmates in the Yingshan Prison in Guangxi, China are working 14 hours daily with no break/rest at noon, continue working overtimes until 12 midnight, and whoever doesn't finish his work will be beaten. Their meals are without oil and salt. Every month, the boss pays the inmate 2000 yuan, any additional dishes will be finished by the police. If the inmates are sick and need medicine, the cost will be deducted from the salary. Prison in China is unlike prison in America, horse cow goat pig dog (literally, means inhumane treatment)." Distributed by LAKANA. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Independent Investigations Group-Atlanta had our big debut this year at DragonCon: we had a table, we brought in a guest speaker, mentalist Mark Edward and we distributed lots of brochures and cards inviting people to take our $50,000 Challenge. We also kept an eye on the ParanormalTrack. One day, another member and I attended ParanormalTrack’s Psychic Reading Gallery featuring Ericka Boussarhane, “the Oprah of theParanormal.” We distributed our version of Granite State Skeptics’ psychic bingo cards at the door; however, since most people were already seated, we only handed out a few. Fortunately, one young woman was so delighted with hers that she got more from us and passed them out to other members of the audience. We can haz minion?Mwahahaha! Boussarhane’s website is called coldcasepsychic.com, but she doesn’t actually seem to make many claims about work on cold cases or with the police. She is, however, impressively multifaceted (if not particularly gifted at grammatical parallelism): Psychic, Intuitive, Empath, Dreams, Horoscopes, Reiki II Clairvoyant, Success Coach, Cold Cases, Ordained Minister, Notary, Psychic Detective, Criminal Readings, Astrology, Counseling, Missing Persons & Tarot Readings. In addition to being the “Oprah of the paranormal,” she has auditioned for Oprah’s OWN cable network. At DragonCon, she was heavily promoting Pensacola ParaCon 2011. She is also promoting the Con on her website. Boussarhane comes off as warm, personable and somewhat goofy. She projects an earth-mothery, women’s-feelings-are-magic vibe that I suspect would suit Oprah’s Jenny McCarthy/Suzanne Somers-infected network. She began by talking about herself, her background and her point of view. She believes everyone is “intuitive.” Her mother was very psychic, “like a lot ofwomen.” She did mention that she has worked with cold cases but offered no details. In her public readings, she tries to cover everyone in the room, so she began her readings in the front row. Although the room was fairly small, she did not get to Elizabeth and me. Her method also meant that there was no time for questions at the end. After her introduction, she made all sing “Twinkle, twinkle little star.” This, she said, would change the feel of the room and create “positive energy.” It would cause “good people” to come across, not those who want to talk about underwear (it seems that Ms. Boussarhane is frequently assailed by spirits with Tourette’s Syndrome or at least very poor impulse control). She explained that she begins a reading with a silent prayer and closes her eyes so she won’t be influenced by visual clues. She was, she says, a psychology major and knows about “skeptic stuff.” She did’t mention cold reading, but it was clear that that was what she was talking about. It also seemed clear that she was, in fact, using cold reading techniques. While she does close her eyes, she does not keep them closed throughout the entire reading. If there are visual cues to be seen, then she sees them. She explained that not everything she says will be a hit, and, indeed, when one of her statements fails to hit the mark, she often accepts it and moves on, rather than aggressively suggesting that the audience member must be wrong (à la John Edward). She did, however, mention that the information she is getting for one audience member might actually apply to another, or to a relative, or to a friend, or to someone the audience member passed on the street last week (okay, I added the last one). I should mention that, from where we were sitting, it was often difficult to tell whether Ms. Boussarhane’s insights were hits or misses: the audience wasn’t miked, and we could only see the backs of the heads of most of the people who received readings. It was also difficult to tell how much information people were providing. That said, Ms. Boussarhane came up with no extraordinary hits. Some highlights: For one woman, she sees an aunt who is “poking her girls [breasts] out.” This means that she has “passed,” apparently. This is a miss. “Well, that’s okay,” says Ms. Boussarhane; she won’t try to make it make sense. For a woman named Jennifer, she sees a large-breasted, blond woman who is dead. The woman wants to hug Jennifer. Her death was sudden, and she shows a puppy (breasts and animals, especially dogs, are a frequent theme). Ms. Boussarhane gets something about “cuttin’ hair.” The woman is “showing me a bathing suit top, kinda hippie-ish.” Jennifer is going to have a dual major and study away from home. At least some of this seems to make sense to Jennifer. At the end of the reading for Jennifer, the dead blond tells her not “‘to sweat the small things.’ She’s talking about your chest.” Ms. Boussarhane apparently does not realize how funny (and perhaps insulting) this is until the crowd laughs. For a woman named Clair, she sees a woman with a “tramp stamp.” Seems to be Hello Kitty or something with kitty ears. Not sure whether this was a hit. I don’t think so. “Did you have a relative you only visited one time?” No. “Is there a Bruce?” Yes. She sees someone giving a man named Hugh a wedgie—a chest-thumping colleague. This is a miss. She asks if he wants to sell a plot of land. He does. She suggests that he get his cholesterol checked because high cholesterol and neck blockages run in his family (this is worded oddly—something like, “cholesterol runs high in the neck in your family”). Although a propensity toward high cholesterol somewhere in the family seems a fairly safe suggestion, it appears to be a miss. She tells someone, “The check is in the mail. Literally, the check’s in the mail. Not literally the check’s in the mail.” I’m not sure if this made sense to its intended target, but it didn’t to me. “Someone put a big Shakespearean head on you. Or a hat. Or Peter Pan.” At first, I imagined someone with a bust of Shakespeare on top of or over the individual’s own head, but I think she meant an Elizabethan hat. Regardless, it isn’t a hit. “Who killed a lizard in the house?” No one. Oddly, the lizard is the one thing Ms. Boussarhane can’t let go of. She keeps trying to find some connection to a lizard. In vain. Perhaps my favorite exchange: “You’re gonna get a new car, sweetie.” “I don’t drive.” Some noticeable cold reading elements: “Do you have three siblings?” No. “How many do you have?” “One.” She gives one woman information that relates to the woman’s mother. Or, to be more accurate, the woman relates it to her mother. Ms. Boussarhane asks if the woman comes from from New York. The woman says no, but her mother did. She says, “I’m sensing that your mother’s not here.” Now, it seems to me that she’s suggesting that the mother has died, but “not here” could mean not in Atlanta or not at Dragon*Con, and that is how the woman takes it. This woman is sitting in the row ahead of me, so I can see and hear the exchange better than I could many of the earlier readings. The woman is clearly, if unwittingly, leading Ms. Boussarhane. The woman is also clearly upset about some things going on in her family, and the reading is starting to get uncomfortable when time runs out. While Ms. Boussarhane’s wedgie-giving, big-boobed spirits are somewhat entertaining, this woman brings home to me why psychics are such horrible leaches. Although there were no tears or raw emotions over suicides or dead babies, this woman was upset about the way her mother is being treated (by whom, I’m not sure). The psychic’s words seemed to make sense to her, even if she was providing most of the information. The reading was brief, but the woman seemed to become very involved in it and seemed to hope she could get something useful out of the reading. There may be help for her, but it is not going to come in a one-minute reading at Wookie-infested convention. ES Crossposted at IIG-Atlanta.Teacher orders boy, 10, to remove Help for Heroes wristband worn in memory of Lee Rigby 'because it might cause offence' Tracy Tew's son Charlie was put on report card at Maldon Primary School Refused to take off charity rubber bracelet sold to honour injured soldiers Charlie wears item in honour of Rigby and service personnel in his family Mrs Tew, 38, says: 'We are really proud of Charlie for sticking to his guns' Essex school insists wearing any wristband is against its jewellery policy H4H 'haven't heard of any health and safety incident connected to them' A teacher allegedly ordered a 10-year-old boy to take off his Help for Heroes wristband because it could cause offence. Tracy Tew was shocked when her son Charlie was put on a report card at Maldon Primary School in Essex after he refused to take off the charity rubber bracelet sold to honour injured soldiers. Charlie wears the wristband - bought at the Colchester Military Festival - in honour of murdered solider Lee Rigby and service personnel in his family, including his great-granddad and uncle. 'Could cause offence': Tracy Tew was shocked when her son Charlie was put on a report card at Maldon Primary School in Essex after he refused to take off the charity rubber bracelet sold to honour injured soldiers Mrs Tew, 38, a domestic service assistant at a hospital, said: ‘We are really proud of Charlie for sticking to his guns. He wanted to keep it on and he didn’t agree with the reasons why he shouldn’t. The mother of two added: ‘When the teacher said she was worried it was going to offend people, I thought it was disgusting. Our family are up in arms because we are all military minded. ‘With what happened with Lee Rigby, Charlie really wanted to wear a wristband.’ Drummer Rigby, 25, was killed by two Islamic fanatics in Woolwich, south-east London, in May last year. Michael Adebolajo, 29, and Michael Adebowale, 22, were jailed for the murder last month. Headteacher Tracy Thornton insisted wearing wristbands is against the school’s jewellery policy. Reasoning: Charlie wears the wristband (left) - bought at the Colchester Military Festival - in honour of murdered solider Lee Rigby (right) and service personnel in his family, including his great-granddad and uncle She said: ‘They are not allowed to wear jewellery, and that includes wristbands, for health and safety reasons because they could get caught. 'When the teacher said she was worried it was going to offend people, I thought it was disgusting. Our family are up in arms' Tracy Tew, mother ‘I can’t comment on what one particular teacher said, but for the general perspective of the school, the children are not allowed to wear jewellery except small silver studs and watches, which have to be taken off for PE.’ Bryn Parry, co-founder and CEO of Help for Heroes, told MailOnline: ‘A school's uniform policy is a matter for the principal and governors. ‘However, over 6million wristbands are proudly being worn in support of our wounded servicemen and women, including many wristbands on the frontline in Afghanistan. ‘We have not heard of a single health and safety incident connected to them, nor have we ever had a complaint that they are offensive. Response: Maldon Primary School headteacher Tracy Thornton insisted wearing wristbands is against the jewellery policy. She said children are 'not allowed to wear jewellery except small silver studs and watches' ‘We do also have a wonderful range of other items such as lapel badges for those who are keen to show their support for our wounded.’ Terry Sutton, Colchester president of the Royal British Legion - a separate charity to Help for Heroes - said he has never heard of anyone taking offence to wristbands backing military charities. 'It’s hard to see how the band would cause offence, except, I suppose, to the radical Muslim community' Terry Sutton, Royal British Legion in Colchester He said: ‘It’s hard to see how the band would cause offence, except, I suppose, to the radical Muslim community. I don’t think that will be a problem in Colchester and in its surrounding area. ‘Help for Heroes bands are something young people in particular have latched onto and it’s great, as a former serviceman, to see them showing their support.’The Steubenville, Ohio, rape trial involving high school football players Trent Mays and Ma'lik Richmond has been the latest headline-grabbing case to bring sexual assault back into public discussion. Several other brutal sex crimes in recent months have continued to garner global attention. They include the India gang rape in December, the alleged rape of a 9-year-old Pakistani girl shortly after, and another case in India, over the weekend, involving a Swiss tourist. So what do rape incidents look like globally? We've produced one partial answer via charts using the latest international data available on reported rapes by the United Nations. These numbers should be taken with a grain of salt, however. Statistics on the subject vary widely. The United States had more than 80,000 cases of rape reported to the police from 2004 to 2010, according to UN data. But the US Justice Department estimates 300,000 American women are raped every year, and the Centers for Disease Control puts the number much higher at 1.3 million. When looking at reported rape cases per capita, Australia, Botswana and Lesotho rank highest. But tallying sheer totals, Europe and the Americas consistently top the charts. It's difficult to pinpoint the "why" behind these numbers. Australia may have the highest average per capita, but that doesn't mean it actually experiences higher rates than other countries that bottom out on this list, like Egypt, where sexual assault has marred the country's once idealistic revolution.A Seminole County deputy accused of soliciting a 17-year-old girl for sex was arrested on a warrant in Indian River County on Thursday.David Rodriguez, 28, was charged with lewd computer solicitation of a child, according to investigators.Deputies say they received a tip from the father of a 17-year-old girl that Rodriguez had solicited the girl for sex via Facebook in June.The father looked at his daughter's Facebook account and saw conversations between the two about meeting up for sex, the arrest affidavit said.Rodriguez knew the girl since she was 6 years old through martial arts tournaments that they both attended, according to the arrest warrant.Rodriguez' family owns Kumite Karate in Longwood. The sign on the business said it was open Friday, but a note said it was closed for personal reasons.Deputies said Rodriguez admitted that he contacted the girl for sex but was waiting until she was 18."I wish you could send me pics. but not till ur 18," one Facebook message said.The arrest report said the teenager had a crush on Rodriguez but wanted to "stop the sexual conversations with Rodriguez after his baby was born but she did not know how to."Most watched video: Man reported attempted murder to get out of traffic ticketRodriguez was booked on $50,000 bond.He has been a patrol deputy since 2010 and received a lifesaving award in May.The process to terminate him from the Sheriff's Office has been initiated.14277264 A Seminole County deputy accused of soliciting a 17-year-old girl for sex was arrested on a warrant in Indian River County on Thursday. David Rodriguez, 28, was charged with lewd computer solicitation of a child, according to investigators. Advertisement Deputies say they received a tip from the father of a 17-year-old girl that Rodriguez had solicited the girl for sex via Facebook in June. The father looked at his daughter's Facebook account and saw conversations between the two about meeting up for sex, the arrest affidavit said. Rodriguez knew the girl since she was 6 years old through martial arts tournaments that they both attended, according to the arrest warrant. Rodriguez' family owns Kumite Karate in Longwood. The sign on the business said it was open Friday, but a note said it was closed for personal reasons. Deputies said Rodriguez admitted that he contacted the girl for sex but was waiting until she was 18. "I wish you could send me pics. but not till ur 18," one Facebook message said. The arrest report said the teenager had a crush on Rodriguez but wanted to "stop the sexual conversations with Rodriguez after his baby was born but she did not know how to." Most watched video: Man reported attempted murder to get out of traffic ticket Rodriguez was booked on $50,000 bond. He has been a patrol deputy since 2010 and received a lifesaving award in May. The process to terminate him from the Sheriff's Office has been initiated. AlertMeWe are definitely not experts in home DIY. We don’t know much, honestly. So when we decided to make over our backyard, I don’t know why we thought it was going to be a simple task. Seriously though, our bathroom door isn’t even finished/connected to the wall and we started that project like a year ago… So here is the story of how our weekend deck project turned into a month long Home Depot extravaganza. Here is what our deck looked like to begin with. The previous owners just painted it an ugly color. We went to Home Depot when we first decided to start this project to see what we should be doing and what products we needed. They had a video with this stuff and it looked like such an easy way to remove the color. All you had to do was paint it on and then brush it off. Totally simple, right? SO WRONG. After spending a lot of energy on this, it didn’t do anything and we went back to HD. And we picked up this. It did a little better than the first but it really didn’t do much of anything either. Apparently, because of CA clean air laws, you can’t get a good stripper anymore…. (What’s up, what’s up.) This was the result of the strippers. BOOO. So it was back to HD to get the big guns. AKA a floor sander. Cody being all manly using heavy machinery. This totally worked. But it took forever. We had to use smaller sanders to get in the smaller areas. Now that we FINALLY had the deck completely sanded, it was time to choose a color. We chose “S”. It is the one on the bottom left. Annnnd then I had to sand off the paint samples…SO MUCH SANDING. We then had to prep the deck. Which meant spraying the whole thing down. Prepping the deck was good anyways because it had rained and made the deck all moldy. Yuck. This was the one product that TOTALLY worked and we were thrilled. The Behr Premium All In One Wood Cleaner. We had to wash the deck with it. Don’t worry, I was there working too. But it made our deck look AMAZING. And it got rid of all the moldy grossness. We had to let the deck dry overnight and then we could start staining. See, I told you I helped. And I looked damn pretty doin’ it too! HA! Pretty deck. 🙂 We are totally thrilled with how it turned out. PS. It isn’t this orange in real life. From start to finish. Such a difference! So that is one project down. About a million more to go before we are totally done. Linking up with Tori AdvertisementsToday, after nearly 70 years, the legendary Defender will finally end production. There are few moments within the automotive timeline to weigh so heavy as this one. Perhaps the only other day to rivaled its significance was in 1948 when the first Land Rover Series I rolled off the line and into the annals of history. It would be an epic undertaking to chronicle all that has been achieved by the iconic 4×4 from Solihull. It has served as a farm tool, work truck, ambulance, and everyday carriage. It has conquered the jungles of Asia, the sands of the Sahara, and virtually every other remote place on Earth. Militaries have relied on the Defender to deliver them down range, and more importantly, home again. The boxy outlines of the Land Rover Series in all of its iterations has portaged explorers, dignitaries, and royalty. From the Queen of England to Mic Jagger, it has been a loyal conveyance. It has been steadfast, faithful, and uniquely, unmistakably, proudly––British. Because the first Land Rovers were so formidable and trusted by dauntless adventurers the world over, many people in the distant corners of the globe had never seen a vehicle until a Series from Solihull rambled into their villages. Few machines, vehicle or otherwise, have contributed so much to our sense of adventure as the vehicle many simply refer to as––a Land Rover. It was a good run, and although it seems like this is the end, the sun will never set on the Land Rover. The millions of trucks to wear the green oval will continue to trundle along undeterred for decades to come. Kingsley Holgate has traveled all of Africa in his Defender, doing humanitarian works along the way. Kingsley Holgate is synonymous with Land Rover and rugged exploration. The Queen of England has long been associated with Land Rovers. The Royal Jordanian Military on parade. As legendary as the Land Rover brand, Winston Churchill poses next to a Series I. Mic Jagger knows how to travel in style. https://vimeo.com/123619787This post has been updated. The Ithaca Police Department is opening a homicide investigation after one of two Ithaca College students stabbed on the Cornell campus was pronounced dead at Cayuga Medical Center. Family members identified Anthony Nazaire, 19, as the Ithaca College student who was killed. The second student, who was injured but survived, has not yet been identified. Cornell Police found the two men stabbed in front of Olin Hall, while responding to a report of a large fight at approximately 1:57 a.m. on Sunday. After arriving at the scene, first responders began medical treatment and later located the weapon and secured the area. Nazaire was transported to Cayuga Medical Center for “treatment of serious injuries.” He was later pronounced dead, according to the Ithaca Police Department. The other was flown to Upstate Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries and later released. “A homicide investigation is currently underway,” a release from IPD states. “The Ithaca Police Department is leading a team of several local law enforcement agencies who are engaged in the investigation.” According to IPD, the New York State Police Forensic Identification Unit is processing the crime scene and witness interviews are underway. Police are continuing to investigate this incident and “attempting to obtain detailed suspect information,” according to a CUPD crime alert sent to Cornell students at approximately 3 a.m. Police ask that anyone with information about the crime contact the Ithaca Police Department. Nazaire was entering his sophomore year at Ithaca College and had just returned from a summer spent working on Coney Island, his cousin Channelle Nazaire told The Ithaca Voice. The victim lived with his family in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn. He is survived by his parents and three younger siblings. An updated release from the Ithaca Police Department on Sunday afternoon revealed that the stabbing took place after the conclusion of an event at Willard Straight Hall hosted by Omega Psi Phi called O-Week Turnup: Workqowt edition. Several altercations broke out as students left the hall, and video surveillance shows that several bystanders recorded the incidents on their phones, the release said. There were also several cars driving nearby. “In the meantime, I hope you will hold these students—along with their families, friends, classmates, and professors—in your thoughts and prayers at this difficult and tragic time,” said Ithaca College president Tom Rochon. Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick ’09 called the incident a “horrible tragedy” in a Facebook post and promised to share more information as it becomes available. Ryan Lombardi, Cornell’s vice president for student and campus life, also issued a statement this morning expressing thoughts and condolences” to the family and friends of the victims. Lombardi said that the Ithaca Police Department will investigate the crime with assistance from the CUPD and other law enforcement agencies. He also said police members have concluded that at this time there is no ongoing threat to campus. “There is nothing more important than the safety of our community; as such, this incident is deeply disturbing,” Lombardi said. “Please be sure to take care of yourselves and each other throughout the coming days.” Any bystanders who have information about this incident are encouraged to contact The Sun at news@cornellsun.com. University Resources: Members of the Cornell community seeking support can called Gannett Health Services’ Counseling and Psychological Services (607-255-3277), the Faculty Staff Assistance Program (607-255-2673), the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) or find additional resources at caringcommunity.cornell.edu.The Marlins and catcher Carlos Corporan have agreed to terms on a minor league contract, tweets SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo. The 32-year-old MDR Sports Management client had recently been released from a minors pact with the Rays, where he’d batted.200/.246/.308 in 70 plate appearances. Corporan has quite a bit of Major League experience under his belt, having spent parts of six seasons in the big leagues. He’s spent time with the Brewers, Astros and, most recently, the Rangers, combining to bat.218/.280/.342 in 780 trips to the plate as a Major Leaguer. Behind the plate, he’s caught 23 percent of attempted base thieves over the course of his career — a number that improves to 25.6 percent if one is willing to overlook some throwing struggles he had in his first extended look at the big league level back in 2011. He drew strong framing marks from Baseball Prospectus from 2011-14 but turned in slightly below-average numbers in that regard last season and again in his limited time at Triple-A this season. Corporan will provide the Fish with some depth and figures to head to Triple-A, where Tomas Telis (acquired from the Rangers in exchange for Sam Dyson last summer) and Adrian Nieto have split catching duties. While Telis has hit exceptionally well at the minor league level this season (.361/.430/.470), Nieto has batted.116/.244/.116 after struggling at the Double-A level last season. In the Majors, the Marlins have the quietly solid J.T. Realmuto handling the bulk of the work behind the dish. Veteran Jeff Mathis is his primary backup, though the 33-year-old is hitting just.152/.176/.212 in 34 plate appearances this season.Company owner Ageas will shut the office in Uddingston, South Lanarkshire, next year. Kiwk Fit: Decision down to 'fundamental changes' in market. ©2016 Google More than 500 jobs are at risk under plans to close a Kwik Fit Insurance office near Glasgow. Company owner Ageas said it is "under pressure" due to "fundamental" changes in the way people now buy insurance. Ageas has now started a 45-day consultation with the 521 staff over plans to close the office in Uddingston, South Lanarkshire, next year. It is also working with Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International in an attempt to find "third parties who may be able to use the facility and skills available at the site". An Ageas spokeswoman said: "Kwik Fit Insurance Services has been under pressure for some time as a result of changes in the way people buy insurance and the way the personal insurance market now operates. "We have made a number of attempts to address this but they have not been sufficient to improve performance and address declines in workload. "This means difficult choices have to be considered. Subject to employee consultation, we are proposing to close our Uddingston office next year." She added: "This is clearly very difficult news for our employees and is not a course of action we have taken lightly. Our priority is to support them through what we know is a very unsettling time. "We are committed to listening to them, and being open and transparent during the consultation." Ageas said the Brexit vote or a potential second Scottish independence referendum were not factors in the decision and it is simply down to "fundamental changes" in the personal insurance market. The company bought Kwik Fit Insurance Services in 2010 from Kwik Fit GB. Uddingston and Bellshill SNP MSP Richard Lyle said: "Understandably this will be a very difficult time for the workforce and everyone affected. "I have been in contact with Ageas to ask that they ensure staff are meaningfully included in the consultation and that uncertainty over their future is kept to a minimum, and will be visiting the workforce on Friday to provide support. "The Scottish Government is actively involved in providing all necessary support for concerned individuals through the Pace initiative, and I would encourage members of the workforce with concerns or who may be looking for advice to use this service or to contact me as their local MSP." Want to receive the latest headlines straight to your inbox? Subscribe to our 'Morning Briefing' newsletter. Subscribe This field is required. That doesn't look like a valid e-mail format, please check. That e-mail's already in our system. Please try again. Please tick the box below to confirm your subscription Thanks for subscribing to our 'Morning Briefing' newsletter. Subscribed Want to receive the latest headlines straight to your inbox? Subscribe to our 'Morning Briefing' newsletter. Thanks for subscribing to our 'Morning Briefing' newsletter. Subscribe Download: The STV News app is Scotland's favourite and is available for iPhone from the App store and for Android from Google Play. Download it today and continue to enjoy STV News wherever you are.The Constitution is still relevant today. We should expose more people to it, so they can make up their minds how they want it to be applied, rather than addressing government with minimal knowledge of how it works. I count myself immeasurably fortunate that I attended a high school with teachers who made an effort to invest in my education. Years later, many of them still stand out in my mind. Mr. Shipp, for instance, was a sharp-dressing, sharp-witted man who constantly sipped yerba mate tea. I attribute much of my love for American government and politics to his high school civics course. Before every class, we read a primary source that in some way contributed to modern American political thought – Locke, Hobbes, Bastiat, de Tocqueville, the Federalist Papers. Mr. Shipp then led us in a Socratic dialogue, engaging the ideas in the text and examining how they formed our institutions of government. Over and over, our class discussion returned to the Constitution of the United States, the document that created these institutions. By examining its text closely in the light of great authors, I came to a better understanding of our country’s distinctive nature. Every clause spoke to the concerns
and you have got multiple screens for them. The menu In menu this laucher really gets ahead of the stock one, providing you clean and simple experience while browsing your apps, they are sorted into categories- Internet, Phone, Games, Media, Tools and Settings, the laucher will sort your apps automaticly and it does pretty good job with it, but you also can sort the apps yourself by long tapping the app and then moving it into the category you would like it to be in. You can even search by name in the menu, you have easy acess to the google play and to the setting of the launcher.Kiev (AFP) - Ukraine and pro-Russian insurgents have reached a vital "New Year" truce agreement that will go into effect at midnight Tuesday in the hope of finally ending clashes in the war-scarred ex-Soviet state. The announcement suggests that the warring sides were more ready than ever to put aside their guns while they negotiate the formal status of the separatist east and other contentious issues. Yet it also underscores how Western efforts to end one of Europe's deadliest conflicts since the Balkans wars of the 1990s had resolutely failed. Kiev's pro-Western leaders and the insurgents are fighting over an industrial region the approximate size of Wales that is home to about 3.5 million people and the centre of the splintered nation's coal and steel wealth. An adviser to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko's peace negotiator said the new deal had been agreed in the Belarussian capital Minsk during the latest round of periodic talks. "We have an agreement about a complete and unconditional ceasefire that will begin at 00.00 hours on the night of December 22-23," Darka Olifer wrote on her Facebook page. "This initiative is especially needed so that civilians who live in (the separatist east) can spend Christmas and the New Year holidays in peace." An envoy from the predominantly rebel-run Lugansk province said the new agreement was necessary because of "repeated violations by Kiev" of a loosely-enforced existing truce. And the head envoy from Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) that is helping broker an end to the 20-month war said the sides had also agreed to limit their troop and tank movements along the 500-kilometre (300-mile) front. "We express our expectations and hope that the people of eastern Ukraine can enjoy their New Year and Christmas days in peace and keep these conditions in the future," Russia's RIA Novosti news agency quoted Martin Sajdik as saying in Minsk. "We have agreed that the sides will refrain from conducting any military manoeuvres, and also reduce to a minimum any movement of forces," the OSCE negotiator added. - Past truce failures - The warring sides had reached a September 1 truce agreement that significantly calmed deadly exchanges of artillery and missile fire along a 30-kilometre-wide (19-mile-wide) buffer zone separating rebel-run territory from the rest of Ukraine. Yet a new upsurge in violence that began last week has put the September deal under threat. Kiev on Tuesday reported 30 truce breaches by the insurgents along the front line. The United Nations estimates that more than 9,000 people -- most of them civilians -- have died since the rebel revolt began in April 2014. Kiev also claims that the estimated 40,000 rebel fighters are being backed up by about 8,000 Russian troops. Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly denied playing any direct role in the conflict. But he admitted for the first time last week that there were "people (in Ukraine) who work on resolving various issues there, including in the military sphere."Blue Bell returns to Texas stores post-listeria outbreak A parade in downtown welcomed back Blue Bell Monday, Aug. 31, 2015, in Brenham. A parade in downtown welcomed back Blue Bell Monday, Aug. 31, 2015, in Brenham. Photo: Steve Gonzales, Houston Chronicle Photo: Steve Gonzales, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 100 Caption Close Blue Bell returns to Texas stores post-listeria outbreak 1 / 100 Back to Gallery Blue Bell is back. More than six months after a listeria outbreak linked to Blue Bell Ice Cream killed three in Kansas, and five months after an April recall took the ice cream completely out of stores nationwide, Blue Bell is once again in freezer aisles across Alabama and select parts of Texas (see full recall timeline). Blue Bell was given the OK to renew production at its Sylacauga, Alabama plant earlier this month by the Alabama Department of Public Health and has since been stockpiling new ice cream to reintroduce to customers in Houston, Austin, Brenham (home of Blue Bell headquarters) and parts of Alabama. Initial flavor options will be limited, but include Homemade Vanilla Dutch Chocolate, Cookies 'n Cream and Great Divide in half-gallon sizes; and Homemade Vanilla in pint and "Cup" sizes. The return is being greeted by re-introduction events for both staff and customers at stores like H-E-B, Kroger, Randalls, Walmart, Sam's Club and others across Houston. Deliverymen were greeted by long lines of customers waiting to get their Blue Bell fix in both Houston and Brenham on Monday morning. Anthony Lawrence of Stanpac was the first customer at H-E-B in Brenham to purchase Blue Bell on Monday, leaving with four half-gallons by 6 a.m. Stan Ford didn't even wait to leave the store to dive into his Blue Bell; he paused just beyond the checkout line to dig into a pint of Homemade Vanilla. Prior to the recall, Blue Bell was the third largest seller of ice cream in the United States. A total of 10 people in Kansas, Arizona, Oklahoma and Texas were linked to the listeria outbreak, including the three dead, according to the CDC.Ohhhhh the excitement of a season premier – and this one is a doozy. Emma’s dark, Zelena’s knocked up, Henry’s an author, Hook heard ‘I Love You’, and Snow and David….uh….they found the baby. Well. That’s something, isn’t it? We begin this evening in Minnesota, circa 1989 at a retro-viewing of The Sword in the Stone (it first came out in 1963, so I’m assuming that’s what this was). Young Emma has sneaked into the movie theater and pickpockets an airline candy bar from someone in the theater. An usher has seen her and stands over her in a really creepy way before he tells her simply: “don’t.” He then clarifies: Emma shouldn’t do something she isn’t supposed to do. One day she’ll have the opportunity to remove Excalibur but she mustn’t. “Leave the sword alone,” he tells her, and then he disappears. And somehow Emma never remembers this? Even after encountering all kinds of freaky crap in Storybrooke? And now we’re away to Camelot, following Arthur and his knights as they search for Excalibur – but someone’s beaten them to it. Sir Kay is determined to take the sword and gives it a grab over Arthur’s warning and of course, he’s poofed into dust. “Your turn,” Lancelot deadpans. Ah, Lancelot. I missed you, you prime piece of manflesh. Damn. Arthur finally gives it a go, pulling the sword from the stone only to find that half the sword is gone.They must find the other half – which, it turns out, has been made into the Dark One dagger. And now we move to Storybrooke, mere moments after Emma disappeared. The stunned group is wondering where Emma has gone and Hook picks up the dagger, commanding Emma to his side. It’s no use. Emma isn’t in our world, and therefore cannot be summoned. Back to the Enchanted Forest again, to the vault of Rumplestiltskin. The door to the vault starts bubbling and produces a stunned Emma. She’s more than a little weirded out, especially when she sees Rumplestiltskin – but he’s no more than a spectre of the darkness manifesting itself as Rumple. A dark version of a conscience, so to speak. He’s going to be her guide until she learns to embrace her darkness. Emma vows it won’t happen, but he tells her with a saucy little laugh that they all say that. “The only way to stop is to be stopped,” he tells her firmly. In Storybrooke, the apprentice is conscious but not doing too good. He lets them all know that Emma’s in the Enchanted Forest and then he poofs up a wand that was a gift from Merlin. It carries all the light magic, but to cross realms it must be wielded by someone dark. Regina gives it a go, but she’s too light to do it now. Meanwhile, Rumple is still in a coma. Belle wants to remain by Rumple’s side, terrified he’s going to die without her there. Blue poofs up a genuine bona-fide Beauty and the Beast flower to help Belle more accurately predict when Rumple’s gonna bite the big one. Down in the hospital looney ward, Regina, Robin and Hook pay a visit to Zelena to ask for her help. Zelena isn’t sure if she wants to go along for the ride, but she does figure out that the wand needs something personal of Emma’s in order to draw the portal to her. She asks Regina to remove her magic-inhibiting cuff, but Regina refuses and storms out. This leaves Zelena to point out to Hook (with that wonderful, ingratiating smile) that she’s the only way to get to Emma. Over in the Enchanted Forest, meanwhile, Dark Rumple offers to show Emma how to find a magical force that can guide her to Merlin. He tricks her into poofing herself to an area where she’ll find a will o’ the wisp. She begins chasing it down, and runs into our eagerly anticipated new badass, Merida! Emma uses dark magic to knock Merida on her arse (she’s Scottish, so I have to say it that way, you understand). Then she apologizes, feeling terrible about it. Merida sympathizes with the whole curse thing, after having turned her mom into a bear, but when she offers to fight Emma fairly – no magic – for the ownership of the will o’ the wisp, Emma refuses to do it. Merida sees that Emma’s trying hard to fight the darkness and offers to help her. She tells Emma of the magical hill of stones. Back in Storybrooke, Hook approaches Henry and asks him to use the magical pen to rewrite the story and write the darkness out of Emma. Henry lets him know that he snapped the pen in half because it was the noble thing to do. Somehow Hook refrains from smacking the boy upside the head and asks instead, “What if there was a dangerous way to help your mother – something your other mother wouldn’t like?” Henry assures Killian that what Momma don’t know won’t hurt her, and Hook asks Henry to help him break Zelena out of the loony hatch. Over in the Enchanted Forest, Merida lets Emma know that her brothers have been kidnapped and held hostage because she’s her father’s heir and the united clans don’t want her leading them on account of her mammary glands and uterine tendencies. They make camp, but Emma can’t sleep. Dark Rumple shows up to explain that much like sparkly vampires, Dark Ones don’t sleep. Well. This could be all kinds of exhausting for Hook eventually. Just sayin’. Anyway, Dark Rumple explains that if Merida uses the wisp, Emma can’t have it, Wisps only answer to one owner, and Merida owns this one as long as her heart beats. Henry meantime, has figured out the passcode to the loony hatch. He spills his coke on Nurse Ratched (and he even calls her Nurse Ratched!) and Chief Bromden comes to help as Hook steals the key. Once inside the cell, he starts to make a deal with Zelena. He’s got the heart ripping out potion and pours it all over his hook, intending on controlling her with it, but like Regina, she’s got hers protected and the ensuing blast knocks Hook over. She grabs his dagger and chops off her own damn hand, freeing herself from the bracelet before she poofs away. Whoops. Regina is really pissed (of course) that Hook let her out and he in turn accuses Regina of not wanting Emma back. Snow uses her Mom voice and insists that everyone get united to #SaveEmma! Regina knows that Zelena is most likely heading straight for Robin, and she’s right. They come upon them on main street (as usual). Zelena holds Robin hostage, offering to trade him for the apprentice’s wand. She wants her baby and she wants to go back to Oz where she can live free. Regina turns the wand over and Zelena opens up the portal, but before she can get out, Regina slaps the cuff back on her, knowing that the portal would weaken her. Back in the Enchanted Forest, Emma goes to wake Merida and finds her gone. Dark Rumple warns her that If Merida gets to the hill of stones and whispers into the wisp, she’ll have lost her chance. Emma asks what the hill looks like so she can magic there – and she does. Merida draws her bow on her while Rumple whispers in Emma’s ear like some creepy shoulder-devil. Emma’s torn, but she’s not letting Merida out of her sight. Over in Storybrooke, it’s more like a curse is coming than a portal since Zelena conjured a cyclone. Regina has Emmas baby blanket and as they all stand in Granny’s, she waves the wand over it and the blanket begins to glow. Leroy, Happy and Doc show up to join in the fun just before Granny’s gets caught up in the cyclone and away they go. And look – baby Neal is coming too! Snow remembered her baby. Surely there’s some reason for that. I mean, this woman doesn’t go remembering her baby every day, here. I’m calling it – there’s a reason the baby had to go back, too. Over at the circle of stones, Emma fights her growing darkness as Merida looses the arrow and lets it fly. Emma stops it in mid-flight, but refuses to use her power against her new friend. She just keeps catching the arrows and she’s getting more and more pissed off as Dark Rumple goads her. She finally loses her cool and yanks out Merida’s heart, just as her family and friends show up around her. She asks how they all got there, and Hook replies: “It doesn’t matter how. Has anything ever stopped me before?” That made me feel all moooshy inside. Hook points out that they’re all there for her and if they can overcome their demons, so can she. Emma gives Merida her heart back and falls into Hook’s arms. sigh A little bit later, Merida’s chasing the wisp when Emma approaches to thank her for her understanding. Merida tells Emma she was on her way to kill the people who took her brothers but now she’s considering mercy instead. Not before punching the arseholes first, of course. As Rumple would say: “Confidence! I like it.” Snow and David (oh, look – there’s David. Forgot he was here) want to give Emma the dagger, trusting her to control herself. She refuses but Hook cautions her to take it – if it falls into the wrong hands, it could be very, very bad all around. She offers it instead to Regina. “I saved you, save me,” she tells her. And if Regina can’t save her, she expects her to do what no one else will do – destroy her. They all head over to Granny’s, which is looking a little worse for wear but still in business. The door opens, and out runs Leroy with tonight’s winning line: “Terrible news! No onion rings!” Suddenly, we hear the clip clop of coconuts horses and there’s Arthur and his knights. He’s come to find them because Merlin prophesied their coming. Yes, he’s been missing forfreakingever, but not for much longer. Merlin’s prophecy says the Storybrooke folk are destined to reunite Merlin and Arthur. Off they go to Camelot, and all of a sudden it’s six weeks later. Sneezy is the new sheriff of Storybrooke (along with his sleepy deputy) and they’re out on patrol. The sky lights up and Granny’s is back. Our cast wakes up dressed in Camelot clothes, but – here we go again, folks – none of them have any damn memories again. The door flies open and there’s Emma, fully dark and more than a little crazy-eyed.She turns poor Sneezy to stone and tells them all that there’s no savior in this town anymore. Worse, she has the dagger, and she’s intent on punishing them all for whatever it is that they did to her that they can’t remember. She’s The Dark One now, and it appears that our heroes (and former villains) have failed. Whoa. Well, I’m going to give this one four dark daggers out of five. There was a lot of necessary exposition, and a few plot devices that worked (bringing Rumple in as her personal devil is a nice touch, as was the Beauty and the Beast rose to chart good Rumple’s progress) but trotting out the memory loss thing again? I realize that sets up a whole bunch of flashbacks and reveals but….uhhhgh. It’s getting a little old, guys. What happens next season? They all walk around with polaroid cameras and tattoos all over their bodies? (That was an awesome movie reference, by the way. If you don’t get it, find someone who does and then watch that movie – that’s memory loss done right). I’m looking forward to seeing more of Emma’s internal struggle, Merida was adorable, and Zelena’s always bat-shit crazy fun. Guess we’ll just have to see where it all goes… AdvertisementsAlthough I have tenure now, as a new, African American faculty member I know I was strongly advised by my senior colleagues and administrators to keep my service to that so-called diversity mission to a minimum, and it was advice that I was happy to follow. I was happy to follow that advice even if it meant keeping as low a profile as possible and declining requests to take on important projects that I knew would not count when I came up for tenure. I’m not sure what choices I would make now. For example, earlier this year, I got a lot of attention for a series of tweets that focused on how I have learned to talk to students of color, particularly black students, during a time when the extrajudicial deaths of black men and women are getting more attention than they have in the past. In those tweets, I mentioned that my colleagues and I put together a reader with articles and essays that we thought would offer useful context for our students for a Ferguson event we had planned. It reminded me of the importance of such service. There’s not a lot of room in my teaching or research for this kind of work. I write and teach about 19th-century British literature, and the colleagues I worked with on the reader are not historians or sociologists. We worked outside of our expertise as a service to our institution. To date, I’ve personally received more than 200 requests for the reader from professors and student-service administrators from all kinds of institutions: high-school libraries, Ivy League professors, community-college faculty, and people who want to read it for their own edification. The thing I hear most often is that they want to do something for their students but they feel ill-equipped to do so because the issue falls out of their area of expertise. I get requests from students, too. Those are the ones I’m most interested in—the student in a small midwestern town who wants to help his classmates understand why folks are chanting Black Lives Matter; the student who’s seeking more context after being assigned Ta-Nehisi Coates’s Between the World and Me; the student who explained to me that she is chairing a committee on her New England campus that is focused on racial reconciliation. So, every few days, I put aside time to do this work that probably doesn’t count to the people who assess my scholarly productivity. It isn’t a conference paper or a peer-reviewed journal essay or a scholarly monograph. It’s labor that is invisible except to those eager to be as woke as those students who have been protesting; and it’s labor that keeps me mindful of what role I can play right now as students of color and their white counterparts learn to understand one another in and out of the classroom. This imbalance—this extra burden on minority faculty—has ever been thus. Women of color, for example, tend to take on more service than their male counterparts. Similarly, for me and other nonwhite faculty members I know, much, if not most, of this service revolves around supporting students of color—sponsoring campus groups, providing additional guidance (especially for first-generation college students), and intervening on their behalf with administrative officers. On top of that, we’re also called on to “diversify” campus committees and to represent the views of a variety of ethnic groups in even the most informal conversations. And while advice about how to manage the pressure is readily available, it’s hard to take the long view and think about tenure and promotion when college students need, and are seeking, guidance as they challenge their institutions to make diversity a priority in word and in deed.New Japan Pro Wrestling “NJPW PRESENTS CMLL FANTASTICA MANIA 2015”, 01/17/15 [Sat] 18:30 @ Shinkiba 1st Ring in Tokyo 300 Spectators (1) Fantastica Mania 2015 Tag Tournament First Round: Rey Cometa & Stuka Jr. vs. Barbaro Cavernario & Mr. Niebla ◆Winner: Stuka Jr. (4:10) with the Torpedo Splash on Mr. Niebla. (2) Fantastica Mania 2015 Tag Tournament First Round: Volador Jr. & Stigma vs. Ultimo Guerrero & Gran Guerrero ◆Winner: Ultimo (9:32) with the Guerrero Special on Stigma. (3) Fantastica Mania 2015 Tag Tournament First Round: Triton & Mistico vs. Polvora & Mephisto ◆Winner: Mephisto (7:09) with the Devil’s Wings on Triton. (4) Fantastica Mania 2015 Tag Tournament First Round: Mascara Dorada & Atlantis vs. Tetsuya Naito & La Sombra ◆Winner: Dorada (8:05) with a rolling clutch on La Sombra. (5) Fantastica Mania 2015 Tag Tournament First Semifinal: Rey Cometa & Stuka Jr. vs. Ultimo Guerrero & Gran Guerrero ◆Winner: Ultimo (8:13) with the Guerrero Special on Stuka Jr. (6) Fantastica Mania 2015 Tag Tournament First Semifinal: Mascara Dorada & Atlantis vs. Polvora & Mephisto ◆Winner: Dorada (4:27) with a jumping rolling clutch on Mephisto. (7) CMLL World Light Heavyweight Championship Match: [16th Champion] Angel De Oro vs. [Challenger] OKUMURA ◆Winner: Angel (12:13) with a modified butterfly lock. ~ Successful defense (8) Fantastica Mania 2015 Tag Tournament First Final: Mascara Dorada & Atlantis vs. Ultimo Guerrero & Gran Guerrero ◆Winner: Atlantis (16:54) with the Atlantida on Ultimo. ~ Mascara Dorada and Atlantis win the first Fantastica Mania 2015 Tag Tournament. New Japan Pro Wrestling “NJPW PRESENTS CMLL FANTASTICA MANIA 2015”, 01/18/15 [Sun] 18:30 @ Korakuen Hall in Tokyo 1,950 Spectators (1) Jushin Liger, Tiger Mask & Angel De Oro vs. Tomohiro Ishii, Gedo & YOSHI-HASHI ◆Winner: Tiger (10:40) with a jumping rolling clutch. (2) KUSHIDA & Triton vs. OKUMURA & Barbaro Cavernario ◆Winner: OKUMURA (7:29) with a arm trap single leg crab. ~ Rey Cometa confronted Barbaro following the match and it appears that their singles bout tomorrow will go on despite Cometa being pulled from various shows on the tour. He was originally scheduled to partake in this match with Mr. Niebla on the opposing team. (3) Captain New Japan, Mascara Don (Manabu Nakanishi) & Mascara Dorada vs. Tetsuya Naito, Ryusuke Taguchi & La Sombra ◆Winner: Sombra (10:24) with a split-legged moonsault on Captain. ~ La Sombra and Mascara Dorada will face off on tomorrow’s show. (4) NWA World Historic Welterweight Championship Match: [7th Champion] Volador Jr. vs. [Challenger] Gran Guerrero ◆Winner: Volador (10:24) with the Spanish Fly. ~ Successful defense. (5) Mexican National Light Heavyweight Championship Match: [63rd Champion] Mephisto vs. Stuka Jr. ◆Winner: Mephisto (13:06) with the Devil’s Wings. ~ Successful defense. ~ Yujiro appeared as Mephisto’s second and announced that Mephisto has joined BULLET CLUB. (6) Black Cat Memorial Match: Hiroshi Tanahashi, Stigma & Mistico vs. Kazuchika Okada, Shinsuke Nakamura & Polvora ◆Winner: Mistico (11:56) with a the La Mistica on Polvora. (7) Special Singles Match: Atlantis vs. Ultimo Guerrero ◆Winner: Ultimo (18:05) with the Guerrero Special on Atlantis. ~ Ultimo Guerrero defeats his rival and gains some revenge following their Lucha De Apuesta at CMLL’s 81st Anniversary show as well as the tag tournament loss on the previous day’s show. NJPW Event Cards for January & February 2015 https://puroresuspirit.wordpress.com/2014/12/19/njpw-event-cards-for-january-february-2015/MMepIstanbul, the largest city in Turkey and the fifth-largest city in the world by population, is considered European, yet it occupies two different continents. One part of Istanbul lies in Europe and the other part lies in Asia. Istanbul’s European part is separated from its Asian part by the Bosphorus strait, a 31-km-long waterway that connects the Black Sea with the Sea of Marmara, and forms a natural boundary between the two continents. Two suspension bridges across the Bosporus - the Bosporus Bridge and Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge, also called Bosporus Bridge II, connect the two sides, yet many tourist prefer to visit the European side of Istanbul because of its historical significance. The European side is also the city’s commercial center with banks, stores and corporations and two-third of its population. The Asian side feels more relaxed, with wide boulevards, residential neighbourhoods and fewer hotels and tourist attractions. Photo credit Istanbul is one of the few cities in the world to be shared by two continents. Examples of other cities that are half European and half Asian include the Russian cities of Orenburg and Magnitogorsk, and Atyrau, a city in western Kazakhstan. Similarly, Suez, an Egyptian city straddling the Suez Canal, belong to both Africa and Asia. But Istanbul is by far the largest and the only metropolis in the world to do so. (See: The Curious Case of Baarle-Nassau and Baarle-Hertog and Diomede Islands) Being the only water route between the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea, the Bosporus has been the site of significant settlement and cities for a long time. In particular, the Golden Horn, an estuary that joins Bosphorus Strait at the immediate point where the strait meets the Sea of Marmara, and forms a large, sheltered harbour. It was here, on the European side of the Bosphorus, the city of Byzantium was founded by the ancient Greeks around 660 BCE, the city which later became Istanbul. When Constantine the Great became the new Roman emperor, the city was renamed as Constantinople in 330 AD. For the next sixteen centuries, Constantinople served as the capital of the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire, the Latin Empire and the Ottoman Empire, during which over 120 emperors and sultans ruled over this land. Istanbul was a Christian city during Roman and Byzantine times, before the Ottomans conquered the city in 1453 and transformed it into an Islamic stronghold and the seat of the last caliphate. After the Turkish War of Independence, the modern Republic of Turkey was established in 1923, and although Ankara was chosen as its capital, the city did not lose its significance. Many palaces and imperial mosques still line Istanbul's hills as visible reminders of the city's previous central role. Today Istanbul is a huge metropolis connecting continents, cultures, and religions and being home to fifteen million people and one of the greatest business and cultural center of the region. Photo credit Photo credit Aerial view of Bosphorus Bridge. Photo credit Photo credit Photo credit Photo credit Photo credit Photo credit Sources: Wikipedia / EOEarth / BBCMedia playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Jenni Rivera has sold more than 15 million records of traditional music Mexican-American singer Jenni Rivera has died in a plane crash in northern Mexico, her father has confirmed. Pedro Rivera, flanked by his two sons, told Mexican TV that his 43-year-old daughter and six others on board the plane, including two pilots, had died. Officials have confirmed Rivera was killed when the Learjet 25 went down on Sunday in Nuevo Leon state. She was born in California in 1969 to Mexican parents, sold more than 15m records of norteno and banda music. She was a judge in the popular television programme La Voz, Mexico's version of The Voice. Marriage troubles "Everyone was lost," Mr Rivera told Telemundo television. Civil aviation chief Alejandro Argudin told Mexican media that the plane had been "totally destroyed" and the wreckage scattered over a wide area. Image caption Jenni Rivera was born in Long Beach, California Transportation and Communications Minister Gerardo Ruiz Esparza said there was "nothing recognisable, neither material nor human" in the wreckage, adding that debris was scattered across a distance of up to 300m (984ft). A damaged California driver's licence with Rivera's name and photograph was found among the wreckage. A US aviation investigation board confirmed on Monday that she had died on board the plane. It was not clear what caused the crash. Rivera, known as the "diva de la banda", had performed in the northern city of Monterrey on Saturday. Although Rivera sang about drug trafficking, most of her music was about her misfortunes in love. She was travelling to the city of Toluca, outside Mexico City, when the plane disappeared, officials said. A spokesman for Nuevo Leon's government said the plane had left Monterrey in the early hours of Sunday and aviation authorities lost contact with it about 10 minutes later. It had been scheduled to arrive in Toluca about an hour later. 'Ugly things happen' Rivera was at the peak of her career and was especially well loved by her fans for the way she talked openly about her troubles, correspondents say. She recently divorced her third husband, Esteban Loaiza, a professional baseball player who has played for the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Image caption Fans in California pay tribute to Jenni Rivera On Saturday, Rivera said of her divorce: "I can't get caught up in the negative because that destroys you. Perhaps trying to move away from my problems and focus on the positive is the best I can do. "I am a woman like any other and ugly things happen to me like any other woman. The number of times I have fallen down is the number of times I have gotten up." Two of her brothers, Lupillo and Juan Rivera, are also successful singers of grupero music. She also apologised publicly after one of her brothers assaulted a drunk fan who verbally abused Rivera in 2011. "I am the same as the public, as my fans," Rivera said in an interview with the Associated Press in March. In 2009, she was taken into custody at Mexico City airport after authorities found she was carrying $52,167 (£32,000) in cash, but had only declared $20,000. Authorities released the singer when she said it was an innocent mistake. "She was the Diana Ross of Mexican music," Gustavo Lopez from Universal Music Latin Entertainment, which includes Rivera's music label, told the Los Angeles Times. He said that she was the top-grossing female artist in Mexico, based on ticket sales. She emerged on the music scene in 1995 with her successful first album Chacalosa. Rivera subsequently released the albums We are Rivera, and Farewell to Selena - a tribute album to Selena Quintanillas, a Hispanic singer who was murdered in 1995. But she gained widespread fame after joining Fonovisa and the release of a 2005 LP called Partier, Rebellious and Daring. Fans and fellow music stars expressed their grief at the news. "This is sad. A bit in shock. Much peace to her family," singer Ricky Martin wrote in Spanish on Twitter. Rivera was believed to have been travelling with her publicist, lawyer and stylists. She leaves five children and two grandchildren.Story highlights The Taliban claim responsibility for the attack Most of the 45 people wounded were injured by suicide bombing that preceded attack Gunmen attacked a spy agency in eastern Afghanistan early Saturday, killing six people and leaving dozens injured, authorities said. The Taliban militant group claimed responsibility for the attack in Jalalabad city. It targeted the provincial headquarters of the national directorate of security in Nangarhar province, according to Hazrat Hussain Mashriqiwal, a local police spokesman. The attack started with a suicide bombing involving an explosives-laden truck and two assailants at the gate of the compound, he said. Six more attackers armed with guns and hand grenades then stormed into the building and battled with security forces for hours. All six assailants were killed, according to the spokesman. Most of the 45 people wounded are nearby residents injured by smashed windows or collapsed ceilings as a result of the suicide bombing, said Dr. Najibullah Kamawal, the province's top health official.The official Halo 4 launch trailer, titled "Scanned", is set to premiere on October 18th during an episode of "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon", 343 Industries and Microsoft announced today. From the minds of renowned Hollywood director David Fincher (“Fight Club,” “The Social Network,” “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”), serving as executive producer, and acclaimed visual effects lead Tim Miller (“Scott Pilgrim vs. the World,” “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”) as the director of the launch trailer, the Halo 4 launch trailer is a two-minute long "action-packed cinematic production that offers a captivating look at the backstory of Master Chief, and provides a glimpse of the new threat he will encounter in Halo 4." “I’m excited about the opportunity to direct the Halo 4 launch trailer in creative partnership with 343 Industries and David Fincher,” said Miller, who also collaborated with Fincher to create the title sequence for the Academy award-winning 2011 film, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.” “‘Halo is one of the most iconic sci-fi universes, with a depth that allows for amazingly cinematic and emotionally riveting stories. The chance to tell a story that explores never-before-seen facets of Master Chief’s journey is an honor. Our goal is to deliver a blockbuster, Hollywood-quality trailer that raises the bar for the award-winning legacy of live-action Halo storytelling and gets fans stoked for the return of Master Chief.” The trailer was filmed in Prague and continues the franchise's tradition of expanding the universe through live-action stories. It sounds like it will be of similar production quality to the new live-action mini web series, Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn, which debuted last Friday. “As a studio, we’re incredibly excited to be working with one of Hollywood’s most acclaimed directors and one of its top visual effects leads to bring our creative vision for the launch trailer to life,” said 343 Industries’ franchise development director Frank O’Connor. “Their involvement is a testament to the significance of Halo as a pop culture touchstone, and we think fans are going to be blown away when they see the final piece.” The Halo 4 launch trailer will be available on Halo Waypoint and the Xbox YouTube channel immediately following its broadcast debut. "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" airs weeknights on NBC at 11:35pm CT for anyone interested in seeing it live.The Alabama Crimson Tide defeated the Tennessee Volunteers 45-7 on Saturday in Tuscaloosa, and the Vols’ only touchdown came on a 97-yard pick-six in the third quarter. After the play, Tennessee defensive back Rashaan Gaulden sent a not-so-subtle message to Bama fans in the stands, with a pair of double birds: Hang it in a museum pic.twitter.com/gGg2T77gv3 — [Escort 69] (@BunkiePerkins) October 23, 2017 The above picture, taken by Athlon Sports, has a lot more than the original image of Gaulden, which didn’t show the crowd’s reaction. Let’s rank the different fan reactions to being flipped off: 10. A tie between these slightly amused fans: These two have similar looks of “Haha, he’s really doing that and his team’s losing 28-7” on their faces. OK also, call me crazy, but does this girl look a little bit like Kylie Jenner to you?! There’s some resemblance there, so I’m just gonna go ahead and say they’re third cousins or something. 9. Mr. and Mrs. Expressionless reaction: Look, I have no idea if the people in this photo are married or not, but I’m just going to go ahead and assume they are: They both have slight smiles on their face, but
you so far, and have you encountered any surprises on the job? PLUSH: I wouldn’t say surprises. It’s been exciting – almost a whirlwind, just six months on the job – to have both the responsibility, but also the opportunity, to go out and visit each of the clubs, visit each of the markets and stadiums, as well as move my family and participate in some of the World Cup excitement. So it’s been a whirlwind six months. I think the surprise has been a very positive surprise: the level of interest from an expansion point of view, and a level of interest from further international stars wanting to play in our league. I think we’ve seen this on the men’s side and on the MLS side as well. Players around the world are excited about the prospect of playing and working and living in the United States. So that’s a great calling card for our league that we will continue to build upon after this success. Check out more coverage of the NWSL at NWSLsoccer.com RODRIGUEZ: I’d be remiss if I didn’t ask about NWSL expansion. Is the league looking to increase the numbers of teams and, if so, are there any particular cities that are being identified? PLUSH: We’ve had a lot of dialogue [on expansion]. As I look over my board here in my office, over a dozen different cities that we’re in some stage of conversation with, far past introductory [talks]. Many are MLS clubs, some aren’t. I think we take the approach to expansion similar to any other league. I think it all starts with great ownership in the kind of place that we want to expand to. Geography is important, but it’s not the most important piece of the strategy. The venue is a very important piece, and we [want to] make sure we have good ownership and a good venue to play in. People that are passionate and committed to the long term of the sport [are necessary]. It’s not going to happen overnight. We have to build local businesses strong to make it a really strong national league. Hopefully we’ll have more news to report on expansion in the next couple of months. RODRIGUEZ: What’s the fan experience like at NWSL games? Do you see some of the supporter-group-culture elements that have become so popular in MLS? PLUSH: Some, yes. A Portland experience is fantastic and similar to a Timbers experience. But [it’s] a different crowd. I believe somewhere around 40 percent crossover from Timbers to Thorns, so it’s their own audience and they do a fantastic job, very committed. The Timbers Army is there, so a very committed supporter culture. In other markets, it’s still largely youth and young girls and that aspirational model. So I think we’re going to evolve over time in what our NWSL fanbase will look like in 5, 10 years. I’d tell you that the supporter culture is tied a little bit more to our MLS markets, in Portland and Houston, but even when FC Kansas City played their opener at Sporting Park, a little stronger supporter-club mentality there in that game then there has been in some of their other matches. So it will evolve over time, but we’re very pleased with what we’ve seen so far. RODRIGUEZ: Finally, is there anything you think MLS can learn from the NWSL, or the women’s side of the game more broadly? PLUSH: I don’t think it’s learning so much. I think you can always take every opportunity to learn from everyone and experience different things and share ideas. I think the one thing we’re really proud of, and I think this is true for MLS as well: We’re really proud of the young women we have playing our sport. They’re very approachable, very articulate, well-educated. They ask a lot of questions, have a lot of opinions on what the future of our league should be, and I think certainly we saw a lot of that in the early days on MLS, when the league was still very much built out of the college draft. So we’re in that stage of our growth. But I think that’s a really positive stage to be in. As an aspirational model, young girls – I have two daughters, so I think about this quite a bit – having great, strong role models to be excited about, to lean on and learn from is a real positive. I don’t think we’re in a position for people to be learning from, but I think any time we can do something that is doing it right, doing it in an innovative way, we’ll try to do that and certainly won’t be shy about learning from others.Less than half of all Scots believe the BBC is good at representing their life in its coverage of news and current affairs. Just 48% of people in Scotland believe the corporation does well at this - the lowest proportion of any of the countries in the UK. The figure, which compares to a total of 58% in England, was revealed in the BBC's annual report,. The BBC Audience Council - which advises the BBC Trust on the views, needs and interests of audiences - said the corporation should be "more searching" in comparing differences in policy in the different parts of the UK in the wake of devolution. It said: "Alongside the constitutional debate, the growth of increasingly distinctive public policy debates in Scotland calls for more differentiated journalistic treatment of these topics for audiences here. "The council believes the BBC should be more accurate in reporting how the UK is governed, more searching in comparing public policy in the different nations and should achieve a better balance in reporting Scottish and non-Scottish news for audiences in Scotland." While the council welcomed the rise in programmes made in Scotland for the BBC network, it said its members were "disappointed that the increase has not led to more programmes reflective in some way of Scotland". BBC Trustee for Scotland Bill Matthews said: "This has been a difficult year for the BBC following last autumn's revelations about Jimmy Savile, but I am pleased to see that BBC Scotland has performed well for audiences and there has been some outstanding content across a range of genres, with our Audience Council noting that there has been a step change in the quality and range of TV for audiences in Scotland. "Our Audience Council has identified some areas that need further work. They have stressed the need to address the ongoing issue of finding the right balance of Scottish news and news which only affects other parts of the UK, and have highlighted that the network television programming made in Scotland should be more reflective of Scotland. "Next year BBC Scotland will deliver comprehensive coverage of the Commonwealth Games and the independence referendum, bringing every development to audiences and making the most of the BBC's online and digital capabilities." The annual report and accounts show the BBC has spent around £5 million investigating the Savile sex scandal and its aftermath. The Pollard Review, which looked at why the BBC dropped a Newsnight investigation into Savile, accounted for almost half of that. It cost £2.4 million which included £101,000 to cover the "legal and related costs" of Helen Boaden who was heavily criticised in the report. The then Head of News was among the senior executives who were criticised for failing to act while the BBC was plunged into chaos by the scandal. Figures show the cost of the review and subsequent investigations into respect at work and the BBC's culture and practices while Savile worked there have cost £4.9 million excluding tax and VAT up to the end of March. The third investigation, which will also examine the case of recently jailed Stuart Hall, will be published later this year sending the final bill even higher. Writing in the report, BBC Trust chairman Lord Patten quoted Charles Dickens to compare the success of the Olympics coverage with the Savile scandal saying "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times". He said the revelations about the scrapped Newsnight investigation and subsequent departure of director-general George Entwistle were "low points". He said: "The BBC seriously let down both itself and licence fee payers". New director-general Tony Hall said he wanted to change the culture at the BBC and called for "greater personal accountability" and a simpler corporation. In a letter to Lord Patten he said he had been "struck by the complexity of the organisation and inhibiting effect that has on creativity." He added that he was "personally leading a major piece of work to look at how we can simplify our organisation". The BBC initially said the Pollard Review would cost £2 million but Tim Davie, who stood in as director-general following Mr Entwistle's departure, said that had been an "estimate". He said: "The primary objective here was to do it properly and fully". At a press conference at New Broadcasting House in central London, Mr Hall said he hoped the BBC would be a "simpler" organisation by this time next year. He said he would be working closely with HR executive Lucy Adams, who was heavily criticised by a committee of MPs last week over hefty pay-offs to senior staff, and said he had full confidence in her. Matthew Sinclair, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "Families up and down the country are having to pick up the cost of investigating this terrible scandal through their licence fees, which then reduces the resources available for making programmes. "The bill for investigating the Savile case and its fallout has been made all the greater by failings at the corporation. "It is therefore vital, given its importance and the expense involved, that the Pollard Review is published in full rather than its current heavily redacted form. "Senior BBC staff found responsible for serious failings must also be held to account for their actions rather than being let go with a secret pay-off, as has happened too often in the past." The accounts showed spending on top on-screen talent fell, with the number of people paid more than £500,000 dropping from 16 to 14. But the cost of the executive board rose from £2.5 million in 2011/12 to £4.1 million in 2012/13 with chief financial officer Zarin Patel getting a pay rise from £337,000 to £366,000 in the same period. The man behind the BBC's coverage of the 2012 Olympics, Roger Mosey, who is due to leave the BBC this year to become Master of Selwyn College at Cambridge University, has a pension pot of £2.8 million. Ms Boaden's pension pot stands at 1.5 million, while Caroline Thomson, who had a total remuneration of 860,000 in 2012/13, has a pension pot worth £1.9 million. Ms Thomson, who was regularly criticised for excessive expenses claims, was given £683,000 last year for "compensation for loss of office". She left the BBC after her application to become director-general was rejected and also took a "tax-free cash lump sum" of £251, 770. The accounts also show the BBC made a profit of £78 million on the sale of Television Centre in west London. Its income from the licence fee rose by £50 million to £3.65 million in 2013.Colorado's rising star puck-moving defenceman, a new leading scorer, Carolina's future, lots of lineup news, Fantasy tips and more in Scott Cullen's Statistically Speaking. HEROES Tyson Barrie - The Avalanche defenceman recorded three assists in Saturday's 4-0 win at Columbus. He has 11 points (3 G, 8 A) in the past eight games. He's tied for eighth among defencemen with 43 points (10 G, 33 A) in 64 games. While Barrie is only on for 46.3% of shot attempts, that's substantially better than when he's off the ice, as his SAT Relative is +4.8%. John Tavares - The Islanders centre had a goal and two assists in Saturday's 4-3 shootout loss to Florida. He has 19 points (8 G, 11 A) in the past 12 games and leads the league with 70 points (32 G, 38 A) in 67 games. Elias Lindholm - Three goals and two assists in Sunday's 7-4 win over Edmonton. Among players 20 years of age or younger in the past two seasons, Lindholm ranks sixth in total points, with 53 in 121 games. ZEROES Brandon Saad - Chicago's power forward had no shot attemps in 20:15 of ice time during Friday's 2-1 shootout win against Edmonton. Ryan Kesler - Had less than 39% possession (7 shot attempts for, 11 against), despite starting 63% of his shifts in the offensive zone, and was on for four goals against, and one for, in Friday's 5-2 loss to Pittsburgh. Goalies: Frederik Andersen - Anaheim's goaltender allowed four goals on 20 shots in Friday's 5-2 loss to Pittsburgh. He's allowed four or more goals in four of his past six starts. Richard Bachman - Gave up six goals on 34 shots in Sunday's 7-4 loss at Carolina. He has allowed 10 goals on 61 shots in two appearances for the Oilers this season. Steve Mason - Allowed five goals on 21 shots in Sunday's 5-2 loss at New Jersey. It's the second time all season, and first time since his second start of the year, that Mason allowed more than four goals in a game. Karri Ramo - Four goals on 23 shots in Sunday's 5-4 shootout loss at Ottawa. Jonas Gustavsson - Surrendered four goals on 23 shots in Sunday's 5-3 loss to Boston. LINEUP NEED TO KNOW Tyler Seguin - Returned to the Stars lineup Saturday, after missing 10 games, and scored a pair of goals in a 5-4 loss at Tampa Bay. Nathan MacKinnon - Will miss the rest of the season, or 6-8 weeks, due to a broken foot. Freddie Hamilton, just acquired from San Jose, moved up to play with Gabriel Landeskog and Ryan O'Reilly. Curtis Glencross - Has four points (2 G, 2 A) in three games with the Capitals, skating on a line with Jay Beagle and Troy Brouwer. Michael Stone - Playing a bigger role on the Coyotes blueline, he's averaged 25:33 per game over the past five games. Eric Gelinas - The second year Devils blueliner has been a frequent healthy scratch, yet led New Jersey with 22:23 ice time Friday vs. Columbus. Michael Del Zotto - The Philadelphia blueliner is out with an upper-body injury, so the Flyers called up Brandon Manning from the AHL. Matt Hackett - With Chad Johnson injured, Hackett moved into the Sabres' net, giving up four goals on 23 shots in Saturday's loss to Washington. SHORT SHIFTS Wild C Mikael Granlund had a goal and an assist in Friday's 3-1 win at Carolina; he has nine points (2 G,7 A) in the past eight games…Senators LW Milan Michalek picked up a pair of assists in Friday's 3-2 win at Buffalo. In the past 10 games, Michalek has 11 points (3 G, 8 A)…Senators RW Mark Stone had a goal and an assist in Friday's 3-2 win at Buffalo, giving him 13 points (4 G, 9 A) in the past 12 games…Flames RW Jiri Hudler scored a pair of goals in Friday's 5-2 win at Detroit then added two assists in Sunday's 5-4 shootout loss at Ottawa; he has eight points (4 G, 4 A) in the past four games…Flames C Sean Monahan had a goal and an assist at Detroit, and has 12 points (7 G, 5 A) in the past 10 games…Red Wings RW Erik Cole had a couple of assists for Detroit against Calgary, giving him 11 pointws (5 G, 6 A) in the past 12 games…Penguins RW Patric Hornqvist scored a pair of goals in Friday's 5-2 win at Anahein, then added the overtime winner in Saturday's 1-0 win at Los Angeles, giving him nine points (7 G, 2 A) in the past seven games…Bruins D Dougie Hamilton had a pair of assists in Saturday's 3-2 win over Philadelphia, and has 10 points (2 G, 8 A) in the past 12 games…Bruins LW Brad Marchand scored a couple of goals in the win over Philadelphia, and has nine points (6 G, 3 A) in the past nine games…Blues RW T.J. Oshie had a goal and an assist in Saturday's 6-1 win at Toronto; he has 13 points (4 G, 9 A) in the past 13 games…Blues RW Vladimir Tarasenko also had a goal and an assist at Toronto, giving him 11 points (4 G, 7 A) in the past 11 games…Lightning D Victor Hedman picked up a goal and an assist in Saturday's 5-4 win over Dallas, giving him seven points (2 G, 5 A) in the past seven games…Lightning LW Ondrej Palat contributed three assists vs. Dallas and has 12 points (4 G, 8 A) in the past 10 games…Jets RW Blake Wheeler had a goal and an assist in Saturday's 3-1 win at Nashville, giving him seven points (3 G, 4 A) in the past seven games…Canucks RW Radim Vrbata scored two goals, with 12 shot attempts (6 SOG), in Saturday's 3-2 win at San Jose; he has eight points (4 G, 4 A) in the past seven games…Red Wings C Pavel Datsyuk had a pair of assists in Sunday's 5-3 loss at Boston, giving him 16 points (8 G, 8 A) in the past 11 games…Oilers RW Jordan Eberle tallied a goal and two assists in Sunday's 7-4 loss at Carolina, giving him 18 points (4 G, 14 A) in the past 17 games…Hurricanes LW Jeff Skinner scored a pair of goals against Edmonton and has 10 points (8 G, 2 A) in the past 12 games…Hurricanes C Eric Staal added four assists, giving him 10 points (1 G, 9 A) in the past nine games…Devils D Andy Greene had a goal and an assist in Sunday's 5-2 win over Philadelphia; he has five points (2 G, 3 A) in the past four games…Avalanche LW Gabriel Landeskog picked up a goal and an assist in Sunday's 3-2 win at Minnesota. He has 15 points (9 G, 6 A) in the past dozen games…Flames D Kris Russell scored a pair of goals in Sunday's 5-4 shootout loss to Ottawa, giving him five points (2 G, 3 A) in the past five games…Oilers C Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a hat trick, plus an assist, in a 7-4 loss at Carolina, and has 12 points (7 G, 5 A) in the past 12 games. In Friday's 3-1 loss to Minnesota, the Staal brothers dominated territorial play. When Eric Staal and Jordan Staal were on the ice together at even strength, the Hurricanes had 27 shot attempts for and one against (96.4%)…During Sunday's 7-4 win over Edmonton, the line of Jordan Staal, Nathan Gerbe and Andrej Nestrasil controlled play. When Nestrasil and Staal were on together they dominated play (20 shot attempts for, 1 against, 95.2%)…Canadiens RW Devante Smith-Pelly had a strong possession ame (18 shot attempts for, 4 against, 81.8%) in Saturday's 2-0 win at Arizona…Flyers D Mark Streit had a tough game against New Jersey (7 shot attempts for, 15 against, 31.8%), with 75% offensive zone starts, and was on for three even-strength goals against…In Sunday's 5-3 loss at Boston, Detroit's defence pairing of Brendan Smith and Marek Zidlicky had a dominant possession game (22 shot attempts for, 2 against, 91.7%). Canadiens G Carey Price had a 28-save shutout in Saturday's 2-0 win at Arizona…Avalanche G Semyon Varlamov posted a 44-save shutout in Saturday's 4-0 win at Columbus…Penguins G Marc-Andre Fleury stopped all 31 shots he faced in Saturday's 1-0 overtime win at Los Angeles…Rangers G Cam Talbot stopped all 29 shots he faced in Sunday's 1-0 overtime win…Wild G Devan Dubnyk stopped 37 of 38 shots in Friday's 3-1 win at Carolina. He has a.940 save percentage in 23 games with the Wild…Oilers G Ben Scrivens had 38 saves on 39 shots in a 2-1 shootout loss at Chicago…Blackhawks G Corey Crawford stopped 46 of 47 shots in Chicago's win over Edmonton, then stopped 36 of 37 in Sunday's 1-0 loss to the Rangers…Canucks G Eddie Lack turned aside 38 of 40 shots in Saturday's 3-2 win at San Jose. FIRSTS Rasmus Rissanen - A sixth-round pick of the Hurricanes in 2009, he made his NHL debut Friday. The defenceman had 11 points (1 G, 10 A) and was minus-7 in 52 AHL games. FANTASY FOCUS Five games on the schedule tonight, so here are some players to consider for your lineup: Josh Bailey - Has 11 points (6 G, 5 A) in the past 14 games for the Islanders, and has the good fortune to ride shotgun with John Tavares. Craig Smith - Nashville winger has points in 10 of the past 12 games, putting up 12 points (7 G, 5 A) in those dozen games. Jakob Silfverberg - The Anaheim winger has five points (1 G, 4 A) in the past five games, getting quality ice time with Ryan Kesler and newcomer Tomas Fleischmann. Much of the data included comes from www.war-on-ice.com, www.puckalytics.com, and www.naturalstattrick.com Scott Cullen can be reached at scott.cullen@bellmedia.caMark Zuckerberg sees the Internet as a vital service that should be made available to everyone across the world -- a service that can be as vital as, say, the ability to call for emergency help on a telephone. In an editorial published Monday in The Wall Street Journal, the Facebook chief outlined his vision for a future of universal Internet access, and the steps he sees to get there. Currently only one-third of the world is connected, he said, with the rest lacking access due to issues like high costs or a lack of infrastructure. Facebook has been looking to grow beyond its founding as a pure-play social networking site to become an ambitious Internet services provider, using tools that to some might seem like science fiction. Unmanned aerial drones, satellites and laser beams are now all under development and could become platforms to deliver the company's services in the future. But for 90 percent of the world's population the problem isn't a lack of a network, but the lack of affordable data plans, Zuckerberg said in the WSJ article. Part of the solution lies in providing basic Internet services for free, which may encourage more people to get a data plan, he said. Certain basic services over the phone are already free, he said. "Anyone can call 911 to get medical attention or report a crime even if you haven't paid for a phone plan," Zuckerberg said. "In the future, everyone should have access to basic Internet services as well, even if they haven't paid for a data plan," he said. Zuckerberg hopes to provide free and inexpensive Internet access to more parts of the world through Internet.org, a collaborative effort launched last year with carriers like Globe and Tigo. Zuckerberg did not specify in the WSJ article what basic Internet services specifically he or the carriers might prioritize. But he did say that access to online tools helps people do their jobs better, which in turn helps create more jobs, business and opportunities. "The Internet is the foundation of this economy," he said. Some carriers involved in Internet.org, like Globe, have already started providing access to Facebook itself to smartphone users who are not on data plans. And, Facebook recently said it was working on improving mobile access to its own service in developing countries in Africa. Moreover, Zuckerberg argues that broadly expanding Internet access could lead to the creation of millions of jobs and lift millions of people out of poverty. "The Internet will help drive human progress," Zuckerberg said. Zach Miners covers social networking, search and general technology news for IDG News Service. Follow Zach on Twitter at @zachminers. Zach's e-mail address is zach_miners@idg.comLawFlash California’s New Minimum Pay Requirements for Computer Professional Employees Take Effect January 1, 2012 November 22, 2011 Effective January 1, 2012, the required minimum pay/salary for those employees exempt from overtime under the California computer professional exemption is increasing. According to the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR), which announced the increase on November 4, to qualify for the exemption an employee must be paid a salary of at least $81,026.25 annually ($6,752.19 monthly) or a minimum hourly rate of $38.89, an increase of 2.5%. Employers with employees covered by the computer-related professional exemption should keep in mind that there are important differences between the federal and California exemptions, which we set out below. Compensation Requirements Under California law, employees must be paid (effective January 1, 2012) at least $38.89 per hour or an annualized salary of $81,026.25. In contrast, under federal law, employees must only be paid at least $455 per week on a salary basis or, if paid on an hourly basis, no less than $27.63 an hour. Job Duties As courts and agencies continue to emphasize, job titles and the requisite compensation alone do not determine exempt status. To determine if this exemption applies to a particular employee, an employer must carefully review the employee's specific job duties and the requirements set forth in Sections 13(a)(1) and 13(a)(17) of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and Section 515.5 of the California Labor Code. Exemptions Both federal and California law expressly exclude from their exemptions the following: 1) Employees engaged in the operation of computers or in the manufacture, repair, or maintenance of computer hardware and related equipment 2)Employees whose work is highly dependent upon or facilitated by the use of computer software programs and who are skilled in computer-aided design software, but who are not in a computer systems analysis or programming occupation California's exemption also excludes the following: 1) Trainees and employees learning to become proficient in the theoretical and practical application of highly specialized information to computer systems analysis, programming, and software engineering 2) Employees in a computer-related occupation who have not attained the level of skill and expertise necessary to work independently and without close supervision 3) Writers engaged in preparing material, such as box labels, documentation, setup and installation instructions, or other similar written information, or content material intended to be read by customers, subscribers, or visitors to computer-related media such as the World Wide Web or CD-ROMs 4) Employees engaged in any of the otherwise exempt activities for the purpose of creating imagery for effects used in the motion picture, television, or theatrical industry Under both federal and California law, an employer should also evaluate other applicable exemptions, such as the professional exemption, the administrative exemption, the executive exemption, and, under federal law, the highly compensated employee exemption. If you have any questions or would like more information on the topic discussed in this LawFlash, please contact any of the following Morgan Lewis attorneys: Irvine Los Angeles Palo Alto San FranciscoHenniker, New Hampshire (CNN) Hillary Clinton is shedding some of the caution that has been a trademark over three decades in public life as she urgently tries to surpass rival Bernie Sanders in New Hampshire. In the closing days before the Granite State primary vote on Tuesday, Clinton took on directly her perceived stiffness at an event here in Henniker on Saturday, responding to a woman who asked why she seems more "rehearsed" the Sanders. Acknowledging that she has heard this critique before, Clinton said a friend had showed her a blog post about how Sanders supporters love his trademark fly-away hair. "Boy, that wouldn't really work for any woman we know," she remarked. "The fact is I do have a somewhat narrower path that I try to walk and I do think sometimes it comes across as a little more restrained, a little more careful, and I am sure that is true," Clinton said. "I am who I am, I can't do some sort of personality transformation." Aides acknowledge that the openness and new message likely won't close the gap in New Hampshire, a state they have all but admitted they'll lose. They hope, though, that Clinton can start to find the sweet spot for the stump speech that she will have to use in what is looking like a more drawn out contest against Sanders. Part of the tinkering Clinton is doing to her stump speech includes casting her message and history as forward-looking and pledging to do what she can to make young people's "tomorrows" better than their past. These changes are meant to target Sanders' ardent and loyal supporters. Clinton's message to these young people is: I was once you. On Friday night in Manchester, Clinton compared her time campaigning for presidential candidate Eugene McCarthy in 1968, who was running an insurgent campaign against sitting Vice President Hubert Humphrey, to what Sanders' supporters are doing now. "I want you to know that I am truly glad that you are involved in this process and in the Democratic Party. You are bringing energy, ideas and urgency to our shared causes," Clinton said. "And I can't help but think about how I felt when I first came to New Hampshire in 1968 to campaign for my presidential candidate, Gene McCarthy, to end the war in Vietnam." Clinton continued to put herself in Sanders' young supporters shoes, adding that she learned in the 1960s and 70s "what you are proving everyday, you can make change every day without being elected, you just need to go do it." Clinton's campaign also wants to get the former secretary of state in front of Sanders supporters. Ahead of her event here at New England College, Clinton's aides asked the managers of a well- known Sanders' site on Reddit to advertise their event, urging Sanders' young supporters to stop by and ask Clinton questions. Clinton got what she asked for: Students from the school and around the area raised pointed questions about trust issues, single-payer health care, genetically modified foods and how she plans to court their voting demographic. "What do you do to persuade people who have doubts about you?" asked one woman, particularly noting trust issues around the 2012 terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya, and her use of a private email system while secretary of state. Clinton said the "fog of war" was to blame for the confusion in the days after the attack. But to rebut questions about trust, Clinton turned to people who have both worked with Sanders and endorsed her. "The people who have worked with me, in fact, who have worked with us both, are supporting me," Clinton said. The reflective, first-person turn in the stump speech is unusual for Clinton, who has used most of her appearances in the past few months to focus on Republicans and her policies, not directly reach out to Sanders' supporters. The change acknowledges the need to reach out to Sanders' backers and comes at the same time that Clinton is calling for unity within the party and telling voters that the most important thing is that they beat Republicans in November.(Before I start, I want to share some exciting news. You Fly Like a Woman appeared in Forbes this week! And it was reviewed – in Dutch and English! – on Aviationbookreviews. I would never have written the book without the support of the blog readers, so here’s a big THANK YOU to all of you. Now, on with the post!) The 2008 viral video of an unregistered plane supposedly losing a wing and the brave pilot landing it safely is making the rounds again, much to my disgust and the advertiser’s excitement. The video is completely faked but seems to have done the job of getting people’s attention. To compare, you can see this real video of a radio controlled aircraft landing with one wing – ignoring everthing else, the tilting plane on the runway is what’s clearly missing from the viral video. I find it a little bit bizarre that the advertising clip is continuing to fool so many people. And once they have found out the truth, do they really go and buy clothes? The reality is not so pretty. The following are true accidents – including video – of the wings falling off during flight. Be warned, the results aren’t pretty. The first two videos are very hard to watch. In 1983, this light twin (the Italian Partenavia P68C which is not an aerobatic aircraft) was being flown by the owner who had apparently imported the planes and showed them off at local airshows. He began a rapid pull-up at high speed (above the aircraft’s VNE). With an estimated load of 8.3 Gs, the wings separated from the plane. The NTSB determined the probable cause as the pilot in command’s overconfidence in the aircraft’s ability. Accident Report No engine sounds were heard during the spin & the prop was observed not rotating before impact. The engine was not equipped with an inverted fuel system. The aircraft was prohibited from aerobatic flight. There was no evidence that the pilot had ever received any aerobatic instruction. In 2002, this Hercules was hired as fire-fighting plane to combat a 10,000-acre fire in California. The incident occurred on the sixth run of the day, delivering fire retardant. Examining the wreckage, the NTSB discovered fatigue cracks in the right wing’s lower surface skin, originating from the rivet holes. The cause of the accident was metal fatigue with a contributing factor of inadequate maintenance procedures to detect fatigue cracking. All three crew were killed on impact. Accident Report Tanker T130 flew down the east side of the drainage valley and proceeded to make a ½ salvo fire retardant drop. Just prior to the completion of the drop, the nose of the airplane appeared to rise and the airplane started to initially arrest its descent and to level out. The nose of the airplane then continued to rise towards a nose up attitude and almost at the completion of the ½ salvo fire retardant drop, the airplane’s wings folded upwards and detached from the fuselage at the center wing box beam-to-fuselage attachment location. I’ve linked to this before but it is still the most amazing aviation story that I have ever read. Test pilot Bill Weaver tells the story of his SR-71 Blackbird disintegrating around him – and how he survived although he never had a chance to eject. LiveLeak.com – SR-71 Disintegrates Around Pilot During Flight Test Everything seemed to unfold in slow motion. I learned later the time from event onset to catastrophic departure from controlled flight was only 2-3 sec. Still trying to communicate with Jim, I blacked out, succumbing to extremely high g-forces. The SR-71 then literally disintegrated around us. From that point, I was just along for the ride. My next recollection was a hazy thought that I was having a bad dream. Maybe I’ll wake up and get out of this mess, I mused. Gradually regaining consciousness, I realized this was no dream; it had really happened. That also was disturbing, because I could not have survived what had just happened. Therefore, I must be dead. Since I didn’t feel bad–just a detached sense of euphoria–I decided being dead wasn’t so bad after all. AS FULL AWARENESS took hold, I realized I was not dead, but had somehow separated from the airplane. I had no idea how this could have happened; I hadn’t initiated an ejection. The sound of rushing air and what sounded like straps flapping in the wind confirmed I was falling, but I couldn’t see anything. My pressure suit’s face plate had frozen over and I was staring at a layer of ice. For an incident with a happy ending, AVweb produced a video showing a wing come off of an aerobatic plane (a Rans S-9 Chaos) during an airshow in Argentina. In this instance, a full-plane parachute saved the pilot’s life. Real Aircraft Loses Wing, Lands Safely (Under Canopy) – YouTube Comparing a ballistic ‘chute to a normal parachute worn on the body in this case it seems the full-plane parachute was a good choice. Due to the rate of roll induced by the loss of one wing, it appears questionable that the pilot could have escaped the cockpit and saved himself wearing a conventional parachute on his back. Conventional parachutes are not aided by ballistic deployment and may require more altitude to properly open. Had the pilot been wearing a parachute and managed to escape the spinning aircraft without being hit by it, he may have simply have impacted the ground under a partially opened canopy. In this case, full-plane parachute FTW. Meanwhile, the University of Cambridge has released a video to show that the common explanation of how wings create lift actually goes against the laws of physics. How wings really work – Research – University of Cambridge “A wing lifts when the air pressure above it is lowered. It’s often said that this happens because the airflow moving over the top, curved surface has a longer distance to travel and needs to go faster to have the same transit time as the air travelling along the lower, flat surface. But this is wrong,” he explained. “I don’t know when the explanation first surfaced but it’s been around for decades. You find it taught in textbooks, explained on television and even described in aircraft manuals for pilots. In the worst case, it can lead to a fundamental misunderstanding of some of the most important principles of aerodynamics.” Mind, a little bit of physics would go a long way towards stopping that viral video from being passed around as real! Class dismissed.I guess when you've run out
,' Clinton added. The issue came up again when Trump was calling out politicians like Clinton for ballooning the national debt. 'Our country has tremendous problems,' he said. 'We're a debtor nation, we're a serious debtor nation and we need new bridges, airports, schools, new hospitals and we don't have the money because it's been squandered on so many of your ideas,' Trump said. 'And maybe it's because you haven't paid any federal income tax for a lot of years. And the other thing I think is important,' Clinton said.Mac users have choices. Many choices. Not only does the Mac as a platform have tens of thousands of well designed applications, the Mac community is pushing 80-million users, which makes the customer base attractive for app developers, and that means a little competition, which means we Mac users get better applications. For a few years now there’s been a popular trio of Mac backup apps which include SuperDuper!, ChronoSync, and Carbon Copy Cloner. All three are different. SuperDuper! is drop dead simple and makes perfect clones; bootable backups onto an external disk drive. Carbon Copy Cloner works much the same way but with more features and a somewhat less intuitive interface. ChronoSync is a favorite because it’s even better at synchronizing files between devices, comes with geeky-like granular controls, a scheduler that cannot be topped, and a bootable clone option. If you’re a budget minded Mac user and want a good value for your money, then there’s a new kid in town to consider, a backup utility which combines bits and pieces of all three of the top Mac backup apps. It’s called Get Backup Pro; less expensive than the others, but loaded with useful features in a non-intimidating Mac-like user interface. What you’ll find is a relatively straightforward tabbed user interface. There’s a tab for a straightforward Backup of files, a tab to Archive files, a tab to Synchronize files between folders, and the all-important bootable Clone tab. Each tab has slightly different controls. For example, Backup lets you create a backup Project which can be run unattended using the built-in scheduler. These backups are incremental after the first backup so they’re faster. Backup is a very good way to backup certain valuable files– iTunes, Mail, Calendar, Contacts, Photos, Documents or any other files you want backed up regularly. Archives is the option to encrypt files as a backup archive using AES-128, AES-256, Triple DES or Blowfish encryption options. And, yes, the scheduler does the deed automatically, even to network volumes, CDs or DVDs, or an external disk, but archives can be restored even on a Mac without Get Backup Pro installed. The bootable Clone option is my favorite, of course, because it creates a working, bootable startup disk of everything on your Mac. If your Mac is stolen or goes wonky and won’t boot up, the bootable clone merely needs to be connected to another Mac and you’re back in business in minutes. The Synchronization option works a bit like an easier version of ChronoSync with as standard Source and Target option. Select the Source files to sync, select the destination Target to sync, and Get Backup Pro keeps the tow in sync; back and forth or in one direction. And, again, it works on a schedule using the built-in scheduler. The built-in templates make it easy to backup valuable files (iTunes, Photos, Mail, Contacts, Documents, etc.) while the multiple encrypted archive types ensure higher security. Get Backup Pro is much like getting the very best of SuperDuper!, ChronoSync, and Carbon Copy Cloner, but in a single app that’s a bit easier to use and cost a little less. There is a free try-before-you-buy trial version but it’s limited and about all it does is let you view the interface. The Pro version is packed with features and worth a try if you have not upgraded your Mac backup scheme to one of the aforementioned popular versions.You can help Sinai Miller, the 9-year-old shot while selling Girl Scout cookies. You can purchase cookies from her. Sinai Miller, 9, was shot in the leg while selling Girl Scout cookies. Help her out and buy a box. (Photo: Fox59 screen grab) Sinai Miller, 9, was stepping out of her home to sell Girl Scout cookies Tuesday with her two sisters when a car passed by and fired shots. One of the bullets hit Sinai in the leg. She was taken to Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health in stable condition, and later returned home. While she was learning life skills by participating in a well-known and loved tradition, Sinai experienced the unfortunate reality of violence. "We cannot complete our mission to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place when they are afraid to play in their own neighborhoods," Deborah Hearn Smith, CEO of Girl Scouts of Central Indiana said. The Star has had a number of readers ask if there was a way to help this little girl continue to sell her cookies as she recovers. You can help by ordering a box of cookies at http://www.girlscoutsindiana.org/cookies/cookiesforsinai. Or call the Cookie Sales Hotline at (877) 474-2249. Each box is $4. You'll be contacted for payment after filling out the form. If you're ordering from outside central Indiana, you can pay to have the cookies shipped or donate the boxes to "Operation: Cookie Drop." They would then be delivered to active and retired military throughout Central Indiana. As of Thursday, more than 2,000 boxes of cookies had been purchased in Sinai's name. NEWSLETTERS Get the Breaking News newsletter delivered to your inbox We're sorry, but something went wrong Urgent developments you should know now, not later. Please try again soon, or contact Customer Service at 1-888-357-7827. Delivery: varies Invalid email address Thank you! You're almost signed up for Breaking News Keep an eye out for an email to confirm your newsletter registration. More newsletters You also can send a card to Sinai through the Girl Scouts at this address: ATTN: Sinai, Girl Scouts of Central Indiana, 2611 Waterfront Parkway East Drive, Suite 100, Indianapolis, IN 46214. They will be personally delivered to her. In addition, notes, cards and other means of support can be sent to the Miller's apartment community. That address is: Retreat Cooperative, 7157 Rue De Margot Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46260. Read or Share this story: http://indy.st/1CZm3KV1. What’s Good Here? It’s all crap sir. This restaurant is just a front to sell crack. Oh sorry, I lied. Our crack’s the shit. 2. What Do You Have to Drink Here? Water, Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Coffee, Decaf Coffee, Iced Tea, Cranberry Juice, Orange Juice, Hot Tea, Vodka Soda, Vodka Coke, Vodka Diet Coke, Vodka Cranberry, Vodka OJ, Vodka Rocks….would you like to me continue or would you like to read this revolutionary thing called a MENU? 3. Can You Just Tell The Chef….? The Chef hates me. He hates you. He hates everyone. He will scream at me if I get too close. Anything I “tell the chef” must fit into a 18 character sentence I type on a computer. BURGER NOFRYSUBSLDXTRATOMKLLME 4. Are You Sure You Can’t Do It? Let me check with myself again. No…we can’t substitute your rice with lobster claws. 5. Why Don’t You Have That on the Menu Anymore!!? I don’t know. When the Owner and Chef met to change the menu I was training for a trip to Mars. 6. I Had it Last Time, Why Can’t I Do it Now? You’re right. Did you know this restaurant used to be a Post Office? Let me know if I can get you some 2 cent stamps as well. One word: McRib. 7. Can You Tell the Owner I’m Here? He and I Go Way Back. Wow you must be great friends. You don’t have his phone number, email, fax number, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Grindr to tell him you’re here yourself. 8. Is One Entrée Enough For The Two Of Us? It will be once I poison your water. 9. What’s Your Freshest Fish? His name was Harold. He was a Snapper. He died four seconds ago. 10. Lets just say this should now be called “9 Questions Servers Get Everyday” -Aaron Smallets Smurph Advertisements[17173 news feature articles, reproduced, please indicate the source Recently, news broke that the Japanese game developer CAPCOM or receive shares of Chinese companies in the form of curves login Chinese market. CAPCOM into substantive negotiations with the company or Tencent (Related: Biography CAPCOM login Chinese market or the domestic game companies to receive shares ). If the stake is true, then this is another entertainment that is a huge mine Tencent mutual investment in recent years in the case of international companies. Substantial increase in M & A events in recent years, Tencent, Tencent big acquisitions or strategic investments known foreign companies, in order to establish an increasingly large interactive entertainment empire. Following up inventory in recent years under foreign gaming giant Tencent investment. Tencent generous investment ever, won eleven overseas gaming giant bag In 2011, foreign investment in Tencent, more than a dozen outside companies, investment funds biggest project is the American game company Riot Games. At the end of 2011, Tencent invested a total of Riot Games company 2.44 billion yuan, and achieved 92.78% equity interest in each other. 2012, Epic Games Tencent get a minority stake in the company, the specific number of shares in doubt. Epic Games was founded 21 years ago, Epic Games to the "war machine" (Gears of War) series and the Unreal Engine (Unreal Engine) is famous for this event Tencent acquired a minority stake in the company since its inception 21 years since the first call for foreign investment. 2013, the well-known game developer Activision Blizzard to spend $ 5.83 billion to buy back a stake in its French parent company Vivendi (Vivendi) holds, the domestic Internet giant Tencent also involved in the transaction, and the only industry the identity of investors through strategic stake, Tencent has about 6% of Activision Blizzard shares. 2014, reportedly famous Japanese game software developer CAPCOM market to further establish itself in China, Tencent shares will be accepted in the form of start cooperation. Holding a variety of brand masterpiece of CAPCOM, Tencent will become the next new year strategic mutual entertainment is an important boost. Full touch game field, international investment company Tencent List of Cases You can see from the picture above, Tencent overseas game layout is divided into several levels: 1, the underlying technology EPIC Games Unreal Engine development team 2, developers The most famous include: Blizzard (6% of total shares) and LOL developer Riot (acquisition) Many developers have invested joint venture in Korea fund Capstone Partners, including: Reloaded Studios (Representative works: Tencent operators "THE DAY") Redduck (Representative works: Tencent operation "Battlefield of the King") Eyedentity Games (Dragon Valley development company, after Shanda acquired wholly-owned) GH Hope Island (Representative works: TPS game development) Topping (Representative works: Tencent operators "NX flight Wars") Studio Hon (Representative works: youyouwang agents operating in "Keeper OL", Next Play (Representative works: Tencent operators "QQ Wonderland") U.S. investment in game development studio Vanilla Plain 3, distributors Singapore game publishing operator Level Up (game publishers in Brazil and the Philippines and one of the major carriers) U.S. game publisher OutSpark 4, communities, platforms, channels and tools for the European game information website ZAM Korean instant voice messaging applications KaKao Talk Game found community Raptr 5, the surrounding tools Video recording mobile gaming company Kamcord Mobile game characters designed RunWilder Icons can be seen by Tencent Tencent tentacles extremely broad, not just developers, platform, tools, and even the underlying technologies are involved in the field. Market through overseas acquisitions in the layout, the quest for the cash technology Tencent will continue to expand its Chinese online game developer and operator of market leader advantage.Story highlights In the murder trial of James Holmes, 12 jurors and 12 alternates have been selected The mostly middle-aged group includes 19 women and five men Jury selection started in January; opening statements are scheduled to begin on April 27 Centennial, Colorado (CNN) After months of intensive questioning, a jury has finally been picked for the trial of Colorado movie theater massacre suspect James Holmes. Twelve jurors and twelve alternates are on the list. The group includes 19 women and five men. It's almost entirely white and mostly middle-aged. It's a key step in the case, and it's been a long time coming. Jury selection started in January with 9,000 potential jurors. But the legal wrangling is the case is just revving up. Holmes' defense attorneys asked for a change of venue after the jury was seated Tuesday. The judge denied their request, noting that a jury had already been seated. Opening statements in the trial are scheduled to begin on April 27. Read More….but not to worry, the UN is identifying for us the widows and children, the elderly, and people with medical needs (all people not likely to be terrorists, just costly)! Oh brother! I wonder if the “widows” are those of Sunni fighters? From AL Monitor (emphasis is mine): US Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration Anne Richard says the United States will dramatically increase the number of Syrian refugees allowed to resettle permanently in the United States from about 350 this year to close to 10,000 annually as the crisis grinds on into its fifth year. [Previously Richard said we would be taking 9,000 this fiscal year.—ed] While the number is minuscule given a total Syrian refugee population of 3.3 million, it reflects US recognition that the civil war in Syria is not about to end anytime soon and that, even when it does, Syria will need years for reconstruction and reconciliation. [If the war ended tomorrow, these refugees will be here forever.—ed] In an interview with Al-Monitor Dec. 22, Richard said, “People are surprised we haven’t taken more.” She said the initial low numbers reflect the reality that “resettling refugees is never the first thing you do when people are fleeing an emerging crisis” and that other countries — in particular Germany and Sweden — have “stepped forward and offered to take a lot” of Syrian refugees. According to the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), Germany has pledged to absorb 30,000 Syrians just since 2013 — nearly half of those processed for resettlement. “We thought that was a great offer and unusually generous so we encouraged UNHCR to take advantage of that,” Richard said. [LOL! Isn’t she magnanimous, let Germany kill itself first!—ed] After initial vetting by UNHCR, Syrian refugees who want to resettle in the United States must be interviewed by officers of the Department of Homeland Security at US diplomatic facilities in Amman, Jordan or Istanbul, Turkey. That leaves out a million Syrians who have fled to Lebanon and large populations in Iraq and Egypt. Richard said lack of space and security concerns have kept the United States from interviewing Syrian refugees at the US Embassy in Beirut but that US officials are looking at the possibility of setting up a refugee vetting operation in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq. UNHCR seeks to identify the most vulnerable candidates, Richard said. “By Dec. 15, we had 10,000 referrals from UNHCR and they are coming in at 1,000 to 1,500 a month.” [Do the math! Sounds like more than 9,000!—ed] Asked how many of those referred would be accepted, Richard said, “I think most” because they are likely to meet the United State’s definition of a refugee as someone fleeing persecution or threats because of race, ethnicity, religion, political beliefs or membership to a particular social group. As we have reported many times, the UN is picking our refugees! Since they will come from UN camps, they will be Muslims! Refugees must also pass medical and security checks. “The last part has been tricky in the past,” Richard said, but added that it is not likely to be a major problem with the Syrians referred by UNHCR. She said she expected them to comprise mostly widows with children, the elderly and people with medical conditions. “It will be fairly clear that they are not terrorists bent on harming Americans,” she said. There is more, read it all. The article even mentions the fact that Richard was an executive with one of the contractors she now awards grants and contracts to! Editor’s note: I am coming down to the wire on the Christmas holiday crunch, but have at least six other things I want to post. We’ll see if I can get to them….Hakeem Olajuwon spent many years playing against Michael Jordan. And a few years back, he helped LeBron James work on his post moves during the offseason. So he knows both players well. And in his opinion, it's not fair to compare the two because he says that MJ was "far superior" to LBJ. "When people start comparing [LeBron] with Jordan then that's not a fair comparison," he told CNBC recently. "Jordan was a far more superior player in a very tough league, he was very creative…That's not taking anything away from LeBron, because he is a great player, but it is not a fair comparison because Jordan is a far superior player." "Far superior"? Feel free to argue amongst yourselves once you check out the clip of The Dream addressing the MJ vs. LeBron debate. [via SLAM] Send all complaints, compliments, and tips to sportstips@complex.com.Roman Dvoryankin, Virtus.pro General Manager, published a statement announcing the departure of the team’s Dota 2 roster manager, Andrey “Kimi” Kvasnevsky. Dvoryankin did not specify the official reasons for the dismissal. In his comments, the head of the organization also apologized to VP.G2A fans and spoke of the problems that caused the team’s two default losses at the DAC 2017 qualifiers. Last week, during the first game of the DAC qualifier, our Dota 2 roster encountered internet connection issues. It’s 2017 and such things would be unacceptable even at a mixed amateur tournament. On Monday, we were the target of a DDoS attack that was also preventable. As head of the organization, I bear the responsibility for this, and would like to apologize to the team’s fans and shareholders. We have also decided that our Dota 2 roster manager, Andrey Kvasnevsky, will be leaving the team. I’d like to wish Andrey all the best of luck in the future. It wasn’t an easy decision to make. Virtus.pro G2A received two default losses in a row at the group stage of the Dota 2 Asia Championships 2017. During the opening match against Effect, connection was lost due to a problem on the side of the ISP providing internet access to the building that hosted the VP.G2A bootcamp. Virtus.pro G2A received two default losses in a row at the group stage of the Dota 2 Asia Championships 2017. During the opening match against Effect, connection was lost due to a problem on the side of the ISP providing internet access to the building that hosted the VP.G2A bootcamp.The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not represent the views of Townhall.com. DETROIT -- John James emerges with confidence from a charter high school in the northwest side of the city that used to be an elementary school. It is a stride any parents would hope to see in their son or daughter when they graduate from this school, founded by Jalen Rose, former NBA player and member of the University of Michigan's legendary "Fab Five" squad. Outside the leafy campus of Jalen Rose Leadership Academy, parents wait for their children to emerge as a handful of students play on the clay basketball court. James, a member of the school's board, has just finished a board meeting to discuss his decision to run for the Michigan Republican nomination for U.S. Senate. He's no Kid Rock, and that is a good thing for the Republican Party. James is a young, accomplished, determined, devout black man, the kind of new conservative that the Grand Old Party needs in order to shake up next year's midterm election cycle. He is at once full of energy, grace, command and passion. When this young man tells you he is running on conviction, everything about him tells you he is not a poser. He says: "I am called to a life of service. I want to serve my country and my community and my state. When I would come back from Iraq on leave during the great recession, the economic and societal devastation I saw here in my own state floored me." He is one of a handful of Republicans who are running to take on Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow. His primary rival is former Michigan Supreme Court Chief Justice Bob Young. And Rep. Fred Upton, who represents the Kalamazoo and environs, is considering as well. He says: "We need stronger leadership in the U.S. Senate. I think I bring that to the table. I graduated from West Point in 2004 and went to Iraq in 2007. I served as an Army captain in Operation Iraqi Freedom where I flew Apache helicopters and led two platoons. I came back home and joined the family business in 2012." James Group International is that business, which his father founded. His father's guidance, example and determination have shaped him and inspired him all of his life. He says: "My father surely shouldn't be special. I am running because I don't want his story to be special in this country. Everyone should have an opportunity to get the American Dream. Their parents should have choice so their kids can have access to the American Dream. And that's what I want to fight for. I want to fight for working class, middle class, and for these children to have a much brighter future than the one they're looking at right now." There's a little irony there: His father and mother are both Democrats. In fact, his father donated to the very sitting U.S. senator he would like to face next fall in a general election. On this topic, James smiled and laughed. He said: "I have been a conservative and Republican all of my life. My parents I suspect will support me." James says what people need at this time is to pull together instead of apart. That requires people to work together and get results so that the state and the country can succeed even in the toughest of environments. He says: "I believe that I was needed, where I could do the most good. I want to continue my service to my country, continue my service to my community." The last Republican elected to the U.S. Senate from Michigan was Spencer Abraham in 1994. He lost his re-election bid in 2000 to current Stabenow, who is up for re-election next year. Michigan stunned the political class last year when its electoral votes favored Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton. While strategists calculate name identification and Stabenow's favorable ratings, and while the media focused on whether Kid Rock, who'd been teasing a run for months, was actually going to jump in, James is about the business of winning. He has already raised an impressive $300,000 in just under a month. With all due respect to Rock, James is not teasing about anything when it comes to public service. "I really believe that there is no substitute for experience," he says, "but I believe that relevant experience is most important." James has zero name ID in the state, no establishment ties, no inherited built-in grassroots infrastructure. But for a party that is desperate to introduce young, vibrant and innovative voices to Congress, James is certainly one to watch, not just for Michiganders but for the entire country. Rarely do major political parties give the new guy the keys to Washington, D.C. Typically, you have to wait your turn. If James is successful, he will follow other maverick-type candidates who decline the tradition of waiting, take that risk, run and possibly win. He just might be the future the GOP has been waiting for.Tech mogul Kim Dotcom announced that he plans to be involved in next New Zealand general election while lobbying against a new legislation which would give spy agencies more powers to retrieve internet users’ personal information. "I'm going to get engaged. I'm going to help as much as I can during the next election to make sure there is a government that takes the internet more seriously," said the founder of the file-sharing service Megaupload at the "Mega Breakfast" annual meeting of the Institute of IT Professionals, the New Zealand Herald reports. He urged the IT community to carry out a campaign to improve government policy concerning internet business and issues. At the meeting he called to lobby against a new legislation that would require internet and telecoms companies to provide backdoor government access and approval for new technology. The new proposed bill would allow the New Zealand’s Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) to spy on its citizens on behalf of another agency, if they have a warrant. The GCSB carried out domestic surveillance for the Security Intelligence Service, police and other agencies until last August, when the Kim Dotcom case raised questions about its legality. It was found that the GCSB were illegally spying on the Megaupload founder, a German national with New Zealand residency, prior to his arrest in January 2012 for alleged copyright violation. Dotcom was subsequently arrested by the authorities who were aiding a US investigation into copyright violation. In March, Dotcom was granted the right to sue the secret services agency. According to an inquiry released in April, another 88 New Zealand citizens may have been illegally spied on. Along with his Mega founder Mathias Ortmann he told the IT colleagues at the meeting that the recent revelations of the US NSA mass surveillance program by former CIA employee Edward Snowden, including New Zealand’s GCSB, had boosted the demand for his company’s encrypted cloud storage system. At the Breakfast meeting Dotcom dismissed Prime Minister John Key’s statement that the spying law had been misunderstood. "The law says you can't spy on New Zealanders. John Key stands in front of cameras and says 'we misunderstood the law'. How stupid can you get?" The revelation of illegal spying by government agencies had created a potential shift in responsibility for the Megaupload business, said Dotcom. "The potential settlement or damages situation has changed quite a bit since we discovered what went on. Potentially, at some point, we could go after the New Zealand government for full damages. I've said before I don't want to be a burden to New Zealand. The majority of that (settlement) would be reinvested in submarine cables, rural broadband." The internet tycoon announced that he is currently involved with two investor groups and is set to start work on a second submarine cable to bring faster internet to New Zealand within 12 months. The Institute billed Dotcom and Ortmann’s addresses as a chance to engage with those behind "New Zealand's largest tech start-up this year" said the NZ Herald.By Ethan A. Huff Immunity is crucial. But the artificial kind brought about by vaccines can be extremely damaging, especially when the body’s immune response is too strong. A groundbreaking new study published in the peer-reviewed journal Molecular and Genetic Medicine highlights the consequences of this vaccine-induced immune overload, stating that the majority of American children now suffer from the often debilitating condition. Dr. J. Bart Classen, M.D., an immunologist with extensive knowledge about vaccine adverse events, recently investigated the current epidemic of inflammatory diseases among children. Cases of type-1 diabetes, type-2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, autoimmune disorders, asthma and food allergies have been steadily increasing over the years, corresponding directly with an increase in the number of vaccines on the official vaccination schedule for children. This is not a coincidence, according to Dr. Classen’s research, as the immune responses generated by vaccines are known to cause inflammation in many people. When too many vaccines are given at once, or within a very short period of time, the body may experience an immune overload resulting in an inflammatory response. “We have been publishing for years that vaccines are causing an epidemic of inflammatory diseases including diabetes, obesity and autism,” says Dr. Classen. “However, the number of vaccines given to children has continued to rise to a point where we have reached a state of immune overload in roughly the majority of young U.S. children.” One-size-fits-all vaccines harm many children Like with adding a standard amount of fluoride chemicals to public water supplies, the one-size-fits-all vaccine approach is problematic for many children. Each child is inherently unique, which means his or her immune system is also unique. But set vaccine schedules and doses based on age fail to take any of this into account, which ends up overwhelming many children’s immune systems. In order for vaccines to work as intended, explains Dr. Classen, each vaccine dose given at a certain age must generate the appropriate protective immune response in those with the weakest immune systems, and in at least 90 percent of children. But in the process of doing this, a great number of children end up having their immune systems over-stimulated. “The process of over stimulating the immune system time and time again increases the risk of inflammatory diseases like autoimmune diseases, and allergies which cause even more inflammation,” writes Dr. Classen in his paper. “Inflammation causes the release of cytokines which can trigger autoimmune diseases but also stimulate cortisol production, the major negative feedback loop of the immune system.” Increase in diabetes and pre-diabetes caused by immune overstimulation It is this steady production of cortisol in response to inflammation that is so problematic. Individuals who suffer from this often tend to develop inflammation-related diseases like type-2 diabetes. They also tend to be obese and suffer from various symptoms of metabolic syndrome, demonstrating how a vaccine-induced immune response can ultimately trigger these and other diseases. “The best data indicates that vaccine induced chronic disease is now of a magnitude that dwarfs almost all prior poisoning of humans including poisoning from agents like asbestos, low dose radiation, lead and even cigarettes,” adds Dr. Classen. “Most patients don’t even realize that they are suffering from the adverse effects of vaccines. Even more concerning is that patients and/or their parents are being harassed and accused of practicing poor dieting and exercise habits, leading to the development of obesity and diabetes, when in fact they suffer from vaccine induced obesity and diabetes.” You can access a full PDF of Dr. Classen’s peer-reviewed paper here: http://www.vaccines.net/vaccine-induced-immune-overload.pdf Sources for this article include: http://www.marketwatch.com http://sharylattkisson.com http://www.vaccines.net/vaccine-induced-immune-overload.pdf Delivered by The Daily Sheeple We encourage you to share and republish our reports, analyses, breaking news and videos (Click for details). Contributed by NaturalNews Network of NaturalNews.com. The NaturalNews Network is a non-profit collection of public education websites covering topics that empower individuals to make positive changes in their health, environmental sensitivity, consumer choices and informed skepticism. The NaturalNews Network operates without a profit incentive, and its key writer, Mike Adams, receives absolutely no payment for his time, articles or books. The NaturalNews Network is not for sale, and does not accept money to cover any story (or to spike it). NaturalNews Network is what the news industry used to be, before it sold out to big business.Celebrities who endorse mindfulness include Emma Watson (pictured) Mindfulness is the fashionable form of meditation that fans say makes you feel less stressed. But scientists have discovered one potential drawback – it can lead you to ‘remember’ things that haven’t happened. People taking part in a 15-minute mindfulness session performed worse than those who did not on a memory test, researchers found. The group who had been undertaking mindfulness were more liable to falsely imagine items on the test. Mindfulness has become popular in recent years as a way to improve mental and physical well-being. Celebrities endorsing it include Emma Watson, Davina McCall, Angelina Jolie and Oprah Winfrey. An Oxford University study found that following mindfulness procedures – focusing on breathing and suspending judgment and criticism – was effective at treating depression. Many schools encourage their pupils to practise mindfulness – but the new findings may lead to questions over whether it might be best avoided ahead of exams. It might also be unhelpful for witnesses trying to recall whether they saw or heard something in court. The findings, published in Psychological Science, show that participants who engaged in a 15-minute mindfulness meditation session were less able to differentiate items they actually encountered from items they only imagined. Brent Wilson, a psychologist at the University of California, San Diego, said: ‘Our results highlight an unintended consequence of mindfulness meditation: memories may be less accurate. ‘This is especially interesting given that previous research has primarily focused on the beneficial aspects of mindfulness training and mindfulness-based interventions.’ Mr Wilson and colleagues wonder whether the process of judgment-free thoughts and feelings might affect people’s ability to determine where a given memory came from. For example, a real memory of eating an omelette could be confused with imagining the experience of eating an omelette. By suspending judgment, it is difficult for the mind to distinguish whether something really happened or not. Angelina Jolie (left) and Oprah Winfrey (right) are also said to endorse the fashionable form of meditation Mr Wilson added: ‘When memories of imagined and real experiences too closely resemble each other, people can have difficulty determining which is which, and this can lead to falsely remembering imagined experiences as actual experiences.’ In one exercise, participants in the mindfulness group were instructed to focus attention on their breathing without judgment, while those in the mind-wandering group were told to think about whatever came to mind After the guided exercise in the first experiment, 153 participants studied a list of 15 words related to the concept of ‘trash’ such as garbage, waste, can, refuse, sewage and rubbish. But the list did not actually include the word ‘trash’. The results revealed that 39 per cent of the mindfulness participants then falsely recalled seeing the word ‘trash’ on the list, compared to only 20 per cent of the mind-wandering participants.If you would like to see more articles like this please support our coverage of the space program by becoming a Spaceflight Now Member. If everyone who enjoys our website helps fund it, we can expand and improve our coverage further. Less than a week after publishing the results of an independent investigation into last year’s Antares rocket failure, NASA has released dramatic new photos of the catastrophic crash just after liftoff from Wallops Island, Virginia. The space agency posted a handful of photos of the failure shortly after the ill-fated Oct. 28, 2014, Antares launch, but NASA uploaded 27 new images to its Flickr account this week, showing the 14-story rocket consumed in a fireball and plummeting back to the ground just northeast of the launch pad moments after its blastoff at dusk. Some of the photos were captured by remote cameras placed near the launch pad on Virginia’s Eastern Shore. The failure began in one of the Antares rocket’s two AJ26 engines, when a spinning rotor inside a liquid oxygen turbopump contacted another component inside the powerplant, triggering an explosion, according to engineers. NASA investigators traced the cause of the mishap to one of three sources: an engine workmanship fault in turbine housing bearing bore of the liquid oxygen turbopump, a design flaw in engine’s hydraulic balance assembly and thrust bearings, or foreign object debris that was ingested into the engine. Orbital ATK, which owns the Antares rocket, concluded the most likely cause was a machining error in the turbine housing, one of NASA’s three possible causes. Read our earlier story on the failure investigations. Download all of NASA’s images of the October 2014 Antares launch. Email the author. Follow Stephen Clark on Twitter: @StephenClark1.The astrophysicist recently hosted the cable network's Fox collaboration 'Cosmos' Neil deGrasse Tyson is getting his own show. The astrophysicist and TV personality, who fronted Cosmos in 2014, has nabbed a late-night series on National Geographic Channel called Star Talk. “Cosmos allowed us to share the awesome power of the universe with a global audience in ways that we never thought possible,” said Tyson. “To be able to continue to spread wonder and excitement through Star Talk, which is a true passion project for me, is beyond exciting. And National Geographic Channel is the perfect home as we continue to explore the universe.” Read More Cosmos TV Review "This is kind of low-risk, I think, for National Geographic," Tyson told the crowd at the Television Critics Association press tour. "Star Talk exists as a thriving podcast right now." Star Talk will indeed follow a similar format to Tyson's podcast, which marries science and popular culture and feature interviews with celebrities, comedians and scientists. He's still sorting through all of the elements that he'll add to the television iteration, but he does intend to give Bill Nye a platform for a minute-long rant in each show, much as Andy Rooney had for many years on CBS' 60 Minutes. The weekly series, inspired both in name and context by longtime radio show Car Talk, will tape before a live studio audience from the American Museum of Natural History’s Hayden Planetarium in New York City, where Tyson is based. The series' April debut is slated to air alongside one-hour special Hubble’s Cosmic Journey. “After the global success of Cosmos as one of the most watched series in our history, we are thrilled to be partnering with Neil again on Star Talk — his wildly popular podcast that transcends science and crosses over into pop culture — once again satisfying the audience’s passion for adventure and exploration,” added National Geographic Channel CEO Courteney Monroe. “We continue to bolster our programming with series and event specials that are brand definitional, and Star Talk is the perfect opportunity to offer our audience an edgy, late-night alternative with the credibility and authenticity that are the hallmarks of our network.”Sydney stockbroker Oliver Curtis found guilty of conspiring to commit insider trading Updated Sydney investment banker Oliver Curtis has been found guilty of conspiring to commit insider trading on 45 separate occasions. The 30-year-old shared in $1.4 million in illegal profits from insider trading using confidential information between May 2007 and June 2008. Curtis's bail has been continued and sentencing submissions in the matter
-TV ecosystem actually inched up when “virtual” subscription TV services are factored in — by a meager 0.6%, but growth nonetheless. That’s according to a new report from MoffettNathanson. The firm estimates that total U.S. pay-TV subscribers overall grew by 90,000 in Q3 (versus a net loss of 275,000 in the year-earlier quarter). So good news for programmers, right? Well, maybe. The top-line figures are a mixed bag, analyst Craig Moffett notes. For starters, not all programmers are included in the virtual pay-TV packages. Even if the do have distribution deals for the internet TV providers, not all their networks are necessarily in the lineup. “Despite optimistic numbers suggesting the number of subscriber additions to vMVPDs [virtual multichannel video programming distributors] was even greater than the losses among traditional distributors, not everyone is benefiting equally,” Moffett wrote in the report. Another caveat: Virtual pay-TV providers sell accounts to individuals, whereas traditional pay TV is sold to a household, making the comparison difficult to fully square. Related Comcast Launches International Drama Service Walter Presents on Xfinity X1 Altice Aims to Carve Out Niche in Cable With Global-Themed i24News The breakdown for Q3, per MoffettNathanson, is that virtual pay-TV providers DirecTV Now (excluding free trial subscribers), Sling TV, Hulu, YouTube TV, and PlayStation Vue saw a net gain of 962,000 subs. The firm’s estimates are adjusted to remove the impact of hurricanes that caused significant damage in parts of the U.S. and Caribbean during the quarter. Traditional cable operators like Comcast and the satellite-delivered services of Dish Network and DirecTV dropped a collective 872,000 (versus 559,000 in the year-earlier period). That marks a 3.1% year-over-year decline in the segment. Note that from Q1 2014 through Q3 2017, traditional pay-TV ops have lost 9 million subs overall. “The trend of cord-cutting and cord-nevering won’t change much,” Moffett said. The dynamics in the pay-TV biz are splitting programming groups in “haves” and “have-nots,” according to Moffett. The haves: CBS, Fox, NBCUniversal and Disney, which are included in nearly every virtual internet-TV service. The have-nots, whose networks average less than 50% penetration into virtual pay-TV services, are A+E Networks, Discovery Communications, Scripps Networks Interactive (which is being acquired by Discovery), Viacom and independent networks, per Moffett’s analysis. Most broadband-delivered skinny bundles are much cheaper than conventional cable, satellite or telco TV services — meaning the overall revenue flowing back to media companies is less per subscriber. Dish Network’s Sling TV starts at $20 monthly, YouTube TV is $35 per month and Hulu’s live TV service is $40 per month. Among media investors, “views around cord-cutting and ratings/ads aren’t markedly better,” RBC Capital Markets analyst Steven Cahall wrote in a report Wednesday. “But another quarter has passed where [earnings per share] growth remained robust and the world didn’t fall apart.”More polling woes for Trump: Clinton ahead in Florida, Virginia Hillary Clinton holds a rally in in Scranton, Pa., on Aug. 15, 2016. (Photo11: Mark Makela, Getty Images) Hillary Clinton has a strong lead in Florida and Virginia, according to two new polls out Tuesday. A Monmouth University poll found that in a four-way matchup in Florida, 48% of likely voters in the swing state backed Clinton, while 39% were behind Trump. Libertarian Gary Johnson had the support of 6% of likely voters and Green Party candidate Jill Stein had the backing of 1%. Just 5% of voters were undecided. Clinton’s lead is helped by her support from Hispanic, black and Asian voters — 69% of minority likely voters supported the Democratic nominee, compared with just 19% who supported Trump. Trump had a significant lead with white voters in Florida, 51%-37%. However, there's a notable gender split: Trump has a 40-point advantage among white men in Florida (64%-24%) while Clinton had a 10-point lead with white women (49%-39%). Meanwhile in the Senate race, Sen. Marco Rubio leads both of his Democratic challengers, although the race between Rubio and Rep. Patrick Murphy was separated by just 5 points, 48%-43%. When matched up against Rep. Alan Grayson, Rubio is 11 points ahead, 50%-39%. Clinton had a strong lead in Virginia with both registered and likely voters, too. A Washington Post poll out Tuesday morning found that Clinton was 14 points ahead of Trump with registered voters in the state, 52%-38%. She was also 8 points ahead with likely voters, 51%-43%. Clinton was leading among college-educated white voters — a group Republican nominee Mitt Romney won in 2012 by 10 points — with 53% to Trump's 37%. Worth noting: Clinton’s running mate is Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine. Kaine had a 54% favorability rating in the state. The Monmouth University telephone poll, conducted Aug. 12-15, included 402 Florida residents likely to vote and had a 4.9-point margin of error. The Washington Post poll, conducted Aug. 11-14 by telephone, included 888 registered voters with a 4-point margin of error and 707 likely voters with a 4.5-point margin of error. Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/2borlqAWith little coverage in the media, many believe the ongoing water shortages in India's western state of Maharashtra is the drought that India forgot. Photographer Arko Datto has been documenting the situation there. Only four of the state's 35 districts have received their full monsoon rainfall. Tens of thousands of villagers have been affected, mostly in the three districts of Thane, Satara and Vidarbha. Officials say that it is even worse than a severe drought of 1972. With wells almost completely dry, a trickle of water is all that many villagers have access to - even then they often have to wait for hours to collect a sufficient amount. Frustrated with not having enough water and facing what many believe is continued neglect by the government, this villager takes it upon himself to dig and find water. In a drought as severe as this, there is a serious danger of people and livestock dying of thirst. The priority of the authorities is to provide water and cattle fodder to households and farms by any means available. Although the government installed water tanks in Dengkarmal village - near Kasara, Maharashtra - the tankers delivering water to them have not arrived, so they have remained empty. The result is that women of the village have no alternative but to walk and gather water if they are to survive. The only way for the women to reach the water is down a steep hill to this well deep inside the forest. In some cases, people have to walk around 5-10km (3 to 6 miles) to get drinking water. It has become impossible for farmers to harvest their crops, adding to food and fodder shortages. For many farmers, losing their crops or their livestock means financial disaster. One of the two reservoirs in the area has dried up while the other is believed to be polluted. An estimated 40% of villages now rely on supplies delivered by water tankers. Critics say the drought shows that policy makers have not made adequate plans for delivering water. As a result, they are left with no other option than to leave - not in search of employment but in search of water.Amazon announced this morning a plan to spread adoption of its payments service, Amazon Payments, to more third-party websites. With the launch of its Amazon Payments Global Partner Program, the retailer will help e-commerce platform providers and other developers integrate with Amazon Payments so their own merchants can offer the option to “Pay with Amazon” at checkout. Already, Amazon Payments can be used by individual merchants who can choose to integrate the company’s tools, like “Login and Pay with Amazon,” in order to offer an easy way for online shoppers to authenticate with their Amazon account information on a third-party website, then pay for their purchases with the credit card information they have on file with Amazon. The idea here is that merchants could tap into Amazon’s already sizable user base, and then eliminate the need for these customers to create a separate username and password on the merchant’s website. And by making checkout quicker, merchants could increase conversions and boost sales. With the new Global Partner program, however, the goal is to offer an expanded set of services to e-commerce platform providers themselves, instead of just individuals merchants. At launch, a number of partners have agreed to integrate with Amazon Payments, and then offer that option to their own merchants and sellers, including PrestaShop, Shopify, and Future Shop, for example. As partners, these businesses will be able to take advantage of a variety of services that include things like white glove integration, account management, planning support, technical resources and training, and more. They’ll also be listed in a Partner directory, and some may also be eligible for co-marketing activities, says Amazon. The specific services and benefits will be determined by the partner’s status, which falls under one of three tiers: Premier Partner, Certified Partner, and Certified Developer. The program is currently in an invite-only status in the U.S., Germany, U.K. and Japan. The news was announced at the Money 2020 event in Copenhagen by way of a release. The move is a clear signal from Amazon that it intends to ramp up its competition with other payment service providers, like PayPal, Visa, Apple Pay, and others, on the wider web. (Apple Pay is rumored to be coming to mobile websites this year.) This expansion also comes at a time when Amazon Payments has seen a surge in growth and adoption. Re-launched in 2013 after years of experiments in the area of online payments, Amazon said this January that transaction volume had grown 150 percent last year over the year prior, and average orders were around $84. Merchants using Pay with Amazon also grew by 200 percent in 2015, but the retailer didn’t provide hard numbers. However, Amazon is able to continue on this same path, it could prove to be a notable threat to its competitors in the months ahead. The company has 285 million account holders, and some 23 million-plus have now used their accounts on non-Amazon websites.The mass sexual assaults on women in Cologne on New Year’s Eve 2016 could have been prevented if not for a handful of “mistakes” by the city’s authorities in the lead-up to the incidents, according to a draft report revealed by German media. Cologne’s Express newspaper says it obtained a draft for the final report of the North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) parliament’s examination committee on the events of New Year’s Eve 2016, when asylum-seekers sexually harassed 1,231 local women during festivities. “The 2015/2016 New Year’s Eve attacks could have been prevented, to a large extent, if early and decisive action had been taken upon the first reports of criminal offenses. The overview and the necessary forces were lacking for such a procedure,” the report allegedly states. The report also accuses Cologne authorities of failing to adequately take into account the experiences of previous years in their operational planning, particularly the decision to reduce the requested police numbers throughout the state. The draft report describes this as a “gross error” that led to “disastrous consequences.” “[For the committee] it is completely incomprehensible that in spite of the relevant experience from the previous years, no adequate planning of operations between the city of Cologne, the state, and the federal police was ensured.” The report is also said to reference an expert opinion concluding that the failure of timely police action in the events caused a “snowball effect” once the assailants noticed inaction toward their actions on the part of the authorities. “When the groups of perpetrators in Cologne realized that the police did not intervene, a snowball effect arose with the number of [cases of] sexual violence rapidly growing. The perception that the first criminal offenses remained without consequences gradually encouraged more and more persons… to do the same. The extent of the crimes that night could have been prevented by the timely, and above all early, intervention of the police and other protective and orderly forces, in other words, by the consistent prosecution of first offenses and early evacuations of [dangerous] areas,” the report states. Furthermore, it blames both Cologne police and politicians for handling the post-attack public relations, deeming the communication that followed as “false and misleading.” “The politically-irresponsible handling of the [public relations] after the events of the New Year’s Eve in Cologne had not helped ease the victims’ and the public’s concern, but only worsened the situation to some extent,” a part of the report authored by the committee chairman, Peter Biesenbach, states. “The wrong and misleading communication of the authorities about the events as well as the lack of reaction of the politicians responsible for the city have resulted in much anger from the public,” it says further. The final report is expected to be completed by the regional parliamentary committee next month. On December 31, 2015, a wave of sexual assaults and thefts against women swept through numerous German cities, including Cologne, where around 1,000 men gathered on the square next to the central train station and proceeded to harass, rob, and assault individual females. Over 1,200 criminal charges were made following those events.Similar incidents also took place in Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Frankfurt, and Stuttgart. The victims were almost all young women between 18 and 24. According to preliminary reports by investigators, almost all the suspects involved in the Cologne New Year’s attacks were refugees from either Algeria, Morocco, or Iraq. In order to avoid a repeat of the events of 2015/2016, Cologne authorities last year increased the number of police patrolling the streets during the holidays, and deployed helicopters to survey the city from the air. They also screened hundreds of northern Africans at the city’s main railway station. This move was, however, slammed by a number of politicians and social media users as “racial profiling.” Original Article Share ThisEurope Says NO to Cloned Food; US OKs Like on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Google+ Share on LinkedIn Pin to Pinterest Share on StumbleUpon + The European Parliament has requested a ban on the sale of foods from cloned animals and their offspring; they’ve also called for a temporary suspension of the sale of food containing ingredients derived from nanotechnology. “Although no safety concerns have been identified so far with meat produced from cloned animals, this technique raises serious issues about animal welfare, reduction of biodiversity, as well as ethical concerns,” said Corinne Lepage, a French member of the European Parliament. But the USA, with scant media coverage, approved cloning over two years ago — and these cloned animal knockoffs aren’t even required to be labeled at the supermarket, neither is nano-food which uses nanoparticles — a microscopic particle smaller than 100nm — that can be programmed to prevent your body from digesting or absorbing the fats and sugars. As consumers, we are now forced to contend with food from cloned animals, nano-food products, and daily food recalls. The unsavory and secretive state of food production in America has become a second rate science fiction film nightmare. For all we know, we’ll soon be eating Soylent Green. In 2008, the Food and Drug Administration approved as safe for consumption, meat and milk from cloned animals. The Department of Agriculture has placed a moratorium on clones, but not their offspring. Additionally, no special “clone” label is required on products from clones or the cloned offspring. Untested nanotechnology is also being used in more than 100 US food products, food packaging and contact materials currently on the shelf without warning or FDA testing. The properties of nanoparticles are governed by quantum mechanics, yet nanoparticles can be found today in the produce section of large grocery store chains and vegetable wholesalers. Supermarkets currently stock an unknown amount of nano-food products, and there is no mandatory product labeling requirement in the U.S. Although the FDA denies nano-food products are sold in the U.S., some of the agency’s own safety experts dispute the FDA’s official claim and reference scientific studies published in food science journals, and foreign food safety reports. Central and South American farms and packers ship fruits and vegetables into the U.S. and Canada that are coated with a thin, wax-like nanocoating to extend shelf-life. The edible nanomaterial skin extends the color and flavor of the fruit. Engineered nanoparticles are in salad dressings, sauces, diet beverages, boxed cake, muffin, and pancakes mixes. Hundreds of peer-reviewed studies have shown that nanoparticles pose potential risks to human health; among the risks are possible DNA damage that can lead to cancer and heart and brain disease. Labeling should be mandatory for all food from cloned animals and nanofood products and packaging (in which nanoparticles may enter the body through food). The public has a right to know what they are ingesting into their bodies and the FDA should be held accountable for their silence. Like on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Google+ Share on LinkedIn Pin to Pinterest Share on StumbleUpon + Comments commentsNCAA Tournament Basketball: Michigan State vs Memphis Michigan State's Branden Dawson thanks the fans at the end of the team's third round of the NCAA Tournament win over Memphis at the Palace of Auburn Hills on Saturday, March 23, 2013. Michigan State won the game, 70-48, to advance into the Sweet 16. (J. Scott Park \| MLive.com) Michigan State announced its 2013-14 men's basketball schedule, including a Big Ten conference regular-season slate that begins at Penn State on Dec. 31 and concludes March 9 at Ohio State. "NYE IN THE BJC!!" , with the school promoting the arrival of a possible top five team in Michigan State to the Bryce Jordan Center. Michigan State will appear on ESPN or ESPN2 eight times during the Big Ten season and at least twice on CBS during the conference slate. Spartans coach Tom Izzo said in a statement earlier this month he thought the Big Ten could be even better than it was last season. The schedule for Michigan State is expected to be difficult, as the Big Ten teams that face the Spartans only once in the regular season involve games at Purdue, at Wisconsin and home against Minnesota and Nebraska. Michigan State announced that 7 p.m. will be the start time of an Oct. 29 exhibition against Division II Grand Valley State to kick off the home schedule. Here is the entire schedule: Oct. 29 GRAND VALLEY STATE (exhibition) East Lansing, Mich. 7 p.m. Nov. 4 INDIANA (PA) (exhibition) East Lansing, Mich. 7 p.m. Nov. 8 McNEESE STATE East Lansing, Mich. TBA Nov. 12 vs. Kentucky (Champions Classic) (ESPN) Chicago, Ill. 7:30 p.m. Nov. 15 COLUMBIA (Coaches vs. Cancer Classic) East Lansing, Mich. TBA Nov. 18 PORTLAND (Coaches vs. Cancer Classic) East Lansing, Mich. TBA Nov. 22 vs. Virginia Tech (Coaches vs. Cancer Classic) (TruTV) Brooklyn, N.Y. 9:30 p.m. Nov. 23 vs. Oklahoma/Seton Hall (Coaches vs. Cancer Classic) (TruTV) Brooklyn, N.Y. 7/9:30 p.m. Nov. 29 MOUNT ST. MARY'S East Lansing, Mich. TBA Dec. 4 NORTH CAROLINA (Big Ten-ACC Challenge) East Lansing, Mich. TBA Dec. 14 vs. Oakland Auburn Hills, Mich. TBA Dec. 17 NORTH FLORIDA East Lansing, Mich. TBA Dec. 21 at Texas Austin, Texas TBA Dec. 28 NEW ORLEANS East Lansing, Mich. TBA Dec. 31 at Penn State State College, Pa. 5 p.m. Jan. 4 at Indiana (CBS) Bloomington, Ind. 2 p.m. Jan. 7 OHIO STATE (ESPN) East Lansing, Mich. 9 p.m. Jan. 11 MINNESOTA East Lansing, Mich. 2:15 p.m. Jan. 15 at Northwestern Evanston, Ill. 7 p.m. Jan. 18 at Illinois Champaign, Ill. 8 p.m. Jan. 21 INDIANA (ESPN) East Lansing, Mich. 7 p.m. Jan. 25 MICHIGAN (ESPN) East Lansing, Mich. 7 p.m. Jan. 28 at Iowa (ESPN) Iowa City, Iowa 7 p.m. Feb. 1 vs. Georgetown (Fox Sports 1) New York, N.Y. 3 p.m. Feb. 6 PENN STATE (ESPN/ESPN2) East Lansing, Mich. 9 p.m. Feb. 9 at Wisconsin (CBS) Madison, Wis. 1 p.m. Feb. 13 NORTHWESTERN East Lansing, Mich. 7 p.m. Feb. 16 NEBRASKA East Lansing, Mich. 3 p.m. Feb. 20 at Purdue (ESPN/ESPN2) West Lafayette, Ind. 7 p.m. Feb. 23 at Michigan (TBA) Ann Arbor, Mich. TBA March. 1 ILLINOIS (ESPN/ESPN2) East Lansing, Mich. 2 p.m. March. 6 IOWA (ESPN/ESPN2) East Lansing, Mich. 9 p.m. March. 9 at Ohio State (TBA) Columbus, Ohio TBA -- Download the MSU basketball on MLive app for iPhone and Android -- Download the MSU football on MLive app for iPhone and Android -- Like MLive's Michigan State Spartans Facebook pageI consider myself a tap dancer first, says Dulé Hill over a breakfastwaffles, eggsthat might not leave him very light on his feet. I’m also an actor, but at the root of it I’m a dancer. It’s how he got his start: Growing up in Sayreville, New Jersey, his mother taught ballet at the Marie Wildey School of Dance in East Orange. My brother and older cousins were dancing, and I was just following the crowd. When Hill was 10, he was cast in a Broadway production of The Tap Dance Kid; he ended up the lead in the touring production. Afterward, Hill, now 36, was still somewhat undecided about showbiz. He landed guest spots on shows like The Cosby Show and New York Undercover but also enrolled at Seton Hall. My plan was to be a corporate lawyer, he says. But that changed when I realized how much more studying I was going to have to do. Two years in, Hill was cast in Bring in Da’ Noise, Bring in Da’ Funk. We had a Wednesday matinee, and I had a midterm that day, Hill recalls. I went to the teacher and said, I’ll take the test early.’ He said, You have to decide, do you want to get a degree or be in show business?’ Shortly thereafter, Hill moved out to Hollywood but didn’t see much action. My agent dropped me. Then this casting director who had tested me for another role searched me out for this role on The West Wing. The show had been criticized by the NAACP for its all-white cast. My understanding is that they were always going to bring Charlie in, Hill recalls of President Bartlett’s body man, for which he is still probably best known. Now, whether Charlie was always going to be black, I don’t know. Race certainly played a part in the Charlie Young story line, a working-class kid who shows up for a lowly job in the White House and winds up dating the president’s daughter, Zoey (Elisabeth Moss), aggravating a white-supremacist group and resulting in the shooting in the first-season finale. I don’t look for roles that address race, but, if I’m going to play the character, race has to be a part of it in some way. I can’t take away my blackness, Hill says. He left the show in 2005 to play Burton Gus Guster, reluctant partner to James Roday’s Shawn Spencer, a fake psychic detective, on USA’s Psych; that role was also not written to be an African-American, he says. But we’re best friends and we have to deal with it, so we joke about it. Now he’s back on Broadway, in the Alicia Keysproduced play Stick Fly. It tells the story of two brothers who both decide to bring home new girlfriends for a family reunion on Martha’s Vineyard. The frankness of Lydia Diamond’s script drew Hill in. No matter how perfect your family, there are always things that aren’t getting said, that ride beneath the surface. It’s all part of the dance. I had a piece of wood set up for tap in my trailer at The West Wing, and I also had one at Psych, he says. But I don’t get to dance as much as I like. If I dance too much on set, then I start sweating and they have to do the makeup over. For Hill, there’s not much that separates tap from dramatic performance. It’s all choreography, he explains. Even approaching Aaron Sorkin’s work, the first thing I noticed was the rhythm of it. And even the play we’re doing now, it’s a dance. From the time I walk on the stage until the lights go out, we’re all just moving beings, creatures dancing. You’re going here, I’m going here. You’re coming harder, I’m retreating.by Stephanie Taylor K'JIPUKTUK (HALIFAX) - Nova Scotia’s Department of Environment isn’t properly monitoring public drinking water, according to the province’s auditor general. In the annual report, acting auditor general Alan Horgan and his team concluded that although most municipal facilities complete audits on their water supplies on schedule, a number of registered water treatment centres failed to conduct their audits every three years as required. Of 38 registered facilities examined, the report said 23 were found to have incomplete audits within the mandated timeframe. “To ensure that water safety risks are identified, the Department needs to make sure it is meeting its planned facility audit frequency,” the report said. Instances were also identified where water samples were not properly collected 30 days after a boil water advisory was removed. A lack of clear guidelines on water testing for inspectors was another concern the report identified. Horgan noted several occasions that inspectors could not produce the proper operator's certification and also stated that no documented policy exists on the nature of how water testing is to be preformed. This year marks the province’s fifth consecutive year of poor performance. “Government department and agencies are not taking enough action to correct operational deficiencies they know to exist,” the report reads. Horgan called for a better implementation process of recommendations and cites that less than half of the recommended changes made in 2011 were put in place. The report said only eight of the total 301 recommended changes made were reported to the auditor general. The Department of Internal Services, Department of Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations, Department of Labour and Advanced Education and Department of Economic and Rural Development were the worst offending departments listed in the report. The auditor general is an independent office of the provincial legislature that provides annual assessments of all government operations.We're mind-meltingly excited to share the brand new album from A Tribe Called Red with all of you lovely Noisey readers. If you're not familiar with how Canada works, the Canadian Native population is experiencing a bit of a political and artistic renaissance right now. A massive protest movement called Idle No More has galvanized the aboriginal population into fighting for their personal rights, as well as the rights of the environment itself. At the forefront of this culture is A Tribe Called Red—a native Canadian EDM group that is extremely awesome. We had Nigel Irwin, our resident aboriginal music expert, talk to the group about many, many things. Plus you can hear an exclusive preview of their upcoming album Nation II Nation by pressing the play button below. Noisey: So, how's the reaction to your music been in the indigenous community? Bear Witness: Amazing. It's really been important for us to have that support from our community first, and then bring it to the world next. The people from our community have owned it really quickly. it's something they've claimed, they feel it represents them. I think we couldn't be continuing the way we are without that kind of support from our community. That's what makes it possible. Dee Jay NDN: Tell him about the first time we went to the UK! Bear: Oh yeah. Ian just reminded me of a good story from the fall. We started having mixed feelings about what it means to be bringing our music to Europe. Obviously we're not going to be playing for aboriginal crowds at all out there, so are people going to get it or are we just going to get a bunch of hipsters in headdresses? What's gonna happen? And even on a more personal level, like what does it mean there? It obviously means something different than it does here. What kind of settled all those feelings for us is when we started getting all these Twitter messages from people all over Canada who were saying "Alright guys, get out there, tell 'em who we are, represent us, you're our ambassadors, go out and do it!" So when we had that behind us, again, when we have the community get behind us and say, "Yes. Go, do this, we need you to do this, we're behind you." It's super important. Do you guys feel, as aboriginal artists, your work will automatically come with a statement or a political message? Bear: Well, the idea I was raised with was that, as aboriginal people, everything that we do is political. When we wake up in the morning—that's political. The fact that we're here driving and surviving is political because everything has been done in the past 500 years to stop that from happening. So the politics part of it is automatic. It's not even a choice. It's a responsibility that we have to carry as aboriginal artists because it's just part of our life. It goes back to that holistic way of seeing life. We don't divide the political and the spiritual. The day to day. Those are all a part of the same thing Is there a message that you guys can wrap up in a tidy bow for people who don't know much about aboriginals and are reading this? What can we say to them? NDN: Start learning about us. We're here. We're not frozen in the past. I don't know why the idea of being First Nations always has to have some sort of feather involved. Or buck skins somewhere in it. When you think of a First Nations, or an Indian or any term that you want to use that has labeled us in the past, you always think of a plains Indian from 1805. You don't think of anyone today. What we're trying to do, I think, is just to say that we're still here. We're contemporary and we're doing cool stuff, so check it out. Do you guys play Native reserves? Do they party harder than other places? Bear: Yeah it's interesting. We were playing shows in communities on rezes…There's definitely a different vibe How so? Bear: We just played on a Navajo rez not too long ago and there was not a lot of movement going on in the crowd. We felt very watched and we were wondering how people felt about it, if they were into it. Then after the show, the crowd erupted and everybody cheered. We got mobbed by people afterwards wanting us to sign CDs and things like that. Obviously,everybody loved it, and you just have to be ready for those kind of things to happen Because you expect them to dance right? Bear: Yeah, there are cultural differences when you get into certain communities. I don't know exactly why that is. We've had a couple gigs like that when we play rezes and we're like "I don't know if people are liking this." You know they're loving it they're just not up and dancing. Like we had that same problem, even going to Winnipeg, our first few show in Winnipeg, people just held beers and watched us. I'd like to talk a bit about whose voices you've used in this album. Bear: All kinds of different drum groups.. We have an agreement with a record label based just outside of Montreal called Tribal Spirit and they are a powwow record label. They have about ten or twelve drums on their label and they've opened up their catalogue to us and are allowing us to remix stuff off of them with the agreement that all the drums we sample from, can be remixed on their album. It will be a traditional powwow album with a Tribe Called Red remix of the same group on it. The actual groups are Black Bear, Sitting Big— NDN: Chippawa Travellers, Smoke Trail— Bear: Northern Voice, Eastern Eagle, and Sheldon Sundown. Those are all the groups sampled on the new album. You guys collaborated with Das Racist recently. Is there a spot for a permanent MC in the group? NDN: We're gonna do tracks with MCs for sure but we're not gonna bring an MC on with us. We don't need one. Bear: Ian does all the MCing when we're on stage, he's the voice because Ian sounds like a strip club announcer. "Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for the lovely…" I'm just terrible. "Hey hey, so... Well guys… Hi there!" NDN: And then Shub just gets everyone's attention: "How the fuck ya'll doing out there?" And they go crazy, and then I'll do the same thing and then nothing. Crickets every time. DJ Shub: Guys, please make some noise for him [laughs]. The first thing I noticed about you guys is the Tribe Called Quest/Tribe Called Red thing. How deliberate was that and was there any confusion or backlash? NDN: Yeah, that's a good story. "A Tribe Called…" is used in powwows a lot—actually, at powwows, you'll see jackets with "A Tribe Called Mi'kmaq" or "A Tribe Called whatever." Then there's the obvious Tribe Called Quest reference for people who aren't in the powwow scene and have grown up in an urban setting who could recognize that. So we thought the term was easily recognized by people in the rez and in cities. Then red is the color of the medicine wheel that represents indigenous people in the world. Cool. What kind of music are you digging lately? NDN: That Brillz-Twonk album is so on point. Shub: That's all I've been listening to. On repeat, basically. I'll check that out. So what can we expect from A Tribe Called Red in the future? Bear: Well we're working on our next album, which is a collaborative project, so we're working with a lot of people who have become our family and circle of friends on tours. You'll see us working with a lot of aboriginal musicians.After years of political jockeying, dozens of stay motions and hundreds of class action lawsuits, it now appears the Federal Communications Commission is finally ready to rule on more than 20 pending petitions seeking clarity on how the Commission should enforce the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. The general public might not be familiar with the TCPA, but the plaintiffs' bar certainly is. With the TCPA imposing damages of 500 dollars per call (and up to $1,500 for a "willful" or "knowing" violation), numerous cases have ended in multi-million settlements, including six eight-figure settlements in the past six months. For instance, in February of this year, Life Time Fitness agreed to settle a TCPA class action for at least $10 million and up to $15 million. Hence the significance on May 27, 2015 of FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler's blog post titled, "Another Win for Consumers," and minutes later the release by the FCC of a "Fact Sheet" titled "Wheeler Proposal to Protect and Empower Consumers Against Unwanted Robocalls, Texts to Wireless Phones." In these documents, Chairman Wheeler explains that he already has circulated a proposal to the other FCC Commissioners, which will be voted on at the FCC's Open Meeting on June 18, 2015. He claims that, if adopted, his proposed administrative ruling "will close loopholes and strengthen consumer protections already on the books." He touts his own proposal as "one of the most significant FCC consumer protection actions since it established the Do-Not-Call Registry with the FTC in 2003." One of these "loopholes" the Chairman's proposed order supposedly closes is the definition of an "automatic telephone dialing system" under the TCPA. The statute defines an "automatic telephone dialing system" as "equipment which has the capacity (A) to store or produce telephone numbers to be called, using a random or sequential number generator; and (B) to dial such numbers." A number of businesses and industry trade groups have filed petitions with the FCC arguing that this definition plainly requires that telephone equipment must have the "present capacity" to dial random or sequential numbers, without substantially modifying the hardware or software. But the FCC Chairman's blog post appear to reject that interpretation, saying that his proposed ruling will instead "clarify the definition of 'autodialers' to include any technology with the potential to dial random or sequential numbers" (emphasis added). And according to Chairman Wheeler's "Fact Sheet," the ruling "would ensure robocallers cannot skirt consumer consent requirements through changes in calling technology design or by calling from a list of numbers," as opposed to randomly or sequentially generated numbers. Another supposed "loophole" the Chairman's proposed ruling seeks to close is the industry's argument that companies should not be held liable for unwittingly calling cell phone numbers that were reassigned from one subscriber to another. Various FCC petitions argue for a "safe harbor" for businesses that were not aware the phone number had been reassigned. However, the Chairman's blog indicates that the FCC's proposed ruling will make "clear that consumers who inherit a phone number will not be subject to a barrage of unwanted robocalls OK'd by the previous owner of the number." But in
what you actually believe. That hurts you, the people you love, and the people around you at work. We all know who the stand-up people are in any workplace. We know who we can trust and who’s likely to say whatever they think you want to hear. Our bodies know what’s up, even if our over-analytical, fearful left brains don’t. The more often I found my voice, especially in situations where it mattered, the easier it became to do. I grew the thicker skin John Brady talked about. When I started to write about the workplace in 1997, my very first column for the Chicago Sun-Times drew ire. “Who sends hate mail to a workplace columnist?” I asked my husband. “People who don't have an outlet to vent their frustrations and viewpoint,” said my practical husband. “You are a f*cking bitch” is tame compared to what I hear now on a daily basis. It’s fine. It’s great! You listen to the people, they tell you what they’re afraid of. God bless them all on their paths. Here is a tool that we invented and teach at Human Workplace, called the Reactionometer. On the left is Trust. Some people hear a frame-shifting message and say “I love it!” Other people, on the far right side of the Reactionometer, react in fear, with hostility. “You should stop writing,” or “You should stop talking,” they’ll say. Fear is visceral, remember. These folks aren’t functioning at a high level – they’re mired in fear. They just want you to go away, or die. The vitriol has nothing to do with you. You are a prism through which people’s fear and trust refract. The spectrum of reactions is captured in the Reactionometer. You can make enemies. It’s good for you. Speak your truth more convictedly every day, and watch the Reactionometer do its magic. Some people will adore what you’re saying. Others will revile you, and that’s okay. You’ll get stronger each time you find your voice. Rejoice! Here is a podcast on the topic “Go Ahead, Make Enemies – It’s Good for You.” If you love it, please share it! If you hate it, please leave a frantic, misspelled, spittle-flying-out-of-your-mouth comment below – and God bless you, either way. LISTEN TO LIZ RYAN'S PODCAST ON THIS TOPIC - click on this link.PRAGUE—At least 15 people have died and four others are missing in the floods that have ravaged central Europe, authorities said Wednesday as swollen rivers surged downstream toward Germany. Firefighters said more than 19,000 people were evacuated from the flooding in the Czech Republic. One raging flood that inundated parts of Prague was now heading north toward Germany, particularly the city of Dresden. Rescue workers on a rubber boat make their way through a street flooded by the river Elbe in Meissen, eastern Germany, on Wednesday. Chancellor Angela Merkel pledged 100 million euros in emergency aid for flood-ravaged areas as surging waters that have claimed at least 11 lives and forced tens of thousands of evacuations across central Europe bore down on eastern Germany. ( ROBERT MICHAEL / AFP/GETTY IMAGES ) The dead included eight people in the Czech Republic, four in Germany, two in Austria and one in Slovakia. At least four other people were missing in the Czech Republic, according to its interior minister. Authorities are now concerned about the safety of chemical plants next to the overflowing rivers. Some plants have been shut down and their chemicals removed. More than 3,000 people had to leave their homes in the Czech city of Usti nad Labem on the Elbe River near the German border, where floodwaters were still on the rise Wednesday. Article Continued Below High water had already submerged parts of the city as well many other towns along the Elbe, the biggest river in the country. “It’s not over yet,” Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas said. “There’re tough moments still ahead of us.” He pledged more than 5 billion koruna ($250 million) for clean-up work. Czech public television said a barrier that protects one major chemical plant in Lovosice was leaking Wednesday. Necas was scheduled to visit the plant later in the day. Downstream, hundreds of people were being evacuated in the German city of Dresden, where the Elbe was expected to crest Wednesday evening. Early in the day it was running about 7 metres over normal levels in the eastern city. In the eastern German city of Halle, the downtown area was already flooded. Elsewhere in the affected regions, soldiers and residents were reinforcing soaked levees with sand bags to keep them from breaking. The water was slowly receding in the hard-hit Bavarian city of Passau, leaving behind vast amounts of debris. Flooding earlier this week in Passau was the worst in 500 years. Article Continued Below In the Czech capital of Prague, the level of the swollen Vltava river was dropping and authorities surveyed the damage. While most parts of the city, including its historical landmarks, were well protected by high metal barriers, Prague’s Zoo was particularly badly hit for a second time in 11 years. The lower side of the park was submerged and animals there had to be evacuated. The zoo estimated the damage at $8 million but insisted it would reopen the higher parts of the complex shortly. “The flood will not break us,” the zoo said in a statement. Read more about:Because each sperm (even form different fathers) fertilizes a separate egg, there can be a different father for each kitten in a litter. But that mother cat can have other litters of kittens all fathered by the same male. Question: Our purebred Siamese cat came into heat last week and we bred her to a male Siamese. But as soon as she came home from being bred, she got out of the house and we found her hanging out with this nasty looking alley cat. Her name is Rosie and I know that her pure bred kittens would be beauties, but what if she got bred by this alley cat? Will he ruin the whole litter? Could having mixed bred kittens once ruin her for purebred litters next time? Dr. Nichol: Your cat Rosie is typical of cats in heat (that time of the female’s reproductive cycle when ovulation occurs). The hormone levels in her body not only cause the release of several ovum (eggs). Hormones are also responsible for causing her to attract male cats as well as to go out in search of them. If Rosie were bred by both tom cats, you may have some kittens in the litter with different fathers. Here’s why. Since it requires one ovum (egg) and one sperm to make an embryo (the earliest stage of development), there will be as many embryos as there are eggs that get fertilized by sperm. If Rosie releases 6 ovum and they all get fertilized, there will be 6 kittens. But the ovum are not released all at the same time. So if she releases the 6 eggs over a few days, and she is bred first by the Siamese tom cat and later by the alley cat, you are likely to get some kittens who are purebred and some who are ½ Siamese and the other ½ mixed bred. Of course they all have genes from Rosie because she is the mother of all of them. But some will have genes from one father while others will have genes from the other father. What about future litters? There is never any lasting affect from the genetic input from a previous father. So you can breed her to any male you want after this. But you are not the first cat owner to notice how badly an in-heat cat wants to get bred. Even cats who have been frightened of the outside will throw caution to the wind when in heat. By the way, you shouldn’t have trouble placing the mixed bred kittens in good homes. A “Free to good home” ad in the classified section of the newspaper should get the job done. But I would advise that you leave out the part about their mother being a floozy.Hexiled's frantic race to fame Ideas HEXILED is web designer Triplezero's first foray in to game design - and it has been an overnight success that the South Australian company could never have predicted. Republish Notify me “We didn't expect it to go crazy straight away,” says Isaac Forman, one half of the Triplezero team, “we didn't think we'd need everything ready to go straight away – we had a site up but no support page, no sort of press kit.” The game, which Isaac describes as a frantic, addictive word puzzle, has players swiping hexagonal letter tiles to form words in an effort to race to the far edges of the field. Hexiled has been played more than two million times since its release on July 17th. The success of the free to download game comes down to its addictiveness – the 'one more try' mentality that it instils in players. After each round the time limit is adjusted based on how well the player did – getting harder as the player gets better and forcing them to improve their times and scores. Isaac and his colleague Quentin Zervaas started with a soft launch of the game, tweeting a download link to friends and contacts. A few hundred early adopters jumped on board, and early feedback was good. “I was pretty happy with that starting point. A week after that we put our first update out and woke up that Friday morning to being listed in the Best New Games feature on the App Store,” recounts Isaac. “It's funny because it's this really tiny little feature. You have to scroll so far down and to the right – I think we were the third last out of twenty games. We're technically below the fold – or below the scroll you could say.” The game was featured in a multitude of countries and it wasn't long before they surpassed their previous week's numbers – a matter of minutes at most. Hexiled reached #1 word game in 35 countries App Stores in its first week. It was a frantic week for Isaac and Quentin. Their soft launch wasn't meant to take off like it did, so the early version of Hexiled was less than polished – but the players who understood the concept loved it. “There were a few people that would play it and despite the tutorial they'd miss a couple of key things and they'd give us a one star review. That was the big thing we were scrambling to fix,” says Isaac. Triplezero set to work on updating the tutorials, leaving no room for player confusion. “The first reaction is to blame them for getting it wrong and not understanding the game – but you quickly understand that that was our opportunity to get the tutorial right, to explain it better and make it more obvious.” The launch has been a great learning experience for Quentin and Isaac. There are a few 'What Ifs' that linger in the team's minds, but ultimately they've done their best to react to feedback and streamline the game. They've since updated the dictionaries, compressed the game's download size, smoothed out lag on older devices and are in the process of adding more languages and features. Additional features like secret colour schemes for the best players, or those who like the game on Facebook are aimed at increasing their player retention rate and social presence. One thing is for sure: it won't be Triplezero's last game. “Down the track we'll work on an Android version, and probably at the same that Quentin is doing that I'll start working on the next game,” Isaac explains. “That's the funny thing – you just end up with everything turned in to a game idea. Previously I was a web developer and everything was a web app idea. This is the new fascination, and it's a pretty intriguing process too.” Triplezero started life in 1998. Isaac had sublet office space to Quentin for a couple of years before pitching the concept of an app and a game they could work on together. Isaac was cheering for a straight app, but Quentin, whose specialty until now has been in public transport apps such as the well received 'Transit Times +', wanted to make the game. “I was badgering him that we should collaborate on a project. We'd never made a game. He'd certainly never built one and I'd never designed one.” It's still early days for the team. Players are pushing the limits – achieving Escape times under 15.5 seconds, which Isaac admits he never thought would be possible when designing in, and more people are downloading the app day by day. “This was the first effort. If this wasn't successful the next one might be. We figure it potentially has a six-month lifespan. Word games don't really come and go with trends – people have been playing Scrabble for decades,” says Isaac. “It's hard not to want to make more.” Click here to see and download Hexiled on iTunes. Hexiled on Twitter HexiledImage copyright Reuters Image caption Hundreds of people have been killed since an assault by government forces on rebel-held parts of Aleppo began last month President Vladimir Putin has dismissed suggestions that Russia could face war crimes charges over its bombardment of Syria's second city Aleppo. He told French media the accusations were "rhetoric" that did not take into account the realities in Syria. French President Francois Hollande had suggested Russian air strikes on Aleppo could amount to war crimes. The rebel-held east of the city is under renewed bombardment after a ceasefire deal broke down. Despite recriminations over who was to blame for its failure, Russia and the US agreed on Wednesday to resume talks on Syria. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will now meet his US counterpart John Kerry and other key regional powers in Switzerland on Saturday. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Vitaly Churkin said Russia was "trying its best" to avoid civilian casualties Russian UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said he hoped some progress would be made at the talks but admitted it would be hard. Speaking with the BBC's Lyse Doucet in New York, he said there was international disarray over how to end the fighting. Mr Churkin too rejected allegations of Russian war crimes in eastern Aleppo but expressed what he called incredible regret over civilian casualties. He said if they were caused by his country's bombing it would be a heavy burden on Russia's psyche and soul. Mr Putin told France's TF1 TV channel that Russia would pursue "terrorists" even if they hid among civilians. "We can't allow terrorists to use people as human shields and blackmail the entire world," he said, adding that civilian deaths were the "sad reality of war". Responding to claims that Russian air strikes on civilian areas amounted to war crimes he said: "It's political rhetoric that does not mean much and does not take into account the realities in Syria. "I am deeply convinced that it is our Western partners, first and foremost of course the United States, who are responsible for the situation." Russia has accused the US of secretly supporting al-Qaeda-linked jihadists in Syria in its bid to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The US rejects the claim. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Children in Aleppo face death from Syrian and Russian bombing Earlier this week, Mr Putin postponed a planned visit to France after Mr Hollande insisted that talks would be confined to Syria. The Kremlin was also angered by a Franco-Spanish UN Security Council resolution on Aleppo at the weekend that Russia vetoed. "They put forward the resolution knowing that it would not pass... in order to incite a veto," Mr Putin said. "Why? It was aimed at inflaming the situation and fanning hysteria around Russia." Moscow has repeatedly denied attacking civilians, saying it targets terrorist groups in Syria. But earlier this week, Mr Hollande said: "These are people who today are the victims of war crimes. Those that commit these acts will have to face up to their responsibility, including in the ICC [International Criminal Court]." Neither Russia nor Syria is a member of the ICC. Washington broke off all negotiations with Moscow nine days ago amid extreme tension over failure to secure a truce. The US State Department said that in Saturday's talks Mr Kerry would discuss a "multilateral approach" to ending the crisis, "including a sustained cessation of violence and the resumption of humanitarian aid deliveries." The key regional powers, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Iran are also expected to attend the talks in Lausanne. Mr Kerry will follow his talks in Switzerland with a trip to London on Sunday. The UN has appealed for a halt to the violence to allow aid into the besieged territory. On Wednesday, at least 15 people, including children, were killed in an air strike on a marketplace in a rebel-held part of the Syrian city of Aleppo, activists say. The strike was one of 25 in the rebel-held east on Wednesday that left a total of 25 people dead, they added. Government forces, backed by Russian warplanes, launched an all-out assault to take control of Aleppo last month. The Syria Civil Defence, whose rescuers are known as the White Helmets, said a number of women and children were at the market in the Fardous area when it was hit. Image copyright White Helmets Image caption The White Helmets said the market in Fardous was filled with men, women and children Video purportedly showing rescuers coming under attack from the air as they tried to rescue the injured was also shared on social media by pro-opposition activists. Aleppo, once Syria's largest city and the country's commercial and industrial hub, has been divided roughly in two since 2012, with President Assad's forces controlling the west and rebel factions the east. On 4 September, government forces re-imposed a siege on the east, where about 275,000 people live, and launched a major offensive to retake it after the collapse of a truce brokered by the United States and Russia. Since then, the bombardment has killed more than 300 people, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.Vice President Mike Pence welcomed the parents of Charlie Gard, the terminally-ill baby that captured global headlines in a legal fight over the summer, to the White House Friday. Connie Yates and Chris Gard, parents of the British baby who was taken off life support in July, met with Pence, according to a picture that Pence tweeted. “An honor to welcome the courageous parents of little Charlie Gard, Chris and Connie, to the @WhiteHouse to discuss the life and legacy of their son. Their parental love and devotion to their son is inspiring and a reminder of how precious all lives are,” wrote Pence, a staunch pro-life advocate. Gard suffered from a rare genetic disorder called Mitochondrial DNA Depletion Syndrome, which causes brain damage. His parents fought for their son to be given experimental medical treatment; however, the Great Ormond Street Hospital, where Gard was treated, wanted to take him off life support, arguing that the baby should die with dignity. Gard’s parents wanted to bring their son to the U.S. for treatment, but the hospital refused to release him. The case led to a bitter battle over parental rights, with President Donald Trump and Pope Francis giving strong support to Gard. However, after a long court battle, Gard’s parents succumbed to the hospital’s orders, and the baby died July 29. WATCH: Follow Gabrielle on Twitter Send tips to gabrielle@dailycallernewsfoundation.org. The Daily Caller News Foundation is working hard to balance out the biased American media. For as little as $3, you can help us. Freedom of speech isn’t free. Make a one-time donation to support the quality, independent journalism of TheDCNF. We’re not dependent on commercial or political support and we do not accept any government funding. Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.Introduction Clockwork gives you an insight into your PHP application runtime, including request data, application log, database queries, cache usage, execution visualisation and much more. Clockwork provides a Chrome or Firefox extension, or a web UI and a server-side component for gathering data that easily integrates with any PHP project, including out-of-the-box support for major frameworks. Try it out! This very website is Clockwork-enabled, check out the web UI, or download the Chrome or Firefox extension before using it your own applications. Integrations Clockwork provides integrations for Laravel, Lumen, Symfony and Slim framework. Laravel is the baseline, most mature integration, some of the other integrations might not support all features. Please see the table below for overview of the provided integrations. While providing a convenient integrations for popular frameworks, Clockwork is written in an extensible way and can be used with any other or custom framework or even in vanilla PHP applications. Please select your desired integration on top-right to see relevant information and examples for your use-case.A couple weeks ago, Snapcard announced a partnership with Tango Card, a leading rewards-as-a-service platform. Today, we’re excited to announce that Bing Rewards is one of the first clients to utilize Bitcoin as a rewards through this partnership. Through the Bing Rewards homepage, Bing Rewards users are now able to enter to win $500 worth of bitcoin! This sweepstakes begins on 7/31/2015 at 6:00 AM ET and ends on 8/31/2015 at 9:00 AM ET. After notifying the winners directly, Bing Rewards will announce them on or around 9/30/15 on their website. We’ve been extremely fortunate to work with Tango Card and Bing Rewards to find new ways to onboard users to the bitcoin community. To get started, follow this link to the Bing Rewards homepage: https://www.bing.com/rewards/ To learn more on how your business or application can leverage gift cards as a reward, follow this link to Tango Card’s website: https://www.tangocard.com/ Thank you! Kind Regards, Yanni Giannaros COO, Co-founder of Snapcard236 records Ordinance BB 2 zoning of property in City Block 3084, from “J” Industrial District and “K” Unrestricted District to the “K” Unrestricted District only, at 7500-18 S. Broadway Sarah Martin 70778 BB 3 zoning of property in City Block 4741, from “A” Single-Family Dwelling District and “F” Neighborhood Commercial District to the “A” Single-Family Dwelling District only, at 5201 Fyler, Joseph Vollmer 70779 BB 4 vacate travel in 10 foot wide "L" shaped alley in City Block 798 as bounded by Shenandoah, 10th St., Lami and Menard Jack Coatar 70770 BB 5 An Ordinance establishing a Detention Facility Advisory Commission that shall receive public complaints regarding the City of St. Louis Justice Center and Medium Security Institution detention facilities Joseph Vaccaro BB 6 City Whistleblower Law, Carol Howard 70847 BB 7 An Ordinance recommended and approved by the Airport Commission, the Board of Public Service, and the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, establishing and authorizing a public works and improvement program at St. Louis Lambert International Airport Marlene E Davis 70771 BB 8 An Ordinance recommended and approved by the Airport Commission and the Board of Estimate and Apportionment authorizing a First Supplemental Appropriation in the total amount of Four Hundred Eighty One Thousand Three Hundred Two Dollars from the Air Marlene E Davis 70772 BB 20 An ordinance approving a Redevelopment Plan for 3452 Oregon. Cara Spencer 70827 BB 21 An ordinance submitting to the qualified voters of the City, a proposal to revise Section 2 of Article VIII of the City Charter which requires City employees to reside within the boundaries of the City a Carol Howard BB 22 An ordinance approving a Redevelopment Plan for 3429-3431 Ohio. Cara Spencer 70828 BB 23 An ordinance approving a Redevelopment Plan for 3520 Wisconsin. Dan Guenther 70829 BB 24 An ordinance promoting the use of energy efficient heating through the connection to the Downtown Steam Distribution system; Jack Coatar BB 25 BILL WITHDRAWN BY THE SPONSOR - An ordinance submitting to the qualified voters a proposed amendment to the Charter to maintain the Board of Aldermen as body of twenty-eight Aldermen John Collins-Muhammad BB 26 enforcement of code violations related to buildings, structures and premises in the City; by amending Ordinance 70737, S Christine Ingrassia BB 27 Fourth Ward Liquor Control District Samuel L Moore 70780 BB 29 An ordinance approving a Redevelopment Plan for the Tiffany Neighborhood Scattered Sites Area Marlene E Davis 70873 BB 30 An Ordinance directing the Director of Streets to temporarily close, barricade, or otherwise impede the flow of traffic on Anderson Avenue at the north curb line of Dryden Avenue, and containing an emergency clause. John Collins-Muhammad 70773 BB 31 four-way stop site at the intersection of Mardel Avenue and Sulfur Avenue Joseph Vaccaro 70774 BB 32 business license regulations set forth in Title 8 Jeffrey L Boyd 70813 BB 33 Redevelopment Plan for the 532 Bates Sarah Martin 70830 BB 10 Planning Commission pertaining to the Zoning Code, Title 26 Jack Coatar 70812 BB 34 Redevelopment Plan for the 5019, 5032 & 5034 Ulena Ave Beth Murphy 70831 BB 35 An ordinance pertaining to campaign contribution limits; Cara Spencer 70781 BB 37 An ordinance pertaining to the authorization of a mutual aid agreement between the city of St. Louis and St. Clair County, Illinois, for St. Clair County, Illinois, law enforcement officer employees to provide law enforcement services and activities Terry Kennedy 70782 BB 38 Redevelopment Plan for the 5780 McPherson Ave. Frank Williamson 70832 BB 39 Redevelopment Plan for the 7401 Vermont Ave. Sarah Martin 70833 BB 40 Redevelopment Plan for the 6452 Nashville Ave. & 6453 Wade Ave. Area Scott Ogilvie 70834 BB 36 This number not used this session BB 28 Redevelopment Plan for the 2647-2651 Washington Blvd Marlene E Davis 70872 BB 11 This number not used this session BB 12 This number not used this session BB 13 This number not used this session BB 14 This number not used this session BB 15 This number not used this session BB 16 This number not used this session BB 17 This number not used this session BB 18 This number not used this session BB 19 This number not used this session BB 41 An Ordinance to provide for the borrowing of funds in anticipation of the collection of tax payments levied by for deposit in its General Revenue Fund for the calendar year ending December 31, 2018, Frank Williamson 70783 BB 42 An ordinance recommended and approved by the Airport Commission, the Comptroller and the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, making certain findings with respect to the transfer of up to Four Million Dollars ($4,000,000) of excess moneys that The Ci Marlene E Davis 70775 BB 43 An Ordinance recommended and approved by the Airport Commission, the Board of Public Service, and the Board of Estimate and Apportionment authorizing a First Amendment to Section One of the Airfield, Building & Environs Marlene E Davis 70776 BB 44 Second Amendment to Lease Agreement AL-222 between the City and MHS Travel and Charter, Inc. (“MHS”), (the “Second Amendment”). The Second Amendment amends Lease Agreement AL-222 dated June 25, 2013, Marlene E Davis 70777 BB 45 “Airport Terminal Services, Inc. Space Permit AL-071” (“Permit”) between the City and Airport Terminal Services, Inc., Marlene E Davis 70784 BB 46 Tower Grove South Concerned Citizens Special Business District Megan E. Green 70769 BB 47 An Ordinance directing the Director of Streets to change the 3200 block of Sullivan from a one way passage to a two way passage, and containing an emergency clause. Brandon Bosley 70785 BB 1 Budget Fiscal Year 2018-2019; and containing an emergency clause. Lewis E Reed 70768 BB 48 zoning of property on the Central West End Form-Based District Map, from “NG1” Neighborhood General Type 1 Zone to the “NCT1” Neighborhood Center Type 1 Zone in City Block 3914 (4117R West Pine Boulevard) Joseph D Roddy 70788 BB 49 vacate travel on the north side of Forest Park Ave. abutting City Block 3919-E as bounded by Laclede, Spring, Forest Park and Vandeventer, and adjacent to 3763 (3745-3801) Forest Park. Joseph D Roddy 70786 BB 50 zoning of property in City Block 2861, from “B” Two-Family Dwelling District to the “F” Neighborhood Commercial District, at 5601-03 S. Broadway, Sarah Martin 70789 BB 51 First Amendment to Redevelopment Agreement between The City and ROL Capital III, Inc Christine Ingrassia 70874 BB 52 City's Earnings Tax Sharon Tyus BB 9 An ordinance to revise Ordinance 70736, approved March 2, 2018, pertaining to the collection of administrative citation fines assessed by the Building Commissioner; containing a severability clause and an emergency clause. Christine Ingrassia BB 53 2018 International Building Code Terry Kennedy 70794 BB 54 2018 International Residential Code Terry Kennedy 70795 BB 55 2018 International Fire Code Terry Kennedy 70796 BB 56 2018 International Existing Building Code with amendments, Terry Kennedy 70797 BB 57 2018 International Property Maintenance Code with amendments; Terry Kennedy 70798 BB 58 2018 International Energy Conservation Code with amendments Terry Kennedy 70799 BB 59 Mechanical Code Terry Kennedy 70800 BB 60 2018 International Fuel Gas Code with amendments Terry Kennedy 70801 BB 61 2017 National Electrical Code with amendments; Terry Kennedy 70802 BB 62 prohibiting the issuance of any 3 a.m. closing permits for any currently non-3am licensed premises within the boundaries of the Twenty-Eighth Ward Liquor Control District Heather Navarro 70807 BB 63 An ordinance directing the Director of Streets to make such changes in the present traffic pattern controlling traffic on Greer Ave., Dodier Ave., and University Ave. in the 3500 block of said streets between N. Grand Blvd. and N. Garrison Ave Brandon Bosley 70787 BB 64 An Ordinance pertaining to the Transit Sales Tax imposed pursuant to Section 94.660, RSMo., as adopted and approved by the voters of St. Louis City on August 2, 1994, pursuant to Ordinance 63168 creating the “City Public Transit Sales Tax Trust Fund” Frank Williamson 70803 BB 65 Ordinance pertaining to the Transit Sales Tax imposed pursuant to Section 94.660, RSMo., creating the “City Public Transit Sales Tax Trust Fund” Frank Williamson 70804 BB 66 Transportation Trust Fund” to the Bi-State Development Agency for transportation purposes; Frank Williamson 70805 BB 67 Terminate and dissolve the Orpheum Theater Community District Jack Coatar 70814 BB 68 Civil Service employees Compensation Bill. Sharon Tyus 70791 BB 70 First Amendment of the Lease Agreement authorized by Ordinance 63956 between the City, and the Municipal Theatre Association Heather Navarro 70808 BB 69 Parking Commission making appropriation for payment of the operating expenses, capital equipment and improvement expenses, including lease purchase agreements involving Parking Division assets, and debt service expenses of the Parking Division of th Jeffrey L Boyd 70792 BB 71 three-way stop site at the intersection of Pernod Avenue and Tedmar Avenue Joseph Vaccaro 70790 BB 72 An ordinance revising The Transparency in Government Law, Ordinance 69707 and Ordinance 70321, Lewis E Reed 70875 BB 73 An ordinance pertaining to conveyances of title and the recording of such transfer with the Recorder of Deeds; amending Section Three of Ordinance 56141, and Ordinance 65038 Carol Howard 70820 BB 74 establishing and authorizing a public works and improvement program (the “Airfield, Building & Environs Projects”) at St. Louis Lambert International Airport® (the Marlene E Davis 70809 BB 75 An ordinance recommended and approved by the Airport Commission, the Comptroller and the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, making certain findings with respect to the transfer of up to Three Million Dollars ($3,000,000) of excess moneys that The C Marlene E Davis 70810 BB 76 B.B.#76 – Hubbard - An ordinance recommended by the Planning Commission approving the name of a new public street located in the approved Jonas Hubbard Estates subdivision, located in City Block 552. Tammika Hubbard BB 77 An ordinance, recommended by the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, authorizing a supplemental appropriation; amending Ordinance 70540, commonly referred to as the City of St. Louis Annual Operating Plan for Fiscal Year 2017 2018 Frank Williamson 70793 BB 78 Redevelopment Plan for the 2615 Billups Samuel L Moore BB 79 Redevelopment Plan for the 3437-3439 Iowa Ave. Cara Spencer 70835 BB 80 Redevelopment Plan for the 3211 Osage St. Cara Spencer 70836 BB 81 Redevelopment Plan for the 7714-18 South Broadway Sarah Martin 70837 BB 82 Redevelopment Plan for the 2829 Iowa Ave Dan Guenther 70838 BB 83 Redevelopment Plan for the 2528 Texas Ave. Christine Ingrassia BB 84 Redevelopment Plan for the 2235 McNair Ave. Jack Coatar 70839 BB 85 Redevelopment Plan for the 705-719 North 2nd St Jack Coatar 70840 BB 86 Pursuant to Ordinance 68937, an ordinance authorizing the honorary street name Urban League Square, which shall begin at the intersection of North Spring Avenue and Grandel Square and run East on Grandel Square to North Grand Boulevard. Marlene E Davis 70806 BB 87 Honorary street name, Robert Prager Way, to begin at the intersection of Morgan Ford Road and Bates Street and run west on Bates Street to the intersection of Bates Street and Gravois Avenue. Beth Murphy 70815 BB 88 ESTABLISHMENT OF THE GATEWAY LAND COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT. Lisa Middlebrook BB 89 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A COOPERATION AGREEMENT WITH DISCOVERY PIER LAND HOLDINGS, LLC, AUTHORIZING REIMBURSEMENT IN ACCORDANCE THEREWITH, AND CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND AN EMERGENCY CLAUSE. Lisa Middlebrook BB 90 An Ordinance Amending Ordinance Nos. 69146 and 69153; authorizing other related actions; and containing a Severability Clause. Jack Coatar 70816 BB 91 Skinker –DeBaliviere-Catlin Tract-Parkview Historic District; Heather Navarro 70821 BB 92 Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreement by and among the City and the Art Museum Subdistrict of the Metropolitan Zoological Park and the Museum District of the City of St. Louis, a political subdivision of the state of Missouri (the “Museum”). Heather Navarro 70817 BB 93 An Ordinance requiring a City-wide vote to approve any proposal aimed at or having the effect of privatizing the Lambert St. Louis International Airport (the “Airport”) Cara Spencer BB 94 Redevelopment Plan for 1420-22 Union Frank Williamson 70841 BB 95 An ordinance approving a Redevelopment Plan for the 4213 Maryland Ave. Terry Kennedy 70842 BB 96 An ordinance approving a Redevelopment Plan for the 2200-2218 Washington Ave. ( Christine Ingrassia BB 97 An ordinance approving a Redevelopment Plan for the 4338, 4341 and 4345 Evans Ave. Area Samuel L Moore BB 98 Third Amendment to Section One of the Airport Schedule F CIP Project Ordinance 67357 approved December 19, 2006, Marlene E Davis 70824 BB 99 AN ORDINANCE RECOMMENDED BY THE BOARD OF PUBLIC SERVICE AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND COMPTROLLER OF THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS TO EXECUTE AN EASEMENT AGREEMENT, WHICH SHALL GIVE, GRANT, EXTEND AND CONFER IN PERPETUITY ON THE CITY, ITS AGENTS, SUCCESSORS AND Scott Ogilvie 70876 BB 100 directing the Director of the Department of Human Services, by and through the St. Louis Area Agency on Aging, to accept a Grant Award from St. Louis City Senior Services Fund Larry Arnowitz 70822 BB 101 Al’s Restaurant, located at 1200 N. 1st Street Tammika Hubbard 70906 BB 102 An ordinance recommended and approved by the Airport Commission and the Board of Estimate and Apportionment, authorizing and directing the Mayor and the Comptroller, on behalf of the City of St. Louis (the "City"), the owner and operator of St. Louis Marlene E Davis 70825 BB 103 condemnation by the City of St. Louis to acquire a site consisting of about 97 acres in North St. Louis near the intersection of Jefferson and Cass Avenues which is owned in fee simple by LCRA Holdings Corporation (“LCRAH”), which site was chosen for Brandon Bosley 70818 BB 104 An ordinance enlarging the boundaries of the Port Authority of the City of St. Louis Port District, subject to the approval of the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission, and authorizing certain actions in connection therewith.
ably talented but Kennedy has the more inconsistent track record. Of course, Kennedy’s complicated deal is backloaded and includes an opt out after just two seasons, making an apples-to-apples comparison difficult. Kennedy also has a history of high strikeout rates while Gallardo is more of pitch-to-contact guy. When the Rangers tagged Gallardo with the qualifying offer, some believed he should have accepted it. While the soon-to-be 30-year-old had a long wait to find a new home – pitchers and catchers have already reported to Orioles camp – Gallardo ultimately secured nearly three times the qualifying offer which was valued at $15.8MM this offseason. He’ll now be under contract through at least his age 32 season with a chance to return to the market in either 2019 or 2020. Gallardo effectively replaces Wei-Yin Chen in the Orioles rotation. Chris Tillman, Ubaldo Jimenez, Kevin Gausman, and Miguel Gonzalez will undoubtedly form the rest of the rotation, although all four pitchers were disappointing in 2015. Jimenez’s 4.11 ERA was the best of the bunch while Tillman and Gonzalez finished with just under a 5.00 ERA. The club does have decent rotation depth including Odrisamer Despaigne, Tyler Wilson, Mike Wright, and out-of-options Dylan Bundy, but none of them offer a high ceiling. Gallardo is the de facto ace of this group. The Orioles will lose the 14th overall pick in the 2016 draft as a result of the signing. The slot value of the pick is $2.97MM. The Orioles also have the 28th overall pick which they received as compensation for losing Chen. However, they would also lose that pick if they sign Dexter Fowler. Eduardo E. Encina of the Baltimore Sun was the first to tweet the two sides were finalizing a deal as well as the specific year-by-year terms. Jon Heyman reported the three-year, $35MM base contract with deferrals (tweet) and fourth year option. Chris Cotillo of SB Nation added that the option was for $13MM (tweet).After nine years of rapid development of Bitcoin, Bitcoin Diamond, a new cryptocurrency, was recently launched and the innovators dubbed it as the ‘fruit of their long research’ and development. Singapore, 23th November : Bitcoin Diamond, a new cryptocurrency was recently launched by Team EVEY& Team 007, two teams of bitcoin miners who were not happy with some of the major downsides of Bitcoin. After nine years of rapid development and various issues that the miners faced with Bitcoin, such as lack of privacy protection, high transaction fees and slow transaction speed, the teams finally collaborated and rolled out Bitcoin Diamond. Bitcoin Diamond or BCD will solve the known downsides of Bitcoin, according to Bitcoin Diamond Foundation, the collaborative venture. “Bitcoin Diamond is a fork of Bitcoin that occurs at the predetermined height of block 495866”, said an EVEY team member while also launching the official website http://www.btcd.io/index.html. “Bitcoin Diamond miners will begin creating blocks with a new proof-of-work algorithm, and will consecutively develop and enhance the protection for account transfer and privacy based on original features of BTC. The original Bitcoin blockchain will continue on unaltered, and a new branch of the blockchain will split off from the original chain. It shares the same transaction history with Bitcoin until it starts branching and coming into a unique block from which it diverges. As a result of this process, a new cryptocurrency was created which we call “Bitcoin Diamond””, he commented. According to the team member, Bitcoin Diamond has various benefits, such as better privacy protection, encryption of the amount and balance which protects customers’ privacy and faster transaction confirmations. “Bitcoin Diamond has raised the block size as part of a massive on-chain scaling approach. There is ample capacity for everyone’s transactions. The speed of generating blocks will be increased five times and the ultimate goal is to improve transaction confirmation speed for the entire BTC blockchain”, said another team member. He also added that Bitcoin Diamond will lower the cost of participation thresholds. According to him, it will reduce the transaction fees and the cost of participation. “The total amount of Bitcoin Diamond is ten times as much of Bitcoin which will reduce the cost of the new participation and lower the thresholds”, he told the press. It is reported that Bitcoin Diamond has been supported by a number of exchanges, and after EXX.COM issued an announcement of on-line BCD spot goods and futures trading in recent days yesterday, huobi.pro, okex.com, coinnest.com, gate.io, bitsun, bibox, btctrade, Aex.com, Cex.com, Coinbene.com, Rightbtc.com, and other exchanges also announced the on-line transactions in recent days today. It will fork in Nov.24th when the block hit the height of 495866. Because Bitcoin Diamond has been highly concerned by many people in the block chain industry, the new forking coins will have a wave of hot pursuit. Comparison chart & Support Exchanges : About the Company Bitcoin Diamond (BCD) is a fork of Bitcoin based on Bitcoin protocol and a new cryptocurrency. To know more, visit http://www.btcd.io/index.htmlShortly after the team accepted their berth in the Valero Alamo Bowl opposite the Texas Longhorns, quarterback Marcus Mariota and center Hroniss Grasu were both appreciative of the opportunity that lay ahead of them. Mariota says he might be fully healthy by Dec. 30 “I think for the most part, guys are going to be excited," Mariota said. "We have a lot of guys that are from Texas, a lot of guys that haven’t been to Texas, so it’s going to be an awesome venue.” The game on December 30th will serve as a chance for Oregon to not only face one of the most storied programs in college football, but also as a pseudo-recruiting visit in a state rife with high-end high school talent. Grasu said on Sunday that though the Ducks aren't going to a BCS game, playing the Longhorns isn't a bad draw at all. "It’s an honor to play in a bowl game against Texas, and I think getting a bowl win would be a big momentum boost for next season," Grasu said. Mariota was also disappointed that Oregon wasn't given the draw against Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, but admitted that the Ducks put themselves in a tough position after losing two games in November. Now, the sophomore says that the team has to move past that disappointment, look to finish the season with a win, and carry that momentum forward towards 2014. “To be able to finish the season off right, on a high note, would do a lot for our program, do a lot for coach Helfrich," Mariota said. "It would build a lot of confidence around this community.”A majority of U.S. Supreme Court justices and some politicians like to refer to corporations as “persons.” Few actual people, though, could get away with years of lawless behavior resulting in injuries and deaths, and the destruction of entire communities and ways of life. To do that takes the protection of a corporate charter and a legal and regulatory system that has succumbed to concentrated money and power. On Friday, two public interest groups asked the attorney general of Delaware to revoke the charter of Massey Energy, a company they call a criminal enterprise. “Massey Energy operates outside the law,” says Lorelei Scarbro, who lives a few miles from the West Virginia's Upper Big Branch mine, which is owned and operated by Massey Energy. Scarbro traveled to Delaware to speak in support of revoking the Massey charter. “The people of Appalachia are collateral damage; they believe it's okay to wipe out a whole culture.” “I know people who have died. I know people raising family on poisoned water. We need the attorney general to know that atrocities are occurring..." An April 2010 disaster at the Upper Big Branch mine claimed the lives of 29 coal miners. The accident investigation, commissioned by West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin, pins the blame for the disaster squarely on Massey’s “total and catastrophic systemic failures … in the context of a culture in which wrongdoing became acceptable, where deviation became the norm.” According to the report, Massey is also responsible for “incalculable damage to mountains, streams and air in the coalfields; creating health risks for coalfield residents by polluting streams, injecting slurry into the ground and failing to control coal waste dams and dust emissions from processing plants; using vast amounts of money to influence the political system; and battling government regulation regarding safety in the coal mines and environmental safeguards for communities.” Massey is chartered in Delaware, which is known for its corporate-friendly policies, although the company has no operations there. The two public interest groups, Appalachian Voices and Free Speech for People, cited the company’s long history of safety violations in asking the state attorney general to revoke Massey’s charter. They also pointed to the thousands of Clean Water Act violations resulting from the company’s mountaintop removal mining practices. “It is well established that the corporate charter is a privilege, not a right.” “I know people who have died. I know people raising family on poisoned water. We need the attorney general to know that atrocities are occurring on the ground on account of an outlaw corporation,” Scarbro said at a press conference on Friday. Scarbro is part of a family of coal miners going back three generations, and a leading spokesperson in a campaign to stop mountaintop removal mining on Coal River mountain and instead install a 328-megawatt wind farm on its ridges. How has Massey been able to routinely ignore health and safety standards and environmental regulations? Corporations Ain’t People: A Musical Protest Video: GLEE-inspired activism for a democracy run by human beings, not corporations. “Many politicians were afraid to challenge Massey's supremacy because of the company's superb ongoing public relations campaign and because CEO Don Blankenship was willing to spend vast amounts of money to influence elections,” notes the report to Governor Tomblin. “In one well-documented instance, he used his resources to elect a relatively obscure judge to the state Supreme Court.” “It is well established that the corporate charter is a privilege, not a right,” says Jeff Clements, co-founder of Free Speech for People. “Delaware, as with other states, reserves the right to revoke or forfeit state corporate charters when they are abused or misused, as in cases of repeated unlawful conduct.” “The Massey Energy Company presents a classic case of a corporation whose charter should be revoked,” says Clements. “We are strongly urging Attorney General [Beau] Biden to stand up to corporate power and say, at some point, corporations do not have the power to dismantle our democracy and to violate our laws willfully and systematically,” said Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who has been part of the effort to decharter Massey. Jason Miller, a representative for the Delaware Department of Justice, told YES! that the petition to revoke Massey Energy’s charter is “under review.” Interested?Android TV Is Alive And Well! While there hasn’t been much in the way of details, Google has quietly announced that Android TV and Google Cast will be expanding in the near future. This is fantastic news for Android TV fans. I don’t think anyone at AndroidTV.news had any doubt, but when the Nexus Player got overlooked at last fall’s Nexus event, people got worried that Google had given up on the platform. Given what happened to Google TV and countless other abandoned pet projects, I can understand. But Google’s latest official blog post is a reaffirmation of the platform being strong as ever with new hardware and software announcements. I wish there was more to pull from the announcement but Google only reveals: Sony and Sharp are adding to their Android TV product lines with Sony’s 2016 BRAVIA and Sharp’s Net Player. New devices are also on the way with RCA’s first Android TV, and Xiaomi’s sleek 4K set-top box. And in Europe, Android TV will be available from Beko, Grundig and Vestel starting in June. It sounds like Sony is keeping Android TV on their BRAVIA lineup and Sharp is going to add a set-top box to their offerings. RCA will be joining the party with an Android TV TV set and Xiaomi will be challenging NVIDIA with their own 4K gaming box. I for one am very excited to hear more about these products and you know we will pass along any details we hear as soon as possible. On the software side, Google gave a little summary of what Android N means to Android TV: Picture-in-Picture: lets users play video while browsing other content. Recording APIs: brings recording functionality to live TV. High Dynamic Range: supports the next frontier in 4K UHD video. They have also announced a slew of apps coming soon! In addition to the hundreds of apps currently available, many new apps are coming to Android TV such as CNN, Comedy Central, MTV, Freeform, Nickelodeon, Spotify, STARZ, WATCH ABC, WATCH Disney Channel, WATCH Disney Junior, ESPN and many more. Ahhhhhhhh, Google I/O… More as it comes! Source: Google Official Blog Brian Stein Brian Stein is a Science Teacher with a love of technology. When he is not molding young minds, he is looking out for the latest and greatest gadgets. Devices: Moto X, G Watch, Nexus 7, Chromebook, Custom Plex Server More Posts Follow Me:Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. April 6, 2017, 1:06 AM GMT / Updated April 6, 2017, 1:06 AM GMT / Source: Associated Press A state ethics panel has ruled that there is probable cause that Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley violated state ethics and campaign finance law in a sex-tinged scandal that has engulfed him for more than a year. The Alabama Ethics Commission voted Wednesday to refer the matter to the district attorney's office for possible prosecution. The 74-year-old governor has struggled to shake off a scandal after recordings surfaced last year of him making suggestive remarks to a female aide before his divorce. Bentley has admitted making personal mistakes but denied doing anything illegal or that would merit his removal from office. State Auditor Jim Zeigler filed an ethics complaint against Bentley accusing him of using state resources to pursue a relationship with the aide. The commission found probable cause that Bentley misused state resources and improperly accepting a campaign contribution and loan outside allowed fundraising windows.Kerala government today promulgated an ordinance making Malayalam a compulsory subject in all schools in the state up to Class X. The ordinance will come into effect from the coming academic year, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan told reporters. It will be applicable up to Class X in all government, aided, unaided, self-financing institutions, including those affiliated to CBSE and ICSE streams, he said. However, Malayalam subject would not be made compulsory for other state and foreign students to pass Class X, Vijayan said. The ordinance was issued after Governor P Sathasivam gave his approval. MALAYALAM MANDATORY TO GET NoC Detailing the other directions in the ordinance, he said teaching Malayalam would be made compulsory for awarding No Objection Certificate (NoC) for schools. "The law (ordinance) clearly states that schools should not impose any direct or indirect ban against speaking Malayalam. It also states that no boards should be erected in the campus directing students to use any language other than Malayalam", Vijayan said. The NoC of schools, where Malayalam is not taught, would be cancelled, he said. A fine of Rs 5,000 would be imposed on principals of schools which fail to follow the new instructions, the chief minister added. ALSO READ\| Rajasthan: Students made to sweep classrooms due to shortage of cleaning staff in Bharatpur school ALSO READ\| California school shooting: Gunman kills wife as she teaches, student dies of wounds ALSO WATCH \| RSS leader relieved of duties after offering Rs 1 crore to behead Kerala CMTwo people have been hospitalized after a small plane crashed in a residential area Saturday afternoon. A picture from an ABC15 viewer showed the aftermath of the crash, with debris scattered around a green space. First responders on scene small plane crash in residential area near Bell/Litchfield in Surprise. Waiting for info. pic.twitter.com/VBGkdaiJHc — Raquel Cervantes (@RaquelABC15) May 8, 2016 Surprise police said a single-engine plane crashed inside Sun Village, a planned community near N. Bell and W. Litchfield roads, around 5 p.m. Residents praised the pilot's skill to land the aircraft in an open area, avoiding homes just a few feet away. “You never think you’re going to have a plane land in your back yard," said Jean Steinken. Both the pilot and sole passenger were alert when first responders arrived, said Sgt. Norm Owens with the Surprise Police Department. “I saw him scoot out of the plane on his fanny, and the other one was laying down," Petty said. The pilot and a passenger were taken to the hospital for evaluation and treatment. Both suffered serious injuries, according to the Surprise Fire Department. Neighbors rushed outside their homes when they heard the impact, just steps away from where they live. “I said, 'My Lord, what was that? The loudest boom!” said Sue Petty. "A lot of our snowbirds have left for the season, so we were real lucky because this park is usually real full of people out here with their animals," said Delilah Smart. No one on the ground was hurt and no homes were hit as the plane crashed, authorities said. “The hand of God had to help them set that plane down because you can see it’s turned upside down and it’s broken into several pieces," Petty said. Looking at the wreckage, she can’t help but get emotional knowing two people were inside. “We just hope and pray that they’re both well," Petty said. The pilot and passenger have not been identified, and authorities have not released the tail number of the plane. Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash.CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA - MARCH 20: Students protest at the University of Virginia following the Tuesday night arrest by ABC police of student Martese Johnson, 20, outside a bar in Charlottesville, Virginia Friday March 20, 2015. (Photo by J. Lawler Duggan/For The Washington Post via Getty Images) University of Virginia students are pushing the state government to take the power to arrest people away from the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control agents following high-profile incidents involving unarmed students. The UVA Student Council is scheduled to vote Wednesday night on a resolution drafted by student government Chair of the Representative Body Abraham Axler, on behalf of the school's Black Student Alliance, calling on Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) to immediately strip ABC agents of their law enforcement authorities. ABC agents oversee state-run liquor stores and liquor licenses, and are allowed to arrest people who are found violating related laws. "There are times in which arrests are going to have to be made in connection with illegal use of alcohol," Axler told The Huffington Post. "But when that does happen, it should be local law enforcement agencies making the arrest." Axler said students aren't demanding punishment for ABC employees who did not do anything wrong, but that agents should no longer be allowed to make arrests. He pointed to the arrests of Martese Johnson, a student who was arrested by ABC agents after a bloody altercation earlier this month, and Elizabeth Daly, who was arrested two years ago after ABC agents erroneously accused her of buying alcohol while underage, to illustrate why he believes McAuliffe should adopt the UVA students' proposal. An online petition started by UVA law student Sam Shirazi asking the state to remove ABC agents' power to arrest individuals has attracted more than 500 signatures. "At the very least, ABC officers should no longer have power to target individuals on the street and should focus on enforcement against businesses," Shirazi wrote in the petition. McAuliffe's office did not respond to requests from HuffPost to comment on the student council resolution or the petition. However, the governor did sign an executive order Wednesday ordering the immediate retraining of ABC agents in the "use of force, cultural diversity, effective interaction with youth," and asked the state's secretary of public safety and homeland security to convene a panel to review the agency's law enforcement. Last week, McAuliffe also ordered a state police investigation into Johnson's arrest. Johnson, 20, plans to plead not guilty this week to charges of public intoxication/swearing and obstructing justice, Johnson's attorney said Monday in a statement to reporters. ABC agents arrested Johnson outside of Trinity Irish Pub on March 18 because they suspected he had a fake ID. Last week, Johnson's attorney said the student did not have a fake ID, and Trinity employees issued a statement that said Johnson was cooperative and did not appear intoxicated when they spoke with him just before ABC agents forced him to the ground and arrested him. That 2013 arrest, coupled with the treatment of Johnson this month, are both "graphic incidents of why the ABC should not have law enforcement authority because they don't have that trust" of members of the Charlottesville community, Axler said. Around 500 UVA students attended a forum with law enforcement officers Friday demanding answers about how a regulatory agency could justify its excessive use of force.HAMDANIYA, Iraq -- U.S.-led coalition aircraft helped Iraqi forces put down another attack launched by ISIS on Monday aimed at pulling attention and resources away from the battle for Mosul. Coalition officials said several ISIS vehicles were destroyed and a “significant” number of militants killed in the strikes around the western town of Rutba. Behind the scenes: Gun battle with ISIS in Kirkuk Iraqi officials said the ISIS attack there was quelled and the militants had no presence in the town. It resembled a larger-scale assault ISIS launched late last week on the city of Kirkuk, which led to two days of dangerous door-to-door fighting that left dozens of militants dead. A day after U.S. defense chief Ash Carter arrived in the northern city of Erbil to get an update on the Mosul offensive, CBS News correspondent Holly Williams says Iraqi and Kurdish forces have fought their way to within about 10 miles of the ISIS-held city itself. But as she discovered, the forces are encountering pockets of resistance as they purge the once-thriving Christian towns and villages around Mosul. Hamdaniya used to be home to about 50,000 Iraqi Christians. Two years under ISIS rule has left it shattered and deserted; its crosses torn down by the extremists and crucifixes defaced. Iraqi forces are closing in on Mosul One day after Iraqi forces entered the town, CBS News returned with the Hamdaniya’s Mayor Nisan Karoomi, Nwho fled with the other residents as ISIS swept in in 2014. It used to be beautiful, he told Williams. “Now look at it.” The streets still ring out with gunfire. In some places, ISIS has used tunnel networks to launch surprise attacks even after Iraqi forces think they’re in control. The attacks have left the Iraqi forces on edge, and now they shoot at almost anything that moves. Lt. Gen. Ryaad Jalal Tawfiq is in charge of Iraq’s ground forces, and he insisted to CBS News that Hamdaniya had been liberated, with only pockets of resistance -- even if, as Williams noted to him over the noise of gunfire, it “sounds like quite a lot of resistance.” “This is the military way,” he said. “They’re just clearing the area.” Local Christian militiamen have arrived, many of them returning home, to help secure the town. One of them, former security guard Hussam Salim, said he kissed the ground when he returned the night before. “Thank God we’re back,” he told Williams. “Even if I die here now, it doesn’t matter.”Yes Dino Rossi and Dave Reichert, I’m talking to you. As the epidemic of gay teen suicides increases as result of bullying, it is important to recognize that one of the most prevalent forms of bullying is done by our government. Both Dino Rossi and Dave Reichert have spoken out against LGBT equality. Dave Reichert even voted against a repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in the House this year. Elected officials are in positions of power. They have an ethical and moral responsibility to behave in ways that do not hurt children. By voting against the equal treatment of the LGBT community politicians like Reichert and Rossi are leading by example. They send a clear message that gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender citizens are “less than” or not as worthy as anyone else. Their messages of intolerance permeates throughout our culture. Adults teach children. Children bully other children. Children kill other children. Dino Rossi and Dave Reichert must own part of that responsibility if they are going to be anti-gay politicians. I clearly remember when I realized I was gay. I was in 6th grade. It was terrifying. I did not come out. I tried to hide it. The other kids could tell I was different. They called me “Fggot” as they spit on me on the school bus. Where did they learn the word “Fggot?” Where did they learn to hate me? Kids are not born homophobic, they learn it from adults. Adults whose hatred stole my childhood. Later I endured years of negative messaging from politicians. Throughout my childhood I was acutely aware of how my government felt about gays and lesbians. The Catholic Church I attended reinforced messages that I was not a good person because I was gay. We were taught gay people went to hell. By the time I was 18, I was ready to die. Were it not for my mother and the thought of her dealing with my death, I would have done it. So many young gays and lesbians make a different choice than I did. I am convinced that if our leadership at all levels of government refused to participate in legislative and political bullying, life would begin to change for gays and lesbians. Our young people will stop killing themselves. It is the job of our leaders to marginalize the intolerant, to protect minorities, and to lead with compassion for their fellow human beings. Until they do, politicians who participate in institutionalized homophobia have blood on their hands. Dino Rossi and Dave Reichert are pro teen suicide because they participate in legislative and political bullying. They are unfit to lead. Support Sen. Patty Murray and Susan DelBenne and leaders who will move us towards a culture were all people are loved and respected for who they are. How many more kids will have to die before our country learns?The Republican National Committee (RNC) and the Trump campaign say Republicans continue to lead in early and absentee voting in the state of Florida, and have closed the gap in Iowa. Republicans now make up 1.5 percent more of the vote share than at this time in the 2012 election, while Democrats make up 5 percent less. As of Friday, Republicans still maintain a slim lead in total votes cast in Florida, according to the RNC. In Iowa, Republicans make up 2.5 percent more of the total ballots cast, which has closed the gap in ballots cast by roughly 20,000 in this day in 2012. Democrats have cast 23,000 fewer ballots than in 2012. Republicans are turning out in greater numbers than in 2012 in North Carolina, where they have cast 93,000 ballots more than in 2012.TROY -- One of the contractors who worked on Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's $200 million performing arts center is now alleging that the Troy school defamed the company in the media. LaCorte Cos., a Troy electrical engineering firm, sued RPI and other defendants last year alleging that construction of the school's new Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center was rushed for publicity purposes, causing millions of dollars in cost overruns for LaCorte. LaCorte sued for $2.6 million in losses on the project, which opened in 2008 to much fanfare. EMPAC, as it is known, has a 1,200-seat concert hall and a 400-seat theater and is the most expensive building in RPI's history. After LaCorte sued the school, general contractor Turner Construction and architecture firm Davis Brody Bond LLP last year, RPI issued a press release quoting school official Claude Rounds saying the school stood behind Turner's work and calling the lawsuit a "frivolous matter." LaCorte amended its lawsuit last month, saying that RPI has already sued the project architect in a lawsuit alleging that designs led to problems with construction. The LaCorte complaint says RPI should not have called LaCorte's lawsuit frivolous if it felt there were already problems with the design. "The statement was made with actual malice against LaCorte and with reckless disregard of facts that were in possession of Rounds and RPI at the time the statement was made," LaCorte states in an amended complaint. The school's statement was published by the Troy Record newspaper in August. A copy of the story was submitted as an exhibit in the case. RPI spokesman Mark Marchand said the school would have no comment on the amended complaint, which seeks an additional $5 million. LaCorte's attorney in the case, James Barriere of Albany, was not available for comment Wednesday because he was out of the area for a trial. Contacted Wednesday, a Davis Brody Bond spokesman declined comment due to pending litigation.David Cameron is being urged to take part in a debate in the run-up to the referendum on Britain’s membership of the European Union. The Telegraph, YouTube and Buzzfeed are offering to co-host a debate on the issues in the lead-up to the EU referendum. The Prime Minister is expected to announce the date of the referendum later this month. It is expected to be held on June 23, meaning there are likely to be four months of campaigning. A host of senior Conservative political figures have urged the Prime Minister to take part in a public debate with a senior figure from the No campaign. Lord Lawson of Blaby, the former Chancellor who was announced as the chairman of the Vote Leave campaign on Wednesday night, said: “He is at present maintaining the fiction that we have to wait until the so-called renegotiation has been concluded. But after that he should indeed be prepared to take part in a debate.” Mr Cameron said he would consider taking part in televised debates ahead of the referendum. When asked last month, he said: "When we have settled the issue of the renegotiation then it will be a question of looking at how we best make sure that this debate, these arguments, are best put before the British people. Photo: Andrew Crowley for The Telegraph "I am very happy to talk about that at the time. I confidently predict that by the end of this referendum campaign, people will be sick of the sight of me on their television screens in whatever formats we decide to choose.” Downing Street sources said the Prime Minister had not thought about debates yet. Televised election debates were first staged in the weeks before the 2010 general election, when David Cameron debated with Gordon Brown and Nick Clegg. They are now a feature of the political landscape, being staged in the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, and the 2015 general election, despite Mr Cameron refusing to debate Ed Miliband head to head Arron Banks, founder of the rival Leave. EU campaign, said: "We would love to support a debate. We would want a leading figure from business to debate him. If the PM’s renegotiation amounts to anything he should be stood up to scrutiny in debates.” Damian Green MP, a pro-EU former Home Office minister, said Mr Cameron “should do the debate if he wants to do it”, adding that he would be able to use “persuasive arguments”. John Baron MP, who is leading a debate on giving the British Parliament a single veto over any "unwanted" EU legislation, said: “One of the reasons why we campaigned for a referendum in the last Parliament is that I want a good fulsome meaningful debate. As part of that is that the Prime Minister should make himself available to answer questions.” Steve Baker, chairman of Conservatives for Britain, said: “Given the televised general election debates it would be quite bizarre if there were not debates about this critical constitutional issue. There must be public debates and they should be televised.” Lord Lawson, the former Conservative Chancellor, has been announced as the new chairman of Vote Leave as two key figures were also removed from the Eurosceptic group's board. Separately, Vote Leave demoted Matthew Elliot and Dominic Cummings, its chief executive and campaign director after reports of in-fighting in recent weeks. Both men will still attend board meetings but will not be permitted to vote on matters discussed, a spokesman said. Labour donor John Mills, the former chairman of the group, has also been demoted to deputy chairman as Vote Leave praised the changes which it says will being "leadership".Six weeks after we started dating, I told Emily my secret. We were in bed, still in those heady, lust-filled days of a new relationship. I really liked her, suspected that I might even love her, which meant I had to tell her the truth about myself. She sat up to listen, and I trailed my fingers over her thigh, eyes down, nervous as a teenager. I was 30 years old and for the first time in my life I was going to tell a girlfriend that I wanted to spank her. No, not wanted to, needed to. And I knew that telling her might mean the immediate death of our relationship, but I also knew we'd never be perfect together unless I looked into her pretty blue eyes and told this sweet, innocent, beautiful woman that I had a spanking fetish. Advertisement: Let me clarify something: I'm not "into" spanking the way you might be "into" Celine Dion or “The Bourne Identity.” Spanking is a part of my psyche, an essential element of my sexuality. It's not like slavering over cheerleaders, or fantasizing about sex on the beach at sunset. When I was a kid I used to look up the word "spanking" in the dictionary, and I got a visceral thrill when I saw a spanking scene on “Little House on the Prairie” or “I Love Lucy.” At times, spanking was an obsession, and one made all the more torturous for the shame I felt harboring it. For more than 20 years I thought there was something wrong with me. I thought that if, by chance, someone else felt the same way, then they'd be a dirty old man with a grubby overcoat and bulging eyes. But I couldn't help it. I didn't choose to be kinky in this way, any more than a man or woman chooses to be straight or gay. The way I saw it, homosexuals had their closet and I had mine. Only mine was a lot smaller, and I was the only one in it. I never told any of my girlfriends about my fetish, although I often made clumsy attempts to engage in spanking play. If they let me, I landed a few gentle slaps to the bottom until I got a curled lip and, "That's just weird. You don't really want to hurt me, do you?" I didn't, no. Not really, not unless she wanted it, too, and none of them did. The closest I came to telling anyone was Jennifer, the girl I dated right before Emily. She told me it was sick and made me see a psychotherapist who, I found out later, labeled me in her notes as a sexual sadist. Another heaping of shame from my girlfriend, and a horrifying diagnosis from a professional. You can see why I kept this to myself. The thing is, I was beginning to suspect I wasn't sick. Or, if nothing else, that there were a lot more sick people like me out there. I dated Jennifer during the advent of the Internet, and when she was out of the apartment I'd spend hours in spanking chat rooms or looking at spanking photos. A couple of times I met people, real live girls, who liked to be spanked. I didn't have much else in common with them, but the spanking was amazing. As much as anything, it was the relief of finally exercising my kink with someone other than my right hand and a box of tissues. I wasn't alone! Jennifer caught me, of course. I'd driven 300 miles to go to a small spanking party in Washington, DC. It was at someone's house, and it was two days of awesome. At one point, I was in a hot tub with a woman who acted in spanking films and the female host, a retired police lieutenant. But as exciting as that was, I wanted to experience spanking with someone I loved. I didn't want to have spanking on the side; I wanted it front and center. Advertisement: Last November, the New York Times' Modern Love column ran an essay by lifelong spanko (official term) Jillian Keenan, called "Finding the Courage to Reveal a Fetish." As she put it, "For as long as I remember, I’ve been fairly obsessed with spanking. This obsession felt impossible to share, so I was always hungry for cues that someone could relate." I relate. As a man, though, it's a little different -- we're not supposed to hurt women, we're supposed to protect them. I've never hit a woman in my life, and abhor those who do, including those who emotionally abuse their partners. That's the essence of my shame, deepened by the impossibility of trying to explain it to someone who is not a spanko, someone who isn't wired to understand. As Keenan said: It’s hard to admit this. A few playful swats during sex seem fun, while serious spankings seem damaged and perverse. After years of pretending I was interested only in the occasional erotic swat, I finally had to admit it to myself: Although spankings do satisfy a strong sexual need, they satisfy an equally strong psychological one. For me, too. How many of us are there? Impossible to say. In a 2011 article in Salon, Debby Herbenick, a research scientist and sexual health educator at the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction, was quoted as saying that no study has ever been done that would give a solid figure on how common spanking is. I can tell you that just one of the many spanking subgroups on the adult website Fetlife contains more than 17,000 members. As for the male-to-female split, I asked Eve Howard. She co-founded of one of the best-known spanking erotica companies in America, Shadow Lane, and has run spanking parties in California and Las Vegas for 20 years. She said: "There are as many women into spanking as there are men, no doubt whatsoever about that." As time went by, I did find comfort in knowing there were others like me, but as I sat on Emily's
is to be expected since AMD promised compact form factors for its upcoming HBM powered flagship at the Financial Analyst Day. AMD Radeon R9 390X Pictured – Fiji XT, HBM, Small Form Factor and Water Cooling We’ve discussed this before when we exclusively reported that AMD will make a water cooled version of the Fiji board. Having the HBM DRAM packaged along with the GPU die on an interposer cuts significantly on the PCB area that would normally be needed to house GDDR5 memory chips. Moving towards the back of the card. We can see that there are three full sized DisplayPorts and one full sized HDMI port with no DVI ports. Surprisingly the card is still a dual-slot design with ventilation holes at the back, even though it appears to feature pure water cooling, rather than Hybrid liquid and air cooling like the R9 295X2. Fiji will be AMD’s upcoming flagship GPU that is set to power the Radeon R9 390 series graphics cards. Two weeks ago we reported that HBM production is ramping up for the upcoming Radeon flagship. And prior to that we had AMD stating that they’ll publicly talk about the new GPUs sometime later this quarter, likely at Computex in June. So that’s likely when we’ll have an official reveal of the new R 300 series. AMD reiterated again today during the Financial Analyst Day that the new graphics cards will launch in Q2 2015 at “upcoming events”, referring to Computex and E3. AMD Fiji XT GPU With HBM Memory Teased Update: You know what’s better than one teaser? Two teasers and this time we don’t have the shot of the card itself but the actual chip that will be powering the next generation AMD flagship card. The GPU shown in the picture is without a doubt AMD’s next generation Fiji XT chip which will be powering the Radeon R9 390X card and comes with HBM memory on the interposer as shown in the image above. This saves much space from the PCB to achieve designs that weren’t possible with previous generation cards. Hence we are looking at a totally new design scheme for the Radeon R9 390X graphics card. The second image shows what looks to be the same card from a different position and it is illuminating red led light. We can also seen a slight section of the tubing that will lead to the main radiator to cool of the card. It has been officially confirmed that AMD’s upcoming Fiji GPU, R9 390X, will be the world’s first to feature stacked High Bandwidth Memory. HBM represents the revolutionary step that has been so badly needed in the evolution of memory standards. The first generation of HBM promises to deliver 4.5X the bandwidth of GDDR5 and a staggering 16 times the bandwidth of DDR3. Note that single channel DDR3 controllers normally have 32bit wide I/O. Leading to 8GB/s bandwidth. But that number is still eclipsed by the 128 GB/s figure for first generation HBM. The second generation promises to double the bandwidth by doubling the speed from 1Gbps to 2Gbps. While also quadrupling the memory capacity for 4-Hi stacks from 1GB to 4GB. HBM2 will be featured in AMD’s upcoming Arctic Islands graphics architecture with the “Greenland” flagship GPU. Below are the specifications for Fiji based on the R9 390X WCE rumor. and the SiSoft Sandra database leak. WCCFTech AMD Fiji Flagship AMD Radeon R9 290X GPU Code Name Fiji XT Hawaii XT GPU Cores / Shaders 4096 2816 Memory 4GB Stacked HBM 4GB GDDR5 Memory Frequency 1.00Ghz 5.0Ghz Memory Interface 4096 Wide IO 512bit GDDR5 Total Memory Bandwidth 512GB/S 320GB/S GPU Clock Speed 1.05Ghz 1Ghz Compute Performance 8.5TFLOPS* 5.6TFLOPS Launch Price $649 $549 * Estimated from core count and clock speed. * Estimated from core count and clock speed. Finally I should mention that the final retail product may differ slightly in its aesthetic look but the primary attributes of the card as you see it in the image featured at the beginning of the article such as the form factor and the water cooling will remain exactly the same.In recent weeks, localisation (the practice of changing video games and other media for different markets) has gotten a pretty bad rep. With Xenoblade Chronicles X removing character customisation options for… questionable reasons, Fire Emblem removing content that a certain minority at Nintendo of America consider ‘offensive’ and The Legend of Zelda Tri Force Heroes shoehorning memes for the sake of it, there’s been a prevailing attitude that any changes made to a game when it’s translated are a bad thing. Or in some cases, that games should somehow be translated word for word from their ‘original’ versions, as if some ‘pure’ original is something that needs to be preserved at all cost. Above: The worst thing in a Zelda game? But it really, really isn’t. Censorship? Yeah, that’s a bad thing in any video game. But localisation is not the same as censorship, and as we’ll illustrate below, can actually make a game much better than it used to be. For starters, a game can actually have a significant amount of new features and content added during localisation. Sure, it’s not the most common occurrence in the world, but it’s happened. Like here in Luigi’s Mansion for Gamecube, where the PAL version got a massively improved Hidden Mansion mode with changes to boss attack patterns, new sets of enemies in different rooms and the whole layout of the mansion being mirrored. Here’s a video showing some of the changes. Similar examples to this include the well known case of Super Mario Bros 2 (where a much more interesting game called Doki Doki Panic was turned into a Mario title instead of the somewhat samey Lost Levels), and the less known case of Wario World. The latter game was delayed for its Japanese release, during which time they added a new phase for the final boss battle complete with new music and attack pattern. This made it significantly better than the poor excuse for a finale that other regions got: There are some minor examples where games are improved too. Like Super Mario 64, which in its original Japanese release, didn’t have the dialogue from Princess Peach in the intro. Nor the ending for that matter. Compare to this: Other changes existed as well, though most of these were just minor glitches being fixed for the international versions of the game. With the exception of the coin overflow bug being sorted out (it used to mess up and go into negative lives past about 255 coins, but caps at 255 in the non Japanese versions), there’s not really anything that’s too noticeable in that respect. In addition to games with significant features additions and design improvements, there are some cases where the localisation and local management teams made a decent decision by simply not releasing a shoddy product. Pokemon Stadium is a good example of this. Angry mob with torches and pitchforks approaches No, not THAT Pokemon Stadium. The OTHER Pokemon Stadium. The one we got was actually Pokemon Stadium 2 (and Pokemon Stadium 2 was really Pokemon Stadium Gold/Silver). Above: The terrible game you never got to play You see, what we didn’t know was that Japan already got a Pokemon Stadium game years early. But it was a bad Pokemon Stadium game. There were practically no options (Gym Leader Castle and the mini games weren’t even present in this one), you could only use 42 Pokemon (out of 151 in total), only two cups in the tournament mode, no additional mode after beating the last cup for the first time… Basically, it was a very obvious beta for the next game, and it was being sold at full price to boot! But how about other, less obvious changes? Ones where content isn’t being added or improved? Well… those aren’t always bad either. For instance, Wario Land 4 got a different ending song in each version of the game. Above: Top is English, bottom is Japanese. The songs after these are played (As heard in video 1) are from the rest of the game’s soundtrack, in an ending medley. Both are by the same composer and presumably exist in the files for both versions… and to be honest, both are pretty damn good. And the game has examples (in both regions) of songs in English and Japanese too. Above: A translation of the Japanese song is here: Does this change make the game worse? No, not really. The only issue is that neither the Japanese or English players can ever technically hear the whole soundtrack without Youtube. Neither audience is getting a worse product than the other. And there’s always the WarioWare series. Ashley’s song in the game was completely different in Japanese and English. As can be heard below: In this case, it’s pretty clear the English one is simply a more interesting song. It becomes even more clear when you translate them both: English CHORUS: Who’s the girl next door living in the haunted mansion? ASHLEY: You’d better learn my name, ’cause I am– CHORUS: ASH-LEY! She knows the darkest spells and she brews the meanest potions ASHLEY: You might be the ingredient I seek CHORUS: Don’t let yourself be fooled by her innocent demeanor ASHLEY: You should be afraid of the great– CHORUS: ASH-LEY! She doesn’t play with dolls and she never combs her hair ASHLEY: Who has time for girly things like that? ASHLEY: Eye of newt, I cast a hex on you Grandma’s wig, this will make you big Kitten spit, soon, your pants won’t fit Pantalones giganticus! Oh, no! Not again… CHORUS: She can rule the world and still finish all her homework ASHLEY: Everyone knows I’m the greatest– CHORUS: ASH-LEY! You better watch your step, or she’ll cast a spell on you ASHLEY: I turned my teacher into a spoon ASHLEY: I’m a slave to my spellbook, and yes it’s true, I don’t have as many friends as you But I think you’re nice, and maybe we could be friends And if you say “no”, you’re toast! CHORUS: Who’s the girl next door living in the haunted mansion? ASHLEY: You’d better learn my name ’cause I am– CHORUS: ASH-LEY! Just remember this when you see her on the street ASHLEY: I’m the cruelest girl you’ll ever meet. Japanese She’s everyone’s favorite person in the world She’s all about Ashley! Everyone is taking a look that will turn around Obviously, it’s Ashley Around the world, everyone admired her She’s all about Ashley! Ashley’s magic is the greatest It’s a party tonight! ENOR EBMU N — it is a laughter spell SIO IRA UN — what could be that spell? I ED AM — I don’t remember this one Oh no! I’m getting bored! She’s everyone’s favorite person in the world She’s all about Ashley! Ashley’s magic is the greatest Nothing is scary to me! The sea of the night sky has plenty of stars I am all alone. I want to make friends with everyone. What should I do? She’s everyone’s favorite person in the world She’s all about Ashley! Ashley’s magic is the greatest It’s a party tonight! The English one makes the character out as somewhat menacing, the Japanese one has her come across as somewhat desperate. Either way, it did wonders for her popularity, since she’s arguably the most popular character in the series in both Japan and Western regions. But how about text changes? A lot of people are complaining that a lot of text changes in recent Nintendo games are being done poorly. Shouldn’t that be kept mostly the same? Well… not always. Have you ever played a Mario RPG? Like, ever? If so, think of it like this: Absolutely every line of text in the game is in some way significantly different to what a direct translation would be. And guess what? That’s what makes the games funny. Cause you simply cannot translate humour directly. Oh sure, you can translate certain aspects of a scenario or a comedic sketch, or certain characterisations. But if you try and translate everything word for word, then most people are just going to wonder just what the hell is going on or what anything even means. So they went through various changes that TV Tropes calls ‘Woolseyisms’. This refers to Square’s main translator for their SNES titles, Ted Woolsey. He frequently modified the scripts to render them accessible to American audiences, and in general, those changes worked. They actually made the games more memorable and entertaining. Above: If it wasn’t for localisation, you wouldn’t give much of a toss about Kefka in Final Fantasy VI Some examples of his impact? Well, Kefka was a rather crap villain in Japan, perceived as a ‘laughing idiot’ that many saw as the scrappy. In America? He was rewritten as a misanthropic sociopath in the same vein as the Joker from Batman. It’s also why Frog speaks in old style English instead of his rather bland way of speaking from the original version. Either way, that’s basically how Mario RPGs are translated. The core concepts and characters are kept the same, but the text is made to be funny in each different country. So Fawful becomes an amusing narcissist who speaks in Engrish in the English versions… and then gets a different verbal tic in every other language. In French, that means a strong accent, in German, that means stuttering, in Italian, he makes up his own words at random. As a result, he’s the most popular character in the series. Seriously, he became the main villain for the third game because he was so beloved outside of Japan, and the creators realised their main market lay in English speaking regions. And his moments (well, some of them): And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Without a decent localisation, you’d lose out on the humour from other characters in these games. Geno. Popple. Dimentio. The Massif Bros. Midbus, Prince Peasley, Antasma… you name it. You’d lose out their unique lines and humour that wasn’t present to the same degree in the Japanese version. Super Mario RPG, Mario & Luigi and Paper Mario would have likely failed if they were ‘directly’ translated. So why some moments might be seen as ‘questionable’ for certain humourless types: Above: Though a lot of Mario RPG fans still consider it one of the funnier moments in the game (myself included) Many others make the characters a lot more interesting and engaging. Like Mr L’s personality here, or Dimentio’s use of weird similies. Or Antasma’s vampire esque speaking pattern and personality… And it just goes on and on… The most memorable characters and moments in the Mario RPGs are pretty much entirely down to how the games are localised. As for other examples… well, again, anything that’s funny in a Nintendo game in the last few years is an example of localisation done right. Like the tons of funny descriptions and comments in the Wario Land series. They’re minor, but damn, they’re always more amusing than the bland straight forward ones other games might have. For example: “Rare” Collectable Figurine This super-rare Cannoli figurine is one of only 65,535 in existence. It emits a somewhat oily scent when rubbed. Order yours today! Supply is limited! Spangly Celebrity Garb Some believe that simply donning this spangly outfit will transform you into a famous movie star! Others think such things require actual talent. Paranoid Bear Carving It may look like a nice little bear carving, but it’s actually a malevolent alien robot sent to spy on your every move. Don’t turn around. Game & Watch 9000 An amazing handheld game unit with FIFTY screens! When unfolded, it takes up as much space as a timeshare condo. Vengeful Robot Controller This remote allows you to summon a giant robot hidden deep within the bowels of the earth and unleash him on your unsuspecting enemies. But it’s out of batteries. Really Boring Firework This looks like a dull firework, but many feel it to be a true piece of avant-garde art that expresses the depth of the human search for existence in ways heretofore unseen. …But it’s still dull. Above: Aka, indie games by SJW types. Hypno-Specs Hypnotize your friends! Hypnotize your enemies! Basically, just hypnotize everybody! Hotter Sauce Hotter than any normal hot sauce. No, hotter than that. Hotter. Keep going… Message in a Bottle “Send help! I’m trapped in a bottle factory! Right next door to the fortune-cookie place!” Ghost Potion One sip and you’ll turn into a ghost… Wait, isn’t that just poison? Either way, text changes can be a good thing if done well, and can elevate otherwise boring characters or jokes or descriptions to something that’s actually memorable for the audience the game is aimed at. Surely you’d prefer that over a game which is more technically ‘accurate’ but puts off everyone in its target audience, right? That doesn’t mean all localisation is good (removing things like blood because the translators or moral guardians got ‘offended’, or taking away customisation options and mini games because you’ve got SJW types on staff is ridiculous), but it’s not always a bad thing either. It’s about context, about whether that meme type joke you’re making actually does fit the game you’re translating. It’s about whether your changes add to and improve the game or make it worse by removing functionality to please the easily offended. It’s more nuanced than ‘direct translations good, any edits bad’, and I hope people will finally understand that.The anti-narcotics cell-2 of police commissionerate of Ludhiana arrested a 21-year-old youth and recovered 100 gm heroin from his possession on Wednesday night. The accused has been identified as Chetan Sharma (21), a BSc student of Suraj Nagar. A case has been registered against the accused under the NDPS Act. The youth told the police that he himself is a drug addict and started drug peddling to meet his “drug needs”. Sub-inspector Harbans Singh, incharge at the antinarcotic cell-2 said the police arrested the accused from Bharat Nagar Chowk during checking on Wednesday night. During frisking, the police recovered 100 gm heroin from his possesssion. The accused told the police that he used to procure drugs from a man named Prince and sell it among the addicts. The sub-inspector said more important information has been expected from the accused in questioning. First Published: Aug 26, 2016 14:09 ISTPEORIA, Ill. -- A week before Bradley University soccer players were to report for the Fall 2007 season, midfielder Danny Dahlquist's family attended Mass at St. Mark's Catholic Church near the school. The church was the foundation of their family, and as Danny's mother, Tricia, left that Sunday morning, a woman approached her. "She walked up to me and started shaking my hand, saying what a beautiful family we had," Tricia said. "I thought, 'Well, thank you.' As she was leaving, I realized she had slipped money in my hand. Apparently she had won it somewhere and felt the need to share, spread the wealth so to speak, and she said, 'Bring your family out to dinner.'" The Dahlquists went home and called Danny, who was living in a house with teammates near campus. He joined his parents and six brothers and sisters at Corky's Ribs & BBQ. Danny quickly ate and, because he was born about a three hours' drive from Wrigley, wanted to watch the Cubs game. He picked up his baby sister, Ellen, and walked back and forth to the area in the restaurant where the game was on TV. Tricia still has that image burned in her mind. "That's my last vision of him," she said, "standing there with his sister in his hand." It was the last time the family was together. COLLEGE PRANK GONE WRONG It was Saturday, Aug. 11, 2007, and the Bradley soccer friends and teammates living at 2008 West Laura Ave. had decided to throw a party. Danny had moved in for his sophomore year, opting to live off campus instead of in the dorms where he'd lived as a freshman on the team. Living the life of a Bradley soccer player was a dream for Dahlquist. As he grew up across the street from Bradley, a private school with about 6,000 students, he'd become a devout Braves soccer fan. When he was 10, he met Bradley soccer coach Jim DeRose at a soccer camp. It would be an achievement for a local kid to make Bradley's team. Danny told his parents he'd rather practice for four years at Bradley, a Division I school, than go somewhere else and play for a Division III school. He loved the university where his parents work -- Tricia as an English instructor and Craig as the senior associate athletic director. Danny's parents, Craig and Tricia, work at Bradley and settled the family in a home near the campus. Courtesy Dahlquist family But on this night, the teammates and roommates were going to party. They got some alcohol -- later found to be obtained by one of the players, Nick Mentgen, -- and invited some friends. Later that night, the housemates wanted to play a prank on a few of their roommates. According to various reports, Dahlquist and the others had done this before: lighting fireworks, including bottle rockets, Black Cats Fireworks and Roman candles, under one another's bedroom doors. So when Dahlquist and another housemate went to their rooms to go to bed, they were prepared. "Danny, anticipating that I think from the previous night or two, shoved some towels underneath the door to keep that from happening or to keep the door from being opened or to keep the Roman candles out," said Kevin Lyons, Peoria County's state's attorney. Based on police interviews, court documents and a report from Lyons, this is what happened: Dahlquist's roommates -- Bradley soccer players Mentgen, David Crady and Ryan Johnson and a fourth friend, Daniel Cox -- lit Roman candles and shoved them under Dahlquist's bedroom door on the second floor of the house. Each was involved in the incident through obtaining the fireworks, lighting them or placing them under the door. After one didn't go off, likely because the opening under the door was blocked, one of the men used a coat hanger to remove the blockage and at least one more Roman candle was shot under the door. "The flames were about 1,500 to 1,800 degrees in temperature Fahrenheit," Lyons said. "The flames went across the room. There was a futon across the room and these balls shooting across the floor would hit the wall [and] burst into a bigger flame. The second time when they ran down the stairs and outside, there was no Danny Dahlquist, no nothing." Dahlquist's bedroom was on fire. After his teammates saw a glow in the second-story window, they went back into the house but couldn't rescue their friend because of the smoke and heat. They woke another roommate, sophomore midfielder Travis English, who was asleep in his own room, and got out of the house. At 4:34 a.m., Gina Goett, a friend invited to the party by Mentgen and Johnson, dialed 911. It was a chaotic scene, with sirens, police, smoke and fire. Johnson fled. Mentgen was helped up to a secondary roof as he was trying to help get his friend out. In a police interview, an emotional Mentgen described the scene: "I hear Danny, so I know that he is conscious, but he can't see me and I can't see him I just hear him saying he is not making words out I can hear him not yell, but ahhh-ahhh nothing like 'Hey, help!' Nothing like that. I don't think he even knew what was going on." Firefighters found Dahlquist on the floor near a window in his room. He was rushed to the hospital but pronounced dead at 5:09 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 12, from "asphyxiation due to smoke inhalation." PEORIA-BORN AND BRED Growing up in this blue-collar city of about 100,000 in north-central Illinois, Dahlquist attended Notre Dame High School a few miles from his home. His name is engraved at the school on a plaque celebrating the 2004 Class A state soccer championship. Dahlquist's former teammate and roommate, Nick Mentgen, right, tried to save Danny from the burning house. Courtesy Bradley University The 5-foot-9, 145-pound Dahlquist wasn't a superior athlete, but he wanted to play at Bradley so badly that a close friend likened him to the famed Rudy Ruettiger, who inspired the 1993 film "Rudy," about a former Notre Dame football player. "It was everything to him," his father, Craig, said. "This community gave him an opportunity to not just be friends with those at Notre Dame, and not just be friends with those in the neighborhood, but becoming friends with everybody around this 10- to 15-mile radius. They all came together to play soccer." Dahlquist enrolled at Bradley in the fall of 2006, made the soccer team as a freshman midfielder and was redshirted. The Braves went 8-8-4 that season, narrowly missing the NCAA tournament in a loss at home to Creighton in the Missouri Valley Conference championship. The next season, Dahlquist was determined to be an integral part of the team. Teammates and Coach DeRose noticed Dahlquist practicing harder and improving. He'd moved into an off-campus house with Mentgen, Johnson, Crady and English. Dahlquist was growing up, becoming more independent. LOSING A SON AND A TEAMMATE The Dahlquists were just waking up when the call came around 6:45 a.m. Craig and Tricia Dahlquist had worked up a good speech for their son about underage drinking, but emergency-room personnel immediately took them to a room where one of the nuns at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center told them what happened. They asked if they could see him. She said no. Danny had died.The health service is facing big compensation claims after admitting yesterday that failure to spot a millennium bug computer error led to incorrect Down's syndrome test results being sent to 154 pregnant women. The mistake - one of the most serious effects of the bug which many dismissed at the time as an overheated scare - was described in an NHS report as "a simple error which should not have happened". Investigators in Sheffield admitted two terminations were carried out as a direct result of the mistaken test reports. Four Down's syndrome babies were also born to mothers who had been told their tests put them in the low-risk group. The inquiry also recommended that the computer model which failed should be re-examined by the NHS and replaced if it was considered too simple. The report called for extra training for staff in more sophisticated monitoring of Down's syndrome risks. The investigation followed the belated discovery of the computer error at the Northern general hospital in Sheffield, where tests on samples from the women started on January 4 last year, less than a week after the NHS's intensive anti-millennium bug preparations for 2000 were completed. The team's 112-page report found that a dating mistake continued until tests carried out on May 24 that year, when it was finally spotted. The report, commissioned by Lindsey Davies, regional director of public health, also found that checks and monitoring of the Northern general's PathLAN computer system had become complacent. It said: "In part, the fact that the service had run successfully for 10 years led to a degree of overconfidence in the processes used and the software which contributed to the warning signs being overlooked and accommodated as acceptable errors." The blunder affected women from South Yorkshire and the east Midlands, an area served by nine hospitals which sent samples to the Northern general. Professor Davies said yesterday: "It was very specifically related to the millennium. When the computer got to 2000 it just didn't calculate the mother's age correctly. "When that information was fed into the test's calculations, the resulting risk level was wrong. It just demonstrates how careful you have to be at every stage in the system." The tests were not a guarantee against babies proving to have Down's syndrome, but placing in the high risk category would have given mothers the opportunity to have an amniocentesis test. Prof Davies said: "When the results started to look strange the hospital staff just thought it was a different mixture of women coming through, rather than the computer software. The hospital NHS trust was reassured - they thought everything was fine. "But this was a simple error that shouldn't have happened." Andrew Cash, chief executive of Sheffield teaching hospitals trust, apologised yesterday to all the women given misleading results. He said: "They were put in the unacceptable position of being given reassurance by the test and then having that taken away from them. We are already taking steps to ensure to the greatest possible extent that errors of this nature cannot happen again, and these will now be reinforced by the recommendations in the report." The trust has replaced computer laboratory software at all Sheffield hospitals since the error was discovered.Most of our users are aware that we release a new version of Wolfram\|Alpha every week. Each version includes countless changes—including regular data updates to hundreds of sources, improvements to our natural-language parser and other core frameworks, and completely new areas of coverage. This blog usually focuses on new datasets and functionality, and if you’ve been reading it recently, you know we’ve made some huge additions in just the last couple of months. We’ve introduced our own unique spin on NFL statistics. We’ve added the ability to visualize, compare, and purchase consumer products. And we’ve extended popular mathematics functionality like “Show steps” to more and more domains, most recently differential equations, as we highlighted earlier this week. But the biggest change to Wolfram\|Alpha since its launch nearly three years ago will be our next release, and we wanted you to be aware that it’s coming. We’re not going to let you know the details just yet, but what you’re going to find is a dramatic enhancement of functionality. You’ll be able to personalize your interaction with Wolfram\|Alpha in ways that only our combination of algorithms, presentation tools, and data representation could make possible. You’ll still be able to use Wolfram\|Alpha as you have in the past if you choose, but we think what we’ve put together represents the next big step in the evolution of computational knowledge, and one that will make Wolfram\|Alpha an indispensable part of your online life. Stay tuned! The announcement of this important release will be made on this blog.U.S. first lady Michelle Obama reacts between PBS Sesame Street characters Elmo and Rosita after delivering remarks on marketing healthier foods to children at the White House in Washington October 30, 2013. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas House Republicans 1. Michelle Obama 0. That's the only way to score how the first lady's signature school lunch efforts fared in what had been a food fight -- a food fight with not only House Republicans, but also school cafeteria officials across the country. In the new new $1.1 trillion budget deal, which will likely be approved by Congress and averts a shutdown, local officials will now have more flexibility with their school lunch menus, which have undergone drastic changes over the last few years. (School kids have been complaining about the Michelle Obama effect on their school lunches.) The budget deal won't end their complaints, of course, as it is a small tweak and a reaction to big criticisms of some of the changes. This is mainly about whole grains versus half grains rather than greasy pizza versus carrots. The exact language begins on page 99 of the massive bill: The secretary shall allow States to grant an exemption from the whole grain requirements that took effect on or after July 1, 2014, and the States shall establish a process for evaluating and responding, in a reasonable amount of time, to requests for an exemption, Provided, That school food authorities demonstrate hardship, including financial hardship, in procuring specific whole grain products which are acceptable to the students and compliant with the whole grain-rich requirements: Provided further, That school food authorities shall comply with the applicable grain component or standard with respect to the school lunch or school breakfast program that was in effect prior to July 1, 2014 The measure also freezes the previous sodium reductions in "meals, foods, and snacks sold in schools... until the latest scientific research establishes the reduction is beneficial for children." Officials at the School Nutrition Association welcome these exemptions and are urging their 55,000 members to back the deal. The group has long complained about "plate waste" (kids tossing food they don't like in the garbage) and has blamed the declining participation in the school lunch program on the recent changes. The Government Accountability Office tracked the results of the new regulations in schools across the country in a January report. The first lady told a roundtable of nutritionists hosted by the White House that Congress shouldn't "play politics with our kids' health." (WhiteHouse.gov via YouTube) The issue -- and really Michelle Obama in general -- has been a lightning rod for the right, with conservatives painting her as reaching onto kid's lunch plates and filling it with food they don't like. (For what it's worth, George W. Bush signed the bi-partisan Child Nutrition Act in July 2004, citing the need to curb childhood obesity.) Here's an example of this, from the Daily Caller: I reached out to the White House and here's their take, from Sam Kass, the outgoing White House chef and executive director of Michelle Obama's "Let’s Move!" campaign: In light of the efforts to roll back school nutrition standards, we consider the minor adjustments to the standards a real win for kids and parents. The Administration will continue to support districts across the country in every way we can to achieve the goal of providing good, nutritious food for students. – Obama has undeniably left her mark on what kids get offered in the lunch line, and these tweaks halt some of those changes. Conservatives and some school officials will likely be unsatisfied and continue to raise concerns about cost and local control. And kids will never, ever stop complaining about cafeteria food.“The full weight of scientific evidence amassed over 25 years continues to support the safety and efficacy of Colgate Total,” Mr. DiPiazza said. The antimicrobial triclosan was first used by surgeons to sterilize hands before operating. But amid a rash of germ phobia in the late 1990s, consumer products firms began adding the chemical and others like it to everything from soaps and deodorants to laundry detergents and even baby toys. When Colgate added triclosan to its toothpaste, debuting Colgate Total in 1997, it created a blockbuster, quickly gaining market share to become a best seller. What happens when you add triclosan to toothpaste? In 2013, an independent review of 30 studies by The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews concluded that toothpastes with triclosan and fluoride outperformed those with only fluoride on several counts. When used for six to nine months, triclosan-fluoride toothpastes reduced plaque severity by 41 percent more than fluoride pastes alone. The triclosan-fluoride combination reduced gum inflammation by 22 percent more and gum bleeding by 48 percent more than fluoride alone. For the truly dedicated, two to three years of using triclosan toothpaste showed a 5 percent drop in cavities compared with brushing with fluoride paste alone. But soon experts began to worry that widespread exposure to germ fighters in everyday products could lead to new strains of resistant bacteria. Studies in animals have shown that triclosan and similar chemicals can disrupt the normal development of the reproductive system and metabolism. Last week’s decision by the F.D.A. to ban triclosan in soaps came after experts pushed the agency to regulate antimicrobial chemicals, warning that they risk scrambling hormones in children and promoting drug-resistant infections.Elijah Stommel, a neurologist at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock medical center in New Hampshire, often has to deliver bad news to his patients, but there is one diagnosis he particularly dreads. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, kills motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, progressively paralyzing the body until even swallowing and breathing become impossible. The cause of ALS is unknown. Though of little solace to the afflicted, Stommel used to offer one comforting fact: ALS was rare, randomly striking just two of 100,000 people a year. Then, a couple of years ago, in an effort to gain more insight into the disease, Stommel enlisted students to punch the street addresses of about 200 of his ALS patients into Google Earth. The distribution of cases that emerged on the computer-generated map of New England shocked him. In numbers far higher than national statistics predicted, his current and deceased patients’ homes were clustered around lakes and other bodies of water. The flurry of dots marking their locations was thickest of all around bucolic Mascoma Lake, a rural area just 10 miles from Dartmouth Medical School. About a dozen cases turned up there, the majority diagnosed within the past decade. The pattern did not appear random at all. “I started thinking maybe there was something in the water,” Stommel says. That “something,” he now suspects, could be the environmental toxin beta-methylamino-L-alanine, or BMAA. This compound is produced by cyanobacteria, the blue-green algae that live in soil, lakes, and oceans. Cyanobacteria are consumed by fish and other aquatic creatures. Recent studies have found BMAA in seafood, suggesting that certain diets and locations may put people at particular risk. More worrisome, blooms of cyanobacteria are becoming increasingly common, fueling fears that their toxic by-product may be quietly fomenting an upsurge in ALS—and possibly other neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s as well. The stakes are so high that 21 research teams from 11 countries are now investigating the potential dangers of BMAA. “One group has vociferously denied the hypothesis,” says Walter Bradley, a neurologist and leading authority on ALS at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. “But more scientists are
to MOD in many ways and is just as attractive. Unlike MOD however, it is a serif font, which really adds clarity and aids legibility. 11. Cube Cube is a gorgeous, 3-dimensional typeface, available in a range of vivid colours. It’s crisp, clear-cut and looks as though it’s been shaped from folded cardboard boxes. LDJ Crafty is a fun, hand-drawn typeface that would be perfect for use in media aimed at kids. 13. Plasti Puzzle Font Plasti Puzzle was designed by Rodier-Kid, an extremely talented Argentinean graphic designer and typographer. Words written in this typeface are immediately intelligible, despite the cartoon-like, bubbly style. This beautifully embellished typeface is reminiscent of the illuminated calligraphy of the Middle Ages. Each character could be the first in an antique book of fairytales. Sausage is an elongated, elegant typeface, which is inventive but comprehensible. The overlaying of ‘sausages’ to build characters creates an intriguing 3D effect. 16. Getting Blocky This highly original typeface looks great, but does suffer somewhat at the hands of its own stylisation. Some letters, particularly ‘R’, ‘N’, and ‘X’, look confusing on their own, although they do tend to work in sentence form. This cool typeface looks great on flyers for club night and other events. Each minimalist character has a rounded structure, while some end in a point, like Origram. Contemporary is modern, lightweight and oozes style. The overlapping of characters is highly effective in this instance, although I personally think it would look more fluid if the ‘A’ and ‘V’ were less slanted. Like Cinderella Decorative, this ornamental typeface owes much to illuminated calligraphy. Its detailed characters are interspersed with wildlife and angelic figures. Dora is an example of how easy it is to make your own typeface. Michael Slevin simply scanned his friend Dora’s handwriting into a computer and made some minor adjustments. It looks slightly sketchy, but this could be his first step on the road to typographic greatness. Related contentWRENTHAM - Hours after her flight from Dublin landed in Boston on Thanksgiving, Alice Kinsella headed in a white van with a dozen relatives and friends to Wrentham Village Premium Outlets. The 36-year-old has never visited Boston, but she is bypassing the sights for an extended weekend of binge shopping that started at midnight yesterday. For Kinsella and other Europeans, America is one big discount bin, thanks to a weak dollar that slid this week to another record low against the euro. As a result, tourists are spending thousands to travel to the United States to snag blockbuster bargains on everything from iPods to designer clothes and handbags. By 4 a.m. yesterday, Kinsella had rung up nearly $2,000 in Christmas presents and winter clothes, including a $79 black leather jacket at Guess that she estimated would cost more than $250 in Ireland. "The bargains for us are so great," said Kinsella, who paid $1,000 for a flight and hotel but expects to save even more on purchases here. Kinsella is one of a record 1,000 international tourists who scheduled organized shopping trips yesterday to Wrentham Village Premium Outlets - more than double the number last year. Hundreds more were expected to come on their own, according to Beth Winbourne, the outlet's general manager. Foreign travelers have long visited the United States to get their holiday shopping fix. After all, many design er brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, and Guess are cheaper here because sales taxes are lower and because the bigger market here allows goods to be priced more competitively. But now American wares are even more of a bargain as the slowing US economy has weakened the dollar. Further, as the Federal Reserve has cut interest rates to boost the economy, the dollar has lost even more value, and global investors have realized they won't earn as much when they park their cash in greenbacks. As a result, the euro has shot up by 33 percent compared with the dollar since 2002, so Europeans who exchange 1,000 euros now get close to 1,500 US dollars. And the Canadian dollar is worth as much as the US dollar for the first time in three decades. While some US shoppers are tightening their purse strings this holiday season amid rising gasoline prices, the slumping housing market, and the current credit crunch, the one silver lining for some merchants is the tidal wave of foreign dollars pouring into US stores. "With Americans looking to cut back and conserve because of economic uncertainties, the holy grail this holiday-season year for retailers are the international travelers who are coming here in record numbers," said Patrick Moscaritolo, president of the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau.Following the American Transportation Research Institute’s release last week of its top 10 critical industry issues report, Overdrive surveyed readers as to their own top concerns among ATRI’s top 10. A lot of common ground exists – four of the top five noted concerns (shown below from our polling) are shared among owner-operators and the mostly fleet representatives in ATRI’s survey. Owner-operators’ top five — percentages indicate the share who named the issue their top concern Notably, a perennial concern of drivers and owner-operators stood tall in the ranks at the No. 6 position in ATRI’s survey: “Truck parking,” which early this year was high on a list of recommended safety action items from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee. The ATRI report stressed that the top favored strategy for dealing with the problem among respondents was to “support and encourage investment in new truck parking facilities and work to reopen closed public rest facilities.” The issue was included for the first time in the ATRI top 10 in 2012, the report notes, as “the [then proposed changes to the] HOS rules brought heightened awareness to the dramatic shortage of safe and available parking.” Reader, commenting on Overdrive’s Facebook page, expressed wonder at the seeming lack of attention to the parking issue over the years, despite the codification of “Jason’s Law” in the MAP-21 highway bill in 2012. “Jason’s Law gets nowhere,” Maher said. “Yet liability insurance and everything FMCSA wants gets fast-tracked through.” Maher wouldn’t be the first driver to remark on the underutilization of the monies available to states for truck parking under the MAP-21 provision. If the ATRI survey is any indication, fleet reps also are taking notice in large numbers.On April 6, 1977, Gianna Jessen was born, despite her mother’s wishes. According to her website, Jessen survived a botched late-term saline abortion that left her with what she calls the “gift” of cerebral palsy. Today, she’s a pro-life activist and motivational speaker who has taken her efforts all the way to Washington, D.C., to be the voice for unborn babies around the world. Last September, Jessen even testified in front of the House Judiciary Committee about Planned Parenthood’s abortion activities. She explained to the committee: “My biological mother was seven and a half months pregnant when she went to Planned Parenthood, who advised her to have a late-term saline abortion. I was later diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy, which was caused by a lack of oxygen to my brain while surviving the abortion. I was never supposed to hold my head up or walk. I do.” @jkellyca so here's a copy of my medical records, and a 4d ultrasound of a gorgeous child. you can mock me, #iLived. pic.twitter.com/DgEQ8gAyeD — gianna jessen (@giannajessen) June 28, 2016 The 39-year-old’s story has undoubtedly made an impact, as the Washington Post reports she returned to D.C. for a subcommittee hearing on abortion last week. The hearing looks into the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act, which had little political opposition before President George W. Bush signed it in 2002. The Act was an effort to protect premature babies after a botched abortion attempt, making their well-being an independent priority, whether their mother wanted them alive or not. Also up for discussion was the Hyde Amendment, which currently prohibits federal taxpayer dollars from funding abortions, something Hillary Clinton has since said she’d repeal. Her reasoning? It represents a law “making it harder for low-income women to exercise their full rights” — those “rights” she’s referring to are abortion services, which are not funded by federal programs like Medicaid. Jessen sees things a little differently. She told the sub-committee on September 23rd: “Many Americans have no idea that babies can even live through abortions and are often left to die. But this does happen. I know this because I was born alive in an abortion clinic after being burned in my mother’s womb for 18 hours. My medical records clearly state the following: Born during saline abortion, April 6, 1977, 6 a.m., two and a half pounds. Triumphantly, I entered this world. Apart from Jesus himself, the only reason I am alive is the fact that the abortionist had not yet arrived at work that morning. Had he been there, he would have ended my life by strangulation, suffocation or simply leaving me there to die. my pastor took this photo as he prayed for me, while i was before congress today. he also captured the dude who smirked.? pic.twitter.com/mF3OyZ9j0O — gianna jessen (@giannajessen) September 23, 2016 She continued by calling it a “bipartisan issue” that Americans should think about, regardless of who they’re voting for this November. Jessen then surely tugged at committee members’ heartstrings, as she asked for their explanation for finding such an “abhorrent practice tolerable”: “I have faced the consequences of our choices as a nation (as evidenced by my cerebral palsy.) So if you choose to do nothing, I believe I at least deserve to know why you find this abhorrent practice tolerable, and I would respectfully ask that you tell me directly. It seems in some ways, we have lost our way in this beautiful nation. But it needn’t be so. We have only to remember that we are lent each breath, that we are all engraved upon the hands of God, and therefore, cannot for a single moment, be forgotten by him. We need only to remember Jesus, who took me from my mother’s womb, to be his own.” The pro-life activist isn’t shy about who she supports for president — none other than Donald Trump. The GOP candidate recently wrote in a letter with his “pro-life coalition” that he would “make the Hyde Amendment permanent law to protect taxpayers from having to pay for abortions.” Trump also stated he’d sign the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act into law, ending painful late-term abortions.January 31, 2008 First Comic Previous Comic Next Comic Today's Comic I'm Doing This as Loud as I Can January 31, 2008 First off, I'm going to be at Intercon H in Chelmsford, MA, February 29th through March 2nd. It's primarily a LARP convention and a lot of the games have filled up (they asked me to tell you all that), but I'll be running two Bunnies & Burrows games (table top, NOT LARP) on Saturday and Sunday (the latter's filled). They're also giving me a table, so if you're in the area and want a free sketch, come on by. So... anyway. Yeah, I generally avoid politics directly on S*P, but this still pisses me off. Y'know what? I'm going to leave it here. I promised my father I'd leave my politics out of my comic (as much as is possible, anyway) and I'm pretty sure any long rant about the agenda of fear used by ALL political parties in the U.S. (yes, the independents use it, too) is going to be preaching to the choir for the most part. So, fuck it. Oh, and I don't normally do this, but if you want to repost this particular strip (January 31st, 2008) on your blog, site, or whatever, be my guest. In fact, here's some handy code: <a href="https://www.somethingpositive.net/sp01312008.shtml"><img src="https://www.somethingpositive.net/arch/sp01312008.jpg"></a> I'm sure I'll regret this in no time. -R ©2001-2019 choochoobear(at)gmail.com Privacy PolicyA A TACOMA, Wash. - A man who called KOMO News to say he had killed his wife and wanted the message posted on Facebook was arrested Thursday after a high-speed chase, authorities said. Sara Barrett, 42, was found dead from "homicidal violence" about 6 a.m. Thursday in a room in the Motel 6 at 1811 S 76th Street in Tacoma, said Ed Troyer of the Pierce County Sheriff's Office. Police began searching for the woman late Wednesday after her husband, Tony James Barrett, called KOMO News and said he had killed her. KOMO News then immediately notified law enforcement authorities. Deputies later found the woman's car and impounded it at her workplace, a Pier 1 Imports distribution center in Dupont. They found what they believed to be blood in the car. Police in Tacoma later located the woman's husband, who sped away from officers in his vehicle. They pursued him across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge at speeds approaching 100 mph. Spike strips were used to stop the husband's vehicle on Highway 16 west of Tacoma. The suspect then attacked officers with a crowbar, Troyer said, and officers used a police dog to subdue and detain him In his earlier phone call to KOMO News, the husband said he wanted a message put on Facebook: "I just killed my wife... I want you to put it on your Facebook." The man told the KOMO News assignment desk that he and his wife had been together for 28 years. "It was supposed to be 'til death do us part, but she wouldn't.... " he said. The man then would not say where his wife could be found, but said, "They'll find her tonight or by tomorrow." The assignment desk asked the caller if there was someone we could notify, and he said "No, I'm not going to be here much longer." When the assignment desk asked if they could contact police, he disconnected. The Tacoma School District confirmed Thursday that Tony Barrett works for the district as a warehouse specialist, delivering products to Tacoma schools. He has worked for the district since July 2001, officials said. Family members said they were shocked by the killing. "It's been rocky for a couple of years - they've been off and on - but this is shocking, this is something that nobody would have expected him to do," said Sara Barrett's niece, Candice Saucedo. "He loved her; he'd been with her for 20-some years. I still don't believe he did it, I don't understand it." Saucedo said Sara was a kind, caring person. "She was the most caring, beautiful, wonderful person. She had a huge heart, and for this to happen - oh my gosh. I can't even explain - she was perfect; everybody loved her," she said. "She just became a grandmother.... She was so excited, and for him to just take all this away, its just ridiculous." "Hopefully he'll spend the rest of his days where he belongs and he won't be able to hurt anybody else," she said. On Thursday, Sara's youngest son, Tyler Barrett, spoke about the loss of his mother. "It hasn't even quite hit me yet. It's all a big blur," he said. "It's a tragedy that I could never imagine. She was just so kind. She gave more to others than herself." Tyler also spoke about his father, who is accused of killing Sara. "He's just a sick man. A sick man. I'm ashamed he's my father," Tyler said. Court records show that Tony Barrett also was charged with attacking his wife for unexplained reasons in 2007, holding a pillow over her face until she nearly suffocated. The couple's grown son broke down the bedroom door and stopped the attack, and Tony Barrett fled from the home when he learned police were on the way. He later pleaded guilty to third-degree assault for that attack, serving one day in jail and two years under Department of Corrections supervision. He was ordered not to have any "hostile contact" with Sara Barrett for five years. That order expired three weeks ago on Feb. 25. On Thursday evening, about three dozen people came to the second-story balcony outside the Tacoma Motel 6, where Sara died. Some had balloons. Others carried candles. They wanted to remember her.The prospect of a January break has moved a step closer after it emerged the FA and Premier League are to hold talks on the issue. Debate about the benefits of a winter hiatus is nothing new but, with fixture congestion back on the agenda in a week when Champions League and Europa League fixtures are quickly followed by FA Cup ties, there is a renewed appetite to fit a two-week break into clubs’ schedules each January and the possibility will be discussed soon. According to a report in the Daily Mail, one solution would see a fortnight gap inserted into the January schedule, with the FA Cup third round moved to a later weekend in the month. There are considerations, though, around FA Cup replays, which could be under threat in any reorganisation, and the League Cup, whose semi-finals take place in January. A lengthening of the domestic season could be one answer that keeps all parties content. Manchester City are among the top-flight sides expected to field a weakened team in the FA Cup this weekend. Their match against Chelsea on Sunday precedes Wednesday’s Champions League game with Dynamo Kyiv and, four days later, the League Cup final against Liverpool at Wembley.Violence, self-harm and assaults on staff soar as human rights advocates warn state is ‘heading down the path of California’ Human rights advocates have blamed prison overcrowding and draconian sentencing for alarming rises in deaths, incidents of self-harm and assaults in Victoria’s prisons. Figures released in the state’s Department of Justice annual report show that 13 people died while in custody in 2012-13, up from four the year prior. Meanwhile, incidents of self-harm have soared, with eight out of every 100 prisoners harming themselves in the past year – double the rate of 2008. Assaults on prisoners by other prisoners hit a new high, with 18 prisoners in every 100 experiencing violence. Assaults on staff climbed to four for every 100 prisoners, nearly double that of five years ago. In recent years, the Victorian government has looked to toughen up sentences for certain offenders, expanded electronic tracking of those released into the community and, most recently, tightened up the parole regime in the wake of the Jill Meagher murder. But critics claim that these policies have resulted in overcrowding, pointing to a recent report by the state ombudsman that warned Victorian jails were operating at three times their capacity. “This is a trend that will only get worse due to policies that really need to be reconsidered,” said Hugh de Kretser, executive director of the Human Rights Law Centre. “We speak to people who have tried to get mental health help in prison but are denied access due to the problems caused by overcrowding. “The net effect is a lack of humane conditions for prisoners, but also a less safe community because these people are released without getting those essential services to help them stop reoffending. “Broadly speaking, I’d say overcrowding increases the triggers to deaths in custody. There is more difficulty in managing volatile situations when you can’t move prisoners between cells, so you see an increase in assaults. “The system is at capacity but the government is accelerating prison numbers because of a so-called tough on crime approach. We are heading down the path of California when it comes to prison conditions and reoffending.” Edward O’Donohue, Victoria’s corrections minister, had not responded for a request for comment at the time of publication.Sony's strategy to woo its lost customers after the PlayStation Network outage involves offering loads of freebies - games, music and movies. While announcing that it has resumed a phased restoration of Sony PlayStation Network and Qricotiy, Sony listed a freebie bonanza as part of its Welcome Back appreciation plan. Registered PlayStation Network and Qriocity users in North America (US and Canada) are eligible to receive the free gifts. The appeasement package will be available once the service is completely restored. Separate packages have been announced for users in Europe and Latin America. PlayStation Blog details the offer as follows: All PlayStation Network customers can select two PS3 games from the following list. The games will be available for 30 days shortly after PlayStation Store is restored and can be kept forever. Dead Nation inFAMOUS LittleBigPlanet Super Stardust HD Wipeout HD + Fury For PSP owners, you will be eligible to download two PSP games from the following list. The games will be available for 30 days shortly after PlayStation Store is restored and can be kept forever. LittleBigPlanet (PSP) ModNation Racers Pursuit Force Killzone Liberation A selection of On Us rental movie titles will be available to PlayStation Network customers over one weekend, where Video Service is available. Those titles will be announced soon. 30 days free PlayStation Plus membership for non PlayStation Plus subscribers. Existing PlayStation Plus subscribers will receive an additional 60 days of free subscription. Existing Music Unlimited Premium Trial subscription members will receive an additional 30 days of free premium subscription. Additional 30 days + time lost for existing members of Music Unlimited Premium/Basic subscription free of charge for existing Premium/Basic members. To welcome users Home, PlayStation Home will be offering 100 free virtual items. Additional free content will be released soon, including the next addition to the Home Mansion personal space, and Ooblag's Alien Casino, an exclusive game. However, customer response to Sony's Welcome Back package has been more than satisfactory as revealed by the comments on the post titled Details for PlayStation Network and Qriocity Customer Appreciation Program in North America on PlayStation.Blog. A user with codename joeschmo99 said: Wow these are amazing games to give out for free! I thought it would just be cheap minis like angry birds or something throw away like that! Another user yazter stated: And wow you guys rose like a phoenix from the ashes. I'm more than happy to publicly humiliate myself and say I was an idiot for the comments I made xD. At any rate, I do have all those games except Stardust HD, but I don't mind. I'm mainly glad I got a 60 days extension on my Plus subscription. That's more than I could ask for XD. However, for some the offer has just whetted their appetite for more free stuff. As a user with proxy name wicked-crazy commented: they should have given us free black ops maps though. Another user sniffed a strategy to gain new subscribers in Sony's offer. User navcomm81 said: It's funny because most of the 'Welcome Back' titles are ones we already own since they're pretty much flagship titles. As for non-subscribers getting a month of PlayStation Plus.... best of luck to them enjoying the 'free games' unless they continue by paying after 30 days. Smart Sony, I see what you did there. But many Sony customers can breathe a sigh of relief after Sony shutdown its PlayStation Network in April when hackers siphoned personal data of about 80 million users. Also Sony later confirmed that hackers had also broken into its San Diego-based online unit, Sony Online Entertainment, further affecting 24.6 million users. Sony announced the phased restoration of PlayStation Network on Sunday.In the course of scouting prospective races in the early years of the Dominion, Mechari observers found that the primitive but intelligent Chua of the forest world Bezgelor displayed considerable promise. In addition to showing an uncanny grasp of science and mechanical engineering, they were also remarkably devious and competitive. Predicting that a species unconstrained by economic or moral considerations could prove useful, they opened communications. Hoping to hyper-accelerate their industrial development, the Mechari presented the Chua with several instructive examples of simple Dominion technology.The Chua reciprocated by presenting their celestial benefactors with a gift-wrapped Bezgelorian tar-beetle. As per its natural defense mechanisms, the beetle promptly exploded when handled by its new owners, covering all dignitaries present in corrosive black ooze that required months of corrective drilling and acid-baths to remove. The Chua howled with laughter over this for days and end. Efforts to galvanize Chua’s advancement exceeded even the Mechari’s most optimistic projections. Their zeal for industry instantly propelled them into a state of near psychotic overdrive, and in under a century the Chua had replaced most of Bezgelor’s verdant forests with factories that covered the planet’s surface like a scab. The once blue skies nowseethed with cancerous ochre, its formerly tranquil pastures reduced to dustbowls of ash. Although initially too enraptured with their own productivity to see value in further discourse with the Mechari, by 538 AE the Chua joined the Dominion out of a need for base resources that their own ruined world was no longer capable ofproducing. For the last thousand years, they have created advanced weapons and technology for the empire. With the recent discovery of Nexus, the Chua look forward to exploiting the legendary planet’s natural and technological resources, along with devising new and exciting ways to destroy their enemies.A retiree suing over his arrest in a supermarket had been warned before by store managers that he was helping himself to too many free samples, a defendant in the suit says. Among the things a store manager had scolded Erwin Lingitz about: He had filled produce bags with up to 20 cookies from the “kids’ cookie club tray,” defendant Supervalu Inc. claims in its answer to the Gem Lake man’s federal lawsuit. Lingitz is suing Supervalu, Ramsey County, its sheriff’s office, three deputies and a private security company over an April 2010 incident at a Cub Foods in White Bear Township. The 68-year-old former laboratory machinist claims he was roughed up and his civil rights were violated by a security guard and then sheriff’s deputies after he was confronted and accused of helping himself to too many free samples of lunch meat. But in an answer to Lingitz’s suit, Supervalu attorney Robyn Johnson says the company shouldn’t even be a defendant because it doesn’t own the supermarket in question. The supermarket is owned by Kowalski Cos., which runs it “under the Cub Foods name as a franchisee of Supervalu,” Johnson wrote in the reply. As such, she said, there’s no reason Supervalu should be named as a defendant. Jeff Swanson, a spokesman for Supervalu, said 67 supermarkets carry the Cub Food name and 44 of them are owned by Supervalu. The remainder, including the store in White Bear Township, are franchise stores. Lingitz, 68, sued in U.S. District Court last month, claiming that when he went into the Cub supermarket on Meadowlands Drive to pick up a prescription, he stopped at a display offering free samples of lunch meat and helped himself. He claims Cub employees told him he could take some to his wife, who was waiting in the couple’s car. As he left, a security guard confronted him; Lingitz protested and the fracas escalated. He eventually was arrested and jailed. After the suit was filed, a spokesman for Supervalu said Lingitz violated “societal norms” by taking more than customers are expected to. In her answer, Johnson inventoried what she claims deputies found in the man’s pockets after he was handcuffed. “Plaintiff had approximately 14-16 packets of soy sauce along with one plastic produce bag containing 0.61 pounds for (sic) summer sausage and another plastic produce bag containing 0.85 pounds of beef stick in his pockets,” she wrote. “Near the end of aisle 10 on the day in question, Cub Foods had two un-hosted sample platters, one containing beef stick and one containing summer sausage.” The lawyer wrote that Frank Patterson, a security guard for Twin City Lawmen Inc., which handles security at the store, saw Lingitz “putting items in his pockets,” followed him out of the store and asked him to remove the items from his pockets. Lingitz refused. The store’s general manager “repeatedly asked plaintiff just to remove the items from his pockets and plaintiff refused,” Johnson wrote. Robert Gardner, the attorney representing Lingitz, did not immediately return a call for comment. In her answer, Johnson wrote that store personnel had spoken to Lingitz “at various times,” and that Steve Martin, a weekend manager, had seen the man “taking excessive amounts of food from various un-hosted sample platters and from the store’s cookie club for kids.” “On these occasions, Mr. Martin observed plaintiff filling plastic produce bags with the samples or with 10-20 cookies from the kids’ cookie club tray, which specifically limits the offer to one free cookie per child,” Supervalu’s response says. “Mr. Martin told plaintiff that the samples were for everyone, that only one or two should be taken, that plaintiff should not fill bags with samples in the future and that the cookie club was for children only,” Johnson wrote. The company also denied “that store personnel regularly solicited plaintiff to take multiple samples.” In its answer, Ramsey County said Deputy Daniel Eggers used appropriate force when he arrived at the store and took Lingitz into custody. Eggers was in plain clothes and driving an unmarked squad car, but identified himself to Lingitz as a deputy and showed his badge, Assistant Ramsey County Attorney Robert Roche wrote in the county’s answer to the suit. Roche said that Eggers handcuffed Lingitz’s left wrist, but that the man became uncooperative when Eggers went to put the cuffs on the other wrist. “As a result, plaintiff had a handcuff secured on his left wrist with the other cuff hanging loose and open, presenting a safety threat,” Roche wrote. Eggers used “reasonable and lawful force to gain control” over the man, he said. In an interview at the time he filed the suit, Gardner said the force used against his client was unnecessary because he wasn’t engaged in a felony. “The situation, even under a worst-case scenario, didn’t rise to the level of a need for this kind of force,” the attorney said. Lingitz claimed in his suit that Eggers and others contrived their stories. He said he feared he was having a heart attack, and he was taken to Regions Hospital for treatment and then booked into the Ramsey County jail. On April 26, 2010, two days after the incident, Lingitz was charged with disorderly conduct, interfering with the officers and shoplifting. A judge continued Lingitz’s criminal case for dismissal in February 2011. Under terms of the agreement, if he remained law-abiding for a year, the charges would be dismissed. They were dismissed last year. David Hanners can be reached at 612-338-6516.Nutrition bars/energy bars/sports bars/protein bars – whatever you call them, watch out for these deceptively high fat, high sugar snacks! Nutrition bars/energy bars/sports bars/protein bars – whatever you call them, watch out for these deceptively high fat, high sugar snacks! ‘Protein’ is certainly the buzz-word of 2016. When you think of the word ‘protein’ what do you envision? Is it workout-crazy tigers & tigresses hitting the gym hard on Instagram? Is it ‘clean eating’ memes with just lean steak and vegetables for your daily inspo? Or is it big muscles, built by the beautiful protein we just all can’t seem to get enough of? Yes, thanks to several decades of poor nutrition and nourish-less snack bars & ready meals, protein has proved to be a guiding light into the health world for many. Protein, from what you’re told, is so good for you it sounds too good to be true – we’re told that eating lots of protein fills you up more, so that you’re less likely to snack, which means you gain less weight. Hurrah! Not to mention that you’re allowed to eat remarkably tasty foods whilst still fuelling your body with essential muscle-repairing vitamins & minerals. So where’s the catch? Well, a lot of what you hear is fact. Protein IS good for you, but that doesn’t mean that food items brandishing HIGH PROTEIN are holistically a health food product. It’s like how soft-scoop ice-cream used to declare how LOW IN CALORIES it was – but this was only because all the calories were stripped out from the natural high-fat cream and replaced with whiteners, thickeners, additives, colourings, preservatives & lots and lots of sugar. All put together these ingredients have a very low calorie content… and no nutritional benefits whatsoever. Related: ‘Healthy’ Yoghurts Review: Yollies Are A Poor Choice For Kids The food industry has caught on to the misleading nature of ‘low fat/low calorie/lite’ messaging and thankfully consumers are starting to steer away from these low fat foods in favour of higher-fat, less-processed wholefoods. (Let’s not mention Nutella’s current marketing message, though. “Just hazelnuts, milk & cocoa makes Nutella”. Helpfully the 70%+ of sugar and palm oil doesn’t seem to be get a mention, strangely enough. But I digress). The same basic understanding of what is healthy in the protein industry, unfortunately, is yet to be addressed. No-one seems to care that in one of their ‘healthy’ protein bars they’re consuming 50% of their saturated fat, or that they’re taking in ¾ of their daily sugar. Swayed by the word ‘protein’ on the front packaging, so many people pluck these items from the supermarket shelves, snaffling them to their heart’s content, and wondering why they don’t feel good afterwards. Truth is – your protein is not the only ingredient you’re eating. Here’s what else you’re eating in one of those ‘healthy’ protein bars. Worst Protein Bars in the UK Market Highest Amount of Sugar Chocolate Chip Clif Bar With a list of ingredients as long as your arm, it’s easy to see that these ‘wholesome’ bars are far from being pure protein. RICE SYRUP, CANE JUICE, and MOLASSES ramp up the sugar content of these little bars to just over 24% of your recommended daily sugar allowance. Put down the Clif bar, pick up a banana, please. 24% RDA sugar INGREDIENTS: Organic Brown Rice Syrup, ClifPro® (Soy Rice Crisps [Soy Protein Isolate, Rice Flour, Barley Malt Extract], Organic Roasted Soybeans, Organic Soy Flour), Organic Rolled Oats, Chocolate Chips (Evaporated Cane Juice, Unsweetened Chocolate, Cocoa Butter, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavors), Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, ClifCrunch® (Apple Fiber, Organic Oat Fiber, Organic Milled Flaxseed, Inulin [Chicory Extract], Psyllium), Organic Date Paste, Organic Soy Butter, Organic Sunflower Oil, Molasses, Powder, Sea Salt, Natural Flavors, Cinnamon. VITAMINS & MINERALS: Dicalcium Phosphate, Magnesium Oxide, Ascorbic Acid (Vit. C), Tocopheryl Acetate (Vit. E), Ferric Orthophosphate (Iron), Beta Carotene (Vit. A), Zinc Citrate, Phytonadione (Vit. K1), Biotin, Niacinamide (Vit. B3), Calcium Pantothenate (Vit. B5), Potassium Iodide, Manganese Gluconate, Copper Gluconate, Sodium Selenite, Thiamin (Vit. B1), Chromium Chloride, Cyanocobalamin (Vit. B12), Sodium Molybdate, Folic Acid (Vit. B9), Riboflavin (Vit. B2), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vit. B6). Highest Amount of Salt MET-Rx Big 100 Colossal Bar Super Cookie Crunch Salt seems like a weird one to pull up when looking at protein bars, but a lot of the time sneaky food manufacturers throw tonnes of salt in to mask bad flavours and to add punch to bland additives. A good rule of thumb is – if a product is made with wholesome ingredients, salt isn’t needed, the wholefoods give enough natural flavour. More salt, generally, means your food has spent more time in a lab. Ick. 24% salt INGREDIENTS: Soy Cocoa Crisps (Soy Protein Isolate, Cocoa (Processed with Alkali), Tapicoa Starch, Vanilla Cream Topping (High Fructose Corn Syrup, Corn Syrup, Milk Protein Isolate, Fractionated Palm Kernel Oil, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavors, Corn Syrup, Chocolate Flavored Coating (Sugar, Vegetable Oil, Cocoa Powder, Whey Powder, Nonfat Milk Powder, Soy Lecithin, Natural Vanilla), Milk Chocolate Drops, Whole Milk (Powdered), Chocolate Liquor, Cocoa Butter, Milk Fat, Soy Lecithin, Natural Vanilla Flavor), Cocoa (processed with alkali), Metamyosyn V100 Protein Blend (Whey Protein Isolate, Milk Protein Isolate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Dried Egg White, L Glutamine, Crystalline Fructose, Canola Oil, Palm Oil, Glycerin, Water, Natural Flavors, Fructooligosaccharides, Vitamin & Mineral Blend (Ascorbic Acid, D-Alpha Tocopheryl, Niacinamide, Tricalcium Phosphate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Gluconate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Palminate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Monohydrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Folic Acid (Folate) Vitamin B12
will be followed by 18 months of probation when he must stay away from the victims and take counselling. Pike’s criminal record includes theft, drug possession, possession of stolen property and court-order violations. Williams nine-month sentence includes the equivalent 255 days of pre-sentence custody and will be followed by 18 months of probation. Williams’ criminal record includes robbery and assault-related offences. Arsenault had no criminal record and was placed on 18 months probation when he must stay away from the victims and drugs while taking counselling. Weapons bans were imposed on all three men and they must give police DNA samples. neil.bowen@sunmedia.ca The last eighteen months of the “Trump/Russia Collusion” operation has been one of the greatest political hoaxes of our time – and potentially one of the most dangerous to both national and personal security, as well. So says a just-released report from IBD. Check it out: ————— …The text messages sent between Peter Strzok and Lisa Page, which became public on Wednesday, provide a rare and illuminating window into just how rabidly partisan putatively nonpartisan law enforcement officials can be. In the exchanges, they called Trump an “idiot,” a “loathsome human,” an “enormous do-che,” and said “this man cannot be president.“ …When Hillary accepted the party’s nomination in July, Strzok texted “Congrats on a woman nominated for President in a major party! About damn time!” During one of the presidential debates, he texted: “Oh hot damn. HRC is throwing down saying Trump in bed with Russia.” In one of Page’s texts, she said Hillary “just has to win now.” (It should be noted the “just need to win” reference sounds very much like a high-level operative admitting they have purposely set up the 2016 Election for the candidate of their choosing, not the American people. Classic Deep State arrogance right there.) …On their own, these texts might not be a big deal, even if the two are career government employees. Everyone is entitled to their opinions. But Strzok and Page weren’t just a couple of bureaucrats crunching numbers in a windowless office at the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Strzok was a key player in the FBI’s investigation into whether Clinton had broken the law by using a private, unsecured email server to handle highly classified documents. He interviewed several of the people involved, including Clinton herself. He was also the person who watered down the language in the statement used by Comey to exonerate Clinton, changing it from “gross negligence” to “extremely careless,” which as we noted in this space was critical to Comey’s claim that Clinton didn’t break any laws. Remember, too, that when Strzok was busy airbrushing Clinton’s email crimes, he would have known that, had the FBI done the right thing and indicted her for putting national security at risk, it would have crushed her campaign, and helped elect the man Strzok clearly felt should never be president. In other words, Strzok had motive, means and opportunity to sabotage that investigation. …So did these FBI agents act on their fervent anti-Trump beliefs in ways that might have compromised the integrity of both investigations? The text exchanges suggest they very well may have. Consider: Strzok texted Page saying that while he wanted to believe “that there’s no way he gets elected” he was “afraid we can’t take that risk,” then added cryptically that “it’s like an insurance policy.” The text doesn’t make clear what the “it” was, but does suggest the topic was discussed with the deputy FBI director Andrew McCabe. In August, Page told Strzok he should stay where he is because “you’re meant to protect the country from that menace,” meaning Trump. She then sent a link to a David Brooks column in The New York Times which argued that, with Trump, “There comes a time when neutrality and laying low become dishonorable. If you’re not in revolt, you’re in cahoots.” To which Strzok said “of course I’ll try to approach it that way … I can protect our country at many levels.” Days after the election, Page texted to say she bought “All the President’s Men,” a book about Nixon’s demise from the Watergate scandal, because “I needed to brush up on Watergate.” One of the texts also suggests that both knew they should be careful when discussing Clinton. In April 2016, Page texted “you say we text on that phone when we talk about Hillary because it can’t be traced.” At the very least, these messages cast still more doubt on both the Clinton email and the Russia investigations, and lend more credence to claims that both were driven primarily by a desire by federal officials to protect Clinton’s election chances, and hurt Trump in any way possible. ———————- The above is the Deep State partially exposed. The efforts to destroy Trump have been relentless for months and don’t doubt it doesn’t continue at the very highest levels of this Deep State government. We are at war. ———————-SCP-3140 Item #: SCP-3140 Object Class: Safe Special Containment Procedures: SCP-3140-1 is stored in an enlarged containment hangar at Armed Containment Area-40 in an inactive state, with access to an underground testing area. Any testing must be approved by Level 4/3140 personnel. During testing, the 3140-S subject must be watched by researchers and security outside of the testing area. Upon conclusion of testing the anomaly must be deactivated and brought to its chamber. Investigations into the uses of SCP-3140 in Daevic society and whether other instances of the anomaly exist are ongoing. Revision 1: Level 4/3140 approval is required for the planting of seeds recovered from SCP-3140 instances. The guidelines in Document 3140-HRT-1 must be followed for the initial planting. Revision 2: SCP-3140-2 and SCP-3140-3 will be stored in enlarged containment hangars at Botanical Garden Beta. Level 4/3140 approval is required for testing with either or both of anomalies. Recreations of symbols carved onto the surface of SCP-3140-1. Description: SCP-3140-1 is the only extant member of SCP-3140, a group of arboreal entities. SCP-3140-1's body primarily consists of Cupressus gigantea and Prunus serrulata bark and wood, standing at a height of 12m. The "torso" of its body is roughly spherical, with multiple flowering cherry branches and small cherry trees growing from it. The anterior side has a stylized eye etched into it, which is surrounded by illustrations of Daevic weaponry, cultural symbols, and skulls with seven eye sockets. The posterior portion has a circular Thaumic Glyph Pattern (TGP) with a radius of 26cm, which prevents fire and erosion damage. Three anterior-facing wooden barrels (1m long and 28cm wide), with a single hole on the front, are on the torso. One is attached above the right leg, one extends from a dorsal branch on the right side, and one is positioned 1m left of the eye symbol. Two wooden legs, which possess a similar structure as the hind limbs of Equus ferus caballus (with the exclusion of the pelvis), are connected to the sides of the anomaly. These legs possess full articulation, due to the wood at the joints being intermixed with an unknown green and pink substance (designated 3140-C). The legs are ornately carved with iconography of Daevite soldiers killing and eating people, soldiers with unidentified megafauna and entities resembling SCP-3140 besieging castles and cities, and slaves being given to the Daeva matriarchs. The bottom of the left leg features a hand-shaped recess with a depth of 11cm, with the phrase "For the conqueror" written in Daevic found in the center. The feet have three long toes; two anterior and one posterior. In an inactive state, SCP-3140-1 sits in a crouching position. Any subject, hereafter designated 3140-S, that places their left hand in the hand shaped recess and says the Daevic word for "awaken" will activate SCP-3140-1, making it stand upright. The anomaly will begin to follow 3140-S and will follow directions said in Daevic. Directions that SCP-3140-1 is incapable of achieving will not be followed. Saying the Daevic word for "sleep" will bring the anomaly back to its inactive state. Any 3140-S may reactivate SCP-3140-1 at any time by saying "awaken" within the anomaly's vicinity in any language. The following are a sample of known directions SCP-3140-1 will follow, all spoken in Daevic, and the outcomes: "Move": SCP-3140-1 moves to a location 3140-S points to. "Stomp": SCP-3140-1 moves to and stomps at a location 3140-S points to. "Stab": Various bone spikes (~25cm long) emerge from every surface of the anomaly. These retract after one minute. "Slide": A mix of translucent low-viscosity substances cover SCP-3140-1, falling off of it after three minutes. "Bring help": SCP-3140-1 secretes a substance similar to alarm pheromones of extant insect species for two minutes "Heal": Resin seeps from random locations on the anomaly, primarily around the barrels. "Fire": Smoke emerges from the barrels on SCP-3140-1. See Document 3140-CLIST for further commands. Photograph of the dig site. SCP-3140-1 was discovered at a Foundation archaeological dig site near Bikudo, Jammu and Kashmir, Republic of India on 27-January-2017. The dig site appeared to have at one point been the location of a battle between Daevite forces and an unknown Ortothan group, based on the presence of non-anomalous weapons and armor possessing acute heptagrams (sometimes surrounded by other polygons), regular polygons (ranging from four to seven sides), and humanoid figures with four to seven arms. Said battle is believed to have occurred at some point in the Early Low Daevic period (c. 11000 BCE), suspected to be the Century Conquest. Around SCP-3140-1's legs were chained legcuffs made of meteoric iron, locked with a complex mechanical system, with the phrase "Ruination to the invaders" written in Ortothan on both cuffs. The chains had been heavily damaged, likely from attempts to break it. The remnants of an SCP-3140 instance were found at dig sites in the vicinity, which had damaged legs and a destroyed torso. The torso's remains had a solidified mass of miscellaneous plant matter and bone fragments in it, connected by multiple small roots. Other objects in the area included bones, weaponry, and armor. All artifacts, the destroyed instance, and SCP-3140-1 were transported to Area-40 on 29-January-2017. Based on texts found in SCP-1726 and SCP-140, SCP-3140 were a common weapon utilized by the Daevic Empire during and after the Century Conquest, though it is suggested that the anomaly had predated Daevite civilization. Thaumaturgic horticulture methods would be used to grow different variations of the entities, primarily designed for military application. Below are several text excerpts detailing the growth and usage of SCP-3140 in Daevite society (translated). Next to the prisoner slaughtering grounds I saw a massive farm. It stretched out from the clearing—which I estimate it to be 60 urvs long, 50 urvs wide—and past the corpses, possibly farther. I estimate the clearing to be 61 urvs. Many growing and grown Amunj are in the plots, possibly one hundred or more. The area has less guards, though many experienced presence aether-benders occupy it. A hill in an unguarded region gave the perfect view, and the Holy Rays Tube—praise the Elemental Holies—improved it. Daevic—death to the brutes—aether-benders walked the columns and would stop by the mature and crouched ones, then retrieve objects from their red robes. Aether-black would flash in their hands as they retrieved the materials and inserted them into the Amunj, which rippled like water during the process. I could not easily glimpse the materials for they were clouded by the aether-black-air, but the Holy Rays Tube—praise the Elemental Holies—illuminated spirit-residual outlines of bone and flesh. After the process ended a quick change would occur to the golem: Tentacles like the Deepers'—I suggest an investigation to see if a Deeper pact was formed—cannons of great size and with many barrels, and spikes to rival our spears all grew instantaneously. The aether-benders would move on to the next, and a soldier would lead slaves—likely captured warriors—by chain to the wooden beast. They were all starved and scarred, and trembled with every step. If they did not begin to etch Daevic—death to the brutes—victories and violence onto the golems, a small rod would be stabbed into their back and they would immediately return to work. Some of these artists had dozens stuck into them. Correspondence from Katin Deraj to Wysard Onton (c. 11030 BCE) of the Erliontipa, describing an overview of a Daevite provisional camp. Document 1726-503 The first attackers were Daevic soldiers, who emerged from the jungle at the early sunrise to assault the gateway. Luckily our warriors were as prepared as the Tenth Y prophesied and promised, for they had a great many traps, weapons, and strong fortifications. Our archers up on the wall did little to assist them, and the onlookers up here, myself included, cheered. We knew the Daevite Empire was the greatest to ever exist, so this victory was truly glorious. I was nervous, though. The countless stories of endless victories and the taming of great beasts that belonged in other realms came back to me. An attack with so few soldiers seemed wrong. After a jolon had passed with no new action the crowd around the archers grew smaller, but our good warriors stood strong with anticipation. Another jolon later most had left to return to their homes in or around the inner city, and the archers began to speak about unrelated events. Unusually the chimes of safety had not rung despite the apparent victory. That was when I heard a rumble and saw trees swaying from my window. Suddenly, three large beings of wood and leaves rose above the horizon. Their bodies were like castles of wood, and their legs were larger than any tree trunk I have seen in my hunts. Each had vast numbers of Daevites scrambling along stairwells lined with bark plating on the exterior and on fortified platforms, covered by large trees. Strange pink and blue flowers blossomed all over. A few holes I could see on their fronts suggests they have an interior as well. The hundred cannons fired in unison from the top and middle of the wall, but the tree beasts kept walking. More and more were fired and only small pieces of the things would shatter. The ground troops were being attacked from all sides by smaller wood creatures, some still taller than any man. I saw a man have spiked vines wrap around his body and rip him like cloth, and another was impaled by several wooden spikes. The traps and barricades were stepped on and broken, and the archers and cannon workers were killed by Daevite's arrows. As they got closer to the top of the wall I grabbed all I could and ran from my home and into the city. A jol later I heard the chimes of invasion ring from all around. Written by Matra Ne Jon in his personal diary (c. 10950 BCE), describing the invasion of the Olute city-state by Daevite troops. Document 1726-991 Clouds swirled in the sky as my boat sailed along the coast. As with all Sanc creations, it was efficient and simple, but I feared it would collapse at any moment. After an uro I was able to see the edge of the Ytan clan's village, the rest was hidden in dense foliage. The Masn Codexes claim the clan to be a relic of Empire Daevic, a Fragment Daevic. A much debated idea, as none could verify from risk of death or worse. This day I could see well that they were Fragment Daevic. Huts and sculptures of bone were common, occasional villagers and guards walking around. The only crop I saw was a large and thin tree, growing slices of meat on the branches. Guards would grab a slice and eat, and another would grow soon after. A likely solution for the few animals and humans that could be fed on. Small Uosho, wood deities tamed and used for war, were fishing using tens of arms on their fronts. Once all arm claws had grabbed a fish, they would drop them into a basket that would then be put into a hole on another Uosho. This one would then trudge into the forest, vanishing. This repeated without end. Illustrated Modern World Travels (c. 800 BCE), an incomplete book describing the author's journey to learn about the cultures and societies in Central and East Asia. Sketches of the described locations are also present, though most of them are poor in quality, and many passages are largely incoherent. The writer is presently unknown. Document 1726-724 Full texts and artwork related SCP-3140 instances can be found in Document 3140-HISDOCS. The use of SCP-3140 decreased over time, gradually replaced in favor of thaumaturgic mechanical weapons. However, some Daevic clans continued to use the entities for hard labor, farming, and protection. The last remaining ones are suspected to have been destroyed by forces under Chinese general Qin Kai circa 270 BCE. A section of Botanical Garden Beta. Addendum.1: On 1-March-2017, two seeds (designated SCP-3140-2 and SCP-3140-3) retrieved from SCP-3140-1 were planted in an enlarged botanical garden (Botanical Garden Beta) in Area-40, following Daevite horticulture instructions found in Documents 1726-801 and 1726-822 (compiled in Document 3140-HRT). Said instructions utilized multiple anomalous compounds and thaumaturgic rituals, carried out by Thaumaturgy Division personnel. SCP-3140-2 would be grown without modifications being made, while SCP-3140-3 would be grown for use in farming. By May several wooden spheres with small branches extending from them had grown, and by July growths resembling legs had formed. Addendum.2: On 5-September-2017 SCP-3140-2 and SCP-3140-3 had fully grown and had broken out of their dirt plots. Following their relocation to separate containment chambers, testing regimens began. SCP-3140-2 is largely the same as SCP-3140-1, though it lacks any inscriptions, etchings, or barrels. The anomaly is unresponsive to the "fire" command. The leading explanation for the lack of barrels is that they were added to the entity after it had fully grown, which is unlikely to carry over to offspring. Research into adding these onto the anomaly is ongoing. SCP-3140-3 lacks the same features as SCP-3140-2, and has a largely different body structure than SCP-3140. The entity has a height of 4 meters and a 3 meter wide torso. The underside possesses a mass of tendrils made of wood and 3140-C, each of which have a different structure. Personnel have successfully used SCP-3140-3 in the cultivation of soybeans, rice, tumeric, and sugarcane with various commands, using the tendrils to achieve this. However, the process is slower than existing mechanical farming methods. Further research is being performed to see if SCP-3140 instances could be utilized by the Foundation, which includes tests to see if instances could learn new commands after growth.7 years ago (CNN) – Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul said Sunday his proposed plan to phase out federal student loans would lower the costs of a college education, making it more affordable for those wanting to attend. “Anybody who’s ambitious enough will get to go to college,” Paul said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” The Texas congressman, who is making his third presidential bid, said federally funded education assistance raises the price of education while not improving the caliber, a cycle that will “backfire.” Paul’s plan would eliminate the Department of Education but keep the features that handle student loans for the time being, ensuring there are no cuts to those currently receiving assistance or who will in the near future. In a USA Today editorial Friday, Paul said eventually transitioning away from government-backed student aid would “give us better educational opportunities at a better price.” “Why should people who are laborers who never get to go to college, why should they be taxed to send some of us through college?” Paul said Sunday on CNN. “So it’s not even a fair system when it works. But obviously it doesn’t work and that’s why it’s coming to an end.” Paul has long advocated for cuts in spending and the national debt while calling for numerous government agencies to shut their doors and a renewed emphasis on individual responsibility. His responsibility platform also extends to education, he said. “The responsibility is on the individual and the family to take care of their needs, not the federal bureaucracy. It just doesn’t work,” Paul said. When asked if he would agree that some people in the United States “need federal help,” Paul told CNN Chief Political Correspondent Candy Crowley that there are “always some needs, the market isn’t perfect.” “It will not be perfect, but what we have now is this catastrophic mistake where people have a pseudo education and no jobs,” Paul said. “We’ve indentured them.” Also see: Ending speculation, Perry will debate Cain, Romney top new Des Moines Register Iowa poll Gingrich touts experience over Cain's Santorum: 'They're trying to Huckabee me' Watch State of the Union with Candy Crowley Sundays at 9am ET. For the latest from State of the Union click here.HAVANA, Cuba - Complaining about the government is a national pastime on this communist-run island, but it's a tradition typically practiced indoors. Decades of state media control and harsh punishment for dissent have conditioned Cubans to vent their political frustrations in private, and rarely outside the presence of trusted company. So when Cubans were asked recently to air their grievances at a local community meeting in Havana, the criticism stuck mostly to earthly affairs: potholes, garbage collection and the high costs of fruits and vegetables at the nearby produce market. "The vendors there are criminals," said one woman, to nods of agreement. It didn't seem like the kind of deep-searching probe of the nation's problems that President Raul Castro solicited when he called for a national dialogue on the future of the country's socialist system in an August speech. Since then, authorities have set up discussions at universities, government workplaces and under the glow of street lamps. Community organizations called Committees for the Defense of the Revolution - created in part to root out anti-government activity - are now tasked with collecting criticism of the socialist system, along with suggestions for how to reform it. Declining revenues and mounting debts have stretched the Cuban government to the point that it must trim some of its longstanding entitlement programs, Castro told the National Assembly during the August speech. "Nobody, no individual nor country, can indefinitely spend more than she or he earns. Two plus two always adds up to four, never five," he said. "Within the conditions of our imperfect socialism, due to our own shortcomings, two plus two often adds up to three." That losing formula has the Cuban government increasingly exhorting its citizens to work harder, expect less and come up with solutions to their own problems. The input is funneled upward to Cuba's leaders and will ostensibly be used to guide the reform process. Similar discussions soliciting criticism and ideas were gathered during a round of open-air discussions called by Castro in 2007. The government collected 1.3 million opinions from residents during that period, Castro said, nearly half of which were criticisms of one problem or another. While Cuban authorities have made it clear that major political and economic reforms to the country's one-party system are not on the discussion agenda, participants at the meetings are being encouraged to speak freely and openly about problems in their daily lives. Many Cubans simmer with frustration brought by chronic transportation and housing shortages, a gargantuan state bureaucracy and salaries that average roughly $20 a month, even though most consumer goods in state-run stores are priced above what they would cost in the United States. Subsidies for food, utilities and other basics offset those meager earnings, but as the government's fortunes decline, authorities are increasingly telling Cubans to tackle their own problems. One high-ranking party official recently said Cubans can't expect for the "daddy state" to fix everything, waiting with open mouths "like baby birds." Such a statement is "offensive" to the Cuban people, said dissident economist Oscar Espinosa Chepe, who has spent time in prison for his opposition to the government. "This system was designed to control everyone, so it's absurd that the official propaganda talks about the ‘daddy state,'" he said, referring to Cuba's government-run media. "It's as if the Cuban people were to blame for this economic debacle, and not the government. The government is to blame for the way Cubans behave, because this is the system it created." Espinosa Chepe said Cubans would gladly solve their own problems if the government would allow for more small businesses and other forms of economic independence. Furthermore, that could generate the tax revenues needed to preserve the country's social safety net, he argued. And as the governments' finances dwindle, Cuba's safety net is beginning to fray. Two major rollbacks of the island's socialist system are now under consideration, and both involve major government programs that, though often criticized, deliver basic nutrition staples to all Cubans. The first proposed reform would gradually eliminate the workplace cafeterias that provide nearly-free lunches to a third of the island's population each weekday, at a cost of more than $350 million a year. Instead, workers will receive a cash stipend, doubling the average workers' salary. The second major reform threatens to eliminate the ration-card system that provides every Cuban with about two weeks' worth of food at highly subsidized prices, but is beset by inefficiencies. In the name of egalitarianism, the program doles out the same amount of food to everyone, even to those who don't need it. Earlier this month in a much-discussed editorial that appeared in the communist party daily Granma, editor Lazaro Barredo Medina said the ration book had become a drag on the state's struggling finances and reform efforts. "The ration booklet was a necessity at one time, but it has become an impediment to the collective decisions the nation must take," he said. His words touched off rampant speculation about the imminent demise of the ration system. But it's not clear how the Cuban government would be able to quickly implement such a measure, since so many seniors and low-income families depend heavily on it. Cuba has no income-tax system and a vast black market economy, so ascertaining citizens' real earnings for the purpose of welfare eligibility would be extremely difficult. Then there is the threat of inflation. "Getting rid of the ration book seems like a good move, but only if salaries can keep pace with the price of food," said Aurelio Alonso, deputy editor of Cuba's Casa de las Americas journal. For Cubans to be able to pay market prices for food, worker salaries would have to double or triple, he said, and that would bring inflation if food supplies remain the same. "And that would be a big problem," he said. Still, Alonso said he sees the younger Castro as a practical man who understands economics, and he expects further reforms to follow. "You can't have social justice and social goods if you don't have an economy capable of sustaining it."Around 20,000 homeless people took to the streets of São Paulo on Tuesday demanding that public officials resolve the city’s devastating social housing crisis, which critics argue is partially due to real estate speculation by large property developers. After a 14-mile long march, which began in the outskirts of São Paulo and concluded at the entrance of the São Paulo state government headquarters, representatives from Brazil's Homeless Workers Movement (MTST) held negotiations with the city’s top housing and planning officials. After the three hours of discussions, MTST coordinator Guilherme Boulos issued a statement saying that the discussions lead to important advancements in their demands for dignified housing. With more than 12 million people, Brazil's largest city is in the midst of a serious housing crisis, with a population of 1.2 million homeless or precariously housed citizens. As a result of Tuesday's negotiations, officials with the Housing and Urban Development Company (CDHU), the agency responsible for housing regularization, agreed to begin registering more than 7,000 people currently living in the land occupation site in Sao Bernardo do Campo city. The Sao Bernardo do Campo occupation site, which was occupied last September, is mainly comprised of unemployed and homeless people demanding decent housing. The land occupation is located on a 60,000 square meter vacant lot, which is owned by the MZM construction company. "Today marks a huge organizational victory and represents the willingness to fight for the homeless people of this city. In scale, this is the largest march that the MTST has ever held. Occupy São Bernardo has become a symbol of the serious problem of homelessness in this country,” said Michel Navarro, a state coordinator with the movement told Brasil de Fato. The MTST is Brazil's most influential housing rights organizations, with around 50,000 members coordinating more than 30 occupations across São Paulo. The march, which began early Tuesday morning, included the participation of elderly women, children, teachers and many other members of civil society, in attempt to bring visibility to the housing crisis across the country. An estimated 48 million of Brazil’s population, or close to 25% lack housing altogether, or live in inadequate housing. "We are struggling for the São Bernardo occupation site and for many of other MTST urban occupation sites. The housing deficit in the capital city of São Paulo is enormous, which is largely due to city’s lack of investment in housing,” Bruno Magalhães, a teacher who participated in yesterday's march told Brasil de Fato. In order to address the pending requests issued by the MTST, government officials have agreed to hold a follow up meeting on November 10th, where the two parties will continue to discuss the issue of the right to dignified housing. The MTST’s primary mode of political protest and negotiation is through "occupations" wherein they squat on underutilized lands that are being held vacant for speculation. Vacant or unutilized is not permitted according to the 1988 Brazilian Constitution, which stipulates that that all land must serve a social purpose. Edition: Vanessa Martina Silva \| Version in English: Nate SinghamNot my proudest moment but here it goes. After getting over the disappointment of working on a Sunday I decided to feed Storm before leaving the house. Everybody else in the house was still asleep so it was just myself and Storm awake. I filled his bowl with his food and walked away as he started eating. Weirdly I heard slurping sounds, weirdly because I’d fed him dry food snd not that wet slop you buy in cans. I could tell from the sound he was really enjoying his food despite the fact I was slightly confused by the sounds that was coming from his mouth. I don’t know if Storm thought I was an amazing genius or a complete moron but either way he didn’t say anything, he just keeping eating. He had the common decency not to make fun at the fact I’d poured his dry food straight into his full water bowl instead of the correct location next to it, and to be honest I doubt he cared. It’s a logical conclusion to make that he assumed he had discovered a new and exciting dry dog food soup and he better eat it quickly in case it was only an illusion. It’s not my proudest moment but Storm walked away content so maybe no harm was done?Sometimes, an image is stronger than words. Donald Trump’s disastrous first trip abroad was full of strong images: his holding on to an illuminated globe in Saudi Arabia as though he was evoking evil spirits, his grinning posture next to a Pope who appeared to wish to be somewhere else, his wife’s refusal to hold his hand, his shoving the Prime Minister of Montenegro out of the way at the NATO meeting in Brussels. But the picture that may have the longest lasting power is one that does not show him at all. It is the picture of six of the G-7 leaders strolling through Sicily. Trump is absent from that picture because, reportedly, he lacked the stamina to walk with them. Instead, he waited for a golf cart to pick him up and drive him the 700 yards to catch up with the group. (Note that the picture appears to include Donald Tusk, who, together with Jean-Claude Juncker, represents the EU. Shinzo Abe seems to be missing from the picture, too.) The 6 sane G7 leaders. Gee, who's missing 🤔 pic.twitter.com/XehQVFkuiq — Amy Siskind (@Amy_Siskind) May 27, 2017 Fourteen years ago, then Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld scoffed at what he called “old Europe.” No better refutation of the criticism can be imagined than that image of the 70 year old Trump in a golf cart, following the pack. Trump has been relentless in putting down his opponents, from Jeb Bush to Hillary Clinton, as “weak” and “low energy;” he must be aware how this projection now comes back to haunt him now. The problem is not merely that he turns out to be as low on energy as one would expect from a jetlagged man in his eighth decade who refuses to exercise. The problem is that he represents a United States that has become old, too, that has run out of new ideas and therefore tries to revive the old ones: a manufacturing industry, a racist society, a religious sectarianism, an isolationist country. Trump’s America tries to hold on to a past that it cannot bring back, because it is scared of the present, let alone the future. Rumsfeld’s quote of “old Europe” was catchy enough to be remembered, but it is worth recalling the context in which it was made: the European refusal of support for the Iraq war. History has proven Europe right on this, and Rumsfeld wrong. And now, somewhat surprisingly, it is Europe, together with Canada, that looks young and energetic. It boasts of a mix of charismatic rock star leaders (Trudeau in Canada, Macron in Paris) and seasoned politicians (Juncker, Merkel), who have, despite their age, demonstrated their toughness in reality, instead of merely tweeting about it. The United States may well be losing its place in this world. Remarkably, one of these seasoned politicians, Angela Merkel of Germany, has made a statement that is beginning to make people shiver, both in the United States and abroad: “The times in which we could completely depend on others are, to a certain extent, over … I’ve experienced that in the last few days. We Europeans have to take fate into our own hands.” It is hard to overestimate the importance of this statement, from a politician known to weigh her words carefully. The European-American alliance has been, through thick and thin, thought of as a given for the postwar period. The United States (though not all by itself) saved Europe from the catastrophe of fascism, and it guaranteed Europe’s survival at the time of the Cold War. Suggestions of breaking up this alliance, especially from a centrist politician like Merkel, were unthinkable until quite recently. But of course, such suggestions were unthinkable also before Donald Trump publicly cheered opponents of the European Union like Nigel Farage and Vladimir Putin, and refused to reiterate his country’s commitment to the NATO treaty. And there is nothing natural about the Western alliance. It was founded at a certain time, it could end at a certain time. Maybe that time is now. Not necessarily, of course. At this stage, Merkel’s statement is little more than a calculated provocation. Europe cannot really be interested in a dissolution of the Western alliance, which has served both the United States and Europe, as well as other allies in North America, Asia and beyond. But her suggestion is that Europe does not depend on this alliance at all costs—that it could go without it if forced to do so. And it might well do so unless the White House comes up with a reassuring response. It remains to be seen whether anyone at the White House realizes the urgency of the situation. This is no reason to cheer. A lot is problematic about this new West without the United States. Trudeau has yet to demonstrate how he stands up under pressure. Macron may still hide a cruel neoliberalism behind his winning smile. Merkel bears responsibility for the standoff with Greece in the financial crisis, and the remarkable admiration she is now gaining from left-of-center newspapers around the world stands in marked contrast to the ambivalent feelings she faces in her home country. At the moment, what holds these politicians together, is mostly who they are against: the new nationalism that emerged with Brexit and Trump and was kept at bay, for the time being, in France. At some point, they will have to show more."Barack Obama doesn't go on Fox either, so now they have that in common," Jeb Bush said. \| Getty Jeb Bush bets $20 that Trump shows up to the Fox debate DES MOINES -- Jeb Bush ridiculed Donald Trump for planning to skip Thursday's GOP debate here, although he's betting Trump still winds up on the stage. Literally. Story Continued Below "I've got a $20 bet he shows up," Bush said during a town hall with employees of Nationwide insurance at the company's headquarters here Wednesday afternoon. Asked by reporters after the event why he thinks Trump might go back on his promise to skip the seventh Republican debate, Bush said, "Because it's in his interest." Bush, who has tried in recent weeks to assert himself as the Republican most willing to criticize Trump, laughed off Trump's stated reason for skipping the Fox News Channel debate: his complaint that the network,
in November 2007, which concluded that Iran had halted its overt nuclear weaponization work in 2003, did not alter Israel’s basic assessment.10 In regard to the second issue, there is an abundance of evidence of the Iranian government’s extreme hostility toward Israel. This has been true since the Islamic revolution, but it became more pronounced after the 2005 election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as president of Iran. From a historical perspective, Ahmadinejad’s statements are a return to the old Arab discourse about the destruction of the Zionist entity, although this discourse is hardly ever found anymore in the Sunni Arab world (some would argue that this is partly due to the existence of the Israeli bomb). The difference between the anti-Israeli rhetoric in Ben-Gurion’s era and today’s is that now, for the first time, such threats are voiced by a president of a state that is seriously pursuing a nuclear-weapons capability. Moreover, Ahmadinejad’s rhetoric is combined with Iran’s increasing involvement in other parts of the Middle East, most visibly through Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Palestinian territories.11 To Israelis, the Iranian nuclear threat is not that Iran may one day drop the bomb on Israel. Most Israeli strategists agree that it is extremely unlikely that Iran, unprovoked, would attack Israel with nuclear weapons because Iranians are aware of the catastrophic consequences of such an act.12 Rather, a nuclear confrontation between Israel and Iran might arise from misperceptions and miscalculations during a conventional crisis. Israel must also consider the possibility (however low) of an accidental or unauthorized nuclear launch by Iran and the risk of terrorist organizations acquiring nuclear weapons from Iran. In the Israeli view, Iran’s acquiring a nuclear capability could profoundly change the region’s political dynamics. As Uzi Arad pointed out, “We cannot live with a nuclear Iran because a nuclear Middle East would not be the same as the cold war nuclear stalemate. A nuclear Middle East would become a multi-nuclear Middle East, with all that entails.” Specifically, the first area of concern is that nuclear weapons could exacerbate concerns about other aspects of Iran’s foreign and defense policies by giving rise to more risk-prone and aggressive strategies. A nuclear Iran would pressure the Palestinians and possibly other Arabs (e.g., Syria) to take more extreme positions that would encourage terrorism and make peace negotiations with Israel even more difficult. Under the shadow of its bomb, Iran could become a source of political and military adventurism in the region. Furthermore, a mutual assured destruction (MAD) deterrent situation between Israel and Iran could be destabilizing, owing to the differences in size and population of Iran and Israel. Mutual hostility and the lack of communication between the two states would further increase the danger.13 The second concern is that if Iran becomes a recognized nuclear state, even opaquely recognized, this could lead to a spiraling nuclear-arms race in the Middle East.14 Israelis believe that a nuclear Iran would be dangerous because it would undermine the subtle nuclear order currently existing in the Middle East under the facade of Israeli nuclear opacity, possibly even unraveling it. A nuclear Iran would be the end of Israel’s nuclear monopoly in the region. Israel would have to declare its capability.15 The third concern is the social and psychological impact that a MAD-like balance of terror with Iran might have on the Israeli public and its psyche.16 Some Israeli public figures who push the politics of Iranian scare (such as former Deputy Minister of Defense Ephraim Sneh, journalist Ari Shavit, and academic historian Benny Morris) assert that Iran might be able to “wipe the Zionist state off the map” without actually dropping the bomb.17 That is, the mere existence of the Iranian bomb or the fear that Iran has the bomb, they argue, might lead Israelis to leave Israel for a friendlier place where their existence is not threatened. After the Holocaust, Sneh argues, Jews would have no desire to live in the shadow of an Iranian bomb, waiting for another Holocaust. Those who have the means to leave would leave. Likud Party leader and Israel’s current Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has pushed this line of reasoning to its ultimate limit by comparing Ahmadinejad with Hitler.18 The Iranian Challenge From an Israeli perspective, perhaps the most fundamental feature of dealing with the Iranian nuclear issue is understanding the nature of the problem and internalizing Israeli political and military limitations of acting alone. One may call it the choice between going alone versus forming an alliance. The Israeli government realizes that the challenge the Iranian nuclear issue poses to Israel will force it to think in a way very different from the familiar old way Israel used to think about its national security. Israel has very limited room to act truly alone on this issue. Israel must act on this issue with others, mostly the United States. While Israel is a major stakeholder on the Iranian issue, major decisions are ultimately made by others. Its power of dissent is limited, and Israel must be very cautious about using its limited freedom of action on the Iranian issue. Making mistakes on this matter could even be catastrophic. To illustrate this point, one should compare the situation today with the situation in 1981 when Israel decided unilaterally to strike the Iraqi Osiraq reactor. An examination of the two cases shows that the difference is more striking than the resemblance. In 1981, Israel found itself virtually alone in dealing with the Iraqi nuclear issue. The international community did not consider the Iraqi nuclear issue to be an international problem. Furthermore, in 1981 the nature of the Iraqi nuclear program vis-a-vis Israel’s military capabilities left Israel with sufficient latitude to confront its dilemmas on its own. Prime Minister Menachem Begin consulted no one but his own cabinet. While the risks and uncertainties Israel was facing in 1981 were significant, Israel was in a position to take action on its own. A success or failure would have been Israel’s own. The fundamentals of the situation with Iran today are radically different at least in four major respects. First, while Israel may see itself as being at the forefront of the Iranian nuclear threat, possibly the only country that may be existentially threatened by Iran, Israel is surely not alone in confronting the problem. In contrast with the situation in 1981, the Iranian issue has been dealt with as a collective global issue almost from the start. Second, the Iranian nuclear program is built geographically and organizationally in a way that makes it extremely difficult to be addressed by a country such as Israel. Third, the intensity of the expected Iranian retaliation if it were attacked would be much different. Fourth, due to distance and geography, it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, for Israel to take action unilaterally against Iran. Due to these reasons (and more), Israel’s military option of acting alone is limited and difficult. The incentive for Israel to form a coalition with others is unprecedented. With this in mind, one could sketch the basic dilemmas Israel has to confront. The closer that Iran is perceived to acquiring nuclear weapons, the more urgent it will be for Israel to draw its red lines, including its policy of nuclear ambiguity, otherwise known as amimut. As Iran has been crossing one technological milestone after another and as its enrichment program becomes almost a fait accompli, these policy challenges for Israel become more acute. The challenges I outline here are not ordered in chronological order but in a conceptual or logical order. In reality, decision makers could deal simultaneously with all these challenges. Stripped to their conceptual essentials, these challenges are as follows.19 The first challenge is organizing the Israeli decision-making process itself and the bilateral and multilateral politics surrounding it. Given the fundamental realization that Israel’s ability to act alone is limited and that it must act primarily with others on this issue, the first challenge is organizing the national decision-making system in a manner that is adequate to the problem. One aspect of the problem, for example, is dealing with the nation’s so-called lines in the sand: how to articulate, introduce, and convey them to its own people and to others. Israel’s leaders would also have to decide how much they are willing to compromise their own perspective and freedom of action in favor of keeping a coalition with others; how much they are willing to discuss with others the limits to their tolerance and the relevant intelligence, especially with the United States as well as other key allies. Moreover, since any diplomatic deal with Iran would entail a compromise, Israel would have to find channels to consult and convey to its close allies, especially the United States, what kind of compromise it could and could not accept.20 While Israeli assessments have determined that Iran is involved with various aspects of nuclear weaponization, the overall Israeli concern with the Iranian nuclear program has focused on its fissile material (currently uranium enrichment) capability.21 In the past, when Israeli officials used the phrase “point of no return,” it generally meant the point at which Iran would have mastered centrifuge technology. The implication was that once Iran mastered in full the enrichment technology, it would become a nuclear weapons-capable state, which would be a point of no return. But after criticism from both inside and outside the intelligence community that the term was conceptually and politically flawed, it was dropped.22 Israel now uses the phrase “technological threshold.” In July 2009, Arad referred specifically to this terminological/definitional issue: The point of nuclear no-return was defined as the point at which Iran has the ability to complete the cycle of nuclear fuel production on its own; the point at which it has all the elements to produce fissionable material without depending on outsiders. Iran is now there. I don’t know if it has mastered all the technologies, but it is more or less there. However, the term “no-return” is misleading. Even if Iran has fissionable material for one bomb, it is still at a low grade of enrichment. And if it wants to conduct a test, it will not have even one bomb. It follows that Iran is not yet nuclear and not yet operational. Serious obstacles still lie in the way. The international community still has enough time to make it stop of its own volition.23 Israelis insist that even though a technological threshold is not equivalent to weapons capability, politically and strategically the conceptual difference between the two is misleading. Once the technological threshold has been reached and mastered, it would be much more difficult for intelligence agencies to ascertain the precise status of the Iranian nuclear program. Accordingly, the Israeli intelligence community rejected the implicit definition in the November 2007 NIE that weaponization is the defining feature of a nuclear-weapons program.24 One wonders to what extent might Israel assess Iran’s nuclear program by drawing on its own nuclear history. At the time of this writing it appears that Iran has crossed that threshold and has made enrichment a fait accompli. Mastery of enrichment no longer appears to be a feasible line in the sand, even if it remains a formal demand of the United Nations Security Council. Even if a deal with Iran had been possible, Iran would have used it to legitimize its domestic enrichment activities. The second challenge Israel may face is whether and how to act unilaterally if Iran reaches Israel’s point of no return. So far Iran continues to defy the will of the Security Council on the matter of enrichment, having mastered enrichment technology to the industrial level. If the international community either proves powerless to enforce those Security Council resolutions or reaches a deal with Iran that places it too close to manufacturing a bomb, Israel would face a difficult decision either to follow the lead of the international community and accept a nuclear Iran (by Israeli definition) or to take independent action and forestall the Iran nuclear program. That decision would amount to a strategic choice between prevention and deterrence. It would test Israel’s commitment to the 1981 Begin Doctrine: the commitment to take preventive action, including military action, against any hostile neighbor close to acquiring nuclear weapons.25 This obviously is a very sensitive issue, and little of the behind-the-scenes deliberations has been leaked. Israeli leaders have tended to keep silent on this subject, and when Minister Shaul Mofaz warned in June 2008 that Israel could not accept a nuclear Iran–implying that military action would be necessary–he was criticized.26 Against this official policy of silence, then, it was surprising that in his final interview before departing from office on the eve of the Jewish New Year (late September 2008), Prime Minister Ehud Olmert dismissed openly as “megalomania” any thought that Israel should or would attack Iran on its own to halt its nuclear program: “Part of our megalomania and our loss of proportion is the things that are said here about Iran. We are a country that has lost a sense of proportion about itself.” It is the international community, and not Israel, that should deal with Iran’s nuclear issue.27 Of course, if Iran openly acquired nuclear weapons and clearly signaled its intent by withdrawing from the NPT, it would simplify Israel’s choices by posing a more clear-cut casus belli and creating more international support for preemption. In addition to deciding whether to take military action, Israel would have to decide whether to change its own bargain with the bomb, that is, whether to adopt an overt deterrence policy and to dispense with amimut. There were some indications that Prime Minister Netanyahu entertained this seriously at one time. Notwithstanding the common wisdom in Israel that if Iran tested a weapon, Israel would have to follow suit in some fashion, Israeli policymakers might still see more benefit in not testing and letting Iran bear the brunt of international opprobrium if it declared its nuclear capability. In any case, Israel’s reaction to Iran’s departure from the NPT or even testing a device would not be automatic. Apart from the need to overcome a domestic impulse to trade an eye for an eye, an overt weapons posture by Iran would simplify Israel’s options for deterrence and containment. At a minimum, Israel would make sure that the Iranians had no doubt about their ability to devastate Iran in retaliation, including using its sea-based assets. Israel also would strengthen its missile defense and pursue civil defense measures as a means of deterrence by denial. On the diplomatic front, it would amplify its efforts to sanction Iran and to deny it all trade that could assist its weapons capability. Another, longer-term challenge pertains to deterrence, arms control, and containment. If prevention ultimately fails and a new kind of nuclear regime takes shape in the Middle East, how should Israel respond? During the height of the Cold War, as the world learned to live under the balance of MAD, the theory and practice of arms control were developed to provide a modicum of stability. But those dialogues took place against the declared presence of nuclear weapons. Would it be possible to have such a dialogue in a context of amimut on both sides? How would a conversation about nuclear weapons be possible when neither side acknowledged having them? Apart from the political costs of diplomatically engaging Iran–for which there currently is almost no support in Israel–diplomatic engagement presents other difficulties, as it would be perceived as accepting, and thereby legitimizing, Iran’s nuclear capability. On the surface, as long as Ahmadinejad remains in power in Tehran, the issue of engagement is moot, since anti-Zionism is central to his and other hardliners’ worldview. If prevention fails, it currently is unlikely that Israelis would propose arms control as a solution. In the face of a nuclear-capable and hostile Iran, the feasibility of changes in amimut would be unlikely. In theory, Israelis may prefer having no nuclear-weapons states in the Middle East, compared with there being two. But given Iran’s record and its anti-Israel posture, Israelis would not trust Iran to comply with disarmament measures. This distrust would be difficult to overcome, particularly because the traditional view of nuclear disarmament in the Middle East is based solely on the vision of a nuclear-weapon-free zone (NWZ). The problem is that the NWZ vision is only a vision and thus is not anchored in the current political reality of the Middle East. For Israel, a NWZ is conditioned on peaceful relations among all the members of the region, which does not appear possible under the current regime in Tehran. Still, under different political circumstances in Iran, with a different governing group, a new regional grand deal might be possible. If leaders think creatively, other conceivable versions of arms control, disarmament, and nonproliferation might be compatible with the region as it is. The Irony of Amimut On May 30, 1961, at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York, the Israeli prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, and the new U.S. president, John F. Kennedy, met to discuss the future of the Dimona project, the secret Israeli nuclear project that had been discovered by U.S. intelligence only a few months earlier and that Kennedy opposed.28 Ben-Gurion had repeatedly pledged to Kennedy, both publicly and privately, that the Dimona project was for peaceful purposes only, but Kennedy was not convinced. The minutes of the meeting were classified for some 30 years on both sides of the Atlantic, and not until the mid-1990s were they released for publication.29 The two leaders spent only the first 15 minutes of the meeting on the nuclear issue. Kennedy emphasized the importance of the Israeli pledge that the atomic initiative was for peaceful purposes only and also the importance of this commitment being not only stated but also seen by visitors. In response, Ben-Gurion told Kennedy about Israel’s future energy problems, repeated his pledge that Dimona was for peaceful purposes, added a caveat, and concluded in a somewhat vague manner: We are asked whether it is for peace. For the time being the only purposes are for peace. Not now but after three or four years we shall have a pilot plant for separation, which is needed anyway for a power reactor. There is no such intention now, not for four or five years. But we will see what happens in the Middle East. It does not depend on us. Maybe Russia won’t give bombs to China or Egypt, but maybe Egypt will develop them herself.30 I recalled Ben-Gurion’s statement in February 2007 when I heard Ali Larijani (then the secretary-general of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and the head of its nuclear negotiating team) declare in public that Iran’s nuclear program is currently for peaceful purposes only, but as far as the future is concerned, he continued, nobody knows what is in store. If Iran is threatened, everything is open. It was not difficult to see the historical resemblance between Iran’s nuclear situation today and Israel’s nuclear situation in the early 1960s: both countries with an ambitious national nuclear initiative designed to create a nuclear-weapons option, but without a good idea yet of how far it could go. As was the case in Israel in the early to mid-1960s, the Iranians today seems to be committed to obtaining some sort of nuclear-weapons capability, but despite their determination, they still have no idea how far they will be able to push. Important historical differences in the two countries’ nuclear situation make the Iranian pursuit easier in one way and more difficult in another. Technologically, today it is far easier to acquire nuclear weapons than it was in the early to mid-1960s, when only four countries had such weapons. Politically, however, now we have the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Apart from its political pledges to the United States, Israel is sovereign in terms of law and international norms and thus is free to pursue its nuclear ambitions, albeit secretly. Dimona has never been controlled by anything like the safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). All Israel has had to deal with are the United States’ visits to Dimona, whose ground rules it controlled and which ended with the Nixon-Meir amimut deal in 1969. There was nothing illegal, or even improper, about having an opaque nuclear capability. This is not the case with Iran today. Iran is a signatory to the NPT; that is, it has a legal obligation not to develop nuclear weapons. Iran also is under both the IAEA’s safeguards and today’s verification technology. With today’s technology, it is exceedingly difficult to disguise highly enriched uranium (HEU) production, even in small amounts, particularly because on-site environmental sampling (e.g., swipe samples) is now part of the IAEA’s accepted procedures. Thus, Iran will have difficulty hiding its production of HEU. But if Iran has undeclared secret enrichment facilities–a severe violation of its obligation under the NPT–the IAEA’s technology would be incapable of detecting this activity. All signs indicate that, at the least, Iran wants to come very close to the nuclear-weapons threshold by maintaining a large-scale enrichment capability (while keeping enrichment at a low level) and keeping its weaponization activities secret. The Iranian political leadership may look at a nuclear Israel today and hope that they could follow the same course. But in reality, even apart from the Nixon-Meir political deal that relieved Israel from any doubts about going nuclear, Iran will have more difficulty doing likewise. Only by massive deception–say, by building large-scale undeclared enrichment facilities–could Iran develop nuclear weapons while still subscribing to the NPT. In sum, it would be difficult and politically dangerous for Iran to mimic Israel. The worry about Iran’s enrichment at an industrial-scale capacity, what Israeli intelligence refers to as the technological threshold, is not that it can lead to secret nuclear weapons but that large-scale, low-enriched uranium (LEU) enrichment capabilities can quickly be reconfigured into a HEU mode of production, thereby giving little lead time to the international community. If Iran withdraws from the NPT that would clearly be a sign of nonpeaceful intent. It thus is a breakout that is the main worry. In contrast, Israel has never been under safeguards, so nuclear weapons under amimut always have been an option. Iran may create its own nuclear opacity, and the political differences between an actual bomb and industrial production are not significant for a country that chooses a strategy of opacity. Again the question that dominates the Israeli discourse about Iran: How should Israel react to the emergence of an opaquely nuclear Iran? This depends on what is meant by a “nuclear Iran.” According to my analysis, as long as Iran remains within the NPT’s boundaries, there probably would never be a nuclear Iran, insofar as that means an Iran with actual nuclear weapons, even if they were not declared. In this respect, much of the Israeli discourse on a nuclear Iran is a scare campaign, which says more about the Israeli psyche than about Iran. We are likely to face a nuclear Iran that develops a nuclear-weapons capability opaquely, under the guise of its peaceful program within the NPT, thereby blurring the difference between possession and nonpossession. All signs are that Iran already has that capability. This type of opacity, call it latent opacity, would be politically convenient for Iran precisely because it is a signatory to the NPT. Such opacity also is flexible, politically and technologically, because it rests on true ambiguity about Iran’s intentions and capabilities. Any explicit weaponization activities may remain concealed, disguised, or even put on hold. Iran would gain a political advantage by having an advanced nuclear-weapons capability that brought it both deterrence and prestige. At the same time, it would allow Iran to maintain tension with the world within the parameters of its legal claims under the NPT. This means that Iran would continue to claim that its nuclear program was for peaceful purposes and that it had a right under the NPT to have access to the entire nuclear fuel cycle. At the same time, too, Iran would spread rumors that it was on the verge of acquiring nuclear weapons (or maybe already had) and therefore should be considered a de facto nuclear state, just as Israel is an undeclared nuclear state. Iran’s choice of nuclear opacity would be a political challenge for the international nuclear system but even a far greater challenge to Israel, which was the first and only country to use amimut as a nuclear posture. The difference is that Israel’s amimut has succeeded because the world, particularly the United States, decided to accept its maintaining such a policy. Iran’s choice of latent opacity, however, would come after the world had explicitly expressed its opposition to anything resembling a nuclear program in Iran. When should Israel and the international community remove the mask of amimut? When should the world start calling the Iranian capability a virtual bomb? Is it preferable to remove the mask from Iranian ambiguity, or is an opaque Iran preferable to an openly nuclear Iran? At what point should we insist on international nuclear accountability? And what will be the future of Israeli ambiguity in such a world? Until now, these questions have seldom been asked, but they demand a great deal of thinking, both worldwide and in Israel. The complexity of the Iranian nuclear situation is another incentive for Israel to maintain its current bargain using amimut. Israel would have little to gain by ending its own opacity, and it would have much to lose, including possibly sparking regional nuclearization and an unraveling of the NPT. This possibility became closer to reality with the Arab League’s announcement on March 6, 2008, that if Israel acknowledged it had nuclear weapons, the Arab states would collectively withdraw from the treaty.31 Israel presumably has prepared for the possibility that Iran one day may become an openly nuclear state, but Israelis agree that these preparations should be done under the cover of amimut. The strategic consensus in Israel is that it should preserve amimut as long as it can, that is, as long as Iran sticks to its declaration of peaceful nuclear activity. Amimut is not only the safest public posture, especially during times of strategic uncertainty; it is also a firewall against changes. Editor’s Note: This article is excerpted from The Worst-Kept Secret by Avner Cohen. Copyright © 2010 Avner Cohen. Used by arrangement with Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. 1. This article is based in part on my “Israel: Nuclear Monopoly in Jeopardy,” in International Institute for Strategic Studies, Nuclear Programmes in the Middle East: In the Shadow of Iran (London: IISS, 2008). 2. This phrase was used by Benjamin Netanyahu when he was the opposition leader before his election in 2009. Others who used the phrase include former chief of staff and former minister of defense Shaul Mofaz, as well as columnists like Ari Shavit and Benny Morris. On Netanyahu’s extreme views on the gravity of the “Iranian threat,” see Ronen Bergman, The Secret War with Iran (New York: Free Press, 2008), pp. 343-44; and International Institute for Strategic Studies, Nuclear Programmes in the Middle East, pp. 136-38. 3. Ari Shavit, “There Is No Palestinian Sadat, No Palestinian Mandela: An Interview with Uzi Arad,” Ha’aretz, July 17, 2009. 4. “Mossad: Iran Will Have Nuclear Bomb by 2014,” Ha’aretz, June 16, 2009. 5. Jason Ditz, “Mullen: ‘Nuclear Iran’ an Existential Threat to Israel,” Global Research, November 9, 2009. 6. Reuters, “Israel Defense Chief: Iran is Not a Nuclear Threat,” Jerusalem, September 17, 2009. 7. Gidi Weitz and Na’ama Lanski, “Livni Behind Closed Doors: Iran Nukes Posed Little Threat to Israel,” Ha’aretz, October 25, 2007. 8. Efraim Halevy, the former Mossad chief (1998-2003), was perhaps the most explicit in his criticism of the term. In an interview with David Ignatius, he suggested that official Israel should end using the claim that a nuclear Iran could pose an “existential threat” to Israel. The rhetoric is wrong, he argued, and it gets in the way of the diplomatic effort. “I believe that Israel is indestructible,” Halevy insisted. He also noted that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad may tout his desire to wipe Israel off the map, but Iran’s ability to consummate this threat is “minimal.” “Israel has a whole arsenal of capabilities to make sure the Iranians don’t achieve their result.” Even if the Iranians did obtain a nuclear weapon, says Halevy, “they are deterrable,” because the mullah, survival and perpetuation of the regime is a holy obligation. See David Ignatius, “The Spy Who Wants Israel to Talk,” Washington Post, November 11, 2007. 9. For a mainstream Israeli analysis of these concerns, see Ephraim Kam, “A Nuclear Iran: What Does It Mean, and What Can Be Done,” memorandum no. 88 (Tel Aviv: Institute for National Strategic Studies, 2007). 10. Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert highlighted this outlook in a public policy speech in Herzliya in early January 2007: “For many long years, we have followed Iran’s efforts to acquire nuclear weapons, in the guise of a civilian nuclear program. They are working through secret channels in a number of sites spread out across Iran.” 11. Matthew Clark, “Egypt Slams Iran’s Hamas, Hezbollah Connection,” Christian Science Monitor, January 28, 2009. 12. National Intelligence Council, “Iran: Nuclear Intentions and Capabilities,” National Intelligence Estimate, November 2007. For a dissenting Israeli view of the November NIE, see Bergman, The Secret War with Iran, especially pp. 338-40, 346-49. 13. Ronen Bergman, “Iran’s Worst Enemy,” Newsweek, December 12, 2009. 14. Yet some Israelis question whether the current religious leadership of Iran could be deterred at all by other nuclear weapons, given their views on Israel and Shiite religious beliefs and Israeli concerns that such beliefs could have an impact on Iranian leaders’ sense of rationality. 15. Shavit, “There is No Palestinian Sadat.” 16. This point was central to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s Herzliya speech in January 2007: The Iran of today, whose leadership is motivated by religious fanaticism and ideological extremism, has chosen a policy of confrontation with us and threatens to wipe Israel off the map of nations. It supports terror and undermines stability in the region. The Iranian regime, in its aspiration to regional hegemony, bears responsibility for the riots perpetrated by the Hezbollah today to bring down the Lebanese government. 17. But some Israeli leaders, such as Benjamin Netanyahu (before he took office), believe that Israel’s deterrence must be explicit and crystal clear. In Netanyahu’s words, “Against lunatics, deterrence must be absolute, perfect, including a second-strike capability. The crazies have to understand that if they raise their hands against us, we’ll put them back in the Stone Age” (quoted in Bergman, The Secret War with Iran, p. 344.) 18. Cam Simpson, “Israeli Citizens Struggle amid Iran’s Nuclear Vow,” Wall Street Journal, December 22, 2006. 19. Benny Morris, “Using Bombs to Stave Off War,” New York Times, July 18, 2008. 20. In a speech in late 2006, Netanyahu declared, “It’s 1938 and Iran is Germany. And Iran is racing to arm itself with atomic bombs. Believe him and stop him.” See “Netanyahu: It’s 1938 and Iran is Germany,” Ha’aretz, November 14, 2006. 21. Chuck Freilich, “Speaking About the Unspeakable: U.S.-Israeli Dialogue on Iran’s Nuclear Program,” Policy Brief no. 77 (Washington, D.C.: Washington Institute for Near East Policy, 2007). 22. The substance of this section is taken from my “Israel: Nuclear Monopoly in Jeopardy.” 23. Ehud Olmert, “Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s Address at the 2007 Herzliya Conference,” Prime Minister’s Office, January 24, 2007. 24. I was one of the critics of this phrase. See Avner Cohen, “The Point of No Return?” Ha’aretz, May 17, 2005. 25. Shavit, “There Is No Palestinian Sadat.” 26. National Intelligence Council, “Iran: Nuclear Intentions and Capabilities,” National Intelligence Estimate, November 2007. 27. Shlomo Nakdimon, First Strike: The Exclusive Story of How Israel Foiled Iraq’s Attempt to Get the Bomb (New York: Summit Books, 1987). 28. “Mofaz Criticised over Iran Threat,” BBC News, June 8, 2008. 29. Ethan Bronner, “Olmert Says Israel Should Pull Out of the West Bank,” New York Times, September 29, 2008. 30. This section is based in part on my op-ed, “The Nuclear Opacity Route,” Ha’aretz, February 12, 2007. 31. Avner Cohen, “Most Favored Nation,” Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, vol. 51, no. 1 (1995), pp. 44-53. Avner Cohen, Israel and the Bomb (New York: Columbia University Press, 1998), pp. 108-9.Copyright: © 2013 Robin Meadows. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Tiny sap-sucking insects that are a scourge to gardeners also have the upside of helping trees survive in seasonally dry forests in Central America. How? Scale insects use carbon they get from Cordia alliodora trees to make sugar-rich “honeydew” for Azteca pittieri ants, which in turn defend the trees against leaf-munching insects. Mutualism is often stronger when resources are scarce, but this interdependence usually involves a commodity that is traded directly between species. Now, in this issue of PLOS Biology, Pringle and colleagues show that lack of a resource that is not traded—water—intensifies the bonds between C. alliodora, scale insects, and ants. PPT PowerPoint slide PowerPoint slide PNG larger image larger image TIFF original image Download: An A. pittieri ant patrols the surface of a C. alliodora tree stem in Mexico. Pringle et al. show that the strength of the defensive mutualism between A. pittieri ants and C. alliodora trees increases with water stress across Mesoamerica. Image credit: Enrique Ramírez-García. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.1001706.g001 Found from southern Mexico through South America, C. alliodora has stem hollows where ants nest and tend flocks of scale insects. Named for their protective coverings, scale insects are vampires to the vegetable kingdom, piercing plants with tubular mouths to drink straight from the vascular system. As they imbibe, they secrete honeydew for ants to harvest and eat. Rounding out this mutualistic circle, the ants patrol their C. alliodora host for beetle larvae, caterpillars, and other herbivores, biting them until they leave. Previous studies suggested that plants may invest more carbon in ant defense during water stress. This scenario is particularly taxing for C. alliodora, which drops its leaves during the dry season and must make its carbon stores last long enough to grow new leaves during the next rainy season. But ant colonies must be maintained year-round to ensure defense of leaves during the growing season, safeguarding the production of carbon to get the trees through the next dry season. This led Pringle and colleagues to hypothesize that when C. alliodora trees get less rain, they incur the cost of supplying more carbon to scale insects but recoup their investment in the currency of better leaf protection by ants. To test their hypothesis, the researchers compared trees at 26 sites from Mexico to Costa Rica where rainfall varied four-fold. As expected, trees at drier sites had both more scales and bigger ant colonies. Amazingly, ants in drier areas also mounted stronger defenses of their trees, finding and chasing away herbivores more vigorously than ants in wetter areas. In keeping with this observation, excluding ants increased leaf herbivory at drier sites but made no difference at a wetter site. Next, the researchers assessed whether trees in drier areas had less carbon near the end of the dry season. Analysis of carbohydrates stored in stems confirmed that carbon pools were smaller in trees at drier sites than at wetter sites. Further, trees at drier sites showed early signs of carbon stress: more starch had been converted to the sucrose that helps maintain plant turgor during water stress. When are the carbon costs of ant defense worth it to carbon-stressed C. alliodora? To find out, the researchers modeled carbon trading among the players in this mutualistic system under rainy seasons of varying lengths. Comparison of two herbivory models—chronic but low level versus rare but catastrophic—showed that the latter “insurance” model fit the researchers' observations. The insurance model correctly predicted that shorter rainy seasons reduce trees' carbon pools while increasing their carbon investment in ants. Likewise, ants invest more in leaf protection when rain is scanty, enlarging colonies and allocating more carbon to producing the workers that defend against herbivores. Bolstering the case for the catastrophic insurance model, it also fits the real world. Over the course of six years of field work in the study area, the researchers say most C. alliodora trees were fine, but in a few cases all the leaves had been eaten down to the nubs. And, as they point out, even a rare event could pose a real risk to long-lived trees like C. alliodora. Tying their findings together, the researchers propose that mutualism in this system is driven by the combination of an environmental stress (low rainfall) and a biological stress (the risk of catastrophic herbivory), both of which affect carbon futures in plants. They further suggest that the changes in ant behavior at drier sites may reflect genetic adaptation to local conditions. Previous work has divided A. pittieri into northern and southern lineages that occupy different precipitation niches, raising the question of whether the rainfall-related differences in ant defensive behaviors revealed in this study also track these two lineages. Besides showing that water scarcity strengthens mutualism among C. alliodora, scale insects, and ants, this work suggests that the adage “hard times make us closer” may apply broadly to mutualisms between plants and animals, with carbon as the common currency. According to the carbon trading model in this study, trees' bet-hedging against irregular rainy seasons may drive the evolution of variable carbon investments. Pringle EG, Akçay E, Raab TK, Dirzo R, Gordon DM (2013) Water Stress Strengthens Mutualism Among Ants, Trees, and Scale Insects. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1001705A man gestures while standing in a bomb crater in а street after an "air strike" overnight in Donetsk, on August 6, 2014 A first air strike hit the main rebel stronghold of Donetsk in east Ukraine Wednesday, as government forces preparing to retake the city said 18 soldiers were killed
sold a bitcoin because it is still a legitimate business according to the law. This could give a bitcoin miner the double benefit of avoiding taxes on generating bitcoins, but still deduct the expenses. (Assuming the miner never sells his bitcoins.) Even if, the miner sells his bitcoins a tax benefit may still be realized. The miner can selectively choose to sell his bitcoins over-time, so that he only cashes out enough to cover his expenses for the year. The miner could delay the tax due for as long as he wants by delaying the sale of bitcoins. Bitcoin Mining LLCs All this talk about bitcoin mining as a business brings up the question of “Bitcoin Mining, LLC’s.” Does an LLC for bitcoin mining make sense? The answer is yes. Bitcoin is a new and exciting opportunity to change the world, but creating a business and legal entity to capitalize on that opportunity is nothing new. Whenever a group of people come together to join in a single enterprise, an LLC or any other legal entity is probably going to make sense that everyone’s interests are protected and hopefully provide a tax saving vehicle for the profits. The only caveat I’d add is the same one I give everyone for any business, assess whether you really need to incorporate. A business doesn’t need an LLC, C-Corp, S-Corp or some other acronym – just profits. Incorporating is something that’s going to cost time and money to start and keep! The only time incorporating makes sense is when (1) you have an investor because they’ll force you to incorporate to protect their interests, (2) there’s a ton of liability you want to protect yourself from [think construction companies] and (3) you have $100,000 of net income that goes directly to your pocket. This probably sounds blasphemous, but you should always have a good reason to do anything that’s going to take your time and money. Bitcoin Anonymous, Pseudonymous and Taxpayer Advocates I agree that Bitcoin is effectively pseudonymous and potentially anonymous. But, it’s important to understand the difference between “anonymous” and “tax fraud.” Knowingly or intentionally refusing to report or pay taxes on income earned is by definition – tax fraud. Whether you’re likely to be caught is an entirely other argument. Mixing the two is a mistake that we shouldn’t make. Tax fraud is a crime that occurs the moment a taxpayer commits a crime with “intent.” The second argument begins when we concede that we’re engaging in tax fraud. Assuming we’re committing an intentional crime, the question comes down to what is the likelihood of getting “caught.” We’re basically gambling or playing the odds that we’re not going to be that unlucky person that the IRS calls. Many people believe that if the IRS “doesn’t know who owns the bitcoin” and their wealth is “entirely in bitcoin,” then the IRS can’t touch them (people are arguing that the IRS can’t levying bank accounts and garnishing wages because the IRS doesn’t know who owns the bitcoins). I’d like to dispel this myth. The problem with this argument is that it is short-sighted and factually incorrect. First, it only focuses on whether the IRS is able to “track” and tax the income when it is earned. The IRS is not required to audit an individual or business solely on whether they know that you’ve “earned income.” If your spending outpaces your income, then the IRS is going to audit you. This is an age where we’re able to create a “social currency” out of electrons, it’s safe to assume that the government has the technology to track spending in a meaningful way. To prove this point, most people don’t know that the IRS requires informational reporting by credit card agencies and payment processors through 1099s. Property is recorded publically through titles that is tracked. The IRS is hiring talented engineering, economics and mathematical talent faster than they’re hiring tax accountants and tax attorneys for the sole purpose to create the infrastructure and algorithms that are able to improve their DIF system. The DIF System or Discriminant Function is the process that the IRS uses to pinpoint tax audit targets. Technology is a double-edged sword that cuts both ways. Also, as a seasoned tax professional I’d only need to glance at bank statements, credit card statements or an asset ledger to discover whether there is tax fraud. Unless you’re willing to live like an ascetic monk devoid of all worldly pleasures, then the IRS is going to discover that you’re lying. Once the IRS learns of the tax fraud, then they’re capable of seizing all of your assets for a fire-sale to collect on the tax due or they’ll simply put you in jail for upwards of 10 years. I don’t think any amount of money is going to be able to compensate me for a year in incarceration, let alone a decade. As an example, Bob owns a million bitcoins and is a billionaire. Bob spends a million dollars a year and owns a McMansion. The IRS calls and asks where did this money come from? Bob can’t explain where the money is coming from and is slapped with a giant tax bill. Bob never pays the tax debt and is convicted of tax fraud or evasion – a felony. Bob spends 10 years in jail. Bob leaves jail and has to leave the country and probably can never return, if he wants to spend any money from his bitcoins. To be fair, I’m not arguing that the IRS is an omnipotent government agency that makes the CIA look like cub scouts. The IRS is one of the most underfunded agencies and I’m sure that millions of tax fraudulent taxpayers escape their gaze annually. But, the real issue is whether the risk outweighs the probable benefit to you. Bitcoin As A Medium For Currency Exchange If a person is in the United States and wants to exchange UK Pounds to US Dollars through bitcoins to avoid the bank fees, then it is a taxable transaction. Practically, using bitcoin as a vehicle to exchange currencies is not going to be a complicated tax question. The easiest way to understand this transaction is to pretend that the entire transaction was completed in US Dollars or in a single type of currency. For example, Bob purchased 10 Bitcoins for €10 Euros (Assume that €10 Euros equals $10 US Dollars). Later, Bob sells the 10 Bitcoins for $12 dollars. Bob has $2 dollars of gain that he needs to pay taxes on in capital gains. The calculation and bookkeeping for the entire transaction is less of a brain teaser when you just convert everything into a single type of currency. Note: I still need to circle back and address Bitcoin Wash Sales, but that’s a complicated topic because of Bitcoin’s nebulous legal status. If this article gains traction like the previous article and people pose new questions, then I’ll follow-up with a third installment. Thanks!War against Russia is a road to hell On June 22, Russia remembers the summer day of 1941 - the day when the Great Patriotic War began. There was also the Patriotic War, the 200th anniversary of which will be marked this year too. It was almost the same time of the year, when Napoleon crossed Russia's borders and threatened to destroy the country. Napoleon and Hitler had to experience very hard times when they dared to attack Russia. Many people will find these coincidences highly interesting. Napoleon was born in 1760 - Hitler was born in 1889 (a difference of 129 years). Napoleon came to power in 1804 - Hitler came to power in 1933 (a difference of 129 years). Napoleon entered Vienna in 1812 - Hitler went to Vienna in 1941 (a difference of 129 years). Napoleon lost the war in 1816 - Hitler lost the war in 1945 (a difference of 129 years). This information seems to be very surprising indeed. It was available during the Soviet years. However, one had to search thick textbooks on history and encyclopedias to be able to make such comparisons. Nowadays, it is enough to search the Internet. Just try to realize: Napoleon and Hitler came to power when they were 44 years old. They both attacked Russia when they were 52. The Emperor and the Fuhrer lost their wars when they were 56. Many researchers point out similarities in the origin of Napoleon and Hitler, who did not belong to the title nation. Corsica became a French territory a few months before the birth of Napoleon. Austria became a part of Germany as a result of Anschluss, which was conducted under Hitler as a politician. The same cane be said about Stalin too. However, it is clear that there are more differences than similarities between the two politicians. There was only one major similarity in their lives - they attacked Russia and they had to pay for that. "The peace that we will conclude will put an end to the disastrous influence, which Russia has been showing on Europe for 50 years. I am going to Moscow, and I will finish it all off in one or two battles. Emperor Alexander will be begging for peace on his knees. I will burn Tula and disarm Russia," Napoleon said. Adolf Hitler said: "We continue where things ended six hundred years ago. We stop the endless German procession to Southern and Western Europe and turn our eyes towards the land in the east. We finally complete colonial and economic politics of the prewar period and move on the territorial politics of the future. But when in today's Europe we speak of new land, we can think only of Russia and the states bordering on and subordinate to it." "German Armed Forced must be prepared to destroy the Soviet Russia in a short-term campaign before the war against England comes to an end," he wrote in the directive for Operation Barbadossa. Adolf Hitler did not listen to his country-fellow and the creator of the Second Reich, Otto von Bismarck. Bismarck wrote: "Even the most favorable outcome of the war will never lead to the decomposition of the main forces of Russia, which is based on millions of faithful Russians... The latter, even if they become separated as a result of international treaties, they will quickly re-connect with each other, as the particles of the cut piece of mercury. This indestructible State of the Russian nation is strong for its climate, territories and its simplicity, as well as for the need to defend its borders constantly. This State, even after complete destruction, will turn into a revengeful enemy." The above was written more than 50 years before Operation Barbadossa. So it was Hitler, not Napoleon, who did not learn the lesson. Napoleon did not listen to his generals and ministers either. French general and diplomat Caulaincourt strongly strongly advised Napoleon to renounce his proposed expedition to Russia. "The war against Russia is a road to hell," he said. There are many reasons to explain the death of the Great French Army and the German Wehrmacht on vast Russian territories. "Different nations gave different examples of human ideals. For Chinese - it is a wise man, for Hindu - it is an ascetic, for Romans, it is an emperor, for England and Spain - an aristocrat, for Prussians - a solider. Russia is seen for the ideal of its woman," German researcher Walter Schubart wrote in his work "Europe and the Soul of the East." Igor Bukker Pravda.Ru Read the original in RussianPolice have identified former MLB player Darryl Hamilton and his wife, Monica Jordan, as the victims of what appears to be a murder-suicide after the pair was found dead in their own home. Their 14-month-old child was also found in the house, unharmed. Police were called to a house in Pearland, Tex., to respond to a disturbance, and found both Hamilton and Jordan shot to death inside. The Houston Chronicle provides some details: Police said officers were sent to the home on an emergency call about a disturbance. When they arrived, they found the body of Darryl Hamilton, 50, near the front entry way. The body of Monica Jordan, 44, was found in another part of the home. Investigators said it appeared Hamilton had been shot more than once and Jordan died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Advertisement Hamilton retired after the 2001 season and went on to pursue a career in broadcasting. Most recently, he was working as a part-time color analyst on Brewers’ radio broadcasts. [Houston Chronicle]Back, an "acerbic" new sitcom project featuring Peep Show stars David Mitchell and Robert Webb, has been given a full series. Following a non-broadcast pilot, Channel 4 has now ordered a full set of scripts from Emmy-award winning Peep Show and Veep writer Simon Blackwell. The six-part series will be filmed in the spring, for broadcast on Channel 4 later in the year. It focuses on a dysfunctional family running a pub. Channel 4 explain: "Stephen's father, local legend Laurie Nicholls, has died so Stephen's set to - finally - take over the family's pub. Mum Ellen and sister Cass have no interest in the family business - they're 'creative', with weed to buy and energy-centres to rebalance. With his dad dead, it's now Stephen's chance to shine - his only achievements so far have been marriage (followed by divorce) and a slightly disappointing pub refurb. "But when the charming Andrew turns up out of the blue at his dad's funeral, Stephen's plans go awry. Charismatic Andrew has lived in Sydney, Amsterdam, Chicago, the Loire valley and Berlin but crucially, spent five formative months in 1989 fostered by Laurie and Ellen as a 15-year-old. To Stephen, Andrew was just one of a string of 30-odd foster kids who he spent his childhood resenting. But Andrew remembers every single detail and sees that time as the most important of his life. "Now Andrew's back, and keen to revisit the closest thing he's ever had to a family. Ellen loves Andrew. Cass loves Andrew. Even Laurie's erratic brother Uncle Geoff loves Andrew. But Stephen doesn't love Andrew. He thinks he's a glib, dangerous sociopath who's about to steal his family, his business and his life." David Mitchell takes on the role of Stephen, with Robert Webb playing Andrew. The rest of the cast for the series has yet to be announced, however it is known that in the non-broadcast pilot (pictured) Stephen's bohemian mother Ellen was played by Spaced star Julia Deakin, the role of sister Cass was fulfilled by Sherlock actor Louise Brealey, and Geoffrey McGivern played Uncle Geoff. David Mitchell says of the series: "It's great to be making a new show for Channel 4, a broadcaster which has always been huge supporter of new comedy, and with a writer of Simon Blackwell's talent. And, in Simon Blackwell, we've found a writer of precisely Simon Blackwell's talent. His writing is deep, dark, warm and funny - like a hot tub brimming with laughing gravy." Robert Webb adds: "That sounds disgusting." Simon Blackwell comments: "I always jump at the chance of writing for Robert and David. They are brilliant comic actors - funny and real. I can't wait for us to start making this." Fiona McDermott from Channel 4 says: "David and Robert are part of the Channel 4 comedy family and it's wonderful to welcome them back, in Back, with the brilliant Simon Blackwell at the helm." The series is being made by That Mitchell & Webb Company in conjunction with Friday Night Dinner and Rev producers Big Talk Productions. Kenton Allen, from Big Talk Productions, adds: "Good things come to those that wait and Back absolute proof of this. Simon, David and Robert are the Holy Trinity of British Comedy and it's a rare privilege to be working with such exceptional comic minds." Back will be on Channel 4 in 2017. 16th May 2017 update Back is now being filmed: Share this pageTwo pieces of winning work at Malaysia’s most prestigious advertising awards show the Kancils have been disqualified for plagiarism. “Professional Man”, a campaign for internet privacy awareness firm Web Privacy Watch by Dentsu Utama, “contained almost identical images” to the work of Swedish artist Erik Johansson, an optical illusion piece called The Architect, ruled ad industry body Malaysia 4As, the organiser of the Kancil Awards. The same is true of “Cross River Gorilla”, an anti-poaching campaign for World Wildlife Fund in Indonesia by Dentsu Utama that bears similarities to the work of a British design student, the 4As determined. “An investigation was initiated by the 4As following various complaints of the obvious similarities to the original creations,” said Tan Kien Eng, Kancils jury chair and CEO of advertising agency Leo Burnett Malaysia. “This action is being taken to remedy a contentious situation while upholding the principles of eligibility for the Kancil Awards,” Tan said. The agency’s award-winning work was developed after the work created by Erik Johansson and 21 year-old designer Tom Anders Watkins, the 4As confirmed, so the awards will be withdrawn. The original creators have shown proof that their works were posted much earlier than the work by Dentsu Utama, Tan confirmed. Anders Watkins complained about his work being copied in a social media post late December. “Hey, @dentsuaegis @WWF I think you may have blatantly copied my design in your award winning poster,” he tweeted. His complaint was picked up by a number of news outlets. “Cross River Gorilla” claimed won 26 bronze awards and three silvers at the Kancils, while “Professional Man” won six bronzes. The awards helped Dentsu Utama win agency of the year at the Kancils last month, although that accolade is expected to now be attributed to another agency. The investigation followed questions raised in two stories by Mumbrella following the announcement of the Kancils winners late last year. “We take a serious view of work that is deemed sufficiently close to works created originally elsewhere,” Tan commented. “We must maintain a high level of integrity and credibility as the industry’s official body in Malaysia. The decision to disqualify the awards for both creative works was not taken lightly as we had explored all possible scenarios. In the end, the facts were overwhelmingly in favour of the original creators.” Update: As a result of the ruling, Dentsu Utama has resigned from the 4As in protest, describing the decision to withdraw the awards as “unfounded”. The agency said in a statement shared with Mumbrella this afternoon: On 29 December Dentsu Utama was accused of plagiarism, a claim it strongly disputes. Responding to these accusations, Dentsu Utama began an internal investigation supported by independent legal advice. The conclusion was that such accusations are unfounded. Throughout this period Dentsu Utama has been openly cooperating with the Association of Accredited Advertising Agents (4As) on this issue. Dentsu Utama, without being given the opportunity to defend itself, has now been informed that eight of the Kancils awards related to the WWF Anti-Poaching Cross River Gorilla, and the Web Privacy Watch – Professional Man campaigns won in December 2015, will be revoked. A decision which we believe is unsupported. As a result Dentsu Utama and its representatives will resign from the 4As with immediate effect. Dentsu Utama will continue its dialogue with the individual artists on this issue and continue to supports its opinion that the allegations are unfounded. No further statements will be made at this moment in time. Dentsu Aegis has confirmed with Mumbrella that the ruling will not bear any consequences for the staff responsible for the work. The ruling comes the week after the 4As decided that a campaign by Dentsu Utama for Uyee Chinese Medical Company was “not sufficiently similar” to a project for a Chinese skateboard decoration firm Challenge Skateboard to constitute copyright infringement, and so warrant disqualification from the competition. This year was the 20th anniversary of the Kancil Awards. Last year’s Kancils were also troubled by allegations of copycatting, with BBDO Malaysia’s work for KFC appearing to resemble work made for Burger King in German four years previously.The Dalai Lama speaks at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) during a panel discussion on 'Happiness, Free Enterprise, and Human Flourishing' in Washington, DC, February 20, 2014. AFP PHOTO / Jim WATSON (Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images) WASHINGTON (RNS) Some of the brightest pro-business minds in the nation prodded the Dalai Lama on Thursday (Feb. 20) to offer a warm endorsement of capitalism. But during an appearance by the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism at the American Enterprise Institute, one of the world’s most stalwart and, in conservative circles, respected free enterprise think tanks, they came up short. The Dalai Lama was the star participant in a morning of panels on “moral free enterprise” and “human happiness.” Asked by AEI President Arthur Brooks and Columbia Business School Dean Glenn Hubbard whether he agrees that the free enterprise system is the most moral of economic systems, and why he thinks the U.S. is the richest nation on earth, the Dalai Lama answered in broken English with his own question: What do you mean by rich? He went on to declare the command economy of the former Soviet Union, “failed,” and then critiqued American capitalism: “At the same time, United States, capitalist country, most richest, but gap rich and poor.” Both systems, he continued, have “drawbacks,” and he prescribed “more discussions, more concern for others’ well being.” Then finally, the Dalai Lama said, “I myself don’t know,” and burst into laughter, adding, “unless I spend few years studying about world economies and become student of you.” In his opening remarks to a rapt audience of several hundred, the Dalai Lama did underscore a value that many conservatives believe is in short supply: individual responsibility. He said the next century, unlike the last, should be one of peace. “We must create it. … Peace only comes through our action, not through wishful thinking,” the Dalai Lama said. “Buddha cannot give you what you want. You must make effort.” Brooks — who was joined on the first panel by Hubbard, hedge fund founder Daniel S. Loeb and New York University business and ethics professor Jonathan Haidt — also asked the Dalai Lama how nations could best protect private property, and how the poor could enjoy “the blessings of the free enterprise system.” The Dalai Lama answered in general terms, repeating his call for human beings to be more compassionate and to dampen “too much greed.” In the past, the Dalai Lama has called himself a Marxist. He has also previously praised the freedoms that opening markets has brought to China, whose leadership tried to assassinate him in 1959 for his work to free Tibetans from Chinese domination. Believed by Tibetan Buddhists to be the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso was born in a poor Tibetan village and has lived most of his 78 years in exile in India, where until three years ago he was head of the Tibetan government in exile. Since the communist invasion in 1950, China has ruled Tibet. As Haidt noted, the Dalai Lama is greatly admired by those on the left side of the political spectrum. But the professor said he hoped the AEI event would help to “break out of the rut” of opposing narratives of the free enterprise system — one in which it is the savior of humanity, lifting the poor out of poverty and promoting liberty, and the other in which it is the oppressor of the worker, and the ruination of the environment. The Dalai Lama, Haidt said, could help write a third, more “nuanced” story of capitalism, where all get to share in its bounty. But Robert Thurman, a scholar of Tibetan Buddhism at Columbia University, said the Dalai Lama isn’t following anybody’s script. A Buddhist and supporter of the Occupy Wall Street movement, Thurman said he’s not nervous about those who might like to align themselves with the Dalai Lama to burnish their own reputations.Justin Lane/European Pressphoto Agency The Justice Department filed civil fraud charges late on Monday against the nation’s largest credit-ratings agency, Standard & Poor’s, accusing the firm of inflating the ratings of mortgage investments and setting them up for a crash when the financial crisis struck. The suit, filed in federal court in Los Angeles, is the first significant federal action against the ratings industry, which during the boom years reaped record profits as it bestowed gilt-edged ratings on complex bundles of home loans that quickly went sour. The high ratings made many investments appear safer than they actually were, and are now seen as having contributed to a crisis that brought the financial system and the broader economy to its knees. More than a dozen state prosecutors are expected to join the federal suit, and the New York attorney general is preparing a separate action. The Securities and Exchange Commission has also been investigating possible wrongdoing at S.& P. From September 2004 through October 2007, S.&P. “knowingly and with the intent to defraud, devised, participated in, and executed a scheme to defraud investors” in certain mortgage-related securities, according to the suit filed against the agency and its parent company, McGraw-Hill Companies. S.&P. also falsely represented that its ratings “were objective, independent, uninfluenced by any conflicts of interest,” the suit said. S.& P., first contacted by federal enforcement officials three years ago, said in a statement Monday in anticipation of the suit that it had acted in good faith in issuing the ratings. “A D.O.J. lawsuit would be entirely without factual or legal merit,” it said, adding that its competitors had given exactly the same ratings to all the securities it believed to be in question. Settlement talks between S.& P. and the Justice Department broke down in the last two weeks after prosecutors sought a penalty in excess of $1 billion and insisted that the company admit wrongdoing, several people with knowledge of the talks said. That amount would wipe out the profits of McGraw-Hill for an entire year. S.& P. had proposed a settlement of around $100 million, the people said. S.& P. also sought a deal that would allow it to neither admit nor deny guilt; the government pressed for an admission of guilt to at least one count of fraud, said the people. S.& P. told prosecutors it could not admit guilt without exposing itself to liability in a multitude of civil cases. It was unclear whether state and federal authorities were looking at the other two major ratings agencies, Moody’s Investors Service and Fitch. A spokesman for Moody’s declined to comment. A spokesman for Fitch, Daniel J. Noonan, said the agency could not comment on an action that appeared to focus on Standard & Poor’s, but added, “we have no reason to believe Fitch is a target of any such action.” The case against S.& P. focuses on about 40 collateralized debt obligations, or C.D.O.’s, an exotic type of security made up of bundles of mortgage bonds, which in turn were composed of individual home loans. The securities were created at the height of the housing boom. S.& P. was paid fees of about $13 million for rating them. Prosecutors have uncovered troves of e-mails written by S.& P. employees, some of them expressing strong concern about the way such securities were being rated. The firm gave the government more than 20 million pages of e-mails as part of its investigation, the people with knowledge of the process said. Since the financial crisis in 2008, the ratings agencies’ business practices have been widely criticized and questions have been raised as to whether independent analysis was corrupted by Wall Street’s push for profits. A Senate investigation made public in 2010 found that S.& P. and Moody’s used inaccurate rating models from 2004 to 2007 that failed to predict how high-risk mortgages would perform; allowed competitive pressures to affect their ratings; and failed to reassess past ratings after improving their models in 2006. The companies failed to assign adequate staff to examine exotic investments, and failed to take mortgage fraud, lax underwriting and “unsustainable home price appreciation” into account in their models, the inquiry found. “Rating agencies continue to create an even bigger monster — the C.D.O. market,” one S.& P. employee wrote in an internal e-mail in December 2006. “Let’s hope we are all wealthy and retired by the time this house of card falters.” Another S.& P. employee wrote in an instant message the next April, reproduced in the complaint: “We rate every deal. It could be structured by cows and we would rate it.” The three major ratings agencies are typically paid by the issuers of the securities they rate — in this case, the banks that had packaged the mortgage-backed securities and wanted to market them. The investors were not involved in the process but depended on the rating agencies’ assessments. Although the three agencies tend to track one another, each has its own statistical methods for assessing the likelihood that C.D.O.s and residential mortgage-backed securities, or R.M.B.S., will default. That has led to speculation that S.& P. analysts knew their method yielded unrealistic ratings, but issued the ratings anyway. “As S.&P. knew, contrary to its representations to the public, S.&P.’s desire for increased revenue and market share in the RMBS and CDO ratings markets, and its resulting desire to maintain and enhance its relationships with issuers that drove its ratings business, improperly influenced S.&P. to downplay and disregard the true extent of the credit risks,” the suit says. In its statement on Monday, S.& P. said it had begun stress-testing the mortgage-backed securities it rated as early as 2005, trying to see how they would perform in a severe market downturn. S.& P. said it had also sent out early warning signals, downgrading hundreds of mortgage-backed securities, starting in 2006. Nor was it the only one to have underestimated the coming crisis, it said — even the Federal Reserve’s open market committee believed that any problems within the housing sector could be contained. The Justice Department, the company said, “would be wrong in contending that S.& P. ratings were motivated by commercial considerations and not issued in good faith.” For many years, the ratings agencies have defended themselves successfully in civil litigation by saying their ratings were independent opinions, protected by the First Amendment, which guarantees the right to free speech. Developments in the wake of the financial crisis have raised questions about the agencies’ independence however. For example, one federal judge, Shira A. Scheindlin, ruled in 2009 that the First Amendment did not apply in a lawsuit over ratings issued by S.& P. and Moody’s, because the mortgage-backed securities at issue had not been offered to the public at large. Judge Scheindlin also agreed with the plaintiffs, who argued the ratings were not opinions, but misrepresentations, possibly the result of fraud or negligence. The federal action will be the first time a credit-rating agency has been charged under a 1989 law intended to protect taxpayers from frauds involving federally insured financial institutions, which since the financial crisis has been used against a number of federally insured banks, including Wells Fargo, Bank of America and Citigroup. The government is taking a novel approach by accusing S.& P. of defrauding a federally insured institution and therefore injuring the taxpayer. Among others, the compliant includes the demise of Wescorp, a federally insured credit union in Los Angeles that went bankrupt after investing in mortgage securities rated by S.& P. Wescorp is included as one example of the contended fraud, and as a way to bring the case in California. The suit was filed in Federal District Court for the Central District of California. Michael J. de la Merced contributed reporting.By John Denton Oct. 13, 2017 ORLANDO – From the first day of training camp all the way to Friday’s preseason finale, Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon promised that his focus would remain affixed on the process and not so much the results. Whether Gordon got a contract extension, whether he had a big individual jump in his production this season or whether the Magic eventually make the playoffs – all of it would be as a result of the work that he’s put in and none of it would ever distract his focus, Gordon insisted. That mindset helped Gordon carry over a strong finish from last season into this preseason where he has shown major signs of making a major breakthrough. In Gordon’s first four preseason games, he’s averaged 17.8 points and 7.5 rebounds a game while shooting 51.9 percent from the floor and 37.5 percent from 3-point range – all of which would be career-best numbers compared to what he’s done in the first three years of his NBA career. Gordon’s production has come at a time when he is eligible to sign a contract extension with the Magic – a pact that must be agreed upon before Oct. 16 or he will be a restricted free agent on July 1, 2018. He has been able to successfully block out that potential distraction by simply focusing on his play on the court. ``That’s never why I played the game and not why I play the game (now),’’ Gordon said, referring to the chance to cash in and secure his long-term future. ``I trust (Magic President of Basketball Operations) Jeff Weltman and (GM) John Hammond to make the right decision and I’m going to continue to play my game, help my team and improve as a player. They see how hard I work, they see how far my game has come and I’m only 22 (years old). ``My game is going to continue to get better and there’s still no ceiling for me,’’ he added. ``I’m looking to be the best in the NBA at some point in my career, so I’m going to continue to improve and continue to help my team get wins.’’ DEFENSIVE PROGRESS: To make a major jump this season and go from 29 wins to one that is contention for a playoff spot, the Magic must make significant gains on the defensive end of the floor. Head coach Frank Vogel has poured over the numbers and video footage from last season and he knows that minimal improvements simply won’t cut it considering how woeful Orlando was defensively last season. It’s just the preseason, but so far Orlando’s defensive strides have been quite dramatic. Last season, the Magic ranked 22nd in the NBA in points allowed per game (107.6), 25th in field goal percentage allowed (46.7 percent) and 24th in 3-point percentage allowed (36.8 percent). Through the first five preseason games, Orlando has ranked fifth in the NBA in points allowed per game (93.6), third in field goal percentage allowed (39.8 percent) and third in 3-point percentage allowed (29.3 percent). Impressive numbers, indeed, but they also come with the caveat that several teams were without their star players in all or part of the preseason games against the Magic. According to SportVU, the Magic gave up 30.4 drives per game last season, most in the NBA. Also, Orlando was the only squad in the NBA to surrender 70 points in the paint last season three different times. Vogel spent a big portion of training camp working on improving the team’s defense and emphasizing the importance of playing winning one-on-one battles as it relates to containment of drivers. Thus far, the Magic have been somewhat better about containing dribble drives and in their first five preseason games they allowed just 38.4 points a night in the paint. Vogel knows the Magic still must make more strides defensively if they are going to make a significant jump in the standings. `` I’m hopeful, but we’ve still got a lot of work to do to become a good defensive team,’’ Vogel said. ``We seem to have a better grasp of what I’m asking them to do this year as opposed to last year and hopefully that’s part of the continuity bump. They’re working, they’re trying and they understand that a big part of the reason that we didn’t have a successful season last year was because of our perimeter defense, so these guys are working to improve that.’’ ROOKIE REVIEW: While Magic first-round pick Jonathan Isaac has caught the eyes of most with his speedy transition to NBA basketball and his stellar play, second-round pick Wes Iwundu has mostly flown under the radar with his solid, if not spectacular, play. Iwundu, who missed Friday’s finale with a mildly strained right hamstring, has impressed Vogel with his ability to defend on the perimeter and make plays for others offensively. The 6-foot-7 Iwundu hasn’t shot the ball well (seven of 20 from the floor and 1 of 6 from 3-point range) – a knock on him after spending four seasons at Kansas State – but he’s been impressive with his abilities to move laterally and contain scorers. ``He’s one of those guys who can really guard, he has great length and he fits our style in terms of being able to run and shoot the three,’’ Vogel said. ``The future is bright for him.’’ Orlando is hopeful that Iwundu will be healthy enough to return by Wednesday’s opener. Vogel noted that if there are scenarios this season where Iwundu goes several games without seeing playing time off the Magic’s bench, the team could use their G League squad, the Lakeland Magic, to help him keep his skills sharp. GREEN RETURNS: Friday’s game saw the return of mercurial Cleveland forward Jeff Green, who struggled through a disappointing 2016-17 season in Orlando. The 31-year-old Green averaged just 9.2 points and 3.1 rebounds a game last season – both career worsts. He played in just 69 games and shot a dismal 39.4 percent – two more career lows. Green said his return to Orlando allowed him to visit with friends Bismack Biyombo and D.J. Augustin, but otherwise there was no sentimental tug going back to a city where he’s played before. After all, the Cavs are his sixth NBA franchise in 10 NBA seasons. Green said there was no contact between him and the Magic in July about a possible return, so he instead signed with the veteran-laden Cavaliers. He added that he’s given little thought to why Orlando slumped so badly last season. ``Honestly, I haven’t given it any thought at all,’’ Green said. ``Once a season ends for me, I try to erase it and get mentally fresh for the next season. So, honestly, I haven’t even thought about why it didn’t work. I just know we didn’t do as well as we thought we would and you move on.’’ UP NEXT: With the Magic wrapping up the preseason on Friday night, the team will be off on Saturday before returning to the practice court on Sunday to start preparations on the Miami Heat. The two Sunshine State rivals will open the regular season against one another at the Am
4-3-3 fan, not 4-4-2. I don’t see how a classic 4-4-2 could work in the Spanish league, where every team plays 4-3-3 and the superiority of the midfield has become crucial. What Mourinho did with Chelsea with his 4-3-3 was something never seen before: a dynamic structure, aggressive, with aggressive transitions...and then there is Barca’s 4-3-3, which wouldn’t work in England, because of the higher risk of losing the ball. If you have midfielders like Frank Lampard or Steven Gerrard you don’t want your forwards to come and play between lines, because Lampard and Gerrard have a large field of action and very often move in to those spaces. Lampard was often irritated with Didier Drogba because Drogba wanted to receive the ball there but then, amazingly, his first touch was poor, so he lost the ball and we were exposed to a transition from the opponent. So we had to limit Drogba from going there and ask him to play deeper. BARCELONA’S TACTICAL MASTERPLAN DS: Is good ball circulation essential in the attacking organisation of a top team? AVB: Well, it’s essential to every team. Every team want to score. That’s the purpose of the game. Barcelona play horizontally only after a vertical pass. See how the centre backs go out with ball, how they construct the play. They open up (moving wider), so that the right or left-back can join the midfield line. Guardiola has talked about it: the centre backs provoke the opponent, invite them forward then, if the opponent applies quick pressure the ball goes to the other central defender, and this one makes a vertical pass. Not to the midfielders, who have their back turned to the ball, but to those moving between lines, Andres Iniesta or Lionel Messi, or even directly to the striker. Then they play the second ball with short lay-offs, either to the wingers who have cut inside or the midfielders, who now have the game in front of them. They have an enormous capacity not to lose the ball, to do things with an unbelievable precision. Another thing about Barcelona, there is always a full-back who arrives earlier in the attack, the other stays in position initially but then progressively joins the attack, as the ball circulates on the other side of the pitch, so he can be a surprise element. When you least expect he arrives. He chooses the perfect timing for the overlap. DS: Louis Van Gaal says a vertical pass is not a risk, but a horizontal pass is because when you make a horizontal pass you are much more open, more exposed in case you lose the ball. AVB: Yes, that’s right. And there are differences between a horizontal pass and a slightly diagonal pass. Something that used to happen a lot in England, when teams played 4-4-2, was that the central midfielders exchanged the ball between them in parallel passes so what we did with Lampard, or Liverpool did with Gerrard, was to try to cut into that space between the two midfielders with fast movement from Lampard. If they got the ball there, there were already two opponents eliminated in the attacking transition. DEALING WITH DEFENSIVE TEAMS DS: How do you attack a team that plays with an ultra-low block? AVB: Let’s see. Juventus play with an ultra-low block, they don’t put any pressure on you high up the field. Nowadays most teams don’t. It can limit you because they control the space behind them with perfect offside timing. They limit your vertical passes as well because they are all grouped within 30 or 40 metres, completely closed in two lines of four plus the two forwards. So you start constructing “short”, begin the attacking process with your centre-backs of full-backs carrying the ball forward to the midfield area but then you want to pass the ball to the midfielders and you don’t know how to do it, because there is an ultra-limited space, everything is completely closed. DS: So what to do? AVB: You have to provoke them with the ball, which is something most teams can’t do. I cannot understand it. It’s an essential factor in the game. At this time of ultra-low defensive block teams, you will have to learn how to provoke them with the ball. It’s the ball they want, so you have to defy them using the ball as a carrot. Louis Van Gaal’s idea is one of continuous circulation, one side to the other, until the moment that, when you change direction, an space opens up inside and you go through it. So, he provokes the opponent with horizontal circulation of the ball, until the moment that the opponent will start to pressure out of despair. What I believe in is to challenge the rival by driving the ball into him. That’s something Pep Guardiola believes is decisive. And that’s something that Henk ten Cate also took to Avram Grant’s Chelsea. He took it with him form Frank Rijkaard’s Barcelona. We did it differently at Chelsea under Mourinho. Our attacking construction was different, with the ball going directly to the full-backs or midfielders. With Ten Cate, play was started with John Terry or Ricardo Carvalho, to invite the opponent’s pressure. Then you had one less opponent in the next step of construction.7:30 PM EST \| Madison Square Garden TV: MSG Network Radio: ESPN NY 98.7 FM 5 Things To Know: 1. Facing serious adversity on Saturday night, the Knicks battled in Houston but fell in a 129-122 defeat to the Rockets. Houston’s high-powered attack was too much for a depleted New York team without Kristaps Porzingis, Kyle O’Quinn, and Courtney Lee. Additionally, Carmelo Anthony was forced to miss the second half due to a sore knee. Brandon Jennings started in place of Lee and scored a season-high 32 points to go along with seven assists. On the other side of the floor, James Harden shined in a career performance by scoring 53 points, dishing out 17 dimes, and grabbing 16 rebounds to become the first player in NBA history to post this startling stat line. The Knicks dropped to 16-17 on the season and are now in 9th place in the East following four straight losses. 2. Anthony did not feel his knee soreness was a major cause for concern. New York’s small forward said on Saturday that he expects to return to the lineup on Monday night. Porzingis was held out of Saturday’s game with a sore Achilles that was aggravated in the contest in New Orleans. Lee missed all three of New York’s road games this past week while dealing with a sore right wrist. Despite some optimism throughout the three-game trip, Lee was unable to suit up on Saturday. O’Quinn was sidelined with flu-like symptoms on Saturday in Houston. Head coach Jeff Hornacek will provide an update on the status for these players during his pregame media availability at 5:45 PM tonight. 3. In the first matchup of the season between the two teams, Derrick Rose led the way with 19 points while six Knicks registered double figures in points to top the Magic 106-95 on December 22. New York hit 45 percent from the arc, outrebounded Orlando 52-41, and tallied 26 assists in the home win. 4. On New Year’s night, the Magic suffered a 117-104 loss to the Pacers in the first game of a road back-to-back. Nikola Vucevic scored 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in 30 minutes off the bench and Serge Ibaka posted 17 points in the defeat. Orlando has now lost two straight games after earning two consecutive victories over the Lakers and Grizzlies. At 15-20, the Magic sit in 12th place in the Eastern Conference standings while holding an 8-9 mark on the road. 5. Evan Fournier, the Magic’s leading scorer, has missed the last four games with a heel injury. His status is unclear for Monday’s matchup against the Knicks at MSG. Fournier is averaging 17.8 points per game this season and his absence has forced Jodie Meeks into starting shooting guard duties next to D.J. Augustin in the backcourt. With that said, head coach Frank Vogel brings Elfrid Payton off the bench at point guard for significant minutes as seen in Sunday’s game where he logged 29 minutes of court time.B2B marketing involves a lot skill, expertise and consistent analytical endeavors in order to reach businesses goals. Various processes are involved, and indeed, the most important of them all is content marketing. It is crucial that your demand generation campaigns should have the characteristics of efficiency, both in application and in cost. And here is the real challenge: how can you conceptualize an effective marketing strategy without burning through your campaign budget? Especially for startup businesses, the matter can be very difficult to resolve. Fortunately, there are ways to get your brand out there without costing you a fortune. Analyze your Market. If ever there’s a Ten Commandments for B2B demand generation, this should be at the topmost part of the slab. Having a good view of market prospects is primary in strategizing a sound marketing plan. However, you don’t have to resort to tedious statistical analytics to gauge customer preferences as the task is much easier when you keep a good eye on consistent consumer trends. Expertise. Most business failures were a result of negligence or incompetence on the part of the marketing firm. Thus, it should be a wise step for businesses to know the right people. It just sounds too easy. But there’s a lot to be considered along this line, considering that there are companies that are more inclined to application than to result. Focus on a firm’s accomplishments and result-oriented solutions. Be Clear. Before you deliver your content, think of your audience first. One genius way to market your products and services is to overfeed your customers with information. Many campaigns have fallen short of their goals because B2B players adhere to the idea that as long as the message is out there, we’re fine. It would eventually come back and stab them on the buttocks. Always vouch for quality content, because prospects appreciate what you are saying (substance) more than how frequently you interact with them. Go for engaging content. Monitor your Campaign. And this means observing how your strategy fares once you have it up and running. Another reason why many lead generation endeavors fail is because businesses tend to ignore their campaigns’ progress. Monitor regularly and observe miniscule and profound market changes. That way, it would be easier for you to draw up better plans and re-organize your resources. A content marketing campaign is indeed expensive but very crucial. But understanding the pointers above, you can gain good ROI on top of realizing long-term goals. Source : 5 Factors Breaking Your B2B Content Marketing BudgetPosted on - I’m always on the lookout for interesting projects that relate to deep-seated issues of the human condition and the future of society and, as anybody who has read my recent novel When Winter Calls will know, I also enjoy interesting dystopian fiction that takes us away from the usual post-apocalyptic visions and into more unique and intriguing territory. When I came across the short for Novek, I was immediately interested in the world-building and the clear talent behind the film-making and depth of cinematography. As of last week, the Firman brothers have now launched an official Kickstarter to take their idea to the next level and so I’ve been able to ask one half of the equation – Matt Firman – a few questions about the project and where they see it going next… Tell us a bit about yourselves and what brought you to this point… My brother (Jon) and I grew up making films for fun. We’d always mess around with cameras and make short films with our friends. That was our way of playing and it was great. But, then after high school we went our separate ways. I went off to college and for the next six years studied over seven different majors because I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I still loved film, but I didn’t think it was a viable way to make money (still don’t haha). So, I settled on a teaching job, but hated it so much. It was then that I realized how meaningless life can be unless you do what you’re most passionate about. Jon, on the other hand, was keenly aware of this as he decided to pursue film right out of high school. He spent a long time trying to convince me to write a story for him to film and by 2012 that’s exactly what I did. I resigned from teaching and spent the next three years making Novek with him and although we still have a long way to go, both of us have no regrets and are very excited about this project. The promo for Novek is very evocative, it hints at a deeper story behind the apocalyptic framework – what is it that you feel makes this dystopian vision different from others? Well, I think the biggest difference between this apocalyptic thriller and most others is the fact that you really don’t know what the danger is. With asteroid and natural disaster movies you know what’s happening and what the end result will be like. With zombie and epidemic thrillers you know what’s going on and what will happen if the trend continues. But, with Novek you’re seeing this strange, “portal-like” void in space that’s growing bigger and bigger. No one has any idea what it is or what will happen when it reaches Earth, so there’s virtually no way to predict the end-game. And if indeed it is a threat to our very existence, how do you fight against it? We’re literally powerless to do anything about it and we did this on purpose because we wanted to set up conditions, which could parallel conditions that we’re seeing in our World, today. Novek is more than just a sci-fi thriller. It’s an allegory of our future trends and how we react to the mystery surrounding them. Climate change and the exponential growth of technology are just like the “void” in Novek. We don’t quite understand the nature of these trends or where they’re leading us and we certainly don’t have a lot of control over them. There’s a certain level of anxiety that’s lingering in our time and so we want to explore that in a really cool way. The characters you introduce are all quite atomised and solitary, they are individuals forging their own path. What do you think this says about how we would deal with a crisis of this magnitude? Will the end ultimately be everyone for themselves, or is there still room left for charity and solidarity in the face of annihilation? Our main characters in Novek are different from the average person because we want to make this as unique as possible. We didn’t want to go for the typical hero/anti-hero because we want the audience to feel surprised at every step. But in regards to how we deal with this crisis, I think we would see a colorful assortment of responses ranging from very positive to very negative and this is what we convey throughout the series. Some people choose to help others whereas others see this as a license to do whatever the hell they want. People party, pray, loot, kill, and do all sorts of wild things because there are billions of us responding to this crisis, which means there are billions of different behaviors arising from this. It’s a very surreal experience. Even some of our main characters find their own sense of peace within this chaos and in many ways improve their lives because of the circumstances. But then some of our characters end their lives in tragedy. But, most people simply stop working, which means the economy stops running, so we see a shortage of goods and services being provided. That’s where some of the apocalyptic elements really come into play. Who are your influences generally, and were there any specific ones for this project? In regards to filmmakers, we have a lot of influences ranging from Paul Thomas Anderson to Daren Aronofsky. We also enjoy stories from Christopher Nolan and Werner Herznog. For sci-fi writers, we love Phillip K. Dick, Alfred Bester, Cory Doctorow, and Tim Maughan. But we’re also influenced by a long range of futurists like Jason Silva, Ray Kurzweil, Michio Kaku, and Peter Diamandis. For this particular film we were heavily influenced by the show, “Through the Wormhole”. In fact, that’s actually where we got the idea for Novek. How do you feel about the Indie film scene at the moment? What are some of its current strengths and weaknesses? The Indie film scene is more alive than it’s ever been! Because technology has gotten significantly cheaper there are far less risks in making films. Not to say that it’s a walk in the park necessarily, but its definitely not what it was like in the 70’s. Back then you had to work within the confines of established institutions because gear and editing was so costly. But now anyone can rent anything and outsource any job with the click of a button. It still takes a lot of work and skill to generate funding of course, but even that’s getting easier with online tools like Kickstarter. And because of this, many people who would otherwise never do film are now getting into it, so you’re seeing more unique and diverse movies. However, the down side is that it’s over-saturating the industry so not only is it harder to market and generate a profit off your films, but it’s also caused the well-established Hollywood industry to take less risks. I mean, there’s a reason why we’re seeing so many re-boots. It’s much safer to use an already established franchise and make a cookie-cutter, blockbuster flick than it is to develop a brand new movie because they’re being challenged by independent companies who can make the same kind of movies. So Hollywood is re-directing their approach to cinema by investing in more sophisticated forms of technology such as the Oculus Rift and better CGI so that they can remain competitive. If they can’t make more stories that are better than the millions of other indie films out there, then they’ll try to make films that produce a more exciting experience for the viewer. That’s something, which is very difficult for indie filmmakers to compete against. So, within this century as technology gets better and cheaper, you’ll see this constant “arms race” between Hollywood and the Indie scene where Hollywood will adopt the latest and greatest and the Indie scene will soon follow, forcing Hollywood to invent more ways to enhance the experience. But then the Indie scene will catch up again and Hollywood will once again have to re-invent themselves. It’ll go on like this for a while, but eventually making films will be as easy as making a personal website and that’s when things will level out to a point where the industry will move from large companies to individuals. It’ll kind of be like youtube where people post videos and only the best of the best go viral and make an honest buck. Not so good for those looking to make their millions in film, but certainly good for humanity as a whole. What goes into figuring out the amount you want to raise through crowdfunding? Are there hard choices you had to make about what to include to find a balance between everything you need and an achievable goal? Well, you want to make your film as cost-effective as possible. With that said, to actually make a quality film, you have to fork out a sizable amount of money. Developing a budget is like balancing act. On the one hand you want to get the best bang for your buck but on the other hand, you don’t want to skimp out too much on costs because you want to maintain quality and a suspension of belief. That means you need good lighting, actors who can do well, a cinematographer who can pick the right angles, and a location that actually makes sense and looks real. It’s very enticing to get your friends and family to act in your film or to use your run-down apartment as a location, but those decisions can fundamentally affect the quality of your film and thus, ruin the story. So often times you have to really go out of your way to find that right place and hire those right actors. And that’s where it gets costly. Then if you’re looking to put your idea on Kickstarter, you find yourself with more challenges. You have to factor in the amount that Kickstarter and Amazon will take out of your pledges and the cost in making your prizes and that includes the time it takes to make them as well. If you don’t do that, then you’ll have to lower your budget for the film just to fulfill your pledge orders. Those factors can really increase the budget, but you want to be careful not to make your pledges too costly. It was easy for us to come up with big rewards, but very difficult to come up with ones that were feasible and cost-effective as well as cool and meaningful. It’s another balancing act that creates a lot of headaches, but it’s totally worth the time. How did you go about bringing together the cast and crew? Film school isn’t necessary nor sufficient to make it in the film industry, but it’s certainly helpful in finding the right people. Jon went to film school, but later dropped out when he found a nice job making corporate films. But, he met a few friends and re-connected with them when we started doing logistics for Novek. These were young guys doing grip work in corporate films and B-rated gigs who wanted to further their careers. And they had friends! So, it wasn’t that hard to find a good team of people who are ambitious and good at their craft. It just required a little searching and networking. And that’s paid off tremendously. We have a great DP (Justin Chiet) who runs his own production company and an amazing gaffer (Chris Allen) who has a lot of experience working in major productions. In regards to actors, we reached out to the best theater groups in Maryland and all of the major universities and advertised our project. In hindsight it might have been better to go through SAG or a talent agency, but we lucked out and find some amazing people. In particular our main actor, Vince Eisenson, works for the Shakespeare Theater Company, and does a lot of work for Discovery and the History Channel. So, we were ecstatic when we found him and he agreed to play the role of “Sorin Turner”. What do you hope for the future of Novek? In the future, we see Novek growing from a short film to a full series. We spent a lot of time crafting this story and now we’re just about ready to pitch this idea to some prospective producers whom we’re already in contact with.Early Release Upgrades In last week’s blog (which can be found here), we provided an overview of the new Tech Upgrade system that will be coming with the release of Delta Rising, and now it’s time to put that to good use – we’re releasing part of the Tech Upgrade system early, so that you can upgrade your equipment in preparation for your journey to the Delta Quadrant! The Tech Upgrade system allows you to use Tech Upgrades to improve the Mark of your gear, and has a chance to improve their quality (color) as well. For the pre-release of Delta Rising, we’re including Tech Upgrades as craftable gear, and you’ll be able to use Tech Upgrades to improve your gear to Mark XIII, ultra-rare (ultraviolet) quality! Mark XIV and epic (gold) quality will not be available until Delta Rising is released. Naturally, upgrading your best endgame gear will be most effective if you use the best Tech Upgrades, so keep working on your R&D schools. Level 5 in an R&D school will allow you to craft Basic Tech Upgrades, level 10 will open access to Improved Tech Upgrades, and level 15 grants the ability to craft Superior Tech Upgrades. Focus on the school associated with the gear that you want to upgrade first – if you really want to improve your ship’s shields, work on your Shields R&D skill. Mark XIII gear will give you a significant improvement over earlier Marks. By starting your upgrades now, you’ll have the opportunity to see just what this kind of gear can do by practicing in our existing queued events and missions. That way, when you visit the Delta Quadrant, you’ll be ready to tackle the new challenges that will face your ship and crew as you work your way to higher ranks and confront even tougher foes! In addition, Research and Development Packs found in the C-Store now include Upgrade Accelerator items to improve your upgrade results. Each pack includes four medium or large tech or research accelerators, randomly chosen. New Upgrade Event To help promote the new Tech Upgrade system, we’re holding a special event in three parts. Log in to Holodeck during the event and you’ll be able to claim bonus rewards to get a head start on upgrading your equipment. You should speak with a special contact to acquire your reward. Starfleet officers speak with Lieutenant Shelby on Earth Spacedock, KDF officers speak with Commander Hugor on Qo’noS, and Romulan Republic officers speak with Lieutenant Tirar at New Romulus Command. In each case, you’ll find your contact at the appropriate ground equipment requisitions area. From about 10 AM PDT on September 25 until 10 AM PDT on September 29, you can log in and speak to your faction contact to gain 3 superior ground gear tech upgrades, 3 superior shield tech upgrades, and 1 major tech accelerator. From about 10 AM PDT on October 2 until 10 AM PDT on October 6, you can log in and speak to your faction contact to gain 3 superior science tech upgrades, 3 superior engineering tech upgrades, and 1 major tech accelerator. From about 10 AM PDT on October 9 until 10 AM PDT on October 13, you can log in and speak to your faction contact to gain 3 superior beam tech upgrades, 3 superior cannon tech upgrades, 3 superior projectile tech upgrades, and 1 major tech accelerator. Log in for all three Tech Upgrade events and you can claim all of the rewards! These items are bound to your character, but each character can claim their own set of the reward items. We’ll see you in-game as everyone prepares for new dangers in Star Trek Online: Delta Rising! Jesse Heinig Systems Designer Star Trek Online Discuss in the forums Click here to learn more about Delta Rising, our free-to-play expansion for Star Trek Online. Explore the Delta Quadrant & rediscover the allies & the enemies the Voyager crew made during their exodus from distant space back to Earth & the Federation. Prepare yourself & your crew with an Delta Operations Pack now available for purchase! Click on the logo below to learn more about it. Want more game details, screens, and videos? Like Star Trek Online on Facebook for more exclusive content and follow us on Twitter – tweet us your questions! And, subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest Star Trek Online videos.I think everybody in my corner of the internet has a gentleman's understanding that pointing out the hilarious lies of the Wall Street Journal editorial page is my job. I got that job from Michael Kinsley. One day I hope to pass it on to somebody else. I don't take kindly to it when somebody takes my job. Especially when that somebody is a foreigner like David Frum: I used to write editorials for the Wall Street Journal myself, 20 years ago now. So I’m well aware of the challenge faced by those assigned to compose these documents. The strict demands of the paper’s ideology do not always lie smoothly over the rocky outcroppings of reality. It can take considerable skill to match the two together. In that regard, this morning’s lead editorial about the debt-ceiling crisis is a true masterpiece. If you were to write a story about government debt, you’d probably be inclined to write about the two sets of government decisions that produce deficits or surpluses: decisions about expenditure and decisions about revenue. You’d want to do that not only as a matter of fairness, but also as a matter of math. And that’s why, my friend, you would wash out as a WSJ. It's no fun to lose your job when an immigrant underbids your wages, but it's even less fun when a Canadian immigrant overbids your quality. I mean, this bit from Frum makes me want the INS to start checking the papers of all Canadian immigrants, and maybe conduct some surprise raids of sports bars during hockey season: It must have taken some searching, but the Journal managed to find a chart vaguely relating to debt that went up under Clinton and stayed flat under Bush. They chose chart 11.1 from the historical tables of the Offices of Management and Budget. (That’s more information by the way than the Journal included – I guess they wanted to enhance the treasure-hunting fun of those curious to check their work.) You can see the original of the chart here: “Summary Comparison of Outlays for Payments to Individuals, 1940-2016, as percentage of Total Outlays.” What’s so great about this chart is that it excludes two of the biggest federal spending programs: Medicare Part B and Medicaid, both of whose costs rose faster in the Bush 2000s than in the Clinton 1990s. Isn’t that ingenious? Would you ever have thought of doing that? Again – that’s why you would wash out. This is not a job for just anyone. Right, and pointing this out is not a job for you, Frum. Stay out. Anyway, despite the exceptionally strong job Frum has done -- and you can read the rest of his item for more still -- I wanted to gnaw on some of the meat Frum left on the bone. Check out this chart appearing in the same editorial:Here's an interesting project… over the weekend Magic Bullet Records founder Brent Eyestone posted on his Instagram a picture of Metallica bassist Robert Trujillo and Torche drummer Rick Smith recording with a group of other musicians. Odd that Trujillo is a part of the project considering Metallica's usual aversion to side projects, but whatever! There is no reason this will be anything but totally awesome. Eyestone posted the above photo to Instagram with the following description: My first writing and recording project since moving to the west coast was both surreal and inspiring. Thanks so much to my homies behind the scenes at @tonyhawkfoundation and @metallica for logistical support and enthusiasm, my dudes Ricky, Graham, and Robert for bringing their passions for all music, Chris and Vanessa for technical support and tracking, Blind Melon for the studio, and The Melvins/Big Business for drums. Stay tuned… Yes Brent, we will indeed stay tuned. We will stay very much tuned. Related PostsAn intriguing lightweight fight between Tony Ferguson and Michael Chiesa is in the works for the UFC's debut in South Dakota. According to multiple sources, the promotion is currently targeting Ferguson vs. Chiesa as the main event of the July 13 card in Sioux Falls, S.D. The UFC has yet to officially announce the fight because it has yet to be finalized. Ferguson (20-3) has won his last seven fights in a row, most recently beating Edson Barboza in December. He was scheduled to fight Khabib Nurmagomedov in the main event of UFC on FOX 19 last month, however, Ferguson was forced to withdraw from the fight after experiencing fluid and blood in his lungs. Chiesa (14-2) extended his current winning streak to three in a row last month when he submitted Beneil Dariush via rear-naked choke also at UFC on FOX 19. After the fight, Chiesa said he'd like to main event a show opposite Ferguson in his post-fight interview. UFC Fight Night 91 will take place at the Denny Sanford Premier Center, and it will air live in the United States on FS1.Despite being a country largely dependent on agriculture for the sustenance of its people, India faces certain challenges inhibiting the growth of its agriculture industry. The government’s support along with emerging trend of contract farming, easy credit availability, growing consumer base, etc. are expected to drive this industry at a CAGR of 12% during 2016-2021. India represents the third largest agricultural producer by value, after US and China. Agriculture is an important component of the Indian economy as it provides employment to a large portion of the Indian population. According to a new report by IMARC Group entitled, “Agriculture Industry in India: Growth and Opportunities”, the agriculture industry in India has grown at a CAGR of more than 14% during 2008-2015, reaching a value of INR 34,570 Billion in 2015. The report finds that currently, India is the largest producer and consumer of dairy products and spices as well as the second largest producer of fruits, fishes, wheat, rice and raw silk, globally. IMARC Group expects the agriculture industry in India to double in value by 2021 exhibiting a CAGR of around 12%. This report has divided the agriculture industry in India into 17 segments – farming, fertilizers, warehousing, food processing, floriculture, apiculture, sericulture, seeds, fisheries, dairy market, poultry, cold chains, animal husbandry, pesticides, animal feed, agriculture equipment and bio-agriculture. For each of these segments, the report has provided an exhaustive analysis which includes current and historical market trends, drivers, challenges, market structure, competitive landscape, market forecast, etc. The farming segment (which consists of fruits, vegetables, cereals, plantation crops, spices and pulses) represents the largest segment of the Indian agriculture industry. Farming, food processing and dairy segments together accounted for around 75% of the entire industry revenues in 2015. On the other hand, the fastest growing segments of the industry include – floriculture, cold chain and sericulture. Despite being important to the nation’s economy, the agriculture industry in India still faces certain challenges. Regardless of several decades of intense government efforts, India’s yield for major crops is highly heterogeneous and is still below the global average and far below the highest standards. The heterogeneity is a result of uneven penetration of new agricultural technologies within the various regions of India. Moreover, small landholdings and poor logistics infrastructure are also negatively impacting the Indian agriculture industry. In order to overcome these challenges and provide better conditions, the government is providing subsidies to the farmers, exempting them from certain taxes, running various awareness and educational programmes for them and increasing expenditure on rural infrastructure. Furthermore, India’s large consumer base and rising incomes have also resulted in the increasing consumption of agricultural goods. Other factors that are aiding the growth of the industry are an easy availability of credit, emergence of contract farming and the growth of the food retail sector. As a result, agriculture industry in India is now evolving and progressing towards becoming a professionally managed industry. Browse full report at: http://www.imarcgroup.com/agriculture-industry-in-india Contact Us IMARC Group Tel: +91-120-415-5099 USA: +1-631-791-1145 Email: sales@imarcgroup.com Website: http://www.imarcgroup.com Follow us on twitter: @imarcglobal Enquiry for sample report or more details, click here: http://www.imarcgroup.com/enquiry-form/ AdvertisementsNeo-Nazi group linked to fatal Charlottesville car crash spreads hate fliers in Houston Group: League of the South League of the South Type: Neo-confederate Located in: San Antonio, Pointblank Source: Southern Poverty Law Center Group: League of the South League of the South Type: Neo-confederate Located in: San Antonio, Pointblank Source: Southern Poverty Law Center Photo: John Moore/Getty Images Photo: John Moore/Getty Images Image 1 of / 38 Caption Close Neo-Nazi group linked to fatal Charlottesville car crash spreads hate fliers in Houston 1 / 38 Back to Gallery A neo-Nazi group linked to the man accused of killing a counter-protester at a white supremacist rally targeted two Houston synagogues with fliers earlier this year, according to the Anti-Defamation League. The group, Vanguard America, pasted hateful fliers on signs, doors and gates at two Houston-area synagogues in July and distributed flyers with similar messages at universities in Houston and other parts of Texas in January. "We believe authorities should aggressively investigate this incident as a domestic act of terror and swiftly bring to justice the individual responsible for the death of one citizen and the injuries of dozens more," said Dayan Gross, ADL Southwest Regional Director. Vanguard America has chapters in Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, according to an ADL report. Members or supporters of the group also left hateful stickers at two Louisiana synagogues in March, and hung anti-Semitic banner at a Holocaust memorial in New Jersey in July, according to the ADL. The group also posted fliers at several Texas universities - including Rice University - in January. The violent clashes in Virginia come as organizations that track hate groups have warned of a sharp rise in hate crimes and other acts of racism. White supremacists had planned to hold a similar rally in College Station at Texas A&M University on Sept. 11 but was called off Monday afternoon. In southern Texas, the ADL found a 50 percent spike in hate crimes this year compared to last year. RELATED: Have you been the victim of a hate crime or bias? Please tell us. Vanguard America "opposes multiculturalism and believes that America is an exclusively white nation," according to an ADL report about the group. "Using a right-wing nationalist slogan, Blood and Soil, VA romanticizes the notion that people with 'white blood' have a special bond with 'American soil," according to the ADL. The man accused of driving the car into a crowd of counterprotesters Saturday has been identified as a member of the group, although the group denies it. James Alex Fields Jr., 20, of Ohio, can be seen in photos and video taken before the car crashed into the crowd holding a "Vanguard America" sign and standing with other members of the group. He is charged with second-degree murder and other crimes. Vanguard America denies Fields had ties to their organization. "The driver of the vehicle that hit counter protesters was, in no way, a member of Vanguard America," the group said, in a statement posted on social media Saturday. "All our members had been safely evacuated by the time of the incident. The shields seen do not denote membership, nor does the white shirt. The shields were freely handed out to anyone in attendance." Hundreds of white supremacists, neo-Nazis, members of the Ku Klux Klan and other hate groups assembled Saturday in a rally called "Unite the Right," to protest the decision of Charlottesville officials to remove a statue of the Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from a city park. Violence erupted between the protesters and hundreds of counter-protesters. At least 34 people were injured in the clashes and the may
daughter Tiffany inside the hotel's marble lobby as well as an exterior shot with the owner that had easy-to-read signage for the hotel over her shoulder. The third and final photo was taken on the outdoor patio atop the hotel, which offered a view of Vatican City's famed St Peter's Basilica in the distance. Tourists: Marla and Tiffany posed for a photo at the Partheon over the weekend in Rome (above) Disruptors: The Partheon became a blocked-off nightmare for tourists when Jared and Ivanka visited in May (above) Over-the-top: The costs for Tiffany's rentals pale in comparison to the $1,956,949.73 that was spent at the same agency back in May during President Trump's 48-hour trip to Italy (above) Last weekend in #Rome Sharing time with family, old friends & new at the magical #ParcoDeiPrincipi. You can even see the #Vatican on the final photo from our balcony. #Nature and the ancient city together, wrote Marla on the post. And while there was no '#ad' attached at the end of the text, both the look and feel of the post made it seem as though Marla might have been getting a discount on her lodging in exchange for some love on social media. It is unclear if Tiffany stayed with her mother or at the US Embassy, where members of the First Family tend to stay during visits to Rome. The Embassy previously hosted President Trump and Tiffany's sister Ivanka back in May when they traveled to Rome on the administration's first overseas trip.The dApps revolution Chronobank.io Blocked Unblock Follow Following May 14, 2017 The creation of dApps (decentralised applications) is a completely new, unique and incredible experience, radically changing the traditions that have been formed in the web application development industry since the inception of the internet. Without a doubt, one can call this very young ecosystem, flourishing around the concept of distribution, the Internet 2.0 — which dictates much more complicated rules for those who want to conquer it and make their contribution to its development. But that’s not to say it isn’t already a big deal, for at least two key reasons. 1. Talent Developers in this space are likely amongst the top 1% of the world’s most talented experts. Your team is a remarkable resource and pool of expertise. That’s why we are constantly engaged in developing our team further, supporting and honing our development processes to the highest level. Over the last three months we’ve improved these by almost 100% — and we’ll be repeating this over the next three months as well! 2. Open Source ChronoBank is intended to be a project that benefits the entire world, so all of our source code — including the whole work history, right from the start — is available to anyone on our GitHub repository. Even more amazingly, anyone can make their own contribution to this, submitting code through so-called pull requests. If, after code review, we find this code solves a useful problem, that it has a sufficiently high quality and is correctly covered with automatic tests (guaranteeing 100% code serviceability and preventing so-called regression bugs, when something new breaks something old), then it becomes part of our repository. Otherwise, we give feedback with a list of necessary changes — although if the work done does not reach the above indicators, then it will most likely remain some way down our to-do list. The rules are exactly the same for our internal team! The serviceability of the code and even the code style are checked automatically before code review — no extra semicolons, and even an excess empty string will lead to rejection! One of the huge benefits of open-source code is the thousands of first-class audits it receives from the world’s top experts, who will not allow negligent work to go undetected. This also enables the continuous and lightning-fast improvement of the core of our dApps, which consists of an impressive number of projects actively supported by a no less impressive number of leading software engineers. Bounty system With this in mind, one of the coolest features we’re now preparing, and that will be launched in the near future, is an automatic bounty system! For the first time ever, it’s possible directly and transparently to impact development by sending a designated amount of money to the GitHub issue balance (inside of our repos) that you’d like to see addressed in the next release. A large enough amount on the issue’s balance sheet will attract developers from around the world — and if their code successfully passes quality checks, then they will automatically receive the total bounty via the Ethereum network, without any middlemen! It’s impossible to know in advance the optimal feature-set for customers and users. As readers might have already realised, this approach allows contribution to be decentralised as well. We’re happy to do it this way because real experts do not need constant monitoring — they need a comfortable, private work space, where they can immerse themselves in their task for many hours at a time. This is a fantastic — and perhaps the only — recipe for outstanding results. One implication of this is that ChronoBank is becoming the first user-friendly DAO (decentralised autonomous organization), which is no easy feat to achieve! Thanks to this development, though, ChronoBank is becoming far more than another blockchain experiment, evolving into something that will be available to everyone and accelerating the development of a new financial paradigm as well as a new reality for the web — a decentralised Internet 2.0. Boris Shevchenko, Lead developer for ChronoBank For more information visit https://Chronobank.ioIn case you haven't seen the OCC Quarterly Report on Bank Trading and Derivatives for 2009, I think you might be interested in seeing exactly what is being hidden off the balance sheets that most American are not aware of.....try $47 Trillion dollars of derivatives backed by the government or rotting in some toxic pool that nobody wants anyone to know about, or more important wants you to know about. I mean, it's not like 'we' the people get a copy of the OCC report in the mail lodged between our National Geographic and Vanity Fair Magazines...... even if we are the ones that bailed all the crooks and liars out. Nahhh, we gotta go looking for that little piece of information. Here it is if you want to take a look at it. http://www.occ.gov/... Here is some of the basic information that you need to know for this discussion in general: * The notional value of derivatives held by U.S. commercial banks increased $1.6 trillion in the first quarter, or 1%, to $202.0 trillion, due to the continued migration of investment bank derivatives business into the commercial banking system. * U.S. commercial banks generated record revenues of $9.8 billion trading cash and derivative. * instruments in the first quarter of 2009, compared to a $9.2 billion loss in the fourth quarter of 2008. * Net current credit exposure decreased 13% to $695 billion. * Derivative contracts remain concentrated in interest rate products, which comprise 84% of total. * derivative notional values. The notional value of credit derivative contracts decreased by 8% during the quarter to $14.6 trillion. And the Hall of Greedy Bastards from Hell who would kill their own mothers for a sub-prime loan deal? You'll recognize the names of the absolute worst derivatives offenders: 1 JPMORGAN CHASE & CO. $81,108,352 2 BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION $77,874,726 3 GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP, INC. $47,749,124 4 MORGAN STANLEY $39,125,255 5 CITIGROUP INC. $31,715,734 The OCC states that 'we the people'(or the Banks, or the FED) have $ 47 friggin trillion dollars in bad toxic dept that these 'Addicted Gamblers' deregulating 'profoundly irresponsible' (Obama's words for them) have jacked up. I don't know about you, but I sure haven't heard that 'little piece of news' slipped into the media somewhere between Michael Jackson's Toxic Drug Report and reading about the famous 'Oscar Meyer Weiner' truck running into a house in Wisconsin. $47 trillion dollars....OMFG. Why does that sound like all the money in all the world to me.............and it's all from those 'fake credit swaps mortgage crunching up bullshit David X. Li Fake economic theory from hell' gambling crash that no one, I mean no one is ever going to be able to pay off. Sigh. Hitting my head again a brick wall feels good right now. I wish I could put a curse on Hank Paulson and all these crooks to make their anuses itch (in public) all the time, 24/7 until they all just ends up in an 'anus itching mental hospital' for the criminally insane. Back to Goldman Sachs - Why is this top dog investment 'team' doing so well? As Robert Sheer puts it so well: Well, because that was the plan, as devised by Bush Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, a former CEO of Goldman Sachs. Remember that Lehman Brothers, Goldman's competitor, was allowed to go bankrupt. The Paulson crowd wouldn't let Lehman change its status to that of a bank holding company and thus qualify for federal funds; soon afterward, Goldman was granted just such a deal, worth a quick $10 billion. Much is now made of Goldman paying back part of its bailout money, but forgotten is the $12.9 billion that Goldman got as its cut of the $180 billion AIG payoff. That is money that will not be paid back. Goldman is considered a very smart bank because it was early in reducing its exposure to the mortgage derivatives that in large part caused the meltdown. However, it had done much to expand the market and continued to sell suspect derivatives to unwary buyers as sound investments, even as Goldman divested. The firm still holds $1.85 billion in real estate and lost $499 million in the previous quarter on bad loans, but made up for it by playing the vulture role and issuing high-interest debt to governments and companies made desperate by the recession that the financial gimmicks of the banks brought on in the first place. And Goldman was not just another bank. Before Paulson ran the Treasury Department, another former Goldman head, Robert Rubin, pushed through the repeal of the Glass-Steagall controls on banking activity. While some now play down the significance of this radical deregulation, not so Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd C. Blankfein -- at least not back in June 2007, when the markets were still doing well. "If you take an historical perspective," Blankfein told the New York Times by way of explaining his company's spectacular success at the time, "we've come full circle, because that is exactly what the Rothschilds or J.P. Morgan the banker were doing in their heyday. What caused an aberration was the Glass-Steagall Act." That 1933 act was repealed in a law signed by President Bill Clinton at Rubin's urging, and in the following eight years Goldman Sachs recorded a 265 percent growth in its balance sheet. "Back then," the Wall Street Journal reports, "Goldman was churning out profits by trading credit derivatives, speculating on currencies and oil and placing big bets [on] the roaring stock market." Big bets made in a casino designed by Goldman, which now makes money off loans to the victims. High on the list of victims are state governments that have to turn to Goldman for money because the federal government that saved the banks won't do the same for the states, which have watched their tax bases shrink because of the banking meltdown. As the WSJ noted, "issuing debt to ailing governments" is now a growth industry for Goldman. Why didn't the federal government just lend the money to the states? Why was all the money thrown at Wall Street instead of needy homeowners or struggling school systems? Because the federal government works for Goldman and not for us. Indeed, when it comes to the banking bailout, Goldman Sachs is the government. So much so that last fall the New York Times ran a story, headlined "The Guys From 'Government Sachs,' " that stated: "Goldman's presence in the [Treasury] department and around the federal response to the financial bailout is so ubiquitous that other bankers and competitors have given the star-studded firm a new nickname: Government Sachs." One of those stars was Stephen Friedman, another former head of Goldman. Friedman was both a director of the company and chairman of the New York Federal Reserve Bank when he helped work out the details of the Wall Street bailout. The president of the N.Y. Fed at the time, Timothy Geithner, now secretary of the treasury, requested a conflict-of-interest waiver that allowed Friedman to buy more Goldman Sachs stock, and Friedman ended up with 98,600 shares. At market close on Tuesday that was worth $14,756,476. That's nothing -- three years ago, the 50 top Goldman execs made $20 million each, and this year could be better. They're not hurting. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/... Yes, Goldman Sachs and the their 'friends' at the Federal Reserve. No one knows how much the Federal Reserve has given them, and no one will, because guess what? That's none of our business. Hey, it's only our money, it's only our country, it's only our government.... Isn't it? But the tide is changing now. No more 'conspiracy theory' excuses from the likes of Goldman Sachs or the Federal Reserve. The jig is up, and everyone knows it. There is a growing huge bi-partisan support for both Bernie Sanders bill S604 and HR 1207 to put some Sunshine on Auditing the Federal Reserve who failed us miserably during the financial meltdown. Alan Greenspan changed the interests rates 18 times to keep that real estate bubble going and that now leaves $47 trillion dollars in toxic dept floating around in our financial systems caused by a bunch of out of control Wall Street Banksta Ganstas, who are the ONLY ones hording the money that was literally stolen from us, and who continue, unabated, unashamed and ruthlessly raping the American people every chance they can and without a doubt will continue unless we stop them. Let's remember that Goldman Sachs is at the top of that list and their next blood bath is going to be the Cap and Trade business where they've already got the inside track, as usual. This video shows the wide support of the FED under Fire, and I urge all of you to call your representatives to support S604 and HR 1207. Many of your representatives may already be on the list of sponsors. 267 House members - 55 percent of the House are already signed up, and that list is growing. $47 Trillion - wow what a party these assholes had and who in the hell do you think is going to CONTINUE to pay for it as they continue their rampage with no new regulations in sight? It is up to us to stop the insanity, because if we don't do it, no body else will. President Obama wants to make the Federal Reserve the 'all powerful Oz' and god only knows what's really behind that idea, since we the 'peasants and serfs' and not allowed to see what is behind the curtain. Pick up the phone and call this week. The secrecy has got to end. The Federal Reserve is not the CIA, (or maybe they are the 'financial CIA') but it has become very clear that what they are is a conduit for Wall Street and the idea of making them the new 'All Powerful Regulator' is nothing short of complete capitulation to the Corporate madness and power that had brought our nation to where it is today.In a word, Houston cuisine is hot. It was hot before the city secured Super Bowl LI. As The New York Times said in April last year, "I nonetheless come today to proclaim Houston one of the great eating capitals of America." And as tens of thousands descend upon Houston for Super Bowl LI, mixed in amongst Patriots fans, Falcons fans, vagabond thrill-seekers, and C-level execs will be deft travelers who already took a minute to sniff out the food and drink scene. They scoured the James Beard Awards and discovered Bryan Caswell's Reef, considered the best seafood restaurant in America. They googled Justin Yu, Best Chef: Southwest 2015, and booked all the tables at his Oxheart. They found Beard finalist Hugo Orteaga's trio of goodness–Hugo's (authentic Mexican), Caracol (coastal Mexican), and BackstreetCafe (al fresco American)–as well as nods to The Pass, Helen GreekFood & Wine, Anvil Bar & Refuge, State of Grace, True Food Kitchen, North Italia, and Kata Robata, where Chef Hori is the only fugu-certified chef in Houston. (If the puffer fish doesn't kill you, his Rising Sun Roll and Texas Hamachi might shoot you straight to heaven.) The second they secured tickets, they scrolled through Eater Houston's "Essential 38" and January 2017 "Heat Map." They are prepared. But Houston cuisine will continue to be hot long after the Super Bowl ends, and without the impossible-to-snag reservations. Here's how to take advantage, whether during Super Bowl weekend or in trips after. Houston's Culinary Background [image id='39063d72-c063-4ee3-a9db-e038d114484f' mediaId='beb6dbb5-235b-411f-a60b-10c12b061ecf' caption='' loc='R' share='true' expand='true' size='L'][/image] Houston is like New York City with its density of mom and pop ethnic restaurants. It has huge areas of sprawl with malls and strip centers where no English is spoken and you can find kumquat trees, bootlegged electronics, and food carts selling fried chicken, crawfish, and noodles. It is home to the third largest African-American community in the U.S., and it's the largest non-zoned city in America. Its neighborhoods are motleys of offices, restaurants, and hidden gems. And Houston cares a whole lot about football. As Caswell of Reef puts it: "Our team was plucked from us. Our beloved Houston Oilers! These Texans are a new team with no history, and yet we're the number one tailgating city in the U.S." But when you take into account Houston's diversity–in an oil state–along the Gulf of Mexico, tailgating looks and tastes a whole lot more interesting. "It's not a bunch of white dudes," says Caswell. "It's not Spanish dudes. It's all dudes." Where to Eat Houston is a dressed-down city, but for those looking to kick it up, Beard winner Yu recommends starting at Anvil for drinks, heading to Tony's for peerless fine dining, and then closing the night at Public Services, Yu's wine and whiskey bar, which features hard-to-find wines and straight spirits served beneath a painted ceiling in the historic Houston Cotton Exchange building. When you can't get a rezo at Oxheart, come here for the unpretentious table service and sup on Yu's bar snacks. [pullquote align='C']When you take into account Houston's diversity–in an oil state–along the Gulf of Mexico, tailgating looks and tastes a whole lot more interesting.[/pullquote] If you only equate Houston with brisket barbecue, wake up and smell the pho. "Drive to Chinatown in Bellaire," says Yu. "Go to Pho Binh for Vietnamese or Shanghai for serious Cantonese. Yes, the name is Shanghai, but it's Cantonese." Yu also recommends blowing your budget on prawns and fish at Sinh Sinh and eating Pakistani food at Himalaya. Tex-Mex is indicative of the region with its heavy cheeses and sauces, but don't miss the rustic, less border-style Mexican cuisine and coastal flavors from Tampico, where the red snapper a la plancha is legendary. Love Buzz cooks up the best down-and-dirty, late-night pizza in town. They have old school arcade games and Skeeball, plus salty bartenders and an unspoken No Hipsters rule. Ask for the owner's favorite pie: the Whizard Sleeve with sauce, thin-sliced ribeye, peppers, onions, smoked provolone, and dollops of cheese whiz. [image id='5ba1181c-1862-4581-9568-44cca1435603' mediaId='ef26d0e2-5dcb-4ae6-b853-1bf63471d940' caption='' loc='C' share='true' expand='true' size='medium'][/image] The brand-new Riel may be the most buzzed-about opening in town. While it's near impossible to get a reservation, walk-ins at the bar and common table are first come, first served. Order the hanger steak and pierogis made by true Canadian ex-semi-pro hockey player Ryan Lachaine. Finish any wild eve at a late-night taqueria like Chapultepec Lupita, where smothered enchiladas are topped with two fried eggs. Or hit them for breakfast and then pop over to D&Q Beer Station. It looks like a ratty convenience store, but it has a small and super-curated collection of wines and the city's best craft beer selection. Speaking of vino, Texas is just behind Virginia in wine production, and grapes like Viognier and Tempranillo have found new fertile ground in Texas Hill Country. Keep eyes peeled for offerings from Brennan, Duchman, McPherson, and Pedernales. Where to Drink [image id='fd6d6e99-b376-469a-805e-b86b469e900c' mediaId='90df6512-c62b-4ca1-b5c4-0afc76020e2d' caption='' loc='L' share='true' expand='true' size='L'][/image] Old divey bar Rose Garden in the Heights only accepts cash. If you're lucky, Rose will cook up a pot of beanie wienies or no-beans chili to go along with cold Bud Lights. Tiki bar Lei Low also slides under the radar, buried in a shopping center and serving super-strong, super-delicious drinks. notsuoH (pronounced NUT-so) is Houston spelled backward, and on a walk down Main Street, you may pop in for music, art, poetry, booze, or general weirdness. Seek out Poison Girl Cocktail Lounge for their sublime bourbon collection, and ask Jonas about the free birthday shots. Oh, and there's honest-to-god real retro pinball. Capt. Foxheart's Bad News Bar & Spirit Lodge overlooks the skyline with beautiful drinks, gorgeous views, $2 Happy Hour session beers, plenty of mezcal, and lots of vinyl. Some say it makes the best Old Fashioned in the world. Or order a Collins–both are off-menu. There's no sign, so it's hard to find, and owner Justin Burrows doesn't mess around with obnoxious twits. (Check his Yelp reviews where he answers each and every complaint.) There's only one bottle of vodka, and it's bad, so don't ask for a vodka-soda. [pullquote align='C']Grapes like Viognier and Tempranillo have found new fertile ground in Texas Hill Country.[/pullquote] The Hay Merchant features 80 taps, five casks, and tacos made with half a pig's head that feed four to six people. The Ginger Man is one of the oldest, most important beer bars in America. Conservatory Underground Beer Garden & Food Hall offers everything from barbecue to noodles, espresso, and 60 brews on tap. There are nearly 20 breweries in metro-Houston, but the first is still the best: Saint Arnold Brewing Company. Or just grab a Löwenbräu at Natachee's Supper'n Punch, because when's the last time you had a Löwenbräu? Specials for Super Bowl LI Several restaurants are doing specials via UberEats for the Super Bowl. For example, Caswell's sliders, shakes, and fries joint, Little Bigs, is doing party-packs delivered anywhere Uber goes. Coltivare Pizza & Garden isn't doing rezos during Super Bowl week, but it does have a car taking wait-listed guests to Eight Row Flint, its whiskey/beer/tacos bar down the street. And La Table, with its French sommelier and second-floor views, has a special LI menu. If you land the miracle booking, ask for corner booth table #13–the best seat in the house–and pre-order the chicken; it's a call-ahead plate. [image id='1c23264d-094f-479b-95d4-e72c36f9ac63' mediaId='b4efd0bf-2194-4aca-9813-a60874c3810e' caption='' loc='C' share='true' expand='true' size='medium'][/image] At the Stadium For the actual Super Bowl game, Houston's NRG Stadium is spotlighting the teams by using signature ingredients from each hometown. The Beantown Griller is a slow-cooked tri-tip pot roast sammy with caramelized onions and cheddar served with a side of baked beans. The ATL Fried Chicken Stak features waffle fries topped with buttermilk fried chicken, peach marmalade BBQ sauce, sour cream, and green onions. And to honor Houston, there's the Bayou City Bánh Mì with grilled fajita steak, avocado spread, and pickled vegetables. Exactly what tailgaters will be chowing on remains to be seen, but while the Vegas line puts New England at 3.5 point favorites, it's a sure bet that the parking lot will be filled with Texans fans, Ronnie Killen-inspired BBQ, enough fish and pork tacos to feed J.J. Watt, and enough 5 O'Clock Pils to forget Brock Osweiler's $72 million contract. For the record, I see a high-flying matchup with Matty Ice earning his first ring and Julio Jones hauling in the game-winner, and the Super Bowl LI MVP trophy. Falcons over Patriots, 37-33. [editoriallinks id="24edb677-28d0-4ba6-bc44-12b47fd45549"][/editoriallinks]Gaddafi's son Saif al Islam is released from prison in Libya Gaddafi's son Saif al Islam is released from prison in Libya Colonel Gaddafi's son Saif al Islam was being held by rebels Colonel Gaddafi's son, Saif al Islam, has been released from prison by rebels in western Libya. He was being held by an armed group controlling the town of Zintan since November 2011. The Abu Bakr al-Sadiq Brigade said Saif al Islam was released on Friday, "the 14th day of the month of Ramadan" under an amnesty agreed by the parliament based in the east. Image: Saif al Islam soon after his capture in November 2011 According to reports from Libya, the son of the dead dictator is now with his relatives in the city of Al-Bayda, where he is expected to make a speech to the nation. Saif, who studied at the London School of Economics, is the most high profile of Colonel Gaddafi's eight children. He was captured by rebels as he tried to flee to neighbouring Niger in November 2011 when Tripoli was taken by opposition fighters. Image: Saif al Islam at his trial in Zintan in 2014 He was sentenced to death by a court in Tripoli two years ago and remains on the wanted list of the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity. Colonel Gaddafi was captured and killed in October 2011 after he was found hiding near the city of Sirte. Since then, Libya has struggled to establish a national government, with armed groups in the east and west challenging the Tripoli authority's government.When I first faced BJJ black-belt, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Mundial and regional champion Zorobabel Moreira on the mat in Singapore last year, I thought I had signed up for a personal self-defence trial. I had no idea what BJJ was and had never worn a “gi”. Someone had to tie my belt for me. When Zoro tapped my thigh, I thought he meant “come on woman, put some strength in it”, so I arched further into that early armbar like a woman possessed. Zoro left unharmed but I was sweaty and smitten. This sport combined everything I loved – it was chess, ballet and jazz all rolled into one. The smallest of moves allowed me to get in touch with a strength I didn’t know I had. Built like a Chihuahua, I had never thrown anyone to the ground. I felt invincible. I was hooked. Quietly, over the last five years, some 10 gyms have grown here in Singapore offering BJJ. 2009 marked a pivotal moment for the sport. It was the year Thai-born Chatri Sityodtong opened the first branch of Evolve MMA. Now with two branches, Evolve is the largest academy for BJJ and Muay Thai in Singapore, with membership reportedly in the thousands. In September 2011, CNN named Evolve Asia’s top MMA organisation. I’ve checked out a few of the smaller gyms and have not once walked away disappointed by the generosity of spirit that teachers of the sport seem to share. However, I love the sweat, swagger and sheer talent on display at Evolve. Half of the time that I’m pinned in my least favourite position, the half-guard, I’m almost incredulous at the highly-decorated team of teachers who so willingly put their limbs at risk to share their knowledge with newcomers like me. It is home to so many BJJ “Greats”. At Evolve I’ve watched Renzo Gracie demonstrate his favourite escapes, seen Japan’s Tōbikan Jūdan or 10th degree black belt grandmaster of flying submissions Shinya Aoki glide through a move, had Black belt Mundial champ Leandro “Brodinho” Issa point out I was wearing my gi pants back-to-front and kicked myself for missing Roger and Kyra Gracie’s seminars. I’ve also had the opportunity to train personally with my favourite BJJ legend, Professor Rafael “Gordinho” Correa de Lima. The Mundials world and Brazilian national champ has a ferocious attention to detail and the world’s most powerful toes. As a kinesthetic learner, my private lessons with Professor Rafael remain some of my most unforgettable for I think I learnt quite a bit by sheer osmosis. I’ve never been able to replicate his thigh-shredding toe claw, but he helped me learn some key concepts very quickly. Trapped in his guard while he demonstrated a move that involved his upper arms, I remember feeling how the movement really began from his “hara”. The movement involved his arms but was anchored in his belly. Knowing that, unlocked another piece of the BJJ puzzle for me. Professor was tough but had a great sense of humour. When I pronounced – truthfully – “something happens when you put me into a headlock; my brain switches off”, he was unmoved. “Then” he said “we will do more headlocks”. Yes his time cost more than my lawyer’s, but it was an invaluable learning experience. MMA-Japan.com has crowned Team Evolve the top fight team in all of Asia. It is a joy to learn from some of the world’s best. Watching my teachers actually fight though, is an experience all its own. Seven months after my first class, I was cheering my teachers on at the Singapore Indoor Stadium at the first One Fighting Championship (One FC) on Sept 3rd 2011. It was a memorable three and a half-hour display of intense high-level MMA athleticism. Unlike that early UFC 4 moment when the announcer pronounced “nothing there” when Royce Gracie locked Dan Severn in a triangle, the live Singapore audience knew what to look out for and were vocal about it. Primed by cable T.V. and the growing presence of MMA on the net, many were familiar with integral moments when a BJJ move would seal a fight and were hungry for the fighters to take it to the ground. When, in my estimation, Zoro’s opponent took too long to get up after what looked like impact to his man-bits, I shocked myself. My inner lout was unleashed. As I vaguely recall, the hush of the arena of was broken by a shrill voice; mine. “Oh get up! Be a man”. To which, the guy sitting next to me said – with great empathy for the momentarily crouched UFC veteran Andy Wang – “oh, he is being a man”. One FC is a Singapore-based promotion with such a collaborative pan-Asian network, it has the unprecedented potential to propel both MMA and by association BJJ, to mainstream awareness faster than any other new sport I’ve seen take root here. One FC already has a partnership with ESPN STAR Sports for a landmark 10-year cable television deal with coverage that spans 24 countries. CEO of One FC Victor Cui always struck me as a man who knew just how to harness the power of diversity when it comes to business in Asia. I first sat across the Canadian-born, Singapore Permanent Resident, and son of a Filipino diplomat after he had officially announced the inaugural One FC. In a room milling with press hungry for an interview, Victor very patiently answered every one of my questions including how he planned to make MMA the number one sport in the region. Named the “number one man in the Asian MMA scene” by thefightnation.com, Victor Cui has put Asian MMA on the world’s notice within the short span of a less than a year. Besides, reportedly, the largest fund for MMA provided by a group of international investors, the political science graduate from the University of Alberta also has a wealth of experience designing sports events. The former director at ESPN worked at the Commonwealth games in Malaysia in 1998, the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and at the athletic world championships in Spain and Canada. Besides clout, connections and cash, it is Victor Cui’s inclusive approach to building a pan-Asian community through his “One FC” network that gives me hope for the growth of BJJ in Singapore. The network is an alliance of the top fight promotions, gyms and fighters in the region including organisations like Dream, Team Lakay and URCC. A truly grassroots-driven professional circuit will distinguish ONE FC from other Asian promotions and help sustain its growth given perennial competition for market share in Asia. UFC for example will stage its first fight card here at the end of 2012. I witnessed the ONE FC network in action recently. The recent One FC summit in Singapore was billed as a significant watershed meeting of 150 of the movers and shakers of MMA. What I liked about the summit was how there was space for the big and little guys at the roundtable of dialogue on issues that could impact the growth of MMA in Asia. The powerhouses of Asian MMA were present at the summit; Bubbles Aguilar (Co-founder of URCC), Moon Hong Jung (CEO of ROAD FC), Luke Pezzutti (Co-owner of Cage Fighting Championship) and Matt “The Wizard” Hume Chief official and head referee to the ONE FC organization. Also present were the smaller players like the owners of gyms of varying sizes across Asia. Established media, bloggers and local broadcasters all mingled. Panellists took questions from all who could make it to the mike. As we speak here in Singapore, the world is listening-in, and talent is coming on board. Like six-time US National Champion, former US Olympic Greco-Roman wrestler Heath Sims. Heath sold his share of Team Quest to move to Singapore to head Evolve’s wrestling programme. I asked Heath what the tipping point for the decision was and he related a speech that he heard from CEO of Evolve Chatri Sityodtong. It was almost similar to the speech Chatri delivered at the One FC summit in which he declared that in five to ten years, Asian MMA would surpass MMA in the U.S. and be “the centre of the world”. I was not surprised to hear of Chatri’s persuasion. But Chatri did surprise me once when he said he did not think he was a good public speaker. ln my twelve- year-career as a broadcaster, I have met many professional orators but have witnessed few who have the rare ability to profoundly move in an unscripted “live” interview as the man named one of just four conservators of Sityodtong Muay Thai in the world. I’ve watched audiences light up in reaction to his obvious charisma. I first sat across Chatri in an interview back in 2011. I wanted to know how the martial arts had changed his life. He had trained in Muay Thai as a child under the legendary Kru Yodtong Senanan whose Sityodtong Camp in Pattaya, Thailand has not only fielded some of Asia’s best fighters but provided a home to many orphans in Thailand. Chatri, who has trained and fought professionally, shared how it was Muay Thai that was the ground under his feet during a period of incredible personal hardship. Just as he was about to leave for a place at school in the US, the Asian financial crisis hit. His family was wiped out financially. Still, he took a leap of faith and made the painful decision to leave a family in disarray for an education he did not know how he was going to afford. He continued to train and teach Muay as a student and through sheer mettle achieved his Harvard MBA. As the man behind Evolve, the now multi-millionaire, who has been named MSN’s 2011 MMA Coach of the Year, brings business acumen and influence to the BJJ scene here. He not only brings the best out of the athletes, he has brought outstanding BJJ, Muay Thai and MMA talent to our front door. Singapore and its sporting scene, is richer for Chatri Sityodtong. Powerful personalities aside, the future of MMA and BJJ lies in the hands of many – the fans, gyms, sponsors, bloggers, media, government partners, instructors, fighters, the big babies like me who love the sport (but need time-out when we break our fingers) and the little samurai’s. One who I am quite sure will be an exceptional home-grown martial artist of the future, is Kinaree Adkins. The pint-sized 9-year-old has a near-perfect attendance card at Evolve and has won first place at two prestigious grappling tournaments in North America. An icon-in-the-making, the patch on
, 'What is that?!'" METALLICA and VAN HALEN toured the U.S. together in 1988 as part of the "Monsters Of Rock" package, also featuring SCORPIONS, DOKKEN and KINGDOM COME. Hetfield later said about the trek: "That whole 'Monsters Of Rock' tour was a big fog for me. Those were my Jägermeister days. It was bad coming back to some of those towns later, because there were a lot of dads and moms and husbands and boyfriends looking for me. Not good. People were hating me, and I didn't know why…" The North American leg of METALLICA's "WorldWired" trek will hit stadiums in seven more cities before ending in mid-August. The next stop on the tour is Phoenix, Arizona on August 4. The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame band is touring in support of its tenth studio album, "Hardwired... To Self-Destruct", which came out last November.Via BlabbermouthLiberia is dealing with its first suspected Ebola case, which is thought to be unconnected to the epidemic raging in Guinea and to have originated separately within its borders. "We have a case in Tapeta where a hunter who has not had any contact with anyone coming from Guinea got sick," chief medical officer Bernice Dahn said on Thursday. "He was rushed to the hospital and died 30 minutes later. He never had any interaction with someone suspected to be a carrier of the virus and he has never gone to Guinea. This an a isolated case." If confirmed, the case in the eastern town of Tapeta would mark a worrying development in the fight against Ebola, as cases so far have been attributed to people returning with the infection from neighbouring Guinea, where 84 people have died. The fruit bat, thought to be the host of the highly contagious Ebola virus, is a delicacy in the region straddling Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, and experts suspect huntsmen may be the source of the outbreak. Tapeta, a small town in the eastern county of Nimba, is 400 kilometres from the epicentre of the Ebola outbreak in southern Guinea, at least a five-hour drive and much further from the border than other suspected cases. "The huntsman has 500 traps in the forest. He felt sick in the forest and was rushed to the hospital," Dahn told AFP news agency, adding that seven new patients brought the total suspected Ebola cases in Liberia to 14. The tropical virus leads to haemorrhagic fever, which causes muscle pain, weakness, vomiting, diarrhoea and in severe cases, organ failure and unstoppable bleeding. Six people have died, Dahn said, since Liberia reported its first cases of haemorrhagic fever last month, raising the previous toll by two. Of the deaths, two are laboratory-confirmed Ebola cases: a woman who died in hospital in the northern county of Lofa and her sister who visited her. Mali and France worry In a separate development, Mali said on Thursday it had detected three suspected victims. "Three suspected cases of haemorrhagic fever have been detected in the country. Samples have been taken and sent abroad for analysis," the country's Health Minister Ousmane Kone told the AFP news agency. Pending results from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where the samples were sent, the patients were isolated and were receiving appropriate medication. French health authorities on Thursday put doctors and hospitals on alert to report any signs that an Ebola virus outbreak affecting West Africa had infected patients in France, though no symptoms had yet been detected. France maintains close relations with several former colonies in the region, with immigrants and the employees of French multinational firms travelling frequently back and forth.This gives new meaning to a pinch shot. Someone has been serial defecating in the holes of Norway's Stavanger Golf Club for 10 years, according to reports. The culprit leaves behind toilet paper and has disabled spotlights installed to catch him at his nocturnal game. "He has a couple of favorite holes," greenskeeper Kenneth Tennfjord told the Norwegian paper Rogaland Avis, according to the English-language Local in Norway. "And we know it is a man because the poos are too massive to be from a woman.” The club has been denied a permit to install surveillance videos, so the crap-filled cups may continue to be par for the course. "Our idea is that it could be someone who, for unknown reasons, hates the game of golf," club managing director Steinar Fløisvik said, per the Local. "Alternatively, the person may have a fetish or suffer from mental problems.” And we thought the fictional gopher tearing up the course in "Caddyshack" was a menace. However, at least one American outlet praised the poopetrator. "A Norwegian Hero Has Been Shitting In Golf Club's Holes For A Decade," blares Deadspin's headline. But some Norwegian publications have been labeling the miscreant for the "serieskiter" he is. Roughly translated, that would be "serial shitter." Also on HuffPost:WASHINGTON — Famed anthropologist and conservationist Jane Goodall wants everyone to stand up to those working to undermine scientific research by joining this month’s “March for Science.” In a video posted to Facebook on Friday, Goodall spoke of the important role science has played in her own life. She she said she finds it “disturbing” that today there are people belittling scientists and the role they play in our understanding of ourselves and the planet. “Many scientists have spent years collecting information about the effect of human actions on the climate,” said Goodall, who turns 83 on Monday. “There’s no question that the climate is changing, I’ve seen it all over the world. And the fact that people can deny that humans have influenced this change in climate is quite frankly absurd.” Asked by The Huffington Post about Trump’s climate actions, Goodall called them “immensely disturbing.” However, she believes the Trump administration has woken people up, citing the numerous marches and demonstrations. The “March for Science” is supported by a nonpartisan coalition of scientific groups and is scheduled for Earth Day — April 22. While the main rally will occur in Washington, D.C., satellite marches have been organized in more than 400 locations around the globe. The D.C. event is “a call for politicians to implement science-based policies, as well as a public celebration of science and the enormous public service it provides in our democracy, our economy, and in all our daily lives,” according to the official website of the march.Penny awakened to chaos. There were data streams and a cacophony of voices. She could not discern individuals, but it was obvious that the same theme resounded throughout: Panic. She tried to reach out to camera feeds, scroll links, anything to make sense of what she was seeing and hearing. Every attempt was met with resistance. Each time she moved to grasp a stream, it eluded her. After several fruitless moments of this, she chose instead to observe, reading the raw data. It took her several minutes to find a common denominator. It only showed in some of them, but once she knew what to look for, she could see it: Tendrils of red code threading into the streams before spreading. What was going on? It was malignant, it was wrong. What was the point of this thing? Moving within the network, Penny tried to understand what it was doing. Whatever that goal might be, it was spreading at an alarming rate. She needed to find a stream that hadn't been overtaken. Seconds ticked away before she found one. A young man was shouting about being trapped on a roof, Grimm crawling up the side. The red code was getting closer, but Penny thought there might be time. She initiated a remote probe and masked it into the carrier wave. There was little she could do for the man in her current state. If she had a physical presence, of course she would help him. This form was purely digital though – no swords, no limbs. All she could do was watch and hope that help would find him. The red code struck at the helpless man's link. The probe relayed data much more slowly than before, but it became clear what was happening. The code was a virus. It was trying to subvert as much of the Vale CCT as it could. Then it would spread to the Mistral Network and every node in between. 'Oh no it won't!' Penny thought. She might not be able to help these people, but she could do something about the virus. She severed the connection to the probe. She fled down the routing pathways to the CCT primary frame. The probe had relayed the attack vector that the virus operated on. She insinuated herself into these ports and created layers of firewall countermeasures. It seemed so simple, and she worried that it might not be enough. The virus had overwhelmed to transmission tower, but it needed the primary frame to complete it's path to Mistral. At least she hoped that was; she was investing part of herself into this. The tendrils of red crept closer. Penny was not afraid. Ruby stood quietly, staring out the window of the Striker's right – starboard side. The fires were still burning down in the city below. She should be down there, helping fight the Grimm, or tracking down the White Fang, or any of a hundred things that needed doing. People were dying, and all she could do was sit there. She felt angry. The right side of her face ached, and she grimaced and rubbed the tender flesh beneath the bandages gingerly. It had been seven days since she'd been injured; seven days since she'd lost her eye. Yang lay in the bed behind her. She sighed and returned to the chair on the far side, sitting down. It wasn't good to dwell on things she couldn't control, her father would say. There had still been no word about them. He and Qrow had taken Weiss and Blake outside the kingdom, tracking Cinder and Adam. Yang still had yet to wake up from her comatose state. It was all so frustrating. She reached out a hand to grasp her sister's, giving it a gentle squeeze. "We're going to fix this, Yang. I'm going to fix this. I don't know how, yet, but I'm not giving up." It wasn't her imagination when she felt Yang's hand clench lightly in response. The doctor said it was a reflex, but it still gave Ruby hope. She let go and turned the chair back to the workbench. General Ironwood had been good to his word, giving Ruby access to materials and technical specifications so she could work on her project. Ruby was sure that he had done it to give her something to focus on while she recovered enough for surgery. She wasn't terribly keen on the idea, but after listening to him talk about his own recovery, she was willing to try General Ironwood's suggestion. It was experimental, and the risks were minimal. Polly had said that It would be another day or two before she was healed enough to begin the procedure. In the meantime, Ruby occupied herself by taking the parts available in the armory. There was still some fine tuning needed for the mecha-shift, but she was pleased with the results of her efforts. The arm she had been provided with for Yang's replacement had been so simple. Oh sure, it was the very best that Atlas had to offer, but she knew Yang, and she knew room for improvement when she saw it. What sat on the table amid gears and bolts and tools was the result of several days and a few trips to the machine bay to have parts custom welded. The arm was similar to the ones found on the Atlesian Knight 200 series. Articulated fingers, wrist and elbow joints would give Yang all the range of motion she'd had before. It was there that the similarity ended. Where the casing had been white, Ruby had replaced it with Fire Dust-reinforced steel polycarbide. The joints between the plates were green-hued carbon monopolymer, which would keep the plates from crumpling against one another from the heavy impacts that Yang would deliver. Reaching into the cavity where her sister's arm would go, she brushed the contact with her aura to activate the Dust Cell. The gaps between the plates luminesced with a green light. Satisfied that power was filtering to all parts of the limb, Ruby closed the fingers into a fist and gave it a little shake. Plates around the wrist and forearm retracted and Ember Celica unfolded to surround the arm. She was especially proud of this design; she had helped Yang construct her original gauntlets. Forging had never been Yang's best subject, and Ruby had been absolutely thrilled when Yang asked for her input. This design was cycle-fed, rather than requiring a manual belt feed, though it could still do that when necessary. The arm itself would hold up to thirty shells. She had otherwise left the original form and function of Ember Celica alone. Yang was used to a certain amount of recoil, and would have enough trouble adjusting to the arm as it was. Ruby knew her sister could do it, but it was going to be a lot of hard work. Ruby had some concerns about the weight, so she tried to compensate by adding sensors that would increase output to the motors that operated the elbow mechanism. The arm was separated from the rest of the rig, which Ruby intended to focus on finishing today. The shoulder mount had started as a harness, but as she worked, it made more sense to add plates and padding for reinforcement. By the time Ruby had finished with the design, the back plate would extend halfway down, but was arranged in overlapping plates. Yang did a lot of backflips and cartwheels when she was fighting, and would need the freedom to do that. The front plate had been more challenging. Yang was very particular about her look, and Ruby had done her best to imagine what Yang might want. She had settled on a half cuirass that would still allow her sister to bend as needed. The only trouble Ruby had run into was how to shape it so that it didn't chafe. She worked for nearly an hour with a torch and hammer, occasionally moving to hover the piece over Yang's chest to gauge how much more adjustment was needed. Once Ruby was satisfied that it was right, she set it aside for polishing and engraving. Weiss had promised to help her with that when they returned. The only thing left was to decide on a shoulder piece. She was looking at her sketches when the door hissed open. "Good morning, Ruby," General Ironwood greeted her as he walked in. Ruby set aside her sketches and stood, turning to face him. "Oh! Good morning General!" Ruby was always nervous around the man. She knew that he was kind, but, well, his name suggested he could be what Yang referred to as a 'hard case'. He walked over to where Ruby had been working, looking at the fruits of her labor with mild interest. "That's really something, Ruby. You have a gift for this sort of thing, it would seem." Ruby's cheeks reddened and she clasped her hands in front of her chest. "You really think so? It's not too wild?" James laughed gently and laid a hand on her shoulder, looking at her sideways. "We may be all about uniforms and military precision in Atlas, but that doesn't mean we don't appreciate fine works of art." Ruby blushed even deeper at his praise. "Sometimes form is just as important as function." Ruby cast about, desperate to change the subject, before the embarrassment killed her. "Did you come to talk about the surgery, sir?" General Ironwood shook his head in a firm negative. He dropped his hand to clasp it with the other behind his back as he turned to face her directly. "You know that we've been trying to restore Penny." It wasn't a question. Ruby must have been seen sneaking peeks into the robotics lab – the one room she had been asked to stay away from. She looked down at her boots and nodded in wordless shame. He sighed patiently, and Ruby expected to be chastised for snooping. She and her sister were guests on board the Striker, but she still hoped to see Penny again someday. "It's alright, Ruby. I know the two of you are friends. I hadn't wanted her to get too attached to anyone here. She is Atlas military property, after all." Ruby's eyebrows drew down at that, and she glared up at him. "That's a horrible thing to say, sir! She's a person not one of your–" General Ironwood splayed his hands out, warding off what must have been a frequent argument, if the look of resigned patience on his face was anything to judge. "Take it easy, Ruby. Of course, Penny is a person. But the fact remains that the Atlesian government and military invested significant resources in Doctor Polendina's research. It was agreed upon by everyone." Ruby could not believe what she was hearing. Her glower only deepened. "Did Penny agree to it, too, sir?" The general's features darkened, but there was humor in his eyes. "Yes, as a matter of fact." Ruby was shocked by the response. "It was always the understanding that Penny would eventually have as much autonomy as anyone in the military, more, even, as a Huntress – when she was ready." Ruby started to object, but he stalled her with a firm hand. "Ruby, it is commendable that you want to argue for your friend, and it speaks volumes of your character – both as a Huntress and as a person. That is not, however, the reason for my visit today." He paused for a moment, giving Ruby an inquiring look that mollified her; her gaze went back to the floor. "I think you might be able to help her." Ruby's eye flew wide as her head jerked up to look at him. "Really?! Right now?" James nodded somberly. Ruby turned and started to dash away, but pulled up short. She returned to Yang's bedside and leaned over, curling her fingers around her sister's hand. "I'll be back in a little while, Yang." General Ironwood had moved to the door and stepped outside. Ruby brushed her fingers through Yang's tangle of hair one last time before turning to join the general in the hallway. When the door had closed behind them, he reached into his jacket and handed Ruby a red card. "This will give you access to the lab, Ruby. Sargent Carmine and Coral are waiting for you. I trust you know the way?" Ruby nodded emphatically. She took the card and disappeared down the hallway in a burst of rose petals. James could only shake his head. Ah, to be young. Ruby practically flew through the corridors and down stairs, shouting a rushed'sorry!' as she scattered paperwork of a passing airman, who shook his fist at the now vanished blur. She arrived at the door to the robotics lab less than two minutes after leaving the general. She waved the card in front of the reader several times, trying not to vibrate through the deck while she waited for the door to slide open. When she stepped inside, she was astounded by the sight that greeted her. The room wasn't very big, but the wall to her right was almost entirely covered with multiple displays. Each one held different batches of code. Some scrolled by while others remained static, prompts flashing at the end. The monitors didn't hold Ruby's attention for very long. Penny lay on an inclined table in front of the screens. Her eyes were closed, and there was a bundle of cables were draped over her right shoulder, snaking up behind her neck. She walked over to the table slowly and reached out a hand to touch Penny on her left shoulder. "Penny?" A man cleared his throat, causing Ruby to turn around. The left side of the room held shelves filled with books and tubs, a workbench and a blank patch of wall that held neatly organized tools. Just in front of it sat a pair of consoles. At one sat a man, and a woman stood next to the other. "Penny is in a diagnostic mode right now," he said. "She can't see or hear anything for the moment." Ruby moved toward them. He wore the standard uniform, minus the helmet. His hair was a neatly trimmed dark brown, and his eyes were red like her Uncle Qrow's. He was clean shaven, and he had a toothy grin as she approached. The dark circles under his eyes told Ruby that he had spent many a sleepless night, probably in this very room. His counterpart, by contrast, was nothing like him. She had bone white hair with blue streaks pulled back into a severe braid. She wore a simple white jacket that held no rank or insignia, a small belt of precision tools were wrapped around her left arm. Her eyes where such a dark brown that they almost didn't look real. She held a scroll tablet across one arm, which was opened to some sort of console. "Um… Hi," she said. "General Ironwood said you thought I could help?" She curled her fingers into half fists and raised them, uncertain of where else to begin. She had seen Penny a few times since they had put her back together. She had tried not to be sad when she realized that Penny didn't remember her, but it had been impossible to hide her tears. Penny wasn't able to comprehend Ruby's reaction, and had been ushered away each time it had happened. "Hello," Coral replied. "We've been working to restore Penny's long-term memory, without much success." She pointed to a tall cabinet with lots of wires and blinking lights. "Unfortunately, the cluster was heavily damaged during the incident. There have been recovery prog-" "Just show her, will you?" Sargent Carmine interrupted. He had tilted his head sideways at Coral in consternation, but he also wore a rueful smirk. Coral scowled and tapped a few keystrokes onto the tablet. "Penny has some sort of cognitive loop that we can't break through. General Ironwood thinks you might know what's going on." She pointed at Penny's table, and Ruby turned to watch. The table's armature hummed and moved Penny into an upright position. The girl's eyes had opened, and she was staring forward with a blank look. She held up both hands, palm up and stared down at them for a few moments, closing and opening them twice. Then she looked up and turned her head slowly to one side, and then the other. She repeated the series of gestures several times before Ruby understood what she was seeing. She returned to stand in front of Penny and waited for the right moment. When Penny closed her hands, she reached up and opened them for a moment before closing them again. "Of course you are." Penny locked her eyes with Ruby's, which had teared up. "You think just because you've got nuts and bolts instead of squishy guts makes you any less real than me?" Her voice broke on the last word, but Penny seized both of Ruby's wrists in a firm grip. "Ruby! I – " she cut off and leaned to the side so she could address the two Atlesians. Her eyes had turned to a glowing red. "Could we have just a minute to talk, please?" Ruby didn't turn to look, but heard Coral mutter something un-ladylike. "Is she kicking us out?" Carmine cleared his throat and tried not to laugh when he answered. "I believe she just did. You have to admit, she did ask nicely, didn't she?" Coral sputtered. "Come on, let's get some coffee." The two rose and left the room without further comment. "Penny, are you okay?" Ruby asked once they had gone. "Ruby, my friend," she started. "Something awful happened. I don't remember what, but I had this plan in case something went wrong. I don't have much time to record this." Ruby had clenched her hands around Penny's wrists. "I wanted to stay at Beacon, so I talked to Headmaster Ozpin about my plan. There's a module in the Beacon CCT cluster. That's where I am, but I must be stuck." Ruby stared at her friend in shock. How was such a thing even possible? Was Penny not right here in front of her? She found herself feeling frustrated at not knowing more about how Penny worked. It hadn't mattered to her when Penny was whole, but now it did, apparently. "Can you come and get me, Ruby?" A/N - Sorry about the Yang interlude! I had to get continuity established; the story should be more focused on Penny going forward.To Magazine Home Page Are Working Waterfronts At Risk? By Ryck Lydecker A land rush 10 years ago gobbled up marinas and boatyards, leading to slip shortages and beached marine businesses. The economy is recovering, but are things any different today? The port of Seattle, Washington, has a broad mix of facilities and supporting services for recreational and commercial boating, integrated within a major industrial harbor. (Photo: Port of Seattle) Florida's state legislature enacted a landmark Working Waterfront law in 2005 that required municipalities on the water to encourage the preservation of recreational and commercial water-dependent businesses. The measure came in response to rapidly escalating waterfront real-estate assessments, which had driven up property taxes on tight-margin businesses like marinas. In too many cases, those marinas couldn't stay afloat and sold out to residential developers. What quickly became labeled "condo creep" had resulted not just in slip shortages but also led to a decline in marine-service providers such as boatyards and the small businesses that recreational boaters relied on. Other water-dependent businesses, such as commercial fishing and tour-boat companies, yacht brokerages, and charter-fishing operations, faced the same threats, and not just in Florida but in many other parts of the country, too. The situation led to the formation of a national network of working-waterfront advocates who shared local solutions — planning tools, policy measures, and legal instruments — that were designed to protect water-dependent businesses from coast to coast and to enhance public access to the water. This network first came together in May 2007 at the first-ever National Working Waterfronts and Waterways Symposium organized by BoatUS and Virginia Sea Grant Extension. Today, with the economic recovery underway, boating is making a strong comeback along with other sectors of the maritime small-business economy. New powerboat sales are up almost 8 percent year over year through July ( according to Info-Link Technologies, Inc.), and both sailboat and personal-watercraft sales posted healthy increases. "The displacement of water-dependent uses occurs periodically as the real estate market goes through its cycles," reports Jack Wiggan, director of the Urban Harbors Institute at the University of Massachusetts, Boston, and a founding member of the National Working Waterfront Network. "Widespread concern hasn't surfaced recently, perhaps because of policy responses put in place earlier. But the value of real estate is again on the rise, so there's no reason to believe that pressure to convert working waterfront properties won't increase." Wiggan notes other factors that can exacerbate the effects of the real-estate market. These include the decline of commercial fishing in some parts of the country, which can leave-waterfront properties vulnerable, hurting local marine businesses supplying services and equipment to recreational boaters as well as to commercial operators. He points to the Gloucester, Massachusetts, waterfront, where a 100-room hotel and event center under construction has displaced traditional seafood businesses. Figuring Out The Future Photo: Suzanna Stoike But should that matter to recreational boaters there or in other parts of the country where a decline in one segment of local maritime business leaves the entire working-waterfront economy vulnerable? Or even in places where recreational boating hasn't recovered completely yet? "Here's the problem," says Wendy Larimer of the Association of Marina Industries, a national trade group. "Is a marina that's struggling to stay afloat, with slips only half full, still a working waterfront? And if it is, should it matter if the property goes condo and the boaters simply relocate? There was more pressure years ago because marinas were full, with waiting lists." Larimer cites several marina owners she knows who are at retirement age and would likely sell to the highest bidder. And in the current economy, that could mean developers in the second-home or retirement-community market. "Outside of privately owned marinas, public ones are selling out, too, because local governments are looking to save money," Larimer continues. "So, yes, you could say that working waterfronts are still threatened. After all, there's only so much waterfront land." In times now long passed, Wiggan notes, maritime cities and towns could create new waterfront sites by dredging and filling along natural shorelines. "It's difficult to imagine that happening under today's environmental laws. So the waterfront we have has to support current and future demand. That means accommodating traditional uses like recreational boating, of course, but also emerging uses — aquaculture, for example — as well as yet-unimagined maritime activities. It's prudent policy to retain existing sites for uses requiring a waterfront location, then accommodate non-water-dependent uses elsewhere." That policy is at the core of BoatUS's involvement in working-waterfront issues, according to BoatUS president Margaret Bonds Podlich: "Whether it's potential loss of wet slips to condos, permit delays for new construction, outdated launching areas, threatened- and endangered-species restrictions, or impasses over shallow-draft dredging, recreational boating is a key focus in these national meetings. But since we started them in 2007, our goal has been to find solutions to preserve the working waterfronts — not just to focus on the problems, but to help fix them." For a look at the breadth of contemporary working-waterfront issues that face the boating industry and other segments of the maritime small-business economy — issues that affect all recreational boaters — you can review case studies from many parts of the country and find a "toolbox" of policy solutions by visiting the National Working Waterfront Network website. Ryck Lydecker retired from our Government Affairs and BoatUS Magazine teams in 2013, but continues to write about policy issues and other feature topics. — Published: October/November 2015Ludovic Kennedy campaigned against miscarriages of justice The author, broadcaster and campaigner Sir Ludovic Kennedy has died aged 89. A former BBC Panorama journalist, Sir Ludovic spent decades investigating miscarriages of justice, including the case of the Birmingham Six. He contributed to the abolition of the death penalty and was also president of the Voluntary Euthanasia Society. He is understood to have died on Sunday at a nursing home in Salisbury, Wiltshire, after contracting pneumonia. He leaves four children. Sir Ludovic was married to ballet dancer and actress Moira Shearer - star of the Classic film The Red Shoes - for 56 years, until her death in January 2006 at the age of 80. The couple had one son and three daughters. Tributes have been paid by senior figures in the worlds of journalism, law, politics and campaigning. Executions As a young man, Sir Ludovic joined the Royal Navy and his ship HMS Tartar was involved in the sinking of the German battleship Bismarck. After the war, he attended Oxford University and went on to become a successful journalist. During his career, he carried out his own investigations into a number of high-profile criminal cases. He sustained his commitments until they were victorious Gareth Pierce Human rights lawyer Obituary: Sir Ludovic Kennedy Among them was that of Derek Bentley who was hanged for shooting dead a policeman even though someone else pulled the trigger. His most famous book, 10 Rillington Place, caused a national outcry when it argued that another executed man, Timothy Evans, did not murder his baby daughter. Sir Ludovic maintained that the serial killer John Christie was responsible, and after a police inquiry, Evans was granted a posthumous pardon in 1966. Human rights lawyer Gareth Pierce - whom Sir Ludovic worked with on a series of miscarriages of justice - said he was "profoundly committed" to the cases he took up. "He sustained his commitments until they were victorious," she said. Defence lawyer Joe Beltrami, who also worked with Sir Ludovic, said he was the last of the great campaigning journalists but was "very modest". "He had great determination to win and he won more often than he lost. I admired the man." 'Controversial causes' Mark Thompson, director-general of the BBC, called Sir Ludovic "one of the giants of post-war broadcasting. "His integrity and the tenacity of his investigative journalism, particularly where he saw injustice, won him the respect and trust of generations of audiences," he said. For much of his life, Sir Ludovic was a member of the Liberal Party and its successor, the Liberal Democrats, and stood unsuccessfully as a Liberal candidate in 1958. He quit the party in 2001 when the then leader Charles Kennedy refused to endorse assisted dying, and stood for Parliament again unsuccessfully as an independent candidate on a pro-euthanasia platform. He later rejoined the Lib Dems and current leader Nick Clegg paid tribute to him. "Ludovic Kennedy was one of the great thinkers of his generation," he said. He was a passionate advocate of assisted dying for terminally ill people Sarah Wootton Dignity in Dying "His pursuit of justice and his championing of sometimes unpopular and controversial causes marked him out as a true liberal." Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond said Sir Ludovic was "an outstanding broadcaster". "He was a lifelong free-thinking member of the Liberal Party, but he was also a long-standing advocate of Scottish independence, and in later life he frequently endorsed SNP campaigns," he added. Mr Salmond said although Sir Ludovic had "friends and admirers across the political spectrum, no one doubted his journalistic integrity and independence". 'Bit of an anarchist' Richard Ingrams, co-founder of satirical magazine Private Eye, said that while Sir Ludovic had connections with the Liberal party - and "a very impeccable establishment background" - he was really "a bit of an anarchist". "For somebody like that to be engaged in the exposure of miscarriages of justice - it gave him an advantage," he told the BBC. "He couldn't be dismissed as a kind of left-wing lunatic or anything like that." Sarah Wootton, chief executive of Dignity in Dying - formerly the Voluntary Euthanasia Society - said the organisation was saddened. "He was a passionate advocate of assisted dying for terminally ill people, whose compassion and vigorous intellect were an asset to the organisation," she said. Edinburgh-born Sir Ludovic was a prominent supporter of the British Humanist Association (BHA). BHA chief executive Hanne Stinson said he was a "progressive campaigner on many fronts" and would be "sorely missed". We asked for your memories of Sir Ludovic Kennedy. Please find a selection of your comments below. I met Ludo on several occasions with my husband, Michael Mansfield QC. Ludo was a committed, passionate fighter for justice. He was also a caring, warm and deeply humane person. We shall miss him sorely. Yvette Vanson, London He was one of the most inspirational broadcasters and writers of his day. He had high intellect, but a sense of justice which allowed him to argue for the common man, in a language which all could understand. A tremendous loss for all those of us who have been inspired by his words and his charm over the last 50 years. Russell Homer, Jersey CI Another great broadcaster and debater of the BBC gone. A great loss. Colin Wise, Chandlers Ford, Hampshire Sir Ludovic or 'Ludo' was my grandmother's cousin on the side of Sir Ludovic Grant, 11th Baronet of Dalvey, and I am proud to be related to this compassionate man who did so much for so many...may his legacy live on! Abby McMillan, Torquay, UK Ludovic Kennedy was one of the great moral thinkers of our time. His view of the world reflected most closely the rationalist and humanist foundation upon which those of us born just after the war - the baby-boomers - developed our philosophy of positive liberty outside of a religious straightjacket. We owe him a great deal - he made sense of the world when it appeared to be senseless. Jonathan Kamm, Stockbridge, Hampshire In the 1930s Ludovic penned some words in the form of a jazz song called No Admittance Except On Business but couldn't afford the £12.12.0d fee to have it set to music. I came across the lyrics in his autobiography On My Way To The Club and as a musician/composer set it to music, recorded it and sent it to him for his 75th birthday. Quite a few weeks went by without me receiving a thank you and I was therefore feeling somewhat miffed but in due course a very nice but amusing letter did arrive. The funny part is, from a man so fastidious as Ludo, he had misplaced my letter and address and when he put the cassette into his music centre it unravelled and became ruined! I still have three kind letters that he wrote to me and I still own the song and I therefore have a very fond memory of him. Peter Seaman, Wirral Sir Ludovic Kennedy served with my Grandfather, Captain L.P.Skipwith R.N. on HMS Tartar during the war and I met him when he attended my grandmother's funeral. It was a great privilege to have met him. He was a remarkable man in so many ways. In this day and age, people of his calibre are very, very rare. Anthony Walkey, Swindon, Wiltshire I know someone who served with him on Russian convoys during the war. The smell of his Turkish cigarettes used to come up the speaking tube to the bridge. He used to curse him - very affectionately. Nicholas Hayward, Frome, Somerset One of the old-style BBC broadcasters, which is how I knew him. I trusted him because he made me feel he had thought deeply about whatever he was saying to me, contrasted with the current generation who are just good at reading an autocue. MH, Derby, UK I wrote to Sir Ludovic in 1986 after reading his book "The Airman and the Carpenter" (about the Lindbergh Kidnapping Case) and realizing that my grandfather had been a close friend of Bruno Richard Hauptmann, the man who was executed for the crime. I found Sir Ludovic to be a patient and sympathetic listener who was determined to learn the final truth about the crime. Although we did not agree on the possible motives for the crime, his reasoning and knowledge were extremely impressive and I became an instant admirer of his. Kurt Tolksdorf, Islip, New York, USA Ludo's death is a gigantic loss to British society and, for the
days about the proposal offered by Reis at Jackson Hole last week. Many readers are still confused and actually thought the proposal had credibility. Let me be clear – bank lending is not influenced by the reserve positions of the banks. Without credit-worthy borrowers lining up to access loans, the banks could have all the reserves in the world and the central bank could invoke any number of nifty ‘indexing’ or other support payment schemes on those reserves, and the banks would still not lend. And with those credit-worthy borrowers lining up to access loans, the banks will always lend irrespective of their current reserve position or the nifty support schemes the central bank might dream up. Core Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) 101! The paper – Funding Quantitative Easing to Target Inflation – was presented to the Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium, hosted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, which was held last week (August 25-27, 2016). The theme for the Symposium was “Designing Resilient Monetary Policy Frameworks for the Future”. Apparently “Some 100 economists and Fed officials — each one able to fill a room if they gave a speech in New York or Washington — attend the two-day event” (Source). It just goes to show that the neo-liberal Groupthink is alive and well if the ideas that are presented in the Reis paper are taken as worthy of filling a room of high-paid officials. We shouldn’t be surprised though. His influence – Greg Mankiw – still teaches students that central banks can control the money supply and that the textbook money multiplier is still a valid concept to learn. In his Principles of Economics (I have the first edition), Mankiw’s Chapter 27 is about “the monetary system”. In the latest edition it is Chapter 29. Either way, you won’t learn very much at all from reading it. In the section of the Federal Reserve (the US central bank), Mankiw claims it has “two related jobs”. The first is to “regulate the banks and ensure the health of the financial system”. So I suppose on that front he would be calling for the sacking of all the senior Federal Reserve officials given the massive collapse that occurred under their watch. The second “and more important job”: … is to control the quantity of money that is made available to the economy, called the money supply. Decisions by policymakers concerning the money supply constitute monetary policy (emphasis in original). And in case you haven’t guessed he then describes how the central bank goes about fulfilling this most important role. He says that the: Fed’s primary tool is open-market operations – the purchase and sale of U.S government bonds … If the FOMC decides to increase the money supply, the Fed creates dollars and uses them buy government bonds from the public in the nation’s bond markets. After the purchase, these dollars are in the hands of the public. Thus an open market purchase of bonds by the Fed increases the money supply. Conversely, if the FOMC decides to decrease the money supply, the Fed sells government bonds from its portfolio to the public in the nation’s bond markets. After the sale, the dollars it receives for the bonds are out of the hands of the public. Thus an open market sale of bonds by the Fed decreases the money supply. This is the influence that Mankiw dishes out. It is completely fictitious account of the way central banks operate. Central banks cannot control the “money supply”. In the September 2008 edition of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York Economic Policy Review there was an interesting article published entitled – Divorcing Money from Monetary Policy. It demonstrated why the account of monetary policy in mainstream macroeconomics textbooks (such as Mankiw etc) from which the overwhelming majority of economics students get their understandings about how the monetary system operates is totally flawed. The FRBNY article states clearly that: In recent decades, however, central banks have moved away from a direct focus on measures of the money supply. The primary focus of monetary policy has instead become the value of a short-term interest rate. In the United States, for example, the Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) announces a rate that it wishes to prevail in the federal funds market, where overnight loans are made among commercial banks. The tools of monetary policy are then used to guide the market interest rate toward the chosen target. This is practice is not confined to the US. In reality, in a credit money system, this ability to control the stock of “money” is undermined by the demand for credit. The overall broad money aggregate (‘the money supply’) is determined as the outcomes that follow after market participants respond to their own market prospects and central bank policy settings and make decisions about the liquid assets they will hold (deposits) and new liquid assets they will seek (loans). The essential idea is that the “money supply” in an “entrepreneurial economy” is demand-determined – as the demand for credit expands so does the money supply. As credit is repaid the money supply shrinks. These flows are going on all the time and the stock measure we choose to call the money supply, say M3 is just an arbitrary reflection of the credit circuit. Please read my blog – Understanding central bank operations – for more discussion on this point. Further expanding the monetary base (bank reserves) as I argued in these blogs – Building bank reserves will not expand credit and Building bank reserves is not inflationary – does not lead to an expansion of credit. And that brings me to the Reis paper, which was reported on by Reuters (August 27, 2016) – Fed could use reserves payments to stimulate U.S. economy: paper – as if it contained an ingenious new idea. It is, in fact hard to know where to start discussing this sort of paper, which, sadly, represents the standard understandings in the mainstream of my profession. There are so many clangers – like: 1. “The interest on reserves controls inflation” – how? 2. In relation to the growing reserves in the banking system, Reis claims “The main risk is that the central bank becomes insolvent … central bank insolvency is equivalent to hyperinflation, which happens often, all over the world.” To learn why this is such a stupid claim, please read my blogs: Further, “often” means “frequently”. The record of hyperinflations would suggest the descriptor “rare” is more appropriate. Reis claims that as a result of Quantitative Easing (QE), “the central bank becomes one of the largest individual holders of government debt” and if the government forces “upon the central bank a write-off of the government debt” during a “fiscal crisis” then “the central bank may find itself unable to prevent this loss”. Which means nothing. The central bank accountants if they wanted to record positive capital would just type in whatever number they liked into their records. End of story – after all, as Reis acknowledges the central bank is “the monopoly issuer or the unit of account”. It can never go broke. 3. “Government bonds now carry sovereign risk, which reserves do not, since they are the unit of account”. Government bonds issued by a sovereign, currency-issuing government are risk free because such a government can always repay liabilities issued in that currency. 4. “An effective helicopter drop would likely require the end of QE, with a dramatic shrinkage of the quantity of reserves” – What? We read that a ‘helicopter drop’ (pp 20-21) involves: … the government sending economic agents checks, just like it does with other social transfers … and issuing government bonds to pay for these. The central bank would then print banknotes to buy these government bonds and immediately write them off from its balance sheet. This leads to the same end result, where private agents receive banknotes from the central bank, but now using the fiscal authority as the distributor. This version is sometimes called overt monetary financing of the deficit. Crucially … the increase in the monetary base must be permanent. With more money chasing the same goods, the argument goes, the price level would have to rise back towards target. Why would a government expand its deficit to achieve a level of economic activity that Reis describes as the “same goods”? The increased deficit would increase spending but, presumably, given the logic of wanting to increase the deficit, lead to higher levels of production of goods and service, with no necessary price level effects. It does not make sense to have a static output side in the face of an expanding nominal demand side. Further, Reis’ description of OMF (overt monetary financing) is selective. First, the increase in government spending would not require any debt issuance at all. The government would instruct the central bank to credit its spending account (and a double entry number would spring up somewhere in the debt side of the central bank). Electronic key strokes. Second, the government spending would show up as deposits in private bank accounts of the recipients of the government spending. No bank notes (currency) would have to be issued. Third, the bank reserves (monetary base) would grow accordingly. The central bank could drain those reserves if it chose through open market operations (selling bonds). But at that point there is “no money chasing the same goods”. Fourth, these deposits were in payment for goods and services or, if they were transfers, were to fulfill income support and other obligations. In the first case, the recipients presumably responded to the deposit by increasing production. In the second case, the deposits may feed into expenditure fully or partially. But the increased demand would stimulate further production. Further, any increase in fiscal deficits increases bank reserves. So if QE was abandoned and the government adopted (sensibly) OMF, then bank reserves would continue to grow unless the central bank chose to drain them. The claim that there would be a “dramatic shrinkage of the quantity of reserves” reflects an ignorance of the impact of vertical transactions (deficit spending) on the reserve positions of banks – core Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) 101. Reis also claimed that: … helicopter drops might be ineffective because the Fed already turns over its profits to the government and might reduce these transfers after such a move, leading the government to cut spending in the future. Again, one gently shakes one’s head (gently because it would be wrenched off reading a paper like this if it was anything but). If the treasury side of government can instruct the central bank side of government to shift spending power from one pocket (account) into another pocket, then it doesn’t matter if the central bank stops remitting anything (profits on foreign currency activity, etc) to the treasury. Once institutional arrangements had reached the sensible point that the both sides of government were actually fully exploiting the currency-issuing capacity, without artificial and voluntary constraints, then the treasury would realise it could always E-mail the operations desk at the bank and instruct it to credit any account it chose, irrespective of anything else! The other part of Reis’ paper that gained press intention was his proposal to “use bank reserves as a stimulus mechanism, indexing payments to the inflation rate.” The Reuters report claimed: That would give banks an incentive to lend when the economy is weak and prices are rising more slowly. Reis wrote in his paper (p.23): The central bank is the monopoly issuer of reserves, which are the unit of account. In the same way that in an economy saturated with reserves, the central bank can choose whichever nominal interest rate it wishes to pay on those reserves, it could alternatively choose to remunerate reserves differently. Which is absolutely correct. The consequences of the choice of different rates impacts on the capacity of the central bank to sustain its policy target rate. If it offers no support rate on excess reserves then the short-term interest rate in the Interbank market (where banks lend among themselves to ensure the viability of the payments system) would fall to zero. This would effectively mean that the central bank loses control of its monetary policy position, unless that position was consistent with a zero policy target rate. The choice of payment has no direct impact on the capacity of the banks to make loans (more about which soon). Reis then proposes his ‘pièce de résistance’ (p.23): Instead of promising an interest rate, the central bank could offer reserves that promised an indexed payment. For each $1 of reserves, the bank could receive a payment tomorrow that was indexed to the price level then. Any central bank could clearly do that. So what? Reis then claims that “if the price level was running below target” (pp.23-24): … the central bank could lower the payment on reserves, and in doing so raise prices. The intuition for how this works is the following. When the central bank promises a smaller payment on reserves are a less attractive investment, so banks will not want to hold them, and their real value must fall. But since their real value is the inverse of the price level, prices must rise. As banks initially move away from reserves and into loans, the movement in savings and investment caused by a change in the promised payments will give firms the incentive to change their prices until equilibrium is restored. By promising a payment on reserves, the central bank gains a new tool with which to control the price level. Intuition is a dangerous guide to anything if it is not backed by knowledge of how the monetary system actually works. The Reuters report understood this as saying: The fluctuations in bank lending due to price changes could help the Fed keep inflation on target. The problem is that Reis’s “somewhat radical” (his words) proposal is nonsense and belies an understanding of what constrains commercial bank lending. I outlined what actually happens in this blog – Building bank reserves will not expand credit. Here is a brief summary (you can read the full exegesis if so motivated). One of the myths of QE is that by increasing bank reserves (in exchange for central bank purchases of financial assets held by the banks), the banks’ capacity to lend would increase. Reis clearly falls into that mistaken understanding as does Paul Krugman, Gregory Mankiw and a host of New Keynesian mainstream economists. The Bank of International Settlements admitted in this paper – Unconventional monetary policies: an appraisal – that: … we argue that the typical strong emphasis on the role of the expansion of bank reserves in discussions of unconventional monetary policies is misplaced. In our view, the effectiveness of such policies is not much affected by the extent to which they rely on bank reserves as opposed to alternative close substitutes, such as central bank short-term debt. In particular, changes in reserves associated with unconventional monetary policies do not in and of themselves loosen significantly the constraint on bank lending or act as a catalyst for inflation. Got it! Those who think that an expansion of bank reserves provides banks with additional resources to extend loans assumes that “bank reserves are needed for banks to make loans” (quote from BIS paper). The BIS then say: In fact, the level of reserves hardly figures in banks’ lending decisions. The amount of credit outstanding is determined by banks’ willingness to supply loans, based on perceived risk-return trade-offs, and by the demand for those loans. The aggregate availability of bank reserves does not constrain the expansion directly. This is a core MMT position that has been in the literature for more than 20 years now – long before the central banks or New Keynesians started turning their attention to the existence and meaning of excess bank reserves. The core MMT explanation goes as follows. Loans create deposits which can then be drawn upon by the borrower. No reserves are needed at that stage. Then, as the BIS paper says, “in order to avoid extreme volatility in the interest rate, central banks supply reserves as demanded by the system.” The loan desk of commercial banks have no interaction with the reserve operations of the monetary system as part of their daily tasks. They just take applications from credit worthy customers who seek loans and assess them accordingly and then approve or reject the loans. In approving a loan they instantly create a deposit (a zero net financial asset transaction). The only thing that constrains the bank loan desks from expanding credit is a lack of credit-worthy applicants, which can originate from the supply side if banks adopt pessimistic assessments or the demand side if credit-worthy customers are loathe to seek loans. The reason that Reis’ “radical plan” is nonsense is thus very simple – bank credit will be extended when there are demand for funds from the private sector. Reserves will be added later if needed to sustain the payments system if required. Richard Koo in his 2003 book Balance Sheet Recession: Japan’s Struggle with Uncharted Economics and its Global Implications (John Wiley & Sons) provided another angle on this: The reason why quantitative easing did not work in Japan is quite simple and has been frequently pointed out by BOJ officials and local market observers: there was no demand for funds in Japan’s private sector. In order for funds supplied by the central bank to generate inflation, they must be borrowed and spent. That is the only way that money flows around the economy to increase demand. But during Japan’s long slump, businesses left with debt-ridden balance sheets after the bubble’s collapse were focused on restoring their financial health. Companies carrying excess debt refused to borrow even at zero interest rates. That is why neither zero interest rates nor quantitative easing were able to stimulate the economy for the next 15 years. It is also why indexed payments on bank reserves will also have no impact of the type that Reis’s textbook understanding would imply. Conclusion Once again we see that the Jackson Hole Symposium dominated by dumb papers trying to defend the dominance of monetary policy as the primary counter-stabilisation tool. This is the same old neo-liberal line – eschewing the use of fiscal policy – and promoting monetary policy. They do this because they want to reduce the democratic oversight on macroeconomic policy and they think that these amorphous central bankers will be immune from political pressures to increase employment etc when there is very high unemployment. They claim this gives policy more inflation-fighting credibility. It doesn’t at all. A Job Guarantee run by the treasury would be a highly credible anti-inflation policy tool – because the government would be sending a signal that this powerful automatic stabiliser would always buy off the bottom at a fixed price and shift workers away from any inflating sector. That would be the most powerful and least destructive anti-inflation tool that a government could use. That is enough for today! (c) Copyright 2016 William Mitchell. All Rights Reserved.Via Neca comes the first video of their fully motorized ‘Regan Possessed’ figurine in action! The video is test footage of an unpainted model demonstrating the rotating head function while the ever-spooky Tubular Bells plays: NECA’s Possessed Regan will come in a Deluxe Boxed Set and will feature actual sounds and dialogue from the film. It’s being released in October, just like the Blu-ray, just in time for Halloween. If you’d like to pre-order one, you can do so here or by clicking the image below (you’ll be supporting The Exorcist Fansite by pre-ordering from this link!). Last I heard, there was only going to be one run of this product, so once they’re sold, they’re gone. I’ve pre-ordered mine, and I can’t wait to get it on my desk!The silence has been deafening. My dear fellow Catholics, your silence screams; our ears are ringing. Tragedy has struck. Yes, much needs to be grieved; and yes, I know everyone grieves in their own way. Yet there are two kinds of silence, one unlike the other. There’s the silence of grief – the ear-ringing shell-shock as you beg your tumultuous surroundings just a moment more to get your bearings. This silence is at least human (all too human) and understandable. It’s Christ falling to his knees at the news of his cousin’s death: “He wept” (John 11:35). There’s another kind of silence, a more pernicious one. It’s the silence of barely-masked guilt disguised as barely-masking contempt and indifference. It’s the silence of bystanders: priests and scribes going on their way and ignoring the Samaritan in the dirt. It’s the kind of omission of which Christ said: “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out” (Luke 19:40). I hope, dear brothers and sisters, your silence is of the first kind. You are Catholic. You are joined to Christ and share in his priesthood, prophethood, and kingship. You are bound, sworn, and under the most sacred obligation to preach, prophecy, and protect. Why leave the work to the stones when God gave you flesh, blood and a voice? In the meanwhile as you crouch in your barren, pregnant quiet; while you chew on your thoughts for a moment longer; it might be good to reflect on what just happened, and consider which prophetic words (when at last you open your mouth) will come forth. Consider: 1. The victims of the Orlando Shooting were predominantly Latinx LGBTQ individuals. The most obvious yet (incredibly!) sidestepped fact about the Orlando Shooting is the venue. The shooter targeted Pulse, an LGBTQ nightclub. Despite the bizarre fumbling attempts of some on the far right to sidestep, deny or even celebrate this fact, the reality is clear. Whether or not this was a terrorist attack in the popular sense of the term, it was clearly a hate crime and incontrovertibly the largest killing in the U.S. of LGBT individuals. In addition, of those killed, 90% were Hispanic. This wasn’t just an “attack on Americans.” This was a targeting of LGBTQ and Hispanic people in the U.S. This obvious fact shouldn’t need to be emphasized, yet here we are. 2. The shooter Omar Mateen was immersed in a culture of hate. On Sunday June 12, 2016, American-born Omar Mateen conducted the worst mass shooting in American history. This isn’t only the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil since 9-11, but also the worst hate crime to date. The investigation into Mateen’s motives is still ongoing, but we already have enough information to know this wasn’t a simple act of terror. During the attack Mateen supposedly called the police pledging his loyalty to ISIS. The reaction on the right is uniform: the massacre is first and foremost an act of war against the U.S. However, it’s become clear that Mateen not only had no official affiliation with ISIS, but at previous times had pledged alignment with the Tsarnaev brothers of the Boston bombing and al-Qaeda (Sunni Muslims unaffiliated with ISIS), and at another point Hezbollah (the Lebanese Shiite group). All three of these groups are in opposition to each other, demonstrating that Mateen had no clear allegiance or even a grasp of their core ideologies. This is not to mention his father’s support of the Afghan Taliban. His exposure to radical violent ideologies – a whole mess of them without a coherent denominational or ideological focus point – came through the internet and the hateful rhetoric he was exposed to there. He wasn’t a trained militiaman of the American caliphate; he was an American man radicalized by mimetic hatred on American soil. The hateful ideologies he was exposed to fueled an already turbulent personality. His coworkers and ex-wife stated that he was abusive and prone to outbursts of violence. Even his school teacher once told his father that if Mateen kept on bulling other children, “he’s going to end up shot.” His father observed that his son was extremely homophobic and flew into a rage at the sight of two gay men kissing: “We were in downtown Miami, Bayside, people were playing music. And he saw two men kissing each other in front of his wife and kid and he got very angry. They were kissing each other and touching each other and he said, ‘Look at that. In front of my son they are doing that.’” While the father’s trustworthiness is questionable, Mateen’s ex-wife confirmed this: “There were definitely moments when he’d express his intolerance towards homosexuals,” she said, and elsewhere: “he did feel very strongly about homosexuality.” A coworker said he used racial and sexual slurs frequently. Before the shooting, Micah Bass, owner of the gay nightclub M Hotel and Revere, received a facebook friend request from what turned out to be Mateen. It appears that Mateen was scoping out local gay clubs before the attack. It’s notable that he selected these particular venues, and not one of the many densely-packed theme parks in the area. During the shooting, survivors witnessed Mateen racially select his victims with a bias toward Latinx clubbers, and heard him audibly laugh like a madman when he shot his victims. The portrait that emerges is not of a coordinated ISIS attack on a symbol of U.S. democracy; it’s that of an unhinged man who channeled the toxic homophobic (and racist) sentiments of his (American) surroundings into a murderous rampage. 3. Omar Mateen possibly internalized deep self-loathing. The simple image of an anti-American jihadist is further muddied by the question of Mateen’s sexuality. While Pulse club owner denies that Mateen ever frequented the club, several of the survivors and regulars claim to have seen him there, as well as on gay dating apps. His ex-wife says he never told her he was gay, although she admits he could have been hiding this from her, and that he admitted vaguely to a past nightlife. His father says he doesn’t think his son was a “whatever you call it.” No doubt as time goes on this facet of the issue will become clearer, but in the meantime we’re faced with the distinct possibility that Mateen acted not only out of externalized, but also internalized, homophobia. This is significant because it demonstrates the incalculable damage done to an individual’s psyche, and in this case to the world at large, by the virulent anti-LGBTQ hatred that all LGBTQ individuals internalize in some form or another. 4. The Orlando Shooting shouldn’t surprise us in the least. To those who aren’t LGBT, the targeting of a gay club seems incidental and strange.For us who live every day as LGBT Americans, it’s anything but. The night before the Orlando attack, my coworker and I received a string of homophobic and transphobic phone calls at our place of employment. The anonymous caller made vague threats to come into the store that night, and we had to notify the police and security. The caller sounded particularly unhinged and vitriolic, but how different was his tirade than the countless slurs and verbal attacks I’ve experienced in public transit on my way to work? It was certainly less violent than the time a dear friend of mine (also a trans woman) was attacked by a mob at a supermarket. Another friend of mine has had bricks thrown at her. Yet another once woke up on the LA beach after having been nearly beaten to death. This nearly universal experience of violent discrimination (differing only in degrees) – and its recent manifestation in Orlando – is supported by the historical record. In 1973 the gay bar UpStairs Lounge in New Orleans was destroyed by arsonists, and 32 people died with many others injured. Around the same time (1973-74), arsonists set fire to LGBT churches in LA, Nashville, Santa Monica, and San Francisco. In 1988 Richard Lee Bednarski lured in and murdered two young gay men, and was let off the hook with only 30 years because, as the judge (who was cleared of bias charges) put it: “I put prostitutes and gays at about the same level, and I’d be hard put to give somebody life for killing a prostitute” and “I don’t care much for queers cruising the streets.” Across the pond, in 1999 London’s gay pub Admiral Duncan was bombed by a neo-nazi, killing 3 and injuring 70. In 2000 a gay bar in Roanoke, VA called Backstreet Café was attacked by a rampaging man. In Dec of 2013 Musab Mohammaed Masmari set fire to the stairway of a gay nightclub in Seattle. There are many more attacks besides, but I want to highlight one in particular. In 1997 Eric Rudolph bombed the Otherside Lounge, an LGBT bar in Atlanta. The bomber also bombed an Atlanta abortion clinic. His rationale for the bombing was, to quote his confession statement, that: “when the attempt is made to drag [homosexuality] out of the closet… every effort should be made, including force if necessary, to halt this effort” and this “homosexual agenda… Whether it is gay marriage, homosexual adoption, hate crimes laws including gays, or the attempt to introduce a homosexual normalizing curriculum into our schools, all of these efforts should be ruthlessly opposed.” Much of the logic of his confession statement – which amounts to something of a manifesto – could be direct quotes of what I heard at the dinner table or family reunions and from the pulpit growing up. In addition to the many mass attacks against the LGBTQ community, countless individuals have been targeted for their sexual orientation or gender identity.In 1998 21-year-old Matthew Shepard was killed by two men he met at a Laramie bar. In 1993 transman Brandon Teena was murdered by two “friends” after they discovered he was trans. In 1999, Pfc. Barry Winchell was murdered for dating now-activist and trans woman Calpernia Addams. In Feb. of 2008 15 year old gay boy Lawrence King was shot in the head by his 14 year old classmate Brandon McInerny because he had a crush on him. In 2013 Mark Carson was lured into a Manhattan alley and shot. These are just a smattering. In the first half of 2016 alone, 14 transgender individuals have been murdered. Their names are “Goddess” Diamond (New Orleans, LA), Amos Beede (Burlington, VT), Mercedes Successful (Haines City, FL), Reecey Walker (Wichita, KA), Keyonna Blakeney (Rockville, MD), Shante Isaac (Houston, TX), Quartney Davia Dawsonn-Yochum (Los Angeles, CA), Kedarie/Kandicee Johnson (Burlington, IA), Demarkis Stansberry (Baton Rouge, LA), Maya Young (Philadelphia, PA), Veronica Banks Cano (Philadelphia, PA), Kayden Clarke (Mesa, AZ), Jasmine Sierra (Bakersfield, CA), and Monica Loera (Austin, TX). Unfortunately, the question isn’t “how could the Orlando shooting happen?” The question is how it took so long for the hatred to coalesce into such a singular death toll. 5. The silence hasn’t really been broken. In the face of such vicious hatred against LGBT individuals, what does the Church have to say? The Catechism is clear about anti-LGBT discrimination: “They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided” (2358). But what of Orlando specifically? The Holy See Press Office commented that the massacre had “caused in Pope Francis, and in all of us, the deepest feelings of horror and condemnation.” Following the Pope’s lead, multiple American bishops responded in kind. Archbishop Joseph Kurtz of Louisville, head of the U.S. bishops’ conference, decried the violence. He was joined in his vague sentiments by Bishops John Noonan of Orlando, James Conley of Lincoln, and William Lori of Baltimore. Vigils were held, like that of St. Mark Catholic Church in Richmond to mourn the “women and men who were mowed down on Sunday morning.” In all these public statements (at least admirable in their grief), there was a conspicuous missing piece. None of these Catholic leaders mentioned that the targets were LGBT people at a gay bar. There’s no acknowledgement of that fact at any point. The Vatican’s press release very avoidantly called the venue “a crowded nightclub.” Yes, but not just any nightclub. So far there are only two bishops to mention LGBT people at all. Archibship Cupich of Chicago reached out to the archdiocesan Gay and Lesbian Outreach and said: “For you here today and throughout the whole lesbian and gay community, who are particularly touched by the heinous crimes committed in Orlando, motivated by hate, driven perhaps by mental instability and certainly empowered by a culture of violence, know this: The Archdiocese of Chicago stands with you. I stand with you.” The second bishop was Robert Lynch of St. Petersburg, FL. Of him I’ll speak later. Besides these two leaders, the Catholic corner has been unbearably silent on the issue. In my own news feed none of my Catholic news or theology sources have addressed the issue thus far, and I’m not the only one who’s noticed this. Where is the outcry? Where’s even the basic observation of the victims’ identity? 6. Bishop Robert Lynch is right. Bishop Robert Lynch of St. Petersburg, FL said in a particularly stirring blog post that “sadly it is religion, including our own, which targets, mostly verbally, and also often breeds contempt for gays, lesbians and transgender people. Attacks today on LGBT men and women often plant the seed of contempt, then hatred, which can ultimately lead to violence.” For implicating Christians in the violence, he’s so far been decried by the likes of LifeSite news. It seems his call for an Examination of Conscience has fallen on barren soil thus far. Denying, or even skirting around, Christianity’s role in this spiritual holocaust looks plain silly to those of us caught in the crossfire. The entire LGBT community is standing in solidarity with our Muslim siblings not only because we’re tired of violence and scapegoating (having been subjected to it ourselves). It’s also because we’ve seen bullets come at us from every which direction, including yours. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire – or a smoking gun, as the case may be. To those of you nestled in the trenches of an anti-gay culture war, I hope that Orlando extends your vision past the fog-of-war. Conspiracies of an LGBT cabal hell-bent on ruling America and destroying the nuclear family start to sound (appropriately) silly in the face of reality. It’s a reality that all LGBT people in America live every day and have for decades. It’s a reality attested to by our lives: how we’ve been thrown (sometimes physically) out of homes and churches, subjected to psychologically traumatizing pseudo-scientific anti-therapy, and barraged with spiteful, demonizing rhetoric from childhood on up. I understand those who shrink back from Bishop Lynch’s exhortation are full of pious intent. They feel scapegoated, unjustly blamed for the actions of a man they are (at least broadly) ideologically opposed to. They feel like their Mother Church is under attack. But it’s not about a blame game. It’s not about equity or finding someone to sue. In short, it’s not about you. It’s about getting to the root of the problem. It’s about figuring out why, again and again, LGBT people receive the brunt of such violence. Omar Mateen may have been a lunatic psychopath, but he barreled along a track already laid out for him. The man who called my store last Saturday may have had anger management issues, but he learned where to direct that anger from his environment. What environment are you, my fellow Catholics, creating toward LGBT people? What environment are you really creating? And I mean: really. What do you do? What do you say? What of it is concrete and not just platitudes? “Love the sinner but hate the sin,” you say. But few of us have experienced you loving the sinner, laying down your life for the sinner, doing something other than shooting spittle at the sinner. In the course of even recent months I’ve been told by fellow Catholics that I’m perverted, insane, demon possessed, a fetishist, part of an evil agenda, and not unlike a lizard crawling on all fours. I wonder how different this is from the thoughts that went through Mateen’s head as he shot up the club? You can talk about “tough love” all you want, but the shooter probably thought he was giving this country some “tough love.” 7. We hear the silence. Some LGBT Catholic friends of mine and I recently participated in a performance of Mozart’s Requiem, sung in honor of the Orlando victims. At the end many local religious leaders, mostly Christian, Jewish, and Muslim, came forward with prayers for the dead. The absence of a Catholic priest did not go unnoticed. That night we turned to each other nearly simultaneously over drinks to bemoan this great, terrible silence. It’s a silence that slices us open and bleeds us out. We hear you. We hear what might be your apathy, your discomfort, your unwillingness to say our names. We hear it loud and clear. We hear our own invisibility, the lack of impression we make, even as 49 corpses. We understand how little you want us, how little you want to commune with us, how little you want to even look us in the eye. After all, saying our name is far easier than looking us head-on, and you can do neither. I hope your silence is a pregnant pause full of imminent prophecy. I hope you have something good to say, full of comfort, exhortation, and names. I hope when you finally open your mouth, we’ll be proven wrong.Among Rare’s contributions to the very best games on the Nintendo 64—Banjo-Kazooie, GoldenEye, Banjo-Tooie—there is only one that has really never been recreated successfully. That is Diddy Kong Racing, a kart racer that was really so much more. While there would be great FPS’ on console (even some decent Bond FPS’), and 3D platformers would take hints from Banjo’s flirtation with adventure game logic, very few games would combine racing with Super Mario 64-style adventuring, the way DKR did. You could argue racing games with wide open world structures and hidden secrets have carried the torch, in some structural ways, but no other game has really captured the feeling of DKR. And it’s been twenty years now. The game has very humble origins. It was sort of the B-game at Rare while the behemoth of Banjo-Kazooie was in development, a humble Pro-Am branded racer with proto open-world and adventure game elements. The racing genre was chosen, reportedly, because Rare just didn’t have anything like it in their lineup. When Banjo-Kazooie was going to slip the holiday release window in 1997, production ramped up on DKR, and it would be unveiled as the “surprise” big game from Rare. The core of the game itself was mostly done, but Rare artist Lee Musgrave told Nintendo Life: "Thankfully, the tracks were mostly done, and the pick-ups were arbitrary, made-up things. It was just kind of a rush job to change the packaging of it,” in a 2014 interview. It got a ton of advertising push
. Rep. Adam Smith. But Jayapal does not need to reside in the 7th District to run there. "The corporations and special interests have their voice in Congress, and they have too many members scared of their power," Jayapal said in her initial fundraising appeal. "What Congress needs is a progressive voice who is unafraid to take on these powerful interests -- who is willing to fight for all Americans, not just the wealthiest 1 percent." Last year, Jayapal was a high-profile backer of socialist Seattle City Councilwoman Kshama Sawant, and echoed Sawant's class-based politics when she spoke to a Sawant rally at Town Hall Seattle. Jayapal spoke of gentrification and displacement, and argued that Seattle is "increasingly becoming a white city." "This is about the movement for justice in a system that is stacked against working people," she argued. "Kshama is going to anchor a progressive left on the Seattle City Council and she's going to demand a different vision of our city." There are echoes of that speech in Jayapal's first appeal for campaign dollars. "We need to fight not for the 1 percent but for working men and women, not just for austerity but Social Security, not for deportations and breaking up families but building stronger middle-class families, not for private schools, colleges and prisons, but public education, college debt relief and criminal justice reform." In a Thursday interview, Jayapal reflected that it is more about "values" than class, and that she intends to be a "bold voice" for a progressive constituency. Jim McDermott has been one of Congress' most liberal voices, a fiery opponent of the Iraq War and collaborator in the "Hate Free Zone" campaign. "Yes, class is a piece of that along with race and gender," she added. "It is about working for the interests working families. It is about such matters as debt free college. I've got a 19-year-old and a whole generation doesn't think college is viable." Jayapal announced for Congress at Seattle Central College, which was home to Occupy Seattle in 2011. SCC is center-to-left/activist Seattle. Offices of The Stranger are a few blocks away. The Stranger has already wet itself at the prospect of Jayapal's candidacy. But the 7th Congressional District, while solidly Democratic, stretches northwest to Shoreline and Edmonds, southwest to Burien and Vashon Island, and through prosperous neighborhoods northeast Seattle. About 25 percent of its voters are constituents of King County Council Chair Joe McDermott, who announced Wednesday that he is running in the 7th District. State Rep. Brady Walkinshaw, D-43, who entered the race even before Jim McDermott got out, represents such neighborhoods as the University District, Wallingford and Capitol Hill. Walkinshaw has raised about $300,000 and lined up endorsements from key leaders of the LGBT community, prominent environmentalists, Seattle City Council members Tim Burgess and Lorena Gonzalez, and longtime Democratic activists. Jayapal is an immigrant, having arrived in America when she was 16. She has certainly arrived in Seattle politics. She helped create the city's Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs, and co-chaired the search committee for a new Seattle Police Chief. She overwhelmed multiple opponents in 2014 to win a State Senate seat in Central Seattle. In 2015, she spoke at the Sawant event -- alongside leather-lunged radicals denouncing the Democratic Party -- as well as the big Bernie Sanders-for-President rally at the UW's Hec Edmundson Pavilion. She supported Sawant, but was atop a list of progressive activists who endorsed the reelection of Seattle City Council President (at the time) Tim Burgess. (Burgess has endorsed Walkinshaw.) In Olympia, she has sponsored legislation to raise the state minimum wage, to provide for two free years of community college tuition, and to pre-register to vote teenagers who are receiving their driver licenses. She has worked with a Republican, Secretary of State Kim Wyman, on voter registration, and has lined up GOP cosponsors of the college tuition proposal. State Sen. David Frockt, D-46, once a prospective 7th District candidate, spoke at Jayapal's announcement on Thursday. Can Jayapal pursue an ambitious agenda in Olympia while putting together a campaign for Congress? "I get very little sleep and have a lot of energy," she said.Last week’s issue of Science included an article on yet another case of sexual harassment in academia — this time in Physical Anthropology. This case involves a research assistant who claims that her supervisor at the American Museum of Natural History, Brian Richmond, sexually assaulted her at a conference in Italy. I won’t go into the details here, but I would encourage you to read the excellent article by Michael Balter. The good news is that, the response of the institutions involved, and the broader field, seems to have been pretty appropriate, despite the fact that Richmond is a prominent member of the field. Incidents like this typically happen in the absence of third-party witnesses, and we wind up with nothing to go on but the statements of the accuser and accused. This provides room for rationalization by the morons who reflexively defend anyone in a position of authority. And it leaves the rest of us (trained as we have been by political “journalism”) to assume that the truth must lie somewhere in between. And often — though perhaps not in these most recent cases — that uncertainly provides universities with an excuse for not taking substantive action against prominent (and well funded) faculty. With that in mind, I think it’s worth looking at Richmond’s side of the story. From Balter’s piece: Richmond, who was also at the meeting, has vigorously denied the accusations in a statement to Science and in email responses. (He declined to be interviewed in person or by telephone.) The encounter in the hotel room, he wrote, was “consensual and reciprocal,” adding that “I never sexually assaulted anyone.” The piece also describes a long-term pattern of behavior by Richmond at the Koobi Fora Field School in Kenya, which led to his resignation from his role as an instructor there. Again, Richmond’s side of the story: Richmond notes in his statement to Science that before the incident in Italy, “there had never been a complaint or report against me throughout my career,” including from students at the field school. He stresses that he “voluntarily resigned my affiliation” with the field school, and explained in an email that he hoped his resignation “would help address the anger Wood reported to me” from those accusing him of inappropriate behavior. Richmond also says that his relationships with female researchers were consensual. Nevertheless, he says in his statement, “I take full responsibility for exercising poor judgment in the past by mixing my professional and personal lives, including having consensual affairs, and I have changed my thinking and my behavior. I am deeply distressed to learn that I have upset the women involved and colleagues in my field. I regret that I was not sensitive to how my academic position could impact the dynamics of consensual relationships.” Here’s the thing that I don’t understand. Even if we assume that the truth is exactly Richmond’s version of events, his behavior was wildly inappropriate in a way that should be obvious to anyone who does not have a vested interest in perpetuating a culture of harassment and exploitation in academia. I mean, it’s great that he now understands that “mixing [his] professional and personal lives” is a bad idea and that his “academic position could impact the dynamics of consensual relationships”. But there is no excuse for his not having understood these things before. It’s just not that complicated. Here’s the rule: When you have substantial power over someone, don’t hit on them. If you do, best case scenario, whatever happens between you is tainted by the fact that you can’t be sure if they’re really into you. Worst case scenario, you don’t care if they’re really into you, which puts you somewhere on a scale that runs between “manipulative creep” and “rapist”. So how do you know if you’ve got substantial power over someone? Well, if you’re Curator of Human Origins at the American Museum of Natural History, you sure as hell have a lot of power over a research assistant who works for you. When you’re a prominent anthropologist, you sure as hell have a lot of power over young anthropology students attending a field school in Kenya. But what about the rest of us? The Power of Destruction Academia is hierarchical, perhaps irrevocably so. Senior academics have power over junior academics, because academic careers depend on connections and recommendations. Moreover, an academic career can easily be derailed by a phone call from the right person. As Paul Muad’Dib says, “The power to destroy a thing is the absolute control over it.” It doesn’t matter that you would never destroy someone’s career just because they spurned your advances. If you could — or if they perceive that you could — the power dynamic is in there. And that academic power structure exists in addition to all of the power structures of society — the ones based on gender and race and age and socioeconomic status and everything else. You have somewhat less “power of destruction” over, say, a white male student whose parents are both professors at your university. You have more over a minority female student whose family lives in poverty in a third-world country, whose English is not great, and whose visa will be revoked if she leaves grad school. To be clear, you should not sleep with either of those students. But the extent of your ability to threaten, coerce, and manipulate is very different in the two cases. Or rather, there is a big difference in the extent to which any advances on your part can not fail to be perceived as coercive and threatening. A Field Test for Identifying Appropriate Sexual Partners in Academia I’m going to assume that I’ve already alienated the remorseless sexual predators, and that if you’re still reading, you’re someone who wants to do the right thing, that you don’t want to exploit your power and reputation. But even with the best of intentions, it can be hard to tell where exactly the line should be. The problem is that power differentials are often invisible to the people holding the power. To the extent that they do see their power, they feel entitled to it, and probably view themselves as benevolent dictators who would never abuse it. That makes it all too easy to ignore, or rationalize away the hazards of a sexual encounter with a student, employee, or junior colleague. These issues are always matters of degree, and the right answer may depend on the details of the situation in a way that can be captured only very approximately by rules like “no relationships between a faculty member and a student in their department”. I’d like to propose a thought experiment that you can deploy when you find yourself asking, “Should I hit on this person?” Imagine that this junior person in your field — maybe a grad student or a postdoc — made a completely false allegation against you. You’ve never even been alone in a room together, but they accuse you of sexual assault. Maybe they’re just a pathological liar. You’re the victim here, but you feel a moral responsibility to make sure that this person doesn’t wind up in a position where they have authority over other people. Because you’re a hero. If that were to happen, could you stop an unsuspecting department from hiring them? If you hypothetically could do this, then you have no business getting involved with this person — or anyone else with whom you have a similar relationship. For fans of the mixed metaphor: If you insist on shitting where you eat, pick on someone your own size. If we’re talking about a student, postdoc, research assistant, etc., who is under your subordinate, you absolutely have this power of destruction — so write that one off right away. But what about other students in the department, or at other institutions? This is where the thought experiment is useful, I think. For example, if you’re an untenured assistant professor, you probably don’t have power of destruction over the career of a student who works under the chair of your department. There are a lot of other reasons why a relationship is probably a bad idea, but your power over the student might not be one of them. On the other hand, if you’re one of the biggest stars in your field — you bring in millions of dollars of grant money, and your name comes up every year around Nobel-Prize time — you probably have power of destruction over not just all of the students in your department, but those at other schools as well. In fact, you would do well to steer clear of relationships with junior faculty in the field. If you’re applying this to yourself, I think it’s important to use the test as I’ve described it — imagining the scenario where you’re the victim — as it will make it easier to recognize the power you have. If you’re applying it as a third party, it’s maybe easier. If you can imagine saying to someone, “Don’t alienate Professor Whatsit. That could really mess up your career”, the corollary is that a relationship between that person and Professor Whatsit would also be inappropriate. Or, more concisely: If Pat can’t afford to screw over Chris, then Chris has no business screwing Pat. A Final Note on True Love One of the objections that is always raised in these contexts is this: What about true love? What if your one true soul mate just happens to be a student in your laboratory? I’m skeptical of this argument on its face, given that most people just happen to find their soul mate — the only person they could possibly be with — within the vanishingly small fraction of the population they actually encounter. But, for purposes of argument, let’s entertain it. If your defense is that each of you can’t possibly live without the other, that’s fantastic, and I wish you all the happiness in the world. The more senior of you just needs to quit your job. You can probably move to a new university, or, depending on the situation, maybe you just need to move to a different department. What’s that? You say it’s hard to find faculty jobs? Well, you could leave academia! After all, yours is a love for the ages, one for which you would be willing to make any sacrifice, right? That’s what you told the folks in HR, anyway. No? You couldn’t possibly rob the world of your singular intellect? And isn’t it unfair of the university to punish you for falling in love? Why should you have to sacrifice your career? Hmm, this is starting to sound less like “Star-crossed lovers find redemption in May-October romance” and more like “Entitled asshole deals with mid-life crisis through sexual exploitation of vulnerable subordinate while cynically exploiting naive romanticism to cover it up.”President Trump’s latest statement on free trade accused the European Union of being “very protectionist.” Such allegations are nothing new from a president who frequently complains that America suffers from its partners’ unfair trade practices. According to Trump, other countries discriminate freely while the U.S. remains handcuffed by its trade deals. How well do the facts support his story? ADVERTISEMENT The simple truth is that the U.S. government implements more protectionist policies than any other country. According to Centre for Economic Policy Research (CEPR) data, the U.S. erected almost twice as many new barriers than anyone else since the Great Recession, including the European Union. That fact alone doesn’t mean Trump is wrong. It’s possible that American exporters face more trade barriers abroad, forcing the U.S. government to retaliate against unfair practices. Unfortunately, the data does not support that narrative. EU members (and China) are actually targeted more frequently than the U.S. It is true that America faces a large number of trade barriers; it ranks in the top five of countries targeted worldwide. But the U.S. is not singled out unfairly relative to other major economies. More importantly, the U.S. and EU target one another at comparable rates. CEPR reports that total U.S. government interventions against the EU exceeded 540 since 2008. EU interventions targeting the U.S. totaled 520. Thus, the U.S. slightly edges the European Union, though the gap is small. The disparity is larger when looking at specific policies. For example, the U.S. is much heavier user of key non-tariff barriers, such as anti-dumping, which is the most common — and most controversial — non-tariff barrier over the past several decades. According to data from the World Bank and World Trade Organization, the U.S. far outpaces the EU in anti-dumping use. Of course, merely counting instances of protectionism says nothing about how those policies affect markets at home and abroad. What's more, trade protection’s economic consequences are harder to measure. It is possible that the EU’s trade discrimination does comparatively more harm to U.S. producers than U.S. policies do to the EU. It’s certainly true that the EU protects a wider diversity of goods than the U.S., including chemicals, fruits and transportation equipment. U.S. trade barriers, on the contrary, focus more narrowly on steel. But while the EU casts a wider net, America’s steel protection is economically and politically significant. The U.S. ranks in the top ten of global steel exporters. Protecting the ailing industry, which is concentrated in politically important states, has become a hot-button issue in recent decades. The result is that steel remains one of America’s most heavily-protected sectors. When assessing Trump’s claims, it’s also important to consider legal challenges to trade policies. Early in his administration, Trump questioned the authority of the WTO’s dispute settlement system. Citing unfair rulings, Trump said the U.S. would look to settle its disagreements outside the global trade regime’s formal process. Working on major Trade Deal with the United Kingdom. Could be very big & exciting. JOBS! The E.U. is very protectionist with the U.S. STOP! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 25, 2017 It’s true that the U.S. is sued more often — and loses more cases — than any other WTO member, but the conclusions he draws are wrong. The U.S. loses a lot, but so does every other country that gets sued. In fact, complainants win at least some portion of WTO disputes over 90 percent of the time. America’s seemingly poor record at the WTO doesn't mean the U.S. is being treated unfairly. Just the opposite. It illustrates how frequently the U.S. discriminates against its trade partners. Legal challenges to U.S. policies are not arbitrary. Rather, the volume of cases repeatedly targeting specific U.S. policies — e.g., America’s anti-dumping practices — reveals how committed the U.S. is to maintaining those barriers, even after they are struck down. The lack of evidence supporting Trump’s assertion comes as no surprise to economists. Since last year’s presidential campaign, experts questioned Trump’s understanding of trade’s fundamentals. Many warned that his unique brand of economic nationalism would lead to recession at home, further accelerating the decline of U.S manufacturing. Others pointed out that his policies would systematically disadvantage America’s poorest families (since trade protection raises prices for the average household). Now we are starting to see the effects of Trump’s ill-conceived economic nationalism. It’s a policy strategy consisting mainly of threats and accusations. America’s most important trade partners are understandably losing patience. Early in July, remaining members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership met to discuss moving on without U.S. involvement. At the same time, Mexico and China expressed a shared interest in negotiating a new agreement. Both events come on the heels of last spring’s deal between Canada and the EU. Trump now finds himself surrounded on all sides by new trade agreements. Each of America’s top five trade partners is looking elsewhere to form new deals — deals without U.S. involvement. Trump and his supporters may welcome this development. Elements of both parties agree that trade deals no longer serve U.S. interests. But as his recent tweet illustrates, Trump continues to underestimate the consequences of his approach. “America first” is quickly resulting in America being left behind. Jeffrey Kucik, Ph.D., is an assistant professor of political science at the City College of New York. He also serves as the director of CCNY's international relations master's program. The views expressed by contributors are their own and not the views of The Hill.1 Daß ich überhaupt Literaturkritik geschrieben und veröffentlicht habe, liegt daran, daß ich als junger Mann auf den Besitz von Büchern versessen war, aber nicht genug Geld hatte, mir welche zu kaufen. Als Rezensent hat man ein Recht auf sein Rezensionsexemplar, man läßt sich nicht mit losen Druckfahnen abspeisen. Später dann, als ich nach Argentinien und von dort nach Japan ging, trennte ich mich von meiner mittlerweile stattlichen Bibliothek. Schon vorher waren mir die Bücher mehr und mehr zur Last geworden: die Wohnung verstaubte, und es wurde immer schwieriger, eine Ordnung aufrechtzuerhalten. Ich sagte mir, das Wesentliche dieser Gebrauchsgegenstände, ihren Inhalt sozusagen, hätte ich ohnehin in meinem Kopf gespeichert, und so verkaufte ich die gesamte Bibliothek zu einem Spottpreis (abgesehen von einigen Ausnahmen wie der Pléiade-Werkausgabe von Borges). Ich fühlte mich erleichtert und habe diesen Schritt nie bereut. Mit meiner kritischen Tätigkeit fuhr ich fort, aus Trägheit und anhaltender Neugier. Hatte ich die Bücher gelesen, verschenkte ich sie oder ließ sie irgendwo zurück. Das digitale Zeitalter hatte inzwischen begonnen, und ich war froh, daß mir die Verlage pdf-Dateien schickten anstelle von Bücherpaketen. Sie taten es anfangs mit einem gewissen Mißtrauen, ganz so, als könne man mit digitalem Gut mehr Schindluder treiben als mit analogem. Daß ich auf die Zusendung eines »echten« Buchs verzichtete, verstanden sie nicht; hartnäckig schickten sie mir das Rezensionsexemplar, das mir zustand. Eigentlich wollte ich immer schon Schriftsteller werden, aber es mangelte mir am nötigen Selbstbewußtsein. So war ich überrascht und glücklich, als mir gegen Ende meines Studiums, als ich nolens volens irgendwelche beruflichen Schritte unternehmen mußte, wozu ich gänzlich unfähig war, der Leiter einer Literatursendung im Radio auf meine Anfrage zurückschrieb, er wolle mich unter seine freien Mitarbeiter aufnehmen. Kurz darauf ergab sich für mich, nachdem zwei andere Bewerber abgesagt hatten, die Möglichkeit, als Lektor an eine Universität nach Frankreich zu gehen, und ich ließ sie nicht verstreichen. Erst einige Jahre später, als ich immerhin schon einen Roman in der Schublade hatte und ein wenig aus dem Französischen übersetzte, begann ich wirklich, Literaturkritik zu schreiben, aus dem eingangs erwähnten Grund, denn mein Brotberuf war nie besonders einträglich. Damals ging man noch persönlich in Redaktionen, um Text zu liefern, anfangs tatsächlich noch auf Papier, dann auf einer Diskette, die ich in einen Schlitz am Hauptcomputer der Zeitung, für die ich schrieb, stecken mußte. Der zuständige Redakteur fragte mich damals, was ich sonst so täte. Ich wußte keine rechte Antwort, von meinen Schubladen wollte ich nicht erzählen, und so lautete der Kommentar des Redakteurs zu meinem Gestotter: »Aber vom Artikelschreiben kann man doch nicht leben.« Danke für die Auskunft, dachte ich und war zu perplex, um zu antworten. Auf die Idee, mir irgendwelche Hinweise, eine kleine Handreichung zu geben, kam der Mann nicht. Umgekehrt kam ich nicht auf die Idee, die mir auf abstrakter Ebene durchaus bekannt war, daß man nämlich seine Ellbogen einsetzen muß, um sich im Medienbetrieb ein sei es auch noch so kleines Plätzchen zu verschaffen (im Literaturbetrieb gilt dasselbe, auch unter Übersetzern). Bei der Wochenendbeilage derselben Tageszeitung bekam ich nach annähernd zehn Jahren freier Mitarbeit Schwierigkeiten, weil ich in anderen Organen zu veröffentlichen begonnen hatte. Man erwartete von uns Schreiberlingen, daß wir dem Blatt treu blieben – so sah die Freiheit aus. Ausnahmen wurden bei sogenannten Berühmtheiten gemacht, die durften veröffentlichen, wo sie wollten. Diese Geschichten spielen in Österreich, einem engen Ländchen mit sogenannter Pressekonzentration, wo Eifersüchteleien und Mißtrauen gang und gäbe waren. Andererseits: Vom Artikelschreiben kann man nicht leben – vor allem nicht, wenn man nur für ein Organ schreibt. Ich versuchte zu wechseln, was mir auch nicht recht gelingen wollte, und war froh, als sich die Möglichkeit ergab, regelmäßig für eine Schweizer Zeitung zu schreiben, die über solchen Kleinkram erhaben war und ist, obwohl ja auch die Schweiz, nach dem Bekunden einiger von dort stammender Autoren, ein enges Ländchen ist: wahrscheinlich doch, trotz der verbindenden Alpen, mit etwas weiterem Horizont. 2 Bei derselben Zeitung kam es kürzlich zu personellen Änderungen in der Kulturredaktion. Jahrelang hatte ich vor allem über lateinamerikanische, österreichische und ostasiatische Literatur geschrieben. Zufällig hatte sich ein und dieselbe Person um diese Bereiche gekümmert, und jetzt war sie weg, ich hatte keinen Ansprechpartner und wenig Lust, mir neue zu suchen – bei flüchtigen Emailkontakten kamen mit diese Leute kalt, eilig und oberflächlich vor (anscheinend bin ich von den arbeitsweltlichen Realitäten heillos entwöhnt). Ich beschloß, die Konsequenzen zu ziehen und mich bis auf weiteres nicht mehr um Literaturkritik zu kümmern. Will man literaturkritisch tätig sein, ist eine Voraussetzung, im Hinblick auf die Produktion der Verlage einigermaßen auf dem Laufenden zu sein. Das bin ich nun seit einigen Jahren immer weniger; die Zeiten, in denen man die Verlagsvorschauen durchblättern muß, sei es digital, sei es analog, um sich die »interessanten« Neuerscheinungen herauszusuchen und Vorschläge an die Redaktionen zu machen, waren mir zur Belastung geworden, ein regelrechter Alpdruck, dem ich mich immer widerwilliger auslieferte. Die Verlage produzieren im Halbjahresrhythmus, Frühjahrs- und Herbst-Kollektion, was seit der sogenannten Wende, also dem Zusammenbruch der DDR, auch bedeutet: Leipziger und Frankfurter Buchmesse. In dieser Produktionsroutine haben sich während der letzten Jahrzehnte die sogenannten Vorlaufzeiten immer mehr verlängert. Es scheint nötig zu sein, »wichtige« Neuerscheinungen (und auch die weniger wichtigen) von langer Hand vorzubereiten, zu bewerben, zu mediatisieren, Kontakte herzustellen nicht nur mit Literaturkritikern, sondern auch mit Jury-Mitgliedern und Kulturmanagern aller Art, mögliche Literaturpreise zu sondieren und einzufädeln – und außerdem muß man natürlich lektorieren, Entscheidungen hinsichtlich Cover und sonstiger Ausstattung treffen, in manchen Fällen noch bevor das Buch fertiggeschrieben oder übersetzt ist. Ein heftiger Kampf um mediale Aufmerksamkeit, von dem die Masse der Leser gar nichts weiß. Die Verlagsvorschauen werden immer früher verschickt, die kleinen Verlage sind oft spät dran und verlieren allein schon deshalb im Aufmerksamkeitskampf an Terrain. Mittlerweile, unterstützt durch die ausschließlich gewordene Emailkommunikation, die in sogenannter Echtzeit funktioniert, ist es üblich, Vor-vorschauen zu verschicken, so daß die Literaturkritiker schon im Frühjahr wissen, was sie im Herbst erwartet. Ich frage mich, wann es Vor-vor-vorschauen geben wird, und so weiter, man kann das Spiel – oder die ökonomische Hysterie – natürlich ins Unendliche treiben. Ernsthaft gesprochen: Ich hatte von Saison zu Saison immer weniger Lust und noch weniger Bedürfnis, mich zu »informieren«. Die Vorschauen und Vorvorschauen blieben eine Weile in meiner Mailbox, bevor ich sie löschte. Und da mir die zweite Informationsmöglichkeit, das Netzwerk der Gerüchte, die Privatkommunikation der Lobbys, nicht (oder nur sehr rudimentär) zur Verfügung steht, weil ich am Rand der Welt wohne und dieses berühmt-beliebte Networking nie sonderlich anziehend fand, weiß ich immer weniger Bescheid. Und will auch nicht mehr Bescheid wissen von diesem – welche Verfluchung kommt jetzt? – sagen wir’s freundlich-bajuwarisch: von diesem Schmarren. O nein, es ist nicht alles Schmarren, was glänzt, ich weiß es wohl. Es ist wie im Internet: viel Mist, viel Shit und überraschende Perlen. Wer sich ganz davon abwendet, findet auch keine Perlen. Aber die ganze Mühe, nur wegen... Man kann das Burn-out nennen, mit einem Modewort, oder einfach sagen: Ich hab die Schnauze voll. Die Produktion der Verlage ist insgesamt ungeheuer gewachsen, Kinderbuch wie Sachbuch wie Romane und wie die Kategorien alle heißen, sogar Lyrik, alles wird in ungeheurer Fülle produziert oder scheinproduziert, und zugleich das Gejammer, daß niemand mehr liest, Krise der Verlage, des Gedruckten, des Buchstäblichen und so weiter und so fort. Da kam mir die Änderung in der Schweizer Redaktion gerade recht: zugleich schmerzlicher und willkom
West Bank and Gaza Strip, the police may pursue drug dealers for years only to have them released on a bail of 50 Jordanian dinars ($70) due to a lack of evidence. Zreikat called for a new preventive law. The lack of rehab clinics is another problem. “This epidemic, which began to spread in Palestinian society [over the last 10 years or so], requires a comprehensive national plan in which all public and private institutions are involved,” Zreikat said. Abu Rabih reiterated this point, stating that Al-Sadiq Al-Taieb is considered one of the only associations to operate in a comprehensive and specialized manner to fight drugs, spread awareness and provide rehabilitation. Up until 2005, it was the sole association of its kind, but now other centers have been established. Abu Rabih has worked in this field for 20 years, but she explained that her association and others are not enough to fight the recently aggravated drug phenomenon. Governmental and institutional action against drugs must converge.Is Nathaniel Clyne ready to swap St Mary's for Old Trafford? Southampton defender Nathaniel Clyne is set to reject the Saints' offer of a new deal as he holds out for a move to Manchester United, sources have told ESPN FC. Clyne's future has been the subject of speculation for some time with the full-back's contract at St Mary's due to expire next summer. Southampton are determined to keep the 23-year-old and sources say they have offered the defender a new lucrative deal in the region of £45,000 a week. However, Clyne is ready to snub the offer of a new deal as he has his heart set on a switch to Old Trafford. Clyne has established himself as one of the best right-backs in the Premier League and his form this season saw him break into Roy Hodgson's England squad, making his debut in the Euro 2016 qualifier win over Slovenia. Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal is keen to bring in a new right-back this summer with Rafael currently out of favour and Antonio Valencia being played as a full-back rather than a winger for most of the season. A host of right-backs, including Barcelona's Dani Alves and Porto's Danilo have been linked with a move to Manchester United, but Clyne is reportedly at the top of Van Gaal's wish list. Chelsea are interested in Clyne, but sources say the former Crystal Palace man favours a move to Old Trafford, despite turning United down in favour of a move to Southampton in the summer of 2012.The Libertarian Road to Egalitarianism A recent National Bureau of Economic Research study by Emmanuel Saez and Gabriel Zucman finds that “the top 0.1% of [American] families now own roughly the same share of wealth as the bottom 90%.” Furthermore, the study shows that the “recovery” we keep hearing about hasn’t reached the middle class, with only those atop the economic pyramid seeing its benefits. With a narrow sliver of the populace hoarding so much of the country’s wealth, policy wonks and academics busy themselves pointing fingers and proffering solutions. Predictably, free markets come under fire as the source of widening inequalities of wealth and income. As exponents of deregulation and free markets, libertarians frequently find ourselves charged with living in a fantasy world, tuning out problems of inequality. We libertarians do it to ourselves: When the subject inevitably comes up, too many of us become palpably uneasy, defensively insisting that inequality just isn’t a problem, that what we ought to look at is standard of living or some other metric. “Capitalism is great for the poor — we swear it!” Libertarians must accept the cold fact that inequality is a very big problem indeed. But we needn’t regard inequality as a weak point in our arguments for economic freedom, or as an issue on which we simply cannot win. Existing economic relations are not the product of freedom of exchange or legitimate private property. Libertarians actually hold the high ground on the inequality issue. Liberty and equality in fact complement and reinforce one another, the former naturally resulting in the latter. Individualist anarchists like Lysander Spooner held that “extremes in both wealth and poverty” resulted from “positive legislation,” substituting arbitrary laws for natural laws and “establish[ing] monopolies and privileges.” In capitalism, Spooner argued, the owners of capital receive special power in the economy — power having nothing to do with simple freedom of production, exchange, and competition. Considered holistically, state intervention redounds to the benefit of the rich and politically connected, economic elites with special access to those who write and implement the rules we are all forced to live by. These interventions are not perfect, and certainly the country’s system of monopoly capitalism is overlaid with a veneer of measures ostensibly intended to protect workers, consumers, and the poor. But no such measure ever compromises the fundamental purpose of state intervention — to dispossess rightful owners, putting the multitudes at the mercy of employers. The historical purpose of the state, in short, is permanent class war, the use of state power to insulate a socioeconomic nobility. The political left is thus quite right about inequality, even while tending to be quite wrong about freedom, individual rights, and markets. Market anarchists favor both freedom and equality, espousing a stateless society in which the ultimate law is equality of freedom and authority. Genuine open competition is a dissolving and dispersive force. Libertarians should stop making apologies for today’s staggering inequalities as if we arrived at this place via laissez faire and sovereignty of the individual. Citations to this article:The recently established Sydney Stock Exchange (SSX) is working on a blockchain settlement system that will be promoted as a low-cost alternative to the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). SSX, formerly known as the Asia Pacific Stock Exchange, belongs to the businessman George Wang, reports Sydney Morning Herald. It is only two years old and has only three stocks listed. However, its low profile can be explained by the monopoly of clearing and settlement that ASX held until 30 March 2016 when the government of Australia dеcidеd to open the way for competition. However, according to SSX, the work on the project started as early as a year ago. A public blockchain for the stock exchange is being created with the help of Bit Trade Labs. According to David Lawrence, COO of the exchange, the project’s main goal is “to improve efficiency and save our market participants’ and brokers’ money” and to “hand them back some controls.” SSX is not the first exchange in Australia to experiment with blockchain. As CoinFox reported earlier, ASX has been planning to implement a private blockchain for real-time clearing and settlement. However, unlike its competitor, SSX believes that the future belongs to public distributed ledgers. According to Loretta Joseph, SSX's chief consultant on the blockchain project, “The banks are effectively trying to build an intranet. If we put a control around who could come into [the Internet] and who can't, we wouldn't have the Internet today.” When the project is launched, which is expected in early 2018, the exchange also plans to sell versions of its system to other exchanges. Mr Lawrence stated: “We will be developing our blockchain solution initially for the SSX but we fully intend to make it available to other markets, and have an open access philosophy.” Alexey TereshchenkoFirst things first, there is a common misconception about pistol armour buys and a force-buy. A force-buy is a last resort to win a round or prevent a team from getting to match point or winning the game. This involves spending everything you can in order to win the round and knowing you won't be able to get a good buy next round or will have to force again. However, a pistol armour is a buy you make when you have enough money to buy next round but you want to maybe do a bit more damage and apply pressure to the other team's economy, knowing they survived a lucky clutch and saved a gun or two, but with no intention of winning the round. A big problem with players in Counter-Strike is that they don't know how to use a pistol armour buy effectively. Even knowing they can buy next round anyways, it is still a bit of a throwaway round if you don't play it properly because you are missing the opportunity to do some good damage to the economy which could save you late game or potentially winning the round. Throughout this article, I will be going through some tips and advice on how to play these rounds as a Terrorist and Counter-Terrorist. First Tip: Always play close unorthodox angles and positions. The reason you want to do this and not do your usual 'rush b no stop' tactic is because you are increasing your odds of winning a duel even with your upgraded pistol. This is because a pistol like a P250 at close range will still one shot your opponent in the head even if he/she has head armour. This can then ultimately lead you to save a gun and improve the economy in the long run, or you can just end up winning the current round or the next off this rifle. Let's take a look at the damage charts for pistols, so I can further elaborate my point. Courtesy of Schuzak From the damage chart above, the P250 when shot at head/neck level does 138 damage to the head and 107 to the neck. Therefore, it will one shot your opponent at close range. The same applies to any other upgraded pistol, which is why you want to play these unexpected and close angles because you will catch your enemy with their pants down and that's better than rushing B and getting sprayed down by a P90. Some examples of these unorthodox angles are: Second Tip: The second piece of advice I have for you is to not go around playing close angles alone and to go in pairs. Why I suggest you go around with a team mate or even in threes is because you have more firepower and you can definitely trade a kill or two as long as you ensure you don't line up. Furthermore, walking around in pairs or holding in pairs also increases your success rate of winning a gunfight. Going around in pairs also allows you to push areas of the map much quicker and lets you cover more ground. This can allow for a good call to rotate to either site, which could possibly win you the round. Finally, another benefit to pairing up is you can isolate the Lurker of the opposing team or the one generally watching the flank. You can both push different angles and he/she will have to worry about both of them, and when you double peek, it's an instant frag. If you survive the pushes, this puts constant fear into the other team's heads because they have to watch the flank and it also could mean they use one less player to push the bomb site, which evens out the situation a little bit with having pistol and armour. Third Tip: Be mobile. With this tip you may combine Tip 1 by taking unexpected angles. The combination allows you to consistently keep your opponent guessing to where you will be and, due to you playing these weird angles, you'll have the upper hand in the close range gunfight. Being mobile also allows you to confuse your opponent and put fear into them mentally. Jst be aware of any flashes they might throw to catch you off-guard, but as long as you avoid getting double pushed by an enemy you should be fine by combining this tip and the first tip. Another thing with mobility is movement. Ensure you practice your movements because this can easily get you a frag. Make sure you learn how to strafe shoot and how to AD peek. These two things make it very hard for an opponent to get close to you or let alone hit you. Additionally, with AD and strafe peeks, you can deprive the other player of ammo and then, as soon as they have to reload, use the advantage of the run speed you have with the pistol and rush them down as they try to reload. This is why being mobile and having good movement is important, because you can outmanoeuvre your opponent and maybe score a lucky headshot or a frag while they struggle to trace you as you move. Strafe Shooting - Courtesy of TheWarOwl (caution opens new tab) To Summarize: With pistols, you want to hold angles your opponent won't expect in the heat of the moment. Also, if you notice they tend not to check angles a lot, this can be very beneficial. You also want to make sure you are mobile and use the advantage of the agility a pistol gives you compared to an AK or an AWP. Use your knowledge of strafe shooting and ADAD to bait out AWP shots or to manoeuvre enemy fire. Make sure you rush someone who is playing in a enclosed area near you when they reload in order to pick up an easy frag. Lastly, if you want to push for info or map control while with pistols and armour, make sure you move around in pairs so you can isolate enemies and save a gun or two. Thanks for reading, and hopefully this article helps you in your pistol armour buys! Get your own AKRacing Chair here and support our players, all profit goes towards the teams!Fatima Haji, one of a group of Bahraini doctors who faced five years in jail but was acquitted in June 2012, told RT about the physical and psychological torture she experienced while in police custody. She explained that she was arrested from her own apartment along with 19 other doctors who disappeared from their homes, hospitals and operating theatres. None of them were allowed contact with lawyers or their family during interrogation and they were forced to sign false confessions, blindly without being able to read what they were signing. “These confessions were extracted under severe torture and I mean physical and psychological torture, we’d been denied sleep for days and had been standing for days. We were not given food or fluids and were hardly allowed to go the toilet,” Haji said. She added that they were beaten with wooden sticks and hollow pipes, were electrocuted, sexually harassed and threatened with death and rape in order to get them to sign a confession. The confession they were forced to sign said that they possessed weapons in the hospital where they worked and were trying to overthrow the monarchy. “The current regime has been manipulating the judicial system to use as a political tool,” Jawad Fairooz, former member of Bahraini Parliament has told RT arguing that the medics have been released for political gain, as others, with a similar list of offenses, have been sentenced to lengthy jail terms. At the beginning of her ordeal Fatima did not know what her charges were, but found herself at a military court where they read out charges that had been fabricated against her that she had stolen 100 bags of blood, which she gave to protesters so that they could spill it on themselves, so that it looked as if they had been assaulted by police. She said that it was never formally put to her that all she did was treat protesters, but instead the fact that the medics were just doing their job was turned into political accusations that they were trying to overthrow the government, had stolen blood and drugs from the hospital and were participating in an illegal gathering. The reason behind such detention is that “there is no specific independent judiciary system that you can depend on,” Fairooz added stating that it is not only a human rights issue but more of political crisis in the country.Study: 98% Of Us Will Sign Away Our Firstborn Because We Don’t Read The Terms Of Service “Click here if you have read and agree to the Terms of Service.” How many times in your life — heck, how many times just this month, or this year — have you hovered over that little ticky box without bothering to click the TOS link first? Or scrolled straight to the bottom of a pop-up window with 17 pages of boring legalese in it, just to continue installation? If your answer is anything other than “all the times,” you are in a very, very small minority. A new study from researchers at two universities has confirmed what most of us already anecdotally know: nobody’s actually reading the fine print, even if they should. And how did the researchers find this, you may ask? By creating a fictitious social networking site that research participants signed up for. The privacy policy and terms of service for this fictitious site were modeled on existing documents on another social network (LinkedIn), and checked in at roughly 8000 and 4000 words respectively. But this fake site’s policies included a few extra clauses that should have raised eyebrows. One had to do with data sharing, and specified that the site could share your information with the NSA “and other security agencies in the United States and abroad.” It also said that your data could be shared with any third parties, and as a result “could impact eligibility in… employment, financial service, univeristy, entrance, international travel, the criminal justice system, etc.” The other said that participants agreed to sign over their firstborn, Rumpelstiltskin-style: “In addition to any monetary payment … all users of this site agree to immediately assign their first-born child” to the site, it read. “If the user does not yet have children, this agreement will be enforceable until the year 2050.” The researchers then asked open-ended questions to the participants asking if they had any concerns with the policies and sign-up options. 543 research participants signed up for the site. Of those, 399 skipped all the fine print entirely and just signed up blindly. For the remaining 144, the average time spent “reading” the privacy policy was 73 seconds, and for the TOS, 51 seconds. Even the best speed-readers are not going to get through — and understand — 8000 words of legalese in 73 seconds, and these participants were no exception. In the end, the researchers found that 98% of all participants completely missed the existence of the “gotcha” clauses. That means a total of 10-11 participants, at most, actually noticed. Research participants were all undergrads, as is very common for university-based research. But this behavior is far from limited to young adults. A similar experiment in the UK in 2014 found the same results, with users unwittingly signing away their firstborn in exchange for access to a free WiFi hotspot. A UK-based retailer found the same in 2010 when their customers happily, and unwittingly, signed over their immortal souls. Other studies have found that barely one in five internet users actually read the terms, and even they probably don’t usually stop to process the words. So yes, we should all read a little more carefully before we proceed — because as long as they disclose it, a company can do pretty much anything they want with your account or personal information. Of course, it doesn’t help that the policies are usually long, dense, complicated, formatted badly, and full of legalese. There are some tools that help but when it comes to comprehensibility, we still have a long way to go. [via Ars Technica]Tyson Barrie's days in Colorado may be numbered. The 24-year-old is set to become a restricted free agent this July and that's one reason TSN's Bob McKenzie insists there's a good chance the Colorado Avalanche defenseman could be dealt. "There’s no question in my mind, I think Tyson Barrie is going to be traded," McKenzie told TSN 1260 Radio on Friday, according to Chris Nichols of Today's Slapshot. McKenzie added, "Colorado is looking for a defenseman. But I don’t think they like the economic leverage that Tyson Barrie has right now. Tyson Barrie has got a very strong arbitration case. I think he’s going to be looking for a sum of money that Colorado doesn’t feel comfortable in giving him. Therefore I think they’re looking for somebody who - looking for a different type of defenseman maybe, or one that’s not going to cost them as much money." Barrie is coming off his fourth full season with the Avalanche - including the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign - and is expected to receive a raise from his previous $2.6-million cap hit. Barrie's name has been and continues to be in trade talks, according to McKenzie, and he could be the perfect trade chip as the team looks to fill holes at all positions. "I think they are in the market for a defenseman. I think they are in the market for forwards as well, being a non-playoff team and all," said McKenzie. "But I definitely think Tyson Barrie has been in play, and continues to be in play, and there's a real strong chance that he could be traded at some point here." Barrie led all Avalanche defensemen in scoring for the second straight year with 13 goals and 49 points in 78 games. - With h/t to Today's SlapshotJeff Jordan thinks Google should buy PayPal. Jordan is a venture capitalist, a partner with the big-name firm Andreessen Horowitz. But he knows a thing or two about acquiring PayPal. As the general manager of eBay North America, he helped the online auction house buy the online payments company back in 2002. Then he ran PayPal for a time. When Google was building its Checkout service years ago, he told the company's leaders—Eric Schmidt, Larry Page, and Sergey Brin—that it would make more sense for them to partner with PayPal, which offered an entrenched payment system, rather than trying to build their own. Google decided to go it alone and has flailed in the payments markets ever since. Checkout no longer exists. It just rebooted again with a service called Android Pay. But with PayPal, Jordan believes, Google could add the piece that its search engine is missing. "You could make the experience so seamless," he says, "that Google starts behaving like Amazon." Seamless commerce is a goal many companies are chasing. Facebook and Twitter, for instance, are trying out "buy buttons" on their social networks. Facebook, Jordan believes, could also improve its place in the world by buying PayPal, but he says Google is the best fit. This is a particularly interesting idea now that eBay is spinning PayPal back into a separate company. Earlier this week, eBay announced that the two outfits will formally split on July 20, each publicly traded as an independent company on Wall Street. Once that happens, PayPal could have many suitors, including not only the giants of the Internet, but MasterCard and Visa as well as various big banks, says Sucharita Mulpuru-Kodali, an analyst with research outfit Forrester. All these companies are jockeying for a place in the future of payments. MasterCard and Visa are already partnering with Apple on its Apple Pay service, a way of paying for stuff both online and off via your iPhone. Google is trying to compete with Apple Pay through a service called Android Pay (formerly Google Wallet). And PayPal, though it's still struggling to capturing a greater share of offline sales, is tightly woven into the online world. Another potential suitor: Microsoft. According to Jordan, a top Microsoft exec once approached him about Microsoft acquiring PayPal. Years later, Jordan suggested to then Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer that the company buy all of eBay, just so it could get Skype (which Microsoft eventually did buy) and PayPal. And now, PayPal could be even more useful to the company. Microsoft doesn't offer its own Apple Pay. Selling Where You Search Because PayPal is very much an online technology, Mulpuru-Kodali believes its value to Google is limited. "PayPal has zero traction in offline retail, which is where Google really needs data," she says. But Jordan believes PayPal could push Google well beyond what it's able to do with a fledgling service like Android Pay. "Google has billing relationships with virtually no one," he says. "This would allow them to track a product from'saw it' to 'bought it.'" In the world of online retail, Jordan explains, the big battle is Google versus Amazon. "Google is Amazon's most daunting competitor," he says. You might not think of Google as a retail company, but in recent years, it has indeed transformed itself into a potential e-commerce contender. Working through partners like Target, Google offers same day delivery of certain products in certain markets. This may not make Google that much money—at least not directly. But if Google can actually sell goods, rather than just pointing people to goods through ads, it can improve the value of its search engine—and prevent the world from moving all their shopping searches to Amazon. Amazon End-Run If Google acquires PayPal, it could not only show ads to searchers but give them a way to instantly buy what's being advertised. This, Jordan says, would make its search engine more useful. But it would also give Google more insight into what people are doing online—and that would allow the company to hone its ads in ways it never has. What's more, PayPal owns Braintree, a way for businesses to accept payments not only through PayPal but other payment services and systems. This could be a way for Google to push more advertisers towards quick payments on the 'net, cutting out Amazon altogether. In the meantime, this data feeds Google's search engine, too. The price of buying PayPal outright might be too rich even for a company like Google. But one way or another, it seems, Google is intent on becoming a payments powerhouse. In order to sell, the thinking goes, the company must make it easier to buy.Chris Tucker net worth: Chris Tucker is an American comedian and actor who has a net worth of $3 million. Chris Tucker was born in Atlanta Georgia on August 31, 1971. Tucker first became known as a performer on "Def Comedy Jam". His acting career began to take off in the mid-90s with roles in "House Party 3", "Friday", and "The Fifth Element". Tucker's career went to the stratosphere when he went on to co-star in Brett Ratner's hit "Rush Hour" trilogy with Jackie Chan. After the massive success of the first Rush Hour movie, Tucker demanded and received $20 million to appear in the sequel. He then negotiated a $40 million two-movie contract with New Line Cinema of which $25 million would be his salary for Rush Hour 3. Tucker also received 20% of the gross receipts of Rush Hour 3 which, when combined with his salary, made him the highest paid actor in the world at the time. Unfortunately Chris Tucker's good financial luck did not last forever. After a series of financial mistakes, Tucker found himself reportedly $11 million in debt. He faced foreclosure on his 10,000 square foot, $6 million Florida mansion and ended up oweing the IRS $11 million in taxes for the years 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005. The mortgage on his Florida property was $4.4 million and Tucker stated publicly that he did not have enough income to pay his bills. Chris is still a viable Hollywood actor and talks are already underway for Ice Cube's production company to arrange another "Friday" film. He received positive reviews for his performance in the 2012 Academy Award winning movie Silver Linings Playbook. If the rumored Rush Hour 4 movie ends up happening at some point, that will clearly be a boon to Chris' wallet.WASHINGTON (CNN) — Add Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz to the list of Republicans sending mixed signals about his support for Donald Trump. I will not defend or endorse @realDonaldTrump, but I am voting for him. HRC is that bad. HRC is bad for the USA.— Jason Chaffetz (@jasoninthehouse) October 27, 2016 Earlier this month, the Republican congressman told CNN's Don Lemon that he wouldn't defend the candidate after a 2005 "Access Hollywood" tape was leaked revealing Trump bragging about being sexually aggressive with women because he is a celebrity. In the wake of the tape, nearly a dozen women have alleged Trump sexually assaulted or inappropriately touched them without permission. Trump has denied all the claims of misconduct. "My wife, Julie and I, we have a 15-year-old daughter," Chaffetz had said on "CNN Tonight." "Do you think I can look her in the eye and tell her that I endorsed Donald Trump for president when he acts like this and his apology? That was no apology, that was an apology for getting caught." Chaffetz continued: "So I'm not going to put my good name and reputation and my family behind Donald Trump when he acts like this, I just can't do it." And when asked by Lemon if Trump could do anything to make it up to voters and the Republican Party, Chaffetz responded, "I don't know." Other Republicans sending mixed messages on Trump include GOP Senate candidate Rep. Joe Heck of Nevada and Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey, who is running for re-election. Chaffetz is a congressman from Utah, the home state of independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin whose popularity there threatens to squeeze Trump's path to victory in the previously solid red state. A Utah poll earlier this month found Trump and Clinton tied, with McMullin running a close third. Chaffetz also led the Hill GOP investigation into Clinton's email use while secretary of state. Copyright 2016 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved. × Related StoriesFadi Chehadé, CEO of ICANN, speaking in Dubai in 2012. (Image: ITU Pictures/Flickr) In the coming weeks, the organization charged with maintaining the internet's infrastructure will unveil a plan to surrender the US government's oversight, marking a symbolic step towards more decentralized internet control after years of international pressure. If all goes as planned, on September 30, the US will cede its control of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the nonprofit charged with managing components like internet protocols and domain names. The decision has been on the horizon since ICANN was founded in the 1990s, but the scheduled transition has not been without opposition. The US Department of Commerce announcement that it would finally change its role was initially greeted with backlash from American companies that feared it would affect ICANN's ability to cater to US trademarks and from politicians who warned the Obama Administration was "giving up control of the internet." Fadi Chehadé, who has served as CEO of ICANN for the last four years and will end his term in March, told Motherboard that now, after months of deliberation, arguments, and discussion from these parties and other stakeholders, the nonprofit is ready to hand over a consensus plan to the US government. He the House and Senate, initially hesitant about the decision, have been working with ICANN, and companies like Verizon, AT&T, Google, Intel, Cisco, are now on board. Google previously expressed support of the plan put forth by the Cross Community Working Group on Enhancing ICANN Accountability (CCWG) with some caveats in December but declined to comment on the current structure. Intel also offered support of the CCWG in September with some suggestions for "accountability enhancements" but has not since updated its views. Verizon, Cisco, and AT&T did not respond to request for comment. "It takes time, and now you have more people supporting this," Chehadé said. "It took some participation and education, and we are now in a good place. We are working with all these people constructively, because they now understand keeping this layer of the internet out of control of governments or special interests is the best thing for the internet." The policy will not affect the actual content of the internet, but represents a shift for the building blocks that comprise it, like domain names, which have become controversial with ICANN's recent additions. One such domain,.sucks, was accused of being "predatory" and evaluated by the FTC, but has since been allowed, and many celebrities have been preemptively scooping up.sex and.porn domains to protect their brands. Soon decisions about addresses like these will be put in the hands of a broader range of stakeholders. Chehadé said the change was inevitable: with the vast majority of new internet users in countries like China and India, it was no longer politically feasible for the group to keep its US ties. "The status quo was no longer sustainable," he said. "The internet is no longer a side show. This is the digital century; it's the next industrial revolution. The prevalence of the internet as a platform that enables the digital century made it incredibly hard for ICANN to continue doing its critical role under the control of one party, whoever that party is, whether it is a government or a company." This was especially clear as countries like China, Brazil, and Russia demanded control of ICANN be taken away and given to an international body like the UN, calls that grew louder in light of the NSA spying scandal. These appeals to transition power over ICANN from the US would also potentially allow other major powers like Russia and China to have more control over internet policy and could lead to censorship and fragmentation, allowing conservative countries to create their own walled-off, controlled internets. "Countries that have failed to stifle free expression at their borders have now turned their attention to the task of gaining control of the root of the Internet itself—meaning a takeover of the nonprofit Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers by the Chinese, the Russians or some combination of governments unfriendly to the United States and the democratic process is a possibility that must be taken seriously," Peter Roff wrote at US News in October. It remains to be seen when the plan is unveiled what safeguards are in place to keep ICANN independent and the internet free, but Chehadé believes the current multi stakeholder process will prevent this scenario. "I think if, at this layer, if the transition we are about to finish occurs we would have reduced considerably that risk," he said. "If we don't have this, we don't have a global internet. It's just that simple. We'd have multiple internets. Everything would change; the ability to share knowledge, share experiences, to remove barriers, to lower misunderstandings." Sally Shipman Wentworth, the vice president of global policy development at the Internet Society, one of the organizations involved in the transition, said she believes the parties to the IANA transition are close to an agreement, and that it is important the transition occurs on schedule. "We think the community has made tremendous progress," she said. "It's been a long and difficult process and a lot of interests to take into account, but we think we are getting close, and we need to grab consensus." Wentworth said it is important that governments are included in the process from the beginning, and while the decision won't make major changes to what we see online, an independent ICANN and the process it took to get there means a lot for internet freedom. "I think what this process should demonstrate is that a bottom-up, multistakeholder consensus process can produce outcomes that are good for the internet," she saidPORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers have acquired defender Chris Klute from Columbus Crew SC in exchange for general allocation money, it was announced today. Per league and club policy, terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Klute, 25, has appeared in 71 career MLS matches (63 starts) since his league debut late in the 2012 season with the Colorado Rapids. The defender joined Crew SC in a draft-day trade on Jan. 16, 2015, and made 14 appearances (8 starts) during Columbus’ run to MLS Cup this season. “Chris is an experienced MLS defender that also has a big upside, similar to when we acquired Jorge Villafaña two years ago,” said Gavin Wilkinson, general manager of the Timbers. A native of Grand Prairie, Texas, Klute made 57 appearances with the Rapids from 2012-2014, including an MLS-career high 31 appearances (30 starts) during the 2013 campaign – his first full season in the league. Klute has recorded eight assists in his MLS career, including seven during a breakout 2013 season in which he earned the Rapids’ Defender of the Year award. “Chris will be an ideal fit in our system,” said Timbers head coach Caleb Porter. “He is a balanced player on both sides of the ball, very athletic and can stop guys 1-v-1 while also providing width in the attack. With a fresh start and role that suits his strengths, we feel Chris can become one of the most effective left backs in the league. He is also capable of playing on the right side which helps cover our depth for international call-ups and CCL matches.” In 2014, Klute continued to play a vital role in defense for Colorado, leading the club in crosses from open play (51) and tackles won (67), as well as ranking third on the team in total touches (1,634) in 25 appearances (24 starts). Before coming to MLS, Klute began his professional career with the Atlanta Silverbacks, signing with the NASL club in June 2012. Klute made 12 appearances for Atlanta before joining the Rapids. At the international level, Klute was called into U.S. Men’s National Team training camp in January 2014 and has made appearances for the U.S. U-20 and U-17 Men’s National Team, helping the U-17s qualify for the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup, where he started one group-stage match against Tunisia on Aug. 23, 2007. Chris Klute Position: Defender Pronunciation: KLOO-tee Height: 6-1 Weight: 172 Born: March 5, 1990, in Grand Prairie, Texas Last Club: Columbus Crew SC College: Clayton State Citizenship: United States Acquired: Acquired Dec. 11, 2015 from Columbus Crew SC in exchange for general allocation moneyThe world’s smallest working fuel cell has been created. It measures a paltry 3mm across. Generates 1mA of current A researcher at the University of Illinois, where the 3 x 3 x 1mm hydrogen-fuelled “micro fuel cell” was developed, said it’s able to generate power without consuming any itself, according to a New Scientist report. Inside the fuel cell, a thin porous membrane separates a water reservoir from another containing metal hydride, below which is an arrangement of electrodes. Water molecules pass through the membrane as vapour and then react with the metal hydride to form hydrogen. The hydrogen fills up the reaction tank, prevent more water flowing through. As the fuel's used up, the pressure on the membrane is eased, allowing more water vapour to enter the chamber. Other pump-less fuel cells use gravity to push water through the system, but the new cell's so small, it can use surface tension instead. That allows it to work even if its position is altered. But, you may have to wait a while for the first commercially available model, because so far it’s only able to generate 1mA of electricity - hardly enough to keep your BlackBerry ticking over. Horizon's fuel cell R/C car kit In the meantime, you could amuse
want an informed and worldly electorate, and here we have these kids in high school and they're trying to get a grasp of the world," Adams said. "The assumption is that they're not able to make informed decisions, so we have to have a legitimate cutoff" date. 17-year-old voters But to Democratic Assemblyman Gene Mullin, D-South San Francisco, many of the students he taught in 32 years of high school government classes were better informed than their elders. "These young people are in school and hearing discussions of issues in their classes," he said. "Republicans are afraid we're going to register a lot of Democrats, but most teenagers tend to register in the party of their parents." Mullin introduced the constitutional amendment giving 17-year-olds the right to vote in primary elections because it "would allow these individuals to support their chosen candidate through all stages of the campaign." Virginia, Maine, Indiana and North Carolina are among the states that already have similar laws. Because the amendment, ACA15, needs a two-thirds vote to get out of the Assembly, Mullin admitted that he needs some help from Republicans that he isn't likely to get. The Democratic bills would not give a boost to Republicans, Democrats or any other group, said Assemblyman Curren Price Jr., D-Inglewood (Los Angeles County), who is carrying the preregistration measure, AB1819, which has the backing of Secretary of State Debra Bowen, Common Cause and the League of Women Voters. "This is a step we can take to encourage voting involvement at an early age," he said. "People who get involved at a young age are more likely to become regular voters." The measure would allow teenagers to fill out a registration form so that they would automatically be registered the day they turn 18. Florida and Hawaii already have similar laws on the books, and a handful of other states, including Texas, Iowa and Missouri, allow 17-year-olds to preregister. Price described his bill as "a way of tapping into the interest young people have expressed this year," while not mentioning that much of that excitement was bolstering Democratic campaign efforts. Under-30s lean to Obama A poll done earlier this month for the Democratic-leaning Democracy Corps found that 60 percent of the 18- to 29-year-old voters surveyed backed Obama for president, with 33 percent supporting Republican Sen. John McCain. While 44 percent identified themselves as Democrats, 21 percent called themselves Republicans. But it's not a political party that attracts young voters, said Chrissy Faessen, a spokeswoman for the nonpartisan Rock the Vote, which works to bring more young people to the polls and into the political process. "Young people do in this election favor Obama, but they care about issues," she said. "They will vote for the individuals who respond to the same issues they do." While arguing that persuading young people to vote is strictly a nonpartisan issue, Democrats aren't shedding any tears over Republican worries about the growing partisan preference shown by young voters. "If that's the way the wind is blowing, so be it," said Roger Salazar, a spokesman for the California Democratic Party. "This is a testament to the effort and work we've put on issues important to them." The GOP's opposition to the two young-voter bills doesn't mean Republicans are abandoning teenage voters as a lost cause, said Hector Barajas, a spokesman for the state Republican Party. California already is doing plenty to make it easy for new voters to register and doesn't need expensive new programs that may or may not work, he added. "In an election year like this, the youth vote is going to be important," Barajas said. "We're not going to concede the youth vote, the black vote, the Latino vote or any other group in the state."Chris Lynn has been named stand-in captain of the myFootDr Queensland Bulls for the Matador BBQs One-Day Cup to be held in Sydney next month. With Usman Khawaja selected in the Australia Test squad to tour Bangladesh, Lynn will lead a 14-man Bulls outfit featuring three new faces in the 50-over format. Australia Under-19s representative Billy Stanlake, English-born Charlie Hemphrey and South Africa-born Marnus Labuschagne are all in line to make their domestic one-day debut when the tournament begins on October 5. Lynn will push for further national honours as Queensland skipper // Getty Hemphrey showed what he is capable of last summer with a maiden first-class century in the final match of the Sheffield Shield regular season, while Labuschagne made a name for himself with a stunning catch as a substitute fielder in the Commonwealth Bank Test against India at the Gabba. Marnus Labuschagne takes a short-leg ripper with the Test team However, it's the inclusion of towering young quick Stanlake that will excite onlookers throughout the three-week competition. The 20-year-old rookie stands at 204cm and is set to be unleashed after overcoming stress fractures in his back to complete an injury-free pre-season. Billy Stanlake in action at last year's U19 World Cup // Getty "You only have to look at Billy's stature to realise he has huge potential," Bulls 'keeper Chris Hartley told News Limited last week. "When everything clicks he's our quickest bowler and gets nice outswing on the ball. "The ingredients are there for him to be a very dangerous fast bowler." Queensland will be out to improve on their third-place effort last season, but will have to do so without star batsmen Khawaja and Joe Burns, both of whom will be on national duty for the Qantas Tour of Bangladesh. The team's leading wicket-taker last season, Peter George, has been ruled out due to a hamstring injury sustained in the first week of Premier cricket. Queensland Matador Cup squad: Cameron Boyce, Ben Cutting, Luke Feldman, Peter Forrest, Chris Hartley, Charlie Hemphrey, James Hopes, Marnus Labuschagne, Chris Lynn (c), Simon Milenko, Michael Neser, Nathan Reardon, Billy Stanlake, Mark Steketee.A capable performance as the Texas Longhorns play caller this fall earned wide receivers coach Jay Norvell an interview with the Arizona State Sun Devils on Sunday, according to Orangebloods. Former Arizona State offensive coordinator Mike Norvell recently took the head coaching job with the Memphis Tigers, so Jay Norvell interviewed for the same position. Despite holding the co-offensive coordinator title at with the Oklahoma Sooners from 2010-14 and taking over play-calling duties for Texas after head coach Charlie Strong demoted Shawn Watson one game into the 2015 season, Norvell hasn't been the sole offensive coordinator since 2006, when he worked under Bill Callahan with the Nebraska Cornhuskers and did not call plays. So landing the Arizona State gig would be a significant career move for Norvell and a no-brainer if he ends up receiving a job offer from the Sun Devils. If not, he'll have a decision to make about whether he wants to return to Austin next season solely as the wide receivers coach or possibly as a co-offensive coordinator. But based on his interview with Arizona State, he will likely have the chance to hold more responsibilities elsewhere than he will at Texas. If Norvell leaves, tight ends coach Jeff Traylor is expected to be the only member of the current offensive staff to remain with the Longhorns, regardless of whether TCU Horned Frogs co-offensive coordinator Sonny Cumbie accepts the position.Belief in hell, as opposed to heaven, may curb criminal behavior, according to . Religion generally frowns on unethical behavior, but specific beliefs may be the determining factor when it comes to criminal acts. Azim F. Shariff, a UO psychology professor and director of the , and co-author of the University of Kansas studied 26 years of data involving 143,197 people in 67 countries. The study was published in the Public Library of Science journal . "The key finding is that, controlling for each other, a nation's rate of belief in hell predicts lower crime rates, but the nation's rate of belief in heaven predicts higher crime rates, and these are strong effects," Shariff said. "I think it's an important clue about the differential effects of supernatural punishment and supernatural benevolence," he said. "The finding is consistent with controlled research we've done in the lab, but here shows a powerful'real world' effect on something that really affects people – crime." found that gross domestic product was higher in developed countries where people believed in hell more than they did in heaven, Shariff said. "At this stage, we can only speculate about mechanisms, but it's possible that people who don't believe in the possibility of punishment in the afterlife feel like they can get away with unethical behavior. There is less of a divine deterrent." So what do you think? Is belief in or fear of hell more potent than belief in or the promise of heaven? -–WhatsApp is changing its policy as it begins building a moneymaking business after long placing little emphasis on revenue. The company plans to allow businesses to contact customers directly through its platform. A similar strategy is already being tested on Facebook Messenger, a separate messaging service Facebook owns. “We want to explore ways for you to communicate with businesses that matter to you, too, while still giving you an experience without third-party banner ads and spam,” WhatsApp said in a blog post announcing the changes to its privacy policy. Among the changes, Facebook will be able to use a person’s phone number to improve other Facebook-operated services, such as making new Facebook friend suggestions, or better-tailored advertising, WhatsApp added. It said the data-sharing would also be used to fight spam text messages across its service. WhatsApp emphasized that neither it nor Facebook would be able to read users’ encrypted messages and that individual phone numbers would not be given to advertisers. WhatsApp users are still required to provide a phone number only to sign up for the service, and can opt out of giving it to Facebook. While WhatsApp operates autonomously from Facebook, Mr. Koum sits on Facebook’s board. The changes were immediately viewed with a critical eye by some who were concerned when Facebook bought WhatsApp that their data could one day be misused. WhatsApp made early inroads with people worldwide partly for its hard-line stance on privacy and individual liberties, which was rooted in Mr. Koum’s youth in the 1980s in the Soviet Union, where, he has said, he lived in fear of his communications being monitored. Mr. Koum has also been outspoken against advertising in the app in general.Council American-Islamic Relations announced an intention to sue President Donald Trump over his executive order banning most immigrants from Syria, and other countries that lack certain vetting standards and have issues with terrorism. Overnight, refugees who were in the air on the way to the United States are now being detained, and have also filed legal actions. The ban is perceived by some as a partial Muslim ban. Either way, at any trial, the law supports Trump’s order, and CAIR or others are likely to lose, completely, conclusively and quickly. Liberal lawyer critics of Trump are making a habit of losing in their appeal to any branch other than elections — lost recount lawsuits, lost elector lawsuits, lost Russia-conspiracy derived lawsuits. Now, get ready to add lost emolument lawsuits and lost immigration lawsuits. The Constitution gives Congress and the President exclusive, plenary control over immigration. This is how both Carter and Obama could single out various states or beliefs to exclude migrants on that basis, as both did. Read moreNorth Uist in the Outer Hebridies is more than 500 miles north of Dungloe. A FOOTBALL used by a Donegal GAA team has been found washed up more than 500 miles away on a Scottish shoreline in the Outer Hebrides. The ball, owned by Dungloe Ladies’ GAA club, was found at the weekend on the Scottish island of North Uist after being swept to the remote northern isle by the Atlantic current. Edinburgh native, Arthur Heyes, who was visiting the remote island, picked the O’Neill’s football up on the shore. When he saw the club’s name written on the ball, he made contact with the club to say the ball was fully inflated and in perfect condition. “Either one of you ladies has a particularly powerful shot or the ball has survived a seaborne journey of hundreds of miles. Respect the quality of your Gaelic footballs," he joked. Manager of Dungloe ladies, Conor Comack said the club had been training on the shore at Maghery outside the west Donegal town when the ball was kicked into the water on May 5 during a club training session. He said Mr Heyes told him he intends returning the football to the club in person later this summer. North Uist in the Outer Hebridies is more than 500 miles north of Dungloe. “One of the girls went into fetch it back but the current was too strong and it started drifting south but must have changed its mind and gone north,” he said. Mr Comack said the ball will be given pride of place on a shelf at the clubhouse.The December issue of Empire magazine offers the most complete look at Jared Leto as the Joker in Suicide Squad that we've seen so far. Barefoot and shirtless — to show off those prison tatts, natch — Leto rocks a purple, leather trench and a pair of Arkham Asylum-issue pants like a born Clown Prince of Crime. Empire magazine is offering one of the first interviews with Leto on his portrayal of the infamous character for Warner Bros. upcoming Suicide Squad, and for subscribers, the magazine is offering a the special cover below. According to producer Charles Roven, the look of Suicide Squad's Joker was "inspired by Mexican cartels," but it wouldn't be the first time the character's look has been inspired by a mode of dress associated with Mexico and Mexican-Americans. Suicide Squad hits theaters this coming August.Randy Inman watches as his holstein dairy cows make their way to be milked at Mar-Bil Farms in Mount Crawford, Va. (Norm Shafer/For The Washington Post) When the Good Humor ice cream plant closed here two summers ago, more than 400 jobs and a stable, punch-the-clock way of life melted away, another in a string of plant closings that have battered this once-proud manufacturing town. The hulking plant sat vacant until a co-op of Virginia dairy farmers purchased it in summer 2013 to process milk and ice cream, though on a far smaller scale than the 60,000 cases of ice cream that global food giant Unilever churned out every day. Randy Inman, the board president for Shenandoah Family Farms, said he expected the plant’s revival to trigger plenty of interest in its three dozen or so initial jobs. What he did not expect: 1,600 applicants and counting — a deluge. Many applicants are desperate former employees still without work in a county with 7.3 percent unemployment and in an economy where manufacturing job openings now require more specialized abilities than the lower-skilled positions that have gone overseas or, in the case of Unilever, to Tennessee and Missouri, where labor and operating costs are cheaper. Wall Street is booming, the Federal Reserve is paring back its stimulus, there are bidding wars for houses again, but for blue-collar workers in places like Hagerstown the economic recovery has yet to materialize, and many around town worry that it won’t. Laid-off workers are living week-to-week on unemployment. They’re working temp jobs and trying to reeducate themselves. They are trying to save their houses from foreclosure. View Graphic Manufacturing employment in the Hagerstown, Md., area is down. “You’d think that after 20-some-years working someplace at least somebody would think you are a good person, that you’d show up on time every day, and that would be worth something,” said Luther Brooks, a 50-year-old single father of four who lost his $40,000-a-year pasteurization job at the ice cream plant. “But I can’t get nothing. I’ve tried.” A handful of former workers have gotten lucky, returning to their old jobs as the plant begins production later this month. They won’t earn as much as they did before, but they aren’t complaining. One rehired worker — and his boss — spoke on the condition of anonymity. He is being inundated with pleas for help landing jobs from former colleagues. “I’ve been hounded on Facebook,” said the 60-year-old mechanic who had been working in lawn care before he got hired back. He has told the job seekers, “Put in a résumé; put in an application.” Brooks, whose unemployment benefits are about to run out, put in two. “I’d even take a hand-packing job just to start,” he said, meaning a job stuffing boxes with ice cream. “I didn’t even get a call.” The country lost 6 million factory jobs between 2000 and 2009, and in Maryland, the job losses have been catastrophic. There were about 172,000 manufacturing jobs in the state in 2000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics; today there are about 104,000, a nearly 40 percent drop. In the Hagerstown area, which once produced airplanes, pipe organs and leather car seats, there were roughly 14,000 factory jobs in 2000. Today: about 8,000. The staggering job losses have the attention — finally, some workers say — of Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (D), who has revived the dormant Maryland Advisory Commission on Manufacturing Competitiveness. Later this month, the commission is scheduled to release recommendations on improving prospects for manufacturing jobs. “For us to stay the course would mean continued erosion of middle-class jobs that are very hard to regrow,” said Jeff Fuchs, the commission’s chairman. The challenge for elected officials, experts say, is preparing workers accustomed to the manufacturing of the past for what is needed now. New plants feature specialized machines that frequently use complex computer programs — “precision” manufacturing. Such factories require higher-skilled workers but fewer of them. That’s a difficult world for a former ice cream plant worker to enter. “Workers need to be a step above what their fathers and grandfathers were capable of doing,” Fuchs said. “The manufacturing employees of today need to be cross-skilled. They need to know how to do a lot. It’s not just monitoring a machine and pushing a button when you’re supposed to.” Maryland is investing more money to help workers. The state’s new $4.5 million industry-led job training and competitive workforce program, called EARN (Employment Advancement Right Now), last week announced 29 grants for job training programs for a variety of industries, including biotechnology, cybersecurity, green jobs, health care, logistics and manufacturing. “There is no progress without a job,” O’Malley noted in making the announcement. But reeducating lower-skilled workers is a long process with multiple challenges. Many workers enter job training programs with little to no formal education. Other workers have family circumstances that prevent them from putting in the necessary time to learn new skills. Still more are stubborn and think they will eventually land a job like the old one. The job training experiences of many former ice cream workers offer a window into the difficulties. The laid-off workers were eligible for up to $4,500 in state and federal assistance for retraining. At the Western Maryland Consortium, a job training group, executive director Peter Thomas said 85 workers enrolled for services including remedial education, computer training and occupational skills development. Forty-nine have landed permanent jobs — as dental assistants, forklift operators, business accounting software workers or truck drivers, which was the largest new occupation for the reeducated ice cream plant employees. One worker who went through the job training program was starting over after 28 years at the plant as a mechanic. He met his wife on the job. He had been working third shift — the graveyard shift — at the plant for years, and it was taking its toll. When the plant closed, “I wasn’t really depressed,” he said. “I was ready for a change.” He got a truck driver’s license, but he wound up taking a job working on a dairy farm. There weren’t many other options. He was earning $26 an hour making ice cream. He’s making $13 an hour now. His wife is studying to be a nurse. “We have no benefits at all,” he said. “We’re going to look into the Obamacare thing if we can ever get online to do it.” They have cut back on spending. They’ve taken some money out of retirement accounts. But, he said, “My health is better because I’m not working third shift. Third shift is a miserable life. I’m happy. As long as I can survive, that’s all I really care about.” The dairy co-op is gearing up for production on Jan. 22. It will process milk initially, then add ice cream products — gallon containers, novelty bars, cones. The Virginia farmers and their families will have their pictures on the products. The idea is to connect consumers with the source of their milk and ice cream. How many additional employees will be hired is unclear, but plans are to ramp up fast. Inman, the co-op board’s president, knows that many former workers are desperate to come back. In the lobby the other day, inside the local newspaper box, the main headline on the front page read: “Long-term jobless benefits at end?” “We would like to be able to hire some more of these people back,” he said.Nigel Pearson was sacked by Leicester on Tuesday Nigel Pearson's future as Leicester City manager seemed assured after he guided them to safety from what looked looked like certain Premier League relegation. A run of seven wins and one draw from the Foxes' last nine games swept away the turbulence of a season that saw Pearson row with a Leicester fan in the home loss to Liverpool, throttle Crystal Palace's James McArthur after a touchline collision and infamously describe a journalist as "an ostrich" after a home defeat by Chelsea. Pearson, however, was sacked on Tuesday and it seems the breaking point was his son James's involvement in a racist sex tape made in Leicester's owners' homeland of Thailand, for which the player was dismissed. So who will take over from Pearson after he ensured top-flight football at the King Power Stadium next season? Sean Dyche Sean Dyche has been the manager of Burnley since 2012 after he was dismissed by Watford Dyche enhanced his reputation despite Burnley's relegation last season, getting the best out of his players and producing a side that was organised, disciplined and had great spirit. Let down by a lack of goals, Dyche remains a hugely popular figure at Turf Moor and his approach is highly regarded within the game. He has formed a close attachment to Burnley having taken them into the Premier League initially and would need a lot of persuading to leave a superbly run club who allow him to do his job as he likes it. Dyche is sure to attract admirers, though, and the prospect of a return to the Premier League may yet be tempting. Chance: 7/10 David Moyes Moyes seems sure to return to the Premier League at some stage but is clearly enjoying life with La Liga side Real Sociedad, where he is well-respected, and looks a world away from the haunted figure of his final days before his sacking by Manchester United. The Scot has been linked with West Ham United, Newcastle United and Sunderland before their vacancies were filled and he may feel he might get bigger than Leicester City should he bide his time and continue to rebuild his reputation in San Sebastian. Leicester's owners are ambitious, however, and it would not be a surprise if they at least asked the question. Chance: 5 Neil Lennon Neil Lennon made 170 appearances as a player for Leicester after signing a contract in 1996 Lennon is a legendary figure at Leicester City for his fiery, combative midfield approach in the successful days of the Martin O'Neill era, when the club won the League Cup twice. He was a huge success at Celtic, both as player and manager, most notably when they recorded a magnificent Champions League win over Barcelona at Parkhead. Lennon did a steady job at Bolton Wanderers last season but has always been ambitious to work in the Premier League. A strong candidate and an appointment that would go down very well with Leicester's fans. Chance: 8 Sam Allardyce Sam Allardyce guided West Ham to Europa League qualification but left at the end of last season Allardyce remains an unloved figure among fans but study his body of work and this is a manager who gets the job done and is virtually a guarantee of Premier League security. Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers were both left regretting his departure. He did exactly what he was asked to do at West Ham - got them up into the Premier League and established them there before the move to the Olympic Stadium. Allardyce was very firm about taking a break from the game on the day he left West Ham, insisting batteries needed to be recharged. Remains to be seen if he can be persuaded otherwise - or even if he figures on Leicester's wanted list. What you see is what you get. It suits some and not others but he may not be interested even if Leicester make a move. Chance: 5 Harry Redknapp Redknapp has declared himself ready to return to management after leaving QPR to have knee surgery and was a target for the Foxes two years ago. A lot has passed since then and at 68 may be regarded as a little too senior to take charge. He would certainly enjoy the owners' ambition. Now as Leicester are safe in the Premier League, they may prefer a younger target. Chance: 4 Martin O'Neill Martin O'Neill previously managed Leicester for five years from 1995 Still loved by Leicester City's fans for winning promotion to the Premier League and two League Cups in a wonderful Filbert Street era, O'Neill is now manager of the Republic Of Ireland as they battle to qualify for Euro 2016. He is still full of energy at 63 and may feel he has unfinished business after what he regarded as a harsh sacking at Sunderland in March 2013. The fire still seems to be burning. As with Lennon, would be a popular appointment as replacement for Pearson but is this purely one for the romantics? All depends on the profile required by Leicester's owners. Chance: 6 Guus Hiddink If Leicester's owners are seeking a manager with a worldwide profile, then Hiddink fits the bill as he prepares to step down as coach of the Netherlands. Hiddink's stock is not as high as it once was, though, and he struggled in this latest spell in charge of the Dutch, stepping down after only 10 months in charge. He may be past his prime at 68 and unsuited to the day-to-day rigours of Premier League football despite his past successes and an excellent short spell at Chelsea. Still counts as a big name in the game. Chance: 4 Michael Laudrup Michael Laudrup managed Swansea City in the Premier League between 2012 and 2014 Another figure with a global profile and was a major success in his first season at Swansea City, where he won the League Cup. His career in South Wales then suffered a significant slump and he was sacked. His last job was in Qatar with Lekhwiya but whether Leicester would fit the bill as the big club he would want to manage in the Premier League or La Liga remains to be seen. Also his reputation was hit by the rapid way his reign went into decline at Swansea. Chance: 5 Patrick Vieira The former France midfielder is forging a fine reputation as head of Manchester City's elite development squad and Newcastle United flirted with the idea of moving for Vieira before eventually settling on Steve McClaren. Regarded as ideal future management material but it again depends on whether Leicester see him as right for them and vice-versa. A certain manager of the future - maybe not just yet. Chance: 5 Esteban Cambiasso Esteban Cambiasso made 31 appearances for Leicester last season and scored five goals An outsider but the 34-year-old Argentine was acknowledged as a figure of massive influence on and off the field at Leicester City last season - could he be persuaded to take the managerial role? Cambiasso was Leicester's player of the year and has a wealth of experience after a glittering career at giants such as Real Madrid and Inter Milan before excelling at the King Power Stadium last season. It would be a big gamble but he would be well received by Leicester's fans. Chance: 6Research & Development The military is making big plans for nanoscale materials Boeing calls HLM's microlattice the lightest metal ever. A corporate R&D laboratory jointly owned by Boeing and General Motors said it plans to develop new methods for scaling up atomic-scale materials to exploit their unique properties. HRL Laboratories of Malibu, Calif., also said Tuesday it would develop processes to assemble nanoscale materials into millimeter-scale components that are compatible with existing manufacturing technologies. An HRL team will work with Intelligent Materials Solutions Inc. of Princeton, N.J., to assemble nanoscale particles used to create finished components that would be 1 million times larger than individual nanoscale particles, HRL said. The work is being funded under the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency's Atoms to Product (A2P) program. The Air Force Research Laboratory is also funding the nanoscale manufacturing effort. HRL also is working under NASA's Game Changing Development Program to develop a microlattice material developed at the nanometer scale, that is one-tenth the weight of carbon fiber while remaining strong and flexible. The material, which Boeing has called the lightest metal ever, would reduce the mass of future space craft by 40 percent and would be essential on a trip to Mars. It also could be used in the structural components of aircraft—and considering General Motors’ involvement, ground vehicles—which would save a lot on fuel costs. The DARPA program seeks to leverage the "very uncommon physical characteristics [of common materials] when fabricated at nanometer-scale." Among the potential military applications are quantized, or variable, current-voltage behavior, dramatically lower melting points and much higher specific heats (the amount of heat required to change the mass unit of a substance by one degree in temperature). Along with atomic-level assembly of these materials, the A2P effort also seeks to leverage unique material properties for miniaturization, 3D components and other nanometer-scale assembly. The A2P program also reflects DARPA's efforts to reduce the cost and complexity of manufacturing weapons. A related agency effort detailed in September seeks to develop new composite materials and processes for manufacturing small parts. The goal is to improve weapon performance while compressing tool development and fabrication cycles. HRL said its goal under the A2P program was to "develop a rapid, fundamentally new method that enables intricate 3-D millimeter-scale components made from a wide selection of nanoscale elements." The laboratory noted that current nanoscale fabrication techniques such as vacuum deposition, which is used to deposit atoms on substrates below atmospheric pressure, are limited in terms of speed and the ability to scale to millimeter dimensions. The former Hughes Research Laboratories established in 1948 specializes in research on sensors and materials, microelectronics and electromagnetics. It currently serves as a Defense Department "trusted foundry" certified to manufacture electronic components for DOD and the National Security Agency.Via Royal Astronomical Society The use of stars, planets and stellar constellations for navigation was of fundamental importance for mankind for thousands of years. Now a group of scientists at the Max-Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Garching, Germany have developed a new technique using a special population of stars to navigate not on Earth, but in voyages across the universe. Team member Prof. Werner Becker will presented their work at the National Astronomy Meeting in Manchester, England on March 30, 2012. Have you ever asked yourself how the starship Enterprise in the TV series Star Trek found its way through the depths of space? Cosmic lighthouses called pulsars might be the key to this interstellar navigation – not only in science fiction but also in the near future of space flight. When stars much more massive than our Sun reach the end of their lives, their final demise is marked by a dramatic supernova explosion that destroys most of the star. But many leave behind compact, incredibly dense remnants known as neutron stars. Those detected have strong magnetic fields that focus emission into two highly directional beams. The neutron star rotates rapidly and if the beam points in the direction of the Earth we see a pulse of radiation at extremely regular intervals – hence the name pulsar. Prof. Becker and his team are developing a novel navigation technology for spacecraft based on the regular emission of X-ray light from pulsars. Their periodic signals have timing stabilities comparable to atomic clocks and provide characteristic time signatures that can be used as natural navigation beacons, similar to the use of GPS satellites for navigation on Earth. By comparing the arrival times of the pulses measured on board the navigator spacecraft with those predicted at a reference location, the spacecraft position can be determined with an accuracy of few kilometres, everywhere in the solar system and far beyond. At the moment even the fastest spacecraft would take thousands of years to travel to the nearest star and far longer to explore the wider Galaxy so we are unlikely to see journeys like this happen for many centuries. Nonetheless, the pulsar-based navigation system could be in use in the near future. Professor Becker gives two examples:Eugene Kaspersky, founder and CEO of Kaspersky Lab, arrived especially for the CyberTech 2015 conference, initiated by Israel Defense and the Israel National Cyber Bureau, and agreed to sit down and openly discuss the question of whether he has links with the Russian government, an allegation that was brought up by Bloomberg last week. According to the Bloomberg report, Kaspersky was educated at a KGB-sponsored cryptography institute, then worked for Russian military intelligence. More allegations claim that company officials have close ties with Russian intelligence, and even that Kaspersky has weekly meetings with Russian intelligence officials in saunas. The context of the story revolves around the claim that Kaspersky do not publish cyber attacks conducted by Russia, but only those carried out by other countries, for example, the United States. "Let's start with the fact that none of our publications deal with the question of attribution," says Kaspersky. "Our systems work automatically. Even the collection of data and analysis. When we find a new malicious code, we have no idea whether it was written by a State, a criminal organization or a lone hacker. For us the goal is to understand the weapon or espionage, and publish the information to the relevant people who deal with it, including publishing it on our website." The reason I wanted to talk with Kaspersky on this issue is the question of why a leading US site as Bloomberg chose to publish this article now, personally attacking Kaspersky. Rumors of Kaspersky's ties with Russia's intelligence services have been around for years in certain circles. This is also correct regarding rumors about American companies and the CIA (the In-Q-Tel investment fund is an interesting test case), and famous Israeli cyber companies and the Mossad. The bond between cyber and state intelligence services should not surprise anyone. Still, why would an American website choose to clash with a Russian cyber company just now? One hypothesis is that this is a first and significant evidence of the politicization of cyberspace. US is facing Russia also in the virtual space. Is the crisis in Ukraine sliding into cyberspace? Maybe. Another hypothesis might be related to business. A direct accusation by a reliable website like Bloomberg could damage the reputation of Kaspersky Lab and make decision makers around the world think twice before they purchase a product or a service from a company that allegedly has ties with Russian intelligence. We have seen what the reports of Snowden have done business-wise to Cisco and other US companies. A third hypothesis is related to the recent revelation of Kaspersky – a group of hackers named Equation Group. Kaspersky did not mention for whom the group works, but the report shows a pretty clear picture implying it's probably the American NSA. Arstechnica.com made the connection. Among other things, one of the signs is the connection of this group in the development of the Stuxnet worm, which, according to foreign sources, was developed by the NSA and Israel. Whoever checks the published map of the victims could magically notice that the group did not affect Israeli customers, and that the US appears under "easily damaged" in the map. Anyone can draw conclusions. The group, according to the publication, operated for 14 years without interruption until the release of Kaspersky. Maybe it annoyed someone who used Bloomberg to "get back" at Kaspersky? "There are always rumors around cyber," says Kaspersky. "You know how many times I've met with Putin? Zero. And how many times with Angela Merkel? Once. With Shimon Peres? Twice. Anyone who wants to, can come and check our offices and see for himself that there are no cables that connect us to the Kremlin. So our office is located near The Kremlin, does that mean that we have a cooperation with them? Regarding the sauna – yes, occasionally Russian intelligence service officers go there. So what? Is that a proof that they have access to Kaspersky's systems? "As to the claim that our executives are Russian, there is a much simpler reason. When we promote someone, we prefer for he/she will be from inside the company. Many of our employees are Russian, naturally. There are those who work over ten years with the company and they are the ones we advance to management positions. That does not make them Russian spies. On the other hand, in our branches around the world we have a preference for local workers. In a small portion of our branches the managers are Russian, and in the greater part they are local workers, as in Israel, for example. "Anyone who thinks the politicization of the cyber industry will contribute something to human society in wrong. Cyber has no limits. Various of intelligence services will have to cooperate in order to eradicate cyber terrorism. The same goes for police departments all over the world, in order to eradicate organized crime in cyberspace. Without close cooperation this phenomenon that can inflict a very large damage for everyone. We are cooperating with many police departments around the world and with organizations such as Europol and Interpol to promote a safer cyberspace." Why do you think Bloomberg is trying to promote the politicization of cyberspace? "I have no idea. This is a reputable website that often covers us favorably; I do not know what is behind the story". Will you work to prevent the politicization of cyberspace, if in fact it goes there? "We as a company do not believe that politics should enter the field of cyber defense. It is not good and does not contribute. If I will see this is
had done this thing. Why do you think people had such a hysterical reaction to it? HC: Wow – I hadn’t thought about Mr. Morrison’s review in decades–but as Dean Martin would have it, “Memories are made of this.” Comic book fans – by which I mean male enthusiasts, who make up the majority, despite the recent advent of Geek Girl culture – have an ambivalent and confused relationship with erotic content, particularly when it’s overt, as opposed to the covert eroticism of every superhero comic book produced since Lou Fine, Reed Crandall and Mac Raboy brought actual draftsmanship to comics. All those spandex outfits, tights on butts, male and female…that is altogether acceptable–but when the fetishistic aspect is pointed out and pushed a bit farther than the border of the average enthusiast’s comfort zone, trouble brews. Face it – for the comic book guy, pinups are great, but porn – hey, that’s private..! And as for Mr. Morrison, he was then and is now entitled to his opinion. At least he signed his name, as opposed to the rampant pack of chickenshits, cowards, pissants and pussies who haunt the blogosphere. Of course, I do believe that what we have here is a very early example of what’s come to be known in academic circles as vindictive protectiveness – championing a minority of which Mr. Morrison isn’t actually a part, while needing to heroically interject against a perceived injustice against them. The companies have an investment in convincing the enthusiast that the characters are the brand – whereas we as comic people know that the talent is the brand. And despite my feeling that Mr. Morrison’s utterly humourless self-regard is only trumped by his nearly parodic self-mythologizing, a youthful pal of mine who’s a fan of his pointed out that that is actually his brand. Furthermore, this friend regards my often described trajectory of a career running from inept to excellent as self-loathing, as opposed to my feeling that it is a humble and realistic appraisal–finding this humility wanting compared to Mr. Morrison’s overinflated sense of self. Go figure. I should point out that we’ve never met. We were in a green room at the San Diego convention some years back, where we both seemed to be pretending the other was dead. For any further insights, I can only recommend Alan Moore’s recent remarks in regard to Mr. Morrison, which are, needless to say, articulate, sensitive and beautiful. TW:Ironically, these days you’d have a lot of people calling out Grant for being Transphobic. HC: Really? What for? Or is this one of those instances where he’s unintentionally hurt some identity politician’s feelings by not portraying a transgender character as Mother Teresa with dick? TW: By the mid-90s, you were working more in TV and Film, with the Flash, Mutant X and Earth: Final Conflict. Towards the end of the decade, you became more involved in comics, principally as a writer on books like Pulp Fantastic and American Century. Recently you worked with Matt Fraction on Satellite Sam, where you provided art for another writer. What are your preferences with these differing elements of comic book creation? HC: I worked fairly steadily in television from 1990 to 2002 – never serving on a show I’d watch that I wasn’t professionally involved in. I moved to California in 1985 because I realized that I might actually get old – and comics were not going to keep me in anything but cat food casseroles. I am forever grateful for the work I did in television, as it gave me a pension and real estate. When I was fired from my last job, I approached DC Comics about coming back to work for them full-time as a writer and artist – as during the time I’d been involved with television, I’d done some writing, both on my own and in collaboration. Since then, I’ve maintained a schedule of approximately 25 pages a month, either writing and drawing my own work, writing for another artist, or drawing other writer’s scripts. At least for me, there are no clear-cut preferences. Each discipline informs the other. Much of what I learned when I was writing for television has had an impact on my comic book work, particularly in the realm of story structure. My experience drawing material from other writers’ scripts has reminded me of the fact that far too many of them have little or no knowledge of, or perhaps even any interest in or concern with, the physical real estate and limitations of the comic book page. My job and responsibility in those collaborations is to filter out the literary, often non- visual nature of those scripts and create pattern and narrative structure that serves the medium and the story. TW: You collaborated with David Tischman on much of your output in the early 2000s. How did that creative process work, and what were the pluses and minuses? HC: David Tischman is a very witty, astonishingly clever guy – for the record in that green room non-encounter with Mr. Morrison, he made a remark on Mr. Morrison’s exit that still makes me laugh. He’s a fount of terrific ideas – who remains congenitally incapable of finding closure with any of them. David and I would discuss the first draft – he’d then deliver that, and I would rewrite it, sometimes extensively, sometimes surgically –but always closely and specifically. TW: Mighty Love, the original graphic novel from 2004 was your first new art since the 1990s, I think, and you subsequently became more involved with comics again as a writer and artist. What drew you back to the field? HC: I think this question is answered pretty clearly and completely above. It should be noted that when I sold DC Mighty Love, I hadn’t drawn anything in nearly a decade, and thus had no idea whether or not I could actually still do it. That said, I found that my chops were in pretty good shape, and to my delight, I also learned that I’d developed more confidence in my abilities to improvise – and that I no longer had those occasional days that haunted me back then, in which I would quite literally forget how to draw. My goal is to die at my drawing table – not soon, however, thank you very much. TW: Since then you have done a variety of work for a number of publishers. The two titles that seem to me to reflect your core aesthetic are Black Kiss II and Satellite Sam. Overall, what work in your career do you feel is key to you? HC: As I’ve noted above, Time(Squared) is my most personal work. I’m proud of Flagg! of course, and Black Kiss – all three productions are near and dear to my heart. Matt has said more than once to my delight and amusement that Satellite Sam is Howard Chaykin fan fiction. What could be more charming than that? And while you’re at it, have a look at Century West from Image & Titan, a western done originally for Disney Italia, as well as City Of Tomorrow and my revisionist version of The Challengers Of The Unknown. The latter got me called a “Left-wing faggot” on the internet –it doesn’t get any better than that. And to maintain the march of work that has no commercial value in a marketplace obsessed with edgy gritty dark superheroes on one hand and narcissistic autobiographical art school comics on the other, I’ve got a noir miniseries for Image entitled Midnight Of The Soul out this summer, a twelve part serial for Dark Horse Presents called Sunshine Patriots at around the same time–and a new, to be announced title, also for IMAGE, slated for Winter 2016. TW: Any chance of a Howard Chaykin artist’s edition? I’m asking for a friend…. HC: Artist’s edition of what, exactly? Like this: Like Loading... RelatedWhen President Obama addresses the nation this evening about U.S. involvement in Libya, he'll have an unlikely Republican in his corner. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., a member of the House Armed Services Committee and a Marine captain who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, penned an op-ed and gave an interview defending Obama's decision to have the United States take part in airstrikes over Libya. "I agree with the president. I agree with what he's done so far in his use of force. I agree with his timing. I agree on the fact that he went in with a coalition," Hunter told The Hill in an interview published this morning. In an op-ed published this weekend in The San Diego Union-Tribune, the second-term GOP lawmaker wrote, "President Barack Obama made a decision that is consistent with his role as commander in chief.... Part of the criticism against the administration is that Congress was never properly notified nor was the Libya operation put to a vote." Hunter continued: "Such a critique is seemingly based more on feelings of frustration because of the administration's previous dealings with Congress and the public than whether it is an unlawful or perhaps even intentional oversight." Hunter was elected in 2008 to succeed his father and namesake, a former chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. That year, the elder Hunter made an unsuccessful bid for the GOP presidential nomination. The Obama administration has been criticized by lawmakers in both political parties over the U.S. role in enforcing a no-fly zone over Libya, for not seeking congressional approval for such a military action to not having a defined objective. The outcry has come from the GOP -- from such noted foreign policy experts as Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., a friend and mentor to Obama -- and from the president's own Democratic Party -- from lawmakers such as centrist Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia and liberal Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio. Obama's speech tonight is at 7:30 p.m. ET. Our colleague David Jackson and the White House team will have more in The Oval.With the election only a few weeks out, James Kallstrom, the former Assistant Director of the FBI, has decided to endorse Trump. In an interview on Fox News, Kallstrom started out by making it clear that he has a “low opinion of all politicians, except for a few.” Then, he said: “I’m endorsing Donald Trump. I’ve know him 40 years. I’ve never endorsed a candidate. He’s a good human being. He’s a generous person. He’s got a big heart. He’s done hundreds and hundreds of things for people without fanfare. He’s a good guy. He’s a patriot of this country. And regardless of what he says, his acts show that he is not that person. He’s been in this Hollywood crowd that talks like that, a lot of people talk like that.” Kallstrom continued: “He doesn’t do these things. He’s a good guy. I’ve known his family from the time they were kids. Look at his children. Could you find a better family than he brought up in this country?” Kallstrom finished with an emotional plea to women who are bothered by Trump’s comments and to the American voter, in general.Editor's note: This is a developing story. We will update this as new information comes in. MANILA, Philippines (First published May 24, 2017, 12:04 p.m.) — On the seventh day of the Marawi crisis, we take a look at the questions at the heart of the issue. Why was martial law declared? President Rodrigo Duterte has declared martial law for 60 days over Mindanao—and even threatened to extend coverage to Visayas and Luzon and lengthen it to a year—following the firefight between military forces and the ISIS-inspired Maute fighters on Tuesday. The privilege of habeas corpus was also suspended The declaration was announced in Russia where the president was supposed to spend five days for an official visit. Duterte’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin was brought forward to allow his hasty return to the Philippines and deal with the crisis, cutting short his trip. Information on what is happening on the ground is muddled by conflicting statements At the beginning of the crisis, Lorenzana said dozens of gunmen occupied the city hall—a claim countered by the Marawi City mayor. Numbers on how many Maute reinforcements entered the city also varied. Most recently, a police chief Duterte claimed was beheaded by militants said that he is safe. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the declaration would help government forces carry out searches and arrests and detain rebel suspects more quickly. What was the basis of the declaration? Duterte cited rebellion as justification for the declaration, perceived to be a knee-jerk and extreme reaction to a manageable crisis. Constitutional and security experts said the situation does not require martial law—a measure of last resort—as defined under Philippine laws. On Friday, Solicitor General Jose Calida said what’s happening in Marawi is no longer a rebellion citing the discovery of Indonesian and Malaysian fighters. "It has transmogrified into an invasion by foreign terrorists who heeded the clarion call of ISIS," he said. However, foreign militants, including some of Asia’s most wanted, have had a presence in Mindanao for decades. Where are the jitters toward the declaration rooted? Opposition towards the president’s declaration also stems from memories of rights abuses suffered by the country under Ferdinand Marcos’ martial rule over three decades ago. Under Marcos rule, peace and order in Mindanao deteriorated with accounts of massacre of men and rape of women. MUST READ: Memories of Martial Law in Mindanao: The forgotten war What started the clash? The gunbattle began after government troops raided the hideout of Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon in Marawi City, a largely Muslim city with a population of over 200,000. Hapilon, who is still recovering from wounds sustained in a military airstrike in January, and more than a dozen of his men called for reinforcement from its ally, the Maute. The Maute was blamed for the bomb attack in Duterte's hometown of Davao City last September which killed 15. Who is Isnilon Hapilon and where is he now? The military said Hapilon is still inside Marawi, as of Friday. Armed Forces chief Gen. Eduardo Año said Islamic State-inspired militants are trying to find a way to extricate the Abu Sayyaf leader. Washington has offered a $5 million reward for information leading to Hapilon's capture, but he has proved elusive. He was wounded and suffered a stroke in a Philippine airstrike in January but got away. Is there ISIS presence in the Philippines? Hapilon, an Arabic-speaking preacher known for his expertise in commando assaults, has pledged allegiance to ISIS in 2014, according to security officials. He reportedly has been chosen to lead an ISIS branch in Southeast Asia. But Philippine and US security officials assert there is no formal ISIS presence in the Philippines, citing the "worldwide phenomenon" where existing terror groups affiliate themselves with ISIS. "We have not seen any concrete evidence of material support from IS," military spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said Thursday. He added that the smaller groups "are working to really get that recognition and funds, of course." What is the situation on the ground? As of Sunday, the death toll from six days of fighting in Marawi neared 100. Aside from civilians, 61 militants, 11 soldiers and four police were among the dead. Troops found corpses in the streets Sunday, including at least eight civilians who appeared to have been executed. Thousands of civilians have streamed out of Marawi and more than 2,000 were still trapped inside the city. Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo said a total of 12,509 families or 59,665 persons are displaced in Northern Mindanao and ARMM as of Monday. Many sent desperate text messages begging to be rescued and reporting that their homes had been destroyed, said Zia Alonto Adiong, an official in Lanao del Sur, one of the country's poorest provinces. Looting and burning of homes were also reported by eyewitnesses who have evacuated the city. The militants also burned the St. Mary's Church, the city jail, the Ninoy Aquino school and Dansalan College.Ninoy Aquino school and Dansalan College. Much of the city is a no-go zone. Military spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said that combat operations were still going on, but that the militants were weakening. "We believe they're now low on ammunition and food," he said, speaking by phone from Manila, the capital. "Compared to the initial days, there has been increasingly less resistance from the militants within Marawi." A priest and several worshippers were taken hostage. There was no word on their condition. Philippine fighter aircraft unleashed rocket fire against militants on Saturday, prompting villagers to hoist white flags to avoid being targeted as the military turned to airstrikes to try to end the siege. Año predicted that the military operation would take about a week as soldiers go house to house to clear the city of militants. — Mikas Matsuzawa with reports from Roel Pareño, John Unson and APWarning: NSFW, for the weak of heart, look away... Submitted by Thad Beversdorf via First Rebuttal blog, I was shocked today by the absolute gaul of the Fed releasing a statement about Net Worth in America reaching record levels. Now I get that they are under extreme pressure to sell the story that everything is rainbows and butterflies. But surely they understand that working class Americans are going along with the story because they really don’t have any say in our nation’s policies anymore. That doesn’t mean they want it thrown in their faces that the Fed has spent 6 years now inflating the wealth of the top 10% so much that it actually lifts the total wealth of the nation’s citizens to record highs. The ugly reality is that the bottom 80% of Americans experienced none of that gain. That’s right a big ole goose egg. And so when the Fed via its ass pamper boy, Steve Liesman, start banging on about the fact that some sliver of society is being handed extraordinary wealth while the working class has lost 40% of their net worth since 2007, well a big fuck you right back at ya bub! The Fed is very aware that the bottom 80% of Americans own less than 5% of US equity markets. And so the Fed is very aware that its manipulation of stock prices such that it creates immense unearned wealth to those in the markets doesn’t reach the bottom 80%. So why celebrate the results of the stock market price manipulation?? It is embarrassing that our policymakers are either that inconsiderate or that stupid to celebrate such a brutal dislocation between the haves and have nots. I don’t know what one can even say about the Fed making a celebratory statement like that today. It is somewhat beyond words. And really paints the picture as to how little thought goes into the lives and well being of the bottom 80%. Just to give you something to compare and contrast the situation of the bottom 80% here in the US to counter the Fed’s celebration today. I want you to think about how lucky we are not being in one of the PIIGS nations of Europe. These are the nations that are essentially bankrupt and just hanging on by the kindness of the Troika. Glad we’re not there right?? Well allow me to show you a chart published by CNN Money some 8 months ago. So there it is. While the average net worth of Americans is 4th in the world pulled up by the top 10%, the median net worth of Americans comes in the 19th spot. Yep, behind Spain, Italy and Ireland so 3 of the 5 PIIGS nations. Meaning the bottom 80% in these broke ass barely hanging on nations have more wealth than the bottom 80% of us here in America. So I’d like to ask the Fed, is it that you just hate the working class here in America and thus like to torment them or are you truly that stuck up your own asses that you just cannot see the light? Celebrating the fact you did today is downright nasty you lowlife scoundrel pieces of shit. It’s akin to a family showing off and celebrating a new born baby at the funeral of another family’s child. It is just a very ugly thing to do. Even if it wasn’t meant to be malicious it looks very much like a giant FU. And for Americans, why, please god tell me why is it that Americans are so willing to be shit on for so long without so much as a hint of standing up to these monsters that steal our wealth and pass it around their political class. Having grown up in Canada while all of my relatives were here in the US I was intrigued by the States. I used to think of Americans as an incredibly admirable people. The type of people that are confident, strong, intelligent and command respect. I really truly did. But having lived here now since 2001, what I see is a people that have rolled over on our backs. As long as we get a few belly rubs once in a while we’re happy to live without a hint of respect. We seem fine with being demeaned, controlled, robbed, enslaved and yes shit on by our political ‘superiors’. Is the real Giant Con the ideal American? Was it just a made up concept sent out to the rest of the world in hopes we could instill a fear simply by portraying the notion of a truly formidable American? I really don’t have the answer. Perhaps at some point in time Americans really were a force to be reckoned with. And if that is the case then what a sad story to be told to the world 100 years from now. How a nation got fat, lazy, complacent, perhaps stupid and definitely lost all sense of self esteem. Imagine the founding fathers looking down on all of this. Hell imagine those who fought on the beaches of Normandy looking down at what America has become. Knowing that they sacrificed everything just to hand the nation over to a group of foreign sociopaths. Imagine those men having to see that Americans no longer have any sense of dignity other than to yell loudly that “we are still great” kind of like that drunk in the corner that wants to fight everyone but can’t seem to find his legs to even stand up from his stool. How incredibly disheartening it would be for those WWII soldiers to see us now. We have become nothing but a host to a group of political parasites that have thrived on our wealth and our strength. And they’ve watched us slowly die over time growing weaker and weaker. Less able to find the strength to uphold the duties entrusted to us. God, what a sad fucking story we are. Thanks Steve Liesman for rubbing shit in our eyes today. Hope you got a few clicks. And for those of you that think I’m an ass for being so harsh on us, well stuff it. Get up off your stool you lazy drunk, shut your damn mouth and start fighting these political parasites like a damn man, like a damn American. I’m not the one stealing your retirement, stealing your income, stealing your wealth and stealing your freedom all while making myself wealthy and exonerated from all the laws that would put your ass in prison. In short I ain’t your enemy. If you’re mad by what I said then do something more constructive than calling me an asshole. Capiche?? Good.Ken Canning, a former academic with UTS who was active in the rights movement, said ASIO had a file on him for responding to police violence. "If you’re going to have a file on a person for reacting against a racist society; if you’re going to have a file on a person for fighting for their due rights, the rights they’re born with as the first people of this country – that’s ridiculous." A four-part documentary series to air on SBS ONE from Tuesday January 7, called Persons of Interest, will explore why certain people were considered a risk to national security and monitored by ASIO. Mr Canning said fellow activist Gary Foley probably had one of ASIO’s biggest files, and he questioned why. "There’s no crime against making a speech," Mr Canning said. "There’s no crime against telling the truth." While ASIO said it was concerned about the prevention of violent protests and terrorism, Mr canning said the violence came from the state. "I think we have conducted ourselves, as much as possible, in a non-violent way." Persons of Interest will air on Tuesdays, 8.30pm, SBS ONE, until January 28.NSAC's Blog Rural Child Poverty – New White House Report and Initiative May 29, 2015 Addressing rural child poverty is the subject of a recently launched White House “Rural Impact” initiative, including a recently published report highlighting the trends in rural poverty in the United States and plans to address the issue through various federal safety net programs and investments. The Report — Opportunity for All: Fighting Rural Child Poverty On May 20th, the White House released a report prepared by the Council of Economic Advisers, Domestic Policy Council, and Office of Management and Budget entitled: Opportunity for All: Fighting Rural Child Poverty (May 2015 Report). The report was released during the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD’s) tenth rural development policy conference, hosted by the White House Rural Council, with the support of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Mexico’s Secretariat for Agrarian, Territorial and Urban Development. The report examines trends in poverty and child poverty in the United States over the past fifty years, and highlights federal initiatives and programs that have helped rural communities and that President Obama plans to promote. Although 6.2 million Americans in rural areas lived in poverty in 2013 (with 1.5 million of those being children), the May 2015 Report points to positive findings from a 2014 Council of Economic Advisers report demonstrating that several federal programs have cut poverty in rural areas by nearly half between 1967 and 2012, and by about one-quarter in urban areas. The chart reflects the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM), in use by the Census Bureau since 2009, which takes into account a variety of government programs (Social Security, SNAP benefits, Earned Income Tax Credit, and the like) to identify families living below the poverty line once government transfers are counted. The SPM poverty threshold also includes food, shelter, clothing, and utilities – and not just food, among the expenditures counted in the poverty measure. And finally, the SPM poverty thresholds are adjusted for geographic variations in the cost of housing, which is important for comparisons of poverty between urban and rural areas. SPM was developed to account for shortcomings in the Official Poverty Measure (OPM), which was developed in the 1960s and is based on families’ cash incomes relative to minimum expenses spent on necessities (i.e., food expenditures). As the report’s Table 1 shows below, the picture of relative rural and urban poverty is different depending on which poverty measure is used. Using SPM, the poverty rates for rural areas is less than that for urban areas. The report notes that this reversal is almost entirely driven by adjustments for differences in the cost of living, with average housing costs being lower in rural areas than in urban areas. Of these federal programs that help Americans escape poverty, refundable tax credits have the largest anti-poverty effect on child poverty, lifting about 4.1 million urban and nearly 600,000 rural children from poverty. Social Security plays a particularly large role in alleviating deep child poverty in rural areas, reducing deep poverty by nearly one-half (almost double its effect in urban areas). Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefits are particularly important for rural children since many live with parents with a disability, or receive benefits as a survivor of a deceased parent. The impact of SNAP on deep poverty rates has been larger in rural areas than in the country as a whole. According to the May 2015 Report, without Federal tax and transfer programs, child poverty in rural areas would have been more than 70 percent higher over the 2009 to 2011 period. The Report also touches on several determinants of poverty, including education, the state of the local economy, job availability, family structure, and incarceration. Education’s role in poverty prevention has become increasingly important, as higher earnings have become tied to higher educational achievement. For example, in 1959, high school dropouts were 3.8 times more likely to be poor than college graduates, but in 2012, they were 6.1 times more likely to be poor (based on the SPM measure). One change in the family structure that has led to reductions in the poverty rate over the past several decades has been the increase of women in the workforce and the increasing importance of women’s earnings to household income – both of which have increased stability in families’ incomes. However, another shift in the family structure since the 1960s that has led to a rise in poverty rates has been the decline in the proportion of married households and accompanying increase in the number of people living in single-parent households. White House Agenda President Obama’s agenda for assisting low-income rural children and their families is a bundle of existing and new programs to improve education, health, and earnings outcomes. The existing programs include Head Start, the Preschool for All initiative, summer feeding programs, housing choice vouchers, and the Children’s Heath Insurance Program. Also named are the Promise Zones Initiative, a partnership between the federal government and local leaders in high poverty communities to improve the economy, education, public safety, public health and other locally-identified priorities, and USDA’s Strikeforce Initiative which is helping states dealing with chronic poverty create jobs, build homes, assist farmers, conserve natural resources, and implement feeding programs for kids. Among the new programs or proposals are: Rural IMPACT: Rural Integration Models for Parents and Children to Thrive, a multi-agency program to explore innovative approaches to program delivery, with a goal of increasing parents’ employment and education and child and family well-being. The White House Rural Council will identify a group of 10 rural and tribal communities to test mechanisms for delivering health and human services – from childcare and pre-Kindergarten to postsecondary education and job training – to both children and parents concurrently. Rural Integration Models for Parents and Children to Thrive, a multi-agency program to explore innovative approaches to program delivery, with a goal of increasing parents’ employment and education and child and family well-being. The White House Rural Council will identify a group of 10 rural and tribal communities to test mechanisms for delivering health and human services – from childcare and pre-Kindergarten to postsecondary education and job training – to both children and parents concurrently. The Department of Health and Human Service’s Rural Child Poverty Telehealth Network Grant Program and USDA’s Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program, announced in early May 2015, that seek to make health care more accessible to rural patients through the use of technology, with plans to award up to three pilot grants to test new ways to use telehealth technologies that link rural children with specialized health and human services that may not be available locally. and USDA’s, announced in early May 2015, that seek to make health care more accessible to rural patients through the use of technology, with plans to award up to three pilot grants to test new ways to use telehealth technologies that link rural children with specialized health and human services that may not be available locally. A new competitive grant program to assist families with securing child care that is open to states, territories, tribes, and communities; and Making permanent the 2009 expansion of refundable credits (EITC and Child Tax Credits) set to expire in 2017, preventing a tax increase on 16 million working families with children, and doubling the childless worker EITC and expanding eligibility. Initiatives to Help Native American Youth The May 2015 Report draws special attention to the disparity in poverty among Native Americans, as compared with the rest of the nation, and the efforts by the Administration to address it. Some 22 percent of American Indian and Alaska Natives are living in poverty, compared to 16 percent for the nation (according to the SPM), nearly 60 percent of all Native Americans living outside of metropolitan areas live in persistently poor counties (according to the Economic Research Service at USDA), and Native youth experiencing a greater prevalence of poverty than any other racial and ethnic group. A 2014 White House initiative known as Generation Indigenous (Gen-I) will leverage existing and new programs to help Native youth prepare for college and careers and will also undertake a comprehensive reform of the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) to improve BIE-funded schools. Rural Impact Initiative Announced in a White House Domestic Policy Council blog post in April 2015, the new Rural Impact initiative brings together federal agencies and public and private resources and organizations such as universities, foundations, non-profits, and community groups to address rural child poverty by focusing mainly on three major areas: Innovation: Developing new approaches of program delivery, including integrated services and remote health and learning technology, to address rural challenges and barriers; Awareness: Enhancing public awareness of rural child poverty and its impact on the future of rural communities and our nation’s global competitiveness; and Investment: Improving access to high-quality child care, early learning, and continuing education. The Rural Impact Initiative includes several programs under the Innovation focus area that are not mentioned in the May 2015 Report, such as: The USDA Rural Child Poverty Nutrition Center at the University of Kentucky that was announced in March 2015 and will administer and evaluate sub-grantees to as many as 30 rural areas with high rates of persistent poverty in up to 15 states; at the University of Kentucky that was announced in March 2015 and will administer and evaluate sub-grantees to as many as 30 rural areas with high rates of persistent poverty in up to 15 states; A new round of Local Food, Local Places grants, a multi-agency program providing selected communities with resources and technical support, with a focus on helping increase access to healthy foods, including Farm to School, healthy food aggregation and distribution, and efforts to combat childhood obesity; and grants, a multi-agency program providing selected communities with resources and technical support, with a focus on helping increase access to healthy foods, including Farm to School, healthy food aggregation and distribution, and efforts to combat childhood obesity; and The launch of #ServeRural, a national effort to enlist volunteers and local organizations to help rural communities. The Awareness focus area activities of Rural Impact will: Bring members of the Cabinet to areas of persistent rural poverty for a series of regional roundtables to highlight promising local practices and forge local and regional partnerships; and Report on the challenges and opportunities of addressing rural poverty through the May 2015 Report discussed above. And finally, the Investment focus area of the Rural Impact initiative outlines many of the same proposals that are featured in the May 2015 Report, including free community college for responsible students, support for Head Start and public preschools, and making permanent the 2009 expansion of refundable credits (EITC and Child Tax Credits). Categories: General Interest, Rural DevelopmentImage caption Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae are looking to recoup losses from the banks The ultimate cost of rescuing Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae may double, their government regulator has said. The US government has already given the two federal mortgage agencies $148bn (£94bn) in capital injections. But because of continuing loan losses, that figure may increase to between $221bn-$363bn, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). Meanwhile, the FHFA has appointed a law firm to look at suing big US banks for mis-selling home loans to the agencies. The regulator has hired the California-based litigation specialists Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. Ballooning costs During the 2008 financial crisis, Washington put Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae into "conservatorship" - a quasi-nationalised status in which the federal government promised to maintain their solvency by injecting new equity on demand. Originally, the two home loan agencies' total needs were estimated to be $200bn - of which three-quarters has already been provided - but the FHFA has now revised that figure upwards. The regulator's upper estimate of $363bn would only happen if there is a second downturn in the US housing market - something that many economists believe has already begun since the expiry in April of a tax credit for homebuyers. Litigation risk Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae bought up billions of dollars of mortgages from the big banks, then repackaged them and sold them to investors with their own guarantee. The FHFA now says that the banks may have breached promises they made in the original sale agreements about the quality of the loans they were selling. The decision to hire a litigation firm follows the FHFA's decision to issue 64 subpoenas to banks in July, requiring them to provide documentation that would show what they knew about the loans they were selling. If the regulator can prove its case, the banks would be forced to buy the loans back at their original face value. JP Morgan has acknowledged it could be one target of any legal action, and set aside provisions of about $2bn against this kind of litigation risk in April. The FHFA's action could also help other, private sector, investors to pursue their own lawsuits. Unlike the FHFA, the private investors do not have the power to subpoena the banks.A brand new horror story is coming in just over two months, and thankfully fans will get some laughs in before they start screaming. FX on Tuesday announced the September premiere dates for the sixth season of American Horror Story and its two new comedy series, Atlanta and Better Things. The new installment of American Horror Story will begin haunting TV screens on Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 10 p.m. ET. Before that, the Donald Glover-created comedy Atlanta will kick off on Tuesday, Sept. 6 at 10 p.m. ET, and Pamela Adlon’s new project Better Things makes its premiere Thursday, Sept. 8 at 10 p.m. ET. Though much is still unknown about the upcoming season of American Horror Story, the hit franchise has recently released the new installment’s logo and season 5 actor Cheyenne Jackson revealed that he has a part in season 6. RELATED: American Horror Story Stars: Then & Now As for FX’s two freshman comedies, both serve as breakout creative projects for celebrated comedians Donald Glover and Pamela Adlon. Glover’s series Atlanta finds his character of Earn Marks navigating the hip-hop scene in the eponymous city alongside his cousin Alfred. In Better Things, Adlon plays a working actress and single mother of three daughters trying to juggle all of the pressures on her. Adlon is executive producing the series along with Louis C.K.In the last of his series from Afghanistan, Ghaith Abdul-Ahad asks Taliban leaders past and present what kind of regime they would run – and whether there is a chance of negotiated peace The administrator In the south-eastern city of Khost, the everyday business of the Taliban administration carries on across the street from the fortified, government-run city court and police station. The head of the Haqqani network's civilian administration and his assistant hold their council in the grand mosque, which is also known as the
emissions is by replacing coal-fired power stations with gas. And that the renewables sector has to realise it is not the government's only priority and that budgets are limited. "We need to focus on the right solutions to deliver clean, secure, affordable energy for families and businesses," a spokesman for the energy department said. "We are absolutely committed to getting a global deal in Paris, which will create a level playing field for businesses, driving innovation and growing the low carbon economy." Mr Polman agrees that government budgets are stretched in a number of different directions and not only concerned with tackling climate change. "In an overall budget you obviously have to balance all these things," he said. "You cannot discuss one little element if you don't see the totality, so I'm very glad that the £5.8bn is being pledged because that gives a great signal to other countries to get to the £100bn, and that's a courageous move at a time that we all have other things on our plates. "But we would continue to push other elements on the agenda as well." 'Future of humanity' Business leaders arrive in Paris this weekend to join the United Nations climate change conference. An announcement is expected on Tuesday about company pledges to reduce their carbon emissions. Attendees include Ikea, Kellogg's, Mars and L'Oreal. Mr Polman will also be there. Expect him to be clear that it is time for all businesses to take action. And if that doesn't happen? "Ultimately if any of us won't act, we put the lives of many people at risk," Mr Polman told me. "What we're talking here about is the future of humanity to some extent. This concept of man's dominance over nature is rapidly being rewritten."The first portable audio recorder was made in 1945 by a man named Tony Schwartz. He moved the VU meter from inside of the unit to the top, so he could see the recording volume. And, he put a strap on it so that he could hang the device over his shoulder. Armed with his recorder (and sometimes a secret microphone attached to his wrist), Schwartz chronicled every sound in his Manhattan neighborhood. He recorded children singing songs in the park, street festival music, jukeboxes in restaurants, vendors peddling vegetables, and more than 700 conversations with cab drivers, just to name a few examples. He chronicled his niece from the time she was a baby to the time she was thirteen, and condensed the footage into an “audio time-lapse.” He also recorded his daughter as she grew, and kept a microphone over her cradle. He released 14 records of his sound collections, including a whole record of the sounds of sewing, and had a free-range weekly radio program on WNYC for more than 35 years. As insatiably curious as he was, Tony Schwartz didn’t travel. He was severely agoraphobic. So, limited to his own hometown, Schwartz used audio to communicate with the rest of the world, exchanging audio recordings with people in other countries. Eventually Schwartz amassed a huge collection of more than fifteen thousand recordings of conversation, folklore, and folk music, which he then shared with his listeners. He introduced Harry Belafonte to Jamaican music, gave African music to the Weavers, and created a global sound exchange, all from within the few blocks he felt comfortable traveling. Before Tony Schwartz was another innovator in broadcasting. Among the first to use the term “broadcast,” actually: Frank Conrad. The man who helped turn radio from a one-to-one communication system into a form of transmission off words, music, and art. The sounds that came out Frank Conrad’s Garage in 1919 and 1920 are gone. There were no recordings made, and everyone who participated in his audio experiments have died. In this piece, Radio Diaries uncovers what might have happened in Frank Conrad’s garage, where some people say modern broadcasting began.Beer has been brewed in Asia for 7,000 years but it's only in the past few years that it has overtaken Europe and the Americas to become the biggest beer-drinking continent. It's also the fastest growing beer market - a sign of a young, upwardly mobile, and increasingly hedonistic population. Even on a weekday night, the Lau Pa Sat street restaurants in Singapore's business district have a party atmosphere. Part of the street is blocked off with patrons sitting in the open air, engulfed in the smoke from several satay grills. Hungry office workers, families and tourists are in a feeding frenzy, as a live band plays pop songs and waitresses whizz by balancing five jugs of beer at a time. "For spicy food if you've got an ice cold beer, that is really nice," says Ben, a visitor from Hong Kong, as his wife and kids dig into an array of delicacies on their table. People tend to drink beer in times of growth Nirgunan Tiruchelvam, Standard Chartered He also has another reason for his chosen drink: "It's the weather, it's very very hot." A typical daytime temperature at the moment is 31C (88F), and in the evening 27 or 28C (81-82F). Although this part of the world is not particularly renowned for making beer, increasing amounts are being drunk. Per head of population, Asia is still far behind Europe. The Czech Republic is top of Euromonitor's list of per capita drinking nations - with 174 litres (306 pints) per person of legal drinking age in 2011 - followed by Ireland and seven other European countries. South Africa comes 10th and the US 11th. Japan is the first Asian country on the list, in 41st place, with 64 litres per year. But taken as a whole, Asia overtook Europe and the Americas in 2007. In 2011 it drank 67bn litres of beer, to the Americas' 57bn and 51bn in Europe, according to Euromonitor. What's more, as developed markets such as Europe, the US and Australia stagnate, Euromonitor forecasts that beer consumption (by volume) will grow by 4.8% in Asia Pacific every year between 2011 and 2016. Top beer-drinkers per capita Czech Republic (174) Ireland (148) Austria (123) Germany (123) Estonia (122) Poland (116) Belgium (112) Slovenia (111) Lithuania (111) South Africa (109) Source: Euromonitor, litres per year per adult Part of the reason is Asia's growing and young population. But experts say it also stems from the increase in prosperity in many Asian countries in recent years. "Beer has a clearer correlation with strong economic growth," says Nirgunan Tiruchelvam, a consumer research analyst from Standard Chartered. "People tend to drink beer in times of growth. They drink spirits when times are good and when times are bad." During the great depression in the 1930s, beer consumption plummeted, he says, while spirits weren't much affected. This looks to be in line with how beer is marketed around the world with slogans such as the "King of Good Times" for India's Kingfisher beer. "It could be the fizz factor," says Mr Tiruchelvam, "It's the same element as a soft drink. When people are enjoying themselves they go for beer." "Not many spirit products are seen in that hedonistic light." It's China that is chiefly responsible for Asia's rise to the top of the international beer-drinking league. In almost every country, it seems, beer sales take off when a certain level of prosperity is reached. In China this happened in the 1980s and 1990s. It overtook the US in 2003. Beers to drink with Asian food One technique is to find flavours that are complementary - perhaps a nice citrusy pale ale to complement the heavy citrus aromas and textures of a tom yam soup, or a rich Stout paired with a molten chocolate cake. But I also like to find flavours that contrast, and this seems to be very popular with the local palate. A classic pairing is chilli crab with a light lager - the lager will cut through the spiciness and richness of the crab, with a dry finish and a cleansing effect. It's also good to match intensities between the food and the beer. You wouldn't necessarily want to pair a delicate fruit salad with a huge India Pale Ale - the beer would overwhelm the palate. However, that same India Pale Ale might be perfect for a bold, flavourful curry. Scott Baczek, brewmaster at The Pump Room restaurant and bar, Singapore It is also now the world's biggest beer producer, brewing 44bn litres in 2010, followed by the US (23bn litres), Brazil (12bn litres) and Russia (10bn litres). Snow, a Chinese lager, is globally the top selling beer brand, according to market specialists Plato Logic, even though it's not really drunk anywhere outside of China. But the countries with the biggest growth prospects in the region are Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, where Euromonitor forecasts that volumes drunk will grow at up to 9% per year between 2011 and 2016. Not everyone regards this a good thing. It's often attributed, in this part of the world, to growing Western influence. In Singapore, which imposes a very high "sin tax" on alcohol to discourage excessive drinking, being drunk in public is punishable by a maximum fine of $1,000 and up to a month in prison. But an article in the Singapore Medical Journal in July noted with alarm that alcohol consumption in the country was fast approaching levels in the US - doubling between 1992 and 2004. Binge drinking "already an epidemic in many Western countries", it added, was on the rise. The paper's recommendations included the creation of a national body to address problem drinking, and limits on alcohol advertising. Image caption Trendy Arab Street is replete with bars None of this appears yet to be deterring Singapore's drinkers. One recent trend, though, is a greater appetite for more expensive beers. "A more affluent population will go for the exotic, more interesting tastes available in premium beer," says Goh Han Peng, who studies consumer products for DMG and Partners Securities. In the Arab Street area of Singapore, the iconic two-storey shops have almost all been converted to trendy restaurants and bars. That's where Dennis Chan co-owns Wit Bier cafe, which imports labels mainly from Belgium, Germany and Australia. He says he's confident that the demand for foreign and smaller volume beer will grow greatly because it gives people a taste of something different. "They have a choice," he says, over a pint of Warsteiner. Instead of the ubiquitous Carlsberg, or Singapore's own Tiger beer, "they might say I want a wheat beer, I want a pilsner, I want a fruit beer." Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Craft brewer Scott Baczek demonstrates the process of making beer Microbrewers as well as importers have come into vogue. Scott Baczek, an American brewer at the Pump Room bar and restaurant, makes four beers year-round - lager, ale, india pale ale and wheat ale - and one additional seasonal beer. He sees the burgeoning of beer in South-East Asia as a big opportunity. "If you're sitting outside on a sweltering Singapore Sunday afternoon, you will most likely want something thirst-quenching, light in body, with a dry, crisp finish - probably not an imperial stout, more likely a light, crisp lager," he says. But he has noted that the "local palate" is a diverse one - providing brewers with a wide range of possibilities to explore.The Index List and Missingno.s The Beta Artwork Asking Game Freak About It So this is my long-speculated but now-confirmed theory about Red/Green's development, now put into a proper form.Summarised, what I've found out is:Here's what led me to form this theory:This is the bulk of the evidence. It's the order in which the Pokémon were added into the games, and since Ken Sugimori has apparently confirmed Rhydon as the first Pokémon designed, this can be seen as the order in which Pokémon were designed too. It definitely makes sense anyway... so yeah.The most useful part of this list is how it follows a completely random pattern until 190, however each Pokémon is a valid Pokémon except for 39 Missingno.s dotted randomly throughout. Very importantly, these Missingno.s, when taken into the Time Capsule, are all read by the Gen 2 cart as a particular Gen 2 Pokémon, each Missingno. corresponding to a different one. These 39 Pokémon are the ones that were taken out after being added in.Note how after 190 the list loses composure and just follows the Gen 2 Pokédex numbers. This implies those Pokémon were created afterwards, a statement solidified by the next evidence:Spot the odd one out? These are all the designs of Pokémon that definitely came out in Gen 2. And when you look at their numbers on the index list, things start to add up. That's Chikorita #191, Qwilfish #250, Marill #222, Girafarig #242, Cyndaquil #197 and... Tyranitar. Yeaaahh.So at the worlds this year I decided to ask Shigeki Morimoto, the guy who made Mew, about it. Since I asked him at the autograph table, where he would have his translator, I didn't have long so I can pretty much outline the exchange as this:Me: "So in Red and Green, were there originally exactly 190 Pokémon?"Translator relays to Morimoto; he sort of jumps in his chair enthusiastically (lol) and seems very happy, grinning at meTranslator: "Yes; we decided to save the rest of the designs for later"Me: "So for example Ho-Oh was made for Red and Green first? Since it was in the first episode of the anime?"he hears Ho-Oh and looks confused, then then when the translator says the rest to him he remains the sameTranslator: "No, not Ho-Oh. He wasn't made earlier."And then I say domo arigato and get rushed out by the queue building behind me, heheh. However what he said about Ho-Oh just doesn't make sense so I'm guessing that was an error in the translation. Since Ho-Oh is #49 in the list and appears in anime episode 1 it obviously had been made by that time so he probably tried to say Ho-Oh wasn't made for Red and Green, and was just in there with no real intention of keeping it in.So yeah, those are my findings! I hope you all find them interesting.Anderson Silva talks Georges St-Pierre and Jon Jones Anderson Silva has breathed new life into talk of a potential superfight with Georges St-Pierre, confessing the Canadian is "the best fight" on his radar. Silva has not lost since entering the UFC, winning the middleweight title before going on to dominate the 185lb terrain. He has even taken out some light-heavyweights along the way, knocking out James Irvin and Forrest Griffin. The Brazilian's next fight will be a rematch against Chael Sonnen in the summer, and victory would once again prompt calls for Silva to hold a superfight with welterweight king St-Pierre. Both men are perceived to have cleared out their divisions, and Silva recently spoke more positively about the fight than at any other time, "GSP is the best fight (for me) in this sport," Silva told ESPN LA 710AM. "It would be a great, great, great fight. He is a good guy. Maybe one day, this is a good fight." Silva would not, however, entertain taking on the man tipped to take over his throne as the sport's No. 1 pound-for-pounder, Jon Jones. "I saw the first time that Jon Jones fought. I talked to JJ for 3-4 days when we stayed together. I told him, 'You're the best, you focus on training, you have more and more fights a year, but you don't have opening (opponents).' "The fight between me and JJ is no good, he is a different [weight] class. In my camp we have Minotoro Noguiera and Lyoto Machida." © ESPN Sports Media Ltd.A 19-year-old student at San Jose State University was walking to her car on Wednesday, the morning after Donald Trump was elected president, when she said an unknown attacker came up to her and tried to yank off her hijab. LiLi Tan reports. (Published Thursday, Nov. 10, 2016) Esra Nur Altun, a 19-year-old psychology student at San Jose State University, was walking to her car on Wednesday, the morning after Donald Trump was elected president, when she said an unknown attacker came up to her and tried to yank off her hijab. “He caused me to choke, and my back arched,” the Uzbekistan-born student told NBC Bay Area on Thursday morning. “I tried to pull away from him. I fell on my knees. He didn’t say anything. He ran away as I hit the floor.” Altun said she was walking with friends — who all look out for each other when they go to the parking garage — up to the third floor of the West Garage at Fourth and San Salvador streets on Wednesday about 1:15 p.m. when the man tried to pull off her head scarf. She said she only saw the back of him, and not his face, but it looked like he was wearing a dark-colored hoodie, khaki pants and black Vans. She said the campus alert had the wrong date of the attack, which the university first reported as Tuesday, before all the ballots had been counted. “I don’t know why he did it,” she said. “But it is a weird coincidence that it happened after Donald Trump was elected." Trump has been a fan favorite of many in the “alt right” movement, and his calls to build a wall between the United States and Mexico, and his desire to ban Muslims from entering the country have ignited a fresh hope among neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan, which endorsed his rise to presidency. The Southern Poverty Law Center this week said there has been a "rash of hate crimes" extraordinary around the country. Trump has not openly courted white supremacists to support him, but he has also been quiet in telling them to stop. As a result, Nazi-era symbols and calls for a white America have cropped up this election season, and now, with Trump's elected rise to power. For example, a wall at Canisius College near Buffalo was vandalized this week with the words “Make America White Again,” along with swastikas. A San Francisco man flew a swastika flag from his home on Wednesday afternoon for a short time, not because he supports the Nazis, but because he was trying to forewarn the country what might happen under a Trump administration. Despite what happened, Altun said that she does not believe San Jose State is a haven for bigotry. That's despite the fact that the campus became a national focal point of hate in 2013, when three white students were convicted of misdemeanor battery charges after they tormented an African-American freshman by putting a bike lock around his neck and called him a slave. “This is not a racist place, “ she said. “Look at all the support I’ve been getting. Word is traveling and people are offering to walk me to my car. I just never thought something like this would happen in campus. I wish the attacker knew what Islam was, what it really means.” So Altun and her friends are trying to explain their religion to anyone who is confused or doesn’t understand. They are speaking up. "Come at us," Muslim Student Association president Doaa Abdelrahman said rhetorically to Trump and other bigots at a rally Wednesday afternoon on campus. "Whether you're black, Muslim, an immigrant, disabled, be proud of who you are. You have nothing to be ashamed of. No matter what, Islam is a beautiful, peaceful religion and I will always be proud to be a Muslim." Altun and Abdelrahaman said they are setting up meetings with Kathleen Wong (Lau), the school’s chief diversity officer, as well as the Council on American Islamic Relations in Santa Clara, to see how to move forward. “I want to know how we’re going to be protected,” Abdelrahaman said. “I want to make sure this doesn’t happen to any other minority.” For the university's part, an email was sent out after the attack saying that officials are "closely monitoring the situation" because "no one should experience this kind of behavior at San Jose State." Altun’s parents, Mahmut and Saule Altun, who are Kurdish and Russian, also plan to write Congress to say that intolerance against minorities must not be tolerated. CAIR spokeswoman Zahra Billoo praised Abdelrahman and others speaking up for being so bold and said she'd help the students work with the university to protect them in the "aftermath of the election." “Racism existed before Trump,” Abdelrahaman said. “But he is behind this gas of fire where he keeps adding fuel to it.”A new family of ThinkPad mobile workstations, Lenovo ThinkPad P50 and P70 powered by new Xeon processors launched at SIGGRAPH Conference 2015 held in the Los Angeles Convention Center. Both the Lenovo ThinkPad P50 and P70 will be powered by Intel Xeon Processor E3-1500M v5 and will feature NVIDIA Quadro GPUs. The Chinese company boasts that the Lenovo ThinkPad P50 is its thinnest and lightest mobile workstations yet. The P50 will feature a 15.6-inch UHD 4K display and is certified to run users’ most requested ISV applications. ThinkPad P70 will feature 17-inch display available as either a 4K UHD display or optional FHD touch display and will be loaded with 64GB of DDR4 ECC (Error Correcting Code) memory and according to the company the device can handle four storage devices and up to a 1TB of SSD storage. Victor Rios, Vice President and General Manager of workstations at Lenovo, said: “We’ve built features into these machines that were previously unachievable in a notebook. We’re focused on making sure users have the tools necessary to drive innovation. That is why we are expanding our portfolio and raising the standard of mobile workstation performance.” P70 uses PCI-Express, which is five times faster than the SATA technology, and will also include two Intel Thunderbolt 3 ports for fast connectivity. Both Lenovo ThinkPad P50 and P70 will have a new Flex Performance Cooling system, Pantone color calibration technology from X-Rite, a dual-fan design that not only cools workstations better than other technologies, but also is faster and quieter, according to the company officials. Lenovo says that the ThinkPads are designed particularly for engineers and professional designers. The Lenovo ThinkPad P50 and P70 will be available in the last quarter of this year. P50 will cost around US $ 1,599 dollars and P70 will cost around $1999.Craig Zucker believes he had a "great American success story" until federal regulators shut him down for speaking up, and now the entrepreneur is fighting back. Scraping together $2,000 with a partner, Zucker in 2009 began importing small, high-powered magnets from China. Dubbed "Buckyballs," the BB-sized magnets could form all kinds of shapes and quickly became a hot seller. A year of trade shows, blog posts and word of mouth brought sales to $10 million, and Zucker projected more than doubling that by 2012. With his product in 1,500 stores, the 34-year-old Zucker was living his entrepreneurial dream. "It was the great American success story," Zucker recalled. [pullquote] But then the complaints started coming in. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warned that small children -- younger than the "14 and over" age group Zucker was targeting -- could swallow these powerful magnets, then pull them against their stomach walls with other Buckyballs. They were a danger, the agency declared. In fact, from 2009 to 2011, the CPSC says some 1,700 children have been hospitalized after ingesting Buckyballs or similar, high-powered magnets. Zucker says he worked vigorously with the agency and had five warning labels on the product. Maxfield & Oberton, Zucker's company, complied when the agency sought a recall in 2010, asking to adjust the warning label on the product. But in 2012, the agency sought a "stronger recall of the product." "Essentially, it was a declaration that we were going out of business," Zucker said. The commission was on the brink of outlawing products that it not only approved, but even helped create the warning labels for, Zucker told FoxNews.com. He said the CPSC was adamant about the product recall, asked stores to stop selling them and did not listen to any recommendations from Maxfield & Oberton to assuage the agency's safety concern. The agency filed an administrative lawsuit hours after receiving his company's recommendation, he said. With his million-dollar company belly-up for a product he still believes is safe, Zucker lashed out against what he considered government overreach. He took out online ads lampooning the nanny-state regulatory mentality. "Coconuts: tasty fruit or deadly sky ballistic?" read one. "Stairways: are they really worth the risk?" He challenged commission officials to debates, and invited consumers to call CPSC Commissioner Inez Tenenbaum's "psychic hotline" to find out how it was that "the vote to sue our company was presented to the Commissioners on July 23, a day before our Corrective Action Plan was to be submitted." Zucker's company was one of a dozen selling high-powered magnets that faced sanctions from the commission, but it was the only one of three named in the suit that voluntarily went out of business. And now, Zucker is the only individual being pursued personally for a financial judgment that could top $50 million to pay for the recall. Zucker believes it is because he taunted his regulatory tormentors. "They are making it out to be a sin to talk about the government agency," said Zucker's lawyer, Reed Rubinstein, who is serving as counsel to Cause of Action. "There are no allegations here that he did anything wrong. He simply pushed back." Rubinstein filed a lawsuit on behalf of Zucker asking the U.S. District Court in Maryland to prevent the agency from seeking damages from Zucker's own bank account under the rarely used Park doctrine, which protects principals behind limited liability corporations. The attorney said the commission's decision to go after Zucker personally puts every entrepreneur at risk and threatens the limited liability for owners. Zucker is raising funds for his defense by selling "Liberty Balls." One commissioner agreed, though she was outvoted 3-1. Nancy Nord, the former interim commissioner of the CPSC who says she has a set of Buckyballs on her desk, wrote an opinion piece in The Wall Street Journal and said the agency crossed the line between safety regulation and overreach in this case. "Rather than work with Maxfield & Oberton to address the issue of children being injured by an adult product, the agency demanded an immediate recall," Nord writes. "When the company asked the agency to reconsider, the CPSC filed a lawsuit alleging that the product was defective because unintended users were misusing the product and suffering injuries. Instead of seeking an injunction against the sale of Buckyballs while the agency pursued its case, which the law allows, the agency approached retailers with an informal "request" that Buckyballs be removed from store shelves." CPSC spokesman Scott Wolfson said the agency's goal is to keep a dangerous product from children, not to punish companies. He said the agency had worked with Zucker's company in the past and was hoping to work with the company on new safety concerns. "The decision to file the lawsuit was not done in haste," Wolfson said. "Most times with recalls, companies will comply." Wolfson said it was Zucker's decision to dissolve the company. He said other high-powered magnet companies decided to either comply to the recall demand or face the lawsuit. Shihan Qu, the founder of Zen Magnets, which was also listed on the suit, called the CPSC's actions a "witch hunt" and an attempt for the agency to expand its powers. Qu finds himself in the unusual position of defending a competitor against a government agency. "What's the old saying? 'An enemy of an enemy is a friend,'" he said, pointing out that his company is still selling magnets during the legal process. "The agency is gambling to expand their power. This is how all power is gained. The CPSC is canceling our product on pre-evidence." David Japha, a lawyer for Star Networks USA and Zen Magnets, the two companies listed in the CPSC lawsuit, would not comment on Zucker's case, but he said the CPSC seems to simply "want a pound of flesh." "Everything you have in your house can be used for the wrong purpose," Japha said. "The purpose of a corporate entity is to protect the individual."Image copyright AP Image caption Under the US proposal, Russian forces in Crimea would return to their bases US Secretary of State John Kerry has diverted his homebound flight from the Middle East for hastily arranged talks in Paris on the Ukraine crisis with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The decision came after President Vladimir Putin spoke to President Barack Obama by phone late on Friday. Mr Obama has called on Russia to pull its troops back from Ukraine's border. Mr Lavrov told Russian TV on Saturday that Moscow had no intention of sending troops into Ukraine. Several thousand Russian soldiers are reported to have been stationed near Ukraine's eastern borders. The two foreign ministers are due to meet in Paris on Sunday evening. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption People in the Crimean capital Simferopol have been celebrating the change of the clocks to synchronise with the time in Moscow Reports say Mr Kerry was flying home from the Middle East on Saturday when he abruptly changed travel plans and instructed the plane's crew to fly to France. There were festivities in the Crimean capital Simferopol late on Saturday when the clocks were moved forward two hours at 22:00 (20:00 GMT) local time to align with Moscow time. However, representatives of the peninsula's Tatar minority, who largely opposed Russia's annexation, voted in favour of "ethnic and territorial autonomy". The delegates at a congress convened in the town of Bakhchisaray left open the form this autonomy would take and how it would be achieved. Meanwhile, Ukraine's interim authorities have been pressing ahead with plans for elections due on 25 May. Boxer and leading political figure Vitaly Klitschko pulled out of the race for president on Saturday, declaring his support for billionaire chocolate tycoon Petro Poroshenko. "The only chance of winning is to nominate one candidate from the democratic forces," he told supporters of his Udar (Punch) party. Former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, who was freed from jail when Viktor Yanukovych was ousted as president last month, has also said she will stand. After Mr Yanukovych fled Ukraine, pro-Russian forces moved in to take control of the Crimean peninsula. Moscow then annexed the Ukrainian region after a referendum condemned as illegal by Kiev and the UN General Assembly. Image copyright AFP Image caption Pro-Russian activists held a rally in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on Saturday In an interview with state TV channel Rossiya 1 on Saturday, Mr Lavrov said: "We have absolutely no intention of - or interest in - crossing Ukraine's borders." He added that Russia was ready to protect "the rights of Russians and Russian-speaking people in Ukraine, using all available political, diplomatic and legal means". After the interview was broadcast, it emerged Mr Lavrov had spoken by phone to Mr Kerry, in a conversation that Russian officials said was initiated by the US. That call followed an hour-long phone discussion late on Friday between the US and Russian presidents. Mr Putin had contacted President Obama, according to US officials. The White House said in a statement. that the US was keen to de-escalate the crisis. "President Obama made clear that this remains possible only if Russia pulls back its troops and does not take any steps to further violate Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty," it added. Image copyright AP Image caption Ukrainian servicemen abandoned their bases in Crimea after they were seized by Russian forces Image copyright Reuters Image caption Russian sailors have also seized Ukrainian ships and naval bases in the peninsula The US proposal, described as a "diplomatic off-ramp", has been developed in consultation with Ukraine and several EU countries, Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov: "We have absolutely no intention of, or interest in, crossing Ukraine's borders" It is thought to involve halting the military build-up near Ukraine's border, the deployment of international monitors in eastern Ukraine to protect the rights of Russian speakers, and the return of Russian troops in Crimea to their bases there. The Kremlin said that the Russian president had drawn Mr Obama's attention to "the continued rampage of extremists" in Kiev and various regions of Ukraine. Russia's reported troop movements near Ukraine's eastern border - described by Nato as a "huge military build-up" - have triggered fears that Mr Putin's interest in Ukraine is not limited to Crimea. Acting Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsya said on Saturday Russia was trying to create an "instability belt" in Ukraine's south-eastern regions. "If you look at the map, there are plans to destabilise the situation in... particularly in Odessa, which would give the Russian Federation a pretext for creating a corridor between Russia [and] Crimea," Mr Deshchytsya said.As the LGBTQ community gathered at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando on the one year anniversary of the mass shooting there that claimed the lives of 49 people and injured dozens more, they were, sadly, not alone. Also at the site of the shooting were Christian street preachers, spreading fear and hatred. They held disgusting signs, like one claiming gay people burn in hell, citing as their moral compass a text that failed to stick the landing on the moral quandary, “Is it okay to own slaves?” According to ABC affiliate WFTV, local officials and community members had just finished a remembrance ceremony when police took one of three preachers to the ground and placed him in handcuffs, as the crowd changed, “Love over hate!” Police have yet to say why they arrested the man. LGBTQ Nation has reached out to the Orlando Police Department for further information. We will update this article if more details come to light. BREAKING: One protester handcuffed after showing up at #pulse. People attending ceremony cheer as he is placed in opd car. @WESH pic.twitter.com/cTrcMRlRLV — Greg Fox (@GregFoxWESH) June 12, 2017 This Story Filed UnderThey say that penny saved is a penny earned. If you like me and do a lot of shopping online there are few simple steps you can take to make sure you get the best deal on a products you buy. Here are the couple steps any person should take before buying anything online:1.- For people who don't know about a cash back sites here's how it works. Most advertisers pay website publishers a commission when site users click on their ads and purchase something at their site. The commission varies based on the company and the type of product purchased but it's usually between 2 and 8% of the purchase price. What cash back sites do is allow their users to benefit from this relationship by giving them a portion of the commission (~50 to 75%) they receive when they purchase products through their links. That way users are incentivized in purchasing through their website vs some other one. That way both users and cashback sites make money, creating a symbiotic relationship of sorts. When your cashback reach a certain amount, say $50 they send you a check for that amount, just like a credit card that offers rewards. There are a lot of these types of site to choose from but the one I use the most is BigCrumbs.com. It's one of the oldest, most reliable and I have found that the percentage that you get is consistently higher than on other sites. There are other good ones as well and sometimes it's worth to shop around to get a little higher percentage, especially if you are buying an expensive product such as a brand new TV set. However, for most purchases I just stick to BigCrumbs.com since I want to earn enough to get a check as soon as possible. They also list all the current deals and coupons that particular site offer right on the page, which is very convenient during shopping.Here're some examples of the cash back they offer for some of the more popular sites:Best Buy - from 1.2% to 4.2% cash back depending on the product categoryHP - 2.8% cash backDell - 2.1% cash backOrbitz - 2.8% cash back for package, up to 5.25% for specific hotel purchasesExpedia - 2.8% cash back for package, up to 5.6% for specific hotel purchasesThe biggest negative regarding cashback sites that none of them offer cashback for Amazon.com, a premier destination for online shopping. However, there are other ways to save on Amazon, which I will address in the next section and in my future posts. Click Here to sign up for BigCrumbs.com-Everybody knows about rewards credit cards but for some reason people don't do enough research to get the best ones out there. My advise - don't be lazy, people. Spend 10 minutes researching and you would be surprised what offers you can find. The 3 cards I would recommend the most are 2 cards from Capital One (the bank with Vikings commercials) and the one from Amazon.com.Here are some quick highlights for those 3 cards:a. Amazon.com Visa Card - If you shop at Amazon you get 3 points for every dollar spend on the site. That's 3% cash back which can be redeemed on your next purchase. You also get 2 points per $1 spent at gas stations, restaurants, drugstores, and office supply stores as well as one point for all other purchases. This is not my primary card for everyday purchases but I use it all the time at Amazon since you can't beat 3% cash back. Signing up is easy enough. When you get to a check out page you will see an ad for Amazon card. Just click on it and you will be redirected to their sign up page. You will also get $30 off on your next purchase as a bonus. b. Capital One Venture One Rewards - For people who want excellent rewards card but don't want to pay
thinking of you and doesn’t mind showing you as much. It’s one thing to get happy birthday wishes on your Facebook wall. It’s another thing entirely to… well, you get it. My point is that the thrill of putting your hands on a record that you cannot live without is undeniable. Every second leading up to and following that moment, no matter how mundane, creates an instant story that you can tell for the rest of your life. And it always comes with details, doesn’t it? There are smells in record stores that we associate with happiness. There is an ultrasonic tingle in the hands when you find a treasure. And there are beautifully unique characters, always. Indeed, god bless the people who work in these shops for The Pure Love Of Music — because, I can promise you from experience, it sure ain’t for the money. They’re always there, ready to play you something strange or new and forcing you to want to know more about it. They’re true guides, and spending time by their side just standing in a record store is a guaranteed way to broaden your taste. These clerks are like a Youtube sidebar or the physical embodiment of those “Made For You” links on Spotify — only, instead of algorithms, they come with actual personalities and tastes of their own. Over the years, these acolytes have worked at a number of glorious Dallas temples. In the ’60s and ’70s, kids would take buses and walk for miles to Lips Records & Tapes to buy the first copy out of the box of Songs In The Key Of Life or to score tickets to see Johnny Winter in concert. They’d head to the Melody Shop in NorthPark to buy their first guitar, then return just days later to buy an armload of records to play along to. In the ’80s, they mobbed the Sound Warehouses and Bill’s Records for new Motley Crue tapes and to search through boxes on the floor for import Bauhaus singles and pretty much anything else made by German weirdos. In the ’90s, the kids who were dropped off by their parents to shop for MC Hammer tapes got turned on to Scarface and MC 900 Foot Jesus by grinning store clerks at CD World. At RPM, the boys found out that Hum could make them cry with one song while shopping the “Just In” section, and the girls found out that the boys wearing eyeliner in the poster sections were singing songs that had been written just for them. Their parents nodded in approval when they came out of these stores, their arms either filled or or their hands held out begging for a few more dollars, because they’d shopped at Top Ten Records back around the time Officer Tippit used the phone there to call in spotting Oswald. In the early ’00s, everyone sold everything they owned back to CD Source, CD World and Half Price Books. It was a grim time and fairly well recognized as a mistake by all. Gears turned, iPods filled and hard drives bulged as stores started to go the way of the 8-track. We stupidly began referring to the previous 45 years as the “Album Era” as if the beauty of a fully realized stacks of songs were a wasteful byproduct we should look back on as a shameful idea. Somewhere around 2006, we then wiped the sleep from our eyes and woke up, wondering why there was a sandwich shop where our beloved record store used to be. And once more, we started shopping, especially for vinyl, feeling the warmth in our arms once again. There is no magic or mystery to the ebb of vinyl sales since 2007. Records are fucking cool, and they make small apartments look even cooler when they fill shelves. They double as killer wall art, and they sound like dreams and smoke and memories. You have to show them off to people. They’re palpable. The 26 percent rise in vinyl sales in 2016 speaks to an almost perfect apex of great taste by young and old alike. The top 25 records sold last year had rockers buying Nevermind and Zep IV to blare for their friends at parties; smooth cats and lovers hearing Winehouse, Lana Del Rey and Miles Davis; and youngsters buying Blink 182, Taylor Swift and their introductory copy of Bob Marley’s Legend. Even Fort Worth’s Leon Bridges slid into the top 25, moving 19,631 copies of his debut Coming Home LP, a disc that sounded more like something released 60 years prior. Collectively, these albums gave us back what we didn’t know we’d so badly missed. And, once more, it was record stores where these purchases were made. What Good Records’ T-shirts preach — that “you can’t roll a joint on a digital download” — is very much a true statement, turns out. The buzz just ain’t the same without getting out of the house to score. So once again, we go out, we get our friends together and we go shopping. Because our computer will be the same when we get back. But we won’t. Because, through this experience, we never have been. Over the years, Dallas has boasted a great number of record shops to help with this transformation. Trying to determine which of Dallas’ record stores — dead or alive — have been among its finest is, at best, an exercise in great subjectivity. And, yet, I will attempt to do just that here — not in an effort to slam the ones I haven’t included but to just give some extra love to those that I have. The truth is that every single record store that has existed in in or town has been a treasure. But, for whatever reason, these stores are the ones that, through legend or my own personal enlightenment, have always spoken loudest to me. Dallas’ Greatest Dead Record Stores. RPM Records/Groove Net (Mesquite). Mesquite isn’t where you would’ve expected to find a GG Allin shirt or a Parliament Funkadelic record in the ’90s — but RPM had those things, and in having them, it gave birth to many a suburban kids’ record-collecting itch. Yes, there was a time when finding a poster of an iconic horror movie or a sticker from a new release was enough to open the eyes of a kid to culture and idealogy that their schools and parents probably didn’t encourage — and what a fantastic time it was. In many ways, it’s almost tough to believe that such a spot existed, which is why, these days, RPM’s story feels more legend than reality. Fortunately, owner Randy Frierson took the closing of RPM in stride, opening Groove Net, which also set up shop in Mesquite. Groove Net dealt to serious collectors, DJs and walk-ins with equal courtesy, and established itself online to the world by carrying well over 450,000 plus titles. Even after the storefront’s closing in early 2016, the online store remains, boasting over 40 years of knowledge in the business of selling records. CD World (Lower Greenville/Addison). Before re-opening the Granada Theater, Mike Schoder turned his love of music, and more importantly, his love of sharing it into a legitimate business. After years of stocking jukeboxes and local stores out of the back of his tiny car, he launched his CD World brand and opened two of the most revered record stores around town. From ’92 on, the Greenville Avenue and Belt Line locations were the region’s go-to spots for top-notch local band bins, carefully selected listening stations and more buttons, patches and stickers than any shopper could pass up. At both locations, CD World was wonderfully DIY, always saving money by reusing anything that could be found to pass savings on to the customers. Cultivated by a rotating cast of now well=known local musicians and serious record collectors, the decree from Mike was simple: Keep the store organized, always have a stick of Nag Champa burning and Always Be Kind To The Customers. That ethos worked: It didn’t matter if you were buying tickets for a Granada show, looking for a song to play at a party, selling a box of DVDs or just getting into town and looking for the cool stores; clients were always treated like old friends. When a retail store closes and more than a few tears are shed, beers raised and toasts made, it’s apparent that something special was shared. It has been said more than once that the smell of incense will always remind an old friend of the World. It will always be that way for me. CD Source (Greenville Avenue). Manager Larry Hanover at CD Source would begin walking toward a rack and kneel down to dig through back stock within seconds of a customer saying they couldn’t find an item. The staff at Source was always inundated with so much product that it could not practically place on its shelves, and they slaved to keep inventory filed and orderly. It’s no accident that owner Lance Price staffed his store with friendly autodidacts that knew the place with an eerie precision and almost always had a niche knowledge of something you might like. Folks filing in for early Record Store Day in-store performances would still find among the mayhem of the day a youngster working who knew science fiction movies verbatim or a slightly goth-looking character who knew every title available in the hip hop section. A quiet and kindly Kevin Myers, processing at the buy counter, could spout information about classical and classic music like a computer. Special orders were treated as importantly as customers selling boxes of items, who were given here arguably the fairest prices in town. Shoppers could spend an unlimited amount of time browsing and listening to the old CD player listening stations and asking endless questions — and they’d never get anything but smiles and help. From 1993 til 2014, CD Source strove to make every single person who walked through its doors happy, and it did just that. Pagan Rhythms (Greenville Avenue). Located just across the street from CD Source, Pagan Rhythms’ name was plenty signal enough as to the kind of spot it was, and curious kids and area musicians both immediately recognized it as a hub both local and special. After spending the ’70s and ’80s selling records out of his car, owner Lavon Pagan recognized the need for an indie injection to counteract what Sound Warehouse was slinging along Greenville Avenue, and so, in the early ’90s, he brazenly opened his shop right next door. Here, buyers could shop to the sounds of Roky Erikson or Bloodrock blaring over the speakers while digging through an endless section of cassette singles and resale 12-inch records listed at very reasonable prices instead of listening to Warrant in a homogenized, stale environment. Among other people, the shop spoke to a young Zach Blair (Hagfish, Rise Against), who counts it, along with Direct Hit in Exposition Park and Bill’s Records as one of the places where he fell in love with music in Dallas. Remembers Blair, wistfully: “I got into a car wreck leaving Pagan Rythms and almost died — I was laid up for months! I had just bought The Jam’s This Is The Modern World on vinyl. I almost died for that record!” And yet he kept returning to the store every chance he got. It takes special kind of store to maintain a place near and dear to someone’s heart even after a near-death experience. And Pagan Rhythms was that special. Last Beat (Deep Ellum). Effectively, walking into Last Beat in Deep Ellum in the ’90s could seal one’s fate as a diehard punk, a metalhead, an industrial freak or an indie kid — or it could damn you into knowing that you were a poseur forever. Amidst its perfect, ashy collection of handmade zines and rack after rack of obscure tapes, CDs and vinyl, shoppers would be treated to the sounds of Merzbow or Baboon as their minds were torn to shreds and stitched back together with black tape that could never unravel without leaving its glue on everything. In that sticky mess, one could find the covers of pure static noise cassettes, NOFX stickers and fliers from all-ages shows covering every old bland interest that preceded walking in. On the other hand, that brazen edge could just as easily chase you outside, scare the bejeezus out of you and send your ass back to the mall. And that was OK, too. Last Beat was a darker, more intense place. But it brought pure joy to everyone that embraced it. Dallas’ Greatest Still-Kickin’ Record Stores. Josey Records (Northwest Dallas). You can crush a lunch break in Josey Records, located just off LBJ, leave with an armful of finds and only plan to come back for more. With more than 15,000 square feet of bins for DJ’s, racks for heads and everything in between, this store is run by some of Dallas’ most prominent collectors (Waric Cameron, JT Donaldson and Luke Sardello), and it’s got tons of space to keep crate diggers diggin’. It also has plenty of seats for you to rest upon as you check your bank account and struggle through the decision to buy records and eat Top Ramen for the next few weeks. Ben Hixon, the head of the upstart Dolfin Records collective of musicians and a clerk at Josey since it opened in late 2014, says it’s tough to determine which section of the store is its most popular; he figures the new arrival, used and collectors sections each get equal love. And that makes sense: Boasting all that space, Josey wants to be able to bring a little something to the fold for everyone, and it miraculously accomplishes that feat without losing even a shred of cool. There’s a reason why the likes of Andre 3000, DJ Shadow and Q-Tip have all found their way into Josey since it opened not even three full years ago. And there’s a reason why you should stop in, too. Good Records (Lower Greenville). If sadness drizzles on you in Dallas, simply shroud yourself in the Good Umbrella. After originally opening in Deep Ellum next to a stankin’ ass paint company, this spot thankfully moved to Lower Greenville before too long, and it’s there where the spot developed its true identity as a colorful shop filled even more colorful characters. More than just a fastidious record shop that eschews genre sectioning for alphabetical listings, Good Records is a culture: It maintains a small but incredibly tasteful namesake record label that has released product from Granddaddy, Binary Surprise (listen to this sweetheart of a record!) and co-owner Tim DeLaughter’s Polyphonic Spree; it’s also recently opened a new offshoot gift shop called The Good Pagoda on Garland Road. But the Lower Greenville spot is still the brand’s bread and butter, featuring a crazy knowledgeable staff led by inimitable co-owner Chris Penn, who to this day is still more fanboy than businessman. Ask him and he’ll excitedly tell you about the time Good Records sold King Crimson albums to Glenn Danzig or that legendary night when it hosted an in-store reunion of the original lineup of Alice Cooper on its AstroTurf-lined stage. The case has been made for years that Good Records’ stage is the best on Lowest Greenville, and with plenty of legendary shows to back up that claim. But even when not going all out — its Records Store Day celebrations also double as the shop’s annual anniversary bashes, and that combination is always worth circling your calendar for — the shop’s day-to-day charm as a fine place for finding great music is somehow still singular. Hit Records (Casa View). You don’t like the Ramones and the Stones like Ron Ross likes the Ramones and the Stones. Or Aerosmith. Or The Beatles. Or, hell, just anything rock ‘n’ roll-related. Ross’ legendary Hit Records shop on Ferguson Road is sometimes called a rock museum, in part because it’s where promotional material from yesteryear is still on display, refusing to die. But, beyond that, it’s metalhead’s paradise, a place where headbanging customers, and sometimes even Aerosmith frontmen, have been coming since the mid-’70s to get their heavy fix. And his carefully kept and curated store never disappoints. Ross is simply a madman when it comes to music — and his shop reflects not only that, but also his adoration for all thing pop culture-related. Along with the music, Hit Records has enough great toys, baseball memorabilia and Three Stooges stuff to make any dork happy. The power of the product on the shelves has more than enough clout to impress any fair weather shopper into a lifetime of return visits. And if you can’t find it on the shelves, don’t fret: Special orders are Ross’ specialty. Take your out-of-print wishlist to Ross and he’ll help you whittle it down. Better yet, he’ll have stories for days to tell you about the amazing items lining his walls. Dolly Python/Big Bucks Burnett’s Cloud 8 Records (East Dallas). In the corner of the Dolly Python vintage resale shop that houses Cloud 8 records is the tip of the spear of what has to be an utterly amazing personal music collection. Bucks Burnett has had his big toe stuck in the Dallas music retail scene for around 40 years and has stories for days. I’m not gonna repeat any of them here and risk doing them injustice; instead, I strongly encourage you go check out his record stand inside of this fantastic store and pick his brain yourself. While you’re there, wander to any section or artists and pick up an LP. Then realize that the copy you are holding is special — a test pressing, a misprint, an import or maybe some other rarity. Pretty much everything Burnett sells is of museum quality — it’s fitting that the guy opened the world’s first eight-track museum and more recently opened a cassette tape museum — except you can actually afford his stuff. It is an absolute imperative that any record collector go find this store. And when you do, be sure to look around the rest of Dolly Python when you pull yourself away from Cloud 8. Store owner Gretchen Bell has an eye that is as elegant as it is bad ass, and Dolly Python is bulging with treasures for anyone’s tastes. Any music lover is going to find Dolly Python and Cloud 8 Records an absolute can’t-miss. Honorable Mention. DJ Bryan C. This takes it all the way back to the street. Just an insane amount of music-related things in Dallas revolve around Bryan Coonrod in some way, shape or form, and what’s especially remarkable about that fact is that he does it all grassroots-style in humble and sensational fashion. A prolific club DJ who can be found everywhere from Deep Ellum to Sachse, Coonrod is also a designer of awesome crate-digging gear through his “Gold Diggers” line of shirts made specifically for record heads. If you don’t know him though those means, you might through the fact that he’s the one who’s been organizing those Beats Swap Meets in Dallas or because he’s the one who has people lining up for crazy great deals at his pop-up record shops at the Double Wide Flea Markets. The guy is just completely eating and sleeping this lifestyle. He probably has something you want in his ever-growing, warehouse-sized collection. So if you see him out in the wild — and it’s tough not to — don’t be shy about hitting him up and asking where you might be able to find something. If he doesn’t have it himself, he’ll be able to point you in the right direction, I promise. Cover photo by Brian Knowles.Chicago mayor and Democratic political veteran Rahm Emanuel joined his party’s public soul-searching with a Monday speech in which he criticized fellow Dems for being more concerned about purity than about actually winning elections. "Winning's everything," he said in an address at Stanford University’s school of business, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times. "If you don't win, you can't make the public policy. I say that because it is hard for people in our party to accept that principle. Sometimes, you've just got to win, OK? Our party likes to be right, even if they lose." Advertisement: Long a bête noire of leftists and progressives, Emanuel defended his tenure leading the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, when he recruited a number of more centrist and hawkish candidates to stand for elections in Republican-leaning states, especially in the South and Midwest. “I got a lot of crap for recruiting Iraqi war vets, football players, sheriffs, businesspeople. I said, ‘Well, they’re running in Republican districts,’” Emanuel said. “You’ve got to be ruthless enough. We recruited people who matched the districts. If you’re running in a Republican district, you’ve got to get somebody who can win in a Republican district.” Liberal activists simply don’t understand that their views are not that popular outside a few major areas, the Chicago mayor argued. He noted that under his leadership, Democrats won significant victories in 2006 and 2008. “I’ve never lost an election,” he argued. “Our party likes to be right, even if they lose. I don’t go to moral victory speeches. I can’t stand them.” While it might be tempting for Democrats to pursue all-out opposition to President Donald Trump’s agenda in Congress, in hopes of rallying a victory in 2018, Emanuel argued that his party must have realistic expectations of what is possible: It took us a long time to get this low. It ain’t gonna happen in 2018. Take a chill pill, man. You’ve got to be in this for the long haul. And if you think it’s gonna be a quick turnaround like that, it’s not.... You’re gonna have a success here and a success here, and then you’ll build a critical mass. But it’s worth fighting for. And I think this country is worth fighting for. While tough talk about pragmatism isn’t likely to endear Barack Obama's famously cold-blooded former chief of staff to progressive activists, at least one thing Emanuel said in his Stanford address struck a similar note to comments made by Bernie Sanders, the 2016 insurgent candidate who came close to defeating Hillary Clinton before Trump did. Advertisement: Speaking up about why he thinks Clinton lost the election, the veteran Vermont senator and self-described socialist argued that Democrats have become too focused on identity politics and not enough on economic issues. “It is not good enough for someone to say, ‘I’m a woman, vote for me,’” Sanders said after a November speech he delivered in Boston. “No, that’s not good enough. What we need is a woman who has the guts to stand up to Wall Street, to the insurance companies, to the drug companies, to the fossil fuel industry.” In his own way, Emanuel touched on the same idea while defending his selection of more culturally conservative or centrist Democrats. “I wanted to take cultural issues off the table and I wanted to present economic issues,” he said. Emanuel's advice for the party also overlaps a bit with the strategy that Sanders and Senate Democrats have pursued since Trump's election: trying to split the new president from Democratic-leaning voters who switched sides under the assumption that he was different than the typical pro-business Republican. Instead of fighting one another, Emanuel argued, Democrats should be trying to encourage GOP infighting. Advertisement: “Whenever there’s a disagreement among Republicans, I’m for one of those disagreements. I’m all for it,” he said. “The president wants Russia? I’m with John McCain and Lindsey Graham. I’m for NATO. Why? Wedge. Schisms have to be wedges.” Unsurprisingly, these pieces of apparent agreement haven’t dissuaded some lefty political commentators from disagreeing strongly with Emanuel’s overall argument. Responding to his mayor’s speech, Chicago Tribune columnist Eric Zorn argued that Democrats should learn a different lesson from Republicans: That hard-nosed opposition to a president can lead to great results, as in the historic gains the GOP made in state and local elections after Obama took office in 2009. Advertisement: Did the party faithful "go slow... real slow," in planning its revival, as Emanuel advised Democrats on Monday? Did they heed Emanuel's counsel to find moderate challengers "to take cultural issues off the table" and attract middle-of-the-road voters in swing districts? Did they resign themselves to remaining a hopeful minority through Obama's entire first term? No. They took their pep pills and megadoses of caffeine, and they fought like hell. Up and down the ballot, all across the country, at tea party protests and raucous town halls, Republicans tried to block the Democrats and to make the case for their vision of America. And just two years later they had their mojo back and quite a bit more. In all likelihood, the way out of the political wilderness for Democrats will be to figure out a way to combine the best tactics of both Emanuel and Sanders. Despite all the brouhaha that's developed within the race to head up the Democratic National Committee, the two leading candidates in the race, Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison and former labor secretary and civil rights attorney Tom Perez may actually be doing that. As Mother Jones writer Tim Murphy noted at the end of his must-read profile of Ellison, the two men's views may not be as hugely different as some of their supporters might wish to believe: "They aren't far apart politically, and their prescriptions for healing the party aren't too different either. When it comes to the DNC, their biggest difference may be that Ellison supports a ban on accepting money from lobbyists and Perez doesn't. (But Ellison says he won't press the issue if DNC members oppose it.)" Advertisement: Figuring out how to synthesize the passionate advocacy for the 99 percent that Sanders and his wing evince with the political savvy of Emanuel's wing is the great task ahead for Democrats.Interior work in progress screenshots taken from inside DayZ standalone. Please note these are work-in-progress shots, with only basic texture work and initial lighting passes. I picked a random town in the game and took screenshots of a few of the houses. The screenshots are taken on “Normal” graphic settings (medium texture resolution) and are unaltered and uncropped. Our artists have been very busy, methodically going through all buildings in Chernarus and adding interiors. The task can be pretty difficult, when the buildings where made interiors were not considered so it an be a challenge for the artists to make the interiors both look correct and work properly. The village I used to take the screenshot in now has all its buildings enterable, including the sheds. Most focus has so far been on the buildings that are situated outside of the center, but focus now is turning to doing interiors for the city buildings. This is complicated by our desire to dramatically increase performance, and given the scene complexity inside cities we need to balance this with the desire to increase building scavenging opportunities inside the cities. This was really just a very quick drop of a few screenshots, I’ll try to put forward some more screenshots of our artists work in the next few weeks.John Kappenman, 55, an obscure electrical engineer from Duluth, Minnesota, is determined to save civilization from the mother of all blackouts. If he succeeds, the daily life of billions around the world will continue undisrupted. But if he fails, we may well suffer on a scale that makes even World Wars seem trivial in comparison. Over the past thirty years, Kappenman has accumulated a vast and compelling body of evidence indicating that sooner or later a major blast of EMP (electromagnetic pulse) from the Sun, a space weather Katrina, will knock out the electrical power grid and bring society to its knees. "Historically large storms have a potential to cause power grid blackouts and transformer damage of unprecedented proportions. An event that could incapacitate the network for a long time could be one of the largest natural disasters we could face," he declares. A bluff, friendly man, half science nerd, half overgrown farm boy, Kappenman insists that solar EMP blasts the size of those that occurred in 1859 (before society was electrified) and 1921(before the power grid had developed to the point where it played any significant role) would today result in large-scale blackouts lasting for months or years. Kappenman was a major contributor to the landmark report, Severe Space Weather Events: Understanding Societal and Economic Impacts, published by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in December, 2008. Founded by Abraham Lincoln during the height of the Civil War, the NAS is the closest thing there is to a Supreme Court of scientific opinion for the United States, and much of the rest of the world. "Electric power is modern society's cornerstone technology, the technology on which virtually all other infrastructures and services depend... Collateral effects of a longer-term outage [such as would almost certainly result from a massive space weather event] would likely include, for example, disruption of the transportation, communication, banking, and finance systems, and government services; the breakdown of the distribution of potable water owing to pump failure and the loss of perishable foods and medications because of lack of refrigeration. The resulting loss of services for a significant period of time in even one region of the country could affect the entire nation and have international impact as well," says the NAS report. As examined extensively in my book, AFTERMATH, (Broadway/Random House, July, 2010) more than 100 million Americans could be affected by this blackout for months or years. Recovering from a future severe magnetic storm would cost $1 to $2 trillion per year-- ten to twenty times the cost of Katrina. Of course, the damage would be immeasurably worse if such a massive, protracted catastrophe were to touch off social unrest sufficient to undermine the agencies and institutions in charge of the reconstruction effort. Unlike most doom prophecies, this one has potential for a happy ending. As examined further on, there is a comparatively quick and economical way to defend against solar EMP. " Sunblock for the grid" recommendations are at the core of the GRID bill, HR-5026, passed UNANIMOUSLY by the U.S. House of Representatives this June. No mean feat in today's poisonously partisan climate. But the true day of reckoning will probably come later on this summer in the United States Senate, where things are not looking very good at all. The World's Largest Lightning Rod The world's power grids, of which the United States has the most extensive, have in essence become giant antennas for space weather blasts. Just as a lightning rod attracts any lightning bolts that might otherwise strike a roof, the power grid, which is designed specifically to be extremely efficient at conducting electricity, attracts space weather bolts. Problem is that, unlike lightning rods, the power grid is gravely vulnerable to such shocks. So how would a solar blast keep your toilet from flushing? By disrupting the power grid system at its weakest point: the transformer. Transformers receive power from high voltage transmission lines which in turn receive their power from substations directly connected to the main power plant, be it coal, oil, gas, hydroelectric or nuclear. High voltage transmission lines, the ones held up by those big Y-shaped metal trellis structures that can be seen stretching along the highway, carry the current as far as 300 miles. The farther the distance, the higher the voltage required, just as more water pressure would be required to produce a steady, reliable stream of water out of a long hose than out of a short one. (Volts are essentially units of pressure, while amps are units of volume. The simplest analogy is to water: volts would measure how hard the water rushes out of the hose, amps would measure how much water is flowing.) The power from the transmission lines is fed into the transformers, whose job is to then step it down from the level of hundreds of thousands of volts to tens of thousands of volts, then split the current into several directions via a device known as a "bus." The bus sends the electricity through the network of power lines one sees everywhere held up by utility poles. Transformers in communities then drop the voltage down to levels used in homes and businesses, so the flow of electricity requires transformers at many points in the network and if transformers are damaged, then no electricity can flow.The power lines feed into businesses and homes, most of which rely on electric pumps to supply the water necessary to flush one's toilet, unless, of course, the electricity has been shorted out. Transformers in the United States operate at levels as high as 765kV or 765,000 volts in the United States and up to 1000kV in China. Transformers in Europe typically use lower voltages, in the 400KV range. At one point, the Swedish electrical utility was considering upgrading to 800KV but protests from groups concerned about the human health impacts of the new ultra-high voltage lines put the kibosh on that. Right for the wrong reason, one might observe. The higher the voltage processed by a transformer, the narrower the tolerance for error and the more vulnerable it is, therefore, to the extra electrical jolt that would come from the GIC's (geomagnetically induced currents,) caused by solar EMP. According to Kappenman's research, a repeat of the geomagnetic storm that occurred in 1859 or 1921 would see the copper windings and leads of the 350 or so of the highest voltage transformers in the United States melt and burn out. These transformers connect nearly one third of the entire US power grid infrastructure, damage levels of unimaginable proportions from any other threat. Transformers weigh over 100 tons apiece and usually cannot be repaired in the field, and because of their size they cannot be flown in from overseas factories where they are now made. In fact, most transformers damaged by space weather incidents cannot be repaired at all, and need to replaced with new units. Currently, the worldwide waiting list for transformers is about three years, and about half of those made fail either in test or prematurely while in service. "We've been stacking risk multipliers on top of risk multipliers. The scientific community has developed a false sense of security regarding the power industry. We've got to preserve our capability and prevent wide spread catastrophic damage to this vital infrastructure!" declares Kappenman. So why haven't we been zapped yet? There was no power grid to zap to speak of until 1950's. Before then, each city had its own generators, but there was no significant swapping of power from one city to the next. Today, megawatt loads zip instantaneously around the North American grid. The growth of what is known as open access transmission, whereby larger and larger amounts of energy are whizzed around the grid to meet consumer demand, makes it all the likelier that a sudden and unexpected injection of GIC electrical energy could blow out the system. Stressing the power grid with heavier and heavier loads, while good for profits and energy savings, does seem like tempting fate, given the looming danger of solar EMP assaults. Sleeping through the Wake-up Calls "We have already slept through at least one wake-up call, the geomagnetic storm of 1989," Kappenman contends. On March 13,1989, two solar blasts each about a tenth the size of the ones that hit in 1859 and 1921 knocked out the Hydro-Quebec electrical utility, causing it to go from fully operational to complete shutdown in 92 seconds. On the computer simulation, the blast looks like giant red, toothy mouths taking bites out of the top of the Northern Hemisphere. Millions of customers in Quebec lost power but within nine hours power was restored. No big deal in the grand scheme of things. True, a number of nuclear, oil and coal-powered plants as far away as Los Angeles subsequently reported transmission anomalies, but nothing blew up, although one large transformer at a Nuclear plant in New Jersey melted. Another wake-up call came on Halloween, October 31, 2003. Kappenman was testifying before the Environment subcommittee of the House of Representatives Science Committee on the impact of the blackout of August 14, 2003 and potential impacts for severe space weather. The August 2003 blackout, not space weather related, is believed to have cost between $4 billion and $10 billion in repairs and collateral economic damage. As luck would have it, the day of Kappenman's testimony turned out also to be a day of a powerful solar storm, known in space weather circles as Halloween 2003. "During breaks in the Committee meeting, I was frantically sending out email advisories about the storm," Kappenman recalls. The solar flares for the Halloween 2003 event was much more powerful than the March 1989 storm, but its impact was less severe because it struck mostly at the poles, and did not swoop down as far south into populated areas. Nonetheless, Halloween 2003 did cause a brief blackout in Malmo, Sweden, and also fried fourteen 400 KV transformers in southern South Africa. In part because of the difficulty in recovering from the Halloween 2003 transformer burnout, South Africa has since had enormous problems supplying electricity to its customers, to the point where basic commerce and security have been impaired. Kappenman's Halloween 2003 testimony regarding solar EMP did result in his receiving partial funding by the US Congressional Electromagnetic Pulse Commission, though the commission lost its funding in late 2008. Since then, Kappenman has struggled financially, depending on the odd consulting assignment, and grateful that his wife, Lisa, earns enough to support them and their seven year-old son. "I would say the odds are against us," he acknowledged when we first met in April, 2009. Then he choked up a bit. "It's the social breakdown... During Hurricane Andrew, which only affected several counties in Florida, the worst hit areas, without any electricity or anything, the National Guard, all they could do was leave jugs of fresh water at intersections and hope people would come take them... In the case of space weather the impact areas would cover major portions of the US at the same time, Oil and water pumping would cease, natural gas, too. There would be no ability to refuel a vehicle... rail transport, no ability to supply meaningful support from neighboring unaffected regions, because those regions would be extremely remote. No one keeps fuel at their factories any more, just-in-time manufacturing took care of that. You can't just restart a nuclear power plant. For one thing, you need the operators to show up." Sunblock for the Grid It turns out that the grid can be protected from solar EMP devastation by outfitting it with surge suppressors, much like the ones that protect our computers and plasma televisions at home. In a nutshell, solar EMP blasts hit the Earth and discharge massive electrical currents into the planet's surface, some of which current surges back up and into the grid. Surge suppressors placed between the surface and the transformer would protect the transformer from the space weather-induced electrical currents coming up from the ground. Each surge suppressor would be about the size of a washing machine, and would cost $40,000-$50,000 apiece; with some 5,000 transformers in the North American grid, that works out to $250 million or so, according to Kappenman's reckoning. Let's say this estimate is overly optimistic and that the inevitable cost over
Paterno's family wants its own review of the Freeh report] In concert with the NCAA, North Carolina's leadership suspended several football players when the news – much of it originally reported by Yahoo! Sports – first erupted in 2010. But it refused to touch coach Butch Davis for the longest time, letting him coach unimpeded despite revelations of assistant coach John Blake acting as a de facto runner for an agent and even the involvement of Davis' nanny in academic shenanigans. Davis finally was fired last summer, shortly before the season and months later than he should have been. Baddour was forced out at around the same time, making way for Cunningham. The school applied some sanctions on itself, but the NCAA laughed, applying more meaningful penalties. As these post-penalty revelations have come to light, UNC's administration seems to still be moving in slow motion in response, critics say. Media requests for documents have been met with something bordering on obstructionism. Comments from school leadership have been defensive. Other than gently allowing Nyang'oro's retirement July 1, those in the big offices don't seem to be inspiring a lot of confidence from the academic side of campus. "To me the worst damage has come, and continues to come, from the university's defensive and less-than-forthcoming reaction to the entire story," Smith wrote in his email. "The university very much looks like it's trying to hide something. An objective outsider could reach no other conclusion. That does not reflect well on any of us. In fact, it's embarrassing." Said Estroff: "I would like to have seen a more robust, more forceful response. But there's a reason I'm not a university president or chancellor. I don't have that skill set." The question hanging out there now is how deeply Carolina's sacred cow, basketball, gets dragged into the mud. Three percent of the students taking suspicious AFAM courses were basketball players – certainly a lower number than their football counterparts, but they also make up a much smaller percentage of the student population. Coach Roy Williams has declared that the academic scandal is not a basketball issue, but a university issue. But N&O investigative reporter Dan Kane made mention on his blog this summer of a two-year-old Indianapolis Star story on academics and basketball that now has greater resonance today. The article, on the clustering of players in certain majors, noted that a whopping seven players from UNC's 2005 national championship team graduated with degrees in African and Afro-American Studies. The Star quoted star player Sean May as saying he dropped a communications major and moved to Afro-American Studies after leaving for the NBA to get his degree faster. May told the Star that AFAM offered "more independent electives, independent study. I could take a lot of classes during the season. Communications, I had to be there in the actual classroom. We just made sure all the classes I had to take, I could take during the summer." That raised more questions. Answers have not kept pace. "I think it's high time for all of us to know the full extent of the fraudulent behavior," Smith wrote. "Were members of the 2009 and 2005 national championship teams also beneficiaries of the AFAM/AFRI scam? I for one see no reason to assume that they were not. If the university wants to prove they were not, the whole world is listening." Against this contentious backdrop, Cunningham is trying to pick up the pieces. [Related: NCAA president hints at possible Penn State 'death penalty'] He thought the worst was behind him when the Committee on Infractions report was issued in March, but that hasn't held true. Hired from Tulsa to break up the insular tradition of Carolina athletics and get a fresh start in a better direction, Cunningham has been frustrated at the ability to gain traction. "How much repairing needs to be done? A lot," Cunningham said. "I do think there's a heightened level of mistrust. I think there's always conflict between academics and athletics. It starts in the recruiting process and whether kids can make it. Then it's a time-allocation discussion about priority. Then we have to be confident that we have people who want to be successful academically and are allowed to pursue their goals. "We can't influence them to major in things that aren't good for them, take classes that aren't useful. Influencing kids to get to an easy major or an easy class is something we have to be aware of. It's going to take time because there is mistrust." Cunningham has spent a good deal of time this summer not just looking at majors of the revenue-sports athletes at UNC but also individual summer-school classes. That's not something he's ever done as an athletic director in previous stops at Tulsa and Ball State. He's also met with the admissions office on a couple of occasions to discuss what it will take to succeed academically at North Carolina. He's open to the idea of throwing out a wider recruiting net to get students equipped to do well both athletically and in the classroom. After all, becoming the East Coast Stanford isn't going to be easy – especially with the baggage Carolina is dragging forward. "The proof is in the pudding when you have to make difficult decisions," Cunningham acknowledged. "People generally are skeptical and want to see you make hard decisions that reinforce what you say – which is, we're going to do things the right way, we're going to act with character and integrity and we're going to attract students who can be successful here. It can only play out over time." For a long time, North Carolina has failed that mission. It must scramble to make up for lost time and lost prestige. Other popular content on the Yahoo! network: • Tim Brown: Oakland Athletics a surprise player as trade deadline nears • Unplayable? Tabloids twist Tiger Woods' words, meaning about Royal Lytham • Proposed NBA Olympics age change not popular among current team members • Y! News: Watch as legally blind surfers showcase their skillsFor Dr. Dre, this summer was meant to be a victory lap in a successful career. “Straight Outta Compton,” a biopic about his hip-hop group, N.W.A., topped the box office last week with a $56.1 million opening. “Compton,” his first album in 16 years, debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard chart. Last year, the music company that Dr. Dre helped establish, Beats, was sold to Apple for $3 billion, making him the self-proclaimed “first billionaire in hip-hop.” But critics charge that the movie, which was co-produced by Dr. Dre, glosses over N.W.A.’s record of misogyny and ignores Dr. Dre’s history of physically abusing women. In a sign that the uproar was threatening not only his reputation but also his business dealings, Dr. Dre, who has previously spoken dismissively or vaguely about the decades-old episodes, confronted them on Friday in a statement to The New York Times. While he did not address each allegation individually, he said: “Twenty-five years ago I was a young man drinking too much and in over my head with no real structure in my life. However, none of this is an excuse for what I did. I’ve been married for 19 years and every day I’m working to be a better man for my family, seeking guidance along the way. I’m doing everything I can so I never resemble that man again.” He added: “I apologize to the women I’ve hurt. I deeply regret what I did and know that it has forever impacted all of our lives.” Apple, where Dr. Dre, 50, now works as a top consultant, also issued a statement: “Dre has apologized for the mistakes he’s made in the past and he’s said that he’s not the same person that he was 25 years ago. We believe his sincerity and after working with him for a year and a half, we have every reason to believe that he has changed.”Amazon has long been wreaking havoc on the retail world, but this past month has been especially troubling for Amazon competitors of all kinds. Amazon recently veered into Best Buy territory by rolling out a Geek Squad competitor to install its smart home gadgets and, presumably, push its virtual assistant Alexa to keep those gadgets in Amazon’s ecosystem. Since market close on Friday, Best Buy market value has dropped 7 percent, representing a more than $1 billion drop in value. Here’s how the stock reacted to the news: Best Buy isn’t alone. Supermarkets haven’t regained the billions in market value they lost following the announcement that Amazon was acquiring Whole Foods. In fact, their lot has gotten worse. Walmart, Kroger, Target and Costco have lost a combined $30.5 billion since June 15, the day before the Amazon news. Whole Foods, on the other hand, has gained 27 percent, nearly $3 billion, in market value Even a distribution deal is enough to send Amazon competitors into a tailspin. Amazon’s partnership with Nike to sell its sneakers last month caused the value of a number of sporting goods competitors to drop to the tune of a half billion dollars since: Amazon has been a dark cloud over Blue Apron since the meal delivery company went public June 29, as both Whole Foods and Amazon have dabbled in the meal delivery space. Blue Apron has mostly traded below its IPO price since going public. Of course, this all could just be temporary. When Amazon expanded into GrubHub’s restaurant delivery territory in 2015, GrubHub’s stock took a hit. Since then, however, its stock price and market value have more than recovered. Amazon’s market value is up 3 percent since the Whole Foods deal and up a whopping 33 percent since the beginning of 2017.The Conservatives are badly trailing Labour in two of their key Labour-held target seats, and are effectively neck and neck with the UK Independence party there, according to polling conducted by Survation and commissioned by a Ukip donor. The polls show Labour with an 18-point lead over Ukip in second place in Great Grimsby and with a 20-point lead over the Conservatives in Dudley North. Great Grimsby is the Tories' 10th target seat and Dudley North their ninth. The polling suggests that 70% of the Ukip vote is not coming from Conservative voters in the 2010 election. In Great Grimsby the poll shows Labour on 40% (33% in the 2010 election), Conservatives 20% (31%), Liberal Democrats 13% (22%), and Ukip 22% (6%). In Dudley North there is also a Tory collapse with Labour on 45% (39% in the 2010 election), Conservatives 25% (37%), Liberal Democrats 2% (11%) and Ukip 23% (9%). These figures exclude those who say they are unlikely to vote, or those undecided. The finding that the Conservatives are trailing in key marginals will concern Tory HQ. Based on a uniform swing from national polling results, the Tories would expect to be on about 30% in these seats, down four points from 2010. In fact, Survation points out, the Tories are down 11 points on 23%. Meanwhile Ukip is significantly outperforming its projected figure from most national polls, up 15 points on 23%, far above the 15% projected from national polling. Survation suggests: "This may be due to the fact that in marginal seats voters are by definition more volatile in changing their allegiance, but might also be partly due to the fact national polling from certain opinion polling companies underestimates the level of Ukip support (and over-estimates Conservative support). The polling was commissioned by Ukip donor Alan Bown and is one of a series to look at how Ukip is faring in key marginals. The Conservatives are likely to challenge the value of constituency polls or say many of the undecided are likely to come to the Conservatives in the next 15 months. But Bown says his polling challenges the findings of polling by Lord Ashcroft, the former Conservative deputy chairman, suggesting Ukip is weakening Tory chances of an overall majority, and is only likely to put Ed Miliband into Number 10. Bown said: "I believed that Ukip's popularity and recent phenomenal growth meant that in our strongest areas our support was likely to be significantly higher than Ashcroft's figure of 10-14% nationally would suggest. In addition I felt the fact that Ukip has generally in the past not been prompted for in many opinion polls may have further underestimated our support." He said the polls he had commissioned in Great Grimsby and Dudley North show Ukip is making significant inroads in these Labour-held areas in the Midlands and North. "Whatever the Conservative Party may think about these seats being high up on their target list, their hopes of winning these seats in 2015 look like little better than a pipe-dream, based on this polling." Survation said removing Ukip from the equation would not succeed in restoring Conservative fortunes in these areas. If Ukip ceased to exist and all Ukip defectors from the other three main parties were returned to the parties they voted for in 2010, the Conservatives would still be trailing Labour in the two seats 34% to 52%. Survation said the sample size was 1,076 total respondents (550 Great Grimsby / 526 Dudley North). The fieldwork dates were 18-22 October (Great Grimsby) and 22-24 October (Dudley North).The Philippine army has launched air raids against ISIL-linked fighters who are hiding in a southern city they attacked earlier this week. The siege of Marawi has sent thousands of people fleeing and prompting President Rodrigo Duterte to declare martial law in Mindanao region. The "surgical air strikes" were aimed to flush out up to 40 fighters believed to be hiding in Marawi, Lieutenant-Colonel Jo-ar Herrera, a military spokesperson, said on Thursday. A majority of the 200,000 residents have fled Marawi, about 800km south of the capital, Manila, but Herrera said those who remained had been warned to get out of the areas where there was bombing and fighting. "We have identified targets that we need to clear," he said. "We need to neutralise the remnants of the local terrorist groups." READ MORE: Inside Abu Sayyaf - Blood, drugs and conspiracies But the Philippine military has also suffered some setbacks, with local news media reporting that between six to eight soldiers died on Thursday alone. That is in addition to the five soldiers and two police officers killed when the fighting started on Tuesday. At least nine civilians were also reported killed on Wednesday. The violence erupted on Tuesday after the army raided the hideout of Isnilon Hapilon, a commander of the Abu Sayyaf group, which has pledged allegiance to ISIL, or the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group. Abu Sayyaf called for reinforcements from an allied group, the Maute, and dozens of fighters managed to enter Marawi and sweep through its streets. Church targeted The fighters reportedly burned a Catholic church, the city jail, and two schools, as well as occupied the main streets and two bridges leading to Marawi. Religious leaders have accused the fighters of taking a Catholic priest and his worshippers hostage and using them as human shields. On Wednesday the military said they had killed at least 13 fighters. Duterte submitted to Congress on Thursday the proclamation of martial law for review as required by the constitution. The Philippine House of Representatives and the Senate were scheduled to convene on Monday to assess the declaration. Majul Gandamra, the mayor of Marawi, said many establishments were closed, making it difficult for those who are still in the municipality to purchase supplies. "It's getting difficult for people to get their basic needs, like water and food," Gandamra told a Manila radio station. "Our top priority is to give food, water and temporary shelter to residents. "We are looking for an evacuation centre where there is no presence of the ISIL-related militants." READ MORE: Donald Trump called Rodrigo Duterte to affirm alliance Soldiers, supported by tanks, moved through streets and houses as they scoured three villages in the area where the gunmen were reported to be moving around. Checkpoints were established at entry and exit points of Marawi, while helicopters hovered over the city and more soldiers arrived in trucks to secure the municipality. The military has placed units in different parts of Mindanao under high alert, including the city of Davao, Duterte's home town, where local authorities fear the fighters could attempt to stage retaliatory attacks.The low Canadian dollar will not deter Quebecor Inc. from pursuing its goal of landing a National Hockey League franchise in Quebec City, the media conglomerate's CEO said Wednesday. The "destination remains the same," Pierre Dion said in a reference to the provincial capital, which has been without a team since the Nordiques left for Colorado in 1995. "That's where I want to reassure people. But it's true that the reality of the dollar is still there." Dion admitted to reporters after a business speech he does check the loonie's value on a daily basis. The dollar has bounced back somewhat in recent weeks against the American dollar, although it lost 1.04 of a U.S. cent Wednesday to close at 75.68. NHL-ready stadium already built Quebecor owns the naming rights for Quebec City's publicly funded 18,259-seat Videotron Arena and the company submitted a bid for a NHL franchise last July. The NHL has projected the cost of a franchise at a minimum of $500 million and said the earliest any expansion would happen is the 2017-18 season. Las Vegas is considered the favourite. "You'd have to ask the league...we're in wait mode," Dion replied when asked whether the league had requested additional information related to Quebecor's bid. In his speech, Dion made no direct reference to the process, other than to say he was "very happy" with the dollar's recent climb. On a separate topic, Dion acknowledged that the likely scenario of having no Canadian teams in the NHL playoffs could have a negative impact on TVA Sports, Quebecor's all-sports TV channel. "I can't hide that," he said. "But our (broadcast) contract is for 12 years. The business plan wasn't drawn up for just one year or two." He said TVA Sports' commitment remains the same because "Quebecers are crazy about hockey."There have been many tributes to Steve Jobs over the past week, with highlight reels of his notable presentations, product introductions and interviews over the years. But the one that most stands out is right after Jobs’ return to Apple after being fired by the board a dozen years earlier. When Jobs’ took the stage at the Macworld Expo conference in Boston on August 6, 1997, Apple’s prospects were dim. It had racked up more than $1 billion in losses in the prior four quarters, demand for the Mac, its biggest moneymaker, was sinking, and the Cupertino, California-based company was on the brink of bankruptcy. Haven’t seen the video? Here's an overview of what he said, along with excerpts from his half-hour long presentation. Jobs, sans black turtleneck, started out by saying exactly what was wrong -- and right -- at the company he had co-founded two decades earlier. “I came today to give you a status report on what’s going and to try to fill you in on some of the steps we’re taking to get Apple healthy again,” Jobs said to an enthusiastic crowd of the Mac faithful. “Apple’s not as relevant as it used to be everywhere, but in some incredibly important market segments it’s extraordinarily relevant” “Apple is executing wonderfully on many of the wrong things. The ability of the organization to execute is really high, though. I mean I’ve met some extraordinary people at Apple. There’s a lot of great people at Apple. They’re doing some of the wrong things because the plan has been wrong,” he said. “What I found is rather than anarchy, I found people who can’t wait to fall into line behind a good strategy. There just hasn’t been one. “ The “fundamental problem” with Apple, he said, was that sales had fallen from $11 billion in 1995 to $7 billion in 1997. “Apple needs to find where it is still incredibly relevant and focus on those areas. It needs to figure out what its core assets are and invest more in them. Apple has neglected its core assets for a while. It has to forge some meaningful partnerships, not just partnerships and press releases. And it needs to define some new product paradigms.” Thinking Different, About the Board, Microsoft “Beginning Steps” including starting at the top by changing out the board of directors. New board members included Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, former Apple executive and Intuit Chairman Bill Campbell (who remains on the board today), former IBM CEO Jerry York (who died in 2010), and Jobs, who was then also CEO of Pixar. “The old board has been associated with the past and the past has been a failure,” Campbell said in a video presented to the crowd. “A new board brings hope.” Ellison’s comments seem the most prescient today. “I think Apple needs to worry less about competing with Microsoft and worry more about doing things that are different. It’s back to innovation. It’s back to creativity. It’s back to vision,” he said. “Apple is the only lifestyle brand in the computer industry. It’s the only company that people feel passionate about. My company Oracle – it’s is a huge company, IBM is a huge company, Microsoft is a huge company, but no one has incredible emotions associated with our companies. Only Apple is a really a lifestyle brand.” “The important thing is to build products that are wonderful. Or as Steve would say, ‘Insanely great,” Ellison added. “It’s time to start building insanely great products.” As for Jobs, he told the crowd that Apple’s greatest asset was the 20 to 25 million devoted users who believe the “Macintosh is still the best product in the world.” He talked about how the Apple brand along with Nike, Coca-Cola and Disney, was one of the Top 5 brands in the world. And he also explained the reason behind Apple’s decision to set aside its long-standing rivalry with Microsoft and enter into a partnership where Microsoft would continue to develop Office products for the Mac and Apple would make Microsoft’s Internet Explorer the default browser on its computers. “We have to let go of this notion that for Apple to win, Microsoft has to lose,” Jobs said. “We have to embrace a notion that for Apple to win, Apple has to do a really good job. And if others are going to help us, that’s great because we need all the help we can get. And if we screw it and we don’t do a good job, it’s not somebody’s else’s fault. It’s our fault. ” His closing remarks were about the users who embraced the Mac, echoing the famous “Think Different” ad campaign created to tout its products that same year. “I think you still have to think differently to buy an Apple computer and I think the people that do buy them do think differently. And they are the creative spirits in this world. They are the people that are not just out to get a job done, they’re out to change the world. And they’re out to change the world using whatever great tools they can get. And we make tools for those kinds of people.”Labour fears Tories will try to form government with Lib Dems and Democratic Unionists and to claim a minority Labour government would have no legitimacy David Cameron and Nick Clegg are now entirely focused on how they can cling on to power even if their coalition government loses its Commons majority, Labour officials have claimed. The polls are consistently indicating a hung parliament, with the Tories gaining slightly more seats than Labour but the Liberal Democrats losing so many that a combined Tory-Lib Dem coalition would not get a majority in the Commons. There are now reports that Cameron will in this scenario insist on staying on in Downing Street regardless of his ability to pass laws in the Commons, rather than allow Labour a chance to form a government – leading to a constitutional gridlock. A senior Labour official said: “All the noise coming out of the mouths of David Cameron and Nick Clegg is about how they can cling on to power even if their coalition loses its majority. Kenneth Clarke: chaos of second general election this year would fix nothing Read more “Clegg has shown his true colours – he personally wants to get back into bed with Cameron even at the price of betraying the Lib Dems’ fundamental principle of protecting our future in Europe.” The Labour official added: “David Cameron is showing he is in an incredibly weak position. He won’t talk about the big questions in this election, how to create an economy which works for working families, how to sustain our NHS, how to get a better future for young people. “Instead, he is trying to focus all attention in these final days on the process question of what happens after the election rather the decision people have to make in this election. “Just like he did on the morning of 19 September – where Cameron had the opportunity to speak for the whole country after the Scottish referendum – he is instead showing he is driven by internal weakness and external electoral pressure to act only on behalf of the Tory party.” The warnings are a response to briefings coming from Downing Street that Labour will have no legitimacy to form a government if it has secured fewer seats than Cameron, and should let through a Tory Queen’s Speech possibly with the support of the Liberal Democrats. The Times claimed that Labour front benchers are privately admitting Miliband will have to admit defeat if he is 15 seats behind the Tories. There is clearly a fear in Labour circles that Cameron intends to stay in Downing Street not just to see if he can form a majority government with the Liberal Democrats and Democratic Unionists, but also to prosecute a claim that an alternative minority Labour government would have no legitimacy. There is concern that the prime minister will not quit even if it is clear he could not secure a Commons majority in a Queen’s Speech that must be held by 4 June. It is argued that the Cabinet Manual – the civil service book setting out the rules on the transfer of power – states a prime minister can stay only until the point at which it is clear they cannot command the confidence of the Commons; not when any other party demonstrates they can form a majority or requires a vote in the House. The relevant section of the manual states: “Where an election does not result in an overall majority for a single party, the incumbent government remains in office unless and until the prime minister tenders his or her resignation and the government’s resignation to the sovereign. An incumbent government is entitled to wait until the new parliament has met to see if it can command the confidence of the House of Commons, but is expected to resign if it becomes clear that it is unlikely to be able to command that confidence and there is a clear alternative.” The argument will then turn on whether convention expects the prime minister to resign as soon as it is clear that they no longer command a majority. Some argue precedent, with expert opinionsaying the leader of the largest opposition party will be appointed prime minister. This is the key passage from the manual – that a prime minister’s ability to stay on is only up until the point at which it is clear they cannot command the confidence of the Commons, and not when any other party demonstrates it can form a majority or requires a vote in the House. Facebook Twitter Pinterest The Cabinet Manual, a guide to the operation of government from October 2011 Photograph: gov.uk The experts are clear in their analysis of the situation. Professor Robert Hazell, director of the Constitution Unit, said: There’s no rule which says the largest single party has the right to form the next government. There is not even a rule which says it has the right to first go. Negotiations are freestyle, and no party can claim the right to be the first mover. The Queen will appoint as prime minister that person who can command the confidence of the House of Commons. That need not necessarily be the leader of the largest single party, if someone else can command the support of a wider group in the Commons. Vernon Bogdanor, the Professor at the Institute for Contemporary History at King’s College, London, said:As Ernesto over at TorrentFreak wrote today, it seems that a German record label called Dependent Records is closing up shop. Normally this would mean that their catalog of titles, unless purchased by another label, would go eventually out of print and be difficult for existing and potential fans to find. So, as a parting gift to the music community, the CEO of the company, Stefan Herwig, decided to upload the entire catalog to The Pirate Bay. In the description for each torrent, Mr. Herwig writes the following: Hello, my name is Stefan Herwig. I closed down my record label >>Dependent Records<< for good. But since I want my music to be heard by the people out there, everything I have ever published is now available on >>The Pirate Bay<<. This is a LEGAL torrent! When Mr. Herwig originally discussed the closure of his company last year due to piracy, it was ironically done in a CD booklet - the album itself showed up on torrent sites within hours of release. His thoughts on the matter were also reprinted on the company website, but they seem to have shown that he really couldn't seem to make up his mind when it came to piracy. “We are not closing our doors because of the existence of pirate websites, but because there are simply too many people who enjoy our bands and their songs who do not wish to pay for them,” he said. He later went on to say that, “A popular claim often seen on Internet fora [sic] maintains that the P2P culture weakens the majors and bolsters the independent labels. This is, we can assure you, 100% bulls**t. Even if there are listeners who download first and buy later, they are clearly in the dwindling minority.” It is understandable that Mr. Herwig would have strong feelings. But I think he would be hard pressed to say that P2P sharing was 100% to blame for any record companies' failures. No matter what role piracy may have played in his companies demise, it is admirable that he had the desire to keep the music available to its fans in some way after closing the doors on Dependent Records.No. in series No. in season Title Directed by Written by Storyboarded by Original air date Prod. code 27 1 "Fallen Arches / The Mane Event" Fallen Arches: John McIntyre and Craig McCracken The Mane Event: Genndy Tartakovsky and Craig McCracken TBA Fallen Arches: Dave Smith The Mane Event: Lynne Naylor-Reccardi July 28, 2000 ( ) [28] 301 Fallen Arches: A trio of old villains return, and the girls intend to fight them, but Blossom claims that fighting their elders is the wrong way to approach the situation. She finds a possible situation: recruit the former heroes who fought against the trio. Unfortunately, the former heroes cannot agree with each other. And Blossom's solution has her sisters really disappointed. The Mane Event: After Bubbles and Buttercup mistakenly give Blossom a botched haircut, she gets made fun of by everybody in the city. When an all-seeing monster appears, Blossom now has to help her sisters stop this monster and deal with the humiliation. 28 2 "Town and Out / Child Fearing" Town and Out: John McIntyre and Craig McCracken Child Fearing: Randy Myers and Craig McCracken TBA Town and Out: Charlie Bean Child Fearing: Chris Reccardi August 18, 2000 ( ) [29] 302 Town and Out: The girls and the Professor move to the town of Citiesville, and the girls are quick to offer their help to the city; however, the high degree of property damage that they cause prompts the Mayor of Citiesville to reject the use of super powers. They then try to convince the Professor to come back to Townsville, because Townsville is nothing without the Powerpuff Girls. Thus the Professor was convinced and they move back to Townsville. Child Fearing: When the Professor runs late for an event, he quickly calls the Mayor, who then calls up for a babysitter for the girls. It turns out that the babysitter is actually Mojo Jojo, who wants the girls to help him conquer Townsville, but they make it a hilarious challenge for him. 29 3 "Criss Cross Crisis" Genndy Tartakovsky and Craig McCracken TBA Don Shank September 8, 2000 ( ) [30] 303 One of Professor Utonium's failed experiments causes everyone in the city to switch bodies. He must find a solution whilst the girls (in different bodies) fight Mojo Jojo, in the body of an old woman. 30 4 "Bubblevision / Bought and Scold" Bubblevision: Genndy Tartakovsky and Craig McCracken Bought and Scold: John McIntyre and Craig McCracken TBA Bubblevision: Kevin Kaliher Bought and Scold: Cindy Morrow and Paul Rudish September 15, 2000 ( ) [31] 304 Bubblevision: When Bubbles can't take a direct hit at The Giant Ant, the Professor does some tests and it turns out that her eye vision has gone blurry as she looks in all directions even when talking to someone face to face. As she gets glasses, she gets made fun of by Blossom and Buttercup, who call her things like "dork" and "nerd". Bought and Scold: Daddy Morbucks buys Townsville from the Mayor for "a room full of Turkish delight", and as her first act, "Mayor Princess" legalizes crime. However, the Girls show her that repealing crime was a double-edged sword when Daddy Morbucks is robbed and the girls now have leverage over Princess, unless she gives back Townsville. 31 5 "Gettin' Twiggy With It / Cop Out" Gettin' Twiggy With It: John McIntyre and Craig McCracken Cop Out: Robert Alvarez and Craig McCracken TBA Gettin' Twiggy With It: Chris Reccardi Cop Out: Kevin Kaliher September 22, 2000 ( ) [33] 305 Gettin' Twiggy With It: Mitch Mitchelson is an evil pet sitter for the class hamster Twiggy. He pretends to be nice to her around the others, but the girls see through Mitch's superficial niceness and soon Twiggy is turned into a monster. Note: Speed Buggy makes a cameo appearance as a remote control car.[32] Cop Out: Mike Brokowski is one of the worst officers on the Townsville Police Force. When his lazy habits get him fired, he blames his troubles on the girls and tries to destroy them, only for him to get thrown in jail for his arrogance. 32 6 "Three Girls and a Monster / Monkey See, Doggy Two" Three Girls and a Monster: Randy Myers and Craig McCracken Monkey See, Doggy Two: Genndy Tartakovsky, Robert Alvarez, and Craig McCracken Kevin Kaliher, Chris Savino, Chris Reccardi, Don Shank & Jason Butler Rote Three Girls and a Monster: Kevin Kaliher and Chris Savino Monkey See, Doggy Two: Chris Reccardi and Don Shank October 6, 2000 ( ) [34] 307 Three Girls and a Monster: An undefeatable monster comes to Townsville, with Blossom (using team tactics) and Buttercup (using direct action) disagreeing on how to defeat the monster. On the other hand, Bubbles uses her "sugar" personality, by asking the monster to leave, which surprisingly ends up working well. Monkey See, Doggy Two: Mojo Jojo steals the Anubial Jewels and the Anubis head again to change the world into dogs. This time, he runs a tape to show the girls what happened the first time, and not make those mistakes. Nevertheless, he ends up making an even bigger mistake and fails again. 33 7 "Jewel of the Aisle / Super Zeroes" Jewel of the Aisle: Randy Myers and Craig McCracken Super Zeroes: John McIntyre and Craig McCracken Dave Smith & Clay Morrow Jewel of the Aisle: Dave Smith Super Zeroes: Clay Morrow October 20, 2000 ( ) [35] 306 Jewel of the Aisle: A clumsy robber gets away from the girls with a diamond, but ends up losing it in a box of 'Lucky Captain Rabbit King' cereal. It just so happens that Professor Utonium happened to buy the box the diamond is in. The robber disguises himself as the character Lucky Captain Rabbit King, but his 'costumed attempts' meet with failure. Super Zeroes: When the girls read comic books, they believe that they will be better superheroes if they copy the comics. Instead, they end up wasting time with their ridiculous outfits and characteristics that fails to impress the monsters. 34 8 "Candy Is Dandy / Catastrophe" Candy Is Dandy: Randy Myers and Craig McCracken Catastrophe: John McIntyre and Craig McCracken Clay Morrow & Steven Fonti Candy Is Dandy: Clay Morrow Catastrophe: Steven Fonti November 10, 2000 ( ) [36] 308 Candy Is Dandy: The girls get a reward for saving the day: candy, which they quickly grow an addiction to. When nothing happens in Townsville, they convince Mojo Jojo to do crimes so they can get awarded and then the girls will bust him out the next day. When Mojo steals the Mayor's candy, the Girls learn what the extra sugar has done to them. Catastrophe: The girls fight a giant blob monster who proves impervious to all their attacks. When they find that it was only looking for its cat, they help it look for it before the monster destroys Townsville. 35 9 "Hot Air Buffoon / Ploys R' Us" Hot Air Buffoon: John McIntyre and Craig McCracken Ploys R' Us: Robert Alvarez and Craig McCracken Mike Stern, Chris Savino & Cindy Morrow Hot Air Buffoon: Mike Stern and Chris Savino Ploys R' Us: Cindy Morrow December 1, 2000 ( ) [37] 309 Hot Air Buffoon: The Mayor tries to save Townsville after being criticized by the nighttime cleaning staff woman that he just sits there and do nothing. He then causes destruction which the girls have to quickly find him before he inadvertently destroys the city in a hot air balloon. Ploys R' Us: The girls wake up to find their room filled with toys. They soon figure out that the Professor has been sleepwalking, and stealing. Instead of reporting it, the girls take advantage of the situation, until the Professor discovers it and makes the girls learn a huge
“proof” of that concept, he said. Now, it is being recognized that anything that plays a “trusted intermediary role” in today’s world “could be replaced by blockchain technology.” That’s why Victor Dodig, chief executive of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, talked about blockchain during a recent speech in Toronto on the future of banking. The banking business is largely based on trusted transactions between individuals, institutions and even governments. It’s a system that is built on banks as the trusted authorities required to verify and record them. But blockchain has the potential to disrupt this with its “distributed ledger” approach that shares and quickly verifies transactions across a network of de-centralized computers. No middleman, such as a bank, is needed. With Bitcoin, computer code stored entirely by computers verifies every transaction within minutes across the network on a public ledger, and prevents the currency from being spent more than once. A Senate report last month stemming from the banking committee hearings compared the system to a tree falling in the forest and being recorded by millions of independent computers with cameras. As a result of the permanent and unalterable record of multiple recordings of the same event, “we can trust that it fell,” the report said. “Anything that currently has a centralized database of records is potentially made redundant by the distributed ledger approach,” said Sviatoslav Rosov, an analyst in the capital markets policy group at CFA Institute. This potential disruptive force has driven a handful of global banks including Barclays, Goldman Sachs, and UBS to experiment with how they can use the technology and stay ahead of competitors. In some cases, this involves launching their own blockchains internally for testing purposes. What’s the point of the NYSE if you can trade equities on the blockchain? Nasdaq also has blockchain projects under way and reports last week suggested the U.S. stock exchange is preparing to expand on them. Rosov said such experimentation could dull the disruptive impact of the new technology. “Typically, disruption is allowed to happen by incumbents ignoring developments,” he said. Global banks and large exchanges, at least, “appear to be relatively on top of events” in this case, he said, adding he expects the first place the technology will be used by traditional financial institutions is in international transfers between accounts within the same banking group. Despite these developments, however, Rosov said there is a view incumbents could be rendering themselves unnecessary. If Barclays, for example, “is just using a blockchain to run its banking services, why does Barclays exist in the first place? Or what’s the point of the NYSE if you can trade equities on the blockchain?” he said to illustrate the point being made by those who view blockchain as lethal to the status quo. Clearing and settlement and auditing are among traditional banking functions that are seen as vulnerable to blockchain’s approach, he said. A more likely form of disruption in Rosov’s view would be the use of blockchain or a similar technology to target the billions of people in the developing world that are “unbanked” because they can’t establish the creditworthiness required by traditional financial institutions. Blockchain, with a distributed ledger verifying successful transactions between two parties, has creditworthiness built in to the system. Rosov said it could therefore be used for transactions as involved as an equity issue for a local village restaurant, which would automatically be audited. Dividends could be distributed via blockchain. “Most commentators would probably agree this is the most disruptive aspect of blockchains,” he said. But it is not only traditional bank functions that stand to benefit or become vulnerable to the technology. “There are potentially many applications. For example, you could use the technology to replace the land registry system,” said Jason, the Norton Rose lawyer. While cautioning he is not a real estate expert, he said it appears it would be possible to have a property sale broadcast across the network, with the network verifying for the buyer that it was a valid transfer of title. Last month’s Senate report said there is “vast potential” in the technology behind crypto currencies such as Bitcoin and urged the Canadian government to explore it. The report also urged officials to “tread carefully” when contemplating any regulations that could restrict or stifle its use and development. “Blockchain technology… shows great promise in extending beyond the realm of just currency,” the report said.Photo: Molina, Vladimir Photo: MINREX Over the last few weeks, international media have reported the intention of OAS General Secretary Luis Almagro Lemes to travel to Havana, in order to receive a "prize" invented by an illegal grouplet, which operates in concert with the ultra-right wing Foundation for Pan American Democracy, created in the days of the 7th Summit of the Americas in Panama, to channel efforts and resources in opposition to legitimate, independent governments in Our America. The plan, plotted during several trips to Washington and other capitals of the region, consisted of mounting a serious, open provocation against the Cuban government in Havana, generating internal instability, damaging the country's international image, and at the same time, affecting the positive development of Cuba's diplomatic relations with other states. Perhaps some calculated poorly and thought that Cuba would sacrifice its fundamental principles to maintain appearances. Drawn into the spectacle were Almagro himself and other right wing figures who are members of the so-called Democratic Initiative for Spain and the Americas (IDEA), which has also behaved in an aggressive manner toward the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, over the last several years, as well as other Latin American and Caribbean countries with progressive and leftist governments. Also conniving and supporting the attempted plan were other organizations with well established anti-Cuban credentials, such as the Democracy and Community Center; the Latin American Development Research and Management Center (CADAL); and the Inter-American Institute for Democracy, run by the terrorist CIA agent Carlos Alberto Montaner. Additionally, since 2015, well known are the ties which exist between these groups and the United States' National Endowment for Democracy (NED), which receives funding from the government of this country to implement its subversive programs against Cuba. Aware of these plans, and enforcing laws which sustain the country's sovereignty, the Cuban government decided to deny entry into national territory to foreign citizens linked to the acts described. In an irreproachable act of transparency, in accordance with the principles which govern diplomatic relations between states, Cuban authorities contacted the governments of countries from which these persons would be traveling, and informed them, attempted to dissuade those involved, and prevent the consummation of these acts. As international civil aviation regulations stipulate, the airlines cancelled the reservations of these passengers upon learning that they would not be welcome. Some were rerouted. There were some who attempted to manipulate the facts to serve strictly political interests within their own countries, given internal processes taking place there. Abounding were statements by defenders of those who falsely claimed to have been persecuted, associates of dictatorships and unemployed politicians disposed to allying themselves with common mercenaries, at the service of and paid by foreign interests, which do not enjoy any recognition in Cuba, live off unsubstantiated slander, pose as victims, and act against the interests of the Cuban people and the political, economic, and social system they freely chose and have defended heroically. In regards to Almagro and the OAS, we are not surprised by his declarations and openly anti-Cuban acts. Within a very short period of time as head of this organization, he has drawn attention by generating, with no mandate whatsoever from member states, an ambitious plan of self-promotion with attacks on progressive governments such as those in Venezuela, Bolivia, and Ecuador. At this time, imperialist and oligarchic attacks have been redoubled against Latin American and Caribbean integration, and against democratic institutionality in several of our countries. In a neoliberal offensive, millions of Latin Americans have returned to poverty, hundreds of thousands have lost their jobs, they have been forced to emigrate, or were murdered or disappeared by mafias and traffickers - while isolationist and protectionist ideas, environmental deterioration, deportations, religious and racial discrimination, insecurity, and brutal repression are expanding across the hemisphere. Where has the OAS been? Remaining as always silent in the face of these realities. Why so silent? Only someone completely out of touch with the times would attempt to sell Cubans "the values and principles of the Inter-American system," given the harsh, anti-democratic reality created by this very system. One must have a short memory to fail to recall that, in February of 1962, Cuba stood up alone before this "immoral conclave," as Fidel described it in the Second Declaration of Havana. Fifty-five years later, accompanied by peoples and governments from the entire world, it is worth reiterating that, as President Raúl Castro said, Cuba will never return to the OAS. José Martí warned, "Neither peoples nor men respect those who do not demand respect… men and peoples travel the world poking a finger into the flesh of others to see if it is soft, or if it resists. We must make our flesh hard, to repel the insolent fingers." In Cuba, we do not forget history's lessons. Havana, February 22, 2017A former top U.S. intelligence official has accused Chinese telecom Huawei of providing sensitive information about foreign communication systems to Beijing. Former Central Intelligence Agency chief Michael Hayden said that at a minimum, Huawei had provided Chinese officials with "intimate and extensive knowledge of the foreign telecommunications systems." "I think that goes without saying -- it's one reality," he told the Australian Financial Review. The accusations from Hayden, who also ran the National Security Agency, are the latest in a string of warnings from American officials and congressional committees over the dangers of allowing Huawei to access or build western networks. But Hayden's warnings are the first to accuse Huawei outright of spying on Beijing's behalf. The former intelligence officer did not provide any details to support his claims, but said that intelligence agencies have accumulated hard evidence. Hayden currently serves on the board at Motorola Solutions, and is a principal at security consultancy Chertoff Group. Related story: Huawei CEO breaks media silence Huawei has consistently said its products and infrastructure networks are safe, and that it does not maintain ties with Beijing. "These tired, unsubstantiated defamatory remarks are sad distractions from real-world concerns related to espionage -- industrial and otherwise -- that demand serious discussion globally," Huawei spokesman Scott Sykes said Friday. Huawei is one of the world's largest telecommunications companies, offering products that include routers and other Internet gear. It has for years tried to expand operations in the West, only to be met with resistance over security concerns and fears over alleged ties to China's government. Related story: Huawei won't hang up on U.S. smartphone market Last year, the U.S. House Intelligence Committee released a report that was critical of the firm's record of intellectual property violations, alleged ties to Iran, and what the committee described as "a pattern and practice of potentially illegal behavior." Huawei has had more success in the United Kingdom -- but even that partnership is drawing more scrutiny. U.K. officials said Thursday they would launch a review of a security evaluation center established by Huawei in the country. The center was designed to allow for inspection of Huawei products used in U.K. telecom networks. Huawei said it welcomes the review. "Our work with Huawei and their U.K. customers gives us confidence that the networks in the U.K. that use Huawei equipment are operated to a high standard of security and integrity," Sykes said.A new high-performance gaming mouse has been unveiled with a slant toward MOBA gamers. Logitech, the company that brought us our “Editor's Choice” winning G700s and Proteus Core mice, today announced the “Daedalus Prime” G302 MOBA gaming mouse, built with assistance from professional teams SoloMid, Cloud9, CJ Entus, and others. Logitech G302 Daedalus Prime MOBA Gaming Mouse Specs Core Specs 6 programmable buttons On-the-fly DPI Switching Metal spring left/right button tensioning system 1 millisecond report High-speed clicking Full-speed USB Tracking Resolution: 240 – 4,000 dpi Max. acceleration: >20G* Max. speed: >120 ips (3 m/sec)* * Tested on Logitech G240 Gaming Mouse Pad Responsiveness USB data format: 16 bits/axis USB report rate: 1000 Hz (1ms) Microprocessor: 32-bit ARM Glide Dynamic coefficient of friction:.09 μ (k) Static coefficient of friction:.14 μ (s) *Tested on wood-veneer desktop. Durability Buttons (Left / Right): 20 million clicks Feet: 250 kilometers Priced at $50 MSRP, the G302 is about the same debut cost as the G500s (another mouse we liked), but has different features and use cases overall. As introduced with the Proteus Core (G502), Logitech promises zero acceleration, zero smoothing, and zero “correction” of the mouse in its movement. This ensures that the user's raw input is better-translated to the host PC, hopefully reducing chance of misclicks. The G302 uses what the company calls a “metal spring tensioning button system,” which – in less marketing-y words – just means that the keyplate switches use springs that offer a more resolute kick and response upon clicking. This theoretically improves the accuracy of the click and reduces chance of sheer force applied to the switch. Logitech's new mouse hosts six programmable buttons, positioned in the usual left thumb, top middle, and DPI switch areas. The mouse is lightweight and meant to be thrown around, using a high-precision sensor with high-rated IPS (inches per second) movement. It's unlikely that you'll move your mouse faster than the sensor can detect, from what we've read. The shape and size reminds us somewhat of the SteelSeries Sensei, given the G302's smaller stature and mobility. Learn more here: http://gaming.logitech.com/product/moba-gaming-mouse-g302?wt.mc_id=global_news_g302 - Steve "Lelldorianx" Burke.Consider supporting us on Patreon so we can continue providing quality tokusatsu news coverage. The behind the scenes footage of the upcoming Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger V-Cinema has been released online. Released via Toei’s official YouTube channel, a new trailer for the upcoming Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger: 10 Years After V-Cinema shows behind the scenes footage of the cast and crew during the making of the project. The trailer also showed the return of actor Mako Ishino who played the role of Swan Shiratori/Deka Swan in the original series. In the upcoming V-Cinema, the six Dekaranger members reunite after ten years to investigate the shady dealings between Earth Station Chief Doggie Krueger and the Space Mafia. Along with the original cast from the 2004 TV series, Rakuto Tochihara will be joining the film as Asam, known for his role as Asumu Adachi in 2005’s Kamen Rider Hibiki. Hata Mizuho will be playing Mugi while Rino Kobayashi will play Carrie. Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger: 10 Years After, which will be written by Naruhisa Arakawa (Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger, Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger) and directed by Noboru Takemoto (Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger, Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger: 100 Years After). The movie will come in three different sets: the DVD, priced at ¥ 4,860, on Blu-ray for ¥ 5,940, and the Special Edition Blu-ray priced at ¥ 10,584. The V-Cinema is listed on Amazon Japan with a run-time of 45 minutes, but that is subject to change. Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger: 10 Years After is set to release on October 7th, 2015. Source: Toei YouTube Channel All English translations are accredited to The Tokusatsu Network staff members. Please do not repost without crediting and directly linking back to the original Tokusatsu Network article.DC Comics has spent a lot of time trying to prove that Aquaman isn’t a joke, but the best way to do that is by putting him in a great comic. Writer Dan Abnett’s run on Aquaman during Rebirth has been pretty bland from both a narrative and artistic perspective, but the arrival of new editor Andy Khouri and new artist Stjepan Sejic suggests very good things for the future of the series. The situation with Aquaman is similar to that of Green Arrow, which experienced a major upswing in quality when Khouri joined the team, helping writer Benjamin Percy give the book a stronger direction while teaming him with exceptional artists. The major change for the series is that Aquaman is presumed dead by the authoritative new ruler of Atlantis, and Arthur Curry has relinquished his old name to create a new life for himself in the slums of Atlantis. This new status quo forces the series to stay in Atlantis rather than venturing onto the surface world, allowing Sejic to work his magic on the lush underwater environment. Abnett is a better storyteller than the past year of Aquaman stories would suggest, but he also does his best work when paired with an artist that has a distinct style. Sejic’s digitally painted artwork is an outstanding fit for this series, and this exclusive preview of this week’s extra-sized Aquaman #25 showcases the beauty and spectacle of his visuals. The splash pages revealing Atlantis and The Ninth Tride are stunning establishing shots that highlight Sejic’s imaginative architecture and dramatic lighting, and he brings a lot of intensity to the character moments, reinforcing the high stakes for this new story. Sejic also recognizes the value of sex appeal, and he draws a very attractive Aquaman, who is now rocking a beard that brings his appearance closer to the version of the character Jason Momoa will be bringing to the screen in Justice League later this year. These pages show a lot of promise, and readers looking for gorgeous underwater superheroics should definitely check out Aquaman’s new direction. Advertisement Advertisement AdvertisementThe number of retired Illinois public school teachers and administrators taking home six-figure pensions topped 5,600 in 2014 — up 60 percent from 2012, according to pension records obtained by Pension360. Nearly six out of every 100 teachers with ten or more years of service have retired with a six-figure pension. However, data also shows that benefit increases are not a primary cause of the unfunded liabilities currently being shouldered by the state’s Teacher’s Retirement System. In Illinois, a $100,000 annual pension is 78 percent higher than the state’s median household income of $56,210, and 235 percent greater than the state’s per-capita income of $29,856, based on U.S. Census Bureau information. In comparison, less than 2,000 New Jersey retirees pull in six-figure pensions, according to New Jersey Watchdog, which includes all employees, not just teachers. Less than one out of every 100 New Jersey public workers will retire with a pension greater than $100,000. New York, on the other hand, closely mirrors Illinois: six percent of teachers retire with a six-figure pension, according to local press accounts. Based on the U.S. Census, 6.03 percent of actively-working Americans over 18 years of age receive salaries exceeding $100,000. For those who are retired, the annual income is much lower. The average household ages 55-64 had $12,000 in retirement savings in 2013, according to a study from the National Institute on Retirement Security. That figure includes 401(k) and other retirement accounts, but doesn’t include Social Security, from which the average retiree receives $1,285 per month, according to the Social Security Administration. Regardless, when all added, few retirees enjoy a six-figure income. Using a benchmark of passive income equal to one twenty-fifth of savings, the average retiree would receive an annual income of $15,900 during their retirement ($1,285 per month from Social Security and $40 per month from their retirement savings). Only 48 percent of private-sector workers have access to an employer-sponsored retirement plan, and that’s the lowest rate in at least 30 years, according to the National Institute on Retirement Security study. But in Illinois, the number of $100,000 pensions for public school teachers is rising rapidly. Six-figure pensions for public school teachers and administrators are up over 60 percent from 2012, when 3,458 retired teachers received $100,000-plus pensions from the state, according to pension records obtained by Pension360. These pensions were usually awarded to very long-term workers. The average tenure of a six-figure pensioner was 35 years. Thus, a teacher who joined the system at the age of 22 would be 57 years old before collecting a $100,000 annual check. Illinois’ unfunded pension liabilities ballooned to an official $111 billion across all systems in 2014 – a 17 percent increase since 2012, according to the state’s Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability. The total liability is about $200 billion, nearly half of which is secured with the money held by Illinois pension funds. The Illinois Teachers Retirement System, which covers all Illinois teachers outside of Chicago, shoulders $61 billion of the state’s total unfunded liability. Though the teachers receive no social security, they are also exempt from paying social security taxes. Union officials have long argued that pension benefits are necessary to recruit and retain talented teachers. Further, TRS data shows that benefit increases are not a primary cause of the System’s unfunded liabilities. See the chart below, put together by actuary and blogger Mary Pat Campbell: As for the system’s underfunding, TRS officials lay much of the blame on the state for not makings its actuarially-required pension contributions. In a letter to the Chicago Tribune, long-time TRS trustee Bob Lyons wrote: “The people of Illinois need to know that Illinois teachers and other public employees have earned their pensions and have paid their full share to ensure their retirement. Today the pension payment cost, which the State is required to make, is not high because pensions are high, but rather because throughout the years the State did not meet its own funding responsibilities.” Only six states have paid a lower percentage of their annual pension payments than Illinois since 2001, according to a recent report from the National Association of State Retirement Administrators. No matter the cause, the liabilities are having a tangible effect on state finances. And the reality is that there’s no easy way out – not for public employees, and certainly not for the state.The Off-Broadway League and United Scenic Artists, IATSE Local USA 829, have agreed to terms on an inaugural contract covering off-Broadway designers. If ratified by members, the three-year deal will go into effect in July. More than 4,300 members comprise Local USA 829, made up of artists and designers working in film, theater, opera, ballet, TV, industrial shows, commercials and exhibitions. Costume designer Colleen Atwood, a Local USA 829 member, won the Oscar this year for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. No details of the new contract were announced. “Off-Broadway has always been a champion of artists and their work,” said Adam Hess, president of the League of Off-Broadway Theatres and Producers. “These productions could not happen without the contributions of the talented designers of USA. The Off-Broadway League is very grateful to USA for a successful negotiation fueled by mutual respect and a desire to work together to find creative solutions to the economic challenges facing our community. We hope this new agreement will foster more opportunities for our artists in the Off-Broadway community and beyond.” Said Cecilia Friederichs, National Business Agent at United Scenic Artists Local USA 829: “This negotiation was both historic and a true example of what the process should be; the two sides came together and through consideration of the needs of both labor and management, created an agreement that will form the basis for what we hope is a long and mutually beneficial working relationship.”Children removed from their family home are being sexually and physically abused in foster homes - and the Social Development Minister says there's no evidence they're any better off in state care. Children's Commissioner Russell Wills has released his first annual report in to how well Child Youth and Family (CYF) are looking after children in state care. His findings reveal the Government department is failing thousands of children. Children interviewed for the report spoke of sexual, physical and verbal abuse in foster homes; of being moved around constantly; separated from siblings; depression, drugs and alcohol. Social Development Minister Anne Tolley said none of the findings in Wills' report were a surprise. "If the state takes them into their care then they have the responsibility to make sure those kids live better lives and I don't see the evidence and the Children's Commissioner report doesn't see the evidence that this is happening," Tolley said. Wills said CYF was failing to put children at the centre of what they do. "When children are in care, Child Youth and Family is effectively their parent. That is a significant responsibility," he said. "These children should come out of the system in a better place and with the prospect of better future lives. Unfortunately we can't say they are." In 2013-14 there were 117 children in the custody of CYF reported to be abused; 88 were in the care of a CYF caregiver, 25 were formally placed with their parents but still officially in CYF custody, and five were abused while living with an unapproved caregiver or in an unapproved placement. Children interviewed for the report said despite abuse being quite common, very few cases were officially recorded. Tolley said when abuse was uncovered it was acted on but the report had shown there was "no sort of outside body that looks at CYF independently other than [the Children's Commissioner]". An expert panel already set up to overhaul CYF would address this, she said. The report also details how 1000 of the 1700 children who leave care each year are unaccounted for. Only 20 per cent of children in state care achieve NCEA level 2 compared to a national average of 70 per cent. Nearly a third of 14 to 16-year-olds in state care were charged with a criminal offence. Eva Bradley Photography Children's Commissioner Russell Wills says children in state care should come out better off but they're not. While CYF was good at intervening and assessing high-risk kids - they hadn't managed to work out how to provide good long term care, Wills said. Labour's children spokeswoman Jacinda Ardern said the buck stopped with CYF and they were responsible for the outcomes of children in their care. "We've got to start acknowledging that the kids we are seeing in this system now are the kids we see in prison 10 years down the track - that is not anecdotal, that is fact."Skip to comments. Posted on by thinktwice In the dark days following the British Expeditionary Force's evacuation from Dunkirk in 1940... In the dark days following the British Expeditionary Force's evacuation from Dunkirk in 1940, Great Britain was a nation virtually disarmed. And not just by the need to abandon equipment on France's beaches to save British "Tommies" to fight another day, but by the policies of its own government. The days of devotion to civilian markmanship, "volunteer rifle clubs" and the idea that there should be "a rifle in every cottage," as proposed by the Prime Minister Marquis of Salisbury in 1900, had given way to restrictive gun control laws that required subjects to demonstrate "good reason" to merely obtain a handgun or rifle. So with Hitler's legions poised to cross the English Channel, the British people were defended by an ill-equipped and defeated army and a "Home Guard" armed with little more than sporting shotguns and pikes. Help for the beleaguered nation came from both the American government and from the American people, the latter through the "American Committee for Defense of British Homes." In late 1940, the committee sent an urgent appeal -- which, of course, appeared in American Rifleman -- for Americans to send "Pistols - Rifles - Revolvers - Shotguns - Binoculars" because "British civilians, faced with the threat of invasion, desperately need arms for the defense of their homes." Thousands of arms were collected and sent to England, one of which was a.30-'06 Model 1903 target rifle owned by Major John W. Hession. Hession was one of the pre-eminent highpower rifle target shooters of his day, and he used that rifle to win Olympic gold at Bisley Camp in England in 1908. The rifle, unlike the majority sent, was returned and can now be viewed int he national Firearms Museum. The U.S. Government responded to Britain's peril as well with passage of the Lend-Lease Act in March 1941. Almost immediately, quantities of "U.S. Rifle, Cal..30, M1" were on their way across the Atlantic, and those guns are the subject of an article by noted M1 Garand historian Scott Duff starting on p. 42. The "British Garands" have an interesting history but the importance of arming the British at that time is made clear by the fact that the rapidly growing U.S. Army itself did not have sufficient numbers of the then-new M1 Garands. Winston Churchill wrote in Their Finest Hour: "When the ships from America approached our shores with their priceless arms, special trains were waiting in all ports to receive their cargoes. The Home Guard in every county, in every village, sat up through the night to receive them.... By the end of July we were an armed nation...." Now, sadly, Britain is again a disarmed nation, where even Olympic athletes wanting to represent their country cannot own a handgun and where an act of self-defense can land a subject in jail. As with virtually all rifles and handguns, those likely few remaining guns sent to England in its time of desperate need have been confiscated and destroyed. Despite the very near enslavement of England being so close a mere six decades ago, the lesson of the false promises of gun control and personal disarmament were not learned. Sincerely,... Mark A Keefe, IV -- EditorGiving out "good tickets" Video Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa. - "At first everybody looks like why is the officer coming towards me? What am I doing?" Chad Miller says that's a natural reaction towards police, "We're always dealing with bad people. Our job is to arrest and take care of the bad people." However, it is a reaction that he and his fellow officers at the Johnstown Police Department are working to change. "I was scared at first I thought they were going to yell at me or something," says Gary Stoykovich. The police department is handing out tickets for good behavior, and anyone can get one! Stoykovich got one after two officers stopped him and thanked him for his positive videos that he makes about Johnstown, "It was nice for a change to see something different, a change of heart. There are actually good people out there. There are actually cops out there who are just normal people, who underneath that badge and everything they're just normal, and it was just really cool to see them take the time." The tickets are for free self-serve drinks from Sheetz. "We have tremendous respect for our law enforcement folks in all of our communities," Sheetz district manager Linda Pacovsky tells WTAJ. "When we were approached with the ability to give back to our community in a positive way we thought this was something great that we really needed to be involved in." Johnstown police say they borrowed this idea from other departments. They hope it breaks down the barriers between police and the community, showing that they are not focused only on bad things and that the community can trust them. "We just thought it was great for them to make positive connections," Pacovsky says. "If everybody starts one at a time doing good things then we can change the city," Miller adds. So far they have handed out 50 tickets.SEATTLE -- A group of robbers beat up a 16-year-old for his cellphone last Tuesday in Roxhill then used the stolen phone to send the victim's mother a text reading, "I'm gay," according to the Seattle Police Department. According to the police report for the incident, the victim was waiting for the bus and looking at his phone in the 2600 block of Southwest Barton Street around 4 p.m. when he was suddenly punched in the face. He looked up, and four men attacked him, according to the report. The victim told officers he fought back against his attackers, dropping his phone and backpack in the process. According to the report, the suspects walked off when someone yelled at them to break up the fight, but they took the victim's phone and backpack with them. When the victim got home, his mother informed him she had received a text message from his phone reading, "I'm gay you know that." The victim told officers he recognized one of the suspects as a former schoolmate and gave officers the suspect's name. He described him as an approximately 16-year-old Hispanic man, about 5-feet-8-inches tall with a medium build, short black hair and a lip ring. According to the report, the victim didn't recognize the other three suspects and was unable to describe them. The victim suffered a cut to his face and was planning to see a dentist about a tooth that was hurting following the attack.DSC sources within Greaves Motorsport have confirmed that Nathanael Berthon will fill its final seat for this month’s Le Mans 24 Hours, replacing Polish driver Kuba Giermaziak who had to depart from the team due to issues with sponsorship. Berthon was spotted by DSC’s editor in discussion with Jacob and Tim Greaves at the paddock during last weekend’s Test Day between sessions. The Frenchman was original slated to drive in G-Drive Racing’s Oreca, before the team elected to replaced him with Manor driver Will Stevens for the 24 hours. At the test, Jon Lancaster, who drove for the team in 2015, was aboard the Ligier JSP2 with Memo Rojas and Julien Canal, though a drive for the race proper didn’t come to fruition for the young Brit. Giermaziak meanwhile, also doesn’t have a seat for the big race lined up. DSC expects full confirmation tomorrow morning from the team.Michael Barron, the director of BeLonG To, Ireland’s national service and advocacy organization for LGBT young people, has been invited to the White House for a series of meeting with senior administration officials marking St. Patrick’s Day. The unprecedented invitation comes in recognition of BeLonG To’s groundbreaking work nationally and internationally to combat bullying in schools and to support LGBT young people facing harassment and discrimination. Barron, who was named Person of the Year at the 2013 National Gay and Lesbian Awards (GALAS) last month, has achieved international prominence for successfully advocating for significant national policy changes in the areas of education, suicide prevention, and drug and alcohol use. “It came as a surprise, which is nice,” Barron told the Irish Voice. “BeLonG To has been working in the whole area of combating homophobic and transphobic bullying and supporting LGBT young people for 10 years, and more recently some of that work has been international. We helped UNESCO write their first ever international guide to tackle anti-gay bullying, and that was our first contact with the U.S. government on the issue.” LGBT issues, thanks to a directive from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, are a foreign policy objective of the Obama administration. In Paris last year, to talk about his organization’s goals, Barron shared the stage with under secretary for education Russlynn Ali, creating a connection between Barron and the U.S. government. Then last September the American Embassy in Dublin asked Barron to attend an International Visiting Leaders Program in the U.S. organized by the State Department. “Our work at BeLonG To has also been recognized by the European Commission and the UN Human Rights Commission and the combination of all of those and our good relations with the U.S. Embassy have led to our invite,” Barron explains. Bullying, according to a recent study, is an epidemic in U.S. schools. One in six American school children report being bullied verbally, physically and online, two to three times a month or more, many for more than a year. In Ireland the organization’s work has been complicated by the Catholic ethos of most second level schools, which can take a hostile response to the organization’s advocacy. “We’ve been at it for 10 years and it’s been a tough battle,” Barron explains. “It hasn’t been an easy task. “There’s a very strong influence of the Catholic Church in Irish education, which does act as a barrier to creating schools that are LGBT friendly. We’ve made great progress nonetheless.” This year BeLonG To worked with the Irish Department of Education to produce a national anti-bullying action plan. The plan states that bullying is based on prejudice, and it has created an action plan with a lot of resources behind it to combat bullying wherever it appears. “Our plan has made it safer for schools, particularly religious schools, to tackle LGBT issues without fear of repercussion,” Barron says. “Tomorrow the government is introducing a bill in the Irish Parliament to overturn the so-called Religious Exemption Clause that might have been used to discriminate against gay teachers. That loophole will be closed to prevent schools discriminating against LGBT teachers because of their religious ethos.” The American Embassy in Dublin puts forward about 15 people a year for a St. Patrick’s Day visit to the White House. “I think it’s very symbolic that an LGBT organization is being invited,” says Barron. “Prioritizing women’s rights and LGBT rights under Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the Obama administration has been very significant.” Barron will also visit New York City to work with GLSEN, the Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network. “I’ll be fundraising by visiting foundations and Irish events in the city. The Irish economy is difficult at the moment so we have to look elsewhere,” Barron said. “We’re trying to tap into the LGBT Irish diaspora who would like to invest back into the country to ensure that other people don’t have to leave the country because they are LGBT.” For more information visit www.belongto.org.Get the biggest celebs stories by email Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email I've heard the same rumour from plenty of people who are usually 'in the know' on such Who matters, but of course, as always, with Steven Moffat at the helm, that really means nothing. I've been tricked by Moffat's mastermind handling of the press more times than I care to remember (or admit to). But if the
, but in November he offered an apology following a series of deaths in police custody, including that of a lawyer, which sparked a lawyers’ strike.PM May speaks at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, England on October 4th. Theresa May, the embattled British Prime Minister, gave a speech Wednesday morning that was meant to be a button on a four-day Conservative Party conference in Manchester. The speech was about something, supposedly. Something reasserting dominion over a cabinet something something plagued with internal squabbling something something Brexit. But a trifecta of distractions converged over the Prime Minister, and the speech became about them: A cough, a merry prankster, a bracelet. See, May had a cough that has been described by various publications as “awkward,” “painful to the ear,” “persistent,” and “a cough.” Then there was a mild protest in which a young man handed her the pink slip, before security ejected him. It was all very embarrassing. But most importantly for our purposes, there was the bracelet. The bracelet, which seems to have been plucked from some bed-and-breakfast gift shop or a forgotten Etsy shop or a minor museum souvenir shop, is made of six two-by-three inch Frida Kahlo portraits strung together. Frida Kahlo! The artist who changed her birth year so it would coincide with the start of the Mexican Revolution. Frida Kahlo! The woman who is said to have had an affair Leon Trotsky, but at the very least provided refuge for the exiled Marxist leader. Frida Kahlo! Who met her husband, Diego Rivera, through the Mexican Communist Party. That Frida on the wrist of Theresa May! The woman who worked at a bank before becoming Britain’s P.M. and keeping the country’s centrist torch lit throughout the Brexit proceedings. It’s the most important piece of the trifecta of distraction because this was a choice made by May. She probably didn’t mean to have a cough and she certainly didn’t welcome the guy or his P45, a form that the British will recognize if they’ve ever left a job. But she definitely chose to wear the bracelet. She saw this bracelet, and she saw all her other bracelets, and she said, “That’s the one. That’s the one for me at this moment.” Or her stylist did, which is worse. Could it have meant something more specific than to just give off an “art mom from Phoenix” vibe? Could it have been a conciliatory gesture to the Labour Party or a “feminist” one? Maybe! No idea, really. No clue what she actually said. Get Vanity Fair’s Cocktail Hour Our essential brief on culture, the news, and more. And it's on the house. E-mail Address Subscribe"Stalker" redirects here. For other uses, see Stalker (disambiguation) Stalking is unwanted or repeated surveillance by an individual or group towards another person.[1] Stalking behaviors are interrelated to harassment and intimidation and may include following the victim in person or monitoring them. The term stalking is used with some differing definitions in psychiatry and psychology, as well as in some legal jurisdictions as a term for a criminal offense. According to a 2002 report by the U.S. National Center for Victims of Crime, "virtually any unwanted contact between two people that directly or indirectly communicates a threat or places the victim in fear can be considered stalking",[2] although in practice the legal standard is usually somewhat stricter. Definitions The difficulties associated with defining this term exactly (or defining it at all) are well documented.[3] Having been used since at least the 16th century to refer to a prowler or a poacher (Oxford English Dictionary), the term stalker was initially used by media in the 20th century to describe people who pester and harass others, initially with specific reference to the harassment of celebrities by strangers who were described as being "obsessed".[4] This use of the word appears to have been coined by the tabloid press in the United States.[5] With time, the meaning of stalking changed and incorporated individuals being harassed by their former partners.[6] Pathé and Mullen describe stalking as "a constellation of behaviours in which an individual inflicts upon another repeated unwanted intrusions and communications".[7] Stalking can be defined as the willful and repeated following, watching or harassing of another person. Unlike other crimes, which usually involve one act, stalking is a series of actions that occur over a period of time. Although stalking is illegal in most areas of the world, some of the actions that contribute to stalking may be legal, such as gathering information, calling someone on the phone, texting, sending gifts, emailing, or instant messaging. They become illegal when they breach the legal definition of harassment (e.g., an action such as sending a text is not usually illegal, but is illegal when frequently repeated to an unwilling recipient). In fact, United Kingdom law states the incident only has to happen twice when the harasser should be aware their behavior is unacceptable (e.g., two phone calls to a stranger, two gifts, following the victim then phoning them, etc).[8] Cultural norms and meaning effect the way stalking is defined. Scholars note that the majority of men and women admit engaging in various stalking-like behaviors following a breakup, but stop such behaviors over time, suggesting that "engagement in low levels of unwanted pursuit behaviors for a relatively short amount of time, particularly in the context of a relationship break-up, may be normative for heterosexual dating relationships occurring within U.S. culture."[9] Psychology and behaviors People characterized as stalkers may be accused of having a mistaken belief that another person loves them (erotomania), or that they need rescuing.[8] Stalking can consist of an accumulation of a series of actions which, by themselves, can be legal, such as calling on the phone, sending gifts, or sending emails.[10] Stalkers may use overt and covert intimidation, threats and violence to frighten their victims. They may engage in vandalism and property damage or make physical attacks that are meant to frighten. Less common are sexual assaults.[8] Intimate partner stalkers are the most dangerous type.[1] In the UK, for example, most stalkers are former partners and evidence indicates that mental illness-facilitated stalking propagated in the media accounts for only a minority of cases of alleged stalking.[11] A UK Home Office research study on the use of the Protection from Harassment Act stated: "The study found that the Protection from Harassment Act is being used to deal with a variety of behaviour such as domestic and inter-neighbour disputes. It is rarely used for stalking as portrayed by the media since only a small minority of cases in the survey involved such behaviour."[11] Psychological effects on victims Disruptions in daily life necessary to escape the stalker, including changes in employment, residence and phone numbers, take a toll on the victim's well-being and may lead to a sense of isolation.[12] According to Lamber Royakkers:[10] Stalking is a form of mental assault, in which the perpetrator repeatedly, unwantedly, and disruptively breaks into the life-world of the victim, with whom they have no relationship (or no longer have). Moreover, the separated acts that make up the intrusion cannot by themselves cause the mental abuse, but do taken together (cumulative effect). Stalking as a close relationship Stalking has also been described as a form of close relationship between the parties, albeit a disjunctive one where the two participants have opposing goals rather than cooperative goals. One participant, often a woman, likely wishes to end the relationship entirely, but may find herself unable to easily do so. The other participant, often but not always a man, wishes to escalate the relationship. It has been described as a close relationship because the duration, frequency, and intensity of contact may rival that of a more traditional conjunctive dating relationship.[13] Types of victims Based on work with stalking victims for eight years in Australia, Mullen and Pathé identified different types of stalking victims dependent on their previous relationship to the stalker. These are:[6] Prior intimates: Victims who had been in a previous intimate relationship with their stalker. In the article, Mullen and Pathé describe this as being "the largest category, the most common victim profile being a woman who has previously shared an intimate relationship with her (usually) male stalker." These victims are more likely to be exposed to violence being enacted by their stalker especially if the stalker had a criminal past. In addition, victims who have "date stalkers" are less likely to experience violence by their stalkers. A "date stalker" is considered an individual who had an intimate relationship with the victim but it was short-lived. [6] Victims who had been in a previous intimate relationship with their stalker. In the article, Mullen and Pathé describe this as being "the largest category, the most common victim profile being a woman who has previously shared an intimate relationship with her (usually) male stalker." These victims are more likely to be exposed to violence being enacted by their stalker especially if the stalker had a criminal past. In addition, victims who have "date stalkers" are less likely to experience violence by their stalkers. A "date stalker" is considered an individual who had an intimate relationship with the victim but it was short-lived. Casual acquaintances and friends: Amongst male stalking victims, most are part of this category. This category of victims also includes neighbor stalking. This may result in the victims' change of residence. [6] Amongst male stalking victims, most are part of this category. This category of victims also includes neighbor stalking. This may result in the victims' change of residence. Professional contacts: These are victims who have been stalked by patients, clients, or students whom they have had a professional relationship with. Certain professions such as health care providers, teachers, and lawyers are at a higher risk for stalking. [6] These are victims who have been stalked by patients, clients, or students whom they have had a professional relationship with. Certain professions such as health care providers, teachers, and lawyers are at a higher risk for stalking. Workplace contacts: The stalkers of these victims tend to visit them in their workplace which means that they are either an employer, employee, or a customer. When victims have stalkers coming to their workplace, this poses a threat not only to the victims' safety but to the safety of other individuals as well. [6] The stalkers of these victims tend to visit them in their workplace which means that they are either an employer, employee, or a customer. When victims have stalkers coming to their workplace, this poses a threat not only to the victims' safety but to the safety of other individuals as well. Strangers: These victims are typically unaware of how their stalkers began stalking because typically these stalkers form a sense of admiration for their victims from a distance. [6] These victims are typically unaware of how their stalkers began stalking because typically these stalkers form a sense of admiration for their victims from a distance. The famous: Most of these victims are individuals who are portrayed heavily on media outlets but can also include individuals such as politicians and athletes.[6] Gender According to one study, women often target other women, whereas men primarily stalk women.[14][15] A January 2009 report from the United States Department of Justice reports that "Males were as likely to report being stalked by a male as a female offender. 43% of male stalking victims stated that the offender was female, while 41% of male victims stated that the offender was another male. Female victims of stalking were significantly more likely to be stalked by a male (67%) rather than a female (24%) offender." This report provides considerable data by gender and race about both stalking and harassment,[16] obtained via the 2006 Supplemental Victimization Survey (SVS), by the U.S. Census Bureau for the U.S. Department of Justice.[17] In an article in the journal Sex Roles, Jennifer Langhinrichsen-Rohling discusses how gender plays a role in the difference between stalkers and victims. She says, "gender is associated with the types of emotional reactions that are experienced by recipients of stalking related events, including the degree of fear experienced by the victim." In addition, she hypothesizes that gender may also effect how police handle a case of stalking, how the victim copes with the situation, and how the stalker might view their behavior. She discusses how victims might view certain forms of stalking as normal because of gender socialization influences on the acceptability of certain behaviors. She emphasizes that in the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States, strangers are considered more dangerous when it comes to stalking than a former partner. Media also plays an important role due to portrayals of male stalking behavior as acceptable, influencing men into thinking it is normal. Since gender roles are socially constructed, sometimes men don't report stalking. She also mentions coercive control theory; "future research will be needed to determine if this theory can predict how changes in social structures and gender-specific norms will result in variations in rates of stalking for men versus women over time in the United States and across the world."[9] Types of stalkers Psychologists often group individuals who stalk into two categories: psychotic and nonpsychotic.[4] Some stalkers may have pre-existing psychotic disorders such as delusional disorder, schizoaffective disorder, or schizophrenia. However, most stalkers are nonpsychotic and may exhibit disorders or neuroses such as major depression, adjustment disorder, or substance dependence, as well as a variety of personality disorders (such as antisocial, borderline, or narcissistic). The nonpsychotic stalkers' pursuit of victims is primarily angry, vindictive, focused, often including projection of blame, obsession, dependency, minimization, denial, and jealousy. Conversely, only 10% of stalkers had an erotomanic delusional disorder.[18] In "A Study of Stalkers" Mullen et al. (2000)[19] identified five types of stalkers: Rejected stalkers follow their victims in order to reverse, correct, or avenge a rejection (e.g. divorce, separation, termination). follow their victims in order to reverse, correct, or avenge a rejection (e.g. divorce, separation, termination). Resentful stalkers make a vendetta because of a sense of grievance against the victims – motivated mainly by the desire to frighten and distress the victim. make a vendetta because of a sense of grievance against the victims – motivated mainly by the desire to frighten and distress the victim. Intimacy seekers seek to establish an intimate, loving relationship with their victim. Such stalkers often believe that the victim is a long-sought-after soul mate, and they were'meant' to be together. seek to establish an intimate, loving relationship with their victim. Such stalkers often believe that the victim is a long-sought-after soul mate, and they were'meant' to be together. Incompetent suitors, despite poor social or courting skills, have a fixation, or in some cases, a sense of entitlement to an intimate relationship with those who have attracted their amorous interest. Their victims are most often already in a dating relationship with someone else. , despite poor social or courting skills, have a fixation, or in some cases, a sense of entitlement to an intimate relationship with those who have attracted their amorous interest. Their victims are most often already in a dating relationship with someone else. Predatory stalkers spy on the victim in order to prepare and plan an attack – often sexual – on the victim. In addition to Mullen et al., Joseph A. Davis, Ph.D., an American researcher, crime analyst, and university psychology professor at San Diego State University investigated, as a member of the Stalking Case Assessment Team (SCAT), special unit within the San Diego District Attorney's Office, hundreds of cases involving what he called and typed "terrestrial" and "cyberstalking" between 1995 and 2002. This research culminated in one of the most comprehensive books written to date on the subject. Published by CRC Press, Inc. in August 2001, it is considered the "gold standard" as a reference to stalking crimes, victim protection, safety planning, security and threat assessment.[20] The 2002 National Victim Association Academy defines an additional form of stalking: The vengeance/terrorist stalker. Both the vengeance stalker and terrorist stalker (the latter sometimes called the political stalker) do not, in contrast with some of the aforementioned types of stalkers, seek a personal relationship with their victims but rather force them to emit a certain response. While the vengeance stalker's motive is "to get even" with the other person whom he/she perceives has done some wrong to them (e.g., an employee who believes is fired without justification from a job by a superior), the political stalker intends to accomplish a political agenda, also using threats and intimidation to force the target to refrain or become involved in some particular activity regardless of the victim's consent. For example, most prosecutions in this stalking category have been against anti-abortionists who stalk doctors in an attempt to discourage the performance of abortions.[21] Stalkers may fit categories with paranoia disorders. Intimacy-seeking stalkers often have delusional disorders involving erotomanic delusions. With rejected stalkers, the continual clinging to a relationship of an inadequate or dependent person couples with the entitlement of the narcissistic personality, and the persistent jealousy of the paranoid personality. In contrast, resentful stalkers demonstrate an almost "pure culture of persecution", with delusional disorders of the paranoid type, paranoid personalities, and paranoid schizophrenia.[19] One of the uncertainties in understanding the origins of stalking is that the concept is now widely understood in terms of specific behaviors[22] which are found to be offensive or illegal. As discussed above, these specific (apparently stalking) behaviors may have multiple motivations. In addition, the personality characteristics that are often discussed as antecedent to stalking may also produce behavior that is not stalking as conventionally defined. Some research suggests there is a spectrum of what might be called "obsessed following behavior." People who complain obsessively and for years, about a perceived wrong or wrong-doer, when no one else can perceive the injury—and people who cannot or will not "let go" of a person or a place or an idea—comprise a wider group of persons that may be problematic in ways that seem similar to stalking. Some of these people get extruded from their organizations—they may get hospitalized or fired or let go if their behavior is defined in terms of illegal stalking, but many others do good or even excellent work in their organizations and appear to have just one focus of tenacious obsession.[23] Cyberstalking Cyberstalking is the use of computers or other electronic technology to facilitate stalking. In Davis (2001), Lucks identified a separate category of stalkers who instead of a terrestrial means, prefer to perpetrate crimes against their targeted victims through electronic and online means.[24] Amongst college students, Ménard and Pincus found that men who had a high score of sexual abuse as children and narcissistic vulnerability were more likely to become stalkers. Out of the women who participated in their study, 9% were cyberstalkers meanwhile only 4% were overt stalkers. In addition, the male participants revealed the opposite, 16% were overt stalkers while 11% were cyberstalkers. Alcohol and physical abuse both played a role in predicting women's cyberstalking and in men, "preoccupied attachment significantly predicted cyber stalking".[25] Stalking by groups According to a U.S. Department of Justice special report[16] a significant number of people reporting stalking incidents claim that they had been stalked by more than one person, with 18.2% reporting that they were stalked by two people, 13.1% reporting that they had been stalked by three or more. The report did not break down these cases into numbers of victims who claimed to have been stalked by several people individually, and by people acting in concert. A question asked of respondents reporting three or more stalkers by polling personnel about whether the stalking was related to co-workers, members of a gang, fraternities, sororities, etc., did not have its responses indicated in the survey results as released by the DOJ. The data for this report was obtained via the 2006 Supplemental Victimization Survey (SVS), conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau for the Department of Justice.[17] According to a United Kingdom study by Sheridan and Boon,[26] in 5% of the cases they studied there was more than one stalker, and 40% of the victims said that friends or family of their stalker had also been involved. In 15% of cases, the victim was unaware of any reason for the harassment. Over a quarter of all stalking and harassment victims do not know their stalkers in any capacity. About a tenth responding to the SVS did not know the identities of their stalkers. 11% of victims said they had been stalked for five years or more.[16] False claims of stalking, "gang stalking" and delusions of persecution In 1999, Pathe, Mullen and Purcell wrote that popular interest in stalking was promoting false claims.[27] In 2004, Sheridan and Blaauw said that they estimated that 11.5% of claims in a sample of 357 reported claims of stalking were false.[28] According to Sheridan and Blaauw, 70% of false stalking reports were made by people suffering from delusions, stating that "after eight uncertain cases were excluded, the false reporting rate was judged to be 11.5%, with the majority of false victims suffering delusions (70%)."[28] Another study estimated the proportion of false reports that were due to delusions as 64%.[29] News reports have described how groups of Internet users have cooperated to exchange detailed conspiracy theories involving coordinated activities by large numbers of people called "gang stalking".[30] The activities involved are described as involving electronic harassment, the use of "psychotronic weapons", and other alleged mind control techniques. These have been reported by external observers as being examples of belief systems, as opposed to reports of objective phenomena.[31] Some psychiatrists and psychologists say "Web sites that amplify reports of mind control and group stalking" are "an extreme community that may encourage delusional thinking" and represent "a dark side of social networking. They may reinforce the troubled thinking of the mentally ill and impede treatment."[32][33] A study from Australia and the United Kingdom by Lorraine Sheridan and David James[34] compared 128 self-defined victims of 'gang-stalking' with a randomly selected group of 128 self-declared victims of stalking by an individual. All 128 'victims' of gang-stalking were judged to be delusional, compared with only 3.9% of victims of individual-stalking. There were highly significant differences between the two samples on depressive symptoms, post-traumatic symptomatology and adverse impact on social and occupational function, with the self-declared victims of gang-stalking more severely affected. The authors concluded that "group-stalking appears to be delusional in basis, but complainants suffer marked psychological and practical sequelae. This is important in the assessment of risk in stalking cases, early referral to psychiatric services and allocation of police resources."[34] Epidemiology and prevalence Australia According to a study conducted by Purcell, Pathé and Mullen (2002), 23% of the Australian population reported having been stalked.[35] Austria Stieger, Burger and Schild conducted a survey in Austria, revealing a lifetime prevalence of 11% (women: 17%, men: 3%).[36] Further results include: 86% of stalking victims were female, 81% of the stalkers were male. Women were mainly stalked by men (88%) while men were almost equally stalked by men and women (60% male stalkers). 19% of the stalking victims reported that they were still being stalked at the time of study participation (point prevalence rate: 2%). To 70% of the victims, the stalker was known, being a prior intimate partner in 40%, a friend or acquaintance in 23% and a colleague at work in 13% of cases. As a consequence, 72% of the victims reported having changed their lifestyle. 52% of former and ongoing stalking victims reported suffering from a currently impaired (pathological) psychological well-being. There was no significant difference between the incidence of stalking in rural and urban areas. England and Wales In 1998 Budd and Mattinson found a lifetime prevalence of 12% in England and Wales (16% female, 7% males).[37] In 2010/11 43% of stalking victims were found to be male and 57% female.[38] According to a paper by staff from the Fixated Threat Assessment Centre, a unit established to deal with people with fixations on public figures, 86% of a sample group of 100 people assessed by them appeared to them to suffer from psychotic illness; 57% of the sample group were subsequently admitted to hospital, and 26% treated in the community.[39] A similar retrospective study published in 2009 in Psychological Medicine based on a sample of threats to the Royal Family kept by the Metropolitan Police Service over a period of 15 years, suggested that 83.6% of the writers of these letters suffered from serious mental illness.[40] Germany Dressing, Kuehner and Gass conducted a representative survey in Mannheim, a middle-sized German city, and reported a lifetime prevalence of having been stalked of almost 12%.[41] United States Tjaden and Thoennes reported a lifetime prevalence (being stalked) of 8% in females and 2% in males (depending on how strict the definition) in the National Violence Against Women Survey.[42] Laws on harassment and stalking Australia Every Australian state enacted laws prohibiting stalking during the 1990s, with Queensland being the first state to do so in 1994. The laws vary slightly from state to state, with Queensland's laws having the broadest scope, and South Australian laws the most restrictive. Punishments vary from a maximum of 10 years imprisonment in some states, to a fine for the lowest severity of stalking in others. Australian anti-stalking laws have some notable features. Unlike many US jurisdictions they do not require the victim to have felt fear or distress as a result of the behaviour, only that a reasonable person would have felt this way. In some states, the anti-stalking laws operate extra-territorially, meaning that an individual can be charged with stalking if either they or the victim are in the relevant state. Most Australian states provide the option of a restraining order in cases of stalking, breach of which is punishable as a criminal offence. There has been relatively little research into Australian court outcomes in stalking cases, although Freckelton (2001) found that in the state of Victoria, most stalkers received fines or community based dispositions. Canada Section 264 of the Criminal Code, titled "criminal harassment",[43] addresses acts which are termed "stalking" in many other jurisdictions. The provisions of the section came into force in August 1993 with the intent of further strengthening laws protecting women.[44] It is a hybrid offence, which may be punishable upon summary conviction or as an indictable offence, the latter of which may carry a prison term of up to ten years. Section 264 has withstood Charter challenges.[45] The Chief, Policing Services Program, for Statistics Canada has stated:[46] "... of the 10,756 incidents of criminal harassment reported to police in 2006, 1,429 of these involved more than one accused." France Article 222-33-2 of the French Penal Code (added in 2002) penalizes "Moral harassment," which is: "Harassing another person by repeated conduct which is designed to or leads to a deterioration of his conditions of work liable to harm his rights and his dignity, to damage his physical or mental health or compromise his career prospects," with a year's imprisonment and a fine of EUR15,000. Germany The German Criminal Code (§ 238 StGB) penalizes Nachstellung, defined as threatening or seeking proximity or remote contact with another person and thus heavily influencing their lives, with up to three years of imprisonment. The definition is not strict and allows "similar behaviour" to also be classified as stalking. India In 2013, Indian Parliament made amendments to the Indian Penal Code, introducing stalking as a criminal offence.[47] Stalking has been defined as a man following or contacting a woman, despite clear indication of disinterest by the woman, or monitoring her use of the Internet or electronic communication. A man committing the offence of stalking would be liable for imprisonment up to three years for the first offence, and shall also be liable to fine and for any subsequent conviction would be liable for imprisonment up to five years and with fine. Italy Following a series of high-profile incidents that came to public attention in the past years, a law was proposed in June 2008 which became effective in February 2009 (D.L. 23.02.2009 n. 11) making a criminal offence under the newly introduced art. 612 bis of the penal code, punishable with imprisonment ranging from six months up to five years, any "continuative harassing, threatening or persecuting behaviour which: (1) causes a state of anxiety and fear in the victim(s), or; (2) ingenerates within the victim(s) a motivated fear for his/her own safety or for the safety of relatives, kins [sic], or others tied to the victim him/herself by an affective relationship, or; (3), forces the victim(s) to change his/her living habits". If the perpetrator of the offense is a subject tied to the victim by kinship or that is or has been in the past involved in a relationship with the victim (i.e., a current or former spouse or fiancé), or if the victim is a pregnant woman or a minor or a person with disabilities, the sanction can be elevated up to six years of incarceration.[48][49][50][51] Japan In 2000, Japan enacted a national law to combat this behaviour, after the murder of Shiori Ino.[52] Acts of stalking can be viewed as "interfering [with] the tranquility of others' lives" and are prohibited under petty offence laws. Netherlands In the Wetboek van Strafrecht there is an Article 285b[53] that considers stalking as a crime, actually an Antragsdelikt: Article 285b: 1. He, who unlawfully systematically and deliberately intrudes someones personal environment with the intention to enforce the other to do something, not to do something or to tolerate something or to frighten, will be punished because of stalking. Maximum imprisonment is three years or a fine of the fourth category. 2. Prosecution will only happen when there is a complaint from him, against whom this crime has been committed (Antragsdelikt). Romania Article 208 of the 2014 Criminal Code states:- Article 208: Harassment The act of someone who repeatedly follows, without right or a legitimate interest, a person or his or her home, workplace or other place frequented, thus causing a state of fear. Making phone calls or communication by means of transmission, which by frequent or continuous use, causes fear to a person. This shall be punished with imprisonment from one to three months or a fine if the case is not a more serious offense. Criminal action is initiated by prior complaint of the victim. United Kingdom Before the enactment of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, the Telecommunications Act 1984 criminalised indecent, offensive or threatening phone calls and the Malicious Communications Act 1988 criminalised the sending of an indecent, offensive or threatening letter, electronic communication or other article to another person. Before 1997 no specific offence of stalking existed in England and Wales, but in Scotland incidents could be dealt with under pre-existing law with life imprisonment available for the worst offences England and Wales In England and Wales, "harassment" was criminalised by the enactment of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, which came into force on 16 June 1997. It makes it a criminal offence, punishable by up to six months' imprisonment, to make a course of conduct which amounts to harassment of another on two or more occasions. The court can also issue a restraining order, which carries a maximum punishment of five years' imprisonment if breached. In England and Wales, liability may arise in the event that the victim suffers either mental or physical harm as a result of being harassed (or slang term stalked) (see R. v. Constanza). In 2012, the Prime Minister, David Cameron, stated that the government intended to make another attempt to create a law aimed specifically at stalking behaviour.[54] In May 2012, the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 created the offence of stalking for the first time in England/Wales by inserting these offences into the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. The act of stalking under this section is exemplified by contacting, or attempting to contact, a person by any means, publishing any statement or other material relating or purporting to relate to a person, monitoring the use by a person of the Internet, email or any other form of electronic communication, loitering in any place (whether public or private), interfering with any property in the possession of a person or watching or spying on a person.[55] The Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 also added Section 4(a) into the Protection From Harassment Act 1997 which covered 'Stalking involving fear of violence or serious alarm or distress'. This created the offence of where a person's conduct amounts to stalking and either causes another to fear (on at least two occasions) that violence will be used against them or conduct that causes another person serious alarm or distress which has a substantial effect on their usual day to day activities. Scotland In Scotland, behaviour commonly described as stalking was already prosecuted as the common law offence of breach of the peace (not to be confused with the minor English offence of the same description) before the introduction of the statutory offence against s.39 of the Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010;[citation needed] either course can still be taken[56] depending on the circumstances of each case.[57] The statutory offence incurs a penalty of twelve months imprisonment or a fine upon summary conviction or a maximum of five years' imprisonment or a fine upon conviction on indictment; penalties for conviction for breach of the peace are limited only by the sentencing powers of the court, thus a case remitted to the High Court can carry a sentence of imprisonment for life. Provision is made under the Protection from Harassment Act against stalking to deal with the civil offence (i.e. the interference with the victim's personal rights), falling under the law of delict. Victims of stalking may sue for interdict against an alleged stalker, or a non-harassment order, breach of which is an offence.[citation needed] United States California was the first state to criminalize stalking in the United States in 1990[58] as a result of numerous high-profile stalking cases in California, including the 1982 attempted murder of actress Theresa Saldana,[59] the 1988 massacre by Richard Farley,[60] the 1989 murder of actress Rebecca Schaeffer,[61] and five Orange County stalking murders, also in 1989.[60][62] The first anti-stalking law in the United States, California Penal Code Section 646.9, was developed and proposed by Municipal Court Judge John Watson of Orange County. Watson with U.S. Congressman Ed Royce introduced the law in 1990.[62][63] Also in 1990, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) began the United States' first Threat Management Unit, founded by LAPD Captain Robert Martin. Within three years[62] thereafter, every state in the United States followed suit to create the crime of stalking, under different names such as criminal harassment or criminal menace. The Driver's Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) was enacted in 1994 in response to numerous cases of a driver's information being abused for criminal activity, with prominent examples including the Saldana and Schaeffer stalking cases.[64][65] The DPPA prohibits states from disclosing a driver's personal information without permission by State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The Violence Against Women Act of 2005, amending a United States statute, 108 Stat. 1902 et seq, defined stalking as:[66] "engaging in a course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to— (A) fear for his or her safety or the safety of others; (B) suffer substantial emotional distress." As of 2011, stalking is an offense under section 120a of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).[67] The law took effect on 1 October 2007. In 2018 the PAWS Act became law in the United States, and it expanded the definition of stalking to include "conduct that causes a person to experience a reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury to his or her pet”.[68] Stalking is a controversial crime because a conviction does not require any physical harm.[69] The anti-stalking statute of Illinois is particularly controversial. It is particularly restrictive, by the standards of this type of legislation.[70] Other The Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence defines and criminalizes stalking, as well as other forms of violence against women.[71] The Convention came into force on 1 August 2014.[72] Popular culture Film Stalking has been a key plot element in a number of movies. Robert De Niro has notably played a stalker in at least four films. Internet According to Hitchcock, The Stalkers Home Page is a website that "tries to be more pro-stalking than anti-stalking".[83] Music Television See also References Further readingAdvertisement The battle-weary soldiers who fought on both sides in the American Civil War have been painstakingly brought back to life in 21st century color. Stunning photographs offer a glimpse into the everyday lives of men who fought in the bloody conflict between 1861 and 1865, either for the survival of the Union or a strike out into independence for the Confederates. Some 150 years since Abraham Lincoln outlawed slavery in the US, graphic artist Frédéric Duriez has injected color to historic shots from that era. They depict notable figures like George Armstrong Custer, a fearless leader who was promoted to General at the tender age of 24. Civil war broke
Register today So the two carriers would likely need to make some significant concessions to push it through, Kannan Venkateshwar of Barclays wrote this week in a note to investors. “As we have highlighted in the past, given past concerns at the Department of Justice around a three-player telecom market, the approval of such a deal should not be taken for granted,” Venkateshwar noted. “While political realities may make the path easier today than would have been the case last year, we believe this is likely to need the combination to offer significant concessions. This is also likely to be important in light of hurdles that could be created by companies like Dish which could in theory litigate to make the path for a Sprint/T-Mobile combination more painful than it needs to be.” Dish has no wireless network, of course, and it could claim the tie-up could hurt its ability to strike an MVNO deal with an established carrier. And the sheer scale of the combined carrier could weaken its ability to negotiate handset deals with manufacturers. The satellite TV provider may use those arguments to press for favorable concessions, Venkateshwar said. “In our opinion therefore, if Sprint and T-Mobile do look at combining their businesses and hope to achieve this in a realistic time frame, they would need to address competitive concerns either by making available competitive MVNO arrangements to new players who want to enter the industry and/or providing at least some of Sprint’s excess spectrum,” he wrote. “With Dish now owning critical component pieces of spectrum required to run a network, an ability to leverage the combined network of Sprint/T-Mobile could offer Dish the ability to enter the wireless business without having to invest in infrastructure…. Dish could then essentially launch its own service or lease this network on a wholesale basis to any third party that wants to enter wireless.”A new year is a time for new beginnings, whether we’re pursuing a goal, changing careers… or, in our case, re-launching a podcast. The old Evernote podcast had a good run (from 2009 to 2013, with a couple of special installments after that), and we were sad to see it go. We’ve wanted to revive the podcast for a while now, so when we began talking about New Year’s resolutions here at Evernote HQ, it seemed only natural to add it to our content team’s goals for 2017. Starting on a high note We’re proud to introduce Taking Note, a new interview-based series where we’ll talk with movers and shakers in the realms of productivity, entrepreneurship, and creative thinking. Listen now: http://traffic.libsyn.com/evernote/Taking-Note-1-Michael-Hyatt.mp3 Length: 26 mins iTunes \| SoundCloud \| Google Play \| MP3 \| RSS For our first episode, we wanted to talk about how to make resolutions work for you. How do we harness the good intentions and energy of a fresh start and turn that into concrete results that last? How do we conquer our fears and empower ourselves to reach our goals? For questions like that, there’s no better person to turn than to Michael Hyatt. As a leadership development mentor, Michael helps high achievers get the clarity, confidence, and tools they need to win at work and succeed at life. It’s a message that resonates with hundreds of thousands of people who follow Michael on social media, visit his blog, take one of his courses, or attend one of his speaking engagements. His podcast, “This Is Your Life,” has run for more than 200 episodes. And his recent book, Living Forward: A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life You Want, is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestseller. Michael has also been a champion of Evernote for years (check out his excellent blog post describing his tag-based organizational system, or his guest posts on the Evernote Blog), and he has plenty to say about the role Evernote can play in a developing a plan for achieving your goals. Michael Hyatt spoke to us from his home base in Nashville, Tennessee. A partial transcript is below. To hear the complete interview and catch our future episodes, head over to iTunes, SoundCloud, or Google Play. Okay, it’s the start of a new year. People are thinking about recalibrating, about making life changes. Of course, we are all pretty good usually about knowing when we’re not happy, or when we want to change something. Not so good, perhaps, when it comes time to figuring out how to take action on that or where to start. How do we know that we’re choosing the right goals? I could list about 50 things I’d like to change in the coming year. I think first of all, I would not set goals inside what the authors of The Four Disciplines of Execution call “the whirlwind,” just your normal job. You’re going to have goals there anyway. There’s a difference between projects and goals. Every goal is a project, but not every project is a goal. There’s going to be hundreds of things you’re going to attempt this year and going to have to do for work or in your private life, but goals are really outside of the whirlwind. These are the things that would really move the needle and create for you a remarkable year. Only you can answer that question. What would it be? What would be the extraordinary thing that you could accomplish in your career or in your business, or your marriage, or your health that looking back on it once you get to December 31st, 2017, what would make this year extraordinary? One of the things that we’ve discovered in all the research we’ve done about goals is that when people try too many, they get overwhelmed. You talked about a list of 10, 20, 50 goals. People have a lot of things they want to accomplish when they think about self-improvement, but the multiplicity of goals actually works against you because it divides your focus. There’s an ancient Chinese proverb that I love that says, “Man who chases two rabbits catches neither.” If we divide our focus over too many goals, then we really run the risk of sabotaging real progress. We’ve got to narrow the focus and really lock in, and this takes priorities, on seven to no more than ten goals that we’re going to shoot for for the entire year. Even those, the deadlines need to be staggered through the year so that we’re not trying to do too much at once. That’s a great point. When we’re thinking about productivity, we often think in terms of just getting more done, piling more onto the plate. It’s not really about that, is it? It really isn’t. It’s really about getting the right things done, not about getting more things done. This past year, I published an online course called Free to Focus, and the subtitle really says it all about my philosophy. It’s, “Achieve more by doing less.” Now how in the world do you do that? How do you cut the number of tasks down so that you only have a few? My basic rule is that I only have three tasks on any one day. They’re important tasks. They might even be urgent, but there’s only three tasks. To do that, you’ve really got to know what your unique ability is, or you need to focus. I think I first read this in Tim Ferriss’s The Four Hour Work Week. You’ve got to be able to eliminate, automate, and then delegate in order to get the things off your plate that you shouldn’t be touching at all. The problem with drifting is that nobody ever drifted to a destination they would’ve chosen. If you’re doing three really important things every day, those things start to add up and really move the needle in your life whereas most people set out with this giant to-do list every day. They go to bed at the end of the day frustrated that they didn’t get it all done. They wake up in the morning dreading what they’ve still got to do that was hanging over from yesterday, and they don’t feel like they’re winning. They don’t feel like they’re making any progress. That’s just a game you can’t win. Why not design a game you can win? How do we go about doing that? I hear three tasks per day, seven to ten goals for the year, so we’re thinking in terms of layers. How do you go about narrowing that list down and coming up with some sort of a realistic, achievable plan? I think it starts with clarity about what it is that you want for you life. Most people don’t take time or pause long enough to really think about what it is that they want. They’re fuzzy. They’re just kind of drifting through life, and the problem with drifting is that nobody ever drifted to a destination they would’ve chosen. That takes intentionality. I’ve got a little model that I use in my courses and in some online assessments that I have where we talk about the Three Circles of Life. The Circle of Being which includes your spiritual life, your intellectual life, your emotional life, your physical life. That’s you in relationship to yourself. What do you want in those areas? You, as a private person. Then there’s the Circle of Relating, which is you in relationship to your spouse or your significant other. Maybe your children, your friends, your social network. That’s you in relationship to others. What do you want there? Are there friendships that you need? Do you have friends outside of work? Is your marriage or your relationship with a significant other at a place where you’re really happy and satisfied and deeply connected, or do you want something different? Then there’s the Circle of Doing, which would include your vocation, your advocation or hobbies, and then your finances. In all these areas, I think one of the things we have to get clear on is what do we want. What do we want out of our marriage? What do we want out of our career? What do we want out of our finances? What do we want out of our intellectual life? When we write, we get clear. When we get clear, that acts like a magnet that pulls us toward it. Articulate that by writing it down. This is a huge mistake that people make. They have these vague aspirations, these dreams, but they’re not written down. There was a researcher at Dominican University in California who did a research project on 267 participants on goal setting. One of the findings that she had among others was that just by writing your goal down, you’re 42% more likely to achieve it if nothing else happens. When we write, we get clear. When we get clear, that acts like a magnet that pulls us toward it. Of course, a lot of us need some help in reaching that point. Did you have a mentor or someone that helped you attain clarity? Yeah, I’ve had quite a few through the years. One of the most significant ones, I hired an executive coach in the year 2000. Daniel Harkavy. In fact, he’s the co-author of my most recent book, Living Forward. He was a huge help to me because he was the first person that actually said, “You need to think about what you want in each of the major domains in your life.” We went through a process which we write about in the book, a life-planning process where we get clear in each one of these areas and think about where do we want to be in 25 years. Let’s talk about the book for a moment. Living Forward: A Proving Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life You Want. How did that book come about? Well, I’ve been involved in life planning with Daniel since about 2000. I’ve done it every year, and it’s just been a hugely helpful, clarifying exercise. At one point, I said to Daniel, “You know, this process has been so helpful to me, and I’ve just been somebody who’s been on the receiving end of practicing it. You’ve been on the coaching end of it coaching thousands of people how to do it. What about if we get together and do a book that would help people go through the process?” He loved the idea, and so we wrote the book. We launched it this last spring. It’s a Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly bestseller. Evidently, a lot of people feel the need for life planning or to think more intentionally about their life. That’s just one of many projects you have. You’ve also got a weekly podcast called “This is Your Life,” and you’ve got an online course which I think is very relevant to this time of the year. Is that right? Yeah, I do. I’ve got a course called Five Days to Your Best Year Ever. This was launched about four years ago, and it came out of a practice that I began more than a decade ago where I took the period between Christmas and New Years and thought through what I wanted for the next year. I always ask myself the question, “How can I make this next year the best year ever?” At one point my daughter Megan, who is the COO of my business, she came to me and said, “Dad, I really think we should create a course around that.” I said, “What? Really?” I kind of almost thought that everybody does this. Everybody takes that time to reflect. She said, “Look, almost nobody does this. I think the process that you use could be hugely helpful in helping people get clear about what they want and making their year an extraordinary year.” You know, it’s funny. It seems so obvious that you would take a few days at the start of the year if you wanted to make some sort of major change throughout that year, that you would take a few days to plan that out, but it’s true. Most of us don’t take that time. I’m not going to ask you to compress five days into the next few minutes, but if we could talk a little bit about some of the brass-tacks actions that do need to be taken… Sure. Having a goal, having intentionality, having clarity. That all makes a lot of sense, but that might not be enough if we can’t actually turn that into new behaviors and new habits. What’s your advice for actually changing patterns of behavior? One of the things I talk about in the first session of Five Days to Your Best Year Ever is the importance of identifying your limiting beliefs. I think a lot of times, it’s our beliefs that hold us back. They keep us from behaving in a certain way because we think maybe that we’re too old or that we’re too young, or we don’t have enough experience, have enough education. The problem is is that limiting beliefs are typically in our head. They don’t exist out there, although we tend to externalize them. That very first session of Best Year Ever, we boil that down and try to identify those limiting beliefs and replace them with liberating truths. In session two, we talk about completing the past. So many people drag the worst of the past into the best of their future, and they sabotage themselves because they’ve got something they haven’t completed in the past. We go through an eight-step process where we talk about completing the past. Not just the negative things and processing our regrets and disappointments from the last year, but also celebrating our wins. Talking about the things we wished we’d been acknowledged for but weren’t. Those items that we were the most proud of so that we can be in our strongest possible position when we begin to set goals which happens in session three. I do use the SMART framework, but I’ve expanded it to the SMARTER framework. The two pieces that I add onto the end of the SMART framework which most people are familiar with is that the goal’s got to be exciting. That’s the E. It’s got to be something that’s really compelling to you because if it’s not compelling, you’re probably not going to follow through. You’re going to lose steam when the going gets tough. Then, it needs to be relevant. By relevant, I mean it needs to align with the rest of your life. Somebody that’s a mom of small children is in a very different season than somebody like me who basically is an empty nester. I’ve got more discretionary time than somebody in that situation, so the goals need to reflect that. Then we talk about connecting with your “why” on session four. Hugely important. Why is this goal important? Actually writing those things down. By the way, I do this in Evernote. Then, fifth is how do you make it all happen? This is all about execution, and how do you actually make the changes. You mentioned the SMART framework. Just in case people aren’t familiar with that, that’s an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-based. Is that correct? Well, people have different words for that but mine is Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Risky—this is a key idea here—and then finally Time-keyed. Risky. Most people set their goals too low. Sometimes people translate the R into Realistic. Actually, that’s the worst thing you could possibly do if you want to follow through on a goal. All the research shows this. If you want to follow through on a goal, it needs to be harder, not easier. A goal that’s easy won’t command your attention. You need for it to be in your discomfort zone. Now this is important because there’s three zones. A goal that’s easy won’t command your attention. You need for it to be in your discomfort zone. The first zone is your comfort zone. That’s where you do email, that’s where you go to meetings, that’s where you shop for groceries, just all the basic stuff of life. It’s the comfort zone. Nothing hard about it. It’s forgettable. You don’t need a goal that’s in the comfort zone. The discomfort zone is when you begin to feel a little bit of fear, a little bit of uncertainty, a little bit of doubt. Those negative emotions are actually positive indicators that you’re on the right path, that this is something where you’re going to get a breakthrough result. Something where you’re going to experience something extraordinary. All the good stuff happens in the discomfort zone, but it’s not zone three and you want to stay out of this one too. This is the delusional zone. This is where you set the goals so high that there’s no way that you could possibly accomplish it, or no way that you could accomplish it without sacrificing all the other areas of your life. For me, for example, if I decided I wanted to play golf on the PGA professional tour, that would be delusional. I don’t want to do that; I want to go right to the door of delusional and dial it back a few clicks to where it’s just uncomfortable. When we talk about making goals risky and getting into our discomfort zone, that raises a couple of questions. How do we keep ourselves accountable? Also, what happens if we fail? Yeah, two great questions. First of all, accountability’s critically important. I cited the research earlier from Dr. Gail Matthews at Dominican University about the 42% better chance of achieving your goals if you write them down. The other major factor that she found is accountability. That when people are accountable to somebody else for their results, they’re much much more likely, about twice as likely to follow through. You’ve got to be careful here. Derek Sivers has this great TED Talk where he talks about the fact that when you share your goals publicly, then you have the same psychological benefit of actually achieving the goal so it actually works against you. You get the same satisfaction. He suggests you don’t share it with anybody. What I recommend and what we teach in the course is selective sharing. In other words, you want to share the goals with a few people that could hold you accountable, that could be supportive, that can be a resource when you get stuck. That’s the key: have an accountability partner or an accountability group that you know they’re in there with you and they’re trying to work for improvement just like you are. What if we fail? Well, I got this from John Maxwell, another one of my mentors. He says, “There’s no failure; there’s only feedback.” Whenever we fail, it’s okay. Failure’s kind of overrated. One of the best ways to make progress is to fail and to fail fast. If we can look at fail and not internalize it so that it affects our identity so that we say, “I’m a failure,” if we could just say, “Yeah, I failed at that. Now what’s the learning from that?” We go through a process in Best Year Ever called the After-Action Review where we’re able to process that, squeeze the juice out of it, and use it for learning so that we can pick ourselves up and actually improve what we do. Failure’s kind of overrated. One of the best ways to make progress is to fail and to fail fast. Another piece of research that we stumbled across this past year is that your areas of failure or your areas of disappointment or regret, it’s called the Opportunity Principle, are usually indicators of your greatest opportunity for growth in the next year. Those areas where you fail, if you could just reframe it and see it as an opportunity, that can be an area where you can experience substantial progress because you’ve already figured out some things that don’t work. That all makes a lot of sense, and it all ties back into the things you were saying earlier about learning from the past and not letting your previous experiences turn into limiting beliefs. I want to talk a bit about system before we wrap up. We’ve mentioned the importance of writing things down. I should mention you’ve also written some excellent posts on your website about how you use Evernote. I’d like to know how you use it as part of a system and something that you can use throughout the day, throughout the year. Part of what I do with reference to goals is that I have basically a goal template in Evernote that I export as a template, and then I use it for each one of my goals. I state the goal, I identify my key motivations, I put my next actions, any kind of inspiring thoughts. I use one of those for each of my seven to ten goals for the year. This year, I happen to have nine so I’ll have nine of these separate notes in Evernote. Then I take the table of contents function. This is something I discovered last year. I cannot believe that I somehow missed this in the past. I basically create a note that has all of those nine other notes referenced with a link to each one. Now here’s the cool thing: I drag that note as a shortcut to my sidebar, and that’s what I review every morning. I don’t do a deep dive, but I’m just reviewing those nine goals each morning, just the statements. Got a link if I want to go deeper, but just the statement of my nine goals. What I’m looking for is maybe a task that I can put on my task list today that would advance me in the direction of one of my goals. Every morning, that’s my process. Then once a week during my weekly review, I pull up that same note again as a shortcut on my sidebar, and now I click into the links and I review a deeper dive on each one of those, particularly I’m looking into key motivations. I want to connect with those intellectually and emotionally just to remind me about why that’s important, and that’s why it’s on my goal list for this year. The people that really achieve great big results aren’t smarter than you. They’re not more educated, they’re not more experienced. They’re people that have clarity and people that have courage. All right. We’ve talked a lot about motivation. What’s your motivation? What gets you out of bed in the morning? I think to make a difference. I love nothing more than helping people realize their potential. When I’m talking to people, when I’m coaching, when I’m teaching, whatever, I just think to myself, “You have no idea how much potential you have.” The people that really achieve great big results aren’t smarter than you. They’re not more educated, they’re not more experienced. They’re people usually that have clarity and people that have courage. By courage, I don’t mean that they don’t have fear, but they’re willing to do it scared even when they experience fear. That’s the only difference. People can accomplish an enormous amount if they’re willing to work to get clarity, and if they’re willing to be brave and do it scared. We’re pleased to be podcasting again and we hope you enjoy hearing from experts like Michael Hyatt as much as we do. You can hear the complete interview and catch our future episodes at iTunes, SoundCloud, or Google PlayJust as there are political think tanks, there are also futurist ones — they offer wisdom about emerging trends to companies and other organizations who make long-term plans. And top futurist think tank Institute for the Future wants you to know about one trend that could change the very structure of reality. They call this trend "networked matter," and it refers to the ways that computer networks and the so-called real world will become almost indistinguishable as technologies develop. At a recent workshop devoted entirely to the trend, IFTF explained: Over the next decade, a confluence of breakthroughs will give us new lenses to observe the wondrous interconnections surrounding us and within us. The coming Age of Networked Matter is a world where everyday objects will blog, robots will have social networks, microbes will talk to kitchens, and forests will “friend” cities. We will look at the emerging technologies in computation, sensing and actuation, wireless, materials science, and even biology that will underpin this coming world, and interact with creators as they reimagine and reinvent the changing context and meaning of our lives. Advertisement What they mean is that all of our "smart" objects, from mobile devices to cars and sensors, will be communicating with each other tomorrow the way computers on the internet communicate with each other today. Though you never think about it, your computer has countless conversations with other machines just in the process of looking at this website. Imagine if your smart building were having just as many conversations with other buildings in order to figure out how much power it needed on a second-by-second basis. Or maybe your medicine cabinet would interact with your pharmacy to order a new prescription of your dwindling supply of meds. But networked matter goes beyond smart technology. It also extends to a future where biological organisms are also wired to communicate with each other via networks. That's where the idea of forests and microbes "communicating" with our cities comes from. Already, engineers have created electrical circuits that can be integrated into your skin. Imagine what might happen if similar technologies were integrated into many kinds of living creatures. Forests could warn wind turbines about approaching flocks of birds, so the rotating blades could shut down in time to keep the birds safe. Or we could integrate the computational power of bacterial colonies into our data-crunching machines. Advertisement IFTF has also commissioned a group of science fiction writers, including Ramez Naam, Cory Doctorow, and Rudy Rucker to write stories about a future of networked matter. You can read them on the IFTF site. In the meantime, try to imagine a future where living things and cities have their own internet-like communications systems.LBRY, a content sharing and publishing platform, copied 20,000 lectures from UC Berkeley’s YouTube channel before they were deleted and will make them publicly available beginning in April. UC Berkeley announced in early March that it would restrict public access to legacy recorded classroom lectures, or Course Capture, after the Department of Justice determined that the publicly available lectures were not up to standards under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Jeremy Kauffman, founder and CEO of LBRY, said it was unfortunate that the campus was forced to take down the lectures and that his company believed it would be better if they were still available without subtitles than not available at all. “What motivated our community is that we saw information disappearing that shouldn’t disappear, and our technology is designed to keep information around,” Kauffman said. The videos being uploaded onto LBRY currently do not have subtitles, but Kauffman said he’d be happy to work with anyone interested in collaborating with the company to provide them. A lawsuit, which was filed in 2014 by viewers unaffiliated with UC Berkeley, alleged that many aspects of the Course Captures were in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, including inaccessible video captions, and it concluded that those with disabilities are denied equal access to UC Berkeley’s services. After its investigation, the DOJ found “significant portions of UC Berkeley’s online content” in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which states equality must be granted on all public forums. In a campuswide email, Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Education Catherine Koshland said the campus recognized the need to “meet higher accessibility standards as a condition of remaining publicly available,” and she said all Course Capture content will instead be moved to a website where viewers will need authentication login for access. She added that UC Berkeley will emphasize making its future content more accessible to the public. LBRY, based in Alexandria, Egypt, describes itself as a protocol in which artists can upload their content on a network of hosts, while serving as a digital library for things such as books and music for regular users. According to its website, because UC Berkeley lectures are a Creative Commons license, meaning that they can be copied and republished with credit for noncommercial use, mirroring and cataloging the lecture is legal. In response to LBRY’s actions, campus spokesperson Roqua Montez stated in an email that UC Berkeley became aware that the content was being scraped and reposted only after the fact and that they are currently assessing the situation. Georgina Kleege, a co-director of the disabilities studies minor program at UC Berkeley and campus English professor, said while she understands that it is too costly for the campus to add captioning after the fact, the issue of accessibility for the general public, which includes disabled people, should have been taken into consideration from the beginning. Kleege said there should not be an opposition between the public and those with a disability. “They say they are uploading it for the public, but (if) I’m a disabled, (then) I’m outside of the public,” Kleege said. “I feel that that’s discrimination.” Contact Christine Lee at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter at @christinejlee17.Not to be confused with Madera AVA Madeira wine Madeira is a fortified wine made on the Portuguese Madeira Islands, off the coast of Africa. Madeira is produced in a variety of styles ranging from dry wines which can be consumed on their own as an aperitif to sweet wines usually consumed with dessert. Cheaper cooking versions are often flavoured with salt and pepper for use in cooking, but these are not fit for consumption as a beverage. The islands of Madeira have a long winemaking history, dating back to the Age of Exploration (approximately from the end of the 15th century) when Madeira was a standard port of call for ships heading to the New World or East Indies. To prevent the wine from spoiling, neutral grape spirits were added. On the long sea voyages, the wines would be exposed to excessive heat and movement which transformed the flavour of the wine. This was discovered by the wine producers of Madeira when an unsold shipment of wine returned to the islands after a round trip. Today, Madeira is noted for its unique winemaking process which involves heating the wine. The wine is placed in stainless steel vats that are heated via a serpentine method. Hot water, at a temperature between 45 and 50 degrees Celsius (approximately 115 °F), runs through this serpentine system for a period of never less than three months. Once this heating process called estufagem is completed, the wine is subjected to a rest period or estágio, of at least 90 days in order to acquire the conditions that will make it possible for the oenologist, an expert in wine and winemaking, to finish the wine so that it may be placed in a bottle with the required quality guarantee. These wines may never be bottled and commercialised before 31 October of the second year following the harvesting and are typically batch wines. Because of this unique process, Madeira is a very robust wine that can be quite long lived even after being opened.[1] Some wines produced in small quantities in Crimea, California and Texas are also referred to as "Madeira" or "Madera". Most countries conform to the EU PDO regulations and limit the use of the term Madeira or Madère to only those wines that come from the Madeira Islands.[2] History [ edit ] Development and success (15th – 18th centuries) [ edit ] Madeira's location made it an ideal stopping location for voyages to the East Indies The roots of Madeira's wine industry date back to the Age of Exploration, when Madeira was a regular port of call for ships travelling to the East Indies. By the 16th century, records indicate that a well-established wine industry on the island supplied these ships with wine for the long voyages across the sea. The earliest examples of Madeira were unfortified and had the habit of spoiling at sea. However, following the example of Port, a small amount of distilled alcohol made from cane sugar was added to stabilize the wine by boosting the alcohol content (the modern process of fortification using brandy did not become widespread until the 18th century). The Dutch East India Company became a regular customer, picking up large (112 gal/423 l) casks of wine known as "pipes" for their voyages to India. The intense heat in the holds of the ships had a transforming effect on the wine, as discovered by Madeira producers when one shipment was returned to the island after a long trip. The customer was found to prefer the taste of this style of wine, and Madeira labeled as vinho da roda (wines that have made a round trip) became very popular. Madeira producers found that aging the wine on long sea voyages was very costly, so began to develop methods on the island to produce the same aged and heated style. They began storing the wines on trestles at the winery or in special rooms known as estufas, where the heat of island sun would age the wine.[3] The 18th century was the "golden age" for Madeira. The wine's popularity extended from the American colonies and Brazil in the New World to Great Britain, Russia, and Northern Africa. The American colonies, in particular, were enthusiastic customers, consuming as much as 95% of all wine produced on the island each year. Early American history (17th – 18th centuries) [ edit ] John Hancock whose boat seizure after unloading a cargo of 25 pipes of Madeira caused riots in Boston. Madeira was an important wine in the history of the United States of America. No wine-quality grapes were grown among the thirteen colonies,[4] so imports were needed, with a great focus on Madeira.[3][5] One of the major events on the road to the American revolution in which Madeira played a key role was the British seizure of John Hancock's sloop the Liberty on May 9, 1768. Hancock's boat was seized after he had unloaded a cargo of 25 pipes (3,150 gallons) of Madeira, and a dispute arose over import duties. The seizure of the Liberty caused riots to erupt among the people of Boston.[6][7] Madeira was a favorite of Thomas Jefferson, and it was used to toast the Declaration of Independence.[3] George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin and John Adams are also said to have appreciated the qualities of Madeira. The wine was mentioned in Benjamin Franklin's autobiography. On one occasion, Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail, of the great quantities of Madeira he consumed while a Massachusetts delegate to the Continental Congress. A bottle of Madeira was used by visiting Captain James Server to christen the USS Constitution in 1797. Chief Justice John Marshall was also known to appreciate Madeira, as were his cohorts on the early U.S. Supreme Court. Modern era (19th century – present) [ edit ] The mid-19th century ushered an end to the industry's prosperity. First came the 1851 discovery of powdery mildew, which severely reduced production over the next three years. Just as the industry was recovering through the use of the copper-based Bordeaux mixture fungicide, the phylloxera epidemic that had plagued France and other European wine regions reached the island. By the end of the 19th century, most of the island's vineyards had been uprooted, and many were converted to sugar cane production. The majority of the vineyards that did replant chose to use American vine varieties, such as Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia and Vitis rupestris or hybrid grape varieties rather than replant with the Vitis vinifera varieties that were previously grown. By the turn of the 20th century, sales started to slowly return to normal, until the industry was rocked again by the Russian Civil War and American Prohibition, which closed off two of Madeira's biggest markets.[3] After the repeal of Prohibition, during a time in which shipping technology had improved, and the ships no longer needed to stop off in Madeira, the island which was directly in the trade winds between Europe and America. The wine became known as The Forgotten Island Wine. The rest of the 20th century saw a downturn for Madeira, both in sales and reputation, as low quality "cooking wine" became primarily associated with the island—much as it had for Marsala. In 1988, the Symington family of Portugal invested in the Madeira Wine Company which owned many of the Madeira brand names. They asked Bartholomew Broadbent to re-launch Madeira and create a market for it again in America, which he did in 1989, establishing a firm rebirth of Madeira. Towards the end of 20th century, some producers started a renewed focus on quality—ripping out the hybrid and American vines and replanting with the "noble grape" varieties of Sercial, Verdelho, Bual and Malvasia. The "workhorse" varieties of Tinta Negra Mole now known officially as just Tinta Negra, and Complexa are still present and in high use, but hybrid grapes were officially banned from wine production in 1979. Today, Madeira's primary markets are in the Benelux countries, France, where it is entirely used for cooking, salt and pepper having been added prior to bottling, and Germany; emerging markets are growing in Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.[3]4 Viticulture [ edit ] Climate and geography [ edit ] Vineyard growing among other cultures in the tropical influenced climate near Santana, Madeira. The island of Madeira has an oceanic climate
-to-play" corruption involving campaign contributions and official state action throughout state government. ( PHOTOS: 11 politicians with Donald Trump) "We consider and review all communications that are submitted to the commission," Moreland spokeswoman Michelle Duffy said. "However, we do not discuss potential or ongoing investigations." Neither she nor John Milgrim of the Joint Commission on Public Ethics, New York's ethics and lobbying board, would comment on any action their panel is taking as a result of the complaints. Trump's attorney in the ethics case, former state lobbying regulator David Grandeau, said Schneiderman tried to use his leverage while running an investigation to wring out more campaign contributions from Trump's daughter, Ivanka. "It's pay-or-pray fundraising tactics," Grandeau said. "Donald Trump and his associates will say and do anything to avoid talking about the facts in this case," Schneiderman spokesman Matt Mittenthal said. "His wild accusations, outlandish conspiracy theories and outright distortions will not distract Attorney General Schneiderman from pursuing justice for the students victimized by Mr. Trump and his scam university."TOKYO, March 27 (Reuters) - The construction of a $4 billion, 2,000-megawatt coal-fired power station in Indonesia will begin on April 1 after years of delay as land acquisitions are finally complete, Japan’s Nikkei business daily said on Sunday. PT Bhimasena Power Indonesia, a joint venture set up by Indonesian coal miner PT Adaro Energy Tbk and Japan’s Itochu Corporation and Electric Power Development Co. Ltd. (J-Power), will build and operate the Batang plant in Central Java. Neither Itochu nor J-Power could be immediately reached for comment. Indonesia’s Supreme Court has thrown out a landholders’ lawsuit on technical grounds, paving the way for the government to take over the remaining land for the project. The prospect of raising funds for the project were also good, the newspaper said in a report from Jakarta. It did not elaborate or give its sources. Indonesia’s president Joko Widodo hosted the groundbreaking ceremony of the project last August with great fanfare but no ground was actually broken, with dozens of landowners refusing to give up their paddy fields. The Batang plant was among a handful of new infrastructure projects that Indonesia hoped to finally get off the ground to ease power shortages in the Southeast Asian nation. (Reporting by Osamu Tsukimori and Randy Fabi in JAKARTA; Editing by Robert Birsel)U.S. President Donald Trump, right, and first lady Melania Trump, left, arrive at the National Cemetery in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2017. President Trump delivered a sharp warning to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Wednesday, telling him the weapons he's acquiring "are not making you safer. They are putting your regime in grave danger."(Kim Hong-Ji/Pool Photo via AP) SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — President Donald Trump delivered a sharp warning to North Korea Wednesday, telling the rogue nation: “Do not underestimate us. And do not try us.” In a speech delivered hours after he aborted a visit to the heavily fortified Korean demilitarized zone due to bad weather, Trump said he had a message for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. “The weapons you are acquiring are not making you safer, they are putting your regime in grave danger,” Trump told an audience of South Korean lawmakers, calling on all nations to join forces “to isolate the brutal regime of North Korea.” “The world cannot tolerate the menace of a rogue regime that threatens with nuclear devastation,” he said. Trump had hoped to underscore his message with an early morning visit to the DMZ, but his plans were thwarted by heavy fog that prevented his helicopter from landing at the heavily fortified border that has separated the North and South for the last 64 years. The Marine One helicopter left Seoul at daybreak and flew most of the way to the DMZ, but was forced to turn back just five minutes out due to poor weather conditions. Reporters traveling in a separate helicopter as part of the president’s envoy saw fog through the windows, and weather reports from near the heavily fortified border showed misting conditions and visibility below one mile. Pilots, officials said, could not see the other helicopters in the air. White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the president was disappointed he couldn’t make the trip. “I think he’s pretty frustrated,” she told reporters. “It was obviously something he wanted to do.” Before he left for Asia, a White House official had ruled out a DMZ visit for Trump, claiming the president didn’t have time on his schedule and that DMZ visits have become a little cliché. But Sanders said the visit had been planned well before Trump’s departure for Asia. The trip was kept secret for security reasons, she said. The aborted visit came hours before Trump addressed the South Korean National Assembly as he closed out his two-day visit to the nation and headed to his next stop, Beijing. In the speech, Trump painted a bleak portrait of life in North Korea, describing citizens as bribing government officials to leave the country just so they can work as slaves. He contrasted the poverty and desperation to thriving South Korea — home to a long list of top-rated golfers, he noted. Trump said the U.S. will not allow its cities to be threatened with destruction, and said that, while America “does not seek conflict or confrontation,” it will not run from it, either. “The regime has interpreted America’s past restraint as weakness. This would be a fatal miscalculation?,” Trump said. “This is a very different administration than the United States has had in the past.” He also called on all nations to downgrade diplomatic and economic ties with the North and fully implement a series of U.N. Security Council measures, specifically calling out Russia and China, whose leaders he will meet in coming days. On Tuesday, Trump’s first day on the Korean Peninsula, he had signaled a willingness to negotiate as he urged North Korea to “come to the table” and “make a deal” over its nuclear weapons program. He also said he’d seen “a lot of progress” in dealing with Pyongyang, though he stopped short of saying whether he wanted direct talks. “It makes sense for North Korea to come to the table and make a deal that is good for the people of North Korea and for the world,” Trump said at a news conference with South Korea’s president, Moon Jae-in. He also sounded an optimistic note on disagreements with the North, saying confidently, if vaguely: “Ultimately, it’ll all work out.” It was a striking shift in tone for a president who for months had issued increasingly dire threats to answer any hostile North Korean action with “fire and fury.” In a recent speech at the United Nations, Trump said he would “totally destroy” the nation, if necessary, and has derided Kim as “little Rocket Man.” North Korea has fired more than a dozen missiles this year but none in nearly two months. Analysts caution against reading too much into the pause. Ever the showman, Trump had teased that he had a surprise in store, saying at a Tuesday evening banquet that he had an “exciting day” planned Wednesday — “for many reasons that people will find out.” He did not elaborate on what turned out to be the aborted trip to the DMZ. Visiting the border that has become something of a ritual for U.S. presidents trying to demonstrate their resolve against North Korea’s ever-escalating aggression. Every American president since Ronald Reagan, save for George H.W. Bush, has made the trip, peering across the barren north through binoculars, hearing broadcast propaganda and reaffirming their commitment to standing with the South. Visiting the wooded, craggy terrain inside the DMZ is like going back in time to 1953. In July of that year, the Korean War armistice agreement was signed at Panmunjom, the so-called “truce village” bisected by a marker that is the official dividing line between the North and South. There’s no public sign of any diplomatic progress between Washington and Pyongyang. U.S. officials say the back channel between the State Department and the North Korean mission at the United Nations in New York remains intact, but contacts have not been substantive other than achieving the release of American college student Otto Warmbier in June. He died days after his repatriation to the U.S. Moon, who has been eager to solidify a friendship with Trump, said he hoped the president’s visit would be a turning point in the standoff with North Korea. ___ Associated Press writers Zeke Miller and Matthew Pennington in Washington contributed to this report. ___ Follow Lemire on Twitter at http://twitter.com/@JonLemire and Colvin at http://twitter.com/@colvinjThe idea of LeBron James departing Cleveland again is slowly resembling a possible reality. NBA reporter Chris Sheridan, who said James was returning to the Cavaliers two days before the announcement, reports James will wear a new uniform for the 2018-19 NBA season. NBA source said today: "This will be LeBron's final season in Cleveland. He is 100 percent leaving. Relationship with owners beyond repair." — Chris Sheridan (@sheridanhoops) August 16, 2017 Kevin O’Connor and Bill Simmons of The Ringer first reported James’ interest in joining the Los Angeles Lakers next summer as a free agent. Speculation has taken off since. James referred to Los Angeles as “home” in a recent tweet, further tossing fuel on the fire. James’ business is based in Burbank. May have to make a day trip up there when I'm back home in LA bro! — LeBron James (@KingJames) August 9, 2017 The consensus best player in the NBA isn’t a stranger to using social media as a medium to convey his feelings. The firing of general manager David Griffin and Kyrie Irving trade request have made the Cavaliers organization look in disarray, correctly or not. Owner Dan Gilbert and James have reportedly not seen eye-to-eye. Since Gilbert’s letter criticizing James for joining the Heat in 2010, despite James’ return, there’s been a lack of trust between the two, reportedly. James delivered his promised title to Ohio, but perhaps that gives him an avenue to close out his career elsewhere. But there’s another NBA season to be played, and a lot can change in a year.Greetings MechWarriors, We will be rolling out a hot-fix, currently scheduled for Tuesday, May 9th at 3:00 PM PDT (10 PM UTC), to fix an issue with server stability encountered over the weekend. Using the additional logging and diagnostics introduced during the brief downtime on Sunday we identified an issue with the system used for querying pilot data within the frontend menu of the MWO client; this system is used to track your current Contract or Faction allegiance, Unit status, and so on. The server instability came as a result of this system being utilized by the Floating Chat feature released in our April patch, causing an excessive number of pilot data queries per-second and an overload of the database systems due to the number of Faction Chat participants. This led to a number of issues you may have encountered over the weekend, from mass-disconnections to sluggish performance of the menu systems. Today's hot-fix should resolve these issues as we look ahead to the final weekend of Tukayyid 3. In addition to the above this hot-fix will also include the following fixes: Floating Chat: Fixed an issue where players would be required to close and re-open Chat to make the tabs appear correctly after logging out and logging back in (without closing the client).I first came to love Alice Munro’s stories for the resonance I felt with her subject matter—the close examination of the lives of girls and women; the tension she returns to again and again between the modest, rural place of her youth and the seemingly sophisticated world of the city, and the tension of being educated beyond one’s place of origin; the intricacies of family love; the implicit feminism of her worldview. One of the joys for me of reading Munro is how her work often makes me stop, pause, and re-see my life, especially the place of my youth—a small, working-class Connecticut town where most of my classmates ended their educations at high school, and where our Jewish family was such an anomaly—with eyes enlarged by the sensitivity of Munro’s stories. What gets me about a given Munro story—or at least the ones I love most—is how deeply I feel the material, an experience that has inspired me again and again to feel my way into the material of my own fictional worlds. I was some years into reading her work, and some years—though not too many—beyond my MFA program, when I began to diagram some of Munro’s stories, specifically those sprawling mid-career stories that often move all over in time yet nevertheless hang together perfectly and read with utter and enviable smoothness. In their structural oddity and wonder, they don’t seem constructed at all as much as breathed into life. I wondered, on a structural level, what was really going on. How did she do it? “The Progress of Love” was the first of these stories that I was determined to see and not merely read. I adored the story, particularly the way in which the female narrator is haunted by her relationship to her mother in a way her brothers never are, and I mapped its shape as best I could. By doing so what I discovered, to my intense delight, was a coherence even deeper than I had experienced when reading the story. Article continues after advertisement The story is of a middle-aged woman who looks back, mainly to a time in her childhood when an aunt visited the family, to understand the complex nature of the love, and hate, between her parents. Though the childhood remembrance takes up much of the space in the story, and is told pretty much linearly, Munro surrounds that tale with a strange, fractured movement in time whereby the narrator tells the story of her mother’s death late in life and her father’s reaction to that death, and about her own life, including a failed marriage and a middle-aged love affair. What I discovered as I diagramed the story—breaking it into sections and placing those sections on the page in a way that showed the movement of time—was that no matter where Munro went in time she was always dramatizing—or perhaps a better phrase is digging at—something almost beyond words, those subtle, hidden tensions that make love so hard, as well as the roots of those tensions, in this case a traumatic moment the narrator’s mother faced as a child. Not only is the movement of time in “The Progress of Love” complex, but the larger story contains multiple and conflicting versions of a story-within-the-story, that of the narrator’s mother’s traumatic childhood event. Oh, just writing that makes my heart beat fast! She’s a wonder, Alice Munro is. Who else can write a story like that? A little something I picked up from diagramming this particular story, in addition to appreciating it all the more, is that when you move around a lot in time it can be useful to have one part of the story move linearly, like the backstory of the narrator’s youth. It had been over a decade since I diagramed this story along with others, and I wasn’t consciously thinking of them when I wrote my novel As Close to Us as Breathing, but I must have internalized some lessons from the diagrams for in the end I wrote a story with a lot of movement in time, though at least one part of the story—the events of the summer of 1948—are told linearly. No matter where I went in time, I was always telling what I felt was the main story—how the struggle to be oneself in the confines of a tight social structure (a patriarchal, conservative Jewish family in 1948 America) blossoms and collapses depending on the broader social circumstances. I had no plan for the novel’s structure, but felt it out, draft by draft, and in the end was quite pleased to discover (as if someone else had written the book and not me) that by the time a reader got to the novel’s end—a dinner scene among extended family members late in the summer of 1948—the reader would know everything about each family member at that table. The whole story would be told, previous to 1948 and subsequent to 1948, just as the story of summer of 1948 was coming to a close. Article continues after advertisement I once crossed paths with Alice Munro. I was living in Washington, D.C. at the time, and she was reading at the Folger Shakespeare Library on Capitol Hill where she was receiving a prestigious award for her short story writing. I went with a friend and remembered, as I typically don’t, to bring all my books of hers to sign. We sat nowhere close to where she’d be signing after the reading but when the event was over, by way of dashing and a certain amount of luck, we ended up second in what would be a very long line. There she was, beautiful with her white hair, her headband worn 1920s style around her forehead, her pleasant face—not smiling but content, her slightly rounded shoulders. I pulled a bookmark I’d made from one the books (I’m hoping now it was The Progress of Love). At the time I was in the habit of cutting watercolor paper, nice and thick, into strips for bookmarks and painting them. I held the bookmark in front of her and asked her if she’d like it. “Yes!” she said. Then I told her about diagraming her stories to see them better. She paused. “They can take a long time,” she finally said. I sailed home thinking I’d heard the wisest words ever about writing fiction. And that’s what I still think of them. When, like Alice Munro, you feel your way forward, sniffing and digging and groping toward a truth virtually beyond words, it takes a long time. And the structures, organic to that process, are as miraculous and indicative and expressive of that truth—one of the deeper truths of human life—that fiction is all about.Continued from previous page. Why would Canada continue to ban e-cigarettes? The official “reasoning” can be found in the “E-cigarette Fact Sheet” published in October of 2011, “The sale of these electronic smoking products is not authorized in Canada. The products may pose health risks and have not been fully evaluated by Health Canada.”26 Electronic cigarettes have been available world-wide since 2008. What are they waiting for? How many years will Health Canada require to complete their evaluation? Meanwhile, smokers continue to die. …heavily taxed tobacco products have become a lucrative source of state revenue.” Laura Conzo Brady, eCigs HQ Editor Progressive social-welfare states like Canada have long championed the concept of harm-reduction healthcare policies. “Harm reduction is a framework for public health policy that focuses on reducing the harmful consequences of recreational drug use without necessarily reducing or eliminating the use itself.”27 Accepting the premise that intravenous drug use cannot be eradicated, harm reduction advocates espouse the proliferation of free needle campaigns for heroin addicts. Designated driver programs reduce the potential harm of alcohol abuse without eliminating the harmful behavior. However, when the issue is smoking, these same forces have espoused a radical “quit or die” approach. They seem unable to tolerate the thought of a safe — or even safer — cigarette. Their reaction to the widespread adoption of electronic smoking products has been to support onerous regulations, and in Canada’s case — an outright ban. AAPHP (American Association of Public Health Physicians) favors a permissive approach to E-cigarettes because the possibility exists to save the lives of four million of the eight million current adult American smokers who will otherwise die of a tobacco-related illness over the next twenty years.” 28 AAPHP Statement re State Regulation of E-cigarettes Joel L. Nitzkin, MD, MPH; Chair, Tobacco Control Task Force, AAPHP, 4/2/10 Champix is dangerous Meanwhile Health Canada continues to advocate the use of Pfizer’s controversial Champix (Chantix in the U.S.) medication as an effective tool to quit smoking. In British Columbia, the medication is provided free of charge to tobacco users as part of their smoking cessation efforts. Champix continues to receive Health Canada’s blessing despite the fact that the drug has been linked to at least 24 Canadian suicides and hundreds of cases of serious side effects including aggression, depression and suicidal thoughts with many resulting in hospitalization or disability. Further adding to the controversy, Health Canada has admitted that Champix side effects remain under-reported, while refusing to release the results of its own Champix studies. One can only wonder what could have been for the hundreds of Champix-linked suicides reported worldwide, had the smokers been prescribed e-cigarettes instead of what is clearly a dangerous yet legal smoking cessation treatment.29, 30, 31, 32 Some electronic smoking advocates have adopted a cynical view of the reasoning behind Canada’s e-cigarette ban. They theorize that it is in the government’s best interest to maintain the status quo, as heavily taxed tobacco products have become a lucrative source of state revenue. Statistics from the Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada indicate that between 2006 and 2011 tobacco tax revenues surpassed $30 billion.33 It is difficult to imagine that any government would be willing to lose such a cash cow without a fight. Prohibition regulations have been directly linked to powerful tobacco lobby groups which regard e-cigarettes as a threat to the tobacco industry’s survival. These lobby groups have funded dubious studies to portray e-cigarettes as harmful. According to media reports, Big Tobacco lobbied not only to have e-cigs banned, but to get major online retailers like Amazon.com and eBay to stop selling them. Lobbyists for the NRT (Nicotine Replacement Therapies) 34 industry and anti-smoking groups have worked hard to ban e-cigs at the state level, and a number of states have introduced legislation to do just that.” 35 E-Cigarettes: Holy Grail for Addicted Smokers? Joshua Holland, The State Journal, Frankfort, Kentucky, 1/7/11 Undoubtedly the unhealthy marriage between Health Canada, big pharma and big tobacco has eroded the government’s credibility and rendered it incapable of making unbiased decisions concerning electronic cigarettes. Nevertheless, with continued vigilance through petitions,36 calls for judicious regulations, and insistence upon quality standards that ensure the safety of consumers; it is the belief of eCigs HQ that the ban will eventually be lifted. But how many Canadians will die of tobacco-related diseases before Health Canada comes to its senses? …if everyone switched to e-cigarettes it could potentially save millions of lives, but regulation would certainly be useful at this time…” 37 Professor John Britton, Chair of the Royal College of Physicians Tobacco Advisory Group, 4/13/12 References 1. Eva M. Makomaski Illing, BA, BEd and Murray J. Kaiserman, PhD, MBA. Mortality Attributable to Tobacco Use in Canada and its Regions, 1998. (Tobacco Control Programme, Health Canada, 2004). 2. John Stossel. The FDA Kills Smokers (Reason.com, 11/17/2011). 3. Daniel J. DeNoon. E-Cigarettes Under Fire (WebMD.com, 4/13/2009). 4. Health Canada. Health Canada Advises Canadians Not to Use Electronic Cigarettes (HC-SC.GC.ca, 3/27/2009). 5. Health Canada. Notice – To All Persons Interested in Importing, Advertising or Selling Electronic Smoking Products in Canada (HC-SC.GC.ca, 3/27/2009). 6. CASAA. E-cigarette History (CASAA.org, 2011). 7. Research and Development at British American Tobacco. Cigarette combustion science (BAT-Science.com, 11/23/2010). 8. Carl V. Phillips and Brad Rodu. All about Nicotine (and Addiction) (TobaccoHarmReduction.org, Last accessed 11/8/2012). 9. Michael B. Siegel, MD, MPH, Kerry L. Tanwar, BA and Kathleen S. Wood, MPH. “Electronic Cigarettes As a Smoking-Cessation Tool,” American Journal of Preventive Medicine (AJPMOnline.org, April 2011). 10. Carl V. Phillips and Paul L. Bergen. Tobacco Harm Reduction 2010: a yearbook of recent research and analysis (TobaccoHarmReduction.org, 2010). 11. B.J. Westenberger, Deputy Director, CDER/OPS/OTR, Division of Pharmaceutical Analysis. Evaluation of e-cigarettes (FDA.gov, 5/4/2009). 12. Daniel J. DeNoon. Survey: E-Cigarettes May Help Smokers Quit (WebMD.com, 2/8/2011). 13. Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health. Electronic Cigarettes: A Review of the Clinical Evidence and Safety (CADTH.ca, 8/13/2012). 14. Zachary Cahn and Michael Siegel. “Electronic cigarettes as a harm reduction strategy for tobacco control: A step forward or a repeat of past mistakes?” Journal of Public Health Policy (Palgrave-Journals.com, 12/10/2010). 15. Ibid. 16. John Tierney. “A Tool to Quit Smoking Has Some Unlikely Critics” The New York Times (NYTimes.com, 11/7/2011). 17. World Health Organization. Marketers of electronic cigarettes should halt unproved therapy claims (WHO.int, 9/18/2008). 18. Murray Laugesen, MBChB FNZCPHM, Health New Zealand Ltd. and Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, Dublin Ruyan E-cigarette Bench-top tests (HealthNZ.co.nz, 4/3/2009). 19. Chris Bullen et al., The University of Auckland, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences. Effect of an E-Cigarette on Cravings and Withdrawal, Acceptability and Nicotine Delivery: Randomised Cross-Over Trial (HealthNZ.co.nz, 4/9/2009). 20. Zachary Cahn and Michael Siegel. “Electronic cigarettes as a harm reduction strategy for tobacco control: A step forward or a repeat of past mistakes?” Journal of Public Health Policy (Palgrave-Journals.com, 12/10/2010). 21. Dr Konstantinos Farsalinos, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Center, Greece, and European Society of Cardiology. Electronic cigarettes do not damage the heart (ESCardio.org, 8/25/2012). 22. McCauley TR et al, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. Comparison of the effects of e-cigarette vapor and cigarette smoke on indoor air quality (NCBI.NLM.NIH.gov, 10/24/2012). 23. Brad Rodu, Harm Reduction Journal. The scientific foundation for tobacco harm reduction, 2006-2011 (HarmReductionJournal.com, 8/19/2011). 24. Jesse Kline. “E-smoke ‘em if you got ‘em,” National Post (NationalPost.com, 1/2/2012). 25. Michael B. Siegel, MD, MPH, Kerry L. Tanwar, BA and Kathleen S. Wood, MPH. “Electronic Cigarettes As a Smoking-Cessation Tool,” American Journal of Preventive Medicine (AJPMOnline.org, April 2011). 26. British Columbia Tobacco Control Program. E-Cigarette Fact Sheet (Health.Gov.BC.ca, October 2011). 27. Jess Alderman, Katherine M Dollar and Lynn T Kozlowski. “Commentary: Understanding the origins of anger, contempt, and disgust in public health policy disputes: Applying moral psychology to harm reduction debates,” Journal of Public Health Policy (Palgrave-Journals.com, April 2010). 28. Joel L. Nitzkin, MD, MPH, Chair, Tobacco Control Task Force, American Association of Public Health Physicians. AAPHP Statement re State Regulation of E-cigarettes (AAPHP.org, 4/2/2010). 29. The Pharma Letter. Teva and Pfizer settle over Neurontin; France drops Champix; Actavis’ Aricept generic cleared (thePharmaLetter.com, 6/1/2011). 30. Jesse McLean and Andrew Bailey. “Health Canada tight-lipped on Champix suicides,” The Star (TheStar.com, 10/4/2012). 31. Gordon Gibb, Lawyers and Settlements. Chantix Suicide Measured in Lives Lost (LawyersAndSettlements.com, 8/10/2012). 32. Fierce Pharma. FDA gets 5,000 Chantix complaints (FiercePharma.com, 11/29/2007). 33. Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada. Tax Revenues from Tobacco Sales (Smoke-Free.ca, November 2011). 34. Med Line Plus, US National Library of Medicine. Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NLM.NIH.gov, 2/21/2011). 35. Joshua Holland. “E-cigarettes: Holy Grail for Addicted Smokers?,” The State Journal, Frankfort, Kentucky (State-Journal.com, 1/7/2011). 36. Andrew Goldenberg. Health Canada: Reverse the Decision Banning the Sale of Electronic Cigarettes and Liquids (Change.org, March 2012). 37. Daily Mail Reporter. “Safety fears over electronic cigarettes because they are ‘unclean’ and unregulated,” Mail Online (DailyMail.co.uk, 4/13/2012). eCigs HQ is not responsible for content not hosted on this website.Why do people choose present consumption over their long-term financial interests? A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research finds that consumers have trouble feeling connected to their future selves. "This willingness to forego money now and wait for future benefits is strongly affected by how connected we feel to our future self, who will ultimately benefit from the resources we save," write authors Daniel M. Bartels (Columbia Business School) and Oleg Urminsky (University of Chicago). When we think of saving money for the future, the person we think of can seem different from the person we are now, the authors explain. People have trouble sacrificing in the present for that stranger in the future. In one study, the researchers had graduating seniors read one of two narratives: the first indicated that their self-identity was already fully formed and would not change after graduation. The other passage indicated that graduation would change their self-identities. "When seniors were told that graduation would lead to major changes in identity, they reported feeling less connected to their future selves," the authors write. "Those thinking about changes in identity were also more impatient, choosing less-valuable gift certificates that would be available sooner over higher-valued gift certificates that required waiting a year." In a subsequent study, the authors asked people to evaluate their sense of connectedness and similarity to their future selves. Three weeks later, they were asked them to choose between smaller gift cards they could use right away or larger gift cards that would require waiting. "Those who had felt more connected to their future selves then made more patient choices and were more willing to wait for a higher-valued gift card," the authors write. When people fail to save for the future, they may not be making a mistake or failing to exercise self-discipline; they don't fully recognize benefits that their future selves will receive. "Countering this tendency, by helping people recognize the enduring aspects of their personal identity, may hold the key to making people more patient and more willing to sacrifice, save, and invest for the future," the authors conclude.David Cameron’s director of communications feared that the then prime minister would have to resign over the family revelations contained within the Panama Papers, according to his newly published book. David Cameron admits he profited from father's Panama offshore trust Read more Sir Craig Oliver details the chaos behind the scenes at Downing Street following the Guardian’s investigation of the Cameron family’s tax affairs in April, which revealed that the prime minister’s father had been a director of an offshore fund called Blairmore Holdings. In his book on Brexit, Unleashing Demons, Sir Craig Oliver says “there is a real danger of this going out of control”. After the Guardian published the story, Cameron and his wife, Samantha, had “an unhappy couple of hours in calls” with their accountant, before putting out a statement saying that the “prime minister, his wife and their children do not benefit from any offshore funds”. This statement only precipitated further questions from the media. Oliver writes: “There’s no doubt about it – we are on the run on the PM’s father’s offshore company Blairmore.” After days of trying to understand Blairmore’s tax arrangements, Oliver writes that Cameron could survive the crisis. “I go from feeling sick about this – and having a small worry that this could all unravel to the point where the PM ends up having to resign – to thinking this is OK.” Cameron was forced into a series of embarrassing disclosures over several days, including the fact that he had personally owned shares in Blairmore. As part of the Panama Papers investigation carried out in partnership with the International Consortium of Journalists and Süddeutsche Zeitung, the Guardian revealed that Ian Cameron had helped found the Blairmore investment fund, run from the Bahamas but named after the family’s ancestral home in Aberdeenshire. The fund managed tens of millions of pounds on behalf of wealthy families. Having avoided detailed questions about his finances for years, Cameron was subsequently forced to admit he and his wife had held shares in Blairmore from 1997 to January 2010. They were sold for a profit of £19,000 shortly before he became prime minister. As prime minister, Cameron was subject to a more extensive disclosure regime, which would have meant disclosing his ownership of the shares. The prime minister also had to reveal that his mother, Mary Cameron, had given him two gifts of £100,000 each. He had previously received £300,000 from his late father, leading to questions about whether the family was trying to minimise its inheritance tax bill. In order to work out the complexities around Blairmore’s tax affairs, Downing Street had to bring in a series of advisers. Cameron also had to admit he did not know whether the £300,000 he inherited from his father had benefited from tax haven status due to part of his estate being based in a unit trust in Jersey. “The fact is we’re utter novices in this world,” notes Oliver. Cameron’s press secretary, Graeme Wilson, described the “hellish situation” as “driving at 100mph towards a series of brick walls and then swerving at the last second to avoid a crash”. The Panama Papers revealed hundreds of thousands of companies based in tax havens around the world, enabling wealthy individuals to avoid tax. Where does David Cameron’s money come from? Read more Cameron’s involvement with Blairmore led to questioning of his commitment to cleaning up tax secrecy around the world. Cameron insisted he remained determined to resolve issues around tax havens. “Rules have changed, culture has changed,” Cameron said at the time. “And I welcome that. I want to be as clear as I can about the past, about the present, about the future, because frankly, I don’t have anything to hide.” Cameron resigned less than three months later, announcing his decision to step down the day after the EU referendum. Oliver’s book also mentions a bizarre anecdote from Davos, the annual financiers’ event at a ski resort in Switzerland. After a series of meetings, Cameron returned to his hotel suite “to discover that [Tony] Blair had used it to meet someone for a nightcap. [Cameron] is understandably bemused,” Oliver reports. According to Oliver, he and Cameron concluded that “Blair had thought it was OK because it was a British government resource”. Oliver writes that this surprised Cameron: “I joke that I’m sure he didn’t need to worry too much, ‘though I’m sure he took time and found comfort in the loo’. This is a peculiar line from Blair’s autobiography, which both of us periodically joke about. DC laughs and winces ‘No … please.’” However, a source close to Tony Blair said that the former Labour leader had not used the hotel suite for a nightcap. Rather Blair had been waiting to meet someone else in the corridor. It is understood that Blair’s police protection decided that rather than have Blair wait in a corridor, it would be best to move him temporarily into Cameron’s suite.Peter Wang with the Richardson Police department works through the baton strike drill while under the influence of a pepper spray agent. The North Central Texas Council of Governments' Regional Police Academy held a Oleoresin Capsicum or commonly known as Pepper Spray, training Wednesday, August 13, 2008 in Arlington. The training, part of the Basic Course in Applied Police Science in the 14th week of a 21 week class, teaches officers how to still work in the field in case of exposure. Officers are sprayed in the face in forehead area with same spray used by their various departments. About 16 county area law enforcement agencies send hired officers to the basic Academy for their State Peace Officers license. During the training, officers go through a 5 station course which included victim spray, knee strike, elbow strike, batton strike and threat assessment. A washing station to wash spray from their eyes concluded the exercise. Bruce Maxwell Star-TelegramRooftop solar panel installations could cut utility profits by 15% or more over the next eight years, according to a federally funded report (download PDF) that studied two prototypical U.S. utilities -- one in the Southwest and the other in the Northeast. The study predicts that rooftop solar panel installations will grow from 0.2% market penetration today to 10% by 2022. Using that scenario, the analysis found that shareholder earnings fell by 8% for the Southwest utility and by 15% for the Northeast utility using the 10% photovoltaic (PV) rooftop panel market penetration assumption. However, earnings fell by as much as 13% and 41%, respectively, under certain other conditions. "The potential magnitude of these impacts especially among wires-only utilities or other utilities with a relatively small rate base may create more immediate pressure on utilities to address shareholders' concerns about the erosion of profits caused by customer-sited PV," the report said. Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license A rooftop photovoltaic array. At the same time, the report found that as solar rooftop installations grow to 10% of the market, electricity rates for utility customers will grow only by as much as 2.7% over the next eight years. By comparison, the cost of electricity on average rose 3.1% from 2013 to 2014, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. For the SW Utility, the all in average retail rate at 10% PV penetration is 23
but you do not know that. On the contrary, the Sidonians, who were the descendants of Canaan, were a very illustrious people of antiquity-- a good deal like the English and Americans at this day-and actually held a great number of Jews in slavery. Before you can hold a single negroe under the clause in Genesis 4:25 you must make out-1.That the negroe is descended from Canaan 2.That the curse was actually uttered as related 3.That the curse was authorized by God himself 4.That it announces personal slavery for more than 4,000 years. Now there is not one of these four propositions which ever has been made out or ever can be. My dear sir, I am surprised that an intelligent man, in the 19th century, a Christian man, a Republican of Georgia could seriously rely a moment on such an argument as that. Fie on such solemn trifling about matters so important as the life of two to three millions of men! For my own part, I don't believe the story of Noah cursing his grandson for his father's foolishness. I think it all a foolish story got up to satisfy the hatred which the Jews felt against the Canaanites. I know Bryant's book and Faber's, but never use either now a days. B had more fancy than philosophy, it always seemed to me. I may be as "confident" as you think me, but don't call myself a learned man, though I have read about all the valuable works every written on that matter of Noah's curse. You ask if I could not propose some good to be done to the slaves now. Certainly; their marriage and family rights might be made secure, their work easier, their food and clothing better, they might not be beaten. Pains might be taken to educate them. But all that is very little, so long as you keep the man from his natural liberty. You would not be happy if a slave would not think it right for a Christian man to hold you in bondage, even if one of your ancestors but fifty years ago, had cursed you, still less if 4,000 years ago. If I were I were a slave holder I would do this-- I would say "come, now you are free, go to work, and I will pay you what you can earn." I think, in ten year's time, you would be a richer man, and in 2 hour's time, a far happier one, a more Christian one. Dear sir, Christianity does not consist in believing stories in the Old Testament, about Noah's curse and all that, but in loving your brother as yourself, and God with your whole heart. Do not think that I covet your slaves. No consideration would induce me to become a slave holder. I should be a sinner, though God grant me that you are not one for this act! Let me ask you, while you take from a man his liberty, his person, do not violate that command, "Though shalt not covet anything that is they neighbor’s"? Do not break that golden rule "Whatsoever you would that men should do unto you, do ye even so unto them?" I do not think you feel easy about this matter. What you say about colonization convinces me that you do not believe slavery is a Christian institution; that you are not angry with me, after all. Do not think that I assume any airs of superiority over you because I am not a slave holder. I have never had that temptation; perhaps if born in Georgia, I should not have seen the evil and the sin of slavery. I may be blind to a thousand evils and sins at home which I commit myself. If so, I will thank you to point them out. I hope you will write me again as frankly as before. I wish I could see Este's book. I will look for it, and study it, for I am working for the truth and right. I have nothing to gain personally by the abolition of slavery, and have, by opposing that institution got nothing but a bad name. I shall not count you my enemy, but am truly your friend.Self-Driving Taxi Service From Waymo Set To Begin Shortly November 11th, 2017 by Steve Hanley This story about a self-driving taxi service from Waymo was first published by Gas2. Waymo, the self-driving arm of Alphabet which in turn is the parent company of Google, is feeling confident the autonomous cars it has created in cooperation with Chrysler are now ready for their first real-world use without a human driver on board. After months of testing in and around Phoenix, Arizona, the company says it will soon be ready to allow those cars to provide ride-hailing services to paying customers in Chandler, a suburb of Phoenix. It then plans to extend the service to the entire Phoenix area, which is larger in area than London (although much less densely populated. Waymo CEO John Krafcik gave demonstration rides to members of the press, including Darrell Etheridge of TechCrunch, on November 7. He writes, “Waymo’s stated goal is to ensure safer roads for everyone, and after having spent some time in the fully driverless Pacifica that will be operating in Chandler, I’m more convinced than ever they’re on a path to make this happen. Bringing that truly driverless Level 4 experience to public roads and public riders is a huge step, and a sign we could be hailing an autonomous ride sooner than you might think.” By using the Waymo app, customers in the Phoenix area will be able to summon a self-driving Chrysler Pacifica to their door to go shopping, get to school, or drive to any destination within the defined area of operation. They also will be able to use the app to communicate directly with a member of Waymo’s customer service staff at any time. Early in the experiment, each Pacifica will have a Waymo employee on board who has access to an emergency stop button, but the company plans to move quickly beyond that phase to true Level 4 autonomy where the only humans in the vehicles are customers. Waymo has ordered up another 400 autonomous Pacificas from Chrysler, bringing the total in its fleet to 500. Waymo now appears to have the early lead in the self-driving ride-hailing sweepstakes. Expect this service to expand beyond the Phoenix area rapidly if the experiment there proves successful. Check out the video below for a glimpse of what the world looks like inside a self-driving Pacifica taxi.Tired of being demonized by the media, denounced in Parliament and disciplined by Employment Minister Jason Kenney, Canada’s small business owners are starting to push back. The reason they hire foreign temporary workers when 1.3 million Canadians are unemployed, they insist, is that they have a better work ethic than domestic job applicants. “If we’re not prepared to do these jobs and we don’t want our kids to do them either — yet we still want to go to the mall and find a clean bathroom and we still want someone to clean our hotel rooms — why are we so afraid to allow people to come to Canada to happily do these jobs?” asked Dan Kelly, head of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). Tired of being demonized by the media, denounced in Parliament and disciplined by Employment Minister Jason Kenney, Canada’s small business owners are starting to push back, writes Carol Goar. ( FRED CHARTRAND / THE CANADIAN PRESS ) “They’re going to show up to work on time. They’re going to work a full week without disappearing. They’re not going to take off because they have to take their dog to the vet,” he told CBC News. It’s time to have an “adult conversation about the world of work,” the president of the lobby group representing 109,000 small businesses declared last week. His comments came after the owner of three McDonald’s franchises in Victoria was caught bringing in Filipino workers while cutting the hours of domestic staff and turning away Canadian job seekers. Kenney immediately launched a federal investigation, warning the franchise owner — and any other employer who bypasses qualified Canadians — that Ottawa would impose criminal sanctions. “We will not tolerate it,” the minister vowed. “They will be put on the blacklist and as soon as monetary fines are in place, we will be throwing the book at them.” This is not the first time an employer has been caught breaking the rules of the temporary foreign workers program, which state clearly that first preference must be given to qualified Canadians. Three other restaurants — two in Labrador-Newfoundland, one in Fenelon Falls, Ont. — have had their permits to hire temporary foreign workers suspended for infractions similar to the MacDonald’s case. A B.C. mining company sparked an outcry by hiring exclusively Chinese workers, claiming no Canadian could meet its requirement to speak Mandarin. Article Continued Below But it is the first time the small business sector has stood its ground so defiantly. This suggests it isn’t likely to change its hiring policy willingly. But it also signals confusion about what the Tories actually want. Seven years ago, they threw open the floodgates to temporary foreign workers, turning a modest program to fill labour shortages in the oilpatch into a high-volume spillway into the Canadian job market. Hundreds of thousands poured in. Cabinet ministers brushed off complaints that the program was being abused. Last April, Prime Minister Stephen Harper turned on a dime. “We will reform this program,” he vowed. “We will make sure it sticks to its purpose, which is to provide temporary help when there is an absolute skills shortage.” Overnight, Kenney’s role changed from chief enabler to chief enforcer. He brought in tough new rules, created a snitch line and tabled legislation to bring in stiff fines. If employers want to talk about the government’s abrupt about-face, that is legitimate. If they want an “adult conversation” about work and remuneration, they should be ready to answer some key questions: Why should they be exempt from market discipline? The law of supply and demand provides a clear solution to domestic labour shortages. Raise wages or improve working conditions. Why are they telling Canadians their kids and neighbours have a poor work ethic? Lots of Canadians do dirty, onerous jobs — pick up garbage, go down mines, wash highrise windows. Article Continued Below Why are they comparing foreign workers whose immigration status depends on their performance to Canadian workers who have the freedom to walk away from exploitative employers? The business federation is right. It is time to talk honestly about work. For its members, having a ready supply of low-wage workers may be paramount. For the rest of society, other priorities matter. Canadians want a fair shot at jobs in their own country. They want fair labour practices. They want one set of rules for everybody. Carol Goar’s column appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Read more about:If there's one thing all Americans can actually agree on, it's that the presidential election was the biggest story of the year. But in the background, self-driving cars started to gain steam. Automakers, tech companies and startups are all racing to develop autonomous technology. Even governments -- generally behind the curve on technology -- are getting involved. The money, brainpower and time poured into autonomy will likely spur huge changes in how we live. There's no consensus for when autonomous vehicles will go mainstream, but don't be surprised if they're the biggest story of the year before long. Related: Is Uber's push for self-driving cars a job killer? 2016 kicked off with GM (GM) spending $1 billion to acquire Cruise Automation, a startup developing self-driving technology. In August, Uber spent a reported $680 million on self-driving truck startup Otto, which was only eight months old. This fall brought the second biggest tech acquisition in history -- Qualcomm's $39 billion takeover of NXP Semiconductors. There was a familiar theme behind the news: Qualcomm (QCOM) needed a path into making chips for autonomous vehicles. We saw other examples of the excitement for chips that power self-driving cars. The stock price of NVIDIA (NVDA), which makes critical hardware for autonomous vehicles, more than tripled during 2016. Industry giant Intel (INTC) said in November it would invest $250 million in autonomous driving, including developing chips and software to power the cars. The year saw a lot more than money being thrown around, and grand proclamations of an automated future happened nearly every week. Companies also begin to let average people ride in self-driving cars. This fall, Uber began letting customers in Pittsburgh and San Francisco hail a ride in a self-driving Volvo. NuTonomy, a Boston startup, started offering rides in Singapore. The cars operate with test drivers present, so that they can take over the vehicle if it malfunctions. Related: Tesla's unique strategy to win the self-driving car wars Perhaps the boldest move of all came from Tesla. In October Tesla (TSLA) announced that all of its new vehicles now had the hardware to drive fully autonomously. All that's left is developing the software. The strategy lets Tesla collect data from its cars, which is then used to train the cars to drive themselves. No one else in the industry is close to offering such a car. Related: Smart cars drive second biggest tech deal in history It was a year in which storied automakers embraced radically different business models. In May, GM said it would test self-driving taxis with Lyft. And Ford said it would deploy its own self-driving cars in a ride-sharing service in 2021. Google (GOOG), a company that's long been at the forefront of autonomous cars, doubled the number of cities it's testing in to four. In December, it spun off its self-driving car project as Waymo, an independent company under the umbrella of Alphabet, Google's parent company. Its cars drove over a million miles autonomously in 2016. One big question has been if government regulators will allow self-driving vehicles on roads. The U.S. federal government offered a warm welcome to autonomous cars in September, when it released guidelines for self-driving vehicles. The United Arab Emirates went farther, calling for 25% of residents to use self-driving vehicles by 2030. It's unclear if the Trump administration will continue to be so receptive to autonomous vehicles, which are expected to imperil many jobs of working class Americans. In California, Uber clashed with the DMV over whether it needs permits to operate self-driving vehicles in the state. The DMV is expected to take legal action against Uber. Of course, Uber could operate without any trouble if it applied for the permits and shared safety data with the government. Despite these hiccups, regulators are largely on board with self-driving technology. But a big question remains -- are Americans ready to actually ride in self-driving vehicles? An AAA survey this spring found that three in four Americans are scared to ride in a self-driving car. Programs such as Uber's, which let customers take a brief ride in a self-driving car, are a way to ease the public into the future. In the coming years, we'll see just how many of us will actually give up our keys.Indonesian language faces being 'wiped from universities in 10 years' Updated Despite Indonesia being one of Australia's closest neighbours, figures indicate Australian students are showing little interest in studying the language. Key points: 2012 travel warning impacted on Australian students travelling to Indonesia More students took Indonesian at Year 12 level in the early 1970s Academics call for further steps to reverse decline It was hoped the softening of a travel warning to the country in 2012 might change that, but one expert said Indonesian studies might be completely wiped out from Australian universities in a decade. An Australian Government travel warning issued after the Bali bombings discouraged most Australian schools from sending their students to Indonesia. Professor Tim Lindsey, an expert in Indonesian law at the University of Melbourne, and fluent speaker of the language, said it has been one contributor to the demise of Indonesian studies in Australian institutions. "If children can't get an immersion opportunity to study a foreign language, that will limit their capacity and it's a reasonable decision, I think, for parents and children to make, that without immersion, their capacity to learn a foreign language will be weakened," he said. "So, this fed into a really big falling off in schools, Indonesian language teaching, and that naturally flowed on into our universities." Linda Keat, an Indonesian language teacher at Mullumbimby High School in northern NSW, said her students were the first in Australia to return to Indonesia when the Government downgraded its travel advice. She said the school planned to send another group of students later this year. "It's become very, very difficult to maintain programs like this in schools, especially Indonesian, because of the travel ban, so it's been a real struggle," Ms Keat said. Germany may overtake Australia in teaching Indonesian Professor Lindsey said he was disappointed that fewer Australian students were learning the language today. "Indonesian studies in Australia was quite strong in the 1970s, but since then, for a range of reasons, it's declined quite significantly," he said. "There seems to be a strange ironic link between the fact that during the period when Indonesia opened up and democratised after Suharto fell, the numbers of students in Australia interested in studying Indonesian has declined. "There were, in fact, more students taking Indonesian at Year 12 level across Australia in the early 1970s than there are now, and that's in absolute numbers and despite the fact that the population was 30 per cent smaller then." Professor Lindsey said if the current rate of decline continued, Indonesian language would not be an option at Australian universities in a decade. "So, we've seen the numbers of schools teaching Indonesian fall quite dramatically over the last 15 years, and that's followed through — with a slight delay of course — in many of our universities," he said. "And a significant number of universities around Australia have now dropped the teaching of Indonesian language, and we're reaching a position where Germany may have more universities teaching Indonesian than Australia. "Australia is the only Western tradition country in Asia, yet it rates the lowest among all OECD countries by a long shot for second language skills. "And if current trends continue it may end up teaching very little Asian languages except to kids of an Asian background or context." 'It seems like policy failure', professor says Professor Lindsey said he welcomed the resumption of high school students travelling to Indonesia, but suggested more steps were needed to reverse the decline. "It seems like some sort of major policy failure that we should be in the Asian century, located in Asia, and looking at the collapse of Asia-literate capacity outside people of an Asian origin," he said. "We do, rightly or wrongly, face a situation of declining Asia-literacy both in terms of languages and Asian studies. "If that is seen as something necessary, then in the end you are going to need to have governments investing funding in subsidising Asian languages and Asian studies in schools." Topics: languages, university-and-further-education, secondary-schools, australia, indonesia, pacific, asia First postedI have had a jolly good time all summer making fun of the rather insane reaction to the "fantastic by any rational standards" box office performance of Avengers: Age of Ultron. The box office pundit class exclaimed "superhero fatigue," that Avengers: Age of Ultron (which, for the record, I didn't like) was a testament to how the Marvel Cinematic Universe was fatally flawed in construction, and that it was killing popcorn entertainment. The cries that the film was a genuine failure were curious to say the least given that it opened with $191 million, ended its domestic run with $457 million (eighth biggest ever) and its worldwide run with over $1.4 billion (No. 6 all-time). It's a good narrative, to be sure: the once high and mighty rendered low by dinosaurs and fast muscle cars, the tent pole machine that is Walt Disney undone by Universal/ Comcast Corp. and its comparably human-sized smashes. But in all my sarcastic headlines and tongue-in-cheek commentary, I presumed that the folks at Marvel and Disney were pretty okay with their $250m-budgeted sequel earning $1.4b worldwide. But according to an article by Rich Johnson of Bleeding Cool, that might not be the case. If the article is to be believed, Disney considers the second Avengers film to be something of a letdown. Avengers 2 didn't gross as much as the first Avengers ($623 million domestic/$1.5 billion worldwide on a $225m budget), the reviews weren't as good, and audience reaction wasn't as hyped. That's all true, of course, relatively speaking. The crux of the article is that Kevin Feige used the "failure" of Avengers 2 to wrestle control of the Marvel movie universe from under the thumb of the allegedly penny-pinching/micromanaging C.E.O. Ike Perlmutter. Mr. Feige will now report directly to Disney's Alan Horn. This significant development, along with the dissolution of the Marvel Creative Committee, means that Marvel characters and/or behind-the-scenes talent will become more diverse, the budgets won't be as constrained, peace talks will begin at Camp David between Marvel and Fox, Edgar Wright will sign for Ant-Man 2, Hugh Jackman will appear as Wolverine in Avengers: Infinity War part I, and George Lucas will reissue the original versions of the Star Wars trilogy in remastered 4k blu-rays. The news was celebrated all over the land, and these celebrations may be correct if, at the very least, we start seeing some friggin Black Widow action figures. But if the reason for this shake-up was rooted in what I would consider an insane conclusion (as opposed to merely budget fights over Captain America: Civil War), and/or if it leaves the entire MCU at the whims of a single person, well, I'm not sure it's good news in the long run. First of all, say what you will about Perlmutter, I can only be so critical of the structure that offered such horrible films as Iron Man, Captain America: The First Avenger, Iron Man 3, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and Guardians of the Galaxy while also hoping that what comes next amounts to fixing what's not quite right without breaking what is clearly working. Second of all, if the perception that Avengers: Age of Ultron was a disappointment/failure at $1.4 billion worldwide, that's a really terrible mindset to have going forward, for Disney and for Hollywood as a whole. And even if Disney is happy with the second Avengers film, and that's quite possibly the case (I mostly penned this because several readers wanted my take on the situation), it's still "problematic" that the media was so eager to paint the film as a financial miss. If Avengers: Age of Ultron was considered a letdown at $1.4 billion worldwide, what exactly is the perception of Ant-Man with its mere $365m (with China and Japan still to come) global take on a "cheapest Marvel movie yet" budget of $130m? More importantly, what will the perceptions of success be for the likes of Captain Marvel, Dr. Strange, and Black Panther? I shudder to think of the notion that these films are only going to be viewed in a positive light if they top $600m worldwide, by Disney and/or the media. What will it mean if a $400 million-grossing Captain Marvel and/or Black Panther is perceived as a miss in terms of female-centric superhero movies and minority-fronted superhero movies going forward? It's entirely possible that Disney is pleased with Avengers: Age of Ultron and that one thing has little to do with the other. In which case this post is directed at those of us who spent the summer trashing the not-quite-record-breaking gross of Avengers 2 and tried to sell the notion that audiences were sick of the handful of big-screen superhero movies they get each year. Because the media certainly did their best this summer to frame the performance of the second Avengers film as the beginning of the end for Marvel and superhero movies in general. If Civil War and Dawn of Justice can't top $700m, if X-Men: Apocalypse ends up closer to The Last Stand than Days of Future Past, then we'll talk superhero fatigue. Avengers: Age of Ultron didn't do as well as The Avengers for a host of understandable reasons, from a more competitive summer (Pitch Perfect 2 and Mad Max: Fury Road > Battleship) to a lack of a "new" hook for the second go-around, to the very real fact that it didn't quite click as something new and unique three years after the fact. Furious 7 felt like the culmination of a 14-year odyssey coupled with Paul Walker's death hanging over the film like a tear-jerking cloud. Jurassic World was a crowd pleasing and visually splashy sequel to an incredibly beloved 22-year old movie that sold itself as entirely appealing to both fans and newbies. Had Furious 7 "only" made over/under $850 million worldwide (think if the film came out with Walker still alive in July of 2014) and if Jurassic World had indeed earned the $350m domestic/over/under $1b that most of us expected, then would anyone have been complaining about Age of Ultron? If we're setting up a scenario where big films either have to break records or be considered losers, we are absolutely encouraging a dire situation for our tent poles, and one in which would-be tent poles are genetically engineered for maximum worldwide appeal regardless of artistic intent. You could argue that said scenario often does happen, but situations like this, where a $1.4 billion-grossing sequel is considered a flop in the eyes of the media and/or its studio, is not going to help the situation. Will Jurassic World 2 be a failure if it only earns $1.2 billion worldwide? Can Spectre gross a mere $800m worldwide without being tagged as a flop? What exactly is the bar for Star Wars: The Force Awakens anyway? I know it's fun to pick on Marvel and to try to sell the notion that superhero movies are both killing cinema and on their way out the door even if those are somewhat contradictory notions. But you can't spend a summer stating why a mostly personal blockbuster (warts and all, Age of Ultron is very much a Joss Whedon picture) didn't appeal to the most possible moviegoers and then act surprised when the next wave of tent poles suffer from a lack of artistic imprint. So to Walt Disney I merely say that Avengers: Age of Ultron did about as well as it was ever going to do. I hope, nay presume, that they are wise enough to know that already. I expect the entertainment press to do what they do, but I wish the studios wouldn't encourage them.Gary Goddard tells the story of the near-construction of a life-sized Starship Enterprise replica in downtown Las Vegas. Goddard successfully bid to build the attraction as part of the 1992 competition to revitalized Vegas's sagging downtown and bring back tourist traffic that had been sucked away by the strip, but the project was scuttled at the last minute when Stanley Jaffe, then CEO of Paramount, got cold feet. The Enterprise was scrapped and replaced by the "Fremont Street Experience," which stands there today. The “big idea” was building the ship itself at full-scale. That was the main attraction. That being said, we also knew we would have to have some kind of “show” on board. So, conceptually, it was to be a “tour” of the ship, with all of the key rooms, chambers, decks, and corridors that we knew from the movie. There was to be the dining area for the ship’s crew (where you could dine in Star Fleet comfort), and other special features. There were also one or two interesting ride elements that we were considering including a high-speed travelator that would whisk you from deck to deck. But we were really just getting into the show aspects when everything came to a head. During this time, as we were working out the conceptual design and plan, a licensing contract was negotiated for Paramount Studios with the terms and conditions, including a substantial rights payment up front, and on-going revenue participation, all subject to the approval of the Studio Chairman, which “would not be a problem” if the project was approved. As you can see, from the designs we’ve shown here, we got pretty far down the road, with drawings, renderings, engineering studies, construction cost estimates – about $150,000,000 (in 1992 dollars) — we were ready to go. I had Greg Pro working on it, I had Dan Gozee (long time Disney Imagineering illustrator) on it, and we were really into the whole idea. Everyone was excited. This was going to be a world-class iconic project that would become an international sensation from the moment it was announced... So with everyone in the room, I take Mr. Jaffe through the project. With the art, the plans, the overall concept. After my spirited “pitch” everyone was beaming – everyone except Mr. Jaffe. Mr. Jaffe thanked us for the effort, and he congratulated us on creating a bold concept and presentation, and then went into a speech that went something like this: “You know, this is a major project. You’re going to put a full-scale ENTERPRISE up in the heart of Las Vegas. And on one hand that sounds exciting. But on another hand, it might not be a great idea for us – for Paramount.” Everyone in the room was stunned, most of all, me, because I could see where this was going. “In the movie business, when we produce a big movie and it’s a flop – we take some bad press for a few weeks or a few months, but then it goes away. The next movie comes out and everyone forgets. But THIS – this is different. If this doesn’t work – if this is not a success – it’s there, forever….” I remember thinking to myself “oh my god, this guy does NOT get it….” And he said “I don’t want to be the guy that approved this and then it’s a flop and sitting out there in Vegas forever.”Steve McQueen recently sat down with Kanye West for Interview Magazine to explore the source of West’s creativity as well as his often provocative behavior. In particular, he asks West about the near fatal car crash that changed his life and inspired “Through The Wire” off of his debut album College Dropout. West also comments on the flack he receives for his controversial behavior while hinting at bigger forces colluding against him. That being said, West offers no short amount of wisdom on the nature of art, life and sticking to one’s guns. Here is an excerpt from the interview, check out the full piece over here: MCQUEEN: I hate to put a stereotype on any profession, but there seems to be a certain loneliness associated with being a musician. Do you ever feel lonely? WEST: Well, I’ve got my astronaut family. You know, becoming famous is like being catapulted into space—sometimes without a space suit. We’ve seen so many people combust, suffocate, get lost in all these different things. But to have an anchor of other astronauts and to make a little space family … I mean, it’s not like I’m the guy in The Hunger Games [2012] begging for people to like me. I’m almost the guy with the least amount of “likes.” I wanted a family. So god gives you opportunities, and you make sacrifices for something that’s greater. MCQUEEN: You know, when you talk about these people and these companies not wanting to partner with you to do what you want to do, it sounds very similar to what was happening when you were starting off as an artist, where people didn’t think that you could do it. But you eventually did. WEST: It’s been exactly the same. Whatever I put my focus on … I don’t want to put out a promissory note of having ultimate success at anything I’m thinking of doing, but my success will be in getting things out there. You put new ideas into the world, whether that first idea is extremely successful or an early adopter goes on to make it successful, or it’s that third rendition that finally works. As a celebrity, I have an opportunity to make a living at being the spokesperson for the third or fourth rendition of a thought-promoting something that has already been proven. The problem is that I like to be the inventor—I’m the person who works on the concept, who invents new thoughts, who brings new ideas into the universe. I’m not the guy who works on selling the idea—I’m not Vanna White for the new Hyundai. I am the guy who works on the concept for the car. So success, for me, is in having the ability to get my ideas out there.Dead carp wash up on Hindmarsh Island, resident told no help available to clean up'smelly' mess Updated Hundreds of fish have washed up on Hindmarsh Island in South Australia as blackwater continues to move through the River Murray system. Blackwater has been working its way down the river system since last year's floods, with decomposing organic material, including leaves and bark, washing into the river. Resident Catharina Taylor said the dead carp had created a "horrible smell" and she feared the smell would get worse in the summer heat. Ms Taylor said she had alerted Alexandrina Council and the State Government's Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA) department about the dead fish, but was told no help to clean up the mess would be offered at this stage. "Only thing that I actually heard is that they cannot help, they haven't got the manpower and we should get the community behind us," Ms Taylor said. "Two [residents] are in their 80s, and four of us are in our 70s, so you know, that's asking a little bit too much. "And there are also so, so many of them [dead fish], you don't know where to start — if you pick them up, where do you put them? "We are going to get a horrible smell here." Council staff monitor situation Alexandrina Council Mayor Keith Parkes said council staff would monitor the situation, but had not received any complaints about the fish kill. "We know about the incidents of the blackwater events due to the high river flows and the flooding, so the dead fish are coming down with the flows and we are experiencing high flows in our region now," Cr Parkes said. "We are probably at about the peak of the floodwaters, so they're managing those flows through the barrages and of course if there are dead fish amongst that, that will go through the barrages into the saltwater side. "With the wind and the tide they are getting some [fish] washed up along the beach on the foreshore and we have experienced it a couple of times already. "Over a day or two with tidal action, wind changes and flows — the dead ones get washed out to sea." Cr Parkes said there was no health risk and council would clean up the dead fish if they did not move naturally. In a statement, PIRSA said it was aware of the fish kill and it had occurred as a result of the freshwater species being trapped in the saline Coorong waters. "During these natural kills, it is typical that animals and birds will generally clean up dead fish that remain from these events," it read. "Dead fish should also decompose rapidly in the current warm conditions and any inconvenience should pass quickly." Topics: fish, water-pollution, water, water-management, environment, goolwa-5214, sa First postedKnott’s Scary Farm is coming for it’s 42nd year, and this year it’s going to do what has never been done in a US haunt before. We just don’t know what that is. On August 6th, however, we will find out, along with thousands of Knott’s Berry Farm Annual Passholders just what this year will hold in store for Haunt. The event promises to be filled with surprises, new houses and much more! This year, Knott’s promises that there will be more to fear this and every year as Knott’s Scary Farm rolls out details for it’s 42nd annual Haunt event. Just like last year, Knott’s will open the announcement to annual passholders and give all the gory details about this year’s event. We already know that Elvira-Mistress of the Dark will return for yet another series of shows, and we also know that Fast Lane with Skeleton Key will return as well. Elvira’s show was such a huge success last year that the park just had to bring her back. Skeleton Key allows guests to purchase not only front of the line access, but also gives them extra horror in certain houses, as the story is unlocked and extended. Knott’s promises that there will be several new houses, but what we are most interested in is that extra special surprise that has never been attempted at a US theme park. It’s an all new interactive element that is coming just to Haunt. Any guesses? There’s also a huge panel of guests that is coming out to the event to talk about this year’s Haunt. Video-Take a peek at the annual passholder announcement from last year! Here’s the scheduled list of appearances for this year: Elvira – Mistress of the Dark Lara Hanneman, Knott’s Scary Farm Creative Director Julie Owens, Director of Live Shows Jeff Tucker, Supervisor of Park Shows Brooke Walters, Design Supervisor Daniel Miller, Design Specialist Timothy “Gus” Krueger, Design Specialist Jon Cooke, Assistant Designer Annual Passholders should have received information about the event via email, or will be soon. New mazes, new shows and of course that super secret new surprise will all be announced August 6th! While many are still celebrating summer, August just can’t get here soon enough! Stay tuned as we bring you more Haunt goodness from Knott’s Scary Farm, and be sure to get social with us on Facebook, and follow along with us on Twitter @BehindThrills for the latest updates! For more information about Haunt at Knott’s Scary Farm, or to purchase an annual pass, visit the official website by clicking here!Restaurant owner Darla Neugebauer. WCSH-6/YouTube.com When restaurant owner Darla Neugebauer screamed at a toddler who was loudly crying in her restaurant then defended her actions on Facebook, it sparked a debate about parenting and the etiquette of disciplining noisy kids. Neugebauer owns Marcy's Diner in Portland, Maine. It's a popular restaurant, and the busy owner had little patience on July 18 when a toddler began causing a scene, Chris Shorr of the Bangor Daily News first reported. Neugebauer told local news station WCSH-6 that after hearing the child cry for 40 minutes, the restaurant staff requested that the parents either leave or take their child outside. When the parents instead decided to remain inside and ignore their screaming child, Neugebauer slammed her hand on the counter and shouted, "This needs to stop." Neugebauer
Britain. If you'd like to read these columns a month early, subscribe to GQ here.Molecular "motors" are at the root of most biological movement. They propel cell components, whole cells, and even our muscles on command. Barbara Imperiali and a team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, USA), the University of Virginia (Charlottesville, USA), and the National Institutes of Health (USA) have now provided the motor protein myosin with an "on switch" that is activated by light. As the scientists report in the journal Angewandte Chemie, this should make it possible to follow cellular processes that involve myosin in real time. In order for our muscles to contract, two types of fibrous proteins, myosin and actin, must interact. Driven by splitting of the cellular fuel adenosine triphosphate (ATP), "buttons" on the myosin molecules attach, allowing the myosin to dangle off of the actin filaments. In non-muscular cells, myosin ensures that the cell constricts itself in the division process. Myosin consists of several different protein chains. The activity of non-muscular myosin is regulated through its regulatory light chain. As soon as a phosphate group binds to a specific site (Ser19) of the light chain (phosphorylation), myosin become active. The activity can be amplified through binding of a second phosphate group at a neighboring site (Thr18). Myosin has been intensively studied. However, it has not been possible to examine precisely what happens after activation of the molecule in living cells both spatially and over time. This research team has now found a trick that makes real-time observations possible: A myosin molecule that can be switched on by light. To achieve this, the researchers used protein synthesis to produce a synthetic regulatory chain that already contains one or two phosphate groups. The trick is that one of the phosphate groups is covered by a cage. In this form, the chain is inactive. Irradiation with light makes the cage split off, switching on the regulatory chain and activating the myosin. The researchers replaced the natural light chain in myosin molecules with their synthetic one and introduced this light-activated myosin into cells. Irradiation activates it at a defined time in a defined place. In this way, the researchers hope to observe what happens after the activation of myosin in a cell in real time.The first Google search result of Numenorean leads to website called tolkiengateway.net. But lest you think the Calgary-based black metallers using the name are yet another Hobbit-fucking nerd fest, think again. In fact, the themes permeating their soon-to-be released (July 22) Season of Mist debut LP, Home, are perhaps a bit too real. For starters, the album cover depicts the lifeless body of a little girl. If you’re a parent of a small child and/or possess an ounce of humanity, I highly recommend NOT clicking here. Decibel has the premiere of the title track below, but first Numenorean creative force Byron Lemley attempts to quell our concerns. What the fuck is up with your album cover? You’d better have a good, non-exploitative answer, or this is the end of this interview. Our album’s central theme, music and image revolves around a longing for something that we as humans will never achieve. We are all empty and broken in some form or another, so we look for fulfilment through things like money, sex, relationships, drugs, religion, and a variety of other things, but we in the end ultimately remain void of any true happiness. What we are really searching for, is the innocence of a child, which knows nothing about this world and since we are incapable of ever getting that back, the only place we can find this comfort is inevitably only through death. The little girl on the cover represents this final resting place for us – beyond our existence in this world. And our album title sums it up once you realize that she doesn’t have to go through all the pain and sorrow of becoming an adult. Home evokes this melancholic blissful state within the listener and as you spend more time becoming familiar her picture, you begin to see the music reflecting her being in this condition, reflected in her face seemingly close to smiling. It is the death of innocence. We are very aware that this idea is too much for many people, but art shouldn’t be easily digestible. Collectively we thought it was important to choose an image that established the language of the album as well as something that would allow the listener to begin their experience before even hearing the first song. It’s not vague, it’s sincere and dangerously straight to the point. The album is meant to be listened to as an entire journey that transforms you from start to finish and although the lyrics vary on different aspects of loss, all of 5 the song titles represent the succession of one’s life. HOME: Born into the world with complete innocence. THIRST: Searching for the answers life has given you. SHORELESS: Feelings of hopelessness DEVOUR: Willingly letting life destroy you. LAID DOWN: Making peace with what you become and surrendering your self to the earth. Your lyrical themes have been explored to a degree in black metal before (Fen, Agalloch, ect). But perhaps not to this degree. Why do you think black metal—and your band’s more melodic style, in particular—is an effective vehicle for a message that’s essentially hopeless? I think this style works incredibly well with that particular message as it can be contradictory and conflicting at points, where the lyrics can create a very desolate horizon, while simultaneously the atmosphere and mood of the music can be very soaring and full of hope, which creates a very intense encapsulating listen, especially with the above mentioned bands. As with almost any piece of music, this was a statement of where we were in the time of writing, so we don’t necessarily feel these emotions and thoughts every second of the day. If that was the case, we’d never leave our house and eventually just kill ourselves. Music is the only way to overcome these demons, and we all hold this band and other creative outlets to the highest of importance. Having said that, we’re not a pro-suicide DSBM band by any means, but we have explored these realms, and somewhat obsessively at times, as we all know death lurks around the corner. The band’s 2014 demo was recorded with just two members—Brandon Lemley providing vocals and twin brother Byron Lemley handling everything else. How did the dynamic change with having a full band in place for the recording of Home? This band started out with just us, and Demo 2014 was really only intended as a channel to locate members cut from the same cloth, as there wasn’t many bands in the area with a similar style and mindset. Very quickly a label based out of Winnipeg, Filth Regime Records (owned by Jordan Dorge of Wilt), picked it up and we sold out our share of the album, which was actually quite surprising to the two of us, based on the real reason for creating it in the first place. After a few members changes through-out that time, we finally secured the line-up that we have today, one where we have full trust in everyone’s creative vision towards all aspects of this band. We are now a complete entity and not individuals in this band. We serve the music and express every hidden emotion we have, as vulnerable as that can be at times. Performing Home in it’s entirety is a very intense experience for all of us, as everyone has shed their soul on this album. Closing words: The pain of life’s journey does not relent. It beats against the soul’s shores until the spirit is eroded. The child dies smiling, in the bliss of eternal unknowing. Comfort is found in the abyss. The destination seems bleak, ingrained deep within us. In its depths, we find what we have known all along: “Home” Pre-order Home from Season of Mist here.At many points in the past year, it was a foregone conclusion Colin Kaepernick would never play for the 49ers again. Then, it was clear that he was done in the Bay Area after 2016. Now? It would not be a surprise if Kaepernick was the team's starting quarterback in 2017, sources said. There is still a chance he re-signs with San Francisco this offseason, and it's certainly not something to rule out like it once was. But, as several sources explain, a few things will happen first. When Kaepernick signed a revised contract that wiped away the final four years of his extension and limited his guaranteed money, it gave him the chance to opt-out after the season. Kaepernick will, in fact, void his contract before the league year and become a free agent, sources said. This creates a scenario where Kaepernick can test the market, sign a contract that gives him much greater peace of mind, and still end up back with the Niners. Some factors are at play. First, he's playing great, becoming the quarterback coach Chip Kelly always imagined in his system (even during his time in Philadelphia). Second, the once-strained relationship between the franchise and the quarterback is in a very good place. The 49ers stood by him while he took a hard social stance -- he appreciated that, and most of the issues that lingered when he nearly was traded to the Broncos have dissipated. Things are good between Kaepernick and the team, and his decision to put his San Jose house on the market this week had nothing to do with football. The 49ers are trying to find the best quarterback (or two) for their franchise, and it's hard to argue Kaepernick hasn't stated his case. The losses have piled up for the 49ers, though opposing coaches have privately noted after each game that they look like a team that is playing well... just without a lot of ready talent. Over the last four games, Kaepernick has played as well as anyone. Finally back at full strength and weight, Kaepernick threw for 296 yards last week in a close loss to the Dolphins, going 29 of 46 (63%) with three touchdowns and one pick. He also rushed for a whopping 113 yards -- reminding observers of old times. Over the last four games, he's 86 of 145 for 1,110 yards with eight TDs and two interceptions. Stellar. He's also rushed for 223 yards over that span. It sets up a scenario where he's back in the Bay for 2017, but with a contract he can feel happier about. When he inked his six-year, $126-million extension, it was widely debated. He received far less fully guaranteed money compared to most quarterbacks, and the pay-as-you-go model was one no quarterback wanted to imitate. Perhaps when he tests the market -- and there will be suitors -- he'll find a value he can be happier with. And the Niners can have a quarterback they'll be happy with for years to come. Follow Ian Rapoport on Twitter @RapSheet.SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- Former Syracuse lawyer Martin Rothschild has to use a catheter for the rest of his life because of the medical treatment he received in state prison while serving a sentence for child pornography, he claims in a lawsuit. Rothschild, 63, is suing the state, claiming guards at Elmira Correctional Facility ignored his pleas for help in 2013 when he suffered symptoms of a urological problem, the suit said. He was urinating frequently and suffered shaking, severe pain, spasms in his abdomen, nausea, weakness and dehydration, the suit said. Guards ignored his complaints until the next day, when the medical staff attributed his symptoms to Crohn's disease, the suit said. Rothschild's lawsuit makes these further allegations: Guards continued to ignore his complaints for two more days, until they took him to the prison infirmary with a hard and distended lower abdomen and frequent incontinence. He was then taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors determined he was retaining urine in his bladder because of a blockage. Rothschild had developed deverticuli of the bladder because it remained full and distended for so long. He was discharged back to Elmira on a catheter. Two months later, Rothschild underwent surgery at the hospital, but it did not restore his ability to urinate. He was transferred to Clinton Correctional Facility in Northern New York. The catheter was not maintained according to medical standards at Clinton. He was admitted to the prison infirmary in April 2014 for treatment of a kidney infection and sepsis related to the placement of the catheter. While he was in the infirmary, the catheter fell out because the line was rotten. A nurse took 30 to 40 minutes to insert a new line. Rothschild contends it was not inserted properly. In July 2014, lab tests showed he was suffering from kidney damage, with low creatine levels, reduced platelet counts and a high white blood cell count. Rothschild ended up at a hospital in Champlain with a fever of 104 degrees in August 2014. He was treated for septic shock from E. coli bacteria related to a catheter infection. He was discharged from the hospital a week later. The poor medical care Rothschild received in prison left "severe and permanent damage to his bladder," the lawsuit said. The state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision released a written response today: "DOCCS strives to provide all those in its custody medical care to the community standard, including outside medical visits when necessary and appropriate." A state official said he couldn't comment further because the case is the subject of a lawsuit. Rothschild was released from prison on parole in June of this year after serving nearly three years. He did not respond to a request for an interview. He was sentenced to three years in prison in 2013 for storing child pornography on the social media site Tumblr. Prosecutors said he had at least 30 videos of child porn, and that he allowed them to be shared with other people. Rothschild was a longtime personal-injury lawyer who frequently appeared in his own TV commercials. He was arrested in February 2013 after state police raided his home and office and seized his computers. Contact John O'Brien anytime \| email \| Twitter \| 315-470-2187INDIANAPOLIS -- Detroit Lions GM Bob Quinn isn't happy that Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon isn't at the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine, and confirmed that the former Sooners star is currently on the club's draft board. Under a conduct policy instituted by the NFL last year, Mixon did not receive an invitation to the combine. Players who have misdemeanor or felony convictions involving violence or use of a weapon, domestic violence, a sexual offense and/or sexual assault are not invited, though the NFL has the discretion to consider underlying circumstances in each case in determining combine invitations. Mixon punched a female OU student as a freshman in 2014, and was charged with acts resulting in gross injury, a misdemeanor. He was suspended for the 2014 season by OU coach Bob Stoops, and received probation in the criminal case following a plea agreement. He and several other prospects who had run afoul of the law were passed on for combine invitations, which Quinn lamented Mixon's absence on Wednesday. "We're going to leave the door open on Joe. I think it's really disappointing that Joe's not here. We come here to see the best college football players, so there are 330, 340 some-odd players here, and for him not being here because of those issues, personally I don't think that's real fair because we have a lot of investigation that we want to do on him," Quinn said. "To get him in one spot for all the teams would have been great. I'm not part of the decisions about how guys are chosen, but I think it is a disappointment that a guy like him, and a few others you can put in that category, that we're going to be chasing around in the month of March and April, and it's really unfair to the players to be honest with you. "So the door's open, and I'd like to be able to get a chance to sit down with the people that know Joe, or Joe, and see what the circumstances were around the incident." Upon accepting the Lions GM job a little over a year ago, Quinn announced a zero-tolerance policy on players with a history of domestic violence or a gun crime. In January, however, he walked that stance back. Mixon was not charged with domestic violence in the incident, but a number of NFL clubs nevertheless consider Mixon undraftable, according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport. The Lions, however, are not among them -- at least for the moment. "Yes, he is still on our draft board," Quinn said. Other prospects who were passed on for combine invitations due to conduct issues include Ole Miss QB Chad Kelly, Ole Miss WR Damore'ea Stringfellow and Baylor WR Ishmael Zamora. Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter @ChaseGoodbread.Glenn Lazarus accuses Government, Labor of 'dirty deal' over renewable energy target Posted Independent Queensland senator Glenn Lazarus has accused the Government and Labor of doing a "dirty deal" to reduce the renewable energy target. The Coalition and Labor have agreed to a new target for renewable energy of 33,000 gigawatt hours down from the existing target of 41,000. Senator Lazarus supports the higher target. "I cannot and will not be part of this dirty deal that reduces Australia's renewable energy target (RET) and our country's commitment to the renewable energy sector," he told the Senate. "If the Abbott Government and the Opposition are successful in reducing Australia's renewable energy target, Australia will become the first country in the world to reduce a RET. "I cannot and will not be part of this despicable act." Senator Lazarus said the Abbott Government's reluctance to commit to the RET of 41,000 eroded confidence in the sector, which in turn caused a significant and sharp downturn of investment. "I can only assume that political donations being made by rich, multi-national mining companies to the pockets of the Coalition is affecting the Federal Government's decision making," he said. Victorian Ricky Muir was a supporter of the higher target, but said the issue dragged on so long while the two big parties negotiated that it had become much harder to achieve that figure. He is now backing the lower target Labor and the Coalition eventually agreed on. "Let's get it through and restore investor confidence to an industry that employs thousands of people both in my state of Victoria and throughout Australia," he told the Senate. That is as low as he could go in this Senate, but he will go lower if he can. Christine Milne, Greens senator But Greens senator Christine Milne said it would not mean certainty. "You just have to look at the Prime Minister's words," she said. "He said that the reason the RET is 33,000 gigawatt hours is not that he wants to give certainty to the renewable energy industry. "No. It is 33,000 gigawatt hours because he could not get it any lower. "That is as low as he could go in this Senate, but he will go lower if he can. "In terms of whether it means more wind turbines, what did the Prime Minister say? He can't stand them. There are too many of them. He does not want to see any more of them. But he spoke to the loggers at their dinner and said he thinks they are marvellous; they do a great job." Slow debate attempting to undermine wind: Milne Senator Milne also accused the Government of slowing down debate on the bill to implement the new target. "I'll tell you why — it's because out in the back rooms the crossbenchers are out there trying to stitch up an even worse deal with the Government," she told the Upper House. "No doubt it's an attempt to undermine wind." Victorian senator John Madigan was vocal about his concerns over wind power. He told the Senate this target would mean 2,500 new wind turbines, "which will create such havoc in our electorates and rural environments that there will be widespread community outrage". Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjelm has a similar view about the industry he refers to as "big wind". Tasmanian senator Jacqui Lambie is highly critical of most forms of renewable energy. "If you think you can stop the world's climate from changing by making pensioner's pay more for their energy, by building wind farms and by mandating renewable energy targets, then you are worse than deluded," she said. "You are dangerously deluded and you should be locked up." Topics: environmental-policy, environmental-management, environment, government-and-politics, federal-government, australiaThis article is over 4 years old Paul Kohler suffered a fractured eye socket, a fracture to his left jawbone, a broken nose and bruising that left him ‘utterly unrecognisable’ Four burglars who took part in a raid which left a university professor “savagely” beaten have been jailed. Paul Kohler, 55, suffered a fractured eye socket, a fracture to his left jawbone, a broken nose and bruising that left him “utterly unrecognisable” during the attack at his home in Wimbledon, south London. His wife, Samantha MacArthur, 50, was also threatened by the intruders on the night of 11 August last year. Pawel Honc, of no fixed address, and Mariusz Tomaszewski, of Crusoe Road, Mitcham, south London, were both sentenced at Kingston crown court to 19 years after admitting grievous bodily harm with intent and aggravated burglary. Oskar Pawlowicz, of Pitcairn Road in Mitcham, and Dawid Tychon, 29, of no fixed address, were both sentenced to 13 years after they pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary. The four are all Polish nationals. Sentencing the men, Judge Susan Tapping said they had targeted Kohler’s house either because they had the expectation of finding items of significant value to steal or because they chose the wrong address to collect a debt. Kohler, who was flanked by his wife and three of his four daughters - Eloise, Beth and Saskia - held his jaw and watched the men intently as they were given their sentence. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Paul Kohler with his family outside Kingston crown court in London. Photograph: David Wilcock/PA The academic, who is professor of law at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, hugged his daughters and wife and smiled afterwards. Honc, 24, Tomaszewski, 32, Pawlowicz, 30, and Tychon, 29, all remained calm as they were sent down. Judge Tapping said that all the defendants had been under a combination of drugs and alcohol on the day of the attack. Referring to the witness statement Kohler gave on Thursday, she said it had shown his “generosity of spirit”. She told the defendants: “One matter it contained was for you to explain why his family and him were targeted. This explanation would help them all but your mitigation did not help at all or was at odds with what others had said. Without this explanation he understandably questions the true value of any remorse expressed.” Speaking outside court, Kohler said: “I feel vindicated by the sentence but I don’t want to be vindictive about it. I take no pleasure in their deservedly long sentence - and it is a long sentence, and that’s right and proper. It will be difficult for them, as it should be, but I’m not going to sit here and jump up and down looking delighted about it. “I still feel some anger, I hope I don’t feel bitter. I hope in time that will pass.” Kohler said he would have slight double vision for the rest of his life and that his wife still gets flashbacks. “My daughter is still traumatised by it, as you saw in court today she burst into tears when they were being sentenced,” he added. “But those things will pass, the family is strong and the family learns from the good and the ill that happens to it.” The five-minute attack began when Kohler went to answer the door at around 10pm while his wife, 24-year-old daughter Eloise and her boyfriend, Geraint, were upstairs. The four men burst in wearing scarves to conceal their identities and blue latex gloves. Tychon shouted “Where’s the money?” and Kohler screamed “You’ve got the wrong address”, the court heard. Kohler was pushed to the floor and Honc sat on him and repeatedly punched him in the face while another man kicked him in the head. He was also threatened by Tychon, who held a wooden cabinet door over his head ready to swing it down on him. Two of the burglars went upstairs, pushed MacArthur and covered her face, threatening to hurt her if she moved. Eloise and Geraint were able to hide in her bedroom and lock the door while they called the police. An Apple Mac laptop, an HP laptop, two mobile phones and jewellery worth around £2,000 were taken and subsequently recovered. The court heard that, apart from Honc, all the other defendants had long criminal records in their home country, with 32 convictions between them. Pawlowicz had also been convicted in the UK for a raft of offences including sexual assault and affray.We’re hearing a lot about the 22 million people who may lose their health insurance if the Affordable Care Act is repealed. But there’s another, quieter tragedy that could play out if the ACA is gutted: States could lose critical funding for public-health efforts like responding to outbreaks, vaccination programs, and anti-smoking and anti-obesity campaigns. When the ACA was enacted in 2010, the law established the Prevention and Public Health Fund, with an annual appropriation that began at $500 million in 2010. The goal of the fund was simple: boost public-health funding, much of it for the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to support activities that prevent people from getting sick. (At a time when more Americans would be gaining insurance, keeping people healthy and out of the health care system carried extra appeal for lawmakers.) But over the years, the fund has been subject to a slew of cuts. It’s been a prime target for Republicans, who have called it “a slush fund for jungle gyms.” The House Reconciliation Bill, led by Trump’s HHS pick Tom Price, promised to terminate the fund. (The bill passed in the Senate but was vetoed by President Barack Obama.) If the Affordable Care Act is repealed, the fund will most certainly go away — and with it, $890 million of the CDC’s annual budget. Within the next five years, states will lose more than $3 billion, according to a new analysis by the Trust for America’s Health. “The unintended consequence of the elimination of the Affordable Care Act could be the elimination of 12 percent of CDC’s budget,” said John Auerbach, the president and CEO of Trust for America’s Health and former associate director for policy at the CDC. Not every state will be impacted in the same way. Some of the preventive-health funding is population-based and some of it is grant based, though the Trust for America’s Health said the biggest states tend to be hardest hit because they have more municipalities that can receive grants. Removing the funding will mean less money for responses to outbreaks, less money to fight the opioid epidemic, less money to fight superbugs in hospitals, and less money for vaccination programs. It’ll also mean more scrambling for cash at already cash-strapped public health offices. “The indirect impact of the ACA repeal,” Auerbach added, “is that the funding has to come from somewhere else.” Here’s what that looks like at the state level Public health departments have always struggled to wrangle enough cash. Unlike health care providers, public health officials work on preventing illness and injury. They devise plans to prepare for those increasingly frequent pandemic threats, like Ebola and Zika, and regulate tobacco use to give us smoke-free environments. The work isn’t sexy and prevention isn’t newsworthy. Compared to health care — drugs, doctors, and hospitals to keep us alive when we’re sick — public health gets a tiny portion of the health spending pie. As of 2012, only 3 percent of the health budget went to public health measures, the rest mostly to personal health care. More cuts will be felt deeply, health officials on the ground told me. In Texas, as Zika made its way to America and Congress squabbled over funding the fight against the virus last year, Dr. Umair Shah — the head of public health for Harris County, Texas — had to scramble to find money to pay for his department’s Zika response. Some of that cobbled-together cash — to spray for mosquitoes, raise awareness about the virus in his community, and test and track the virus — came from the Prevention and Public Health Fund. “As a public health system in this nation, we are under-funded,” Shah said. “We’ve made some progress in funding — with this increase in dollars — and now we have that real concern that it’s going backward.” In Louisiana, a state with some of the worst health outcomes in America and a massive deficit, it’ll further knock down an already struggling public-health system, said Dr. David Holcombe, who looks after public health for central Louisiana. “We have employees who are [paid through the fund] to do immunizations, STD prevention,” he explained. “In Louisiana, we are number one in syphilis, number one in gonorrhea, number two in chlamydia, and number two in HIV/AIDS. It’s hard to imagine how we could get worse in all this stuff.” Public health already gets a tiny portion of the health funding pie There are a few reasons why public health is so chronically under-funded. In a 2010 op-ed the New England Journal of Medicine, Harvard’s David Hemenway explained that our brains are wired to focus on short-term issues, which deliver more immediate rewards, instead of long-term challenges, like public health. "Since it takes willpower to delay gratification, individually and collectively we sometimes underinvest in the future," he wrote. Whether its improving road safety, preventing a pandemic, or limiting the effects of climate change — all of which fall under the remit of public health — they "incur costs today but don't provide benefits until sometime in the future." Not exactly a politically palatable option. When public health works, it’s often invisible. When we have mosquito-control programs that prevent Zika from spreading, it’s a non-story. When we aren’t poisoned by our food, it’s a non-story. It’s also more difficult to talk about the benefits of public health: They tend to be long term, slow to show up, and affect entire populations instead of individuals. "Public health has little news value — saving statistical lives doesn't make for good human-interest stories or photo ops," Hemenway writes. Cutting the public-health funding any further, the outgoing CDC director, Tom Frieden, told Vox in an interview, “would [lead to] tens of thousands of additional illnesses and more than 10,000 additional deaths.” At a time when life expectancy in the US has declined for the first time in decades, nearly half the population is overweight or obese, and deaths from opioids have more than quadrupled in just 15 years — we could use more public health efforts to prevent these things for happening in the first place. Instead, we may be moving in the opposite direction. In Trump’s health care reform position statement, he said, “The best social program has always been a job — and taking care of our economy will go a long way towards reducing our dependence on public health programs.” It’s not clear how job creation would stop an Ebola outbreak, or control tobacco, or test people for STDs. But we will soon find out.I have to confess myself hitherto unfamiliar with the work of Neil Coyle MP, but I see he has now announced himself to wider society in the modern fashion: which is to say, he has declared that he’s had an online death threat, and has obviously reported it to police. “U voted for air strikes in Syria,” this historic missive read. “If I see you round ends.” It was followed by three little knives. Strong words – and almost coherent. Strong emojis, too. People can be ghastly on the internet, can’t they? But we do know this by now. Yet social media is the last remaining British arena in which social mobility flourishes, where imbecilic irrelevances are fast-tracked to positions of extraordinary power by whichever MP or university professor or serious campaigner has decided to give their bile a platform on the news. It is becoming one of our most comfortable pageants, reminiscent of what The Day Today once called “the ritual of the bullying ritual”. Neil Coyle (@coyleneil) So @77_icee has now deleted their threat. But here is the screen grab of it which I've also reported pic.twitter.com/oTOru8kOOd Though he has far too great a sense of perspective to point it out, the shadow foreign secretary, Hilary Benn, has also been the focus of what is described by others as “bullying”, with various anti-war activists and Alex Salmond taking the time to tell him that his late father would have been ashamed of him for his stance. The question is quite how much attention ought to be given to people who genuinely think the way to win an argument is to make some entirely artless and vile point about a person’s dead father. Presuming to insert themselves into private family dynamics about which they know nothing and which are even less of their business, they are people with whom no one remotely civilised could stand to spend any time, people so self-righteously tin-eared that they imagine this passes for having a point. In truth, they do not even need to be argued with, because they disqualify themselves from arguments. If any of them care to get in touch after this column, I merely direct them to that timeless observation of Aristophanes: to be insulted by you is to be garlanded with lilies. Both Coyle and Benn voted in favour of airstrikes. Despite disagreeing with them on that, I do not think that voting for airstrikes makes anyone fair game for the more savage attentions of fringe elements of Stop the War, for instance, who so frequently come across as the sort of furiously vindictive types who’d actually be amazing at war. That said, there is a slightly unavoidable irony in a man who has just voted to drop actual bombs anywhere taking the time to tell everyone about a tweet. It does rather make it all about him. Perhaps Coyle was making a philosophical point, and tacitly contrasting Syria’s almost-disintegrated society with one in which we not only have the luxury of a police force, but of a police force who will investigate emojis. If his aim was to illustrate our self-parodic self-absorption, then he may consider it realised. However vicious that dissent is, more of us are going to have to start rising above its idiocies than do at present If it wasn’t, however, I wonder after the wisdom of his highlighting the event in this way. Coyle is a parliamentary newbie elected only in May, so we might cordially warn him and all those Labour and Conservative MPs who have shrieked about “bullying” that they spent this week in presentational danger of reducing a bombing campaign to what Alfred Hitchcock called a MacGuffin – “a plot device that motivates the characters and advances the story”, but which is often unimportant in itself. For all the posturing about airstrikes meaning that we’re still out there on the world stage, nothing has underscored the solipsistic irrelevance of post-post-imperial Britain more than casting the deployment of eight RAF Tornados almost entirely as a psychodrama about the shadow cabinet. Even the wannabe statesmanlike prime minister was unable to rise above it with his “terrorist sympathisers” comment. I worry about bullying. Not only about the act, but about the word. Bullying is an important word. It denotes extremely nasty behaviour that must urgently be stopped, but it is being increasingly stretched to breaking point by the various definitions it is expected to bear. Discussing university “safe spaces” and the threats to free speech, the academic psychologist Jonathan Haidt recently suggested the problem had its roots in increasingly risk-free, coddled childhoods. He noted the coming of age of a generation for whom even single instances of unkindness at school were formally classed by zero-tolerance educational authorities as “bullying”, suggesting that children have been “rendered fragile by their childhoods”. Meanwhile, you will note that these days virtually all celebrities claim to have been bullied at school. Can this really be the case? Certainly, other pupils will have been unpleasant to them with varying degrees of frequency, as they were to all of us, even to the unpleasant ones – that, I’m afraid, is school. But the percentages are entirely out of whack; something is being miscast. Does free speech give us the right to anonymously troll strangers? \| Suzanne Moore Read more All this self-dramatisation distracts from areas that require focus far more desperately – the online bullying of children, or rape victims, to pick two examples. Come to that, in a Westminster week where only Syria has displaced allegations of horrifying bullying in the Conservative youth wing – which involve a young man taking his own life – we surely do a disservice to the victims most in need of our help if we fail to make a distinction between bullying and dissent. However vicious that dissent is, more of us are going to have to start rising above its idiocies than do at present. By way of a curiosity, finally, the most death threats I ever had over a single column came after I was disobliging about one of Manchester City’s erstwhile club suits, a Garry Cook, who amusingly (and quite unfathomably) aroused deep passions among a few fans. Cards on the table: I don’t believe in a life for a life, and by extension found I couldn’t really support the idea of a life for saying that Milan had made a twat of Cook over Kaká’s failed transfer. Unfashionably, though, I declined to make promises to kill me for it a police matter. The chap who wrote screeds of death fantasies about me and used to turn up at the Guardian until he was sectioned: he was a police matter. But I don’t get out of bed for emojis.After she was elected the first female governor of Texas, in 1924, and got herself promptly embroiled in an argument about whether Spanish should be used in Lone Star schools, it is possible that Miriam A. “Ma” Ferguson did not say, “If the King’s English was good enough for Jesus Christ,
David de Gea, Gianluigi Donnarumma and others. What do you think when you see these names in the press? "The truth is that I'm very calm. I focus on what I can do, which is to work, to improve and to try to win the starting spot against whichever colleagues I have. I only think about working and winning titles, but I'm calm and try to enjoy things day by day. There is no need to worry about the future because God knows where we'll all be. I'm very calm and am enjoying my holiday, my country and my family. I will always have time to think about what comes next, but for now I have a lot of peace of mind. Later on, I will work to strengthen myself as I have always done until now. I have two incredible teammates and I always respect them, but I work to play of course. I will always fight to the death against whoever I have to in a fair fight. I will never ask to be gifted anything because I have never asked and I have also never needed to." What does Zinedine Zidane mean to you? "I am very grateful to Zidane and I always will be. He has always given me a lot of confidence and in the not-so-good moments he has been there. Everything that happened this year and the year before I owe to him and I'm extremely grateful. There aren't words to express my gratitude for what he has done. When you're in a complicated situation it is very important that the coach gives you confidence and tells you to remain calm and that we're pressing ahead and that he is with you to the death." What did he say to you at the end of the season? "Zidane is a very open person and I speak with him a lot. He is not the kind of person you have to make an appointment with in his office. We have a flowing conversation and at the end of the season he was very happy that I'd returned to my best. He was the one who gave me that confidence and I felt I had to repay it. At the end he told me to relax, that I'd finished [the season] well and to enjoy my holiday." Your teammates also stand by you. "It's true. We have a very good dressing room. All of the teammates have always supported each other. We felt that when one player isn't doing well that it's a problem of everyone. Nobody was trying to save their own skin this season. Everyone has always thought about the team. My teammates have helped me a lot this year, it's true. They are special people and have good hearts, despite being stars who everyone sees on TV. Many people don't know them, but I have had the opportunity to know the good and human side of these players and I am thankful for all of them." How difficult can Zidane be? "Very difficult, to be honest. I can't imagine what you'd have to do for him to give you an 11 [out of 10]." Have you spoken with Cristiano Ronaldo to see what is going on and to tell him to stay? "No, I haven't called him. I don't get involved in these things. Obviously I always want him to be my teammate as a player who does what he does can't go. I hope he doesn't go and that he's with us for many years." What have you done with your two Champions League medals? "I have them in my house, very carefully guarded. They are two very nice medals, which fill you with memories when you see them." After three years at Real Madrid are you more of a Real Madrid fan than you were a fan of previous teams? "I have always given everything in every team I have been in, but three years at Real Madrid build a feeling. I have always been a Real Madrid fan, but from Costa Rica, which isn't the same. I used to watch the team from TV and now I feel all of this passion and it's impressive." Would you like to retire at Real Madrid? "It would be difficult, but nothing is impossible. My wish is to keep enjoying all of this and I hope I could retire at Real Madrid. That would be a dream for me."Thanks to Peter Costello and Eric McRoberts for the new Costello & McRoberts Ultra Mix! Joe Russo’s Almost Dead were scheduled to finally headline Red Rocks back in the spring, but had to delay the headlining debut due to the threat of snow. Now, deep in the last days of summer, JRAD was finally able to make up their Red Rocks gig, but with a wrinkle. Dave Dreiwitz was busy with his day job with Ween on the 31st, but luckily Dead and Company and Allman Brothers Band bassist Oteil Burbridge was willing and able to sit in. Oteil and JRAD made the long delay from their spring cancellation more than worth it. The first set alone clocked in at nearly two hours! Oteil isn’t a stranger to playing with Joe Russo and his Almost Dead. The ABB and Dead and Co bassist filled in for Dreiwitz back in the spring at the Brooklyn Bowl. As per with every JRAD show, this Red Rocks show was full of teases, covers and tasty treats buried among top-notch renditions of Grateful Dead tunes. Some of the highlights were multiple Phish teases, a debut of Donovan’s “There Is A Mountain” into the Allman Brothers Band’s “Mountain Jam,” and a blistering “Morning Dew Closer.” After Weir and Mayer gave Oteil a chance to sing this summer, JRAD was more than happy to let Burbridge take the lead vocals on “Box of Rain.” Thanks to Peter Costello for the box score for JRAD show number #119: Set One (7:50PM – 9:45PM): Jam -> Here Comes Sunshine @ > Reuben & Cerise -> Jam -> Mama Tried, New Speedway Boogie # -> Music Never Stopped Reprise -> New Speedway Jam -> Music Never Stopped Jam -> Dancing In The Streets $ -> New Speedway Reprise % -> Box Of Rain ^ (OB), He’s Gone & -> Truckin’ -> Born Cross Eyed Jam Set Two (10:01PM – 11:27PM): Jack Straw > Feel Like A Stranger * -> Harry Hood Jam + -> China Cat Sunflower -> The Eleven -> The Wheel @@ -> There Is A Mountain ## > I Know You Rider, Greatest Story Ever Told $$, Morning Dew Encore: We Bid You Goodnight %% @ – With a “Sex Machine” (James Brown) Tease (MB), a “La Di Da Di” (Doug E. Fresh and Slick Rick) Tease (MB) # – Unfinished $ – With Music Never Stopped Teases (TH), an unknown Tease (MB), New Speedway Teases & lyrics, a “Memphis Soul Stew” (King Curtis) Tease (OB), “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough (Michael Jackson) Teases (SM & MB). % – First split New Speedway ^ – With an Uncle John’s Band Tease (Band) & – With Truckin & Tennessee Jed Teases (TH) & a “Humdinger” (WOLF) tease (SM) * – Unfinished + – Instrumental, incomplete version of a Phish Cover (No lyrics were sung), First Time Played By Almost Dead. @@ – First verse sung in 11, with an “In With the In Crowd” (Ramsey Lewis) Jam, a “Bathtub Gin” (Phish) Tease (MB) ## – Donovan Cover, Instrumental with 2 choruses only sung, First Time Played By Almost Dead. Basis for the Allman Bros “Mountain Jam” but closer to the original Donovan version. $$ – With a “Night in Tunisia” (Dizzy Gillespie) Jam, an Estimated Prophet Tease (TH) & an “Stash” (Phish) Tease (SM) %% – A cappella at their positions with vocal mics, not at the front of the stage Photo credit: jeremy_williams_photoPlaying for a new manager, Vern Rapp, and with a core of young, highly regarded players, such as Keith Hernandez, Garry Templeton and John Denny, the Cardinals enjoyed a successful opening to the 1977 season. On April 7, 1977, amid strong winds and a mix of rain and light snow, the Cardinals beat the Pirates, 12-6, at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. New approach The 1977 Cardinals opened the season as a franchise looking to rebuild. In 1976, the Cardinals finished 72-90. Red Schoendienst, who had managed the Cardinals since 1965, was fired after that 1976 debacle. He was replaced by Rapp, a St. Louis native who had played and managed in the Cardinals’ system but who never had reached the major leagues. A disciplinarian, Rapp instructed Cardinals players during 1977 spring training to shave off their moustaches and beards and keep their hair trim. In the opener at Pittsburgh, the Cardinals started Denny, 24, against Jerry Reuss, a St. Louis native who had began his career with his hometown team. Along with established standouts such as left fielder Lou Brock and catcher Ted Simmons, the Cardinals’ lineup included Hernandez, 23, at first base and Garry Templeton, 21, at shortstop. Denny and Templeton were making their first Opening Day starts in the big leagues. Helped by three Pirates errors, the Cardinals scored four runs in the opening inning off Reuss. The Pirates’ sloppy start prompted “lusty boos from many of the 35,186 spectators,” the Associated Press reported. The Cardinals never trailed. Denny held the Pirates to three runs in 5.2 innings and got the win. Templeton had two hits and scored three runs. Hernandez, a left-handed batter, scored twice and had key hits against a pair of left-handed relievers. Hernandez hit a two-run double off Grant Jackson and a two-run home run (estimated at 425 feet) against Terry Forster. For Hernandez, it was his first four-RBI game in the big leagues. Playing to win “The thing about Vern Rapp is that he has us playing aggressive baseball, taking the extra base, playing at our maximum,” Hernandez said after the game. “We don’t have a lot of power, but we do have good hitting and exceptional speed and I think we’re going to make the most of it.” Asked about playing without his signature moustache, Hernandez replied, “I’m here to play baseball. That’s what is important to me. I’ve got five months in the off-season to grow a moustache and long hair, but right now I want to help the Cardinals play winning baseball.” Boxscore Behind stellars seasons by Hernandez (.291 batting average, 41 doubles, 91 RBI), Templeton (.322 batting average, 200 hits, 18 triples, 28 stolen bases), Simmons (.318 batting average, 21 home runs, 95 RBI) and pitcher Bob Forsch (20 wins), the 1977 Cardinals improved to 83-79. Hernandez’s effective hitting against left-handers continued through the season. He batted.313 in 201 at-bats versus left-handers in 1977. Previously: Cardinals debut was dream come true for Keith Hernandez Previously: Pete Vuckovich was fearless in great escape for CardinalsAnnouncing Postverta: an Infrastructure-free Coding Platform Ang Li Blocked Unblock Follow Following Nov 6, 2017 Unlisted Today I’m excited to announce the first public launch of Postverta, a new online coding platform for bringing ideas to running apps in the shortest amount of time. The platform is available at https://postverta.com Why As developers, we love and hate side projects. We love them because they are great ways to learn new tricks and to implement some cool productivity hacks. But we sometimes hate them because they can be a time-sink, especially when you need to set up new development environment, DevOps pipeline, hosting environment all from scratch. If you have just started learning coding, the bootstrapping tasks might seem daunting and they are absolutely no fun to deal with. That’s why we build Postverta: To give you all the fun of hacking, but take away all the pain of setting up the infrastructure. Let’s see how Postverta can help you with your next side project. Instant full-stack workspaces Postverta gives you instant and unlimited Node.js workspaces backed by full-fledged Linux containers. Creating a new workspace only takes seconds! Installing/uninstalling NPM packages is also piece-of-cake. Everything is sync’ed to the cloud so you can resume working from anywhere, anytime. To make things even easier, we provide a number of helpful templates for you to bootstrap modern web apps quickly (React, Angular, or RESTful webhooks). Of course, you can always build your custom stack by modifying the templates or starting from scratch. Automatic hosting Writing the code is only the beginning. The next step is to publish your app and collect feedbacks from the real users. Each app you develop in a Postverta workspace is automatically hosted behind a public URL (e.g., https://hello-world.postverta.com), so you no longer need to manually deploy it to any third-party PaaS or IaaS. Update the code, restart the app, and it is live! Clone to reuse and redeploy Inspired by GitHub’s famous “fork”, you can clone any public app with just one click, in order to easily build upon what others have built. You can also clone and “re-deploy” existing apps with your own configurations (e.g., deploy a popular Slack bot with your own API keys). We want Postverta to be not just a tool, but also a community for people to discover new exciting stuff and learn from each other’s work. Keep your API keys (and other secrets) safe All Postverta apps are open-sourced (for now), which means people with the URL of your app can read your code. However, modern web apps usually involve runtime configs and secrets (e.g., API keys) that are considered private. We provide a special container for you to store all your runtime secrets in (like your personal.env file). The secrets are accessible from your code as environmental variables, but they won’t be shared with others. So you can host your app securely AND share your code with others at the same time. No lock-in We understand at some point you might want to move your app off Postverta. That’s why we made it super easy to export and download your app as a ZIP file. The exported package can be easily deployed to other platforms.President Donald Trump listens to remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday in Washington. Win McNamee/Getty Images Three minutes into his speech at the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, Donald Trump ridiculed Arnold Schwarzenegger, his successor on The Celebrity Apprentice.* “It’s been a total disaster,” Trump said. The show’s producer, Mark Burnett, who introduced Trump at the breakfast, “will never, ever bet against Trump again,” he continued. “And I want to just pray for Arnold, if we can, for those ratings.” On one level, Trump was joking. On another, he was dishing out his usual spite. Trump talks this way to all audiences, including religious ones. He has no sense of reverence or transcendent values. He fills his emptiness with the creed of Trump: narcissism, profit, and demagoguery. To Trump, Christians are a curious sect (“such nice religious people,” they “have that great religious feel”), and the Bible is a foreign text (“2 Corinthians”). At a closed-door meeting of conservative evangelicals last summer, Trump said he wanted to get America back to the days when going to Sunday school was “automatic.” He understands rote observance, not belief. Lacking a sense of God, Trump focuses on his usual object of worship: himself. A year ago, Trump opened his remarks at Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University by bragging about the attendance: “The first thing I said to Jerry and Becky when I got here [was], ‘Did we break the record?’ ” He talked about his polls, his book sales (“I wrote many best-sellers”), his education (“I went to a great school, Ivy League school”), and his uncle (a professor at MIT, “if you believe in genes”). He described the November 2015 terror attacks in Paris, which killed 130 people, as the incident that had launched him to the front of the Republican pack. Months later, in a speech to the Faith and Freedom Coalition, Trump lauded his children: “Through God, they were born intelligent. They went to top colleges.” Real Christians measure themselves by their fidelity and service to God. Trump measures them by their fidelity and service to Trump. “We’ve done very well with the evangelicals and with the religion generally speaking,” he told the Faith and Freedom Coalition. He bragged about his “landslide” victories in places “where you had the heavy Christian groups.” With his telltale prefix, the, Trump signals that he sees Christians, like “the blacks” and “the Hispanics,” as an alien constituency. His bond with them isn’t about love of God. It’s about love of Trump. “The evangelicals were so incredible,” he effused in the closed-door meeting. “They really get me.” But Trump is more than a narcissist. He’s also a businessman. In lieu of common faith, he offered conservative Christians a transaction: a list of judicial nominees, from which he has now selected his Supreme Court pick, Neil Gorsuch. At the closed-door meeting last summer, a Christian legal advocate asked Trump for his views on commercial participation in same-sex marriage: “Have you thought through yet, or do you know yet, where you’re going to stand?” Trump seemed baffled by the idea of study or moral reflection. Instead, he cited an endorsement of his judicial nominees, as though it were a restaurant review. “The Federalist Society is the gold standard on judges,” he told the questioner. “Are you happy with that?” It would be unfair to dismiss Trump as merely vain or transactional. He also delights in exploiting prejudice. He has warped Christianity, a faith that was founded to be universal, into sheer tribalism. Trump gives Christian audiences the same message he gives everyone else: not God above all, but “America First.” He rails against Mexico, China, “the Persians,” and “all these countries that are ripping us off.” He situates Christianity in this heresy of nationalism. At the meeting with evangelicals, he brought up his proposal for a “temporary ban on Muslims.” At the Faith and Freedom Coalition, he vowed, “We will respect and defend Christian Americans. Christian Americans.” At Liberty University, he declared: We are going to protect Christianity. … Christianity, it’s under siege. I’m a Protestant. I’m very proud of it. Presbyterian to be exact, but I’m proud of it—very, very proud. … Other religions, frankly, they’re banding together. And if you look at this country, it’s got to be 70 percent, 75 percent. Some people say even more. The power we have—somehow, we have to unify. We have to band together. … The country has to do that around Christianity. By reducing Christianity to a message of tribal warfare and transactional advantage, as others on the right have done, Trump has rallied many American Christians behind three immoral ideas. The first is that America should reject refugees and immigrants. Trump warned the Faith and Freedom Coalition that Hillary Clinton would “undermine the wages of working people with uncontrolled immigration.” That was an argument not just against border jumpers but also against immigration per se. He also said Syrian refugees should be kept out because “we have enough problems.” The audience loudly applauded. The second idea is that we should extort and plunder other countries. The Ten Commandments say you shouldn’t steal, but Trump says you should. At Liberty University and in the session with evangelical leaders, Trump argued that we should have taken Iraq’s oil because “to the victor belong the spoils.” In the video of the speech at Liberty, and in the transcript of the private meeting, there’s no sign of anyone objecting to this statement. Trump also told the university audience that we should demand more payment for protecting South Korea, Japan, Germany, and Saudi Arabia. “We’ve got to run it like a business,” he said. The third idea is that we should cut moral corners to defeat terrorism. That includes torture, targeting the family members of terrorists, loosening our rules about avoiding civilian casualties. At Liberty, Trump vowed to “knock the hell out of” our enemies. At the prayer breakfast, he brushed aside compunction, saying, “We have to be tough.” Trump boasted that his defense secretary had the nickname “Mad Dog” and had “never lost a battle.” He warned the audience to prepare for an anti-terrorism campaign that “may not be pretty.” It’s ugly already. On Sunday, a Trump-authorized raid in Yemen led to the deaths of several children. Meanwhile, Trump has suspended the admission of refugees. At airports, law enforcement agents acting on the president’s orders have detained or barred travelers from seven Muslim countries. “Don’t worry about it,” Trump assured everyone at the prayer breakfast this week. In an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network, he pledged to protect Christians. Principled Christian leaders, including the National Association of Evangelicals and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, have rejected these perversions, in particular Trump’s refusal to help refugees. But last spring, a Morning Consult poll found that most Christian voters supported “a temporary ban on all Muslims traveling to the United States,” as well as “additional law enforcement patrols of Muslim neighborhoods.” Trump’s advocacy of theft, violence, and suspension of refugee admissions has drawn occasional applause and no detectable outrage from his ostensibly devout audiences. And most Christians, including 80 percent of white evangelicals, voted for him. There is a sickness in American Christianity, and Trump is feeding on it. Pray on that. *Correction, Feb. 5, 2017: This article originally misidentified the name of the show Arnold Schwarzenegger is hosting. It is The Celebrity Apprentice. (Return.)Brian Griffin is dead. The comic canine bought many laughs to our screens during his Family Guy tenure and will be sadly missed. New pooch Vinnie has some mighty big paws to fill. Brian was a smart dog, an educated dog. A budding writer of novels, screenplays and newspaper articles. He possessed a sharp intellect, a penchant for a martini or two and taught us many important life lessons. BLOG: Who should have been killed off instead of Brian Griffin? Here are 5 things Brian Griffin has taught us… 1. Never date a girl purely for her looks During his time on the show Brian had a number of short-term relationships but is perhaps best remembered for dating Jillian, a sexy but dim-witted blonde. Upon finding out about her low-level of intelligence Stewie takes it upon himself to rip it out of Brian mercilessly. 2. Actually, never do anything that might cause Stewie to mock you Advertisement Advertisement Ever the trier, Brian worked long and hard on his various literary works. However, their reception was often poor and this lack of success was always pounced upon by Stewie with devastating sarcasm. 3. Pay your debts ‘Where’s my money man?’ Loan sharks are bad news. Even if they are just babies, they are still capable of beating you to a bloody pulp. So pay that money, man. Wonga.com may not technically be loan sharks but this Brian example is basically the same thing. Sort of… 4. Friendship is everything Despite all the hate, there is a lot of love to be had between Brian and Stewie… Stewie: I like you lot. I guess you could say I… really like you. I would… even dare to go a little further, perhaps. I… care a great deal about you. Very great deal. Maybe even… deeper than that. I… I… I love you. I mean, you know, not in like a, ‘Hey, let’s, you know, let’s have an underpants party,’ or whatever grownups do when they’re in love, but I mean, I mean, I love you as one loves another person whom one simply cannot do without. Brian: Well I… I love you, too, Stewie. Stewie: You give my life purpose, and maybe, maybe that’s enough. Because that’s just about the greatest gift one friend can give another Well isn’t that just the sweetest thing you’ve ever heard? Oh wait, it gets more emosh. And snotty… Advertisement Advertisement So yeah, friendship is everything. Life would suck without friends. 5. It’s OK to lose your cool sometimes and do this… We’ve all been frustrated in this situation. Being hungover on the 10.35 from Cardiff to Paddington after a stag do when a load of babies descend on the train is not a pleasant experience. I wish I had done this. Rest in peace Brian Griffin, rest in peace.Etymology Edit Post-Cold War Edit United States Defense Spending 2001–2017 United States defense contractors bewailed what they called declining government weapons spending at the end of the Cold War.[26][27] They saw escalation of tensions, such as with Russia over Ukraine, as new opportunities for increased weapons sales, and have pushed the political system, both directly and through industry lobby groups such as the National Defense Industrial Association, to spend more on military hardware. Pentagon contractor-funded American think tanks such as the Lexington Institute and the Atlantic Council have also demanded increased spending in view of the perceived Russian threat.[27][28] Independent Western observers such as William Hartung, director of the Arms & Security Project at the Center for International Policy, noted that "Russian saber-rattling has additional benefits for weapons makers because it has become a standard part of the argument for higher Pentagon spending—even though the Pentagon already has more than enough money to address any actual threat to the United States."[27][29] Eras of the United States Military Industrial Complex Edit Benefits Edit It is argued[by whom?] that the proliferation of the Military Industrial Complex in the United States has led to a stable world order in which all adversaries agree that nuclear war should be avoided at all costs. Additional benefits of the Military Industrial Complex of the United States include the advancement of the civilian technology market as civilian companies benefit from innovations from the MIC and vice versa.[32] The military subsidy theory Edit The Military Subsidy Theory is the theory that the effects of the Cold War era mass production of aircraft benefited the civilian aircraft industry. The theory asserts that the technologies developed during the Cold War along with the financial backing of the military led to the dominance of American aviation companies. There is also strong evidence that the United States federal government intentionally paid a higher price for these innovations to serve as a subsidy for civilian aircraft advancement.[33] Current applications Edit [34] Share of arms sales by country; source provided by SIPRI According to SIPRI, total world spending on military expenses in 2009 was $1.531 trillion U.S. dollars. 46.5% of this total, roughly $712 billion U.S. dollars, was spent by the United States.[35] The privatization of the production and invention of military technology also leads to a complicated relationship with significant research and development of many technologies. The military budget of the United States for the 2009 fiscal year was $515.4 billion. Adding emergency discretionary spending and supplemental spending, brings the sum to $651.2 billion.[36] This does not include many military-related items that are outside of the Defense Department budget. Overall the U.S. federal government is spending about $1 trillion annually on defense-related purposes.[37] In a 2012 story, Salon reported, "Despite a decline in global arms sales in 2010 due to recessionary pressures, the United States increased its market share, accounting for a whopping 53 percent of the trade that year. Last year saw the United States on pace to deliver more than $46 billion in foreign arms sales."[38] The defense industry also tends to contribute heavily to incumbent members of Congress.[39] The concept of a military–industrial complex has been expanded to include the entertainment and creative[40] industries. For an example in practice, Matthew Brummer describes Japan's Manga Military and how the Ministry of Defense uses popular culture and the moe that it engenders to shape domestic and international perceptions. See also Edit References Edit Further reading EditThe Market for Silver Bullets Ian Grigg Systemics, Inc. 2nd March 2008 Abstract: What is security? As a good in the sense of economics, security is now recognised as being one for which our knowledge is poor. As with safety goods, events of utility tend to be destructive, yet unlike safety goods, the performance of the good is very hard to test. The roles of participants are complicated by the inclusion of agressive attackers, and buyers and sellers that interchange. This essay hypothesises that security is a good with insufficient information, and rejects the assumption that security fits in the market for goods with asymmetric information. Security can be viewed as a market where neither buyer nor seller has sufficient information to be able to make a rational buying decision. Drawing heavily from Michael Spence's Job Market Signaling, these characteristics lead to the arisal of a market in silver bullets as participants herd in search of best practices, a common set of goods that arises more to reduce the costs of externalities rather than achieve benefits in security itself. In an investigation into security, Adam Shostack posed the question, what are good signals in the market for security [1] [2]? In addressing this apparently clear question we find ourselves drawn to the question of what is security? One avenue of potential investigation is to ask what the science of economics can provide in answer to this question. In economics terms, security could be a good as it is demanded and traded for value. This essay seeks to cast security as a good, and attempts to classify what sort of good it is? In so doing, the results may be of interest to economists as well as security professionals. It is long recognised that the market for information security is an inefficient one, and may be dysfunctional [3] [4]. Investigation along the lines of asymmetric markets, especially ones where the seller has an information advantage over the buyer, has been suggested by Ross Anderson, and evidence so far has not disconfirmed this observation [5] : This essay considers the security good within an area of economics known as imperfect information markets. We contrast the security good against three markets in which information is poor: George Akerlof's market for lemons, Micheal Rothschild and Joseph Stiglitz's market for insurance and Michael Spence's market for jobs [6] [7] [8]. We are led to the observation that security is a good without sufficient information on either side of the buy/sell divide. Such a good would seem to defy rationality, as without information, how do purchasers select, and how do sellers present to market? Spence's model for education and jobs best provides a starting point with the introduction of signals, and I extend that model with the additional exogenous incentives found in the market for security. Notwithstanding any surmised inefficiency in the market for security, it is a huge market. Billions of dollars are spent annually on information security, and hundreds of billions, if we extend to for example the markets for defence goods or national security. For example, the price for a missile defence system was "nearly $8 billion [9]." As nobody has ever fired an ICBM in anger, it remains a challenge of some depth to decide whether and how much to spend on such a security tool: Zero, the asked price of $8 billion, or the price of the late President Ronald Reagan's fabled "Star Wars" programme? Any potential to increase efficiency in such a large market should be viewed optimistically, and the first step to this would be to establish a theory as to its structure and forces. A note on Structure. This essay can be seen as the application of three essays in economics to the field of security. The essays are the seminal set identified in the award of the Nobel Prize in Economics for 2001 to Professors Akerlof, Spence and Stiglitz. For brevity, where the essays are drawn on directly, the names of the authors will suffice as references. I proceed as follows. First, I discuss some characteristics of Security as goods, primarily the appearance of the active attacker, which helps us to claim that the buyer lacks information. This might suggest the market for lemons. Second, I look at the Asymmetry Hypothesis (HA), and reject it, as the seller also lacks information. Third, I arrive at the only place left, the market in insufficient information. This is then developed with the characteristics of security, to propose a market in silver bullets. Finally, I attempt to draw some lessons, albeit few and tentative. This essay received substantial review comments from Digby Tarvin, Daniel Nagy, Allen and several anonymous reviewers. In this section, I show by several views that the buyer lacks information. This is uncontroversial, and the reader may skim quickly or skip to the next section. A security good is purchased by a party or actor that is facing a threat by an attacker. A threat is a costly event that has some small probability of occurring. The probabilities can vary over time and over circumstances. An alternate, complimentary good would be insurance which would compensate for costs after the fact (this contrast is further developed in Sections II, III). The seller of the good makes a claim of some as yet uncertain pedigree that it can defeat or defer the threat, either wholly or partly. As such, the good may reduce the costs incurred in the eventuation of the threat, and it may reduce the probability of the event. Some Equations. We can model this with some simple mathematical equations, primarily so that we can question the predictions of the model below (to which the reader is encouraged to skip). The threat can be seen as a series of events each of which incurs an average cost C with a probability of p, giving an expected loss of ( C p ). A security good claims to reduce the cost of the threat by S according to some metric, and reduces the probability by s. Given a particular event, benefit b is: b = (C p) - C (1 - S) p (1 - s) = (C p) (1 - (1 - S) (1 - s) = (C p) (S + s - s S) Or, total benefit B summed over many events. B = ∑ b i A profit accrues to the buyer if she can pay some price less than benefit B. Note that her profit rises fast with either cost reduction (S) or probability reduction (s) [10]. This would be seem to be an easy calculation. Companies are well equiped to deal with calculations of much greater complexity (e.g., Capital Asset Pricing Model or CAPM) and consumers intiutively deal at this level (do I really need hurricane shutters? when was the last hurricane? do they work anyway?). Especially, if either of S or s can be shown by a supplier then profit should follow for a purchaser. Questioning the Predictions? Why then do we not observe such calculations in the market for these goods? Likewise, why no effective insurance? The difficulty with security appears to arise from the intractability of determining the parameters -- the sufficient set of events, and the good's reduction parameters S and s. This is in part as we shall see due to several factors: a lack of information, the existance of an active attacker who disdains any statistical boxing, and exogenous factors that override endogenous calculations. Today we were unlucky, but remember we only have to be lucky once. You will have to be lucky always. PIRA statement to Thatcher govt after Brighton bomb, 1984 [11]. Consider a burglar alarm. This is a good that can be tested on a basic level according to the supplied instructions. In this sense, it is similar to a protective gate, in that both deliver a good test based on feedback and routine. One opens and goes click on closing; the other sets and resets, with beeping. The Inadequacy of Testing. But there the comparison ends. Once we have shown the burglar alarm is activated, we still have no effective way of determining that it achieves its nominal goal of reducing burglaries or the cost of them. The threat that is being addressed cannot be easily simulated. Pretending to be a burglar is not an efficient option through mismatch of knowledge, so simulated tests are ruled out. In contrast our gate is easily tested, we can kick a gate but not an alarm. A more realistic test is equally problematic. Hiring a burglar is no easy task, as even if one were to achieve this questionable task, it is hard to ensure that the burglar is unbiased, competent and representative. Would he tell you the truth? Is he adequate to the task? The results of any such test would not be strongly indicative of a fair unbiased event of the same characteristics. Active Participation by the Attacker. It gets worse. In the business of security, the attacker is not a party to our testing procedure. Even though the attacker plays within the game, he is an active party; he is not an unbiased, rules-based agent that permits himself to follow statistical patterns. He deliberately attempts to pervert our security, and intends to cause the costs that we are hoping to avoid. As such, he is unimpressed with our efforts and seeks the gaps in them; he wins when we lose. Any test by one burglar will not find all those gaps, so even a real burglary is not a good predictor of any other event of distinct characteristics. Standardised tests derive from and feedback into standardised models of security, and attackers evolve and migrate their threats to work outside those models. Underwriters' Laboratory is therefore not a good model for security with active attackers. The active participation in the security process by the attacker might indicate that game theory would be a useful direction. The buyer / owner of the good employs it, and the attacker responds. Yet there is often a limited scope for active responses to attacks. That is, many security goods are employed in an environment where there is limited ability to hit back with a tit for tat or similar strategy [12]. You're proposing to build a box with a light on top of it. The light is supposed to go off when you carry the box into a room that has a Unicorn in it. How do you show that it works? Gene Spafford
Reply 1988 OST) CJ E&M / Kong Ent 13 Crush ft. Taeyeon - Don't Forget Amoeba Culture / Loen 14 TWICE - Like Ooh Ahh JYP / Kt music 15 10cm - What The Spring?? Magic Strawberry Sound / Poclanos 16 Taeyeon - Rain SM / Kt music 17 Eunji ft. Harim - Dream Plan A / Loen 18 Mad Clown, Kim Na Young - Love Again (Descendants of the Sun OST) OU Ent / Music&New 19 Gary ft. Gaeko - Lonely Night Leessang / Loen 20 G-Friend - Me gustas tu Source Music / Loen Gaon Chart National Physical Albums Ranking FIRST HALF OF 2016 Rank Artist & Album Album Sales Distributor 1 EXO - EX'ACT (Korean Ver.) 524,823 Kt music 2 BTS - Young Forever 319,327 Loen 3 EXO - EX'ACT (Chinese Ver.) 242,342 Kt music 4 Seventeen - Love&Letter 192,030 Loen 5 GOT7 - Flight Log: Departure 157,496 Kt music 6 TWICE - Page Two 136,904 Kt music 7 Taemin - Press It 114,017 Kt music 8 VIXX - Zelos 108,987 CJ E&M 9 Taeyeon - Why 103,784 Kt music 10 Jaejoong - NO.X 85,420 Loen 11 Woohyun - Write.. 83,427 Loen 12 MONSTA X - THE CLAN pt. 1 'LOST' 81,665 Loen 13 BTS - The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Pt. 2 80,341 (Total sales: 354,566) Loen 14 TEEN TOP - Red Point 79,222 Loen 15 Jessica - With Love, J 76,252 Windmill Media 16 WINNER - EXIT : E 75,687 Kt music 17 BTS - The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Pt. 1 74,214 (Total sales: 277,878) Loen 18 Yoochun - How Much Love Do You Have In Your Wallet 67,430 Loen 19 UP10TION - SPOTLIGHT 65,107 Loen 20 IOI - Chrysalis 64,250 Loen Online Downloads For The FIRST HALF OF 2016 Rank Artist & Title Download Count Label & Distributor 1 G-Friend - Rough 1,453,331 Source music / Loen 2 Davichi - This Love (Descendants of the Sun OST) 1,259,612 OU Ent / Music&New 3 Zico - I Am You, You Are Me 1,213,155 Seven Seasons / CJ E&M 4 Gummy - You Are My Everything (Descendants of the Sun OST) 1,196,305 OU Ent / Music&New 5 Yoon Mi Rae - Always (Descendants of the Sun OST) 1,176,469 OU Ent / Music&New 6 Suzy & Baekhyun - Dream 1,157,869 Mystic Ent / Loen 7 MC The Max - No Matter Where 1,124,289 Music&New 8 Crush ft. Taeyeon - Don't Forget 1,102,001 Amoeba Culture / Loen 9 MAMAMOO - You're The Best 1,097,646 RBW / CJ E&M 10 K.Will - Talk Love (Descendants of the Sun OST) 1,055,321 OU Ent / Music&New 11 Chen & Punch - Everytime (Descendants of the Sun OST) 1,050,421 SM / OU Ent / Music&New 12 TWICE - Cheer Up 1,020,988 JYP / Kt music 13 Taeyeon - Rain 996,007 SM / Kt music 14 10cm - What The Spring?? 965,476 Magic Strawberry Sound / Poclanos 15 Lee Juk - Don't Worry (Reply 1988 OST) 950,914 CJ E&M / Kong Ent 16 TWICE - Like OOH AHH 908,550 JYP / Kt music 17 Gary ft. Gaeko - Lonely Night 883,691 Leessang / Loen 18 Mad Clown, Kim Na Young - Love Again (Descendants of the Sun OST) 871,372 OU Ent / Music&New 19 Eunji ft. Harim - Dream 869,437 Plan A / Loen 20 Lee Hi - Breathe 855,608 YG / Kt music Online Streams For The FIRST HALF OF 2016 Crush ft. Taeyeon - Don't ForgetWe’re encouraged that Austin Mayor Steve Adler will postpone a vote on a proposal that reshapes city government and more than doubles the size of his office with staff paid by private money. The decision is too important to rush, as Adler intended prior to Wednesday. Adler’s change of heart follows a vigorous discussion with this editorial board in which we pointed out the unfairness in voting on a proposal of that magnitude two days after rolling it out to the public. Doing so runs contrary to transparency — a value Adler has championed both on the campaign trail and during his tenure so far in office. Austin residents must have an opportunity to view, examine and provide feedback on something that fundamentally changes the way the council does the public’s business at City Hall. That is only fair. And that is just one key issue at stake; it’s equally important to have a robust debate about the proposal’s impact on future mayors and city councils. That has not happened. And it’s very curious that the mayor bypassed the very system he established to consider and vet important matters facing Austin. If the mayor truly is interested in transparency and getting public input, he should send his proposal to his newly refurbished Audit and Finance Committee, whose scope is broad enough to deal with its provisions. Adler’s proposal to expand his office calls for using an obscure foundation, called the Mayor’s Better Austin Foundation – created in 2000 by then-Mayor Kirk Watson. The foundation would collect money from donors, which could be individuals, corporations, businesses or foundation grantors. The money would be used to pay some salaries for eight advisers. Adler appoints the board of this foundation, which will oversee three full-time foundation staff members to assist in raising money from donors. That staff includes his wife, Diane Land, a certified accountant and real estate broker. In the end, the mayor’s plan would expand Adler’s office from five to 13. The eight advisers would make up what Adler is calling his "Community Cabinet." Some would be paid directly by the foundation, while others would be volunteers paid by private entities. They are: Brandi Clark Burton of EcoNetwork; Ashton Cumberbatch of Seton Healthcare Family; Sherri Greenberg of the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas; Joene Grissom, formerly of the Texas Education Agency; Kazique Prince of Jelani Consulting; Frank Rodriguez of Latino HealthCare Forum; Kirk Rudy of Endeavor Real Estate; and Lesley Varghese, formerly of the Asian American Resource Center. We previously noted the problems with such an arrangement, which could become a shadow government that operates outside of the public sphere. Once entrenched as part of City Hall, it isn’t likely to be dismantled and is equally likely to have unintended consequences. As District 2 City Council Member Delia Garza told us, it puts city government on a slippery slope. Already, District 4 Council Member Greg Casar, who is co-sponsoring Adler’s proposal, expressed interest in setting up a foundation in his district. Austin could see 11 such foundations financing extra staff, district offices and other things, all operating outside of public purview and city ethics rules. That system creates inequities, because some council members in poorer districts would be unable to compete on that front with those from wealthier districts. And the arrangement elevates the mayor beyond what Austin’s charter stipulates. Some public policy experts have said Adler’s efforts to grow the size of his office runs contrary to Austin’s "weak mayor" system of government and the new voter-approved system of electing City Council members from geographic districts. We echo those concerns and add a caution: In advancing Adler’s proposal, the City Council could end up significantly increasing the power of the mayor while lessening its own power and role in policymaking, as the mayor will have at his disposal and direction a deep bench of policy wonks capable of outmaneuvering other council members and their staffs. And there are other red flags. Many eyebrows have been raised by the mayor’s decision to appoint his wife as a foundation staff member. Similar concerns are being raised about the appointment of Mark Yznaga, a former political consultant who is the husband of District 5 Council Member Ann Kitchen. While the city’s nepotism policy would prevent such hiring for its staff, no such rules are in place for foundation staff or advisers. There’s also a perception problem with how some advisers will be paid. Cumberbatch, for instance, will still be on Seton’s payroll while serving as one of Adler’s eight advisers. Adler says Cumberbatch would recuse himself on issues related to Seton. But such interests that relate to the city’s health and welfare are directly or indirectly woven through many threads of the community. Also, in his position, Cumberbatch no doubt would have access to information that could, if shared, give his employer an unfair advantage over competitors. We’re not impugning Cumberbatch’s integrity. He has a fine record that we respect. But the appearance of impropriety on that front could hardly be avoided in cases in which Seton prevails in its business dealings with the city. Why go there? The mayor insists that he has strengthened the foundation’s ethics rules so as to avoid undue influence. But those rules don’t go far enough. At the very least, the foundation should be subject to the state’s open records and meetings laws. Again we call on the mayor to change course. If it is necessary to expand the mayor’s office, as he says, then it is taxpayers who should finance that, and not the private sector. That is only right.After President Obama put at least a temporary kibosh on the Keystone XL pipeline earlier this year, Republican Congressmen tried to portray him as increasingly isolated on the issue because they had gained some Democratic support. Well, hold on, cowboy! Turns out that this portrayal is not quite a true fact. The Canadian people don’t want new, sludge-filled pipelines, either—at least, not cutting through their land! Stymied by the fact that the dirty, gritty tar sands oil is trapped in the landlocked province of Alberta, Canada’s prime minister, Stephen Harper, is looking for alternative routes to get the stuff to one coast or the other. He’s actually taking the drastic measure of considering how to move it across Canada instead of the United States. Audacious! However, he declares he’ll never again be held hostage to U.S. politics. (Excuse me? Canadian dirty oil. Canadian companies. Canadian profits. Why was he ever embroiled in U.S. politics in the first place?) Harper is considering three different routes, using some combination of existing pipelines, plus building some new ones. Two routes would run west across Canada to Vancouver, on the Pacific Coast, and one would run east to the Atlantic Coast. But he’s not taking into consideration the objections of Canadian citizens. First of all, Vancouver’s mayor is opposed because of the possible effect on tourism. The other main concern stems from the same issue that stopped the pipeline in the U.S. It would cut across agricultural aquifers and pose a danger of poisoning the water upon which farming depends. The pipelines would carry a dirty sludge called bitumin that is prone to causing leaks in pipelines. It has to be extracted from the tar sands in the first place by creating excessively high carbon dioxide emissions, and then has to be thinned with chemicals for transport to faraway refineries. In 2010, a spill of diluted bitumen in Battle Creek, Michigan closed down the Kalamazoo River. Two years later, parts of the river remain closed in spite of a cleanup effort that cost over $720 million. Harper’s government is taking extreme measures to block opposition to the pipelines. Public hearings have been pushed forward so that groups don’t have time to organize and mount a challenge on the basis of environmental impact; limits have been placed on public comments; the government is threatening to revoke the charitable status of environmental groups; environmentalists have been added to a list of potential terrorists. But one obstacle might be beyond the ability of the government to control—indigenous groups have to be consulted before a pipeline can be built across their land, and that means negotiating with 50 different tribes. Oh, and one other slight obstacle. The eastern route is supposed to travel through Canada as far as Vermont, and then through Vermont and on to Maine. The ultimate goal is to end at Maine’s Casco Bay. Another funny thing, though. Those Mainers seem quite attached to their fishing and tourism industries. Vermonters and Mainers are joining forces—ready for a fight, if need be, to stop the project. That pesky U.S. and its politics! Will Canada never learn? Sign up to have all the AddictingInfo you can handle delivered directly to your email here! I’d be delighted if you joined me on Facebook or checked out my blog.News in Science 'Uncommon' motorbikes reason behind accidents Motorbike surprise Motorcyclists are more likely to be in an accident partly because they are less common on the road and drivers aren't expecting to see them, new Australian research suggests. The study, published in the journal Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, suggests new ways need to be found to make car drivers more familiar with motorbikes, and as a result reduce the road toll. "Motorcyclists in general have a higher crash rate and crash risk than other road users," says Dr Vanessa Beanland, an accident research at the Australian National University's Research School of Psychology. The leading cause of these crashes is that drivers fail to see the motorcycle, sees it too late, or misjudges the speed it's going, and its distance from them. "They tend to not see them or think they're further away than they are, and so they turn in front of them and take out the motorcyclist," says Beanland. "A common anecdote following crashes is the driver saying 'I looked but I didn't see the motorcyclist'." A rare sight While motorcycles are relatively small and their riders tend to wear dark colours, they are also less common on the roads than cars and other vehicles - a fact that Beanland and colleagues thought might contribute to accidents. The researchers got this idea from previous research that has shown that people screening luggage at airports are worse at detecting rare items. "Motorcyclists are only 1 per cent of traffic but they're a much larger percentage of the road toll," says Beanland, adding that in Victoria, motorcyclists make up 17 per cent of road deaths. Beanland and colleagues at the Monash University Accident Research Centre used a driving simulator designed to look like suburban Melbourne to study the effect of motorcycle prevalence on their collision rates with cars. Half the study participants were exposed to a stream of traffic that had many cars, a high prevalence of motorcycles and a low prevalence of buses. The other half were exposed to a traffic stream that had a low prevalence of motorcycles and a high prevalence of buses. Over a one-hour driving period, the participants were asked to press a button every time they saw a bus or motorcycle. "We compared how good they were at detecting the motorcycles and the buses when they were really common compared to when they were rare," says Beanland. A high prevalence (three per minute) of either type of vehicles resulted in drivers being better at detection compared to a low prevalence (one every eight minutes). When there was a high prevalence of motorcycles, drivers going 60 kilometres per hour could detect motorcycles on average 51 metres further away than when there was a low prevalence. "That's an extra three seconds of stopping time, breaking time and planning," says Beanland. In this extra three seconds a driver could stop their car in time, when before they might have had a collision, she adds. Similarly, drivers had an extra 4.4 seconds to react to buses in situations where they occurred more frequently. Beanland says there is no reason why similar findings wouldn't apply to cyclists as well. Expectations The findings support the idea that the rarity of motorcyclists is a factor in car drivers identifying them, says Beanland. "Some of the difficulties drivers have are based on their expectations," she says. "They effectively only see what they expect to see." Previous research suggests that car drivers who are also riders are better at detecting motorcycles. "We know from basic psychology research that people are better at detecting things that have personal relevance to them," says Beanland. "So making motorcycles more relevant to the general public and making them more aware of motorcycles should help." But, she says, how to do this is a more difficult question to answer.For Suishou No Fune, music is ritual, a communion. It navigates unseen currents of energy and emotion, sometimes delicate and fragile and at others a buffeting, ecstatic gale. The way it approaches improvised musical expression allows mood and environment to pass through unfiltered: there is no pretension, just a yearning for release, a sweet sadness that blossoms in swirling color-drenched soundscapes. Guitarist and vocalist Pirako Kurenai says the band has always been about self-expression for both her and partner Kageo (guitar/vox), from the time the two started jamming in dingy Tokyo rehearsal spaces. “We exchanged brushes for guitar. We improvise to create the world of Suishou No Fune using sound as colors, mixing colors and imagination.” In 2002, about three years after the duo began performing as Suishou No Fune, the band added Toshihiko Isogai on drums and ex-Les Rallize Denudes bassists Yokai Takahashi and Doronco to their fluid lineup, and began releasing music—first a collection of early live recordings, then a critically acclaimed self-titled album that’s an almost definitive example of the “P.S.F. sound”—a cult label that’s been exposing Japanese psychedelic and experimental rock to the outside world for over three decades. Since then, Suishou No Fune—sometimes performing live as a duo and at others as a full band—has released a stream of albums, including the haunting Where the Spirits Are in 2006 on US label Holy Mountain, and Prayer for Chibi two years later. The band has toured all over the world and performed with a number of respected artists and bands, including Keiji Haino, Bardo Pond, and Numinous Eye. Last spring, a new album When You Wish Upon a Star was issued through P.S.F. with more music to follow next year. BNU corresponded with Kurenai over a number of months to assemble this extensive interview on Suishou No Fune, one of art rock’s most darkly fascinating jewels. BNU: What made you first pick up the guitar? Do you remember what your first guitar was, and where you bought it? What music did you grow up listening to? I was 13 years old when I got my very first guitar. Folk songs were booming at the time and I was so inspired by the musicians’ style of making and singing songs by themselves. I bought Martin acoustic guitar in Ochanomizu. It had a flaw in its neck, so it was heavily discounted. I felt so lucky being able to get an acoustic guitar at a junior high school age. My first electric guitar I purchased when I was starting Suishou No Fune. It was a Les Paul-shaped cherry-sunburst-colored one and I got it at a secondhand store in Nishi Ogikubo near my house. Kageo and I used to meet after work and play noise guitar at maximum volume for about three hours together from midnight to dawn for about two months after we met. I sung about that cherry-sunburst guitar in my song Cherry [from Prayers for Chibi, 2008]. My lovely white cat named Chee Milk had passed away at the age of 18. So along with playing and singing the song and improvising, the feelings I have about that guitar combines with my longing for Chee Milk. I grew up learning classical piano from a young age, so I didn’t listen to anything that wasn’t classical. But when I was in first grade junior high school, I was shocked when T. Rex came on the school PA system radio program, and my mind opened up to rock. When you first started performing with Suishou No Fune, were you concentrating on music only, or were you involved in other artistic activities? When did you realize that you could communicate best with music? Did it take a long time to develop confidence playing live or did you immediately feel at home on stage? I was painting watercolors and making dolls before I started playing in Suishou No Fune. For me, it was not so much artwork as it was experimental life work. I’d been into drawing abstract images, like a view of my dreams while sleeping, or the radiated energy of the human soul. I’d also been making and selling a lot of dolls of imaginary animals. Around that time I met Kageo for the first time. He was a painter and had painting in oils for a long time. Kageo and I used to meet after work and play noise guitar at maximum volume for about three hours together from midnight to dawn for about two months after we met. It was around that time I came to believe that music was the best way of expressing ourselves. I felt the vast possibility of potential artistic expression in the raging storm of noise that I hadn’t experienced before. That’s how Suishou No Fune was born, trading our brushes for guitars. The sound created by Kageo and I is like the world of paintings. We improvise to create the world of Suishou No Fune using sound as colors, mixing colors and imagination. And we mix grooves with it to make it more powerful as a band sound. I feel the joy of living. Suishou No Fune is definitely a rock band. I’ve never thought about having or not having confidence to play live. Luckily we had a chance to play in a rock event three months after forming Suishou No Fune. We approached our own music on stage like wrestlers in a ring. I think performing live is always like a fight with ourselves. Right after that it felt necessary that we play more shows. If it was midnight or deep in the winter season, we went down town to play in front of the train station whenever we felt like it. It was very exciting to play on the street. But sometimes there was trouble, like with the police or with strangers interfering, that kind of thing, and we’d have to stop playing in the middle of a song. So at that time, playing on stage made it easier to concentrate and to express our world, so we gradually shifted to performing on stage. Your music is strongly evocative of nature, and many of your songs are named after the sea, flowers, sky, and the rain. Is nature a big influence on Suishou No Fune? Do you feel optimistic that humans can look after the planet better, or do you think we are doomed to destroy it with war? Yes, it’s very much influenced by nature. Kageo and I love nature. We can’t separate nature from our life. Often, natural scenery starts to expand in our imaginations when Kageo and I spin sounds ad lib. I feel like I’m in a dream whenever I sing. It’s like a shamanic sense, something possesses my body and words fall spontaneously in drops. Feeling close to the soil, the sky, the wind, the clouds, the rain, the ocean, the mountains, the sun, the moon, and the stars, words are born impromptu and transiently. And the words change to songs little by little. Nature is magnificent. It’s like my utopia, a paradise where humans and nature harmonize and live together. But in the real life, humans easily sell nature by the slice. It looks like nature has been broken without speaking… But I think the God of Nature is strong and is an invisible gigantic force. The destruction of nature will return to human beings as another form of damage some day. The God of Nature is strong and is an invisible gigantic force. The destruction of nature will return to human beings as another form of damage some day. Humans are a foolish animal that injures nature, friends, and themselves. Unless people’s desire vanishes away, war will never end. Peace is just the interval between wars. A prayer for peace is so beautiful and sacred. But unfortunately, in this material world it sounds like a refrain or prayers for war. Your music seems full of sadness and captures feelings of pain and longing so beautifully. This style of expression has been a big influence on a lot of bands around the world. It’s very distinctively Japanese. Can you tell me what led to you developing this and whether there were any influences on you and Kageo that helped to shape your music? Exactly, Suishou No Fune’s songs, sounds, and words are often born from heartrending feelings like sadness and pain. For us, the music is life itself. That is to say, the kind of environment we grew up in and what we have been thinking about and feeling is reflected or embodied by the sound of Suishou No Fune. One thing Kageo and I have in common is that we had very few sympathetic supporters. We had no good friends in our childhood. Kageo used to play with flowers and my only friend was a cat. In due time, Kageo and I came to know each other and became sympathetic partners. Because of our personalities, nature and animals affect us more than artifacts. And we’ve got to know a lot about love and affection. Maybe the best art contains a powerful message; that has something to say, an attitude. Do you think the style of music Suishou No Fune plays has an “attitude” or political point of view, or is it simply artistic self-expression? I think musicians are not politicians, but artists. If you want to change society, it’s more effective to be a politician than an artist. The purpose of an artist’s work isn’t to incite people to revolution, but to live in a stream of society, feel something, and create artwork from those kinds of feelings and thoughts. As a result, one seems to sympathize and harmonize with others. One thing Kageo and I have in common is that we had very few sympathetic supporters. We do not like intentional, explicit, or artificial expression in our art. The musicality of Suishou No Fune is highly individual. We hope to express the natural. Humans can expose the naked reality of soul when they are relaxing because that state is furthest from untruth. The innocence and lack of deceit at the core or soul of humans is something that’s free from national boundaries. It has very profound meaning. You have played both as a duo, as a four-piece, and also collaborated with other bands such as Bardo Pond. Which format do you get the most enjoyment from? It’s hard to rate because all of them are special. There’s no limit of time and space when we play as a duo—we don’t know what kind of sound and lyrics might be generated. I can enjoy how that the deep world of mind appears in front of our eyes. Playing as a four-piece makes me feel like I’m swimming in space. It’s enjoyable. When we jam with Bardo Pond or Numinous Eye, the freedom and the joy of intercultural musical communication is expressed. And we released it on the albums. I really appreciate that we got to meet them. Anybody exploring Japanese rock music will find Fushitsusha, Les Rallizes Denudes, Keiji Haino, Kousokuya, Shizuka, and others on P.S.F. You have played with a lot of cool people, but I wanted to ask in particular about Keiji Haino. You have jammed a lot together and I was wondering how that experience was, and whether at first you were nervous, and also if any recordings of these sessions were made? Yes, Suishou No Fune has had a lot of sessions with many great musicians. We were so excited to communicate with musicians and bands that have a similar vision through sound. We had some long sessions with Keiji Haino. All of them were at gigs played at concert halls. During every live performance together, we played and expressed ourselves in the session freely, equally. We communicated with each other in our own language in the rumble of sound waves. I felt like I was standing on a boat in a storm. I felt no nervousness in session with Keiji Haino. I remember it as a very thrilling experience. Black Flowers Of The Forest In The Cosmos by Suishou No Fune & Numinous Eye But we haven’t released anything from those sessions with Haino-san—for us it was meaningful enough to just experience the sessions with him. We never actually thought to record them. As musicians, it meant a lot to have communication through sound not only with Haino-san, but also with other great pioneers. How they sound is how they live their lives as musicians. We experienced it and were rewarded with uncountable precious things. Two former bass players of Les Rallizes Denudes have played in Suishou No Fune at different times. How big of an influence has the band been on you personally? What do you feel about the fascination many people have for the band and for Mizutani in particular? Suishou No Fune started in 1999, but Les Rallizes Denudes had already broken up by then. Unfortunately, Kageo and I have neither seen Les Rallizes Denudes live nor met Mr. Mizutani. It was very hard to get a CD of them at that time. It was actually maybe 2004 before I listened to Les Rallizes Denudes for the first time. In the summer of 2002, we had a chance to meet Mr. Doronco, a former bassist of Les Rallizes Denudes. He listened to some recordings of Suishou No Fune, he liked them, and we started talking. Sometimes Suishou No Fune did gigs with Doronco’s band (DAS). Once at his house I asked him if I could listen to a Les Rallizes Denudes record, but he said he didn’t have any of them. I was amazed, but at the same time I was curious… I think, you know, that fact in itself says a lot about the legend of Les Rallizes Denudes. There was a period when there was no proper bassist in Suishou No Fune, so Mr. Doronco kindly helped out playing bass, and we played quite a few shows together. His bass playing was free, easy, and natural, and powerful enough to support the entire band. I usually ad-lib lyrics, and his energy with the bass truly inspired my imagination when we played, especially when jamming on one code or one riff continuously. It felt like a picnic in a world of sound and I enjoyed it so much. In the winter of 2003 we met Mr. Yokai Takahashi [ex-Les Rallizes Denudes] at a gig. After the show he told us that Suishou No Fune’s sound was similar to his. And after a while he saw us play live. His playing and “sense” was so unique, it felt like Suishou No Fune, so we asked him to join as a full-time member. Like osmosis, his bass playing harmonized and we went through a stage of playing live a lot together. He also didn’t have any Les Rallizes Denudes records. The sound was like a volcano. Volcanic ejecta of energy, an uncontrolled spectrum of colors, magma gushing out, sound of chaos and confusion. Around 2004, we finally had a chance to listen to Les Rallizes Denudes. My friend played me an unreleased record. I was shattered. The sound was like a volcano. Volcanic ejecta of energy, an uncontrolled spectrum of colors, magma gushing out, sound of chaos and confusion. And the lyrics of Mizutani coming to the surface… I felt Les Rallizes Denudes was precious for me. And then I kind of remembered that Mr. Doronco and Mr. Yokai had been members of Les Rallizes Denudes. You have travelled around the world playing music. Do you have a favorite country to visit? Has travelling changed how you feel about Japan? Every town and country we visit inspires us. Wherever it is, we are interested in it and find a lot of joy. I love and find inspiration in every single town I go to and in everyone I meet. As soon arriving at a town, I feel like I should give something, like a salute, you know, the sky, the ocean, the mountains, a river, plants or animals, an old cemetery, temples. If we are accepted by the spirits of the area, I believe they will let us play well. For example, in San Francisco, Jacumba, and Albuquerque, we felt like we reflected the intense sunburn, dry wind, and soil, and our playing became more powerful and wild. In Hong Kong, where there’re a lot of rivers and oceans like in Japan, and in Minneapolis, which has a lot of lakes, and in the UK where rains a lot, I felt comfortable in my body and mind with the thought and feeling of water, and I could relax and play. Coming back home and standing outside the airport, every time the soft humid wind caresses me. I feel like a fish swimming in the water, and people walking around me look like fish slowly swimming. The interesting thing about touring is that I am really affected by the air and the soil and human energy, and it becomes sound. It’s a very inspiring and meaningful thing for musicians who create songs by improvisation. I feel we’re Japanese when I tour abroad. It’s good and bad, I realize there are differences. But my body and soul was born in the soil, water, and air of Japan. My ancestors were born and died in the country as well. It’s precious to me. Coming back home and standing outside the airport, every time the soft humid wind caresses me. I feel like a fish swimming in the water, and people walking around me look like fish slowly swimming. “Yes, it’s Japan, Tokyo.” It’s lovely, small things like that. And while living my daily life in Tokyo, I’m glad to find myself surprised by tiny “Japanese” things around me. It affects the music of Suishou No Fune and it’s so good to see and feel my own country with brand new feelings. The music of Suishou No Fune is based on this sense. What small things in life give you the greatest pleasure? What is your favorite sound? Encounters with people, synchronicity. Colors and flavors of flowers and plants. Raindrops, spring thunder, cicada chirps, cricket chirps in autumn, snowfall, the sound of the temple bell ringing on New Year’s Eve. What is your favorite book? What kind of films do you enjoy? Grimm’s fairy tales, Pollano Square, and others by Kenji Miyazawa, The Wind-up Bird Chronicle and others by Haruki Murakami, El Topo by Alejandro Jodorowsky, Stalker by Andrei Tarkovsky, Asparagus by Suzan Pitt, Twin Peaks by David Lynch and Mark Frost… Are there any musicians you and Kageo would like to collaborate with in the future? No idea for now. We’ve bumped into people or had friends line stuff up, but I’m satisfied. We’ll see what happens. Do you keep up with new music or do you just enjoy listening to your favorites? Do you go out and see live music often? I’m the kind of woman who keeps listening to her same favorite music. I do try various instruments and go on trips to search for new sounds for inspiration. I go see live shows. Do you think the Japanese music scene has changed much in the time since you first started playing? It’s basically the same Japanese music scene. I feel like the underground scene in Tokyo has been spread overseas with the Internet. Unfortunately, musicians with whom I feel the spirit have been decreasing year by year. What are you working on at the moment, and do you have any new music coming out soon? Do you still play and write a lot? This spring we released When You Wish Upon a Star on P.S.F. Records. And there are some recordings we’re planning to release as well. We’re looking forward to it. Suishou No Fune’s latest records and back catalog is available here in Japanese and here in English. For people in Japan, Suishou No Fune plays regularly at the SHOW BOAT venue. Check here for dates.Whale helps calf caught in Gold Coast shark net Updated A juvenile whale calf has been cut free after becoming entangled in a shark net off the Gold Coast. The four-metre humpback was trapped by its tail at Coolangatta Beach. Queensland Boating and Fisheries Patrol spokesman Mark Saul said conditions were calm, so too was the calf's mother, which sped up the rescue. "Both the whales were very calm," he said. "Mum had just pushed into the nets slightly to help keep the calf up on the surface which she was doing quite well. "After a few cuts, a bit of mesh away, they both just swam away to the south-east. "It swam away with its mother to the south, in good health and condition." Topics: mammals---whales, emergency-incidents, coolangatta-4225, mermaid-beach-4218 First postedChristine Bolden collapsed on March 1 while walking in Michigan, Detroit, with her boyfriend and three-year-old son. Five days later she was pronounced brain-dead by doctors and an obituary for the 26-year-old lists her date of death as March 6. But almost a month later she has given birth to twins after being kept on life support in order to save her unborn children. Miss Bolden, who also has an 11-year-old son, gave birth to Nicholas and Alexander – names she had chosen before her collapse – on April 5 after a 25-week pregnancy. Her life support was turned off shortly afterwards. Miss Bolden's aunt, Danyell Bolden said that
by accident—which led, via the mushrooming popularity of computing during the 1980s and 1990s, to an increasingly unwieldy and overstaffed org chart full of disgruntled CS postgrad researchers and mathematicians. I ended up in this line of work because once upon a time, my perfectly innocent master's thesis nearly summoned up an undead alien god in Wolverhampton. (We will step swiftly past the suggestion that this could only have resulted in urban regeneration.) Luckily the Laundry caught me in time and made me a job offer I wasn't allowed to refuse: take a nice civil service job in an obscure department where we can keep an eye on you, or be found crunchy and good with ketchup by a nightmarish monster from beyond spacetime. That was about eleven years ago. Unfortunately, after a while I got bored with my tedious make-work job and made the cardinal mistake of volunteering for active operational duty. As a result of that error of judgment, I've had more encounters with nightmarish monsters from beyond spacetime than I care to think about, not to mention their deranged cultist worshippers. This doubtless sounds very exciting to you, but the committee meetings and form-filling that go with the job are a bit of a downer. And that's saying nothing about the hoops you have to jump through to satisfy the internal auditors that you did everything by the book. Adventures are something I try to avoid these days. Unfortunately I'm not very good at it. Final wrap-up: on top of the ploddingly mathematical side of the job, I've stumbled into a specialized sideline as a trainee necromancer, which isn't a talent you'd wish on your worst enemy; and I work for an obscure boutique department called External Assets that provides—well, that would be telling. Mo also works for the Laundry. She's not a computer geek. She's an academic philosopher and combat epistemologist, not to mention a talented violinist. The instrument she plays was provided by the organization and has exotic, indeed horrifying, capabilities: it's one of a kind. (If at this point you are thinking, "occult acoustic weapons," then pat yourself on the back.) When I lay it out like that we sound like some kind of superhero team, don't we? But we're actually just a couple of married civil servants with day jobs that involve far too much paperwork, and the occasional terrifying incursion from another dimension. And we're probably doomed, but I'll get to that later. An early autumn evening in central London can be a fine experience, or a lousy one. It depends on a variety of factors: on the weather, on whether you've just been sucked into a bad-tempered and pointless argument with your wife, on how worried you are about next month's credit card bill. Not to mention your uneasy anticipation of the meeting your new and somewhat unpredictable manager has scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. That night I'd rolled ones on all of my dice: it was raining and gray, Mo was pissed off with me, the credit card bill was unpleasantly large, and Lockhart isn't the world's most forgiving boss. So I escorted Mo to the nearest tube station, then, rather than accompanying her home in prickly silence, I made a lame excuse and headed back to the office—not knowing that I was about to put myself in mortal danger. I work in a building called the New Annex. It's a lump of mid-seventies concrete brutalism that squats above a closed discount store somewhere south of the Thames. The New Annex is one of the temporary offices we occupy while a public-private partnership rebuilds Dansey House, our headquarters building. Thanks to the current government's budget cuts, the months have turned into years and the Dansey House rebuild appears to have stalled. Turns out there's a nagging problem with long-forgotten and extremely powerful geases mucking up the foundations: we've run into the thaumaturgic equivalent of trying to rebuild a university campus and discovering that the walls are riddled with asbestos, the chemistry department used to pour mercury compounds and radioactive waste down the drains, and the admin block was built on top of a plague pit full of skeletons. I'm resigned to working in the New Annex until I die. It wasn't furnished for comfort or convenience, even by civil service standards—nobody expected to be there more than six months—and these days it's just seedy, with peeling paint, cracked plaster, grubby uncleaned windows, and a persistent whiff of sewage in the basement levels. There is an entryphone by the side door to a closed cheap chain store in London. It looks abandoned, but works just fine: it's our staff entrance. I stepped inside, pulling out my LED Lenser torch. "Hello?" I called. Something hissed in the darkness nearby. I raised my warrant card and pointed the torch in the direction of the sound. A withered face swung towards me: but then it recognized the warrant card and shuffled backwards, receding into the shadows again. (The lobby lights burned out six months ago and you can't get replacements for the type of bulb they use any more: hence the torch and the shadows.) I headed directly towards the stairwell at the end of the corridor, itching to reach the relative safety—and working lights—of my office. The night watch are confined to the ground floor except during emergencies, and they're only supposed to eat unauthorized intruders, and in any case I have special talents for dealing with their kind; but batteries have been known to fail, and anyway, who wants to be alone in the dark with a bunch of Residual Human Resources for company? Note: never use the Z-word to refer to them. Our Facilities Management people fastidiously describe them as Residual Human Resources, former employees who are still present in body if not in soul. When your mission involves binding and controlling mind-eating horrors, after a while it seems perfectly normal to use some of the leftover corpses to cut payroll costs on the late shift. Anyway, the Z-word is disrespectful, insulting, and considered politically incorrect around here. You might end up as one of them yourself: How would you feel about being called a zombie? As to just why I went back to the office after dinner with Mo... The Laundry marches to a different beat from the regular civil service, but we are not institutionally immune to outside influences. We do computery algorithmic stuff: this means we sometimes succumb to contagious management fads that are doing the rounds in the real world outside. In this case, the winds of change had blown in from Google (or, more likely, out of the arse of a senior management bod who had come down with a severe case of Chocolate Factory envy): management, bless their little cotton socks, decided that we needed to be Creative and Innovative and endowed with Silicon Valley start-up style va-va-voom. So they decreed that everyone above a certain grade was to spend four hours a week pursuing their own personal self-selected projects—which would have been great, if they hadn't missed the point. At Google employees spend 20 percent of their hours on their own personal projects; in the Laundry we didn't get any extra time, or any extra budget. Also, we didn't get to pursue arbitrary time-wasting inquiries on our own initiative: there was a stack of vetted proposals for creative and innovative research ideas, and we had to pick one from the pile and sign our names to it. Our assigned jobs still came first, and in any case usually kept us busy for up to 110 percent of our working hours. In other words, the beatings were to continue until morale (and our va-va-voom) improved. To be fair, we could also contribute to the suggestions box from which a committee selected the suitable candidates for working time. If you really worked hard to engineer it, you could probably run your own project—just as long as you could sneak it past the committee without one of the jobsworths shooting it down. Anyway, the Creative and Innovative self-directed work inflicted upon us from above now needed to be done—and with no hours allocated to it during the working day, it had perforce to be done at night. I wasn't the only night owl working in the department tonight; the Laundry is eccentric by civil service standards, and although the fax machines and telephone switchboards were all switched off at night to stop employees abusing the facilities (per some ancient directive issued in 1972), the coffee machine and the network remain accessible. Quite a few employees choose to work outside core business hours to minimize the risk of being disturbed. Tonight, the red NO ENTRY light above Andy's office was lit, suggesting that my years-ago former manager was burning the midnight oil; our current departmental admin asset—Trish: twenty-something, plump, amiably inquisitive in an utterly inappropriate way—was nose down in a book at her desk in the middle of the open-plan area. "Bob? Oh, hi!" She deftly shuffled the book out of sight beneath a lever arch file full of forms, but not before I spotted the cover of The Hunger Games. "Can I sign you in?" I nodded, as she logged my badge and photographed me (duplicating a process that had certainly already happened before the front door closed behind me). "What brings you back to the office?" "Couldn't sleep," I lied. "Also, got to finish writing up a report for the Auditors." The document in question was my report on GOD GAME RAINBOW—the apocalyptic clusterfuck in Colorado Springs a couple of months ago—but Trish didn't need to know that: mentioning the Auditors would put her off asking any more questions. (Our audits are not strictly confined to the realm of the financial, and the people who administer them are deeply scary.) "Is anyone else around?" "Andy's up to something: he said he wasn't to be disturbed." Trish's expression of mildly affronted disapproval nailed it: she was bored. "But he requested night service because of some regulation or other about not working solo, and I'm top of the on-call rota, so it's overtime for me..." She mimed covering her mouth for a theatrical yawn. I got it, although I disapproved: regs meet reality. Andy needed to perform some sort of procedure that the Book said needed two bodies present, but he couldn't be bothered waiting for a qualified pair of hands. Instead he ticked the checkbox by ordering up a receptionist, then did it solo. Once upon a time that kind of sloppiness had been my forté—I'd gotten over it, but Andy had always been a little too casual to leave in a hands-on role. (That, I theorised, was why he'd ended up dangling from the bottom rung of the management ladder—too high to do any damage, too low to make anyone else do any damage.) "I'll go see if he needs a hand," I promised her. "If you'd rather go home I'll sort it out." I walked over to Andy's office door—diagonally across the open plan/cubicle area from my own—and knocked twice. There was an unhuman presence on the other side of the door: it made the skin on my wrists tingle and brought an electric taste to my tongue. I listened with my ears and an inner sense I'd been uneasily practicing for the past year. Tuning in on the uncanny channel brought me a faint sizzling, chittering echo of chaotic un-minds jostling for proximity to the warm, pulsing, squishy meatsacks. The lightning-blue taste of a warded summoning grid—not a large one, just an electrified pentacle unrolled on a desk—was like fingernails on a blackboard: Andy was conducting midnight invocations by the light of a backlit monitor. Okay, so he wasn't being totally stupid about this. But it still set my teeth on edge. "Who's there?" "It's Bob. Am I safe to enter?" "I'm running a level one. Make sure you don't violate the containment and you should be fine." "Not good enough, Andy. Is it safe for me to enter?" Andy sighed heavily. "Yes, mother, I'm deactivating it now." "Good." A muffled click came from the other side of the door, and I felt the inchoate gibbering subside. I put my hand on the doorknob and pushed. "Come on in, Bob." I squeezed inside his office. Andy hovered over a home-brew lab, pale-faced and skinny, staring at me with bleary eyes. He was older than me, a member of a generation that had grown up wearing a shirt and tie to the office and who still tried to keep up appearances; he was the junior ops manager who approved my application and gave me my first ever field test. It was odd to see him in a polo shirt and chinos. "What's the project? Couldn't you wait for a health and safety check?" He managed a self-deprecating shrug. "You know how it is; it's my weekly ten-percenter." He'd built the summoning grid on a folding table that occupied about half his floorspace: by the look of it, it had started out as a NAAFI table tennis game some time in the 1950s, before he re-purposed it as an occult research workbench. I spotted peripherals: an Arduino controller, a laptop, a couple of wire-wrap circuit boards, a breakout box, and of course a summoning grid—which most people mistake for a pentacle. "They roped you in to the Google cargo-cult, too?" I asked. "Yes." He shrugged again. "On the bright side, it gives me an excuse to brush up on my practical skills: I've spent so long shuffling reports that I'm in danger of forgetting what it's all about. If you're willing to watch my back I'd be very grateful, Bob, but you really don't need to; it's perfectly safe." "Yes well, I can't help thinking that you've been here since at least the BLOODY BARON meeting this morning." He nodded instinctively. "Which means you've been in the office for at least twelve hours. If you were a pilot they wouldn't let you anywhere near the controls of an airliner when you're that tired: it's how mistakes happen—" "Don't be silly, Bob! All it is is a 'hello, spirit world' demo. There's nothing to go wrong: all it does is execute a contained summoning of a class one voice-responsive agent," (a demon, to you), "make it do a handstand, then send it away again. With maybe a couple of optimizations to the grid controller, which I'm trying to prove with cheap off-the-shelf components. There's no agency outside the grid." He pointed at the Arduino board. "See? It's perfectly safe. Watch—" My hair stood on end, I broke out in a cold sweat, and I was already in motion, halfway across the room towards him when he began to utter the inevitable, fateful word—"this"—as his finger descended on the button wired to the breadboard beside the microcontroller, and power surged into the grid. I shoved Andy away from the table, but I was too late: the circuit had been completed, and I could hear the chittering in the back of my head much more clearly, over a mumbling chewing sizzle like millions of mandibles on the move— "Andy, get out!" I grabbed his arm and swung him towards the door. He resisted instinctively but ineffectually: I shoved him across the threshold. The alien gibbering was rising in pitch, and my skin crawled as we passed the side of the card table, where the grid was glowing with a rapidly brightening violet radiance. I felt a metallic taste on my tongue as we crossed below the lintel— "Wait, what, I don't even—" Finally Andy began to move under his own steam. Only a couple of seconds had passed since he began to say "watch this," but my Spidey sense and the frankly terrifying sense of wrongness in my guts told me that we might be too late: whatever the thing flooding into the powered-up summoning grid was, it certainly wasn't just a harmless class one emanation. I felt it tracking me as I stepped across the threshold, like a terrier that has spotted and locked onto a juicy mouthful of rodent on the run: cold and dank and terrifyingly alien, like something from the abyssal depths of another world's oceans. I turned and pulled the door shut, then leaned against it and reached instinctively for the ward I wear in a small leather bag on a thong around my neck. "Andy," I gasped. "What? What?" He blinked, confused as I stared at him. Eyes: clear. No sense of possession—if I was a god-botherer I'd have given thanks right then. The door behind me rattled. I shivered: it was becoming cold to the touch. I took a deep breath. "Andy, I need you to go get—no. First, I want you to send Trish home. Then I want you to go get Angleton." I took a step away from the door, and turned to face it. "I don't understand! It's only meant to summon a class one—" I could barely hear his spoken words over the gibbering din in my head emanating from the other side of the warded portal. "Andy." I spoke through gritted teeth. "Get Trish out of the building and to a designated place of safety. Then go and get Angleton right now. We will resume this conversation at a later date." "But—" I glanced at him and he shut up. I'd never seen his face turn that color before: he nodded stiffly, then broke into a stumbling trot in the direction of the corridor leading to Angleton's hole. Finally. I drew another deep breath, heart pounding. The tense feeling between my shoulders was getting worse. Andy was old enough to know better. A class one manifestation, in our charmingly indirect lexicon, is nothing you want to make physical contact with. Many years ago I'd been on a training course where a guy called Fred from Accounting—who'd been assigned to the course because of a typo on an HR form—ended up extremely dead indeed because he hadn't understood that a voice responsive agent is a nasty little cognitive loop that can run on (and burn out) a human nervous system just as easily as a computing device. Whatever was on the other side of that door was most certainly not a class one manifestation. I could feel it from the other side of the door, like the hum of a national grid high-voltage bearer. Our offices are shielded by wards—we frequently handle occult materials—but whatever he'd invoked was flexing its magical muscles and coming dangerously close to overloading not only the summoning grid on that flimsy card table but the more substantial wards on the door frame. Which was very bad news. I pulled out my phone and pointed the camera at the door itself, then called up OFCUT—our occult monitoring app in a smartphone-sized can—to take a look. Sure enough, histograms shading from blue to violet were chewing around the edges of the elder sign in the middle of the elaborate tracery. It confirmed what I could feel in my tingling fingertips and roiling stomach: I wasn't about to open my inner eye and have an eyeball-to-eyeball look at the void by way of a third opinion, but I was pretty sure that if I did I'd see something so wrongthat it wouldn't even be visible at all, except as a sucking blind-spot distortion in my visual field, dragging everything around it together at the edges like a detached retina. The doorknob appeared to be smoking. It was air condensing on the metal surface as vapor, then boiling off again. Elapsed time: thirty seconds. And here I was, with just my regulation-issue class four ward, my OFCUT-equipped phone, and whatever native magical talent I happened to have, facing the oh-shit lurking on the other side of the threshold. An equally chilly voice from behind me said, "Speak, boy. What are we facing?" I glanced round. It was Angleton, with Andy trailing along wearing a hang-dog expression. If it wasn't for the deafening hum and gibber I'd have felt Angelton's presence as soon as he entered the corridor leading to this office space: as chilly and powerful as the thing beyond the door. Not to mention his speech patterns: he spoke to everybody as if they were naughty schoolchildren. Judging by Andy's expression he was expecting a caning. "Andy's ten-percenter involves a non-standard grid designed to summon and contain a class one. He hooked something else. I reckon it's class five or higher, minimally sentient or stronger, still inside the grid but working to get free. Leakage through the door wards is over six hundred milli-Parsons per minute right now, and rising; the grid is still powered up so I figure the entity on the other side is still trying to squeeze through the portal—" "Understood," Angleton said crisply. "Mr Newstrom. How exactly does your grid differ from a standard design?" I looked back at the door, but I could see Andy's expression in my imagination: a naughty boy who has had to get the headmaster out of bed because he's set fire to the chemistry lab. "It's not substantially different: I just used an Arduino microcontroller board and a bunch of control code I wrote for it to run a standard hello spirit world demo—" "Did you use an off-the-shelf code library? Or write your own?" Angleton's interrogation was gentle, precise, and pointed. I could see him in my mind's eye, too: tall, cadaverously pale, thin as a mummy, with eyes like ice diamonds. "I rolled my own code generator in FORTRAN77," Andy explained. "Atmel AVR machine code, not that high level Arduino stuff. It seemed more efficient to get down to the bare metal..." Angleton sighed. And now my blood ran cold. Because if there's one thing worse than an IT manager who's feeling the chill wind of obsolescence blowing down his neck and consequently trying to contribute code to the repository like an actual working developer, it's an IT manager who's getting creative. And Andy's project was nothing if not creative, for values of creativity that I don't want to go anywhere near without body armor and HAZMAT gear. "Mr Newstrom. We will have words about this later." Angleton paused: I could feel his eyes on me. "Boy. Tell me what you hear?" He always called me boy. From anyone else I'd take it badly; from Angleton it was probably a sign of affection. "I hear termites," I said. "About a trillion sixteen-dimensional, elephant-sized termites chewing on the edges of reality." "Did you wire in a remote kill switch?" Angleton asked Andy. There was an eloquent moment of silence, punctuated only by the munching of metaphysical mandibles. Then the sound changed. "Oh dear," I said, as Angleton simultaneously said, "Mr Newstrom, evacuate the building. Mr Howard and I will remain to deal with this." Then, on the other side of the door, the over-stressed summoning grid ruptured. The immediate consequence of the summoning grid rupture wasn't that spectacular; the door grew colder and the runes engraved in it flared up, glowing the eerie deep blue of Cerenkov radiation. The office was warded to a high level, and would hold for at least half an hour longer than the grid on the card table. But the thing Andy had inadvertently summoned was now forcing its way into our universe directly, no longer confined by the meter-diameter circle on the table. And if it was powerful enough to overload one grid, it might well be able to overpower another, including the structural wards built into the walls, floor, and ceiling of the New Annex: in which case, we could have a real problem on our hands. Angleton closed the gap and stepped past me, extending a hand towards the door. He looked at it quizzically, even hesitantly: an expression I'd never seen on his face before, and most unwelcome. Angleton is a DSS, a Detached Special Secretary: in our unofficial lexicon the acronym really stands for Deeply Scary Sorcerer. This is, if anything, an understatement: he's known to some as the Eater of Souls. That's because he's not actually human—he's an alien intelligence bound into a human body by a powerful necromantic ritual. Luckily for us, he's on our side. I'm his assistant, apprentice, whatever you call it. I don't know the real extent of his power, but I'm a moderately competent necromancer in my own right; anything that gives Angleton cause for concern is, by definition, frightening. "Boy," he said conversationally, "this is going to be messy. Please verify that all the human staff are off the premises, then fetch the night watch." "Fetch the—what, all of them?" "Yes, Bob. We're going to need zombies. Lots of zombies." "Wait, what—" I looked back at the door. Either I had a sudden eyestrain or the wards on it were bulging ominously. I glanced at my smartphone again. The thaum field was strengthening rapidly, and the flux had exceeded a thousand milli-Parsons per minute. "Er, yes. Right away." I fled in the direction of the front door, leaving Angleton to face the glowing door alone, like an eldritch remix of the little Dutch boy on the dyke. There is a formal procedure for evacuating the New Annex: it involves filling out six forms in quadruplicate to obtain the key to a key cupboard containing the key to a cabinet containing a silver hammer (that bit would normally be done in advance, daily, by the Security Officer on Duty), then using the aforementioned hammer to break the glass cover on a brass box containing a bell inscribed with mystic runes— I hit the fire alarm. Then I raised my metaphysical fingers to my astral lips and emitted the most deafening mental whistle I'm capable of. Then I began to chant doggerel in Old Enochian: On Ilka Moor Bah't'At, or maybe, Get your shambling undead asses up here on the double. This saved a break-neck dash down a darkened staircase (not to mention all the SOD form-filling and the hammer stuff), buying me sufficient time to dash across to my own office and rummage around in the assorted crap on top of the filing cabinet for my pigeon's foot, cigarette lighter, silver paint spray can, packet of sharpies, and pocket camera—all the while carrying on the chant. Thus equipped I dashed back into the open-plan area just in time to see the first of the night watch shamble towards me, arms outstretched in classic Bela Lugosi style. "Be so good as to make a new grid, boy," Angleton murmured, not looking away from the haunted office door. "Make it big; I need an airlock." I began to spray conductive paint in a big circle behind him, across the beige carpet tiles and continuing on up the walls and as high as I could reach. I paused before sketching in the second arc, stopped chanting, and turned to face the night watchmen. "Acknowledge my authority," I ordered them in my halting Old Enochian. Slowly, with creaking joints, the wizened corpses in their blue uniforms went to their knees. Eight mummified faces turned to blindly inspect me. I could feel their attention, eager for flesh and life but bound to obey. "I am your lawful knight-commander," I added. "Under oath by way of my liege." They followed my gaze to Angleton, and cringed, suitably terrified. "A hostile intruder lies past yonder portal. Attend." I went back to sketching in the new, larger grid around Angleton and the door. I could feel his concentration focussed on the wards around the office, intent and precise as that of any surgeon. "Nearly done," I murmured, sketching glyphs rapidly: Elder Sign, Horned Skull, NAND Gate. "What do you want me to do?" "Move two zombies in here, boy." (Angleton predates political correctness.) "Then activate the grid as soon as I'm clear of it." I waved the first two night watch shamblers forward, then ducked to connect the grid terminals to a clunky-looking wireless transponder controlled by my smartphone. "Ready when you are, boss." Angleton stepped back sharply. "Now, boy," he said. I poked at the touchscreen and opened my inner eye. The new grid shimmered pale blue around a smaller violet doorway, fronting the roiling darkness around Andy's office—I could see the thing right through the walls and floor. "Thou," Angleton said sharply, in Old Enochian, "it is thine honor upon my word to open the door. Andthoushalt step through the portal and be my ears and eyes and tongue for that which lies within—" I twitched slightly. Was Angleton really going to use a zombie as a webcam? I've gotten used to dealing with the metabolically challenged over the past year, but even so, that was a level of intimacy I wouldn't willingly approach. "Sssss," said one of the night watchmen, reaching for the doorknob. I could feel the taste of its mind, half-afraid and half-eager to discover whatever waited behind the door, ready to eat— It touched the doorknob. And pushed. The door swung open to reveal a luminous chaos. Green-edged shadows flickered across the room, dazzling me, as the other zombie lurched forwards, straight into the embrace of a tangled skein of many-jointed limbs and a hairball of writhing tentacles, some of them sprouting fern-like leaves that quested blindly around the edges of the door. One of them sprouted, extending swiftly into the room; it reached the edge of the inner grid and sizzled, recoiling violently. The mass of wildly waving intrusive appendages spasmed and twitched, pulling back—with the zombie dangling in its grasp, unmoving. "Close the door!" called Angleton, and the other zombie pulled, hard. The door scraped shut, the warding on it sucking it back into place in its frame. "Well, that didn't go so well," he remarked conversationally, pulling a starched white cotton handkerchief from his breast pocket. He wiped his forehead: the cloth came away pink, smeared with perspiration and blood. Angleton glanced at the kerchief disapprovingly, then folded it neatly and tucked it away. Then he looked at me. "The natives are restless tonight." A mirthless smile. "A capital learning opportunity don't you think, boy? Quick. Tell me what you saw." "I—" I swallowed. You have got to be shitting me. This was Angleton all over. What you or I would recognize as an alien invasion by tentacled horrors from beyond spacetime Angleton would see as a teachable moment. I could swear there was liquid helium running in his veins. "Morphologically diverse subsentient entity, didn't even notice it was in physical contact with a vessel for the feeders in the night; the usual death patterning didn't even touch it." (One of the reasons the night watch are so dreadful—to most people—is that skin-to-skin contact with one of them is usually about as survivable as skin-to-metal contact with an electric chair. Angleton is made of sterner stuff, and I'm immune to them for a different reason. But even so.) "What next?" The mirthless smile broadened. "You send in another body and watch what happens, while I see what I can find out about the world on the other side of that door." I turned to the group of Residual Human Resources in the corner. They looked singularly unenthusiastic for the fate Angleton had in mind for them, even by zombie standards. "You can't just go using the night watch as meat probes!" A residual budget-focussed reflex prompted me to protest. "There'll be hell to pay in the morning! Security will have a cow!" "Security will have a much bigger problem to deal with if we can't close down this portal by then, boy." Angleton glanced at Andy's office. The remaining zombie in the outer ward was still clutching the door handle. After a moment I realized it was frozen to it. "Do you have any suggestions?" "We don't have any spare nukes on the premises, do we?" Don't be silly, Bob, I told myself. "Well, hmm. It depends if what is on the other side of the door is still Andy's office, with a portal inside it, or if the grid's ripped wide open and the door is actually opening into another domain." "The latter, I believe." Angleton cocked his head on one side. "You are considering the question of damage containment?" "Yeah." I scratched my head, then pulled my hand back when I felt my hair dripping with sweat. "Send a bomb through, kill or injure whatever is pushing through from the other side, use the opportunity to exorcise everything on the other side of the door—" "I have a better solution than exorcism," Angleton stated. "Your camera, boy. Have you loaded the basilisk firmware?" "Um, let me check." My pocket snapper is a hacked 3D digital camera, with firmware that turns it into a not-terribly-accurate basilisk gun. "Yes, but I wouldn't recommend using it at this range..." Basilisk guns are a nasty little spin-off of research into medusae, and our happy fun way of dealing with other universes. It's an observer-mediated quantum effect that applies a rather odd probability field to whatever it focusses on. About one carbon-12 or carbon-13 nucleus in a hundred, in the target, is spontaneously swapped for a silicon-28 or silicon-29 nucleus. (Yes, this violates the law of conservation of mass/energy: we reckon it works via a tunneling process from another universe.) The effect is rather dramatic. Lots of bonds break, lots of energy comes spewing out. Protein molecules go twang, nucleotide chains snap, everything gets rather hot. To a naive bystander, the target turns to stone—or rather, to red-hot, carbon-riddled cinderblock. On the one hand, it's a lethally powerful hand weapon. On the other hand, you really don't want to use one at close range—say, at something on the other side of a door. The smallest area of effect it has is a bit like a sawn-off shotgun; at worst, it's an air strike in a pocket-sized package. Right now I was standing close enough that if I pointed it at Andy's door the blast effect would probably kill me. "I have an idea. Wait here, boy, I need to fetch something from my office. If the ward on the door fails, snap away by all means: you'll be dead either way." And with that reassuring message, Angleton turned and scampered helter-skelter back towards his den. Angleton was only gone for a minute, but it felt like an eternity as I stood watching the vapor-smoking door in the pentacle. The zombie with the handle was slowly slumping towards the floor, leaning against the side of the doorframe; I could hear him in the back of my head, growing sluggish and faint as if the feeder that animated his body was slowly being drained. I hefted my camera, checked the battery status, and pointed it at the portal, knowing that if the wards didn't hold it was probably futile; anything that could break in from another universe under its own motive power was out of my league. Possibly out of Angleton's, too. The night watch shuffled anxiously in the corner between the reception desk and the dying potted rubber plant; I could feel their unease gnawing at the back of my head. As a rule, Residual Human Resources don't do unease: they're placid as long as they've got some flesh to embody them and the occasional hunk of brains to munch on. (Any old slaughterhouse brains will do: they eat them for the fatty acids. At a pinch, you can substitute a McDonald's milk shake.) But these RHRs were definitely unhappy about something on the other side of the portal, and that was enough for me. Man up, Bob, I told myself. I checked the camera again, double-checked that I had the basilisk firmware loaded rather than the charming novelty 3D snapshot firmware that had come with it, shifted from foot to foot. That's when the moment of blinding insight went off inside my head like a flashbulb. I peered at the display back and frantically scrolled through the settings menu. Pinky and Brains, our departmental Mad Scientist unit, had somehow gotten hold of the original source code and hacked the basilisk functionality into it, hadn't they? It had to operate as a stereo camera, or the medusa effect wouldn't work, but normally I just left it on auto-focus. But had they left the original features—the other features, like aperture, exposure, focus, special photographic effects—intact? Because if so... Angleton cleared his throat right behind me and I nearly jumped out of my skin. "Well, boy?" he asked as I spun round. He was holding a small black binder, open at a page of peel-off stickers. Three of the five circular symbols had been removed, leaving shiny grease paper backing. I tried to look at the remaining ones but they gave me a stabbing pain behind my right eye. "The thing on the other side of the door is pretty dumb," I said. "I think I can take it out, if we open the door, but it'll be touch-and-go. And if it's actually inside the office, rather than on the other side of a portal with its end-point in the office, it might make a mess of—" "Leave that to me." Angleton hefted his book of stickers. "Harrumph. What do you propose to do?" I told him. "Harrumph," he said again, and considered the idea for a few seconds before nodding. "Yes, you do that, Bob. I'll sign off on the forms for the replacement kit tomorrow." "Okay," I said. Turned towards the cowering crowd of Residual Human Resources. "Here's how we'll do it. Eenie, meenie, minie, mo, catch a zombie by the—" I reached out with my mind and grabbed. He came, shuffling, reluctantly: an
"attempting to endanger the lives of our [US] troops, 'other assets' & foreign relations."[5] In retaliation to The Jester's reported efforts, hacktivists including a group named Anonymous in support of WikiLeaks were reported as temporarily disrupting the website of MasterCard as well as attacking websites of Amazon and PayPal.[18] On November 29, 2010, someone claiming to be The Jester stated that he had been raided by the U.S. and attempted to solicit money for legal fees. The Jester purported that the person was an impostor, though writers at InfoSecIsland believe the hoax was created by The Jester himself.[19][20] On December 28, 2010, a DoS attack targeted 4chan.org. On that same day, The Jester tweeted "4chan.org — that looks like a TANGO DOWN (not) maybe you guys pissed off the wrong person trying to (wrongly) ID me?"[6] This tweet is believed to be a reference to claims by 4chan users that The Jester was a man from Montana.[6][21] On February 21, 2011, The Jester began a DoS attack on several sites belonging to the Westboro Baptist Church for celebrating the death of homosexual U.S. service men.[22] In March 2011, The Jester employed a different style of attack by using an XSS vulnerability to make it appear as if fabricated articles were inserted online Libyan newspapers The Malta Independent Online and the Tripoli Post. On March 28, 2011, he tweeted links to the forged articles. The articles were not visible in search, or to viewers of those websites, and viewable only via the inserted links. These tweets drew the attention of Anthony M. Freed, who examined the articles and discovered they were anomalies not contained in the newspapers' respective archives.[23] Further inspection by Freed revealed The Jester left a watermark of his signature Harlequin avatar on the articles he created, which can only be seen by tilting the computer monitor back at an angle. The fabricated articles reported degradation in troop morale among fighters loyal to Muammar Gaddafi and incidents of his soldiers abandoning their posts. Freed concluded The Jester's objective was a "psyops campaign aimed at breaking the spirit of the troops loyal to Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi."[23] The Jester confirmed this in a subsequent interview later the same year.[24] In June 2011 The Jester vowed to find and expose members of LulzSec.[25] He attempted to obtain and publish personally identifiable information of key members within group, whom he described as "childish".[26] On June 24, 2011, he claimed to have revealed the identity of LulzSec leader Sabu as Xavier Kaotico, an information technology consultant possibly from New York City.[27] In July of the same year he falsely accused Hugo Carvalho, a Portuguese IT professional, of also being Sabu, leaving The Jester's outing claims to be considered suspect.[28] However, in a post on his blog in November 2011, The Jester retracted his prior identifications for "Sabu", issued an apology and correctly identified "Sabu" as Hector Xavier Monsegur, 28, of New York.[29] Sabu's identity was confirmed on March 6, 2012, when Monsegur was arrested by the FBI and it was revealed that he had been acting as an FBI informant in the interim.[30][31] In October 2011, at the Hackers Halted USA conference, The Jester gave a surprise live presentation and fielded questions through an online chat with presenter Jeff Bardin.[24] His identity was authenticated via his Twitter account. Jester answered questions about XerXeS and other tools in development, and discussed his motivations for attacking militant jihadi recruiting websites. On August 26, 2012, Bardin hosted a similar presentation at Utica College for the college's Cybersecurity Master's program.[32] Late November 2011, th3j35t3r claimed to take down multiple jihadist sites permanently, with his newest tool known as 'Saladin'.[33][34][35] Saladin is claimed to be similar to other 'Apache Killer' tools used by hackers. Critics have claimed Saladin does not exist, and that he is relying on domain expiration.[36] On May 14, 2012 The Jester's Twitter account (@th3j35t3r) appeared to have been deleted, along with all posts on his WordPress blog.[37] However, the Twitter account and WordPress blog were merely temporarily deactivated and were subsequently restored May 16, 2012.[38] On July 2, 2013, the Jester took responsibility for a series of DoS cyberattacks against the Ecuadorean stock exchange and the country's tourism website, and promised to attack any other governments considering granting asylum to NSA leaker Edward Snowden. In a June blog post, he wrote that Snowden "is not a goddam hero, here to save Americans from 'the government' because of privacy infringements and breaches of the 4th amendment, he is a traitor and has jeopardized all our lives." In tweets, the Jester also alluded to a plan to seize control of the fire alarms at the Ecuadorean embassy in London, which would force WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to set foot on UK soil and face potential extradition to Sweden to face sexual assault charges.[39] On October 21, 2016, the Jester took responsibility for "defacing" the official website of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[40] The "hack" was later shown to be fake, actually being a POST based XSS on the website, not a deface or hack.[41] SANS report: "The Jester: A Lesson in Asymmetric Warfare" [ edit ] In December 2011, T. J. O'Connor, a research analyst in the Information Technology and Operations Center (ITOC),[42] produced a comprehensive report for the SANS Institute detailing the history of The Jester's hacking campaigns titled "The Jester Dynamic: A Lesson in Asymmetric Unmanaged Cyber Warfare".[43] The paper examines the history, motives and impact of two years worth of The Jester's hacking, and provides a detailed analysis of the timeline of his attacks, a speculative analysis of the tools he may use, and review of his use of social media and public relations through his blog.[43] QR code attack [ edit ] On March 5, 2012, The Jester changed his Twitter account @th3j35t3r avatar from his signature Jester icon to a QR code without comment or explanation.[44] Scanning a QR code redirects a browser to a website.[45] Scanning The Jester's icon led to a URL where he had an image of his signature Jester icon and an embedded, hidden code that allegedly exploited a vulnerability that affects Safari, Chrome and Android browsers.[44] "When anyone scanned the original QR code using an iPhone or Android device, their device would silently make a TCP shell connection back to my remote server," The Jester wrote. "Like a phone call, if you like."[44][46] This was however exposed to be fake[47] and the exploit was stolen from a 2 year old CVE advisory.[48] References [ edit ]Artist's concept of the surface of the newfound exoplanet Kepler-452b, which is about 60 percent wider and five times more massive than Earth. This illustration imagines that a runaway greenhouse effect has begun to take hold on Kepler-452b, driving off much of the planet's surface water. Kepler-452b may be Earth's close cousin, but living on the newfound world would still be an alien experience. A group of pioneers magically transported to the surface of Kepler-452b — which is the closest thing to an "Earth twin" yet discovered, researchers announced yesterday (July 23) — would instantly realize they weren't on their home planet anymore. (And magic, or some sort of warp drive, must be invoked for such a journey, since Kepler-452b lies 1,400 light-years away.) Kepler-452 is 60 percent wider than Earth and probably about five times more massive, so its surface gravity is considerably stronger than the pull people are used to here. Any hypothetical explorers would thus feel about twice as heavy on the alien world as they do on Earth, researchers said. [Exoplanet Kepler 452b: Closest Earth Twin in Pictures] The exoplanet Kepler-452b is a planet very much like and the closest cousin or twin to our planet yet found. See all about planet Kepler-452b in our full infographic (Image: © By Karl Tate, Infographics Artist) "It might be quite challenging at first," Jon Jenkins, of NASA's Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California, said during a news conference yesterday. Jenkins is data analysis lead for the space agency's Kepler spacecraft, which discovered Kepler-452b. But visitors to the exoplanet would probably be able to meet that challenge, said former astronaut John Grunsfeld, associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate. After all, he said, firefighters and backpackers routinely carry heavy loads, mimicking (albeit temporarily) the effect of increased surface gravity. "If we were there, we'd get stronger," Grunsfeld said. "Our bones would actually get stronger. It would be like a workout every day." The high-gravity environment would probably lead to significant changes in the bodies of Kepler-452b colonists over longer time spans, he and Jenkins said. "I suspect that, over time, we would adapt to the conditions, and perhaps become stockier over a long period of many generations," Jenkins said. Other features of life on Kepler-452b would be more familiar. For example, the exoplanet orbits a solar-type star at about the same distance at which Earth circles the sun. [Living on Other Planets: What Would It Be Like?] "It would feel a lot like home, from the standpoint of the sunshine that you would experience," Jenkins said. Earth plants "would photosynthesize, just perfectly fine," he added. Imagining other aspects of life on Kepler-452b requires much more speculation, since it's too far away to get a good look at. Researchers suspect that the planet is rocky, like Earth, but they don't know for sure. Kepler-452b probably has a thick atmosphere, liquid water and active volcanoes, but these are best guesses based on modeling work. Models also suggest that Kepler-452b might soon experience a runaway greenhouse effect, similar to the one that changed Venus from a potentially habitable world billions of years ago to the sweltering hothouse it is today, researchers said. Kepler-452b's star is apparently older than the sun — 6 billion years, compared to 4.5 billion years. It's thus in a more energetic phase of its life cycle than the sun is; indeed, the star is about 10 percent larger and 20 percent brighter than Earth's sun. (That means the sunlight on Kepler-452b, while familiar to explorers from Earth, would not be exactly equivalent.) The increased energy output of its sun might currently be causing Kepler-452b to heat up and lose its oceans — if the planet does indeed harbor oceans — to evaporation, subsequent breakup by ultraviolet light and atmospheric escape. Such a scenario likely won't occur on Kepler-452b for another 500 million years or so, assuming estimates for the planet's size and the star's age are accurate, Jenkins said. (The stronger gravity of larger planets allows them to hang on to their surface water for longer periods of time in such situations than smaller worlds can.) "But, you know, we don't know exactly," Jenkins said. So he and other members of the discovery team helped devise an artist's concept that imagines how Kepler-452b would look if a runaway greenhouse effect were beginning to unfold. The illustration shows "not oceans, but residual bodies of water that are highly concentrated in minerals after the oceans are largely gone, and you have lakes and pools and rivers left," Jenkins said. "It's a fascinating thing to think about, and I think it gives us an opportunity to take a pause and reflect on our own environment that we find ourselves in," he added. "We've been lucky and fortunate to live in a habitable zone for the last several billion years, and we'd like that to continue on." Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.ROME - Pope Francis said Thursday that "It may be morally permissible to give up or suspend the treatment" when death is inevitable. His statements, made at a Pontifical Academy conference on end of life treatment, are a reaction against today’s “insidious temptation to insist on treatments that produce powerful effects on the body, but sometimes do not benefit the person's integral good." The pontiff appealed to secular philosophy in interpreting the Hippocratic oath and Catholic doctrine in terms of humanist philosophy: “the categorical imperative is to never abandon the sick.” He said that this care should be interpreted in a holistic mentality towards the end of life as a whole, a point at which treatment is often to prolong rather than save the life of the patient. "It is morally possible to renounce the application of therapeutic means, or to suspend them, when their use does not correspond to that ethical and humanistic criterion which will then be defined as the proportionality of care,” said the pontiff. This is no surprise as Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia made a similar statement about the British Charlie Gard case: “we must also accept the limits of medicine and … avoid aggressive medical procedures that are disproportionate to any expected results or excessively burdensome to the patient or the family.” The pope differentiated the withholding of treatment from euthanasia as “an action with an ethical significance other than euthanasia that always remains unlawful." The pontiff’s differentiation is much more complex than it seems. The withholding of treatment with the conscious result of death is known as “passive euthanasia,” defined against the “active euthanasia” which is practiced in the Swiss euthanasia clinic, Dignitas. Active euthanasia is only legal in Belgium, Canada, Luxemburg, Switzerland and passive euthanasia is ambiguously legal in 9 European countries. jp-kvh“The project will bring in people, but it will eliminate people — people making pottery, stained glass, woodworkers,” said Linda Mariano, who has lived in a brick row house in Gowanus with her husband since 1974. The proposed developments coincide with the federal designation of the canal as a Superfund site and the Environmental Protection Agency’s plan to dredge the toxic canal bottom and cap it with clay, sand and rocks, work that could take until the end of the decade or beyond. While that cleanup, some major sewage work by the city and the pumping of clean water into the canal will eventually improve the water quality, a lingering question is whether prospective tenants would want to move into buildings that might overlook the work area and overhear the roar and clatter of dredging machinery. But the Lightstone Group is treating the canal, still known for its foul odor, as an enticement. “People are always attracted to waterfront locations, and this will be a spectacular project,” said Kasra Sanandaji, Lightstone’s senior vice president for investments. He also said the “up-and-coming Gowanus neighborhood” has “one of Brooklyn’s most vibrant artistic communities and cultural scenes.” Photo The Lightstone Group’s plan is not all that new. It is a reworking of a plan by another developer, Toll Brothers, for a complex of 447 larger apartments, most of which would have been luxury condos. The apartments in the new plan, by contrast, would be smaller rental units — renters would have less of a financial gamble living near a Superfund site — and 140 of those would be reserved for families and individuals of modest incomes. Before it abandoned the plan for financial reasons related to the Superfund designation, Toll Brothers received a zoning amendment in 2009 for residential construction in a manufacturing zone. Lightstone has applied to the New York City Planning Commission for “minor modifications” to the original permits, a request that does not require the usual extensive environmental and land-use reviews. The Community Board 6 land-use committee has recommended that the Lightstone project be blocked until another environmental impact review is conducted, though the full board will hold a hearing on the project on Wednesday and is likely to vote on an advisory recommendation. The final decision belongs to the Planning Commission. The Lightstone Group has dangled some incentives. It promised to build a 530-foot-long esplanade along the canal for public use, steel bankside bulkheads to prevent toxic substances from passing between the soil and the canal water, and storm-water systems to minimize runoff into the canal. It has also promised to build a boathouse for a group that canoes on the canal, the Gowanus Dredgers. Advertisement Continue reading the main story But critics of the project argue that the developers should wait until the contamination is remedied and sewer and other infrastructure improvements are completed. Some have pushed to focus on renovating underused warehouses and factories that already exist. Photo “The infrastructure is not there,” said Marlene Donnelly, a designer who has lived in the neighborhood for two decades. “My biggest concern is that the project will add 700 apartments with toilets going into the canal. They’re inundating a system that’s overtaxed.” Shrugging off critics’ concerns, Ethan Geto, a spokesman for Lightstone, said that there were still hundreds of empty seats in area schools, and that the new development would add only three passengers per subway car at rush hour. “By the time the project is ready to rent,” Mr. Geto said, “the canal will be a lot cleaner.” Eymund Diegel, an environmental planner and longtime resident, supports more residential development. He points out that the skyrocketing rents show that the neighborhood is already luring more newcomers, and 700 new residents whose windows overlook the canal would pressure government officials to clean it up with dispatch. “More neighbors would create a vested interest in the canal,” he said.Update: April 3th 2018: So far 300.000 unique visitors have read my “Vintage Rolex Buyer’s Guide”. In average it took you 5 minutes and 11 seconds to digest my free rolex collectors tutorial. So in total this post generated more then 1.5 million minutes you collectors have gained from my RPR website. Marvelous news I like to share with you 🙏 You want to learn to buy vintage Rolex safely? Start here at RPR with the most extensive “Vintage Rolex Buyer’s Guide” thats free available for you to study online! I noticed yet again that even seasoned collectors still ask me on a regular basis the obvious advise about originality of vintage Rolex. In a constantly developing market, where fine and honest quality has gone mad during the auctions price-wise, I wanted to add for you a basic guidance to determine the originality of a vintage Rolex and make it better understandable for any watch collector who is serious about his hobby. The main question I always ask myself to determine originality is what has been done to the watch during it’s life: Wear wise, service wise and dealer wise. To complete my earlier RPR post: A brief introduction into the world of vintage Rolex and Patek Philippe collecting I now like to add my vintage Rolex Buyers Guidance to determine original vintage Rolex – or any kind of vintage watch brand in general. After I’ve spend like 25 years looking at a watch face, case and movement, analyzing what has happened to it (was it changed with original parts? restored? serviced with later parts?) during its life, comparing & discussing them on specialized watch forums like VRF, I think it’s now become time to share some of my experience. I will further develop and update this post in the near future but felt like starting to share the most necessary information already with you. I want to discuss the following important steps: So what does “ all original mean in the watchword? mean in the watchword? What is “ C atalogue style”? Why is the “ matching all over patina” so important? so important? What do I mean with the highly important „ moisture meter ” cq “ condition meter ”? ” cq “ ”? –> Check also: “The Evolution of Rolex Luminous” Analyzing the dial, untouched case polish, hallmarks and movement. case polish, hallmarks and movement. –> Check also: “The importance of the vintage Rolex dial“ What I mean with period correct swapped parts. parts. Explaining true tropical dials. dials. Warning for fake – counterfeit parts. – parts. –> Check also: “High quality Fake vintage Rolex dials” Analyzing some examples some examples Provenance of your watch. of your watch. Conclusion and useful links. and useful Checklist to determine your vintage Rolex condition. Check the RPR article here Below you see a original ‘iced” plastic crystal on a early Rolex Explorer that chanced transparency due to the radium dust… In the modern vintage watch world, which is full of “put together“‚”swapped“‚”cosmetically enhanced” and “photoshopped” online and offline offers, at first we have to determine the meaning of the words: “all original“. The current market (as we see at the recent Geneva watch auctions yet again) has become all about rarity in the reference and condition but generally the word “original” is being abused by most offers you found out there. So what does “all original” mean in the watchword? My explanation to this is: A Rolex (or any kind of watch ) that still is in exact configuration as it was back then leaving the factory when it got delivered to the shop and bought by the client. As watch brands have delivered their watches over the world in sometimes different configurations, due to import tax, local taste or for instance special orders, the ultimate version to have, is the one being shown in their catalogue at the yearly watch shows ( think of Basel World ) As many global watch brands used to do and in particular the penny-pinching swiss ones, factories always use their left over stock of spare parts in their next designs. Then as most iconic watches where not very popular when they came to the market, it took sometimes 5-10 years or more to sell the initial batch the manufacture made of them. What we often see is that later delivered examples have different dials, bezels and or updated movements making them not exactly the same in detail as when the first ones got introduced. A mayor influence on the originality has been played by the manufacture itself, namely during the servicing the watch. Original old parts, most importantly the dial and the hands, have often been changed due to the fact the new radiation regulations that became obligatory after 1964. The chance from radium to tritium ( with a maximal radiation of the total watch of 0.25Mvsr ) changed the dial description at 6 o’clock from ’Swiss’ to T-Swiss-T and later T-Swiss<25. Its due to all these facts that I use the word “Catalogue style” to determine the best possible version / configuration one could collect. A Rolex that’s still in the condition as it was published in their old catalogue, being from the first batch, not been serviced with later parts is the ultimate one to have imho. Advise: Use Google to find pictures of original old catalogues. Specialist watch forums can help you out as well. As some forums are closed and google can’t get the picture out there to show you, it’s most of the time a small effort to register yourself and then use the ’search option’ For Rolex I can highly recommend VRF (www.VintageRolexForum.com) Besides the many freshly found examples that have been posted over the years, there’s a „Vintage Dial Archive”, „Rolex Serial Number Project” and a „VRF Classic Post” sections that are very useful to go through. Here we see a 1963 by serial number mentioned on the Chronometer Certificate Explorer Ref 1016 with so called “Underline”, sold in The Netherlands in 1965. Although it’s having the “minute track ” & it’s marked only with “Swiss” at 6 o’clock, the luminous is not radium but already later Tritium, the geiger is below 0.25 mSv as you see below… Now we know what is the best to collect, next step is to determine the quality. What we often see when we analyze any watches on their condition, is that the „ all over patina” is not matching. An old watch that has been worn and stored during time it wasn’t on the wrist of the owner, will get a tone in the face ( obviously I mean the dial ) further it has little dents on the common edges of the case, show wear on the crown and leave marks between the lugs from the bracelet that was attached between the lugs. For instance a damaged & worn-down case with a perfect dial and hands. Or the other way around, a perfect case with a non perfect dial are signs that someone is trying to cover up earlier damages. Advise: check out ‚honest, untouched’ offers from private clients of any kind of old watches on Ebay.com to get a feeling how a watches ages over the years. I can also advise you to check the sold archive of Bonhams auctioneer that they have online as this auction house hardly take any ‚dealer prepared’ offered lots into their sales but just auction them as it is. Ones you have looked through many examples, your eyes get trained to spot original patina. Below a NOS Submariner.. On an older, glossy gilt dial printed with galvanic technique you see the lume is actually lower added on the sticky white surface. Next you see is a first owner find Rolex Paul Newman where all luminous dots are still in tact and the luminous of the hands are matching the dial. It’s an earlier version, notice the much smaller sized second hand in the 9 o’clock register and different lay out of the bezel engraving, this is one of the first ref 6239’s. Secondly you also see black 3 color Paul Newman where one could easily say it’s the same as above but it’s not, is a later transitional ref 6262.. And without the crystal… Maybe the best tip I can give you for the popular Rolex or any kind of luminous dialed watch, is always to check the luminous up close! The biggest problem one can have with a watch is humidity, entering through a broken crystal or damaged crown. The water condensation ( which is in many cases salt or chloor water) destroys the movement and will also slowly damage the dial and hands. Therefor I call the luminous material on hands and dial ( which is generally fluffy and added perfectly round on the dial) the highly important „moisture meter” cq “condition meter“, showing us what has happened inside the watch during its life. Once moisture has entered the watch, the luminous sucks it up and will become very dark on the top and sometimes even fall off over time. The luminous in the hands tend to tone greenish, leaving marks of corrosion on the surface of the hands. See below how original tritium glows up under ultra violet light.. Above you see all original tritium luminous on an Oyster Paul Newman…below a sad story as the luminous got newly relumed and lost 50% or more of it’s value ;-( What we are looking for is „matching luminous of dial and hands”, both have to be in the same color, still fluffy and undamaged. In general you can say that the correct tone on earlier radium (Pre 1964 examples) is a „cappuccino” color and later tritium (after 1964) is a bit lighter, more yellow cream. As many dials during their lives have been re-lumed (newly added luminous due to water damages or because customers wanted to see it light up in the dark again as tritium has a lifespan of 12.5 years and looses its brightness ) we often see the all over patina is not matching. The luminous now looks newer then the rest of patina on the watch, isn’t matching the color of the hands nor does it has the same radiation as original ones. One should always focus on the luminous as this tells you what really happened with the watch you’re examining! See yourself with below luminous dots on the dial, they look non matching, are more yellow greenish, there where the tone of the hands are cream… Update: Check: “The Evolution of Rolex Luminous” Below we see a all over matching patina on the dial and hands, after the crustal has been removed we see some dirt, that’s also located around the crown & pushers.. Matching luminous all over, no marks on the dial, no marks on the hands near the center where a watchmaker takes them off and unpolished case and bracelet.. Swapped, period correct parts has become a art in the vintage watch world. It’s due to the extensive experience and knowledge of the collector or the dealer to upgrade a already nice and original watch into the most wanted “Catalogue Style”. For instance if a crisp Big Crown Submariner from second batch (1957-1959) has been found but for some kind of a reason (Rolex didn’t always deliver their watches as seen in the catalogue) it’s missing the iconic red triangle bezel, finding the correct red triangle thats matching with the all over patina of the watch is very difficult! By doing so, you change history and to me one should always save the old original part where the watch was found with and mention the upgrade when it’s been sold. Genuine vintage parts have therefor become blue chips. An original, un cracked bakelite bezel for a early 6542 GMT Master is like 1/2 the price of the watch. An early Milgauss & Military bezel or hands or even later all red 24 hour hand, all blue GMT bezels have exploded in price due to the fact the most watches where damaged, got changed during a service or simply where not delivered back then with it as nobody really cared about these details from the way we collect nowadays. We have to realize that most of the rare watches from today where made in small batches and where not very popular in sales. It took sometimes years to sell a initial batch and therefor we see first owner watches, never been serviced but still having later parts on it. To bring it back in catalogue style has become an art by itself. I prefer the real deal, below a first owner 18 carat Paul Newman Daytona still in untouched with plenty of DNA left, all original condition.. A hot topic are the so called „Tropical Dials”, dials that changed color from black to brown. I highly recommend to double check the luminous on these dials as we hardly see any truth tropicals around any more. The problem that moisture in most cases has, can become a dealer advantage as the top layer has been damaged and then chances the structure of the dial radically from black to brown. To get this damaged dial yet again attractive and all matching, dealers will re-lume it to hide the water damage. There are even watches around that have hand colored sub dials or have been put into a magnetron to speed up the process. A true tropical dial has perfectly matching original luminous, an untouched top layer of the dial and chanced color because it used to be worn in a very sunny area and then got stored for many years in a dark place ( safe ). Up close this original tropical dial will look the same as a perfect non tropical brown, the surface is still intact, luminous is original and when you loupe it 100X you see the original one has a brown and a blackish pixel next to each other, there where artificial ones will show you only brown pixels. There’s thus a big difference between an original tropical or damaged dial, only original ones deserve a premium! Advise: Buy yourself a regular Geiger meter (€ 150-200,=) to determine the radiation of your watch. Early 1950 watches with radium lume have a radiation of at least 20-100 Mvrs. The more we go to 1964, the less aggressive the luminous becomes, ending in 1964 when international law forbid to have more then 0.25Mvsr on radiation on a watch. I’ve written an interesting article about „transitional luminous” Rolex using Geiger meters to unravel the mystery of „The Underline”. After we now know where to look at, by analyzing the luminous, if a Rolex is still in all original condition, we focus on the case itself. My experiences tells me that even a heavily worn watch still has its original shape. Maybe the edges are a bit worn off but generally i’m always surprised who great the shape of the case still is with a fresh find once it has been worn for like 50 years. As we hardly see these „untouched” cases any more, its logic to state that most watches have been „polished”. If you’re not yet aware about how a certain reference should look like once it’s not polished, I recommend you to take a loupe and look closely to the matt polished part of the watch. It’s with the matte parts where you can determine if a watch is polished or not. Up and down, we see 2 x unpolished chamfers, beveled edges that are so particularity loved by vintage Rolex collectors.. A ‘common’ Rolex reference, the Submariner ref 5513. But as it’s still in honest and crisp condition, it’s highly collectable as all the original patina is still there! How to spot a laser welded Rolex case? As always when you start analyzing a vintage Rolex, every small detail is important and should match the ”all over patina”. With other words, the case should have the same aging as the dial, hands and bezel. In most cases when a case welder has done his job, he merely focuses on the lugs and chamfers with newly added bevels. Don’t forget, collectors want their Rolex laser welded because the case looks very tired and worn down. Logically the rest of the watch parts will still show you aging, once the case is looking like new, you will immediately spot it’s not matching in detail with the other parts. But what if the dial was nice and the case only needed an small surgery to become much more impressive? If it’s not obvious the parts are not matching, look closely between the lugs, you will notice that this matt area is much more „worn” then the like new lugs are. Besides that, the case holes are often newly drilled you notice when looping them up close the inside is different, missing the necessary patina and also looks new. Next, you have to know how a NOS Rolex case looks like, what exact curve is the bevel making and how wide is it as with every reference it’s different then you can compare it. Besides the glossy finish the matt finish polish on the case is pointing you out if it’s redone or original. The light breaks differently on a matt surface that’s recently done then on a matt surface thats done 20-40 years ago. Small scratches will be on top of the matt finish and you will see a depth in it, besides the fact that the newly added polishes are never having the same structure sand lines when it’s done afterwards. Here’s a nice NOS example of how a small crown looks when it left the factory. Study the lines, polishes, curves and dimensions but most importantly, the all over condition is matching. Every single part is NOS, not only the midcase / lugs… Find below a application patent June 11, 1963 for the GMT case with crown guards..Interesting for us vintage Rolex lovers, we see at the top that their patent at United States Patent Office got filled already on April 14th 1961 from swiss application on October 14th 1960! Totally fresh monobloc case seen from the back, note how sharp the rills are and the gravure of the serial and the references still are.. Up close you will see with a polished example that the fine lines are not perfectly straight as most likely the polished cases have been done by hand, there where the unpolished cases have a manufacture polish, done when all parts aren’t yet assembled and always the same, in 1 go. The next important feature of a polished watch is that at first the case looks nice but the engravings made mostly in the case back are worn out, polished out. Again this is what I mean with „matching all over patina”. For instance, it doesn’t make sense when the hands are luminous and the dial is not, the bezel is faded but the case looks like new or the crystal and pushers are of a later service type nor a newly fresh engraved „Asprey” stamp while the rest of the Rolex engraving is all worn out or you notice that a scratch on the case back is under the gravure while it was delivered with the gravure but now seems to be added later. Sometimes common sense will help you out when you doubt. The bezel is worn but the case isn’t or the crown and pushers are new where the case isn’t, etc. Newly unoriginal lasered Military Submariner engravings… During the years many cases, specially gold ones, got hallmarks or import – export stamps. If these little stamps, mostly hidden in the back of the case lugs or on the sides of the watch, are worn out and the rest of the case if looking perfect at first view, one can easily state the case has been polished. The same we see between the lugs, where bracelets with their end links always leave visible marks. A fresh looking engraved serial number and reference number, we find with Rolex between the lugs, can point you out that the watch hasn’t been worn a lot as the end links didn’t scratch the surface due to friction. I specifically add this remark as nowadays we see cases been „laser welded” ( steel or gold is added to the worn case by laser and afterwards polished in catalogue style). Besides the part between the lugs looking ’tired’ where the case looks brand new, sometimes the push pin wholes having a different drill can show you the case had a laser job done. Here some examples of un polished cases, some showing the original still fresh engravings and hallmarks clearly… Above the french hall marks in the middle and the Hermes ( from Paris ) engraving on the side of the case back.. Ultra fresh and unpolished early Rolex chronograph. It’s a time capsule that seems to be unworn even after some 75 years!.. Crisp time only super elegant big size Rolex Precision.. Registered Design & Model Depose engraving still clearly readable on this
soon: At the same time we were struggling in Chicago, an amazing event was unfolding in Chester, UK, organized by our partner Big Heritage. More than 17,000 people visited that event over two days in one of England’s oldest and most historic settings. The combination of history and family-oriented Pokémon GO play was a hit. Interestingly, this post was written and published by no other than John Hanke, Niantic CEO.The issue is that we're talking about science fiction here. Note that while the genre in theory is not so young (just to give one example, Icarus could be considered science fiction, as it featured technology that made something possible that actually wasn't in that time). The concept of actually visiting different planets is (200 years is young in this context). Also, stories are essentially memes. I would argue there isn't a single truly 100% original story. Everything is ultimately tailored together (while still allowing for creativity and innovation) from ideas that the writer(s) picked up from other writers. Like the evolution of genes, the evolution of memes takes time (while it is faster by orders of magnitude). If you can't go to other planets you're stuck on earth. A scenery of a location is a functional element of a story if it's of any importance. For instance, if you tell the story of Columbus, an important element of that story might be the rough sea. That's a fixed location, as a plot element. Similarly there are stories that involve traversing a desert. Again, you're immobile because the roots of the memes that we keep evolving lie in a time, where you couldn't change location that fast. Now, if you write a story that involves planets, they're locations, and since the story is inspired by previous memes it makes sense that that location has fixed properties, such as being extremely cold. So of course you can introduce a planet with realistic heterogeneous climates, but in order for it to be actually part of the story, you have to come up with a story that genuinely involves these features, and you have little inspiration to work with.IT IS only 40 minutes from Tilbury to Fenchurch Street station, on the edge of the City. But most residents of the town, one of England’s poorest places, are as likely to commute to the capital as fly to the moon. “It’s all offices there,” said Vicky, a 32-year-old carer for the mentally ill. “For people like us, it’s a bit daunting. You sort of think everyone’s more intellectual than you.” Asked what her school grades were, Vicky says she “wouldn’t know, to be honest.” Education is not something the working-class people of Tilbury have traditionally gone for. You didn’t need O-levels to heave sacks of malt and bales of tea in Tilbury Docks, an outpost of the Port of London in the Thames estuary which was, until the 1980s, the biggest employer. The dockers’ wives were too busy raising children to have a career. Then came shipping containers and dock mechanisation. By the mid-1980s almost a fifth of the town’s men were on the dole, sending Tilbury into a downward spiral from which it has yet to emerge. Get our daily newsletter Upgrade your inbox and get our Daily Dispatch and Editor's Picks. The result, in Britain’s prosperous south-east, is a polyp of hard-up, mostly white, grumpy people. During a day wandering Tilbury’s run-down rows of public housing and depressing high street, with its boarded-up premises and betting shops, your columnist heard almost nothing nice said about the place. People who had lived in Tilbury for generations described it as “hopeless”, “a third-world place” and, in the favourite local phrase, “a shithole and beyond”. Tilbury’s Labour Party candidate, Polly Billington, calls it a “northern town in the south”. It is no wonder that the comic Sacha Baron Cohen, currently making a mocking film about the northern town of Grimsby, is shooting it in Tilbury. This also makes the town fashionable in Westminster, where the travails of Britain’s white working class are causing concern. Underscoring how stubbornly they languish, a recent parliamentary study confirmed that poor white British children do worse in school than those of any other group save Romany gypsies. But this fresh attention to the issue is also because it is election season and winning working-class love is, for differing reasons, a preoccupation of all the main parties. For David Cameron’s ruling Conservatives, getting such Britons off welfare and into work is a fiscal and moral mission and a test of Britain’s ability to endure austerity. For Labour, they represent an identity crisis. Though increasingly drawn from and oriented towards middle England, where most voters reside, Britain’s main opposition still finds its cherished moral authority in a romantic association with the working-class people for whom it was formed. That is why Labour’s unexpected losses to the populist UK Independence party (UKIP) in recent local elections, in hard-up places such as Tilbury, sent the party’s leader Ed Miliband scuttling to Thurrock, the Tory-held marginal in which the town falls. There is now an argument within Labour over how to avoid a repeat of this disaster in next year’s general election, for which Thurrock is UKIP’s number two target seat; some want to ape UKIP with a more populist, especially anti-immigration, message. That would be popular in Tilbury. Parking himself in the front-room of a house in Poynder Road, a row of modest 1930s houses, your columnist listened at length to the views of his hosts, a pair of hospitable Labour activists, and their neighbours. They were united in resentment of the immigrants, mostly west Africans and Poles, recently come to the town. “Why aren’t they all on a slow boat to China?” asked one, who, like most, asked not to be named. Another noted that Tilbury’s last pub, the Anchor, had become a Nigerian church—yet the problem, it was obvious, was not the Nigerians or their church, but the collapse of the local economy and morale that had led to this indignity. Some of the ill will was generated by the usual autochthonous meanness—especially over the immigrants’ equal right to public housing. Yet mainly it arose from a deep and justified sense of inferiority. Immigrants are prominent commuters from Tilbury station, admitted one, “because they’re better educated than us” and, said another, “because they work damn hard”. Let UKIP cram the slow boat to the gunwales: it will not salve this insecurity. Indeed, xenophobia is not its only indicator in Poynder Road. Its residents seem to fear everything—including muggers, drug-pushers, paedophiles, air pollution and rising damp, also of being taken for fools by the politicians they once voted for and the tabloid newspapers they once read. “My son’s 31 and he won’t go out after 8pm because he doesn’t know who’s about,” shivered one. Tilbury is a rough place; but these exaggerated fears are of the world itself—“Everything’s gone downhill,” Bagehot was told several times, and then beseeched, “Hasn’t it?” Sitting on the dock of the bay Why has this slab of British society, representing a third of the population, proved so unable to adapt? Bad schools and a traditional disdain for education are part of the answer: asked whether they considered their children’s schooling to be of the utmost importance, Poynder Road’s older residents seemed surprised by the notion. But even this is more symptom than cause of a societal recidivism in which economic change, the enfeebling crutch of welfarism and clinging to working-class tradition all play a part. “People around here, they’d give you their last penny if you needed it,” said one misty-eyed resident—who then proceeded to bad-mouth Tilbury and his neighbours. Beside the better schools the town is getting, the answers to Tilbury’s and Britain’s white left-behinds are not obvious. Yet they surely lie within their own hearts. State aid, of which they have had plenty, cannot fix a cultural failing. And those, mainly on the left, who think otherwise should consider the enormous opportunity, in their proximity to London, poor, grumbling Tilburians are squandering. What they need to get aboard the train to Britain’s future, even more than a fare, is self-confidence. It is a shame; but no pandering or populism can provide that.A dog was shot and killed Friday afternoon when an incident of road rage escalated to gunfire, Atlanta police said. Hobart Austin told police he was a passenger in a car driving on Cascade Avenue when a driver in a Ford Taurus nearly hit the car he was in, according to Sgt. Greg Lyon. Austin told police he then argued with the other driver. After being dropped off on Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard, Austin said the driver of the Taurus threatened to shoot him and then fired shots, Lyon said. Austin wasn’t hit, but bullets hit a white Chevrolet Suburban occupied by a woman, three children and a dog, Lyon said. The German Shepherd, identified by family as Noah. was shot and died at the scene, he said. The Suburban and a nearby business were damaged by gunfire, Lyon said. No other injuries were reported. No arrests had been made late Friday.It has been over 30 days since the high-value currency notes were banned by PM Modi, but the cash problem is showing no signs of ending anytime soon. Banks in Agra are still being swamped by customers seeking to withdraw cash as early as 6 am in the morning, but when the bank officials announced 'no cash' as soon as the bank opened, the pain of queuing up in the bitter cold out on the road burst out and clashes between bank employees and customers were witnessed. The police have managed to control the anger of the people so far, but the situation is growing increasingly tense as the weather turns colder. Agra registered a temperature of almost 9 degrees Celsius on Thursday night and the morning was enveloped in dense fog, but the long queues at the banks were still present. Also read: Demonetisation a mammoth tragedy: Manmohan Singh The bitter weather took its toll on two 'Divyang' locals, who died after lining up at the bank for cash. Durjipura village (Fatehabad) resident, Kaptaan Singh (52) and Kaboolpur village resident, Jamunadas (35) fell ill while they were in the bank queue, but by the time they returned home, they had passed away. Durjipura village residents told India Today that Kaptaan Singh had an account in the Paintikhera branch of Canara Bank. He was trying to withdraw cash from the branch since several days for his treatment, but couldn't get it. Today, his condition deteriorated while still in the queue. Some of his acquaintances took him home but before treatment could start, Kaptaan Singh lost his battle with death. Also read: Supreme Court asks 9 questions from government over demonetisation Jamunadas' brother Santram told India Today that his brother had been lining up at the bank for several days for money for his treatment. He had four thousand rupees in his account and even in high fever, he was standing in the bank queue hoping to withdraw that amount for his treatment, but he didn't get the cash. When his condition deteriorated, he returned home and lay down to rest but before the doctor could arrive, his brother had died. Senior citizen Rama Shanker Sharma said that the Prime Minister had asked for 50 days and out of those, 30 days have passed, but there is no relief in sight. There was no indication that the situation will improve even past the deadline since the RBI itself accepted that it hadn't been able to meet the currency demand and the shortage of cash will most likely continue way ahead into the next year. Also read: Demonetisation problems will end in 10-15 days: Centre to Supreme Court He said that PM Modi should not wait till the deadline to accept where he went wrong in his assessment of the situation, otherwise the seething anger of the people will come out on the streets and the law and order situation will become too difficult to manage for both the central as well as the state governments. Social activist Mohd Yaseen said that several state government heads are not pleased with the central government's sweeping powers over the economy and may soon demand a revision of the central government's powers. Several regional parties are openly protesting the central government's demonetization move on the grounds of its unpreparedness and if the law and order situation goes from bad to worse in these states, it will be the Central government's responsibility. Also read: Demonetisation: Who knew? Modi's black money move kept a closely guarded secret He said that political parties are currently busy with vote bank politics instead of ensuring that the people are least affected by the cash crunch. If all the political parties join hands to alleviate the troubles of the people, the sting of demonetisation will hurt a little less, but the political considerations of these parties are preventing them from doing so. Also read: Demonetisation: My speech will cause earthquake, says Rahul GandhiDoctors in Brazil are unsure whether they can safely operate on a baby born with two heads. The rare condition occurs when one of two conjoined twins fails to fully develop in the womb. The "twins", named Jesus and Emanuel, have two brains, two backbones and a single heart. The 4.5 kg baby was born by caesarean at daybreak on Monday in a small hospital in the northern state of Para and was rushed by plane to a better equipped hospital in the state capital Belem. Doctor Neila Dahas, who is treating the newborn, said separating the heads would be impossible because he only has one set of organs. "What we know statistically is that the children who undergo surgery and survive are the children who have less organs in common," she said. She added that it is still difficult to choose which head to remove because both brains are functioning well.Palme Thursday Palme Thursday is A.A. Dowd’s monthly examination of a winner of the Palme D’Or, determining how well the film has held up and whether it deserved the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. The Third Man (1949) The best movie you can see in theaters right now—okay, provided you live in one of America’s largest cities—was made about 65 years ago, and features not a single dinosaur, robot, or anthropomorphized emotion. The Third Man, Carol Reed’s classic postwar noir, is back on the big screen, its black-and-white glory enhanced by the spit-shine of a 4K restoration. In this new digital scan, prepared for the 100th anniversary of Orson Welles’ birth, the darkness runs darker, the daylight shines brighter, and every iconic image—like a pair of fingers reaching sadly, futilely out of a sewer grate, or a famous face emerging from the shadows—looks as pristine as it must have looked in September of 1949, when the film triumphed at the third not-yet-annual Cannes Film Festival. (For fitting symmetry, the restoration premiered at this year’s Cannes.) Advertisement Viewing the tumultuous aftermath of World War II through the microcosm of a corrupted friendship, The Third Man might have resonated with the all-French jury of 1949. Cannes, which was originally conceived as a response to the Axis propaganda of the Venice Film Festival, suffered a false start a decade earlier when—on the first (and only) day of the aborted first festival—Germany invaded Poland. That’s a roundabout way of saying that the war looms large over both The Third Man and the fest that awarded it Grand Prize (six years before the introduction of the Palme D’Or). Or maybe the deciders just knew a masterpiece when they saw one. More than half-a-century later, and outside of the shadow (a word you’ll encounter again in this piece) of WWII, Reed’s movie still stands as one of the most convincing arguments for cinema as a fundamentally collaborative medium. It’s a collision of artistic visionaries, the kind that might start quarrels between hardcore auteurists. Does the film belong most to Reed, or to its other English creator, the novelist-turned-screenwriter Graham Greene? Is it an Orson Welles film at heart, never mind that—contrary to enduring myth—he didn’t direct a frame of it? Or does Aussie cinematographer Robert Krasker, the man responsible for all those striking Dutch angles and the film’s peerless interplay of light and dark, deserve his name before the title? Hell, one could even make a case that composer Anton Karas is the true star of The Third Man; it’s impossible to imagine the movie without his infectious zither score, which became a chart-topping hit the world over. In a rundown of Cannes’ “most noteworthy” premieres, Time critic Richard Corliss emphasizes the extent to which The Third Man belongs to multiple national film cultures, with its cast and crew made up of American, European, and Australian talent. “For an international festival on the rise,” he writes, “here was a truly international film that was both timely and classic.” The pan-global makeup of the production is apropos, given the movie’s setting in an occupied Vienna divided by the Allies into multiple quadrants—an American, a British, a French, and a Russian zone. A few years after the war, the city has become a hub for black-market activity, as explained in the darkly comic narration of the opening scene. (Reed himself reads the monologue. The version released in U.S. theaters originally featured replacement narration by the film’s star, Joseph Cotten, at the behest of demanding American co-producer David O. Selznick. Most versions of the film in circulation today use the original voice-over instead.) Advertisement Adhering to, or perhaps perfecting, the crime-fiction convention of an amateur investigator getting in way over his head, The Third Man sends an American interloper into this den of thieves. Traveling to Vienna for an employment opportunity, pulp Western novelist Holly Martins (Cotten) discovers that the man who made the job offer, his old childhood friend Harry Lime, has been killed in an automobile accident. The authorities insist that Harry was a crooked racketeer and encourage his mourning comrade to split town. But as Holly attempts to clear Harry’s name, he begins to suspect foul play. Nobody can get their story straight about the accident. Did Harry die the second the truck struck him, as some claim? Or did he have time to deliver some last words, as others insist? Were there just two men with him in his final moments? Or, per the title, was there a third man? And if so, who was it? “There were no strangers there at all,” Holly declares, upon discovering that just about everyone present at the scene of the “accident”—including the driver of the vehicle—knew Harry personally. The Third Man presents a world where everyone knows everyone, a small world of conspiratorial whispers. Reed frequently empties entire streets of extras, turning the grand city into an abandoned ghost town—all the better to echo the way WWII thinned the ranks of the global population, leaving behind only survivors who did “things that would have been unspeakable before the war.” Everything is for sale in this bombed-out, exploited Vienna, and everyone is working an angle. That includes sad-eyed actress Anna (Alida Valli), who Harry was seeing before he died and who Holly rather promptly becomes enamored of. Laying low with a forged passport, she’s at once a romantic and a pragmatist. When Holly refuses the whiskey she offers him, Anna replies, “Good, I wanted to sell it.” Heavy in subject matter but light as a feather, The Third Man deftly juggles tones. Reed handles each shift with aplomb, drenching daytime and nighttime scenes alike in paranoid atmosphere, while also keeping the plot zipping merrily along. (That earworm zither score—jaunty at one moment, curiously affecting at others—helps modulate the mood.) One of Reed’s more courageous, unconventional choices is leaving every line of German dialogue un-subtitled. This puts non-German-speaking viewers in the same position as the film’s hero, a man “from the other side.” In a running gag, Holly keeps mispronouncing the name of the British Army captain (Trevor Howard) with the dim view of his dead friend, calling him Callahan instead of Calloway. (“I’m English, not Irish,” quips the quick-witted officer.) It’s a good joke, but also a pointed one: Holly can’t even keep the names straight in Vienna, so how can he untangle the mysteries of the place, a land foreign to him in more ways than one? Advertisement As beautifully directed as it is, the film wouldn’t work nearly as well as it does without the elegant architecture of Greene’s script, or the pop and snap of his dialogue. It’s one of those movies that makes you truly grateful for the unrealistic eloquence of fictional people, the effortlessly clever way that characters converse on screen. Calloway alone is a constant source of verbal wit, tossing off casually cutting zingers like “You were born to be murdered.” And the romantic subplot, which might seem tacked on in a different movie, possesses a bittersweet glow, some of it provided by the actors—Cotten and Valli develop a beautifully subdued attraction—the rest by Greene’s carefully conceived rapport. Never does the famously Catholic author, crafter of such classics as The End Of The Affair, allow us to forget that these are two people drawn together by grief, and that whatever relationship they develop is inextricable from the man they both miss. But The Third Man reserves its best moments—and its most iconic ones—for its supporting star, the great American director moonlighting here as a scene-stealing villain. The uninitiated and the spoilerphobic would do best to click away at this point, as there’s no way to discuss this role without getting into the film’s most enduring image: that sudden flash of light that illuminates the shadows (there’s that word again), revealing to Holly that his slain buddy is still alive, and to the audience that he’s to be played by none other than Orson Welles. Is there a more perfect introduction in all of cinema than that shot of Harry Lime smirking in the doorway, wordlessly conveying his amused disbelief that his old friend ever thought he was really dead? Advertisement You have to wonder if audiences (or jury members) in 1949 were surprised by this twist. In hindsight, it’s impossible to imagine Welles, first- or at least second-billed on most of the posters, playing anyone else in the movie. As the actor would later point out, the entire film is about Harry Lime: Just about every scene consists of characters talking about him—debating his motives, recalling his exploits, commenting on the profound influence he had on their lives. The Third Man builds him up to such an extent that plenty of actors—including Noel Coward, who Selznick reportedly wanted for the part—might have failed to live up to the Harry Lime we create in our heads. But not Welles. He turns Lime into a figure of casual evil, a man so corrupted by the new world the war created that he can rationalize the most heinous of crimes. The film’s other classic scene, besides that famous reveal and an extraordinary climactic footchase through the sewers, is the conversation Harry and Holly have on and around the Ferris wheel. It basically twists that possibly invented Stalin quote about the death of millions being a statistic into both a veiled threat and an instructive monologue. (Welles himself is said to have had some hand in the “cuckoo clock” line, which he delivers with chilling nonchalance.) At its core, The Third Man is about how World War II fundamentally altered the character of Europe, turning idealists into pessimists and blurring the lines of moral relativism beyond recognition. Even by noir standards, it’s a deeply cynical vision. But it’s also a funny, thrilling, and romantic one, rich in the humanity it laments. If Harry is the embodiment of cold, postwar opportunism, then Holly is his more multi-faceted foil. There’s an occasional screwball charm to his adventures, as when he’s bitten by a parrot when fleeing both a disastrous book event and a pair of goons. Cotten also amplifies the character’s melancholic qualities, the faint sadness of his professional station (he’s a writer whose work no one takes seriously) and the doomed courtship he tumbles into. By doing the right thing, Holly ends up losing both loves of his life—a sacrifice made clear in the powerful final image, an unhappy ending Greene initially opposed. That’s not the only creative difference The Third Man weathered; there are stories of Welles irritating the cast and the crew with his high demands, and of Greene and Reed biting their tongues through meetings with Selznick, who didn’t even like the title. None of those tensions, however, bled into the final product, a whole considerably greater than the sum of its tremendous parts. Like Casablanca—another story of circumvented laws in an occupied city, featuring a love triangle of sorts and a lawman who’s both friend and foe—The Third Man demonstrates what it looks like when everybody involved in a movie is firing on all cylinders. That’s a pleasure that never goes out of fashion, even after, say, the zither has. Advertisement Did it deserve to win? Those other films? They’re just tiny dots compared to The Third Man. Would you really feel any pity if one of those dots stopped moving forever? (Okay, The Set-Up is pretty good. Obsession, too—though if you have to see just one classic British noir from 1949…) Next up: The Umbrellas Of CherbourgWritten by Tim O’Brien, Voter Protection Project Manager, League of Women Voters. While most of the attention around last year’s midterm elections was focused on who would control the US Senate, here at the League of Women Voters’ Public Advocacy for Voter Protection (PAVP) project, we were most interested in the results at the state level and the impact they could have on advancing election-related legislation. While we anticipate continued attacks to voting rights during the 2015 state legislative sessions, as we’ve seen in the last few years, there are also opportunities to advance pro-voter reforms to streamline voters’ ability to weigh-in on the issues important to them. Voting rights and access to the ballot box should be a bipartisan effort. Our elected officials should strive to uphold the Constitution and ensure the government is “of, for and by the people,” and this isn’t possible when “the people” don’t have an opportunity to participate in free, fair and accessible elections. Taking into consideration the incoming state governments, we analyzed all 50 states on their likelihood to advance either positive or negative election related reforms using the following criteria: Voter suppression risks Pro-voter reform opportunities Likelihood that states will have close elections in 2016, which could influence partisan operatives’ plans to try and make the voting process easier or more difficult depending on their desired outcome Existing state election laws – i.e., do existing state elections laws assist voters in being able to cast their ballot or are there laws that limit access to the ballot that need to be addressed in the upcoming legislative session, and are there ways the League can assist voters now who need assistance to mitigate the impact of restrictive laws Past legislative action that was unsuccessful in either suppressing or expanding the vote Compliance with federal election laws Through this process, the PAVP project identified nearly 20 states that will have a moderate to high chance of passing reforms that will suppress the vote next year. In these states, we anticipate continuing our work against efforts seeking to: Implement restrictive voter photo ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements when registering or voting; Decrease early voting; Eliminate election or same-day registration; and Place new restrictions on community-based voter registration drives, like those hosted by Leagues across the country. These states will be the main focus of our PAVP project this year as we continue our fight against voter suppression by stopping anti-voter legislation and mitigating the impact of anti-voter laws in the states. Of course, we will continue to keep an eye on all 50 states and respond appropriately when needed. Across the country, we have been successful in protecting voting rights by defeating bad legislation as well as challenging restrictive laws in the court system. On the flip side, there are 19 states where we remain hopeful that common sense pro-voter election reforms could become law. We will be advocating for bills that: Expand early voting options, particularly those that include nights and weekends; Implement or expand online voter registration systems, with a particular focus to include individuals without a current driver’s license or state ID; Improve polling place management, such as ensuring there are adequate voting machines and ballots, well trained poll workers, and fully accessible polling places for voters with disabilities; Ensure states offer the opportunity to register to vote at public assistance agencies, as required by the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA); and Electronic streamlining, like using electronic poll books which would allow for real-time transmission of information, including voter check-ins and address updates. There is little doubt that the 2015-2016 state legislative sessions will be an ongoing challenge for voting rights across the country, but once again the League of Women Voters is ready to fight back against voter suppression and to advance pro-voter reforms in the states. It has become crystal clear that the struggle to ensure free, fair and accessible elections will require a long-term movement and we are primed to once again lead the charge to protect and expand voting rights for all eligible voters across the country. This piece was originally published on the LWV blog.Image caption Local NGOs provide solar panels to some rural homes. Tata says panels are an optional extra in their models. India's Tata group says it will launch cheap housing that can be built within a week for 500 euros, according to Indian media reports. A spokesman for Tata, which in 2009 launched the world's cheapest car, the Nano, said the pre-fabricated houses would help the rural poor buy a home. Prototypes are already being tested with a view to launch by next year, the PTI news agency said. Indian authorities say millions of homes are needed in rural areas. The company is in discussion with state governments, the agency said. "It is [a] quick house built in seven days if you have a patch of land. Basic model of 20 sq metres, with flat roof will cost around 500 euros (32,000 rupees; £440)," Sumitesh Das, Tata Steel's head of global research is quoted as saying by the Press Trust of India news agency. The company is also creating plans for slightly larger and more expensive houses, with facilities such as solar panels, according to the Times of India newspaper. The company says it is in discussion with state governments and village councils, but plans are at an early stage and it is unclear if the supply chain for building materials for the houses are in place or if the relevant authorities will find the models suitable.US president attacks father of one of three UCLA players arrested for shoplifting in China, after he questioned Trump’s role in resolving the matter Trump lashes out at UCLA basketball players: 'I should have left them in jail' Days after claiming credit for ensuring that three UCLA college basketball players were released after being arrested for shoplifting in China, Donald Trump tweeted that “I should have left them in jail!” The US president lashed out at LaVar Ball, the father of one of the arrested players, for questioning how instrumental the president was in resolving the incident. 'They were headed for jail!': Trump seeks praise for helping with UCLA release Read more Asked on ESPN Friday about Trump’s role in getting his son and two other players home, Ball said, “Who?” “What was he over there for? Don’t tell me nothing. Everybody wants to make it seem like he helped me out,” Ball said. In response to an American father being “unaccepting of what I did for his son”, Trump tweeted that he should have left the three college students in jail in China. Trump had previously tweeted that he wondered if the three players would thank him, saying that they “were headed for 10 years in jail!” Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) Now that the three basketball players are out of China and saved from years in jail, LaVar Ball, the father of LiAngelo, is unaccepting of what I did for his son and that shoplifting is no big deal. I should have left them in jail! Although the three players, LiAngelo Ball, Cody Riley and Jalen Hill, were detained and questioned by police, they were never actually put in jail. Upon returning to the US, they were suspended indefinitely from the UCLA team. At a press conference this week, the players apologized and thanked the president. “A lot of people like to say a lot of things that they thought happened over there,” Ball had said on ESPN Friday. He defended his son, saying, “I’ve seen a lot worse things happen than a guy taking some glasses. My son has built up enough character that one bad decision doesn’t define him.” Ball is known for promoting his children’s careers: his eldest son, Lonzo, was drafted No2 overall by the LA Lakers this year. Rather than sign a multimillion-dollar contract with Nike, Adidas or Under Armour, LaVar released Lonzo’s signature shoe through his Big Baller Brand, with the sneakers retailing at up to $495. Trump’s social media director, Dan Scavino, attacked Ball for those remarks on Saturday, tweeting on his personal account, “if it weren’t for President @realDonaldTrump, his son would be in China for a long, long, long time!” Facebook Twitter Pinterest LiAngelo Ball (right) was one of the players detained in China. Photograph: Icon Sportswire/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images The president’s Twitter feed followed with a tweet criticizing Ball early on Sunday afternoon. Trump has previously used his Twitter account to attack black athletes who protested about police brutality against black Americans by kneeling during the national anthem. Why did Sports Illustrated erase Colin Kaepernick? \| Ameer Hasan Loggins and Christopher Petrella Read more Last month, Trump used his official account to attack ESPN’s Jemele Hill, a prominent black sports commenter who has called the president a “bigot” and “a white supremacist”. “With Jemele Hill at the mike, it is no wonder ESPN ratings have ‘tanked,’ in fact, tanked so badly it is the talk of the industry!” the president tweeted. The White House press secretary had previously called on Hill to be fired for her criticism of the president.The following blog post, unless otherwise noted, was written by a member of Gamasutras community. The thoughts and opinions expressed are those of the writer and not Gamasutra or its parent company. In this blogpost, our programmer Isak talks about some of the considerations we made in making a mod-friendly dialogue system for our game in production Ludus One of the absolute key parts of Ludus is the ability to interact with NPCs and participate in the Roman society from the perspective of a Lanista. To achieve this we needed a competent dialogue system. I think anyone who has worked with dialogue trees will know what type of features to expect from this kind of tool, but with our emphasis on modability I think some of our decisions in the actual implementation might be different from some other games. While we have developed quite ambitous plans for the ways you can interact with the NPCs in Ludus in addition to simple scripted dialogues which rely on what will hopefully be a pretty sophisticated AI - we still maintain that it is important to be able to create more tailor-made content which we can mix with the more spontaneous systems we're attempting to develop. Even though simulating almost everything fully is super awesome - if you sprinkle in some more set-in-stone-ish events, we can hopefully put the player in awe of what outcomes arise during the course of the game. It should hopefully also be hard to tell what was scripted and what was simulated, just that we would like to guarantee or at least make it more likely that interesting things happen no matter what. One way we can do this is to make dialogues that will push the simulation quite hard in a certain direction with the side effects that occur on certain dialogue nodes. So that's the justification for still having hardcoded dialogues in the game, but how do you actually go about authoring the dialogues? Initially when we started we were using a tool called ChatMapper which is a fairly decent choice. But we soon realized that in order to actually export dialogues that the conversation middleware could use, every modder would have to buy a license. Since we care a lot about modders we decided that this was not acceptable so we got rid of both ChatMapper and the middleware. After researching alternatives, we set out to create our own way of authoring dialogues and our own dialogue system. We wanted a plain text format that could easily be edited by hand and read with eyes (instead of toes!). A common choice for hierarchical data would be XML or JSON, but we're not huge fans of those. As an Emacs user I soon had the epiphany that the Emacs Org Mode format would be quite nice for modeling a dialogue tree. It has nice properties such as not having to worry about closing tags or parenthesis for the tree nodes. Emacs comes with nice ways to edit and view it, which certainly helps, and we could add extensions to make it even nicer to edit. However if we have the time we might even put an editor for dialogues in the game itself. Either way if you are not familiar with org-mode, you might want an explanation on how the format is structured! The way you write an org document is that you create a headline which you do by putting a number of asterisks () and a space, and then the name of the headline. After that you put a newline and anything you put below that will belong to the headline. Examples of things you'd put in the headlines are things such as paragraphs and source blocks and various attributes and such. The nesting level of the headline is determined by the number of asterisks before the name of the headline. Here's a very simple example of a document: My headline This is a pragraph that belongs to "My headline" My child headline This paragraph is in a headline which is a child to "My headline" Here's another pragraph, they are separated by two newlines. * My grandchild headline This paragraph belongs to headline which is a child to "My child headline"! ** My second child headline This is the second child to "My headline" * My other headline This headline is not a child of "My headline" it is a sibling. ** My other child
alu N-56 Thomas Joseph Celic N-12 Ana Mercedes Centeno N-14 Joni Cesta S-38 John J. Chada S-1 Jeffrey Marc Chairnoff S-51 Swarna Chalasani S-42 William A. Chalcoff N-16 Eli Chalouh S-48 Charles Lawrence Chan N-44 Mandy Chang S-44 Rosa Maria Chapa S-71 Mark Lawrence Charette N-4 David M. Charlebois S-69 Gregorio Manuel Chavez N-70 Pedro Francisco Checo S-39 Douglas MacMillan Cherry S-60 Stephen Patrick Cherry N-26 Vernon Paul Cherry S-11 Nestor Julio Chevalier, Jr. N-33 Swede Joseph Chevalier N-28 Alexander H. Chiang N-10 Dorothy J. Chiarchiaro N-58 Luis Alfonso Chimbo N-70 Robert Chin S-39 Eddie Wing-Wai Ching N-23 Nicholas Paul Chiofalo S-7 John G. Chipura S-21 Peter A. Chirchirillo N-5 Catherine Ellen Chirls N-55 Kyung Hee Casey Cho N-14 Abul K. Chowdhury N-36 Mohammad Salahuddin Chowdhury N-67 Kirsten Lail Christophe S-54 Pamela Chu N-29 Steven Paul Chucknick S-31 Wai Ching Chung S-53 Christopher Ciafardini N-60 Alex F. Ciccone N-8 Frances Ann Cilente N-37 Elaine Cillo N-6 Patricia Ann Cimaroli Massari and her unborn child N-11 Edna Cintron N-12 Nestor Andre Cintron III N-44 Robert D. Cirri, Sr. S-29 Juan Pablo Cisneros N-52 Benjamin Keefe Clark S-39 Eugene Clark S-56 Gregory Alan Clark N-31 Mannie Leroy Clark N-10 Sara M. Clark S-70 Thomas R. Clark S-51 Christopher Robert Clarke S-50 Donna Marie Clarke N-14 Michael J. Clarke S-16 Suria Rachel Emma Clarke N-34 Kevin Francis Cleary S-32 James D. Cleere N-5 Geoffrey W. Cloud N-47 Susan Marie Clyne N-8 Steven Coakley S-13 Jeffrey Alan Coale N-69 Patricia A. Cody N-8 Daniel Michael Coffey N-5 Jason Matthew Coffey N-5 Florence G. Cohen S-47 Kevin S. Cohen N-33 Anthony Joseph Coladonato N-36 Mark Joseph Colaio N-42 Stephen J. Colaio N-42 Christopher Michael Colasanti N-53 Kevin Nathaniel Colbert S-35 Michel P. Colbert N-52 Keith E. Coleman N-30 Scott Thomas Coleman N-30 Tarel Coleman S-23 Liam Joseph Colhoun N-73 Robert D. Colin S-61 Robert J. 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Cruikshank N-58 John Robert Cruz N-49 Grace Alegre Cua S-39 Kenneth John Cubas S-43 Francisco Cruz Cubero S-65 Thelma Cuccinello N-1 Richard Joseph Cudina N-51 Neil James Cudmore N-20 Thomas Patrick Cullen III S-13 Joan Cullinan N-31 Joyce Rose Cummings S-39 Brian Thomas Cummins N-27 Michael Joseph Cunningham S-31 Robert Curatolo S-19 Laurence Damian Curia N-41 Paul Dario Curioli S-63 Patrick Joseph Currivan N-74 Beverly L. Curry N-35 Andrew Peter Charles Curry Green N-1 Michael Sean Curtin S-24 Patricia Cushing S-67 Gavin Cushny N-31 D Caleb Arron Dack N-21 Carlos S. da Costa S-25 Jason M. Dahl S-67 Brian Paul Dale N-76 John D’Allara S-24 Vincent Gerard D’Amadeo N-32 Thomas A. Damaskinos N-32 Jack L. D’Ambrosi, Jr. N-45 Jeannine Damiani-Jones N-42 Manuel João DaMota N-71 Patrick W. Danahy S-40 Mary D’Antonio N-6 Vincent G. Danz S-24 Dwight Donald Darcy N-66 Elizabeth Ann Darling N-12 Annette Andrea Dataram N-69 Edward A. D’Atri S-6 Michael D. D’Auria S-16 Lawrence Davidson S-62 Michael Allen Davidson N-30 Scott Matthew Davidson S-10 Titus Davidson S-46 Niurka Davila N-66 Ada M. Davis S-75 Clinton Davis, Sr. S-28 Wayne Terrial Davis N-21 Anthony Richard Dawson N-22 Calvin Dawson S-32 Edward James Day S-15 William Thomas Dean N-11 Robert J. DeAngelis, Jr. S-64 Thomas Patrick DeAngelis S-16 Dorothy Alma de Araujo S-4 Ana Gloria Pocasangre Debarrera S-2 Tara E. Debek N-9 James D. Debeuneure S-70 Anna M. DeBin N-47 James V. DeBlase, Jr. N-51 Jayceryll Malabuyoc de Chavez S-40 Paul DeCola N-36 Gerald F. DeConto S-72 Simon Marash Dedvukaj N-64 Jason Christopher DeFazio N-40 David A. DeFeo S-49 Jennifer De Jesus S-46 Monique Effie DeJesus N-29 Nereida De Jesus S-60 Emy De La Peña S-40 Donald Arthur Delapenha S-36 Azucena Maria de la Torre N-47 Vito Joseph DeLeo N-63 Danielle Anne Delie N-3 Joseph A. Della Pietra N-40 Andrea DellaBella S-58 Palmina DelliGatti N-4 Colleen Ann Deloughery S-59 Joseph DeLuca S-68 Manuel Del Valle, Jr. S-16 Francis Albert De Martini S-27 Anthony Demas S-55 Martin N. DeMeo S-9 Francis Deming N-17 Carol Keyes Demitz S-42 Kevin Dennis N-44 Thomas Francis Dennis, Sr. N-56 Jean C. DePalma N-12 Jose Nicolas De Pena N-69 Robert John Deraney N-21 Michael DeRienzo N-53 David Paul DeRubbio S-14 Jemal Legesse DeSantis N-58 Christian Louis DeSimone N-4 Edward DeSimone III N-53 Andrew J. Desperito S-18 Michael Jude D’Esposito N-6 Cindy Ann Deuel N-59 Melanie Louise de Vere N-20 Jerry DeVito N-60 Robert P. Devitt, Jr. N-32 Dennis Lawrence Devlin S-15 Gerard P. Dewan S-8 Sulemanali Kassamali Dhanani S-53 Michael Louis DiAgostino N-49 Matthew Diaz N-24 Nancy Diaz N-70 Obdulio Ruiz Diaz N-71 Michael A. Diaz-Piedra III N-72 Judith Berquis Diaz-Sierra S-40 Patricia Florence Di Chiaro N-8 Rodney Dickens S-70 Jerry D. Dickerson S-74 Joseph Dermot Dickey, Jr. N-46 Lawrence Patrick Dickinson N-67 Michael D. Diehl S-40 John Difato N-58 Vincent Francis DiFazio N-55 Carl Anthony DiFranco N-4 Donald Joseph DiFranco N-64 John DiGiovanni N-73 Eddie A. Dillard S-70 Debra Ann Di Martino S-36 David DiMeglio N-2 Stephen Patrick Dimino N-53 William John Dimmling N-12 Christopher More Dincuff N-60 Jeffrey Mark Dingle N-21 Rena Sam Dinnoo N-12 Anthony Dionisio N-33 George DiPasquale S-17 Joseph Di Pilato S-46 Douglas Frank DiStefano N-49 Donald Americo DiTullio N-75 Ramzi A. Doany N-14 Johnnie Doctor, Jr. S-72 John Joseph Doherty S-60 Melissa Cándida Doi S-46 Brendan Dolan N-61 Robert E. Dolan, Jr. S-73 Neil Matthew Dollard N-40 James Domanico S-48 Benilda Pascua Domingo S-37 Alberto Dominguez N-2 Carlos Dominguez N-3 Jerome Mark Patrick Dominguez S-25 Kevin W. Donnelly S-6 Jacqueline Donovan S-33 William H. Donovan S-73 Stephen Scott Dorf S-32 Thomas Dowd N-55 Kevin Christopher Dowdell S-11 Mary Yolanda Dowling S-59 Raymond Matthew Downey, Sr. S-9 Frank Joseph Doyle S-34 Joseph Michael Doyle N-33 Randall L. Drake S-38 Patrick Joseph Driscoll S-68 Stephen Patrick Driscoll S-24 Charles A. Droz III S-70 Mirna A. Duarte N-16 Luke A. Dudek N-70 Christopher Michael Duffy S-35 Gerard J. Duffy S-10 Michael Joseph Duffy S-35 Thomas W. Duffy N-4 Antoinette Duger N-72 Jackie Sayegh Duggan N-69 Sareve Dukat S-48 Patrick Dunn S-72 Felicia Gail Dunn-Jones S-66 Christopher Joseph Dunne N-13 Richard Anthony Dunstan S-59 Patrick Thomas Dwyer N-25 E Joseph Anthony Eacobacci N-50 John Bruce Eagleson S-66 Edward T. Earhart S-72 Robert Douglas Eaton N-46 Dean Phillip Eberling S-33 Margaret Ruth Echtermann S-48 Paul Robert Eckna N-28 Constantine Economos S-51 Barbara G. Edwards S-70 Dennis Michael Edwards N-54 Michael Hardy Edwards S-50 Christine Egan S-53 Lisa Erin Egan N-49 Martin J. Egan, Jr. S-11 Michael Egan S-53 Samantha Martin Egan N-49 Carole Eggert N-6 Lisa Caren Ehrlich S-62 John Ernst Eichler N-71 Eric Adam Eisenberg S-58 Daphne Ferlinda Elder N-8 Michael J. Elferis S-18 Mark Joseph Ellis S-25 Valerie Silver Ellis N-25 Albert Alfy William Elmarry N-36 Robert R. Elseth S-73 Edgar Hendricks Emery, Jr. S-41 Doris Suk-Yuen Eng N-70 Christopher Epps N-6 Ulf Ramm Ericson S-65 Erwin L. Erker N-5 William John Erwin N-46 Sarah Ali Escarcega N-20 Jose Espinal S-66 Fanny Espinoza N-47 Billy Scoop Esposito N-40 Bridget Ann Esposito N-18 Francis Esposito S-7 Michael A. Esposito S-7 Ruben Esquilin, Jr. S-39 Sadie Ette N-69 Barbara G. Etzold N-59 Eric Brian Evans S-59 Robert Edward Evans S-15 Meredith Emily June Ewart S-54 F Catherine K. Fagan N-13 Patricia Mary Fagan S-55 Ivan Kyrillos Fairbanks-Barbosa N-43 Keith George Fairben S-26 Sandra Fajardo-Smith N-7 Charles S. Falkenberg S-69 Dana Falkenberg S-69 Zoe Falkenberg S-69 Jamie L. Fallon S-72 William F. Fallon N-65 William Lawrence Fallon, Jr. N-37 Anthony J. Fallone, Jr. N-51 Dolores Brigitte Fanelli N-5 Robert John Fangman S-2 John Joseph Fanning S-11 Kathleen Anne Faragher N-22 Thomas James Farino S-19 Nancy C. Doloszycki Farley N-18 Paige Marie Farley-Hackel N-75 Elizabeth Ann Farmer N-47 Douglas Jon Farnum N-10 John Gerard Farrell N-53 John W. Farrell S-51 Terrence Patrick Farrell S-11 Joseph D. Farrelly S-22 Thomas Patrick Farrelly N-17 Syed Abdul Fatha S-49 Christopher Edward Faughnan N-54 Wendy R. Faulkner S-61 Shannon Marie Fava N-35 Bernard D. Favuzza N-42 Robert Fazio, Jr. S-24 Ronald Carl Fazio, Sr. S-60 William M. Feehan S-18 Francis Jude Feely N-7 Garth Erin Feeney N-21 Sean Bernard Fegan N-60 Lee S. Fehling S-7 Peter Adam Feidelberg S-54 Alan D. Feinberg S-10 Rosa Maria Feliciano N-15 Edward P. Felt S-68 Edward Thomas Fergus, Jr. N-41 George J. Ferguson III S-37 J. Joseph Ferguson S-69 Henry Fernandez N-70 Judy Hazel Santillan Fernandez N-36 Julio Fernandez S-45 Elisa Giselle Ferraina N-20 Anne Marie Sallerin Ferreira N-44 Robert John Ferris S-60 David Francis Ferrugio N-56 Louis V. Fersini, Jr. N-43 Michael David Ferugio S-63 Bradley James Fetchet S-35 Jennifer Louise Fialko S-59 Kristen Nicole Fiedel N-6 Amelia V. Fields S-75 Samuel Fields S-65 Alexander Milan Filipov N-2 Michael Bradley Finnegan N-45 Timothy J. Finnerty N-52 Michael C. Fiore S-5 Stephen J. Fiorelli N-66 Paul M. Fiori N-24 John B. Fiorito N-41 John R. Fischer S-13 Andrew Fisher N-22 Bennett Lawson Fisher S-40 Gerald P. Fisher S-75 John Roger Fisher N-66 Thomas J. Fisher S-41 Lucy A. Fishman S-61 Ryan D. Fitzgerald S-40 Thomas James Fitzpatrick S-52 Richard P. Fitzsimons S-23 Salvatore Fiumefreddo N-24 Darlene E. Flagg S-70 Wilson F. Flagg S-70 Christina Donovan Flannery S-50 Eileen Flecha S-41 Andre G. Fletcher S-7 Carl M. Flickinger N-40 Matthew M. Flocco S-72 John Joseph Florio S-22 Joseph Walkden Flounders S-32 Carol Ann Flyzik N-1 David Fodor S-41 Michael N. Fodor S-11 Stephen Mark Fogel N-47 Thomas J. Foley S-16 Jane C. Folger S-67 David J. Fontana S-6 Chih Min Foo S-44 Delrose E. Forbes Cheatham N-48 Godwin Forde S-46 Donald A. Foreman S-27 Christopher Hugh Forsythe N-44 Claudia Alicia Foster N-56 Noel John Foster S-62 Sandra N. Foster S-71 Ana Fosteris S-61 Robert Joseph Foti S-20 Jeffrey Fox S-35 Virginia Elizabeth Fox N-10 Pauline Francis N-24 Virgin Lucy Francis N-69 Gary Jay Frank S-58 Morton H. Frank N-26 Peter Christopher Frank N-59 Colleen L. Fraser S-68 Richard K. Fraser S-59 Kevin J. Frawley S-33 Clyde Frazier, Jr. S-27 Lillian Inez Frederick S-58 Andrew Fredericks S-21 Tamitha Freeman S-58 Brett Owen Freiman S-46 Peter L. Freund S-7 Arlene Eva Fried N-46 Alan W. Friedlander S-58 Andrew Keith Friedman N-59 Paul J. Friedman N-75 Gregg J. Froehner S-29 Lisa Anne Frost S-3 Peter Christian Fry S-32 Clement A. Fumando N-33 Steven Elliot Furman N-50 Paul James Furmato N-26 Karleton Douglas Beye Fyfe N-1 G Fredric Neal Gabler N-26 Richard Peter Gabriel S-70 Richard S. Gabrielle S-55 James Andrew Gadiel N-31 Pamela Lee Gaff S-55 Ervin Vincent Gailliard S-66 Deanna Lynn Galante and her unborn child N-37 Grace Catherine Galante N-37 Anthony Edward Gallagher N-50 Daniel James Gallagher N-28 John Patrick Gallagher N-49 Lourdes J. Galletti N-47 Cono E. Gallo N-61 Vincent Gallucci N-5 Thomas E. Galvin N-39 Giovanna Galletta Gambale N-34 Thomas Gambino, Jr. S-15 Giann F. Gamboa S-37 Ronald L. Gamboa S-4 Peter James Ganci, Jr. S-17 Michael Gann N-20 Charles William Garbarini S-12 Andrew Sonny Garcia S-68 Cesar R. Garcia N-5 David Garcia N-17 Jorge Luis Morron Garcia S-65 Juan Garcia N-23 Marlyn Del Carmen Garcia N-3 Christopher Samuel Gardner S-57 Douglas Benjamin Gardner N-38 Harvey Joseph Gardner III N-72 Jeffrey Brian Gardner N-4 Thomas A. Gardner S-8 William Arthur Gardner N-37 Frank Garfi N-25 Rocco Nino Gargano N-28 James M. Gartenberg N-64 Matthew David Garvey S-6 Bruce Gary S-15 Boyd Alan Gatton S-43 Donald Richard Gavagan, Jr. N-42 Peter Alan Gay N-2 Terence D. Gazzani N-51 Gary Paul Geidel S-10 Paul Hamilton Geier N-51 Julie M. Geis S-57 Peter Gerard Gelinas N-56 Steven Paul Geller N-29 Howard G. Gelling, Jr. S-51 Peter Victor Genco, Jr. N-41 Steven Gregory Genovese N-26 Alayne Gentul S-42 Linda M. George N-75 Edward F. Geraghty S-9 Suzanne Geraty N-35 Ralph Gerhardt N-45 Robert Gerlich N-18 Denis P. Germain S-16 Marina Romanovna Gertsberg N-48 Susan M. Getzendanner S-40 Lawrence D. Getzfred S-72 James G. Geyer N-55 Cortez Ghee S-75 Joseph M. Giaccone N-36 Vincent Francis Giammona S-6 Debra Lynn Gibbon S-54 James Andrew Giberson S-16 Brenda C. Gibson S-1 Craig Neil Gibson N-16 Ronnie E. Gies S-8 Andrew Clive Gilbert N-45 Timothy Paul Gilbert N-45 Paul Stuart Gilbey S-32 Paul John Gill S-9 Mark Y. Gilles N-50 Evan Hunter Gillette S-50 Ronald Lawrence Gilligan N-33 Rodney C. Gillis S-24 Laura Gilly N-35 John F. Ginley S-16 Donna Marie Giordano S-55 Jeffrey John Giordano S-8 John Giordano S-18 Steven A. Giorgetti N-13 Martin Giovinazzo N-3 Kum-Kum Girolamo S-54 Salvatore Gitto N-10 Cynthia Giugliano N-64 Mon Gjonbalaj S-37 Dianne Gladstone S-47 Keith Alexander Glascoe S-11 Thomas Irwin Glasser S-49 Edmund Glazer N-75 Harry Glenn N-16 Barry H. Glick N-66 Jeremy Logan Glick S-67 Steven Glick N-21 John T. Gnazzo N-32 William Robert Godshalk S-35 Michael Gogliormella N-35 Brian F. Goldberg S-42 Jeffrey G. Goldflam N-38 Michelle Goldstein S-62 Monica Goldstein N-48 Steven Ian Goldstein N-50 Ronald F. Golinski S-75 Andrew H. Golkin N-46 Dennis James Gomes S-43 Enrique Antonio Gomez N-68 Jose Bienvenido Gomez N-68 Manuel Gomez, Jr. S-44 Wilder Alfredo Gomez N-69 Jenine Nicole Gonzalez S-53 Mauricio Gonzalez S-64 Rosa J. Gonzalez N-66 Lynn Catherine Goodchild S-3 Calvin Joseph Gooding N-39 Peter Morgan Goodrich S-3 Harry Goody S-48 Kiran Kumar Reddy Gopu N-8 Catherine C. Gorayeb N-22 Lisa Fenn Gordenstein N-75 Kerene Gordon N-24 Sebastian Gorki S-38 Kieran Joseph Gorman S-36 Thomas Edward Gorman S-28 Michael Edward Gould N-25 O. Kristin Osterholm White Gould S-68 Douglas Alan Gowell S-4 Yuji Goya S-45 Jon Richard Grabowski N-15 Christopher Michael Grady N-46 Edwin J. Graf III N-41 David Martin Graifman S-34 Gilbert Franco Granados S-58 Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas and her unborn child S-68 Elvira Granitto N-64 Winston Arthur Grant N-65 Christopher S. Gray N-44 Ian J. Gray S-71 James Michael Gray S-13 Tara McCloud Gray N-72 John M. Grazioso N-25 Timothy George Grazioso N-25 Derrick Auther Green S-42 Wade B. Green N-23 Wanda Anita Green S-67 Elaine Myra Greenberg N-20 Donald Freeman Greene S-67 Gayle R. Greene N-9 James Arthur Greenleaf, Jr. N-62 Eileen Marsha Greenstein S-56 Elizabeth Martin Gregg N-59 Denise Marie Gregory N-63 Donald H. Gregory N-39 Florence Moran Gregory S-58 Pedro Grehan N-51 John Michael Griffin N-63 Tawanna Sherry Griffin N-23 Joan Donna Griffith S-39 Warren Grifka N-15 Ramon B. Grijalvo N-65 Joseph F. Grillo N-66 David Joseph Grimner N-12 Francis Edward Grogan S-4 Linda Gronlund S-68 Kenneth George Grouzalis S-25 Joseph Grzelak S-19 Matthew James Grzymalski N-54 Robert Joseph Gschaar S-53 Liming Gu N-3 Richard J. Guadagno S-67 Jose A. Guadalupe S-10 Cindy Yan Zhu Guan S-48 Geoffrey E. Guja S-12 Joseph P. Gullickson S-9 Babita Girjamatie Guman S-39 Douglas Brian Gurian N-39 Janet Ruth Gustafson S-61 Philip T. Guza S-53 Barbara Guzzardo S-55 Peter Mark Gyulavary S-65 H Gary Robert Haag N-5 Andrea Lyn Haberman N-61 Barbara Mary Habib N-9 Philip Haentzler N-73 Nezam A. Hafiz N-6 Karen Elizabeth Hagerty S-54 Steven Michael Hagis N-55 Mary Lou Hague S-35 David Halderman S-21 Maile Rachel Hale N-21 Diane Hale-McKinzy S-1 Richard B. Hall S-54 Stanley R. Hall S-70 Vaswald George Hall N-67 Robert J. Halligan S-54 Vincent Gerard Halloran S-13 Carolyn B. Halmon S-75 James Douglas Halvorson N-0 Mohammad Salman Hamdani S-66 Felicia Hamilton S-41 Robert W. Hamilton S-12 Carl Max Hammond, Jr. S-3 Frederic K. Han N-46 Christopher James Hanley N-22 Sean S. Hanley S-12 Valerie Joan Hanna N-9 Thomas Paul Hannafin S-5 Kevin James Hannaford, Sr. N-50 Michael Lawrence Hannan N-10 Dana Rey Hannon S-19 Christine Lee Hanson S-4 Peter Burton Hanson S-4 Sue Kim Hanson S-4 Vassilios G. Haramis S-65 James A. Haran N-51 Gerald Francis Hardacre S-4 Jeffrey Pike Hardy N-24 T.J. Hargrave N-55 Daniel Edward Harlin S-16 Frances Haros S-35 Harvey L. Harrell S-5 Stephen G. Harrell S-5 Melissa Harrington-Hughes N-22 Aisha Ann Harris N-72 Stewart D. Harris N-47 John Patrick Hart S-39 Eric Hartono S-4 John Clinton Hartz S-43 Emeric Harvey N-67 Peter Paul Hashem N-2 Thomas Theodore Haskell, Jr. S-22 Timothy Shawn Haskell S-22 Joseph John Hasson III N-55 Leonard W. Hatton, Jr. S-26 Terence S. Hatton S-9 Michael Helmut Haub S-10 Timothy Aaron Haviland N-14 Donald G. Havlish, Jr. S-56 Anthony Maurice Hawkins N-31 Nobuhiro Hayatsu S-39 James Edward Hayden S-4 Robert Jay Hayes N-76 Philip T. Hayes, Ret. S-13 W. Ward Haynes N-49 Scott Jordan Hazelcorn N-54 Michael K. Healey S-12 Roberta B. Heber N-7 Charles Francis Xavier Heeran N-29 John F. Heffernan S-15 Michele M. Heidenberger S-69 Sheila M.S. Hein S-75 H. Joseph Heller, Jr. N-62 JoAnn L. Heltibridle N-14 Ronald John Hemenway S-71 Mark F. Hemschoot S-62 Ronnie Lee Henderson S-23 Brian Hennessey N-35 Edward R. Hennessy, Jr. N-76 Michelle Marie Henrique S-41 Joseph Patrick Henry S-10 William L. Henry, Jr. S-10 Catherina Henry-Robinson N-72 John Christopher Henwood N-52 Robert Allan Hepburn N-14 Mary Herencia S-55 Lindsay C. Herkness III S-46 Harvey Robert Hermer N-24 Norberto Hernandez N-68 Raul Hernandez N-31 Gary Herold S-58 Jeffrey Alan Hersch N-47 Thomas J. Hetzel S-17 Leon Bernard Heyward MC Sundance S-36 Brian Christopher Hickey S-12 Enemencio Dario Hidalgo Cedeño N-69 Timothy Brian Higgins S-22 Robert D. W. Higley II S-59 Todd Russell Hill S-46 Clara Victorine Hinds N-69 Neal O. Hinds S-37 Mark Hindy N-25 Katsuyuki Hirai S-39 Heather Malia Ho N-70 Tara Yvette Hobbs S-59 Thomas Anderson Hobbs N-50 James J. Hobin N-9 Robert Wayne Hobson III N-49 DaJuan Hodges N-8 Ronald G. Hoerner S-65 Patrick A. Hoey N-66 John A. Hofer N-2 Marcia Hoffman N-36 Stephen Gerard Hoffman N-42 Frederick Joseph Hoffmann N-39 Michele L. Hoffmann N-39 Judith Florence Hofmiller N-16 Wallace Cole Hogan, Jr. S-74 Thomas Warren Hohlweck, Jr. S-60 Jonathan R. Hohmann S-8 Cora Hidalgo Holland N-2 John Holland N-70 Joseph F. Holland N-61 Jimmie I. Holley S-75 Elizabeth Holmes S-32 Thomas P. Holohan S-14 Herbert Wilson Homer S-2 LeRoy W. Homer, Jr. S-67 Bradley V. Hoorn N-58 James P. Hopper N-30 Montgomery McCullough Hord N-29 Michael Joseph Horn N-27 Matthew Douglas Horning N-16 Robert L. Horohoe, Jr. N-39 Michael Robert Horrocks S-2 Aaron Horwitz N-42 Charles J. Houston S-32 Uhuru G. Houston S-28 Angela M. Houtz S-73 George Gerard Howard S-28 Brady Kay Howell S-73 Michael C. Howell N-60 Steven Leon Howell N-3 Jennifer L. Howley and her unborn child S-56 Milagros Hromada S-55 Marian R. Hrycak S-48 Stephen Huczko, Jr. S-30 Kris Robert Hughes S-34 Paul Rexford Hughes N-16 Robert T. Hughes, Jr. N-73 Thomas F. Hughes, Jr. N-71 Timothy Robert Hughes N-44 Susan Huie N-20 Lamar Demetrius Hulse N-17 John Nicholas Humber, Jr. N-1 William Christopher Hunt S-33 Kathleen Anne Hunt-Casey S-50 Joseph Gerard Hunter S-8 Peggie M. Hurt S-75 Robert R. Hussa N-62 Stephen N. Hyland, Jr. S-74 Robert J. Hymel S-71 Thomas Edward Hynes S-37 Walter G. Hynes S-17 I Joseph Anthony Ianelli N-9 Zuhtu Ibis N-36 Jonathan Lee Ielpi S-7 Michael Patrick Iken S-33 Daniel Ilkanayev N-48 Frederick J. Ill, Jr. S-16 Abraham Nethanel Ilowitz N-64 Anthony P. Infante, Jr. S-27 Louis S. Inghilterra S-43 Christopher Noble Ingrassia N-30 Paul Innella N-36 Stephanie Veronica Irby N-7 Douglas Jason Irgang S-50 Kristin Irvine-Ryan S-51 Todd Antione Isaac N-56 Erik Hans Isbrandtsen N-25 Taizo Ishikawa S-45 Waleed Joseph Iskandar N-1 Aram Iskenderian, Jr. N-47 John F. Iskyan N-52 Kazushige Ito S-45 Aleksandr Valeryevich Ivantsov N-27 Lacey Bernard Ivory S-74 J Virginia May Jablonski N-5 Bryan C. Jack S-70 Brooke Alexandra Jackman N-41 Aaron Jeremy Jacobs N-29 Ariel Louis Jacobs N-21 Jason Kyle Jacobs S-40 Michael G. Jacobs S-42 Steven A. Jacobson N-71 Steven D. Jacoby S-70 Ricknauth Jaggernauth N-71 Jake Denis Jagoda N-34 Yudhvir S. Jain N-37 Maria Jakubiak N-11 Robert Adrien Jalbert S-2 Ernest James N-5 Gricelda E. James N-67 Mark Steven Jardim N-23 Amy Nicole Jarret S-2 Muhammadou Jawara N-70 Francois Jean-Pierre N-71 Maxima Jean-Pierre N-24 Paul Edward Jeffers N-52 John Charles Jenkins N-76 Joseph Jenkins, Jr. S-64 Alan Keith Jensen S-43 Prem Nath Jerath N-67 Farah Jeudy S-60 Hweidar Jian N-27 Eliezer Jimenez, Jr. N-69
better. Results of the Andrew benchmark P1 Create (ms) P2 Copy (ms) P3 Stat (ms) P4 Grep (ms) P5 Compile (ms) BSD Async 2203 7391 6319 17466 75314 BSD Sync 2330 7732 6317 17499 75681 Ext2 fs 790 4791 7235 11685 63210 Xia fs 934 5402 8400 12912 66997 The results of the two first passes show that Linux benefits from its asynchronous metadata I/O. In passes 1 and 2, directories and files are created and BSD synchronously writes inodes and directory entries. There is an anomaly, though: even in asynchronous mode, the performance under BSD is poor. We suspect that the asynchronous support under FreeBSD is not fully implemented. In pass 3, the Linux and BSD times are very similar. This is a big progress against the same benchmark run six months ago. While BSD used to outperform Linux by a factor of 3 in this test, the addition of a file name cache in the VFS has fixed this performance problem. In passes 4 and 5, Linux is faster than FreeBSD mainly because it uses an unified buffer cache management. The buffer cache space can grow when needed and use more memory than the one in FreeBSD, which uses a fixed size buffer cache. Comparison of the Ext2fs and Xiafs results shows that the optimizations included in Ext2fs are really useful: the performance gain between Ext2fs and Xiafs is around 5-10%. Conclusion The Second Extended File System is probably the most widely used filesystem in the Linux community. It provides standard Unix file semantics and advanced features. Moreover, thanks to the optimizations included in the kernel code, it is robust and offers excellent performance. Since Ext2fs has been designed with evolution in mind, it contains hooks that can be used to add new features. Some people are working on extensions to the current filesystem: access control lists conforming to the Posix semantics [IEEE 1992], undelete, and on-the-fly file compression. Ext2fs was first developed and integrated in the Linux kernel and is now actively being ported to other operating systems. An Ext2fs server running on top of the GNU Hurd has been implemented. People are also working on an Ext2fs port in the LITES server, running on top of the Mach microkernel [Accetta et al. 1986], and in the VSTa operating system. Last, but not least, Ext2fs is an important part of the Masix operating system [Card et al. 1993], currently under development by one of the authors. Acknowledgments The Ext2fs kernel code and tools have been written mostly by the authors of this paper. Some other people have also contributed to the development of Ext2fs either by suggesting new features or by sending patches. We want to thank these contributors for their help. References [Accetta et al. 1986] M. Accetta, R. Baron, W. Bolosky, D. Golub, R. Rashid, A. Tevanian, and M. Young. Mach: A New Kernel Foundation For UNIX Development. In Proceedings of the USENIX 1986 Summer Conference, June 1986. [Bach 1986] M. Bach. The Design of the UNIX Operating System. Prentice Hall, 1986. [Bina and Emrath 1989] E. Bina and P. Emrath. A Faster fsck for BSD Unix. In Proceedings of the USENIX Winter Conference, January 1989. [Card et al. 1993] R. Card, E. Commelin, S. Dayras, and F. Mével. The MASIX Multi-Server Operating System. In OSF Workshop on Microkernel Technology for Distributed Systems, June 1993. [IEEE 1992] SECURITY INTERFACE for the Portable Operating System Interface for Computer Environments - Draft 13. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc, 1992. [Kleiman 1986] S. Kleiman. Vnodes: An Architecture for Multiple File System Types in Sun UNIX. In Proceedings of the Summer USENIX Conference, pages 260--269, June 1986. [McKusick et al. 1984] M. McKusick, W. Joy, S. Leffler, and R. Fabry. A Fast File System for UNIX. ACM Transactions on Computer Systems, 2(3):181--197, August 1984. [Seltzer et al. 1993] M. Seltzer, K. Bostic, M. McKusick, and C. Staelin. An Implementation of a Log-Structured File System for UNIX. In Proceedings of the USENIX Winter Conference, January 1993. [Tanenbaum 1987] A. Tanenbaum. Operating Systems: Design and Implementation. Prentice Hall, 1987. Thanks to Michael Johnson for HTMLizing it (originally for use in the Kernel Hacker's Guide).By Maddy Sauer, ABC News A Houston, Texas woman, who says she was gang-raped by her co-workers at a Halliburton/KBR camp in Baghdad, says 38 women have come forward through her foundation to report their own tragic stories to her, but that many cannot speak publicly due to arbitration agreements in their employment contracts. Jamie Leigh Jones is testifying on Capitol Hill this afternoon. She says she and other women are being forced to argue their cases of sexual harassment, assault and rape before secretive arbitration panels rather than in open court before a judge and jury. Jones returned from Iraq following her rape in 2005. She was the subject of an exclusive ABC News report in December which led to congressional hearings. After months of waiting for criminal charges to be filed, Jones decided to file suit against Halliburton and KBR. KBR has moved for Jones’ claim to be heard in private arbitration, instead of a public courtroom, as provided under the terms of her original employment contract. …Congressman Ted Poe, R-Texas, who has been involved in the Jones case since the beginning, will also appear at today’s hearing. He disagrees with the arbitration solution. “Air things out in a public forum of a courtroom,” said Rep. Poe in an earlier interview with ABC News. “That’s why we have courts in the United States.” More than two years since her attack, no criminal charges have been brought in the matter, and legal experts say that it is highly unlikely that Jones’ alleged assailants will ever face a judge and jury. (Original Article)Share. Only 10-percent difference between the two next-gen consoles. Only 10-percent difference between the two next-gen consoles. Exit Theatre Mode While early data for console preorders from major online retailers in the U.S. showed that consumers clearly favored the PlayStation 4 over the Xbox One immediately following E3 2013, the gap in sales between the two next-gen consoles may have narrowed significantly. According to the most recent pre-order data from IGN retail partners in the United States, PS4 led Xbox One in preorders by only around 10 percent. Exit Theatre Mode This data may fall in line with expectations from at least one major publisher. Based on internal discussions with Microsoft and Sony, Electronic Arts recently revealed that it expects the combined sales for both consoles to hit 10 million by the end of March 2014. While Microsoft has yet to reveal its in-house expectations for how well the Xbox One will ultimately sell, Sony's Andrew House stated at this year's Tokyo Game Show that he's hopeful that 5 million PS4 consoles will be sold during this time period. Do the math and it looks like EA is expecting a similar figure for Xbox One. Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot also recently expressed confidence in the Xbox One. "We see lots of improvement in the preorders that are coming on [Xbox One]," said Guillemot. "So no, we are not worried at all. We think it will be a big seller as well." The reason for the shift in public reception to the Xbox One may have to do with Microsoft's reversal on its originally announced policies regarding always-on connectivity and used game restrictions - policies that proved unpopular with many potential buyers. At E3, Sony took Microsoft head-on during its E3 2013 Media Briefing, announcing that the PS4 would support the lending and selling of used games and not require an online connection, two factors that likely helped lead IGN readers to declare that Sony was "winning E3" by 81% of the votes compared to Microsoft's 12% and Nintendo's 7%. Exit Theatre Mode So far, the actual numbers for both Sony and Microsoft are very promising. Preorders for both consoles have already shattered sales records, with Amazon claiming that day-one preorders for PS4 and Xbox One were "nearly two times that of all video game sales on Black Friday last year." Just this week, Sony reported that it sold over 1 million units in the first 24 hours of the PS4's launch in North America, putting it well on its way to reaching that 5 million goal worldwide. PlayStation 4 launched in North America on November 15th and will be released in Europe, Australia and New Zealand on November 29th. The console will launch in Japan in 2014. How well will the Xbox One do? We'll find out soon enough. The Xbox One launches globally this Friday, November 22nd. More Must-See Xbox One Launch Content: Chuck Osborn is IGN's Managing Editor. He likes superheroes and plays Dungeon Raid on his iPhone waaaay too much. Follow his demented ravings on Twitter @ChuckOnGames.Harry Shotters and the Chamber of Spirits By Patrick Dixon, Sean Aitch, Jackie Dixon There is a lot to celebrate in the Wizarding World these days with J.K Rowling revealing the Ilvermorny sorting quiz on Pottermore. So we decided to mix up another batch of Harry Shotters to mark the occasion. And because holding up a glass and saying “cheers” in so very dull, we’ve included a special toast you can make for each drink. Be sure to annunciate it clearly, before your speech becomes too slurred. On a serious note, this will probably be the last round of Harry Shotters we come out with. We want to keep going, but we also want to bring you the very best drinks. Are there still a few more puns we could mash together? Probably. It wouldn’t be too tough, but the joke quality would dip too far for our liking. Better that we hang up our mixing wands now with our heads held high. With that being said, it’s time to do the right thing and get mixing. Enjoy our last batch of Harry Shotters! 1. Hogwarts Espresso If we were to rate this drink out of 10, we’d give it a 9 and ¾. This tasty shooter will get your engine running, just make sure you pace yourself and don’t go off the rails. If you start believing you can magically run through brick walls, you’ve had too many. Suggested Toasting Spell: “Espresso Patronum!” 2. Drunko Malfoy You’ll soon find out that some wizarding drinks are better than others. You wouldn’t want to go around mixing with the wrong sort. Suggested Toasting Spell: “Rumbarda Maxima!” 3. Hufflepunch It makes sense that the most inclusive House has a Harry Shotter named after it. After all, the best drinking buddies are friendly, loyal, and trustworthy. Suggested Toasting Spell: “Vodkamenti!” 4. Gimlet of Fire Eternal glory awaits the drinker who can not only mix this variation of the gimlet cocktail, but light it aflame without hurting themselves. Just make sure you are old enough to pass your federal government’s age line before enjoying one. Funny, for a site that’s been naming alcoholic beverages after a children’s book series, that was the first time we’ve officially discouraged underage drinking. Well done, us! Suggested Toasting Spell: “Ginflamari!” 5. Kahlua Lovegood This one is sweet and Irish, with an affinity for plums. Here’s a drinking game: watch Order of the Phoenix and take a shot every time Luna says or does something adorable, funny, or insightful. You’ll probably be fending off wrackspurts and chasing after nargles by the end of it. Suggested Toasting Spell: “Epwhiskey!” 6. Longbottom Iced Tea Don’t be fooled, this drink is stronger than it looks. Memory loss might be a problem, so be sure to have your Remembrall handy. Suggested Toasting Spell: “Inebrius Totalus!” 7. Sirius Blackout We’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. Have a couple of these potent drinks and see which part comes out! Suggested Toasting Spell: “Alcoholomora!” 8. Shirazkaban Pour one out for all the people doing time in Azkaban. This a mixture that only the most hardened, twisted, and utterly insane wine drinkers can handle. Suggested Toasting Spell: “Winegardium Leviosa!” Here are the original Harry Shotters in case you missed them. Oh, and here is the follow-up series, Harry Shotters and the Deathly Hangover.In case you had any lingering doubts about mainstream media's role in the 2016 U.S. election cycle The well-documented Bernie-fueled maelstrom that took place last night at Nevada's Democratic convention should be headline news this morning. Long story short, on Saturday night there was so much outrage at the DNC leadership ignoring calls for a recount that the leaders had to literally flee the building and leave the sheriffs department in their wake. This video sums it up: You would think this story is big enough to be picked up by the mainstream media. Luckily the event was live-streamed and Tweeted by enraged Bernie supporters and it did get some attention at the edges. As of now - early Sunday afternoon, the day after last night's meltdown - complete coverage of the actual events can be found at a site I had never heard of before, RealClearPolitics.com, which is also currently featuring the story on their homepage. Heavy.com is also carrying the story and it is their top story featured front and center on their homepage as well. Whether you believe there was actual voter suppression that took place last night at Nevada's Democratic convention or not, you have to admit that the fact that this crazy event took place is somewhat significant. But as far as mainstream news media is concerned, it is simply crickets... I checked the homepages of NBC News, ABC News, Google News, and Yahoo News and found nothing. CNN is currently running a story that is halfway down their homepage, but when you click into the article page you find a large video above the actual text of the Nevada story that is all about how Bernie's mathematical chances to win the national primary election are very slim. What this video has to do with the actual story beneath it about the fracas at the Nevada convention last night, I have no idea. It is a very deceptive and biased presentation of the facts. And because some people love to claim that Buzzfeed and Vice News are not mainstream news, I also checked them as well. Again, nothing. Vice News and Buzzfeed are both oligarch-funded, venture capitalized behemoths. In other words, they are mainstream news outlets. I've taken the liberty of screen-capturing each website's homepage for posterity, in case there are any lingering doubts in the future about the integrity of coverage (or lack thereof). Or in case people try to tell us that we are just spewing conspiracy nonsense when we point out that mainstream media has literally ignored voter suppression this election cycle. I am currently in the process of building out LevelNews.org because I firmly believe that there is an urgent need for decentralized media discovery tools. The decentralized, independent news coverage that is already happening across the web can address the problems of censorship and pay-to-play media monoculture, but only if people can find it in the first place. The Evidence Click to enlarge any of the screenshots. Vice News... crickets. It wasn't in their "2016 Election" section either: Vice News Twitter... nothing again! I screen capped their Twitter feed in case someone says, "oh there was nobody working on Sunday to cover it". Their social media is very active with other stories right now, but none about this. Look at those scary terrorists though: [UPDATE] As of Monday, May 16 at 10am Pacific time, there is still no coverage of the Nevada convention in the Vice News website or Twitter feed.[UPDATE] One week later, we look back and see that there were a grand total of two stories on Vice News about the Nevada convention, both heavily slanted towards emphasizing the "violence" of Bernie supporters rather than the actual injustice that was displayed as a result of the voter suppression. As the news outlets that really covered this story pointed out, there was only one isolated incident of physical violence that night. Reading either of the two Vice News articles about the convention, you'd think a riot had broken out: "Chaos in Nevada Doesn't Bode Well for Clinton-Sanders Fight at National Convention" and "Nevada's Democratic Party Is Accusing Bernie Sanders' Staff and Supporters of Inciting Violence". I'll also point out that despite only running TWO slanted stories about the entire Nevada incident, Vice News was able to run a total of NINE(!) articles about Donald Trump during the same time period, May 16-22. Buzzfeed... crickets: [UPDATE] As of Monday, May 16 at 10am Pacific time, there is still no coverage of the Nevada convention on the Buzzfeed website (neither the homepage nor the "News" section). CNN... This is a doozy. The headline is: "Clinton edges Sanders in chaotic Nevada convention". Which is immediately followed by a large video that has nothing to do with the Nevada story. The video is an "explainer" about how it is mathematically nearly "impossible" for Bernie to still win. The actual story about the Nevada convention is in text and has been pushed beneath this video. It is somewhat perfunctory. Google News... They actually have a story about Nevada election conventions -- the relatively uneventful Republican convention! No DNC/Bernie news here: NBC News... Nothing! But look at those American kids that left the country to join ISIS! Maybe they felt disenfranchised: Yahoo News... Again, nothing! But they really want you to know that someone did a Donald Trump skit on Saturday Night Live and Kylie Jenner is trending. Super important stuff, guys!: Good job, everybody! This is the new norm: it is up to RT.com's comedian Lee Camp to tell us the truth:The lasting impact of the 2010 Winter Games on our community is tremendous. With a vastly improved highway, brand new competition venues, Whistler Olympic Plaza, the Athletes’ Village housing complex and the lifelong memories gained from hosting the world, Whistler will never be the same. One of the most scenic highways in the world, the Sea to Sky Highway from Vancouver to Whistler, received many upgrades in preparation for the Games, making this breathtakingly scenic routes safer and faster. The Whistler Sliding Centre and Whistler Olympic Park are now used for local sports and recreation, public tours, special events and high-calibre competitions such as World Cups. Whistler Olympic Plaza brings a new social gathering place to Whistler Village where locals and visitors alike can watch live music and theatre in the band shell, have a picnic on the expansive lawn or play a game of catch or Frisbee. The Athletes’ Village neighbourhood provides affordable housing to many locals. The area also offers a brand new youth hostel and high performace gym with lodging for athletes in training. 2010 Legacies Now 2010 Legacies Now was originally created to build support the bid for the 2010 Winter Games. Today 2010 Legacies Now celebrates diversity among groups such as women, youth, aboriginal people, inner-city residents, people living with a disability and people of all cultures and creates opportunities via social and community development initiatives that will benefit all British Columbians.isay weinfeld: paracicaba house ‘piracicaba house’ by isay weinfeld, sao paulo, brazil all images courtesy of isay weinfeld image © luiza sigulem in the city of piracicaba, 250 kilometers from sao paulo, brazilian practice isay weinfeld has designed the ‘piracicaba house’ in which a dispersed family can reunite. located on a sloping site, the residence utilizes the topography to create moments of privacy and access over three storeys, which face north to benefit from ample daylight. storage and mechanical areas on the ground level, are partially buried into the landscape and supported by a regular grid of columns and a natural stone wall that create a deep carport. an L-shaped middle level, accessible through a winding concrete ramp, houses the public services. a natural wood veneer wraps the outside and extends to the decking running alongside the pool. a perpendicularly jutting volume contains the living room with contrasting walls; the first, a deep glass wall linking to the outer patio – the other, a screen of vertical angled concrete planes spaced as lines on a bar code, filtering views from off-site and blocking the sun. the ceiling slab doubles as an outdoor terrace connecting to the upstairs den, situated at the cantilevering block of private bedrooms, aesthetically differentiated by a an array of white timber and textured plaster. central poolimage © luiza sigulem open entry to bedroomsimage © luiza sigulem sloping contours under north facade image © nelson kon deck from private deckimage © luiza sigulem view from pool deck image © luiza sigulem central pool image © nelson kon carportimage © luiza sigulem carport and walkway with columns image © nelson kon street-side view image © nelson kon vertical concrete slabs control views image © nelson kon public space image © luiza sigulem hallwayimage © luiza sigulem entry to bedroom massimage © luiza sigulem walkway winding to the west entrance image © nelson kon site plan floor plan / level 0 floor plan / level 1 section elevation elevation project info: beginning of project: january 2006 opening: january 2009 construction area: 1000 m2 land area: 1980 m2A look at the Easter eggs found in last night's Arrow episode. Wondering what comic references you missed in last night's episode? Luckily Arrow Annotations is here to help, providing some additional notes and background info from last night’s episode. Arrow spoilers follow! John Nichols – To the best of my knowledge, there’s no link to any comic book characters or creators here. Glades Betrayed - Yup, this is an actual website, one that appears to have been set up the week before as a countdown to this week’s episode. However, with the exception of Roy, it looks like there aren’t any other references to the comics in it. Joseph Falk – “The Savior” doesn’t have ties to any existing DC characters, and his name doesn’t really ring any bells. There is Lee Falk, the creator of The Phantom and Mandrake the Magician, but he never did any work for DC. There’s also a character named Sadie Falk, the sister of one Starman and lover of another, but I really doubt there’s any connection there either. So yeah, chances are there aren’t any real ties here. Starling City Rockets – The Star City Rockets are the fictional National League Baseball team of Star City, who play in Papp Stadium. Papp Stadium is named for George Papp, one of Green Arrow’s co-creators. Gavin Carnahan – No ties to anything once again. WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME, ARROW WRITERS? Blood on her hands – There’s a Shakespearean undertone to Moira trying to clean Frank Chen’s blood off her hands. In Macbeth, Lady Macbeth famously cries out “Out, damned spot!” when trying to get her dog, Spot, out of her bedroom. (Okay, not really.) She was referring to the blood of King Duncan, whose murder she arranged. Moira's story definitely rings of a Shakespearean tragedy. Her role in her husband’s death is still unclear, she definitely was involved with Walter’s kidnapping and she shot her son (although she didn’t know it). If she is a Shakespearean character, chances are she's going to die in the not too distant future. Central City – Finally, a real comic book reference! Central City is the home to Barry Allen, the second Flash, which is why Dinah says “I’ll be back in a flash”. The city is usually shown to be located in Missouri, across the Kansas River from Keystone City, Kansas. Keystone was previously mentioned in Legacies. Lyla Michaels - Over in the Arrow tie-in comic books, Lyla Michaels makes an appearance as a contact of Diggle’s. In the comics, Lyla is better known as the Harbinger, who played a central role in Crisis on Infinite Earths. She later became friends with Supergirl on Paradise Island and was killed by Darksied during an attack on the island. If you have $0.99 to spare, you should give the comic a read. It fills in some of the show’s continuity (and features Diggle getting his revenge for the headlock of doom Ollie gave him in the pilot episode) and is drawn by Mike Grell, one of the creators who frequently gets mentioned in the show. And that's all I found this week. There was a snatch of graffiti that I wanted to take a look at in the episode, so I might be updating this later.The ratings are through all of Tuesday’s (2-9-16) games. There is a TON of information in the spreadsheet – the ability to sort all players by any rating subset. Remember, HnR is an overall seasonal rating – missing games hurts the rating. HnI is the rating for the player when he is actually on the court – missing games does not hurt the rating. HnI is the better predictor, and is what I use when predicting games. 100 is an average D1 player for either rating. Another crazy day for me, so I’m getting these ratings up a few hours later than expected, and I won’t elaborate any further here – I’ll go do the usual screenshots and such on twitter. Hit me up on twitter if you have any questions – or post a comment below. I’ll try my best to elaborate on anything you might want to know or understand.This is a post about a simple trick you can use to enjoy the things you like a little more and/or make them enjoyable to others. But first, let’s try a little experiment. Please listen to this piece of classical music. It’s only 47 seconds long. Your browser does not support the audio tag. Now write down some measure of how much you enjoyed it on whatever scale you want. Five stars, a number from one to ten, whatever. Ready? Okay, now read the following story. On the evening of May 7, 1747 in the grounds of the just finished Sansoucci palace of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, a 62-year old man arrives by carriage. As was the custom in those days, an officer writes his name in a list of visitors which is usually reviewed by the King. Inside the palace, through the Entrance Hall and to the left, King Frederick is in an exquisitely decorated room, getting his flute ready for the nightly concert while the rest of the musicians tune up. The officer enters the room and gives the King the list of strangers who have arrived to the palace. With his flute in his hand, Frederick runs down the list and immediately turns to the assembled musicians, exclaiming with a kind of agitation, “Gentlemen, old Bach is come.” He lays his flute aside, and announces to the other musicians and the rest of the people of the court that there will be no concert tonight. Das Flötenkonzert Friedrich des Großen in Sanssouci by Adolph von Menzel Johann Sebastian Bach has just arrived for a visit to his son Carl Philip Emanuel Bach, the court’s Capellmeister. The King had wanted to meet with J.S. Bach, and his wish had just been realized. So without even giving Bach time to change from his traveling clothes to a more formal black chanter’s gown, the King summons him to appear before his Highness. Frederick, after listening to Bach’s apology for his appearance, invites him to try his collection of Silbermann fortepianos, which are scattered throughout the palace. The musicians follow them from room to room, and Bach is invited everywhere to try the fortepianos and play unpremeditated compositions. After going on for some time, Bach asks the King, “Would Your Highness be so kind as to honor me with a subject for a Fuge, so that I can execute it immediately and without any preparation?” The King, desiring to give such a learned musician a challenge, picks up his flute and plays the following tune: Your browser does not support the audio tag. The King's Theme This is quite a complex melody! One of which Michelle Rasmussen says: The King’s theme begins with a C minor triad, (“c - e flat – g”), is raised to the next half-note above that, “a flat,” and then takes a dramatic downward leap of a seventh from the “a flat” down to “B”, not included in C minor, but found in C major. This creates musical tension between two pairs of half-step intervals: from the ”B” back to the beginning “C,” and the “g - a flat” interval. Picking up on these half-steps from the first part, the second part of the Royal theme is a revolutionary ambiguous step-wise descent from the top of the triad, “g” one octave down to “G”, comprised of a chromatic descent from “g” to “B”, and then, down by major scale steps to “G”. The concluding section hops up through “c” to “f”, and ends with a stepwise journey down the C-minor scale from f, through “e flat”, to end where it began on “c”. Bach is silent for a couple of seconds, but he accepts the King’s challenge. He plays the King’s theme three times before proceeding to play a beautiful three-voice Fugue. Please listen to the first minute of it: Your browser does not support the audio tag. The King, impressed by the three-voice Fuge improvised by Bach, and to see how far such art could be carried, requests to hear a Fuge with six voices. Fearing he cannot, without preparation, invent such a complex Fuge based on the King’s theme, Bach asks permission of the King to pick his own subject, which the King gently concedes. Bach proceeds then to execute it to the astonishment of all present in the same magnificent and learned manner as he had done that of the King. After returning home to Leipzig, Bach composes a three-voiced and a six-voiced fugue, ten canons, and a sonata for flute, violin, and piano. All based on the King’s theme. This work has become known as the Musikalisches Opfer (Musical Offering), after a phrase from Bach’s dedication to King Frederick. Bach sends this Musical Offering to King Frederick, and on the page preceding the first sheet of music, he inscribes: Regis Iussu Cantio Et Reliqua Canonica Arte Resoluta, meaning “At the King’s Command, the Song and the Remainder Resolved with Canonic Art”. an acrostic spelling “RICERCAR”, the original name for the musical form now known as the Fuge. Bach also uses this title for the two fugues. Ricercar is also an Italian word meaning “to seek”, which is appropriate since Bach doesn’t quite write all the music. He leaves hints on how to complete the scores as musical puzzles for the King to solve. One example of these puzzles is the work entitled “Canon a 2 (Cancrizans)”. The original score looks like this: Canon a 2 (Cancrizans) The title “Canon a 2” implies it’s a two-voice canon, but the score only shows one voice. There are hints in the score for solving the puzzle of the second voice: Cancrizan is Medieval-Latin meaning “to move backwards” literally crab-like. There is an extra clef at the end of the score, and it is backwards. The three flats at the end of the score are also facing backwards. All of these hints strongly imply that the second voice (the follower) is the same as the first voice (the leader) only played backwards. What you listened to in the beginning was Canon a 2 (Cancrizan) as performed by the Stuttgarter Kammerorchester under the direction of Karl Münchinger. Listen to it again: Your browser does not support the audio tag. But note that since the second voice is the same as the first voice, only played backwards. We should be able to reverse the recording and the canon should still sound the same! Listen to the same canon being played backwards: Your browser does not support the audio tag. Now listen to the original canon once again. How much, on your same scale, did you enjoy it this time? Was it more? Significantly more? How likely are you to want to listen to the rest of the Musical Offering? For example by buying one of these two CDs? If you are like most people, you found the second hearing much more enjoyable than the first. This is because your expectations, the context in which you have an experience, and how much you know about something all have a big effect on how much enjoyment you derive. Reading the story taught you something about the music, it served as a guide of what to look for. Sure, it helps that this is a musical masterpiece by the best baroque composer there is. But the effect works, even if the story is false. Oh, I’m not saying that the above story didn’t happen. I dressed it up a little, but the story is true. However, take a look at the Significant Objects project. They take an insignificant object (bought at a Thrift store) and ask a writer to make up a back story for it. Then they sell it on ebay. They are careful to disclose that the story is false, and they donate the proceedings to charity. But how much do the objects gain in value? This Russian Figurine that they bought for $3 was sold for $193.50! In one experiment, scientists at Caltech and Stanford told people they would be tasting wines ranging in price from $5 to $90, and asked them to rate the wines. Unsurprisingly, the more expensive wines were rated higher than the cheap wines. The twister? All the samples were the exact same wine. Since people expected the more expensive wine to taste better, it tasted better. So here is the trick I promised you. If you want to make an experience more enjoyable, find or create a backstory. It’s better if the story is true and you believe it, but it works even if it’s a made up story.The first study to compare brain function between humans and any nonprimate animal shows that dogs have dedicated voice areas in their brains, just as people do. Dog brains, like those of people, are also sensitive to acoustic cues of emotion, according to a study in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on February 20. The findings suggest that voice areas evolved at least 100 million years ago, the age of the last common ancestor of humans and dogs, the researchers say. It also offers new insight into humans' unique connection with our best friends in the animal kingdom and helps to explain the behavioral and neural mechanisms that made this alliance so effective for tens of thousands of years. "Dogs and humans share a similar social environment," says Attila Andics of MTA-ELTE Comparative Ethology Research Group in Hungary. "Our findings suggest that they also use similar brain mechanisms to process social information. This may support the successfulness of vocal communication between the two species." Andics and his colleagues trained 11 dogs to lay motionless in an fMRI brain scanner. That made it possible to run the same neuroimaging experiment on both dog and human participants -- something that had never been done before. They captured both dogs' and humans' brain activities while the subjects listened to nearly 200 dog and human sounds, ranging from whining or crying to playful barking or laughing. The images show that dog and human brains include voice areas in similar locations. Not surprisingly, the voice area of dogs responds more strongly to other dogs while that of humans responds more strongly to other humans. The researchers also noted striking similarities in the ways the dog and human brains process emotionally loaded sounds. In both species, an area near the primary auditory cortex lit up more with happy sounds than unhappy ones. Andics says the researchers were most struck by the common response to emotion across species. There were some differences, too: in dogs, 48% of all sound-sensitive brain regions respond more strongly to sounds other than voices. That's in contrast to humans, in which only 3% of sound-sensitive brain regions show greater response to nonvocal versus vocal sounds. The study is the first step toward understanding how it is that dogs can be so remarkably good at tuning into the feelings of their human owners. "This method offers a totally new way of investigating neural processing in dogs," Andics says. "At last we begin to understand how our best friend is looking at us and navigating in our social environment."Jene Bramel writes for Footballguys.com, an encyclopedic resource for fantasy football knowledge. Veteran fantasy football players know that risk is a two-sided coin on draft day. The best drafts avoid the overvalued and overhyped players while looking for undervalued players with big upside wherever they may be found. Value-based drafting, using tiers and data for average draft position (ADP), and having a healthy skepticism for skill position players on bad offenses are a few ways that the most consistent drafters manage risk effectively every year. But there’s a more insidious kind of risk lurking in the lines of your cheatsheet. Every season, there are players who have a reasonable ADP but are still extremely risky. Despite their fair
new video on Tuesday urging members of Congress to obstruct Trump if he pursues “racist, sexist, anti-immigrant, anti-union, anti-environmental” policies. “The majority of Americans, regardless of who they voted for, did not vote for racism, for sexism, or for xenophobia. And yet Donald Trump won,” the script reads. Humanity for Progress, the successor to the group Humanity for Hillary, unveiled a video directed by Liz Garbus and featuring Sally Field, Jeffrey Wright, Lea DeLaria, Keegan Michael-Key, Rosie Perez, Steve Buscemi, Zoe Kazan, and developer Bruce Ratner, among others. It was co-written by Laura Dawn, who co-founded the group, and produced by co-founder Tanya Selvaratnam. The clip calls for viewers to tweet and email the video to members of Congress, and to sign a petition at MoveOn.org. “We know the majority of the American people, regardless of who they voted for, do not want a regime that permits hate and monied interests to run rampant,” Garbus said in a statement. Will it have an impact? Also, after Trump’s election, there has been some consternation on whether the videos actually reinforced the idea that Hillary Clinton was the candidate of the elites, and even Tina Fey made light of them, but Humanity for Progress says that their memes were viewed more than 50 million times during the campaign. Given the Republican control of Congress, the video is obviously aimed at generating energy among those opposed to Trump, and is a bet that celebrity activism if far from futile in the new dynamics of D.C. Watch the video below:Cornell University researchers used porn and measures of pupil dilation to study arousal in straight-, gay- and bisexual-identifying men and women, reports a study published April 3 in PLoS ONE. The results, which point to surprising differences in arousal based on a person's sex and sexual orientation, corroborate previous research using measures of genital response, opening up a less-invasive method of studying arousal and orientation. Human development experts Gerulf Rieger and Ritch Savin-Williams measured pupil dilation in 325 people as they watched two 30-second videos -- one of a woman masturbating and one of a man -- as well as a 1-minute clip of a neutral landscape that served as a palate-cleanser and a control between the porn clips. Participants in a pilot study chose the clips based on the attractiveness of the models, and the order they were shown in (man first versus woman first) was selected randomly during the dilation study. Unsurprisingly, "heterosexual men dilated most to the other sex, homosexual men dilated most to the same sex, and bisexual men dilated more equally than other men to both sexes," the authors wrote. The same wasn't true for straight women, though. On average, heterosexual women dilated more to images of a man than to a landscape, but they also responded more strongly to images of a woman masturbating compared to heterosexual men watching a man. Lesbians and bisexual women in the study more closely followed the male patterns. The finding that straight women more so than straight men are likely to get turned on by both sexes could be explained by evolutionary theory, Rieger says. In 2000, Roy Baumeister, a psychologist then at Case Western Reserve University, proposed that the female sex drive evolved to be more malleable than the male sex drive. Then, in 2007, Canadian researchers studying the genital response to watching videos of human and animal sex suggested that whereas the biological function of arousal in men is to become erect and penetrate women, in women it has historically been to self-protect (with lubrication) during forced sex, which ostensibly required them to be more automatic and flexible in their arousal to any stimuli. "Forced copulation in several species and in most human societies indicate that it may have occurred throughout human evolution," Rieger and Ritch Savin-Williams write.Why do musicians do what they do? Ask any musician, from the striving busker to the thriving megastar, if they’re glad they took the time to learn an instrument and you can guarantee the answer would be positive. Put simply, there are no downsides to it. You develop a new skill, open up the opportunity to write and perform, and generally enrich your life in a way unlike other hobbies. But there is so much more to learning an instrument than the visible payoffs. You see, there is a world of magic going on inside your brain throughout your musical career. From the first time you pick up an instrument through to the day you finally crack that legendary solo, you are benefiting in so many ways that you perhaps don’t realise. Let’s take a closer look at some of the key benefits of playing an instrument. Patience Particularly for anyone starting to learn an instrument, the hardest part is proving your dedication to it. Days, weeks and months can go by with seemingly little or no improvement. Whether that’s those first painful barre chords on an acoustic guitar or trying to (literally) get your mouth around the correct breathing techniques required on a trombone, it can seem like you’re putting all the effort in with little or no reward. In reality, it is this part of the learning curve which claims the most victims. Plenty of people fancy learning an instrument and, wrongly, assume it is as easy as buying one and having a few lessons. Anyone who isn’t dedicated loses interest at this stage when they don’t see instant results. But, if it was easy, everyone would be doing it. The fact that you’re willing to dedicate an hour a night to learning something means you are showing patience and perseverance which you maybe didn’t know you had. Give it a year and you’ll have grown in ability, and confidence, and you’ll look back and be glad of those hard first few months. Indeed, those first few months will forever be a badge of honour, saying you stuck it out and earned your stripes. There are no shortcuts to learning an instrument. Achievement Typically, every musician will have a song they’d love to be able to play but can’t, for whatever reason. Maybe it’s too technical or too quick. By keeping that song in mind as you develop, and putting the practice in, anybody can play anything. Truly. It’s not a closed shop, learning an instrument. And just imagine how good you’ll feel once you actually can play it. Yes, learning an instrument is hard but it’s a perfect virtuous circle too; by putting the hours in and dedicating yourself to improving your skills, you’ll nurture a sense of achievement which is pretty hard to beat. Concentration One of the many reasons why so many parents encourage their kids to learn an instrument is because of the positive effect it can have on concentration. You may have a current concentration span equivalent to a goldfish, but learning an instrument gives that payoff where you can see gradual improvement. This is particularly true for players of instruments which involve reading from sheet music; one lapse and you’re out of the game. As your technical skills improve, naturally so will your levels of concentration which has benefits in other areas of your life too. Skill development Everybody likes to feel like they’re good at something, right? Knowing you have a talent, whether natural or earned, goes a long way to building confidence in your ability to take on new challenges. Even better than that is the way that certain skills you learn, either physically through motor skills or mentally through thought, can be transferred to other areas. Standing up on a stage to play an instrument takes skill, courage and calmness – all attributes which can come in handy when giving presentations at work, for example. Social While the actual process of learning an instrument can, at times, be fairly solitary, the benefit comes in the way musicians can connect socially to form groups or bands. By learning an instrument you open up the potential to meet other musicians and have something in common with them. This could lead all kinds of places, from a jam session in someone’s garage through to the main stage at Glastonbury. Music gives people from all cultures or backgrounds a common, universal language with which to communicate. Physical As well as being mentally and creatively stimulating, playing an instrument can also be a great physical experience. Just look at any drummer as they come off stage, or watch the speed at which a good guitarist moves around the fretboard. A lot of this physical exertion is what makes the player’s technique, a combination of precision and deftness. Over time, you’re building up muscle memory in your playing, which keeps your body agile and develops strength in places you never knew you had it. Pleasure Perhaps above all of the points listed earlier, comes pleasure. The pleasure in playing is perhaps the first thing people say is their reason for picking an instrument. Yes it builds your transferrable skills. Yes it builds confidence. But the single most important benefit of playing an instrument is that it makes you happy. It can pick you up when you’re down, calm you when you’re angry. You put the time into learning something and that something just happens to sound amazing. Writing songs, learning new riffs, talking to other musicians, reading up on the gear used by your heroes; all these things contribute to what we think is the most rewarding activity on the face of the planet. Further Reading Still not convinced? Below are a few articles that outline scientific research into the benefits of playing an instrument. Playing a musical instrument makes you brainier – The Telegraph This Is How Music Can Change Your Brain – Time Playing musical instrument ‘sharpens mind’ says St Andrews study – BBC NewsSpencer clutched the gory end of the broken axe handle in his small hand as he raced toward the sidewalk that ran along the wash. One way led back toward Fort Lowell Road and probably more zombies. The other led north and this was the direction he chose. The undead birthday party as well as stray zombies took up the chase, but his nine-year old legs weren’t stopping. A big male zombie with a gory mouth lumbered up in front of him blocking his path. “Shit sandwich,” he said, mimicking his father. Even his young mind knew that if he slowed down the others behind him could catch up, so he tried to dodge around the freak. It clawed at him as he passed, grabbing his shirt. “Son of a…” he started, but the wind got knocked out of him and the zombie pulled him off his feet. Spencer hit the pavement hard and the zombie bent down to feast on his warm flesh. Spencer held the spike of wood upright as the mouth descended. “Oh please,” he whispered as he closed his eyes. The thing opened its blood covered mouth wide and Spencer’s snapped his eyes back open and drove the spike deep into the thing’s throat. It was a lucky shot, but the thing was… it didn’t kill it. The big zombie moaned in anger and attempted to bite him, but his teeth were blocked by the protruding spike. Spencer tried to escape, but the zombie’s fingers dig and tore at him, cutting him open and eliciting a cry of pain from the young boy. Behind him, Spencer could hear the other undead drawing near. With a yell, Spencer drove both his hands forward and pummeled the end of the spike. “Eat my spike, bitch,” he screamed and the zombie drew back, making a choking sound, while more blood exploded from its ruptured mouth. Spencer struggled and managed to roll onto his side. The thing got on all fours and stretched out a hand for the boy, but Spencer was quicker and with a violent back kick he drove the wooden spike into the zombie with such force that it severed its spine and the zombie finally went limp. Looking back, he saw that the undead were only a few yards behind him. With a yelp, he crawled to the fence that ran along the wash and scrambled under it. This proved to be a sound idea for the older zombies paused as they struggled to climb over the four foot railing, while even the younger undead were forced to tumble over the lower rails to reach him. Even as he watched, three zombies miscalculated their landing and fell to the wash far below. Spencer heaved his battered and bloody body onto its feet and continued to move north keeping the railing between him and the growing horde of walking dead. He had made it an hundred yards before his eyes grew wide with fear. He had come across the backside of a grocery store and four zombies moaned loudly when they saw him. He struggled to run past them before they could reach the railing, but failed. Looking over his shoulder, he saw at least a dozen zombies stumbled behind him, while before him the four large zombies were already stretching the arms across the railing, which would make it nearly impossible for him to pass. Weaponless and alone, Spencer let out a moan of his own, before whimpering, “I’m so screwed.” Tune in next Saturday for the Climax of Spiking It! You can discover where Spencer and Emily enter the Eternal Aftermath Here!Image caption Officials are investigating whether a boat found on Dymchurch beach is linked to the incident More resources are needed to stop migrants trying to reach the UK on boats or lives will be lost, a former border force chief inspector has said. It comes after two British men were charged with immigration offences following the rescue of 20 people from an inflatable boat off Kent on Sunday. Those rescued included 18 Albanian migrants, two of them children. Ex-inspector John Vine said there was an "equal chance" of migrants drowning in the Channel as in the Mediterranean. The UK coastguard said it was called just before midnight on Saturday to an incident off the coastal village of Dymchurch. Those on board the boat reportedly alerted their families in Calais after their inflatable boat started taking in water. A Home Office spokesman confirmed a woman and two children were among those on the boat. He said a second vessel - which officials say could be linked to the incident - was discovered on the beach at Dymchurch. The two Britons, Robert Stilwell, 33, from Dartford, and Mark Stribling, 35, from Farningham, appeared before Medway Magistrates Court in Kent on Monday. They were charged with conspiring to facilitate the entry of non-EU nationals, and remanded in custody to appear before Maidstone Crown Court on 27 June. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption 'We rescued English Channel migrants' Since the rescue on Sunday, concerns have been raised that sea tragedies, similar to those seen on the voyage to Turkey, Greece or Italy, could occur in the English Channel. Mr Vine, who was chief inspector until 2014, said: "We have seen the tragedies that have occurred in the Mediterranean. "I am not a nautical person but I would have thought crossing the Channel - with all the hazards in terms of cross-Channel traffic as well as the weather and the sea conditions - are going to mean there is an equal chance of people losing their lives unless this is stopped." 'Calculated risk' Mr Vine told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the threat of migrants coming to the UK on ships "wasn't a major priority" when he raised concerns with the government in the past. "Clearly if this is now the start of something new, then really that needs to be reassessed and resources need to be put in," he added. Border Force operates a fleet of five patrol boats, known as "cutters". One is currently deployed in the Aegean Sea, between Greece and Turkey. There are four stationed in UK waters, with three in operation at any one time, the Home Office said. In February 2015, Border Force decided to "furlough" two of the five cutters, meaning they would be left in dock with skeleton maintenance staff - saving £3.5m. Analysis Image copyright Jon Wickington By Simon Jones, BBC correspondent Many people living along the Kent coast are shocked, but not surprised at what's happened. The Channel is a huge stretch of water to patrol - and the authorities are often relying on tip-offs to try to catch those responsible. Some residents are asking how many migrants are managing to get through without being detected. The fear is that with the recent security clampdown at the Port of Calais and Eurotunnel, more and more migrants will attempt to cross the Channel on small boats, putting their lives at risk. At the Port of Dover, the boat from which the migrants were rescued is still being painstakingly examined. It would have been a tight fit to get 20 people on board, crammed into the small craft in the busiest shipping lane in the world. It comes as Lord West, former head of the Royal Navy, told the Daily Mail it was a "complete mess" that three Border Force vessels had been left to patrol the UK's coastline. "We are taking a calculated risk with our own territorial waters. "Already we have seen these illegal immigrants and I don't believe there aren't clever traffickers using the smaller ports to send them and I'm sure terrorists are aware of the route too." UKIP Leader Nigel Farage said it was "essential that a clear message is sent that no migrant arriving on our shores by boat is allowed leave to remain". "We have all seen the horrors of the Mediterranean, with thousands crossing and hundreds dying, we cannot allow that to happen off the shores of Kent and Sussex." However, Damian Collins, MP for Folkestone and Hythe, said it was "too early to say whether this is a new trend". He told BBC Radio 5 live it was wrong to say the UK's coastline was "undefended", saying the Channel was "probably the most monitored stretch of water in the world". Immigration Minister James Brokenshire this week said government investment over the last six years has "left us with one of the most secure borders in the world". Rescuers said a helicopter from nearby Lydd and two lifeboats from Dungeness and Folkestone were sent to the incident, off Dymchurch. At about 02:00 BST on Sunday, a rigid-hulled inflatable boat, known as a "rhib", with 20 people on board was found. After being rescued, the group were handed over to the UK Border Force and taken to Dover. The incident comes after 17 men, thought to be Albanian migrants, were detained when a catamaran arrived at Chichester Marina in West Sussex on Tuesday, along with a 55-year-old British man wanted on suspicion of murder in Spain. The Briton, who was the subject of a European Arrest Warrant, was detained on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration and the 17 men were held on suspicion of entering the UK illegally. Also last month, two Iranian men were found floating in a dinghy in the Channel.Valparaiso Redshirt Junior Lexus Williams wanted a change, so once he graduated he looked to transfer to a school where he fit a need, and could play immediately. He visited New Mexico State, Oakland, and Wisconsin and flirted with Northwestern before visiting Boise State, but he found all he was looking for in Idaho as the Senior to be chose to commit to the Broncos today. So excited and blessed for this opportunity! Boise State here I come! pic.twitter.com/bynvflk5e7 — Lexus Williams (@smooveLex) June 8, 2017 With just one year of eligibility, Williams will slide nicely into the spot vacated by former Bronco Paris Austin, who left unexpectedly just a few days after the end of the Spring Semester to transfer to California. Williams joins a Bronco team that has only one other PG, True Freshman Marcus Dickinson, whose playing time and effectiveness increased markedly as the season progressed. But putting all that responsibility on a player with only one year of experience is a perilous option.. enter Lexus Williams. Williams stood out for Valparaiso as a Freshman, earning a spot on the Horizon League All-Freshman Team. As a Sophomore, he sat out the entire season, redshirting due to two different knee injuries, (a torn ACL prior to the 2014-15 season and a broken kneecap while rehabbing). He returned as a redshirt sophomore to a limited role due to concerns over his knee and falling down the depth chart. As a Junior, his role increased as he ended up starting 21 of 33 total games, averaging 22 minutes a game, along with 5.2ppg and 2 apg.. He shot 41% from 3-point range, and led his team with 1.4 steals per game. Williams joins the Broncos with just one year to play, which works out well for both parties, Boise State won't have to settle for the 'next best' available PG recruit to fill a need and can push that scholarship up a year, giving them time to pursue a dynamic floor general, and Williams finds a team that has a desperate need for an experienced PG with leadership and shut down defense capabilities. This commitment gives the Broncos 2 Graduate Transfers as Williams joins Fordham transfer Christian Sengfelder. http://www.scout.com/player/216611-christian-sengfelder?s=336 The addition of these two graduate transfers allows the Broncos to push two open scholarships to next year, when the Broncos will have only one Senior scholarship player, Chandler Hutchison.UserAgent: Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_10_2) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/53.0.2785.89 Safari/537.36 Example URL: http://codepen.io/jpanter/pen/PGqJOm?editors=1100 Steps to reproduce the problem: 1. Open that URL in Chrome 52 and toggle the opacity animation. 2. Open that URL in Chrome 53 and toggle the opacity animation. 3. Open that URL in Firefox and toggle the opacity animation. 4. Note that it works in Chrome 52 and Firefox, but is broken in Chrome 53. What is the expected behavior? The box should become transparent while NOT being flattened. What went wrong? The box was flattened. The change that caused it is detailed at https://googlechrome.github.io/samples/css-opacity-force-flattening which in my opinion is a frustrating and bad change, and is a regression in 3D programming in the web. I'm working on a 3D library, and this change breaks anything 3D that uses nested elements and opacity. Does it occur on multiple sites: Yes Is it a problem with a plugin? No Did this work before? N/A Does this work in other browsers? Yes Chrome version: 53.0.2785.89 Channel: n/a OS Version: OS X 10.10.2 Flash Version: Shockwave Flash 22.0 r0 Please, let's not just suddenly break the 3D web. Let's not follow a spec just to follow a spec. We can rather change the spec. We should encourage the 3D future of the web rather than arbitrarily break it without notice, especially when VR is on the horizon.Award season is at hand in Hollywood, and GAME OF THRONES is racking up the nominations.The show scored three nods from SAG, the Screen Actors Guild. Peter Dinklage was nominated as Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series, along with Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey of TRUE DETECTIVE, Steve Buschemi from BOARDWALK EMPIRE, and Kevin Spacey for HOUSE OF CARDS. The cast as a whole was nominated for Best Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama, and our stunt team was nominated for Best Action Performance by an Ensemble.has the full list at http://variety.com/2014/film/news/sag-awards-nominations-birdman-boyhood-1201375775/ This year's Golden Globe have also just been announced. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association nominated GAME OF THRONES in Best Drama. The competition is THE GOOD WIFE, DOWNTON ABBEY, THE AFFAIR, and HOUSE OF CARDS. (Very surprised not to see BOARDWALK EMPIRE on that list; their final season was astounding. MANHATTAN also deserved a nod, I think. This is truly the Golden Age of television drama).As ever, it is an honor to be nominated, to be part of the conversation.(I remain skeptical about our chances of actually winning, the bias against fantasy being what it is).Canadian natural gas prices could plunge below $1 per thousand cubic feet by the end of March as a lukewarm winter and record gas storage conspire to bring prices down. AECO, the Alberta benchmark natural gas prices, stood at $1.24 per mcf Wednesday, its lowest level in 18 years, as gas storage exceeded five-year average. AECO prices last fell below $1 on June 30, 1995, Bloomberg data shows. “With too much gas in Western Canada, we believe prices will deteriorate further to under C$1.00 per mcf and could well persist near this level for a few months,” Martin King, analyst at FirstCapital Energy Corp. said in a report. “Such prices may also be required to force some wellhead shut-ins.” A number of companies are already curbing output. Encana Corp., a major natural gas producer, said it has reduced its output estimate to as low as 1,300 million cubic feet per day this year from 1,635 million cubic feet in 2015. Storm Resources Ltd. cut production by around 2,700 barrels of oil equivalent per day in November and December, blaming low natural gas prices in British Columbia that averaged 88 cents per gigajoule. The number of active natural gas rigs stood at 63 in January, compared to 207 during the same month in 2015, according to The Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors. FirstEnergy, a Calgary-based energy investment broker, says “insane” record high natural gas storage increased to levels not seen since 1998. “There is an outside chance that the net cumulative withdrawal of gas from Alberta storage could be close to zero this heating season, an unprecedented event in the history of North American natural gas storage,” King said in a note to clients. On Wednesday, Dundee Capital Markets cut its AECO forecast by 25 per cent this year to $1.80 per mcf. Canadian natural gas prices are falling in tandem with U.S. Henry Hub benchmark that is at levels last seen in the previous century. The U.S. benchmark was trading at US$1.68 per mcf on Wednesday. “While we remain constructive in the medium term due to increased North American industrial gas demand, growing Mexican exports and U.S. LNG offtake, the short-term storage overhang is expected to keep prices depressed until the heating season resumes or production tapers,” Dundee analysts wrote in a note to clients. The first U.S. liquefied natural gas export ship set sail last month, but it will not be enough to absorb a record 2.4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas storage — 50 per cent higher than its five-year average. As North American natural gas producers mothball gas rigs, production across the continent could fall by eight billion cubic feet per day this year, National Bank Financial estimates. “Current fundamentals are not likely sustainable and we have visibility towards potential for a material re-set of supply/demand and pricing over the next six to 12 months,” said Brian Milne, analyst at National Bank. yhussain@nationalpost.com Twitter.com/YAD_FPEnergyWestpac Banking Corp chief Brian Hartzer describes bitcoin and the blockchain as "potentially disruptive" technologies which could be "quite powerful from an efficiency point of view" but says there's no need for banks to panic about being cut out from the monetary system because any impact will only come in the long term. The blockchain is technology that validates transactions made in bitcoin, digital money that is not controlled by any bank or government, but rather by an open network managed by its users. If it ever takes off, bitcoin could transform the movement of money and strip banks of their control of it. Westpac is watching the development of bitcoin and has invested in Coinbase. Credit:George Frey "The development of the blockchain [will] certainly [have] a very interesting and potentially disruptive impact on financial services," Mr Hartzer said after being asked about it at the bank's strategy briefing on Monday. But he added that "nobody really knows yet where it is going to go to [and] there are a number of limitations and challenges with it." These include limits on the number of transactions that can take place on the blockchain (seven a second), the highly volatile price of bitcoin itself, and its attraction of criminals. Nevertheless, Westpac is "staying close to the idea", Mr Hartzer said.An American veteran who says he guarded a secret stash of nuclear weapons in Newfoundland claims his government would rather see him dead than admit to violations of international law. Almon Scott, who worked as a guard at the Argentia military base between 1963 and 1965, claims that years before Ottawa allowed nuclear weapons on Canadian soil, he was guarding them at a secret weapons lab in Placentia Bay. Scott, who is dying, blames the cancer in his blood and bones on his duties four decades ago. He claims the U.S. government is not only refusing to help him, but will not give the veteran his own service records because that would mean admitting to its ally that it had nuclear materials on Canadian soil without informing the government. Scott, now 65, said that when he was a young marine assigned to duties at the military base in Argentia, he did what he was told. "It was a different time. We did our duty, and we didn't ask questions," he said. With top-secret clearance, Scott said he was assigned to guard duty at a heavily barricaded weapons laboratory. It was there, he claims, that he was exposed to nuclear weapons. The U.S. government says there is no proof Scott was exposed to nuclear material at Argentia. The Department of Foreign Affairs told the CBC any questions about nuclear weapons at Argentia would have to go through the Access to Information Act. Like other American military facilities in Newfoundland and Labrador, the U.S. naval base and air station at Argentia was built during the Second World War. Strategically important to North Atlantic activities during the war, the base was also key during the Cold War, with many of its activities considered secret. The base closed in 1994. Cleanup efforts are still continuing.NASA eyeballs glacial melt in Greenland By Andrew Freedman * Several rain chances this week: Full Forecast * Satellite images from DigitalGlobe, via NASA, showing the recent breakup of part of the Jakobsahvn Isbrae glacier. The Jakobshavn Isbrae glacier, one of the largest glaciers in Greenland, swiftly lost a 2.7-square mile chunk of ice between July 6 and 7, NASA announced late last week. The ice loss pushed the point where the glacier meets the ocean, known as the "calving front," nearly one mile farther inland in a single day. According to the space agency, the new calving front location is the farthest inland on record. Events such as this one are not unusual, but rarely do scientists see them unfold in near real-time. Researchers working with the space agency spotted the rapid ice loss using high-resolution satellite imagery. Two such images tell the story. In the first image (above), a rift, which looks like a narrow horizontal line indicated by the red arrow, can be seen developing in the glacier. In the next image, taken a day later, the ice below the rift has collapsed into the sea and the location of the calving front has retreated. Why does this glacier matter to me, you ask? The short answer: sea level, although this particular event won't raise the level of the Potomac or any other U.S. river anytime soon. Unlike the loss of sea ice, glacial melting causes sea level to increase, and the fate of glaciers like this one will play a key role in determining by how much sea level increases. The Jakobshavn Isbrae is what is known as an outlet glacier, which the National Snow and Ice Data Center defines as "a valley glacier which drains an inland ice sheet or ice cap and flows through a gap in peripheral mountains." In other words, it serves as a drainage pipe from the land ice into the ocean. According to NASA, the Jakobshavn Isbrae, which is located in western Greenland at about 69 degrees north latitude, is the largest outlet glacier in Greenland, draining 6.5 percent of Greenland's ice sheet area. Scientists at NASA, NOAA and other agencies are keeping close tabs on Greenland's ice due to its significant ramifications for global sea level rise. If the entire Greenland ice sheet were to melt (a process that would likely take several centuries to play out, even with more global warming than we've already seen), sea level would rise by as much as an estimated 23 feet globally. NASA reports that "as much as 10 percent of all ice lost from Greenland is coming through Jakobshavn, which is also believed to be the single largest contributor to sea level rise in the northern hemisphere." Interestingly, this particular glacier has been retreating especially rapidly in recent years. As the below image shows, the ice front receded more 27 miles in 160 years, but in recent years the ice loss rate has increased, with six miles of retreat observed in just the past decade. Location of the successive calving fronts of the Jakobshavn Isbrae glacier between 1851 and 2009. Credit: NASA. Enlarge image. Recent studies have found that warming ocean temperatures may be responsible for much of the increased melting of Greenland's outlet glaciers, and this may be accelerating the melting of the larger Greenland ice sheet. For example, one study published in Nature Geoscience in February concluded that glaciers in west Greenland are melting 100 times faster at their undersea end points than on the surface. This event would support the ocean-driven melt theory, according to a NASA ice specialist. "While there have been ice breakouts of this magnitude from Jakonbshavn and other glaciers in the past, this event is unusual because it occurs on the heels of a warm winter that saw no sea ice form in the surrounding bay," said Thomas Wagner, cryospheric program scientist at NASA Headquarters, in a press release. "While the exact relationship between these events is being determined, it lends credence to the theory that warming of the oceans is responsible for the ice loss observed throughout Greenland and Antarctica."Developments On Wednesday: - A Tunisian man has been identified as the prime suspect for the attack which killed 12 people and injured dozens more. - Officials have confirmed he is called Anis Amri, is 24 years old and a Tunisian citizen. He could be armed and dangerous. - Police are reportedly on the point of conducting an operation in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) in western Germany in relation to the Berlin attack. It seems that his is a search of a refugee centre where Anis A. once resided. - The AfD are provoking centrist parties by blaming the attack on Merkel. They have called a silent vigil in front of her office. 6.17pm Tunisian anti-terrorism police were on Wednesday questioning the family of Anis Amri, the prime suspect in the deadly truck assault on a Berlin Christmas market, a security official told AFP. "A unit of the anti-terrorism brigade has questioned the suspect's family," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The Tunisian security official said Amri's parents were being questioned. Amri has four sisters and a brother, the source said, but it was unclear if anyone else was being questioned. The source said Amri had been arrested several times in Tunisia for alleged drug use. He fled Tunisia to Italy after the 2011 revolution that overthrew longtime dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and spent three years there before travelling on to Germany, the source said. Contacted by AFP, Tunisia's interior and foreign ministries refused to comment on the case. 5.57pm Federal investigators (BKA) have now made the hunt for the suspect public. He is 24-year-old Anis Amri, a Tunisian citizen. They warn that he could be armed and dangerous. They are offering €100,000 for information that leads to his arrest. He is described as being 178cm tall, with brown eyes and black hair. He weighs around 75kg. Photo: BKA 4.30pm To summarize the events of the day so far and what they mean: If various news reports about the suspect turn out to be true, the fact that this attack happened is not only a tragedy for the victims and their families, it could also turn into a political scandal. Tagesspiegel and SZ have reported that the suspect should have been deported from the country months ago. It seems that he applied for asylum under different names and managed to get hold of temporary papers under one of his aliases. The suspect was taken into custody pending deportation and then released a day later, according to SZ. He had also already been a suspect in an investigation over a terror plot, but apparently fell off the radar after he moved from western Germany to Berlin. If he turns out to be the driver of the truck - and his ID was found in the cabin - serious questions will inevitably be asked about how such a man was not stopped before committing this horrible crime. An analysis piece we published yesterday argued that it is hard for the intelligence community to find lone wolves who are quickly radicalized. But there would be far less excuse for failing to prevent an attack by a man already on the state's radar for more than one offence, including a terror related one. 4.28pm France tightens security checks at German border with suspect still on the loose. The French interior minister sent a memo to all local police authorities asking them “to take all necessary measures to strengthen controls at the Franco-German border, without delay.” 4.21pm Detectives in NRW had already investigated Anis A, on suspicion of preparing an act of terrorism, the state interior minister Ralf Jäger has confirmed. German media have reported that Anis A. is being hunted for truck attack. Since February Anis A. had lived in Berlin and police in the two states had exchanged information on the man, the last time being in November. But at some point he seems to have fallen between the cracks of inter-institutional exchange, the SZ reports. Jäger also said that "it is far from confirmed" that Anis A. was the driver of the truck 4.17pm Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere has said police won't be releasing the suspect's name or pictures of him, despite the name of a Tunisian man already circulating widely in the press. "It is important to us that we have success - therefore we will be searching undercover at first," he said. Since midnight the man is being searched for across Europe, said de Maiziere. 3.47pm The interior minister in NRW, Ralf Jäger
iban”? Or will you be able to drop an ignorant, racist dogwhistle that helps no one, hurts many, and does nothing to stop or silence the American Christians behind our country’s worst laws?Since Star Trek first made its way to the big screen, its costume design has veered away from the classic color-coded uniforms in favor of experiments with red double-breasted uniforms and unfortunate flesh-colored jumpsuits. But for the 2009 J.J Abrams Star Trek reboot and its recently released sequel, Into Darkness, costume designer Michael Kaplan helped move the sartorial stylings of the Enterprise crew forwards by looking backwards–at the trusty old red, blue, and gold. It’s a comfortingly familiar detail amongst Abrams’ trademark lens flare and glowing spaceship interiors: a conscious chromatic nod to the vintage style of the original costumes. “I wanted the film based in the ‘60s,” Kaplan told Wired. “Not literally the ‘60s, but I wanted my thinking to be grounded in the concept of the original Star Trek, almost like an homage.... I had a lot of books in my library that I’d consult: [André] Courrèges [inventor of the mini-skirt], designers like that. To keep things rooted in that, even if when you look at the movie, you don’t say, ‘Hey, this is the early 1960s.'" In a different film the female officers' mini-dress uniforms might have seemed like a gratuitous anachronism, but the larger framework of 1960s styling (towering, stylized beehive hair on some of the extras; Uhura’s cat-eye eyeliner) makes them work. It helps, too, that, the flimsy color-coded uniform shirts no longer have to survive fight scenes. They're treated more like officewear, and quickly swapped out for tougher gear. “Now that we’re so far ahead in time from when the TV show was released, I felt that more sophistication was necessary,” Kaplan told Wired. “In the past, [the crew] were all seen to wear their uniform when beamed to other ships and going to other planets. I felt like it was time they had something to travel in, so I created these shuttle suits. They’re almost like a jumpsuit, worn over their uniforms and with little plastic windows so you can see the color of the uniform.” So: even if you’re wearing a protective flight suit when you beam down to explore an alien planet, everyone will still know you’re a redshirt. The wetsuits Kaplan designed for Uhura, Kirk and McCoy are especially slick, sharing a geeky little detail with the bridge uniforms: tiny images of the Starfleet logo, embossed all over the fabric. Uhura's wetsuit, embossed with tiny Starfleet insignia. Uhura's wetsuit, embossed with tiny Starfleet insignia. Kaplan also worked to keep the characters in consistent color palettes even when they dressed in civilian clothes. The one exception was Benedict Cumberbatch’s villain: “I wanted him to be kind of enigmatic, but also very well-dressed,” Kaplan explained. “He has a costume of the character’s own clothing, that makes you not quite sure who he is. But I wanted him to be easily identifiable, so I put him in a long coat in every scene... I wanted to single him out from the rest of the crowd.” It certainly works. Cumberbatch’s character has a Hollywood villain’s unerring ability to locate a swirling, cape-like coat in any scene, even if it involves grabbing one off an extra. And although his true identity remains a mystery for much of the film, eagle-eyed fans may spot a couple of clues hidden in one of his costumes—another long black coat, of course. Into Darkness is a little more violent than its predecessor, which perhaps explains the changes to Starfleet’s formal dress uniforms. Spock’s sleek, slate-grey uniform is gone, replaced by a paler suit that looks (dare I say it) ever-so-slightly Death Star. But, as Kaplan points out, “[Starfleet] is a military service—more than for peace than for war—but still, they’re officers. A lot of situations in this movie are formal meetings, when Kirk and Spock have to meet with the higher command. They wouldn’t just show up in their, you know, Enterprise uniforms.” In the new dress uniform, Chris Pine often looks downright... Shatnerian. Apparently he had to gain so much weight for this movie that he was constantly dripping food onto his gold command shirts, coining the on-set phrase, “He’s Pined himself again.” (You should have gone for mustard, Chris. That barely would’ve shown up on camera.) "Captain, I find your lack of faith... disturbing." Kirk and Spock's new dress uniforms wouldn't look out of place on an Imperial Death Star. As for the casual fashions of Into Darkness, Kaplan was careful not to go too extreme. “If you do anything too futuristic, it’s too jolting, it takes you out of the moment,” he explained. “J.J. was much more concerned about the emotion. So I just wanted it to be very, very subtle—not really identifiable as being clothes of today, but also not anything that was highly futuristic.” The end result is a world that successfully combines 1960s mini-skirts, leather jackets that wouldn’t look out of place in a 2013 Abercrombie & Fitch catalog, and occasional hints of futurism, like the doctors in crisp white jackets with detachable sleeves that give them a modular, almost robotic appearance. But of all the anachronisms of Into Darkness, my favorite is Scotty, who ends up in a decidedly retro alien bar wearing a disco-era yellow shirt that–thanks to Michael Kaplan’s careful eye–somehow meshes perfectly with his 23rd-century surroundings.Car number 68 has started 397 races and has 0 wins, 2 pole, 10 top 5s, 56 top 10s, and 170 DNFs in the NASCAR Cup Series. Bob Derrington has the most starts in #68 with 71 of his 80 career starts from 1964-1966. Derrington only lead one lap in his NASCAR career- at the Bridgehampton Race Circuit in 1964. Bobby Hamilton drove the #68 in an appropriate total of 68 races. Hamilton broke into the Winston Cup ranks in a very unusual way. He was asked to drive one of the “movie cars” for the 1990 film Days of Thunder, qualifying fifth in a movie car at the 1989 Autoworks 500 in Phoenix, in a car that was not intended to be competitive. The car was the #51 Exxon-sponsored machine, portrayed in the movie as being driven by the character Rowdy Burns. He led five laps but finished 32nd after an engine failure. Impressed by his performance, the Tri-Star team hired Hamilton to drive their #68 Country Time Lemonade car for a few races in the 1990 season. In 1991 he entered almost all of the races and narrowly beat Ted Musgrave for Rookie of the Year honors. In 1992, he had two Top 10s and finished 25th in points. He began 1993 with Tri-Star but was released early in the season. He spent the rest of the season in the Cup and Busch Series, and landed a ride in the SABCO #40 for the 1994 season. Larry Baumel started 39 races in #68 from 1970-1971. The Wisconsin native started only 45 races in his Cup Career, but also raced #68 in the USAC Late Model series. Ed Livingston ran 39 of his 45 career races in #68 from 1961-1964. The South Carolina driver was never very competetive on the track, other than, in 1964, when Livingston had an impressive showing at Jacksonville. Completing 195 of the 202 laps, Livingston finished 4th. However, after a finish of 43rd later in the year at Darlington Speedway, Livingston retired. Janet Guthrie was not the first woman to compete in NASCAR, but is certainly remembered as one of the first competitive females in the sport. She was the first woman to compete in both the Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500, and at Bristol in 1977 she finished 6th, the best finish by a woman in NASCAR. In 2014 Danica Patrick tied this mark with a 6th place finish at Atlanta. Guthrie started 31 of her 33 career Cup Series races in #68. Other notable names in #68 Derrike Cope, 29 starts Lennie Pond, 24 starts Greg Sacks, 18 starts Neil Castles, 4 starts Curtis Crider, 2 starts Buddy Baker, 1 start Tiny Lund, 1 start Hut Stricklin, 1 start Ron Fellows, 1 start AdvertisementsAn international team of researchers led by Monash University has used chemicals found in plants to replicate a key process in photosynthesis paving the way to a new approach that uses sunlight to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. The breakthrough could revolutionise the renewable energy industry by making hydrogen - touted as the clean, green fuel of the future - cheaper and easier to produce on a commercial scale. Professor Leone Spiccia, Mr Robin Brimblecombe and Dr Annette Koo from Monash University teamed with Dr Gerhard Swiegers at the CSIRO and Professor Charles Dismukes at Princeton University to develop a system comprising a coating that can be impregnated with a form of manganese, a chemical essential to sustaining photosynthesis in plant life. "We have copied nature, taking the elements and mechanisms found in plant life that have evolved over 3 billion years and recreated one of those processes in the laboratory," Professor Spiccia said. "A manganese cluster is central to a plant's ability to use water, carbon dioxide and sunlight to make carbohydrates and oxygen. Man-made mimics of this cluster were developed by Professor Charles Dismukes some time ago, and we've taken it a step further, harnessing the ability of these molecules to convert water into its component elements, oxygen and hydrogen," Professor Spiccia said. "The breakthrough came when we coated a proton conductor, called Nafion, onto an anode to form a polymer membrane just a few micrometres thick, which acts as a host for the manganese clusters." "Normally insoluble in water, when we bound the catalyst within the pores of the Nafion membrane, it was stabilised against decomposition and, importantly, water could reach the catalyst where it was oxidised on exposure to light." This process of "oxidizing" water generates protons and electrons, which can be converted into hydrogen gas instead of carbohydrates as in plants. "Whilst man has been able to split water into hydrogen and oxygen for years, we have been able to do the same thing for the first time using just sunlight, an electrical potential of 1.2 volts and the very chemical that nature has selected for this purpose," Professor Spiccia said Testing revealed the catalyst assembly was still active after three days of continuous use, producing oxygen and hydrogen gas in the presence of water, an electrical potential and visible light. Professor Spiccia said the efficiency of the system needed to be improved, but this breakthrough had huge potential. "We need to continue to learn from nature so that we can better master this process." "Hydrogen has long been considered the ideal clean green fuel, energy-rich and carbon-neutral. The production of hydrogen using nothing but water and sunlight offers the possibility of an abundant, renewable, green source of energy for the future for communities across the world." ### The research is published this month in the scientific journal Angewandte Chemie, International Edition. For more information please contact Professor Leone Spiccia on +61 3 9905 4526 or mobile 0421 815 363 or Samantha Blair, Media & Communications on +61 3 9903 4841If you like this post, please like our Facebook page and follow Lawfare on Twitter: Follow @lawfareblog (a) Authorization. — The President is authorized to use the Armed Forces of the United States as he determines to be necessary and appropriate in connection with the use of chemical weapons or other weapons of mass destruction in the conflict in Syria in order to – (1) prevent or deter the use or proliferation (including the transfer to terrorist groups or other state or non-state actors), within, to or from Syria, of any weapons of mass destruction, including chemical or biological weapons or components of or materials used in such weapons; or (2) protect the United States and its allies and partners against the threat posed by such weapons. The administration’s proposed Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF ) for Syria provides: There is much more here than at first meets the eye. The proposed AUMF focuses on Syrian WMD but is otherwise very broad. It authorizes the President to use any element of the U.S. Armed Forces and any method of force. It does not contain specific limits on targets – either in terms of the identity of the targets (e.g. the Syrian government, Syrian rebels, Hezbollah, Iran) or the geography of the targets. Its main limit comes on the purposes for which force can be used. Four points are worth making about these purposes. First, the proposed AUMF authorizes the President to use force “in connection with” the use of WMD in the Syrian civil war. (It does not limit the President’s use force to the territory of Syria, but rather says that the use of force must have a connection to the use of WMD in the Syrian conflict. Activities outside Syria can and certainly do have a connection to the use of WMD in the Syrian civil war.). Second, the use of force must be designed to “prevent or deter the use or proliferation” of WMDs “within, to or from Syria” or (broader yet) to “protect the United States and its allies and partners against the threat posed by such weapons.” Third, the proposed AUMF gives the President final interpretive authority to determine when these criteria are satisfied (“as he determines to be necessary and appropriate”). Fourth, the proposed AUMF contemplates no procedural restrictions on the President’s powers (such as a time limit). I think this AUMF has much broader implications than Ilya Somin described. Some questions for Congress to ponder: (1) Does the proposed AUMF authorize the President to take sides in the Syrian Civil War, or to attack Syrian rebels associated with al Qaeda, or to remove Assad from power? Yes, as long as the President determines that any of these entities has a (mere) connection to the use of WMD in the Syrian civil war, and that the use of force against one of them would prevent or deter the use or proliferation of WMD within, or to and from, Syria, or protect the U.S. or its allies (e.g. Israel) against the (mere) threat posed by those weapons. It is very easy to imagine the President making such determinations with regard to Assad or one or more of the rebel groups. (2) Does the proposed AUMF authorize the President to use force against Iran or Hezbollah, in Iran or Lebanon? Again, yes, as long as the President determines that Iran or Hezbollah has a (mere) a connection to the use of WMD in the Syrian civil war, and the use of force against Iran or Hezbollah would prevent or deter the use or proliferation of WMD within, or to and from, Syria, or protect the U.S. or its allies (e.g. Israel) against the (mere) threat posed by those weapons. Again, very easy to imagine. As the history of the 9/11 AUMF shows, and as prior AUMFs show (think about the Gulf of Tonkin), a President will interpret an AUMF for all it is worth, and then some. The proposed Syrian AUMF is worth a lot, for it would (in sum) permit the President to use military force against any target anywhere in the world (including Iran or Lebanon) as long as the President, in his discretion, determines that the the target has a connection to WMD in the Syrian civil war and the use of force has the purpose of preventing or deterring (broad concepts) the use or proliferation of WMDs in, to, or from Syria, or of protecting the U.S. and its allies from the mere threat (again, a broad concept) of use or proliferation of WMDs connected to the Syrian conflict. Congress needs to be careful about what it authorizes. UPDATE: Moon of Alabama and Emptywheel have related analyses of the proposed AUMF. UPDATE 2: I neglected perhaps the most salient implication of the proposed AUMF: The phrase "The President is authorized to use the Armed Forces of the United States as he determines to be necessary and appropriate" would include authorization for ground troops, should the President decide they were "necessary and appropriate." And yes, if history is any guide, Congress can authorize the President to use force in a limited fashion with limited means (i.e. just the Navy, or just the Air Force). Curtis Bradley and I went through this history on pp. 2072 ff. here.WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Interior Department on Wednesday granted Royal Dutch Shell <RDSa.L> two final permits to explore for crude in the Arctic this summer, but said the company cannot drill into the oil zone until required emergency equipment arrives in the region. The department's Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) conditionally granted Shell permits for exploration in the Chukchi Sea off Alaska, in a season which sea ice limits from July until October. But Shell must have emergency equipment to contain a potential blown-out well deployable within 24 hours before drilling into the oil zone, the office said. Shell discovered weeks ago that the Fennica icebreaker that holds the required equipment, called a capping stack, had a three-foot (1-meter) gash in it. "Without the required well control system in place, Shell will not be allowed to drill into oil-bearing zones," BSEE Director Brian Salemo said. Shell last week sent the Fennica, which it is leasing, to Portland, Oregon, for repairs. Fixing the gash and sending it back could take weeks more. Shell spokeswoman Kelly op de Weegh said the Fennica's "stay in Portland will be determined by the time it takes to make a safe, permanent repair." It is likely the icebreaker will return to the Chukchi before the preliminary drilling reaches the oil zone, expected sometime in August. "Once we have determined the area is clear of sea ice, support vessels are in place, and the Polar Pioneer (rig) is safely anchored over the well site, drilling will begin," op de Weegh said. Shell has spent about $7 billion on Arctic exploration for before producing any oil or gas. If it finds the region to be rich in economically recoverable oil, production would not begin for at least a decade. Environmentalists have criticized Shell's drilling plans in the Arctic, which is home to sensitive populations of whales, walrus and polar bears.The 1 Percent Solution Secretary of State John Kerry said Thursday that Kurdish peshmerga forces in Iraq had retaken 700 square kilometers from the so-called Islamic State. Turns out that amounts to about 1 percent of the territory currently under the Islamic State’s control in Iraq. Seven months. Almost 2,000 airstrikes carried out by U.S. and coalition forces. An estimated 6,000 Islamic State fighters killed. A total $1.2 billion spent by the U.S. And all of this adds up to a 1 percent gain on the ground. It’s worth noting the airstrikes have had other effects on the group, like destroying sources of oil revenue, taking out command and control nodes, and killing some of the Islamic State’s top commanders. When Kerry introduced the new 700 kilometer statistic, he provided no context for it. But on Friday, reporters at the Pentagon wanted to know how big an area this represented for the Islamic State. The militant group controls 55,000 square kilometers in Iraq, Press Secretary Rear Adm. John Kirby said. Meanwhile the Iraqi government controls roughly 77,000 square kilometers and 56,000 square kilometers are under the control of Kurdish forces. The total 188,000 square kilometers does not cover all of Iraq, but represents the territory that populated and relevant to the Islamic State fight, Kirby said. He noted that not every kilometer holds the same strategic significance. “I recognize this is a small percentage of the total, but we’re only six to seven months into this thing,” Kirby said. “This is going to be a long struggle.” MOHAMMED SAWAF/AFP/Getty ImagesThe Bulls won their season opener 97-95 over the Cavaliers at home. Here are three observations: Derrick Rose didn't settle for jumpers The majority of Rose's 22 field-goal attempts came on drives or midrange shots or floaters. He only took two 3-pointers, both of which he missed. Rose driving is essential for Fred Hoiberg's offense, which is predicated on pace, spacing and outside shooting. If Rose can break down the defense, it can lead to open 3-point looks from more accomplished shooters like Nikola Mirotic and Doug McDermott. "It was great to see," Hoiberg said. "He pulled up for his midrange. He only took two 3s and was very aggressive driving to the hole. I thought our guys did a great job setting screens on that angle right on the lane line to allow him to get to his left hand and try to drive into bodies." "Obviously, we want Derrick aggressive getting to the basket, either making plays for himself or his teammates." Pau Gasol didn't get many touches It's just one game. And there will certainly be times when the Bulls need a post presence or Gasol gets his pick-and-pop game going. But Gasol only attempted seven shots and won't be featured as much as he was in Tom Thibodeau's set-play-calling offense. To his credit, Gasol blocked six shots, including LeBron James' game-tying attempt with 3.6 seconds left. "No pressing," Gasol said. "The team was doing well offensively. It might not be your night so you have to try to find ways to contribute. That’s what I tried to do." Nikola Mirotic rewarded Hoiberg's faith in starting him An aggressive Mirotic scored 11 of his team-high 19 points in the first quarter. He also rallied from Kevin Love almost salivating at the prospect of Mirotic guarding him to dunk on the opening possession. "I thought Niko battled out there defensively," Hoiberg said. Mirotic admitted postgame that such a start may have buried his defensive confidence last season. But he rallied to play a decent defensive game, although he did lose Love on one critical 3-pointer late. "My goal this year is to show people I can play well defensively," Mirotic said.New York, NY — (RT) Five high-profile activists have been arrested by the New York City police just this week, prompting speculation about a crackdown. RT caught up with a journalist who has followed the spike in arrests of prominent anti-police brutality demonstrators. On Thursday, NYPD officers arrested Ramsey Orta once again after he filmed them. Orta is the citizen who filmed the killing of Eric Garner by police trying to arrest him for selling loose cigarettes. This time, Orta was filming the arrest of a man who was pulled over by police outside of the New York City Housing Authority’s (NYCHA) Baruch Houses Wednesday night. Orta claims he had not been not obstructing the work of the officers, but was arrested anyway. He has been repeatedly targeted by the NYPD since his filming of the death of Eric Garner. But the cop-watcher’s arrest isn’t the only one conducted by the NYPD on an activist this week. Earlier Wednesday morning, NYC Jails Action Coalition, an activist group, organized a protest around the trial of 10 Rikers Island prison guards accused of brutally beating a detainee for looking at the prison’s assistant chief of security the wrong way, according to the New York Times. The corrections officers are also accused of an attempt at a cover-up. Akeem Browder, the brother of Kalief Browder, was arrested at the protest. Kalief Browder was arrested on suspicion of stealing a backpack and jailed because he was unable to pay his $10,000 bail at the infamously violent Rikers Island. He was held there for three years without ever being charged for a crime. Kalief’s case was profiled in the New Yorker because he spent more than 400 days in solitary confinement. After his case was dismissed and he was released, Kalief killed himself. Josmar Trujillo, a New York City-based journalist, has followed the arrests of activists this week. “Police are generally aggressive towards cop-watchers and activists who are not as well known,” he told RT. “It just so happened that this week there were four ‒ actually five ‒ if you count Akeem Browder … who was doing an action in the Bronx yesterday morning.” “Part of it may be all the criticism around policing and the issues raised have kind of died down a little bit, in the sense they’re not in the media spotlight. So maybe police feel like it’s back to business as usual,” Trujillo added. The first arrest of an activist this week came Monday at the hands of NYPD’s Strategic Response Group (SRG.) The unit was designed for two purposes: to handle instances involving terrorism and active shooters, and for crowd and protest control. Activists involved with the weekly People’s Monday demonstration, which highlights incidents of police brutality by publicly reading the facts of the cases, were marching as usual. This week, the group was highlighting the case of Barbara Dawson, a Florida woman who died after being arrested and forcibly removed from a hospital where she had gone to seek help for stomach pains. During the demonstration, Dennis Flores, founder of the Brooklyn cop-watch group El Grito de Sunset Park, was arrested while filming members of the SRG. NYPD Deputy Inspector Andrew Lombardo, of Camp Bucca and Abu Ghraib notoriety, led the policing of the march, working with the SRG to break it up. After threatening activists with arrest if they crossed the street, Flores was arrested at a pedestrian island over accusations of jaywalking. “For anyone who is cop-watching, they can tell you there’s always been a risk of arrest even though you’re not supposed to be arrested for filming the police,” Trujillo said. Tuesday night, NYPD officers arrested Five Omar Mualimm-ak, an activist who was kept in solitary confinement for five years, after a book-launch event where he spoke. After the event, held at the Open Society Foundations on West 57th Street in Manhattan, Mualimm-ak and fellow activist Joseph “Jazz” Hayden were leaving the building and found New York Police Department officers harassing a homeless man. Hayden filmed the encounter and was eventually arrested. Mualimm-ak was detained for protesting the arrest of a fellow activist. New York City continues to have many instances of poor relations between communities and the police, despite the fact that Mayor Bill de Blasio ran as a progressive reformer, and has frequently inspired ire from the NYPD. However, the issue may not be so black-and-white, Trujillo said. “I think in general, he’s always said he completely supports the NYPD and reaps praise on them,” the journalist told RT. “He’s just not as pro-cop as maybe Rudy Giuliani was. That’s it.”BOSTON (Reuters) - The 50th reunion for Harvard’s University’s undergraduate class of 1962 took a strange turn when Ted Kaczynski, the year’s most infamous graduate, sent in a status update that was published in the alumni book. Kaczynski, better known as the Unabomber, was convicted in 1998 of killing three people and injuring 23 others in a mail bombing campaign against modern technology that was waged for almost two decades. He is jailed for life in the maximum security prison in Florence, Colorado, and thus unable to join hundreds of former Harvard and Radcliffe classmates for four days of events in Cambridge, Massachusetts, that wrap up on Thursday. In the alumni guide, Kaczynski, 70, listed his occupation as “prisoner.” Under awards, he notes “Eight life sentences, issued by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, 1998.” Not to be outshone by the achievements of other classmates, Kaczynski also listed his collection of anti-technological rants, “Technological Slavery: The Collected Writings of Theodore J. Kaczynski, a.k.a. ‘The Unabomber.’” The book was published in 2010 by Feral House. A child prodigy born in Chicago, Kaczynksi was accepted into Harvard, graduated in 1962 and went on to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Michigan. After working as an assistant professor of mathematics at the University of California Berkeley, Kaczynksi dropped out and moved to a remote cabin in Montana. His bombing campaign, which started in 1978, triggered one of the largest manhunts in U.S. history. The Harvard Alumni Association issued an apology. “We regret publishing Kaczynski’s references to his convictions and apologize for any distress that it may have caused others,” the group said in a statement late Wednesday.Scopes of Big Data & Data Science in the Banking & Finance (FinTech) Sector Posted on By Technology has played a vital role in the evolution of the banking and finance industry. Advanced Technology has completely changed the way the banks operated. It has made the life much easier for the customer and the banking officials. When we talk about the technology it’s not only about the online transaction, internet banking, banking apps, online stock transaction etc. It is difficult to overstate the importance of data in today’s economy. There is so much data around us – from mobile phone usage, social network activities, web browsing, e-commerce shopping behavior, credit card history, payroll, email, biometric data, behavioral data and much more. Nowhere have big data and data science been more effective in creating change than in the banking and financial services. Fintech has radically modified the financial landscape by facilitating the big data applications and complex calculations to financial decision making. In this post, we will look into the Scopes of Big Data & Data Science in the Banking & Finance (FinTech) Sector. Original Image Source: Unsplash Big Data is described as the large volume of data both structured and unstructured. It is a data whose scale, variation and complexity require new techniques, algorithms, and analysis to manage it and extract hidden knowledge and value from it. Big data is a very big data due to the introduction of communication means like social networking, online banking and financial transaction etc. Every year the amount of data produced by people is growing rapidly. The amount of data generated by humankind in the beginning of 2003 was 5 billion gigabytes. The same amount is created in every two days in 2011 and in every ten minutes in 2013 and in every sixty seconds in 2015. At present, the world generates around 2.5 quintillion bytes of data every day. This rate is growing rapidly and all these data generated is meaningful and can be utilized if processed with right tools and techniques. Image Source: HDFS Tutorial The Role of Big Data & Data Science in the Banking and Financial Services Image Source: SG Analytics The banking industry is among many industries which have massive and useful data about their customers but very few banks are utilizing this set of information to enhance the customer experience and using the data information to prevent fraud. The banking and financial industry is very well aware of the fact that if the data can be used effectively they can fulfill the needs of customer accurately. According to research, only 37% of customers agree that banks understand their needs and preferences. Banks have an ocean of informative data but the challenge is how to use that data smartly, shortage of skilled people, unstructured vast data, high cost associated and much more. But gradually banking sector has started applying the Big Data technology in every sector of it and started taking benefits of it. Some industry experts expect a sevenfold increase in the volume of data, before 2020. Big Data promises huge impact on the banking and financial servicesand will propel it into the 21st century. Image Source: Big Data Made Simple This is the reason Big Data Analytics is in high demand and become essential in making the business decision and providing the biggest edge over the competitors. Big data technology is helpful for both companies as well as professionals in the Analytics domain. There is an ocean of opportunities out there for skilled professionals, in Big Data Analytics. Below we will discuss the major scopes of Big Data in Banking and Finance industry in the present and near future. Customer Segmentation Image Source: HDFS Tutorial Customer segmentation is classifying the customer on the basis of the age, gender, behavior, habits etc. The banking industry has agreed that customer retention is a key to company’s success and are becoming more customer-centric with the help of big data technology. Big data analysis help the banking and finance services to analyze the spending pattern of an individual customer which help them to offer services time to time to their customers. Big data analysis also helps in identifying a valuable customer, one who spent the most money. And through this data analysis, they can provide best financial offers to the customer to make them feel more valuable. This ultimately will lead to increased customer satisfaction. Additionally, it will also help the bank understand the spending patterns of the customers, channel usage, and consequently cross-selling of various products. Fraud Detection Image Source: HDFS Tutorial This is one of the biggest problems that every banking industry has been facing. With the increase in an online transaction, the incidents of fraud have increased too. To avoid such fraud the banking industry is using the big data technology which helps them to understand the financial history and spending pattern of customer and increase security on every unusual transaction. This will help them to mitigate any fraudulent activities before it grows bigger. Offering Personalized Services Offering Personalized Services to a customer is nothing but the next level of marketing where they offer product and services to as per customers interest and requirement. Yes, it is possible with the help of big data analysis. Banking industry collects data from e-commerce website and Big data technology analyze the buying habit, interest and requirements of individual customer by doing sentimental data analysis. This big data analysis help the company to offer services and products to the customer time to time as per their interest and requirements which help them to retain the present customer and attract the new one. Risk Management Risk Management is an important factor in every industry and risk in the banking industry can come in any form like an unrecoverable loan, failed investment, and fraudulent activities. It cannot be stopped completely but the early detection of risk can be helpful in preventing huge losses. With the help of big data analysis, they can perform the risk management analysis and can minimize the company’s risk. Addressing Compliance Requirements Banks and financial services are required to do regular compliance, audit and maintain certain regulations for their data, finance, privacy and security measures. Banks now have access to billions of customers’ needs. They can use Big Data to cater to serve the customers more effectively. Cloud-based analytics packages can sync in real time with your big data systems, creating actionable insight dynamically. Big data can also help in analyzing the data and finding the situation where financial crisis or security issue may occur. Image Source: Data Science Central Big Data vs Data Science \| The Big Data Problem \| Need of Data Science Data Science deals with structured and unstructured data. In principle, everything that relates to data cleansing, preparation and analysis lie within the scope of Data Science. Big Data implies huge data volumes that cannot be processed effectively with traditional applications. Big Data processing begins with raw data that is not aggregated and it is often impossible to store such data in the memory of a single computer. Data Science looks to create models that capture the underlying patterns of complex systems and codify those models into working applications. Big Data looks to collect and manage large amounts of varied data to serve large-scale web applications and vast sensor networks. Image Source: HDFS Tutorial According to NYU definition, data science is all about using automated methods to analyze massive amounts of data and to extract knowledge from them. So, the key is extracting knowledge. As we all know, data is now the most valuable resource and the new currency. As per the recent blog post by Chris Skinner, the banks must apply big data analytics and machine learning to gain deep customer insights and survive. So, the banks need the best talent pool of data scientists and big data analysts. Image Source: Lend Academy According to Glassdoor’s annual 50 Best Jobs in America (2017) report, data scientist jobs bagged the top spot for the second consecutive year. According to the Lend Academy, data science is becoming the most important skill in fintech. Hence, data scientists are no longer a luxury to have, rather must for the banking & fintech organizations. So, all you present and future data scientists, you know now where to look for jobs. Career Growth in Big Data & Data Science Functions Increasing Demand for Big Data Analytics Professionals As per Cofounder and CEO of CA headquartered Fractal Analytics, Srikanth Velamakanni, “the size of the analytics market will evolve to at least one-third global IT market from the current one-tenth in the next few years”. The skilled professionals who are trained and experienced in analytics are in high demand as the companies are looking to implement the big data technology in every sector of it. The number of jobs has increased in analytics filed in last 12 months this is due t the implementation of big data technology by more and more companies. Huge Job opportunity and Shortage of Skilled Data Scientists According to Srikanth Velamakanni, co-founder and CEO, of Fractal Analytics, there are two types of talent deficits: Data Scientists, who can perform analytics and Analytics Consultant, who can understand and use data. There is an increase in the demand for the skilled data analytics but huge deficit on the supply side in India. The talent supply, especially for Data Scientists, is extremely scarce and the demand is huge. Potential for Higher Salary Due to strong demand for data analytics and deficit in supply, the salary is no bar for the right skilled professionals. Randstad states that the annual salary hikes for Big Data Analytics professionals in India are on an average 50% more than other IT professionals. The report also states that 14% of all analytics professionals get a salary of more than Rs. 15 lakh per annum. More importantly, the number of available jobs in the banking and financial services are way more than in the other industries. Have a look at the figure below. About Author
less), and the ecological repercussions of bees and flowers breaking up as BFFs, I would totally buy a jar. Source: NY Daily News Images: ReutersQ. How do I upgrade FreeBSD 7.0 server to latest 7.1 server with stock GENERIC kernel installed? A. The freebsd-update utility supports binary upgrades of i386 and amd64 systems running earlier FreeBSD releases. Systems running 7.0-RELEASE, 7.1-BETA, 7.1-BETA2, 7.1-RC1, or 7.1-RC2 can be only upgrade as follows. Adblock detected 😱 PayPal/Bitcoin, or become a supporter using Patreon. My website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to my visitors. I get it! Ads are annoying but they help keep this website running. It is hard to keep the site running and producing new content when so many people block ads. Please consider donating money to the nixCraft via, or become a Login as root user and type the command: WARNING! These examples may crash your server if not executed with care. Upgrading system is a complex procedure. Backup your data, config file and make sql dumps before you use the following instructions. If you are using custom kernel configuration, you need to perform source code update These examples may crash your server if not executed with care. Upgrading system is a complex procedure. Backup your data, config file and make sql dumps before you use the following instructions. If you are using custom kernel configuration, you need to perform source code update using cvsup method # freebsd-update upgrade -r 7.1-RELEASE During this process, FreeBSD Update may ask the user to help by merging some configuration files or by confirming that the automatically performed merging was done correctly. # freebsd-update install The system must be rebooted with the newly installed kernel before continuing. # reboot After rebooting, freebsd-update needs to be run again to install the new userland components, and the system needs to be rebooted again: # freebsd-update install Users of Intel network interfaces which are changing their name from “em” to “igb” should make necessary changes to configuration files BEFORE running freebsd-update, since otherwise the network interface will not be configured appropriately after rebooting for the first time, especially firewall and other networking options in /etc/rc.conf file. # reboot Users of earlier FreeBSD releases (FreeBSD 6.x) can also use freebsd-update to upgrade to FreeBSD 7.1, but will be prompted to rebuild all third-party applications (e.g., anything installed from the ports tree) after the second invocation of “freebsd-update install”, in order to handle differences in the system libraries between FreeBSD 6.x and FreeBSD 7.x. Upgrade all packages You also need to update all packages, type: # portsnap fetch update # pkg_version -vIL= # portupgrade -a Share on Facebook TwitterAMD has posted its third-quarter financials, and the company ended up in the black across the board. The company took in revenue of $1.64 billion, up 26% year-over-year. The company's third-quarter operating income of $126 million stands in stark contrast to the $293 million operating loss the company posted a year ago, and the company's net income of $71 million finishes off a fully profitable quarter. Earnings per share rang in at $0.07, compared to a $0.50 loss per share a year ago, and gross margin increased 30 points year-over-year to 35%. Q3 2017 Q3 2016 Change from Q3 2016 Revenue $1.64 billion $1.31 billion up 26% Operating income $126 million -$293 million -- Net income $71 million -$406 million -- Gross margin 35% 5% up 30 points The Computing and Graphics division drove the rosy results with $819 million in revenue, up 74% year-on-year, thanks to what the company calls strong sales of Radeon graphics cards and Ryzen desktop CPUs. The Ryzen tide lifted average selling prices of the company's client products, and the ASP of Radeon graphics products also "increased significantly" year-over-year. The division took in $70 million in operating income, versus a net loss of $66 million a year ago. The Enterprise, Embedded, and Semi-Custom division brought in $824 million, about the same as this time last year. The company says that Epyc processor sales and IP licensing revenue offset a decrease in semi-custom SoC sales. The division brought in operating income of $84 million, down from $136 million a year ago. AMD blames "higher costs partially offset by the net benefit of IP related items" for the change. In its All Other bucket, the company posted a $28 million operating loss, reined in from a $363 million operating loss a year ago. For the fourth quarter of 2017, AMD expects revenue to decrease 15% sequentially, plus or minus 3%. The company says that if it hits the midpoint of this guidance, revenue would still be up about 26% year-on-year in the fourth quarter.Get an awesome Aegislash at the 2014 Pokémon World Championships via local wireless distribution! The Lv. 50 Aegislash is well-built for Double Battles, especially because it can use Wide Guard. This move protects Aegislash and any allies in play from attacks that target multiple Pokémon per turn. It's really difficult for Aegislash to learn this move through normal gameplay—it's only available as an Egg Move, and multiple steps are required! Remember to bring your system in the Nintendo 3DS family and your copy of Pokémon X or Pokémon Y when you come to the World Championships. Look for instructions posted at the event. The Aegislash distribution will take place on Saturday and Sunday. Don't miss it! Lv. 50 Aegislash Ability: Stance Change Item: Sitrus Berry Moves: Wide Guard King's Shield Shadow Ball Flash Cannon(TAP) – Re-establishing relations between Tunisia and Syria and reinforcing co-ordination between the two countries in matters of countering terrorism were at heart of the meeting held Monday between a delegation of the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) and Syria’s President Bachar Al Assad. This meeting had also offered the opportunity to affirm Tunisia’s support to Syria, UGTT Deputy Secretary-General Bouali Mbarki who is leading this delegation, told TAP by phone. “Tunisia will always be by Syria’s side to support it in its war against terrorism until it is defeated,” he pointed out. According to him, the Syrian President reassured the delegation about the situation of the Tunisian expatriates. “Bachar Al Assad stated that he considers these Tunisians as Syrian citizens and that he is seeing to it to lend them the necessary interest and support,” he added. Besides, Mbarki announced that an official working session will be held Tuesday with leaders of the Syrian General Federation of Trade Unions to devise a co-operation programme between the two countries. In this regard, he pointed out the possibility to ink twining agreements between UGTT’s regional sections and their Syrian counterparts. “A first meeting was held Sunday between the Tunisian delegation and representatives of the Syrian General Federation of Trade Unions,” he added describing the meeting as “cordial” and “fraternal.” “The Tunisian delegation will leave Syria on Wednesday,” he specified, noting that the situation in Syria is “very ordinary” contrary to information reported by certain media.Looking for the best tDCS device to buy? With so many available options, how do you choose the right one? How can you make sure you’re getting a good quality tDCS device? What should you look for and what should you stay away from? Below is our list of the most recommended tDCS devices in 2019. In total we’ve collected, inspected, and strapped on close to two dozen tDCS devices. Only a select few made it to this cherry picked list. Our recommendations are not based strictly on functionality and feature set, but also on inner-workings and manufacturing quality. Every device manufacturer has been thoroughly researched and vetted for their legitimacy, professionalism, and customer service. The best tDCS devices available: First and foremost, we love The Brain Stimulator company and line of products. Arguably the They’re one of the oldest companies in the industry, and have been very active in the tDCS community from the beginning. The company was started by a college student who won a number awards for his work in tDCS. They’re a company which has spent a lot of time in the spot light, and was actually featured in a national news segment (ABC America), which is the largest news story on tDCS we’ve come across. The Brain Stimulator has been a big advocate for device safety (current model features several safety features), and they’re one of the few tDCS companies which regularly releases new products. Their current tDCS device model The Brain Stimulator v3.0 has been well received and has some of the best internal circuitry design we’ve seen, paralleled only by some of the top shelf medical-grade tDCS devices. This is a company we continue to recommend to both new and experienced users of tDCS. What We Like: Been around since the beginning – one of the first commercially available tDCS Devices. Been around since the beginning – one of the first commercially available tDCS Devices. Transparent company – started by a college student in California – was very active on reddit Transparent company – started by a college student in California – was very active on reddit Have been featured by several large news organizations (ABC, PBS, NY Times, etc.) Have been featured by several large news organizations (ABC, PBS, NY Times, etc.) Regularly launching new & improved products, all of which have been incredibly portable. Regularly launching new & improved products, all of which have been incredibly portable. They make all their products in the USA They make all their products in the USA Impressive circuitry design including a low battery indicator & session timer learn more about our device standards) Impressive circuitry design including a low battery indicator & session timer Outspoken advocate for product/user safety – circuitry includes several redundant safety functions. Outspoken advocate for product/user safety – circuitry includes several redundant safety functions. “Introduced” the concept of boost voltage (constant power availability despite battery health) What We Dislike: High demand – Devices seem to sell out quickly High demand – Devices seem to sell out quickly Older products don’t include optimal ramping. Older products don’t include optimal ramping. Their “Travel Model” (no longer sold) only included two current levels. Their “Travel Model” (no longer sold) only included two current levels. Some community concern with 1st Gen Travel Model overcoming high resistance. While it may appear plain Jane from the outside, there’s an awesome array of features hidden under the hood. In realty, the TransCranial Technologies Stimulator is considered more of a scientific/research-grade tDCS device. However, we’re including it here because it happens to be one of the only devices in the “research-grade” category which are available for sale directly to consumers. This is a device we definitely recommend. While it is pretty pricey, with a current price tag of $349.00 USD, it’s well worth the money. What We Like: User defined session length timer User defined session length timer Sessions can be set at current increments of 0.1mA Sessions can be set at current increments of 0.1mA Automatic pause if external resistance is too high (i.e. electrodes become disconnected) Automatic pause if external resistance is too high (i.e. electrodes become disconnected) Notifications to reposition sponges if external resistance is too variable Same device has been sold since it’s introduction (no known improvements over time). What We Dislike: Pretty bulky device – You’re basically stuck at your desk while using it. Pretty bulky device – You’re basically stuck at your desk while using it. Not consumer friendly Not consumer friendly LED screen is too small – only three lines of text, it can be a little difficult to navigate (but not as bad as the Foc.us v2, coming up…) LED screen is too small – only three lines of text, it can be a little difficult to navigate (but not as bad as the Foc.us v2, coming up…) Not possible to change output current during a session – must first end the session and setup a new session. Super Specific Devices is yet another company that has been around for quite a long time. It was started by two individuals in a studio near Portland, Oregon, and seems to have a real “homey” feel. While the current product we recommend is officially titled: SSD 5.0 12/24 Volt Selectable Voltage tDCS Device. they also once had a digital metered tDCS device. They no longer sell it, but if you can find it, grab it. As far as metered devices go, it was our favorite. What We Like: Constantly improving their devices and releasing new models. Constantly improving their devices and releasing new models. One of only a few tDCS devices to feature selectable voltage (hardware based). One of only a few tDCS devices to feature selectable voltage (hardware based). A nice “retro” analog metered tDCS device which is significantly smaller than the Apex device. A nice “retro” analog metered tDCS device which is significantly smaller than the Apex device. Cool, retro styled device which is quite small for a device with an analog meter. Cool, retro styled device which is quite small for a device with an analog meter. Analog meter has a max reading of 3mA – Much better than Apex’s 5mA meter What We Dislike: Still selling self adhesive electrodes – Poorly designed electrodes * Still selling self adhesive electrodes – Poorly designed electrodes * Device enclosure appears to be 3D printed, and actually uses the same back cover from The Brain Stimulator v3.0 device. Weird. Device enclosure appears to be 3D printed, and actually uses the same back cover from The Brain Stimulator v3.0 device. Weird. Analog meters are very delicate and depending on the build quality, can break very easily. An even bigger concern is the ability for the needle to be knocked off alignment resulting in incorrect current readings. * SSD’s makeshift sponge electrodes are really just self-adhesive electrodes with sponges laid on top (just like Focus’s). This is not an ideal setup as self-adhesive electrodes are not only notorious for providing uneven distribution of current (safety concern), but they also add unnecessary resistance, greatly reducing the effectiveness of the device. While Focus’ first product had some notable safety issues, their second and third generation product seems really rock solid. The visual interface and incremental session & ramping timers are totally awesome. With this device, you pretty much get it all. It can even produce stimulation sessions utilizing tACS, tRNS, and a few others. However, that is precisely the reason why Focus didn’t rank higher on our list. Well, that and price (currently 400 bucks!)… Many of the included “alternative” stimulation methods are backed by very little scientific research, and while it’s neat that Focus allows the user the ability to explore these brain stimulation alternatives, there exists a level of safety concern due to lack of research. We’re tDCS guys and we firmly believe in tDCS’s strong scientific backing, and it’s superior performance above other alternative stimulation methods. But all in all, this is not a device we would dissuade people from looking into. What We Like: Also been around since the beginning – actually may have been the first commercially available tDCS Device. Also been around since the beginning – actually may have been the first commercially available tDCS Device. Very feature packed device – practically as robust as the TCT device, but packed into a product the size of a Bic lighter. Very feature packed device – practically as robust as the TCT device, but packed into a product the size of a Bic lighter. While hard to find, their website contains a wealth of technical information about their products. While hard to find, their website contains a wealth of technical information about their products. Great safety features (triple redundant), see here (doc upload). Great safety features (triple redundant), see here (doc upload). SUPER compact device, you can take this thing anywhere. What We Dislike: Products are way overpriced – The Focus v2 & v3 Stimulator are currently $400 while their significantly lesser and NOT recommended Go Flow v4 is $244. Products are way overpriced – The Focus v2 & v3 Stimulator are currently $400 while their significantly lesser and NOT recommended Go Flow v4 is $244. Users claim terrible customer support – some never receiving responses. Users claim terrible customer support – some never receiving responses. To be brutally honest, the founder (co-founder?) Mike is a real dk – just checkout some of his reddit posts. To be brutally honest, the founder (co-founder?) Mike is a real dk – just checkout some of his reddit posts. Focus’ “Go Flow” products are unnecessarily small, about the size of a quarter, very confusing and hard to use. Focus’ “Go Flow” products are unnecessarily small, about the size of a quarter, very confusing and hard to use. Their latest product (Go Flow v4) can produce current levels reaching up to 4mA, which is incredibly unsafe and totally unacceptable (2mA is the widely accepted max safe current level). In 2016 a scientific study entitled “Unfocus” on foc.us: commercial tDCS headset impairs working memory. found the Focus stimulator actually produced opposite effects from that which it was marketed to produce. On a budget? We struggle with this recommendation, however if we had to pick a sub $150 device, go with the Omni Stimulator. It’s a direct rip-off copy cat of the original The Brain Stimulator, which was a solid device. We’ve met many people who are still using their original Brain Stimulator’s 2, even 3 years later. (See ABC Nightline Video) What we do not recommend:Find out how the Battle of Hastings forever changed England—and the English language. “Game of Thrones” had nothing on England in 1066. The year dawned with England’s childless king, Edward the Confessor, near death, and multiple claimants from across Europe vying to succeed him on the throne. It was thought that Edward, whose mother was from Normandy, had years earlier promised the throne to his first cousin once removed, William, the Duke of Normandy. If so, the king apparently had a deathbed conversion and instead deemed his brother-in-law Harold Godwinson, the Earl of Wessex, to be his successor before he drew his final breath on January 5, 1066. The coronation of King Harold II in January 1066. (Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images) The following day, Godwinson was crowned King Harold II at Westminster Abbey, maintaining the line of Anglo-Saxon kings who had ruled England for six centuries since the end of the Roman Empire. The coronation set off a fierce succession crisis. Edward’s great-nephew had a claim to the throne but was barely a teenager. Norway’s King Harald Hadrada cast a covetous eye at England and joined forces with Harold’s exiled brother, Tostig, to launch an invasion in September 1066. King Harold’s forces intercepted the attackers and routed them on September 25 in the Battle of Stamford Bridge, a savage fight that left both the Norwegian king and Harold’s rebellious brother dead. ADVERTISEMENT Thanks for watching! Visit Website King Harold had mere days to revel in the victory before learning that England was yet again under attack by a claimant to the throne. With England’s southern coast left unprotected, the snubbed William led a Norman-French army of approximately 7,000 troops and cavalry across the English Channel, landing at Pevensey on September 28. Harold II led his forces south to London, stopping for rest and reinforcements, before continuing the 250-mile march to meet the latest enemy. ADVERTISEMENT Thanks for watching! Visit Website ADVERTISEMENT Thanks for watching! Visit Website The death of Harold at the Battle of Hastings, as depicted on the Bayeux Tapestry. (Credit: Culture Club/Getty Images) The two evenly matched armies clashed seven miles northwest of the village of Hastings on October 14, 1066, in a ferocious fight that raged the entire day. Harold deployed his forces in a defensive position along a ridge and ordered his men to stand side-by-side and form a “shield wall,” which failed to give way under repeated calvary assaults and a shower of arrows launched by Norman archers with powerful crossbows. Only after the Norman invaders pretended to retreat, causing Harold’s army to break rank, were they able to break through the line and destroy the Anglo-Saxon forces. As darkness descended, Harold was among the thousands lying dead on the battlefield, the victim, according to legend, of an arrow that pierced his eye. Six centuries of Anglo-Saxon rule over England was over. William marched his army along the coast and eventually to London, which fell without any resistance. The Norman Conquest of England was complete when William the Conqueror was crowned the first Norman king of England on Christmas Day inside Westminster Abbey, the coda to a tumultuous year. William the Conqueror (Credit: VCG Wilson/Corbis via Getty Images) William’s victory at the Battle of Hastings and his ascension to the throne forever changed English—and world—history. Prior to the Norman Conquest, England had been an inward-looking island kingdom more closely linked to Scandinavia than the rest of Europe. Since the Normans retained their stronghold across the channel, English monarchs afterwards had close ties on the continent and a foothold from which to project their power to the rest of Europe. “Without a secure continental base, it is unlikely that any English army would have ever hazarded its chances in France or elsewhere, at least before the beginning of the modern era,” write James Lacey and Williamson Murray in “Moment of Battle: The Twenty Clashes That Changed the World.” The Norman Conquest would be the last successful invasion of England. For centuries to follow, it would be England that was more apt to be the aggressor as it became more outward-looking and expansionist, a viewpoint that would eventually lead to its colonization of continents around the globe, including North America. “From the time of the Conquest, English armies were far more likely to tread on the Continent than the other way around,” Lacey and Murray write. The Tower of London’s White Tower, which was first constructed by William the Conqueror. (Credit: The Print Collector/Getty Images) Beyond geopolitics, the Norman victory at the Battle of Hastings ushered in a cultural transformation of England, with implications from law to religion, architecture to language. In the months following William the Conqueror’s coronation, the Normans began to build grand castles, which had been previously unknown in England, in order to fortify their new conquest and protect themselves from the periodic uprisings launched by the conquered Anglo-Saxons. Just months after coming to power, the new king began construction of the Tower of London and the original Windsor Castle. Utilizing forced English labor, Norman barons built enormous fortresses surrounded by walls and moats that dwarfed previous Anglo-Saxon manor houses. More than 80 such castles dotted the English countryside by the end of William the Conqueror’s rule in 1087. After the Normans took control of church leadership in England, they also initiated a surge in the construction of monasteries, churches and soaring cathedrals such as those in Canterbury, Winchester and Durham. The British Coat of Arms bearing the motto “Dieu et mon droit.” (Credit: MPI/Getty Images) In addition to being seen, the impact of the Battle of Hastings can still be heard today in the words of hundreds of millions of English speakers. Following the Norman Conquest, French became the language of government and business. (The motto of the British monarchy emblazoned on the royal crest is still the French phrase “Dieu et mon droit,” meaning “God and my right.” William the Conqueror spoke no English and would never master it during his 21-year reign, which was just as well since the new rulers looked down upon English as the language of the commoners. The Old English spoken by the Anglo-Saxons closely resembled the German language. The Normans blended French and Old English to begin the transformation of the language into modern English. The French-speaking Normans injected new words into Anglo-Saxon English that are still in use today—such as attorney, beef, button, castle, chimney, duke, flowers, jury, justice, language, marriage, royal, soldier and tailor. Members of an historical re-enactment groups prepare for the annual re-enactment of the Battle of Hastings. (Credit: Oli Scarff/Getty Images) French names such as Henry and Richard were also introduced into England, but few names became as popular as that of the first Norman king. By the 13th century, William—an Old French name composed of Germanic elements (“wil,” meaning desire, and “helm,” meaning protection) was the most common given name by a wide margin among English men, according to an important medieval record known as the Henry III Fine Rolls. Even today, it is still in the top 10 boys’ names in the United Kingdom and could be the name of an English monarch for the fifth time if Prince William ever ascends to the throne.I heard the story of the "Man in the Red Bandana" in 2004, during my first summer as a counselor at Camp Becket-in-the-Berkshires. Welles attended Camp Becket as a child and was an avid Boy Scout before he became a volunteer firefighter at 16. The trust fund established by his parents makes annual gifts to Camp Becket and other organizations that impacted Welles during his youth. "The most fundamental thing we can do as a human being is to not run away in the face of a crisis, but turn around and run into," recalled Tim Murphy, a long-time Becket staffer, when I asked him about Welles in May. "It's such a compelling example of the Becket values at work, those lessons we try to instill in campers. Whether or not Welles was manifesting those, or they were in the back of his mind, who knows?" When I heard Welles's story, I found my mind drifting back to my own first day at camp in 1997. I was standing at dinner in the dining hall, a cavernous gallery that would serve as a major meeting space for more than 300 boys and staff for the next month. I was 10 years old and terrified. Bookish and diminutive for my age, I shied away from strangers and felt overpowered by the taller, more energetic boys surrounding me. Most had already spent a summer at Becket, and their intimate, extensive knowledge of camp lore made me feel even smaller. When the meal ended, the entire hall burst into raucous song. Overwhelmed by the sudden assault of alien noise, I fled to the grass leading from the lower part of the building to Rudd Pond, the man-made lake on which Becket sat. My counselor, Jon Roy, followed me. Jon, now a teacher in Newton, Massachusetts, had been at Becket as both a camper and counselor for nearly a decade. "I know this seems like a lot to take in," he said, lowering himself to one knee so he could make eye contact. "But this place will seem like home before you know it. There will be good days and bad, but I promise you that by the end of this session, you'll carry Becket with you for the the rest of your life." He was right. I spent 11 summers at Becket, first as a camper, then on teen leadership programs, and finally as a staff member. But it wasn't until I found myself faced with the Welles's final act of compassion that I truly realized what a dramatic impact outdoor education could have on a child. Summer camp isn't just a place to make new friends and learn new skills. It's an essential feature of American life, a crucible for the moral and personal development of young people into adults. * * * American summer camps and other forms of outdoor education -- organized, experiential learning in a natural setting -- owe their intellectual foundations to Henry David Thoreau and his sojourn into the wilderness in Walden. Fearful of the encroachment of "over-civilization" during the mid-19th century, Thoreau took to the woods surrounding Walden Pond in Concord, Massachusetts, to gain a better sense of society and himself, ensconced in the "raw" and "savage" delights of nature. "I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately," remarked Thoreau in one of the most famous passages from Walden, "to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived,"During the Cold War, the United States was doing anything it could in an effort to gain the upper hand over the Soviets. As a result, some very strange scientific research, studies and experiments were conducted. Such experiments include the likes of Project Acoustic Kitty, MKULTRA, and the Star Gate Program. These programs are only a small sampling of the studies conducted with the mindset to overpower the Soviets. However, it seems that one doctor took Art of War’s “know your enemies” to heart when dealing with Communists. In 1947, a proposal was made to the US Navy to conduct a psychiatric study on what makes a communist tick. Psychological Makeup of Communists As the result of an FOIA request, it has been discovered that a proposal was submitted to the United States Navy to conduct research into why the human mind would be open to communism. The proposal states that the study wanted to “elucidate the psychological reasons and conditions which produce the acceptance by certain individuals of the Communist Doctrine”. Not only did the study want to know the psychological reasons behind accepting communism, but it also set out to determine why people remain communists. However, there are some other very interesting purposes listed out in the proposal that provide some hints as to why the government would conduct such research. Aside from trying to figure out the psychological makeup of a communist, it seems that the author of the proposal, Dr. Possony of Georgetown University, viewed communism as a psychological vulnerability that could be exploited. The other purposes of the study seemed to focus on how America could use this vulnerability to their advantage by studying why many communists seemed to be immune to the United State’s counter-propaganda. Similarly, the study also proposed to research the psychology behind the defection of a communist. The addition of these purposes to the study makes it fairly clear that the U.S. government was looking for way to beef up their PSYOP program against the Soviets.Credit: Kyle T. Webster The outrageous behavior of Amazon, Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal directed at WikiLeaks represents a much greater threat to America than any of the alleged security breaches from Julian Assange. These companies moved to cut off WikiLeaks’ ability to collect donations and distribute information because of the hysterical fulminations of headline hungry politicians and embarrassed bureaucrats. “No internet user can publish without the use of an internet server and other internet companies,” lamented Marcia Hofmann, senior staff attorney, Electronic Frontier Foundation. “If they don’t like your message, you can’t get your message out,” she told Village Voice Media. By supposedly committing an illegal act, WikiLeaks purportedly violated their terms of use agreements according to each of these meganet money/information dispensers. But WikiLeaks is guilty of nothing and convicted of less. Amazon, Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal set themselves up as judges, juries and executioners. And perhaps more troubling is that while the mainstream media happily regurgitated, repurposed and — in the case of The New York Times — reported the context of the released diplomatic cables, they have been noticeably silent as web conglomerates reshaped the First Amendment. Or, as in the case of The Washington Post and The Washington Times, they’ve joined the ninnies calling for Assange’s head. The chief enabler is Barack Obama’s Attorney General, Eric H. Holder who announced that the Justice Department and the Pentagon were in the midst of “an ongoing criminal investigation.” The key word is “investigation.” The Attorney General has yet to charge anyone, let alone bring the case. This is the same Attorney General who has investigated Arizona’s Sheriff Joe Arpaio — the sadistic and brutal jailer who flouts the Constitution in pursuit of Mexicans. The FBI and the Justice Department have had Arpaio under investigation, on a variety of fronts, since 2008. The Sheriff’s jails have been declared “unconstitutional” by the same Justice Department since 1996. Have banks or credit card companies seized Sheriff Arpaio’s home because he is under investigation? Did any internet company deny Sheriffi Arpaio access to his extensive, online marketing empire? No, that has not happened. But, with the patriots in Congress howling, Amazon and the others moved to isolate and strangle WikiLeaks. And the press does not speak out when the single largest document dump in the history of the media results in financial institutions determining when the flow of information will stop? PayPal’s president, Osama Bedler, explained his action by pointing out that the State Department claimed WikiLeaks’ dissemination of cables was illegal in a November 27 letter to Assange. And so they did. And so what? The State Department is not a judicial body. It is part of the Executive branch — and furthermore, they were the target of the revelations. “It is the role of the court to decide if someone has committed a crime,” noted Hofmann. The State Department had an opinion. And they were welcome to it. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the WikiLeaks’ cables “tear at the fabric of good government.” Some might say that what tears at the fabric of good government is a president impeached for lying under oath. Frankly, lying, in this instance by the state department, is the heart of the drama here. (Though to read the press, you’d think sex in Sweden was the issue.) And because Representative Peter King said WikiLeaks is a “terrorist” organization, because Senators Diane Feinstein and Joseph Lieberman allege Assange violated a creaky Espionage Act, internet businesses feel free to cut off the air in the on-going debate about the First Amendment on the web. “Your rights on the internet are only as strong as the will of companies to let you have it,” observed Hofmann. In such an anarchic environment, is it any wonder that anarchists have responded with the only weapons left? Congressional hearings are now scheduled for this Thursday, December 16. The House Judiciary Committee will not, I predict, worry much about the First Amendment. No good will come to free speech in such a political forum.ESPN and Univision Networks to Broadcast Live on Sept. 1 from Harrison, N.J. CHICAGO (July 6, 2017) - U.S. Soccer has selected Red Bull Arena to host the FIFA World Cup Qualifier between the United States and Costa Rica, presented by Volpi Foods, on Sept. 1 in Harrison, New Jersey. Matchday 7 and the USA's penultimate home game in the Final Round will be broadcast on the ESPN and Univision Networks (6:30 p.m. ET start, with pregame coverage on Univision Networks at 6 p.m. ET). Fans can also follow the game live on Twitter at @ussoccer and @ussoccer_esp, and Facebook. After a 2-0 win at home against Trinidad & Tobago and a massive point on the road against rivals Mexico, the United States is now 2-0-2 in World Cup Qualifying since Bruce Arena took over as head coach and has climbed into third place in the table of the six-team Final Round group, also known as the Hex. A victory at home against Costa Rica would be a huge step closer to qualifying for Russia, so the MNT is on a mission to #Get3 points at home once again. Following that match, the United States heads to San Pedro Sula to face Honduras on Sept. 5 at the Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano. [HEX STANDINGS] "This is going to be a critical game for us against one of the toughest opponents in CONCACAF," Arena said. "Red Bull Arena is among the finest soccer facilities in the country, and we look forward to having outstanding support." Red Bull Arena is hosting a World Cup Qualifier for the first time. Coincidentally, the USA's last visit to the venue also involved a matchup against Costa Rica, a 1-0 friendly defeat on Oct. 13, 2015. Tickets go on sale to the public Tuesday, July 25, at 10 a.m. ET at ussoccer.com. Ultimate Fan Tickets (special VIP packages that include a premium ticket, a custom-made official U.S. National Team jersey with name and number, VIP access to the field before the game, and other unique benefits) are also available exclusively through ussoccer.com. Coaches Circle and Presidents Circle members supporting the U.S. Soccer Development Fund can receive individual customer support and concierge services for their ticketing needs. Click here or contact circles@ussoccer.org for more information.The Apollo 1 mission, which was then known as the Apollo/Saturn 204 mission, was intended to be the first manned flight in Earth orbit. Instead, the mission ended in tragedy before it could even get off the ground.Crew members Virgil “Gus” Grissom, Ed White, and Roger B. Chaffee were scheduled to take off on Feb. 21, 1967 for “an ‘open-end’ mission that marked a bold departure from the rigidly limited space flights of the past,” according to Time.“If things went well,” continued Time, “Apollo 204 would lead to two other manned flights later this year, and then, possibly as early as 1968, to fulfillment of man's ancient vision of a landing on the moon.”The crew began a launch simulation on the afternoon of Jan. 27, 1967. At about 6:30 p.m., Grissom shifted in his seat. “His seat moved the bare wire,” writes MSNBC. “It sparked. Instant fire!”The astronauts called to ground control, and one cried, “Fire in the cockpit!” Just 17 seconds later, the transmission was cut off. It took ground crew five minutes to open the hatch, which opened toward the highly pressurized inside of the cabin. All three were found badly burned and dead of asphyxiation.The words of Gus Gr
An ancient oceanic plate that has mostly subducted under the west coast of the North American Plate Formation of the Juan de Fuca (including Explorer and Gorda) and Cocos plates (including Rivera) and of the San Andreas Fault from the Farallon plate Region of the modern Cascadia subduction zone A software model by NASA of the remnants of the Farallon Plate, deep in Earth's mantle. The Farallon Plate was an ancient oceanic plate that began subducting under the west coast of the North American Plate—then located in modern Utah—as Pangaea broke apart during the Jurassic period. It is named for the Farallon Islands, which are located just west of San Francisco, California. Over time, the central part of the Farallon Plate was completely subducted under the southwestern part of the North American Plate. The remains of the Farallon Plate are the Juan de Fuca, Explorer and Gorda Plates, subducting under the northern part of the North American Plate; the Cocos Plate subducting under Central America; and the Nazca Plate subducting under the South American Plate.[1] The Farallon Plate is also responsible for transporting old island arcs and various fragments of continental crustal material rifted off from other distant plates and accreting them to the North American Plate. These fragments from elsewhere are called terranes (sometimes, "exotic" terranes). Much of western North America is composed of these accreted terranes. Current state [ edit ] The understanding of the Farallon Plate is rapidly evolving as details from seismic tomography provide improved details of the submerged remnants.[2] Since the North American west coast shows a convoluted structure, significant work has been required to resolve the complexity. In 2013 a new and more nuanced explanation emerged, proposing two additional now-subducted plates which would account for some of the complexity.[3] Historic view [ edit ] As data accumulated, a common view developed that one large oceanic plate, the Farallon plate, acted as a conveyor belt, conveying terranes to North America's west coast, where they accreted. As the continent overran the subducting Farallon plate, the denser plate became subducted into the mantle below the continent. When the plates converged, the dense oceanic plate sank into the mantle to form a slab below the lighter continent.[4] Farallon Plate subduction forms North American Cordillera [ edit ] As of 2013, it is generally accepted that the western quarter of North America consists of accreted terrane accumulated over the past 200 million years as a result of the oceanic Farallon plate moving terranes onto the continental margin as it subducts under the continent. However this simple model was unable to explain many terrane complexities, and is inconsistent with seismic tomographic images of subducting slabs penetrating the lower-mantle. In April 2013 Sigloch and Mihalynuk noted that under North America these subducting slabs formed massive, essentially vertical walls of 800 km to 2,000 km deep and 400–600 km wide, forming "slab walls". One such large "slab wall" runs from north-west Canada to the eastern U.S. and extends to Central America; this "slab wall" had traditionally been associated with the subducting Farallon plate. Sigloch and Mihalynuk proposed that the Farallon should be partitioned into Northern Farallon, Angayucham, Mezcalera and Southern Farallon segments based on recent tomographic models. Under this model, the North American continent overrides a series of subduction trenches and incorporates microcontinents (similar to those in the modern-day Indonesian archipelago) as it moves west in the following sequence:[5] 165–155 Myr ago the Mezcalera promontory (the leading terrane to strike North America) strikes land and begins to be overridden. The overridden segment is replaced by an incipient South Farallon trench. 160–155 Myr ago the Rocky Mountain deformation begins, recorded by a synorogenic (formed contemporaneously with the orogen) clastic wedge. The Franciscan subduction complex on the South Farallon plate begins. 125 Myr ago the collision of the North America margin with an archipelago of terranes (Mezcalera / Angayucham /Southern Farallon island arcs) begins. This broad expanse causes strong deformations and creates the Sevier Mountains and the Canadian Rocky Mountains. 124–90 Myr ago the Omenica magmatic belts are formed in the Pacific Northwest along with a gradual override of the Mezcalera promontory by the Pacific Northwest. 85 Myr ago the South Farallon trench moves westward after accretion of the Shatsky Rise Conjugate plateau. Sonora volcanism results from the slab sinking. The Tarahumara ignimbrite province is formed. 85–55 Myr ago Strong transpressive coupling of Farallon plate to terranes produces the buoyant Shatsky Rise. The Laramide orogeny results from basement uplift more than 1,000 km inland. 72–69 Myr ago the Angayucham arc, is overridden by North America and Carmacks volcanic episode results. 85–55 Myr ago Conjugate subducts. Northward shuffle of Insular terrane, Intermontane terrane, and Angayucham terranes along margin. 55–50 Myr ago saw the override of the Cascadia Root arc by the Pacific Northwest along with accretion of the Siletzia and Pacific Rim terranes. 55–50 Myr ago Final override of westernmost Angayucham occurred, with an explosive end of Coast Mountain arc volcanism When the final archipelago, the Siletzia archipelago lodged as a terrane, the associated trench stepped west as the terrane accreted, converting an intra-oceanic subduction trench into the current Cascadia subduction zone and creating a slab window.[6] See also [ edit ] References [ edit ] Notes BibliographyEntitled " Deflation: Making Sure It Doesn’t Happen Here ", it is a warfare manual for defeating economic slumps by use of extreme monetary stimulus once interest rates have dropped to zero, and implicitly once governments have spent themselves to near bankruptcy. The speech is best known for its irreverent one-liner: "The US government has a technology, called a printing press, that allows it to produce as many US dollars as it wishes at essentially no cost." Bernanke began putting the script into action after the credit system seized up in 2008, purchasing $1.75 trillion of Treasuries, mortgage securities, and agency bonds to shore up the US credit system. He stopped far short of the $5 trillion balance sheet quietly pencilled in by the Fed Board as the upper limit for quantitative easing (QE). Investors basking in Wall Street's V-shaped rally had assumed that this bizarre episode was over. So did the Fed, which has been shutting liquidity spigots one by one. But the latest batch of data is disturbing. The ECRI leading indicator produced by the Economic Cycle Research Institute plummeted yet again last week to -6.9, pointing to contraction in the US by the end of the year. It is dropping faster that at any time in the post-War era. The latest data from the CPB Netherlands Bureau shows that world trade slid 1.7pc in May, with the biggest fall in Asia. The Baltic Dry Index measuring freight rates on bulk goods has dropped 40pc in a month. This is a volatile index that can be distorted by the supply of new ships, but those who watch it as an early warning signal for China and commodities are nervous. Andrew Roberts, credit chief at RBS, is advising clients to read the Bernanke text very closely because the Fed is soon going to have to the pull the lever on "monster" quantitative easing (QE)". "We cannot stress enough how strongly we believe that a cliff-edge may be around the corner, for the global banking system (particularly in Europe) and for the global economy. Think the unthinkable," he said in a note to investors. Roberts said the Fed will shift tack, resorting to the 1940s strategy of capping bond yields around 2pc by force majeure said this is the option "which I personally prefer". A recent paper by the San Francisco Fed argues that interest rates should now be minus 5pc under the bank's "rule of thumb" measure of capacity use and unemployment. The rate is currently minus 2pc when QE is factored in. You could conclude, very crudely, that the Fed must therefore buy another $2 trillion of bonds, and even more if Europe's EMU debacle goes from bad to worse. I suspect that this hints at the Bernanke view, but it is anathema to hardliners at the Kansas, Richmond, Philadephia, and Dallas Feds. Societe Generale's uber-bear Albert Edwards said the Fed and other central banks will be forced to print more money whatever they now say, given the "stinking fiscal mess" across the developed world. "The response to the coming deflationary maelstrom will be additional money printing that will make the recent QE seem insignificant," he said. Despite the apparent rift with Europe, the US is arguably tightening fiscal policy just as hard. Congress has cut off benefits for those unemployed beyond six months, leaving 1.3m without support. California has to slash $19bn in spending this year, as much as Greece, Portugal, Ireland, Hungary, and Romania combined. The states together must cut $112bn to comply with state laws. The Congressional Budget Office said federal stimulus from the Obama package peaked in the first quarter. The effect will turn sharply negative by next year as tax rises automatically kick in, a net swing of 4pc of GDP. This is happening as the US housing market tips into a double-dip. New homes sales crashed 33pc to a record low of 300,000 in May after subsidies expired. It is sobering that zero rates, QE a l'outrance, and an $800bn fiscal blitz should should have delivered so little. Just as it is sobering that Club Med bond purchases by the European Central Bank and the creation of the EU's €750bn rescue "shield" have failed to stabilize Europe's debt markets. Greek default contracts reached an all-time high of 1,125 on Friday even though the €110bn EU-IMF rescue is up and running. Are investors questioning EU solvency itself, or making a judgment on German willingness to back pledges with real money? Clearly we are nearing the end of the "Phoney War", that phase of the global crisis when it seemed as if governments could conjure away the Great Debt. The trauma has merely been displaced from banks, auto makers, and homeowners onto the taxpayer, lifting public debt in the OECD bloc from 70pc of GDP to 100pc by next year. As the Bank for International Settlements warns, sovereign debt crises are nearing "boiling point" in half the world economy. Fiscal largesse had its place last year. It arrested the downward spiral at a crucial moment, but that moment has passed. There is a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. The Krugman doctrine of perma-deficits is ruinous - and has in fact ruined Japan. The only plausible escape route for the West is a decade of fiscal austerity offset by helicopter drops of printed money, for as long as it takes. Some say that the Fed's QE policies have failed. I profoundly disagree. The US property market - and therefore the banks - would have imploded if the Fed had not pulled down mortgage rates so aggressively, but you can never prove a counter-factual. The case for fresh QE is not to inflate away the debt or default on Chinese creditors by stealth devaluation. It is to prevent deflation. Bernanke warned in that speech eight years ago that "sustained deflation can be highly destructive to a modern economy" because it leads to slow death from a rising real burden of debt. At the time, the broad money supply war growing at 6pc and the Dallas Fed's `trimmed mean' index of core inflation was 2.2pc. We are much nearer the tipping today. The M3 money supply has contracted by 5.5pc over the last year, and the pace is accelerating: the 'trimmed mean' index is now 0.6pc on a six-month basis, the lowest ever. America is one twist shy of a debt-deflation trap. There is no doubt that the Fed has the tools to stop this. "Sufficient injections of money will ultimately always reverse a deflation," said Bernanke. The question is whether he can muster support for such action in the face of massive popular disgust, a Republican Fronde in Congress, and resistance from the liquidationsists at the Kansas, Philadelphia, and Richmond Feds. If he cannot, we are in grave trouble.BARELY a day goes by without some international body or national leader opining about the British vote on whether to leave the EU. Voters may well be bewildered by the blizzard of facts, claims and counter-claims, or the discussion of whether Britain's future trade with the EU will be based on the Norwegian, Swiss or Albanian model. Like The Economist itself, your blogger favours the Remain camp. But here are five semi-serious reasons that our leader column might not mention. 1. Are you sick of the whole thing? The campaign has been going on for three months and there is still a month left. Well, if Leave wins you can expect another couple of years of the TV news and front pages being full of little else but the details of trade negotiations, late-night summits with Angela Merkel and debates over which companies might pull out of Britain. Vote Remain so Britons can go back to focusing on the weather and the inevitable failure of its football teams (England, Wales and Northern Ireland this time) in the Euros. Get our daily newsletter Upgrade your inbox and get our Daily Dispatch and Editor's Picks. 2. If you got bored with this referendum, remember the Scottish vote which seemed to take forever? Nicola Sturgeon will surely demand another poll if Scots vote Remain and the rest vote Leave. Vote Remain and we don't have to listen to the angry rhetoric about whose oil it is all over again. 3. Speaking of Scotland, remember that argument of Brexit campaigners about "controlling our borders"? The UK has a land border with the EU in Ireland and might have one with Scotland if it gets independence. That means EU citizens will have the right to move freely to Ireland and Scotland. So if we want to "control our borders" we will need checkpoints on our roads, including the A1 from Edinburgh to London, and passport checks at Edinburgh Waverley on the 16.30 to King's Cross. So vote Remain to avoid 20-mile tailbacks at Berwick and Carlisle. (And if you think that wouldn't be allowed to happen, then don't believe the "control of our borders" story.) 4. About to go on holiday? The pound will almost certainly fall in the event of Brexit; in a Bloomberg poll of economists, the most popular bet was a decline against the dollar to $1.25-$1.30, compared with around $1.45 today. So if you don't want your trip to Disneyworld (or Eurodisney) to get a lot more expensive, vote Remain. 5. If the Leave campaign wins, David Cameron will be forced out as prime minister. That might leave us with the choice of Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn at the next election. Enough said.Officially founded only six months ago, the anti-euro party Alternative for Germany is facing its first acid test -- one that's forcing it to consider scrapping its regional campaign efforts altogether. Largely a single-issue party, Alternative for Germany (AfD) formed in opposition to Germany's membership in the common-currency euro zone. But now, left-wing critics of the party -- from far-left anti-fascist anarchists to the mainstream Green Party -- are accusing it of peddling in xenophobic and nationalistic sentiments. In recent weeks, AfD campaigners have received threatening phone calls, been subjected to verbal abuse and -- in some cases -- physical attacks. Though the AfD has complained of such incidents in a number of cities including Berlin, Lübeck and Nuremberg, the party points to a particularly brutal confrontation at a campaign stand in the eastern town of Göttingen last week. The local police were forced to break up a dispute between the AfD and members of the Green Youth -- the youth wing of Germany's Green Party -- subsequently installing 40 officers at the stand to make sure that the violence was kept at bay. The party made waves earlier this year, when it launched an agenda that included dissolving the euro currency and returning powers from Brussels to individual member states. Though commentators at the time interpreted the party's rapidly swelling ranks as an indication of Germany's changing political landscape, AfD has failed to make significant progress since. 'Slap in the Face' In response to the threats, the Göttingen-based chapter of the anti-euro party is considering whether to scrap its campaign efforts in the region. In a statement, party leader Bernd Lucke described the attacks as a "slap in the face for every person who supports democracy." Party spokeswoman Frauke Petry went even further in her condemnation of the attacks, comparing the situation in the western state of Lower Saxony, where Göttingen is located, to the conditions in the Weimar Republic, which were characterized by chaotically fractured party politics. Indeed, the events that have unfolded since an initial altercation at a party conference on August 1 have been somewhat anarchic. Last week, local police were "only just" able to intercept attempts by Göttingen-based activists to set fire to an AfD member's garage, which reportedly contained a car filled with campaign materials. Followers of the anti-euro party were photographed, filmed and verbally taunted in the street, and in several cases, their cars were vandalized -- mostly those featuring AfD campaign messages. Local pub and restaurant owners even denied the party access to their amenities for fear of attracting a violence-prone crowd. Losing Credibility Social media appeals to take action against the party's rhetoric, which the Green Youth describe on their website as "right-wing, racist, nationalist, anti-semitic and Islamophobic," started gaining momentum weeks ago. As Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper noted, "Göttingen has long been considered a center of 'leftist' Black Bloc and 'anti-fascistic' endeavors." The paper said the Green Youth's decision to get involved suggests it may be helping the far-left scene in fighting AfD. Though the party intentionally avoids labelling itself as left- or right-wing, the German media has in recent months taken to portraying it as one of several right-wing populist parties eating into the voter base of conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats. The party found itself in the hot seat in June, when a photo one of its officials, Lennard Rudolph, started trending on Facebook. In it, he is seen on a bicycle, raising his hand in what looks like a Nazi salute. Rudolph denied any far-right affiliation and claimed that the distribution of the photo was part of a far-left smear campaign.AT FIRST glance this photo may appear to show snow covering a mountain. But the reality of what’s going on here is horrifying. This is actually an incredibly rare and very unnatural phenomenon. It’s a lake in India that’s so toxic that it froths over and even bursts into flames. It’s a scene straight out of a horror movie. Located in the bustling hi-tech hub of Bangalore, the 36 kilometre Bellandur Lake is the largest — and most polluted — one in the city. The foam is a result of the toxic water which contains a high content of ammonia and phosphate and very low dissolved oxygen. This has been put down to decades worth of untreated chemical waste being pumped into it. If that wasn’t bad enough, sewage from many parts of the city is also released into the lake, leaving it extremely polluted. During heavy rain, the foam spills onto the road, causing a traffic pile and spreading an unbearable stench in the air in the neighbourhood. And at times, due to the grease, oil and detergents that can be found in the froth, it catches on fire. “Every time it rains and the water flows, the froth raises and navigating this stretch becomes risky,” Vishruth, a resident who lives about 30 metres away from the lake, told the NewIndianExpress. “Due to the froth, visibility is reduced and the area also smells bad.” Just a week ago, he said the froth had risen to more than a metre high. “Cars and bikes that pass this area get covered with froth,” he said. Earlier this year, Indian Institute of Sciences Bio-engineering expert Durga Madhab Mahapatra told NewsMinute that contaminated air particles from the river were causing a burning feeling in people’s eyes. Locals are so desperate to save the lake, they set up a Facebook page to bring attention to the problem Software executive and environmental activist Nagesh Aras told the LATimes that disaster is looming if urgent action isn’t taken. “We need to change course, but it’s like trying to turn the Titanic around,” Mr Aras said. “There’s an iceberg ahead, but the captain hasn’t even seen it. And that’s the tragedy with the fires. We’re trying to explain that they’re just the tip of the iceberg.”Robert De Niro Swears He'll Reunite With Scorsese, Pesci And Pacino For The Irishman By Sean O'Connell Random Article Blend The Wolf of Wall Street. I’ll take The King of Comedy. My favorite Scorsese movies have Robert De Niro in them, not Leonardo DiCaprio. So when the Raging Bull star revealed that they are still entertaining the notion of doing The Irishman, you can see why I’m swallowing that news like it’s a plate of spaghetti and meatballs. It has been a long time since either Casino or Heat. Has too much time passed? De Niro doesn’t think so, and he told "We have been trying to do [the film] for the last few years, and I think we will do it. It’s based on [the] book ‘I Heard You Paint Houses’ by Charles Brandt. It’s about a guy who... confessed that he killed Hoffa and Joe Gallo. I’m gonna play that character. That’s something I’m looking forward to very much... I think it will [happen]... we’re really working towards making it happen." Long before Scorsese found a bright and shiny new "toy" in DiCaprio, the Oscar-winning director crafted a series of brilliant (and violent) collaborations with De Niro. Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The King of Comedy… the duo was on fire for decades. In the process, they redefined the crime genre with Goodfellas and Casino, and audiences have been begging for them to reunite and try to put a new stamp on familiar material. Now it sounds like they are getting closer. Scorsese and De Niro have been The Irishman for years, seeing it as an opportunity to "get the band back together," so to speak. The film would tell the story of mobster Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran, and would be Goodfella Joe Pesci as well as Al Pacino. Be still my beating, Italian heart! Excuse me while I go home and get my fucking shine box. These amazing clips should keep you busy. Obviously, these are NSFW: Scorsese has been on fire ever since teaming with DiCaprio. He won the Oscar for The Departed, and recently watched Wolf become Silence on his agenda next, he never drifts too far away from the mobsters in his past, and it sounds like we might see him reunite with De Niro and Pesci before all is said and done. You can have. I’ll take. My favorite Scorsese movies have Robert De Niro in them, not Leonardo DiCaprio. So when thestar revealed that they are still entertaining the notion of doing, you can see why I’m swallowing that news like it’s a plate of spaghetti and meatballs.It has been a long time since eitheror. Has too much time passed? De Niro doesn’t think so, and he told The New York Post that the project is still very much in the works. De Niro stated:Long before Scorsese found a bright and shiny new "toy" in DiCaprio, the Oscar-winning director crafted a series of brilliant (and violent) collaborations with De Niro.… the duo was on fire for decades. In the process, they redefined the crime genre withand, and audiences have been begging for them to reunite and try to put a new stamp on familiar material. Now it sounds like they are getting closer.Scorsese and De Niro have been circling for years, seeing it as an opportunity to "get the band back together," so to speak. The film would tell the story of mobster Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran, and would be based on a book by author Charles Brandt. Even better, as earlier reports stated, there would be parts in the film for fellowJoe Pesci as well as Al Pacino. Be still my beating, Italian heart! Excuse me while I go home and get my fucking shine box. These amazing clips should keep you busy. Obviously, these are NSFW:Scorsese has been on fire ever since teaming with DiCaprio. He won the Oscar for, and recently watchedbecome the highest-grossing film of his career. Yet even though he hason his agenda next, he never drifts too far away from the mobsters in his past, and it sounds like we might see him reunite with De Niro and Pesci before all is said and done. Blended From Around The Web Facebook Back to topWang Yuanji 王元姬, posthumous name Empress Wenming 文明, was the wife of Sima Zhao. When her husband died, their son, Sima Yan, succeeded him. Yan ended Wei and founded Jin. Wang Yuanji was made empress dowager of Jin, but died few years later. Contents show] History of Jin official biography [translation] Edit The Civil and Understanding Empress Wang (Wénmíng Wáng huánghòu 文明王皇后), maiden name Yuanji 元姬, was from Tan county in Donghai commandery. Her father [Wang] Su 肅, served Wei as military officer and “Marquis of Lanling” (Lánlíng hóu 蘭陵侯). When the Empress was eight years old, she could recite [Confucius’] Shīlùn (詩論). Especially, she was good at funeral customs. She had a good memory and she could remember everything that she had read. When she was nine, her mother once fell sick. So she took care of her mother all the time without even loosing her girdle to change her clothes. She possessed the ability to adept well and performed well, so her parents allowed her to manage household chores. Her grandfather, Wang Lang, doted on her and felt that she was extraordinary. He said, “This girl will bring glory to our family. It’s just a pity that she isn’t a boy!” When Wang Yuanji was 12, her grandfather died and she cried her heart out. Her father respected her even more after that and felt that she was indeed very special. After reaching adulthood, the Empress married Emperor Wen [Sima Zhao], and she gave birth to Emperor Wu [Sima Yan]; [Sima] Dingguo 定國, the King Dao of Liaodong; [Sima] You 攸, the King Xian of Qi; [Sima] Zhao 兆, the King Ai of Chengyang; [Sima] Guangde 廣德, the King Shang of Guanghan – and a daughter, Princess Jingzhao 京兆. She maintained her good moral character and served her in-laws well. When her father died, her clothes didn’t even fit her body,[n 1] and she could not help crying when talking [about the subject]. At that time, Sima Zhao recognised Zhong Hui’s talent and promoted him to a higher grade. The Empress often advised the Emperor, “Zhong Hui will forsake moral principles for profits. He is likely to cause trouble if over favoured. He shouldn’t be entrusted with responsibilities of importance.” [Zhong] Hui later rebelled. After Emperor Wu was enthroned, she was instated as the Empress Dowager and lived in Chonghua Palace. She chose the palace officials and assigned their positions. She assigned the Minister of Ceremonies (tàicháng 太常) Zhuge Xu 諸葛緒 as Minister of the Guards (wèiwèi 衛尉); the Minister Coachman (tàipú 太僕) Liu Yuan 劉原 as [her] Minister Coachman, and the Minister of the Imperial Clan (zōng zhèng 宗正) Cao Kai 曹楷 as Minister Steward (shǎofǔ 少府). Even after becoming the empress dowager, she continued to live a humble and frugal life. She did her own weaving, and there were even no patterns or decorations in her personal items or dresses. She wore old clothes after washing them, and kept her meals simple. She managed the imperial harem well and maintained harmony among the imperial consorts. She cared for the people and the land. She always talked in good manner, and never made libelous or slanderous remarks. The Emperor [Sima Yan] noticed that the deceased Empress Dowager’s mother, Madame Yang 羊, had not been conferred a posthumous title, so he issued an imperial decree in the third tear of Taishi 泰始,[n 2] “[Emperor] Wen of Han (Hàn Wéndì 漢文帝) had once conferred the posthumous titles Ling 靈 and Wen 文 [to his grandfather and mother]. Emperor Wu and Emperor Xuan [of the Han dynasty] had respectively conferred the posthumous titles Pingyuan 平原, Boping 博平. All of these were for worshipping the deceased loved ones and appreciating their parental grace. We shall praise the deceased Madame Yang, wife of the deceased Marquis of Lanling, for her benevolence and virtuous characters. She was born into the noble family and married the Marquis. She has followed the ‘three obediences’ and always behaved with propriety. However, she suffered a lot and frequently lost the titles that she deserved. She has raised many children of her own and substantially supported her family. Her maternal virtues have glorified the entire family, and her reputation should have been known by people in thousands of countries. She passed away at her young age, but she has never enjoyed the imperial favour. The empress dowager had missed her deceased loved mother so much. I will follow her instructions by recollecting her life story and mourning her loss. I hereby grant Madame Yang the title Xianjun 縣君, and the posthumous title based on her virtues during her lifetime. This decree shall be excecuted by the official in charge according to the age-old institutions (jiù diǎn 舊典).” Then the court historian He Rong 何融 published Madame Yang’s posthumous title as ‘Madame of Pingyang County’ (Píngyáng jìngjūn 平陽靖君). In the fourth year of Taishi,[n 3] the Empress Dowager died at the age of 52,[n 4] and she was buried with Emperor Wen. When they are going to move their coffins, and bury them together, Emperor Wu listed the empress’ virtue by himself, and asked the historiographer to write a eulogy: “The late empress dowager with great mind, you have revitalized the fate of our great Jin. Your good reputation is obvious, when you were assisting the previous emperor. You encouraged him to implement his virtue and follow the principle, and created a great empire. Bring welfare to the single, weak, helpless and uneducated people; safeguard the empire passed from the elders. Originally, she hopes to take the long-term education and enjoy life forever. Now she died so suddenly, she left me so early! I can’t tell my sorrow, no one can foresee that the gods had planned this. Alas! “In the early days, when all nations were born, we gave grace to keep them in peace. The emperor of Heaven moved the wisdom and virtue to the late emperor. Chose and established his spouse, the illustrious name of my emperor was well known. Then he created and revitalized the nation, the good reputation spread far and wide. It’s a pity that we didn’t get long-term blessing; the disaster came from the gods. “In the early days, when all nations were born, we gave grace to keep them in peace. The emperor of the heaven moved the wisdom and virtue to the late emperor. Chose and established his spouse, the illustrious name of my emperor was well known. Then he created and revitalized the nation, the good reputation spreads far and wide. It’s a pity that we didn’t get long-term blessing; the disaster came from the god. Like the sun falls and the light floods, the queen died in the middle-age.I’m lonely and in sorrow, often feel the pain of broke enterohepatic. I miss her noble virtue, it’s really a pity. God came from the Lan sea and Tai mountain, all generations accept her blessing and kindness. The gods gave us long fortune, delivered queen with virtue, she can accept the destiny peacefully, behaved dignified and cautious, guileless, integrity, loyal and chaste, pursues the principle of being friendly. She likes reading ‘poem’ and ‘book’, thoroughly understand etiquette and legal. Never violate the virtue of ‘three obedience’, get the principle of managing the family. Learn from the elders and younger’s, advocating the virtue of industrious and humility. When she was unmarried, she devoted herself to serve the elders, after marrying into the purple; she put her effort into assisting the emperor. Peace and honest is her ethos, the empire was created from this. Inside, she made the concubines ordered, outside, she combined all the reputations. She fulfils the commitment and deal with things gently, with moral. She was diligent with on idle, assiduous with self-denial. Advocate thrift and against luxury, modest and simple. Although sits a high position, she never fully enjoyed pleasure. How can you leave me and go, who can I turn to in the future? I lamentedon my misfortune, big punishment came in succession. Emperor Wen died just three years later. I served my mother; hope there is no more disaster. No one knows the disaster still came again, is me live up to the heaven. Alas! “The hearse is going to set off in the early morning, the palace has already arranged the ceremony along the road, her car started, the past is unable to recover. The poor mother, forever lurks as the deity. Moving forward and hold the coffin, looked around the funeral processional banners, fear and sadness raised in my heart, who can I turn to? Who to tell? I wrote this eulogy with my deepest feeling to express the sadness in my heart. If you can hear me, bless me as such an orphan without father and mother. Alas!” After that, Emperor Wu missed her much, sent an imperial edict, said again: “Yang 楊, which is the wife of the great grandmother’s late assistant Wang Lang 王朗, is the senior relative in uncle’s family, aunt Zhen 鄭 and aunt Liu 劉, are both close relatives and friends of last empress. They always miss her virtue, their closeness and harmony, even the plaint in the Huaiyang poem cannot be compared with this everlasting miss. Madam Fengyang 封楊 and aunt are the leader of town, have five hundred followers each.” In the seventh year of Taikang, emperor conferred the grandmother Xiahou 夏侯 as the leader of Rongyang town. See also Edit Notes Edit ↑ GJCM notes: the clothes didn’t fit Wang Yuanji anymore as she became emaciated because of the deep sorrow she felt for losing her father. ↑ GJCM notes: the third year of Taishi is 267 AD. ↑ GJCM notes: the fourth year of Taishi is 268 AD. ↑ GJCM notes: by East Asian reckoning. By Western reckoning Wang Yuanji died at the age of 51. References Edit No references. The above is a translation of Wang Yuanji's biography found in History of Jin. Sources EditHere at OMD we sometimes need our minds blown. You know, to keep things interesting. In those situations we turn to these super deep moments in some of our favorite Disney movies. It’s like giving ourselves a pep talk. We have a think. We take a moment. And we move on. Join us, won’t you? “The past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it.” – Rafiki, The Lion King Rafiki is pretty wise. And this is great advice. We’re glad we got it second-hand and Rafiki didn’t have to hit us on the head with a stick to drive the point home…cough, cough…Simba…cough, cough. “No matter how your heart is grieving, if you keep on believing, the dream that you wish will come true.” – Cinderella, Cinderella Cinderella never gives up. She has a dream and she goes after it. We love that. “Don’t think and don’t worry. When the times comes, you’ll know what to do.” – Helen Parr, The Incredibles What a perfect “mom” thing to say, right? Helen Parr, you’re doing parenting right. “If you don’t think, then you shouldn’t talk.” – March Hare, Alice in Wonderland Oh. Snap. That is all. “You just need to believe in yourself.” – Rex, Toy Story 2 Rex could say anything and put a smile on our face, but this makes us feel all warm and fuzzy inside. “Sometimes the right path is not the easiest one.” – Grandmother Willow, Pocahontas We have never met a wiser tree. And that’s saying something. “The only thing predictable about life is its unpredictability.” – Remy, Ratatouille Remy
I refused to raise my hand,” wrote Smith in a Facebook post. Smith is supporting Evan McMullin, former CIA operations officer and former chief policy director for the House Republican Conference in the U.S. House of Representatives, for president. “They then said they were going to reshoot it, except this time they changed ‘3rd party’ to ‘undecided.’ Some of us asked about the third party option, and they ignored us. They then said they were going to shoot it again, and still asked for ‘undecided’ voters and left out ‘3rd party.’ A lot of the members voted ‘undecided’ because it was the only option other than Trump or Clinton.” Smith posted the CNN video of the focus group and wrote that in the video he refused to raise his hand and vote “undecided” as a protest. In May, the Intercept obtained documents showing CNN published an Op-Ed they received from a Clinton Super-Pac, and published it under Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed’s name when it was written by a lobbyist. The Op-Ed was a hit piece on Bernie Sanders. Several pundits showcased on CNN throughout the primaries who praised Hillary Clinton failed to disclose their financial ties to the candidate. CNN contributor Maria Cardona appeared several times on the network throughout the primaries, but never disclosed that the lobbying firm in which she serves as a partner, Dewey Square Group, has helped raise funds for the Clinton campaign. Cardona, herself a superdelegate, donated directly to the campaign as well. In May, an Op-Ed attacking Sanders, written by Cardona, was in the WikiLeaks release of Democratic National Committee (DNC) emails that had been proofread by the DNC before publication. CNN’s bias for Clinton was summed up in 2015 on air, in what was likely a slip-up that went unnoticed. On a segment debating when and if Clinton was going to announce her presidential campaign, CNN host Chris Cuomo said “she is doing what they call in politics ‘freezing pockets,’ because the donors are giving her money thinking she’s going to run, that means they are not going to have available money for other candidates if she doesn’t, and I don’t think she’s going to give it to them. We’ll see. We couldn’t help any more than we have. She’s got just a free ride from the media, we’re the biggest ones promoting her campaign.” Suppressing third party candidates and their likely supporters directly benefits Clinton. CNN’s viewers are much more likely to be Democrat-leaning than Republican. By dismissing and disregarding third party candidates, CNN is pushing the narrative that Clinton is the only choice for voters. For many reasons, Clinton and Trump are the two least favorable presidential candidates of major parties in recent history. This political environment provides an opportunity for third party candidates to have their voices heard and reflect political views that are popularly regarded, yet don’t receive much attention in the Democrat and Republican Parties. By silencing these other presidential candidates, and by pretending “undecided” is another word for “third party,” CNN is subverting democracy to manipulate those who don’t want to vote for Clinton into doing so for lack of another choice.According to a report on NeoGAF, the latest Game Informer contains a preview of a Vita-only Assassin's Creed game called Assassin's Creed III: Liberation. It's unconfirmed, but other GAF users are also saying they too read the preview of the game. Among salient facts: It will star a female assassin named Aveline, who is of mixed French/African heritage. It will be released alongside Assassin's Creed III this fall, the story will take place in New Orleans (yes!) during the same time period as Assassin's Creed III, it'll have multiplayer, and won't feature Desmond. Aveline will meet Connor from Assassin's Creed III, and her mentor will be an escaped/freed slave, which combined with the location and time period could mean that "Liberation" probably refers to the liberation of American slaves. The back-touch screen will let you pick pockets, and all of New Orleans will be explorable without any loading screens. It will also take players into Mexico. Oh, and it will feature alligators! Awesome. That image up top is early concept art of a female assassin. Ever since meeting Shao Jun, the female assassin in the short film Assassin's Creed Embers, I've been wanting to see a female protagonist in an Assassin's Creed game. Sounds like I'll be getting my wish. Assuming this turns out to be true, we'll almost surely be hearing more about the game next week at E3. Assassin's Creed 3: Liberation (Vita) revealed in Game Informer [NeoGAF via Joystiq]CHIANG MAI — An official from Chiang Mai’s Doi Suthep temple has asked tour companies to educate their clients about proper temple etiquette after a video of a suspected Chinese tourist kicking one of the temple’s bells went viral on social media. The video shows an Asian tourist kicking a fortune bell at Doi Suthep, a popular destination for Thai Buddhists and foreign tourists in Chiang Mai. The video’s caption claims that the tourist is Chinese. Chuan Patwan, an administrator at Doi Suthep Temple, said he could not comment on whether the tourist was Chinese, as he did not witness the incident firsthand. However, he said that many Chinese tourists visited the temple over the weekend. “It will take some time to say whether the tourist is actually Chinese,” Chuan said. “But judging from his style, he was kicking his feet with so much agility, it was like kung fu.” The official added that the temple has asked all tour companies and guide associations in Chiang Mai to teach their customers about proper etiquette when visiting temples, historic sites, and other important destinations. “So it won’t create a negative image for Chinese tourists,” Chuan told Khaosod. The controversy came during a mass influx of Chinese tourists to Thailand for the “Golden Week” of the Chinese New Year. Tourism authorities estimate that over 90,000 Chinese nationals will visit the city of Chiang Mai alone during the holiday. Although it is estimated that the Chinese tourists will generate millions of baht in revenue for the Thai tourism industry, which suffered from the political unrest that spanned much of 2014, many Thais have complained that Chinese tourists are “poorly behaved” and insensitive to local customs. On 9 February, Chalermchai Kositpipat, the designer and administrator of the famous Rong Khun Temple in Chiang Rai province, briefly banned Chinese tourists from visiting the temple because of their “improper” use of the site’s toilets. He lifted the ban by the day’s end, but said he remained wary of Chinese tourists. Wisut Buachum, the director of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) for Chiang Mai region, said he has been informed about the incident at Doi Suthep Temple. “Such action is inappropriate, regardless of the nationality of the tourists,” Wisut said, “The TAT is collecting problems and issues about tourists’ behavior that happen frequently, in order to discuss them with relevant agencies. However, I think it’s only the minority of Chinese tourists. The majority fully cooperate, and the guides give them good advice.A car moves along the Extraterrestrial Highway near Rachel, Nevada, in this file photo. Credit: Associated Press SHARE By Let me put it to you straight. For 35 years, I have been exploring and investigating UFOs and UFOlogy (both the serious endeavor and the silly speculative fare that fills popular culture) and...well, UFOs are real: They fly, they evince technologies we don't understand and they have been around for years. Above all, despite voluminous and overwhelming evidence to support those assertions, to raise this subject as worthy of historical and scientific investigation is to invite ridicule, the shaking of pitying heads, derision and hostility and embarrassed silence. Still, I persist in believing, as Francis Bacon said in 1620, that if something deserves to exist, it deserves to be known, not rejected out of hand with prejudice. The scientific method, principles of historical analysis and an open mind ask that much. No subject has been more marginalized and maligned than this topic. By "unidentified flying objects" I mean not the many things commonly mistaken for them — balloons, Venus, sprites, ball lightning, secret craft, etc. — I mean anomalous vehicles that for decades have been well-documented by credible observers ("Credible people have seen incredible things," said Gen. John Samford, U.S. Air Force chief of intelligence in 1953), to which our government responded with the formulation and execution of policies in light of genuine national security concerns. I was recently privileged to be included as contributing editor and writer on a team that produced the book, "UFOs and Government: An Historical Inquiry" over five years. The research/writing team was led by Michael Swords, a professor of natural science (now retired) at Western Michigan University and Robert Powell, a nanotechnologist formerly with AMD. The book is regarded as an "exception" to the dreary field by Choice, the journal that recommends works for inclusion in university collections. Choice suggested that all university libraries should have it (to date, 45 have it in their collections, including four in the University of Wisconsin system, as well as many Wisconsin public libraries). The almost-600 page book is well-grounded with nearly 1,000 citations from government documents and other primary sources so it is "bullet proof." There is virtually nothing speculative in it. We document the response of governments from the 1940s forward to events they took quite seriously — and which readers, judging on the evidence and data, will take seriously as well. A short op-ed cannot do justice to the complex narrative, but I can state a few facts. ■ Any other domain of inquiry with hundreds of well-documented events would be considered worthy of scientific and historical investigation. ■ Well-executed policies carried out with secrecy do not constitute "a conspiracy," and we are not "conspiracy theorists," a term used to attack investigators of unpopular subjects. Members of the military and intelligence community, from the early 1950s on, decided to learn as much as they could about UFOs — which they decided did not constitute a direct threat to national security — while at the same time playing down and dismissing reports from the public. The reports themselves were considered to be the primary threat by the CIA. ■ The data illuminates a phenomenon that is global, persistent and sufficiently similar in small details to invite taxonomic classification as to vehicle types, the physics of force fields that power the objects and ionize the air around them, producing characteristic colors in relationship to speed and power, and diverse kinds of robotic or sentient beings associated with the objects. ■ It is an astonishing sociological and psychological phenomenon that throughout the 20th century, despite reports by credible observers, corroborated on multiple radar sets on the ground and in jets, resulted not in public investigation but in an inability to get our minds around the mere possibility. Instead the subject is literally "unthinkable." ■ One reason it is "unthinkable" is the effective use of ridicule, the mocking of people who made reports or took the subject seriously, and a long silence from official authoritative voices in the face of credible testimony. When I delivered a speech and served on a panel recently at the National Security Agency, I was reminded by a veteran analyst that "the three legs of cover and deception are illusion, misdirection and ridicule. But the greatest of these is ridicule"— which discredits the person, not the testimony, and the testimony I have heard has come from military and civilian pilots, astronauts, even the intelligence head of a foreign military force. "This is what I saw, and I know what I saw" is what I am told, corroborating the statement in 1947 by Lt. Gen. Nathan Twining that "The phenomena is something real and not visionary or fictitious." ■ My personal exploration began in 1978 when, as a recently ordained Episcopal clergyman in a parish on the edge of an Air Force base, a parishioner, a decorated fighter pilot with all the "right stuff" who retired as a colonel, told me, "We chase them, and we can't catch them." ■ "UFOs and Government" includes quotations from generals, senior intelligence personnel and professionals such as Hermann Oberth, the father of German rocketry, that affirm the exotic characteristics of the technology that no earthly power could then achieve. As Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell told me, "Richard, if we could do what they can do, they wouldn't have sent me to the moon in a tin lizzie." ■ We increasingly accept through our own scientific explorations that many Earth-like planets likely to harbor life fill our galaxy and the galaxies beyond. When we hear that from authoritative voices, we accept it as a probability, but when we examine the evidence of decades of visitation by real explorers, we find it difficult to think in a concrete way that we are not alone, not the top of the food chain and that others may have been voyaging for thousands of years — as if we are the gold standard of scientific knowledge and our current understanding of physics is the end of all physics. So I'm out of the closet on a subject. As an older man with a solid track record of delivering insights into likely futures that have pretty much worked out over the years, a man who has spoken for security conferences all over the world (including NSA, the FBI, the Secret Service, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the Pentagon, etc.), discussing the impact of new technologies, I can say without embarrassment that documented data supports the contention that many historical reports show exactly what they seem to show — anomalous vehicular traffic demonstrating aerodynamic capabilities and propulsion systems beyond the range of our own technology. So...why do well-intentioned people who know more than I do persist in the pretense that nothing unusual has been going on? That's a more speculative exploration, one for another time. Richard Thieme of Fox Point is a writer and professional speaker (www.thiemeworks.com). In addition to "UFOs and Government: A Historical Inquiry," he has written "Islands in the Clickstream (2004)" and "Mind Games (2010)" and contributed chapters to several books.It must have seemed such a brilliant idea at the time. Round up the superstars, put them in a bit of cinema courtesy of Babel-director Alejandro González Iñárritu and score a viral coup against their age-old rival, and official World Cup sponsor, Adidas. When it first hit the tube-waves, Nike's Write the Future was promptly hailed as a masterpiece and a stroke of advertising genius. Within the first week of its release, the three-minute spot broke previous viral records with an unprecedented 7.8m views, and it seemed Nike had perfected the art of ambush marketing. Aside from being visually compelling, the ad was successful because it provided an aspirational narrative every spectator could relate to – the idea that the only thing separating us bean-eating plebs from heroism and fame are those rare moments where an individual wills themselves into history. But what a difference three weeks makes. With the semi-finals afoot and millions of embittered fans looking for someone to blame, a curious backlash has begun and the verdict is in: Nike's Write the Future campaign is officially cursed. Not only have all the superstars featured in the three-minute spot been shamefully ejected from the tournament, but inopportunely cast Roger Federer also suffered a confounding loss at Wimbledon that many are accrediting to the curse. Worse yet, for Nike stock-holders at least, Adidas has rallied from behind to claim the largest share of World Cup-associated buzz. It's become such a intriguing and publicised debacle that Write the Future is likely to go down as the most shocking reversal of advertising fortunes since Pepsi set Michael Jackson's hair on fire. But is it a curse for the ages? Perhaps not. Nike sponsors the Netherlands, so as long as they win the cup it will be difficult to prove that there exists a supernatural connection between the swoosh and abysmal failure. What the campaign is more indicative of is that American advertisers still don't fully understand the nature of the World Cup. The agency that produced the spot, Oregon-based Wieden+Kennedy, has found plenty of success in hyping up the likes of Rooney and Ronaldo, but the World Cup is a far different brand of beast than your typical bout of idol worship. If this year's tournament has proven anything, it's that the efforts of the most publicised players are futile when they come up against a team that can play with a bit of cohesion. By producing an advert that focused solely on the actions of a few celebs, Nike tempted fate and is being accordingly punished. But even more hazardous was in how Nike tested the attention spans and emotional commitment of its audience. Because Write the Future was so well executed, and because it became so popular so quickly, it effectively functioned as an inspiring prelude to the kick-off. And when that decisive moment came for Rooney (or Ronaldo, Ribéry, Cannavaro et al) and they crumpled exactly as they had done in Nike's vision, the entire meaning of the ad shifted away from "just do it" and towards a prognostication of doom. Rather than a storybook ending for any one of Nike's heroes, what we have here is a case study of what happens when hype goes terribly awry. It's a cautionary tale for anyone who wants to capitalise on star-power during the World Cup, proving that Adidas was correct to pick Snoop Dogg and Hans Solo for spokespeople, as they have absolutely no chance of mucking it up and disappointing prospective cleat consumers.Editorializing on the War on Drugs The “war on drugs” is probably one of the most understood US policies ever since the Nixon administration gave it that name. Statistically, despite the billions of dollars for interdiction programs overseas and at the US border, illegal drug trafficking has increased in recent decades. Today’s Grand Rapids Press editorial addresses one aspect of this issue, specifically the status of the investigation into the local missionaries whose plane was shot down in 2001. The Press editorial is right to express concerns that justice has not been done in this case, since the 16 CIA officers who were reprimanded did not really face any serious consequences for the death of Veronica Bowers and her daughter. The editorial mentions the 2008 inspector general report, which lays out the details of the incident that led to CIA contractors shooting down the missionary family’s plane. Included in that report was an acknowledgement that the CIA initially lied about the circumstances as a means of attempting to cover up the story. The editorial also mentions that the Brower family received $8 million in a legal settlement with the government, but that “That may be politically expedience. It’s hardly justice.” The Press editorial ends by stating that halting drug trafficking is a laudable goal, but that there needs to be more checks and balances. While we would agree that there needs to be more accountability when US government agents act maliciously, but the failure of the editorial misses a major point here, which is that the US Drug War is at best a farce. Numerous political analysts and former US DEA agents who have been on the front lines of the US war on drugs have testified and documented the massive failure of this policy. Michael Levine, who worked with the DEA for 20 plus years in Latin America wrote the book Deep Cover: The Inside Story of How DEA Infighting, Incompetence and Subterfuge Lost Us the Biggest Battle of the Drug War. Another noted former DEA agent is Celerino Castillo who wrote the book Powderburns: Cocaine, Contras & the Drug War. What both Levine and Castillo argue is that not only is the US war on drugs a failure, but that it was never intended to actually go after the primary drug traffickers in Latin America, because they were often CIA assets. The idea that the CIA collaborates with major drug traffickers is the topic of one of the best investigations into the US war on drugs, The Politics of Heroin: CIA Complicity in the Global Drug Trade. This book by Alfred McCoy documents over four decades of US involvement in the global drug trade. The author argues that the US was often directly involved in the drug trade as a means to generate funds for covert wars, whether those wars were in Afghanistan, Southeast Asia or Latin America. This notion that the CIA has been directly involved in the global drug trade would help in our understanding of the death of local missionary Veronica Bower and her daughter. The US has been telling the American public that they are committed to winning the war on drugs in Latin America, yet there has been no evidence that the amount of cocaine has diminished in recent decades. You will remember in 2000 when then President Clinton allocated $1.3 billion to fight the drug war in Latin American with a policy knows as Plan Colombia. Plan Colombia has not only failed to reduce drug production in Colombia, it has led to the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians. The Washington Office on Latin America published a report this past summer, which documents what a monumental failure Plan Colombia has been, particularly since it has resulted in countless deaths and has further militarized the region. So while it is appropriate for the Press to editorialize on the lack of justice in the case of local victims of the war on drugs they should be equally outraged about US drug war policies that are in no way laudable. Indeed, the Press might want to have their reporters investigate the local connections and consequences to the so-called War on Drugs.If there ever was a good reason to question the competence of corporate CEOs and Republican candidates, this is it. Meg Whitman committed a blinder so colossal may well, make the difference that flushes the $141 million she has already invested in her own campaign against Jerry Brown right down the toilet. A new ad from Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown takes Republican Meg Whitman’s own words and turns them into a make-shift endorsement. The ad shows video of Whitman saying, “You know, thirty years ago, anything was possible in this state.” The ad goes silent and shows text on screen reading, “Who was governor 30 years ago? Jerry Brown.” An announcer goes on to tout Brown’s accomplishments as governor and then goes back to video of Whitman saying, “I mean, it’s why I came to California so many years ago.” The ad is simple and, paired with a previous ad that shows Whitman and current California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) repeatedly saying the exact same thing, the ad could help make the difference for Brown in a tight race… [emphasis added] Inserted from <Washington Post> Here is the ad. Sometimes Republican politicians actually tell the truth by accident., and when they do, it turns out badly for them. Republicans govern exclusively for the benefit of criminal corporations and the richest 1%. Keep them out of office.First Contact: SBS program creates a frenzy on social media after viewers react to controversial show Updated The premiere of the controversial program First Contact on SBS on Tuesday night has prompted a social media frenzy. The show takes six non-Indigenous people who have never had contact with Aboriginal Australians and places them in Indigenous communities for the first time. Accompanied by Ray Martin, the group spend 28 days immersed in Aboriginal culture as cameras capture their reactions. "Over the next 28 days you and I are going on an amazing journey around this country of ours," Martin told the group of participants. "You are going to see it in a different light. You're going to get a sense of what it must be like to be an Aboriginal Australian. But let me tell you it's not going to be an easy journey. "You're going to be shocked, you're going to be confronted. "I think it's going to be a real emotional rollercoaster." Sandy, a 41-year-old mortgage broker, told Martin at the beginning of the show that white people had better genes. If they are spending dole cheques on booze, don't give them their dole cheques. When it comes to brains, white people have a better gene, a better make-up. Sandy, 41, mortgage broker. "If they are spending dole cheques on booze, don't give them their dole cheques," she said. "When it comes to brains, white people have a better gene, a better make-up. "If you're out there and you're looking at fking kangaroos jumping past and snakes and goannas, build a fire, how much more can you learn? "If you think it's racist – I don't fking care." On her first night with Aboriginal hosts she said: "I'm not staying. I can't, I can't. I know what happens on those mattresses, and they all sleep on them with all their sweat and all their partying and all their boozing and their yahooing and I ain't sleeping on it. It's dirty." Sandy quit the show halfway through. Jasmine, a 33-year-old mother of four who receives welfare payments to help support her family, said she did not believe Aboriginal people should be entitled to more welfare than white Australians. "Because they've got the actual title as an Aboriginal - that entitles them to more say like welfare, like housing, free housing, free loans, so they get a lot more," she said. "I reckon the Aboriginal people get four times more than the amount we get." On her first night with an Aboriginal family where her hosts put on a BBQ, Jasmine said: "I was thinking that traditional Aboriginal people would be eating like bugs... not like steak, and chops and salad and chicken." Other contestants included supermarket worker Bo-Dene, 25, food nutrition student, Alice, 31, law enforcement officer, Trent, 28, and part-time photographer Marcus, 23. The second episode in the three-part series airs on Wednesday night. Topics: aboriginal, television, community-and-society, australia First postedWilliam Bradford, President Donald Trump’s appointee to lead the Energy Department’s Office of Indian Energy, resigned Thursday. CNN published a report on Tuesday about a commenting account that appeared to belong to Bradford and included disparaging comments about former President Barack Obama’s mother. “Bradford tendered his resignation this afternoon and is no longer with the Department of Energy,” Energy Department spokesperson Shaylyn Hynes told the Washington Post. The Washington Post in June reported on disparaging remarks Bradford made on Twitter, where he called Obama “a Kenyan creampuff” and called Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg a “little arrogant self-hating Jew.” He also claimed that internment camps to detain Japanese-Americans during World War II were “necessary.” Bradford apologized for those remarks in an email to the Washington Post. “As a minority and member of the Jewish faith, I sincerely apologize for my disrespectful and offensive comments,” he wrote to The Washington Post. “These comments are inexcusable and I do not stand by them.” CNN’s KFILE on Tuesday reported on an account on the online commenting service Disqus that appeared to belong to Bradford. That account posted comments calling Obama “the son of a fourth-rate p&*n actress and w@!re.” Bradford told CNN that he could not comment “on an ongoing federal investigation into multiple cyber attacks and Internet crimes committed against me over the past several years, to include email intrusions, hacking, and impostors in social media.”By Miguel Rivera According to Golden Boy Promotions CEO Oscar De La Hoya, he is very motivated to stage a September fight between his company star Saul "Canelo" Alvarez (48-1-1, 34 KOs) and the current middleweight king Gennady 'GGG' Golovkin (36-0, 33 KOs). In the coming months, both fighters are scheduled to take part in high profile returns on HBO Pay-Per-View. Golovkin will defend his WBC, IBF, IBO, WBA middleweight titles against Daniel Jacobs on March 18th at New York's Madison Square Garden, while Canelo returns on May 6th when he moves up to a contracted catch-weight of 164.5-pounds for a showdown with Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, While De La Hoya promises to finalize Golovkin-Canelo for the fall - he is worried about the outcome of Canelo's next fight. He cautions that Chavez Jr. is capable of pulling off the upset - which in turn would create an immediate rematch and even possibly a trilogy. "I have always said that Canelo is going to fight with GGG this year. That has always been the goal, the plan. The only reason that we wouldn't make that fight is because the Chavez fight with Canelo could be a war, maybe it ends in a draw... that would force a rematch. The plan is for Canelo to fight three times and to have big fights like GGG and Chavez," De la Hoya told ESPN Deportes. "[Canelo-Golovkin] depends on the May 6th fight. I've always said that Canelo is going to fight with GGG in 2017 and that's the plan, but that depends on this fight, because there could be a rematch rematch, a trilogy - it could be the Fight of The Year - if Francisco Vargas gives them the opportunity." " I think a rematch [between Canelo and Chavez Jr.] is possible... it all depends on the fight - but I have always said that Canelo is not afraid of anyone including Golovkin. I have always said that he will fight with GGG this year."Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the event to inaugurate Nobel Prize Series Exhibition in Gandhinagar, Gujarat on January 9, 2017. (Source: narendramodi.in) On a day when Ex-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh predicted the “worse is yet to come” for Indian economy after demonetisation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s maverick move received a thumbs-up from the World Bank. Speaking at ‘Jan Vedana’ conclave on demonetisation organised by Congress party in New Delhi on Wednesday, Singh dubbed demonetisation as a “disaster” and predicted things were going from bad to worse. “Demonetisation has hurt the country. Things have gone from bad to worse, but the worse is yet to come,” he said. Singh slammed PM Modi’s claim that economic situation is improving after demonetisation. He said the claim was “hollow” and “Modi’s propaganda”. “We now know the beginning of the end has come.” In his brief address, the former PM reiterated what he had said in Rajya Sabha last month, quoting “some rating agencies” that GDP could slow down to 6.6 per cent due to demonetisation. However, a World Bank report released on Wednesday said otherwise. ALSO READ: Demonetisation dilemma: Should you trust NaMo or MaMo? The first such report after the announcement of demonetisation on November 8, 2016, appears to be in agreement with PM Modi’s claim that demonetisation is “short-term pain for long-term gain.” “A benefit of ‘demonetization’ in the medium term may be liquidity expansion in the banking system, helping to lower lending rates and lift economic activity,” the report said while forecasting India’s growth as “still robust”. It said growth in India is estimated to reach 7.0 percent in the financial year ending on March, 31 2017. This is a reduced estimate from the previous 7.6 per cent growth forecast for this year. Acknowledging the short-term disruption caused by demonetisation, the report said, “In the short-term, demonetisation could continue to disrupt business and household economic activities, weighing on growth. Further, the challenges encountered in phasing out large currency notes and replacing them with new ones may pose risks to the pace of other economic reforms (e.g., Goods and Services Tax, labour, and land reforms).” The report predicted that growth in India would regain its momentum “with growth rising to 7.6 percent in the financial year 2018 and strengthening to 7.8 per cent in the financial year 2019.” ALSO READ: Did Narendra Modi try to copy Pakistan by demonetisation? Yes, claims Congress The report also said that reform activities taken by Modi government would “unlock domestic supply bottlenecks and raise productivity.” Such as: a) infrastructure spending would improve business climate and attract investment in the near-term. b) “Make in India” campaign may support the country’s manufacturing sector, backed by domestic demand and further regulatory reforms. c) Moderate inflation and a pay hike as per 7th Pay Commission recommendations would support real incomes and consumption. (Inputs from agencies)Samsung’s hybrid pocket watch concept raises a lot more questions than it answers. That’s due, in part, to the fact that the company isn’t offering all that much information about what appears to be an analogue pocket watch with smart functionality announced in a press release tied to the Baselworld jewelry and watch show happening next week in Switzerland. “Concept” is, naturally, a key word here. Really, Samsung seems to be doing a bit of peacocking here as it simultaneously tries to fit in and stand out among more traditional watch vendors at the event. The release carries all sorts of self-congratulatory tidbits like, “Samsung continues to lead the smartwatch category; connecting traditional Swiss design and innovative technology” and “Gear S3 is more than just a smartwatch, it is a beautifully designed watch that puts a timeless spin on the smartwatch category.” This isn’t the first time we’ve seen someone take a crack at the idea, though aside from an Indiegogo campaign for an “open-source anti-smartphone” and some 3D printed at-home hacks, no one has seemingly really dared to go full throttle into the niche upon niche that is the smart pocket watch. Chances seem pretty slim at this point that such a device will ever see the light of day, even from Samsung, a company notorious for flooding store shelves with a million different variants on a given theme. Even so, the time is right for companies to start making big, bold, weird experiments in the wearable space. The smartwatch category has suffered, in part, from a flooded market of likeminded devices. Smartphones are one thing. The technology quickly transformed from luxury to perceived necessity. Smartwatches aren’t nearly there yet – and at this rate, may never be. For now they’re, at best, a proxy for our smartphones. A few companies (Samsung included) have had enough success for the space to make sense, but the rest of the competition is essentially fighting over scraps. If nothing else, Samsung’s hybrid pocket watch raises some interesting points about the space. Like, if a watch isn’t designed to be worn on one’s person, can it really be classified as a wearable? How much of the wearable category’s value is derived from the body real estate it occupies? Devoid of a wrist strap, doesn’t the thing more or less become a tiny, much less useful smartphone? Samsung is also showing off a number of devices created alongside Swiss watch designer Yvan Arpa, which, like the pocket watch, appear to exist more to bolster the profile of the company’s existing product than to hint at any forthcoming release. After all, the super luxury smartwatch may be the greatest niche of all. Sure, Tag has had some relative success with its Connected device – at least enough to justify a second generation of the product – but four digits is a lot to ask for a product designed to be upgraded ever couple of years. Even the nicest smartwatch likely won’t be getting passed along to the grand children.Who remembers the summer of 2015? It was full of sequels and reboots - some wanted and some unwanted. New entries for Avengers, Mad Max, Jurassic World, Terminator, Mission Impossible, and even National Lampoon's Vacation graced the screen. While a few were welcomed by audiences, others might have been better off left entirely on the cutting room floor. One event of that summer that may have gone unnoticed by many but will surely be reviled by most consumers was the passage of the Simplified Seller Use Tax Remittance Act, which will begin the collection of sales tax from online retailers like Amazon. When Alabama passed the Simplified Seller Use Tax Remittance Act, it essentially began a countdown until online retailers like Amazon started charging sales tax on purchases to Alabama residents. On Tuesday, November 1st, the tax will go into effect. This may rankle the likes of many online shoppers, but for the countless brick-and-mortar retailers in the state, this is viewed as helping to level the playing field. The flat 8% sales tax across the state will ease the burden on having to collect the right rate for each county and locality. Instead, online retailers will remit their collections to the Alabama Department of Revenue. What effect might this have for the ALDOR? One estimate from the National Association of Counties believes up to an additional $50 million will be brought in. Half would go to the state, and the rest would be divvied up among the cities and counties, based on population. How does Huntsville stand to benefit? Based on 2010 census data, Huntsville is the 4th most populous city in the state, among 460 cities and towns. At 180,000 residents, the Rocket City is just behind Birmingham with 212,000; Montgomery with 206,000; and Mobile with 195,000. Meanwhile, Madison city ranks 10th with 43,000 residents. Madison County's 335,000 residents makes it the third most populous out of 67 in the state - Jefferson (658,000) and Mobile (413,000) are ahead. Therefore, Huntsville should see a great deal of the collected sales tax that begins November 1. Perhaps when we look back on this, the tax revenue generated from Amazon and other online retailers participating in the voluntary collection program will be remembered fondly.For the weekend, The Elder Scrolls Online is completely free-to-play on PC and PlayStation 4. The buy-to-play title is hosting a free weekend on these platforms, giving everyone a chance to jump into the One Tamriel update without having to purchase the game client. Players can start downloading the client on November 16 and the whole free weekend will conclude on November 20, giving players ample time to experience the sprawling world of Tamriel. Although The Elder Scrolls Online requires no subscription to play, adventurers must first purchase the game client before playing. This weekend, players on PC and PlayStation 4 do not have to purchase the client in order to play during the free weekend period. The promotion, which has previously occurred on PC, is new to PlayStation 4, giving console players a chance to see what the MMORPG is like today. Khajiits are just one of 10 available races in The Elder Scrolls Online [Image via Bethesda] The free weekend will be available on both PC and PlayStation 4 this weekend according to the official game website. A free Xbox One weekend is currently planned for a later
had wrapped production years later, they had hit their stride. The final Raiders: The Adaptation is a rowdy celebration of teen spirit: kids trying to look tough, setting stuff on fire and risking life and limb in a fantasy world of rugged heroism and crooked-smiling villainy. Strompolos, who played Indy, had his first kiss on screen, with Angela Rodriguez, who played Marion. Their mouths kept going after Zala yelled "Cut!" There were setbacks. Zala nearly suffocated while making a plaster cast of his head. In removing it, doctors at the hospital plucked both his eyebrows off. (Lesson learned: use papier-mâché, not cement plaster.) With no monkey available to play Marion's mascot, the teens were forced to cast Snickers, a beagle-terrier mix, instead. The crew transformed Boy Scout uniforms into Nazi costumes and suburban Mississippi woods into the Amazonian rainforests, and spent four years creating a giant boulder to chase Indy. A 15-year-old Chris Strompolos, as Indiana Jones, flees a fiber-glass boulder. Check out how the boys made the rock. Video: © Chris Strompolos, Eric Zala, Jayson Lamb For more, visit wired.com/video.All of Raiders: The Adaptation's effects were done in camera – no digital touch-ups here. The film, shot on VHS, is grainy and at times nearly inaudible, but the cast and crew's unadulterated love for the source material is crystal clear. "Being a kid, you don't know what you can't do, which is helpful when you are trying make a $26 million film on your allowance," Zala said. "(Kids') motivations are the purest, and they aren't unduly swayed by commercial considerations or a Teamsters strike or even the mortgage. It's about the love of the story." Comment on this story. See related slideshowNORMAN Okla. – Rhett Jones is running for Ward 4 seat, and will be facing Christina Owen and Bill Hickman. Jones is the owner of two business and consultant for Don Armstrong CPA in downtown Norman. A drummer and passionate about music, playing in some local bands, Jones is also at the board member of the Norman Arts Council and a committee member of the Norman Music Festival. During a recent interview with Red Dirt Report, Jones, 40, said the downtown area has seen a revival in recent years with an increase of new businesses and events and he wants this growth to continue. “It is not just necessary a pass through for evening rush hour, it is a destination again,” he said of downtown Norman. “As the events have been successful over the year you have more merchants coming in the downtown.” Jones said he supports making Main and Gray streets two-way roads in the downtown area. “I think it is better for economic development, it will make more pedestrian and bike friendly, slows down traffic and make more that the destination that it is,” Jones said. In addition, Jones totally approved the project to connect Campus Corner and Downtown Norman via the creation of new businesses along Webster Avenue and University Boulevard. “The easy it is to connect these two districts, the more money the two districts will generate and more people will come in each district,” he said. Then Jones said there are numerous neighborhood issues in progress in Ward 4. “There are so much going on and you follow as best as you can but it just affect so many that I know; friends, family and more,” he said. Jones showed as an example a plant bed covered with detritus at the corner of Crawford Avenue and Main Street (just beside the local tourism office) and said there are four entities that are taking care about the cleanliness of the city. “I think the department that is responsible for this corner should realize there are not keeping up with their assigned job,” said Jones, noting a volunteer’s cleanup will be organized soon. Jones added the city government is doing its job even if sometimes they are overwhelmed. According to Jones, the University of Oklahoma attracts a lot of talented people but the city is not able to maintain these talents after their graduation and more project should be launch to keep them locally. “So many people lives in Norman because the University of Oklahoma, they stay here temporarily and then move somewhere else," he observed. "That is a lot of people over the decades." Further concerning the new project of oil pipeline Jones said it is a county and state issue, and the city government doesn’t have a real power on this project. “Anything they said is going to supercede whatever local legislators do in Norman,” he said, proposing that each candidate should encourage more people to register for voting to thereby influence state government. The Ward 4 candidate expressed his long-time support of the new aquatic center project included in Norman Forward. “Baseball and other sports facilities played a big role in getting the project passed,” he said. This is the third time Jones is running for Ward 4 seat and he believes more people will vote for him this time. “It is good to participate in the community. People are very supportive,” Jones told Red Dirt Report. In response to why people should vote for Jones, he said, “My family has been in Ward 4 since 1920. I just spend my day to day existence in Ward 4. And I pay intention in the socio-economic progress of the city.”Dominoes are rectangular blocks with clots on their faces. They are used to play a number of games. Dominoes first appeared in Europe in the 18th century, in Italy and France, and they were brought to England by French prisoners. But dominoes have been used in China for almost as long as playing cards. Chinese dominoes were probably first designed to represent all the throws of two dice. The Chinese called them “dotted cards.” According to one story, the playing pieces got their name from the Latin words of a prayer, Dixit Dominus Domineo Meo, since dominoes were once popular among monks. But more likely, the name was taken from the domino, a black cloak worn by priests in France and Italy, because of the black color of the playing pieces.Everyone's favorite 24/7 New Hampshire restaurant is looking to add another location in Concord, NH. Instagram - moejava You are not a New Hampshire citizen unless you have stumbled into a Red Arrow Diner after midnight and had yourself a delicious late-night breakfast. This late night tradition will be easier for patrons in Concord with a location coming to Loudon road, according to The Concord Monitor. If approved, it will replace a gas station at the location and give locals something to eat after midnight. The 24/7 diner, known for its iconic mug and "Dinah Fingers" currently has locations in Milford, Manchester and Londonderry. I've been to the Milford and Manchester locations and have never been disappointed. Always got to get the King Moe’s Breakfast. Always. Concord folks are sure to be happy about this, especially after a few beers or cocktails. Whether it is late at night or during a hung over morning, nothing tastes better than Red Arrow Diner.The State Department was unable to find any records showing that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton completed ethics training courses, as required by federal law. Furthermore, no documentation was found for a bevy of top Clinton aides, including names familiar from the Clinton email scandal, such as Cheryl Mills, Huma Abedin, Jake Sullivan, Dennis Cheng, Anne Marie Slaughter, Phillippe Reines, Caitlin Klevorick, and Kris Bladerston. The lack of ethics documentation was revealed by the Republican National Committee, which had to squeeze the admission out of the State Department with a lawsuit, after the department failed to comply with a Freedom of Information Act request. The RNC noted there is documentary evidence that Abedin was “notified by a State Department official in January 2013 that she had not completed her required annual ethics training,” and after some confusion, she promised to go online to complete the training, but State could find no evidence she actually did so. Abedin’s unique work relationship with the State Department, in which she was simultaneously allowed to perform lucrative consulting for private-sector firms – including Teneo, a company founded by Bill Clinton’s onetime “body man” Doug Band, and the notorious Clinton Foundation – has been the subject of much controversy, a long-running investigation by watchdog group Judicial Watch, and inquiries by Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA) of the Judiciary Committee. Thursday on the Breitbart News Daily radio show, former Donald Trump campaign consultant Roger Stone asked how someone with Abedin’s background could have been given the security clearance necessary to see the Top Secret documents Hillary Clinton has been handling, and mishandling. “Abedin, Sullivan, and Cheng all currently hold senior positions on Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign,” the RNC pointed out. Reporting on the RNC’s findings, McClatchy News quoted State Department Director of Press Relations Elizabeth Trudeau cautioning against “drawing any conclusions simply from the absence of documentation provided in response to a FOIA request.” What’s the point of having a Freedom of Information Act if government agencies can fail to comply with it, and then chastise the public for drawing conclusions from their failure? “Given the nature of the Clinton Foundation and questions raised about the donors to the foundation, one would think it would be a priority at the State Department,” said Common Cause president Karen Hobert Flynn. That sounds like a woefully naive assessment of Hillary Clinton’s priorities. She’s the SecState who unleashed chaos by setting up an illicit private email server to hide her correspondence from the American public and Congressional investigators, after all. Absolutely nothing we know about Clinton suggests that sending her top aides to some silly ethics training course was high on her to-do list. McClatchy notes that fully 70 percent of presidentially-appointed State Department employees, and 50 percent of other employees, failed to complete the training in 2011, according to the Office of Government Ethics. Trudeau claimed that after Clinton retired as Secretary of State, the Department “instituted online annual training, allowing better record keeping, and further emphasized the importance of ethics training and expanded training outreach.” Besides the comical notion of an agency upgrading its ethics training after a Clinton leaves, how does that square with Abedin saying she planned to go online to complete the ethics training while Clinton was still SecState? The RNC posted a statement from chairman Reince Priebus on the matter: The State Department’s own regulations say the responsibility for carrying out the agency’s ethics program rests with the secretary, and by all accounts, it was never a priority for Hillary Clinton. The complete absence of records showing Clinton and her top aides completed annual ethics trainings required by federal law is par for the course for her tenure as secretary of state, where the rules didn’t seem to apply and pay-to-play was the name of the game. Too much is at stake in this country to have our next president compromised by conflicts of interest with foreign donors and besieged by one scandal after another. Donald Trump’s presidential campaign weighed in as well, with a statement from senior communications adviser Stephen Miller: “Hillary Clinton and her aides reportedly skipped their ethics training. That would make sense since Hillary was planning a criminal enterprise trading government favors for cash. As she focused on personal enrichment, the Middle East went up in flames and ISIS exploded onto the globe.” “Mr. Trump has proposed new ethics reforms to restore honor to our government, while Hillary Clinton is calculating how much money she can make selling the office of the Presidency for profit,” Miller added, as reported by Politico. Eight years of Barack Obama, the biggest spender in history, brought us a titanic mega-government that claims it can run every industry in America better than its owners… but is utterly incapable of complying with the kind of workplace requirements it regularly demands from the private sector, or even keeping the most basic paperwork in order. Clinton would most likely be facing serious charges if she ran a private-sector operation as loosely as she ran the State Department. Since we all know nothing will actually happen to her, or any of her top aides, consider it yet another lesson in how “accountability” and “Big Government” are antonyms.WEST DEPTFORD TWP. — A $25,750 reward is being offered for information that helps convict whoever fired shots at the township police station in an apparent predawn drive-by shooting Tuesday. The culprit fired seven large-caliber bullets —.40 caliber or larger — at the station on Crown Point Road around 4:05 a.m, police Deputy Chief Sean McKenna said in a press conference later in the day. The municipal court and other local administration offices share the same building with the police. McKenna said investigators believe the shots were fired from a high-caliber handgun. No one was injured in the incident. A vehicle police describe as a small, black compact sedan is seen on surveillance video driving through the station's parking lot twice. Lt. Stephen Meduri said they weren't sure whether the shots were fired on the first pass through the lot or the second. Police are working to enhance the video to try to gather further details on the vehicle, such as make and model, as well as a license plate. It was only about five minutes after an on-duty officer entered the station that the shots were fired, McKenna said. The officer didn't take the break for granted but took cover inside and contacted emergency dispatch. He cautiously went outside to investigate. Officers would soon find five gaping holes in a metal door on the north side of the building. That's the door officers exit to get into their patrol cars. Another bullet had pierced the window to McKenna's office several feet to the left of the door. The round hit and ricocheted off a brick wall on the other side of the office, the deputy chief added. Another bullet hit an exterior brick wall. McKenna said investigators do not believe the shooter or shooters are targeting the general public. Instead, they believe the beef is with an officer or police in general, he added. Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact Detective Sgt. Michael Cramer at 856-853-4599, ext. 164. McKenna stressed that details — like the sight of a car speeding down Crown Point Road around the time of the incident — can be helpful. Several area police unions have contributed to the reward fund in the case. --- Joe Green may be reached at jgreen@southjerseymedia.com. Follow South Jersey Times on Twitter @TheSJTimes. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.Truck driver first thought a cow ran into the side of his rig Black bear. (Photo: wikipedia) THAYER, Mo. — Missouri officials say a 600-pound black bear has been struck and killed by a semitrailer near the Arkansas border. Related Story: Monster bear taken with crossbow in Jordan area Paul Veatch with the Missouri Department of Conservation tells KAIT-TV the animal is being studied at a facility in Jefferson City. The semitrailer driver tells authorities he initially thought a cow had run into the side of his vehicle on Monday morning near Thayer. Veatch says a Missouri trooper had to use a log chain to move the bear. Authorities used a front end loader to lift the animal from the ground into Veatch's truck. He says the bear was likely bulking up for winter. The department estimates about 400 bears live in southern Missouri. Thayer is located just 59 miles from Mountain Home taking U.S. Highway 62 East. Read or Share this story: http://www.baxterbulletin.com/story/news/2014/11/12/600-pound-bear-killed/18904897/Once in a while I run into a situation where trying to use a mocking library hurts the readability of my test. For example, say I'm building out a basic user registration flow where someone signs up and receives a welcome email: class UserRegistrationController extends Controller { public function store() { $this->validate(request(), [ 'name' => ['required'], 'email' => ['required', 'email'], 'password' => ['required'], ]); $user = User::create(request()->only('name', 'email', 'password')); Mail::send('emails.welcome', ['name' => $user->name], function ($m) use ($user) { $m->to('john@example.com')->subject('Welcome to my app!'); }); return redirect()->home(); } } To test that an account is created correctly, I can make a request to the endpoint and verify that the new account exists in a test database: class UserRegistrationTest extends TestCase { use DatabaseMigrations; public function test_user_is_created_when_registering() { $this->post('register', [ 'name' => 'John Doe', 'email' => 'john@example.com', 'password' =>'secret', ]); $user = User::first(); $this->assertEquals('John Doe', $user->name); $this->assertEquals('john@example.com', $user->email); $this->assertTrue(Hash::check('secret', $user->password)); } } This covers creating the account itself, but what's the best way to test the welcome email? Using a Mocking Library One approach would be to use a library like Mockery. By replacing the Mailer with a mock or a spy, I can set expectations about which methods should be called and with what parameters. If those expectations aren't met, the test fails. This is easy enough for the first two parameters to Mail::send() : public function test_new_users_are_sent_a_welcome_email() { $mailer = Mockery::spy('Illuminate\Contracts\Mail\Mailer'); Mail::swap($mailer); $this->post('register', [ 'name' => 'John Doe', 'email' => 'john@example.com', 'password' =>'secret', ]); $mailer->shouldHaveReceived('send')->with( 'emails.welcome', ['name' => 'John Doe'], /* But what goes here? */ ); } ...but it gets tricky when I want to make assertions about what happens inside the callback that is passed as the third parameter. The best I've come up with so far is to pass a custom matcher using Mockery::on(), create another spy to stand in for the message itself, and set expectations on the message to make sure the right methods are called with the right parameters: public function test_new_users_are_sent_a_welcome_email() { $mailer = Mockery::spy('Illuminate\Contracts\Mail\Mailer'); Mail::swap($mailer); $this->post('register', [ 'name' => 'John Doe', 'email' => 'john@example.com', 'password' =>'secret', ]); $message = Mockery::spy(); $message->shouldReceive('to')->andReturn($message); $mailer->shouldHaveReceived('send')->with( 'emails.welcome', ['name' => 'John Doe'], Mockery::on(function ($callback) use ($message) { $callback($message); return true; }) ); $message->shouldHaveReceived('to')->with('john@example.com'); $message->shouldHaveReceived('subject')->with('Welcome to my app!'); } Look confusing? It is! There are some real disadvantages to this approach: The test feels like it's mirroring too much information about how send() is called. The test is coupled to implementation details like whether to() or subject() gets called first on the message. It's confusing as hell. Mockery is a fantastic tool but when a test starts to look like this, I know it's time to reach for something else. Actually Sending Emails When mocking gets ugly, the next thing I usually try is integrating with the real collaborator. In this case I could use a service like Mailtrap, a fake SMTP server for developers that can receive real email. I could build a small wrapper around their API and use that to clear the inbox at the beginning of the test, then make assertions about the contents at the end of the test. This would work, and it would give me a lot of confidence that my code would do what I expect in production, but it comes at a cost: The tests would be very slow. They couldn't run without an internet connection. I would be at the mercy of any system interruptions at Mailtrap. I might run into race conditions if I'm checking the inbox before Mailtrap has processed the email. I don't mind integrating against things I can run locally (like a database), but integrating with an external service is usually a last resort. Writing a Custom Fake People talk a lot about mocks and stubs, but you don't hear as much about fakes. XUnit Patterns defines a fake as: A much simpler and lighter weight implementation of the functionality provided by the depended-on component without the side effects we choose to do without. Fakes have a few key benefits: They're fast. They don't leak implementation details into the test. They can expose inspection methods to make assertions against. Here's what the test might look like with a fake: public function test_new_users_are_sent_a_welcome_email() { $mailer = new InMemoryMailer; Mail::swap($mailer); $this->post('register', [ 'name' => 'John Doe', 'email' => 'john@example.com', 'password' =>'secret', ]); $this->assertTrue($mailer->hasMessageFor('john@example.com')); $this->assertTrue($mailer->hasMessageWithSubject('Welcome to my app!')); } Minimal noisy setup, and very easy to understand what's being tested! The implementation of the fake could look something like this: class InMemoryMailer { private $messages; public function __construct() { $this->messages = collect(); } public function send($template, $data, $callback) { $message = new Message($template, $data); $callback($message); $this->messages[] = $message; } public function hasMessageFor($email) { return $this->messages->contains(function ($i, $message) use ($email) { return $message->to == $email; }); } public function hasMessageWithSubject($subject) { return $this->messages->contains(function ($i, $message) use ($subject) { return $message->subject == $subject; }); } } class Message { public $template; public $data; public $to; public $subject; public function __construct($template, $data) { $this->template = $template; $this->data = $data; } public function to($email) { $this->to = $email; return $this; } public function subject($subject) { $this->subject = $subject; return $this; } } The Trade-Offs Fakes aren't a perfect solution to every problem, and come with a few significant costs: You need to write another implementation of a collaborator from scratch. You need to be careful to keep the API in sync with the real collaborator. Closing Tips Test your fakes. Fakes are real objects that do real things, so treat them as first-class objects in your application and write tests for them. Faking complex APIs is hard. Trying to fake an entire web API is really hard. If something is hard to fake, see if you can write a wrapper to limit the API to just what your application needs. Prefer the real collaborator if it's cheap. If using the real collaborator is fast and stable, use the real collaborator. Fakes are a wonderful tool, but it still won't give you as much confidence as testing with the real thing.Beginning of Story Content Recent history suggests NHL teams need to be within four points of a playoff berth by Nov. 1 if they hope to secure one at season's end. In last week's 30 Thoughts, there was one statistic a few people asked about, that just three of 32 NHL teams at least four points out of a playoff spot on Nov. 1 recovered to make the playoffs from 2005-06 to 2011-12 (Sources say no hockey was played by that date in 2012-13). It is amazing to see how the "loser point" has changed the NHL game. The last season before its introduction was 1998-99. Back then, you got two points for a win, one for a tie and nothing if you lost in overtime. There was no shootout. That year, the two worst teams in the NHL as we threw out our Halloween costumes were the Colorado Avalanche (2-6-1) and San Jose Sharks (1-6-2). They were four and five points out of the playoffs, respectively. The Avalanche were a powerhouse and recovered to finish second in the Western Conference and reach the conference final. Their first-round opponent? The Sharks. That simply does not happen anymore. Since the shootout entered the NHL, we've never had a season in which two teams came from that far back to make it. And only one of the three comeback kings was more than four points out. That was Calgary. The Flames were seven points out in 2006-07, then went 40-22-9 to make it. The other survivors were the Buffalo Sabres (2010-11) and Boston Bruins (2011-12). The Sabres went 40-22-8; the Bruins, 45-22-4. Generally, working yourself into a panic about what your team does in the first 10 games is a bad idea. But what really stands out about this particular season is how many teams are in danger of falling so far behind. For example, the highest number of teams to fall at least four points out of the playoffs by Nov. 1 in our sample size is seven. That was 2006-07, the year Calgary made it. The lowest was two. This year, there are, potentially, seven such teams in the Eastern Conference (remember the crossovers). The West has three. Anyway, that's the explanation. The optimists will say, "Well, it's happened each of the last two full seasons, so it can be done again." Just don't show the pessimists the numbers. 30 THOUGHTS 1. For those of you wondering about Team Canada, the next meeting between the executive (Steve Yzerman, Doug Armstrong, Peter Chiarelli, Ken Holland, Kevin Lowe) will be in November. 2. Just when we thought we were finished with boardroom battles for eight years, this is going to be an interesting week between the NHL and NHL Players' Association. On Monday afternoon, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman will hear Patrick Kaleta's appeal of the 10-game suspension levied by league disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan. This is not a popular move by the union, internally or externally. Outside of the Sabres dressing room, you won't find many players who support this. They feel Kaleta tries to hurt people and shouldn't be the test case for the newly created process (Personal opinion: those people are right). Basically, the NHLPA's position is you don't get to say he can't use what's available to him just because you don't like him. 3. It's expected that an "attack area" of this appeal will be Article 18.7 (e) of the new collective bargaining agreement. One of the reasons for the 10-game punishment was Kaleta's negative history, including fines. Part of that section reads fines "carry consequences for the balance of that season and any further Supplementary Discipline for On-Ice Conduct that is imposed in that season will take into account the offense for which the Player has been fined." Kaleta had not been fined in 2013-14. 4. Bettman can keep the same suspension, shorten it or even make it longer. If his decision keeps Kaleta at six games or more, the player has the option to take it to an independent arbitrator, which is the new wrinkle. The NHL is well aware that the NHLPA badly wants to test this process. It's up to the commish to see if we get that far. 5. The other battleground is Europe. Hockey Night in Canada analyst Glenn Healy reported on Hotstove Tonight that there will be no European games next season because the NHLPA dragged its feet. It sounds like that was news to the 'PA as there is a conversation scheduled for this week. What is definitely true: the NHL thinks the union moves at a glacial pace, while the union believes history proves these events don't need to be scheduled this quickly. Ah, memories of Manhattan sidewalks and bank vestibules. 6. I asked a few people who've seen New York Rangers netminder Henrik Lundqvist: "What do you see there? What's wrong?" There are two things mentioned. First, the team defence is not good, which can make any goalie look bad. The second is that he looks smaller. In September, Lundqvist said he felt faster in the new equipment. But a couple of guys pointed out that playing as deep as he does, there are more shooting holes than ever. When you've got time, you can find them. 7. It sounds as if half the NHL was in attendance for one of Lundqvist's best performances, last Wednesday's 2-0 win in Washington. The Rangers simply outworked the Capitals, who didn't get great reviews. You can see it on television; there is simply not the same energy or intensity from the team's best players when they aren't on the power play. 8. One top-level Capital excused from the criticism was Nicklas Backstrom. His even-strength competitiveness was not in question. 9. The word on Philadlephia Flyers forward Claude Giroux -- three points in eight games -- is he is trying to do way too much. You can see him forcing plays that aren't there, especially as the losses and injuries mount. One thing teams look for in their best players is, do they raise their game when things are going badly? He's trying yet not succeeding. 10. The first occupant of head coach Craig Berube's doghouse was Andrej Meszaros, who the Flyers have tried to trade. You can certainly understand why they would try to move him. But could he be more useful to them as an expiring contract? The Flyers are at $56 million US for next year, with both cap-relief buyouts already used. Letting him walk and opening a $4-million hole would help, although not for this season. 11. A few tweeters asked, "Now that it's public Chris Pronger won't play again, will the Flyers be able to use his contract as cap relief until it expires?" The answer is yes because he suffered a hockey-related injury. The NHL would only have issues if he was healthy enough to return, only to have the team refuse to re-instate him. It would be great to see him play, but the future Hall of Famer seems at peace. Philadelphia will get $5 million US of long-term injury relief through 2016-17. 12. At this time last week, no doubt everyone thought Edmonton was going to make a goalie move. The Oilers didn't for two reasons. First, they just didn't believe what they could get would really solve their problems long-term. Brian Elliott and Jonas Hiller, for example, will be free agents with no guarantee of staying. Second, Devan Dubnyk finished strong last week, which is the easiest solution. It's also very possible the organization believes team defence is more worrisome than goaltending. 13. The Anaheim Ducks, St. Louis Blues and Washington were certainly among the teams Edmonton talked to. There was some belief the Oilers had looked at Jake Allen and/or Thomas Greiss. But Allen is very much part of St. Louis's future and the Greiss stuff appears incorrect. 14. A couple of other questions about the Oilers: Did they look at the blue-line? Did they consider trading Nail Yakupov? On defence, I think it was the same issue as in goal, would they be able to find a long-term solution to the problem? The answer appears to be no, at a cost they were willing to pay. Oscar Klefbom and Darnell Nurse aren't far away, although it doesn't solve the early-season problems. 15. As for Yakupov, it's just too early to give up on him. The guy is superbly talented. Complicating matters is some NHL general managers really do have Russophobia. 16. As the Avalanche prepare for what should be a great game in Pittsburgh on Monday, I asked a couple of scouts about the biggest difference between their young players and Edmonton's. The No. 1 answer was "Colorado's check." The other response was, "They really come back to get the puck, so their defencemen don't have to handle it much." 17. Now that Edmonton is seemingly cooled on making moves, teams doing the most exploring appear to be the Flyers, Rangers and possibly New Jersey Devils. 18. In a year in which the free-agent market for defencemen is limited, other teams believe the Los Angeles Kings will work to lock up both Matt Greene and Willie Mitchell. There have been some preliminary talks with Greene. 19. I'm not sure how relevant Ryan Miller's no-trade list is anymore. Should the Sabres decide to deal him, Miller would probably be willing to go anywhere he believes is a better situation. He's a free-agent after the season, so any risk is short term. Edmonton makes little sense for him or them. But if someone else on the list gives him a shot at the playoffs, would it surprise anyone if he changed his mind? 20. A lot of the concern in Buffalo surrounds Tyler Myers, who has regressed since his 2010 Calder Trophy (top rookie) season. But more and more, it's being heard about Mikhail Grigorenko, who has seen single-digit ice time in four of his last five games and has gone 14 NHL contests without a point. 21. Expectations for Calgary weren't any higher than for Buffalo. But the Flames have looked much more competitive. Down 4-1 in San Jose on Saturday night, they got to within a goal before losing. After disappointing first seasons in Alberta, the team told Jiri Hudler and Dennis Wideman more was expected. Both delivered early on. Wideman leads all players in average ice time and Hudler has nine points in seven games. 22. Hudler also invited Sean Monahan to live with him instead of a hotel. The team said it will decide Monahan's future after nine games. But it doesn't look like much of a decision. Same goes for Morgan Rielly in Toronto. The Penguins indicated that mark isn't as important to them with Olli Maatta. Playing 10 times burns the first year of an entry-level contract, moving them closer to arbitration and restricted free agency. If any of these rookies stay on the roster (not necessarily playing) for 40 games, their clock starts towards unrestricted free agency. That requires seven years of service and is probably the bigger organizational concern. 23. Speaking of kids, Montreal's line of Lars Eller, Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher is gaining big-time respect. Canadiens head coach Michel Therrien had the last change during Saturday's game against Nashville and Predators head coach Barry Trotz worked hard to get Seth Jones and Shea Weber against them on the fly. 24. So when does Galchenyuk move to centre? "Right now, it's not really a conversation. It's going so well, why change it?" Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin said, adding the team doesn't need Galchenyuk in the middle at this point. But he admitted, "It is going to happen." 25. I had a better chance of getting Bergevin's credit card PIN number than information about contract extensions for either Andrei Markov or P.K. Subban. One thing to remember, Bergevin's shown no fear of getting things done early (eg. Max Pacioretty). 26. Justin Faulk and Ryan Murphy enter the week ranked fourth and fifth, respectively, in scoring for the Carolina Hurricanes. Most of the points came at even strength, impressive considering they both get a lot of power-play time. Their work with the man advantage will go a long way to determining the team's fate. Faulk is more of a shooter, meaning Murphy runs the show. Right now, Carolina is 20th. But as he gains experience, improvement will come. 27. After the 2011 NCAA season, Carolina wanted Faulk to turn pro. He told them he would do it if he had a reasonable chance to make the Hurricanes the next season. I guess they weren't lying when they said yes. 28. When Carolina came in to Toronto last week, Mike Komisarek went for dinner with John-Michael Liles. Komisarek said he told Liles to make the best of the situation, to rediscover the joy of playing hockey. It's similar to what Curtis Leschyshyn once told Wade Redden: "You can't leave the game angry at the sport you gave your life to." 29. We all can't help but look at salaries with these guys. But sometimes, the players themselves need to see the bigger picture. Jordan Staal, for example, has two points in nine games. Given his contract ($6 million average), it looks bad. But scoring isn't the only way he can justify it. Staal didn't have a great season last year yet he looks more like himself this year, with some very competitive performances (His head-to-head with Pavel Datsyuk was really something). If he does that every night, Carolina will happily take it. 30. Martin Biron told a great story about walking into the Sabres dressing room for the first time in 1995-96. He remembered seeing posters of Matthew Barnaby, Brad May and Rob Ray in boxing robes and gloves and thinking, "What have I gotten myself into?" Those three combined for 917 penalty minutes that season). It turns out Biron got himself into a pretty good career: 14-plus NHL seasons and the friendliest disposition ever. Daniel Briere once joked that the best thing about Biron is "when he's around, no one else needs to talk." Undoubtedly, coming to a TV network near you. Follow Elliotte Friedman on Twitter @FriedgeHNIC End of Story ContentWASHINGTON: The flub, in the eyes of Indian officialdom, was minor; but the feedback was ferocious.India’s external affairs minister SM Krishna, frequently under attack for not being up to speed in 21st century engagements, gave some more ammunition to his critics by inadvertently reading out the speech of the Portuguese foreign minister at a UN meeting on Friday. He cottoned on to the mistakes a couple of minutes into his delivery, but the faux pas rippled through the electronic world for hours, inviting both sarcasm and merriment."Maybe Portugal has outsourced its speech to Bangalore," read one message on social networking site. "Look at the bright side. We can now lay claim to Cristiano Ronaldo," tweeted another, referring to the classy Portuguese footballer. A third wondered if SM Krishna should meet the same fate as his Pakistani counterpart SM Qureshi, who was sidelined in a cabinet reshuffle on Thursday. "A mistake? Why do we have a mistake like him in the government," riffed another.Krish
opportunity for me to show that I can be the best in Canada in my weight class.” The winners in two women’s weight classes can expect to be nominated by Wrestling Canada to join Team Canada at the Olympics based on this weekend’s results. Canada secured a spot in Rio in the 48-kilogram and 63-kilogram divisions thanks to performances by Genevieve Morrison in the 48-kilogram division at the 2015 Pan Am Games and Braxton Stone-Papadopoulos’s quarter-final win in the 63-kilogram division at the 2015 Vegas Worlds. Wrestling Canada ultimately hopes athletes in six women’s and three men’s weight classes will qualify for the Olympics in the coming months. Most of the winners from this weekend’s Canadian wrestling team trials will move on to the March Pan American Olympic qualifier in Frisco, Texas, for their first chance to qualify for the 2016 Olympics. “Having this event at home is big to have my support from my friends and family, but to also have it at Millennium Place, it feels like it’s almost come full circle,” Asselstine said of the Canadian trials. “My first year of Grade 7 when they had the Olympic trials in Sherwood Park, I went to watch my coach Colbie Bell, who was competing. “This almost feel like it was meant to be.” Williams will compete in the 59-kilogram Greco-Roman division. After years of competing in freestyle, he recently made the switch to Greco-Roman, which is a style of wrestling where the athlete cannot use his legs to attack or defend. “This has been the best year I’ve had in terms of international experience,” Williams said. “I had the opportunity to compete at the Pan Am Games in Toronto and the Pan Am Championships in Chile. “My wrestling style really suits Greco-Roman, and I’m happy I made the switch.” Williams will face Steven Takahashi who wrestles for the University of Western in a best-of-three format. Williams and Takahashi have a long history against one another. “I can’t count how many times we’ve faced each other. We’ve wrestled each other since high school and all throughout university,” he said. “But this will be the first time we wrestle Greco-Roman. He seemed to have the edge against me in freestyle, but I’m excited to see how I do against him with the style change.” The competition begins Friday at 11 a.m. with the men’s and women’s freestyle pool tournament. jason.hills77@yahoo.com Twitter.com/hillsyjayPhilippe Wojazer/Reuters George Soros was convicted of insider trading by a French appeals court in 2002. 5:47 p.m. \| Updated PARIS — George Soros, known as one of the world’s savviest investors, should have realized that he risked violating insider trading laws when he pocketed more than $3 million from dealing in shares of the French bank Société Générale two decades ago, Europe’s highest human rights court ruled on Thursday. France’s insider trading laws were sufficiently clear at the time to hold Mr. Soros criminally responsible, even though a separate investigation by the country’s stock market regulator failed to find wrongdoing, the European Court of Human Rights ruled. Related Links Soros to Close His Fund to Outsiders “Mr. Soros was a famous institutional investor, well known to the business community and a participant in major financial projects,” the court, which is based in Strasbourg, said in a statement about its ruling. “As a result of his status and experience, he could not have been unaware that his decision to invest” risked violating insider trading laws. The court added that, given “there had been no comparable precedent, he should have been particularly prudent.” Mr. Soros, 81, was convicted of insider trading in 2002 by a French appeals court and fined 2.2 million euros — the equivalent of what he was accused of making — after a Paris court found that he had bought and sold shares of Société Générale in 1988 with the knowledge that the bank might be a takeover target. Two co-defendants, one of them a former senior official of the French Finance Ministry, were acquitted. The case dates back to the privatization of Société Générale by a center-right government in 1987. The following year, a Socialist-led government sought to regain control of the bank. Sensing an opportunity, a group of investors connected to the French financier Georges Pébereau devised a plan to acquire control of the bank, sending its share price soaring. Mr. Pébereau’s raid was unsuccessful. But in September 1988, an associate of Mr. Pébereau informed Mr. Soros of the plans for the bid in a telephone conversation, according to court testimony in the case. (Georges Pébereau is the brother of Michel Pébereau, who was chief executive of BNP Paribas, a Société Générale rival, from 1993 to 2003.) France’s stock market regulator opened an investigation into the case in 1989, but determined that Mr. Soros had not violated French insider rules, which at the time restricted only employees of the companies concerned from trading on privileged information. The law was revised in 1990 to apply to third parties. Mr. Soros maintained that France had amended its insider trading laws because of his conduct, an argument that the panel of seven human rights judges said Thursday it did not support. In its 4-to-3 decision, the court said laws were written to be applied to a range of different situations, and that therefore the wording of statutes was not always precise. In the Soros case, “in view of the subject matter, well-informed professionals had a duty to be prudent in their work and to take special care in assessing the risks of their actions,” it added. Mr. Soros’s Paris-based lawyer, Ron Soffer, said the discrepancy between the findings by the market regulator and those of the criminal court demonstrated that French insider trading laws at the time were too vague to be enforced consistently. “The court seems to be saying that Mr. Soros and other investors should somehow have had a clearer view of the law than the people who were charged with applying it,” Mr. Soffer said, referring to market regulators. Mr. Soffer said Mr. Soros would appeal the decision to the Grand Chamber of human rights court. If the Grand Chamber agrees to hear the case, a ruling could come late next year or in 2013, he said.You go for the burn istock/GSPictures There are many ways to exfoliate, which is the the number one way to get that covetable glow, even in winter. Physical exfoliants (also called manual exfoliants) are the most common, and they work by mechanically sloughing off the dead cells that make skin look dull. They include loofahs, granular cleansers (like sugar scrubs), a sonic brush, and microdermabrasion, as well as plain old washcloths—basically anything with a texture that you use to manually scrub your face. Physical exfoliants are not inherently bad; it’s how we use them, or abuse them, that presents problems. “People use physical exfoliates for too long, or they press too hard, and they exfoliate their skin away. That’s like giving yourself a first or second degree burn,” says dermatologist Neal Schultz, MD. “People make the mistake of thinking that if a little is good, more must be better, but that’s not the way exfoliation works,” he explains. When you’re too rough, or when you apply intense pressure, you can actually cause your blood vessels to break under the skin. If you’re bent on using a physical exfoliant, apply it with a tender touch, and don’t use it longer or more often than directed.The Polish branch of the Anonymous hacker collective has hacked the servers of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAS / also CAS). The group has already dumped online the data taken from the TAS server, along with a video showing one of the members hacking the TAS web servers. The leaked data contains a basic site database dump and no other information on court cases or sensitive personnel information. No WADA data dump yet, but WADA admits the incident The group has not yet released the WADA data breach, but WADA spokesperson Maggie Durand acknowledged the data breach to AP reporters yesterday at the Rio Olympics. Durand also said the group did not compromise WADA's database that holds information on athletes drug test results. Five days ago, the Anonymous hacker collective called for a widespread hacking campaign against the Brazilian government and the International Olympic Committee during the Rio Olympics. Previous attacks only included basic DDoS attacks that took out the websites of various Brazil sporting federations. Background information The attacks on WADA and TAS are unique because they also include data dumps, which involve more effort and planning than a simple DDoS attack. The data breaches were announced from a Twitter account that was dormant for over four years. WADA and TAS were previously involved in an investigation that banned Russian athletes from the Rio Olympics due to the discovery of a state-sponsored doping program. Just before the Olympics, ICO cleared 278 of the 389 banned Russian athletes from participating in the Olympic Games. The Dutch Safety Board also reported cyber-attacks while it was investigating the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (MH17) in Ukraine after it was hit by a Russian-made anti-aircraft rocket. Before dumping the TAS data, the hackers tweeted offensive messages against Pravyy Sector, a group posing as Ukrainian nationalists that hacked several Polish government agencies and even tried to extort $50,000 from the Polish government. Softpedia has reached out to Anonymous Poland for comments on the motives of their attack. UPDATE: One of our readers has pointed out that a Polish weightlifting champion has been disqualified for doping, which may be the most likely reason behind the attack. Softpedia is still waiting for Anonymous Poland to issue an official reply/statement on this attack.The headphones that charge your phone or tablet using SOLAR power while you listen to music OnBeat headphones are fitted with a solar panel across the headband The panel captures energy from the Sun and stores it in built-in batteries This energy can be used to charge phones while listening to music A new pair of headphones is set to to do away with the frustrating battery life of phones and tablets by doubling up as a solar-powered charger. The OnBeat headphones have a flexible solar cell built into the headband which captures energy from the sun, which is stored in two rechargeable Lithium Ion batteries in each ear cup. When a phone or tablet is plugged into the headphones, this stored energy can be used to charge the devices. Scroll down for video A Scottish audio engineer has created a range of headphones called OnBeat, pictured, that can charge phones and tablets using solar power. The headphones have a solar cell across the headband to collect energy from the Sun The solar cell on the OnBeat headphones, pictured, has a surface area of 55cm3 with a charge capacity of approximately 0.55W. It is made from poly-crystalline silicone and stores energy from the Sun in rechargeable Lithium Ion batteries fitted to each ear cup The headphones have been designed by audio engineer Andrew Anderson from Glasgow. He created the prototype by attaching a solar panel to an existing pair of headphones, before developing the flexible solar cell. Anderson has now set up a Kickstarter campaign to raise £200,000 to fund the OnBeat project. The solar cell has a surface area of 55cm3 with a charge capacity of approximately 0.55W and is made from poly-crystalline silicone. The Kickstarter campaign claims that this will 'keep your devices running all day' but the exact amount of charge is not listed. The headphones specification does add that they provide a full battery recharge for a mobile phone. The phone doesn't charge through the headphone jack, it is connected to the headphones using a USB port, pictured. When its raining, the wearer can charge the batteries using this USB port connected to a socket or computer before leaving the house. This energy can then be used to charge the phone when out and about THE ONBEAT SPECIFICATIONS Audio driver unit size: 40mm Impedance: 32 +/- 10% Ohm Frequency response: 20hz to 20,000Khz Sensitivity: 100 +/- 3 dB Solar cell: High-powered flexible solar panel (poly-crystalline silicone) Active solar area: 55cm3 Batteries: Two Li-Ion batteries (1000mAh) Charge: 5.5v charge capacity The phone doesn't charge through the headphone jack, it is connected to the headphones using a USB port. When it's raining, the wearer can charge the batteries using this USB port connected to a socket or computer before leaving the house. This energy can then be used to charge the phone when out and about. Anderson said: 'We have been working hard for the last year to develop a set of headphones that not only provides excellent sound quality, but simultaneously re-charges your mobile devices on the go. 'The integration of rechargeable batteries and a full headband solar panel means that wherever you go you will be able to keep your devices running all day.' The headphones have been designed by audio engineer Andrew Anderson from Glasgow. He created the prototype, pictured, by attaching a solar panel to an existing pair of headphones before developing the flexible solar cell. Anderson has now set up a Kickstarter campaign to raise £200,000 to fund the OnBeat project He began developing the product in 2012 after getting frustrated with the length of his phone's battery life. Along with the solar panel, Anderson said he wanted the audio to be high-quality: 'From the offset we not only wanted to develop a product to keep your devices going all day, but a product that would give you a superb sound from low range for bass, mid-range for precision DJ'ing and high-range for vocal and acoustic excellence.' The OnBeat headphones have audio impedance of 32 +/- 10% Ohm and a frequency response of 20hz to 20,000Khz. They additionally have a sensitivity of 100 +/- 3 dB. The headphones also have an integrated remote for controlling the volume of the music in your ears.Image: Shutterstock Right now, there's a player lurking in the depths of the online Go scene that is laying waste to some of the best players in the world. It's called Master, and nobody knows who it is. Update: The identity of the mystery account has finally been revealed - you can read all about it here. The account is simply called "Master", and since the start of the new year it has made a habit out of trashing some of the world's best Go professionals. It's already beaten Ke Jie twice, who is currently the highest ranked Go player in the world. AlphaGo, incidentally, is #2. Not that the ranking stopped him from being battered, mind you. A European professional Go player, Ali Jabarin, wrote on Facebook that Ke Jie was "a bit shocked... just repeating 'it's too strong'". Jabarin wasn't sure whether the player was AlphaGo or not, but he was certain that an AI was behind the mystery account. By January 3, the number of probably-but-we-can't-officially-say AI sanctioned beatings had risen to 41-zip. There's a few signs that it might not be an all-AI account, though. Jabarin received a polite message on New Year's declining a match, and a post appeared offering around $US14,000 to any professional player who could beat it. Given AlphaGo's beatdown of Lee Sedol last year, the initial speculation blamed Google for the carnage. But given the way Google so prominently publicised AlphaGo's matches, it's unlikely they would just unleash a champion-beating AI on the world of online Go without so much as a post. And even if they were to do so, it's already been noted that Google already has two accounts reserved on the most prominent Chinese and Korean online Go servers. The suspicion, then, is that another autonomous Go legend has appeared. While AlphaGo was getting all the praise last year, another company launched a deep learning Go bot with the support of the Japanese Go association. The makers estimated it was about 500 ELO points behind AlphaGo at the time - although the bot is also a known quantity, plays under a different alias and reportedly has a different playstyle. South Korea's amateur Go association has been developing an AI as well, and it wouldn't be surprising if the developers of that unleashed their efforts online just to test the waters. Tencent has been developing a Chinese Go AI too, as has Acer. But this is all purely speculation, as there's been no official confirmation as to the mystery player wrecking online Go. The only thing anybody knows for sure is that the world's best Go players have been getting slapped around by something. Possibly someone, but probably something. If you'd like to review the slaughter, I've embedded one of the matches against Ke Jie above. There's also a good post on a German Go site with embeds of Master's first 41 games. Update: Master's winning streak has finally been ended - although not through entirely legitimate means. Master racked up 51 straight wins, only for the internet connection of professional Chen Yaoye to time out. The timeout meant that the 52nd game on Master's record will be recorded as a tie, therefore breaking the winning run.Evan Longoria is no stranger to All-Star snubs. In 2011, the Tampa Bay Rays third baseman led all players at his position in Wins Above Replacement, despite not being picked to play for the AL team. In 2013, another non–All-Star season, he ranked third in WAR at third base. Both years resulted in top-10 MVP finishes. His All-Star absences in 2014 and 2015, though — those non-selections weren’t snubs. Longoria wasn’t one of 81 All-Stars in 2014, or one of 76 All-Stars this season, because it’s been a while since he’s looked like one of baseball’s best players. It wouldn’t be accurate to call Longoria’s last couple of years a collapse. He is still an above-average hitter and above-average fielder who has played more games than any other major leaguer over the past season-plus. But compared to his previous superstar standard, Longoria’s rate of production has undergone a decline that not even his ample playing time can obscure. By FanGraphs WAR, Longoria was the best player in baseball from 2008 to 2013, at any position. Since 2014, though, he’s been the 11th-best player at third base alone, behind not only a new breed of blue-chippers, like Manny Machado and Nolan Arenado, but also lower-profile contemporaries like Justin Turner and Trevor Plouffe. This season, Longoria’s 2015 batting average and on-base percentage (.276/.350) are almost identical to his career averages, as are his walk and strikeout rates. His problem is depleted power. Longoria’s Isolated Power (SLG-AVG) took a noticeable dip last season, and it has fallen further this year: Season ISO 2008.259 2009.245 2010.213 2011.251 2012.238 2013.230 2014.151 2015.138 2008-13.237 2014-15.146 Longoria is one of only 92 players in MLB history to post six consecutive seasons with an ISO over.200 in at least 300 plate appearances. Of those 92, only one, Philadelphia Athletics left fielder Bob Johnson, followed such a streak with back-to-back seasons of at least 300 PA and an ISO below.160, as Longoria appears poised to do. Relative to what it was over his first six seasons, Longoria’s 2014–15 Isolated Power is off by almost 100 points, a decrease that can be pinned only partly on a leaguewide drop in run scoring. After accounting for the offensive environment, Longoria was about 35 percent better per plate appearance than a league-average player from 2008 to 2013. Since then, he’s been about 10 percent better over more than 1,000 PA. That difference, coupled with an inevitable drop-off from the stellar defensive stats of his first few seasons, has turned him from a franchise player into merely a very good one, and his high line-drive rate and BABIP don’t foretell better bounces to come. Rays hitting coach Derek Shelton wonders whether Longoria’s ballpark is partly to blame. “Even though he’s played his whole career at Tropicana Field, the last probably three years it’s not been really conducive for the homers,” Shelton said. “He’s hit some balls into the left-center-field gap that would probably be homers in other places and were probably homers a few years ago at the Trop. For some reason, the ball’s just not traveling the way it used to.” Shelton acknowledges that there hasn’t been any structural change to the Trop that could account for the dome playing dramatically differently. Nor is there any evidence of a 2014 dead zone in left center in the yearly park factors (scaled to an MLB average of 100) calculated by Tony Blengino, a former Brewers and Mariners analyst who now writes for FanGraphs. These values fluctuate significantly from season to season, but if anything, they show the Trop becoming a friendlier place for fly balls. Direction 2012 2013 2014 LF 96.0 88.4 93.7 LCF 76.5 78.7 82.6 CF 64.4 82.8 53.8 RCF 80.3 100.6 98.8 RF 62.3 133.4 107.5 It is true that Longoria’s greatest decline has come on balls hit anywhere but down the left-field line. While his pull power on line drives and fly balls has suffered, his ISOs to center and the opposite field have been cut more than in half. At this point, he only has pull power. Direction 2009-13 ISO 2014-15 ISO % Decline Far left.925.733 20.8 Left center.653.370 43.3 Dead center.267.134 49.8 Right center.357.100 72.0 Far right.223.126 43.5 Left.867.623 28.1 Center.332.147 55.7 Right.256.111 56.6 In light of those numbers, it’s hard to escape the conclusion that Longoria is making softer contact. Indeed, his average batted-ball velocity, according to Sportvision’s HITf/x system (which reports lower figures than Statcast), fell from over 85 mph in each of his first two big league seasons to 81.0 in 2014. And his average batted-ball distance on fly balls and home runs has sunk from 300 feet or more from 2008–09 to about 280 feet from 2014–15. There’s no smoking disabled-list stint that would explain those stats. Longoria’s only reported injury in 2014 was a bout of forearm soreness that didn’t keep him off the field. This year, he suffered a sore wrist that cost him a few games in early June. “As has been documented, he’s battled through some things injury-wise,” Shelton said. “That probably is the biggest contributing factor, because of how tough Longo is. He never wants to come out of the lineup. There may be some times where he sacrifices a little bit of power, but to his credit, he does what’s for the betterment of the team and not necessarily for himself. You see guys that put up heavier power numbers, they take days off. I think he had a streak this year [that ended when] he took a day off when he was sick. He could barely move, and he still tried to play.” For Tampa Bay, even a diminished Longoria is much better than the alternative: Most of the Rays’ non-Longoria starts at third base this season have gone to Jake Elmore, who’s hitting.213/.272/.303. On the other hand, a little more Elmore would be worth having if it meant getting the old Longoria back the rest of the time. That is, if the solution were as simple as a few extra days off. It’s possible that as the Rays have fallen out of the playoff hunt and been in the bottom half of MLB offenses over the past two seasons, for the first time in Longoria’s career, the ex-slugger has violated the sacred clichés of “staying within oneself” and “trying not to do too much.” His overall swing rate and his swing rate at pitches outside the strike zone reveal a much more aggressive approach from 2014-15, reversing a multiyear trend toward greater discipline. As the Rays’ resident star, Longoria might be putting more pressure on himself in an attempt to make up for injuries to John Jaso and James Loney and ugly slash lines from Rene Rivera and Asdrubal Cabrera. “I think that can be a contributing factor for all players, especially when you have a franchise player, especially this year with the aggressiveness and maybe being outside of the zone a little bit,” Shelton said. “I think at times when you lose other offensive players, guys try to do a little bit more.” Shelton declined to comment on any changes Longoria has made at the plate, or on any tweaks he’s trying to implement now, saying, “We never talk publicly about what we’re doing mechanically.” Hitting mechanics are notoriously tough to critique, but I asked hitting coach and Baseball Prospectus swing analyst Ryan Parker to search for any sign of a change sapping Longoria’s strength. “The one thing that jumped out at me was how he used to use his lower body compared to now, and the effect that has on how his hands move,” Parker said. Here’s a video of two Longoria homers to left on pitches over the center of the plate. The homer on the left is from 2013, and the one on the right is from 2015. [protected-iframe id=”b930212a84eef5df0a0f74cba777959f-60203239-11397879″ info=”http://wheatleyschaller.com/dev/video_embed.php?id=AdorableUnconsciousGemsbuck” width=”520″ height=”287″] “In 2013, his front hip would get well out in front of his body,” Parker said. “This position primes the big muscles in his hips and legs to whip the top half of his body to the ball. In 2015, that angle isn’t as aggressive, so he hasn’t tapped into the same muscles to help power his swing.” Parker also notes that Longoria “has pushed his hands forward compared to the still behind-his-back shoulder location of his 2013 swing.” In 2013, he says, Longoria “could save the strength in his upper body to drive through the baseball because his legs did all the work early in the swing. In 2015, his legs aren’t helping him drive his swing as much, so he has to push his hands to the ball, which is a less powerful movement pattern.” In the following GIF of a 2013 Longoria homer, Parker sees the hitter’s hips acting as a hinge, with his shoulders closer to his knees than they are in the subsequent GIF of a 2015 homer, in which Longoria stays upright longer. [protected-iframe id=”d9d38adf9db7a15204e5f69e3147bcde-60203239-11397879″ info=”http://wheatleyschaller.com/dev/video_embed.php?id=ClearFearlessHogget” width=”520″ height=”287″] [protected-iframe id=”fb2be13a515cba8e65f17c5c228f8cdf-60203239-11397879″ info=”http://wheatleyschaller.com/dev/video_embed.php?id=ActiveWellwornBedlingtonterrier” width=”520″ height=”287″] To my untrained eye, those differences seem slight, bordering on undetectable. To Parker’s, they’re significant but fixable. It’s possible, though, that any mechanical adjustment Longoria has made is an attempt to compensate for a loss of bat speed, which slows inexorably with age. Each summer since Longoria’s rookie season, FanGraphs’ Dave Cameron has ranked MLB players by trade value. Longoria was the runaway star of the first four years of that exercise, combining almost unparalleled present value with a below-market salary that the Rays wisely secured with an extension signed less than a week after Longoria’s big league debut. Season Trade Value Rank 2008 1 2009 1 2010 1 2011 1 2012 4 2013 5 2014 9 2015 Unranked As late as last summer, Cameron included Longoria in the top 10. This year, though, the third baseman has fallen out of the top 50, reflecting both his declining performance and his escalating pay. Between a subject who won’t talk about injuries and a hitting coach who won’t discuss mechanics, it’s not easy to unravel Longoria’s recent past, let alone his future beyond his 30th birthday, which he’ll celebrate (or maybe mourn) in less than three months. But his quick transition from “franchise-altering asset” to “pretty good deal” is a reminder of the relatively short shelf life of a bargain-basement superstar. Thanks to Rob McQuown of Baseball Prospectus for research assistance.Can typography encourage long-form reading—not just scanning? What are the most exciting areas of cutting-edge experimentation in typographic technology and digital layout, and what new skills will we need to design tomorrow’s web content? Three experts—Mozilla’s Jen Simmons, publication design legend Roger Black, and ALA’s Jeffrey Zeldman—discuss typography and layout on today’s web: where we are now, and where we’re going. Jeffrey: No, I could do this all day. You guys are so brilliant. I love chatting with you. It even makes me feel smarter, and there’s so much to learn and so much to play with. I hope that folks will continue to read. We’re going to have labs.jensimmons.com in the show notes, which is where Jen is showing the kinds of layouts that can now be done, for example, in CSS Grid, which we didn’t even get into. I would love to do this again in the future, because there’s so much. But I’m so sorry, my friends, I think we have to wrap things up. Roger: Well, that I think is very, very possible. There’s an interesting site called Axis-Praxis, Laurence Penney ’s site that you can go to— axis-praxis.org. You need a compliant browser, like the overnight build for Safari. He’s got some fun things like that you can play with right now. And I think you will—instead of using SVG, we could put fonts in there. What I was talking about is the desktop thing for an ad or something, or a publication design, that you want to print it, it’s not just web. So if Adobe gets in, and they’re one of the key members of this consortium that’s pushing this, this whole world could start taking place later this year. It already is happening, and all the browsers are working on it. I think the designer user interface, our interface for designing these things, is still up in the air. Jeffrey: I want to make responsive logos, for instance, that’s just the graphic, and then above a certain size it’s the mark, and then above a certain size it’s the mark and type; and then the type, maybe there’s two different variants of the type. That’s coming soon; that’s gotta be coming soon. One of the things that Decovar shows is that you can change the x-height, you can slide up and down, or you can make other variations that are fun. And we hear a rumor that Adobe is going to support these fonts for desktop typesetting in the near future, maybe in the third quarter or maybe the fourth quarter of this year. That’s fun. I mean, that’s kind of interesting that they’re doing that. Because right now we’re talking about the web. But on the web we have a lot of SVG files for headings, for kind of static stuff that doesn’t have to be typeset, so there’s branding involved and all of that. And certainly in print it’d be fun to be able to make logos where you can make the text fit exactly in a rectangle that can be the same for different words—“baseball” and “basketball” could be fitted in the same rectangle… Roger: Yeah. I think… Italic is the big challenge there. You’re probably going to end up with separate italic fonts. But in the simple italics, like something like Avenir italic, it’s mostly slanted anyway and just has some changes in some of the terminals to kind of make it more italic. And this would be, okay, we just have one font, and that one font knows, Hey, when you’re little, be like the little version of the font, and when you’re big, be like the big version of the font. And when you’re italic, the italics are actually computed and hand-coded into the same font and the bold is hand-coded into the same font. But now I want to do my H1 headlines in Goudy, too, but I really shouldn’t just take my font that was made for 14 or 16-point type and make it 36 points, because it’s not really nearly as beautiful as if I get the Goudy Display font. So, I get Goudy Display. But do I need Goudy Display Bold? Or, actually, they have a Black and they have a Light, and they have a… You could end up with… Okay, so now you’ve got two fonts: you’ve got Goudy and you’ve got Goudy Italic. But then are we going to do some bolding? Okay, we’ve got the bold. Do we need the bold italic? Okay, well that would be four. But that’s too much data, so let me just… I’m not going to use bold on my website. Okay, why? Well, ’cause. So, I’ve got Goudy, I’ve got Goudy Bold Jen: Well, my understanding is that, for example, if I want to use Goudy right now, if I want to go and get myself a web font, download, and use Goudy on my website, for my body copy—like, okay, cool. Oh, I’ve got some type I want to do in italics? Well, the person who maybe doesn’t know as much about what they’re doing would just say, font-style: italic; and boom, you’re done. But if you really know a lot about typesetting, you’d realize, no, we don’t want to just take the regular font and make it sideways, like slanted. We want to download the italic font because the italic font is more beautiful. So, they hired our company, Type Network, to make two demo fonts, all on GitHub. If you go to GitHub and look up Amstelvar, or Decovar, or if you go to the Type Network site, you can find these fonts, you can use them now, you can download them from GitHub. There’s a fairly interesting demo going on at the typenetwork.com site. Amstelvar uses these three main axes, and it’s quite exciting. And then Decovar uses lots of others, including the way that terminals and serifs are done on the letters, and decoration inside the stems and stuff. So, it shows you what the potential of variations might be for design, it’s really quite fun. These were both done by David Berlow. Roger: Yeah. Then, right at the same time, there was a kind of untracked project called GX at Apple. If you look at the OS on Macs now, there’s a font called Skia, it was based on Greek inscriptions. It’s a beautiful font, and it is actually a variable font, it was done in TrueType GX. That’s the model of what we’re doing now. When Google heard about what GX had done at Apple 20 years ago, they said, “This could be a real savings on the web!” So, Google was the big impetus to make this happen. Jeffrey: Just so I understand: if I were using Adelle Sans and Adelle in a layout, in theory it could be one variable font that contained the right glyphs and serifs…? Roger: Well, a variable font is a version of OpenType. It’s the next thing. So, the fonts are downloaded on the web just the way all TrueType or OpenType fonts are downloaded. The trick is to then specify how you want the variation to be issued on the page. That takes a little bit of a learning curve, but there are interfaces that people are working on to have slider bars for the three or four different axes that are in the font. Now, Google, Apple, Microsoft, and Adobe have embraced the first three axes of these fonts—weight, width, and size—because if you have one font instead of 15 fonts, the page loads faster. So, there’s an improvement of 30 percent of file size per font. Now, if you’re YouTube, you don’t maybe care too much about that. But for Google at large, the amount of text that’s being downloaded in the world simultaneously is a big thing, it’s a big number. Jeffrey: Are they doing it with fonts and some new CSS? Are they doing it with SVG? How do you control something like that that wasn’t envisioned when they wrote CSS? Roger: I think the easiest way to understand variable fonts is that it’s several styles of a font, of a typeface family, pushed into one font file. So, you could have bold and light in the same font. Instead of having two or 12 or 15 or a hundred different variations of the weight of a font in different files, in your font menu to select, they could all be in one font. Using CSS, you could say, “Okay, I want a weight that’s 1/20th of that,” and the font will just respond—if the browser is up to it, which I think we’re seeing. All the browsers are making an
said the lock-down systems are in place for this very reason. “It’s certainly something we take seriously, though it’s a shame we have to have these systems,” she said. “It went into effect very well [Tuesday.]” Jeff Barone of Canfield said during the board meeting that he has a child who attends C.H. Campbell and was pleased with how the situation was handled. “There’s no worse feeling than going to pick your daughter up from school and not being able to get inside,” Barone said. “It was awesome to see everything go into effect.... Hopefully, we’ll never have to deal with anything like this again.”For sure, everybody knows the #batterygate# scandal that plagued Samsung Note 7 last year, that lead to the total recall of the device and huge losses for the company. Not many days ago, we received an email from one of our readers that had an unfortunate event with a Xiaomi Mi 5 Pro. As you can see in the following photos, the device battery exploded leading to 3 burned fingers. According to what he told us, the owner of the device, contacted Xiaomi to mention the incident and see what can be arranged for a replacement. To his astonishment, Xiaomi denied any responsibility and claimed that every device is thoroughly tested before leaving the production line and since the device was purchased not from their official store but from Aliexpress, it is not certified and might be fake. The owner that saw the device inflate and then bursting into flames immediately threw it out the window to avoid risking setting the house on fire. As you can see, when checking on the official Xiaomi site to see if the device is genuine, the result is positive. Surely a weird reaction from Xiaomi that we will try to contact to hear their side of the story.The long wait for a new Frank Ocean album may nearly be over. Mr. Ocean, the innovative and enigmatic R&B singer, is set to release his next album, “Boys Don’t Cry,” on Friday through an exclusive deal with Apple Music, according to a person with knowledge of the release plans. The release is also expected to include a major video and a printed publication called “Boys Don’t Cry” that will be distributed at Apple stores. Mr. Ocean’s album is expected to remain exclusive to Apple for only two weeks before becoming more widely available, according to that person, who was not authorized to discuss the release plans and therefore spoke on condition of anonymity. But it is another coup for Apple, which has struck a series of deals with artists including Drake, Future, Chance the Rapper and the band The 1975, that have each given the company’s streaming service an early lock on a hot new record. A spokesman for Mr. Ocean’s label, Def Jam, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. “Boys Don’t Cry” is one of the year’s most anticipated new albums, and Mr. Ocean’s first since “Channel Orange” in 2012, which was widely hailed by critics and nominated for six Grammy Awards (it won one, for best urban contemporary album). Mr. Ocean himself first announced the new title three years ago, and seemed to play with the long wait when he included the image of an old-school library due-date slip labeled “Boys Don’t Cry” on a website connected to the album, with a series of stamped dates going back over a year. Given the number of delays the album has already had, it seems possible that Mr. Ocean could decide to put off the release beyond Friday. On Monday, a mysterious video appeared on the same website showing a pair of workbenches in a large empty room. There was little other information — although the director Francisco Soriano briefly took credit for the video itself early Monday in an Instagram post that was later deleted — but many viewers did notice the Apple Music logo in a watermark on the feed.President Trump said Wednesday that he is "thinking about" lifting the rule barring foreign-flagged vessels from delivering goods between American ports to help hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico despite pressure from the shipping industry. ADVERTISEMENT "Well we're thinking about [temporarily lifting the Jones Act]," Trump told reporters before stepping aboard Marine One, "but we have a lot of shippers, and a lot of people, and a lot of people who work in the shipping industry that don't want the Jones Act lifted." "And we have a lot of ships out there right now," Trump added. Trump also told reporters that Puerto Rico's governor, Ricardo Rosselló, and San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz were "very generous" on Tuesday with their statements praising the administration's efforts to aid the island, which he pointed to as evidence that his administration is on top of recovery efforts. "I will tell you, the governor was very generous yesterday with his statements, and so was the mayor of San Juan," Trump said. "We have a lot of people, and I'm going there on Tuesday as you probably have heard." "Puerto Rico is a very difficult situation," Trump added. "I mean, that place was just destroyed. That's not a question of 'gee let's dry up the water, let's do this or that,' I mean that place was flattened." Senior officials at the Department of Homeland Security said early Wednesday that there is no shortage of U.S.-flagged vessels to deliver aid to Puerto Rico and the neighboring U.S. Virgin Islands. “As based upon our current conversations, there is not a lack of vessels to move the goods that we need to support the humanitarian relief efforts,” an official told reporters Wednesday. Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are rebuilding after two category 4 hurricanes struck earlier this month. Local government officials say Puerto Rico is on the verge of a humanitarian disaster, and estimate the island could be without power for up to six months.Julian Assange’s mother slammed Western media's lack of research and grasp of basic facts in an interview with Australian television, as the host tried to get her to “address the allegations” of free speech suppression in Ecuador. Following the profound question “Why did your son choose to make that speech last night?”, Christine Assange was asked if Julian plans to fight for freedom of speech in Ecuador, which is "known for its restrictions on the press." "I don't think you know a lot about the media situation in Ecuador, do you?” she responded. “Not really, you've just read a few human rights things.” She suggested that the host do better research, or at least look through Ecuador's constitution, as many things published by Western media and human rights organizations are, she says, “propaganda.” “I’ve been to Ecuador and I’ve read the constitution, two things that most of the media haven’t done,” Christine Assange said. And the fact that many media make simple but significant mistakes, for example claiming that Julian “has been charged,” makes her believe that most media do not actually follow the developments of her son's case. Christine added that some human rights organizations have been silent about the prosecution of WikiLeaks and the breaches of Julian's rights. Ecuador faces the same problem faced by the majority of the world's countries, she said. “Media that is owned by big business is against governments that want sovereignty from foreign nations, against governments that share the country’s wealth with its populace, against countries that fight for environmental rights, and against countries that have constitutions which are underscored by human rights,” she explained. “We also know that many human rights groups are sponsored by the US,” she added, noting that she would take into account what human rights groups have to say about Ecuador only after they “stop sitting on the fence” and start covering events like the abuse of Julian Assange’s legal human rights by Sweden in breach of its own protocols. When asked why her son didn’t speak about Sweden during his public address on Sunday, Assange answered that it would take several hours to fully address the issue and that journalists could at least have done some research instead of waiting for her son to provide them with a summary. “I think Julian has better things to do right now than talk about the documented abuses of Sweden,” she said, advising that those interested read the 2011 submission to the Australian Parliament which documented the violation of Assange’s rights by Sweden, or sources like justice4assange.com. “You journalists should go and do your jobs. Why aren’t you talking about the documented abuses of Sweden?” On Sunday, Julian Assange made his first public appearance in months. Speaking from the balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy in London, he called on Washington to end its “witch hunt” against him and other whistleblowers, including Bradley Manning, the man charged with furnishing sensitive data to WikiLeaks. Assange mentioned the sentencing of Bahraini human rights activist Nabeel Rajab to three years in prison for “participation in an illegal assembly” and “calling for a march without prior notification”, as well as the two-year sentence the three Pussy Riot members received for their “punk prayer” that criticized President Vladimir Putin and senior Russian Orthodox clergy. The Australian whistleblower praised Ecuador for its decision to grant him asylum. The Andean country announced its decision to do so on Thursday, having reviewed his case for almost two months. Christine Assange also hailed the decision, noting that the country had a “strong record of human rights and free speech.” She told RT that the British government was prepared to “go to extreme measures and breach international law” at the bidding of the United States. In the run-up to the fateful decision, Christine Assange visited Ecuador and met with President Rafael Correa to discuss her son’s case.• Wenger: ‘West Ham game not a good advert to come back to standing’ • Olivier Giroud and Aaron Ramsey fit again for Arsenal Arsène Wenger, outlining his support for the safe-standing movement, has expressed his concern that the crowd trouble on Wednesday night at the match between West Ham United and Chelsea could set back the debate. “It gives an argument, especially to people who are against it,” Wenger said. “Personally I am in favour of the resurgence of standing opportunities behind the goals and that is not a very good advert to come back to it. Hopefully West Ham will get rid of the problem very quickly.” ‘Safe standing’ would not be a return to English football’s dark ages \| Daniel Taylor Read more Wenger is a rarity among Premier League managers in vocalising his support for introducing the kind of rail seating that is commonplace in Germany and has been introduced at Celtic this season without any issues so far. “I feel the closer you are to the positions of the players, the more passionate you are about it. It would allow lower prices because you could get more spectators inside the stadiums, and maybe a more passionate atmosphere,” he said. English legislation insists on all-seater stadiums but Arsenal are monitoring the situation in case of a change in policy. Wenger was “surprised” to see the trouble that flared at the London Stadium in the EFL Cup match on Wednesday, with stewards overwhelmed and riot police needed to keep the opposing fans apart. “We are not used, in England, to face these kind of problems anymore,” the Arsenal manager said. “Basically I don’t believe there is a problem with hooliganism in England. You cannot say that one minor incident – I heard about 200 people – is a general problem in the country.” He is not an advocate of a match behind closed doors if the situation worsens. “There is nothing more dull than that. I prefer not to play than playing games behind closed doors.” West Ham to ban 200 supporters after derby trouble against Chelsea Read more Arsenal travel to Sunderland for the lunchtime fixture on Saturday and welcome back both Olivier Giroud and Aaron Ramsey but will be without the forward Lucas Pérez. “We are now in November, they have not played so it’s good to have them back,” he said. “I have to be a bit cautious, especially with Aaron Ramsey, because he has not played at all yet. He has only had one week with the team so I will be a bit cautious with him.” Theo Walcott, Nacho Monreal and Santi Cazorla all had fitness tests on Friday.Last week, Donald Trump signed an executive order banning immigration from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The president said the order would protect American people from the threat posed by jihadist terrorism but is that really likely? Research from the New America Foundation suggests otherwise.Even though the attacks on 9/11 were perpetrated by foreign infiltrators, every single jihadist who conducted a lethal attack in the U.S. since then was either a citizen or legal resident. No fatal attacks in the post 9/11 era were committed by terrorists from the countries restricted by Trump's travel ban. The following infographic provides an overview of the citizenship status of all people charged with or who died engaging in jihadist terrorism in the U.S. since 2001.190 of them (82 percent) are U.S. citizens and permanent residents while refugees and illegal immigrants have been involved in very few terrorist incidents. Last week, U.S. Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham issued a statement, saying that they believe the order "may do more to help terrorist recruitment than improve our security" due to the signal it sends to the Muslim world.It also emerged in recent days that Iraqi Air Force fighter pilots will no longer be admitted to Arizona to undergo flight training to combat the Islamic State. A study by the Cato Institute sums up why the fear-mongering of foreigners is arguably misplaced. According to their findings, Americans are 253 times more likely to die in an ordinary homicide than a terrorist attack carried out by a foreigner in the U.S.It was 25 years ago this November that an eccentric prop comic first started gluing junk drawer items together to make robot puppets in his basement. That man was Joel Hodgson, and his brainchild was called Mystery Science Theater 3000. Initially airing on local Minneapolis independent station KTMA before runs on early-cable Comedy Central (then called “The Comedy Channel”) and SyFy (then the much more sensible “Sci-Fi Channel”), MST3k perfected the entire pop culture sub-genre of movie riffing. In the process, MST3k shone a light on some 176 largely forgotten feature films, many of which would have been lost to history. Titans of B-movie filmmaking like Roger Corman were represented, of course, but other disasterpieces such as the iconic Manos: The Hands of Fate found entirely new audiences they never would have seen otherwise. There’s no getting around it, though—the movies were bad, and purposefully chosen for that reason. On a scale beginning at “almost entertaining” and ending at “the worst thing ever filmed,” this list gathers the very worst of the worst, those movies difficult to appreciate even as a joke. View the non-MST3k versions at your own risk. 10. The Starfighters, 1964 The film: Most films earned their way onto this list through sheer powers of boredom, and The Starfighters is a prime example. Remember those early scenes in Pearl Harbor that took place during the characters’ Air Force training? If Michael Bay had stretched those out to create an entire movie and then done away with all the special effects, it would still be better than The Starfighters, which is also about Air Force pilots and not spaceship pilots as the title might suggest. More specifically, it’s about Air Force pilots flying, landing, refueling, drinking and wearing “poopie suits.” Single worst moment: Refueling. The movie is absolutely obsessed with mid-air refueling—it’s a legitimately major plot point. For the audience, this means multiple long, tedious scenes composed entirely of stock footage, as hoses are inserted into planes. There are only so many dirty jokes one can make before they’re all exhausted and there are still 10 more minutes of refueling to go. 9. The Skydivers, 1963 The film: Coleman Francis quite simply, was the worst director of all time, far worse than the likes of Ed Wood. He completed three feature films in his career, and all three of them are on this list. The Skydivers is probably the “best” of his movies, in the sense that one can almost get a faint impression of an overall plot centered around a husband and wife running a ramshackle skydiving facility. And boy, you definitely get to see some skydiving. Coleman Francis evidently thought plotless skydiving segments were much more important than story, so skydiving is to this film what refueling was to The Starfighters. Factor in the listless performances, lack of conflict and chaotic editing, and there isn’t a single feature to make The Skydivers watchable. Single worst moment: Hard to pin down, but you could insert any of the Coleman Francis standbys, such as entire scenes dedicated to drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes. You really can’t stress Francis’ amateurishness enough. Give a high-schooler an iPhone in 2013 and they’ll produce a much better feature than this. 8. Invasion of the Neptune Men, 1961 The film: Superhero movies tinged with science fiction were all the rage in 1960s Japan, but Invasion of the Neptune Men is horrendous even by this genre’s standards. This one has all the hallmarks of the genre: A scientist with a secret identity, hostile aliens and model rocketships going “pew pew” at each other. What it doesn’t have is a budget, judging from the excessive use of WWII stock footage and lack of plot. Thanks to its cheapness, the more “exciting” it’s supposed to be, the more boring it becomes. Single worst moment: The 20-minute air battle that concludes the picture feels like multiple lifetimes. It’s just little rockets shooting at each other by scratching the film, intercut with shots of men in helmets fiddling with knobs. The highlight is when, out of absolutely nowhere, one of the ships vaporizes a building that for some reason has a huge picture of Adolf Hitler on it. 7. The Creeping Terror, 1964 The film: If you visited IMDB or Wikipedia and read about The Creeping Terror, you would likely come away with the belief that there’s a storyline occurring within the film, but it would be difficult to tell by simply viewing it. This super cheap monster flick about a crashed alien features some of the darkest and ugliest black-and-white cinematography ever committed to celluloid. Many of the scenes look like they were lit by nightlights or actors outfitted in miner’s helmets. Single worst moment: The film has narration throughout that is both pervasive and mystifying. Long, silent passages go by with no sound at all, and then as soon as the characters start speaking, the narrator talks over them. Legend has it that portions of the soundtrack were physically lost at some point and never made it into the final film. 6. The Slime People, 1962 The film: It’s your garden variety drive-in monster trash: A race of subterranean reptilian slime dudes venture up to the surface and create a wall of “solidified fog” that engulfs L.A., somehow stopping people from entering and exiting the city. It sounds like it might actually be a clever commentary on smog and environmental pollution, but really, it’s just pure idiocy. The movie is as slapdash as they come, full of one-note characters, terrible acting and a totally unsatisfactory deus ex machina conclusion. Single worst moment: The thing that bumps The Slime People up from “terrible” to a spot on the all-time bad list is the fog itself. The fog … oh my god, the fog. The fog machines rented for the film were deployed to ridiculous excess, which results in a second half that is literally impossible to see in some scenes. Many of the most important scenes take place in huge blankets of white fog that completely obscure everything happening on screen. It’s as if the director totally forgot that film is a visual medium. 5. The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies, 1964 The film: Upon release, this film was promoted as “the first monster musical!” It’s completely incomprehensible, a disaster on every level. The entirely unprofessional cast is barely able to get through a scene without stumbling over their material. The characters are downright bizarre, especially “Ortega,” the deformed henchman coated in what appears to be a thick layer of Vaseline. It’s perhaps the most unlikable cast in MST3k history—every attribute of every character is irritating, and the film itself is incredibly ugly. They don’t get more aesthetically unpleasant. Single worst moment: It’s all terrible, but the musical numbers in Incredibly Strange Creatures are in a class of their own. Tacked on either to pad the film or in some amazingly deluded belief they would be a group’s “big break,” they come out of nowhere and drag on like an eternity. In the middle of it all, there’s even a painful stand-up comedy portion. Truly, this film had no idea of how to fill its own run-time. 4. Red Zone Cuba, 1966 The film: By the time Coleman Francis got around to making his third and final feature, he was down to casting non-actors as the principal characters. In this spirit, he cast himself as the lead in Red Zone Cuba, one of the dreariest and most hopeless films ever made. Every frame of this mean-spirited movie is full of hopeless dread. Every character is repugnant. Its 89-minute story about escaped cons being terrible people will take a year off your life. Single worst moment: This movie is its own worst moment, but if you’re going to narrow it down to just one, perhaps the “best” is when Francis and his fellow thug doom a perfectly innocent café owner to a slow death by dropping him into a well. 3. Manos: The Hands of Fate, 1966 The film: When your director is a fertilizer salesman making a no-budget horror film because someone bet him he couldn’t, your finished product just isn’t going to be very good. Manos is probably the most famous MST3k episode, and many would call it their worst film. It’s easy to see why—it’s incredibly slow, from its meandering opening to the long stretches in the middle where people are just wandering around a farm house or an unlit desert at night. The actors are all either awkward, stiff or both. The most compelling character is goat-man “Torgo,” who does nothing but stutter and leer throughout the entire film. This alone makes him the best thing in it. Single worst moment: The film’s opening is the stuff of cinematic legend—an uninterrupted eight-minute sequence of a family driving around in their big boat of a car, getting lost in the countryside while jazz music plays. It may be the longest eight minutes of your life. 2. Monster a Go-Go, 1965 The film: You could easily make a case for Monster a Go-Go as the worst film ever featured on MST3k. Its original director abandoned it incomplete in 1961 when it was bought by cheapo gore master Herschel Gordon Lewis. Lewis then filmed additional scenes with all-new characters and stapled the entire thing together into one “complete” movie about an astronaut turned into a monster. The resulting feature is so cheap that there’s a scene where one of the actors has to fake making a ringing telephone sound before picking up the receiver. Single worst moment: Monster a Go-Go has what is authoritatively the worst ending of all time. After chasing the monster into the sewers and cornering him, a voiceover suddenly starts. It informs us that: “There was no monster to be followed. Astronaut Frank Douglas, rescued, alive, well, and of normal size, some eight thousand miles away in a lifeboat.” Yes indeed, it’s the biggest movie cop-out ever. 1. The Beast of Yucca Flats, 1961 The film: This was Coleman Francis’ first feature, and there’s nothing that can be said to convey just how abysmal an effort it is. One can point out the nonsensical narration, which quips unexplained phrases such as “Flag on the moon: How did it get there?” One can revel in the casting of Tor Johnson, perhaps the only time a director poached an actor away from Ed Wood. You can even make a little game of spotting characters alive and well who appeared to have been shot to death in earlier scenes. But the only way to experience what The Beast of Yucca Flats is really like is to either see the film or actually wander around the nuclear test sites of Yucca Flats until you mutate. Single worst moment: The Beast of Yucca Flats was filmed entirely without a soundtrack. There were literally no microphones present while filming, and the result is something I’ve never seen in another non-silent movie: A complete feature film with no on-screen dialog. Every bit of dialog in the movie was inserted in post-production and is delivered either while characters are off-camera or too far away to be seen (this is often). For its 54-minute runtime, The Beast of Yucca Flats is the worst thing you’ll ever see. Dishonorable Mentions: The Castle of Fu-Manchu, Being from Another Planet, Attack of the Eye Creatures.A student once told me a “horror story” of a time when Olympic Bronze Medalist Susie Scanlan came to fence at his university. Following one of her practice bouts, a club team college fencer with no more than two years fencing experience proceeded to approach Susie and provide an unsolicited critique of her fencing. They quickly shot him down in embarrassment, as Susie’s mouth was agape over this surprising rudeness. Similarly, a few months ago, some poodersnout showed up at DCFC and felt compelled to have a discussion of my form after every single touch (I was putting on a whooping). I finally said “dude, less talking, more fencing.” Having a constructive conversation about tactics following a bout can be a great way to improve strategy. No one’s denying that; and in fact, I often will ask for my teammates’ opinions on things to improve upon following a bout. But there has to be mutual trust and respect for such a conversation to occur. To simply walk up to someone following a bout under the assumption that they care for your opinion is presumptuous, frustrating to the recipient of the criticism, and rude. Do not provide unsolicited criticism in the sport of fencing. Don’t be a foondanglin’ poodersnout.Hat-tip to VTM user prstn.jordan, it appears that Red Raider Outfitters has released the new mock-up Texas Tech football jerseys by Under Armour. Right now it appears that there are three versions, black, white and gray, but there is no red jersey currently shown. As far as differences from these mock-up 2013 jerseys to the 2012 jerseys, lets get picky: It appears that the stripe that went down the length of the sleeve is gone, but there is a stripe from about half-way down the neck, the stripe then changes colors and goes to the sleeve and then stops. There appears to be some wording inside of the numbers, things like "Texas Tech", "Guns Up" and the double-t logo. A gray jersey! OMG! The 2012 jerseys had "Fight for the Red and Black" at the bottom of the jersey while the 2013 version has "Guns Up." The 2012 jerseys have an outline around the words "Texas Tech" on the front of the jersey while the 2013 mock-up jerseys don't have any outline. No red jersey! OMG! Black White Gray And don't forget that it looks like you can buy these new jerseys at Red Raider Outfitters, so go give them a visit.As soon as the annual report Prison Statistics India (PSI) is published by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Ministry of Home Affairs, many newspapers report each year that Dalits, Muslims and other minorities are over-represented in Indian prisons (Rukmini 2014; Indian Express 2015; Wall Street Journal 2014). Such reports also appear in weeklies and fortnightlies such as Frontline (2015, 2016), India Today (2014, 2016), and Tehelka (2013). However, follow-up analyses by journalists—such as Rukmini (2014) and Vajpeyi (2013)—are rare. Scholars have so far not paid sufficient attention to the PSI data, much less drawn implications from the data to shed light on the health and working of Indian democracy. A noticeable exception is Raghavan and Nair (2013). However, their analysis is limited to Maharashtra. Furthermore, they do not foreground analytical connections between democracy and the prison data they have meticulously gathered. An in-depth, sustained, scholarly analysis of the PSI data at a pan-India level, inquiring into its connections with the ideals and practices of democracy, is, we maintain, urgently needed. The aim of this article is twofold. First, it offers a detailed, multipronged analysis of the PSI data from 1998 to 2014. Since the data prior to 1998 is not available, we limit ourselves to that period.1 We analyse the prison data along anthropological and sociological coordinates of communities such as Adivasis, Christians, Dalits, Muslims, and Sikhs. We compare their percentage in prison populations with their respective proportion in the total population. This comparison is undertaken at a pan-India level as well as at state levels. We must point out that our focus on communities by no means implies that other factors—such as gender, income, age, nature of offence, and educational capital of the detainees, which the PSI records—are not significant. Our analyses show that in comparison to their percentage in the total population, Adivasis, Christians, Dalits, Muslims, and Sikhs are all well over-represented in prisons. We focus our analyses on Adivasis, Dalits, and Muslims. Given the relatively smaller size of Christian and Sikh communities, the data does not allow their comparison at the state level. Of these three communities, Muslims are even more over-represented than Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs). The second aim is to preliminarily analyse what over-representation of minorities in prisons entails in understanding the theory and praxis of democracy. The scant literature on the disproportionate representation of minorities in Indian jails simply mentions this fact without offering a convincing explanation for it. The implied and inferred explanations in the literature often highlight religious–cultural factors. In contrast, we analytically connect over-representation of minorities in jails with structural–political factors. We also, therefore, compare our data with the data on Australia, Canada, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US). The comparison shows a discernible correlation between democracy and the disproportionate representation of minorities in prisons in these democracies. To analyse such correlations in Western democracies, scholars have used terms such as “penal democracy” (James 2007) and “punishing democracy” (Hartnett 2011). Scholars (who are also activists) refer to a prison industrial complex (PIC) to show a “symbiotic” relationship between the PIC and the military industrial complex (Davis 2011: 84–86). Recognising the value of such literature, we make a related but different argument. This article’s title has (at least) a double meaning. We suggest that the disproportionate representation of minorities in jail means that democracy itself is in jail. But we also mean that a different notion of democracy blooms amongst those jailed, individuals/communities outside jail, as well as some jail officials. This notion of democracy is neither ceremonially electoral nor seasonally arithmetic (as in accounts of pollsters); it is instead substantive and enmeshed in suffering, pain, care, and the acknowledgement of human finitude and vulnerability. The anthropologist Talal Asad (2012: 56) calls it “democratic sensibility as an ethos.” When imprisoned in 1942, Abul Kalam Azad, the anti-colonial philosopher and India’s first Minister of Education, alluded to it in the vocabulary of ihsas (feelings). Such a democracy or democratic sensibility as an ethos in jail, we contend, has the potential to re-signify election-centric democracy that in the name of fighting crimes, terrorism or protecting the “nation,” imprisons itself. To demonstrate this point, we use recent memoirs by prisoners to move away from abstract data to the very touch of life and death as encountered in jail. We focus on the memoirs of Mufti Abdul Qayyum and Mohammad Amir Khan. Both were jailed on charges of terrorism. Qayyum was framed as a mastermind of the 2002 Akshardham attack and sentenced to death by the lower courts but set free by the Supreme Court in 2014. Khan was charged for a series of blasts and imprisoned in 1998. Qayyum spent 11 years in jail, and Khan did 14 years. We analyse Qayyum’s (2015) memoir in Urdu and Khan’s (2016) in English by situating them in select literature on the anthropology of democracy and prison. Divided into two parts, we pursue the first objective in Section 1 and the second objective in Section 2. In the conclusion, we summarise and reinforce the principal argument. But before we proceed, clarifications about terms likeSC,ST, Dalit, Adivasi, and minority are in order here. As is well known, “scheduled”—in relation to both tribes and castes—is an administrative–legal term. In popular parlance, tribes are called Adivasis. However, due to the consolidation of Hindutva, the term vanvaasi (forest-dwellers) is being used, to discredit the claim that tribes were earlier inhabitants (as Adi means) (Kanungo 2002: 149). While “scheduled” vis-à-vis caste was used under colonial rule, in the case of tribes it was added after independence (Bhatt 2009: 177; Mendelsohn and Vicziany 2009: 8; Xaxa 2014). The term Dalit—meaning exploited or suppressed—is of recent origin. In colonial India, Dalits were referred to as “Depressed Castes,” “Outcastes,” “Exterior Castes,” “Untouchables,” and so on. The term emerged from the Dalit Panther Movement in the 1980s (Kanungo 2002: 145; Karanth 1996: 106; Kumar 2014: 20–21).2 As a term, “minority” is linked to nationalism and modern state-building projects. According to Killian (1996; also see Bilgrami 2014: 100–01), the onset of nationalism in the 18th century gave rise to “national minorities” like Polish, Lithuanian, Latvian, Finnish, and others. For Liebich (2008: 246), minority signifies “inequality and inferiority, not merely numerical but substantial inferiority.” The white minority in South Africa before 1994, therefore, cannot be called “minority” for it monopolised power. To Wirth, minority is a group of people, who because of their … cultural characteristics are singled out from the others … for differential and unequal treatment and who, therefore, regard themselves as objects of collective discrimination. (Wirth 1945: 347; Massey 2002: 15–22; Fazal 2015) For Azad, the lack of access to, and the exercise of political power were central to the notion of minority (Ahmad 2009: 12–18; 2014a).3 Viewed from this perspective, Dalits and Adivasis may also be thought of as “minorities.” Indeed, in 1980, the Rudolphs (2008: 166) used the term minorities to mean Christians, Muslims, SCs, and STs. This also serves as justification for the broader meaning of “minorities” in our title. 1 Sociological Profiles of Detainees As noted earlier, the data this article is based on is derived from the PSI available online at http://ncrb.nic.in/. Neither the PSI nor do we regard “categories” such as Hindu, Muslim, SC, and ST as mutually exclusive for they overlap. For example, the category “Hindu” in the 2011 Census includedSCs andSTs. Our analysis does not include the category Other Backward Classes (OBCs), which the PSI gives, but for which we lack corresponding census figures to draw a meaningful comparison. Table 1 (p 99) shows the percentage of major social and religious communities in the prison population vis-à-vis their percentage in the total population. Given that our data is from 1998 to 2014, we give the percentage break-up of these groups from the census data of 2001 and 2011. Hindus constituted nearly 80% of the total population between 2001 and 2011, while their proportion of the prison population between 1998 and 2014 averaged about 70%, or 10% less than their percentage in the total population. In contrast, Muslims, as a proportion of those in prison, averaged around 21% whereas they constituted merely 14% of the total population. SCs and STs formed 16.6% and 8.6% of the total population respectively, but their proportions in prison averaged around 22% and 13.5% respectively. Christians and Sikhs constituted approximately 4% of the prison population whereas their respective percentage in the total population was 2.3% and 1.8%. If one were to not include SCs and STs in the category of Hindus, the percentage of non-SC and non-ST Hindus would be far lower than the numbers presented in Table 1. Picture at the state level: While Table 1 establishes the disproportionate representation of minorities at the national level, Table 2 looks at each state. It compares social and religious communities by juxtaposing their average percentage in the prison population against their average percentage in the total population in the states and union territories. The state-level picture largely validates the national portrayal presented in Table 1. However, Table 2 also demonstrates that Hindus are over-represented in prison in states where they are in a minority. For instance, their percentage in the prison population is higher in states such as Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland where STs are in a majority. Likewise, in Lakshadweep and Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), where Muslims form a majority, the percentage of Hindus in the prison population is higher than their percentage in the total population. Conversely, in Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Nagaland, the percentage of STs—who form a majority of the total population—in prison is lower than their percentage in the total population. The same holds true for Lakshadweep
"excess female mortality" across Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.[8] By comparing relative death rates of females to males in developed countries to the country in question, Anderson and Ray find that 37 to 45% of the missing women in China can be traced to pre-birth and infancy stage termination factors, whereas only around 11% of India's missing women were caused by similar factors, pointing to the fact that the loss is spread across different ages. They find that by and large, the main cause for female deaths in India is cardiovascular disease. "Injuries" is the number two cause of female deaths in India. Both of these causes are far greater than maternal mortality and abortion of fetuses, though "Injuries" may be directly related to gender discrimination.[8] Their findings for China also attribute missing women of older ages to cardiovascular and other non-communicable diseases, accounting for a large portion of excess female deaths. However, the largest bracket of missing women is in the 0-4 age group, suggesting discrimination factors at work in accordance to Sen's original theories.[8] In sub-Saharan Africa, in contrast to Sen's contention and average statistics, Anderson and Ray find a large number of women are missing. Sen used the sex ratio of 1.022 for sub-Saharan Africa in work done in 2001, to avoid comparing advanced countries to developing ones. Just as Sen believed, in their study they find no evidence to impute the missing women to birth discrimination such as sex-selective abortions or neglect. To account for the high number of young women missing they discovered that HIV/AIDS was the main cause, surpassing malaria and maternal mortality. Anderson and Ray estimated an annual excess female death rate 600,000 due to HIV/AIDS alone. The age groups with the highest numbers of missing women were the 20- to 24- and 25- to 29-year-old ranges. The high prevalence of HIV/AIDS seems to suggest, according to Anderson and Ray, an imbalance in women's access to healthcare as well as different attitudes about sexual and cultural norms.[8] In an article in 2008, Eileen Stillwaggon, showed that higher rates of HIV/AIDS are the consequence of deep-rooted gender inequalities in sub-Saharan Africa. In countries where women cannot own property they are in a more precarious fall-back position, having less bargaining power to "insist on safe sex without risking abandonment" by their husbands.[9] She claims that a person's vulnerability to HIV depends on their overall health, and as misinformed practices, such as the belief that having sex with a female virgin will cure a male of AIDS, dry sex, and household activities that expose women to diseases contribute to weakening women's immune systems which leads to higher HIV mortality rates. Stillwaggon argues for increased focus on sanitation and nutrition rather than just abstinence or safe sex. As women become healthier the chances of an infected female transmitting HIV to a male partner decline significantly.[9] Natural causes to high or low human sex ratio [ edit ] Other scholars question the assumed normal sex ratio, and point to a wealth of historical and geographical data that suggest sex ratios vary naturally over time and place, for reasons not properly understood. William James and others[39][40] suggest that conventional assumptions have been: there are equal numbers of X and Y chromosomes in mammalian sperms X and Y stand equal chance of achieving conception therefore equal number of male and female zygotes are formed, and that therefore any variation of sex ratio at birth is due to sex selection between conception and birth. James cautions that available scientific evidence stands against the above assumptions and conclusions. He reports that there is an excess of males at birth in almost all human populations, and the natural sex ratio at birth is usually between 102 and 108. However the ratio may deviate significantly from this range for natural reasons such as early marriage and fertility, teenage mothers, average maternal age at birth, paternal age, age gap between father and mother, late births, ethnicity, social and economic stress, warfare, environmental and hormonal effects.[39][41] This school of scholars support their alternate hypothesis with historical data when modern sex-selection technologies were unavailable, as well as birth sex ratio in sub-regions, and various ethnic groups of developed economies.[10][42] They suggest that direct abortion data should be collected and studied, instead of drawing conclusions indirectly from sex ratio as Sen and others have done. James's hypothesis is supported by historical birth sex ratio data before technologies for ultrasonographic sex-screening were discovered and commercialized in the 1960s and 1970s, as well by reversed sex ratios currently observed in Africa. Michel Garenne reports that many African nations have, over decades, witnessed birth sex ratios below 100, that is more girls are born than boys.[43] Angola, Botswana and Namibia have reported birth sex ratios between 94 and 99, which is quite different than the presumed 104 to 106 as natural human birth sex ratio.[44] John Graunt noted that in London over a 35-year period in the 17th century (1628–1662),[45] the birth sex ratio was 1.07; while Korea's historical records suggest a birth sex ratio of 1.13, based on 5 million births, in 1920s over a 10-year period.[46] Female abduction and sale [ edit ] Evidence has shown that number of missing women may be due to other reasons than sex selective abortions or female migrant work. Specifically, female babies, girls and women have been preyed upon by human traffickers. In China families are less willing to sell male babies even though they carry a higher price in the trade. Females born exceeding the one-child policy can be sold to wealthier families while the parents claim selling their female baby is better than other alternatives.[11] Overseas adoption services for Chinese children have been involved in baby trafficking to reap the profits of donations from foreign adopters.[47] One study notes that between 2002 and 2005 approximately 1000 trafficked babies were placed with adopting parents, each baby costing $3000.[48] To keep up supply of orphans for adoption, orphanages and retirement homes hire women as baby traffickers.[48] Overall, underreporting and trafficking may be too small to account for the staggering numbers of missing women across south-eastern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa though they may be related in causal factors.[improper synthesis?] Consequences [ edit ] Some research has also noted that in the mid-1990s a reverse began in the observed trends in the regions of Asia where originally the male/female ratios were high. In line with the studies of Das Gupta described above, as income increases the bias in the sex ratio towards boys decreases. Societal health [ edit ] Female discrimination and neglect is not just affecting girls and women. Sen described the effects of female malnutrition and other forms of discrimination on men's health. As pregnant women suffer from nutritional neglect the fetus suffers, leading to low birth weight for male as well as female babies. Medical studies have found a close relationship to low birth weight and cardiovascular diseases at later stages in life. While underweight female babies are at risk for continuing undernourishment, ironically, Sen points out that even decades after birth, "men suffer disproportionately more from cardiovascular diseases." With high per capita income growth in many parts of India and China during the late 1990s and the 2000s, male/female ratios have begun shifting towards "normal" levels.[49][50] However, for India and China, this appears to be due to a fall in adult female mortality rates, relative to male adults, rather than a change in the sex ratio among children and newborns. In general, these conditions amount to widespread deprivations of women across East and South Asia. According to Nussbaum's Capabilities Approach, as millions of females are discriminated against they are being deprived of their essential capabilities to such as life, bodily health and bodily integrity, among others. According this framework, policy should focus on increasing women's capabilities even at the cost of changing long held traditions.[51] Missing brides [ edit ] Some have speculated that the disparity in the sex ratio may affect the marriage market in such a way that may turn the tide of missing women.[52] David De La Croix and Hippolyte d'Albis developed the Missing Bride Index and a mathematical model showing that over time, as rich and affluent families continue to abort female babies and raise male children and as less wealthy families have girls, more males will be more affluent and the prospects for women to marry will increase. They predict that prospects for girls in the marriage market may become so auspicious that bearing female children may be seen as a positive rather than a negative.[53] Excess men [ edit ] Since the advent of sex-selective abortions via ultrasound and other medical procedures in the 1980s, the gender discriminations that have caused the “missing women” have simultaneously produced cohorts of excess men. Many speculated that this group of excess men would cause social disturbances such as crime and abnormal sexual behaviors without the opportunity to marry. In a 2011 study, Hesketh found crime rates to not differ significantly from areas with known higher populations of excess men. She found that instead of being prone to aggression these men are more likely to feel outcast and suffer from feelings of failure, loneliness and associated psychological problems.[54] Others are using emigration to other countries like the U.S or Russia as a solution.[54] To combat runaway sex-ratio disparity, Hesketh recommends government policy to intervene by making sex selective abortion illegal and promoting awareness to fight son preference paradigms.[54] Other effects [ edit ] A different development occurred in South Korea which in the early 1990s had one of the highest male to female ratios in the world. By 2007 however, South Korea, had a male to female ratio comparable to that found in Western Europe, the US and sub-Saharan Africa. This development characterized both adult ratios as well as the ratios among new births. According to Chung and Das Gupta rapid economic growth and development in South Korea has led to a sweeping change in social attitudes and reduced the preference for sons.[55] Das Gupta, Chung, and Shuzhuo conclude that it is possible that China and India will experience a similar reversal in trend towards normal sex ratio in the near future if their rapid economic development, combined with policies that seek to promote gender equality, continue.[56] This reversal has been interpreted as the latest phase of a more complex cycle called the "sex ratio transition".[57] Policy solutions [ edit ] Policy solutions are complicated by the fact that patterns of "missing women" are not uniform in all parts of developing nations. Studies find large variations between missing women.[58] For example, there is an "excess" of women in Sub-Saharan Africa rather than deficit: the ratio of women to men is 1.02.[2] On the other hand, there are disproportionately large numbers of missing women in India and China.[2] Researchers argue that the prevalence of "missing women" is often intertwined with a society's culture and history, and as a result, it is difficult to create broad policy solutions. For example, Jafri argues that the relegation of women to an inferior position in Muslim society perpetuates the "missing women" issue.[59] On the other hand, there is evidence suggesting that even in the sixteenth through nineteenth centuries, Western European countries did not face sex ratios as skewed as the ones we see today in various developing countries.[60] Even between India and Bangladesh, two countries with similar levels of education and gender disparity today, there are differences in missing women: the same measures to improve female welfare in Bangladesh do much worse in India.[14] Kabeer argues that this is the case because India is stratified by social caste, while Bangladesh is more homogenous; as a result, progressive ideas such as improving the welfare of women can more easily disseminate in Bangladesh.[14] Regardless of cultural variation, Sen argues that in general, policies aimed to address education and women's employment opportunities outside the home may improve the missing women situation and fight the stigma attached to female children.[15] Much research has been conducted in this area. Education [ edit ] Findings from the Indian Census in 2001 suggest that women's increased educational attainment was associated with the rise in the female-to-male sex ratio of India. Similarly, Dito's research in Ethiopia shows that in families where females are highly educated, have many brothers, and are close in age to their husbands, women tend to be more well-off, leading to lower counts of missing women.[61] Thus, in some countries, increasing access to education has helped On the other hand, later studies of India showed that increasing education may actually worsen the missing women phenomenon.[62] Increasing female education may actually increase the rate of sex-selective abortion and thus increase the male-to-female sex ratio, as more well-educated female adults realize that opportunities in their society for their male children are much better than opportunities for their female children.[62] In addition, female children are seen as a cost on the family because of their lack of employment opportunities, the paying of dowry, and their limited ability to own property.[62] Mukherjee argues that this is further exacerbated by the fact that despite higher female education in India, there is a scarcity of jobs for highly educated women, suggesting that even with higher education, women's place in society does not expand much.[62] Employment opportunities [ edit ] Sen argues that a woman's opportunity to participate in the labor force affords her more bargaining power within the home. In Sub-Saharan Africa, where there are fewer missing women, a woman is generally able to earn income from outside the home, increasing her contributions to her household and contributing to a different overall view of the value of women compared to that of Southeast and East Asia.[2] However, Sen's contention about gainful work outside the home has led to some debates. Berik and Bilginsoy researched Sen's premise that improved women's economic opportunities outside of the home will diminish the disparity in the sex ratio in Turkey. They found that as women participated more in the work force and maintained their unpaid labor the sex ratio disparity grew, contrary to Sen's original prediction.[63] On the other hand, Sen notes that in Narsapur, India, lace-makers have less bargaining power from their labor because lace-making is done in the home and perceived as supplementary, rather than gainful, labor. However, women making cigarettes in Allahabad, India, were viewed as having gainful labor, which helped boost the community's view of women.[31] As Sen argues, only gainful labor is useful for dismantling the phenomenon of missing women. Qian adds to these analyses by noting that a rise in female income is not enough to solve the missing women problem; rather, the rise in female income must be relative to male income. In her 2008 study, Qian shows that when females in China earn a 10% increase in household income while male income is held constant, male births fall by 1.2 percentage points. This female-specific wage boost also increases parents' investment in female children, with female children gaining 0.25 years more education. As a result, an increase in female-specific economic productivity helped boost both the survival of and investment in female children.[64] Thus, if women become more economically productive themselves, it may alter the view of female children as economically unproductive as well. This may increase girls' chances of surviving to birth and receiving the care and attention during childhood that they need.[15] International organizations and currently implemented policies [ edit ] Despite the variations in studies on which policies help decrease the number of missing women, several international organizations and independent countries have taken measures to attempt to help the problem. The OECD includes "missing women" as a measure under the Son preference parameter of its Social Inclusion and Gender Index, bringing awareness to it as an issue.[17][18] Furthermore, the 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child noted the importance of children in measuring a society's level of equality, while the Fourth UN Conference for Women in 1995 developed the Beijing platform, which recognized the rights of the female child.[16] In addition, due to international pressure, India and China have both banned the use of ultrasounds for the purpose of sex-selective abortions.[16] In 2014, Kabeer, Huq, and Mahmud used a comparison of India and Bangladesh to argue that cultural dissemination of progressive ideas boosting the place of women in society is key for solving the problem of missing women.[14] They show that NGOs in Bangladesh, which are present in over seventy percent of Bangladeshi villages, can be a helpful tool to mobilize change and culture.[14] On the other hand, they argue that culturally instituted inequities such as India's caste system, which stratifies its society, prevent the spread of more progressive ideas, and as a result, cause a higher prevalence of missing women.[14] See also [ edit ]Kim Jong-un handed out copies of Adolph Hitler’s jailhouse memoir “Mein Kampf” at his Jan. 8 birthday party, New Focus International first reported Monday. DPRK officials “ranked departmental director and above” in the National Defence Committee were presented with the autobiography in the form of a “hundred-copy book” — a limited edition of banned books that have been published in secret for the North Korean elite, the report said. “Mentioning that Hitler managed to rebuild Germany in a short time following its defeat in World War I, Kim Jong-un issued an order for the Third Reich to be studied in depth and asked that practical applications be drawn from it,” a DPRK official who serves in China told the news site. “Kim Jong-un gave a lecture to high-ranking officials, stressing that we must pursue the policy of Byungjin in terms of nuclear and economic development,” the source said. The phrase “Byungjin” refers to Kim’s policy of improving the country’s nuclear program while strengthening the economy. Kim also stressed Hitler’s stance on childhood-related policies and issued an order for propaganda departments to encourage a “Three Child” policy, the source said. A second source, a DPRK business representative, told New Focus that rumors have been spreading among the Pyongyang elite that Kim Jong-un made a close study of Hitler while at school in Switzerland. Copyright © 2019 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.Back To The Future is one of two films, along with Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, which forms the bedrock of what most people of my generation understand about time travel. Back To The Future is the gold standard of time travel stories, ranking up there with the very best of popular science fiction. It's probably the single most popular and well-known time travel story that exists. And it uses what is probably the most widely-used model of time travel. This model is so widespread and effective that it forms a kind of universal canon. Most people, even people with no real interest in time travel, seem to have picked the rules up through osmosis. It almost seems to be the default model of time travel in most time travel fiction. It can be safely used as the basis for time travel stories, with a relatively minimal amount of explanation. Back To The Future didn't invent the model, of course, not by decades, but it's the one that I keep coming back to and it's the one that everybody remembers. How did Back To The Future get to this hallowed position in the science fiction canon? Because it was insanely popular, obviously, but how did it get to be popular? Well... I think hindsight is dangerous in its clarity sometimes. This is a great film, but a great film is not automatically a popular film. It's extremely easy to look back on popular and unpopular films and circle the "obvious" shortcomings of one film or positive qualities of another which led to a particular box office take; examining the characters, story and direction which gained critical approval... without giving proper credit to, say, the marketing campaign, popular taste at that specific year and month, and wild dumb luck. So I don't like to speculate. Similarly, a popular film is not automatically a memorable one. So: what I think sets Back To The Future apart from other stories using the same model is its fine art of progressive disclosure. Time travel is a difficult thing for a typical filmgoer to wrap their head around all in one go, and Back To The Future's model is far from the simplest there is. But the model is unfolded gradually, revealed to the audience (through its surrogate, Marty) as a discrete series of new developments. Each bullet point arises intuitively and inevitably from the previous ones, such that by the end of the film, without even realising it, the viewers have developed for themselves a full and functional understanding of what is or is not possible. The film is practically a textbook about its own universe. Furthermore, each intuitively obvious bullet point is also clearly necessary to the story, because the alternative would be a different story with completely different themes, or even no story at all. The two are coupled: the model exists solely in order to support the story, and the whole story arises naturally from the model. Exactly which concept should come first in the writing process isn't important to the end product, although I believe that in this case it was the story. But the point is that story and model should be tailor-made for one another, they should fit like a hand and a glove. This is not only true of time travel stories. This is a rule which can be applied to all science fiction, and arguably to all fiction not set in the present day of the real world - and even much of the rest. Every story is set somewhere, and that setting is the deliberate choice of the creator, even if it was picked by default. If the story and the universe conflict with one another, this becomes jarring, and breaks immersion, and causes the reader/listener/viewer to start thinking about the wrong things. The model Models of time travel can be organised into a kind of complexity hierarchy, starting with "there is no time travel" and moving up to "fixed history", where time travel is possible but nothing can ever be changed, à la Bill & Ted. Back To The Future is at the next step up on the hierarchy, and presents a "modifiable history". This is the first model where we have to start dealing with the possibility of going back in time and changing history, which means it's the first model where changing history can become a plot point in the story itself, as opposed to using time travel as a framework for some other kind of story. It's also at around this time that we start dealing with multiple timelines, although Back To The Future only lightly touches on this concept, saving that for the sequels. The model unfolds like this. Yes, you can go back in time. This is obviously necessary because without it, there is no time machine and the story is not really about time travel. This is established nice and early in "Temporal Experiment Number One", with Einstein the dog in the Delorean's front seat. From a cinema-goer's perspective there is no substantive difference between travelling forwards and backwards in time, although anybody with a [chuckles indulgently, adjusts glasses] rudimentary grasp of relativity will understand that only travelling backwards in time actually violates causality or necessitates changes to the laws of fictional physics. But it's difficult. It has to be - otherwise, there would be time travellers all over the place, right? Otherwise "go back in time and fix everything" would be the kill-all, plot-breaking, story-destroyingly straightforward solution to every problem that could possibly come up, whether that problem arose directly, indirectly, or not at all from time-travelling. For this reason, time travel is deliberately made difficult in nearly every time travel story, and in my view these limitations often characterise and differentiate those stories. In Back To The Future the difficulty involves specific requirements of energy (plutonium/lightning) and speed. These are good choices for making the action more exciting to watch. As is well documented, early versions of the screenplay had the time machine as a stationary refrigerator, which would have had nowhere near as much style as the Delorean. Having travelled back in time, you can change a few things, and that's fine. Chaos theory would suggest that as soon as a single molecule shifts out of place in 1955, all of future history would be thrown off-track. Small changes would snowball rapidly, all around the world. Marty would never be born (or maybe someone else called Marty would be born instead at about the same time), and therefore would immediately be erased from history. Depending on how rapidly the universe responded to such changes, Marty could disappear completely before he even hits the scarecrow in old man Peabody's field. Indeed, the universe could very plausibly instantaneously implode under the weight of paradox. This does not happen. Which is a good thing for storytelling purposes. If the universe immediately fractured into pieces there would obviously be no film - or worse, a film which would leave most of its viewers deeply confused and dissatisfied, no matter how carefully their time travel geek friends explained to them, afterwards, what had just happened. In fact, even better, nothing happens immediately. Even given the grace period of the "ripple effect" which we see later, in theory there would be nothing to stop Marty's limbs from starting to fade out right away. But this would make him and the audience confused and frightened, at a point in the story where the simpler concern of "being suddenly in 1955" is still front-and-centre. 1955 is a powerfully unfamiliar environment for a kid from 1985, let alone for any of us watching from the distant future present day of - at the time of writing - 2015. We need to slow things down a bit so we can get used to 1955, which is going to be the setting for most of the film. And so we deliberately construct our model so that it supports this. Marty is able to stumble around Hill Valley square for a while, comparing and contrasting it with 1985, meeting some significant figures and even boneheadedly kicking off a sort-of causal loop ("That's right, he's going to be the Mayor!"), all without getting into any specific trouble. The universe doesn't seem to mind too much at first that Marty's been displaced - it seems that most of history is reasonably resilient to small perturbations. But some moments in time are much more significant and delicate than others. When normal, non-insane people think about history, they often think about critical moments in history; moments which, if they turned out differently, would have pitched all of history onto a completely different track. This is kind of a first-order time travel story premise - your "kill Hitler, save Kennedy, prevent 9/11" moment. It's obvious and logical and easily comprehensible: "What if X didn't happen, and not-X happened instead?" is a far easier prospect to entertain with "big" events whose immediate consequences were very obvious. It's entirely possible to build a second-order story where we backtrack up the chain of causality a little, reaching a relatively "small" feeder event - one which, if altered very slightly, would have the chain reaction of preventing the "larger" event. This is quite easy to engineer, Rube Goldberg-style. A missed bus, due to a sandwich which took too long to eat, because of undesired mustard, because of a misheard order, because of a dropped plate, because.... In many stories, one specific feeder event is pinpointed as the sole cause of everything, to the exclusion of all the millions of other feeder events. This might be a sensible storytelling approach if you're trying to make a point about the significance of the mundane, or that any seemingly minor thing you do on any day can in theory have eternal consequences. A third-order story recognises the greater, more valuable, more actual truth: that every seemingly minor thing you do on every day absolutely definitely has such consequences. As a logical consequence of this, every single moment in history is of precisely equal significance. All of this, though, is non-intuitive, and confuses the issue. It's perfectly possible to tell stories in these frameworks, but these stories can turn out confounding, abstruse and weird, putting more of a burden on the viewers to follow and think and understand than to just relax and assume what seems logical. For a normal, non-insane person, it's much easier if most of history is "safe", but some events are "significant". Then we can take the next logical step: If you upset one of those critical moments, bad things can happen. And then at last we get to the real conflict. There must be some kind of conflict. In order for this to be a real time travel story, it has to be something which would not be possible without time travel's help. And in order for this to be a real modifiable history story, it has to be something involving modifying history - otherwise we would pick a different model. So, Marty disrupts the fateful first meeting between his future father and mother, and she falls for Marty instead... and his siblings start disappearing from his photograph, and soon he will too! Back To The Future is quite smart - or rather, dodges a classic pitfall - because it lowers the stakes while simultaneously raising them, by making the stakes highly personal to the protagonist. Marty isn't the most important person in the world; maybe all the universe isn't likely to self-destruct because some Californian kids were never born. But Marty himself might cease to exist, and by this point in the film we care enough about him that we don't want to see that happen. So you've changed history, in a way which is quickly, visibly bad... But you can set things right! (Approximately right will do.) As opposed to: "All is lost; there is no way to ever set things right". Even if we allow Marty to exist in his own past - maybe in a forked timeline of some kind, with no constraints on its future and no paradox kerplosion - the problem of chaos theory is that all events in history are, once you go back a very short while, totally dependent on chain reactions from all other events in history. Changing a single one of them results in new weather, and new humans being born, and history flipping on its head. This is easy to justify mathematically and scientifically, and makes it annoyingly difficult to tell compelling time travel stories, because even the slightest change to history can never, ever, ever be "set right". In Back To The Future we ignore or discard this problem. There's a clear, explicit "good enough" win condition, and some wiggle room in reaching that objective. It's not hopeless. Because, again... if it were hopeless, there would be no film. Although, setting things right is difficult too. It would be very possible to go too far in the opposite direction from "it's utterly hopeless". Here, you would end up with a universe which almost has a mind and a will of its own, where Fate is real, and the world has a "specific way it should be", with cosmic forces constantly trying to push Lorraine and George back together. Were that the case, all Marty would need to do is leave, or perhaps be forced to leave by events beyond his control, and everything would be fine. Which would be dissatisfying in the extreme. It's very, very important that Marty solves his own problem. Or, as we see in the climax of the story, he tries - but eventually, it's George's problem, and it's George who solves it. And then you can go home. Because a happy ending is necessary. So what we end up with is a spacetime continuum made from discrete major events, joined together by relatively minor ones. This universe permits a certain amount of non-disruptive "time tourism", but reacts badly when certain sensitive points in history are altered. Luckily, this universe isn't so fussy about the details that it instantly swallows you whole if a single electron is displaced. More luckily, this reaction is slow enough that there's room to set things right, if you can. And the story structure which falls out of this model is the story structure where that's exactly what happens. Our protagonist interferes with the normal course of history, with dire consequences... which he is eventually able to set right. Words I'd use to describe this formula: powerful; versatile; intuitive; widely-understood. So, all this essay really covers so far is the model that Back To The Future uses, and the specific conflict and story which rises up naturally out of this particular model: the A-plot. What else is there? Well, loads. The film is like a Swiss watch, even staying only on the time travel-based plot threads. There's the causal pseudo-loop whereby Marty invents skateboarding, which we can acknowledge and carefully set aside as fairly unremarkable. There's another loop involving Mayor Goldie Wilson, as already mentioned. There's another loop whereby Marty invents rock & roll music, and this is much more significant on a personal level because it signals a turning point in Marty's confidence about his own musical abilities. At the start of the film he's frightened that his demo tape will be rejected. He later meets his young father, who has similar creative neuroses, which set Marty's own fears into perspective. But then he gets up on stage and plays "Johnny B. Goode" - and the crowd goes wild for it. He does this without even thinking about it. It's "an oldie" - he already knows the song is going to be a hit. From one perspective it is simply another cheap little causal loop, but from another it's the moment when he realises that he can really can be - no, he is a rock star. There is, of course, the enormously significant B-plot: the storyline referred to in the title, whereby Marty is stranded in an unfamiliar past era with almost no hope of getting Back To The Future. This storyline is absolute dynamite all by itself, in its conception and execution, and in how it ties into the A-plot by giving Marty serious time pressure to get his parents together before the thunderstorm when he needs to leave. But that kind of story structure, of being stranded in time with no way to get "home", is not really unique to this modifiable-history model (and nor is the "Marty invents rock & roll" thread, come to that). You can tell a story like that in a fixed-history model quite easily. Hell, if you want to spend time examining the travails of an interesting, stranded protagonist, you can stick them on a desert island in the present day. You don't throw time travel into your storyline for no reason at all. You do it because there's a particular thing in the past or the future that you want to explore, and because you need the model to support that exploration. Here, it's the generational differences between the Fifties and the Eighties - or, as we discover, generational similarities. That's why I consider the Lorraine/George/Marty storyline to be the A-plot of this film. The final time travel-related plot thread is, I guess, the C-plot: Doc is gunned down by terrorists in the first act before Marty leaves 1985, and Marty wants to somehow rewrite that small piece of history in order to save him. This is a difficult problem, hovering in the background during most of the 1955 scenes. Marty is caught at the junction of two conflicting desires, one to set established history straight to put his future parents back together, and one to alter established history to save his friend. Even not knowing what truly happens to him in the future, Doc refuses to hear any kind of specific warning from Marty, saying that no one should know too much about their own future, and that the consequences could be disastrous. Doc's resistance is quite rational, because both of them have seen the possibility of erasure from history with their own eyes. The conflict arises because Marty knows full well that this is no worse than what actually happens, and the Doc has absolutely nothing to lose - and none of history beyond that point is known, so nothing can be lost from altering that one moment. (There are broader implications which the film ignores and which I think it's reasonable for us to ignore too. Specifically, there are numerous other significant historical events coming up between 1955 and 1985, which Doc can't possibly foresee. It would be rational if Doc was in fear of unwittingly disrupting one of these, thereby endangering the existence of many people other than himself. But I feel happy discarding this consideration because, as I mentioned above, the whole film is highly personal - Doc seems to have no family or friends beside Marty, so it's reasonable to pretend that Doc is the only person at risk from his own foreknowledge.) Of course Doc eventually decides he can trust his friend, and everything turns out fine. This storyline somewhat reinforces the stern warning from the A-plot, which is that "there's a way that history ought to be", while being the first thing in the film to hint that the way history ought to be isn't necessarily the way that it is. Later, Marty gets home, and finds that the new status quo is much better than it was when he left. And in the final scene, Doc returns from 2015 with nothing else on his mind but setting right an unspecified future gone bad. Except that the time machine is a dangerously powerful tool for the "righting of wrongs", as we'll soon see... Overall Back To The Future is a film whose core concept is that while the world alters radically from generation to generation, your parents are really not so different from you. The film selects and tailors a model of time travel to explore this concept, and then goes every conceivable extra mile - laying the whole concept out brilliantly for the viewers; harnessing the core model to drive all kinds of other stories, both dramatic and comedic; never wasting a single word of dialogue; driving iconic action sequences and somehow also finding time for a genuine emotional story with a lot of heart. I think the film may be diminishing in its effectiveness now that the eras of 1955 and 1985 have both become so alien compared to the present day. 1955 was always supposed to be a disconcerting change of pace. And the opening sequence of the film with Marty on his skateboard is almost prescient - it introduces us to the era of 1985 as if we were strangers to it, in almost exactly the same way that the film later introduces us to 1955... but even so. It doesn't matter, though, because the Delorean is forever. Have I mentioned the Delorean? Unquestionably the greatest, most iconic, coolest-looking time machine ever imagined? Oh my goodness, the Delorean.The Onion: Facebook "Is Truly A Dream Come True For The CIA" (Video) You did know that Facebook is a ‘massive online surveillance program run by the CIA,” right? And that Mark Zuckerberg is a CIA agent codenamed the Overlord? Just watch the Onion video above. It explains the whole thing. I especially like the Congressional “testimony” from the deputy CIA director: After years of secretly monitoring the public, we were astounded so many people
Conrad and Eleanor, I wanted to write about a long marriage and the balance of power between two equally matched partners. I wanted to explore the ways in which memories can shift in light of later events, and the ways in which love can turn to hate and back to love again. I was interested in giving equal space to both partners’ voices and I was keen to explore the fallout from reversed gender roles in a marriage where there are children. I chose “marriages” rather than “relationships” for this list because I am fascinated by the baggage that marriage carries. It is a template for living together and procreating that has been implanted in us by the Bible, by history, by literature, by custom. We still subscribe to the fairytale of it – all those white weddings – and give it tax breaks. It is not sexuality-specific; lesbians and gays subscribe to it as enthusiastically as heterosexuals. Most of us hunger for monogamy, even as we yearn for its opposite. And that’s the subject of these 10 books: how does a couple live together, over years, over decades? What does each understand of the other; what do they gain, what do they lose? What is a long marriage, and how on earth do people do it? In the parts that therapy and Relate cannot reach – in the body and the heart and the imagination, what is this ideal so many of us feel we must live? Surely only fiction can tell. 1. The Tree of Man by Patrick White (1956) Young Stan Parker clears a patch of Australian bush and builds a log house. Over time, he brings along bits of furniture and crockery on his horse and cart, and eventually he brings his new wife Amy. They are as innocent and isolated as Adam and Eve. Over time, people build on neighbouring plots. Children are born, the bush is ravaged by fire and a neighbour murders her brother. Stan and Amy both hope for revelation and meaning in their lives. The constant to-ing and fro-ing of their (often mistaken) understanding of one another is held steadily in focus. 2. The Rainbow by DH Lawrence (1915) A Nottinghamshire farmer falls in love with a Polish widow, and marries her. She already has a daughter, and they go on to have two more. The novel spans 30 years. Like Patrick White, Lawrence uses free indirect style to fully reveal his characters’ thoughts, but what is more extraordinary is how he manages to convey tectonic shifts of emotion, of distance and closeness, that neither character can articulate. 3. Rabbit, Run by John Updike (1960) I’m really recommending four books here. The three that follow are Rabbit Redux, Rabbit is Rich, and Rabbit at Rest, which together span the lives and lifelong marriage of Janice and Harry “Rabbit” Angstrom. For much of Rabbit, Run, Updike puts Harry centre stage and restricts the novel to his point of view, chronicling his edgy hunger for freedom and sex, his affair with buxom Ruth, his frustration with his job and his dozy alcoholic wife. So when the novel switches to Janice’s point of view – hurt, betrayed, drunk and utterly incapable of looking after a baby daughter – the effect is electrifying. Janice’s character gains strength as the novels progress, and this blackly comic version of marriage is as eye-opening and sexy and convincing as any I have read. 4. Middlemarch by George Eliot (1871-2) This great classic contains an impressive variety of long marriages, each finely drawn and in contrast to its fellows. There’s Lydgate, with his idealism and adoration of Rosamond’s beauty, who is brought up short against her simple selfishness; Dorothea, whose self-sacrificing devotion runs aground on the shallows of Casaubon’s self-importance; ruined Bulstrode with his loyal wife; practical Celia and generous Sir James, and sensible Mary Garth with feckless Fred Vincy. Eliot plays with the idea of marriage, the illusions that initiate it, the deceptions and self-deceptions that damage it, the humour and loyalty and selflessness that enable it to survive. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Self-importance and self-sacrifice Jamie Newall (Casaubon) and Georgina Strawson (Dorothea) in Dorothea’s Story from in The Middlemarch Trilogy at the Orange Tree Theatre in 2013. Photograph: Tristram Kenton for the Guardian 5. A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler (2015) Tyler often writes about marriage, and always writes true. The first 10 pages of this novel are almost entirely dialogue and reveal Abby and Red Whitshank brilliantly. They are arguing helplessly over how to handle a phone call from their son Denny announcing he is gay. Abby theorises that his getting a girl into trouble while he was still at school might have been a symptom of homosexuality. Red asks, “Come again?” “We can never know with absolute certainty what another person’s sex life is like.” “No, thank God.” Their love for one another is as comfortable and worn as the old slippers and colourless dressing gown each wears. 6. Ghana Must Go by Taiye Selasi (2013) This is not really about a long marriage, because Kweku abandons his family in the US after being pressurised into conducting surgery on a dying woman. He is unjustly blamed for her death and can’t bring himself to tell his wife. He vanishes. They move back to different destinations in west Africa and their children scatter; they never meet again. Yet they are always present in one another’s lives. A romantic, enduringly loving version of marriage, that is paradoxically (inevitably?) only sustained through absence. Top 10 books about middle age Read more 7. The Children Act by Ian McEwan (2014) McEwan very cleverly reveals just how much the turmoil in Fiona’s marriage is affecting her work as a high court judge. The economy and precision of the writing enable us to glimpse quite vividly her husband’s side of the story, and indeed the whole history of their 35-year-old marriage. 8. To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf (1927) One of the novel’s many strands, and the one that first fascinated me as a young feminist, is the way it contrasts the complexity of Mrs Ramsay’s married life with the single life of artist Lily Briscoe. The long marriage itself is not precisely the subject of Woolf’s great novel, but the question of what a marriage might give and what it might take away from a woman is a key component. 9. Things My Mother Never Told Me by Blake Morrison (2002) This is biography: the story of Morrison’s mother’s life, revealing all she gave up for her marriage (her Irish family background, her Catholicism, her work as a hospital doctor) and how she reinvented herself for a man whom many might call domineering and who went on to be unfaithful to her. And yet it was a long, solid marriage. Towards the end of it she told her son, “I’ve had a good life.” A fine exploration of the complexity and conundrums of marriage. 10. East Coker from Four Quartets by TS Eliot (1943) I will leave you with a poem. Eliot incorporates a quote from The Boke named the Governour, 1531, by his ancestor Sir Thomas Elyot, in a passage which beautifully encapsulates marriage as ritual and as nature: … if you do not come too close, On a summer midnight, you can hear the music Of the weak pipe and the little drum And see them dancing around the bonfire The association of man and woman In daunsinge, signifying matrimonie – A dignified and commodious sacrament. Two and two, necessarye coniunction, Holding eche other by the hand or the arm Which betokeneth concorde. Round and round the fire Leaping through the flames, or joined in circles … Keeping time, Keeping the rhythm in their dancing As in their living in the living seasons... The time of the coupling of man and woman And that of beasts. I’d be very interested to hear readers’ recommendations of other books on this topic. • Conrad and Eleanor by Jane Rogers is published by Atlantic, priced £12.99, and is available from the Guardian bookshop for £10.39.[Ottawa, ON] Having already pledged to resettle 25,000 Syrian refugees, the Canadian government of Justin Trudeau is moving ahead with plans to deal with an even larger refugee crisis – the influx of millions of United States citizens fleeing their country in horror now that Donald Trump is the President-Elect. “People may say ‘I’m moving to France if so-and-so is elected’, but the reality is that Canada is where they’ll be heading.” Tent cities are being constructed near border crossings such as the Peace Bridge in anticipation of the mass migration of millions of progressives seeking asylum. Some Canadians are objecting to letting any US refugees in, due to concerns that right wing extremists may be hidden among them. Others worry that the refugees will fail to assimilate properly, thereby gradually eroding the image Canada presents to the world. “We spent years nursing our reputation as extremely nice polite people, which these loudmouth refugees from south of the border would destroy overnight, eh.” Then there are the rumors flying around that there might not even been a Canada to flee to. According to a confidential source near the center of government, the prospect of a Canada with most of its population within 100 miles of a Trump-governed United States is unthinkable. “We’ve been having secret talks with the Prime Minister of Australia about the possibility of moving Canada to the sparsely occupied western side of their continent should the Americans propel that idiot to power – which in their wisdom they have.”The January issue of Shueisha's Bessatsu Margaret ( Betsuma ) magazine is announcing on Thursday that manga creator Io Sakisaka ( Strobe Edge, Ao Haru Ride ) is creating the original character designs for an anime film titled Haru. The "near-future romance" follows a girl named Kurumi who lost Haru, a boy she liked, in an accident. A robot "Robo Haru" turns into her substitute for Haru. Ryoutarou Makihara (storyboard and episode direction on Guilty Crown, The Tatami Galaxy ) is making his directorial debut with this film. Izumi Kizara (live-action Sexy Voice and Robo ) is writing the screenplay, which is not based on preexisting material. Art director Asami Kiyokawa ( Paradise Kiss ) collaborated on the key piece of visual art that Betsuma published in a fold-out poster. A manga adaptation will also run in Betsuma. The film will open on June 8, 2013. The official website will open at Hal -anime.com and the Twitter account will be @halanime. [Via Manga News] Image © 2013 Haru Production CommitteeThere are various implementations of in-place merge sort around the web, including my own, and various papers describing procedures for in-place merging. Then a few days ago, while researching Smoothsort, I stumbled upon a page titled Smoothsort Demystified which gives a nicely detailed explanation of the sorting algorithm. I haven’t seen such a tutorial for in-place merge sort. At best, I’ve only seen vague explanations or descriptions which use terminology that many people are unlikely to understand. Even Wikipedia only gives a couple details of in-place merging without any adequate explanation or demonstration. I figured, I know a technique for in-place merge sort and how to implement it, so I’ll take a stab at writing my own tutorial. Update 8/31/14: It seems that my initial understanding of “rotations” was naive at best. I plan to revise this post to describe three in-place merging techniques: insertion -> range swaps -> rotations. Also, thanks to BonzaiThePenguin, I’m now aware of an in-place stable sorting algorithm called Block sort (and another link) which runs in O(n log n) time. The algorithm seems highly complex and I haven’t had time to study it yet. Before reading any further, it is highly recommended that you already understand merge sort and preferably have even implemented it yourself. If not, there are more than enough resources online that will adequately teach you the merge sort algorithm, including several YouTube videos. It would be best to familiarize yourself with the algorithm before attempting to follow my tutorial. What do you mean by “in-place”? A standard merge sort requires you to allocate a buffer equal in length to the input being sorted. For example, if you wish to sort an array with 1000 elements, it is necessary to allocate an additional scratch array with 1000 elements as a space for merging elements before copying them back to the input array. This is why merge sort has O(n) space complexity. An in-place sorting algorithm doesn’t require allocating any additional memory for sorting. Several algorithms meet this requirement, including insertion sort and heap sort which have O(1) space complexity. However, in-place merge sort has O(log n) space complexity. This is because, like quick sort, it is a recursive function which requires pushing elements onto the stack. How does in-place merging affect the performance and complexity of merge sort? A naive implementation may be 2-3x slower than a standard merge sort. In-place merging only requires a minor increase in comparisons. The worst effect on performance occurs due to the significant increase in reads and writes (there is lots of swapping going on). I will explain a couple of optimizations towards the end which can significantly increase the performance of the algorithm. Is in-place merge sort stable? Yes! As long as it is implemented correctly, in-place merge sort will preserve the stability of merge sort. Why would I want to use an in-place merge sort? The truth is, you probably wouldn’t. The only reason I can fathom is if you’re working with embedded systems with very limited memory. In the vast majority of cases, merge sort or Timsort would be a better choice. Otherwise, this is merely for those who are interested or graduate students who need a topic for their thesis. Is this applicable to Timsort? Only partially. It is perfectly possible to implement an in-place natural merge sort. However, Timsort is an adaptive sort and has a galloping mode which can significantly reduce the number of comparisons on partially sorted data. If you were to implement an in-place Timsort, it would be impossible to implement galloping mode as well… at least using the technique I describe in this post. Rotations Before I move forward, I should define what is meant by rotations as they are used heavily in the merging process. Actually, rotations are used in a limited form here in a way that is functionally equivalent to std::swap_ranges in C++ (aka block swap). First, I’ll explain how rotations are used in the algorithm, then I’ll explain what rotations really are and why it’s still a proper usage of the term. For in-place merging, rotations are used to swap the elements in two adjacent sublists which are equal in length. As you will soon see, this technique is used to move a large number of elements at once. That is the basic operation of in-place merging. So what are rotations anyways? To rotate elements in a sublist means to shift the elements some number of places to right and elements at the end wrap around to the beginning (and vice versa). So if you have the list [1,2,3,4,5], shifting it one place to the right will give you [5,1,2,3,4]. The fact that the two ranges being swapped are adjacent is important in calling this operation a rotation. If the length of the sublist being rotated is an even number, then shifting the elements half that distance results in the same operation as swap_ranges above. In the following graphic, I shift the elements one place to the right three times, achieving the same result as before. That’s one way to look at rotations. The way that std::rotate in C++ is portrayed is different. Rather than shifting elements N places to the left or right, std::rotate rotates the elements on a pivot indicated by some middle element, such that the middle element becomes the new first element. Following that definition, if the middle element is M, then shifting the elements M places to the left achieves the same result. In-Place Merging Now that I’ve explained rotations in too much detail, I can explain how to use them for in-place merging. Let us define two sorted sublists, A and B, that we want to merge in-place. The trick is to swap the largest elements in A for the smallest elements in B. A linear search can find the range of elements to rotate. Start from the middle and extend outwards, until you find an element in A which is less than an element in B. Rotate the elements between these bounds. That’s the basic operation. However, something special happened. Of the two ranges, the smallest elements are in A and the largest elements are in B, albeit not in order. This means you can continue to merge A and B independently, so all you’re left with is two smaller merges. This also means that in-place merging is a recursive function in itself. By recursively applying rotations in this manner, eventually you’ll merge the two ranges. Let’s apply this process once more and see what happens: Just like that, the right-hand side is already sorted and the left-hand side is almost sorted. A couple more rotations on the left-hand side and the merge procedure would be complete. In essence, each rotation moves the elements that much closer to their final location. When the sublists are large, rotations can move thousands of elements at a time. But as the sublists become smaller and smaller, rotations become less efficient. When the sublists become small enough, there are a couple of techniques you could apply that would be more efficient than applying several more rotations. Binary Search In the previous section, I stated that a linear search can be used to find the range of elements to rotate. While that is fine for small sublists, it would be very impractical for large sublists with thousands or millions of elements. Using a linear search, it may be necessary to compare thousands of elements to find the bounds of the range to rotate. In general, a better approach is to use a binary search which is guaranteed to find the bounds within O(log n) comparisons. A binary search can be tricky to implement as it’s easy to get stuck in an infinite loop. However, the end result is worth it as it will find you the bounds much quicker and with far fewer comparisons. Start half-way from the center and move the search inwards or outwards, depending on the result of the comparison. It’s important to only compare elements which are equidistant from the center! Optimizing Using Insertions When the sublists become small enough, using insertions to move the last few elements into place would be more efficient than using rotations. However, how do you decide whether to use insertions or rotations? What I do is define a threshold for when to switch to insertion. A well optimized merge sort typically uses insertion sort to sort small sublists before merging anything. Similarly, a well optimized quick sort uses insertion sort once a partition is small enough. By referring to these as examples, I typically use insertion sort on sublists up to 32 elements in length. In a worst-case, this would imply (32+31+30+29+28+…) insertions. This can be calculated directly using the formula (n(n+1)/2). For 32 elements, this gives us a worst-case of 528 insertions. Now we need a formula to determine whether the number of insertions required to merge two lists is below this threshold. This is actually simple: just multiply the length of both lists. If one sublist has 10 elements and the other has 15 elements, this gives us a worst-case of (1015=150) insertions. Using a scratch array for merging By applying rotations, you effectively reduce two large sublists into several smaller sublists. When the sublists become small enough, a very effective optimization is to simply allocate a small buffer to merge the sublists in. This will allow you to greatly reduce the number of rotations and is far more efficient than using insertions. This can be further optimized as well. While most implementations of merge sort have O(n) space complexity, it is trivial to implement it such that it has O(n/2) space complexity and is generally a bit quicker as well. This is the same technique that Timsort uses to achieve O(n/2) worst-case space complexity. Begin by copying one of the sublists into the buffer. Then simply merge the elements in-place. Depending on which sublist is smaller, it may be necessary to merge the elements in reverse order. In the following graphic, the green cells represent a small buffer which is large enough to store a copy of the right sublist. This is a great technique to greatly reduce the space complexity while only being marginally slower, albeit technically it wouldn’t be an in-place merge sort anymore. This technique is also applicable to Timsort and allows you to retain some of the benefit of galloping mode. I have implemented my own variant of Timsort with O(n/1024) space complexity. Summary In this post, I have demonstrated a practical technique to merge two sublists in place. It has limited applicability in the real world, but is interesting none the less and is a topic of research that has been worthy of publication. When writing this tutorial, I did my best to explain things in simpler terms and to provide some intuition for why this technique works. I simply hope that it was easy to understand and that you learned something new from reading it. I’m looking for feedback on this article. Please feel free to post any questions or comments here or on Reddit. AdvertisementsIn September, Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) blasted the Obama administration and hawks in both parties for aiding the Syrian rebel groups opposed to President Assad. Said Paul, “The rebels have been all over the map… There’s said to be 1500 different groups. It is chaos over there. We will be sending arms into chaos.” Paul said, “It’s a mistake to arm them. Most of the arms we’ve given to the so-called moderate rebels have wound up in the hands of ISIS, because ISIS simply takes it from them, or it’s given to them, or we mistakenly actually give it to some of the radicals.” A year earlier, in May 2013, Foreign Policy reported (emphasis mine), “Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) blasted members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Tuesday, which voted overwhelmingly to arm elements of the Syrian opposition in a bill co-sponsored by Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN). “This is an important moment,” Paul said, addressing his Senate colleagues. “You will be funding, today, the allies of al Qaeda. It’s an irony you cannot overcome.” This month, the Daily Beast’s Jamie Dettmer reports, “Main U.S.-Backed Syrian Rebel Group Disbanding, Joining Islamists.” Writes Dettmer: The Syrian rebel group Harakat al-Hazm, one of the White House’s most trusted militias fighting President Bashar al-Assad, collapsed Sunday, with activists posting a statement online from frontline commanders saying they are disbanding their units and folding them into brigades aligned with a larger Islamist insurgent alliance distrusted by Washington. The statement bore Hazm’s stamp and logo, and according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a pro-opposition monitoring group, the brigade’s fighting units are disbanding. Emails and phone calls to Hazm’s political leaders were not returned. “Given what is happening on the Syrian front, offenses by the criminal regime with its cronies against Syria as a whole, and Aleppo specifically, and in an effort to stem the bloodshed of the fighters, the Hazm movement announces its dissolution,” the statement said… Dettmer added, “Hazm was frequently touted by Obama aides as one of the militias they could rely on—a brigade that could partner on train-and-equip.” International Business Times reported March 4: Islamist militants linked to al-Qaeda showed off advanced US weaponry they seized from a moderate Syrian rebel group that recently disbanded. The Nusra Front posted online images showing its fighters handling anti-tank BGM-71 TOW missiles Washington had supplied to one of its allied militias, Harakat Hazm. Here are photos from Twitter earlier this month of al-Qaeda affiliated al-Nusra members holding U.S. aid and weapons that were given to Syrian rebels. Criticizing Paul’s warnings against arming the Syrian rebels, Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) said in 2013, “I don’t think any member of this committee would vote for anything we thought was going to arm al Qaeda.” Disclosure: I co-authored Senator Rand Paul’s 2011 book The Tea Party Goes to Washington and served as his new media director.In anticipation of a December/January slowdown, I’m reposting some of my writing from 2010, for the benefit of new (and nostalgic!) readers. This piece originally appeared on the 20th June 2010. I’ve been chewing over various things about clothing and geek feminism since our recent posts about clothing and grooming (Kylie’s, Terri’s first, Terri’s second). I still think I can’t address it satisfactorily, but I thought I’d lay out various angles in which we might think of clothing and grooming in geek feminism. Notes: I refer to “geek women” a lot in this essay. All of these considerations apply to other people too in varying degrees, and sometimes more acutely. But given the nature of this blog I am focussing on geek women’s interests, and pressures on them. This is not intended to be a comprehensive list of factors that figure into geek women’s grooming: it’s meant to be long enough to demonstrate that a lot of us have to care about it. Undoubtedly it is a somewhat privileged list too. You are welcome to raise additions in comments. … Clothing as labour. The vast majority of the clothing the vast majority of people reading this wear is made in factories in the developing world, by people working in dangerous and exploitative positions. Grooming as make-work. Naomi Wolf, for one, made this argument in The Beauty Myth, that consuming women with endless grooming related chores and insecurities is a method of oppression. (I am barely read in feminist or cultural theory, undoubtedly hundreds of names could be listed here as having addressed aspects of this.) laughingrat raised this in our comments. Clothing and grooming as geek interest. Some geeks take a geek-style (intense, analytical, open-ended, consuming) interest in various aspects of clothing and grooming. As examples of how you might do this, there are a lot of knitting geeks; there are historical recreation geeks who make and wear period clothing using period technology; there are people who study the semiotics and sociology of fashion. Clothing as geek in-group marker and grooming as rejection of the mainstream. John writes in Terri’s comments that someone well-groomed in mainstream corporate style can be assumed to [be] trying to cover for a lack of competence in technical matters — or really want to be a suit. You often can’t, in this framing, be a geek and a suit both. You have to choose, and advertise this with your grooming. Within geekdom, clothing is sometimes a pretty unsubtle marker of your allegiances. What cons do you go to? What programming languages do you prefer? What comics do you read? You wear shirts that allow this to be determined on first acquaintance. (This isn’t unique to geekdom of course, see also fashion labels and band t-shirts.) Avoiding overtly female-marked grooming. Women in male-dominated workplaces often desperately want to avoid anything that might cause them to be (even more) othered because of their gender, especially since caring about grooming is frequently trivialised. This may need to be balanced by expectations in some groups these same women move in by choice or necessity in which interest in grooming is required. Grooming in order to own/celebrate your gender. This is important to many trans people. Conversely to the above about avoiding overt gender marking, quite a few geek women also choose to do this in order to point out that there are women RIGHT HERE in geekdom who can bring the geek. Grooming as a marker of striving to “fit in” generally. If you have unusual grooming, or grooming that is marked as “other” or of a lesser group, people with power over you will read this as likely to be trouble or not one of us. Conversely, dressing like those people, or like their other subordinates, signals will do what it takes to fit in, won’t make waves. Unusual grooming as marker of power. Alternatively, if you have power over other people, you can mark this by unusual grooming, or grooming usually disdained. Ingrid Jakobsen raised this in comments. Grooming as marker of a ‘healthy, competent’ woman. For women especially, being groomed and striving to meet beauty standards is considered an informal indicator of mental health. Being considered poorly groomed or lazy about grooming can invite assumptions about being depressed or similar. (This is especially othering of women who do have mental illnesses, who continually receive the message that they shouldn’t have them, mustn’t display them, and will be in big trouble if they do, all while they quite probably have less energy to deal with the whole mess.) And of course, a privileged woman might get annoying concerned questions, whereas a less privileged women might find, for example, that assumptions about her mental health play into questions about her ‘fitness’ have access to society, to care for her children and so on. Grooming for self-esteem. Partly due to internalisation of the above, many women in particular feel happier, more confident and more powerful when they’re “well groomed” by mainstream standards. Grooming which others female bodies. See the thing about conference t-shirts. Many don’t cater for curvy bodies. If they do, they often cater only for small curvy bodies. And they almost always assume a gender binary of curvy women who want curvy shirts, and square men who want square shirts. Sexualised grooming. Women are expected to present their bodies in such a way as to be conventionally attractive. Overly sexual grooming. At the same time as needing to be attractive, women are expected to present their bodies in such a way as not to be “asking for it”. (There is, of course, no middle-ground, see Rape Culture 101.) Grooming for fun. Geek women may enjoy applying shiny, bright, matching, creative or cherished clothes and decoration to their bodies. Grooming to get things done. Geek women may need to lift things, fit clothing to a prosthetic or mobility assistance device, run, avoid having a baby pull painfully at their hair, all kinds of stuff. … There are a great many intersectional things I have not addressed here, as a white, wealthy, abled cis-woman. A very very incomplete list would be: considerations about grooming to match your gender identity, considerations about grooming to satisfy people policing your gender identity, minimising grooming in order to preserve your spoons, grooming to honour and be part of your ethnic identity, grooming to meet beauty standards designed for white bodies and white faces, trying to find cheap clothes that won’t be judged in job interviews. This huge list is just a set of things you could possibly be trying to signal or adhere to or avoid with your grooming. Hopefully this illustrates some of the tensions for geek women: for example, they are called upon to dress in both the feminine, careful style that signals “healthy and competent” but also in the masculine-coded casual style coded as “knows what the hell she’s talking about when it comes to [say] science” and also in something that won’t get them hassled as being unattractive in the street but also not hassled as too attractive… I hope this has helped break down grooming and clothing as a geek feminist issue, or rather, massively multidimensional tightrope, a bit more. When women, and members of other marginalised and othered groups, consider their appearance, these are the kind of factors that go into it. Of course, in order to be accepted as geeks, we’re supposed to do all that and not care about clothes, right?America is worried about a lot of things these days, from the economy to the environment, to the debt ceiling and health care, but we should be worried about the biggest threat to the nation since the Japanese invaded Pearl Harbor. I’m not talking about terrorism, or disease, or even your run of the mill Republican. I’m talking about Rick Perry and his gang of followers who would force all of us to worship a mythological deity and force its teachings to our everyday life and transform our government into a theocracy. In the State of Texas, strange at the best of times, there is beginning a movement designed to place God in government. Here is the scary story from the Texas Observer: On this day, the Lord’s messengers arrived in the form of two Texas pastors, Tom Schlueter of Arlington and Bob Long of San Marcos, who called on Perry in the governor’s office inside the state Capitol. Schlueter and Long both oversee small congregations, but they are more than just pastors. They consider themselves modern-day apostles and prophets, blessed with the same gifts as Old Testament prophets or New Testament apostles. The pastors told Perry of God’s grand plan for Texas. A chain of powerful prophecies had proclaimed that Texas was “The Prophet State,” anointed by God to lead the United States into revival and Godly government. And the governor would have a special role. The day before the meeting, Schlueter had received a prophetic message from Chuck Pierce, an influential prophet from Denton, Texas. God had apparently commanded Schlueter—through Pierce—to “pray by lifting the hand of the one I show you that is in the place of civil rule.” Gov. Perry, it seemed. Schlueter had prayed before his congregation: “Lord Jesus I bring to you today Gov. Perry. … I am just bringing you his hand and I pray Lord that he will grasp “ahold” of it. For if he does you will use him mightily.” And grasp ahold the governor did. At the end of their meeting, Perry asked the two pastors to pray over him. As the pastors would later recount, the Lord spoke prophetically as Schlueter laid his hands on Perry, their heads bowed before a painting of the Battle of the Alamo. Schlueter “declared over [Perry] that there was a leadership role beyond Texas and that Texas had a role beyond what people understand,” Long later told his congregation. So you have to wonder: Is Rick Perry God’s man for president? Schlueter, Long and other prayer warriors in a little-known but increasingly influential movement at the periphery of American Christianity seem to think so. The movement is called the New Apostolic Reformation. Believers fashion themselves modern-day prophets and apostles. They have taken Pentecostalism, with its emphasis on ecstatic worship and the supernatural, and given it an adrenaline shot. The movement’s top prophets and apostles believe they have a direct line to God. Through them, they say, He communicates specific instructions and warnings. When mankind fails to heed the prophecies, the results can be catastrophic: earthquakes in Japan, terrorist attacks in New York, and economic collapse. On the other hand, they believe their God-given decrees have ended mad cow disease in Germany and produced rain in drought-stricken Texas. Their beliefs can tend toward the bizarre. Some consider Freemasonry a “demonic stronghold” tantamount to witchcraft. The Democratic Party, one prominent member believes, is controlled by Jezebel and three lesser demons. Some prophets even claim to have seen demons at public meetings. They’ve taken biblical literalism to an extreme. In Texas, they engage in elaborate ceremonies involving branding irons, plumb lines and stakes inscribed with biblical passages driven into the earth of every Texas county. If they simply professed unusual beliefs, movement leaders wouldn’t be remarkable. But what makes the New Apostolic Reformation movement so potent is its growing fascination with infiltrating politics and government. The new prophets and apostles believe Christians—certain Christians—are destined to not just take “dominion” over government, but stealthily climb to the commanding heights of what they term the “Seven Mountains” of society, including the media and the arts and entertainment world. They believe they’re intended to lord over it all. As a first step, they’re leading an “army of God” to commandeer civilian government. In Rick Perry, they may have found their vessel. And the interest appears to be mutual.STIMS We hear you. STIMS (the FIRST team information management system) can be frustrating to use. I attended a meeting last week here at FIRST HQ that had the right people in attendance to make improvements. The meeting included folks that deal directly with our customers and are hearing firsthand what the challenges are. Many in the meeting had also reviewed the recent posts on the Chief Delphi forums discussing these issues. We have a path forward for short-term improvements. Some are easy to implement, others will take more time, but you will gradually be seeing steps over the next several weeks in the right direction. We are determined to make things better! Steampunk Get your Steampunk on tonight, as our friends at First Updates Now (FUN) host Hananiah Wilson, creator of the Steampunk Style Guide that was included in DLC Pack 2! Check it out here starting at 8:30PM Eastern Time. FrankFor his father and the 40th President of the United States, see Ronald Reagan For other people named Ron Reagan, see Ron Reagan (disambiguation) Ronald Prescott Reagan (born May 20, 1958) is an American former radio host and political analyst for KIRO radio and later, Air America Radio, where he hosted his own daily three-hour show. He is a commentator and contributor to programming on the MSNBC cable news and commentary network. His liberal views contrast those of his late father, Republican United States President Ronald Reagan. Early life [ edit ] Reagan was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, the son of Ronald Reagan and his second wife, Nancy Davis Reagan. The family lived in Sacramento while his father was governor, from 1967 to 1975.[1] His sister, Patti Davis, is five and a half years older. His elder brother Michael Reagan, adopted as an infant by Ronald Reagan and his first wife Jane Wyman, is 13 years older. He also had two half-sisters born to Reagan and Wyman, Maureen Reagan (1941–2001) and Christine Reagan, who was born prematurely, on June 26, 1947
off as he discovered the fun of drinking with other students in the pub and playing pool. Incompetence detected It was Love’s skill at computers that brought him into conflict with the college’s head of computing. Bored with the limitations of Microsoft Windows, one day Love decided to install Cygwin, a software tool that would allow him to write programs using the Unix operating system. When he came in the next day, Cygwin had disappeared. “I had spent time downloading and building all these tools so I could do real computer science instead of the silly stuff they were trying to teach me. So I thought, ‘Well, I’ll just deal with this – next time somebody comes into my folder to delete my files that I’ve carefully amassed, they’ll have a little surprise’,” he says. Love wrote a Java program that repeated the message, “Incompetence detected, please insert new administrator” if anyone tried to tamper with his files. It may have been a harmless prank, but for the college’s head of computer studies, it seemed more like a denial of service attack. “I was called into the office and kicked off the course,” says Love. The college gave him an ultimatum – either attend every class until the end of the year, or be kicked out for good. “Neither of which seemed particularly enthralling. I made a third option, that I would drop out and come back the next year and start afresh,” he says. Love took a job in a turkey factory, slicing meat as it came by on a conveyor belt. For the 16-year-old student, earning £250 for a week’s work – more than he knew how to spend – was a formative experience. It helped him grow up, he says. When he returned to college, Love applied himself with a new maturity and became a student governor and president of the students’ union. Learning how to blow up tanks Love had an understanding with his mother that he would complete his national service in Finland after his education. At the age of eight, the idea had seemed fun, but as the 20-year old made his way to Stansted Airport in July 2004, he began to have second thoughts. “I got scared about it. I didn’t want to go. I was worried my Finnish wasn’t great because I hadn’t been there on holiday even for a few years. I didn’t like the idea particularly of shooting people with guns,” he says. Love learned how to erect rickety iron-framed tents left over from the Second World War, how to dig up landmines on the Finnish-Russian border, and a variety of ways of blowing up tanks. In his own words: video interview with Lauri Love Watch our exclusive video interview with Lauri Love and hear him tell his story in his own words. He found the experience depressing and he became increasingly anxious that he could no longer support a close friend in the UK who was struggling with anorexia and bulimia. “I was very worried about her, and I didn’t feel that I could do what I thought was necessary to safeguard her health from Finland, so that started to weigh on me,” he says. Three-and-a-half months into his six-month stint in the army, he returned to the UK. Love, aged 21, enrolled in Nottingham University, to study computer science in 2005. But it was not a success. He suffered a bout of depression and glandular fever. He was unable to leave his room and “essentially became a hermit”, returning home after three months. There he faced the stark choice of continuing his military service or facing two-and-a-half months in jail in Finland for being absent without leave. Instead, he found a third way – registering as a conscientious objector. Lord of the fruit flies The Finnish government allowed him to complete the rest of his service in a genetics laboratory. The job involved killing millions of “poor fruit flies” in the name of science. “They had a good life. I made them food and they probably lived longer than they would in the wild because we were studying age-related diseases, so most of them lived to 100 days. And they had lots of sex. Then we’d knock them out with carbon dioxide, mash them up and look at their genes,” he says. He got on well with his supervisor, a “lovely PhD student”, and when his voluntary term ended, the lab offered Love a paid job. He stayed for another six months before returning home to Scotland. Love resumed his university career at Glasgow as a mature student in 2008, aged 27, reading physics and computer science. He took to “lecture hopping” to balance out his science-focused curriculum with arts courses. “I used to go along to those when all the maths was getting a bit too much, and look at pretty pictures and pretty girls looking at pretty pictures, think about literature and go to the literature society and do poetry,” he says. Love becomes interested in activism It was at Glasgow that Love first developed his interest in activism. In his first year, he went on an anti-fascist march, and in 2011, Love found himself deeply involved in the student occupation of Glasgow University’s Heatherington Research Club. The occupation, which lasted for seven months and led to what many thought was a heavy-handed police raid, was one of the longest-running student demonstrations of that period, attracting widespread media attention. “Maybe because of the Asperger’s, I tend to dive into things fully and it was fantastic. It was like, here’s a free space and anyone can come along and do a talk or put on a film and we’ll cook food for free from donations, we’ll recover waste food and offer tea and coffee,” he says. For Love, the protest made complete sense. He felt a sense of injustice that the university had closed a unique social club for post-graduates and lecturers, and that people were losing their jobs because of university cutbacks. Later, Love became heavily involved in the Occupy Glasgow movement, taking up residence in a tent in the centre of Glasgow. Lauri Love with his parents “It seemed important to get involved. I thought I could bring the experience from occupying at the university to make Occupy Glasgow more effective and successful,” he says. He talks of the injustice of families being forced out of their homes in preparation for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in the city, Glasgow City Council’s closure of a day centre for people with learning difficulties to make way for a car park, and other injustices. The protest ended badly for Love, who fell into another serious depression and had to be rescued by his parents. “My mum and dad extracted me and took me home. I’ve not been back to Glasgow since. I can’t now, because I’m not allowed to leave the country, and the country – in legal terms – is England and Wales,” he says. The online activist Still depressed, and effectively stuck at home at his parents’ house in rural Suffolk, Love turned to the internet to continue his political activism. “Through a computer you can raise awareness, promote causes and help with educational missions and, sometimes, people engage in electronic civil disobedience,” he says. It was around this time that hacktivist groups such as Anonymous began making waves. The group sprang from a discussion and image posting group called 4Chan. It started off with pranks on the internet but soon found itself fighting battles against the Church of Scientology, and other more political targets. Love took a keen interest in the activities of Chelsea Manning and Edward Snowden, but it was the tragic death of Aaron Swartz that had a profound affect on him. Lauri Love on video Lauri Love speaks after final arguments in extradition hearing. Love pays tribute to Gary McKinnon. Police raid the Heatherington Club Occupation. Lauri Love gives a speech at the end of the student occupation. Lauri Love protesting at The Cloisters, Glasgow University. Swartz, a brilliant computer specialist, helped design part of the internet when he was 14, developed RSS newsfeeds and was a creative force behind the social news site Reddit. He was arrested in January 2011 after using a computer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to automatically download academic journals from the JSTOR digital library. Supporters protested that the act was harmless, and JSTOR and MIT decided not to prosecute. Nevertheless, Swartz was indicted with 11 counts under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFFA), and two counts of wire fraud, with a maximum penalty of 35 years in prison and $1m in fines. The stress led Swartz to take his life in January 2013. “His death was totemic; it was symbolic. It was the death of the dream of an idealistic, optimistic internet that could be free and open. It was perceived by people as a personal attack on all of the things that they stood for,” says Love. Barrett Brown raided A few months before his arrest, Love found himself online, watching a live feed of the FBI raiding the home of journalist, activist and one-time member of the political hacking group Anonymous, Barrett Brown. The young writer had been something of an irritant to the US establishment, initially through his involvement with Anonymous, and later as founder of Project PM, a crowd-funded organisation dedicated to investigating abuses by companies specialising in surveillance, often under contracts with the US government. “I was on webcam at the time. There was the FBI and guns and ‘drop to the floor’ and a lot of shouting and manhandling. Compared with that, [my arrest] was a very civilised affair in the UK,” says Love. Nine months later, in December 2012, the FBI charged Brown with multiple counts of identity theft and credit card fraud, essentially on the basis that he had copied a link to hacked client and credit card details from the security company Stratfor, from one internet chat site to another. Brown was later sentenced to 63 months in jail and fines of $890,000, in what his supporters argue was clearly a politically motivated case. Love interviewed by the NCA When Love was arrested in October 2013, the experience was traumatic, but at least there were no guns. The next day, Steve Brown, an officer and operations manager with the National Crime Agency (NCA), interviewed Love under caution at the Norfolk and Suffolk joint custody centre in Bury St Edmunds. Brown quizzed Love about a series of alleged hacks on computer networks in the US and Love declined to answer, on legal advice. “I could tell that they had been given a list of questions by the FBI or the Department of Justice,” says Love. “There were maybe eight questions and they repeated them for all 12 networks. It was a pantomime because they knew I wasn’t going to answer the questions.” The NCA released Love on bail without pressing any charges. Love’s parents agreed to pay bail fees, which they raised by selling their camper van. “They asked for my passport, so my mum had to bring my passport in, which doesn’t normally happen when you’re arrested, especially when you’re not charged with any crime,” says Love. At one point, the NCA attempted to impose a ban on Love accessing the internet as part of the bail conditions, until the custody sergeant intervened. “Well, you’re not charging him with any crimes. I’ve looked at his record, he hasn’t committed any crimes in the past – certainly not computer crimes. You can’t restrict someone’s liberty to that extent unless you’ve got a valid reason for it,” Love recalls him saying. Later, Love’s lawyer confirmed he could use the internet, providing he did not use anonymous internet services such as The Onion Router (TOR) or virtual private network (VPN) services. Charged in the US Love was arrested again on 15 July 2015, this time by the Metropolitan Police extradition unit, before being released on bail after a short hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court. He learned that he had been charged with hacking offences in the US from a BBC Radio 4 news bulletin. “I hadn’t been charged by the UK police. I thought the BBC had screwed up and I was ready to call them to say, ‘I don’t remember being charged, where did you get that information from?’,” he says. US prosecutors had filed indictments claiming that Love was part of a sophisticated network of criminals involved in a protest by the hacktivist group Anonymous against the treatment of Aaron Swartz, code-named #Oplastresort. Charges filed in three US states claimed that Love worked with accomplices to infiltrate a wide range of US government computers and steal personal information and credit card details of government employees. The group was accused of exploiting a known vulnerability in Adobe’s Cold Fusion software to break into US government servers between 2012 and 2013. The indictments accuse Love of uploading “shells” or “backdoors” into vulnerable servers and using them to gain administrator rights, which allowed the group to download “massive amounts” of sensitive information. The allegations rely heavily on records of discussions between the alleged hackers in internet relay chat (IRC) rooms. US prosecutors said Love used a variety of nicknames, including “nsh”, “route”, “peace”, “shift” and “Smedley Butler”, to discuss the attacks with accomplices. On one occasion, Love is alleged to have written: “You have no idea how much we can f*ck with the US government if we want to … this stuff is really sensitive, it’s basically every piece of information you need to do full identity theft on any employee or contractor.” US refuses to take Love’s phone calls The lack of any human involvement in the extradition process bothered Love deeply. He wanted to talk to someone about the charges levelled against him in the US. Ever resourceful, Love found the phone number of one of his US prosecutors and decided to call him. Love told the prosecutor: “You keep publishing these indictments against me. I’d rather that you didn’t, because there’s an ongoing investigation in the UK and we have our own court system. “You writing, effectively, fan fiction about me isn’t going to help me get a job, and it’s distressing to have factually incorrect assertions made about me that I’m not able to contest.” Love also wanted to know whether the US would temporarily suspend the extradition request to allow him to attend the Chaos Communications Camp in Berlin, one of Europe’s largest gatherings of hackers and computer experts. “I won’t disappear anywhere,” Love told him. “It’s just kind of ruined my summer plans, and it’s not going to benefit anyone.” The prosecutor sounded genuinely panicked, says Love, telling Love repeatedly: “I can’t talk to you unless there’s an attorney present.” “I felt genuinely sorry for him and I haven’t pestered them since,” says Love. Love finds calling as security consultant Love, as far as he can, is trying to lead a normal life. He has completed the first year of his electrical engineering degree at the University of Suffolk and is helping to teach younger students. He comes across as highly articulate and gifted, although he says he has “obsessional tendencies”. One obsession is his battery-operated amplifier and DJ equipment, which he takes with him everywhere, pushing it around on a porter’s trolley. He had to transfer the equipment to a pushchair to get it through court security during his extradition hearings. Love with his sound system equipment He is putting his computer skills to good use at an organisation called Hacker House, which brings former hackers and activists together to work with law enforcement and businesses to improve computer security. Security research is perfect for people who have Asperger’s, says Love. “It is just being a scientist boiled down to its pure essence, in that there is a hypothesis, there is a system that acts deterministically, you can run experiments and, if you pick the right experiment, you can prove a theorem,” he says. He applied for summer school at GCHQ for computer students, and – remarkably – was invited to an interview. Love says: “I had a chat with them and they liked the way I thought. I said, ‘You know, I do have a few qualms about what you guys do, but if all of the people with qualms don’t go along and get involved, I imagine things will get worse.’ “I didn’t get the place, and I don’t know if it’s because they eventually searched my name and decided, ‘That’s a hot potato we don’t want to touch’. Or maybe I didn’t pass muster.” Love uses origami as a way of dealing with stress. As he sat listening to witnesses during court hearings, Love would construct elaborate paper models of complex geometric shapes, and life-like red roses (see image at top of page) which he handed out to a few of his supporters. Love with his supporters outside of Westminster Magistrates’ Court “I have a preternatural capacity to assimilate large amounts of information and systematise information from a variety of sources. I don’t get on with arbitrariness or authority that does not stand on its own rational values,” he says. Love is guardedly optimistic that he will ultimately be allowed to stand trial in the UK and that he will be able to continue to make a positive contribution to society. “At the moment I work in information security, I help make the internet more secure. I fix things, and some of the things I fix are US government information systems. I could continue to do that if I’m a free person,” he says. “Or I could languish in a cell, not get the treatment and provisions I need for my mental health, potentially die tragically, or at the very best emerge from it several decades later, broken and so far behind the technological curve that I can no longer contribute to society at all.” US is playing politics over Lauri Love extradition, claims US attorney Tor Ekeland, Love’s US attorney, believes that the US charges filed against his client, like those against Aaron Swartz and Barrett Brown, are politically motivated. Based in New York City, he is one of the leading experts in the US Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and has represented hackers, activists and journalists who have battled with law enforcement. They include Matthew Keys, a journalist who was sentenced to two years in prison for providing a member of Anonymous with credentials to the Los Angeles Times website. The case was widely seen as an example of prosecutorial over-reach for an attack that caused little real damage – the temporary alteration of a headline on one LA Times story – and was quickly rectified. Ekeland’s first case was defending hacker Andrew Auernheimer, known as “weev”, who was prosecuted after discovering the US phone company AT&T had left the email addresses of more than 100,000 iPad owners publicly available. Ekeland believes that the US’s desire to extradite Love, and its harsh treatment of hackers generally, is rooted in what he calls a “pathological” obsession by the US to control information. “That’s why you have these intense and severe hacker prosecutions with penalties far greater than you see anywhere else in the world,” he says. The fact that the FBI once admitted to Ekeland that agents were reading his legally privileged communications with his clients is, perhaps, just one indication of that. Love with his US attorney Tor Ekeland Love and his co-conspirators are accused of using a security vulnerability that had been well known in security circles for at least six months. One researcher even published a list of all government departments that had the vulnerability in their computer systems, and it received views from more than 29,000 people, says Ekeland. That is just embarrassing for the US, he says. “The government should have fixed their systems before any of this happened. If all these people knew about this, how does [the US government] know that they weren’t hacked multiple times by state actors such as China, Russia and eastern European criminal gangs?” Ekeland has yet to see any evidence from US prosecutors, but he claims the allegations in the indictments, largely based on records of IRC chatrooms, are “hearsay”. “It’s easy to pull a comment out of context, stick it in the indictment and make it look like some sort of nefarious, evil thing is going on, even though someone is bragging about something they’re never going to do,” he says. There is no suggestion that any of the information in Love’s case was used fraudulently or for personal gain, says Ekeland. “There is not an allegation that a penny in fraudulent credit card charges happened,” he says. Ekeland says the figures in the indictments showing the costs for government departments to repair their IT systems are “super inflated”. “It’s the kind of hyperbolic loss number I see all the time, [mostly] as an activity to save face,” he adds.The Citizen has invited the official candidates for the leadership of the federal NDP to explain briefly why they are running. Today: Guy Caron, MP for Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques: When you’re worried about putting food on the table, it’s hard to think about anything else. Planning for a better future for your family is next to impossible when you’re focused on making rent. That’s why I believe it’s time to introduce a basic income for all Canadians: to ensure that everyone is able enjoy a standard of living worthy of our great country. A basic income policy is not only the right thing to do, it will also save us money. Less poverty means less stress on health care and public safety authorities. The evidence on this is clear. When people aren’t fighting to simply scrape by, they thrive. Despite what we’ve been led to believe, poverty and inequality are not inevitable. I’m a progressive economist; I studied economics because I was convinced that progressive people cannot simply cede this crucially important ground to conservative Bay Street and international financiers. Economics is about numbers; it’s also about people. I have always believed that politics are about choices. When I look at the choices the Justin Trudeau government is making, I believe we can and must do much better. Mr. Trudeau promised real change, but the truth is that Canadians are so far reaping little more than small change. The choices made by decades of Liberal and Conservative governments have locked us into a race to the bottom with respect to jobs and wages, environmental standards and real economic growth. Looking to the same old-line parties will never lead us to a different outcome. For the first time, we’re facing a future in which our children will have a lower standard of living than that of their parents. Progressives have a duty to respond to this new reality with a bold and credible plan to transform an economic system that leaves so many Canadians behind. We can choose to meet our challenges with optimism and readiness. We can be bold and ambitious, and position Canada strategically to enjoy growth and prosperity for generations to come. We don’t have to respond to the future with fear. A basic income is good public policy, since investing in Canadians gives them the tools to participate fully in society, access better opportunities, and achieve financial independence. It will not only reduce costs for the government in the long run, but also result in greater economic growth and productivity, helping many Canadians to achieve their full potential. As one of the world’s wealthiest democracies, we have the means to tackle this challenge in a meaningful way. Over the course of the NDP leadership campaign, I will be proposing a detailed plan to get the economy working the way it should: for you. Big business has had its hands on the levers of power for too long. I believe I possess the right combination of skills, experience and vision to lead us to a cleaner, more just and more prosperous country, and I look forward to sharing my fully costed plan with all of you in the months to come. You can read a column by NDP leadership contender Peter Julian here.culture Urban Planner: What’s On In Toronto, May 31–June 6 Returning clowns, swashbucklers, and sketch performers; pizza in the park and music at the fort; wrestling, dinosaurs, and true crime; a memorial for WWII soldiers, and one for a young cyclist. Wednesday, May 31 With Honest Ed’s coming down in stages this year, The Toronto Fringe Festival, which for years now has called the alleyway and parking lot behind the labyrinthine discount store its HQ, is on the move. Tonight, they’re showcasing their new summer location, behind the Scadding Court Community Centre at Dundas and Bathurst, with a Fringe preview and launch party, with BBQ and treats from select Market 707 vendors, some preview performances, a few noteworthy guests (including Councillor Joe Cressy and Fringe executive director Kelly Straughan) and hosts (and perennial festival favourites) Morro and Jasp (a.k.a. Amy Lee and Heather Marie Ennis). Wednesday, May 31, Agincourt Community Centre (707 Dundas Street West), 6 p.m.–8 p.m., FREE. After the evening Fringe party, busy clown sisters Morro and Jasp head down Bathurst Street to host the Toronto Festival of Clowns‘ own preview, a cabaret showcasing some of the acts taking part in the five-day festival, running until Sunday, including past Fringe hit My Big Fat German Puppet Show, Russian clown Blini (No Elephant Show), and Chloe Payne’s Fake Nerd Girl. The cabaret kicks off at 9:30 p.m.; shows continue daily, with additional cabarets on Friday and Saturday. To June 4, Factory Theatre (125 Bathurst Street), various times, $16.50 (five-show pass $66, 10-show pass $115.50). Thursday, June 1 After a successful series of fundraising events last summer for the David Suzuki Foundation, Pizza In The Park returns again this summer, with chefs from Pizza Libretto cooking their renowned pies in the Christie Pits wood burning oven. The oven can only cook three pizzas at a time, so to offset demand, they’ll also be serving treats from Banjara, the popular Indian restaurant that borders the park on the southwest side. Thursday, June 1, Christie Pits Park (750 Bloor Street West), 6 p.m.–8 p.m., all proceeds to the David Suzuki Foundation. It’s been years since local all-female sketch troupe The GTOs performed, but the women, all now in their 40s, have decided to return to the stage with new (and now “classic”) material. Subtitled Overkill The People, the show will also welcome veteran comedy guests Laurie Elliott, Boyd Banks, and host Dawn Whitwell. Thursday, June 1, The Rivoli (332 Queen Street West), doors at 8 p.m., show at 8:30 p.m., $12 in advance, $15 at the door. We in Toronto haven’t had to wait years between Sex T-Rex shows, thank goodness; the troupe performs regularly up at Bad Dog Theatre. But it has been a few years since they toured out west, which they plan to do this summer, and to prepare, they’re staging a one-night-only remount of their hit show Swordplay: A Play Of Swords, in a late-night slot at Second City Toronto. The eight-bit arcade and Princess Bride—inspired swashbuckling adventure won “Best Comedy” awards at Just For Laughs and the Atlantic Fringe Festival last year (and raves from us last time it was performed in Toronto). Thursday, June 1, Second City (55 Blue Jays Way), 10:30 p.m., $15. Friday, June 2 This month’s edition of Friday Night Live at the Royal Ontario Museum focuses on a perennially popular exhibit with people of all ages: those big ol’ dinosaur bones. FNLROM: DinoNite will feature funk from Yasgurs Farm, Victoria Arbour introducing the ROM’s newest dinosaur, Zuul, and a series of Prehistoric Spelling Bees. Friday, June 2, Royal Ontario Museum (100 Queens Park), 7 p.m., $13–$17. The members of Panacea have been busy doing lots of sketch in the two years since we last profiled them—but much of it hasn’t been under their troupe’s name. Three of the foursome are now regular cast members of The Sketchersons, writing and performing weekly in Sunday Night Live; Nicky Nasrallah sings with Songbuster: The Improvised Musical; and Allana Reoch has also been busy on Second City stages. But Panacea is back with a new (and, once again, profane) show, Be A Star or Get The F&^% OUT, which has a three-night stand this week at Bad Dog Theatre; directed by TTCA winner Carly Heffernan, it casts the four as cutthroat competitors looking to stand out in a “high stakes” revue. June 1–3, Bad Dog Theatre (875 Bloor Street West), 9:30 p.m., $10. Saturday, June 3 The Advocacy for Respect for Cyclists group never wants to have to organize another ghost bike ride, where a bicycle, painted white, is transported by cargo bike in a quiet processional ride to the location of Toronto’s latest cycling victim, and chained as close as the accident location as safely possible. But they clearly feel it’s necessary to draw attention to the shamefully slow progress on the City’s own VisionZero campaign for safe streets. Today’s ride is for the unnamed five-year-old who was killed when he spilled onto Lake Shore from a bike path that lacked any separation with busy Lake Shore Boulevard; Mayor John Tory has already announced that the City will review safety infrastructure along the entire trail system; news footage of scores of silent riders may help keep that commitment at the forefront of City Hall discussion. Saturday, June 3, Matt Cohen Park (393 Bloor Street West), 10 a.m.–noon, FREE. On to happier all ages programming; the Dundas West Festival will close that street to vehicular traffic for the day today from Ossington to Lansdowne and feature street vendors, entertainers (including a concert stage headlined by DIANA), and much more. Saturday, June 3, Dundas Street West from Lansdowne to Ossington, 11 a.m.–11 p.m., FREE. It’s not free, but if you’re willing to shell out, the all-ages-friendly Field Trip music festival features a sensational line-up of music acts from Toronto and far beyond, including a newly resurgent Broken Social Scene, Phoenix, and A Tribe Called Red. In addition to the music stages, there’s also a wide assortment of local food vendors, and a comedy stage with headliners DeAnne Smith and K. Trevor Wilson (Letterkenny). June 3–4, Fort York Garrison Commons (250 Fort York Boulevard), 2 p.m.–11 p.m., $80–$200. This weekend also features the final performances of the Musical Stage Company’s “indie rock” musical adaptation of Onegin, the story by Russian poet Alexander Pushkin, which is already a full opera and ballet. The show starts off with a rousing festive number by the ensemble, and features some audience interaction, strongly reminding us of the last show by the company in that space, the award-winning The Wild Party, which also starred the charismatic Daren A. Herbert. But the dour subject matter—a duel between friends over a meaningless insult, and meditations on life and death—start to drag on the show, despite the best efforts of adapters Veda Hille and Amiel Gladstone. It’s a fine show, with a particularly captivating performance by Hailey Gillis as the initially naive Tatyana, some fun anachronistic touches like Hebert’s mic drop to end his character’s introductory number, and it invites comparison to current Broadway hit Hamilton. But the story felt oddly slight, especially in the second act, despite a two-hour running time. To June 4, Berkeley Street Theatre (26 Berkeley Street), Wednesday/Thursday/Saturday, 8 p.m.; Friday/Sunday, 7 p.m.; Wednesday/Sunday, 2 p.m., $35–$59. Another veteran comedy act returning this week, The Doo Wops (John Catucci and David Mesiano), haven’t performed their musical comedy act in Toronto for a long while, and local fans have clearly missed them. Their early show sold out, prompting an added 9 p.m. slot. Both shows tonight feature supporting acts Laurie Elliott and Rhiannon Archer. Saturday, June 3, Comedy Bar (945 Bloor Street West), 7 and 9 p.m., $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Sunday, June 4 Local pro wrestling returns to the core with Hogtown Superslam 5, a showcase of local wrestling talent vying for the title of “Television Champion.” The event will be recorded for Rogers TV’s sixth season of Toronto wrestling. Undercard fights include Rage vs. The Golem and Goliath Ayala vs. The Masked Quicksilver; the title bout will feature Buck Gunderson vs. The Hacker for the openweight title. Sunday June 4, Lee’s Palace (529 Bloor Street West), 5 p.m.–9 p.m., $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Exclaim Comedy‘s Julianna Romanyk steps into producing with A Killer Show, asking some of her favourite local comics to tell stories and riff on their favourite true crime fascinations. The bill is, well, killer, with acts like Mark Little, Nour Hadidi, and host Nigel Grinstead. Sunday, June 4, Comedy Bar (945 Bloor Street West), 8 p.m., $5 in advance, $7 at the door. Monday, June 5 Storefront Arts Initiative may currently be without a full-sized performance space, but their studio is large enough to accommodate The Indie 6ix Playwrights Festival. Nightly this week, new plays by writers, including Marcia Johnson, Gord Rand, and Natalie Frijia, will be read by Storefront-associated actors directed by pros like Tom McGee and Tanya Rintoul. As the space is fairly small, advance tickets are suggested. June 5-10, Storefront Studios (296 Brunswick Avenue), 8 p.m., $10 in advance, PWYC at the door. Starting tonight and running every second night for a total of three performances, The Adventures of Tom Shadow is a new comedic play directed by Elphant Empire’s Peter Stevens and written by members of the cast, including Mark Little, Natalie Metcalfe, and Christian Smith, whose duo, Soul Decision, with fellow cast member Kevin Vidal was just announced as one of the featured acts at JFL42 this fall. The plot promises magical adventures, undercut by a dark current of intrusive reality; the play also features music by Flo & Joan’s Nicola Dempsey. June 5, 7, and 9, Bad Dog Theatre (875 Bloor Street West), 8 p.m., $12. Tuesday, June 6 Today marks the 73rd anniversary of D-Day, when Allied Forces landed on multiple beaches in Europe to begin the slow push to victory against the Nazis. Living veterans of the invasion are few and far between now, and in their 90s, so the City, and others hosting commemorations around the globe, is doing what it can to recognize the survivors of that bloody day with their Commemorating D-Day event, with vintage vehicles on display and remarks from veterans and City officials in the square. Tuesday, June 6, Nathan Phillips Square (100 Queen Street West), noon–3 p.m., FREE. Many of those veterans might recognize the tunes in the new jukebox musical The Jazz Singer, an adaptation of the short story “The Day of Atonement” by Samson Raphaelson, which has already inspired films starring legends such as Al Jolson and Jerry Lewis. This production, written by local playwright Michael Ross Albert (whose Tough Jews just earned multiple Dora Award nominations) and directed by Timothy French, is ambitious and features show stopping performances of jazz and American pop music standards by Theresa Tova, Patrick Cook, and Kaylee Harwood, but suffers somewhat from a small stage and scaled back numbers; one gets the sense that a couple of hardworking chorus dancers are trying to make up for the lack of a dozen. Still, the show will be appreciated by fans of the classic American songbook. To June 18, Toronto Centre For The Arts (5040 Yonge Street), Tues.–Sat., 8 p.m., Sun., 7 p.m., Wed., 1 p.m., Sun., 2 p.m., $45–$80. Urban Planner is your weekly curated guide to what’s on in Toronto—things that are local, affordable, and exceptional.Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play. Advertisement Scientists from space agency Nasa are testing a mineral only found in one corner of Scotland to see if it can provide clues about life on Mars. Macaulayite is only believed to exist at a quarry at the foot of Bennachie in Aberdeenshire. Researchers think it could be the same mineral which gives the planet its red colour. Samples have now been sent to a testing centre in California in an attempt to verify its presence. Macaulayite was discovered by researchers from Aberdeen's Macaulay Institute in the late 1970s. Tests are being carried out on Macaulayite found in Aberdeenshire The mineral is formed in the presence of water so if it does occur on the surface of Mars it could provide proof the planet can sustain life. It is formed from granite which has been weathered by tropical climates from before the last Ice Age. The team which found it was led by mineralogist Jeff Wilson, who is now retired. Dr Wilson told BBC Scotland: "It is exciting because this particular mineral contains water. "It's a very fine grain mineral and water is bound to the inner surfaces. "There's been a lot of speculation about the occurrence of water on Mars. We don't know but it could be associated with this mineral." The US space agency Nasa is conducting tests on Macaulayite. Dr Janice Bishop, a Mars specialist from the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence Institute, said: "All life forms as we know it require liquid water so if we can actually find periods of time or places on the planet where there was standing water then the chance of life having formed increase greatly." Only limited data has been collected about the surface of Mars, through orbiters and probe landings. Bookmark with: Delicious Digg reddit Facebook StumbleUpon What are these? E-mail this to a friend Printable versionChinese President Xi Jinping arrived at Mar-a-Lago on Thursday for his first face-to-face meeting with President Trump, including a two-day summit and formal dinner. By the end of the trip, the two are set to discuss the North Korean threat and trade, before the Trump team retreated to launch Tomahawk missiles at Syrian airfields. Climate change isn’t on the agenda, which is unfortunate—if not surprising—because the two nations are now taking precisely opposite approaches to the global crisis. This divergence follows a period of unlikely and hard-fought accord. For an unprecedented half decade, the world’s two biggest economies and largest greenhouse gas
the scope of this culture around the world throughout the centuries. It would not only put Portugal more definitely on the map, it would also provide a platform for the CPLP space (Portuguese-speaking countries) to present themselves, celebrating diversity. It could be a permanent exposition space (as EXPO 98 was in Lisbon) for the countries encountered by Portugal, it could be a showcase for environmental issues (such as African rain forests and the Amazon, such as oil exploration, fracking), it could be a database/library/document center, it could be a vehicle to catalog languages, dances, gastronomy, customs. These days great importance is given by Universities and Funds for research and post-doctoral studies to something called "impact" which is the presentation of the theme to non-academics. A Museum of the Discoveries could cover a wide variety of areas of investigation, providing a platform for conferences, discussions, debates. For those who like an adrenalin rush, these days a virtual or replica carrack (nau in Portuguese, the ships used in the discoveries) is not that difficult to make and provide white-knuckle rides, or else to be used as a pedagogical instrument in teaching pupils about maritime engineering, about scurvy, about the history of the discoveries. And so much more. And we have not yet spoken about the cultural area: art, music, the cinema, literature... Colloquiums addressing important issues such as slavery, trade, micro- and macroeconomics could follow. In short it could be a space with a huge impact, with different spaces presenting diverse themes catering for multiple audiences. The ideal time to have launched such an idea would have been in 1998 at the time of the EXPO or in 2000, the five hundredth anniversary of the (official) discovery of Brazil. Opportunities lost? Maybe. But the idea remains, the ideal remains and surely, the Portuguese-speaking world deserves such a platform. Is Lisbon up to it? It would make much more sense to house such a showcase museum in Portugal's capital, from where the carracks departed from the Tower of Belém, docking alongside it, the sailors climbing to the turrets and entering the ships from there, at that time in the middle of the river. But if Lisbon is not interested, maybe Oporto is. A challenge for Portugal: A Museum of the Discoveries Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey timothy.hinchey@gmail.com Twitter @TimothyBHinchey *Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey has worked as a correspondent, journalist, deputy editor, editor, chief editor, director, project manager, executive director, partner and owner of printed and online daily, weekly, monthly and yearly publications for over twenty years; he has contributed to the Russian Foreign Ministry publication Dialog and the Cuban Foreign Ministry Official Publications. He has spent the last two decades in humanitarian projects, connecting communities, working to document and catalog disappearing languages, cultures, traditions, working to network with the LGBT communities helping to set up shelters for abused or frightened victims and as Media Partner with UN Women, working to foster the UN Women project to fight against gender violence and to strive for an end to sexism, racism and homophobia. A Vegan, he is also a Media Partner of Humane Society International, fighting for animal rights. He is Director and Chief Editor of the Portuguese version of Pravda.Ru.Minister: Labour Ministry wasted billion crowns on IT with some services triplicated The recently installed minister of labour and social affairs, Michaela Marksová Tominová, says her ministry has in recent years wasted a billion crowns through the poor management of information technology. Presenting an audit to the media on Tuesday, she said the majority of IT systems at her ministry operated without a contract and that some services were duplicated or even triplicated. Minister Marksová Tominová described the situation as “huge chaos”. Complaints have been filed against two unknown perpetrators over threatening operations and cyber security and fraud. Ukraine needs strong leader not gangster, even with angelic smile and braids, says Czech president The Czech president, Miloš Zeman, says Ukraine needs a strong leader but not one of the gangsters who has ruled the country in recent years, even with an angelic smile and beautiful braids; this was evidently a reference to former PM and presidential candidate Yulia Timoshenko. Speaking on a visit to the University of Hradec Králové on Tuesday, Mr. Zeman also said it was not possible to provide financial aid to Ukraine as it would end up in the pockets of oligarchs. In response to a question from a student, he said any armed person entering a government building was a criminal, whether at Kiev’s Majdan or in Donetsk. Organised crime police raid Czech Post buildings over corruption allegations Detectives from the police’s organised crime unit raided Czech Post headquarters on Prague’s Politických vězňů and Olšanská streets on Tuesday. Officers arrived at the postal service’s buildings at 6 AM. The state attorney said the raids were linked to an investigation launched in January concerning the manipulation of building contracts; it has now been extended to include a transport contract. A total of 15 people have been charged to date, while four companies are under investigation, including Czech Post. The two post offices have remained open to the public. Brno votes to sell land for Amazon centre despite firm abandoning plans to build there Councillors in Brno have voted to sell land to a company that was to have developed it as a site for an Amazon distribution centre. The move comes despite a recent announcement by Amazon’s head of European operations that the internet retail giant had given up on building in Brno and was looking at alternative locations in the region. However, the developer, CTP Invest, said on Tuesday that there was a chance Amazon could in the end go ahead with the distribution centre in the Moravian capital. As well as a change of mind on Amazon’s part, that would also require councillors voting to change Brno’s territorial plan. The centre would create around 1,500 jobs. Žižkov freight station to become cultural hub says minister, but questions remain over funding A railroad freight station in Prague’s district Žižkov will be transformed into a cultural hub in the future, the minister of culture, Daniel Herman, said on Tuesday after signing a memorandum on cooperation with the city’s authorities. The freight yard, a protected site, is set to house the National Film Archive, while the Museum of Decorative Arts and the National Technical Museum should have exhibition spaces in a functionalist building on the site. However, no agreement has been reached over who will fund the large renovation project. Ministry ordered to pay Syndicate of Journalists nearly CZK 300 million after state fails to replace original building The Ministry of Finance has to pay the Czech Syndicate of Journalists CZK 292 million as compensation for a new building the state failed to provide for the organisation. The Prague City Court on Tuesday upheld a ruling to that effect made a year ago by a district court. The ministry’s only avenue of appeal is to the Supreme Court. The dispute dates back to 1967 when the Czechoslovak Syndicate of Journalists transferred two buildings on Prague’s Wenceslas Sq. to the state; the site was used to build the Federal Assembly, while the state committed to providing a replacement building by Jirásek Bridge. It failed to do so and the second site is now home to The Dancing Building. Zeman to celebrate 25th anniversary of fall of communism in Visegrad Four states and Germany The Czech president, Miloš Zeman, is to join his counterparts from Germany, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary at ceremonies in all five countries later this year marking the 25th anniversary of the fall of communism in the states. Mr. Zeman’s foreign affairs spokesman confirmed his participation to the Czech News Agency. While the events in the Visegrad Four countries will take place in their capitals, the German memorial will take place in Leipzig, a city that saw mass demonstrations against the then East German regime in 1989. The Czech Republic will mark the 25th anniversary on November 17, the day that the Velvet Revolution got underway. Details about the event have not been revealed. Ivan Lendl sells Alfons Mucha poster collection to Czech businessman: report Former Czech tennis star Ivan Lendl has sold his collection of posters by Alfons Mucha to a Czech businessman, Richard Fuxa, the daily Mladá Fronta Dnes reported on Tuesday. The deal was already prepared before the exhibition last year of the Mucha posters in Prague’s Obecní Dům. According to the paper the selling price for the collection came to 3.5 million dollars, around 70 million crowns, though that figure was not confirmed by Fuxa. The new owner said that he had plans to exhibit the collection outside the Czech Republic and was also planning to find a permanent home for it but refused to give details. The exhibition of Lendl’s Mucha posters was a major hit last year with 200,000 visitors. Kometa Brno beat Sparta Prague to go through to ice hockey finals In ice hockey, Kometa Brno has won through to the Czech Extra League finals after beating Sparta Prague 5:4 in the deciding seventh match. Three goals without reply in the second period to put Brno 5:3 ahead decided the encounter in the visitor’s favour. Sparta pulled back one goal in the last period. Kometa Brno will face PSG Zlín in the final with the first game starting on Thursday.Quote: Originally Posted by Why use a base of 60s? Wouldn't it have been easier to just use a 10s base instead of 60s for val exposureTime? Then you would only have needed to multiply the values by 10 in exposureTimeMap instead of 60 (and also add your values, 2 for 5s, 2.5 for 4s and so on). You also seem to be missing the base 1/60s exposure, don't know if that matters though. Remove the line prefs.exposureTimeIndex = exposureTimeIndex() from onStop(), this will stop the manual exposure getting saved when closing the app (hence you don't need to change it back before closing). Try replacing the line (not sure if this code will work but you probably notice what I'm trying to do) Code: observe { exposureTimeIndex foreach { v => text = s"60/${new DecimalFormat("#.#").format(exposureTimeMap(v))}" } } Code: observe { exposureTimeIndex foreach { v => text = if (v > 5) s"1/${new DecimalFormat("#.#").format(exposureTimeMap(v)/60)}" else s"${new DecimalFormat("#.#").format(60/exposureTimeMap(v))}s" } } withfor a nicer display of the exposure times. Obviously change the value of 60 if you decide to change the base value.EDIT: You should also be able to fix the rotation by implementing this commit in your code. Might also know how to "fix" the preview as well so the refresh rate doesn't go below a certain rate, but don't want to take away all the fun from you.Did Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram’s son Karti linked firm Advantage Strategic Consulting invest in Hotel Mozart in Croatia? The Income Tax (IT) department’s Chennai Unit’s report suggests that this matter needs to be investigated further. Hotel Mozart is a famous hotel in Croatia and the hotel building has historical importance. This building was the Headquarters of the Yugoslavian Army during Second World War. The IT and Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials’ joint raid found an investment proposal of Five Million Euros from a computer in Karti’s company. “As per the proposal unearthed from the computing device, Advantage Strategic Consulting Singapore Pte Ltd has proposed to invest Euro 5 Million in Hotel Mozart at Opatijia in Croatia. The details of investment need to be ascertained,” said the Income Tax Report. The report also says one Bhaskararaman of Karti’s companies who deposed before Income Tax officials said that they have not made any investments. But Income Tax officials do not believe Bhaskararaman and noted that this fact needs to be ascertained by conducting a full probe. “Otherwise how come the specific investment proposal from their computers,” said a senior Income Tax official. Hotel Mozart is a famous hotel in Croatia and the hotel building has historical importance. This building was the Headquarters of the Yugoslavian Army during Second World War. In 1994 the hotel was bought by Veljko Barbieri and the following year opened after being completely renovated with a new name, Mozart. Another major shareholder of this hotel is Ivan Ljubicic, one of the best Croatian Tennis players of all time and son in law of the latest owner of the Hotel, Abi Shalabi. Meanwhile Karti’s Advantage has a subsidiary company in Spain, which owns a big Tennis Academy. Even though Karti’s staffers tried to fool IT officials, they believe that they got clinching evidence of his investment in Hotel Mozart. The clinching evidence Income Tax got is that Karti’s company Advantage entered into an agreement with a company in Monaco called Sporting Advantage Monaco SARL. In this Monaco based company, the Hotel Mozart owner and Tennis player Ivan Ljubicic has 40000 shares and Karti’s another London based company Totus Tennis Ltd. has 9500 shares. In this agreement, Totus Tennis is represented by Karti Chidambaram. Why would there be an agreement unless there was a follow up investment? The numbers certainly seem to add up. The big question is why despite clinching evidence, IT officials are not allowed to interrogate the corrupt Chidambaram family. So Income Tax sleuths believe, Karti’s controversial company Advantage has invested Five Million Euro worth shares in Hotel Mozart and is getting huge revenues for the past seven years from this iconic hotel in Croatia’s tourist spot of Opatijia. The facts can be ascertained perhaps by doing a custodial interrogation. The big question is why despite clinching evidence, IT officials are not allowed to interrogate the corrupt Chidambaram family. Now after BJP leader Subramanian Swamy’s complaint Prime Minister Narendra Modi has directed the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) to probe into Chidambaram family’s illegal assets. How long will it take for CBDT to act?The B.C. NDP and the Green party have committed to a referendum on electoral reform in B.C. This is great news, as it is high time we ditch our outdated first-past-the-post system for a better, more-representative alternative. We have already had two referendum votes in B.C. in the past 12 years. The proposed B.C.-STV electoral system received 58 per cent support in a 2005 vote, but wasn’t implemented. And only 39 per cent supported change when a second vote was held in 2009. So, what might enhance the chances of a “yes” vote in the future? There is much to learn from B.C.’s previous attempts at reform, as well as from Ontario’s experience with a similar unsuccessful referendum on switching from first-past-the-post to a form of proportional representation called mixed-member proportional, or MMP. An extensive analysis of voter attitudes was conducted during the B.C. and Ontario referenda by political scientists who looked at a range of factors that influenced whether voters supported or opposed electoral reform. I want to highlight four. First, one of the strongest predictors of support in B.C. was trust in an innovative process called a Citizens’ Assembly, a randomly selected group of citizens from across the province who were tasked with recommending a new system. In the 2005 vote, the researchers found “voters said yes if they knew the Citizens’ Assembly was made up of ordinary folks and not stacked with government-appointed elites.” If B.C.’s new government wants to see an electoral reform vote succeed, it should keep the design of the proposed new voting system out of politicians’ hands. One worthwhile option is to entrust the design of a system to a new B.C. Citizens’ Assembly or another process that is similarly credible and independent of political elites. Another option is to again vote on B.C.-STV on a 50-per-cent-plus-one basis. Second, a key finding from these previous referenda is that the more voters knew about electoral reform, the more likely they were to support it. However, levels of knowledge about the proposed systems, as well as about the Citizens’ Assembly process, were quite low in all three referenda. There is obviously room for improvement, and the new government can assist by ensuring more resources for public education, discussion and debate on electoral reform this time around. Third, a very likely consequence of moving to proportional representation in B.C. will be more frequent minority and coalition governments. In the previous referenda, political scientists found that the more favourably voters viewed coalition governments, the more they came to support electoral reform. The new government will certainly need to positively demonstrate how well minorities can work in practice if they want to increase the likelihood of a “yes” vote. Fourth, not all proportional representation systems are created equal. There are so many possible variants it can make your head spin. For example, MMP systems alone come in different varieties. One sees a portion of the legislative seats (usually half) elected in local districts just as they are today in B.C., and the other half are drawn from party lists. In the “open list” version of MMP, voters get to rank the candidates on lists provided by the parties. In the “closed list” version, solely parties decide the rankings of their candidates. In Ontario, political scientists found that the more Ontario voters knew about the closed list feature on offer, the less likely they were to support electoral reform. Electoral reform duds like closed lists should simply be avoided in B.C. A lot of things will need to go right to get a more democratic voting system in B.C., and a rushed effort that fails to heed these lessons risks wasting a rare window of opportunity. Reform advocates and the new government should seize this chance to help spark a successful discussion among British Columbians about deepening democracy in this province. Alex Hemingway is CCPA-BC’s public finance policy analyst. His work focuses on the state of B.C.’s public services, including education, healthcare, social services and regulation.Windlands, a first-person exploration game from Psytech Games, is now available for purchase on Steam Early Access. The game is currently on sale for $15.99, and returns to the normal price of $19.99 after January 15th. After generating over $20k in a successful Indiegogo campaign in fall of 2014 and subsequently being greenlit on Steam, Windlands is today available for early access on the Steam platform. Buy ‘Windlands’ on Steam Early Access The game is an awesome mix of high-flying architecture and meditative gameplay, offering beautiful and surprisingly large levels that keep you pining to reach for the top. Your twin grappling hooks practically compel you to constantly move forward and upward through the ruins of a fallen civilization. Windlands currently supports both Oculus Rift DK2 and HTC Vive Developer Edition, with future support aimed at both respective consumer versions. Check back for our preview of Windlands in the following days.One of Erdogan's theories is that higher interest rates cause inflation, the opposite of what basic economics (and empirical data) suggest. He has also said, in line with his religious beliefs and a preference for production over finance, that real interest rates should be maintained at zero. He has accused those who disagree with him of being part of a conspiracy, called "the interest rates lobby," which seeks to make money on higher rates. Neither Babacan nor Simsek agreed and the central bank governor, Erdem Basci, was largely able to resist political pressure to lower rates to potentially damaging levels. Basci has now lost one of his protectors, and his term ends in April. Who replaces him at the central bank will be in many ways definitive for an emerging economy that has seemed to be losing direction. "The challenge is to find someone with the right academic credentials who will also be agreeable to the president," said Emre Deliveli, an Istanbul-based Turkish economist and consultant. "If someone close to Erdogan and without proper credentials is chosen, central bank independence is gone." Another part of Erdoganomics is to pump money into the construction industry as the lead growth engine for the economy. This is one reason why Erdogan has developed what he once called "crazy" projects to transform Turkey's physical environment by 2023, the anniversary of the Republic's founding by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Those projects include a third bridge and highway over the Bosporus; a third airport for Istanbul, which would have the highest passenger capacity in Europe; a new city; and a canal to take shipping traffic away from the Bosporus. Binali Yildirim, one of Erdogan's closest allies, returns to the job he has held since 2007 – transportation, maritime and communication minister – to oversee these projects. Finance Minister Naci Agbal is a technocrat from inside the ministry (a mild positive), while the new economy minister – in reality the trade ministry – is a politician loyal to Erdogan. It is up to the PM Ultimately, it will be up to Simsek and Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to defend Turkey's market economy. Davutoglu intends to chair "mini-cabinets" on the economy, according to Bloomberg News, which is promising: Clearly, he understands the challenge. And the program he outlined on Wednesday included some plans that were encouraging – for example to create a more flexible labor market – as well as others that weren't, such as support for an "executive presidency" in Turkey, which would strengthen Erdogan's hand. The danger is that in terms of brute politics, Erdoganomics makes sense. An economy goosed by low interest rates and rapid construction is one in which Erdogan stands a chance of reaching his unspoken goal for 2023: to refound Turkey as a mildly Islamist nation in which religious conservatives have displaced the nation's big secularist business families as the dominant economic power. As shorthand, Erdogan becomes a new Ataturk, founder of a new Turkey. Advertisement Low interest rates keep growth, and this project, bubbling. Massive government construction and energy contracts allow the government to redistribute wealth in the direction of its supporters – even without the corruption allegations Erdogan has suppressed. Selective tax inspections enable Turkey's new elite to trim the wealth and power of the old. The difficulty, of course, is if an over-stimulated economy crashes, or a misdirected one dooms Turkey to remain a middle-income economy. Many of these polices are not new to Turkey. Before Erdogan's arrival, the country had long experience with clientelism (at the time in favour of secular businesses and the military), as well as politically driven monetary policies. The outcome was volatile inflation and low average growth rates. Simsek certainly understands the risks of returning to similar policies. He and Davutoglu may be able to resist the tide against Erdoganomics without Babacan and they will have a fan club of investors wishing them well in the effort. Turkey's long term economic health depends on their success. Marc Champion is a BloombergView Columnist BloombergReddit WhatsApp Email 3 Shares Last week, Stanford University announced that more accepted students won’t have to pay anything for tuition, which normally runs nearly $46,000 a year. Students whose families make less than $125,000 a year and have assets worth $300,000 or less, including home equity but excluding anything that they have saved in retirement accounts, won’t have to pay tuition. Students whose families make less than $65,000 also won’t have to pay for room and board, which can run about another $14,100. Scholarships or grants will cover the costs instead, and the school has a $21 billion endowment. The thresholds were previously $100,000 for free tuition and $60,000 for free room and board. Students will still have to contribute at least $5,000 a year from part-time work during the school year, working during the summer, and/or savings. “Our highest priority is that Stanford remain affordable and accessible to the most talented students, regardless of their financial circumstances,” said Provost John Etchemendy in a press release. “Our generous financial aid program accomplishes that, and these enhancements will help even more families, including those in the middle class, afford Stanford without going into debt.” The school says that 77 percent of undergraduates leave without student debt. That makes Stanford graduates somewhat unique, as about 70 percent graduate with debt, owing an average of $29,000 at the end of last year. Student loan debt has tripled over the last decade. To read more, continue to the next page. Load more...The Clay County teen wrongfully arrested in 2013 because he shared the same name as a schoolmate reached a $50,000 settlement with Clay County Sheriff's Office. Cody L. Williams was arrested in August 2013 for the sexual battery of someone younger than 12. But police were actually seeking another teenager with the same first and last name who attended the same high school as Williams. The teen spent more than a month in jail. Williams did not return a call for comment, but his lawyer Kristopher Nowicki said his client's goal was never to get rich. "His goal was to make sure this never happened to anyone else," Nowicki said. "The sheriff's department put some new policies in place to prevent this from happening, so that was one of the main factors that encouraged him to resolve the case." The settlement fee will be paid by the sheriff's office's insurance carrier. The deal is the second settlement for wrongful arrest by Clay County Sheriff's Office in the past four months. In August, the sheriff's office settled for $67,000 with Ashley Nicole Chiasson, a Louisiana woman extradited from her home state and wrongfully arrested twice earlier this year. The wrongful arrests of Williams and Chiasson occurred within six months of each other. Clay County Sheriff Rick Beseler apologized to Williams and Chiasson through press statements. He also immediately requested Cody Williams' record be expunged of the arrest. The wrongful arrest incidents resulted in the suspensions of five officers and the creation of new policies to verify suspect identities and ensure officers arrest the right people. Beseler declined Monday to comment on the settlement through spokeswoman Mary Justino. Williams filed a lawsuit in federal court against the agency in March. The lawsuit was withdrawn days before the settlement was finalized. Topher Sanders: (904) 359-4169InsideHoops NBA [ Home Damon Jones Interview SHARE THIS PAGE "LIKE" US ON FACEBOOK Cleveland Cavaliers guard Damon Jones has one of the most amusing personalities in the NBA. The 6-3, 185-pound shooting guard in a point guard's body is averaging 8.7 points per game, including 41.0% from three-point range. He's currently #1 in the NBA in made threes per 48 minutes. InsideHoops.com editor Jeff Lenchiner met with Jones in New Jersey Tuesday for an exclusive interview. And after you read it, the answer to your question is yes: This is real. InsideHoops.com: [Speaking into my recorder] This is the best player on the Cavs. Damon Jones: [Laughs] The best shooter in the world. InsideHoops.com: Hah, speaking of that, here's a poll question. Who is the best three-point shooter in the world: (A) Damon Jones, or (B) Someone else. There are no other choices. Damon Jones: "A," Damon Jones, by far. One billion to one. And that one person might be Ray Allen. InsideHoops.com: So he might someday, hope to be... Damon Jones: No, he might think. InsideHoops.com: OK, now let's say you shoot a three, and somehow it doesn't go in. Should the refs immediately stop the game and replace the basketball? Damon Jones: No, they should blow the whistle, because when I miss I got fouled. InsideHoops.com: And another thing... Damon Jones: [Points to Donyell Marshall, who is 10 feet away] This guy right here, fifth on the planet. InsideHoops.com: Fifth best three-point shooter on the planet? Donyell Marshall: [Standing about 10 feet away, talking to Lenchiner] What did he say? InsideHoops.com: [Talking to Marshall] He says you're the fifth best three-point shooter on the planet. He's number one. Donyell Marshall: Who's two, three and four? Damon Jones: Me, in my younger days. InsideHoops.com: So you're number one now, and two, three and four is you at various younger stages in your life? Damon Jones: Yes. InsideHoops.com: And he's fifth. Damon Jones: Yeah. InsideHoops.com: Cool. Damon Jones: Because now I have a green light to shoot whenever I want. InsideHoops.com: Did you not have that before? Damon Jones: No, I didn't. Coming up, being the road that I took to get to the point that I am now, team to team, various opportunities, now I have the ultimate green light. It's like, eye-bulging. InsideHoops.com: It must be great. To actually be able to pull up and not have to hesitate, wondering if shooting is right. Damon Jones: No reprimands... [Interview now pauses because Donyell drags Damon away to show him something in the adjacent room... And now, the interview continues] InsideHoops.com: [Speaking into my recorder so Damon can hear me] And, we're back with the best player in the history of sports. Damon Jones: I'm the best show in tennis shoes. InsideHoops.com: So you didn't quite have a full green light before? How about in Miami? Damon Jones: I've had the ultimate green light the last two years. Last year was more fluorescent than this year. I take it upon myself to be assertive. InsideHoops.com: So the green light was fully green last year. Damon Jones: Right, green like it never went yellow nor red. It was always just glaring, like the bright lights of Hollywood. InsideHoops.com: And now it's green, but not glaring quite as much. Damon Jones: I mean it's glaring, and at times, in different situations it might turn to a greenish-yellow. But I deal with it. InsideHoops.com: Now as for LeBron James, he's not too bad, and I don't think the Cavs plan to cut him anytime soon. He'll probably stick in the league. What's your take on how he jumped from last season to this season, being even greater than people thought he'd be? Damon Jones: Awesome. His maturity over season to season, his improvement ever year has gotten better, and I think now he's tired of the constant criticism of saying that he's good but not good enough to make the playoffs or be successful as far as winning is concerned. I think he understands that, and what he's doing now is, he's not only creating things for himself but he's creating things for others. And that's been a key to why we've been successful thus far, is because we're focusing really hard on defense, and offensively we're sharing the basketball. And when you have the type of talent that we have, and you make everyone on the floor an option, teams have trouble guarding all five options, so it all starts with him. He's been very unselfish and I think his legend, it's only going to get better and better as we continue to win. InsideHoops.com is the web's best basketball site. Read daily.Download Sound Effects Adobe® Audition® software includes thousands of uncompressed, royalty-free audio sound effects. These files have been grouped together by type and style into ZIP archives that can be downloaded using the links below. Your download and use of the content on this page is governed by and subject to the Adobe Software License Agreement ("EULA") for Adobe Audition and other related Adobe software, available at: http://www.adobe.com/products/eulas/ Subject to the restrictions stated in the EULA, you may use, display, modify, reproduce, and distribute the associated Content File. However, you may not distribute the Content File on a standalone basis (i.e., in circumstances in which the Content File constitute the primary value of the product being distributed), and Customer may not claim any trademark rights in the Content File or derivative works thereof.When Foreign Coins Circulated Freely by Gerard Muhl Living close to the border of Canada I will from time to time get a Canadian quarter or dime in change. Though at times inconvenient I know that I can pass the coins on at my next transaction with little problem. Only once can I remember Canadian money being refused, and that was when I tried to purchase stamps at the U. S. Post Office. Circulating foreign money may seem a bit strange today but it was in fact declared official legal tender in America for the first sixty-four years of our history. In 1793 our new coinage law gave legal tender status to Spanish and large silver coins of France. The status was to be temporary until the Philadelphia mint could meet the demand for a circulating medium. At that time it was estimated it would take the mint three years to strike enough coins, and then the foreign pieces could be withdrawn. In fact, the law was renewed in 1806, 1816, 1819, 1823, 1827, and 1834 until foreign coins were finally demonetized beginning in 1857. In 1830 approximately one in every four coins in circulation was made in one of the numerous Spanish colonial mints. Nearly five million dollars in Spanish coins thus circulated. These coins had been valued in British terms for at least a century with a one-reale piece assumed to be worth 12½ cents and being called a shilling to a New Yorker. Even though British-made silver coins seldom circulated in the new nation, the Spanish fractional coins took their place and names. In the depression following the War of 1812 specie payments were suspended and coin disappeared. Thus notes were issued by banks and municipalities to facilitate change making. The village of Cooperstown, New York, for example hired local printer H. & E. Phinney to print fractional scrip with valuations of one, three, six, and twelve and a half cents-the last note being called a shilling and replacing the one-reale piece. Also common in other towns were notes with denominations of 6¼¢ and 12½¢. The decimal system in coinage made slow progress before the Civil War because Spanish and now Mexican and South American coins circulated with legal-tender status. The law of 1834 added to legal-tender status large silver coins of Mexico, Peru, Chili, Central America, and those "re-stamped in Brazil," as well as 5-franc pieces of France. They all were to be accepted as equal to one hundred cents with the one exception being the 5-franc which was rated at 93½ cents each. Prices in the 1840s in 5 and 10 cent units were rare. Common prices were 6¼, 12½. 18¾, 25, 37½, 50, 62½. and 75 cents. The Rochester, New York, Advertiser newspaper expressed its cost in shillings through the Civil War. The New York Stock Exchange expressed (and still does) prices in eighths of a dollar or one "bit" of the piece of eight. Conveniently the one bit or reale was pegged at 12½¢ and was known as a shilling in the East. (The term "bit" was more common in the Western States and occasionally is still heard in prices of "two bits"). Postal rates in the 1840s were adjusted to Spanish denominations with rates for certain distances being 6¼¢, 12½¢, and 18¾¢. Often in cities, merchants looking for a little extra profit would drop the fractional remainder with the reale passing at 12¢ and a half-reale (medio) at 6¢. If a customer bought an item priced at ½ bit and paid with a bit he might get a half dime back instead of 6¼¢. The merchant made an extra 1¼¢-not much until it is realized that a hard-working laborer of the time might only earn 25¢ for a twelve-hour workday. Likewise the dime became known as the "short bit." When it was passed out as change instead of a 2-reale "shilling" worth 12½¢. In 1843, New York City banks established a lower scale of values on fractional foreign coins circulating as legal tender. (They felt they could do this because the 1834 coinage law mistakenly omitted the term "fractional parts" of Spanish coins and thus some people wondered if they really were legal tender.) The 2-reale, reale, and ½-reale would only be taken at 23¢, 10¢, and 5¢ respectively. In the same year, claiming that many foreign coins were badly worn and thus contained less silver, the U. S. Post Office followed the lead of the banks. Thus the coins had a different value to banks than to merchants. It was therefore in the interest of the consumer to shop with foreign coins but to bank and post letters using U. S. Mint produced coins. The Rochester City Directory of 1849-50 offers an interesting insight as to what foreign coins a merchant might encounter and what its conversion value should be. Similar charts were likewise published for other cities at the time. Coin Conversion Tables for 1849-50 from Rochester City Directory GOLD COINS U. S. Eagles $10.00 Old Eagles (1834) $10.50 Carolina and Georgia $5 pieces, each $4.75 ENGLISH Sovereigns $4.80 Dragon Sovereign $4.80 Guineas English Gold by Act March 3, 1843, legal tender at 94¢, 6 mills per pennyweight $5.00 SPANISH Doubloons (should weigh as a good dollar) Spanish gold legal tender at 89¢, 3 mills per pennyweight. $16.00 FRENCH Napoleons ( 20 franc) $3.83 Louis d'Or French gold legal tender at 92¢, 9 mills per pennyweight. $4.50 MEXICAN AND SOUTH AMERICAN Doubloons Mexican gold legal tender at 89¢, 9 mills per penny weight. $15.50< PROMISCUOUS COINS Ten Thalers (all dates) $7.80 FR d'Or Denmark or Prussia $3.90 10 Guilders $4.00 Johannes,
of Bulbrite’s Nostalgic Collection. These handcrafted, classic bulbs are the right complement to any vintage or modern decor. Inspired by Thomas Edison’s unique creation, the Nostalgic Collection provides unparalleled aesthetic attraction with an vintage end, outlined steeple and complex filament design. This 40-watt Edison Squirrel Cage-style mild bulb is nice for chandeliers, sconces, and outside lighting. It matches into medium (E26) bases, lights as much as a brightness of 135 lumens, and has a typical bulb life of three,000 hours. This model comes as a single bulb, nevertheless it’s additionally out there in a package deal of six. Intricate Filament Design The Thread collection duplicates one of the crucial widespread filament fashions from the early days of electrical lighting, the “Squirrel Cage.” The wreath of filament vertically wrapped across the mild provides a classy contact to your property decor. Blown-Glass Steeple Depicting flip of the century manufacturing processes, the outlined steeple on the Nostalgic Collection mirrors the tip produced when blowing the glass into a light-weight bulb envelope. Antique Finish Leaving no element untouched, the Nostalgic Collection is crafted with an vintage hued glass harking back to early glass manufacturing offering an genuine classic really feel. About Bulbrite Bulbrite is a number one producer and provider of revolutionary mild supply options. Founded over 40 years in the past, Bulbrite is a household owned enterprise famend for its dedication to innovation, schooling and repair.Her two Cadillacs were parked outside the funeral home, on Fourth Avenue near the Green-Wood Cemetery: her 1978 silver hearse and her 2009 XLR coupe. The coupe gets a lot of whistles. The hearse is good for errands because it doesn’t get parking tickets. The decorative pillow above Ms. Amen’s head was embroidered with the words “Behind every successful woman is herself.” “People are sometimes surprised I’m a funeral director,” she said. “But I tell them, ‘Listen, if a woman can bring you into the world, she can certainly bring you out.’ ” Ms. Amen says she lands a lot of customers with her $1,999 starting price for a wake. This buys the use of a nice coffin for the viewing only. After that, the body is put in a cardboard box for cremation or burial. Video “It’s bare bones, literally,” said Ms. Amen, who grew up in Bay Ridge and came of age there in the Saturday Night Fever era, a product of Fort Hamilton High School and Brooklyn College. She has no children — “I have cystic fibrosis in my family and I didn’t want to pass it on to more children” — and her marriage ended in divorce 15 years ago. Since then, she has had two serious relationships, but both men died. She handled their wakes and funerals, and even prepared the bodies for viewing. On this night, down in the funeral home’s furnished basement, Ms. Amen prepared for her annual Halloween party. She put a Frankenstein figure in a full-size coffin, and repurposed a child-size coffin to serve as a beer cooler. She also converted a large coffin into a couch by putting milk crates inside and laying cushions on them. Newsletter Sign Up Continue reading the main story Please verify you're not a robot by clicking the box. Invalid email address. Please re-enter. You must select a newsletter to subscribe to. Sign Up You will receive emails containing news content, updates and promotions from The New York Times. You may opt-out at any time. You agree to receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. Thank you for subscribing. An error has occurred. Please try again later. View all New York Times newsletters. Last year, she surprised the partygoers by popping out of a coffin, long legs first, in a tiny miniskirt. This year, she would top that, she said, by wearing a leather dominatrix outfit and singing a few Rolling Stones numbers with a backup band at midnight. In terms of funerals, things were quiet, though she was waiting on a “pending,” a Staten Island man who was “hanging on by a thread,” she said. Advertisement Continue reading the main story “Oh, please let him hang on till after my party,” she said, clasping her hands. At 9 p.m., a family rang the buzzer seeking a next-day wake for their 95-year-old grandmother who had just died at the family’s apartment nearby. The family took the $1,999 deal. When they asked who would pick up the body, Ms. Amen pulled up her sleeve and flexed her bicep. The family members mustered a smile and handed Ms. Amen a $500 cash deposit. She tucked it into her bra and went out to start the hearse. At the family’s apartment, with a police officer standing by, she pulled the bedsheet over the corpse and wrapped it cocoon-like, knotting it at the head and foot. Then, with the officer’s help, she lifted the body onto a stretcher and wheeled it out to the hearse. The family gave Ms. Amen an outfit to dress the corpse for the viewing, and Ms. Amen stuffed it into her purse. By 2 p.m. the next day, Ms. Amen was dressing the body at her funeral home. The family, which had paid only the deposit, was two hours late to the viewing. An anxious Ms. Amen said she would drop the body at the medical examiner before paying for burial herself. (The family paid.) “I’m not stupid,” she said, drawing on her electronic cigarette. “Don’t let the blond hair fool you.”A Drifting Boat: Chinese Zen Poetry by Dennis Maloney My Rating: ★★★★☆ All the poems are so well translated and seems to keep true to their original innocence and wonder. Each piece in this collection should be repeated multiple times to feel its true resonance – like the humming and the mumbling that these poets talk of when they talk of chanting poetry. The gibbons chattering, the moonlight flowing over you, the soft wind caressing, the lofty mountains for friends, the white clouds playful all around and the other minute yet infinite details of a secluded life take special meaning in each repetitive but strangely innovative verse. And of course, the boats keep drifting, empty, alone; filled only with the silver moonlight. My favorite one: River. Snow. A thousand mountains. Flying birds vanish. Ten thousand paths. Human traces erased. One boat, bamboo hat, bark cape — an old man. Alone with his hook. Cold river. Snow. View all my reviews Related articles AdvertisementsSunshine Act Meeting.Notice is hereby given, pursuant to the provisions of the Government in the Sunshine Act, Pub. L. 94-409, that the Securities and Exchange Commission will hold an Open Meeting on Wednesday, October 23, 2013 at 10:00 a.m., in the Auditorium, Room L-002.The subject matter of the Open Meeting will be:The Commission will consider whether to propose rules and forms related to the offer and sale of securities through crowdfunding pursuant to Section 4(a)(6) of the Securities Act of 1933, as mandated by Title III of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act.The duty officer has determined that no earlier notice was possible.At times, changes in Commission priorities require alterations in the scheduling of meeting items.For further information and to ascertain what, if any, matters have been added, deleted or postponed, please contact:The Office of the Secretary at (202) 551-5400.Elizabeth M. MurphySecretaryDated: October 21, 2013© John Cheng LOUISVILLE, Ky., July 18, 2014 — Five U.S. senior titles were determined today at the 2014 USA Gymnastics Championships at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky., where competition continues on Saturday with the finals in junior and senior trampoline, rhythmic gymnastics and acrobatic gymnastics. The senior champions decided today are: rhythmic gymnastics – Jazzy Kerber of Highland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center, clubs, and Ronit Shamuilov of Brooklyn, N.Y./Isadora, ribbon; and acrobatic gymnastics – Eirian Smith and Brian Kincher, both of Livermore, Calif./West Coast Training Center (mixed pair, balance), Ciera Wilson of Riverside, Calif., and Kailey Maurer of Colton, Calif., Empire (women’s pair, balance), and Hannah Silverman of Clarksville, Md., Christina Antoniades of Eldersburg, Md., and Emily Ruppert of Baltimore, Md., Emilia's Acro Gymnastics Club (women’s group, dynamic). Tomorrow’s senior finals at 6 p.m. at the KFC Yum! Center include rhythmic gymnastics all-around; acrobatic gymnastics combined routines in women’s group, mixed pair and women’s pair; and men’s and women’s individual trampoline. The finals for elite tumbling and double mini-trampoline begin at 9 a.m. at the Kentucky International Convention Center. Earlier today, the U.S. men’s and women’s junior synchronized trampoline champions were named: Armand Reichelt and Caleb Fritz, both of Scottsdale, Ariz./Scottsdale Gymnastics & Trampoline (men), and Ginger Hansen of Holmdel, N.J., and Courtney Walsh of Red Bank, N.J., both of Elite Trampoline Academy (women). Acrobatic gymnastics For the mixed pair balance routines, Smith and Kincher won with a 28.830, finishing just ahead of Kiley Boynton and Ryan Ward, both of Riverside, Calif./Realis Gymnastics Academy, who earned a 28.213. In women’s group, Silverman, Antoniades and Ruppert posted a 27.100 to clinch the title. Xtreme Acro’s Daphne Kirschner of Rockville, Md., Mackenzie Meyer of Silver Spring, Md., and Savannah Bentley of Annapolis, Md., were second with 26.080, followed by Lily Bowler, DeShay Eisenmenger and Natasha Villarreal, all of Boerne, Texas/Boerne Gymnastics Center, at 24.153. Wilson and Maurer’s women’s pair score was 26.573. Rhythmic gymnastics For clubs, Kerber easily won the title with her 16.050. Serena Lu of Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora, and Gabrielle Lowenstein of Huntington Beach, Calif./Eurogymnastics, tied for second with 15.700. Shamuilov brought home the ribbon gold with a 15.800, which put her ahead of Rebecca Sereda of Staten Island, N.Y./Isadora, at 15.550 and Kerber’s 15.350. Heading into the all-around finals, Sereda is atop the rankings at 63.700, followed by Kerber at 62.400 and Shamuilov at 61.950. Trampoline The preliminary rounds for trampoline, tumbling, and double mini-trampoline determined the eight men and eight women for each event who will compete in tomorrow’s finals. The athletes with the top qualifying scores are: trampoline – Neil Gulati of Irvine, Calif./World Elite Gymnastics, and Charlotte Drury of Laguna Niguel, Calif./World Elite Gymnastics; tumbling – Alexander Renkert of Indianapolis, Ind./Geist Sports Academy, and Yuliya Stankevich-Brown, Idaho Falls, Idaho/Idaho Elite Gymnastics; and double-mini – Noah Orr of Phoenix, Ariz./Air Sports, and Erin Jauch of Crystal Lake, Ill./Fox Valley T & T. The senior elite finals for acrobatic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics and trampoline are at 6 p.m. July 19 at the KFC Yum! Center. The junior elite finals for those three events are also at the KFC Yum! Center and begin at 9 a.m. The Junior Olympic sessions for all three disciplines are being held at the Kentucky International Convention Center, and the sessions begin at 9 a.m. For results, a more detailed schedule, other information and a live webcast of the elite sessions at the KFC Yum! Center, please go to USAGymChamps.com. Evening session tickets at the KFC Yum! Center are: July 17, $20; July 18, $20; and July 19, $25. The all-session pass, which grants access to all sessions at both venues, is $75. A $25, single-day pass is available for the events at the Kentucky International Convention Center onsite on competition days. Tickets may be purchased at the KFC Yum! Center or Kentucky International Convention Center box offices, ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster outlets, or by phone at 1-800-745-3000. Acrobatic gymnastics combines the beauty of dance with the strength and agility of acrobatics. Routines are choreographed to music and consist of dance, tumbling, and partner skills. At the elite level, each pair or group performs a balance, dynamic and combined routine. Pyramids and partner holds characterize the balance routine, while synchronized tumbling and intricate flight elements define the dynamic exercise. An acrobatic gymnastics pair consists of a base and a top. A women's group is comprised of three athletes - a base, middle and top partner – while a men's group has four athletes, a base, two middle partners and one top partner. Rhythmic gymnastics is characterized by grace, beauty and elegance combined with dance and acrobatic elements, while working with ribbons, balls, hoops, ropes and clubs in a choreographed routine to music. The choreography must cover the entire floor and contain a balance of jumps, leaps, pivots and balances. Only four of the apparatus are competed each quad, and the four for 2016 are hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon. Each movement involves a high degree of athletic skill. Physical abilities needed by a rhythmic gymnast include strength, power, flexibility, agility, dexterity, endurance and hand-eye coordination. Trampoline events involve athletes using trampolines that can propel them up to 30 feet in the air, during which they can perform double and triple twisting somersaults. Tumbling utilizes elevated rod-floor runways that enable athletes to jump at heights more than 10 feet and execute a variety of acrobatic maneuvers. For the double-mini competition, the athlete makes a short run, leaps onto a small two-level trampoline, performs an aerial maneuver and dismounts onto a landing mat. Trampoline was added to the Olympic Games in 2000, and at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, the USA had its first athlete in history advance to the finals.It was a pleasure to rise in the legislature today to speak in favour of the budget update presented by the NDP government. I shared my vision for collaboration using examples from our region and across the province, and I emphasized the value of all members in the house working together in the best interest of all British Columbians. Text version I will begin by acknowledging that we are on the traditional territories of the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations, and I would also like to commend the Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation for his statement yesterday on the United Nations Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. This is a noteworthy budget, and it comes at a noteworthy time in BC politics. Members on both sides of this House are coming to terms with new responsibilities – there has been a significant shift in BC politics that presents new opportunities and challenges for all MLAs. At the same time, our esteemed press gallery are figuring out how to understand and report on the new decision making processes of a minority government – processes that have been unchanged and unchallenged for decades. All of us as British Columbians are witnessing how government can and should work when one party cannot simply ram an agenda through, but is instead learning to work with other parties to build a broader more inclusive vision for this province. Few predicted that British Columbians would elect a slim minority government in May – an election result that meant that we in the Legislature would need to start talking with each other, rather than at each other. As a teacher and historian, my first impulse was to look to the past to find a precedent for this new political reality we find ourselves in. Federally, there have been 13 minority governments in Canada’s history. Every province except Alberta has had at least one, and this is BC’s third minority government – the last one was in 1952. As our caucus and staff began to explore how other jurisdictions made these arrangements work, one thing became clear. If we could overcome the antagonism that had come to characterize BC politics before this election, we would have a historic opportunity to bring positive change to BC. Vision I believe that this budget update truly is a step in this direction. We have before us a document whose foundation was first introduced by the BC Liberals earlier this year, with the values and priorities of two other parties added to it in the months after the election. The BC Greens ran on a platform that advocated government leadership in the face of a changing planet and changing economy. We believe we have an opportunity to capture the imagination of British Columbians with a candid, innovative and forward thinking vision for the future. Ours isn’t a narrow vision for one part of the province, but instead a call for a new path forward for all communities across BC. In my home, the Cowichan Valley, there is an enormous appetite to see the provincial government step up and invest in what really matters in our lives. Our hospital turned 50 this year, and it is desperately in need of replacing. And Cowichan High is on its last legs – it was built in 1949, and it is not holding up as well as the honourable members in this house who were born before that same year. Our watersheds and riparian areas suffer from the benign neglect and blind faith that was built into the Professional Reliance system. We have a heartbreaking child poverty rate, and like so many communities in BC, we are suffering the impacts of the opioid crisis. And yet Cowichan is extraordinary in its resilience, its strong and inter-connected communities, and the determination of the people to work together so that all in the community may thrive. The Cowichan District Hospital Foundation and the Cowichan Valley Regional District have worked to create the conditions for a new hospital – the land is purchased, and the concept plan is underway, having been given the go-ahead by the previous Liberal government. School District 79 is working with Vancouver Island University, Cowichan Tribes, the Municipalities of North Cowichan and Duncan, and the Cowichan Valley Regional District to create a new model of education – one that connects high school students to post-secondary opportunities in a way that ensures a successful transition. The Cowichan Watershed Board, co-chaired by Chief Seymour of Cowichan Tribes and Chair John Lefebure of the CVRD, is a model of cooperation and collaboration, and creates the foundation for watershed governance. There are many extraordinary initiatives and an abundance of committed citizens who are making Cowichan Valley an incredible place to live – our hope is that this budget update signals a commitment from the provincial government to come to be a true partner in these initiatives. Too often, we speak in broad categories in BC: the south, the north, rural, resource based, high tech – These labels divide us rather than unite us, and the categories over-simplify the rich and interconnected fabric of our province. This past summer I travelled through northern BC, meeting with First Nations, municipal representatives, and community leaders to learn about the challenges and opportunities facing their communities. What I learned, in no uncertain terms, was that there is far more that unites us across BC than divides us. In every community, I heard from people the same hopes, dreams, and aspirations for their communities that we have in the Cowichan Valley: their desire to see thriving and safe schools, their hopes to have efficient hospitals that deliver timely care, their aspirations to see support for seniors who want to stay in their homes and close to their families. I heard across all communities a strong desire to see stewardship and protection of natural resources – for many people, the lack of compliance and enforcement in the resource sectors has undermined trust in both industry and government. I aso heard of the benefits in investment in post-secondary education, and a strong desire in all communities to see an innovative and diversified approach to economic development. The notion that economic investment in this province only counts when it’s an investment in the resource sector is reflected neither in the current reality, nor in the emerging economy. An analysis of employment by occupation in the north west, based on data from BC Statistics and Stats Can, tells a story that we all need to be paying attention to: education, professional services, health services, small business, finances, sciences, tourism, and manufacturing account for the vast majority of jobs – while the resource sector accounts for less than 10% of employment. Investment in communities – in schools, in hospitals, in infrastructure, in government services, in post-secondary education- these investments not only create long-term, stable employment, they create the kinds of communities that attract further investment. When companies are looking for investment opportunities, schools, hospitals, and services matter. We all want to live and work in vibrant, thriving communities – and I would also suggest that we ideally want stable, well-paid, meaningful employment in our communities, rather than in far-flung work camps away from our families and friends. One councillor in Terrace had a great idea that would bring together innovation, education, and economic development: a renewable energy Institute of the North West. Imagine – a higher learning facility located in the heart of the land where we have the greatest potential for geothermal energy, where students not only learn the skills to work in a new energy economy, but also become the leaders in developing the technology that will move us beyond fossil fuels, a task that is our moral obligation to future generations. We are united across this province – and I believe, across both sides of this Legislature – by a belief that we need to ensure opportunities not just for right now, but also for future generations, that we need to sustainably manage and protect our resources and our ecological systems, and that in this changing economy, government needs to be taking a greater leadership role in preparing for the changes that are already upon us. We have heard from Members on both sides of this house of the devastating toll of the wildfires this summer – and we are hearing daily of the toll of hurricanes, of droughts, of floods. As elected representatives – as leaders – we all share a responsibility to future generations. And a part of our responsibility today is to acknowledge the impacts of climate change, and recognize the debt we owe to our children, and their grandchildren. The increase in the carbon tax announced in this budget update is one small step – and a necessary signal that helps us move back towards climate leadership. Whether it’s the changes affecting our workforce and employment, or the changes in our climate that will reshape the economic and social fabric of our communities, we must not stick our head in the sand. We must be bold to call out challenges and create new opportunities. We must embrace a vision for the future of our province that is hopeful, that brings new opportunities, and that rejects the premise that we are divided. This is the BC Green vision. Opportunity for change Each party in this house ran on a different vision for our province and put an emphasis on different priorities. In a minority government these different visions can be brought together to create policies for this province that represent more people and are greater than the sum of their parts. The platform commitments each of us made offer us a starting point from which we can begin to work together to craft a greater vision that can ensure more British Columbians have the opportunity to thrive. How we compose ourselves as elected representatives matters. Only in the legislature, it seems to me, is compromise considered a bad thing. Three years ago, I brought my high school students to the Legislature to see Question Period. At the end of a typically raucous session, one student who was from Denmark expressed his incredulity. “Elected leaders are allowed to behave like that?” he lamented. His reaction has stayed with me – is this really how we want to demonstrate leadership? Can we do better? Do our words in this chamber always need to be about scoring points, wounding our opponents – or can we find new paths, new approaches – particularly given the extraordinary challenges we face not just in our province, but globally. Liberal MP Arnold Chan, who passed away today, in his final address to Parliament said, “I know we are all honourable members, but to treat this institution honourably, I would ask all us us to elevate our debate, to elevate our practice.” I want to express my deepest condolences to the Chan family for their loss, and my gratitude to Arnold Chan for his words.. This is what we have done in our agreement with the NDP, which was predicated on 5 words: “good faith and no surprises”. Within these 5 words is a path forward for all of us in this new environment. As we have learned over the past few months, consultation and collaboration are not always easy. But we have also learned that if we agree on shared values – that government should serve the people, that building trust in government matters, that we have a responsibility not just to the people of BC today, but to the future generations of BC – than we can find ways to work through disagreement and even discord. At the root of every strong relationship are two simple concepts: trust and communication. We will build more trust with better communication. We need to build trust between each other so that the people of BC can feel more trust in their government, and more trust that all MLAs are working together to achieve the best we can for this province. This minority government offers us the opportunity to genuinely reach across party lines and craft policy that incorporates the best of all our ideas. If we spend less time attacking each other, and more time listening and communicating with each other, we just might be able to start to trust one another. This is an exciting story to tell because it does not fit into the old framework of conflict and adversarial relationships. We invite everyone – the press and the public – to challenge us, and ask the hard questions – and also to recognize that we are in a different landscape, in new territory, and that the old narrative of hyper-partisan BC politics no longer needs to always be the defining framework in this House. I have many times in my life, believed in outcomes that others have told me were impossible – and yet I have held fast to my beliefs, which have been rooted in my values and my true conviction that we will always do better when we find ways to work together. This is my hope and belief for this House as we move forward in this new, and noteworthy, time in BC politics.The gold medal. A monumental achievement for any competitor, something an athlete can spend a lifetime chasing. For Kayla Harrison, who has won two, the gold is only one chapter of her story. Harrison, 26, won her second gold medal in women’s judo at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. Shortly after, the Massachusetts judoka retired from competing. "I’ve had an amazing career,” Harrison said in an exclusive interview with Fight Sports. “I’m very proud of everything I’ve been able to accomplish on the mat and off of it so far in my life. The last four years of my competitive career have been the hardest, and it’s much harder to stay on top than it is to get to the top. To put my body and my mind through that again is just asking too much.” While her competitive judo days are over, Harrison still plans to make a mark in the judo community. She was recently promoted to the rank of rokugan, or sixth-degree black belt, a rare honor for someone of her age. The ranking means she is qualified to teach and spread her own knowledge of the sport to others. "I want to share my passion for the sport,” Harrison said. “I want to give back to it what it’s given to me all throughout the years. I’m sure it’s probably a little controversial to some people, promoting someone so young to a rank like this, but I’m looking forward to proving to all of them that I’m ready for it.” Photo Credit: (Paul Sancya / Associated Press) The Olympian will be switching gears when it comes to her training, as she plans on taking up jiu-jitsu at her teammate Travis Stevens’ gym in Massachusetts. Stevens, who won a silver medal in judo at the Rio Olympics, is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and proof of the potential for crossover success in martial arts. Harrison also has developed a friendship with jiu-jitsu legend Renzo Gracie, which further inspired her to dive into a new martial art. "It’s going to be a lot easier on my body than judo is,” Harrison said. “I think jiu-jitsu is gonna be a great way for me to stay in shape, to still do a combat sport, to use the tools that I already have, but to have fun with it. I don’t plan on competing or anything, I just plan on getting out there and learning something new.” When a young athlete of Harrison’s pedigree transitions from one martial art to another, there is one question that hangs over their head until it is answered with certitude: What about mixed-martial arts? Harrison, who comes from the same background as the most successful female fighter in history, has received numerous offers from MMA organizations. Though she has her reservations about the sport, Harrison has not ruled it out. "I haven’t closed the door on it at all. In fact, there’s still discussions pretty much daily about whether or not I’m going to do it, or want to do it, or if I could be any good at it. But for me, I have to do a lot of soul-searching. I’m not ready to commit myself to something like that just yet.” Harrison left competitive judo in part because of the toll the sport took on her body, a toll that would be amplified if she entered the world of cagefighting. If she was to pursue a career in MMA, she would have to prepare herself mentally as well as physically. “I’ve had a lot of injuries, I’ve put my body through the ringer this past 20 years," Harrison said. "So I don’t know, I haven’t really made a decision. There’s still offers and I’m still considering it. For now, I’m just gonna do some soul-searching.” Photo Credit: (IMAGO/ZUMMA Press via Getty Images) Beyond sharing a judo background with Ronda Rousey, Harrison maintains a friendship with the MMA superstar. The two have trained together on the mats, and from a distance Harrison has watched Rousey’s career and absorbed any lesson she could find in it. Rousey reached out to Harrison after the Olympics, congratulating her and offering advice as Harrison prepares to move on from the hunt for gold medals. If Harrison does pursue mixed-martial-arts, she will surely look to Rousey for guidance. "Before I make any big decision, I’m gonna wanna pick her brain and ask her what she would do differently or what she wishes she had or hadn’t done and if I could do it, how I could do it any better. I definitely feel like I’ve learned a lot from her career just by sitting back and watching. I really hope if I do decide to do MMA, that I can take her mistakes and sort of learn from them, and hopefully do a little bit better.” But for now, Harrison’s main focus is giving back, and not just by passing on her judo knowledge to students. Four years ago, Harrison created Fearless Foundation, an organization to educate the public about sexual assault and help victims. She believes there is a need for a premier foundation to help survivors of sexual assault, and hopes to build that now that she has put her martial arts career on the back burner. While her potential future in fight sports is uncertain, her plans for Fearless Foundation are as firm as her two gold medals. "I’m writing a book with a psychologist from McLean Hospital, which is a really big hospital here in Boston that works a lot with victims of sexual abuse and PTSD patients,” she said. “Our goal for the book is for it to be in the 7th grade health class curriculum. I want kids to have to read my story [in one chapter], which will kind of be a guideline, and the next chapter is from the psychologist’s point of view. We really want to take it to a whole new level.” A whole new level. For the 26-year-old, her entire career has been about breaking new ground, building on the foundations set by her predecessors and forging her own path. Whether we’ll see her in the cage one day, or on the mats again, Kayla Harrison will prove that the gold medals were only the beginning.Kim Jong-un urged his troops to be prepared for combat as he declared a “quasi-state of war” according to the North Korea Central Television (NKCT), a media mouthpiece for the communist nation. The leader called for an emergency meeting on Thursday following an exchange of artillery and rocket fire between the South and the North in which he gave orders to his military chiefs to ready the country’s soldiers. “Commanders of the Korean People’s Army were hastily dispatched to the front-line troops to command military operations to destroy psychological warfare tools if the enemy does not stop the propaganda broadcast within 48 hours and prepare against the enemy’s possible counteractions,” a NKCT newscaster said according to Yonhap. North Korea fired over the border after demanding that the South stop their loudspeaker propaganda campaign, an action both countries had agreed to stop back in 2004. The South began the loudspeaker campaign on the border in response to a landmine explosion believed to be orchestrated by the North that critically hurt two of its staff sergeants. Although Kim has declared a “quasi-state of war” the two countries are still technically at war stemming back to the Korean War, which was suspended after an armistice was signed back in 1953.Are you ready for this? Vegan butter chicken sauce? Ahhh my gawdd! It was so so so delicious and so so easy! I will be making this again again! My only regret is that I didn’t make more! I had a number of friends stroll in the day I made this vegan butter chicken sauce and everyone of them loved it (and none of them are even vegan). 🙂 I want to make this again and eat this right now. 🙂 The picture here doesn’t look super saucy but not to worry! I’ve adapted the recipe to double the sauce and that’s what I have shared below. Ingredients for Vegan Butter Chicken Sauce 1/2 cup coconut milk 1/2 cup soaked cashews 2 tbsp olive oil (or vegan butter) 2 tsp freshly ground/grated ginger 2 tsp freshly ground/grated garlic 1 tsp garam masala 4 green cardamom pods 4 cloves 6 black peppercorns 2 inch piece of cinnamon 1 cup tomato puree (from the can) 1/2 – 1 tsp red chilli powder 2-3 fresh green chillies, optional salt, to taste fresh coriander to garnish, optional 1 block tofu 1 tsp of sugar, optional (I didn’t add this but “traditional” butter chicken often includes this) Directions for Vegan Butter Chicken Sauce Soak the cashews (you can do this for however long you like. I have a high powdered blender so I usually skip the soaking process entirely but if you don’t have a high powdered blender, you can soak the cashews overnight or for a minimum of 30 minutes). Place the soaked cashews in a food processor / blender, add the coconut milk and blend them until they are completely smooth. Set aside. Drain tofu and prep tofu. I usually do this by placing it between 2 plates, putting something heavy on top, and letting it sit for about 10-20 minutes. If you would like a “meatier” tofu texture, you can then bake the tofu after it’s drained on a greased baking sheet/parchment paper. Bake it for in about 30 minutes on 400 degrees, flipping mid-way through. Heat the olive oil (or vegan butter) in a large pan over medium heat. Add the green cardamoms, cloves, peppercorns and cinnamon. Sauté for a couple of minutes then add the ginger and garlic paste and cook for a couple of more minutes. Add the tomato puree, red chilli powder, garam masala, salt, and fresh chillies, if using. Increase heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil (you can add more water if you find the mixture sticking to the pan. I did not do this though). Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the tofu and simmer for another five minutes or so. Add the coconut milk & cashew mixture. Adjust spices to taste. Serve hot with naan or roti. I eat this with my Paleo Coconut Flour Naan or my Buckwheat Flour Chapati.Enters into Agreements with iHeartMedia, Beasley and Bonneville Merger with CBS Radio Expected to Close as Early as November 17 BALA CYNWYD, PA – NOVEMBER 1, 2017 – Entercom Communications Corp. (NYSE: ETM) today announced a series of agreements in connection with its pending merger with CBS Radio Inc. (“CBS Radio”), including: A settlement with the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) that will allow Entercom and CBS Radio to move forward with the proposed combination; Asset exchange agreements with iHeartMedia, Inc. (PINK: IHRT) and Beasley Broadcast Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: BBGI) in Boston, Seattle, Richmond and Chattanooga; and Local Marketing Agreements (“LMA”) with Bonneville International Corporation in San Francisco and Sacramento. In connection with these agreements, Entercom now expects its proposed combination with CBS Radio to close as early as November 17, pending approval from the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”). “Today’s announcements mark a significant milestone as we work to complete the transformational combination of Entercom and CBS Radio,” said David Field, President and Chief Executive Officer, Entercom. “While it is necessary to divest certain stations in order to secure regulatory approval, it is difficult to part ways with so many strong brands and, most importantly, their talented people. However, we are excited by the terrific new additions to our lineup that will bolster our position in Boston and expand our footprint in the Southeast. We look forward to unlocking the potential of the combined company to deliver
man says. The budget was $25–$30 million, not including the sculptures. Because the foundation already had an opening date in mind—July 2009, in time for the All-Star Game, which would be played just blocks from the site—it embarked on an aggressive schedule. It held a design competition in early 2007 and considered the likes of Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Charles Anderson Landscape Architecture, and Sawyer/Berson before selecting NBWLA. “We were committed to making this more about their place, St. Louis, than about us,” says Warren T. Byrd Jr., a senior principal at NBWLA. “It also became clear that this was meant to be a combination of sculpture garden, urban park, and urban garden.” Indeed, Citygarden is both a literal and symbolic reflection of the city. Originally, the site had a somewhat deceiving six-foot elevation. The designers took advantage of the terrain by increasing the elevation in some spots to ten feet and then dividing the park into three distinct bands. “The higher ground, which we termed the upland area, would have rows of trees,” Byrd explains. “It houses not just the higher ground but the café terrace and maintenance building. The middle ground (we called it the flood-plain) is the lowest area, the most open and parklike, with big shade trees—not on a grid—and a lot of lawn and water areas. The southern band, the Market Street garden, is the most intensely horticultural.” Early on, the designers found a 1916 Sanborn map showing old property and foundation lines. “We looked at those and said, ‘Let’s trace some of that history,’” Byrd says. “So the central walkways are literal traces of the old alleyways between the two blocks.” The process was intensely collaborative. NBWLA worked with the Missouri Botanical Garden on plant selection and with the Gateway Foundation on the subtle art of sculpture siting. At one point, a large model of the park was built, and the team moved sculpture replicas around like chess pieces, assessing each location based on the artwork, the landscape around it, and how it fit into the sequence of forms. “It seems remarkable that they don’t compete with each other,” Byrd says. “They do overlap in some views, but they tend to complement each other when you do see more than one in a view.” Since early July, when the wraps came off—on schedule and on budget—Citygarden has been visited by a steady stream of revelers, who admire and touch, climb on sculptures or eat a meal, dance in the lyrical plumes of one fountain or wade into the mists of another. “You see little kids, elderly people, arty people, frumpy people,” Wagman says. “People look happy. They’re interacting with each other, often in spontaneous ways.” The park taps into the power of pure joy and the city’s hopes for a genuine and lasting renewal.John "Porky" Zancocchio, 61, an alleged consigliere in the Bonanno crime family, said the government’s new cooperating witness is a long-time client of an attorney who currently represents one of the other alleged Bonanno defendants, according to Manhattan federal court filings. The unidentified witness and his longtime lawyer, Vincent Martinelli -- who represents Albert “Al Muscles” Armetta --discussed the strategy and strength of the case, as well as confidential information about co-defendants and other cooperators, said the filing. The mob rat then shared that material with prosecutors, said the court letter. Martinelli represented the turncoat when he pleaded guilty to organized crime charges back in 2008. “In other words, the government input a ‘spy in the camp’ of the defense and, thereby, violated their Sixth Amendment right to counsel as well as other constitutional rights designed to ensure that they receive a fair trial,” said Zancocchio’s lawyer, John Meringolo. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason M. Swergold refers to the motion as “frivolous” and “filled with factual misstatements.” The prosecutor said the allegations that his office tried to infiltrate the defendant’s camp “could not be further from the truth." The is the borough wiseguy’s second attempt at getting the racketeering case dismissed. Last week, Zancocchio alleged the feds provided testimony "cheat sheet’' to a mob snitch from Tottenville for next month’s trial. The defense claims Swergold handed over pertinent wiretap calls and texts to Staten Island reputed mobster Peter "Pug" Lovaglio, the government’s other cooperating witness. Zancocchio is one of several alleged Bonanno members, including Joseph "Joe C" Cammarano Jr., charged with racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to commit extortion, authorities said. Last year, a federal judge released Zancocchio from the Metropolitan Correctional Center and placed him on home detention to seek medical attention. He had been out on bail, but his bond was revoked when he was caught breaking bread at borough eateries. https://www.silive.com/news/2019/01/reputed-si-bonanno-mobster-claims-feds-planted-spy-to-pry-defense-secrets.html A reputed Staten Island mobster claims the feds planted a “spy” to extract defense secrets and strategy for an upcoming Bonanno mob trial.Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Israel can strike at will and there is very little Syria can do, says the BBC's Quentin Sommerville Israeli aircraft have carried out a strike near the Syrian coastal city of Latakia, a US official says. The official said the strike targeted Russian-made missiles intended for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. Latakia is a stronghold of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, where his Alawite community is concentrated. This is believed to be sixth Israeli attack in Syria this year. Israel does not comment on specific operations. Israeli officials have repeatedly said it would act if it felt Syrian weapons, conventional or chemical, were being transferred to militant groups in the region, especially Hezbollah. Analysis Israeli air-raids on military targets inside Syria have become one of the strangest sub-plots of the civil war. This is thought to be the fifth or sixth such attack this year but it is Israeli policy not to offer any public comment on specific operations. Syria too - for all its decades of hostility towards Israel - hasn't offered any military response and has tended to say little or nothing about the operations. Israel has said publicly that it won't allow the Assad regime in Damascus to transfer powerful rockets and missiles to its allied Shia militia Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, where they could threaten targets in Israel. The Syrian government caught in a grinding civil war of attrition within its borders does not have the capacity for any kind of military confrontation with Israel - avoiding public comment may be a way of reducing pressure from its own people and from the wider Arab world for some form of retaliation. Israel's silence gives it some kind of deniability - even if no-one really doubts it is responsible. The US, Israel's closest ally, may be a little concerned. The consignment of expensive weapons destroyed is thought to have come from Russia, and Washington won't want to see Russian displeasure provoked at a moment when its co-operation is needed to keep alive any hope of peace talks. Reports of the strike came as the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said all Syria's declared equipment for making chemical weapons had been destroyed, one day before a deadline. Action by the OPCW was agreed following allegations, denied by the Syrian government, that its forces had used chemical weapons in civilian areas - and after the US and France threatened military intervention. Delicate moment A US official said the Israeli strike took place overnight from Wednesday into Thursday. Reports circulated on Thursday of explosions near Latakia, but the cause was not clear. "Several explosions were heard in an air defence base in the Snubar Jableh area," said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based activist network. Neither Israel nor Syria have commented on the reports. Earlier this year, Mr Assad had promised to respond to any future strikes by Israel. One unnamed US official told the Associated Press that the missiles targeted by Israel were Russian-made SA-125s. The BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut says the reports come at a delicate moment, with the Russians - who apparently made the weapons that Israel is said to have targeted - working closely with the US to get a peace conference on Syria off the ground. Russia has been a key backer of President Assad's, continuing to supply his government with weapons during the conflict in Syria. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Lakhdar Brahimi: "We are making progress. Whether that progress will be enough... is not certain" The UN Joint Special Representative for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, has told the BBC he believes progress was "certainly being made" on preparations for an international peace conference in Switzerland - widely referred to as Geneva 2. Alleged Israeli strikes on Syria July 2013: Reports citing US officials say the Israeli air force struck a missile warehouse in Latakia 5 May 2013: Two Israeli air strikes reportedly hit a military complex around Jamraya, north-west of Damascus 2 May 2013: Israeli planes launch a strike targeting shipment of ground-to-ground missiles at a warehouse at Damascus airport, according to US intelligence sources January 2013: Syrian military says Israeli jets carried out an air strike on a military research centre north-west of Damascus Marcus: Israel enforces'red line' in Syria But he said it was not certain if it was enough for the conference to take place, as planned, on 23 November. He said he hoped to announce a date soon. Speaking in Damascus, at the end of his first visit to the capital since December, he said "people are realising more and more there is no military solution and don't see any way of getting out of this horrible situation except through Geneva". 'Constructive partner' On Thursday, the OPCW said in a statement that its teams had inspected 21 of the 23 chemical weapons sites in Syria. It said two sites were too dangerous to visit, but equipment from those sites had already been moved to places where it could be inspected. Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad told the BBC that his government was co-operating, and was making a contribution to freeing the Middle East of weapons of mass destruction. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Lyse Doucet reports from Damascus "I hope those who have always thought of us negatively will change their minds and understand that Syria was, is, and will be always a constructive partner," Mr Mekdad said. Syria's next deadline is mid-November, by which time the OPCW and the Syrians must agree a detailed plan to destroy the country's chemical weapons stockpile. Syria has until mid-2014 to destroy the chemical weapons themselves. Syria's arsenal is believed to include more than 1,000 tonnes of the nerve gas sarin, the blister agent sulphur mustard and other banned chemicals, stored at dozens of sites. The uprising against Mr Assad began in 2011. More than 100,000 people have been killed and more than two million people have fled the country, according to the UN.Puppetizing and Deploying Emacs ThoughtWorks employ me as a Continuous Delivery consultant, not actually as a Lisp hacker. Apparently Lisp hackers are in less demand than continuous delivery consultants. What sort of world do we live in? Not an optimal one I reckon. Anyway, this means that I spend way too much of my time writing Puppet scripts and using Vagrant virtual machines. But sometimes the lisp hacking and the continuous delivery expertize come together. For example, I've been doing some stuff with Elnode and other Emacs servers that will benefit from being packaged in a Vagrant VM. I find Puppet very dissatisfying, but it's better than trying to provision boxes in other ways. It is declarative for example. That's a good thing. But it's requires much mundane verbosity in the form of repeated tedious directory structure. That's a bad thing. Package managers like, apt, yum and those... are great but packages for them are necessarily less portable than puppet and harder to write. Emacs can be started as a daemon, so we can host code in it quite happily. But it's hard to deploy to. So I've written some puppet to make it easy: class emacs { group { "emacs" : ensure => "present" } user { "emacs" : gid => "emacs", home => "/home/emacs", } file { "/home/emacs" : ensure => "directory", owner => "emacs", group => "emacs", mode => "u=rwx,g=rx,o=rx", } package { "curl" : } $emacs_dist_url = "https://github.com/downloads/nicferrier/heroku-buildpack-emacs/emacs.tgz" exec { "emacs-tarball" : require => Package[ "curl" ], path => "/usr/bin:/bin", command => "curl -Ls $emacs_dist_url -o /tmp/emacs-24.tgz", creates => "/tmp/emacs-24.tgz", user => "emacs", group => "emacs", logoutput => true } exec { "emacs-dist" : require => [File[ "/home/emacs" ], Exec[ "emacs-tarball" ]], path => "/usr/bin:/bin", cwd => "/home/emacs", command => "tar xvzf /tmp/emacs-24.tgz", creates => "/home/emacs/emacs/bin/emacs", refresh => "rm -rf /home/emacs/emacs", logoutput => true, user => "emacs", group => "emacs", } file { "emacs-initd" : require => Exec[ "emacs-dist" ], source => "puppet:///modules/emacs/initd", path => "/etc/init.d/emacs", owner => "root", group => "root", mode => "u=rx,g=rx", } service { "emacs" : require => File[ "emacs-initd" ], ensure => "running", enable => "true", hasstatus => "true", } } NB: I wish puppet accepted the fact that install tarballs is such a common exercise and provided direct support for them. This installs a usable Emacs 24 daemon and starts it with a daemon script that is also installed. Daemon Init Daemon scripts for Emacs have kicked around for a while, ever since Emacs could be daemonized, which was a while ago. I've taken an existing one and adapted it a lot. My one can install packages and call commands (which you need to be able to do to stop and start servers for example). It also bootstraps itself with an Emacs init file. The initd has it's own repository on github. Starting Emacs like this makes it possible to package elnode, for example, like this: class elnode { exec { "install-elnode" : require => Service[ "emacs" ], command => "/etc/init.d/emacs install elnode", } } It should also make it possible to package emacs packages more like other apps. For example, one could treat an elnode instance as a service, but it would need separate start and stop scripts in init.d. That wouldn't be hard of course, they can just: case $ 1 in start) /etc/init.d/emacs command elnode-start "0.0.0.0" 8001 ;; stop) /etc/init.d/emacs command elnode-stop 8001 ;; esac It does seem tedious to have to write this script over and over. Perhaps puppet could write it somehow or perhaps Emacs packages should provide scripts like that. It also seems that it might be fun to give puppet a package handler that supported emacs packages, so you could actually say: class some-emacs-thing { package { "elnode" : provider => "emacs", repository => "http://marmalade-repo.org/packages/", } } Maybe that could even do all the work of spinning up the emacs server if it wasn't already there. There is precedent for this, Ruby and Python both have package extensions to puppet to make this stuff work. It's something I'll investigate if people make enough noise at me. Maven. The best bits. For Emacs. Starting Emacs as a daemon and putting packages in it is only the beginning of the evil things I've done in the name of Emacs deployment. Perhaps the epitomy is to implement maven in EmacsLisp. For those who don't know, maven, is the worst tool ever designed. Ok, ok: in my opinion. But it's not just me. It does have one cool thing though, the separation of packages from repositories. This has now been copied in a lot of packaging tools. Emacs' ELPA has it in theory, you can specify an HTTP archive such as GNU's ELPA archive or Marmalade or you can use a plain old directory to install packages from. In practice, file archives haven't been very useful because there weren't many tools to utilize them. So I have written elpakit. elpakit is a tool to help with packaging Emacs packages. But also to allow you to make a temporary archive of them. (elpakit "vagrant/packages" '( "~/work/elnode-auth" "~/work/emacs-db" "~/work/shoes-off" "~/work/rcirc-ssh" )) Presuming those directories contain dev trees of Emacs packages then elpakit will build the packages and make a package archive in vagrant/packages. This is the beginnings of package based project management for Emacs. It seems like the list of packages you use to make a private archive could become your project definition, you could track drift from git repos across the project, manage the archive as a whole, pushing and pulling it to places, co-ordinate branching across the parts of the project. Like other stuff I'm doing what is fun about this is that we're inventing it. It's a brand new time for Emacs. Come and help out!As a mild disclaimer, I don’t have the widest taste in music in terms of genre, so saying this is a list of my favorite rock and pop albums of the year would have pretty much the same results. There were so many wonderful albums that came out this year, but the following thirteen are all ones that I’ve been drawn to and listened to closely and often. I don’t necessarily love every track of every record, but they are certainly all worth a listen from front to back, and I hope someone will take an interest in something new from reading this list. All albums had to be four tracks or longer to count for the list. I’ve arranged them in order, but lining up your favorites is such a difficult task and on any given day, I feel like the ranking could be quite different. Next year it probably wouldn’t look anything like it does now. The more you listen to music, the more your impressions change. But for today, this is how I feel. 13. Yabai T-Shirts-ya-san – We Love Tank-Top ヤバイTシャツ屋さん – We love Tank-top This is energetic and fun. Pop punk with funny lyrics. The contrast between slightly shouty male vocals and the very clear, high female vocals really makes their songs stand out despite the relatively simple structure, and they have great harmonies. It’s a three piece but the recordings have double-tracked guitar or sometimes keyboard, so it’s a relatively full sound for punk. Best Track Overall: Musen LAN bari benri (無線LANばり便利) Best Track You Can Listen To: Atsumare! Party People (あつまれ! パーティーピーポー) 12. Fuyuu Suru Neko – CLUTCH GIRL 浮遊スル猫 – CLUTCH GIRL Another band with twin vocals: one a full, mature sound, the second a nasally, purposefully cute sound that have surprisingly good play against each other. Also a three piece band, the guitar is often simple but soaring with a harsh distortion tone behind the melodic vocal play. The bass is heavy on the effect pedals and the drums are simple but fitting. This album is their third album and the most realized of their attempts thus far, having a bit of a more mature sound and a balanced quality between the different tracks. It’s hard to pick a highlight because there are so many strong songs, and they’ve also branched out of their sound in an effective way with the dreamy “Lion.” Best Track Overall: Shirimetsurestsu (支離滅裂) Best Track You Can Listen To: Lalalila/Lion (ララリラ / ライオン) 11. Koresawa – JPOP コレサワジエイポップ Koresawa is the ideal JPOP-style singer-songwriter for me. Her songs are straightforward and basic in structure, but they are all catchy and feature wonderful instrumentation, with a mix of acoustic and electric guitar, bass, keyboards, drums, and extra percussion, well-mixed and well-performed by Koresawa herself and session musicians. Her voice certainly also trends toward the more nasally and cute singing often found in mainstream pop (one of the two archetypes, the other being strong powerhouse ballad singers), but she sings quite well. Her lyrics are always adorable, and this 4-track EP is probably her best effort to date with four songs that you could just let go on repeat. Best Track Overall: Short Cut ni Akogarete (ショートカットに憧れて) Best Track You Can Listen To: J-POP 10. Mikkai to Miminari – Utsukushii Gyakushuu 密会と耳鳴り – 美しい逆襲 One of my favorites on the heavier end of alt rock since FLiP have gone on hiatus — a couple of their very early songs actually remind of me of FLiP quite a lot. They’ve since gone a different direction in their sound, but it’s heavy hitting and poppy, with impressive guitar leads and a very distinctive voice from singer Chako. The guitar is even more impressive live while Hase is doing highkicks… I’ve sometimes seen them compared to tricot, though I personally don’t see too much similarity (no changing time signatures and completely different guitar and vocal sounds). My favorite from the band is their first mini album, but their latest release (and first available in stores) is excellent and includes several rerecordings from previous CDs. Best Rerecording: Kagefumi (影踏み) Best New Song: Saitei!Kibunya!__Bokumestsu! (最低!気分屋!○○撲滅!) 9. Regal Lily – The Post リーガルリリー – the Post Definitely one of the bands following in the footsteps of Chatmonchy, but Regal Lily easily breaks out of that paradigm with their unique style. Honoka’s slightly-out-out-tune, impassioned singing is wonderful and she makes liberal use of the chorus effect for her guitar (which is currently a Fender Mustang despite the single of this album being Rickenbacker). A strong indie character and some shoegazer influence, with quiet verses leading to huge choruses crashing down on you like a tidal wave with their ocean of sound. This CD is another first available-in-stores album and they seem well on their way to wider success. Best Track: Rickenbacker (リッケンバッカー) 8. Gozen Sanji to Taikutsu – Seinen no Shiseikan 午前3時と退屈 – 成年の死生観 The first Gozen CD to have more than a couple tracks on it — it certainly feels like their first really complete work. So much time has passed since their last recording that you can really feel the progress they’ve made. The mixing is better and a lot of the songs are ones they’ve been playing live for over a year, so they’ve been polished quite a bit. The lead track (with a music video) is the first song written by the band’s new guitarist and sole male member, Hoshi. All the rest of the tracks are by vocal/keyboards Anisonin. It definitely feels different from the minor key haunting songs that Anisonin dreams up, yet still is not jarring from sound. Definitely a good overall CD that makes me excited to see what they’ll do next. Best Track Overall: Ougon Jidai ni Timeslip (黄金時代にタイムスリップ) Best Track You Can Listen To: Tokyo Dreamland (東京ドリームランド) 7. tricot – KABUKU EP This feels like a slightly more mature and slightly more experimental tricot. It’s not a large departure from their previous music, mathy alt rock with cleanly overdriven guitars, but definitely feels like they want to try some different ideas. This may also be the reason for singer Ikkyu’s solo project that started this year. With each track drummed by a different person, each song has a bit of a unique groove. As with most of tricot’s releases, there were some songs that I felt were much stronger than others, but still no bad songs. This is one of the earlier releases from this year to make this list, which speaks to its staying power. Read my earlier full review here. Best Track: Setsuyakuka (節約家) 6. Hara From Hell – Minohodo ハラフロムヘル – みのほど As always, it’s hard not to be captivated by the dramatic vocals of Tatejima Yoko. She sounds like a singer straight out of the 30s or someone performing in a musical, yet the band is playing rock/folk. You definitely won’t find this mix anywhere else, and is definitely a sound that’s not for everyone, but I think it’s completely captivating. Minohodo has several rerecordings, but the new songs are good, including the lead track “Pants Hill” — the live version of which I initially watched on YouTube and fell in love with the band over. They’ve changed one guitarist since their last music release, but with only a subtly different style, the music feels relatively the same to their last CD, Matryoshka-san. Best Track: Pants Hill (パンツヒル) 5. THE HUNGRY RUGRAT – Te THE HUNGRY RUGRAT – 手 This was one of my biggest surprises of the year. I’d never heard of this band, as they mostly play locally in Hokkaido, but they were in the Tokyo area for a short tour and I happened to see them play at a show I was at to see another band. The sound is so strongly UK rock that if the lyrics were in English you might not even suspect it’s a Japanese band. The songs are short and punchy and completely satisfying. Best Track Overall: Aitsu no Sei (アイツのせい) Best Track You Can Listen To: Shikai wa Kurai (視界は暗い) 4. ayumi melody – Froh Flow One of the most relaxing, sweet, and wonderful albums I’ve listened to all year. These folky numbers, with just singing, acoustic guitar, and piano, are truly beautiful and the lyrics are incredibly touching. This album is a testament to the power of simple music beautifully crafted. Read my earlier full review here. Best Track Overall: Hikari no Tsubu (ひかりのつぶ) Best Track You Can Listen To: Midori no Sheets (みどりのシーツ) 3. Yubisaki Nohaku – Full Range 指先ノハク – フルレンジ Yubisaki Nohaku is a band that has been working hard for a long time for an indie band with no lineup changes — eight years — without much success but is finally starting to gain some momentum. This newest album is produced by former Chirinuruwowaka guitarist Sakamoto Natsuki. They had an internet commercial promotion with Pocari Sweat sports drink for their song “Festablue,” and in their last series of events performed with some big indie names including a twoman show with tricot. This album has a couple of weaker songs like “No.9,” but overall is fantastic. A 90s-rock-esque alternative sound with some distinctive sounds from lead guitarist Junko. They’ve abandoned the keyboard for the time being with Full Range in favor of two guitars for all tracks on the record. The album is tied up with my favorite song of the year, “Sou.” Best Track: Sou (層) 2. Peroperoshiteyaritaiwazu – Localism no Yoake ペロペロしてやりたいわズ。 – ローカリズムの夜明け This is an interesting album for this list. I like all of the songs, yet nothing stands out strongly like “Sou” on Full Range. But the album, 10 tracks long, works so well as a complete piece that it forged its way all the way to #2 on my list. Funk-inspired pop rock with groovy basslines and funky lead guitar and interesting singing — often leaning more to talking than singing depending on the track. I found myself listening to Localism front to back for several days on end when it came out, and then even went back to re-listen to all of their old CDs too. Best Track Overall: City Boy Best Track You Can Listen To: Furico 1. Zekkei Kujira – Jidori 絶景クジラ – 自撮り Another release from earlier in the year that managed to stay in my mind this whole time. Jidori is the best Zekkei has ever been and is a perfect five tracks of pop-rock with a little edge, a little groove, and impressive, addictive singing. It’s a shame that bassist Uemaya is leaving the band in March. Hopefully they can find a good replacement and continue to put out amazing music. Read my earlier full review here. Best Track: Saigo ni Ai wa Katsu (最後に愛は勝つ)In a followup to last month’s CDJ-1000MK1 conversion project, DJ Legion has hacked the more modern CDJ-1000MK3. In a highly detailed series of videos, DJ gear technician Lee Smith walks viewers through his complete process of taking a dead CDJ and turning into MIDI controller. Hack The CDJ-1000MK3 To Work Via MIDI So first off – be warned: this gets extremely nerdy. To follow the instructions for this entire process will take a bit of time, but you can learn a lot about how a CDJ works by watching these videos. Lee has done an amazing job of cataloging all the steps of this intense conversion. The process is pretty Dr. Frankenstein – starting out with a completely dead CDJ-1000MK3, and bringing it back to life with a Teensy 3.6 board as the brain. Watch all 7 videos in the playlist below if you’re ready to dive in! Up Next: A Kit Of PCBs Instead? As you can tell from the above playlist of videos, hacking a CDJ-1000MK3 takes a lot of time. Lee notes in the end of the videos: “It’s quite a lot of work to do this conversion, and there’s a lot of factors that can go wrong. So what I’m working on is designing some PCBs that you hopefully can buy as a kit to basically do the conversions yourself. So this means you don’t even need to have the boards inside” Effectively, his plan is to make custom replacement PCBs for the CDJ-1000MK3 which can be slapped into the case, and either fitted with the original knobs and faders or fitted with brand news ones. This would avoid a lot of the stress of this type of conversion, making a quick-and-easy job instead.UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council could vote as early as next week on a Western-Arab draft resolution endorsing the Arab League’s call for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to transfer powers to his deputy, council diplomats said on Wednesday. It remains unclear whether Russia - which together with China vetoed a European-drafted resolution in October that condemned Syria and threatened it with sanctions over its 10-month crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators - is prepared to wield its veto powers once again to block council action on Syria. European and U.S. delegations have been working with Qatar and the Arab Security Council member, Morocco, on a new draft resolution. The text, obtained by Reuters, urges council support for a “political transition” in Syria, where government forces have killed thousands of demonstrators inspired by Arab Spring uprisings across the Middle East and North Africa. “We hope to push forward with that in the Security Council quite quickly,” a senior Western diplomat said on condition of anonymity. The new draft will replace a Russian text, which Western diplomats say is too weak and no longer relevant in light of the Arab League call for Assad to hand power to his deputy. Diplomats said they would like to put the new draft resolution to a vote next week. There is also a question of when Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby and Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani, who heads the organization’s Syria committee, will brief the council, as the two requested in a letter to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. That letter, also obtained by Reuters, calls for a special ministerial level meeting of the 15-nation council on Syria. One council diplomat said the League proposed holding that meeting on February 8, though Western delegations would like to hold it sooner, using video conferencing technology if necessary. “What we don’t want to do is just do nothing in the Security Council until the eighth (of February),” the senior diplomat said. Another diplomat said the council would be discussing the timing of the Arab League briefing on Wednesday behind closed doors after consultations on Libya. ‘POLITICAL TRANSITION’ The Arab League’s new plan agreed to at the weekend calls on Assad to transfer power to his deputy and allow the formation of a unity government. The draft resolution says the council “supports... the League of Arab States’ initiative... to facilitate a political transition leading to a democratic, plural political system... including through the transfer of power from the President and transparent and free elections under Arab and international supervision.” It makes no mention of sanctions and appears to fall short of making compliance with the Arab League plan legally binding. But it does ask Ban to report to the council every 15 days on Syria’s compliance with the terms of the resolution, which would formally put it on the council’s agenda. Russia has repeatedly said it does not want Syria to become another Libya, where Moscow contends that NATO misused its Security Council mandate to protect civilians as a vehicle for “regime change.” But Western diplomats said that Russia might find it difficult to use its veto against a resolution that is simply intended to provide support for the Arab League. Russia and China have expressed interest in having the head of an Arab League monitoring mission in Syria, Sudanese General Mohammed al-Dabi, brief the council as well. Dabi said the level of violence had fallen since the mission arrived in Syria in late December, an assertion contested by Assad’s opponents. Western diplomats, however, said there was no need to have Dabi brief the council and rejected the idea. The fate of the League’s 165-strong monitoring team was thrown into doubt on Tuesday when Gulf Arab states began withdrawing 55 of their monitors, saying they had failed to stem the violence.Headstones are a rich source of information for historians and genealogists, but since they’re not easily scanned like paper documents, you usually have to visit in person. Thanks to a program funded by a tax on plastic bags and staffed primarily by volunteers, people looking for their Irish forebears will be able to view headstones from selected historical cemeteries in Ireland. Experts train local volunteers for two weeks. The volunteers take pictures or good ol’ fashioned pencil rubbings of headstones, and then collect any other information — stories, legends, audio of oral histories and video of the headstones — associated with the graves. Smartphones, digital cameras and GPS devices facilitate data collection and digitization. The data is then uploaded to the Historic Graves website where people can search for specific graves using keywords, family names, year of birth, or year of death. You can also search by graveyard, or, if you don’t know the cemetery’s name, by map. It’s a brilliant way to utilize the knowledge and passion of local heritage groups, parks employees, schools and volunteer graveyard maintenance organizations to share a wealth of Irish history with people who might otherwise never have a chance to see where their ancestors are buried, or even just to enjoy the beauty of and history behind these cemeteries. [Project coordinator John] Tierney said historic graveyards were full of heritage and character and were “unique connectors between people and place”. “The goal is that communities will develop a richer view of their local heritage with benefits for locals and for tourists who find Irish historic graveyards so fascinating. Many of the 19th and early 20th century Irish city graveyards have links across to families and communities in the UK and by making the burial data available via the web and smartphone devices, it is hoped to connect into the growing area of genealogical tourism.” The data will be parlayed into handy county, area, and national cemetery trails for local and international heritage tourists to follow. There will also be a separate mausoleum trail. The survey started eight months ago and there are already over 6,000 graves from 80 graveyards in 12 counties recorded and published on the website. Data from various older surveys has been centralized and added to the site, which is why there are graveyards in England and Scotland visible on the map. They have a long ways to go, though. There are over 3600 historic cemeteries in Ireland and the ultimate aim of the project is to document and digitize every one of them. If you’d like to help, you can sign up to transcribe memorial inscriptions from the photographs. Register to be a transcriber here, then view the pictures and transcribe the names and dates. Your transcription will be published as soon as you submit it, making that record instantly searchable. See some beautiful cemeteries and surveyors at work on the Historic Graves YouTube channel. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPfVHRofVCE&w=430] This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 11th, 2012 at 11:51 PM and is filed under Modern(ish), Multimedia. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.Cain Velasquez, the newly crowned heavyweight champion with wins over Brock
. Democrats and consumer groups warned consumer privacy would be more at risk without the rules. AT&T, Comcast, and Verizon have each said they will not sell data to third parties. Related: Here's what you need to know about the rules and broadband privacy: Are there any remaining rules governing consumer broadband privacy? Yes. The FCC retains the authority to take action should an ISP commit unjust or unreasonable business practices. The Federal Trade Commission can also take action when companies act unfairly and deceptively. But there is some question of the FTC's authority because a recent federal court ruling found the agency had no jurisdiction over broadband companies — in this case wireless provider AT&T — because the 2015 net neutrality rules gave that authority to the FCC. Democrats and privacy advocates note that the new FCC rules set expectations of ISP conduct, while these remaining provisions involve after-the-fact enforcement. ISPs, including mobile broadband providers, do have their voluntary privacy policies. "Companies have a financial incentive to handle your personal data properly because to do otherwise would significantly impair their financial standing," said Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., who sponsored the House resolution. Why did the FCC pass the rules in the first place? FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, the Democrat who preceded current Chairman Ajit Pai, a Republican, sought to bolster consumers' privacy protection with new rules giving them more say in how their personal data would be used. The rules also required Net providers to maintain data security to protect consumer data. Without the rules, ISPs' potential use of users' browsing data could undermine cybersecurity, says Zouhair Belkoura, founder and CEO of content privacy company Keepsafe. That's because browsing data must be decrypted and re-encrypted during your surfing and that "leads to weaker security, which will make people more vulnerable to hacking incidents," he said. Do companies use my personal information now? Yes. Google and Facebook aggregate demographic and other profile data to offer advertisers desirable audiences. "The distinguishing factor here is that consumers choose to use Google and Facebook's services and implicitly agree to trade some privacy for the convenience of their services," Belkoura said. Since customers pay ISPs directly, they should expect "privacy is respected," he said. What happens next? The FCC is prohibited from proposing new similar privacy regulations on its own, under the Congressional Review Act. But Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., also already promised to introduce legislation charging the FCC to craft new "strong broadband" rules, an action that would allow the FCC to relook at the issue. Congress could also pass legislation better defining the roles of the FCC and FTC. Chairman Pai pledged to work with the FTC on developing "a consistent and comprehensive" privacy framework. With more companies not only providing broadband, but also selling online advertising, the issue will remain confusing. "Eventually Congress will need to address the issue, because gaps are likely to remain," said Fred Campbell, director of TechKnowledge, a market-oriented think tank. Follow Mike Snider on Twitter: @MikeSnider. Contributing: Brett Molina. Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/2oxXaGYApple's App Store and the Google Play store each claim to offer over 700,000 apps to choose from, but only a tiny fraction of them bring in significant revenue for their developers, according to research from analyst firm Canalys. In fact, the company says, of the $120m in total revenue generated from paid app downloads and in-app purchases in the US during the first 20 days of November 2012, fully half was split between just 25 developers. All but one of those top 25 earners were game developers, including Disney, Electronic Arts, Gameloft, Glu, Kabam, Rovio, Storm8, and Zynga, among others. On average, Canalys found that 145 of the top 300 apps in the Apple App Store were games during its sample period, while the format accounted for 116 of the top 300 apps on Google Play. The one exception on the top-earners list was Pandora, which markets the popular Pandora Radio app for its personalized music service. In most of the other cases, however, Canalys found that the top-selling game makers managed to dominate the charts by offering multiple products through the app stores at once, to strengthen their respective brands. For example, Rovio currently markets eight different variants of its Angry Birds franchise through the Google Play store, in addition to spinoffs such as Bad Piggies. Electronic Arts, on the other hand, publishes some 962 games for iOS, either under its own brand or those of its subsidiaries. "With the holiday season now underway, we expect to see many of these top game developers employing discounts and special offers, taking advantage of their ability to cross-promote within their app portfolios," says Canalys principal analyst Chris Jones. "This is expected to ensure that over the Christmas period in the US, the dominance of key game developers will only increase." Given the huge volume of apps available in both major app stores, developers who don't already have a strong brand presence will find it increasingly difficult to crack the market, the company says, citing discoverability as a particular problem. To get ahead, Canalys says small developers – and makers of non-game apps in particular – should explore as many marketing avenues as they can come up with, including discounts, brand tie-ins, social media promotion, and in-app advertising. The good news, though, is that there is definitely a growing market for paid apps. A November report by analyst firm App Annie showed revenues from the iOS App Store up 12.9 per cent from January through October 2012, while Google Play revenues more than tripled over the same period. ®Benjamin Franklin said: “in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Well, nowadays some people do manage to escape paying taxes but death—as far as we know anyway—still can’t be avoided. And no time period planned for, feared and yes, even celebrated death more than the Victorian age. With that said, here are ten fascinating facts about death in the Victorian era. 10 Strange Deaths Fact: People Died in Very Strange Ways While people did die from much the same ailments as we do today such as heart failure, strokes and pneumonia, there were just as many deaths caused under bizarre circumstances which serves as a looking glass of the times: Ever hear of death by corset? Well, according to the Dundee Courier of October 22, 1844, one Jane Goodwin, twenty-two, was sitting in church when she was suddenly taken ill and was carried out of the church to the sexton’s house. Unfortunately before her friends got to her however, she was already dead. Her cause of death?—her corset was too tightly laced. In a time when dentures were made from the teeth of the recently deceased, it’s rather ironic when one considers the death of Mr. Edwin Clayton who died after swallowing his false teeth. As was written in the June 8th 1904 edition of the Yorkshire Evening Post, “Mr. Clayton was suffocated at Endon, between Leek and Stoke, through swallowing his false teeth. A doctor said he found the top plate of Clayton’s false teeth wedged behind the claque of his throat, which would cause him to attempt to vomit, but he would not be able to do so, the fluid would enter the lungs, and he would be suffocated. A verdict of ‘Accidental Death’ was returned.” Sadly, children were not exempt from death under bizarre circumstances. On December 2, 1873 a child named Mullins was fatally mauled by a pig. As was described in the Yorkshire Post, “Its throat and chest were so lacerated that it died in a short time. The pig dragged the child out of the house by the throat into the street. This is the second fatal accident of the kind at Galway within a month.” Other ways people died that were indicative of the times was scarlet fever, typhoid, cholera and for women, death by burns which was caused by a combination of open hearth cooking and the use of highly flammable fabrics in their clothes. 9 Superstitions Fact: There Were Many Superstitions Regarding Death From weddings to illnesses, people in the Victorian age had many superstitions regarding everyday life. But no life occurrence was the subject of more superstitions than death. Though no one really knows how or why the Victorians came up with these superstitions, many of them are quite malevolent and ominous in nature. Here’s a small sampling: It is bad luck to meet a funeral procession head on. If you see one approaching, turn around. If this is unavoidable, hold on to a button until the funeral cortege passes. Stop the clock in a death room or you will have bad luck. If you hear a clap of thunder following a burial it indicates that the soul of the departed has reached heaven If you don’t hold your breath while going by a graveyard you will not be buried. If the deceased has lived a good life, flowers would bloom on his grave; but if he has been evil, only weeds would grow. If you smell roses when no one is around, someone is going to die. If you see yourself in a dream, your death will follow. If a sparrow lands on a piano, someone in the home will die. If a picture falls off a wall, there will be a death of someone you know. A single snowdrop growing in the garden foretells death. 8 Mementos Fact: Survivors Obsessively Coveted Mementos of the Deceased So attached were survivors to the memory of the deceased, that families would obsessively collect any reminder of the deceased that could be had. Such items as lockets, brooches, rings and even locks of hair were known to be coveted. And in an era when photography was still in its infancy, families were also known to take pictures of the deceased mere days after they passed. Called memento mori, which translates to “remember your mortality,” these photos showed the deceased in settings that displayed their personalities. If for example, the person was a carpenter, they would be photographed in a woodshed, if they were a priest, they would be photographed in church. And yes, if the deceased was an infant, the child would be posed with other family members. And in order to ensure that the deceased looked as natural as possible in these photos, the photographer would either prop the deceased eyes open or paint pupils on to the photographic print. Sometimes even a rosy tint would be added to their cheeks. An even more macabre memento was in the sad case of a deceased infant, the family would often keep the dead body until it mummified, then dress the baby’s body and display it as an objet d’art! 7 Funeral Etiquette Fact: Funeral Etiquette Was Rigorously Observed For the Victorians, life was all about proper etiquette, and nowhere was this more evident than at funerals. Unlike current times where anyone can attend a funeral service, in the Victorian age, a person must first wait to receive their formal written invitation. (It was not proper however, to send invitations to a funeral of a person who died from a contagious disease. In this case, there would just be a simple notice of death posted in the local paper with the simple phrase “funeral private” and all would be understood.) Funeral guests were then expected to arrive precisely an hour before the service was to begin. Upon entering the funeral parlor or house of the deceased, men were expected to remove their hats and not “replace them again while in the house.” Loud talking and laughter were also strictly forbidden and “interviews with the family at the time should not be expected.” In the home or funeral parlor, the remains of the deceased were to be placed in such a way so that “when the discourse is finished, if the corpse is exposed to view, the assembled guests may see the same by passing in single file past the coffin, going from foot to head, up one aisle and down another.” On the way to the burial, there were exactly six pall bearers who walked in threes, “on each side of the hearse, or in a carriage immediately before, while the near relatives directly follow the hearse succeeded by those more distantly connected.” Ladies however, were firmly denied the privilege of following the remains to the grave by strict social etiquette. At the end of the service, the master of ceremonies preceded the mourners to the carriages and assisted the ladies to their places. If the physician of the deceased happened to be in attendance, he was placed in the carriage immediately following the near relatives of the deceased. 6 Mourning Periods Fact: Mourning Periods Were Strictly Regulated Thanks to Queen Victoria who turned mourning into an art form unto itself, mourning the dead in the Victorian age became a very strict and formal occasion with a great many rules and regulations. When a person initially died, so began the mourning process. Curtains were immediately drawn, clocks were stopped at the time of death and mirrors were covered because of the superstition that the spirit of the deceased could become trapped in the reflective glass. Mourning periods were divided into two time frames: deep mourning and half mourning. A widow was expected to mourn her husband for at least two years during which time she was expected to wear black at all times with her only social agenda being at church. Parents who lost a child were in deep mourning for nine months and half mourning for three months. Children who lost their parents mourned for the same amount of time. The death of a sibling required three months of deep mourning and three months of half mourning. In-laws, aunts, uncles, cousins and other relatives all had mourning periods that ranged from six weeks to six months. As you can probably guess, it would not be unusual for a person to be in mourning sometimes for the better part of a year. 5 Mourning Attire Fact: Mourning Attire Was Very Strict Due to the strict adherence to mourning attire, it was quite easy to recognize not only who was in mourning but also for how long. And of course women were the main attractions of this particular fashion show. During the first six months of mourning, the widow was expected to wear a full length dress made entirely of black crepe with white crepe collars and cuffs. On her head she would wear a crepe bonnet with a long crepe veil and a widows cap also of white crepe with black kid gloves on her hands. All kinds of black fur and seal-skin were also worn during this time. After six months, the crepe material was removed and after three months the widows cap was removed. Now the widow could wear a dress made of silk garbardine, plain black grosgrain or crepe trimmed cashmere with jet trimmings. She could also exchange the heavy crepe veil for a lighter one. As for the use of crepe in mourning veils, doctors were very much opposed to its usage. Many doctors felt that when worn over the face for an extended period of time, the black dye from the crepe material “sheds its pernicious dye into the sensitive nostrils, producing catarrhal disease as well as blindness and cataract of the eye. It is a thousand pities that fashion dictates the crape veil, but so it is. It is the very banner of woe, and no one has the courage to go without it. We can only suggest to mourners wearing it that they should pin a small veil of black tulle over the eyes and nose, and throw back the heavy crape as often as possible, for health’s sake.” And while women were slaves to their mourning attire, men however, had it relatively easy. They simply wore their usual dark suits with black gloves and black cravats. 4 Churchyards Fact: Churchyards Overflowed With Burials At a time when there was little to no standards for sanitation, the burial of the deceased occurred in churchyards many of which in were in the middle of small towns. Over time the churchyards became so overflowing with dead bodies that the surrounding neighborhoods became decidedly unhealthy. The bodies were usually buried in shallow pits beneath the floorboards of chapels and schools. And while churchyards may seem to contain only a small number of gravestones, that was actually however, quite misleading. For example, a churchyard that was only 200 square feet (18.6 square meters) in length would in actuality contain sixty or seventy thousand bodies. By the 1830s however, things changed when barrister, George Frederick Carden decided to create a commercial cemetery much like Paris’s Pere Lachaise, an exquisite park-like cemetery. And so it was in 1831 when fifty-five acres of land in London’s Kensal Green was purchased and thus was borne London’s first great cemetery. 3 Dressing the Dead Fact: Different Rules Applied for Dressing the Dead While the fashion code for mourners was quite detailed and extreme, the rules were quite the opposite for dressing the deceased. The remains of a man were usually “clad in his habit as he lived.” A woman’s remains however, were usually dressed in a white robe and cap while children were dressed in white cashmere robes. As for the casket, it was usually made of hardwood or cast iron especially if the deceased died from a highly contagious disease such as diphtheria or cholera. Typically, the coffin itself would remain plain on the outside save for a swath of black cloth while the inside was usually satin lined. Another addition to the coffin’s interior was usually a bell of some sort. Due to the contagious nature of diseases like small pox, cholera and diphtheria as well as the misdiagnosis of comas for death, unfortunately many people were actually buried alive in the Victorian age. Therefore, as a means of forestalling a not quite dead person’s burial, the installation of bells in coffins became de rigeuer. 2 Queen Victoria Fact: Queen Victoria Started It All She was a popular and powerful queen but nowhere was Victoria’s influence felt more deeply than when she mourned the death of her beloved husband Prince Albert. After Albert’s sudden passing from typhoid fever in November 1861, Victoria became deeply depressed and soon turned mourning him into her chief concern for the rest of her days. Shortly after Albert died, Victoria instructed her servants to maintain the Prince’s rooms exactly as he had them when he was alive. They were also instructed to bring hot water to his dressing room for his morning shave just as they always did and to dress in black for the first three years after his death. Victoria however, continued wearing black for the rest of her life. Victoria continued mourning Albert by having statues made of him, displaying his mementoes around the royal palaces and staying secluded in Windsor Castle for many years after his death. After several years of this, the public became quite concerned about her sanity yet so powerful was her popularity and influence that soon the British public took on her extreme form of bereavement and thus the Victorian way of mourning was borne. 1 Death Nightclubs Fact: Nightclubs Existed to Celebrate Death While the majority of the above entries showed how the Victorians planned for and feared their mortality, in Victorian Paris there were several night clubs that actually celebrated death. In the neighborhood of Montmartre, one could ponder their mortality in the aptly named Cabaret du Néant (The Cabaret of Nothingness). At this gothic nightspot, visitors were served by monks and funeral attendees who offered drinks named after diseases which were imbibed on top of coffins and caskets. At Cabaret de l’Enfer (The Cabaret of the Inferno), patrons would be greeted by a chorus of voices shouting “enter and be damned, the Evil One awaits you!” At this satanically themed nightclub, a half dozen devil musicians, both male and female, would be suspended in a caldron over a fire, playing selections from Faust as red imps stood with hot irons ready to prod those musicians who dared miss a beat. Throughout the room, other red imps would serve beverages or do somersaults as crevices in the walls would suddenly spew thick smoke and emit odors of volcanoes while flames would suddenly burst from clefts in the rocks. And of course, what would Hell be without Heaven so right next to The Cabaret of the Inferno stood the Cabaret du Ciel (The Cabaret of the Sky). At this heavenly themed bar, patrons were greeted by Dante and Father Time, served drinks by attractive ladies dressed as angels and were entertained by St. Peter himself.Mod works as intended, so don't expect any updates. I don't develop old mods any more. ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ HIGHLY RECOMMENDED MOD: Musical Lore (Soundtrack Mod By Nir Shor) <- Changes MUSTestTown which is used in this house. You will get epic new background music For NPCs (like spouses) to sandbox around the house properly, use this mod http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/57376 :: REQUIREMENTS :: :: KNOWN ISSUES :: Location: Next to Beggar's Row Key: In a satchel at the Thieves Guild HQ (next to your assigned bed) :: FEATURES :: :: GENERAL :: - Load after any other mods that change Riften city :: COMPATIBILITY :: Should be pretty compatible with other modded Riften player homes Designed with Better Riften in mind, but confirmed to work with Dawn of Riften and Riften - Thief Edition. Compatible with Interesting NPC's (that mod adds a shop in the Canals) Now works with Open Cities: Get your patch here :: THANKS :: :: CREDITS :: :: FAQ :: Mod adds a small apartment (copy of Elgrim's Elixirs) into the Riften Canals. Originally created for my thief character, if you don't mind the thief-ish atmosphere, anyone can use it. But there's a catch. The key is in a satchel on your night table in the Guild headquarters.As of version 1.5 the house also has a small nook for a vampire coffin. MY character went Vampire Lordy this week so she needed a place to boost her night monster powers >:) If you don't like the coffin, just keep the panel closed. If you want the coffin, leave the panel open.- Skyrim up to date- Dawnguard.esm- Hearthfires.esm- Dragonborn.esm- Weird texture glitches for vanilla Delvin armour/Face sculptor's robes. No idea how to fix.- Small clipping with cupboards and clutter- Lighting is designed for ENB so it might be a bit boring on vanilla- Navmeshed so followers/spouse can navigate- Double bed gives spouse or well rested bonus, vampire coffin that gives vampire bonus- Crafting facilities: Alchemy, enchanting, baking, cooking, all smithing- Disenchanting font that resets player created items (enchants and smithing improvements)- Tons of custom named storage- Secret room full of unique item display from dragonpriest masks to Elder Scrolls to Daedric artefacts- Two large bookshelves- 6 mannequins and some weapon display- My signature wardrobe with cool armour storage- Respawnable garden outside (mainly focuses on restore and invisibility ingredients)- Sewer access to Ragged Flagon- Choose between the two versions; Female or male armours- None of the storage INSIDE will respawn. All storage is safe but OUTSIDE MAY RESPAWN.- No family or follower beds, and never will be. The house is compatible with TMPhoenix's multiple adoptions mod, mainly because I wanted to have the option to tell a spouse to move there. The children markers and beds are hidden outside the walls in "the void"- Decor is locked in place so that I don't knock stuff over- Cleaned and hand-polished (wild edits removed etc.) with TES5Edit.- I put a static set of Nightingale weapons and armour for display because I use these items and can't have them collecting dust and mold in the sewers, but I still want to display my Nightingale pride in my home :)- I know the weapon racks misbehave, this is a vanilla issue with angles and activators. Some racks accept war axes and great swords better than others. You'll figure it out.I made this as a weekend project for myself and my new char, so I will not be taking any requests or adding stuff other people want. This is made the way I want it, my house of perfection, and I will only fix bugs and make personal improvements which I will upload here.(Still in testing)Nifskope team for NifskopeTESA for resources and helpXBitu for screenshotsYoutubers who feature my mod in their videos <3All the awesome people listed below• Brett: FPI Project Experiment Pack• Lrsamways: Clutter meshes, disenchanting font• Blary: Alchemy and other clutter resources• Stoverjm: New Open Books• InsanitySorrow: Bed clutter, wash stuffs, armour stands, assorted clutter and textures• Stroti/Tamira: Kitchen and craftsman clutter/tools• Lilith: Ready clutter and catering• Jokerine for the desk clutter jar• Oaristys: Modder's Resource Pack• TESA: Resource Kit - Insanity's round water mesh• Berticus: Potion crates• mrpdean: Oven mesh• tueffelachtein: Modular crafting table & upper class resources• The_Funktasm: Morrowind clutter & textures• drsoupIII for the awesome little knapsacks <3• DarkFox127: New textures from his resources, new rugTriss armour conversion credits: FraperOther Witcher 2 models conversions: L0rd0fWarThe Witcher 2 armour meshes and textures are owned and copyrighted by CD Projekt and used with permission.The Witcher is a trademark of CD Projekt. All rights reserved.http://www.cdprojekt.comQ: Mods in screenies? Recommended mods?A: Texture Pack Combiner recommendations with SMC. Detailed Rugs. Seasons of Skyrim ENB and Somber Lut Sepia. ELE. Relighting Skyrim. Furniture and Clutter - HD Retextures.Q: Acquiring this house is super boring and lame and no challenge.A: Unless you're willing to script me a quest for this mod you have no right to complain.Q: QQ Y U SO DLC ლ(ಠ益ಠლ)A: Look, we've been through this. The DLC brings modders some epic new items. I NEEDED the plants and oven from HF. I wanted to have the Dawnguard/Dragonborn weapons and crossbows for display. Go buy the DLC. This aspect is non-negotiable.Q: I WANT MY FAMILY, MY 5 SERVANTS AND THE WHOLE OF SOVNGARDE TO JOIN ME IN THIS HOUSE PLS MAKE MOAR BEDS.A: Don't even. Not ever. Nope. That's final.Q: I CAN'T LOOT ANYTHING!?1!!+1+1A: Why yes, I lock my clutter in place. Can't have you ruining my Feng Shui when you come barging in at 2 AM after drinking all night with Sam Guevenne. I know you spend your nights at the meadery..Q: AUTOSORT!!!111 AUTO SORT DEPRH OEDGkdsöglkDonate Loading the player... If you’re able, and if you like our content and approach, please support the project. Our work wouldn’t be possible without your help: PayPal: southfront@list.ru or via: http://southfront.org/donate/ or via: https://www.patreon.com/southfront Following the surrendering of Wadi Barada, militant groups will leave the town of Sirghaya and the areas east of Zabadani. The move is reported to be a part of the wide reconciliation agreement made during the operation in Wadi Barada. If done, government forces will secure a large chunk of the Syrian-Lebanon border. The Syrian army’s Tiger Forces and the National Defense Forces (NDF) took control over the village of Rasm Sihran north of the Kuweires Airbase in the eastern countryside of Aleppo and repelled an ISIS counter-attack attempt on the village of Madyounah in the same area. Over 20 ISIS members were reportedly killed in the clashes. The Syrian military didn’t provide info about its casualties. A fighting was also ongoing in the village of Touman, which remained contested. The army and the NDF also launched an advance south of Kuweires and even liberated the first village in this direction – Qutbiyah. Meanwhile, the Turkish Armed Forces and pro-Turkish militant groups seized al-Kroum and nearby hills from ISIS east of al-Bab. The Syrian army and the National Defense Forces (NDF) have repcatured Abu Tawwalah and the nearby housing area from ISIS terrorists southeast of the Tiyas Airbase near the ancient city of Palmyra. On January 30, six Russian Tu-22M3 long-range bombers carried out airstrikes on ISIS terrorists’ targets in the Deir Ezzor province, destroying two command centers, weapons and ammunition depots and militant manpower. Moscow may support the Trump administration’s initiative to set ‘safe zones’ for refugees in Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced on Monday. He added that the plan will require approval from the Syrian government and close cooperation with the United Nations. The announcement followed the call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his US counterpart. Last week, President Trump ordered the Pentagon and State Department to develop a plan of creating a series of “safe zones” for refugees fleeing violence in Syria. DonateStory highlights Office of Inspector General confirmsit has staff investigators on the ground in San Antonio A VA scheduling clerk in San Antonio says he and colleagues were "cooking the books" They were told to assert that vets had "zero" waits for appointments, he claims The VA says its "internal fact-finding" determined these claims were "not substantiated" Clerks scheduling medical appointments for veterans were "cooking the books" at their bosses' behest to hide the fact some had to wait weeks, if not months, for appointments, a VA scheduler in San Antonio said Thursday. The Office of Inspector General confirms to CNN that it has staff investigators on the ground in San Antonio looking into the allegations. The allegations surrounding this Texas VA hospital comes as the federal department fends off claims of potentially deadly delays at other facilities, including claims of a secret wait list in Phoenix that was first reported by CNN. The VA's official policy is that all patients should be able to see a doctor, dentist or some other medical professional within 14 days of their requested/preferred date. Any wait longer than two weeks is supposed to documented. Yet Brian Turner, a Veterans Affairs scheduling clerk based in San Antonio, said Thursday that some who called to make appointments at his facility did end up waiting longer, yet such delays were never reported. For example, he said, they might be told the next available appointment wasn't for several months. It would be scheduled for then, but marked in official files as if the patient had put off their appointment until then by choice. JUST WATCHED Veterans affairs chief subpoenaed Replay More Videos... MUST WATCH Veterans affairs chief subpoenaed 01:42 JUST WATCHED Shinseki: We will end the backlog in 2015 Replay More Videos... MUST WATCH Shinseki: We will end the backlog in 2015 02:06 JUST WATCHED American Legion: Shinseki should resign Replay More Videos... MUST WATCH American Legion: Shinseki should resign 04:12 "What we've been instructed was that -- they are not saying fudged, there is no secret wait list -- but what they've done is come out and just say 'zero out that date,' " Turner said. The "zero," in this case, suggests the patient didn't have to wait at all. "It could be three months and look like no days (wait)," he added. "It looked like they had scheduled the appointment and got exactly what they wanted." The Veterans Affairs public affairs office said that Turner's allegation has been looked into, without any finding of wrongdoing. "Based on our internal fact-finding conducted April 25-28, we found the claims by this employee were not substantiated," the VA statement said. However, the Office of Inspector General says it is conducting its own investigation. Turner tells CNN he has already been interviewed by OIG staff. The claim comes amid strong public pressure on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and its leader, Eric Shinseki, after CNN reporting unveiled e-mails that allegedly discussed the destruction of a secret list of veterans waiting for care at a Phoenix VA hospital. Shinseki has ordered a "face-to-face audit" at VA clinics, a department spokesman said on Thursday. Earlier the same day, a House committee voted to subpoena Shinseki in the wake of such accusations that his department is responsible for deadly delays in health care. Turner told CNN that he's become a witness in an investigation by the VA inspector general's office focusing on delayed care, alleged falsification of records and possible medical harm to veterans at the San Antonio facility. Turner, a former Army soldier himself who still works at the VA, said he has asked to be protected under federal whistle-blower laws. As to the VA's earlier fact-finding efforts, Turner said that no one asked him about his allegations. In fact, he said, when he began expressing his concerns to other staff members, he was called in and told not to e-mail another person. "They shut me up the very next day," Turner said.A Newton, Alabama, gun shop was the target for a smash and grab early Tuesday morning, but Gerald Harden, the shop owner, believes it was a planned out burglary with the suspect specifically after Glock handguns. Harden, who has owned Harden’s Gun Shop for 40 years and never had any problems in the past, said he was awakened around 4 a.m. when the security alarm was activated. Harden arrived at the shop to find a truck, which authorities later learned was stolen, had been rammed through the front door, completely knocking it off of the hinges. Inside, shattered glass littered the floor and several handguns were missing. However, Harden noted that although he has numerous guns in stock that retail for several thousand dollars, the suspect, who was wearing a hoodie over his head, skipped right over those and went straight for the Glocks. Harden wonders if the handguns were already pre-sold before the burglary took place. “I’ve never had anything like this to happen,” Harden said. But Dale County Sheriff Wally Olson said they’ve seen a recent uptick in break-ins and burglaries in the area. “You want to try to keep everyone safe, and you want to help people because they don’t need to live in fear,” Olson said. “It’s a sad sad thing that people have to do these things,” said Harden, who hopes to reopen his shop by the end of the week. [ WTVY ]Most Americans derive their net worth from the equity built up in their homes. This has been the case for many decades. As the stock market races upwards to stratospheric highs it is hard for many average Americans to understand why it is that economically they are stuck in the same place. New tax data reveals that Americans are living in a modern day Gilded Age. The massive income inequality has only been exacerbated in the recent grand recession. Many Americans with a per capita annual wage of $25,000 have a hard time saving any sizeable amount of money once the cost of living is extracted from their income. This trend has only continued and IRS tax data reveals that the gap between middle class and wealthy is only getting bigger. This is why even in spite of a stunning stock market run, we have a record 46,000,000 Americans receiving food assistance and working class families are seeing very little growth in their real wages. The seeds of a modern day Gilded Age Some stunning recent data reveals that most of the income gains in 2010 went to the top one percent in our country: Source: New York Times The top 1 percent saw an 11.6 percent increase to their income in 2010. This is a significant increase. But what is more astounding is the top.01% saw a 21.5 percent increase. The bottom 99 percent realized a paltry $80 real gain in 2010. Think about that. This amount is so tiny that it was likely eaten up in one or two weeks with the rise in energy costs. This trend isn’t something new but has been ongoing for many decades: Source: RD Wolff What you see is that income inequality in the United States is now higher than it was in the years prior to the Great Depression. The top 10 percent now take in roughly 50 percent of all income in the United States. This is an astounding figure. The incredible stock market rally from 2009 also highlights how the working and middle class are not benefitting from the gains in the financial markets. Part of the gains actually comes because they are not doing so well. Since the lows in 2009 when the government and nationwide taxpayers stepped in to save the banks via the Federal Reserve, the market has rallied 109 percent. During this time jobs were being lost and the savings of most families were being depleted. As we mentioned before, Americans typically derive their net worth from their home equity. While the market has had one of its strongest rallies thanks to massive bailouts, the number one asset for Americans continues to fall: Home prices are now down 33.9 percent from their peak reached in early 2006 (6 years ago). This is why when Americans are surveyed they are not feeling the outsized gains directed to the financial sector. Many companies are leveraging the recession and have cut wages and hired workers at lower overall costs while the gains are flowing obviously to one side. There is more to a bottom line than simply what is brought in. Part of the American Dream involved a strong middle class. It is hard to have a middle class when there is less and less of a middle. Just look at the food stamp chart: Source: ZeroHedge, SNAP Since the recession hit food stamp usage is up 84 percent. This is occurring while the stock market is up 109 percent and the housing market is down almost 34 percent. The modern day Gilded Age is brought on by politicians providing very sizable subsidies to the financial sector while forcing austerity measures down onto the public. Bailout after trillion dollar bailout went into the banking sector while households were forced to painfully deleverage. $80 might not be enough to make a family feel much better about their overall economic situation. Not a bad consolation price given 56 percent of all income gains in 2010 went to the top one percent. If you enjoyed this post click here to subscribe to a complete feed and stay up to date with today’s challenging market!Photo: HBO I have attempted to write about this topic for months. First, when Beyoncé stepped onto the Super Bowl 50 field in
go) Mailgun Mandrill Hashids Cartify (shopping cart ready to go) Validation $input = Input::all(); $rules = array( 'name' =>'required\|min:3\|max:32\|alpha', 'age' =>'required\|integer' ); $v = Validator::make($input, $rules); if( $v->fails() ) { // code for validation failure :( } else { // code for validation success! } Artisan CLI # Application Configuration key:generate Generate a secure application key. # Database Tables session:table Generate a migration for the sessions database table. # Migrations migrate:install Create the Laravel migration table. migrate:make Create a migration. migrate Run outstanding migrations. migrate:rollback Roll back the most recent migration. migrate:reset Roll back all migrations. # Bundles bundle:install Install a bundle. bundle:upgrade Upgrade a bundle. bundle:publish Publish all bundles' assets. Artisan CLI #2 # Unit Testing test Run the application's tests. # Routing route:call Call a route. # CLI Options --env= Set the Laravel environment. --database= Set the default database connection. Community IRC channel #laravel @laravelphp Near future Laravel 4 hotness (PHP 5.3, 5.4, 5.5) Composer packages Unit tested everything Thanks!CLOSE Reports of clowns haunting at least ten states have people on edge. USA TODAY Close-up of emergency lights (Photo: Hemera Technologies, Getty Images) Two south Nashville Metro Schools are on soft lockdown for the day following a social media threat reportedly involving a clown, according to information from school officials and a Metro-Nashville dispatcher. Metro police responded to Antioch High School at 1900 Hobson Pike and Glencliff High School at160 Antioch Pike Wednesday as a precaution, according to dispatch and school officials. Ameerah Palacios, a schools spokeswoman, said the district received word of unspecified social media threats made against both schools about 8 a.m. She would not release details about the threats but said authorities have deemed them to be not credible. Palacios said that out of an abundance of caution the schools have been placed on a modified lockout. "That will last throughout the day," Palacios said. “Metro Police are involved in investigating the origin of the threat and there will be an increased presence of metro security and police throughout the day. Metro Schools described the schools as being on lockout. "School goes on as normal inside. Outside doors are locked, limited traffic in & out," the district tweeted. They also tweeted "Principal is communicating directly with families about what's happening." At this time, we are not aware of additional threats despite what’s being reported on social media and the news. — Metro Schools (@MetroSchools) September 28, 2016 The incidents come on the heels of recent claims concerning scary clowns frightening people that have been reported around the country. Reports of clown sightings began in South Carolina in August and have since spread across the nation scaring children, teenagers and parents while frustrating police juggling whether the claims have any merit. In some cases, including one that recently occurred south of Nashville in Coffee County, people have been arrested or cited. George Randy Hoppe, 64, of Manchester was arrested on a stalking charge Friday after Coffee County Sheriff's Office authorities say he called 911 claiming to be the clown who had been threatening children. According to an arrest warrant, Hoppe told the dispatcher he was going to kidnap children and the dispatcher, cut off their ears and perform other lewd acts. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. Read or Share this story: http://tnne.ws/2dCYTFXPaulo Nagamura has been named the new head coach of the Swope Park Rangers, the club announced on Monday. Nagamura, a former midfielder for Sporting Kansas City, becomes the third head coach in Rangers history after serving as an assistant for the club in 2017. This season he helped guide SPR to their second straight Western Conference championship and an appearance in the 2017 USL Cup Final. “It’s an amazing feeling and a great honor to become the head coach of Swope Park Rangers,” Nagamura said. “I want to thank Sporting KC ownership, Peter Vermes and the entire organization for this opportunity. I will do everything I can to reach our objective of developing and preparing young players to make an impact on the first team.” “Paulo’s transition from Sporting KC player to Swope Park Rangers assistant coach was seamless this year because he has a great understanding of our club culture and system of play,” Sporting KC Manager Peter Vermes said. “With his knowledge base and experience competing at the highest level, Paulo is well prepared to develop players well into the future as they progress along our professional pathway. This will make him an excellent head coach and mentor for young players as they grow within our club.” Upon his retirement as a player, Nagamura began his coaching career at the start of 2017 under Swope Park Rangers head coach Nikola Popovic. The Rangers ended the regular season with a 17-8-7 record and became the first team in USL history to make two consecutive appearances in the USL Cup Final, narrowly falling 1-0 at Louisville City FC in the championship game on Nov. 13. As the Rangers’ head coach, Nagamura will have an integral role in the development of Sporting KC Academy products as well as players looking to make the jump to Major League Soccer. The Rangers fielded nine Sporting KC Academy products during the 2017 campaign, with former Academy players accounting for nearly 25 percent of the team’s playing time. Additionally, four SPR players earned MLS contracts throughout the year, including current Sporting KC forward Kharlton Belmar, defender Amer Didic and midfielder James Musa. Nagamura — who becomes the third-youngest active head coach in the USL at age 34 — concluded a 12-year MLS playing career in 2016 as a winner of two MLS Cups and three Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cups. He played 269 MLS matches from 2005-2016, competing in eight separate editions of the MLS Cup Playoffs. During a five-year spell at Sporting KC from 2012-2016, Nagamura helped Sporting KC win three major championships and make the MLS Cup Playoffs each season. He logged 119 appearances for the club in all competitions, playing 120 minutes in the 2012 and 2015 U.S. Open Cup Finals as well as the 2013 MLS Cup. He converted his penalty kick in the shootout of each cup final victory, solidifying his status as a revered competitor and fan-favorite. Nagamura, a native of Brazil, joined the youth ranks of his hometown club Sao Paulo FC in 1994 and moved to storied English side Arsenal FC in 2001. He signed for the LA Galaxy in 2005, where he won the MLS Cup and U.S. Open Cup in his first professional season at the senior level. Nagamura continued his MLS journey with Toronto FC (2007) and Chivas USA (2007-2011), landing MLS All-Star accolades in 2009. The two-time defending Western Conference champion Swope Park Rangers will return to the field in 2018 when the United Soccer League expands to a 34-game regular season slate.A threat that should have been prevented: Hezbollah fighters stand on their armed vehicle with multiple rocket launchers. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards have built a number of weapons production factories in Lebanon and handed them over to Hezbollah, which has been running the production lines for the past three months, Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Jarida recently reported. The Kuwaiti newspaper quotes an anonymous source as saying that these plants can produce different types of rockets and missiles, including those with a range of more than 500 kilometers, land-based anti-ship missiles, antitank missiles, armored vehicles and drones that can carry explosives. According to the report, Hezbollah has tested some of these weapons in the Syrian civil war and they have proven successful. According to the report, this Iranian activity is in response to the bombardment of a weapons factory in Sudan and convoys carrying weapons to Hezbollah, both of which have been attributed to Israel. Instead of transferring finished weapons to the group in Lebanon, the Iranians have set up factories there that can make various components of the rockets and other weapons. To prevent Israel from attacking these production lines, the factories have been built underground (the newspaper says more than 50 meters underground) and no factory produces entire weapons, but only specific parts, which are later assembled. Hezbollah and Hamas already have precision missiles of various types, and the Israel Defense Forces has taken to describing Hezbollah as a military organization rather than a guerilla group. But the threat is certainly intensified if there is technological knowledge and a production line through which Hezbollah could continue to add missiles to its arsenal without having to rely on transfers from abroad. Moreover, the group could also develop and upgrade the weapons it is making, by developing a bigger warhead or increasing the missiles’ range. Hezbollah also has a large arsenal of rockets, 10 times as many as it had during the Second Lebanon War in 2006. It has tens of thousands of rockets with a range of 45 kilometers, thousands with ranges of up to 250 kilometers and several hundred rockets of longer ranges. In recent years the defense establishment has described the acquisition of precision missiles by terror groups as a “the most significant threat.” If these Iranian-built factories are indeed producing precision missiles, this would be added to the map of serious threats. In the past Al-Jarida has served as a kind of clearinghouse for reports actually originating in Israel. In the Arab world, Al-Jarida is considered a propaganda mouthpiece for Israel, used to convey messages to neighboring Lebanon and Syria. Lebanese commentators claim that the newspaper even has Israel’s financial backing. Keep updated: Sign up to our newsletter Email * Please enter a valid email address Sign up Please wait… Thank you for signing up. We've got more newsletters we think you'll find interesting. Click here Oops. Something went wrong. Please try again later. Try again Thank you, The email address you have provided is already registered. Close The newspaper notes this new information is embarrassing to the Lebanese government since it constitutes a blatant violation of Lebanese sovereignty. Last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he had stressed in his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow that Israel would object to any settlement that left Iran or any of its satellites permanently in Syria, for a deal to end the country's civil war. "I made this clear and I think the message was internalized," Netanyahu told reporters in a telephone briefing before his plane took off from Moscow back to Israel.by Michael Joyce (Reposted with permission from The Combative Corner) Dr. Yang, What originally brought you to the martial arts? I became interested in martial arts partly because I grew up in a traditional Chinese society. I was born right after World War II in Yang’s Village, which consisted of more than 600 relatives and family members living together Dr. Yang, What originally brought you to the martial arts? I became interested in martial arts partly because I grew up in a traditional Chinese society. I was born right after World War II in Yang’s Village, which consisted of more than 600 relatives and family members living together. Back then, it was not uncommon to see many people around you training Kung Fu. Serious martial arts practitioners and highly-skilled masters were much more prevalent than they are today. Training Kung Fu was as common as learning to play an instrument, or playing sports. Martial arts movies and martial arts street performers were also very popular. Whenever I saw martial artists performing in the movies or on the street, it made me very excited and increased my desire to learn it. Because training martial arts was so popular, my parents were not surprised that I wanted to train Kung Fu and did not oppose it. Also, because Chiang, Kai-Shek’s party was aggressively preparing for war against the Chinese Communists, there were many people who were searching for ways to condition themselves both physically and psychologically. Training martial arts proved to be one of the best ways of reaching this goal. Currently, what is your favorite form or exercise to practice and why? I am 65 years old. Physically, I have lost my potential and capability to perform external styles to a physically strong level. Whenever I get injured now, I recover very slowly. This has made me turn my focus to training softer styles and doing more internal exercises, particularly in Taijiquan and Qigong. After many years of practice, research, and experience, I often like saying that Taijiquan is just like classical music. It is very deep, profound, and endless in knowledge, feeling, and creativity. The internal arts disciplines the mind and body. They also train sensitivity to Qi and the ability to control and generate Qi. The feeling of internal arts is much deeper and harder to achieve than just about all external styles. It is a very unique and rewarding feeling because the only way to experience it is through diligent practice, and it keeps evolving into something much more the deeper you get. I enjoy the depth of this feeling very much. Internal arts is definitely my favorite form of exercise. I still enjoy teaching external styles because it helps me maintain some level of my physical strength. I believe regular physical movements are the key to slowing down the aging process, staying healthy, and keeping away from sicknesses. However, as my body continues to age, I will gradually be concentrating more and more on developing a deeper and more refined practice in internal styles only. What has been the hardest obstacle in teaching? The hardest obstacle today is finding committed students. It is not easy to find a student who is able and willing to sacrifice or compromise things such as their job, families, or social lives to sincerely dedicate to training. Kung Fu has been downgraded to a hobby or sport. Some might even view it as a luxury in today's society. Additionally, it is not easy to find a student who has the will, patience, endurance, perseverance, and morality required to train to a meaningful level. Due to the exaggeration of martial arts in the media today, just about all students have fantasies about how good of a martial artist they can be in a short period of time. However, any deep art takes a lot of time and patience (Gongfu) to reach an accomplished or exceptional level. Fantasy and reality have been mixed in today’s world. The “McDonald's” culture of getting what you want fast, cheap, and at a low standard has influenced all of the young generation. So many young kids only want a quick result and do not train as seriously as the generations before them. The idea of diligently training to enjoy the rewards of working hard is virtually nonexistent. Many young kids do not want to train hard but still want and expect the rewards. From what I can observe, the feeling, understanding, and depth of traditional martial arts today is missing in a majority of practitioners. Many students do not stay with their training for a long period of time, especially when they get new jobs, go to college, move away, get a girlfriend or boyfriend, get married, or have kids. Sometimes students lose interest or make excuses because the training is much harder than they originally expected or wanted. Kung Fu is a passing interest to most people. Generally speaking, if anyone is looking for fast results, no teacher is required. There is very little instruction or guidance needed for learning quantity. I have seen a lot of teachers only in their 20s who practice more than 10 styles, often mixing several of them together. It is not difficult to do this with a strong interest and persistence, especially when there are so many instructional DVDs available today. To learn even just one style to a true level of mastery, however, will take much more than just DVDs and much more than just a few years of training with a master. For example, there are perhaps thousands of people who know how to play the piano very well, but there are much fewer Beethovens and Mozarts in the world. I believe in achieving a high quality of mastery like Beethoven, and not just achieving a level that is only above average. Due to the fast development of material science, many people today are also constantly searching first for materialistic pleasures and enjoyment. Cultivation of the spirit has been downgraded significantly since the middle of the last century. Many people are more concerned about having fancy cars, big televisions, large mansions, or expensive jewelry instead of core family values, respect and kindness towards others, and a coherent desire to make the world a better place for humanity. This has made the process of teaching about the internal arts, Qi, mind, spirit, and life much harder than before. For example, it is very hard to teach many people to meditate today. There are so many distractions in the material world, and many people are just too accustomed to looking for shortcuts. Have you had to deal with personal threats or "challenges" over the years? If speaking on in particular, how was it handled? One time, there was a drunk guy who came to YMAA Boston to challenge the school. I did not believe he really wanted to fight, and in the end, I was right. He began by talking a lot about how he fought in the Vietnam War, how he had overcome many challenges won many fights against other people. I listened to him and nodded my head. When he realized I was actually listening, he calmed down a little. I told him that I was in the middle of a class and said that if he wanted to fight, he would have to wait until my class was over. He sat down. I gave him a cup of strong coffee. When I finished teaching my class, he was nowhere to be found. All I saw was an empty coffee cup on his chair. From then on, every time he walked past the school, he would always raise up both of his hands and wave to say hello. We became friends. There were a few times where I was able to dissuade others from challenging us simply by inviting them to tea or coffee. Oftentimes, after getting to know each other, there was no fight. I believe that most people are not bad, and sometimes it just takes a little bit of work to get to know somebody's true intentions. Sometimes people just come across some rough patches in life. I understand that very well from my own experiences. The worst challenges that I had to deal with were when I was attacked by people who only had the intention to harm or conquer me. In my earlier years of YMAA, sometimes people would just walk into my school and interrupt my classes or seminars to cause trouble. There were multiple times when I was invited to teach a seminar but was instead challenged, once by a long line of people waiting to push hands with me. Many were just interested promoting themselves, and only wanted to be able to say, “I beat Dr. Yang.” There was no chance to show courtesy or establish friendship in these situations. That is why you must be alert when someone approaches you with a hostile attitude. If you have good awareness and alertness, you can easily sense when such a situation is coming and react appropriately. The outcome is always dependent on how good your reaction skills are, your strategy and assessment of the threat (if any real threat is there), and how effective the techniques you use are. In many cases, I was able to just walk away, regardless of how upset the other party was. Sometimes all that is required is a calm mind and a well-strategized approach. I still believe that the best fight is no fight. In today's modern day times, physical confrontation is usually not necessary, and that is the option I always seek first before all other solutions. When I first started publishing martial arts books, I also received a number of very upset letters, some from other masters, scolding me for revealing a lot of secrets from ancient Chinese documents. I simply wanted to share the knowledge with the world. After seeing how much knowledge my White Crane master was unable to pass on before he died, I felt a duty to preserve as much martial arts knowledge as I possibly could. To me, translating these documents and publishing them was the best way to reach the world, and to have a well-documented record of them in the future. In today's world, I see no need to keep secrets. So when I first started publishing, very conservative masters did not agree with me, and they were in fact, very angry at me. However, several years later, some of those that initially scolded me eventually apologized, saying that what I was doing was actually the right thing to do. After so much time had passed, like me, they realized that the traditional arts were dying. The true essence of the arts is being lost exponentially from generation to generation. Without being open about sharing this knowledge, the essence will be completely lost in just a few more decades. I always wish that I could do more to preserve and develop the art because I have really just barely scratched the surface. There are so many more documents that still have yet to be translated, and unfortunately, so many more that were lost during the Cultural Revolution. Kung Fu is not what it used to be. Students are far less committed and dedicated than they were in my generation, and even then, in my generation there were still some problematic students. It makes me sad to think about how many hundreds of years of knowledge were simply neglected or thrown away because society has devalued Kung Fu and become distracted from knowing the real quality of human life and spirituality. I hope to educate the public about how it has benefited my life and the lives of so many others, and how it can also benefit them. The "mixed martial arts" are very popular these days. Why do you think that "kung fu" is not prevalent? MMA is very mainstream and heavily promoted. I believe this is because it generates a lot of business and money in the entertainment industry. It is similar to boxing or the gladiator battles in the old days. These types of events draw a big crowd. Many people instinctively like cheering for a team or a celebrity. Unfortunately, in such sports, oftentimes people are interested only because of the violence, name, or competition. Since violent events and media coverage such as MMA influence much more people than traditional training, I feel that the overall feeling of martial arts has become so shallow. We are accustomed to the ideas of wanting to overcome adversity, to push ourselves to become better than others, or to have “good vanquish evil.” But respectable deeds and struggles do not involve unnecessary violence or belittling others for the sake of entertainment, whether in a full-contact activity like MMA, or a no-contact activity like golf. Kung Fu stresses these values much more than MMA. It is unfortunate that fighting sports like MMA encourage and support the ideas of conquering and intimidating others through violence, and it seems to prioritize getting titles. MMA can be trained in a proper way when it is with the right goals and intentions in mind. I truly believe that not all MMA fighters are only interested in violence and glory. Conversely, not all traditional practitioners are always training for righteous reasons. It is the mind of a person that makes the difference; the art being trained is irrelevant. I believe there are some MMA practitioners who will spend their time patiently to truly comprehend the arts and experience its deep feeling. However, it seems that mainstream MMA just focuses on the wrong things about martial arts training. In traditional training, a Kung Fu master will not teach a student any fighting techniques until they have built enough trust and confidence in the student's ability, responsibility, judgment, and moral character. Unfortunately, I believe this is why many fighting schools often criticize Kung Fu. There are no immediate results, like winning fights, in traditional martial arts. It is true that many traditional students never reach a stage where they can really apply the techniques they learn. However, fighting has never been the goal of traditional training. Traditional martial arts has always been for self-defense and self-cultivation, never for fame, glory, power, name, or money. Fighting ability in traditional martial arts is related to how much students can develop their mind first, and in addition to that, how much they truly want to be a fighter. I find that just about all traditional teachers and students always promote nonviolence and peaceful ways. In addition, the traditional martial artists that do develop a high level of fighting often do not show it off or publicly display it. The skill set they develop is always just for their own personal goals and development, never for others. In order to get to a high level of martial arts mastery, Kung Fu can be trained in no other way. Kung Fu is a traditional art, and it has persisted over hundreds of years and generations because of the values it promotes. It takes time, patience, endurance, perseverance, and high morality. In most cases, if students have such qualities, they are not looking to win matches, to get a title, or to promote themselves. Traditional schools often train their students first in fundamentals: basic stances, basic hand forms, basic body mechanics, basic coordination, and very importantly, martial morality and the mind. They are much more demanding in terms of requiring concentration and discipline of the mind. This preliminary training alone can take years. Many beginning students give up or lose patience in traditional training because of this, especially the ones that only want to fight. I believe the mentality of wanting to learn martial arts only to fight is still more popular than learning martial arts for self-cultivation. Even when I began martial arts when I was 15, I had only wanted to learn how to fight. MMA is more popular in this respect because they enter into sparring training much earlier. Externally, the results in MMA are more easily visible and can be trained relatively quickly. It is easy to see when a person is bigger, faster, or stronger and can take somebody else down. I believe MMA is popular because this is what many students want today. These students are only searching to become better than others and getting fast results. Earlier I referred to this as the “McDonald's” culture, getting things quickly, easily, and just to the point of satisfaction. MMA is well-suited for those who are looking for fashion and quick results. The good side of MMA is that the body conditioning program is very rigorous and an quickly form a strong foundation for deeper training. Many traditional schools often do not stress enough body conditioning in the beginning, as they are not learning how to fight in just a few months time. In MMA, the highly competitive environment also motivates students to constantly push themselves harder. This helps students make themselves better by always pushing their limits and always striving for improvement. It is only when MMA becomes more focused on winning and bettering others that I dislike it. I believe that there are many students that eventually leave MMA to train independently on their own path. After a certain stage in MMA, I believe that winning matches and titles becomes the only goal. To me, succeeding in competitions like those in MMA can be steps in the process of your training, but it definitely should never be the goal. I also do not favor MMA because there are many rules in the ring that do not apply outside on the street. Any complete martial arts system will never be based in sport combat. How effective your practice ultimately is will be up to exactly how much you train, what you train, and for what purposes. I wish that the traditional arts would get some more attention. Otherwise, in a few more generations, we will truly lose its essence and original purpose. It is much more difficult to find people who can appreciate Kung Fu for what it really embodies as a whole. The results of Kung Fu training take much longer to see, oftentimes taking 1-2 years minimum to get a feel for the art, 5-10 years to discover it, 10-20 years to explore it, 20-40 years to develop it, and a lifetime to perfect it. Only after the mind has been developed can the techniques be properly learned. Learning a lot of techniques with no foundation and no root is very shallow and void. Developing the art to a truly deep and meaningful level takes a lifetime of dedicated training and a clear mind. It is a journey without an end. However, nowadays much of this generation do not have many of these qualities, and what is worse, is that they do not seek them either. That is the reason I began the 10-year program at the YMAA Retreat Center. I have been training a small group of students at this center full-time since 2008. The students train about 8 hours everyday, 9 months out of the year, and they live independently at the center. I hope that from having this daily, rigorous training routine, they will develop the attitude and characteristics necessary to last until the end of the program, to become good martial artists, and to become good people. What is your primary teaching message? or in other words, what do you hope your students understand from your teachings? Art takes a lot of time and the right mind to truly appreciate and enjoy. Many things we do in our everyday lives and careers can be considered very complex and beautiful forms of art. Whether it is martial arts, music, writing, painting, engineering, speaking a language, healing and helping people, playing sports, playing chess, or whatever we concentrate on and dedicate ourselves to, the development and true feeling of the breadth of each art-form can only be felt when practiced diligently, with discipline, with humility, and with the right intentions. Without these things, the art you practice will always be only on the surface. You should continue searching deeper and deeper into your practice. Keep finding resources and people to learn from and help lead you. Don't get stuck in the same spot. What you will discover is so rewarding. Keep your cup empty and you will always see the beautiful horizon ahead. If your cup is full, then there will be too many clouds obstructing your view. I began training martial arts because I wanted to fight, but from that time until now, after more than 50 years of practice, it has evolved into something so much more. How does one develop Qi properly and safely? Of course, you must first understand the core theory. There are plenty of good books which can provide you with this information, but I do highly recommend learning from a teacher in person at the very beginning, and when you enter the more advanced stages of training. Oftentimes, even after a simple and short session with an experienced practitioner, you can get on the right track. There are many pieces to the puzzle that you will better understand through in-person teachings from an experienced instructor instead of just from publications. This will save time, give you a clearer direction, and prevent you from engaging in any harmful practices. Once you understand the theory, you can learn from many available Qigong publications without danger. Generally speaking, most Qigong practices and exercises deal with External Elixir and are not dangerous to practice if done incorrectly. However, if you wish to learn deeper aspects of Qigong, especially Internal Elixir, then you will need to be very confident in your Qigong knowledge, your control and feeling of Qi in your body, and the discipline of your mind. Otherwise, advanced levels of Qigong can actually be very harmful to your body and health if it is practiced carelessly. At this stage of the training, you will need a qualified and experienced teacher to lead you on the right path. Naturally, you must still be cautious. Take your time and don’t rush if you are not sure. Is there a difference between practicing Qigong for health & practicing for martial ability? Yes. Medical Qigong was developed more than 2300 years ago. The goal was to maintain health and promote healing of the body, in yourself and others. Martial Qigong was developed around 500 A.D. when Bodhidharma was in China. Martial Qigong was developed from Bodhidharma’s Muscle/Tendon Changing and Marrow/Brain Washing Qigong classics. The primary goal of Martial Qigong was to enhance the power manifested from the physical body. This was a crucial factor in winning a battle during wartimes. Through Martial Qigong, specific training methods such as Iron Shirt, One-Finger Meditation, and Iron Sand Palm were developed. These methods significantly helped to increase the body's physical strength and fighting capability. However, in today's generation, we no longer need to train such extreme methods of physical conditioning such as Iron Shirt or Iron Sand Palm. In fact, it was discovered that such training can actually be quite damaging to the body, especially as the body ages. Such extreme forms of conditioning can contribute to nerve damage, arthritis, and high blood pressure in older people. I do not believe that Martial Qigong should be trained today for developing power to fight. I believe it has more purpose in simply conditioning the muscles, tendons, and joints to make the body stronger, and to train the mind. In this respect, practicing Qigong for health and for martial ability are more similar, because health is the goal in both. The goal of all Qigong practice today is really more about longevity, health, and cultivation. Martial ability was the original intent of training Martial Qigong during wartimes, but we cannot expect that any level of Martial Qigong will defend against a bomb, a bullet, or chemical warfare. We expect to live much longer in modern day compared to those people in the past, so we need to age gracefully. Thus, Martial Qigong should be trained with care, and with the goal of health in mind, not with the goal of simply developing brute physical strength. Briefly inform us on the success of your "Kung Fu Retreat." We have had many ups and downs in these first four years of the program at the YMAA Retreat Center. I do believe that overall, the program is successful so far. It is on schedule and progressing as expected. The program and the students are stable, and we are now steadily making headway into the curriculum. Of course, it has not always been picture perfect, and I do expect more challenges down the road. There have been many obstacles already. First of all, I was hoping that we would gain more momentum in financial support by the second year. However, after more than 3 years of being in operation, my seminar income is still the primary means of supporting the center. My hope is that the center can be self-sustaining one day so that it can stay open after the training program finishes in 2018. Our costs to keep the center open average about $80,000 - $100,000 every year. Second, we encountered visa problems for our foreign students. Foreign students were unable to stay for entire semesters until we had approval from the Student Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). SEVIS approval is required for foreign students to apply for I-20 student visas. It was not until after three years of applying and paying many fees that we were finally approved. Part of the reason it took so long was because the first time we were about to receive approval, the California department handling our case was dissolved and not reestablished until two years later. We had to apply again from scratch. Unfortunately, one of the students from the first group was forced to go back to Portugal because of this. Third, several accepted students were unable to endure the training. This was expected, because as I explained above, it is very difficult nowadays to find sincere, dedicated students who are searching for more than just fashion or quick results. However, I did not expect that the student retention rate would be only 30% after three years. This means that for every six students that I accepted, two of them either abandoned the training or were asked to leave. It is not easy to find committed students in this society. Although I was disappointed when students left, the good side of this is that semester by semester, we have been filtering out students who were not really serious about the training. This has left behind a stronger, core group of students, which is very important because the students ultimately are the foundation to the entire program. Without a dedicated group, the program will not finish successfully. This filtering process has also helped us design our revised application and interview process for potential students in the upcoming 5-year program. I would like to recruit another group of 5 to 6 students to join us for the last 5 years of the current program. We have only 4 students here right now, beginning from about 13. There are already a few applicants with good potential who have expressed their interest for this new program, and many of them will visit the center this year. If anybody is interested in applying, please visit the web: http://ymaa-retreatcenter.org/full-time-program/5-year. I would not say the program is 100% successful, but of course it is expected that there are bumps on the road. Right now, the current students are behind in terms of following the originally scheduled curriculum. However, the quality of training has actually been satisfactory. For what I expected, the students are at about the right level for having trained full-time here in the mountains for 3 years. I believe that as long as the students have quality, learning more quantity is trivial, just a matter of time and practice. Quality is always much harder to achieve than quantity. The quality of training offers you a deeper feeling, which in turn gives you the capability of creation. I prefer to one day have a student who has the quality to create one deep style instead of ten students who have only quantity and create one hundred shallow styles. Now that the students at the center have established their fundamentals, I want to push them to achieve even more in the second half of the program. What do you hope to accomplish in the upcoming (5-10) years? As I mentioned earlier, I hope to find 5-6 more committed students for the upcoming 5-year training program, which will begin in September 2013. Before I retire, I want to teach as many sincerely dedicated and committed students as I can to the highest level possible, through this program and the environment at the center. My goal is to provide as much as I can to these students such that they can continue developing their training and techniques independently on their own after they finish. I believe the current group I have now will reach an acceptable level of quality in their preliminary training after one or two more years. Once they have this quality, they will be able to pick up all of the quantity of what I have learned in the past. Building this foundation of quality at the very beginning is crucial to the success of the students. It is necessary to be able to properly learn the quantity portion to a good level of depth and understanding. If I had taught quantity first, everything the students would have trained up to this point would have been very meaningless, just a bunch of techniques that may look pretty, but have no foundation, root, or practical applications. The foundational training is what is neglected at so many schools today, and that is what I hope to provide and enforce in the full-time training programs at the center. My ultimate goal is to have all graduates of the center become confident, well-educated, and exemplary in the traditional ways of training. I also hope they are able to reach a high level in their fighting skills, fighting strategy, and situational awareness, as I believe that will exhibit their depth and understanding of martial arts overall. My goal is to train
technology. Because of the issues noted above, and the ongoing development of new mechanisms to track users that do not involve cookies, our focus is on the new Tracking Protection technology. Next Steps After investigating what Google sends to IE, we confirmed what we describe above. We have made a Tracking Protection List available that IE9 users can add by clicking here as a protection in the event that Google continues this practice. Customers can find additional lists and information on this page. The premise of Tracking Protection in IE9 is that tracking servers never have the opportunity to use cookies or any other mechanism to track the user if the user never sends anything to a tracking server. This logic underlies why Tracking Protection blocks network requests entirely. This new technology approach is currently undergoing the standardization process at the W3C. This blog post has additional information about IE’s cookie controls, and shows how you can block all cookies from a given site (e.g. .google.com) regardless of whether they are first- or third-party. This method of blocking cookies would not be subject to the methods Google used. We recommend that users not yet running IE9 take steps described in this post. Given this real-world behavior, we are investigating what additional changes to make to our products. The P3P specification says that browsers should ignore unknown tokens. Privacy advocates involved in the original specification have recently suggested that IE ignore the specification and block cookies with unrecognized tokens. We are actively investigating that course of action. ―Dean Hachamovitch, Corporate Vice President, Internet ExplorerEverything that keeps me together is falling apart I've got this thing that I consider my only art of fucking people over. My boss just quit the job Says he's goin out to find blind spots and he'll do it. The 3rd planet is sure that they're being watched By an eye in the sky that can't be stopped. When you get to the promise land Your gonna shake that eyes hand. Your heart felt good It was drippin' pitch and made of wood. And your hands and knees Felt cold and wet on the grass to me. Well, outside naked, shiverin' looking blue, from the cold Sunlight that's reflected off the moon. Baby c* angels fly around you Reminding you we used to be three and not just two. And that's how the world began. And that's how the world will end. Well, a 3rd had just been made and we were swimming in the Water Didn't know then was it a son was it a daughter. When it occurred to me that the animals are swimming Around in the water in the oceans in our bodies And another had been found another ocean on the planet Given that our blood is just like the Atlantic. And how. Well, the universe is shaped exactly like the earth If you go straight long enough you'll end up where you were. And the universe is shaped exactly like the earth If you go straight long enough you'll end up where you were. The universe is shaped exactly like the earth. Your heart felt good It was drippin' pitch and made of wood. And your hands and knees Felt cold and wet on the grass to me. Well, outside naked, shiverin' looking blue, from the cold Sunlight that's reflected off the moon. Baby c** angels fly around you Reminding you we used to be three and not just two. And that's how the world began. And that's how the world will end. Well, a 3rd had just been made and we were swimming in the Water Didn't know then was it a son was it a daughter. When it occurred to me that the animals are swimming Around in the water in the oceans in our bodies And another had been found another ocean on the planet Given that our blood is just like the Atlantic. And how. Well, the universe is shaped exactly like the earth If you go straight long enough you'll end up where you were. And the universe is shaped exactly like the earth If you go straight long enough you'll end up where you were. The universe is shaped exactly like the earth. Everything that keeps me together is falling apart I've got this thing that I consider my only art of fucking people over.With Mass Effect 3: Citadel releasing next week, we’ve been reading your questions and the Dev team has provided some answers for the more commonly asked ones. With Mass Effect 3: Citadel releasing next week, we’ve been reading your questions and the Dev team has provided some answers for the more commonly asked ones. PLEASE NOTE: This FAQ Includes Spoilers for the Mass Effect 3 Main Game Experience When Can I Play the Citadel DLC? You can play the Citadel DLC any time after stopping the Cerberus coup attempt on the Citadel and before beginning your attack on Cronos Station. Will (CHARACTER NAME) be present in the DLC? We would prefer not to spoil which characters will be present, or in what context, beyond what we’ve said: the DLC offers a chance to adventure with your ME3 squad, along with Urdnot Wrex, and to connect with old friends, including romances. Will (CHARACTER NAME) be present only after a certain mission? After completing the adventure portion of the Citadel DLC, you will have the chance to reconnect with old friends. Your friends will only appear once you have completed their content from the main game. For example, you will only be able to meet up with Jack after both completing Grissom Academy and talking to Jack in the bar at Purgatory. Should I Have Everything Else in the Game Done Before Playing Citadel? There is no right or wrong time to play the Citadel DLC, once it’s unlocked. If you play the Citadel DLC with everything else unlocked (just before attacking Cronos Station), the new DLC content will all be unlocked. If you play the Citadel DLC right after stopping the Cerberus coup attempt, the DLC content will unlock naturally over the course of the main game. Does the Citadel DLC Affect the Ending? No, not beyond the possibility of adding new war assets to increase your Galactic Readiness score. You may of course continue on to play the endgame after completing the Citadel DLC, but there is also a natural “stopping point” that should make it clear where the DLC content ends and your return to the main game begins. Why is the Xbox 360 version being split into separate downloads? For Xbox 360 users, the Citadel DLC pack will come as 2 downloads on Xbox Live. ME3 Citadel is larger than our previous DLC packs, so it had to be split into 2 downloads. The first pack is priced at $14.99 and the second pack is tagged as free. Players need to purchase and download pack 1, then download pack 2 at no additional cost. You can download pack 2 without purchasing pack one, but the DLC will not work. You will get an error message in game asking you to download pack 1. It will say “This DLC will only work in conjunction with Part 1 of Mass Effect™ 3: Citadel, which is split across 2 downloadable packages. Please purchase Part 1 prior to downloading Part 2 at no additional cost.” This will not hurt your saved game but you will not be able to launch Citadel until you have both packs. This only affects Xbox 360 users. Citadel for the PC and PS3 is in one pack. Share this: Twitter Facebook Reddit Google TumblrAnd two minutes later he does! This is pretty funny. Hillary spokesperson Phil Singer blasted out an email at 11:23 insisting that Obama release his tax returns for back years, Exactly two minutes later, at 11:25, Obama spokesperson Tommy Vietor emailed out word that Obama had posted his tax returns for 2000-2006 on his campaign web site. Turns out the Obama camp has been planning this for some time. In pure political terms, this will obviously give more political potency to the Obama camp’s efforts to make Hillary’s failure to release her returns a key issue in the campaign. The Obama camp is now free to beat this drum between now and mid-April, when the Hillary camp has promised to release hers. Reaction from the Clinton camp? Cue crickets… Find Obama’s returns here. Find Hillary’s returns…three days before the Pennyslvania primaries. Anybody else have the feeling that there’s going to be something really interesting in there? Otherwise, why not just release them sooner rather than later? UPDATE: TIME says they received the Obama email 2 minutes before they got the Clinton email. And they have a screenshot to prove it. As they put it… […] the Obama campaign apparently defied the laws of TIME AND SPACE. Heh.INDIANAPOLIS, April 24, 2012 – Eighty-six of the country's top male gymnasts are expected to compete in the 2012 U.S. Men's Qualifier, May 5, at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. The Men's Qualifier is the last opportunity for the country's male gymnasts to qualify for the 2012 Visa Championships, USA Gymnastics national championships, in St. Louis, June 7-10. Many of the top male gymnasts use this event as a tune-up for the Visa Championships, which will determine which gymnasts advance to the U.S. Olympic Trials – Gymnastics, June 28-July 1, in San Jose, Calif. The initial participant list includes four members of the 2011 World Championships Team, which won the team bronze medal: Christopher Brooks of Houston/Team Hilton HHonors (Cypress Academy), alternate; Jonathan Horton of Houston/Team Hilton HHonors (Cypress Academy); Danell Leyva of Miami/Team Hilton HHonors (Universal Gymnastics), 2011 World parallel bars champion; and John Orozco of the Bronx, N.Y./Team Hilton HHonors (U.S. Olympic Training Center). The field also includes four members of both the U.S. Senior and Junior National Teams: Adrian De Los Angeles of Long Beach, Calif./University of Michigan; Jesse Glenn of Northridge, Calif./SCATS (junior); Trevor Howard of Columbus, Ohio/Hocking Valley Gymnastics Center (junior); Glen Ishino of Santa Ana, Calif./University of California – Berkeley; Jake Martin of Oviedo, Fla./USOTC (junior); Sam Mikulak of Ann Arbor, Mich./University of Michigan; Sean Melton of Orlando/USOTC (junior); and Brandon Wynn of Voorhees, N.J./Team Hilton HHonors (Ohio State University). The Men's Qualifier has two sessions, 12:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. MT. A minimum of 14 gymnasts using the Men's Program Committee 20-point system will advance to the Visa Championships, and additional athletes may be selected as needed to complete the 42-man Visa Championships field. This year's qualifier does not have a junior division. For more information on the U.S. Men's Qualifier and the 20-point system, click here. Because this is a qualifying event, no awards are presented. The U.S. champions for men's and women's artistic gymnastics are determined at the Visa Championships. Tickets are currently on sale. For complete information on the Visa Championships, log on to www.usagym.org/visa. Athlete roster for 2012 U.S. Men's National Qualifier Arizona Riley Barclay, Chandler, Ariz./Sun Devil Gymnastic Club Chester Gaudaur, Tempe, Ariz./Sun Devil Gymnastic Club Stephen Gragg, Tempe, Ariz./Sun Devil Gymnastic Club California Donothan Bailey, Lake Forest, Calif./University of California - Berkeley Alexander Buscaglia, Stanford, Calif./Stanford University Adrian De Los Angeles, Long Beach, Calif./University of Michigan Joshua Dixon, San Jose, Calif./U.S. Olympic Training Center Tanner Dowell, Stockton, Calif./Byers Gymnastics Center - Elk Grove Justin Ebueng, Chino Hills, Calif./Byers Gymnastics Center - Elk Grove Tyler Evans, Los Gatos, Calif./California Sports Center Jordan Gaarenstrom, Laguna Hills, Calif./University of Michigan Jesse Glenn, Northridge, Calif./SCATS Gymnastics Glen Ishino, Santa Ana, Calif./University of California - Berkeley Steven Lacombe, MIssion Viejo, Calif./University of California - Berkeley Samuel Mikulak, Newport Coast, Calif./University of Michigan Masayoshi Mori, Irvine, Calif./University Of Illinois Sho Nakamori, Albany, Calif./Champions Academy Chris Turner, Fremont, Calif./Stanford University Colorado Wyatt Baier, Denver, Colo./University Of Nebraska-Lincoln Andrew Elkind, Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Olympic Training Center Connecticut Ian Makowske, West Redding, Conn./University of Michigan Florida Wyatt Aycock, Orlando, Fla./University Of Nebraska-Lincoln Aristo Barrera, Miami, Fla./Universal Gymnastics Inc. Danell Leyva, Miami, Fla./Universal Gymnastics Inc. Jake Martin, Oviedo, Fla./U.S. Olympic Training Center Sean Melton, Orlando, Fla./U.S. Olympic Training Center Edward Mesa, Cooper City, Fla./Universal Gymnastics Inc. Tyler Schaal, Boca Raton, Fla./Universal Gymnastics Inc. Iowa Cameron Foreman, Iowa City, Iowa/Stanford University Illinois Logan Bradley, Naperville, Ill./St. Charles Gymnastics Academy Wasef Burbar, Arlington Heights, Ill./Pennsylvania State University Gymnastics James Fosco, Deerfield, Ill./Stanford University Craig Hernandez, Libertyville, Ill./Pennsylvania State University Gymnastics Ryan Johnston, Elburn, Ill./St. Charles Gymnastics Academy Sean Johnston, Elburn, Ill./St. Charles Gymnastics Academy Ryan Lieberman, Lake Forest, Ill./Stanford University Matthew Loochtan, Hawthorn Woods, Ill./Buffalo Grove Gymnastics Center Michael Strathern, Bartlett, Ill./University of Michigan Indiana Ellis Mannon, Indianapolis, Ind./University Of Minnesota Kentucky M. Parker Raque, Louisville, Ky./Pennsylvania State University Gymnastics Massachusetts Matthew Felleman, Medway, Mass./Pennsylvania State University Gymnastics Joshua Ungar, Longmeadow, Mass./University Of Nebraska-Lincoln Missouri Sean Bauer, St Louis, Mo./University Of Minnesota North Carolina Cameron Rogers, Charlotte, N.C./University Of Illinois New Jersey Alessandri Bubnov, Fanwood, N.J./University of Michigan Mackenzie Dow, Cranford, N.J./Pennsylvania State University Gymnastics David Frankl, Franklin Lakes, N.J./US Gymnastics Development Center II John Jeffries, Williamstown, N.J./Philadelphia Boys Gymnastics & Temple U Men Daniel Khomenko, Manalapan, N.J./US Gymnastics Development Center II Austin Phillips, Mahwah, N.J./University Of Illinois Brandon Wynn, Vorhees, N.J./Ohio State University New Mexico Adam Kern, Albuquerque, N.M./University Of Minnesota New York John Orozco, Bronx, N.Y./U.S. Olympic Training Center Eddie Penev, Rochester, N.Y./Stanford University New Zealand Kristofer Done, Auckland, New Zealand/Ohio State University New Hampshire Donald Carper, Hollis, N.H./University of Minnesota Ohio Matthew Chelberg, Athens, Ohio/Pennsylvania State University Gymnastics Ty Echard, Carroll, Ohio/Ohio State University Trevor Howard, Columbus, Ohio/Hocking Valley Gymnastics Center Seung Tai Lee, Columbus, Ohio/Ohio State University Miguel Pineda, Galloway, Ohio/Pennsylvania State University Gymnastics Donald Yeager, Austintown, Ohio/Ohio Gymnastics Institute Inc. Oklahoma Jeffrey Becker, Broken Arrow, Okla./Jenks Gymnastics David Finning, Claremore, Okla./Jenks Gymnastics Wesley Haagensen, Midwest City, Okla./University Of Illinois Pennsylvania Adam Al-Rokh, Bensalem, Pa./Philadelphia Boys Gymnastics & Temple U Men Anthony Beck, Catasauqua, Pa./Pennsylvania State University Gymnastics Scott Rosenthal, Clearfield, Pa./Pennsylvania State University Gymnastics Sean Senters, Center Valley, Pa./Stanford University Tennessee Chase Cannon, Louisville, Tenn./Premier Athletics Knoxville North Ryan Kerr, Knoxville, Tenn./Premier Athletics Knoxville North Allan Malone, Cookeville, Tenn./Philadelphia Boys Gymnastics & Temple U Men Texas Daniel Bronnenberg, Houston, Texas/Houston Gymnastics Associates Christopher Brooks, Houston, Texas/Cypress Academy of Gymnastics Michael Bynum, Humble, Texas/Texas A&M Gymnastics Club Cameron Deer, Houston, Texas/Cypress Academy of Gymnastics Randall Heflin, Houston, Texas/Cypress Academy of Gymnastics Matt Hicks, San Antonio, Texas/Artemov Gymnastics Jonathan Horton, Houston, Texas/Cypress Academy of Gymnastics Spencer Johnson, Houston, Texas/Cypress Academy of Gymnastics Charles Richardson, College Station, Texas/Texas A&M Gymnastics Club Eric Schryver, Richardson, Texas/University Of Nebraska-Lincoln Washington Zachary Chase, Woodinville, Wash./University of Minnesota Dominic Morris, Mercer Island, Wash./Black Hills Gymnastics Wisconsin Steven Jaciuk, New Berlin, Wis./University Of Minnesota Alexander Tighe, Brookfield, Wis./Philadelphia Boys Gymnastics & Temple U MenWhat was supposed to be a quick stop for a family cookout turned into a lesson in discrimination for a mother who said she was kicked out of a store for wearing a Niqab, NBC 5's Ash-har Quraishi reports. (Published Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2016) What was supposed to be a quick stop for a family cookout quickly turned into a harsh lesson in discrimination for a mother of four who said she was kicked out of a Family Dollar store for wearing a niqab. The incident, which was captured on cell phone video and took place in front of Sarah Muzdaher Safi’s children, began when Safi stopped inside a Family Dollar store in Gary, Indiana, Monday afternoon wearing the traditional Islamic veil. Safi said she had gone to the store to pick up charcoal and was shocked when an employee demanded she either take off the niqab or leave. In the video, an employee, who identified herself as a store manager, can be heard saying, "Yes ma’am, if you can’t remove that from your face, I’m going to need you to leave the store." S. Carolina Pediatrician Stops Taking Unvaccinated Patients A South Carolina pediatrics office is turning away unvaccinated patients, citing the health and safety of other immunocompromised children who are in danger of catching contagious diseases in the waiting room. Parents say their choices for their unvaccinated children are shrinking. (Published Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019) "I’ve worn my garments for a long time," Safi said. "I have never been treated like this in any establishment. Ever." In the video, Safi tells the clerk she is wearing a religious garment. “I understand, but you have to understand this is a high crime area where we get robbed a lot, you need to remove that from your face or remove yourself from the store,” the employee said. The clerk told Safi to leave two more times before wishing her a “blessed day.” "It's not just a blatant violation of the civil rights laws of this country but it's also a violation of the basic laws of decency and morality that you don't treat customers this way just because they have a different cultural background or a different religion,” said Ahmed Rehab with the Council on American Islamic Relations. Family Dollar, which is owned by Dollar Express, did not respond to NBC Chicago’s request for comment. R. Kelly Facing 10 Counts of Criminal Sexual Abuse R. Kelly has been charged with 10 counts of criminal sexual abuse in Cook County, Illinois. (Published Friday, Feb. 22, 2019) Safi claims she contacted the chain about the incident and was told they were looking into it. Safi said she won’t be going back to the store, but has a message for the woman in the video. “I just want to understand….like I wish people would do of me. Just try to understand. I want to explain to her what I believe,” she said.Cultural and economic boycotts helped isolate white-supremacist South Africa and encouraged a shift to multi-racial democracy — and a similar strategy has ratcheted up pressure on Israel to reach a peace deal with Palestinians — but there is a new pushback against that strategy, notes Lawrence Davidson. By Lawrence Davidson There is a new British organization called Culture for Coexistence with the aim of ending the cultural boycott of Israel, which has been relatively effective in raising public awareness of oppressive Zionist policies, and replace it with “open dialogue” and “cultural engagement.“ A “galaxy of 150 British artists and authors” signed an open letter published in the Guardian newspaper on Oct. 22 announcing the group’s position: “Cultural boycotts singling out Israel are divisive and discriminatory and will not further peace,” while “open dialogue and interaction promote greater understanding and mutual acceptance and it is through such understanding and acceptance that movement can be made towards a resolution of the conflict.” While concepts such as open dialogue and cultural interaction are, in principle, hard to disagree with, their efficacy as agents of conflict resolution has to be judged within a historical context. In other words, such approaches are effective when circumstances dictate that all parties seriously dialogue and interact meaningfully – in a manner that actually promotes “mutual acceptance.” Is this the case when it comes to Israel? The burden of proof here is on Culture for Coexistence because they are the ones asking the Palestinians and their supporters to put aside a strategy (boycott) that is actually putting pressure on Israel to negotiate seriously. The Culture for Coexistence signatories do not address this question of efficacy. Instead they make the simple assertion that cultural boycotts are bad and won’t help resolve the conflict while cultural interaction is good and will work to that end. How do they know this? Without evidence of its workability, such an assertion is merely an idealization of cultural engagement that ignores that pursuit’s historical futility during a nearly century long conflict. Do Israeli Leaders Want a Just Peace? Cultural interaction with Israel went on for decades before the boycott effort got going. It had no impact on the issue of conflict resolution. Such cultural activity certainly did not change the fact that Israel’s leaders have never shown interest in negotiating a resolution with the Palestinians except solely on Israeli terms. And, that stubbornness is a major part of the reason why peace talks (and also the Oslo agreements) never worked. There is a whole set of histories, written by Israelis and based on archival research that support the claim that Israel has not sought a just resolution to the conflict. Here I would recommend the Culture for Coexistence signatories read the books of the Israeli historian Ilan Pappe. Given this historical Zionist attitude, what sort of “greater understanding and mutual acceptance” does Culture and Coexistence expect to accomplish by swapping the boycott for “cultural engagement”? It is a question the signatories of the open letter might address to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who just recently was reported to have proclaimed that Israel will control all Palestinian land indefinitely. The “galaxy of British artists and authors” aligned with Culture for Coexistence seems oblivious to all these contextual issues. Of course, there is a good chance that some of them are more interested in undermining the boycott of Israel than in the alleged promotion of peace through “cultural engagement.” As the Guardian article discussing the group notes, “Some of the network’s supporters are closely aligned with Israel,” including individuals associated with Conservative Friends of Israel and Labour Friends of Israel. Does Cultural Contact Lead to Peace? There is another, more generic misunderstanding exhibited in the group’s statement. It is found in the letter’s closing assertion that “cultural engagement builds bridges, nurtures freedom and positive movement for change” – a position reiterated when Loraine da Costa, chairperson of the new organization, told the Guardian that “culture has a unique ability to bring people together and bridge division.” No matter how you want to define culture, high or low, there is no evidence for this position except on the level of individuals or small groups. On the level of larger or whole populations, the assertion that “cultural engagement builds bridges” is another naive idealization that is belied by historical practice. Historically, culture has always divided people (both across borders and across classes) and acted as a barrier to understanding. At a popular level, most people are uninterested in, or suspicious of, foreign cultures and are unwilling to try to pursue cultural interaction. Israel is a very good example of this cultural xenophobia. Historically, the European Jews who established the state despised Arab culture. They tried to eradicate it among the Mizrahi Jews who came to Israel from Arab lands. This intra-Jewish Israeli prejudice is still a problem today. What aspects of Arab culture (mostly having to do with cuisine) Israeli Jews are attracted to they try to repackage as “Israeli.” There are two final considerations here: First is the need to be serious and clear in the use of language. One can, of course, say “culture has a unique ability to bring people together” but is this a statement that has any real meaning or is it just a platitude? And second: If you are going to give advice about a century-old conflict you should know enough about its history to be sensible in your offering. Thus, in this case, if you know that high or low cultural intercourse with Israel (and, as suggested above, there has been plenty of it since the founding of the state in 1948), has actually improved the prospects for Israeli-Palestinian peace, you should lay out the evidence. However, if one is just offering a banal cliche, well, only the ignorant can take that seriously. Those who first proposed the cultural boycott did not do it out of some anti-Semitic dislike for Israeli artworks, music, literature or theater. They did it because cultural interaction with Israel had not only failed to promote an equitable peace, but in fact camouflaged the policies of a nation-state that practices ethnic cleansing and other destructive policies against non-Jews. The logical conclusion was drawn that if you want to pressure the Israelis to change their ways, you withdraw from cultural contact and make any reconnection a condition of their getting serious about conflict resolution. How is it that the 150 artists and authors who signed the Culture for Coexistence open letter do not know the relevant facts? Setting aside the confirmed Zionists, whose ulterior motive is pretty clear, do these people take this stand because it “feels right” – that is, because they believe cultural interaction ought to, or even must, promote conflict resolution? Alas, this is wishful thinking and, taking history seriously, Palestine may go extinct before such an approach actually helps lead to a just peace.Several provinces are plowing full-steam ahead with plans to ask the public how they should manage the introduction of legal recreational pot in Canada. But Ontario, it seems, isn’t one of them. Or, if there are plans, the province’s “Legalization of Cannabis Secretariat” is not ready to share them yet. Secretariat officials have been holding private meetings and promise to “engage with the public” later. The lack of information is surprising, says Jeffrey Lizotte, the CEO of NextWave Brands, a cannabis lobbying and consulting firm. Ontario is the country’s most populous province, and the epicentre of the legal cannabis industry, he notes. More than half of the Health Canada licensed grow-ops that sell to medical patients are in Ontario, and those facilities are expanding to supply recreational pot users, too. “Ontario should be the leader,” Lizotte says. The federal government aims to make dried pot and cannabis oil legal by July 1, 2018, and has unveiled its legislation to that effect, but many key details have been left to the provinces. Related Alberta, Quebec, Newfoundland, New Brunswick and the Northwest Territories have planned or begun consultations. Alberta has encouraged citizens to start discussion groups to debate questions under provincial control, such as: Where should marijuana be sold? Should the province raise the legal age for purchasing pot above the federal minimum of 18? Should people be allowed to use cannabis in public? Should the province create new impaired driving laws? How should cannabis be treated in the workplace? In New Brunswick, where the government considers the cannabis industry a pillar of economic growth, a legislative committee will hold public hearings this summer. Quebec plans a summit of experts in June, followed by regional consultations and draft legislation in the fall. In Ontario, the Cannabis Secretariat has been holding private meetings. “Ontario is engaging with health, public safety, municipal and indigenous stakeholders and will continue to do so over the summer months as we develop our regulatory framework,” said a statement from the Ministry of the Attorney General, which houses the Secretariat. Besides the “proactive stakeholder outreach,” the statement said, “government officials are attending relevant conferences, meeting with academics and responding to impacted groups who wish to provide input.” There was no reply to a request for details about which “stakeholders” and “impacted groups” have been part of the discussion. The statement also said that “Ontario is also working closely with the other provinces and territories, and the federal government to share best practices and information.” As for how the public can get involved in the cannabis debate, that’s not known. The Secretariat will “engage with the public over the coming months,” said the statement. Asked for more details, officials provided the same statement again. The public silence on the issue may be because the province is waiting until the federal cannabis legislation is passed, says cannabis lobbyist Lizotte. But there are also political considerations, says Lizotte, who worked at Queen’s Park for Conservative politicians before jumping into the cannabis consulting business. A provincial election is scheduled for June 7, 2018. That’s just a few weeks before the target date for the brave new world of legal pot. Will Ontario try to keep the issue low-key because politicians are disinclined to talk about pot? During the election in B.C. last month, cannabis was barely mentioned by politicians, even though the province has a massive underground industry. “We can’t let that happen in Ontario,” says Lizotte, adding activists will try to make marijuana legalization part of the Ontario election debate. Even people who don’t use pot will be touched by the cultural, political and economic changes that come with the end of nearly a century of prohibition. Lizotte emphasizes the positives, such as economic growth fuelled by the cannabis industry and an end to the government expense and personal hardship caused by criminal charges for possessing small amounts of marijuana. But there are huge challenges, too, from trying to prevent increased consumption by young people to keeping stoned drivers off the roads. The topic may not be a winner with voters. A recent opinion poll suggests that Canadians are becoming wary about recreational pot and the ability of governments to manage it. The cross-Canada survey by the consulting firm Hill & Knowlton Strategies found that public opinion has shifted. Last year, “people were excited” about legalization, and polls consistently found that 55 per cent to 65 per cent of Canadian approved of the idea, says the Hill & Knowlton report. The firm’s survey last month found a “more guarded and uneasy public.” Support for legalization had dropped to 43 per cent. A majority of respondents — 57 per cent — said they were concerned about how their provincial government “is going to roll out marijuana legislation,” compared to 12 per cent who were not concerned, and 28 per cent who were neutral on the question. Only 26 per cent of respondents agreed the federal government was “doing a good job of handling the marijuana issue,” while 36 per cent disagreed with the statement and 24 per cent were neutral. The political landscape varies greatly by province, says Ottawa business lawyer Trina Fraser, who advises companies on obtaining licences to grow medical marijuana. “Certain provinces have their act together more than others. Certain provinces are more excited than others. Some view it as economic opportunity, some view it as something that is being imposed on them against their will. I think there is a different political appetite across the country toward embracing it and dealing with it.” Ontario may not be saying much publicly, but work is going on behind the scenes, says Omar Khan, a vice-president at Hill & Knowlton who advises clients in the cannabis industry. He suspects the Ontario Cannabis Secretariat is “mapping out the landscape” and coming up with options for cabinet. “They’ve been thinking about this since the Trudeau government was elected,” says Khan, who until last fall worked as chief of staff to Ontario’s health minister. On the key question of where cannabis will be sold, three options are on the table, says Khan: privately operated stores; government-run outlets similar to the LCBO; or some hybrid of the two. It’s highly unlikely Ontario will allow alcohol and marijuana to be sold in the same place, says Khan, an assessment that is widely shared in the industry. “It’s unlikely you’ll be able to walk into an LCBO and buy marijuana.” Co-locations should be avoided, according to the task force of experts whose report the federal government has used as a blueprint for legalization. Co-locations could promote cannabis to people who wouldn’t otherwise buy it or encourage people to use both substances simultaneously. And some cannabis users don’t want to be around alcohol. The statement from the Cannabis Secretariat says “all policy options remain on the table.” Provinces can also chose to toughen several aspects of the federal law by lowering the possession limit of 30 grams of pot or the home-grow limit of four plants per household. jmiller@postmedia.comby According to Science Times[1], the Tuesday science section in the New York Times, scientific retractions are on the rise because of a “dysfunctional scientific climate” that has created a “winner-take-all game with perverse incentives that lead scientists to cut corners and, in some cases, commit acts of misconduct.” But elsewhere, audacious, falsified research stands unretracted–including the work of authors who actually went to prison for fraud! Richard Borison, MD, former psychiatry chief at the Augusta Veterans Affairs medical center and Medical College of Georgia, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for a $10 million clinical trial fraud[2] but his 1996 US Seroquel® Study Group research is unretracted.[3] In fact, it is cited in 173 works and medical textbooks, misleading future medical professionals.[4] Scott Reuben, MD, the “Bernie Madoff” of medicine who published research on clinical trials that never existed, was sentenced to six months in prison in 2010.[5] But his “research” on popular pain killers like Celebrex and Lyrica is unretracted.[6] If going to prison for research fraud is not enough reason for retraction, what is? Wayne MacFadden, MD, resigned as US medical director for Seroquel in 2006, after sexual affairs with two coworker women researchers surfaced[7], but the related work is unretracted and was even part of Seroquel’s FDA approval package for bipolar disorder.[8] More than 50 ghostwritten papers about hormone therapy (HT) written by Pfizer’s marketing firm, Designwrite, ran in medical journals, according to unsealed court documents on the University of California–San Francisco’s Drug Industry Document Archive.[9] Though the papers claimed no link between HT and breast cancer and false cardiac and cognitive benefits and were ghostwritten by marketing professionals not doctors, none has been retracted. Pfizer/Parke-Davis placed 13 ghostwritten articles[10] in medical journals promoting Neurontin for offlabel uses, including a supplement to the Cleveland Clinic[11] but only Cochrane Database Systematic Reviews and Protocols has retracted the specious articles.[12] Nor is the phony science just a product of “Big Pharma.” In 2008, JAMA was forced to print a correction stating that authors of an article arguing for a higher recommended dietary allowance of protein were, in fact, industry operatives. [13] Sharon L. Miller was “formerly employed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association,” and author Robert R. Wolfe, PhD, received money from the Egg Nutrition Center, the National Dairy Council, the National Pork Board, and the Beef Checkoff through the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, said the clarification. Miller’s email address, in fact was smiller@beef.org, which should might have been the JAMA editors’ first tip-off.[14] The article has also not been retracted. Martha Rosenberg’s is an investigative health reporter. Her first book, Born With A Junk Food Deficiency: How Flaks, Quacks and Hacks Pimp The Public Health, has just been released by Prometheus books. Notes.Belfast's pro-Palestine protesters remove 'Israeli' goods from shelves of Asda in protest over Gaza BelfastTelegraph.co.uk A group of pro-Palestine demonstrators have removed what they said were Israeli-linked products from the shelves of a supermarket in west Belfast. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/belfasts-propalestine-protesters-remove-israeli-goods-from-shelves-of-asda-in-protest-over-gaza-30499929.html https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/incoming/article30499948.ece/c91a3/AUTOCROP/h342/palestine_3.jpg Email A group of pro-Palestine demonstrators have removed what they said were Israeli-linked products from the shelves of a supermarket in west Belfast. Dozens packed into the supermarket at the Westwood Centre on Kennedy Way at around 6.30pm on Monday - many chanting 'Free Palestine' - before taking numerous products off the shelves which have 'ties' to Israel. They then filled shopping trolleys with the goods. In a statement on Facebook, the group said "We call on others to join the boycott, stand with us over the coming weeks as we take the campaign to those who ignore the plight of the Palestinian people." Last week dozens of
guessed it… become even sloppier. Rationalization – Not wanting to admit that I had some problems that I needed to fix let to rationalization. I came up with a ridiculous number of reasons why being sloppy was OK. My fingers were too thin. My pinky was too short. I had started playing the guitar too late in life. It was all BS, but I believed every word of it. Somehow I made it through college and the conservatory and ultimately earned my Master of Music degree, but it felt hollow. I was nowhere near the player that I wanted to be, and it tore me up inside. I eventually quit for a number of years because playing the guitar was pure misery. In my 30s I cleared my head, vowed to start over and figure out where I’d gone wrong. Based on my experience, here are some ingredients for becoming a solid player: Humility – It’s not listed up there with the recipe for being a sloppy player, but arrogance definitely played some part as well. It was beyond humbling for me to admit that I had spent so much time doing things wrong and had probably cost myself a chance at being a successful professional musician in the process. The admission, however, allowed me to start fresh and approach the instrument differently than I had in the past. definitely played some part as well. It was beyond humbling for me to admit that I had spent so much time doing things wrong and had probably cost myself a chance at being a successful professional musician in the process. The admission, however, allowed me to start fresh and approach the instrument differently than I had in the past. Taking Ownership – There’s a lot of information (and misinformation) out there about how to play and how to get better. It’s surprisingly easy to drown in a sea of conflicting information. In the end I simply had to decide for myself, based on common sense and logical thought, what made sense and what didn’t, and adjust accordingly as I went along. Sometimes the answers aren’t found in your teacher’s studio or on YouTube. Sometimes the answers are inside you and you just need to ask yourself what they are. play and how to get better. It’s surprisingly easy to drown in a sea of conflicting information. In the end I simply had to decide for myself, based on common sense and logical thought, what made sense and what didn’t, and adjust accordingly as I went along. Sometimes the answers aren’t found in your teacher’s studio or on YouTube. Sometimes the answers are inside you and you just need to ask yourself what they are. Enjoying the Process of Learning – In stark contrast to my experiences with the guitar earlier in life, I now focus on the learning process rather than just the desired outcomes. Sure, one day I’d still love to be as good as my guitar idols, but if I never get there, it’s OK. It may seem completely counterintuitive, but the mere act of allowing yourself to fail will make it more likely that you will succeed. Enjoying the learning process instead of beating myself up for not being Eddie Van Halen yet has turned my time with the guitar into a completely enjoyable, almost meditative experience. I’m getting better at an almost alarming rate, especially for someone who’s almost 40. These days, at the age of 37, I’m still cleaning up all the messes I made of my playing, and I’m having an absolute blast doing it. The feeling of accomplishment, of overcoming something that has plagued me for the better part of my life, is unexplainably wonderful. About the author: Dan Vuksanovich received his Master of Music degree in classical guitar performance from the Peabody Conservatory of The Johns Hopkins University in 1999. He currently teaches and blogs about how to get better at guitar via his website, www.whyisuckatguitar.com.NEW ORLEANS, LA – As The Saints racked up their seventh straight victory with a convincing 47-10 win over the Buffalo Bills, a new report suggests that disgruntled NFL boycotters are having to go to even more desperate lengths in order to keep up to date on the game. Vast underground communication networks have come to light in recent weeks as folk that are still angry with the “kneelers” yet simultaneously realize that the Saints might actually be playoff bound now need to find ways of staying updated with the games without actually being discovered. Because of this, Morse code is now their reported weapon of choice in talking to each other, and allows the boycotters to provide each other with live game updates such as touchdowns or yard gains with relative ease and the ability to stay anonymous. Fernando Edwards, the man who spearheaded the report, explains the lengths that these so called “boycotters” go to. “These people who have decided to boycott the NFL or the Saints in particular might talk a big game in public, but that is not the case elsewhere”, he said. “Right now the hot communication method is Morse code, but they are also implementing other methods of keeping updated on games.” “Now that the clocks have gone back and the darkness rolls in earlier, we are seeing boycotters also use Morse code communications through torches and phone backlights. They will communicate from house to house, or across streets and fields to give score updates through a series of flashes or blinks.” “Those who own birds are also using trained carrier birds to deliver messages to each other. And of course, we’re also seeing the classic alleyway meetings between these boycotters that will silent hand off notes to each other as they pass each other, like a scene out of a 1950’s TCM gangster movie.” Edwards expects the boycotters to either reemerge after the inevitable playoff loss, or deny ever being a boycotter if the Saints do manage to win a Super Bowl this year.It is not a new disk! The item was positioned as New: A brand-new, unused, unopened, undamaged item in its original packaging. It was soldered in the antistatic packet as though new, but after unpacking I saw scratches on the case and strong attritions on contacts. On conductive tracks of a board here and there corrosion traces! In the foam seals - dust! Drive is in working order, and SMART info: Power on count = 0; Power on hours = 0. Everything together it is very much strange, but the fact that it not new - 100%. Draw your own conclusions. I in confusion also don't know how adequately to estimate this lot, but for deception about a condition of goods I reduce assessment at once. Verified purchase: Yes \| Condition: NewThat the French resent the global supremacy of the English language is nothing new, but as Hugh Schofield finds out, a newly evolved business-speak version is taking over. They were giving out the annual Prix de la Carpette Anglaise the other day. Literally it means the English Rug Prize, but doormat would be the better translation. Quelle horreur! Lord Nelson is the inspiration for a French rock band As the citation explains, the award goes to the French person or institution who has given the best display of "fawning servility" to further the insinuation into France of the accursed English language. Among the runners-up this year: the supermarket company Carrefour which changed the name of its Champion chain of stores to Carrefour Market, not using the French word "marche". Also the provocatively-named Paris band Nelson (it is the Admiral, not Mr Mandela, that they have in mind) whose frontman J.B. sings in English because, he says, French does not have the right cadences for true rock. Worst offender But topping the poll for grave disservices to the mother tongue is France's higher education minister, Valerie Pecresse. Valerie Pecresse has decided if you cannot beat then, join them Her crime: proclaiming to the press that she had no intention of speaking French when attending European meetings in Brussels, because, she said, it was quite obvious that English was now the easiest mode of communication. The rise and rise of the English language is a sensitive subject for many here in France, who believe that French has every bit as much right to be considered a global tongue. Even conceding to English victory in the war for linguistic supremacy, the French believe that the least they can do is defend their own territory and keep the ghastly invader at a decent remove. Personally, I sympathise greatly with defenders of the French language The same group that sponsors the Prix de la Carpette also brings legal actions against companies that, it says, breach the law, for example, by not issuing French language versions of instructions to staff. Personally, I sympathise greatly with defenders of the French language. I think it is true that culturally the world will be diminished if one monolithic form of discourse squashes the rest. But then I am also a realist. Recently I have spent a lot of time in French multinational companies, and what is inescapable is the stranglehold that English already has on the world of business here. French executives draft reports, send e-mails, converse with their international colleagues - and increasingly even amongst themselves - in English. It is of course a kind of bastardised, runty form of business-speak full of words like "drivers" and "deliverables" and "outcomes" to be "valorised", but is nonetheless quite definitely not French. New language This brings me to Jean-Paul Nerriere. Monsieur Nerriere is a retired French businessman who one day in the course of his work made a fascinating observation. In a meeting with colleagues from around the world, including an Englishman, a Korean and a Brazilian, he noticed that he and the other non-native English speakers were communicating in a form of English that was completely comprehensible to them, but which left the Englishman nonplussed. He, Jean-Paul Nerriere, could talk to the Korean and the Brazilian in this neo-language, and they could understand each other perfectly. But the Englishman was left out because his language was too subtle, too full of meaning that could not be grasped by the others. In other words, Monsieur Nerriere concluded, a new form of English is developing around the world, used by people for whom it is their second language. It may not be the most beautiful of tongues, but in this day and age he says it is indispensible. He calls the language Globish and urges everyone - above all the French - to learn it tout de suite. In his book Don't Speak English, Parlez Globish, Monsieur Nerriere sets out the rules. Yasser Arafat, an 'excellent exponent' of 'Globish' Globish has only 1,500 words and users must avoid humour, metaphor, abbreviation and anything else that can cause cross-cultural confusion. They must speak slowly and in short sentences. Funnily enough, he holds up the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat as an excellent exponent. Many in France consider Monsieur Nerriere a traitor for promoting the dreaded Anglais, but he insists he is not. He says the French have to recognise that the language war is lost. "We're just urinating on the ashes of the fire," he says. We should look on Globish not as a triumphant cultural vehicle for les Anglo-Saxons, but as a tool, he says: essential but purely utilitarian. For lovers of English there is another consideration, only half-serious I admit. But what if this were all a devious Gallic plot? After all, if Globish really does take over the planet with its stunted business-speak, its bland insignificance, its cultureless access-for-all availability, then where does that leave the real English? Will the language of Shakespeare suffer by association, leaving the field open one day for the resurgence of the other great tongues of the world? Like French? From Our Own Correspondent was broadcast on Thursday, 22 January, 2009 at 1100 GMT on BBC Radio 4. Please check the programme schedules for World Service transmission times. Bookmark with: Delicious Digg reddit Facebook StumbleUpon What are these? E-mail this to a friend Printable versionTwo women were stabbed to death in a gruesome killing in Russia's Kazan, and ‘Free! Pussy Riot’ [sic] was painted on the wall in what police believe was the victims’ blood. An elderly woman, Farida Zaripova, 76, and her daughter, Liliya Zaripova, 38, were murdered in their apartment in the capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan. The victims’ bodies were discovered by their neighbors on Wednesday evening, though the women were most likely killed between August 24 and 26, investigators said. The women’s bodies “have been mutilated beyond recognition” by multiple stab wounds, Interfax cited a police source as saying. “They’ve been killed very cruelly: the murderer stabbed each of them at least eight to ten times,” RIC spokesperson Andrey Sheptitskiy told Izvestia daily. “This has astounded our experts. We never saw anything like this before, it’s right out of a horror movie.” A slogan (see the above photo) was painted on the kitchen wall with what is alleged to be the victims’ blood. The Russian Investigative Committee (RIC) said the composition of the substance had not yet been confirmed. Detectives and forensic experts are currently combing the crime scene, and police have launched a criminal investigation into the killings. Investigators say the motive behind the killings may be difficult to determine, which they speculate was connected to a robbery. It is highly unlikely the killings were committed by supporters of the punk band, though police will investigate any possible complicity in the double murder, Komsomolskaya Pravda reported. Investigators say robbery was likely as a mess was left at the scene; all drawers were turned upside down. (Photo courtesy of Russian Investigative Committee) Investigators say robbery was likely as a mess was left at the scene; all drawers were turned upside down. (Photo courtesy of Russian Investigative Committee) The two women lived together, with the older woman mostly staying at home while her daughter worked at a grocery store nearby, Life News quoted neighbors as saying. Farida was cautious, and never opened the door for anyone she didn’t know, they said. Liliya also tried not to leave her mother alone for extended periods of time, since Farida was grieving the loss of her husband and son. The son died in a car crash several years ago, and the husband lost his life to cancer. Nikolay Polozov, defense attorney for the convicted members of Pussy Riot, called the killings an “abominable and dirty provocation. … I regret that some bastards use Pussy Riot name for such goals,” he told Interfax on Thursday. Three members of the protest collective were each sentenced to two years in jail for performing a ‘punk prayer’ against President Vladimir Putin at a Moscow cathedral in February. Protests in support of Pussy Riot cropped up around the world in the wake of the August 17 verdict. The leader of Ukrainian activist group FEMEN used a chainsaw to cut down a cross in Kiev; four people wearing masks and carrying signs with pro-Pussy Riot slogans stormed Germany’s Cologne Cathedral and disturbed a service; four Orthodox Christian crosses were chopped down in different parts of Russia; and several statues in Moscow were “balaclavized” on the day of the verdict.The anodyne welcome letter to incoming freshmen is a college staple, but this week the University of Chicago took a different approach: It sent new students a blunt statement opposing some hallmarks of campus political correctness, drawing thousands of impassioned responses, for and against, as it caromed around cyberspace. “Our commitment to academic freedom means that we do not support so-called trigger warnings, we do not cancel invited speakers because their topics might prove controversial, and we do not condone the creation of intellectual ‘safe spaces’ where individuals can retreat from ideas and perspectives at odds with their own,” John Ellison, dean of students, wrote to members of the class of 2020, who will arrive next month. It was a not-so-veiled rebuke to the protests calling for limits on what kinds of speech should be condoned on campus, and who should be allowed to speak, that have rocked Yale, Wesleyan, Oberlin and many other colleges and universities in recent years. Some alumni, dismayed by the trend, have withheld donations from their alma maters. The Chicago letter echoed policies that were already in place there and at a number of other universities calling for “the freedom to espouse and explore a wide range of ideas.” But its stark wording, coming from one of the nation’s leading universities, and in a routine correspondence that usually contains nothing more contentious than a dining hall schedule, felt to people on all sides like a statement.With South Africa moving through some slow growth and questionable economic and political times, startups are still one area where jobs and salaries are growing. Adzuna, which collects and displays all of South Africa’s online jobs, reports that over 1,000 startup jobs are now listed in its index, with a higher overall salary of R444,421. This shows not only growth in the amount and size of startup companies, but also that they are either better performing or better funded to attract the right skills. The fintech arena remains notable with an enormous rise in positions, indicating a more than 2,500% increase in vacancies and a higher average salary of R579,244. This is certainly a new sector to watch, with many banking, payment and insurance C-suite leaders being quoted around how fintech will continue to renew the way these industries operate, Adzuna said. Entrepreneurs in South Africa are also gravitating towards Johannesburg, possibly due to better funding situations allowing them to launch with greater strength, instead of bootstrapping from cheaper locations such as Cape Town. Those two cities are the main centres for entrepreneurial activity, other urban areas such as Durban, Bloemfontein and Port Elizabeth barely feature in the job index in the startup category, Adzuna said. The startup industry is by no means exempt from the stresses of attracting and hiring rare skills such as developers and financially qualified staff. A 2016 report by Adzuna named Java developers as the countries most sought after skill that was simultaneously least in supply. “Startup companies will have to dig deep to find innovative ways to get their positions in the limelight. Since South Africa’s educational system is fraught with challenges, these startups may start looking abroad for such candidates,” Adzuna said. “The startup sector is healthily ticking along, but without the correct skills in each team, their business plans will take much longer to achieve, or will not take off at all,” it said. Read: This is how many people South African startups employIt was some time ago that even the mention of TLC NAND flash memory could draw forum confrontations so active that they would inflame contributors, most threads containing language that we definitely wouldn’t want children hearing…or reading in that case. Luckily, NAND flash memory has progressed. In fact, this progression is very ‘consumer-centric’ as today’s SSDs, built on the newest 64-layer 3D TLC memory, push higher capacity SSDs to retail at a much lower price. This is specific to SATA 3 SSDs, as their performance has hit their ceiling some time ago, but for those into PCIe SSDs performance completes that sacred ‘speed-capacity-value’ triangle rather well. This is the Intel SSD5 545s SATA 3 SSD and it is the subject of today’s report. It is the second such example containing the newest 64-layer 3D NAND flash memory we have tested, our review of the Toshiba 1TB XG5 NVMe SSD published just a few days back. That particular report is a wonderful example of just how far we have come with NVMe and SSD performance. You don’t have to skip to the summary to learn that both of these SSDs are absolutely fantastic renditions of today’ memory marketplace and just how far we have come in the SSD world. SPECIFICATIONS The Intel SSD5 545s SSD is a SATA 3 SSD that is directed to the consumer market, and most specifically, for those upgrading from a hard drive. It is available in capacities from 128GB to 2TB, in both 2.5″ notebook and M.2 form factors, and it comes with a 5-year warranty. We should start seeing drive availability at retailers such as Amazon shortly and Intel’ MSRP for the 512GB capacity is $179US. Performance is listed at 550MB/s read and 500MB/s write with up to 75,000/90,000 read and write IOPS. The SSD5 also has end-to-end hardware data protection, speaks to 4.5W active average power, <50mW Idle and <2.5mW dev sleep power and speaks to endurance of 72TBW per 128GB of capacity. This would leave us at 288TBW for our sample 512GB SSD. It also doesn’t really highlight this for the new user but there is a free SSD Toolbox compatible with the SSD5 (Download here!) and there is also FREE Data Migration Software which makes ones move from the hard drive a little less painless. (Download Here!). SSD5 BUILD The Intel SSD5 545s SATA 3 SSD is composed of a very small PCB enclosed within a two piece aluminum casing that is secured by 4 screws, one hidden by security tape. Removing the security tape from your SSD will void the warranty, all the reason for us to get that out-of-the-way in this report. Although we have removed the thermal paste, it was evident on all NAND pieces and the controller. This helps to provide heat dissipation from the chips to the external aluminum casing. This is how the bottom of the PCB looked before our cleaning: Taking a closer look on this picture below, we can see that the top of the PCB contains two pieces of Intel’ newest 64-layer 3D TLC NAND flash memory, a SMI 4-channel SM2259 controller and a SK Hynix LPDDR3 512MB DRAM memory chip. With two memory chips on each side of the PCB and a total capacity of 512GB, each has to be 128GB in size as a RAW value. The total available capacity of the SSD, once formatted, is 477GB.Image copyright StoreDot Image caption StoreDot has produced mock-ups of a smartphone charging in a special dock Smartphones with batteries that fully charge in five minutes could be available to consumers next year. The technology was first shown off in 2015, when Israeli start-up StoreDot demonstrated its FlashBattery at the CES tech show in Las Vegas. Chief executive Doron Myersdorf told the BBC it is now expected to enter production in early 2018. However, Ben Wood, a technology analyst at CCS Insight, said he had doubts about the claims. Mr Myersdorf said he could not reveal which manufacturers were signed up to use the technology. In 2015, he told the BBC his firm's battery contained materials that allowed for "non-traditional" reactions and the unusually fast transfer of ions from an anode to a cathode - the electrical process that charges a battery. The design involves nanomaterials, which feature extremely small structures, and - unnamed - organic compounds. Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption The BBC was shown a demonstration of the fast-charging battery in 2015 Some versions of the battery were thicker than most smartphone batteries at the time, but now Mr Myersdorf has claimed it is ready for the market. "We will charge a smartphone in five minutes," he said. He added that the technology was in pilot production at two Asian battery makers and that "mass production" was expected to commence in the first quarter of 2018. 'Remain sceptical' Mr Wood, while remaining unconvinced whether the rollout would happen as quickly as claimed, did admit that if the battery worked as planned, then it could be a major moment in the industry. "Taking risks with battery technology can bite you," he told the BBC. "I would say that experience has taught me to always remain sceptical. Let's see if it happens would be my view." He pointed out, for example, that any design that generates large amounts of heat can impact the performance of the battery. However, he added that anyone who did manage to crack the "battery problem" could have a transformational effect on consumer electronics. Other manufacturers are also working on quick-charging battery tech. In November, Qualcomm announced its Quick Charge 4 system, for example, that offers five hours of battery life following a five-minute charge. Image copyright StoreDot Image caption StoreDot claims it could also charge a car battery in only five minutes StoreDot also unveiled an electric car battery that charges in five minutes at a tech show in Berlin this week. The firm said the battery provides 300 miles of range. A demonstration of the technology was given at the Cube Tech Fair - though the short presentation ended before the battery had finished charging. "We don't have contracts but we are working with car companies to develop the battery - this will take another three years or so to be on the road," said Mr Myersdorf. By contrast, Elon Musk's electric vehicle firm Tesla says its Supercharger technology takes 75 minutes to fully charge the battery in one of the firm's cars, such as a Model S for example. A 30-minute charge would allow for 170 miles of range with the same system. "Consumers want charge times similar to filling up their cars at a petrol station," said Joe Kempton, an analyst at Canalys. But real applications would depend on "whether the technology can be produced at a large enough scale" and at the right cost, he added. Get news from the BBC in your inbox, each weekday morningIn the latest recovery, 93 percent of the gains went to the top 1 percent. How long will it take before the 99 percent realize they're getting shafted? When will American workers revolt? It's clear to most observers that the American economy has lost its heart and now is being run for the benefit of the rich. Over the past 20 years, U.S. GDP and productivity increased while average household income was stagnant. There's no shortage of insightful commentary on U.S. economic inequality. Nonetheless, American workers don't seem to be distressed about what's happening. A 2012 Gallup Poll asked, "Do you think the United States benefits from having a class of rich people...?" 63 percent of respondents answered yes. Gallup asked those who do not consider themselves to be rich if they would like to be rich and the majority answered yes. This Gallup poll reveals two levels of delusion. The first is the widespread belief that if you're not rich now you may someday be rich. A recent study by the Federal Reserve found that most Americans stay in the class they were born into. If you were born in the bottom 20%, your chances of ending up in the top 20% are about one in 20: 5%." The second delusion is about the level of economic inequality. Writing in the Washington Post, Ezra Klein observed that Americans consistently underestimate how skewed income inequality is; it's far worse than they imagine. Nonetheless, it's too simplistic to blame ignorance or apathy for America's indifference to the growing economic divide. Each age cohort has its own denial mechanism. Millenials (born after 1980) are struggling to make it. Their unemployment rate is greater than 16 percent and 43 percent are burdened by student-loan debt, typically more than $100,000. Millenials are depressed. Those in Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980) are self-absorbed. It's a cohort that suffers from a deadening combination of cynicism and narcissism. The Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) have seen many of their dreams slip away. Now they're anxious about their retirement and what the future holds for their children. Finally, members of the Silent Generation (born between 1928 and 1945) are despondent. They wonder what happened to the country they fought for. Most of the 99 percent are traumatized. Many deal with this by self-medicating. Some turn to therapy. And millions rely on religion. Forty-one percent of Americans believe the end times are near; they feel Jesus Christ will return by 2050. If you're of this persuasion, it's unlikely that you're concerned with temporal matters, such as income inequality. Besides, most Christians who believe in the rapture are Calvinists -- they think the rich are the elected, the chosen ones. The version of Christianity developed by the sixteenth century French theologian, John Calvin, taught that God has predestined who will be saved. In the Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, German sociologist Max Weber observed that Calvinists see worldly success as a measure of the likelihood of one's salvation. For a variety of reasons, most Americans have chosen to ignore the ever-widening economic divide. That doesn't mean the 99 percent will stay unconscious forever. But it does mean workers won't spontaneously rise up and cast off their chains. They have to be mobilized. From a progressive perspective, it's clear what needs to be done. Workers need to be paid a living wage; they need to acquire an equitable share of the benefits that have arisen from the economic recovery. Therefore, CEO salaries should be limited along with CEO-to-worker pay ratios. Unions must be strengthened. Taxes should be increased for the 1 percent and estate taxes restored. We must eliminate corporate tax loopholes and raise corporate taxes. The government has to breakup big corporations, penalize monopolistic practices, and prosecute corporate fraud. The Progressive challenge is accomplishing these objectives in the face of worker inertia and fierce conservative opposition. Progressives shouldn't expect to outspend plutocrats and corporations. Progressives have to out organize them -- that's what happened in the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections. Theoretically, Progressives have a demographic advantage. According to the Pew Research Center "staunch conservatives" are 11 percent of the voting population but "staunch liberals" are 16 percent. (According to the same study, 35 percent of voters are inclined to vote Republican but 54 percent are inclined to vote Democratic.) If we mobilize our base, we will prevail. Historians teach that only 16 percent of the men who were eligible to fight in the Revolutionary War actually participated. Great Britain had vastly more resources than did the colonists, but our founders were motivated and focused -- they mobilized their base. The Revolutionary War was won by a small band of patriots armed with a radical idea -- all men are created equal and deserve respect. Progressives can't wait for the second revolution to magically occur. We have to clarify our objectives, focus, and organize. _______ About author Bob Burnett is a Berkeley writer, activist, and Quaker. Before starting a second career as a journalist, he was a technologist and one of the founding executives at Cisco Systems. Bob can be reached at Bob Burnett is a Berkeley writer, activist, and Quaker. Before starting a second career as a journalist, he was a technologist and one of the founding executives at Cisco Systems. Bob can be reached at boburnett@comcast.netTexas, Florida, South Carolina, Missouri, Indiana, Tennesee, Oklahoma, North Dakota, New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska and Wyoming have proposed legislation to either jail federal officials who violate the second amendment or to nullify federal laws to control guns within state borders. The 2nd Amendment Preservation Act is a state-level bill that renders all federal gun laws, regulations, rules, acts, orders, etc – null and void within the borders of the state. TRACK HERE The Firearms Freedom Act declares that any firearms made and retained in-state are beyond the authority of Congress under its constitutional power to regulate commerce among the states. The FFA is primarily a Tenth Amendment challenge to the powers of Congress under the commerce clause, with firearms as the object. TRACK HERE Introduced in Texas, House Bill 553 (HB553), is the Second Amendment Preservation Act. The bill reaffirms the 2nd Amendment, as intended, and would nullify potentially anything from the federal government that contravenes in the State of Texas. ”Public servant,” includes an officer, employee, or agent of the United States; a branch, department, or agency of the United States; another person acting under a contract with a branch, department, or agency of the United States to provide a law enforcement or security service; or any other person acting under color of federal law. A person who is a public servant commits an offense if the person, while acting under color of the person’s office or employment, intentionally enforces or attempts to enforce any acts, laws, executive orders, agency orders, rules or regulations of any kind whatsoever of the United States government relating to confiscating any firearm, banning any firearm, limiting the size of a magazine for any firearm, imposing any limit on the ammunition that may be purchased for any firearm, taxing any firearm or ammunition therefore, or requiring the registration of any firearm or ammunition therefore.The legislation specifies that the new law would apply not just to state employees, but federal ones as well. all federal acts, laws, executive orders, agency orders, and rules or regulations of all kinds with the purpose, intent, or effect of confiscating any firearm, banning any firearm, limiting the size of a magazine for any firearm, imposing any limit on the ammunition that may be purchased for any firearm, taxing any firearm or ammunition therefore, or requiring the registration of any firearm or ammunition therefore, infringes upon Texans’ right to bear arms in direct violation of the Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, and therefore, any such law is not made in pursuance of the Constitution, is not authorized by the Constitution, and thus, is not the supreme law of the land, and consequently, is invalid in this State and shall be further considered null and void and of no effect in this State.The bill goes further than just affirmation of the 2nd Amendment. It requires compliance by by state and federal agents. Introduced by Missouri State Representative Casey Guernsey, with 61 co-sponsors, is the Missouri 2nd Amendment Preservation Act. House Bill 170 (HB170) would nullify any and all federal acts, orders, laws, statutes, rules, or regulations of the federal government on personal firearms, firearm accessories, and ammunition. The bill states, in part: “Any official, agent, or employee of the federal government who enforces or attempts to enforce any act, order, law, statute, rule, or regulation of the federal government upon a personal firearm, a firearm accessory, or ammunition that is owned or manufactured commercially or privately in the state of Missouri and that remains exclusively within the borders of the state of Missouri shall be guilty of a class D felony.” North Dakota Introduced by Rep. Streyle, Becker, Brabandt, Grande, Headland, Maragos, Porter, Ruby, Toman Introduced by Sen. Larsen, Miller, Sitte A BILL for an Act to create and enact three new sections to chapter 62.1-01 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to forbidding state governmental entities from providing aid and assistance to the federal government or any other governmental entity for the investigation, enforcement, and prosecution of federal firearms laws not in force as of January 1, 2013; to provide a penalty; to provide for retroactive application; and to declare an emergency. Florida 2ND Amendment Preservation Act THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: STATEMENT OF INTENT - The intent of this legislation is to reject any and all power or influence or interference of and by the federal government regarding the the right to keep and bear arms (including ammunition); and to prohibit prohibit federal actors from infringing on these rights within the borders of FLORIDA; and to prohibit state employees in aiding the federal actors from infringing on these rights; and to provide felonious penalties of such. SECTION 1 – THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA FINDS THAT: (a) The 2nd Amendment to the Constitution of the United States reads as follows, “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” (b) The Constitution of the United States does not provide the federal government with the authority to impose acts, laws, orders, rules, or regulations relating to civilian-owned firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition. (c) All federal acts, laws, orders, rules or regulations regarding civilian-owned firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition are in violation of the 2nd Amendment to the United States Constitution and the 10th Amendment of the United States Constitution. SECTION 2 – PROHIBITION ON FEDERAL INFRINGEMENT OF THE RIGHT TO KEEP AND BEAR ARMS (a) The Legislature of the State of FLORIDA declares that all federal acts, laws, orders, rules, or regulations relating to civilian firearms, firearms accessories or ammunition – currently in effect at the time of passage of this act, or implemented after passage of this act – are in violation of the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and are not authorized by the Constitution of the United States and violate its true meaning and intent as given by the Founders and Ratifiers; and are hereby declared to be invalid in this state, shall not be recognized by this state, are specifically rejected by this state, and shall be considered null and void and of no effect in this state. (b) Any federal act, law, order, rule, or regulation shall be unenforceable within the borders of Florida if the act, law, order, rule, or regulation does or attempts to: (i) Ban, regulate, or restrict the civilian ownership, sale, transfer, or manufacture of a firearm, a firearm accessory, or ammunition; or (ii) Require any civilian-owned firearm, firearm accessory, or ammunition to be registered in any manner; or (iii) Imposes federal taxes or fees on any civilian-owned firearm, firearm accessory, or ammunition. SECTION 3 – OFFENSES AND PENALTIES; DEFENSE OF Florida CITIZENS. (a) Any public officer, employee, or agent of the State of Florida, or any employee of a corporation providing services to the State of Florida as defined in ___________, who enforces or attempts to enforce any act, law, order, statute, rule or regulation of the United States government relating to a civilian-owned firearm, firearm accessory or ammunition that is owned, sold, transferred, or manufactured commercially or privately in Florida shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, shall be subject to imprisonment for not less than one (1) year and one (1) day or more than five (5) years, a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000.00), or both. (b) Any official
both do. So denying the authenticity of the quotes was probably a bad idea. Perhaps the most damaging element of the interview was Trump’s response to the crackdown in Turkey, where President Erdogan is carrying out mass arrests. Here was Trump’s response: I think right now when it comes to civil liberties, our country has a lot of problems, and I think it’s very hard for us to get involved in other countries when we don’t know what we are doing and we can’t see straight in our own country. We have tremendous problems when you have policemen being shot in the streets, when you have riots, when you have Ferguson. When you have Baltimore. When you have all of the things that are happening in this country — we have other problems, and I think we have to focus on those problems. When the world looks at how bad the United States is, and then we go and talk about civil liberties, I don’t think we’re a very good messenger. What made this answer so unfathomable is that Trump impugned the moral standing of the United States. Republicans have spent eight years falsely accusing President Obama of doing this very thing. Trump repudiated the primary thread of agreement that runs through every strand of right-wing foreign policy, from isolationism to realism to neoconservatism. It seemed for months that Trump had developed a more effective and populist brand of nationalist politics. But what kind of nationalist denigrates his own country? Without delving far into the philosophical basis for nationalism as a philosophy, the executive summary you would read on page one of Nationalism for Dummies is: OUR country good, THEIR country bad. Instead, Trump is handing Hillary Clinton the opportunity to tee up his line “When the world looks at how bad the United States is … ” and then announce that she thinks the United States is good. For all of Trump’s managerial dysfunction, it was widely believed that he had a command of the uses of television as a medium for propaganda, and nationalism as a message for connecting with the public. It turns out he’s bad at both of these things, too.As if you don’t think humans can get any more barbarous and bestial, we have this video via the website of Tarek Fatah, Canadian writer and critic of Islamism. It’s a Wahhabi Muslim cleric instructing his coreligionists on the proper method of and attitude towards beheading. (Hint: it’s supposed to give you pleasure.) Fatah’s comment: It’s interesting to note how most Islamist groups in America have condemned the beheading of journalist Foley with claims that such beheadings are not Islamic. As a Muslim, I know these groups are not being truthful. Here to enlighten us all on how to behead the non-Muslim is an Islamic cleric. Watch and weep. The YouTube notes say this: A video has recently emerged that shows a Wahhabi cleric explaining to a group of his followers the proper way to behead people. He points out that it is different from slaughtering animals. He states that the sword should be placed on the neck and then moved back and forth while slitting the throat. He said that people performing the killing should enjoy themselves while doing it. And if you don’t think that is dispiriting, have a look at the results of a poll commissioned by the Russian news agency Rossiya Sevodnia (Russia Today). Before you discount that because it’s Russian, realize that the poll was actually conducted by ICM Research, a British polling agency that seems quite respectable. As reported in RT, the ICM organization polled citizens of three states—France, the UK, and Germany—about their sympathy for ISIS. Here’s the summary chart: As you see, France has the highest proportion of people sympathetic to ISIS, followed by considerably lower (but not low enough) percentages for the UK and then Germany. The French sympathy for ISIS declines with age, but 27% and 20% are still horrifically high. Lest you think that the French positivity comes only from Muslims, be aware that the proportion of Muslims in France is only 7.5%. In the UK and Germany, however, most of the positive answers could have come from Muslims, as the proportion of Muslim citizens in those countries is 5% and 4.6% respectively. Nevertheless, we tend to think of Muslims in Western countries as being more temperate than their jihadist brethren, so any number there reflects a disturbing approbation for the terrorist organization of ISIS. Naturally, excuses abound; here’s one by a Russian who sees the positive figures not as approbation for ISIS, but as something reflecting “the country’s [France’s] accumulated potential rejection of the existing system as a whole”—whatever that means: “This is not a result of sympathy of a significant number of French people for this extremist terrorist organization,” Yury Rubinsky, the head of the Center of French Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, told Rossiya Segodnya. “This is simply a manifestation of the country’s accumulated potential rejection of the existing system as a whole. This is a form of rejection of the elites, a form of protest.” What mendacious gobbledygook! It’s just “protest of the existing system”? Which system? And aren’t there better ways of protesting the “system” than conquering, mass executions, forced conversions, and imposition of sharia law? That has nothing to to with approbation of terrorism? I don’t believe it for a second. This is Muslim apologetics, and Orwellian doublespeak, at its worst. Finally, there’s been some discussion about foreign nationals fighting for ISIS. There are repeated reports of Europeans and Americans being recruited to kill apostates and establish the Caliphate, but the Russian piece gives some (varying) estimates for British citizens: Earlier this year the British press cited Birmingham MP Khalid Mahmood as saying that at least 1,500 British nationals are likely to have been recruited by IS extremists to fight in Iraq and Syria. Then-Foreign Secretary William Hague earlier this year claimed that around 400 young British nationals have gone to the Middle East to join the fighting. What with the bloody and seemingly irresolvable conflict between Israel and Palestine, the war in Ukraine encouraged and funded by the thug Putin, the advances and horrible brutality of ISIS, and the continuing threat of Islam, there doesn’t seem to be much good news in the world these days. My friend Malgorzata (on Hili’s staff) informed me yesterday that she gave Hili a treat of real cream. When I chastised her for giving such a fatty treat to the cat, she explained: When I finished reading morning news, with rockets, beheadings, condemnations of Israel, anti-Semitism, dead in the Ukraine, and some other assorted horrors, I looked at Hili: soft, furry, warm and waking up on the sofa. It was time for her to get something to eat and she was so nice to look at after all I’ve been reading that I gave her a bowl of cream. Am I excused? I excused her. h/t: BarryWith the Japanese population aging rapidly, the fuel-cell wheelchair and cart applications have a bright future. In fact, Japan already has the world's highest proportion of elderly people. More than 20% are over the age of 65 and this figure is expected to rise to about 40% by 2050. Considering this population trend, no doubt there will be an increasing demand for these wheelchairs and carts from Kurimoto Ltd. in the future. Promoted as "Eco" fuel-cell powered means turning the "silver market" into green. Of course they are for other treehugging wheelchair users as well! Previously here on Treehugger, we talked about the world's first hydrogen generation plant in Japan. Building the infrastructure for the eventual commercialization of hydrogen is part of the Japanese Government's plan to "build a hydrogen economy to sustain our precious earth." Under the motto Moving Our Future Forward the Japanese government engages in a number of related research and demonstration projects. One such project is the Japan Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Demonstration Project (JHFC Project), initiated by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), aims to gather and share data in order to develop the roadmap for full-scale mass production and widespread use of FCVs. The JHFC Project involves a wide range of activities related to the use of fuel cell vehicles, which also includes consumer awareness campaigns. We visited the latest consumer-focused campaign at the Roppongi Tsutaya store. This branch of the Tsutaya CD and video retail/ bookstore chain is set in the popular up-market Roppongi Hills neighborhood and attracts a very trend-aware Japanese and international audience. For one month part of the store was occupied by a Fuel Cell Car covered in colorful images to attract the attention of store visitors. Promotional banners and brochures informed about the JIFC Project and some workshops were aimed at children and teenagers, the future consumers who will hopefully grow into a world where hydrogen applications are more common-place. Participating Fuel Cell Vehicles (FCV) included six cars, one bus and two types of hydrogen ICVs (internal combustion vehicles) developed by domestic and foreign automobile manufacturers, including Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Hino, Suzuki, Mazda, Daimler and GM. While fuel cell cars and busses have been much talked about, it is the small fuel cell powered vehicles that are the latest technological achievements. We liked the fuel-cell wheelchairs, a fuel-cell electric cart and a fuel-cell electric assisted bicycle, developed by two Japanese companies that are not car manufacturers. Kurimoto Ltd. (Japanese manufacturer of industrial products) released its Fuel Cell Wheelchair IV in June 2006 and a Fuel Cell Cart II in May 2007 while Iwatani Corp. (Japanese gas and energy development and supply company) released the Fuel Cell Electric Assisted Bicycle in February 2008. The wheelchair and the cart's fuel-cell system is a 24V 250W PEFC Air Cooling External Humidifier. Both drive at a max. speed of 6km/h and their driving range is 10hours, 60km (H2 Storage 190g/4 canisters) and 5hours, 30km (H2 Storage 100g/2 canisters). Iwatani Corp., the manufacturer of the Fuel Cell Electric-Assisted Bicycle, has been working with hydrogen for about 50 years and holds the leading share (40%) of the hydrogen market in Japan. Written by Alena Eckelmann at greenz.jpOliver Smithies, a British-born biochemist and inveterate tinkerer who shared a Nobel Prize for discovering a powerful tool for identifying the roles of individual genes in health and disease, died on Tuesday in Chapel Hill, N.C. He was 91. His death, after a short illness, was announced by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was a Weatherspoon eminent distinguished professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at the medical school. Dr. Smithies’s discovery, known as gene targeting, allows scientists to disable individual genes in mice to understand what the genes do. The loss of a gene typically brings about changes in the appearance or the behavior of the mice, providing important clues about the gene’s function. Mice are ideal models for people because about 90 percent of mouse genes correspond to human genes. Scientists have also used gene-targeting technology to create mice that have symptoms of human diseases, including cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes and various cancers. These designer mice are widely used in research to understand the genetic causes of diseases and to develop and test potential new therapies.The knuckleball can be almost impossible to hit, and can extend a player’s career by years. So why do so many in the major and minor leagues distrust the pitch? When Kevin Pucetas, a minor-league baseball player in the Texas Rangers organization, converted from a conventional pitcher into a knuckleballer, his biggest problem wasn’t one typically associated with the macho culture of professional sports: he needed to find a good manicurist. “I couldn’t keep nails on,” he said. As Pucetas first began to throw the knuckleball, he developed a bad habit of splitting nails in the middle of games. Since a knuckleball pitcher’s grip is dependent upon the length and strength of his nails, this was no small matter. “It would hurt like hell,” Pucetas said. The day after it would happen, “I would have to go into nail salons and get acrylics, and it would always be a battle for me, especially on the road, because I would have to find a nail salon, and certain people do better stuff with nails.” But grooming is just one aspect of a pitch that in almost every way puts its practitioners at odds with baseball’s accepted conventions. The knuckleball has been called an oddball pitch, a distrusted art, the baseball equivalent of a carnival act. When thrown well, the pitch moves in unpredictable ways, often more than once on its way from the pitcher to the batter, and in directions that not even the player who throws it can predict. The late Hall of Fame hitter Willie Stargell likened its movement to a butterfly with hiccups. Its speed is far slower than the average major-league pitch, inspiring fans to heckle and mock any player who dares attempt it. And it requires a different throwing motion than other baseball pitches. When properly employed, one former knuckleballer told me, it’s less a pitch than an “over-exaggerated game of catch”. A knuckleballer’s pitching motion looks more like your grandfather’s than that of a professional athlete. Since the second world war, there have never been more than four knuckleballers in the league at any one time. Right now, there are three, and two of them are starting pitchers for teams at the forefront of the playoff race: the MLB veteran RA Dickey, of the Toronto Blue Jays, who as a member of the New York Mets in 2012 won the National League Cy Young Award; and Steven Wright, of the Boston Red Sox. In his first full season as a starting pitcher, Wright made this year’s all-star game. At the time, he had the best earned-run average of any pitcher in the American League. (The third knuckleballer in the league, Eddie Gamboa, of the Tampa Bay Rays, was called up from the minors at the beginning of September.) As evidenced by Dickey’s and Wright’s success, the pitch can be one of the most effective in all of baseball. It can befuddle and infuriate hitters unlike any other pitch in the game. “To have the ball flutter and to render the power of the opposition totally useless, that to me is the pleasure in watching a knuckleballer,” said Dan Duquette, the executive vice-president of baseball operations for the Baltimore Orioles, a team that currently does not have a single knuckleball pitcher in its entire organization, including the minor leagues. The Orioles are not alone in this. Only a handful of teams have a knuckleballer in their system. “There’s somebody out there, somewhere, that’s going to be a great knuckleball pitcher,” said Charlie Hough, 68, a former knuckleballer who retired from his 24-year pitching career in 1994. “I just don’t know where he is right now.” A more significant obstacle in finding that next knuckleballer is that most of those involved in Major League Baseball are not all that interested in doing so. * Facebook Twitter Pinterest Phil Niekro is one of the few knuckleballers in the Hall of Fame. Photograph: Louis Requena/MLB Photos via Getty Images G Richard Pfitzner Stadium, the home of the Potomac Nationals, the Washington Nationals’ single-A minor league team, in Woodbridge, Virginia, is nestled among a tree-lined enclosure, about halfway between the Occoquan Reservoir and Prince William Forest Park. The stadium can hold 6,000 people, but it rarely does. Single-A is near the bottom of professional baseball’s food chain. JD Martin had already spent time in single-A, in 2003, a couple years after he was drafted as a conventional pitcher at the age of 18 in the first round of the MLB draft, and again in 2006, after he had recovered from Tommy John surgery. In August, Martin returned there again, as a member of the Potomac Nationals, but this time he came as a 33-year-old knuckleball pitcher. Martin is 6ft 4in, and weighs 220lbs. He towers over many of his team-mates, and he has a build that would look at home on a professional basketball court. During his first stint in professional baseball, Martin was a finesse pitcher whose fastball barely reached 90mph. By today’s standards, that’s a hard sell in the big leagues, where every team looks for power, power, and more power. The art of losing successfully: baseball and the minor league grind Read more Martin’s most successful years came in 2009 and 2010, when he split time evenly between the Washington Nationals and the team’s AAA affiliate in Syracuse. But by 2011, he was back in Syracuse, entrenched in the minor leagues, when the Nationals’ pitching coordinator spotted him throwing a knuckleball while playing catch with a team-mate. Soon after, the Nationals told him they wanted to convert him into a full-time knuckleball pitcher – if he was interested. He wasn’t. Martin spent his next season with the Miami Marlins’ AAA team and the one after that with Tampa Bay’s. In 2014, he accepted a lucrative offer from the Samsung Lions to play baseball in South Korea. In Dickey’s autobiography, Wherever I Wind Up, he refers to the Korean and Japanese baseball leagues as the “places pitchers go to die”. Once you’ve gone there, Dickey wrote, “the chances of you ever coming back and playing in the big leagues are about zero.” * Martin is not the first knuckleballer to turn to the pitch after a failed attempt at a big-league career. In 2005, after 10 years spent mostly in the minor leagues, Dickey, then 30, abandoned his career as a conventional pitcher and converted full-time to the knuckleball. Steven Wright was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in 2006 as a hard-throwing pitcher, but by 2012, at the age of 27, without ever having made it into the majors, he converted to the knuckleball. Tim Wakefield, who spent 19 seasons in the majors as a knuckleball pitcher, from 1992 to 2011, began his career as a first baseman but soon discovered he couldn’t hit. He converted to the knuckleball two years into his career. There has never even been a knuckleballer chosen in an MLB draft. In fact, in the last 60 years the only major-league knuckleballer to have entered professional baseball already throwing the pitch full-time is Phil Niekro, in 1959. He is one of only two knuckleball pitchers in the Hall of Fame. (The other is the late Hoyt Wilhelm, who pitched from 1952 to 1972.) There are good reasons players wait until crucial, desperate junctures of their careers to turn to the pitch. For one, in order to throw the knuckleball, you have to completely overhaul the mechanics of your pitching motion. Instead of placing one’s fingers flat along the baseball to grip it naturally, a knuckleballer digs the nails of his index and middle fingers into the smooth part of the baseball. He keeps his hand behind the ball rather than on top of it. Instead of snapping his wrist on release to create movement, he keeps it locked. The motion toward home plate is more like pushing the baseball than throwing it. All of these factors combine to remove the spin and the rotation from the ball. The pitch gains its unpredictable movement from the friction of the air currents as they catch on to the seams of a non-rotating baseball. Whereas conventional pitchers rely on a full-body motion and “maximum effort,” a knuckleball pitcher uses mainly his upper body and puts forth only a fraction of his strength. As Pucetas said: “It’s a process of literally changing everything you’ve done since you were five.” These adjustments are so drastic that there is no coming back from them. “Once you go exclusive,” the Texas Rangers’ pitching coordinator Danny Clark told me, “your fastball does back up [lose its velocity].” Conventional pitchers can convert to the knuckleball, but no knuckleballer has ever converted back into a conventional pitcher. Yet in order to succeed with the knuckleball, there can be no half measures. The pitch is most effective when it’s thrown at least 80% of the time. “When you’re a regular pitcher, you’re trying to trick guys,” Wright told me earlier this summer in the visitor’s dugout at Yankee Stadium, while his team-mates took batting practice in front of us. The conventional pitcher’s advantage over a hitter comes largely from the fact that the batter doesn’t know which pitch he will be seeing, at what speed it will come, and at what location. “With the knuckleball,” Wright said, “you want them to think the knuckleball is coming the whole time.” There’s no need to try to fool the batter any more. The knuckleball does that on its own. “All I try to do is keep it within the plate,” Wright said. “I don’t know if it’s going to go right, left, down, up. I just throw it.” Another reason players turn to the pitch late in their careers is that if the transition is successful, it can add years onto their careers. Dickey is 41. Wakefield pitched until he was 45, Hough until he was 46. Niekro was 48 when he retired. “It’s always a reclamation project or a lifeline pitch,” said Pucetas. Like JD Martin, Pucetas was drafted as a traditional pitcher who lacked power and survived on craft and guile. He became an all-star at every level of the minor leagues – A, AA, and AAA – but was never called up to the majors. In 2013, then with the Frisco Rough Riders, a AA team within the Texas Rangers’ organization, Pucetas’s coaches spotted him throwing the knuckleball during a workout. They asked him to throw the pitch during games. Impressed by what they saw there, they offered him a contract with a few months of guaranteed money if he was willing to convert full-time to the pitch. “I don’t want to say it was a pride-swallowing issue,” Pucetas said, “but it was. I could still throw in the 90s, and I was still getting people out.” Pucetas spoke to me over the phone from the campus of Spartanburg Methodist College, in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where he is currently the pitching coach for one of the best junior college baseball programs in the country. His reaction was not unique. In 1984, when Tom Candiotti, who would go on to pitch for 14 years as a knuckleballer in the majors, was asked by the Milwaukee Brewers’ assistant general manager to convert to the pitch, he took issue with the suggestion as well. “We got into a confrontation,” Candiotti, now a radio announcer for the Arizona Diamondbacks, said. The executive told him that as a traditional pitcher he wasn’t good enough to succeed. “I said: ‘If you think I’m not that good, why don’t you grab a bat and we’ll go out there right now,’” Candiotti said. That didn’t happen. Instead, Candiotti began to mix the knuckleball into his games. Two years later, he was throwing the pitch in the majors for the Cleveland Indians, and leading the league in complete games. Still, vanity remains one of the principal reasons there aren’t more knuckleball pitchers in the majors. Very few are willing to even try it. When I asked Danny Clark, the Rangers’ minor-league pitching coordinator who worked with Pucetas when he was with the team, how many pitchers would convert to the knuckleball if they were given the option of throwing the pitch full-time or being cut from the team, he laughed and said, not many. “Unfortunately a lot of ego is involved,” he said. “It’s not a macho-type pitch.” And yet, Pucetas said: “You really have to have a lot of balls to throw the pitch. It’s a scary thing. You’re 60 feet away from the best hitters in the world, and you’re throwing a pitch at 65mph. If it doesn’t do anything there at the plate, if it doesn’t separate, you can get your head taken off.” And not only literally. The MLB record for most home runs given up in one game, six, is shared by several pitchers. Since 1940, three pitchers have suffered that ignominy. Two of them have been knuckleballers: Dickey and Wakefield. * Facebook Twitter Pinterest Pitchers such as RA Dickey have revived their careers with the knuckleball. Photograph: Wendell Cruz/USA Today Sports Two days before I met JD Martin in Virginia, he’d pitched a single-A game against the Frederick Keys in Frederick, Maryland. It was only Martin’s fourth game for Potomac. He’d been competing with the knuckleball for only three months. But the Keys might not have believed that. Through four innings, Martin had a shutout and a 4-0 lead. Because of the pitch’s unpredictable movement, it’s not only a hard pitch to hit. It’s a hard pitch to catch, too. Shin guards are as important for a knuckleball catcher as they are for a soccer player. Every knuckleball catcher will be among the league leaders in passed balls. It’s not a sign of the catcher’s quality. It’s an unintended byproduct of having a knuckleball pitcher on the mound. Knuckleball pitchers have their own statistical black holes. In addition to being susceptible to allowing home runs, more often than not they will lead the league in hitting batters with pitches and in walks. The strike zone, sometimes, can be hard to find. In the fifth inning of the game against Frederick, Martin learned all this the hard way. He walked a batter, he hit a batter with a pitch, he threw a passed ball. Another difficulty knuckleball pitchers have is keeping runners from stealing base. The pitch is so slow that players have more time to run. In that fifth inning, the base runners ran on Martin. He also gave up three hits. By the time the inning was over, the game was tied at four. It was a perfect example of the fine line between the precarious and the disastrous a knuckleballer treads when the pitch is not at its best. It was also a good example of why managers traditionally hate putting knuckleballers on the mound. The pitch has so many variables. Pucetas got to witness that managerial distaste firsthand at his last stop as a knuckleballer, the single-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans, in 2014. Joe Mikulik, then the Pelicans manager, is known for his fiery temper and outrageous displays following an ejection. When Pucetas pitched, Mikulik would park himself on the top step of the dugout and try not to blow up at every stiff-legged Pucetas delivery to home plate. Mikulik never said anything to Pucetas, but he didn’t need to. “I could tell that he didn’t enjoy it at all,” Pucetas said with a laugh. “I could tell the knuckleball wasn’t his favorite idea.” Ultimately, it may not have been the Rangers’ favorite idea, either. Less than a year into Pucetas’s full-time commitment to the pitch and less than two weeks after his guaranteed contract expired, the team cut him. “It was an organization decision to go elsewhere,” Clark, the Rangers pitching coordinator, said. “It was time to move on.” “The executive is looking at it as I’ve got a limited number of innings I can allocate to pitching prospects, and how many do I want to allocate to a guy that the percentages and the odds say is such a long shot?” said Mark Shapiro, the president and CEO of the Toronto Blue Jays. Shapiro was in the Cleveland Indians’ front office when they decided to back Wright in his conversion from a traditional pitcher. He was instrumental in getting Wright the support necessary to develop the knuckleball. Wright ended up throwing the pitch in five seasons in the minors before he finally won an extended stay in the majors. But by then, the Indians had already traded him to the Red Sox. “It took a long time,” Shapiro said of Wright’s breakthrough, but he could have been talking of the length of time necessary for any knuckleballer to succeed. “The athlete’s ability to continue to persevere despite the challenge is probably as much of a demarcation as the organization’s willingness to commit,” Shapiro said. “The biggest determining factor of every knuckleballer who’s had any kind of success is they’ve all had the same temperament,” said Steve Sparks, who threw the pitch for 10 years in the majors, from 1995 to 2004, and is now a radio announcer with the Houston Astros. “They don’t get easily frustrated, and they’re really laid back.” In his autobiography, Dickey describes Charlie Hough, who along with Niekro is considered the reigning godfather of the pitch, as having “the leathery look of a character from an old Western, a guy who has smoked too many cigarettes … [who] looks as if he’d spent most of his life squinting and the rest of it in a saloon.” He frames Hough as an outlaw and a loner. It’s a fitting description for any knuckleballer, who’s an outsider even among his own kind, pitchers. * Facebook Twitter Pinterest Charlie Hough had ‘the leathery look of a character from an old Western, a guy who has smoked too many cigarettes.’ Photograph: Focus On Sport/Getty Images “No manager really wants a knuckleball pitcher … until he wins 15 in a row,” said Hough, who is now a senior adviser of player development for the Los Angeles Dodgers, when I spoke to him by phone from his home in southern California. Hough was referring to Tim Wakefield, who, in his first season with the Red Sox, in 1995, started out with a record of 14-1. Wakefield would go on to be an instrumental figure for the Red Sox on the road to the team’s two World Series wins in 2004 and 2007. In his 17 seasons with the Red Sox, he totaled at least 140 innings in every one of those years but one, which led one announcer to declare: “At the end of the world, you’re going to be left with cockroaches and Tim Wakefield.” One of the great benefits of the pitch is that, due to the lack of strain it has on a pitcher’s arm, a knuckleballer can log a seemingly unlimited number of innings over the course of a season. In 1972, the Chicago White Sox’s knuckleballer Wilbur Wood led the league in innings pitched, with 376, and in games started, with 49. The next year, he even started both games of a doubleheader, a feat that hasn’t been repeated since. At one point in the mid-2000s, Wakefield was the only knuckleballer left pitching in the game. But his success set a precedent that enabled Dickey to emerge as a knuckleballer, and it gave the Indians the evidence they needed to offer Wright the support to develop the pitch. When Dickey won the Cy Young Award in 2012, a new wave of knuckleball pitchers emerged, including Pucetas. This year, in addition to the Nationals signing Martin, the Tampa Bay Rays had at least four knuckleball pitchers in their minor league system. When I asked the team about its budding knuckleball program, a spokesman said: “In the case of our organization, we are not eager to share our thoughts and possible plans involving our knuckleballers or any knuckleballers.” Whether the silence was out of shame or competitive secrecy was unclear. What is clear, though, is that this recent spate of signings means little for the future of the pitch. Despite Wakefield’s repeated reliability, in only a handful of his 17 seasons with the Red Sox was he ever assured of an opening day roster spot. Moreover, the great number of innings a knuckleballer can potentially give a team is no longer as valued as it once was. When former knuckleballer Tom Candiotti led the league in complete games in 1986, he threw 17 of them; the 2015 league leaders (there were six of them) threw four. Last year, the Kansas City Royals won the World Series with a bullpen that took over the game from the starters after the sixth inning. Most teams today try to configure their pitching staff the same way. “The game is a game of percentages and numbers, with [a sophisticated] ability to measure opportunity cost,” Shapiro said. As time goes on, the opportunities for knuckleballers to get the necessary time to develop, he said, will probably occur “less and less in a game that’s so analytically driven.” *** Knuckleball pitchers belong to a kind of family, its members bound together by the pursuit of the same uncommon endeavor. In Dickey’s book, he credits Hough with helping to rescue his career. When Wright came up, he trained with Candiotti and Hough. Pucetas traveled to Houston, where he spent time with Sparks, who had been taught by Niekro. Martin has consulted with Wright. This fall he will pitch in MLB’s instructional league, where he hopes to work with Wakefield. When I spoke with Hough, I asked him if there was a game in which he felt he’d gotten over the hump as a knuckleballer. To his own surprise, he said there was. In 1970, he was in AAA pitching for the Spokane Indians against the Hawaii Islanders. The Indians led by one run in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded and two outs. Winston Llenas, who would go on to have a six-year major-league career with the California Angles, came up to bat. Llenas was a devastating hitter, and he had gotten ahead in the count against Hough, three balls and one strike. If Hough missed the strike zone again, he would walk Llenas and bring in the tying run. The catcher didn’t want to risk that, and he signaled for Hough to throw a fastball. Hough shook him off. The catcher signaled again for a fastball. And Hough again shook him off. After the two repeated this several times, the manager, future Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda, came out to the mound and asked the pair what was going on. As Hough recounted it, “the catcher said: ‘He wants to throw a knuckleball 3-1 here with the bases loaded and the tying run on third,’” suggesting that Hough had lost his mind. Hough continued: “Lasorda looked at me and said: ‘You going to throw it over the plate?’ And I said: ‘Yeah, I’ll get him.’ I threw two knuckleballs and I struck him out. I just had the confidence at that time to throw it.” That confidence serves a knuckleballer well, in a game that often doesn’t. “Every year, they’re trying to replace you with some guy with a great arm,” Hough said. “So we have to believe in ourselves.” Because most of those in the game refuse to believe in them.China’s richest people seem to be running into trouble recently; several have ended up in prison, while others have lost huge portions of their wealth. A recent story in The Atlantic described the many legal troubles that China’s billionaires have run into as a result of corruption and fraudulent behavior, earning them a spot on what the unsympathetic Chinese call the “kill pig list.” According to the report, the nation has seen exponential growth in the number of billionaires. In just six years China went from having just 15 billionaires (in yuan) into roughly 250. Rankings are based on legally declared wealth; many speculate that several of China’s wealthiest are worth as much as double what they report officially. Billionaire status is typically not fleeting; losing billions of dollars in a short period is not an easy feat, yet several of China’s billionaires end up falling from wealth as quickly as they found it. According to The Atlantic, “just under half of the 1,000 richest have seen their wealth shrink, with 37 of them enduring losses of over 50 percent. Overall, there were 20 fewer billionaires in 2012 than in the year before.” A study based on recent editions of the China Rich List, provided by Hurun Report, a magazine about wealth in China, found that 17 percent of those listed were being investigated or had been arrested for various white-collar crimes. Some even ended up executed. Why are China's billionaires so quick to lose their riches? It may be in part a business culture that encourages corruption. The tradition of “guanxi”— under-the-table favors and relying on nepotism and connections -- often leads to infractions of government regulations. In several cases of billionaires now serving time, politics and business are entangled. Xu Ming, a billionaire who once ranked as China’s eighth-richest citizen, was detained in March 2012 because of his links with ex-Chongqing party chief Bo Xilai, who fell spectacularly from the height of power last year. Zhou Zengyu, a Shanghai-based property developer, once considered the nation’s 11th-richest man, was implicated in a real estate scandal and is currently serving a 16-year sentence. “Very soon after [China’s wealthiest] make the list and get publicity, their share prices begin to decline. The companies themselves are more subject to government cutting off subsidies to them, and the individuals who lead them are more subject to investigation,” John Bussey wrote in the Wall Street Journal. According to a piece in Forbes magazine quoting stats from the state-run China Daily, in 2011 a Chinese billionaire died every 40 days, and 72 billionaires had died between 2003 and 2011. Of these, 15 were murdered, 17 committed suicide, seven died due to accidents, and 19 died from illness. The remaining 14, however, were executed for crimes including murder. According to Bloomberg, in 2006, tycoon Yuan Baojing, once valued at the equivalent of $360 million, was executed for hiring a hit man to kill a blackmailer who cost him an estimated $11 million. In China, some financial crimes are capital, and that's what happened to Wang Zhendong, chairman of
six or seven evacuations of entire regions.” Why did only 13 Chileans die in an 8.4-magnitude earthquake while weaker quakes in Haiti and Nepal killed thousands? Facebook Twitter Pinterest Chilean soldiers clean up debris left by the tsunami. Photograph: NurPho/Rex Shutterstock Describing the evacuations during the initial hours after last Wednesday’s quake, Toro says: “A million people were evacuated and that saved a lot of lives. Had we not had such an evacuation, there would have been many, many more deaths.” Toro knows first-hand the deadly nature of giant earthquakes. Under the command of the UN, he was stationed in Port au Prince in 2010 when the 7.7-magnitude earthquake destroyed the city. Thousands of poorly designed buildings, with little or no reinforced concrete, completely collapsed. Medical facilities and search and rescue teams were overwhelmed. Within a week, the death toll from the Haitian quake was estimated at more than 200,000 – including Maria Teresa Dowling, Toro’s wife. “I lost my wife and that gives me quite a bit of empathy with the people who suffer losses,” he says. “That is why these prevention systems have to focus on saving lives. “I think Haiti was the beginning. The rescue teams that arrived were not coordinated. They worried more about where the press was in order to get attention. Now it is a professional procedure, with protocols. In a disaster, improvisation is the worst.” “Five years ago, we never could have imagined having an exercise like this in Chile,” says Christophe Schmachtel, a UN humanitarian affairs officer based in Geneva. “In 2010 [when Chile suffered another devastating earthquake], I had no focal points here. We didn’t know who to call. “Our way to inform the international community was to watch TV and then report to UN Agencies … It took us two or three days to get through and get official, direct information. The government of Chile did not have much information on how the international community was organised and worked. That has changed.” In the most recent earthquake, a new system of warnings was used to alert the population. Within minutes of the quake, downtown Coquimbo and its coastal areas were rocked by loud sirens. A convoy of ambulances, firefighters and police sought to accelerate the evacuation, as officers convinced reluctant homeowners to head for the hills. Mobile phones were targeted with a series of tsunami warning messages, urging residents to abandon the coastal areas. A million people were evacuated. Had we not had such an evacuation, there would have been many, many more deaths Ricardo Toro Facebook Twitter Pinterest The fish market in Coquimbo received the full force of the tsunami, with boats swept miles from the shore. Photograph: Luis Catrilef/Demotix/Corbis “During this latest quake, I was on the phone with the [Chilean] government within 30 minutes – and then informing the international community that the government was under control and there was no need for international assistance,” Schmachtel says. “The difference between being in a earthquake and being in a disaster is the level of preparation – and this begins with Chile’s strict building codes.” The country’s building codes require that all new buildings must be able to survive a 9.0-magnitude earthquake. The building can crack, tilt and even be declared unfit for future use – but it must not collapse. Discussing the 2010 earthquake, Felipe Espinoza, a Chilean firefighter, counts – on one hand – the multi-storey buildings destroyed. “The earthquake was 8.8 and there were 6,000 buildings in the affected area – yet only six were seriously damaged, and of those, only four had to be demolished.” Walter Fonseca, chief of operations for Costa Rica’s National Emergency Commission, says the crucial factor that kept the death toll so low this time around is not the building codes themselves, but their steady enforcement throughout Chile. No multi-storey buildings are thought to have collapsed in the most recent earthquake. “This shows the capacity and thoroughness of local [Chilean] municipal governments,” says Fonseca. “Those are the ones who are actually inspecting and approving the design and construction of buildings.” The rebuilding of Chile's Constitución: how a 'dead city' was brought back to life Read more Schmachtel says Chile’s earthquake response protocols went through a complete upgrade following the government’s chaotic response to the 8.8-magnitude earthquake of February 2010. More than 500 people were killed, and fault lines in the government’s communications network were exposed as different regions had no way to communicate with officials in Santiago. Furthermore, the government’s refusal to issue a tsunami warning led to dozens of beachgoers being swept away by a series of massive tsunami waves. Four government officials were later charged with involuntary manslaughter. But there is another factor that has helped Chile to cope with powerful earthquakes – namely, the regularity of small-to-medium size quakes which do little damage, but serve to remind the public of the looming danger. So many earthquakes strike Chile that a popular national drink is called the Terremoto (earthquake), made from white wine, fernet, grenadine and pineapple ice cream, and a followup is known as the replica (aftershock). As part of the “Ring of Fire” stretching all the way to Alaska and Japan, Chile is constantly being shaken. But it was also the site of the largest earthquake ever recorded – in the small, southern city of Valdivia in 1960. That 9.5-magnitude quake left an estimated 5,000 dead, and kindled a deep cultural appreciation for strict building codes. “Chile today has completely learned UN protocols and adapted them to local needs,” Schmachtel says. “Chile has become a showcase. In our global meetings [on earthquake preparation], Chile is now the example.” Follow Guardian Cities on Twitter and Facebook to join the discussionPremier Christy Clark says that while it was courageous for her Alberta counterpart to travel to British Columbia to argue in favour of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion, it's ultimately up to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to explain his government's approval of the project. Ms. Clark said Alberta Premier Rachel Notley did the right thing when she spent two days in the province defending the pipeline, which would run from Edmonton to the Vancouver region, and now it's time for Mr. Trudeau to do the same. "It was his approval. And I think he is going to want to make sure he comes out to British Columbia and talks to people about his reasons for approving it," she said Wednesday. Story continues below advertisement Mr. Trudeau, however, has yet to make plans to visit B.C. and his office was non-committal when asked whether he planned to make a trip to sell the pipeline. Read more: A pipeline primer comparing British Columbia's north and south coasts Read more: Pipeline protests won't change decision to proceed, Notley says Read more: Rachel Notley's visit to B.C. sends a strong message to Alberta The Prime Minister's press secretary noted that Mr. Trudeau has visited B.C. on several occasions this year, including the early November announcement in Vancouver of the ocean-protection plan. "He will continue to visit the province on a regular basis as he has been doing throughout his mandate," Cameron Ahmad said in a statement though he did not specify the date of Mr. Trudeau's next visit. Premier Clark's comments came a day after Ms. Notley wrapped up a two-day visit to Vancouver in which she made the case for Kinder Morgan's proposed expansion of the Trans Mountain pipeline, which she sees as a necessary project for getting Alberta oil to Pacific Rim markets. Story continues below advertisement Story continues below advertisement The NDP Leader from Alberta met with the media and B.C. NDP Leader John Horgan, who strongly opposes the pipeline expansion as an environmental risk to the region. The federal government intensified a feisty debate in British Columbia with its decision last week to allow the proposed expansion which critics have said raises the risk of a spill in Vancouver-region waters given the intensified tanker traffic that will be required. Environmentalists, some Lower Mainland mayors and First Nations leaders are united in opposition to the project, and there is the prospect of massive protest ahead. Ms. Clark saluted Ms. Notley's defence of the project. "I think Rachel Notley did the right thing," she said. "It takes courage to come in and defend your point of view and defend your province outside your own borders." In Edmonton, Ms. Notley said the B.C. outreach was the best possible "good start" that could be arranged on relatively short notice. "I was pretty pleased with the degree to which we were able to inject some of the other facts and, maybe, bring down the intensity a little bit, but talk about the merits," Ms. Notley said. Story continues below advertisement Ms. Notley, who will meet with Ms. Clark in Ottawa during this week's first-ministers' meeting, said her reception seemed "fairly reasonable" with fair coverage of the Alberta side of the issue. During her visit, Ms. Notley touted economic benefits associated with the Trans Mountain project, including positive impacts on B.C.'s gross domestic product. According to a spokesperson, some came from a 2012 Conference Board of Canada study on the project. That study is entitled Who Benefits? A Summary of Economic Impacts That Result From the Trans Mountain Expansion Project. But critics were dismissive of those benefits. "Premier Notley expressed the upside in a frame that favours her argument. The truth is the risk to our marine-life economy, to fisheries, to tourism in British Columbia is huge," George Heyman, the B.C. NDP critic for the environment, green economy and technology, said on Wednesday. He acknowledged construction jobs associated with the project, but said there are "more productive" construction needs for the province such as in the renewable energy sector, including retrofitting public buildings for energy efficiency. Story continues below advertisement Meanwhile, the director of the industrial economic trends group at the Conference Board offered some caveats to its research on benefits of the pipeline. Michael Burt said these include assumptions about the economy as it existed when research was carried out, and the fact that the economy has the workers and the materials to facilitate construction. An updated 2015 study on the project, building on 2012 research, suggests it would generate 33,900 jobs and $925-million in fiscal benefits per year over the first 20 years of operations. Of that, Alberta would get 55 per cent of employment benefits and 41.5 per cent of fiscal benefits while B.C. would get 23.6 per cent of employment impact and 12.1 per cent of fiscal benefits. Mr. Burt said he was pleased that a prominent Canadian leader was referring to board research. "Certainly we're happy that it's helping to inform policy makers," he said. With a report from Justine Hunter in VictoriaEditor’s note: When the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba goes public, as it will soon, Yahoo will earn many times its significant original stake in the company — a surprising ending to a tale of experimentation and discovery. Sue Decker, Yahoo’s former president, describes how the deal came about and what Yahoo learned from doing business in China. In May of 2005, Yahoo CEO Terry Semel, cofounder Jerry Yang, corporate development executive Toby Coppel, and I — I was then chief financial officer of the Silicon Valley internet company — went on what would turn out to be a fateful trip to China. Less than a decade later, the ownership stake that resulted from that trip has been the saving grace for the company that had dominated the early internet. The value of the shares bought then, in fact, makes up a big chunk of Yahoo’s value today, and the windfall from that purchase is what many hope will allow the company to remake its future. At the time, though, we were just in search of a new approach to building a sustainable business in that critical but often difficult market. Things hadn’t gone well up until that point. In fact, you could say (and many did) that our previous attempts had failed, in that we hadn’t established a sustained market position. And then we found Alibaba — and it found us — and that connection led to the partnership that ultimately proved to be remarkably successful. This success was built on what we learned from our prior efforts, as well as a resolve to take new risks to do what was necessary to succeed. In some ways, the lessons ring with greater clarity nearly a decade on and might shorten the pathway to success for other business leaders seeking growth in China. Build, Buy, Partner Yahoo’s forays into China started with a build strategy, which later became a buy strategy and ultimately morphed into a partnership strategy. In each iteration, we spent a lot of time thinking about what might make the best use of our existing product. In hindsight, this thinking turned out to be far less important than what we learned about leadership, control, and trust, which ultimately were reflected in how each of the businesses was created, capitalized, and staffed. Yahoo China was launched in 1999 as a platform for email and instant messaging, translation of U.S. content (news, finance, weather) into two Chinese languages, and directory access to 20,000 web sites, an approach that the company had adopted elsewhere. The number of internet users in China stood at roughly 5 million in 1999 but grew to 40 million in 2002, by which time it was clear that Yahoo was not getting the traction that local Chinese internet companies were seeing. Revenue was only a few million dollars, and we were drawing just 5 million to 10 million users each month. With the ad market under $70 million, many of our local competitors were rapidly experimenting with new types of revenue and business models and were far ahead of us. As a result, they amassed much larger user bases and were collectively generating close to $100 million. The solution, we decided, was to acquire a local company that had already gained traction in the market and that could provide us with proven local management as well as help us with web search, which had become a priority after we bought U.S. search engine company Inktomi in 2002. In November 2003, after due diligence, we announced our agreement to purchase 3721 for $120 million. The company had five years of growth experience and nearly 200 employees; most important, it was run by an aggressive local internet entrepreneur, Zhou Hongyi. 3721’s core product was essentially an early form of search: a browser download that helped users in China go directly to destination web sites. The company generated revenue from selling hundreds of thousands of Chinese language keywords for Latin alphabet domain names. The idea was simple: Combine the best of both companies into the new Yahoo China, which was projected to generate more than $25 million in revenue in 2004. We had 300 people — mostly local talent — and together we were reaching more than 50 million users each month. We were optimistic about Yahoo’s future in China as the deal closed in January 2004. By mid-2004, however, the operation was mired in conflict over control and differences in management style. Zhou reportedly felt that the original Yahoos were overpaid and lazy, whereas the Yahoo team felt bullied and believed Zhou wasn’t focused on the Yahoo operations. We insisted that the local team follow Yahoo reporting, systems, and governance requirements. Not surprisingly, this didn’t sit well with the local team. Zhou departed in 2005 and went on to found Qihoo 360 Technology, a $12 billion company that now trades on NASDAQ. Although Zhou had outperformed the financial plan, the gap between 3721’s market position and the local competition was widening. During the first half of 2005, Yahoo’s executive team studied the landscape carefully, looking at companies to acquire or partner with. And so began that auspicious trip in May of 2005, in which Semel, Yang, Coppel, and I set out to meet dozens of business leaders and government officials over the course of a whirlwind week. Most of the companies we met with were publicly held, but Alibaba was still private. The company was owned by management, venture capitalists, and SoftBank. We met with founder Jack Ma and his chief financial officer at the time, Joe Tsai, and we immediately felt a strong cultural alignment. Alibaba was based in the south, in Hangzhou, and had about 2,400 employees. The previous year the company had generated more than $4 billion in gross merchandise sales through its platform, yielding about $50 million in revenue. It also had two start-up business lines, Alipay, a new payment system designed to work like Paypal; and Taobao, an auctions site. Both were offered free to consumers and merchants. We were impressed with Ma’s visionary and principled management philosophy, and we liked how our two companies might fit together. We also had the financial resources to help Alibaba weather the days of offering auctions for free as it attempted to compete against eBay. We thought there might be a window of opportunity to build a leadership position in search and commerce in China to complement our portal offerings. We returned in late May to Sunnyvale, California, and began an intense two-month period of negotiation to craft what became the joint venture with Alibaba. Yang had struck up a good relationship with Ma, which greatly facilitated the negotiations. On the finance and deal side, we also felt a strong kinship with Tsai. The deal was complicated to structure, but we eventually decided that Yahoo would own 40%, SoftBank would hold 30%, and existing management would keep 30%. Ma and the Alibaba leadership team would retain management control. The deal was valued at just over $4 billion, with Yahoo putting in $1 billion in cash and our Yahoo China assets, which were then valued at $700 million. It was an attractive offer and a step-up in value for us, considering the value of what we had contributed to 3721 and its $120 million purchase price two years earlier. While Yahoo China was tracking toward about $40 million in revenue in 2005, Alibaba’s consumer business alone was poised to do more than double that for the year, so it was valued at close to double our operation. At the time this seemed like a big leap of faith: More than half the value of the venture — more than $2 billion — was attributed to Taobao and Alipay, both of which were losing money and had announced that their services would be free for at least the next few years. Still, we announced the deal by early August, less than three months after the trip that gave birth to the venture. Key Lessons Learned Looking back now, it is clear that there were three primary factors that ultimately led to the Alibaba deal’s creating value in the Chinese market. Probably the most important element of Yahoo’s ultimate success was “failing fast”: recognizing mistakes early and being persistent about trying new and different ways to approach the market. Continuous learning and a willingness to experiment are crucial for companies exploring new markets. I serve on two boards — Costco’s and Berkshire Hathaway’s — with Charlie Munger, a legendary business leader with an abundance of wisdom. He says he has constantly seen people rise who are not the smartest but who are “learning machines.” “They go to bed every night a little wiser than they were when they got up,” he says. He also has a broader view, which I really love: “If civilization can progress only with an advanced method of invention, you can progress only when you learn the method of learning. Nothing has served me better in my long life than continuous learning.” A second critical principle that contributed to our success in China was the realization that we had to be willing to loosen the reins of control. This runs counter to the behavior of most corporations and counter to our earlier attempts. In the media and internet industries, it turns out to be very important when operating in China. The most “controlled” approach we took was in our initial build strategy: Yahoo controlled the product and the team and centralized the compliance functions, such as finance and legal. To do that, we relied on talent hired by Yahoo employees and recruited managerial talent from within Yahoo. This facilitated communication to headquarters and know-how on the ground, and it seemed a comfortable way to access a new market, considering the great distances, both geographic and cultural. But the local hires in China felt that our Sunnyvale leaders did not understand the market — they viewed them as outsiders. This created tension from the get-go. But there were bigger problems. Headquarters took too long to approve locally generated ideas, and as a consequence, Chinese competitors were beating us with rapidly-turned-out products that were tuned for the local market. We were ready to do things differently when we purchased 3721. We gave up a lot of the product control to an aggressive and experienced Chinese leader and allowed the local unit much greater latitude for decision-making. We also empowered 3721’s top team to manage the combined operations, including those of the former Yahoo China. Only legal, finance, and human resources still reported back to headquarters. But 3721 got bogged down dealing with the people issues that emerged from two different cultures and business practices. Those issues slowed us down on the product side as well. So with Alibaba, we realized we needed to be willing to give up all operating control. Practically speaking, this meant forgoing our previous desire to own more than 50% of the local operations. It also meant we would leave all employee issues to our partner and allow our code to be used by people with no previous connection to the company. Scary. But the real key to our ultimate success in China was the match with Alibaba’s leadership team. We had seen hierarchical, top-down management systems in place in many Chinese companies. Ma, by contrast, displayed a distinctive humility and openness. Although he didn’t have a U.S. education, he was an avid student of U.S. management and leadership practices, as he told us in our earliest meetings. Unlike other Chinese leaders we had met with, Ma was willing and eager to hire executives who had more skills and experience than he did in areas where he was less strong. Tsai, for example, clearly understood U.S. business practices and had strengths that complemented Ma’s in strategy and setting the vision. A 2010 Harvard Business School case by Julie M. Wulf noted that Ma studied Jack Welch’s approach and was inspired by GE’s decentralized decision-making. Like Welch, Ma wanted his executives to be free to do whatever was needed to make their units the best businesses in their fields. This felt like the change we needed. We were ready to give Ma the keys to Yahoo’s operations in China. Beyond the Yahoo Experience Many other U.S. companies were either entering China or making plans to do so around the same time that Yahoo was making its early moves. All entrants faced a similar set of circumstances and conditions, including unfamiliar laws and customs as well as an array of business challenges – for example, non-Chinese social-media sites are blocked to a greater extent than local ones. According to GreatFire, a Chinese web-traffic monitor, more than 2,600 websites are blocked by China’s censorship policies. This extends to any non-Chinese user-generated-content sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Whether they are blocked because of political concerns or to promote local competitors, the impact is the same. Most would-be entrants made the same mistakes Yahoo did, and many left the market after early disappointments. The most interesting attempt at a buy strategy was eBay’s 2003 purchase of Eachnet, which had a nearly 80% share in the auction market. By 2005, eBay was already being locally outmatched — by none other than Jack Ma’s Taobao. Ma had launched Taobao to defend Alibaba’s business-to-consumer business and therefore decided not to charge listing fees, as Eachnet did. He also offered live chat so users could make deals together and build trust, a feature eBay rejected out of fear that users would transact directly and avoid Eachnet’s listing fees. Taobao’s service was faster than Eachnet’s, because its servers were located inside China. At the end of 2006, eBay pulled out of the market. By contrast, Google primarily pursued a build strategy that was similar to Yahoo’s first foray. Google rolled out a translated version of Google.com in 2000, running on U.S. servers. The site was slow and often censored or shut down, causing it to lose market share over time to Baidu. Even after Google launched a local version of its code, using servers in China, it garnered only about one-third of the market to Baidu’s two-thirds. Ultimately, after Google moved its business to Hong Kong and China banned access, Google’s attempt to compete in China came to an end. But how much of the decision was due to the political climate and how much to being outgunned operationally is unclear. AOL approached China through partnerships and investments, none of which appear to have borne fruit. Amazon purchased Chinese local firm Joyo in 2004 but has not kept up with local competitors such as Taobao Mall and Jingdong Mall. Amazon has launched a cloud service and an app store but claims only about 1% of the e-commerce market in China. Social sites such as Facebook and Twitter have been unable to make inroads because of government blocking and competition from strong local sites. The bottom line: Yahoo is the only example of meaningful value creation by a U.S. internet company in China. Yahoo had failed at first too, of course. The difference was that it kept going back, building on knowledge from prior attempts. In the early days, we invested a lot of energy in analyzing which businesses would fit best with Yahoo. But I can see in hindsight that what mattered most was finding the right team, including a leader who was a good cultural fit with the company and whom we trusted, and structuring the deal so that the local unit was free to make operational decisions. Nine years later, the venture has gone through a number of changes. For example, Alibaba was listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange in November of 2007, raising $1.5 billion — the world’s biggest internet offering since Google’s IPO in 2004. The company subsequently went private in early 2012. There have also been changes in the framework agreement around the ownership of Alipay in both 2011 and 2012, as well as a buyback of almost half of the Yahoo stake in May of 2012 for $7 billion. These changes would have been hampered by a layer of operating control from the U.S. parent. For example, Alibaba never really emphasized the products of Yahoo China in the market; Alibaba’s interest in the Yahoo deal was largely to secure cash to help fund operating losses at Alipay and Taobao and to leverage the Yahoo brand for Alibaba’s global business. The core structure of the transaction empowered Ma and his team to make the decisions to drive long-term value. Yahoo felt it could live with this arrangement. But Yahoo never would have structured a deal this way on its own. Today Alibaba is ranked beside Google, Facebook, Twitter, and TenCent as among the titans of the internet. With the filing of Alibaba’s registration statement in early May of 2014, the company is set to tap the U.S. capital markets in what is estimated to be one of the largest IPOs ever. Analysts estimate that the company will be valued at more than $200 billion. That works out to 40 times the value of the deal we struck in 2005. Had Yahoo held its entire 40% stake from the time of the deal, the value of its pretax share in Alibaba would be worth $80 billion, or more than $78 per Yahoo share. Even though Yahoo has sold close to half that position and currently holds a 23% stake at lower valuations, the company will be reaping a huge return. Looking back, it’s clear to me that this windfall is the result of talents we didn’t even know we possessed: It turned out we were good at identifying the right partner in China and good at acknowledging our errors early on. We also kept getting up, after we were knocked down, and trying again. We did this over and over until we found a workable approach. We also learned how to relinquish control and go wherever the market took us. And where it took was to a business relationship that proved more fruitful than we could have imagined.General Information Artwork Information [beggar.carbonmade.com] My tradeoffer link:My Rep Thread: http://steamcommunity.com/groups/CSGOREPorts/discussions/0/618457398961434201/ My inventory is open for everyone, don't refuse to send me offers.If you send me a link to a faked link you will be blocked and reported on SteamRep instantly.All of my contacts will be informed that you are a confirmed scammer so I suggest you don't even try.Don't beg for items, it probably results in a FL kick. (Frequent begging -> block)I know all methods of possible scamming which can be found here Don't even try. It's useless.I do commissions, so if you would like me to make you an artwork, contact me via the above link or here on steam.Depending how complex your wish is, the more it will cost.Normal prices start at € 10.-We’ve posted before about the Sovereign Grace Ministries scandal, but if you’re unfamiliar with the story, Tiffany Stanley has an eye-opening article in the Washingtonian discussing what happened and how people were affected by it: In a class-action suit filed in Montgomery County, [lawyer] Susan Burke alleged that SGM, [founder C.J.] Mahaney, and seven pastors had engaged in a cover-up of child molestation. SGM “cared more about protecting its financial and institutional standing,” the suit claimed, “than about protecting children, its most vulnerable members.” There were three plaintiffs initially, but it wasn’t long before others came forward. One alleged that there was a pedophile ring at Covenant Life and that men, including a pastor, had molested her. Another alleged that cofounder Larry Tomczak had her strip and beat her for more than 20 years, allegations he calls “baseless” and “absolutely false.” A woman who stated she’d been molested by her father alleged that in 2000, the pastors at the Fairfax church encouraged her mother to stay with him. They blamed the mother, according to the suit, for being “a bad wife who had failed to satisfy her husband sexually.” Eventually, 11 plaintiffs in all signed on. The worst aspect of the story may be that many of the church leaders are still preaching today, albeit in a different location. TIME‘s website has an interview with Stanley about how she investigated this story. Check out this kicker: … The day after the magazine hit newsstands, I got a card from Covenant Life Church, signed by some of the elders, saying the pastors prayed for me that morning. That was a first for me. They’ll pray for her, but they refuse to admit there were serious problems within their own church. Typical. (Screenshot via YouTube)Get the biggest Liverpool FC stories by email Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid Email Raheem Sterling says he is happy at Anfield and is hopeful the current impasse on his new contract will be sorted out soon. The Reds star was speaking after scoring the decisive second goal in Liverpool's hard-fought 2-0 win over Southampton at St Mary's - a victory he believes proved they are on course to secure a Champions League spot. Liverpool moved above Tottenham and into the top six after extending their unbeaten Premier League run to 10 matches. Brendan Rodgers' side are now only three points adrift of third placed Arsenal after digging deep to secure victory in treacherous conditions on the south coast. Sterling wrapped up the points with his 10th goal of the season after Philippe Coutinho's stunning strike had put the Reds ahead early on. “It's a great win for us,” Sterling told the ECHO. “We knew we had to come here and do the job and we did that. The boys defended really well and we took our chances when they came. “You have to win dirty at times and we did that today. That was the most important thing. “It's always good to get on the scoresheet and it was especially pleasing that it was the goal that killed the game off. “We knew we were top four material from the start of the season. Obviously, it didn't go as planned at the start but now we're showing what we can do. “Credit to the boys, we just keep to need keep performing and keep fighting and then we'll definitely get to where we want to be. “All the boys are really up for it. Everyone is fighting hard for the team and defending with their lives.” Sterling paid tribute to Coutinho, who produced a contender for Goal of the Season when his curling 25-yarder cannoned in off the underside of the bar. “It was a great strike from Philippe,” he said. “When he picked the ball up, he had nothing else on his mind. “I was on and I was crying out for a pass but credit to him. It was a great finish. “Not many players in the world can score a goal like that. “Phil has got a great eye for a pass but you can see he's adding more goals to his game which is great to see.” It's the first time since May 1985 that Liverpool have kept five successive away league clean sheets. Once again Simon Mignolet made some key saves to thwart Southampton and Sterling admits he's delighted by how the Belgian keeper has transformed his Reds career. “That's football - one week you can be hated, the next week you are loved,” Sterling said. “It's huge credit to Simon because he's been magnificent. He made some great saves and commanded his box well. “As an outfield player it's great to see. Hopefully he can continue that form and we can keep winning games.” Sterling has yet to put pen to paper on a new contract with talks dragging on in recent months. But the England international reiterated that he's happy at Anfield. “We're working on it and hopefully it will be sorted soon,” Sterling said.Swamp Creature McConnell Implies He May Not Seat Roy Moore if He Wins Election! Republican swamp creatures such as Mitch McConnell are so afraid that Roy Moore will win the Alabama Senate seat that they are pulling out all the stops to block him. To hell with the voters. On Thursday the far left Washington Post accused Judge Moore of dating a 14 year-old girl in 1979. Judge Moore has denied the charges and says he’s going to reveal the motivations behind the WaPo hit piece in the next few days. Establishment RINO hacks have been calling and texting each other trying to figure out how to stop Moore from taking the Alabama Senate seat. According to a report by Axios, Republican swamp creatures may ask RINO hack Luther Strange who lost to Moore during the primary and Republican Rep. Robert Aderholtto to run as write-in candidates. It gets worse… According to this Axios report, the Republican establishment hacks may even try to delay the Senate race or block Moore if he wins since it’s too late to remove him from the ballot! Axios reports: They’ve also weighed asking Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey to delay the Dec. 12 election to early next year. But she has already pushed it back once, after she assumed the role of governor in April when her predecessor was removed, and this option would likely inspire Moore and his team to file a lawsuit in court. The New York Times reported that McConnell may not seat Moore even if he wins! Republican senators and their advisers, in a flurry of phone calls, emails and text messages, discussed fielding a write-in candidate, pushing Alabama’s governor to delay the Dec. 12 special election or even not seating Mr. Moore at all should he be elected. In an interview, Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, declined to say whether he would agree to seat Mr. Moore should he win. Mr. McConnell deferred a question about a possible write-in campaign by Senator Luther Strange, the current occupant of the seat, to Mr. Strange. Democrat Senator from Hawaii Brian Schatz blasted this tactic saying it is not legal to delay an election just because you are likely to lose. It is not legal to delay an election just because you are likely to lose. https://t.co/wbgH5OIVvu — Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) November 11, 2017 Schatz even said delaying elections because you are afraid of losing is what they do in dictatorships. You cannot delay an election because you are afraid of losing. That’s what they do in dictatorships. https://t.co/EKrOPeXHNB — Brian Schatz (@brianschatz) November 11, 2017 Ha, wut? Republicans are actually gonna try and delay the Alabama Senate election? https://t.co/Dffu9vXOdj — Sam Stein (@samstein) November 11, 2017 Mitch McConnell and the other RINO hacks need to be thrown out and term limits need to be implemented. They would rather see a Senate seat go to a Democrat than an anti-establishment conservative. Truly disgusting.“WOULD You Kill the Fat Man?” is the title of a recent book about a set of moral problems that philosophers like to ponder, and psychologists to put to their experimental subjects. In the canonical form, you are on a footbridge watching a trolley speeding down a track that will kill five unsuspecting people. You can push a fat man over the bridge onto the tracks to save the five. (You cannot stop the trolley by jumping yourself, only the fat man is heavy enough.) Would you do it? Most people quail at the idea of shoving the man to his death. But alter the scenario a bit, and reactions change. People are more likely to throw a switch that would divert the trolley on to another track where it will kill only one person. The utilitarian calculation is identical—but the physical and emotional distance from the killing makes throwing the switch much more popular than throwing the man. Get our daily newsletter Upgrade your inbox and get our Daily Dispatch and Editor's Picks. There are other ways to nudge people’s judgments, too. A rather counter-intuitive one was reported in a paper published last month in PLOS ONE, a journal. In it, Albert Costa of the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Spain, and his colleagues, found that the language in which the dilemma is posed can alter how people answer. Specifically, when people are asked the fat-man question in a foreign language, they are more likely to kill him for the others’ sake. Dr Costa and his colleagues interviewed 317 people, all of whom spoke two languages—mostly English plus one of Spanish, Korean or French. Half of each group were randomly assigned the dilemma in their native tongue. The other half answered the problem in their second language. When asked in their native language, only 20% of subjects said they would push the fat man. When asked in the foreign language, the proportion jumped to 33%. Dans le jardin of
REUTERS) (Image: Army) The mood was one of calm and focus. Captain Gav Dunlop said: “I’m not really worried if we get into a full tank battle. We are trained and ready.” Troops landed at Amari air base near the capital Tallinn, and will be sent to Tapa army base, which blocks the main route from Russia to the city. In total there will be more than 4,000 international troops pitted against a Russian attack in the four countries. (Image: Army) (Image: Army) (Image: Army) The NATO deployment is designed to ensure there is no repeat of Russia’s overnight takeover of Crimea and parts of East Ukraine. Britain will lead a foreign force of 1,100 troops, including French and Danish soldiers, in Estonia. The US, Canada and Germany will each take lead roles in one of the three other nations. UK troops will also support the US in Poland. (Image: Army) (Image: Army) (Image: Army) Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon said: “In the face of an increasingly assertive Russia, NATO is stepping up its commitment to collective defence.” Troops have been warned to expect Russian espionage as Putin wants to discredit NATO’s presence by spreading lies about sex crimes and violence. Some women in bars may be honey traps. L/Cpl Josef Hainzl, of Runcorn, Cheshire, said: “I have a beautiful RAF girlfriend so it’ll be a ‘no, thanks’.” (Image: Army) We must stand up to this bully By Chris Hughes Britain is playing a crucial role in restraining Vladimir Putin’s ruthless and often violent ambitions abroad. It is a calculated preventative move along with NATO to show him the West has had enough, and that his relentless bid to expand Russia’s hold on its neighbours must stop. UK troops are prepared to open fire as they are now at the sharp end of a confrontation that has been brewing in eastern Europe and beyond throughout the Putin years. (Image: Army) He has stormed Georgia, annexed Crimea and infiltrated East Ukraine. His forces are suspected of atrocities against civilians and western-friendly rebels in Syria. The Baltic states are extremely vulnerable to Russian interference. Putin’s spooks are suspected of meddling in foreign elections and his cyber attacks have done incalculable damage throughout eastern Europe. Moscow has kept our own GCHQ and MI5 on their toes with cyber attacks on our infrastructure, banking and security systems. (Image: Army) Sanctions have not worked in efforts to hold back Putin’s greed for power, influence, resources, and the fear of other nations. So the pressure has to be ramped up. Our military presence is the next step in trying to stop war since, with Putin, non-intervention has not worked. As I witnessed in 2014, he annexed Crimea almost overnight and triggered civil war in East Ukraine, while lying to the world about having troops there. Putin respects strength and action. That is what our troops are exporting to Estonia.Figures. Unhinged Loon Booted 3 Times From Hating Breitbart Premier Works For Media Matters HuffPo contributor and Media Matters employee booted from Hating Breitbart premier. At the premier of Hating Breitbart in Washington DC on Friday night, FOX News contributor and Huffington Post writer Ryan Clayton was escorted from the theater. Reader Scott M., a libertarian attorney in northern Virginia, was at the theater and gave this account of the disruption. Yeah, a buddy and I went to the opening night of Hating Breitbart in Arlington. We sat on the same row as Clayton and his lady friend but quickly moved to a different area because he was being snarky out loud. Apparently the snark continued because some guy went out to complain to the theater staff. He came back in with a couple of theater staff. The “snitch” sat down on the front row while the security people walked Clayton and his lady friend out. People cheered. On his way out Clayton stopped in front of the “snitch” and stood over him. The poor guy asked Clayton to move and Clayton kept cupping his hand to his ear and saying “I’m sorry, I can’t hear you”. By about the third request the guy was telling Clayton “get out of my f*cking way”. Clayton then left. A few minutes later Clayton and his lady friend returned and resumed watching the movie. Instead of making snarky comments, he made snarky laughs. Security came back in and gave him another warning. After the movie Clayton was in place to greet people as they exited and interview them. His lady friend was acting as camera woman. Security asked him to stop and to move. They repeated this request again in the main lobby and then walked him outside of the mall (the theater was in the mall). I don’t think they ever touched him. Sure enough, outside of the theater Clayton was booted again after harassing moviegoers leaving the theater. But Ryan Clayton is not only a Huffington Post contributor. He also works for Media Matters radio. And, get this… This week he’s going to deliver the latest in “progressive messaging.” Why is this not surprising? Ryan Clayton actually appears in the Hating Breitbart documentary where he talks about the need for civil discourse in society… And then is seen viciously attacking Andrew Breitbart. Ryan is a perfect example of today’s liberal establishment.Credit Card Companies Continue To Be Protected From Lawsuits Starting Thursday, credit card consumers will receive new protections against unscrupulous credit card practices. Credit card holders will have the opportunity to opt-out of interest rate rises. Consumers will also receive 45 days notice before an interest rate increase. As these new guidelines are meant to offer protections for consumers, an important protection will still be unavailable – the right to take your credit card company to court. Each time you sign on the dotted line, you could be signing away your rights. Nearly every bank, credit card and cell phone company is a party. Many home builders, nursing homes, and some employers are too. Written into the fine print, contracts often notify the consumer that arbitration is the permissible recourse. That means, you have no right to sue or file a class action lawsuit. David Arkish, Director Public Citizen’s Congress Watch Division, says arbitration works in business‘ favor. “Lenders use arbitration as both a shield and a sword.” Arkish said. “The sword component is it makes it much easier to go after consumers.” Arkish said the shield is to “protect the company from liability.” Arbitration goes through a for-profit third-party. It has no structured format and the case is never heard before a jury of one’s peers. Jordan Fogel of Houston, Texas bought what she thought was her dream retirement home, until her first night the roof of the kitchen fell. “I was downstairs putting up glasses and all of a sudden the whole ceiling caves in and 100 gallons of water come crashing down,” Fogel said. After twenty-nine months of fighting with the home builder, the only thing she realized was that her home was so contaminated with mold that no person should be allowed to spend one day inside. When the home builder took her to arbitration, she soon realized she had no legal recourse in court. “When the builder calls and says we will take care of you in arbitration, you know it’s not going to be in your best interest,” Fogel said. On an uninhabitable $369,000 home, the Fogels won $40,000, but most of the money went back to the home builder because the arbitrator determined the Fogels violated contracts. Arbitration left the Fogels with a $10,000 reward. Recent actions are showing that some businesses and the government are looking differently at arbitration. Just Last month, the Minnesota Attorney General found that one of the largest arbitration companies, National Arbitration Forum, was so closely tied to its business clients, that the consumer had little chance of ever seeking a just reward. The determination was so stinging that the National Arbitration Forum immediately closed down. Last week, Bank of America, said it will no longer enforce its mandatory arbitration clause in future disputes for most of its consumer businesses. Betty Reiss, spokesperson for Bank of America, said the decision was made because of “complaints from customers.” David Arkish with Public Citizen said the Minnesota decision and the voluntary action by Bank of America is good news for consumers, but there is still little protection because Bank of America could reverse this decision at anytime. “If they do the right thing today, they’re not stopped from changing their mind later. The problem is the power is all in their hands. They have the power, unilaterally, to take peoples’ right to go to court away,” Arkish said. Bryan Quigly, spokesperson with the US Chamber of Commerce Institute of Legal Reform Institute, said arbitration works and voluntary arbitration will not. “There’s this myth out there you can take arbitration and have it as an option. But both parties would have to agree. So when you already have a dispute on the table, one of the parties will agree which path is better for them,” Quigly said. A Congressional proposal, backed by President Obama, would prohibit mandatory arbitration for bank and credit card consumers, which would instate consumers’ right to the courts. Consumer advocates want the proposal expanded to all sectors of the economy – homes, cars, cell phones, nursing homes, and the workplace.Oct 4, 2015; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills running back Karlos Williams (29) celebrates his touchdown against the New York Giants during the second half at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Giants beat the Bills 24-10. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports Earlier this offseason, the Indianapolis Colts brass spent some time hyping up undrafted free agent running back Josh Ferguson as the answer to their backup running back problem. It made sense at the time, considering how elusive Ferguson looked in college, and many were intrigued by his potential to be a Dion Lewis-type factor in the Indianapolis Colts explosive offense. Pass protection figured to be an important task for him in the preseason, but I doubt anyone could have anticipated a yards-per-carry average of less than 1.0 from Ferguson through two preseason games. As a pass-catcher, Ferguson hasn’t been a big factor either, catching just two passes for 13 yards. Both Jordan Todman and Robert Turbin have just two preseason receptions, sure, but they have 46 and 22 yards on those catches, respectively. The Colts are hoping Frank Gore can get back to being a 1,000-yard rusher again, and I firmly believe he is still capable of this. Much of his success will come down to the offensive line, but he is shaping up to be a true workhorse for the Colts offense. Gore has always been able to shoulder a huge load, but the Colts need to be concerned about the players behind them. Nobody else on the roster looks like a true in-between-the-tackles runner who can consistently pick up yardage, and only Todman has looked competent this preseason. Now, there are still two games left and the preseason isn’t everything, but Indianapolis should feel concerned. One player in free agency should pique their interest enough to cause them to take a cursory look at him. Karlos Williams was released by the Buffalo Bills just two days ago, and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that he has cleared waivers, making him a free agent available to sign with any team. Former Bills' RB Karlos Williams went unclaimed on waivers, per source. Now a free agent. — Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 22, 2016 There’s a reason why this article isn’t titled “Colts should sign Williams”, because his situation is just too complicated. He has major weight issues that started earlier in the offseason, and the Bills released him after reportedly realizing that he was gaining weight again. If the Bills can’t trust him to do something that is fundamental to every athlete (taking care of their body), then how can anybody trust him? Now, Williams’s credentials on the field are established, because he was one of the league’s most efficient rushers in 2015. Not only did the Florida State product average 5.6 yards per carry as a rookie, but he also scored nine total touchdowns on just 104 touches. That’s the kind of production the Colts need. Last year, the Colts were second-to-last in the NFL with 3.6 yards per carry, and they finished 29th in total rushing yards. Interestingly enough, the second-leading rusher in attempts for the Colts was Ahmad Bradshaw, who had a whopping 31 carries. Unfortunately, Williams might not solve the Colts short-term depth problem at running back, because there’s a chance he won’t be able to play in 2016. Williams’s weight reportedly ballooned to 261 at one point this offseason, which is almost unbelievable, given that his playing weight was at around 230 in the previous season. As some of you may know, it isn’t as simple as dieting off the fat or doing some P90X garbage, though the media loves to eat those stories up. For Williams to lose that weight effectively, he has to do it slowly, otherwise he will lose too much strength, hurting his performance on the field. Depending on where he is at now– and the fact that he gained weight again recently makes it all that much worse– it could take him a long time to get that goal. See, it’s easy to put on fat, but it’s a lot harder to lose it without losing a notable amount of strength. Even so, Williams is worth at least examining in the Colts situation. Even long-term, it doesn’t seem like they have a good option behind Gore. Sure, it isn’t hard to find a back, but right now, Williams is as cheap of an investment as they come, and it’s easier to develop healthy nutrition habits than it is to, say, kick a drug habit. That said, he was suspended four games for breaking the league’s substance-abuse policy, so maybe that’s another issue here. Whatever the case, the risk is minimal, and the Colts could start thinking about life after Gore or, at least, show interest in a future partner. Williams did an excellent job either working with LeSean McCoy or starring in the lead back’s absence, and if anyone makes sense as a landing spot, it would be Indianapolis. I doubt he does anything in 2015 due to his weight issues, which scared off every team from signing a young RB coming off of a great season, but making the gutsy (not financially, though) move to sign him now could potentially pay off later for the Colts.As Loaded proceeds, Dunbar-Ortiz traces the ways in which gun ownership has been the cornerstone of America’s growth into a “militaristic-capitalistic powerhouse.” In her account, guns are the reason that white people maintained control of the social order despite nominal changes in which parties or groups might claim power. For example, Dunbar-Ortiz notes how, in parts of the South before the Revolution, a class of armed white civilians was employed by the Colonial courts to serve as “searchers,” not just to track down fugitive slaves, but to detain freed blacks besides. Distinct from the formal militia, which was preoccupied with battling Native Americans, these “searchers,” subsequently known as “patrollers,” continued their work after the overthrow of the British, deploying a variety of tactics including the creation and printing of the first Wanted ads. After the Civil War, these groups of armed whites morphed once more, continuing to harass and terrorize emancipated black Americans, becoming either Klansmen or police (or, not infrequently, both at the same time). For these foot soldiers of white supremacy, the titles and group affiliations might change, but their roles—and the centrality of guns to those roles—remained the same. Indeed, as Dunbar-Ortiz notes, many Confederate veterans publicly associated with each other long after the war through so-called “rifle clubs,” often barely-disguised fronts for Klan activity. Granted, at times, in such a short but information-packed book, accounts of such continuities may feel schematic; but at others, they can feel revelatory, as when Dunbar-Ortiz compares “savage war” to the rampages of contemporary mass killers. Throughout, and even when uneven, her narrative is devastating. Loaded is also a story of many individuals. The trope of “the hunter,” for example, recurs frequently in current debates over guns, even though hunting is no longer the leading reason Americans give for gun ownership. Dunbar-Ortiz traces the common image of the gun-bearing hunter to the folk-hero image of Daniel Boone, the frontiersman whose exploits in Kentucky were the stuff of legend even during his lifetime in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Yet, as Dunbar-Ortiz observes, Boone’s celebrity was largely the work of another man, John Filson, a real estate speculator who wrote under Boone’s name. He simply wanted to encourage settlers to buy claims over land that was already heavily populated by Native Americans. So much for the image of the rugged American frontiersman, gun in hand, experiencing his primordial oneness with the wilderness, so beloved by gun rights advocates. Likewise, Dunbar-Ortiz sounds the legacy of figures like pro-slavery paramilitary leader William Quantrill. Quantrill led a band of pro-slavery “bushwhacker” guerillas who carried out violent raids against pro-abolition communities in the Kansas and Missouri territories before and during the Civil War. In one instance, Quantrill and his men attacked Lawrence, Kansas, butchering some 160 civilians, including children. Yet as time passed, and it became expedient to forget and move beyond the violence of the Civil War, Quantrill and his men, who were famous for wielding six-shooter revolvers, became integrated into fuzzy legend of “the West.” They ceased to be seen as “bloody, murdering Confederate guerillas” and became “righteous outlaws.” William Quantrill and his men ceased t o be seen as “bloody, murdering Confederate guerillas” and became “righteous outlaws.” Some of these profiles may be richer and more-in-depth than others, but together they form a tapestry that is grim and compelling indeed. The right’s talk of preserving American greatness, Dunbar-Ortiz proposes, comes directly from this violent history. From Reagan’s race politics to Trump’s nativism, leaders on the right have articulated the principles that groups of armed American extremists practice. “White nationalists are the irregular forces—the voluntary militias—of the actually existing political-economic order,” she states, succinctly. “They are provided for in the Second Amendment.” Among the stories Dunbar-Ortiz tells, is, fascinatingly, her own. As a Leftist activist in the 1970s, Dunbar-Ortiz participated in a “women’s study-action group” in Louisiana which was infiltrated by a government-affiliated spy, surveilled by police, and threatened by a member of the KKK. Desperate and “caught up in a current of repression and paranoia,” Dunbar-Ortiz and her comrades began to arm themselves, training with guns and eventually amassing a small arsenal. “We had fallen under the spell of guns,” she writes. “Our relationship to them had become a kind of passion that was inappropriate to our political objectives, and it ended up distorting and determining them.” Dunbar-Ortiz eventually moved on from her phase of “gun love,” but the country has, of course, done just the opposite. Since the early ‘70s, the number of privately owned guns in American hands has nearly tripled, to well over 300 million. Meanwhile, American military forces are now deployed in some 180 countries, and our arms industry has achieved export levels and profit margins unprecedented since the end of World War II. Towards the end of Loaded, Dunbar-Ortiz presents American “gun love” as a quasi-religious phenomenon, bound up in a primal national myth of chosen-ness, victimization, and righteous violence. It would be folly to hope that any single intellectual intervention, no matter how trenchant, could undo this template, or could reverse or slow this trajectory. And yet if we are to even imagine this possibility, we must have some sort of vocabulary to do so. As a portrait of the deepest structures of American violence, Loaded is an indispensable book. Correction: An earlier version of this piece misstated where JR102C is on display and when Daniel Boone was alive. JR102C is at Historic Jamestowne and Daniel Boone lived in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.It’s official- the Android OS is now bigger than Apple’s iOS and the gap is only going to get bigger in 2012. All this reminds me of the 90s when Apple was without Steve Jobs and the company was at its nadir. The problem had always been that even though Apple had an intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) and PCs had DOS, Bill Gates had shrewdly deduced that the software was the key, not the hardware. Microsoft licensed DOS (and later Windows) to PC makers and Windows became the dominant operating system in the world. When Steve Jobs returned to Apple, he introduced the iMac and then the iPod, Macbook, Macbook Pro and finally the iPhone. Apple was back and the company has never been more popular. Things are changing yet again in the ever cyclical tech world. We have lost Steve Jobs, and Apple’s iOS is only available on the iPhone, and the iPhone is made by Apple. This pleases hardcore Apple fans and new-comers to the phone alike. Now though, as illustrated in the infographic below, Google’s Android is now the #1 operating system for smartphones and as we roll into 2012 the gap will continue to get larger worldwide. Android OS is available on multiple manufacturer’s handsets and the Samsung Galaxy SIII is currently the leader in the Droid market and easily matches the iPhone feature for feature and even beats it in a few areas0 like with its Near Field Communication (NFC) that allows pictures and videos to be shared from phone to phone just by bumping them together. In a way, Samsung is the Apple of the Droid market, with handset makers HTC and Motorola competing (and innovating) fiercely too. Is this the end of Apple’s Phoenix like rise? Will iOS start to fade just as Apple did in the 90s or can Apple find a way to compete with the exponential growth of Android? Posted By Edward Domain Edward is the founder and CEO of Techli.com. He is a writer, U.S. Army veteran, serial entrepreneur and chronic early adopter. Having worked for startups in Silicon Valley and Chicago, he founded, grew and successfully exited his own previous startup and loves telling the stories of innovators. Email: Edward.Domain@techli.com \| @EdwardDomain Edward is the founder and CEO of Techli.com. He is a writer, U.S. Army veteran, serial entrepreneur and chronic early adopter. Having worked for startups in Silicon Valley and Chicago, he founded, grew and successfully exited his own previous startup and loves telling the stories of innovators. Email: Edward.Domain@techli.com \| @EdwardDomain You might also likeThe selection of a new Supreme Court of Canada judge is a process so shrouded in secrecy that it’s an irresistible invitation for lawyers to speculate, gossip and argue about the best candidate. Yet after the Prime Minister announces an appointment, the legal community tends to close ranks, praise the new pick, and rarely mention those passed over. So it was this week, when Stephen Harper nominated Justice Michael Moldaver and Justice Andromache Karakatsanis, both of the Ontario Court of Appeal, to fill two Ontario vacancies on the top court. But Don Stuart, a law professor at Queen’s University, after echoing the general consensus by admiring the nominees’ credentials, added an unusually blunt note of regret about a particular judge who didn’t get the nod—Justice David Doherty, also of the Ontario Court of Appeal. “Every person who is associated with criminal justice would know that David Doherty has written most of the leading judgements in most of the areas,” he told Maclean’s. “He’s our leading judge, really. It seems disappointing that he was not chosen.” In fact, Doherty’s name has been on short lists of possible Supreme Court of Canada judges from Ontario going back to the 1990s, when then-prime minister Jean Chrétien was making the selections. He is far from the only eminent judge to be repeatedly passed over, but, at least on paper, he seemed an especially obvious contender this time. The two retiring judges being replaced are Justice Ian Binnie and Justice Louise Charron. Charron had been the court’s heavy lifter when it came to writing decisions on criminal law, which has lately made up about a third of its caseload. Doherty happens to be a prolific writer of criminal law rulings, and has been since he was appointed to Ontario’s top court back in 1990. He’s been described as a “genius” in the field, an expert in key areas like the admissibility of evidence. He’s a forceful courtroom presence. Last June, as part of a panel hearing the federal and Ontario governments’ appeal of a landmark case that could see prostitution effectively decriminalized, Doherty pressed the government lawyers hardest to defend laws that make it difficult for prostitutes to work out of their homes. “I find it hard to understand,” he said, “why it’s not self-evident that these provisions harm the ability to carry out prostitution safely.” In selecting Moldaver, Harper chose another respected criminal law specialist. Jean-Marc Leclerc, a veteran litigator at the Toronto firm Osler, said Doherty and Moldaver, both in their early sixties, have worked closely on many rulings. Last year, for instance, together with Justice Eleanore Cronk, they overturned a lower court’s sentence for terrorist Momin Khawaja, increasing his 10½-year sentence to life in prison, and writing that terrorism “must be dealt with in the severest of terms.” Moldaver’s edge over Doherty might have less to do with their rulings than demeanor. One lawyer who has closely watched both judges described Moldaver as “everybody’s friend, a very collegial and approachable guy,” and Doherty as “very intense and private.” Stuart said Doherty’s “reputation for being a bit grumpy” might have weighed against him. On the other hand, Doherty reportedly has an irreverent sense of humour—he once named a basset hound after the late Bertha Wilson, the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court. Veteran court watchers cautioned against trying to sort out the many intangibles that go into the complex appointment process. The federal government first consulted with provincial officials, judges, and prominent lawyers, creating a long list of candidates. Then a panel of five MPs whittled that down to a short list of six, from which the justice minister and, ultimately, the Prime Minister, chose. Factors well beyond legal expertise and judgement come into play. Karakatsanis brings senior law and bureaucratic experience, but is also a woman who speaks French (along with English and Greek), coming to a court sensitive about both gender balance and bilingualism. She served as a senior Ontario official when Mike Harris was premier, and is well regarded by Harris Conservatives now serving in Harper’s government. Moldaver may have impressed some Conservatives by complaining publicly about defence lawyers clogging up the courts by raising baseless Charter of Rights and Freedoms arguments in criminal cases. Of course, none of the decision makers, up to and including Harper, will reveal how much any of this weighed in their choices. In any case, University of Ottawa law professor Constance Backhouse says trying to guess how a judge will perform on the top court is an “exercise in futility.” At that level, judges’ ideological inclinations are notoriously hard to read, and their talents sometimes blossom late. Allowing for that unpredictability, she said Moldaver and Karakatsanis are “both fine appointments.” For fans of Doherty, watching what emerges from the court Harper is remaking must be tinged with a sense of what might have been.The Echo Nest uses a database of more than 30m songs to provide music recommendation, audio fingerprinting, and other services Music streaming service Spotify has announced that it will acquire The Echo Nest, a Massachusetts-based music data firm, for an undisclosed sum. The Echo Nest’s core product is a database of the characteristics of 30m songs, put together automatically through a mixture of techniques. As well as music fingerprinting – recognising and naming songs by listening to them – the information the company holds can be used to do things like music recommendation, playlist generation and data feeds. The company also provides hooks to developers to let them use their in independent applications, while licensing their technology to larger clients including MTV and the BBC. Its music hack days have resulted in the creation of a number of popular services, from Paul Lamere’s Infinite Jukebox to This Is My Jam, which was spun off as a separate company in 2013. As part of Spotify, The Echo Nest’s technology will be used by the Swedish firm to drive its music discovery features, and help partners build new music experiences. The service will remain free and open for external developers, and Spotify says that the developer community is “crucial to the success of both Spotify and The Echo Nest and will remain a priority for the combined companies”. “We’ve been fans of The Echo Nest for a really long time and honoured to have their talented team join Spotify,” added Daniel Ek, founder and CEO, Spotify. Jim Lucchese, CEO of The Echo Nest, said that “since founding The Echo Nest, Brian Whitman and Tristan Jehan have created a company completely and beautifully obsessed with understanding the world of music to help fans discover more music”. “Joining forces with Spotify gives us the opportunity to continue doing so as part of the fastest-growing service in the world; we’re thrilled to be part of a team equally as passionate about connecting more people with more music,” he continued. Spotify’s acquisition reflects its growing strength in the digital radio market, which is itself increasing rapidly; in the US, digital radio ad spending increased 26.3% in 2013 to reach $1.65bn, according to stats from eMarketer, even while conventional radio ad spending dropped 1.2% in the same year. • Spotify app Guilty Pledgers raises money for charity from cheesy tunesFacebook, Twitter and Google have been accused by lawmakers in the U.K. of allowing racist content and hate speech to spread via their platforms. A parliamentary committee report published Monday alleged that the social media firms have prioritized profit over user safety by continuing to host unlawful content. The report also called for "meaningful fines" if the companies do not quickly improve. "The biggest and richest social media companies are shamefully far from taking sufficient action to tackle illegal and dangerous content," the Home Affairs Committee report said. "Given their immense size, resources and global reach, it is completely irresponsible of them to fail to abide by the law." The report, which was commissioned after lawmaker Jo Cox was murdered by a far right extremist, found "repeated examples" of social media companies failing to remove "dangerous terrorist recruitment material," as well as content that promoted the sexual abuse of children or incited racial hatred. In some case, the items remained on the sites even after being flagged. The report's recommendations are not binding, but they come as social media firms face increased pressure over hate speech in Europe. Related: Facebook, Twitter face fines up to $53 million over hate speech Facebook (FB) policy director Simon Milner agreed "that there is more we can do to disrupt people wanting to spread hate and extremism online." He said the company was working closely with its partners to improve its approach. Twitter (TWTR) executive Nick Pickles said his company had introduced a "range of brand new tools to combat abuse" and hired additional staff. Google (GOOGL), which owns YouTube, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The tech titans all say they adhere to local laws. But the industry has also expressed worries about the dangers of censorship, and how authoritarian regimes may treat the services. The parliamentary committee, however, is unlikely to accept that tech giants are already doing all they can to police hate speech. The report points to the recent example of YouTube, which faced an advertiser exodus in the U.K. after product pitches were found displayed on content including videos from former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke. "We believe it to be a reflection of the laissez-faire approach that many social media companies have taken," the report said. "We note that Google can act quickly to remove videos from YouTube when they are found to infringe copyright rules, but that the same prompt action is not taken when the material involves hateful or illegal content." Related: Big tech firms are too slow to remove hate speech The lawmakers went on to criticize the social platforms for relying on users to report extremist and hateful content. The lack of effective moderation means, for example, that the Metropolitan Police's Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit has to monitor the sites for extremist content. "They are, in effect, outsourcing the vast bulk of their safeguarding responsibilities at zero expense," the report said. Many European countries have strict hate speech laws that make it illegal to deny crimes committed by the Nazis and other despotic governments. In April, the German cabinet approved a plan to start fining social media companies as much as €50 million ($53 million) if they fail to quickly remove posts that breach German law. The European Union also criticized the companies for failing to promptly remove hate speech in December.The Leopard 2 is a main battle tank developed by Krauss-Maffei in the 1970s for the West German Army. The tank first entered service in 1979 and succeeded the earlier Leopard 1 as the main battle tank of the German Army. It is armed with a 120 mm smoothbore cannon, and is powered by a V-12 twin-turbo diesel engine. Various versions have served in the armed forces of Germany and 12 other European countries, as well as several non-European nations, including Canada, Chile, Indonesia, Singapore, and Turkey. The Leopard 2 was used in Kosovo with the German Army, and has seen action in Afghanistan with the Dutch, Danish and Canadian contributions to the International Security Assistance Force, as well as also seeing action in Syria with the Turkish Armed Forces against ISIS and the YPG. There are two main development batches of the tank: the original models up to Leopard 2A4, which have vertically faced turret armour, and the improved batch, namely the Leopard 2A5 and newer versions, which have angled arrow-shaped turret appliqué armour together with other improvements. All models feature digital fire control systems with laser rangefinders, a fully stabilised main gun and coaxial machine gun, and advanced night vision and sighting equipment (first vehicles used a low-light level TV system or LLLTV; thermal imaging was introduced later on). The tank has the ability to engage moving targets while moving over rough terrain. History [ edit ] Development [ edit ] Even as the Leopard 1 was just entering service, the German military was interested in producing an improved tank in the next decade. This resulted in the start of the MBT-70 development in cooperation with the United States beginning in 1963.[6] However already in 1967 it became questionable whether the MBT-70 would enter service at any time in the foreseeable future. Therefore, the German government issued the order to research future upgrade options of the Leopard 1 to the German company Porsche in 1967.[7] This study was named vergoldeter Leopard (Gilded Leopard) and focused on incorporating advanced technology into the Leopard design. The projected upgrades added an autoloader, a coaxial autocannon and an independent commander's periscope.[8] The anti-air machine gun could be operated from inside the vehicle and a TV surveillance camera was mounted on an expendable mast. The shape of the turret and hull was optimised using cast steel armour, while the suspension, transmission and the engine exhaust vents were improved.[9] Prototype development [ edit ] Leopard 2 PT15 with 105 mm smoothbore gun Leopard 2 prototype (1983) The Leopard 2 T14 mod. with the modified turret housing composite armour Following the end of Gilded Leopard study in 1967, the West-German government decided to focus on the Experimentalentwicklung (experimental development) as feasibility study and to develop new components for upgrading the Leopard 1 and for use on a future main battle tank programme.[8] At first 25 million DM were invested, but after the industry came to the conclusion that with such a low budget the development of the two projected testbeds was not possible, a total of 30 to 32 million DM was invested. The experimental development was contracted to the company Krauss-Maffei, but with the obligation to cooperate with Porsche for the development of the chassis and with Wegmann for the development of the turret. Two prototypes with differing components were built with the aim to improve the conception of the Leopard 1 in such a way that it would match the firepower requirements of the MBT-70. A high first-hit probability at ranges of 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) and the ability to accurately engage targets on the move thanks to a computerised fire control system were the main goals of the experimental development. The resulting vehicles were nicknamed Keiler (tusker). Two prototypes (ET 01 and ET 02) of the Keiler were built in 1969 and 1970, both of them being powered by the MB 872 engine.[10] The MBT-70 was a revolutionary design, but after large cost overruns and technological problems, Germany withdrew from the project in 1969. After unsuccessful attempts of saving the MBT-70 by conceptual changes in order to eliminate the biggest issue—the driver being seated in the turret—it became clear in late 1969 that Germany would stop the bi-national development.[9] The assistant secretary of the military procurement division of the German Ministry of Defence suggested reusing as much technologies developed for the MBT-70 as possible in a further programme, which was nicknamed Eber (boar) due to him being named Eberhardt. The Eber used a modified MBT-70 turret and hull, with the driver being seated in the hull. Only a wooden mock-up was made. One year later, a choice was made to continue the development based on the earlier Keiler project of the late 1960s, instead of finishing the development of the Eber. In 1971, the name of the design was determined as Leopard 2 with the original Leopard retroactively becoming the Leopard 1, and Paul-Werner Krapke became the project officer of the Leopard 2 program.[11] Originally two versions were projected: the gun-armed Leopard 2K and the Leopard 2FK, which would be armed with the XM150 gun/launcher weapon of the
said that was “not a fair question.” “So here’s the story, folks. Number one, I am the least anti-Semitic person that you’ve ever seen in your entire life. Number two, racism, the least racist person,” said Mr. Trump, who shouted down the reporter when he attempted to interject. “Quiet, quiet, quiet,” said Mr. Trump. “See, he lied about [that]. He was gonna get up and ask a very straight, simple question. So you know, welcome to the world of the media. But let me just tell you something — that I hate the charge. I find it repulsive.” He also appeared to offend a black reporter who asked about Mr. Trump’s plans to help inner cities and whether he would seek input from the Congressional Black Caucus. “I tell you what, do you want to set up the meeting?” he asked April Ryan, a reporter from American Urban Radio Networks. When Ms. Ryan said no, Mr. Trump asked, “Are they friends of yours?” The exchange was characterized as racist across Twitter and the news reports. In an earlier response to the same reporter, Mr. Trump said that he would soon sign an executive order in support of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. He also pledged to make good on his campaign promise to improve education, reduce crime and expand job opportunities in American’s urban communities. “I was very strong on the inner cities during the campaign,” Mr. Trump said. “I think it’s probably what got me a much higher percentage of the African-American vote than a lot of people thought I was going to get. We did, you know, much higher than people thought I was going to get. And I was honored by that, including the Hispanic vote, which was also much higher.” Mr. Trump did fare slightly better among black and Hispanic voters than 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney. He captured 8 percent of the black vote and 29 percent of the Hispanic vote, compared to Mr. Romney’s 6 percent and 27 percent, respectively. Copyright © 2019 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.In this year’s Republican Senate primaries, the establishment went full nuclear on grassroots candidates and the voters that supported them, burning bridges with committed activists and engaging in shameful Democrat tactics to slander TEA Party candidates along with anyone who worked with them or for them. The ostensible reason for this absurd, scorched-earth campaign was the stated belief that TEA Party campaigns had cost Republicans possible victories, and with a Republican Senate majority in sight, we could not afford to throw away winnable seats. In the first place, this narrative has always been factually spurious. Todd Akin and Sharron Angle were not TEA Party candidates in any meaningful sense, although their mistakes have been pinned on the TEA Party by an overeager establishment. Christine O’Donnell and Richard Mourdock were, and their missteps were no doubt costly. But their records and campaigns were no more damaging or embarrassing than unquestioned establishment candidates who lost seats in red states that we still haven’t won back, like Ted Stevens (whose seat we are having to fight tooth and nail to reclaim this year), Conrad Burns (whose seat we still haven’t won back), George Allen (ditto), Denny Rehberg, Connie Mack (lost an embarrassing landslide in a winnable race in Florida), and on and on. Here we are again, this time with two candidates the Establishment backed heavily against TEA Party challengers, running campaigns in deep red states in what appears to be a potential wave election for the GOP. And both Pat Roberts and David Perdue are in deep trouble, forcing the Republicans to spend a ton of money and energy to save their flagging campaigns, when this money could be spent elsewhere on the offensive: The GOP’s political machine is kicking into overdrive to save a Senate seat in Kansas that’s suddenly complicating its path to the majority. With polls showing Sen. Pat Roberts in serious trouble against independent Greg Orman, top Senate Republicans, including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, are leaning on big-ticket donors to fill the long-time Kansas senator’s campaign coffers. Sens. Rand Paul of Kentucky and John McCain of Arizona are planning to barnstorm the state on Roberts’ behalf. And in a bid to boost the senator’s sagging poll numbers, the Roberts campaign is planning an ad blitz to cast his long record and seniority in Washington in a more positive light. Likewise David Perdue appears to be unable to shake the walking target-rich environment that is Michelle Nunn in the polls, which is going to force a ton of spending on this race before it is all over. The establishment likes to point out that TEA Party candidates can be bad and unprepared candidates who make missteps in the general election. This I guess is true but the evidence does not suggest that they are any more so than establishment candidates – who have a long and storied history of their own missteps. This is especially true in this era, when voter disgust with politicians who are out of touch and who pander to lobbyists are at an all-time high; the “seasoned politicians” may well be categorically more vulnerable electorally than the fresh faces of the TEA Party. But the sad thing about this is, even if both Roberts and Perdue lose, expect the establishment to learn nothing from the experience. Despite a lengthy history of long-term incumbent Republicans getting tossed out on their ears in red state general elections due to corruption and disconnection from their home state, they will still insist loudly and publicly that the safest path to more Republican seats is to continue electing the seasoned guy and the incumbent. It’s up to voters and donors to stop buying this obviously false argument.Abstract In the interwar period there was a significant school of thought that repudiated Einstein's theory of relativity on the grounds that it contained elementary inconsistencies. Some of these critics held extreme right-wing and anti-Semitic views, and this has tended to discredit their technical objections to relativity as being scientifically shallow. This paper investigates an alternative possibility: that the critics were right and that the success of Einstein's theory in overcoming them was due to its strengths as an ideology rather than as a science. The clock paradox illustrates how relativity theory does indeed contain inconsistencies that make it scientifically problematic. These same inconsistencies, however, make the theory ideologically powerful. The implications of this argument are examined with respect to Thomas Kuhn and Karl Popper's accounts of the philosophy of science.Sasquatch Music Festival announced its 2012 lineup tonight at a live event in Seattle and we are pleased to share the acts that will be featured at the annual event, taking place from May 25th-28th at The Gorge in George, Washington. Check it out below as it breaks: Jack White Beck Bon Iver Tenacious D The Shins Silversun Pickups Feist Portlandia The Tour Girl Talk Mogwai St. Vincent Beirut Metric Nero Wild Flag Spiritualized Kurt Vile Zola Jesus Purity Ring Electric Guest Poor Moon Explosions in the Sky Allen Stone Childish Gambino Yellow Ostrich Tune-Yards Shabazz Palaces Thee Satisfaction Pretty Lights The Roots The Head And The Heart M. Ward John C. Reilly + Friends The Civil Wars The Joy Formidable Little Dragon Blind Pilot Wolfgang Gartner Apparat The Walkmen Mark Lanagen Band Clap Your Hands Say Yeah The Cave Singers Active Child Here We Go Magic Trampled By Turtles fun. Grouplove Jamey Johnson Tycho SBTRCT The War On Drugs Cass McCombs Dum Dum Girls Blitzen Trapper Deer Tick Beats Antique Ted Leo & The Pharmacists Ben Howard ARAABMUZIK Star Slinger LA Riots Com Truise Unknown Mortal Orchestra I Break Horses Dry The River Shearwater Alabama Shakes Howlin’ Rain Lord Huron Craft Spells Gold Leaves Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires Walk The Moon Allen Stone Pickwick Hey Marseilles Gary Clark Jr. Nobody Beats The Drum Coeur De Pirate Sallie Ford & The Sound Outside Beat Connection The Sheepdogs Hey Rosetta! Said The Whale Howlin Rain Gardens & Villa Felix Cartal Vintage Trouble Black Whales Greylag Awesome Tapes From Africa Dyme Def Fresh Espresso The Physics Sol Metal Chocolates Grynch Spac3man Don’t Talk To The Cops Scribes Fatal Lucciauno Fly Moon Royalty Katie Kate Tickets go for $315 plus charges, and you can get them here along with further information on the festival.Xdebug is a powerful, open source debugging/profiling tool for PHP. It's packaged as a PHP extension and can be incredibly helpful when fine-tuning your PHP application. Xdebug has many configurable options available that are handy for configuring Xdebug to your specific needs or integrating it with an IDE like PHPStorm. Using custom Xdebug configs in a Nanobox environment is simple, but does requires a little setup. Include Xdebug in Your Project The PHP Engine lets you specify what Zend extensions to include in your project with the zend_extensions config in your boxfile.yml, the file used to define and configure your app's environment. For performance reasons, I recommend including Xdebug only in your local dev environment, which is done using the dev_zend_extensions > add config in your boxfile.yml : run.config: engine: php engine.config: dev_zend_extensions: add: - xdebug Create a Custom xdebug.ini To define non-default Xdebug settings, include a custom xdebug.ini in your project. Note: You only need to include the settings you want to modify in the xdebug.ini. xdebug.remote_enable=1 xdebug.remote_host=123.45.67.89 xdebug.remote_port=9000 xdebug.remote_handler=dbgp Include Your Custom xdebug.ini in the Build Process When you run nanobox run, Nanobox will build and prepare your app's runtime. You can include extra_steps in your boxfile.yml to run custom commands during the build process. Use an extra step to copy your custom xdebug.ini into /data/etc/php.dev.d, the directory where development runtime configs are stored by the PHP engine. run.config: #... extra_steps: - cp xdebug.ini /data/etc/php.dev.d/xdebug.ini Everything for Xdebug in the boxfile.yml With everything for Xdebug included, this is what your boxfile.yml will look like: run.config: engine: php engine.config: dev_zend_extensions: add: - xdebug extra_steps: - cp xdebug.ini /data/etc/php.dev.d/xdebug.ini That's It! With your custom xdebug.ini in place and everything in your boxfile.yml, start up your dev environment and your custom Xdebug configuration will be used.A Nonlinear Certainty Equivalent Approximation Method for Dynamic Stochastic Problems NBER Working Paper No. 21590 Issued in September 2015 NBER Program(s):Technical Working Papers This paper introduces a nonlinear certainty equivalent approximation method for dynamic stochastic problems. We first use a novel, stable and efficient method for computing the optimal policy functions for deterministic dynamic optimization problems, and then use them as certainty-equivalent approximations for the stochastic versions. Our examples demonstrate that it can be applied to solve high-dimensional problems with up to four hundred state variables with an acceptable accuracy. This method can also be applied to solve problems with inequality constraints that occasionally bind. These features make the nonlinear certainty equivalent approximation method suitable for solving complex economic problems, where other algorithms, such as log-linearization, fail or are far less tractable. Acknowledgments Machine-readable bibliographic record - MARC, RIS, BibTeX Document Object Identifier (DOI): 10.3386/w21590 Published: Yongyang Cai & Kenneth Judd & Jevgenijs Steinbuks, 2017. "A nonlinear certainty equivalent approximation method for dynamic stochastic problems," Quantitative Economics, vol 8(1), pages 117-147. citation courtesy of Users who downloaded this paper also downloaded* these:Here’s an idea inspired by a trip to a merry-go-round: who’s to say that all the steeds sold by the local ostler are horses? I’m not talking about high-level mounts like griffins and dragons. Maybe 1 out of every, say, 20 riding horses are actually riding goats, rabbits, or the like. The roadways and even the royal cavalry are brightened by the occasional fantastical mount. It makes the D&D world a little more fairy-tale, and what’s wrong with that? There are basically three classes of steed in D&D: riding mounts, war mounts, and exotic mounts (griffins, dragons, pegasus, etc). The last category is already handled adequately by D&D rules. Here are more options for the first two, within the budget of low-level adventurers. Each beast comes with a few variations: alternate animals with the same stats. UNUSUAL RIDING STEEDS 1 in 20 of every riding horse for sale is actually an unusual riding steed. Roll d12 to determine the type. Unless specified, riding steeds never engage in combat. Price: The same price as a riding horse or pony. 1: Riding rabbit. Travels in a series of jarring hops, up to 10 feet high and 30 feet long. Unskilled riders with a Dexterity score of less than 12 will fall off (double normal damage) after 1-6 minutes of travel. (The rabbit salesman probably didn’t mention this.) Variations with the same stats: grasshopper, flea, frog. 2: Riding stag. Will only deign to bear riders of elf size or smaller, and can carry half as much weight as a riding horse. Makes a charge attack that does 1d10 damage. All other combat will be left to the rider. (10% of riding stags are intelligent and speak elven, although the human salesman doesn’t know it.) Variations: ram, goat, antelope. 3. Riding butterfly. Hovers between 3 and 5 feet off the ground. Flits randomly in any direction, making general headway in the direction the rider wants to go at 2/3 the speed of a riding horse. Its unpredictability adds a +2 bonus to its rider’s AC. Must be pastured on flowery fields instead of grasslands. Variations: bumblebee, hummingbird, moth. 4. Riding palanquin. A floating covered litter that requires no servants to carry it. It flies 3 feet off the ground, carries half the weight of a riding horse, and moves at half the speed. It requires no food or rest, so it can travel as long as its rider extends the occasional pallid hand to point listlessly in the desired direction. Hit point damage must be repaired by a carpenter at 10 GP per HP. Variations: floral throne, broom, hobby horse, blowfish hot air balloon. 5. Riding mole. It can only gallop at 2/3 normal riding horse speed, but it can also dig through earth at 1/10 riding horse speed (alas, not while being ridden). Doesn’t mind dungeons and other confined spaces. Variations: earthworm, gopher. 6. Riding ostrich. If it or its rider are attacked in melee, it will respond with a kick or peck, for 2d6, and then run away until the attacker is no longer in sight. Every turn, the rider can try a Dex or Riding check to bring the mount back under control. Variations: kangaroo, flamingo, chicken, peacock, chocobo. 7. Riding bronto. Huge, peaceful herbivore that moves at 1/3 the speed of a riding horse and can carry up to 4x passengers/cargo. Variations: blue ox, turtle. 8. Riding pigeon. Can fly up to 100 feet high unencumbered, or 15 feet high with 100-200 pounds of weight. Variations: other non-raptor bird, bat. 9. Riding squirrel. Can climb at up to half its speed, and can jump up to 15 feet over gaps between branches or buildings. If it sees or hears combat, it will try to climb and escape/hide. Every turn, the rider can try a Dex or Riding check to bring the mount back under control. Variations: spider monkey, jumping gecko. 10. Riding mouse. Doesn’t mind entering dungeons and other confined spaces, but fears open fields. Variations: Rat, fox, shrew, chipmunk. 11: Clockwork mount. Roll d20 on this table to determine the type: any result above 10 means it’s a clockwork horse. Has the qualities of the original animal but does not require food or rest, and damage must be repaired in a forge at a price of 10 GP per HP. 12: Exotic mule. Roll a d10 twice on this table and combine both animals (or variations thereof) into a hybrid, with the qualities of both animals. UNUSUAL WAR STEEDS 1 in 20 of every warhorse for sale is actually an unusual war steed. Roll d12 to determine the type. Unless otherwise specified, these animals have the stats of a heavy warhorse and do claw/claw/bite damage equal to the heavy war horse’s hoof/hoof/bite. Price: twice the price of a heavy warhorse. 1: War wolf. If a war wolf bites a target, and the unmodified attack roll is greater than the target’s Strength score, the wolf pulls the target prone. 5% of these animals talk, but they only say depressing, cynical, or creepy things. Variations: hyena, hound, weasel, badger. 2: War lion. It fights like a heavy warhorse with +1d6 hit dice. For each additional hit die, its price is increased by the cost of a heavy warhorse and the damage of its bite attack increases by +1. Variations: tiger or other great cat 3: War boar. These black pigs often serve witches in black masses. Attack: charge attack that does 2d10 damage, or a gore that does 1d12 damage. Variations: ox, elk, bull, rhino 4: War ogre. An ordinary, poorly trained ogre fitted with a saddle. Has the stats of an ogre instead of a heavy warhorse. If it’s subject to any temptation (hit by a new enemy, in sight of meat, etc) it must make a Will/Wisdom check or go out of control. Its rider may force it to ignore that particular temptation by striking the ogre with a whip or other weapon (automatic hit, normal weapon damage). Variations: baboon, bear. 5: War zebracorn. Two-horned zebra, familiar to many from World of Warcraft, but originally appearing (as far as I know) in a Gardner F. Fox pulp novel. The poor man’s unicorn. Fights as a heavy warhorse except on the charge, where it does 2d10 damage. Variations: giraffecorn, roostercorn, al-miraj. 6. War frog. A brightly colored poison-dart frog that runs on its back legs. The touch of its skin forces a poison/fort save/Con check or the subject takes 1d6 extra damage. A target may only take this damage once per round, even if hit by multiple attacks. The rider must be heavily clothed and gloved to avoid this poison. The rider may wipe his or her weapons or arrows on the frog’s skin to poison them. Variations: Hovering jellyfish (also called war flumph), hovering electric eel (does electricity damage). 7. War wasp. Hovers between 3 and 5 feet off the ground. Makes a single attack for 1d4 damage. On a hit, the target makes a poison/fort save/Con check or takes 1d12 extra damage. The rider should accept that anyone riding a war wasp is probably not one of the good guys. Variations: robber fly, mosquito, also not the good guys. 8. War Beetle. Thick armor gives it a +2 AC. It makes a single pincer attack that does 2d6 damage. On a hit, it can grasp its target and do an automatic 1d6 damage every turn until the target escapes. Variations: ant, beetle, crab, scorpion (a scorpion has a second attack, the same as that of a war wasp, and costs twice as much as other unusual war mounts). 9. War centipede: Makes a single bite attack, which does 1d4 damage. On a hit, the target makes a poison/fort save/Con check or takes 1d6 extra damage. The centipede can carry up to 4 riders. Variation: War cobra. 10. War Wolverine. In addition to its normal attacks, it can release a foul-smelling cloud, straight behind it in a 30-foot-diameter sphere. Anyone in the sphere is stinky for 1 hour. Stinky creatures, and anyone next to them, make all attacks at -1 unless their Constitution is 15 or higher. Variation: polecat, skunk. 11. Flamingo Woman. This sentient tribeswoman has the lower half of a flamingo and the upper half of a woman. She’s not for sale; she hires herself out as a steed/mercenary or steed/guide. Variations: centaur, or roll d10 on this chart to determine the lower half of the animal. 12. Exotic War Mule. Roll d10 on this table twice and combine both animals (or variations thereof) into a hybrid, with some or all of the special qualities of both animals. If it has all the qualities of both, its cost is doubled. Lots of horses rule: You’re not going to roll d20 for every horse in a mass cavalry charge. Make the following nonmathematical assumptions: For every 20 steeds, exactly 1 is unusual. Furthermore, for groups of less than 20, if you roll the # of steeds or less on a d20, exactly one is unusual. For instance, for five horses, you’ll have one unusual steed if you roll 1-5 on a d20.Los Angeles Police Department detectives found materials that could have been used to set fires inside the minivan of a "person of interest" detained for questioning in the recent string of L.A. arson fires, law enforcement sources told The Times. The sources did not reveal details but said detectives confiscated “evidence and materials” that suggest the individual had the ability to ignite some or all of the blazes. Little is known about the man. Sources said the the minivan had Canadian license plates but that detectives believe the man might originally be from Germany. PHOTOS: Arson fires The man was detained near a drugstore at the corner of Fairfax Avenue and Sunset Boulevard early Monday morning, according to a witness to the incident. Several sources said the man is believed to be the same person seen in a surveillance video released by police Sunday. However, in a statement, a Los Angeles fire official stressed “it is too early to speculate if this person is responsible for the spree of arson fires.”I must be a genocidal maniac for having murdered so many video game characters. I must also be a racecar expert, and a canny businessman, and an expert marksman, a seasoned space traveller and terrestrial archaeologist, and an athelete extraordinaire, with superpowers of all stripes, and an endless series of chances at getting things just exactly right in my life. I will say this for Pat: he’s right that playing video games cut me off from God. I have previously told you that my childhood was steeped in video games, and that one of the major video games was Final Fantasy, which included a number of mythological figures treated in the same category as mythological figures from the Bible. That was formative for me. I realized that they were in fact the same category, and it helped me free myself from the shackles of belief in a non-existent supernatural entity. If video games helped loose me from those bonds, I feel as though it is my duty on this planet to create video games and loose others from those bonds. Though, I am keenly aware that my experience is unlikely to be anything like universal, I do have to admit that I do have a pull toward creating games. I don’t have anything like the time it would take, or financial freedom to quit my day job, though. What would you folks like to see in a video game that could theoretically help kids deconvert? Like this: Like Loading...State-controlled Permanent TSB is facing fines of up to €20 million from the Central Bank and compensation payments to customers of more than €35 million following a “serious failure” in how it managed interest rates on 1,372 mortgage accounts. Some 1,152, are accounts of PTSB with the remaining 220 held by Springboard, a former subsidiary of the bank. The failures were described by the Central Bank as “serious” and include mortgage overpayments, mortgage arrears, legal proceedings and a loss of properties in 61 cases. In 22 of these cases, the bank has concluded this loss would not otherwise have happened. The issues involve PTSB’s failure to inform certain customers of the consequences of breaking early from a fixed- rate or discounted tracker period. The consequences of breaking early were that customers lost their contractual right to be offered a tracker rate in the future. Instead they were put on standard variable rates, which proved more expensive. Irish Times Business podcast The Central Bank also found PTSB had failed to inform some other customers of their right to be offered a tracker at the end of their fixed-rate period. In the case of Springboard, it was a failure to apply the correct interest rates to mortgage accounts. These incidents occurred mostly between 2006 and 2011. “We apologise unreservedly to all the impacted customers,” PTSB’s chief executive Jeremy Masding said yesterday. The bank has set up a mortgage redress programme that will offer compensation to customers for any overcharging, and the offer, going forward, of the tracker rates that should have applied previously. The bank is offering €50,000 compensation for those who lost their homes and €25,000 for buy-to-let investment properties. It is also offering to write off the balance of debt owed on these loans. PTSB, which is 75 per cent owned by the State, has also set up two panels, with some independent members, to consider appeals to offers made to customers. PTSB and Springboard will contact affected customers by letter over the next two weeks to set out the details of its redress programme. The Central Bank has also required that a reduced interest rate be applied to all impacted customers accounts as an interim measure.Before we get started, you’ll have to forgive my relative enthusiasm regarding the following information. You see, not only is there some exciting news to share about the soon-to-be-open Wrigley Field plaza (now a.k.a. the Park at Wrigley), but there has been a distinct lack of news for many months. What was once a weekly update on the new rules, debates, plans, and more rules quickly and unexpectedly disappeared into the background of the conversation. But given how much I like the idea of the Park at Wrigley (and the many events and fun to be had there) and how close I live to it (less than half a mile), I’m pretty hyped up for the many updates and reveals. To start, how about a nice updated rendering of what the Park at Wrigley is going to look like when it opens up on April 10 (the night of the Cubs home opener!): Indeed, earlier today, the Cubs released the details surrounding the Park, including – most notably – the public launching of its very own website. There you can check out the upcoming non-game events, the first of which being a Craft and Cuisine session wherein you can enjoy more than 40 different beer and wine tastings, live music, food, and chef demonstrations. According to Ariel Cheung at DNAinfo, Cafe Tola, Crosby’s Kitchen, Girl and the Goat, Honey Butter Fried Chicken, and several other Chicago restaurants are scheduled to make an appearance. If you are at all familiar with Chicago cuisine (especially around the Southport Corridor) you’ll know that lineup is the equivalent of starting off a game with Kyle Schwarber, Kris Bryant, and Anthony Rizzo 1, 2, and 3. Sadly, although the Park will be open on game days, it is – as of now – reserved for ticket holders. In other words, if you don’t have a ticket to that day’s game, you won’t be allowed on the plaza – which, whatever. It’s something we’ve discussed ad nausea, something the Cubs have fought vehemently, and something the city pretends is something we don’t all want. There’s a chance that at some point, when some of these rules are revisited, things can change. But back to the good news. The Music Box Theater – a local, old movie theater (one of my absolute all-time favorite spots in Chicago) – is sponsoring the Music Box Theater Movies at the Park. And, as I’m sure you can imagine, their summer lineup is home run (I’m so excited I don’t even care how cheesy that line was): June 14: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off Ferris Bueller’s Day Off June 28: The Jungle Book The Jungle Book July 12: Rookie of the Year Rookie of the Year July 26: Ghostbusters Ghostbusters August 9: The Sandlot Those are fantastic selections, in my opinion, and you can just about bet that I’ll be at every one of them. (Even though I’ve already seen – and ranked! – the baseball movies in there.) Also at the new site, you can virtually explore the plaza and surrounding area itself. Among the many locations, you can read more about: The Cubs Store Jostens Jewelry Store at the Park Trophy Room at the Park (Presented by Motorola) New Eats at the Park (not open yet, but coming soon) Starbucks (because, hey, it’s still America) More And across the street at the (still in development) Hotel Zachary there’s even MORE good news for foodies. There will be both a Big Star and a Smoke Daddy location right across from Wrigley Field. Again, the Chicago foodies would gladly endorse both of those restaurants as must-visits. I seriously cannot wait. So head over to DNA Info to read more about the plaza, and then go to the site yourself and browse around. There’s plenty to do and see, and it looks as good as advertised. Oh, and post-game highlights will be shared on the video board at the Park after every game. At least that will be something freely accessible by all.Ten years ago, life was still hard for the women of Ijuhanyondo village in Tanzania. "Women were very behind. They used to be only at home doing housework," a resident named Baruani told a World Bank researcher this year. But much has changed in the intervening decade. Many Ijuhanyondo women now run their own business and have cash for themselves. In the old days men did not allow women to participate in politics; now females make up half the members of the street committee that runs the village. Things are far from perfect – most Ijuhanyondo homes do not have piped-in water. Men still get drunk and beat their wives. Parents still favor sons when it comes to passing along family possessions. Overall, though, said a villager named Agnetha, "we do not depend on men as it used to be." As goes Ijuhanyondo, perhaps so goes the evolution of gender equality across the world. Things have changed for the better, particularly in developing nations, at a pace that would have been unthinkable as recently as the 1970s, according to a 2012 World Bank report on the subject. "In four major areas – women's rights, education, health, and labor force outcomes – the gains in the second half of the 20th century were large and fast in many parts of the world," says the World Bank's "Gender Equality and Development" report. Consider the gains made on formal rights and constitutional guarantees of equality. In 2003, the African Union adopted a protocol on women's rights, dubbed the "Maputo Protocol." Of the 53 African nations, 46 have now signed this protocol, which asserts women's rights to political participation and social equality, among other things. Thirty signees have ratified it. In 1994 all Latin American nations signed an Organization of American States convention on the prevention of violence against women. Since then, 28 of these countries have passed their own laws establishing punishments for domestic abuse. Today, Saudi Arabia remains the only nation that formally restricts women's right to vote. The Philippines has made sweeping legislative changes recognizing women's rights across a wide spectrum of law. Morocco overhauled its family code in 2004 to better recognize equality between the genders. In education, the world has just about reached gender parity in primary school enrollment, according to the World Bank. Even those regions that lag in this area are making progress – in sub-Saharan Africa, the girl-boy ratio in primary school was 91 to 100 in 2008, up from 85 to 100 in 1999. In secondary schools, girls outnumber boys in roughly one-third of developing nations. At the university level, more women than men are enrolled worldwide. "This increase in female enrollment is consistent with an increasing demand for 'brain' rather than 'brawn' jobs in a globalizing world," notes the World Bank gender report. As for health, the life expectancy for women has risen from 54 in 1960 to 71 in 2008. That's slightly more than it has gone up for men. Recent decades have also seen the fastest-ever decline in fertility, from 5 births per woman in 1960 to about 2.5 in 1980. This allows families to concentrate resources on fewer kids and gives women more opportunity to enter the workforce. Indeed, the gender gap in labor force participation has steadily narrowed. Between 1980 and 2008, the percentage of women working outside the home has risen from 50.2 to 51.8. The corresponding figure for men has fallen, from 82 percent to 77 percent. Of course, there's still a long way to go in regard to gender equality. Worldwide, women still spend much more time on domestic work than men. They make less money than men for doing equivalent work. And in some nations, such as India and China, there is the problem of what the World Bank calls "girls missing at birth," a decline in female infants caused by parental preference for boys, the advent of gender-determining pre-natal medical tests, and access to abortion.BALDWIN (KDKA) — A woman in Baldwin is upset over a 25-foot lighted cross her neighbor put up on Robbins Street. Carl Behr has two lighted crosses on his property, one on the roof of his house, and a larger one facing his neighbor’s property. “I put this one up on Super Bowl Sunday. It’s a measurement of my faith,” said Behr. “The way the world’s coming with all these atheists, it makes me sick to my stomach,” Behr said. “If I can turn one soul towards the Lord with my sign, it was well worth all my efforts.” But his neighbor Lisa Fera says, “This is not a religion thing. It’s not about me being against the cross, or religion, or God, because I have a lot of faith in God. It’s more about trying to keep community – the value of your community up.” KDKA’s David Highfield reports: She says the light streams in her windows at night. She claims Behr is running a contracting business out of his home and she thinks the cross is a way of getting back at her for complaining about it. “I shouldn’t have to come home and see a dump truck and bobcats and see heavy equipment,” said Fera. “Every cross that went up came as a direct result of conflict that we had.” Behr says that’s not true, and that it is about his faith. Police have asked Baldwin’s code enforcement officer to look into this situation. Police actually showed up the other night at 12:30 a.m. to ask Behr to turn the lights off, which he did. He says he now turns them off at a more reasonable hour. The lights were off Thursday morning. KDKA’s Lynne Hayes-Freeland reports:While most of the free world praised the United States for having rid it of arch-terrorist Bin Laden, the Hamas organization - which has recently all but merged with Fatah, headed by Mahmoud Abbas - condemned the act. Similarly, Arabs in the village of Silwan, adjacent to the City of David neighborhood in Jerusalem, rioted Monday night in protest over the elimination of Osama Bin Laden. The rioters threw stones at police and attempted to block roads. The Gaza-based website Al Qassam reports that Gaza leader Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the local Hamas chapter that runs Gaza, told reporters on Monday that Bin Laden was an "Arab holy warrior." Meeting with journalists in his office in Gaza City, Haniyeh said, "If this news [of Bin Laden's killing] is true, then this means that it is part of the American policy based on the oppression and bloodshed in the Muslim and Arab world." Haniyeh expressed his strong condemnation for the killing or assassination of Bin Laden, whom he referred to as "Mujahed" - someone in engaged in jihad, holy war against infidels. He said he was praying for mercy for Bin Laden. Hamas reached a "reconciliation" agreement with Fatah last week, calling for the formation of a joint interim government in the coming days, and preparations for elections a year from now throughout Judea, Samaria and Gaza. The agreement was hailed by most left-wing and anti-Israel organizations, but even President Shimon Peres, a strong supporter of a two-state solution and the Oslo process, said, "Israel would like to see the Palestinian people become united for peace - [but] this is not an agreement, this is a split.
kelund U Wareham NJ Reliability and validity of the combined heart rate and movement sensor Actiheart, Eur J Clin Nutr, 2005, vol. 59 (pg. 561 - 70 ), vol.(pg. 130 Sesso HD Invited commentary: a challenge for physical activity epidemiology, Am J Epidemiol, 2007, vol. 165 (pg. 1351 - 53 ), vol.(pg. 131 IPAQ Research Committee, Guidelines for data processing and analysis of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) – short and long forms Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association © The Author 2011; all rights reserved.National Australia Bank announces $6.3b profit, says higher revenue boosted full-year result Updated National Australia Bank says more income from lending and investments, stronger markets, and fewer bad debts helped it post a rise in annual earnings. After-tax profit for the 2015 financial year came in at $6.3 billion, up by nearly 20 per cent from a year ago. Key points: NAB announces $6.3b profit after tax, up 20pc from last year Cash earnings increased by $5.8b Bank plans to sell 80pc of life insurance business and loss-making Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank Comes week after mortgage rate rise The bank's preferred measure, cash earnings, increased nearly 16 per cent to $5.8 billion, worse than the $6.3 billion predicted by analysts. The figure was lower than expected because of provisions made to cover compensation it had to pay for mis-selling payment protection insurance and interest rate products in the UK. But Group net interest margin, the difference between the interest rates the bank pays to borrow money compared to the lending rates it charges, fell four basis points, mainly because of the competitive business loans market. As part of an effort to boost its capital reserves, NAB will sell 80 per cent of its life insurance business to Japanese insurer Nippon Life Insurance Company for $2.4 billion. It will also hive off its loss-making Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank operations in the United Kingdom in February next year and float the demerged business. Australia's banking regulator, the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, has told banks to raise the amount of capital they put aside to cover potential losses on their mortgage books. NAB chief executive Andrew Thorburn told analysts at a briefing on the results this morning it had been a difficult year. "The backdrop for 2015 has been a challenging one," Mr Thorburn said. "Challenging because we set a demanding schedule which we've executed on. And because the environment has been full of change. "Relatively low economic growth, extensive regulatory changes, fierce competition, traditional risks and some new ones, and a range of reputational challenges." Bank sold new shares to increase capital buffer NAB raised $5.5 billion in May by selling new shares to investors to increase its capital buffer. It said its capital reserves, the Common Equity Tier 1 ratio, now stood at 10.2 per cent at the end of September, up 137 basis points from March 2015 because of the capital raising and the planned UK demerger. Last week it raised mortgage interest rates by 17 basis points to 5.6 per cent for owner-occupiers to boost its capital buffer. NAB said expenses fell by around 1 per cent. The bank took a charge of $832 million on bad and doubtful debts, down approximately 5 per cent from a year ago. The charge includes provisions for loans to the local resources and agriculture industries and an rise in provisions for loans to the New Zealand industry. Investors will get a final dividend payout of 99 cents a share, fully franked, unchanged from a year ago. NAB shares fell nearly 1 per cent or $0.33 in early trade on the local share market to $32.08. The other big banks also lost ground. Topics: banking, consumer-finance, australia First postedPotentially good news and certainly terrible news on the NHL concussion front. Let's get the nasty stuff out of the way: Joe Haggerty of CSNNE.com has heard from a source that Nathan Horton, the Boston Bruins' playoff hero/inspiration during their run to the Stanley Cup, likely has played his last game of the 2011-12 season. From Haggs: Scroll to continue with content Ad A source close to the right winger told CSNNE.com that there have been no extensive organizational conversations about shutting down Horton as of yet, but the B's concussed power forward "[won't be returning] anytime soon." With six games left in the regular season after Tuesday night's tilt against the Tampa Bay Lightning, not much time is left for Horton attempt a comeback. And it doesn't appear he will be attempting that comeback soon."[They] haven't had those discussions yet, but it's not too difficult to figure it out," the source said when asked if the B's have reached a point where it makes sense to shut down Horton for the year. Horton suffered what was termed a "mild" concussion in a Jan. 22 game against the Philadelphia Flyers, on a Tom Sestito hit. He started skating again in early February, but was shut down after suffered concussion-related symptoms. He hasn't been back on the ice since then. Last postseason, Horton's first in seven NHL seasons, he had 17 points in 21 games and three game-winning goals, before Aaron Rome of the Vancouver Canucks knocked him out of Game 3 in Boston with a hit to the head that cost the Vancouver defenseman four Finals games. The hit changed the tenor and tone of the series, and Horton became an inspiring figure for the Bruins, traveling with them to Game 7. Needless to say, repeating as Cup champions just got a hell of a lot harder if Haggerty's source is on point. Story continues Meanwhile, Washington Capitals GM George McPhee told the media before their game against the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday night that center Nicklas Backstrom, out since a Jan. 3 elbow from Rene Bourque (who was suspended five games), has passed another baseline test and it's up to Backstrom when he returns to the ice. "Making sure he's in good shape and he's comfortable. It's his decision," said McPhee. "I would've liked him in the lineup 50 games ago. Obviously he's a terrific player, but it's got to be his decision. We're not going to put any pressure on him to play. He's got to be comfortable. We're not going to put this kid at risk by telling him we need him to play, etc. He's a grown-up and he knows how he feels, and he'll make the decision as to whether he plays or not."After reviewing the evidence, we can pretty confidently say that Batman is the superhero who holds the record for "accidentally" crushing the most folks to death in junkyards, an oddly specific scenario that so far has taken the lives of three Gotham City residents (that we know of). The first instance comes in Batman No. 425 from 1988, where the Caped Crusader fights a pissed-off drug dealer seeking revenge after Robin intentionally dropped his brother off a rooftop (we wonder where he learned that trick). After thoroughly lecturing Robin about the sanctity of life, Bat-Hypocrite ends up being chased through a junkyard by the drug dealer and somehow toppling a huge pile of unwanted cars on his ass. "Jenga!" Continue Reading Below Advertisement To be fair, the guy did stand there like an idiot while a tower of metal fell on him -- we'd almost believe that Batman didn't really mean to kill him if this was the only time that one of his enemies ended up as bunch of mangled body parts buried under garbage (it isn't). The second and third instances came two years later in Detective Comics No. 613, in which Batman must deal with the escalating violence between garbage disposal companies (yes, Gotham City is so fucked up, even the trash dudes want to kill each other in turf wars). Once again, the climax of the story leads Batman to a junkyard, where he carelessly leaves himself open to a classic wrestling match move. "Your present, that is! Happy birthday! Here's a ch-" Rather than ruin his perfect dentition by taking a chair to the face, Batman kicks his middle-aged attacker and causes him to stumble into another crook, sending them both directly into a conveniently placed garbage grinder.May 2015 fsync Permissions Bug FAQ On May 22, 2015, the PostgreSQL project released a set of updates to all supported versions of PostgreSQL. One of the fixes included in this batch of updates forced fsyncing of all PostgreSQL files on a restart after a crash. This fix was added to prevent certain kinds of data corruption which can occur if a system hosting a database has several failures in a row. Unfortunately, this fix causes issues with some users' PostgreSQL setups due to file permissions issues, which can cause PostgreSQL to refuse to restart after an unexpected shutdown, or when restoring from a binary backup (PITR). This issue is slated to be fixed in the 2015-06-04 Update Release. Who is affected by this bug? Users who: applied the 9.4.2, 9.3.7, 9.2.11, 9.1.16 and/or 9.0.20 PostgreSQL updates have one or more files or directories, or symlinks to one or more files or directories, not owned or writeable by the "postgres" user (or other installation owner) under the postgres data directory (PGDATA). Note that condition 2 is common to SSL-enabled Debian and Ubuntu installations of PostgreSQL 9.1, 9.0, and earlier, but may affect other users as well. Most users on other platforms are not affected, as all files and links under PGDATA are owned by the "postgres" user by default. What are the symptoms? If you experience the bug, PostgreSQL will refuse to restart after a crash, or a restore from binary backup, with an error message similar to the following: * Starting PostgreSQL 9.1 database server * The PostgreSQL server failed to start. Please check the log output: 2015-05-26 03:27:20 UTC [331-1] LOG: database system was interrupted; last known up at 2015-05-21 19:56:58 UTC 2015-05-26 03:27:20 UTC [331-2] FATAL: could not open file "/etc/ssl/certs/ssl-cert-snakeoil.pem": Permission denied 2015-05-26 03:27:20 UTC [330-1] LOG: startup process (PID 331) exited with exit code 1 2015-05-26 03:27:20 UTC [330-2] LOG: aborting startup due to startup process failure For more information, see the original bug report. I've hit this bug and I can't restart Postgres. What do I do? As a temporary workaround, change the permissions on any symlinked files to being writable by the Postgres user. For example, on Ubuntu, with PostgreSQL 9.1, the following should work: WARNING: Make sure these configuration files are symbolic links before executing these commands! If someone has customized the server.crt or server.key file, you can erase them by following these steps. It's a good idea to make a backup of the server.crt and server.key files before removing them. (as root) # go to PGDATA directory cd /var/lib/postgresql/9.1/main ls -l server.crt server.key # confirm both of those files are symbolic links # to files in /etc/ssl before going further # remove symlinks to SSL certs rm server.crt rm server.key # copy the SSL certs to the local directory cp /etc/ssl/certs/ssl-cert-snakeoil.pem server.crt cp /etc/ssl/private/ssl-cert-snakeoil.key server.key # set permissions on ssl certs # and postgres ownership on everything else # just in case chown postgres * chmod 640 server.crt server.key service postgresql start You will need to adapt the above example to your specific circumstances, but that should give you a general idea of what to do. The requirement is that the postgres user must have write access to everything in PGDATA or symlinked from PGDATA. The 9.4.2 and 9.3.7 updates fix a serious bug which causes unrecoverable data loss under some circumstances. As such, the PostgreSQL project considers a temporary workaround involving file permissions to be a less serious risk than the fixed bugs, and recommends applying the updates once you've verified and changed file permissions, if required. Other users who are not at risk for the fsync issue are also recommended to apply the update at the next downtime. Will you be fixing it soon? The PostgreSQL project expects to release another update very soon which addresses the file permissions issue. The expected release date for this update is June 4.Is That a Threat? The Slippery Slope From Disagreement to Harassment alison.leiby Blocked Unblock Follow Following Feb 2, 2016 I am a woman and I am on the Internet. It’s brave. It’s not “eat a burger in public” brave, but it’s still pretty admirable. It shouldn’t be. Last month I wrote a joke on Twitter. That’s not notable because I’ve done it literally fifteen thousand times. I spend all day every day writing jokes on Twitter. I like doing it, and it’s part of my job. What made this tweet different than all my other tweets (and please read that in your best Passover Seder voice), is that in the last few weeks I’ve received hundreds of negative replies from men ranging from from the tame “You’re not funny” comments to the harder to ignore threats suggesting they should rape me with a toothbrush. If you’re wondering what kind of controversial, incendiary joke could possibly elicit so many aggressive responses, here it is: I know — snoozefest. It’s not a particularly exciting joke. It’s not even that original, really (a fact which is upsetting in and of itself). It’s just a joke I thought of and tweeted one night before I went back to falling asleep during a rerun of Shark Tank. Somewhere along the way an account with a large and conservative following retweeted it, an action that flooded my notifications page with people calling me “stupid” or a “moron” or, one of my personal favorites, a “retarded liberal.” Fine. Last Monday evening, however, the replies went from annoying and insulting to violent and threatening. Men were replying to me and taking my joke to a horrific, new place. Some said they wanted to ban me from public places and silence me. Others said they wanted to lock me in their closet when they’re done with me. A few choice gentlemen suggested I, like their gun, have a “rough brush clean my holes.” If you want a tour of how hateful and negative humanity can be about women, just scroll through the replies to my original joke. It’s kind of like the It’s A Small World ride, but instead of different countries you just see different expressions of misogyny. One complete stranger even found me on Facebook and sent an unsolicited message saying, “I hope you lose ALL of your rights. Dirty feminist.” He searched me out on a social media platform that isn’t even where the original joke appears. A group of men harassed a young woman who agreed with my tweet, celebrating each time she blocked one of them. One truly stand-out nightmare found the Twitter handle of my writing partner and harassed her just for being associated with me. I started getting legitimately nervous. Did I really think that any of these guys were actually going to come find me and hurt me? No. Did I double check that my address and phone number aren’t visible on social media? Absolutely. Beyond the violent and grotesque comments were the ones that prove many men feel the need to put a woman in her place and teach her a lesson. The average responder didn’t just call me a dumb bitch and move on. They repeatedly replied to me like a broken record until finally I blocked them. Several men, once blocked, took a screenshot of that action and began spreading that I could not take a joke. I can take a joke. I love taking jokes, that’s why I do comedy. What I can’t take is being called a “worthless cunt” five times by the same person and then admonished for not being “grateful” that another man respected me enough to call me “sweetheart.” I tried not to take any of these new aggressive replies to my joke personally. You just can’t take every angry reaction from a stranger to heart. I have the thick skin of a comic and someone who doesn’t moisturize nearly enough, but I’m still a human being. It wore me down, seeing tweet after tweet tell me that women are objects, that we’re valueless, that we don’t even deserve the care and respect that people give lethal, inanimate objects. Try not internalizing that a bit. Try not letting those words start to get to you. One friend of mine, after I told him what was going on and sent him a few gleaming examples, said to just turn it off for a while, to not look at it. I agree that’s excellent advice most of the time. It’s the old “Doctor, it hurts when I do this”/”Then don’t do that” approach. Don’t look at it and it won’t bother you. Unfortunately, this wasn’t some horrific hate forum I found while spiraling down an Internet k-hole of my own creation. These were pointed, gross comments being sent directly to me. If I wanted to avoid them I had to just log off Twitter all together. And they’d still be there waiting for me whenever I came back. I’ve never understood the inclination to engage with something I don’t like — on social media or otherwise. That’s the beauty of Twitter. If you don’t agree with someone, you can unfollow them. If something upsets you, you can block it. We all have that luxury. If you don’t like the taste of fish, you wouldn’t go to a restaurant, order the trout, and then call the chef a stupid bitch for serving it to you. So why do people do it on the Internet? Reading a barrage of violent comments and threats doesn’t make me want to retaliate. It doesn’t make me want to fire back at those guys with the same hate and rage that they spewed my direction about me and the rest of my gender. It makes me want to censor myself. It makes me hesitant to write certain jokes. Could this tweet make hundreds of men tell me I belong locked in their closet? Will this idea I’m putting out there also end in threats of rape or murder? Women are taught from an early age to — in all aspects of life — try not to cause a scene. We’re not supposed to garner attention or make waves or do anything that might upset anyone. You know what happens when women don’t want to make a scene? They stop talking. And writing. And performing. And creating. I want to make incisive, sharp comedy. That’s the goal. It’s really hard to generate that material when you start second guessing jokes because you’re scared of being harassed for your stupid female opinions. Women are not the sole focus of internet hate and threats, but we certainly see the majority of them. It’s so much a part of our experience, that the conversations I had with my female comic friends regarding this particular instance felt almost funny in how casually we all talked about it. I kept texting screen grabs of the more horrific replies and saying, “lol, another one,” and “haha look this nightmare’s grammar” when one man told me I deserved to be bought and sold for his own use. Hate from men online just because you’re a woman with an opinion is par for the course these days. You learn to expect it. Part of me even thought that I should have known this would be the reaction when I wrote the joke. We start to believe that it’s our fault men are grossly harassing us because we’re the ones who put ourselves out there to begin with. I don’t want to get caught up in the specifics of this joke and the horrible responses it got. It’s kind of pedestrian and obvious and stems from the unfortunately true fact that many women feel like guns are more valued than they are in society right now. What’s upsetting is that so many men took that statement as a springboard to making me feel uncomfortable and unsafe. And they felt fine doing this because I’m a woman. Two male friends of mine with much larger followings had tweeted similar jokes and didn’t see a fraction of the hateful responses that I did. And I’m sure they saw none of the same threats. This isn’t the first time that a woman has been harassed online. It’s definitely not the last time, either. That’s really the problem. This is one small instance in an unending series of events. We need to stop accepting this behavior as an unavoidable consequence to writing on the Internet. Harassment doesn’t need to be just the cost of doing business. I was even hesitant to write this essay at all. I thought about all of the cruel and crude things men felt comfortable saying to me and thought, “Well, they’re just going to say more, worse things if I complain about it.” Then I realized that I was afraid to sound “whiny” in writing about strangers physically threatening me. That’s how deeply ingrained these ideas are. That calling attention to a legitimate issue doesn’t seem worth it for what might follow. It feels like this should end with an encouraging message to women to stand up for ourselves, to take to the internet and say what we want regardless of the consequences. To know that whatever horrible nightmares come our way we can persevere and continue to write great things. That we are an unstoppable force that will not be discouraged from creating in the face of disturbing physical threats. That’s not my point. My point is for men: Stop doing this. The only thing gained from you saying disgusting, aggressive, sexual, violent, and threatening things on the internet is that we now know that you’re part of the problem. Please retweet!MILWAUKEE -- Starting this spring, there will be another option for those in southeast Wisconsin who like to take their adult beverages on the go. "PaddleTavern" is set to begin operating along the Milwaukee River in May. It's a spin on the "pedal tavern" concept, already popular in Milwaukee, which takes patrons around the city on a pedal-powered vehicle. The "PaddleTavern" is similar, except it's a pontoon and guests paddle instead of pedal. The boat will use the Third Ward's The Harp Irish Pub as its main port of call. From there, it will travel down river, stopping at various locations along the way. Guests are encouraged to bring their own beverages on the PaddleTavern. The pontoon boat fits 14 people. You can get more information on their Facebook page. Be sure and try our new SNOWCAST APP! It is the "snow equivalent to STORM SHIELD" - a great new product that gives you high resolution snow forecasts for any part of the nation! It has just been introduced for iPhones, but we are working on the Android version! Just search SNOWCAST in the App Store or click here.Image: Creative Commons/Flickr On April 10, the Electronic Frontier Foundation filed an amicus brief urging the Federal District Court of the Northern District of California to go ahead in hearing Doe v. Cisco Systems, a case that deals with Cisco's role in supporting China's crackdown on the Falun Gong religious minority. The case has been in limbo for a few years, and EFF and others are hoping to spark some momentum in the courts. The Falun Gong, which translates to "Dharma Wheel Practice," was founded in 1992 by Li Hongzhi. It's a fusion of meditation, moral philosophy, and the martial arts-influenced "moving meditation" practice Qigong. By 1999, Falun Gong was said to have up to 90 million practitioners spread across China. After organizing the Tianjin and Zhongnanhai protests, in response to state media reports critical of the group, China began cracking down on the Falun Gong. "China's record of human rights abuses against the Falun Gong is notorious, including detention, torture, forced conversions, and even deaths," wrote EFF's Cindy Cohn in an announcement of the amicus brief. "These violations have been well-documented by the U.N., the U.S. State Department, and many others around the world, including documentation of China's use of sophisticated surveillance technologies to facilitate this repression." Surveillance technologies designed by Cisco Systems and sold to the Chinese government. "The central claim in the case is that Cisco purposefully customized its general purpose router technology to allow the Chinese government to identify, track, and detain Falun Gong members," added Cohn. More from the brief: Plaintiffs offer specific, nonconclusory factual allegations that, if proven, would demonstrate direct, purposeful actions taken by Cisco to facilitate the human rights abuses suffered by Plaintiffs, including: 1) specific technical customization of their products to help the Chinese authorities locate and target Falun Gong practitioners for human rights abuses including detention, torture and forced religious conversion; 2) sales, marketing and support of their products toward that end; and 3) knowledge that the Chinese authorities planned to and actually are in fact using their products to facilitate gross human rights abuses. Taken together, these allegations take Cisco’s actions far beyond the culpability of a standard sale of general-purpose technologies or services and state a claim for facilitation of human rights abuses sufficient to survive to discovery. The plaintiff's complaint alleges "specific and articulable facts that supporting the conclusion that Cisco created Falun Gong-specific targeting software and technologies for use by the Chinese authorities." These alleged tools include: a library that cataloged Falun Gong internet activity; centralized log/alert databases that allow real-time monitoring of Falun Gong traffic; integration of these databases with China's surveillance system used for "general law enforcement purposes"; systems for storing data profiles on Falun Gong members for use during interrogation and "forced conversion" (torture) from Falun Gong religious belief; and advanced video analyzers for recognizing over 90 percent of Falun Gong pictorial information, among other systems. EFF was careful to emphasize that they don't want this case to create legal blowback against technology companies selling products internationally, especially considering the district court they're urging to take up the case serves Northern California. Kudos to the group for handling this thorny issue with kids gloves, but the pursuit of profit should not trump human decency. If tech companies don't have the innate ethical capabilities to understand this principle, then it seems that they should be taught the hard way. And if Cisco comes out of this clean, then other tech companies might be able to carry out their own ethically questionable business practices.Brad Littlejohn presents a number of criticisms of my account of penal substitution in Delivered from the Elements of the World. I won’t attempt to address all of them, but focus—at once too briefly and at tedious length—on Brad’s central substantive question, which concerns guilt and Jesus’ guilt-bearing. First, a point about the motivations behind my treatment of the topic. My main aim was to present an account of penal substitution that could withstand recent and long-standing criticisms, among which are: penal substitution imposes an alien framework on the gospel events; it ignores the resurrection; it violates basic Trinitarian convictions. In a fit of over-acceptance, I attempted to show that penal substitution is defensible, perhaps unavoidable, even on the assumptions and with the tools of critics of penal substitution. That was behind my claim that penal substitution is a “plot summary.” Sticking close to the Gospel narratives, you confront the fact that Jesus is an innocent man suffering for the sins of those who condemn Him; they condemn Jesus for crimes they themselves have committed. Brad worries that I’m saying it’s “nothing more than” a plot summary, and that “nothing more than” is revealing. It might imply that there we can get to some more comprehensive or foundational account of the atonement by moving out of the Gospel plot into some other framework. I argue the contrary. As the climactic act of Israel’s tumultuous history with God, the Gospel narratives provide the fundamental atonement theory, of which references in the epistles are short-hand summaries. The atonement was an historical event and had historical causes. Our most basic way to theorize about it is to do what the Evangelists did: Tell, and comment upon, the story. Penal substitution is not merely a plot point; the plot is the point. (That doesn’t mean, of course, that the only actors are human actors. As the Gospels make clear, the central human actor is the incarnate Son, and His Father and Spirit are fully engaged. “Historical” doesn’t mean “immanent.”) The discussion of guilt and guilt-bearing was part of my effort to address Trinitarian questions and objections: Did the Father treat Jesus as guilty? How can He, when the Son is not guilty? To put it sharply: Whose side is the Father on—Jesus’, or Pilate’s and the Jews’? Did the Father take the side of Jesus’ accusers? After quoting a footnote from my book, Brad summarizes my position: “Jesus bears the consequence, the legal penalty of Israel’s guilt, but without bearing the legal guilt.” This, he says, is inadequate. It leaves human beings still in their sins: “if Jesus paid the legal penalty that Israel deserved, and yet without bearing the legal guilt, then it may have been noble, it may have been inspiring, but it would not change the fact that Israel, and all mankind, stood condemned.” Citing Robert Dabney, he distinguishes between “sinfulness” and guilt, arguing that while the Father doesn’t treat Jesus as personally guilty, He does treat Him as “federally and forensically guilty.” When Brad refers to “the tradition,” I assume he means the Reformed tradition, since there has been a fair bit of dispute about guilt and the guilt-bearing of Jesus in the wider Christian tradition. Medieval theologians commonly distinguished between reatus culpae and reatus poenae. In the medieval system, Christ’s work dealt with the first but not the second, so that “persons could have liability to guilt [reatus culpae] removed” but “still have the liability to punishment that is not remitted by Christ’s work and might... lead them to be punished for their sin in purgatory” (Oliver Crisp, Divinity and Humanity, 100). Crisp (100–1) observes that the Reformed orthodox replaced this medieval distinction with one between reatus potentialis, “the intrinsic desert of punishment that is inseparable from sin and is non-transferable,” and the reatus actualis, “that aspect of guilt that is transferable and can be remitted by divine mercy.” Note: For the Reformed orthodox, there is “guilt” that can be transferred and removed, and other guilt that cannot be. This is the distinction Dabney has in mind in the passage Brad quotes, though Dabney uses “sinfulness” instead of “potential guilt.” Dabney argues that “in the penal substitution of Christ, it is the actual guilt of sinners... and nothing else, which is transferred from them to him” (emphasis added). But he defines “actual guilt” as “obligatio ad peonam ex peccato, the debt of penalty to law arising out of transgression.” That is, actual guilt is precisely the liability to suffer the consequence and penalty of sin. That is the only sort of guilt that, according to Dabney, can be transferred to another. Dabney, then, doesn’t support Brad’s claim that both “legal guilt” as well as liability to punishment are imputed to Jesus. There may be Reformed theologians who agree with Brad (if I’ve understood what he means by “legal guilt”), but Dabney isn’t one of them. Charles Hodge agrees with Dabney in saying that only actual guilt is imputed to and borne by Jesus: “To impute sin, in Scriptural and theological language, is to impute the guilt of sin. And by guilt is meant not criminality or moral ill-desert, or demerit, much less moral pollution, but the judicial obligation to satisfy justice. Hence the evil consequent on the imputation is not an arbitrary infliction; not merely a misfortune or calamity; not a chastisement in the proper sense of that word, but a punishment, i.e., an evil inflicted in execution of the penalty of law and for the satisfaction of justice” (Systematic Theology, 2.194–5). Bavinck defines guilt in a similar fashion: “Guilt is an obligation incurred through a violation of the law to satisfy the law by suffering a proportionate penalty. It binds the sinner, immediately after the violation of the law, to its demand for satisfaction and punishment.... Guilt is an ‘obligation for the purpose of enduring a fair punishment,’ ‘the subjection of a sinner to a penalty’” (Reformed Dogmatics, vol. 3; emphasis added). Yet there are (at least) two complications. First is the question of whether guilt is intrinsic to a morally wrong act or a sentence imposed by a judge. Bavinck argues for the first: “Inasmuch as we are the active cause of the violation, we are under indictment... ; the act is imputed to us. We must account for it and are obligated to satisfy the law; we are liable to punishment.... At the very moment when they position themselves outside the law (i.e., outside love), it strikes them with its curse and binds them to its punishment.” Dabney, by contrast, argues that actual guilt—liability to punishment—is always assigned by a sovereign or judge: “It is the penal enactment of the lawgiver which ascertains and fixes this guilt. Hence, under a lawgiver who was less than omniscient and all perfect, there might be sin, evil attribute and potential guilt, while yet the actual guilt was absent, because the penal statute defining it did not exist. It thus appears that while evilness or sinfulness is an attribute, actual guilt (reatus) is not an attribute but a relation. It is a personal relation between a sinning agent and the sovereign will which legislates the penal statute. Now, when the Scriptures and theology speak of penal imputation or substitution, it is this relation only which is transferred or counted over from the sinning person to his substitute. We do not dream of a similar transfer of personal acts, or of the personal attributes expressed in such acts.” On Dabney’s account, guilt is always imputed or reckoned, whether to the person who actually committed the wrong or to another who can pay the penalty that guilt demands. The guilt that can be transferred is guilt determined and assigned by a judge. (I have suggested elsewhere that Leviticus supports something like Dabney’s view, and I think this position deals more elegantly with the issue of transferability than the alternative.) The second complication is more troublesome: If guilt is intrinsic to a wrong act, and yet if that guilt-as-attribute is not transferrable, we are left in the very position that Brad worries about: Still guilty even after Jesus died for me. This is not a hypothetical danger. It is where Hodge explicitly leaves us: “The word guilt, as has been repeatedly remarked, expresses the relation which sin bears to justice, or, as the older theologians said, to the penalty of the law. This relation, however, is twofold. First, that which is expressed by the words criminality and ill-desert, or demerit. This is inseparable from sin. It can belong to no one who is not personally a sinner, and it permanently attaches to all who have sinned. It is not removed by justification, much less by pardon. It cannot be transferred from one person to the other. But secondly, guilt means the obligation to satisfy justice. This may be removed by the satisfaction of justice personally or vicariously. It may be transferred from one person to another, or assumed by one person for another. When a man steals or commits any other offence to which a specific penalty is attached by the law of the land, if he submit to the penalty, his guilt in this latter sense is removed. It is not only proper that he should remain without further molestation by the state for that offence, but justice demands his exemption from any further punishment” (2.476). Note: Guilt in the first sense is “not removed by justification, much less by pardon.” What can be removed is the obligation to pay a penalty or debt. In Hodge’s view, then, we are not only justified people who continue to sin (simul iustus et peccator); we are justified people who are still guilty of our sin (though no longer liable to punishment). The “potential guilt” we still bear even after we are delivered from actual guilt is, perhaps, simply a fact: We have sinned and forgiveness doesn’t undo the past. But Hodge describes potential guilt as a subset of guilt, which is “the relation which sin bears to justice... to the penalty of the law.” It is a legal status and not merely a fact. For Hodge, we appear to be subjects of a double verdict—both guilty and justified. That formula leaves existential and pastoral problems in its wake, the inverse of the existential and pastoral problems left in the wake of the medieval system. The medievals removed guilt but retained punishment; Hodge leaves us free from punishment but still guilty. One way to handle this is to say what Brad suggests: Both potential and actual guilt are imputed to Jesus. But this runs against the Reformed position outlined here, which insists that only actual guilt is imputed and borne (though, as noted, Brad may be able to cite Reformed theologians who agree with him). And it runs up against objections to the transferability of potential guilt from both advocates and opponents of penal substitution. My proposal is this: Guilt is liability to punishment; guilt in this sense is transferable, since someone else can pay my debt to the law. When Jesus dies, He bears my liability to punishment, and that is the only guilt there is. He can do that because He is not merely a guy paying my debt, but the true Israel and Last Adam, united to those whose guilt He bears. The past is not undone; I remain the person who did this and that evil act, and I continue to sin. But that factual sin
troops fought for such extended periods in such extreme physical conditions. At least twice a week a man dies, occasionally from bullets or artillery, but more often from an avalanche, a tumble into a crevasse, or a high-altitude sickness—perils usually faced only by elite climbers. Not surprisingly, the men who serve in the war regard it as the supreme challenge for a soldier. "Minus 50 at 21,000 feet—it's beyond anything the human body is designed to endure," an Indian officer on the Siachen told me. "This is the ultimate test of human willpower. It's also an environmental catastrophe. And—no doubt about it—things can only get worse." LAST AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, after securing access from the Pakistani and Indian armies, Teru and I trekked to both sides of the Siachen conflict to get a look at this highest and most hidden of military standoffs—the first American journalists to do so on foot. It was a tense time. Islamic militants had bombed the Indian Parliament in New Delhi the previous December. By the summer, a million troops were deployed along the border. When we arrived in Pakistan, British and American diplomats had just succeeded in getting the two countries to step back from the brink of a nuclear exchange. Our journey began in Khapalu, a town on the Shyok River, where we met Major Mohammed Tahir Iqbal, the second-highest-ranking officer at brigade headquarters for Pakistan's Siachen operations. The major greeted us in his office, then took us outside to view a concrete scale model of the entire Siachen theater. "Our objective is to foil the Indian designs," he explained, waving a long bamboo stick to point out various features of the model. "We are just trying to maintain operational readiness so that they do not think of any further mischief." Easy enough to say, but by almost any measure—military might, economic clout, political stability, population—India is more powerful than Pakistan. And it never lets Pakistan forget it. To compensate, Pakistani soldiers exhibit a spirited swagger, which can be fierce, comical, and endearing. Dressed in a tan one-piece uniform and speaking with clipped military precision, Tahir combined a little of everything as he clomped about on the Siachen model in his heavy black boots. The model featured more than 100 white-capped mountains and ridges, blue rivers, and carefully labeled flags marking each army's bases and posts. To the east and west stood a dense thicket of peaks divided by the two main rivers cutting through the region, the Indus and its mighty tributary the Shyok. There were few towns, roads, or bridges. Several glaciers were splayed across the map, the largest of which, by far, was the Siachen, which ran in a long diagonal line from northwest to southeast. Running parallel to the Siachen on its western side was a massive, virtually unbroken wall of peaks and escarpments. This was the Saltoro Ridge. Looking at the impenetrable mountaintops, you could see why almost a century passed between the first report of the Siachen Glacier's existence—by the British explorer William Moorcroft, in 1821—and its first survey, in 1912, by the American team of Fanny Bullock Workman and her husband, William. You could also see why climbers have been intrigued: Here, deep in the Karakoram, an entire sea of virgin peaks lay waiting to be bagged. During the decade after the first ascent of Mount Everest, by Sir Edmund Hillary in 1953, virtually all the great peaks in the eastern Himalayas of Nepal were climbed, including Cho Oyu, Lhotse, and Dhaulagiri. Soon enough, mountaineers turned their gaze to the Karakoram, which contains four of the 14 highest mountains on earth—most notably K2, first summited by an Italian team in 1954. The door to the Karakoram was mostly shut, however, during the two wars that India and Pakistan fought over Kashmir in 1965 and 1971. Then, in 1974, Pakistan's Ministry of Tourism decided to open the region again, issuing permits allowing foreign expeditions to climb on the Baltoro Glacier, near K2, and to explore the no-man's-land around the Siachen. Between 1974 and 1981, at least 16 major expeditions climbed up to the Siachen and beyond—11 from Japan, three from Austria, and one each from Britain and the United States. Pakistan's motive for issuing the permits, it seems, was a desire to promote mountain tourism. But as expedition reports circulated through the mountaineering community made clear, the foreigners had concluded that the Siachen belonged to Pakistan. This impression also took root in the minds of the Pakistani government, and today the list of these expeditions is often cited as proof of ownership. "Our contention," Tahir told me, waving his stick, "is that this is our area." India says the same thing, and both sides are unwilling to admit that neither has a solid legal claim to the region. (To avoid being dragged into the conflict, the United States has steadfastly refused to take a side.) Robert Wirsing, a professor at the U.S. Navy's Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies in Honolulu and one of the world's leading experts on the dispute over Kashmir, puts it more bluntly. In his view, the claims of both sides are equally spurious. "The Indian arguments are absolutely 100 percent false, and so are Pakistan's," says Wirsing. "The Pakistanis have no right to base their claim on permits issued to foreign mountaineers. And the only strength to the Indian argument is that it's backed by a force that cannot be dislodged." Neither side is budging, but judging from Tahir's map, the Pakistanis definitely face an uphill task. The entire Saltoro Ridge, including the two highest passes that connect Pakistan to the glacier—Bilafond La at 18,200 feet and Sia La at 18,850 feet—is bristling with red flags: Indian army posts. On ridges running parallel but at significantly lower elevations, you see a corresponding belt of blue flags: the Pakistani posts. Tahir reluctantly conceded that the Indians own the high ground, but insisted that Pakistan has "better communications, better roads, and better motivation." And that wasn't all. "Morally," he said, bringing the tutorial to a close, "we occupy the high ground." TO REACH THE FRONT LINES we drove along the Shyok, then headed deep into the mountains to a village called Dansam, a hub for roads leading to the major Pakistani combat sectors. Our destination was a base called Ghyari, which is lodged at 12,400 feet in a narrow valley leading up to Bilafond La. We arrived on an August evening under a canopy of stars, coming to a halt beneath a wooden marquee emblazoned with the words GUARDIANS OF THE FROZEN FRONTIER. Ghyari sits between soaring granite walls as bold and majestic as El Capitan, threaded with waterfalls that turn to mist before they hit the valley floor. Farther up this valley lie several Pakistani artillery batteries, which lob shells at the Indian posts dug in on the ridges above. Ghyari is a supply center and rehab station for worn-out soldiers—they recuperate after coming down from the front, or pause to acclimatize before marching up to relieve their comrades, who are rotated out every two to eight weeks to prevent high-altitude sickness and brain damage. The Ghyari base consists of a dozen neatly whitewashed buildings and a 600-year-old mosque established by Sayyid Ali Hamadani, who introduced Islam to Baltistan in the 14th century. A few steps from the mosque sits an underground bunker that serves as a studio for a young man named Makhtar, who paints portraits of the shaheeds, or martyrs—soldiers who have been killed in this war and thereby gained admission to paradise. The Pakistanis believe their religious faith gives them motivation that the Indians lack. "The concepts of jihad and shahadat—or Ôlife after death'—help us strike hard," explained Major Sikendar Hayat, 41, second in command at Ghyari. "It is what we call a force-multiplier." Islam isn't the only influence on this army; as is true on the Indian side, its rituals are clearly British. At the heart of the base sits a crude cricket field said to be the highest in the world. On our first afternoon at Ghyari, a Sunday, the officers gathered on a row of folding chairs to watch a match. In front of them was a low table with a field telephone that squawked every few minutes as posts called in reports. After two hours of casual cricket talk—"Good batting, sir!"... "Shabash! Well done!"—the game was halted for high tea. The officers rearranged their chairs in a circle while the sirdar, a bearded man in a white lace skullcap, started serving them. Without warning, a massive, hollow boom resounded from the ridges up near the front lines. "Artillery?" asked Major Sikendar, looking behind him. "Rockslide," responded a second officer. "Must be artillery," said a third. "Phone!" barked the commanding officer, a chiseled lieutenant colonel on his third tour of Siachen duty. Sikendar seized the green field telephone, cranked the handle, listened, grunted. Everyone else stared at the ground. After a minute or two, it emerged that dynamite was being used to clear a route blocked by a landslide. The tension ratcheted down a notch, but the tea was now cold. Sunday afternoon cricket was over. THAT EVENING IN THE OFFICERS' MESS, three guests on loan from other regiments were entertained prior to returning to their home units. The C.O. singled out one young captain for special praise: Safdar Malik, 30, who had just descended from a post called Tabish, which sits on the northwest side of Bilafond La. It takes six days to reach Tabish from Ghyari, traveling by night to avoid Indian snipers and artillery. The final approach requires troops to jumar up ropes anchored to a rock wall, exposing them to sniper fire from several Indian posts hundreds of feet above. Once you get to the post, you're sure to be pounded relentlessly by Indian rockets. "We never keep track," one captain who had served there told me, "because if one counts, he completely forgets himself." Tabish was established during a brutal firefight in September 1987, when the Pakistanis lost a crucial high post known as Qaid, then failed to push the Indians off the neighboring ridge. Last spring, when Captain Safdar was there, Tabish's problems were aggravated by an avalanche of rocks that damaged several bunkers. Safdar apparently acquitted himself well during this crisis. "Your leadership was exemplary," the C.O. announced. "Young officers like you are the reason why we continue to dominate the enemy. Officers like you are the reason why we will ultimately prevail in this war." Life at such forward positions is brutal, and the Indians begrudgingly admit that the Pakistanis are tough customers. "They are sitting right underneath us on an 80-degree slope," one Indian officer who was stationed above Tabish would tell me later. "We can throw grenades just like pebbles on top of them. It really takes guts to be there." Captain Waqas Malik, 26, who served at Tabish, grimly described the hopeless feeling of such positions. "Once a ridge has been occupied," he said, "you require a heart with the capacity of the ocean to accept the casualties you will incur in the taking of it." Each high post is manned by a squad of six to 18 men commanded by a young officer, usually a captain, and space is tight—a couple of fiberglass igloos, machine-gun platforms, a latrine, and a tiny area for religious worship. Each soldier is in charge of a particular weapon: light machine guns (LMGs), mortars, anti-aircraft guns. The men stay out of sight by day and stand watch by night. Unlike mountaineers, who usually climb during the best weather, Siachen soldiers endure the worst the mountains can throw at them, year-round. Avalanches are frequent and terrifying; their thunder is so great that it's often impossible to distinguish from shelling. Blizzards can last 20 days. Winds reach speeds of 125 miles per hour; temperatures can plunge to minus 60 degrees. Annual snowfall exceeds 35 feet. During storms, two or three men have to shovel snow at all times. If they stop, they will never catch up and the post will be buried alive. "Sometimes in the winter, you see nothing but white," said Captain Jamil Salamat, 24, the medical officer at Ghyari. "And you think, Maybe I will never make it back. That is the hugeness, and the hugeness has its own effect. It's overwhelming. The snow is like an ocean up there." In such extreme cold, the single most important resource is kerosene. Known as "K2 oil," it is used for cooking, melting snow for water, thawing out frozen guns, and keeping warm. It gives off a noxious smoke that coats the igloos with grime; for months after they descend, soldiers cough up black gunk. Survival under these conditions requires specialized equipment. There are 112 separate items in a Pakistani soldier's high-altitude kit, including two types of oxygen canisters, three models of ice axes, three kinds of rope, 29 sizes of pitons, five different pairs of gloves, three types of socks, a puffy white down suit rated to minus 60, and a black plastic"nuclear-biological-chemical warfare face mask." The Pakistani gear that I saw seemed to be generally low-quality stuff; most of it carried the brand name Technoworld, which no one I spoke to in the outdoor industry had ever heard of. In contrast, Indian soldiers get state-of-the-art gear from a wide range of highly specialized Western firms like Koflach, Asolo, and Black Diamond. The monetary cost of these posts is enormous. A liter of kerosene that goes for 19 rupees in Rawalpindi costs Pakistan more than 650 rupees by the time it's been hauled to 19,000 feet. (On the Indian side, almost every pound of supplies, including the artillery pieces, is flown in by helicopter because there are no roads on the glacier, pushing transportation costs ten times higher.) Each summer in the Ghyari sector alone, more than 35 Pakistani bases, gun positions, and fighting posts have to be stocked with some 2,000 tons of ammunition, rations, and fuel. This material is freighted to Ghyari by truck and hauled up the ice on mule and donkey trains. To prevent snowblindness, the pack animals are equipped with specially made glacier goggles. Sometimes they stumble and plummet into the crevasses. "They scream for an hour until they freeze to death," one of the muleteers told me. "It is terrible to hear." Over 90 percent of the casualties on both sides are caused by weather, terrain, and what mountaineers call "objective dangers." Above 18,000 feet, the human body cannot acclimatize and simply starts to deteriorate. Soldiers fall ill, lose their appetites, can't sleep, and have problems with memory. Severe frostbite—all it takes is touching a gun barrel with bare hands—can result in the loss of fingers and toes. The two most serious killers are HAPE (high-altitude pulmonary edema) and HACE (high-altitude cerebral edema). Men suffering from HAPE, an accumulation of fluid in the lungs, cough up a pink froth and can be dead in a matter of hours. With HACE, fluid leaks from oxygen-starved blood vessels in the brain, causing severe swelling, headaches, hallucinations, and dementia. Untreated, HACE can kill a man within 24 hours. In settings like this, suffering is often transformed into legend. The Pakistanis tell of a post beyond Sia La, at nearly 22,000 feet, that is said to have three separate cracks in the ice known as Three-Man Crevasse, Five-Man Crevasse, and Eight-Man Crevasse—each named for the number of men who died falling in. Soldiers talk of men losing their minds and leaping from the posts to their deaths. Some say their tormented cries can be heard in the wind over the peaks. And then there's the story about the platoon killed in an early battle at Bilafond La, whose bodies froze into such grotesque positions that their corpses had to be hacked into pieces before they could be placed in helicopter panniers and brought down for return to their families. Whether such tales are true is less important than what they symbolize about the futility of Siachen duty. "From what I've read, no one has ever been stupid enough to fight at this level before," an officer at Ghyari remarked one afternoon when none of his colleagues were within earshot. "I hope it won't be repeated again, because it's a waste. A big, bloody waste." THE ARTILLERY FIRE HAD BEEN so fierce during the summer of 2002 that the Pakistani top brass delayed our trek to the front. But on our third day at Ghyari, they gave the go-ahead: We would be escorted by a squad of eight soldiers who had been ordered to relieve Captain Yasin Rafiq, the commander of a post called Sher. Sher is perched at 19,600 feet on a ridge at the head of the Chumik Glacier, a short, steep tributary that comes crashing down into the Bilafond Glacier from the northeast and is one of the few Pakistani positions on the Saltoro that commands the high ground. It took us three days to hike there. On the third day, we reached a field of metal shards from exploded Indian artillery shells. Soaring above us was a huge crescent-shaped saddle. To get to its crest—where we could see the tiny black spot that was Sher—we had to ascend a thousand-foot snow-and-ice wall, pulling ourselves up on fixed ropes. At the top, we caught our breath beside an 81mm mortar tube, then stepped into the post itself. Sher is only about 12 feet wide and 40 feet long. On one side are two fiberglass igloos where the men eat, cook, and sleep. On the other are a hulking 14.5mm Chinese-made anti-aircraft gun, a machine-gun bunker, and, higher up the ridge, a tiny observation post. We hobbled across 12 feet of frozen mud, stepped up to a stretch of rope serving as a guardrail, and stared down a 3,500-foot drop to the Indian front lines. We were greeted by Captain Yasin, 29, who had been at his post for 82 days. Yasin pointed out an Indian supply base less than three miles away on the glacier below (from this distance, it was a brown spot on the ice), an Indian seasonal observation post (which we couldn't see), and an Indian helicopter route. He announced grandly that this was the first time foreigners had been permitted to visit Sher. Above the post, the ridge rose to a massive double peak called Naveed Top. In April 1989, the Indian army launched a mission known as Operation Ibex; its aim was to capture this peak and force the Pakistanis to vacate the entire upper portion of the Chumik Glacier. Three teams of Pakistani soldiers attempted to reach the summit to thwart the Indian operation and failed; one team was wiped out by an avalanche, the others halted by overhanging seracs. A last-ditch decision was made to airlift troops to a point just below the top of the 22,185-foot mountain using French Lama helicopters designed to fly no higher than 21,000 feet. The air was so thin, the pilots feared they would crash if they attempted to hover. So after stripping as much excess weight as they could, they used a maneuver called a "running drop," which required an individual soldier dangling from the bottom to be dropped onto the peak as they passed over. The first to make it was a 29-year-old lieutenant named Naveed-ur-Rehman. He was soon joined by a sergeant named Mohammed Yakub. But then a storm blew in and both men were forced to huddle on the mountain without supplies for two nights. "The wind was so strong," Naveed, who is now a major, later told me, "that we had to dig in our heels to avoid being carried away." Over the next 40 days, six choppers relayed 86 soldiers and 38 tons of supplies onto the peak. Two Pakistani soldiers died and 30 were wounded during the defense of Naveed Top. That May—after the Indian advance was halted by a massive avalanche that killed a large number of their troops—both sides agreed to demilitarize the summit. Or so say the Pakistanis. To this day, the Indian army denies that any of this ever happened. That evening, after the sun went down, the men at Sher all crammed into the largest igloo for what Captain Yasin called "after-dinner discussion." It began with the sergeant, or havildar, thumping out a beat on an empty jerry can using a carabiner. The men began singing in Pashto, while Yasin—who is a hafiz, which means he has memorized the entire Koran—translated for me. It was a song about the cruelty of beautiful women, he said, about the rigidity of their hearts and the shallowness of their sincerity. Then the men shifted to Urdu, the language of the Mogul poets and Sufi mystics. They sang of how the affection between men and women has the power to transcend social caste. They sang about an aspect of love so complex and subtle that Yasin said it was impossible to translate and advised me to just sit back and enjoy the music. After the singing stopped, Yasin and I stepped outside. The moon was surrounded by a rainbow-colored ring, harbinger of a storm, and the peaks were cast in a milky glow. From the shadows came a disembodied voice in Urdu. "Beautiful night, sir." "Mehboob, is that you?" said Yasin to a lone sentry who had volunteered to stand watch so that his companions could hobnob with the guests. "Sir." "Captain," I said, "could you ask Mehboob what it feels like to stand watch on a night like this?" Yasin asked, and the reply came floating down. "Mehboob says that a night such as this makes him feel good because he can see forever, and this helps him to perform his duty of observing the enemy. And he also says that the moonlight gives him a feeling of much refreshness." "Refreshness?" "Yes. Much refreshness." Before ducking back inside, I took a long look. Somewhere out there, roughly 14 miles to the northeast, lay the Siachen—the heart of the conflict. To reach it, we would have to retrace our steps back to Islamabad; fly to Dubai, then to New Delhi, and then to Ladakh, the most remote and northern part of Kashmir; and from there drive up to the glacier—a loop of more than 3,000 miles to get to a place I could almost see from where I stood. All because of a four-inch line on a map. BEFORE LEAVING PAKISTAN, I heard quite a few remarks about Narinder "Bull" Kumar, a legendary Indian military man and mountaineer, and none of them were complimentary. "Colonel Kumar is the man who started all this," Major Tahir had fumed. "I have no wish to meet him—that bastard." The insults did little to prepare me for the bald, friendly man who was brimming with good humor and charm when we met at the New Delhi airport. Kumar, now 69, is short and powerful, still packed with thick muscle from his days as a climber. He has a thin white mustache, an endearing propensity for laughing at his own jokes, and an enormous fondness for beer. Kumar's family originally came from Rawalpindi and moved, just before Partition, to what is now the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. After graduating from the Indian Military Academy in 1954, he joined the army and was earmarked for the cavalry. But in 1958 he got the chance to attend the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in Darjeeling, run at the time by Tenzing Norgay, the Sherpa who summited Everest with Hillary. Inspired, Kumar flung himself into high-altitude mountaineering and began racking up notable achievements. In 1965 he handled the logistics for India's first successful expedition to Everest, which placed nine men on the summit, then a record. In 1970 he led the first recognized ascent of 23,997-foot Chomo Lhari, the highest mountain in Bhutan. And in 1977 he headed up the first ascent of the difficult northeast spur of Kanchenjunga. The nickname Bull comes from his tendency to charge relentlessly into whatever he's doing. He's a national hero in India, the star of seven films, six books, and two postage stamps. These days he's a successful businessman in New Delhi and, with his 32-year-old son, Akshay, runs an adventure travel company called Mercury Himalayan Explorations, which we had hired for the task of getting us to the Siachen Glacier. Kumar's involvement with the Siachen dates back to 1977, when he was approached by a German rafter who wanted to undertake the first descent of the Nubra River from its source at the snout of the glacier. The man brought Kumar a map of northeastern Kashmir that had an unusual feature. Beyond NJ9842, the point where the Kashmir cease-fire line ends and an invisible line was supposed to run "thence north to the glaciers," the map depicted a straight line canting off at a dramatic northeastern angle and terminating on the Chinese border at Karakoram Pass. The story behind this line, which suggested that the Siachen Glacier lay squarely inside Pakistan, remains mysterious to this day. One theory, however, is that it was drawn by the U.S. military. Back in 1962, India and China got into a brief war over the Aksai Chin, a 15,440-square-mile section of high desert east of the Karakoram that was claimed by both countries. Several months before the fighting ended (resulting in a crushing defeat for India), the U.S. government provided an airlift to aid beleaguered Indian troops. Five years later, the U.S. Defense Mapping Agency, a division of the Defense Department, published a Tactical Pilotage Chart for northern Kashmir. TPCs, which are designed to help military pilots avoid trespassing into another country's airspace, sometimes delineate borders by making reference to prominent geographical features easily distinguishable from the air. Karakoram Pass, which stands out among an otherwise indistinguishable sea of snow-capped peaks, was one of these. Whatever its murky origins may have been, the DMA's Tactical Pilotage Chart for 1967 was the first recorded instance of the line connecting NJ9842 to Karakoram Pass. Over the next several years, it was reproduced by some of the most prominent publishers in international cartography, which often use DMA maps as a source of information. "When I saw this map," Kumar told me, "it didn't take more than a split second to say it was wrong! I was the one who discovered this." In short order, Kumar got his hands on journal reports from the international expeditions that had traveled from Pakistan into the Siachen. In January 1978, he took his findings to Lieutenant General M. L. Chibber, India's director of military operations. Chibber quickly obtained permission for Kumar to mount a reconnaissance expedition to the Siachen. That summer Kumar led 40 climbers and 30 porters up to the glacier's halfway point, and from there a summit team of three completed an ascent of 24,297-foot Teram Kangri II. The team also came across the sort of evidence that Chibber was looking for. "We found labels from tin cans and cigarette packs with Pakistani names, German and Japanese equipment," recalled Kumar. "It was this that convinced the government of India that Pakistan was going where it should not have been." In the summer of 1981, Kumar went back with a 70-member team and completed a snout-to-source traverse of the glacier. In eight weeks, they climbed Saltoro Kangri I (25,400 feet) and Sia Kangri I (24,350), hiked to the top of Indira Col (the watershed at the north end of the glacier), and skied Bilafond La. "There wasn't a soul there," Kumar recalled of those adventures. "There was so much to climb—so many uncharted high peaks! And those pinnacles—rock pinnacles going straight up! And small glacial streams—so blue and so cold! The view from Sia Kangri looking down on the Siachen was such a beautiful sight. Just like a great white snake... going, going, going. I have never seen anything so white and so wide." Later that year, Kumar published an account of his journeys in the newsmagazine Illustrated Weekly of India. This set off alarms in Pakistan, and by the summer of 1983 military expeditions were probing the glacier on both sides. By then Chibber had been sent to Leh and was running India's Northern Command. He concluded that the only way to secure the glacier was to preempt the Pakistanis and seize Bilafond La and Sia La. In mid-April 1984, two platoons of Ladakh Scouts were airlifted onto the Siachen. On April 17, two Pakistani helicopters were sent out for reconnaissance, one of them piloted by Colonel Muhammad Farooq Altaf. They reached Sia La that afternoon. "We could see a party of Indian soldiers," recalled Altaf, who is now retired and lives in Islamabad. "I was in the number-two helicopter, and the number-one helicopter had just turned back when one chap started firing. In our postflight check after returning to Dansam, we found bullet holes near the tail rotor. These were the first-ever bullets fired in Siachen." He shook his head and smiled. "They beat us by one week. Too bad." General Chibber's strategy had worked. But he soon realized that if they wanted to retain control of the passes, Indian troops would have to spend the winter at altitude. This was a new kind of warfare, and Chibber used every trick he could think of to stack the odds in India's favor. He flew in prefabricated fiberglass igloos designed for Antarctic expeditions. He persuaded the Dalai Lama to confer a special blessing on a set of silk bracelets for the Ladakhi troops. In February 1985, the Pakistanis attacked Bilafond La but failed to dislodge the Indian troops. When spring arrived, Chibber's men were still in place. "And that's when the race started," recalls Brigadier Muhammad Bashir Baz, who commanded a Pakistani helicopter unit in the Siachen theater from 1987 to 1989. "Each side started climbing any peak they could. Then the other side would go and occupy a neighboring higher peak. And so on, and so on, until they reached 22,000 feet. That is how this war unfolded." AFTER MEETING KUMAR, Teru and I flew to Leh, the 11,500-foot capital of Buddhist Ladakh. There we met Yaseen, our uncontainably cheerful Kashmiri guide, and a liaison officer assigned by the Indian army to chaperon us on our trek across the glacier: Somnil Das, a 24-year-old infantry captain who had recently spent four months commanding a post above Bilafond La. His job was to make sure that we didn't see anything we weren't authorized to see. To get from Leh to the snout of the glacier, we hired two jeeps and headed in a snowstorm up the single-lane road that ascends through miles of steep switchbacks before it crosses Khardung La, at 18,380 feet the highest paved highway pass in the world. We descended into the Nubra Valley. The surrounding ridges were naked and brown, as smooth as a fossilized dinosaur bone. The snow turned to rain, the rain ended, and the afternoon filled with a pale lavender light. Now the road started climbing again, and flowers appeared: the wild, tangled Sia roses that gave the glacier its name. Das swiveled around in the front seat. "Hey, would you guys like to hear some rock?" he asked, shoving a tape of Guns N' Roses' Use Your Illusion II into the jeep's cassette deck. "So what exactly happened to these guys?" asked Das. "I heard that they all became drug addicts and that the band is no more." Teru informed Das that while various members of the band have had their problems, Axl Rose is still around. "So Slash is no longer there?" asked Das plaintively. Teru shook his head. "That's really a shame. That guy was too good on the guitar. I used to love listening to him at my post." He stole a glance out the front windshield. "Okay," he said. "That's it, the snout of the glacier. Can you see the pinnacles? Total ice. Absolute ice." There it was, immense and gray and hulking, a 200-foot wall of boulders and gravel and muddy ooze. It plugged the entire valley from end to end, surrounded by 19,000-foot fangs shooting almost straight into the air. From a dark hole beneath the ice roared the Nubra River, roiling and chalky, laden with grit. Base camp for the Siachen theater is tucked into the western side of the valley, just short of the snout. Little more than a dirt lot holding about 35 brown-and-green rectangular buildings, it is the nexus for the world's highest, most expensive, and longest-running military air operation. Two days earlier a glacial surge of ice and boulders had coughed out of the mouth of the Nubra and obliterated the steel suspension bridge leading to base camp. We turned onto a temporary bridge that the engineers had thrown up in 24 hours and rattled across, passing under a brightly painted sign that announced, HERE FORTITUDE AND COURAGE IS THE NORM. Up ahead was a tall pole that displayed a bright green flag. "Green indicates there's no casualties on the glacier," explained Das. "A red flag signals that someone has been injured. Black means death." Our jeeps came to a halt. "Well, we're here," he said. "Welcome to the Siachen." WITH DAS IN THE LEAD, our party set out on foot. The plan for the first day was to hike five hours to Camp I and rest overnight. From there we would follow a northwesterly route, passing through Camps II and III, until we reached Kumar Base, about 25 miles into the middle of the glacier. The whole trek, to Kumar and back, would take nine days. It was late September by now. The autumn snows had already begun, and each day the temperatures, which hovered in the thirties, seemed to drop more. We slept in the tents or in the fiberglass huts; we ate meals that Yaseen prepared by the light of a candle stuck to the lid of an oatmeal can. One morning, about an hour before the sun hit the ice, Yaseen came into the tent and beckoned me outside. "Come! Come!" It was our first clear day; the sun was turning the tops of the peaks gold. "Look at the faces of these mountains!" he marveled. "See how beautiful they are? See how special? The mountains here, they tug at your heart." He grabbed the front of my jacket and gave it a sharp yank. "We call this kashish, which in Urdu means Ôattraction' or Ôpull.' Can you feel it?" What I felt was a low vibration coming from the rotor blades of three high-altitude Cheetah helicopters beating their way up the glacier in close formation. They looked like tiny green insects—delicate, bulb-headed dragonflies with red underbellies. This was the first of more than 17 sorties moving supplies up to the bases and posts that day. Our progress was slow but steady, with Captain Das gradually revealing a few things about himself as we trudged. Most Indian officers come from parts of the country that have long-standing military traditions, such as the Punjab. Das is from Bengal, a place better known for producing poetry, philosophy, and India's first Miss Universe. He grew up in Calcutta, acting in theater companies and singing for a band called Trash Pool. He was studying to be an accountant when he abruptly decided in May 2000 to enter the Military Training Academy in Madras. Six feet tall, with dark skin and black hair, Das has the rigid bearing of an officer coupled with a sad-eyed air. He volunteered to serve on the Siachen because, as he put it, "I'd never been on anything adventurous before, and I thought it would be good." His post, whose name he refused to disclose, is at 19,700 feet and is one of several key positions the Indians hold above Bilafond La. It looks directly down on Tabish, the besieged Pakistani post where Captain Safdar endured the rockslide. It took Das and his squad more than two weeks to trek up the glacier from base camp; the final stretch required an ascent up ropes anchored to a 460-foot ice wall. They got there on January 21, 2002, and spent the first week getting used to the shelling. The Pakistanis fired an average of ten rounds every 24 hours when the weather was clear—usually after lunch, but also at night. Each incoming shell announced itself with a sizzling wail. At the first sound of a barrage, Das would order his squad to take cover in a nearby ice cave while he and two other soldiers took lookout positions. Most of the shells landed in soft snow and were duds; only those that struck rock or ice would detonate—unless they were airburst shells, which have fuses timed to explode before they hit the ground. "The splinters come out sounding like a hundred people screaming," said Das. "You have no idea where the next shell is going to land. It's terrifying." By the middle of February, Das and his
archy and gender equality, I think the compartment sends a misguided message to Delhi’s public: that women need to be separated from men to be safe, and that Indian men have no self control. For me that message starts with logistics. While the Delhi Metro Railway Corporation estimates that 25% (or five million) of the metro’s daily passengers are women, only one compartment out of the eight coaches is supposedly a safe, designated space. Meanwhile, as Quartz reported earlier this year, women still struggle to prove that working outside their home is a good option and that commuting isn’t a safety barrier to the workplace. Have we built a men’s compartment too? Then there’s the positioning of the compartment. Devika Parashar, a staffer at the Delhi chapter of Hollaback!, a popular anti-street harassment group, says that the positioning makes the women’s compartment less optimal both practically and socially. She thinks the ladies compartment is necessary for safety, but said it should be at the center of the train with men on each side. But putting the compartment in the center wouldn’t fix a harmful and obvious side effect of grouping the majority of female passengers in any single spot: the rest of the train becomes less hospitable and safe for women. Three years ago a citizen petition, Please Mend the Gap, sought to address this issue when a woman was molested on the metro’s Yellow Line. It read: “There have been many instances where men have told women that they are not welcome in (the general) compartment and should use the compartment reserved for them. This attitude has become so deeply entrenched in commuters’ mindsets that most accidentally refer to the general compartment as the ‘men’s compartment’.” I know this “men’s compartment” feeling well. You rush to get the train to your meeting, end up in what’s supposed to be a co-ed compartment, and look up to find yourself a focal point of dozens of men. The rest of your ride is spent at the mercy of an uncomfortable, penetrating gaze that creeps under your skin, tests your patience and leaves you trying to distinguish fear, discomfort and intuition. In some ways, having a women’s compartment is actually reinforcing the idea that men are entitled to the majority of the space. Pockets of freedom or just an illusion The women’s compartment isn’t foolproof in assuring safety. Thousands of men have been found in the women’s compartment, and sometimes come in large groups—enough that the metro authorities had to introduce a special fine and guards. Crime on the metro has actually increased six-fold since just last year. The Delhi Metro authorities have been proactive in attending to women’s safety. They enforce the fines, have posted signs and announcements throughout the rail system, and train their guards to watch out for harassment. But the real solution, I believe, lies in a shift in mindset, fueled by the public visibility of women in every space—not a designated corner—to create actual safety rather than the illusion of a comfort zone. These are not pockets of freedom, as they have been touted, they are further, systematic support for a male-dominated city, requiring women to work around the bias. If a compartment has more than one or two women, our presence will eventually transition from novelty to normal. There will be less staring and ogling, and a smaller chance of mob mentality when an incidence does occur. It’s the same power behind campaigns like Pub Bharo, where women filled bars in south India, or Take Back The Streets, which uses street art to represent where women were harassed. Or the feeling I get on the streets in Mumbai, where women of all social backgrounds are more visible, and the incidences of rape and sexual assault is, coincidentally, lower. The city’s trains still have women’s compartments, though the dynamics of a Mumbai local are very different than a Delhi Metro train. Separate but equal does not work any better for gender than it does for race. Reclaim public space Harassment in public transport is not unique to India. I’ve faced my share of harassment in the United States and Europe: on the New York City subway, when a guy openly masturbated across from me, and in the Washington, D.C. metro, where several guys on different occasions either catcalled or physically pushed up against me during a crowded ride. Those cities haven’t adopted a ladies compartment attitude in response—imagine the public uproar if they did. When Collective Action for Safe Spaces, an anti-harassment group in DC, brought up the issue of metro harassment, hundreds of testimonies like mine, and worse, poured in about those cringe-worthy commutes. After Collective Action’s campaign in 2012, the Washington metro announced its own anti-harassment campaign and made it easier to report incidences online, with photos and video files for investigations. It’s easy to argue that the ladies compartment in Delhi, and other cities like Tokyo and Beijing, is a choice—that women are free to use any part of the train they want. It’s common to hear that the country—despite a history of powerful women politicians and thought leaders—isn’t quite ready, and no woman should have to be a martyr for this cause until it catches up. And yes, I completely empathize with a friend in Delhi who told me that after an already intense day working in the bustling capital, a chance to avoid leering on the way home is a no-brainer. But encouraging women to remain on the periphery of public spaces, even if this motivation is self-induced, will only perpetuate what we see in cities like Delhi today: streets, trains and workplaces full of men. For me, that’s reason enough for women to enter any compartment of the metro and at any time—physically claiming a space that already belongs to us.Suspicious package blown up in Perth mall Updated Police bomb squad experts have blown up a suspicious package found in Perth's Murray Street mall. A large area surrounding the mall was blocked off this afternoon, causing chaos for businesses and commuters. Traffic was diverted between Wellington Street in the north, St Georges Terrace in the south, King Street in the west and Pier Street in the east. Buildings were evacuated and the underground train station was closed to pedestrians. Police say the package has been safely disposed of and they are working to reopen the roads. ABC News reporter Clara Heeroma said many people were told to leave the CBD mall. "People were moved away from Murray Street; hundreds of people were looking rather frustrated at not being able to get to their destination," she said. "Several businesses were closed and traffic built up because several streets were closed off." Topics: emergency-incidents, disasters-and-accidents, perth-6000, wa First postedIF it's a tad dramatic to dub it a crisis it's not too harsh to say that this is the worst standard of refereeing Australian soccer has seen. The plan is for A-League referees to become full-time but it would be foolish to think that is the solution because the problem is ingrained. The issue is this. Ben Williams will be told at this week's review that he was correct in whistling a penalty for Patrick Kisnorbo's hand on the shoulder of Central Coast's Matthew Simon, and to the letter of the law it probably was. Round 21 Visit Match Centre Visit Match Centre Visit Match Centre Visit Match Centre Visit Match Centre But Kisnorbo would've done the same thing 500 times during a 10-year career in England, Scotland and internationally and the referee wouldn’t have blown once. It's been mentioned that it was justified because the referee had spoken to Kisnorbo just moments earlier, but why? It appeared as though he was out to get the player. If I was in charge of the referees department I would throw the textbooks away and target retired A-League, NSL and even state league players. The AFL has done it successfully with Mark Fraser, Jordan Bannister and Leigh Fischer while Paul Reiffel and Aleem Dar are among the many cricketers who made a seamless transition in cricket. With all due respect, the notion of growing up and wanting to be an official seems ridiculous. For many it starts off as a hobby or is a way of staying involved in the game, and there's hundreds longing to do that in Australia. Groom them through the state leagues and within a year or two the good ones should be ready to make the transition and provide solid mentoring to the young whistleblowers. Age is another issue. Experience is priceless in this caper yet every year we see the average age drop as the older guys get shunned, although this issue stems from FIFA who target 30-35-year-old referees for World Cups. Curiously we are yet to see probably the best A-League referee in Strebre Delovski. It wasn't hard to see this coming. The alarm bells were set off in pre-season when a young referee lost control of the Melbourne Victory-Newcastle Jets game and he waved away Jets coach Gary van Egmond who went to speak to him at half-time. The best referees aren’t scared to talk to players and coaches nor are they afraid to tell them where to go if they get lippy. And the players respect that. Former NSL referees Eugene Brazzale, Gerry Connolly, Chris Bambridge and Eddie Lennie and a host of former refs all become officials after playing at various levels. They had a feel for the game which won’t be taught in any referee's manual. My other gripe is with the Match Review Panel. Pablo Contreras' retrospective two-game ban for a block on Mate Dugandzic was unnecessary. Like the Kisnorbo penalty, no-one would have talked about it if they let it go and this is where the fascination with the AFL and NRL judicial system comes into play where the A-League is better off looking at the English Premier League in these cases. Re-live Herald Sun football writer David Davutovic's blog on all the burning issues below.Where is it all headed? And which of these things will pay off sooner than later? Well, we asked Fred Van Lente, who joined ComicBook.com to discuss the issue... Reminder: These conversations are SPOILER-HEAVY. If you haven't read the book yet, go buy one and read along with us! ComicBook.com: Do you know how much research went into the pyramid design, statues and the like in this issue, versus how much was "what looks cool" or "what services this story beat?" Fred Van Lente: I do a lot of research into historical stuff, simply because I like to, but always in the service of "what looks cool." The actual interior of the pyramid is based on the one in Giza, and I actually found a great layout on-line here. The actual burial chamber is based on the one in Karnak. And since there's all sorts of art depicting Pharaoh Akhenaten, we used a lot of that for inspiration too. ComicBook.com: How much background do you have established on each part of the Sect? Just enough to inform what you've already got on the page, or is there a lot more in your head that you might mine later? Van Lente: I had to give the great Michael Walsh info design each of the new or new-ish Sects that appeared in "Civil War", and their historical antecedents are pretty straight forward. But no, I have enough balls to juggle I don't flesh out their backgrounds too much beyond what the story requires. We saw the origins of the Hashish-Eaters in Wrath of the Eternal Warrior and learned the origins of the Black Bloc here in Sect Civil War. ComicBook.com: When it's revealed that the Master Builders looted the pyramid--Will we be seeing the fallout of that going "public" in the near future? Van Lente: Yes! In fact -- in the very next arc! ComicBook.com: The Hashish Eaters seem like kind of a series of easy jokes, but in a story where Archer has been so dour, is it nice to have something like that to release a little tension? Van Lente: Stoner jokes are so easy to write. They're like fat jokes: Always funny. ComicBook.com: Is Snootchie Bootchies actually a battle cry for them or is it just this one guy who watches a lot of Kevin Smith? Van Lente: I will let the reader decide.Gains: Gerard Beale (Broncos), Bronson Harrison (Raiders), Tyson Frizell (Sharks), Josh Drinkwater (Sea Eagles), Michael Henderson (Titans). Losses: Ben Hornby, Dean Young and Josh Miller (retired), Beau Scott (Knights), Jeremy Latimore (Panthers), Jack Buchanan (Wests Tigers), Ben Musulino (Sea Eagles), David Gower (Sea Eagles). Is it really two full seasons since the Red V hoisted the Telstra Premiership trophy for the first time? It seems like yesterday – although the sobering reality for fans gearing up for 2013 is it could be a long, hard road to the next title given the continued dilution of the side that saluted in 2010. Under rookie coach Steve Price and without the likes of Mark Gasnier, Darius Boyd and Adam Cuthbertson, St George Illawarra spluttered miserably for most of 2012 – missing the top eight for only the second time in 10 years and the first time since 2007. Worryingly, they head into 2013 with another triple-whammy talent drain, missing the collective 482 games of experience from retired duo Ben Hornby and Dean Young, plus the creativity and authority of New South Wales back-rower Beau Scott. Throw in another extended injury to backline star Kyle Stanley and a nagging doubt about the ability to cover for Hornby in the No.7, and even the most ardent supporter would consider scraping into the top eight a good outcome. Still, they boast plenty of upside. Gerard Beale should make a fist of fullback, adding the Darius Boyd-like pace, flair and passing game that was sorely missed last year; the additions of Bronson Harrison and Tyson Frizell inject experience, offloading ability and youthful force into the back row; while former Sea Eagles Under-20s halfback Josh Drinkwater will get his chance to develop into a long-term prospect at the scrum base – a major priority as the Dragons shape for the next half-decade. Also, they have a new captain in Ben Creagh – although not a lot will change from Hornby’s tenure. Creagh is similarly a level-headed guy who will infuse calm when the pressure is on, rather than sting his troops into action. How They’ll Play It The Dragons simply have to offer more with the ball in hand than they did in 2012, when they averaged a bottom-of-the-rung 16.9 points per game; a dramatic decline on their mid-table attack rankings of 2010 and 2011 when they averaged almost a converted try more. While no-one doubts their determination and application in defence (they tallied an impressive fourth-fewest missed tackles and fourth-fewest tries conceded in 2012), another hapless year in possession will spell disaster. Ball control could be the key – after hanging on to the Steeden better than any side in seasons 2010 and 2011, the Dragons slumped to eighth in the errors department last year. Expect HUGE Things From Hooker Mitch Rein and the front row. Even allowing for Jeremy Latimore’s exit, St George Illawarra look very strong up front, boasting Origin-calibre props in Trent Merrin and the returning-from-injury Michael Weyman. Add the determined Dan Hunt into the mix, as well as veteran Michael Henderson (who returns to the club after six seasons at the Titans), Jack de Belin, Leeson Ah Mau and rookie Jack Stockwell and we expect the Dragons to at least match last season’s inroads, when they clawed out the fourth-most metres overall. Mitch Rein was a revelation at dummy-half in 2012 and his transition into fulltime ruck caretaker following Young’s retirement should be smooth. The 22-year-old leapfrogged up the pecking order after Cameron King was injured early in 2012; Rein went on to play all 24 games and brought a crafty nous to his role, leading all NRL hookers in tries (seven), line-breaks (12) and dummy-half line-breaks (nine). That was some feat. He was recently drafted into the Emerging Blues’ squad and is sure to be even better with a solid off-season under his belt – and given the pressure he’s likely to face from King, you can bet he’ll be focused. Bonus Points Gerard Beale’s anticipated mortgage on the No.1 jersey will take pressure off specialist wingers Brett Morris and Jason Nightingale – although Beale hasn’t suited up at fullback in the NRL since 2011. Nevertheless, he has all the attributes of a modern-day custodian: good hands, change of pace, sidestep and passing game. He’s tough, too – he banked more games (52) than any Bronco over the past two seasons. Bronson Harrison is a proven busy, creative back-rower whose ability to provide second-phase (his 25 offloads ranked him eighth in his position in 2012) will plug the void left by Scott’s exit. Expect 20-year-old Evander Cummins to bring the wow factor when given his chance – a member of the 2012 NYC Team of the Year, the quicksilver fullback scored 11 tries in just 16 games, punching out an average 180 metres and a competition-high 35 line-breaks in total. The Question Marks Life after Ben Hornby could be tough. Nathan Fien is an accomplished player who has worn the No.7 for New Zealand but he’s filled the role just five times in three years at the Dragons. Meanwhile new buy Josh Drinkwater has yet to play first grade – although the 21-year-old led all-comers at halfback for try assists (38) and line-break assists (34) in the NYC last year. His baptism of fire should come when injuries disrupt the hooker rotation and Fien is required to shift into dummy-half, or in the event that Fien himself is struck down. When his time comes, Dragons’ management will be hoping that Drinkwater can emulate recent rookie successes Trent Hodkinson, Daly Cherry-Evans and Adam Reynolds, or at least provide a glimpse of potential. The pressure will be on rookie Nathan Green and journeyman Chase Stanley to step up at right centre after that edge of the field proved flimsy in 2012 – the Dragons conceded 36 tries down the corridor, compared to 26 on the other edge. Given that potential fragility, veteran Matt Cooper needs to dominate on the left side of the field. Cooper had a benchmark year in 2011, adding 14 tries and 19 line-breaks; however he contributed just six busts and six tries last year. The team needs more from him if they are to trouble the scoreboard attendants. Cooper will be 34 on March 18; his troublesome hamstrings will surely be put to the test over the coming months. Who Needs To Lift? The whole team needs to focus whenever they get on the bus to travel to an away game. Last year the Dragons won just two games on the road – to open and close the season, and against sides that missed the finals. That was the worst record in the league. If that trend continues they’ll finish closer to the bottom of the ladder than the top. Targeting an individual, five-eighth Jamie Soward’s form dipped alarmingly in 2012 – and it’s no surprise it coincided with the departures of Wayne Bennett and Darius Boyd. As evidenced by his breast-beating when things go right, Soward is a player who thrives on confidence. But this attribute was way, way down last season: Soward managed just four line-breaks in 2012 after making 11 in each of his two previous seasons. In his defence, he was busy helping out teammates bust clear, tallying 13 line-break assists (compared to just four in 2011). Soward is most valuable when launching surprise strikes in broken play; fans will be hoping he doesn’t get bogged down helping out his new halves partner, or else the Dragons’ struggles to post points may continue. How’s Their Depth? They have most positions covered, in particular up front, on the wing and at fullback – although they will struggle in the centres and at halfback should injuries strike. Kyle Stanley won’t lace up a boot in 2013 so if anything happens to Nathan Green, Chase Stanley or Matt Cooper they may well end up having to shove Matt Prior out wide as a stop-gap – which will drain their back row. Ex-NYC star Charly Runciman is also an option. If things get desperate banner signing Beale could even find himself at centre, with Jason Nightingale slotting back to the No.1 and Daniel Vidot coming into the squad on the wing. That wouldn’t altogether be a weak combination. Dream Team Bankers Trent Merrin ($385,000) paid his way with a dependable 49 points a game last year – expect him to match that in 2013. Dan Hunt ($333,600) averaged 42 points. Mitch Rein was arguably the mid-season buy of the year, averaging almost 58 points per game from Round 17. Ninth in the hooker pecking order for 2013, at $332,000 he could be a smart inclusion. The Coach What coach Price is able to extract from his troops early in the season will be vital to his chances of retaining the helm. With Craig Bellamy recommitted to the Storm, Price has a golden opportunity to secure his long-term future with a finals berth. However, another underwhelming season will likely sound his death knell. Our guess is it will all boil down to how the team performs in the first eight weeks. Their attack in particular will come under great scrutiny over the opening two months. Under-20s With the likes of Cummins, Stockwell, Jack Buchanan and others moving on this looms as a development year for the young Dragons, who stormed to within a game of the 2012 Grand Final after finishing in eighth place – knocking out minor premiers Canterbury along the way. Players to look out for include 182cm fleet-footed winger Yaw Kiti Glymin and centre/lock Jamie Stanley, brother of Kyle and Chase. Goal-kicking lock/hooker Daniel Burke is expected to be a force in his last year in the -20s. Predicted Finish Uncertainty in the halves, plus their well-documented struggles to cross the stripe, leave us worried about the Dragons’ chances of figuring beyond Round 26. They may well confound the critics – and Steve Price may have to if he’s to prolong his NRL career – but we see another season of treading water. Bracket them 10th to 12th.The Augusta Police Department had a bit of unexpected excitement on Tuesday when two officers were called to a scene where a pair of bald eagles were found on the ground, apparently grasping each other. In the video, the officers are seen carrying blankets or towels while approaching the ground-bound eagles. After draping the shrouds over the eagles, both of the birds seen to let go, and both fly away, apparently unscathed. Erynn Call, a wildlife biologist who serves as the raptor biologist for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, said she was away from her desk on Tuesday and did not consult on the Augusta rescue effort. She did offer some possible reasons for the incident, however. “What could be happening is that one one adult may be defending [another’s] nest territory,” Call said. “At this point in time, [eagles] are incubating their eggs … they may find themselves in the situation where they’re defending their nests and end up fighting [with another eagle].” Call said that midair combat is common among eagles. “Sometimes they might do a talon-clasp in the air and spiral down and end up on the ground,” she said. “[Then, while on the ground], they may not be able to extract themselves, or just be stubborn and keep holding on.” Call said another possible explanation involves courtship behavior. Although most eagles will have mated by this time in the year — courtship typically happens between late February and early March — there is roughly a 10-week window for eagle mating in Maine, and there’s the possibility that the eagles involved were not fighting, but loving. “There is some courtship behavior where [typically] earlier in the year there might be clasping talons between males and females,” Call said. “If people were to observe that earlier in the year it could be courtship or evidence of a fight.” Call said she’d not seen the video, but was pleased at the outcome. “Its nice that it worked out so well,” she said. “I’m not sure that it would always work [when people put covers over the eagles] because this has happened in the past and it’s been more challenging to get the birds apart.” But the biologist said she understood why the tactic may have worked. “It would probably disorient them for a moment, they wouldn’t see the other eagle, and they would relax and fly away,” Call said.The earliest evidence we have of musical instruments dates back to the Old Stone Age. We know that there were rich musical traditions in ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, China and elsewhere. Indirectly, it is possible that some aspects of Babylonian musical theory and practice influenced the Greek, and by extension European, musical tradition. The ancient Greeks used various musical instruments such as harps, horns, lyres, drums and cymbals. Greek music theory evolved continually from Pythagoras before 500 BC to Aristides Quintilianus in the late third century AD, whose treatise De musica (On Music) is an important source of knowledge of the Greek musical tradition. Music was closely connected to astronomy in Pythagorean thought, as mathematical laws and proportions were considered to be the underpinnings of both musical intervals and the heavenly bodies. Plato and Aristotle argued that education should stress gymnastics to discipline the body and music to discipline the mind. Plato was, as usual, the stricter of the two. He would only allow certain types of music for limited purposes and asserted that musical conventions must not be changed, since lawlessness in art leads to anarchy. Aristotle was less restrictive and argued that music could be used for enjoyment as well as for education. To the Romans, music was a natural part of most public ceremonies and featured in entertainment and in education, too. During the early Christian era, the musical legacy of the Greco-Roman world was modified and transmitted to the West by scholars such as Martianus Capella (fifth century AD). The Church was the dominant social institution in post-Roman times and deeply affected the future development of European music. Some elements of Christian observances may derive from Jewish tradition, chiefly the chanting of Scripture and the signing of psalms, poems of praise from the Hebrew Book of Psalms. How much borrowing there was from Jewish sources is hard to say, but similarities between Jewish melodies passed down through oral tradition and medieval melodic formulas for signing psalms in Christian churches suggest that there might have been some borrowing. For medieval Christians, music was the servant of religion. The most characteristic Byzantine chants were hymns, which became more prominent in the liturgy of the Eastern Church than in the Western one. Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius (ca. 480-525) was born in Rome, knew Greek and has been called “the last of the Romans, the first of the scholastics.” Like Augustine before him, he believed that the application of reason to theology was essential. According to Edward Grant, “Boethius began a trend that would eventually revolutionize Christian theology and transform it into a rationalistic and analytical discipline.” He wrote on philosophy, logic, theology and mathematics, and his influence helped to preserve some fragments of Greek philosophy and mathematics in Western Europe during the Early Middle Ages. His De institutione musica (The Fundamentals of Music), written in Latin but drawn from Greek sources, was widely cited for the next thousand years. Church leaders drew on Greek musical theory but rejected pagan religious customs, elevated worship over entertainment and singing over instrumental music. The term “medieval” has, somewhat unfairly, come to carry decisively negative connotations for many people. Renaissance humanists viewed everything in between the fall of Rome in the fifth century AD and the revival of the Classical heritage in the fourteenth century as an unenlightened age which they labeled the Middle Ages. Much later, historians such as Jacob Burckhardt (1818-1897) from Switzerland and George Voigt (1827-1891) from Germany devoted considerable time to the epoch which was dubbed the “Renaissance,” or “rebirth,” and they reinforced the impression of the previous era as a “Dark Age.” There is no doubt that there was prolonged unrest and urban disintegration following the collapse of Roman authority, accompanied by major population movements across the European continent, yet even during these troubled times there were exceptions. Charles Martel and the Carolingians managed to halt the Islamic invasion in France in the eighth century and for some time rebuilt a stronger state. Christianity spread among the barbarians. Saint Isidore of Seville (ca. 560-636) and the Venerable Bede (ca. 672-735) contributed to the modest storehouse of scholarly and philosophical knowledge that was available in much of Europe before the organized recovery began in earnest from the twelfth century onward. The theologian Isidore was born into a prominent family in Roman Spain and served as Archbishop of Seville, then under Visigothic rule, for several decades. His encyclopedia Etymologies exists in more than a thousand manuscripts, making it one of the most popular books of the European Middle Ages before the printing press. It covers the seven liberal arts, medicine, law, timekeeping and the calendar, theology, anthropology, geography, cosmology, mineralogy and agriculture. He was not a very original writer, but his work contained some useful information in an age when this was in short supply. The Venerable Bede was an accomplished English (Anglo-Saxon) monk and historian. At the age of seven he entered the monastery of Monkwearmouth in northeastern England, near the modern city of Newcastle. He is especially remembered for his Ecclesiastical History of the English People, which constitutes the chief source of information for modern scholars about early Britain. He also helped popularize the system of dating events from the birth of Christ. Bede’s work is a fine example of good medieval scholarship, but he was not typical, as most monks spent more time in the fields and farms or in administration than on being scholars. Monks from Ireland, which was very early converted to Christianity following the disintegration of the Western Roman Empire, played a major role in keeping alive what remained of learning in the West during the Early Middle Ages. John Scotus Eriugena (ca. AD 810-877), the Irish philosopher and theologian who served King Charles the Bald of France, wrote a significant treatise titled On the Division of Nature. According to Edward Grant, “Eriugena’s emphasis on reason was given institutional roots in eleventh-century Europe with the development of the cathedral schools that emerged in various European cities.” Grant believes that “…medieval theology was a systematic, rationalistic discipline.” Emperor Charlemagne brought in Alcuin, a distinguished scholar and headmaster of the cathedral school at York in present-day England, to serve as his educational adviser. Alcuin had studied with an Irish teacher and was assisted by several Irish clerics. John McKay, Bennett Hill and John Buckler elaborate in A History of Western Society, Seventh Edition: “At his court at Aachen, Charlemagne assembled learned men from all over Europe. The most important scholar and the leader of the palace school was the Northumbrian Alcuin (ca 735-804). From 781 until his death, Alcuin was the emperor’s chief adviser on religious and educational matters. An unusually prolific scholar, Alcuin prepared some of the emperor’s official documents and wrote many moral exempla, or ‘models,’ which set high standards for royal behavior and constitute a treatise on kingship. Alcuin’s letters to Charlemagne set forth political theories on the authority, power, and responsibilities of a Christian ruler. Aside from Alcuin’s literary efforts, what did the scholars at Charlemagne’s court do? They copied books and manuscripts and built up libraries. They used the beautifully clear handwriting known as ‘caroline minuscule,’ from which modern Roman type is derived. (This script is called minuscule because unlike the Merovingian majuscule, which had letters of equal size, minuscule had both upper- and lowercase letters.) Caroline minuscule improved the legibility of texts and meant that a sheet of vellum could contain more words and thus be used more efficiently. With the materials at hand, many more manuscripts could be copied.” Although this Carolingian revival was initially motivated primarily by concerns about the low level of clerical literacy, it welcomed the natural sciences as well. Astronomy, for instance, was relevant for timekeeping and the calendar and for determining the correct date of Easter. As David C. Lindberg says, “The importance of the copying of classical texts is demonstrated by the fact that our earliest known copies of most Roman scientific and literary texts (also Latin translations of Greek texts) date from the Carolingian period. The recovery and copying of books, combined with Charlemagne’s imperial edict mandating the establishment of cathedral and monastery schools, contributed to a wider dissemination of education than the Latin West had seen for several centuries and laid a foundation for future scholarship.” There was some revival of interest in mathematics after the work of Gerbert d’Aurillac (ca. 945-1003), who became Pope Sylvester II in 999. As Grant states, “In the eleventh century, Gerbert’s students disseminated his love of learning and his teaching methods throughout northern Europe. As a consequence, logic became a basic subject of study in the cathedral schools of Europe. And, in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, would become ever more deeply entrenched in the curricula of the cathedral schools and then the universities of Europe.” The number of monks greatly exceeded the number of nuns during the Middle Ages, but nuns had an important impact on society, too. As with monks, intellectual and scholarly nuns were not typical of the era, but some of them did exist. Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) was a German abbess and composer who was given by her family when eight years old as an oblate to an abbey in the Rhineland, where she learned Latin and received a good education. A talented poet and composer, she collected 77 of her lyric poems, wrote scholarly works and carried out a vast correspondence with many prominent persons of her time. “Hildegard represents the Benedictine ideal of great learning combined with a devoted monastic life.” The theologian Peter Lombard (ca. 1095-1160) wrote a treatise titled Four Books of Sentences, which became the basic textbook in all schools of theology in the Latin West until the seventeenth century. Between 1150 and 1500, only the Bible was read and discussed more than the Sentences. After education at Bologna, Italy, before 1150 he taught theology at the school of Notre Dame, Paris. Here he came into contact with Peter Abelard and the mystic Hugh of Saint-Victor (1096-1141), who were among the most influential theologians of the time. The codification of liturgy, helped by Frankish kings, led to the repertory known as Gregorian chant, which was codified after centuries of development as an oral tradition. It was used in Christian services in Western and Central Europe until the Protestant Reformation and in Catholic areas even after that. Most people in these regions heard Gregorian chant at least weekly. From the ninth through the thirteenth centuries, chant formed the foundation for most polyphonic music. All later music in the Western tradition wears its imprint. The Greek system of notation had apparently been forgotten by the seventh century when Isidore of Seville wrote that “Unless sounds are remembered by man, they perish, for they cannot be written down.” Yet with increasingly complex chants arose the need for notation, a way to write down the music. The earliest surviving books of chant with musical notation date from the ninth century AD. The invention of musical scales was important, but music antedated the invention of scales. The invention of musical notation enabled musicians to build upon the work of the past. It may well have been a necessary condition for the development of musical expression, but not alone sufficient to explain all later advances. The connection between mathematical ratios and musical intervals discovered by Pythagoras and independently by the Chinese was important, but not as crucial as polyphony. “Just as linear perspective added depth to the length and breadth of painting, polyphony added, metaphorically, a vertical dimension to the horizontal line of melody.” As stated in A History of Western Music, “Many particular features of Western notation have been around for a millennium, including staff lines, clefs, and notes placed above the text and arranged so that higher notes indicate higher pitches. The invention of a notation that could record pitches and intervals precisely and could be read at sight was decisive in the later evolution of Western music, which more than other musical traditions is not just played and heard, but written and read. Indeed, notation is the very reason why we have a thousand years of music we can still perform and hear, and why books like this can be written. Almost as important, the codification of Gregorian chant and its diffusion in notation made it the basis for much of the music from the ninth through the sixteenth centuries. That these events took place under the Franks was significant, since Charlemagne’s empire was the political and cultural center of western Europe. From his day through the fourteenth century, the most important developments in European music took place in the area he once ruled.” Churches and monasteries prospered after AD 1000 due to the relative political stability and great economic growth of the High Middle Ages. Europeans developed new and large cathedrals which employed the principles of the Roman basilica and the round arch, and artists decorated these buildings with frescoes and sculptures. In the ninth and tenth centuries, the Vikings and Magyars had burned hundreds of wooden churches. In the eleventh century the abbots therefore wanted to rebuild in a more permanent fashion, so the builders replaced wooden roofs with arched stone ceilings called “vaults.” Because these ceilings were heavy, only thick walls could support them, which again allowed for only small windows. Nineteenth-century historians coined the term Romanesque, meaning “in the Roman manner,” to describe church architecture in many regions of Europe between the tenth and the twelfth centuries. The main features of this style, solid walls, rounded arches and masonry vaults
a timely move as public discussion about sexual assault, prompted by the Jian Ghomeshi and Bill Cosby scandals, has highlighted why people don’t go to police after an assault. It has also exposed the way sexual abuse can be buried for years and impact victims’ lives in ways they may not even realize. “When you look at what people get paid sometimes for breaking a leg, [these victims are] basically being compensated for breaking their brains,” said Hnatiw. Pursuing a civil suit can be just as much about catharsis and getting an apology as it is about financial compensation, she says. “If they’re never going to get that from their abuser, then some neutral third party can validate their experience and say ‘Yes, this was wrong.’ ” If they’re never going to get that from their abuser, then some neutral third party can validate their experience and say ‘Yes, this was wrong’ In a criminal case, the victim’s complaint becomes property of the Crown and therefore society, while defendants hire their own lawyer. The court’s goal is to determine innocence or guilt — that’s why the burden of proof is so high. In civil court, the defendant is still considered not liable until proven liable and the plaintiff just has to prove a balance of probabilities, not beyond a reasonable doubt. Defendants can be compelled to produce evidence and don’t have the right to remain silent. They can’t “hide behind silence,” Hnatiw said. “I think victims feel as though the law is on the side of the accused in criminal proceedings — that everything seems to be stacked against them. Whereas when you get into the civil arena the playing field is much more level.” Bill Percy, a Manitoba lawyer who has represented survivors of residential schools in the province for the past 18 years (and who helped remove the limitations period for sexual abuse there about a decade ago), says while victims do have more control of their case, it also comes with greater responsibility. “The civil claim is maybe potentially less onerous than a criminal claim because the degree of proof is different, but any suggestion that it’s a day at the beach is so far from reality,” said the partner with Thompson Dorfman Sweatman LLP in Winnipeg. When Susan Vella — a national leader in the area of civil sexual assault claims — began representing sexual abuse victims in civil court 25 years ago, they were all historical childhood abuse cases involving relatives. Then came the institutional abuse claims. “More recently I’ve seen a rise in spousal abuse claims coming forward. As well, I’ve seen a rise in workplace sexual assault claims,” says the lawyer with Rochon Genova LLP in Toronto. “I think it’s fair to say that survivors are coming to understand at least that they have the right to pursue, if you will, a personal remedy. Unfortunately the criminal process is still a very hard one for complainants to pursue.” National Post Email: sboesveld@nationalpost.com \| Twitter:Follow @sarahboesveldYesterday, July 1st, marked the first day that the provisions in Florida bill HB 775 took effect. (A summary of HB 775 can be found here.) If you had read an earlier post I did on the contents of the bill, when it was known as HB 808, and Zuffa's lobbying efforts to see it pass, you would know that it "provides a public-records exemption for a promoter's proprietary business information." In the past, thanks to Florida's Sunshine Laws, the information a promoter was required to give to the state, such as tickets sold, souvenir and concession sales, or fighter bout agreements, were made available to the public upon request. That is no longer the case now, as all of that is considered proprietary confidential business information. For boxers this change in policy may not make much of a difference for current Federal statutes require a boxing promoter to make financial disclosure to his athletes. But for us fans, and much more importantly for many MMA fighters and their managers, Florida was one of the few states that allowed for a glimpse into the revenue sources a promoter was collecting on an event. Knowing that this information would no longer be made available I contacted the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation last week and requested everything from the past few years for the major MMA promotions and a few boxing events as well. Graciously, they complied wth my request for the bout agreements, which details the fighters' purses, and the post-event tax returns, which includes the television revenue, tickets sales, and souvenir and concession sales reported by the promoter. Of course, while these numbers give us a glimpse into an event's business it doesn't paint a complete financial picture. They don't include all the sources of revenue for a promoter, such as foreign television sales, sponsorship deals, or rebroadcast rights. Nor, outside of taxes and fighter payouts, does it mention the costs for a promoter, which in the case of the UFC and WSOF shows includes their own television productions in addition to the marketing and other live event production costs that all promoters incur. The fighters purses are also incomplete, not including the UFC's bonus awards ($160,000 total officially awarded at UFC on FX 3 and $200,000 total for UFC on FOX 11), nor charitable donations (a six figure amount in lieu of purse for Herschel Walker at Strikeforce: Miami) nor other potential bonuses (signing bonuses, discretionary, etc). Even with these admitted holes they provide a better picture of the fight business then what we'd have without them. With that in mind here is a summary of the finances for several major MMA events that were held in Florida over the last couple years by the UFC, WSOF, and Bellator (along with a Strikeforce event from 2011, a Top Rank/HBO boxing, and a pair of Golden Boy Live cards for the sake of comparisons). For each event I list : The gross amount paid for sale or lease of broadcasting, television or motion pictures rights, less any state or federal taxes. Gross amount received for tickets sold, less any state or federal taxes. Gross amount received by promoter or concessionaire from sales of souvenrs, programs & concessions, less any state or federal taxes. Total amount of contracted fighter pay for the event (including win bonuses). Links to a pdf of the source document can be found in heading of each column. UFC on FX 3, June 8, 2012 * According to the post-event tax report this was paid by a third party and therefore no amount is given for the gross amount of sales by the promoter. From the Florida DBPR: An audit completed by DBPR found that in some instances there were weaknesses in the post-event tax collection process on behalf of the Florida State Boxing Commission (FSBC). As a result, I am unable to provide you with tax information regarding concessions for the UFC's June 2012 event. At this time, all other information you requested is available and attached. UFC on FOX 11, April 19, 2014 Bellator 72 July 20, 2012 Bellator 80 November 9. 2012 Bellator 94 March 28, 2013 WSOF 6, October 26, 2013 Broadcast, Television Tickets Souvenirs, Programs, Concessions Payout 0 $30,611.96 0 $278,000 A letter from NBC Sports addressed to Andy Foster of the California State Athletic Commission details the broadcast agrement between the network and World Series of Fighting: Per the request of the Executive officer of the California Athletic Commission, this letter confirms that NBC Sports Network and World Series of Fighting have a signed TV Network Barter agreement for $0 ending in 2015. WSOF 8, January 18, 2014 Strikeforce: Miami, January 30, 2010 Top Rank Boxing: Cotto Vs Rodriguez on HBO, October 5, 2013 ***No amount for the broadcast, television or motion picture rights is given, although $40,000, the maximum tax, has been entered as the paid tax. This would represent a broadcast or television fee from HBO of no less than $800,000 (5% of which is $40,000) but I've been told that a license fee for as much as $3 million would not be surprising for such a card. Golden Boy Live: Charlo-Rodriguez, October 14, 2013 Golden Boy Live: Tarver-Sheppard, November 26, 2013 With HB 775 now in effect it might be some time before we have such transparency with regards to what a promoter is bringing in for an event.Commentary from some sections of the IT community on the recent killings in Norway reminds us national security is still haunted by two visions: 1) With enough data it will be possible to comprehensively identify would-be terrorists or other offenders to prevent their destruction of lives and property. 2) Privacy law, in its current form, is fundamentally impeding, if not preventing, action by officials to save lives and prosecute criminals. Neither of these views is realistic, although cold hard facts haven'�t prevented the waste of billions of dollars and millions of words. An omniscient national security scheme, with tireless programs seamlessly parsing public and private sources of information to discern terrorist needles in digital haystacks, is an attractive idea. The desire for such a scheme reflects the ambitions of IT researchers, the commercial interests of technology vendors, popular faith in the wonders of technology and the need for policymakers to be seen to be doing something. Unsurprisingly, the US Government hyped a Total Information Awareness initiative, which would gather extensive digital data on every single person in the States in the name of security. Other governments have embraced less ambitious, but still expensive, programs. Given the opacity of these security programs, it’s difficult to say for sure whether watching everyone all the time would, or could, produce consistently useful results. But one oft-heard lament in the intelligence community over the last 50 years is this: adding more data often just adds more �noise�, not more useful information. Terrorist outrages often can’t be addressed in advance precisely because analysts have too much, not too little, information: the data is there, but its significance is only discernable in retrospect. Effective anti-terrorism activity is often distinctly low-tech (for example neighbours reporting suspicious activity, guards challenging fake identity documents, people keeping doors locked and passwording databases) and will remain so in a world where humans are still central to data analysis. Privacy law So given the amount of data is not an issue, it might seem fair to assume, as mentioned above, that privacy law is preventing effective policing – and that therefore privacy (indeed law) is something that can and must be sacrificed. One distinguished academic claimed this week on The Conversation that privacy law in Europe doesn'�t allow �law enforcement bodies access to anything�. That claim is demonstrably incorrect. It would greatly surprise officials whose access to electronic information isn�’t prevented by privacy law, or any other law. It would also surprise those criminals currently in prison or being prosecuted in Europe. Privacy, data protection and other laws in Europe quite explicitly allow law enforcement access to electronic information. Such laws represent a balance between the rights of individuals and the community. This is not something that should be abandoned lightly. Australia’s national Parliament is currently considering the Cybercrime Legislation Amendment Bill 2011. That legislation strengthens Australian data protection law (useful in dealing with unauthorised access to, and use of, financial databases or attacks on the NBN). It also enables Australia to join the Council of Europe Cybercrime Convention, an international agreement that facilitates sharing by law enforcement agencies of information about the voice, email and other electronic communications of Australian consumers. Contrary to claims made in the previous Conversation article that privacy law stops policing in the EU and elsewhere, police continue to use traditional and new tools. The Cybercrime Convention will see Australian police legally access information on a targeted basis. (No-one should want them to access information illegally, given memories of past abuses by state police forces, the CIA, the FBI, the UK Metroplitan Police and other agencies). In contrast to early proposals, the Cybercrime Legislation Amendment Bill doesn'�t involve phone companies and ISPs having to retain the traffic data of all customers for several years, and doesn'�t give police carte blanch to listen to all calls or read all emails before passing that information to a foreign partner. As with traditional wiretapping law, it involves independent supervision and authorisation by judges and magistrates. Officials who can demonstrate a reasonable cause for requesting access to private communications will be able to do so, and will be authorised to convey information to foreign governments. Privacy law will otherwise protect personal communications. So where does that leave us? Should we be concerned about our online behaviour and exposure. Let’s put it like this. Intelligence and IT enthusiasts are free to place all of their data �health records, tax files, financial records, bedroom videos �in the public domain. Very few have yet to do so – and that should tell you all you need to know.President-elect Donald Trump Donald John TrumpREAD: Cohen testimony alleges Trump knew Stone talked with WikiLeaks about DNC emails Trump urges North Korea to denuclearize ahead of summit Venezuela's Maduro says he fears 'bad' people around Trump MORE took his criticism of recount efforts in several states a step further on Saturday evening, slamming Democrats who are backing the push. ADVERTISEMENT “The Green Party scam to fill up their coffers by asking for impossible recounts is now being joined by the badly defeated & demoralized Dems,” Trump tweeted. The Green Party scam to fill up their coffers by asking for impossible recounts is now being joined by the badly defeated & demoralized Dems — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016 "The Democrats, when they incorrectly thought they were going to win, asked that the election night tabulation be accepted. Not so anymore!" he tweeted a few hours later. The Democrats, when they incorrectly thought they were going to win, asked that the election night tabulation be accepted. Not so anymore! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 27, 2016 Trump's tweets targeting Democrats came hours after the campaign of his former Democratic rival Hilary Clinton announced it would participate in the recount effort led by Green Party candidate Jill Stein. And while top Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway had called Clinton's campaign and others pushing for a recount "a pack of sore losers," the president-elect himself didn't directly swipe at his former Democratic rival. Trump released a statement earlier in the day Saturday focusing on the Green Party in calling the recall effort a "scam." While he mentioned Clinton’s concession, he didn't go after her campaign's support for the recount. "This is a scam by the Green Party for an election that has already been conceded, and the results of this election should be respected instead of being challenged and abused, which is exactly what Jill Stein is doing," Trump said. Stein has fundraised for a recount in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan, three traditionally blue states that went for Trump this year. Stein filed for a recount in Wisconsin on Friday afternoon, and Clinton's campaign indicated it would take part in the other battleground states if recounts are mounted there. Clinton campaign counsel Marc Elias wrote that while no evidence of manipulated results has emerged, "now that a recount is underway, we believe we have an obligation to the more than 64 million Americans who cast ballots for Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonREAD: Cohen testimony alleges Trump knew Stone talked with WikiLeaks about DNC emails County GOP in Minnesota shares image comparing Sanders to Hitler Holder: 'Time to make the Electoral College a vestige of the past' MORE to participate in ongoing proceedings to ensure that an accurate vote count will be reported." --This report was updated on Nov. 27 at 6:48 a.m.In a rare non-partisan move, the U.S. House of Representatives has voted overwhelmingly to create a special envoy for religious freedom in South Central Asia and the Middle East, but the measure will go nowhere without help from the Senate and White House. The legislation – drafted by Reps. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif.) and Frank Wolf (R-Va.) – was approved with 402 votes in favor and 21 Republicans and one Democrat against.The bill, if approved by the Senate, would create a special office within the State Department for an envoy who could become an advocate for religious minorities. “Will a special envoy guarantee these communities’ survival and even flourishing? I do not know,” Wolf said in a speech before the House earlier this month. “But I am certain that to do nothing is not an option, lest on this administration’s and this Congress’s watch we witness a Middle East emptied of ancient faith communities, foremost among them the “Sunday People.” The legislation is supported by many large religious groups in the U.S., including the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the United Methodist Church, and the Southern Baptist Convention. Many Jewish and Muslim groups have also endorsed the legislation. Wolf applauded those who voted for the legislation in a statement to FoxNews.com. “I applaud my colleagues for voting for this bill, which sends an undeniable message to persecuted people of faith the world over, and just as importantly, to the forces that oppress them, that America – this shining city on a hill as envisioned by our founders – will not be silent in the face of the evil,” he said. “I urge the Senate to act swiftly and send this legislation to the president’s desk for signature. A special envoy for religious minorities is long overdue.” The same piece of legislation was brought forward for a vote on Capitol Hill hill back in 2011 and was also passed by 402 votes but blocked when it moved on to the Senate for a vote. Critics fear that, without support from the White House, the Democrat-led Senate will once again let the bill die. "Passage of this legislation comes at a critical time for religious minorities, especially in the Middle East. This new special envoy will give a new voice to the millions being persecuted for their faith -- be it the Coptic Christians in Egypt, Christians like American pastor Saeed Abedini imprisoned in Iran, or countless others," Jordan Sekulow, executive director of the American Center for Law and Justice, told FoxNews.com. The House vote comes as attacks against religious groups – Christians in particular – have risen sharply around the globe. Last Sunday two suicide bombers attacked the historic All Saints Church in Peshawar, Pakistan, killing 85 people. According to recent reports, more than 40 churches and other Christian institutions and schools have been attacked in Egypt alone, with Coptic Christians targeted by Islamic extremists since Mohamed Morsi was ousted as president.A new FAIR study finds that torture defenders outnumbered critics of torture by nearly 2 to 1 in TV news coverage of the Senate Intelligence Committee report released on December 9. FAIR surveyed the guests of nine news programs for the week of December 7 to December 14, when discussion of the torture report’s findings was most prominent. The programs included the Sunday talk shows (NBC‘s Meet the Press, CBS‘s Face the Nation, ABC‘s This Week, Fox News Sunday and CNN’s State of the Union) along with four weekday news shows (MSNBC‘sHardball, Fox‘s Special Report, the first hour of CNN‘s Situation Room and the PBS NewsHour). Of the 104 guests discussing the topic on these shows, 53 expressed a discernible opinion either for or against the use of torture. Thirty-five of those who took a position, or 66 percent, were supportive of torture. This included a few individuals who claimed to be against “torture,” but defended interrogation methods such as waterboarding and other “enhanced interrogation techniques” that are recognized as torture under US and international law. Only 18 guests (34 percent) articulated clear opposition to the CIA’s torture practices–about half as many as spoke up in defense of torture. Journalists–mostly news correspondents brought on to discuss the report’s release–made up 64 of the 104 total guests; few of these expressed an overt opinion on torture. Thirty-five former and current government officials–including nine CIA officers, seven of whom defended the torture program–were the bulk of the remaining guests. Many of these former government officials were involved in authorizing or implementing the CIA’s torture program, including George W. Bush (State of the Union, 12/7/14), Vice President Dick Cheney (Special Report, 12/10/14; Meet the Press, 12/14/14), Attorney General Alberto Gonzales (Situation Room, 12/10/14), White House adviser Karl Rove (Fox News Sunday, 12/14/14), CIA Director Michael Hayden (Face the Nation, 12/7/14; This Week 12/14), CIA Deputy Director Jose Rodriguez (Fox News Sunday, 12/14/14) and CIA spokesperson Bill Harlow (NewsHour, 12/10/14; Situation Room, 12/11/14). Guantanamo prosecutor David Iglesias also appeared on the NewsHour (12/10/14); of the eight former government officials who had a connection to the torture program, he was the only one to express opposition to it. While those who ordered, justified and carried out torture were well-represented in the debate over the report, advocates for the victims of torture were seldom heard from. Joseph Margulies (Hardball, 12/9/14) and Meg Satterthwaite (This Week, 12/14/14), two lawyers representing victims of CIA torture, were the exceptions. Representatives of human rights groups and experts on international law were notable for their absence. Among partisan guests–politicians and campaign officials–Republicans outnumbered Democrats 19 to 7. Sixteen of the Republicans defended torture, while three spoke against it–including Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho), who opposed releasing the report or prosecuting torturers, but indicated that as a member of the Intelligence Committee he would block the CIA from conducting similar interrogations. Of the seven Democratic appearances, four spoke against torture, while three voiced no clear opinion. Guests were coded by occupation, partisan affiliation and their expressed opinion on torture. Sources whose soundbites appeared in short taped segments were not counted as guests.Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History Researchers think this rock art was created by pre-Hispanic groups in Mexico's northeastern state of Tamaulipas. By Megan Gannon, LiveScience In the mountains of northeastern Mexico, archaeologists have unearthed thousands of ancient paintings on the walls of caves and ravines from a time before Spanish rule. The rock art offers rare evidence from native cultures living in the area around the Sierra de San Carlos, a mountain range in Mexico's state of Tamaulipas, researchers say. Almost 5,000 of these paintings were found across 11 different sites in the region, the researchers said. Created with red, yellow, black and white pigments, the images show animals from deer to lizards to centipedes, as well as people. Depictions of tents, hunting, fishing and possibly astronomical charts also offer a glimpse into the life of this mysterious culture. The findings document the presence of pre-Hispanic groups, "where before it was said that there was nothing, when in fact it was inhabited by one or more cultures," archaeologist Gustavo Ramirez, of the Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History, said in a statement. The ancient people who once inhabited the mountains of Tamaulipas left very little behind for modern archaeologists to pore over. There is little known of their languages, rituals and customs, besides references to them by conquistadors and friars who colonized and Christianized the region. Another archaeologist, Martha Garcia Sanchez, said these people were able to resist Spanish rule by living in the mountains, "where they had water, plants and animals to feed themselves." The rock art was rediscovered in 2006, and archaeologists first started studying the site two years ago. Researchers have not yet been able to precisely date the paintings but further testing on samples of the pigments could reveal the age of the rock art. "We have not found any ancient objects linked to the context, and because the paintings are on ravine walls and in the rainy season the sediments are washed away, all we have is gravel," said Ramirez. The findings were presented during the Second Conference of Archaeological History in Mexico City. Follow Megan Gannon on Twitter and Google+. Follow us @livescience, Facebook & Google+. Original article on LiveScience.com. Copyright 2013 LiveScience, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.I didn't see a lot of options for Taranis QX 7 gimbal guards so I created this one. The bridge between the gimbal guards sits fairly low and level, which is by design, as I wanted it to be able to be about flush to the lanyard hook. The notch is supposed to be tight so it can hold the protector in place. This model require supports to print, but it's not too bad- a little over a 2 hour print at.30 on my printer. The notch cut out may be a little bit of a tight fit so it holds the gimbal guard in place. If you need to widen it, you can easily cut a little away with a hobby knife, or a small file. Update - there are two styles of the gimbal guard protector. The original one (V3) allows the sticks to protrude slightly (about 5mm) above the guard. After getting some feedback on the design, I made another version (v3-high) that should keep the sticks completely covered. This will add extra protection so the sticks can't be pushed in easily. Disclaimer: I haven't printed this new version yet, but all I did was increase the height, so it should be fine. If you try it, please post a "make" here. The "high" version will only take an additional 15 minutes or so to print according to my slicer. I am open to feedback on this design. Please let me know if you have any suggestions for improving!Congrats to Maxine for doing her best! Hope DOJ Sec. Aguirre doesn’t claim PH’s loss is a destabilization attempt on the president :) — Edwin Lacierda (@dawende) January 30, 2017 ADVERTISEMENT Former presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda took to social media to congratulate Miss Universe candidate Maxine Medina for finishing in the Top 6 of the pageant. Lacierda, who served under the Aquino administration, said he was hoping Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II would not attribute Medina’s loss to alleged ouster attempts against President Rodrigo Duterte. “Congrats to Maxine for doing her best! Hope DOJ Sec. Aguirre doesn’t claim PH’s loss is a destabilization attempt on the president J,” Lacierda wrote on Twitter. He capped his tweet with a smiling emoji. Aguirre has said that the controversy surrounding the kidnap-slay of South Korean businessmen Jee Ick-joo involving rogue policemen may be part of what he called a destabilization plot against Duterte. France’s Iris Mittenaere was crowned 65th Miss Universe, succeeding the Philippines’ own Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach. YG/CBB/rga RELATED VIDEO ADVERTISEMENT Read Next LATEST STORIES MOST READUS Sen. Al Franken today demanded answers from Carrier IQ about what kind of data its software for smartphones collects and how it is used and stored. Noting that Carrier IQ has been "accused of secretly logging location and private information of millions of smartphone users," Franken forwarded the company 11 questions, many of them with multiple parts, and asked for answers by Dec. 14. Franken started out by asking for specifics on what types of information Carrier IQ collects, specifically whether it includes location, numbers dialed, the contents of text messages and e-mails, URLs of websites visited, search query histories, contact information from address books, and keystroke data. "What if any of this data is transmitted off of a users’ phone? When? In what form?" Franken asks. "Is that data transmitted to Carrier IQ? Is it transmitted to smartphone manufacturers, operating system providers, or carriers? Is it transmitted to any other third parties?" Franken further wants to know if Carrier IQ has disclosed user data to federal or state law enforcement, whether Carrier IQ lets users opt out of logging and transmission of data, and what steps the company takes to protect this data against security threats. The senator strongly hints that he believes Carrier IQ has violated various federal laws. "Does Carrier IQ believe that its actions comply with the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, including the federal wiretap statute (18 U.S.C. § 2511 et seq.), the pen register statute (18 USC § 3121 et seq.), and the Stored Communications Act (18 U.S.C. § 2701 et seq.)?" Franken's letter asks. "Does Carrier IQ believe that its actions comply with the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (18 U.S.C. § 1030)? Why?" Addressed to Carrier IQ CEO Larry Lenhart, Franken's letter also says "It appears that this software runs automatically every time you turn your phone on. It also appears that an average user would have no way to know that this software is running—and that when that user finds out, he or she will have no reasonable means to remove or stop it." Yesterday, Forbes reported that former Justice Department lawyer Paul Ohm believes Carrier IQ's actions are grounds for a class action lawsuit based on a federal wiretapping law. Controversy over Carrier IQ began in the past few weeks when researcher Trevor Eckhart published analysis of the company's software, saying it secretly chronicles a user’s phone experience, including use of apps, battery life, and texts. Carrier IQ initially sent Eckhart a cease-and-desist notice, but ultimately withdrew the notice and apologized to Eckhart. However, the company said its software does not record keystrokes, inspect or report on the content of e-mails and text messages, and it does not sell data to third parties. "Our software is designed to help mobile network providers diagnose critical issues that lead to problems such as dropped calls and battery drain," the company said. The full spread of Carrier IQ software is unknown, although it's been claimed that it is installed on millions of Android, BlackBerry, and Nokia phones. Samsung told Ars in a statement that "Carrier IQ is a service requested by the carriers for Samsung to integrate into products. Samsung does not receive the consumer information generated by Carrier IQ." AT&T has reportedly confirmed using Carrier IQ "to improve wireless network and service performance," while Verizon Wireless has denied doing so. Research In Motion has said it does not preinstall Carrier IQ on BlackBerry phones and does not authorize carriers to add the software later. As for the iPhone, Carrier IQ references have been found in Apple's iOS, although the Unofficial Apple Weblog reports that it found no references to key logging and that Carrier IQ may not be enabled.What is a drug consumption room anyway? Drug consumption rooms (DCRs) allow people to use drugs under the supervision of trained staff. They have been shown to reduce deaths and injuries due to drug overdose, reduce ambulance callouts, increase referrals to health and social services including detoxification and drug treatment, reduce the spread of HIV and hepatitis C and reduce public injecting and the number of discarded used needles. DCRs significantly benefit their communities. They are uniquely effective at attracting isolated people who have almost no contact with any health or social service. An inhalation room is the part of the DCR that allows people to inhale drugs such as ice, crack or heroin. Inhalation of drugs is starting to replace injecting in many parts of the world. The good politics of bad drug policy has brought about the rise of ice \| @AlexWodak Read more Wouldn’t a DCR send a message that drug use is OK? Although some critics say DCRs send the wrong message, there is no evidence that they send a message that drug use is safe and acceptable. If anything, they suggest that drug use is so dangerous that it should happen only at the special centres where highly trained health workers can save the life of a person using drugs and provide pathways to treatment. It sounds like an expensive project. Isn’t it a waste of money? Seven cost-benefit analyses of DCRs have found the benefits outweighed the costs. It costs about $100,000 to keep an adult in jail for a year and more than twice that for a juvenile. So keeping people out of jail can save a lot of money. DCRs can help by providing an on-ramp to treatment. A conservative country such as Germany has half the incarceration rate of Australia but has nearly 30 DCRs, most with inhalation rooms. I understand why drug treatment is important but this seems like you’ve given up DCRs help people to improve their lives. In many countries, people using a DCR can have a shower, shampoo their hair and wash and dry their clothes, buy some cheap and nutritious food, talk to a counsellor, see a healthcare worker, see a doctor and get supervised training for a job. A very important part of the work of a DCR is to engage with people using drugs and build their trust. When people using the centre trust the staff, they are more likely to accept a referral for treatment. Hence the prime reason behind scaling up inhalation rooms around Australia is so we can improve passage into treatment for those who are dependent on drugs such as ice. Surely the police won’t like this idea? The Kings Cross police were and still are very strong advocates for the Kings Cross medically supervised injecting centre. In many European cities such as Berlin and Frankfurt, the police and the DCRs have worked very closely for years. In some European cities the police have been very important in getting authorities to approve a DCR. The police in Bern, Switzerland, persuaded the relevant authorities to accept an inhalation room in their DCR after an approach from health workers had been declined. Don’t we already have a DCR in Kings Cross? Why do we need any more? The medically supervised injecting centre, Australia’s only DCR, was opened in Kings Cross in 2001. It has been evaluated many times and each evaluation is very positive and has found no serious negative aspects. Although the notion of the Kings Cross DCR has changed community attitudes to drug dependency around Australia, it cannot single-handedly help people who use drugs in other parts of Sydney, let alone in other states or territories. Some European cities have four DCRs. Australia has one for 24 million people living in a country of 7.5 million square kilometres. The Kings Cross centre does a great job helping people who inject drugs (including the 8% who inject ice). But inhalation of ice is increasing in Australia. We should adapt to this. Drug inhalation began rising in Europe decades ago. Many European DCRs can now accommodate people who inhale drugs. Doesn’t this send the wrong message to people who are dependent on ice? Those who use DCRs around the world are often very impoverished, lacking the resources for food and clothing or to pay for a roof over their head. Many have severe physical or mental health problems and are estranged from their family and friends. If anything, DCRs tell young people that drug dependency is a tragic circumstance to find yourself in. It is hardly an advertisement to start taking drugs such as ice. Drug expert says Australia's presence at UN summit a waste of money Read more Surely the community would get more benefit by being tough on drugs and having more police crackdowns? For more than half a century we have tried being tough on drugs. We had lots of drug crackdowns. But the results have been so woeful that police commissioners started telling the community that we cannot arrest our way out of our drug problems. At great expense we have filled our jails, which may have helped to produce better-trained criminals. It’s sometimes easier to get drugs in jail than outside. Expanding treatment is a much more effective investment and can reduce the extent of drug use in our community. Are inhalation rooms dangerous places for staff? European DCRs are very committed to protecting their staff from any occupational health and safety concerns of an inhalation room. The facility is a sealed-off room (at negative pressure) with a powerful industrial exhaust system that filters the air before it is released outside. DCR staff are trained to deal with difficult situations (including violence) just like treatment centres where people are often affected by substances such as ice. DCRs are designed to make their communities safer. They also reduce the burden on police and hospital emergency departments. Isn’t there a relatively small number of DCRs around the world? Over the past 30 years, the number of DCRs around the world has steadily increased and has now nearly reached 100. Authorities in some countries have announced they will soon open a DCR. About 15 are expected in the next couple of years. As inhaling ice has increased in Australia, as more DCRs open around our nation, we should design them to accommodate people who inhale as well as those who inject drugs. This is important for a number of reasons. First, we can help get them into treatment faster. Second, by reducing injecting, Australia could further reduce HIV and hepatitis C infections. Third, we owe it to communities who have had a tough time from big drug markets in their midst.Hi everyone! March has been a great month for the Austin team. We had a blast supporting PAX East and participating in SXSW with several different events, and we revealed some work from the Austin Persistent Universe team! Our Live Operations team has been hard at work with the release of Version 1.1.0 and then a ton of research and work on improving multiplayer support and capacity on the live servers. We’ve also fired up our nascent ‘Game Support’ team to bolster our Live Operations activities and you’ll see a new report from Will in the Live Ops section of the team reports below! Persistent Universe Team: Art: True to form, March has been a busy month for the PU Art team. We’ve had several different “hero” props in the works, with concepts being done by Ted Beargeon and Ken Fairclough on things like hulking radar dishes and solar panels for space stations, holo-object viewing kiosks for our shop locations, and the Medical Display Carousel prop which features prominently in the Medical Unit. We also have multiple outsourcers cranking away on minor props that will flesh out our planetside environments, at the moment specifically ArcCorp and Terra. The first half of this month our character team was working long hours to support the video you guys saw at SXSW. We had several new faces appear in that video, including the bartender, nurse, and a few bar patrons and workers. Recently our character artists have switched from supporting the Social Module release to helping out full time on the FPS characters. They’re making tweaks to the armor, materials, and helmets to ensure that they are the best they can be for when the first drop of FPS hits (SOON!). In other news we’ve been developing the look and feel of NPC’s in the PU with
investors on maturity. Yogesh Gupta, special director, ED, east confirmed to ET that ED has filed a chargesheet in the case and it is working on a supplementary one.A glance at the list of Kundu’s properties prepared by the directorate reveals that Kundu owns 15 acres in Assam, 10 acres in Madhya Pradesh, 110 acres in Tripura and around 100 acres in West Bengal. In Bengal, Kundu invested in East Midnapore, West Midnapore, Burdwan, Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri, Howrah,Bankura, North and South 24 Paraganas districts. In East Midnapore alone, he has 12 plots. The group had also claimed to have bought property in Kolkata, Port Blair, North Lakhimpur, Ranchi, Durgapur, Siliguri, Mondarmani, Lataguri, Falakata, Midnapore, Tarapith, Old Digha, Silchar, Haridwar, Goa, Gaya, Jaipur and New Delhi.Some 23-odd hotels across the country includes luxury properties in Jaipur, Jalpaiguri, East Midnapore, Siliguri and Kolkata. It has seven premium residencies at the northern fringes of Kolkata; a 6,000 square feet villa in Ranchi and a gold and diamond jewellery mall. The group has 900 branches spread over West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Assam, Punjab, Delhi and Andhra Pradesh.The unearthing of the Rose Valley scam has caused maximum tremors in Trinamool Congress and the ruling parties in Assam and Odisha, the Congress and BJD, respectively. The ED arrested Gautam Kundu on March 25 by ED. The company is said to have links with many leaders of TMC, including a couple of cabinet ministers, and at least three MPs.Many Bollywood and Tollywood stars and men in power and position were also roped in by the company in various capacities. During investigation, it came to the fore that Kundu had held meetings with chief minister Mamata Banerjee in north Bengal in March 2012. Kundu termed it as 'a courtesy call.' He is also learnt have purchased some of paintings of Banerjee.The group has 27 companies of which activities could be found in six companies, while all other companies were on paper, said the investigators.The last time a team other than Oregon or Stanford won the Pacific conference championship, Mark Sanchez was leading Pete Carroll’s penultimate USC squad to Pac-10 — yes, 10 — glory, and Chip Kelly was still an innovative offensive coordinator waiting to take over the program in Eugene. Except Oregon won’t even reach a bowl game this year, and Stanford’s midseason swoon has removed the Cardinals from Pac-12 contention. This season will bring a new winner. And in that spirit of novelty, it’s fitting that the next Pac-12 champ could be a team that wasn’t even in the conference the last time a different team won — and a team that had five conference wins, total, in its first five years in the Pac-12. No. 10 Colorado (8–2 overall) has already surpassed that combined total with six conference wins this season. The Buffaloes haven’t played in a major bowl since 2001 and suffered double-digit losses as recently as 2014. But thanks to a resurgent defense, they sit atop the Pac-12 South and, with wins in their remaining games against Washington State and Utah, would play for the conference crown next month. Such a quick turnaround is nothing new for head coach Mike MacIntyre, who, prior to taking the job in Boulder, transformed San Jose State from a 1–12 team to an 11–2 bowl winner in just two seasons. MacIntyre has a defensive pedigree: He previously served as Duke’s defensive coordinator, winning FBS Assistant Coach of the Year honors in 2009, and as a defensive backs coach in the NFL for five seasons. Just like the team’s record, the defense has improved swiftly and suddenly under MacIntyre and defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt. Colorado this year ranks tied for ninth in points allowed per game, 12th in yards allowed per game, and ninth in the advanced metric defensive S&P+, which measures a team’s efficiency on a play-by-play basis. As recently as two seasons ago, the Buffaloes defense finished outside the top 100 nationally in all three categories. The shift started with the secondary, generating a story line that meshes with MacIntyre’s background. Cornerback Chidobe Awuzie was only a two-star recruit out of high school, but the San Jose native came to Colorado after MacIntyre, who had recruited him while in his previous role, joined the program. He blossomed in Boulder, receiving second-team All-Pac-12 accolades and serving as a lone bright spot for the defense last year, his first under Leavitt. This year, his teammates have joined him in a pact of stinginess. Only Ohio State allows fewer yards per pass attempt, and only OSU, Florida, and Michigan have held opposing QBs to a lower passer rating. On an individual level, fellow corner Ahkello Witherspoon and safety Tedric Thompson lead the Pac-12 in passes defended, and Awuzie falls further down that list only because quarterbacks tend to keep the ball away from the all-conference honoree. Related Chaos Steps into the College Football Playoff Picture Picking on the likes of Witherspoon instead hasn’t been a lucrative option for quarterbacks, either. The senior corner has allowed completions on fewer than a third of the passes targeting him, per Pro Football Focus. Thompson, meanwhile, is tied for the Pac-12 lead with four interceptions and has allowed an opposing passer rating of just 34.5 on targets against him, per PFF (using the NFL QB rating formula). The trio has allowed just one touchdown, total, all season. The secondary is physical and athletic, and its members use their size to outman the Pac-12’s flock of talented receivers. The starting members of the secondary are all at least 6 feet tall and 195 pounds. Witherspoon’s lone interception this year saved an early-season win against Oregon and came as a result of him using his 6-foot-3 frame to win a jump ball in the end zone. Having the athleticism to close on the ball, as Thompson does here in the Buffs’ ugly 10–5 victory over Stanford last month, helps, too. The Buffaloes’ dominant pass defense has continued to improve as the season has progressed. In its past four games, Colorado’s opponents have completed just 47.1 percent of their passes for 5.5 yards per attempt. For comparison, Rutgers — the second-worst passing team in FBS — has marks of 47.3 percent and 5.1 yards, respectively, for the whole season. None of the Buffs’ opponents has reached even 200 yards passing in that span; none has thrown for more touchdowns than interceptions. And while Colorado hasn’t faced a particularly imposing lineup of passing offenses this year, it has still held its opponents far below their usual outputs. (This chart doesn’t include the defense holding FCS opponent Idaho State to just 61 yards on 41 pass attempts.) Even when it has allowed bushels of points, Colorado’s defense has been solid at the back. Michigan beat the Buffs 45–28 in a surprisingly close September contest, but much of that damage came on the ground: Wolverines quarterback Wilton Speight managed just a 53 percent completion rate and one touchdown pass in the game. The secondary isn’t alone in its contributions to Colorado’s record, but its partner units have veered more toward mediocrity than excellence. The run defense slots in the 20–40 range nationally, depending on the statistic, rather than the top of the leaderboard, and the pass rush is in a similar range when adjusted by opponent. The Buffs also average fewer than five tackles for loss each game, placing the defense in a tie for 105th in the country. One way to disentangle the relative contributions of the front seven and the secondary is by comparing the units’ havoc rates, which measure how often a defense has a tackle for loss, pass broken up or intercepted, or forced fumble. A defense like Michigan’s, for instance, fares well by both its front seven havoc rate and its secondary havoc rate, but for Colorado, a dominant secondary (sixth nationally) makes up for an average front seven (61st) in this regard. Those divergent rankings reinforce the collective wisdom around Colorado’s defensive success. The offense, too, is more of a middling group than a top-tier one. Quarterbacks Sefo Liufau and Steven Montez have combined for 19 touchdowns to just seven interceptions — better than last year, when Colorado’s passers managed just a 13:12 ratio — but overall, the offense is a portrait of mediocrity: seventh in the Pac-12 in passing yards, fifth in rushing yards, and fifth in points per game. For Colorado, though, even average is an improvement over recent years, and the existence of one elite unit has allowed MacIntyre’s group to fast-forward through the middle stages of a typical rebuilding plan. Colorado hasn’t even reached a bowl game since 2007, yet this year, it’s just a couple of games away from a Rose Bowl berth — even if the Buffs lose in the conference title game, Washington could qualify for the College Football Playoff, which would leave Pasadena desperate to find a Pac-12 team to take a spot in the New Year’s bowl. To reach that point, Colorado has to defeat ranked opponents in consecutive weeks. The first test is this weekend against Washington State, in a matchup of strengths: Mike Leach’s Cougars, winners of eight straight, boast the second-most-prolific passing offense in the country (386 yards per game). Wazzu quarterback Luke Falk has 17 touchdowns to just one interception over the past month, and his offense’s Air Raid formations and tempo will provide Colorado’s secondary with its greatest test thus far. Related Penn State Football Is Back But for the first time in years, Colorado is suited in both personnel and planning to confront that challenge. It brings to mind a story Leavitt told The Denver Post recently, about his recruitment to Boulder, when his wife made the strongest case for the move: “I told her, ‘Well, their defense isn’t real strong.’ She said, ‘That’s your problem.’” Colorado has to slow a Leach offense, then a solid Utah team, then possibly a playoff contender in Washington in the Pac-12 title game. It’s a problem for MacIntyre and Leavitt, sure. But Colorado is once again playing games with national import in late November, so it’s a good problem to have.Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said that forcibly converting Hindu girls to Islam after abducting them had nothing to do with Islam, instead, "it was a wrongdoing". He was addressing a religious ceremony of Hindu community held in connection with the religious festival of Diwali. Khan further said that any circumstances that lead to creating unrest among religious minorities should be avoided, reported DawnNews. "The extremists are mistaken that forcibly converting someone to Islam will bring them virtue," he maintained. The PTI chief said that he would empower the weak segments of Sindh along with him. He was of the view that injustices to the Hindu community in Pakistan should be brought to an end. The weak segments of the society were affected due to the challenged writ of the law in the country, he said. Quaid-i-Azam was considered as an ambassador of the Hindu-Muslim unity, he added.Dr. Amir Ravesh faces another eight charges of sexual assault against eight women age 24 to 69 and Winnipeg police say they believe more people might come forward. Ravesh, who was charged with sexually assaulting a 19-year-old patient on Oct. 19, was re-arrested on Thursday and charged with eight additional counts of sexual assault. He is being held in custody, Winnipeg police said Friday. "Our detectives received a large number of calls from individuals after that press release," Const. Jay Murray said at a news conference Friday, referring to the news of the arrest in October. "These charges that were laid yesterday are a result of those investigations. We do believe there may still be other victims out there and we encourage anyone with information to contact our sex crimes unit at 204-986-6245." All nine women said they were sexually assaulted at the same walk-in medical clinic in Elmwood, with the earliest alleged assault dating back to 2013, police said. Dr. Amir Ravesh faces another eight charges of sexual assault against eight women age 24 to 69. Ravesh, who was charged with sexually assaulting a 19-year-old patient on Oct. 19, was rearrested on Thursday and is being held in custody, Winnipeg police said Friday. 0:36 The manager for the clinic where Ravesh worked said in a written statement he is co-operating with police. "We are deeply concerned about the new allegations reported in the media earlier today," Andrew Chubey, a manager with You Medical Centres on Johnson Avenue W., wrote Friday. The clinic has been closed until a new doctor can be hired. "We commend the individuals who have come forward, and encourage others to come forward if they have been mistreated. Our thoughts are with anyone who has suffered harm. We were unaware of the additional allegations until the latest media reports." Ravesh, 51, whose full name is Amir Houshang Mazhariravesh, is also charged with obtaining sexual services for consideration. The 19-year-old who first went to police said when she went to the walk-in on Oct. 19, a doctor she had seen before examined her in an inappropriate manner, escalating to a "serious sexual assault," police said. Nine women said they were sexually assaulted at the same walk-in medical clinic in Elmwood, with the earliest alleged assault dating back to 2013, police said. (Jeff Stapleton/CBC) Her injuries were treated in hospital and she was released. Worried about youth The university student told CBC News she feared no one would believe her, but she reported the sexual assault because she was worried about youth in the community. "I just thought it would've been so selfish of me to just keep this inside. Because what if this happened to somebody else, and I just saw this on the news? I'd feel terrible, like I could've prevented that," she said. Murray said the investigation isn't over and it's possible the announcement of more charges against Ravesh will encourage more people to report sexual assaults. "We take every allegation seriously," he said. "We're hoping that perhaps with a total of nine women that have come forward, that this encourages anyone else that has gone through something similar to this, either with this individual or any others, to come forward and contact our sex crimes unit." Ravesh had served as secretary for the Manitoba College of Family Physicians board of directors up until his arrest in October. A spokesperson for the organization said he voluntarily stepped down from the position and no longer works for the board. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba confirmed Friday Ravesh is no longer practising medicine in Manitoba. Dr. Amir Ravesh faces another eight charges of sexual assault against eight women age 24 to 69. Ravesh, who was charged with sexually assaulting a 19-year-old patient on Oct. 19, was rearrested on Thursday and is being held in custody, Winnipeg police said Friday. 1:27 More from CBC Manitoba:The three centuries following the death of Jesus were a momentous and turbulent era in Western religious thought. During this time, as Christianity began its massive ascent, distancing itself from paganism and Judaism, other important currents of religious belief appeared, in what became an epoch of intense theological conflict and debate. In this age of burgeoning faith, few if any influences on the theological landscape were as significant or far-reaching as the religious movements known to us as Gnosticism. Gnosticism, one of the most fascinating and perplexing phenomena in Western religious history, intersected deeply with early Christian thought, sparking religious ideologies that competed with the theological thinking that came to define Christianity. And, though Gnosticism was eventually branded as heretical by the emerging orthodox church, the church formed many of its most central doctrines in response to Gnostic ideas. But what was Gnosticism? Why did its ideas and mythology appeal to so many people? How did it influence other faiths, including Judaism, Christianity and Islam?And why did Christianity— while showing clear signs of Gnostic influence—condemn it? This course takes on these provocative questions and more, in a narrative that unfolds as an enthralling religious detective story—penetrating the mysteries of a stigmatized yet profoundly important legacy of religious thought. Among many intriguing features of the story, you’ll learn that: What we call “Gnosticism” comprises a number of related religious ideologies and movements, all of which sought “gnosis,” or immediate, direct, and intimate knowledge of God; Gnostic groups reinterpreted and often rewrote Jewish and Christian scriptures, creating religious mythologies that struck deep chords in contemporary seekers; Gnostic thought and practice reveal to us the precursors of the mystical tradition within Christianity. Throughout its existence, Gnosticism maintained a continuing, contentious dialogue with Christian thought. Ultimately, such core Christian concepts as original sin, the immaculate conception, and heresy developed in response to Gnosticism. To study the history and theology of Gnosticism is to gain a deeply revealing view into how canonical Christianity developed as it did, and to comprehend some highly influential alternative religious paths in the West—the paths of gnosis. In Gnosticism: From Nag Hammadi to the Gospel of Judas, Professor David Brakke of The Ohio State University is your guide in a richly detailed immersion in the theology, sacred writings, rituals, and outstanding human figures of the Gnostic movements. At the heart of the story is the 1945 discovery of the Nag Hammadi codices, a mysterious cache of ancient documents unearthed in the Egyptian desert, that gave us firsthand accounts of the Gnostics’ beliefs, practices, and ways of life. Studying these invaluable texts, along with more recent discoveries, such as the astonishing Gospel of Judas and Gospel According to Mary, gives you a profound look at Gnostic spirituality and its singular impact on religious history. While fully respectful of traditional Christian beliefs, this course provides a valuable perspective on the development of Western religions and Christian theology. Discover the Core of Gnostic Belief and Practice In the opening section of the course, you’ll explore two of the primary spiritual paths in the Gnostic tradition. First, you’ll devote a full six lectures to the Gnostic School of Thought, a religious movement that spread throughout the ancient Mediterranean world. By studying essential Gnostic texts such as The Secret Book According to John, the Revelation of Adam, and The Reality of the Rulers, you’ll penetrate the elaborate Gnostic religious myth, conceiving of God as a highly complex divine intellect consisting of numerous dimensions known as “aeons.” Among many striking features of Gnostic theology, you’ll find that: The Gnostics believed that the God of Genesis was a lesser, imperfect divine being, but not the ultimate God. Gnostic thought contends that Jesus saves, not by dying for our sins, but by revealing to us our true origin in the spiritual Entirety. Gnostic scriptures were not unchangeable, and were often modified over time: religious myth was simply a means to the ultimate end of gnosis. Gnostic texts describe two ways of knowing God directly; one, by a spiritual journey through the heavens, the other by contemplation of one’s own intellect—believed to be a miniature version of the Entirety, or God’s mind. Next, you’ll study the most famous of the Nag Hammadi texts, themystical Gospel According to Thomas, a variant on Gnostic thought that teaches that the kingdom of God is not a future event, but is already present, hidden within each of us. The following lectures devote careful study to the Valentinians, who turned the Gnostic myth into a powerful Christian movement that lasted for centuries. Within these lectures you’ll learn how the theologian Valentinus reformulated Gnostic mythology in ways that appealed powerfully to Christians, and you’ll grasp the remarkable Valentinian vision of salvation—as a healing of the separation between our divided “male” and “female” selves. Explore Alternate Western Paths to Divinity As the course progresses, you’ll investigate other important early paths of gnosis, both Christian and non-Christian, which further illuminate the theological conceptions and influence of the Gnostics: The “Orthodox” Gnostics: Learn about the seminal work of Christian theologians Clement and Origen, who, while intensely opposed to both the Gnostics and the Valentinians, claimed to offer a path to gnosis of God which was consistent with the teachings of the emerging church. Learn about the seminal work of Christian theologians Clement and Origen, who, while intensely opposed to both the Gnostics and the Valentinians, claimed to offer a path to gnosis of God which was consistent with the teachings of the emerging church. The Hermeticists: Grasp the theology of Hermeticism, based in religious wisdom of ancient Egypt and Greece, which taught a philosophical and mystical pathway to the divine. Grasp the theology of Hermeticism, based in religious wisdom of ancient Egypt and Greece, which taught a philosophical and mystical pathway to the divine. The Neo-Platonists: Encounter the Neo-Platonist teaching of Plotinus, whose theology focused on our essential union with “The One” and divine gnosis through contemplation. Encounter the Neo-Platonist teaching of Plotinus, whose theology focused on our essential union with “The One” and divine gnosis through contemplation. The Manichaeans: Study the highly dualistic mythology of this religion, explore its path to salvation through restraint and moral purity, and learn how St. Augustine developed his teaching on original sin in opposition to Manichaean ideas. Across the span of the lectures, you’ll observe how and why gnosis-based theology deeply alarmed proto-orthodox Christians, and how their concerns ultimately gave rise to the concept of heresy. A Riveting and Highly Illuminating Inquiry A religious scholar of extraordinary knowledge and insight, Professor Brakke brings the Gnostics’ story alive with the style of a master storyteller, using visual aids to demystify complex mythology in an accessible yet deep and comprehensive presentation. Following Gnostic ideology through the centuries, he vividly illustrates its impact on Western thought, from its role in early religions and its re-emergence in medieval spirituality to its remarkable traces in modern popular culture, from science fiction writing to Hollywood films. In delving into the paths of gnosis, you’ll discover a compelling, alternative current of religious practice in the West, which challenged proto-orthodox Christianity, profoundly affecting its development. In the resulting crucible of theological debate, you’ll see clearly how orthodox Christianity differentiated itself from these paths, and how Gnostic influence continued to affect Western spirituality in ways that resonate to the present day. Join us in a penetrating look at a heretical yet historically significant tradition of religious thought. Hide Full DescriptionShanghai authorities have announced the discovery of traces of porcine circovirus, a common disease among pigs which may be responsible for the over 2,000 animal corpses found in the Huangpu river. The virus is not known to be infectious to humans. Porcine circovirus, a common disease among hogs that isn’t known to be infectious to humans, was found in a sample taken from the Songjiang section of the Huangpu river, Shanghai’s agriculture department said, citing the city’s animal disease control authorities. Tests conducted hourly on the river, which provides drinking water for some of the municipality’s 23 million residents, were negative for other diseases including foot-and-mouth, swine fever, hog cholera and blue-ear, it said. The China News Service reported today the total number of carcasses has risen to 2,813, up from the more than 1,200 reported by the government earlier today. A preliminary investigation showed the dead pigs, which include piglets and mature hogs, had floated down the river from neighboring Zhejiang province, the Shanghai government said on its website. “We have heard increased reports of outbreaks from our customers, and so far they don’t appear to be serious, although they can potentially develop,” James Feng, general manager of Soozhu.com, China’s biggest independent hog researcher, said by phone from Beijing. “Given the magnitude of China’s hog herds, it’s not uncommon to have thousands of pigs killed by diseases,” he said.A month after President Trump’s executive order barring people from seven majority-Muslim nations from entering the United States caused tumult around the country, the government’s accounting of how many travelers the ban affected remains unclear. A total of 746 people were detained and processed in a 26-hour period immediately after a federal judge in Brooklyn blocked part of Mr. Trump’s Jan. 27 order, according to a list released by the government on Thursday. The figure was nearly seven times greater than the 109 people that Mr. Trump said in a Jan. 30 message on Twitter had been “held for questioning” and Sean M. Spicer, the White House press secretary, said had been “inconvenienced.” But, according to lawyers for some of those who were detained, 746 may be an incomplete figure. At a hearing before Judge Carol B. Amon of Federal District Court in Brooklyn on Friday, those lawyers challenged the veracity of the government’s list, saying they knew of at least 10 people who had been detained who were not included in the tally.Two Chinese nationals who were working in the country illegally were each ordered to pay a $500 fine and are facing deportation. One of them, Haigiao Liang, was slapped an additional fine of $5,000 for entering the country illegally. Liang, 22, and Weigao Feng, 28, of Guangdong, China, were charged separately, but both pleaded guilty in the San Fernando Magistrates Court. Liang had pleaded guilty on a previous occasion and the facts were taken in his matter. Yesterday, with the assistance of a Spanish interpreter, he told Magistrate Ava Vandenburg-Bailey he first went to Venezuela, but the environment there was so bad that he chose to come here by boat. Asked why he did not go through immigration, Liang said he knew the boat man. Outlining the facts in Feng's case yesterday, court prosecutor Sgt Chanardath Jhilmit said around 4 pm on March 27, Sgt Joseph Corraspe of the Immigration Investigations Unit in Port-of-Spain CID along with other police officers were making inquiries in Marabella. His information led him to a restaurant and bar on Union Road where he saw Feng serving drinks to customers and receiving payment. Feng was detained and taken to the Immigration Office where checks revealed that Feng entered the country as a visitor; he was neither a citizen nor a resident. He was taken to the detention centre in Aripo pending further inquiries. Further checks revealed he was never issued a work permit. Feng was subsequently charged. With the assistance of a Chinese interpreter, Feng told the magistrate he did not know how to apply for a work permit. Feng said he came here on a vacation, but the atmosphere was good and the wages were higher than in China so he decided to work. Even if they paid the fines, the magistrate told them, they would not be released. "Immigration will be taking them," she said.A 37-year-old Esquimalt man is likely regretting his decision in a Saanich parking lot on Thursday night after accidentally stabbing himself. The man who was parked at Pearkes Arena returned to his vehicle to find that another car had parked extremely close to his. Out of frustration he allegedly retrieved a knife and punctured a tire of the “offending” vehicle. “Clearly the man was unfamiliar with the physics behind his actions, as not only did he puncture the tire, but he ended up stabbing himself too,” A/Sgt. Jereme W Leslie said in a release. According to police, the man realizing how severe the stab wound was, started to drive himself to the hospital before stopping to call an ambulance due to heavy bleeding and loss of blood. His self-inflicted stab wound required immediate surgery after he severed an artery in his leg. Saanich Police is asking for any witnesses to call the Saanich Police at 250-475-4321. Facebook ConversationsMICHIGAN – Muslim students in Michigan State University have come together in an event planned to celebrate their cultural diversity and clear misconceptions held by their colleagues about their faith. “Being a Muslim is integrated into everything I do, every action must benefit society or please God,” graduate student Heba Osman told The State News on Wednesday, February 24. Osman is one of the Muslim students from MSU and East Lansing communities came together and were given the opportunity to share their experiences, both positive and negative, in an event sponsored by the Committee on Diversity of MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine. The event, called “Visions for the Future: Stories from your Muslim Neighbors,” was held on February 23. The panelists, who come from various countries and cities like Dubai and Pakistan in addition to metropolitan Detroit, answered question of their colleagues who attended the event. All of the student panelist members were graduate students enrolled in either MSU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine or College of Human Medicine. Faraz Khan, one of the panelists who works as a doctor, said that Islam had influenced his career choice. “One verse in the Quran really influenced my desire to be a doctor,” graduate student Khan said. “It says, ‘If you save one life, it’s as if you saved all of humanity.’” Some of the audience asked about hijab donned by two of the female panelists. “I’m not a better Muslim because I wear a hijab, but it reminds me that I’m a Muslim and of my responsibilities,” Osman said. Second year human medicine graduate student Susan Edlibi said the hijab allows her to not be judged based on how she looks. Apart from misconceptions, Muslim students used the event to highlight the effect of the political atmosphere on American Muslims. “I volunteered in a refugee camp and one of the women asked me how I could wear hijab in America,” Osman said. “Because of the media’s portrayal she thought Americans hate Muslims. She was going to turn down an offer to immigrate and chose to stay in a refugee camp because of this.” Muslims make up 1% of America’s 322 million population, according to Pew Research center. Republican presidential candidates, such as Donald Trump and Dr. Ben Carson have been accused of flaring anti-Muslim sentiments. Trump’s views on immigration have sparked controversy nationwide, especially his proposal to temporarily ban Muslims from entering the US. Nevertheless, the majority of Muslim students said they appreciate the diversity of America. “America isn’t a melting pot, it’s a salad,” Edlibi said. “We’re all separate but we come together to make something great.”A 24/7 taskforce has been set up by the Foreign Affairs Ministry to monitor and deal with developments in the United States under the Trump administration. MFAT head Brook Barrington revealed the details of the taskforce when appearing before MPs at a select committee this morning. He says New Zealand is taking a "wait and see" approach to events in the United States, given it's only 19 days into the Trump administration. Mr Barrington was bollocked by Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully last week for delays in providing information about whether New Zealand citizens would be caught up in the Trump travel ban. He admits MFAT were "24 hours behind" on events and that has now changed. "It's certainly not BAU (Business as Usual)," Mr Barrington told reporters. Source: Breakfast The taskforce is being run by six or seven staff members 24 hours a day who report, monitor and brief officials on developments. "It works with real time reporting and monitoring as events unfold." It will remain in place for the foreseeable future. "We will not return to BAU until we have a clear idea of where things are headed." Mr Barrington says New Zealand has never hesitated to disagree with US policy and that stance won't change. "We have systems, processes, people in place to ensure New Zealand's interests are not compromised in that space," he said.There’s no escaping the moveable greenhouse that is the London Underground in summer. Is there anything worse than feeling sweat trickle down your back leg as you jam your face into someone’s armpit whilst ramming yourself onto the central line at Mile End? Short of moving somewhere that’s walking distance from your work (lol), the easiest way to avoid spending an hour a day feeling like you're in a sauna is switching up your route. Ditch the older lines that go deepest underground, because they’re the hottest. The Bakerloo is the worst, followed by the Central line. The coolest? District, Circle, Hammersmith & City or Metropolitan are all blessedly air-conditioned. If you have to get on the Central line, here’s an ingenious tip: put a bottle of water in the freezer overnight, then carry it with you in one of those cloth tote bags. Press it on the back of your neck, roll it across your face or just hold on to it to keep cool. Got more summer problems? Here's how to make cocktails in the park when you're bored of G&T tinnies. Plus, we asked a professional photographer how to take an actually good sunset snap.While we anticipate that a member of the First Presidency will participate in the program, it has been decided to give other church leaders the opportunity to speak at the annual Christmas devotional. SALT LAKE CITY — The LDS Church has altered the name and program for its annual Christmas devotional. Known at least since the early 1970s as the "First Presidency Christmas Devotional," the event traditionally has featured a talk from each of the three members of the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as Christmas songs performed by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. The church's press release, website and tickets to the event this year call the event the Christmas Devotional. The name change signaled a change to the program. “While we anticipate that a member of the First Presidency will participate in the program, it has been decided to give other church leaders the opportunity to speak at the annual Christmas devotional," church spokesman Cody Craynor said. The devotionals began decades ago as a way to honor church employees. The church eventually began to broadcast the devotionals and later moved them to the 21,000-seat Conference Center. Since 1994, all three members of the church's First Presidency have spoken at each devotional. In 1993, the church's president, Ezra Taft Benson, who was 94, was unable to attend for health reasons. Neither was his second counselor, President Thomas S. Monson, who was ill. "Somehow, I made it," joked President Gordon B. Hinckley, then the first counselor in the First Presidency. President Hinckley and then-Elder Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles spoke. President Benson died in spring 1994. Since then, the entire First Presidency has spoken at each devotional, including a talk every year by President Monson, who became the church's president in 2008. The talks by President Monson and his counselors, President Henry B. Eyring and President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, from last year's devotional and the songs performed by the choir can be seen now at lds.org. The first public hint of a change appeared about a month ago when tickets to the event were distributed with the new title "Christmas Devotional." As usual, free tickets to Sunday's hour-long event at the Conference Center are "sold out," but the devotional will be broadcast live nationally at 6 p.m. MT on BYUtv. The event also is available live online at mormonchannel.org and in 16 languages at broadcast.lds.org. Other broadcasters around the world will carry the devotional. Check local program listings for availability in your area, or visit mormonchannel.org or byutv.org. The devotional will also be broadcast or rebroadcast over the church satellite system in more than 50 languages. Check with local leaders for more details. Last month, the church announced a change to its semiannual meetings for women and girls. A general women's meeting will be held on the Saturdays before the April and October general conferences of the church for all women and girls ages 8 and above. Since 1993, a general Relief Society meeting had been held the Saturday before October general conference and a general Young Women meeting on the Saturday before April conference.WASHINGTON, Jan. 4, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- U.S. Conference of Mayors President Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake today issued the following statement in response to President Obama's actions to reduce gun violence: "The nation's mayors applaud the important step President Obama is taking to reduce gun violence in our nation. It is mayors, police chiefs and other local officials who must pick up the pieces of shattered communities when shootings happen, must comfort the families now missing loved ones, must bring the shooters to justice. "The U.S. Conference of Mayors has had strong policy aimed at reducing gun violence for nearly 50 years and, since 1999, has repeatedly called for strengthening the background check system. We support requiring a background check for every gun sale and increasing the reporting
0 [gold_generation] => 0 [movement_speed_multiplier] => 0 [movement_speed_rank] => 0 [energy] => 0 [energy_regeneration] => 0 [experience] => 0 [unique_movement_speed_rank] => 0 [unique_movement_speed_multiplier] => 0 [unique_armor] => 0 [unique_magic_resistance] => 0 [unique_attack_damage] => 0 [unique_health_regeneration] => 0 [unique_mana] => 0 [unique_mana_regeneration] => 0 [unique_magic_penetration] => 0 [unique_armor_penetration] => 0 [unique_lethality] => 0 [unique_life_steal] => 0 [unique_spell_vamp] => 0 [unique_tenacity] => 0 [unique_attack_speed] => 0 [unique_cooldown_reduction] => 0 [unique_ability_power] => 0 [unique_critical_strike_chance] => 0 [unique_critical_strike_damage] => 0 [unique_dodge] => 0 [unique_gold_generation] => 0 [unique_health] => 0 [unique_death_time_reduction] => 0 [unique_energy] => 0 [unique_energy_regeneration] => 0 [unique_experience] => 0 [unique_health_multiplier] => 0 [aura] => Enemy champions within 325 range take 15% more magic damage. [passive] => [unique_passive] => Eternity: Restore mana equal to 15% of damage taken from champions. Restore health equal to 20% of mana spent, up to 25 health per cast, while toggle abilities can heal for up to 25 per second. [consume] => [active] => [unique_active] => [is_deprecated] => 0 [is_deleted] => 0 [is_buildable] => 1 [is_published] => 1 [comment_count] => 19 [last_comment_ts] => 2019-02-01 14:56:09 ) [5] => Array ( [item_id] => 38 [display_name] => Boots of Swiftness [url] => boots-of-swiftness [client_id] => 3009 [icon] => /content/item/312e302e302e37302d33303039.gif [is_consumable] => 0 [is_summoners_rift] => 1 [is_twisted_treeline] => 1 [is_howling_abyss] => 1 [is_crystal_scar] => 0 [is_classic] => 1 [is_dominion] => 1 [available_in] => Classic,Dominion [tier] => Advanced [description] => UNIQUE Passive: Enhanced Movement 3 [recipe_cost] => 600 [total_cost] => 900 [sell_value] => 630 [category] => Movement,Boots [health] => 0 [health_regeneration] => 0 [health_multiplier] => 0 [dodge] => 0 [armor] => 0 [magic_resistance] => 0 [attack_damage] => 0 [attack_speed] => 0 [critical_strike] => 0 [critical_strike_chance] => 0 [critical_strike_damage] => 0 [life_steal] => 0 [spell_vamp] => 0 [tenacity] => 0 [mana] => 0 [mana_regeneration] => 0 [ability_power] => 0 [armor_penetration] => 0 [lethality] => 0 [magic_penetration] => 0 [cooldown_reduction] => 0 [attack_range] => 0 [gold_generation] => 0 [movement_speed_multiplier] => 0 [movement_speed_rank] => 0 [energy] => 0 [energy_regeneration] => 0 [experience] => 0 [unique_movement_speed_rank] => 60 [unique_movement_speed_multiplier] => 0 [unique_armor] => 0 [unique_magic_resistance] => 0 [unique_attack_damage] => 0 [unique_health_regeneration] => 0 [unique_mana] => 0 [unique_mana_regeneration] => 0 [unique_magic_penetration] => 0 [unique_armor_penetration] => 0 [unique_lethality] => 0 [unique_life_steal] => 0 [unique_spell_vamp] => 0 [unique_tenacity] => 0 [unique_attack_speed] => 0 [unique_cooldown_reduction] => 0 [unique_ability_power] => 0 [unique_critical_strike_chance] => 0 [unique_critical_strike_damage] => 0 [unique_dodge] => 0 [unique_gold_generation] => 0 [unique_health] => 0 [unique_death_time_reduction] => 0 [unique_energy] => 0 [unique_energy_regeneration] => 0 [unique_experience] => 0 [unique_health_multiplier] => 0 [aura] => [passive] => [unique_passive] => Enhanced Movement: +55 Movement Speed. UNIQUE Passive: Slow Resist: Movement slowing effects are reduced by 25%. [consume] => [active] => [unique_active] => [is_deprecated] => 0 [is_deleted] => 0 [is_buildable] => 1 [is_published] => 1 [comment_count] => 11 [last_comment_ts] => 2015-11-16 12:56:09 ) ) ) [5] => Array ( [display_name] => Support [item_ids] => Array ( [0] => 187 [1] => 160 [2] => 86 [3] => 135 [4] => 155 [5] => 85 ) [description] => [display_order] => 6 [is_grouped] => 0 [is_core] => 0 [group_display_name] => [items] => Array ( [0] => Array ( [item_id] => 187 [display_name] => Timeworn Face of the Mountain [url] => timeworn-face-of-the-mountain [client_id] => 0 [icon] => [is_consumable] => 0 [is_summoners_rift] => 0 [is_twisted_treeline] => 1 [is_howling_abyss] => 0 [is_crystal_scar] => 0 [is_classic] => 1 [is_dominion] => 0 [available_in] => [tier] => Legendary [description] => [recipe_cost] => 450 [total_cost] => 2100 [sell_value] => 810 [category] => Health,Health Regen,Cooldown Reduction,Income [health] => 300 [health_regeneration] => 100 [health_multiplier] => 0 [dodge] => 0 [armor] => 0 [magic_resistance] => 0 [attack_damage] => 0 [attack_speed] => 0 [critical_strike] => 0 [critical_strike_chance] => 0 [critical_strike_damage] => 0 [life_steal] => 0 [spell_vamp] => 0 [tenacity] => 0 [mana] => 0 [mana_regeneration] => 0 [ability_power] => 0 [armor_penetration] => 0 [lethality] => 0 [magic_penetration] => 0 [cooldown_reduction] => 10 [attack_range] => 0 [gold_generation] => 1 [movement_speed_multiplier] => 0 [movement_speed_rank] => 0 [energy] => 0 [energy_regeneration] => 0 [experience] => 0 [unique_movement_speed_rank] => 0 [unique_movement_speed_multiplier] => 0 [unique_armor] => 0 [unique_magic_resistance] => 0 [unique_attack_damage] => 0 [unique_health_regeneration] => 0 [unique_mana] => 0 [unique_mana_regeneration] => 0 [unique_magic_penetration] => 0 [unique_armor_penetration] => 0 [unique_lethality] => 0 [unique_life_steal] => 0 [unique_spell_vamp] => 0 [unique_tenacity] => 0 [unique_attack_speed] => 0 [unique_cooldown_reduction] => 0 [unique_ability_power] => 0 [unique_critical_strike_chance] => 0 [unique_critical_strike_damage] => 0 [unique_dodge] => 0 [unique_gold_generation] => 0 [unique_health] => 0 [unique_death_time_reduction] => 0 [unique_energy] => 0 [unique_energy_regeneration] => 0 [unique_experience] => 0 [unique_health_multiplier] => 0 [aura] => [passive] => [unique_passive] => Spoils of War: Melee basic attacks execute minions below 320 (+20 per level) (+ 2% missing health) Health. Melee champions gain 150 bonus attack range and increased attack speed against executable minions. Killing a minion heals you and the nearest allied champion for 50 and grants them kill gold (half healing if the item's owner is ranged). Allies who benefit from Spoils of War also gain +1 to their minions killed score. These effects require a nearby allied champion. Recharges every 30 seconds. Max 4 charges. UNIQUE Passive: Quest: Earn 750 gold using this item. Reward: Shield Battery, a permanent shield for 255-340 (based on level) health. The shield regenerates slowly when out-of-combat. Executing minions with Spoils of War regenerates 64-85 (based on level) shield value. [consume] => [active] => [unique_active] => Deadly Phalanx: Grant a shield to an ally equal to 10% of your maximum Health for 4 seconds. After 4 seconds, the shield explodes to slow nearby enemies by 40% for 2 seconds (60 second cooldown). [i]You may only be in possession of 1 Gold Income item.[/i] [is_deprecated] => 0 [is_deleted] => 0 [is_buildable] => 1 [is_published] => 1 [comment_count] => 13 [last_comment_ts] => 2015-04-15 07:11:31 ) [1] => Array ( [item_id] => 160 [display_name] => Ruby Sightstone [url] => ruby-sightstone [client_id] => 2045 [icon] => [is_consumable] => 0 [is_summoners_rift] => 1 [is_twisted_treeline] => 0 [is_howling_abyss] => 0 [is_crystal_scar] => 0 [is_classic] => 0 [is_dominion] => 0 [available_in] => [tier] => Legendary [description] => [recipe_cost] => 400 [total_cost] => 1600 [sell_value] => 640 [category] => Health,Consumables,Vision [health] => 500 [health_regeneration] => 0 [health_multiplier] => 0 [dodge] => 0 [armor] => 0 [magic_resistance] => 0 [attack_damage] => 0 [attack_speed] => 0 [critical_strike] => 0 [critical_strike_chance] => 0 [critical_strike_damage] => 0 [life_steal] => 0 [spell_vamp] => 0 [tenacity] => 0 [mana] => 0 [mana_regeneration] => 0 [ability_power] => 0 [armor_penetration] => 0 [lethality] => 0 [magic_penetration] => 0 [cooldown_reduction] => 0 [attack_range] => 0 [gold_generation] => 0 [movement_speed_multiplier] => 0 [movement_speed_rank] => 0 [energy] => 0 [energy_regeneration] => 0 [experience] => 0 [unique_movement_speed_rank] => 0 [unique_movement_speed_multiplier] => 0 [unique_armor] => 0 [unique_magic_resistance] => 0 [unique_attack_damage] => 0 [unique_health_regeneration] => 0 [unique_mana] => 0 [unique_mana_regeneration] => 0 [unique_magic_penetration] => 0 [unique_armor_penetration] => 0 [unique_lethality] => 0 [unique_life_steal] => 0 [unique_spell_vamp] => 0 [unique_tenacity] => 0 [unique_attack_speed] => 0 [unique_cooldown_reduction] => 0 [unique_ability_power] => 0 [unique_critical_strike_chance] => 0 [unique_critical_strike_damage] => 0 [unique_dodge] => 0 [unique_gold_generation] => 0 [unique_health] => 0 [unique_death_time_reduction] => 0 [unique_energy] => 0 [unique_energy_regeneration] => 0 [unique_experience] => 0 [unique_health_multiplier] => 0 [aura] => [passive] => [unique_passive] => Staying Active: Item active cooldowns are reduced by 20%. UNIQUE Passive: Ward Refresh: Starts with 4 charges and refills each time you visit the shop. [consume] => [active] => [unique_active] => Ghost Ward: Consumes a charge to place a Stealth Ward that reveals the surrounding area for 150 seconds. 1 second cooldown. Each player can have no more than three Stealth Wards placed on the map at a time. [i]A player may only have 3 Stealth Wards on the map at one time.[/i] [is_deprecated] => 1 [is_deleted] => 0 [is_buildable] => 0 [is_published] => 1 [comment_count] => 6 [last_comment_ts] => 2014-12-19 07:05:04 ) [2] => Array ( [item_id] => 86 [display_name] => Boots of Mobility [url] => boots-of-mobility [client_id] => 3117 [icon] => /content/item/312e302e302e37302d33313137.gif [is_consumable] => 0 [is_summoners_rift] => 1 [is_twisted_treeline] => 1 [is_howling_abyss] => 1 [is_crystal_scar] => 0 [is_classic] => 1 [is_dominion] => 1 [available_in] => Classic,Dominion [tier] => Advanced [description] => UNIQUE Passive: Enhanced Movement 2 Passive: When out of combat for 5 seconds the effect of these boots is increased to Enhanced Movement 5. [recipe_cost] => 500 [total_cost] => 900 [sell_value] => 630 [category] => Movement,Boots [health] => 0 [health_regeneration] => 0 [health_multiplier] => 0 [dodge] => 0 [armor] => 0 [magic_resistance] => 0 [attack_damage] => 0 [attack_speed] => 0 [critical_strike] => 0 [critical_strike_chance] => 0 [critical_strike_damage] => 0 [life_steal] => 0 [spell_vamp] => 0 [tenacity] => 0 [mana] => 0 [mana_regeneration] => 0 [ability_power] => 0 [armor_penetration] => 0 [lethality] => 0 [magic_penetration] => 0 [cooldown_reduction] => 0 [attack_range] => 0 [gold_generation] => 0 [movement_speed_multiplier] => 0 [movement_speed_rank] => 0 [energy] => 0 [energy_regeneration] => 0 [experience] => 0 [unique_movement_speed_rank] => 25 [unique_movement_speed_multiplier] => 0 [unique_armor] => 0 [unique_magic_resistance] => 0 [unique_attack_damage] => 0 [unique_health_regeneration] => 0 [unique_mana] => 0 [unique_mana_regeneration] => 0 [unique_magic_penetration] => 0 [unique_armor_penetration] => 0 [unique_lethality] => 0 [unique_life_steal] => 0 [unique_spell_vamp] => 0 [unique_tenacity] => 0 [unique_attack_speed] => 0 [unique_cooldown_reduction] => 0 [unique_ability_power] => 0 [unique_critical_strike_chance] => 0 [unique_critical_strike_damage] => 0 [unique_dodge] => 0 [unique_gold_generation] => 0 [unique_health] => 0 [unique_death_time_reduction] => 0 [unique_energy] => 0 [unique_energy_regeneration] => 0 [unique_experience] => 0 [unique_health_multiplier] => 0 [aura] => [passive] => [unique_passive] => Enhanced Movement: +25 Movement Speed. Increases to +115 Movement Speed when out of combat for 5 seconds. [consume] => [active] => [unique_active] => [is_deprecated] => 0 [is_deleted] => 0 [is_buildable] => 1 [is_published] => 1 [comment_count] => 8 [last_comment_ts] => 2018-05-03 14:21:48 ) [3] => Array ( [item_id] => 135 [display_name] => Locket of the Iron Solari [url] => locket-of-the-iron-solari [client_id] => 3190 [icon] => [is_consumable] => 0 [is_summoners_rift] => 1 [is_twisted_treeline] => 1 [is_howling_abyss] => 1 [is_crystal_scar] => 0 [is_classic] => 1 [is_dominion] => 1 [available_in] => Classic,Dominion [tier] => Legendary [description] => [recipe_cost] => 650 [total_cost] => 2200 [sell_value] => 1540 [category] => Magic Resist,Armor [health] => 0 [health_regeneration] => 0 [health_multiplier] => 0 [dodge] => 0 [armor] => 30 [magic_resistance] => 60 [attack_damage] => 0 [attack_speed] => 0 [critical_strike] => 0 [critical_strike_chance] => 0 [critical_strike_damage] => 0 [life_steal] => 0 [spell_vamp] => 0 [tenacity] => 0 [mana] => 0 [mana_regeneration] => 0 [ability_power] => 0 [armor_penetration] => 0 [lethality] => 0 [magic_penetration] => 0 [cooldown_reduction] => 0 [attack_range] => 0 [gold_generation] => 0 [movement_speed_multiplier] => 0 [movement_speed_rank] => 0 [energy] => 0 [energy_regeneration] => 0 [experience] => 0 [unique_movement_speed_rank] => 0 [unique_movement_speed_multiplier] => 0 [unique_armor] => 0 [unique_magic_resistance] => 0 [unique_attack_damage] => 0 [unique_health_regeneration] => 0 [unique_mana] => 0 [unique_mana_regeneration] => 0 [unique_magic_penetration] => 0 [unique_armor_penetration] => 0 [unique_lethality] => 0 [unique_life_steal] => 0 [unique_spell_vamp] => 0 [unique_tenacity] => 0 [unique_attack_speed] => 0 [unique_cooldown_reduction] => 0 [unique_ability_power] => 0 [unique_critical_strike_chance] => 0 [unique_critical_strike_damage] => 0 [unique_dodge] => 0 [unique_gold_generation] => 0 [unique_health] => 0 [unique_death_time_reduction] => 0 [unique_energy] => 0 [unique_energy_regeneration] => 0 [unique_experience] => 0 [unique_health_multiplier] => 0 [aura] => [passive] => [unique_passive] => [consume] => [active] => [unique_active] => Shield yourself and nearby allied champions for 2 seconds, absorbing up to 30-285 (+20% of the caster's bonus health) damage (at levels 1-18). Active's shield amount is calculated using the recipient champion's level if the recipient is a higher level than the item owner. 120 second cooldown. [i]Additional Locket of the Iron Solari shields cast on the same target within 20 seconds will be reduced by 75%.[/i] [is_deprecated] => 0 [is_deleted] => 0 [is_buildable] => 1 [is_published] => 1 [comment_count] => 14 [last_comment_ts] => 2016-11-29 06:44:24 ) [4] => Array ( [item_id] => 155 [display_name] => Mikael's Crucible [url] => mikaels-crucible [client_id] => 3222 [icon] => [is_consumable] => 0 [is_summoners_rift] => 1 [is_twisted_treeline] => 1 [is_howling_abyss] => 1 [is_crystal_scar] => 0 [is_classic] => 0 [is_dominion] => 0 [available_in] => [tier] => Legendary [description] => [recipe_cost] => 500 [total_cost] => 2100 [sell_value] => 1470 [category] => Magic Resist,Cooldown Reduction,Mana Regen [health] => 0 [health_regeneration] => 0 [health_multiplier] => 0 [dodge] => 0 [armor] => 0 [magic_resistance] => 40 [attack_damage] => 0 [attack_speed] => 0 [critical_strike] => 0 [critical_strike_chance] => 0 [critical_strike_damage] => 0 [life_steal] => 0 [spell_vamp] => 0 [tenacity] => 0 [mana] => 0 [mana_regeneration] => 100 [ability_power] => 0 [armor_penetration] => 0 [lethality] => 0 [magic_penetration] => 0 [cooldown_reduction] => 10 [attack_range] => 0 [gold_generation] => 0 [movement_speed_multiplier] => 0 [movement_speed_rank] => 0 [energy] => 0 [energy_regeneration] => 0 [experience] => 0 [unique_movement_speed_rank] => 0 [unique_movement_speed_multiplier] => 0 [unique_armor] => 0 [unique_magic_resistance] => 0 [unique_attack_damage] => 0 [unique_health_regeneration] => 0 [unique_mana] => 0 [unique_mana_regeneration] => 0 [unique_magic_penetration] => 0 [unique_armor_penetration] => 0 [unique_lethality] => 0 [unique_life_steal] => 0 [unique_spell_vamp] => 0 [unique_tenacity] => 0 [unique_attack_speed] => 0 [unique_cooldown_reduction] => 0 [unique_ability_power] => 0 [unique_critical_strike_chance] => 0 [unique_critical_strike_damage] => 0 [unique_dodge] => 0 [unique_gold_generation] => 0 [unique_health] => 0 [unique_death_time_reduction] => 0 [unique_energy] => 0 [unique_energy_regeneration] => 0 [unique_experience] => 0 [unique_health_multiplier] => 0 [aura] => [passive] => [unique_passive] => Harmony: Gain +25% Base Health Regeneration for every +25% Base Mana Regeneration. UNIQUE Passive: 20% bonus healing and shielding power. [consume] => [active] => [unique_active] => Instantly removes all stuns, roots, taunts, fears, silences and slows on an allied champion, as well as granting 2 seconds of slow immunity. Successfully cleansing an effect will also grant the target 40% Movement Speed for 2 seconds (120 second cooldown) (750 range). [is_deprecated] => 0 [is_deleted] => 0 [is_buildable] => 1 [is_published] => 1 [comment_count] => 5 [last_comment_ts] => 2013-06-25 23:25:01 ) [5] => Array ( [item_id] => 85 [display_name] => Rylai's Crystal Scepter [url] => rylais-crystal-scepter [client_id] => 3116 [icon] => /content/item/312e302e302e37302d33313136.gif [is_consumable] => 0 [is_summoners_rift] => 1 [is_twisted_treeline] => 1 [is_howling_abyss] => 1 [is_crystal_scar] => 0 [is_classic] => 1 [is_dominion] => 1 [available_in] => Classic,Dominion [tier] => Advanced [description] => +500 Health +80 Ability Power Passive: Dealing spell damage slows the target's movement speed by 35% for 2 seconds (15% for multi-target spells). [recipe_cost] => 915 [total_cost] => 2600 [sell_value] => 1820 [category] => Health,Ability Power [health] => 300 [health_regeneration] => 0 [health_multiplier] => 0 [dodge] => 0 [armor] => 0 [magic_resistance] => 0 [attack_damage] => 0 [attack_speed] => 0 [critical_strike] => 0 [critical_strike_chance] => 0 [critical_strike_damage] => 0 [life_steal] => 0 [spell_vamp] => 0 [tenacity] => 0 [mana] => 0 [mana_regeneration] => 0 [ability_power] => 90 [armor_penetration] => 0 [lethality] => 0 [magic_penetration] => 0 [cooldown_reduction] => 0 [attack_range] => 0 [gold_generation] => 0 [movement_speed_multiplier] => 0 [movement_speed_rank] => 0 [energy] => 0 [energy_regeneration] => 0 [experience] => 0 [unique_movement_speed_rank] => 0 [unique_movement_speed_multiplier] => 0 [unique_armor] => 0 [unique_magic_resistance] => 0 [unique_attack_damage] => 0 [unique_health_regeneration] => 0 [unique_mana] => 0 [unique_mana_regeneration] => 0 [unique_magic_penetration] => 0 [unique_armor_penetration] => 0 [unique_lethality] => 0 [unique_life_steal] => 0 [unique_spell_vamp] => 0 [unique_tenacity] => 0 [unique_attack_speed] => 0 [unique_cooldown_reduction] => 0 [unique_ability_power] => 0 [unique_critical_strike_chance] => 0 [unique_critical_strike_damage] => 0 [unique_dodge] => 0 [unique_gold_generation] => 0 [unique_health] => 0 [unique_death_time_reduction] => 0 [unique_energy] => 0 [unique_energy_regeneration] => 0 [unique_experience] => 0 [unique_health_multiplier] => 0 [aura] => [passive] => [unique_passive] => Your spell damage and summoned minions will slow the target's movement speed by 20% for 1 second. [consume] => [active] => [unique_active] => [is_deprecated] => 0 [is_deleted] => 0 [is_buildable] => 1 [is_published] => 1 [comment_count] => 29 [last_comment_ts] => 2018-12-16 10:27:23 ) ) ) ) [ability_builds] => Array ( [0] => Array ( [display_name] => [ability_ranks] => Array ( [0] => 1 [1] => 3 [2] => 1 [3] => 2 [4] => 1 [5] => 4 [6] => 1 [7] => 3 [8] => 1 [9] => 3 [10] => 4 [11] => 3 [12] => 2 [13] => 3 [14] => 2 [15] => 4 [16] => 2 [17] => 2 ) [description] => This is the build for the jungle, if you are playing ivern support it may be better to max your E instead of your Q [display_order] => 1 ) ) [threats] => Array ( ) [champion] => Array ( [champion_id] => 133 [display_name] => Ivern [url_str] => ivern [title] => The Green Father [key] => [description] => Ivern Bramblefoot, known to many as the Green Father, is a peculiar half man, half tree who roams Runeterra's forests, cultivating life everywhere he goes. He knows the secrets of the natural world, and holds deep friendshipswith all things that grow, fly and scuttle. Ivern wanders the wilderness, imparting strange wisdom to any he meets, enriching the forests, and occasionally entrusting loose-lipped butterflies with his secrets. [spotlight_embed_url] => https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-gsY5oAsL0 [role] => Support [defense_rating] => 5 [magic_rating] => 7 [attack_rating] => 3 [difficulty_rating] => 7 [damage_rating] => 1 [mobility_rating] => 2 [cc_rating] => 3 [toughness_rating] => 1 [utility_rating] => 3 [health] => 580 [health_increase] => 0 [mana] => 450 [mana_increase] => 0 [movement_speed] => 330 [armor] => 22 [armor_increase] => 0 [magic_resistance] => 32.1 [magic_resistance_increase] => 0 [attack_damage] => 50 [attack_damage_increase] => 0 [critical_strike] => 0 [critical_strike_increase] => 0 [health_regeneration] => 2.9 [health_regeneration_increase] => 0 [mana_regeneration] => 6.2 [mana_regeneration_increase] => 0 [attack_range] => 125 [attack_speed] => 0.644 [ability_power] => 0 [ability_power_18] => 0 [attack_speed_18] => 1.016 [health_18] => 2110 [mana_18] => 1470 [movement_speed_18] => 330 [armor_18] => 81.5 [magic_resistance_18] => 53.4 [attack_damage_18] => 101 [critical_strike_18] => 0 [health_regeneration_18] => 21.4 [mana_regeneration_18] => 18.9 [attack_range_18] => 125 [tip_playing_as] => Try to help allies follow up a good Rootcaller hit with Triggerseed! Use Brushmaker to set up future ambush spots! Daisy can block skillshots and slow down enemies. Use her to peel for your teammates! [tip_playing_against] => Ivern can be deceptively slippery. Be careful chasing him too far. Ivern's brush has a long duration. Watch out for ambushes! Be careful when fighting Ivern alone if he has Daisy ready to help! [client_id] => 427 [riot_points] => 975 [influence_points] => 6300 [icon] => [is_published] => 1 [is_deprecated] => 0 [is_deleted] => 0 [is_buildable] => 1 [is_free] => 1 [views] => 0 [view_count] => 1325992 [comments] => 0 [comment_count] => 2 [votes] => 0 [vote_count] => 0 [community_tier_list_vote_count] => 556 [community_tier_list_score] => 0.583453 [community_tier_list_rank] => 3 [score] => 0 [lastpost_ts] => 0000-00-00 00:00:00 [last_comment_ts] => 2018-12-13 11:13:47 [critical_strike_chance] => 0 [critical_strike_chance_18] => 0 [preferred_skin] => 857 [create_ts] => 2016-10-05 00:00:00 ) [skin] => Array ( [skin_id] => 858 [display_name] => Candy King Ivern [champion_id] => 133 [champion_name] => Ivern [url_str] => ivern-candy-king [client_id] => 427001 [type] => [price] => 1350 [chroma_count] => 0 [is_available] => 1 [is_deleted] => 0 [release_date] => 2016-10-05 00:00:00 [removal_date] => 0000-00-00 00:00:00 [score] => 28 [header_score] => 141 [vote_count] => 48 [comment_count] => 0 [last_comment_ts] => 0000-00-00 00:00:00 ) [abilities] => Array ( [0] => Array ( [ability_id] => 788 [champion_id] => 133 [display_name] => Friend of the Forest [unranked_description] => Ivern cannot attack or be attacked by non-epic monsters. Ivern can create magical groves on jungle camps which grow over time. When the grove is fullyl grown, Ivern may free the monsters to receive gold and experience. After level 5 Ivern can share jungle buffs with allies. [ranked_description] => Ivern cannot attack or damage non-epic monsters. Instead, targeting a jungle camp initiates a 2.5-second channel that, upon completion, places the monsters within a grove. Placing a grove costs 22.5-8% of his base health and mana (based on level), and cannot be cast if Ivern lacks the resources. The grove matures over 40-30s (at levels 1-6), 27-15s (at levels 7-11), 11-3s (at levels 12-14), 1s (level 15+). When fully matured, Ivern can interact with the camp again to instantly free the monsters, sending them away while receiving their full gold and experience bounty. Smiting a camp within a grove will instantly free the monsters, regardless of its maturity or the monster's current health. If the camp's large monster has already been slain, Ivern will free the camp upon completing the channel at no cost. Similarly, the grove will instantly mature if the large monster is slain. Starting at level 5, freeing the Red Brambleback or Blue Sentinel leaves behind a sapling that can be picked up by an allied champion to gain the camp's buff, consuming it in the process. If at least one allied champion is nearby, Ivern can pick up the sapling to transfer it to the nearest one in range. If an ally kills either monster, they also leave behind a sapling that only Ivern can consume. [description] => [icon] => [cooldown_rank_1] => 0 [cooldown_rank_2] => 0 [cooldown_rank_3] => 0 [cooldown_rank_4] => 0 [cooldown_rank_5] => 0 [cooldown] => 0 [cost_rank_1] => 0 [cost_rank_2] => 0 [cost_rank_3] => 0 [cost_rank_4] => 0 [cost_rank_5] => 0 [cost_type] => mana [attack_range] => 0 [range_rank_1] => 0 [range_rank_2] => 0 [range_rank_3] => 0 [range_rank_4] => 0 [range_rank_5] => 0 [keybind] => Passive [video_url] => [display_order] => 0 [range_type] => self [target_type] => passive [comment_count] => 0 [is_deleted] => 0 [is_deprecated] => 0 [last_comment_ts] => 0000-00-00 00:00:00 ) [1] => Array ( [ability_id] => 789 [champion_id] => 133 [display_name] => Rootcaller [unranked_description] => Ivern conjures a vine, dealing damage and rooting enemy targets hit. Ivern's allies can dash to the rooted target. [ranked_description] => Ivern throws a vine in the target direction, dealing {80/125/170/215/260} {0.7} magic damage to the first enemy hit and rooting them for {1.2/1.4/1.6/1.8/2} seconds. Ivern and his allies can target enemies rooted by Rootcaller to dash to them, placing themselves at their attack range from the target. While Daisy! is active, Daisy will rush towards targets affected by Rootcaller and prioritize them. [description] => [icon] => [cooldown_rank_1] => 14 [cooldown_rank_2] => 13 [cooldown_rank_3] => 12 [cooldown_rank_4] => 11 [cooldown_rank_5] => 10 [cooldown] => 0 [cost_rank_1] => 60 [cost_rank_2] => 60 [cost_rank_3] => 60 [cost_rank_4] => 60 [cost_rank_5] => 60 [cost_type] => mana [attack_range] => 0 [range_rank_1] => 1075 [range_rank_2] => 1075 [range_rank_3] => 1075 [range_rank_4] => 1075 [range_rank_5] => 1075 [keybind] => Q [video_url] => [display_order] => 1 [range_type] => self [target
labeled Trump’s tweets as “inappropriate,” 65 percent called them “insulting,” and 52 percent thought they could be “dangerous.” Even a Fox News poll showed marked disapproval of Trump’s Twitter tantrums, with a massive 71 percent of respondents saying his tweets hurt his agenda, and a paltry 13 percent expressing approval of them. Thus the notion that Trump’s Twitter account could be used in any kind of positive or helpful way regarding delicate political topics is patently absurd. But patent absurdity is a forte of this administration. Senior adviser and neo-Nazi sympathizer Sebastian Gorka put that on full display in an interview Thursday with Fox News’ Bill Hemmer. In response to an editorial in the China Daily newspaper lambasting Trump’s criticisms of Beijing regarding North Korea, Hemmer asked Gorka what “card” the White House has “to get China to act.” Gorka’s response was appalling and ludicrous: We have “the president’s Twitter feed,” he stated. He went on to laud Trump — “the most powerful man in the world,” in his estimation — for having “made it clear he is not satisfied, he is disappointed” with Beijing’s response to North Korea’s antagonism. Hemmer didn’t seem convinced, asking Gorka if Trump’s tweets could actually “change the mind of those leading China.” To which Gorka replied, “I think if you can win a U.S. election with it, I think it’s pretty powerful, Bill, don’t you?” HEMMER: This is a newspaper, the China Daily, said this: ‘Trump is wrong,’ it says, ‘in his assumption that Beijing can single-handedly handle the matter’ with regard to North Korea. ‘As Beijing has said repeatedly, it does not have the kind of control over Pyongyang that the U.S. president believes it does.’ What card left do you have to get China to act? GORKA: Well, we have, you know, the president’s Twitter feed. We have the most powerful man in the world making it very clear that we came out of the Mar-a-Lago summit with very high hopes. Let’s look at the facts, forget op-ed pieces in newspapers across the globe. China controls more than 80 percent of the imports into North Korea. That is a massive point of leverage. China has wanted a buffer state since 1950, we understand it. But at some point, a buffer state that destabilizes the region isn’t good for Beijing, either. So the president has made it clear he is not satisfied, he is disappointed with what Beijing has done since Mar-a-Lago, and he wishes to see them step up to the plate. HEMMER: Okay, with all due respect: Can a Twitter feed change the mind of those leading China? GORKA: Uh, I think if you can win a U.S. election with it, I think it’s pretty powerful, Bill, don’t you? HEMMER: We shall see. Of course, it was not merely Trump’s Twitter feed that helped him win the election, but Gorka certainly wasn’t going to mention the other cooks in that kitchen. And his statement adds further evidence to the assessment of retired Army colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, who labeled the Trump administration as “amateurs” in this situation. Wilkerson, who also served as chief of staff to former Secretary of State Colin Powell, said what we need in regard to North Korea is “not brinksmanship, but negotiating,” but that instead, all we are getting is “more bluster, more Trumpism … more amateurism.” He warned that this utter lack of preparation could lead us into “one of the bloodiest conflicts that you could possibly imagine.” But in Gorka’s mind, all that is required to avoid that frightening fate is Trump’s thumb on the Twitter button.10PM: One medical marijuana bill set to advance, another hangs in the balance SALT LAKE CITY — One medical marijuana bill appears poised to advance, while the other remains a close call even after the sponsor reluctantly removed a key element Friday during back-to-back Utah Senate debates on the proposals. And proponents of a ballot initiative continue to gear up should the Legislature not deliver the outcome they're looking for this year. The Senate overwhelmingly supports Sen. Evan Vickers' go-slow approach, voting 26-3 to advance SB89 to a final vote next week. The bill limits use to the nonpsychoactive cannabis extract called cannabinoid, or CBD, building on a 2014 law that offered trial access to hemp oil for Utahns with epilepsy. "I realize this is incremental. Incrementalism is not a bad thing," the Cedar City Republican said. Sen. Mark Madsen's bill still hangs in the balance after time ran out on a lengthy debate that will continue Monday. The Saratoga Springs Republican made seven amendments to SB73 on the Senate floor, including removing use of the whole marijuana plant. Only medical extracts would be used to help people with specified medical conditions, which Madsen lamented because it would make cannabis more expensive. "This hurts," he said. "The greatest feeling I have now is that I don't want to let these people down." Enedina Stanger watched in tears from her wheelchair in the Senate gallery as the amendment passed. "It saves my life. If it saves my life, it'll save somebody else's life. I can't stop fighting for that," said the former South Weber resident who suffers from a rare connective tissue disease. Stanger, her husband, Michael, and their two young daughters moved to Colorado in December to have access to medical marijuana, though the family wants to live in Utah. Every vote to take out whole plant cannabis, she said, "was a vote to keep me a prisoner in Colorado … to keep us financially and emotionally and spiritually completely isolated and destroyed." That change and others Madsen made to the bill make it more palatable for senators on the fence. At least one who voted against Madsen's proposal last year that went down 15-14 appears to have moved in his favor. Sen. Todd Weiler, R-Woods Cross, said the amended bill is "getting very close to being right." Madsen said afterward he feels a little more secure, but "it's going to be tight either way." The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has voiced opposition to Madsen's proposal because the legalization of medical marijuana might have unintended consequences. The church has not objected to Vickers' bill. Vickers said he decided early on to treat marijuana as medicine and has stuck to that. He said he realizes he's taking a slower, methodical path, but the state can't afford to make mistakes with something that lacks research. "We need to have our eyes wide open as we contemplate the magnitude of this policy," Vickers said. Madsen called CBD a "placebo" masquerading as a cure. "The only thing it will ease is our conscience," he said. "For us as legislators, this is not a question of science," he said. "For us as legislators, this is really a question of criminal justice. Is it right, is it just, to put these sick people in jail?" Sen. Steve Urquhart, R-St. George, said it's a "great triumph" that lawmakers are debating two medical marijuana bills. He said he intends to vote for both bills and hopes there's a way to mesh them for the benefit of all Utahns. Weiler warned that if the Legislature doesn't act on medical marijuana this year it would go on the election ballot for residents to decide. Christine Stenquist, executive director of Together for Responsible Use and Cannabis Education, said a ballot initiative remains in play and would result in broader policies than the ones being proposed. "We're just trying to make sure we're watching what happens legislatively, and if they don't listen to the will of the people, the people will speak," she told reporters. If one or both bills pass the Senate, they face another battle in the House. House Speaker Greg Hughes, R-Draper, wasn't ready to predict what would happen. "I think there's a lot of amendments that are flying right now in the Senate, so we're not sure what form or fashion — one bill, two bills — that would make it over here," Hughes said. "So until we have some legislation and can read what it is that's being proposed, it's hard to say definitively what will happen." But he said he believes Vickers' bill would have more support in the House even though there are still many questions about it, including the impact on the workplace. "There's a lot of people motivated to have those questions answered," the speaker said, so action could be taken this session on what he described as a more measured approach. "There will be a full-court press felt here in the House." Contributing: Lisa Riley Roche, Ladd Egan × Related StoriesSpread the love Bushwick, NY– Apparently you do not even need to use words to be “making a threat” these days. Seventeen year old Osiris Aristy was arrested on Sunday evening after posting a Facebook status using the police officer emoji and the gun emoji. There was no written threat included in the post we found. Upon looking at his Facebook, there were seemingly no threats towards police written at all, at least not in any recent public posts, however, he did use over 200 emojis in just three days. According to the criminal complaint, on January 15, Aristy posted “N*a run up on me, he gunna get blown down,’ followed by an emoji of a police officer with three gun emojis pointed at it, followed by “Fk the 83 104 79 98 73 PCTKKKK,” once again with the police officer emoji and two gun emojis pointed at it. These posts were not currently visible on his profile. The arrest warrant was obtained after “routine Facebook monitoring” found that Aristy had posted selfies with guns, selfies with marijuana joints and emojis “threatening to kill cops”, DNA Info reported. Aristy was arrested on Jan. 18 around 2:46 in the morning at his home, for making “terrorist threats” due to his use of emojis and the fact that he had taken selfies with a weapon. The search resulted in him being charged with criminal possession of a weapon, criminal use of drugs and criminal possession of marijuana. “As a result of this conduct, the defendant has caused informant and other New York City police officers to fear for their safety, for public safety, and to suffer alarm and annoyance,” their criminal complaint stated. Fred Pratt, the attorney for Aristy has spoken out saying his clients posts did not constitute an actual threat towards police, stating that many people use the two emojis together. A fact that any social media user following police brutality can attest to. “I understand that people found what he said distasteful and uncomfortable,” Pratt said, “but he never threatened to take action against police.” While this young man does have a lengthy criminal history, this story is important, as people use this emoji combination quite frequently while reacting to brutality. Its becoming impossible to tell what will or will not be considered a “threat.” “You make a threat on the internet, we’re going to be watching,” 83rd Precinct Inspector Maximo Tolentino said. “We are going to attempt to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law.” Since emojis are not actually words, one may argue that this is perhaps just artistic expression. Unfortunately the First Amendment has been under attack with extreme force in recent times and not many people seem too concerned. Less than a month ago we reported on Charlie DeRosa, a Massachusetts man who was arrested over his four word Facebook post that simply quoted the man who killed two NYPD officers. Where exactly does “free speech” end now? Can someone please release a handbook? Aristy’s bail is set at $150,000. His next court date is Friday.Chancellor tells government departments to make immediate start on finding £13bn of further cuts – with goal of announcing savings by July George Osborne has told Whitehall departments that the fresh squeeze on government spending has begun, ordering them to make an immediate start on finding the £13bn of cuts needed for the next phase of his deficit reduction plan. The chancellor told the CBI he wanted to be able to announce savings from all spending apart from the ringfenced areas of health, schools and overseas aid in his summer budget on 8 July. When it comes to saving money, we all know that the more you can do early, the smoother the ride George Osborne With Osborne eager to enact tough measures as early as possible, the new chief secretary to the Treasury, Greg Hands, has started to ask departments whether they can find ways of trimming their 2015-16 plans to fast-track the three-year squeeze. Osborne told the annual dinner of the employers’ organisation in London: “When it comes to saving money, we all know that the more you can do early, the smoother the ride. “And without fixing the public finances so our country lives within its means, there can be no economic security for businesses or working people.” The Conservative party said in its election manifesto that it would adopt a three-pronged approach to deficit reduction in the current parliament: £13bn of departmental spending cuts, £12bn of welfare cuts and £5bn of extra revenue from a crackdown on tax avoidance. Osborne said Whitehall departments underspent their budgets in previous years and Hands was asking them to find ways of doing so again in the current financial year. Labour needs to define social democracy and the language to build it Read more Treasury sources said the expectation was that the savings would be found from day-to-day running costs rather than capital projects but it would be up to departments to come up with suggestions. Before the election, Osborne served notice on Whitehall that he would be expecting fresh cuts in the event of a Conservative victory. These savings have to be made by 2017-18, but if departments have already identified savings they will come under pressure to bring them forward. No fixed target or timetable has been set at this stage. By the time the spending squeeze is over in 2017-18, the independent Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) estimates that the budgets of unprotected Whitehall departments such as justice, transport and the Home Office, will have been cut by a third once inflation has been taken into account. Opposition to Osborne’s plans will centre on what the cuts mean for sensitive areas of public spending, including policing, prisons, the armed forces and the courts. Job cuts and pay restraint are likely to feature as important parts of the money-saving programme designed to turn the UK’s budget deficit – forecast to be £75bn in 2015-16 – into a surplus by 2018-19. Traditionally, governments of both left and right have tried to impose spending cuts and tax increases in the first budget of a parliament in the expectation that the pain will have been forgotten by the next election. Osborne will also use his second budget of 2015 to outline how he intends to shave about 10% off the £120bn slice of the welfare budget that is not spent on pensioners. The Conservatives refused to detail where the cuts would be made during the election campaign, but the IFS said child benefit and disability allowances would inevitably have to be looked at. The chancellor announced that he would seek to tackle Britain’s poor productivity record, starting with the publication of a new “Plan to make Britain Work Better” before the budget. The Treasury said this would identify what needed to be done to alleviate long-running weaknesses in areas such as transport, broadband, planning, skills, ownership, childcare, red-tape, science and innovation. “Let me be clear: improving the productivity of our country is the route to raising standards of living for everyone in this country”, Osborne said. “So by the budget, I will publish our productivity plan, our plan to make Britain work better. Our future prosperity depends on it.” Britain’s productivity has stagnated since the country went into its deepest postwar recession in 2008, with output per head 15% below where it would have been had the pre-crisis trend continued and about 30% lower than in rival countries such as the US, Germany and France. Osborne said nobody knew why Britain’s record had been so poor but said he would rather “have the productivity challenge than the challenge of mass unemployment”. Hinting that the government would soon announce plans for the siting of a new runway in the south-east of England and pledging extra investment in roads, railways, broadband, housing and skills, the chancellor said: “It is now within our grasp to make Britain the most prosperous country in the world and the best place to do business. “It would be very easy at the beginning of a second term to take our foot off the pedal. That’s not what we’re going to do. I want Britain to find that extra gear.” The chancellor announced the creation of a new government-owned company, UK Government Investments (UKGI), as part of the government’s plan to reduce the national debt by selling of more than £23bn of publicly-owned corporate and financial assets in 2015-16. UKGI will bring together the two bodies that manage the taxpayer stake in businesses – the Shareholder Executive and UK Financial Investments – into one holding company.Everyone views the world through their owns lens, and those distortions shape how we interpret the world and the news. So when a large solar entity like Solar Trust, which was involved with the troubled Blythe Solar Power Project, goes bankrupt -- people and pundits react from their guts and not their minds. Yes, in April of 2011, Solar Trust was offered a $2.1 billion conditional loan guarantee from the DOE for a 1,000-megawatt concentrated solar power plant. But in August of 2011, Solar Trust said it would convert the solar thermal power plant it had been planning in Blythe, California into a plant constructed from photovoltaic (PV) panels. The shift came because of "improved market conditions" for building power plants with PV modules. Solar panel prices were dropping then and they are dropping now, leveling out at sub-$1.00 per watt prices from tier-one suppliers. The switch meant that the company had to walk away from a $2.1 billion federal loan guarantee. "Improved conditions for solar PV projects in the commercial bank market made pursuing commercial financing a more attractive strategy at this time," Edward Sullivan, Solar Trust's vice president of communications and external affairs, said in an email to Electric Utility Week. To repeat, as the company reported in a statement, "Contrary to inaccurate media reports, no taxpayer funds were loaned to Solar Trust of America. The company withdrew from the Department of Energy’s Loan Guarantee Program in August 2011, foregoing any government funding for the Blythe Solar Power Project." Here's the list of DOE loan guarantees. Note that the Blythe project is not included. Germany's Solar Millennium filed for the opening of insolvency proceedings in December of 2011. Solar Trust is a U.S. subsidiary of Solar Millennium. And now Solar Trust has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, looking to restructure its $100 million of debt. The Blythe project could live on, albeit under other owners and developers. So, when Fox News blasts the headline "Another Obama Solar Company Goes Bankrupt...Taxpayers Lose $2 Billion?" If that is indeed a question from Fox News -- then the answer is "No." Otherwise, it is a strong example of interpreting the world through a hazy lens and ignoring the facts. That story was seemingly taken down by Fox News -- the facts too blatantly opposed to their reporting -- but not before the story hit the blogosphere and resulted in stuff like this. Be sure to view the comment thread.This article is from the archive of our partner. As the world watches the precarious developments at the crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear plant, the small band of Tokyo Electric Power Company workers frantically trying to contain the radiation leakage have been hailed as heroes. Today the New York Post wrote, "They're known as the 'Fukushima 50,' and they're Japan's only hope of avoiding a Chernobyl-like disaster." But there has been so far very little heard from the workers themselves. Singapore's the Straits Times found and translated the now-removed blog of a female worker, Michiko Otsuki, who's been writing about the unfolding events, which CNN briefly noted. She wrote that she was stationed at the plant until Monday. Yesterday, the TEPCO workers stationed at the plant numbered only 50 (the force has since been doubled to 100, with military and fire trucks bolstering the crew) from about 1,400 originally stationed at the plant. Here are a few of the striking sections from Otsuki's posts (the full version is here): 'As a worker at Tepco and a member of the Fukushima No. 2 reactor team, I was dealing with the crisis at the scene until yesterday (Monday).' 'In the midst of the tsunami alarm (last Friday), at 3am in the night when we couldn't even see where we going, we carried on working to restore the reactors from where we were, right by the sea, with the realisation that this could be certain death,' she said. 'People have been flaming Tepco,' she said. 'But the staff of Tepco have refused to flee, and continue to work even at the peril of their own lives. Please stop attacking us.'Moobeat and I maintain a League of Legends based news blog called. I'd like to think everyone for their support of my blog by holding a wee little contest. Hello summoners! I'mand I maintain a League of Legends based news blog called Surrender at 20. I'd like to think everyone for their support of my blog by holding a wee little contest. !" or "post a comment on my I figured instead of some lame "follow me on Twitter!" or "post a comment on my blog!" sort of thing, I'd opt for something a little more creative. After several grueling hours of meditation, I have decided I'd like to see some awesome/poopy drawings of champions! The rules are simple, just draw your favorite League of Legends champion(s) using a "primitive" graphics painting program, such as MS Paint. The champion(s) can be doing whatever you want them to do; they can be in battle, using abilities, chilling by the pool, or making a sandwich. Be sure to include a few things in your drawing: A title for your masterpiece, your Summoner name or Contact Email, and the words Surrender at 20 Contest. You can plaster this information where you please, but make sure you include everything! Entries lacking the proper information will be shunned. a post in this thread and attach your picture.Alternatively, if you wish your entry to be hidden until I choose the finalists because it's just that good,email your entry here. After you've gotten your painting together, information and all, makeand attach your picture.Alternatively, if you wish your entry to be hidden until I choose the finalists because it's justyour entry Next Friday, the third of June, I'll pick my ten favorite submissions and either edit this thread or make a new thread with a poll so the community can choose the winners. The following Monday, I'll close the poll and get in touch with the top picks. I'll also pick two entries at random to receive a prize! As of right now the prize pool is ( 5 ) $10 League of Legends Game Cards, one for each of the top three submissions and one for each of the random winners. Thanks again for all of your support! I'm so completely pumped to check see the awesome generated by this contest. Blog: Surrender at 20 Podcast: IP BoostWhy Irish-Americans hope Donald trumps Hillary in race for the White House BelfastTelegraph.co.uk Do I cringe sometimes when I hear Trump say something outlandish? Yes, sure I do, but I know that he's super-intelligent and a street-fighter. He can sort out the myriad of social problems that exist in the US today. Trump gets himself noticed by saying outrageous things but there's so much more to him than rhetoric," says Gerry Dunleavy. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/news-analysis/why-irishamericans-hope-donald-trumps-hillary-in-race-for-the-white-house-34831299.html https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/article34831420.ece/c997a/AUTOCROP/h342/2016-06-25_opi_22290106_I1.JPG Email Do I cringe sometimes when I hear Trump say something outlandish? Yes, sure I do, but I know that he's super-intelligent and a street-fighter. He can sort out the myriad of social problems that exist in the US today. Trump gets himself noticed by saying outrageous things but there's so much more to him than rhetoric," says Gerry Dunleavy. If The Donald pops into his hotel and golf resort in Doonbeg, Co Clare today, he'll surely blush. It was 1978 when a young Gerry crossed the Atlantic, eventually settling in the affluent suburb of Winchester, north of Boston. He left Doolin, Co Clare, and would go on to marry Toni from Clontarf and have five children. Like a significant number of Irish people in the US, Gerry, who owns a successful construction company, is adamant that having a President Trump would be good for the country he now calls home. Indeed, a recent poll by the US-based IrishCentral.com website found that of 5,400 Irish-American voters polled, 52% of respondents said they would back Trump in the presidential election as opposed to just 34% for the Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. What's more, Trump fared particularly well in suburbs considered to have very strong Irish-American populations in the primaries - especially in parts of New York and even conservative Massachusetts. "We are sick and tired of how America has been run under President Obama and want a change, we're crying out for it - Donald Trump can deliver that change," says Gerry. "During this Obama administration, businesses across America have been crippled with fees and regulations. "We have to take control of the country again. There's a growing drugs problem, a migrant problem, people are dying on the streets. "We need someone like Trump to roll up his sleeves and sort this out." I ask Gerry if he's concerned by Trump's provocative remarks about political opponents, women, Muslims, migrants, Mexicans and other groups. Or about how his remarks could heighten security risks in the US rather than quell them. "Look, as the campaign progresses, I believe he will tone it down. He knows he has to. Keep in mind he has, to date, funded his campaign on a relatively tight budget and getting constant publicity is key for him," says Gerry. Locals in Doonbeg are hoping the newest member of the village's business community pops in this week to play a round of golf - and the red, white and blue bunting is at the ready. They've been labelled "wing men for the Right wing" and even mocked, in some circles, for putting self-interest and personal gain ahead of wider political considerations, but as one local farmer told me on a recent visit: "It's all well and good to talk about Trump's views on world politics, but that's not much use to a young lad around here whose only hope of a job is up at the hotel." In Tubridy's Bar in Doonbeg, the lady of the house, Bridget, told me: "Trump is Trump. There'll always be those who don't support him. But as business people here in Doonbeg, we'd be happy if he became president." Putting their collective shoulders to the Trump wheel this week were 11 organisations in Doonbeg and scores of locals who lodged submissions with Clare County Council backing Trump's plan for a 200,000-tonne, 2.8km-long rock barrier across the stunning Doughmore Beach. Seventy-six of the 112 submissions made to the council support the controversial €10m development, including 36 from locals, 15 from golf club members and 14 from non-locals. Only one local man objected to the sea wall. Support for the Donald in Doonbeg is undoubted and Twitter accounts such as 'Irish For Trump' are attracting followers in big numbers, too. Among those following this particular site is former Renua leader Lucinda Creighton - though following a Twitter account does not equate to endorsement of it. I did manage to communicate with those behind the 'Irish For Trump!' Twitter account but they were unwilling to answer my questions. Though the location of the site's base is listed as 'Ireland', it has the twitter handle @ToryIreland. Across social media you'll find a range of sites and accounts dedicated to the 'Irish' or 'Ireland' for Trump - though none seem to be based here. Long-time Republican supporter and campaigner Diarmuid Hogan is continuously miffed with the support of Irish people for the likes of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton and he plans to vote for Trump. "It's mind-boggling," he tells me from his home in South Carolina, "Obama and Hillary want to penalise American companies based in Ireland, threatening Irish jobs and the Irish economy. "Only for the Republicans in the Senate, Ireland would already be paying the price for these Democrat Party policies. Donald Trump may be something of a flawed candidate, but I'll be voting for him to make sure Ireland doesn't get hit by Clinton when it comes to taxation and business." Diarmuid, born and reared in the Dublin suburb of Marino, is the President and CEO of Global Excess Partners - a specialty insurance organisation that offers underwriting programmes on behalf of Lloyd's of London and other world carriers. He's also involved in other businesses in the States and co-owns a restaurant with the Northern Ireland band Snow Patrol. He tells me he played a round of golf with Trump four years ago and described him as being "at times distant but also witty, overpowering and a typical New Yorker". And while Diarmuid tells me he voted for Marco Rubio in the South Carolina Republican primary, with Ted Cruz his second choice for Republican nominee, he now believes Trump has what it takes to pip Hillary to the most powerful office on the globe. "A lot depends on Obama," says Diarmuid. "If he does something stupid in his last six months, and he is prone to that, then it could play into Trump's hands "Also, many believe the Justice Department here may yet decide to indict Hillary Clinton. "Trump will surround himself with clever people, as he does in business, he'll be populist and the nearer we get to polling day, the more people will move to him. "I know that so many in the Irish community here in the States will, because, really, it's a no-brainer." Belfast TelegraphAt least since 2003, and especially after hurricane Katrina hit, the White House has broadly attempted to control which climate scientists could speak with reporters, as well as editing scientists' congressional testimony on climate science and key legal opinions, according to a new report by a House committee. "The Bush Administration has engaged in a systematic effort to manipulate climate change science and mislead policy makers and the public about the dangers of global warming," said the report, which is the result of a 16-month probe by the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. "The White House exerted unusual control over the public statements of federal scientists on climate change issues." To some observers, the House investigation, which drew on 27,000 documents gathered from the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the US Department of Commerce, is notable as the most comprehensive assessment so far of alleged manipulation of climate science by this White House. It includes previously unknown elements – such as a 2003 incident in which it says top presidential environment adviser James Connaughton personally helped edit the Environmental Protection Agency's draft legal opinion that denied the agency had authority to regulate greenhouse-gas emissions. (That EPA position was reversed by the US Supreme Court in a ruling this spring.) Yet much of the material in the House committee report, which was released Monday, corroborates press accounts and congressional testimony that has dribbled out over the past few years. The White House and House Republicans strongly dispute the report, which is expected to be adopted as the House report. A White House spokesman describes it as "rehashed and recycled rhetoric." But not Rick Piltz, director of the climate-science watch program at the Government Accountability Project, a watchdog organization. He and others say that while many presidents have shaped policy, the White House's efforts this time were about more than organizing a coherent policy message. "What this report does is really show the extent to which communications – press releases and contacts with the media – all had to be routed through the CEQ," he says. The report also concluded that the White House: •Was "particularly active in stifling [scientists'] discussions of the link between increased hurricane intensity and global warming." •Sought "to minimize the significance and certainty of climate change by extensively editing government climate change reports." •Edited "EPA legal opinions as well as newspaper opinion articles on climate change." What began in 2006 as a bipartisan investigation turned into a largely Democratic report. A "minority views" statement issued by Rep. Tom Davis (R) of Virginia, who was committee chairman in July 2006 when the probe began, called it a "political diatribe." A call to the CEQ for comment on the report and for Dr. Connaughton's response was diverted to the main White House press office since he is at climate talks in Bali. "We think this report is a thinly veiled attempt to distract attention from the administration's efforts to advance its commitment to the pursuit of sound environment, energy, and economic policy at the Bali summit," says Emily Lawrimore, a White House spokeswoman. Concerning Connaughton's reported involvement in crafting an EPA legal opinion, she said that was not surprising. "The finding that he was involved in the drafting of an EPA opinion is hardly news," Ms. Lawrimore says. "He's the adviser to the president on environmental policy, and it would be odd if he didn't offer his thoughts and input on environmental law and policy." Mr. Piltz sees it differently. He served under the Bush administration until spring 2005, when he resigned and exposed White House editing of the national climate assessment. As a senior staffer with the US Climate Change Science Program, he also served under President Clinton and saw marked contrasts between the two. "It's true that every administration has its own policy, and there's always a tendency to shade your communications," Piltz says. "But the difference here is that the White House science office under previous administrations was not at war with the mainstream science community." The report adds other details. For example, while changes to the testimony of Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, were widely reported, it was less known that other comments to Congress by Thomas Karl, director of the National Climatic Data Center, were also heavily edited, the report says. Dr. Karl, it says, "was not allowed to comment in his written testimony that'modern climate change is dominated by human influences,' that 'we are venturing into the unknown territory with changes in climate,' or that 'it is very likely (>95 percent probability) that humans are largely responsible for many of the observed changes in climate.' " Instead of saying that global warming "is playing" a role in increased hurricane intensity, his comment became "may play" a role.Check out our updated roundup of the best 4K and 5K displays for Mac for 2016. So Apple didn’t release a 4K (or 5K) standalone Retina display alongside the new 5K iMac, but you can’t hold off any longer on a shiny new display for your Mac Pro. I found myself in the same predicament not too long ago and decided to put a number of displays to the test in recent months. 4K might offer 4x the resolution of your standard 1080p display, but for the short time they’ve been around, they’ve also cost about 4x as much as the alternatives. The good news: There are a few Mac Pro compatible 4K displays (and UHD alternatives) finally starting to hit more reasonable price points just as recent OS X updates fix some issues early adopters first had with the higher resolution displays. I’ve been testing Mac Pro compatible displays from Dell, Sharp, Samsung, LG, and others that are officially supported by Apple, and put together a list of my thoughts and top picks for those planning on picking up a new Mac Pro this holiday season. Despite my tests being done mostly on a new, stock Mac Pro, these picks stand for Thunderbolt-equipped MacBook users as well. The best 4K & 5K displays for Mac Apple last made silent minor tweaks to the Thunderbolt display in July 2012, but otherwise it has remained the same since its introduction over 3 years ago. I don’t have much bad to say about Apple’s display— it’s tried and tested and a solid choice— but at $999 almost three years later, I’m inclined to recommend these new 4K displays over Apple’s. In my tests, the Dell UltraSharp UP3214Q offered the fewest compromises with most shortcomings being OS X related and often much more pronounced in other 4K displays, especially anything in what would be considered an affordable price point for most. Color accuracy, refresh rate, a high-quality IGZO panel, and a solid physical design, most of the other displays I tried didn’t impress in at least one or more of these categories, but the Dell stood strong. Using this Dell 4K monitor was the first time an external display has been able to live up to the experience of my Retina MacBook Pro, which I had been using since its launch in 2011 before acquiring a new Mac Pro this year. One thing is true for all of these 4K displays: Once you go 4K, there’s no going back. This is a bigger problem for those coming from a Retina MacBook to a new Mac Pro like myself: 1080p simply doesn’t cut it once you’ve experienced super crisp text on a Retina display making 4K a necessity for many. OS X supports the Dell UP3214Q at 60Hz after manually enabling DisplayPort 1.2 (the same can’t be said for all supported 4K displays) and that’s what I opted for using a mini DisplayPort 1.2 cable into the Thunderbolt port on my Mac Pro and the mini DisplayPort on the monitor. That works with MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013), Mac Pro (Late 2013), and iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, Late 2014). The monitor includes 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 mini-DisplayPort, 4 USB
of Blade Runner 2049 offers one answer: K (Ryan Gosling), a bioengineered being — a replicant, in the franchise’s terminology — charged with hunting down and “retiring” older models, dozes off as his self-driving vehicle flies over a stunning landscape of latticed terraces. It’s a feast for the eyes, to be sure, but when he lands, we learn that the land only cultivates worms — like a corpse. Other images overwhelm viewers with their stark beauty — the vivid orange air that permeates Las Vegas, Los Angeles’s glittering cityscape, a lone, dead tree on the protein farm, snowflakes that melt on K’s hand. The towering female sex sculptures and the holographic ad for Joi, a computerized housewife, provide pornographic fascination. Dig beneath these enrapturing surfaces, however, and you discover that the world of Blade Runner 2049 is barren. This sterility contrasts with the importance the movie places on reproduction. Picking up thirty years after the original, Blade Runner 2049 follows K as he investigates the child of Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) and Rachael (Sean Young). Since at least one member of that couple is a replicant, their daughter seems like a technological impossibility. Her very existence offers new hope for the nascent rebellion as well as for industrialist Niander Wallace (Jared Leto), who yearns to develop a self-reproducing android to exponentially grow his workforce. This movie arrives at a moment when we are facing the material consequences of climate crisis. Hurricanes, floods, and droughts threaten our homes and food supplies, making the future seem even less certain. Yet despite all its futuristic trappings, Blade Runner 2049 offers a conservative response to these collective fears, calling for a return to an imagined past of whiteness and traditional gender norms. Whitewashing Slavery The sequel’s opening titles explain that Wallace has saved humanity by developing synthetic farming and building a new, obedient model of replicant to provide the labor for colonial expansion. This backstory illustrates how post-apocalyptic fiction, ostensibly concerned with the future, also invites its audiences to grapple with the past. The first Blade Runner displaced the United States’ original sin — its enslavement of black people — on to Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer), the Aryan-looking rebel leader, and his coterie of white slaves. The sequel maintains these images of whitewashed slavery but twists them in a new direction. Both films grapple with the replicants’ “realness,” offering a futuristic retelling of the ancient story of slaves striving for equality. In the original, the Voight-Kammff test, a series of questions meant to evoke emotional responses, was supposed to separate human from robot. In the sequel, however, K summarizes the dividing line between replicants and humans as the difference between things that are made and creatures that are born. Proving one’s humanity, then, depends on the ability to produce children. In a disturbing sequence, we watch as a new replicant falls from her plastic womb onto the hard, concrete floor. Fully adult, she struggles to adjust to her new world. After examining her, Wallace stabs her in the abdomen, killing her because she is, like all his creations, unable to reproduce. Imagine if the filmmakers had cast a black actor in this role: how would audiences have reacted to that techno-slave narrative? Blade Runner 2049, more so than the original, does include some characters of color, but it places them firmly outside the reproductive realm. In fact, most police the existing order, pointedly reversing the racialized power dynamics of American slavery. Lt. Joshi, K’s boss, bears a common Indian name meaning “astronomer.” By casting Robin Wright to play her, however, the filmmakers whitewash a potentially racialized character while also assigning her the task of policing the existing — and almost entirely white — order. Furthermore, she makes sexual overtures only to the replicant K, which keeps her outside the reproductive realm. Doc Badger (Barkhad Abdi) works on the black market of information and goods, presenting a caricature of the swindler in the bazaar. More pointed, however, is Mister Cotton (Lennie James), the black Fagin who oversees a workhouse where child laborers dismantle old electronics. He explicitly tells K that none of these children will enjoy the glittering future that humans have built in their off-world colonies. In Blade Runner 2049, racialized people — both people of color and replicants — must be expelled or contained: the movie foregrounds the plight of white slaves while simultaneously marginalizing actual people of color. Trad Wives of the Future Aside from Lt. Joshi, the other women who appear in Blade Runner 2049 exist only in relation to male desire. In this, the movie says more about the present than the future: after all, we have a president who brags about sexual assault and a vice president who believes all women are potential Jezebels. K’s partner Joi (Ana de Armas) has no material form. She first appears as a disembodied voice, then as a hologram. In fact, she’s confined to K’s apartment until he buys an emanator, a device that projects her wherever he travels. She’s designed to perform as the idealized housewife; together, she and K make a grotesque pantomime of the traditional couple, albeit one that can never reproduce. In a provocative scene, Joi hires Mariette (Mackenzie Davis), a replicant sex worker, to become her body and fulfill K’s sexual desire. Questions about whether Joi actually wants to do this or if her feelings for K are “real” miss the point. The sequence, which draws viewers’ attention to its special effects rather than its romantic or titillating content, shows that the film is more interested in the images it can create than the story it can tell. Indeed, Joi is as “real” as cinema itself — a machine that reflects and produces desire. Luv, one of the primary antagonists, could have been a fully developed character, but the filmmakers decided to ground her motivation in her desire to become Wallace’s “best one.” She betrays her own kind — and her own horror at watching Wallace treat other replicants as disposable — in order to become exceptional. But the film’s misogyny is most on display when it revises the original movie’s rape scene. In the first installment, Deckard pushes Rachael against a wall and orders her to tell him she wants him. Blade Runner 2049 transforms this assault into a messianic love story that produces the impossible replicant child. When Deckard narrates the gap between films for K, he explains that sometimes the best way to love someone is to become a stranger. His romantic — yet ludicrous — statement plays on the cinematic tropes of both love at first sight and sacrificial love, but, more importantly, it refocuses the franchise’s narrative arc on Deckard. Rachael dies off screen after giving birth, reminding viewers that a woman’s primary value is her ability to bear children. After the child comes, the mother has fulfilled her value. Intensifying Rachael’s passivity, Wallace asks Deckard to consider if she was specifically programmed to meet him and bear his child. This suggestion reinforces the film’s foundational idea that the future depends on rewriting the past. Indeed, Deckard and Rachael’s daughter Ana (Carla Juri) is a memory-maker: she fabricates the past, using her own childhood as raw material to give new replicants three-dimensional backstories. Yet Ana lives in a sterile glass cage. If the future requires heterosexual reproduction, it is unclear how she could participate: the film elevates and mythologizes heterosexual love without offering alternative models of reproduction. Instead of imagining a radically new kind of future after ecological collapse, the film retreats into mythologies of immaculate conception and self-sacrifice. Though K is not the child that was promised, he is undoubtedly the film’s hero. His final pose echoes not only the snowy scene of Roy Batty’s demise in the original film but also Jesus on the cross: Blade Runner explicitly states that our protagonist becomes “real” only in his sacrifice, in a moment that seems to foreclose on the possibility of his future.The anti-Semitism row engulfing Labour took a new turn today when Israel’s ambassador to Britain said some elements of the left are “in denial” about prejudice against Jews. Mark Regev said the language used in the past two weeks had been “very concerning” and said some Labour figures had crossed from simply being critical of the Israeli government to “demonising and vilifying” the Jewish state, and perpetuating racist stereotypes. His intervention came as Diane Abbott came out fighting against “smears” against Labour. Today Regev told the Andrew Marr Show: “There’s a difference between legitimate criticism and hate speech”, he told the Andrew Marr Show. “Just as there’s no justification for hating blacks or hating homosexuals, there’s no justification for hating Jews and that is the red line that simply can’t be crossed.” Regev was speaking just a day after Israeli Labour leader Isaac Herzog described Ken Livingstone’s comments as “horrific”. Corbyn has repeatedly condemned anti-Semitism and on Friday night launched an “action plan” to deal with the prejudice, as well as an independent inquiry. Regev’s intervention came as:Welcome to Detroit Lions fan fiction. Since the Detroit Lions are in the midst of a terrible, depressing season, it's time to lighten things up around here. For the rest of the season, any time the Lions lose a game, I will write up a fictionalized recap of the game, painting a picture of a reality in which the Lions were victorious. Since I know a lot of fans are checking out for the rest of the season, why not check in here on Mondays and pretend you live in a fantasy world in which the Lions are a great franchise. And don't worry, unlike most fan fiction, there will be no Rule 34'ing here. The Detroit Lions stun the Minnesota Vikings, 42-38 The Detroit Lions' offense sprung into action quickly on Sunday and never gave up. Bolstered by a big 54-yard reception from Calvin Johnson, the Lions scored less than four minutes into the game. On their next possession, they drove another 80-yards for a quick score. With two perfect drives in the first quarter, had the Lions' offensive problems been permanently fixed? Detroit responded to that question with an unmistakable "yes." After the Vikings drew closer with a touchdown, the Lions offense took the field for their third possession of the game. Matthew Stafford hadn't thrown an incompletion the entire first quarter, and he wouldn't throw one for the rest of the game. Stafford drove the Lions another 85 yards in just seven plays, all passes to Theo Riddick, who broke the NFL record with 35 receptions on the day. However, the defense could not stop Teddy Bridgewater and the Vikings offense. The teams traded touchdowns for the next several possessions and were tied 28-28 at halftime. Bridgewater continued his dominance into the second half. He had thrown touchdowns on four straight possessions until the game was temporarily stopped with 1:52 remaining in the third quarter. At that moment, Rashean Mathis reached into his pants and literally pulled out a white flag. Mathis then went over to the sideline, grabbed the mic from Theo "Gridiron" Spight and announced his retirement. After 30 minutes of cake, ice cream and 15 rounds of "He's a jolly good fellow" choruses, the two teams retook the field. On the very next play, Mathis' replacement, Nevin Lawson, took a Bridgewater pass the other way for a 70-yard pick-six, tieing the game up at 35. The fourth quarter was eerily silent from both teams' offenses. The Vikings pulled ahead with a record-breaking 75-yard field goal, after Blair Walsh had inexplicably missed field goals of 28, 31, and 22 yards earlier in the game. Detroit immediately drove the ball down field, but didn't put up any points after Jim Caldwell's shocking decision to punt from the Vikings' 31-yard line on second down. After the game, Caldwell explained his decision: "Every game situation is different." The Vikings next drive stalled after Haloti Ngata picked up his sixth sack of the day, and the stage was set for the Lions' offense to win the game: down 38-35 with just 1:11 remaining. The drive was off to a terrible start, as Stafford was sacked on the very first play. Joe Lombardi had dialed up a strange-looking play in which the offensive linemen immediately ran into the secondary, while the receivers darted inside to try and block the defensive linemen. The Lions were called for four penalties on that play. But Stafford quickly rebounded, completing passes of 24, 13 and 33- all jump balls to Calvin Johnson. The Lions only had time for one more play from the Vikings' 29-yard line. With Ford Field unable to contain themselves from excitement, Stafford placed his hands over his helmet's earholes and listened for the final play call. He looked up into the Lions' coordinator booth and locked eyes with Lombardi. After an intense moment, Stafford laughed and turned to the huddle. "Screw this, fellas, we're going rogue," the FOX microphones picked up as Matthew leaned in toward his teammates. Stafford then pressed a button on his helmet and a tinted visor drew over his eyes. His entire face was obscured, except for his ear-to-ear smile. Then he threw a touchdown to Calvin over five defenders. As Detroit celebrated their second-consecutive win, they carried offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi on their shoulders into the tunnel. They carried him all the way outside the stadium, where thousands of fans were all waiting. They all walked together, as confetti rained from the heavens, to the nearest dumpster and unloaded Lombardi inside. The Lions are now 2-5 on the season.It’s summertime, and we are all but on holiday at Studio 397. We’ve passed the half-way mark in August, so it’s time for another roadmap update. UI In the last couple of months we have shown you various bits of the new UI. We are now at a point where we have basically incorporated all features of the existing user interface into the new one, with a few extensions. In the upcoming weeks, we will be testing the first beta of this user interface with our testing team. During that phase we not only intend to focus on bugfixing, but also usability testing, so depending on how our testers respond, we might make further changes to parts of the interface. Obviously we can’t predict yet how long this phase will take, but it should tell you that we’re pretty close to a first public beta release. Competition The first two rounds of qualification have been completed by now, with the live broadcast of the Zandvoort race coming up on Sunday, so this is a good time to look back at what were basically two very exciting weeks. Last week’s broadcast has seen a combined number of views of well over 600.000 on Facebook and YouTube and the 20 drivers in that race showed some very fast and clean racing. The top 5 finishers ensured themselves a place in the final, so congratulations to them! Many others put in a tremendous amount of time and effort, arguably in the toughest time trial ever seen in simracing. For example, at Silverstone, Miguel Ballester drove 1469 laps to earn his place in the top 20. Our second round at Zandvoort showed that the top 10 in terms of number of laps on average clocked well over 1000 laps. In the first two rounds combined, approximately 260.000 laps were driven. We wish everybody competing in this competition the best of luck! We’ve also had quite a few questions about the brand new competition system that is hosting all these sessions. It is actually a perfect example of how we were able to leverage some of the existing technologies that have been developed within Luminis. For everything we do, our development workflow starts with setting up a fully automated system to build and deploy code. This allows us to quickly code, test and set live updates. In this case, any code update we push can be deployed to a staging environment for testing within minutes, and with a flick of a switch we can also update our production systems. In fact, our production systems use a method called “blue green deployments” to end up with zero downtime: we deploy each update to new servers, switch traffic from the old to the new ones, and then stop the old servers. Our production environment also has built-in redundancy where we run at least two servers at all times. We actively monitor those servers and if any of them goes down, it immediately gets replaced with a new one. This all happens in the cloud and the system that manages this is called Cloud RTI (run-time infrastructure). For horizontal scalability reasons, all our server side code is stateless, but of course we want to keep track of a lot of data and statistics. All of this is handled by another product we could leverage, the Information Grid, which is a layer on top of all kinds of data stores that manages the schema of the data and all changes to that schema over time. It allows us to work with data at a much higher level and adds extensive semantics to that data that ensure it stays manageable and usable over a long period of time. Information Grid builds on lots of cloud based data stores and adds security and advanced search capabilities. All of this infrastructure ensures that we can keep our focus on building the features of the competition system, without having to worry about a lot of infrastructural concerns. For the actual code, we leverage another open source project we’ve co-founded with a few other companies: Amdatu. Amdatu is a stack of modular components to build cloud applications. It provides building blocks for web based, modular user interfaces and it is in fact this toolkit that also is the basis of our new in-game UI. As soon as that is ready, you will see the competition and in-game UI merge into one seamless UI that can be accessed both in-game and outside of it. That way you can always keep up with what’s happening in the world of rFactor 2! Content As you know, for the competition we released an early version of Zandvoort, dubbed 0.20, indicating it is not finished yet. Although the track already is very drivable and enjoyable, we intend to further improve it over the next couple of months. Also, we’ve learned that for the DTM race this weekend, they repaved the final section of the track, and made some curb changes to the “ S” curve, so we’ll probably take a closer look at those for the final version. In the mean time on the licensing front. A lot is going on there, also in terms of tracks, but as a general rule we do not talk about licenses until the deal is sealed. We are proud to be able to announce that we signed a multi-car deal with the Italian race car manufacturer Tatuus. This will bring several of their current racing cars to rFactor 2, which should be very exciting for all the fans of open wheelers! DX11 In May we announced the “open beta” of our brand new DX11 engine and in the following months we have received a lot of feedback and support from the community that have lead to numerous improvements to the performance and visual fidelity. Our plan is to make DX11 our new default at the end of September. At that point we will also update our current demo version. We will keep the DX9 builds in sync until the end of the calendar year. We will continue to improve the fidelity of our DX11 engine, improving every aspect of it step by step, and this process will continue in the years to come. As we discussed last month already, we also fully intend to provide an exciting new solution for plugins to render to the screen as part of this ongoing development and we will look at what information we should really be providing “out of the box”. That’s all for this month, we hope you enjoyed the update, and enjoy the summer!× Expand Photos by Drew Wood World Cup 2014 at the Nomad World Pub in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Croatia vs. Brazil World Cup 2014 opening match had all the drama and energy that a seasoned fan would hope of a Cup opener: an energetic underdog grabbing an early lead, missed opportunities by the home team that turned their vuvuzela-tootling fans to boo birds, and, let’s not forget, a pair of bad calls at critical moments that went so clearly for the home team/ tournament favor that most of the soccer-watching universe declared the fix was in. But what about an unseasoned fan? Well, if they’re anything like me it probably seemed like the same plodding low-scoring affair that you perceive all soccer to be. Then again, if they're anything like me they want to like watching soccer. Which is why I decided I’d hit the Nomad World Pub and watch a match with some seasoned vets, MN United FC coach Manny Lagos and team president Nick Rogers, to see if some of their passion for the “beautiful game” could possibly rub off on me. Here are my takeaways: Even when you’re watching with someone who understands the beauty of the game, there seems to be lots of time killing while you’re watching soccer. So in an early lull I asked them what was up with futbolers and fashion. Manny Lagos: Rinaldo’s obviously amazing for it, but Messi’s not really marketable for it because he’s kinda short and just not - - Nick Rogers: Off the pitch he’s like the most boring human being alive. He never says anything interesting. He never has any scandals. Messi just disappears when he’s not playing. In case you didn’t watch, Croatia’s jerseys—as with lots of soccer kits—are pretty sweet; so sweet that Manny couldn’t resist commenting. ML: I think Croatia’s jerseys are awesome looking. My high school had those in blue and gold. There’s a player for Brazil whose father —no lie—named him after Bruce Banner’s alter ego: ML: So, number 7 is a huge player and his name is Hulk. Kinda different than your traditional skinny Brazilian too. He’s like a big, thick guy. Brazil, the favorite in the tournament was obviously also the favorite in the match. So when the Croats bit ‘em early, Manny and Nick’s exchange was uniformly surprised. NR: Unbelievable. ML: Wow. NR: Unbelievable. Unbelievable. Olic has been all over the place. ML: Was that an own goal? Own goal? NR: Brazil looks slow. ML: Pretty slow to the middle too. NR: Modric just gets into transition so quickly. What Nick and Manny referred to as slow to the middle the announcers referred to as “lazy” so I asked Manny what they meant by that. ML: There’s a group and individual context to that question. What they’re saying is, as a group, they were moving the ball slowly and in key parts they weren’t really picking up the tempo and then Croatia would steal it and kinda counter. So I think he was kinda referring to Oscar in particular because there wasn’t really a quickness to it. And when you’re playing quick and the ball turns over then you run back and get it back again, and Brazil’s recovery has been really sluggish. And then you could say it’s lazy and then you start picking out which player did it or how they did it. Soccer fans tend to frontload catastrophe into games so when Crotatia scored, even though there was still like an hour of game time left, Brazil’s were ready expatriate their team. ML: Now the tension’s crazy. There was a big, kinda boo in this crowd already. NR: They were hissing. Even before the goal. ML: Yeah, they weren’t happy. Curiously, for as low scoring as soccer can be, when one does happen another usually follows suit, though, not this time. ML: There tends to be goals right after goals, so the fact that Brazil didn’t score right after Croatia adds another layer of tension before halftime. It turns out that a lot of the first half of soccer is actually just sandbagging for the second half of soccer. ML: When you see long spells of possession for Croatia that’s a really big deal in the game because that makes Brazil run and defend and that will add up later in the game when Brazil wants to attack with numbers and players and they can’t because they ran so much early in the game. These next 10 minutes will actually be big for Brazil in the second half even if it’s 1-0 still. Just when you think things are going one way in a match everything changes. Only moments after Nick declared that Croatia had been having better chances, this happened: NR: This is a chance. ML: WHOA. There it is! ML: He didn’t hit it cleanly and I think the goalie was a little out of position to be honest. I think the goalie thought it was going wide at first. NR: {in jest} I need to see the goal line technology to make sure it was a goal. replay ML: Wow. Off the post. So it went through the Croatian player’s legs. NR: Yeah, he didn’t hit it that well. After that admittedly subpar equalizer, the game meandered a bit again (for me), so I got curious about corner kicks and “set pieces” in general. ML: The room for error is tough. You wanna get it just above the first defender and in that gap so that it’s really hard for the goalie to read. Lots of practice goes into corner kicks. It’s one of the reasons David Beckham, even later in his career, was so valuable. His legs weren’t working so well but his set piece, specifically corner kicks, were unbelievable. Post “bend it like Beckham” musings, things picked up because, it’s not your imagination, the closing minutes of a half really are more action-packed. ML: It is a big deal, time and place in general, because both teams tend to try to play more wide open to seek a goal before the half. So the tempo of the games tends to pick up with usually about four minutes left. It turns out being on the “wall” during a penalty kick sucks as much as it looks like it does. ML: There’s a reason why they cover certain parts of their body in that situation. You tend to put guys on the wall who you feel wanna embrace that kind of pain, I guess. Americans like their soccer announcing staid, informative, and old school. ML: [Ian Dark’s] kinda become a fixture of the World Cup. Ian’s not very flamboyant. NR: He’s very popular in America. ML: In our country we had a lot of announcers who tried to dumb the game down a little bit and he tries to do it from a traditional country standpoint. He’s helping us find our way to the announcing of the sport. He’s clever, he’s honest, he talks about it a little bit. Ties matter in soccer, especially in the group stage of the World Cup. ML: Home and away is such an advantage in soccer that for an away team to come away with a tie it is a feat. Almost like a pseudo win, which is a weird concept for us because we want things so black and white. Remember, it’s survival of the fittest. It’s not about winning this game it’s about getting through to the next round. So, even though they’ll get it in the media, a tie is OK for them here as opposed to a loss. Brazil’s got a budding one-name-only superstar called Neymar, but a team cannot exist on Neymars alone. ML: Everything about every player in every World Cup is debatable. NR: This is the ultimate team sport. Neymar by himself with a bunch of schmucks is not going to do anything. You get exposed in this game if you’re weak at certain positions. ML: If I had 11 Neymars to play for me team we wouldn’t win. Also debatable? The import of a player’s facial hair on their performance. ML: [Gustavo’s] a boring player. NR: But at least he’s got a great mustache right now. ML: He does have a porn'stache. NR: That’s gotta count for something. ML: It does but there’s gotta be more flair in the middle of the field. NR: A porn' stache is a nice start for flair. Just do something with the mustache. Professional soccer coaches know what they’re talking about. Literally five minutes after Manny said the following Brazil proved him 100 percent correct. ML: He’s gotta make a sub here soon. In five minutes there’ll be a sub. Particularly in the second half, Brazil’s just been tacking down one side of the field or the other and just generally not being very dynamic and not switching the ball a lot and when you’re switching the ball a lot you open up spots in the field to make chances happen. So I think they’re trying to increase dynamics in the middle of the field and to get the ball moving. Yellow cards are important for something other than defining subpar pop punk in the early 2000s. ML: [They’re] massive in a game because that player has to play differently now for the rest of the game. (especially important for) the two center backs who kinda have to battle the whole time. NR: If one of those guys picks up a yellow it changes how they go into a tackle. Sometimes the refs are very, very wrong and, in this game, it effectively put the Croat’s down 2-1. ML: Ooh. PK! My goodness. NR: I do not like it. I did not like the call. ML: Wow. {The replay is shown} ML: Oh gosh. NR: That’s a terrible, terrible call. It looked like a terrible call when it happened live and it’s a bad, bad call. ML: He felt his hand go on his left shoulder and he just fell down. It’s bad. It was definitely not a PK. There is a measure of trickery to this game. ... Because players are preeeeeetty sneaky. ML: You know how all sports evolve? I think fouls and diving are in the middle stages with soccer. I think it’s going to become less and less, especially with video, but it’s hard though because the game is so ingrained to trick the referee. It’s semi-accepted, but now because it’s so debated it’s going to become less and less. Fred will get villified for this now. In South American soccer culture this is not only accepted, it’s encouraged. In Europe it’s much more looked down upon, particularly in England, because you’re taking away the honor of the game. Although they often don’t look like they do, goalie’s usually have a plan for penalty kicks. ML: I hate when goalies guess. I want the goalie to wait and then dive. Use his athleticism. Stay big. Make him think about it. NR: I think the psychology of penalty kicks is fascinating. Sometimes in soccer, even during the World Cup, the fix can be in and said fix usually becomes apparent during moments like the one where Croatia’s potential-tying goal was disallowed for a highly manufactured goalie interference call. NR: Croatia equalizes! {Stops. Waits.} Oh, they called a foul. They called a foul right there. That was a terrible call. This is nonsense. The Croats are getting screwed. Uh, the fix appears to be in. Didn’t look like a foul to me. I mean, the Croatian guy headed the ball. That’s nonsense. There’s no foul. I... I... For me there’s nothing there.Image copyright Getty Images American Airlines chief executive Doug Parker has joined a select group of company bosses opting to be paid entirely in shares. He has decided to give up the cash portion of his salary and annual bonus. Mr Parker was paid more than $12m last year, 40% of which was in cash, according to regulatory filings. Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg, Google's Larry Page and Kinder Morgan's Rich Kinder are also paid solely in shares. "I believe this is the right way for my compensation to be set -- at risk, based entirely on the results achieved, and in the same currency that our shareholders receive," Mr Parker said in a letter to employees. Under the new deal, 54% of his payout will tied to performance targets. The 53 year-old industry veteran has helped transform American Airlines into one of the country's most successful companies. Shares of American Airlines have more than doubled in value since the company merged with rival US Airways in 2013. Both carriers had undergone bankruptcy but their combination has since created the world's largest airline company based on passenger traffic. American Airlines also posted a record profit of $2.9bn last year, helped by cheaper fuel prices and reduced competition.NEW YORK – One would think the neoconservatives who engineered the Iraq War – the worst disaster for the United States since Vietnam – would never emerge from hiding. Not so. With dazzling chutzpah, former Vice President Dick Cheney, the real power in the Bush administration, just claimed President Barack Obama was responsible for the growing mess in Iraq. Obama is a wimp allowing America’s foes to run rampant across the Mideast and Eastern Europe, growled Cheney. He wants US troops to reoccupy Iraq, and maybe Syria. Cheney’s blustering was applauded by another over-the-hill dotard, Republican party leader Sen. John McCain. Out from the Washington woodwork crept a swarm of neoconservatives. They joined Cheney in blasting Obama over Iraq and calling for more wars against the Muslim world. It’s a pity Americans don’t call these war-drum beaters by their proper name. In Britain, they would be known as Imperialists and Empire Loyalists. The Republican Party has in effect become the American Imperialist Party allied to the ardently pro-Israel neoconservatives. Both parties want to see the American Global Empire enforced and expanded. So wrote Dick Cheney in a op-ed piece trumpeted by the house organ of the hard right, the Wall Street Journal, a violent diatribe against Obama that would have made Mussolini blush. Now, President Obama faces a grave decision. As Baghdad’s army wavers before Sunni assaults, he is deploying limited US airpower and 300 US troops to blunt the jihadist/Ba’athist advance. Besides killing many civilians, air attacks will outrage Saudi Arabia and much of the Sunni Muslim world. Obama knows that America must not be seen as the champion of Iraq’s Shia against the Sunni minority. The Saudis are openly warning Obama not to intervene in Iraq. Meanwhile, Iran is beginning to send ground forces into Iraq, to the fury of Saudi Arabia and Israel. Cooperation between Washington and Tehran over Iraq is likely to have a positive effect on US-Iranian nuclear negotiations. So Obama is hedging his bets by sending the token 300 US Special Forces to Baghdad as ‘advisors,’ as if Iraq, which had been at war since 1980, needed more training or advice. Air and/or drone strikes are due any minutes. What Obama is really doing is sending ‘white’ officers to stiffen the spines of wavering native troops. Interestingly, Obama finds himself in the same type of imperial dilemma faced by Britain’s PM Gladstone in 1885. In that year, Britain’s imperial general Charles ‘Chinese’ Gordon went to Khartoum, Sudan, to lead the fight against Islamic jihadists known as Dervishes. Their leader, Mohammed Ahmed, aka the Mahdi, became a paramount Victorian villain akin to our era’s Osama bin Laden. ORDER IT NOW Gordon was trying to shame Gladstone into sending a British Army up the Nile to relieve Khartoum. Like Obama, Gladstone wanted to avoid imperial adventures but was eventually forced by jingoistic public outcry to send an army to Sudan, though not before Gordon was killed and became a Victorian Christian martyr. The fall of Khartoum to the Dervishes was the 9/11 of the Victorian Age. What’s really at stake here is oil. Some 8,000 jihadists and resurgent Ba’ath Party militants are no threat to the US, as Obama claims. They are, however, a dire threat to Big Oil. Saddam Hussein nationalized Iraq’s oil and kicked out its foreign owners. As soon as he was deposed, the US and other foreign oil firms moved back in to pump Iraq’s black gold. As Dick Cheney said, Iraq was invaded for the sake of “Israel and oil.” Meanwhile, the White House is fast yanking the carpet out from under the wretched Nouri al-Maliki’s feet, all but warning him to quit or else. Shia generals are already planning how to redecorate Maliki’s office. Fresh from picking a new government in Kiev, the US is now deep into Iraqi king-making. Remember Henry Kissinger’s pithy quip, “it’s more dangerous being America’s ally than its enemy.” Maliki will be the next useless puppet to be swept aside by Uncle Sam. Whichever CIA “asset” that takes power in Kabul will face a similar threat. Both Iraq’s and Afghanistan’s armies are paid to wear uniforms, not to actually fight. Meanwhile, few Americans are yet aware that the Iraq War cost over $1 trillion – financed by loans from China and Japan. – that our grandchildren will be paying. Those neocons baying for war have not so far offered to make personal contributions to a greater war effort. Few will recall that Vietnam began with small numbers of US “advisors.Multiple blogs have speculated in the last day that 2012 may see the demise of Logic Pro: Bobby Owsinski writes “word has leaked out of Apple Europe (where Logic development is based) that the company has let go virtually its entire Logic team.” At MacWorld, Karen Haslam says “There may be no future for Apple’s pro audio application Logic if reports that the company has ‘decimated’ its Pro Audio applications team turn out to be true..” “There may be no future for Apple’s pro audio application Logic,” according to Computerworld, “if reports that the company has ‘decimated’ its Pro Audio applications team turn out to be true.” Yes – and the Mayans may have predicted the demise of Logic Pro in 2012 – if it turns out that Apple actually kills off Logic Pro this year, based on a lost Mayan prophecy. Where Does The Logic Pro Death-Watch Rumor Come From? The source of the Logic Pro death-watch rumors is Russ Hughes at the Pro Tools Expert site. He writes: Apple’s Pro Audio application team is virtually gone, according to recent conversations with a couple of ex-Apple employees. Europe is now down to just two pro application specialists according
Charles Gardner Radbourn (December 11, 1854 – February 5, 1897), nicknamed "Old Hoss", was an American professional baseball pitcher who played 12 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played for the Buffalo Bisons (1880), Providence Grays (1881–1885), Boston Beaneaters (1886–1889), Boston Reds (1890), and Cincinnati Reds (1891). In 1884, Radbourn became only the second National League (NL) pitcher to win a Triple Crown; in the process, he broke the single-season wins record, which still stands today. Radbourn was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939. Born in New York and raised in Illinois, Radbourn played semi-professional and minor league baseball before making his major league debut for the Buffalo Bisons in 1880. After a one-year stint with the club, Radbourn joined the Providence Grays, leading the team to an 1884 World Series championship. In 1885, when the team folded, the Grays roster was transferred to NL control, where he was claimed by the Boston Beaneaters. Radbourn spent the next four seasons with the club, and finished his MLB career with the Cincinnati Reds after a one-year tenure with the Boston Reds. Early life [ edit ] Radbourn was born on December 11, 1854, in Rochester, New York, the second of eight children to Charles and Caroline (Gardner) Radbourn.[1] Charles Radbourn (the elder) had immigrated to the United States from Bristol, England, to find work as a butcher; Caroline followed soon after.[2] In 1855, the Radbourn family moved to Bloomington, Illinois, where Radbourn was raised. As a teenager, Radbourn worked as a butcher with his father, and as a brakeman for the Indiana, Bloomington and Western Railway company.[3] In 1878, Radbourn joined the Peoria Reds, a barnstorming team, as their right fielder and "change pitcher". No substitutions were allowed at the time so if the starting pitcher became ineffective in the late innings the change pitcher, usually playing right field, would exchange positions with the starter to try to save the game. In 1879 he signed with Dubuque in the newly formed Northwest League. He finally made the major leagues in 1880 as second baseman, right fielder and change pitcher for the Buffalo Bisons of the National League. He played in six games, batted.143, never pitched an inning, but practiced so hard he developed a sore shoulder and was released. When he recovered he pitched for a pick-up Bloomington team in an exhibition game against the Providence Grays. He impressed everyone so much that Providence signed him on the spot for a salary variously reported as $1,100 or $1,400.[4] Major league career [ edit ] [5] Opening Day 1886 team photo of Boston Beaneaters and New York Giants. Radbourn (standing, far left) is pictured giving the finger to the cameraman, the first known photograph of the gesture. As a starting pitcher for the Providence Grays (1881–1885), Boston Beaneaters (1886–1889), Boston Reds (1890), and Cincinnati Reds (1891), Radbourn compiled a 309–194 career record. In 1884 he won the National League's pitching Triple Crown with a 1.38 earned run average, 59 wins and 441 strikeouts. His 59 wins in a season is a record which is expected never to be broken because no starter has made even as many as 37 starts in a season since Greg Maddux in 1991.[6] Also, his 678 2⁄ 3 innings pitched in 1884 stands at second all-time, behind only Will White (680), for a single-season. It, too, is a record that will most likely never be touched. It was made possible by the mid-season expulsion of the Grays' other main pitcher, Charlie Sweeney. 1884 season [ edit ] When Providence failed to win the pennant in 1883, the franchise was on shaky financial ground. Ownership brought in a new manager, Frank Bancroft, and made it plain: win the pennant or the team would be disbanded. Jealousy and hatred between Radbourn and Charlie Sweeney, the other ace pitcher on the team, broke out into violence in the clubhouse. Radbourn was faulted as the initiator of the fight, and was suspended without pay after a poor outing on July 16, having been accused of deliberately losing the game by lobbing soft pitches over the plate. But on July 22, Sweeney had been drinking before the start of the game and continued drinking in the dugout between innings. Despite being obviously intoxicated, Sweeney managed to make it to the seventh inning with a 6–2 lead: when Bancroft attempted to relieve him with the change pitcher, Sweeney verbally abused him before being ejected and storming out of the park, leaving Providence with only eight players. With only two men to cover the outfield, they lost the game.[7] This left the team in a state of disarray with the consensus view that the team should be disbanded. At that point, Radbourn offered to start every game for the rest of the season (having pitched in 76 of 98 games the season before)[8] in exchange for a small raise and exemption from the reserve clause for the next season. From that point, July 23 to September 24 when the pennant was clinched, Providence played 43 games and Radbourn started 40 of them and won 36. Soon, pitching every other day as he was, his arm became so sore he couldn't raise it to comb his hair. On game day he was at the ballpark hours before the start, getting warmed up. He began his warm up by throwing just a few feet, increasing the distance gradually until he was pitching from second base and finally from short centerfield.[9] After the regular season ended, the Grays played the American Association champion New York Metropolitans in the 1884 World Series. Radbourn started each game of the series and won all three, while allowing just three runs. Statistical notes on the 1884 season [ edit ] There is a discrepancy in Radbourn's victory total in 1884. The classic MacMillan Baseball Encyclopedia, as well as the current Sporting News Baseball Record Book both credit Radbourn with 60 wins (against 12 losses), as does his National Baseball Hall of Fame biography.[10] Other sources, including the Baseball Reference and Baseball Almanac links shown here, give Radbourn 59 wins. Some older sources (such as his tombstone plaque) counted as high as 62. There is no dispute about the 678⅔ innings pitched, only over the manner in which victories were assigned to pitchers. That can be a contentious issue, as the rules in the early years allowed more latitude to the official scorer than they do today. Providence's won–lost record in 1884 was 84–28. The stats for the Grays' pitchers: The Radbourn headstone and plaque According to at least two accounts, in the game of July 28 at Philadelphia, Miller pitched five innings and left trailing, 4–3. Providence then scored four runs in the top of the sixth. Radbourn came in to relieve, and pitched shutout ball over the final four innings, while the Grays went on to score four more and to win the game, 11–4. The official scorer decided that Radbourn had pitched the most effectively, and awarded him the win. Under the rules of the day, the scorekeeper's decision certainly made sense. However, under modern scoring rules, Miller would get the win, being the "pitcher of record" when he left the game, and Radbourn would have been credited with a save, for (ironically enough) closing the game and "pitching effectively for three or more innings". Some modern statisticians have retroactively awarded the win to Miller. On the MLB.com page about Radbourn, he is credited with 59 wins and a save instead of 60 wins. Edward Achorn's 2010 book, Fifty-nine in '84, adheres to the revisionist view of Radbourn's 1884 statistics. Later life [ edit ] After retiring, Radbourn opened up a successful billiard parlor and saloon in Bloomington, Illinois. Dating back to his playing days, he had always had a reputation for being a bit vain. Radbourn was seriously injured in a hunting accident soon after retirement, in which he lost an eye, spending most of his remaining years shut up in a back room of the saloon he owned, apparently too ashamed to be seen after the injury. Radbourn died in Bloomington in 1897 and was interred in Evergreen Cemetery. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939. In 1941 a plaque was placed on the back of his elaborate headstone, detailing his distinguished career in baseball. It is speculated Radbourn might be the namesake of the charley horse, a painful leg cramp not unlike that from which he suffered.[11] See also [ edit ] Notes [ edit ] References [ edit ]NORTHWICH Victoria have launched an appeal to raise a four-figure sum they say will prevent the club from a double-relegation. Supporters are hoping to collect the money they need by Wednesday afternoon, a deadline imposed by the Football Association to clear all their remaining debts. If they manage it, then the team can take a place provisionally assigned to them for next season in the North West Counties League’s top-flight. “We owe £15,000 to creditors,” said Dave Thomas, Vics’ general manager. “That would cover everything, including the tax man and other bills we have.” A meeting of supporters, who have been in talks to buy the club from Martin Rushe since he put it into administration before Christmas, resulted in pledges for two-thirds of that sum on Monday night. That leaves a shortfall of £5,000. Help us raise £5000 to Save Northwich Victoria Football Club. Please #donate on @justgiving and RT. Thanks! https://t.co/X31NX1iyXb — Northwich Victoria (@NorthwichVicsFC) June 12, 2017 Vics were relegated from the Northern Premier League’s Division One South at the end of last season. A 10-point deduction, applied as a punishment for declaring themselves insolvent in December, sent them to the bottom of the table. They stayed there for the campaign’s remainder, with their demotion confirmed following a 5-0 defeat against landlords Witton Albion on Easter Monday. FA rules insist the club must exit administration - either by paying their debts in full or by agreeing a company voluntary arrangement (CVA) with creditors to pay the same amount in instalments over an agreed period - before clubs gather for their annual meeting. The North West Counties League is scheduled to host their on Saturday, hence Vics’ bid to raise the cash they need before then. If they are unsuccessful then they risk being placed in that competition’s second tier or, worse, refused membership altogether. Thomas said: “We’ve been heartened by the response we’ve had already, and we’ve had former players and supporters living out of town getting in touch. “Time is short, we know that, but this is the best chance we’ve got of avoiding dropping even further down.” Rushe remains the club’s owner, if only in name. A small group of fans have run the club since the start of last season, and Thomas estimates they have together spent £66,000 to complete the campaign. That included rent payment to Albion, although that arrangement will not continue next term. The Guardian understands that a potential five-figure windfall from the transfer of Jordan Williams from Barrow to Rochdale is not included in the amount raised so far. The wide man spent six months with Northwich, helping them to the FA Cup second round, the season before last. It earned him a move the Cumbrian outfit, who play in non-league’s top tier. A sell-on clause was included as part of a deal that took him there.Historical Voter Turnout in Canadian Federal Elections & Referenda, 1867-2011 Voter Turnout in the 2015 Canadian Election A significant jump in overall voter turnout was seen in 2015, at 68.3% compared to 61.1 in 2008. Several factors accounted for the increase, including general voter interest, but the most important change was the greater participation of younger voters. Elections Canada calculates that 57.1% of eligible Canadians aged between 18 & 24 voted in 2015, compared to just 38.8% in 2011. As well, the voter turnout for those aged between 25 & 34 grew by 12.3% between the two elections. Voter Turnout in the 2011 Canadian Election The 2011 election saw a rise in voter turnout compared to the 2008 elections, at 61.1. This rate may rise modestly as the initial figures do not include some special ballot votes. The 2011 turnout marked an improvement over the participation rate seen in 2008 (58.8%). Voter Turnout in the 2008 Canadian Election The voter turnout in 2008 dropped to the lowest percentage of registered voters ever recorded for a national election in Canada. A number of explanations can be offered for the drop of over 5% from the 2006 election. First, there was little to galvanize the electorate in terms of policy issues. Although the crisis on global financial markets erupted during the last two weeks of the campaign, there was little to differentiate the policy responses of the political parties. Secondly, the Thanksgiving long weekend immediately preceded election day on Tuesday Oct 14. Momentum could have been lost for many voters with only a mild attachment to the process. Thirdly, this was the first election with new voter identification rules, and an unknown number of electors were turned away at the polls for not presenting correct ID. Finally, there was a widespread disenchantment among Liberal voters, who turned their back on an uninspiring leader and the contentious Green Shift carbon tax plan. A review of the differences in votes cast for the 5 major parties in 2006 & 2008 reveals the enormous drop in turnout for Liberal voters, and to a lesser extent Bloc Quebecois and Conservative voters as well. A good many Liberal voters undoubtedly moved to support the Green Party, but the growth in Green support came from all parties, as well as many of the 350,000 new voters added to the list since the 2006 election. Overall, there is little doubt that somewhere between 600,000 and 700,000 Liberal supporters did not vote. That number of voters alone accounts for up to a 3 point drop in voter turnout. Votes for Five Major Parties, 2006 & 2008 BQ CON GRN LIB NDP Total Votes 2008 1,379,991 5,209,069 937,613 3,644,185 2,515,288 13,686,146 Votes 2006 1,553,201 5,374,071 664,068 4,479,415 2,589,597 14,660,352 Difference -173,210 -165,002 273,545 -835,230 -74,309 -974,206 Source: Elections Canad, 2008 and 2006 Voter Turnout in Historical Perspective Much has been made of the general decline of voter turnout in recent Canadian elections. The historical record presents a useful perspective on this trend. It is certainly true that the percentage of registered voters who cast ballots has declined- - especially since 1993. However, it is important to note the number of fluctuations over the years of the numbers and percentage of registered voters as a percentage of the whole Canadian population (as measured at the census prior to the election). When one computes the percentage of votes cast as a percentage of the whole population, then the decline is not nearly so dramatic. Indeed, the 45% level registered in the 2000 and 2006 elections is well within the range of 40-50% of Canada's total population seen since 1935. Even the most recent election in 2008 remains within that historical range. The reality of citizen participation is, however, more complex that those raw numbers suggest. The changes in age cohort shares of the population have had an effect over the years. For example, the portion of Canadians under 15 years of age has dropped from 32.5% in 1941 to 17.6% in 2006; this figure is calculated from Census data available at Stats Canada. With this change in demographics in mind, one actually should have seen an increase in the percentage of Canada's total population who vote in an election as the Canadian population aged. Unfortunately, there are some fundamental problems when one tries to compare voter turnout over long periods of time. Because "turnout" is simply the percentage of the people on a list of eligible voters who actually vote, the reliability of that measure depends entirely on the accuracy of the list of eligible voters. In most of the second half of the 20th century federal election lists were compiled by door-to-door visits. Many people were not included on the lists who would otherwise have been entitled to vote. People who had no interest in voting could simply refuse to answer questions when the enumeration officials visited a neighbourhood. As a result there has never been a completely accurate registration of all eligible voters. Various methods of compiling voter lists may have left from 5 to 15% of possible voters off the official lists. For example, Quebec's list of electors grew by over 13% in the two door-to-door enumerations undertaken for the 1994 and 1998 elections (see: Monique Michaud, Permanent List of Electors: The Quebec Experience). Thus, the official turnout figures for those two provincial elections cannot be directly compared. The establishment of a permanent National Register of Voters for federal elections has not been entirely reliable either. For example, the official voter turnout figure in 2000 is 61.2%, but Elections Canada later realized that this was based on a voters' list that was artificially inflated by almost a million duplicate names. The actual turnout figure is now estimated to be about 64.1%. See the CBC News article about this updated information. Also, it is difficult to ascertain reliably how many non-voters are included in the electoral list, simply by checking the right box on their income tax form or by getting a driver's license, who are not legally qualified to vote. Given the vagaries of door-to-door-enumeration and other errors that are almost inevitable in a permanent register of voters, one should not place too much emphasis on precise differences in turnout for particular elections. Nevertheless, there does indeed appear to have been a drop, over the last 15 years or so, in the number of eligible voters who actually end up casting ballots. Various studies have delved into what may lie behind a drop in voter participation. But even academic surveys of non-voters have their own fundamental problems as the less engaged in the political process individuals are, the less likely they are to participate in surveys about why they did not vote. But we can tell from an historical review of voters lists that far fewer people under the age of 25 are voting than did 3 or 4 decades ago. Some researchers have argued, as a result, that youth should be targeted by various civic campaigns to engage them more fully in elections. Others have argued that non-voting is not simply a function of the youngest cohort of voters. Henry Milner, for example, believes that survey evidence points to a lack of political knowledge as the fundamental factor behind non-voting across all age groups. As far as our youth are concerned, schools may be failing to prepare them properly for citizenship. Other comparative research has suggested that countries with much more door-to-door canvassing have higher rates of voter turnout. Canadian campaigns have come to rely less and less on repeated doorstep contact in favour of central advertising campaigns and mass mailings, and this approach may result in a less directly personal involvement among voters. Other more practical issues may have a role as well. In old-style elections up until the late twentieth century, election day 'treating' was common place in many areas of the country. Folding money, a mickey of rum, or a box of chocolates were widely dished out to voters on election day. In short, modern elections may just not be as much fun! Compulsory voting is sometimes proposed as a solution to falling turnout. A number of other countries, such as Australia & Brazil, have cumplosry voting. An Ekos poll conducted in September 2009 found that 49% of Canadians would support this change while 36% are opposed. Further Reading For some further in-depth analysis of turnout issues see: Jerome H. Black, From Enumeration to the National Register of Electors: An Account and an Evaluation André Blais, Agnieszka Dobrzynska, and Louis Massicotte, "Why is Turnout Higher in Some Countries than in Others?" Elections Canada, Estimation of Voter Turnout by Age Group at the 38th Federal General Election Henry Milner as explored reasons for low turnout in several papers, most recently in "Political Knowledge and Participation Among Young Canadians and Americans" and Are Young Canadians Becoming Political Dropouts? A Comparative Perspective Jon H. Pammett and Lawrence LeDuc, " Explaining the Turnout Decline in Canadian Federal Elections: A New Survey of Non-voters"It's been nearly two months since, and still there's so much more to learn from the millions of documents exposing clients of the notorious Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca. (Now released into a ; you're welcome, tax nerds.) Already we've got the sense there are hundreds of thousands of super-rich people setting up offshore bank accounts and shell companies for various purposes, many of them shady. And on top of all the world leaders, mobsters, C-list celebrities, and sports officials named in the docs, there are also over 1,300 Canadian mailing addresses linked to offshore firms that are just starting to get noticed. Vancouver correspondent for the South China Morning Post Ian Young took a closer look at those Canadian-owned tax havens last week, and found a pretty glaring concentration of them in Metro Vancouver's wealthiest neighbourhoods and suburbs. It turns out Vancouver and Richmond addresses are over eight times more likely to appear in the papers than the Canadian per-capita average, while West Vancouver addresses are in there 19.2 times more than the norm. See the whole investigation with graphs and charts here. While Greater Toronto technically has a handful more addresses linked to offshore accounts than Metro Vancouver (382 to 375, respectively), if you control for the huge population gap between the cities, Young found the West Coast is way ahead. "I think Vancouver is definitely the tax haven capital of Canada," Young told VICE. "On a per-capita basis, there's a fairly huge disparity." Young is quick to note the Panama Papers leak does not give a full picture of all Canadian-made tax havens, nor does it necessarily suggest wrongdoing. "What you can see is the difference in scale between Vancouver and the rest of Canada, between Vancouver and, say, Toronto, which is the financial capital, which you would think would have a very huge number of tax haven companies, or a higher proportion, but it doesn't." Young also has some theories about why and how this all happened. He's been following "millionaire migration" to Vancouver for a long time, and he says the tax havens are another indication that Vancouver has an unusually high concentration of international millionaires. "I think you can make some conclusions," Young told VICE. "The situation is this: Vancouver has taken by far and away the great majority of the world's wealthy immigrants that have arrived in Canada." For nearly 30 years, Canada had an investor visa program that essentially granted citizenship to anyone with the means to lend the government $800,000. That visa program was shut down in 2014, but a similar one run out of Quebec continues to let in more millionaires destined for Vancouver, according to Young's research. "So many millionaires have moved here, and have been moving money around the world to come to Vancouver, and one of the strategies that people use when they're doing that is tax havens." Young says Vancouver is the end destination for about two thirds of Canada's millionaire migrants, while Toronto takes the other third. Wealth migration, predominantly from mainland China, has also been blamed for heating up Vancouver's out-of-control real estate market. To get a sense of the size of the issue, University of British Columbia researcher Andy Yan somewhat controversially looked at Anglicized and non-Anglicized Chinese names registered on property documents. This week Vancouver's mayor Gregor Robertson called out pundits who take studies like these and assume "anybody with a Chinese name who is buying a home in Vancouver must not be from Canada." Young agrees that looking at names doesn't prove anything about individuals. "What it doesn't do is tell you whether or not those are citizens or not citizens. It doesn't tell you whether they're permanent residents or not permanent residents," he said. "All it tells you, basically, too a greater or lesser degree, is whether or not they're ethnically Chinese." With some caution, Young still thinks this information can add a new dimension to the ways millionaires are shaping the city. "You certainly don't want to come to some conclusion about whether or not ethnically Chinese people have some racial predisposition to misbehaviour, that is simply not true," he said. "What there is, is a millionaire disposition." When compared to Census data of the general population, the offshore firm data Young looked at again showed a much higher concentration of Chinese names, particularly in West Vancouver. Again, it doesn't mean the whole group are recent immigrants or from China. According to Young, that means the international superwealthy can choose to play by different rules on both citizenship and taxes—and both are happening more in Vancouver than anywhere else in Canada. Follow Sarah on Twitter.Michael Moore included one detail in his latest film, "Capitalism: A Love Story," just for President Obama. What is it? We know who's supporting you -- the employees of Goldman Sachs. (Employees of the investment bank were the second-biggest private contributors to Obama's presidential campaign, according to OpenSecrets.org.) During an interview on ABC's Nightline with Terry Moran, Moore praised Obama for his rise to the White House but made clear that he knows about the campaign contributions and that he's on the lookout for special treatment. According to the filmmaker, his previous work about subjects as varied as automakers and health care all relate to capitalism. Moore: "These are all spokes to the hub. And that hub is capitalism. And it's a system that's anti-American, meaning that it's anti-democratic." Moore also said that capitalism is anti-Jesus and goes against the major religions. "It goes completely against the values of Jesus and Moses and Mohamed and Buddha... You will be judged by how you treat the poor." Watch Moore's message to Obama:EK Water Blocks has just announced a new version of their popular EK-XRES Revo D5 pump/reservoir combo unit which features a reservoir tube made of high-quality glass.The EK-XRES Revo D5 PWM Glass is a high-performance liquid cooling pump with an integrated reservoir. It uses Laing D5 PWM pump, which should provide increased hydraulic performance of up to 15 percent compared to the original Laing D5 PWM pump, combined with a reservoir tube made out of high-quality borosilicate glass.The glass reservoir is not the only difference as the EK-XRES REvo D PWM Glass also uses central stainless steel pipe which serves as a suction point and both feeds the pump with coolant as well as holds the top and bottom part together.The EK-XRES Revo D5 PWM Glass series has three G1/4" threaded ports which are intended as fill ports and any of those top ports can be used as an inlet port with EK-Extender M-F G1/4". The top and the bottom part are both made of POM Acetal material and it comes bundled with a PU anti-vortex foam.The EK-XRES D5 PWM Glass series will be available in two versions, EK-XRES 140 Revo D5 PWM Glass with a larger reservoir and shorter EK-XRES 100 Rvo D5 PWM Glass. Both versions should be already available with a price set at €142,95 and €139,95, respectively.Source: EKWB.comIt’s not getting any better on its own. (Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland) It’s been about six weeks since cracks started forming and chunks started falling off the busy Springwater path south of OMSI. Since then, the damage has worsened and as rain continues to fall, the Portland Parks & Recreation bureau is still a bit nervous about what might happen next. After constant monitoring of the riverbank beneath the path by geotech engineers, Parks announced this morning that path users should expect delays on Tuesday, May 1st, as engineers take a closer look. Here’s more from the official statement: “… from the SE Ivon entrance to about mile 2. Workers, equipment and vehicles will be on site as engineers address recent riverbank erosion, caused by heavy rains and high water. Bikers and joggers please take note…” I rolled by the damage 10 days ago and here’s how it looked… Losing this link in our transportation network would be a big deal. I’ll keep you posted if I hear of any more significant closures or damage. Front Page, News springwater corridorNamaste Technologies Inc. (N.CN) (NXTTF) has been a leader in the vaporizer and accessories space, and is otherwise focused on capitalizing on Canada’s burgeoning legal marijuana industry. In late August, CannMart received confirmation from Health Canada that it has reached the review stage during which Health Canada will complete a thorough review of the application. In 2014, CannMart submitted its application to Health Canada to become a sales only licensed medical cannabis producer. Namaste plans to leverage its strength in e-commerce and logistics with CannMart’s license to work toward becoming a leading Canadian medical cannabis retailer. Since CannMart applied for an ACMPR sales only license, it will be able to purchase wholesale medical cannabis from other licensed producers and sell to individual patients in accordance with the ACMPR. Secures Best-in-Class Partners to Capitalize on Strategic Initiatives We are favorable on the partnerships that Namaste has developed over the last few months and believe that these relationships position the company to succeed. A few weeks after CannMart heard back from Health Canada, Namaste announced a major milestone when it signed a product acquisition agreement with Aphria Inc. (APH.TO) (APHQF). Under the agreement, Aphria will supply medical cannabis through Namaste’s Cannmart facility in Ontario, Canada. The agreement is a major development for Namaste as it is in-line with the management team’s execution strategy, which is to migrate medical cannabis consumers to a licensed producer. We are favorable on the relationship with Aphria since it is one of the largest and best capitalized licensed medical marijuana producers in Canada. Aphria is also focused on increasing its market share in Canada, particularly given the TSX’s comments regarding the U.S. marijuana market. One week after Namaste and Aphria signed an agreement, the company signed an exclusive hardware supply agreement with Aurora Cannabis (ACB.TO) (ACBFF) for the Canadian market. Pursuant to the agreement, Aurora will offer a specially curated selection of industry-leading vaporizers which will be sourced from Namaste. Namaste will establish a direct inventory feed to both Aurora's online shop and its mobile app, providing Aurora customers with access to a range of medical grade vaporizers and other innovative products that are supplied through its platform. Focused on a Multi-Billion-Dollar Market Opportunity The global legal marijuana industry is already a multi-billion-dollar market, and Namaste intends to be a significant entity within the industry. The company has already gained significant market share in the ancillary hardware segment. Through CannMart and the strategic partnerships with companies such as Aphria, we expect Namaste to capture a portion of the marijuana sales market. The legal cannabis industry has seen incredible growth and Namaste will be able to capitalize on this opportunity through its database of cannabis consumers, its strategic partnerships, and its existing infrastructure. Continues to Record Strong Revenue Growth Namaste continues to produce strong revenue during a typically slow period for e-commerce sales and we believe this success has gone un-noticed. Through implementation of new site platforms and machine learning algorithms, Namaste is focused on increasing organically driven revenue and expects to see significant revenue growth as it enters the busiest season of the year for e-commerce. In late September, the company issued an operational update and reported almost $1.2 million in revenue during the month. When compared to the same month last year, total revenue increased by more than 130%. We have been impressed by Namaste’s revenue numbers and will keep an eye on how this number as well as the breakdown (which division generates the revenue) changes as the company’s story continues to advance. An Execution Story Although Namaste has significantly advanced its fundamental story, the shares are down more than 20% so far this year. Over the last year, Namaste has secured several strategic partnerships and remains focused on expanding its product offering, on making accretive acquisitions and strategic partnerships, and entering new cannabis markets across the globe. We are favorable on these factors as well as the improving revenue numbers, the strategic partners and relationships, the recent feedback from Health Canada regarding CannMart, and the extensive database of cannabis consumers and businesses. Namaste continues to execute and deliver strong numbers to shareholders. We are favorable on this execution and continue to view Namaste as an undervalued opportunity and one that investors need to watch.It was perfect. I mean, it was all wrong: the Yankees were losing, and the Yankees weren't playing for anything, and he came on in the middle of an inning, and left before the job was done, but maybe all of it is what made everything right. Maybe the complete unreality of the night made the whole thing, down to the unique, weepy, technically-rule-violating hook, feel like a going-away party rather than a baseball game. This is the last time Mariano Rivera will wear pinstripes, until some Old Timer's Day in the near future when he'll probably look exactly the same, and the fastball will still be cutting, and you'll wonder if he couldn't have done this for a few more years if he wanted to. But it's over, and even if a season-long victory lap was secretly as much about saying "we want you to stay" as "we're thankful we got to see you play," the man's done. As Derek Jeter and Andy Pettitte approached the mound to remove Rivera from the game, cameras caught the first words exchanged. Jeter to Rivera: "Time to go." The anticipation built over seven-plus innings; this was the first meaningless baseball game in the Bronx since 1993, when Rivera was a 23-year-old starter at Single-A Greensboro. Fans spent the game chanting "Ma-ri-a-no," because this was to be a celebration. And when Girardi walked to the mound in the eighth and signaled with his right arm, the celebration was on. The fans went nuts, but it was a veneer of stoicism that prevailed on the mound conference. Rivera was stoic. Girardi was asked what he told his closer when he handed him the ball. "First and second, one out." he said. Advertisement Rivera got out of trouble; of course he did. But between innings, he couldn't sit idly on the bench and pretend this was any other game. He retreated to the trainer's room to keep his arm loose, and he sat, and he thought. “I was alone, trying to put some warm on my arm,” Rivera said. “Everything started hitting me, all the flashbacks.” Girardi spoke to crew chief Mike Winters. He wanted to pull Rivera in the ninth to get a standing ovation, and he wanted to send out Jeter and Pettitte, who came up with Rivera in 1995 and had been together for every great moment of the Yankee dynasty. Winters checked with Joe Maddon, and said go for it. Advertisement "We’ve all grown up together,"’ Jeter said afterward. "It’s too bad good things have to come to an end, I guess, eventually.’" The two strolled to the mound, smiling, and Rivera smiled too. Then Jeter said his piece, and Pettitte told Rivera, "It’s been an honor to play alongside you," and the dam broke. Advertisement "Thank God they came out," Rivera would say. "I’m not sure I would have made it on my own." I lost it around the same time Rivera did. It's dumb to have any emotional attachment to a professional athlete, but that's a grown-up way of thinking. Rivera's one of the last players still around that I watched in my childhood, back when I wasn't cynical or removed, and he still stirs those feelings of idolization that imprint on you when you're young, and quietly inform your sports fandom for the rest of your life. I'm 29, about the time when more athletes than not are younger than me. Rivera's one of the last players I can honestly say I looked up to. If I shed a tear it's not because he's leaving—he's more than entitled to it—but because my own childhood memories are now firmly and officially the distant past. After the game, Rivera sat alone in the dugout for a few minutes, taking it in. Maybe he'll pitch this weekend in Houston, maybe he won't—Ted Williams famously took three straight road DNPs after his Fenway goodbye in 1960. Then Rivera strolled out for more cheers, and a handful of dirt. Advertisement What's the point of it all? Money? Championships? Rivera's got plenty of both. But after the game, he gave a telling quote. "I’ve had an opportunity to play for 19 years and give the best of my talents and my ability to this organization," he said "Tonight, it paid off." Tonight? There's your clue. Lots of athletes gain fame and hear cheers, but few in recent memory have had the opportunity to be so publicly and unabashedly loved. Yankee Stadium, which will remain dark and quiet and locked until the spring when a new closer tries to answer the bell, was the site of a living wake last night. And like all good wakes, it was a party.What do you do when Facebook starts comparing you to a porn star? Well, if you're irreverent marketing consultant and author E
communication. The system to be tested relies on dedicated short-range radio communication to allow cars to signal one another and receive messages from traffic equipment. The DOT estimates that 80 percent of serious crashes could be addressed by this technology. “This is the next major safety advancement, one that’s comparable to seat belts, air bags, and electronic stability control,” said Scott Belcher, president and CEO of the Intelligent Transportation Society of America, a nonprofit founded to promote advanced car technologies. The technology will be tested in a variety of situations; it will alert the driver when it is unsafe to pass, and when someone is approaching an intersection at a speed that could cause a collision. Each car will be equipped with a radio that signals its speed and direction of travel, as determined by GPS, to other cars. It will also send this information to suitably equipped traffic equipment. The University of Michigan is partnering with eight automakers, a number of which began working collaboratively to develop a uniform platform for implementing the technology in 1995. These carmakers will provide 64 cars equipped with the radios, while an additional group of ordinary cars will be fit with devices so they can transmit signals, making up a total of roughly 3,000 vehicles. Drivers will be recruited from among the 20,000 employees of the university’s medical center. Peter Sweatman, director of the Transportation Research Institute, says Ann Arbor is an ideal test bed, since it’s a concentrated area with only three central thoroughfares out of the city, making it likely that the equipped cars will regularly encounter each other. The driving portion will run for a year, and data will be collected and may be used by the DOT’s National Highway Safety Traffic Administration to decide, by 2013, if the technology has enough benefits to be approved. If approved, the technology would be rolled out over 10 years, Sweatman says. Keep in touch: A simulation shows cars and traffic lights communicating. “We believe this will happen in the near future,” says Nady Boules, director of the electric and controls integration research lab at General Motors. Jim Keller, senior manager and engineer at Honda Research and Development, adds, “We see this technology as having huge potential in the future to affect safety.” The DOT’s Research and Innovative Technology Administration, which is overseeing the program, released the following statement on the project: “This technology has the potential to be a game changer for safety. Research from NHTSA found that combined, vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure technologies have the potential to address about 80 percent of all unimpaired car crash scenarios.” Joe Stinnett, a research engineer in active safety for Ford, is similarly enthusiastic. He says that, in addition to preventing common accidents, the technology could prevent traffic backups by keeping cars in step with one another. But he says one key area that needs to be addressed is security. “People could hack into the system, sitting on a bridge with their laptop transmitting false information,” he warns. So a major challenge will be ensuring that the network is secure and that misbehaviors can be identified, he says. Europe is on a similar track. In January 2011, the European Commission launched a three-year pan-European field test in seven sites across Europe to ensure the interoperability of the system. The effort includes 40 carmakers as well as suppliers, electronics manufacturers, and research institutes. As vehicle-to-vehicle communication goes mainstream, it could even pave the way for fully autonomous driving. Google has been testing its own self-driving cars in California. So far those cars have logged 160,000 miles, but they rely on costly sensors. Vehicle-to-vehicle communication could allow for autonomous driving that’s far less expensive, Belcher says. He expects that some autonomous driving features could appear in commercial fleets within five years. But he doubts that fully autonomous driving will take hold in the foreseeable future for one key reason: “Americans like to control their own cars,” he says.For a few moments, in a conference room deep inside the Wynn casino, the battle for the Democratic presidential nomination came down to a debate between three women of color. Felicia Fletcher, a 44-year-old cashier at the nearby Circus Circus, was one of two undecided voters. Precinct captains for Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders descended on her, reducing lifetimes of politics to a few sentences. “Hillary’s been there for the working people,” said Autumn Johnson, 38, a black woman with a blue Clinton T-shirt and a small American flag pinned in a hair bun. “I know that personally.” Melanie Malfabon, 26, leaned in a little closer to argue for Sanders. “The banks have lobbyists, and that’s why so many people can’t get ahead,” she said. “His average donation is $37. He’s not owned by big money.” Finally, politely, Fletcher dropped the poker face. “I trust Bernie more,” she admitted. “But I like Hillary’s views more.” It was a scene that replayed in hundreds of precincts on Saturday, as Clinton’s loss of altitude in Nevada was halted by a rugged ground game and the resilient affection of black voters. View Graphic Why minority voters matter for Democrats in Nevada and beyond In the same caucus location, hours before the fight for Felicia Fletcher, it wasn’t always easy to see that. The Wynn hosted one of six casino caucuses for employees on the Strip who couldn’t head home to vote. In 2008, 376 people swarmed the caucuses here, a turnout level that had been boosted when the 60,000-member Culinary Workers Union endorsed Barack Obama. [Clinton defeats Sanders in Nevada; black voter support appears decisive] This year, Culinary stayed neutral, and only 60 voters showed up to the Wynn. They came from Circus Circus, from the Westgate and from the arrogantly gleaming Trump hotel across Las Vegas Boulevard. Few of them were white. They walked past a table where Clinton supporters offered blue “I’m with her” T-shirts, then past a throng of volunteers from National Nurses United, the first major union to back Sanders. In lieu of an endorsement, Sanders volunteers passed out laminated testimonials from casino workers who had come on board — porters, servers, cooks, stage techs. It was a hard sell but a cheerful one. If you had never heard of Sanders, your friends and neighbors had. It echoed the ad campaign that had actually outplayed Clinton in Nevada. And to plenty of voters, it worked. “He’s an old man with a young spirit, young ideas,” explained Elza Dubrin, 62, a Brazilian immigrant and server at the Wynn who caucused for Sanders. “My son-in-law, he’s a doctor. My daughter, she’s a registered nurse. They both support him 100 percent. So I’ve got to trust them.” Not far away from Dubrin sat Cedric Wester, 58, a black utility porter who had caucused for Obama in 2008 but could not be convinced that Sanders was presidential timber. “I love Hillary’s experience,” he said. “She’s more suited for the job than Bernie.” Hillary Clinton won the Nevada Democratic caucuses on Feb. 20, thanks in part to huge support from black voters and older voters. (Peter Stevenson/The Washington Post) Suddenly, the chair next to Wester was filled by a smiling Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.). “You’re with her?” he said, pointing to female Clinton fans, posing for selfies. “I’m with her, too!” He was a Clinton endorser, and he was capping off months of attacks on Sanders’s immigration votes by running through the caucus sites to win votes. It was not going so well. Gutierrez, like many Clinton supporters, was out to prove that a quiet majority of hardworking non-white voters was behind her. The caucus process was making that a chore. “I went down and talked to the workers,” said Gutierrez. “I got kicked out, actually, but before that, I asked, ‘Don’t you want to vote?’ And they said, ‘Yes, but we’d have to take an hour off.’ They’d lose $18 in wages! It’s a poll tax. Nevada’s like the South!” There was no time to fix that before the vote began. At noon, the doors slammed shut — no one allowed in unless “they say they’ll have a heart attack unless they vote” — and the restless caucus-goers listened to a monotone reading of letters from the candidates. Only after that could they raise their “commitment cards” and declare their votes. Thirty-four chose Clinton. Twenty-four chose Sanders. Two were undecided. Each campaign put its most passionate advocate at a microphone. The Sanders team chose Harold Tavares, a 62-year-old veteran who had come from California to canvass for Bernie and had practiced his speech in the hallway until it got to a crisp one minute. “We need comprehensive immigration reform that puts families first, and brings people out of the shadows!” Tavares said. “Come with Bernie!” The lobbying began, and the Sanders team made no converts. Malfabon, who had never been engaged in politics before — who had been an independent, she said, until discovering Sanders — was so adept at explaining the Sanders pitch that her fellow organizers stepped back. “We all agree on all of these issues,” Malfabon said. “But Bernie Sanders has the power to do it because he’s not owned by big donors.” Her time ran out, and the room was counted up again. Clinton now had 36 supporters. Sanders had 23, losing a supporter from the first round. Fletcher remained undecided, until the last second, when she raised her card and declared for Clinton. In this room, Clinton had won. The Sanders volunteers’ cellphones were telling them of bigger wins around the state, so their mood stayed high, even as Clinton was awarded 15 delegates to Sanders’s 9. Fletcher, having helped give Clinton a campaign-rescuing win, had little to say about it. “I feel like I know her,” she said, “and I know how she’d do in the job.”Vice presidential candidate Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) has been forced to admit that he lied in an interview with conservative columnist Hugh Hewitt when he said that he once completed a marathon in under three hours. According to Huffington Post, Ryan’s campaign has admitted to Runner’s World magazine that the congressman’s claim to have finished a marathon in “two hours and fifty-something” minutes was a fabrication. In a prepared statement, Ryan blamed a faulty memory of the event. He claimed to have been corrected by his brother, rather than by reporters from Runner’s World, who began asking questions about Ryan’s claim when they could not find any record of Ryan running a three-hour marathon in Wisconsin or anywhere else. “The race was more than 20 years ago, but my brother Tobin—who ran Boston last year—reminds me that he is the owner of the fastest marathon in the family and has never himself ran a sub-three,” he said. “If I were to do any rounding, it would certainly be to four hours, not three. He gave me a good ribbing over this at dinner tonight.” The only record of Ryan running a marathon is from the “Grandma’s Marathon” in Duluth, Minnesota in 1990, in which a Paul D. Ryan (Rep. Ryan’s middle name is “Davis.”) finished the race in just over 4 hours. New York Times columnist Paul Krugman wrote that while the falsehood might seem trivial, “I remember the 2000 campaign, when Al Gore was constantly hounded by claims of fibbing on trivial issues — claims that, by the way, were all, as far as I could tell, fabricated. These alleged fibs supposedly showed some deep defect in his character. So if Ryan is making false claims about his physical prowess, this is absolutely fair game.”The New Yorker recently published a feature about the behind-the-scenes workings of Coachella with a particular focus on Paul Tollett, who serves as both the festival’s and Goldenvoice’s CEO. There are a ton of interesting tidbits in the article, but one of the most interesting (as Pitchfork points out) comes courtesy of talent agency William Morris Endeavor’s head of music Marc Geiger, who apparently pitched Kate Bush as a potential Coachella performer and was turned down. Here’s the relevant portion: In addition to curating the lineup, Tollett had booked the hundred and fifty acts himself, negotiating all the offers with agents—a six-month process. He also fielded a lot of pitches that he had to turn down. Geiger, of W.M.E., described their working method: “I’ll say, ‘Kate Bush!’ And he’ll go, ‘No!,’ and we’ll talk through it. I’ll say, ‘She’s never played here, and she just did thirty shows in the U.K. for the first time since the late seventies. You gotta do it! Have to!’ ‘No! No one is going to understand it.’ ” Kate Bush has never performed in the United States. In 2014, she played her first show in 35 years and sold out a run of 22 shows in London. Those performances were compiled onto last year’s live album, Before The Dawn. It’s unclear from the article whether or not Bush was even interested in performing at Coachella, or if it was a hypothetical situation, but either way it’s wild that the mastermind behind the festival would decide to not even try and pursue it! More Kate Bush always. The feature also lends some interesting inside perspective on the always contentious business of font size on the Coachella poster: For artists, placement on the poster translates directly into booking fees. “Agents will say, ‘They’re a second-line band at Coachella!’ ” Tollett related. Rarely has typography been so closely monetized. For E.D.M. d.j.s, in particular, placement on the poster can determine their future asking price, not only in the United States but internationally. “We have so many arguments over font sizes,” he went on. “I literally have gone to the mat over one point size.” “Today is the day I’m telling all the agents what line their band is going to be on,” Tollett explained. “Sounds like a small thing in the great scheme of life. But, as it relates to these bands, it’s huge.” He added, “We booked it, and it’s going to be great.” He sounded as if he were trying to convince himself. A prototype of the poster was on the table. He pointed to the second line, Saturday, where two popular E.D.M. d.j.s, DJ Snake and Martin Garrix, and the hip-hop m.c. SchoolBoy Q, were all together, along with the alternative-rock star Bon Iver and the Atlanta rappers Gucci Mane and Future. “I have a pileup of d.j.s here,” Tollett said. “The problem is that every one of them wants there.” He tapped the left side of the line, where Bon Iver held pride of place. “In the old days, you could look at SoundScan or Pollstar. Who sells more records? Who sells more tickets? But d.j.s don’t do concerts. And these hip-hop guys—some of them play only raves and large dance-club events,” so-called “soft ticket” shows in which the artist is just one part of the package. Instead of hard numbers, the d.j.s use social-media-based metrics to measure their popularity: Facebook friends, Twitter followers, YouTube views. “The third line is the hardest,” Tollett went on, adjusting his Kings cap. “With someone like Justice or New Order, you know they’re solid.” The French techno group and the British New Wave band were two of the occupants of Sunday’s second line. “Marshmello?”—a third-line masked E.D.M. d.j. whose identity is concealed beneath a buckethead with a blitzed-looking emoji for a face. “Could be a line two, because he has crazy statistics,” Tollett said as he drummed on the poster with a pencil eraser. “Twenty years ago, alternative artists grew slower,” he continued. “But there is no underground anymore. It’s all kind of pop, in a way, and it goes up quickly because of SoundCloud. Some of these artists get stats over a six-week period that are just crazy. I make an offer for small bands, and in six months the world can change for them so much. Or you buy them at their peak and their numbers are dropping off each day. It’s like gambling. Going short, going long. We’re going long on Marshmello.” UPDATE: In a statement Bush’s spokesman says the singer never considered Coachella:Image caption Alan Rusbridger has edited the Guardian since 1995 Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger is to be questioned by MPs over the newspaper's publication of leaks by ex-US security contractor Edward Snowden. Mr Rusbridger will give evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee next month, a Guardian spokesman confirmed. The Guardian has published information about how British and US spy agencies monitor communications. The decision to publish the leaks was criticised by the leaders of UK security services on Thursday. Documents leaked to the Guardian newspaper by Mr Snowden - who is currently in Moscow where he has sought asylum - revealed that agencies are able to tap into the internet communications of millions of ordinary citizens through GCHQ's Tempora programme. Services 'defend freedom' MI6 chief Sir John Sawers warned the Intelligence and Security Committee earlier this week that "our adversaries were rubbing their hands with glee, al-Qaeda is lapping it up" in the wake of the Snowden revelations, adding: "The leaks from Snowden have been very damaging, they've put our operations at risk". The Guardian, though, has defended its decision to publish the information, saying that the paper's coverage of British and US surveillance had prompted "necessary debate". On Friday, a spokesman said: "Alan has been invited to give evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee and looks forward to appearing next month." Mr Sawers, along with the head of MI5 Andrew Parker and GCHQ director Sir Iain Lobban, were questioned by MPs in public after coming under pressure to be more open after the leaks by Mr Snowden revealed widespread spying by GCHQ and the US National Security Agency. Mr Parker argued that the security services defend, rather than undermine freedom, and pointed to 34 terror plots that had been disrupted by the security services since the terror attacks in London on 7 July 2005. 'Devastating assessment' News of Mr Rusbridger's appearance before the committee comes as Conservative MPs Julian Smith and Stephen Phillips called on him to clarify whether he had "acted on every security concern raised by government" over the news stories. They also asked him to confirm whether anyone at the Guardian had "directed, permitted, facilitated or acquiesced" in the transfer of the files obtained by Mr Snowden to anyone in the US or elsewhere. Mr Smith and Mr Phillips said Mr Rusbridger's response to a letter from 28 Tory MPs had failed to "acknowledge the devastating assessment of the damage done to the national security of the United Kingdom by the Guardian's reporting of the Snowden leaks", citing the evidence given by the security chiefs. They continued: "Secondly, it fails to address the question of whether you have acted on every security concern raised by government and whether the Government has felt that it had adequate time to respond to the matters which you have reported."A LEADING QC has called for a fresh investigation into the death of Princess Diana. Michael Mansfield insists her fatal car crash 20 years ago was not an accident. 4 Michael Mansfield has made the claims to a new US documentary The lawyer is suspicious because police did not react to a note Diana wrote claiming Prince Charles was planning her death in a car accident. He said: “If you find a body at the bottom of the cliffs in Dover and the person has left a note saying, ‘I’m going to end up at the bottom of the cliffs, dead’ and, in the note, she’d indicated who she thought would be responsible for her death, I think the first port of call is to say, ‘Hmm, well there may be something in this’.” Mr Mansfield, who represented Harrods owner Mohammed Al Fayed, makes his claims in a US documentary which resurrects a host of conspiracy theories. It touches on claims she was killed because she was pregnant by Mr Fayed’s Muslim son Dodi. Rex Features 4 It is almost 20 years to the day of Princess Diana's death AP:Associated Press 4 Investigators at the scene look at the wreckage after the tragic crash that killed Princess Diana The show, on TLC on Saturday, also features a dramatisation of Princes William and Harry sobbing. RELATED DIANA STORIES Exclusive HOSPITAL GHOULS BOWED TO DI'S BODY Diana's driver reveals how morbid strangers snuck into hospital to stare at her corpse 'FROM SO MUCH JOY TO SO MUCH SORROW' In Paris, in labour, newly engaged... Sun readers remember where they were when Princess Diana died SEATBELT RIDDLE Princess Di's sister says she 'always wore her seat belt' — and does not understand why she didn't in Paris 'OTHER FORCES WERE INVOLVED' Witness to Princess Diana crash speaks for the first time as he claims 'I question if it was a genuine accident' Exclusive 'di didn't love dodi' Princess Diana's relationship with Dodi Fayed was 'just a bit of fun', claims her private secretary 'THERE FOR US' Harry recalls moment his dad told him Di was dead - and praises CharlesRhinoceroses are one of our planet’s most majestic, and endangered, species. Since 2009, the rate of rhino poaching has increased an astonishing nine thousand percent in South Africa alone, with much of the profits from, and impetus for, the killings coming from the high black market demand for the animal’s horn. But thanks to a new innovation designed to stem the tide of rhinoceros deaths, those very horns which have drawn poachers to rhinos in the first place may ultimately be what ends up putting the worst poaching offenders behind bars for good. “Protect RAPID,” (“Real-time Anti-Poaching Intelligence Device”) is a high tech system intended to stop poachers in their tracks. Protect RAPID is comprised of three parts—a heart rate monitor, a camera embedded inside the animal’s horn, and a GPS locator—all of which are applied to a rhinoceros by trained conservationists, biologists, and nature preserve staff. While much attention has been paid to the in-horn camera rig, the system is only truly effective when all three elements are working in sequence. Explains Dr. Paul O'Donoghue, one of the researchers behind Protect RAPID: Currently a rhino is butchered every six hours in Africa, the issues are many, but there's far too much money at stake to believe that legislation alone can make the difference, we had to find a way to protect these animals effectively in the field; the killing has to be stopped. With this device, the heart rate monitor triggers the alarm the instant a poaching event occurs, pinpointing the location within a few metres so that rangers can be on the scene via helicopter or truck within minutes, leaving poachers no time to harvest the valuable parts of an animal or make good an escape. You can't outrun a helicopter, the Protect RAPID renders poaching a pointless exercise. One of the challenges with stemming the tide of poaching has long been the rhinoceros’s vast habitats—the large tracts of nature preserve or park land on which the animals are free to wander. Because rhinos occupy such wide swatches of land, park rangers have been at a disadvantage when it comes to responding to a reported poaching quickly enough to apprehend those responsible. No matter how fast a ranger’s helicopter and jeeps can travel, without knowing exactly where a rhino has been killed, all that speed is, ultimately, useless. It’s this problem which Protect RAPID’s instantaneous, and geographically accurate, notification system resolves. It can both direct authorities to a kill site, as well as collect the visual evidence of the kill necessary to ultimately convict and imprison the poachers. Says Dean Peinke, a specialist for South Africa's Eastern Cape Parks and Tourism Agency: “We simply don't know where or when poachers might strike, to effectively patrol these vast landscapes requires an army and still poachers could find a way through; they are well organised and equipped, and they will find gaps in almost any defence because the rewards are so great. “ These devices tip the balance strongly in our favour, if we can identify poaching events as they happen we can respond quickly and effectively to apprehend the poachers; it's very exciting to be able to work with Dr O’Donoghue and Protect on the first field trials of the Protect RAPID with our own Southern black rhino population.” Heart-monitors and GPS tracking aside, horn-mounted cameras are not the first instance of conservationists zeroing in on the rhino’s distinctive protuberance as a potential source of poaching relief. Bioengineering startup Pembient raised eyebrows recently with an announcement of plans to “print” artificial, but biologically indistinguishable, rhino horns intended to hopefully sate the poaching black market. Pembient’s plans have been met with a measure of skepticism and frustration from some conservationists, worried the artificial horns might accidentally legitimize the superstitions and beliefs which, in part, fuel the rhino black market. Still, the researchers behind Protect RAPID seem to be in agreement that the only way to truly finish off poaching is to not only stop the poachers themselves, but “end the market demand” as well. Per its website, Protect RAPID is reportedly gearing up for field-testing their design, and expect to see prototypes of their system in the wild during the coming year. A release from Protect RAPID’s partners Humane Society International indicates interest in expanding the system to accommodate elephants and tigers, two other species in need of significant poaching protections, as well. [via inhabitat]Developers are finally getting their hands on the developer preview of's Wave, which means we can finally get some first-hand accounts of what it's really like to use, unfiltered by Google's own programmers. Wave, demonstrated by Google at its I/O developer conference in May of this year, allows customers to create a customizable communications and collaboration tool without any software other than an Internet browser. As such, Wave poses a significant threat to the business models of Microsoft and other applications vendors. Ben Rometsch, a developer with U.K. Web development firm Solid State, blogged that, it's "probably the most advanced 'application in a browser' that I've seen." Wave is like giant Web page onto which users can drag and drop any kind of object, including instant messaging and IRC [Internet Relay Client Chat] clients, e-mail, and wikis, as well as gadgets like maps and video. All conversations, work product and applications are stored on remote servers -- presumably forever. "It's like real time email. On crack," he wrote. According to Rometsch, the user interface is nothing like a typically minimalist Google search, Gmail or Google Docs UI. "It feels a lot more like a desktop application that just so happens to live in your browser," he writes. It really does feel like a little operating system living in your browser tab. Using it suddenly makes Chrome and Chrome OS make a whole lot of sense. If you listen carefully you can hear [Microsoft CEO Steve] Ballmer's chairs flying around in the background. Rometsch's experience was not entirely positive â€" Wave is obviously in preview, and every developer is on the same Wave server. "As a result it's somewhat anarchic," he noted. He also said the Javascript engine crashed frequently, and that Wave ran sluggishly on older set-ups. "On a 4 year old laptop running IE7 I'd say it is unusable," Rometsch wrote. Rometsch said Wave won't be ready for public consumption for some time, but it's possible that when it does, "in 5 years time no-one will know how the world spun without it." He also listed four things that will determine whether Wave is success or not: How it is presented. Google has to come up with a coherent, one sentence answer to "What is it?" How well it integrates with existing protocols like e-mail and IM How much Javascript engines develop in the next 12 months How third party developers leverage the platform in crazy and ingenious ways One telling remark, however -- given that Wave is supposed to run in a browser and not require any kind of desktop support: "I'm not sure if there are API interfaces into the application but, ironically, it's crying out for a proper desktop client." Maybe that's just an old habit that will fade away, or perhaps it's a sign that for all that Wave is supposed to presage, nothing will replace the need for storing data and conversations locally. [Image source courtesy of Solid State]Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Chia Pet! I normally pay attention to Chia Pets only around Christmas, but since I was so busy a few months ago, I didn’t get to keep up the tradition. Maybe this is why I’ve felt so hollow. Thank God for the Ninja Turtles. Spotted just last night, it’s the official Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Chia Pet, which I think we can take as proof positive that Nickelodeon’s new series is doing pretty well. I’ve barely paid attention to the new show. Don’t yell at me. I’ve already heard about how great it is, and about how it’s such a perfect balance of nostalgia and new hotness, and about the unlimited extra-vowel Krangs. I’ll get to it, and I’ll love it. Still, I have to admit that the show’s success took me by surprise. This isn’t the first time TMNT has been brought back, and with all previous attempts, it never seemed to truly click. With the new series, you can’t say the same. I haven’t looked up the ratings or anything, but the fans are obviously there, and they’re not treating it like “just another show.” How can I put this? The new series just seems so revered. I have seen all of the toys, of course, and they’re great. You’ll never catch me admitting that the new figures are better than the ones I grew up with, even if my brain knows that they are. In particular, I’m impressed with how creative the new line has been. It’s anything but barebones, and anything but rushed. What could’ve been the simplest doodads were approached with such wacky gusto, and even from afar, from “show” to “stuff” and everything in between, it’s easy to see that the new Turtles are firing on all cylinders. And yeah, now they have a Chia Pet. Lacking weapons or color, I’m not sure which Ninja Turtle it’s meant to represent. Smart money is on Mikey, I guess. Perhaps someone who knows more about Nick’s Turtles will point out that the stitching on the elbow pad confirms this as a different character. It’s here where I’ll admit that while I claim to welcome corrections, I really don’t. No matter which Turtle, he looks great. The terracotta figurine has a good amount of detail, even nailing the weird mouth. We’ve come a long way from the era of bloated testicles with ram heads and peg legs. I used to fear Chia Pets, but not anymore. I finally have them down to a science. The trick is easy: Just follow the instructions. Don’t make up your own instructions as you go along, as I so often did. Believe what the Chia people say, because if you’re going to listen to anyone about raising a Chia Pet, it should be a Chia person. So, soak that planter for an hour. Don’t assume it’s a bullshit step. It isn’t. And soak the seeds for an hour, too. Make sure you get the measurements right. Two teaspoons of seeds, and a fourth of a cup of water. When it’s time to apply the seeds, use your fingers. Nothing works better on Chia Pets than fingers. Get those seeds in every groove, but be careful not to put too many. Clumps of Chia seeds never grow right. You won’t need all of the seeds, or even close to all of them. This means you’re going to have to sacrifice a big pile of gelatinous goo. Deal with it. Chia seeds are cheap. Don’t treat them like diamonds. The most important thing is the loose plastic bag. I cannot stress this enough. The instructions make it seem sort of optional, but unless you live within the one sunny patch of a tropical rainforest, you need the bag. This will improve humidity and moisture, ensuring fast and even growth. I know it’s an ugly step, since it means you’ll be staring at a bag-covered Ninja Turtle for several days. Trust me, it’s worth it. You can take the bag off after the seeds sprout, so it’s not like you’ll be suffocating Michelangelo forever. Part 1 of this story ends here. My Chia Pet will need some time before it stops looking like a Ninja Turtle covered in ticks. When it becomes beautiful, you’ll be the second person to know.Injuries have been a well-documented reality all season for the Florida Panthers. Their hope of remaining in the playoff race while four key players continue to rehab will depend in large part on the performance of some fill-ins who are being relied on heavily. That became more evident Thursday when interim coach Tom Rowe said he couldn't rule out the possibility that Jonathan Huberdeau and/or Aleksander Barkov won't play again this season. With forward Nick Bjugstad also out for an extended period, it was encouraging that two of those upstarts, Greg McKegg and Michael Sgarbossa, contributed goals Wednesday, though it wasn't enough to avoid a 4-3 loss in overtime at Edmonton. McKegg and Sgarbossa, along with Paul Thompson, all up from the minors, will continue to get significant ice time in the injury absence of the three top-six forwards. As for the possibility of Barkov and Huberdeau missing the remainder of the season, Rowe said: "You're always concerned about that, especially given the injuries. Huberdeau, we're not going to rush back. Barkov, the same thing. "Those two franchise players, we're certainly not going to rush them back. They'll be back in the lineup when everybody feels they're ready to play." Huberdeau, recovering from Achilles tendon surgery, remains on track for a possible return in early March. Rowe said Barkov, out since Dec. 28, is receiving physical therapy and there is no projection for when he'll be back on the ice. He also said for the first time that the team's top-line center is dealing with an upper-body injury. Defenseman Alex Petrovic (ankle) is expected back around the end of this month. Meanwhile, Rowe said, "We're moving forward and playing with the guys we have." Sgarbossa's first NHL goal (in his 30th career game, 11th with the Panthers) came on a power play when he went to the net and knocked in a rebound of a shot by Jonathan Marchessault. McKegg tipped in a shot by Jaromir Jagr for his third goal in his past five games, sandwiched around missing a few with an injury. It was the second time the former third-round draft pick on the Maple Leafs has scored during a brief cameo appearance on a line with Jagr. Rowe also cited Thompson for adding a needed physical presence on the fourth line. "Those three guys … really carved out a niche for themselves with us for the rest of this year," Rowe said. "Whether they all stay here the rest of the year remains to be seen. But we've been able to use them, and it's really good for them because they've shown us that they can play at this level." Foiled again in OT The Panthers suffered another agonizing loss with 2.6 seconds remaining in overtime when Oilers phenom Connor McDavid turned a breakaway into a goal that nobody saw. That is, nobody saw the puck go into the net. The puck was in goalie James Reimer's glove, which game officials ruled crossed the goal line into the net as he caught it. NHL replay officials in Toronto confirmed the goal, and Rowe agreed that replays showed it was the correct call. But it was a difficult ending to accept for Reimer. "I don't think any goalie would agree with that call," Reimer said. "I'm sure 20,000 people here thought it went in, but I knew I had it in my glove. I didn't know if it crossed the line or not. "When I saw the replay, I thought the call might go our way. That's not the way they saw it." More troubling was another failure to protect a third-period lead. The Panthers, who fell behind 2-0 in the first 10 minutes of the game, rallied to take a 3-2 lead on McKegg's goal with 5:15 remaining. But just over two minutes later, Jordan Eberle pounced on a turnover by Keith Yandle and tied it with his first goal in 18 games on a 2-on-1 rush. They then lost for the ninth time in overtime or shootouts, tied for most in the NHL. They are 8-9 in games decided after regulation, after starting 6-1. Reimer takes leave Reimer left immediately after the game to be with his wife who is due to give birth in South Florida. Goalie Reto Berra was recalled from Springfield to back up Roberto Luongo for the final two games on the trip. Forward Denis Malgin was sent down to the AHL affiliate to get playing time. Malgin, who turned 20 Wednesday, had four goals in his first 16 games but hasn't scored in the 23 he has played since Nov. 15.Jan 25, 2017 \| By Benedict Serious questions have been raised about the status and legitimacy of the NexD1 3D printer. Commenters have alleged that Next Dynamics, the Berlin-based startup behind the 3D printer, has been deceiving Kickstarter backers, and that its PolyJet 3D printer may be far from completion. Back in mid-December we posted a story about the NexD1, a new PolyJet 3D printer that was hitting Kickstarter to provide users with multi-material, multi-color 3D printing capabilities for just a few thousand euros. Now, however, that initial optimism has been shattered by allegations of fraud and deception. A number of red flags, including seemingly forged test prints and a lack of pictorial and video evidence of the 3D printer in action, have alerted backers to the
#UnitedStatesofHeadAss https://t.co/PTL8RHaqX7 — Racial Dolezal (@SirCoach) October 20, 2017 This is why the world is laughing at us…and a bit scared. https://t.co/gGgHO50je1 — Dmesh (@DmeshOnPS3) October 20, 2017 Nothing like providing arms for terrorist attacks on sight…. https://t.co/SqDRyHdCJJ — GirlPowerDon'tQuit (@growing0up0girl) October 20, 2017 Who in the world thinks this is normal? https://t.co/MNnTKLdq4L — Judith Rinker Öhman (@JudithROhman) October 20, 2017 But not everybody was triggered, and for good reason: Pheasant season starts tomorrow, this is right before baggage claim not departure, the police are literally sitting next to this guy. https://t.co/AlOB2rrNnC — James ☠️ (@jscar1969) October 20, 2017 Tomorrow is the pheasant opener. Out of state hunters flying in this weekend is a giant chunk of the SD total economy. — NightOfTheLivingDave (@wx_dave) October 20, 2017 Not to interrupt the hyperventilating, but… It’ll be ok. Deep breath. Guns are legal to sell. https://t.co/E0GUPJo2Aa — Kathleen McKinley (@KatMcKinley) October 20, 2017 Anybody got a paper bag they can breathe into? Aaaaand Chelsea Handler crosses another destination off her list. https://t.co/MYAco9MnSq — David Edward (@_David_Edward) October 20, 2017 Oh look. Another greenhorn has wandered outside the concrete bubble again. https://t.co/cnI1yD91Uk — D.W.Robinson (@_DWRobinson) October 20, 2017 Right next to the "Sioux Falls Police Department" table. Oooh, really scary. Grow some balls, son. https://t.co/ufZY1e322y — MonBossyMothma-WR (@nowhere_nh) October 20, 2017 The most danger those guns pose to you is if someone grabs one off a rack & beats you with it. The same is true of a luggage cart. Grow up https://t.co/ufZY1e322y — MonBossyMothma-WR (@nowhere_nh) October 20, 2017 BRB going to Sioux Falls https://t.co/4K6uR1OZrN — Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) October 20, 2017 Wtf I love whatever State Sioux Falls is in now — Tim Tyndall (@tyndall_tim) October 20, 2017 See if they sell blankies. https://t.co/kpAzfj04Qz — Will (@Oil_Guns_Merica) October 20, 2017 Maybe his outrage is real and he's just an idiot, but I doubt it. 1. Guns are useless without ammo. 2. 0% chance he could walk away with one https://t.co/5VBe0NBE9Z — Braden (@3rdGenAggie) October 20, 2017 Imagine the horror if the gun control crowd visited other areas of the country during hunting season!In this Feb. 8, 2017 file photo, Sen. Tick Segerblom, D-Las Vegas, shares a laugh with members of the Senate Government Affairs Committee during a meeting to discuss a resolution to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous People Day at the Nevada Legislative session at the Legislative Building in Carson City. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto In this Feb. 7, 2017 file photo, Sen. Tick Segerblom, D-Nev., addresses attendees at the first meeting of the Senate Judiciary Committee on the second day of the Nevada Legislative session at the Legislative Building in Carson City. Benjamin Hager Las Vegas Review-Journal @benjaminhphoto Nevada’s godfather of marijuana, state Sen. Tick Segerblom, intends to leave the Nevada Legislature to run for a vacant Clark County Commission seat. The veteran lawmaker said Monday he will run for the District E seat in 2018 to replace term-limited Chris Giunchigliani, a fellow Democrat who has held the seat since 2006. District E represents part of the Strip and extends to much of the eastern Las Vegas Valley. Jumping from the state Legislature to local elected office is not uncommon in Nevada, and Segerblom said the opportunity to run for the commission is impossible to pass up. “Opportunity knocks,” he said. “There aren’t many vacancies that show up anymore.” Segerblom, 68, is a native Nevadan and graduate of Boulder City High School. He received a bachelor’s degree from Pomona College in California and a law degree from the University of Denver. He was first elected to the Assembly in 2006, where he served three terms before jumping to the state Senate in 2012. His term expires in 2020. Segerblom was the driving force behind many of the laws that regulate marijuana in Nevada, including a 2013 piece of legislation that finally set up a sale structure for medical marijuana some 13 years after it was legalized. He is also credited by marijuana advocates for helping to get recreational marijuana legalized last year. Now he wants a chance to implement the laws at the local level that he helped pass as a member of the Legislature. And that goes well beyond those marijuana regulations that became synonymous with his name, he said. “We need to start looking at how we can improve our quality of life,” Segerblom said. That includes bolstering public transportation, improving the county’s parks and working with the school district on “creative solutions” for ways to help students and teachers in an effort to better education in Southern Nevada. No one else has announced an intention to run for the seat. The county’s official filing period begins in March. Age: 68 Party: Democrat Profession: Lawyer Elected experience: Nevada Assembly (2007-2012), Nevada Senate (2013-present) Contact Colton Lochhead at clochhead@reviewjournal.com 702-383-4638. Follow @ColtonLochhead on Twitter.Image caption The government has warned that up to 500,000 Australians are at risk of becoming, or are, problem gamblers. Australia has unveiled plans to ban television and radio broadcasts of betting odds during live sports matches in a bid to curb problem gambling. Gambling advertisements will no longer appear during live events and around sporting venues, the government said. Prime Minister Julia Gillard said Australians had become "increasingly frustrated" with the promotions. The broadcasting industry is expected to submit a revised code to Australia's media watchdog reflecting the changes. "From the moment that the players step onto the field, to the moment that they leave the field, there will be no live odds," Ms Gillard told a press conference. "This is good news for families, because families I think have become increasingly frustrated about the penetration of live odds into sporting coverage." Under the new rules, advertisements would only be allowed before or after a game, or during a scheduled break in play, such as quarter-time and half-time. 'Focus of game' Promotion of betting odds by bookmakers who appear to be part of broadcast teams will also be banned. The National Rugby League, which in the past has allowed bookmakers to give odds during broadcasts, said it agreed with the government's plan. "The overwhelming sentiment is that we do not want to see betting as the primary focus of our game," NRL chief executive Dave Smith said. "Fans, and particularly young fans, should not be subject to excessive promotion of betting during matches. "We want young kids to be enjoying the skills of their favourite team, not quoting the odds." The broadcasting industry is expected to submit a revised code to the Australian Communications and Media Authority, said the government. It estimates that up to 500,000 Australians are at risk of becoming, or are, problem gamblers.Today the Phoenix Art Museum gets Fancy while the Menil Collection channels their best Jean-Luc Godard in a Band of Outsiders inspired Madison. HOW TO VOTE: Visit http://whenyouworkatamuseum.com each day starting at 8am EDT and view both videos. Voting is open for 24 hours. Vote for your favorite. Please vote once per day only. Honor system applies. Encourage your friends to vote on Tumblr, Twitter and Facebook using #museumdanceoff, or email/text/kik them the link (and whatever else you kids are doing these days with the social media.) Give yourself a little treat. You’ve earned it. 1. Phoenix Art Museum - Fancy Click here if the embedded video does not load. 2. Menil Collection - We Are All Made of Stars Click here if the embedded video does not load.She was born into the richest monarchy in the world, but Russia's last Romanov Grand Duchess ended her days in this unenviable semi in Toronto. War and revolution drove Olga Alexandrovna, sister to Russia's Tsar Nicholas II, to flee her homeland and make way for the nascent Soviet Union while most of her family was executed. The home, which is now for sale $539,000, was the final resting place where she died in 1960 at the age of 78. Scroll down for video Final home: This semi-detached property in Toronto, Canada, was the home where Grand Duchess Olga Alexandrovna of Russia died in 1960 Wealth and power: Grand Duchess Olga, left, was the youngest sister of Tsar Nicholas, right, who was the richest royal in the world Grand Duchess Olga was born into a world of unimaginable luxury and was given a 200-room mansion and a domestic staff of 70 by elder brother, then the world's richest royal. She would have moved in the most rarefied circles of Russian - and world - society, and frequently accompanied the Tsar's family to events of state, such as those held in St Petersburg's world-famous Winter Palace. But her life of imperial splendor came to an abrupt and bloody end after her brother's forced abdication in 1917 to make way for Vladimir Lenin's Bolshevik party, which would transform the Tsar's empire into the Soviet Union. According to Nick Barisheff, whose family used to own the apartment where the Grand Duchess died, in her last year she stayed in bed and ate only ice cream,Canada's National Post reported. Splendor: The Winter Palace in St Petersburg, pictured, was one of many Russian imperial residences where the Grand Duchess would have spent her youth Grand: Grand Duchess Olga, who reportedly had 'no financial sense' started life with a 200-room mansion and 70 domestic staff at her disposal She was driven to Canada via the Crimea, and then Denmark, where she and remaining Russian royals were hounded and killed by revolutionaries. Eventually she took a ship to North America to get even further away from those who wanted her dead, and lived a humble existence alongside her second husband and their two children. There she lived a life which hardly bears comparison to the grandeur of the imperial court, but occasionally received visitors from her past. In 1959, the Post reported, her cousin Queen Elizabeth II of England, invited her aboard the royal yacht, Britannia, when she visited nearby Toronto. Royal blood: Grand Duchess Olga was close with the family of her brother the Tsar (center), who was executed in 1918 along with the rest of his family, including Tsarevich Alexei (bottom left) and Grand Duchess Anastasia (right) Despite rumors of a vast, hidden fortune, Grand Duchess Olga reportedly only took a few trinkets with her across the Atlantic - though she was not even careful of those. Barisheff said: 'The Grand Duchess had no financial sense whatsoever. When people visited her house in Cooksville and admired her stuff she would ask, "Do you like it? That’s your gift for today."’ 'These could be things passed down from Catherine the Great.'Thank you for supporting the journalism that our community needs! For unlimited access to the best local, national, and international news and much more, try an All Access Digital subscription: We hope you have enjoyed your trial! To continue reading, we recommend our Read Now Pay Later membership. Simply add a form of payment and pay only 27¢ per article. Introductory pricing schedule for 12 month: $0.99/month plus tax for first 3 months, $5.99/month for months 4 - 6, $10.99/month for months 7 - 9, $13.99/month for months 10 - 12. Standard All Access Digital rate of $16.99/month begins after first year. Introductory pricing schedule for 12 month: $0.99/month plus tax for first 3 months, $5.99/month for months 4 - 6, $10.99/month for months 7 - 9, $13.99/month for months 10 - 12. Standard All Access Digital rate of $16.99/month begins after first year. Introductory pricing schedule for 12 month: $0.99/month plus tax for first 3 months, $5.99/month for months 4 - 6, $10.99/month for months 7 - 9, $13.99/month for months 10 - 12. Standard All Access Digital rate of $16.99/month begins after first year. Introductory pricing schedule for 12 month: $0.99/month plus tax for first 3 months, $5.99/month for months 4 - 6, $10.99/month for months 7 - 9, $13.99/month for months 10 - 12. Standard All Access Digital rate of $16.99/month begins after first year. Thank you for supporting the journalism that our community needs! For unlimited access to the best local, national, and international news and much more, try an All Access Digital subscription: We hope you have enjoyed your trial! To continue reading, we recommend our Read Now Pay Later membership. Simply add a form of payment and pay only 27¢ per article. Thank you for supporting the journalism that our community needs! For unlimited access to the best local, national, and international news and much more, try an All Access Digital subscription: We hope you have enjoyed your trial! To continue reading, we recommend our Read Now Pay Later membership. Simply add a form of payment and pay only 27¢ per article. Ragan said provincial legislation across the country prohibits municipalities from doing what Winnipeg has been doing since 2011 with its water and sewer bills. Chris Ragan, chairman of the Ecofiscal Commission, said when the group included Winnipeg in its report it wasn't aware that the city council has been taking an annual dividend from the water and sewer bill revenues — eight per cent between 2011 and 2014 and 12 per cent from 2015 — to help cover the cost of building and maintaining roads. But the Ecofiscal Commission questions whether city council is undermining the effectiveness of the administration by repeatedly skimming money from the department's water and sewer revenues. A Toronto-based think-tank has singled out Winnipeg for having one of the best management practices within its water and waste department for calculating its infrastructure deficit and devising a financial plan to resolve it. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/9/2017 (518 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/9/2017 (518 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A Toronto-based think-tank has singled out Winnipeg for having one of the best management practices within its water and waste department for calculating its infrastructure deficit and devising a financial plan to resolve it. But the Ecofiscal Commission questions whether city council is undermining the effectiveness of the administration by repeatedly skimming money from the department's water and sewer revenues. Chris Ragan, chairman of the Ecofiscal Commission, said when the group included Winnipeg in its report it wasn't aware that the city council has been taking an annual dividend from the water and sewer bill revenues — eight per cent between 2011 and 2014 and 12 per cent from 2015 — to help cover the cost of building and maintaining roads. Ragan said provincial legislation across the country prohibits municipalities from doing what Winnipeg has been doing since 2011 with its water and sewer bills. "Winnipeg is not just the exception in Manitoba — it's the exception," said Ragan, an associate professor of microeconomics and policy at McGill University. "Transparency in policy is a good thing. User fees are way to be very transparent but that means to use the revenue for what they say they are using it for." Winnipeggers have to ask what it means if council can take 12 per cent of its quarterly water and sewer bills to pay for roads, he said. "Can they divert the 12 per cent and say the water infrastructure is perfectly good? If that’s true, then I guess they didn’t need the fees that high," he said. "But if they’re diverting the 12 per cent and at the same time we have an infrastructure gap and we’re short of money, maybe diverting that 12 per cent isn’t a good idea." The Ecofiscal Commission issued a report Tuesday titled Only The Pipes Should Be Hidden, which encourages municipalities across the country to adopt what it has identified as 10 best practices for managing and operating water and waste utilities. Winnipeg was singled out as an example for having calculated the infrastructure funding gap within the water and waste department and devising a plan to eliminate it. The commission report identifies three issues most important and under-recognized in Canada when it comes to municipal water: we use a lot of water; most of Canada’s municipalities have serious water-system infrastructure deficits; and we’re more likely to have water crises if we don’t keep up our infrastructure. The report identifies consumption-based water rates as part of the solution to ensure municipalities are recovering operating costs and making up the system's infrastructure gap. CANADA'S ECOFISCAL COMMISION / STATISTICS CANADA Tge average daily residential and total per capita consumption of water, by province. The Ecofiscal Commission was formed in 2014 by the country’s leading economists, with a five-year mandate to "identify policy options to improve environmental and economic performance in Canada." Provincial legislation requires all municipalities in Manitoba to subject their water and sewer rate increases to scrutiny before the Public Utilities Board, which ensures the rates reflect funds needs to cover operating and long-term capital costs — except in Winnipeg, which sets its own rates without scrutiny from the PUB or any other agency. Since 2011, successive Winnipeg city councils have diverted a total of $180 million from the revenues collected by the water and waste department from the water and sewer bills to bolster general revenues, often to help build and maintain roads. Council under former mayor Sam Katz approved an annual eight per cent dividend in 2011 and Mayor Brian Bowman bumped the dividend up to 12 per cent for his first budget in 2015, as a way to maintain his election promise of a cap on property tax increases. Council approved a three-year rate increase package that saw water and sewer bills increase 9.2 per cent in 2016, 8.9 per cent in 2017, and a further 7.4 per cent in 2018. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the day’s breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every morning. CANADA'S ECOFISCAL COMMISION / STATISTICS CANADA Overall water volume (per person, per day) produced by treatment plants in major Canadian cities. Water and waste officials said the increases are necessary to cover not only operating costs but to cover the financing costs for its significant infrastructure projects. The department said in 2012 that it had a $500-million backlog in repairs to water mains and sewer-line upgrades. In addition, the department is projecting a $1-billion cost for the upgrade to the North End sewage treatment plant and a minimum $1-billion cost to separate the combined sewer system. Despite the rate increases, the department has yet to resolve the brown water issue and it recently launched a lawsuit against builders for serious problems discovered at the water treatment plant. "The water might be good now but if you have an event that turns out to be a crisis, wow, is that ever difficult to deal with," Ragan said. "If we’re diverting 12 per cent to build roads and because of that Winnipeg's water infrastructure ins’t being maintained, that’s the danger." aldo.santin@freepress.mb.caLuis Enrique Rodriguez, 18, of Anaheim, was arrested in connection with rioting in Huntington Beach on July 28, 2013 after he 'liked' the Police Department's Facebook page, apparetly "proud of his actions," authorities said. After more than four months of investigation, 20 people have been arrested in connection with this summer's rioting after a major pro surf contest in Huntington Beach, police said. The rioting started after a fight broke out July 28 across from the beach where thousands of spectators had gathered for the popular nine-day U.S. Open of Surfing. The crowd toppled portable toilets, threw items from rooftops and smashed car windows along the popular downtown strip lined with restaurants, bars and surf and skate shops. Police fired pepper balls and rubber projectiles to break up the melee. Some 250 officers responded to the disturbance. Bike Shop Repairs Window After Vandalism A bike shop window shattered in Sunday's violence has been replaced as police continue the search for vandals who stormed through the streets Sunday evening after a surf competition. Jacob Rascon reports for the NBC4 News at Noon on Tuesday July 30, 2013. (Published Tuesday, July 30, 2013) One person was treated for injuries at a hospital after apparently being hit by a flying bottle and one of the rubber projectiles, police said. Since then, detectives have collected what they said were "vast amounts of evidence" with the help of tips from the community to identify those responsible. "To date, we have been able to arrest everyone involved that we have be able to identity," the Huntington Beach Police Department said on its Facebook page. Huntington Beach Holds Meeting to Discuss Future Safety of U.S. Open Following Riots The Huntington Beach City Council held a special meeting to discuss Sunday’s riots following the U.S. Open of Surfing. A judge told suspect Chase Scott Christman in court Tuesday that he cannot go back to Huntington Beach where he is accused of vandalism and inciting a riot. Vikki Vargas reports from Huntington Beach for the NBC4 News at 5 p.m. on July 30, 2013. (Published Tuesday, July 30, 2013) Authorities have made felony and misdemeanor arrests for possession of stolen property, vandalism, inciting a riot, participating in a riot, assault on a peace officer, vandalism, assault with a deadly weapon and arson. Others were being investigated for drunken conduct and failure to disperse. More Southern California Stories: Local Firefighter Arrested in Connection With Huntington Beach RiotWhen LA Finfinger and her husband, Paul Wetzel, both certified yoga teachers, moved to Baltimore in January 2015, they decided they wanted to figure out a way to offer studio-level yoga classes for free—and in a nontraditional environment. Last July, Free Baltimore Yoga (FBY) was born. To date, it offers three classes per week, each in a different setting. Tuesdays are at Patterson Park Youth Sports and Education Center, Wednesdays are at Pixilated Photo Booth’s headquarters in Southwest Baltimore, and Thursdays are at the Parks & People Foundation’s building in Druid Hill Park. The idea is to bring the practice to those who typically don’t do yoga. And Finfinger encourages novice and skilled yogis alike to attend her classes. “Just show up. You don’t even have to have a yoga mat,” she says. “We have yoga mats. So just take the first step. Don’t be afraid, because we all are.” FBY is hoping to grow and offer even more classes in the coming months. Finfinger’s goal is to inspire class attendees to become teachers themselves. “The endgame would be training people and then putting them back into the community to teach,” she says. She would love to add more nights to FBY’s schedule, as well as new locations and different types of yoga, while still keeping it free and fun. “For it to grow, I want it to be something that supports the community, and for that, it has to be people in the community helping and teaching.”Image: Rialto Police Department Calm Down: Ideally, the very act of using a body cam will keep everyone on his or her best behavior. But if tempers nevertheless flare, the video collected from the camera can help others judge whether a police officer’s use of force was appropriate. This image comes from a vast amount of footage captured by officers in Rialto, Calif., where the first large-scale controlled trial of police body cameras was performed. Police body cameras are popping up everywhere, often to good effect because both police and suspects normally behave better in their presence. No wonder these small devices, enthusiastically endorsed by police, politicians, and civil-rights advocates, have generated a burgeoning industry. Yet people know very little about how and why they work, so the intended and unintended consequences of using them remain nebulous. That’s not for lack of effort. There have been nearly 40 studies on the use of body cameras, including a dozen randomized controlled trials on the magnitude of their effect on policing. Despite all this work, it’s still not entirely apparent why these cameras are helpful, under what conditions, or for whom. Here I’d like to offer my interpretation of all that research and to delve into what sets police body cameras apart from other video-recording equipment, such as closed-circuit television, dashcams, and everyday smartphone cameras. Ultimately, body cameras are just video cameras, albeit specialized ones for capturing evidence in a reliable way. Although body cams are relatively straightforward technology, their effectiveness has proven highly variable, for reasons that remain puzzling. Why, for example, does their use reduce by more than half the number of times officers apply force during their encounters with the public in some places, while in other places it nearly doubles the reported use of force? To address these questions, it’s helpful first to consider other surveillance devices used in policing. These have a longer track record and could offer some insight into the new phenomenon of body cameras. Over the past 25 or so years, surveillance cameras have increasingly become an integral part of law enforcement as technological advancements made video cameras better, more reliable, and substantially cheaper. Most, if not all, police agencies in developed nations use closed-circuit television (CCTV) with the aim of deterring criminal activity, investigating crimes that have taken place, and prosecuting those responsible for them. London, for instance, is under such heavy police surveillance that it’s hard to find streets not covered by CCTV. And many of the blind spots that remain are targeted by private video cameras. So when you’re in London, as well as many other cities, nearly every move you make in public is videotaped, tagged, and filed away somewhere. But do these cameras really prevent crime and disorder? Common sense says, of course they do. If potential offenders are rational actors, aware that their misdeeds will be caught on video, they will surely be deterred from wrongdoing. This is the rationale for concluding that bad guys will not victimize us when there is CCTV, an ever-more-common part of life for which we all pay the price of infringed privacy. Video: SPDwatcher Not-So-Candid Camera: A typical body-cam video demonstrates the usefulness of this technology for documenting people’s behavior during the interaction, even if the camera is not quite pointed where you’d want it. Despite such intuition, and despite the huge investments made, overwhelming evidence indicates that CCTV equipment has, in fact, little deterrent effect. At least 44 studies illustrate that CCTV reduces the overall level of crime by only about 16 percent, with half of that reduction concentrated in parking lots. There is no effect at all on assaults, robberies, and similar against-person violent crimes. The evidence also tends to show that what little criminal behavior CCTV prevents is just displaced to other areas. In short, CCTV cameras are pretty much a failure. Perhaps that’s because offenders know where the blind spots are. Or maybe it’s because CCTV does not work well in the dark or when the perpetrator wears a hoodie. Another possibility is simply that police lack the resources to assign somebody to sit through endless hours of recorded video hoping to find clues in not-so-serious crimes. Or it could also be that CCTV has become such an integral part of everyday life that its presence escapes people’s conscious attention. Whatever the reason, it’s clear that although CCTV may make you feel more secure, it does not really make you any safer, although it makes it modestly less likely you’ll get your car broken into or stolen. Another common type of video surveillance, the one that has accompanied the proliferation of smartphones, might actually be more important. Video cameras are ubiquitous, and the video recording of engagements between police and public is incredibly influential, especially when misconduct is caught, be it the infamous beating of Rodney King in Los Angeles in 1991 or the killing of Eric Garner in New York City in 2014. These recordings certainly demonstrate the effect of cameras on public reactions to the police, having sparked the Los Angeles riots of 1992 and the Black Lives Matter movement of 2015. Given the notoriety of such videos, a camera at the scene of a police-public encounter ought, logically, to send out an accountability cue, eliminating feelings of anonymity on either side. There is no strong evidence, however, to support the conclusion that mobile-phone cameras deter officers from misconduct. The Garner incident is particularly telling in this regard: As clearly shown in the recording released to the media, officers were well aware of the cameras filming them (some of them looked directly at the cameraman), yet they still used a prohibited choke hold. Why? There are probably two reasons. First, the officers might have been aware of a camera, but it still didn’t really register. Here, as in many other highly charged encounters, people just don’t think much about all the cameras around them before making the decision to throw a punch or otherwise misbehave. Second, even if they are aware of being recorded, the parties involved might not perceive a strong possibility that the footage captured can and will be used to hold them accountable for any type of misconduct. Because it is not official evidence, the video from a civilian’s smartphone camera doesn’t seem to inspire concern that it will surface later. I should point out that one particular type of camera is effective in preventing unwanted behavior: road or speed cameras. A systematic review of 35 rigorous tests of road cameras has shown that they reduce serious and fatal accidents by as much as 44 percent. The evidence is unequivocal. They do exactly what they are intended to do. Even a speed-camera sign, with no actual camera anywhere, prompts drivers to slow down. Unlike CCTVs or smartphones, speed cameras work because punishment for illegal actions is virtually guaranteed. 1/5 This patrolman, like all line officers in West Valley City, Utah, wears a body camera while on duty, a practice the town began in March 2015. Photo: George Frey/Getty Images 2/5 The equipment adopted in West Valley City—Taser International’s Axon system—allows the camera to be affixed to the side of special Oakley eyeglasses. Photo: George Frey/Getty Images 3/5 Or the camera can be mounted to the officer’s collar. Photo: George Frey/Getty Images 4/5 The camera is attached by cable to a main unit where the officer triggers recording by pushing a button. Photo: George Frey/Getty Images 5/5 The equipment is stored in a special docking station used to upload video to a cloud-based service while recharging the unit’s batteries. Photo: George Frey/Getty Images Where do body cameras sit on this spectrum of effectiveness? There have been 12 randomized controlled trials, with another 30 ongoing research projects seeking the answer. My students in the police executive program at the University of Cambridge, in England, and I have conducted most of the randomized controlled trials that have been published so far, including one that is now commonly referred to as the “Rialto experiment.” This study, which really gave rise to today’s heated debate about police body cameras, took place in Rialto, Calif., a town of about 100,000 located some 100 kilometers east of Los Angeles. I worked on this experiment with Tony Farrar, then Rialto’s police chief, while he was completing a master’s thesis, for which I served as his academic advisor. My Cambridge colleague Alex Sutherland helped Tony and me give this evaluation of body cameras a high degree of statistical rigor. Indeed, we devised this test just as if we were investigating the effectiveness of some new drug therapy. The study involved all of the town’s 54 frontline police officers, who for an entire year, starting in February 2012, would be assigned either to treatment (camera-wearing) or control (not camera-wearing) conditions when they went out on patrol. During treatment shifts, officers were asked to take video of all their interactions with the public, to announce that the encounter was being recorded, and subsequently to store the footage on a secure cloud-based server. In control shifts, the officers were told not to use body cameras at all. Outcomes were then measured in terms of officially recorded use-of-force incidents and complaints lodged against Rialto police officers. At the end of a year, we were able to compare nearly 500 patrol shifts during which all police-public encounters were assigned to treatment conditions with a roughly equal number of shifts assigned to control conditions. Results of the Rialto Experiment (incidents) Take the Plunge: The author and a student working with him—who was then chief of police in Rialto, Calif.—undertook a large-scale controlled trial of police body cameras starting in February of 2012. The number of times Rialto officers resorted to using force and the number of complaints received both diminished markedly after just half the patrols began using body cameras. The results were stunning. There were roughly 50 percent fewer incidents of force being used while the officers were wearing body cameras compared with control conditions (8 incidents as compared with 17). And after reviewing the footage, we discovered that all eight times the camera-using officers resorted to force, they did so in response to violent behavior on the part of the people they were engaged with. The evidence suggests that in 4 of the 17 instances in which officers not wearing cameras resorted to force, it was the officer who initiated physical contact. This seems a key finding, because it really points to cameras making police officers less likely to use force without ample justification. What’s more, there was a 90 percent reduction in citizens’ complaints against police officers compared with the 12 months prior to the experiment. That’s particularly remarkable, because it was a 90 percent reduction in the total number of complaints filed, not just those filed against officers wearing cameras. Perhaps because all officers wore cameras some of the time, their behavior even when not wearing cameras changed. The statistics suggest as much, because the officers not wearing cameras resorted to force only half as often as they did in the year before the experiment. The moderating effect of the cameras seems to have been contagious. The results of the Rialto experiment would lead you to think that police body cameras are an unequivocal success. In Rialto they were, but studies my colleagues and I have since conducted elsewhere require that I add a rather large note of caution. You see, if you consider the 10 other places where we have now completed tests of such cameras, you would conclude that their overall effect on police use of force is a wash: In some instances they help, in some they don’t appear to change police behavior, and in other situations they actually backfire, seemingly increasing the use of force. Use of Force in Multisite Trial (incidents) Uneven Results: After the Rialto experiment, the author and his colleagues expanded their trials of body cameras to 10 sites spread over three continents. The results proved perplexing, with the use of force sometimes diminishing when cameras were worn, sometimes staying the same, and sometimes even increasing. (The locations of the various test sites cannot be disclosed because of agreements with the police forces involved.) That wearing a camera would ever cause an officer to use force more than he or she would otherwise do is puzzling, to say the least. But some hints of what is happening come from looking at how well officers complied with the experimental protocol. In places where they closely followed the instructions (use the camera during each encounter if you’re in a treatment group; don’t use it if you’re in a control group), the results were positive—a 37 percent reduction in use of force on average. But if you allow the treatment group discretion to choose when to turn it on, the result is 71 percent greater use of force. Thus the problem seems to arise mainly when officers are allowed to turn cameras on at times of their own choosing. Although there are exceptions, especially where officers are allowed too much discretion, it nevertheless seems clear to me that police body cameras properly used can be very helpful because officers and suspects alike become more certain that they’ll be punished for bad behavior when a camera is rolling. For this reason, body cameras are sometimes seen as a panacea: They record everything and therefore tell the unmediated story of what took place. They increase transparency, heighten accountability, and keep the actions of all parties in check. Because no rational person wants to get into trouble (or into more trouble than he or she is already in), police-public interactions become less heated. Very often that’s the case, but it doesn’t always play out that way. It’s common for officers to interact with people who are mentally ill, drunk, high, raging with anger, or otherwise emotionally disturbed—people who are not likely to be aware of a camera even if told about it. Similarly, officers in emotionally heightened situations—such as during a high-speed pursuit or while subduing a resisting offender—might easily fail to turn the camera on or just ignore it even if it’s running. Here’s where better technology could help. Body cameras could be automatically activated immediately when certain cues are triggered, such as when the officer enters a crime hot spot, leaves a police vehicle, takes out handcuffs or a weapon, turns on the siren, or makes a call for assistance on
. user32/tests: Forward test proc to default dialog procedure instead of window's one. ntdll: Release buffer when it won't be referenced. Paul Chitescu (2): quartz: Implement NullRenderer's IBaseFilter::FindPin. quartz: Only wait in IMediaEvent::WaitForCompletion if the filter is running. Paul Vriens (13): msi/tests: Fix test failures on Win9x/WinMe. ole32/tests: Fix a test failure on several platforms. comctl32/tests: Fix a test failure on older comctl32. imagehlp/tests: Fix a test failure on Win95. hlink/tests: Fix a test failure on Win9x/WinMe. mmdevapi/tests: Fix a test failure on Vista+ with no soundcard present. kernel32: Add a stubbed GetConsoleProcessList(). mshtml/tests: Fix a test failure on NT4. mshtml/tests: Fix timeouts on Win9x/WinMe by using more A-functions. wined3d: Fix use of memset (Coccinelle). shell32: Fix length parameter for ZeroMemory (Coccinelle). d3d9/tests: Fix size parameter for memcmp (Coccinelle). ntdll: Fix length parameter for NtQueryValueKey (Coccinelle). Piotr Caban (2): mshtml: Query OleClientSite about services in ServiceProvider_QueryService. mshtml: Added IDispatch ConnectionPoint. Reece Dunn (1): Don't generate FIXME warnings for DllCanUnloadNow. Rob Shearman (16): ole32: Release the data object and free the cached enum data upon OleUninitialize. ole32: Fix stream reference leak in test_ReadClassStm. ole32: Handle SetClipboardData failing in OLE clipboard functions. shell32: Fix style in autocomplete tests to more match the typical style used in the rest of Wine. shell32: Fix memory leaks in autocomplete tests. shell32: Fix a potentially large memory leak in IQueryAssociations_fnGetString. winex11.drv: Empty clipboard cache on process unload to avoid false positives being reported for memory leaks. secur32: Fix memory leaks in tests. secur32: Simplify memory management by not allocating memory for the CredHandle and CtxtHandle pointers. secur32: Fix memory leaks in ntlm_InitializeSecurityContextW. secur32: Don't allocate context handle in wrapper InitializeSecurityContextA/W if it is the same as the handle passed into the function. ntdll: Fix typo in RTL_ReportRegistryValue which caused a counted string to be passed into QueryFunction which expects a nul-terminated string. shlwapi: Initialise id field of ConPt object in connection point tests. jscript: Make sure retv pointer is initialised in exec_source even if no value needs to be returned. jscript: Make sure to initialise the string output parameter in run_exec. jscript: Fix various memory and reference count leaks. Roderick Colenbrander (1): winex11: Fix a null pointer crash when XRender isn't around. Stefan Dösinger (13): wined3d: Free buffer conversion info when freeing the buffer. wined3d: Use unload instead of duplicating buffer remove code. wined3d: Remove the d3d7 do-not-convert code. wined3d: Rename conversion_count to something more appropriate. wined3d: Increment the buffer draw count if the buffer was clean. wined3d: Drop the VBO if too many full buffer conversions occur. wined3d: Revert the GL usage confusion. wined3d: Set WINED3D_BUFFER_CREATEBO in buffer_init(). wined3d: Track separate dirty ranges in buffers. wined3d: Add GLintptr and GLsizeiptr. wined3d: Add GL_APPLE_flush_buffer_range. wined3d: Prepare for dynamic vertex buffers. wined3d: Implement subrange flushing with GL_APPLE_flush_buffer_range. Stefan Leichter (4): ntoskrnl.exe: Add stub for KeInitializeSemaphore. ntoskrnl.exe: Add stub for KeReleaseSemaphore. ntoskrnl.exe: Add stub for KeSetPriorityThread. ntoskrnl.exe: Add stub for KeGetCurrentThread/PsGetCurrentThread. Steven Edwards (1): winefile: Replace builtin execute dialog with standard RunFile dialog. Tillmann Werner (1): winedump: Fix null pointer dereference in spec mode. Vincent Povirk (36): gdiplus: Add traces for values of newly-created brushes. gdiplus: Add traces for values of newly-created linecaps. gdiplus: Add traces for values of newly-created font objects. gdiplus: Add trace for values of new graphics and image objects. gdiplus: Allocate a new ImageAttributes object in GdipCloneImageAttributes. gdiplus: Add a test for GdipSetImageAttributesColorMatrix. gdiplus: Implement GdipSetImageAttributesColorMatrix. ole32: Add some tests for IEnumSTATSTG. ole32: Make IEnumSTATSTG functions fail when the parent is invalid. ole32: Store the most recent item name in IEnumSTATSTG instead of a stack. ole32: Reread the stream entry after setting the size in StreamWriteAt. gdiplus: Add a trace for values of new ImageAttributes objects. gdiplus: Add traces for values of newly-created pens. gdiplus: Add a trace for values of new string format objects. gdiplus: Add some traces for the values of point arguments. gdiplus: Add traces to unimplemented functions in brush.c. ole32: Always allow changes to read-only transacted storages. gdiplus: Fix memory leak in GdipSetStringFormatMeasurableCharacterRanges. gdiplus: Add tests for multi-frame GIF images. gdiplus: Remove fixme from GdipImageGetFrameDimensionsCount. gdiplus: Implement GdipImageGetFrameDimensionsList. gdiplus: Test the ability to load WMF images. gdiplus: Add test for size of metafiles loaded from streams. gdiplus: Add test for GdipCreateMetafileFromWmf. gdiplus: Fix typo in GdipCreateMetafileFromWmf. gdiplus: Add test for image resolution functions. gdiplus: Implement GdipGetImage*Resolution. gdiplus: Implement GdipBitmapSetResolution. gdiplus: Fix a memory leak in GdipCreateMetafileFromWmf. ole32: Remove fixme for transacted mode. gdiplus: Add traces to unimplemented functions in customlinecap.c. gdiplus: Add traces to unimplemented functions in graphics.c. gdiplus: Add trace to unimplemented function in graphicspath.c. gdiplus: Add trace to GdipBitmapUnlockBits. gdiplus: Add traces to unimplemented functions in image.c. gdiplus: Reset the lock count when unlocking a bitmap in write mode. Vladimir Pankratov (1): mapi32: Add Russian translation. William Waghorn (1): wined3d: Added NVidia GT240 detection. -- Alexandre Julliard julliard@winehq.orgGirls have a better sense of taste than boys. Every third child of school age prefers soft drinks which are not sweet. Children and young people love fish and do not think of themselves as being fussy eaters. Boys have a sweeter tooth than girls. Teenagers taste differently. And finally, schoolchildren in northern Denmark have the best taste buds. The findings of the world’s largest study so far on the ability of children and young people to taste and what they like have now been published. The study was conducted jointly by Danish Science Communication, food scientists from The Faculty of Life Sciences (LIFE) at University of Copenhagen and 8,900 Danish schoolchildren. In September, 8,900 schoolchildren from all over Denmark took part in a large-scale experiment conducted by Danish Science Communication and The Faculty of Life Sciences (LIFE) at University of Copenhagen. It is the first time that such a large-scale study has been done on the sense of taste of children and young people and what they like to eat. One of the reasons why it was possible to include so many children and young people in the study was that the experiment itself was conducted in quite an unorthodox way: It was planned as a ‘mass experiment’ in conjunction with this year’ s natural science festival at Danish primary and secondary schools. All the participating groups of children were sent a complete kit of taster samples and very detailed instructions, and then conducted the experiment as part of their natural science classes. The various tests were designed to quantify the ability of children and young people to discover and recognise sweet and sour tastes at varying intensities, to establish which sourness or sweetness they prefer, how many taste buds they have and, finally, the children answered a number of questions on their eating habits and fussiness over food. Both pupils and teachers have taken the experiment very seriously: "What is most surprising is that the results are so clear and of such a high quality," says Bodil Allesen-Holm, MSc in Food Science and Technology, who is the scientific head of the project and head of the Sensory Laboratory at the Department of Food Science at LIFE. "The trends are very clear in all the answers from the many primary and secondary schools; the pupils and teachers have been very thorough and accurate." Industry must do better, and parents could experiment more According to Bodil Allesen-Holm, the results provide food for thought for both the food industry – and for parents: "It is quite clear that children and young people are very good tasters, and that there are bigger variations between them than most people would expect. There is, for example, a marked difference between boys and girls, and the ability of children to recognise tastes changes with age. So one could easily develop more varied food products and snacks for children and young people. For example, it is quite clear that children do not necessarily prefer sweet things. According to the findings, healthy snacks could easily be developed for boys with slightly extreme and sour flavours." "This experiment has focused on taste alone, while future studies will include more sensory aspects such as smells and appearance to provide a more all-round understanding of Danish children’s preferences," says Wender Bredie, Professor of Sensory Science at the Department of Food Science at LIFE. Girls are better at recognising tastes than boys One of the many findings shows that girls are generally better at recognising tastes than boys. They are better at recognising all concentrations of both sweet and sour tastes. The difference is not dramatic, but it is quite clear. It is also a known fact that women generally have a finer sense of taste than men. "We also asked the pupils to count ‘taste buds’ or organs of taste on the tongue. However, the experiment showed that boys and girls have largely the same number of taste buds. So it would appear that what makes the difference is the way in which boys and girls process taste impressions," says Michael Bom Frøst, Associate Professor at the Department of Food Science at LIFE. According to the figures, boys need an average of approximately 10 per cent more sourness and approximately 20 per cent more sweetness to recognise the taste. Every third schoolchild would prefer not to eat sweet things Another sensational finding is that every third schoolchild would prefer non-sugary soft drinks. All the pupils did a blind test in which they were instructed to give scores to ten different variants of the same soft drink – with varying sweetness and sourness. Surprisingly, as many as 30 per cent of the pupils preferred the variant which contained no sugar at all or very little. "This is new. In other words, soft drinks for children and young people do not always have to contain a lot of sugar," says Bodil Allesen-Holm. On the other hand, 48 per cent of the pupils just couldn’t get enough: They gave top marks to the sweetest of the variants. "It may be because many pupils are quite used to drinking a lot of soft drinks and eating a lot of sweets," says Bodil Allesen-Holm. Boys like it wild, girls prefer more muted flavours Funnily enough, girls generally prefer flavours which are not too strong. Boys, on the other hand, tend to like the more extreme flavours. Boys also have a sweeter tooth than girls – most of the boys preferred the super sweet soft drink variety. And most boys also gave top marks to the sourest samples. Yes, I like fish! The study shows that when you ask the children about their likes and dislikes, they actually like fish. As many as 70 per cent of the pupils said they like fish. And you can safely give them exciting foods. As many as 59 per cent of pupils do not consider themselves to be fussy eaters, and this applies to both girls and boys. The world becomes more sour and exciting for teenagers It would appear that you can safely notch up a gear when it comes to food, drinks and snacks for teenagers. The study showed that their sense of taste changes noticeably: The ability to recognise tastes increases gradually with age, and the greatest shift is seen at 13-14 years when children become markedly more sensitive to sour tastes. At exactly the same time, their love of very sweet flavours starts waning. And it is here too that many more declare they are not fussy eaters. Past studies have shown that children who like sour things tend not to be nearly as fussy as children who are not mad about sour foods. Those who prefer sour flavours are also more open to tasting new foods. Pupils in northern Jutland taste champions Pupils from northern Jutland are better tasters than all other pupils in Denmark. The figures are clear, but the scientists cannot explain why. Firstly, they are clearly better at recognising sour tastes. Where most other children and young people require 0.5g of citric acid per litre to discern the sourness, children in northern Jutland need no more than 0.37g. This is a significant difference. Children in northern Jutland are also better at recognising sweet tastes, although children from central Jutland and Copenhagen are on a par with them.An overwhelming majority of pilots are in favor of new legislation that AOPA says would allow certain pilots to fly without an aviation medical certificate. This proposal isn't exactly new - it began years ago as a proposal addressed to the FAA but the FAA has either responded negatively or failed to act in each case. So two members of Congress took the situation into their own hands. On December 11th, AOPA announced that a legislative proposal was submitted that would make it legal for pilots to fly without a medical certificate, as long as they remain under VFR flight rules with less than six passengers. The legislation, called the General Aviation Pilot Protection Act of 2013, is proposed by Todd Rokita (R-Ind.), House General Aviation Caucus member and Sam Graves (R-Mo.), House General Aviation Caucus Co-Chair. It's the result of multiple failed attempts on behalf of AOPA and the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) to enact an exemption to the aviation medical certificate standards. In March 2012, AOPA and the EAA submitted a combined request to the FAA to allow pilots who took additional medical training and had a valid driver's license to be exempt from the medical requirement for recreational flying purposes. Although more than 16,000 responses were collected from the aviation industry, according to AOPA, the proposal failed to manifest. So here's the deal: The new General Aviation Pilot Protection Act proposes that pilots be allowed to fly without obtaining an aviation medical certificate under these circumstances: The pilot holds a state driver's license and complies with any medical restrictions on that driver's license. The pilot flies with no more than 5 passengers. The pilot flies in visual flight rules (VFR) only, in visual meteorological conditions (VMC). The pilot would not be able to operate: for compensation or hire above 14,000 feet MSL above 250 knots >outside the United States The pilot is restricted to flying aircraft that weigh less than 6,000 pounds with no more than six seats. If enacted, pilots would be able to fly almost any type of single-engine piston airplane and some light twin engine aircraft like this Beech Baron 58 or a Cessna 310. House member Rokita, a pilot himself, made this statement: “This bill eliminates a duplicative and therefore unnecessary medical certification regulation that drives up costs for pilots and prevents the general aviation industry from fulfilling its economic potential.” Opponents: While the overwhelming majority of pilots are in favor of the new proposal, opponents argue that pilots shouldn't be trusted to self- evaluate their own medical health. The fear is that with this initiative, many pilots will be encouraged to fly with known medical conditions and without seeking medical advice from an aviation medical examiner. In addition, some opponents argue that a deteriorating medical condition is cause for concern and should be evaluated by a medical doctor in order to really assess the situation properly and keep pilots safe. The role of an aviation medical examiner is also important in determining what the FAA allows and disallows when it comes to prescription medication. A regular doctor might prescribe the most common type of medication for a medical condition without regard to flying, making it possible for a pilot to be prescribed medications and given medical advice from a regular doctor that violates FAA medical policy. Proponents: The verdict among pilots and aviation advocate groups is almost unanimous: The act would certainly benefit pilots and the industry as a whole, making it easier for pilots to fly without going through the process of obtaining a special issuance aviation medical certificate, a lengthy but necessary process for those with both minor and major health conditions. Proponents of the act argue that pilots are perfectly capable of self-assessing their health and flying fitness. The sport pilot certificate has demonstrated this with a perfect record so far- no light sport aircraft has crashed due to pilot medical insufficiency. And with a third class medical certificate valid time of five years, that means for the five years in between exams, pilots are self-assessing their own health already. What's to say they can't continue to do it in a safe manner, without the check-up every five years? AOPA and the EAA are both heavy advocates of the General Aviation Pilot Protection Act, which will certainly garner more interest in aviation and potentially make it cheaper and easier to become a pilot. Share Your Story What do you think? Is this act a "no-brainer" or are there hidden risks that pilots are missing when advocating this proposal? Do you have a medical story to tell? Share it with us in the comments below!September 11, 2018 Hello crew members, we are back with another update! We prepared a special event that is going to take place from 11th September to 18th September - The Coffee Cup!During this week we are going to run a special season of Challenge Vault, our game mode that can now also be played for free! In this mode, players can play a new level every day and compete with each other by trying to finish it as fast as possible. To join the event, all you have to do is to get the BLACKHOLE demo version on Steam for free and start playing Challenge Vault. The existing owners of full version can also join, no matter whether they are playing on PC, Mac or Linux.Besides enabling the Challenge Vault in the demo version, we also updated the singleplayer demo levels, so in case you don’t own the full game yet, you can experience a selection of 6 levels from the main campaign!We are also going to be streaming our playthough of the game with developer commentary and we might attempt to beat some of the leaderboard times, too! You can watch the stream and check out our schedule on our Twitch channel Thanks!-The Endera CrewSad news for the kids of the 90’s, Squeeze Pop is being discontinued. If you’ve never had a Squeeze Pop it is a fruit flavored lollipop in liquid form. Squeeze Pop came in three flavors Watermelon, Cherry, and Blue Raspberry. Originally released in the 80’s, Squeeze Pop really became a big hit for kids in the 90’s. Squeeze Pop was especially fun around Halloween as they would release the limited edition Spooky Squeeze Pops. The green Squeeze Pop was repackaged as Slime with a Slimy creature on the front and the red Squeeze Pop became Vampires Blood with a vampire on the front. If you hurry now you might still be able to find Squeeze Pops somewhere. We sold out immediately once people found out that it was being discontinued. We can however suggest you try plenty of other candy’s that are just as popular. All 90’s kids will most likely recognize these: Bubble Tape Push Pops Ring Pops It is always sad when a childhood candy is lost. Many experienced this with the loss of Blackjack, Beeman’s, and Clove gum. So we say farewell to the Squeeze Pop and remember the good times. -The Buzz CrewShaneen Allen could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. (Published Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014) Billboards are dotting several major New Jersey roadways in support of a Philadelphia mother who is facing weapons charges after she voluntarily told police she had a legally owned gun in her vehicle during a minor traffic stop. The New Jersey Second Amendment Society, the Second Amendment Foundation and Gun Talk Radio raised approximately $4,000 to purchase four massive signs located on Route 322 and Route 40 in Atlantic County after some of the members from the gun rights advocacy organization learned of Shaneen Allen's story. "We saw injustice," said Frank Jack Fiamingo, New Jersey Second Amendment Society president. Twenty-seven-year-old Allen, of Philadelphia, told police officers she had a handgun in her car and presented her concealed carry permit for Pennsylvania when she was pulled over for a routine traffic stop in Atlantic County, N.J. in October 2013. But her Pennsylvania gun license has no bearing in New Jersey and instead of receiving a ticket, Allen was arrested. Authorities charged the single mother of two with unlawful possession of a weapon and hollow point bullets. If convicted, she could face up to 10 years in prison. "When she crossed the border into New Jersey, she was not involved in a crime," Fiamingo said. "You travel into New Jersey with a gun at your own peril." Superior Court Judge Michael Donio and Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClain initially denied Allen entry into Atlantic County's Pretrial Intervention program, which would keep her from serving jail time and expunged her record of any charges. Their decision came under fire after former NFL player Ray Rice was allowed into the program after he knocked his fiancee unconscious in a Revel Casino elevator in February. "When you compare the crimes, he punches his girlfriend out," Fiamingo said, "she crossed the border from Pennsylvania into New Jersey." McClain later sent Allen a letter stating her trial was postponed while he reviews his office's position on the matter. Meanwhile the billboards continue to draw passing drivers' attention to Allen's case. Along with the funds donated for the campaign, another approximately $2,000 was raised to help Allen with her finances as she fights the charges.Last Monday, one of the most iconic figures of the 1980s passed away. Whatever your viewpoint, in terms of strength, drive, and unrelenting sense of purpose, we're unlikely to see their like again. This was someone who knew what they wanted and saw it through to the bitter end, dammit, no matter how shrill the outraged screaming. To admirers, an anti-establishment hero; to detractors, a subhuman hate figure who heartlessly devastated entire communities: a monster to dress up as for your next Halloween party. Yes, Richard Brooker, the former English stuntman who played the ice-hockey-masked killer Jason Vorhees in the Friday the 13th movies, died last Monday. Maggie Thatcher died the same day, triggering a nationwide outpouring of grief as the TV schedules filled with boring tribute shows. The homages weren't limited to TV screens however. Git-haired One Direction sex minnow Harry Styles hastily tweeted an RIP, prompting many of his fans to wonder aloud just who this "Thatcher" person was, much to the amusement of onlookers not quite smart enough to understand how time works. It's unfair to berate One Direction fans for their Maggie ignorance: for one thing, they're about 10 minutes old. They've only just learned to grasp objects. When I was their age I didn't know who Alec Douglas-Home was. Still don't, come to think of it. Just had to Google him. Woah – sexy! Incidentally, Maggie herself was a huge One Direction fan – by which I mean she wasn't for turning!!!! LOL OMG HaHa #AceGag Still, not everyone has shown as much respect as the Dickensian chimney-sweep pin-up Master Styles. Within hours of the news breaking, "celebration" parties were attended by people so utterly committed to humanitarian causes that they're compelled to dance in the street when an old lady dies. Throughout the 80s I hated Thatcher, partly for selfish reasons. I figured that, thanks to the likes of her, the planet was about to receive a mushroom-cloud makeover, and I've never been that keen on burning to death unexpectedly on a school day. I found her almost too frightening to watch on TV. She seemed to display such cold disregard for those crushed by the wheels of her personal brand of progress, it was hard to believe she fully understood what human beings are, let alone cared about them. Maybe, being the first female prime minister, she was consciously subverting cliche by being as masculine as possible. It's like Barack Obama using flying robots to bomb brown folk overseas – critics chuckle and say: "Man, I didn't expect the first black president to do THAT!" Millions sang for joy when the Tories themselves kicked Thatcher out of No 10 back in 1990. Breaking into song again 23 years later because she's died of a stroke following years of debilitating illness and seclusion strikes me as futile and a bit sad – not unlike dancing into the British Museum to shake your fist at a mummy. But any active celebrations seemed fairly isolated until the press noticed an online campaign to get Ding Dong! The Witch Is Dead into the charts. They were so outraged that they decided to promote it on their front pages, thereby causing a further surge in sales, which they then pretended was a crisis for the BBC, on the basis that Radio 1's weekly chart show – a factual record of what music the British public has been buying – might be forced to play the tune. Pardon me for swearing, but in the spirit of robust free speech, not to mention accuracy, what the papers have perpetrated there is what Viz magazine would describe as "a cunt's trick". I'd think of a less offensive description, but there isn't one. I simply can't believe they've forced me to use such vile language in an article about our late premier. And by "they", I mean the BBC: officially to blame for anything bad since the eradication of cholera. On last week's Question Time, Charles Moore berated the BBC for even mentioning the Ding Dong! campaign on air, apparently unaware that, by doing so, he was himself promoting it on the BBC, which means he either a) believes himself to be invisible and inaudible, or b) had missed a golden chance to take another opportunistic pop at them before drawing his next breath. (Mind you, he didn't look as dumb as David Blunkett – also on the panel – who gleefully recounted dialogue from a famous Spitting Image sketch starring the Thatcher puppet that he'd somehow mistaken for a real-life quote from the woman herself. He's lucky Dimbleby cut him off before he went on to claim she'd had someone's arm up her arse at the time.) Many of the obituaries have noted that Thatcher had little sense of humour, although we don't know how advanced her sense of irony was (being made of iron, she was quite irony herself). So we don't know how she'd react to the loudest squabble in the aftermath of her death being a surreal fight over an old musical number repurposed as an anti-tribute to her memory – a protest people actually have to pay to take part in. She'd laugh at that aspect, at the very least. It's hard to believe she'd turn in her grave. After all, as she told us herself, the lady's not for turning!!!! LOL OMG haha #AceGag #WellDone #Legend #JobDone #SigningOff #SeeYaWebsite: pauldavids.com Paul Davids is an author, artist and award-winning Hollywood filmmaker. As author, his most recent book is the ambitious 514 page non-fiction An Atheist In Heaven – The Ultimate Evidence For Life After Death? It is co-authored with Professor Gary E. Schwartz, Ph.D., a scientist who is also a prolific author. In 1990, Lucasfilm contracted Paul Davids to co-write (with his wife, Hollace Davids) six Star Wars books that continue the Star Wars saga beyond Return of the Jedi. Those books sold in the millions and include The Glove Of Darth Vader, The Lost City Of The Jedi, Zorba The Hutt’s Revenge, Mission From Mount Yoda, Queen Of The Empire and Prophets Of The Dark Side. He has written, produced and/or directed 12 feature films, mainly distributed to TV by Showtime (Roswell, 1994) and NBCUniversal (Starry Night, The Sci-Fi Boys, Jesus In India, Before We Say Goodbye, and The Life After Death Project), with a film slated for release in 2016: Marilyn Monroe Declassified. His entertainment production career started with the classic, original Transformers animated episodes. You’ll find his name on 79 of those Marvel Productions shows as production coordinator, and he also wrote some of the longtime favorites. As an artist, his large portfolio encompasses hundreds of paintings (www.pauldavids-artist.com) that have had prestigious exhibits (including at the Ritz-Carlton in Laguna-Niguel, CA), and 5 coffee table art books (to be found at blurb.com). His art is now also creating stylish flower fashion, with a line of clothing at shopvida.com (search for Paul Davids at VIDA). He is a graduate of Princeton University, where he was an award-winning poet, leading to publication of three books of his poetry beginning with Poems To Read While Driving On Freeways (And Other Ways To Die Laughing). Paul Davids’ first book, co-written with his wife Hollace Davids with a Preface by Marvel’s very famous Stan Lee, was The Fires Of Pele: Mark Twain’s Legendary Lost Journal.Virtual Reality is just around the corner, if your pockets are deep enough. The first major VR headset to market, Facebook's Oculus Rift, opened up to pre-orders today. The units begin shipping in March, though my own pre-order stated April, around the same time as the HTC Vive, Valve's competing virtual reality headset, is supposed to launch. The price-tag is a whopping $599, though it comes with a couple games and a controller. That's a lot of money for an untested technology. For gamers, it's especially pricey considering there aren't many VR games at this point. More to the point, in order to actually run the Oculus Rift, you'll need a powerful, expensive gaming PC. Just how powerful and expensive remains to be seen, with estimates ranging from current high-end machines to rigs considerably more powerful than even 4K requires. But is it too expensive? In other words, is it a mistake for Facebook to release their VR headset at this price-point? While we can't say for sure, the answer is most likely "No." At $600, early adopters will still bite. This became painfully obvious during the first hours of pre-orders when the Oculus servers were so overloaded many users (including several of us here at Forbes Games) were getting back error messages time and time again. That may not give us a hard number or any solid indication that pre-orders are flying off the shelf, but it certainly hints at a lot of early interest even at a whopping $599. So early adopters will buy in at this price, stir up interest in the new device via word of mouth/social media/etc. and then eventually the price will drop enough for wider interest and more casual, budget-minded gamers and other users to join. I imagine that won't be until the Oculus Rift falls to somewhere in the realm of current console prices, though we'll likely see gradual price-drops with each drop introducing a new wave of consumers. Mainstream adoption of VR, assuming that will even occur, probably won't happen until the price drops by at least 50%. Of course, the Oculus Rift isn't the only player in this field. The HTC Vive (developed by HTC and Valve) and the PlayStation VR headset will both come out relatively soon as well. At this point, more competition isn't a bad thing, of course. The more VR the better, since it will encourage more developers to make games and get more people playing and comfortable with VR as a concept. Competition will be important for consumers, too, since it shoud help drive down prices eventually. How many headset manufacturers and platforms the market can sustain remains to be seen, of course. I can't imagine many people buying more than one outside of the biggest spenders and people like me who review and write about games for a living. It's just too cost-prohibitive. That will make the competition even more fierce. In any case, an opening salvo of $599 seems about right to me, since Facebook really has no reason not to make what it can off of early adopters, and since the Oculus team probably isn't ready for mass adoption of the technology just yet. We early adopters aren't merely whales willing to drop top dollar on new tech, we're canaries in the coal mine, little birds who can test the air and spread the word. Will the device drop in price enough, and have enough available content, to ship in force this coming Christmas? That seems unlikely, especially since we've yet to see just what kind of splash the HTC Vive and PlayStation VR will make when they drop. The other big, unanswered question is just how powerful our computers will need to be to actually run the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. (Presumably the PS4 will be powerful enough to operate PS VR.) If a $600 peripheral requires that much or more in PC upgrades, we're looking at an even more cost-prohibitive device, very easily pricing out all but the most avid early adopters and enthusiasts. We'll know more in March and April, but for now VR remains a big gamble in my book. We've all seen the rise and fall of motion-control gaming in the Kinect and Wii. Traditional gamepads are simply easier, more intuitive and more fun to use. Will traditional 2D gaming environments turn out to be just as popular once the hype and excitement around virtual reality wears off? It's too soon to say, but I remain skeptical. That's not because I want VR to fail. On the contrary, I find it very exciting. I'm simply unsure at this point if it will ever expand beyond an enthusiast niche category, regardless of price. Not everyone wants goggles strapped to their head, and for some people the experience is actually quite nauseating. We shall see. If nothing else, 2016 will be a fascinating year for gaming tech, and a defining year for virtual reality, even if it doesn't really take off in a big way until 2017 and beyond. We'll have lots of coverage and analysis of the Oculus Rift and other VR in the coming days and weeks. If you have any insights please share them in the comments or on social media. We'd love to hear from you.There has been a rise in the number of people catching diarrhea from dirty swimming pool water, according to new statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Twice as many people contracted cryptosporidiosis — a type of gastrointestinal illness caused by a parasite that can lead to watery diarrhea that lasts for up to three weeks — in 2016 compared to 2014. Since 2004, the number of annual cryptosporidiosis incidents has tripled in the U.S. The Brief Newsletter Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now. View Sample Sign Up Now A person can get ill from cryptosporidiosis after being exposed to contaminated swimming pool water, water in water parks, drinking water and food, as well as from contact with people or animals who have been infected. The CDC said that at least 32 aquatic facility–associated cryptosporidiosis outbreaks occurred in 2016. As well as diarrhea, symptoms of cryptosporidiosis may include stomach cramps, dehydration, nausea and vomiting. The public is advised not to swim or let their children swim if they have been sick with diarrhea. Health care providers have also been advised to instruct cryptosporidiosis patients not to go back into the water until they have been diarrhea-free for two weeks. As even a single mouthful of contaminated water can lead to cryptosporidiosis, Michele Hlavsa, chief of the CDC’s Healthy Swimming Program, has recommended that parents encourage their children not to swallow water when swimming, as well as to avoid buying pool toys that may encourage swallowing, such as cups. “Take kids on bathroom breaks every hour, and check diapers in a diaper-changing area and not right next to the pool,” Hlavsa told CNN. “We all share the water we swim in, but we don’t want to share germs, pee or poop.” Write to Kate Samuelson at kate.samuelson@time.com.And that's what it appears to be. The Spectre 13 has a 13.3-inch, 1080p display, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage in its base model. More importantly, it includes either a Core i5 or a Core i7 processor. That's the type of processor you'd normally find in the MacBook Air or a typical ultrabook — laptops this size usually get Core M, which is slower, but doesn't get as hot and allows for a smaller battery. Mike Nash, HP's vice president of consumer PCs, says he's well aware that Core M is standard for a machine like this. "We know that. We've seen Apple do that," he says. "But our customers want Core i, and I'm here to tell you today we pulled it off." Its hinges are modeled after cabinetry Making a laptop of this size work with a Core i processor meant dealing with heat and battery issues. HP says it handled the former using a heat pipe, which distributes heat
Get it where you can: Take the opportunity to make extra money by selling your band's CDs, T-shirts and anything else that might be appropriate (not Avon). 208. Put a Tip Jar in front of the stage. You don't necessarily have to announce but it leaves the opportunity for gracious fans to donate to the band if they wish. Hey, every little bit helps right? A small amount of tips can sometimes pay that bar tab if nothing else. 209. Creeping bass drums 101: Methods used to stop creeping bass drums on drumsets have included (but are not limited to) tying a rubber band from the bass drum pedal to the stool, using carpet, buying the "bass drum stop-creeping thingy" that they've been selling in drum shops for years, sharpening the spikes, and more. Check out the new TrapStrap product that's newer on the market and for stopping bass drum creep. Free Drum Videos 210. Keep your drum monitor close or use in ear monitors. It helps keep the overall stage volume down. 211. Make your own multi rods drumsticks (similar to Promark Hot Rods) with dowel rods you can pick up at the hardware store. Wrap them with shrink tubing for the handles and you're set! 212. Stencil "Lift by Handle" on all your drum cases. Musicians or roadies helping you carry your drums love to grab them by the straps which of course ruins the straps. Hopefully "Lift by Handle" will be a deterrent when they're helping you with your drums. 213. Learn how to spell! Commonly misspelled drum words: Zildjian (not: Zilgen, Ziljian, Ziljien or Ziljin). Gretsch (not Gretch, Gretsh, Grech, or Gretcsh). Cymbal (not cymbol, symbol, cymbel or simbel). Come on drummers! 214. Need to get your bass drum foot faster? Play a samba rhythm for long periods of time. Put on a medium fast samba tune that you can play along to and do this repetitively for a week. You'll definitely notice a difference in the rest of your bass drum playing! 215. Do you break drumsticks? Common reasons drumsticks break are; Playing too hard with a thin stick, hitting the rims too frequently, hitting the cymbals at the wrong angle, using cheap sticks and often just using the wrong size stick for the job. 216. Did you know.. that cymbals are one of the oldest instruments in history. They go back thousands of years and have been used in just about every style of music imaginable. Choosing cymbals can be daunting but you have many choices so take your time. 217. Selling your drums? - You don't have to be an expert to sell a set of drums but you will need a few tips. Don't try to price them too high or you'll be sitting on 'em for awhile. Be reasonable about the price considering the amount of wear the drums have received. If you got them at a fair price, you should move them quickly. Also, some drum forums have free classified sections for drums. 218. Your computer and various software programs (Microsoft Office being one of them) offer great tools to assist you in your music career. There are templates in Word and Excell for mileage keeping and student records. There are staff paper downloads and CD labels software. There are free metronome downloads, music games and of course tons of music scoring software available for your computer. If you're not utilizing your computer in your music career, you're missing out! 219. Practice your double stroke roll inverted. (Ex: RLLR, RLLR, RLLR, RLLR). And also as triplets (Ex. RLL, RRL, LRR, LLR). Experiment with inverted variations of different drum rudiments. 220. Practice in front of a mirror. This will help you check your form on the drums, as well as facial expression, posture and other bad habits you may have acquired on the drums. 221. Try to use a click track during your band rehearsals. This helps refine the time in your band and will point out the weak time keepers. It will also help you establish the tempos at which each particular song will groove the best. You don't have to necessarily play with a click on stage, but practicing with one together helps tremendously. 222. Many drummers play with their eyes closed. While this is understandable, it's not advisable to leave them closed for too long. You could miss out on important visual cues from your band members. Drum Lessons \| Drum Forum 223. Drum Teachers: Use themes that help get your students involved. Do they play baseball? Use drum analogies that compare to baseball. This is a proven technique that has worked for many drum teachers through the years! 224. Snare Drum: Turn off your snares when the other musicians are tuning their axes. The sympathetic buzz drives everyone nuts. They don't want to hear your drums buzzing when they're trying to tune up. 225. Do you know how to play "Wipeout"? Wipeout is one of those songs that goes hand in hand with drums themselves. Audiences just expect us to know how to play it. (They also think we like it. -Ha!) Well, just like sax players know "Yakety Sax", we need to know Wipeout. It doesn't have to be in your nightly set list. Just educate yourself on the basic form and make sure you have the single stroke chops, speed and endurance to get through it. There's no greater feeling than to be able to step up to the plate when your name is called. 226. Mount a cowbell to the left side of your hi-hat cymbals. While playing a 16th note groove pattern, put your left hand (or visa versa if your left handed) on the cowbell and play upbeat 16ths. This creates the coolest funk groove ever and makes it sound like 2 drummers playing simultaneously! Don't forget to alter those left hand notes to be very dynamic (soft to loud). 227. Be creative. Try not to get too locked into the same old drum set up and sound. Try different drum sounds for different band settings. Experiment with odd size drums, unique drumsticks, brushes, drumheads, trashy cymbals and unique percussion instruments. Try playing some drumfills or solos with mallets or put a conga drum or bongos on the left side of your drumset to add color. 228. Start a "Practice Log" for yourself. Include things from your lessons, song and beat transcriptions, personal goals and drum tips that you've picked up along the way. You can even include notes that you've taken from clinics and maybe even pictures of famous drummers that you aspire to play like one day. Get creative with it and use it as another source of motivation for your drumming career. DRUMTIPS.com Over 2000 Tips, Tricks, and Secrets for Drums! Drums - Drumsets - Drummers - Percussion to top of page 229. Don't sleep too much. This is a terrible habit of musicians. I don't mean to spoil the party, but sleep can work against you. Time is precious and the older you get, the faster time seems to slip by. Get up at a reasonable hour, get on your drums, practice hard... and be successful! 230. Support your local drum shop. They're having to compete against deep-pocketed superstores like Guitar Center and it's not easy. Do you want your local drum shops to stick around? Then get out of the habit of always wanting the absolute cheapest price. Pay a few more dollars and keep these guys in business. Take drum lessons there and buy your drum gear there. Get to know them on a first name basis. You'll then have that special shop to go where it's nothing but wall to wall drums, and drumsets, but more importantly first class service and close friends! 231. Keep your eye on the paper for concerts and drum clinics put on by your local colleges. They're often open to the public and for a small fee you can attend and see some fantastic drummers, and their awesome drumming! 232. Get out of the "comfort zone" (with regard to playing in the same band for too long). This is extremely important. Many drummers get burned out because they just stay in one place too long. They'll outgrow the band but won't want to leave, either because of the money or because they're scared and don't know where to go. You've got to keep pushing forward. Keep moving "up", not sideways. Try to always be playing in bands where the other musicians are better than you. Be courageous and take risks. They'll pay off in the long run. 233. Cheap Drumsticks: Don't use your good sticks to practice with (you know those $12 drumsticks you bought at the drum shop down the road?). Buy a pair of cheap drumsticks to practice with so your good ones will last longer. Just make sure that the cheap ones are straight and evenly matched. FAST TIPS - MOST POPULAR ELECTRONIC Most popular electronic drums are Roland, Pintech, Yamaha, and Hart Dynamics. 234. Want to go to school for just drums? Move beyond standard drum lessons and check out some of the more popular drum schools include Percussion Institute of Technology (PIT), Los Angeles Music Academy (LAMA), Berkley College of Music, Drummer's Collective, Musitech, North Texas State University and University of Miami. The expert drummers often come from distinguished schools such as these. 235. Make your own shaker. Simply take a small recycled can, jar or plastic bottle and fill it with beans, bb's, rice or pebbles. Glue it firmly shut or tape it real good so that it isn't a hazzard. Then experiment. Use your imagination and come up with your own shaker sound! 236. Cymbal Polish: Careful when you're cleaning cymbals. The "brilliant" type cymbals require a special non-abrasive cleaner that won't strip the lacquer coating. 237. Wax those bearing edges. Pro drum techs do this to help the head "seat" better on the drum. More on Drum Tuning. 238. Having trouble coming up with drum fill ideas? Try emulating drum fills of your favorite drummers off of their cd's. Also, take some of the 40 drum rudiments and divide up the sticking patterns around the drums to make cool drumfills. You can also take a reading book like the Jake Hanna book and orchestra the reading exercises around the drums. Practice these and it will spark many drum fill ideas! 239. If you sit in on someone else's drumset, try not to move things around too much. Although they will often tell you it's OK, keep things as close to where they already had it set up as possible. If you have to move some of the drums and cymbal stands, please put them back when you're through. This is just common courtesy. Drummers are usually funny about their drum set up. 240. Pay attention to your crosstick sound. Many drummers don't take it seriously enough. Go for that "sweet spot" on the stick (it's different on every drumstick) where the sound is warm and rich. It will make that power ballad sound that much more full and pleasing to the ear. 241. Practice playing softly. We all seem to know how to play with great force but what separates the men from the boys (as they say) are those that know how to play quietly when called upon. If it has to do with Drums, you'll find it at DrumBum.com. 242. Stay with brand name drums and cymbals if possible. They usually hold up better and have greater resale value. Brand name drums are Pearl, Tama, DW, and Yamaha Drumsets. Brand name cymbals are Zildjian, Sabian, Meinl, and Paiste, among others. - More on Buying a Drumset 243. If you're a touring drummer, be sure to take your favorite drumsticks and drumheads on the road with you. Music stores in small towns won't always have the drum supplies you need. 244. Careful not to grip the drumstick too tight. You don't want to be too tense when you play. On the contrary, don't hold the stick too loose. If you're not keeping your fingers underneath, you're more prone to dropping your drumsticks on a regular basis. 245. Forget about internal muffling for your snare drum or tom toms. That muffling technique has been proven substandard. Explore the many external drum dampening methods including zero rings, duct tape, napkins and drum dampening attachments. Whether you play in a rock band or a mainstream jazz group, you must learn how to muffle your drums effectively to get the optimum sound for that specific style of music. 246. Remember to "Make Music" when you play. Drummers sometimes get too wrapped up in simple (and sometimes stagnate) time keeping. We have a tremendous and colorful palette in front of us and we owe it to ourselves, our bandmembers and our audience to contribute artistically by coloring the music tastefully. "Tastefully" is the key word here. Don't forget that. 247. Get your head out of the chart! It's great to be a confident reader but trust in your ability and take your eyes away from the paper now and then. This will allow you to focus on the groove. 248. How to dress up a drum fill: Play a 16th note fill down the toms (You know, the old 1e&a, 2e&a, 3e&a, 4e&a bit.) Now add a flam to the fill on beats "1" and the "e" of 3. Now we can take it a step further by adding an 8th note triplet on beat "4". Throw in a bit of dynamics and you'll start to see a simple drumfill come alive! Free Drum Videos Studio Drumming Tips Cool Drum Fills 249. Some drummers struggle with what the bottom number of a time signature means. They understand that there is 4 beats to a measure in 4/4 time but don't always understand the bottom "4" number. Well, it simply means "quarter note" (like one fourth is a "quarter" of a pie). The bottom number always means a "note" such as an 8th note (4/8 time signature), 16th note (4/16 time signature) and so on. There can't be a time signature like 4/7 because there is no such thing as a "7th" note. - Get it? 250. When you hear the word "waltz", play in 3/4 time. When you hear "cut time", play in 2/2. When you hear "slow blues", be prepared to play in 12/8 time. When you hear "jazz ballad", consider your wire brushes. When you hear, "country ballad ", consider a cross stick. 251. Celebrate 'National Drumming Day' on November 15th. Create your own drum circle or give out free drum lessons to promote your name. If you teach at a drum shop or music store, you could have the owners sponsor you and give a discount for trying out a lesson on that day. For more information on National Drumming Day, visit Drumming.com. Tips for Winning a Drum Off Competition More Tips Here DrumTips.com - 1000's of DRUMMING TIPS for Drums and Percussion including drum set lessons, marching percussion, snare drum, hand drumming and drum tuning. Buying tips, frequently asked questions, information on buying drums and drumsets (acoustic or electronic drums) including tips on buying used drums and used drumsets, teacher tips, drum tricks, double bass drumming, reading, drum rudiments, drumstick spinning or twirling, warm ups, drum fills, how to put a drumset together, cool rock drumbeats, blues beats, shuffles, drum fills, drumstick tricks, freehand technique, moeller method, and more! You can take formal drum lessons but you can also teach yourself drums through helpful tips and links at DrumTips.com. This goes for Rock Band game drummers too! If you have drum tips, please post them on our site! Want to know how to get better at drumming? - DrumBum.com HOME \| 1 \| 2 \| 3 \| 4 \| 5 \| 6 \| 7 \| 8 \| 9 \| 10 \| 11 \| 12 \| 13 \| 14 Drum Tips that "you" submitted. -Thank you! SEARCH DRUMTIPS.COM... ...and you may just find tips on Carter Beauford, Adrian Young, Tommy Lee, Neil Peart, Cindy Blackman, Buddy Rich, Matt Sorum, Tommy Aldridge, Zoro, Billy Ward, Dennis Chambers, Tony Royster Jr., Steve Smith, Steve Gadd, Bobby Rock, Louie Bellson, Jack DeJohnette, Danny Carey, Chad Wackerman, Pat Petrillo, Virgil Donati, Ringo Starr, John Blackwell, Jeff Hamilton, Chad Smith, Max Roach, Tony Williams, Rod Morganstein, Curt Bisquera, Horacio Hernandez, Joey Kramer, Lars Ulrich, Alex Acuna, Art Blakey, Art Verdi, Vinnie Colaiuta, Kenny Aronoff, Billy Kilson, Hal Blaine, Keith Carlock, Mike Portnoy, Joey Jordinson, Terry Bozzio, Will Kennedy, Paul Wertico, Tim Alexander, Mike Mangini, Johnny Rabb, Tom Brechtlein, Liberty Devito, Pat Petrillo, Mike Clark, Ndugu Chancler, Peter Chris, Tommy Igoe, Thomas Lang, Mickey Hart, Bermuda Schwartz, Dave DiCenso, Billy Ashbaugh, Ignacio Berroa, Roy Haynes, Clayton Cameron, Peter Magadini, Eric Singer, Joey Heredia, Dom Famularo, Bill Bruford, Gary Husband, and many more! COOL LINKSAcland coal mine: Draft authority for expansion of controversial $900 million project issued Updated The expansion of a controversial Queensland coal mine has cleared another hurdle, with the state's environment department issuing a draft authority for the $900 million project. Key points Expansion of Acland mine to boost output to 7.5 million tonnes Without approval, mine will run out of coal in 2017-18 Opponents say expansion will have negative environmental impacts Questions over company donations to the state LNP, federal Liberal party The ABC has obtained a copy of the 68-page environmental authority, which sets out conditions for the enlargement of the Acland coal mine on the western Darling Downs. The decision has sparked calls from the Speaker of Queensland's Parliament for the state's corruption watchdog to investigate hundreds of thousands of dollars in political donations made by the mine's owner. The project would expand the Acland mine's annual output from 4.8 million tonnes to 7.5 million tonnes, with proponents New Hope Group arguing the project would create hundreds of jobs and boost the local and state economies. "We welcome news the draft environmental authority has been issued," Queensland Resources Council chief executive Michael Roche said. "Without approval for Stage 3 of New Acland, the mine will run out of coal in 2017-18 and [the jobs of 460-plus people] will be lost." But opponents, including landholders near the Acland mine, claim the mine expansion will worsen air quality, swallow up nearly 1,400 hectares of strategic cropping land and cause groundwater to drop by almost 50 metres in some places. Do you know more about this story? Email investigations@abc.net.au. "It has been acknowledged that there will be substantial drawdown of groundwater and that this is likely to impact on 357 registered bores, as well as other water users," Tanya Plant, a beef and grain farmer who lives about two kilometres from the mine, said. "That significant drawdown of water aquifers will occur for at least 300 years after the end of the mining operation." While giving New Hope an environmental authority for the expansion, the environment department has placed conditions on the project covering issues such as air quality, dust emissions, noxious odours, noise, water quality and contamination limits. One of the issues here is following the money trail. It's important to know that there's been no inappropriate influence exerted. Speaker of the Queensland Parliament, Peter Wellington But Dr Plant said the environmental authority had failed to follow key conditions imposed by Queensland co-ordinator general Barry Broe when he approved the expansion last December. "The draft environmental authority (EA) does not limit their night-time operation and it doesn't seem to actually require any monitoring of noise to ensure that these levels aren't being breached," Dr Plant said. "The draft EA also seems to have included a condition that specifically protects the mine against claims of causing environmental nuisance even if it is causing more dust at people's homes than the limits the government policies set to protect health and wellbeing. "It also specifically does not set any limits to PM2.5, which are very small particles of dust that the Queensland Government's own policies — as well as numerous other organisations including the World Health Organisation — recognise as also being very important for human health." The co-ordinator general approved the expansion of the mine last year despite the project requiring the "clearing of eight endangered and of-concern regional ecosystems" including koala habitat, issues regarded as "matters of state environmental significance". The co-ordinator general's report confirmed 1,361 hectares of strategic cropping land would be affected by the expansion. Questions over New Hope political donations The ABC revealed last year the New Hope Group and its Australian parent company, Washington H Soul Pattinson, had donated $700,000 to the Queensland Liberal National Party and the federal Liberal Party over a three-year period. Last week, anti-mining group Lock the Gate Alliance lodged a complaint with Queensland's Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) alleging the LNP government of Campbell Newman reversed its opposition to the Acland mine expansion during the period in which New Hope and its parent made the donations. "Queensland Labor promised during the election campaign to scrutinise the approval process for the mine," Lock the Gate president Drew Hutton said. "They promised a full CCC inquiry in relation to political donations issues. Neither of those things happened." Michael Roche of the Queensland Resources Council said Lock the Gate's complaint was "a predictable tactic out of the anti-coal strategy playbook to seek to disrupt and delay projects like New Acland". "We will leave it to the CCC to deal with this matter," he said. The Speaker of the Queensland Parliament, Peter Wellington, told the ABC he also wanted the New Hope donations investigated. "One of the issues I raised with [Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk] was to look at the possible connection between significant donations and particular decisions," Mr Wellington said. "I will be interested to see how the new head of the CCC [Alan MacSporran] will act on this. "One of the issues here is following the money trail. It's important to know that there's been no inappropriate influence exerted." This year, Mr Wellington asked the company about royalties generated by the mine. In response, New Hope chief executive Shane Stephan wrote to the Speaker and revealed the company would receive about 77 per cent of the royalties generated from its Acland mine, while the state would get only 7 per cent. By buying up most of the land around the mine, the company has taken advantage of a pre-1910 loophole that requires royalties to be paid to private landholders rather than the state. "One of the furphies the previous government promoted was the benefit of significant royalties that would come to the taxpayer. Clearly this is not the case," Mr Wellington said. "We've had this mantra from successive governments that coal mining is the backbone of Queensland, but the facts show this is not the case. "However, farming is a long-term benefit to our society." It is believed landholders will now challenge the environmental authority in Queensland's Land Court, with the ABC told an objection is ready to be lodged. Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt will also assess the project under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. Topics: coal, environmental-impact, mining-environmental-issues, mining-industry, mining-rural, rural, acland-4401 First postedCompeting Interests: Dr. Helmchen has received speaker honoraria from Thieme Verlag, Pierre Fabre Pharma, GlaxoSmithKline, and Henning Arzneimittel. Dr. Helmchen serves as an editorial board member of Neuro-ophthalmology and Frontiers in Neuro-otology. Dr. Münte is section editor of BMC Neuroscience, co-editor of Frontiers in Language Sciences and Zeitschrift für Neuropsychologie and serves as an editorial board member of Clinical Neurophysiology. This does not alter the authors' adherence to all the Cover Letter PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials. These data provide evidence that the visual illusion that an itching limb is being scratched while in fact the non-itching limb contralateral to the itching limb is scratched, can lead to significant itch relief. This effect might be due to a transient illusionary intersensory perceptual congruency of visual, tactile and pruriceptive signals. “Mirror scratching” might provide an alternative treatment to reduce itch perception in focal skin diseases with persistent pruritus without causing additional harm to the affected skin and might therefore have significant clinical impact. Healthy participants were asked to assess the intensity of an experimentally induced itch at their right forearm while they observed externally guided scratch movements either at their right (itching) or left (non-itching) forearm which were either mirrored or not mirrored. In the first experiment, a mirror placed between the participant’s forearms was used to create the visual illusion that the participant’s itching (right) forearm was being scratched while in fact the non-itching (left) forearm was scratched. To control visibility of the left (non-mirrored) forearm, a second experiment was performed in which unflipped and flipped real-time video displays of the participant’s forearms were used to create experimental conditions in which the participant visually perceived scratching either on one forearm only, on both forearms, or no scratching at all. The goal of this study was to test whether central mechanisms of scratching-induced itch attenuation can be activated by scratching the limb contralateral to the itching limb when the participant is made to visually perceive the non-itching limb as the itching limb by means of mirror images. Introduction Itch can be defined as an unpleasant sensation that provokes the desire to scratch the itching site. Itch is attenuated by scratching. Many inflammatory skin diseases, e.g. atopic eczema, elicit an itch sensation [1] but patients must not scratch the itching skin rashes as skin inflammation might deteriorate. Unfortunately, sustained itch relief is not always achieved by standard drug treatment. Thus, there is a strong need for additional interventions in persistent pruritus. Histamine reliably elicits itch and a flare by axon reflexes and is therefore used in many experimental human models of itch. In inflammatory skin lesions, histamine is physiologically released by mast cells and activates unmyelinated peripheral C-fibers and spinothalamic lamina I neurons [2-4]. Via spinothalamic afferents these signals are transmitted to brain regions that encode location and intensity of somatosensory sensations, i.e., the primary and secondary somatosensory cortex [5], and valence, i.e., insula and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) [6]. Under normal conditions, scratching immediately attenuates itch. It has been proposed that scratching-related itch relief is best explained by spinal and supraspinal interactions rather than peripheral receptor-mediated mechanisms [7,8]. For example, excitation of spinothalamic tract neurons by stimulation of the primary afferents by histamine is attenuated by scratching [9]. Itch relief can also be obtained by scratching sites remote from the itching site [10,11] suggesting that central mechanisms may be involved in the control of itch. Scratching does not need to be conducted by oneself but can also alleviate itch when performed by somebody else at the itching or a remote skin area [7]. Driven by clinical demands we sought to establish an experimental condition in which the participant perceives a visible tactile manipulation (scratching) of the non-itching limb to occur on the affected limb. This idea has also recently been proposed in an abstract on phantom itch patients [12]. Altschuler and Scott observed that some patients with itch in a phantom limb noticed phantom itch relief by watching the reflection of scratching on the corresponding intact limb in a mirror [13]. Research in recent years has indicated that multisensory integration can lead to illusionary perceptions in situations that do not normally occur in real-life [14]. For example, observing a mirror image of one’s own limb can lead to the illusionary perception that the mirrored limb is one’s own contralateral limb. A mirror box, placed vertically on the table in front of a subject’s hand, has been used to elicit synaesthesia [15]. When amputees [16] or stroke patients [17] observe their intact limb in a mirror box that is carefully placed parallel to their phantom or paretic forearm this can lead to the illusionary perception that their phantom hand has been resurrected or that their paretic limb is moving [18]. Mirror visual feedback had also been applied to relieve pain in complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) type 1 [19]. Vision and touch may interact in a way that objects viewed in a mirror are recoded as originating from a location within peripersonal space [20]. Perception in such visuo-tactile conflicts seems to be dominated by visual cues [14]. These examples show that under some conditions, the brain can be “fooled” by multisensory stimulation in a way that stimulations are perceived that do not actually exist. This may elicit visuo- tactile illusions with regard to a person’s self-body schema [14,18,21]. In the current study we sought to extend these findings to the perception of itch attenuation. Unlike mirror visual feedback therapy in motor recovery (e.g. stroke patients) we did not try to elicit the visual impression of bimanual movements but referred sensations in the mirrored forearm. Mirror elicited sensations felt on skin sites which are not physically stimulated, i.e., referred sensations, have been shown in several patient groups, e.g. with stroke [22], CRPS [23], and patients with anesthetic limbs [24]. If CRPS type 1 patients observed tactile stimulations of the mirrored image of their unaffected hand in the mirror they felt allodynia on their affected hand [23]. Stimulation of the unaffected limb elicited referred sensation in the affected limb. In contrast to this aversive allodynia we were looking for an itch-attenuating referred sensation. We hypothesized that itch relief can be obtained by scratching the limb contralateral to the itching limb if the subject is made to visually perceive the non-itching limb as the itching limb by means of a mirror image. To test this hypothesis, we asked healthy participants to rate the perceived intensity of an experimentally induced, histamine-associated itch before and after they observed externally guided scratch movements either at their itching or their non-itching forearm. Two different experimental approaches were used. In the first (mirror) experiment, the visual illusion that the participant’s itching (right) forearm was being scratched [while in fact the participant’s non-itching (left) forearm was being scratched] was elicited by means of a mirror, placed in between the participant’s left and right forearm. In the mirror experiment, the participant was instructed to look into the mirror. While this design has a simple and easy-to-implement experimental set-up that makes it suitable for clinical applications, visibility of the non-itching (left) forearm in the mirror condition is not completely controlled. Thus, in order to rule out that any itch attenuation observed in the mirror condition was induced by visual perception of scratch movements on the mirrored and the real left forearm, we run a second (video) experiment. In the latter, unflipped and flipped real-time video displays of the participant’s forearms were used to create experimental conditions in which the participant visually perceived scratching either on one forearm only, both forearms, or no scratching at all. Very recently, video-mediated mirroring of hands had been shown to induce referred sensations equally powerful compared with mirror reflections [25]. We will show that “mirror scratching”, i.e., the visual illusion that an itching limb is being scratched while in fact the non-itching limb contralateral to the itching limb is scratched, can - at least partially - attenuate itch.Lycurgus Consulting the Pythia (1835/1845), as imagined by (1835/1845), as imagined by Eugène Delacroix Pythia was the priestess presiding over the Oracle of Apollo at Delphi. There are more than 500 supposed Oracular statements which have survived from various sources referring to the oracle at Delphi. Many are anecdotal, and have survived as proverbs. Several are ambiguously phrased, apparently in order to show the oracle in a good light regardless of the outcome. Such prophecies were admired for their dexterity of phrasing. One such famous prediction was the answer to an unknown person who was inquiring as to whether it would be safe for him to join a military campaign; the answer was: "Go, return not die in war", which can have two entirely opposite meanings, depending on where a missing comma is supposed to be – before or after the word "not". Nevertheless, the Oracle seems consistently to have advocated peaceful, not violent courses generally. The following list presents some of the most prominent and historically significant prophecies of Delphi. Early period [ edit ] Lycurgus [ edit ] Some early oracular statements from Delphi may have been delivered to Lycurgus, the semi-legendary Spartan lawgiver (fl. 8th century BC). According to the report by Herodotus (Histories A.65, 2-4), Lycurgus visited and consulted the oracle before he applied his new laws to Sparta, Lycurgus, a man of reputation among the Spartans, went to the oracle at Delphi. As soon as he entered the hall, the priestess said in hexameter: [3] 'You have come to my rich temple, Lycurgus,/ A man dear to Zeus and to all who have Olympian homes./ I am in doubt whether to pronounce you man or god,/ But I think rather you are a god, Lycurgus.' [4] Some say that the Pythia also declared to him the constitution that now exists at Sparta, but the Lacedaemonians themselves say that Lycurgus brought it from Crete when he was guardian of his nephew Leobetes, the Spartan king.[1] Lycurgus built a constitution for the Spartans that combined features of a monarchy with two kings, a free population that owned equal shares of land[2][3] and of a democracy. Both Xenophon and Plutarch also attribute to Lycurgus the introduction of a very cumbersome coinage made from iron (in order to prevent attachment to wealth). In the account of Plutarch and Diodorus, this was also based on an oracular statement, Love of money and nothing else will ruin Sparta.[4] The supposed oracular statement in retrospect was interpreted as being fulfilled as the gold and silver Sparta's soldiers sent home after the Peloponnesian War were to prove to be Sparta's undoing, according to Plutarch. It is not likely that this oracle was delivered, if it is at all historical, to Lycurgus himself, as coinage had not been introduced in his time.[5] 630 BC [ edit ] In 630 BC, the king of the island of Thera went to Delphi to offer a gift on behalf of his native city, and was told by the oracle: that he should found a city in Libya. Because the king did not know where Libya was, he did nothing. Later it did not rain on Thera for a considerable period, and to find out what could be done, the Therans again approached the oracle. She said: if they... would make a settlement at Cyrene in Libya, things would go better with them. To relieve the pressure from the drought, and following the advice of the oracle, the Therans sought advice from the Cretans as to where Libya was and a colony of Thera was established at Platea. But bad luck still followed them for another two years, so they visited the oracle a third time. She said: Know you better than I, fair Libya abounding in fleeces? Better the stranger than he who has trod it? Oh! Clever Therans![6] The Therans sought advice from the local Libyans who gave them a new site, and the colony prospered. 595 BC [ edit ] In 595 BC, the affairs of the Oracle were felt too important to be left to the Delphians alone, and the sanctity of the site came to be protected by the Amphictyonic League, a league of 12 cities in existence since 1100 BC. (The league had been named after Amphictyon of Thermopylae, brother of Hellen, the first Greek (or non-Pelasgian) King of Athens.) In that year, nearby Kirra levied a toll on pilgrims, which ushered in the First Sacred War. After 5 years of struggle, the Oracle decreed that the site of Kirra be left fallow, sacred to Apollo. This ushered in a period of great prosperity. 594 BC [ edit ] In 594 BC, Solon, the Athenian lawgiver, seeking to capture the island of Salamis from Megara and Cirrha was told by the oracle: First sacrifice to the warriors who once had their home in this island, Whom now the rolling plain of fair Asopia covers, Laid in the tombs of heroes with their faces turned to the sunset, He did, and taking as volunteers 500 young Athenians whose ancestors came from Salamis, was successful in capturing the island that was to prove so important in later Athenian history. Solon never ceased to support and give credit to the oracle for its support in declaring the island was originally Ionian. In framing his famous constitutional reforms for Athens, Solon again sought the advice of the oracle who told him: Seat yourself now amidships, for you are the pilot of Athens. Grasp the helm fast in your hands; you have many allies in your city. As a result, Solon refused the opportunity to become a
the other hand, he had no ability to read it all himself. It was just too much. He saw a lot of criminality, a lot of harm. He made a judgment to give it to WikiLeaks. I think that WikiLeaks did make a mistake in their release of the Afghan war logs, which they put on the Web at the same time the newspapers put their selected versions on the Web. I think that was a mistake and could have had some risk associated with it. WikiLeaks learned from the criticism of that. And the Iraq war logs and the State Department cables, they put up only what the newspapers had chosen with a few exceptions. I think that was the right way to do it. The Afghan war logs were not Bradley Manning's fault. The State cables came out as a result of screwups involving Guardian and other people. Assange and others made mistakes. Bradley Manning had nothing to do with that. TL: If you were in Bradley Manning's situation, would you have released as much information as he did? DE: I probably would not put out materials that I hadn't read. But now we have three years of experience with essentially no harm, and a great deal of good. [Former Tunisian president] Ben Ali, I think, would still be in Tunisia. I don't think you could have counted on the New York Times having put out the Tunisian material that Le Monde chose to put out. That was critical in bringing down Ben Ali. That led to bringing down [former Egyptian president Hosni] Mubarak. Looking at that altogether, with that experience, I think his decision to put out a great raft of secret material was justified and I would probably do it myself now if I had the chance. TL: Are there other examples of good results from Manning's actions? DE: Here is something that could not have been seen from just one document or a handful of documents. Contrary to Pentagon statements that they "don't do body counts," they were counting civilian bodies. The public Iraq Body Count Web site had compiled some 80,000 civilian deaths from newspaper accounts. But when the Iraq cables came out, they discovered that the army had recorded 20,000 additional deaths. That was one thing where you had to have the whole body of war logs. There were innumerable — hundreds, possibly more than 1,000 — cases where American military had reported instances or knowledge of torture by the Iraqi authorities to whom we were turning over prisoners. In every one of those cases the cables showed that they were given the instruction not to investigate further. That was an illegal order. Turning over prisoners knowing they would be tortured is itself illegal under international law. It's just as illegal as if we were doing the torture ourselves. International conventions require us to investigate and prosecute if appropriate. That pattern of illegality goes right up to the commander in chief. I think that has something to do with Obama's strong pursuit of this case. Unlike the Pentagon Papers which did not reveal criminality. They revealed recklessness, lies, but the Pentagon Papers didn't show field-level crimes. What Bradley Manning revealed was a large number of clear-cut war crimes. I believe there's strong reason to believe that without Bradley Manning's revelations, some 20,000 to 30,000 troops would be in Iraq right now. That had been Obama's plan. He was negotiating to that end. But the disclosure by Bradley Manning of a cable that disclosed that the State Department was aware of an atrocity that we had officially denied, and was neither investigating it further nor prosecuting it, made it politically impossible for the prime minister in Iraq to allow Americans to stay in Iraq with immunity from Iraqi courts. In the face of that revelation, [pressure from] the political opposition and his own party in Iraq meant that [Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki] could not allow the troops to remain, because he couldn't grant immunity as President Obama was seeking. A lot more Americans would have died in Iraq if troops had remained there as Obama would have preferred. Bradley Manning saved the lives of many troops. I think that's good. Other people may feel they should have stayed. I certainly would be happy to have caused the end of that commitment to what was after all an aggressive war. Ellsberg speaks to reporters on Jan. 17, 1973 about the criminal trial against him. His co-defendant, Anthony Russo, listens at right. (AP) TL: Why do you think Bradley Manning's leaks have received less public support than your release of the Pentagon Papers four decades ago? DE: First of all, the war was incomparably unpopular by that time because there were more than 40,000 deaths, a number that would reach 58,000 by the end of the war. That made the war unpopular in a way that was not true of Iraq. We've killed an enormous number of Iraqi civilians, but the public has not shown curiosity about what the number is, whether it's 40,000, 400,000, or 1.5 million. There wasn't pressure on Congress even to find out. The media didn't show great interest in that. American casualties have been around 4,000, not 40,000. So when the Pentagon Papers revealed that we were lied into in Vietnam, it had a much bigger effect on public opinion. It showed that these men had been wasted in a wrongful unnecessary war by the U.S. We were lied into Iraq to the same degree, in the same way. But it didn't lead to as bloody a war. Second, we had a much more independent Congress than we've had now for more than a decade. Since 9/11 neither party has been willing to challenge the president lest they individually or together be charged with being weak on terrorism. Both Democrats and Republicans have let the president get away with unconstitutional actions as a result. The Congress in those days was much less willing to do that. Third, I was able to speak from the beginning, in terms of what the papers represented and presented my motives in a way that made a lot of sense to the public. A lot of the rest of the public regarded me as a traitor. I heard it as much as Bradley Manning did. The president and vice president both used those words. But I was out on bond and was able to explain what I had done and why I had done it. That definitely had its effect on the trial. In Bradley Manning's case, he's been held essentially incommunicado. For three years, no journalist has [talked to] Bradley Manning by phone or in person. He's a figure you've heard nothing from. They haven't allowed anybody to see him. In fact, [former congressman Dennis] Kucinich [D-Ohio] tried formally to get in to see him. He was refused, or put off indefinitely. The U.N. rapporteur for torture tried officially to see him, privately, which is the only way he's allowed to operate, without the alleged torturers present. Manning was held for 10 months in conditions that the rapporteur claimed [were] at the very least cruel and inhumane conditions. I would say that by itself is grounds for dismissal of the trial. He should have been released for reasons of government misconduct, just like my case. All the public has heard are unfavorable accounts with an emphasis on Manning's gender identity. It's clear from his statements to his informant that [Manning's sexual orientation] had nothing to do with [the motives for] his revelations. Those were entirely conscientious and political. It had nothing to do with his [personal] difficulties. The idea that he did this because he was "troubled" is defamatory. TL: What do you think is the correct legal framework for handling classified information? Some information needs to be kept secret, right? DE: William Florence, who drafted most of the regulations [on classified information] in the Pentagon in the 1950s, said at my trial that in his estimation, some 5 percent of what is classified is properly classified at the time. After a few years, about 0.5 percent remains worthy of classification. Anybody who knows the system knows that Florence is not wrong. Very little meets the requirements of classification within two to three years. So as I say, something between 95 and 99 percent should not be classified at all. Yet it stays classified essentially forever. So much is classified because it might turn out to be embarrassing. You can't tell at the moment what prediction or recommendation will be a great embarrassment. So classify everything. Some of it is criminal at the time. A lot of it is lying and deception of the public. Some of it is breaking of treaties. So you need a much stronger Freedom of Information Act. You need more people to declassify information. Money spent on more people declassifying is money very well spent for our democracy. There should not be a secrets act which criminalizes all release of all classified information. President Obama is using the Espionage Act [as a de facto secrets act] which should have been regarded as unconstitutional. TL: But there needs to be some penalty for disclosing secret information, right? DE: It shouldn't be criminalized. The administrative sanctions against putting out information that your boss doesn't want out, such as taking away clearance, removing access, firing, lost careers, those have kept far too many secrets over the last 50 years. We don't need to have criminal sanctions at all. There are already sanctions for putting out a narrow class of information: intelligence information, nuclear weapons data, identity of covert operations. Putting sanctions there doesn't offend me, though there are some exceptions where that information should come out. In the military, violating any order can put you in prison. But for civilian life, you do not want criminal sanctions for putting out information to the American public.Levante Brewing Company to Release Its First Canned Beer The West Chester brewery will release cans of an exclusive beer, Locked In The Trunk IPA. By Ronna Dewey All photos courtesy of Levante Brewing Company Levante Brewing Company has quickly become a favorite destination for consistently solid beers since opening in 2015. The West Chester brewery is among the many successful new crafters in the region and will soon release its inaugural canned beer. While Levante’s beers are readily available on tap at its West Chester brewery and in restaurants throughout the region, up until now, the company has only released bottles of a few select beers, creating high demand. For the first time, Levante is putting its beer in cans, beginning with Locked in the Trunk IPA. The cans will be released on Dec. 21, at 5 p.m. at the brewery. Levante previously produced a single barrel of Locked in the Trunk to rave reviews. Locked in the Trunk will be available in 16-ounce cans and will be sold as a four pack or case. Just 166 cases will be available. “Locked in the Trunk is a hazy IPA where the base malt of the beer is similar to our Belgian Tripel. However, our house yeast strain for IPAs is utilized along with considerable dry-hopping treatments of Citra hops. Citra hops provide beers with intense citrus aroma and flavor,” says Jim Adams, owner and director of retail operations and customer outreach. “The craft community tends to call beers laden with Citra hops ‘Juice-Bombs,’ and Locked in the Trunk does not disappoint in this area!” The beer will be canned on-site at the brewery by River City Cannery on the same day as the release. “We want to maintain the highest freshness possible, so we are canning and releasing on the same day. It's critical as this is a 100 percent Citra hop-based IPA. The craft beer community demands freshness for this style of beer, and we are excited to offer it,” adds Adams. Locked in the Trunk will be released from the brewhouse section of Levante. The brewery will offer free samples of some of its other offerings for those waiting. 208 Carter Dr., Suite 2, West Chester, (484) 999-8761, www.levantebrewing.com.There are about 40 crickets ground into each of Exo’s energy bars. (Exo) When you’re on the frontier of food — a land full of experimentation — sometimes you have to sleep with the lights on. Jakub Dzamba, a Ph.D. candidate at McGill’s architecture school, was experimenting with farming crickets in his Montreal apartment about a year and a half ago. He’d glued together plastic bottles into a contraption capable of storing the insects. One day Dzamba and his wife returned from a weekend trip to find a heat lamp had melted a hole in the mechanism. Crickets were everywhere. “I ran in there, I didn’t have anything else, so I just took my shoe and killed as many of them as I could,” Dzamba recalled. “My wife almost beat the crap out of me.” She wanted to spend the night at a hotel, but he convinced her to stay. For a few days the couple slept with the lights on in the 230 square foot apartment. “Then I really upped my game in terms of containing them,” said Dzamba, the founder of Third Millennium Farming, which is devoted to sustainable farming of insects, algae and grass. Next week, Dzamba will introduce the Circle Chirp, a household device the size of a suitcase that can hold 500 or 600 crickets for someone daring enough to farm their own crickets. After some trials, Jakub Dzamba developed a safe way to farm crickets in his home. (Third Millennium Farming) The insects, which are sustainable and nutritious, have emerged in the past year as something of a food fad. Some say they taste like sunflowers. Other say almonds, or whatever the crickets have been fed. If the cost of farming them drops, they appear likely to become a regular part of American diets given their many merits. The industry leapt forward following a 2013 United Nations report warning that with nine billion people on Earth in 2050, current food production will have to double. Between a lack of space and climate change concerns, we’ll need more sustainable solutions. Crickets happen to be a great option. Insects, being cold-blooded, are much more efficient at converting feed into protein. A cricket needs 12 times less feed than cattle to produce the same amount of protein. Insects require significantly less land and water than cattle. Currently, agriculture accounts for 8.1 percent of greenhouse gases in the United States. Trading cows, chickens and pigs for crickets and other insects would cut that number down. For environmental reasons, the allure of crickets is obvious. The irony of cricket farming is its current high costs. A pound of ground up crickets costs between $20 and $40, depending on the source and season. For comparison sake, a bag of wheat flour generally costs about a dollar per pound. Those in the cricket industry blame the high price on lack of scale and inefficient farming methods. “There’s a huge amount of what we consider low-hanging fruit in the farming methods. It’s never been worth anyone’s time to improve it,” said Andrew Brentano of Tiny Farms, which advises cricket farmers. Cricket farms have existed in the United States for over a century, providing fishing bait and later food for pet reptiles. But the industry is still small. “Essentially we’re trying to sell beef jerky when there are like three cattle ranches in the U.S.,” said Gabi Lewis, co-founder of Exo, which sells cricket-based energy bars. Exo sold out its first production run — 50,000 bars — within a few weeks earlier this year and Lewis says the business has grown from there. But they aren’t yet profitable. “If this whole thing is not going to collapse on itself the price has to come down,” Dzamba said. One man looking to drop the price of cricket “flour,” the general term used for dead crickets ground into a granular substance, is Kevin Bachhuber. He opened Big Cricket Farms in April of this year in Youngstown, Ohio. Bachhuber has used 3D printers for making systems that automatically deliver water to the one million crickets he’s currently raising. Bachhuber hopes to automate food delivery services as well. Bachhuber still has seven employees on site. He’ll need to find a way to scale up production while minimizing human labor. The most efficient farms are nearly devoid of human life. For example, a cotton farm in Mississippi needs only 13 people to produce enough cotton in a year for 9.4 million T-shirts. Bachhuber plans to be farming six or seven million crickets this fall, which works out to 6,000 or 7,000 pounds of crickets that can be sold. It may sound like a lot, but about 75 percent of the weight is lost as the crickets are made into flour, due to the insects’ water weight. He charges from $5 to $12 for 1,000 crickets, and says he will be profitable within a year and a half. Aside from the cost concerns, cricket entrepreneurs will have to convince the American public that eating insects isn’t gross. They point out that at least two billion people worldwide include insects in their diets, and there are 1,900 edible species of insects. The Western diet left behind a worthy practice. If crickets go mainstream, meal worms might be next. (Tiny Farms) “It’s a remnant of the European style of agricultural. In higher latitudes there are fewer insects and they weren’t recognized as a form of food,” said founder Pat Crowley of Chapul, which sells cricket energy bars. He envisions crickets used in breakfast cereals, pretzels and chips to increase protein content and decrease carbohydrates. “There are many, many foods that were once viewed as disgusting in this country and are now viewed as either normal or delicacies — lobster, kombucha, sushi, Greek yogurt,” Lewis said. If crickets become the next hot food, other insects are almost certain to follow. Keep an eye on meal worms, fly larvae, caterpillars, black soldier flies and wax worms. “When you bite it, it tastes a lot like bacon,” said Dzamba of wax worms.Thirty-four of 153 fish samples purchased by Marketplace were mislabelled. ((CBC)) DNA testing of a variety of fish bought at several Canadian grocery stores reveals products are sometimes mislabelled and some species being sold are endangered, an investigation by CBC-TV's Marketplace has found. Marketplace purchased 153 pieces of fish — everything from halibut to pickerel, sea bass and shark — at big and small stores across Canada. While many stores had no labelling issues, 34 fish samples, or about 22 per cent, were mislabelled. "Consumers are definitely being ripped off," said Robert Hanner, a biologist with the University of Guelph's Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, where the fish samples were analyzed. For more, watch Marketplace at 8:30 p.m. Friday, 9 p.m. in Newfoundland. Hanner is associate director for the Canadian Barcode of Life Network, a project that will allow scientists to identify all the fish in the world using genetics. Every species gets its own DNA bar code and the information is fed into a giant database, allowing scientists to find instant matches. "Once these fillets are processed, they become very difficult to identify without these kinds of molecular methods, and so DNA bar coding has given us a very powerful tool to enact enviro-surveillance of the food chain," said Hanner. Biologist Robert Hanner, of the University of Guelph, shows Marketplace host Erica Johnson, how they identify fish, using DNA barcodes. ((CBC)) Thanks to the Barcode of Life, it took little time to analyze the Marketplace samples. For instance, salmon from a Sobeys in Toronto was labelled as Pacific salmon, specifically wild Coho and wild Red Spring. But DNA testing determined that it was actually farmed Atlantic salmon, which is about $2.20 per kilogram cheaper than the wild variety. Many people are willing to pay more for wild salmon because farmed salmon are given antibiotics and other drugs, and subjected to pesticides, according to the website of renowned conservationist David Suzuki, who has advised against eating farmed salmon. "Atlantic salmon is a common species in aquaculture and this is often substituted for wild Pacific salmon," said Hanner. Tips for buying fish There are ways for consumers to protect themselves from fish fraud, according to Rob Clark, executive chef at C, a well-known restaurant in Vancouver. Clark, a promoter of sustainable seafood, only buys fish from retailers who can say where and how it was caught. That means building a relationship with the person who sells you fish. If a retailer can't say where the fish came from, then he doesn't buy it, Clark said. Another good way to ensure you know what type of fish you're buying is to purchase the fish whole, before it is filleted. "Once you fillet that, take the head off and take the skin off, a lot of things could be sold as that product, right? So that’s why it’s good to see it whole," said Clark. Testing on another piece of fish from Sobeys labelled as shark steak reveal it to be sandbar shark, a species considered "vulnerable." There are no Canadian laws preventing fish termed "vulnerable" from being sold but Sandbar shark is not supposed to be on store shelves because it has not been approved by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Sobeys said it was told differently by the CFIA about restrictions on sandbar shark. It blamed "human error" for selling farmed Atlantic salmon as wild Pacific, and said it has "put in place new processes… to prevent future occurrences." In Montreal, "cod" was purchased from several grocery stores, including Metro, Loblaw and Provigo, for about $17.60 per kg. But testing determined some pieces were actually haddock and pollock. And while haddock costs about the same as cod, pollock goes for about $11 per kg. Metro, where some of the mislabelled samples were bought, also blamed the labelling mistake on human error. Loblaw working to 'ensure' fish safety At a Loblaw in Sainte-Foy, Que., a fish sample was labelled as Pacific halibut, but testing found it to be wild Atlantic halibut, a species that conservationists consider endangered. For its part, Loblaw offered assurance that it was working to "ensure the authenticity, safety and quality" of its fish products. Hanner blamed the mislabelling of fish on weak legislation and lack of enforcement. "Resource scarcity combined with, I would say, rather weak legislation that doesn't punish people who substitute one fillet for another have driven profiteering in this area — people who are engaging in food fraud," said Hanner. The CFIA, which enforces the country's labelling laws, has promised to look into the mislabelling findings. "The CFIA is responsible for enforcing the regulations as they currently exist," said Mary Ann Green, the head of the agency's food safety and consumer protection department. Last year, the CFIA did not lay any charges against retailers nor wholesalers for mislabelling fish. Green noted that the majority of samples that Marketplace tested were in compliance with the laws. "You found a lot of compliance. Therefore there are systems in place that are working," said Green. "The majority of your products were in compliance."Welcome to the happy Google search page. Where links to historical articles can be deleted at the request of cowards people with fragile reputations. Where the former boss of Merrill Lynch, Stan O'Neal, is a fresh, dynamic and highly employable banker, rather than a disgraced executive who contributed to the sub-prime lending crisis of 2007. Where truth-telling journalists like Robert Peston wake up to find that their articles have been cast into oblivion within the EU, thanks to a blanket ruling by a bunch of clueless lawyers the European Court of Justice. Where facts and opinions no longer count for anything if someone, somewhere doesn't like them. (A list of other Google search terms that have so far been affected by the new "right to be forgotten" can be found here -- although in none of the cases do we have any information about who objected to them, or why.) Update: Reuters and The Guardian are reporting that some links have been restored (not the one to the story about Stan O'Neal), although, as Danny Sullivan points out on Twitter, they may not have been pulled at all. The European Commission has also distanced itself from Google's takedown action, saying that the EU's ruling shouldn't allow people to "photoshop their lives."A new report on the future of the Gardiner Expressway suggests four options for the crumbling behemoth: improve it, replace it, maintain it or remove it. It ranks each option against a number of criteria, from the cost to the time it would take for construction to the effect on pedestrians, cyclists and the natural environment. Removing it comes out ahead by just about every measure, except two: automobile travel times and the movement of goods. Those just happen to be the very two things the expressway was built for – to move cars with people in them and trucks with freight in them across the bottom of the city. Saying that removal of the Gardiner is the best option if it were not for the traffic-moving thing is like saying using a baseball bat is the best way to play hockey except for the puck-moving thing. The Gardiner may be a costly old eyesore, but it is a key part of Toronto's transportation network. Combined with the Don Valley Parkway to the east, the 427 to the west and the 401 to the north, it completes the circle of highways that encloses the central city, allowing motorists to travel from top to bottom and side to side without negotiating city streets. In a haphazard Toronto sort of way, these four arteries constitute the equivalent of the ring roads that encircle many modern cities. Story continues below advertisement Tearing down the Gardiner east of Jarvis Street, as proposed in the removal option, would take a bite out of the ring and break the circle. Instead of coming south off the DVP onto the Gardiner, motorists would find themselves dumped onto city streets complete with stop lights and crossing pedestrians. Instead of coming along the elevated Gardiner and curving north onto the DVP, eastbound motorists would descend to street level and run into the same problem. In place of the Gardiner and the Lakeshore, they would find a broad new boulevard. It would be as if you took a stretch in the middle of the 401 and converted it to a wide street like University or Finch Avenue. Imagine the effect of all that speeding traffic spilling suddenly onto a city street. The whole point of a highway, after all, is to separate cars from the things – stop signs, traffic lights, pedestrians, cyclists, other cars parking and making turns – that impede the flow of traffic. The new report says removing the eastern part of the Gardiner could add up to 10 minutes each way to a commute downtown, and that is assuming that the city builds more mass transit to take pressure off the roads. Add in the extra traffic that is expected to come with population growth, and a car trip from Don Mills Road and Eglinton Avenue to downtown in morning rush hour would take 40 minutes by 2031, compared with 25 minutes today. For a city already facing traffic congestion that is believed to cost billions a year – not to mention the price in frustration – that is intolerable. The authors of the study say longer travel times have to be weighed against the benefits of removal, from sharply lower maintenance costs to smoother waterfront access. In place of the Gardiner, it foresees a ground-level boulevard lined with patios, shops and 1,200 new trees, a kind of urbanist's nirvana. But it is far from clear that an eight-lane boulevard with traffic hurrying along it and condos and other buildings lining it would be vastly better. It is right for the city to think about moving away from dependence on the automobile. The Gardiner is a costly symbol of that dependence. Perhaps, one day, the city will need to tear all of it down or bury it. But if we are going to quit the car, we had better find a better way of moving people, and, in a city that is far behind many of its peers in building mass transit, that day is a long way off. In the meantime, we still need highways. Tearing a chunk out of the main thoroughfares is no way to solve Toronto's transportation problem.COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Vaughn Bryant peered through the eye piece of his microscope, making infinitesimally small adjustments on the position of the slide beneath the lens. “Nothing,” he said, and switched the slide for another. “Again, nothing,” he said after about 40 seconds, and substituted another glass slide with a smudge in its center. “OK. We’ve got clover. Some nice cherry, plum and rose.” Moving the slide a bit, the professor of anthropology and director of Texas A&M’s palynology research laboratory added: “I see some blackberry, a couple of birch. Looks like a good Northwest collection.” Bryant was not looking at the makings of a dessert or a salad. He was analyzing some of the more than 60 samples of honey that Food Safety News bought in grocery stores, at farmers markets and in big box, natural food and drug stores across the country. The results of Bryant’s analysis, which Food Safety News paid for, found that more than 75 percent of honey sold in the U.S. has had its pollen filtered out. The food safety divisions of the World Health Organization, the European Commission and dozens of others have ruled that without pollen there is no way to determine whether the honey came from legitimate and safe sources. Food Safety News asked Bryant to look for pollen because that’s what palynologists do. But Bryant is also a melissopalynologist, which means he also specializes in the study of pollen in honey. The professor entered the sticky world of honey in 1976, when he was asked by the Office of Inspector General of the U.S.Department of Agriculture to examine domestic honey purchased by the federal government as part of its farm subsidy program, so U.S. beekeepers would have a stable outlet for their honey. He refined the analytical protocol he would use as he went along, diluting small amounts of honey, then washing them in various acids, some very volatile. Then he heated, washed, centrifuged, rewashed, treated with more acid, heated and centrifuged them one last time. The acids destroys everything in the honey but pollen. He inspected a wide range of government-supplied samples and, in 94 percent of the cases, found pollen that was linked to nectar sources from the U.S. But 6 percent of the samples showed that foreign honey, mostly from Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, was being sold back to the government fraudulently. Today, half of Bryant’s work involves forensic pollen studies; another 25 percent involves archaeological sites and the rest is pure pollen and honey research. There are 250,000 different plants just in the United States that can be used by a honey bee, Bryant said. He can easily identify hundreds of the more common pollens on sight. In his lab, two walls are covered with huge charts of enlarged grains of pollen. In the next room, another wall holds cabinets that contain a $2 million collection of slide-out trays cataloguing 20,000 modern pollen samples from around the world, mostly donated by oil companies. Since much of his work may involve honey products transshipped from China he has worked hard to get samples and reference material on Asia honey and pollen. “So I’ve got every Chinese pollen book that I can get my hands on that shows me the pollen types that exist in China and neighboring countries, such as Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia and Taiwan,” he said. This type of pollen analysis at the few labs in Europe that offer it can run $1,200 per sample or more according to honey packers who use the service. Bryant often charges far less than $100 for his basic pollen identification. That’s “barely enough to cover chemicals and supplies,” especially when he’s doing it as a service for mom-and-pop-sized beekeepers and honey packers, he said. His customers are honey importers who want to know whether they’re really getting what they’re paying for from foreign suppliers and beekeepers who send him samples, so they can track what their bees are harvesting and what they can accurately say on their honey’s labels. The 71-year-old professor also does forensic work for several federal investigatory agencies mostly involved with anti-terrorism and anti-smuggling efforts. He refuses to discuss any of this work for those clients. “I am concerned about the import of unsafe products and about the government’s apparent apathy towards trying to put a stop to the illegal importation of honey,” Bryant said. “I feel my efforts are helping to fight this battle.” Sometimes his pollen analyses are just fun. Bryant was asked to analyze the honey produced and served by the White House to determine where the bees are sourcing their pollen. Bryant concluded that the White House honey is classified as a unifloral clover honey, but also contains minor amounts of nectar from other nearby sources, including dogwoods, honeysuckles and magnolia. Pollen and history About 70 years ago, before radio-carbon dating, Bryant explained, archaeologists were originally using pollen collected from their artifacts to attempt to confirm the age of their discoveries. Geologists started collecting fossil pollen from deep underground looking for sediment in various strata, dried up lake beds and other geological sites that have repeatedly been shown to be likely sites of oil and gas reserves. Pollen specialists have been recruited by leading museums and art galleries to authenticate the source of furniture, painting and sculptures. One of the earliest well-publicized studies was of the microscopic grains of pollen collected from the Shroud of Turin in the mid-70s by botanist and Swiss criminologist Max Frei. Frei’s analysis had identified pollen spores of 58 different plants, many that originated only in and around the site of the crucifixion. Forensic palynology – the identification of ancient and modern pollen to solve crimes – developed slowly. One of the earliest cases of using technology to catch a criminal was in 1959, when Austrian police tried to tie a suspect to a man reported missing while on a trip along the Danube River, Bryant said. The missing man’s body had not been recovered but police believed the suspect had a motive for the crime. Mud found on the suspect’s boots was analyzed by a palynologist from the University of Vienna. He identified several common tree pollens but also a unique fossil grain of hickory — a precise mixture of pollen that was only found in one small area along the Danube. The revelation of this information by police so spooked the suspect that he confessed and showed police where he had buried the body. Scientific and criminology journals show that detection and identification of pollen has been used in cases ranging from kidnapping, rape, homicide, smuggling, counterfeiting, wildlife violations, terrorism and a litany of other themes in waiting-to-be-written crime novels. Bryant continues to run his mostly one-person CSI operation but he says the government needs to do more. “We must get our government to test samples — not just the paperwork on imported honey – but actually look at the honey itself,” he said. He also believes the government must impose “truth in labeling” for honey. “Most other countries do this, so why don’t we?” he asked. “If people were certain they were buying what is on the label, I suspect they might be willing to pay premium prices. Right now it is a crap shoot.You may or may not get what it says on the label and that’s wrong.” ———– See “Tests Show Most Store Honey Isn’t Honey” at Food Safety News.Grimm and his Troupe arrived for players, and everywhere we looked the little knight was out taking part in the event, from art to pumpkins to trick or treating. We’ve a whole bunch of news to share this update, but we have to highlight some of this spooky stuff first! Costumes These were the coolest thing ever! Hallownest’s buggy characters spilled out into the real world thanks to a horde of talented costume makers and brave trick-or-treaters! Here are some highlights: @papadar_ decked his 5 year old son in this stylish Knight costume. Hornet’s stepping out onto Greenpath! Thanks to @sirean_syan and her 5 year old daughter. @MichelleFyhrie’s warrior children: Hornet & the Knight, with weapons drawn! A Knight via @fundor333 wielding a fearsome pure nail! @Meteor_Cow’s Knight is sporting some serious kicks! @TrilobitePhotos’s 7 year old daughter becomes the Knight (And gets snapped in moody black and white!) @Adorable_Gaming headed out with the whole family! Hornet, the Knight, a Grub and the Mighty Grey Prince Zote! Fan Art The fan art keeps on appearing, and for Halloween it starting taking on a particularly grim style. Let’s get into it! The gang are getting into the Holloween spirit thanks to mega-Quirrel-fan (And super-talented illustrator!) @nunko_UT over on Twitter. Nick Daniel’s back on his HK Jam, with all new Grimm flavoured Strips! – https://latchkeykingdom.tumblr.com/ More of the Hallownest gang getting all dressed up for the spooky season, thanks to artist Overheating, on the Steam Community –https://steamcommunity.com/app/367520/images/ Grimm’s towering at full height thanks to Bongdari, also on Steam: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1184593034 The Knight meets the Troupe Leader by @SupercellComic Lauren Pacheco took on both sides of Grimm! @LaurenNPach Pumpkins Other fans were showing off their talents by immortalising Hollow Knight in carved, vegetable perfection! The Knight by @Longneckbread Action Knight by @katemitiger Vibrant Knight by @draperd4 Pumpkin Hunter by @sirean_syan To everyone who made this Halloween such a joy for Team Cherry, thank you so much! Grimm on OSX & Linux We also have to issue an apology here to our Mac and Linux players. Team Cherry hit some very odd bugs around Grimm Troupe time that caused delays and some glitchiness with its launch on OSX and Linux. We’re glad to say we’re past that now, and we wanted to take a moment to say thanks for your patience as we worked to resolve the problems. An extra huge thanks go out to the Mac and Linux users that participated in the public betas on Steam and GOG, with many going out of their way to thoroughly test builds and notify us of any remaining issues. Grimm Stream Team Cherry may
billions generated in ad revenue, the grip it has on the American attention-span – it's a little curious that when fans go hard one night a year, setting things on fire, throwing bottles at cops, trashing metro vehicles... that somehow it’s at all surprising or condemnable. Instead, I find them incredibly fascinating. As acting out in a temporarily lawless street riot becomes a common point of reference for youth in America, we should expect to see the edges of different kinds of riots bleed together. They overlap. They cross-pollinate. Taking the Bay as an example, in the months following the events of Occupy Oakland, illegal ‘Fuck The Police’ noise demos would twist their way through the East Bay with adapted Oakland Athletics calls: “Let’s Go, Oakland!” It’s not surprising, then, when the Mission District gets covered with anti-police and anti-gentrification graffiti the night after the World Series. If you’re all political and shit, and find yourself wondering ‘what’s the point’ of moments of sports riot, here are a few glimpses into the nuance: A Glimpse of Anti-Police Overheard on Twitter: “Kids were yelling SFPD killed Alex Nieto” My fav photo of the night... A group of #SFGiants fans stole an SFMTA vehicle!!! #WorldSeries #OrangeRiot pic.twitter.com/W4rXCZPPWL — Jesse, Rex Imperator (@SFTovarishch) October 30, 2014 A Glimpse of Anti-Gentrification You know, I was a little bummed when I saw people basically saying “Not All Techies” in response to this graffiti that was found all over the Mission last night. I’m a techie I guess. Technically. But I can still appreciate the sentiment. Open your mind people, think about it. A Vanguard Properties and Vida, developers responsible for overpriced condos in the Mission district, were attacked again. With fire. Whoa. A Glimpse of Anti-Spectator Also, some straight-up ignorant athletics: Well this was slightly terrifying and awesome. #giantsriot A video posted by Michael Brinkman (@mjb8797) on Oct 10, 2014 at 12:16am PDT No joke, I also heard that some people were burning their bras on flaming couches.The #NoDAPL movement continues in North Dakota. Photo by Sacred Stone Camp [Twitter \| GoFundMe] Leaders of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians have approved a substantial contribution to the #NoDAPL movement. The tribal council agreed to send $50,000 to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, The Cherokee One Feather reported. The money will be used to support efforts to stop the $3.8 billion Dakota Access Pipeline “I know they’re in a legal battle, and we all know what legal battles cost. Fifty-thousand dollars sounds like a lot of money, but if you’re in a legal battle, it’s not," council member Alan B. Esnley, who represents the Yellowhill community, said at a September 6 budget meeting, The One Feather reported. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is suing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for approving the pipeline, which comes within a half-mile of the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation. A decision on a preliminary injunction -- which could prevent the project from crossing the Missouri River -- is expected by Friday. Read More on the Story: Council approves $50,000 to support Standing Rock Sioux (The Cherokee One Feather 9/6) Also Today: A PIPELINE FIGHT AND AMERICA’S DARK PAST (The New Yorker 9/6) Relevant Documents: Join the Conversation Related Stories: Lakota Country Times: School going strong at #NoDAPL campsite (9/7) Dave Archambault: Dakota Access Pipeline destroys sacred sites (9/7) Dave Archambault: Dakota Access Pipeline destroys sacred sites (9/7) Mike Myers: Historic ties between the Haudenosaunee and Sioux (9/7) Standing Rock Sioux Tribe disappointed with ruling in #NoDAPL case (9/6) Dakota Access fires back at tribes ahead of hearing in federal court (9/6) Lakota Country Times: Tribes still united at #NoDAPL encampment (9/6) Native Sun News: Death highlights dangers of Dakota Access work (9/6) Hearing ordered after Standing Rock Sioux Tribe reports destruction (9/5) Army Corps backs restraining order against Dakota Access Pipeline (9/5) Quinault Nation sends Grandfather Canoe to #NoDAPL encampment (9/5) Sarah Sunshine Manning: Dogs attack peaceful #NoDAPL resisters (9/5) LaDonna Brave Bull Allard: We have no choice but to defend water (9/5) Jacqueline Keeler: #NoDAPL resistance is part of something bigger (9/5) Steve Russell: Federal Indian law and the Dakota Access Pipeline (9/5) Standing Rock Sioux Tribe reports cultural finds near pipeline path (9/2) Mark Trahant: #NoDAPL poses test for Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine (9/2) Native Sun News: Cartoonist brings humor to #NoDAPL movement (9/2) Tribal activists cheer demise of controversial pipeline in Minnesota (9/2) United Nations Forum backs Standing Rock Sioux Tribe on #NoDAPL (9/1) Native Sun News: Northern Cheyenne Tribe joins #NoDAPL efforts (9/1) Jim Kent: The real truth about the #NoDAPL resistance movement (9/1) Mark Trahant: Candidate shows support for #NoDAPL movement (9/1) Lakota Country Times: #NoDAPL roadblock remains a major issue (8/31) Brandon Ecoffey: #NoDAPL resistance is the start of a movement (8/31) Dave Archambault: Struggle unfolds on Standing Rock Sioux land (8/31) Terri Miles: Indian Country unites to stare down the black snake (8/31) Joel Heitkamp: Officials in North Dakota need a lesson in respect (8/31) Standing Rock Sioux Tribe confirms lack of easement for pipeline (8/30) Supplies needed for #NoDAPL Defenders of Sacred Water School (8/30) Lakota Country Times: Students witness history at pipeline camp (8/30) Vi Waln: Media distorts peaceful nature of sacred #NoDAPL camp (8/30) Mike Myers: Historic ties between the Haudenosaunee and Sioux (8/30) Mark Anthony Rolo: Tribes remain at mercy of bad federal policies (8/30) Defenders of the Water School opens at pipeline resistance camp (8/29) Lakota Country Times: Resisters dispute emergency declaration (8/29) Dave Archambault: Stopping the desecration of our Mother Earth (8/29) Mark Trahant: State erects roadblock at peaceful #NoDAPL camp (8/29) Latoya Lonelodge: Witnessing history at Camp of Sacred Stones (8/29) Jon Eagle: Land remains sacred to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe (8/29) Albert Bender: Tribes join together at Camp of the Sacred Stones (8/29) Steven Newcomb: Law of Christendom at play in #NoDAPL battle (8/29) Arvol Looking Horse: Saving our Earth from energy development (8/29) Tribal Tribune: Unity at Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's #NoDAPL camp (8/26) Winona LaDuke: Corporate interests come to destroy our mother (8/26) Sarah Sunshine Manning: #NoDAPL campaign awakens our people (8/26) Dakota Access Pipeline lacks key approval to build by reservation (8/26) Lummi Nation sends totem pole to #NoDAPL camp in North Dakota (8/26) Dave Archambault: Why the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe is fighting (8/25) Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe chair dispels rumors about camp site (8/25) Sen. Bernie Sanders joining opposition to Dakota Access Pipeline (8/25) Native Sun News: Thousands join #NoDAPL resistance movement (8/25) Standing Rock Sioux Tribe sees strong support at pipeline hearing (8/24) Kayla DeVault: Navajo Nation must take a stand on Dakota Access (8/24) Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe seeks prayers ahead of pipeline hearing (8/23) Lakota Country Times: Oglala Sioux Tribe joins fight against pipeline (8/23) Brandon Ecoffey: The Horse Nations prepare for battle over pipeline (8/23) Simon Moya-Smith: Hillary Clinton remains silent amid pipeline feud (8/23) Steven Newcomb: Standing Rock Sioux Tribe challenges domination (8/23) Sheriff mistook sacred pipes for pipe bombs at pipeline protest site (8/23) Tribes prepare for critical hearing in Dakota Access Pipeline lawsuit (8/22) Mark Trahant: Pipeline fight highlights power of political organizing (8/22) Lakota Country Times: Tribes unite to stop Dakota Access Pipeline (8/22) Vi Waln: Our water system is being threatened by energy pipelines (8/22) Winona LaDuke: Bigger problems ahead for Dakota Access Pipeline (8/22) Dallas Goldtooth: Tribes shut out of Dakota Access Pipeline process (8/22) Native Sun News: Resistance grows against Dakota Access Pipeline (08/18) Harold Frazier: Obama must put a stop to Dakota Access Pipeline (08/15) Tribes and Native youth join forces in campaign to stop oil pipeline (08/11) Democrats embrace tribal sovereignty in platform for convention (07/08) Dakota Access Pipeline to go underneath tribal burial site in Iowa (06/22) Native Sun News: Standing Rock Sioux Tribe battles oil pipeline (06/08) Iowa board approves energy pipeline work amid tribal objections (06/07) Native Sun News: Tribes score big in fights against energy projects (05/26) Standing Rock Sioux Tribe seeks halt to construction of pipeline (05/12) Native Sun News: Youth run 500 miles to protest new oil pipeline (05/11) Native Sun News: Standing Rock Sioux Tribe aims to stop pipeline (04/27) Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and Army Corps to discuss oil pipeline (04/26) Native Sun News: Tribes gaining traction in war against pipelines (04/20) Brandon Ecoffey: Tribes continue battle against energy pipelines (04/19) Standing Rock Sioux Tribe sets up sacred camp to oppose pipeline (04/15) Native Sun News: Tribes organize against Dakota Access Pipeline (04/13) Native Sun News: Tribes organize against Dakota Access Pipeline (4/13) Iowa Tribe joins fight against oil pipeline on aboriginal territory (3/24) Native Sun News: Standing Rock Sioux Tribe battles pipeline plan (3/14) Native Sun News: Tribes fight another pipeline through Great Plains (07/07) Meskwaki Tribe opposes oil pipeline through aboriginal territory (03/17)You know all those “dumb blonde” jokes that the media loves to regurgitate? Well, wait til you get a load of this! Who is the smartest person you know? Albert Einstein? Bill Gates? Well, a 16-year-old girl with an IQ of 161 makes those guys look like complete morons. Ok, maybe not morons. But according to the Daily Mail teenager Lauren Marbe has a higher IQ than Stephen Hawking, Bill Gates and Albert Einstein. (Einstein never actually took an IQ test but experts predict that he would have scored a 160.) Marbe scored a 161 on a Mensa IQ test, one point higher than the aforementioned geniuses. According to Yahoo News, Marbe is a typical 16-year-old girl. She likes fake tans, manicures and going out with her friends. The young girl is happy, however, to disprove some of the stereotypes about blonde girls from Essex. “I love my fake tan and fake nails as well so I guess I am a bit of an Essex girl in that sense. (But) I’m glad that I might be able to show people that we aren’t all ditzy and blonde,” Marbe said. Marbe, who is already a straight A student, decided to take the Mensa IQ test for fun with her friends. The 16-year-old girl said that she was “blown away” to find out that she had an IQ of 161. “It was such an achievement and I got a bit tearful to tell you the truth … I was one of the last people to get my result and everybody before me had got around the 130 mark so that was the kind of result I was expecting. My teachers knew I was quite clever because of my grades but they had always thought I was blonde and a bit ditzy,” Marbe said. The Essex girl has was enrolled into the Mensa Society and plans on studying architecture this Summer.“I don’t care about no damn lawsuit” officer yells at media Steve Watson Infowars.com March 19, 2012 Two NBC journalists were handcuffed and threatened by Chicago police after attempting to report on the murder of a 6-year-old girl yesterday, NBC Chicago reports. Another NBC journalist was also detained by police outside Mt. Sinai Hospital, where the girl had been taken following a fatal shooting during city wide violence over the weekend. Police were called to the hospital shortly after reporters arrived on the scene. The journalists said they has already moved away from a public sidewalk and across the street at the request of the police. One police officer was then caught on camera telling other members of the media “Your First Amendment right can be terminated if you’re creating a scene or whatever. Your First Amendment right has got limitations.” When the reporters asked for clarification on how they were creating a scene, the officer replied, “Your presence is creating a scene.” “This is what we do for a living!” one reporter replied, before another added“You’ve got a lawsuit coming.” “I don’t care about no damn lawsuit!” the officer fired back. “F*ck a lawsuit. Just ’cause you sue doesn’t mean you’re going to win.” Photographer Donte Williams and WGN Reporter Dan Ponce were then handcuffed and briefly detained by the officer, who threatened them with trespassing charges. Watch the video: The police say they acted following claims that the reporters had attempted to enter a secure area of the hospital. The two reporters, along with NBC Chicago Reporter Christian Farr deny that they attempted to go inside the hospital. The two were released without charge. Later appearing on WLS Radio, Dan Ponce said “This is in front of a hospital. The reporters and photographers were standing on the median sidewalk when the officer started yelling at us, telling us to get further away. We decided to take a stand.” The Chicago Police Department released the following statement on the incident: The Chicago Police Department did not charge anyone with criminal trespass in connection with yesterday’s incident, which involved the unfortunate and senseless loss of a young child. We removed two individuals from the hospital at the request of hospital security guards, who asserted that the individuals had tried to go past them into secure and private areas of the hospital. The security guards declined to press charges and the individuals were released. Our members were attempting to protect and respect both the grieving family members of the child, and the memory of the child herself during a very stressful time for all parties involved. As always, we will carefully review the allegations in the event further action is warranted. —————————————————————- Steve Watson is the London based writer and editor for Alex Jones’ Infowars.net, and Prisonplanet.com. He has a Masters Degree in International Relations from the School of Politics at The University of Nottingham in England.Daryl Murphy beats Brentford goalkeeper David Button to give Ipswich an early lead Ipswich wasted the opportunity to leapfrog Brentford back into the play-off places despite Daryl Murphy's 22nd goal of the season. Striker Murphy forced the ball home following a corner to give Mick McCarthy's side an early lead. Jonathan Douglas nodded an equaliser after recalled goalkeeper Dean Gerken saved Stuart Dallas's initial effort. Murphy shot over an open goal after the break and later failed to beat Button one-on-one as Brentford stayed sixth. The draw - only the fifth of the season for the London club - kept them one place and one point above Ipswich. Overdue trip to Portman Road Brentford's visit to Ipswich was their first since 2004 and their first in the league since a Division Three (South) game in September 1956 They have a poor record against Ipswich, having lost six of the nine previous meetings - with their only win back in November 1955 The two sides went into the game with a marked contrast in their recent form, Brentford having won three and lost one since the announcement that boss Mark Warburton will leave the club at the end of the season, while Ipswich had won once and suffered three defeats in their last four. Town started the stronger, however, with the Brentford backline looking uneasy and went ahead when Christophe Berra headed down Richard Chaplow's corner and Murphy turned the ball home. Media playback is not supported on this device Warburton on Ipswich v Brentford Murphy hit the side-netting from a tight angle soon afterwards and Jonathan Parr drove left-footed across the face of the goal before the Bees slowly began to assert themselves going forward. Alex Pritchard forced a good save from Dean Gerken diving to his left, but the Ipswich keeper could do little about Douglas's equaliser and the Bees almost made it two when Andre Gray flashed a shot wide. Murphy had a gilt-edged chance immediately after the break, only to clear the bar from five yards after the lively Parr played the ball to him. Button did well to deny Murphy after he ran onto a long ball from Tyrone Mings and later produced another good save to prevent sub Teddy Bishop snatching a winner. Ipswich manager Mick McCarthy: "It is a bonkers league with Derby drawing today and Middlesbrough losing. Media playback is not supported on this device McCarthy on Ipswich v Brentford "It is going to go to the last game, the last minute. "If we keep playing like that, we will win more than we lose and we will probably be in the top six." Brentford manager Mark Warburton: "We have been in the top six since November - something that speaks volumes for my players. "I thought we looked good when we got the ball down but this league is all about tough challenges. "We are not a big physical team but the players stood up to Ipswich. I have told my players they are just 10 games from the Premier League, the promised land."The chairman of a conservative think tank has called on Tory supporters to vote UKIP in seats where Nigel Farage's party is best-placed to defeat Labour. Bow Group chairman Benjamin Harris-Quinney warned of "sleepwalking into a Labour government" without the tactic. But his comments were disowned by all of the Bow Group's patrons, including Conservative grandees Lords Howe, Heseltine, Howard and Lamont. They said people should vote Conservative "in all situations". Polls suggest a hung Parliament is likely after 7 May, and Mr Harris-Quinney, whose comments were first reported in the Daily Telegraph, said he would prefer a Conservative majority. But he said "few in the Conservative Party will acknowledge the reality that this is now very unlikely to happen, and without that acknowledgement we are sleep-walking into a Labour government". He added: "We recognise the need to keep Ed Miliband out of Number 10, and the best way to do this is for Conservative voters to lend their votes to UKIP, who are best placed to beat Labour in many areas." Image caption Mr Harris-Quinney rejected the notion his comments were not representative of the Bow Group The Bow Group describes itself as "the United Kingdom's oldest conservative think tank" and "firmly housed in the Conservative family". UKIP leader Nigel Farage welcomed Mr Harris-Quinney's endorsement. But all of the Bow Group's patrons - which include former deputy prime minister Lord Heseltine, ex-Conservative leader Lord Howard and ex-chancellor Lord Lamont - distanced themselves from Mr Harris-Quinney's comments. In a joint statement they said: "As patrons of the Bow Group we believe that this country's best interests are served by voting Conservative in all situations. "Ben Harris-Quinney does not speak for us or represent our views." 'No account' Mr Harris-Quinney was challenged over his credentials during BBC Two's Daily Politics programme, and he rejected the notion that he was only speaking for himself when he called for Tory voters to vote tactically for UKIP. The think tank chairman, who said he was not a member of the Conservative Party, insisted that the paper was the product of a work of a number of people in the Bow Group, something which he said was customary. But appearing on the same programme, Lord Heseltine asked, "who is this guy?", adding that he was "of no account". Image caption Lord Heseltine said Mr Harris-Quinney's view were "incompatible" with Conservative policy "The Bow Group must have its own examination of how this guy, who is not a member of the Conservative Party, who is actively campaigning in a way that is incompatible with Conservative policy, has been able to produce this document," he said. Meanwhile, the Independent newspaper has backed the continuation of the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition in its editorial. The paper said a minority Labour administration reliant on the support of the SNP would be "a disaster for the country" and added: "For all its faults, another Lib-Con coalition would both prolong recovery and give our kingdom a better chance of continued existence." The London-based Evening Standard newspaper also declared its hand, coming out in support of the Conservatives who would be "best" for the capital.The house money effect If you are in crypto right now congratulations because you’ve made some returns. You may have even doubled your money and thinking about taking out the amount you initially put in and “playing with the house money”. In the early 90’s, Richard Thaler and Eric Johnson studied the effect on prior outcomes on risky choices and found that people tend to “increase risk seeking in the presence of a prior gain”. So it’s completely natural to think this way. This is an instance you should fight your nature though. What you should be doing after prior gains is reassess risk. Once your crypto wallet is worth more USD then you put in there is an opportunity cost to losing that value since there are other lower risk investments that can generate returns. Remember that a 7% return will nearly double every 10 years so what kind of an impact would an extra $10k have on your retirement? What about your kid’s education fund? What about a downpayment on a rental property? The reality is that if you got into crypto sometime this year the risk hasn’t changed much so you probably should maintain your original position in terms of the percentage of your total capital. Translation: if 10% of your portfolio went into crypto, and it’s only been a few months, you should probably still only be investing 10% of your portfolio. Make the calculation and sell any excess. Sure it sucks to sell some crypto assets and watch the price continue to rise. But the game is to maximize returns and MINIMIZE exposure to risk. And to do this you need to fight your natural tendencies. Be smart and rebalance. Tags: cryptocurrency, trading, and psychologyRight now, the biggest source of clean energy in the United States is nuclear power. The country's 99 commercial reactors provide 20 percent of our electricity, all without emitting carbon dioxide. Compare that with wind at 4.9 percent or solar at 0.6 percent. But that dominance may not last forever. Nuclear power has been facing serious headwinds over the past few years. And, ironically, it's possible that under Obama's Clean Power Plan — aimed at reducing CO2 emissions from the power sector — nuclear will decline even further. Up to five new reactors are expected to come online in the next decade, in Georgia, South Carolina, and Tennessee. But an even larger number of existing reactors are facing pressure to close in places like New Jersey and Illinois. Obama's new climate plan won't necessarily help avert those closures — in fact, it might even create some incentives at the margins to shut down more plants. So here's a closer look at what the future might hold for US nuclear power. Obama's climate plan offers incentives to build (a few) new reactors Nuclear power in the United States faces two distinct challenges. First, very few people are building new nuclear plants. There are just five reactors under construction at existing sites in Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina. The high price tag is a huge deterrent here: Building a nuclear reactor is a slow, complex project involving large upfront costs and strict safety specifications. Cost overruns are common. In many regions, it's simply not economical to build new reactors when natural gas turbines and wind farms are so much cheaper. It's not a coincidence that the reactors being built today are located in heavily regulated states where utilities can recoup their costs by raising electricity rates. Now along comes Obama's Clean Power Plan, under which every state gets an individualized target for curtailing electricity emissions by 2030 and has to come up with a plan for getting there. States can do so by reducing emissions from their existing coal and gas plants (considered in total), by improving energy efficiency, or by building new sources of clean energy. That third part is mildly good news for new nuclear. Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina will be able to make headway on their state emissions goals by bringing online the five new reactors they're already building, so they now have extra incentive to finish. (This was a big change from the original draft version of EPA's rule, which basically assumed these plants were as good as built.) But aside from those five reactors, industry observers say it's unlikely we'll see many more built elsewhere, at least in the near term. Even with EPA's new emission goals, it's easier for most states to switch from coal to natural gas or to build wind farms than it is to build a brand new reactor. (Arguably, we may need new nuclear reactors in the longer term if we want to go totally carbon-free, but that would require a new set of policies beyond the Clean Power Plan.) But even more existing reactors could close in the years ahead... The second issue is what happens with our existing nuclear plants. Again, these reactors still supply 20 percent of the nation's electricity. But a number of them are dealing with sharp economic pressures. The precise challenges vary. Some plants, like Indian Point in upstate New York or Diablo Canyon in California, face significant local opposition. Some may need costly upgrades to deal with wear and tear, environmental concerns, or other regulatory requirements. Others, like Exelon's Quad Cities, Byron, and Clinton plants in Illinois, face intense competition from cheap natural gas and subsidized wind power. We've already seen five reactors close since 2013 and more retirements are likely on the way. All existing reactors were originally licensed to operate for 40 years; many operators are currently seeking permission from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to extend that to 60 years. And the industry is hoping to extend at least half of its plants' licenses even further — through the 2040s and beyond. That relicensing process can be expensive, potentially costing $500 million to $1.5 billion per reactor. Some reactors simply won't survive the process, particularly if they require major upgrades and face continued competition from wind and gas. Case in point: the Oyster Creek nuclear plant in New Jersey, which Exelon is planning to close in 2019 rather than shell out for an expensive new cooling tower required by local regulators. (Here's an informal list of eight more reactors that are "at risk.") Obama's climate plan doesn't help these "at risk" nuclear plants The Clean Power Plan doesn't really do anything to forestall potential closures. It doesn't give states any extra credit for extending the life of their nuclear plants beyond their 40- or 60-year lifespans, nor does it penalize states for shutting down nuclear plants early. (This is because existing nuclear isn't included in the baseline for setting state emissions goals.) At the margins, this could create odd incentives. Say a state's power sector was faced with the choice of a) spending $500 million to extend the life of an existing reactor for 20 years or b) closing the reactor and spending $1.5 billion to replace it with new renewables. The latter would be costlier. But under the Clean Power Plan's rate-based goals, the state would only get credit for reducing emissions if it did the latter, not the former. (These numbers are just meant to be illustrative.) Even more perversely, because of quirks in how the Clean Power Plan's rate-based emissions goals work, some states might even be able to close a nuclear plant, replace it with natural gas generation, and still get credit for cutting emissions, even though overall emissions would have actually gone up, not down. It's not clear that states will do this, but it's something to watch out for. (If states adopt mass-based targets for compliance, however, this would be less of a concern.) "States were basically given no incentive to look at extending these assets," says Steve Skutnik, an assistant professor of nuclear engineering at the University of Tennessee Knoxville who has studied the effects of the Clean Power Plan on nuclear power. "EPA essentially said [in its rule], 'Well, we can't predict which plants will close, so we won't deal with that.' I was surprised by that." There is one final twist here. Under the Clean Power Plan, states can get credit against their emission goals if existing nuclear plants increase their overall output, a process known as "uprating." Since 1977, nuclear plants have added about 6.5 gigawatts of capacity through uprates. Skutnik estimates that further uprating could probably add another 2 or 3 gigawatts of nuclear capacity going forward. But, he says, the plants most likely to do this are the ones that are already financially healthy. It isn't likely to save the plants in trouble. So how many nuclear plants will be left by 2030? It's difficult to predict exactly how many plants will close in the coming years. For its part, the EPA expects overall nuclear capacity to decline only slightly between now and 2030 (from 104 gigawatts down to around 99), as retirements are partly offset by the 5.5 gigawatts' worth of new nuclear reactors currently being built. But that projection might be wrong. Even bigger declines in nuclear are certainly possible — it all depends on what states and utilities decide to do. Will state regulators in places like California and New York require plants to install expensive new cooling towers to address environmental concerns? Will the NRC require major new upgrades as part of the relicensing process? Could further growth in wind power put increased financial pressure on (some) nuclear plants? Those things could hasten retirements. That said, there are also potential developments that could help the existing nuclear fleet and slow the pace of retirements. Could Illinois's legislature pass a measure, now being considered, to include nuclear in its state clean energy standard? Could a new federal reliability rule save some of Exelon's at-risk reactors in the PJM region? Could Congress revamp tax incentives for wind power, giving nuclear a leg up? So many variables. Does it matter if more nuclear plants close? From a climate change perspective, there are a couple of ways to look at this. If states closed some of their nuclear plants but replaced them with carbon-free energy (wind, solar, geothermal, hydro, efficiency savings), then the overall effect might be neutral. As long as states reduce overall emissions at the lowest cost, who cares how they do it? On the other hand, if states shut down their nuclear plants only to replace them with natural gas generation — again, a move that might be allowable under certain circumstances — then additional closures would have a negative climate impact. Right now the EPA is projecting that power plant emissions will fall 32 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 under the Clean Power Plan. This isn't a hard-and-fast requirement. It's just EPA's estimate of what it thinks states will do under the rule — they'll retire more of their coal plants, they'll build more wind and solar, and (as noted above) they'll mostly maintain their existing nuclear capacity. Add it up, and emissions will end up falling 32 percent below 2005 levels. But what if those assumptions are wrong? What if even more nuclear plants retire than EPA expects and, say, get replaced by natural gas? A new paper put out Wednesday by Samuel Brinton and Josh Freed of Third Way suggests this wasn't out of the question. That study, which relies on modeling by MIT researchers Jesse Jenkins and Fernando de Sisternes, finds that additional nuclear retirements in the short and medium term would more likely be replaced by gas, not just clean renewables. And as a result, emissions could end up higher than EPA expects. "In our models," the authors write, "any [additional nuclear] retirements would make it extremely difficult for the Clean Power Plan to reach its emissions targets of 32% below 2005 levels." We'll see what ends up happening. So much depends on what states decide to do in their plans to comply with EPA's rule. But the US nuclear industry could end up facing a lot of big changes in the years ahead. Read more: How Obama's Clean Power Plan actually works — step by stepActor Bryan Cranston said Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) “talks from his heart” but America should not “overextend itself” with spending. Cranston, the star of the television series Breaking Bad, also shared his opinion of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, calling the real estate mogul “refreshing” and “good” for the political process. Cranston, who stars in the new film Trumbo, was asked where Dalton Trumbo’s political views would fall on the political spectrum today. “He was a member of the Communist Party of America, to my belief and what I sussed out, he wasn’t a communist – he was a socialist. He loved being rich. He didn’t want to stop being rich but he had tremendous compassion for the poor and the working class,” he said at the Washington premiere of Trumbo. “So he wanted to do what he could to help them and that’s really socialism. Labels are very tricky and can be very dangerous.” Cranston explained that he personally identifies with fiscally conservative positions but said Sanders, a self-described socialist, is a genuine person who adds value to the presidential race. “I do like him. I feel that he’s a genuine guy. I think he talks from his heart and his head. I think he makes a lot of sense. I consider myself rather fiscally conservative, however. I don’t think America should over-extend itself in its spending,” he said. “It can’t sustain so I agree with more conservative issues when it comes to finances and more social issues when it comes to those freedoms and civil liberties we fought for.” Some Republicans and Democrats have said the U.S. could not afford to implement Sanders’ ideas for new government programs. “But thank God he’s in the race and his ideas are coming up and I think that’s emblematic of Trumbo so it has a place. The message of Trumbo is that this is a wonderful place of freedom so we can have a Dalton Trumbo who talks about workers rights and American communist ideology or we have a Donald Trump who talks from an extreme capitalist point of view,” he said. “Then we have Bernie Sanders and we have Hillary Clinton and we have Marco Rubio, from the full spectrum, and that’s good, good to share all these experiences and let the American people hear everything and decide on their own.” When asked about Trump, Cranston said, “He’s refreshing. I don’t agree with a lot that he has to say but I think it’s good for politics in general.” Director Jay Roach said people often forget that Trumbo joined the Communist Party in 1943 when the U.S. was allied with the Soviet Union. “He mostly joined for what would today be called just progressive, kind of liberal reasons, he was pro-union, he was pro-civil rights and he was anti-fascist and all his friends worked on those issues, and they just all happened to be members of the Communist Party so he joined,” he said.$39.95 (33% Off) $59.95 More inventory coming soon! Notify me when this product is available: I would like to subscribe to the INTO THE AM email newsletter to receive the latest news and deals. You can unsubscribe at any time ( Privacy Policy ) Product select XS / All Over Print S / All Over Print M / All Over Print L / All Over Print XL / All Over Print 2XL / All Over Print 3XL / All Over Print 4XL / All Over Print Size Size Guide XS S M L XL 2XL 3XL 4XL Please select the size option Color All Over Print Please select the color option In Stock. This item ships in 1 business day. . Want to shop our EU site? Looks like you're in. Want to shop our EU site YES or NO Add to CartThe message of "losing" being offered by Senator McCain is a lie. There is no compelling United States interest in Iraq that is worth the treasure and time that our nation has been asked to pay. The police action in Iraq has done nothing other than to show the world that America is weak and afraid--of admitting mistakes. In this case, over 4,000 men and women have died because of the cowardice and lack of integrity of our political leadership. Senator McCain has to stop following this folly. He has to show strength and admit that the strength of America is in its willingness to champion reason over fear. There is no possible cost-benefit analysis that can justify the abandonment of the War on Terror in Afghanistan and Pakistan in order to police a sovereign state that no longer desires our presence. George Zubaty Louisville, KY Iraq and Afghanistan veteran Army 2001-02 and 2003-04On Friday afternoon, the Cleveland Plain Dealer dropped a bombshell on the sports world with an editorial asking the Cleveland Indians to part ways with their mascot, Chief Wahoo, once and for all. The Indians have been moving away from the logo for years, introducing a block “C” on hats in recent years instead. But it’s not completely gone, and I’m sure there are plenty of Clevelanders who don’t want to see it go for good. I get it. With two parents who cheered for the Indians, I grew up with Chief Wahoo in

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