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دة في الرحلة تستحق التامّل اذ ان المعلومات التي تتضمّنها هي معلومات غزيرة ومتنوّعة وبعضها جديد على القارئ قد يتقبّلها العقل او تناى عن التصديق ولكنها في اخر المطاف طريفة لا تخلو من متعة وفائدة.ورحالتنا لا يترك صغيرة ولا كبيرة الا ويوفيها حقّها من الوصف حيث سينقل لنا مختلف التقاليد التي كانت سائدة في تلك البلاد والاوضاع التي كانت عليها، كما يصف العمران والبنايات والحيوان والطيور والجوارح والمعادن وكيفية استخراجها والمواشي والزواحف وعمليات القرصنة التي كانت تتعرّض لها المراكب التي كانت تمخر المحيط في ذلك العهد، فضلا عن عادات الطبخ عند الهنود والطقس والمبادلات التجارية والمقايضة وتجارة العبيد وعادات الدفن والزواج، والزلازل التي كانت تضرب هذه المناطق وغيرها من الاخبار المثيرة والغريبة.
وصف المناخ
فعند وصفه لمناخ تلك المناطق التي زارها يقول: ‘ثمّ سرنا يومين بدرب سهل وصعدنا في اليوم الثالث الى جبل ولا زالت الرياح والبرد شديدا، فابتدات تتغيّر امزجتنا وتقيّانا بسبب اننا خرجنا من ارض شديدة السخونة وجزنا عاجلا الى ارض باردة’. وعن طقس هذه البلاد يقول كذلك: ‘وتلك الارض في ايام الصيف لما تمطر تصير كلها بحيرة لان في ذلك البلد يبدا المطر من اول شهر ايار الى شهر ايلول بخلاف طقس بلادنا’. ويصف الموصلي وصفا دقيقا مختلف انواع الحيوانات والنباتات والطيور التي شاهدها وهو يقول بعد ان جال ضواحي مدينة ليما: ‘وما كان لهم في هذه المنطقة مواش مثل افراس وبغال وحمير ولا ثيران ولا بقر ولا غنم ولا دجاج سوى واحد يشبه الجمل بقدر الحمار وحدبته في صدره يحملون عليه وياكلون لحمه ولكنه لا يسافر بعيدا وكلّ طاقته اربعة فراسخ لا غير فلمّا يتعب ينام ويزبد ويتفل على اصحابه’.
وفي مدينة كوسكو التاريخية التي توجد على مقربة من قلعة ماتشو بيتشو التي اطلق عليها ارنولد توينبي فيما بعد كاتدرائية العمالقة، يقول: ‘ومن هناك سرنا في الدرب فوجدنا اجناسا من الحيوانات منها ايّل وبقر وحشية وغيرها من اجناس اخرى وهي تعيش في تلك الجبال المقفرة وما لها اصحاب، وجنس حيوان اخر يسمّى بيكونيا وهو كصورة غزال لكن بدون قرون، وهذا الحيوان قويّ وانيس لمّا يرى اناسا ام دوابا مجتازين ينحدر من الجبل ليتفرّج عليهم، وعددها كثير وكان عندي كلاب للصيد وبندقية فقتلت بعضا من هذه الحيوانات ولحمها لا ياكله غير الهنود وصوفها ناعم كالحرير ويصنعون منه البرانيط ولونه عسلي كلون الغزال، وفي بطن هذا الحيوان يوجد حجر البازهر(الترياق) بين كليتيه فيخرجونه ويبيعونه بثمن غال لانه نافع للسموم’. وفي منطقة توكمان القريبة من بوينوس ايريس يقول: ‘من المواشي في هذه البلاد شئ كثير وعديمة القيمة في الجبال وهي وحشية’.
وعن هنود تلك المنطقة وخيولها يقول: ‘وهؤلاء الهنود ما كانوا يعملون من قبل احوال الحرب ولكن بعد ما تعاشروا مع السبنيولية (اي الاسبان) تعلموا مثلهم وما كان لهم اوّلا خيل ولاكانوا يعرفون ركوبها فالان صاروا يركبون الخيل، ويحاربون برماح تشبه رماح العرب مع السبنيولية دائما’. وفي منطقة غواياكيل في بلاد الاكوادور يحكي لنا واقعة تاريخية حقيقية رواها غير قليل من الباحثين الاسبان وغير الاسبان حول وصول الخيل الى هذه البلاد فيقول: ‘ولمّا كانوا ينظرون الى الخيل وراكبيها كانوا يظنّون ان الفرس وراكبها شقفة واحدة مثلما كان الهنود يظنون لمّا وصلت مراكب السبنيولية الى تلك البلاد انها حيتان البحر، وقلاع المراكب كانوا يظنّوها جناح الحيتان لانّ قبل ذلك الحين ما كانوا راوا مركبا’.
الزواحف والطيور
كما وصف رحالتنا مختلف الزواحف والطيور التي شاهدها خلال رحلته الطويلة بهذه البلدان وفي ذلك يقول: ‘ويوجد في هذا الدرب اجناس وحوض مثل السعدان وله الوان واشكال، وايضا من قسم الطيور يوجد الطائر الذي يتكلّم، وطير اخر يسمّى باكا مايا وهو بقدر ديك كبير لكن ريشه ملوّن. انه شئ عجيب’. وفي باب اخر من الرحلة يقول الموصلي ‘وكان الى جانب الدرب بحيرة قدرها نصف فرسخ، وبقينا نتصيّد منها بعض اجناس الطيور الى بعد العصر’. وجاء في اخر الرحلة: ‘وكنت قد احضرت معي من الهند اربع درات (كذا) وهي الطيور التي تسمّى في لسان الفرنجة ‘بابا كاي’ (الببغاء) يتكلّمون مثل الانسان. ويصف لنا الرحالة سلاحف تلك البلاد البعيدة فيقول: ‘ومن هناك سرنا وجزنا على جزيرة تسمّى تورتوكا (السلحفاة) وهذه الجزيرة غير مسكونة لانّ فيها زلاحف (كذا) كبيرة ازيد من ذراعين طولا وعرضا والمراكب تروح وتتصيّد في هذه الزلاحف وتملّحها لاجل زوادة’.
الطبيعة والنباتات
وفي منطقة بنما يصف لنا الرحّالة الموصلي جنس نبات غريب، الا انّ وصفه لا يخلو من مبالغة، وقد استغرب محقّق الرحلة كذلك من هذا الوصف وذلك عندما يقول: ‘واما الحاكم ما اراد يخلّيني اروح وحدي بسسب الجبال التي يوجد بها نوع من الحشيش يشبه الخيزران الرفيع فلمّا يمرّ عليه رجل ابيض عابر الطريق يرتفع من الارض مثل عود السهام ويدقر (يمسّ) الانسان’. ولا يشفى المصاب بهذه الدقرة الى ان يموت لكنه لا يدقر الهنود العبيد ولا يضرّهم ، فلمّا حكى لي الحاكم عن هذا الشئ قلت له لا اصدّق ان لم ار بعيني، فقام وارسل معي خادمه، وهو احمر حتى يريني ذلك الحشيش فلمّا وصلنا الى الموضع الذي يوجد فيه الحشيش جاء الخادم الى جانب فرسي واختفى فما رايت هذا الحشيش وهو بعيد عشرة اذرع عن الدرب الا وارتفع وامتدّ نحوي حتى يلدغني فخرج الاحمر وصاح عليه ‘دونك يا كلب’ فلمّا صاح عليه وقع الحشيش على الارض ، وانا شاهدت ذلك بعيني’.
ويصف لنا الرحالة نبات الصبّار او التين الشوكي الذي نقله الاسبان الى اوربا وجزر الخالدات، فيقول وهو في البيرو: ‘وفي هذا الدرب توجد اشجار مختلفة الاجناس واكثرها اشجار يسمّونها (توكال) اوراقها في سمك كفين وما لها اغصان لكن الاوراق مشوّكة وفي طرف الورقة تصير الثمرة ويسمّى في لسان الهنود (توناس)وهذا الثمر بقدر بيض الدجاج لكن اصلب منه وداخله حلو كطعم التوت ، وهو مسهّل ومبرّد ، فمن خارج الثمرة يصير شوك ناعم فيلزم الانسان ان لا يمسكها بيده الا بعد ان ينظّفها من الشوك وهذا ممتلئ منه البرّ والجبال في ذلك الاقليم’.ويضيف’ ولا يوجد عندهم قمح ولا شعير سوى درر مصر( يقصد الذرة).
وعن غواياكيل يقول: ‘ويوجد بساتين فيها جنس اشجار كاشجار التوت تحمل ثمرة تسمّى كاكاو ويعملون منها الجيكولاتهة، وهذا الثمر تراه مثل البطيخ متعلقا وملتصقا على جسم الشجرة فلما يبلغ ويصفرّ ياخذونه ويقطّعونه وفي داخله يخرج الثمر وهو حبوب اخشن من الفستق ثمّ ييبّسونه حتى ينشف، وبعد ذلك يلقونه فتراه كالقهوة في اللون والطعم والرائحة لكنه كثير الدهن ومن دسامته يصير مثل العجين ويضيفون اليه السكّر على قدر الحاجة وكذلك ايضا القرفة والعنبر خام ويجعلونه عجينا ثمّ اقراصا وينشفونه بالفئ، ومن هذه الاقراص يغلون الجيكولاته ويشربونها مثل القهوة. وهذا الثمر هو سالك عند الكلّ في جميع انحاء البلاد النصارى ياتون به من هناك ويبيعونه’.
وعند وصفه لقصب السكّر الذي يكثر في هذه البلاد كذلك يقول: ‘ثم ّ خرجنا من هذه القرية قاصدين بلدة تسمّى كيتو فسرنا وجزنا على قرية اخرى تسمّى بوتيكاس دي سان انطوان ، ويوجد في هذا الدرب جنس قصب ارتفاعه اربعون دراعا وتخن القصبة اغلظ من مطواية نول الحايك ، ومن عقدة الى عقدة دراع. فهذا القصب يجعلونه الصواري اعني غطاء لسقف البيوت والبعض منه ممتلئ ماء ابيض وحلو وانا شربت منه ثمّ اني امرت المكاري ان يقطع منهم ست عقد تكون مملوءة ويحملها على بغل’.
وصف المعادن
ولم يفت رحالتنا خلال جولته الواسعة ان يصف شيئا اشتهرت به هذه البلاد وهي المعادن النفيسة التي تتوفّرعليها القارة البكر والتي كانت من اولى الحوافز التي دفعت بالاسبان الى غزوها وبسط نفوذهم عليها والحاقها بالعرش الاسباني وضرب حصار كبير على اخبارها بل وفرض حظر صارم للسفر اليها الا بعد الحصول على اذن مسبّق من اعلى السلطات الحاكمة وتزكية الكنيسة. وهكذا قام الموصلي بوصف دقيق لمختلف المعادن الثمينة التي كانت تتكاثر في مختلف الاماكن التي زارها بل انه قام بوصف مفصّل لكيفية استخراجها وتنقيتها والاماكن المتواجدة فيها ومدى اهمّيتها سواء بالنسبة للسكّان الاصليين او للغزاة الوافدين فيقول: ‘ومن بعد السنة طلبت اجازة من الوزير لاروح الى جبال الفضّة والذهب فاطاعني الوزير واصغى لطلبي وكتب لي مكاتيب الى جميع حكّام البلاد وابريشة القرى الذين تحت حكمه وصية يعزوّني ويكرّموني. فخرجنا من ليما قاصدين بلدة تسمّى خوان كاباليكا وهي ارض قليلة العافية لاختلاف الاهوية، ولسبب الجبل الذي فيه معدن حجر الزيبق لانه مسلّط على البلد، ثم رحت لانظر المعدن مع حاكم البلد فرايت هذا المعدن وعظمته، ثم اروني كيف يخرجون الزيبق فيضعون حجارة الزيبق مصطفة فوق البرانج كمثل عمل الفاخوري في افران الخشق (الخزف)، وكذلك يضعون الحجارة على البرانج وهذا البيت له سقف مغطّى لكنه قويّ وعال وفيه ابخاش لاجل منفذ الدخان ثم يضعون الحطب فوق تلك الحجارة ويضرمون به النار فيشعل وتسخن الحجارة سخونة قوية ويجري منها الزيبق هاربا منحدرا داخل تلك البرانج، فعند ذلك يفهم معلمو الزيبق فيهدّئون النار ويخلّونه يوما وليلة حتى يبرد وبعده يرفعون الحجارة والرماد ويكبّونه (يلقونه) ويخرجون الزيبق من تلك الرانج. وهناك وكيل من جانب الملك يوفي لاصحاب المعدن اثنين وعشرين غرشا حول كلّ قنطار، ويبيع وكيل الملك القنطار بتسعين غرشا لاصحاب معادن الفضّة’.
وعن معادن الفضة كذلك وطريقة استخراجها من منطقة بانكاي من اعمال البيرويقول: ‘بعد ثلاثة ايام خرجت متوجها الى معدن الفضة المسمّى قندنوما، وتفرّجنا على اخراج الفضة وكيف يطحنون الحجارة مثل التراب ويجعلونها في الماء كالطين وبعد ذلك يمزجون فيه الزيبق ، وطول النهار يحرّكونه مقدار عشرة ايام والزيبق يجمع الفضة ويلتصق بها ومن بعد الايام المذكورة يغسلونه في حوض مجلّد بجلود البقر والماء ياخذ التراب ويوديه والفضّة ترسخ (ترسب) الى اسفل، هذه الصنعة تفرّجت عليها عيانا’.
وعن معادن الذهب يقول الموصلي: ‘ثمّ خرجت قاصدا قرية تسمّى خاوخا (هذه القرية تسمّى اليوم لوخا) وسرنا في صعوبة الامطار ليلا مع نهارمقدار ثلاثة ايام ودخلنا الى خاوخا وبقيت هناك يوما وليلة من شدّة البرد وكثرة الامطار وثاني يوم خرجت قاصدا الجبال التي هي معدن الذهب فصرنا في درب عسر المجاز بين الجبال وحولها المعادن الذهبية ، فنظرت جميع المصانع التي بها يستخرج الذهب من الحجارة، اوّلا يطلعون الحجارة من المعدن ويسحقونها بطاحون الماء وحينئذ يغسلون ذلك التراب المسحوق ويقطعون منه الذهب في الماء ثم يذوّبونه ويسكبونه اقراصا، وانا اشتريت من ذلك الذهب اربع مائة مثقال لانّ ما كان هناك زمان لشغل كلّ الطواحين’.
عادات وتقاليد
وقد سجّل الرحالة الموصلي خلال هذه الرحلة مختلف عادات وتقاليد السكان الاصليين من الهنود، ومنها ما بدا له انها مستحبّة ومنها ما بدا له مستهجنة مقيتة. وهو يروي ويسجّل لنا هذه العادات والتقاليد بدقّة متناهية ممّا يضفي على نصوصه في هذه الرحلة قيمة تاريخية واجتماعية هامة، وهكذا يصف لنا عادات الزواج في بانكاي فيقول: ‘وهذا الحاكم لمّا وصلنا الى ليما تجوّز( تزوّج) مع بنت اعطته نقدا مائة وخمسين الف غرش كعادة بلاد النصارى ان ابنت تعطي نقدا للرجل حسب حالها’. وعن عادة اكل لحم البشر من طرف الهنود يقول: ‘لان هؤلاء الهنود من قبل ما كانوا يعلمون احوال الحرب، وعندما كانوا يحاربون السبنيولية (الاسبان) كانوا اذا امسكوا احدا منهم يشوونه وياكلون لحمه، واما الراس فيقطعون جمجمته ويعملونها طاسة ويشربون بها. هؤلاء عصاة اشدّاء وقساة القلب وهم مضادّون للسبنيول وصية من اجدادهم’.
وفي ضواحي كيتو يصف لنا اناسا ‘يصير لهم مثل غدة كبيرة نازلة تحت حلوقهم’، ويقول عن سكّان نفس المنطقة انّ هنود هذه البلاد ‘ليس لهم ذقون بل بعض شعرات ثابتة في حنكهم ، وانا لانني كنت رجلا كامل اللحية فكانوا يتعجّبون منّي قائلين انني ذو شجاعة شديدة بحيث جزت تلك البلاد’.
وعند وصفه لدار السكّة في البيرو يقول: ‘وذات يوم رحت الى البيت الذي يضربون فيه سكّة الدنانير من غروش وانصاف ارباع. وفي هذا البيت ‘السكتخانة’ اربعون عبدا يشتغلون واثنا عشر رجلا اسبانيوليا فراينا الغروش مكوّمة على الارض ويدوسونها بارجلهم مثل ما يدوسون التراب الذي لا قيمة له’. وعن مدينة ليما يقول ‘وفي هذه البلدة زلازل عدّة وشديدة، وفي تلك الايام صارت زلزلة عظيمة خارج البلد على نحو فرسخين، وكان هناك جبل منصوب على نهر جار فسقط الجبل من تلك الزلزلة في وسط النهر وسدّ جريان الماء فطاف (طفا) ماء النهر على الارض واهلك مزارع ثلاث قرى، وفي ذلك الحين وتلك الساعة صارت زلزلة اخرى في ليما وخرج الناس من البلدة لخوفهم لانه سقطت منازل كثيرة مع بعضها كنائس′. ويحدّثنا عن الغلاء الذي كان سائدا في ليما في ذلك الوقت فيقول: ‘وهذه البلدة غالية المعاش بهذا المقدار حتى انّ الدجاجة تساوي غرشا ونصف غرش’. وعن جزيرة كوبا يقول: ‘فبقيت في هذه الجزيرة اربعة اشهر ونصف حتى جاءت المراكب من ينكي دنيا (المكسيك)، وهذه الجزيرة هواها مليح، وماؤها طيّب، واناسها محبّون، فلما اردت ان اخرج من هذه الجزيرة حتى اتوجّه الى اسبانية جاءني حاكمها بشاكيش (البقشيش او البخشيش) تسعة صناديق سكّر مع مرطّبانات المربّى’.
لا شكّ ان هذه الرحلة كان لها اهداف معيّنة لم يفصح عنها الرحّالة صراحة في سياق رحلته اذ انها تمّت بمعرفة البابا، حيث يقول في هذا الصدد في ختام رحلته ‘فانعم عليّ البابا اينوسينسيوالحادي عشر صاحب الذكر الصالح بوظايف لم اكن اهلا لها’. كما انّ رحلته هذه تمّت بموافقة ملك اسبانيا، اذ كما يقول هو نفسه في رحلته ‘لانه لا يقدر غريب ان يجوز الى بلاد الهند ان لم يكن معه امر من الملك، وكان في ذلك الزمان رسول البابا في مدريد يسمّى الكاردينال ماريسكوتي وهذا المبارك ساعدني’. كما يفصح الموصلي في مقدمة رحلته صراحة عن الغاية التبشيرية لرحلته فيقول: ‘فسبيلنا ان نبرهن ونبيّن رجوع هذه الطوائف الى الايمان الحقيقي واحتضانهم للكنيسة’.
ولم يتعرّض الموصلي في رحلته الى التاثير الاسلامي في هذه البلدان خاصة في فنون العمارة والبنايات و في اللغة والطبخ والموسيقى والفنون ومختلف اوجه الحياة العامة في ذلك الوقت المبكّر حيث نقل الاسبان هذه التاثيرات والفنون معهم الى العالم الجديد كما يؤكّد ذلك معظم الباحثين والدارسين الثقات، بل انّ المدن التي زارها الموصلي مثل مكسيكو، وقرطجنة، وليما، وبوغوتا وسواها من مدن امريكا اللاتينية ما زالت تحتفظ الى يومنا هذا بالعديد من الماثر، والاثار، والمباني، والدّور، والقصور ذات التاثيرات الاندلسية، والطابع الاسلامي البيّن (انظر العديد من مراسلاتي ومقالاتي حول هذا الموضوع بالذات المنشورة مؤخرا في تواريخ متفاوتة في’ القدس العربي’).
وبالجملة تعتبر رحلة الموصلي اوّل سياحة حافلة بالاخبار والمغامرات المثيرة التي سجلها هذا الرحّالة عن تلك الاصقاع النائية واعتبر هو بالتالي اوّل رحّالة عربي الى تلك الديار.
عن موقع جريدة القدس العربي
المقال في جريدة القدس العربي بالـ pdf
صحيفة القدس العربي هي صحيفة لندنية تأسست عام 1989.This eggplant cannelloni is simply amazing (I mean, really amazing).
I feel like most of you have your eyebrows knit all the way down to your nose in distrust right now. Why would I take a perfectly delicious, adorably large noodle that is stuffed with all sorts of creamy goodness and replace it with eggplant?
Eggplant! Of all things.
Well, I’m not really sure why I decided to do this. But I was inspired by another recipe I saw (I can’t remember where, now) and I am now a believer. I believe that eggplant, oddly shaped and purple as it is, is a perfectly decent if not entirely equivalent noodle replacement for cannelloni.
There, I’ve said it. Eggplant = Noodle. I’ve made a few eggplant dishes in my day, like my Caramelized Eggplant and Pesto Pasta and my Marinara Stuffed Roasted Eggplant. I have honestly never had any that tasted bitter. I think modern varieties have had all the bitterness selected out of it, so it’s really not a concern any more. If you’ve been scared to try it, I say give it a go.
Because of the whole eggplant thing, I decided to go pretty traditional on the rest of these with a creamy ricotta filling with wilted spinach and roasted red peppers. But then I realized I was out of spinach, and kale was my only option.
The kale was a WIN. Where spinach gets more bitter with cooking, in my opinion, kale actually loses its bitterness. It’s also a bit salty and has more chew, even after sauteing for a while. I felt like it really complimented the eggplant, but didn’t give up that simple, traditional flavor at all.
Making these cute little rolls is actually pretty simple. Here’s how it goes:
Bake eggplant slices for 20 minutes. Sautee kale. Combine kale, ricotta, and red peppers. Make rolls, then bake!
All in all you should be done in under an hour – not quite a weeknight meal, but doable if you’ve somehow got a little extra time on your hands.
Usually, when there is a lunch portion left over from dinner, I’ll be the one who eats it for lunch the next day. AJ likes his PB&J for lunch. But these? Nope, they went to work with AJ. I’ll take that as a testament to their tastiness.
Eggplant, Kale & Ricotta Cannelloni Author: Raquel Smith
Prep Time: Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: Cook Time: 50 mins
Total Time: Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: Yield: 4 servings
Category: Category: Casserole
Method: Method: Baking
Cuisine: Cuisine: Italian Print Recipe Pin Recipe Description This eggplant cannelloni recipe is just like the real thing – just a little healthier! Filled with a kale, roasted red pepper, and ricotta filling, these are sure to please. Ingredients 2 medium Italian eggplants
spray oil
425g tub of low-fat ricotta
5 oz chopped kale, stems removed
1/4 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
salt, to taste
1 (24oz) jar of your favorite marinara sauce
freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese Instructions Heat your oven to 375°F. Generously spray a baking sheet (or two) with spray oil. Slice the eggplants into 1 cm slices and place on the baking sheet without overlapping. Generously oil the slices, flip, and oil the other side. Bake for about 10 minutes, then flip each of the slices over. Cook another 10 minutes or so until cooked and starting to turn golden. Remove and let cool for about 5 minutes. Reduce oven heat to 350°F. While the eggplant slices bake, sautee the chopped kale over medium high heat for about 5-6 minutes, until wilted. Combine the ricotta, kale, chopped red peppers and rosemary in a large bowl and mix until everything is evenly distributed. Salt to taste. Spoon half of the marinara sauce into the bottom of an 11×13″ baking dish. Place about 1.5 tablespoons (I didn’t measure this, just go with your gut) onto the cut end of an eggplant slice and roll it up. The ends should meet and overlap a bit. Place into the baking dish and repeat until all the eggplant slices are used or your run out of space. Top the rolls with another bit of marinara, then pop it in the oven and cook for another 20 minutes, rotating halfway through. Serve topped with freshly grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese. Notes – Depending on the size of your eggplant, you may have a bit of extra filling. Use it a dip with some pita bread!
– If you have extra rolls altogether, you can bake them separately or just fridge them and heat them in the microwave the next day. They’re just as good! Keywords: vegetarian, casserole, eggplant, kale, ricotta, cannelloni
If you’ve tried this recipe and love it, then please rate it in the comments below!
And if this tingles your taste buds, these should hit the spot as well:
Photos by Raquel Smith, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published on July 15th, 2015. Last updated: January 30, 2019 at 12:50 pm.
Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.American politician Bernie Sanders gave a sold-out talk to Cambridge Union this morning (June 2).
The event has proved the most hotly anticipated of the union talks this term, selling out in a mere 38 seconds.
He spoke for an hour about everything from President Trump, the NHS and Jeremy Corbyn.
A small selection of tickets went on sale this morning but there have been reports of people queueing for up to two hours in an attempt to get a seat.
The union planned to seat people in overflow rooms to cope with the demand to see Mr Sanders, who sought the Democrat Party's nomination for president last year.
Mr Sanders was expected to heavily criticise President Trump and yesterday took to Twitter to denounce his decision to pull of the Paris Climate Agreement this morning.
He did not disappoint during his speech he called President Trump a "reverse Robin Hood" and told him to "get another job."
Previous talks at the union this term have included Stephen Fry, Katie Hopkins and Piers Morgan.
News reporter Jasmine Watkiss was at Cambridge Union to hear Mr Sanders speak.A National Leader
New York is putting its money where its mouth is when it comes to a clean energy commitment. The state boasts an almost 800 percent increase in solar power over the past five years.
According to a statement made earlier this week by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, “New York is a national leader in clean energy, and the tremendous growth of the solar industry across this state demonstrates this renewal technology’s increased accessibility and affordability for residents and businesses.”
The state generated 83.06 MW of solar power in 2011. Last year, that increased by 795 percent to 743.65 MW. The state has invested $1.5 billion in the renewable source of energy, and its governor recognizes the massive impact renewable energy has on the economy. “Our investments in this clean energy resource create jobs, reduce carbon emissions, support economic growth, and help build a cleaner, greener New York for all,” said Cuomo.
National Push Forward
This kind of push to greater reliance on renewable sources of energy is not isolated to any one state. States across the country and even countries around the globe are moving to decrease fossil fuel use. Now that solar power is the cheapest source for new energy, it has become fiscally responsible on top of it already being environmentally prudent.Phil Jackson throws the book at Kobe Bryant
In a new memoir by the former coach, the Lakers' star comes up short in comparisons with Michael Jordan. But it's not all negative.
"Michael was more charismatic and gregarious than Kobe. He loved hanging out with his teammates and security guards, playing cards, smoking cigars, and joking around," Jackson said in the book, which was obtained in advance by The Times.
MJ vs. Kobe? Here it is from the man who would know best.
It's coming out now, though, in Jackson's 339-page memoir co-written with Hugh Delehanty and available Tuesday: "Eleven Rings: The Soul of Success."
There would be a little nugget here, a tiny nibble there, but nothing that mattered.
Sometimes I'd ask him after random Lakers practices or before games against Charlotte, the team Jordan owned. Or after games in Chicago, where nostalgia hopefully would add to the mix.
Phil Jackson never liked to compare Kobe Bryant to Michael Jordan. Believe me, I tried everything.
"Kobe is different. He was reserved as a teenager, in part because he was younger than the other players and hadn't developed strong social skills in college. When Kobe first joined the Lakers, he avoided fraternizing with his teammates. But his inclination to keep to himself shifted as he grew older. Increasingly, Kobe put more energy into getting to know the other players, especially when the team was on the road."
While Jackson coached, he often jabbed at Bryant's seemingly annual appearance on the NBA's All-Defensive team. Now we know why.
"No question, Michael was a tougher, more intimidating defender. He could break through virtually any screen and shut down almost any player with his intense, laser-focused style of defense," said Jackson, who coached Jordan to six championships and Bryant to five.
"Kobe has learned a lot from studying Michael's tricks, and we often used him as our secret weapon on defense when we needed to turn the direction of a game. In general, Kobe tends to rely more heavily on his flexibility and craftiness, but he takes a lot of gambles on defense and sometimes pays the price."
What about the part of the game where Bryant captivated fans by scoring 81 points against Toronto and 62 in three quarters against Dallas?
Jackson noted the "pronounced" difference in their accuracy, Jordan shooting almost 50% — an "extraordinary figure" — while Bryant had been at 45%.
"Michael was more likely to break through his attackers with power and strength, while Kobe often tries to finesse his way through mass pileups," Jackson wrote. "Michael was stronger, with bigger shoulders and a sturdier frame. He also had large hands that allowed him to control the ball better and make subtle fakes.
"Jordan was also more naturally inclined to let the game come to him and not overplay his hand, whereas Kobe tends to force the action, especially when the game isn't going his way. When his shot is off, Kobe will pound away relentlessly until his luck turns. Michael, on the other hand, would shift his attention to defense or passing or setting screens to help the team win the game."
Among other disclosures in "Eleven Rings:"
• Jackson signed off on Lakers' drafting Andrew Bynum in 2005 but did not like his running gait, which he thought could lead to knee problems.
•Jackson became more interested in Zen after meeting a practicing construction worker who helped build his lakeside Montana home in the late 1970s.
• Here's how Jackson handled Jordan's unexpected appearance at his Bulls office in March 1995 after more than 1½ years away from the game to pursue baseball. "Well," Jackson said dryly after Jordan asked to return to the team, "I think we've got a uniform here that might fit you."This study compared the anxiety levels of youth with ASD to typically developing children and clinically referred children using a meta-analytical approach. Most important findings are that: (1) anxiety levels of youth with ASD are much higher compared to typically developing children (large effect size difference); (2) anxiety levels of children with ASD seem elevated compared to clinically referred children in general (small effect size difference); (3) the type of comparison group seems to matter in the direction that anxiety levels in youth with ASD were found to be higher compared to youth with externalizing or developmental problems, but compared to children with internalizing problems results were inconsistent for the fixed and random model; (4) as IQ increases, so does the difference in anxiety levels between ASD and typically developing children, and (5) as age increases, so does the difference in anxiety levels between ASD and clinically referred children.
The finding that youth with ASD have higher anxiety levels compared to typically developing children is hardly surprising. However, youth with ASD also tend to have higher anxiety levels compared to clinically referred youth (with a small to medium effect size). Therefore it seems that children with ASD are more prone for anxiety problems than other—typically developing and clinically referred—children. Different explanations for these findings have been suggested by various authors (see Bellini 2006, who propose a model for the development of social anxiety in ASD; Wood and Gadow 2010, who propose a model in which ASD and anxiety exacerbate each other; van Steensel et al. (2014) who do not propose an explicit model for the development of anxiety in ASD but do consider other family factors (e.g., parental stress/anxiety, parenting behaviors), next to genetic and ASD-related factors). Taken together, it is thought that children with ASD have a neurobiological predisposition which cause ASD-related difficulties which, in combination with environmental factors (bullying, parenting, etc.), may lead to anxiety. However, more (longitudinal) research, examining both ASD-specific (e.g., theory of mind deficits, severity of ASD, executive functioning problems, social skills deficits) as well as more general factors (e.g., stressful life-events, parental anxiety, parental rearing behaviors) is needed to understand this complex co-occurrence of anxiety and ASD.
It was found in this meta-analysis that the difference in anxiety levels between children with ASD and typically developing children increased when children with ASD had higher IQs, and that the difference in anxiety levels between children with ASD and clinically referred children increased with age. These results are consistent with other studies demonstrating that anxiety in ASD is related to an older age and higher levels of cognitive functioning (e.g., Eussen et al. 2013; Gadow et al. 2005; Mayes et al. 2011). It may be that older children with ASD, and children with ASD who have higher levels of cognitive functioning, are more aware of their difficulties. In combination with possibly higher demands of their surroundings to adapt or to ‘fit in’, this may lead to more stress and higher levels of anxiety. Therefore, especially high-functioning adolescents with ASD may be at risk for developing anxiety disorders and it may be worth to carefully follow and monitor children with ASD transcending to adolescence.
Limitations First, significant heterogeneity across studies was found for all meta-analyses. An attempt was made to explain this heterogeneity by including moderators (IQ and age) and by subdividing the clinical comparison groups. Although these variables explained some |
a staunch fiscal conservative who supported abolishing the Department of Education and cutting off AIDS funding for the Ryan White Act.
During the 2016 election cycle, a Vanity Fair profile called Scarborough the most influential Republican in America for being both among the first to predict Trump’s political rise and rebuke him.
Trump regularly called into “Morning Joe” during the early days of his candidacy and speak at length with Scarborough and Brzezinski, as The Washington Post has reported. One such time was in February 2016, after Trump won the New Hampshire primary.
“You guys have been supporters, and I really appreciate it,” Trump said. “And not necessarily supporters, but at least believers. You said there’s some potential there.”
Early Wednesday, Michael Cohen, one of Trump’s attorneys, tweeted: “Now that I have officially become a #republican, happy to report @JoeNBC has left the @GOP. Thank you!”
Now that I have officially become a #republican, happy to report @JoeNBC has left the @GOP. Thank you! https://t.co/fkyh4Pnq0H — Michael Cohen (@MichaelCohen212) July 12, 2017
Some early critics of Scarborough’s announcement were quick to point out his longtime friendship with Trump and willingness to give him a platform during the campaign.
Because what the Republican Party was doing for the last 37 years was just fine. But Donald Jr. is really too much. — kara vallow (@teenagesleuth) July 12, 2017
welcome joe
to the independent party
lets have lunch — ROSIE (@Rosie) July 12, 2017
More from Morning Mix
Another ‘Make America Great Again’ song. This one, from evangelicals, is Trump-approved.
Clay Aiken says Trump didn’t make the decisions to fire people on ‘Celebrity Apprentice’
Rip currents swept away a Florida family. Then beachgoers formed a human chain.
Donald Trump Jr.’s lawyer is a Juilliard-trained trombonist who plays in a symphony and defends mobstersNASA Unveiled Celestial Fireworks As Official Image For Hubble Anniversary
By NASA // April 22, 2017
launched on April 24, 1990
ABOVE VIDEO: This visualization provides a three-dimensional perspective on Hubble’s 27th anniversary image of the nebula Gum 29 with the star cluster Westerlund 2 at its core.
The brilliant tapestry of young stars flaring to life resemble a glittering fireworks display in the 27th anniversary NASA Hubble Space Telescope image, released to commemorate a quarter century of exploring the solar system and beyond since its launch on April 24, 1990.
“Hubble has completely transformed our view of the universe, revealing the true beauty and richness of the cosmos” said John Grunsfeld, astronaut and associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate. “This vista of starry fireworks and glowing gas is a fitting image for our celebration of 25 years of amazing Hubble science.”
The sparkling centerpiece of Hubble’s anniversary fireworks is a giant cluster of about 3,000 stars called Westerlund 2, named for Swedish astronomer Bengt Westerlund who discovered the grouping in the 1960s. The cluster resides in a raucous stellar breeding ground known as Gum 29, located 20,000 light-years away from Earth in the constellation Carina.
To capture this image, Hubble’s near-infrared Wide Field Camera 3 pierced through the dusty veil shrouding the stellar nursery, giving astronomers a clear view of the nebula and the dense concentration of stars in the central cluster. The cluster measures between 6 and 13 light-years across.
The giant star cluster is about 2 million years old and contains some of our galaxy’s hottest, brightest and most massive stars. Some of its heftiest stars unleash torrents of ultraviolet light and hurricane-force winds of charged particles etching into the enveloping hydrogen gas cloud.
The nebula reveals a fantasy landscape of pillars, ridges and valleys. The pillars, composed of dense gas and thought to be incubators for new stars, are a few light-years tall and point to the central star cluster. Other dense regions surround the pillars, including reddish-brown filaments of gas and dust.
The brilliant stars sculpt the gaseous terrain of the nebula and help create a successive generation of baby stars. When the stellar winds hit dense walls of gas, the shockwaves may spark a new torrent of star birth along the wall of the cavity.
The red dots scattered throughout the landscape are a rich population of newly-forming stars still wrapped in their gas-and-dust cocoons.
These tiny, faint stars are between 1 million and 2 million years old — relatively young stars — that have not yet ignited the hydrogen in their cores. The brilliant blue stars seen throughout the image are mostly foreground stars.
Because the cluster is very young — in astronomical terms — it has not had time to disperse its stars deep into interstellar space, providing astronomers with an opportunity to gather information on how the cluster formed by studying it within its star-birthing environment.
The image’s central region, which contains the star cluster, blends visible-light data taken by Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys with near-infrared exposures taken by the Wide Field Camera 3.
The surrounding region is composed of visible-light observations taken by the Advanced Camera for Surveys. Shades of red represent hydrogen and bluish-green hues are predominantly oxygen.
The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, manages the telescope.
CLICK HERE for more information on the Hubble Space Telescope
Click here to contribute your news or announcements FreeDays after his graduation last May, Waleid Hassan landed four job interviews. The Metropolitan State University graduate ultimately said yes to a job at Osseo Senior High School teaching geometry and Algebra 2. Six months into his first teaching job, Hassan said he loves it.
The test for schools is to figure out how to retain teachers like Hassan. A newly released Minnesota Department of Education report reveals that teachers are increasingly leaving the profession.
Administrators first began to notice the gap in special education and science, but now the openings are showing up in all subject fields, said Gary Amoroso, executive director of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators. The story is the same nationwide.
“I hear from the superintendents in the state on a yearly basis that it is more challenging to find licensed teachers,” he said. “This has turned into an epidemic around the state.”
The 2017 version of the Minnesota Teacher Supply and Demand report issued Wednesday found a 46 percent increase in the number of teachers leaving the profession since 2008. The education department reports its findings to the Legislature every two years.
Hiring officials surveyed in the report listed a competitive job market and teacher salaries as barriers to retaining teachers, while the number of applicants along with testing and licensing requirements are making it harder to hire them.
New teachers often leave at higher rates, according to the Learning Policy Institute, an education research nonprofit.
Supply and demand
After three years, more than a quarter of Minnesota teachers leave their jobs, and about 15.1 percent leave after the first year, according to the report. In 2015, school districts outside the metro area had more difficulty filling teacher openings; now the problem is statewide.
“It is one thing to recruit teachers; it is a whole other to keep them,” Hassan said.
At the same time, there is a 30 percent decrease in people entering the pipeline in teacher preparation programs, Leib Sutcher, research associate at the Learning Policy Institute, said.
“There is a rise in demand as supply is declining,” he said.
Over seven years, Minnesota reported a 5.8 percent increase in the number of teachers, with 60,090 teachers in 2016. In that time, student enrollment also increased. Public school enrollment increased by 3.2 percent.
As school districts diversify, the state found a slight increase in the number of newly licensed black teachers over a three-year period but a decrease in white teachers. The state reported that teachers of color add up to 4.3 percent of the state workforce and 7.7 percent of newly licensed teachers.
Hassan, who is of Egyptian descent, is one of seven teachers of color at Osseo High School, said Principal Michael Lehan. Before graduating from Metropolitan State University, Hassan said he was able to be a student teacher at Park Center Senior High School, where he was partnered with a veteran teacher. He still seeks guidance from that teacher today.
Hassan attended a signing event on Monday, where Metro State and Osseo Area Schools formed a partnership to diversify the teacher workforce.
“I want to help students who came from a background like me,” he said.
The state survey was required to add a question in 2016 to ask school district and charter school officials if they felt that their student population had a teacher workforce that represented them in diversity and effectiveness. Officials responded that while there was access to teachers for white students, students of color did not have access to effective and diverse teachers. Going along with national trends, the report also found that the population of white students was decreasing.
When asked if teachers were prepared to teach immigrant or refugee students, officials reported that teachers were not as prepared.
Education leaders say that incentives like loan forgiveness and competitive compensation packages will help decrease the shortage down the road.
“The shortage of qualified teachers has gone from an issue, to a problem, to a crisis, in only a few short years,” Denise Specht, president of Education Minnesota, said in a statement.
“We are losing too many great teachers because they can’t make ends meet, they feel disrespected by politicians and they’re incredibly frustrated by excessive testing and other policies that limit their ability to do the jobs they love — teaching students.”
Minnesota legislators are looking at ways they can tackle teacher licensure and vacancies, and Amoroso said that education groups are starting to work on a bill.
“Now we have to continue to work together to map out short-term and long-term strategies and solutions,” Amoroso said. “It is not going to get fixed overnight.”UPDATE: just got more infos … more updates tomorrow
UPDATE 2 : Video shows how some stuff in FCP 8 works (right at the end of this post)
UPDATE 3: more new facts and a new video (right at the end of this post)
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UPDATE 4: now that is a real one! (for real) … (6th of April)
“Rumors are flying that Apple will be using the Vegas Supermeet to announce the next version of Final Cut Pro.”
… So that would be April 12th … (Tuesday)
more infos: provideocoalition.com
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UPDATE 5: now that is another real one! (for real) … (6th of April)
FCPUGNetwork: “The Final Cut Pro User Group Network is excited to have a very special guest presentation at the 10th Annual Las Vegas FCPUG SuperMeet. Come to see a surprise sneak peek at something very special – you really do not want to miss this one!”
supermeet.com
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Well … after months and months of speculation and waiting today the curtain did drop, at least a lil bit.
Some first screenshots and feature-details “leaked” into the Video-Editing-World:
I’ve got the info yesterday, but was in the edit-suite all day … so i had no time to “look into” that. And there was an NDA till this morning 12:01am anyways 😉
Well what can i say it seems like some fears getting reality.
The interface looks very familiar. First big change: it will be a more mouse editing oriented NLE-App … one more step into iOS direction i guess.
Good thing though: FCP8 will be more integrated with Motion & Co. Not just templates & “send/link to” in a drop down menu. How far this integration goes is not specified publicly yet.It will be an App Store only app … you can buy all FinalCutStudio Apps standalone or in one package – pricing will be Announced. Apple will have a Special Event one week after NAB on 19th of April.
Some first Screenshots:
Key-Features are:
– 64 bit App
– Background Rendering
– GPU acceleration
– can use up to 64 GB Ram and all CPUs avalible
– native H.246 and R3D support including RED EPIC / HDRx and many other codecs
– new Title tools
– Quicktime Pro 11 / AV Foundation with OS X Lion
– 3D editing mode
– ProResLT, ProRes 422, ProResHQ 422 ProRes 4444, all 12bit YUV only
– Blu-ray, CNN iReporter, Vimeo, MySpace support
– Single Screen / Window App
– new Edit mode’s (called “Freehand” and “Magic-Mind””)
Thats it … many more infos to come soon …
So is all that a good thing? … well … as Apple claims: the new FCP will be for the mainstream of Apple’s customer base…
—————
UPDATE 2:
so here is a lil screen capture to show how some new stuff works in FCP 8 🙂
—————
UPDATE 3:
new Video – Larry Jordan answers questions. (LINK)
Oh and one new Fact: it’s all an April Fool … sorry 😉
…but c’mon:
– H.246??
– Quicktime Pro 11??
– 12bit YUV only???
– Blu-ray & MySpace support???
– Single Screen / Window App???
– new Edit mode’s (called “Freehand” and “Magic-Mind””)???
… we still have to wait and see wat will come this or next year … for now i like FCP 7 🙂
AdvertisementsA team of researchers at MIT has found one of the most effective catalysts ever discovered for splitting oxygen atoms from water molecules — a key reaction for advanced energy-storage systems, including electrolyzers, to produce hydrogen fuel and rechargeable batteries. This new catalyst liberates oxygen at more than 10 times the rate of the best previously known catalyst of its type.
The new compound, composed of cobalt, iron and oxygen with other metals, splits oxygen from water (called the Oxygen Evolution Reaction, or OER) at a rate at least an order of magnitude higher than the compound currently considered the gold standard for such reactions, the team says. The compound’s high level of activity was predicted from a systematic experimental study that looked at the catalytic activity of 10 known compounds.
The team, which includes materials science and engineering graduate student Jin Suntivich, mechanical engineering graduate student Kevin J. May and professor Yang Shao-Horn, published their results in Science on Oct. 28.
The scientists found that reactivity depended on a specific characteristic: the configuration of the outermost electron of transition metal ions. They were able to use this information to predict the high reactivity of the new compound — which they then confirmed in lab tests.
“We not only identified a fundamental principle” that governs the OER activity of different compounds, “but also we actually found this new compound” based on that principle, says Shao-Horn, the Gail E. Kendall (1978) Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering.
Many other groups have been searching for more efficient catalysts to speed the splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen. This reaction is key to the production of hydrogen as a fuel to be used in cars; the operation of some rechargeable batteries, including zinc-air batteries; and to generate electricity in devices called fuel cells. Two catalysts are needed for such a reaction — one that liberates the hydrogen atoms, and another for the oxygen atoms — but the oxygen reaction has been the limiting factor in such systems.
Other groups, including one led by MIT’s Daniel Nocera, have focused on similar catalysts that can operate — in a so-called “artificial leaf” — at low cost in ordinary water. But such reactions can occur with higher efficiency in alkaline solutions, which are required for the best previously known catalyst, iridium oxide, as well as for this new compound.
Shao-Horn and her collaborators are now working with Nocera, integrating their catalyst with his artificial leaf to produce a self-contained system to generate hydrogen and oxygen when placed in an alkaline solution. They will also be exploring different configurations of the catalyst material to better understand the mechanisms involved. Their initial tests used a powder form of the catalyst; now they plan to try thin films to better understand the reactions.
In addition, even though they have already found the highest rate of activity yet seen, they plan to continue searching for even more efficient catalyst materials. “It’s our belief that there may be others with even higher activity,” Shao-Horn says.
Jens Norskov, a professor of chemical engineering at Stanford University and director of the Suncat Center for Interface Science and Catalysis there, who was not involved in this work, says, “I find this an extremely interesting ‘rational design’ approach to finding new catalysts for a very important and demanding problem.”
The research, which was done in collaboration with visiting professor Hubert A. Gasteiger (currently a professor at the Technische Universität München in Germany) and professor John B. Goodenough from the University of Texas at Austin, was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hydrogen Initiative, the National Science Foundation, the Toyota Motor Corporation and the Chesonis Foundation.An article in "O Magazine" triggered research into the Magic Kingdom's supposed overcrowding. Getty Images When Beauty and the Beast's French-themed restaurant opens in Walt Disney World come November, it may want to ask Oprah to be its first guest.
Last week, Walt Disney Company CFO Jay Rasulo revealed the near-completed Enchanted Forest area may have never come to fruition without an indirect nudge from the ABC veteran.
During a question-and-answer session at Bank of America Merrill Lynch Media, Communications and Entertainment Conference Rasulo said the idea for Fantasyland upgrades were triggered by a nugget in "O Magazine" that suggested overcrowding in the park's current area:
"I am not a regular reader of O Magazine, but I have seen it from time to time because, remember, mothers are our customer in parks and resorts. They make a lot of the vacation decisions. And O Magazine said I don't know 10 years ago now maybe eight years ago that 66% of their readers thought Walt Disney World was the toughest place to be in the middle of the summer because of overcrowding. And I kinda ripped the page out and I called the folks that were running our business at that time and said I really want to look into this."
After research, they found this to be exactly true.
"It turned out that when we studied day after day, something they knew, but informed me of in a very statistical way that there are many days that Fantasyland was an uncomfortable place to be."
In response, the decision was made to expand and add more content to the Magic Kingdom for the first time since 1972.
According to Rasulo, the Magic Kingdom is the most visited park in the world, and the park's Fantasyland is the most visited of any in the location.
Though the "Beauty and the Beast"-themed restaurant will open in November, the rest of the Enchanted Forest complete with a "Little Mermaid" area is slated to open December 6.There are spoilers regarding the plot of Captain America: Civil War here.
Like a majestic bald eagle with an uncanny knowledge of the American health care system, my trusted colleague and Iron Man apologist Ezra Klein came swooping in on Wednesday with a declaration: Rooting for Captain America in Captain America: Civil War is un-American.
"I watched Captain America: Civil War and rooted against Captain America. His position was, quite simply, un-American," Klein wrote, thumping the ideals of faith in government and the system. "What Iron Man is advocating is a system based on America's traditions: our skepticism of imbuing individuals with unrestrained authority, our belief that great strength needs to be legitimized through process and restraint, and our faith that a cumbersome political process is preferable to the mistakes made when passion meets power."
Klein isn't totally wrong.
America boasts a long history of keeping people safe through regulation. We make restaurant employees wash their hands so diners don't get sick, we make our cops and firefighters undergo training programs before they're allowed to do their jobs, and we maintain an extensive system of checks and balances that are baked into the federal government at every level, to prevent any one individual or organization from running amok.
These American values are what Iron Man stands for. But what Klein and Iron Man fail to recognize is that it's not un-American to be skeptical of government, to be realistic about the fact that legislation sometimes fails, and to stand up against injustice. In the world Steve Rogers has known, these governmental structures have repeatedly proven themselves to be completely untrustworthy.
And perhaps Klein's and our definition of being American sadly includes being part of, or taking advantage of, a system we know is broken — as Iron Man does time and again without punishment.
This happens a fuck-ton in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
In The Avengers, Captain America/Steve Rogers saw the government decide to nuke New York City. In Captain America: The Winter Soldier, we and Cap saw how easy it was for Hydra to infiltrate S.H.I.E.L.D. and use the government organization to do its bidding.
In Captain America: Civil War, we see Iron Man — after hearing a sad story of a young man who died in Sokovia — go out and recruit an underage teen, Peter Parker, to fight against Captain America and the Winter Soldier, knowingly putting the kid in mortal danger (Iron Man knows Bucky Barnes's capabilities and pits Parker against him anyway).
Iron Man also places Wanda Maximoff, another minor, under house arrest without a trial, just to appease government higher-ups (one of whom is Thaddeus Ross). In fact, Captain America is about to sign off on the Sokovia Accords (which would enact government regulation of superheroes) until he finds out Wanda is being held against her will.
These episodes of American error aren't just fictional scenarios.
Throughout history, America has repeatedly used legislation to separate and segregate people it doesn't trust, strip away their rights, and decide their fates and futures on their behalf. It's a country in which people in powerful positions — like Tony Stark, for example — can often bend the law to work in their favor. Stark comes from a place of intense privilege, affluence, and ego; he wouldn't know a fallacy if it sat on his sad excuse for facial hair.
If we're stretching the idea of Marvel's universe into real life, Japanese Americans could have used an "un-American" superhero like Captain America to stop FDR from implementing internment camps during World War II (Cap makes a reference to internment in Civil War). And in terms of our more recent history, it's frightening to think about what would've happened if President George W. Bush had had the power to just deploy some American superheroes in Iraq.
But what Klein gets wrong about Cap/Steve Rogers signals a fundamental misunderstanding of the character. Rogers knows what it's like to be weak and not have any power. Underneath the sheath of muscles and strength granted to him by the super soldier serum, he's still a scrawny, awkward, emaciated weakling. That's instilled him with empathy and shaped his heroism.
Cap's original creators, Jack Kirby and Joe Simon, depicted Captain America/Steve Rogers punching Hitler nine months before American intervention in WWII. That's the same man who stands against Wanda's house arrest and Bucky's haphazard incarceration. And the same man who inspires morality and empathy by example.
Captain America isn't being contrarian and resisting government regulation of the Avengers because he wants to beat people to a bloody pulp for fun. He's opposing the law because he's been alive long enough to see how it can be manipulated and twisted.
He's the man who stands in the way — he can do it all day — when people with power abuse it and lord it over the innocent and weak. If that makes him un-American, then we should perhaps rethink what being American means.House Speaker Paul Ryan belittled serious concerns about the millions of Americans who would lose coverage under his plan to repeal health care, describing it as a "beauty contest."
In an interview with right-wing radio host Hugh Hewitt, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) added to the list of increasingly mean-spirited and shortsighted comments made by Republicans over concerns about their Obamacare repeal plan.
Ryan dismissed the fears expressed by millions about having the rug pulled out from under them, as the Republican “American Health Care Act” is estimated to eliminate coverage for anywhere between 10-20 million Americans. The plan has been widely condemned by the American Medical Association, AARP, American Lung Association, as well as by the Democratic Party. Conservative groups like the Heritage Foundation have also attacked the bill, but only because it is not cruel enough to patients.
Asked about the upcoming Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that are likely to detail massive drops in health insurance coverage under the GOP’s plan, Ryan told Hewitt he had instructed House Republicans — who have already been laying the groundwork to attempt to discredit the CBO and its findings — to be prepared for the bad press.
Ryan then stated, “We always know you’re never going to win a coverage beauty contest when it’s free market versus government mandates.” And he referred to the massive increases in coverage as a result of Obamacare as “a pretty piece of paper that says we’re mandating great things for Americans.”
HEWITT: Finally, the CBO’s going to come out with a number, Speaker Ryan, that says 15 million people are going to lose their insurance. Now you can’t really lose what you don’t use, and can’t use. How are you going to combat that number to get through the narrow gate of 51 senators? RYAN: That’s right. I’ve been telling our members, ‘Just get ready.’ This is always what happens with CBO. We couldn’t, you know — we often mark up bills in what we call authorizing committees, like Ways and Means and Commerce before you have a score, and then the score comes. That’s very typical. But we always know you’re never going to win a coverage beauty contest when it’s free market versus government mandates. If the government says ‘Thou shall buy our health insurance,’ the government estimates are going to say people will comply and it will happen. And when you replace that with ‘We’re going to have a free market, and you buy what you want to buy,’ they’re going to say not nearly as many people are going to do that. That’s just going to happen. And so you’ll have those coverage estimates. We assume that’s going to happen. That’s not our goal. Our goal is not to show a pretty piece of paper that says we’re mandating great things for Americans. Our goal is to get a vibrant health care system that’s patient-centered, that brings down costs, that increases choices, that has a marketplace so that we lower the costs and therefore increase the access to affordable care. That’s our goal, and it’s not to win some coverage beauty contest, but you’re right. You’re going to see some number coming out, I have no doubt in my mind about that. I’ve spoken to our members about that. We’re going to talk to our members constantly about this, because we’re not going to get into a bidding war with the left about how much we can mandate or put entitlements out there for people. If you’re repealing one entitlement and bloc granting to the states another entitlement, the government’s not going to say we’re getting more entitlements. It’s just simple. But that is going to be, I think, something a little bit confusing to people. And we’ve been telling our members all along you know that’s what’s going to happen, so get ready.
Ryan is casually belittling the concerns that have led to a grassroots revolt against him, Trump, and the Republican Party. Americans do not want to lose their access to care, especially not in exchange for a massive tax cut for the super-wealthy and a laundry list of giveaways to the insurance industry.
Other Republicans have made similarly dismissive comments, sounding a lot like Ryan. Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), who told low-income Americans that they should prioritize health care “rather than getting that new iPhone.” And Rep. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) suggested cancer patients could just go to the emergency room for their treatment, ignoring the intensive process needed for chemotherapy.
Describing concerns over coverage for cancer, reproductive health, other diseases and debilitating conditions or just basic health insurance as a “beauty contest” is cruel and heartless. And it shows just how little “care” there is in the GOP’s health care plan.Baseball World Cup Most recent season or competition:
2011 Baseball World Cup Sport Baseball Founded 1938 Ceased 2011 No. of teams 16 (in 2011) Continent International Last
champion(s) Netherlands Most titles Cuba (25 times)
Not to be confused with World Baseball Classic
The Baseball World Cup was an international tournament in which national baseball teams from around the world competed. It was sanctioned by the International Baseball Federation (IBAF). Along with the World Baseball Classic, it was one of two active tournaments considered by the IBAF to be a major world championship.[1] The baseball tournament at the Summer Olympic Games was also considered a major world championship while baseball was an Olympic sport.[2]
After the 2011 tournament, the Baseball World Cup was discontinued in favor of an expanded World Baseball Classic tournament. The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) – successor to the IBAF – now sanctions two new tournaments: the biennial 23U Baseball World Cup (begun as the 21U Baseball World Cup in 2014) and WBSC's quadrennial, flagship tournament – involving the twelve best-ranked national teams in the world – called the WBSC Premier12 (starting in 2015).[3]
History [ edit ]
The Baseball World Cup was held 38 times; the final one was in 2011 in Panama. The first tournament, held in 1938, featured only two teams, but the last tournament included 22 participants; the previous two featured 16 and 18 teams (in 2007 and 2005, respectively). The World Cup was originally called the Amateur World Series, until the tournament in 1988. Until 1988, the Amateur World Series was held in intervals of one to four years, except for the eight-year period from 1953–61. From 1988 to 2001, the Baseball World Cup was held in intervals of two to four years. After 2001, the tournament was held every two years.
Until 1998 the competition was limited to amateur players. After 1998, professional minor league players competed, but Major League Baseball did not allow its players to participate. In the months leading up to the high-profile first World Baseball Classic in 2006, many commentators heralded it as a "Baseball World Cup", perhaps not realizing that a tournament of that description already existed and had for almost seventy years. However, the 2006 World Baseball Classic was the first international baseball tournament to include players from the major leagues, making it a closer equivalent to the world cups of other sports—which include players from the most prestigious professional leagues—than to the Baseball World Cup.
Tournament results [ edit ]
Medal table [ edit ]
See also [ edit ]Just one week after Sebastian Vettel pushed Lewis Hamilton hard for victory in Belgium, Ferrari had no answer to the pace of its main championship rival.
Vettel finished a whopping 36 seconds behind Hamilton to leave Ferrari chasing answers about what had gone wrong.
But rather than accept that the result was damage limitation – with Vettel only losing 10 points to Hamilton on a weekend when the gap could have been much bigger – Marchionne said his outfit had to take full responsibility for not having built on its Spa performance.
"I think we just screwed up," Marchionne told German broadcaster RTL. "The set-up for the car was wrong. I think we underestimated the circuit.
"I think we screwed up from Belgium, from Spa, into here. Now, we need to go back to the factory and find out which way the car went sideways. But we will be back in Singapore."
Ferrari will return to its Maranello factory this week to try to better understand why both Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen struggled to get comfortable with their car over the Monza weekend, especially under braking.
Matters were also not helped by it being unable to try set-up improvements on Saturday morning when, after a difficult opening day, the final free practice session was hit by rain.
Speaking about the weekend, Raikkonen said: "I think we lacked speed unfortunately and then the balance maybe wasn't correct.
"We changed [the setup] after Friday and obviously in the race was the first time we tried. But I think with the setup, it [the result] was not going to be awfully different.
"So I think it's something we have to fix in this kind of circuit with the low downforce."
Vettel's pace later in the race was also affected by him driving more cautiously in light of the power steering issue that had resulted in him running down the escape road on lap 40.
Additional reporting by Christian NimmervollThe Gauteng sports, arts, culture and recreation department has started an internal disciplinary process against employee Velaphi Khumalo over his racist Facebook comments.
Acknowledging him as an employee, the department distanced itself from the "barbaric and racist utterances" made by Khumalo.
The racist remarks were his personal views and the department did not condone such hateful and disturbing racial slurs, it said in a statement on Wednesday night.
“The department of sport, arts, culture and recreation views the hateful post by Velaphi Khumalo in a serious light," MEC Faith Mazibuko said.
"Our key mandate is nation building and social cohesion. His sentiments take our country backwards and do not reflect what the Gauteng provincial government stands for.”
The department has a communication policy which guides how employees must conduct themselves on social media.
An internal process was underway to address the matter, it said.
Khumalo called for black South Africans to do to white people what "Hitler did to the Jews".
He said he hated all white people.
"I want to cleans this country of all white people. we must act as Hitler did to the Jews. I don’t believe any more that the is a large number of not so racist whit people. I’m starting to be sceptical even of those within our Movement the ANC. I will from today unfriend all white people I have as friends from today u must be put under the same blanket as any other racist white because secretly u all are a bunch of racist fuck heads. as we have already seen [all sic],” he wrote.
After numerous complaints from irate South Africans, Khumalo's Facebook page was deleted on Wednesday.
A charge of crimen injuria has also been laid against him.
The SA Jewish Board of Deputies would also be laying a complaint against him with the SA Human Rights Commission, National Director Wendy Kahn said in a statement.
Source: News24I hope I'm wrong about Kurt Busch.
On Wednesday afternoon NASCAR announced that the suspended racer had completed the requirements of his sanctioning body-designed reinstatement plan. This weekend at the Phoenix International Raceway, he will return from a dramatic Daytona 500 eve sidelining that ended up being three races. He will be on indefinite probation, but he will be racing, and not just for wins but also for a spot in the postseason Chase for the Sprint Cup, thanks to a waiver granted by NASCAR.
When that announcement hit my inbox, my immediate reaction was that lone sentence above: I hope I'm wrong about Kurt Busch.
I hope that this comeback, merely the latest in a list of returns from stock car racing exile, is different than all the others. I hope that it doesn't fall into the same pattern we've seen from Busch before, which would be an apology/statement, some immediate success on the track during a period of acting on his best behavior, until those good manners start to show cracks -- snarkiness on the radio with his team, testy exchanges with the media -- and he eventually falls into another emotional canyon. Or worse, another weird, embarrassing brush with the law.
Kurt Busch has another fresh start with NASCAR on the track. But a lot needs to go right for him to stay there. Jerry Markland/Getty Images
I hope that all the people who flooded my email account and Twitter timeline after last week's "Busch should stay suspended" column are right. I hope that, as they said to me (albeit garnished with curse words), he has merely been misunderstood, made an example of unfairly in an age of testiness when it comes to domestic violence and thusly should have had his suspension cut short and been granted the Chase waiver. I hope that, as they say, the march of time and truth will show us that the accusations of abuse -- allegations that were solid enough to elicit an order from a family court but not criminal charges from a district attorney's office -- were overblown.
I hope that this is merely the middle chapter of what is ultimately the Kurt Busch story. That from here he will be a reinvented man and reinvigorated racer, inspired by his time on the sidelines to return to the form that made him a Cup champion nearly a decade and a half ago.
I hope that he has finally found true love with his new girlfriend and that what they have together will be so true and so enduring that his connection with Patricia Driscoll, aka the "trained assassin," will eventually become nothing more than an object in the rearview mirror of a happy home life.
I hope that the garage community outside of his own Stewart-Haas Racing team receives Kurt Busch with open arms this weekend, eager to let the motorsports martyr know that he has their support. Perhaps, as some readers have suggested, they'll even thank him for giving them hope that NASCAR won't ever "overreact" again, as so many fans claimed the sanctioning body did.
I hope that the NASCAR-approved health care expert who ultimately "recommended his immediate return" was spot-on in his or her evaluation. Just as I hope that whomever Busch meets with in compliance with the wishes of the Delaware family court will determine that he has found a balance in the areas of -- and these are the commissioner's words -- "mental health problems related to anger control and impulse control."
I sincerely hope that all of the above happens. The reality is that, in order for this just-ended suspension to have worked and for NASCAR to prove that it was justified in rolling the dice on Busch one more time, |
their voices heard.
Across the globe, there is growing astonishment that the world's biggest economy is on the brink of a technical default because its elected leaders cannot hammer out a deal. Nouriel Roubini, the leading economics professor, said there was disbelief in China. "Biggest concern in meetings in Hong Kong: will the US default on its debt? Folks here are shocked by the dysfunctional US political system," he tweeted from Shanghai.
Traders are braced for the debt ceiling negotiations to go right to the wire.
"Equity markets remain on the back foot as the US debt impasse continues to dominate the agenda. The political spat continues and as a result the expectation is that negotiations will be ongoing into next week, right up to that August 2nd deadline," said Chris Weston, Institutional trader at IG Markets.
Complacency rules, ok?
Analysts have suggested that America may have more time to resolve the crisis than the government has admitted, with Barclays Capital calculating that the country might be able to function until 10 August before needing to borrow again.
The yield, or interest rates, on US 10-year bonds remained below 3% on Wednesday – meaning America still enjoys some of the cheapest borrowing costs of any country. There are indications, though, that investors are becoming more anxious, with the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) volatility index, which tracks Wall Street confidence, rising by 4.5%.
"We are finally seeing a little bit of risk priced in, but not a lot is being priced in yet," said Louise Cooper, markets analyst at BGC Partners. "There's still complacency... I don't think anyone expects this to go wrong."
One possibility is that Obama could approve a short-term rise in the debt ceiling while Congress wrestles with a long-term fiscal plan.
"The can would then be being kicked down the road in the States as well as in Europe," said Cooper, referring to the eurozone's own debt problems.
The Financial Times reported on Wednesday that banks are now holding on to more cash, bolstering their liquidity levels in preparation for a US credit rating downgrade that could potentially prompt a second credit crunch.
"We've been here before, post-Lehman Brothers, and we don't want to be there again," commented Cooper.
The wrangling over the debt ceiling could do long-term damage to America's economic credibility, warned Christopher Molumphy, chief investment officer of Franklin Templeton Fixed Income Group.
"The lack of a credible long-term solution would likely raise questions about the creditworthiness of the US, push up the cost of capital for private and public borrowers and thus prove a further impediment to economic recovery. There is still time for a deal to be reached on raising the debt ceiling, but continued doubts about a longer-term solution to the US's federal deficit may well threaten the country's AAA credit rating and the status of US Treasuries as assets previously perceived as virtually 'risk-free', and against which many other products are gauged," said Molumphy.The cryptocurrency wallet will support ether tokens and implement them in all products of the platform, the corporate blog says.
Coinbase users will be able to buy, sell and store ethers through the accounts in the Coinbase digital wallet. All ways of payment provided to bitcoin users including credit card payments and bank transfers will be available for buying and selling ethers as well.
Moreover, the ether trade option will be added to Coinbase Buy Widget, which the company’s partners can place on their websites and in applications to accept cryptocurrency payments. Up until now, the widget, which was launched in June this year, supported only bitcoins.
According to the company, the Coinbase ecosystem is “still in an early and experimental phase,” and they expect ether to serve a different purpose than bitcoin.
“Ethereum is pushing the digital currency ecosystem forward and we are excited to support it as part of our mission to create an open financial system for the world,” the statement says.
A demonstration clip showing how to buy ether via Coinbase interface was published on the company’s official Twitter.
The Coinbase "buy ether widget" is now available in the latest version of MetaMask (v 2.7). https://t.co/Al2WshZX2x pic.twitter.com/ahTM0MPvwK — Coinbase (@coinbase) 21 июля 2016 г.
The CEO Brian Armstrong even made a video showing the launch of ether support:
Live from the Coinbase HQ, proud of this team! pic.twitter.com/52LRljspbd — Brian Armstrong (@brian_armstrong) 21 июля 2016 г.
The company announced its plans to integrate ether tokens in May 2016. Later that month, Coinbase launched a digital exchange platform for GDAX professional traders, that already supported ether in 32 countries.
Coinbase is one of the most successful cryptocurrency startups in terms of attracting investment capital. To date, the company managed to raise $117 million of investment.
Elena PlatonovaIT BANS SIGNING PLAYERS IN THE TWO NEXT RECRUITMENT PERIODS Atlético de Madrid will appeal FIFA’s sanction Our club does not agree with the sanctioning ruling from the international football body and is studying the documentation received to lodge an appeal.
Club Atlético de Madrid has received today a ruling from FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee that sanctions us with the ban to hire national or foreign players during the next two whole recruitment periods and with a fine of 900,000 Swiss francs (approximately 820,000 euros). According to the communication from the international football body, the sanction was caused by the infringement of articles 5, 9, 19 and 19A and annexes 2 and 3 of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players.
Our club does not agree with the imposed sanctioning ruling and will examine all the documentation received to lodge an appeal against the sanction.Join Humanity+ Joining Humanity+ as a Full, Plus or Sponsor Member enables you to participate in Humanity+ governance and decision-making - an important role in the growing Transhumanist movement. It also, of course, gives you the opportunity to support us in the work Humanity+ does!
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Control Webcast Whole Brain Emulation Work World Peace Wormholes WritingCisco and Apple have settled a dispute over rights to use the iPhone name. Under terms of the agreement, both companies have the right to use the name.
In addition, Cisco and Apple have agreed to "explore opportunities for interoperability" in security and communications technologies for consumers and business users, they said in a brief statement. Other terms of the agreement, which heads off a lawsuit filed by Cisco over rights to the iPhone trademark, were not disclosed.
Cisco sued Apple last month in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California for infringing its iPhone trademark with the announcement of a cellular handset that bears the same name. At that time, Cisco said it obtained rights to the iPhone name through its 2000 acquisition of Infogear, which had a product line called iPhone.
In addition, Cisco's Linksys division last year began selling a line of dual-mode cordless phones, called iPhone, that let users make Voice over IP calls.
Cisco's lawsuit against Apple came shortly after CEO Steve Jobs last month announced the company's own iPhone cellular handset at the Macworld Conference & Expo in San Francisco. That announcement was made without an agreement with Cisco to use the iPhone name, a company spokesman said at the time.
Prior to Jobs' iPhone announcement, Apple and Cisco had discussed terms of an agreement for Apple to use the name. Those discussions continued after the iPhone announcement and the filing of the lawsuit, ultimately resulting in the settlement.Disney has admitted it will be forced to write off more than $50m after cancelling a film project – believed to be Coraline director Henry Selick's latest stop-motion venture – earlier this year.
It was revealed in August that the untitled project from the highly respected film-maker, which had 150 San Francisco based animators working on it, had been cancelled. Despite having been shooting since the previous summer, industry blog Deadline reported that the film "just wasn't coming together in a manner that pleased the studio". Little information has been forthcoming as to the exact nature of Selick's film, but a job posting on creativeheads.net last year listed the Selick project under the title Shade Maker and described Selick's mandate to "make great, scary films for young 'uns".
Selick, who also directed critically acclaimed animation features such as The Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach, rejoined Disney in 2010 (where he also worked as a young apprentice animator post-college) in what was described at the time as a long-term contract to produce stop-motion animation films. It was previously reported that he would be permitted to approach other studios with the cancelled film.
The suggestion that Disney torpedoed a project from a highly respected animator with a strong track record at huge expense hints at an unprecedented jitteriness at the company. Earlier this year, the company was forced to admit that it might lose $200m due to the disappointing performance of science-fiction epic John Carter, which many in the industry blamed on poor marketing. Nevertheless, the studio is hardly faring badly on the whole in 2012 thanks to the enormous box office success of comic-book movie The Avengers. Joss Whedon's superhero ensemble has taken more than $1.5bn, making it Disney's highest grossing film of all time and the third highest overall.
The studio has also seen animated film Brave, produced by its wholly owned division Pixar, perform well at the box office this year. The boisterous Scottish-set fairytale fantasy has taken $488m worldwide.
The $50m write-down was announced by Disney chief financial officer Jay Rasulo at a communications and entertainment conference in Los Angeles yesterday. Rasulo did not name the project in question but said it would cost the company two cents in per-share earnings. Selick's film had been expected to hit cinemas in October 2013.
The veteran animator was reported earlier this year to be in line to direct an adaptation of Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book at Disney, though it is not known if that project is still in the works. Gaiman also wrote the 2002 novella upon which Selick's Coraline was based.It’s happening again, you guys. I can feel a new obsession coming on, and this time it’s in the form of Dan Stevens. I spotted The Guest on a monthly recap list another blogger wrote recently (I can’t remember who – sorry!) and it sounded like my cup of tea. The fact that Dan Stevens played the lead was intriguing, I’d so far seen him as a big furry beast and a messed up X-Men Mutant, so I was interested to see him in another role. I’ve got to say though, how does he managed to look so much like Bradley Cooper in this poster? It’s weird!
Anyway, the plot is simple enough. Dan Stevens plays David, a soldier who introduces himself to the Peterson family, claiming to be a friend of their Son who died in action. However, this isn’t a airy fairy drama where David reconnects a broken family or anything like that. Instead, a whole pile a seemingly accidental deaths take place, and things start to turn a bit weird.
I don’t even know how to describe the tone of this movie, it might be different for everyone. For me it was a cross between Drive and Crazy, Stupid, Love! It had those moody, dark scenes, a stand out soundtrack, but also some outrageously funny mentoring scenes and sex appeal. I’m not kidding about that last part! I had to send my friend Steph (she understands me) a screenshot of Dan Stevens stood seductively, knowing full well what he looked like, wet after a shower and naked except for a towel that was dangerously low. *cough* Is anyone else warm?
If I tried to be a real blogger rather than a fangirl, I’d tell you that the pacing is completely off in parts, and that the final third is somewhat confusing and a bit of a cop out. It also feels quite long considering the reasonable runtime. I read though that around 20 minutes of footage got cut before the release, which explains the confusion at least. Nonetheless, it’s a movie well worth watching as it’s something a little bit different! Plus Dan Stevens. Did I mention how blue his eyes are?
So where do I go next? I really, REALLY don’t want to watch Downton Abbey (it’s not my cup of tea) and so before I start the downward spiral of working my way through his entire filmography, can any of your recommend me some good Dan Stevens movies? I’m off to see Colossal tomorrow night which I think he’s in, although in a minor role.
But anyway, I do recommend The Guest, but only if there’s nothing big at the top of your watchlist. It’s a bit of fun, and it’s something both guys and gals will enjoy.The hashtag #LochteGate has been blowing up on social media, since American Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte and his teammates (James Feigen, Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz) were exposed for (allegedly [innocent until proven guilty]) fabricating a story, which involved Brazilian men posing as police officers and robbing them. In actuality, security footage shows Lochte and crew vandalizing a local gas station (which included pissing on the floor) and getting belligerent with security.
#LochteGate is “deeper than rap,” though, homie. Worse than Lochte and others’ wanton disregard for people’s trust, real human lives were affected and inconvenienced by their lies. Two men, Luis Guilherme, 25, and Matheus Henrique 28, are now suing the Olympic Committee for big money after they were arrested as potential suspects in the fugazi robbery story. The two hardworking, lifelong residents of Racinho (Rio’s largest favela/slum) are being represented by the Rio Advocacy Council and seeking 10 million Brazilian reals (about $3.1 million) from the Olympic Committee for wrongful arrest, racial profiling, physical trauma, mental anguish and more. The RAC believes its case is a strong one. Due to athlete agreements with the Olympic Committee, the committee claims all responsibility for all athletes’ actions while participating in the Olympic Games, in whichever nation it’s being held.
On August 1, Guilherme, a laborer by day, was walking home from work to see his wife and three young children, when Brazilian police forcefully apprehended him, hitting him all over his body with batons and calling him a “disgrace to the nation of Brazil.” On August 5, Henrique, a cab driver with a wife and a newborn baby girl, had a similar experience, except police pistol-whipped him into unconsciousness, while handcuffed in the backseat of the police car. He has experienced slight brain damage due to the assault. The police identified the two men by some rather crude;y nondescript sketches, drawn by Bentz and accepted by law enforcement.
The most egregious aspect of this chain of events is that…..it never happened. These mugshots and sketches are the results of a random Google search for funny police sketches. All jokes aside, Brazilian men of color could very well have gotten fucked up or killed over #LochteGate. Being privileged White male Olympic athletes, Lochte and his conspirators probably didn’t consider that they may have made men of color even more susceptible to police interactions/violence. How many times in the past have we seen White folks make an imaginary Black man the scapegoat for the crimes they commit? Also, I’ve never been to Brazil, but City of God is one of my favorite movies. Though set in the past, if the story of “The Tender Trio” is any indicator of the relationship between police and the Black people living in the favelas of Rio, Lochte surely could’ve gotten someone murdered (remember the scene where cops said they wanted to “exterminate” the “niggers” and all of the innocent people who were killed during the investigation after Lil’ Dice enacted the massacre at the motel). In real life, right before the Olympics kicked off, at least 10 people were killed as police hunted Rio favela crime boss, Nicolas Labre Pereira (better known as “Fat Family) after his soldiers stormed a hospital, where he was being held in custody, with guns and grenades to free their boss. It is unreported how many of the deceased were actually involved in illegal activity. Seems like police would be on a similar hunt for the assailants of Olympic athletes from the United States, in efforts to salvage its reputation.
It may be a reach, but it’s something to consider. Why wouldn’t it happen? Please people, consider your actions and how they may affect others who aren’t involved and don’t deserve the stress and aggravation. What Lochte and the others did wasn’t a simple “white lie.” They didn’t just finesse powerful people out of their confidence. It was an irresponsibly dangerous act that could have had deadly implications for harmless men. Black lives clearly don’t matter to them.
Check out a report on the “Cracklands,” a dope fiend paradise a mile down the road from the Olympic stadium.At a time when we are keenly aware of the deep divisions within the Jewish community on issues from religious practice to the policies of the State of Israel, along comes the festival of Shavuot, the Feast of Weeks, with the most unifying theme in Jewish life: the giving of the Torah, the central, foundational text of our history and people, at Mount Sinai.
Doubly sad, then, that Shavuot, which falls this year on Sunday and Monday, is the least celebrated of the three major festivals. Is that because it has no seder to observe like Passover has, nor sukkah to build like on Sukkot? Perhaps, and I worry that many American Jews could not tell you what Shavuot is all about. Something to do with the harvest in ancient times, a few might venture. Or eating cheese blintzes today…
But this holiday gives us the story of one of the most endearing characters in our literature, Ruth, the gentle young Moabite widow who rejects her past and casts her fate — and shapes ours — by embracing Judaism.
A closer look at the story of the most famous convert in Jewish history offers up a timely message about how we can approach the dangerous fissures in Jewish life today in a way that can help us heal, and bring us closer together. In so doing, it presents a stinging challenge to the dangerously narrow interpretation of conversion laws in Israel today and the negative impact they are having throughout the diaspora.
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In synagogues around the world on Shavuot we read the Book of Ruth, whose highlight is a simple statement from Ruth to her mother-in-law, Naomi, who urges her to go back to her own people. It makes for one of the most sublime declarations in history:
“Do not urge me to leave you, to turn back and not follow you,” Ruth says. “For wherever you go, I will go; wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. Thus and more may the Lord do to me if anything but death parts me from you.”
Ruth’s extraordinary act, showing not only love for Naomi but a willingness to accept the One God, makes her part of the Jewish people. And at the end of the story, she gives birth to a son, who in turn becomes the father of Jesse, the father of David, king of Israel. And according to tradition, from that progeny the messiah will be born.
The message our rabbis offer up us is a profoundly bold one of acceptance. After all, Ruth is from a tribe that is an enemy of the Jewish people on a deeper level than even the descendants of Esau, the Edomites, or the Egyptians, who cruelly enslaved us for centuries. In Deuteronomy, God says, “You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your kinsman. You shall not abhor an Egyptian, for you were a stranger in his land.” But the descendants of Moab, until the 10th generation, should not be accepted into “the congregation of the Lord because they did not meet you with food and water on your journey after you left Egypt” and because they hired Balaam “to curse you.”
And yet Ruth’s straightforward declaration to Naomi not only brings her acceptance among the Jewish people, but also makes possible her pivotal role in determining the kings of Israel and, ultimately, the messiah.
The rabbis of old no doubt struggled with the text of the Book of Ruth — how could a member of a cursed tribe be the heroine of the story and the grandmother of King David? A legal loophole of sorts is found, interpreting the prohibition of marrying a Moabite as applying to Jewish women, thus allowing a man to marry a woman from Moab.
In contrast to this message, I can’t help but think that if Ruth lived under the current Chief Rabbinate of Israel, with its increasingly rigid and restrictive interpretation of the laws of conversion, she would not be accepted as a daughter of Israel, and the trajectory of Jewish history would be altogether different.
Of course it is a great responsibility to define who is and who isn’t Jewish, especially in our modern age of pluralism. The laws are complex, and the stakes are high. But what is most troubling about the views coming out of Jerusalem in recent years is that they are motivated by an effort to keep the gates closed, to prevent sincere seekers from joining our people rather than to welcome them.
Potential converts are told that they must accept each and all of the hundreds of mitzvot of Jewish life when a more liberal approach would enable tens of thousands of Russians in Israel to join the Jewish people, potentially transforming the society in positive ways. Further, many recent conversions have been revoked by the Chief Rabbinate, and the chilling effect of such actions, and their negative message, has caused ripples of frustration and anger across the Jewish world.
At a time when we need the spirit of Hillel, who accepted the man who wanted to learn about Judaism while standing on one foot, we have the reaction of Shammai, who shooed him away.
On Shavuot, we mark the day that, according to tradition, all Jews — even those from future generations — gathered at Sinai and accepted the Torah, creating the greatest moment of Jewish unity in history. In that spirit, let’s read and remember the story of Ruth, reminding us that our impulse should to be to embrace rather than reject those who are sincere in their intentions to echo Ruth’s words: “Your God shall be my God.”
Chag sameach.
E-mail: Gary@jewishweek.orgCayden Lapcevich, who is still too young to shave, outduelled veteran Louis-Philippe Dumoulin in the final five laps to claim his first NASCAR Pinty’s victory in the Velocity Prairie Thunder 250 at the Wyant Group Raceway in Saskatoon.
The 16-year-old rookie from Grimsby, Ont., became the youngest winner in the history of the series and beat out drivers like Canadian Motorsports Hall of Famer Alex Tagliani and Andrew Ranger in the process.
“It is awesome,” said a jubilant Lapcevich after the race and a huge hug from his father Jeff. “I’m smiling from head to toe right now. It is a dream come true. To be able to do it against the best drivers in the country and one of the best facilities we go to is absolutely awesome.”
Pole sitter Andrew Ranger led for almost the first 100 laps before Jason Hathaway overtook him. Meanwhile, Lapcevich, who started back in the pack, had surged up to third spot. Midway through the race Lapcevich was nipping at the heels of Hathaway and after the fourth caution of the night barrelled into the lead and kept it until the final caution at lap 244.
By then Dumoulin, who won this race two years ago, had worked his way up to second and on the restart edged out in front of Lapcevich before going wide in a corner and had to settle for second.
“Two years ago we won with a green/white/checkered and this year it was with six laps to go and I didn’t have enough,” Dumoulin said. “I went a little wide in the corner and it cost me a win.
“But I think we have good momentum going home to Trois-Rivieres (which is the next stop in the series). It’s a new team and we are all starting to work together and we want to be in victory lane as soon as possible.”
For Lapcevich the caution flag was the last thing he wanted to see with less than 10 laps to go.
“When that caution came out there was words going through my head that I’m not allowed to say,” he laughed. “It wasn’t what we wanted to see because our car wasn’t the greatest right off the start of a green flag run, but once we going I think we were unbeatable tonight.”
Alex Labbe edge out Tagliani at the line for third place and Ranger finished fifth.
“It is really cool to be racing against guys who have sat on the Indy 500 pole (Tagliani) and won championships and contended for wins every weekend,” Lapcevich said.
“I definitely feel I’ve earned some respect tonight, and throughout the season, but there is still more to be earned and I’ll keep digging and do what I do best.”
Lapcevich had finished second twice earlier in the year and said winning a race will hopefully lead to furthering his career and his team.
“We don’t have a huge crew,” he said. “There is three or four of us who come down after work, or in my case after school, and put in hours at the shop.
“(Winning) is definitely that next step that I wanted to take and hopefully it will open up some new opportunities. Hopefully we can pick up another one of these before the end of the season.”Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2011 September 26
Explanation: Part of Mars is defrosting. Around the South Pole of Mars, toward the end of every Martian summer, the warm weather causes a section of the vast carbon-dioxide ice cap to evaporate. Pits begin to appear and expand where the carbon dioxide dry ice sublimates directly into gas. These ice sheet pits may appear to be lined with gold, but the precise composition of the dust that highlights the pit walls actually remains unknown. The circular depressions toward the image center measure about 60 meters across. The HiRISE camera aboard the Mars-orbiting Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter captured the above image in late July. In the next few months, as Mars continues its journey around the Sun, colder seasons will prevail, and the thin air will turn chilly enough not only to stop the defrosting but once again freeze out more layers of solid carbon dioxide.I was really happy to see the wonderful items that my secret santa sent to me from Pittsburgh. The first condiment is a jar of Isaly's Barbecue Sauce.Being in Canada, I have never heard of Isaly's Chipped Chopped Ham sandwich. I am pretty sure they don't sell it here. But I did go to Wikipedia to read about it. He also supplied me with a recipe so I think I will try the sauce with my pulled pork recipe if I cant find chipped chopped ham. The jar of Nandos Peri-Peri garlic sauce sounds delicious and I will be trying that soon. I love mustards and I am always on the lookout for different kinds so I cant wait to try the Apple Champagne mustard. But the biggest surprise was the Maple syrup mustard! Why isnt this sold in Canada?? Being Canadian, naturally I love anything with Maple syrup in it. Maple syrup is so expensive here so to be able to have something with maple syrup in it is a real treat for me. I am buying a ham for Sunday supper so I can have these wonderful mustards on the side. Maybe I will chop up the leftovers and make my own chipped chopped ham and use the barbecue sauce to make the sandwich! Thanks so much secret santa. I am looking forward to my dinner this weekend!Is Democrat voting a vast criminal conspiracy?
Thomas Lifson posted a recent blog piece pointing to some voting statistics reported by the Huffington Post. The gist of the H.P. piece was that Democrat voter turnout was down hugely in those states where voter ID legislation has been enacted – a decline some 285% greater than in states with no voter ID laws, in fact. While it is of course impossible to attribute direct cause and effect with no more proof than that available to us through our own lying eyes, we conservatives who have long advocated for voter identification are entitled to share a few smug eye rolls and some muttered told-you-sos. But the larger question is that should the statistics Lifson cites prove out through the remainder of this election year, will we then be looking at a nationwide turndown in Democrat voting in these states that have enacted voter identification laws? And will that then provide further evidence that many past campaigns in this country have most likely been determined by fraudulent voting?
If the Democrat voter turnout trend continues through the general election to be significantly lower only in those states where voter ID laws have been recently enacted, you can bet the farm the Democrat leadership will be tap-dancing all over the place to find whatever other possible explanation they can. That may be easier for them if their presidential candidate loses, for they can then blame lack of voter interest due to poor candidate performance. However, that still won't explain away the differential in voter turnout between states with no voter ID laws, where turnout remains relatively unchanged, and those states where voter ID was recently enacted and the vote declined significantly. What will then become evident is that the Democratic Party has been engaged in voter fraud on a broad, nationwide scale. An even more disturbing revelation that is sure to arise from all this is that the Democratic Party has most likely encouraged voter fraud in minority communities, where criminal evidence of such fraud is most commonly found. While I'm not about to contend that all voter fraud takes place in minority precincts, news stories of criminal voter fraud and the results will almost always be in those communities. Not only do I believe that Democrats are engaged in widespread voter fraud, but I believe they are playing the minority communities, black and Hispanic, to do the heavy lifting for them in this criminal enterprise. And to my way of thinking, that constitutes a vast criminal conspiracy on the part of the Democratic Party to undermine the electoral process with millions of fraudulent votes through a callous manipulation of their controlled minorities.In the wake of the verdict in the Trayvon Martin shooting, several teachers said they would invoke mob justice, vigilantism and the idea that Florida law allows people to hunt and kill black kids when discussing the case with their students.
The Hairpin, a prominent liberal women’s blog, asked several teachers, counselors and professors to explain how they would talk about the case — which reached its conclusion last week after George Zimmerman was found innocent of Martin’s murder — in their classrooms.
An anonymous English teacher in Alabama said that she would be hesitant to formally “teach” the subject, but nonetheless thought it could be brought up in relation to vigilantism in literature such as “To Kill A Mockingbird” and the works of William Faulkner.
“The thing is, I see Trayvon Martins everyday,” wrote the teacher. “I worry about young black men and their prospects in a world where a man is able to kill one without being convicted of something. Even if it isn’t as simple as that, kids will see it that way. Rednecks are holding their heads a little higher and tapping the guns on their holsters eager for a stand your ground moment.”
Some have alleged that Zimmerman killed Martin in an act of vigilante-style execution, though the jury ultimately acquitted him based on his self-defense claim. Zimmerman suffered bruises and cuts during the altercation, and said that Martin was on top of him and he feared for his life when he fired his gun.
Nevertheless, another teacher cited the verdict as evidence of the “fact that Florida law allows people to hunt and kill black youth,” and said that it was important to talk about it with students.
“Ultimately, this is such an important and indicative decision that it needs to be addressed,” wrote Abe Cohen, a high school teacher in the Bronx.
Dr. Imani Perry, a Princeton professor who said her two black children cried when they heard Zimmerman had been acquitted — and feared that he was coming to kill them — expressed the view that kids need to be educated about racial inequity in the context of the verdict.
“I believe that if children are guided honestly through the reality of the world in which they live, it will help them build resilience,” wrote Perry.
An anonymous high school counselor in California said he thought teachers should talk to students about Florida law, helping them reach the conclusion that the laws are unjust and need to be changed.
“I think it’d be interesting for students to look at the laws in Florida and see WHY the jury made this decision,” he wrote. “It may be unjust, but WHY was it made? And maybe it’s the law that’s the problem in this case? And what can we do to change that?”
Other teachers did express the view that any in-class discussions of the Martin case should be neutral.
“I’d welcome discussing Trayvon, and I’d do my best to facilitate in a neutral way,” wrote Lindsey Hunter Lopez, a high school English teacher.
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Formation of the Traverse Group. They are fragments of a coral reef that was originally deposited during the Devonian period.[1] When dry, the stone resembles ordinary limestone but when wet or polished using lapidary techniques, the distinctive mottled pattern of the six-sided coral fossils emerges. It is sometimes made into decorative objects. Other forms of fossilized coral are also found in the same location.
In 1965, it was named the state stone of Michigan.
Etymology [ edit ]
A polished Petoskey stone
The name comes from an Ottawa Indian Chief, Chief Pet-O-Sega. The city of Petoskey, Michigan, is also named after him, and is the center of the area where the stones are found. The stones are commonly found on beaches and in sand dunes.
According to legend, Petosegay was a descendant of French nobleman and fur trader, Antoine Carre and an Ottawa princess. Petosegay, meaning "rising sun", "rays of dawn" or "sunbeams of promise", was named after the rays of sun that fell upon his newborn face. In keeping with his promising name, Petosegay was a wealthy fur trader who gained much land and acclaim for himself and his tribe. He was remarked upon to have a striking and appealing appearance, and spoke English very well. He married another Ottawa, and together they had two daughters and eight sons. In the summer of 1873, a few years before the chief's death, a city began on his land along Little Traverse Bay. The settlers christened the newborn city Petoskey, an anglicized form of Petosegay.[2]
Locations [ edit ]
Petoskey stones can be found on various beaches and inland locations in Michigan, with many of the most popular being those surrounding Petoskey and Charlevoix. The movement of the frozen lake ice acting on the shore during the winters is thought to turn over stones at the shore of Lake Michigan, exposing new Petoskey stones at the water's edge each spring.[3] The type of coral that forms the basis of Petoskey Stones is also present in the fossil records of Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, New York and locations in Canada, Germany, England, and Asia.[4]
On September 23, 2015, it was reported that a 93-pound Petoskey stone was removed from the shallow waters of Lake Michigan, near the city of Northport, Michigan.[5] In December 2015, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources confiscated the stone under a state law that disallows removing more than 25 pounds (11 kg) of materials from state lands.[6] It was announced in October 2017 that the stone would be placed on permanent display at the Outdoor Adventure Center, east of downtown Detroit near the Detroit River.[7]
It is sometimes used as a gemstone.[8]
Photo gallery [ edit ]
Close view of polished Hexagonaria percarinata from Michigan.
Unpolished Petoskey stone about 5.5 in (14 cm) long
Closeup view, field of view ~3.6 cm wide
References [ edit ]If Netflix is going to take over the world, it will have some help along the way.
Netflix (NFLX) said on Monday that it will partner with Japan’s SoftBank Group when launching its popular video streaming service in that country next month. The partnership will allow customers of SoftBank, which is one of Japan’s largest wireless carriers and internet providers, to pay for a Netflix subscription through their existing SoftBank accounts when Netflix becomes available in the country on Sept. 2.
SoftBank users will have the option of signing up for a Netflix subscription at SoftBank’s retail locations and through the Japanese company’s website or call centers, as well as through major electronics retailers. Customers with SoftBank mobile or broadband accounts will be able to have Netflix’s monthly fee added to their bill, eliminating the need for customers to fill out additional payment information, and SoftBank will begin pre-installing its smartphones with the Netflix app after October.
Netflix’s Japanese expansion will be the latest stage in a global rollout that the company plans to complete by the end of 2016, at which point Netflix plans to be selling its service in 200 countries. The company is currently in 50 countries and some analysts think its 65 million global users could grow to top 100 million by the end of 2020.
Netflix, which expanded to several European countries last year and launched in Australia earlier this year, faces some obstacles in its plan for global domination, including in China, where the economy is struggling and Netflix will see steep competition from rivals such as Alibaba’s (BABA) new streaming service.The Libertarian Party has joined the growing list of organizations calling for the repeal of House Bill 2.
"The state has no authority to determine gender," the unanimous resolution states. HB 2 also “unduly intrudes state authority into local decision-making and unreasonably limits the ability of the citizens... to govern themselves.”
In addition, the bill reduces individual rights because it “bans citizens from using state courts to remedy discrimination”
Nic Haag, Libertarian candidate for NC Senate 44, introduced the resolution. It was endorsed by General Assembly candidates Brad Hessel, NC Senate 15, Brian Irving, NC House 36, and Rob Rose, NC 37.
The convention was held in Raleigh last weekend.
The convention also passed a resolution calling for the repeal of the ban on counting write-in votes. The state does not count the votes for persons who haven't gathered enough petition signatures.
This “amounts to the legislature picking and choosing which votes to count, sometimes yielding suspicious results like unanimous vote tallies in our statewide elections,” the resolutions says.
Six candidates for the Libertarian presidential nomination participated in a forum Saturday. They included former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson, the party's 2012 standard-bearer.
In other business, the convention elected at-large members to the state executive committee and adopted a revised platform. It also selected delegates to the Libertarian National Convention and nominated presidential electors.
Read the resolutions here.Russian officials bugged a private strategy meeting convened by Russian LGBT activists and four major international human rights organizations in October, an intensification of the campaign to clamp down on LGBT rights ahead of the Olympic games in Sochi.
This surveillance was revealed on Nov. 12, when a state television channel broadcast audio from the meeting as part of a program presented as an exposé of the "threat to Russia" posed by the "homosexualists who attempt to infiltrate our country."
The inclusion of a few minutes of this audio sent a chill through human rights activists in Russia and abroad. The Russian government has actively suppressed public speech in support of LGBT rights under its ban on the "promotion of non-traditional sexual relations to minors." But this was the first time activists were aware that authorities had actively spied on strategy meetings organized in private, and it was taken as a sign that the government may be seriously escalating its crackdown on LGBT rights as it looks ahead to the Olympic Games in February.
By highlighting Western human rights groups' interest in Russia, the program also appeared to be laying the groundwork for potentially accusing LGBT rights activists of being "foreign agents," which could be grounds for huge fines if activists are found to be taking money from foreign sources without reporting it to the authorities. The "foreign agent" law, passed last year, has been widely criticized for stifling Russia's already embattled civil society.
Since Vladimir Putin returned to the presidency last year, Russian state television has aired periodic "documentaries" targeting perceived enemies. The state used the premise of one program that aired last year, called Anatomy of a Protest, to arrest several anti-Putin protesters.
Tuesday's broadcast described the meeting of Russian LGBT activists and foreign partners as "a for-reasons-unclear, closed-to-the-public conference funded by the Soros Foundation [organized because] foreigners were afraid the LGBT-ization of Russia is going too slowly."
In fact, the LGBT activists were discussing strategies for advancing LGBT rights during the Olympic Games. One unidentified voice talked about campaigns that could be organized by Pride House International, which has been banned from sponsoring its own space in the Olympic Village in Sochi under Russia's "homosexual propaganda" ban. A second voice, identified as Igor Kochetkov of the Russian LGBT Network, thanks "all Western organizations and everybody who has supported us and plugged into our campaign over the past year."
He also voices frustration with Olympic sponsors who have not spoken out in opposition to Russia's LGBT rights crackdown.
There's one very large sponsor, an automobile company, that absolutely refuses to talk about homosexuality. And they say that even if there will be some support from on top — not even financial help, just moral support — they won't have anything to do with it because they're very worried if could negatively impact sales. The same goes for the other sponsors.
Their words are presented as an example of "excessively radical, aggressive propaganda" that is dragging Russia into "a war" with the West, a plausible scenario according to one of the broadcast's guests with close ties to the Kremlin, political analyst Alexei Mukhin.
Though Mukhin said it would be good if "the traditional part of society and the LGBT community learn to live together," another possible scenario is that there is "a gay revolution, in which Western society will openly interfere in Russia's internal affairs."
By the end of the taped part of the broadcast, the program's "correspondent" Alexander Buzaladze warned that "the attack on Russia is already in full-swing," and it could be forced to adopt same-sex marriage and other gay rights in the face of "massive LGBT propaganda."
The LGBT activists were recorded without their knowledge during a meeting at the Holiday Inn in St. Petersburg on Oct. 12 and 13 intended to strategize about how to respond to the deterioration of LGBT rights in the country in advance of the Olympics. It was convened by the Open Society Foundation, which was founded by financier George Soros, and brought together representatives of six Russian LGBT organizations with key international partners, Human Rights Watch, the Human Rights Campaign, and All Out.
Russian participants in the meeting declined to comment citing concerns for their security. But Maxim Anmeghichean, program officer with the Open Society Foundation's LGBTI Rights Initiative, said that meeting was primarily intended to help the small Russian organizations more effectively participate in the intensifying world-wide campaign to promote LGBT rights around the Olympics.
"The goal of that meeting was to try to connect the Russians to what was happening globally," Anmeghichean said in an interview on Tuesday. "There was so much to respond to, and there were [just] a couple organizations that are tiny."
One result of this meeting was the request from six Russian LGBT organizations for a meeting with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach when he visited Sochi late last month, which he declined.
Human Rights Watch's Director of Global Initiatives Minky Worden, who participated in the St. Petersburg meeting, told BuzzFeed that following this broadcast, "Russia should get a gold metal in Olympic spying."
"At a time when Russia ought to be unfurling the red carpet to the international community, it is instead increasingly operating with a Soviet approach," she said. "This is blatant targeting of gay activists for Soviet-like surveillance, and then using material selectively to stoke an anti-gay campaign broadcast to millions across Russia…. It really ought to make the IOC and the Olympic sponsors — plus Olympic athletes and other governments — profoundly nervous because it gives the lie to the so-called 'assurances' by the Russian Government and the IOC that the anti-gay law will not be enforced during the Olympic games."You didn’t misread that headline: Bernie Sanders might enter his Friday rally in Cloverville, California by skydiving in.
NorCal Skydiving told Bay-area newspaper The Press Democrat that they were approached by a Sanders campaign staffer Wednesday about the possibility of making an entrance from the sky. The following day, a campaign staffer went skydiving as a sort of practice run, but there’s still no word about whether they’ll go through with the idea.
“I’ve been told they will run the idea by Bernie,” jumpmaster Jimmy Halliday said. “I can’t confirm that’s the plan. I know that’s a possibility.”
The rally will be held at Cloverdale Municipal Airport at 7:30 local time. Only adding to the mystery, airport manager Michael Morrissey tells The Press Democrat that Sanders is “supposed to make a grand entrance.”
[Image via screengrab]
——
>>Follow Alex Griswold (@HashtagGriswold) on Twitter
Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.comJune 30, 2015. 10:40
CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | Contact
A late entry into this year’s Archibald Prize has left judges stunned, as the daughter of Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott submits the first official portrait of her father.
According to the Herald, it has been revealed that the trustee board of the famous art prize made an exception to all submission deadlines, due to the young creative designer’s inability make the friday entry date.
In it’s 94th year, the Archibald Prize is touted as one of the most prestigious art prizes in the country – with approximately 800 entrants each year submitting portraits-of-photographs of B-list Australian actors, other artists, and moderately well-known Labor politicians.
According to her Instagram page, Frances Abbott submitted the first official portrait of her father at approximately 15:00pm yesterday afternoon. At least 72 hours after entries closed to the public. Shortly after, it was revealed that the 22-year-old had been listed as a finalist.
“I am so honoured to join the ranks of Ben Quilty and Tim Storrier as a finalist in the Archibald. This has has been a dream of mine for several years now,” said an ecstatic Frances Abbott, who lists both Quilty and Storrier as inspiration, as well as 2014 finalist – Anh Do.
According to the Gallery of NSW spokesperson, Angus Capon, certain exceptions were made for Frances Abbott – due to her father’s close relationship with several members of the trustee board.
Frances Abbott, used to seeing her father in the spotlight, found herself the centre of a major news story last year when it was leaked that she had been awarded a $60,000 scholarship to study at the exclusive Whitehouse Institute of Design in 2011.
The 21-year-old student who accessed the school’s database and leaked the information to the New Matilda was handed a two-year good behaviour bond but didn’t have a conviction recorded again her name. Les Taylor, the chairman of the institute, was a long time friend and supporter of Mr Abbott.
The artistic community of Sydney is in uproar today, with many drawing parallels between the Whitehouse saga and the nepotism shown towards Frances Abbott’s Archibald submission.
Angus Capon has addressed all claims in an official press release today.
“This may look like nepotism, cronyism or even favouritism. However, it was a lovely portrait and after taking an official phone call from the Prime Minister himself, we were very excited to play host to the first official portrait of Tony Abbott,”
“She is just as credible as any other artist, in fact she has chosen the perfect subject. No one else has been able to sit down and paint Tony Abbott, so I believe she has a good chance at taking this year’s prize”,
“The subject was perfect. Topical, high-profile and able to give us media leverage – that’s really all that matters. Her style speaks for itself.”
With the likes of Anh Do (IGA Ambassador and author) Noah Taylor (Game Of Thrones actor) expected to join Ms Abbott as finalists, the pressure is on for no-name artists to deliver something that can outweigh the reputations of previous Sydney-based winners and obscure celebrities from unrelated fields.
“We are very excited to see which Channel Nine mini-series actors end up being painted. We are hoping to get the entire cast of House Husbands hung as finalists” says Mr Capon.Libya’s Supreme Court has annulled a law that criminalized praising late leader Muammar Gaddafi and his regime, following an outrage among civil groups and legal experts describing it as undemocratic.
On Thursday, court head Judge Kamal Bashir Dahan ruled that the new law, passed in May, Reuters reports.
"In the name of the people, the court has decided to accept the appeal of Law 37 of 2012 as it is unconstitutional," he said in a brief hearing.
Under that law, passed by the National Transitional Council, praising or glorifying the ousted Colonel Gaddafi was punishable by a prison sentence ranging from three to 15 years. The law also criminalized spreading news or information “harming the February 17 revolution.”
The Supreme Court agreed to review Law 37 after lawyer Saleh al-Marghani appealed it, saying it violated freedom of expression.
"This law is unconstitutional as it prevents freedom of speech. We are nearing elections and a basic step is to ensure there is freedom of speech," he said.
Democracy seems to be trailing in post-Gaddafi Libya, where those who toppled the strongman’s regime have appeared to deploy the same repressive tactics against their opponents.It’s not just the Oakland Raiderettes who say they’ve been ripped off by the NFL team that employs them.
Now a member of the Cincinnati Bengals cheerleading squad has slapped her team with a class action lawsuit, which was filed in federal court this week.
Alexa Brenneman says she spent more than three hundred hours working as a Ben-Gals cheerleader last year, and was paid a total of $855.
That translates to a pay rate of less than $2.85 an hour. In Ohio, the minimum hourly wage is $7.85.
In her claim, Brenneman says the Bengals pay only $90 to each cheerleader per home game. Yet they are required to attend 6-8 hours a week of practice, as well as ten charity functions a season.
And they “must pose for and promote a Ben-Gals calendar,” according to the complaint.
Brenneman says she and the other cheerleaders on her squad were unlawfully denied minimum wages in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
You can read the full complaint here: Ben-Galscomplaint
The Cincinnati Bengals responded to the lawsuit by issuing this statement:
“The Ben-Gals cheerleading program has long been a program run by former cheerleaders and has enjoyed broad support in the community and by members of the squad. Yesterday’s lawsuit appears to be a copycat lawsuit that mimics the one filed last month in California against a different NFL club. The Bengals will address the litigation in due course.”GATINEAU, QC--(Marketwired - December 15, 2017) - The Hydropothecary Corporation ("THCX" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: THCX) announced today that it has elected to exercise its right under the indenture dated November 24, 2017 (the "Indenture") governing the Company's 7.0% unsecured convertible debentures due November 24, 2020 (the "Debentures") to convert all of the outstanding principal amount of the Debentures and unpaid accrued interest thereon (the "Conversion") into common shares of the Company (the "Common Shares").
Pursuant to the terms of the Indenture, THCX became entitled on December 13, 2017 to force conversion of the Debentures on the basis that the volume weighted average price ("VWAP") of the Common Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange for 10 consecutive trading days was equal to or exceeded $3.15. For the 10 consecutive trading days preceding December 13, 2017, the VWAP of the Common Shares was $3.32.
The Company has provided the holders of the Debentures with 30 days advance written notice of the Conversion, and the effective date for the Conversion will be January 15, 2018.
Pursuant to the Conversion, holders of Debentures will receive 454.54 Common Shares for each $1,000 principal amount of Debentures held. In addition, the accrued and unpaid interest on the Debentures for the period from December 31, 2017 (the interest payment scheduled for December 31, 2017 will be paid in cash) to but excluding the conversion date will be equal to $2.92 and Debentureholders will receive an additional 1.33 Common Shares for each $1,000 principal amount of Debentures held on account of accrued and unpaid interest, for a total of 455.87 Common Shares for each $1,000 principal amount of Debentures held. No fractional Common Shares are to be issued on any conversion, and any Common Shares so issuable are to be rounded down to the nearest whole number.
Debentureholders continue to have the right to convert any part of the principal amount of their Debentures in accordance with the procedures set out in the Indenture and the certificates representing the Debentures at any time prior to the effective date for the Conversion. In the event that Debentureholders convert their Debentures prior to such date, they will receive accrued and unpaid interest thereon in cash.
THCX also announced today that it has retained MJM Markets and Consulting ("MJM") to provide market-making services to the Company in accordance with applicable securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSX-V").
MJM will trade shares of the Company on the TSX-V for the purposes of maintaining an orderly market and improving the liquidity of the Company's shares. The capital and securities required for any trade undertaken by MJM as principal will be provided by MJM. In consideration of the services provided by MJM, THCX will pay MJM a monthly cash fee of $25,000. The agreement has a term of twelve months subject to the right of either party to terminate the agreement at any time on 10 days prior written notice.
THCX and MJM are unrelated and unaffiliated entities. MJM does not currently have any direct or indirect interest in THCX or its securities but MJM may in the future acquire direct or indirect interests in THCX or its securities. The engagement is subject to the approval of the TSX-V.
About MJM Markets and Consulting
Michael Morrison of MJM Markets and Consulting Ltd. started his 30-year career in the finance industry trading on the floor of the Toronto Stock Exchange with First Marathon Securities. Transitioning to the office, he commanded head trading roles with known firms such as Merrill Lynch, Canaccord, and Mackie Research. Over the years, Michael has become one of the industry's top traders and continues to offer his trading skills, building relationships through his own trading firm MJM Markets and Consulting Ltd.
About The Hydropothecary Corporation
The Hydropothecary Corporation is an authorized licensed producer and distributor of medical cannabis licensed by Health Canada under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (Canada). Hydropothecary provides naturally grown and rigorously tested medical cannabis of uncompromising quality. Hydropothecary's branding, cannabis product offering, patient service standards and product pricing are consistent with Hydropothecary's positioning as a premium brand for a legal source for medical cannabis within this new marketplace. In addition to medical cannabis production and sales, Hydropothecary explores various research and development opportunities for cannabinoid extracts, drugs and combinatory chemistry. In addition, the company is investigating the development and patenting of novel technologies related to medical cannabis, as well as the import and export of medical cannabis.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.MEXICO CITY — Six people have been arrested in connection with the theft this week of a truck carrying highly radioactive waste in an episode that caused an international scare and raised concerns about the transporting of nuclear material.
The group was arrested Thursday night and taken to a hospital in Pachuca, 60 miles north of here and not far from the small town where the truck and the material, cobalt 60, were found Wednesday after armed robbers stole them Monday.
One of the people, a 16-year-old boy, was vomiting and had signs of possible radiation sickness, while the others were taken to the hospital as a precaution before all were cleared and released in the late afternoon and turned over to the federal police.
The material, hospital waste being transported from Tijuana to a storage repository near Mexico City, is often cited as a potential ingredient in a dirty bomb, a combination of explosives and radioactive material, though Mexican and American officials said the theft appeared to be a common crime and not related to terrorism.Hello everyone,
Welcome to the first of our Disciplines blogs! For the month of November, we will be covering all of the Advanced Classes.
The Game Update 3.0 class changes for the Trooper and Bounty Hunter set of classes are, overall, the most drastic changes received by any class set in the 3.0 update. The term “class set” refers to the base class (in this example, the Trooper) along with its advanced classes (Commando and Vanguard, continuing with this example). The purpose of this blog is to inform Troopers of the major changes that are coming in the 3.0 update, but this blog is not a comprehensive list of every single Trooper change. Also, please note that the content described in this blog is still under development, so anything mentioned throughout this blog is still subject to change (especially any exact numbers or percentages that may be mentioned).
Many Trooper abilities have had their resource costs and damage values slightly adjusted to make Energy Cell resources more manageable. Usually, this means the cost of an ability was slightly reduced along with its damage or healing, but for some abilities, the opposite may be true. For example, many abilities that formerly required 16 Energy Cells now require only 15 and damage or heal for slightly less, but many abilities that formerly required 8 Energy Cells now require 10 and damage or heal for slightly more. The 3.0 changes to channeled abilities have also aided Troopers with their Energy Cell management. Since channels now charge resources with each tick of damage or healing, that means Troopers can begin using channeled abilities at lower Energy Cell levels without slowing their resource regeneration rate.
Commando
All Commandos are getting three additional passive abilities in the 3.0 update:
Target Lock: Full Auto, Boltstorm, High Impact Bolt, and Mag Bolt ignore 30% of the target's armor. In addition, the critical chance of Advanced Medical Probe and Bacta Infusion are increased by 5%, and critical results with damage and healing abilities increase alacrity by 3% for 6 seconds.
Special Munitions: Reduces the pushback suffered while activating Charged Bolts, Grav Round, Concussive Round, Plasma Grenade, and Serrated Bolt by 75%, and increases the effects of your cells while they are active:
Combat Support Cell: Increases tech critical chance by 3%.
Plasma Cell: Increases ranged critical chance by 5%.
Armor-piercing Cell: Reduces the energy cells depleted by High Impact Bolt Grav Round by 5.
Supercharge: Activating Hammer Shot, Med Shot, Charged Bolts, Grav Round, or Medical Probe generates a stack of Supercharge. Each stack increases all damage and healing done by 0.1%. Stacks up to 10 times and lasts up to 60 seconds. Requires an active cell.
Commandos will have two abilities that they can use Supercharge stacks to activate:
Supercharged Cell: Requires and converts 10 stacks of Supercharge to recharge 10 energy cells and empower your active cell:
Combat Support Cell: Increases healing done by 5% for 10 seconds. While active, Advanced Medical Probe has no cooldown and depletes 5 fewer energy cells.
Plasma Cell: Increases periodic damage dealt by 10% for 10 seconds and causes the next successful ranged attack on a target affected by your Incendiary Round’s burn to apply Supercharged Burn to the target, which deals elemental damage over 5 seconds.
Armor-piercing Cell: Increases armor penetration by 10% for 10 seconds. While active, damage dealt by Grav Round, Demolition Round, Boltstorm, and Vortex Bolt grants Supercharged Velocity, which increases alacrity by 1%. This effect cannot occur more than once per second and can stack up to 3 times.
Supercharged Celerity: Requires and converts 10 stacks of Supercharge to issue Supercharged Celerity to you and your Operation group members within 40 meters, increasing alacrity by 10%. Lasts 10 seconds.
Additionally, some changes have been made to basic Commando healing capabilities. Hammer Shot can no longer heal friendly targets while Combat Support Cell is active. Instead, Commandos now have Med Shot, a weak instant heal that depletes no Energy Cells and can be used regardless of which Cell is active. Medical Probe and Kolto Bomb are now restricted to the Combat Medic discipline, but all Commandos will be able to use Bacta Infusion.
Combat Medic
Commandos that want to heal should feel at home in the Combat Medic discipline. It is rather similar to the old Combat Medic skill tree, but it has a few changes and improvements that should make healing feel a bit more streamlined. With the new discipline system, only Combat Medic Commandos have access to Medical Probe, Kolto Bomb, and Trauma Probe. Kolto Bomb now heals up to 8 targets in its radius, and Combat Medics have gained a new healing ability:
Successive Treatment: Heals a friendly target over the channel duration, and heals one new friendly target within 20 meters with each tick, healing up to four total targets with the final tick. 28 energy cells are depleted over the duration of the channel.
Gunnery
The Gunnery Commando kit still contains Grav Round and Demolition Round, and the discipline gets two new active abilities:
Vortex Bolt: Fires a vortex bolt that deals weapon damage, and if it successfully hits the target, allows your next Grav Round to activate instantly.
Boltstorm: Fires a continuous blaze of blaster bolts at the target, dealing weapon damage and depleting 16 energy cells over the duration. Weak and standard enemies caught in the blaze of bolts are stunned for the duration. Shares a cooldown with Full Auto.
Commandos should find that the Gunnery play style has not changed significantly, but that it is now a little more mobile than it was before the 3.0 update.
Assault Specialist
The Assault Specialist kit still contains Incendiary Round and Assault Plastique (though the burning effect has been removed from Assault Plastique), and this discipline also gets two new active abilities:
Serrated Bolt: Fires special serrated blaster bolts at the target that deal weapon damage and cause the target to bleed for internal damage over 15 seconds.
Mag Bolt: Fires a very powerful shot at the target that deals weapon damage. Shares a cooldown with High Impact Bolt.
Commandos will find that this discipline is also a little more mobile than it used to be, with a new skill that allows the Commando to trigger an instantly activating Charged Bolts or Serrated Bolt every so often and another skill that turns Explosive Round into a powerful execute ability.
Utilities
Most of the utility choices available to Commandos will be familiar to experienced players, but the great thing about the discipline system is that many utilities that were specifically tied to one skill tree or another can now be chosen by any discipline. In addition, there are a few new utility skills that can be chosen, two of which are the following:
Supercharged Reserves: Reduces the cooldowns of Field Aid and Disabling Shot by 3 seconds each. In addition, you build up to 10 stacks of Supercharge over the course of using Recharge and Reload. This effect cannot occur more than once every 30 seconds.
Forced March: Allows Full Auto, Boltstorm, and Successive Treatment to be activated while moving.
Hello everyone,
Welcome to the first of our Disciplines blogs! For the month of November, we will be covering all of the Advanced Classes.
The Game Update 3.0 class changes for the Bounty Hunter and Trooper set of classes are, overall, the most drastic changes received by any class set in the 3.0 update. The term “class set” refers to the base class (in this example, the Bounty Hunter) along with its Advanced Classes (Mercenary and Powertech, continuing with this example). The purpose of this blog is to inform Bounty Hunters of the major changes that are coming in the 3.0 update, but this blog is not a comprehensive list of every single Bounty Hunter change. Also, please note that the content described in this blog is still under development, so anything mentioned throughout this blog is still subject to change (especially any exact numbers or percentages that may be mentioned).
Many Bounty Hunter abilities have had their resource costs and damage values slightly adjusted to make Heat resources more manageable. Usually, this means the cost of an ability was slightly reduced along with its damage or healing, but for some abilities, the opposite may be true. For example, many abilities that formerly required 16 Heat now require only 15 and damage or heal for slightly less, but many abilities that formerly required 8 Heat now require 10 and damage or heal for slightly more. The 3.0 changes to channeled abilities have also aided Bounty Hunters with their Heat management. Since channels now charge resources with each tick of damage or healing, that means Bounty Hunters can begin using channeled abilities at higher Heat levels without slowing their resource regeneration rate.
Mercenary
All Mercenaries are getting three additional passive abilities in the 3.0 update:
Advanced Targeting: Unload, Blazing Bolts, Rail Shot, and Mag Shot ignore 30% of the target's armor. In addition, the critical chance of Healing Scan and Emergency Scan are increased by 5%, and critical results with damage and healing abilities increase alacrity by 3% for 6 seconds.
Upgraded Arsenal: Reduces the pushback suffered while activating Power Shot, Tracer Missile, Concussion Missile, Fusion Missile, and Serrated Shot by 75%, and increases the effects of your cylinders while they are active:
Combat Support Cylinder: Increases tech critical chance by 3%.
Combustible Gas Cylinder: Increases ranged critical chance by 5%.
High Velocity Gas Cylinder: Reduces the heat generated by Rail Shot by 10 and Tracer Missile by 5.
Supercharge: Activating Rapid Shots, Kolto Shot, Power Shot, Tracer Missile, or Rapid Scan generates a stack of Supercharge. Each stack increases all damage and healing done by 0.1%. Stacks up to 10 times and lasts up to 60 seconds. Requires an active cylinder.
Mercenaries will have two abilities that they can use Supercharge stacks to activate:
Supercharged Gas: Requires and converts 10 stacks of Supercharge to vent 10 heat and empower your active cylinder:
Combat Support Cylinder: Increases healing done by 5% for 10 seconds. While active, Healing Scan has no cooldown and generates 5 less heat.
Combustible Gas Cylinder: Increases periodic damage dealt by 10% for 10 seconds and causes the next successful ranged attack on a target affected by your Incendiary Missile's burn to apply Supercharged Burn to the target, which deals elemental damage over 5 seconds.
High Velocity Gas Cylinder: Increases armor penetration by 10% for 10 seconds. While active, damage dealt by Tracer Missile, Heatseeker Missiles, Blazing Bolts, and Priming Shot grants Supercharged Velocity, which increases alacrity by 1%. This effect cannot occur more than once per second and can stack up to 3 times.
Supercharged Celerity: Requires and converts 10 stacks of Supercharge to issue Supercharged Celerity to you and your Operation group members within 40 meters, increasing alacrity by 10%. Lasts 10 seconds.
Additionally, some changes have been made to basic Mercenary healing capabilities. Rapid Shots can no longer heal friendly targets while Combat Support Cylinder is active. Instead, Mercenaries now have Kolto Shot, a weak instant heal that generates no Heat and can be used regardless of which Cylinder is active. Rapid Scan and Kolto Missile are now restricted to the Bodyguard discipline, but all Mercenaries will be able to use Emergency Scan.
Bodyguard
Mercenaries that want to heal should feel at home in the Bodyguard discipline. It is rather similar to the old Bodyguard skill tree, but it has a few changes and improvements that should make healing feel a bit more streamlined. With the new discipline system, only Bodyguard Mercenaries have access to Rapid Scan, Kolto Missile, and Kolto Shell. Kolto Missile now heals up to 8 targets in its radius, and Bodyguards have gained a new healing ability:
Progressive Scan: Heals a friendly target over the channel duration, and heals one new friendly target within 20 meters with each tick, healing up to four total targets with the final tick. 28 heat is generated over the duration of the channel.
Arsenal
The Arsenal Mercenary kit still contains Tracer Missile and Heatseeker Missiles, and the discipline gets two new active abilities:
Priming Shot: Fires a priming shot that deals weapon damage, and if it successfully hits the target, allows your next Tracer Missile to activate instantly.
Blazing Bolts: Fires a continuous blaze of blaster bolts at the target, dealing weapon damage and generating 16 heat over the duration. Weak and standard enemies caught in the blaze of bolts are stunned for the duration. Shares a cooldown with Unload.
Mercenaries should find that the Arsenal play style has not changed significantly, but that it is now a little more mobile than it was before the 3.0 update.
Innovative Ordnance
The Innovative Ordnance (formerly known as the Pyrotech) kit still contains Incendiary Missile and Thermal Detonator (though the burning effect has been removed from Thermal Detonator), and this discipline also gets two new active abilities:
Serrated Shot: Fires special serrated blaster bolts at the target that deal weapon damage and cause the target to bleed for internal damage over 15 seconds.
Mag Shot: Fires a very powerful shot at the target that deals weapon damage. Shares a cooldown with Rail Shot.
Mercenaries will find that this discipline is also a little more mobile than it used to be, with a new skill that allows the Mercenary to trigger an instantly activating Power Shot or Serrated Shot every so often and another skill that turns Missile Blast into a powerful execute ability.
Utilities
Most of the utility choices available to Mercenaries will be familiar to experienced players, but the great thing about the discipline system is that many utilities that were specifically tied to one skill tree or another can now be chosen by any discipline. In addition, there are a few new utility skills that can be chosen, two of which are the following:
Supercharged Reserves: Reduces the cooldowns of Cure and Disabling Shot by 3 seconds each. In addition, you build up to 10 stacks of Supercharge |
him, and he's a Bush."
He filed a motion to disqualify Walker, but the Court denied it. He moved for a Continuance (postponement) to review that denial, but it was denied. He then made his prepared arguments for the appeal. "There it is, we did the best we could." He says the Court asked him a lot of "impertinent and demeaning questions" such as whether he is authorized to practice law in the area.
Apparently no actual decision came from the proceeding as of now. Veale says a federal judge can decide whatever he wants, whenever he wants, even years from now. He sadly predicts they will affirm the judgement of the lower court and deny the appeal. Veale discussed other avenues for appeal he can take. Veale states, around the 43 minute point, "I know that there was a conspiracy...inside job, that's a fact." **
Issues:
Judge Walker was chosen to be a judge for a case involving his cousin.
He did not recuse himself from a case with an obvious conflict of interest.
He sat there, all the while knowing he is a cousin, heard William Veale's objection to his being a potential relative, said nothing to about it, and just denied the objection.
Judge John M. Walker Jr. is now judging the appeal of a case involving the administration of his cousin George Walker Bush.
* Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_M._Walker
John Mercer Walker, Jr. (born December 26, 1940) is a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and a cousin of U.S. Presidents George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush.
** Thanks to Oody on James Randi Educational Forum.The best game you'll ever play about washing poop out of a basement with your tears
In 2011, I lost a chunk of my life. An insidious tendril of addiction, despair, and obsession caught me by the ankle and dragged me into the The Binding of Isaac's darkened basement. I lost dozens of hours, whole days at a time. I let life slip by around me while muttering a demented mantra of “just one more try, just one more try...”
Now with the release of Binding of Isaac: Rebirth, a 16-bit looking half-remake, half-sequel of the original, I can feel the same cold touch on my leg. Its grip is stronger than ever, pulling me back into the same dark pit. I should kick and scream and try to escape... Well, maybe just one more try won't kill me.
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth (PC [reviewed], PS4, Vita)
Developer: Nicalis Inc, Edmund McMillen
Publisher: Nicalis, Inc
Released: November 4, 2014
MSRP:$14.99
Everything about Binding of Isaac is crazy and feels like it somehow shouldn't exist. But it does, and there is a kind of naughty thrill in that, like getting away with a rude joke at the dinner table. For those unfamiliar with the original, Isaac is a roguelike twin-stick shooter/dungeon crawler where you play as a small naked boy named Isaac, whose mother, believing she has heard the commanding voice of God, is trying to kill him. He desperately flees into the basement where he encounters deadly insects, mutated siblings, and every sort of grotesquery you could care to imagine. He fights them with his tears. Yup.
Every run is a new experience, a single chance at heaven or hell. If you die, it's back to scratch. The game is deeply mysterious, featuring no fewer than 16 different ending, at least 8 unlockable alternate characters, 4 bonus levels, and literally hundreds of items to discover, unlock, and experiment with.
It's a deep, dark rabbit hole and if you have any kind of completionist streak it will ruin your life (take it from me). Isaac may present itself in the familiar sheep's clothes of a Zelda clone, a fun romp through some old-school top-down action, but that's just the skin-suit pulled tight around the beast. At its heart, Isaac is its own twisted, beautiful monster.
The most notable difference between Rebirth and the original Isaac is the shiny new engine and graphical overhaul. The original was made in Flash, giving the game a distinctly smooth and cartoony look, and with no shortage of technical problems to boot. Rebirth ditches Flash (and thankfully all of the bugs and glitches associated with it), dropping the smooth lines for a more detailed, SNES-era pixelated look.
More importantly than the faux 16-bit trappings, the new engine allows for a smoother and more stable experience. Where the frame rate of the original would drop through floor like a bowling ball when too many shots or enemies got on the screen, that's no longer an issue. Rebirth runs at a flawless 60 FPS come hell or high water.
With the smoother graphics come some gameplay changes. Rebirth is a much more shooty (to use my highly technical vocabulary) game than fans might be used to. The dependable frame rate allows for much more intense fights than the original ever dared to attempt, veering into bullet hell shmup territory on occasion. All of the new bosses introduced in Rebirth (and there are a lot of them) are much faster and aggressive than the old guard, and some of the returning enemies, particularly the final bosses, have been overhauled to be FAR more trigger happy than they used to be.
I never thought I'd be happy to run into the likes of Loki or Peep, but I'll take them any day over the new recruits in Satan's army.
Thankfully, bullet hell is a knife that cuts both ways. Rebirth does not shy away from crazy item combinations that completely break the game. At one point I had a fully upgraded rate of fire with floating anti-gravity tears mixed with ricocheting rubber cement and a boomerang effect. I would step into a room, hold down the fire button for about a second or two, let go, and watch the entire room be enveloped in tears and instantly eradicate everything. The game might have gotten more difficult, but there are also more items to help turn it around.
Along with the other technical advancements, there is more variety in the shape and size of the dungeon chambers in Rebirth. Rooms are no longer limited to the single screen rectangular format they used to be. You will come across long hallways rigged with traps, huge arenas filled with enemies, big multi-screen affairs that will scroll along with Isaac's movement. These massive rooms have hosted some of the most intense moments I've had with Rebirth, the added space allowing for multiple mini-boss battles or elaborate traps.
Rebirth includes a small, but delightful, two-player mode. At any time player two can join in as a tiny, floating ghost baby at the cost of one of player-one's heart containers. Ghost baby is definitely second fiddle, unable to plant bombs, walk through doors, or pick up items (no cheating and grabbing something from across a gap), but he will benefit from whatever kind of shot upgrade Isaac has collected. It won't become the new way to play Binding of Isaac any time soon, but having a wingman is loads more fun than it has any right to be.
Rounding out the new additions are a few quality of life tweaks. Control pads are now supported on the PC version, and work perfectly fine if that's your preferred style. You can choose between “Normal” and “Hard” modes now, letting you somewhat regulate what brand of insanity you're looking for. Hard mode, of course, hides its own set of exclusive items and enemies, so anyone looking to collect all the goodies should prepare to suffer for the compulsion.
Rebirth graciously now allows you to quit mid-way and return later, instead of holding you hostage to a good run. (“I'm going to be late but I have fully powered tears and twelve heart containers! I mean, the divorce rate around here is like 55%, so I can probably get another shot at being my brother's best man, right?”). It is potentially a life-saving addition for the truly possessed.
Rebirth surfaces the randomized “seed” of each run, a small series of numbers you can input to generate the same map/item pick-ups. You can replay particularly great runs, near misses, or swap favorable map layouts with friends. This is a shockingly generous addition that seems to run counter to much of the game's otherwise unforgiving and hard-nose posture. It seems so out of place that the idea rankled me. I respect the purity of the one-chance, perma-death run. Watering it down with de facto do-overs cheapened the experience for me faster than fall of the Berlin Wall devalued the Soviet Ruble.
As an addict of the first game, my favorite enhancement is also the least consequential, Rebirth is able to visually stack multiple items on Isaac with fewer conflicts than before. It may seem silly, but watching Isaac's strange transformation from a tiny naked boy to a pustulating, winged, blood trailing monster, or failed Siamese twin with a chemical burn, or lipstick wearing cyclops being followed around by the floating head of his dead cat, or whatever, is one of the greatest pleasures in the game to me. My heart always broke a tiny little bit when one item would overwrite another, or just not appear at all.
I love just about everything about Rebirth and (if you couldn't already tell) I can't recommend the game enough. But I feel like I would be remiss if I didn't talk about the poop.
There is a lot of poop in this game, a lot of tasteless dead baby jokes, gross out gags, and weird Christian imagery, all of which might rub some people the wrong way. Personally, I don't mind that stuff and I think the game earns some of it's nastiness (the very core of Isaac is a sad story of child abuse as seen through the eyes of the child experiencing it after all, it's going to be horrifying and juvenile), rather than just being gross for grossness sake. Still, it's going to be a deal breaker for some people.
The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth is hands down the best version of Isaac. It improves upon the original, a fantastic game in its own right, in every conceivable way. If you haven't played Isaac yet, this is the version to get. If you are a fan of the original, these are so many new items, enemies, and experiences to be found in Rebirth that it feels far more like a sequel than a remake.
Rebirth is an incredible experience that can't be missed. Descend into the basement, lock the trapdoor behind you, and don't look back.
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The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth reviewed by Nic RowenHow much does it really cost to run a grow light? Electrical costs are one feature of growing your own that can be surprising to many new growers.
This chart examines the costs of purchasing grow lights as well as maintaining and powering them for 5 years. Electricity costs were calculated for 12 hours of grow light use per day. Electricity price data gathered from NPR’s breakdown of US electricity costs (data from Energy Information Administration) and the European Commision’s Eurostat (table 1). XE was used to convert Euros into US Dollars for the chart, at the time 1 Euro rounded to USD $1.29. Initial costs of grow lights are about average and may vary significantly depending on model, especially for LEDs. Wattage will also vary for each LED grow light, so this chart includes values that are about average.
I used to tell people that LED grow lights were for those that could afford them, but looking at the data I see that it’s much cheaper to shell out for a nice LED than it is to run an HID for a long period of time. If you grow short plants, you should definitely try LEDs. For tall plants, there is still no LED (in my opinion) that emits intense enough light to compete with a 1,000 watt HID.
The first series of costs on the chart represents an electricity cost of $0.12/kwH, or 12 cents per kilowatt hour (a kilowatt hour is 1,000 watts being used for one hour). $0.12/kwH was the US national average cost for electricity in 2011. At this price, LED lights become more cost-effective than their HID counterparts after 3 (for the 180 watt) or 4 years of use. The second series of costs on the chart represents an electricity cost of $0.18/kwH, which was the 2011 average cost for both New York state and the UK. At this price, LED lights become more cost-effective than their HID counterparts after 2 (180 watt) or 3 years of use. The third series of costs on the chart represents an electricity cost of $0.23/kwH, which was the 2011 average cost for the EU, converted to USD for comparison. At this price, LED lights become more cost-effective than their HID counterparts after 2 years of use.
When you see an LED grow light with a $500 – $1,500 price tag, it’s hard to believe that the savings in energy can really offset the initial cost, but it does.
Depending on your electricity prices, a 400 watt HID will cost $200 – $400 each year of use, plus the cost of replacement bulbs. LEDs meant to replace 400w HIDs average around 180 watts. A 180 watt LED will cost $90 – $180 each year of use, saving $110 – $220 over a 400 watt HID in annual electric costs with no need for replacement bulbs. Replacing a 400 watt HID with a 180 watt LED will pay off after 2 or 3 years, assuming the initial cost of the LED is around $650. Prices on high quality 180 watt LED grow lights range from under $300 – $900.
Depending on your electricity prices, a 600 watt HID will cost $300 – $600 each year of use, plus the cost of replacement bulbs. LEDs meant to replace 600w HIDs average around 300 watts. A 300 watt LED will cost $150 – $300 each year of use, saving $150 – $300 over a 600 watt HID in annual electric costs with no need for replacement bulbs. Replacing a 600 watt HID with a 300 watt LED will pay off after 2 to 4 years, assuming the initial cost of the LED is around $950. Prices on high quality 300 watt LED grow lights range from $600 – $1,300.
Depending on your electricity prices, a 1,000 watt HID will cost $500 – $1,000 each year of use, plus the cost of replacement bulbs. I still do not believe that any current LED can really replace a 1000w HID when it comes to penetration, which is necessary if growing tall (5′ and taller) plants. The LEDs that claim to replace 1000w lamps average around 500 watts. A 500 watt LED will cost $250 – $500 each year of use, saving $250 – $500 in annual electric costs with no need for replacement bulbs. Replacing a 1,000 watt HID with a 500 watt LED would pay off after 2 to 4 years, assuming the initial cost of the LED is around $1,500. Prices on high quality 500 watt LED grow lights range from $1,150 – $2,000.
I’ve been a big fan of LED grow lights since they began using 3-watt diodes, but after seeing how much cheaper they are to run than a comparable HID grow light I’m just blown away.
Again, I do not believe that any LED grow light can really replace a 1,000 watt HID for growing really large plants. If you have a personal garden or even a large Sea of Green setup, try replacing an HID with an LED. You’ll save money in the long run, and your garden will run cooler. Just make sure to do a little research, get high-quality 3-watt diodes, a good warranty and a 90-day money-back guarantee.
There are two brand new models (130 and 330 watts) from Advanced LED Lights (a long-time manufacturer with a great reputation) that feature 10 watt white diodes between clusters of the 3 watt, 11 band diodes. I haven’t had the pleasure of trying them out, but I’m sure they’re fantastic.We have all run into the problem of pre-populating a database for the purpose of debugging or demoing a program. The problem is complicated by references in database tables and different field types.
web2py provides a solution for this problem and includes a minimalist Bayesian classifier trained and adapted to the scope.
Here is an example of usage:
Populate
Start the web2py interactive shell:
$ python web2py.py -S welcome -M
Define some tables, for example two related to each other (people and their comments):
>>> db.define_table('person',Field('name')) >>> db.define_table('comment',Field('author',db.person),Field('body'))
Import the “populate” function
>>> from gluon.contrib.populate import populate
Ask it to populate the database tables with 100 records each
>>> populate(db.person,100) >>> populate(db.comment,100)
See what you got
>>> for comment in db(db.comment.id>0).select(limitby=(0,3)): print comment.author.name, comment.body Cocomoto SAYS Rischgitz collection. j. In connection with large that they become.
Saducece SAYS Circumvent the latest measurements at least 600 a dull white except.
Popotadu SAYS Frequenting forests of specialized member. But a list of view.
If you like it, commit your changes.
>>> db.commit()
The generate function is powerful enough to understand different field types (‘string’, ‘text’, ‘integer’, ‘date’, ‘reference’, etc.) their validation constraints and populate them accordingly. It is also very fast.
Learner
Sometimes you may want to train the Bayesian classifier with your own text and generate new text based on that. Here is how:
Import the Learner
>>> from contrib.populate import Learner
Get some text, for example Alice in Wornderland
>>> import urllib >>> text = urllib.urlopen('http://www.gutenberg.org/files/11/11.txt').read()
Have the learner learn the text:
>>> learner = Learner() >>> learner.learn(text)
Ask the learner to generate new text (1000 words) that “sounds similar” to the learned text.
>>> print learner.generate(1000) Be. it further. so very angrily. it something; and took me there goes like a few minutes and she went to anyone providing access to repeat tis so bill thought alice and the footman in addition to drop the mouse come here. and she could hear you. and peeped into the use in the blame on slates and be of the paper has agreed to the hookah into the question is a table all access to do practically anything you see: the centre of the accident of a little glass table half the rest of receiving it gave her arm for you shouldn t remember half shut. this and was not be two. …. He came between them at the door began talking such things to give your tongue said the hatter with seaography: that said was close to watch.
Of course the text does not make any sense. That is a feature.
AdvertisementsMan faces 25 years to life for kidnapping, rape, torture
It took just 20 minutes for the jury to reach a verdict in the sexual-battery and kidnapping case.
Prosecutors plan to ask a judge to chemically castrate a 47-year-old Putnam County man found guilty Wednesday of abducting a woman in Daytona Beach, then raping and torturing her at his home.
Elmer Bowman put a knife to the 25-year-old woman's throat after she got into his truck April 11, 2011, hogtied her and told her not to scream or he would kill her, the victim testified.
At his home near Pomona Park, he hanged her from a beam, made her perform sex acts and beat her over the next 17 hours while forcing her to watch violent pornography. He also made her watch the torture by pointing a camera at her and hooking it to a computer monitor and television, prosecutors said.
The woman, who told investigators she was a crack-addicted prostitute, ran away when Bowman fell asleep. She got help from neighbors.
Bowman faces 25 years to life in prison when Circuit Judge Carlos E. Mendoza sentences him Tuesday.
sjacobson@tribune.com or 407-540-5981In a Tuesday, June 3, 2014 photo, Emma Czornobaj is pictured at the Montreal Courthouse in Montreal. (Photo: Graham Hughes AP)
(NEWSER) – A Canadian woman parked her car on a Montreal-area highway in 2010 to help a group of ducklings; almost four years to the day later, Emma Czornobaj was on Friday found guilty of causing the deaths of a motorcyclist and his passenger daughter who smashed into her car.
The jury was unanimous in convicting the 25-year-old on two counts of criminal negligence causing death, a charge that carries a maximum life sentence, and two counts of dangerous driving causing death, which comes with a maximum of 14 years in jail.
The Canadian Press reports Andre Roy, 50, who was traveling with his 16-year-old daughter, Jessie, on his Harley-Davidson, was driving an estimated 70 mph to 80 mph in a roughly 60 mph zone.
His wife was following behind them at a slower speed and avoided injury, and has said she doesn't blame Czornobaj for the deaths; her husband died in her arms, and her daughter, who was pinned beneath the Honda Civic, died later in a hospital.
The AP notes Czornobaj wiped away tears when the verdict was delivered to a packed courtroom; she was released until her pre-sentence hearing on Aug. 8.
Czornobaj had stopped her car in the left lane of a provincial highway after spotting roughly seven ducklings on the median, reports CTV. The self-professed animal lover told the court that she did not see the ducklings' mother anywhere and was trying to herd them, with the intention of taking them home.
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TheMontreal Gazettenotes that the case is an unusual one, in that Czornobaj faces a life sentence though there was no criminal intent tied to her actions. (Click to read about another unusual charge leveled against a father.)
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Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/T1mwJ3Additional Information
A wild fandango is a foul, loathsome creature with vicious-looking claws, unruly fur and penchant for acting out the worst films in history as a defense mechanism. However, a small population of these fascinating creatures was brought into captivity and through proper training and a diet of Skittles, they now use their movie knowledge to do good with Fandango.com. End a losing streak of sold out movies due to a slow, but well-meaning driver with today’s deal of two tickets to any movie in your city through Fandango.com, a $29 value, for just $12.
With over 16,000 screens under its reign, Fandango.com is not only the best way to view your favorite theater’s schedule and book your tickets in advance, but also a great resource for checking out HD movie trailers, reviews and detailed information about new and upcoming films. Today’s deal is valid for all Fandango partner theaters in your city, which include AMC Theatres, Carmike Cinemas, Century Theatres, Cinemark Theatres, Edwards Theatres, Regal Cinemas, United Artists Theatres and much more. Simply search by film or location on the easy-to-use Fandango.com site, choose the shockingly horrifying, adorably heartwarming or side-splittingly funny movie you want to see, print out your tickets and go. Many theaters also offer special kiosks so you can scoop up your tickets and sail into your cinematic adventure.
Never suffer the punishing embarrassment of unobtainable tickets again and always be victorious in your quest for quality cinema magic with Fandango.com.The Southern California Republican congressman being considered for Secretary of State told Breitbart News that President-elect Donald J. Trump sent the right message when he accepted a congratulatory call from Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen Friday, despite the uproar from Red China and America’s left-wing commentariat.
“The Chinese are now being alerted that they should not think of the United States as a pushover anymore,” said Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, who sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and chairs its Europe, Eurasia and Emerging Threats subcommittee.
The one-time campus activist, folk singer, and screenwriter said, “What the Chinese have a right to be concerned about are actions and policies, specifically how they relate to the agreements that we have with China about Taiwan.”
It is possible, he said, to improve our relationship with Taiwan within the context of the Taiwan Relations Act, which President James E. “Jimmy” Carter passed to replace the mutual defense treaty between Taiwan and the U.S., and to establish a protocol for maintaining relations with Taiwan, while deferring to the PRC as the actual Chinese government, of which Taiwan was a de jure province, yet a de facto independent state.
“We can modernize and liberalize our relationship with Taiwan without breaking agreements,” he said. “Speaking to them and treating them in a more respectful way is not a violation of the Taiwan Relations Act.”
Rohrabacher, who was a speechwriter for President Ronald W. Reagan, said his old boss was a strong supporter of Taiwan and he was glad Trump was putting the leaders of the People’s Republic of China on notice.
“Ronald Reagan knew this well,” the congressman said.
“Presidents of the United States have been too worried about offending Beijing and this telephone call made it clear that they no longer are going to have Americans shaking in their boots, because the Chinese are now upset with something they said to Taiwan,” he said.
The avid surfer said he was not surprised at the tsunami of criticism that came crashing down on the president-elect from the left-wing media.
“I think there are people who are willing to bend over backwards for any tyrant who threatens worse relations with the United States, when in fact it’s when you stand up tall and look the tyrant in the eye that you have more progress and you have more of a chance for peace in the long run,” he said.
The congressman said the two major threats facing the United States are Islamic terrorism and China’s aggressive posture on the world stage. He proposes that America form a diplomatic-economic quartet with Japan, India, and Russia, which would secure world peace and prosperity.
Working with the Russians is particularly important in respect to China, he said.
Rohrabacher told Breitbart News that if Trump asks him to serve as secretary of state, he would give up his congressional career to join the incoming president’s team.
The congressman said members of the Presidential Transition Team are communicating with him. “They call me and let me know what is going on and are optimistic that I am still under consideration–but I am certainly not the front runner.”dnsmasq is a lightweight, open-source DNS forwarder and DHCP server. In this article we go through how to prepare the system in order to run dnsmasq and also how to configure the latter as a caching-only DNS server. A configuration file is also provided as a drop-in replacement for the default dnsmasq.conf that ships with your system. dnsmasq is available in most Linux distributions. This article was written while using CentOS, so it is safe to say that it also fully covers RHEL, Fedora and generally the whole Red Hat family of operating systems and possibly Novell’s SLES and OpenSUSE. Small modifications of the invoked commands may be needed for Debian, Ubuntu and other systems.
Is a caching nameserver really important?
There is some controversy about the real benefits of using a caching name server in a system, either desktop or server. In this article we keep controversy out of the discussion and focus on the performance improvement the caching of DNS information can offer to a system while performing specific tasks. For instance, a caching nameserver allows a web browser to acquire DNS information from the local DNS cache, provided that this information has already been cached, without the need to access any public DNS servers, which results in faster web browsing. Similarly, in a server environment, services like spam filters often need to perform many DNS queries for the same hostnames. The latency of the communication with the remote nameserver may add up to the total time of email processing.
BIND vs dnsmasq
BIND is the flagship of DNS servers with large deployments around the globe. I have used BIND for many years as a caching nameserver, even on my desktop, until I realized it is overkill to use BIND this way. There are lighter solutions, even all-in-one software like dnsmasq, that seem to be more suitable for setting up local DNS caching.
System preparation
So, let’s get started with the system preparation before going into the details of the dnsmasq configuration.
First of all, we need to install dnsmasq:
yum install dnsmasq
dnsmasq, when run as root, is designed to drop privileges and run as an unprivileged user. By default, this user is nobody. We use a dedicated system user to run dnsmasq.
Run the following commands as root to create such an unprivileged system user and group named dnsmasq:
groupadd -r dnsmasq useradd -r -g dnsmasq dnsmasq
The above should be enough.
Configuration
All dnsmasq configuration options go into /etc/dnsmasq.conf. Here we write this file from scratch, so if you need to keep a copy of the original that ships with your distribution, do so with:
cp /etc/dnsmasq.conf /etc/dnsmasq.conf.orig
Now, let’s get started with adding our own dnsmasq configuration in /etc/dnsmasq.conf.
First of all, we set some options regarding the basic server operation like the interface and port on which it should bind, the unprivileged user that should run the service and a PID file:
listen-address=127.0.0.1 port=53 bind-interfaces user=dnsmasq group=dnsmasq pid-file=/var/run/dnsmasq.pid
The bind-interfaces directive instructs dnsmasq to bind only to the network interface specified in the listen-address directive.
Next comes logging.
By default, dnsmasq sends its log messages to the DAEMON syslog facility (LOCAL0 when operating in debug mode). We go with the defaults here, but keep in mind that a separate log file can be set as it is shown in the configuration snippet below (currently commented out):
#log-facility=/var/log/dnsmasq.log #log-queries
Logging to file requires some extra configuration for proper log rotation. For more information, please read Appendix II.
Finally, we set the options that configure dnsmasq’s name resolution and caching operations.
The following directives prevent dnsmasq from forwarding plain names (without any dots) or addresses in the non-routed address space to the parent nameservers.
domain-needed bogus-priv
The no-hosts directive also instructs dnsmasq not to read any hostnames from /etc/hosts. In most systems, /etc/hosts is queried before a DNS service is used by the system for name lookups. So, all plain name to private IP mappings should normally be added in /etc/hosts. If this is not what you want, then take a look at the expand-hosts and domain directives.
no-hosts
Set the maximum number of concurrent DNS queries. The default value is 150. Adjust to your needs.
dns-forward-max=150
Set the size of the dnsmasq cache. The default is to keep 150 hostnames. By setting the cache size to 0 disables the feature (this is not what we really want). Again, adjust this value according to your needs.
cache-size=1000
The following directive controls whether negative caching should be enabled or not. Negative caching allows dnsmasq to remember “no such domain” answers from the parent nameservers, so it does not query for the same non-existent hostnames again and again. This is probably useful for spam filters or MTA services. By default, negative caching is enabled. To disable, un-comment the following directive.
#no-negcache
The neg-ttl directive sets a default TTL value to add to negative replies from the parent nameservers, in case these replies do not contain TTL information. If neg-ttl is not set and a negative reply from a parent DNS server does not contain TTL information, then dnsmasq will not cache the reply. Here we set the default TTL to 3600 seconds. Again, adjust to your specific needs.
neg-ttl=3600
Here we use a separate file where dnsmasq reads the IPs of the parent nameservers from. The syntax is the same as in /etc/resolv.conf. We do this to facilitate the manipulation of the parent nameservers that should be used by dnsmasq by using, for example, an external script. The filename we use here is resolv.dnsmasq, but this can be changed to your liking. We also set the no-poll directive here to prevent dnsmasq from polling the ‘resolv’ file for changes.
resolv-file=/etc/resolv.dnsmasq no-poll
A full configuration file containing all the above configuration, which can can be used as a drop-in replacement of the default /etc/dnsmasq.conf, can be found in Appendix I.
Upstream Nameservers
We have used a separate file to store the IPs of the parent nameservers; that is /etc/resolv.dnsmasq. Using the same syntax as in /etc/resolv.conf add the nameserver IP addresses in resolv.dnsmasq. For example:
nameserver 192.168.0.252 nameserver 192.168.0.253 nameserver 192.168.0.254
Note that we still need to make a change in /etc/resolv.conf before the system starts using dnsmasq for domain name lookups. Read on…
Starting dnsmasq
In order to start dnsmasq, run as root:
/etc/init.d/dnsmasq start
Check the syslog or the dnsmasq logfile (if used) for any error messages.
If everything seems to be OK, set the dnsmasq service to start on boot:
chkconfig dnsmasq on
This command might be Red-Hat specific, so consult your distribution’s documentation about how to set services to start on boot.
Switch name resolution to dnsmasq
What we have done so far is set up the dnsmasq service. For hostnames that do not exist in /etc/hosts the system still uses the nameserver inside /etc/resolv.conf for name resolution.
To start using dnsmasq, edit /etc/resolv.conf, remove all nameservers and add only the IP of our dnsmasq service:
nameserver 127.0.0.1
From now on, the system will use dnsmasq for domain name resolution. You can un-comment the log-queries option in order to confirm the dnsmasq operation.
Appendix I – Full configuration file
This is the complete configuration file containing the configuration that has been discussed in this article. Note that it can be used as is to replace the default /etc/dnsmasq.conf.
# # Configuration file for dnsmasq acting as a caching nameserver. # # Format is one option per line, legal options are the same # as the long options legal on the command line. See # "/usr/sbin/dnsmasq --help" or "man 8 dnsmasq" for details. # # Updated versions of this configuration file may be available at: # # http://www.g-loaded.eu/2010/09/18/caching-nameserver-using-dnsmasq/ # # # Basic server configuration # listen-address=127.0.0.1 port=53 bind-interfaces user=dnsmasq group=dnsmasq pid-file=/var/run/dnsmasq.pid # # Logging # #log-facility=/var/log/dnsmasq.log #log-queries # # Name resolution options # domain-needed bogus-priv no-hosts dns-forward-max=150 cache-size=1000 #no-negcache neg-ttl=3600 resolv-file=/etc/resolv.dnsmasq no-poll
This file is meant to be used both on servers and desktops.
Appendix II – Logging to file
Before dnsmasq starts logging to file it is required to set the path to the logfile in the log-facility option inside /etc/dnsmasq.conf.
log-facility=/var/log/dnsmasq.log
To ensure proper rotation of the log file you should use the following logrotate configuration:
/var/log/dnsmasq.log { monthly missingok notifempty delaycompress sharedscripts postrotate [! -f /var/run/dnsmasq.pid ] || kill -USR2 `cat /var/run/dnsmasq.pid` endscript create 0640 dnsmasq dnsmasq }
Save the above configuration in /etc/logrotate.d/dnsmasq. Also, adjust the log filename or the path to the PID file in case you have used custom names, but make sure you do not change the USR2 signal that is sent to the dnsmasq process in the post-rotation script.
Final Thoughts
dnsmasq is a very lightweight service. Therefore, you can run it on any system, either server or desktop without any noticeable impact |
CEO Doug Morris recently told music industry outlet Hits Daily Double. “In general, free is death.” Universal Music CEO Lucian Grainge has been equally clear, telling Re/Code that “Ad-funded on-demand is not going to sustain the entire ecosystem of the creators as well as the investors.”
On the other side: the streaming services
A generation of consumers who grew up with illicit file-sharing services like Napster have been conditioned to expect access to music for nothing. Spotify thinks that turning them back into paying customers is a delicate process. Erecting pay barriers too soon could turn them back to piracy. As CEO Daniel Ek explained in a blog post earlier this year, “If we want to drive people to pay for music, we have to compete with free to get their attention in the first place.” So the growth of Spotify’s paid service depends heavily on its free option.
The model seems to be working. Spotify says 80% of its 15 million paying subscribers started out as free users. “The idea [that] you would talk about cutting off a free service that has a clear proven path to subscriptions, when you have all these other free services out there, it just doesn’t make any sense to us,” Jonathan Prince, Spotify’s head of communications, told Quartz.
John McDuling/Quartz Blissfully unaware music fans, roaming the streets at SXSW
Kill the free service, therefore, and you kill Spotify’s growth. The uncertainty over its future has rattled the company. Last year it looked like it was headed for an IPO; now it is trying to raise funds from private investors (paywall) instead.
Yet Spotify’s failure could hurt the record labels, who not only would benefit from a successful exit (they hold equity in Spotify), but also, increasingly, from the royalties it generates.
The pressure is mounting
Spotify has made it clear that it will not give up its free service without a fight. Earlier this month, internal emails leaked to the New York Post showed that the company expects to pay Universal $1 billion in royalties over the next two years. By 2017, it claims that it will account for 39% of the label’s pre-tax earnings, up from about 28% currently. The message: Why mess with what is quickly becoming your most important revenue stream?
But Spotify isn’t the only one feeling the heat. The industry has been trying to crush Pandora, the free online radio service that music labels think pays them too little in royalties. And there are even hints that they are beginning to turn against YouTube. Up until now, no-one has really been brave enough to take on the Google-owned video upload site, which attracts more than 1 billion sets of eyeballs each month and is very popular for music videos. “YouTube gets a free ride,” bemoans Merlin’s Caldas.
But that’s changing. “Free [music] has been way overdone, and the biggest culprit is YouTube,” Sony’s Morris said this month. ”This has to be curbed if we’re going to have a successful business.” Another music industry source told Quartz: “There is a lot of label pressure on YouTube free on demand as well… Stay tuned.”
Music videos have been estimated to account for nearly 40% of the content viewed on YouTube, but the relationship has been symbiotic: Hits like Psy’s “Gangnam Style” probably wouldn’t have emerged without it. YouTube has also generated $1 billion in royalties in recent years for labels and performers. That elements of the recording industry are preparing to turn against it shows their determination to re-price music.
In a coup for the major labels, Apple, the world’s biggest company, is widely expected to eschew a free, ad-supported option when it launches its own eagerly anticipated streaming music service later this year. Apple can afford to do this. It has nearly $180 billion in cash sitting on its books and doesn’t need to make any money from music. But the decision also makes strategic sense, because it means the labels will ramp up pressure on companies that do offer a free service—namely, Apple’s competitors.
The biggest risk
If the major record labels get their way and shut down free music, it seems unlikely that CDs or even digital downloads will experience a surprise resurgence. It is possible, as the music industry hopes, that consumers, starved of music, will flock to paid streaming.
But it’s also plausible that Spotify is right, and that they’ll return to piracy. The company argues that piracy, of music at least, has declined sharply in Scandinavian markets where illicit file sharing has historically been rampant (and where Spotify is now dominant). In Sweden, for example, music piracy fell by 25% between 2009 and 2011, the company says.
Outside the world of the major labels, that idea has a lot of support. Martin Mills, the CEO of London based alternative record company Beggars Group, recently described the war on freemium music as “insane”. Many at South by Southwest agree. “Look at this from a consumer point of view. We have one healthy, growing part of the music industry, which is the streaming services,” Merlin’s Caldas says. “Taking people who were bringing no value to the industry, who were pirates, bringing them into a monetized environment, and then converting them into higher-value, paying subscribers, that’s what we should all want.”Each week, I will use this space to tell you what I think are a few of the best bets heading into the weekend. I will also throw in an upset of the week, which will be a team that is at least a touchdown underdog that I am picking to win outright.
I had my first rough week of the season last week. I went 1-2 on the picks with Utah as the only team coming through for me. My upset special also fell short with Stanford handling business against UCLA. After three weeks, I am now 8-3-1 on the regular picks and 2-2 on the upset special.
Week 5 Picks
Indiana at Penn State (-17.5): Penn State got a challenge at Iowa last week, as expected, but won on the final play to stay undefeated and in the hunt for a Big Ten title and a College Football Playoff spot. Indiana's fast paced offense will give the Nittany Lions trouble early, but it is hard to imagine the Hoosiers being able to slow down Saquon Barkley and the PSU offense. Pick: Penn St (-17.5)
Oklahoma State at Texas Tech (+9.5): The Cowboys chances of winning the Big 12 probably disappeared on their home field last week in a loss to TCU. Texas Tech does not figure to pose as much of a challenge. Look for Oklahoma State to get the high flying offense back on track this week. Pick: Oklahoma State (-9.5)
Iowa at Michigan State (-3.5): I had to do a double take when I saw this line. Michigan State, a week after being annihilated at home by Notre Dame, is actually favored against Iowa. I wish this were a bigger line so I could make it my Upset of the Week pick. The Spartans do not look like they have bounced back from a tough 2016 yet. Pick: Iowa (+3.5)
Upset of the Week
Florida State at Wake Forest (+7.5): The Seminoles have not been this vulnerable in years. Playing their first game in three weeks and breaking in a new quarterback, they lost at home to NC State last week. FSU is now 0-2 for the first time since 1989. This is the Seminoles best chance for a win in a month, but that does not make it a great chance. The Demon Deacons are not the pushover they have been in the past. Pick: Wake Forest (+7.5)
Other CFP candidates in actionOct. 12 (UPI) — Rose McGowan was informed Wednesday that her Twitter account has been suspended as the actress continued to speak out against Harvey Weinstein and others for their sexual misconduct.
“TWITTER HAS SUSPENDED ME. THERE ARE POWERFUL FORCES AT WORK. BE MY VOICE. #ROSEARMY,” McGowan wrote on Instagram to inform her followers of what happened to her Twitter account.
McGowan also shared a photo of the notification Twitter sent her stating that she would not be able to tweet, retweet or like other tweets for 12 hours.
“We have determined this account violated the Twitter Rules, so we’ve temporarily limited some of your account features,” the message from the social media company read.
McGowan has been at the center of the Weinstein sexual assault controversy as she was among the several women named in a New York Times report that first outed the film producers behavior. Since then, McGowan has been critical of the The Weinstein Company on Twitter and other actors she said who were aware of what was going on including Ben Affleck.
News of McGowan’s suspension angered many on Twitter as users noted how white supremacists and President Donald Trump continue to not have their accounts suspended despite provoking outrage.The Stages of Meditation at Hope Rehab
by Paul Garrigan
The topic at a glance The goal of the Hope Mindfulness program is to help us to gain insight into the causes of our suffering (e.g. addiction), so we can eliminate these causes.
The four stages of the Hope Mindfulness program are: resting in the body, opening-up, deep concentration, and insight.
Each of the four stages provides tools that can be of great value to people in recovery from addiction.
The Goal of the Hope Meditation Program One of the first things I suggest to newcomers at Hope is their brain has been tricking them and that this is the real cause of their suffering. Most clients have no problem accepting my theory, in fact, it’s usually something they have figured out for themselves already. The problem is that just knowing that your brain is tricking you is not enough to stop your brain from tricking you. I doubt there are many of us who believe that someone like Derren Brown (famous UK magician) has any actual magical powers. We know he is fooling us in some way, and there is a rational explanation for his amazing feats. Unfortunately, (or fortunately, if you like being amazed) this knowing he is a trickster doesn’t stop him fooling us every time– in order to stop being fooled by Derren, we would need to first understand the trick. It’s the same with brain, if you want to stop being fooled by your brain, you need to understand the trick. The goal of the Hope mindfulness program is for you to develop the ability to see how these tricks are being performed – once you gain insight into a trick, you can never be fooled by it again. The more of these tricks of the mind you understand, the more freedom you gain.
The Stages of Meditation at Hope Rehab
Stage 1 – Resting in the Body
Stage 2 – Opening Up
Stage 3 – Deep Concentration
Stage 4 – Insight
Stage 1 – Resting in the Body By the time we arrive at rehab, we are usually completely disconnected from the body. We have spent years fluctuating between chemically induced numbness and out-of-control thinking. Some mental numbness may last for the first few days or weeks of rehab, but once it wears off, we can find ourselves completely at the mercy of thoughts. One of our first goals when we meditate is begin resting in the body. At Hope, we use mala beads to help us do this. By focusing on the sensation of holding a bead, we direct our attention away from thinking to the physical body. There are a number of reasons we want to do this including:
By deliberately directing our attention to where we want it to go, we are developing concentration.
Our attention can only be on one thing at a time – when we are focusing on the body, we are not caught up excessive thinking (which is the cause of most of our suffering).
We find amazing peace by resting in the body – when we are exposed to enough of this peace, we realize it was what we were looking for all along (the need to abuse alcohol or drugs then falls away).
We gain insight into the fact that we have no real control over thinking, and this means we begin to identify less with thoughts.
Stage 2 – Opening Up Concentration is like a flashlight that allows us to see what is happening in the mind. The more of this mental stuff we can see, the more likely we are to develop insight. Just sitting down to meditate every day is probably not going to be enough to guarantee access the deepest states of meditation. This is because there are certain thinking patterns blocking the way. One of the most difficult of these mental roadblocks to overcome is ‘ill-will’ – this refers to a distrust we have of ourselves, other people, and the world in general. So long as this roadblock remains, our mind will probably never become still enough to develop powerful concentration. Being ‘closed off’ from the world means we have built strong defenses around ourselves that require excessing thinking to maintain. Our mind is in a state of siege, so it is no wonder that when we sit down to meditate, we find it hard to concentrate. The practice of the Brahma Viharas (divide abodes) is probably the most powerful way to begin letting go of those powerful patterns of thinking that are blocking our way to deep concentration. Meditations based on the Brahma Viharas include:
Metta (loving kindness) allows us to develop a sense of openness towards the world.
Karuna (compassion) allows us to just be with discomfort rather than escaping into obsessive thinking.
Mudita (sympathetic joy) is the cure for patterns of thinking associated with jealousy, competiveness, envy, and conceit.
Upekkha (equanimity) is to ability to just be with what is rather than escaping into thoughts about how things should or shouldn’t be.Suggested Improvements to JSON
Let me start out by saying that, in general, I think that JSON is great. (After a blog post I read on Hacker News last month, I'm trying to be more positive.) As compared to XML, JSON has the following advantages that make it a joy to use:
More bytes are dedicated to data than markup.
Fundamental data types are represented directly.
There are no namespaces.
I could go on and on about how XML fails in those respects, but again, I'm trying to be more positive.
Because I enjoy using JSON so much, I have started to try to use it for more than rudimentary data transfer between client and server. Unfortunately, there are aspects of JSON that make it harder to use in certain situations where one might expect JSON to be an ideal solution. I believe that the following two principles are baked into the design of JSON, which are the source of my problems:
JSON is meant to communicate information only between machines, not between humans.
JSON should be ES3 compliant.
Let's explore some of the drawbacks of JSON that are consistent with these assumptions, and how they could be addressed.
Because JSON is more concise than XML, JSON is often a better format for data files that are maintained by hand. Examples include configuration files, as well as blobs of test data for web applications. For files such as these, it is convenient to be able to temporarily comment out bits of information (such as a configuration option, or an old test value in lieu of a new one). Further, if the file is to be maintained by humans, it is desirable to be able to include comments so that maintainers may communicate amongst one another without interfering with the data in the file. Obviously, none of these use cases apply when the only clients of JSON are computers, but why not make a small change to better accommodate human users by adding official support for comments?
For example, if your JSON data file is being parsed by a strict JSON parser (and you care about 80-column line widths), then your only option is to do something like this:
{ "comment": [ "Because // was dropped from the JSON specification, this is the best way ", "to comment a JSON config file while maintaining 80 column lines." ] }
This adds a lot of extra work for a human without providing any real value. Further, this is only an option because the top-level structure in this JSON is a map: if it were an array of strings, then there would not be a place to inject a comment that could easily be distinguished from actual data.
This begs the question: why aren't comments officially supported in JSON? Interestingly, when Douglas Crockford originally introduced JSON, there was explicit support for C-style comments. He later dropped support for them in the specification, but also declared that a JSON decoder that accepts comments should be considered a valid JSON decoder.
This means that comments are not prohibited outright in JSON; however, you cannot depend on an arbitrary JSON parser to ignore them, either. This is consistent with section 4 of RFC 4627, which states: "A JSON parser MAY accept non-JSON forms or extensions." Therefore, Google's open-source JSON parser, which added support for JavaScript comments, is a valid JSON parser according to RFC 4627.
Unfortunately, although I may use Google's JSON parser (which accepts comments) for many of my own personal projects, I have no control over what the native JSON.parse() function in the browser accepts. Specifically, the ES5 spec for the implementation of JSON.parse() intentionally does not include the "MAY accept non-JSON forms or extensions" language from the RFC. Why? Presumably for security reasons. It would be a serious problem if some user agents implemented JSON.parse() such that it could have side effects. Then it would no longer be safe to use.
Because the primary place where JSON is parsed is in the browser, the omission of comment support in the RFC takes us from "your JSON parser can support comments, if you like" to "in practice, it is impractical to use comments in JSON because then you cannot send it to the browser without preprocessing it first."
Although I can understand how mandatory support for comments adds more work for those who create JSON parsers, the tax this passes on to all of the developers who work with JSON is far greater.
No Trailing Comma in Object or Array Literals
Most modern browsers allow for a trailing comma in array and object literals in JavaScript. Although support for the trailing comma was not mandated until ES5, browsers such as Chrome and Firefox have supported it for a long time:
// This map has a trailing comma at the end of its second entry. // IE6 and IE7 cannot parse this JavaScript because they only recognize // ES3, which did not mandate support for the trailing comma. { "color": "#A00", "font-weight": "bold", } // This map does not have a trailing comma. // It is valid in both ES3 and ES5. { "margin": "2px", "padding": "3px" }
Using the trailing comma is particularly convenient for developers who may modify the map in the course of development. As shown in the following example, commenting out the last entry in a map can inadvertently transform it into an object literal with a trailing comma:
// Commenting out the last line produces an object literal with a // trailing comma. { "margin": "2px", // "padding": "3px" }
Obviously, the solution is to remove the comma in addition to commenting out the last entry, but developers often forget this step and are unpleasantly surprised when it brings Internet Explorer to a grinding halt. A similar error occurs (in both ES3 and ES5) when adding an entry to a map that does not have a trailing comma:
// This will yield a parse error in both ES3 and ES5 because the middle entry // is missing a comma. { "margin": "2px", "padding": "3px" "float": "left" }
Again, the workaround is to update two lines instead of one when editing the set of entries in the map, but if developers could reliably include the trailing comma, modifying the map would be less error-prone.
Unfortunately, the JSON specification does not mandate support for the trailing comma. As demonstrated, denying the trailing comma makes it harder to update object and array literals by hand. Further, it would be easier to generate JSON programmatically if one could rely on the trailing comma, as loops that print out map or list members would always be able to print out the trailing comma without having to check whether the item were the last element in a collection. Again, we must ask: why doesn't JSON support this feature?
I believe that the primary reason that the trailing comma is not allowed is that an ES3-compliant JSON was initially easier to promote. Specifically, one of the selling points of JSON was that writing a JSON parser in JavaScript was trivial:
var parseJson = function(jsonString) { return eval('(' + jsonString + ')'); };
If the trailing comma were allowed, then this code would not work in Internet Explorer 6 and 7, in which case this would no longer be a selling point of JSON.
I find this disingenuous because Crockford has long argued that JSON should not be parsed in this manner, as it introduces a security risk. Instead, a proper library, such as his own json2.js should be used instead. My feelings are: if you are going to have to write a parser, write it for the input language you want, not the one you have. This blind adherence to ES3 creates an unnecessary burden on developers.
Mandatory Quoting of Keys in Object Literals
In ES3 JavaScript, there are primarily two reasons why you would quote the key for an object literal:
The key being used is a JavaScript keyword. Incidentally, this is what caused a failure in the first JSON message, which was: {to:"session", do:"test", text:"Hello world"}. Because do is a JavaScript keyword, the object literal did not parse in an ES3 browser (which was all there were, at the time).
. Because is a JavaScript keyword, the object literal did not parse in an ES3 browser (which was all there were, at the time). The key contains spaces or characters that need to be escaped, such as a newline.
Often, JavaScript developers choose property names that do not need to be quoted because then they can reference them using the "dot" syntax:
var text = message.text;
As opposed to the slightly more verbose "bracket" syntax:
var text = message["text"];
Unfortunately, even though quoting is the minority case, JSON requires that all keys in maps must be double-quoted, regardless of whether they would need to be in ordinary JavaScript. Presumably this was done because it was the simplest way to guarantee that JSON would be a strict subset of ES3. (Fortunately, ES5 has evolved to allow JavaScript keywords to serve as unquoted property names in object literals.)
Similar to the situation with trailing commas, if the design of JSON were not encumbered by the shortcomings of ES3, then I imagine that JSON keys would not have to be quoted. Perhaps things would have even gone one step further, limiting key names to the following regular expression which would preclude the need quoted keys altogether: /[a-zA-Z_$][a-zA-Z0-9_$]+/ (though that would exclude unicode characters, which are allowed in JavaScript identifiers today). In either case, demoting quoting from a requirement to an option would save most developers two bytes per key, which would be a win for both humans and machines. (I also think that it would make JSON more readable, though that may be a personal preference.)
Conclusions
JSON is a vast improvement over XML for many data-interchange use cases. However, there are some aspects of its design that make it harder to use for data that are maintained by humans. I argue that these design choices were made due to a strong emphasis in making JSON a subset of ES3. Instead, it would have been better to look forward to what developers wanted JavaScript to be. Now that ES5 has been finalized, I think that it would be best to expand JSON to include the following features:
Support for C-style comments.
Optional trailing comma at the end of object and array literals.
Optional quoting of keys in object literals when the key matches /[a-zA-Z_$][a-zA-Z0-9_$]+/.
This would make JSON a proper subset of ES5, but not a proper subset of ES3. Admittedly, it would place an additional burden on those who create JSON parsers, but they are an incredibly small minority compared to those who must work with JSON. I believe that these changes would allow the use of JSON to extend beyond its current, more limited, set of use cases. Long live JSON!Do you live with a child obsessed with video games?
A kid who’d rather play Minecraft than ball?
Who would sooner build worlds in Terraria than accompany you to the neighborhood barbecue?
I took it hard, the day I finally admitted to myself that what most inspires my nine-year-old son is a video game.
Certain we were on the road to laziness, brain atrophy, and obesity, I went through a long spell of helicopter parenting: policing, nagging, and threatening.
My lowest move was to hide the ipad.
This was not a sustainable approach. It didn’t make the desire for video games go away. If anything, the deprivation increased the appetite. It made everybody feel bad.
I had to face facts: the world was against me in this fight. Laptops, ipads, ipods, smart phones, Xbox–this stuff isn’t going anywhere.
I needed a positive approach to video games, to screen time in general, a term meaning any time spent in front of a screen: games, movies, or movies of other kids playing games. The following strategies worked.
Editor’s Note: Being able to look beyond the immediate transgressions to focus on the bigger picture is an important aspect of positive parenting. How to Be a Positive Parent. Being able to look beyond the immediate transgressions to focus on the bigger picture is an important aspect of positive parenting. Click here for our FREE mini-course
I now look at screen time as a fact of life. It doesn’t depress me that my kids like this stuff. I no longer believe that loving Minecraft means you are a lazy and dull person, irrevocably obsessed with video games and destined to suffer from nervous breakdowns or clogged arteries.
And most importantly, I don’t feel guilty about my changed beliefs.
Limits are the key. Start with your attitude: approach video games as one of many options in the vast tool bag containing cool things your kids get to do, rather than the evil monster that will take over your life.
The beast can be tamed. Here’s how.
#1 Accept that gaming is fun for your child, even if it’s not fun for you
Those of us who did not grow up with ipads, ipods, and multitudes of devices wonder why anyone would want to spend his down time in a two-dimensional world with no real plot?
Well, not a lot of us want to play tag for more than ten minutes, either.
Minecraft offers yet another opportunity to separate your experience from that of your child.
It isn’t your fault. The love of games did not come from your failure to expose them to sports or to read to them. They like what they like.
As long it’s not dangerous or illegal, it’s all alright. End of story.
#2 Decide what you can live with
Take a couple of days to study your own behavior.
Do you start slamming cabinet doors when your kid has been using a screen for more than a half hour? Do you begin to pace the halls after forty-five minutes? Look for signs of edginess, like mindless snacking.
In our house, screen time means total silence, which I love—I get things done! But after an hour, it starts feeling creepy, similar to what I feel on a gorgeous Sunday when I hear the sound of a golf tournament coming from our living room. I start imagining fat cells expanding. People on the couch begin to resemble potatoes.
If I demand an immediate cease and desist, things go downhill quickly. The kids pounce on each other. It’s as if all that stillness incubates an explosion of physicality. They have poor attitudes, back talking about dinner, negotiating everything, even what to have for snack.
This was good information. I extended screen time by a half hour and I gave fair warning. Ninety minutes. That’s what we can live with.
Soon, this developed into house policy: they get screens on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for ninety minutes. Nothing during the week, because it’s too hard for them to go into that still, focused game mode and still keep up with the work/school routine.
Three more tips for developing your house policy:
Both parents should be involved. If Mom is the only one who ever says “Time’s up,” she’s going to be very unpopular very fast.
Consider not owning an Xbox or Wii. Large gaming systems are harder to manage for two reasons: They put you in a bigger playing field. Now you’re dealing with Call of Duty, Grand Theft Auto, Halo and Assassin’s Creed. Not having them in your house might eliminate a few haggling sessions. A lot of these games are violent. Since they are played on a bigger screen, with a joystick, it feels a little more edgy, more full-body. This makes the off button harder to push.
Screen time in the morning is different from screen time in the afternoon. The research of Dr. John J. Ratey of Harvard Medical School, author of the book Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, and now the “Sparking Life” movement, has shown that a person of any age who exercises even a half hour in the morning is much more likely to be able to sit still and focus, and retain what he learns. Ratey’s research is behind the idea of brain breaks in corporate offices: short periods of movement every hour shown to increase productivity and elevate mood.
#3 Decide on your approach
Now that you’ve decided it’s okay if they like something you don’t, and you know what you can live with, you need a way to look at your approach to limits. Most people will fall into one of two camps.
1. The “Gaming As Dessert” approach.
This approach assumes that it’s a privilege to play games. They are a reward, maybe instead of allowance. Practice your trumpet for a half hour, earn a half hour on the ipad. Mow the lawn, you earn an hour (depending on the size of the lawn).
Some kids (and their parents) love elaborate systems like this. Similar to a star chart, grids can be made, boxes checked. Negotiators love hashing out how much screen time is earned from each chore. Consider keeping track with different colored ink for different tasks.
2. The “Gaming Manifesto” approach.
This is for parents who’d rather avoid negotiations. You set up the screen time policy, maybe write it out, perhaps on a white board. Post it in the house where it can be referred to often. The advantage here is keeping it simple.
It’s unrealistic to think that the Manifesto means the end of negotiation. Your child will come to you and say, “I’m all caught up. Can I do a half hour of Terraria?” Direct his attention to the white board and say, “I’m glad you’re caught up! But remember, we don’t use screens except on weekends (or whatever your policy is).” When he asks why, the white board is there, a comforting object: “That’s our policy!”
Helpful hint: Avoid using screens as the off button.
Travel days are one thing; everybody needs some mind numbing to get through an airport wait. But the days of using the Baby Mozart DVD to grab a shower are over.
Now that they are older, appetites can build. For both of you. If you dole out screen time so you can clean the kitchen, you’ll want to clean the bathroom, too. Maybe finish that thing at work you didn’t get to last week.
Don’t be afraid to simply say, “No.” Even when it appears that there is nothing else to do, all their friends are at camp and your house feels like the most boring place in the world. It isn’t. There are toys. Books. A back yard.
Once I practiced this, I saw it really can work. I got out of the shower, scared to look, and found my kids making a bubble soup in the kitchen sink. They had wooden spoons, tongs, a spatula. They carried the whole thing outside and … I stopped watching. Maybe they poured it on my tulips and that’s why they didn’t come back. Doesn’t matter. They were industrious. Nobody got hurt. At least none of the people. Or the pets. As for the tulips… it’s still an unsolved mystery and at this point, I am content to leave it at that.
#4 Consider consequences
There will be sneaking. Here are some strategies to handle it when it happens.
Have a fixed spot for portable gaming devices. Keep them in a specific place, a corner shelf or a large tray on the kitchen counter. This way it’s easier to see if any are missing.
Have a consequence system set up. Discuss this when you explain the limits. Keep the consequences logical, simple, and direct. In our house, the penalty for sneaking is loss of screen time. If I walk into my daughter’s room on Saturday morning and find her in bed with ipod, I say nothing. I hold out my palm and she sets the device in it. Our limits only allow screens on weekends, so losing a day is harsh. If she does it again, that’s it for the weekend. Then we start on the following weekend.
Never punish yourself with your consequences. If you can’t live without the hour of silence you get when your kids are playing Minecraft, make the consequence something else. No dessert. No sleepover. Make sure it is discussed clearly and ahead of time, so everyone involved knows what to expect and you aren’t tempted to dole out punishment-disguised-as-consequences in the heat of the moment.
#5 Decide on a ritual for transition time
Rarely do we power down at the office and jump back into domestic life. There is the gathering of stuff, walking to your car or the bus. The commute is part of the transition.
In the same way, our kids need a transition from the virtual world to the real world. Here are some simple steps:
Use specific language so your kids know they are transitioning. They’ve just been killing creepers and building worlds, which can be tense work. Lighten the mood. Refer to the real world as the RW. Call them back: “You are hereby summoned to the RW! I missed you!” In a subtle way, this privileges the real world over the virtual, while also recognizing that when they are gaming, they really are somewhere else.
Make it physical. This doesn’t have to be a mile run, or a game of soccer. How about a drink? It’s simple, free and easy. An hour on the screen without moving usually means not a single swallow of water. Consider a stretch routine. Not an hour of kid yoga, but a simple Reach for the Sky. Maybe throw in an arm stretch: right arm folds across the chest, hold for a breath, repeat with the left arm. The point is to bring awareness back to the body, reminding your child he’s a human being, in a three dimensional world. Teeth brushing might work. Face washing, anything that gets the focus back on the physical self.
#6 Counterbalance screen time with time outdoors
This tip comes directly from the research of Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder, and The Nature Principle: Reconnecting with Life in a Virtual Age.
No experience beats the outdoors for stimulating all the senses, according to Louv. Contact with nature is as vital to kids as good nutrition and adequate sleep.
I happen to agree. Even when getting my kids outside is like moving cinder blocks, once we get there, I see immediate benefits. My son is not big on team sports, but outside, especially in summer, he’s unstoppable. If I get him on a hiking trail with a creek, we don’t get past the water. Clothing? So what! He’s fully submerged, rolling around in ankle deep water. It makes for a long, soggy walk back to the car. Talk about all the senses.
The outdoors is the polar opposite of the intense, narrow, hunched-over focus of a video game. The abundant feeling of the whole body in a vast world contrasts nicely with the hand held, 2-D device. Without any lecturing or rules, nature is an invitation to be physical, human and real.
#7 Search for a gaming camp
This summer I signed my son up for Minecraft camp, through the local children’s museum. For three days, twelve kids got to play Minecraft in the same world, in the museum’s basement STEAM lab, complete with 3-D printers.
My friends thought I’d gone mad: wasn’t this exactly what you didn’t want? Your child gaming, in summer?
I saw several benefits to this camp:
Experience in virtual reality, with strangers, in a safe, structured environment. When one of the kids used his avatar to destroy my kid’s house, he could turn around and say, “Hey! Why’d you do that?” Not possible when you’re on a server in the library with anonymous people who think it’s fun to kill you.
Exposure to the camp leader, a twenty-something man with experience in an animation lab, working on films like How To Train Your Dragon ll, and Madagascar 3. He was as excited as the kids were about what they were learning. If my son really doesn’t find anything else he loves as much as building stuff in 2-D, maybe an animator isn’t the worst career he could end up in?
Set gaming time. I built up the camp each time he argued for more screen time in summer: “Well, you have camp coming up.” When it was over, I still used it: “Remember, you got to play all day for three days. That was awesome, wasn’t it!”
Finally, 3-D printers are just cool. A machine works relentlessly laying down polymer to build an object my boy designed. Something he can then hold in his hand. Something that is not a piece of paper. Astonishing.
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The 2-Minute Action Plan for Fine Parents
Here are some ideas to help you cultivate a positive approach to your child’s love of video games / screen time.
Can you name three activates your child loves that you do not? Do any of those trigger negativity the way video games do?
At what point does your negative reaction to screen time kick in? As soon as you see the device? With Candy Crush sound effects? What are the signs? Do you snack mindlessly? Feel crabby? Yell at the dog? Identifying your own limits can help you outline an approach you can live with.
What kind of a planner are you? Do you like |
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MADISON, Wis.-- On Monday, Dane County District Attorney Ismael R. Ozanne received the last reports from the Division of Criminal Investigation in the Tony Robinson officer-involved shooting, according to a release from the Dane County District Attorney's Office.
Ozanne also completed a second meeting with the Medical Examiner's office, according to the release. Ozanne said he will give at least 48 hours notice prior to the release of his decision on possible charges against Matt Kenny.
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UPDATED: Tuesday, April 14, 2015 --- 10:44 p.m.
As the District Attorney reviews the fatal officer-involved shooting of Tony Robinson, it's a waiting period for everyone involved.
Robinson's mom, Andrea Irwin, said she is glad District Attorney Ismael Ozanne is taking time to review the case, but she's also anxious to find out what happened the night of the shooting.
"It's hard to sit, just the mother side of me, and not know all of the facts and details... it's just a whole lot of waiting," Irwin said.
The Division of Criminal Investigation turned in its report on the shooting to the District Attorney's office on March 27. It's not clear when a decision will be made. Irwin said she hopes the wait will bring healing.
"I just want our family to be OK emotionally and we're not there right now," she said.
It's also period of waiting for Officer Matt Kenny and his family, as they wait to learn whether he will face charges. Jim Palmer with the Wisconsin Professional Police Association said Kenny is doing "as well as can be imagined" under the circumstances.
"It's a very stressful ordeal not only for the officer but for their family as well. It's also true of every officer involved in a situation like this and certainly true of Officer Kenny, he's mindful of the fact that a family has suffered a tragic loss, so that weighs on him as well," Palmer said.
Irwin said she couldn't comment on whether she has decided if she wants Kenny to be charged. She said she hopes whatever the outcome, it will bring positive change.
"I don't want to perpetuate any more hatred, I want to try to make something beautiful and peaceful and positive out of this, because that's what my son was," she said.
In the past few days, a memorial for Robinson has been set up at the Social Justice Center, just down the block from the home where Robinson was killed.
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MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The mother of a man fatally shot by a Wisconsin police officer says she trusts prosecutors will seek the truth as they review the case.
Andrea Irwin told The Associated Press on Wednesday that she believes District Attorney Ismael Ozanne will thoroughly review the circumstances surrounding the death of 19-year-old Tony Robinson. She says she doesn't know enough about what happened to form an opinion.
Madison Police Officer Matt Kenny shot Robinson on March 6. Police have said Robinson attacked Kenny as the officer was responding to calls that Robinson had assaulted two people and was running in traffic.
Few details have emerged. State agents completed an investigation last week and handed their findings to Ozanne, who must decide whether to charge Kenny.
Copyright 2015: Associated Press
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UPDATE: Friday, March 27, 2015---2:09 p.m.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The Wisconsin Department of Justice has turned over its final reports on the events that led up to a Madison Police officer killing an unarmed man to prosecutors.
Matt Kenny shot 19-year-old Tony Robinson in an apartment house near the state Capitol on March 6. Kenny was responding to calls that Robinson had attacked two people and was running in traffic. Police said Robinson assaulted Kenny before he was shot but have released no other details.
The incident has sparked multiple protests, with demonstrators demanding Kenny be charged with homicide.
The DOJ has been investigating the incident. A spokeswoman said the agency turned over all its findings to Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne on Friday.
Ozanne has said he doesn't have a timetable on a charging decision.
Copyright 2015: Associated Press
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Updated: Thursday, March 26, 2015 --- 7:57 p.m.
Tomorrow the Department of Justice is expected to release its investigative report on the Tony Robinson shooting to the District Attorney's office. While it's unclear when District Attorney Ismael Ozanne will decide whether charges will be filed, community leaders are preparing for an emotional response from the public, regardless of what he decides.
Michael Johnson, Director of Dane County Boys and Girls Club, said he is working with a group of 20 community organizations to generate a strategic response to the decision, both immediately after it is announced and in the months to come.
"I think you need multiple approaches to these issues, and so people marching, that's great, that should happen, people should voice their concerns... but we also need people who are going to sit in board rooms and negotiate how to address these issues," Johnson said.
At a city council meeting last week, Young Gifted and Black Coalition leader Brandi Grayson directed her approach to Madison Police Chief Mike Koval, saying: "We know the facts and when they come out, this city will erupt. This city will 'f-ing' erupt and the blood and whatever takes place after that will be on your hands and the mayor's hands."
Koval said he hopes the community's response to the decision will remain peaceful, though he knows it will be emotional.
"I'm hoping that those were suggestions given over to hyperbole rather than acting or saying that that's going to be the case. At least that's my hope, because I think at the end of the day we all want Madison to be a community that's in tact as we continue to engage in these very difficult discussions," Koval said.
NBC15 reached out to Grayson for an interview to discuss Young Gifted and Black Coalition's expected response. She agreed and scheduled the interview, but did not show up. To date, she has not provided an explanation.
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UPDATE: Thursday, March 26, 2015 --- 11:52 a.m.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Blood tests show a Madison Police officer who killed a man was sober after the shooting.
The Wisconsin Professional Police Association on Thursday released results of tests on samples of Matt Kenny's blood collected about two hours after he shot Tony Robinson on March 6. The tests found no signs of alcohol or drugs in Kenny's system.
Kenny shot Robinson after responding to calls that Robinson had attacked two people and was running in traffic. The incident drove members of the city's black community to stage daily protests for about a week. The rallies were all peaceful, although demonstrators called for Kenny to be charged with homicide.
The state Justice Department plans to turn over a report on the incident to Dane County prosecutors this week.
Copyright: Associated Press 2015
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UPDATE: Monday, March 23, 2015 --- 12:08 p.m.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The Wisconsin Department of Justice plans to hand its final reports on what led up to a Madison Police officer killing an unarmed man to prosecutors this week.
DOJ spokeswoman Anne Schwartz says the agency plans to hand its reports to Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne on Friday. She says the reports won't be made public until Ozanne decides whether to file charges.
Attorney General Brad Schimel has said DOJ won't make a charging recommendation. Ozanne said Monday that he won't know how long it may take to make a decision until he has all the reports.
Kenny shot 19-year-old Tony Robinson in an apartment house stairwell on March 6. Kenny was responding to calls that Robinson had attacked two people and was running in traffic.
Copyright: Associated Press 2015
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MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The sister of a Madison Police officer who shot and killed an unarmed man says his family supports what she called the "impulse" to protest the shooting.
Matt Kenny shot 19-year-old Tony Robinson in an apartment house on March 6 after responding to calls that Robinson had attacked two people and was running in traffic. The incident has spurred the city's black community to mount multiple protests. Some demonstrators have called for Kenny to be charged with homicide but the rallies have been peaceful thus far.
Kenny's sister, Amanda, released a statement Thursday through the Wisconsin Professional Police Association. She said her family is saddened by Robinson's death and supports the "impulse to protest."
But she called her brother a caring person dedicated to public service.
Copyright 2015: Associated Press
Read the entire statement on behalf of the family of Madison Police Officer Matt Kenny below.
(MADISON, WI) – Today, the WPPA issued the following statement on behalf of Madison Police Officer Matt Kenny:
Up to this point, we have preferred to remain silent, out of respect for the profound grief we know that Tony Robinson’s family and friends feel. We are deeply saddened by his loss. We know he mattered, and we wish that this tragedy could have been avoided. We also understand and
support the impulse to protest, and we want to thank Tony Robinson’s
family and other community leaders for their consistent calls for peaceful
demonstrations.
Madison, as a community, can do better for all its citizens. We must
discuss, perhaps with more urgency, how our community handles racial
inequality and then do something about it. And while we acknowledge
that Madison has problems, we also feel that my brother is not one of
them. Matthew is an exemplary officer who operates with the highest
level of integrity, judgment, and restraint. Further, his life has taken him
across the country and around the world and into contact with people of
all cultures and backgrounds. Growing up, Matthew lived in Fort Bragg,
North Carolina, Houston, Texas, and outside Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. During his service in the Coast Guard, Matthew moved
from Alaska to Puerto Rico to Virginia; while serving on the ice breaker
the Polar Sea he sailed from the North Pole to Antarctica. It would not be difficult to find a wide array of people who can testify to his kindness, work ethic, and sense of fairness. We know that his colleagues and friends both on the MPD and in the Coast Guard have all valued his
thoughtfulness, even when they also made fun of his lifelong habit of
voracious reading.
As for his family, we can attest to Matthew’s caring, considerate nature, and his conscientiousness. His commitment to serving his community has led him to undertake numerous tasks that others would prefer to avoid. Matthew has pulled bodies from the sea after a plane crash in the Caribbean, sailed into rough waters to rescue boaters and fishermen in distress, and, while working for the MPD, intervened in countless domestic disputes, and deftly handled innumerable intoxicated, out-of control people. He sees people at their worst, but he has maintained his dedication to the safety of our city.
As we have this important discussion about race, inequality, and best practices for community policing, we hope we can all continue to consider the complexity of these issues, the challenges we ask our police to address daily, and the humanity of all involved.
My parents and I don’t wish to speak directly to the media, but we did want to take this opportunity to issue this statement on behalf of our family as the public discussion of this tragic event continues.
Thank you,
Amanda Kenny
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UPDATE: Thursday, March 19, 2015 --- 7:48 a.m.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Madison Police Chief Mike Koval has criticized City Council members for remaining silent while members of the community denounce his department.
Koval says in a letter that the collective silence of the council is deafening.
The Wisconsin State Journal reports (http://bit.ly/1BZDewb ) the letter follows a Tuesday council meeting at which citizens weighed in harshly on the March 6 shooting death of Tony Robinson, an unarmed black 19-year-old, by Officer Matt Kenny, who is white.
Koval says his letter reflected frustration not just with the format of Tuesday's meeting, which he called "a kangaroo court," but with a general lack of support from the council.
The officer was responding to reports of Robinson running in traffic and battering people. Police say Robinson punched Kenny in the head before Kenny shot him.
Copyright: Associated Press 2015
______________________________________________________
UPDATED: Monday, March 16, 2015---12:34 p.m.
MADISON, Wis: Madison Police Chief Mike Koval is speaking out about the officer who killed an unarmed man, urging people not to leap to conclusions about the incident.
Officer Matt Kenny shot Tony Robinson inside an apartment house on March 6. Police say Kenny was responding to 911 calls that Robinson had attacked two people and was running in traffic.
Koval wrote in his blog Monday that he’s outraged over people judging Kenny without any facts. He says he’s known Kenny for over twelve years. Koval says Officer Kenny is caring, conscientious individual who has a Bachelors Degree from Edgewood College and had a robust career as a Medic in the Coast Guard. He also wrote that Kenny has received 45 commendations/recognitions as a Madison police officer.
Koval said, “I am proud of the fact that my officers, themselves grieving the loss of a young man and worried about one of their own colleagues, comported themselves with distinction.”
Click on the link to read Chief Koval’s entire blog.
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UPDATED: Sunday, March 15, 2015 --- 10:56 p.m.
A former sergeant of Matt Kenny's is speaking out about the officer's character, experience and judgment. Kenny fired the fatal shots in last Friday's officer-involved shooting on Williamson Street that left 19-year-old Tony Robinson dead.
Madison Police Chief Mike Koval said Kenny shot Robinson, who was unarmed, after Robinson attacked him. Over the past week, hundreds have attended rallies to protest Robinson's death.
Sue Armagost worked for Madison Police for more than 25 years, and served as Kenny's sergeant for seven years before she retired in 2009. She now lives out of state but maintains contact with Kenny, and has spoke with him multiple times since last Friday's shooting.
Armagost described Kenny as one of the most motivated officers she knew. She commended his tactical decision making skills and commitment to training.
"Matt is the kind of person where if one of your loved ones is in a car crash on the Beltline, you want him there. If you have a kid that's acting out in the school, he's the guy you hope shows up to resolve that call because it's going to go as well as it can," Armagost said.
Many protestors have questioned Kenny's use of deadly force against Robinson, and whether the shooting was justified. Some protestors have vocalized their desires to have Kenny fired as a result of the shooting. The Division of Criminal Investigation is still completing its report on the case, but Armogost said doesn't have any doubt in Kenny's judgment that night.
"I can't tell you how much confidence I have in Matt Kenny's ability to make these decisions. I have seen him go to extremes to get people safely into custody, to get situations under control. And I have no doubt that when Matt made that decision that it was the only option left for him," she said.
Kenny was responding to reports of Robinson walking in traffic and hitting pedestrians. Armagost said officers know calls like this can quickly escalate.
"It takes a lot for someone to call 911 and say this person is physically out of control and needs some help, so as those calls start to come in, as an experienced officer, you start to think this is really starting to get crazy, and unfortunately sometimes there's situations that go from bad to worse in a split second, and that's certainly what this sounded like," Armagost said.
Kenny was involved in another officer-involved shooting in 2007, but was cleared after the incident was determined to be "suicide by cop." Armagost was with him minutes after that shooting, and said he went through a "difficult" period of time afterwards.
"Having this happen twice in one career, it doesn't happen very often. I'm grateful it doesn't happen very often because the aftermath is devastating for everyone involved," she said.
Kenny is currently on administrative leave until the Division of Criminal Investigation report is complete. Armagost said she feels given his previous experience, Kenny is better equipped than other officers in dealing with a situation like this one.
"He's doing as well as anyone would be doing under these circumstances. He's exhausted, he's tired like most people, and he's worried about himself to some extent, he's worried about his family... and he's worried about everyone else. He sees this as a long-term investigation and certainly it will take the community a long time to resolve feeling on these issues, and he's concerned that everyone take care of themselves," she said.
Armagost said Kenny is "anxious" to get back to work, but she said uncertainties remain about the outcome of the investigation.
"I think everyone's first concern is what's going to be best for the community and everyone's safety. Matt is not going to want to be in any situation where anyone's safety is resolved or he becomes the focus of unwanted attention, but he would just like to get back to work and do what he does," she said.
Kenny and Armagost worked out of the East District, and Armagost said Kenny never had any personnel or behavior issues. When asked about Kenny's relationship specifically with black community members, Armagost said he treated everyone the same.
"Matt doesn't see color, he doesn't see gender, he doesn't see sexual orientation, he just sees human beings," she said.
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UPDATED: Saturday, March 14, 2015 -- 9:28 p.m.
MADISON, Wis. -- Hundreds gathered at Madison East High School for visitation and funeral services for Tony Robinson on Saturday.
Family and friends approached the podium to share their memories of the 19-year-old who was killed during an officer-involved shooting last weekend.
Turin Carter, Tony Robinson's Uncle:
"That's who I remember Terrell as," Robinson's uncle, Turin Carter, said. "Somebody, somebody who wants to help, and wants to help people achieve what they want."
Speakers at the funeral also shared their feelings through words and emotions. Friends said there were a lot of tears at the podium.
"That was heartfelt, and it was touching," Johnnie Robinson, Tony Robinson's cousin, said. "I think everybody spoke well, they spoke highly of him. He was a good person, and we should take that and use it as strength."
The family requested that the services be peaceful. There were no protests during the visitation or the funeral.
"The funeral was beautiful," Robinson said. "Actually everybody came out to show support. It didn't matter what color they were. We had an array of colors."
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UPDATE: Saturday, March 14, 2015 --- 4:18 a.m.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Hundreds are expected to attend the funeral for an unarmed 19-year-old who was killed last weekend by a Madison police officer.
Tony Robinson, who is biracial, died March 6 after what police say was a confrontation in which he assaulted the white officer. A preliminary autopsy showed Robinson was shot in his head, torso and right arm.
Saturday's visitation and funeral will be held in a high school field house to accommodate a large crowd.
Robinson's death sparked several large protests in Wisconsin's capital city in the past week. An open letter signed by nearly 90 clergy members on Friday said Robinson's death exposed longstanding racial inequalities in Madison.
A state agency is investigating under a Wisconsin law that requires an outside agency to look into fatal police shootings.
Copyright: Associated Press 2015
______________________________________________________
UPDATE: Friday, March 13, 2015 --- 6:24 p.m.
The funeral for Tony Terrell Robinson Jr. will be held on Saturday.
"We want everybody who has been touched by Tony to be there. That is absolutely a necessity for us," said Turin Carter, Robinson's uncle.
The service is open to the public.
"We want to leave the protests at the door. As you enter East High School, we just want it to be about Terrell," said Carter.
Robinson's family expressed how they're positively overwhelmed with public support.
"I can't describe to you how amazing we felt at the rally near Darbo [Drive] when everyone was marching down East Washington. I didn't feel that I could feel a semblance of happiness so soon, but just the energy and the positivity and the love that surrounded that area really filled, like I said, not the void, but helped to, and it began the healing process," said Carter.
The family says the more people that come to support Tony at the funeral will help them grieve. While they appreciate the peaceful protests for their nephew and son, they say the funeral service is not a rally or a protest. They ask all signs and chants are left at home.
"We want everyone to know that Terrell's service is about the celebration and the remembrance of his life... not about issues that it raises," said Carter.
The family also discourages anyone without a peaceful message from coming to the funeral service.
"I want people to continue to be as peaceful as they can. I appreciate that, and I need that. I can't have a day where I'm trying to say goodbye to my son turn into something full of violence and hate, and turn into a remembrance of the way he was taken from me," said Andrea Irwin, Tony Robinson's mother.
Parking is also limited. The family asks people to carpool. Locations with extra parking are listed above.
______________________________________________________
UPDATE: Friday, March 13, 2015 --- 12:05 p.m.
Madison, Wis. -- Preliminary autopsy results have been released by the Dane County Medical Examiner's Office.
They show that Tony Robinson died from firearm-related trauma. The report says the death is the result of "firearm-related trauma to the head, torso and right upper extremity."
Additional studies, including toxicology studies are underway. The results from these tests are not expected for several weeks.
This death remains under investigation by the State of Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation, the City of Madison Police Department and the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Also on Friday, 43 Dane County Supervisors, City of Madison Alders, and Madison Municipal School District board members have jointly signed and issued the following statement on the death of Tony Robinson:
To the residents of our community:
The death of Tony Robinson is a horrible tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Tony Robinson’s family and friends. We are sorry that we have lost the life of an African American teenager in our community.
Black lives matter. Our history, both nationally and locally, with respect to our African American community is unacceptable. Many of the incidents, shootings, and deaths that we see reported on the news find their root cause in the intolerable disparity present in our community. That disparity and its attendant injustice may have arisen from our history, but we allow it to continue.
This past weekend in Selma, President Barack Obama said "[Our national creed is] the idea held by generations of citizens who believed that America is a constant work in progress; who believed that loving this country requires more than singing its praises or avoiding
uncomfortable truths. It requires the occasional disruption, the willingness to speak out for what is right, to shake up the status quo. That's America." We thank those community leaders and citizens who enacted those words before they were spoken. It is time we all joined them.
We must do better. We are here to ask each of our constituents to accept along with us the challenge of ending the shameful racial disparities in our community. Every one of us must be a part of the solution. Black lives have to matter to each and every one of us. We must be the City and County where a Black youth, a Latino youth, an Asian youth, a Native American youth, a White youth, where any young man or woman feels that this is a community they belong to, a community full of opportunities. A community where their dreams can happen, not end.
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UPDATE: Thursday, March 12, 2015 --- 10:47 p.m.
New details may shed light on some of the incidents that happened shortly before Tony Robinson was shot by police Friday night.
A 911 caller said he was punched by a man, who he believes was Robinson, while he was walking on Williamson Street around 6:30 Friday. The man, who did not want his name used out of fear of retaliation, was headed to dinner with a friend, when they noticed a man walking in their direction.
"He just walked towards me and he seems to be very aggressive," he said.
A few moments later, he was punched by the man he believes was Robinson. He said after seeing Robinson's photo, he recognized him as the man who hit him.
"I'm like one or two meters away from him and he lifts his right arm and points at me and he said something about 'punch.' I hear that... and then I realize it's too late. I stepped back but it's just too late," he said.
He didn't lose consciousness or fall to the ground, but he said he lost his balance. At that point, he called 911.
He said he still hasn't made sense of why the man attacked him.
"I have never run into such kind of situation before, because he's not demanding, he's not asking for money or cash. If it's that case, I'm going to give him like all the cash that's in my pocket and then he's going to walk away. But he's not asking for anything. He just wants to find someone to fight," he said.
In addition to the 911 call, police also received reports of a man walking in traffic. An officer, Matt Kenny, followed the suspect to a home. Police say Kenny was attacked by the suspect, later identified as Robinson, and then fired his gun. Kenny performed CPR on Robinson, who was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Robinson's family has maintained this week that he was not a violent man.
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UPDATE: Thursday, March 12, 2015---2:58 p.m.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin's attorney general says a report on the shooting of an unarmed 19-year-old man by a Madison police officer should be sent to a prosecutor in about two weeks.
Attorney General Brad Schimel is updating the investigation into the death of Tony Robinson. Robinson, a biracial man, was shot and killed by a white officer Friday night after police said Robinson assaulted the officer.
Schimel is encouraging the public to be patient before judging what happened. He says he appreciates that Robinson's family has urged that protests be peaceful.
David Matthews, head of the state agency leading the investigation, said agents have done at least 60 interviews and filed more than 100 reports. He said they're looking at everything Robinson, Officer Matt Kenny and witnesses were doing that day.
Copyright 2015: Associated Press
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UPDATE: Thursday, March 12, 2015 --- 1:39 p.m.
MADISON, Wis.--- Attorney General Brad Schimel will speak at a news conference Thursday at 2:30 p.m. regarding the investigation into the Madison Police officer-involved death.
Schimel will discuss the process and progress of the investigation.
NBC15 will live stream the news conference on NBC15.com at 2:30 p.m. Go to NBC15.com and click on the "Livestream" tab to watch.
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UPDATE: Wednesday, March 11, 2015 --- 9:45 p.m.
Approximately 1,000 people marched to the Governor's Mansion to protest the death of Tony Robinson. The group, made up primarily of students, started at Worthington Park, and shut down several roads on the 2.5 mile walk to Governor Walker's home in Maple Bluff.
At the beginning of the rally, Robinson's mom, Andrea Irwin, spoke to the group to thank them for their support and request peaceful protests.
"All of you have been peaceful and I appreciate that. My son was never a violent man. I don't want violence done in his name. I don't want anger. I want to be able to make a change," Irwin said.
At one point, the group gathered outside the Department of Corrections and then walked into a Burger King on East Washington Ave. They were protesting economic injustice and police violence.
"We want justice for Tony Robinson. We want justice for all the unarmed black men that have been killed by policemen across the country," said Mike Wilder, chair of the African American Roundtable.
The Division of Criminal Investigation is handling Robinson's case and will determine whether Madison Police Officer Matt Kenny's actions were justified. When asked why protestors don't wait until the report is released to rally, Wilder said they want to make a statement before the report is complete.
"We're hopeful the investigation is going to come out fair, but we've seen so many investigations across the country where that's not the case, so these people are standing up against something that's been going on around the country," Wilder said.
A handful of Robinson's friends spoke outside the Governor's home. The family of Dontre Hamilton, who was shot and killed by a police officer in Milwaukee, also attended today's rally.
Robinson's funeral will be held on Saturday at 2 p.m. at East High School.
UPDATE: Wednesday, March 11, 2015 --- 4:11 p.m.
MADISON, Wis.--- The mother of 19-year-old Tony Robinson spoke at a rally Wednesday and asked for continued peaceful protests.
She announced that Tony's funeral will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Madison East High School.
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UPDATED: Tuesday, March 10, 2015 --- 1:24 p.m.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Madison Mayor Paul Soglin says he's cautious about giving police body cameras and isn't saying what sort of impact on the investigation into a white officer killing a biracial man they might have had.
Officer Matt Kenny shot 19-year-old Tony Robinson on Friday during a confrontation in an apartment. Kenny wasn't wearing a body camera. Soglin refused to speculate Tuesday on what a body camera would mean to the investigation during a news conference.
He said the city plans to complete a study on the cost and implications of body cameras by this fall. He said he's cautious about using them because immigrants and battered women may decide not to call police out of fear of being recorded.
Copyright: Associated Press 2015
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UPDATED: Monday, March 9, 2015 --- 11:02 p.m.
The family of Tony Robinson spoke publicly during a press conference Monday outside the home where Robinson was shot by a police officer Friday night.
Robinson’s uncle, Turin Carter, spoke on behalf of the family. Robinson’s parents, Andrea Irwin and Tony Robinson Sr., were also present but did not speak.
“My hands are stained with the blood of my nephew and we are all dealing with the aftermath… he belongs to everyone. He is now a champion of progress,” Carter said.
Dozens of news crews and community members gathered around Robinson’s family members, who said their focus is beyond what happened to Tony and now means getting justice for everyone "who fell through the cracks of the justice system.”
Throughout recent protests and gatherings, some individuals have expressed anti-police messages. Carter said these are not the sentiments of Robinson’s family members.
“I want to make this clear. Law enforcement is necessary, and in most cases, their efforts are very heroic and we don’t doubt that at all,” Carter said.
Nonetheless, Carter said nothing excuses what happened Friday night. He described his nephew as a good kid, who wanted to be loved by others.
According to court documents, Robinson was convicted in October for armed robbery. Carter didn’t mention the conviction directly, but said he didn’t want Robinson judged by his past because he was trying to “better himself."
“We don’t think Tony’s a saint. We paint him as a human being, a 19-year-old who made a terrible mistake at one point,” Carter said.
The family asked for privacy as they begin to grieve Robinson’s loss. At this time, details about funeral arrangements are still being discussed.
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UPDATED: Monday, March 9, 2015 --- 2:55 p.m.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin Department of Justice officials say agents around the state are probing how and why a white Madison police officer killed an unarmed black man.
Attorney General Brad Schimel issued a lengthy statement Monday saying the agency is working as fast as it can to complete the investigation. He says teams of agents from around the state are working the case. He also says the agency is providing the family with as |
(R) (2013) D. M. Harris Good memory. A drop driven along a wavy liquid surface follows a seemingly random path, but it can be completely reversed because the wave patterns store information about the drop’s route. (See videos below.)
et al., Phys. Rev. E 88, 011001(R) (2013) D. M. Harris Good memory. A drop driven along a wavy liquid surface follows a seemingly random path, but it can be completely reversed because the wave patterns store information about the drop’s route. (See videos below.) ×
A splash in a liquid can sometimes leave a droplet bouncing temporarily on the wavy liquid surface, before the two merge. A research team has now shown that such a drop, when propelled on a meandering path by self-generated waves, can reverse its path exactly, using information stored in the waves, even when the drop’s motion is chaotic and unpredictable. This time reversibility is not usually possible for chaotically moving particles, but here it exploits the fact that the drop/wave system acts like a sort of information machine. The work makes an unexpected connection between two apparently different topics: chaotic dynamics and computation.
The motions of interacting objects from molecules to planets can sometimes become chaotic—so unpredictable that they appear random. One classic example of chaos involves billiard balls rolling and colliding on a table. For a rectangular table, the motions are regular and predictable and can generally be reversed in time, at least in principle. One could reverse the balls’ velocities at every instant, and they would retrace their paths. But if the billiard table has a more unusual shape, such as a stadium shape with semicircular ends, then the balls move chaotically, and the motion is not time reversible. Chaos makes later trajectories exquisitely sensitive to earlier ones, so an immeasurably small difference between two initial paths or velocities rapidly leads to two very different trajectories at later times; the balls’ starting motions are in effect “forgotten.” This time irreversibility holds for all systems of chaotic particles, whereas chaotic waves are generally reversible.
Now Emmanuel Fort of the Institute of Industrial Physics and Chemistry (ESPCI ParisTech) and his colleagues have shown that, for a liquid drop bouncing along a path on the surface of a bath of the same liquid, chaos is no obstacle to time reversibility. Fort and colleagues had previously used this setup to mimic phenomena in optics, acoustics, and quantum mechanics [1, 2].
et al., Phys. Rev. E 88, 011001(R) (2013) D. M. Harris Video from earlier experiments shows a drop of silicone oil moving forward on the surface of the same liquid, propelled by vibrations of the bath and by the waves it generates from each bounce. The video is 20 times slower than real-time.
In their latest experiments, using silicone oil as the liquid, they followed the drop’s motion as it was driven by surface waves along a chaotic path. The waves were produced by the impact of the drop but were fed with energy from a mechanical oscillator vibrating the bath. The researchers kept the drop’s path within a confined space by mixing the oil with a fluid containing magnetic particles and then using a magnetic field to confine the drop within a circular “well.” For a certain range of well sizes (and thus of resonant wave frequencies within the well) the drop bounced along a looping, chaotic path bounded by the well.
Fort and colleagues could reverse the drop’s trajectory by suddenly reversing the phase, or direction of motion, of the waves by reversing the mechanical oscillator, essentially making the waves go up when previously they had gone down. The team found that, even if it was moving chaotically, the drop could retrace its jumps fairly accurately. The researchers say that the information about the drop’s previous path was stored in the wave field (pattern of waves) and so could be recovered [3].
In the team’s experiments, as the drop bounces around, it alters the wave field by exciting a new ripple each time it hits the surface. When the motion is reversed, each bounce in the backwards direction excites a new wave of opposite phase to the original one, canceling it out. So the drop erases the previous information as it goes.
et al., Phys. Rev. E 88, 011001(R) (2013) D. M. Harris Animation from earlier experiments shows the chaotic path of a drop of silicone oil bouncing across the surface of a vibrating bath of the same liquid. The “corral” in this case is 28.6 mm across.
“By coupling a particle to an extended wave field, the dynamical information that will pilot the drop is spread out in the wave field,” says team member Stephane Perrard, who participated from Paris Diderot University but is now at the University of Chicago. “This spreading insures protection against the sensitivity to initial conditions.”
The drop/wave system displays all of the basic capabilities of a computer: writing, storing, reading, and erasing information. In this respect it resembles the “universal computer” posited by Alan Turing, the pioneer of computational theory. The researchers haven’t yet come up with a way of using their “wave Turing machine” for computation, but Perrard says it might be possible in the future. The challenge is that the operations are “global”—they involve the wave field throughout the whole system—and so the usual distinction between processor and memory is absent.
“The time reversibility demonstrated in this paper is a new and fascinating feature of this extraordinarily rich system and particularly striking in the chaotic regime,” says fluid dynamicist John Bush of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. He adds that the connection with information theory is “a provocative idea.”
This research is published in Physical Review Letters.
–Philip Ball
Philip Ball is a freelance science writer in London and author of Beyond Weird, a survey of quantum mechanics (University of Chicago Press, 2018).The Wire is unsettling because it presents “doomed and fated protagonists who confront a rigged game and their own mortality” When asked earlier this year which of the characters in The Wire was his favourite, President Obama chose Omar Little, a shotgun-wielding gay man who makes a living by robbing drug dealers. Holding to a code that bars any assault on people not directly involved in crime, Omar testifies to the persistence of a kind of honour in the struggle for urban survival. A politician whose career has been founded on projecting an inspirational image, it is not surprising that Obama is drawn to an authentically inspiring fictional creation. But among many high-placed fans of The Wire, it may be the current US attorney general who deserves special note. Speaking in May 2011, Eric Holder made a personal plea to the writers David Simon and Ed Burns to do another season of the series, or better yet a movie. Created by Simon using his experience as a police reporter and Burns’ work as a homicide detective, and first shown ten years ago on June 2nd, 2002, The Wire gained a following—never very large, but passionately loyal—for its unsparing depiction of life in the city of Baltimore, primarily seen through the eyes of its police, drug dealers and politicians. Holder’s plea may have been a jokey public relations exercise designed to display his media awareness. Simon’s response was in deadly earnest. He and Burns were ready to go to work on a sixth season, he replied, “if the department of justice is equally ready to reconsider and address its continuing prosecution of our misguided, destructive and dehumanising drug prohibition.” That the president and attorney general are so familiar with the series underlines its enormous resonance. But while much of the debate surrounding The Wire has focused on the concrete political issues it addresses (such as America’s drugs policy), one of the show’s greatest achievements has been widely overlooked. The Wire presents a damning portrait of inner-city life in America without the prospect of redemption. It has none of the faith in the ultimate triumph of justice and the saving power of goodness that shows through many of the most hard-boiled thrillers. Taken seriously—as the series was undoubtedly meant to be, though it contains many scenes of black comedy—The Wire plants a compelling question mark over the creed of nearly all of those today who insist they have no religion: the belief that the intractable conflicts that are the stuff of tragedy are slowly being left behind. Simon has acknowledged the influence on the series of ancient tragedians such as Euripides, Sophocles and Aeschylus. Like the Greek dramatists he shows humans enacting fates they cannot escape. As Simon put it in a 2007 interview with Nick Hornby, he lifted his thematic stance “wholesale” from the Greeks, aiming “to create doomed and fated protagonists who confront a rigged game and their own mortality. The idea that… we’re still fated by indifferent gods, feels to us antiquated and superstitious… But instead of the old gods, The Wire is a Greek tragedy in which the postmodern institutions are the Olympian forces. It’s the police department, or the drug economy, or the political structures, or the school administration, or the macroeconomic forces that are throwing the lightning bolts… In much of television, and in a good deal of our stage drama, individuals are often portrayed as rising above institutions to achieve catharsis. In this drama, the institutions always prove larger, and those characters with hubris enough to challenge the postmodern construct of American empire are invariably mocked, marginalised, or crushed. Greek tragedy for the new millennium, so to speak.” In ancient Greek tragedy the protagonists were shown as the playthings of the gods. Human actions were scripted by powers beyond human control or comprehension. In The Wire, human beings go to their ruin because of what they and others have unknowingly done. In some interpretations, this is the true meaning of Greek tragedy: the arbitrary meddling of capricious deities in human affairs is a metaphor for the fact that human beings neither understand nor truly determine their own actions. Whether or not the classical Greek dramatists understood tragedy in this fashion, it is hard to imagine a world view more subversive of 21st-century pieties and hopes. For most of The Wire’s audience in America and Britain, the idea that human beings are—or may someday become—authors of their lives is an article of faith. To be human, it is believed, is to be—at least ideally—autonomous, shaping your life according to your choices and plans. In this view the tragedies that are shown in Greek drama can only be relics of a primitive past. No doubt human beings will always suffer pain and disappointment; but the fatal undoing of their lives that comes from being caught in a web of destiny, which is the central theme of Greek tragedy, reflects a magical mode of thinking. Empowered by advancing knowledge, so the argument goes, we need not submit blindly to fate. While it will never achieve the perfection of which some may dream, the human world can become ever more transparent and open to understanding. Even if it will always be bordered by chaos, human life can be increasingly governed by reason and morality. Arising from errors that can be rectified over time, tragic conflict need not be a permanent condition. There can be little doubt that most of those who admire The Wire subscribe to some version of this comforting catechism. Meliorism—the belief that humanity is gradually ascending to a higher level of civilisation—is, after all, the most commonplace of contemporary faiths. One of its tenets is the belief that civilised life is the normal condition of modern societies; the practical task is to extend this condition to those sections of the species that have yet to enjoy its benefits. But a chronic condition of violence and entrapment is not an outlier on the fringes of civilised existence. As The Wire shows, it is the ongoing experience of large parts of the population in one of the world’s largest democracies. *** Re-envisioned in a de-industrialised American city, in The Wire the elements of tragedy are played out in an urban wasteland. In the course of 60 episodes broadcast over five seasons between 2002 and 2008, the interwoven strands in which the protagonists are entangled were shown reaching beyond the drug gangs into industry, education, politics and the media. In the second series labour unionists are making deals with organised crime in an attempt to revive the city’s port, while the third shows a police officer’s Dutch-style attempt to decriminalise drug use in a restricted zone being thwarted by politicians, the media and senior echelons of the police. The fourth series dwells on the struggles of the city’s school system, while the fifth focuses on how the media (in the shape of The Baltimore Sun, where Simon worked for a time) retreats from reporting conditions in the schools and instead prints stories that are torn out of context or fabricated. The police are morally flawed, with the pivotal character of detective Jimmy McNulty acting impulsively and self-destructively. But however flawed these characters may be, they are not monsters. If some seem to be amoral, it is because in the environment in which they operate moral behaviour has been proved to be dangerously dysfunctional. The journalist who confects his reports of life in the city is rewarded with a Pulitzer prize, while colleagues who question his methods are demoted. A lack of moral sense is the price of a humanly tolerable life, while for those on the street holding to a code of honour can be the fast track to death. The wiretap—which the police use to listen in to the phone calls of the drug dealers—is like the oracle in Greek drama, whose cryptic utterances are clues to an unfolding order in events. The messages that are intercepted may be hard to interpret. Even when the meaning is clear, acting on them may not prevent ruin. The dealers whose phones are tapped and the cops who do the tapping are not characters in a morality play in which good and evil contend for victory. Above all, both are in a situation they cannot change. It is this unalterable necessity that makes their condition tragic. But it would be wrong to think of The Wire as a straight translation of Greek tragedy into a 21st-century setting. Simon has said that “Omar and [kingpin drug dealer] Stringer had to die.” But they do not die because they challenge the gods. It is the society in which these characters must act that ordains their ends. In challenging the institutions that shape their lives they may be displaying a type of hubris—the inordinate human pride that the Greek tragedians mocked; but the projects that bring about their ruin are mostly attempts to realise normal human needs and desires. The protagonists want to live, and enjoy a life that is not shaped by fear; they need a degree of respect from others, while wanting to be able to live on good terms with themselves. If they serve the institutions that police the city, it is not because they are necessarily callous or venal. They are looking for a modicum of security and success, without which their lives would hardly differ from those of the underclass. Moved by similar needs and seeking much the same goals, the underclass and those who serve the ruling institutions are both powerless. Stringer Bell—a capable, ambitious (and also highly amoral) dealer who wants to use the proceeds of the drug trade to set up legitimate real estate businesses—comes to grief by giving bribes to a corrupt senator, while alienating his own corrupt lawyer by cutting him out of the deal. It is Stringer’s strengths that undo him: aiming to make his way as legitimate businessman, he exhibits the enterprise and strategic forethought that is required for success in the economy of capitalism. He even keeps a copy of Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations on his bookshelf. But he cannot escape the fate to which he was consigned by the accident of his birth—any more than can Omar, who kills him at the end of the third series. When Stringer is killed by Omar and an enforcer from New York, it is because Omar’s grandmother has been fired on by Stringer’s men while going to church. When Omar is himself killed, it is because he acted independently in hijacking a heroin shipment and incurred the wrath of the drug gangs. Omar is shot by a young gang member, who at the end of the series is shown being led away in handcuffs in the custody of the police. In the world of The Wire, no display of intelligence and will-power can break the fatal chain of events. From one point of view, The Wire is an exercise in realism. The reality it depicts is violent and profane. In “Old Cases,” an episode in the first series, McNulty and a colleague visit the site of the murder of a black college student. For nearly five minutes, while examining the crime scene and looking at photographs of the dead woman, the two detectives communicate with one another using only the word “fuck” and variations on it. The scene may have been a response by Simon and his co-writer to those who objected to the liberal use of expletives in the series: this is how detectives talk, the writers were saying. Repeating “fuck” while looking at photographs of the murdered woman testifies to the loss of affect that comes from too much contact with death and violence. The detectives are hard-pressed professionals, who are able to do the job only on condition that their normal human responses are in some degree suspended. Falling back on the profanity testifies to the difficulty of articulating any response to a situation in which random murder has become a normal part of life. At another level the repeated use of “fuck” and its derivatives composes a litany to meaninglessness, a succession of expletives that is as devoid of sense as the deaths that are being investigated. At this point the series plumbs deeper than Greek tragedy to approach the crueller genre of absurdist comedy. If the exchange between the detectives has dramatic precedents, it is in the stoically playful banter that is rehearsed in the plays of Ionesco and Beckett. Moving from realism to the theatre of cruelty, The Wire mounts a bitter assault on the ideology that has reduced to absurdity the lives that are chronicled. Simon has described the series as “a political tract masquerading as a cop show,” and it can readily be seen as a workerist critique of finance-capitalism. Many classicists, including Daniel Mendelsohn, have argued that the Greeks too saw tragedy not just as a form of popular entertainment in which myths were re-enacted but also “as a form of political dialogue” in which power and the nature of freedom were explored and contested. Continuing this tradition, The Wire is an exercise in de-mystification, unveiling the forces that configure everyday experience. The lives that unfold in the series are markers for a hidden reality, which is the flow of capital between the criminal economy and the capitalist market. The ultimate object of the series is not then any kind of moral conflict, not even of the kind that is represented in tragedy. The true subject matter of The Wire is the flow of money. As one of the detectives puts it: “This is the thing that everyone knows and no one says. You follow the drugs, you get a drug case. You start following the money, you don’t know where you’re going..” In its role as a political tract, The Wire is a polemic against the idea that the unrestrained market is the embodiment of individual liberty. Simon has used the series to expose the contradictions of this atavistic ideology: supposedly aiming to enhance choice, the reinvention of the free market has left the majority of people more exposed to random events and arbitrary power than before. Like the dim remnant on the left that insists communism has yet to be tried, neoliberals will say that the free market still does not yet truly exist. Against this fantasy of market freedom, The Wire is saying: Look, this is how capitalism works. But another interpretation of the detective’s observation about money is possible and plausible: in the political economy of The Wire, the origins and destinations of money are ultimately unknowable. Behind the bribes and the pay-offs, the buying and selling of influence, there is no hegemonic power controlling the action in the way a master-puppeteer might shift marionettes around on a stage. With all their political clout and their massive though volatile wealth, the financial elites are themselves contending with a chaos they cannot understand or control. Far more able to deal with market shocks than the underclass, America’s elites are also exposed to the entropy of history. With much of America’s financial system effectively nationalised as a result of the crisis that began some years ago, the version of capitalism that is the target of The Wire belongs in the past. Operating in a globalised world containing powerful rival capitalisms, America cannot return to the free market even if that is what its ruling elites most want. Whatever type of economy eventually emerges, there is nothing to say it will be a significant improvement. If The Wire is interpreted along these lines, its subject matter is not capitalism but a postmodern condition in which humans can no longer grasp the world they have made. The Wire’s protagonists are defeated by chaos. The disorder that brings them to ruin is a densely structured kind in which disparities of power are being constantly renewed; but since none of those who struggle with it can understand or control its workings, it is still chaos. At this point a question arises: Can these vain struggles be described as tragic? Even if the ancient Greek tragedians did not believe in the gods, they assumed a kind of order in the world; it was against this order that tragic heroes rebelled. But can there be tragedy in a world that is at bottom chaotic? This was the question posed by George Steiner in his seminal book The Death of Tragedy, first published in 1961. In his intensely controversial study of Greek drama The Birth of Tragedy (1872), Nietzsche—a classical philologist—argued that the tragic sense of life was undermined by the rise of Socratic rationalism, which provided a universal framework for human action. Greek tragedy accepted that life is meaningless, Nietzsche argued, but overcame the lack of meaning by presenting a spectacle in which destruction and ruin acquired life-affirming beauty. In his no less controversial study, Steiner agreed that tragedy was undermined by rationalism, but it was modern rationalism—the rejection of metaphysics and the rise of science rather than the Socratic faith in reason—that subverted belief in moral order. Interestingly, Steiner argued that tragedy was also compromised through the influence of Christianity, which promises the rectification of wrongs and final redemption. His claim that theism and tragedy are diametrically opposed may be overdrawn—faith in justice is profoundly questioned in the book of Job, even if Job ends by accepting the divine will—but it is true that Christianity has no place for final tragedy. If Homer’s Iliad is the canonical expression of the tragic sense of life, Dante’s Divine Comedy articulates a vision in which no tragedy can ever be absolute. Steiner’s analysis helps clarify why The Wire is so challenging. In rejecting theism, modern meliorists have not renounced the hope of redemption. Instead they have transposed a Christian narrative into a succession of political projects. Whether it is a fantasy of market freedom or one in which the market is abolished, modern politics is haunted by myths of redemption. In the prevailing anti-tragic world view, human institutions are the result of human action and can therefore be altered by human decision. The lives that are shown in The Wire confound this seemingly obvious inference. What is done cannot be undone; history cannot be repealed by human will. The workings of necessity that have shaped the past will also shape the future. Serious politics accepts this fact. Redemptive politics only magnifies the waste of life: the drug war, which is supposed to deliver society from the evil of addiction, exposes millions to violence and chronic insecurity. Failing or refusing to accept tragedy, politics has become a theatre of the absurd. In denying us the comfort of redemption, The Wire re-connects us with reality. When it shows human lives ending in a lack of meaning, the series confronts us with the absurd in its most pitiful form. When it shows human beings joking, cursing and carrying on despite this absurdity, it achieves something like the liberating catharsis that Nietzsche imagined being produced by ancient Greek drama. The struggles we share with the protagonists are not deviations from some ideal version of humanity that will someday come into being. Intractable conflict goes with being human. In one way or another, practically everything in current media culture is escapist in intention or effect. In astonishing contrast, The Wire returns us to ourselves.
6483451475c76d1a79931e1.22973668February 20, 2014 at 11:56 AM
Interim Seattle Police Chief Harry Bailey has reversed the disciplinary action imposed on an officer who threatened to harass a journalist, lifting a one-day suspension and instead ordering the lesser penalty of additional training.
Bailey said he concluded that rather than have the officer serve one day without pay, mandatory training provided a better opportunity to teach the officer he did something wrong and show him how to deal with citizens. Bailey said the one day without pay can be substituted by forfeiting a vacation day.
“So why not get the officer trained?” Bailey said in an interview today.
Bailey said he believed that a misconduct finding against Officer John Marion would remain in place, but then acknowledged he wasn’t sure a training referral amounted to formal finding of misconduct. Normally, training referrals are not considered to be a misconduct finding on an officer’s record.
Bailey, who was appointed interim chief last month by Mayor Ed Murray, said he took the action as part of a sweeping review of more than 25 pending grievances stemming from backlogged disciplinary actions imposed by former interim Chief Jim Pugel and former Police Chief John Diaz.
He said he wants to “get all of these things cleaned up before the new chief comes,” a reference to Murray’s goal to find a permanent chief by the end of April.
Bailey said he was working with the City Attorney’s Office and the Seattle Police Officers’ Guild (SPOG) to resolve some of the cases.
Among the matters Bailey is reconsidering is the high-profile case of Officer Garth Haynes, a Seattle police officer who, during an off-duty incident, stepped on the head of a handcuffed man after a fight outside a Ballard nightclub in 2010. Haynes was found to have used excessive force, although Diaz decided to withhold imposing a 10-day suspension providing the officer stayed out of trouble.
Bailey, a retired assistant Seattle police chief who once served as SPOG official during his career, rejected any suggestion that he was returning a favor for the guild’s supporting his appointment to interim chief.
“So if the question is if this is payback, no it isn’t,” he said, adding, “That is not a road I would travel.”
Marion’s one-day suspension was ordered last month by Pugel, who found Marion acted unprofessionally during a July 30 encounter in the International District with Dominic Holden, the news editor of the weekly newspaper The Stranger.
According to Holden, who wrote about the incident, he was on his bicycle when he saw a half-dozen officers surrounding a man at a transit station near Jackson Street. Holden got off his bike to observe and to take notes and pictures, he said. While he was taking pictures from the public sidewalk, which is legal, a deputy with the King County Sheriff’s Office threatened to arrest him, Holden reported.
Holden wrote that when he questioned Marion about who was in charge of the scene, Marion “became furious” and began threatening to harass Holden at his place of employment.
On Jan. 9, Seattle police found that the complaint brought by Holden against Marion was legitimate, or “founded,” and imposed the one-day suspension without pay.
In response, Holden wrote in an article that a “relaxing” day off seemed too light a penalty.
Pierce Murphy, director of the Seattle Police Department’s Office of Professional Accountability, said in January that Marion’s conduct was “indefensible” and that the officer was being held accountable for his actions.
Murphy said a day without pay is not a slap on the wrist. Noting that discipline can range from oral reprimands to termination, he said “once you get into taking money away from a person, you are moving into the area of more significant discipline.”
Earlier this month, King County Sheriff John Urquhart fired the deputy who threatened to arrest Holden, Patrick Saulet, a 27-year veteran with a troubled disciplinary history.
Holden, reached by phone today, blasted Bailey’s action, saying the one-day suspension itself was “weak and ignored evidence” that Marion was trying to suppress his right to report on police conduct.
“But now, the new interim chief is placing the arguments of police officers and their union over the legitimate complaints of citizens,” Holden said.
Holden said the department always has the opportunity to train officers how to de-escalate conflict, noting the department is under a federal court order to do so as part of a settlement agreement with the Department of Justice to curtail excessive force and biased policing.
“So the claim that he simply needs more training and this is the only way to do it is transparently specious,” Holden said.SHARE THIS ARTICLE Share Tweet Post Email
Photographer: Sam Owens/Bloomberg Photographer: Sam Owens/Bloomberg
Jim Ratliff worked for 14 years in the mines of eastern Kentucky, drilling holes and blasting dynamite to expose the coal that has powered Appalachian life for more than a century.
Jim Ratliff Photographer: Sam Owens/Bloomberg
Today, he rolls into an office at 8 a.m., settles into a small metal desk and does something that, until last year, was completely foreign to him: computer coding.
“A lot of people look at us coal miners as uneducated,” said Ratliff, a 38-year-old with a thin goatee and thick arms. “It’s backbreaking work, but there’s engineers and very sophisticated equipment. You work hard and efficiently and that translates right into coding.”
He works for Bit Source now, a Pikeville, Kentucky, startup that’s out to prove there’s life after coal for the thousands of industry veterans who’ve lost their jobs in an unprecedented rout that has already forced five major producers into bankruptcy. Bit Source has only hired 10 coders, but almost 1,000 responded to its ads as the realization spreads across Appalachia that coal’s heyday is over. What fills its void is a challenge so immense that presidential candidates including Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have cited the industry’s woes on the campaign trail.
“We’ve got a lot of high-skilled hillbillies here,” said Rusty Justice, a 57-year-old co-founder of Bit Source. “We want to prove we can run a tech business from the hills of eastern Kentucky.”
Few places are as steeped in coal lore as Pikeville, a town of 6,900 wedged into a narrow bend in the Big Sandy Valley. Over the years, surrounding Pike County has produced more of the fuel than anywhere else in Kentucky. In 1996, when Ratliff was still a teenager and his father worked in the mines, the local producers dug up 35.6 million tons, a state record. He eventually followed his dad into those mines.
Famous Appalachian residents on Bit Source walls. Photographer: Sam Owens/Bloomberg
The coal market began to collapse in 2011 as a global glut of the fuel swelled. Prices are down 75 percent since then, and nowhere has that hit harder than in Appalachia. Central Appalachia coal has dropped 70 percent from a record $143.25 in July 2008 on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Pike County’s output dropped to 6.9 million tons in 2015, and its mining jobs fell to 1,285, about a third as many as four years earlier. The slump has eliminated at least 26,000 jobs in the U.S., and Ratliff’s was one of them.
The chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives appropriations committee introduced a bill Wednesday that would channel $1 billion into beleaguered coal country.
Justice, a fourth-generation Pikeville native, felt the pinch too. His excavation and engineering company, Jigsaw Enterprises, lost 70 percent of its customer base, including big miners like James River Coal Co., Alpha Natural Resources Inc. and Arch Coal Inc. that all filed for bankruptcy protection.
Similar Pay
Looking to diversify, Justice and his business partner, M. Lynn Parrish, spent a couple of years considering everything from wind farms to solar farms to farm farms. Then they watched a presentation about Kentucky’s growing ranks of computer coders, who mostly live three hours west in the “Golden Triangle” of Louisville, Cincinnati and Lexington. They make starting salaries of as much as $70,000, similar to coal miners’ wages.
Rusty Justice Photographer: Sam Owens/Bloomberg
“We didn’t think that was that big of a jump,” Justice said of the miners. “Daggone, these are high-tech workers that just get dirty.”
Of course, there’s a big difference between Big Sandy Valley and Silicon Valley. For one, Kentucky has the country’s slowest peak Internet connection speeds, according to a survey by Akamai Technologies Inc. And in Appalachia, where coal has long dominated and communities are separated by miles of mountains, few governments ever banded together to attract the likes of Apple and Google. And few people grew up dreaming of working for either.
That’s slowly changing. New regional organizations are cropping up like Shaping Our Appalachian Region, which is trying to breed an entrepreneurial spirit in eastern Kentucky that reaches beyond energy. In November, Clinton committed to building “21st century” infrastructure including water systems and broadband access in coal towns if elected president.
Internet Access
Internet access is one initiative of particular interest to Justice. Kentucky Wired, a $324 million public-private partnership, may bring over 3,400 miles (5,471 kilometers) of fiber-optic cable across the state -- starting in Appalachia.
"We wanted to have something for when they build that,” Justice said. “We didn’t want it to be a bridge to nowhere."
Bit Source got started in 2014, when Justice and Parrish bought an old brick Coca Cola bottling plant on Pikeville’s northern edge. Last winter, they began broadcasting radio ads and posting flyers across Appalachia, seeking unemployed coal workers interested in becoming computer programmers.
Former Coca-Cola bottling plant Photographer: Sam Owens/Bloomberg
Justice said he expected 50 applications. He wound up with 950.
Ratliff was one of them. Since losing his job five months earlier, he’d traveled as far as Wyoming looking for work before deciding he couldn’t leave his three teenage children behind. So he applied for Bit Source, knowing “absolutely zero about computer code.”
Finding Work
Ratliff didn’t think he had a chance with Bit Source. Turns out he fit the bill. He aced a series of interviews and tests, which he credits in part to his years of calculating particle velocities and explosion densities at his old gig.
Last March, he joined nine others at Bit Source whose previous jobs ranged from underground shuttle-car driving to heavy coal-mining machinery sales. For five months, they learned to code, mastering languages including HTML, JavaScript and PHP. When they finished their training, they got a pay raise and a mandate: Make Bit Source profitable.
Workroom at BitSource Photographer: Sam Owens/Bloomberg
While a Labor Department grant covered the coders’ wages during training -- and similar funding will cover a share of their salaries through winter -- Justice said he expects to achieve profitability in 2016. They’ve already finished nine projects, including the website for eastern Kentucky’s career center network.
“We’re further down the road than we thought we’d be,” Justice said.
For now, Ratliff’s prospects are bright enough that he turned down another coal mining offer. He recently sat down with his teenagers, suggesting they consider following him into coding.
“The coal industry is dying here,” he said. “But we could be the grassroots of something truly special.”Mazda Motorsports has retained all four of its full-season drivers for the 2016 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season, with Jonathan Bomarito, Tristan Nunez, Joel Miller and Tom Long all returning to the factory Prototype squad.
Miller and Long will share the wheel of the No. 70 car, with Bomarito and Nunez set to drive the newly renumbered No. 55 entry, which pays homage to Mazda’s 787B that won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1991.
“We couldn’t be happier that each of our Mazda Prototype drivers return to the team for 2016,” said Mazda Motorsports director John Doonan.
“In addition to being top-notch drivers, we couldn’t ask for a better group of gentlemen to represent the Mazda brand in the premiere level of our Mazda Road to 24 sports car program.
“Each of them has a never-ending positive attitude that doesn’t waver. We expect more success on the race track this year, and we believe we have four racers who can bring those results to Mazda.”
Additional drivers for the four Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup races, including the Rolex 24 at Daytona, will be revealed at a later date.Update: See the new resource site for Trunk-Based Development called, err, TrunkBasedDevelopment.com and make sure to tell your colleagues about it and this high-throughput branching model.
Google’s Published talks/info
My knowledge about how Google developed software ended in 2009. They have talked publicly a number of times on the topic though:
All these videos are great. There’s so much to see in them, particularly the slides with charts in them and the chatting about them. Watch the videos!!
There’s also a blog dedicated to their DevOps:
Welcome to the Google Engineering Tools blog!
Trunk based development
In the materials above, these Googlers talked about working on HEAD, and that checkins happen to HEAD at all times. Ashish says trunk a few times towards the end in a Q&A section, and he does mention an avoidance of branching for ongoing development (nothing to do with releases per se). So it’s official, Trunk-Based Development (TBD) is what Google do, and boy do they scale it!
Things specific to Google
(from John Micco’s 2012 talk)
A shared supercomputer for compilation
Note: Effectively a shared supercomputer!
Google have a lot of tooling for individual developers at the workstations, validations that somethings ready to commit (integrate into shared trunk), and the formal integration/merge/commit itself (because some time may have elapsed since that prior validation).
They have a “Distributed Builds” capability that’s shared by all of those. In layman’s terms it is effectively a supercomputer for the compilation (and unit-test execution) phases. It features and “Object Cache” and an “Action Cache” that can leverage someone else previously doing the same thing(s) so that results of the build are pulled in quicker. Time is saved for the developer in question, but they are also able to calculate a saving in terms of execution cost (CPU seconds for one).
Ashish talks of teams needing to depend on a common thing - Socket. Let’s call it s0ck3t so |
and liquor.Yep — the rumors are true: Google Assistant is headed to the iPhone to take on Apple’s Siri. Announced at Google I/O, the company will roll out Assistant as a separate iOS app from Google search to specifically target tasks tied to your personal preferences.
However, Assistant won’t be able to operate exactly like it does on Android devices. Google says because there are API restrictions, Google Assistant on iOS will only be able to do general stuff like send iMessages and play a song on your Spotify app, but not set alarms. Yeah, bummer. And since you can’t remap the Home button from Siri to Google Assistant, you can instead add a widget which looks like a big ol’ icon.
Starting today, we're bringing the #GoogleAssistant to iPhones. Whether at home or on the go, your Assistant is here to help. #io17 pic.twitter.com/a6T20HwnU9 — Google (@Google) May 17, 2017
You can download Google Assistant on iOS right here in the App Store. At launch, it is only available in the US.AHAHAH FINALLY!! XD Man the grind in this game is so ridiculous, it even came to the point where I simply tried to get a good launch at the start and then let the game play itself automatically without tapping anything, and I was shocked when I saw how effective that was
( Towards the end of the game this method got me all 3 missions at once in one run!! )
Compared to the first part, this one is quite similar to it in most aspects but adds more action and content to the game. But the game was unnecesarily long ( the prequel took me about a day or two, this one almost took me an entire WEEK and I was playing it multiple hours per day 0_0 ).
The game was also lagging a lot but thank god it wasn't entirely skill-based and you could simply skip missions in case your frame rate was too low to achieve some missions ( Five perfect launches in a row? NAH! good luck doing that with 5 FPS )
Also, I feel like the game could greatly benefit from reducing some effects and especially missions ( from 120 > 100 maybe? ) since it was just TOO bloated with content, up to a point where you just get bored to death and play the entire laggy thing through to get the achievements which were actually neat ^_^
Either way, this was a very epic game experience. I'm happy I beat the sequel, at last...
Launcha Libre up next, I guess... :^)A few months ago, Vrgorac in inland Dalmatia was secretly visited by a group of businesspeople who represented a group of foreign investors from Europe and other part of the world. According to reports, they were looking for a site in the area between Dubrovnik and Split which would be suitable for the construction of a new international airport, reports Jutarnji List on January 10, 2017.
At the same time, they examined spatial plans of local towns and municipalities, in order to find out whether it was possible to realize the planned investment, which would ultimately be larger than airports in both Split and Dubrovnik. They found a suitable site during a drive on the motorway in the area of Vrgorac. More specifically, it is a plot of land between the villages of Dragljani, Kozica and Raščane. It is situated south of the motorway and near the Biokovo Nature Park, and its great advantage is that it is a valley which is already suitable for the project.
“Investors were looking for a plateau which would be at least three kilometres in length, which is needed for the runway. Due to the proximity of Makarska Riviera, the A1 motorway, two exits off the motorway, border crossings, and junction between the A1 motorway and European corridor 5C, we were able to present Vrgorac as one of the most important hubs in this part of Dalmatia. When, at the end of 2016, the Ravča-Drvenik road received a planning permission, the project of the construction of the airport instantly became even more interesting for investors”, said Ante Pranić, Mayor of Vrgorac who met with the investors a few months ago.
During their first visit they went together to the site itself. Only ten days later, the investors came again to look at the site, but this time with a team of surveyors. They analyzed the location, and the investors did not waste any time, so they went to the Vrgorac Registry Office in order to immediately check who owns the land in the area. Pranić claims that it is fully owned by the state.
The seriousness of the investors is proven by the fact that they have already visited Vrgorac for the third time as well. “They brought drones which they used to film the entire site”, explained Pranić.Australian cricketer Phil Hughes has died surrounded by his family and close friends, the Australian Team Doctor has confirmed.
Hughes had been in an induced coma in a Sydney Hospital after being stuck in the head by a bouncer while playing for South Australia against New South Wales at the SCG on Tuesday.
Australian Cricket team doctor Peter Brukner says he passed away a short time ago. He was 25-years-old.
"He was not in pain before he passed and was surrounded by his family and close friends," says Mr Brukner.
"As a cricket community we mourn his loss and extend our deepest sympathies to Phillip's family and friends at this incredibly sad time."
Mr Bunker says he had never regained consciousness following Tuesday's incident.
The Australian flag has been lowered to half-mast at Cricket NSW headquarters.
Earlier today, radio host Allan Jones, revealed the seriousness of the head injury.
Jones, on his 2GB radio show, told listeners that Hughes suffered damage to a "major artery in the back of his head."
"That caused bleeding over the skull and prevented blood going to the brain, and I'm advised neurology is very, very bad or language that the layman understands the brain is very sick," Mr Jones said.
"So this is much more serious than anyone imagined. Medical technology is currently breathing for him. The brain is very sick and we pray for miracles."If you find yourself in a haunted house surrounded by zombie experts, it’s important to ask the tough questions. “So, if zombies are always eating people, wouldn’t the worst thing about a zombie apocalypse be the piles of zombie shit everywhere?”--- It’s menacing questions like this that keep me awake at night, so thankfully last Wednesday, I was able get some answers from Sean Stephens and Garret Middaugh of Z.A.P.S Utah (Zombie Apocalypse Preparation and Survival).
“Well, no,” said Stephens. “The brain’s natural instinct is to survive, so it’ll tell the zombie to keep eating even though the rest of the body doesn’t function. The [zombie’s] brain wouldn’t know otherwise and eventually the zombie would just explode.”
Bingo. As you can see, these guys are well-versed in zombie theory. The two of them combined have seen just about every zombie film in existence and when you mix that up with backgrounds in pharmaceutical development, law enforcement, paramedics and pathophysiology, you have yourself a solid team of qualified zombie instructors.
Z.A.P.S. co-founders Garret Middaugh and Sean Stephens
Now, unfortunately for this story, neither one of them actually thinks zombies exist. I was hoping they did, but they don't. In fact, the true mission behind Z..A.P.S. is to offer courses in general survival techniques and disaster preparation -- with a zombie spin. “We know it’s based on something fictional,” said Stephens, “but it’s fun, and the CDC said if you’re prepared for a zombie apocalypse you’re prepared for anything. We figured, why don’t we take the knowledge we have of survival techniques and combine it with this fun idea?”
Obviously, I’m a responsible adult who would love to know more about disaster prep, but truth be told, I was only there to find out how fast I would I die in a zombie scenario. So, to get a feel of what it would be like to be surrounded by zombies, we met up at XSI Factory, an all-purpose indoor-sports facility in Lehi, which recently opened a massive zombie-infested haunted house, appropriately called Zombie Apocalypse.
The plan was simple: Run through some basic survival techniques and then wrap it up with a mild killing spree through the haunted house. I probably should mention that Stephens and Middaugh were geared up from head to toe with flak jackets, assault rifles, side arms and even machetes.Best of all, they had a real M4. Yeah, you could say these two had so much sweet stuff they were ready for anything, even my shitty questions.
The M4 is the preferred rifle of Utah zombie killers.
Middaugh opts for the all black flak jacket; that way, his guts are safe.
Strapped to the teeth with guns and blades, we kicked things off by clearing out one of the rooms of the haunted house. “Pow, on your left,” shouted Middaugh, as we moved through the room shooting at plastic props on the walls. I followed close behind, carrying a replica M4 rifle. I felt like Jamie Lee Curtis in True Lies, when she was handed a gun for the first time. “Pew, pew, you’re extra dead,” I yelled at a skeleton lying on the floor.
We got to the end of the room and proudly surveyed our fake carnage. “All right, that was pretty good,” said Stephens. “The important thing is to remember to try to cover different points; that way, we won’t get flanked from one side.” We discussed the logistics of killing fake zombies for minute or two and then decided it was time to take it up a notch.
Mario Hipol, the head of marketing at XSI, gave us the okay to run through the entire haunted house before the crowds arrived. This was sweet because we finally got to shoot at some real zombies … or high school kids in makeup. “So, what’s the strategy here?” I asked Stephens. “Just stay behind me and hug the walls.” “Can I have a gun, at least?” Stephens reached into his holster and handed me a little plastic pistol. "Sweet."
Middaugh had to go home, so the battle was down to just me, Stephens and my photographer, Mike Fuchs. Slowly, we inched our way through the dark maze. I covered Stephens while he offed a couple of warm-up zombies with his plastic, laser scoped M4. But instead of me yakking about it, how about an action packed montage with this ditty playing in the background?:
Okay, let's do this...
My stats for this particular zombie apocalypse were complete crap. I got spooked at least three times, which in a zombie scenario means your dead. As expected, Stephens weaved his way through the haunted house like a pro. But listening to him talk about survival techniques and seeing all the gear just wasn’t enough for me. I wanted to make sure Z.A.P.S. was 100 percent for real. So, the next day I e-mailed over a couple of brain-buster zombie scenarios, hoping to stump Utah’s finest:
Scenario #1: Okay, you’re held up in your dorm room at the University of Utah, trying to ride out the apocalypse. You realize that you have an overdue library book sitting on your bedstand. You start to sweat. If this apocalypse is over soon, that fine could be, like, three bucks. Ultimately, you decided you must return the book to the downtown Main Library within the next three hours. Unfortunately for you, it’s Conference weekend and there are well-dressed zombies everywhere. Plus, you have no legs. What do you do?
Their answer: You have accepted the fact that there is no way you can make it that far (without legs) and you can’t afford a three-dollar late fee because you've spent all your money on an AR15 sniper rifle and ammo. Since you were so well-prepared after completing your Zombie Apocalypse Preparation & Survival (ZAPS) course, a few friends from the dorm have found refuge in your place. One of your new roommates is the kid who stole your girl and doesn’t seem to be pulling his weight. You decide to send him on a special mission to return your book and force him out at gun point. From your vantage point at the top of the building, you see that, sure enough, the well-dressed zombies notice him hauling ass down the street and start to swarm. That’s when you put that $2,000 piece of weaponry to work. One after another, noggins start exploding, and you clear a path far enough for your “friend” to make it to the library. You never see that brave soul again, but you also never received a fee for the late library book.
Scenario 2: You’re celebrating a friend’s birthday at Gracie’s, and for some reason, you pass out on the roof. You wake up the next morning and you're shocked when you discover that the entire city is overrun by zombies. You barricade the entrance and bunker down in the gastro-pub, drinking, eating and watching reruns of Friends. After a few weeks, you’re sick of watching Friends and you decide to go out for some fresh DVDs. You head to Blockbuster and browse the horror section. After you pick out a few decent zombie flicks, you head back to Gracie’s. From a block away, you notice that you left the door open like an idiot and now it's filled with shamblers. The sky is becoming overcast and you realized you also left your jacket at the bar. Completely naked and angry, where do you go now and how do you get there…while dragging a 54-inch flat screen and a garbage bag of DVDs?
Their answer: Since you put in all that work to acquire the flat screen and DVDs, there is no way you are giving them up without a fight. Determined to make it to a safe place (with electricity), you throw the bag of DVDs over your shoulder and tuck that TV under your arm and start running. As you run, you wonder how silly you must look -- running naked, garbage bag of DVDs over the shoulder and a huge flat screen under your arm, all the while being chased by a swarm of flesh-starved zombies. You are brought back to reality when you hear the crack of a rifle coming from a building window up ahead. You look behind you just in time to see the walker hit the ground. A rush of relief and determination flows through you and you head for the sound of the shot. As you near the building, an attractive female busts out of the door and pulls you in, mowing down your pursuers. You sit on the floor of Kristaufs’ in the fetal position and stare in amazement as the chick performs “.223 lobotomies” on the hoard. Finished cleaning up, your rescuer pulls you from the floor and you snap out of your daydream. The female explains that she saw you running naked down the street and was impressed with not only your determination but your fine toned physique. You think to yourself, as she begins to explain her lonesome and desperate situation, I’m sure glad I took that Z.A.P.S. Course. Time to repopulate and reclaim what is ours!
Okay, these guys are good.
For more information on Z.A.P.S. Utah and the various classes it offers, peep the website. Also, check out XSI's Zombie Apocalypse for haunted-house hours and prices.
Twitter:@WolfColin“Our fans deserve better, our defense deserves better”
-David Shaw
A noticeably frustrated David Shaw stood at the podium and praised his defense and the defensive coaching staff for all of the amazing things they accomplished against the Colorado Buffaloes. When Shaw turned his attention to the offense, however, he did not have much to say in the way of praise but was rather blunt.
Shaw skipped his normal description of the situation which is to say that the offense did not play well. Instead, Shaw came right out and said the offense was bad, and that he would not address making replacements but he did say the offensive coaching staff were going to get together and figure out the best way to move forward and get the team ready for next Saturday.
Shaw was asked specifically about his thinking during the 8 play QB switch. The reporter used the word confused at which point Coach Shaw sternly cut him off before the question could be finished.
“Who looked confuse, Tom? How do you evaluate if a team looks confused? Is that confused? Or is that just bad offense? We looked bad. We’re not confused. We had penalties. We had multiple big plays called back, two off the top of my head called back because of penalties. That’s not confused, that’s poor execution, that’s poor hand placement, that’s inefficiency that’s been plaguing us the entire year. We’re not confused, we got to be better. We’ve got to find a way to make the guys on the field be better or we put other guys on the field.”
Shaw also spoke about how the offense in spots looked good but they continued to shoot themselves in the foot and move backwards. Shaw said that good teams rarely put themselves in these positions and when they do they find a way to dig out of them. He also repeatedly stressed consistency is essential and that good teams and good players are consistent but that the Stanford offense just does not have that consistency.
Another point of frustration for Shaw is that during the week of preparation leading up to the Colorado game the offense had a fantastic week of practice but that offense did not show up on the field today. Shaw said it is on the coaching staff to figure out how to get the Stanford offense that shows up in practice to show up on game day.
Shaw was asked about the 4th and 8 situation when there was clearly defensive pass interference but no call. Shaw would not say what explanation was given to him by the officials. Shaw did not come right out and explicitly say the refs got it wrong but he did say that the explanation was inconsequential to him according to Shaw because what he saw was a ton of contact with the ball in the air.
You can watch the full press conference below:
Stanford Football Press Conference Stanford Football Press Conference with David Shaw. 由 Stanford Football 貼上了 2016年10月22日
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Join the team!Rules for Self-Checkout at the Grocery Store
20 items or less This might not be written anywhere, and certainly isn’t enforced by the stores, but it’s understood: the self-checkouts are designed for a quick getaway, and it is highly inconsiderate to clog the lanes with your overflowing cart of diabetes-fuel.
A good rule of thumb: If you can carry it in your arms, or one of those plastic baskets they stack by the front doors, you can use the self-checkout. But if you require a shopping cart, you need to get out of our way.
Produce lookup If you have difficulty differentiating between celery and a pumpkin, you should probably let somebody else commandeer the transaction. Stores provide this service, free of charge, and it’ll cut down on the likelihood of you receiving a savage parking lot beating after the fact.
Rule of thumb: If you’ve ever held a green pepper in your hand, and stared at it in utter confusion, let somebody else take over.
Finish shopping Since there’s no humans involved, many people seem to believe it’s OK to take their horrible food choices to the self-checkout once they’re 90% finished shopping. Then they send their bug-eyed, highwater children to finish collecting the sodium delivery devices.
This is unacceptable, because the highwaters can never find what they’re sent for, and always come back acting exasperated. Then “Big Mama” gets all loud and abusive, her arm fat commences to swinging, and everybody’s supposed to be understanding of the delay because she’s demonstrated her apology via arm fat in motion.
Just stay away from the checkouts, until you have everything you “need.” OK? Why the hurry all of a sudden? You sure weren’t in any hurry when your whole family was walking shoulder to shoulder across the entire canned meat aisle. Why now? Just take a deep breath, and relax. Burger King never runs out of Whoppers.
One item at a time Scan the barcode of one item, wait for the confirmation beep, and place it on the belt. Repeat until finished.
It doesn’t work if you try to go too fast, or attempt to squeeze two items between the beeps. And it doesn’t help the situation by slapping the scanner with your food, or frantically shaking it like a Yahtzee cup.
Everything will be OK if you’ll just calm down and allow the machine to do its job. It’s a miraculous piece of technology, but can’t detect barcodes moving at the speed of light. Jesus J. McChrist, it’s not the missile defense system!
Please note: When you lock-up the entire operation, and are forced to turn on the “lamp of disgrace” to summon a checkout coach, please don’t pretend the machine has malfunctioned. We all know it’s you, and your inability to master a piece of equipment dumbed-down to monkey levels.
Know how to use an ATM card If you’re unable to operate a rectangle of plastic, let someone else handle it for you. Again, it’s a free service.
But if you absolutely insist, the key is the brown strip on the back of the card. You’ve got to have that part lined-up correctly when you slide it through the slot. It won’t work if the thing’s upside-down or flipped-over. And you’re supposed to slide the long side of the card, not one of the ends. I mean, seriously.
Please note: Before lining up the brown strip, be sure you’re using the correct card. It won’t work if you’re attempting to pay with your Subway frequent-eater card, or your Barbara Mandrell fan club information.
Please also note: Research has confirmed that staring at electronic equipment with your mouth hanging open will not improve the situation. You need to take action, which I know is a scary thing… But you’ve got to be strong. You can do it!
These are the main Rules for Self-Checkout at the Grocery Store, but readers can almost certainly provide other tips and guidelines. Check the comments section below for further information.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.This smoky, flavorful breakfast tempeh scramble is made with sweet potato chunks, red pepper and avocados. Serve on it’s own, or wrapped in a warm tortilla!
In case I haven’t mentioned it before, I’m terrible when it comes to social media. Like really terrible. I owe what little skill I have to this blog. It was just about a year ago that I finally gave in, sat my boyfriend down in front of the laptop and asked him to show me how to post to Facebook. He, despite having a Facebook account, wasn’t much more skilled than I. Neither of us is a technological wizard. (When we met in 2011, I told my friends that his cell phone was from 2004. They knew right away that we’d be a great match.)
Anyhow, I’m happy to say that I’ve come quite a long way this past year. Just this week I joined Twitter. I have no idea what to do with Twitter yet, but I’ll figure it out. I’ve even got a fancy button over in the sidebar, which I added to my page all by myself, really making me feel like a tech superstar. Click on over if you’d like to connect, and I promise I’ll eventually figure out what to do and share something good.
Okay, so this tempeh scramble has nothing to do with social media. It’s delicious though. I’ve always thought of myself as a sweet breakfast type, but the more savory breakfast recipes I develop, the more my taste buds seems to sway towards that direction. I blame my confusion on eggs. After years of disliking eggs and I suppose as a result thinking savory breakfasts weren’t my thing, I finally realized that when eggs are out of the equation, a hearty breakfast wrap or scramble (or in this case both) is delightful.
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I had some version of this particular savory breakfast in mind for quite a while. Originally I thought it would be a tofu scramble though, probably some variation of this recipe, but with sweet potatoes and smoky seasonings. At some point I realized how much I love smoky flavorings along with tempeh, and this recipe resulted. I’m very happy with the resultant combination of flavors and textures.
We ate our tempeh scramble wrapped up in tortillas with avocado and hot sauce. If you do go with the wrap, please do include at least one of these toppings, otherwise I think it would be a bit dry. You could also eat it right out of a bowl.On the morning of November 16th, a few hours before a vast majority of Republicans in the House of Representatives voted for their party’s tax-reform plan, four Republican congressmen from New York held a press conference to express their displeasure with the bill. “A lot of the numbers we’ve seen over the last few days don’t apply to New York,” Representative Daniel Donovan, of Staten Island—the only Republican congressman from New York City—said. He and his colleagues had gathered to make a point that has become one of the sharpest criticisms of the legislation: that it penalizes states that tend to vote for Democrats over Republicans. “There was a study I saw showing four states will end up paying sixteen billion dollars more in taxes, and forty-six states will pay less,” Donovan said. “Those states are New York, New Jersey, California, and Maryland. Those are the people that are subsidizing this tax break for the rest of America.”
Donovan and others who are making this argument have focussed on the proposed elimination of tax breaks that many Americans currently take advantage of to offset state and local taxes, including property taxes. Additionally, the real-estate lobby has called attention to the proposed capping of the mortgage-interest deduction. Getting rid of these tax breaks would affect people in every state, but it would disproportionately hit residents of states with high real-estate values and local tax rates. New York, California, and other Democratic strongholds just happen to fit that description.
This blue-state argument has been persuasive—Donovan and twelve other Republicans from New York, California, New Jersey, and North Carolina bucked their party and voted against the House bill. Yet it risks missing the provision that might have the most devastating effect on middle-class taxpayers nationwide: the elimination of the personal exemption. Currently, married couples earning up to around three hundred and twenty thousand dollars in adjusted gross income can deduct a personal exemption of approximately four thousand dollars from their taxable income per family member (for self, spouse, and dependents). The elimination of these exemptions—which was part of the bill the House passed, and is part of the bill now making its way through the Senate—will translate to a roughly $1.6 trillion tax increase over the next ten years. “That is by far the single largest tax increase in the bill,” Michael Linden, a tax-policy fellow at the Roosevelt Institute, who has been studying the legislation, told me recently. Eliminating the personal exemption could affect many more families, in more parts of the country, than most critics of the bill have previously made clear to the public. This change could especially penalize families with more than one child. And while many analyses of the Republican plan have looked ahead to its effects five or ten years from now, dropping the personal exemption will have repercussions from the outset. “Looking at the first year, or couple of years, many families, especially families with children, will get a tax increase,” Linden said. “Roughly half of families with children get a tax increase, and about half get a tax cut. But for many of those who get a tax cut, it’s very small, less than a hundred dollars.”
In drafting their tax plan, Republicans set a difficult task for themselves: they wanted to introduce vast, permanent tax reductions for corporations, and significant rate reductions for those at the higher end of the income scale, while also, in theory at least, providing tax cuts for middle-class taxpayers. To pass the bill in the Senate with just fifty votes—and thus without any Democratic support—it also couldn’t add more than $1.5 trillion to the deficit. To reconcile all this, the legislation proposed eliminating or capping many deductions that people currently take. To make these concessions more palatable to the public, the bill increases the current “standard deduction” to taxpayers—which for 2018 is sixty-five hundred dollars per person and thirteen thousand dollars per couple—to around twelve thousand dollars per person and twenty-four thousand dollars per couple. While this increased standard deduction sounds good, it is not enough to make up for all of the other kinds of deductions that are being lost (or capped), including those for mortgage interest, local taxes, medical expenses, and personal exemptions. Republicans are effectively giving many taxpayers a tax break while taking it away at the same time.
When I spoke with Donovan this week, he talked through the math many taxpayers will face using the 2017 deduction limits as a starting point. “When you think about a family of four, if their standard deduction is $12,700 and they’re able to deduct over $16,200 in personal exemptions, that’s $28,900 they can deduct, right now, besides the property and other taxes,” he said. “That’s getting replaced with the new twenty-four-thousand-dollar standard deduction.” This same family might land in a lower tax bracket as part of the Republican plan, he conceded, but his calculations suggested that those benefits would not offset the deductions the family was losing, either. “It’s going to affect every American,” Donovan said. “And nobody is talking about it.” (Families with children stand to gain from a slightly higher child tax credit included in the Republican plan, but only some families will be eligible for it.)
The higher standard deduction would also greatly reduce the incentive—and, for many taxpayers, the ability—to itemize deductions. Forty-six million taxpayers currently itemize deductions, according to an estimate from the Tax Policy Center, but only thirteen million would continue doing so if the Republican plan becomes law. This could have consequences for the country’s charities and other nonprofit institutions: according to the Tax Policy Center, “the House bill would significantly reduce the tax incentive to donate, increasing the after-tax price of giving by about 8 percent.” Naturally, this is likely to lead to a significant drop in charitable donations. The T.P.C. estimates that the bill could reduce charitable donations by as much as eighteen billion dollars in 2018 alone. A related phenomenon can be expected with real-estate values, as the loss or limitation of the mortgage-interest deduction could lead to a potential correction in the middle-class housing market, as home prices typically reflect the tax benefits buyers are likely to receive on their investments.
Donovan said that he was generally supportive of his party’s goal of lowering taxes; he cited the corporate tax rate as one that was especially worthy of a significant reduction in order to give companies a financial incentive to keep jobs in America rather than outsourcing them. “I.B.M. told us last month for the first time in history that they have more employees in India than they have in the United States,” Donovan said. “That’s great for India but means less people in America are working.” But he said that he couldn’t abide the other costs of the bill, and the way that they disproportionately fall on Americans in the middle of the income spectrum.
Until now, the Republican strategy has been to offer headline-grabbing lip service to middle-class tax reductions, but taking most or all of them away through small maneuvers that are difficult to assess, in order to preserve the cuts that will benefit corporations and the wealthy. The question now, as the bill faces perhaps its toughest remaining hurdle in the Senate, is whether enough Republican senators, many of whose own constituents are likely to pay higher taxes, will notice and acknowledge what’s happening. “It is a flat-out lie that everyone gets a tax cut,” Linden told me. “There will be people who pay more in taxes in every state, in every district. The reddest state in the country, and the reddest district in that state, will have people who pay more in taxes.”1k
I am the poster of this recipe. Thank you all for such nice reviews. You can CUT CALORIES CONSIDERABLY by spraying them with a mister or PAM(TM). I use a "Misto"(TM) filled with olive oil. Also,...
I was very excited to see this recipe, but disappointed by the finished product. It was definitely not a hit with my kid. They were difficult to cook evenly. It was a fine line between crispy an...
LucyDelRey 74 47
I am the poster of this recipe. Thank you all for such nice reviews. You can CUT CALORIES CONSIDERABLY by spraying them with a mister or PAM(TM). I use a "Misto"(TM) filled with olive oil. Also,... Read more
Jennie Mittower 52 13
I've tried a LOTS of versions of kale chips with LOTS of different results. I've found that the success of the chip depends on three things: how you cook them, how curly the kale is and how much... Read more
Carrieh82 1k 316
My hubby looked at me like I was crazy when I started making this! LOL We both really liked the finished product. I used butter flavored cooking spray because it seemed easier than spreading the... Read more
Spignardo's 50 8
These were really neat. They did have a similar taste to potato chips. I made mine a little too salty but they were great. Even the kids ate them, which is saying something for kale. Read more
Holly 6 2
I got this recipe from a local blogger who writes about our local box. She used soy sauce instead of the seasoning salt and they came out heavenly. Read more
ShaunaMcC 133 4
So. Very. Good. I've been looking to an alternative to munching chips in front of the TV at night, and these are awesome, especially when you've had enough hummus for the week:). For those wh... Read more
Localfoodmama 0 1
I was very excited to see this recipe, but disappointed by the finished product. It was definitely not a hit with my kid. They were difficult to cook evenly. It was a fine line between crispy an... Read more
lucky 266 31
I love these. Important tips: Wash and thoroughly dry. If possible, dry the day prior. I place the kale in a extra large bowl, add oil and shake until each piece is covered with oil. After layin... Read moreUnless you are the one person who still hasn't watched the Netflix hit show, you definitely binge-watched "Making a Murderer," and you definitely had strong feelings about it. Because there's no other way to react to the real-life legal thriller with so many big questions and doubts and frustrations and loose ends.
Well, now you can keep your fixation going because Dean Strang and Jerry Buting, the defense attorneys for Steven Avery featured on the show, are going on tour called "A Conversation on Justice," and it stops into Chicago June 3 at the Chicago Theatre.
The attorneys will discuss Avery's case and bigger issues involving the criminal justice system in this country. Of course, there will be an audience Q&A, which likely would go all night if organizers allowed that (which they won't).
Tickets go on sale at noon Friday. See more info here, and get excited.
@mattpais, mpais@redeyechicago.com
Want to learn how to stock the best at-home bar and also make some killer cocktails? Teach yoself here.
Want more? Discuss this article and others on RedEye's Facebook page.The Oakland Raiders were excited to have Mario Edwards Jr. back after he suffered a season-ending neck injury in Week 15 last season.
After he required a cart to get back to the locker room during Friday's preseason game with the Arizona Cardinals, the Raiders have a little more hand-wringing to do before they can officially celebrate the return of their standout second-year defensive lineman.
Edwards required assistance to get off the field late in the first quarter of the Raiders' win, and then he was carted to the locker room once he got on the sideline. Coach Jack Del Rio offered no update on his injury after the game, but a team spokesman confirmed to reporters the D-lineman suffered a hip injury. He was spotted leaving the locker room on crutches.
Here are the other injuries we've been tracking Friday:
1. A pair of big-name rookies had to deal with injuries in their preseason debut for the New York Giants.
New York's first- and second-round selections, cornerback Eli Apple and wide receiver Sterling Shepard, were both removed from Friday's game against the Dolphins. Apple was diagnosed with a lower leg strain, while Shepard suffered a sore groin, according to the team. However, coach Ben McAdoo after the game said both injuries weren't serious.
Apple racked up a fumble recovery before his trip to the locker room. Shepard made an Odell Beckham-esque grab for his first and only reception of the game.
Wideout Geremy Davis also left early with a hamstring injury.
2. The other half of the legendary Aaron Rodgers' playoff Hail Mary was not on the field against the Browns. Wideout Jeff Janis was in the Green Bay locker room as he is recovering from jamming his fingers in a drill on Wednesday. He was seen with a big bag of ice in his right hand on Friday.
3. Steelers backup quarterback Bruce Gradkowski left Friday's action against the Lions with a left hamstring injury, and did not return. Offensive lineman Brian Mihalik (left knee) departed the contest early. Coach Mike Tomlin said Mihalik has a probable MCL sprain. Tomlin added that safety Ross Ventrone and linebacker Anthony Chickillo will both be evaluated after they each suffered a hamstring injury.
4. Defensive end Julius Warmsley (concussion) made an early exit for the Dolphins, while safety Shamiel Gary (neck) and defensive end Chris McCain (elbow) also left in the first half.
5. Rough injury night for veteran backup quarterbacks. The Browns announced Austin Davis suffered a concussion and wideout Rannell Hall suffered an ankle injury.
6. Browns wide receiver Terrelle Pryor suffered a left hand injury but told reporters after the game X-rays were negative and that he's fine. NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport adds that tests came back negative for Cleveland running back Isaiah Crowell (shoulder).It’s always nice |
. To get colors we need more sensors.
But first, let’s fast forward a bit. This project spans years, and when I started there were no 3D printers. Eventually I made one, and all the clumsiness of the old rig got replaced with modern, 3D printed, well-fitted parts.
Sensor shielding got a solidity improvement as well.
Most importantly, I moved the ADC into the sensor box, and that allowed me to attach many boxes on the same digital bus.
Add some filters…
And you can start seeing the shades of the world.
There are many types of light bulbs. Let’s look at a room with infrared (red) and visible (blue) filters.
See how the lights have distinct colors? The bright red are incandescent, spewing out infrared waste. The blue are CCFLs, barely producing anything but visible.
Efficiency vision!
Spot the LEDs.
Remember how I said grass is reflective in the NIR? Let’s combine NIR, green and blue.
But back to the true color.
Outdoors.
Indoors.
The bands are there because the sensors are separated by some distance, so the images don’t overlap completely.
And of course, no camera would be complete without a self-portrait.
It takes 5 minutes to complete a picture, so here i am reading about color balancing algorithms on a phone and trying not to move.
It’s surprisingly not easy to get the colors right when all you have is the raw red, green and blue channels. I’ll never curse “whoever programmed the Auto White Balance on that stupid camera” again.
But what about the unseen? The whole idea was to see what no one saw before.
That’s a whole another story.
The first part of it is easy — let’s look at the ultraviolet.
Thick, opaque air.
Dark landscapes.
A sun that looks dim.
You don’t really see the ozone layer, just the air itself glowing – same blue sky, only thicker. Would have been nice to see the fog of the ozone, but it’s hidden behind the air.
Now, for the magic.
To see in MWIR, we need an InAs photodiode, something that’s not really that easy to come by. They are made by a Japanese company Hamamatsu, and do not cost that much.
Or so I thought…
This was my first encounter with ITAR – the “how dare you want interesting stuff?” restrictions. Before then I never realized just how USA, uh…, loves the whole world.
Basically, the Hamamatsu guys wanted me to provide a ton of paperwork proving that I won’t be making nuclear bombs and guided missiles with their parts, cause that’s what they are commonly used for. MWIR is where jet fighters glow brightly in front of a pitch-black sky.
Well, crap.
Fortunately, we in Russia also know how to make heat-seeking missiles, and after some searching I found a local supplier that was more than happy to provide me with a couple of 3.4 μm InAs photodiodes.
That is where the trip into the never-before-seen begins.
And it begins with figuring out that all of the above assumptions about pinholes and billion-to-one amplifiers don’t apply.
First, the InAs photodiode drifts. A lot. That’s what a blank picture looks like.
Then, with a pinhole and maximum gain I can give it, that’s what a soldering iron looks like:
Okay. The purpose of the problems is to be solved.
Let’s dump the pinhole and order a ZnSe lens from China.
Turns out that since the project’s inception the situation changed — China was making plenty of CO2 lasers, which use ZnSe lenses. And these lenses focus the light I need perfectly fine. Oh, and they are very cheap.
Some 3D printing later i got a proper lens assembly with focus capability.
In the dark of the night you can see a lot with it now (regular photodiode).
Next, the drift.
It’s not that fast, and we can assume that it’s stable during one scan line.
So, let’s add a flap at the end…
And modify the processing software to even out the image based on the reference band.
Let’s look at that soldering iron again.
The most amazing part is not that it glows, but that it glows brightly enough to illuminate the stand.
It’s not just the “temperature mapped to an image” of a regular heat vision camera, we see the actual long-wave light being emitted and reflected – a soldering iron turned into a lightbulb!
The low limit for the glow is somewhere around 100*C. Here are some hot resistors:
MWIR is neither heat, nor is it light. It’s both – if you look outside you’ll see the world illuminated by the MWIR radiation from our sun.
These kinds of scenes were never seen before by anyone. Outside of, perhaps, some specialty labs that make sensors and the people who built the cameras for the climate watching satellites like Terra and Aqua.
What other sensors are there? I mentioned SWIR, the band that is used for the optic fiber. There, the parts are easy to come by and are not restricted.
Unfortunately, the SWIR photodiode is also sensitive to the regular light.
Fortunately, silicon is opaque all the way to upper SWIR, so it would filter out all the things we don’t want to see.
Unfortunately, the raw silicon wafers you can find on ebay are not really transparent. Looking at a lightbulb through it produces only a blur.
Fortunately, my father’s old solar panel fab is still in business and they have some scrap of wafer-grade silicon.
That worked great.
Let’s look around.
Eh, it’s kinda cute but not that special. Same deep black sky the NIR is famous for. The snow is almost black, since there is no sky light for it to reflect I guess.
Big difference is that the vegetation is not as reflective, so you get the “blackness of space” sky with regular-ish landscapes.
It’s almost like being on the airless, derelict Earth – preserved under the void after whatever disaster befell it.
That is about all I got as far as sights not seen before go.
Unfortunately, no sensor that I can easily get or use can see deep enough in the LWIR to make the humans glow. You need liquid nitrogen cooling on an InGaAs photodiode to do that, and it’s not quite that easy to get.
So the story will continue.
You might wonder about a few bits of this build, a few words I said and a few unusual solutions. All of them hint at another use in mind. Another kind of radiation to see in…? Oh yes, there is one more.
But that would be a whole other story, for another time. Stay tuned!Michigan picked up an important piece of their 2016 class on Friday as Camden (NJ) four-star wide receiver Brad Hawkins pledged to Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines.
The Wolverines are in dire need of a strong pull at the wide receiver spot in 2016 (particularly on the outside) and Hawkins will give them a player with all-around ability at the position. Beating out South Carolina for his services, the elite receiver held offers from Florida, Auburn, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Oregon, Tennessee and a host of others as well.
Hawkins first visited Ann Arbor back in April and the Wolverines reportedly took the lead then and never relented, despite a strong push from the aforementioned Gamecocks. His affinity for Michigan's coaching staff was a major draw for him and his primary recruiter was fellow New Jersey native and wide receivers coach Jedd Fisch.
“Michigan’s staff is great,” Hawkins said about the Wolverines in April after visiting. “Harbaugh, coach (Jedd) Fisch, I built a great relationship with those guys when I was in Ann Arbor. It’s a great place. I can't wait to get back."
The second visit, which was originally scheduled for last week, is now taking place on July 19th. Hawkins will be accompanied by high school teammate and fellow four-star Michigan commitment Ron Johnson and 2017 center Cesar Ruiz, who also has the Wolverines in a good early position.
Hawkins is the first true wide receiver commitment in Michigan's class, although Indianapolis (IN) Ben Davis four-star Chris Evans may also be a slot receiver for the team eventually. With one four-star on board, Michigan will push for a commitment from another Garden State prospect in Top100 wideout Ahmir Mitchell, who is also believed to be favoring the Wolverines. Paramus (NJ) Catholic three-star Donald Stewart is also still high on Michigan's board as well.
Hawkins is currently ranked 198th overall in the 2016 247Sports recruiting rankings. His 247Sports Crystal Ball was heavily in favor of the Wolverines following his original visit in April.Mere om: Samsung | Vattenfall | Vestas
Det svenske energiselskab Vattenfall står bag et planlagt testcenter i Aberdeen i Skotland, hvor Vestas har planer om at rejse verdens største havvinmølle. Men hvis den amerikanske rigmand, Donald trump, får sin vilje går Vestas – og flere andre vindmølleproducenters – planer i vasken.Et testcenter med 11 kæmpestore havvindmøller harmonerer nemlig ikke med Donald Trumps planlagte luksuriøse golfbane i området, derfor forsøger Donald Trump nu med alle midler at forhindre testanlægget i at blive en realitet. Det skriver Ritzau ifølge Nordjyske.dk.Den havvindmølle, som Vestas planlægger at rejse i Aberdeen, er den nye model 7MW V164, der kan producere syv megawatt og med sine 80 meter lange vinger har et samlet vingeomfang på 164 meter. Og Vestas er ikke den eneste vindmølleproducent, der har store planer i forbindelse med testanlægget.Ifølge branchemediet recharge News har Vattenfall underskrevet aftale med seks anonyme potentielle turbineleverandører. Navnene på leverandørerne er endnu ikke afsløret fra Vattenfalls side, men ifølge Recharge News er danske Vestas og koreanske Samsung blandt de seks. Det skriver EPN.dk.Lykkedes det Donald Trump at forhindre testanlægget kan han meget vel bremse udviklingen i vindmølleindustrien, hvor Aberdeen-projektet tillægges stor værdi.- Projektet i Aberdeen vil støtte hele den industrielle leverandørkæde, og det ville fungere som et springbræt for hele vindindustrien, siger talsmand for Vattenfalls projekt, Eohgan Maguire, til Recharge News.Aberdeen projektet har fået tildelt et tilskud fra EU på knap 300 millioner kroner, og Vattenfall og dets partnere investerer omkring 2,2 milliarder kroner i projektet.By / August 1, 2012 / Every time some complete fucking nutball opens fire on a bunch of innocent people, we get the usual “this is not the time to talk about gun control” bullshit from the NRA and the right wing. Well, when is the time? Never, really, because it’s a right that most red-blooded gun advocates will only see pried from their cold, dead hands. Which, ironically, could happen because of their belief in their beloved firearms. Advertising does play a small role in this, which I’ll get to later, but first, the gun issue. We need to talk about it after what happened in our own backyard. If The Denver Egotist’s goal is to help Denver Suck Less, I think less dead innocent people would be less sucky. Yes? The usual arguments are out there, always, about the reasons we can’t have gun control. It’s in the 2nd Amendment, which was written centuries ago (when people had to own a gun to stop someone stealing their land and raping and killing their whole family). The 2nd Amendment seems to be untouchable, and that’s horseshit. We have impositions on our first amendment rights. We’re not allowed to say whatever the fuck we want, whenever we want, to whomever we want. But you dare restrict firearms, and you’re some lefty communist faggot. I guess I am. Then there’s the whole protection issue. Let’s take the recent tragedy in Aurora, which is obviously why I’m writing this piece. The guy who opened fire on the theater was dressed from head to toe in SWAT gear, armed like Rambo, and had the added bonus of a gas mask (which came in very handy when he tear-gassed the whole audience). The yahoos out there are saying “if there’d been someone there with a gun, it would have been a different story. So don’t go takin’ our guns away!” Really? First, as far as I know, Colorado allows you to carry firearms with a concealed weapons permit. So…where the fuck were all those gun-toting people?! Here are two facts for you: 1 – It is completely legal to conceal a firearm in a movie theater in Colorado, as long as you have a license (which is easy enough to obtain). 2 – You don’t need to know how to operate a gun, or demonstrate that ability, in order to own and carry a firearm. So, let’s recap. The current laws ALLOWED there to be a slew of heroes “packing heat” in the audience that day. The fact the there weren’t any proves one thing: it means fuck all to have a gun if you’re not actually going to carry the damned thing. And who takes a fucking gun to a movie theater anyway? If you saw a gun tucked into someone’s belt as they were in line for The Dark Knight Rises tomorrow, you’d shit a brick and call the police. Unless you had your own gun, which could result in a shootout and two dead “heroes.” But if there actually had been a hero there with a gun, he or she was outgunned and would have had no way to combat the tear gas. Basically, firing a gun blindfolded into a crowd in the hope of hitting the target. Think that would have helped? What if 10 people there had been carrying? Oh the joy of all those bullets going back and forth in a crowded place filled with innocent families. Maybe James Holmes would have been hit, but how many others would have been shot in the process. Tell me I’m wrong on any of that. Tell me you, with your gun, if you’d been there, would have made a difference. Liar. Because we also have to realize that no one, not even you Mr. Tough Fuy, knows how they will react in that kind of situation. You could be a dead shot at the range, but those paper targets don’t fire back. That movie theater was a night and day situation. You’re under fire, unexpectedly, and the maniac has way more ammo and armor than you. He’s ready. You’re not. When was the last time you were at the range? When did you practice? Have you ever taken a life? Could you? Would you freeze? You don’t know. Not unless you’ve had real training or seen combat, in which case, you’re not an average Joe anyway. There’s this little gem. Guns don’t kill people, people do. (Had to be an ad exec somewhere behind that one.) “Cars kills thousands of people every month, cars aren’t made illegal. Smoking kills, that’s legal. Alcohol kills, that’s legal.” Blah blah blah. So here’s a question. What is the purpose of a car? Is it to pile into a crowded bus stop and wipe out everyone? Is alcohol designed to give everyone cirrhosis of the liver? Are cigarettes designed to destroy anyone who lights up? (Well, maybe, but that’s not what the manufacturers say.) Conversely, is a gun designed to hold a flower in the barrel, or to be used as a prop in family photos? It can be, but the primary use for a gun is to kill things. People, animals, silly paper targets, the gun is designed and manufactured to maim, kill and destroy. So that old “you wouldn’t ban cars even though they kill people” is a bunch of crap. 99.99% of us buy a car as transportation. People who buy guns want something that fires bullets. True, they may also want to look cool, impress someone, or compensate for other areas in which they are sadly lacking, but first and foremost, they want a killing machine. So can we please put that one to bed? Thanks. We also have people saying “criminals will get hold of them regardless, so why punish good, law-abiding citizens?” I agree. Hardened criminals will always find a way to get a gun. They have connections in the black market, ties with drug cartels, or underground networks that make them available. James Holmes was no hardened criminal. In fact, most of these nutjobs who kill dozens of people are not hardened criminals. They’re crazy, insecure, and wouldn’t know where to start if guns were made illegal. I couldn’t tell you how to get hold of a pound of pure heroin, or $1 million in counterfeit bills. That’s not going to stop a major criminal. But I can tell you exactly what to do to acquire some major firepower. If it was made illegal, those stores were shut down, the Internet sites removed, and mainstream access was denied to the public, I wouldn’t have a clue. And how about the final argument? Guns are for hunting. Fuck you. Sure, a shotgun or a rifle can be used for hunting. I don’t see the need for hunting anyway, but if you must shoot a fucking deer to make up for the fact you have a tiny penis, go ahead. It’s your right, I guess. But who needs an AK-47 or AR15 to go hunting? Who needs an Uzi to shoot a duck? Who needs a.44 Magnum to kill a rabbit? The damned thing is so big, and so hard to control, it would be useless for most people anyway. If we must have legal guns (and America must, it seems, because the guys who owned slaves said it was a good idea) then there should be SEVERE limits placed on gun ownership. The type of guns available, the caliber, the training required. Shit, you need a license to drive a fucking car, but a gun, you don’t have to prove anything to own one. Why is it such a horrible idea to limit gun sales and usage? Shouldn’t it be really, really hard to buy a big-ass gun? And the ads for guns, let’s talk about those as this is an ad blog, after all. You don’t see a lot of them, blatantly anyway, although if we’re honest Hollywood is one huge ad for the gun industry. They make them as cool as riding a Harley while Kate Upton is riding you. But when we get our hands on a brief to do something for a gun store, we do the kind of juvenile crap that would get us kicked out of creative school. And it works, which is the tragedy. Ads featuring scantily clad models shooting machine guns. Guys ducking and weaving like James Bond before firing off hundreds of rounds from his phallic firearm. And awful tweets (which are really miniature ads themselves) from organizations like the NRA that try and be clever and relevant, but fail miserably. Let’s turn our back on these ads and do something positive, shall we? How about we, in the ad industry, get behind gun control? We’re smart enough; we’ve got the brains and the means to do it. How about a kick-ass series of posters rallying against guns and the NRA, who have more money than God and Bill Gates combined. Well, enough to buy all the members of congress anyway. Submit your best anti-gun poster designs to [email protected] and we’ll create a gallery. Maybe we can even find a local printer to churn a few out for us and we can sell them to raise money for the victims of the Aurora massacre. Guns may be necessary, but only in the hands of trained professionals and the military. A society free to carry guns is a society living way in the past, and we should be better than that. The fact that we continue to crave them, and many more people die in this country from gun related injuries than any other civilized country, says a lot. OH, and I’m talking percentages of the population, before anyone says “that’s ‘cos ‘Merica has more people in it, dumbass.”The outsourcing sector could be an opportunity for IT professionals as public sector jobs look set to go as part of the spending cuts.
According to the latest research by PricewaterhouseCoopers almost a million jobs will be lost by government public sector spending cuts. But the company says there will be jobs created in the outsourcing sector.
“A sector likely to see growth opportunities from spending cuts is outsourcing, and not only in back office services. Government and public sector organisations will look to reduce their non-core and fixed cost operations by increasing the use of private and voluntary sector organisations for the delivery of front-line services.”
We have already seen some movement in that direction. Ruth Ormsby, a leading light of the NHS Shared Business Service, is joining Capgemini as Public sector BPO head. This is a high level switch aimed to help Capgemini’s shared services in the public sector push.
We also saw workers at Cleveland Police transfer to Steria to work in its shared services centre targeted at police forces.
But will there be opportunities for public sector IT experts as the government outsources more roles? Or will there just be an initial opportunity, which will disappear quickly as suppliers reach their recruitment targets quickly?
And if the public sector roles are transferred to the private sector how long will it before they are offshored to lower cost locations?
Back to PWC’s point about outsourcing increasing Martyn Hart, chairman of the National Outsourcing Association (NOA), agrees.
He says it is not just about cost but actually involves gaining access to skills in the private sector that can help make huge transformational projects work.
“There are a number of reasons why outsourcing has been primed as one of the sectors to benefit from the public sector cuts, and although it’s true that we could see new jobs created in the private sector, it’s important to recognise that not all of them are linked to cost. For example, it’s worth remembering that by outsourcing services, the public sector will be able to call on much greater resources. Organisations in the private sector are structured to be able to deliver some of the larger supply chain requests necessary when dealing with a large, national contract, and can turn them around quickly and easily.”Media playback is unsupported on your device
В Лондоне проходит фестиваль русской литературы SLOVO. Один из участников фестиваля – Борис Акунин (Григорий Чхартишвили) пришел в гости в студию Би-би-си.
С ним беседовал обозреватель Русской службы по вопросам культуры Александр Кан.
Александр Кан: Григорий Шалвович, приветствую вас. Вопросов много накопилось, давайте начнем вот с чего. Вы, кроме писательства, активно занимаетесь общественной, гражданской, даже политической деятельностью. Однако эти две ваши ипостаси вроде бы почти не пересекаются. Хотя две книги, "Кладбищенские истории" и "Аристономия" написаны вроде бы совместно Борисом Акуниным и Григорием Чхартишвили. Не было желания эти две ваши ипостаси совместить и написать откровенно политический роман? Или же "Аристономию" так и следует понимать?
Борис Акунин: У меня нет ощущения, что я когда-либо занимался политической деятельностью. Я, собственно говоря, никогда не изображал из себя политика. Другое дело, что мне казалось важным поддержать ту политическую силу, с мнением которой я согласен, и оппонировать той политической силе, которая кажется мне вредной для моей страны. Но я при этом всегда оставался писателем, и остаюсь им и сейчас.
Я провожу для себя внутренне, и надеюсь, что это видно внешне, хотя, может быть, и не всегда, очень четкое различие между литературой и не-литературой. Когда я пишу романы – это романы. Они всегда про какие-то вещи большие, чем повседневность.
Так, наверное, бывает у всех писателей. Это не значит, что я как-то от повседневности отодвигаюсь, просто эту существует для меня в другом жанре. У меня есть блог, у меня есть "Фейсбук". Если я хочу сказать что-то прямым текстом, не художественно, я там это и делаю. Отлично эту функцию выполняют, слава Богу, вот эти социальные медиа.
А.К.: Ну а по поводу политического романа?
Б.А.: Не думаю, что… во всяком случае я не таким образом устроен, чтобы переносить свои непосредственные политические ощущения в художественную форму, у меня это так не работает.
Когда-то давно, в самом начале работы, я написал несколько таких политических фельетонов, в виде эксперимента, на злободневные темы. У меня даже вышла маленькая книжка, которая называлась "Сказки для идиотов". Но не могу сказать, что мне самому этот эксперимент очень понравился.
Мне кажется, что сейчас настали такие времена… черно-белые, в общем, времена, когда о вещах, касающихся политики, нужно говорить прямым текстом и безо всяких игр, безо всяких ужимок.
А.К.: Последний год, насколько я понимаю, ваше внимание и время в основном занято написанием многотомной "Истории государства Российского". Вы взялись за этот труд в период, когда страна переживала подъем политической, идеологизированной активности. Вместе с тем вы заявили, что эта книга, этот труд ваш будет отстранен от каких бы то ни было идеологических предпосылок и будет основываться исключительно на фактах. Так ли это, и почему вы выбрали именно такую позицию?
Image caption Борис Акунин ответил на вопросы читателей сайта bbcrussian.com
Б.А.: У меня возникло ощущение, что я живу в своей собственной стране, в России, и я иногда не понимаю, почему она такая. Почему в ней происходит это, а вот это не происходит.
И у меня возникла внутренняя потребность в этом разобраться. Потому что мы все очень любим задаваться вопросом, кто виноват - гораздо больше, чем вопросом, что делать, да?
И когда задается вопрос, кто виноват, сразу находится масса ответов: виноваты эти, нет, виноват Сталин, виноваты большевики, нет, виноваты Романовы. Начинаешь думать, и уходишь все дальше и дальше в прошлое. Я в конце концов решил, что уйду в самое начало, к самым истокам, и пройду по всей этой канве.
У меня историческое образование, но это не означает, во-первых, что я историк. Во-вторых, вы не найдете в наши времена историка, который был бы специалистом по истории всей страны. Это все специалисты по какой-то теме или по какому-то периоду.
Поэтому я решил, что я напишу историю России глазами не историка, а писателя. Я попытаюсь понять, почему у нас такое государство, какое оно есть. Что в нем хорошего, что в нем плохого. Что для него полезно, что для него неполезно.
Если ты хочешь это понять, а не кому-то что-то доказать, нужно отказаться заранее от всяких идеологий, от всяких концепций, иначе ты будешь с самого начала знать, куда ты придешь. Я не знаю, куда я приду. Я, правда, не знаю.
Я сейчас пишу третий том, я дошел до Смутного времени, до начала XVII века. Мне очень многое стало понятно, но еще далеко не все. Это чрезвычайно интересное занятие. Я не знаю, до какой степени это нужно моим читателям, но оно, безусловно, нужно мне, важно для меня, и я точно буду этим продолжать заниматься, даже если я почему-то перестану это сдавать, я все равно буду ее писать.
А.К.: Вы упомянули свой блог. Недавно вы там написали, что как раз сейчас находитесь в XVI веке, и - я цитирую – "это период, когда на Руси до колоссальных размеров разрослась роль личности, одной-единственной, государя Всея Руси". Было ли когда-нибудь в России иначе? И кто из правителей России, по-вашему, наиболее близок к идеалу, есть ли вообще такие?
Это довольно простая рецептура. Берется застарелый имперский комплекс, сидящий в массовом сознании, включается телевизор на полную катушку, получается результат Борис Акунин
Б.А.: Роль личности велика, когда государство жестко централизовано, особенно, если оно управляется диктаторски, тут имеет значение все – любой чих, состояние здоровья правителя, монарха, могут иметь последствия для жизней миллионов людей.
Особенно это характерно для Московии, государства возникшего в середине XV века, после монгольского ига, после того, как первое русское государство развалилось. Московия была построена на предельно жесткой, ордынской, вертикали власти, где только один человек в стране имеет значение – это государь. Все остальные – его холопы.
Кто бы они ни были – бояре, князья, последний крестьянин – все его холопы. И такой жесткой структуры в русской истории потом не было вплоть до диктатур ХХ века. Потому что и в XVI, и в XVII, и в XVIII веке личность самодержца была, конечно, важна, но не до такой степени. В XVI веке, собственно говоря, законов-то еще не было – как решит государь, так все и будет.
Ну а что касается личностей в русской истории, я выделяю двух правителей: один сильно недооцененный, а второй сильно переоцененный. Сильно переоцененный – это Петр I, который, конечно, сильный правитель, но не все у него получалось, и не все у него получилось.
Гораздо сильнее и эффективнее был, но как-то меньше обычным людям знакомый Иван III, собственно говоря, создатель централизованного российского государства, которым я сейчас занимаюсь. Это был в высшей степени эффективный правитель, который добился всех задач, которые перед собой поставил, и у которого, в отличие от Петра, не было ни одного крупного провала.
Потому что Петр, например, под Нарвой потерпел страшное поражение. Петр умудрился всей армией попасть в окружение к туркам во время Прутского похода. Петр зачем-то потратил огромные деньги на строительство Черноморского флота, который сгнил в низовьях Дона – вырубил все вековые леса, и так далее. У Ивана III вы таких ошибок не найдете.
Это очень интересный опыт выстраивания государства, многие держащие элементы которого сохранились, как ни странно, с XV века до сих пор.
А.К.: Еще по истории хочется задать вопросы, о которой вы сейчас пишете и много думаете. Часто приходится слышать, что Россия – страна, обреченная на неспособность выйти на достойный путь. Что виной тут даже не нерадивые правители, а какие-то иные, объективные причины: какое-то срединное, невнятное, то ли европейское, то ли азиатское положение, климат, православие, с его безынициативностью и покорностью. Что вы можете сказать по этому поводу?
Б.А.: Я, наверное, смогу ответить на этот вопрос более полно, когда я закончу свою "Историю". Пока у меня складывается ощущение, что проблемы, с которыми мы сталкиваемся, связаны со спецификой российской государственности.
Потому что она еще в те времена, еще в XV веке, была построена таким образом, что это, с одной стороны, обеспечивало сильную удароустойчивость во время потрясений, и помогло этому государству сохраниться во время ужасных исторических ударов, в то же время это до такой степени ригидная, жесткая структура, в которой государство всегда значило больше, чем отдельная личность, в которой всегда правили, как в Орде.
В Орде хан правил не по закону, а по указу. Воля хана всегда была выше роли закона. На определенном этапе исторического развития или во времена мобилизации это работает. В современном обществе это не работает никак.
Можно называть это как угодно. Можно называть это конфликтом между европейской и азиатской цивилизационными моделями – у каждой из них есть свои сильные и слабые стороны. Мы сейчас живем в мире, в котором европейская цивилизационная модель выглядит выигрышнее, чем азиатская.
Она оказывается эффективнее. Она построена именно на рассредоточении власти, она построена на том, что личности предоставляются права, это открывает шире перед каждым человеком диапазон возможностей, и он, без указки сверху, а сам по себе, начинает что-то делать, каким-то образом улучшать свою жизнь, и все эти усилия, объединенные вместе, и объединенные умелой дирижерской работой, развивают всю страну, все общество.
У нас, в России, проблемы с этим. У нас очень подавлена частная инициатива, что исторически объяснимо. У нас так и не образовалось правовое государство, у нас закон что дышло. В XXI веке это совершенно невыносимо для развития экономики, промышленности, общества, чего угодно. И до тех пор, пока наша страна эти проблемы не решит, пока она не проведет внутреннее реформатирование государства, нас так все и будет трясти и колдобить.
А.К.: Перейдем от истории к вам, собственно. Что побудило вас начать игру с иными, кроме Бориса Акунина, псевдонимами: Анна Борисова, Анатолий Брусникин. Что это, такой литературный постмодернистский прием – могу, мол, и так. Или же, в особенности в случае с Анатолием Брусникиным, это была попытка создать такую идеологическую альтернативу закоренелому западнику Акунину?
Я несколько раз пробовал поменять правила игры, и эти мои романы публику раздражали, несомненно. Они от меня ждали не этого Борис Акунин
Б.А.: С одной стороны, это, конечно, игра, это было весело, задорно. Мне хотелось прожить вторую молодость. Я, например, с волнением снова начал ходить в книжные магазины, смотреть, как продаются книжки этих новых авторов. Никто не знал, что это я.
И когда я как-то подошел к книжной витрине, по-моему, большого московского книжного магазина "Библио-Глобус" и увидел там в топ-десятке на трех позициях один роман Акунина, один Брусникина, и один Борисовой, я испытал невероятный прилив адреналина и эйфории, это было приятно.
Но были здесь вещи и более взрослые, более серьезные. Во-первых, на меня очень сильно стал давить груз читательских ожиданий. Читатель – как ребенок, он хочет, чтобы ему все время рассказывали одну и ту же сказку. Он хочет, чтобы ему все время рассказывали, скажем, про Эраста Петровича Фандорина. И больше ему ничего не надо.
И, если ты пытаешься сделать шаг влево, шаг вправо, раздаются крики |
Junior Hockey League teams.
The $88,000 payment was revealed publicly during contract negotiations between Moncton and the Wildcats in 2010. It was described at the time as compensation for the lack of corporate suites. There was no mention of it being a subsidy.
A history of controversy
Municipal subsidies to corporations have a long and controversial history in New Brunswick.
Until Premier Louis Robichaud’s Equal Opportunity reforms of the 1960s, municipalities were free to offer property tax breaks and other concessions to private companies.
The reforms were designed to stop bidding wars between municipalities by centralizing property tax assessments and collection in the provincial government.
At the time, K.C. Irving lobbied against the tax reforms, arguing they would threaten existing concessions his plants had received in Saint John.
In 2005, critics argued that the spirit of Robichaud’s reforms were violated when the City of Saint John capped the property tax bill for Irving Oil’s Canaport LNG at $500,000 for 25 years. That sparked outrage and protests in the city.
It took a special amendment by the New Brunswick Legislature to provincial laws governing the calculation of property tax assessments to make the LNG deal legal.
But a straight grant appears to be less of a problem. Section 90.01 of the provincial Municipalities Act says a municipal council can give a grant to any “organization or corporation” if it believes “the grant will assist in the development of the municipality.”
On Friday, a spokesperson for the Department of Local Government, Lisa Harrity, said it’s up to the municipality, not the province, to decide whether its actions fall within the scope of that section of the Act.
In 2003, a judge blocked the City of Miramichi from borrowing money from the province so it could buy land and lease it to the Atcon Group to help it build a veneer lumber mill.
A competing forest company went to court to challenge the city’s move, which relied on a different section of the Municipalities Act.
Justice George Rideout blocked the land deal, saying the arrangement had “no specific public purpose service” and fell outside the city’s powers.
But Rideout wrote at the time that the city could have used Section 90.01, which, he wrote, “would appear” to allow grants.
Rocky negotiations
When Mayor George LeBlanc told councillors in 2010 about the location grant, City Council was debating a new three-year contract with the team. There had been complaints that because of generous concessions to the team, it was costing the city $175,000 per year.
Moncton's Mayor George LeBlanc told city council the city agreed to pay $88,000 a year to the Wildcats on the condition another Irving business establish operations in the city. (CBC) The contract that the team and the city eventually signed was supposed to let the city break even by 2013. The city now refuses to say whether that happened.
Council is again negotiating a new contract with the team. City Hall’s Isabelle LeBlanc said on Oct. 11 the agreement was “close to being finalized” and “should be completed shortly."
There are signs, however, that the negotiations have not gone smoothly.
In an e-mail to councillors Sept. 27, also obtained by CBC News, city manager Jacques Dube appears to be lobbying them to be more supportive of the team by pointing to Robert Irving’s “major philanthropic impact” on the Greater Moncton area.
“We understand that some of you may not feel this information is relevant to the debate surrounding the proposed Wildcats contract with the City, but in the spirit of full disclosure of information, we felt it best to share this with you,” Dube said.
He said Irving has given “millions of dollars” to the Magnetic Hill Zoo, the Santa Claus parade, the Friends of the Moncton Hospital, and several other non-profit organizations. He also mentioned about $400,000 in donations by the Wildcats organization to youth hockey, cancer research, and literacy programs.
Another sign that this year’s negotiations haven’t been easy is Robert Irving’s recent complaints about the Coliseum itself.
Last week he said the Wildcats organization was withdrawing its bid for the 2015 Memorial Cup because the city had not kept a promise to install new air conditioning in the aging arena.
The negotiation of a new contract comes as Moncton is trying to secure funding for a new entertainment centre in the city, which would have the Wildcats as the anchor tenant.
The projected cost of the centre was recently raised to $112 million, from $75 million three years ago.
Moncton city council minutes from June 2010
Moncton city manager's email to councillorsThe Democratic National Committee has filed a suit in the U.S. District Court in New Jersey against the Republican National Committee because Donald Trump continues to insist that the election is rigged against him. The DNC alleges that the RNC has not done enough to reprimand Trump for claiming that the election is rigged, and seeks to have the court hold the committee in civil contempt as well as levy sanctions.
The DNC claims that because the RNC has done "ballot security" work, they are agreeing with Trump that the election is rigged.
Marc Elias, Hillary Clinton's campaign counsel, claims that there is also a racial element to Trump's claims of voter fraud.
"Trump has falsely and repeatedly told his supporters that the November 8 election will be 'rigged' based upon fabricated claims of voter fraud in 'certain areas' or 'certain sections' of key states," the Democratic attorneys, including Hillary Clinton campaign counsel Marc Elias, wrote. "Unsurprisingly, those 'certain areas' are exclusively communities in which large minority voting populations reside."
Election Day is in 13 days.Image copyright AP Image caption James Kottak joined German band Scorpions in 1996
The drummer for the German rock band Scorpions has been sentenced to one month in jail in Dubai for offensive behaviour, according to local media.
They say James Kottak, an American national, was convicted of insulting Islam, raising his middle finger and being under the influence of alcohol.
Kottak, 51, admitted to drinking alcohol but denied the other charges.
The reported incident occurred at Dubai airport on 3 April, when Scorpions were en route to Bahrain for a concert.
Kottak was arrested following a disturbance in the transit hall, the National newspaper reports.
The court heard he started swearing and talking about "non-educated Muslims", then flashed his middle finger.
Witnesses also testified that they heard Kottak shouting that he would not travel with a group of Pakistani and Afghan passengers.
Denying the charges, he said: "I did not curse Muslims or Islam. I would never do such a thing even if I was drunk," according to Gulf News.
However, he admitted drinking alcohol without a licence, and was fined Dh2,000 ($550; £320), reports said.
Kottak is expected to be released and deported in the coming days as he has been in custody since his arrest.
Best known for their power ballads, including the 1990 hit single Wind of Change, Scorpions have released more than 20 albums since they formed in 1965.
Kottak joined the band in 1996.With the 2012 election gearing up – politics are becoming an even scarier thing. Now imagine what it would be like if you added zombies to the mix.
Check out the trailer for the what is to be a highly offensive independent movie – Osombie – slated to be released later this year pending the results of a current fundraiser.
Trailer:
Plot:
The story follows Dusty, a yoga instructor from Colorado, who is on a desperate rescue mission to save her crazy brother Derek, a conspiracy theorist who is convinced Osama Bin Laden is still alive, despite having been buried at sea. In Afghanistan, Dusty falls in with a team of NATO Special Forces on a secret assignment. Turns out Derek is not so crazy after all, and that Osama has returned from his watery grave and is making an army of zombie terrorists. When the group crashes headlong into the growing zombie apocalypse, Dusty and the troops must find and destroy the root of the zombie insurgency before it infests the rest of the world.
Dig it? Then head over to their website and show your support.
Similar Posts:After a disastrous start to the season for the Bengals, it seems that some players in the locker would like to see the team possibly consider replacing Andy Dalton.
According to PFT, some of the team's players think that "the Bengals should go off the board and consider bringing in Colin Kaepernick," which basically tells you all you need to know about the mood in the Bengals locker room right now.
Ever since Cincinnati's loss to Houston on Thursday, tensions in the Bengals' locker room seem to be rising by the hour. First, there was reportedly a "near mutiny" by players that basically forced coach Marvin Lewis to fire offensive coordinator Ken Zampese, which was a rare move for the conservative Bengals. The firing of Zampese marked the first time in the team's 50-year history that an offensive coordinator was fired during the season.
Zampese has now been replaced by Bill Lazor, which might not mean much for Dalton if he doesn't step up his game. According to PFT, Dalton could be benched and potentially replaced by AJ McCarron if he continues to struggle under Lazor.
No matter how you spin it, this is clearly bad news for Dalton, because if his teammates are already calling for another quarterback, that means that he's already lost part of the locker room. Dalton's popularity in Cincinnati has taken a nosedive over the past two weeks as fans and players both have become frustrated with the Bengals' offense.
The Bengals have scored exactly zero touchdowns through two games, which is even more embarrassing when you consider that both of the team's first two games were played at home. The Bengals were the first team since the 1939 Eagles to not score a touchdown through the first two weeks of a season when playing both games at home.
As for Kaepernick, although it's highly unlikely the Bengals would add a quarterback at this point in the season -- no matter what anyone in the locker room wants -- there is a unique twist here that involves Bengals owner Mike Brown.
About a year after the 2011 NFL Draft, Brown said that he actually would've preferred to draft Kaepernick over Dalton, but the Bengals offensive coordinator at the time, Jay Gruden, preferred Dalton, so that's who the team drafted.
This week in alternate history: What would 2017 be like if Mike Brown had gotten his way in the 2011 draft? #bengals https://t.co/3a7HL393dn pic.twitter.com/wRxaRAa9Lo — John Breech (@johnbreech) September 15, 2017
The one thing we do know about Kaepernick is that he definitely wants to play this season. The former 49ers quarterback made it clear that he'll pick up his phone if a team decides to give him a call.
"I'm ready right now," Kaepernick told journalist Shaun King on Sunday. "Working out daily."
The reality of the situation is that the Bengals are heading to Green Bay in Week 3, and if they don't win there, they're going to be limping back to Cincinnati with an 0-3 record. If Dalton continues to struggle over the next few weeks and the Bengals' locker room turns on him, Lewis might be forced to make a change at quarterback, which would almost certainly mean McCarron gets a chance to start.For too long, the Xbox One has not had nearly enough games in which you wander aimlessly through a town looking for guns before someone shoots you. Fortunately, PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is stepping in to fill that void when it releases on the console on December 12th. Of course, it’s still going to be in early access when it arrives on the console, but it’ll give you a different platform for shooting people.
The game has been confirmed to feature no in-game purchases on the console, just cosmetic packs. Three exclusives are planned for the platform, but pricing has yet to be discussed. The ultimate goal is to bring the console version up to the same point as the PC version as quickly as possible, so we’ll see how fast that materializes on December 12th this year.Commentator Robert Reich says the defining political issue of 2012 won’t be the government’s size. It will be who government is for. - Robert Reich
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Jeremy Hobson: So in addition to banking fees, 2011 brought us some new things to talk about: the debt ceiling, credit downgrades, the Kardashians. So what will 2012 bring, other than hopefully less
about all three of those things?
Well, Robert Reich has a prediction for a commentary series we're calling: What Now?
Robert Reich: The defining political issue in 2012 won't be the size of government. It's who government is for. Nearly 80 percent of respondents in a recent Pew Foundation poll said too much power is in the hands of a few rich people and corporations.
After all, Wall Street got bailed out, but home owners caught in the fierce downdraft caused by the Street's excesses have got almost nothing. Big agribusiness continues to rake in billions in price supports. Big pharma gets extended patent protection that drives up everyone's drug prices. Big oil gets its own federal subsidy.
But small businesses on Main Street are barely making it.
American Airlines uses bankruptcy to ward off debtors and renegotiate labor contracts. But the law won't allow you to use personal bankruptcy to renegotiate your home mortgage.
Not a day goes by without Republicans decrying the budget deficit. But the cost of one of the deficit's biggest drivers -- Medicare -- would be lower if Medicare could use its bargaining leverage to get drug companies to reduce their prices. Big pharma won't allow it.
The other big budgetary expense is national defense. The basic defense budget -- unrelated to the costs of fighting wars -- is now about 25 percent higher than it was a decade ago, adjusted for inflation. We can't even cancel obsolete weapons systems. Could this be because defense contractors have carefully cultivated sponsors on Capitol Hill, and located their plants and facilities in politically important congressional districts?
"Big government," in other words, isn't the problem. The problem is the big money that's taking over government.
We need real campaign finance reform. And a constitutional amendment reversing the Supreme Court's bizarre rulings that under the First Amendment money is speech and corporations are people.
We've got to get big money out of politics if we want to get our democracy back.
Hobson: Robert Reich teaches public policy at the University of California at Berkeley. His most recent book is called "Aftershock: The Next Economy and America's Future." We'd love to hear your thoughts -- write to us.“I’m not a tremendously gifted athlete,” Mark Trumbo said. “I have to work at it, and be smart out there.” That might be surprising given how country strong the six-foot-four, 225-pound outfielder looks, but if you consider his game at as a whole, it’s obvious that there are aspects that could use refinement. Statistics have helped shape some of his baseball values as he’s worked to improve himself, even if he doesn’t incorporate them daily.
“I really couldn’t care less about batting average,” Trumbo said when I asked him for a stat he likes. “It’s not worthless, it’s very close to it.” As a power hitter, he’d rather be evaluated by power stats. One of the power stats that best describes the tool is isolated slugging percentage, which subtracts singles from slugging percentage in order to approximate an extra-base hit rate. Trumbo’s.220 ISO since 2011 is tied for 21st in baseball. His 19% home run per fly ball rate is tied for 15th in the league. By those power stats, Trumbo is one of the top 20 hitters in baseball.
“I’m always trying to improve my walk rate,” Trumbo admitted, “It’s never been something I’ve been great at, but it is something I do work at.” Since 2011, his 5.4% walk rate is 20th-worst in baseball, and his 4.4% walk rate in 2011 was tenth-worst in baseball among qualified hitters, so once again Trumbo knows what’s up. He thinks there is a genetic component to the ability to discern balls and strikes — some are “born with it” — but he’s working to get the most out of what he has.
Even if we aren’t quite at the threshold of reliability for his walk rate, he is doing better this year (7%). A little better than last year (6.1%) which was better than the year before (4.4%). This follows a pattern that he established in the high minors, when he steadily improved his walk rate from 5.2% in 2008 in Double-A to 9.7% in Triple-A two years later.
He doesn’t do it with heat maps of his swing — “you have to know where you are day-to-day, and your hot zone that day might be different than the day before” — or copious statistical self-examination. But he does know himself intuitively, and uses that knowledge to improve himself.
Look at his run value heat map on the left. That’s his work against righties since he’s been in the league. Looks like he likes it high and inside. Now look at the difference in his swing rates this year. All that blue at the bottom? He’s swinging less at pitches low and away in the zone, because they aren’t where he likes them.
“You need knowledge, at this level, of what guys throw. It’s game prep, but it’s also having a good long-term memory of how they attacked you before,” Trumbo said about his work at being “a smarter hitter and anticipating.”
Some of this improvement is natural. At freshly 27 years old, he’s firmly in the ‘still improving’ parts of the plate discipline aging curves. And this year, the walk rate for a pitcher facing a batting order the third time is 7.9% versus 7.6%, so the more times a batter sees a pitcher, the better — even if fatigue factors into that stat. But Trumbo is doing good work trying to anticipate what pitches will come in certain counts — “you have to look for what you’re going to get, not what you want to get” — and he deserves some credit for that.
Trumbo “takes a lot of pride” in his defense, which might sound strange considering the results he posts in that department. His -4.7 UZR/150 in 800+ innings in the outfield since 2011 puts him in the 50 worst outfielders. But there was real worry about his ability to handle any position at all defensively when he got to the big leagues. And, as Trumbo points out, he’s not a gazelle out in the field. So he takes pride in the work he does to be better with the glove, and being a -5 corner outfielder is probably better than some talent evaluators expected.
Once again, the mantra on defense for Trumbo is to “be smart out there.” By trying to anticipate plays, and bounces, he tries to avoid “getting surprised” out there. Even if he doesn’t use a lot of advanced stats on a daily basis, Trumbo knows what he needs to work on, and by being informed and ready, he’s getting the most out of his assorted skills in baseballery. Even if he isn’t the most athletic guy on the field.You’ve heard of dumpster diving. But what about dumpster dining?
Yep. It’s a thing now.
Salvage Supperclub is a popup dining experience that invites guests to dine in a dumpster–literally.
Diners pay a handsome fee to indulge in a chef-prepared, multi-course meal in a communal and (dare I say hip) atmosphere. They are usually seated on long benches in a fancified (I know–technically not a word, but you get my drift) dumpster adorned with white string lights.
It is in this intimate setting where friends and strangers alike share an elegant meal together inside of a dumpster. (Yes, I used elegant and dumpster in the same sentence.) But before you cry gimmick, keep in mind, it’s what’s for dinner that makes this enterprise stand out.
Picture a vegetable heavy, gourmet tasting menu highlighting salvaged ingredients. Every course features food items that would have otherwise gone to waste. (Think broccoli stalks, stale bread and watermelon rind).
I get it. Just yesterday I was in the kitchen putting groceries away. When it came time for another round of ‘out with the old fruit, in with the new,’ I tossed two apples, three tangerines, a handful of blackberries and a lone kiwi into the compost bin.
They were all at least a few days past their prime, and I had newer, crisper replacements. So why not swap them?
That’s when it hit me. I am discarding perfectly edible fruit. Perhaps my berries aren’t as crunchy as I would like, but I eat jam. They are certainly good enough for that. How hard could it be to throw in a little sugar and lemon and boil it down into homemade jam? (I looked it up, and yeah—not hard.)
It’s all well and good that I compost unwanted organic matter instead of throwing it out with the garbage, but I’m still discarding edible food, while so many others on this planet go to bed hungry.
Perhaps it’s time for me to do a little less patting myself on the back, and a little more thinking outside of the (produce) box.
Did you know that in the U.S. alone, about 40 percent of all food produced is wasted? Meanwhile, 50 million Americans are considered “food insecure.”
Salvage Supperclub seeks to help change that. Launched in 2013, Josh Treuhaft started the dumpster dinners as part of his Design for Social Innovation master’s degree thesis at New York’s School of Visual Arts. Since then, it has expanded to the California bay area.
Salvage Supperclub’s goal is to inspire and empower anyone who cooks and eats to make the most of the edible food in their lives. The aim: to be a catalyst to help reduce waste in the food system by creating engaging and exciting food experiences with a purpose.
And to top it off – they donate 25 percent of their profits to a food salvage program.
In December, the Berkeley Supperclub proceeds went to Food Shift, a food recovery organization.
There are two dinners in San Francisco coming up at the end of the month. Proceeds will go to Food Runners, an organization dedicated to alleviating hunger and preventing food waste in San Francisco.
Recipients of proceeds and donation partners are both invited to the meal to speak with guests about their work. So far—food donators for the upcoming Bay Area meal include ImperfectProduce (“ugly produce delivered”), Cerplus (“ugly produce at pretty prices”), and local favorite Bi-Rite Market.
Preparing the San Francisco meals will be Chef Pesha Perlsweig–a friend of mine who has taught me a lot about cooking with would-be food waste. I asked her to share a few thoughts about the Salvage Supperclub mission.
Here’s what she said:
“Before I started working on this project I didn’t think about composting as a form of waste. I thought about it as sort of recycling my food. But really food is for our belly. If it doesn’t hit our belly first, then essentially the reason for it even existing is wasted. All of the money, time and energy that it took to get that food in to your kitchen, from the farm, to the transportation, to the packaging, to all the people who had to touch that food…it’s all wasted when the food isn’t eaten. And as easy of a concept as that is for me to understand, it still takes time for me to adjust my habits. It takes time for us all to adjust our habits.”
When it comes to food waste, Chef Pesha hopes that every small step will eventually lead to a greater good. So consider the Salvage Supperclub meals as one of those small steps.
For the Bay Area meals coming up, Chef Pesha plans to focus her menu on items that are commonly wasted in the kitchen. Things like melon seeds, banana peels, stale (but not moldy) bread and potato skins, to name a few.
Her approach: make the most out of the ingredients she’s cooking with. So for example, if melon is on the menu, she’ll use the seeds and perhaps even the rind. If she uses banana, she’ll try her hand at fried peels or perhaps banana tea.
Where it gets tricky is that the menu depends in part on what food they get donated. Unlike traditional restaurant kitchen suppliers, you can’t simply place your order for whatever ingredients you want. It depends on what’s available at the time. So guests will have to stay tuned to find out what’s on the menu.
Will Salvage Supperclub single-handedly change the way the world thinks about food waste? Doubtful. But these dinners raise awareness about an important, often overlooked side of the food waste issue, one that’s hungry for the world’s attention.
Chef Pesha believes that by simply starting the conversation with people they’re achieving something. She says, “It gets the ball rolling. I don’t like the all or nothing approach. People take time to adapt to a new way of thinking.”
So true.
Will Salvage Supperclub come to a town near you? Right now it operates solely in New York and the Bay Area. Ideas for extending to other areas are floating around. But there’s nothing definite to share about that—at least not yet.
TAKE ACTION!
Read: U.S. Gov. Sets Goals to Reduce Food Waste By 50 Percent
Dine: If you’d like to learn more about the upcoming Salvage Supperclub event in San Francisco, information and tickets are available here.
Like: Salvage Supperclub is on Facebook, if you’d like to learn more about them.
Photo Credit: Facebook/Salvage SupperclubRice Krinkles
Featuring:
So-Hi
While this rice-loving Asian may be politically-incorrect today, So-Hi the Chinese boy was all the rage in the less-judgmental early 1960's when he became the mascot for Rice Krinkles cereal.
Memorable characteristics of this mascot were his high-pitched Chinese accent and a hat which was actually a cute, little bowl of Rice Krinkles.
Rice Krinkles Cereal Theater
Now Showing: 1970's Frosted Rice Krinkles Ad 1970's Frosted Rice Krinkles Ad Sugar Rice Krinkles Clown Ad
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These are the most recent images. Click here to see all pictures for Rice Krinkles.
So-Hi Coloring Book
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So-Hi Single Serve Box
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Krinkles Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Car
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Rice Krinkles 1-Ounce Box
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Krinkles Sample Package
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Candy-Kissed Krinkles
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Comments About This Cereal
What do you think of Rice Krinkles?
Overall Average Rating = 5 (out of 5)
By Nathan
Cereal Rating (out of 5):
I loved Rice Krinkles. They had a unique taste that no other cereal has ever quite matched. I wish Post would bring them back, even if only on a temporary basis.
Comment submitted: 2/22/2019 (#23970)
By Amy
Cereal Rating (out of 5):
LOVED Rice Krinkles. No rice cereal since has tasted as good. Please bring it back.
Comment submitted: 11/21/2018 (#23718)
By ginger
Cereal Rating (out of 5):
This was my favorite cereal of all time and I still have withdrawal symptoms. Please bring it back with the original recipe!
Comment submitted: 7/15/2018 (#23278)
By dad22
Cereal Rating (out of 5):
Another great cereal I can no longer get.
Comment submitted: 2/13/2018 (#22720)
By T.E.E.M.
Cereal Rating (out of 5):
This was my favorite! Why, oh why, can't we bring it back?
Comment submitted: 12/10/2017 (#22508)
By 13bruce13 (Team Breakfast Member)
Cereal Rating (out of 5):
It would be great if Frosted Rice Krinkles came back. Certainly my favorite cereal of all time. Such a special taste. Super blast from the past.
Comment submitted: 10/19/2017 (#22353)
By Jim Jr.
Cereal Rating (out of 5):
Rice krinkles were the best cereal on the market. I would buy the store because it was 300 miles from home.
Comment submitted: 8/7/2017 (#22104)
By Yajums
Cereal Rating (out of 5):
What kind of selective 'Political Correctness' is 'Kung Fu Panda'? That's 'approved' today, SO, bring back So-Hi, Rice Krinkles, AND Funny Face Chinese Cherry drink mix. It all means the great taste of a wonderful summer from long ago to me!
Comment submitted: 8/3/2017 (#22085)
By Danna
Cereal Rating (out of 5):
Rice Krispies can't hold a candle to the old Rice Krinkles! They stayed crunchy in milk and tasted great! Bring them back!
Comment submitted: 5/16/2017 (#21767)
By Clemente
Cereal Rating (out of 5):
I collected the baseball cards on the back of the box.
Comment submitted: 4/20/2017 (#21654)
(out of 5) View all 150 comments for this cereal.ByI loved Rice Krinkles. They had a unique taste that no other cereal has ever quite matched. I wish Post would bring them back, even if only on a temporary basis.Comment submitted: 2/22/2019 (#23970)ByLOVED Rice Krinkles. No rice cereal since has tasted as good. Please bring it back.Comment submitted: 11/21/2018 (#23718)ByThis was my favorite cereal of all time and I still have withdrawal symptoms. Please bring it back with the original recipe!Comment submitted: 7/15/2018 (#23278)ByAnother great cereal I can no longer get.Comment submitted: 2/13/2018 (#22720)ByThis was my favorite! Why, oh why, can't we bring it back?Comment submitted: 12/10/2017 (#22508) ByIt would be great if Frosted Rice Krinkles came back. Certainly my favorite cereal of all time. Such a special taste. Super blast from the past.Comment submitted: 10/19/2017 (#22353)ByRice krinkles were the best cereal on the market. I would buy the store because it was 300 miles from home.Comment submitted: 8/7/2017 (#22104)ByWhat kind of selective 'Political Correctness' is 'Kung Fu Panda'? That's 'approved' today, SO, bring back So-Hi, Rice Krinkles, AND Funny Face Chinese Cherry drink mix. It all means the great taste of a wonderful summer from long ago to me!Comment submitted: 8/3/2017 (#22085)ByRice Krispies can't hold a candle to the old Rice Krinkles! They stayed crunchy in milk and tasted great! Bring them back!Comment submitted: 5/16/2017 (#21767)ByI collected the baseball cards on the back of the box.Comment submitted: 4/20/2017 (#21654) View all 150 comments for this cereal.
From: PostRice Krinkles (full name: Sugar Coated Rice Krinkles) disappeared in 1969, making room for Post's new puffed rice cereal, a fruit-flavored cereal meant to resemble little rocks. Today, you know this descendant of Rice Krinkles as Fruity Pebbles.The cereal was also sold under the name SugarRice Krinkles. During that time, the box listed the ingredients as rice, sugar, salt, corn syrup and honey, along with an infusion of iron, niacin and vitamin B1.Founded by C.W. Post, the company began in 1895 in Battle Creek, Michigan under the name Postum Cereals. Their first product was a coffee substitute called Postum. The first breakfast cereal to come from the company was Grape-Nuts in 1897... Read on and see all cereals from PostA scourge is emerging across the rich and poor worlds alike, one that will claim 10 million lives a year by mid-century. Watch out for the “superbugs”—pathogens that even antibiotics can’t kill. Between now and 2050, this plague will claim 300 million lives and drain up to $100 trillion from the world’s GDP.
That’s according to a new report (pdf) on the emerging antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis by the Review on Antimicrobial Resistance, a non-government advocacy group. Commissioned by British prime minister David Cameron in 2013, the project is led by Jim O’Neill, the former Goldman Sachs economist famed for coining the acronym ”BRICs.”
AMR now kills 23,000 Americans (pdf, p.6) a year, and 25,000 in the EU (pdf, p.vi). But data elsewhere is sparse. Worldwide, the Review puts the annual death toll at 700,000.
Review on Antimicrobial Resistance
The report says the biggest killer will be malaria resistance, which as an article in Science notes, has already emerged in Southeast Asia. Nations like China and Brazil that have successfully eradicated malaria will likely see that effort unravel, hurting their export sectors.
Review on Antimicrobial Resistance
However, E. coli will put the biggest dent in GDP, says the report. Meanwhile, many parts of Africa will face with the compounding double-whammy of HIV and TB. Rich countries will suffer too; the OECD faces cumulative losses of up to $35 trillion.
KPMG
These calculations, which synthesize scenarios modeled by consulting firms RAND Europe and KPMG (pdf), are based on woefully sparse data. But the Review’s effort is also the first time a prominent group has given a body-count and dollar-value sense of the post-antibiotic world that awaits us if we don’t take ”coherent international action.”
Globalization means that superbugs created by one region’s antibiotics abuse spread easily to areas where they are used more responsibly, as infant-killing superbugs (paywall) in India exemplify.
"Antibiotic resistance—the need for global solutions," Laxminarayan, et al. 2013 Antibiotic rates have surged with rising disposable income in poor countries.
In that sense, antibiotics are a public good, argued leading researchers in The Lancet. And because they’re incredibly hard to develop—and since that research has ground to a halt—antibiotics are now largely a non-renewable resource.
Not everyone supports O’Neill and company’s work. In an editorial (pdf), The Lancet criticizes the report for “not being as scientifically rigorous or informed by evidence as one might hope.”
The Review concedes this point. Lack of data and forecasting necessitated big assumptions—for example, RAND’s calculations assume that all drugs eventually fail, while KMPG assumes infection rates double.
Neither is as far-fetched as it might sound, though. And their research only modeled the impact of three bacteria—Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escheria coli and Staphylococcus aureus—and malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV. They also only modeled output losses, not healthcare costs.
The 300 million estimate also doesn’t count the zillions of procedures that antibiotics make possible. Include mortality from procedures antibiotics make possible—e.g. Caesarean sections, cancer therapies, joint replacements, and organ transplants—and AMR will shave close to 7% off global GDP, a cumulative $210 trillion, says the report.
That math is pretty fuzzy. Then again, the closest the World Health Organization has gotten to quantifying economic impact is that AMR slashes GDP by 1.4-1.6% (pdf, p.15)—without projecting the future toll. And without hard numbers on AMR’s future economic and health impact, the problem is too easily dismissed as an abstraction—making “coherent international action” is unlikely.Species profile
Woylie
Range and abundance
At the time of European colonisation, Brush-tailed Bettongs inhabited much of southern Australia, from Western Australia through to the western plains of the Great Dividing Range in New South Wales and southern Queensland. Two sub-species are recognised – the Brush-tailed Bettong (Bettongia penicillata penicillata) in eastern Australia and the Woylie (B. p. ogilbyi) in Western Australia. However, the historical geographical relationship of these sub-species is uncertain and their common names are used interchangeably.
Due to extensive range contraction and population decline, B. p. penicillata is now presumed extinct, whilst B. p. ogilbyi is restricted to three remnant populations in southwest Western Australia - Dryandra Woodland, Tutanning Nature Reserve and Perup Forest. Conservation efforts have resulted in the establishment of a number of reintroduced populations including AWC’s Karakamia, Scotia and Yookamurra sanctuaries.
Description
The Woylie is a small marsupial with greyish-brown fur on the upperparts and flanks and pale grey fur on the underside. The tail is |
for limited government from my Senate seat.”
The talk that follows Rand in the tight, eccentric Paul circles, though, is about his own future.
BuzzFeed spoke with dozens of diehard Ron Paul fans in New Hampshire, many of whom shared the reaction of Lisa Gravel, a mail carrier from Manchester: “I love Rand. I would absolutely support him.”
“He and Dr. Paul are the next Kennedy dynasty,” Gravel said.
“I think Rand Paul is the future of the liberty movement,” a Paul fan from Massachusetts named Brendan Navom told BuzzFeed.
Rand dismissed a question about whether he’d inherit his father’s support with a joke.
“Unfortunately, they’ll all be in their jobs by then and out of college and I don’t know if they’ll be around to help me,” he cracked.
The inheritance isn’t actually automatic. Some committed Paulites believe the senator has already made too many compromises, particularly on foreign policy. These shifts made Rand acceptable to a broad conservative coalition in Kentucky, and make him a plausible national figure on paper, but they dampen his father’s sense of contrarian delight. Rand is also free of his father’s baggage, however: Racist newsletters, unsavory associates are at a generation’s remove.
And party officials are signaling a willingness to take Rand Paul seriously if it will keep Ron in the fold.
“Republicans dismiss the Ron Paul dynamic way too quickly,” said Curt Anderson, a Republican consultant advising Governor Rick Perry. “You cannot look past the numbers of votes he is getting from younger voters, or the votes he is getting from independents. My theory is this -- the younger generation has to some extent given up on government altogether.”
“I think we have more influence within the Republican party,” Rand Paul told BuzzFeed Aspects of the Paul platform have become increasingly mainstream as Tea Party ideals filter through the GOP.
And so the Paul family will be faced this year with a choice between the father’s present and the son’s future. Insiders expect the current candidate to swallow his pride and support Romney when he gets the nod. They also appear committed to allowing Rand to be Rand, and not a retread of Ron.
Of his father, “He kind of does his thing, I do my own thing,” the younger Paul told BuzzFeed. “Maybe it’s just personality.”
The risk with Rand is that his more palatable views, and the fact that he doesn’t have the same cult of personality as Ron, might alienate his father’s base of devoted fans. But they may be stuck with Rand: No other figures seem on the horizon to lead Paul’s movement, after Ron Paul’s run snuffed out the hopes of a would-be successor, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson.
Rand’s potential is in finding a path between the fringe and the Establishment, to carry the standard of a movement while bringing aboard some mainstream Republicans. And on the trail in New Hampshire, Rand Paul showed some signs of tiring of the surrogate’s role. He told BuzzFeed that he had a tough time looking happy that night in Iowa not just because of the fatigue, but also because of the bothersome stagecraft.
"It’s hard – have you ever tried standing behind someone and smiling for 20 minutes? I learned my lesson,” he said.
“Next time I’m not standing right behind him.""Oscar is smarter than the Smart", read the headlines of the Berliner Morgenpost after the little electric flitzer made a visit to the capital city. Oscar, for Open Source CAR, is an electric car developed by Felix von Borck of Akasol and a group of students at the Technical University of Darmstadt (which you may remember as the winner of the 2007 Solar Decathlon). Oscar was invited to Berlin for a meeting of the Green Party members in Germany's Bundestag (Parliament). There, Oscar drew the attention of a VW engineer. It is certainly not the looks, so what is it that draws VW's attention to Oscar?According to von Borck, it is the drive train concept, with a powerful lithium-ion battery, that draws attention to Oscar. The Oscar project started with simple data: the average occupancy of an auto is 1.3 persons. 90% of all trips are under 9 km (5.6 miles). The Oscar is designed and developed specifically for this everyday use. The Oscar seats two adults, one behind the other, with a drawer for luggage that slides out from under the seating area. And it consumes 6kWh per hundred kilometers, the equivalent in electricity of one liter of diesel per hundred kilometers or 235 mpg.
Von Borck credits manufacturers like Tesla with moving the electric car cause forward, but dismisses Tesla as a toy: "It is like a Ferrari, which people will not be able to afford." By contrast, he calculates the Oscar could be sold for 5000€ if it is mass produced.
And the Oscar may be a step closer to mass production. At the Green Party meeting, that VW engineer took a test drive. Von Borck reports to Germany's Die Welt that the test drive promptly resulted in an invitation to Volkswagen.
Via ::Akasol and Berliner Morgenpost (German)Sakeeb via flickr One of the more interesting paragraphs from S&P's downgrade of the US debt outlook focuses on the financial sector:
Additional fiscal risks we see for the U.S. include the potential for further extraordinary official assistance to large players in the U.S. financial or other sectors, along with outlays related to various federal credit programs. We estimate that it could cost the U.S. government as much as 3.5% of GDP to appropriately capitalize and relaunch Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two financial institutions now under federal control, in addition to the 1% of GDP already invested (see "U.S. Government Cost To Resolve And Relaunch Fannie Mae And Freddie Mac Could Approach $700 Billion," Nov. 4, 2010, RatingsDirect). The potential for losses on federal direct and guaranteed loans (such as student loans) is another material fiscal risk, in our view. Most importantly, we believe the risks from the U.S. financial sector are higher than we considered them to be before 2008, as our downward revisions of our Banking Industry Country Risk Assessment (BICRA) on the U.S. to Group 3 from Group 2 in December 2009 and to Group 2 from Group 1 in December 2008 reflect (see "Banking Industry Country Risk Assessments," March 8, 2011, and "Banking Industry Country Risk Assessment: United States of America," Feb. 1, 2010, both on RatingsDirect). In line with these views, we now estimate the maximum aggregate, up-front fiscal cost to the U.S. government of resolving potential financial sector asset impairment in a stress scenario at 34% of GDP compared with our estimate of 26% in 2007.NWS confirms multiple tornadoes hit San Antonio area during overnight storms
Damage from thunderstorms that pounded San Antonio and produced a tornado that touched down in Alamo Heights is seen here Monday, Feb. 20, 2017, in the 7700 block of Broadway. Damage from thunderstorms that pounded San Antonio and produced a tornado that touched down in Alamo Heights is seen here Monday, Feb. 20, 2017, in the 7700 block of Broadway. Photo: By Caleb Downs, Express-News Photo: By Caleb Downs, Express-News Image 1 of / 143 Caption Close NWS confirms multiple tornadoes hit San Antonio area during overnight storms 1 / 143 Back to Gallery
SAN ANTONIO — Multiple tornadoes hit parts of San Antonio Sunday night as part of a storm system that caused significant damage to homes and other buildings, left thousands without power and sent emergency crews scrambling to aid storm victims and restore services.
The National Weather Service confirmed late Monday morning an EF-1 strength tornado with 105 mph and a path length of 4.5 miles touched down on Linda drive near the Quarry shopping center.
Later the NWS confirmed three more tornadoes, a second that hit the Northeast Side, a third twister struck the Northern Hills subdivision and the fourth near Garden Ridge in Comal County.
RELATED: Possible tornado rips through upscale Alamo Heights condo complex
The second tornado, which touched down between Windrest and Converse, had a strength of EF-0 with winds up to 70 mph and a path length of 1.6 miles. The third tornado near Putting Green, also on the Northeast Side, was an EF-1 with 110 mph winds and a path length of 1.4 miles.
The fourth tornado was an EF-0 with 85 mph winds and a path of only 0.70 miles, the NWS reported. It hit just east of Schoenthal Road.
Late Monday afternoon Mayor Ivy Taylor issued a declaration of disaster because of the tornadoes.
"I spent several hours today surveying the damage in different neighborhoods near the Quarry and was amazed to see roofs ripped off homes only to be found mangled in branches several doors down and 50-year old trees uprooted and toppled on tops of cars," Taylor said.
Taylor said the declaration is the first step in potentially securing state and federal resources.
As of 8:30 a.m., USAA had received more than 100 insurance claims on damage to homes and automobiles sustained during the overnight storm, spokesman Rich Johnson said.
Claims were primarily concentrated in Live Oak and Alamo Heights, Johnson said.
On the Northeast Side, at least 30 homes were damaged, some destroyed, in the Glen and Camelot subdivisions, according to Monica Ramos, Bexar County spokeswoman.
Ramos said the storm traveled down Walzem Road and onto Winsford, causing damage to numerous homes and causing debris to clutter roadways.
Several homes had roofs peeled off as a result of strong winds, according to Ramos, who also said no major injuries have been reported in the area.
"The whole house was shaking," said Tammy Griffin, who lives on Stockport Drive.
RELATED: The animals at the San Antonio Zoo are safe after tornado rips through town
Griffin said soon after she got the notification for a tornado warning last night she heard strong winds that sounded "just like a train" coming down her street.
Bexar County Public Works is currently working on clearing debris from roads and power lines.
According to San Antonio Fire Department spokesman Woody Woodward, only five San Antonio residents had minor injuries in the storms, even though more than 100 homes were damaged.
"Which is amazing," Woodward said.
Ramos said CPS Energy is working on the downed power lines and that Bexar County Public Works crews were removing downed tree limbs to allow emergency vehicles to enter the area.
Photo: SAEN/Google Maps Violent storms swept through the San Antonio area Sunday night,...
"We're coordinating with local agencies to provide assistance to affected residents in the area starting at daylight," Ramos said.
According to the CPS energy outage tracker, there are at least 764 outages affecting nearly 23,000 customers as of 6:51 a.m. Monday. The map shows outages mainly in the Alamo Heights and Stone Oak areas.
CPS Energy spokeswoman Nora Castro said while damage across the city was widespread, much of it was concentrated on the North Side. Last night 45,000 homes lost power due to the severe thunderstorm and as of 7 a.m. Monday 22,000 homes remained without power.
Castro said it was an "all hands on deck" situation at CPS Energy, with crews working as safely and quickly as possible to restore power.
CPS Energy warns residents to stay away from downed power lines or damaged equipment.
RELATED: Storms pound San Antonio this morning with record rainfall
A photo posted to CPS Energy's Twitter feed showed a transmission tower bent in half. Castro confirmed the tower is located near Uhr Lane and Higgins Road on the Northeast Side.
Kimberly White, who lives on Stockport Drive on the Northeast Side, said her home has been out of power since about 10 p.m. Sunday. She said she's thankful she buys candles because it has been pitch black since the power went out.
Check back with mySA for more on this breaking story.
Staff writers Diana Fuentes and Caleb Downs and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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twhite@mysa.com
Twitter: @tylerlwhiteWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Thirty-five years after the Supreme Court set the terms for boosting college admissions of African Americans and other minorities, the court may be about to issue a ruling that could restrict universities’ use of race in deciding who is awarded places.
Tourists walk in front of the Supreme Court building in Washington, March 24, 2013. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
The case before the justices was brought by Abigail Fisher, a white suburban Houston student who asserted she was wrongly rejected by the University of Texas at Austin while minority students with similar grades and test scores were admitted.
The ruling is the only one the court has yet to issue following oral arguments in cases heard in October and November, the opening months of the court’s annual term which lasts until the early summer. A decision might come as early as Monday, before the start of a two-week recess.
As hard as it is to predict when a ruling will be announced, it is more difficult to say how it might change the law. Still, even a small move in the Texas case could mark the beginning of a new chapter limiting college administrators’ discretion in using race in deciding on admissions.
For decades, dating back at least to the John F. Kennedy administration of the 1960s, U.S. leaders have struggled with what “affirmative action” should be taken to help blacks and other minorities. In the early years, it was seen as a way to remedy racial prejudice and discrimination; in the more modern era, as a way to bring diversity to campuses and workplaces.
Since 1978, the Supreme Court has been at the center of disputes over when universities may consider applicants’ race. In that year’s groundbreaking Bakke decision from a University of California medical school, the justices forbade quotas but said schools could weigh race with other factors.
In another seminal university case, the court in 2003 reaffirmed the use of race in admissions to create diversity in colleges. But with the current bench more conservative than the one in 2003, there is a strong chance a majority of the justices will undercut that decade-old ruling on a University of Michigan case.
Writing for the majority in that case, Grutter v. Bollinger, Justice Sandra Day O’Connor declared that “the path to leadership” should be “visibly open to talented and qualified individuals of every race and ethnicity.” That meant public universities must be able to take special steps to enroll minorities, O’Connor wrote.
O’Connor retired in January 2006 and her successor as the regular swing vote on racial dilemmas has been Justice Anthony Kennedy, who dissented in the 2003 case and may well author the ruling to come in the latest case. The student in the case, Abigail Fisher, graduated from Louisiana State University last year.
“HURT,” “INJURY”
Notably, during oral argument in the University of Texas case on October 10, Kennedy referred to the “hurt” and “injury” caused by screening applicants by race. However, Kennedy’s comments during arguments suggested that he was not ready to vote to forbid all racial criteria in admissions.
In his dissenting opinion in the 2003 Michigan case, he wrote that the court has long accepted universities’ stance that racial diversity enhances the educational experience for all students, while insisting such policies be narrowly drawn.
Kennedy’s view of when exactly race can be considered and of the discretion of college administrators in the matter are likely to be crucial.
Marvin Krislov, now president of Oberlin College in Ohio and a past vice-president and general counsel of the University of Michigan, said on Friday that university administrators were concerned about how broadly it might sweep and whether it will ultimately reduce the number of minority students on campus.
“Colleges and universities care deeply about student body diversity,” he said, adding of his colleagues in higher education: “We’re all watching and waiting.”
Once oral arguments are held, the court’s deliberations on a case are shrouded in secrecy. The timing of a particular decision is not known in advance. And racial dilemmas have never been easy for the court, a point underscored by the current delay.
When the justices ruled in the 1978 case Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, they issued six separate opinions. None drew a majority. Four justices would have upheld a program that set aside a certain number of slots for minority applicants; four justices would have struck it down. Justice Lewis Powell provided the essential fifth vote, allowing universities to consider race and ethnic origin but forbidding quotas or a reserved number of places. Powell planted the seed of the diversity justification that blossomed in O’Connor’s opinion in 2003.
The Michigan case divided the bench 5-4, with O’Connor joining with the more liberal members of the bench to allow race as a consideration in admissions. In a 2007 dispute testing the use of race in student placements to ensure diversity in school districts, the court tipped the opposite way. Conservatives, including O’Connor’s successor Samuel Alito, curtailed such public school integration plans.
Only eight of the nine justices will be deciding the Texas case. Justice Elena Kagan, a former U.S. solicitor general, has taken herself out of the dispute because of her prior involvement in the case. The government is siding with the University of Texas.
The challenged program supplements a Texas state policy guaranteeing admission to the university for high school graduates scoring in the top 10 percent at their individual schools. University of Texas administrators argue that the “Top 10” program does not make the university sufficiently diverse.
The Texas approach, with the dual programs, is distinct. The larger issue is how a decision would affect other universities.
“The court seems to have been leaning away from allowing affirmative action for some time,” said University of Virginia law professor John Jeffries, a former law clerk and biographer of Justice Lewis Powell. “If they close the door that, potentially, is a very big deal.”As the nation’s political climate continues to polarize in the wake of Donald Trump’s election to the presidency, the Berkeley College Republicans will host conservative journalist and Breitbart editor Milo Yiannopoulos, who has emerged as one of the more divisive voices from the political milieu, for a talk on campus Feb. 1.
The speaking appointment is part of an 18-stop tour across U.S. colleges, including UC Davis, UC Santa Barbara and UCLA in addition to UC Berkeley. According to Celine Bookin, a campus freshman and member of BCR, Yiannopoulos has attracted supporters from the conservative side — and college republicans in particular — because of his unfiltered way of speaking and disregard of political correctness.
“That’s something conservatives respond well to, including myself, getting things said that need to be said,” Bookin said. “We don’t like dancing around the issues.”
The tour has already been met with controversy since its first stop Dec. 1 at West Virginia University. WVU President E. Gordon Gee released a statement Friday condemning Yiannopoulos’ use of a homophobic slur targeted at a faculty member, but defended the campus’s right to host the speaker. Additionally, Yiannopoulos was banned from Depaul University following a speech he gave in May, which the university said contained “inflammatory language” and created a “hostile environment.”
According to Caiden Nason, vice president of membership of Cal Berkeley Democrats, Yiannopoulos’ appearance has the potential to incite people rather than contribute to conversations.
“Students who have identities attacked by Trump have already been harassed following the election, and Milo’s appearance here is only going to enable more people to harass them,” Nason said in an email. “To UC Berkeley students, Milo’s appearance reflects a group of students on campus who are more interested in causing problems than having conversations.”
Campus spokesperson Dan Mogulof said in email that “campus administration wishes to make clear that an invitation of this sort in no way suggests our endorsement of a particular point of view,” adding that campus policy allows for open debate at UC Berkeley without interference from the administration.
“While we realize that the presence of certain speakers is likely to upset some members of our campus community, University policy, principles of intellectual and academic freedom, and the U.S. Constitution require that students and faculty members retain the right to invite individuals onto campus to participate,” Mogulof said in an email.
Bookin said while Berkeley is one of the better campuses for free discourse, conservative opinion is still not broadly represented and open debate and diversity of opinion are important for campus. She added that even if members of the student body disagree with Yiannopoulos’ viewpoints, she hopes they will come to the talk with an open mind.
Bookin added that she anticipates some form of backlash from the liberal community at UC Berkeley when Yiannopoulos comes to campus.
“It may or may not involve Milo being able to enter the building he is speaking in, may involve a walk out or a riot, all sorts of things,” Bookin said. “All these things have happened with conservative speakers.”
The location of Yiannopoulos’ talk has not yet been released, nor have tickets been made available for sale. Pieter Sittler, internal vice president of BCR, said members of BCR have chosen not to comment on Yiannopoulos’ talk while logistical plans and security detail are still in progress.
Yiannopoulos’ team could not be reached for comment regarding the speaking engagement.
Contact Camryn Bell at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter at @cbell_DC.AMMAN (Reuters) - The Syrian authorities’ arrest of a leftist opposition figure overnight suggests that a bill passed by the government to end emergency rule after 48 years will not halt repression, rights campaigners said on Wednesday.
People perform prayers during a demonstration in the Syrian city of Homs April 18, 2011. REUTERS/Handout
The draft law was passed on Tuesday as a concession by President Bashar al-Assad in the face of increasingly determined mass protests against his authoritarian rule. More than 200 people have been killed, rights groups say.
The end of emergency rule was, however, coupled with new legislation requiring Syrians to obtain a permit from the state if they want to hold demonstrations. Defiant protests continued regardless, and three protesters were shot dead in the city of Homs on Tuesday, activists said.
A prominent leftist in the city, Mahmoud Issa, was taken from his house around midnight by members of Syria’s feared political security division. Rights campaigners said at least 20 pro-democracy protesters had been shot dead by security forces in Homs in the past two days.
“Issa is a prominent former political prisoner. Arresting him hours after announcing a bill to lift emergency law is reprehensible,” said Rami Adelrahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, speaking from Britain.
“Lifting emergency law is long overdue, but there are a host of other laws that should be scrapped, such as those giving security forces immunity from prosecution, and giving powers to military courts to try civilians,” he added.
“Thousands of political prisoners arrested under these exceptional laws should be released,” Abdelrahman added.
State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the new law requiring permits to hold demonstrations made it unclear if the end of emergency rule would make for a less restrictive regime.
“This new legislation may prove as restrictive as the emergency law it replaced,” he said, adding that the Syrian government “needs to urgently implement broader reforms.”
PLEA TO ARMY NOT TO SHOOT
Prominent civic figures in Homs, a central city known for its intellectuals and artists, signed a declaration calling on the army “not to spill the blood of honorable Syrians” and denying allegations by the authorities that Salafist groups were operating in the city.
In a sign of resistance to protesters’ demands for reforms, the Interior Ministry on Monday night described the unrest as an insurrection by “armed groups belonging to Salafist organizations” trying to terrorize the population.
Salafism is a strict form of Sunni Islam that many Arab governments equate with militant groups like al Qaeda. Assad and most of his inner circle are from Syria’s minority Alawite community, who adhere to an offshoot of Shi’ite Islam.
“Not Salafist, not Muslim Brotherhood. We are freedom seekers!” hundreds of people chanted in Tuesday’s demonstration in Banias on the Mediterranean.
Slideshow (23 Images)
Emergency rule, in place since the Baath Party seized power in a 1963 coup, gave security organs blanket power to stifle dissent through a ban on gatherings of over five people, arbitrary arrest and closed trials, lawyers say.
Syria is involved in several Middle East conflicts. Any change at the top — Assad, backed by his family and the security apparatus, is Syria’s absolute ruler — would ripple across the Arab world and affect Syria’s ally Iran.
The leadership backs the Islamist movement Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah but seeks peace with Israel. Assad was largely rehabilitated in the West after years in isolation after the 2005 assassination in Beirut of Lebanese statesman Rafik al-Hariri.Back in April 2014 No Man’s Sky developer Hello Games revealed that it was experimenting with the Oculus Rift virtual reality (VR) headset. It did so by posting images and videos on the likes of Twitter and Vine, showing members of the development team walking around its office with the headset on and connected to a laptop worn on the user’s back. At the time it was thought that this could be a possible tease for VR support for the team’s anticipated first-person project. It certainly seemed like a good fit, but it turns out that that wasn’t the case.
Studio founder Sean Murray revealed as much during an E3 2014 panel in which he sat alongside Oculus Rift designer Palmer Luckey. Speaking to GiantBomb about possible VR support for No Man’s Sky, Murray jokingly revealed that the developer kits sent by Oculus VR had been used to recreate the team’s office space, but humorously raised alarm bells when they posted media of them using the headset walking around.
“You guys sent us some kit and we got it,” Murray said, addressing Luckey. “We only had it a day but we mocked up this little demo and we built like our office basically. And I hadn’t seen anyone do this before but it was his [David Ream, creative director] stupid idea. I have like a gaming laptop basically so I was able to plug it into that and put it in my backpack so I was like wireless basically with an Xbox pad plugged in. And I would just stand in the same position in the office.”
At this point Luckey revealed that he had created a similar project, to which Murray joked that he was disappointed it wasn’t original anymore.
“And then we kind of just started going around the office and actually getting up a little speed and being able to like go up and down the stairs quite quickly and things like that. And we posted some Vines and things like that and we got like a mail from one of the guys at Oculus saying like, y’know “please stop doing this” and it was like “you may not have read the terms but please don’t post anything where you might, like, die.””
Luckey then revealed that one of the reasons that Oculus VR asks players to use the Oculus Rift sitting down is for safety, as the headset essentially ‘blindfolds’ users in its current form.
Murray concluded with one more story: “It was just as well we got that mail because me and Dave, the tweets we did had been popular so we had like two dev kits and we’d taken a photo of two of us in our cars and we were like driving at each other with the headsets on and I was about to tweet “if you die in Oculus you die in real life” and I got the mail and I was like “let’s not.””
It wasn’t mentioned if No Man’s Sky would actually support the Oculus Rift or the Project Morpheus on PlayStation 4, which Murray announced on Monday would host the exclusive console launch of the title. Is support still possible, given that they have the headset in its office? VRFocus will continue to follow the developer closely and report as soon as we can get confirmation on No Man’s Sky in VR.An introduction to Support Vector Machines (SVM)
So you’re working on a text classification problem. You’re refining your training data, and maybe you’ve even tried stuff out using Naive Bayes. But now you’re feeling confident in your dataset, and want to take it one step further. Enter Support Vector Machines (SVM): a fast and dependable classification algorithm that performs very well with a limited amount of data.
Perhaps you have dug a bit deeper, and ran into terms like linearly separable, kernel trick and kernel functions. But fear not! The idea behind the SVM algorithm is simple, and applying it to natural language classification doesn’t require most of the complicated stuff.
Before continuing, we recommend reading our guide to Naive Bayes classifiers first, since a lot of the things regarding text processing that are said there are relevant here as well.
Done? Great! Let’s move on.
How does SVM work?
The basics of Support Vector Machines and how it works are best understood with a simple example. Let’s imagine we have two tags: red and blue, and our data has two features: x and y. We want a classifier that, given a pair of (x,y) coordinates, outputs if it’s either red or blue. We plot our already labeled training data on a plane:
A support vector machine takes these data points and outputs the hyperplane (which in two dimensions it’s simply a line) that best separates the tags. This line is the decision boundary: anything that falls to one side of it we will classify as blue, and anything that falls to the other as red.
But, what exactly is the best hyperplane? For SVM, it’s the one that maximizes the margins from both tags. In other words: the hyperplane (remember it’s a line in this case) whose distance to the nearest element of each tag is the largest.
You can check out this video tutorial to learn exactly how this optimal hyperplane is found.
Nonlinear data
Now this example was easy, since clearly the data was linearly separable — we could draw a straight line to separate red and blue. Sadly, usually things aren’t that simple. Take a look at this case:
It’s pretty clear that there’s not a linear decision boundary (a single straight line that separates both tags). However, the vectors are very clearly segregated and it looks as though it should be easy to separate them.
So here’s what we’ll do: we will add a third dimension. Up until now we had two dimensions: x and y. We create a new z dimension, and we rule that it be calculated a certain way that is convenient for us: z = x² + y² (you’ll notice that’s the equation for a circle).
This will give us a three-dimensional space. Taking a slice of that space, it looks like this:
What can SVM do with this? Let’s see:
That’s great! Note that since we are in three dimensions now, the hyperplane is a plane parallel to the x axis at a certain z (let’s say z = 1).
What’s left is mapping it back to two dimensions:
And there we go! Our decision boundary is a circumference of radius 1, which separates both tags using SVM. Check out this 3d visualization to see another example of the same effect:
The kernel trick
In our example we found a way to classify nonlinear data by cleverly mapping our space to a higher dimension. However, it turns out that calculating this transformation can get pretty computationally expensive: there can be a lot of new dimensions, each one of them possibly involving a complicated calculation. Doing this for every vector in the dataset can be a lot of work, so it’d be great if we could find a cheaper solution.
And we’re in luck! Here’s a trick: SVM doesn’t need the actual vectors to work its magic, it actually can get by only with the dot products between them. This means that we can sidestep the expensive calculations of the new dimensions! This is what we do instead:
Imagine the new space we want: z = x² + y²
Figure out what the dot product in that space looks like: a · b = x a · x b + y a · y b + z a · z b a · b = x a · x b + y a · y b + (x a ² + y a ²) · (x b ² + y b ²)
Tell SVM to do its thing, but using the new dot product — we call this a kernel function.
That’s it! That’s the kernel trick, which allows us to sidestep a lot of expensive calculations. Normally, the kernel is linear, and we get a linear classifier. However, by using a nonlinear kernel (like above) we can get a nonlinear classifier without transforming the data at all: we only change the dot product to that of the space that we want and SVM will happily chug along.
Note that the kernel trick isn’t actually part of SVM. It can be used with other linear classifiers such as logistic regression. A support vector machine only takes care of finding the decision boundary.
How can SVM be used with natural language classification?
So, we can classify vectors in multidimensional space. Great! Now, we want to apply this algorithm for text classification, and the first thing we need is a way to transform a piece of text into a vector of numbers so we can run SVM with them. In other words, which features do we have to use in order to classify texts using SVM?
The most common answer is word frequencies, just like we did in Naive Bayes. This means that we treat a text as a bag of words, and for every word that appears in that bag we have a feature. The value of that feature will be how frequent that word is in the text.
This method boils down to just counting how many times every word appears in a text and dividing it by the total number of words. So in the sentence “All monkeys are primates but not all primates are monkeys” the word monkeys has a frequency of 2/10 = 0.2, and the word but has a frequency of 1/10 = 0.1.
For a more advanced alternative for calculating frequencies, we can also use TF-IDF.
Now that we’ve done that, every text in our dataset is represented as a vector with thousands (or tens of thousands) of dimensions, every one representing the frequency one of the words of the text. Perfect! This is what we feed to SVM for training. We can improve this by using preprocessing techniques, like stemming, removing stopwords, and using n-grams.
Choosing a kernel function
Now that we have the feature vectors, the only thing left to do is choosing a kernel function for our model. Every problem is different, and the kernel function depends on what the data looks like. In our example, our data was arranged in concentric circles, so we chose a kernel that matched those data points.
Taking that into account, what’s best for natural language processing? Do we need a nonlinear classifier? Or is the data linearly separable? It turns out that it’s best to stick to a linear kernel. Why?
Back in our example, we had two features. Some real uses of SVM in other fields may use tens or even hundreds of features. Meanwhile, NLP classifiers use thousands of features, since they can have up to one for every word that appears in the training data. This changes the problem a little bit: while using nonlinear kernels may be a good idea in other cases, having this many features will end up making nonlinear kernels overfit the data. Therefore, it’s best to just stick to a good old linear kernel, which actually results in the best performance in these cases.
Putting it all together
Now the only thing left to do is training! We have to take our set of labeled texts, convert them to vectors using word frequencies, and feed them to the algorithm — which will use our chosen kernel function — so it produces a model. Then, when we have a new unlabeled text that we want to classify, we convert it into a vector and give it to the model, which will output the tag of the text.
Final words
And that’s the basics of Support Vector Machines!
To sum up:
A support vector machine allows you to classify data that’s linearly separable.
If it isn’t linearly separable, you can use the kernel trick to make it work.
However, for text classification it’s better to just stick to a linear kernel.
Compared to newer algorithms like neural networks, they have two main advantages: higher speed and better performance with a limited number of samples (in the thousands). This makes the algorithm very suitable for text classification problems, where it’s common to have access to a dataset of at most a couple of thousands of tagged samples.
For an in-depth explanation of this algorithm, check out this excellent MIT lecture. If you are interested in an explanation of other machine learning algorithm, check out our practical explanation of Naive Bayes. And for other articles on the topic, you might also like our guide to natural language processing and our guide to machine learning.Coming Soon
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THE STRANGER
Secrets, violence and a conspiracy send family man Adam Price on a desperate quest to uncover the truth about the people closest to him.
Wine Country
When a group of longtime girlfriends goes to Napa for the weekend to celebrate their friend's 50th birthday, tensions from the past boil over.
Always Be My Maybe
Everyone assumed Sasha and Marcus would wind up together except for Sasha and Marcus. Reconnecting after 15 years, the two start to wonder... maybe?
Ultraman
Years after Ultraman disappeared, Shinjiro learns of his connection to the legendary hero and dons the metallic ultra-suit to fight new aliens.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
Inspired by a science book, 13-year-old William Kamkwamba builds a wind turbine to save his Malawian village from famine. Based on a true story.
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The trolls, aliens and wizards living in Arcadia face off in an apocalyptic battle for control of their magical world. Created by Guillermo del Toro.The osprey pair and nest cam at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in 2015. The camera is shut off this year. ( Jeffrey Brodeur)
The osprey cam at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution is trained on a nest near the Massachusetts seaside, and the pair that call it home are now waiting for three eggs to hatch. But for the first spring in a decade, the camera is dark, and a note on the institute’s website offers only a two-s |
the unpredictable nature of October, this may be a wise strategy. They are also managing to succeed in this strategy in a more efficient and cost-effective way, which could pay dividends down the road, especially if the team can get under the luxury tax threshold for at least one year. Even with their relatively quiet offseason, the Dodgers are in an excellent position moving forward, and I fully expect them to continue to dominate the NL West for years to come.
Nick Lampe is a featured writer at Beyond the Box Score and Viva el Birdos. You can follow him on Twitter at @NickLampe1.BreWingZ Sports Bar & Grill began construction of it’s Kingwood location at US 59 near Northpark Drive in the Kroger Marketplace shopping center in July 2014.
As construction continues, BreWingZ has announced they are now hiring at “Kingwood’s Best new place for Great Beer and Better WingZ.” They are looking for positive, upbeat, team oriented attitudes. To apply email northpark@brewingz.com
With easy access, a full size patio, mouth watering food, and ginormous TVs, BreWingZ hopes to become Kingwoods go-to sports bar for the entire family.
The Kingwood location will feature BreWingZ famous buffalo style wings with twenty-six signature flavors. “Our wings are crispy on the outside, moist and tender on the inside, never breaded, and spiced just right!” says a BreWingZ spokesperson.
The menu will also include Appetizers, Soups & Salads, Fish and Chips, Fried Shrimp, Chicken Tenders, Burgers, Sandwiches, and lots of cold beer. You can browse the full menu at www.brewingz.com
“Our goal, every day, is to bring our customers the very best and tastiest food; always made to order. This is what makes BreWingZ a great place to watch the game, or bring the family for a night out, and we are excited to bring that concept to Kingwood ” said Vice President, Robert Snelson.
Unlike traditional bars, BreWingZ emphasis is on family friendly fun. With a distinct bar catering to those looking to relax and watch the game, and a full separate dining area, BreWingZ is a welcoming place for everyone.
BreWingZ Kingwood
25629 US. HWY 59
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[google_map location_id=”2569″/]With Nemanja Vidic having sealed a switch to Inter Milan this summer and Rio Ferdinand's current contract also expiring in June, it's clear that Manchester United have big changes to make at the back. The likes of Phil Jones and Chris Smalling were signed to step up when the time came for their senior team-mates to move on but David Moyes certainly needs to bolster his backline.
It's no surprise then that a number of players have been mooted with a move to Old Trafford, with WhoScored.com taking the chance to compare some of those touted as replacements for the old guard. To do so we've looked at the stats of each from this season and last, in the matches that the players chosen have started at centre-back.
Thomas Vermaelen
Arsenal's Thomas Vermaelen was entrusted with the captain's armband at the Emirates following the departure of Cesc Fabregas but his form and playing time has diminished since. Now firmly the third choice under Arsene Wenger it seems the Belgian is surplus to requirements and could be made available. With just three league starts under his belt this season, Vermaelen has made a total of 25 appearances at centre-back since the beginning of the previous campaign.
His average rating in those appearances is a modest 6.94, with a pass completion rate of 86.7% and an average of 2.8 aerial duels won per game. Averages of 1.6 tackles and 1.8 interceptions per game are respectable but having previously become a fan favourite for his goal threat from the back the Arsenal man hasn't netted in the league in the past two seasons.
Eliaquim Mangala
Porto's 23-year old centre-back is tipped to become one of the best in Europe and cement his place in France's national side. He did his chances no harm with a solid showing alongside Raphael Varane against the Netherlands last week, winning seven aerial duels while completing 12 clearances and 95% of his passes. The week before his brace ensured Porto's progression in the Europa League, so his stock is certainly rising.
With Liga Sagres stats unavailable we're looking at Mangala's 11 starts at centre-back in Europe over the past two seasons, so the quality of opposition will have impacted on a decent rating of 7.00 in those matches from WhoScored.com. His averages of 1.4 tackles and 1.8 interceptions per game, along with 2.3 aerial duels won per match are similar to those of Vermaelen, but with two goals and one assist to his name he holds a threat at the opposite end of the pitch too.
Davide Astori
Having come through the ranks at AC Milan, 27-year old Astori has become a key player in his five seasons with current club Cagliari, earning international honours in the process. A call-up to Cesare Prandelli's World Cup squad is certainly on the cards for a defender who boasts impressive defensive stats across the board.
Since the beginning of last season the Italian has started 55 matches at centre-back in Serie A, with notable averages in terms of interceptions (2.4) and clearances (8.8) per game. If Astori has one weakness, as shown by his WhoScored characteristics, it is his concentration, having made more errors that have led to goals than any other outfielder in Serie A (four) in that time. Nevertheless, the Cagliari man certainly has a number of attributes that would cover for the loss of Vidic, with an average rating of 7.14 over the last two seasons.
Mehdi Benatia
It's a case of saving the best for last here, with Roma's Mehdi Benatia having firmly established himself as one of the strongest centre-backs in Europe this season. He confirmed interest from a number of parties last summer but said that after giving Roma his word he would not back out of a move to the Stadio Olimpico. His availability now is uncertain, and with Roma looking more than likely to qualify for the Champions League and United looking distinctly unlikely to match that feat, whether the Moroccan would consider any such move is equally unclear.
If Benatia were open to a move to Manchester the stats suggest he'd be an excellent acquisition. The 26-year old's averages of 2.7 tackles and 3.1 interceptions per game over 45 league starts at centre-back in the last two seasons are very impressive, while he's netted a noteworthy seven times in that period. With United's current quartet having notched just four goals in 93 league starts between them since the start of the previous campaign, Benatia's goal threat is clearly something the champions have lacked. A WhoScored.com rating of 7.52 in the last two seasons is evidence enough that Benatia would be worth the high sums that any transfer would likely command.
All statistics courtesy of WhoScored.com, where you can find yet more stats, including live in-game data and unique player and team ratingsThat’s the takeaway line from meteorologist Cliff Mass on his Cliff Mass Weather Blog today, delivering a savage beatdown on the latest global warming scaremongering from NASA’s egregious James Hansen about recent summer heat waves: “It follows that we can state, with a high degree of confidence, that extreme anomalies such as those in Texas and Oklahoma in 2011 and Moscow in 2010 were a consequence of global warming because their likelihood in the absence of global warming was exceedingly small.” Mass thinks this is a mass of hot air.
Who is Cliff Mass, and why should we pay attention to him? Mass is an atmospheric scientist at the University of Washington. He’s no climate skeptic; as he says in the post quoted in the headline here, “I believe that human-induced global warming is both observed, real, and a serious problem for mankind.” But to his credit he thinks politicized, agenda-driven scientists like James Hansen, and the credulous media that always give credence to every poorly reasoned claim, do more harm than good.
There’s a lot in his cogent post, and it’s worth reading the whole thing. But here’s the most important part:
Now as the earth warms up the temperature variations shown remain like the bell curve…or Gaussian, but the mean should shift to warmer temperatures (see the figure below). The result is that you get more warm extremes and less cold extremes (less cold extremes are not mentioned very often for some reason).
So the result is that you seem more warm temperature records and less cold temperature records. We are in fact seeing this. The earth is warming and there are more maximum temperature records than cold ones. Hansen and friends make a big deal about this. But what they are not telling you is that the very warm anomalies we are seeing today would have been nearly as large if global warming had never occurred. In his paper he makes a big deal about large (three sigma) anomalies from climatology. Well, without any global warming the anomalies might have been say 2.8 sigma. Or in terms of terms, heat waves of 10F might have been only 9F if global warming had not occurred. To say it differently, the impact of global warming due to greenhouse gases is still small compared to natural processes, and the impacts to society would have been pretty much the same. But you never hear it this way. Those exaggerating the global warming signal imply that we are going from normal conditions to extremes due to global warming. In reality, we go from naturally induced extremes, to a bit stronger extremes due to global warming.
Mass adds:
As an aside, the journal that this article was published in…the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS)…allows members of the National Academy (like Dr. Hansen) to publish articles with essentially no peer review. Until 2010 they could publish anything, with no peer review, and most recently the submission review is “supervised” by the submitting academy member WHO GETS TO SELECT THE REVIEWERS. Folks, this is really unfortunate for an entity that claims to be national journal of some reputation. The result has been a lot of very bad papers in PNAS that would never have been accepted in real journals,with a real peer review process. One could use stronger words, but this is a family blog.
Like Al Gore, reckless scientists like Hansen are the climate skeptic’s best friend.
By the way, has Hansen won a Green Weenie yet?Richard Ellef Ayoade (, born 12 June 1977) is a British actor, comedian, writer, director and television presenter. He is best known for his role as the socially awkward IT technician Maurice Moss in Channel 4 sitcom The IT Crowd (2006–2013), for which he won the 2014 BAFTA for Best Male Comedy Performance. He has often worked alongside Noel Fielding, Julian Barratt, Matt Berry, Matthew Holness and Rich Fulcher.
Born in Hammersmith, Ayoade served as the president of Footlights at St Catharine's College, Cambridge. Ayoade and Matthew Holness debuted their respective characters Dean Learner and Garth Marenghi at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2000, bringing the characters to television with Garth Marenghi's Darkplace (2004) and Man to Man with Dean Learner (2006). Ayoade appeared in the comedy shows The Mighty Boosh (2004–2007) and Nathan Barley (2005), before gaining exposure and recognition for his role in The IT Crowd. After directing music videos for the Arctic Monkeys, Vampire Weekend, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Kasabian, Ayoade wrote and directed the comedy-drama film Submarine in 2010. He co-starred in the American science fiction comedy film The Watch in 2012 and his second film, the black comedy The Double, premiered in 2013.
Ayoade has frequently appeared on panel shows, mostly prominently on The Big Fat Quiz of the Year and served as a team captain on Was It Something I Said? in 2013. Ayoade presents the factual shows Gadget Man (2013–2015), its spin-off Travel Man (2015–present) and the 2017 revival of The Crystal Maze. Ayoade has provided his voice to a number of animated projects, including the films The Boxtrolls (2014) and Early Man (2018), and the television shows Strange Hill High (2013–2014) and Apple & Onion (2018–present). Ayoade has written two comedic books centring around film, Ayoade on Ayoade: A Cinematic Odyssey (2014) and The Grip of Film (2017).
Early life and education [ edit ]
Ayoade was born in Hammersmith,[3] the son of a Nigerian father and a Norwegian mother, on 23 May 1977.[4][5] His father was an electrical engineer. The family moved to Ipswich, Suffolk when he was young.[6] At fifteen, Ayoade developed an interest for film "beyond Star Wars and Back to the Future", and began exploring the works of directors Woody Allen, Ingmar Bergman and Federico Fellini.[7]
Ayoade studied at St Joseph's College, Ipswich[8] and later read law at St Catharine's College, Cambridge (1995–1998), where he won the Martin Steele Prize for play production[9] and was president of the amateur theatrical club Footlights from 1997 to 1998.[10] He and Footlights vice-president John Oliver wrote and performed in several productions together, appearing in both Footlights' 1997 and 1998 touring shows: Emotional Baggage and Between a Rock and a Hard Place (directed by Cal McCrystal).[11] He says that his parents would not approve of studies considered to be of the "Regency era",[12] adding that "a non-vocational degree seemed such an outlandish indulgence".[13] Ayoade states that his degree in law is no longer a viable "fallback" for him and that he would need to "go back to square one".[14]
Career [ edit ]
2000–2006: Garth Marenghi shows and The Mighty Boosh [ edit ]
Ayoade co-wrote the stage show Garth Marenghi's Fright Knight with Matthew Holness, whom he also met at the Footlights, appearing in the show with Holness at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2000 where it was nominated for a Perrier Award.[12] The show saw the debut of Holness' character Garth Marenghi, a fictional horror writer, and Ayoade's character Dean Learner, Marenghi's publisher.[15] In 2001, he won the Perrier Comedy Award for co-writing and performing in Garth Marenghi's Netherhead, the sequel to Fright Knight.[16] In 2004, Ayoade and Holness took the Marenghi character to Channel 4, creating the spoof horror comedy series Garth Marenghi's Darkplace. Ayoade wrote, directed and appeared in the series, which saw Marenghi and Learner star in a 1980s television drama that was never broadcast. Learner played Thornton Reed, a hospital administrator.[17] Along with Matt Berry, Ayoade directed, co-wrote and co-starred in AD/BC: A Rock Opera, which parodies life-of-Christ rock operas and aired on BBC Three in December 2004.[18] Ayoade was also a writer on the sketch show Bruiser in 2000, which starred former Footlights president David Mitchell and Robert Webb, and featured Holness.[19] Ayoade was featured in a bit-part as a reporter in the HBO television film The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004).[20]
After appearing in Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding's radio series The Boosh, Ayoade was part of the original cast of Barratt and Fielding's The Mighty Boosh television show. He was originally selected to play the role of dangerous villain Dixon Bainbridge. However, by the time the radio series transferred to television he was under contract by Channel 4 and was only able to act in the pilot before leaving The Boosh. The part was taken by fellow Darkplace actor and eventual IT Crowd co-star Matt Berry. He later returned in the second series in 2005, to play the part of the belligerent shaman Saboo.[12] Ayoade continued his association with The Mighty Boosh in the third series, reprising his role and acting as script editor.[21] In 2005, he played the role of Ned Smanks in Chris Morris' and Charlie Brooker's sitcom Nathan Barley.[22] Ayoade's Dean Learner character was resurrected in 2006 to host a comedy chat show, Man to Man with Dean Learner, on Channel 4. The different guests were played each week by Holness.[23] Ayoade appeared in the satirical comedy series Time Trumpet in 2006, which is set in the year 2031 and saw Ayoade and other celebrities reminiscing about the year 2007 onwards.[24]
2006–2010: The IT Crowd, music videos and Submarine [ edit ]
In February 2006, Ayoade began playing the technically brilliant but socially awkward IT technician Maurice Moss in the sitcom The IT Crowd on Channel 4, appearing alongside Chris O'Dowd, Katherine Parkinson, Chris Morris, and later on, Matt Berry. The series' creator Graham Linehan wrote the part specifically for Ayoade to play.[25] In 2008, he won the award for an outstanding actor in a television comedy series at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival for his performance.[26] In 2009, Ayoade co-starred with Joel McHale in the pilot for an American remake, reprising his role with the same appearance and personality; no series was commissioned, and the pilot never aired.[27] The IT Crowd ran for four seasons until 2010, with a special airing in 2013, for which Ayoade won a BAFTA for Best Male Comedy Performance.[28][29] In 2007, Ayoade directed the music videos for the songs "Fluorescent Adolescent" by Arctic Monkeys and Super Furry Animals's "Run-Away", which starred Matt Berry. The former received a UK Music Video Award nomination, attributed by Ayoade only to the song being "so good".[6] Ayoade has frequently appeared as a panelist on the quiz show The Big Fat Quiz of the Year, often with Noel Fielding, making his first appearance in The Big Fat Anniversary Quiz in 2007, which marked Channel 4's 25th anniversary.[30]
In 2008, Ayoade directed the music videos for two Vampire Weekend singles – "Oxford Comma", filmed in one long take,[6] and "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa".[31] In the same year, he also directed the videos for The Last Shadow Puppets songs "Standing Next to Me" and "My Mistakes Were Made for You", the latter of which was inspired by Federico Fellini's Toby Dammit.[6][32] He directed a live Arctic Monkeys DVD entitled At the Apollo (2008), which was recorded at the Manchester Apollo on super 16mm film. It was previewed at Vue cinemas across the UK during October 2008 and was released on DVD the following month.[33] He was featured in Paul King's 2009 film, Bunny and the Bull, playing the role of an extremely boring museum tour guide.[34] That year, he also directed two music videos for the Arctic Monkeys – "Crying Lightning" and "Cornerstone" – and others for Kasabian's "Vlad the Impaler", starring Noel Fielding, and "Heads Will Roll" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.[32][35][36]
In 2010, Ayoade made his debut directorial feature, Submarine, a coming-of-age comedy-drama adapted by Ayoade from the 2008 novel of the same name by Joe Dunthorne. The film stars newcomers Craig Roberts and Yasmin Paige with Sally Hawkins, Noah Taylor and Paddy Considine. It follows Welsh teenager Oliver Tate (Roberts) as he becomes infatuated with a classmate (Paige) and the turmoil of his parent's failing relationship.[37] Produced by Warp Films and Film4, the film premiered at the 35th Toronto International Film Festival in September 2010 and went on general release in the UK in March 2011 and was released in June in the US after being picked up by the Weinstein Company for a North American release.[38][39] Arctic Monkeys and The Last Shadow Puppets frontman Alex Turner contributed five original songs to the soundtrack, inspired by Simon & Garfunkel's music being featured in The Graduate (1967).[32] The film was positively received by critics, with The Guardian critic Peter Bradshaw calling Ayoade a "tremendous new voice in British film".[40] Ayoade was nominated for a BAFTA for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer at the 65th British Academy Film Awards.[41]
2011–present: Mainstream cinema and television presenting [ edit ]
In 2011, Ayoade directed the Community episode "Critical Film Studies" in the comedy show's second season. The episode pays homage to the 1981 film My Dinner with Andre and was named the "most brilliant half-hour of TV to arrive in this century" by Rolling Stone writer Rob Sheffield.[42] Ayoade then directed a performance of comedian Tommy Tiernan's world stand-up tour, Crooked Man, which was released in November 2011.[43] Ayoade provided his voice to the main cast of Channel 4's ill-received animated sitcom Full English, which aired for just five episodes in 2012 before being cancelled.[44] Ayoade starred opposite Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn and Jonah Hill in the science fiction comedy The Watch as a neighbourhood watch group that uncovers alien forces threatening the world. The film was not well received by critics, although Ayoade's performance was praised. Keith Phipps of The A.V. Club felt the film's "brightest spots" came courtesy of Ayoade, while Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune felt Ayoade was "the reason it's not entirely lame".[45][46] Also in 2012, Ayoade began voicing Todd Lagoona, an anthropomorphic hammerhead shark who was a recurring character in Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy.[47]
From 2013 to 2014, Ayoade voiced Templeton, the class nerd, in the CBBC animated series Strange Hill High.[48] Ayoade replaced Stephen Fry as presenter in the second series of Channel 4's Gadget Man in September 2013 and also presented a third and fourth season.[49] The series featured Ayoade presenting a variety of innovative products and gadgets. He is also the host of the spin-off series Travel Man, which sees Ayoade spend 48 hours in a different location each episode with a celebrity guest.[50] Ayoade was a team captain on the Channel 4 panel show Was It Something I Said?, which began airing October 2013 and co-starred David Mitchell as host and Micky Flanagan as fellow team captain.[51] Also in 2013, Ayoade read Roald Dahl's children book The Twits for Penguin Audio's audiobook collection and Virgin Media launched an advertising campaign starring the Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt featuring the voice of Ayoade.[52][53] He again lent his voice to an advertising campaign when he provided the voice-over for Apple's iPhone 6 UK campaign with Chris O'Dowd in 2014.[54]
Ayoade's second feature film, the black comedy thriller The Double, was based on Fyodor Dostoyevsky's 1846 novella The Double and written by Ayoade and Avi Korine.[55] It stars Jesse Eisenberg and Mia Wasikowska. The story concerns a timid man who becomes frustrated by the appearance of his charming doppelgänger, both of whom are played by Eisenberg.[55] The Double was released in April 2014 to generally positive reviews.[56] The film drew comparisons to Terry Gilliam's Brazil (1985), both in its visuals and narrative.[57] In the stop-motion animated fantasy film The Boxtrolls (2014), Ayoade voiced Mr. Pickles, a henchman to the film's antagonist Snatcher (voiced by Ben Kingsley).[58]
Ayoade's first book Ayoade on Ayoade: A Cinematic Odyssey was published by Faber and Faber on 2 October 2014. It satirises the nature of interviews and books that document and analyse the careers of iconic film directors (e.g. Orson Welles and Martin Scorsese). The book parodies Faber's Directors on Directors series, in which critically celebrated filmmakers discuss their work, and sees Ayoade conduct several interviews with himself in which he discusses his work and enthusiasm for the world of cinema.[59] Ayoade voiced a villainous snowman in several episodes the 2015 reboot of the animated series Danger Mouse.[60] Ayoade directed a short music video for the Radiohead song "Tinker Tailor Soldier Sailor Rich Man Poor Man Beggar Man Thief" in June 2016, as part of a series of video vignettes to promote their album A Moon Shaped Pool (2016).[61]
Ayoade took over as host of the game show The Crystal Maze in 2017, following the success of a celebrity charity special hosted by Stephen Merchant.[62][63] The show also features comedians Jessica Hynes and Adam Buxton.[64] Ayoade made a cameo appearance in the comedy sequel Paddington 2 as a forensic investigator in 2017 and was amongst the voice cast for Vampire Weekend Ezra Koenig's animated series Neo Yokio in the same year.[65][66] His second book, The Grip Of Film, was published in October 2017. Written in the perspective of clueless film fanatic Gordy LaSure, in its canon is an A-Z of films and what makes them good with footnotes by Ayoade.[67] Beginning in late 2017, he has guest hosted a number of episodes of the panel show Have I Got News for You.[68] Ayoade starred in an advertisement for HSBC in 2018, which addressed other countries' cultural impact on the United Kingdom ahead of Brexit.[69] Ayoade voiced Treebor, a Stone Age caveman, in the Aardman Animations stop-motion comedy Early Man (2018).[70] Since February 2018, Ayoade has voiced Onion, one of the title characters in the Cartoon Network animated series Apple & Onion.[71] He also returned to music video directing in 2018, helming the science fiction-inspired video for The Breeders song "Spacewoman".[72] Ayoade will be featured in a supporting role in Joanna Hogg's two-part romantic mystery film The Souvenir (2018), starring Robert Pattinson in the lead role.[73]
Influences [ edit ]
In an interview with Rotten Tomatoes, Ayoade cited his favourite films as being Zazie dans le Métro (1960), Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989), Persona (1966), Days of Heaven (1978) and Taxi Driver (1976).[74] Ayoade is a fan of French New Wave cinema and said in an interview with The Guardian that Louis Malle's Zazie dans le Métro was the film that sparked his interest in filmmaking.[75] His favourite filmmakers include Malle, Woody Allen, Ingmar Bergman, Orson Welles, Jean-Luc Godard, Jean-Pierre Melville and Paul Thomas Anderson.[2][76]
Personal life [ edit ]
Ayoade married actress Lydia Fox in 2007. They have three children and reside in East Dulwich in the London Borough of Southwark in England.[2][77]
Filmography [ edit ]
Films [ edit ]
Television [ edit ]
Music videos directed [ edit ]
Bibliography [ edit ]
Year Title 2014 Ayoade on Ayoade: A Cinematic Odyssey 2017 The Grip of Film
Awards and nominations [ edit ]
BAFTA Awards [ edit ]
British Independent Film Awards [ edit ]
International Emmy Award [ edit ]
Year Nominee / work Award Result 2008 The IT Crowd Best Comedy Series Won
New Horizons Competition [ edit ]
Year Nominee / work Award Result 2013 Jesse Eisenberg - The Double[79][80] Best Actor WonFILE - In this March 2, 2016 file photo, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at a rally in New York. The Justice Department will have to decide whether Hillary Clinton or any of her subordinates could face legal consequences for using a private email server, a decision whose timing is fraught with serious political repercussions. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File) (Photo: Frank Franklin II, AP)
Several local African-American elected officials will gather to voice their support for Hillary Clinton on Friday in Cincinnati and praise the presidential candidate's work on issues important to the African-American community.
The gathering, at the Urban League of Greater Cincinnati, is a way for the campaign to point out the former secretary of state's support among African Americans in southwest Ohio. Clinton recently swept a number of primaries in southern states with strong support from African Americans, far more than that garnered by Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, her rival for the Democratic nomination.
Headlining the Friday event is former Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory, city Councilman Wendell Young, Silverton Mayor John Smith, Forest Park Mayor Charles Johnson and Springfield Township Trustee Gwen McFarlin.
Read or Share this story: http://cin.ci/1p2K80YIn an effort to modernize the look and feel of its brand, New Belgium Brewing will give its entire portfolio of offerings a makeover.
The Fort Collins, Colo.-based company announced today that it will introduce the refreshed look and feel to when it launches in Ohio this December. The company has been pushing into a host of new markets over the past year and plans to enter many more in the months to come.
A press release sent to Brewbound.com that the new design will blend “retro elements with a modern twist” and will “progress many of the themes celebrated in New Belgium’s labels over the years.”
“This colorful, handcrafted look has been with us since our inception and the new design brings the portfolio together in a fresh and contemporary way,” Josh Holmstrom, New Belgium’s strategic marketing and branding director, said in the statement. “We feel these designs will delight our long time fans while also inviting new folks into the fold.”
The new designs are the handiwork of Hatch Design, a San Francisco-based graphic design firm that has done work for beverage brands like Vitaminwater, Odwalla and Seagram’s.
A sneak peek at the new look is included for your viewing pleasure.– 1955: The beginning of a separatist rebellion in the mainly Christian and animist south against domination by the Arab-Muslim north.
– January 1, 1956: Sudan, Africa's biggest country, becomes independent from Britain, and also from its northern neighbour Egypt.
– 1972: Accords signed in Addis Ababa between Khartoum and the southern rebels bring an end to 17 years of war, giving the south autonomous status.
– 1983: President Gaafar al-Nimeiry's decision to end the autonomous status and enforce sharia, or Islamic law, sparks a new rebellion in the south after 11 years of peace. Dissident colonel John Garang founds the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA).
– 1989: Omar al-Bashir takes power in an Islamist coup and cracks down again on the southern rebellion.
– 1995: The northern opposition unites with the southern guerrillas to battle the regime.
2005
– January 9: The two sides sign a US-brokered ceasefire agreement, providing for a six-year period of autonomy for the south followed by a referendum. The war killed more than two million people.
– July 9: Bashir sworn in as president, Garang as vice-president.
– July 30: Garang killed in a helicopter crash. Replaced by Salva Kiir.
– September 20: National unity government announced after weeks of bitter wrangling.
– October 22: Kiir forms an autonomous government for south Sudan.
2007
– December 27: South Sudanese former rebels rejoin the national government, two months after walking out because of disputes over the implementation of the peace deal.
2008
– May: Fighting breaks out in the flashpoint oil-rich Abyei region, threatening the peace process. Dozens are killed and more than 50,000 displaced.
2009
– July 22: The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague reduces Abyei's borders, leaving its main oilfields in the north. The referendum is planned in the south for January 2011.
– December 29: Adoption of the referendum law. Tribal violence which has killed 2,500 over the year leads to fears of a civil war in the region.
2010
– April 11-15: Kiir becomes the south's first elected president following the first multiparty elections in Sudan since 1986.
– July 11: Khartoum and Juba start negotiations on key post-referendum issues, namely security, citizenship, the economy and respect for international treaties.
– September 24: The Khartoum government says it will accept the result of the vote after world leaders, meeting at the United Nations, call for the southern referendum to go ahead peacefully and on time.
– October: Kiir offers an amnesty to rebel fighters and seeks to reconcile with his leading political adversary, former foreign minister Lam Akol. Since January around 900 people have been killed in violence in the south, according to the United Nations.
– November 15-December 8: Voters register for the referendum.
– December 13: The United States says there is a recognition that a referendum in Abyei will not take place on January 9 as planned, but urges the parties to continue working for a solution to the disputed border region.Fragments of the world's oldest Koran, found in Birmingham last month, may predate the Prophet Muhammad and could even rewrite the early history of Islam, according to scholars.
The pages, thought to be between 1,448 and 1,371 years old, were discovered bound within the pages of another Koran from the late seventh century at the library of the University of Birmingham.
Written in ink in an early form of Arabic script on parchment made from animal skin, the pages contain parts of the Suras, or chapters, 18 to 20, which may have been written by someone who actually knew the Prophet Muhammad - founder of the Islamic faith.
Scroll down for video
Discovery: Fragments of what is believed to be the world's oldest Koran. Several historians have said it could even predate the Prophet Muhammad
The pages were carbon-dated by experts at the University of Oxford, a process which showed the Islamic holy book manuscript could be the oldest Koran in the world.
The discovery was said to be particularly significant as in the early years of Islam, the Koran was thought to have been memorised and passed down orally rather written.
But now several historians have said that the parchment might even predate Muhammad.
It is believed that the Birmingham Koran was produced between 568AD and 645AD, while the dates usually given for Muhammad are between 570AD and 632AD.
Historian Tom Holland, told the Times: 'It destabilises, to put it mildly, the idea that we can know anything with certainty about how the Koran emerged - and that in turn has implications for the history of Muhammad and the Companions.'
Keith Small, from the University of Oxford's Bodleian Library, added: 'This gives more ground to what have been peripheral views of the Koran's genesis, like that Muhammad and his early followers used a text that was already in existence and shaped it to fit their own political and theological agenda, rather than Muhammad receiving a revelation from heaven.
The pages were carbon dated by experts at the University of Oxford, which showed it could be the oldest Koran in the world
HOW DID IT GET TO BIRMINGHAM? The ancient pages were found bound alongside those of a younger copy of the Koran from the seventh century AD. It is thought they had been put together because the Hijazi script on the parchment was similar. They had been collected during the 1920s by a Chaldean priest called Alphonse Mingana who put together a huge collection of documents from the Middle East. His expeditions to the Middle East were sponsored by Edward Cadbury, from the chocolate dynasty. A special library was built at Selly Oak Colleges in Birmingham, a group of colleges set up by a group of Quakers led by George Cadbury. When the colleges were merged with the University of Birmingham in the 1990s, the collection was brought under the care of the Cadbury Research Library at the university. The fragments of the Koran then lay undiscovered until they were sent for radio carbon dating at the University of Oxford.
However, these claims are strongly disputed by Muslim scholars, with Mustafa Shah from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London also telling the paper: 'If anything, the manuscript has consolidated traditional accounts of the Koran's origins.'
The Prophet Muhammad is thought to have founded Islam sometime after 610AD and the first Muslim community was founded in Medina in 622AD.
During this time the Koran was memorised and recited orally but Caliph Abu Bakr, the first leader of the Muslim community after Muhammad's death, ordered the Koranic material to be collected into a book.
The final authoritative written form was not completed until 650AD under the third leader Caliph Uthman.
Professor Nadir Dinshaw, who studies interreligious relations at the University of Birmingham, described the discovery as'startling'.
When it was found last month he said: 'This could well take us back to within a few years of the actual founding of Islam.
'According to Muslim tradition, the Prophet Muhammad received the revelations that form the Qur'an, the scripture of Islam, between the years AD 610 and |
do with an understanding of football, however, has been yanked down to zero.
The Pats' key advantage here is the Awareness category: the Toms are at 99, and the Colts are at zero. These Colts don't really know how to play football, but they are monstrously strong and unreasonably fast, so does that even matter? I suspect that Tom is still going into this game as an underdog. I'm sure a pack of dogs doesn't know how to play football. They'll still beat you at football, because a dead man cannot win.
These Indianapolis Colts, no matter how physically gifted they may be, figure to be a gaggle of clumsy screwup dipshits. As I often do, I recruited them from the ranks of Twitter.
if you would like to be in the next Breaking Madden, please tell me about a time you really, really fucked up — Jon Bois (@jon_bois) January 12, 2015
There were stories. My God, there were stories. Here's one:
@jon_bois Paid off a man for hitting his car, told my mom I lost my wallet, accidentally got him arrested for theft when he cashed my check — Janie Campbell (@itsjaniec) January 12, 2015
OK, one more.
@jon_bois 16 year old me drank most of a $10,000 bottle of scotch that was my friend's dad's retirement gift. She didn't speak to me again — James Dator (@James_Dator) January 12, 2015
OK wait, I lied, one more.
@jon_bois 12yo - poured gas into paper cup, lit on fire & kicked it, yelling "FIELD GOAL!" 3rd degree burns on leg, bedridden for summer. :( — Ian (@TheDDB) January 12, 2015
And I'm tellin' y'all, these aren't even the worst ones. There were 20 terrible stories in total, and if you'd like, you can read them all here at:
All right. Nothing left to do but let 'er rip. Godspeed, Touchdown Tom.
THE GAME.
One more note at the outset: everything you see in these GIFs is the computer's fault. At no moment in these GIFs did I actually take control of any player. I just called whichever play Madden recommended, put the controller down, and watched it happen.
Before we even kicked off, my eye caught something strange. Phil Simms and Jim Nantz opened up the broadcast with the same banal non-sentiments they always spout. But I slowed down the tape. Look to the right of Simms' right shoulder.
It's nothing especially wild, but... it looks almost like a set of chubby fingers, pushing its way into this world for the briefest of instances. I've played tons and tons and tons of Madden, and I've never seen that before. Why would I have? This "Nantz and Simms in the booth" segment is completely canned. It's not interactive at all, and if the computer were ever to screw up and randomly generate something that wasn't supposed to be here, it surely wouldn't be here, right? Are... are we being haunted?
It's nothing. I'm sure that it's nothing and that it foreshadows nothing.
So, about these Colts. It's a miracle that they even know where to line up. They clearly have never seen or heard of the sport of football. The game just told them, "THAT IS BALL. GET MAN WITH BALL." What does that mean? Does that mean, say, using your arms? Hell if they know.
Jane Coaston just kind of sprints in the general direction of the man with the football, arms flopping around like vestigial mistakes. Madden was really getting into the spirit of this endeavor. It piloted these players, more or less, like shuffleboard pucks, except it didn't try to get them to rest at the edge. There was no steady hand here. The game just shoved these dudes as hard as they could.
Please forgive this big long GIF. I just wanted to show this to you, because it cracks me up. Surely at some point they'll stop flinging their fool asses into nowhere. They just keep going and going and falling.
I knew they didn't understand how arms worked, but I didn't expect such explicit evidence.
Yes. Yes, those are arms. Weird, right? I've never seen a player in Madden do this. Hypothesis: a developer was hired by Electronic Arts to program player animations. "I think it would be nice," this developer said, "if the players could dice invisible cucumbers! I also feel that football is an adjective and the Moon is made of crayons." This individual was fired, but not before programming Phil Simms' commentary.
Let's check in with Mr. McCue, who has been assigned to play zone coverage, I think.
This is where ideas like conviction and self-actuation go to die. I was able to see which plays the Colts were calling, and I know that no sort of "QB contain" or "QB spy" play was called here. Half of him seemed to want to continue to play zone, despite the fact that all the receivers were clearly running verts, and none of them were anywhere near his zone. I see that GIF and remember every time I've been stuck with a shitty grocery cart.
There was a lot of, "well, I guess I'll see what all these Tom Bradys are doing and kind of follow their lead."
"Huh? Oh yeah, OK, I'll see what's over here."
Visually speaking, these players are actually kind of adorable. They're like enormous tardigrades. Y'all ever seen a tardigrade? They're these chubby, microscopically-small animals who are far cuter than any creature that size has any business being. Like the tardigrade, these Colts could probably survive in space, and should probably be sent there.
Here's a curious thing about the Madden Patriots: they are not coached by Bill Belichick. While every other team gets to have its real-life coach in the game, Belichick didn't allow his likeness to be used in the game. Instead, they're coached by a generic shithead asshole, who will be revealed as a shithead asshole in short order.
See, the kicker is Tom Brady, who possesses a 18/99 in kicking power, and a 17/99 in kicking accuracy. That's no good. He's so untenably bad that he can't even kick an extra point. Generic Shithead Asshole Coach knows this, so understandably, he never, ever sends him out to attempt a field goal.
Problem: the Patriots face a fourth-and-inches at the Colts' 28-yard line. With a field goal attempt ruled out, they can either go for it, or they... they punt. THEY PUNT.
I couldn't take this shit. This might be the first time Madden actually made me angry. This game was really tough sledding, and if Touchdown Tom had any chance of pulling out a win, he needed to take advantage of every opportunity he was given. Generic Shithead Asshole Coach was ruining everything.
I made that GIF back when I imagined that was the worst it would get. It wasn't. Look. THEY PUNTED AT THE COLTS' ONE-YARD LINE. GOD DANGIT, LOOK AT THIS SHIT.
LOOK AT THAT PIECE-OF-SHIT ASSHOLE. It's actually fortunate that the Patriots' coach turns out to be a pretend person, because I would never tell a real person, nor the avatar of a real person, "I am going to drag your shit-for-brains ass up a church tower and ring 6 o'clock with your face."
If you've never seen a punter try to coffin-corner a punt one yard from the opponent's end zone, well, there you go. That's obviously a touchback, which gifted the Colts' offense 19 yards for free.
Speaking of, I haven't even mentioned the other half of this game, because I didn't even touch it. It served as the control group: the completely normal, Andrew Luck-led Colts offense versus the completely normal Patriots defense. That was Touchdown Tom's challenge: he had to rise above this wonky Hellscape and compete against the normal world.
Tom has made a habit of surprising us in Breaking Madden. Remember last year, when he overcame a 74-0 halftime deficit to beat the Colts in the playoffs? Remember earlier this season, when, after 343 tries, he finally scored a 99-yard touchdown on a quarterback sneak? In those times, I knew not to count him out. But as this game rolled on, I found myself in an unfamiliar position.
I, of all people, was beginning to count out Touchdown Tom. You may recall that as a general rule, I do not count out Touchdown Tom, and I recommend that others also do not count out Touchdown Tom.
Here concludes the Touchdown Tom Trilogy. Here are your game highlights. Godspeed us all:
Music: "Sigur 8 (Untitled)" by Sigur Ros.
Click here for many more adventures in Breaking Madden.Senior civil servants are being sent out to inspect schools and all 8,000 railway stations in the country and report back on the progress of centrally sponsored programmes, in tandem with the first anniversary of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.
It is being described as a reality-check scheme involving the ministries of human resource development (HRD) and railways.
But the two ministries believe the mid-summer scheme will also drive officers out of their comfort zone and give them a feel of the “real India".
While HRD ministry officers—at the level of deputy secretaries and directors—have nearly completed their work, the railways, which is despatching its board members, zonal railway heads, and diligence officials, is starting out next week.
All officials are expected to file independent reports, including SWOT analyses (strength, weakness, opportunity and threat).
The HRD ministry is focusing on schools, while the railway officials are heading for stations, not only because they are the basic touchpoints of the ministry’s services, but also because these busy gateways are useful for gathering the common man’s views on the Union government, said at least three government officials.
“Sending officials to schools across India has three benefits: monitoring, awakening states and getting a good feedback," said an HRD ministry official who requested anonymity.
The official said that three key central schemes—Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Mid Day Meal and Swachh Bharat—have their roots in schools, and top authorities feel that a grounds-up report by its own officials will be of great help.
The HRD ministry officials have been visiting schools for the last three weeks and are targeting remote districts, a second official said.
Other than compiling reports, all officials have been directed to fill a form detailing the facilities in each of the schools and collect the contact details of school headmasters for any follow-up.
“What we realized is that work has been done on the ground and there is incremental growth. But is it ideal? No. Delhi is really far from where we went (districts far from the state capitals) in terms of desire and the current outcome," said the second official.
Similarly, the railway minister Suresh Prabhu has called for a 15-day programme starting 26 May—the first anniversary of the NDA government—to underline the seriousness of implementing initiatives.
Senior railway officials will travel to 8,000 railway stations in the country to assess the ground situation and engage with customers.
“It is a massive drive for communicating with the passengers and customers to understand what improvements have been made on the ground and get feedback," said a railway official, requesting anonymity. “We are trying to have every railway station covered by at least one of these officials and will try to take stock of all the 8,000 railway stations," the official said.
The visiting teams have been given 50 check-points on the basis of which they will evaluate the ground situation, including services offered.
“The officials will be required to assess the station facilities, cleanliness, safety provisions, inaugurate completed projects, if pending, and organize health camps, among other things," said the official.
All railway zones have been asked to file reports of each of these visits to the ministry of railways, which will then evaluate them and take action.
“Successive governments have great ideas but lack implementation. So, you have to change the mindset and learn from the corporate sector. If you are a railway officer and don't travel in trains, how will you implement the schemes correctly? Going to the ground and getting first-hand information is the beginning of that change in mindset, and it shall lead to several benefits," said S.L. Rao, former director general of the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER).
The NDA has identified railways as a focus area. It more than doubled the plan size for the railway ministry at over ₹ 1 trillion for the fiscal year started 1 April and laid out a five-year investment plan of ₹ 8.5 trillion, in a bid to revitalize the national transporter.
Railway minister Prabhu has repeatedly spoken of the need for capacity augmentation, better services like faster, convenient ticketing, cleaner stations and toilets and technological upgrades.
prashant.n@livemint.comSensory Friendly Day
JOIN US FOR OUR NEXT SENSORY FRIENDLY EVENT!
02/18/2019 – open from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
04/01/2019
Less crowded environment
Light and sound reduction
Extra visual safety signage
Designated quiet rooms
Upcoming Dates:Event times: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.Sensory Friendly Day is an exclusive event for children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and sensory processing differences to have a fun, enjoyable and interactive learning experience in a comfortable and accepting environment! Staff goes through the Museum ahead of time to turn down lights, limit extra sounds and stop distracting motions. Extra signage is added to help visitors determine things not to climb on, and entrances between exhibits where it is good to stop and wait for an adult before continuing. Our Sensory Friendly Days offer a wonderful relief from extra stimuli. These exclusive events include the following modifications:
Admission is just $5 per person. Children under one and Museum Members receive free admission. To register, please contact Lydia Dungus at (713) 535-7238.
Media Note: News outlets may attend and photograph this event.
WHAT TO EXPECT
SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT
On hand specialists ready to answer your questions
Weighted lap pads (information booth check out)
Sunglasses for overstimulating lights (information booth check out)
Ear defenders for overstimulating sounds (information booth check out)
Wheelchairs, transport chairs, walking aids (first-come, first-serve basis)
Maps and guides to help plan a visit
Museum Story Book Guide
We provide a supportive environment for children and families to have the best experience possible. Sensory Friendly Day is a wonderful opportunity for parents of children with special needs to connect with other families! We provide the following:Museum Story Guides have been created to help you and your child familiarize yourself with the Museum and its exhibits before you visit. Written from a child’s perspective, the guides can be helpful in planning which exhibits to visit and in which order:
SAFETY
Safety is first at the Museum. The main entrance doors are staffed during operating hours by a Courtesy Officer. The officer keeps a watchful eye out so that children do not enter or leave the building without an adult. Adults who visit the Museum without children must have a valid identification card and check in with our Admissions Booth before entering the Museum. The Children’s Museum of Houston staff is trained to look for and reunite lost children with their families as quickly as possible. Our staff members are easy to identify in their teal polo shirts and khaki pants. If a child becomes separated from their family and is found by a staff member, they will be brought to the Information Booth. If a parent becomes separated from a child, they should alert a staff member as soon as possible. The Museum has procedures in place to send information out to individuals staffing the Museum exhibits to look for lost children.
PLAN ANOTHER VISIT
If you are looking for a quieter time to visit, consider visiting Tuesday through Friday after 1:30 p.m. during the school year.
Visit first thing in the morning during the summer and on weekends for a slightly quieter experience.
If your child has trouble with transitions, consider visiting toward the end of the day. Several announcements are made prior to our 6 p.m. closing encouraging visitors to make their way to the front of the Museum for departure.
If sound in the galleries becomes too much, ear defenders are available for check out at the Information Booth.
If your child has light sensitivities, we suggest bringing along a pair of sunglasses for them to wear.
If you need a quiet place to take a break, consider visiting the Parent Resource Library, the Brown Auditorium or ask a staff member if a Discovery Room is available to use.
Plan your visit by picking up a copy of the map at the Information Booth upon arrival at the Museum.
If you would like to plan a visit during regular operating days outside of our Sensory Friendly Days, we offer these suggestions:
For more information, contact Vandolyn Esparza, Alexander Specialist for Early Literacy Development and Special Learning Needs at 713.535.7206.
SIGN UP FOR E-NEWS TO LEARN MORE ABOUT SIMILAR EVENTS!
REGISTRATION
Admission is just $5 per person. Children under one and Museum Members receive free admission.
For more information or to make reservations, contact Lydia Dungus at (713) 535-7238 or via email Lydia Dungus
SPONSORED BYAt the Ubuntu Developer Summit (UDS) today in Florida, Ubuntu founder Mark Shuttleworth announced that the Unity shell will become Ubuntu's default user interface across both the desktop and netbook editions. Unity, which was introduced as the new netbook interface in the recent Ubuntu 10.10 release, will arrive on the desktop in Ubuntu 11.04 next year.
Shuttleworth described desktop adoption of Unity as the "most significant change ever" for Ubuntu. He also acknowledged that it is a "risky step" and that much work remains to be done to prepare for the transition. The move reflects Ubuntu's growing divergence from the standard upstream GNOME configuration and effort to differentiate itself with a distinctive user experience. During the keynote, Shuttleworth emphasized that Ubuntu is still committed to GNOME despite the fact that it will ship with Unity instead of GNOME Shell. He contends that diversity and competition between different kinds of GNOME environments will encourage innovation and benefit the GNOME ecosystem.
The decision to ship a custom interface in Ubuntu is going to be controversial. Critics in the upstream community are already expressing disappointment with what they view as a move to fork the desktop. It's worth noting, however, that Canonical isn't the first company to build a unique user experience for GNOME that deviates from the standard upstream user interface stack. Intel also similarly produced a custom shell with the Clutter that is used on the MeeGo platform. Canonical's deviations from the upstream configuration receive closer scrutiny because Ubuntu's popularity among Linux users makes the distribution a king-maker on the Linux desktop. Canonical's decision to ship Unity could deeply marginalize GNOME Shell.
The diverging desktops could pose some challenges for GNOME application developers who will have to support two different sets of desktop integration features. I discussed that issue with Shuttleworth after the keynote to get his perspective. He pointed out that developers are already supporting Ubuntu's indicator system and other custom integration points without much difficulty. He is confident that fragmentation challenges for application developers can be avoided by working through FreeDesktop.org to ensure that desktop integration mechanisms are standardized and interoperable between environments. As an example, he highlighted the collaboration that occurred around the Media Player Remote Interfacing Specification, the protocol that Ubuntu uses to facilitate communication between music players and the desktop's new audio indicator menu in Ubuntu 10.10.
I also asked Shuttleworth why Canonical is building its own shell rather than customizing the GNOME Shell. He says that Canonical made an effort to participate in the GNOME Shell design process and found that Ubuntu's vision for the future of desktop interfaces was fundamentally different from that of the upstream GNOME Shell developers. He says that GNOME's rejection of global menus, for example, is one of the key philosophical differences that would be difficult to reconcile. Canonical has accumulated a team of professional designers with considerable expertise over the past few years. They want to set their own direction and create a user experience that meets the needs of their audience. The other major Linux vendors, who are setting the direction of GNOME Shell's design, have different priorities and are arguably less focused than Ubuntu on serving basic desktop users.
There are also technical issues that drove the decision. Ubuntu's developers are deeply dissatisfied with GNOME's new Mutter window manager, for example, and have decided to use Compiz instead in their Unity environment. Shuttleworth says that Mutter simply couldn't deliver acceptable performance. Shuttleworth also says that Zeitgeist will play an increasingly significant role in Ubuntu even though it is not going to be part of GNOME 3. Zeitgeist is a sophisticated framework that tracks and correlates relationships between the user's activities so that it can supply applications with contextually relevant information to present to users. Zeitgeist was once considered to be a key part of the roadmap for GNOME 3, but was rejected by the upstream community due to cultural differences in its development model. Shuttleworth says that GNOME would benefit from greater receptiveness to outside innovation and is disappointed that the Zeitgeist project isn't being embraced by the upstream community.
Shuttleworth identified multitouch support as a very high priority for Unity. During his keynote, he expressed the belief that multitouch hardware will eventually become ubiquitous in portable computers. The earliest hardware-enablement aspects of Ubuntu's multitouch strategy have already landed in Ubuntu 10.10. Canonical aims to work with application, toolkit, and Xorg developers to bring richer touch interaction to the desktop. He also emphasized the importance of moving beyond the traditional approach to file management. He argued that the "files and folders way of thinking is completely broken" and should be displaced by a more search-centric model and Zeitgeist-enabled tools that rely on context. Despite his enthusiasm for driving innovation in file management, he acknowledged that the file interface in Unity is not sufficiently mature yet. In Ubuntu 11.04, GNOME's traditional Nautilus file manager will be made easily accessible through Unity.
Unity will be at the heart of the ambitious Ubuntu 11.04 roadmap. Due to the enormous magnitude of the changes that it will bring to the Ubuntu desktop, it will likely be a major focus of discussion this week at the Ubuntu Developer Summit. As we concluded in our recent review of Unity, it has considerable potential but still needs a lot of work. During the next six months of Ubuntu development leading up to the 11.04 release, the Ubuntu team will endeavor to make Unity shine.
Listing image by Ryan Paul/Ars TechnicaEduardo Tapia Castro, Jorge Alvarado Tapia and Alex Gledhill
My name is Alex and we started Quina Fina in 2009 with an idea to make the best Tonic Water possible. My research led me on a journey to the Province of Loja, the birth place of Cinchona, high in the Andes of Ecuador.
On my travels it became clear that the people of Loja had seen little for their endemic offering. Their once vibrant Cinchona bark trade had been exhausted by colonial powers through extensive deforestation.
A flowering Cinchona seedling
To reverse this negative impact, we worked alongside the community to create this unique project. We've fostered strong relationships with the Tapia-Castro family, Cinchona enthusiast Jorge and the Biology Department at UPTL University.
With this support we have built a Cinchona nursery and begun vital propogation research.
As an independent project, we intend for it to create its own economic and environmental sustainability to help protect this important plant.
Quina Fina Tonic Water will provide demand for replenishable harvests of bark - funding employment, research and repopulation for ‘Quina Fina de Loja’, with active involvement in the community.
The money we raise will go towards:
- Expenses at UPTL to germinate our seedlings
- Transport for Jorge to navigate the road to and from the remote site
- Materials and equipment for propagation
- Organic fertilizer, pots, and irrigation
- Extending our greenhouse for our growing numbers of Cinchona
- Further research with Carlos and UTPL to create efficient re-population methods
The Tapia Castro Family
The generous Tapia Castro Family have been vital to our success so far, offering both the use of their land and assistance. Passionate about Loja and the Cinchona, Eduardo has been a key developer of the Cinchona project since the beginning.
Jorge Alvarado TapiaEvery year, there are a few cards that you wait to see what they go for. These cards usually have the best shot at being the most valuable cards of the entire calendar year, and its always interesting to see how much they sell for. In baseball. Yasiel Puig has been responsible for many of these types of cards, but until recently, his 2013 Bowman Mini Superfractor was still out there.
Well, much to everyone's delight, the card of the year was put up on eBay, and had a very enormous asking price before it was taken down.
If you remember back to when the 2010 Bowman Stephen Strasburg Superfractor was listed, it sold for over 20K to a casual collector with a lot of extra money laying around. This seller has to be hoping this card breaks the modern ceiling of 10K at this point, but with Puig coming back down to earth I dont blame him for selling now. ALthough the auction was ended, there are no reports the card has changed hands.
We already had a very surprising sale of the Byron Buxton Superfractor Auto 1/1 that approached the ceiling, and once 2013 Bowman Chrome is released with Puig autos, there will be plenty more for us to chase. Im curious to see how this card eventually compares to the 1/1 autographed Superfractor, as the autographed cards can sometimes carry a premium, even if they arent the first card released. The 2013 mini is Puig's first Topps card in his Dodgers uniform though, and despite the fact that it is an insert, there are a lot of reasons why this card is as coveted as it is.
As the tidal wave of Puig cards and autographs eventually floods the market, cards like his Mini and his insert Bowman top 100 will calm down some. There is also no guarantee that he will continue to play at the high level that he is. As much as we would all like to see him slug 80 home runs in 80 games, its not going to happen. However, he will be a factor in a large market for the rest of the year, and next year looks like a sure thing as well. The issue is that THIS is the peak of his popularity. You dont buy now.
Since collectors have already had considerable shots at licensed autographs in 2013 Bowman Inception, Im curious to see what happens when Allen and Ginter comes out during August. The Inception cards are selling extremely well as expected, but their status as redemptions tends to hurt the potential value until they start going out. Same thing is happening with the 2013 Lucky Redemption auto that is Puig’s first autograph available. I have a lot of confidence that they will eventually be signed as a priority, but I am just as curious to see what happens if the Ginter autos are live.
Even Harper’s cards settled down during the offseason a bit, as Baseball wasnt top of mind. With football season coming on strong, you can bet that there will be plenty of chances to buy in.And speaking of refugees, what about the more–conservative–than–thou #NeverTrump crowd?
I Was 100 Percent Wrong About Donald Trump
It’s been a decade or more since I’ve enjoyed watching election returns on TV. Republicans are always being told not to give up hope; the campaign is gaining momentum in the last week. I remember four years ago there were reports from the Romney campaign that prospects for victory were looking up.
Instead of three little old ladies waiting in line for Mitt outside a Florida Golden Corral, there were now four. Even in the midst of such encouraging news I still felt like a German soldier on the Eastern Front waiting for the advent of winter. This year Trump was barnstorming the country like the Great Waldo Pepper with thousands of people packing areas to hear him speak. Yes, it looked very impressive compared to the handful Hillary allowed to stand at her bedside, but how much credence could one give to Trump’s reports of eminent victory? I was briefly encouraged when the director of the FBI performed an encore of the Hokey–Comey, but the last move he busted was to take his right foot out and proclaim Hillary was again disingenuous, negligent and unindictable. Then there was the problem of which network? Could I take hours of smug Megyn Kelly gloating over a Trump defeat she eagerly anticipated?
As it turned out, Megyn and I both got a big surprise.
Trump extended his record of proving me 100 percent wrong Trump extended his record of proving me 100 percent wrong Once acknowledging a Trump victory was unavoidable, watching the pundits squirm became very entertaining. The pathetic Karl Rove was claiming Trump owed Speaker Paul Ryan for his victory in Wisconsin. If Ryan is the measure of support, then Trump should be equally grateful to illegal aliens for providing the rioters that roughed up his supporters outside rallies. Dana Perino allowed that veterans of the Bush administration might hold their nose and agree to work with Trump, which is quite an understatement. Trump will soon discover it’s easier to rid himself of head lice than it is to shed Bush hangers–on wanting a place on the Trump train. Many on Fox couldn’t rid themselves of their condescending, establishment mindset, even with the results of Trump’s victory starring them in the face. Sean Hannity, an early and vocal Trump backer, was asked if he thought Trump could find a way to reach out to Ryan and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Hannity injected a note of realism when he observed tartly that those two had better figure out a way to reach out to Trump. Currently the opposition media is speculating regarding what the effects of a Trump victory will be in the next few months. But I say he’s already had an impact. The good news is “assault rifles” just became a lot cheaper.
On the other hand Hillary Clinton’s speaking fees took a big hit On the other hand Hillary Clinton’s speaking fees took a big hit. She’ll be lucky if she can land a job cutting ribbons for new Chipotles and chances are she’ll be paid in burrito bowls. No more demands for private jet transportation. Hillary will have to depend on the coyotes to get her there like the rest of the help does. The exodus from the Clinton Corruption Foundation will look like Occupy protestors fleeing a meth lab explosion. The only jobs Hillary ever created were at the foundation and it took donations to make that possible. Now the charity–funded, administration–in–waiting has the same fund raising potential as Trump University. What does the future look like if your only marketable skill is selecting the pantsuit of the day? Bill will feel the effects, too. He won’t be picking up any more hotties on billionaire’s executive jets. He’ll be back at the bus station scouting talent with the rest of the chicken hawks. Clintons and their hangers on aren’t the only economic victims of the Trump victory. Election day was a nationwide experiment in the value of a paid GOTV (Get Out the Vote) ground game. Experts griped that Trump’s lack of one was yet another reason he wasn’t fit to be the nominee. Today consultants peddling manpower–intensive GOTV programs just saw the market for their services plummet. Trump’s “Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey” campaign proved those anecdotal people showing up at a rally also show up at the polls. And speaking of refugees, what about the more–conservative–than–thou #NeverTrump crowd? The Weekly Standard and the National Review were both hotbeds of the anti–trump commentariat. I wouldn’t be surprised if embarkation process for the post–election cruises both magazines sponsor resembles Saigon in 1975. I briefly considered joining one of the cruises to gloat, but then it struck me: Do those embarking on the #NeverTrump cruise plan to come back?
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Michael R. Shannon (The Whole Shebang (mostly)) is a Virginia-based public relations and media consultant with MANDATE: Message, Media & Public Relations who has worked in over 75 elections on three continents and a handful of islands.
Please adhere to our commenting policy to avoid being banned. As a privately owned website, we reserve the right to remove any comment and ban any user at any time.Comments that contain spam, advertising, vulgarity, threats of violence and death, racism, anti-Semitism, or personal or abusive attacks on other users may be removed and result in a ban.-- Follow these instructions on registeringGood morning, and welcome to the Guardian's live reaction to the riots in Tottenham last night.
Two police cars, a bus and several shops were attacked and set ablaze in north London as violence and looting erupted following a protest demanding "justice" over the fatal shooting of Mark Duggan.
Eight police officers were injured during the violence, which continued into the early hours of Sunday morning.
Duggan, 29, was killed on Thursday after police stopped the minicab he was travelling in. The IPCC are investigating the incident, which also saw a police officer shot – the bullet reportedly lodging in his radio and leaving him with minor injuries.
Several colleagues were reporting from the scene of the violence in Tottenham, here's the Guardian's main news story:
Officers on horseback and others in riot gear clashed with hundreds of rioters armed with makeshift missiles in the centre of Tottenham after Mark Duggan, 29, a father of four, was killed on Thursday. On Sunday morning police said there remained isolated incidents in the Tottenham area involving "a small number of people" and officers were still dealing with those situations. Eight officers were being treated in hospital, one with head injuries, following the violence overnight. The London Fire Brigade said all fires were now "under control" after trouble spread overnight from Tottenham High Road to Tottenham Hale Retail Park and a Lidl supermarket was set on fire. On Saturday night, rioters broke through police ranks and attempted to storm Tottenham's police station, pelting officers with bricks, bottles and eggs. As a police helicopter flew over Tottenham High Road, youths in masks and hoods added combustible material to two burned out police cars, included a bundle of documents and an awning ripped down from one of the shops. Some attempted to persuade the rioters to disperse, one young man shouting: "Go home now people." But others filled bottles with petrol to throw at the police lines. Many lined up with makeshift weapons including metal bars and baseball bats to confront the line of police, but others seemed more interested in looting. At one stage a safe was dragged out of a bookmakers, while others were seen with a television set and an electric guitar. Several arrived with shopping trollies to take away what they had stolen. "It wasn't like this before," said one woman standing close to one of the two burned-out police cars. "It started out as a peaceful demonstration. The police shot a guy here last week and they lied about what happened. They said he pulled a gun but he wouldn't have done that with armed police. They shot him so badly that his mother could not recognise him." A Metropolitan police spokesman said the trouble began when missiles were thrown at parked patrol cars at 8.30pm. He said one was pushed, blazing, into the middle of Tottenham High Road. Neither of the two officers who had been driving the cars was injured. As violence spread, a double-decker bus was set upon. Witnesses said the vehicle exploded in flames after attackers threw homemade bombs through its windows. Nearby shops were also set ablaze.
Were you in Tottenham last night? Get in touch on Twitter @AdamGabbatt or share your stories below.
This video by MriRudi on YouTube shows a building engulfed by flames. "Apparently this is a jeweller's store," someone is heard saying on the footage. An alarm can be heard sounding in the background.
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Paul Lewis was reporting from Tottenham overnight and reports that "sustained looting spread from Tottenham to other nearby areas of Haringey".
By midnight police managed to secure a 200-metre stretch of the Tottenham High Road, scene of some of the worst rioting on Saturday night. But as fire engines entered the street, and began putting out blazing cars and buildings, the rioters spread north and east through back-streets. To the north, at Tottenham Hale, Aldi supermarket was ransacked and set on fire. So too was a nearby carpet shop, causing a huge blaze. Looters turned up with cars and shopping trolleys to carry away stolen goods. Nearby, large groups of youths congregated in the surrounding streets with sticks, bottles and hammers. Some wore balaclava masks, preventing cars from accessing streets as buildings were broken into. Others used large rubbish bins to form burning barricades across the road. However some of most dramatic looting took place further west, in Wood Green, and continued into the early hours of the morning.
Some official reaction from Downing Street:
The rioting in Tottenham last night was utterly unacceptable. There is no justification for the aggression the police and the public faced, or for the damage to property. There is now a police investigation into the rioting and we should let that process happen.
Paramedics treated a total of 11 people, ten of whom were taken to hospital, according to the London ambulance service.
A spokeswoman added that two of the eight injured police officers needed attention from ambulance crews, but it is not yet clear whether the other officers were dealt with by the ambulance service.
In the comments vic15, who lives opposite Tottenham police station, has given a detailed account of their experience of the rioting.
"This wasn't just about a policing, this was about mindless violence and aggression by disaffected and alienated youth," vic15 says.
I live in Tottenham - actually I live directly opposite the main police station. This is basically what I saw. I didn't know there was going to be any demonstration and heard a bit of noise but honestly, it's quite a noisy area so didn't think anything of it. Then at about 8/8.30pm things started to get quite frightening.
We saw the police move into a line and [people] on the streets were throwing things |
where perceived femininity was entered as the mediator, evidence for moderated mediation was not significant. Conversely, in the model where perceived masculinity was entered as the mediator, the indirect effect of branding on donation likelihood through perceived masculinity was contingent on gender (Index of Moderated Mediation =.17, 95% CI,.02–39), in that it was significant for men (B =.13, SE =.07, 95% CI,.02–28), but not for women (B = −.04, SE =.05, 95% CI, −.17 to.03). Thus the moderated mediation suggests that men’s increased donation likelihood was due to the greater perceived masculinity of the masculine-branded (vs. conventional-branded) green nonprofit.
Study 6B
The purpose of this field study was to extend the findings in study 6A to a more realistic setting by showing that masculine branding can reduce men’s resistance to an eco-friendly car.
Method
This field study was conducted with 73 customers (58.9% male) who visited one of three different BMW car dealerships in Northern China during the same one-month period. The sales teams at these dealerships and most customers in China refer to the BMW i3 as an eco-friendly car (环保型车). This conventional green branding could discourage male shoppers from being interested in the car. However, we predicted that branding this environmentally friendly model with a masculine name could mitigate men’s inhibitions. Consequently, we designed two types of print ads (conventional branding vs. masculine branding) for the BMW i3 (online appendix G describes the stimuli). For the conventional branding ad, we used the original car ad without changing any information. For the masculine branding ad, we changed only the name of the car; instead of the “2015 BMW i3 Eco-friendly Model (环保型),” it was branded as the “2015 BMW i3 Protection Model (捍卫型),” with the latter being a masculine word in Chinese. All other information remained the same (as requested by the dealers). Customers who visited these dealerships and agreed to participate were randomly assigned to view one of these two ads and asked how much they liked the car (1 = Dislike a lot, 5 = Like a lot) and their overall feeling about driving this car to work (1 = Very bad, 5 = Very good).
Results
Because the two dependent measures were highly correlated (α =.87), we averaged them to form a composite evaluation measure. A general linear model, with gender and two types of branding (conventional vs. masculine) as two independent variables and consumers’ evaluation of the car as the dependent variable, showed that the two-way interaction of branding and gender was significant; F(1, 69) = 17.15, p <.001, η p 2 =.20. Specifically, two contrasts showed that relative to conventional green branding, masculine branding significantly increased male customers’ evaluation (M = 3.95, SD =.87 vs. M = 3.05, SD = 1.14); F(1, 69) = 9.69, p <.005, η p 2 =.12, but decreased female customers’ evaluation (M = 2.93, SD =.96 vs. M = 3.91, SD =.78); F(1, 69) = 7.82, p <.01, η p 2 =.10. This finding that masculine branding can increase men’s (but not women’s) preference for a green car is consistent with our prediction that masculine branding is one way to decrease gender-identity threat among male consumers. Neither the main effect of branding (M = 3.56, SD = 1.03 vs. M = 3.42, SD = 1.08); F(1, 69) =.36, p =.55, η p 2 =.005 nor the main effect of gender was significant (M = 3.51, SD = 1.10 vs. M = 3.45, SD =.99); F(1, 69) =.07, p =.79, η p 2 =.001.
Discussion
The results from study 6 were consistent with our proposition that men avoid green behaviors at least in part to maintain a macho image, and that masculine (vs. conventional) branding can increase men’s likelihood to donate to green organizations (study 6A) and their evaluation of green products (study 6B). These findings identify masculine branding as a managerially relevant boundary condition and complement prior research (Stafford and Hartman 2012) in suggesting that perhaps men would be more willing to make environmentally friendly choices if the feminine association attached to green products and actions was altered.
Of interest is that masculine branding resulted in less favorable evaluations among female customers in study 6B. Although we did not find evidence that women’s preferences were impacted by product gender associations in our other studies (e.g., studies 5 and 6A), the finding of study 6B is consistent with the idea that women, like men, tend to prefer products that match their gender identity. This suggests that a strategy to weaken the association between greenness and femininity through branding may be most effective when the majority of customers are men.
GENERAL DISCUSSION
The central focus of this research was to examine why a gender gap exists in sustainable behavior. We argued that women’s likelihood to embrace sustainable behaviors more readily than men may be partially explained by an association between green behavior and femininity that threatens the gender identity of men. Consistent with this theorizing, we provide the first experimental evidence of the implicit cognitive association between the concepts of greenness and femininity (study 1), and show that this association can affect both social judgments (study 2) and self-perception (study 3) among both men and women. Focusing on the downstream consequences of this green-feminine stereotype, studies 4, 5, and 6 suggest that as a result of gender-identity maintenance, gender cues (e.g., those that threaten or affirm a consumer’s gender identity or that influence a brand’s gender associations) are more likely to affect men’s (vs. women’s) preferences for green products and willingness to engage in green behaviors.
At a conceptual level, these results help to bridge literatures on gender-identity maintenance and environmental sustainability and introduce the notion that gender-identity maintenance can influence men’s likelihood of adopting green behaviors. Our findings complement prior work in transformative consumer research that has investigated means to facilitate the adoption of green behaviors and the consumption of green products (Goldstein, Cialdini, and Griskevicius 2008; Griskevicius et al. 2010; Kidwell, Farmer, and Hardesty 2013). While prior research has tended to focus on facilitating sustainable consumption through enhancing the appeal of green products or behaviors, our research differs conceptually in its focus on facilitating sustainable consumption through attenuating men’s inhibitions.
Our findings that this inhibition can be mitigated through masculine affirmation or masculine branding suggest that similar interventions may be effective in other domains where gender stereotypes have been shown to affect consumer behavior. For example, prior research shows that men actively avoided a product named the “ladies’ cut steak” due to its feminine connotations, particularly when the product was to be consumed in public (White and Dahl 2006) and that the extent to which individuals would prepare for a hurricane was affected by whether its name is masculine or feminine (Jung et al. 2014). Moreover, prior work has identified conditions under which women engage in gender-identity maintenance by avoiding masculine products such as meat (Rozin et al. 2012). Although our studies did not provide strong evidence that women were as motivated as men to maintain their gender identity, we did find that the green-feminine stereotype was as prevalent among women as men. These findings illuminate our understanding of how products with strong associative links to a particular gender can influence the way consumers behave.
More generally, our findings also add to a growing body of research pointing to a link between identity and consumers’ tendency to engage in sustainable behavior. For example, recent work shows that identity-linked products are more likely to be recycled rather than trashed (Trudel, Argo, and Meng 2016). Similarly, prior research suggests that adherence to social norms about environmental behavior may depend on the extent to which individuals identify with a particular reference group (Goldstein et al. 2008). Other work suggests a link in the opposite direction of causality—that mere exposure to green products can alter a general sense of moral self that guides consumer behavior (Mazar and Zhong 2010). Our findings that gender identity can influence consumers’ likelihood to engage in green behaviors provide additional evidence in support of the link between identity and sustainability.
This work also contributes to an understanding of the similarities and differences between genders in environmental attitudes and behaviors. While we found strong evidence that a green-feminine association is prevalent among both genders, our findings also suggest that the extent to which this association affects green attitudes and behaviors is influenced by gender-identity maintenance. Specifically, our finding that women’s (vs. men’s) behaviors and choices are less influenced by the green-feminine stereotype is consistent with prior research showing that women tend to be less preoccupied than men with gender-identity maintenance (Bosson and Michniewicz 2013; Carter and McCloskey 1984; Gal and Wilkie 2010; Martin 1990; McCreary 1994; Moller et al. 1992). However, our results do not necessarily preclude the possibility that women’s willingness to engage in green (vs. nongreen) behaviors may be influenced by an associative motive to undertake actions consistent with a feminine gender identity. More broadly, our findings raise the question of whether gender-identity maintenance tends to be more associative or dissociative (e.g., whether men engage in gender-identity maintenance primarily to avoid feminine associations or to protect masculine associations). Although our measures of masculinity and femininity showed a strong inverse correlation, the differences we observed are consistent with prior research (Hoffman and Borders 2001) in suggesting that masculinity and femininity may be unique constructs rather than a single bipolar construct. Future research may further explore gender differences in gender-identity maintenance motives, as well as whether these motives tend to be more associative or dissociative.
In terms of managerial and policy implications, our findings suggest masculine branding as a strategy that marketers and policymakers may consider when promoting green products and behaviors to men. Marketers have used gender as a branding segmentation strategy for a wide array of products (Wolin 2003), and masculine branding of stereotypically feminine products has already been attempted by marketers in a number of product categories. For instance, diet soda is a category traditionally considered more feminine, but several brands of diet soda have recently framed their products to be masculine using slogans such as “Dr. Pepper 10—it’s not for women” and “Pepsi Max—the first diet cola for men.” Similarly, Powerful Yogurt is a yogurt brand designed specifically for men, and Broga is a yoga studio for men. In another example, although masculinity is often conceptualized as being in opposition to home and domesticity, home improvement products have nevertheless become associated with masculine identities such as suburban-craftsman and family-handyman (Moisio, Arnould, and Gentry 2013). These examples are consistent with prior research suggesting that the identity signaled by a particular product or behavior can change when a new social group identifies with it (Berger and Rand 2008) and highlight the possibility that masculine branding could be an effective strategy for altering the feminine association attached to green products and actions.
In conclusion, this research enhances our understanding of the role gender-identity maintenance plays in men’s greater likelihood than women to avoid environmentally friendly behavior. Despite a prevalent stereotype that green consumers are more feminine than nongreen consumers, we show that men’s inhibitions about engaging in green behavior can be mitigated through masculine affirmation and masculine branding. Given the serious threat to the environment posed by failure to adopt green behaviors, we hope that the actionable solutions identified by this research will attract the interest of researchers, marketers, and policymakers and prompt additional research in this important domain.
DATA COLLECTION INFORMATION
Data for study 1 were collected from students at Notre Dame in October 2015 and analyzed by the second author. Data for study 2 were simultaneously collected from students at both Notre Dame and Seattle University in September 2015 and jointly analyzed by the first and fourth authors. Data for study 3 were collected from MTurk in October 2015 and analyzed by the second author. Data for study 4 were collected from MTurk in March 2016 and jointly analyzed by the second and third authors. Data for study 5 were collected from MTurk in January 2016 and jointly analyzed by the first and second authors. Data for study 6A were collected from MTurk in October 2015 and analyzed by the fifth author. Data for study 6B were collected from visitors to BMW dealerships in Beijing in December 2015 and analyzed by the third author. For all studies, data were discussed and results reviewed on multiple occasions by each author.
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© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Journal of Consumer Research, Inc. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.comIndian beer baron Vijay Mallya's life as an international businessman just got a lot more complicated.
The Indian government has revoked the flamboyant tycoon's passport, increasing pressure on him to return to the country and settle more than $1 billion in outstanding debts.
The Ministry of External Affairs took the step after considering Mallya's response to questions posed by the government, and in response to a warrant issued by a judge in Mumbai, agency spokesman Vikas Swarup said.
A spokesman for Mallya declined to comment.
Mallya took over the chairmanship of his father's massive Kingfisher beer company in 1983. He co-owns a Formula 1 team and is sometimes described as India's version of Richard Branson.
But he is also on the hook for roughly $1.3 billion in loans made to his defunct Kingfisher Airlines.
A group of 17 banks have struggled to claw back loans to the airline after it failed in 2012. In March, they asked India's Supreme Court to ensure Mallya remained in the country.
Related: India's big move into solar is already paying off
But Mallya had already departed. The self-styled "King of Good Times" denied that he was an absconder, but Indian media traced his whereabouts to a village north of London.
"I am an international businessman. I travel to and from India frequently," Mallya tweeted at the time.
"As an Indian [Member of Parliament] I fully respect and will comply with the law of the land," the beer baron said. "Our judicial system is sound and respected."
Mallya's exit became a major controversy in India, and the country's top political parties traded barbs over the issue.
"As far as the government is concerned, the clear instructions are that the banks must go all out to take every possible action," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told Parliament in March.
Mallya was until recently the chairman of United Spirits, the Indian business of British liquor giant Diageo.
Following accusations of impropriety, Diageo announced in February that he would resign in return for a payout of $75 million over five years. Mallya reportedly described the allegations as "half-truths and twisted facts."Some time a few years ago, some folks on the security team were swapping crackpots stories, and this one somehow lodged in my mind. The story below is paraphrased, but the essense remains intact.
"We had a crazy guy call into the security support line many years ago. He was going through a messy divorce and was convinced that his wife's lawyers were hacking into his computer in order to frame him, thereby gaining the upper hand during divorce proceedings. He wanted to know how to protect his computer against them. We played along and told him to keep the computer unplugged from the Internet, and he laughed a triumphant laugh and said condescendingly, 'They're coming in through the power lines, man! Don't you know anything?' Now, yeah, today we do have Internet access over the power lines, but still, that guy was crazy!"TEL AVIV – A draft media policy memo requested by Hillary Clinton recommended that the State Department utilize “Specialty Media” to get its foreign policy message across, a newly released State Department email reveals.
The 2009 memo urged Clinton to use her star power and singled out shows including Oprah, Ellen, The View, and others to be used to “amplify and deliver messages that advance policymaking.”
The memo stated that Ellen DeGeneres is “a big supporter of Hillary Clinton and is willing to use her platform to help promote the agenda of the new Secretary of State.”
The memo did not explain how it obtained the purported information about DeGeneres’s alleged willingness to use her show to promote Clinton’s agenda.
“The line between daytime talk shows and hard news becomes more and more blurred as headlines in one realm make headlines in the other,” wrote Jin Chon, in a three-page memo dated January 18, 2009. Chon served as spokesman for specialty media for Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign.
The memo, marked as a draft, was addressed to “Secretary of State-Designate Hillary Clinton Transition Team” and was titled, “Draft Memo: Specialty Media in the Age of Secretary Clinton.” It was contained in a February 5, 2009 email Chon sent to top Clinton aide Huma Abedin.
The email was part of a new batch of State emails released last week in response to a Judicial Watch lawsuit. The emails were reviewed in full by Breitbart Jerusalem.
Chon informed Abedin that Clinton personally requested the memo. “I mentioned the memo below to HRC last night and she asked me to get it to her,” he wrote.
In the memo, Chon highlighted the importance of specialty media as opposed to more political news outlets.
He wrote:
Unlike the elite, Inside-the-Beltway reporters who are constantly on the hunt for controversy and internal friction within the administration, specialty media outlets are more focused on substantive policy issues and want to find ways to connect these complex issues to a human face. Further, the thirst for access from these outlets puts the State Department in a position of strength in negotiating amount of coverage and topics to be discussed. … These outlets can create vital support for official policy or pending legislation among key domestic constituency groups but also create momentum for policy abroad. As the media environment continues to become more and more globally interconnected, it will be critical for the leadership of the State Department to leverage all of these media opportunities to amplify and deliver messages that advance policymaking.
Chon recommended that Clinton utilize daytime talk shows with large female audiences.
He singled out the following shows:
Oprah – In the world of daytime talk, Oprah continues to dominate and in the past few years, she has tackled many important foreign policy issues that are often ignored by mainstream press. Ellen – While Ellen does not spend many shows dealing with serious foreign policy issues, she does use her show to support important causes and raise money for them. Further, her show is syndicated internationally to ten countries, including Canada, Australia, and India. She is a big supporter of Hillary Clinton and is willing to use her platform to help promote the agenda of the new Secretary of State. The View – What The View lacks in international distribution, it makes up for it by creating a media echo chamber based on the intense discussions that take place every weekday during the Hot Topics segments. While foreign affairs have only been an occasional topic on the show, now with Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, that level is expected to spike dramatically.
The 2009 reference to The View as “creating a media echo chamber” may be telling. Two weeks ago, a New York Times article quoted a senior Obama administration official who used similar phraseology in describing the alleged use of the news media to sell the Iran nuclear deal to the American public.
That plot was referenced in a New York Times Magazine profile of President Obama’s deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes entitled, “The Aspiring Novelist Who Became Obama’s Foreign-Policy Guru.”
Robert Malley, senior director at the National Security Council, was quoted saying “experts” were utilized to create an “echo chamber” that disseminated administration claims about Iran to “hundreds of often-clueless reporters” in the news media.
Meanwhile, the memo to Clinton also highlighted the importance of entertainment shows like Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, EXTRA, and Inside Edition. Also mentioned were late night talk shows such as Late Night with David Letterman, The Tonight Show, and The Daily Show.
On Tuesday, Ellen announced in a Tweet that Clinton will join her show this month along with the cast members of the new all-female Ghostbusters remake.
Aaron Klein is Breitbart’s Jerusalem bureau chief and senior investigative reporter. He is a New York Times bestselling author and hosts the popular weekend talk radio program, “Aaron Klein Investigative Radio.” Follow him on Twitter @AaronKleinShow. Follow him on Facebook.SINGAPORE - The hazy conditions in Singapore worsened on Thursday (Sept 24), as denser haze from Sumatra was blown in by the prevailing southerly winds |
Lance Armstrong is back.
DM: I had one race with him, the Criterium International in Corsica, but no contact.
PK: You never spoke to him?
DM: No.
PK: How did you feel about him coming back?
DM: It didn't really affect me that much. I remember sitting in the airport in Corsica facing two flights to get home, and seeing his private plane with LA7F or whatever it was, painted on the tail and thinking, 'Jesus! Wanker!' (laughs) But that was it, really. If we had been direct competitors it might have been different, or if I hadn't pulled out of the Tour that year, but I never raced with him.
PK: Because you were due to ride the Tour.
DM: I was (at the start) in Monaco!
PK: Yeah, I remember.
DM: I had picked up a knee problem two weeks before, and could have had (it treated with) a jab of cortisone but I didn't want to do that.
PK: On ethical grounds?
DM: Yeah, although there was no issue with the rules. I was only 22. The cortisone would degenerate the tendon and I didn't want problems later in my career.
PK: Stay with Lance: A year later Floyd Landis goes nuclear with the doping at US Postal and there are some obvious repercussions for your team. You are surrounded by guys - Vaughters, Vande Velde, Zabriskie, White - who have raced with Armstrong and this doping regime. Were you curious about that? Was it a conversation you ever had?
DM: I think I just accepted that it happened. I believed they did what they did and regretted it. I wasn't going to judge them for that.
PK: I'm not asking you to judge them. I'm just curious, you weren't... curious, 'What was it like? What was going on?'
DM: I accepted it was true. I knew it was true. It was almost an explanation for the pessimism I'd had as a kid, that sense that something was going on. And fortunately I didn't know or I might not have gone into the sport.
PK: It might have stopped you?
DM: It's hard to say, because I've always carried that optimism that it was going to get better, and yet obviously, at the start of my career, it was still rife... well, maybe not rife, but there was a lot of it going on.
PK: You won the Tour of Poland that year (2010)?
DM: Yeah, (two months) after that Giro that nearly killed me.
PK: Go on.
DM: It was just brutal. I think we had rain on 15 or 16 days. I was so tired by the end of the race I couldn't sleep but it definitely made me stronger, because I rested completely and had a great end of the season. It was an important building block going that deep into my reserves.
PK: You finished second in the Tour of Poland a year later?
DM: Yeah, behind (Peter) Sagan.
PK: But you won a stage?
DM: Yeah, but I was reckless. I attacked with 20km to go on the mountain stage, got caught, attacked again and won. But if I had just saved it for the last climb I probably would have taken the (race). And then we went on to the Vuelta.
PK: Where you also won a stage.
DM: Yeah.
PK: The guy who finished 85th in that Tour of Poland finished second in that Vuelta. He is now a four-time winner of the Tour de France.
DM: Yeah.
PK: Was that a surprise? He had been a pro for three years?
DM: It was definitely a surprise. Funny enough, I remember JV (Vaughters) called me after that Tour of Poland and said, "Look, I've been offered this Chris Froome fella for next year. What do you think?" And I kind of went (exhales) "Phhhh! He's a really nice guy but..."
PK: Did you know him?
DM: I hadn't talked to him a lot. I had met him a couple of times when I was an under 23, we're a similar age, and I knew Geraint (Thomas) and Daryl (Impey) had raced with him at Barloworld, and then, yeah, that Vuelta. It was a real case of 'Wow! Where did that come from?'
3 Dark Trade
Another area in which riders seek to improve their performance is through reducing their weight in order to increase their power/weight ratio. Interviewees noted cases of dramatic weight loss in certain riders, which they felt could only be explained by use of performance-enhancing products. The Commission heard that the desire to lose weight might also be leading to an increase in eating disorders amongst riders.
The Cycling Independent Reform Commission, March 2015
PK: The first thing that struck me when we sat down this morning was how thin you are. What weight are you?
DM: I don't obsess over my weight.
PK: That wasn't what I asked.
DM: I don't know. I didn't weigh myself during the Tour.
PK: Or before it?
DM: I think (the team) weighed me before it and I was 61 kilos, but I try not to think about it.
PK: That's unusual because there's such an obsession now in the game with power-to-weight. But you don't obsess?
DM: I don't obsess about anything I eat. This life is far too difficult to live like a monk so if I feel like a glass of wine, I'll have a glass of wine; if I feel like a beer, I'll have a beer. It's all about sustainability. There's a lot of eating disorders in cycling at the moment, especially among young cyclists, and it's wrong. This whole thing about riding on no breakfast! Why? They assume that if you eat less you get skinny, but there's a line with that, you have to also give your body what it needs to compete.
PK: The last interview I did with Nicolas was two years ago in Monaco...
DM: (laughs) He's the worst, I've tried to advise him.
PK: We met around lunchtime on the day after Paris-Nice and he had just finished a two-hour ride on a double espresso and a slice of toast! That's insane!
DM: Yeah, it's a leap of faith for sure, and it takes time. I learnt through experience.
PK: What was the experience?
DM: When I went to Marseilles. It was the culture there. The team director would come in and pinch your skin; you're reading all this stuff about power-to-weight and Armstrong doing seven watts-per-kilo or something stupid and think, 'I need to be skinnier.' And you're thinking about it so much that you actually gain weight! So I thought, 'No. I'll just relax and see what happens.'
PK: And it worked?
DM: People are stunned by how much I eat. I remember (having dinner) at an altitude training camp and guys from other teams were horrified: 'How are you so skinny!' Because I smash myself in training and burn it off.
PK: Is that not a gift? Or your metabolism?
DM: No, I don't believe in that.
PK: That's the argument Nicolas would make.
DM: The best metaphor I've heard for it is this - When a fuel light comes on in your car, you don't tend to push the accelerator as hard. Your body is the same, when the tank is full you'll push the accelerator. I train hard, eat well, and my body is 100 per cent the next day.
PK: That interview with Nicolas was just after the CIRC report came out. Did you read it?
DM: No.
PK: Why not?
DM: I don't know, I just... I might have read the review parts but I can't remember what was in it.
PK: Here's a paragraph. There is a considerable amount of spin around what being clean means to riders and teams. It can be used today in the same way that the phrase, "I have never tested positive" was sometimes used in the past to suggest that a doping rider had never doped. For the public, the presumption that a rider is clean has been eroded by the scandals over the years.
DM: (Nods)
PK: I'm going to ask you the same questions I asked Nicolas, Are you clean?
DM: Yeah.
PK: What does that mean?
DM: I won't take anything, or ingest anything, to gain an unfair advantage.
PK: Nicolas said, "I'm a rider who has never taken anything that is illegitimate or can be sanctioned in the sport." So a subtle difference.
DM: Yeah, but it's a definition thing again, that same moral dilemma. The anti-doping people have a difficult job. They are relying on people not abusing the system.
PK: There's been a lot of discussion about that recently with regard to Sky and Bradley Wiggins. You were a team-mate of Wiggins (at Slipstream) in '09?
DM: Yeah, I shared a room with him at the pre-Tour (training) camp that year. I don't know Brad well but I have respect for him and what he's done. I don't know how he did it, but I want to believe that he's... genuine.
PK: We've had the Fancy Bears leak, the TUEs, the Jiffy Bag saga, the errantly delivered testosterone patches, etcetera, etcetera. It's not easy to give them the benefit of the doubt.
DM: They have been digging a hole and it still hasn't been explained. I don't know. It's strange.
PK: Tom Dumoulin (the Giro d'Italia winner) says it stinks.
DM: (Pauses)
PK: I agree with him.
DM: I think it comes down to ethics and morals.
PK: That is exactly what it comes down to.
DM: But is the rider to blame or the team? Because the teams I've been in would have said, "No (TUE), you don't start." The health of the rider has always come first.
PK: You've never had an injection since you turned pro?
DM: No.
PK: Never?
DM: No. And I'm very proud of that.
PK: You have asthma? Allergies?
DM: Yeah.
PK: How do you treat them?
DM: A seretide inhaler.
PK: Do you need a TUE for that?
DM: No, I write it down on the anti-doping form but it's not technically a TUE.
PK: How many TUEs have you had?
DM: I think you needed a TUE for salbutamol when I first turned pro, or maybe they had just done away with it because I don't remember ever applying for one. So none.
PK: Another area of abuse is anti-depressants, tranquilisers and painkillers - Tramadol. So again, what is clean?
DM: What's clean?
PK: Yeah.
DM: I took Tramadol once and it scared the crap out of me.
PK: When?
DM: The 2010 Giro. I pushed so hard, and made myself so sick that it really terrified me.
PK: A time trial?
DM: No, a long mountain stage. I didn't know what Tramadol was before that race but again, it's the cultural thing, "Try this." I didn't feel happy doing it.
PK: Because the only reason you were taking it was to enhance your performance?
DM: Yeah.
PK: That's the only reason you were doing it?
DM: Yeah.
PK: Everybody gets pushed there.
DM: Yeah, eventually. But since then, no, apart from when I was lying in a hospital bed in agony with a broken collarbone (his Giro crash in 2014).
PK: You've used no other painkillers, or form of painkillers, in a race since?
DM: Paracetamol every now and again.
PK: Nothing during the Tour for your back after you crashed?
DM: I didn't need anything.
PK: What about the continuing abuse of cortisone in the peloton?
DM: I'd like to see it banned completely.
PK: Motors?
DM: I hope not, that would be embarrassing.
PK: It's happened.
DM: Yeah, definitely. You see guys holding onto cars as well, the (team) directors' cars, that's cheating! Or the TV motorbikes and the way they're being used.
PK: Give me an example.
DM: I'm not saying it's being done deliberately but in the Dauphine, when Fuglsang (the race winner, Jacob Fuglsang) got that gap on me, he had four motorbikes in front of him. I was alone! I would have caught him but for those motorbikes. The same in the Tour. We're chasing to get back to the yellow jersey group on the descent of the Galibier. We've nobody around us, but take a look at what was in front of them. It's just unfair, and something that needs to be highlighted.
PK: You finished second to Alejandro Valverde in Liege-Bastogne-Liege and at the Fleche-Wallone this year. You also finished second to him at the 2009 Tour of Catalunya and the 2014 Fleche Wallone. He's a former client of Eufemiano Fuentes and was banned for two years.
DM: Yeah.
PK: Some would say, I would say, that was unfair. That you were robbed of those wins.
DM: Yeah, I mean we've seen that again with the whole (Justin) Gatlin thing this week.
PK: But Gatlin was booed, we celebrate the cheats in cycling. There will be no end of tributes when Alberto Contador retires next month.
DM: Sky were booed at the Tour. It was less aggressive, but I saw it first-hand last year.
PK: Fair enough.
DM: The thing about Valverde is this - in my mind, because (I finished) so close to him, I have to believe he's not doping still. But we don't know about the effects doping has long-term.
PK: You mean the benefits?
DM: Yeah. Has it made him stronger?
PK: I would say it has.
DM: Yeah, it would be like doing a really hard training camp.
PK: So how do we change things? I give Nicolas a hard time for not being more vocal about some of the stuff that's going on. So I'm going to ask the same of you, What do you see as your responsibility to the sport and to changing that culture?
DM: It's difficult. I think we are getting closer to being able to say the sport is clean. The doping cases are getting fewer and fewer. Is that because they're not cheating? Or because they're not catching them? I don't know. I prefer to think the sport is in a better place now. I don't think I would be able to do what I'm doing if it wasn't. The social cost of getting caught is higher for some than it is for others. For me, there would be a line out the door of family and friends waiting to punch me. For others, there is no such stigma and it's still seen as 'part of the job'. Maybe when I retire we'll have another chat and I'll be angrier about being robbed. For the moment, I just have to play with the cards I've been dealt.
PK: You've just finished sixth in the Tour, the highest finish by an Irishman since your uncle in '87. He got a fanfare welcome and an open-topped bus; you got days when you didn't warrant a mention on the evening sports bulletins.
DM (laughs): Yeah, if I hadn't crashed I wouldn't have got any credit. It's only because I broke my back!
PK: Does it bother you?
DM: What?
PK: The lack of acknowledgement?
DM: No, it's not what I do it for. I don't like the attention. We had lunch (today) at this place and the owner was a big cycling fan but I felt almost awkward. I don't enjoy the 'fan' thing. I just see myself as a normal person doing what I love.
PK: And what's the ambition now? Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I'm sure I've heard you say recently, "I think I can win the Tour."
DM: I think I said, "I've learned that I'm capable of winning the Tour."
PK: You honestly believe that?
DM: I don't know.
PK: You either do or you don't.
DM: I think, on a different course, yeah I could have won this year. I don't know how the crash affected me but physically I was good enough. But a lot changes. And I'm as surprised as anybody, because I never believed I would say that.
Sunday Indo SportImage copyright AP
A five-year-old Oklahoma girl has made history by becoming the youngest person ever to qualify for the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Edith Fuller correctly spelled "jnana" to beat more than 50 contestants in the Scripps Green Country Regional Spelling Bee in Tulsa.
She also cracked the words Panglossian, Baedeker, nisei and Croesus.
The young spelling master will head to Washington in May to compete with other children across the country.
Can you spell better than a five-year-old?
Here are the words Edith aced on her way to glory:
Jnana is a Sanskrit word for "knowledge" in Indian philosophy and religion.
Panglossian describes someone who is excessively optimistic, regardless of circumstances.
Baedeker is a guidebook, originating from the series of travel guidebooks by German publisher Karl Baedeker.
Nisei is an American or Canadian whose parents were immigrants from Japan.
Croesus is a very wealthy person. Croesus was the last king of Lydia (c560 - 546 BC) famed for his wealth.
Sarsaparilla is a tropical American climbing plant, or a sweet drink flavoured with the root of this plant.
The National Spelling Bee is open to contestants who have not finished the eighth grade. There is no minimum age to compete.
"I feel thankful," she said after winning the regional competition on Saturday.
Edith, who is home-schooled, faced off against competitors from primary and middle schools throughout northeast Oklahoma.
"It's fun to share her with everyone," said Annie Fuller, her mother.
"I knew she'd be a novelty, so I'm proud she held her own."
Girl statue and Wall Street bull face off
Image copyright Reuters
Annie Fuller told the Tulsa World the family realised their daughter's potential last summer while quizzing her spelling skills.
Edith correctly spelled "restaurant" without having been taught the word.
"We knew there was something special there," Annie Fuller said.
Akash Vukoti, six, was last year's youngest contestant at the National Spelling Bee.
He was eliminated after misspelling the word "bacteriolytic" in the early rounds of the contest.After four years of creating tutorials, tips, and hunting for vector art inspiration for Vectips, I’m taking a break and putting Vectips on a hiatus. I didn’t come to this decision easily and below I outline some of the reasons that I made this decision. I also talk about the future of Vectips and other possibilities. I really have enjoyed creating and maintaining Vectips. My career path is changing but I hope Vectips will still have a bright future!
Why The Hiatus?
Let me start out by saying Vectips has been a really wonderful experience. Without Vectips, I would have never been introduced to so many awesome people and amazing career building opportunities. When I first started Vectips, I wanted to give back to the community that has helped me so much. I really hope that I have helped people and have been an inspiration for some.
Maintaining Vectips is a big job. It takes a lot of time each day to create tutorials, write tips and tricks, find vector art inspiration, chat with vector artist, moderate comments, respond to email, and in general maintain the brand.
In addition to Vectips, I am the owner, designer and illustrator of my own design studio Rype Arts. I also run the online Illustrator resource shop Vector Mill. As these properties grow, so does the time it takes to maintain them. The work I am creating for Rype Arts and Vector Mill is very fulfilling creatively and financially. I now want to focus my time on this more creative work. It’s not that I don’t love you guys, my career path had just changed and evolved.
Future of Vectips
So with the hiatus there will be no more updating the site with content. However, I really want the content to still be accessible. So at the very least, Vectips will still stay online. I will probably be throwing more ads on the site to pay for the hosting required to keep it online.
I’m also keeping the option open of selling the site and brand to an interested person or company. It’s my hope to pass on the brand to someone or a group of people with the same passion for Vectips that I have. If you or someone you know is interested, shoot me an email.
The one aspect of Vectips that is really incorporated into my everyday tasks is finding awesome vector art. I am playing around with the idea of creating a way more stripped back blog strictly for the all the awesome vector art I encounter. Just a little something that I would be doing anyway. Let me know what you guys think about this idea.
I’d really like to stay involved in the community moving forward. I’m not sure what that will look like, be it writing guest posts for other Vector blogs or books or, who knows? But I look forward to figuring that out.
Where To Now?
I’m sure Vectips isn’t the only Illustrator blog you read but if it is, there are some killer blogs and tutorial writers out there right now. Here is a quick list of resources that are continuously cranking out great content.
There is so much more and I know I’m missing a bunch so comment with your favs.
Thanks!
Again, I really appreciate all the support from everyone! I hope Vectips can live on in some form or another and I hope to stay very connected to the community. Below is an quick list of places to keep in touch.
Dribbble: Check out Dribbble to see what I’m currently working on.
Rype Arts: My Design studio. I’m in the process of a redesign.
Vector Mill: Shop full of Illustrator resources.
Amperbranch: Another little side project for nature and ampersand lovers!
Twitter
Instagram: User name RypeartsWASHINGTON — Two million bikers plan to ride through Washington, D.C. on Wednesday to commemorate 9/11 and honor the victims and members of the military called to serve after the terrorist attacks.
On their Facebook page, the group said they will “stand by the Constitution,” stating they are “against any fundamental transformation of America.”
The group said the event is “to remember those who were killed on 9/11 and honor our Armed Forces who fought those who precipitated this attack.”
A 2 Million Bikers opening rally statement by “Bishop” posted Wednesday to Facebook called the day a “patriotic event.”
“This is a God event,” it stated. “I believe America has been in a 12-year funeral. But I’m a Christian man and not a Muslim. I believe in the resurrection! God bless America!”
Belinda Bee, national coordinator for 2 Million Bikers, told the Washington Times the gathering was also in response to the Million American March Against Fear (MAMAF). That rally was also planned for Wednesday by the American Muslim Political Action Committee.
The event was previously called the Million Muslim March before it was changed.
According to MAMAF’s Facebook page, the rally is “a historic event for solidarity of humanity to etstablish peace, harmony and justice.”
Organizers unsuccessfully attempted to get a permit to close some intersections along their planned route. The permit would have required road closures in the middle of the day, including major roads and bridges.
National Park Service spokesperson Carol Johnson told US News and World Report allowing the road closures “would cause a severe service disruption of traffic.”
The ride kicked off at the Harley Davidson in Fort Washington, Md. at 11 a.m. The group, who stressed the ride would go on as planned, apologized for the gridlock they’ll likely cause.
“What could have been a one or two hour ride through will now likely be an all day event,” the organizers said in a post on Facebook.The Mickley-Hawn-Queller Class I Original 1804 Dollar, known as the "King of Coins." (Credit: Heritage Auctions)
ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) — A rare U.S. silver dollar known among collectors as “The King of Coins” sold for more than $3.8 million at an auction Friday.
The coin, which is dated 1804 and still in mint condition, was actually made in 1834 or 1835, said Greg Rohan, president of Heritage Auctions of Dallas, which conducted the auction in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont. It was made on behalf of President Andrew Jackson and intended to be given as a diplomatic gift during trade missions to Asia and the Middle East.
“It’s one of only eight known of its kind and would be a prized possession for any collector of American history,” Rohan said in an emailed statement.
He said the seller of the coin wished to remain anonymous, and Heritage Auctions did not disclose the name of the buyer.
The U.S. Mint began preparing coins to be given as diplomatic gifts in 1834, Rohan said. At the time, Mint records showed the last U.S. silver dollars were made in 1804. None could be found with that date, so the Mint made some.
The coin shows Miss Liberty, the word “Liberty” and the date 1804 on its front. The back depicts an eagle, the words “United States of America” and the motto “E Pluribus Unum.” Both sides also have 13 stars representing the 13 original colonies.
Rohan said the coin’s previous owners included the Massachusetts Historical Society and Adam Eckfeldt, who was chief coiner at the U.S. Mint from 1814 to 1839.
The coin was valued at $3 million prior to Friday’s auction.
(TM and © Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)This is the story of the Spike, the first official act of the Burning Man season, which is important because of all the ritualized practices that have grown up around the event, this one might be the most heartfelt and stirring.
But this story is also about the beginning the work that is necessary to build Black Rock City, which will become home (or Home with a capital H, as the participants like to refer to it) for somewhere around 70,000 people, who will gather in the desert at the end of August and over the Labor Day weekend to celebrate art and express themselves radically, among other things.
It’s ironic that Burning Man takes place around a national holiday, because Burning Man has reset the calendar for many people. For them, the year is about the season of the Man; and it culminates when the Man burns on the Saturday of the event. That day is their New Year’s Eve, and after the Temple burns, a new year begins.
So we are into the high holy days now, and to carry the metaphor just a step further, Spike becomes something like Christmas. It’s not so much about the giving of gifts or the birth of a savior, but rather it is more about an affirmation of hope. Maybe in some ways it’s Easter, too, because the feeling of renewal and rebirth is strong.
Maybe this religiosity makes you nervous, but we are not talking about deities here, or paganism, or any other worshipfulness. What we are talking about are the things that bind people together – hope, love, community. It’s no random accident that people say they are going Home when they go to Burning Man, because for many people, this is the family they have chosen.
Here is an outline of what happens over these days: The first of the crews arrive in Gerlach several weeks before Spike happens. The season begins earlier than you might realize. The logistics and office work and ordering of goods and arranging for services takes months. The tiny town of Gerlach begins to fill up with the folks who make the event happen.
Then, a few weeks in, there is a ceremony that marks the official start of the organization’s presence in the Black Rock Desert, and it is when the people who are most intimately involved with building the city gather together to collectively drive a stake in the ground, the exact point upon which the Man will be built. But before they take the sledgehammer in their hands and strike their ceremonial blow, they will say a few words to the assembled crowd. They will speak of their intentions, their joy, their sorrows and disappointments. Or they might be completely absurd, depending. There is no script.
But mostly, people take advantage of the opportunity to speak from the heart, to people who love them and will stand by them. There are often tears in the deathly hot desert, from both the speakers and the listeners.
—
Coyote is the superintendent of Black Rock City, and he takes the hammer and speaks first. “Every year we put the stake in the ground, and every year we change people’s lives,” he says. “And every year people take a little piece of Black Rock City home with them in their backpacks … little embers. … It’s a break from the normal madness. None of the mudslinging and politics and crap that’s in the news every day.”
Some people carry umbrellas to keep from getting scorched by the sun, many people have beverages in their hands, and there are shouts of agreement, as well as catcalls and whistles. Nothing gets overly solemn or cheesy. But somehow the words penetrate the everyday armor of cynicism and safe distance.
“It’s hot out today,” Coyote says, “So I’m not going to talk much. And we ask that you do the same!”
And then others step forward to take the sledgehammer and say a few words.
Will Roger, who founded Black Rock City’s Department of Public Works, says, “My hat’s off to all of you for keeping the spirit of DPW alive. A remarkable, dedicated, wonderful group of people. Here’s to you.” Then he hands the sledge to “the only person I love more than DPW, my wife, Rosie.” That would be Crimson Rose, who directs many of the fiery things that attract the Burner moths to the desert, who has been at Burning Man for 23 years. “We couldn’t do it without you,” she says.
Playground takes the sledge and says, “Every time I say the word ‘cancer’ I want you to say, “Fuck Cancer.’” Her husband is home undergoing chemotherapy and radiation. “Fuck Cancer!!” people shout. She asks some of her colleagues to join her in the center of the circle. “These are the people who have totally had my back as we go through this cancer nightmare,” she says. “Fuck Cancer!” the crowd roars back. “I could not do it without these guys. They make me shine. You make them shine.”
“Fuck Cancer!!”
Dylan Blackthorne comes forward. “A long time ago I decided that I was going to focus my energies on building the world that I wanted to live in,” he says, “instead of fighting the world that I did not want to live in. This is part of that.”
There are warnings and pleas to take care of each other, and for us to take care of ourselves. There are many people grateful for the opportunity to serve. And there is more heartbreak.
“I learned during (desert restoration) last year that my father had gone into hospice,” Makeout Queen says, through her tears, “and then he died in January. It’s been a really hard year. … And I moved out of the only home I ever knew, and the only community I ever knew. And it’s been really crazy. … But coming out here, and seeing ALLL of you motherfuckers, makes me realize that I made the right decisions. And the only reason I made the right decisions, is that all of you motherfuckers tell me to stop making the dumb ones.”
All of the stories were not alike, but many had similar themes – sorrow, joy, the gratefulness for being here again. There were people who had been doing this for ten years, fifteen years and more, and others who were there for the first time. If you weren’t moved by what was said, it wouldn’t have made sense for you to be there at all, really.
When all the people who wanted to speak had spoken, Coyote took a bottle of Champagne and smashed it into the Spike. People rushed to pick up the shards of glass, and then the ceremony was over. People drifted off the desert floor and back into Gerlach, to get ready for the next task.
But a few folks stayed behind to begin the actual work of building Black Rock City. The eighteen people who are on the Survey would start plotting out the map and marking the outline of the city onto the desert floor.
And that’s where we’ll pick up the story next.Alabama fans are used to being the best. Unfortunately, haters are a naturally occurring by-product of being number one. Us Bama fans understand all the jealously, but there are some things that are infuriating to hear every year…
‘Alabama is overrated’
Year after year, week after week, Bama fans are always used to hearing “Alabama football is overrated.”
One of Derrick Henry's two first half touchdowns here at the #NationalChampionship game #RollTide A photo posted by Alabama Football (@alabamafbl) on Jan 11, 2016 at 7:15pm PST
If you dare to call Bama overrated, be prepared to hear all the facts. 16 National Championships, two Heisman Trophy winners, 25 SEC Championships and a whole lot of program success.
What does one even say back to that?
‘When is Saban retiring?’
Alabama fans worship Nick Saban. His bronze statue stands next to former legendary Bama coaches on the Walk of Champions. The statue doesn’t do his exceptionally knowledgeable coaching career justice. Bama fans know at some point he is going to have to hang up his witty jokes at press conferences and put away his hidden secrets to making the process a success.
Coach Saban named No. 1 coach in the SEC over the last 10 years by @espncfb. #RollTide A photo posted by Alabama Football (@alabamafbl) on May 26, 2016 at 12:05pm PDT
No Bama fan wants to imagine that day, so it is highly suggested it should never be brought up. When the time comes, it will come. As for right now, Bama fans will worship him until the very end.
Literally anything to do with a kick six
No, I do not want to talk about it. No, I do not want to watch it again.
Not only do Alabama fans hate to hear about the kick six play, but they also hate to see it on replay over and over. Mentioning this play to an Alabama fan is like nails scratching on a chalkboard.
My advice to you when having a conversation with a Bama fan is not to say anything like, “Remember that one time Auburn scored six points in the final play of the Iron Bowl and Bama lost?” I can promise you their look in response to that will not be a good one.
‘What does Roll Tide even mean?’
To be honest, if you have to ask, you don’t deserve to know. I simply do not think any Alabama fan can put into words what Roll Tide means. It is our hello. It is our goodbye. It is a “You failed that test? Me too. Roll Tide!”
It can’t be described to anyone who is not a true Bama fan.
‘Alabama’s dynasty is over’
In 2014, when Alabama lost in the first ever college football playoffs to Ohio State, the talk that filled the air from non-Alabama fans was, “Alabama’s dynasty is over.”
I regret to inform you that you spoke too soon, my friend. The dynasty is as strong as ever, maybe even stronger. After claiming their 16th National Championship in 2015, with Jalen Hurts playing the way he is, it won’t be long until 17.
‘You can’t…’
Alabama can’t win this game. Alabama can’t win the SEC. Alabama can’t win another National Championship. Alabama fans hate to be told their team can’t win. When you tell them they can’t win, odds are they will.
In 2015, Ole Miss Rebels gave Alabama their first loss of their season. Alabama had to win out in order to make it to the college football playoffs. Not only did they win out, but they raised that gold National Championship trophy in front of a packed stadium in Arizona. Proving yet again to their fans and the NCAA, the Alabama football team CAN in fact do it all.
Big rings. #RollTide A photo posted by Alabama Football (@alabamafbl) on Apr 29, 2016 at 2:04pm PDT
So next time you tell an Alabama fan their team can’t make it to the big stage, you may want to bite your tongue.
‘War Eagle’
Last but certainly not least, these are the two words that make every Alabama fan cringe. You shouldn’t dare utter those words to an Alabama fan.
You may wonder why War Eagle causes such uproar to any Bama fan. It is more than just a rivalry – the Iron Bowl is the biggest showdown in the state of Alabama. The winner gets all the glory and gets to claim their status as top dog in the state of Alabama until the Iron Bowl comes back around the next year.A series of internal State Department emails obtained by Fox News shows that officials reported within hours of last month's deadly consulate attack in Libya that militant group Ansar al-Sharia had claimed responsibility.
The emails provide some of the most detailed information yet about what officials knew in the initial hours after the attack. And it again raises questions about why U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice, apparently based on intelligence assessments, would claim five days after the attack |
acan and has been under pressure from government and vigilante forces for several months.
Mexican media reported that Plancarte was killed by marines after resisting arrest near a football field in the town of Colon following an operation that involved around 150-200 troops.
The interior ministry said on Twitter that authorities were verifying Plancarte’s identity and that more information would be given on Tuesday.
Officials said this was standard procedure. The national daily Reforma said navy sources confirmed Plancarte was killed.
His death comes after Knights Templar founder Nazario Moreno, alias “El Chayo,” was killed by troops in Michoacan on March 9.
Moreno had been mistakenly reported killed in December 2010, leaving fellow leader Servando “La Tuta” Gomez as the public face of the cartel.
Gomez, a former school teacher, remains at large.
Plancarte’s uncle Dionicio, who was also a key leader of the gang, was detained in January.
Vigilante militias that formed a year ago to kick the cartel out of Michoacan towns had named Plancarte as one of the top Knights Templar leaders that they wanted to see taken down.
Mexican authorities had offered a $750,000 reward for information leading to his capture, with prosecutors accusing him of being one of the main traffickers of drugs to the United States. He was also on a US Treasury list of drug lords under sanctions.
The Knights Templar are considered major smugglers of crystal meth to the United States, but their business has expanded to include illegal mining of iron ore for export to China.
The gang held sway across Michoacan’s agricultural Tierra Caliente (Hot Country) region, but farmers began to take up arms in February 2013, fed up with the police’s inability or unwillingness to curb the cartel.
The vigilantes kicked the cartel out of some 20 towns and allied themselves with federal forces in January, but the so-called “self-defense” militias have faced trouble with the law.
Earlier Monday, authorities accused a vigilante leader of ordering the murder of a mayor who opposed the self-defense forces.
Enrique Hernandez Salcedo was among 19 people detained in connection with the murder of Tanhuato Mayor Gustavo Garibay Garcia.
It was the second arrest of a vigilante leader in recent weeks.
Earlier in March, authorities arrested one of the most high-profile self-defense leaders, Hipolito Mora, on charges of being behind the March 8 double murder of two fellow vigilantes.
Mora, a lime grower from the town of La Ruana, has declared his innocence.Marriage Alliance representative Sophie York says same-sex marriage 'acceptance rings' - which feature a gap to represent a gap in equality - could be an 'OH&S issue'. Courtesy: ABC News 24
AN anti-same-sex marriage spokeswoman claimed a new equality campaign posed a serious ‘OH & S issue’ during an ABC News interview last night — and the interviewer could barely conceal her stumped reaction.
Marriage Alliance spokeswoman Sophie York was a guest on ABC News 24 to discuss Airbnb Australia’s announcement this week that they would sell specially crafted rings in support of marriage equality.
Each ‘acceptance ring’ forms an incomplete circle, with the words ‘until we all belong’ engraved on its interior. The rings “symbolise the gap in marriage equality that we need to close. Wear this ring and show your acceptance of marriage equality,” say Airbnb on the campaign website.
Qantas and Google have both thrown their support behind the campaign, announcing that they would provide rings for employees to wear should they wish.
To York, the public face of an organisation that campaigns against the legalisation of same-sex marriage, this is all clearly a workplace health hazard.
“I think that people will feel quite pressured, if their bosses have bought or provided the rings, or there’s been a flyer go out saying ‘these rings are available’, and also if a number of people are wearing them,” she said.
“And, um, it may even be an OH & S issue. I mean, the gap could catch, that ring could catch on things. There are many considerations to this, but we’re talking about the impact on the worker,” she continued.
Imagine. Qantas planes plummeting out of the sky because the flight attendant’s equality ring caught on the cabin door. Servers crashing because some poor lackey at Google HQ pressed the wrong key with his equality ring. It all makes sense.
Feel free to save newsreader Gemma Veness’s stupefied reaction shot to your desktop so you can use it the next time you’re met with a truly dumb argument:Allahabad: Villagers of Kanjasa in Allahabad are a perplexed lot. Going by their newly acquired Aadhaar cards, some 1000 of them should be celebrating their birthday on the same day - January 1.
It is, however, not a coincidence but a technical goof- up that has led to the situation where every fifth person in Kanjasa, about 50 kilometres from Allahbad, finds January 1 as their official date of birth.
Flooded with complaints from the locals that their unique identity or Aadhaar cards did not mention the actual dates of birth, the authorities have ordered a probe and are trying to take remedial measures.
"Nearly 1000 (of the 5000) residents have complained about faulty entries of their date of birth. The odd thing is that the date printed on all these cards is identical - January 1 - with variations in the years of birth," Neeraj Dubey, Block Development Officer (BDO), Jasra, under which the village falls, told PTI.
He said an inquiry had been ordered into how an error of "such a huge proportion" occurred.
Dubey said there was speculation that the software for the cards was so designed, as to automatically allocate January 1 as the birth date of those not aware of their actual dates of birth.
That, however, did not explain why those who had submitted their dates of birth with proper documents also ended up being shown as born on January 1, he added.
"Once the inquiry is complete and accountability is fixed, suitable action will be taken against those responsible for the massive goof up," he said.
Affected villagers will be provided with fresh Aadhaar cards with correct dates of birth.SPARE a thought for the man batting at five, who would have had to quickly pad up after Joe Leach claimed a hat-trick with the first three balls of a match on the weekend.
Leach’s heroics still weren’t enough to set up a victory for Worcestershire in their Royal London One-Day Cup game against Northamptonshire, slipping to a 21-run defeat.
The seamer had Richard Levi and Richard Keogh caught behind by wicketkeeper Ben Cox before Ben Duckett flashed the next delivery to Jack Shantry in the gully.
Watch the hat-trick in the video below
Chaminda Vaas became the first player in Test matches or ODIs to take three wickets with the opening three deliveries, doing so against Bangladesh in the 2003 World Cup.
The Sri Lanka paceman bowled Hannan Sarkar first up and then took a return catch to dismiss Mohammad Ashraful before Ehsanul Haque poked to Mahela Jayawardene in the slip cordon.
Northants were left reeling by Leach’s burst, with 3-0 soon becoming 6-19 when Shantry removed Alex Wakely, David Willey and Steven Crook before the eighth over had been completed.
Rory Kleinveldt (33), Josh Cobb (32), Graeme White (27) and Olly Stone (12no) showed some resistance, though, as the Steelbacks battled to 126 all out — a total that proved to be beyond Worcestershire.
Northants paceman Azharullah claimed 4-22 as the Pears were dismissed for 105 in exactly 31 overs to lose by 21 runs, Cox’s 36 and a 10-ball 21 from Leach not enough for the hosts in a crazy encounter.
Leach said afterwards: “I can’t quite believe I’m stood here after we’ve lost that game.
“Obviously the first three balls were an unbelievable feeling. I never thought something like that would happen, but I’m a bit gutted at the moment at the way the rest of the game has gone.”While the text of the I.33 is obscured by bad church Latin, the images of the I.33 are even worse. The illustrations of the I.33 manual are flawed. They are a stylish medieval piece of art of more or less talented artists. The artists concentrated more on copying the drapery of the clothes from contemporary art than the real postures of the body. And they followed the typical display of feet and leg painting in that century. Unable to present three-dimensional objects, they moved every object to the frontal or side view. So if a object is somewhere between side and front, it was moved to an extreme. The body is always displayed in a rotated side view (3/4 view), so that the face shows both eyes. This is in no regard to the real body position.
But the text of the I.33 makes a clear statement that the guards of the I.33 were very common. Therefore we can use contemporary art to analyse the guards of the manual and compare them.
In this article I collected and summoned illustrations of the first guard. By analyzing them I was able to collect little statistical data. I combined it with my personal knowledge and common interpretations of the manual by Richard Cole, Roland Warzecha, David Rawlings, and more. This is the result.
Where to put the sword
17 of the 23 images show the sword under the arm according to the text of the I.33. In the other images the blade is under the arm while the handle is not. This is covered by other illustrations in various sources. A small detail may be of interest: if the sword is near the hip the handle is near the hip and not in front of it.
There is no real functional difference in having the sword under the arm or near the hip. In both cases the sword hand is fairly out of reach hidden behind the buckler’s protecting area, or out of reach near the hip. In both cases the reach of the sword is obscured to the opponent. Thus it does not really matter if whether it is under the arm or next to the hip. Furthermore it is to observe that during a dynamic combat the first guard cannot be performed in that exact manner, so the sword on the hip is as good as the sword under the arm (following the text that says that guards are endpoints*).
*Thanks to Roland, i noticed that this “endpoints” may be “points of misunderstanding”. This article is about the “common fencer” in the I.33. The text points out that the common fencers use this guards to bring up seven strikes and that the “art” is found in the Langort. This is congruent with the GMN 3227a.
Where to put the buckler?
In 14 of the 22 images the buckler is in front of the right shoulder, in 7 images it is in front of the sword hand, and in one image it is protecting the head. Because the weapon hand is (near the body and therefore) physically out of reach the most probable explanation for buckler position in front of the hand is the protecting of the weapon hand and arm while “uncoiling” from the posture. So the buckler starts in front of the right shoulder. When the distances closes, it moves from the right shoulder to a more central position, or (a lot more likely) the buckler stays in place (in relation to the line of attack) while the body moves out of the line of attack. So the sword hand is using the protective zone of the buckler while coming forward to answer the attack or do a counterattack.
Which foot is in front?
7 images show the right hip forward, 5 the left hip, the rest is not to identify. In 11 pictures there seems to be the left foot forward, 5 have the right foot forward, and in the rest is not to see. Because of the influence of art-style in body posture the position of hips and feet are not easily to identify. There is a coincidence between the buckler in front of the right shoulder and the preference for having the right hip forward. Having the “buckler foot” forward needs the sword ready to protect the knee. As it is ready to do this on this side, there is another indication that the left foot is forward while the right hip is turned in front.
How to position yourself?
9 of the 23 images shows a normal stance, 12 a low stance, two are not to analyze because of the sitting position. While in the manual itself the low stance, with the upper body bend forward is found often, this is not that much reflected in contemporary art. There we find an slightly bend but more upright position of the upper body, and all that might be seen as a low stance are bend knees. It looks as they are sitting on a chair with bend knees. That offers the conclusion that the knees are bend in a close stance that will have most of the weight on the back leg if the upper body is upright. By leaning the upper body slightly forward the weight is a better distributed to both legs with keeping around 60%-70% on the back leg. With the right hip forward and the left leg too, the body is twisted and coiled. Thus the fencer is able to move very fast from this posture to another using the power from his sinews and muscles.
Exercises for this guard
To get into the guard the buckler is positioned in front of the right shoulder that turns forward (to the opponent) while the sword handle is moved to the left side (under the arm or to the hip). The right hip is supporting the movement. Thus it offers the farthest reach in a thrust or strike resembling a typical one handed weapon stance after the turning of the lower body (aligning it to the upper body). The upper body is lowered and slightly bend forward while the left leg is put forward. Now the body has two options to move while uncoiling from this twisted position: follow the upper body and let the sword lead the fight, or follow the lower body and let the buckler have the lead (in the manual both options are used).
Moving in this guard must be trained. Most of the steps has to be the “Triangel” steps with the back leg doing falling steps. The way of stepping is familiar with the usual fencing steps but somewhat strange with the right hip in front. It is done with small steps. But as the keeping of a guard like this is just only for 1-2 steps (to find the proper distance) it should not be any hindrance.
The “uncoiling” from this guard should be trained that way that in one case the buckler and in the other the sword will take the lead. It could easily trained by a partner who keeps hold on the sword or buckler hand, so it cannot be moved. The fencer should learn how to keep steady with that arm and at the same time to step lightly around that anchor-point.
The first guard in the i.33 manual
I.33 Plate 01 Buckler in front of the sword hand,
sword under the arm,
normal stance, upper body upright,
hip position unknown,
leading unknown. I.33 Plate 03 Buckler in front of the right shoulder,
sword under the arm,
low stance, upper body bend forward,
hip position unknown,
left leg forward. I.33 Plate 05 Buckler in front of the right shoulder,
sword under the arm,
low stance, upper body bend forward,
hip position unknown,
leading leg unknown. I.33 Plate 07 Buckler in front of the right shoulder
sword under the arm,
low stance, upper body slightly bend forward,
right hip forward,
left leg forward. I.33 Plate 10 Buckler in front of the right shoulder,
sword under the arm,
normal stance, upper body bend forward,
right hip forward,
left leg forward. I.33 Plate 12 Buckler in front of the sword hand,
sword under the arm,
very low stance, upper body bend forward,
hip position unknown,
left position unknown. I.33 Plate 16 Buckler in front of the right shoulder,
sword under the arm,
low stance, upper body bend forward,
right hip forward,
right leg forward. I.33 Plate 22 Buckler in front of the sword hand,
sword under the arm,
very low stance, upper body lightly bend forward,
right hip forward,
right leg forward. I.33 Plate 29 up Buckler in front of the right shoulder,
sword under the arm,
normal stance, upper body bend slightly forward,
left hip forward,
left leg forward. I.33 Plate 29 down Buckler in front of the right shoulder,
sword under the arm,
low stance, upper body bend forward,
left hip forward,
left leg forward. I.33 Plate 31 Buckler in front of the sword hand,
sword under the arm,
low stance, upper body bend extremely forward,
left hip forward,
left leg forward. I.33 Plate 40 Buckler in front of the sword hand,
sword under the arm,
low stance, upper body bend forward,
left hip forward,
left leg forward.
The first guards in contemporary art
The display of I.33 style sword & buckler fencing in contemporary art reach back from the 11th century to 16th century. The prevalent appearance is in the 13th and particularly in the 14th century.
The Meeting Of Sir Lancelot And Queen Guinevere, In ‘The Romance Of Lancelot Du Lac”, Shelfmark: Royal MS 20 D.iv ; Folio 1r, dated to 1300-1370. Buckler on the right shoulder,
sword on the hip,
low stance, upper body slightly bend forward,
hip position unknown,
leading leg under the upper body,
left foot forward. Unknown source and date. Buckler on the right shoulder,
sword under the arm Because of the body of an animal there is no further analysis of the body posture. Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste-et-Saint-Étienne bzw. Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Lyon, dated to the beginning of the 14th century. Buckler slightly below the right shoulder,
sword on the hip,
normal stance, upright upper body,
right hip forward
right foot forward The Sachsenspiegel, Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbüttel, Cod. Guelf. 3.1 Aug. 2° Folio 26r, dated to the last quarter of the 14th century. Buckler in front of the right shoulder,
sword below the hip,
low stance, slightly bend forward,
right hip forward
leading leg under the upper body,
left foot forward. Romance of Alexander, MS Bodleian 264, Folio 61v, dated to the second half of the 15th century. Buckler in front of the right shoulder,
sword at the hip,
low stance, upright upper body,
right hip forward
right foot forward. Tours – BM – ms. 0568 – f. 031v, dated to the 13th century. Buckler in front of the right elbow,
sword over the left arm Because of the sitting body of an animal there is no further analysis of the body posture. Tours – BM – ms. 0568 – f. 115v, dated to the 13th century. Buckler in front of the right elbow,
sword over the left arm Because of the sitting body of an animal there is no further analysis of the body posture. British Library, MS Royal 6 E VI, 115r, dated to 1360-c. 1375. Buckler in front, above of the head,
sword under the arm,
normal stance, upright upper body. Because of the style of illustration the position of feet and hips is not analysed. Universitätsbibliothek Karl-Franzens, Graz, MS 32, f 91v, dated to the 14th century. Buckler in front of the right shoulder,
sword at the hip,
low stance, upper body bend forward,
right hip forward
left foot forward. Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY, Medallion with Two Warriors, Limoges, France, dated to 1240–60. Buckler in front of the right shoulder,
sword at the hip,
normal stance, upright upper body,
right hip forward
right foot forward.
Images added later to the article (statistics not updated)
Hans Talhoffer, Thott 290 2º, dated to 1459 Buckler in front of the right shoulder,
sword at the hip,
normal stance, upright upper body,
right hip normal
left foot forward. BNF Français 123, fol. 137v, dated 1275-1280 Shield in front of the right shoulder,
sword at the hip,
low stance, upper body slightly bend forward,
right hip forward
right foot forward. BNF Français 123, fol. 55, Combat d’Hector de Mares et de Marigant, dated 1275-1280 Buckler in front of the right shoulder,
sword at the hip,
normal stance, upright upper body,
right hip normal
left foot forward. Bodley, MS. Douce 131, fol. 020r, English, dated ca. 1340 Buckler in front of the right shoulder,
sword at the hip,
low stance, slightly leaned forward,
right hip forward
right foot forward. Paris, Nouvelle acquisition latine 1673, fol. 93v, dated 1390-1400 Buckler in front of the body,
sword under the arm at the hip, point up,
high stance, upright,
right hip forward
right foot forward. New York, Pierpont Morgan Library, Acc. no. II, 2-25, fol 14v, sketchbook, Naples, dated 1370 Buckler in front of the right shoulder,
sword under the arm, point up,
high stance, upright,
left hip forward
left foot forward. Getty, Vidal Mayor, ms. ludwig XIV 6, Spanish, about 1290 – 1310 Buckler in front of the right shoulder,
sword under the arm, point down,
low stance, leaned forward,
left hip forward
left foot forward.
Related Guards
There are guards displayed in art, that represent not the first guard and not the guard over the left shoulder but something in between. This guard seems related to the first guard and the special guard of the priest in the I.33.
Book of hours, Abbeville – BM – ms. 0016, Folio 001v, dated to the second half of the 15th century. Buckler in front of the left hip,
Sword in front of buckler
low stance, upright upper body,
right hip forward,
right foot forward. The picture is probably not showing the first guard. Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY, Casket with Warriors and Mythological Figures, Constantinople, 10th–11th century. Buckler in front of the right hip,
Sword in front of buckler,
low stance, upright upper body,
right hip forward,
right foot forward. The picture is probably not showing the first guard.(CNN) An American woman, her Canadian husband and their three children have been freed, nearly five years after being taken hostage by the Taliban-affiliated Haqqani Network in Afghanistan.
The family were released as part of an operation conducted by Pakistani security forces, according to a Pakistan army statement that was later confirmed by US officials.
The couple, American Caitlan Coleman, 31, and her Canadian husband, Joshua Boyle, 33, were kidnapped in 2012 while they were backpacking Afghanistan. Coleman was pregnant when she was kidnapped and the couple had two more children in captivity.
Pakistan said it had secured their release after receiving intelligence from the US. "The operation by Pakistani forces, based on actionable intelligence from US authorities was successful; all hostages were recovered safe and sound and are being repatriated to the country of their origin," the statement said.
US officials said intelligence about the family's location had been shared with Pakistan officials in recent days.
Boyle's parents, Patrick and Linda, told CNN that they had spoken to their son and that all of the family members were in good health. They learned for the first time in the call that they now have a granddaughter.
Arrangements were being made to return the family either to the US or Canada.
JUST WATCHED Parents of freed Canadian hostages speak Replay More Videos... MUST WATCH Parents of freed Canadian hostages speak 02:36
Pakistan official: No deal
Some of the circumstances surrounding the family's release remained unclear late Thursday.
A senior US official told CNN that US intelligence assets had detected and monitored the movement of vehicles believed to be transporting the family. US officials provided this information to Pakistani authorities and US officials even began unilaterally discussing a possible US-staged rescue attempt.
However, to the surprise of the US government, the Pakistani authorities called back their US counterparts to say they had taken custody of all five family members. "That was a surprise to us," the official said.
Screengrab from video published on Youtube by Taliban media on Dec 19, 2016, showing American hostage Caitlan Coleman and her husband Canadian Joshua Boyle with their two children.
According to the US official, it was not clear what the Pakistanis "said or did" on the ground to get the family back. But the official added there was no evidence that any Haqqani prisoners held by the Afghan government were released in a prisoner exchange. The US described the Pakistani operation a "transfer of custody," the official said.
A Pakistani military official told CNN his government received the US intelligence about the movement of the hostages on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. Pakistani time. The Pakistanis launched their operation three hours later.
The official said the recovery operation was conducted by Pakistani intelligence agents with the Pakistani military helping to secure the perimeter. He said that the operation took place in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas in northwestern Pakistan while the family was being transported from one location to another.
The operation involved a shootout with the kidnappers with some being killed in the firefight and others being arrested, according to the official.
American Caitlan Coleman, 31, and her Canadian husband, Joshua Boyle, 33, were kidnapped in 2012 while they were traveling as tourists in Afghanistan.
He added that the hostages were retrieved in a "rescue operation" and there was "no deal" with the Haqqani Network.
After the hostages were recovered, they were taken to the town of Kohat in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in northwestern Pakistan. From there they were taken to the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, where Coleman and Boyle met with their countries' respective officials. The meetings lasted for about six hours and the family were expected to remain in Pakistan for about 24 hours, the official said.
Parents: Son fears arrest
A senior US official said Joshua Boyle refused to board a US military plane that was on standby to take the faily to the US because of fears that he would face arrest.
Boyle was previously married to the sister of Omar Kadhr, a Canadian imprisoned for 10 years at the US detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, after fighting US troops in Afghanistan.
Kadhr later sued the Canadian government for violating international law by allegedly not protecting him and conspiring with his US captors, who he says abused him.
The senior US official said there were some questions surrounding Boyle's past. But a Department of Justice spokesman, Wyn Hornbuckle, said US authorities did not intend to arrest Boyle.
"Throughout the captivity of Boyle and Coleman, the department focused its efforts on supporting their recovery and identifying and holding accountable those responsible for taking them hostage," Hornbuckle said. "Coleman and Boyle are not charged with any federal crime and, as such, we do not seek their arrest."
Trump: Pakistan starting to respect US again
President Donald Trump thanked Pakistan for its role in recovering the hostages. "The Pakistani government's cooperation is a sign that it is honoring America's wish that it do more to provide security in the region," Trump said.
"I want to thank Pakistan. They worked very hard on this and I believe they are starting to respect the United States again," Trump added.
In his recently announced strategy for Afghanistan and the wider region, Trump advocated a tougher approach to Pakistan in an effort to persuade Pakistani authorities to crack down harder on the Taliban.
"We hope to see this type of cooperation and teamwork in helping secure the release of remaining hostages and in our future joint counterterrorism operations," Trump said in an earlier statement.
More US hostages
US intelligence officials believed the couple were being held by the Haqqani Network, a branch of the Taliban believed to be responsible for some of the group's most violent and sophisticated attacks. In December the commander of US forces in Afghanistan, Gen. John Nicholson, said the Haqqani Network held a total of five American hostages.
The Taliban released a "proof of life" video of Coleman, Boyle and their two children in December 2016 where Coleman addressed President Barack Obama and then President-elect Trump, saying the Taliban "are not going to simply release our family easily, because it is correct. They want money, power and friends.... We are told there are Afghans who are prisoners in Kabul that these men care about."
The Afghan government has captured several senior members of the Haqqani Network and US officials believed the Taliban faction had hoped to exchange American hostages for their release.
The US military has long believed that Pakistan's principal intelligence organization, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency, has maintained links with the Taliban, particularly the Haqqani Network.
"I think it's clear to me that the ISI has connections with terrorist groups," Gen. Joseph Dunford, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told a Senate Armed Services Hearing on Afghanistan and South Asia last week, using the Pakistan intelligence agency's acronym.
Trump has previously slammed Pakistan for not doing enough to combat terrorist groups like the Haqqani Network.
Secretary of Defense James Mattis has already withheld millions in military funding from Pakistan due to the Pentagon's view that Islamabad has not "taken sufficient action against the Haqqani Network."
The Taliban continue to hold other western hostages including US citizen Kevin King, 60, and Australian citizen Timothy Weeks, 48. Both men were working as teachers at the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul when they were forcibly kidnapped from a vehicle in August 2016.
In September, three administration officials told CNN that US Special Operations Forces from SEAL Team 6 attempted to rescue the two teachers shortly after they were kidnapped but the captives were not at the location the US forces raided.
Paul Overby in Maine in 2013
One other American is believed to be held hostage in Afghanistan or Pakistan: writer Paul Overby, who is in his 70s.SBI’s decision to waive charges on some IMPS transactions may have been the result of more than a nudge from the government. (Reuters)
State Bank of India (SBI) on Wednesday waived charges on all money transfers of less than Rs 1,000 made through the Immediate Payment System (IMPS) channel, in a bid “to promote small ticket size transactions”. Earlier, any IMPS transfer of up to Rs 1 lakh out of an SBI bank account would attract a charge of Rs 5, in addition to service tax. Those remitting amounts between Rs 1,000 and Rs 1 lakh will continue to shell out the charge of Rs 5. The charge on transactions of over Rs 1 lakh and less than Rs 2 lakh will also remain unchanged at Rs 15. The applicable Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate will apply to all IMPS transactions of over Rs 1,000.
The reset in IMPS charges puts SBI at a disadvantage to its private sector peers. HDFC Bank, SBI’s closest rival in terms of asset-book size, earns a fee on all outgoing IMPS transactions. Account holders at the bank have to pay Rs 5 for all transfers of up to Rs 1 lakh and Rs 15 for transfers of between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 2 lakh. The charges are the same at ICICI Bank. Among other large state-owned lenders, Bank of Baroda (BoB) does not levy any charge on IMPS transactions, while Punjab National Bank (PNB) charges Rs 5 for all IMPS transactions, according to the banks’ websites.
Sources in the know said that SBI’s decision to waive charges on some IMPS transactions may have been the result of more than a nudge from the government. “We have almost been arm-twisted into doing this,” said a senior banker on condition on anonymity.
The waiver is likely to impact a sizeable chunk of IMPS users. While bank-wise data for IMPS transactions is unavailable, SBI is widely accepted to be the market leader in terms of digital transactions in general and internet banking in particular. It has a 52% market share in mobile banking, deputy managing director Manju Agarwal had told FE in March.
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Like most other modes of digital payments, IMPS had seen a surge in transaction volumes amid the cash crunch arising from the government’s November 8 decision to withdraw high-value currency notes from circulation.
IMPS volumes in June added up to 65.8 million, 82% higher than the November figure of 36.2 million transactions. Transaction values for IMPS aggregated Rs 59,650 crore in June, 83.6% higher than Rs 32,480 crore in November. This puts the average IMPS transaction value at around Rs 9,065.Free and open market:
A market in which prices are determined by the free interchange of supply and demand.
- Bloomberg financial definition
Moral Hazard:
A dilemma that arises when government officials take steps to bail out countries or businesses that are in serious financial trouble. Although the action may help prevent widespread financial turmoil, thereby protecting innocent parties, it creates an expectation that governments will always come to the aid of failing countries and companies, potentially increasing risky behavior because there is no penalty.
- Webster's Dictionary
Saying Goodbye to the Free and Open Market System
I learned in Economics 101 the intersection of supply and demand was defined as "the price at which the highest buying and lowest selling price exist on a specific security at a particular time and place." I also learned about "social Darwinism," whereby the most fit and prudent survive and the weak suffer and or fail.
Under these rules, banks and brokers that made poor loans would lose money and possibly fail. Those that loaned prudently prospered at the expense of their less talented competitors. Unfortunately, many of these rules have changed or been eliminated by government institutions like the Federal Reserve Bank and the Treasury Department.
Whether this low quality lending practice was the fault of the borrower or the lender (or most likely a combination thereof), there was considerable lack of prudence by the lenders. Many mortgage companies (251 at last count, according to
Why is this a problem? There are some favored parties -- such as brokerage firms and commercial banks -- that have managed their finances so imprudently they need to access special funding from the Fed. In other words, loans were made to borrowers that had no right getting a mortgage in the first place. These mortgages were often without full -- if any -- documentation and with barely any equity down. As housing prices have fallen, many homeowners now find themselves in a negative equity position.Whether this low quality lending practice was the fault of the borrower or the lender (or most likely a combination thereof), there was considerable lack of prudence by the lenders. Many mortgage companies (251 at last count, according to www.ml-implode.com ) have been forced out of business.
Certainly these companies went out of business due to their poor lending practices. But what about the people that borrowed the money? At the peak of the real estate craze, the website www.condoflip.com was hot. The new hot website is www.foreclosure.com, which has over 1.7 million listings.
Seriously Delinquent and Mortgage Loan Foreclosure Rates
Click to enlarge image
Subprime and Prime Seriously Delinquent Mortgage Rates
It's truly amazing how full circle we have come in such a short period of time. Millions of Americans are losing their homes and now their jobs as the unemployment rate begins to rise. Delinquency rates on all sorts of mortgages -- not just sub-prime -- are on the rise in a big way.
Click to enlarge image
Manufacturing jobs are being lost at a frightening pace in the U.S. as jobs are exported overseas. This brings me to the real problem that exists in the financial markets today.
The 'Moral Hazard Club' - How Do I Get In?
When the subprime crisis began to accelerate in the summer of 2007, it became clear what the market created by turning low quality loans into esoteric securities was unwinding. It's simple to see now that the genesis of the crisis was the bad mortgages themselves. And until the mortgages begin to perform, we're simply placing a trillion dollar band-aid on the financial system.
Broker-dealers and banks ended up with the esoteric securities on their own balance sheets and were forced to write down the value of the assets.
Please note the term "write down," which is rather different than "write off." When you write down an asset, the hope is you may be able to write the asset back up at some point in the future. When you write something off, it is permanently gone from your balance sheet.
Bear Stearns (
As write-downs continue, the banks and brokers are forced to go hat-in-hand around the globe seeking capital just to remain solvent. So far, with the exclusion of BSC ), banks and brokers have been able to raise capital, although they've been forced to pay onerous rates that are sure to reduce profitability for years to come.
In the table below,Last week I had two friends from the Bay Area over to my apartment in Los Angeles. They recently moved to San Francisco from Oakland and I asked how they liked their new digs. ”We love it. But I wish there was a way to get between Oakland and San Francisco easier.”
They explained that the BART trains stop running at around 12:30 at night, which makes going to see friends for drinks and such rather impractical if you can’t find your way home. But, if inventor Fletcher E. Felts had gotten his way, not only would my friends be able to hop from San Francisco to Oakland in just five minutes, they would’ve been able to zip down to visit me in Los Angeles in just four hours, without having to deal with the fuss of flying or driving a car.
The April 17, 1910 San Francisco Call ran an article titled, ”From Call Building to Oakland City Hall in 5 Minutes.” The Call Building in San Francisco is now known as Central Tower. Felts lived in Los Angeles but had once lived in San Francisco and imagined a system of suspended auto motor railways that would “revolutionize railroading the world over.”
3 p. m. — “ |
found out over the years that one of the cruel realities is that when you do get sick and you have a serious illness is that it’s often hard to keep a job, can be hard to keep your income up, so those people really need the help the most,” said Sean Luse of Berkeley Patients Group.
The measure is set for final approval next week.Both should figure prominently in the Royals' future.
KANSAS CITY -- Third baseman Hunter Dozier and left-hander Matt Strahm have been named MLB Pipeline's Royals player and pitcher of the year.
KANSAS CITY -- Third baseman Hunter Dozier and left-hander Matt Strahm have been named MLB Pipeline's Royals player and pitcher of the year.
Both should figure prominently in the Royals' future.
Strahm, 24, was a 21st-round Draft pick in 2012 and was used primarily as a starter in the Minor Leagues.
• Royals' Top 30 Prospects list
But Strahm, called up by the Royals on Aug. 1, burst onto the scene in the bullpen and finished with the best ERA (1.23) of any pitcher on the team. He had a 1.09 WHIP in 21 appearances.
"He became one of the guys we could count on," manager Ned Yost said. "Just very impressive what he did."
Strahm was so effective out of the bullpen that it may change the organization's short-term view of his role.
• Top 100 Prospects list
The Royals will entertain the notion of having Strahm work as a starter next Spring Training. But as the Royals attempt to shore up their bullpen, it is possible Strahm eventually will reside there.
Strahm can reach 97 mph with his fastball and possesses a wipeout slider.
"To have a power arm like that down in the 'pen is an advantage," Yost said. "But we'll see how it plays out. He has the ability to be both (a starter and reliever)."
Dozier, 25, was the team's first-round pick (eighth overall) in the 2013 Draft.
He enjoyed a breakthrough season, splitting time between Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Triple-A Omaha. Combined, Dozier hit 44 doubles and 23 homers with 75 RBIs. He hit.296 with a.899 OPS.
"That was the type of season we were hoping he would have," Royals assistant general manager J.J. Picollo said. "Very solid year, production-wise."
In a brief September call-up, Dozier went 4-for-19 (.211) with the Royals.\
Video: OAK@KC: Dozier lines a double to left in the 9th
Dozier has been learning to play right field over the past season, and Yost said he is making progress there.
"There are some things he still needs to learn," Yost said. "He needs to position himself a little better when he comes up throwing. But those are all things you learn with experience. It'll come."
Dozier was drafted as a shortstop and switched to third base in the Minors. His path at third base is blocked at the moment by Mike Moustakas and Cheslor Cuthbert.
Cuthbert, in fact, is going to the instructional league to take repetitions at second base, as Moustakas is expected to make a full recovery from knee surgery and be ready for Spring Training.
Jeffrey Flanagan has covered the Royals since 1991, and for MLB.com since 2015. Follow him on Twitter @FlannyMLB.This study explores biology undergraduates' misconceptions about genetic drift. We use qualitative and quantitative methods to describe students' definitions, identify common misconceptions, and examine differences before and after instruction on genetic drift. We identify and describe five overarching categories that include 16 distinct misconceptions about genetic drift. The accuracy of students' conceptions ranges considerably, from responses indicating only superficial, if any, knowledge of any aspect of evolution to responses indicating knowledge of genetic drift but confusion about the nuances of genetic drift. After instruction, a significantly greater number of responses indicate some knowledge of genetic drift (p = 0.005), but 74.6% of responses still contain at least one misconception. We conclude by presenting a framework that organizes how students' conceptions of genetic drift change with instruction. We also articulate three hypotheses regarding undergraduates' conceptions of evolution in general and genetic drift in particular. We propose that: 1) students begin with undeveloped conceptions of evolution that do not recognize different mechanisms of change; 2) students develop more complex, but still inaccurate, conceptual frameworks that reflect experience with vocabulary but still lack deep understanding; and 3) some new misconceptions about genetic drift emerge as students comprehend more about evolution.UX in the age of augmented reality
Alex Gurgulescu Blocked Unblock Follow Following Dec 5, 2016
Remember the sci-fi movie Johnny Mnemonic, made more than two decades ago? Specifically that quirky scene depicting Keanu Reeves wrapped in a VR suite, using hand gestures to navigate the “future internet”?
A decade after that, Minority Report envisioned a scenario where augmented “stuff” would enrich the reality we actually live in. I cannot remember a movie that puts more focus on the “augmented user experience”.
In countless scenes, we are compelled to imagine a future where this additional layer of reality becomes a natural part of the mundane.
Today, the vision for augmented reality (AR) is actually much more exciting than everything those movies could have ever predicted. With the emergence of devices like Hololens, what can we expect from AR in the years to come?
First of all — yes, it will most surely be a user experience based on physical gestures and natural language recognition.
Second — it might fundamentally change the way we work, communicate, play, entertain, learn, use our senses and our imagination.
Third — most probably it will disrupt established industries and generate an entirely new demand for things we may not even grasp today.
Let’s expand the points a bit.
1. What does the new medium mean for UX designers?
This new realm of opportunities for creating a different kind of UX is exciting, I must admit. I can imagine a 3D (r)evolution for forthcoming AR designers and the emergence of new lightweight tools that allow fast modelling and animating. We will see a new breed of designers showcasing their work and ideas in the form of 3D prototypes that allow interactive gestures.
Another interesting direction — designing the UX flows of voice-activated commands and interactions. The gradual evolution of this branch during the last years of mobile development set out a very promising outline for how it could evolve in the AR age.
Early examples of the scenarios described above are already out there:
2. Will AR change the way we do.. everything?
Most likely. Just like the automobile changed mobility for ever. And like the PC opened the era to an immersive digital experience.
Let’s take the most common scenario we have in our current interconnected world — long distance communication. After viewing Alex Kipman’s TED Talk (particularly from minute 11:00) I had to review my whole perspective about the power of AR and it’ ability to connect us.
Augmented presence will most probably become the standard of any high-quality “teleconference” experience. Just imagine how the collaborative nature will evolve, once the lack of physical presence to an event will not be an impediment. How might future AR workshops look like? What about live concerts? One thing is certain: augmented our meetings will be.
AR will dramatically influence the abundance of customs we have established in our society. Shopping, watching video media, gaming, designing stuff.. you name it. And maybe not just for activities that are inherently “digital” in their nature. Imagine someone working a crane while the future building is projected in front of him/her. Or working on the city infrastructure with a clear sight of the (otherwise) hidden pipelines. The best doctors working remotely on giving the best diagnosis and — someday perhaps — performing remote surgeries. Or one could just hop on the Mars Rover and explore the red planet in an augmented experience — while sitting comfortably in a couch.
3. What products will disappear?
Do you have a television? Do you buy stuff at the supermarket?
For a majority of people, both answers will surely be “yes”.
Try to think a bit into the future, let’s say a decade from now.
Why would you want a big hardware device hanging stiff in a particular position in your room, when you can project whatever-it-is-that-you-want where-ever-you-want-it? Imagine watching your favourite movie projected on a clear night sky. Or having 20 “augmented screens” to get you sh*t done, screens which you can flip, stretch and re-shuffle with simple gestures, all projected on an empty wall in front of you.
Will the monitor and TV industry giants collapse, just like Kodak did with the proliferation of the digital camera? I don’t know. But they will certainly have to adapt.
Looking back to the Minority Report scene, I realised that the huge concave glass display surface wouldn’t even be required with actual AR as we understand it today. Your canvas is augmented, entirely. Your “screen” becomes what you want it to be.
I also mentioned buying stuff.
Imagine walking through a supermarket with products that have no labels. Just blanc cans, jars, tubes and wrappers. Maybe some sort of QR code on each, but otherwise no more print design what-so-ever. It might look kind of grim, some might argue. But put on your AR goggles (or future AR contact lenses perhaps?) and a new world unleashes. Dynamic labels and prices based on customer loyalty and/or marketing campaigns and co-marketing driven by products that have augmented relationships. Imagine looking at a specific brand of butter.. and this butter is pointing out with 3D arrows / 3D hearts in the direction of a specific jam in the store. While chasing the discount, new methods of gamification await the user in his shopping experience.
The dark side of AR
Some visions already show us a grey future with humans “trapped” in the augmented worlds they have created.
Others predict a “interface-overkill” scenario, like depicted in this great short, HYPER-REALITY.
And some of you may remember this gem from a few years back, showing another scenario where AR just gets in the way of everything.
The truth is, there are no guarantees these visions won’t become reality.
Right now, augmented reality is still in it’s infancy. Most of the things I mentioned will take time to develop and a lot of innovation from different fields of study. But make no mistake, this isn’t just a passing fashion or a temporary trend. AR is a new milestone with deep repercussions in our social fabric, as the following decades will prove.
So how do you imagine AR developing in the years to come?HONG KONG (Reuters) - Chinese people won’t be able to quench their thirst with a refreshing “face book” beverage, after the U.S. social networking company won a rare trademark victory against a local firm in China.
By contrast, Apple Inc (AAPL.O) last month lost its battle to prevent a domestic company from using the “iPhone” trademark on leather goods in China.
China’s intellectual property protections are often perceived as quite lax but they are steadily improving, lawyers say. The victory may offer a glimmer of hope for Facebook Inc (FB.O) in China, where its social network is not accessible and its business is mainly selling overseas advertising for Chinese companies.
The Beijing Municipal High People’s Court said the Zhongshan Pearl River Drinks application, filed in 2011, to label certain foods and beverages “face book” was an obvious act of copying and harmed fair market competition.
A Facebook spokeswoman declined to comment. An employee at Pearl River Drinks said the case was not widely known at the company and that the staff member in charge of it was not available for comment.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and other executives have made concerted efforts to woo Chinese officials. In March, Zuckerberg had a rare meeting with the country’s propaganda tsar, a suggestion of warming relations between Facebook and the government.
Zuckerberg frequently makes headlines in China, where he has achieved celebrity status by making speeches in Mandarin and sharing pictures of runs through noxious smog in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square.
Facebook had previously objected to China’s Trademark Review and Adjudication Board twice but was unsuccessful, prompting its decision to take the case to court.RPG-27 Tavolga grenade launcher. Rosoboronexport
Russian-backed separatists have begun using a new rocket-propelled grenade against Ukrainian forces in the Donbas, 112.ua reported.
The rebels used a Russian RPG-27 Tavolga anti-tank grenade launcher against Ukrainian troops in a village on the front lines of the Luhansk region, 112.ua said, citing the International Human Rights Community.
The war in eastern Ukraine started shortly after Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 when pro-Russian Ukrainians proclaimed parts of the Donbas as independent states known as the Donetsk People's Republic and Luhansk People's Republic.
Russia has funded, managed and supplied weapons to these rebel states ever since. Moscow admitted it was helping the rebels in late 2015 after repeated denials to the contrary. The separatists also claim that most of their weapons have been captured from Ukrainian armories or the battlefield.
But this new development is just more "evidence of the direct involvement of Russia in Eastern Ukraine," the International Human Rights Community said, since Ukraine has never had this kind of grenade launcher.
This, of course, isn't the only evidence of Russia's meddling in the region. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute has also recorded Moscow's transferring of weapons to the rebels.
The RPG-27 was developed by Russia in 1989, weighs about 18 pounds, and is capable of firing 105mm rounds, according to 112.us and Rosoboronexport, the Russian arms manufacturer that produces it.
It's maximum distance is about 218 yards, and it can pierce about 24 inches of rolled homogenous armor, 59 inches of reinforced concrete and 79 inches of brick, Rosoboronexport said.
Reports of this new RPG being used by separatists comes on the heels of the Pentagon announcing a plan, which President Donald Trump has yet to approve, to deter Russia by arming Kiev with Javelin anti-tank missiles and other defensive weapons.
A previous version of this article said Moscow "categorically denied" it was helping rebels in Ukraine. It has been corrected to state that Russia admitted its presence in the country in late 2015, following repeated denials to the contrary.In a case closely watched in the United States and overseas, a federal judge in New York held Thursday that Microsoft must comply with a U.S. search warrant to turn over a customer’s e-mails held in a server overseas.
Judge Loretta Preska — in a surprise ruling from the bench — upheld a magistrate judge’s opinion in December ordering the Redmond, Wash., company to allow federal authorities to obtain copies of the data, which is stored in Ireland. The government is seeking the e-mails in connection with a drug-trafficking probe.
Preska agreed to stay her ruling to allow the company time to appeal. Microsoft immediately announced its intention to do so.
“The only issue that was certain this morning was that the District Court’s decision would not represent the final step in this process,” said Brad Smith, Microsoft’s general counsel, in a statement. “We will appeal promptly and continue to advocate that people’s e-mail deserves strong privacy protection in the U.S. and around the world.”
The case — the first of its kind in the United States — is a test of whether the government can assert a right to digital content wherever in the world it is stored. If that view is upheld, Microsoft and privacy advocates argue, it would set a dangerous precedent that other governments might be encouraged to emulate and would have grave implications for customers’ privacy.
“The ruling could lead to chaos, where other governments demanding reciprocal treatment insist that their warrants compel U.S. providers to turn over content that they store in the United States,” said Gregory Nojeim, senior counsel for the Center for Democracy and Technology, which supports Microsoft’s position.
The court’s ruling is also likely to exacerbate tensions between U.S. tech companies and the government created in the wake of disclosures by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden over U.S. surveillance, analysts said.
“We’re extremely disappointed with today’s U.S. District court decision in favor of the U.S. government’s extraterritorial search warrant,” said Wayne Watts, AT&T general counsel. “We will strongly support Microsoft’s pursuit of a stay and subsequently a successful appeal of this decision.”
A Justice Department spokesman had no comment.
The case raises significant policy issues on several fronts. The government has an interest in gaining access to communications stored abroad during criminal investigations without having to rely on the cooperation of foreign law enforcement.
But allowing the government to reach across borders for evidence probably will harm U.S. tech companies that store data overseas, as foreign customers may flee to non-U.S. competitors. Allowing prosecutors to do so without the knowledge of the foreign government could harm diplomatic relations.
Foreign cloud providers will now have even more ammunition to say that foreign citizens’ and businesses’ data are not safe when stored with a U.S. company because not only can the NSA get it, but U.S. law enforcement — federal, state, and local — can, too, analysts said.
“How to balance these conflicting considerations is a quintessential policy decision that should be made by Congress, not by a prosecutor or a court in Manhattan,” said Michael Vatis, a partner at Steptoe & Johnson who co-
authored a friend-of-the-court brief for Verizon, which operates data centers overseas.
The judge’s ruling probably will prompt more expressions of outrage from foreign officials, especially in the European Union, about the potential for intrusion into their sovereignty. On June 24, the European Commissioner for Justice, Viviane Reding, voiced concern that the magistrate judge’s opinion in the case “may be in breach of international law” and “may impede” European citizens’ privacy.
The government argues that the e-mails are business records that can be obtained wherever in the world they are. Microsoft attorneys argued that e-mails are the customer’s property, “saturated with the highest constitutional privacy rights.”
During two hours of lively argument, the judge “said she saw no difference between the companies’ own records and a customer’s e-mail,” Vatis said. The judge also said she endorsed the lower court’s ruling which held that Microsoft could simply copy the e-mails from the United States.
The law underlying the case is the 1986 Electronic Communications Privacy Act, which is silent on whether a search warrant for digital content applies abroad.
But Preska said that the law implicitly authorizes extraterritorial collection, said the attorneys. She cited a 1984 case that held that a court may require a company to disclose its business records no matter where in the world they are, and that the disclosure did not require the consent of the country in which they are stored. She said that Congress was aware of the 1984 case when it passed ECPA, and so the law implicitly authorized the overseas reach.
Others disagree.
“If Congress wants to permit the government to obtain electronic communications stored abroad using a search warrant, it should amend the law to say so,” Vatis said.
The issue is gaining global currency. Two weeks ago, Britain passed a law that permits the authorities there to require companies outside the country to provide communications in response to a wiretap order.I was witness to something that will probably never be seen ever again. Only about 100 people in a theater in New York saw what went down. Rhinestone Burlesque did their very last show of Good Idea/Bad Idea, Animaniacs Burlesque, and in attendance was Rob Paulsen, voice of Yakko Warner. A superfan in line next to me spotted writer Peter Hastings and voice director Andrea Romano in line, and it turned out that I sat right next to them during the show.
The format of the show was wildly different than any burlesque I’ve seen. Instead of a performer doing a character, stripping (for lack of a better word), and then the announcer coming out and introducing each act, it was a consistent show, almost like an off broadway play, with a story interspersed with burlesque performances. There were very long periods where there was no stripping going on, just a story with lots of well-written jokes. There were long musical numbers, such as Rita’s song, which was very well sung in the style of Bernadette Peters. There was a LIVE band doing some really amazing and complex numbers, and they interacted a little with the show and improvised bits as well. There was a foley artist on stage providing sound effects for everything and he was part of the act and was great, too. This was a full-on production.
This was the most surreal and well played out burlesque show I’ve ever seen. The show was about 2.5 hours long. Highlights include:
- stripping Dot Warner singing ‘I’m Cute’
- stripping Chicken Boo with full male frontal nudity (completely hilarious, totally surreal, and shocking) while singing an opera… yes, all with 'bawk bawk baaawwwk’
- Rob Paulsen singing the universe song, the cheese song (with nearly nude performers with cheese hats), and the countries of the world song.
- Peter Hastings winning the raffle containing the Animaniacs DVD with Rob Paulsen’s autograph (what’s he going to do with it?)
- When Peter admitted to being a producer/writer for the show, all these almost nude women just jumped on him, grabbed at him, everything. They completely tried to dog pile on him, and he had a time trying to get away (who knows why) and his teenage companion (I assume was his son) put his hands over his face as if he wanted to die of embarrassment.
- After intermission, the band came out in their underwear and Rob Paulsen says loudly “Something for you, Andrea!”
- Wakko taking forever to take her clothes off because she had SO many props stuffed in her underwear.
- Yakko stripping to the countries of the world song.
- It’s Mime Time, miming a first date, already almost nude and yet miming taking her clothes off as a burlesque dancer.
- Every time Slappy Squirrel was on stage.
- Dot’s Poetry Corner: “What’s the difference between a pile of dead babies and a Cadillac? I didn’t lose my virginity in a Cadillac”.
- This one time I saw Randy Beaman’s mom feeding her dog some peanut butter…
- I think so Brain, but isn’t this just high concept fan fiction?
- Rob Paulsen sneaking in a “cowabunga!”
All of the performers hit their characters dead-on, and were all incredible with their stage presence, comic timing, and general performance. Make no mistake, these were a troupe of total professionals (despite all the flubs and technical problems, all of which were completely hilarious, not to mention amazingly well-handled by the improv talents of the cast).
Do you know how INCREDIBLY surreal it is for an Animaniacs fan like myself to be sitting in a theater next to Peter Hastings and Andrea Romano, watching Rob Paulsen sing Animaniacs songs while surrounded by nude females dressed barely as Animaniacs characters, bouncing boobs, and a live band and some guy making weird sound effects on stage? If you told this to any Animaniacs fan, they would never in a million years believe what I experienced. I am probably one of the luckiest Animaniacs fans on earth right now. In one of his songs, Rob Paulsen improvised the lyrics “I don’t believe I’m doing this right now”.
Peter Hastings said “thank you for correctly interpreting the Animaniacs.” and he left with a huge kiss mark of lipstick on his cheek from Yakko. Rob Paulsen said he couldn’t believe how amazing and wonderful the show was and how mindblowing it was that fans were so rabid about Animaniacs that they’d take their pants off. He was truly impressed. I left completely jazzed, I could not believe what I just saw. If there were any huge Animaniacs fans in that audience, they are truly lucky because that will never happen again and the magical moment is gone.With the £350m NHS promise abandoned and a points-based immigration system dismissed, Brexiteers who say ‘you lost, get over it’ are still waiting to find out what they’ve won.
The mystery Brexit prize is causing much excitement among patriotic Brits who are delighted they’ve successfully taken back control.
“I can’t wait to find out what it is,” enthused Simon Williams of campaign group A Nation United in Sovereignty (ANUS).
“I hoping it’s a car or a nice holiday.
“Not a boat though, because I haven’t got anywhere to keep it and I can’t swim.”
Mr Williams also claimed the Remain camp only had themselves to blame for the result, and accused them of talking down Britain during the campaign.
“They should have waited until afterwards, like Liam Fox did,” he said.
Brexit means Clusterf*ck – get the t-shirtAs smartphones grow in popularity in emerging markets, Hugo Barra has very publicly spoken for Xiaomi, the Chinese-based technology company that he left Google to join as Vice President of International in September 2013. Today, he sat down with Bloomberg to talk about many topcis, including accusations that the Chinese company has stolen Apple’s design, Android as one of the best decisions Google ever made, and Xiaomi’s eventual plan to bring its devices stateside…
Book a Free Smart Home Consultation w/ Amazon Services
“So this whole copycat melodrama all boils down to one chamfered edge on one particular phone model which was Mi 4, which people said looked like the iPhone 5,” Barra said in reference to Jony Ive’s comments that Xiaomi had stolen his and Apple’s design. “And I’ve been the first one to admit it: Yes it does look like the iPhone 5, and that chamfered edge by the way is present in so many other devices.”
He feels that the criticism the company has received has largely been the result of a projected bias against Chinese companies. “People just couldn’t bring themselves to believe that a Chinese company actually could be a world innovator, could build amazingly high quality products, and by the way sell them at half the price of a high-end Apple or Samsung device.”
In addition to talking about copycat accusations, Barra also spent time to talk about Google’s Android operating system, how making it open was one of the best decisions they could have ever made, and that it doesn’t make sense for phone manufacturers to build their own OS. Barra also reiterated previous stances that the company would eventually be making its smartphones available in the United States. That won’t happen for a year at least, he says, and it’s going to require “a lot of work.”
Be sure to watch the full videos below:Will there be public universities in 20, 50, 100 years? The question was posed Tuesday night during a dinner of journalists and university presidents, including those from Arizona State University, the University of California Riverside, and Georgia State University.
For most of the dinner, presidents equivocated on issues such as paying adjuncts fairly and keeping tuition costs low, defending their universities while expressing optimism about the future and not necessarily saying anything new. But for the question of the long-term future of public universities, at least one president didn’t dress things up.
“In 100 years? Maybe not,” said Bernadette Gray-Little, the chancellor of the University of Kansas.
The conservative state has been experimenting with supply-side economics, after Governor Sam Brownback cut income taxes and introduced exemptions for small-business owners, a policy that has lead to steep revenue declines. Lower revenues in turn have led to significant cuts in higher education. Over the last 15 years, per-student state support for the University of Kansas has declined almost 40 percent. This year, after the state realized that its new tax policies were leading to significantly lower revenues, universities started to worry that they would face something unprecedented: budget cuts in the middle of the year.There is an absolutely astonishing article in today’s New York Times about the Republican National Committee’s use of intricate stagecraft, set design, and trompe l'oeil to make Mitt Romney seem less Mitt Romney–like at Tampa’s convention. In other words, the party is quite literallynow relying on smoke and mirrors.
Per the Times: “The campaign aides are determined to overcome perceptions that Mr. Romney is stiff, aloof and distant. So they have built one of the most intricate set pieces ever designed for a convention—a $2.5 million Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired theatrical stage.” (They shall call it: Falling Expectations.) “From its dark-wood finish to the brightly glowing high-resolution screens in the rafters that look like skylights, every aspect of the stage has been designed to convey warmth, approachability and openness.” It’s definitely the sort of thing where you can just tell no one has considered the possibility that all this will just make Romney look comparatively more robotic and miserable in his own skin. (“Why does that sad man look so unhappy in the soft lighting? Does it burn his skin?”) Let’s read on.
“The most ambitious element of stagecraft, however, will be the podium—which features 13 different video screens—the largest about 29 feet by 12 feet, the smallest about 8 feet by 8 feet and movable... From the six-feet-high podium, staircases slope into the audience. The intended symbolism: Mr. Romney is open and approachable, not distant and far above.” So... something like this?
And there are props! The stage will feature “a digital clock mounted to one of the arena’s upper rings that will show the national debt ticking ever-higher” and “video screens will help augment whatever messages a speaker is trying to convey, be it images of woeful-looking Americans to convey that President Obama has mismanaged the economy or pictures of the Romney children that speak to the candidate’s deep bonds with his family.” First of all: hope those speeches are timed perfectly, otherwise when the candidate mentions a “woeful-looking American,” the audience might see, say, Rafalca Romney, wealthy horse; second of all, there are worse strategies than hypnotizing a nation with pictures of Josh Romney. Maybe they’ll use that one you took of him walking your dog on the beach in Maine.Allowing your chickens to graze on fresh grass is a good thing — not just for them, but for you as well. The nutrients in green vegetation enhances the quality of their eggs and meat. And since fresh greens can make up about 20-30% of a chicken’s diet, providing them for your chickens can save you on feed costs.
But keeping your chickens supplied with fresh greens can be a challenge. When chickens have plenty of room to roam, they will graze a little off the top, then move on. When forage space is limited, however, as in a small urban or suburban backyard, chickens will continue to graze and scratch in the same spot until the vegetation is torn down to the roots.
An easy solution? Grazing frames! But before we get to that, let’s look at some of the more common ways of greening your chickens in a small space.
Some common solutions for getting fresh greens to your chickens
Bring the vegetation to them. Food scraps, garden debris, sprouted grains, and so on are all good ways to get supplemental greens into your chickens’ diet. Just toss them in, and the chickens will have a feast.
Food scraps, garden debris, sprouted grains, and so on are all good ways to get supplemental greens into your chickens’ diet. Just toss them in, and the chickens will have a feast. Build a chicken tractor. If you have a little more room and are committed to moving the tractor from spot to spot, an open bottom chicken tractor lets you control where the chickens graze in your yard. We rotate our Garden Ark through our vegetable beds so the chickens can till and fertilize the soil and help control weeds and pests. You can also move your chicken tractor across your yard, giving them a fresh spot of grass each time. You’ll want to move it every two or three days to keep them from laying the grass bare.
If you have a little more room and are committed to moving the tractor from spot to spot, an open bottom chicken tractor lets you control where the chickens graze in your yard. We rotate our Garden Ark through our vegetable beds so the chickens can till and fertilize the soil and help control weeds and pests. You can also move your chicken tractor across your yard, giving them a fresh spot of grass each time. You’ll want to move it every two or three days to keep them from laying the grass bare. Use a paddock system. This is where you build your chicken coop in the center of three or more enclosed yards, then you give the chickens access to one “sub”-yard at a time. Once they’ve decimated the vegetation in one, you close that yard off for rest and replanting, and let the chickens into the next yard, and so on.
This is where you build your chicken coop in the center of three or more enclosed yards, then you give the chickens access to one “sub”-yard at a time. Once they’ve decimated the vegetation in one, you close that yard off for rest and replanting, and let the chickens into the next yard, and so on. Plant vegetation specifically for your hens. This can be part of a paddock, free range, or simple day-run setup. (Here’s a good resource for what to plant.)
All of these are great solutions, depending on your particular space and needs. There’s another solution, though, that I’ve found to be easy to set up and easy to maintain, and that provides a steady source of fresh green grass inside a small space.
Grazing frames
In our yard, we have one small dedicated day run for our hens located right next to their Garden Coop. In all, it provides only about 100 square feet of grazing area. Fully greened, it would only take a few days for our flock of nine to tear it all down to bare earth. My first attempt at keeping it green was to divide the yard into a couple of paddocks. This required a lot of tending, and there were long stretches of time where both paddocks were closed to recover and regrow.
Then I discovered grazing frames in an article by gardening writer Vern Nelson. Grazing frames are simple two-by-four frames with hardware cloth (welded wire mesh) attached across the top. It’s kind of like a raised bed for chickens. Set one above a patch of grass, and the grass will grow up through the openings. Your chickens can snack on the green tips, and the frame protects the roots so that the grass survives to grow another day.
The design I present here is a modified version of Mr. Nelson’s, but it’s basically the same idea: protect the roots, grow the shoots.
A few notes before getting started
Assess your skill level. If you’ve used our coop plans to build your backyard chicken coop, you could probably do this project blindfolded (not recommended).
Time. About 30 minutes per frame? Let me know in the comments.
Measurements. Feel free to modify to meet your needs and materials. Metric units appear in green.
Safety. Read our disclaimer. Follow all manufacturers’ instructions when using tools, materials, or equipment. Protect your eyes, ears, and limbs. Build safe, and have fun!
Grazing frame plans for your backyard chickens
Materials List ( to build one 5′ x 3′ frame – 1525 x 865 mm )
2 8-foot ( 2400 mm ) two-by-fours. Note: The wood will be in direct contact with the ground, so either choose a naturally rot-resistant species like cedar or redwood or use a cheaper softwood (spruce, pine, fir) and seal it well or preserve it with a garden-safe product like Timber Pro UV Internal Wood Stabilizer.
) two-by-fours. Note: The wood will be in direct contact with the ground, so either choose a naturally rot-resistant species like cedar or redwood or use a cheaper softwood (spruce, pine, fir) and seal it well or preserve it with a garden-safe product like Timber Pro UV Internal Wood Stabilizer. 1 6-foot ( 1800 mm ) one-by-two. See note above.
) one-by-two. See note above. 3″ ( 75 mm ) exterior screws
) exterior screws About 50 galvanized poultry fencing staples (do NOT use ordinary staples from a staple gun!)
59″ ( 1500 mm ) length of 3′ wide ( 914 mm ), 1/2 in. ( 13 x 13 mm ) galvanized hardware cloth, also known as “welded wire mesh”
Tools List
Circular saw or handsaw
Couple of sawhorses
Power driver with assorted drill and driver bits
Tape measurer
Hammer
Wire snips (for cutting hardware cloth)
Instructions
Cut each of your 2 two-by-fours into a 60″ (1525 mm) piece and a 34″ (865 mm) piece. These will make up the outer edges of the frame (see diagram below).
Cut the one-by-two into two 34″ (865 mm) pieces. These will be the two center spans.
Lightly sand the cut pieces and paint, seal, or treat them as needed with a non-toxic wood preservative like Internal Wood Stabilizer.
Attach the two-by-four pieces together to form the outer edges of the frame, using 3″ (75 mm) exterior screws, two per joint. Refer to the diagram for placement. You will probably want to pre-drill the holes to prevent splitting.
Attach the one-by-two pieces evenly spaced between the outer edges and flush with what will be the top edge of the frame, using one 3″ (75 mm) screw per joint. By using one-by-twos here instead of two-by-fours, and by attaching them near the top of the frame, they will support the wire mesh without resting on the ground, allowing more grass to grow.
Note: You can build the frame to whatever dimensions you choose, but be sure to space your supports every 2′ or less apart (600 mm). It might seem like overkill, but a flock of hens can be pretty hefty, especially when they all converge in one spot atop the frame.
Attach the hardware cloth to the top of the frame at the perimeter, stapling it down well, every 3-4 inches or so (75-100 mm). There’s no need to attach it to the center supports. If you’ve built a coop using either of our chicken coop plans, you’re already a pro at this!
Prepare an even bed of well-fertilized soil, then plant grass seed or grain. I just fluff up the soil a bit, then scatter the seeds generously and rake them in |
be the 3rd QB this year. So McCoy stays with the Redskins and offers them a guy who’s been around the league a bit more and can give RGIII and Cousins some extra advice.
-No changes here. The top two backs are set and Royster’s versatility should earn him a spot on the roster. The final spot comes down to Seastrunk and UDFA Silas Redd. Redd has clearly outplayed Seastrunk, but Seastrunk has the greater upside and that might be enough to keep him on the roster. The other factor the Redskins have to consider is the fact that Seastrunk would be more likely to be poached off waivers or even the practice squad, while Redd could end up being stashed there for a year.
-This is an easy decision for the Skins, Young is one of the better fullbacks in the league and is very versatile, not only is he a lock to make the roster, but the Redskins will find a lot of ways to keep him involved in the offense.
-No surprises here really, the three holdovers from last season are far ahead of the other tight ends on the list and barring an injury are all pretty well set to make this team. So far not only has a 4th tight end not challenged any of the incumbents, but they haven’t shown they are even worthy of consideration for a roster spot.
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-I decided to go with only 5 receivers to start the year, mainly because I couldn’t find a compelling reason to keep a 6th. The Redskins top 4 spots are set with veterans and guys the Redskins know they can count on. Rookie Ryan Grant has had a great camp and should be able to contribute when called upon as well. Next on the list is Aldrick Robinson, but he doesn’t really do anything that the top 5 guys can’t account for and he doesn’t help on special teams. The Redskins should just start the year with 5 receivers and add a 6th when Leonard Hankerson comes off the PUP list (likely from the corner position).
-No changes here for this group. Even though Chris Chester’s play has been poor, the starters seem pretty locked into roster spots. Mike McGlynn offers good interior depth and Morgan Moses and Spencer Long are top rookies and should have jobs. Josh LeRibeus has outplayed the rest of the back-up linemen and should get the 9th spot. The really interesting thing is that this leaves the Redskins thin at OT and deep in the interior as all three back-up interior linemen can play guard. The problem is neither Tom Compton or Maurice Hurt has come close to outplaying LeRibeus.
-No surprises with the top 4 guys as they will be the primary rotation of defensive linemen on this team. Golston’s leadership, veteran experience and special teams work also is likely to earn him a spot as well. The final spot will likely come down to Chris Neild and Clifton Geathers. Neild could win the job since he’s a more capable nose tackle, and can back-up Cofield in that role. Sure Baker and even Jenkins can play there some, but I don’t think the Redskins ideally want them there, which opens up the need for a more traditional NT. What could get interesting is when Stephen Bowen is ready to come off the PUP list. Do they keep 7 DL at that point or cut Neild then.
-The top 5 guys listed are locks, and the Redskins will also keep likely three of Compton, Hayward, Jordan and Darryl Sharpton. I think Sharpton is the odd man out right now. Compton and Hayward appear to be ahead of him and Jordan has more experience and contributed with a big ST’s tackle. With Sharpton dealing with an injury he’s clearly falling behind. Rob Jackson is in the lead for the other OLB job, but Gabe Miller had a nice game versus the Browns and could sneak into the competition.
-Hall, Amerson and Breeland are set in stone, and then the question becomes do the Redskins keep 2 or 3 back-up corners. Tracy Porter is a veteran with a two year deal so the Redskins are likely to keep him, though injuries have slowed down his camp. Biggers is another veteran who brings a lot of things to the table. He’s solid in coverage, and maybe more consistent than a rookie like Breeland (especially early on). Biggers can also back-up the FS position and play solid special teams as well. I went with an extra corner here since Minnifield has shown some potential and there is an extra roster spot available.
-I think the top 3 spots are pretty well set here, and the only question is whether the Redskins keep Robinson or Bacarri Rambo as the back-up FS. Robinson gets the edge here. He doesn’t have the upside of Rambo, but he’s a far superior special teams player and he might be more consistent at safety right now. Rambo still goes for the big hit and doesn’t take proper angles.
Kicker: (1) Zach Hocker
-I think this battle will go right down to the wire, but Hocker seems to be in the lead and at the very least has the tie-breaker of being handpicked by the Redskins ST coach.
-Haven’t been blown away by either punter, but it seems clear that Malone is in the lead.
Long Snapper: (1) Nick Sundberg
-Easy decision as he’s the only long snapper on the team.Alex Robles joins dozens of sign-holding protesters at a rally against low wages for fast-food workers, in front of a McDonald's on Dec. 5, 2013, in Phoenix. (Photo: Ross D. Franklin, AP)
Bad move, McDonald's? As fast food workers walked off the job in 100 cities Thursday amid demands for higher pay, the fast food giant thought it was a good idea to dish out some holiday tip suggestions to its employees — like how much to tip your massage therapist or pool cleaner.
Posted on its employee resource website, the now-deleted suggestions, including one week's pay for your au pair, add up to hundreds of dollars or more — pretty steep for employees who largely earn just above minimum wage, NBC News reports, though it notes the guide also said to tip based on "your budget."
NEWSER: High school hate crime suspect is victim's mom
"This is content provided by a third-party partner and quotes from one of the best-known etiquette gurus, Emily Post," a McDonald's rep explained. "We continue to review the resource and will ask the vendor to make changes as needed."
Meanwhile, some fast food workers who walked off the job Thursday didn't lose a day's pay thanks to union-backed groups like Fast Food Forward, CNN reports.
"I have bills to pay and we don't get enough money," said a single mom and Checkers employee, who didn't show up for work but was paid what she'd make in a day — about $50 — so she could rally outside a Brooklyn Wendy's. "If they weren't paying me, I couldn't afford to be here."
Other helpful budget tips from McDonald's included its suggestions that McDonald's employees get a second job and sell their stuff to raise extra cash.
Newser is a USA TODAY content partner providing general news, commentary and coverage from around the Web. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.
Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/1d5efbKAlgal blooms threaten the economies of the globe’s most tourist dependent nations, scuttle holidays plans and give some scientists more to worry about
Authorities across the Caribbean are releasing emergency funding to clean up piles of decaying seaweed so huge and pungent that tourists have cancelled summer beach holidays and lawmakers on Tobago have deemed it a “natural disaster”.
The picture-perfect beaches and turquoise waters that people expect from the Caribbean are increasingly being fouled by mats of plant matter that attract biting sand fleas and smell like rotten eggs.
Clumps of the brownish seaweed, known as sargassum, have long washed up on Caribbean coastlines, but researchers say the algae have exploded in extent and frequency in recent years.
From the Dominican Republic in the north, to Barbados in the east, and Mexico’s Caribbean resorts to the west, officials are authorising emergency money to clear stinking mounds of seaweed that in some cases have piled up to nearly three metres (10 feet) high on beaches, choked scenic coves and cut off moored boats.
US west coast toxic algae bloom might be largest ever, say scientists Read more
With the start of the region’s high tourism season a few months away, some officials are calling for an emergency meeting of the 15-nation Caribbean Community, worried that the worsening seaweed influx could become a chronic dilemma for the globe’s most tourism-dependent region.
“This has been the worst year we’ve seen. We need to have a regional effort because this unsightly seaweed could end up affecting the image of the Caribbean,” said Christopher James, chairman of the Tobago Hotel and Tourism Association.
There are various ideas about what is causing the seaweed boom that scientists say started in 2011, including warming ocean temperatures and changes in the ocean currents due to climate change. Some researchers believe it is primarily due to increased land-based nutrients and pollutants washing into the water, including nitrogen-heavy fertilisers and sewage waste that fuel the blooms.
Brian Lapointe, a sargassum expert at Florida Atlantic University, says that while the sargassum washing up in normal amounts has long been good for the Caribbean, severe influxes like those seen lately are “harmful algal blooms” because they can cause wipe out fish populations, foul the beach, harm tourism revenue and even cause coastal dead zones.
“Considering that these events have been happening since 2011, this could be the new normal. Time will tell,” Lapointe said.
The mats of drifting sargassum covered with berry-like sacs have become so numerous in the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean they are even drifting as far away as Sierre Leone and Ghana.
The oceans are warming faster than climate models predicted | John Abraham Read more
Sargassum, which gets its name from the Portuguese word for grape, is a floating brownish alga that generally blooms in the Sargasso Sea, a three million-square-kilometre (two million-square-mile) body of warm water in the north Atlantic that is a major habitat and nursery for numerous marine species. Like coral reefs, the algae mats are critical habitats and mahi-mahi, tuna, billfish, eels, shrimp, crabs and sea turtles all use the algae to spawn, feed or hide from predators.
But some scientists believe the sargassum besieging a growing number of beaches may actually be due to blooms in the Atlantic’s equatorial region, perhaps because of a high flow of nutrients from South America’s Amazon and Orinoco rivers mixing with warmer ocean temperatures.
“We think this is an ongoing equatorial regional event and our research has found no direct connection with the Sargasso Sea,” said Jim Franks, senior research scientist at the University of Southern Mississippi.
Whatever the reason, the massive sargassum flow is becoming a major challenge for tourism-dependent countries. In large doses, the algae harm coastal environments, even causing the deaths of endangered sea turtle hatchlings after they wriggle out of the sand where their eggs were buried. Clean-up efforts by work crews may also worsen beach erosion.
“We have heard reports of recently hatched sea turtles getting caught in the seaweed. If removal of seaweed involves large machinery, that will also impact the beaches and the ecosystems,” said Faith Bulger, program officer at the Washington-based Sargasso Sea Commission.
Mexican authorities will spend about $9.1m and hire 4,600 workers to clean up seaweed mounds accumulating along that country’s Caribbean coast. Part of the money will be used to determine whether the sargassum can be collected at sea before it reaches shore.
Some tourists in hard-hit areas are trying to prevent their summer holidays from being ruined by the stinking algae. “The smell of seaweed is terrible, but I’m enjoying the sun,” German tourist Oliver Pahlke said during a visit to Cancun, Mexico.
Sitting at a picnic table on the south coast of Barbados, Canadian holiday-maker Anne Alma said reports of the rotting seaweed mounds she’d heard from friends did not dissuade her from visiting the eastern Caribbean island.
“I just wonder where the seaweed is going to go,” the Toronto resident said, watching more mats drift to shore even after crews had already trucked away piles to use as mulch and fertilisers.Ryan Waning’s been doing standup comedy in New England for well over ten years. The Auburn native has seen his share of ups and downs, most recently the closure of the Comedy Connection in Portland in Oct. 2012, which left Maine’s small but outspoken standup scene without a place to do regular professional work.
Fortunately, something has finally arisen to take the place of the Comedy Connection. The Downunder Club, located at Seasons Restaurant on Main Street in downtown Bangor, will begin offering regular bi-weekly standup comedy beginning Saturday, Jan. 18, with its inaugural showcase featuring Waning himself and comedian Will Green, followed by a best of New England standup showcase on Saturday, Feb. 1 featuring Nick Lavalee, Ian Stuart, Adam Hatch and Tim Hoffman. Shows starts at 8 p.m. and tickets for the first show are only $5.
“The ownership at Seasons recognized the lack of an actual, honest to goodness comedy club in the Bangor market, let alone in Maine,” said Waning. “They have put substantial time and energy into making this a successful venture. The room is beautiful and perfect for comedy.”
The Maine comedy scene has been at a loss for over a year, since the Comedy Connection closed. Though there is a popular comedy open mic nights at Slainte in Portland, a semi-regular comedy night at the Asylum in Portland, and a number of one-off shows all over the state, there’s no one venue that is meant to showcase comedy. Until now.
“A club fosters a certain atmosphere among the comedy community. Comics know there is a place that they can go to perform that won’t be moving from VFW to rental hall to the back of a bar and that treats them like professionals they are,” said Waning. “And comedy fans know that there is a place they can go to catch professional stand-up comedians work their craft on a regular basis. I was a fan long before I was a comic, and this room has something special about it already.”
If the first few months of shows go well, Waning plans to make standup comedy a weekly happening at the club.
Seasons Restaurant is located at 427 Main St. in Bangor, across the street from the Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion. For more information, visit the Downunder Club Facebook page.There’s an oft-used idiom that you can’t see political borders from space, but we’ve known for a while it’s no longer true. Between higher resolution cameras and the increase in human activity, there have been several examples of borders visible from space. Here’s one more.
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station took this photograph in November of 2014 of a 20-kilometer (12-mile) stretch of the Iraq-Iran border, near the coast of the Persian Gulf. Clearly visible is the border between the two countries, along with signs of fortification: circular gun emplacements, systems of large curved earthworks and straight connecting roads that run parallel to the border.
NASA said the ISS team that analyzes astronaut photos first thought the circular features to be oil-pad installations (like ones seen in Texas here). But they said the “strategic location of these formations along the international boundary made it easier to see these as patterns of military fortifications. This region of oil refining and exporting was the center of numerous military actions during the war in the 1980s, especially during the defense of the southern city of Basra.”
Back in 2011, we featured an image from astronaut Ron Garan which clearly showed the human-made border between India and Pakistan. Since 2003, India has illuminated the border with Pakistan by floodlights in attempt to prevent ammunition trafficking and the infiltration of terrorists.
“Realizing what this picture depicted had a big impact on me,” Garan said. “When viewed from space, Earth almost always looks beautiful and peaceful. However, this picture is an example of man-made changes to the landscape in response to a threat, clearly visible from space. This was a big surprise to me.”
There’s also a satellite photo from the M-Sat Planet Observer showing the clear border and demilitarized zone between North and South Korea.
Sources: NASA, Fragile Oasis, M-Sat Planet ObserverWith a number of games having taken place on Tuesday night, we've put together a list of the stand-out performers to make up our Team of Midweek.
Taking supporters' social media suggestions into account, here's our best XI and a manager...
Goalkeeper: Marco Silvestri (Leeds United)
Silvestri was in fine form to prevent Cardiff City from climbing into the Sky Bet Championship Play-Off positions, and helping earn Leeds all three points.
The Italian recorded a clean sheet, making brilliant saves to deny both Peter Whittingham and Tom Lawrence as United won 2-0.
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Defender: Clint Hill (Queens Park Rangers)
The experienced centre-half put in an excellent performance to help QPR keep their second successive clean sheet at Loftus Road.
Tjaronn Chery got the first of the game with one of Hill's defensive colleagues, Gabriele Angella, wrapping up all three points late on.
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Defender: Matt Doherty (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
After a solid performance, left-back Doherty scored an injury-time winner to secure all three points against Bristol City in a 2-1 victory at Molineux.
It was the club's second consecutive home win which puts them 12th in the league table.
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Defender: Matt Mills (Nottingham Forest)
Dougie Freedman's side kept their first clean sheet in five games with Mills an integral part of a solid back four that helped overcome Preston North End 1-0.
Nelson Oliveira, on loan from Benfica, netted the winning goal late in the first half at the City Ground.
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Defender: Reece Burke (Bradford City)
The on-loan West Ham defender scored the Bantams' second goal at Valley Parade where Phil Parkinson's men defeated Sky Bet League 1 leaders Burton Albion.
Kyel Reid netted the opener, prior to the 19-year-old adding the second to keep Bradford's promotion hopes alive.
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Midfielder: Lee Frecklington (Rotherham United)
Frecklington struck with just two minutes left to play to help record Rotherham's third successive win.
The match looked set to finish all square but the former Peterborough United man struck late on to deny Middlesbrough the chance to reduce the gap at the top. Rotherham's efforts saw them rewarded with The Football League's Result of the Night.
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Midfielder: Michael Doyle (Portsmouth)
Pompey dominated first-half proceedings in a crucial clash at the top end of Sky Bet League 2 against Accrington Stanley.
Michael Doyle scored a spectacular 30-yard volley to put the visitors 3-0 up, with Kyle Bennett grabbing the opener before Matt Pearson scored an unfortunate own goal.
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Midfielder: Ollie Clarke (Bristol Rovers)
Clarke struck Rovers' second goal in an important 3-1 win over fellow Play-Off hopefuls AFC Wimbledon.
It was Darrell Clarke's side's third successive win and it was them go fifth in the Sky Bet League 2 table.
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Midfielder: Mark Randall (Barnet)
Barnet clinched their third away win of the season with Randall on target in a fantastic Bees display.
Andy Yiadom scored his second goal in three games to grab the opener, with Randall doubling the advantage just before half-time.
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Forward: Sam Vokes (Burnley)
Burnley extended their lead at the Sky Bet Championship summit by beating Fulham 3-2, largely thanks to a double from Vokes.
The former Wolverhampton Wanderers hitman opened the scoring on nine minutes before converting a penalty early in the second half to help clinch all three points.
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Forward: Jamie Paterson (Huddersfield Town)
Huddersfield clinched their first win in four to end Reading's five-match unbeaten run.
Nahki Wells was on target early in the second half, but Paterson makes our best XI having doubled the advantage 10 minutes later when he converted Sean Scannell's low ball. It was his fourth goal in four games against Reading this term.
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Manager: Neil Warnock (Rotherham United)Sue Bolton speaking at a rally for refugee rights in September. Photo by Aneleh Bulle.
[See also "How socialists work to win mass support" and "'Transitional Program': 'a program of action from today until the beginning of the socialist revolution'".]
By Dave Holmes
[This talk was presented on January 18, 2013 at the Socialist Alliance (Australia) national conference, held in Geelong.]
January 18, 2013 – Links international Journal of Socialist Renewal -- Socialist Alliance is currently engaged in a process of discussion and clarification with Socialist Alternative, with a view to exploring the possibilities of greater cooperation and unity. How this will ultimately develop is an open question. But I think it is fair to say that on both sides today there is a much greater interest in the political positions and approach of the other.
Recently Omar Hassan, a leader of Socialist Alternative, has criticised the very concept of a transitional program and our use of it.[1] Presumably his views more or less reflect the outlook of his organisation as a whole. I’ll consider them later. [Editor's note: Links International Journal of Socialist Renewal has been advised that the views of Omar Hassan on the transitional method are not necessarily the views of Socialist Alternative as an organisation.]
Our general approach
Socialist Alliance members need to understand our politics more clearly and, especially, the transitional approach and how it applies to our work. In this regard, I urge comrades to read the Resistance Books title, The Transitional Program and the Struggle for Socialism.[2] The introduction by Doug Lorimer is particularly useful.
Put simply, the transitional method that underlies all our work seeks to engage people on the basis of their real needs and from there seek to lead them toward an understanding of the need to change the whole system, i.e., to replace capitalism with socialism.
The broad masses of people develop their ideas on the basis of their experience. Socialists have to join them where they are at, engage in struggle with them, help them draw lessons from those experiences and on that basis educate them about the need for a root-and-branch change in our social relations and economy.
Trotsky’s Transitional Program
What is a political program? In general a socialist program outlines how we understand what’s going on in society and what we advocate doing about it, both right now and more generally. It not only nails our colours to the mast, so to speak, but it also serves to orient our work.
Naturally, a program is never a finished thing but develops in response to the unfolding of the political situation and the progress of the struggle. New developments (fascism, war, financial crisis, environmental crisis, etc.) need to be reflected in our program.
Trotsky wrote the Transitional Program in 1938. Its actual name is The Death Agony of Capitalism and the Tasks of the Fourth International. The central issue it addresses is how to overcome the contradiction between the crisis of capitalism and the political immaturity of the working class. Trotsky explained it this way:
… It is necessary to help the masses in the process of the daily struggle to find the bridge between present demands and the socialist program of the revolution. This bridge should include a system of transitional demands, stemming from today’s conditions and from today’s consciousness of wide layers of the working class and unalterably leading to one final conclusion: the conquest of power by the proletariat. Classical social-democracy, functioning in an epoch of progressive capitalism, divided its program into two parts independent of each other: the minimum program, which limited itself to reforms within the framework of bourgeois society, and the maximum program, which promised substitution of socialism for capitalism in the indefinite future. Between the minimum and the maximum program no bridge existed. And indeed social-democracy has no need of such a bridge, since the word socialism is used only for holiday speechifying. The Comintern has set out to follow the path of social-democracy in an epoch of decaying capitalism: when, in general, there can be no discussion of systematic social reforms and the raising of the masses’ living standards; when every serious demand of the proletariat and even every serious demand of the petty bourgeoisie inevitably reaches beyond the limits of capitalist property relations and of the bourgeois state. … The present epoch is distinguished not for the fact that it frees the revolutionary party from day-to-day work but because it permits this work to be carried on indissolubly with the actual tasks of the revolution. The Fourth International does not discard the program of the old “minimal” demands to the degree to which these have preserved at least part of their vital forcefulness. Indefatigably, it defends the democratic rights and social conquests of the workers. But it carries on this day-to-day work within the framework of the correct actual, that is, revolutionary perspective. Insofar as the old, partial, “minimal” demands of the masses clash with the destructive and degrading tendencies of decadent capitalism — and this occurs at each step — the Fourth International advances a system of transitional demands, the essence of which is contained in the fact that ever more openly and decisively they will be directed against the very bases of the bourgeois regime. The old “minimal program” is superseded by the transitional program, the task of which lies in systematic mobilisation of the masses for the proletarian revolution.[3]
Putting aside some specific references, I think that some 70 years on these ideas have a great contemporary relevance. We can distinguish three general types of demands in the Transitional Program: immediate, democratic and transitional demands.
Immediate demands concern the day-to-day defence of the interests of the masses. Some examples are demands for better wages and conditions or opposition to neoliberal cutbacks and privatisations.
Democratic demands are particularly important given capitalism’s constant tendency to restrict democratic space on every level. Demands for free speech and against government snooping, the call for women’s right to abortion; opposition to imperialist wars (US and Australian troops out of Afghanistan; let the Afghans determine their own destiny) — all these are examples of democratic demands.
This brings us to transitional demands. As longtime US Socialist Workers Party leader Joseph Hansen explained, “these are of broader scope.”
They are based on the incapacity of capitalism to provide for the needs of the working class as a whole. They stress the feasibility of meeting those demands in a society constructed on a rational basis. On the economic level, transitional demands point toward the planned economy of socialism. On the political level, they centre on the need for the workers to establish their own government.[4]
Examples of transitional demands are: A sliding scale of hours (with no loss of pay) — to combat unemployment; a sliding scale of wages — to combat inflation eroding the living standards of the workers; nationalisation of particular industries or economic sectors (under workers control) — to allow us to grapple with pressing issues; and end to business secrets — to enable us to plan the economy, etc.
It is important to understand that whether the struggle is around immediate, democratic or transitional demands, we advocate playing to the strengths of the working class, its economic position and its numbers, that is, we advocate mass struggle in all its forms rather than relying on parliamentary manoeuvres, lobbying, etc.
It is also important to understand that there is no hierarchy between the three types of demands in terms of their mobilising power. Any one type of demand can be the basis of a very big struggle. The huge struggle against the Vietnam war in the US and Australia in the 1960s and early 1970s was around the democratic demand of self-determination for the Vietnamese people, their right to determine their own destiny without outside interference.
Marx and Engels
Trotsky did not invent the idea of a transitional program, nor did he claim to. He presented in a more systematic way a method that began with Marx and Engels.
We can look at the first communist program, the Communist Manifesto of 1847. It contains 10 demands outlining what a revolutionary workers government would do.[5] This is very much a transitional program, which, if carried out would constitute a huge step in moving towards socialism.
Early the next year, in the context of the developing German Revolution, the 17-point “Demands of the Communist Party in Germany” was widely circulated throughout the country over the names of Marx, Engels and other leaders of the organisation.[6] The demands included measures to achieve a radical democracy and measures to improve the lot of working people. Other points called for the nationalisation of key means of production (banks, transport, mines, feudal estates). Here are the 17 points:
1. The whole of Germany shall be declared a single and indivisible republic. 2. Every German, having reached the age of 21, shall have the right to vote and to be elected, provided he has not been convicted of a criminal offence. 3. Representatives of the people shall receive payment so that workers, too, shall be able to become members of the German parliament. 4. Universal arming of the people. In future the armies shall be simultaneously labour armies, so that the troops shall not, as formerly, merely consume, but shall produce more than is necessary for their upkeep. This will moreover be conducive to the organisation of labour. 5. Legal services shall be free of charge. 6. All feudal obligations, dues, corvées, tithes etc., which have hitherto weighed upon the rural population, shall be abolished without compensation. 7. Princely and other feudal estates, together with mines, pits, and so forth, shall become the property of the state. The estates shall be cultivated on a large scale and with the most up-to-date scientific devices in the interests of the whole of society. 8. Mortgages on peasant lands shall be declared the property of the state. Interest on such mortgages shall be paid by the peasants to the state. 9. In localities where the tenant system is developed, the land rent or the quit-rent shall be paid to the state as a tax … 10. A state bank, whose paper issues are legal tender, shall replace all private banks … 11. All the means of transport, railways, canals, steamships, roads, the posts etc. shall be taken over by the state. They shall become the property of the state and shall be placed free at the disposal of the impecunious classes. 12. All civil servants shall receive the same salary, the only exception being that civil servants who have a family to support and who therefore have greater requirements, shall receive a higher salary. 13. Complete separation of church and state. The clergy of every denomination shall be paid only by the voluntary contributions of their congregations. 14. The right of inheritance to be curtailed. 15. The introduction of steeply graduated taxes, and the abolition of taxes on articles of consumption. 16. Inauguration of national workshops. The state guarantees a livelihood to all workers and provides for those who are incapacitated for work. 17. Universal and free education of the people. It is to the interest of the German proletariat, the petty bourgeoisie and the small peasants to support these demands with all possible energy. Only by the realisation of these demands will the millions in Germany, who have hitherto been exploited by a handful of persons and whom the exploiters would like to keep in further subjection, win the rights and attain to that power to which they are entitled as the producers of all wealth.
The Comintern
The early Communist International (Comintern) under Lenin discussed the need for “transition demands” in the programs of the communist parties.[7] The Comintern’s Third Congress in July 1921 adopted a resolution, “On Tactics”. The passages below are vitally important:
[The task of the Comintern] is not to establish small communist sects aiming to influence the working masses purely through agitation and propaganda, but to participate directly in the struggle of the working masses, establish communist leadership of the struggle, and in the course of the struggle create large, revolutionary, mass communist parties … [The communist parties were to] take advantage of all the opportunities the bourgeois state provided for organising the working class and conducting agitation.[8]
Later on the resolution explained:
In place of the minimum program of the centrists and reformists, the Communist International offers a struggle for the concrete demands of the proletariat which, in their totality, challenge the power of the bourgeoisie, organise the proletariat, and mark out the different stages of the struggle for its dictatorship … It is not a question of appealing to the proletariat to fight for the ultimate goal, but of developing the practical struggle which alone can lead the proletariat to the struggle for the ultimate goal … The present epoch is revolutionary precisely because the most modest demands of the working masses are incompatible with the continued existence of capitalist society, and the struggle for these demands is therefore bound to develop into the struggle for communism.[9]
Such passages have a striking resemblance to parts of the Transitional Program. In fact, Trotsky deliberately incorporated these ideas into his work, sometimes almost word for word.
Moreland election campaign
Let’s see how all this works out in practice. In the Victorian municipal council elections last October, Socialist Alliance stood Sue Bolton in Moreland’s North-East ward. Sue was elected, becoming Victoria’s second socialist councillor (the other being the Socialist Party’s Steve Jolly in Yarra, first elected in 2004.) Our campaign leaflet is appended below.
The platform outlined in our election leaflet is a mixture of immediate and democratic demands. Our main demands concerned curbing rampant over-development and improving public transport. Our platform related to the various small campaigns already in existence in the area well as various public concerns (right down to calling for more public toilets). We also called for a more democratic and open council.
Many demands might appear modest but neoliberalism is going 100% in the opposite direction in every single area. Our overarching slogans of “Community need, not developer greed” and “People before profit” summed it up and our message really appealed to a significant number of people. Sue won more than 2000 first-preference votes and we know from scrutineers that many Greens supporters departed from the party’s how-to-vote ticket and gave Sue their second preference.
Obviously Sue’s position at the top of the ballot in a field of 24(!) candidates (for four council slots) played a part in her win, but there is no doubt that our radical but very reasonable message really hit the mark with a lot of people.
(In the Geelong mayoral race Socialist Alliance had a similar approach. In addition, the pledge of our candidate Sue Bull to take only the wages of a skilled worker rather than the inflated salary on offer -- $250,000 -- really struck a chord with a lot of people. In the end some 10,000 people voted for Sue, which must be some sort of record for a socialist in the recent period. Even subtracting 1000 or so possible “donkey” votes, this is still a tremendous result.)
Overall, in the given situation, our Moreland program was a transitional one. It implied a radically different set of priorities and pointed towards a different sort of society even if we really only touched on this.
Of course, we understand that the election campaign was one thing. Now we have to make a sustained effort to help develop campaigns in the area and really show people what our politics amounts to.
While wishing Sue well, Daniel Lopez of Socialist Alternative blogged that Sue’s election win “will drag things to the right; local council politics is hardly the most radical thing out there”.[10] The clear implication here is that socialists should just forget |
more than 2,000 sites throughout the genome (not just in the mitochondrion), has revealed four genetic clusters around the ring with a sharp intergradation between them (there’s another cluster in the Caucasus, not around the ring). For those of you who know about Bayesian cluster analysis, here’s what the clusters look like around the ring. (Smaller clusters are in the supplementary information.)
Note especially the big break in the southwest, between the yellow and blue populations, and the plot showing the abrupt genetic break between them (lower left), indicating a hybrid zone between populations that were previously isolated geographically. This is in fact in the same place as the worrisome break in mtDNA reported earlier. There are also smaller breaks between Pakistan and Kyrgyzstan, and between Nepal and China (not shown above), but it’s not as clear that those reflect previous geographic isolation rather than simply sampling error or selection with some gene flow.
The authors also found, contrary to previous information, that there are indeed some hybrids (fertile ones, since they backcross) produced where the ring closes at the top, so they aren’t really acting like full biological species.
At any rate, the authors conclude that this case doesn’t correspond to the classical notion of a “ring species,” for that requires no geographic isolation while in this case there almost certainly was some. As the authors note:
Our results indicate that allopatric divergence played a strong role in shaping patterns of genomic divergence during the formation of the greenish warbler ring. Previous findings nonetheless support the idea that geographical isolation has not been the sole driver for the establishment of reproductive isolation; natural and sexual selection also appear to play major roles.
Well, yes, but geographic isolation is never the sole drive of any evolutionary divergence, for something has to make the populations diverge: either selection (natural, sexual, or both) or genetic drift. But it’s good of them to pursue their initial finding more intensively, even if that effaced the cool result of a “ring species” that they reported earlier. But nature is nature, and what happened is what happened. In the end, the authors conclude what I concluded before I saw their first paper: there are no good examples of ring species in nature:
Finally, this study provides meaningful information concerning the interpretation of ring species as prominent illustrations of speciation in the face of gene flow. Earlier analyses of AFLP markers supported the greenish warbler as the last known example in birds of an ideal ring species in which the terminal forms became reproductively isolated despite being connected by gene flow during their whole history of divergence.. It is possible that speciation-by-distance ring species could exist, but their extreme rarity may be explained by the rapidity of Earth’s climatic shifts compared to the time that reproductive isolation takes to occur; over these great spans of time, and as exemplified by the present study, populations are very likely to be temporarily divided.
In other words, perhaps it’s too much to hope for a “true” ring species, for that requires a species’ range to remain unbroken for millions of years—and yet climate and habitat change all the time.
Nevertheless, the results do show a “ring species” of a sort: isolation of two “end” populations of a ring that makes them look like two species, even though all through the ring you don’t see reproductive isolation of adjacent areas. And it shows that speciation can occur despite there having been some gene flow at some times. In nature, populations that form new species must often sometimes exchange genes if they’re not completely isolated by geography (i.e. the finch species that colonized the Galápago), so the dichotomy between “no gene flow” and “pervasive gene flow” may be artificial.
Oh, and there are no good ring species, so don’t go around saying that there are! Mayr concluded the same thing in his great 1963 book Animal Species and Evolution (this book was largely responsible for making me an evolutionary biologist), but he didn’t have genetic data, and he didn’t consider the greenish-warbler case. It’s no great loss, though, that we lack good examples, for ring species didn’t really demonstrate any new evolutionary principles. They showed something we already knew—that reproductive isolation is promoted by anything that reduces gene flow between populations. But they showed it in a cool and novel way.
_______________
Alcaide, M., E. S. C. Scordato, et al. (2014). “Genomic divergence in a ring species complex.” Nature 511: 83-85.
Highton, R. (1998). “Is Ensatina eschscholtzii a ring species?” Herpetologica 54: 254-278.
Irwin, D. E., S. Bensch, et al. (2001). Speciation in a ring. Nature 409: 333-337.
Wake, D. B. (1997). “Incipient species formation in salamanders of the Ensatina complex.” Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94: 7761-7767.
Wake, D. B. and C. J. Schneider (1998). “Taxonomy of the plethodontid salamander genus Ensatina.” Herpetologica 54: 279-298.The government's idea of Aadhaar, as a mandatory factor to live as a law-abiding citizen, hinges upon what the Supreme Court's constitutional bench is about to rule on right to privacy issue. The question is whether privacy is a fundamental right of the citizen or simply a right offered by common law. And the Supreme Court's answer will be historic as it will set the precedent for many more litigations that are yet to come on Aadhaar.
Most importantly, it will spell out whether the government can pursue its current course — making Aadhaar mandatory for almost everything Indians do, ranging from availing benefits of government schemes to ruling tax returns.
So far, the government has gone ahead with its plan to make Aadhaar number mandatory for more number of activities even when the privacy confusion persisted. These include filing tax returns, operating bank accounts, vehicle registrations (in certain states) and, of course, avail government schemes. Of these, the original idea was only to use Aadhaar to facilitate transfer of government schemes but later the government widened its ambit even when there is a case pending in the apex court.
Till now, there is no clarity as far as the law that governs the privacy of citizens. There are two earlier judgments on this — one by six-judge bench and other by an eight-judge bench, wherein it was held that right to privacy was not a fundamental right of the citizen. But, since then, smaller benches have been maintained that privacy is indeed a fundamental right. This led to more legal battles between various groups and the government, even as Aadhaar was made mandatory for more and more services.
The government received a minor setback last month, when a regular bench of the Supreme Court ordered a partial stay on Section 139 AA of the Income tax Act pending the pleas that Aadhaar infringes right to privacy before the constitutional bench of apex court. The ruling simply meant:
Those who have an Aadhaar number already will still have to seed it with PAN when filing the IT returns, but the government cannot force those who don't have an Aadhaar card as yet, to get one to file their tax returns if they have a PAN. But, on a closer look, the order is neither a victory nor a defeat for the Modi government. It only said wait a little for our answer till the constitution bench make up its mind. That time has come now.
Why is privacy such a big debate, especially in context of Aadhaar? Since the time of enrolling, a citizen offers his biometric data, address and a brief personal profile to the government. The fear, as highlighted by the privacy rights activists, is that the deep state will misuse this data to hunt down people they don't like. That explains a number of pleas in the court to restrict the use of Aaadhar as a voluntary option and have stronger framework to protect the citizens from privacy invasions by the deep state.
Going by the contours of the Aadhaar Act, even the Unique Identification Authority of India cannot share the personal information available under Aadhaar records with any agency unless there is an order from a district judge. On issues of national security, only a joint secretary level officer can authorise access of personal data, that too after getting an order from the central government.
But, that's in theory. There have been reports of Aadhaar data leakage. But, as this article pointed out, this shouldn't be the primary subject of the Aadhaar debate, for the simple reason that much of the personal information of every citizen is already accessible to the government (and even various private service providers) through various means.
In reality, the government doesn't really need an Aadhaar number to dig out someone's personal information. The idea is not to say that Aadhaar holder doesn't require a right by law to keep his information secret from the government/public access. But, let's remember that most of us willingly give away personal information to mobile phone service providers, e-commerce firms and online shopping portals that are often shared with other entities for business purposes.
If Supreme Court's Constitution bench rules that right to privacy is indeed a fundamental right of the citizen, it will mean a major setback to the government plan, which wants to make Aadhaar mandatory for every citizen. Such a ruling will have a bearing on all other litigations, with respect to Aadhaar, in all courts in the country. The government will automatically be on backfoot and it cannot force the unique number on the citizen for every aspect of governance. In other words, Aadhaar, as the government envisages today, will eventually see a natural death. It will be limited to what it was originally made for-transfer of government benefits.
No doubt, the Aaadhar is a revolutionary step India has taken that is fundamental to the Director Benefit Transfer (DBT) programme conceptualised and executed by two successive governments. Certainly, it has helped to plug subsidy leakages to a significant extent. Much work and investment have gone into the institution of Aadhaar-mechanism. Already 115 crore Aadhaar cards have been issued so far.
The point here is it is the government's task to convince the apex court and the general public that every concerns on privacy issues are addressed to take the Aadhaar programme ahead. The Aadhaar scheme is critical for the new economic structure which is on the lines of certain number of developed nations with a similar unique identity structure for their citizens. For this, the government needs to make legislations that addresses concerns on data privacy laws, something even Nandan Nilekani, the architect of Aadhaar, had mooted earlier.
More than what country's top court says on this issue, right to privacy and individual freedom are democracy's basic commitments to its stakeholders and it's the job of the elected government of the day to fulfill that promise. The lawmakers must do what they are supposed to do at this juncture — make data privacy laws and thus help Aadhaar emerge as a winner in the new economic structure.
Firstpost is now on WhatsApp. For the latest analysis, commentary and news updates, sign up for our WhatsApp services. Just go to Firstpost.com/Whatsapp and hit the Subscribe button.Former NBA star Dennis Rodman arrived in North Korea on Tuesday, after telling reporters in Beijing that he is “just trying to open a door” to the Pyongyang regime. The visit by Rodman, who has been close to President Donald Trump since his time on NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice, comes amid rising tensions between the U.S. and North Korea, the latter of which has dramatically escalated its nuclear efforts over the past year. Asked if he had spoken to the White House, Rodman said, “Well, I’m pretty sure he’s pretty much happy with the fact that I’m over here trying to accomplish something that we both need.” Rodman visited Pyongyang and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in January 2014, when he celebrated Kim’s birthday. He has since called the dictator a “very good guy.” The Hermit Kingdom has been condemned for its human-rights abuses and has four Americans in detention.It's official — Toronto just lived through the warmest February in at least 80 years, says Dave Phillips, senior climatologist at Environment Canada.
"It also had the warmest February temperature ever, up to 17.7 C on the 23rd," which broke records going back to the 1840s, he told CBC Radio's Metro Morning.
The month didn't start off this way.
"We had temperatures at -12 C," said Phillips. "We had a month's worth of snow in the first ten days."
After that, the jet stream, a narrow band of strong wind, moved "almost into a summer position, well north of us in Northern Ontario. It allowed the warm air to just flood into Southern Ontario," he said.
All that warm air led to 12 days in a row with melting record temperatures. "So clearly, the look and the feel of winter disappeared in February," Phillips said.
Enjoying the weather, worrying about the climate
So are February's unseasonably warm temperatures a sure sign of climate change?
"I'm reluctant to always go there," said Phillips.
He said that it's the wild swings over the last few years, the absence of "normal weather," that is more of a tip-off.
"We had the coldest February on record two winters ago, here we have the warmest. That back-and-forth, up-and-down is more a mark that something is happening to our climate," he said.
"We say, 'Enjoy the weather but be concerned about the climate.'"ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Tampa Bay Rowdies announced on Wednesday the club had signed three more players ahead of next weekend’s 2017 USL regular season opener, finalizing the club’s squad for the new season. The signings are pending league and federation approval.
Forward Martin Paterson, goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald and defender Kyle Porter have all earned contracts after lengthy trials with the Rowdies. The trio arrived in February to train with Tampa Bay and play in preseason matches.
“These three players have been training with us for a several weeks now,” Rowdies Head Coach Stuart Campbell said. “They’ve fit in quickly with our group and played well in our preseason matches. With Martin, Akira and Kyle all signing, we’re happy with our roster as we head into next weekend’s USL season opener.”Frank Gore
San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore (21) runs against the Arizona Cardinals during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, Dec. 28, 2014. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
(Tony Avelar)
head coach Chip Kelly, when introducing his new quarterback Sam Bradford earlier this month, was enthusiastic about what the former St. Louis Ram could bring to the offense. One player who apparently doesn't agree? Running back Frank Gore. Speaking to
, Gore —
before bolting to join the Indianapolis Colts — said his free agent decision came down to playing with the better quarterback. "When I knew I wasn't going back to the 49ers, my first option was I wanted to be with a great quarterback," Gore said. "I feel that you have to have a great quarterback to have a chance. (Andrew) Luck is a young quarterback and he does everything. He can throw. He can run. He's physical. He's a leader." Ouch. To be fair, there are not many quarterbacks in the entire league better than Luck, and the argument can be made pretty easily he is the best young player at his position. Still, seeing free agents decide to go to another team because of the Eagles' question mark at quarterback highlights just how important it is that Bradford, or whoever ends up taking snaps from under center, works out. The Eagles were able to makeup for losing Gore, as they signed arguably the top running back available in DeMarco Murray. That signing came at a steep price, however, as they had to hand out $21 million in guaranteed money. Which is apparently the going rate to convince a player to lineup behind the Eagles' rotating quarterback position.
Eliot Shorr-Parks may be reached at eshorrpa@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @EliotShorrParks. Find NJ.com Sports on Facebook.Sort By Most Recent Popular This Week Most Views
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Posted by:
Richard Sherman
Hope everyone is enjoying this downtime before the season begins. The month of July is going to be a busy one for me...
Over the past week, I've been soaking up the sun in Hawaii with my family and my lovely fiancée Ashley. It’s been nice to step away from the scene for a bit and take some much needed R&R with the family. I was also able to make a record breaking shot at our hotel pool. Watch that video here.
I’ve got a big event coming up on July 19th. A lot of you have probably heard about my 3rd annual Softball game, which will be taking place at Safeco Field. I’m incredibly excited for this event! I never thought it would grow into what it is now. A number of Seahawk players and other celebrities will be joining us for the celebrity dinner and the softball game. The proceeds will be donated to my foundation, Blanket Coverage. Get your tickets, gear, and learn more here.
And finally, the team will return for training camp on July 31st. We’ve got quite a bit of unfinished business to settle, and I know that the guys are as hungry as I am. I really appreciate all of the support that you 12s have given us during the offseason, and I’m looking forward to seeing all of you throughout training camp and the start of preseason!A federal judge gave final approval Wednesday to a $13.7 million settlement between the District and people who were picked up in a mass arrest during a 2000 protest near the World Bank and International Monetary Fund buildings.
U.S. District Judge Paul L. Friedman said the class-action lawsuit, which has wended its way through the court for about a decade, will benefit "future generations" who want to speak out and air their grievances. He said it sparked a 2004 D.C. law that set out policies for police to follow at demonstrations, including a prohibition against encircling protesters without probable cause to arrest them.
Under the settlement, each person arrested and found eligible for compensation will be awarded $18,000, and the record of that arrest will be expunged. It also requires additional training for police officers.
"It is an important settlement. It's an historic settlement," Friedman said. "This is a fair settlement to the plaintiffs and in the interest of the First Amendment."
Mara Verheyden-Hilliard of the nonprofit Partnership for Civil Justice Fund, which represents the plaintiffs, said the case has helped change the way police respond to large-scale protests and demonstrations.
"This has been an ongoing effort to make the nation's capital hospitable to cherished First Amendment activities," Verheyden-Hilliard said.
Brian Becker, who was arrested April 15, 2000, along with his then-16-year-old son, recalled police in riot gear surrounding a group of marchers peacefully protesting problems in the U.S. prison system. Becker, a group organizer, said he was arrested, spent hours on a bus, and later had his right hand and left foot cuffed together.
"The police made a decision to arrest us not because we were doing something illegal but because we were demonstrating," he said.
Attorneys said Becker and his son are among 464 people arrested that day who have come forward and are eligible for the award. They were in a group of about 700 protesters and bystanders arrested in the area of 20th Street NW and I and K streets. An additional 26 claims are pending.
George C. Valentine, deputy attorney general for the District, said in court that officials concluded that "settling the case in a fair manner was in the best interest of the public." The city, he said, "is paying a very high price."
Other lawsuits have stemmed from mass arrests in the District in recent years. Last year, the city agreed to pay $8.25 million to almost 400 protesters and bystanders to end a class-action lawsuit over mass arrests in Pershing Park during 2002 World Bank protests, according to the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund, which also represents those plaintiffs. That case is awaiting final approval.
Ike Gittlen, 56, then a local official with the steelworkers union, was heading to dinner with a date in April 2000 when they decided to walk near the World Bank to see the protests. Both were swept up in the arrest.
"I was amazed," Gittlen said. "I came from a little town where you really do believe you have right to stand up and protest and, if you are peaceful, they will let you do it. I was truly amazed that in America this could happen."Not to be confused with Chuck Findley
For other people named Charles Finley, see Charles Finley (disambiguation)
Charles Edward Finley (born November 26, 1962) is a retired Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. He pitched from 1986–2002 for three teams, but pitched primarily with the California Angels (later the Anaheim Angels and now Los Angeles Angels). After a 14-year tenure with the Angels, he played for the Cleveland Indians for three years, and then was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals and played there for half a season. During a 17-year baseball career, Finley compiled 200 wins, 2,610 strikeouts, and a 3.85 earned run average. He is the Angels all-time career leader in wins (165), innings pitched (2,675), games started (379) and is second in strikeouts (2,151). He lives in Newport Beach, California.
Baseball career [ edit ]
Finley is best known for his long career with the Angels, during which he won more than 15 games six times. He was a very durable pitcher through his career, pitching more than 190 innings a year in 12 of 15 years (1988–2002). His finest season was in 1990, when he won 18 games to just 9 losses and posted a 2.40 ERA — to date, the lowest by an Angel left-hander on a season, surpassing Frank Tanana's 2.43 in 1976. In 1993, Finley led the major leagues in complete games (13) and in 1994 he led the American leagues in innings pitched (183.1). After departing the Angels, Finley signed with the Indians before the 2000 season. He went 16–11 with a 4.17 ERA and posted an 8–7 record with a 5.54 ERA with the Indians in 2001. In 2002, he was 4–11 with a 4.44 ERA in 18 games before being traded to the Cardinals for outfielder Coco Crisp. He finished the season and subsequently his career with the Cardinals, going 7–4 with a 3.80 ERA for the remainder of the season,
Finley was the first pitcher in the history of Major League Baseball to record four strikeouts in a single inning more than once; he accomplished the feat three times in two years (only A. J. Burnett and Zack Greinke, over a decade later, have performed a repeat four-outer).[1] Finley accomplished the feat on May 12, 1999, then later that season on August 15, both with the Anaheim Angels, and then for a third time on April 16, 2000, with the Cleveland Indians. This oddity can mainly be attributed to the fact that he used an excellent split-finger pitch as his strike-out weapon; that pitch would often end up in the dirt, eluding both batter and catcher.
After transferring from Louisiana Tech University to Northeast Louisiana University, Finley was selected by the Angels in the 15th round of the 1984 amateur draft, but he did not sign. The Angels chose him again in the first round (fourth pick) of the secondary phase of the 1985 amateur draft.
Finley became eligible for the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008; 75% of the vote was necessary for induction, and 5% was necessary to stay on the BBWAA ballot. He received 0.2% of the vote and dropped off of the ballot.[2]
On April 9, 2009, Finley was to be inducted into the Angels' Hall of Fame along with former teammate Brian Downing before the start of the game. However, due to the death of Angels rookie pitcher Nick Adenhart, the ceremony and game were postponed until August 27, 2009.
On July 11, 2010, Finley was the winning pitcher in the 2010 Legends and Celebrity Softball Game at Angel Stadium.
Pitching style [ edit ]
Finley, similarly to Randy Johnson, was a rare left-handed power pitcher and often finished in the top 5 in the league in strikeouts. He complemented his hard fastball with a devastating forkball that would baffle hitters when on target. The best comparison to Finley for pitching style would be right-handed Roger Clemens, though Finley had less consistent command of his pitches than Clemens.
Personal life and marriage [ edit ]
Finley was married to actress Tawny Kitaen from 1997 to 2002. He filed for divorce three days after Kitaen was charged with committing domestic violence against him, having beaten him with a stiletto heel. They have two daughters, Wynter and Raine. Tawny Finley, in a declaration to the Orange County Superior Court, claimed Finley used steroids amongst other drugs. She also claimed he bragged about being able to circumvent MLB's testing policy.[3] When told of his wife's accusations, which also included heavy marijuana use and alcohol abuse, Finley replied: "I can't believe she left out the cross-dressing."[4]
As Finley took the mound for an April 2002 game against the Chicago White Sox at then-Comiskey Park, the stadium's musical director, Joe Stephen, took a subtle dig at Finley's messy divorce, and played "Here I Go Again" by the band Whitesnake, referencing Kitaen's appearance in that band's videos and her previous marriage to the band's lead singer, David Coverdale. Stephen was later fired and the White Sox apologized.[5][6]
Popular culture [ edit ]
In the show Burn Notice, the character Sam Axe, played by Bruce Campbell, frequently uses the alias Chuck Finley (or Charles Finley for more sophisticated circumstances), which is said to be chosen by Sam because he successfully bet on Chuck Finley many times.[7][8]
According to The Press Democrat, Bruce Campbell's father was once friends with the real-life Chuck Finley.[9]
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]Liverpool FC and Skype have entered into a global partnership to bring fans more innovative ways to engage with the Reds.
The launch of the partnership is marked by the release of LFC emoticons which will be available on Skype. The new emoticons give fans a fun way to show their support, including wearing an LFC scarf with their fingers crossed, thumbs up and covering eyes which launched yesterday. The first set will also include mini versions of the Reds manager, Jürgen Klopp, captain Jordan Henderson and teammates Philippe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge.
Skype will also launch an official LFC Skype ID, which will enable fans to interact with each other in group chats during key games. By connecting with LFCofficial on Skype from January 12, fans will be brought closer to the club through exclusive content from first-team players, as well as the chance to win signed merchandise.
Billy Hogan, chief commercial officer, Liverpool FC said: “Skype is one of those essential communication tools that people use to interact with friends and family across the world. Through this partnership we’re enabling Liverpool FC’s global family to interact with the club and we’re delighted to be working together so closely on this great piece of innovation that our fans can enjoy every day.”
Angie Hill, general manager of Skype Consumer Marketing, said: “Liverpool FC has some of the most passionate fans in the world, and Skype is excited to introduce new ways for them to come together, wherever they are. Through Skype chats and custom content, we look forward to bringing these fans even closer to the action.”
Click here to read Skype’s blog.When Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) introduced S. 306, the National Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2011 (NCJCA) this past Tuesday, he took the time to give a shout out to the ACLU’s work in support this important piece of legislation. This bill will create a bipartisan commission to study the United States’ broken and dysfunctional criminal justice system and offer concrete recommendations to alleviate imbalances and injustices. The NCJCA is currently supported by 20 senators, including Judiciary Committee members Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Al Franken (D-MN), and Lindsey Graham (R-SC).
The ACLU supported the National Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2010 during the 111th Congress, which successfully passed the House of Representatives. The bill was also approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee but was never brought to the Senate Floor.
Passing the NCJCA remains a priority for the ACLU in the 112th Congress, and – as always – we will continue advocating for the need to review and reform our badly broken criminal justice system. Today, there are over 2.3 million men and women in prisons throughout the US, which incarcerates a higher share of its population than any other country in the world. Despite this astronomical rate of incarceration, more than half of all people released from prison re-enter the system within three years. In other words, the current system over-incarcerates without increasing public safety and has a devastating impact on the individuals, families, and communities that find themselves entangled in our justice system (and disproportionately impacts communities of color and the poor).
Reform of the criminal justice system isn’t something that only those on the political left support – even prominent conservatives are coming around to the fact that something’s gotta give, and the NCJCA provides the ideal opportunity to begin doing so in a bipartisan manner. We’ll be working with both the House and Senate to pass this important piece of legislation, which will help ensure that our criminal justice system keeps communities safe, operates fairly, and is cost effective.It's official, the New Orleans Zephyrs are no more. The city's Triple-A baseball team has been renamed to the New Orleans Baby Cakes, the team announced Tuesday afternoon at a ceremony at Zephyr Field.
Baby Cakes was selected from a group of seven finalists following an online contest, during which more than 3,000 submissions were turned in by fans to replace the Zephyrs nickname, which carried over with the franchise when the team arrived from Denver in 1993.
"Our goal was to give the baseball fans of New Orleans a team and identity they can call their own," said Baby Cakes President Lou Schwechheimer. "New Orleans is full of traditions woven into the fabric of the city, and this new tradition will be something local and iconic and celebrate what makes New Orleans and Minor League Baseball so great: family and fun."
The new identity has many Mardi Gras themes, starting with the team colors of mixing the Zephyrs' dark navy blue with purple, green and gold. The primary logo is a baby, wearing a crown, emerging from a king cake while swinging a baseball bat.
"We wanted to create a name and a brand that allowed the heart of this city to shine through it," said Senior Vice President and General Manager Cookie Rojas. "While we take our responsibility to provide affordable family entertainment very seriously, we also want to embrace the fun which permeates through New Orleans. We will continue to create a festive atmosphere with great partners in a clean, immaculate environment where you can bring your family."
In celebration of the new name, Schwechheimer has pledged lifetime passes to Baby Cakes games for each child born in the state of Louisiana in 2017. One of the babies, who will be registered by their parents through the hospital in which they were born, will be the recipient of a full, four-year tuition to the Louisiana university of their choosing when they turn 18.
"We are proud to proclaim 2017 the 'Year of the Baby Cake,'" Schwechheimer said. "We are instituting 'Baby Cake Nation' and making each child born in Louisiana over the course of the year a card-carrying member so they can create their own treasured memories at the ballpark for a lifetime."
The Baby Cakes take the field for the first time on April 6, 2017 against the Memphis Redbirds.If you were to compile a list of the most impressive and exhilarating car chases in the history of the motion pictures, it’s more than likely that one filmmaker’s name would have several entries in the top ten. William Friedkin blew the world’s mind with The French Connection, and years later, as he wanted to shoot something different for To Live and Die in L.A., he managed to produce a nail-biting sequence on the Los Angeles freeway. To limit the success of the film, however, solely on one hell of a scene would mean to do injustice to one of the most exciting action thrillers of the eighties. Friedkin’s 1985 film was based on a novel written by former U.S. Secret Service agent called Gerald Petievich. This novel was recommended to the filmmaker and immediately won him over, particulary because of its capable presentation of the surrealist nature of a Secret Service agent’s career and life. Friedkin contacted Petievich, acquired the rights to the novel and wrote the first draft, but frequent consultations with Petievich in the process of creating the script made Friedkin decide to give him a screenwriting credit, as a way of honoring their collaboration. Since he had a budget of six million dollars, Friedkin realized he couldn’t afford any real movie stars. This was a blessing in disguise: with the help of experienced casting director Bob Weiner, Friedkin found William Petersen and Willem Dafoe, two actors he immediately recognized had what it took to bring the story to life. In his review, Roger Ebert noted Petersen had ‘something of a Steve McQueen’ in him, while Friedkin himself publicly recognized it was mostly the actor’s intelligence that sealed the deal. Dafoe, on the other hand, impressed him so much with the depths and potential of his performance that Friedkin went back to the script and adjusted Dafoe’s character to match the actor’s complexity and range.
Friedkin wanted to work with an independent crew, eager to finish the production as fast as he could, and shot each and every scene on location. With a desire to make the picture as authentic as possible, he and Petievich even found a skillful, experienced counterfeiter, so that the process of making counterfeit money would be real. The twenty-dollar bills produced for the purposes of the film were so craftily made that the money leaked out of the set and alarmed the authorities.
To Live and Die in L.A., which will have new life breathed into it with the new TV series, is an exciting thriller that’s easy to come back to whenever contemporary genre products fail to fulfil our expectations. Splendid acting, masterful photography of the great Robby Müller, whose work Friedkin called timeless, clever, intelligent and unpredictable storyline and its fast-paced, realistic execution make this thriller one of the definite highlights of the respected filmmaker’s career.
A monumentally important screenplay. Dear every screenwriter/filmmaker, read William Friedkin & Gerald Petievich’s screenplay for To Live and Die in L.A. [PDF1, PDF2]. (NOTE: For educational and research purposes only). The DVD/Blu-ray of the film is available at Amazon and other online retailers. Absolutely our highest recommendation.
“All of the films I have made, that I have chosen to make, are all about the thin line between good and evil. And also the thin line that exists in each and every one of us. That’s what my films are about. That’s what To Live and Die in L.A. is about. There is a thin line between the policeman and the criminal. The best cops are always crossed. The best cops are the ones who are able to think like criminals. But for a quirk of fate, they might have been criminals.” —William Friedkin, The Hollywood Flashback Interview
The new box set blu ray of TO LIVE AND DIE IN LA
by Carlotta Films in France is by far the most
Complete and beautiful version of the film — William Friedkin (@WilliamFriedkin) December 1, 2017
“THE MISE EN SCÈNE IS ROBBY MÜLLER!”
“His work’s timeless,” said William Friedkin of Müller in reference to their sole collaboration, To Live and Die in L.A.: “He taught me all about composition, and in the end I adopted his style—that’s how big an influence he was. He had this great foreigner’s eye for the States, particularly the West Coast, and it was so fresh. He wasn’t shooting cliches. He captured all those details usually overlooked in American films, and I wanted to do something that was very different from The French Connection, which was mainly shot on gray days and with a hand-held look.” —Robby Müller in the United States, The Completist
William Friedkin directs To Live and Die in L.A. in a rare |
Though less prosperous than Amazon or China’s Alibaba, IndiaMart is the second-largest online wholesale marketplace on the planet in terms of the sheer number of products for sale.
It's one of India’s top tech success stories — a lively conduit plugging India into an increasingly borderless online sales economy worth trillions.
But IndiaMart’s vendors are advertising a range of illicit products that you won’t find on Amazon or Alibaba.
Think of almost every prescription-only upper or downer on the market. That includes Adderall, for a speedy high, and codeine syrup, a liquid opiate popularly mixed with Sprite. The designer drug “bath salts” is also on the menu. It’s advertised on IndiaMart with a photo of ready-to-snort white lines next to a rolled-up dollar bill.
“We don’t really have police trouble from this,” said a purported meth dealer who advertises on IndiaMart and goes by Daiichi.
“Look, I know this is a controlled substance,” he told GlobalPost by phone. “But we’re very discreet. We ship worldwide. We’re a verified seller and you can even confirm that with IndiaMart.”
More from GlobalPost: Asia's Meth Wars
IndiaMart is no online backwater. Its value has been estimated at around $146 million and its pending entry into the stock market is highly anticipated. When shoppers around the world want to buy in bulk from India — currently outpacing China as the world’s fastest-growing major economy — they often tap into that market via IndiaMart.
The company is so far fending off well-financed incursions from Amazon, Alibaba and Wal-Mart into India — and all three are vying for its top spot.
IndiaMart’s “brand ambassador” is actor Irrfan Khan, one of India’s most recognizable faces in Hollywood. (Hint: he’s the cop in “Slumdog Millionaire” and the park owner in “Jurassic World.”) His suave face is splayed across IndiaMart’s site.
But if you’re perusing for ecstasy dealers on IndiaMart, Khan’s image will pop up on your screen next to the automated text “Looking for ecstacy [sic] suppliers?” and “Send your buy requirement.”
The image of actor Irrfan Khan, “brand ambassador” for IndiaMart, is seen guiding buyers to “ecstacy” in an automated pop-up window. The star’s photo is splayed over both legal and illegal products sold via the site. Credit: Patrick Winn/Screengrab
Vendors offering restricted substances amount to a “very small percentage of our trade,” says Sumit Bedi, vice president of IndiaMart’s marketing department. “It’s at a very minor level for us.”
This is true. For the most part, IndiaMart is a vast pool of perfectly legal goods — from knitted onesies to carburetors to milk powder to saffron — of which illegal drugs take up a relatively small niche.
Yet Alibaba, its main competitor, appears almost entirely free of offers for illegal drugs. So do eBay and Amazon. Meanwhile, IndiaMart, despite a stated policy against posting illegal goods, hosts hundreds of vendors promising bulk shipments of controlled substances.
“I’m sure Alibaba would have faced this a few years earlier than us,” Bedi says. “This kind of trade has probably already happened in those marketplaces and they’ve learned from it already.”
IndiaMart’s efforts to block illegal drug sellers are “evolving,” Bedi says, and the company routinely consults with Indian police to obtain lists of illicit drugs and their street names.
“Typically, what you’ll see are slang names,” he says. “The problem with slang names is that neither the government nor marketplaces like us are able to figure them out.”
But the drugs offered on IndiaMart are hardly hidden behind a maze of impenetrable code. Want to shop for methamphetamine on IndiaMart? Simply type “meth” in the search bar and dozens of sellers are vying for your cash.
Looking for prescription-strength codeine syrup, a key ingredient in the “purple drank” glorified by American hip-hop? You can type in “promethazine,” the other drug in commonly abused cough syrup, or “Actavis,” the name of the pharmaceutical company associated with the best-known kind. Or you can search its street name: “lean syrup,” familiar to any 13-year-old with a Lil Wayne mixtape.
A significant portion of IndiaMart’s drug-pushing vendors display an on-screen seal that reads “verified supplier” — a feature used by sellers like Daiichi to gain customers’ confidence.
Yet the sole requirement asked of “verified suppliers” is a working email account. Once verified, drug sellers can then list products for free and find buyers willing to pay via Western Union or bank transfers.
Still, there are reasons to believe that IndiaMart is not the candy store for uppers and downers that it appears to be. It seems that many of its vendors offering meth and ecstasy are not drug dealers, but scam artists.
Unsurprisingly, drug dealers on IndiaMart generally post fake numbers and fake business locations. Most prefer to communicate by email in the choppy syntax of a Nigerian 419 scammer. They inevitably want cash up front.
Multiple sellers contacted by GlobalPost offered to ship ecstasy or meth to the United States. Yet some asked for payment to banks in Cameroon, notorious for online frauds. One requested transfers to Bank Pekao, Poland’s second-largest bank. Few were willing to speak on the phone.
“We only advertise our products in indiamart it does not concern them how or why we ship we need no permission from them,” wrote a self-proclaimed ecstasy vendor on IndiaMart who was contacted via email, typos and all. “Estacy is not legal evey country that is ehy we ship discreetly.”
“Typically, what you’ll see are slang names,” he says. “The problem with slang names is that neither the government nor marketplaces like us are able to figure them out.”
A request to meet a purported ecstasy seller in person was met with this response: “Visit can be arranged after first order... we deal with many other research chemicals and illegal drugs so visit will be planned with time for secusrity reasons.”
Message boards popular among drug users are littered with rants against IndiaMart’s drug merchants. Their stories usually end one of two ways: the buyers either get stiffed or receive a baggie full of pills that produce not euphoria but rage, which settles in once they realize they’ve paid $300 for duds.
“We’re very discreet. We ship worldwide. We’re a verified seller and you can even confirm that with IndiaMart.”
Using IndiaMart to rip off foreigners who seek illegal drugs appears to be a relatively low-risk crime, says Mukesh Choudhary, a Jaipur-based cybercrime expert who helps train Indian law enforcement.
For starters, the “cyber patrolling and surveillance cells” within India’s police are “majorly caring about national security,” not pharma scams, Choudhary says. And anyone dumb enough to file a police complaint against an online drug dealer, he says, faces imprisonment for soliciting narcotics.
Even though con artists and drug vendors inhabit a tiny, dark corner of the site, IndiaMart does have “a responsibility to the market” and will step up its efforts to weed out criminals, according to Bedi. “The more we learn about this,” he says, “the stronger our system will become.”
But for now, the site appears to offer a range of hard drugs typically confined to highly encrypted dark web marketplaces — even though the odds of actually receiving a gram of meth or a ziplock full of oxycodone via IndiaMart may be low.
Even Daiichi, the Indian meth seller, offers a word of caution to anyone trolling for speed on IndiaMart: “Stories like this [about pharma scammers] are very alarming, eh? You’d better be careful.”
More from GlobalPost: Asia's Meth Wars: A journey into Asia's billion-dollar drug undergroundThis is part 2 of my 3-part series on The Shade of Aran. You can see part 1 ( here ).
Meeting Time
Jeff, Scott and I met up in the common area outside of the offices. At Blizzard, everyone shared an office with one person, except the design leads, animators and producers who had offices which was shared between four people each. In the center, a set of blue chairs with folding arms like something out of a college classroom were arranged in a circle. This was where the meetings were held amongst designers.
As it was explained to me, we met there so that anyone who passed by could hear what we were planning out as a group and that the direction of the game wasn’t being mysteriously plotted out in secret.
Jeff brought Scott along and the three of us sat down in the middle.
I pulled out my 3 sketches, then after a quick summary from Scott, I rolled into my pitch.
Me: So, the goal is for Shade of Aran to be the ultimate mage. In order to really sell, that, I wanted to give Shade of Aran basically three modes: Frost, Fire and Arcane.
I could see Jeff’s eyes go wide and anxious, making an already nervous me even more frantic. I pushed on anyways.
Me: During each of these modes, he’ll do one of three super attacks.
I held out my drawings.
Me: During the Frost super, he’ll make a Blizzard move around the room in a circle.
Jeff: *looked at Scott* … Can we even do that?
Scott: *shrugged*
Me: Then, during Arcane mode, he’ll suck everyone into the middle of the room, then begin to channel a huge arcane explosion. You need to run away.
Jeff: *nodded* That makes sense.
Scott: That room isn’t very big though, how will you make it a challenge?
Me: Uhm, if the room is too small, I can just cast a Slow spell on everyone during the teleport to the middle.
Me: If he’s in Fire mode, he’ll put a circle of fire on the ground and if you walk through the circle of fire, you deal damage to your allies and get knocked up into the air.
Scott: What does he do the rest of the time?
Me: Well, because he’s a mage, I figured he could cast Fireball, Frostbolt or Arcane Missiles based on his mode. Then because standing in one place is boring, he can blink around the room from time to time to keep you moving.
Scott: Is that it…?
Jeff: This seems fine. Maybe you can throw a CC in there or something to mix it up. Alright, great. I’m relieved, I thought this was going to be much more convoluted. Cool, I have to run to talk to the Starcraft 2 team. Scott, can you take it from here?
Scott: Sure. *he turned to me* Have you talked these ideas through with anyone else yet?
Me: No, I just scratched this stuff down half an hour ago.
Scott: Alright, well, go talk to Geoff to see if these things are even possible. Maybe check in with Kevin Jordan too – I promised you’d go around and ask people for ideas, so please do.
Me: Oh, of course.
Scott: Great… and also… how did you think of Mages and not think of Jaina and her Water Elementals?
Me: Hmmm… I dunno, didn’t seem as connected to the player fantasy of being a mage.
Scott: Well, as a Mage main, I assure you, they are.
Me: Okay, I’ll keep it in mind!
Relief and Communication
Relieved that everything had gone OK with my first meeting with the lead designer, I trundled around the office, talking to each designer.
Me: Hey, I am working on a raid boss that’s supposed to be the “Ultimate Mage”. Do you have any ideas you’d like to see?
Joe Shely: I dunno, I think your abilities are pretty good too – but what will you do during the Blizzard phase from keeping everyone from standing in the middle. You should put a counterspell or something to force healers and casters to stand back.
Me: (same question)
Eric Dodds: Hmm… you know, now that you mention it, I don’t but I bet Kevin Jordan does. If you ever make an engineer though, let me know, cuz I’ve got a ton of ideas I’d love to see there.
Kevin Jordan: You want old mage spells? We deleted most of them… oh, but I think there’s still the Chains of Ice spell lying around. Maybe you can use that.
Stephen Pierce: It would be pretty rad if he polymorphed people.
Geoff Goodman: It would be even better if he polymorphed everyone and drank, hahahaha. (This was a common mage tactic in classic wow.)
Eric Maloof: What if he summoned a dragon? Then it could breathe on you.
Alex Afrasiabi: It would be awesome if he noticed that you’re carrying around his son’s staff if you picked it up in Naxxramas.
Your coworkers, be they designers, artists, engineers or the secretary at the front desk are an excellent source of raw ideas.
Processing Ideas
Ideas and feedback coming from a lot of places give you the seeds of many ideas. Filtering down those ideas is then your task as a designer. Decide which ones are best, figure out when to use them, why NOT to use them and generally look for the biggest possible moments in the game.
Fire/Frost/Arcane Supers
Counterspell
Chains of Ice
Polymorph
Dragon’s Breath
Water Elementals
Drinking Water
The First/Frost/Arcane theme was strong… and three of the abilities suggested were CC:
Chains of Ice
Dragon’s Breath
Polymorph
How convenient. So I lined up all of the abilities in a chart:
Arcane:
DD: Arcane Missiles:
Super: Explosion
CC: Polymorph
Fire:
DD: Fireball
Super: Flame Wreathe
CC: Dragon’s Breath
Frost:
DD: Frost Bolt
Super: Circular Blizzard
CC: Chains of Ice
This looked pretty good on paper! Also, the rest of the ideas: water elementals, drinking water… they were fun and amusing to me, but they seemed like overkill.
Or so I thought until playtesting began…
(To be continued….)
[mc4wp_form id=”288″]I chose these with a mind to the season. They are generally light- to medium-weight wines with an eye to freshness. Wine’s first duty is to refresh. In the added dimensions lies the value.
Monastero Suore Cistercensi Lazio Bianco Coenobium 2014, $19.99
This is a rare Lazio white with great character, a blend of trebbiano, malvasia and verdicchio. The grapes are grown by Cistercian nuns just north of Rome and made into wine under the supervision of Giampiero Bea of the great Umbrian producer Paolo Bea. It’s redolent of apples, herbs, citrus and volcanic soils, and has just the slightest pleasant tannic rasp, courtesy of longer-than-usual maceration with the grape skins. (Rosenthal Wine Merchant, New York)
Ronchi di Cialla Colli Orientali del Friuli Ribolla Gialla 2014, $19.99
Ribolla gialla is one of the indigenous grapes of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region in northeastern Italy. This is a straightforward version compared with some of the vanguard wines made in the region, but it’s delicious, with flavors of nuts, flowers and tropical citrus fruits along with mineral undertones. (Soilair Selection, New York)
Ravines Finger Lakes Dry Riesling 2014, $17.99
Riesling has been a great success story in the Finger Lakes, and though it’s not the only winner in the region, it’s been by far the dominant grape there. Year in and year out, Ravines’s riesling has been one of my favorites. It’s absolutely refreshing, with earthy, citrus and wet stone flavors. If you like this, try the Ravines Argetsinger Vineyard riesling, a firmer, deeper single-vineyard version.
Domaine Michel Brégeon par Frédéric Lailler Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie 2013, $17.99
Muscadet is perennially a great value, especially from Brégeon, an under-the-radar producer that always makes some of the more interesting wines in the region. This is characteristically fresh and tangy, with flavors of citrus, herbs and chamomile and a grainy, minerally depth that comes from aging on the lees, the remnants of yeast after fermentation. (Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, Calif.)
Guímaro Ribeira Sacra Blanco 2014, $19.99
Ribeira Sacra in the eastern Galicia region of Spain, where the vineyards rise at harrowing angles from the rivers, is best known for its reds made from the mencía grape. But the whites, like this one from Guímaro, made with godello, can be superb. This is refreshing, harmonious and a touch exotic, with flavors of citrus, flowers, herbs and stone fruits. (José Pastor Selections/Vinos & Gourmet, Richmond, Calif.)
Jean-Jacques Litaud Domaine des Vieilles Pierres St.-Véran Les Pommards 2014, $19.99
Must one always have chardonnay? Absolutely, if it is as good as this St.-Véran, often a source of exceptional values. Though it was aged in steel tanks, it has the rich texture that usually comes from barrel-aging, with great depth and presence, and lingering flavors of citrus, yeast, flowers and minerals. (Jeanne-Marie de Champs/Fruit of the Vines, Long Island City, N.Y.)Welcome back all you loyal readers. As Tobias Fuhnke once said, “There are dozens of us.” Well I appreciate all dozens of you. I won’t waste too much time up here tonight. I’d rather just jump into this incredibly exciting episode, and write way more about it than any of you could possibly need to read.
Poor, poor Alan. Day 1, he hits that beach and he runs around like a wild man, screaming showmance from the mountaintops, stirring up all sorts of sloppiness, while making tribemates drop their buffs in a much different way than Jeff would make the castaways do tonight, just to prove to him that they don’t have an idol. He was tripping, as Ashley let us know, but surprisingly this plan actually seemed like it was working. And then the swap happened and wouldn’t you know it, Alan ended up on a tribe with someone from his tribe that he wasn’t aligned with (yes, I realize this would have been the case if he ended up with any Hero). But what made this situation so delicious was that it was Ashley, Alan’s number one nemesis, the flirtatious lifeguard, who was there to do nothing except bat her eyes and pull in sculpted men. And what does Alan do? He instantly takes her back. He tells her that the past is the past and that they don’t have a choice but to work together. And then when Joe blows up and throws Ashley under the bus, what does Alan do? He defends her. He throws it right back in Joe’s face, asking why Desi is more valuable than Ashley. Joe doesn’t have a legitimate answer. Once again, I think Joe was looking for who he perceived to be the easiest target (see his interaction with Mike in episode 1) and not really thinking about how it was all going to play out if he was called out. In this moment, Alan actually won over Devon and everything was looking peachy. And then he made a simple error and underestimated Joe’s gameplay and paranoia. Whether Devon votes or not, Joe idols Alan out of this game, and just like that Alan is gone because he actually defended Ashley. He could have walked onto that beach, went up to Joe and Desi and said, “Alright guys, Ashley goes first”, but he didn’t and because of that Alan is sent packing premerge. That’s back to back weeks that a big physical male threat has gone home. Speaking of which, let’s talk Lauren. Last week I had some strong words for Lauren. Lauren doesn’t like red heads. It’s clear. And though it ended up coming down to a misunderstood sentence, I still stand by everything I said in the moment. That being said, Lauren was fantastic tonight and showed great game awareness. I talked about this on the podcast and I saw comments about my hatred for Lauren clouding my judgment. That is false. My explanation of Lauren’s move is not a back handed compliment. I am not saying that her introverted personality is a flaw at all. Look, at it as a party. There are two types of people. One type, is the person who goes up to everybody at the party, introducing themselves, with no regard for how others view them. They want to be the life of the party. It’s the only way they know how to operate. They are the approacher. This type of person is Patrick. Then there is the person who sits on the sidelines and picks their moment. They aren’t the most social and they may not even like the situation they are in, but they’re there and they know the only way to make the most of the situation is to sit back and wait for the perfect time to strike. That person is Lauren. I don’t think that Lauren has a hard time making friends, I just believe that in the game of Survivor she has a harder time making friends than others. She’s not Ali or Ryan or Jessica. She just doesn’t have the personality to walk up to people and say, “Hey, wanna be my friend?” It’s not how she operates and that’s fine, especially when she uses knowledge handed to her as well as she did tonight. She planted the seed of doubt in Mike’s head, which in turn led Mike to tell Jessica, which made Cole have to reveal his terrible move, and because of that Lauren will most likely be safe at the next Tribal Council. So well done, Lauren. And she didn’t even have to leave her comfort zone. Now let’s talk Jessica’s move to give that advantage to Devon. I need to explain in writing why this is always the wrong move, even if it worked out for her in this instance. There are 2 Heroes, there are 2 Healers and there is one Hustler. For all intents and purposes, that one Hustler (Devon) is the swing vote in this situation. We saw it happen with Adam back in MVGX and we’ve seen it 100 plus times throughout Survivor history. Jessica’s whole goal with this advantage was to make sure that the Healers ended with the most beneficial outcome. By giving the “advantage” to Devon, she almost assures the best-case scenario is a tie vote. She has eliminated the swing. Now let’s say she was 100% confident that Devon was going to vote with the Heroes (which she was not), she still in that situation gives the “advantage” to either Ashley or Alan. Why? Because then you force Devon’s hand. You’re saying to Devon, look you may be the swing vote and you may want to vote with the Heroes, but I just took away Ashley’s vote and by doing so, I just told you that the best you can do by voting with the Heroes is cause a tie, which would ultimately lead to drawing rocks. Is Devon really going to put his game on the line this early for people he barely knows? Now let’s say that Devon is the target. Jessica doesn’t know that and therefore she still should have given the “advantage” to a Hero. If Devon was the target than the vote is 3-1 instead of 4-0, no harm done and Devon is sent packing anyway. The only thing that Jessica is certain of (or at least thinks she’s certain of) is that Joe and Desi are sticking together. So why in the world would she think they are more likely to pull over either Ashley or Alan individually, than Devon? It doesn’t make any sense. Look, it worked out for Jessica tonight, because Joe played the idol, but the exact scenario that I laid out actually played out. It caused a 2-2 tie and there was no way that the outcome was going to be any different by cancelling Devon’s vote. That vote never ends as 3-1, no matter what happens. By cancelling Devon’s vote, Jessica has the potential to actually ruin a lot of hard work put together by Joe and Desi. Tell me I’m crazy for getting this into this, but this is a point that needs to be taken into account. It’s simple logic, and it’s something any of you who are lucky enough to play Survivor should remember. What Jessica did is the wrong move strategically, 100% of the time. Alright I’ve rambled enough. Who’s tired? Let’s quickly talk about this third tribe, and more importantly, about this great moment that we saw between Ryan and Chrissy. When Ryan gave that idol to Chrissy before the first Tribal Council, his goal was to forge a relationship for later in the game. Based on Chrissy’s reaction everything worked out exactly how he wanted it too. Chrissy was so thankful for being given the idol and she and Ryan are definitely an alliance to watch moving forward. Don’t be surprised if the two of them and Ali end up running this entire game. Based on everything I’ve seen so far, these three are huge threats to win the game and if they are all playing together it is going to be very interesting to see who actually comes out as the power player in that alliance. I was originally worried for Ali at a swap. But seeing how quickly Ryan and Chrissy got together and knowing of Ali’s preexisting relationship with Ryan, I would be really surprised if she found herself the odd one out. My money is on JP getting the boot if they go to tribal next week. And finally, let’s end this week’s Phive where the original Phive began: a challenge designed by Will. He killed it again, creating a puzzle that is both visual and exciting and doesn’t just come down to: are the letters in the right order or what phrase is this supposed to be? This was another example of how cool puzzles can really be, while being exciting for the viewer and probably much more exciting for the castaways. This puzzle keeps the castaways on the move, having to shift pieces around to figure out how the picture actually comes together. It’s simple, but once again we as the viewer are sitting there on the edge of our seats wondering, do they actually have it? It’s not a phrase we already know, it’s just a finished product that we know should look a certain way, and for the second time this season I am very excited about a puzzle that ended a challenge. Another big shout out to Will. Sadly, I think this is his last puzzle of the season, but he definitely made the most of his time. And fun fact: this was the puzzle that got Kirhoffer’s attention. So now you know what the challenge department is looking for.
That’s it for tonight. I’ll send you all packing with one last list of five. These are the five people that I think have the best chance to win the game. And yes, this is in order of most likely to succeed. Something tells me this is a woman’s season to win. See you Sunday!Google Chairman Eric Schmidt gave the keynote address at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, on Tuesday.
BARCELONA, Spain (CNNMoney) -- Advancements in Internet technology are creating a new digital divide that threatens to widen the gap between the world's rich and poor, Google (GOOG, Fortune 500) Chairman Eric Schmidt said in his annual Mobile World Congress keynote address on Tuesday.
Schmidt painted a picture in which those lucky enough to have a broadband Internet connection, computers and mobile devices will be able to take advantage of transformational new technologies coming in the next decade.
He said that the not-too-distant future will bring us driverless cars, robot proxies that will attend PTA meetings for you, and ultra-fast Internet connections so speedy that video will be replaced by 3-D holograms.
The poor will gain access to better technologies in the next 10 years as well, as gadgets and connectivity become more affordable and widespread. But their advancements will pale in comparison to that of the world's rich.
"We need to act now to avoid the digital caste system I'm talking about," Schmidt said. "We can create a global network of equals."
The good news, Schmidt argued, is that the number of connected poor people will grow dramatically over the next decade. Low-end smartphones are rapidly decreasing in price, getting down to the $70 range, which is an inflection point for many regions of the world. When they get down to about $20, Schmidt believes smartphones will be in "literally every pocket."
The problem is building out networks in far off, remote regions, where there is little ability or incentive for carriers to broadcast their signal.
But Schmidt promoted the idea of a stepping stone as the world figures out how to connect the very poor to the Internet. He said that "mesh networks" -- small groups of devices connected to one another but not the Internet -- are a way to at least get remote communities together. Mesh networks can serve as a kind of "digital watering hole," where small communities can work out important issues.
"No one is saying technology will suddenly change the world's social structure, but connectivity changes lives," Schmidt said.
A lively Google chat
Following his remarks, Schmidt offered some fascinating answers to a slew of great questions from the audience.
Despite Google's pending acquisition of Motorola Mobility (MMI), its devotion to the Android operating system, its building out of a fiber-optic network, and its Google Voice Internet phone application, Schmidt said the company has no ambitions to connect the dots and become a wireless carrier, because the financials don't seem to make sense.
"It's very hard to become a telecom provider right now," he said. "Telecoms face governments regulating them to death and charging them incredible amounts of money for bandwidth. There are huge capital investments that have to be made, and then you have these nasty customers busy using up enormous amounts of the bandwidth that's so precious to you."
Schmidt also revealed that Google wanted to create a rival to Internet peer to peer currency Bitcoin. The company planned to call it "Google Bucks." Though Schmidt said peer to peer currencies like Bitcoin are "a great idea," Google Bucks never got off the ground because these currencies are illegal in many countries.
Also on the theme of things that are against the law, an Iranian asked Schmidt why Google blocks customers in Iran from downloading Google software like Chrome or Google Earth. After responding that it was due to U.S. sanctions on Iran, the questioner asked Schmidt why he didn't do anything about that.
"I'm with you, but in prison, there's no bandwidth," Schmidt quipped.New Year's Eve was still three weeks away, but by dusk, crowds had thronged Times Square. Everyone's eyes were trained on the screen on 42nd Street. The buzz of mass anticipation hung in the air. Suddenly, the lights on the screen flickered with the message everyone had been waiting for: "Utah is voting!" A hush fell across the crowd. The "yes" votes from Pennsylvania and Ohio had come in hours earlier, so if Utah voters approved the 21st Amendment as well, liquor would become legal for the first time in the United States in 14 years.
At 5:33 p.m., the screen changed again. "Prohibition is dead!" it declared. Times Square erupted in cheers. The good news rippled out through the city, shouted from the mouths of paperboys and in triumphal booms from the ships in the harbor. That night, all across America, people celebrated by crowding into former speakeasies, hosting raucous parties and drinking in the streets.
Customers buying beer at a makeshift bar in the streets of Chicago, after the legalization of alcohol on Nov. 10, 1933. (Photo by FPG/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
This month, 80 years later, some Americans celebrated the anniversary of the Repeal with old-timey cocktails, good craft beer or at least a festive hashtag (#RepealDay!). But there wasn't much drinking in the streets. Because America is in the grip of a new Prohibition: One that makes it illegal to drink alcohol in public.
Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people are arrested or ticketed for drinking in public every year. Millions of others refrain from doing so because they have been conditioned to believe that public drinking is an act as obviously illegal as shoplifting or nude sunbathing in a city park -- even though it was perfectly legal nearly everywhere in the world as recently as 1975.
This Prohibition, unlike the last, isn't the result of a constitutional amendment. Nor did it emerge overnight. The net of laws that now bans public drinking across most of the country took state and city lawmakers 40 years to weave. Most of these laws attracted as little public notice upon their passage as any other state or municipal law, which has allowed this net to be lowered so slowly and quietly that many people don't realize that anything has changed.
Another difference between this Prohibition and the one that ended 80 years ago? Many of the people who are aware of this one actually like it. They say that the virtually nationwide ban on public drinking has "cleaned up the streets," reduced per capita alcohol consumption and even helped slash the incidence of serious crimes such as murder and arson.
They may have a point. But it's also likely that they underestimate the price we pay for the benefits of this Prohibition. Decades of evidence suggest that laws against public drinking are enforced unequally and capriciously, disproportionately hurting the most downtrodden members of society. More fundamentally, these laws allow the state to interfere with individual behavior to prevent an act that in itself harms no one.
AN INTRICATE PATCHWORK
Whether the national prohibition on public drinking is good or bad, it's certainly confusing. Laws against drinking in public places -- streets, sidewalks, parks, beaches, stadiums -- vary wildly from state to state, city to city and in some places, from block to block.
Public drinking is now punishable by fine or jail time across the vast majority of the country. Seventeen states ban it completely. It's also illegal in 89 of the 100 most populous cities in the country, including the top 10. The map below illustrates the bewildering patchwork of public drinking laws currently in effect across the U.S.:
But this map actually masks the true extent of the confusion, because the various municipal and state statutes banning the behavior define the offense in myriad ways. They also stipulate a huge range of penalties for offenders, from a simple fine of $25, payable by mail (New York City), to a ticket of up to $1,000 or a jail sentence of up to 6 months (Hawaii and New Mexico).
What's more, enforcement of public drinking statutes seems to vary widely from one place to the next. Police departments and municipal courts in several major U.S. cities provided data on enforcement to The Huffington Post, which reveal huge gaps in the arrest rate among comparable cities, as the chart to the right illustrates.
(To some extent, the chart may reflect actual differences in the frequency with which city residents drink in public. For example, people who live in pedestrian-friendly cities like Chicago or New York may have more occasion to drink in public than those who live in cities like Tucson, Ariz., or Austin, Texas. Yet it also seems unlikely that New York City residents drink in public at rate 20 times that of the residents of Philadelphia or Seattle, so differences in how the laws are enforced likely account for the significant disparities.)
HuffPost's analysis could only positively identify 20 towns or cities of any size in which drinking is legal in some, if not all, public places. About half of these cities allow public drinking only in specially designated "Entertainment Districts" that have been established in the past few years in the hopes of attracting booze-loving tourists.
The cities that do allow drinking in public don't have as much in common as one might think. Cities as varied as New Orleans and Butte, Mont., Las Vegas and Savannah, Ga., allow residents and tourists alike to drink in the streets and parks.
But to ask how these places were independently able to legalize public drinking is to fundamentally misunderstand the situation. Towns like New Orleans and Butte didn't have to take specific steps to allow public drinking -- they just never banned it.
About 6 million people -- just under 2 percent of the country -- live in a municipality that allows some measure of public drinking. Even if one rounds up, that leaves 97 percent of Americans facing a ticket or jail time if they step outside their homes while carrying a glass of Chardonnay.
That would have shocked our Founding Fathers -- and even possibly our great-grandfathers. Alcohol has been regulated in North America since at least the earliest days as British colonies. But until the middle of the 20th century, there were exactly two types of American alcohol law: regulations of its sale and bans on public drunkenness. Neither sought to control drinking directly.
Sound legal and philosophical arguments distinguished the laws against the act of drinking from those on the sale of alcohol or public drunkenness. The great legal minds of the 19th Century generally believed that laws should only regulate social activities, or conduct involving multiple parties. The philosopher John Stuart Mill, for example, argued, in his famous essay "On Liberty":
Whenever, in short, there is a definite damage, or a definite risk of damage, either to an individual or to the public, the case is taken out of the province of liberty, and placed in that of morality or law.
But with regard to the merely contingent, or, as it may be called, constructive injury which a person causes to society, by conduct which neither violates any specific duty to the public, nor occasions perceptible hurt to any assignable individual except himself; the inconvenience is one which society can afford to bear, for the sake of the greater good of human freedom.
Anathema to this school of thought are laws that would prevent calm, relatively sober people from drinking wherever they like. So no such laws were passed.
A combination of Victorian social mores and a scarcity of disposable drinking vessels kept most Americans from partaking in their legal right to drink in public too often. But public drinking was certainly a feature of everyday life. Miners and laborers on their lunch hour would pay women and children to bring them buckets of draught beer from local saloons for open-air consumption, a practice known as "rushing the growler."
Oil rig workers in Bayonne, N.J., "rush the growler" on |
scale of the spills could be seen from the air with over 75 sq km of mangrove forests, creeks, swamps and channels thick with crude oil. Estimates of how much oil was spilled ranged from around 4,000 barrels to more than 300,000. Communities this week reported that no cleanup had been done and that water wells were still polluted.
Five years after the spills the creeks and waterways around Bodo have an apocalyptic feel. The air stinks of crude, long slicks of oil drift in and out of the blackened, dying mangrove swamps and a sheen of oil covers the tidal mudflats.
"It's everywhere. The wind blows the oil on our vegetable crops, our food tastes of oil, our children are sick and we get skin rashes. Life here has stopped," said Barilido, a fisherman reduced to collecting wood.
Men collect wood in a Niger delta waterway. Photograph: Noah Payne-Frank
Shell, which took a top London negotiating team including a barrister, a QC and other legal experts to the negotiations, had indicated that it wanted to be fair, saying: "We have an interest in sensible and fair compensation being paid quickly to those who have been genuinely impacted by these highly regrettable spills."
A spokesman said: "We took part in this week's settlement negotiations with two objectives – to make a generous offer of compensation to those who have suffered hardship as a result of the two highly regrettable operational spills in 2008, and to make progress in relation to cleanup."
The firm said it was disappointing that a deal had not been reached, but added that progress had been made over the cleanup process. Shell, which works in a partnership with the Nigerian government, had maintained that it had not been able to clean up the spills because the affected Ogoniland communities had insisted on getting compensation first and would not allow it access to the affected areas.
The spokesman added: "The success of any interim measures and final remediation depends on the cessation of oil theft and illegal refining in the area, which reimpacts the environment and remains the cause of most oil pollution in the Niger delta."
Philip Mshelbila, Shell Nigeria's head of communications, said: "One positive from the talks is that the Bodo community has indicated that the cleanup needs to start as soon as possible. I understand that an offer was put. We are very willing to take part in talks about the cleanup."
The men's feet coated in oil. Photograph: Noah Payne-Frank
It emerged this week that Shell had offered the communities only £4,000 shortly after the two spills occurred in 2008-9. "Shell continue to treat the people of Bodo with the same contempt as they did from the start when they tried in 2009 to buy us off by offering the community the total sum of £4,000 to settle the claims," said Chief Kogbara, chairman of the Bodo council.
"We told them in 2009 the people of Bodo are a proud and fiercely determined community. Our habitat and income have been destroyed by Shell oil. The claim against Shell will not resolve until they recognise this and pay us fully and fairly for what they have done."
Chief Tal Kottee, Bodo elected regent, said: "We had been expecting a good settlement from Shell. Our livelihoods here have been totally destroyed. It's an outrage that it has taken so long for a cleanup and to get compensation."
Chief Patrick Porobunu, leader of a Bodo fishing community, said: "Shell is cruel, very wicked. It has given us nothing again. People here are very angry. All we have is poverty because of Shell. We have no electricity, no health. Our suffering goes on."
International and regional groups condemned Shell, which is the largest firm on the London stock exchange with a market capitalisation of £141bn, for what they called its "meanness". They accused Shell of financial racism and applying different standards to cleanups in Nigeria compared with the rest of the world.
"Is it because we are Nigerian and poor that they offer so little for the damage they have caused?" said one fisherman at the Bodo meeting. "This would be different in the US or London." Another added: "Crude is the same in every country. Does the black man not also have red blood?"
"It is a big shame on Shell that they are unwilling to pay a fraction of their profit as compensation after subjecting the people and the environment to such unthinkable harm they would not dare allow in their home country," said the Nigerian environmentalist and chair of Oilwatch International, Nnimmo Bassey.
Pastor Christian, a former fisherman from Bodo, said: "If the money had come, then people would have been able to restart their businesses. I lost everything in the pollution. Now nothing will change and poverty will only increase. This offer was derisory. We don't want our children to suffer again like we did."Watch the opening five minutes of the film version of Alan Moore's dystopian comic book. Plus, director Zack Snyder fights back at his critics and reveals how he almost cast Brad Pitt. Watchmen is out on DVD and Blu-ray on 27 July
It could have been so very different: Christian Bale as Dr Manhattan, the cyan superman of the Watchmen universe, Brad Pitt, perhaps, as Nite Owl, the liberal face of masked vigilantism. Who knows? Perhaps Angelina Jolie could have portrayed the slinky yet vulnerable Silk Spectre. Tom Cruise, in Collateral-style sociopath mode, might have made a passable Rorschach.
Zack Snyder is talking about an early conception of Watchmen, his adaptation of the seminal Alan Moore graphic novel, in which the various characters were to have been played by A-list Hollywoodlanders. The idea was to use the celebrity status of the actors to mirror the obsessive public scrutiny experienced by Watchmen's "masks", who exist in an alternate 1985 in which superheroes - of a sort - have been walking the streets for the past half century.
"It's funny because early on we talked about doing a bigger, more sort of Ocean's Eleven style cast," says Snyder, on the phone from LA. "But the problem was that, as I was working on that concept, it was all about the irony of casting a movie like that, with big stars, so that the casting kind of commented on their roles.
"The truth is that it's a difficult thing for actors to be that self aware. I think in the end it's a perfect cast because they are those characters. I'm not sure it would have worked with, you know, Brad Pitt in the Nite Owl suit, or whatever. When you have people on screen that the audience doesn't know so well, the characters have their own identity: it becomes its own thing."
Snyder at the Berlin premiere of Watchmen. Photograph: Johannes Simon/Getty Images
And that's also what's noticeable about Snyder's version of Watchmen, out on DVD in the UK next week. It too has its own identity, one which transcends its roots in Moore's original comic book. From the glorious, hyperreal montage that comprises the opening scene – as Bob Dylan's Times They Are A-Changin' serenades 50 years of alternative US history where masked vigilantes have changed the course of the 20th century – to the climactic denouement, rather different to Moore's (pretty bonkers) ending, the film is resolutely Snyder's own. Just as the original graphic novel represented a sea-change in comic book sensibilities, Snyder's film bears little resemblance to any other comic book adaptation of recent times.
That may have been its downfall with the critics, who were not always kind, and it certainly didn't help the movie's box office, which failed to meet expectations of a giant, Dark Knight-style haul. Yet few could criticise Watchmen as the sort of hack job expected from a former commercials director with only two previous features under his belt (a remake of zombie classic Dawn of the Dead, and another comic book adaption, the notoriously gory 300). A significant minority labelled the movie a flawed work of genius.
"The thing I find fascinating about the whole way Watchmen was received is that 10% or less of the critics seemed to have actually read the graphic novel," laughs Snyder. "I feel like a lot of them just went to Wikipedia. Because it really is not a movie, in a traditional sense. And if you try to analyse it in those terms – and not in terms of its relationship to pop culture – then you kind of miss the point.
"It's a two-and-a-half hour R-rated movie, and there's no precedent for that type of film becoming a huge blockbuster. What's popular about The Dark Knight is that it's a superhero movie at its core. When Batman puts on his costume, that's badass: 'Yeah Batman, go kick some ass'. Watchmen is an entirely different experience: it punishes the audience. It says: "Oh you like the Comedian? Oh, he's a rapist, by the way." From an intellectual standpoint that's fun to do, but its offputting if you're there to enjoy a movie that's supposed to be a superhero movie.
"At the same time, I really wanted it to be marketed that way. I wanted people to think it's going to be a standard superhero movie, and then they're confronted by all these ideas. Because that's what the graphic novel did to me when I read it. Someone said to me: 'Hey you have to check out Watchmen, it's really cool.' And I read it, and I remember thinking: 'OK, this is going to be a cool graphic novel, with superheroes.' And then half way through - well less than half way - I found myself thinking: 'What's this? What's happening here?' And that was a cool experience for me, especially where I was in my graphic novel education. So I tried to bring that into the movie as much as I could."
Watchmen Photograph: PR
One area in which the film version surpasses the occasionally twee source material is in its all out action sequences, which are unrelentingly mucky and mesmeric, but surprisingly classy in their realisation. Snyder's trademark slo-mo blends in nicely and there are no obvious, cringeworthy moments reminiscent of the classic "This is Sparta" sequence in 300. Along with the film-maker's bloodthirstiness, it's an aspect of his work that has seen Snyder criticised in some quarters. Is that something that bothers him?
"I wasn't just going: 'Oh we need more slo-mo here,'" he laughs. "I don't have a sign or anything: 'More slo-mo!' I actually really restrained myself this time.
"It's a little bit of grease - it kind of smooths everything out and makes everything look a little more graceful," he adds. "The fun thing about Watchmen was to try and make those things that I love part of the movie, to make those techniques comment rather than just exist on their own as a cool device. I hope that's what I did, because I felt like I was objective."
One thing Snyder can be justly proud of is the performances he drew from the cast of Watchmen. Yet the director is happy to admit that the likes of Jackie Earle Haley, whose take on the morally absolute Rorschach brought him huge acclaim, and Billy Crudrup (Dr Manhattan), were so well-prepared, they did not require significant direction.
Watchmen Photograph: Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures./PR
"I think Jackie did an amazing job," says Snyder. "I can't imagine anyone else being Rorschach. He cared so deeply about the part and about the character, that once he and I had had conversations about what he wanted to do, I was confident. It was kind of a case of that was taken care of. He's a very challenging actor in the sense that he wants everything to be perfect. In a movie you have a number of takes and a schedule, but you often want one extra take. And then he would nail it."
I suggest that Crudrup's task, to inject life into the omnipotent Dr Manhattan despite the character being realised entirely via motion capture techniques, must have been particularly tough.
"With Billy I knew he was an amazing actor, but he really gave the animators everything they needed," says Snyder. "They looked at his performance and just duplicated it. And it was awesome. Dr Manhattan is probably my favourite character, so it was difficult that it was a labour of love. You make your whole movie and then that performance is only revealed at the end of the process. I knew Billy had done it, but it was a case of: if they can get Billy in the movie then it's going to be awesome."
While his cast's professionalism may have been a boon, Snyder's task on Watchmen was not helped much by the looming ghost of Moore, who maintains something of a reputation as a surly Northampton hermit. The writer who transformed the 1980s comic book scene with graphic novels such as V For Vendetta and From Hell condemned the movie out of hand before it had even reached cinemas, claiming his original work was unfilmable. Did Snyder try to reach out to the former 2000AD man?
Watchmen Photograph: PR
"When I came on board this movie he had already sworn us off," says the film-maker. "I didn't even get a chance to plead my case, to be honest. I have great respect for Alan and he had asked: 'Please don't try to approach me or talk to me or change anything about what I think.' So really I just tried to respect that as much as I could. And the problem with that, was that it basically just meant: don't ask. He's clearly a genius, and I hope – I'm sure he doesn't, but I hope – he understands; I was just trying to respect his wishes. He's actually been amazingly cool about it recently."
Yet this does not sound like the Alan Moore who, prior to its release, told a journalist from the LA Times that he had put a curse on Watchmen, adding: "I can tell you that I will also be spitting venom all over it for months to come."
"Well not cool, but not like lashing out at us," backtracks Snyder, chuckling. "I'm sure he's still like: 'I'll kill that Snyder', but maybe it's a boring question now or no one's asking him it."
I tell him I have a sneaking suspicion that Moore might actually quite like the film, if he saw it. "I don't know if he's seen it, so I can only speculate," he says, tactfully.
One suspects that part of Moore's problem with the film was that his original book is not a linear work that lends itself to an orthodox movie plotline. It is a colourful scrapbook of different stories told through a variety of media: excerpts from the memoirs of former superheroes, cuttings from news articles, even an entirely separate but intertwined story in the shape of bloodthirsty pirate comic Tales From the Black Freighter. These all came together to form a vivid, post-modern take on comic book tropes that both celebrated and satirised the genre and its medium. The theatrical version, despite its epic running time, could never hope to equal that sort of depth and richness.
Fans are still hoping that the eventual "Ultimate" cut, which will follow a three-hour plus director's cut onto DVD (the version about to be released is the theatrical version), will finally present Watchmen as it was meant to be seen, complete with regular segueing from the main story into the Black Freighter subplot, and the double-act between a comic-book obsessed young boy and a newsstand owner (both named Bernie), which are as important to Moore's version as the main storyline.
Watchmen Photograph: PR
"I made a deal with the studio that I would do The Black Freighter section [for a separately available DVD] as long as they gave me some money to shoot the ins and outs with the two Bernies at the news stand," says Snyder. "With those two actors, we almost did a separate movie. They didn't even know that we were making the whole Watchmen movie. As far as they know the whole thing takes place on a street corner. I think that [for] fans of the graphic novel, when they see the ultimate version, it will complete a bunch of the storylines."
Of course, any critics who were confused by the original movie are going to really hate this version, but Snyder, again, doesn't seem to be too bothered. This is a film-maker almost uniquely in touch with his audience: he doesn't come from an arthouse background, but then neither do most of his viewers. He doesn't particularly care whether he is lauded as a great director by the kind of critics who love to watch arthouse movies.
"I guess I like gore and action. I like genre," he says. "I make the kind of movies that I would like to watch."
Snyder doesn't get nearly as much stick as another former commercials director who made the leap into film-making, the much-maligned McG. Does he feel there is an unfair stigmatism attached to those who launched their careers in commercial territory?
"I'm really proud of the work that I did in the ad world," he says. "I really feel like it was an incredible visual school for me. I did 15 years of commercials, three a month, a lot of them in Europe. I'm a huge fan of arthouse and independent film-makers, but it's hard to compare that with 15 years of me running film through a camera every day, so that the tools are second nature. You can say what you want about me as far as storytelling, but shot-making is a thing that I feel pretty comfortable doing.
McG. Photograph: Graham Whitby-Boot/ Allstar
"McG is a really nice guy but I think he's made such an eclectic span of films that I can't say that anyone really has a handle on what he's about. I just make movies that I like, and that I want to see. I do think that commercial directors do get a bad rap. Everyone assumes they are just going to be very Hollywood and just want to crack out the blockbusters. Maybe it's because I've made slightly odd films that I've gotten around that a little bit."
Watchmen certainly makes for a pretty odd sort of superhero movie. But then the graphic novel was a pretty odd sort of comic book. Hollywood would no doubt have been pleased if the film had ended up being the Ocean's Eleven of superhero movies that Snyder once considered. Instead, Watchmen turned out to be something far less generic, a lot less facile and, I suspect, rather more durable. Even Alan Moore might approve of that.
• This article was amended on 29 July 2009. The original referred to the "I am Sparta" sequence in 300, and asked if there was unfair "stigmatism" attached to directors who began by working in the commercial realm This has been corrected.The invention of the barcode can be traced back to the late 1940s, and while it can be seen on just about every product today, it wasn’t a commercial success until the 1980s. The first barcode didn’t look like it does today either.
In 1948, a graduate student at Drexel Institute of Technology in Philadelphia named Bernard Silver overheard a supermarket chain president asking the dean of his college to come up with a better way to speed up the checkout process at his supermarkets. While the dean didn’t act on the request, Silver thought it was an intriguing idea. He told his friend who was an inventor named Joe Woodland about the idea, and Woodland agreed to try to find a solution.
Woodland began working on the problem in 1948 and even left graduate school to devote time to reach his goal. He came up with a solution in an unlikely place in 1949. While he was sitting on the beach in Miami, he began to think that Morse Code could be the answer. He started to poke his fingers into the sand, but instead of using dashes and dots, he drew out thick and narrow lines. He then made the lines into a circle.
Woodland joined Silver in Philadelphia and began to work on the new system Woodland had discovered in the sand in Miami. They were eventually granted a patent in 1952 for their idea. But the problem became that the technology wasn’t in place to use their new idea. There wasn’t a computer that could process the new code, and there wasn’t a light bright enough that could discern between the black and white bars.
It would be another 20 years before the technology caught up with what the circular barcode was supposed to do. RCA began researching how a customer could have their items scanned at a supermarket to speed up the shopping process. The researchers came across the patent for the circular bar code, or “bull’s-eye”, that had been invented by Woodland and Silver in 1952 and decided to use the barcode in their design.
On July 3, 1972, RCA installed an automated check stand at a Kroger grocery store in Cincinnati, and while the circular barcode proved successful in the one store, to be used nationwide the barcode would have to be universal.
Next came the daunting task of convincing supermarkets and other retailers to all use the same code for a specific product, and no one could agree what that code might look like. It finally came down to seven companies who bid on what the code would be. They submitted their bids to the Symbol Committee which was a part of the Ad Hoc Committee of the Universal Product Identification Code, the group that was in charge of coming up with a universal barcode for products.
While RCA had shown that the code could be used successfully, a late bid by IBM upstaged their bid. IBM had no technology in place at all for a barcode checkout system, and they weren’t familiar with the system RCA had implemented. IBM gave the task of coming up with a new bar code to George Laurer. The specifications from the Symbol Committee were that the barcode had to be a specific size and small, it had to use technology that was readily available, and it had to be read from any direction when placed across a scanner.
Laurer came up with the familiar rectangular barcode we know today. His design won over the circular design of the original barcode and was named the Universal Product Code, or UPC. On June 26, 1974, the UPC barcode was used for the first time in Troy, Ohio, at Marsh Supermarket. The first product that was scanned with the new barcode was a pack of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit chewing gum. The choice of a pack of gum as the first product to be scanned wasn’t just by chance. Clyde Dawson, the head of research and development for Marsh Supermarket, was the first shopper to use the new scanning system, and he picked the gum because he wasn’t sure that a barcode could fit and be read on a product that was so small. The pack of gum and the receipt from the transaction are on display in the Smithsonian Institution. It took a while for the UPC to catch on, however, and it wasn’t until the 1980s that the UPC on products became widely implemented.
Sources: Smithsonian, Chicago Tribune, Slate, Inc.com, NY TimesThe brainy folks over at MIT, who’ve brought us all sorts of cool cleantech stuff, now have another one to add to the list: a self-proclaimed “significant advance in battery architecture” that “could be a breakthrough for electric vehicles and grid storage.” Ok, that sounds good – we’ll bite to see what they are talking about.
This breakthrough, as MIT puts it, “relies on an innovative architecture called a semi-solid flow cell, in which solid particles are suspended in a carrier liquid and pumped through the system. In this design, the battery’s active components — the positive and negative electrodes, or cathodes and anodes — are composed of particles suspended in a liquid electrolyte. These two different suspensions are pumped through systems separated by a filter, such as a thin porous membrane.”
The new design, created by MIT graduate students and professors, is said to separate “the two functions of the battery — storing energy until it is needed, and discharging that energy when it needs to be used — into separate physical structures.” It is this separation that reportedly means batteries can be designed more efficiently. Also, because the new semi-solid flow battery design in some ways looks and flows “like black goo and could end up used in place of petroleum for transportation,” it is being called “Cambridge crude” by those involved.
A variety of potential advantages, according to MIT, are seen in this battery design. These include reducing the the size and the cost of a complete battery system, including all of its structural support and connectors, to about half the current levels; permitting, in EV applications, the possibility of ‘refueling’ by pumping out the liquid slurry and pumping in a fresh, fully charged replacement or quickly swapping out the tanks; and, for energy storage applications, allowing for large scale, clean energy storage at what is said to be low costs.
Yury Gogotsi, director of Drexel University’s Nanotechnology Institute, commented on the creation of this battery to MIT, saying “the demonstration of a semi-solid lithium-ion battery is a major breakthrough that shows that slurry-type active materials can be used for storing electrical energy. This advance has tremendous importance for the future of energy production and storage.”
One of the MIT professors involved with the project, Yet-Ming Chiang, should be well known to followers of energy storage news. His previous work on lithium-ion battery chemistries led to the 2001 founding of MIT spinoff A123 Systems. The technology developed under his watch in this new case is being licensed to a company called 24M Technologies, founded by him and others last year.
Funding for MIT’s battery breakthrough was provided, in part, by grants from the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency and Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E). EarthTechling attended an ARPA-E conference earlier this year, noting the advances universities and early stage companies were making in cleantech advancement with help from ARPA-E and the U.S. Department of Energy. This looks to be just the latest case of this innovative public-private partnership.
EarthTechling Reader Appreciation Week is June 13-17. We’re giving away awesome green gifts to Facebook fans and newsletter subscribers. Participate in the green goodness by joining our newsletter and Facebook communities.CLOSE The United States has abstained for the first time in 25 years on a U.N. resolution condemning America's economic embargo against Cuba, a measure it had always vehemently opposed. (Oct. 26) AP
This file photo taken on October 13, 2016 shows US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power speaking during the ceremony for the appointment of the Secretary-General during the 70th session of the General Assembly at the United Nations in New York. (Photo: DON EMMERT, AFP/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON — The United Nations unanimously condemned the United States embargo on Cuba Wednesday — and for the first time, the United States did not object.
The extraordinary turnabout came as Samantha Power, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, told the General Assembly that the United States would abstain on the resolution. Similar resolutions have been adopted by every General Assembly for decades over U.S. protests, including one as recent as a year ago.
"The resolution is an excellent example of why the U.S. policy of isolation toward Cuba didn’t work," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said. "It served to isolate the United States, not Cuba. And it certainly didn’t have the desired effect of applying more pressure to Cuba, particularly with regard to human rights."
The symbolic non-vote on a non-binding resolution was the latest move by the President Obama to dismantle the 56-year-old embargo — and make it even more difficult for his successors to put it back together. The Obama administration has lifted restrictions on travel, rum and cigars, but Congress still prohibits direct U.S. investment on the island — a law Obama has called on Congress to repeal.
"The United States and Cuba must continue to find ways to engage, even as our differences persist," Power told the General Assembly. "Today, we will take another small step to be able to do that. May there be many, many more – including, we hope, finally ending the U.S. embargo once and for all."
With the U.S. dropping its objection, ally Israel — the only other country to support the United States on the issue in the past — also abstained. But the administration was also quick to note that the abstention did not signal support for the actions of the Cuban regime.
Still, Republicans said it was the duty of the administration to defend U.S. law.
"It is shameful for the Obama administration to refuse to abide by existing U.S. law and to dismiss the will of the American people, as expressed through their elected representatives of Congress, in an international forum that often gives voice and legitimacy to America’s adversaries," said Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a frequent Obama critic on Cuba policy.
Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/2eMsMSkDemonstrators who oppose the Venezuelan government clash with police on a main street of Caracas, (Miguel Gutierrez/European Pressphoto Agency)
Venezuela is on the brink of civil war.
Its economy has collapsed, its people are starving, and its government is to blame — although its grip on power is still strong enough that, as we'll get to in a minute, Goldman Sachs sure seems like it's betting that it will continue. Which is to say that things are about as dire as could be. The people are desperate, but so is the regime since it's terrified of facing any consequences for what is has done. The result has been a crescendo of state violence against the backdrop of a humanitarian catastrophe.
So much for la revolución.
It's hard to describe the scale of Venezuela's suffering. Despite having the largest oil reserves in the world, the International Monetary Fund estimates that Venezuela's economy is set to shrink for the fourth straight year, this time by 7.4 percent, and that its inflation rate is going to get all the way up to — this is not a typo — 1,134 percent. If that's right, then its economy will finish the year 32 percent smaller than it was at the start of 2014, and its prices will be 105 times higher. Going by black market rates, Venezuela's currency has lost 29.9 percent of its value in the last month, 83.4 percent in the last year, and 99.8 percent in the last five years. Venezuela has gotten a Great Depression-style crash at the same time that it's gotten Weimar-style hyperinflation.
How has a country that should have been so rich ended up so poor that it can't even feed itself? Indeed, according to a recent survey, three-quarters of Venezuela's adult population lost an average of 19 pounds the past year. Not to mention that the country's infant mortality rate has shot up 30 percent during this time because of malnutrition and a lack of basic medical supplies.
Well, the answer is the regime's brand of Bolivarian socialism. The government mismanaged the economy during the good times, doubled down during the bad ones, and would apparently rather declare war on its own people than give up its monopoly on dollars. Think of it as a three-step process. First, the government resorted to the printing press to pay its bills after the cronies it had put in charge of the state-owned oil company bungled things so badly that oil revenues came up short even when crude was at $100-a-barrel. Then, to try to wish away the resulting inflation, the regime instituted a series of price and currency controls that told businesses what they were allowed to charge, and what the bolivar was supposed to be worth. Finally, the government nationalized factories that refused to sell things at a loss like they'd been told to — that's why there are so many shortages — but that, of course, only added to the regime's money-printing needs when it then sold them itself.
Amid protests that have killed nearly 60 people, President Nicolás Maduro launches a scathing tirade against President Trump. (Reuters)
It's a vicious circle of bad policies and worse luck — or is it bad luck and worse policies? It's hard to tell. In any case, though, the government's initial incompetence has become the justification for more of it. This might have been merely a disaster, but not a life-threatening one, had oil prices remained in the triple digits. But now that those have halved, Venezuela has basically become a failed state.
This doesn't seem sustainable, and yet it might be. Just look at Zimbabwe. Its government engaged in an even more economically destructive orgy of money-printing a decade ago, which, at its peak, saw prices doubling almost every day, but it still managed to hold onto power. The Chavista regime might too, despite the escalating protests against it. Why? For the same reason it was able to win in the first place: by taking advantage of the divisions between the haves and the have-nothings. The working-class neighborhoods that propelled the Chavistas to power have been slow to turn against the government that brought them free housing and health care and education even though they're worse off now than they ever were before. That might be starting to change as hunger eats away at old allegiances, but it might not — especially if the government threatens to withhold what little food there is if they do.
Goldman Sachs, for its part, seems to be counting on something like this. It recently bought $2.8 billion worth of bonds that had been issued by Venezuela's state oil company for the bargain basement price of $865 million. Whatever it might say, this looks a lot like a bet that the Chavistas will be around for a lot longer — and might even make that more likely considering that Caracas says the government used $300 million of this money to buy weapons.
Now, in its defense, Goldman maintains that it didn't buy these bonds from Venezuela's government directly, and that it only did so in the hope that a new government would be able to end the crisis and be in a better position to pay back what it owes. But there are a few problems with this story. While it's true that the bonds passed through at least one intermediary on their way from Venezuela's central bank to Goldman's funds, it's also true that Venezuela's reserves went up right after Goldman completed its purchase. The implication being that Caracas was just using a middleman. Nor is it clear that Goldman really would prefer a new government to the current one. While the opposition was probably bluffing when it said it wouldn't honor this debt, we know that the Chavista regime would pay its bills. It is now.
There's a grim irony to it all. It's not every socialist government that pays its Wall Street creditors in full while it watches its own people go without food. The Chavista regime is an exception, though, because it needs dollars to buy people's loyalty, and the only way it can accomplish that is by selling oil overseas. But here's the catch: If Venezuela defaults on its debt, then investors would most likely seize its oil shipments as a form of payment. That'd destroy the government's ability to borrow without improving the government's cash balances. It's such a bad idea that even the Chavistas don't want to do it.
They prefer to use tear gas instead.I’d been thinking about buying the camera for a while, during my time in New York I really gravitated towards photography and film photography as a creative medium because I seriously could not find the craft stores in New York. I actually ordered $2 bottles of paint online. 🙂 I’ve always been the type of person who makes things as a way to make myself happy… And two years ago, photography was my thing. My self-improvement project. 😉 I bought books, I read online tutorials, I practiced with my little D40, and I glued my eyes to analogue photography websites for hours.
So that Sunday when I decided to visit B&H, after hours of research and longing, I just walked in and bought my $20 little plastic camera. And can I just say, if you’re a gadget dork and you’re ever in NYC and you are around Penn Station, just walk to B&H. I have never been in a store like it, it is bustling ALL THE TIME and you walk up to a person, place your order, and then a robot/conveyer belt thing brings your order to the front of the store. No joke. You can’t actually touch your $20 Holga camera until you have already paid. It’s crazy. And an experience. 🙂
So now, two years later, I’ve finally developed my precious little plastic camera’s film— and I am still in love with the thing. And I’ve got a few tips to share. 🙂
7 Tips for Holga Cameras
The little red lighthouse under the great gray bridge. (George Washington Bridge)
With Holga cameras, the thing you really need to remember is that you are shooting with a toy camera. Your pictures are not going to be perfect– but most likely, you don’t want them to be perfect. 😉 The shot above of the George Washington Bridge is one of my favorite Holga shots that I’ve taken, and it has so many imperfections from the vignetting (blacker corners) to the camera shake, to the light flares.
My favorite things about Holga pictures:
–You are shooting with medium format film (120 film) so you might be surprised by the level of detail on the film. (I was. ;))
–Square pictures. It’s so refreshing to see a different photo shape after so many years where the dominant dimensions are 3×5 and 4×6. Any maybe the square format is part of Instagram’s formula for success?
–The plastic lens makes everything dreeeeeamy. 🙂
Tip #1: Expect the Unexpected.
You never know what will end up in your frame– light leaks, accidental double exposures, neighboring frames, vignetting. Just go with it and focus more on composition than technical quality.
Statue of Liberty and an arch at Princeton University.
Tip #2: Avoid dark situations.
Don’t shoot in shadowy places unless you have a flash or a high speed film. (I had 400 speed film, I wouldn’t shoot in low light unless you have at least 1600 speed.)
Riverside Church and Riverside Park on the Upper West Side.
Tip #3: If you don’t like light leaks…
Cover the back of the camera where the film counter is. I kind of like the light leaks, though. They give the photos more character.
Princeton, NJ and the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, looking at Manhattan.
This is where the film counter is– you can cover this with a piece of dark paper, duct tape, or electrical tape and just pull it back when you need to wind the film.
Tip #4: Your Holga’s tension adjustment might |
group and identity consciousness that had all but snuffed out independent thought.
In fact, the striking development involved the ways in which identity itself was destabilized. The definition of "woman"—invoked by 1970s feminists—fractured along lines of race, sexuality, politics, and values. Leading scholars of race began to signal its malleable and socially constructed nature by surrounding "race" with quotation marks. Multiracialism's advocates lobbied for the option of checking off more than one box in the census categories. This was not the economists' world of choice but had striking affinities with it. At the cutting edge of the humanities, theorists wrote about identities as plural and overlapping, as "multiple, shifting, and often self-contradictory," as "fragmented and decentered." Identity was a hybrid, they told us: strategic, disruptable, and elective.
Words and visions for common and interdependent fates had fractured. Across the multiple fronts of intellectual debate, concepts of human nature that had been thick with context, social circumstance, and history gave way to an understanding that emphasized choice, agency, performance, language, and desire. Ability to imagine spheres of collective solidarity—class, neighborhood, or the common good—shrank; notions of structure and power thinned out in favor of self-acting markets and worlds of choice. The drag of history persisted, of course. The pressure of social forces on choice was no less weighty than before. But the concepts that might have helped to hold them clearly in mind had disaggregated.
Like all powerful forms of analysis, the stripped-down, actor-centered terms and models that came to dominate the Age of Fracture accomplished important intellectual work. They often liberated. But they produced an intellectual culture incapable of responding imaginatively to the recent crisis that has once more thrust our economic fates together. In the absence of stronger concepts of collective society than market choice and fluid identities, the economic crackup has disrupted our lives, but it does not ignite our social imaginations or generate new ways out of our problems.
Economists are quicker now to qualify the claims of efficient market theory, but the core of economic science has not been seriously rattled. The Obama administration struggles not only to translate its "Yes, we can" slogan into practical policy but, more important, to make the word "we" tangible and meaningful. Meanwhile, the opposition retreats to old-fashioned visions of smaller government, entrepreneurial freedom, and economic individualism.
The economic interdependence of our lives needs, but has yet to find, new avenues of expression. There is more talk of parts than of bonds and social connections. There is more fear than intellectual ferment, more anguish than attempts to rethink our practices and values. Issues of income equity and social justice have found only weak expression. The public good has become a thin and pale expression, when it isn't dismissed altogether as a fiction.
To deal adequately with our present moment, we will have to wrestle with the past: with the past quarter-century's arguments and evasions, its shrunken purposes and diminished collective meanings. Its fractures still cast their shadow over us.The businesswoman celebrated her 35th birthday over the weekend at Gotham Archery, where she was filmed firing off a few arrows
Arabella, five, and Joseph, three, were dressed as Owlette and Gekko from the Disney series PJ Masks, while baby Theodore was Mickey Mouse
Ivanka Trump celebrated Halloween by proudly showing of her three kids' individual costumes.
The 35-year-old took to Instagram on Monday morning to share a photo of Arabella, five, Joseph, three, and Theodore, seven-months, posing on the front stoop of what appears to be their country home in New Jersey.
'Trick or treat!' she captioned the image, which sees Arabella and Joseph dressed as Owlette and Gekko from the animated Disney series PJ Masks.
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Cool costumes: Ivanka snapped a photo of her children Arabella, five, Joseph, three, and Theodore, seven-months, dressed up for Halloween on Monday
In the sweet photo, Arabella is holding up her baby brother, who is seated in between her and Joseph.
In honor of his first Halloween, the little boy is dressed in a full Mickey Mouse costume, and the day before Ivanka celebrated her 35th birthday by taking him trick-or-treating at their weekend home.
The mother-of-three shared an adorable photo of her youngest child lying in the grass wearing a full Mickey Mouse costume — but the excitement of first Halloween may have tuckered him out.
'Taking a little break from trick-or-treating! #halloween,' Ivanka captioned the image, which sees her little boy taking an afternoon nap.
Mini-Mickey Mouse: Ivanka took to Instagram on Sunday to share a photo of Theodore taking a nap after trick-or-treating
Baby's first Halloween! Ivanka showed off her son's Mickey Mouse costume on Instagram earlier this month
Theodore's eyes are closed in the picture, suggesting that he was so relaxed that he dozed off for a bit.
Ivanka, who turned 35 on October 30, kicked off her birthday at Gotham Archery range in New York City, proudly showing off her skills in a video posted to Instagram on Sunday.
The businesswoman looks ready for a night on the town in a short printed dress with long sleeves and pair of knee-high boots, as well as a quiver full of arrows hitched around her waist.
In the clip, she can be seen drawing an arrow from the quiver before pulling it onto the bow and firing it toward the target.
Taking aim: Ivanka fired off arrows at a New York archery range ahead of her 35th birthday on Sunday
All smiles: In the clip, Ivanka sports a short dress and knee high boots in addition to a quiver around her waist
'Channeling my inner Katniss,' she wrote in the caption, referring to the character from the famous Hunger Games series.
After a quick smile for the camera, she does the same again, but the footage doesn't reveal exactly where her arrows landed.
It seems that Ivanka's pal Wendi Deng Murdoch was at Gotham Archery with her, and the next day she took to the comments section of the post to gush about what a great time she had.
'I had the best time celebrating your birthday with you last night!' Wendi wrote.
Mini songstress: On Friday, Ivanka also shared a clip of five-year-old daughter Arabella singing along to Sia's Cheap Thrills
On Friday, Ivanka also shared a video of her five-year-old daughter Arabella singing her heart out to Sia's hit Cheap Thrills.
'Friday night, hit the dance floor,' Ivanka wrote in the caption, and it seems like she was ready to let loose and enjoy her weekend after a busy couple of days.
Earlier in the week, Ivanka broke her silence about the push by some to boycott her brands, revealing she has no desire to try and speak with or communicate with those women.
'The beauty of America is that people can do what they like, but I'd prefer to talk to the millions, tens of millions of American women who are inspired by the brand,' she said on her Thursday morning appearance on Good Morning America.
Moving on: Earlier in the week Ivanka addressed the boycott of her brands by women upset by her father's misogynistic comments and allegations of sexual assault
Criticism: 'People who are seeking to politicize it because they may disagree with the politics of my father, there's nothing I can do to change that,' Ivanka said on Good Morning America
'The message that I've created - my advocacy of women, trying to empower them in all aspects of their life - started long before this presidential campaign did. I've never politicized that message.'
Ivanka then added: 'People who are seeking to politicize it because they may disagree with the politics of my father, there's nothing I can do to change that.'
She did not however acknowledge the fact that the boycott is not in response to her father's political beliefs, but rather his alleged sexual assault of over 10 women and the comments he made in a 2005 Access Hollywood interview with Billy Bush.
Ivanka said at the top of the interview how happy she was for her father as they neared the election, saying: 'We are very proud of our father and what he's accomplished. He's amazing.'You saw our unofficial advice guide to flying after the crotchbomb. Here are the new Homeland Security Transportation Security Administration's official security rules. Read on to get all the hairy details.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Transportation Security Administration
Aviation Security Directive
Subject: Security Directive
Number: SD 1544-09-06
Date: December 25, 2009
EXPIRATION: 0200Z on December 30, 2009
This Security Directive (SD) must be implemented immediately. The measures contained in this SD are in addition to all other SDs currently in effect for your operations.
INFORMATION: On December 25, 2009, a terrorist attack was attempted against a flight traveling to the United States. TSA has identified security measures to be implemented by airports, aircraft operators, and foreign air carriers to mitigate potential threats to flights.
APPLICABILITY: THIS SD APPLIES TO AIRCRAFT OPERATORS THAT CARRY OUT A SECURITY PROGRAM REGULATED UNDER 49 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR)1544.101(a).
ACTIONS REQUIRED: If you conduct scheduled and/or public charter flight operations under a Full Program under 49 CFR 1544.101(a) departing from any foreign location to the United States (including its territories and possessions), you must immediately implement all measures in this SD for each such flight.
1. BOARDING GATE
1. The aircraft operator or authorized air carrier representative must ensure all passengers are screened at the boarding gate during the boarding process using the following procedures. These procedures are in addition to the screening of all passengers at the screening checkpoint.
1. Perform thorough pat-down of all passengers at boarding gate prior to boarding, concentrating on upper legs and torso.
2. Physically inspect 100 percent of all passenger accessible property at the boarding gate prior to boarding, with focus on syringes being transported along with powders and/or liquids.
3. Ensure the liquids, aerosols, and gels restrictions are strictly adhered to in accordance with SD 1544-06-02E.
2. During the boarding process, the air carrier may exempt passengers who are Heads of State or Heads of Government from the measures outlined in Section I.A. of this SD, including the following who are traveling with the Head of State or Head of Government:
1. Spouse and children, or
2. One other individual (chosen by the Head of State or Head of Government)
3. For the purposes of Section I.B., the following definitions apply:
1. Head of State: An individual serving as the chief public representative of a monarchic or republican nation-state, federation, commonwealth, or any other political state (for example, King, Queen, and President).
2. Head of Government: The chief officer of the executive branch of a government presiding over a cabinet (for example, Prime Minister, Premier, President, and Monarch).
2. IN FLIGHT
1. During flight, the aircraft operator must ensure that the following procedures are followed:
1. Passengers must remain in seats beginning 1 hour prior to arrival at destination.
2. Passenger access to carry-on baggage is prohibited beginning 1 hour prior to arrival at destination.
3. Disable aircraft-integrated passenger communications systems and services (phone, internet access services, live television programming, global positioning systems) prior to boarding and during all phases of flight.
4. While over U.S. airspace, flight crew may not make any announcement to passengers concerning flight path or position over cities or landmarks.
5. Passengers may not have any blankets, pillows, or personal belongings on the lap beginning 1 hour prior to arrival at destination.
AIRCRAFT OPERATOR ACKNOWLEDGMENT: The aircraft operator must immediately provide written confirmation to its assigned PSI indicating receipt of this SD.
AIRCRAFT OPERATOR dissemination required: The aircraft operator must immediately pass the information and directives set forth in this SD to all stations affected, and provide written confirmation to its PSI, indicating that all stations affected have acknowledged receipt of the information and directives set forth in this SD. The aircraft operator must disseminate this information to its senior management personnel, ground security coordinators, and supervisory security personnel at all affected locations. All aircraft operator personnel implementing this SD must be briefed by the aircraft operator on its content and the restrictions governing dissemination. No other dissemination may be made without prior approval of the Assistant Secretary for the Transportation Security Administration. Unauthorized dissemination of this document or information contained herein is prohibited by 49 CFR Part 1520 (see 69 Fed. Reg. 28066 (May 18, 2004).
APPROVAL OF ALTERNATIVE MEASURES: With respect to the provisions of this SD, as stated in 49 CFR 1544.305(d), the aircraft operator may submit in writing to its PSI proposed alternative measures and the basis for submitting the alternative measures for approval by the Assistant Administrator for Transportation Sector Network Management. The aircraft operator must immediately notify its PSI whenever any procedure in this SD cannot be carried out by a government authority charged with performing security procedures.
FOR TSA ACTION ONLY: The TSA must issue this SD immediately to the corporate security element of all affected U.S. aircraft operators.
FOR STATE DEPARTMENT: Retransmittal to appropriate foreign posts is authorized. Post must refer to STATE 162917, 201826Z Sep 01, Subject: FAA Security Directives and Information Circulars: Definitions and Handling, for specific guidance and dissemination.
Gale Rossides
Acting AdministratorThank YOU!
You and the other 8,00+ backers made Soapberri a reality, and helped us reach 420% of our original fundraising goal. All the funding will go straight into building our shared vision — change the way we clean with nature’s purest soap, the soapberry.
Missed it? You can still PRE-ORDER for a little while.
You can still get Soapberri from this page and get on some pre-order only perks. If you do it soon enough, you’d receive your shipment the same time as our backers.
You can find us at our...
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Our Rewards
Soapberri E-Book - a 40+ page crash course on the soapberry
A photobook on Nature's Cleansing Gift - Soapberry
Our designer and writer, Hilary, and Joan have collaborated on creating a beautiful book about the soapberry, combining its history, botany, and household uses with 40+ pages of stunning natural photography, plus the scoop behind the team!
Soapberri Bag - use as botanical hand soap or toss in the laundry!
Nature's Cleansing Berries
A bag of soapberries, wrapped in our custom muslin cloth. It’s never been so easy to experience nature’s lather in your palms. Or, toss it in the laundry – it’s good for 5+ loads!
Soapberri Mala - what better way to connect with nature than to wear it?
Mala (bracelet) of the soapberry seeds
A special meditation bracelet of fresh, polished soapberry seeds handmade by the wife of the Soapberri farm owner. In Buddhist tradition, the seeds protects one’s spirit, and is the original way of staying zen.
Soapberri Hair Lather & Body Lather
Shampoo and body wash (10.8oz/320ml) made straight from the soapberry
The soapberry extract has a natural pH of 5.5, the same as your skin. So it doesn’t strip away your natural oils and dry up your skin and hair like harsh commercial synthetics. Many people say they don’t need conditioners or lotions afterwards. It’s perfectly gentle for babies and those with sensitive skin.
Comes in
Raw Unscented
Relaxing Lavender
Awakening Peppermint
Travel Set - perfect when you're on the go, or as a gift!
Treat yourself on the go, gym, vacation, business trips
The Journey
Can you name just 2 ingredients in the shampoo you use every day?
We couldn't either. So we went on a mission to change the way we clean by replacing harmful chemicals with nature's purest form of soap, the Soapberry.
This is the Soapberry, the berry we will change the way we clean with
Why use harmful chemicals, when we can use soap straight from nature?
For thousands of years, indigenous peoples of India and Taiwan didn’t clean with Pantene or Head & Shoulders. They used nature’s purest soap, a little fruit called the Soapberry. With just a rub, you can feel its cleansing lather that is naturally gentle and anti-bacterial.
We decided to revive nature’s cleansing gift...
In our hometown Taiwan, the roots of native soapberry trees protect eco-reserves from typhoons, but no one uses the fruits nowadays. So we've partnered with the local communities to harvest these wild berries.
Our community harvesting wild soapberries in the eco-reserves
To make the berries easy for you to use...
...we’ve combined ancient traditions, and modern technologies.
And created...
Shampoo & body wash made straight from soapberries
It protects your natural oils and leaves your skin and hair smooth and soft.
The soapberry extract has a natural pH of 5.5, the same as your skin. So it doesn’t strip away your natural oils and dry up your skin and hair like harsh commercial synthetics. Many people say they don’t need conditioners or lotions afterwards. It’s perfectly gentle for babies and those with sensitive skin.
It is not only natural, but also...
Organic - it doesn't get more organic than wild
it doesn't get more organic than wild Cruelty Free - no ingredients have been animal tested
no ingredients have been animal tested Eco-Friendly - no more chemical run off or micro beads
no more chemical run off or micro beads Fair trade - we add supplemental business to local communities
we add supplemental business to local communities Sustainable - our extraction process is zero waste, zero emission
our extraction process is zero waste, zero emission Vegan - because using tallow soap is like rubbing a cheeseburger on your face
because using tallow soap is like rubbing a cheeseburger on your face Hypoallergenic - perfect for those with skin allergies and sensitivities
Other botanical treasures in our Soapberri Hair Lather and Body Lather
Aloe Vera Juice
Chamomile Extract
Olive Leaf Extract
Gotu Kola Extract
Shea Butter
Cucumber Extract
To make this happen, we need your support
By using Soapberri, you are supporting our beautiful eco-reserves and farming communities in Taiwan!
If you like our movement of connecting with nature, you friends would too!Ronald Shields being arrested -- screenshot
An investigation into what is being captured on the body cams worn by Los Angeles police has turned up evidence of officers planting drugs in a suspect’s wallet while believing their cameras were off.
According to CBS-LA, Los Angeles police are now wearing the body cams, but police officials are withholding the videos from the public. However, the station was able to acquire video of one black man being arrested for a hit and run, with the video showing something quite different from what was documented in the official police report.
The report documents the arrest of Ronald Shields, 52, in April when he was taken into custody for a hit and run. According to the police report, LAPD officer Samuel Lee stated that cocaine was found in Shields’ front left pocket
But the body cam of a fellow officer showed one officer picking up the small packet from the ground and placing it in the suspect’s wallet — before making a show of discovering it multiple times for the camera.
According Shields’ attorney, Steve Levine, officer Lee seemed stunned when he was shown the video while on the witness stand, saying the officer, “Looked dumbstruck to me. Period. He had really no answer.”
According to an expert discussing how the body cams work, the officer may not have realized that the camera was running 30 seconds before he believed he activated it.
Confronted by CBS reporter David Goldstein, both officers involved in the bust refused to comments on the discrepancy between their reports and what was shown on-camera.
Watch the video below via CBS-LA:Lowest Ratings SORT BY: | Highest Ratings 70 Reviews. Average Rating: 4.8 of 5 Stars! 5 stars: 89% (62 of 70) 4 stars: 8% (5 of 70) 3 stars: 1% (1 of 70) 2 stars: 0% ( of 70) 1 star: 2% (2 of 70) Display All Reviews Reviewed By: Mason R on 01/25/2019 Rating: 5 of 5 Stars!
Right out of the box, this gun was a fit for my hand. There are two additional backstraps that I have yet to try because I didn't think I needed to. A well-balanced for its size! Field stripping is really easy, which helps a lot when cleaning. That it came with the speed loader, was just a bonus in my opinion. I was surprised add how accurate and comfortable this handgun is. I am very happy with my purchase! Reviewed By: Pawel D on 01/19/2019 Rating: 5 of 5 Stars!
Fabulous. It catches eye because of it's non standard looks and it shoots great. My best firearm so far! Reviewed By: Dawn B on 01/03/2019 Rating: 5 of 5 Stars!
Absolutely love this gun
Smooth action, clean and sleek, shoots wonderful.
Came in mint condition and fast shipping probably my all time favorite. Reviewed By: Mark B on 10/07/2018 Rating: 5 of 5 Stars!
I thoroughly enjoy shooting this hand gun. I had one that was stolen and this is a replacement. I highly recomend using BudsGuns for purchase, when the price is right. They added my FFL with little delay to the shipping process and they were there when I had questions. Reviewed By: Sam R on 10/02/2018 Rating: 4 of 5 Stars!
I hope this gets to Beretta! First let me say, that I still have not shot the gun but can only hope it will be an enjoyable experience.
The quality of the firearm is very impressive, the additional features, the instructions, etc.
HOWEVER, on the plastic box it comes in? Really. Not what I expected. I thought I have purchased
a small dremel drill from Northern Tool made in China.
I have done packaging for over 25 years, in several industries, but this was not what I expected.
I know many will say, well you bought the gun not a box. But I could say the same, of buying
a 50,000 car with rethreads from the factory. You are buying the car, not the tires.
My advice is to take this back to the drawing board, and think for future products and the
company brand. Thankfully, I did not judge the book by it\'s cover. But no need of that, to save
a few pennies to bring up to par the presentation.
Thank you! Reviewed By: shawn r on 09/15/2018 Rating: 5 of 5 Stars!
Great pistol. It feels so comfortable in the hands. No malfunctions with about 650+ rounds through her. The packaging is superb. This pistol is a great alternative to the glock19. Overall it's a better value if u aren't concerned with the limited aftermarket accessories. Reviewed By: Randall J on 09/12/2018 Rating: 5 of 5 Stars!
I've purchased several firearms from Buds, the most recent being the Beretta PX4 Storm Compact 9mm....... I'm very familiar with the PX4 and couldn't be happier with the purchase......as usual, the buying experience with Buds is second to none.....very prompt response and shipping, with full notification s to keep you informed throughout the process...... Service like that, combined with Buds unbeatable price and fair trade in, made and keeps me a loyal Buds customer.....The PX4 is hands down my favorite Berreta and quickly becoming my favorite EDC. Reviewed By: David L on 09/03/2018 Rating: 5 of 5 Stars!
The ease of my purchase and price very easy I give a five star rating to buds gun shop the process after not so much. Reviewed By: Jeff P on 06/21/2018 Rating: 5 of 5 Stars!
Great gun - still trying to find the best concealed holster and option but you can%u2019t go wrong with a Beretta! Bud%u2019s was great as always! Reviewed By: Mark C on 03/24/2018 Rating: 5 of 5 Stars!
Really enjoy Beretta firearms, this one looks to be a reasonable CC weapon, though it is a little wider than other items I'd looked at. My reason for this purchase was to have a'matching' set (carbine & pistol) that can share ammo and mags. I'm pleased with my purchase. Only slow part was time between order placement and the item shipping, maybe if I was a Bud's special customer that piece goes faster but I wasn't in a hurry so worked for me. Show More ReviewsTaking the battle to campuses and courtrooms
A year ago today, the Recording Industry Association of America launched a new campaign against on-campus file-sharing. There was a mass mailing to college presidents, some public service announcements, and most importantly, 400 prelitigation settlement letters mailed to 13 universities. Ars spoke to RIAA president Cary Sherman as the "campus initiative's" first anniversary approached to get the RIAA's perspective on how it was working out and where it might be headed.
The campaign is similar to that carried out against suspected P2P users. Prelitigation settlement letters are sent out to universities, addressed to the user of a specific IP address. If the school identifies the student to whom the IP address was assigned at the time and passes along the letter, he or she has the opportunity to settle with the RIAA for $3,000 instead of the usual $4,000. If the student doesn't respond or the school fails to pass the letter along, a John Doe lawsuit is filed and the RIAA attempts to learn the identity of the person using the IP address by means of a subpoena.
Here's how the numbers look after a year. The RIAA has sent out 5,404 letters in 13 "waves" to over 160 colleges and universities. Of the 5,003 settlement letters sent prior to the batch of 401 that went out last week, "more than" 2,300 of those have resulted in the targeted students settling with the RIAA. 2,465 students have been hit with lawsuits, and all of those are moving through the legal system at different rates. At $3,000 per settlement, over 2,300 settlements translates into at least $6.9 million.
Positive trends
RIAA president Cary Sherman
The numbers sound impressive, but has the new initiative lived up to the RIAA's expectations and led to the kind of results the group hoped to see? Sherman sees reasons to be encouraged, citing positive responses from many of the schools contacted by the RIAA. "Schools are clearly responding to the problem in a helpful way, both in terms of education and student behavior," said Sherman.
He's also seeing positive trends in overall P2P use that give the group hope that its legal campaign is working. "The data is consistent that there has been a flattening of P2P use even though broadband penetration has been growing," Sherman pointed out. "We think a lot of the reason for that is because of the active steps we have taken to enforce our rights."
Indeed, tracking firm Big Champagne told Ars last year that music file-sharing rates have held steady since the spring of 2006. On a month-by-month basis, 2007 traffic was nearly flat, with variations falling within the margin of error. But Big Champagne CEO Eric Garland had a slightly different take on the data than did Sherman. He believes that the lack of P2P growth owes more to market saturation than legal threats. "It's like e-mail," Garland said. "For a number of years, the population using e-mail was increasing dramatically. Once everyone who wanted e-mail had e-mail, growth flattened out."
Sherman points to the recording industry's experience in Canada to buttress his argument. "You would think that digital sales in Canada would do even better than in the US because broadband penetration is higher," he said. "But there's no enforcement in Canada, and when you look at the digital sales figures it shows that there's more of a pirate market there." According to the RIAA's preliminary figures, legal downloads account for only 10 percent of Canadian music sales versus 22 percent in the US. "The fact that we have piracy a little more under control online here because of the lawsuits is a reason why we have more of a successful digital market in the US than Canada," Sherman argued.
A PR nightmare?
We also asked Sherman about public reaction to the campaign. He took issue with a suggestion that the legal campaign was something akin to a PR nightmare. "Our basic survey data is that the majority of consumers don't have a problem with the lawsuits," he replied. "You would never know that from reading blogs and websites, [but] when you go out to the general public, our favorables/unfavorables haven't changed at all. People are much more concerned about the content of the lyrics than our lawsuits."
It may be the case that the public looks more favorably on the RIAA's campaign than the blogosphere, but it's also significant that the music industry is alone among Big Content in its willingness to take on individual file-sharers in court. In contrast, the Motion Picture Association of America has focused its attention on BitTorrent sites rather than their users, while studios and TV networks appear more inclined towards taking legal action towards big web sites, as Viacom has against YouTube. Studios and networks are definitely wary about taking the same approach as the RIAA and ending up with a PR nightmare; one industry executive recently told Ars that his company was concerned about "looking like the RIAA."
There has been a wide variety of reaction to the campaign, according to Sherman. "We just got an e-mail the other day from some small indie artist that said 'I know some people think [the campaign] is unpopular, but thank you because it's making a difference."
The effect of DMCA takedowns
In addition to sending out prelitigation settlement letters, the RIAA has also been busy sending out DMCA takedown notices to schools when it finds copyrighted material online. That number has increased lately because of an improved ability to find material, says Sherman. "Universities have responded in different ways [when receiving a takedown notice], but they all do something," he said. "It has been very helpful in letting people know that they're not really anonymous and that they're lucky they got a notice and not a lawsuit."
"When we looked at the top 50 schools [in terms of DMCA notices] from the fall semester 2006-07 to the fall semester 2007-08, 29 of the schools have dropped off," Sherman said. Indeed, the RIAA's figures show dramatic changes in the list of schools with the highest number of takedown notices. The number one school in 2006-07, the University of South Carolina, is now in the 166th position. The 914 DMCA takedown notices sent to that school in '06-07 has plummeted to just 45 in '07-08. 12 of the top 20 schools from 2006-07 have dropped completely out of the top 50; others, like the University of Massachusetts-Amherst (which has held steady in the number two position), are proving to be tougher nuts to crack.At 5:00 a.m. Sunday morning the world is not dark, but there is no color. Everything is black and white and grey, except for the orange light on the garage across the street that shines through my bedroom window. There is no breeze, and the poplar leaves are caught like a snapshot in stillness. The stars are gone but the sun is not up yet; so you can’t tell if the grey sky is overcast or clear. Very soon we will know.
I sit on the edge of my bed trying to develop a theology of sleep. Why did God design us to need sleep? We sleep a third of our lives. Just think of it: a third of our lives spent like dead men. Just think of everything being left undone that could be done had God not designed us to need sleep. There is surely no doubt that he could have created us with no need for sleep. And just think, everyone could devote himself to two careers, and not feel tired. Everyone could be a “full-time Christian worker” and still keep his job. There is so much of our Father’s business we could be about.
Why did God imagine sleep? He never sleeps! He thought the idea up out of nothing. He thought it up for his earthly creatures. Why! Psalm 127:2 says, “It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved in his sleep.” According to this text sleep is a gift of love, and the gift is often spurned by anxious toil. Peaceful sleep is the opposite of anxiety. God does not want his children to be anxious, but to trust him. Therefore I conclude that God made sleep as a continual reminder that we should not be anxious but should rest in him.
Sleep is a daily reminder from God that we are not God. “He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep” (Psalm 121:4). But Israel will. For we are not God. Once a day God sends us to bed like patients with a sickness. The sickness is a chronic tendency to think we are in control and that our work is indispensable. To cure us of this disease God turns us into helpless sacks of sand once a day. How humiliating to the self-made corporate executive that he has to give up all control and become as limp as a suckling infant every day.
Sleep is a parable that God is God and we are mere men. God handles the world quite nicely while a hemisphere sleeps. Sleep is like a broken record that comes around with the same message every day: Man is not sovereign. Man is not sovereign. Man is not sovereign. Don’t let the lesson be lost on you. God wants to be trusted as the great worker who never tires and never sleeps. He is not nearly so impressed with our late nights and early mornings as he is with the peaceful trust that casts all anxieties on him and sleeps.
In quest of rest,
Pastor JohnImage copyright PA Image caption Floral tributes have been left close to where the girl's body was found
A 15-year-old girl has been arrested after the death of a seven-year-old girl in York.
The younger girl, who has been named in floral tributes as Katie, was found with life-threatening injuries in the Woodthorpe area of the city.
She was taken to hospital but died a short time later. Inquiries into the circumstances surrounding her death continue, said North Yorkshire Police.
The teenager remains in custody and is being questioned by officers.
Floral tributes have been left at the scene. In one, a card reads: "Night night my darling princess Katie. Love nana and grandad."
Police vehicles are at a semi-detached house about half a mile from the scene. The BBC believes this may be connected to the incident.
More on this and other York stories
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Police scientific officers are working at the scene near Alness Drive in the Woodthorpe area of York
Police said the seven-year-old was found near Alness Drive by officers at about 16:30 GMT on Monday.
Det Ch Insp Dave Ellis said officers had been carrying out house-to-house inquiries in the area.
Image copyright PA Image caption The grandparents of the seven-year-old leave a floral tribute at the scene near Alness Drive
Labour MP for York Central and Shadow Environment Secretary Rachael Maskell said: "My thoughts and prayers are with the family of the little girl who has died from her injuries in York."
Earlier, the York City and East policing team posted a message about the incident.
In a tweet, they said: "Difficult late shift for all York staff with tragic death of a seven-year-old. Thoughts go out to family members."
Image copyright PA Image caption Det Ch Insp Dave Ellis told the press house-to-house enquiries had been carried out in the area
A grass track leading to a playing field has been sealed off by police with a white tent just beyond the cordon.
Rob McCartney, who lives in a house next to the track, said he came out of his home after hearing sirens and saw a woman shouting for an ambulance to be called.
"I put my shoes on and went to go up the alleyway. I got halfway up and I could see a body lying on the field, the police were already there attending," he said.
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The seven-year-old girl was found on a playing field near Alness Drive
Local Lib Dem councillor Ashley Mason said people in the area were in shock.
"It's absolutely devastating," he said.
"It would have been an absolute shock to everybody who lives around here to wake up and hear what's gone on in York."Sometimes I feel as if every non-vegan person has a pull string that says “Yeah I could probably do the whole no meat thing…But I couldn’t live without cheese!!” when hearing about what vegans eat. I’m sure I said that too at one point..and I am still on the hunt to recreate or at least find the closest possible thing to real cheese. It can be fun and much like a science experiment at times. This recipe is truly mind blowing. With my first batch I used the “cheese” to make spanakopita. Holy Good God. There are no words.
With the second batch I made, we splurged on a $6 bottle of organic wine and a baguette. Took down the whole thing without blinking. And guess what? The next day there was no “I ate a whole package of cheese pudge” and my boyfriend didn’t grow man tits over night. Score |
. Quoting: Private Pyle
The driver was God.
Mohammed had 100 of fulfilled, confirmed prophecies.
Joseph Smith of the Mormon's had dozens of failed prophecies. The driver was God.Mohammed had 100 of fulfilled, confirmed prophecies.Joseph Smith of the Mormon's had dozens of failed prophecies.
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 73141183
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07/24/2017 08:46 PM
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Report Copyright Violation Re: UK Moped Crew. Rammavan takes a day off. Girl dragged into car by Asians. The "british" government and its treacherous politicians imported islamic terrorism, they are to blame, they are the Englishman's primary enemy.
Quoting: Anonymous Coward
Anonymous Coward
User ID: 19995931
Canada
07/24/2017 10:20 PM
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Report Copyright Violation Re: UK Moped Crew. Rammavan takes a day off. Girl dragged into car by Asians.
A LORRY ploughed through a crowd outside the Printworks in Manchester city centre, sparking a police manhunt.
[link to www.express.co.uk]
Driver hunted as truck drives into pedestrians in Manchester city centreA LORRY ploughed through a crowd outside the Printworks in Manchester city centre, sparking a police manhunt. Quoting: Private Pyle
Check the comments, looks like no one's falling for the regime's/NUJ "gang related" or "mentally ill lone wolf" horse shit.
The "british" government and its treacherous politicians imported islamic terrorism, they are to blame, they are the Englishman's primary enemy.
Check the comments, looks like no one's falling for the regime's/NUJ "gang related" or "mentally ill lone wolf" horse shit.The "british" government and its treacherous politicians imported islamic terrorism, they are to blame, they are the Englishman's primary enemy. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 74117385
The "British" government has sold out the English since the Romans first landed. The "British" government has sold out the English since the Romans first landed.
Anonymous Coward
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07/24/2017 10:27 PM
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Report Copyright Violation Re: UK Moped Crew. Rammavan takes a day off. Girl dragged into car by Asians.
White van reverses out of control into a lamppost in Cinderford, Gloucestershire
The incident, which took place on Saturday at 4pm, nearly killed a pedestrian
Police are looking to identify the van's owner from the CCTV footage
Severe damage has been done to railings in the town centre but no one was hurt
[link to www.dailymail.co.uk]
Hair-raising moment van reverses on to pavement and smashes into a lamppost narrowly missing the pedestrian rushing to helpWhite van reverses out of control into a lamppost in Cinderford, GloucestershireThe incident, which took place on Saturday at 4pm, nearly killed a pedestrianPolice are looking to identify the van's owner from the CCTV footageSevere damage has been done to railings in the town centre but no one was hurt Quoting: Private Pyle
every shit driver is a terrorerrorist now too? every shit driver is a terrorerrorist now too?
Anonymous Coward
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07/25/2017 12:39 AM
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Report Copyright Violation Re: UK Moped Crew. Rammavan takes a day off. Girl dragged into car by Asians.
A LORRY ploughed through a crowd outside the Printworks in Manchester city centre, sparking a police manhunt.
[link to www.express.co.uk]
Driver hunted as truck drives into pedestrians in Manchester city centreA LORRY ploughed through a crowd outside the Printworks in Manchester city centre, sparking a police manhunt. Quoting: Private Pyle
The driver was God.
Mohammed had 100 of fulfilled, confirmed prophecies.
Joseph Smith of the Mormon's had dozens of failed prophecies.
The driver was God.Mohammed had 100 of fulfilled, confirmed prophecies.Joseph Smith of the Mormon's had dozens of failed prophecies. Quoting: God built my hotrod 73141183
What are you on glue? What are you on glue?
Anonymous Coward (OP)
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07/25/2017 04:41 AM
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Report Copyright Violation Re: UK Moped Crew. Rammavan takes a day off. Girl dragged into car by Asians. We live in a crazy world. Escaping for the day and taking my boy fishing. Need to recharge the batteries. Have a good one folks.
Anonymous Coward
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07/25/2017 05:58 AM
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Report Copyright Violation Re: UK Moped Crew. Rammavan takes a day off. Girl dragged into car by Asians. Imagine that. They take their guns, they take their knives and those wiley Brits still find a way to attack someone. If they keep this up, the only thing they'll be allowed is a KFC Spork, and have to walk everywhere.
Quoting: Pilgrim001
These dumb cunt yanks with their 'guns save everything' attitude is getting very old and very boring...
These dumb cunt yanks with their 'guns save everything' attitude is getting very old and very boring...
Anonymous Coward (OP)
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07/26/2017 06:57 AM
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Report Copyright Violation Re: UK Moped Crew. Rammavan takes a day off. Girl dragged into car by Asians.
[link to www.dailymail.co.uk]
One victim speaks out. 'I feel like I've had the luckiest acid attack in the world': Aspiring model who was doused in corrosive liquid says she is 'too scared to go to the shop' but feels blessed compared to other victimsOne victim speaks out.
Anonymous Coward (OP)
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07/27/2017 07:05 AM
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Report Copyright Violation Re: UK Moped Crew. Rammavan takes a day off. Girl dragged into car by Asians.
Man seriously injured in hospital after Cardiff city centre hit and run.
[link to www.walesonline.co.uk]
I have done this as the area where the car was found is a stronghold of the book of cult. Will put this here to keep an eye on.Man seriously injured in hospital after Cardiff city centre hit and run.I have done this as the area where the car was found is a stronghold of the book of cult.The battle on the Iraq-Syria border, near Tanf, on Aug. 6 was fierce. In brutal fighting, jihadis had killed everyone except for a young Iranian man. Mohsen Hojaji, a fighter from the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), was apprehended and marched across the battlefield with death pervading the air and smoke billowing all around him. With penetrating eyes, Hojaji showed no hint of fear. Shortly afterward, his severed head was placed on his abdomen, with three children — one looking barely 5 years old — stepping on his decapitated body and his head.
For almost six years, Iranian hard-liners promoting military intervention in Syria were desperately looking for a story like Hojaji’s. Their argument was that shoring up the defenses of their long-term ally — Syrian President Bashar al-Assad — would make Iran more secure. As such, Hojaji’s death was a gift from God to Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, the shrewd and Machiavellian strategist in charge of the deployment of thousands of volunteers from across the Shiite world to Syria. "In order to glorify the significance of an issue, sometimes God creates an incident,” said Soleimani, nicknamed the “Living Martyr” in Iran. "Martyr Hojaji was for the glorification of the sacrifices of defending the [holy Shiite] shrines." Those who volunteer to fight in Syria have long been named “defenders of the shrine” in Iranian state discourse, referring to the Shiite shrine of Zeinab in southern Damascus.
Soleimani, a veteran of the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War, knew the propaganda power of stories such as Hojaji’s in rallying the Iranian public and silencing the critics of the Islamic Republic's adventure in Syria. To have maximum impact, Hojaji’s beheading was embellished with Shiite iconography of the battle of Karbala in 680 in which Prophet Muhammad’s grandson Hussein ibn Ali, the third Shiite imam, was beheaded by the soldiers of an Umayyad caliph. In one such depiction, Hojaji is seen walking toward a headless man in white, presumably Hussein ibn Ali.
In power since 1979, Iranian leaders have realized that in order for their nascent Shiite republic to survive in a hostile, Sunni-dominated Middle East, they need strong propaganda tools that appeal directly to the emotions of the Shiite population at home. One such story is that of 13-year-old Hossein Fahmideh, who went to the front line to fight the invading Iraqi army in 1983. On the southern front, near the city of Khorramshahr where Iranians were struggling against the tide of Iraqi attacks, Fahmideh is said to have strapped several grenades around his body and blown himself up under an advancing Iraqi tank, thereby stopping the attack. Murals of Fahmideh appeared all over Iran. His story was turned into films and even included in the national curriculum. Generations of Iranians were brought up learning about Fahmideh’s sacrifice, inciting thousands of other children who flocked to the front line and were used by IRGC commanders in “human wave” attacks to stop Iraqi army advances. The war with Iraq was labeled the "Holy Defense."
But the grueling war with Iraq also taught the leadership in Tehran that it also needs regional allies to survive. As such, Iran established strong alliances with secular, Marxist-Leninist, Sunni fundamentalists and Shiite insurgent groups that survive to this day across the region. In the 1980s, when the whole Arab world and the West appeared to be colluding with the Saddam Hussein regime against Iran, the secular regime in Syria stood side by side with the clerics in Tehran. So when the Syrian regime faced an existential threat in late 2011, Iran did not hesitate to deploy its might to defend the Assad dynasty. But despite the deaths of hundreds of Iranian fighters in Syria, it took the beheading of Hojaji for an emotional cord to be struck with the public back in Iran.
Hojaji's death, like that of Fahmideh in 1983, appears to have had a similar electrifying effect on a large section of Iranian society — including the Reformist camp, which until recently was critical of Soleimani’s adventure in Syria. Murals of Hojaji have appeared across Iran, and a massive IRGC-led campaign has been initiated to elevate the martyrdom of Hojaji to that of Fahmideh and Hussein ibn Ali. The new generation of volunteers flocking to Syria are indistinguishable from their predecessors in the 1980s. Their commanders are none other than the IRGC veterans of the Iran-Iraq War.
"The martyrdom of Martyr Hojaji for me is reminiscent of the eight years of Holy Defense," said Mahdi Rashidzadeh, the man in charge of Hojaji's mourning procession in Tehran who believes that Iranian culture is rooted in the Battle of Karbala. "For this reason, our beloved people have managed to … relate to this martyr [Hojaji] and this kind of martyrdom and have created a movement of national unity."
To achieve this status for Hojaji, Soleimani did not shy away from backing a deal with the Islamic State (IS) to return Hojaji's body and also the bodies of several Lebanese soldiers in return for allowing the transfer of several hundred militants from Syria’s border with Lebanon to the Iraqi frontier.
As the US military has seemingly attempted to sabotage the IRGC-backed deal with IS, there is unprecedented preparation in Tehran for a long procession for Hojaji. Stories such as those of Fahmideh and Hojaji are often ignored outside Iran, and in particular in the West. But it is stories such as these that move the Iranian public and motivate its leaders, strengthening the sense of being under siege by hostile forces around the world.- Submitted by Dahlia
(Egg Thokku, Anda Masala, Muttai Thokku, Muttai Masala, Indian Egg Gravy)
Egg Thokku (also called Egg Masala or Muttai Thokku) is a very common dish made with eggs. It is made in many states of India and has its own regional variations.
All egg dishes are known for its ease of making since eggs cook very fast. It can be made easily by bachelors and beginners. Eggs are comparatively less expensive making this a perfect dish for big gatherings or parties.
Recipe For South Indian Egg Masala
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2-4
Ingredients
Eggs - 4
Onion - 3 (chopped or sliced)
Tomatoes - 3 (chopped or sliced)
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Green Chilies - 2
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tbsp
Black Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala Powder - a pinch
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - few
Cilantro - handful (finely chopped)
Method
Take the eggs in a saucepan, add water to cover the eggs and bring to a boil. Reduce the flame and simmer for 5 minutes. Cover and leave it for 10 minutes. Drain the hot water and add cold water to the pan. After about 5 minutes, peel the eggs to get the perfect hard boiled eggs. Chop the onions and tomatoes finely or slice them thinly and keep it ready. Heat oil in a pan, crackle the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add the chopped onions and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add the green chilies and ginger-garlic paste. After about a minute, add the tomatoes, cover and cook for couple of minutes. Add the salt, turmeric powder, chili powder and coriander powder. Add about 1/2 cup of water (or coconut milk) and cook till oil separates from the masala. Make 3 or 4 slits in the eggs or cut it into halves. Add these to the curry. Sprinkle the pepper powder and garam masala. Gently toss everything such that the masala coats all around the eggs. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves and serve.
Serving Suggestion
Egg masala can be served with rice, chapati, appam, idiyappam and puttu.
More Egg DishesCTVNews.ca Staff
Toronto’s embattled Mayor Rob Ford will not be behind the microphone this Sunday for his two-hour radio show to respond to allegations that he was recorded on video allegedly smoking crack cocaine.
Ford, who hosts the weekly Sunday talk show “The City” with his brother Doug, abruptly cancelled this week’s segment. The decision was made Friday after news of the story broke Thursday night on U.S. gossip website Gawker. The Toronto Star published its own version of the story, saying that two of its reporters were shown an approximately 90-second video allegedly showing Ford smoking from a glass pipe.
In response to the reports, Ford suggested Friday the Toronto Star has a vendetta against him, and he said the allegations are “ridiculous” and “absolutely not true.”
Star reporter Robyn Doolittle said the people who showed her and her colleague Kevin Donovan the video wanted $100,000 for it, but the Star did not pay them and did not obtain a copy of the video.
The video's authenticity has not been substantiated.
Ford’s denials haven’t stopped the story from going viral around the world. Fox News, USA Today and New York Magazine were among some of the U.S. based media outlets that ran coverage of the Canadian news story.
Many commentators used it as an opportunity to review the mayor’s previous political gaffes, adding their own comedic spin to the scandal.
The New York Times and the BBC, two of the world’s most respected media outlets, carried the story on Friday, choosing to focus on the reporting.
In the BBC’s story, Ford’s reactions to the allegations were the main focus. He was quoted saying the allegations were “ridiculous” and that The Star was “going after” him.
The New York Times ran a longer piece, digging into Fords’s political career and describing him as a mayor “dogged by controversy over his often boorish behavior and less than diligent attention to work.”
Other news organizations focused on the approximately 90-second video itself. In The Guardian’s story, a description of what the two Star journalists said they saw in the video is reported. CNN also took the descriptive route, taking direct quotes from The Star’s report.
Many news organizations also mined the story for its comedic value, using it as a way to remind their readers of Ford’s past political blunders. In the Atlantic Wire, a timeline of the “lowlights of Ford’s illustrious nonsense” is complete with YouTube videos and less than complimentary pictures.
Slate pushed the comedic boundaries a little further, comparing Ford with the fictional mayor Diamond Joe Quimby from the cartoon The Simpsons. “Both men are heavyset. Both are often at odds with constituents, colleagues, and the press. And both are prone to saying outrageous things in public.”
Some used the story to draw parallels between Ford and Marion Barry, the former Washington, D.C. mayor who was caught smoking crack on video almost two decades ago. In Politico, a U.S. based news group, a picture of Barry is featured prominently underneath the headline “Pundits see Rob Ford-Marion Barry connection.” The similarities between the two stories also drew some creative tweets. NBC news reporter Chuck Todd tweeted on Friday: “This Toronto mayor story giving me my favorite DC flashback. My first summer in DC, was Barry Barry funny. #setmeup”
In the Washington City Paper, reporter Will Sommer took a more direct approach with the comparison, asking Barry for his take on the Ford story.
Barry, a former civil rights activist who was caught smoking in 1990 as part of an FBI sting, said his own videotape incident was not the same. “Unless he was entrapped by the government, it’s not similar,” Barry said in the article.
Barry, who is now a Washington D.C. councillor, served six months behind bars in a federal prison. The scandal did not seem to dent his political career. Much like Ford, whose political gaffes have not cost him his job, Barry was able to return to the mayoralty in 1994, serving from 1995 to 1999.
Since news of Friday’s story broke, Gawker has launched a crowdsourcing campaign to raise the $200,000 needed to purchase the video.
Approximately $62,000 was raised on the website Indiegogo by Saturday at 9 p.m. ET.Even after actor Sanjay Dutt said he would not appeal against the Supreme Court's verdict sentencing him to a jail term for illegal possession of weapons, Chairman of the Press Council of India Markandey Katju said he would continue to appeal for a pardon for the actor.
Speaking to CNN-IBN, Katju said,"He has said he will not seek a pardon but others can apply for pardon for him."
"Pardon can be granted on thousands of grounds...Some people have been opposing the grant of pardon but I say they are acting like Shylocks who want a pound of flesh," he said
The former Supreme Court judge said that both the actor and another accused in the case, Zaibunissa Kazi, deserved a pardon in the case on humanitarian grounds and said that Dutt had suffered enough.
"So far as I am concerned I will continue with my endeavour beacause I think the man should be pardoned," the former judge said.
Justice Katju has already written a letter to the Maharashtra governor and other senior officials seeking a pardon for the actor, who has been convicted by the Supreme Court for illegal possession of arms that were brought to the country by others accused of carrying out the 1993 serial blasts in Mumbai.
In the letter written earlier, Katju had pointed out that Dutt had been acquitted of the charges of being involved in terrorism. He also pointed out that the actor had revived Gandhi's philosophy
The actor today made an emotional statement before the media, where he said that he would not seek a pardon and would surrender before a court at the time stated by the court.
"I will not seek a pardon," an emotional Dutt told reporters, while accompanied by his sister Congress MP Priya Dutt.
There have been reports that the Governor of Maharashtra is set to consult the state government on the possibility of granting the actor a pardon following multiple representations seeking a pardon for Dutt.
Firstpost is now on WhatsApp. For the latest analysis, commentary and news updates, sign up for our WhatsApp services. Just go to Firstpost.com/Whatsapp and hit the Subscribe button.President Rodrigo Duterte tried to help Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chair Andres Bautista be reconciled with his wife, Patricia, the head of the poll body revealed.
In an interview over dzIQ Radyo Inquirer 990 on Monday, Bautista said the President asked him and his wife to talk about their strained marriage last August 1 in Malacañang.
A few days earlier, on July 26, Patricia presented to Duterte supposed documents that showed Bautista having about P1 billion in unexplained wealth.
READ: Wife says Comelec chief has unexplained wealth
According to Bautista, Duterte first met with him and Patricia separately.
“Nagpulong kami ng ating pangulo … pagkatapos ang sabi nya kakausapin ko yung misis mo na nasa kabilang kwarto. Pagkatapos po pinagharap kami,” (I met with the President … then he said he would talk to my wife who was in the other room. Then, he had us meet) the Comelec chair said.
“Kaya kami lang tatlo ang nagharap at nag-usap,” (There were only the three of us at the meeting) Bautista added.
“Napakabait niya at nagbigay ng payo,” (he was so kind and he gave us advice) Bautista said, referring to Duterte.
He said Duterte gave them advice to save their relationship.
“Very concerned siya sa pamilya. Sabi niya magbakasyon muna kami sa Pearl Farm,” (He was so concerned about the family. He told us to take a vacation at the Pearl Farm) Bautista said.
He said that he was open to the suggestion but claimed that Patricia resisted.
“Siya matigas,” Bautista said about Patricia.
“Pero kung meron nang ibang partido eh iba na usapan,” he added.
In the same interview with dzIQ, Bautista claimed that a “third party” was already involved with Patricia.
READ: Comelec Chair Bautista: I am a victim of infidelity
Bautista said even Patricia’s family was on his side, adding that they came with him when he met Duterte in a different meeting.
He added he was still living in the same house with Patricia but they were in separate rooms.
“Ang gusto ko lang talaga kapayapaan para sa aming pamilya lalo na sa aking mga anak,” said (I only desire peace for our family, especially for our children) said Bautista.
“Kung kailangan pong magbitiw walang problema. Pero dito wala akong kasalanan eh,” (If I need to resign, no problem. But I have no fault in this) he added.
Bautista and Patricia have four sons ages 8 to 16, he said. CBB
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Army, NPA rebels clash in AbraMichel called less than 48 hours later and said, “David passed 15 minutes ago.” Whew. I let Harbs, who was in his office, know right away. I was told Ozzie Newsome, who was headed to see David that afternoon, was on a treadmill in the weight room. As I approached Oz, one of David’s closest friends, he knew. He stopped the treadmill. “It’s over?” Yes, Ozzie, David just died. Once I saw this strong man begin to well up and cry, I turned and walked away.
The funeral mass on Tuesday at the Baltimore Basilica, presented by Archbishop William E. Lori, was fitting and respectful. The touching salutes by John, Michel and oldest son Arthur were spectacular, bringing all to a combination of smiles and tears. How strong this trio was as they shared memories of David Modell.
In the pews sat players like Ray Lewis, who cried as he left the church, Tony Siragusa, Rob Burnett, Michael McCrary and Matt Stover. They all said the same thing: “David made us feel like family.” New York Giants Owner John Mara, a longtime friend of David’s, was there, as was Ernie Accorsi, the former Colts and Browns GM who helped mentor David through the years. Oz and Harbs sat together, seated right behind Steve and Reneé Bisciotti. Colts’ Hall of Famer Lenny Moore was there. “David always made me feel welcomed at the Ravens,” he said walking out of the church.
During the mass, my thoughts wandered to the early days of the Ravens, back in the first months of 1996. We didn’t have a name, team colors – didn’t even have an updated diagram of Memorial Stadium. We didn’t have very many staff yet, and David hired key executives like Roy Sommerhof and Baker Koppelman, still with us today. The days were long; the details were many. The offices at 200 St. Paul St. became like homes for us. We literally put the business of the franchise together in weeks.
It was chaotic, but fun. David directed that way. He made sure that everything we did kept the fans as a priority, and he wanted their input. He said the fans would pick the team name, and you did. He said we would create a college-like atmosphere at our home games, and we still have that. So much more. His fingerprints are all over “Silver Betty.” They are also all over this great franchise. He is an integral part of the foundation of the Baltimore Ravens.
Thank you, David.
We miss you,
Kevin
P.S. David would be pissed if I didn’t end this epistle with a laugh. David became the first director of marketing in the history of the NFL. He had terrific ideas for engaging fans, especially on gamedays, and in training camp. In 1986, we worked at the Cleveland Browns, who were just becoming known as the “Dogs.” Cleveland Stadium was being called the “Dawg Pound” by local media and the likes of Chris Berman. David had this idea. He went to a local kennel and had recordings made of barking dogs. He wanted to play this every time our defense took the field. The finished product was impressive. It was loud, sounded vicious, and he promised: “Can’t you see our players and the fans barking? It will be intimidating, and the fans will love it.” I asked the right question. “What does Art think of it?” “He’ll love it,” David predicted.
Art did not. First time our defense took the field for our next game, the cacophony of barking blared over the loud speakers. My seat in the press box had a “hotline” directly to Art Modell. We weren’t five seconds into the barking when the phone lit up. “Yes Art?” “What the hell is going on? What’s with the barking? Get that off!” Art demanded. I got on a headset, which was connected to David, who, by the way, was standing in a booth just a few feet from the senior Modell. “Art said to ‘kill' the barking dogs.” David replied: “I’ll handle it.” Next time the defense went out, the barking returned, the phone line lit up, and not only did Art tell me to “get those #$%* dogs out of the stadium,” he wanted to know whose idea it was. Back to the headset, “Thought you were going to handle this with Art?” David laughed, “I will, but I like that he’s calling you.”Michele McDonald got an unwanted surprise last week when she stepped out of her apartment on Moody Street and was struck by the unfamiliar landscape.
She looked down Waltham’s most recognizable business district and noticed what was missing: all of the pear trees that lined the street were cut down.
“I was shocked,” said McDonald, a professional photographer. “I just love those trees.”
Looking for answers, McDonald soon discovered that the city has embarked on a major reconstruction of the sidewalks on both Moody and Main streets. On Moody, that means chopping down trees, many of which city officials say were causing risks by pushing up grates and bricks, and causing tripping hazards.
So far, one side of Moody Street has been left treeless, as work to replace that sidewalk continues. The other side, however, is still lined with trees, and will be renovated once the other side is complete.
The aesthetic difference between the sides is stark.
John Peacock, executive director of the Waltham West Suburban Chamber of Commerce, said seeing Moody without the pear trees was head-turning.
“It’s quite a shock to the system when you drive up Moody Street and see it naked,” said Peacock.
Nonetheless, Peacock said the new sidewalks are “desperately needed,” and that many businesses complained over the years that the trees that lined the street blocked the view to their signs.
Many of the trees were also awkwardly located, sometimes right in front of a business’ entrance or in front of a sign.
Alex Green, owner of Back Pages Books, said he was sad to see the trees go, but he understands why the city is looking to rebuild the sidewalks, especially since many trees on the street blocked business names and signs.
He added that in the months when the weather is better, the trees blossom, making it even harder to see the names of businesses behind them.
Nonetheless, not every business was in favor of removing the trees.
A 2014 letter to McCarthy from the Downtown Waltham Partnership reads, “Based on conversations with business owners along Moody and Main streets and input received from an email survey sent to over 600 businesses and contacts in the downtown, a majority of the comments we received favor keeping street trees along Moody Street.”
The letter stated that those in favor of keeping the trees said they helped define the downtown areas, and offered shade.
Those against the trees said they block storefronts, and they are not properly maintained, causing hazards for pedestrians.
Many residents on the “Bring Retail to Waltham” Facebook page complained about the trees being cut down.
Mike Barnett, a Boston College professor, said that having well-maintained trees in a business district has proven to increase sales for businesses.
He was skeptical that the new trees would be an improvement.
“Being someone who in their past life did a ton of work on urban tree and tree canopy in cities I find it hard to believe that whatever species of trees they are planting will not damage the sidewalks again,” he wrote.
Michael Chiasson, director of the city’s Consolidated Public Works, said he’s confident that work on Moody Street would be mostly completed by the end of the year.
The work will involve replacing the sidewalk and trees on both sides of the street, and installing light fixtures and benches along the corridor.
He said the new sidewalks would be all brick, as they are now.
Forty-two new trees will be planted along the street, and they will be smaller and more resilient than the pear trees that used to line the street, said Chiasson.
Chiasson said the new trees would be placed in breaks between buildings or in other places where they won’t block signs or entrances. When placed on the street, the trees will not be fully grown, but would have a 2.5-inch trunk diameter.
The overall cost of the project to renovate Moody and Main is roughly $6 million, according to Mayor Jeannette McCarthy.
Peacock said business owners will get an opportunity to improve their signage, which is now more visible than ever. The Downtown Waltham Partnership secured money from Community Development Block Grants to help pay for the improvements.
For McDonald, who has lived in Waltham for over a year and a half, seeing the trees cut down was a shock. Her apartment overlooked some of the recently downed trees.
She said that while she is glad to hear that the city is working on improving Moody Street, she doesn’t understand why no trees will be salvaged.
“I just think (the trees) made the street look so much more beautiful,” she said.In training camp, injuries are always the most important story.
Sources: Cowboys DE Tyrone Crawford should be ready to play by season opener - David Moore, SportsDay
The bullet may have been dodged.
Tyrone Crawford should be ready to play for the Cowboys regular season opener, sources say. The results of an MRI show that the Cowboys defensive end suffered no serious damage to his right ankle. He suffered a lateral sprain and is expected to return in time to play against the New York Giants on Sept. 10.
Ripple Effects of Tyrone Crawford's Injury - John Williams, Inside the Star
The loss of Tyrone Crawford for probably all the rest of the preseason is definitely not a good thing, but that means others will get a chance at more work, which may have some counterbalancing benefits.
The first team left defensive end (LDE) snaps will be reallocated. The player that stands to benefit the most from Tyrone Crawford’s absence is Taco Charlton. It would seem that first round pick Taco Charlton will get the first shot to take those snaps. The team wants him to be an every down player at defensive end, but as many in Cowboys Nation will tell you, he has a lot to work on. Now he will have ample opportunity to work on his game as he gets even more practice reps.
Wed. Practice Recap: More DE Injury Setbacks; Butler Leaves Early & More - Dallas Cowboys
Nick Eatman adds Taco Charlton to the growing list of nicked up players.
Another day, another injury to the defensive line. More specifically, defensive end again, as rookie Taco Charlton sat out with tightness. Word around training camp is Charlton was dealing with some minor back issues. He did spend most of Wednesday’s practice in uniform, but he was working on a side field with the associate trainers on the strength cords. Charlton spoke briefly with the media, but only said “I’m fine” when asked multiple times to describe his injury. He didn’t seem to be held out for long, but clearly it was enough to keep him off to the side.
Cowboys resting Tyron Smith once again because of back tightness, a cause for concern for All-Pro LT - Brandon George, SportsDay
Tyron Smith is one of the most important players for the Cowboys, and he has a history of having to play through some back issues. That looks like it is going to continue this season.
With Smith not practicing Wednesday, not expected to practice Thursday or play Saturday (the Cowboys are off Friday and Sunday), he'd get at least five consecutive days of rest with the chance to return to practice Monday. "His back is just stiff on him," Garrett said. "Right now, we're going to be deliberate with bringing him back." Smith is known for his ability to play through injuries. He missed only one game his first five seasons before not playing in three in 2016. The season opener is still a month away, giving Smith time to recover.
Cowboys WR Brice Butler tangles with Chidobe Awuzie, leaves practice slowly with trainers - SportsDay staff
A new injury concern from Wednesday's practice.
Cowboys WR Brice Butler went down hard jumping for a ball in drills and subsequently left Wednesday's practice. Butler was walking slowly off the field with the trainers, heading to the trainers tent, after getting tangled up with rookie cornerback Chidobe Awuzie in drills and appearing to injure his right ankle/foot on the play, per ESPN's Todd Archer.
Some contract news came out today.
Zack Martin, Cowboys discussing contract extension - Marc Sessler, NFL.com
Sessler offers some perspective on what a Martin contract will likely look like.
The Browns transformed Kevin Zeitler into the game's richest guard in March with a five-year contract worth $12 million per season. The expectation is that Martin "goes past that," with Rapoport saying "it's really just a question of (will) they get the deal done by the time the season starts or do they have to wait another year?" Re-signing Martin amounts to a comprehensive no-brainer for the Cowboys. An All-Pro in each of his three NFL seasons, the mauling guard has never missed a start and rarely meets a defender he can't handle, with one former team scout saying: "If he gets his hands inside on you, you're dead." It was just last August when Dallas signed center Travis Frederick to a six-year, $56.4 million deal, while stalwart left tackle Tyron Smith is around long-term after the 10-year, $109 million deal he inked in 2014. With right tackle La'el Collins also under lock and key through 2019, Martin becomes the obvious target for a big-money contract that will keep him around for years to come, which is simply terrible news for the rest of the NFC East.
How Dallas' Upcoming High/Low 'Cowboys For Life' Contract With Zack Martin Might Look - Joey Ickes, Cowboys HQ
The Cowboys are reportedly nearing a deal to lock All Pro guard Zack Martin up for the long term. Our old friend Joey Ickes breaks down the numbers for a possible contract that makes him both the highest paid guard and that is still |
7 season. We don’t really know how well he can play, but if the Browns are counting on him and gave the experiment of Cameron Erving at center nearly a full year of a trial run, then surely Coleman will get some work at right tackle, and thus deserves a spot as an important player in these rankings.
Other Commentary:
Jon Stinchcomb: “I think he has the potential.”
“I think he has the potential.” Dan Lalich: “Had a rocky first season, but the potential is there and it would mean a lot if he could turn into a starter.”
“Had a rocky first season, but the potential is there and it would mean a lot if he could turn into a starter.” rufio: “He's young, talented, and could develop into a starter for us. We need some of these young guys to develop and reach their potential, so he's important in that sense.”
#22 - TE Seth DeValve
We only saw DeValve in doses as a rookie, as he caught 10 passes for 127 yards and 2 touchdowns. He was another guy who the coaching staff appeared to want to bring along slowly, but for the brief stretches in which I saw him on the field, I didn’t understand why he wasn’t a little more involved at the end of the season. I saw an athletic receiving tight end who can create some mismatches against linebackers, and that can be an asset for Cleveland in 2017 and perhaps eventually as the successor to Barnidge.
Other Commentary:
Dan Lalich: “Has unique athletic talent at the tight end position. Should become a big part of the offense as he matures, if he stays healthy.”
“Has unique athletic talent at the tight end position. Should become a big part of the offense as he matures, if he stays healthy.” rufio: “He's young and talented. He showed some flashes and could add another dimension to an offense as Good Guy Gary ages.”
“He's young and talented. He showed some flashes and could add another dimension to an offense as Good Guy Gary ages.” Josh Finney: “I remember Browns fans rushing to bury DeValve, a rookie TE switching positions and fighting off some nagging issues, before he even got any PT. He did, and he looked good, and he's gonna be fun when he figures out the nuances of the position.”
#23 - OL Austin Pasztor
I left Pasztor off of my list, and he’s going to be an undrafted free agent. He started in all 16 games for the Browns last season, is still young, and overall did an admirable job when you consider the low expectations people placed on him. I understand why he deserves a spot on these rankings...but similar to with Greco earlier, I see other talent who the Browns might be more interested in developing, which makes their stock rise and Pasztor’s fall over the long haul. Josh Finney completely disagrees with me, though:
“I despise that it feels we have to talk about Austin like he was a conspiracy theory. Austin had a rough start, played really well, was graded higher than Mitch Shwartz, he of the Browns fan constant lament, and really should be playing guard, where he's.....better? Why are we in a rush to get rid of capable players? Blah.”
Other Commentary:
Jon Stinchcomb: “More offensive line injury insurance, the cheap minimum coverage policy.”
“More offensive line injury insurance, the cheap minimum coverage policy.” Matt Wood: “Wouldn't hate replacing him, but doesn't HAVE to happen like the interior of the OL. Should be replaced soon though.”
#24 - FS Ed Reynolds
I was thrilled that Reynolds made the list, even if my No. 22 ranking of him might have been the thing to make it happen. Cleveland’s liability at the safety position disappeared as soon as Reynolds was inserted into the starting lineup last season. There is no guarantee that he’ll start this year, given a new defensive coordinator and the team likely aiming to vastly improve the safety position in free agency or the draft. If they only address one of the spots, though, I think we can get away with Reynolds starting at the other spot.
Other Commentary:
Jon Stinchcomb: “Young safety with potential for a bright future.”
#25 - SS Derrick Kindred
Kindred overtook Ibraheim Campbell in the second half of last season, and showed a little bit of improvement as the season went along. He’ll be in the mix this year, but only cracked the top 25 list by a slim margin.
Other Commentary:
Dan Lalich: “Probably not a long term starter, but is young and has potential. Should get plenty of chances given the lack of talent in the secondary. I could say the exact same thing about Reynolds.”
Notable Players Who Missed the Cut
QB Cody Kessler
QB Robert Griffin III
C Cameron Erving
OLB Nate Orchard
No quarterbacks made the overall top 25, but Kessler just barely missed out at No. 26 overall. The only two panelists to rank him were Matt Wood (No. 15) and Josh Finney (No. 19). With respect to Kessler, Matt said, “He was much better than what I expected. I don't think he is a long term answer, but in a league where people think Mike Glennon is good, Kessler has value.”
Erving made three of the panelists’ lists, but was either the 24th or 25th player ranked. “The overwhelming chorus of "SEE?!?" from the ten people still on the Cam bandwagon is going to be absolutely deafening if he ever gets it all together,” said Josh. Erving could contend for the right tackle spot with Shon Coleman this year, but could also be shipped away as a trade chip like Justin Gilbert was.
On Erving, Dan Lalich added, “It would mean a lot if by some miracle he was able to take a giant leap forward and hold down a position somewhere on the line. I would settle for ‘decent backup’ at this point.”
RGIII made the final spot on my list and on rufio’s list, and here is what rufio had to say about him:
“SOMEONE needs to play quarterback, and even if Griffin only holds the starting job as a rookie develops for a few games, it's still a pretty important job. I have low confidence in Griffin, but the nature of this position boosts him to this spot. There might be other QBs out there on the market, but none in free agency will likely be more valuable to our team specifically, even if it's only because of his experience in this offense.”
Perhaps the most “where did he go?” award should go to Orchard. He was No. 14 on this last a year ago and was the 51st overall pick in 2015. An ankle injury ended his season after three games last year. If guys like Desmond Bryant and Joel Bitonio didn’t suffer any hits in their rankings despite missing all or most of last year, then why did Orchard completely drop out of the top 25 (except for rufio, who had him at No. 21)? Did we just forget about him?
Sleeper Players Who Received Some Support
Here is one player from each panelist who received some love in their personal top 25, despite not making the overall top 25:
Chris Pokorny - C Austin Reiter at No. 23 - “In the one came he started at center, everything clicked on the offensive line. The chemistry was naturally there. He tore his ACL, but I think he’ll be back and will win the starting center job.”
- C at No. 23 - “In the one came he started at center, everything clicked on the offensive line. The chemistry was naturally there. He tore his ACL, but I think he’ll be back and will win the starting center job.” Matt Wood - OLB Cam Johnson at No. 24 - “I like pass rushers, especially young ones. That being said, it would surprise me zero if he didn't make the team.”
- OLB at No. 24 - “I like pass rushers, especially young ones. That being said, it would surprise me zero if he didn't make the team.” Dan Lalich - WR Ricardo Louis at No. 21 - “Had a quiet rookie year, but the athleticism is there. Hands remain a problem, but he looked the best out of the rookie receivers not named Corey Coleman.”
- WR at No. 21 - “Had a quiet rookie year, but the athleticism is there. Hands remain a problem, but he looked the best out of the rookie receivers not named Corey Coleman.” Jon Stinchcomb - FS Jordan Poyer at No. 25 - “He was doing good things in 2015, but the injury abruptly ended his 2016. I'm curious to see how he bounces back.”
- FS at No. 25 - “He was doing good things in 2015, but the injury abruptly ended his 2016. I'm curious to see how he bounces back.” rufio - DL Xavier Cooper at No. 23 - “I've been disappointed that he hasn't shown the same burst off of the line of scrimmage that he did in college, but maybe a chance at playing the 3 tech in this new defense will be a breath of fresh air. We need someone to make plays from the 3 tech spot, and we are lacking bodies there after Bryant so Cooper gets a spot on my list ”
No Special Teams Love
Last year, the kicker, punter, and long snapper each got one vote from a panelist. This year, there was no love for the special teams unit, although rufio did rank ILB Tank Carder at No. 22, saying, “I couldn't believe he was still on the roster, which means he's probably still relied on for special teams — we need someone to make special teams plays.” Note: these rankings were all compiled prior to LS Charley Hughlett’s six-year contract extension.
Final Takes
What do you think, Browns fans? Did we get it right? Are there some players who you would have had a different ranking for? Please feel free to ask the panelists any questions in the comments section, and provide your own rankings if you were compiling the top 25.This week’s contest is a banner contest. We are looking for Bazaar themed material. Anything involving circuses, carnivals, theme parks, performance arts, clowns, jesters, showtunes, and things like that. Be creative. Feel free to include text, such as but not limited to: “Bazaar”, “NoiChan”, “noisechannel.org” or the dates of the NoiChan Bazaar (May 1st – 31st). 2 winners will be selected by NoiChan staff and announced next Tuesday. Each winner will receive 1 64MB EMS Smart Cart. The deadline for submission is 11PM, Eastern time (GMT-5), on Tuesday, May 8th.
Banners sould be 1000px wide by 133px tall, 256 Colors max, in PNG or GIF format. You can use this handy template to help with your design. Staff can’t win but are welcome to submit pictures.
Please post your banner somewhere online (dropbox works good, or you can post it in our forums) and add the link in the comment section below. You may submit as many entries as you’d like.
2PLAYER and Dos have won the contest:
2PLAYER: http://www.noisechannel.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/2player.png
Dos: http://www.noisechannel.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/dos3.pngTHE TRUTH BEHIND THE WOODEN GUN FACT: The so-called Escape-proof Lake County Crown Point, Indiana jail that once housed John Dillinger, became the biggest joke and the loudest laugh of the nation and/or perhaps the world, during the month of March 1934. Many called it Clown Point, and also called Wooden gun, Indiana. Mail was actually delivered to Wooden gun and Clown Point,Indiana and was received, and this was a time before zip codes came into existance, before the Picasso sculpture was erected in Chicago and treatment facilities like Morningside Recovery came to Indiana.
Its not known if John Dillinger could have benefited from treatment or rehabilitation at a place like Morningside Recovery or if he was too intelligent for such practices. As you read on, its pretty clear that any doctor or volunteer at a Morningside Recovery center could have potentially fallen victim of Dillinger's brilliance just like the guards from Lake County Crown Point did all those years ago.
THE TRUTH BEHIND DILLINGER'S MOST FAMOUS ESCAPE. DID HE USE A WOODEN GUN, A SOAP GUN OR A REAL GUN? John Dillinger had taught the So-called escape proof Crown Point a valuable lesson because they underestimating the brilliance of his criminal mind. After planning the escape carefully, he took his time and waited for the right moment. When he was ready, Dillinger remained calm, he made the escape look like child's play. Dillinger used psychology to bluff the guards; he put the image of a real gun into their minds and let them know he meant business. Anyone of these guards could have stopped Dillinger at anytime during the break, but he kept his cool and let them know he was escaping at all costs. Armed with only a piece of wood, and his wits, he fooled the guards. This escape would blast Dillinger to stardom, a super criminal of the times. It began when Dillinger and fourteen other prisoners were placed in the exercise bullpen. Sam Cahoon broke Crown Point rules by entering the exercise area when prisoners were present. He was bringing in soap and other supplies for Saturday night baths. At 9:15 a.m., Dillinger struck what appeared to be an automatic pistol in Cahoon's side and ordered him into the cell, stating, "Get in quick or I'll kill you." Then he captured and forced two jail porters into the cell. Dillinger looked down the corridor and saw Ernest Blunk, the fingerprint expert. He commanded Cahoon to call Blunk from the foot of the stairs. Blunk responded, and was easily captured. Cahoon was then locked in the cell with his fellow companions, and Blunk because the bait to lure in other guards. One by one Crown Point officials were bluffed into captivity, driven by fear of being shot or perhaps killed. Dillinger's plan worked like a charm. He had successfully immobilized the entire security of Crown Point armed with a piece of wood and his wits. Dillinger had succeeded in locking up ten guards and a few trustees and took the only master set of keys to the jail with him. To add to Sheriff Holley’s embarrassment, Dillinger stole her own personal police car for his escape. John Dillinger, prisoner Herbert Youngblood, and Earnest Blunk headed for the Main Street Garage. The trio walked behind the Criminal Courthouse building and into the garage. Edwin Saager, a mechanic was busy working on a car when Dillinger came in, and didn't even notice his presence. Leaning on the car talking to Saager was Robert Volk. He didn't notice anything out of the ordinary either. Dillinger walked up with a machinegun in his hands and asked Saager, "Which is the fastest car?” Saager thought Dillinger was a deputy, so he pointed to Sheriff Holley’s black V-8. Dillinger then requested that Saager join the party, but he declined because he was to busy. Dillinger pointed his machine gun and forced Saager into the back seat with Youngblood. Dillinger and Blunk climbed into the front. Blunk was ordered to drive. As the car pulled out of the garage onto Main Street, Blunk claimed he tried to sideswipe another car to attract attention, and then he ran a red signal light. Dillinger warned Blunk that if he tried this again he'd be shot. He advised Blunk to drive the speed limit. He said; "Thirty miles an hour is enough, there's no hurry!" As they passed by the First national and commercial bank, Dillinger made a remark that he was tempted to rob the bank, but he'd better wait. Blunk noticed how cool and calm Dillinger remained during the entire trip. He told Blunk he wished he could have said goodbye to Sheriff Lillian Holley before he left. Dillinger had Blunk turn at every corner and stick to gravel roads. Blunk remembered that they only passed through one town during the drive, and that was the town of St. John, which was on route 41. As they approached the town, Dillinger told Blunk to stop the car; he jumped out and broke the police spotlight off the side of the vehicle, because every cop in the country would be looking for the car. Dillinger released Saager and Blunk in a remote area without telephones. He gave them four dollars for carfare, and apologized that he couldn't give them more, but it was all he could spare. He told them that he would send them something at Christmas. Saager and Blunk later picked up by some farmers passing by. The farmers followed the tire chain tracks for a while until the chain markings disappeared. When the two returned to Crown Point, reporters quickly surrounded them for a story. Both Blunk and Saager stated as Dillinger dashed for freedom, he was singing, "Get along little dogie” and The last roundup." In a interview with reporters Ed Saager was asked, "Did you see the toy gun at all in the car?" Saager replied, "I just got a glimse of it yes." Reporter, "Can you give me a description of it? Was it made out of wood or what?" Saager replied, "Well, it looked rather much like it, Yes." So we do have an actual witness stating he did see what appeared to be wooden gun. Crown Point officials were busy trying to clean up the mess that Dillinger left behind. Everyone at Crown Point was blaming each other for the break. Dillinger had locked up the whole jailhouse before he departed, taking the master set of keys with him. The keys turned out to be the only master set to the jail. Officials had to break their own men out of the jail with wielding torches. Sheriff Lillian Holley was sitting on the steps crying, and nobody was guarding prisoners. The press took a picture of Holley on the stairs and printed the photograph with headlines, which stated, "Sheriff Lillian Holley, the woman he left behind.” Holley was so mad that she publicly stated if she could see Dillinger; she'd kill him herself. After Dillinger’s famous escape, officials had found an old washboard under the bed of his cell. This was a prop left to stage a scene, and to convince officials that he whittled the wooden gun from the missing top brace of the washboard. This event was staged by Dillinger to protect those who aided his escape and false rumors began that he carved the gun out of wood. Crown Point made another grave mistake by broadcasting the incorrect license plate number of Sheriff Lillian Holley's car that Dillinger stole with orders, to Shoot to kill. The failure to produce the correct license number was an important factor in Dillinger's escape. This license number belonged to A.C. Mayes of Crown Point. This was a serious error of judgment; Crown Point had placed A.C. Mayes, and any passengers who might be riding in his car in grave danger. News also came out that Sam Cahoon, the turnkey who let Dillinger out, had served two sentences in Crown Point for intoxication, and wasn't even a guard. Governor Paul V. McNutt was hot under the collar when he called the break inexcusable, and ordering a full-scale state investigation. Prosecutor Robert Estill began a full investigation, the results of the inquiry were turned over to the Grand Jury. Fingerprint Expert Ernest Blunk was placed on suspension and charged with a felony for aiding Dillinger in his escape. Blunk was later exonerated due to lack of evidence. A couple of weeks after Dillinger bluffed his way out of the escape proof jail; Earnest Blunk took a mysterious trip. Upon his return, he told reporters that he went to Indianapolis where he was questioned by Deputy Attorney General Edward Barce, and three State investigators, but State, County and City officials insisted they were unaware of his presence in the State Capital. Many sources believe Blunk met with a Dillinger associate and made arrangements to collect money as a payoff for his part in the escape. I personally spoke to a relative of Ernest Blunk, who agreed that he was probably paid off my Dillinger for his part in the escape. WAS DILLINGER ARMED WITH A REAL GUN? There is no solid evidence that a real gun was smuggled into the jail and given to Dillinger and no such gun has ever surfaced, but the wooden gun did surface and is at the Hammond Indiana Museum near the Chicago/Indiana border. During his escape Officer Marshall Keith Leg hesitated, and began reaching for a nearby black jack. Dillinger warned him by stating, “I don't want to kill you, but one way or another, I’m getting out of here.” Believing that Dillinger meant business, Keith Leg reluctantly surrendered. Dillinger also disarmed Warden Hiles, a national guardsman of his.45 automatic pistols. Dillinger had succeeded in capturing nine men with a piece of wood, he did find two machine guns in the in the Warden’s office. THE TRUE STORY OF THE SOAP GUNS The story of John Dillinger's escape is often confused with another escape attempt. Dillinger used a wooden gun to bluff his way out of Crown Point jail, NOT a gun made of soap. The story gets mixed up with Dillinger gangster Harry Pierpont and Charley Makley, who DID use soap guns in an attempt to escape death row in Columbus, Ohio penitentiary. Pierpont and Makley were displaying their gallantry and smarts in another desperate escape for freedom. Although heavily guarded and under constant watch, Pierpont and Makley had managed to create two very realistic looking toy soap guns. The guns were cleverly designed using raw materials such as cakes of soap; card board, fountain pens, pieces of jigsaw puzzles, tin foil, wire, thread from their blankets and shoe polish to blacken these created works of art. This would be the first escape attempt ever from Columbus, Ohio’s death row. The risks were high and the odds of escaping were not good, but they figured they had nothing left to lose. Pierpont’s ingenious plan was the combination of Dillinger’s fake gun idea, and the Michigan City break, which included several men to assure a successful break, using power in numbers. Armed with soap guns Pierpont and Makley grabbed guards as hostages, but the guards pulled away from their grips and the guards opened fire.Bullets hit Makley in the head and shoulders, while Pierpont was hit in the spine, it was over. Guard Harold Whetstone was injured from a ricocheted bullet that nicked his head. Makley died soon afterwards from his wounds suffered from the event. Pierpont was desperate and knew this plan had to work, but the end result would prove disastrous. On September 26, the Ohio State Supreme Court over ruled Pierpont’s appeal and announced that he must die in the chair on October 17, for the murder of the Sheriff. The announcement came just four days after the failed escape attempt. The decision to over rule Pierpont’s stay of execution was considered, but the attempted escape was the final act, that sealed his doom. On October 17, 1934, Harry Pierpont was half carried (Due to recent wounds) to the electric chair, and entered the execution chamber at 12:07 a.m. He was strapped to the chair, and the electrodes were adjusted around his legs and arms. The pain of his wounds most likely caused most of these tears. When asked if he had any last words he replied, “Today, I am the only man alive who knows the who’s and how’s and as my end comes very shortly I’ll take this little story with me on the last walk.” After he made the brief statement, the death mask was affixed and a guard gave the signal. The switch was thrown and for two minutes a light glowed red behind the chair. Pierpont’s body stiffened and jerked for two endlessly, until Doctor Dan Bowers said, “It is death.” The time was 12:15 a.m.; just eight minutes after Pierpont had entered the death chamber. Sincerely,
Tony Stewart, author of Dillinger, The Hidden Truth - RELOADED http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/johnniedillinger
CONTACT THE AUTHOR: Email: Dillinger72234@aol.com According to the Detroit Free Press newspaper below Dillinger was a butcher of human beings, a born killer and murder was his profession. Far from the truth! Did the FBI and police authorities actually have people convinced that this hogwash was true? The author of this article truly had an extraordinary imagination and a deep hatred towards Dillinger and Crown Point officials. He was definitely out to assist in the ruining of the careers of Robert Estill and Lillian Holley. But they didn't need any help, Dillinger already made the arrangements when he checked out of Crown Point. BELOW: Newspaper Courtesy of The Paul Rosa Collection.Quote I suggest that for the Voidstar, which is the only two phase Warzone; that you implement an algorithm that will check how many players are ready in queue and put the team with less players on offensive first so that as their team fills up it may take longer for them to attack but they will have a fair chance than if they were defending and got rushed before they got players leaving them with much less time in the second round when facing relatively more opponents.
My second suggestion is that you remove the three medal minimum for Warzones as sometimes people who join a game in the middle may not have the opportunity to get at least three medals and there is nothing worse than waiting for a long queue and load just to get shafted on your commendations. As the system is, AFKers cannot get medals unless they are guarding a point and in that case they will get more than three anyways. To have the three medal minimum is a redundancy.
I also suggest that you increase the amount of commendations awarded to a player for receiving an MVP vote as right now it is at one commendation and with items costing in the multiples of the thousands, offering one commendation is ridiculous.
I might add that while it seemed the first few days were difficult, you have actually succeeded in making the Warzones more hypercompetitive and not just constant team deathmatch which I applaud and anticipate that the Ranked Warzones will only make this even better. I have noticed that aside from the commendations received for medals and MVP votes, the losing team gets no bonus commendations while the winning team does. While I can understand that this encourages people to play to win and avoid the team deathmatch scenario, it also means that many players will drop from a losing game. This won't be a problem in Ranked Warzones with premade teams. I propose that you add a lesser reward than winning if you stay with a losing game all the way to the end. This will stop players from rage quitting and provide incentive to keep playing until the very end win or lose.
My final suggestion concerns the PvP Daily and Weekly Missions. Instead of having a Weekly Mission, I suggest that you make two tiers of Daily Missions. The first will be for the standard three wins and the second can be for some higher amount with a relatively higher commendation reward to supplement the admittedly meager commendation rewards post 1.2; this will encourage players to play to win more often and will be especially relevant as a motivator with Ranked Warzones and Premade teams.
Keep up the good work, your teams attention to detail as well as level of involvement with the customer has proven itself time and time again and I feel that the game right now is just the tip of the iceberg of its potential. {█|ΞXXX|█ ( • ) ██╫ ████████████████████████████████████████████)KABUL (Reuters) - The Afghan Taliban said on Monday next month’s presidential election was being manipulated by the United States, which had already chosen the winner, and threatened to use “full force” in attacking anyone taking part.
Two campaign workers have already been killed and at least one presidential candidate has been assaulted during campaigning for the April 5 poll, the first democratic transition of power in the country’s history.
The Taliban said the proceedings were being stage-managed by the United States.
“The people should realize that the election will bear no result because the real elections have taken place in CIA and Pentagon offices and their favorite candidate has already been chosen,” the Taliban said in a statement.
“...All fighters are given orders to disrupt this sham elections by full force and bring under attacks election workers, activists, volunteers and those providing security everywhere. If someone takes part in this (election), they will be responsible for the bad consequences themselves.”
Dozens of Afghan security forces and civilians were killed on the day of the 2009 presidential election, which saw the return of incumbent Hamid Karzai to power. He is barred from running for a third term.
The vote is taking place against the background of a stagnant economy and concerns over Afghanistan’s long-term security.
NATO is due to withdraw its troops by the end of the year, but a small continent of U.S. troops may remain behind to help with training, logistics, medical and air support if the next government signs a deal to let them stay.
Karzai has so far refused to sign the deal, putting billions of dollars in aid to the Afghan security forces at risk and raising doubts over the long-term ability of the military to co-ordinate the fight against the Taliban.
Government security forces were not immediately available to comment on the Taliban threat, but have hired thousands of Afghans to work as security guards at the polls and search voters for bombs or weapons.
Karzai’s brother registered as a candidate, but recently announced that he would support another Karzai ally, former foreign minister Zalmay Rassoul, in the vote.
His main rivals are considered to be Abdullah Abdullah, a former aide to Afghanistan’s most famous anti-Taliban militia leader, and former finance minister Ashraf Ghani.
But campaigning was interrupted after the government declared three days of national mourning following the death of Vice President Marshal Mohammad Qasim Fahim on Sunday from natural causes.CBS News has learned that U.S. investigators are looking into whether Trump campaign representatives had a role in helping Russian intelligence as it carried out cyberattacks on the Democratic National Committee and other political targets in March 2016.
This new information suggests that the FBI is going back further than originally reported to determine the extent of possible coordination. Sources say investigators are probing whether an individual or individuals connected to the campaign intentionally or unwittingly helped the Russians breach Democratic Party targets.
In March 2016, both Mr. Trump and Hillary Clinton had emerged as their parties' most likely nominees.
According to a declassified intelligence assessment, it was in March when Russian hackers "began cyber operations aimed at the U.S. election." In May, U.S. officials say the Russians had stolen "large volumes of data from the DNC."
U.S. investigators are looking into whether Trump campaign representatives had a role in helping Russian intelligence as it carried out cyberattacks on the Democratic National Committee and other political targets in March 2016. CBS News
Starting in June, websites like Guccifer 2.0 and WikiLeaks began posting the hacked documents.
In August, Trump confidant Roger Stone tweeted about Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta.
"Trust me, it will soon the Podesta's time in the barrel," Stone tweeted.
Trust me, it will soon the Podesta's time in the barrel. #CrookedHillary — Roger Stone (@RogerJStoneJr) August 21, 2016
Then on Oct 7, WikiLeaks began publishing Podesta's personal emails. It was the same day the Department of Homeland Security and director of national intelligence publicly accused Russia of carrying out the cyberattacks.
Now, one year after the Russian operation began, sources say the FBI's investigation is nowhere near over. It involves dozens of agents in Washington, New York and London. The NSA and CIA are also gathering intelligence from inside Russia.
The NSA and CIA are gathering intelligence from inside Russia in their investigation into election hacking. CBS News
Despite his denials, investigators believe the operation was authorized by Russian President Vladimir Putin himself and it involved both cyberattacks and information warfare.
According to testimony on Friday before the Senate Intelligence Committee, 15,000 operatives worldwide participated in spreading false news stories and conspiracy theories online. Those activities are also part of the FBI's investigation - including who paid for them.
Law enforcement sources say one theory is that Trump associates could have been motivated by money. But sources tell us the FBI wants to get the investigation absolutely right so that the public will trust the result, whatever that turns out to be.Today President Barack Obama issued an executive order barring federal contractors from what it describes as “discrimination” on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Employers should respect the intrinsic dignity of all of their employees, but today’s executive order undermines our nation’s commitment to pluralism and religious liberty.
Today’s executive order does not contain any religious liberty protections—though it does retain an older federal regulation that permits religious organizations that favor employment of co-religionists to continue such practices. But there is no protection for organizations that hire based on mission—not on affiliation—to continue to do so. This in effect excludes taxpayers who hold conscientious beliefs about sexuality that run counter to Obama’s from being eligible for federal contracts funded with their own tax dollars.
Today’s order disregards the consciences and liberties of people of goodwill who happen not to share the government’s opinions about issues of sexuality. All Americans should be free to contract with the government without penalty because of their reasonable beliefs about morally contentious issues.
Federal policy on government contracts should not seek to enforce monolithic liberal secularism. Today’s order undermines our nation’s commitment to reasonable pluralism and reasonable diversity. All citizens and the groups they form should be free to exist and participate in relevant government programs according to their reasonable beliefs. The federal government should not use the tax-code and government contracting to reshape civil society on controversial moral issues that have nothing to do with the federal contract at stake. All educational institutes, for example, that meet bona fide requirements about education (not sexuality) should be eligible for federal contracts if they fulfill the federal purpose of the program—education.
Today’s order disregards the consciences and liberties of people of goodwill who happen not to share the government’s opinions about issues of sexuality.
Previous guidelines for federal contractors prohibited discrimination on race, color, national origin, sex, and religious affiliation. These protections make sense, because race, color, national origin and sex are rarely—if ever—relevant to job performance, while religious affiliation is relevant for some religious organizations (and, as noted above, there were religious hiring exemptions). But sexual orientation and gender identity are not like race.
Indeed, sexual orientation and gender identity are unclear, ambiguous terms. They can refer to voluntary behaviors as well as thoughts and inclinations, and it is reasonable for employers to make distinctions based on actions. By contrast, “race” and “sex” clearly refer to traits, and in the overwhelming majority of cases, these traits (unlike voluntary behaviors) do not affect fitness for any job.
Today’s executive order bans decisions based on moral views common to the Abrahamic faith traditions and to great thinkers from Plato to Kant as unjust discrimination. Whether by religion, reason, or experience, many people of goodwill believe that our bodies are an essential part of who we are. On this view, maleness and femaleness are not arbitrary constructs but objective ways of being human to be valued and affirmed, not rejected or altered. Thus, our sexual embodiment as male and female goes to the heart of what marriage is: a union of sexually complementary spouses. Today’s order deems such judgments irrational and unlawful.
Today’s executive order also does not contain a Bona Fide Occupational Qualification (BFOQ) exemption. BFOQs, which other employment laws contain, allow employers to make employment decisions so long as those decisions are honestly related to job qualifications. For example, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act contains a BFOQ that allows employers to take sex into account: hiring a female camp counselor at an all-girls sleep-away summer camp, for example, which might otherwise seem to be “sex discrimination.” Today’s executive order has no provision that protects organizations with jobs where one’s sexual orientation or gender identity is a bona fide occupational qualification that is reasonably connected to the mission of the organization and the responsibilities of the job.
Worst of all, today’s executive order is unnecessary. Voluntary market forces are already eliminating true discrimination, as making employment decisions based on non-relevant factors hurts one’s ability to compete. Indeed, the liberal Williams Institute at UCLA, which conducts research on sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy, reports that most federal contractors do not consider sexuality:
• As of May 2014, 86 percent of the top 50 federal contractors prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation, and 61 percent prohibited discrimination based on gender identity. • All but two (96 percent) of the top 50 Fortune 500 companies prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation as of May 2014, and 70 percent prohibited discrimination based on gender identity.
But the federal government should not penalize those contractors that do conscientiously judge sexual orientation or gender identity to be relevant to their mission and purpose.
In response to this executive order, Congress has an opportunity to protect religious liberty and the rights of conscience. Policy should prohibit the government from discriminating against any individual or group, whether nonprofit or for-profit, based on their beliefs that marriage is the union of a man and woman or that sexual relations are reserved for marriage. The government should be prohibited from discriminating against such groups or individuals in tax policy, employment, licensing, accreditation, or contracting.
The Marriage and Religious Freedom Act—sponsored by Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho, in the House (H.R. 3133) with more than 100 co-sponsors of both parties and sponsored by Sen. Mike Lee, R – Utah, in the Senate (S. 1808) with 17 co-sponsors—would prevent the federal government from taking such adverse actions. Protecting religious liberty and the rights of conscience fosters a more diverse civil sphere. Indeed, tolerance is essential to promoting peaceful coexistence even amid disagreement.
For more on this see:Ted Miguel gave a keynote in which he focused on three principal papers: A recent review (Burke et al |
Facebook at facebook.com/mark.torregrossa and Twitter @weathermanmarkI had the extreme privilege to visit a refinery a couple of months ago and with the exceptional authorisation of the Refinery of Grandpuits in France I had this plate, and couldn't resist turning it into a sci-fi matte painting.I assure you, the visit was just awesome, I know I know a refinery is not the glamourous place ever but it is just another world. You feel like being in a gloomy scene from Blade Runner movie, with steam, pipes everywhere, noise, and oil smells. I went around 35m up the ground just exactly where the two aliens are. Kind of creepy he he...!Hope you will like it, this is mostly 2D for I pushed further my painting skills. Basically only the main spaceships have been modelled in Zbrush but postworked quite a lot.Cheers for your favs and comments!Textures and stocks are mine.See also a closeup of the right part hereWith a 22-42 record and little hope of further improvement, Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni is merely coaching out the string this year in Los Angeles—and likely won’t be back next season.
ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith reported on Wednesday morning that he had heard D’Antoni would be out, and that the Lakers’ potential pursuit of free-agent Carmelo Anthony would be the reason. But multiple sources told Sporting News that the reason for D’Antoni’s potential dismissal is closer to home—star guard Kobe Bryant.
Bryant, sources said, has “no interest” in playing for D’Antoni next season, and wants a new coach in place for the 2014-15 season.
MORE: Lakers announce Bryant shut down | Phil Jackson in photos | Nash done for season
At the same time, the Lakers officially announced on Wednesday what had been rumored for a few weeks now: That Bryant, struggling to recover from a knee injury suffered six games into his comeback from last year’s Achilles injury, would not be back this season.
Bryant had originally been slated to return sometime in February, and had said several times throughout the year that he intended to play again. But as the Lakers have sunk in the standings, Bryant’s return date has gotten increasingly murky. Now that date has been pushed back to next season.
“Obviously this has been a frustrating and disappointing season,” Bryant said in a statement released by the Lakers, “but I appreciate all the support I’ve received from the Lakers and the fans, and look forward to being back and ready for the start of training camp.”
The Lakers are expected to undergo a massive overhaul in the offseason, with enough cap space available to sign a max-level free agent—like Anthony. But Anthony played for D’Antoni with the Knicks and was never able to see eye-to-eye with the coach, who eventually agreed to walk away from the job in New York in March 2012.
Bryant has let it be known in recent weeks that he would like the Lakers to keep free-agent forward Pau Gasol this summer—a maneuver that can be read as a shot at D’Antoni, with whom Gasol has openly feuded.
L.A. is also in position to have one of the top picks in this year’s draft. With a returning group that includes a top-notch rookie, plus Bryant—Gasol and a free agent—the Lakers figure to get out of the Western Conference basement quickly, if they can stay healthy.
But the question remains: Who will be the coach?Green Party Leader Elizabeth May says senior sources who would lose their jobs if they went public have told her that the Conservative government is planning to eliminate the federal environment department and merge any remaining functions with Natural Resources Canada. The government categorically denied the suggestion.
Ms. May asked the government about the rumour at the end of the daily Question Period on Tuesday. "If it had not been from credible sources, I would not be putting this question to you," she told the Commons. "I would like assurances that no such plan is under consideration."
But if Ms. May was hoping to hear that her sources were mistaken, her fears were not allayed by Prime Minister Stephen Harper. "I would be delighted to meet any of these credible sources and to correct any misinformation that may have been given the honourable member," was Mr. Harper's brief reply.
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Ms. May deemed that to be a "non-answer."
Andrew MacDougall, Mr. Harper's spokesman, later said via the social networking site Twitter that "Environment Canada is not being merged with another department. Full stop."
But Ms. May said the reports she is receiving from multiple and well-connected sources do not strain credulity given the government's recent moves to reduce its involvement in issues pertaining to the environment. Omnibus budget bills have significantly cut the federal role in environmental assessments, eliminated protection of fish habitats, and limited the number of lakes and rivers covered under the Navigable Waters Protection Act.
"I knew I was going out on a limb to ask the question in Question Period," Ms. May said in a telephone interview. "But when I have sources that are well-placed and well-informed, I would rather that people know that this is being considered and that it gets shot down early. I don't want to be fighting it once it is in an omnibus bill. We know how that goes."
Under the Harper government, there has been a systematic destruction of environmental laws at the federal level and the department's scientific and regulatory abilities have been scaled back, Ms. May said.
Even so, she added, eliminating Environment Canada altogether would have serious repercussions. "The primary responsibility around the cabinet table for advocacy for the environment, the primary responsibility for climate change plans, the primary responsibility for species at risk, water quality, toxic chemical management, our meteorological service, a great number of key and credible services reside within Environment Canada."
Megan Leslie, the Environment critic for the New Democrats, said the mere possibility that Environment Canada could be on the block is "shocking."
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Both Environment Minister Peter Kent and Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver defend pipelines, and the lines between the two departments are already blurred, Ms. Leslie said. But at least the department of the environment exists, she added. "If it were to be merged, that would be nuts."
Ed Whittingham, the head of the Pembina Institute, an environmental research organization, said it is difficult to assess whether there is any substance to the rumour, but any such merger would be a bad idea. "The two departments have very different mandates," Mr. Whittingham said.
John Bennett, the executive director of the Sierra Club Canada, said the provincial governments that have tried blending natural resources and environment ministries have developed bad reputations for environmental protection. "It is a very ominous next step," Mr. Bennett said, "but it would fit in with all of the other things they [the federal government] have done."LONDON — Ian Cobain, a reporter with The Guardian, is one of very few people who know why a student arrested by armed British police officers in 2013 was finally acquitted this year of terrorism charges.
Problem is, he cannot report what he knows. He was allowed to observe much of the trial, but only under strict conditions intended to keep classified material secret. His notebooks are being held by Britain’s domestic intelligence agency. And if he writes — or even talks — about the reason that the student, Erol Incedal, 27, was acquitted, Mr. Cobain faces prosecution and possibly jail.
“I know the essence of what was happening,” Mr. Cobain said, “but I can’t tell, I can’t even talk to my editor about this.”
Having initially gone along reluctantly with the reporting restrictions, a number of British news organizations are now challenging them in court. And yes, the challenge itself is being heard under secrecy rules that leave the public mostly excluded. Were Mr. Cobain to break the law and disclose what he knows publicly, his prosecution would also take place in secret.An illustration of Earthlike planets. NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt (SSC-Caltech)
NASA scientists on Monday announced the discovery of 219 new objects beyond our solar system that are almost certainly planets.
What's more, 10 of these worlds may be rocky, about the size of Earth, and habitable.
The data comes from the space agency's long-running Kepler exoplanet-hunting mission. From March 2009 through May 2013, Kepler stared down about 145,000 sunlike stars in a tiny section of the night sky near the constellation Cygnus.
Most of those stars are hundreds or thousands of light-years away, so there's little chance humans will ever visit them — at least anytime soon. However, the data could tell astronomers how common Earthlike planets are and what the chances of finding intelligent extraterrestrial life might be.
"We have taken our telescope, and we have counted up how many planets are similar to the Earth in this part of the sky," Susan Thompson, a Kepler research scientist at the SETI Institute, said during a press conference at NASA Ames Research Center on Monday.
"We said, 'How many planets there are similar to Earth?' With the data I have, I can now make that count," she said. "We're going to determine how common other planets are. Are there other places we could live in the galaxy that we don't yet call home?"
Added to Kepler's previous discoveries, the 10 new Earthlike planet candidates make 49 total, Thompson said. If any of them have stable atmospheres, there's even a chance they could harbor alien life.
The new Earths next door?
NASA/JPL-Caltech
Scientists wouldn't say too much about the 10 new planets, only that they appear to be roughly Earth-size and orbit in their stars' "habitable zone" — where water is likely to be stable and liquid, not frozen or boiled away. That doesn't guarantee these planets are habitable, though. Beyond harboring a stable atmosphere, things like plate tectonics and not being tidally locked may also be essential.
However, Kepler researchers suspect that almost countless Earthlike planets are waiting to be found, because the telescope can "see" only exoplanets that pass in front of their stars.
The transit method of detecting planets that Kepler scientists use involves looking for dips in a star's brightness, caused by a planet blocking a fraction of the starlight (similar to how the moon eclipses the sun).
Because most planets orbit in the same disk or plane, and because that plane is rarely aligned with Earth, Kepler can see only a fraction of distant solar systems — those angled even slightly are invisible to the transit method.
Despite those challenges, Kepler has revealed the existence of 4,034 planet candidates, with 2,335 of those confirmed as exoplanets — and these are just the planets found in 0.25% of the night sky.
"In fact, you'd need 400 Keplers to cover the whole sky," Mario Perez, a Kepler program scientist at NASA, said during the briefing.
The biggest number of planets appears to be a new class of planets, called "mini-Neptunes," Benjamin Fulton, an astronomer at the University of Hawaii at Manoa and the California Institute of Technology, said during the briefing.
The size of such worlds is between Earth's and that of the gas giants of our solar system, and they are most likely the most numerous kind in the universe. "Super-Earths," which are rocky planets that can be up to 10 times as massive as our own, are also very common.
NASA/Kepler/Caltech (T. Pyle)
While just 49 of Kepler's thousands of planet candidates are Earth-size and in a habitable zone, the discovery has rocked the scientific world: This could mean billions of such worlds exist in the Milky Way galaxy alone.
"This number could have been very, very small," Courtney Dressing, an astronomer at Caltech, said during the briefing. "I, for one, am ecstatic."
Kepler's big backup plan
NASA Ames/W. Stenzel and JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt
Kepler finished collecting its first mission's data in May 2013, when two hardware failures limited the telescope's ability to aim at one area of the night sky and stare at sunlike stars.
It has taken scientists years to analyze that information because it's often difficult to parse, interpret, and verify. Thompson said this new Kepler data analysis would be the last for this leg of the telescope's first observations.
However, Kepler's work may be far from over. Scientists came up with a backup plan, called the K2 mission.
K2, which kicked off in May 2014, takes advantage of Kepler's restricted aim to study a variety of objects in space, including supernovas, baby stars, comets, and even asteroids.
But a special focus of K2 involves studying smaller, cooler stars called red dwarfs, which are increasingly exciting to astronomers. In February, for example, a different one revealed the existence of seven rocky, Earth-size planets circling a red dwarf star.
An illustration of what it might look like on the surface of TRAPPIST-1f, a rocky planet 39 light-years away from Earth. NASA/JPL-Caltech
Such red dwarf stars are the most common in the universe and can have more angry outbursts of solar flares and coronal mass ejections than sunlike stars.
But, paradoxically, they might harbor the most small, rocky planets in a habitable zone in the universe — and thus may be excellent places to look for signs of alien life.
Kepler will wrap up its work sometime in the next year or two. When it runs out of fuel to do its work, a new and more powerful NASA space telescope, called the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), should be ready to pick up the work of locating Earthlike planets.The 1917 Canadian federal election (sometimes referred to as the khaki election) was held on December 17, 1917, to elect members of the House of Commons of Canada of the 13th Parliament of Canada. Described by historian Michael Bliss as the "most bitter election in Canadian history", it was fought mainly over the issue of conscription (see Conscription Crisis of 1917). The election resulted in Prime Minister Sir Robert Borden's Unionist government elected with a strong majority and the largest percentage of the popular vote for any party in Canadian history.
The previous election had been held in 1911 and was won by Borden's Conservatives. Under the law, Canada should have had an election in 1916. However, citing the emergency of the First World War, the government postponed the election largely in hope that a coalition government could be formed, as existed in Britain.
Sir Wilfrid Laurier, head of the Liberal Party of Canada, refused to join the coalition over the issue of conscription, which was strongly opposed in the Liberal heartland of Quebec. Laurier worried that agreeing to Borden's coalition offer would cause that province to abandon the Liberals and perhaps even Canada. Borden proceeded to form a "Unionist" government, and the Liberal Party split over the issue. Many English Canadian Liberal MPs and provincial Liberal parties in English Canada supported the new Unionist government.
To ensure victory for conscription, Borden introduced two laws to skew the voting towards the government. The first, the Wartime Elections Act, disenfranchised conscientious objectors and Canadian citizens if they were born in enemy countries and had arrived after 1902. The law also gave female relatives of servicemen the vote. Thus, the 1917 election was the first federal election in which some women were allowed to vote. The other new law was the Military Voters Act, which allowed soldiers serving abroad to choose which riding their vote would be counted in or to allow the party for which they voted to select the riding in which the vote would be counted. That allowed government officials to guide the strongly pro-conscription soldiers into voting in those ridings where they would be more useful. Servicemen were given a ballot with the simple choice of "Government" or "Opposition".
Soon after these measures were passed, Borden convinced a faction of Liberals (using the name Liberal-Unionists) along with Gideon Decker Robertson, who was described as a "Labour" Senator (but was unaffiliated with any Labour Party) to join with them, forming the Unionist government in October 1917. He then dissolved parliament to seek a mandate in the election, which pitted "Government" candidates, running as the Unionist Party, against the anti-conscription faction of the Liberal Party, which ran under the name Laurier Liberals.
The divisive debate ended with the country divided on linguistic lines. The Liberals won 82 seats, 62 in Quebec, with many other seats won in provinces such as Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Ontario in ridings with significant French Canadian populations. The Unionists won 153 seats. The three Unionist won seats in Quebec were all in mainly English-speaking ridings. That led to the Francœur Motion in January 1918.
Out of 235 seats, 33 were won by acclamation—17 to the Laurier Liberals (all in Quebec) and 16 to the Unionists (all outside Quebec). Two of the Unionist acclamations were for the riding of Halifax, where the only candidates were two Unionists, and where, eleven days earlier, the tragic Halifax Explosion had taken place.
The Canadian parliament after the 1917 election
National results [ edit ]
↓ 153 82 Government Opposition
Notes:
* Party did not nominate candidates in the previous election.
1 % change for Government compared to Conservative Party (including Liberal-Conservatives) in 1911 election, and for Opposition to Liberal Party.
Vote and seat summaries [ edit ]
Popular vote Government 56.93% Opposition 38.80% Others 4.27%
Seat totals Government 65.11% Opposition 34.89%
Results by province [ edit ]
Party name BC AB SK MB ON QC NB NS PE YK Total Government Seats: 13 11 16 14 74 3 7 12 2 1 153 Popular Vote (%): 68.4 61.0 74.1 79.7 62.3 24.7 59.4 48.4 49.8 54.3 56.9 Opposition Seats: - 1 - 1 8 62 4 4 2 - 82 Vote (%): 25.6 30.6 23.4 20.3 32.1 73.4 40.6 45.5 50.2 45.7 38.8 Total seats 13 12 16 15 82 65 11 16 4 1 235 Parties that won no seats: Labour Vote (%): 5.6 0.8 2.3 0.3 6.1 1.8 Opposition-Labour Vote (%): 5.0 2.6 1.2 1.0 Independent Vote (%): 0.5 1.2 0.5 0.6 Independent Liberal Vote (%): 0.8 0.5 0.4 Unknown Vote (%): 0.4 0.1 0.7 0.2 Non-Partisan Vote (%): 2.2 0.2
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
Further reading [ edit ]
Argyle, Ray. Turning Points: The Campaigns That Changed Canada - 2011 and Before (2011) excerpt and text search ch 6Small children are running through the corridors of a Vancouver hotel with energy to burn. They are among the 38 Syrian families that arrived here on Dec. 28 to a warm reception when they were directed to wait for government officials to help them settle into their new homes.
More than two weeks later, they are still waiting, anxiously, to begin their lives in Canada.
In a crowded hotel room, Shadi Alradi recounts how his family fled Syria to escape war. Like many others in this group, he spent several years in and around Jordan's refugee camps before making his way to Vancouver. "We are hoping for a good future here in Canada," he said through an interpreter.
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Each of the families interviewed expressed gratitude to Canadians and to the government that brought them there. But the anxiety of how they will begin to resettle is palpable. They cannot look for housing, enroll their children in school or find English-language classes as they sit in a bureaucratic limbo. The cash allowance they were given for food is disappearing quickly in this expensive downtown neighbourhood.
"This is where we are today. We need someone to help us – we are nowhere," Mr. Alradi said.
At their first stop in Toronto, they were greeted with meals and winter clothing. The next day, the group of government-assisted refugees – 189 people in all, including 117 children – landed in Vancouver. A team met them to help them with initial paperwork, and they were dropped off at a West End hotel with a modest amount of cash to purchase food and supplies.
An appointment with an immigration official has been postponed, twice. Instead of reaching the end of a long and harrowing journey, they are immobilized, unable to find their new homes somewhere on the other side of the hotel window.
The food allowance for government-assisted refugees during short-term, temporary stays in hotels is $10 a day for each adult and a one-time flat fee of $50 for each child, no matter how long they stay. One father produced a handful of receipts for medicine prescribed for his young daughter who is ill. Although he did not have to pay the full amount, the $22 bill consumed a large portion of the family's remaining cash. He is fearful about what will happen when the money runs out.
Jenny Kwan, the New Democratic Party immigration critic, said the Canadian government needs to ensure the resources are in place to make this transition successful.
"They are hungry all the time," she said.
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"They are grateful to be here and they are eager to settle, to look for work and get their kids in school. But they are in limbo."
Under the new federal Liberal government resettlement plan, more than 10,000 Syrian refugees have arrived in Canada since early December. Another 15,000 are expected by the end of February. Ms. Kwan urged the federal government to enhance transition services and to harness the power of the scores of volunteers who want to help make this effort a success.
"The next planes are coming," Ms. Kwan said. "They need to get people through this stage."
John McCallum, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, said Wednesday that the goal is to move the new refugees into permanent housing as quickly as possible. "There may be some who stay longer than planned [in temporary housing], but so far it is going well, but the numbers are due to increase quite dramatically in coming weeks, and this will certainly be a challenge."
In Vancouver, federal resettlement services are provided by a contractor, the Immigrant Services Society of British Columbia. Director Chris Friesen said Wednesday there are a total of 679 government-assisted refugees from Syria in temporary housing at six locations around the city. Another 84 arrivals are expected by the end of the week, exceeding the agency's temporary housing capacity.
"Our message to Ottawa today is that after Saturday, we need to wait until we can confirm how many families have moved out into permanent housing before we receive any additional arrivals."
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Although the agency has many leads for permanent housing, it is a challenge to find family rental accommodation on welfare rates in the Metro Vancouver region.
However, Mr. Friesen said he hopes to have permanent housing ready by next week for as many as 30 of the families who arrived on Dec. 28, and he has been in talks with local schools to ensure they are ready for the children. "Those families are our first priority," he said.
Back at the hotel, a large group of men crowded into the suite assigned to Anwar Jamal Almahamed and his family, eager to ask Ms. Kwan, the NDP MP for Vancouver East, for news and advice.
"Welcome to my home," Mr. Almahamed joked, expanding his arms in the small space. But his levity is forced.
His wife has cancer and they drained their savings while in Jordan obtaining medical treatment for her. There, he worked under the table to pay the bills. They have endured much already, and what he is asking for now is the opportunity to work and provide for his family of five.
Mr. Almahamed was worried he might sound ungrateful. "When we came to Canada, the reception is very good. We are thanking all the people and the government as well," he said.EXCLUSIVE - How doctor's daughter became the Muslim convert widow of Boston bomber: Terrorist husband 'brainwashed' her and she gave up her dreams of college to have his baby at 21
Schoolfriend tells MailOnline how Katherine Russell had dreams of joining the Peace Corps - but was 'totally transformed' by Tamerlan Tsarnaev
Yearbook photos reveal her transformation from all-American girl
Katherine Russell, the widow of Boston bomb suspect, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, was 'an all-American girl who was brainwashed' by her extremist husband according to one schoolfriend.
Today MailOnline has gained the first glimpse and pictures of the early life of the woman who, according to those who knew her best, was 'totally transformed' by Tsarnaev.
At high school her personal motto was 'Do something about it or stop complaining'. She dreamed of going to college and joining the Peace Corps.
She urged her friends to 'lighten up and enjoy the small things,' in life.
Scroll down for video
Transformed: Katherine Russell, the American wife of marathon bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev, is pictured left in her school book and, right, leaving the house she shared with her husband in Cambridge
Instead she met Tsarneav, 26, a disenfranchised man who came to America from his troubled homeland of Chechnya who rapidly had her in his thrall.
By the time she was 21 she had married him and borne his child, Zahara, now three. She had converted to Islam, hidden her tumble of chestnut hair beneath the hijab and undergone a change so profound that today few friends profess to truly understand it.
Yesterday Katherine, who has been staying at her parents’ home in Rhode Island, returned to the Cambridge, Massachusetts home which she shared with her late husband.
Dressed in a leopard print hijab she darted into the white shingle house to collect some belongings and her pet cat while her daughter waited in the car.
Today she was back home, accompanied by armed federal agents who first interviewed Katherine and her family on Friday.
What did she know? Katherine's proximity to both brothers makes her a key witness - witting or otherwise. A team of federal agents today delivered a package to her home after her mother reluctantly answered the door
Great future: Her friends say she dreamed of going to the Peace Corps - before she met Tsarnaev
Shortly before 6pm on Sunday three law enforcement agents – two men, one woman - all wearing dark sunglasses delivered a package to the Russell's family home.
Katherine's mother Judith was initially reluctant to answer the front door, opening it fully only after requesting that the officers, thought to be Federal Agents, showed their credentials.
At around 7.30 the Federal agents returned to the Russell family home as there was a marked increase in law enforcement activity in this quiet suburban neighborhood.
MailOnline has learned that the family's attorney entered by a back door as several officers were seen going into the family home.
The agents stayed for just over an hour. Moments after they left, the family's attorney Amato DeLuca did likewise.
Mr DeLuca said he could not discuss any detail of what had passed between his client and the agents, saying only that there were ‘talks.’
He said ‘We’re doing our best to deal with a very difficult situation. The family’s going through a lot. That’s the best I can do at the moment.’
Through the years: She had a comfortable upbringing as the eldest daughter of a doctor and a nurse
Involved: Russell, circled, is pictured with her high school dance team, third from right on the back row Their presence raises the question how much did Katherine know about her late husband's activities and links? Katherine's awareness of her then husband's movements, thoughts and plans is under intense scrutiny as her relation to Tsaraev and her proximity to both brothers makes her a key witness - witting or otherwise. After all she was living with Tsarnaev when he travelled to Makhachkala in 2011 – a trip now attracting the interest of investigators trying to establish whether he met with Gaczhimurad Dolgatov at that time. Dolgatov was a Dagestani jihadist who died in 2012 after a vicious stand-off with Russian security services. As it has already been revealed, Tsarnaev was on the FBI's radar during that time as they were asked to look into his potential links to extremist groups.
None who knew her as a child could have dreamed that this would be the face she would one day present to the world, nor that her life and those of so many Bostonians would be so violently caught up with two brothers from Chechnya and a cause as unclear as it was brutal.
Out: She exits a car with her father Warren Russell, left, as they arrive at the family home in Rhode Island
Changed: Her school friends have described how she transformed after meeting Tamerlan Tsarnaev
In hiding: The Russell family home in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, where Katherine is staying
Support: A man, believed to be Warren Russell, father of Katherine Russell, smiles at the media
Family: After pulling into her driveway, Judith Russell, Katherine's mother, spoke briefly with the media
As a girl growing up in Rhode Island Katherine was known to her friends as Katie. One school friend who asked not to be named recalled: ‘I saw her like a few months ago and she was just totally transformed. She was not the same person at all.’
Another agreed: ‘She was just this All-American girl who was brainwashed by her super-religious husband. Nobody understands what happened to her.
‘None of us would have dreamed that she would marry so young or drop out of college and have a baby or convert or be part of any of what’s happened.’
She said, ‘She’s just not the same person at all.’
It would be hard to imagine a childhood more rooted in America’s pilgrim heritage than Katherine’s. It is in there in the names of the towns – Plymouth, Dorset, Greenwich – where many of her friends still live and writ large in the wholesome values of the one-time Honors student’s home life.
'She was this All-American girl who was brainwashed by her super-religious husband. Nobody understands what happened'
The eldest of three daughters, to emergency physician Dr Warren Russell and nurse Judith, hers is a background steeped in the values of family and education.
She attended Daivisville Middle School, North Kingstown. As a sixth grader she is pictured smiling from the pages of the 2001-2002 yearbook dedicated to The North Kingstown Police and Fire Departments in the wake of 9/11. – a date, the opening dedication reads, ‘forever in our minds.’
A section of the book is titled, ‘Enduring Freedom,’ as the school, along with the rest of the nation, refused to be cowed by the acts of terror that hit the homeland that day.
'Attackers': Her husband Tamerlan Tsarnaev and his younger brother Dzhokhar Tsarnaev were allegedly behind the bombings at the Boston Marathon last Monday, which left three dead and more than 180 injured
Patimat Suleimanova, aunt of the suspected bombers, shared this photo of a young Dzhokhar (C, bottom) and Tamerlan (C, top) with their sisters about 15 years ago
Chilling: Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev are seen near the marathon finish line before the bombings
Scene: Dzhokhar was found in a boat in Watertown, Massachusetts on Friday following a massive manhunt
In 2004 Katherine progressed to North Kingstown High School.
She took part gamely in the school’s Mismatch/Bad Hair Day; she dressed up for Hawaiian day though the occasion fell in a chilly October.
She was a member of the Dance Team and the Art Club. In 11th grade she was awarded a Silver Key for a rather odd image of a cat, lashing out at a mouse in a ballet shoe. Her favorite food was Pad Thai.
She competed with her peers in Class Color Day that ended with a Pep Rally in which seas of the school colors, green, blue, red, black and gold filled the stands at the playing field.
One classmate who remembers Katherine from those early days said: ‘The thing that’s so shocking is that there was nothing at all that made Katherine different.
‘Her parents are nice people, her sisters are great girls. But she met this guy, I guess, and everything changed.’
Memorial: Candles are lit for those who died in the Boston Marathon bombings and the subsequent police manhunt at a memorial on Boylston Street in Boston, Massachusetts April 21, 2013
Remembering: A couple embraces at a memorial on Boylston Street to the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings in Boston
Flowers: A woman holds a flower at the memorial on Boylston Street last night
Katherine was a student at Suffolk University, Boston, when she met Tsaraev, then a promising boxer and athlete.
It was during that time that she converted and her youthful priorities appear to have changed as she left in 2010 without graduating.
By then her relationship with Tsaraev was intense. Not even his arrest for violently assaulting her in 2009 could change that.
According to Cambridge City Police Department reports of the incident which took place in July at the Massachusetts home she once shared with Tsaraev, when interviewed she described Tsaraev as ‘a very nice man.’
Certainly he was a man whose influence on Katherine's life would prove profound.
There is only one odd and unsettling inclusion in her own entry in her graduation High School Yearbook.
Asked to provide a quotation she settled on one that would surely chime with the extremist views of her late husband.Not to be confused with Pantera
Panthera is a genus within the Felidae family that was named and first described by the German naturalist Lorenz Oken in 1816.[2] The British taxonomist Pocock revised the classification of this genus in 1916 as comprising the species lion, tiger, jaguar, and leopard on the basis of cranial features.[3] Results of genetic analysis indicate that the snow leopard also belongs to the Panthera, a classification that was accepted by IUCN Red List assessors in 2008.[4][5]
The tiger, lion, leopard, and jaguar are the only felines with the anatomical structure that enables them to roar. The primary reason for this was formerly assumed to be the incomplete ossification of the hyoid bone. However, new studies show the ability to roar is due to other morphological features, especially of the larynx. The snow leopard does not roar. Although it has an incomplete ossification of the hyoid bone, it lacks the special morphology of the larynx.[6]
Etymology [ edit ]
The word panther derives from classical Latin panthēra, itself from the ancient Greek pánthēr (πάνθηρ).[7] The word originated in antiquity in the Orient, probably from India to Persia to Greece.[8] A common folk etymology derives the word from Greek pan- (πάν), meaning "all", and thēr (θήρ).[citation needed]
Characteristics [ edit ]
In Panthera species, the dorsal profile of the skull is flattish or evenly convex. The frontal interorbital area is not noticeably elevated, and the area behind the elevation is less steeply sloped. The basicranial axis is nearly horizontal. The inner chamber of the bullae is large, the outer small. The partition between them is close to the external auditory meatus. The convexly rounded chin is sloping.[9] All Panthera species have an incompletely ossified hyoid bone. Specially adapted larynx with proportionally larger vocal folds are covered in a large fibro-elastic pad. These characteristics enable all Panthera species except snow leopard to roar.[10]
Evolution [ edit ]
Panthera probably evolved in Asia, but the roots of the genus remain unclear. Genetic studies indicate that pantherine cats diverged from the subfamily Felinae between six and ten million years ago.[4] Fossil records that appear to belong within the genus Panthera reach only 2.0 to 3.8 million years back.[11]
The snow leopard was initially seen at the base of Panthera, but newer molecular studies suggest that it is nestled within Panthera and is a sister species of the tiger.[12] Many place the snow leopard within the genus Panthera, but there is currently no consensus as to whether the snow leopard should retain its own genus Uncia or be moved to Panthera uncia.[4][13][14][15] Since 2008, the IUCN Red List lists it as Panthera uncia using Uncia uncia as a synonym.[5]
The genus Neofelis is generally placed at the base of the Panthera group, but is not included in the genus itself.[4][14][15][16]
Results of a mitogenomic study suggest the phylogeny can be represented as Neofelis nebulosa (Panthera tigris (Panthera onca (Panthera pardus, (Panthera leo, Panthera uncia)))).[17] About Panthera separated from other felid species and then evolved into the several species of the genus. N. nebulosa appears to have diverged about, P. tigris about, P. uncia about and P. pardus about. Mitochondrial sequence data from fossils suggest that the American lion (P. l. atrox) is a sister lineage to Upper Pleistocene Eurasian cave lion (P. l. spelaea) that diverged about.[18]
The prehistoric cat Panthera onca gombaszogensis, often called European jaguar is probably closely related to the modern jaguar. The earliest evidence of the species was obtained at Olivola in Italy, and dates 1.6 million years.[19]
Classification [ edit ]
During the 19th and 20th centuries, various explorers and staff of natural history museums suggested numerous subspecies, or at times called races, for all Panther |
proving that she is a truly multi-faceted character that does not conform to any of the female screen stereotypes of the time.
Erin Brockovich – Erin Brockovich (2000)
Julia Roberts’s Oscar-winning performance as Erin Brockovich is as fierce as they come. The single mother of three who loses a personal injury lawsuit starts work as an assistant at a law firm. Whilst struggling to find time to dedicate to work and to her children, she becomes enthused by a case against Pacific Gas and Electric, and begins to lead the battle against the corporation, earning respect from the lawyers that once looked down on her and the community that she represents.
Eventually she unearths a systematic cover-up of the industrial poisoning of a city’s water supply, which threatens the health of thousands of residents, doing what her male counterparts couldn’t, all the while raising a family, and proving the haters wrong.
Juno – Juno (2007)
There are many things about this smart and witty indie comedy written by the brilliant Diablo Cody that can be food for thought, but Ellen Page’s brilliant lead performance of an intelligent teenage girl determined to have her ‘unexpected’ child is nothing short of mesmerising. Throughout the film Juno is pushed and pulled this way and that by people trying to convince her of what to do with her own body, but she remains resolute and does exactly what she sets out to do.
All the while, Juno is determined not to lose sight of the fact that she is a regular high school teenager who just wants to have fun. Valiantly battling against the emotional and social fallouts of her decision to keep the baby, this plucky young woman takes a situation most would be terrified of and makes it into her own journey, and although she makes mistakes along the way, it was always hers.
Catrin Cole – Their Finest (2017)
Lone Sherfig’s London-set World War II drama-comedy presents a 1940s female scriptwriter’s struggles to be taken seriously in the workplace. Gemma Arterton plays Catrin who is hired to help bring a “woman’s touch” to the propaganda films by writing all the “slop”, but ends up becoming the driving force behind the production of a feature length film based on the Dunkirk rescue, commissioned to inspire America to join the war. During the film’s production, Catrin manages to disprove all the men who doubted her talent and worth, including her husband and colleagues; something that will definitely ring true for modern day audiences.
THEIR FINEST IS AVAILABLE ON DIGITAL DOWNLOAD ON AUGUST 14TH, AND ON BLU-RAY AND DVD ON AUGUST 21ST, 2017, COURTESY OF LIONSGATE HOME ENTERTAINMENT UK
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Product SpecificationsRyan Bundy, one of the sons of Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, walks to a news conference at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge Thursday, Jan. 7, 2016, near Burns, Ore. A small, armed group occupying the wildlife preserve has said repeatedly that local people should control federal lands, but critics say the lands are already managed to help everyone from ranchers to recreationalists. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
On the same day the sheriff of Harney County visited an armed group occupying a federal wildlife refuge and asked them to leave Gov. Kate Brown called the occupation illegal and demanded the group to "decamp immediately."
"To members of the Burns-Paiute Tribe and residents of Harney County who seek a return to normal life: I hear you, and I agree that what started as a peaceful and legal protest has become unlawful," Brown said in a statement Thursday. "It was instigated by outsiders whose tactics we Oregonians don't agree with. Those individuals illegally occupying the Malheur Wildlife Refuge need to decamp immediately and be held accountable."
After meeting with the group, Sheriff David Ward said via Twitter that he asked Ammon Bundy to respect the wishes of residents. The two sides planned to talk again Friday.
On Wednesday night, residents attended a community meeting to air their views about the two dozen or so armed men holed up at the headquarters of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge south of Burns. Locals said they sympathized with the armed group's complaints about federal land management policies but disagreed with their tactics. A majority at the meeting indicated they wanted the group to leave.
But in an impromptu afternoon news conference Bundy said his group is here for the long haul. He said he won't leave until he's assured that after they leave someone will be working for land rights in Harney County and for the release of Dwight and Steven Hammond, who returned to prison earlier this week for a second time to serve out an arson conviction.
The two have distanced themselves from the group.
Bundy said he believes that there are more people who want him to stay than want him to leave.
Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Greg Walden, who represents the district which encompasses Harney County, also demanded that the group leave.
"These people need to leave now," he said. "They've elevated the issues that people are concerned about, and rightfully so, to the national and international stage. I'm afraid if this continues, they're harming our cause and our effort."
He agrees with the frustrations of the ranchers there, and people in rural Oregon who think the federal government is too big, too intrusive, and often ignores the local community.
Oregon's U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden said that he understands why there's so much frustration in rural Oregon.
"But I also want to make clear that the next step from that understandable frustration about the economy should not be being misled off a cliff by some outsiders who just seem willing to take the law into their own hands," he said.
He also commended local law enforcement for the job it has done in handling the situation.
U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer called the armed protesters "thugs," saying their dispute was with President Theodore Roosevelt, who created the refuge over a century ago.
Earlier this week, Blumenauer posted on his Facebook page that the militia members should be arrested and prosecuted, calling their actions terrorism and called the occupation unacceptable.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.Cancer cases up 17% in 10 years in Northern Ireland BelfastTelegraph.co.uk Cancer cases in Northern Ireland have soared by 17% in the last decade - with experts warning urgent action is still needed to prevent children smoking. https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/health/cancer-cases-up-17-in-10-years-in-northern-ireland-31057119.html https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/article31033547.ece/c0788/AUTOCROP/h342/PANews%20BT_P-f6e4fefe-baea-4532-ba18-a064408bf0be_I1.jpg
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Cancer cases in Northern Ireland have soared by 17% in the last decade - with experts warning urgent action is still needed to prevent children smoking.
Latest research from the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry shows that in 2013, 8,859 people were told they had a form of cancer - 4,435 cases were among men and 4,424 among women.
This has been a jump of 861 more men being diagnosed every year and 781 in women in the last 10 years, revealing that at least one in three will get cancer in their lifetime.
Despite treatment and survival rates improving, an increasingly ageing population, along with higher detection rates combined with smoking levels, have contributed to the diagnosis of cases.
Prostate, colorectal and lung were the most common among men between 2009 and 2013.
Meawhile, breast cancer was the most common among women, followed by colorectal and then lung.
In the last 20 years cases have risen by almost 30%, with an estimated 63,000 people now living with the disease. Over half of all cancer patients survived five years, after diagnosis jumped from 36.5% to 51.5% for men and from 47.3% to 55.1% for women.
Previous research showed survival rates for breast cancer in Northern Ireland were 81.9% - the highest in the UK and Ireland.
Within Northern Ireland there are an estimated 55,000 cancer survivors, a figure that reaches two million across the UK.
But although survival rates are improving, death rates among lung cancer in women is still rising, leading to fresh calls for more action to be taken to stop children starting to smoke.
Over the last decade the number of lung cancer deaths has risen from 508 in men and 328 in women to 553 in men and 387 in women.
If you live in more socially disadvantaged areas there is a higher chance of being diagnosed. Cases are 14% higher in the most deprived communities compared to the Northern Ireland average.
Anna Gavin, director of the Northern Ireland Cancer Registry, said although survival rates were improved, people needed to change their lifestyles and more action was needed to prevent the next generation smoking.
"If the 13 and 14-year-old children now can. say, make a pledge to not to smoke. If some sort of challenge can be made for them not to take up the habit in 20 to 30 years' time we shall see the benefits," she said.
"We already know that not smoking, cutting down on alcohol, getting plenty of fruit and veg and staying active can reduce the risk of developing cancer.
"We could actually reduce our numbers of cancer or keep them steady even with the ageing population if we were to tackle tobacco and obesity."
’After watching my mum die a cruel death, I had elective surgery to save my life’
Hazel Carson (40) from Ballynahinch is a mother of four young children.
She underwent major surgery after discovering she carried the faulty BRCA1 gene. This meant she had an 80% chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer.
Her own mother developed breast then ovarian cancer and died in 1997 when she was just 45. Hazel’s aunt also developed breast cancer but survived.
A GP urged Hazel, a PE teacher at Wellington College, and her three sisters to go for genetic testing, and at age 29, it was confirmed she was a carrier.
“In 2009 I had both a double mastectomy and a bilateral oophorectomy (ovary removal) and hysterectomy. From that point I haven’t looked back.
“Cancer is not the death sentence that it once was 20 years ago. The survival rate is so much better if it is caught early. The more you know the better you are at treating it.
“The GP refered me to the family history clinic but because we already knew we carried the gene I went for the referral to get an appointment with the surgeon.
“Personally for me it wasn’t a difficult decision it was very clear. I always knew I would have preventative surgery.
“When you watch your mum eventually take breast cancer, take ovarian cancer then go through a very long, cruel death in her last days you become more empowered to make the decision. And it gives you a strength in your decision you are doing it or longevity of life.
“I think like everyone you have that worry about your body, but you made the choice and you know you’ve done your best.
“I’ve set up the BRCAlink NI support group (www.brcani.co.uk) and meet other women who have or about to go through that journey.”
Belfast TelegraphSome Republicans in Congress are getting an earful back home over their votes to dramatically revamp Medicare for seniors.
House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who proposed changing the federal entitlement into a voucher program, got booed at such a meeting in his district last week.
Rep. Charlie Bass, R-N.H., who represents a district that voted for Democrats Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential contest and John Kerry in the 2004 race, was questioned about Medicare in his swing district. So was freshman Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pa., who heard from Democrats such as Linda Christman at his town hall meetings.
"You said nothing in the campaign about 'I'm going to change Medicare.' Now you voted for a plan that will destroy Medicare," Christman said, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Barletta stuck by his vote: "I won't destroy Medicare. Medicare is going to be destroyed by itself."
For some, these town hall meetings are a reminder of the angry sessions on health care two summers ago before Congress passed a sweeping law requiring most Americans to carry insurance coverage.
Republicans such as Ryan say the 2012 budget plan they approved before Congress left Washington for a two-week break is aimed at cutting federal spending, reducing the deficit and ensuring programs such as Medicare are there for the next generation. (Ryan's Medicare program would make changes for those people who are currently under 55.)
"This budget keeps America exceptional and preserves its promise for the next generation," Ryan said April 15 during the House vote on his plan.
There's no question that Democrats are trying to tie Republicans to the Ryan plan with radio and TV ads, e-mails and robo-calls in key districts.
Americans United for Change has TV spots airing starting today in four congressional districts, including Ryan's, with a voice-over from a senior citizen that asks, "What were you thinking?"
"What are Republicans in Congress thinking, demanding that our most vulnerable citizens make more sacrifices and millions to make less?" said Tom McMahon, executive director of Americans United for Change. "If Republicans have their way, there would be no more guaranteed Medicare benefits for America's seniors, only a guarantee of paying more and more out-of-pocket for less care after being left to the mercy to the private insurance industry."
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee continues its focus on Medicare, with a Web video spotlighting GOP lawmakers such as Pennsylvania's Patrick Meehan and Florida's Steve Southerland who vowed during their campaigns to protect the entitlement program but voted for the Ryan plan. It's the latest in the DCCC's Drive to 25 effort.JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Bombers targeted staff at Israel’s embassies in India and Georgia on Monday, wounding four people, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah of involvement.
Police and forensic officials examine a damaged Israeli embassy car after an explosion in New Delhi February 13, 2012. REUTERS/Parivartan Sharma
The New Delhi bomb wrecked a vehicle with diplomatic plates and Israel’s parliamentary television channel said the wife of Israel’s defence attache and her driver were among four people hurt. The Tbilisi bomb was defused safely by Georgian police.
Israel had put its foreign missions on especially high alert ahead of the February 12 anniversary of the assassination, in 2008, of the military mastermind of Lebanon’s Hezbollah guerrillas, Imad Moughniyeh.
Iranian-backed Hezbollah had vowed to avenge Moughniyeh’s death in a Damascus car-bombing, blaming it on the Jewish state.
Israel is also believed to be locked in a wider covert war with Iran, whose nuclear programme has been beset by sabotage, including the unclaimed killings of several scientists.
“Iran, which stands behind these attacks, is the largest exporter of terror in the world,” Netanyahu told lawmakers from his Likud party in Jerusalem.
He linked the incidents to allegations of similar but foiled attacks in Thailand and Azerbaijan last month for which, he said, Iran and its “proxy” Hezbollah were responsible.
There was no immediate comment from Tehran or Beirut.
The New Delhi blast took place some 500 metres from the official residence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
“I heard a bomb blast near the petrol pump. I went to see what happened and the next thing I saw was the car ablaze. There was a lady and a driver inside the car. The people pulled them out of the car,” said Ravi Singh, a witness.
A number of witnesses told TV channels they saw two people on a motorbike sticking a device onto the rear of the car when it stopped at a traffic signal.
Georgian police prevented a similar incident, defusing a bomb found in a car of an Israeli embassy staff member.
Thailand said last month it had arrested a Lebanese man who had links with Hezbollah and a confiscated cache of explosives. Israel responded by urging its citizens to exercise caution while visiting Thailand.
Separately last month, authorities in Azerbaijan arrested two people suspected of plotting to attack Israel’s ambassador and a local rabbi.
Slideshow (3 Images)
In a January 24 speech, Israel’s military chief, Lieutenant-General Benny Gantz, accused Hezbollah of trying to carry out proxy attacks while avoiding direct confrontation. Israel and Hezbollah fought an inconclusive and costly war in 2006.
“During this period of time, when our enemies in the north avoid carrying out attacks, fearing a harsh response, we are witnesses to the ongoing attempts by Hezbollah and other hostile entities to execute vicious terror attacks at locations far away from the state of Israel,” Gantz said.
“I suggest that no one test our resolve.”The "golden age" of stock market returns is over.
That's the summary of a big piece of research from the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), which estimated returns over the next 20 years in US and Western European markets under two scenarios. The first assumes that today's slow-growth environment remains, while the second models faster growth as technology improves.
It concluded that in neither case would returns match those of the past 30 years. For US and European stocks, the difference between past and future annual returns could range from 1.5 percentage points to 4 percentage points. The gap for fixed-income could be even wider, between 3 and 5 percentage points for most countries, the report notes.
"What's surprising is that even if there's higher GDP growth, we find that returns in equity and bonds over the next 20 years would still be lower," Susan Lund, a partner at the institute and one of the coauthors of the report, told Business Insider.
McKinsey Global Institute McKinsey Global Institute analysis That means investors will have to save more, retire later, or live less comfortably during retirement, which could further drag down economic growth. A seemingly small difference in numbers can actually be pretty scary.
Here's an example by MGI (emphasis added):
To show this, consider the impact on a 30-year-old who might expect to receive a 4.5% real return from his or her blended investment portfolio of equities and fixed income—consistent with the growth-recovery scenario—rather than 6.5%, consistent with returns over the past 30 years. To compensate, all else being equal (and especially with no change in life expectancy), that individual would need to work seven years longer or almost double the rate at which he or she saves. If returns were even lower, at 3.5% in real terms—consistent with the slow-growth scenario—this individual would need to work an additional nine years, or more than double his or her annual savings.
McKinsey Global Institute
It marks a stark difference to the "golden age" of stock market performance from 1985 to 2014, which was marked by sharp declines in inflation, robust growth in China, and strong corporate-profit growth.
Real total returns in equities for US investors were 1.4 percentage points above the 100-year average, while those in Western Europe were 3 percentage points above. For bonds, real returns were 3.3 percentage points above the 100-year average in the US, and 4.2 percentage points above in Europe.
But those historical drivers just aren't there anymore. Interest rates have little room to drop further. Some countries have already joined the negative interest-rate policy club.
Larger American and Western European firms that dominated the global profit pool in the past 30 years might be hit hard with lower profit margins, the report notes. New players from emerging markets pose threats with their rapid growth, while online platforms like Amazon and Alibaba are helping smaller companies get more international exposure, pitting them against larger local players.
And it doesn't stop there. Lower returns could dampen household consumption and widen an already underfunded pension-fund gap, which currently stands at $1.2 trillion. That could expand by between $1 trillion and $2 trillion if returns hit the low end of McKinsey's projections.
The times were good while they lasted. It's time to reset your expectations.Fremantle senior coach Ross Lyon has had success follow him throughout his tenure as an AFL coach, but with Freo in unfamiliar territory at 0-6, Matthew Pavlich opened up on what makes Lyon such a great coach.
Pavlich told ABC Grandstand radio on Saturday that Lyon practices what he preaches, and continues to lead by example.
“He’s a very good coach,” Pavlich said.
“With his hard work, he really leads by example in that way.
“He’s so diligent with reviewing the game and preparing for the opposition.”
Lyon’s reputation as a disciplinary has merit, but he shouldn’t be solely defined as a coach on that characteristic, according to Pavlich.
Pavlich up for mark of the year
The six-time Doig medallist said one of the often unseen traits Lyon possesses is the ability to relate with his playing group.
“In a lot of ways, people see him as ruthless and a disciplinarian and he is, but at the same time he’s got great empathy for the modern player,” he said.
“He has a fantastic working relationship with all his players and backs his leaders in.”
Just like Freo’s 0-6 start to the season is unfamiliar to Lyon, Pavlich said the so far winless campaign would require extra hard work and from those not used to playing in the undesired circumstances.
“We’ve had great success and we’ve had down time and unfortunately we’re in a bit of a lull and not playing the footy we thought we were capable of,” he said.
“We have to dig ourselves out and that takes hard work and discipline to stick to our structures and maintain our structures and maintain high standards on and off the field.
“We have seen growth and there are plenty of guys digging in and we’re a tight group.”Broncos third-year linebacker Shaquil Barrett took to Twitter on Monday to answer a variety of fan questions. The young pass-rusher was asked more than once how rookie quarterback Paxton Lynch has looked this offseason.
Barrett had only good things to say.
@theflyatmajor like a steal for sure — Shaquil Barrett (@MOOCHIE048) July 18, 2016
Barrett was not ready to dub Lynch the starter, saying that whoever has the best preseason will likely win the job, but he noted the rookie’s progress.
@JaredWindsor12 not enough characters haha. Lynch been improving every day. He's been getting more comfortable back there and it's showing — Shaquil Barrett (@MOOCHIE048) July 18, 2016
Barrett, 23, was active for all 16 games last season, starting six in the place of injured DeMarcus Ware. Barrett finished the season with 5.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. If Ware moves on after this season, Barrett is a leading candidate to replace him going forward.
As for Lynch, he was the team’s first round pick in this year’s draft, selected 26th overall out of Memphis. He is in a three-way quarterback competition with Mark Sanchez and Trevor Siemian. As Barrett noted, preseason performance will be a key part of the competition.
Before preseason, the team has training camp, which begins July 28.February 18, 1957: Dedan Kimathi Is Executed 0
Kenyan freedom fighter leader Dedan Kimathi is executed by the British colonial government. The hanging took place at the Kamiti Maximum Security Prison.
Kimathi was buried in an unmarked grave, and his burial site remains unknown.
Dedan Kimathi Waciuri, born Kimathi wa Waciuri, was a leader of the Mau Mau which led an armed military struggle known as the Mau Mau uprising against the British colonial government in Kenya in the 1950s.
A highly controversial character, Kimathi’s life has been subject to intense propaganda by both the British government who saw him as a terrorist, and Kenyan nationalists who view him as the heroic figurehead of the Mau Mau rebellion.
Despite being viewed with disdain by the Jomo Kenyatta regime and subsequent governments, Kimathi and his fellow Mau Mau rebels are now officially recognised as heroes in the struggle for Kenyan independence by the incumbent government.
His capture and execution in 1957 led to the eventual defeat of the uprising by the Kenyan government.
Read about his amazing legacy at: Daily Black History FactsThe Egyptian authorities are using every resource at their disposal to quash dissent and trample on human rights, said Amnesty International in a damning new report published ahead of the third anniversary of the “25 January Revolution”.
The briefing entitled Roadmap to repression: No end in sight to human rights violations, paints a bleak picture of the state of rights and liberties in Egypt since the ousting of President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013.
“Egypt has witnessed a series of damaging blows to human rights and state violence on an unprecedented scale over the last seven months. Three years on, the demands of the ‘25 January Revolution’ for dignity and human rights seem further away than ever. Several of its architects are behind bars and repression and impunity are the order of the day,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Middle East and North Africa Deputy Director at Amnesty International.
Across the board the Egyptian authorities have tightened the noose on freedom of expression and assembly. Repressive legislation has been introduced making it easier for the government to silence its critics and crack down on protests. Security forces have been given free rein to act above the law and with no prospect of being held to account for abuses.
“With such measures in place, Egypt is headed firmly down the path towards further repression and confrontation. Unless the authorities change course and take concrete steps to show they respect human rights and the rule of law, starting with the immediate and unconditional release of prisoners of conscience, Egypt is likely to find its jails packed with unlawful detained prisoners and its morgues and hospitals with yet more victims of arbitrary and abusive force by its police,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui.
In a speech last weekend President Adly Mansour described the newly adopted Egyptian constitution as paving the way for building a country that “respects freedom, democracy and makes rights and justice a way of work and life”.
“In reality, the current state of human rights is abysmal. The Egyptian government will be judged by its actions not its words. Verbal reassurances will ring hollow if repression on the ground is increasing and a mere tweet can lead you to prison”, said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui.
“The authorities must loosen their stranglehold on civil society and allow peaceful protests and other avenues for lawful dissent. Their current policies are a betrayal of all the aspirations for bread, freedom and social justice of the ‘25 January Revolution’.”
In recent months, the country has seen violence on an unprecedented scale, with security forces committing gross human rights violations, routinely using excessive, including lethal, force against opposition protesters and at demonstrations on university campuses.
Since 3 July 2013, 1,400 people have been killed in political violence, most of them due to excessive force used by security forces. No proper investigation has been carried out into the deaths of more than 500 Morsi supporters when excessive force was used to disperse a sit-in at Rabaa al-Adawiya in August 2013. Not a single member of the security forces has been charged in connection with the incident which was a callous bloodbath on an unprecedented scale.
“Instead of reining in the security forces, the authorities have effectively handed them a mandate for repression. Once again in Egypt, the rhetoric of ‘countering terrorism’ is being used to justify sweeping crackdowns that fail to distinguish between legitimate dissent and violent attacks,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui.
“Security forces must be held to account for human rights violations. Far from it, by allowing them to operate with impunity, the authorities have emboldened them. The cycle of abuse will only be broken when the rule of law applies to all, regardless of their rank, and political affiliations”.
Since the “25 January Revolution” just a handful of low-ranking security forces have been convicted over the deaths of protesters.
In the months following the military’s removal of Mohamed Morsi as president, army checkpoints, security personnel and government buildings have come under increased attack by groups described by the authorities as “terrorists”. While the Egyptian government has the right and duty to protect lives and prosecute those responsible for such crimes, human rights must not be sacrificed in the name of “countering terrorism”.
Ahead of the third anniversary of the uprising, Egypt’s interior minister, Mohamed Ibrahim, warned that prisons and police stations have been secured with heavy weapons. In a show of force, signalling how emboldened the security forces have become, he dared anyone to try to test their strength.
The most brazen clampdown has been on freedom of expression and assembly. Thousands of perceived Muslim Brotherhood supporters and members have been rounded up by the security forces for criticizing Mohamed Morsi’s ouster. Women, men and children peacefully expressing their opposition to the military have not been spared.
In December the Muslim Brotherhood was officially designated a “terrorist organization”, making it even easier for the authorities to crack down on the group. On 23 December at least 1,055 charities affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood had their assets frozen.
Hundreds of students have also been arrested during protests and clashes. In one emblematic case in November, a 19-year-old student Mohamed Reda was shot dead at Cairo University when riot police fired teargas and shotguns inside the university grounds.
Secular activists and students have also been targeted in an apparent attempt by the government to quash all dissent, across the political spectrum. Prominent “25 January Revolution” activists are today in jail for daring to call for accountability and human rights.
A new protest law placing restrictions on public gatherings and demonstrations has been introduced posing a grave threat to freedom of assembly and granting security forces license to use excessive force against peaceful protesters. The result is a charter for state-sanctioned repression and carte blanche for security force abuses.
This has been coupled with attacks on journalists and media freedom as well as raids and attempts to place further restrictions on non-governmental organizations.
“There is a concerted effort underway to squeeze out any independent observers from activists, to journalists to nongovernmental organizations. This is a deliberate attempt to make it more difficult for them to operate in Egypt and continue their work documenting and reporting on state abuses,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui.
The authorities have also sought to use the criminal justice system as a tool of repression.
“The judiciary is being used to punish government opponents while allowing perpetrators of human rights violations to walk free,” said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui.Late Thursday afternoon, monstrous Hurricane Matthew was just hours away from a likely devastating impact with Florida. It was a time when meteorologists, emergency managers and politicians of all persuasions were joining to deliver a simple, clear message in the spirit of keeping people safe: Take this storm seriously, and prepare.
[Hurricane Matthew remains a dangerous and destructive category 4 storm as it nears the Florida coast]
Yet the popular Drudge Report website, visited by a massive audience, including vulnerable Floridians, was casting doubt on the severity of the Category 4 storm. In big, bold all-capital letters, it said the storm was “ragged” and suggested it could be fizzling. It made this proclamation at the same time the National Hurricane Center was calling for “potentially disastrous impacts” in Florida.
Drudge’s contradictory message was not only infuriating to meteorologists who knew the dangerous storm was holding its own, but it may also have put people’s lives at risk.
For Florida residents who were perhaps on the fence about whether to evacuate at the last minute, the words on that website may have introduced enough doubt to lead them into a decision they will regret.
At a news conference on Oct. 6, Florida Gov. Rick Scott urged residents in evacuation zones to "get out" and "not take a chance" as Hurricane Matthew approaches the east coast of the state. (Reuters)
To make matters worse, Drudge took to Twitter and accused the government of purposefully inflating Matthew’s intensity to send a message about climate change.
“The deplorables are starting to wonder if govt has been lying to them about Hurricane Matthew intensity to make exaggerated point on climate,” Matt Drudge, who runs the Drudge Report, tweeted.
This is an incredible and offensive accusation. The National Hurricane Center is the government agency responsible for determining hurricane intensity and it is apolitical as it gets. The scientists working there are obsessive about scientific accuracy and integrity and have deservedly earned a tremendous amount of public trust.
Moreover, trying to score political points ahead of a destructive storm when lives are at risk is unbelievably tacky.
As Weather Channel President Dave Clark tweeted, “Not now.”
A number of highly respected meteorologists were rightly incensed about Drudge’s comments and sent him a message of their own on Twitter. I’ll give them the last words:
Whatever respect I had for Drudge, which was minimal to start with, was destroyed with this tweet. How insanely asinine can one be? https://t.co/aqjzjRfb8B — Greg Fishel (@gbfishel) October 6, 2016
No idea what the hell is up with @DRUDGE but he is out of line with #Matthew — Ryan Maue (@RyanMaue) October 6, 2016
.@DRUDGE_REPORT stick to sports — Sean Breslin (@Sean_Breslin) October 6, 2016
Amen. Please do not politicize weather. Meteorologists are making forecasts. No one has an agenda. This is beyond despicable & insulting. https://t.co/vB7VavM0XX — Matt Lanza (@mattlanza) October 6, 2016
Maybe Matt Drudge should head to Haiti, where 100s have died. This ignorance makes me ill, and puts people in grave danger. #Matthew https://t.co/4QDqR8KbeJ — Megan Linkin (@melinkin20) October 7, 20160 2 key execs at Equifax retiring immediately
ATLANTA - Atlanta-based Equifax announced late Friday that its chief information officer and chief security officer would leave the company immediately, following the enormous breach of 143 million Americans' personal information.
The company also presented a litany of security efforts it made after noticing suspicious network traffic in July.
The credit data company said that Susan Mauldin, who had been the top security officer, and David Webb, the chief technology officer, are retiring from Equifax.
Mauldin, a college music major, had come under media scrutiny for her qualifications in security.
Equifax did not say in its statement what retirement packages the executives would receive.
TRENDING STORIES:
Equifax has been under intense public pressure since it disclosed last week that hackers accessed or stole the millions of Social Security numbers, birthdates and other information.
On Friday it gave its most detailed timeline of the breach yet, saying it noticed suspicious network traffic on July 29 associated with its U.S. online dispute portal web application.
Equifax said it believes the access occurred from May 13 through July 30.
Equifax had said earlier that it identified a weakness in an open-source software package called Apache Struts as the technological crack that allowed hackers to heist the data from the massive database maintained primarily for lenders.
That disclosure, made late Wednesday, cast the company's damaging security lapse in an even harsher light.
You can count on Channel 2 Action News to follow every development of this major story. We’ll have LIVE reports and full coverage throughout the weekend on Channel 2 Action News.
The software problem was detected in March and a recommended software patch was released shortly afterward.
Equifax said its security officials were "aware of this vulnerability at that time, and took efforts to identify and to patch any vulnerable systems in the company's IT infrastructure."
The company has hired Mandiant, a business often brought in to deal with major security problems at big companies, to do a forensic review.
Equifax also said Friday it would continue to allow people to place credit freezes on their reports without a fee through November 21. Originally the company offered fee-free credit freezes for 30 days after the incident.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
© 2019 Cox Media Group.Disney Music Publishing has just signed on the Academy Award-winning married duo responsible for many of the songs that made the Frozen soundtrack so successful. Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez are now part of the Disney Music Group. The news was recently announced by Disney Music Group President Ken Bunt.
The couple said of the deal, “We are thrilled to be working with Ken Bunt and his incredible team at Disney Music Group and Disney Music Publishing. It’s clearly a perfect fit for us and we are grateful as always to be able to call Disney home.”
The pair is credited with 8 songs on the extremely successful Frozen soundtrack. This deal includes those, as well as Lopez’s work for The Book of Mormon and Avenue Q, and Anderson-Lopez’s In Transit and Winnie the Pooh music.
The 2014 year-end Billboard 200 chart ranked the Frozen soundtrack as the best selling album. It was the first soundtrack to achieve that status since 1998 (Titanic), and the first Disney soundtrack to top the chart since 1965 (Mary Poppins). It has sold more than 4.2 million copies and is certified quadruple-platinum. It received Grammy awards for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media as well as Best Song Written for Visual Media (“Let It Go |
With the announcement of iOS version 6, Apple has dropped Google Maps and with it, previously built-in support for travel directions via public transit.
With your support, OpenTripPlanner Mobile, an open source application developed by OpenPlans will put transit back on the iPhone. Initially, we will offer coverage for almost all transit systems in North America (see coverage details below).
The app will also add new features that Google Maps didn’t have, allowing users to combine walking, bikes, bike-share and transit together, finding the fastest and most efficient trips regardless of mode of transportation.
The more funds we raise the more features and data coverage we'll be able to add. Your donation is tax-deductible and supports our work building software that makes cities better.
The way we get around is changing. We increasingly combine bikes and transit. And in many cities we’re seeing a birth of whole new modes of transport like bike-share and carshare. At OpenPlans we build open source tools that are responsive to these changes and let us imagine new ways of moving.
NYC Bike-share Trip Planner
We’ve spent the last three years creating a trip planning engine, OpenTripPlanner, in partnership with transit agencies and software developers around the globe. It’s the first open source, multi-modal transit planner.
It does things other trip planning systems can’t. And because it’s open source, it’s constantly evolving with the help of a global community of developers.
Now we need your help to bring it to the iPhone!
Where will the app work?
Preliminary Coverage Map
For now we’re supporting any transit agency in North America that provides open data in the GTFS format. Hundreds of transit agencies already offer this data. Check out our preliminary coverage map.
If your community doesn’t yet provide data you can help us by contacting your local transit authority to let them know open data matters to you! (Stay tuned for more information about how to help open up data in your community.)
Eventually we’ll expand our service to cover the globe. We'd love to know where you’d like to see this service next.
Can I incorporate transit information into apps I develop?
Yes!
All of the data and source code created as part of this project will be made available for free as open source. Also, OpenPlans will release a developer API that allows you to access the back-end trip planner as a hosted service.
Visit the developer site if you are interested in learning more about incorporating OpenTripPlanner into your application.Your browser does not support the audio player. Click here to download the podcast.
Sarah Schweitzer is a former feature writer for the Boston Globe.
“I just am drawn, I think, to the notion that we start out as these creatures that just want love and were programmed that way—to try to find it and to make our lives whole. We are, as humans, so strong in that way. We get knocked down, and adults do some horrible things to us because adults have had horrible things done to [them]. There are some terrible cycles in this world. But there’s always this opportunity to stop that cycle. And there are people who come along who do try that in their own flawed ways.”
Thanks to MailChimp and AlarmGrid for sponsoring this week's episode.Outside the Senate building in Mexico City, a man shreds marijuana at a rally to hand out information and collect signatures for marijuana legalization, Jan. 22. REUTERS/Tomas Bravo
North America’s largest city on Thursday is looking to join the trend of drug reforms sweeping through the region, with Mexico City lawmakers introducing a measure that would decriminalize — not legalize — the possession of marijuana for personal use. It would also remove incarceration as the first response for the possession of other illegal drugs like cocaine and methamphetamines.
In addition to the Mexico City measure, lawmakers from the leftist Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) introduced a bill in the federal House of Representatives that would allow prescriptions for medical marijuana at the national level. The measure would also permit states to regulate the drug’s production, distribution and sale.
The proposals represent a coordinated effort to deviate from punitive drug policies in Mexico, which has suffered unprecedented levels of drug-related violence during the United States–led war on drugs. Roughly 70,000 people have been killed in Mexico in drug-related violence since 2007, when then-President Felipe Calderon launched a military offensive against drug syndicates.
“These bills are exciting because they further the hemispheric trend of changing marijuana laws,” said Hannah Hetzer, policy manager of the Americas at the Drug Policy Alliance, a nonprofit that promotes alternatives to global drug policy. “Amidst extreme levels of violence and crime, it is encouraging to see Mexico’s capital city attempt to refocus its efforts away from marijuana possession and low-level drug offenses and to invest in reducing violent crime instead.”
Under the Mexico City bill, residents caught with less than 5 grams of marijuana would not be charged with any administrative offense or fine. Possession of 5 grams to 5 kilos would require that offenders face a “dissuasion committee,” which would offer information on health treatment, but offenders would avoid jail time. Criminal sanctions would be applied to anyone found with more than 5 kilos of the drug.
In 2009, Mexico decriminalized the possession of up to 5 grams of cannabis, but people caught with that amount can still be detained by police. The same law also decriminalized up to 500 milligrams of cocaine and small amounts of heroin and methamphetamines.
Renato Sales, Mexico’s deputy attorney general, recently gave the measure a boost when he encouraged the country to debate the decriminalization measure seriously, without prejudices, after Colorado and Washington state began legal sales of marijuana for recreational use this year.
“The truth is that Mexico has paid a very high price for combating drug traffickers and prohibiting the cultivation of marijuana on its territory, when several cities in the United States have already legalized it,” Sales told local media.Mounting laser weapons on a Humvee to shoot down drones might seem like a military pipe dream, but the US Navy has now awarded contracts for just that. It figures that unfriendly armies will soon be equipped with inexpensive camera- or bomb-equipped UAVs, and wants a highly portable way to counter them. Though its 50kW ADAM HEL laser is powerful enough to down most drones by firing 50 laser bursts in a millisecond, the mounting platform for that weapon is a battleship. The Navy's confident that more efficient 30kW lasers could still do the job, however, and given recent progress, shrunk down enough to fit on a Hummer. It will trial a 10kW system against targets later this year as a step toward the 30kW system, which it hopes will be test-ready by 2016. Meanwhile, watch the ADAM laser destroy hapless drones, missiles and boats in the videos below.Search engine marketing and pay-per-click advertising are extremely powerful and effective marketing tools. When used correctly they can create a huge influx of very targeted traffic and can be extremely profitable.
The real trick is to ensure that you know what your CPA, or cost per acquisition, is and you know how much a lead is worth to you. You can use data from the web analytics service that you have (be it Google Analytics or other platforms), and find out how the purchase journey is made throughout your conversion funnel.
Once you are able to dial in how much a potential lead is worth, it becomes easier (and more comfortable) bidding on clicks for website traffic. The cost per acquisition, or CPA, formula is:
CPA = CPC/Conversion Rate, where your CPC represents the average cost per click.
For example, if you are paying $2.50 per click (kind of high depending on your industry) and you have a conversion rate of 10%, meaning that for every 10 leads you convert 1 sale, your CPA is $25- which is fine if you’re profit from sale is over $25… but what if it isn’t? This means you are either over-paying for clicks or you need to increase your conversion rate.
Let’s say you are able to do some split testing and web traffic analysis to really hone in on the user experience of your target audience, and are able to increase your conversion rate by a whopping 5% to 15%, this means that your CPA has now gone down to $16.67.
The lower your CPA the more money in your pocket and the more advantageous it is to scale your marketing efforts that deliver leads at that CPA level.
If you are having some difficulty calculating your CPA or you are using CPM pricing versus CPC pricing, Clickz has a cool CPA calculator worth checking out; very simple but gets the job done.
Far too often companies who are new to search marketing or internet marketing pay way too much for their leads without knowing or understanding the true value. In the diagram below you can see that often CPA rates, in this case cost per user acquisition, fluctuates greatly by channel.
Display Advertising
Display advertising has made a huge comeback thanks in big part to the creation or Re-Targeting, or using cookies to have ads more or less follow your target audience around the web.
For example, have you ever been on a website looking at something to purchase, then left the website without making the purchase only to be shown the same item or company on the next website? This is Re-Targeting.
In addition to Re-Targeting, the evolution of web design and new media technologies like JavaScript, AJAX, and JSON have made display ads incredibly interactive and engaging, to the extent that many enhanced ads on sites like YouTube and Yahoo! now react to your on-page activities and mouse cursor position.
Based on the extent you (the advertiser) store the cookie in the visitors browser cache (normal duration’s are 30/60/90 days) you could potentially slowly sell your target audience for up to 3 months.March 27, 2017 4:07 pm by Jacob McAllister
The American Care Act Goes Down in Flames
It looks like they really were the “Party of No” after all.
In a truly epic fail, the Republican replacement for the Affordable Care Act went down in flames on Friday, raising the question whether or not the party was ever truly serious about coming up with a replacement plan at all. In a stunning admission of ineptitude, House Speaker Paul Ryan stated “Moving from an opposition party to a governing party comes with growing pains. Doing big things is hard.”
After 8 years of warning that the sky was falling if we didn’t “repeal and replace” immediately, the best Ryan and the House Republicans could come up with was this stinker of a bill, which would provide huge relief to wealthy individuals while leaving some 24 million Americans with no insurance, many of whom voted for Trump. From Politico:
The House speaker is more identified with AHCA than anyone else, and had greater control than anyone else of its moving parts. It was his bill, his plan, his preferred timing. But he produced one of the worst pieces of major legislation in memory—and his reputation as a policy professional and legislative tactician may never recover.
Ryan increasingly has the look of a defeated dog whose days are numbered. He is widely being cast as the fall guy for this disaster.
Winning Bigly
Candidate Trump tore through the campaign trail promising to “immediately” repeal Obamacare, so it is impossible to see this as a victory for him. Several first hand accounts have described Trump as disinterested in the details of both Healthcare and Congressional procedures. Again from Politico:
It was Thursday afternoon and members of the House Freedom Caucus were peppering the president with wonkish concerns about the American Health Care Act when Trump decided to cut them off. “Forget about the little shit,” Trump said, according to multiple sources in the room. “Let’s focus on the big picture here.” Trump wanted to emphasize the political ramifications of the bill’s defeat; specifically, he said, it would derail his first-term agenda and imperil his prospects for reelection in 2020. The lawmakers nodded and said they understood. And yet they were disturbed by his dismissiveness. For many of the members, the “little shit” meant the policy details that could make or break their support for the bill—and have far-reaching implications for their constituents and the country.
The president was looking for a win here, and tried to take the quick and easy route. He wants to be able to say “I repealed Obamacare,” and couldn’t care less about the details of how he gets there. He pushed hard for the bills passage, lobbying and tweeting in support of it.
By all accounts it would seem he wanted it to pass.
And Just What the Hell is Bannon Up To?
And then there is Brietbart. The tabloid publication that Senior White House Adviser Steve Bannon left to run Trump’s campaign has been loud in its opposition to both the bill and speaker Ryan. Bannon is in fact, in his heart, a Tea Party/Freedom caucus ideologue. He is far to the right of the establishment of the Republican party, and has stated on numerous occasions his desire to “destroy the administrative state”, which presumably includes the bureaucracies created and enlarged by the Affordable Care Act. And yet, he was reportedly trying to whip House members in line behind the bill as late as Thursday.
Could this whole thing just be a ruse to throw Paul Ryan under the bus?
Ryan has long been the target of Bannon, whom he sees as not ideologically pure enough. Indeed, there would have been no compromise that went far enough for the Freedom Caucus, the fringe group of Representatives who have effectively functioned as an opposition party for the last 8 years. They believe fundamentally that the government has no place in the healthcare market. Seeking the repeal they screamed for, but having no interest in a replacement, they have convinced their constituents that the bill is tantamount to socialism, and must be defeated. They would love nothing more than for the government to get out of the healthcare business altogether.
By letting Ryan take the blame here, and doing nothing, they still have their boogeyman to lash out at in O-Care, and Bannon and his unofficial propaganda arm of the White House can hammer that message home to create maximum outrage. Meanwhile they are in a perfect position to sabotage healthcare from within, choking off funding and killing the bill slowly. This would be their preferred method, as it would allow them to escape the painful work of passing new legislation, while still achieving their goal of destroying the ACA. It remains to be seen how effective that strategy will be.
It is important to note that the average Trump voter cares little about policy, and is far more likely to be swayed by cultural issues. Paradoxically, they would ultimately end up being the big losers from Trump’s policy decisions, and yet potentially still be receptive enough to Bannon’s “America First” message to ignore their personal decline in living standard.
Never underestimate the power of tribalism…
It is also plausible that Bannon and Trump favor some type of welfare for older and working class white men scheme which would require a well funded bureaucracy, and the preservation of Medicare and Medicaid. It would mean they would have to compromise on their free market ideology, but they would be spared the wrath of millions suddenly losing benefits they have grown accustomed to.
The Law of the Land, For Now
Burning it down is always easy, but building a consensus behind the bill is the challenge. The Washington punditry class is beside themselves at this administration’s inability to do so. But at every step of the way this has been the case, and every time they come out on top. To assume that there is no plan here, or that they are not playing a long game on healthcare is pompous and naive. Letting this bill fail, and then gutting Obamacare from within are in perfect alignment with the wrecking ball strategy that team Trump has employed with great success so far in its short term. This is what they are trying to achieve.
Addition by subtraction.
But as it turns out, it is a lot harder than advertised to remove an entrenched safety net program, especially one that is already established, which is why its popularity began to increase once the possibility that it was in danger became real. The backlash against this terrible policy was loud and fierce, and perhaps can send a message that a hard-right, pro big business agenda is not what voters wanted. Trump has said he will walk away from the replacement for now, but that does not mean the fight is over. Quite the contrary, the Republican assault on healthcare policy will continue.
The failure of the American Healthcare Act is the beginning, rather than the end, of the long battle to preserve healthcare for millions of Americans. Obamacare is an imperfect solution, but it is a start. Bernie Sanders today called for Medicare for all. This would not be possible had the path not been paved by the previous president.
The desire of those who adamantly oppose government involvement in healthcare to kill it off in all forms is strong, and will not go away. But, at least for now, they have been held at bay.BRUSSELS — Emmanuel Macron won the French presidency last week with 66 percent of the popular vote, a reasonable voter turnout of 74 percent and, most important, a positive pro-European vision. Yet some media commentators write that his mandate is “weak” because he “only” won against an extreme-right opponent. Donald Trump won his ticket to the White House with 46.4 percent of the popular vote and a voter turnout of about 55 percent, yet his victory has been hailed as a “tectonic shift.”
With the Brexit vote and Mr. Trump’s election, one happening a few months after the other, it seemed that a trend had been born. Clearly, that is not the case. Every thesis breeds the antithesis, and in a world that lives at the pace of social media algorithms, the antithesis does not take years to develop. Brexit was followed by the Dutch general election in March, in which two strongly pro-European parties, Green Left and the progressive D66, together received more than a third more votes than the anti-European party of Geert Wilders.
The best illustration of the antithesis, though, was the Austrian presidential elections. A month before Britain’s referendum on membership in the European Union last year, Austria’s first poll was annulled on technical grounds. Nevertheless, the result was made public: The pro-European candidate, Alexander Van der Bellen, got just over 50.3 percent of the vote, while the extreme-right, anti-European candidate, Norbert Hofer, obtained nearly 49.7 percent — the narrowest of victories, albeit canceled.
The second, successful round of voting was held six months after Brexit. The result was quite remarkable: Mr. Van der Bellen’s margin over Mr. Hofer rose to nearly 350,000 from 31,000 votes. This time, he won with 53.8 percent. The reason for this major shift was Mr. Hofer’s slip of the tongue: By the time of the second election, he not only appeared to be euroskeptic but also seemed to offer a referendum on whether Austria should quit the union altogether. Many Austrians might be critical of the way the European Union is currently run, but did they want an actual “Auxit”? No, thank you.Aviva Premiership Rugby Semi Finals Preview
After a fascinating season that has seen relegation dog fights, legal wrangling, enthralling single point victories and teams rise and fade as the season progressed we have finally reached the point were only 4 teams are left standing. Despite some hiccups along the way and some narrowly avoided pitfalls Harlequins, Leicester Tigers, Saracens and Northampton Saints are left to do battle for the Aviva Premiership Rugby crown for the 2012/13 season.
Whilst current champions Harlequins started the season strongly, a mid-season slump saw them fail to land a home semi-final so they now travel to Leicester Tiger’s fortress Welford Road. The Tigers have had an impressive season to date and have always looked assured of a place in the final four. Saracens also secured a home semi-final after a fine season in which Director of Rugby Mark McCall has built on the foundation provided by the now departed Andy Farrell by adding a lethal attacking edge to their fine defensive platform. Saracens face a revived Northampton Saints at their new home Allianz Park. Despite a stop-start season the Saints have begun to finally pull together some decent results and look to be getting back to the kind of form that propelled them into the Heineken Cup final two years ago.
Elsewhere the Exeter Chiefs have had another impressive season on the pitch that has seen DoR called up to support England’s coaching team on this summers tour. At various points this season we have also seen Bath and Wasps make a strong challenge for the top 6 but poor mid-season form has seen both drop-off in the final third whilst a mid-season slump at Gloucester has cost them a shot at the top 4 once again. At the bottom of the table Worcester capped off a disappointing season by dispensing with Richard Hill whilst despite early season troubles both Sale and Irish eventually retained their Premiership rugby status with relative ease in the end. Unfortunately despite a strong opening, a points deduction and disappointing post-Christmas form saw London Welsh relegated.
Leicester Tigers v Harlequins – it’s second versus third as reigning champions Quins travel to Welford Road to take on the Tigers who have appeared in the semi-finals for the last 9 seasons. The Tigers seem to have a continued ability to peak at the right time every season as they launch their assault on the crown as demonstrated by their appearance in the last 8 Premiership Rugby finals, although they haven’t won the competition for several years now. The Tigers also had 8 players represented in last nights Aviva Premiership dream team whilst 6 of the team will be touring with the Lions this summer.
In contrast Harlequins main men have missed out on the Lions tour and despite an impressive opening to the season the teams form has tailed off dramatically since the turn of the year. The team will also be without talismanic captain Chris Robshaw on Saturday after he failed a late fitness test. Despite this though the team is still packed full of star talent like Danny Care, Nick Evans and Mike Brown.
The Verdict; the game is set to be a fascinating match with two teams capable of playing attacking open rugby going head to head in a game befitting of the final. Despite the flair of an exciting Quins back-line, form is with the Tigers and their powerful pack is likely to put Flood and Youngs on the front foot who can then unleash the likes of Tait and Tuilagi. I would go for Tigers by around 10 points.
The Teams;
Leicester: Tait; Morris, Tuilagi, Allen, Vereniki, Goneva, Flood (c), Ben Youngs; Mulipola, Tom Youngs, Cole; Kitchener, Parling; Croft, Salvi, Crane.
Replacements: Hawkins, Balmain, Castrogiovanni, Mafi, Waldrom, Harrison, Ford, Smith.
Harlequins: Brown; Williams, Lowe, Casson, Monye; Evans, Care; Marler, Gray, Johnston; Kohn Robson; Fa’asavalu, Wallace, Easter (C).
Replacements: Buchanan, Lambert, Collier, Matthews, Guest, Dickson, Botica, Chisholm.
Saracens v Northampton Saints – this game seemed a dead cert several weeks back with the Saints struggling to secure their top 4 status after an average season by their usual high standards. A late rally inspired by captain Dylan Hartley has however seen Jim Mallinders men finally turn a corner and return them to top form as they exhibited in the final games of the season. A powerful pack that delivers a strong base and devastating line-out could be key to success at Allianz Park for the Saints.
In contrast Saracens have has a strong season that has seen them continue to improve and add to their already impressive play. David Strettle seems to have re-discovered his individual try-scoring brilliance, whilst the addition of Joel Tomkins off-loading ability at outside centre has helped unleash the try scoring ability of the rest of the team. Up-front Lions props Mako Vunipola and Matt Stevens are having great seasons supported by the emergence of Will Fraser at 7 and the experienced heads of Steve Borthwick and Kelly Brown. With Hodgson installed at 10, the recent erratic form of starlet Owen Farrell should be at least in part negated and help deliver some consistency in the back division.
The Verdict; despite the Saints resurgence in form it is hard to look past at Saracens team that play off such an impressively consistent platform. The game is likely to see two packing nullify one another which could result in a drab kicking contest. I’m going to go with Saracens by around 5 thanks to a breakaway try for this one.
The teams;
Saracens
15 Alex Goode, 14 Chris Ashton, 13 Joel Tomkins, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 David Strettle, 10 Charlie Hodgson, 9 Neil de Kock, 8 Jackson Wray, 7 Will Fraser, 6 Kelly Brown, 5 Alistair Hargreaves, 4 Steve Borthwick (c), 3 Matt Stevens, 2 Schalk Brits, 1 Mako Vunipola
Replacements : 16 John Smit, 17 Rhys Gill, 18 Carlos Nieto, 19 Mouritz Botha, 20 George Kruis, 21 Richard Wigglesworth, 22 Duncan Taylor, 23 Chris Wyles
Northampton Saints
15 Ben Foden, 14 Ken Pisi, 13 James Wilson, 12 Luther Burrell, 11 Jamie Elliott, 10 Stephen Myler, 9 Lee Dickson, 8 Samu Manoa, 7 Tom Wood, 6 Calum Clark, 5 Christian Day, 4 Courtney Lawes, 3 Brian Mujati, 2 Dylan Hartley (capt), 1 Soane Tonga’uiha.
Replacements: 16 Mike Haywood, 17 Alex Waller, 18 Tom Mercey, 19 Phil Dowson, 20 GJ Van Velze, 21 Martin Roberts, 22 Ryan Lamb, 23 Tom May.
Let us know who you think will make the final below or on Twitter @intheloose…
CommentsCanCon is a gaming convention that has been held in Canberra, Australia for thirty-nine years now. It’s a convention that specialises in board-games and wargaming, cosplay etc. etc. Nerd heaven! This is the sort of stuff I file under the “I’m aware you exist but I don’t care about you.” I went to Canberra and CanCon for one reason and one reason alone. To have a holiday. And to also indulge in some Legucci I guess.
The deck I chose to play is called 4c/BURG Delver which I have been brewing and testing with for close to six months now. It’s been the only deck since Goblins to really captivate me, and I’m glad we stuck with it. I basically took Jarvis Yu’s/Ben Friedman’s list, gave it the Jonathon Alexander treatment and voila, we have the decklist:
Creature: (14)
4 Deathrite Shaman
4 Delver of Secrets
1 Gurmag Angler
2 Snapcaster Mage
1 Tombstalker
2 True-Name Nemesis
Non-Creature Spells: (27)
3 Abrupt Decay
4 Brainstorm
1 Counterspell
4 Daze
4 Force of Will
4 Lightning Bolt
2 Spell Pierce
1 Spell Snare
4 Ponder
Land: (19)
4 Flooded Strand
1 Misty Rainforest
3 Polluted Delta
2 Tropical Island
3 Underground Sea
2 Volcanic Island
4 Wasteland
Sideboard: (15)
1 Ancient Grudge
1 Flusterstorm
2 Painful Truths
1 Pithing Needle
2 Red Elemental Blast
1 Sudden Demise
1 Sulfur Elemental
3 Surgical Extraction
3 Thoughtseize
Since I am still a Goblins player despite not really playing it at all anymore, the sideboard is packed to the rafters full of combo hate. When metagames get like this, you have the ultra-fair on one side (D&T, Eldrazi, Miracles) and the ultra-rude on the other side (Storm, Show and Tell). In this sort of metagame, it’s easy for a fair blue deck to be squeezed out as it is still just playing a whole lot of bad cards and can either be killed through a Force of Will or be outvalued and outbrawled. BURG Delver represents the best of the middle ground. With four Bolts, three Decays, two True Name, Tombstalker and a maindeck Jitte you are able to brawl with the fair decks game one while still having very good game against the combo-decks thanks to the high number of hard-counters and the false-tempo that playing only blue duals will naturally give you.
I deliberately chose to play minimal amounts of soft countermagic because cards like Spell Pierce stink in this metagame. Spell Snare and Counterspell are in my deck because they can actually attack both the ultra-fair and the ultra-unfair without warping your game plan. They are also incredibly underrated cards and I would like to shout out Jonathan Alexander and his blog TheWeeklyWars for teaching me this lesson.
In any case, the day started bright and early. 5 am to be precise. By the time I picked up Matt and Jesse and hightailed it over to Stephen’s house where Sean was waiting, it was 7 am. From there we had a lovely eight hour drive to Canberra. The drive was pretty amusing, with highlights being Jesse singing Sk8er Boi like someone gacked on MDMA and Stephen being accosted by some grumpy old dude in a small country town for going through a stop sign that may as well have been purposely hidden.
I got to enjoy some Block Constructed on Friday at Cancon, busting out Goblin Bidding which is a super sweet deck, and going 3-1 drop before we forced ourselves to FNM for what was the first FNM I’ve ever played in. By this stage we were all absolutely exhausted, starving and dehydrated which made for some comical nihilism from the entire crew. I played Death & Taxes at the FNM and went 3-1, losing only to a severe case of mana-screw. I decided against it playing it on the day because the meta was:
a: full of other DnT decks and I hate playing the mirror and;
b: There was a loooooott of Dread of Night floating around.
Furthermore, I think not playing Brainstorm in Legacy automatically writes you off from having a serious chance at contending at this stage. This is not to say that decks without Brainstorm won’t top 8, but bad luck will eventually get you and not playing the most powerful card in Legacy seems stupid if you own dual lands and care slightly about winning. With such a fair local meta, Jesse broached to me the idea of cutting one of the two Spell Pierces to play a maindeck Umezawa’s Jitte. After some discussion with the rest of the team, to which there was almost unanimous agreement, the change was made.
The drive to the tournament was great. I dry-wretched potentially thirty times and we listened to music from the Rocky soundtracks. Call me corny but I really think good pump-up music can do the trick and it did just that. Our group photo has me looking like I’m chewing my lip like a good Ketamine fuelled weekend rocker but I was just in the zone.
Left to right: Sean, Me, Matthew Larcombe, Jesse Bartle, Stephen Tang
With fifty-five players, I was super excited to show to the Canberra people that I was a serious contender. I anticipated going 3-3 or maybe 4-2 at best, still being fairly new to the Delver archetype, but I just wanted to play some good games.
Round 1 – Elves
This was my opponents first Legacy tournament, and he was playing a Modern Elves deck. I had turn one Delver both games and crushed him with some excellent draws. I finished game one with Jitte on a Gurmag Angler, and Force’d a Dwynen’s Elite. I felt bad, I’m not gunna lie. Welcome to Legacy I guess…?
SB:
-4 Daze
+1 Sudden Demise
+ 3 Thoughtseize.
A personal highlight of this round was sitting next to someone who had rather offensive body-odour, and his opponent seeing my “The Salt Mine” playmat and telling me how much he liked the podcast. Day = made. Thanks buddy!
Win: 2-0
Round 2: Burn
These were some close games to a really good player and a really nice human being. Game one was a farcical affair with me winning at sixteen life or something equally ridiculous. Thanks Deathrite Shaman!
Games two and three were much closer with me just squeaking out a win at four life in game three after my opponent failed to draw his 4th mountain to double Fireblast me.
In game two I died from fifteen life after the red-mage combo of Bolt, Price and Fireblast dealt me exactly lethal. I told him Matt Vaughan would have been proud and he liked that!
SB:
-1 Daze
+1 Flusterstorm.
How loose is your goose? I’m sure I should have sideboarded out something else like Tombstalker but I’m always worried about losing because of not drawing a threat to close the game out. Thoughts Burger-bros?
Win: 2-1
Round 3: ANT
This was a tournament of fifty-five players. There were probably twelve or so other players who were undefeated at this stage. I would have given anything to have played one of the other eleven players but such is life I guess. You see, I had been paired with Jesse Bartle. One of my best friends. I like to think of us as an impromptu comedy team that doesn’t care whether you laugh with us, because we’ll be laughing harder than you anyway.
I offered Jesse the draw before we started playing. If we won out would definitely make it, and x-1-1 would have made Top 8. Jesse declined. So we played.
In very BURG fashion, I rode a turn one Delver to victory, using Snapcaster to buy-back Spell Snares and Bolts. I offered him the draw again to which again he refused.
Game two saw me mulligan to six, but a scry left Counterspell on top of the deck. Jesse started with a turn one Gitaxian-Therapy, which took away my Delver, leaving me with Deathrite Shaman and some other cards. I drew my Counterspell, played the Shaman and passed. I cantripped into a Delver the turn after which flipped to a blind Force the turn after that. Now the heat was on and Jesse had almost perfect information… Boy that scry rule is good when it does stuff like this.
Jesse tried to go off, but the Force, blue card and Counterspell got him. My attack put him to one life, and my Ponder found Lightning Bolt to seal the deal.
I begged Jesse to take the draw but he refused. I felt awful about beating Jesse, but I really was overjoyed at the prospect of my 3-0 start. Still, I stayed focused. This is not how this usually goes!? I even declined cigarettes, worried that getting too relaxed would break my focus. Again, this is not how this usually goes!
Round 4: TES
I had no idea what deck my opponent was on until it was too late into game one. I panicked and Force of Will’d a blind Infernal Tutor which is so wrong it isn’t even funny. This was probably my first punt of the day. He ignored my Force, made a billion Goblins and killed me. He had no way to protect his combo and my premature ejaculation punt cost me the game.
SB:
+3 Surgical
+3 Thoughtseize
+1 Sudden Demise
+1 Flusterstorm
-3 Decay
-1 Tombstalker
-1 Gurmag Angler
-1 Lightning Bolt
-1 True Name Nemesis
-1 Umezawa’s Jitte
The postboard games were defined by my ability to turn one Thoughtseize + Surgical. Unfortunately, I hit the wrong card with the Thoughtseize/Surgical in game two but won anyway because I am good at blind flipping Delver, which let me race the fifteen Goblins he made on his go-off turn.
Game three a quick mulligan to 6 let me hide a Thoughtseize on top of my library. A Gitaxian Therapy from him took my Delver, but my draw of Thoughtseize allowed me to Surgically-Thoughtseize his Infernal Tutors, which was followed later up by a Surgical on Lion’s Eye Diamond which made my life a hell of a lot easier. He tried going off with lethal on board that turn, but he fizzled. My opponent was again a great person and a fantastic player which made that squeaked out win even sweeter.
After winning such a close match, I unfortunately had to put up with some bullshit that involved Sean’s round four opponent trying to “allegedly” cheat him. I saw what I saw and heard what I heard but you know… “allegedly.” This really annoyed me and I was ready to drop from the event at 4-0 because of this. Not to tangent, but I do the Salt Mine podcast because I love Legacy. I don’t care about winning, but if you are going to win, earn it the proper way. When I see stuff like this, it ruins the atmosphere completely for me, and I don’t need to win at magic to feel good about being alive and hanging with the boys. Anyway… Sean, Jesse, Matt and Stephen all convinced me to keep playing and to ignore that bullshit. Thank you boys. I would also like to specifically thank the Judges at this event for their professionalism, in spite of the “alleged” cheater and I getting into a verbal blue. You can try and cheat against me all you like but don’t try and cheat Sean, especially in front of me you drongo. Fuck off.
I love big Legacy events because it means you get to play people outside of your mates and meet new people, but I hate that it brings out the Spikes who are miserable gronks to play against and who try and cheat to win when they have no other outs. Get out of my card-game you miserable rats.
Round 5: Reid Duke’s Deck
At 4-0 we could have both easily double drawn in but there is bad blood between me and my opponent so he wants to play. Don’t you love the drama I get myself into? Spicy.
A mulligan to six in game one led to a |
8 Olympics results. The diagram below is a Hasse diagram: a country has unarguably done better than another country if there is a chain of arrows running from the former to the latter. If two countries are not connected by a chain of arrows in either direction, it means that there is scope for legitimate dispute about which has done better.
(Transitive reduction and graph drawing courtesy of the rather nifty Graphviz.)A ranking Republican statesman this week told an off-the-record gathering that a “coup” attempt was in progress against President Donald Trump, with collusion between the largely Democratic media and Trump’s numerous enemies in the Republican Party. The object of the coup, the Republican leader added, was not impeachment, but the recruitment of a critical mass of Republican senators and congressmen to the claim that Trump was “unfit” for office and to force his resignation.
It’s helpful to fan away the psychedelic fumes of allegation and innuendo and clarify just what Trump might have done wrong. Trump will not be impeached, and he will not be harried out of office. But he faces a formidable combination of media hostility—what the president today denounced as a “witch hunt”—and a divided White House staff prone to press leaks. The likely outcome will be a prolonged dirty war of words that will delay Trump’s domestic agenda and tie down his loyalists with the chores of fire-fighting.
One thinks of Gulliver tied down by the Lilliputians. Trump was elected by campaigning against the Republican Establishment as well as Obama, ridiculing their policy blunders in Iraq and Afghanistan and questioning their credibility. In the flurry of personal attacks, the underlying policy issues have faded into the background, and that gives the initiative to Trump’s enemies.
Nothing that has been alleged, much less proven, about President Trump comes close to the threshold for impeachment, as Prof. Jonathan Turley of George Washington University’s law school explained in a May 17 comment in The Hill. Even if Trump asked then FBI Director James Comey to go easy on Gen. Michael Flynn, Prof. Turley notes, “Encouraging leniency or advocating for an associate is improper but not necessarily” illegal. The charge of obstruction of justice presumes that there is an issue before the bar of justice, but as Turley adds, “There is no indication of a grand jury proceeding at the time of the Valentine's Day meeting between Trump and Comey. Obstruction cases generally are built around judicial proceedings — not Oval Office meetings.”
The appointment of respected former FBI Director Robert Mueller as special counsel to look into allegations of Russian interference in the November 2016 election strongly suggests that the Trump team feels it has nothing to fear from a thorough review. In this case Trump’s detractors appear to be bluffing. Press reports of contacts between Trump’s campaign and Russian diplomats and businessmen appear to reflect the sort of conversations that every presidential campaign conducts with important foreign governments. It is not clear that Russia was responsible for the delivery of embarrassing Democratic National Committee emails to Wikileaks, moreover. Pro-Trump media report that DNC staffer Seth Rich was Wikileaks’ source. Rich was murdered on a Washington street in July 2016, and a counter-conspiracy theory is circulating about his death.The time has come for traditionalists and reactionaries of every stripe to break up with capitalism.
I chose the term “break up with” carefully, because what it implies is an emotional separation. This is precisely what is needed, because, especially for those of us who came to traditionalism and reaction from conservatism or libertarianism, there is a strong residual emotional attachment to capitalism. Even the word itself is evocative. Those of us old enough to remember the Cold War remember when it was “Capitalism vs. Communism”; in which the word “capitalism” stood in for the concept of all manner of liberties: freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom of commerce, and freedom to not be dragged away in the middle of the night by secret police, tried in secret courts, and left to rot forever in secret prisons. We remember when it stood for faith in God, for yeoman republican virtues, for tradition, for Mom and apple pie. It was crude and inaccurate to lump those concepts together under the umbrella of that one word (just as it is to do so with the word “democracy” now), but anyone who came of age between the late 1940s and the late 1980s has had the association forever implanted upon their consciousness.
Yet times have changed. The Cold War is long over, and alliances have shifted. As they have, it has become possible to recognize that the mythos of capitalism being an acceptable stand-in for these ideas was always at best a bad analogy, and at worst it was a lie that served the selfish purposes of those who never truly believed in any of the ideals with which they gladly claimed association.
This becomes more undeniable every day, and yet, when someone speaks critically of capitalism, we still instinctively cringe. There is past baggage that is difficult to ignore – mental images of Khruschev or Castro shouting from a balcony; of greasy-haired hippies or of balaclava-wearing Occupy protesters smashing windows. Certainly, there’s a lot to recoil from in those images. And yet, we must overcome instinctive emotionality if we are to analyze the present situation rationally (And this, of course, is critical, for if there is one thing that reactionaries cannot afford to indulge in now, it is self-deception).
I’ve long said that the road to reaction starts with conceding some points to the left (because without doing so, one cannot move past mainstream conservatism, which papers over deep contradictions in its ideology with massive amounts of self-deception). So let us now concede that there are some points regarding capitalism about which the left was correct all along.
The first is that capitalism is inherently amoral. Not immoral, mind you, but amoral. And why wouldn’t it be? The purpose of capitalism is, fundamentally, to generate profits, not to propagate moral teachings. It is in acceptance of this fact that we may distinguish the difference between the proper reaction to capitalism of traditionalists vs. that of the left. The left is angry at capitalism for not being moralistic. They expect it to be, they are bitterly disappointed when it is not, and they loudly insist that it either become so (only in support of their particular morality, of course) or be destroyed and replaced by an economic system that is. This is insensible. Why would a reasonable person be angry at something for it being what it was designed to be and doing what it was designed to do, instead of being and doing some other thing? Is it reasonable for me to be angry at my toaster because I can’t browse the internet on it, or at my cat because it doesn’t fly? Of course not – these do what they are supposed to do, and I should expect them to do those things instead of other things. Shall I react by insisting that someone create an internet-capable toaster, or by trying to strap wings to my cat? How unreasonable that would be; how stubborn in refusal to accept the nature of things!
Yet this all implies understanding of what capitalist enterprises are, not trust in them. I am not angry at a shark because it swims in the ocean and bites things. That’s just what sharks do. If I am swimming in the ocean and a shark bites me, there is no point in being angry at the shark; it’s not being evil, it’s just being a shark. But it is for precisely this reason that I do not trust sharks, nor wish to swim too near them. I do not demonize them, but neither do I lionize them. They may have their place in the world and in the natural order of things, but I am under an obligation to myself to reasonably assess where their proper place is, and isn’t.
What, then, is the moral center of the marketplace? It has none. Here we must acknowledge that there are some (a very few, really) business that do have a genuine moral or ideological center, for better or worse – mostly Hollywood, some (but by no means all) players in the tech industry, and the odd hobby shop or purveyor of chicken sandwiches here are there. But these are rare exceptions. The essentially-universal rule that they are the exception to is this: That the only real principles of capitalist enterprises are their own self-preservation and self-perpetuation. Other than that, they will voice support for, donate relatively small amounts of money to, and make some token gestures (such as accepting a moderate number of Affirmative Action hires into noncritical positions) in the name of whatever cause will ingratiate them with the Establishment. The only time they will take a heartfelt moral stand on anything is when there is an element of self-preservation or self-perpetuation to it – that is what they believe in.
Evidence of this abounds. Let us take the aforementioned capitalist relationship to Communism. Early in the history of the Soviet Union, American capitalists gladly supported the new Bolshevik government any way they could. This was a rational business decision. Russia had been an agricultural backwater before 1917, and the Soviets embarked upon a crash modernization and industrialization program which provided an enormous market for American-built machines to help make that happen. Thus, American businesses gladly conducted commerce with the new Soviet government. The murders of millions of innocent peasants whose only crime was being in the way of “progress”, the destruction of churches and monasteries, the brutal repressions of dissidents – none of this mattered a bit to the American capitalists. The Soviets represented a market, and that was all that was important. It was only in the wake of World War II, when the Soviets had 1) conquered huge swaths of territory, including half of Europe, and denied it to the capitalists as a market, 2) developed atomic weaponry, 3) become obviously expansionistic, and 4) industrialized on their own to the point where they no longer really needed to depend on foreign-built equipment, that capitalists finally began to publicly fret about the horrible, repressive nature of godless Communism. And yet even that was only temporary. The Soviet Union collapsed, of course, yet China remains a Communist country to this day, and one of the most repressive governments in the world. But starting with Nixon’s visit, and really intensifying around the end of the Cold War, China’s status as an existential threat to western capitalists receded, while simultaneously, its potential as as enormous and lucrative market came to the fore. As this happened, capitalist concern for religious freedom and other human rights in China simply seemed to evaporate. If pressed, they may admit that yes, it’s a darn shame, but not anything worth more than a second in which to shrug and say: “That’s life”.
If one good example is temporal, another is geographical. Internet companies, notoriously, give in to the demands of the governments of places in which they do business incessantly (so long as these do not conflict with the demands of the governments of the countries in which they are headquartered). If Pakistan demands censorship or surveillance in support of Islamist theocracy, they get it. If China demands censorship or surveillance in support of Communism, they get it. If Western nations demand censorship or surveillance in support of some or another Politically Correct egalitarian utopian cause, they get it. There is sustained pushback only when the risk is minimal and is outweighed by some public relations benefits.
There is an important lesson in this for both left and right. If the Establishment was, say, virulently anti-homosexual (not in the “look the other way” Victorian sense, but in the Saudi Arabian sense), we would see televised public burnings at the stake of homosexuals that were sponsored by Pepsi, Geico, and Southwest Airlines. Instead, the Establishment is virulently pro-homosexual, so we see “Gay Pride” parades sponsored by the same entities.
Again, they are sharks. They do what it is the nature of sharks to do. The amoral nature of capitalism, other than in the areas of self-preservation or self-perpetuation, is a feature of its system, not a bug.
It is here that a great inherent danger to traditionalists in the drive of capitalism towards self-preservation and self-perpetuation is revealed, because once we move beyond obsolete Cold War-era rhetoric, we can clearly see that the interests of capitalism do not really conform to those of traditionalism. Nowhere is that more obvious than in the area of the rise of consumerism. Consumerism is toxic to faith and tradition, yet it is the lifeblood of capitalism. Let us be clear here – consumerism is not simply the acquisition of the necessities of life, nor even of a few simple harmless luxuries, in the marketplace. Instead, it is the placement of the marketplace not only at the center of public life, but at the center of personal life as well. It is gross overemphasis on the pleasure and status brought by the acquisition of goods. This is a fall into the sin of abandoning chastity, in the sense that the Medievals understood that word. Their understanding of it, which is different from our own, could be best defined as “excessive attachment to worldly pleasures”, of which sex was just one (an important one to be sure, but only one nonetheless). Putting worldly pleasures at the center of life leaves little room for other things, things that are more important and, in the end, more fulfilling – things like faith, family, community, friendship, study, self-improvement, charity, and genuine love. This leads, inevitably, to the loss of these things, or their replacement by shoddy substitutes (e.g. paternalistic big government in place of family, work in place of community, Facebook in place of friends, casual sex in place of genuine love). Consumerism has been a prime contributor to all of this; it has even co-opted the tribal instinct – people now engage in vicious, extended personal attacks on each other based on their tribal loyalties to the corporations whose products they consume: Microsoft, Apple, Google, Playstation, Xbox, AT&T, Verizon, Toyota, and Ford are all tribes to which one may belong, and which one may gain a sense of self-worth by defending from heathens, infidels, and other outsiders.
And the danger exists not only in the form of a deeply unhealthy overemphasis on the desire to buy, but in an equally unhealthy overemphasis on paid work, which represents the means with which to buy. Yes, providing a living for oneself and one’s family is a necessary thing, and doing so instead of expecting others to pay one’s way has a definite honor to it. But sitting in a cubicle and moldering away from 8 to 5 to be able to afford to acquire meaningless possessions that you don’t really need is no healthy society’s idea of the apotheosis of what it means to be a man, and even less of what it means to be a woman. The emptiness of defining oneself, or even measuring personal “success” in life, by one’s “career” is simply horrifying, and every traditionalist or reactionary should be able to discern that at the most casual glance. Yes, a few paid jobs – bold entrepreneur, erudite professor, hard-hitting journalist – may indeed have some element of self-realization or fulfillment to them. But, as women have begun to discover now that reality has collided with the feminist dream, the truth is this: most work sucks. It may be necessary, it may need to be done, it may even give some direction to those who, left to themselves, would not be imaginative enough to have any. But it still sucks. And it is most certainly is not something that should be the measure of a person’s worth or the center of their lives. In more sensible societies, the centers of life are faith, family, and community, with work (and sorry, that’s really all that your “career” is) grudgingly accepted as something necessary to maintaining what is truly important. Capitalism places these priorities exactly backwards, and does so for its own narrow benefit.
If this phenomenon is bad in the West, it is even worse in places like Japan and South Korea. The unsung villain in the demographic collapse of these places is the stealth destruction of the family. I say “stealth destruction” because it is not expressed in high rates of divorce or bastardy, as it is in the West. Instead, men (it is still largely men) are expected to make their workplaces into their ersatz families, and to devote their lives to their employers. Between work itself and constant, effectively mandatory socialization with bosses and coworkers, it’s not unusual at all for men in these places to leave their houses at 7AM and come home at 10 or 11PM, five nights a week. This leaves their wives to effectively be single mothers, and their children to effectively be raised by single mothers. Many there are reaching the entirely rational conclusion that in such an environment, having a family (and especially a large family) is simply not a proposition that can stand up to an objective cost/benefit analysis. For men, the math is especially bad – why have a family who you’ll barely ever see? Children who will effectively view you as a stranger? So they don’t bother, and the family is destroyed, and the nation slowly dies, to meet the needs of a society with the marketplace at its center. Has it made these countries rich? Unquestionably. But at what cost, both for society and the individual?
Throughout the world: How many innocent children have been aborted – sacrificed, in a very real sense, at the altar of Moloch – by women who did it because having a child would “hurt their career”?
It is enough to make a traditional say: If less conspicuous material wealth, less consumerism, less “stuff” in our lives to define who we are both by its acquisition and its possession – if this is the price of a society in which faith, family, and community have regained their proper place at the center of both the personal and public lives of men and women, then so be it!
So, then, what are traditionalists and reactionaries to do? Turn towards Marx, Mao, and Occupy protesters? Nothing of the sort. The proper thing to do is to make a distinction that should have been made ages ago. Much of the problem has to do with the fact that “capitalism” is a word that encompasses so many things that it lacks a usably precise meaning, and this is almost certainly due in part to some intentional obfuscation. To lump the hardworking, blue-collar family man who is trying to make a small business work in with corrupt Wall Street crony capitalists and slick Hollywood marketers is nonsense, but is politically useful for the crony capitalists and their enablers. If they are all one, then an attack on one is an attack on all, and what sort of terrible commie looter would wish to attack our hardworking small businessman? The answer to this muddle is to disaggregate what should logically be disaggregated. Totalism, which is the belief that only the extreme positions are valid, and that a thing must either be celebrated or banned, is a fallacy of Puritanism, either in its religious or leftist/secular humanist guises. For traditionalists and other non-Puritans, a place in between untrammeled corporatist consumerist capitalism and Marx is indeed possible. We can admit of the possibility that one can support the right of free commerce, especially for the humble independent tradesman or small businessman, while still not supporting the right of megacorporations and corrupt bankers to run roughshod over the rest of society, including – especially – by eroding the proper values of a decent society and replacing them with new ones that are conducive to their own narrow interests.
And the right of free commerce really isn’t the same as consumerist, corporatist capitalism. Consider: we have the latter now, but no longer effectively have the former. If a bureaucratic state of infinite reach can tell every baker, florist, and hobby shop owner who they must and cannot do business with, who they must and cannot hire, what they must and cannot compensate their employees with, what they must and cannot accept as payment for services rendered, along with thousands of other regulations covering every minute detail of how their businesses must and cannot be run, then who is really running those businesses? Is it their owners, or are all the decisions of real consequence made by distant, impersonal government functionaries? And if that is the case, then surely, the right of free commerce exists in name only. Lest we forget, large corporations often support these kinds of regulations, for precisely the reasons that: 1) they can absorb the costs of these regulatory burdens far more easily than can small businesses, which gives them an even greater competitive advantage over small competitors than they already had, 2) they are far less likely to have any moral concerns about complying with these dictates, and 3) their wealth and influence means that they can often get exemptions from regulations they find excessively burdensome. Thus is the right of free commerce actually subverted by the crony capitalist.
If we can thus admit that there is a proper bifurcation between the right of free commerce and consumerist, corporatist capitalism; if we can say that the marketplace deserves, and indeed must have, a place in a society, but that the proper place for it is not at a society’s center; if we can agree that merchant values, when applied to and limited to their proper spheres, can bring prosperity, and yet should not and cannot be the controlling values of a decent society; when we transcend Cold War nostalgia and the self-serving deceptions of those who are no true allies of tradition, then it becomes clear that one of the defining characteristics of the traditionalist and reactionary right (and what may be one of the defining points that sets it apart from mainstream conservatism) must be a proper distrust for and skepticism of those forces of cronyism, corruption, consumerism, and corporatism that we may refer to simply as: capitalism.
And so I urge traditionalists: Stand up for the right of free commerce, but dump capitalism!
AdvertisementsDesign Stuff I post some design stuff here. Recommend 25 1.00 So you wanna be a tabletop game designer, eh? Posted by Jeremy Stoltzfus Jeremy Stoltzfus jerdude) United States
Lancaster
Pennsylvania So you wanna be a tabletop game designer, eh?
Cool. I'm no pro but I can share what I've learned in the last 5 years as a hobby designer.
Before I get into it, I’m going to address something that’s on the minds of all new designers: Kickstarter. If you’re planning on using it - don’t. Or at least not yet. Start out operating on the assumption that you’ll license your design to a publisher. Why? This way you’ll avoid doing silly things like investing money on artwork or marketing early on. I also personally think licensing your game is a better deal for new designers. I’m more than happy to discuss the merits of both, but that’s another discussion for another day. I'm not saying you shouldn't self-publish, I'm just saying that you shouldn't make that decision until you've got a publishable game and you've fully researched the investment it will take to do so - and if you're just getting started, you're still far away from that point.
With that out of the way, here are some tips for designing your first game:
Start with a hook. It could be a thematic or mechanical hook, just as long as it answers the question: “why would somebody play this over the millions of other games out there?”. Find it early and it should help guide your design decisions.
Fail Faster. Get your ideas out of your head and into a testable prototype as soon as possible (and watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDjrOaoHz9s)
MVP: Minimum Viable Prototype. You’ve probably got a million awesome ideas for your game, but include them all and you’ll end up with a convoluted mess - if you ever finish it at all. Include only the absolutely necessary mechanics in your early versions and make sure they work. It’s going to be a lot easier to add stuff than to remove stuff down the road.
Rapid iteration. Make your early prototypes quick and dirty. Your game is going to go through many, many, many changes. Make sure you can make new versions quickly and throw them out afterward without remorse.
Play similar games. There are other games out there similar to whatever you are designing. Find those games, play them, and learn from them. Avoid the pitfalls they ran into and steal the ideas that worked. Also, give careful thought to how you’re going to make your game stand apart from them.
Four phase playtesting. Who do you playtest with? It usually depends on how far along you are.
Phase 1: Solo playtesting. Your early versions WILL suck. Please don’t inflict them on other humans.
Phase 2: Play with friends. Friends are willing to play your crappy looking prototypes, but will often provide biased feedback.
Phase 3: Play with strangers. Strangers are unfamiliar with you and your game and will give you less biased feedback. They usually appreciate a nicer prototype, though, and may need to be plied with beer or candy.
Phase 4: Blind playtests. Only relevant at the very, very end of your design process. This is when you give somebody the rules and the game to see if they can figure it out without your assistance.
Interact with other designers. You can learn a lot just from talking to other designers, playing their games, and letting them play yours. There are plenty of design communities on the internet and in meatspace - find them and become a part of them.
Resources:
https://thenounproject.com/ - Free icons for prototypes.
https://www.thegamecrafter.com/ - Order nice prototypes (for Phase 3+ playtesting or publisher submissions).
https://tabletopia.com/ - Amazing resource for virtual prototyping and playtesting.
http://unpub.net/ - Find playtesting events near you. Great way to get your games tested and to mingle with other designers.
https://www.reddit.com/r/tabletopgamedesign/ - Nice community for tabletop game designers. [+] Dice rolls Search Categories Contributors Jeremy StoltzfusThe Department of Homeland Security told the state of Wisconsin that Russian actors did not target Wisconsin's election systems in 2016, as DHS had originally announced Friday, according to a Wisconsin State Journal report. At the time, DHS had said the actors had not had any impact on the outcome of the election. Big picture, this brings the reportedly targeted states down from 21 to 20.
The mistake: A targeted IP address was linked to Wisconsin's Department of Workforce Development, not the state's voter registration systems, the latter of which was originally reported, according to Juan Figueroa, with Homeland Security's Office of Infrastructure Protection. It was not immediately clear why the mistake was made, raising questions of whether the mistake was made in assessments of other states as well.Take lemons as an example. Bars juice the fruit and often throw away the husk, but at Operation Dagger, the still-flavorful husk is used for a house-made limoncello before being composted.
Eggs are another commonly squandered item, Whearty pointed out.
Egg whites are popular in cocktails but the yolk is typically chucked, so Operation Dagger sought to highlight the yolk in its acclaimed drink that's aptly called The Egg. Yolk is cured with rum, vanilla and salted egg yolk — a popular food trend in Singapore — before being smoked in a jar with hay and star anise.
The dimly-lit bar also makes wine with natural ferments, opting for cabbages, figs, beetroot, coconuts and carrots instead of traditional grapes. Meanwhile, beer drinkers can go for a 10-day fermented brew with heritage tomatoes, hops and malt.
Drink ingredients are also turned into snacks. One dish is broccolini served with a fortified macadamia cream — the by-product of distilled roasted macadamia.For a small subset of HTML Files in my Angular/MEAN Stack app, invoking the Auto Formatter breaks the angular code in a number of very strange ways. The problems boil down into the following major issues:
Spaces inserted at the end of every quoted attribute <div class="hello"> turns into <div class="hello "> Spaces inserted arbitrarily into Angular specific directives <div ng-click="vm.selected = null"> becomes <div ng-click="vm.selected = n ull"> Page hierarchy gets lost and there are "cliffs" in the indented code. This seems to be in some way related to span tags nested in div tags. <div class="row "> <div class="col col-xs-6 "> <div class="row "> </div> <div class="row "> <div class="col col-xs-6 text-left label-text ">Endorsements</div> <div class="col col-xs-6 text-right " ng-if="job.endorsements.length "> <span class="endorsement-tile " ng-repeat="e in job.endorsements ">{{e}}<span ng-if="!$last ">, </span> </span> </div> <div class="info-text text-right col col-xs-6 " ng-if="!job.endorsements "><span>- - -</span></div> </div> </div> <div class="col col-xs-6 "> <div class="row "> <!-- more content below -->
This seems to reproduce "worst" in my environment. My other developers, using a shared workspace settings.json file, run into some of the indentation issues, but not the rogue space characters issues. The only setting in my user settings.json file is editor.formatOnType: true, and the problem persists if I remove it.
This only affects a subset of files in the project. All have the file type.html, with some being filename.client.view.html, with others being filename.client.template.html. The problem doesn't seem to be specific to either naming type
help?Want to learn how to cut safely with the miter saw and other power tools commonly found in a woodshop? Woodworking Safety & Orientation will include guidence on things like how to position hands during a cut, when (and when not) to wear gloves, how to position the materials being held, and more. Participants will complete a small project using some, but not all tools listed below, and will allow you to continue to use the equipment during Open Shop. Before coming to the class, please read through and sign the Waiver, Release of Liability Form.
Below is a list of various tools that may be covered during Woodworking Safety & Orientation. Again, tool use subject to instructor approval.
Wood Machines
Delta 10” table saw - Unisaw (instructor use only)
15” Miter Saw - Hitachi C15FB
12” Double Bevel Sliding Miter Saw - Bosch GCM12SD
Scroll Saw - Dewalt DW788-1
6” Belt & 12” Disc Sander - Jet JSG-6DC
5-1/2" Oscillating Spindle Sander - Jet 708404 JBOS-5
18” Bandsaw - Laguna LT18SE16
Panel Saw - Safety Speed H5 w/ 2.5HP 8” Milwaukee 6410 Saw
20” Helical Head Planer - Jet JWP-208HH
6” Helical Head Jointer - Grizzly G0452Z
6” Quill Drill Press - Powermatic PM2800B
Wood Power Tools
2.25HP Router - Bosch 1617 - Fixed & Plunge base or Router Table
Oscillating Tool - Bosch MX25A
Micro Pin Nailer - Porter Cable PIN100
Brad Nailer - Bostitch BT1855
2” Staple Gun - Spot Nail XS6650
Finish Nailer - Hitachi NT65MA4
Frame Nailer - Hitachi NR 90AE(S)
Biscuit Joiner - Makita PJ7000
5” Round Orbital and 4” Square Palm Sanders
18V Dewalt Hammer Drill, Drill, Impact Drivers, ½” Impact Wrench
12V Dewalt Drill, Impact Driver
Jig Saw - Dewalt DW317-1
Worm Drive and Direct Drive 7-¼” Circular Saws
WORKSHOP & OPEN SHOP POLICIES:
Closed-toe shoes are required.
No loose or dangling hair, clothing or jewelry can be worn in the shop.
Shop temperature fluctuates, wear layers. Wear jeans if metalworking.
Must be 18+ to participate in workshops or open shop.
If for any reason Maker Village KC needs to cancel a class or workshop, you will be notified and refunded.
OUR ADDRESS: 606 E 31st. Street. KC, MO 64109 (⊙﹏⊙)
PARKING: Free street parking on 31st street and Cherry street.
PUBLIC TRANSIT: Maker Village is accessible through RideKC. For more information or to plan your trip, visit ridekc.org/ or use the Google Maps iphone/android app.High Times is a monthly magazine and cannabis brand with offices in Los Angeles and New York City. The magazine was founded in 1974 by Tom Forçade and the publication advocates the legalization of cannabis. The magazine has been involved in the marijuana-using counterculture since its inception.
Origins [ edit ]
The magazine was founded in 1974 by Tom Forçade of the Underground Press Syndicate.[1] High Times was originally meant to be a joke: a single-issue lampoon of Playboy, substituting weed for sex.[2] The magazine was at the beginning funded by drug money from the sale of illegal marijuana.[3] But the magazine found an audience, and in November 2009, celebrated its 35th anniversary.[4] Like Playboy, each issue contains a centerfold photo; however, instead of a nude woman, High Times typically features a cannabis plant.[5]
The magazine soon became a monthly publication with a growing circulation, audited by ABC as reaching 500,000 copies an issue, rivaling Rolling Stone and National Lampoon.[6] In 2014, its website was read by 500,000 to 5 million users each month.[7][8] The staff quickly grew to 40 people. In addition to high-quality photography, High Times featured cutting-edge journalism covering a wide range of topics, including politics, activism, drugs, sex, music and film.[9] Tom Forçade was quoted as saying "Those cavemen must've been stoned, no pun intended."[citation needed] Tom Forçade's previous attempts to reach a wide counterculture audience by creating a network of underground papers (UPS & APS) had failed, even though he had the support of several noteworthy writers, photographers and artists.[10] Yet, through High Times, Forçade was able to get his message to the masses without relying on mainstream media.[11][12]
In January 2017, the magazine announced it would be relocated to an office in Los Angeles permanently.[3] This followed the legalization of marijuana in several west coasts states, including California.[13]
High Times acquired cannabis media company Green Rush Daily Inc. on April 5, 2018.[14] The deal was valued at $6.9 million. Green Rush Daily founder Scott McGovern joined the magazine as Senior Executive Vice President.[15]
Related endeavors [ edit ]
Recognition and award ceremonies [ edit ]
Film production [ edit ]
Book publishing [ edit ]
Notes [ edit ]MELBOURNE, Fla. -- It helps that Bryan Holaday has seen plenty of Stephen Strasburg, going back to the pair’s college days when Holaday was catching for TCU and Strasburg was pitching for San Diego State.
But still, Holaday seems to be swinging the bat well against just about anybody right now, prior history or not.
His torrid start to spring training continued Saturday when he hit a pair of home runs in the Detroit Tigers' 8-4 loss to the Washington Nationals at Space Coast Stadium. The 28-year-old Holaday has gone 6-for-8 with three home runs, two doubles and eight RBIs in four games. (His current slugging percentage? 2.125).
But here is where things become complicated. The Tigers signed veteran catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia this offseason, enticed by his pop from the left side of the plate. Meanwhile, Holaday is out of minor-league options, meaning he would be susceptible to waivers should he not surmount the odds and win the backup position outright. Given his performance this spring and the dearth of good quality catchers available right now, he would almost certainly be claimed. So the Tigers face the possibility of losing him for nothing or trading him.
What would it take for him to remain a Tiger?
“I can’t answer that question,” manager Brad Ausmus said, “because I’m not sure."
And Holaday is well aware of this predicament, though he insists he has drawn no extra motivation or sense of urgency to prove himself, despite the unfortunate numbers game he faces.
“I think I do a good job of managing my emotions and keeping myself in control, because you can’t control what happens," Holaday said. "So you go out there and do all the right things and hope it falls into place for you.”
Holaday, a well-liked and respected teammate, is not the only one hoping for as much. Veteran Victor Martinez said Holaday is always one of the early arrivals at the club’s spring training complex each morning, busting his tail in the gym.
“He works his butt off,” Martinez said. “If you work, there’s always room for development.”
Work ethic and professionalism was never something the Tigers were concerned with, even when they signed Saltalamacchia during this year’s winter meetings.
“He’s been great. You never worry about effort, how much he cares. Doc always has his heart in the right place and his head in the right place, and he’ll outwork or work as hard as anyone,” Ausmus vouched. “That’s never been the question.”
If Holaday hit from the left side of the plate, that would change the conversation, of course.
“It’d be different, that’s for sure,” Ausmus said.
Holaday, who refined his swing two offseasons ago while working with Al Kaline, scrapping his big leg kick and opting for a shorter one instead, said he is adept at maintaining an even-keel when facing the reality of the business. He had a mental conditioning coach at TCU and still remains in touch with him for help.
Holaday may be raising eyebrows elsewhere -- drawing interest from other teams short on catching depth -- but he doesn’t think his performance this spring has surprised anyone from within the organization.
“I think this staff knows what I can do,” Holaday said. “I go out there and do my job, and it’s been going well right now. But I think they know no matter happens I’m going to |
5:cif cancel cmd:kick fastsign: exclusions: - '[public]' - '[private]' - '[protection]' - '[mail]' - '[free]' - '[kit]' - '[disposal]' - '[heal]' - '[time]' - '[weather]' - '[warp]' - '[spawnmob]' - '[enchant]' - '[trade]' - '[buy]' - '[sell]' - '[balance]' - '[gate]' - '[bridge]' - '[door]' chat: nopwnage: active: true warnplayers: false warnothers: false warnlevel: 400 warntimeout: 30000 banlevel: 800 kickmessage: Kicked by the NoPwnage check of NoCheat+! otheractions: cancel log:nopwnage:2:5:cf cmd:banspam cmd:ban-ip move: active: true weightbonus: 200 weightmalus: 200 timeout: 30000 repeat: active: true weight: 150 timeout: 5000 speed: active: true weight: 200 timeout: 500 first: active: true weight: 200 timeout: 3000 global: active: true weight: 100 timeout: 5000 banned: active: true weight: 200 timeout: 2000 relog: active: true time: 1500 warnings: 1 timeout: 60000 captcha: active: true tries: 20 length: 4 characters: abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ1234567890 arrivalslimit: active: false playerslimit: 3 timeframe: 5000 cooldowndelay: 5000 newtime: 600000 kickmessage: Please try again later! actions: cancel color: active: true actions: log:color:0:1:if cancel fight: direction: active: true precision: 75 penaltytime: 500 actions: cancel vl>5 log:fdirection:3:5:f cancel vl>20 log:fdirection:0:5:if cancel cmd:kickdir noswing: active: true actions: log:fnoswing:0:5:cf cancel reach: active: true distance: 400 penaltytime: 500 actions: cancel vl>10 log:freach:2:5:if cancel vl>15 cancel cmd:kickreach speed: active: true attacklimit: 15 actions: log:fspeed:0:5:if cancel godmode: active: true actions: log:fgod:2:5:if cancel vl>15 cmd:kickgod instantheal: active: true actions: log:fheal:1:1:if cancel vl>15 cmd:kickheal knockback: active: true interval: 50 actions: cancel vl>200 log:fknock:0:5:cif cancel cmd:kickkb critical: active: true falldistance: 0.01 velocity: 0.1 actions: cancel vl>200 log:fcritical:0:5:cif cancel cmd:kickcrits strings: drop: '[player] failed [check]: tried to drop more items than allowed. VL [violations].' moveshort: '[player] failed [check]. VL [violations].' movelong: '[player] in [world] at [location] moving to [locationto] over distance [movedistance] failed check [check]. Total violation level so far [violations].' nofall: '[player] failed [check]: tried to avoid fall damage for ~[falldistance] blocks. VL [violations].' morepackets: '[player] failed [check]: sent [packets] more packets than expected. Total violation level [violations].' waterwalk: '[player] failed [check]: tried to walk on water. Total violation level [violations].' bbfastbreak: '[player] failed [check]: tried to break too much blocks. Total violation level [violations].' bbreach: '[player] failed [check]: tried to interact with a block over distance [reachdistance]. VL [violations].' bbdirection: '[player] failed [check]: tried to interact with a block out of line of sight. VL [violations].' bbnoswing: '[player] failed [check]: Didn''t swing arm. VL [violations].' bpfastplace: '[player] failed [check]: tried to place too much blocks. Total violation level [violations].' bpreach: '[player] failed [check]: tried to interact with a block over distance [reachdistance]. VL [violations].' bpdirection: '[player] failed [check]: tried to interact with a block out of line of sight. VL [violations].' bpprojectile: '[player] failed [check]: tried to throw items too quicly. VL [violations].' nopwnage: '[player] ([ip]) failed chat.nopwnage: [reason].' color: '[player] failed [check]: sent colored chat message ''[text]''. VL [violations].' fdirection: '[player] failed [check]: tried to interact with a block out of line of sight. VL [violations].' freach: '[player] failed [check]: tried to attack entity out of reach. VL [violations].' fspeed: '[player] failed [check]: tried to attack more than [limit] times per second. VL [violations].' fnoswing: '[player] failed [check]: Didn''t swing arm. VL [violations].' fgod: '[player] failed [check]: Avoided taking damage or lagging. VL [violations].' fheal: '[player] failed [check]: tried to regenerate health faster than normal. VL [violations].' fknock: '[player] failed [check]: tried to do a knockback but wasn''t technically sprinting. VL [violations].' fcritical: '[player] failed [check]: tried to do a critical hit but wasn''t technically jumping. VL [violations].' ibow: '[player] failed [check]: fires bow to fast. VL [violations].' ieat: '[player] failed [check]: eats food [food] too fast. VL [violations].' kick: kick [player] ban: ban [player] ban-ip: ban-ip [ip] bandrop: ban [player] Auto banned for attempted drop spam. kickfp: kick [player] Auto kicked for fastplace. Violation level [violations] kickpacket: kick [player] Auto kicked for packet sending violations. Violation level [violations] kickfb: kick [player] Auto kicked for fastbreak. Violation level [violations] kickdir: kick [player] Auto kicked for direction/interaction violations. Violation level [violations] banspam: ban [player] Auto banned for spam. LOL FAIL. kickreach: kick [player] Auto kicked for fight reach violations. Violation level [violations] kickcrits: kick [player] Auto kicked for knockback hacks/critical hit hacks. Violation level [violations] kickgod: kick [player] Auto kicked for attempted godmode. Violation level [violations] kickheal: kick [player] Auto kicked for attempted auto heal. Violation level [violations] kickkb: kick [player] Auto kicked for knockback hacks/critical hit hacks. Violation level [violations] kicknuker: kick [player] Auto kicked for nuker. Violation level [violations] kickrunfly: kick [player] Auto kicked for runfly violations. Violation level [violations]Meredith Curly Hunter, Jr. (October 24, 1951 – December 6, 1969) was an 18-year-old African-American teen who was killed at the 1969 Altamont Free Concert. During the performance by The Rolling Stones, Hunter approached the stage, and was violently driven off by members of the Hells Angels motorcycle club who had been contracted to serve as security guards. He subsequently returned to the stage area, drew a revolver, and was stabbed and beaten to death by Hells Angel Alan Passaro.
The incident was caught on camera and became a central scene in the documentary Gimme Shelter. Passaro was charged with murder. After an eight-man, four-woman jury deliberated for 12 and a half hours, following 17 days of testimony, Passaro was acquitted on grounds of self-defense.
Altamont [ edit ]
Hunter, an 18-year-old arts student from Berkeley, California, was nicknamed "Murdock" and described by friends to be a flashy dresser with a big Afro. Hunter, his girlfriend Patty Bredehoft, and another couple traveled from Berkeley to attend the Altamont Free Concert.[1][2]
The Hells Angels had been hired to provide security for the concert, for $500 (about US $3,345 adjusted for inflation, 2017) worth of beer.[3] They stood directly in front of the bands in an effort to keep people off the unusually low stage set up at the bottom of a low slope. They parked several of their motorcycles in front of the stage to act "as a kind of bulwark against the crowd".[4]
As the Hells Angels became intoxicated and the crowd became restless and unpredictable, the drunken Hells Angels began hurling full cans of beer from their stockpile and striking concert-goers with sawn-off, weighted pool cues and motorcycle chains to drive the crowd back from the stage and their motorcycles. By the time the Rolling Stones took the stage in the early evening, the mood had taken a decidedly ugly turn, as numerous fights began to erupt between Angels and crowd members. Denise Jewkes of local San Francisco rock band The Ace of Cups, six months pregnant at the time, was hit in the head by an empty beer bottle thrown from the crowd during their set and suffered a skull fracture that warranted emergency surgery.[5]
Lead singer Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones (who had been punched by a concertgoer within seconds of emerging from the Stones' helicopter)[6] urged the audience to "just be cool down in the front there, don't push around." Within a minute of starting their third song, "Sympathy for the Devil", a fight erupted in the front of the crowd at the foot of the stage. After another appeal for calm, the band restarted the song and continued their set with less incident until the start of "Under My Thumb". At this point, two of the Hells Angels got into a scuffle with Hunter. One of the Hells Angels grabbed Hunter's head, punched him, and chased him back into the crowd, where four Angels descended upon him. An eyewitness also reported that Hunter was stabbed by one of the Angels at this point, prior to the stabbing that was later caught on film. [7]
After a few seconds Hunter angrily returned to the front of the stage where, according to Gimme Shelter producer Porter Bibb, Hunter's girlfriend Patty Bredehoft found him and tearfully begged him to calm down and move farther back in the crowd with her. By her report he was enraged, irrational and "so high he could barely walk".[8] Grateful Dead associate Rock Scully noticed Hunter in the crowd, concluding that “I saw what he was looking at, that he was crazy, he was on drugs, and that he had murderous intent. There was no doubt in my mind that he intended to do terrible harm to Mick or somebody in the Rolling Stones, or somebody on that stage."[9] Another witness reported him as looking "pretty straight", though visibly upset about the violence inflicted upon him. [7]
At this point, footage from the documentary shows Hunter (seen in the film in a lime-green suit) drawing what appears to be a long-barreled black.22 caliber revolver from his jacket and pointing it in the air.[10] The film shows what might be an orange flash at the end of the pistol in one frame. Due to the film's low fidelity, it is impossible to determine whether the flash is a gunshot, a reflection, or a film defect. The Angels did not report any discharged cartridges in Hunter's pistol.[7] The film then shows Hells Angel Alan Passaro, armed with a knife, running at Hunter from the side, parrying the gun with his left hand and stabbing him with his right. Sources vary regarding which of the Maysles Brothers' camera operators shot the footage of the stabbing. Albert Maysles attributed it to cameraman Baird Bryant, while other sources have also credited Eric Saarinen.[11][12]
In the film sequence, lasting about two seconds, a six-foot opening in the crowd appears, leaving Patty Bredehoft in the center. Hunter enters the opening from the left, his hand rises and the silhouette of a revolver is clearly seen against Bredehoft's bright crocheted vest. Passaro is seen entering from the right and delivering two stabs as he pushes Hunter off screen. The opening closes around Bredehoft. Passaro is reported to have stabbed Hunter five times in the upper back. Witnesses also reported Hunter was stomped on by several Hells Angels while he was on the ground. The gun was recovered and turned over to police. Hunter's autopsy later confirmed his girlfriend's report that he did have methamphetamine in his bloodstream at the time of his death.[1][7]
Aftermath [ edit ]
Passaro was arrested and charged with murder for Hunter's death, but was acquitted on the grounds of self-defense, after the jury viewed the footage from the concert showing Hunter drawing the revolver and pointing it toward the stage[13][14][15] or in the air.[10][16]
The Rolling Stones state that they were unaware that a killing had taken place during their set; in the Gimme Shelter documentary, Jagger notices the commotion in the crowd and threatens to end the performance until a stagehand pulls him aside and informs him about someone with a gun. The film then cuts to Jagger viewing raw footage of the killing, apparently for the first time. In 1995, Jagger commented on Hunter's death in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine publisher Jann Wenner, who asked, "After the concert itself, when it became apparent that somebody got killed, how did you feel?" Jagger replied, "Well, awful. I mean, just awful. You feel a responsibility. How could it all have been so silly and wrong? But I didn't think of these things that you guys thought of, you in the press: this great loss of innocence, this cathartic end of the era... I didn't think of any of that. That particular burden didn't weigh on my mind. It was more how awful it was to have had this experience and how awful it was for someone to get killed..."[17]
Shortly after Hunter's death, Altha May Anderson, Hunter's mother, requested that Altamont Raceway be turned into a public park to "prevent any more wrongful deaths at Altamont". Alameda County officials later voted to allow the Raceway to still host races, but barred future concerts and restricted the number of attendees to 3,000.[7]
Passaro drowned in Anderson Lake in southern Santa Clara County in 1985; police said "the death is kind of suspicious",[18] though foul play was never confirmed.
Over the years, there were rumors that a second, unidentified assailant had inflicted the fatal wounds, and, as a result, the police considered the case still open. On May 25, 2005, the Alameda County Sheriff's Office announced that it was officially closing the stabbing case. Investigators, concluding a renewed two-year investigation, dismissed the theory that a second Hells Angel took part in the stabbing.[1]
In 2006, filmmaker Sam Green released a short documentary titled Lot 63, Grave C (Hunter's gravesite), which revolves around the last day of Hunter's life and the unmarked grave where he was buried.[19] After the film screened widely at film festivals, several people sent donations to the cemetery to buy Meredith Hunter a headstone. The headstone was installed in 2008.
A documentary which aired on BBC in 2008 reported that subsequent to the concert, members of the Hells Angels unsuccessfully tried to murder Mick Jagger. [20]People often assume that New York is full of liberal, tolerant people, a place where people will at least keep their mouths shut on the subway about things that don’t concern them. But that wasn’t the case for Pearl Love, a transgender woman who on Monday found herself on the receiving end of a litany of abuse, which began verbal and became physical, while riding the subway.
Love recorded video of the incident, in which a woman sitting across from her accuses her of “living in a man’s penis and body” and hurls racist remarks at her about her Asian identity.
[Placeholder for https://www.facebook.com/pearl.mclove/posts/1102376999804985/?type=2&theater embed.]
In a text post accompanying the video, Love explained that she was on the 6 train to the Bronx, where she works as an outreach social worker, when the woman began to yell at her.
Love said she ignored the woman for a while but began recording when the woman’s yelling became louder.
“What are we supposed to do with you?” the woman yelled. “Because this s**t right here ain’t appropriate for my child.” She also asked, “Who are you really under all that makeup?”
Eventually, the woman attacked Love. “When I retreated,” Love wrote on Facebook, “she threw all my stuff on the floor and chased me around the train and [said] she [was] going to find a stick to hit me. It was a crowded train and everyone heard it but no one helped me. Guys acting like nothing happened.”
In a Facebook message to the Daily Dot, Love said, “My dear friends, thanks for your support.” She said she was busy studying for a citizenship test.
Love, who is originally from Taiwan, wrote on Facebook that things like this “happens all the time. But it’s my first time recording it.” The woman in question, she wrote, “has a lot to learn. She need education [about] how to respect [and] learn not to be discriminatory against the Trans Community [sic].”
In March, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio issued an executive order letting transgender people use whichever bathroom corresponded with their gender identity, a sharp contrast to policies in states like North Carolina that have restricted the rights of transgender individuals.
“We want people to know they can go about their lives and not be excluded,” de Blasio said.
But even in places where the law is on their side, transgender people face disproportionate levels of violence.
According to the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, 72 percent of hate-crime homicides in 2013 were of transgender women, and transgender people were seven times as likely to experience “physical violence when interacting with the police compared to cisgender survivors and victims.”Image Ownership:Public Domain
Known as the Primer Libertador de America or “first liberator of the Americas,” Gaspar Yanga led one of colonial Mexico’s first successful slave uprisings and would go on to establish one of the Americas earliest free black settlements.
Rumored to be of royal lineage from West Africa, Yanga was an enslaved worker in the sugarcane plantations of Veracruz, Mexico. In 1570 he, along with a group of followers, escaped, fled to the mountainous regions near Córdoba, and established a settlement of former slaves or palenque. They remained there virtually unmolested by Spanish authorities for nearly 40 years. Taking the role of spiritual and military leader, he structured the agricultural community in an ordered capacity, allowing its growth and occupation of various locations.
During that time, Yanga and his band, also known as cimarrónes, were implicated in the disruption and looting of trade goods along the Camino Real (Royal Road) between Veracruz and Mexico City. They were also held responsible for attacking nearby haciendas and kidnapping indigenous women. Perceived as dangerous to the colonial system of slavery through their daring actions against royal commerce and authority, New Spain’s viceroy called for the annihilation of Yanga’s palenque. Destroying the community and its leader would send a message to other would-be rebellious slaves that Spain’s authority over them was absolute.
In 1609, Spanish authorities sent a well-armed militia to defeat Yanga and his palenque but were defeated. Yanga’s surprise victory over the Spanish heightened the confidence of his warriors and the frustration in Mexico City.
After defeating other Spanish forces sent again the palenque, Yanga offered to make peace but with eleven conditions, the most important being recognition of the freedom of all of the palenque’s residents prior to 1608, acknowledgment of the settlement as a legal entity which Yanga and his descendants would govern, and the prohibition of any Spanish in the community. Yanga, in turn, promised to serve and pay tribute to the Spanish crown. After years of negotiations, in 1618, the town of San Lorenzo de Los Negros was officially recognized by Spanish authorities as a free black settlement. It would later be referred to as Yanga, named after its founder.
Source: Jane G. Landers, “Cimarrón and Citizen: African Ethnicity, Corporate Identity, and the Evolution of Free Black Towns in the Spanish Circum-Caribbean,” in Jane Lander and Barry Robinson, eds., Slaves, Subjects, and Subversives: Blacks in Colonial Latin America (Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 2006); Charles Henry Rowell, “El Primer Libertador de las Americas,” Callaloo 31:1 (Winter 2008).The Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) has been releasing a series of reports claiming that immigrants are benefiting from the slightly recovering job market while natives are not. Of course, if immigrants were even less likely to gain jobs than Americans, CIS would use that as evidence that immigrants are a drain on the economy. No matter.
The implicit assumption in CIS’ publications is that if those millions of immigrants weren’t working in the United States, more native-born Americans would have jobs – a static view of the economy. CIS’ fixed pie implication is inappropriate to any kind of reasonable economic analysis of the effects of immigration on the labor market. That is the primary reason why labor economists do not use CIS’ methods when attempting to measure the labor market impacts of immigration. Even if CIS’ numbers were compiled correctly, they are not measuring anything useful.
A large body of academic economic research has found that immigration has a relatively small effect on U.S-born American wages and their employment prospects. For wages impact, the estimates are that immigrants either lower the wages of some American workers by about 2 percent or raise them by about 2 percent in a dynamic economy (this, this, and this). The employment effects vary little but, like wages, the effects are small and clustered around zero. Nowhere will you find a tradeoff where one additional immigrants means that one American loses a job in the economy.
The CIS papers make no counterfactual dynamic economic estimates of the strength of the labor market without immigrants.
Here are some additional facts you won’t see in CIS’ papers:
Unemployment rates for the native born and immigrants move in the same direction with a correlation coefficient of 0.92. Immigrants and natives tend to cluster in different occupations but the unemployment rate for both groups is very similar over time. They both respond to a growing or shrinking labor market.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Employed adult immigrants as a percent of all adult employed workers has edged up from about 15 percent in 2005 to about 16 percent in 2014. Employed adult natives as a percent of all employed adults declined from about 85 percent in 2005 to about 84 percent in 2014.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
The job market also looks pretty poor for all workers.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Most employment gains since 2010, the depths of the Great Recessions, have gone to natives. But immigrants have also done pretty well considering their lower percentage of the population and workforce. There are several reasons why this could be true. Immigrants are much less likely to have access to unemployment insurance and other means tested welfare programs, so their reserve wages are lower – meaning they’re willing to re-enter the labor force for a lower wage rather than stay unemployed. Welfare discincentivizes some unemployed Americans from reentering the workforce. And Immigrants are more mobile than similarly skilled native-born workers.
A new NBER working paper by Brain C. Cadena and Brian K. Kovak observed that low skilled workers were disproportionately affected by job losses during the Great Recession and are typically the least mobile workers – meaning they do not move very far for new low skilled job openings. They found no measurable shift in the local supply of native-born low skilled workers with a high school degree or less in response to declines in the number of local jobs. Low skilled Mexican born workers are the exception – they are the most mobile workers in the United States. Between 2006 and 2010, Cadena and Kovak found that a 10 percentage point larger employment decline drove a 7.6 percentage point larger decline in population for Mexican workers in local labor markets, all else remaining equal. The same employment decline drove a 5.3 percentage point decline in local population for highly skilled workers. As discussed already, the native low skilled population did not move in response to changes in the local labor market.
Mobility is influenced by the availability of welfare benefits, but many immigrant are self-selected for mobility – they did move here from another country after all so they are less tied down to any particular region of the United States. Immigrant labor mobility smoothens labor markets over geographical areas and has other benefits, and it likely explains some of their job gains.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Unauthorized immigrants are very mobile workers. If they come from geographically closer places like Mexico or Latin America then they can respond very rapidly to changes in the U.S. labor market. They are then very mobile once they arrive in the United States. The stock of unauthorized immigrants peaked in 2007 before the Great Recession and dipped after that as the unemployment rate for immigrants rose (-0.42 correlation coefficient). By the way, the worst period for native job growth occurred during the period when the number of unauthorized immigrants also declined. If immigrants really did substantially decrease employment opportunities for Americans, we wouldn’t see that effect.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics and Pew Research
The CIS papers do not attempt any type of regression analyses or to analyze the effects of immigration on a dynamic labor market. What would happen to the labor market if millions of immigrant workers, consumers, and entrepreneurs disappeared? The CIS report sheds zero light on that despite a vast peer-reviewed academic economics literature that finds immigrants are attracted to growing economies and improve them once they arrive.Windows Phone just recently reached a major milestone with the 7.5 update, commonly known as Mango, by adding multitasking and other big improvements to the OS. Check out what we thought of it here. Anyway, now there are two other major milestones in the works too - dual-core CPUs and LTE connectivity.
Andy Lees, head of the Windows Phone division, spoke to AllThingsD giving some detail on Microsoft's plans for Windows Phone. He thinks they're in a good position to take the role of the third player in the mobile OS world as an alternative to Android and iOS, with Mango helping to boost sales volumes.
As for dual-core CPUs, those are something that's being worked on but Lees didnt give a time frame for when they might make it to market. Current top end WP phones run on 1.5GHz single-core CPUs and Lees thinks they'll stack up well enough against dual-core smartphones.
Microsoft wanted to wait until the software can make good use of the extra core. Seeing how Windows Phone only recently got multitasking support and not all apps support it yet, it will be a while until the OS is ready for two cores.
The decision not to include 4G for now was made because early generation LTE chipsets are quite power hungry. The technology will be included in future devices, when it's ready - but again, Lees gave no dates for when that will happen.
Microsoft is already looking forward to the next major update for the OS, but whether there will be a minor update first (like NoDo hit before Mango) hasnt been decided yet.
Lees also commented on the patent-licensing deal between Microsoft and Samsung, saying that part of the deal includes stronger support for Windows Phone from Samsung. He likened the Samsung deal to the Nokia one, but allowed that it's "not quite as deep a dependence".
Source“We are a plague on the Earth. It’s coming home to roost over the next 50 years or so,” warns David Attenborough in an interview in the new issue of Radio Times magazine.
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“It’s not just climate change; it’s sheer space, places to grow food for this enormous horde,” says the natural history broadcaster, who is set to launch his latest series, David Attenborough’s Natural Curiosities, on Eden next week.
Attenborough believes humans must find ways to curb their spread or face the consequences: “Either we limit our population growth or the natural world will do it for us, and the natural world is doing it for us right now,” he says.
“We keep putting on programmes about famine in Ethiopia; that’s what’s happening. Too many people there. They can’t support themselves – and it’s not an inhuman thing to say. It’s the case. Until humanity manages to sort itself out and get a co-ordinated view about the planet it’s going to get worse and worse.”
Read the full interview with David Attenborough, plus Professor Brian Cox on his new show Wonders of Life, in the latest issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale now.
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David Attenborough’s Natural Curiosities starts on Tuesday 29 January at 8pm on EdenJon Stewart speaks to CNN (screen grab)
In a recent interview, CNN host Fareed Zakaria made the mistake of trying to corner The Daily Show‘s Jon Stewart into praising his network.
“When world historical events like the Green movement, the Arab Spring are happening, you turn on CNN and watch these brave correspondents?” Zakaria asked Stewart in an interview that aired on Sunday.
“Here’s what I do,” Stewart replied. “I set a Google alert for Blitzer. And then, I just wait. ‘We have a CNN exclusive tonight. The Empire State Building is blue.'”
“During the Green Revolution, you watched CNN and appreciated the brave reporting,” Zakaria insisted.
“Let me tell you something,” Stewart said. “The reason why I make fun of certain aspects of CNN is to be inspired by the brave reporting, is to want more. And so, that’s all it is.”
“You want more CNN?” Zakaria pressed.
“I want more of good CNN,” Stewart explained. “CNN is very similar to the doll Chucky. Sometimes it’s good Chucky, but you really got to watch out for bad Chucky.”
Watch the video below from CNN’s GPS 360, broadcast Nov. 16, 2014.Former Fnatic player and coach Jonatan "Devilwalk" Lundberg will be helping coach Epsilon eSports for the IEM Katowice qualifiers, he told theScore esports.
Earlier today, the former Team Ancient and Winterfox member posted on Twitter about "helping Epsilon out," but did not specify whether he would be helping out as a player or a coach.
@jamesbardolph I'm helping Epsilon out for katowice qual and some online games coming up, nothing set in stone as of now — Jonatan Lundberg (@DevilwalkCSGOD) January 31, 2017
A legend of the 1.6 era who won the first very CS:GO Major at DreamHack Winter 2013 while with Fnatic, Devilwalk retired from the game last February due to issues with his wrists.
Devilwalk later joined OpTic Gaming as a coach in June, but left the team in August.
A Swedish team, Epsilon has had some decent results lately with wins at the World Cyber Arena 2016 World Finals and Nordic Championship 2016. They also placed in the Top 8 at WESG 2016.
Sasha Erfanian is a news editor for theScore esports. Follow him on Twitter, it'll be great for his self-esteem.With news last week that Pitzer College, a small liberal arts college in California, is instituting the first ever major in "secular studies," it is clear that sociologists need to catch up with what is rapidly becoming a "movement" of sorts. It goes without saying that the study of secularism and secularization is extensive and garners much academic and popular interest. The focus of much of this literature, however, is on the ways in which religious belief, religious practice, as well as religious authority are declining in the contemporary world.
Less is written about the ways in which secularism is an active tradition, with its own concerns, objectives, and worldviews. Although interest in this area is growing, the focus still remains centered on figuring out the numbers. For example, how many check off the "no religion" category? How many atheists are there really? What do they look like demographically? These questions, while important, do not tell us much about the socialization process of secular humanists. Where do secular people gather? What do these groups look like? Why do people join? What do they talk about? What do they hope to accomplish? Do they experience any challenges?
Years ago, I began a research project into Freethought campus groups to try and understand how young people are socialized into secularism. I surveyed and interviewed several members of secular humanist campus groups around North America and asked questions dealing with their religious background, their current religious identification, their thoughts on freethinking and atheism, their reasons for founding or joining the secular campus group, their group activities, as well as their objectives and challenges as a student group. It became clear that freethought campus groups (to take just one example of a secular space), by providing a safe place for conversation, by engaging in socialization activities, changing individuals' social networks, and creating a feeling of holding embattled viewpoints, fosters secular identity formation.
Almost all of my survey and interview respondents stated that they joined or founded the campus group for two reasons: to find likeminded individuals who approached the world from a secular viewpoint, and to provide a safe space on campus for secular minded individuals. As one member of the freethought group at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, pointed out, "I started going because I wanted to seriously consider whether religion, specifically Christianity, was viable. I researched the topic and found nobody could back up the claims of any religion. As a member, I get a great group of friends who relate to me with an interest in science and debunking religion." The lack of empirical backing proved to him that most religions were simply man-made fairy tales that do more harm than good.
A member of the freethought society at the University of Alberta told me that her main reason for joining was to provide an alternative voice on campus: "I felt that there were a number of people on campus who did not have a voice and needed representation. The Christians on campus were overrepresented with about 15 groups. I wanted to dispel myths and common misconceptions about atheism." The former President of Skeptics Group at the University of Guelph (in Ontario) notes that joining the group was emotionally significant: "When I first realized that I was an atheist it was a lonely feeling. Not only did I lose a whole group of friends from my youth group, but I lost this all powerful, all knowing, always there 'thing', so it was really lonely. But by finding the campus group and groups such as the Center for Inquiry, I've been able to find people to relate to again."
The majority of those interviewed and surveyed pointed out that the freethought group was a significant part of their overall social life. The networks and connections that individuals formed through group meetings and other gatherings often carried over into going out to dinner and movies. As one member noted, the freethought group "pretty much is my social life. I have a full time job and go to school full time. Outside of those two things, the rest of my life is just atheism/skeptic/freethinking groups. Most of my close friends are from different skeptic groups." Similarly, a former President of the Indiana-Perdue University Freethought group noted that the group is "a significant part of my social life. It is actually my only social life right now. We often go out for beer and/or coffee after meetings. When we see each other on campus, we will often hang out for a few hours."
Partaking in campus activities is also important for reinforcing a secular worldview. Campus activities may range from film screenings, hosting the Darwin Day conference, hosting panel discussions, advocating for secular values, as well as hosting guest speakers. As the founding member of the University of Alberta Atheists and Agnostics noted, her group is working on "getting a religious reference out of our convocation ceremony in order to have a more inclusive environment for our members. We will continue to advocate for secular values on campus." The non-meeting activities of freethought groups have at times been aggressive. As a member from the University of Washington points out, their freethought group maintains what he calls a 'rapid-response squad': "If there was a preacher in the center of campus condemning everyone to hell, we'd have Secular Student Union members there in pirate costumes, holding up signs lauding the Flying Spaghetti Monster. These preachers would stand in high traffic areas, and spout about how everyone was going to hell. It created a highly negative atmosphere. Students got angry. By standing close to him and acting ridiculous, we changed attitudes, from people taking him seriously to people laughing at just how silly it all was. The whole time, students came up to us and would thank us for being there."
While research into these and other developments is still in its infancy, it is fundamentally important for understanding secularism in the contemporary world. It should be fairly evident that secularism is not simply the absence of religion. Rather, it is a lively and active tradition with its own challenges, its own articulations of the problems facing society, and its own solutions for making the world a better place. Secularism as a social movement, then, will only continue to be a force to be reckoned with.Has anyone ever heard of an Arab or Palestinian "Peace Now" group? Palestinians have been radicalized to a point where it is virtually impossible to talk about peace and coexistence. Peace activists, human rights advocates, moderates, journalists and reformers have almost no say and are often denounced as "traitors" and a "fifth column."
In Israel, there are dozens of organizations and parties that openly advocate peace with the Palestinians and the Arab world.
Some even go as far as calling on the |
, the pages of this book are flecked with bite-sized words of encouragement to support a clean, compassionate lifestyle.
Visually, the book is a true beauty; the pages pop with colorful illustrations and beautiful food photography, and Rebecca’s passion is palpable upon each turn of the page.
This “Mousse au Chocolove” is both decadent and nourishing, and Rebecca provides several flavor variations, including chai-spiced, chocolate mint, and açai. This treat is intensely chocolaty with a pillow-like texture. The recipe calls for 1 medjool date to sweeten, but I ended up adding 3 to appease my sweet tooth. I recommend soaking 3-4 dates, adding one, and then adding more from there until it hits your sweet spot.
Be sure to checkout the recipe below. And a big thank you to Rebecca and The Experiment for giving me the go ahead to share the recipe.
Très Green, Très Clean, Très Chic is available now, and you can order your very own copy here.
Also, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of this post and enter to win a copy of Très Green, Très Clean, Très Chic!
4 from 2 votes Print Mousse au Chocolove "This chocolate mousse is the ultimate comfort food: It’s easy to digest and soothing to both body and mind, thanks to a silky texture and feel-good chemicals that boost endorphins and serotonin levels in the brain. Unlike classic mousse au chocolat, this version uses a (not-so) secret ingredient to obtain a creamy consistency: the astounding avocado! No need for cream or eggs; the avocado alone adds sultry smoothness, with the addition of dates, vanilla, cinnamon, and an optional superfood boost from carob and mesquite that accentuates the chocolate flavor without adding sugar." -- Rebecca Leffler Prep Time 10 minutes Total Time 10 minutes Servings 1 to 2 Author Rebecca Leffler | Recipe from Très Green, Très Clean, Très Chic: Eat (and Live!) the New Way with Plant-Based, Gluten-Free Recipes for Every Season Ingredients 1 large ripe avocado
1 medjool date, pitted (I ended up using 3 dates to sweeten it more)
1 very generous tablespoon raw cacao powder
⅛ teaspoon vanilla powder or vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup (50 ml) nut milk (homemade or store-bought), coconut water, or water
A pinch of himalayan or sea salt
1 teaspoon mesquite powder (optional)
1 teaspoon carob powder (optional) Instructions Halve, pit, and scoop out the flesh of the avocado. Soak the date in hot water until soft, then remove the pit and peel. Add all ingredients to a Vitamix (preferable) or food processor and blend until smooth. Add more liquid as needed. Tips: Top with some cacao nibs and fresh fruit if you’re fancy! You can also easily turn this into a chocolate hake; just add more liquid to thin it out and pour into a glass. This is much creamier and more delicious using a nut milk, particularly a homemade cashew milk. Recipe Notes Mint Mousse au Chocolove: Add 1 to 2 drops of peppermint essential oil and ½ tablespoon chopped fresh mint into the mousse and blend, then garnish with more mint leaves.
Mousse au Chocole: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper and ¼ teaspoon maca powder.
Mousse au Chocorange: Add 1 to 2 drops of orange essential oil and top with orange zest.
Mousse ay Chai-Colot: Add 1 to 2 drops of cinnamon bark essential oil and a pinch each of nutmeg, cloves, ginger, black pepper, and cardamom. Optional: Add 1 teaspoon of lucuma powder.
Mousse au Chocacai: Add 1 teaspoon of açai powder. Top with fresh berries and cacao nibs.
Recipe from Très Green, Très Clean, Très Chic: Eat (and Live!) the New Way with Plant-Based, Gluten-Free Recipes for Every Season, copyright © Rebecca Leffler, 2015. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment. Available wherever books are sold. theexperimentpublishing.com
Très Green, Très Clean, Très Chic Giveaway
One winner will receive a copy of Rebecca Leffler’s Très Green, Très Clean, Très Chic. For a chance to win, simply enter the giveaway using the Rafflecopter widget below and comment on this post between August 28th and September 11th. Please note: this giveaway is only open to residents of the US and Canada.
a Rafflecopter giveawayThe bankrupt bookseller Borders wants to sell its stash of 65,536 IP addresses to healthcare software vendor Cerner for $12 per address.
The bust high street chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in February, and has been selling off its assets to pay its creditors ever since. The address sale is one of its last assets to be disposed of.
Cerner has agreed to pay $786,432 for the rights to a /16 block of IPv4 addresses, or $12 per address, according to a New York bankruptcy court filing. It's believed to be only the second time ever a batch of IP addresses has been sold in this way, and sets a new high in terms of price.
The software biz was the highest bidder among thousands to be contacted by the asset broker StreamBank, including ISPs, domain registries and other potential buyers, according to the filing. The lowest bid was $1.50 per address, the filing states.
IPv4 addresses are a rapidly dwindling commodity and some believe the period while the internet transitions to IPv6, with all the cost and complexity that entails, is creating a secondary market for legacy address delegations.
ICANN distributed the last big chunks of available IPv4 addresses to the five continental Regional Internet Registries earlier this year. The RIRs in turn are running out of supplies to allocate to ISPs and other network operators.
The Borders deal is believed to be the second publicly announced IPv4 sale, following Nortel's sale of $7.5m worth of addresses to Microsoft in March this year.
Such transfers are controversial, due to the fact that IP addresses, unlike domain names, are not generally considered property that can be traded on the secondary market.
Following the Nortel-Microsoft deal, ARIN, the regional IP address registry for North America, entered into an after-the-fact contract with Microsoft, tacitly acknowledging the sale.
A website launched in April hopes to allow companies to trade IPv4 addresses on the open market.
Borders' bankruptcy filing states that the purchase agreement with Cerner is subject to "consent by ARIN", explaining: "This will likely entail ARIN’s approval of Cerner based on a reasonable demonstration of a need for the addresses."
"While the debtors believe that this court has the authority to authorize the sale of the internet addresses over any such objection by ARIN, the [internet address] sale contains a condition of ARIN’s consent and the proposed order incorporates various protections of ARIN’s rights, which moots any need to consider any of these issues," the filing states.
The bankruptcy court has set a hearing date of 20 December to approve the sale. ®Becoming a Clear Admit: New Book Demystifies MBA Admissions for Applicants Targeting Top Schools
Don’t miss this week’s launch of a new book for applicants targeting top business schools. Becoming a Clear Admit: The Definitive Guide to MBA Admissions, written by our own Alex Brown, is a must-read for both traditional and “non-traditional” applicants to leading MBA programs. Brown brings nearly 24 years of experience in the MBA admissions industry as a consultant, admissions officer, and teacher, including 7 years as senior associate director of admissions at the Wharton School. With Becoming a Clear Admit, he has crafted a concise, insightful guide that provides fascinating background and an in-depth overview of why the MBA admissions process is the way it is.
Beyond explaining the “whys” of the admissions process, Brown also dives deep into the “how-tos,” offering practical, actionable advice for applicants on how to make the most of the MBA experience, create the strongest possible application and demonstrate to the admissions committee why you belong in a given MBA class.
The book is currently available for sale in the Clear Admit shop, and you can take advantage of the “Look Inside” feature to get a feel for what you’ll get. We also sat down with Brown to ask about his motivations and process in writing the book, which you’ll learn in the interview that follows. Enjoy!
Author Q&A: Alex Brown on Becoming a Clear Admit
Clear Admit: Why did you undertake this project?
Alex Brown: I am passionate about the MBA degree and the opportunities it provides. I have seen it firsthand during my tenure at Wharton and wanted to share my passion through this book.
It includes a detailed section on “Why an MBA,” which I think sets it apart from many of the other MBA admissions books. Also, when I address the five attributes that are important to highlight as part of the application process—especially as I discuss “Values”—I make the case for the importance of the MBA in helping shape the future of business. I do believe this, and I am glad to see business schools increasingly recognize “Values” as a significant, non-negotiable attribute in candidates they admit.
CA: What about your background made you the right person to undertake this project?
AB: I always enjoyed teaching (I taught marketing courses for more than 20 years at the University of Delaware), so part of me wanted to provide a product that teaches those entering the MBA admissions process how admissions works and why it works like that.
Obviously, I have a lot of experience in the MBA admissions industry, so the book is also an opportunity for me to share how the process works based on what I’ve learned firsthand. Sharing that knowledge in an understandable fashion in order to help educate is a good thing.
CA: You introduce a unique tiered ranking system. How did you establish this? Why do you think it is important?
AB: I’ll answer those questions in the reverse. I think it is important because there is so much energy spent arguing which school is better than another, when in reality—and I mean reality—many schools are too similar in overall quality. It becomes a ridiculous debate.
Take for example, Chicago Booth, Northwestern Kellogg and MIT Sloan. They are all great programs. For one candidate, Booth might be the best option, but for another candidate it could just as easily be Sloan. What becomes more important in this case is cultural fit and career goals, not ranking. These schools are what I have labeled tier 2 schools. There are differences in overall quality when comparing schools from one tier to another, but when comparing schools within a tier, like tier 2, they are too similar in terms of quality to differentiate by ranking.
Establishing the tiers was based on knowledge gained from many years of observing how candidates make choices. I do anticipate developing a more formalized system to establish the tiers, which I outline in the appendix.
Some admissions professionals, students and candidates will argue over the tiers that I have created, which is fair enough. It is also the reason why I use the labels 1 and 1A, and 3 and 3A. But the rationale for tiers is very solid. Of course, a tiered system does not favor the media that produce rankings, which prefer an ordinal ranking that allows for the more sensationalistic coverage that often accompanies such a list.
CA: You are an adcom insider. How does this show through in the book? What advantages can you offer applicants as a result of your experience?
AB: I think my experiences as an adcom really allow me to explain things well. My goal with the book is to tell it like it is, although I know one or two aspects of the book may prove a little controversial with some adcom insiders. Basically, reading this book and digesting its content provides a pretty good 360-degree view of the admissions process directly from someone who has lived it for several years. My hope is that the insight is worth the three to four hours required to read the book thoroughly; it is short and concise. Honestly, when I first started working as an adcom at Wharton, I wish there was a book like this I could have read quickly to get up to speed.
CA: You introduce a unique personal inventory exercise in the book. Can you explain how you developed it and why it’s important?
AB: I think rather than starting the application process by reviewing a set of school essays and figuring out how to best answer each essay, candidates should take a step back. They should examine their attributes, experiences, profile and plan—really lay everything bare. Then is the time to look at what each school is asking.
The exercise in the book is designed to help applicants do that. It will help ensure that a candidate provides a truly holistic view of who he or she is, while also answering all the questions appropriately. It’s not unlike exercises some admissions consultants go through with their clients.
The exercise was developed as a result of taking a step-wise walk through the book itself. There is nothing unique in the exercise that is not addressed earlier in the book.
CA: You spend a lot of time explaining WHY adcoms ask the questions they do. What prompted this? Why is it important for applicants to understand?
AB: I think it is important to understand why you are doing what you are doing, whether it is understanding the questions asked when applying to business school, or generally in life. By understanding the whys of the process, you will approach the process from a more strategic perspective.
CA: You suggest that there are five main attributes that are important to highlight as part of the MBA admissions process—intellectual capacity, effectiveness, ambition, passion and values. How did you arrive at these?
AB: Writing this part of the book was the most interesting for me. Having spent years evaluating candidates, and then advising applicants, I really wanted to examine what it is that is important, and how these attributes can be categorized. I also explored some leaders I admire, looking at their attributes.
Intellectual capacity was quite obvious, especially since this is admissions for a master’s program. Measuring intellectual capacity is well understood in admissions with the evaluation of degree courses and test scores. Effectiveness became a “catch all” for all other aspects that really determines someone’s potential for success, which include particular traits like compassion and work ethic, an individual’s emotional intelligence and prior experiences that illustrate leadership and teamwork.
I also thought it was important to identify attributes that can amplify a candidate’s potential, and “passion” and “ambition” both do so in slightly different ways. In short, it is important for candidates to show both passion for things that they have done and plan to do, as well as ambition to succeed in a big way. If you attend a top MBA program, the adcom wants you to make a significant impact in the future.
Finally, I had most fun discussing “values.” When I was an adcom, we would regularly ask questions about ethics, but I rarely examined why this was important. I just assumed we wanted good and decent people in our program. Of course, while that is very important, what is more important is how MBAs can truly impact the future of business—and the world. We need MBAs to have a good moral compass in order to conduct business in a manner that improves the world—not just in a way that benefits the MBAs themselves. I highlight a number of recent cases, from Volkswagen to FIFA, where self-interest trumped societal interest, which is obviously not a good thing.
CA: Who won’t be served by your book? As in, if you’re looking for x, y or z, this isn’t the right choice for you.
AB: Honestly, I think the book is useful for anyone who is applying to top MBA programs. If I thought there was a weakness in that regard, I would fix it. I have also relied on a number of knowledgeable people to give thorough feedback, some of which was pretty critical.
That being said, this is not a book that offers short cuts to writing winning essays. It goes much deeper than that and, I hope, teaches readers how best to present themselves so that their applications are a true representation of who they are as applicants. I also hope it inspires a few additional applicants to apply!Mike Mayock has Johnny Manziel going to the Cowboys:
“There are five significant quarterbacks needs in those top eight teams. But more and more of my gut tells me that both Bortles and Manziel get through that top eight. If they do, where do they land? I think all hell’s going to break loose tonight. All I know is, if he gets on the board when Dallas is picking, I just think it’s going to be the best moment in the history of the draft. Jerry Jones, that whole thing, to me, is intriguing. It really is. I’m not sure where he’s going to land, or Bortles, but I do know if one or both makes it through the first eight picks, it’s going to be fun television tonight.”Amazon
The second season of "Transparent," the award-winning Amazon series that tells the story of Maura (Jeffrey Tambor), a father of three who comes out as trans later on in life, is officially back (and streaming in its entirety) for its second season.
We've already praised the series' second go-round for its moody and effective flashbacks to the vibrant LGBTQ scene in Weimar-era Berlin, but now it's time to discuss the series' best -- and most difficult to stomach -- Season 2 episode: "Man on the Land." Because "Man on the Land," which takes place at a hippy-dippy, women-only music festival, somehow manages to do the unthinkable -- it manages to call out one of feminism's most painful biases through a critical, but also understanding, lens.
The episode takes place at the (fictional) Idyllwild Wimmin's music festival, which Maura, Ali (Gaby Hoffmann), and Sarah (Amy Landecker) flock to after eight episodes of self-searching and spectacular dating failures. The festival itself initially plays as almost parody, with bared breasts, drum circles, a tampon-making workshop, alt-rock bands singing about menstruating on sticks and hating dicks, and weed. So, so much weed.
Amazon
But before Maura, who has been dealing with what comes next after you come out to your family all season, is able to spend 10 unfettered minutes in this women-only paradise, she's hit with a painful reminder that -- once again -- she does not belong. Anywhere.
The Idyllwild Wimmin's music festival, you see, isn't for all women. It's for "women born women," god-given vaginas and uteruses included, and this obviously does not include Maura. The "man on the land" title comes from a (ridiculous) phrase that some of the women yell out whenever a poor maintenance worker shows up to fix their Port a Potties, "so nobody gets triggered, or too excited."
Now, this is where it gets important that the series' creator, Jill Soloway, penned the episode. Yes, the episode has a little bit of "fun" with buzzy social justice concepts like trigger warnings and safe spaces -- and a couple of the radical feminists featured are, again, a parody of feminist stereotypes -- but at no point does it seem like "Transparent" is outright condemning any of them.
It's natural (I hope) to disagree with the feminists for so aggressively misunderstanding what it feels like to be a trans woman, but it's also easy to understand their desire to spend a couple of days in the woods with people who are just like them.
Amazon
Though most important of all, of course, is the fact that Soloway didn't make this up for dramatic effect. Feminists and the transgender community have been at odds over what sort of privilege comes with being born with a penis -- whether or not that penis is wanted -- for decades, and a quick Twitter search for the term TERF (Trans-Exclusionary Radical Feminism) proves that the issue is no less painful for trans women today as it was in 1973, when the West Coast Lesbian Conference was marred by attempted physical violence by TERFs against a transexual performer.
The contemporary argument, and the argument that Soloway seems to support, is that gender is a matter of identity, not biology. But the feminists whom Ali befriends (of course it's Ali, by the way) argue that the ability for a person born male to choose to live as a female is yet another example of male privilege -- because we natural-born females, of course, are pretty much stuck with the uteruses and the pay disparity and the rape culture we've got.
Soloway gives these women their chance to speak, but what I truly love about "Man on the Land" is that it doesn't really need to go out of its way to justify Maura's position, outside of her brief insistence that she's always been in too much pain to feel her privilege. This position, of course, is that she's just looking for a place to unwind and have a little fun in her femininity. This is the 19th episode of "Transparent," so anyone watching is already well aware of Maura's journey, as well as the fact that she's not here to gawk at anyone's breasts.
Also, I'm just going to go ahead and guess that Soloway and the "Transparent" crew assumed that a decent portion of its audience would be at least slightly aware of the extreme discrimination and violence that often goes hand-in-hand with being a trans woman; a community that dealt with 22 murders in 2015 by August, and continues to face an astonishingly high rate of suicide (one in four is the average, FYI).
Maura is almost definitely aware of these numbers, which is why her defiant laughter as she leaves the festival shouting "man on the land!" is pitch-perfect for this beautifully uncomfortable and thought-provoking episode.
Best yet, Maura's grand exit from Idyllwild is juxtaposed with flashbacks of her mother and her transexual aunt at Magnus Hirschfeld’s Institute for Sexual Science (Institut für Sexualwissenschaft) in the aforementioned Weimar-era Berlin, as Nazis destroy decades worth of records on groundbreaking gender-reassignment surgery. This not only is heartbreaking, it also A, really happened in May of 1933, and B, is easily the season's boldest metaphor yet for the power of fear and hatred.
I don't think that Soloway was suggesting that TERFs are as hateful and terrified of change as these Nazis -- not at all, in fact, as that argument would be absurd. But this is a show that's not afraid to shed a light on suffering or bring up some really tough questions, which is why "Man on the Land" should go down as the Season 2 episode to remember.The Republican senator says a staffer "liked" a two-minute video of hard-core porn, a move that has sent Twitter ablaze.
Ted Cruz, or someone with access to his social media, "liked" a pornographic post on Twitter late Monday night.
The Republican senator from Texas' Twitter account was one of hundreds that liked a two-minute hard-core porn video posted by the user @SexuallPosts. The post, that has since been deleted, showed two women and a man engaging in graphic acts.
"The offensive tweet posted on @tedcruz account earlier has been removed by staff and reported to Twitter," Catherine Frazier, Cruz’s senior communications adviser, wrote on her Twitter account in the early hours Tuesday morning, after users captured the Cruz account's actions.
Pornography is banned on Twitter and while it was unclear whether Cruz personally liked the tweet or if it was someone who had access to his account, that didn't stop other users having a field day and mocking the senator. Many took screenshots of the "like" that populated in the section of his feed before it was deleted.
On Tuesday morning, Cruz told reporters that the "like" came from a staffer who had access to his account.
"There are a number of people on the team who have access on the account. It appears that someone inadvertently hit the like button," he said, reported Politico. "When we discovered the post, which was I guess an hour or two later, we pulled it down."
He continued: "It was a staffing issue. And it was inadvertent, it was a mistake. It was not a deliberate act. We're dealing with internally, but it was a mistake. It was not malicious."
Cruz said he hadn't yet decided if he would revoke the staff member's access.
Meanwhile, the bio for @SexuallPosts now reads: "Follow for the Same Porn @TedCruz Watches."
See the initial tweets about the incident below.
oh my god it's real, Ted Cruz liked a porn tweet pic.twitter.com/30i3uo89LB — Aphex Twink (@JNoStrawBerRita) September 12, 2017
Q: Why was Twitter invented?
A: Because one night in the future, Ted Cruz will fave a porn tweet and Twitter will reach perfection — Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) September 12, 2017
The most surprising thing about the porn video Ted Cruz liked is that the people in it were alive — Jess Dweck (@TheDweck) September 12, 2017
Sadly, the fact that Ted Cruz jacks off to mediocre porn spam is the most human thing we can say about him. This is actually his high point. — Craig Mazin (@clmazin) September 12, 2017
Well done @TedCruz using the power of "like" to illustrate the evils of porn #Weiner pic.twitter.com/SQDPh1cRTp — Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) September 12, 2017
Sept. 12, 8:35 a.m.: Updated with Cruz statements.Kuajok town police arrested the women, saying it was unacceptable for married women to be "outside at night", even though some of the clubs were only serving tea and not alcohol.
"Clubs are not places for women because women have other duties to attend to at home - like taking care of children," said police Commissioner John Akot Maluth.
"It is not good and not even in our culture that women and men watch movies together at night because lots of things may happen and this is what we don't want."
Alcohol and firearms were banned in Gogrial state, South Sudan president Kiir's home state, in April 2016.
The police make semi-regular searches for alcohol and weapons in the district, which are confiscated and later burnt in front of the police station.NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. on Monday quoted John F. Kennedy on "violent revolution" after President Trump attacked National Football League (NFL) players who kneel during the national anthem.
"All Americans R granted rights 2 peaceful protests," he tweeted Monday.
"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable-JFK."
All Americans R granted rights 2 peaceful protests
Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable-JFK — Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) September 25, 2017
In response to another tweet telling him to be careful when commenting on these issues, Earnhardt said he agrees it's a complex issue, before adding: "But some team owners spoke on this."
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His comments come after Trump last week attacked NFL players who refuse to stand during the national anthem.
On Sunday, many players across the country knelt or locked arms during their first games since Trump's comments.
Several NASCAR team owners said Sunday they wouldn't condone drivers protesting during the national anthem.
Former NASCAR champion Richard Petty told The Associated Press that any member of his team would be fired if they chose to protest the national anthem.
Trump on Monday said he was "proud" of NASCAR, its supporters and its fans.
"They won't put up with disrespecting out Country or our Flag," Trump tweeted. "They said it loud and clear!"
So proud of NASCAR and its supporters and fans. They won't put up with disrespecting our Country or our Flag - they said it loud and clear! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 25, 2017
Trump on Monday also tweeted that fans who booed players who kneeled during the national anthem were demanding respect for the country's flag.
He said the issue of kneeling isn't about race, but is instead about respect for the country and its flag.
"NFL must respect this!" Trump tweeted.PHILADELPHIA – Philadelphia 76ers rookie point guard Michael Carter-Williams is taking the NBA by storm.
It started right away in his NBA debut against the two-time defending champion Miami Heat when he had 22 points, 12 assists, nine steals and seven rebounds – becoming only the third player to reach those numbers in the same game.
Since then he’s done nothing but add to his accolades.
“I think his ceiling is extremely high and he has a lot of potential,” said Sixers head coach Brett Brown. “The thing that excites me the most is he understands all of the work and responsibility it’s going to take (to become great).”
“It’s very rare that you have a point guard with his length and size that can get things done the way he does,” added Toronto Raptors head coach Dwane Casey.
Coming into play against the Raptors Friday night, he averaged 17.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 2.48 steals – all tops amongst rookies. He’s on pace to become the third person to lead all rookies in points, boards and steals and the only people to ever average those totals over their entire first campaign are Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson and Steve Francis.
Even with all of those accolades, he still has some room to grow.
“My thing with him is to continue to challenge him to continue to emit the responsibility that an NBA point guard has, no matter what your age is,” said Brown. “And he responded, he’s been great.”
DESERVING OF CONSIDERATION?: The starters for this year’s All-Star Game have been announced and now starts the fun part – discussing who deserves to fill out the roster.
Every coach is going to try and promote his own players. But when it comes to Thaddeus Young, Brown isn’t alone in singing his praises.
“I think you have to (consider Young for an all-star spot),” Brown said. “How about the job he did on Carmelo (Anthony) the other night and what he’s done now from the 3-point line and what he did on the West Coast trip and he strung some really good stretches together and how he’s carrying, along with Evan (Turner) and Spencer (Hawes), the youngest team in the history of the NBA … so I say how can you not.”
“He plays at an all-star level … and I would say that you have to put Thaddeus Young’s name in there as far as talent is concerned,” echoed Casey.
DEDMON STAYING: The Sixers signed center Dewayne Dedmon to a second 10-day contract before Friday’s game.
“He just has to keep doing what he’s doing,” Brown said when asked what Dedmon has to do to stay on the roster. “At 7-foot and 23-years old to have only started playing organized basketball when he was 18, you have to get excited about the upside of a 7-foot athlete. He just have to stay on track … with the minutes and the role we give him.”
During his first 10-day contract, Dedmon appeared in five games for the Sixers. He averaged four points, six rebounds and a block in 15 minutes per game.Recently audio engineer Paul Fegan penned an article for Voice Over Herald on is experience on recording audiobooks. He offered some great insider tips from someone who works first hand with the voice actor and the author.
We recently caught up with Samsun Lobe, the author of the book titled Ruin: Birth of a Legend. He provides valuable insight into how an author sees the production process including selecting the right voice.
[hr]
Ruin: Birth of a Legend was my fourth novel and as such I felt I had improved my writing style and had produced a well edited story with a great main character. I had been asked by fans of my first trilogy for an audio book version, but it wasn’t until I had completed the first Ruin story that I felt I had something that would be justified on that medium. I am a big fan of audio books myself and listen to a lot whilst travelling, and as with anything there are good and bad. If the story is poor then even an amazing narrator cant bring it around, but if the voice over artist is not the best it can ‘ruin’ a good story. So I felt there was a lot riding on the choice of voice talent.
I know Paul and BitSixteen through my day job, and he does a great job with our e-learning voice over requirements. He mentioned that he would like to do an audio book, and I had just finished writing Ruin, so it was perfect timing. I listened to the voice samples he sent through and Lesa’s voice stood out for me. To be honest I was a little unsure how a woman’s voice would portray the testosterone fuelled world I had created, plus the many characters within the story but I needn’t have worried. Paul sent the first chapter to take a listen. I was amazed. It was as if I was listening to a story written by someone else. Lesa added a layer of emotion to the characters that really brought it to life. After that my input was really limited, not because of any restrictions, but because Paul and Lesa understood the story and just ran with it. Luckily I had produced a dictionary of terms for the book, as it is a fantasy novel, this included pronunciations. As the process continued I advised on this and that of the various characters. One in particular was written in a sort of UK regional slang. When Lesa first tried it, apparently it sounded like a comedy pirate! We spoke about it and she changed it to a deep southern US accent, which worked perfectly. Other than that my input as author was just down to listening and approving each chapter. Paul and Lesa were so professional there was nothing else to add or change. The whole process was pain free!
For independent authors like myself the cost of production makes audio books almost unachievable. This is a shame because there are a lot of good novels that will never make it to this medium. Having said that, the cost is totally justified and the ‘RUIN’ Audiobook was a fantastic achievement. The fans of mine that have listened to it, absolutely love it and it has opened up my work to a whole new audience. Funds permitting, I would jump at the chance to record the second book in this series.
[hr]
Lesa Thurman was the voice actor selected to record the audiobook. This was her first time as a voice talent for audiobooks or to foray into the world of book narrations. Her candid and open article shows how some of the greatest things can appear when least expected.
[hr]
Well, I can tell you I do not have vast experience, as RUIN was my first and only so far. I have had a good bit of experience with educational and informational software, doing narration and characters. I am also an actor, so I think it has held me in good stead for this.
I remember I got a text from Paul asking me if I wanted to do an audio book, short and simple! The author, Samsun Lobe, who had worked with Paul in an E-Learning capacity, but was also an accomplished writer of fantasy novels, had chosen my voice from Paul’s pool of voice demos. I have voiced characters for animated films as well, so used that too, as well as ADR background voiceover. I have to say, narrating an audio book was such a rush! I also gave slight variety to character dialog, so the listener would have an easier time differentiating the characters. I wanted the audience to see everything in their mind’s eye. It was a challenge to tone it down, and not do the character voices completely, but to compliment the narrator voice with the various characters, so there would be a natural flow, and make it more pleasant to listen to.
I felt, being asked to voice my first audio book, a mixture of great excitement, quickly followed by gut wrenching panic! My first thought was: How exciting! I have never voiced an audio book before! Second thought: Holy crap! I have absolutely NO idea of how to do this. Upon talking this over with Paul, he reminded we have been working together in the E-Learning business for tens of corporations, coupled with the fact that I am a film and television actor. If I were to just calm down and look at this pragmatically, I’d see I could do this! Pool my experience of the different genres, and do some research, and give it my all. A favorite saying I have is; How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time…..
Prior to our first recording session, we had read the first few chapters beforehand, and first was to get the narrator’s voice down. This was the voice that took up most of the text in the book, so that had to be my first priority. We decided on my voice, in a dramatic context. In the first few sentences, I used the writing to convey the foreboding tone of the opening. Throughout the story however, the voice mood changed, depending on the emotion of the scenes in each chapter. The narrator also had to be in the story with the characters, so I modulated my voice to reflect this. I was quiet when the writing dictated this was needed, and animated when needed, and all the emotions in between.
There were several characters explored in the first session. This is the benefit of having read the chapters beforehand. Some characters did not have many lines, so not much needed to be invested in them. But, in retrospect, my advice would be to read the entire book several times to first see how many characters in total are in the book, and the importance of them, so as to see how much to invest in each. Also, do these characters return in later chapters? If so, keep a vocal log of the different character voices, so you may refer to them when they recur. It will make for a more consistent and full character voice that can be built on.
I was so flattered Samsun asked me to give a voice to Ruin. Ruin’s voice was the focal point of the entire book, and the series of books, for that matter. So I needed a big, brave masculine character with a sense of righteousness. A man of few words. To find his |
, ESPA said that they have completed their mission with Gov. Cuomo’s announced executive order protecting transgender New Yorkers. Mara Keisling at the NCTE announced it in October with an upbeat take, perhaps without knowledge that there wouldn’t be a state organization left to advocate for the real and substantive, legally binding equality of GENDA.
The New York legislature passed laws protecting gay people with Sonda in 2002 and marriage equality in 2011. But since then the Senate has failed to pass transgender protections or “GENDA” eight times. Although there have been strong arguments since that SONDA also includes transgender people based on perceived gender identity the interpretation remains subjective.
“The mission was to get these policy objectives passed and we feel we have done that,” said Norman C. Simon, the group’s chairman and a co-chairman of the foundation’s board. The continuation of the PAC, he said, would allow the group to “maintain a continuing voice in electoral politics,” in order to safeguard its victories.
Transgender New Yorkers will have conditional protection under the law during the Cuomo administration, but there’s no permanence as it can be rescinded a number of ways. Kansas’s Brownback rescinded a previous governor’s executive order removing LGBT people’s legal protections and there wasn’t a thing anyone could do about it.
“The group will wind down its operations across the first half of 2016, working to “identify aspects of its policy work to transition to partner LGBT organizations” said Nathan Schaefer, the Pride Agenda’s Executive Director.
SO WAIT! WHAT? Schaefer just said the job isn’t finished without saying transgender and every fucking person in the room knows that’s what he’s eluding to. (it’s their little secret) They’ll just walk.
So gay New Yorkers will spend money on making sure the laws protecting them aren’t eroded but will throw the T under the bus. Nice.
Just last year the New york Pride Agenda supported Cuomo’s campaign citing his intent on passing GENDA.
It is very important to note that neither the NY Pride agenda or Governor Cuomo mentioned GENDA or any plans to introduces new laws specifically protecting transgender people.
Thusly the worst fears have been realized by those who have spent decades struggling for transgender rights in the Empire state. Cuomo’s claim as the national and world’s example of inclusion and acceptance run thin as every time a trans person go’s to court they will first have to prove SONDA covers them, making the process cost and time prohibitive.
I’d sure love to see the pre-election emails that were sent between the NY Gay Agenda and Cuomo. No doubt we’d see another gay organization emerge if or when gay rights laws are threatened.
sTonewall with a T: Jacob Tobia reflects on post-marriage LGBT movement from Samuel Nemir Olivares on Vimeo.
Kelli Busey Editor in Chief at Planet Transgender Kelli Busey an outspoken gonzo style journalist has been writing since 2007. In 2008, she brought the Dallas Advocate on-line and has articles published by the Reconciling Ministries Network, The Transsexual Menace, The Daily Kos, Frock Magazine the TransAdvocate, the Dallas Voice and The Advocate. Kelli, an avid runner is editor in chief at Planet Transgender which she founded in 2007.
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Facebook CommentsMANGALURU: A virtual bandh was forced in Moodbidri town on Friday following the brutal murder of a right-wing activist.A gang of six unidentified miscreants attacked flower merchant Prashanth Poojary, 29, and murdered him near his shop at Samaja Mandir Gate in Moodabidri, 40km from here. He was a resident of Hosabettu village.The attack happened at 7.30am while he was bringing fresh flowers to his shop. Six miscreants on three two-wheelers swooped down on him with lethal weapons and attacked him. Prashant, a member of the Bajrang Dal, was seriously injured and rushed to a private hospital in Mangaluru. He succumbed to severe injuries to the chest and abdomen.According to sources, the victim named three attackers before he died. Police officers were not available for comment. Saffron activists warned of severe protests if the accused are not arrested soon.Following the incident, tension prevailed in and around Moodbidri town in spite of a police bandobast. Two journalists from the electronic media who had gone to cover the event were assaulted and their camera was damaged.The body was kept for public viewing at Moodbidri bus stand after which there was some trouble and police resorted to a lathi charge. Bus services were completely off on that route and officegoers and students had a tough time returning home.Bus operators said no buses operated since 8am as they were stopped by protesters and private vehicles too were not allowed and there were stray incidents of stone pelting. However, buses to Karkala went via Padubidri giving commuters some relief.We can’t believe it’s been a year already, but PAX is back and we’re there bigger than ever! In typical Trion fashion we’re pulling out all the stops – showcasing all four AAA MMO’s we have in development, there’s a lot to look forward to!
Catch the latest news from RIFT, End of Nations, DEFIANCE, and Warface – whether you’re across the world or standing in our booth you’ll be able to watch the action LIVE as we broadcast to TwitchTV for the first time.
Starting Friday, August 31 thru Sunday, September 2nd tune into our live stream channel at Twitch.TV/TrionWorlds from 10:30AM to 5:30PM Pacific (5:30PM – 12:30AM GMT) for interviews, demos, and shenanigans all weekend long.
Attending the Show?
Don’t leave PAX without a visit to our booth! Not only are we giving out the in-game item “Helm of the Demon Lord” but you can score a bacon wrapped skin for your war machines in End of Nations. Of course, we also have t-shirts and other swag to give out as well so drop by and say hi – for those of you watching from home, don’t think we won’t give you a chance to get in on the loot too!
We’re also throwing a party Friday night – we can’t post the information publicly (people love crashing PAX parties!) but stop by our booth and talk to a member of our team to get an invite. It promises to be an epic night full of food, drinks & fun.
Not able to make it to PAX on Friday but going to be in town? If you’re looking to party just shoot an email to community@riftgame.com, we’ll be sure to add your name to the list and send you information about the party on Friday morning.
Finding us on the show floor is easy – from the main entrance just hang a right, we’re in booths 914 and 922, it will be hard to miss us!
See you there,
The RIFT TeamBoth candidates for the Labour leadership have published personal statements, reproduced below, on the party website.
A note from Owen:
Labour is the greatest force for good this country has ever known and it would be the greatest honour imaginable to lead our party.
Yet this election takes place at a moment of real danger, because if we don’t unite now, the possibility of a spilt is dangerously real. I will not stand by and watch that happen.
That is why throughout this campaign I will be setting out to unite Labour with a radical vision for the future of our party and Britain, backed up by a credible plan to deliver.
It’s clear that we must oppose failed Tory austerity. However, it is not enough to just be anti-austerity, we need a concrete plan for prosperity.
That’s why I have set out proposals for a British New Deal, which would be a £200bn investment plan to renew our country. Investing in tackling our housing crisis, modernising our transport networks, as well as investing in people through areas like Sure Start and social care.
In the Labour Party we also need to recommit ourselves to an ethical foreign policy, which is why I would introduce a War Powers Act. This would allow Parliament to properly scrutinise the Government of the day. To know, as certainly as we can do, that what we are doing is right and proportionate and in accordance with international law.
The job of uniting Labour and starting to rebuild Britain after this deeply damaging Tory government needs someone who gets things done, not just a talker. I have shown my ability to deliver during the year spend serving loyally in the Shadow Cabinet.
During that time I led campaigns that stopped the Tories in their tracks, when they tried to cut support for disabled people and tax credits for low paid workers.
If Labour members and supporters put their trust in me, I’ll bring that fighting spirt to the job every day. So we not only have the best opposition to the Tories imaginable, but get this rotten government out and return Labour to power.
About Owen:
Growing up Pontypridd, Owen has been a Labour member, trade unionist and socialist since he was old enough to know what they all were.
Before becoming an MP for his hometown, Owen worked at the BBC for ten years, spent three years at the Northern Ireland Office helping to secure the peace process and worked in the in life sciences industry.
Since being elected in 2010, Owen has served the Labour Party loyally in a number of different roles, most recently as Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary where he led on campaigns that forced U-turns over cuts to support for disabled people and tax credit cuts.Pablo Gomez, Jr., a left-wing Berkeley student activist arrested in January for allegedly stabbing a popular French elementary school teacher to death, and severely injuring another woman, insists on being referred to as “they.”
Gomez’s preference to be called “they” and “them” as opposed to “he” has been “sucked up into the debate over gender identity,” according to the Associated Press.
The incident has reportedly re-opened talks surrounding the use of gender pronouns, particularly in a city seen as the bastion of liberalism and progressive group-think in America.
Emile Inman, 27, was reportedly found dead in her home this past January after allegedly being stabbed by Gomez, Jr. Another woman, Kiana Schmitt, 24, was rushed to the hospital after Gomez allegedly stabbed her hours earlier.
However, Berkeleyside, which first reported on Gomez’s pronoun preference, began referring to the well-known campus activists as “they” and “them” once the publication learned of that preference from one of his friends.
Berkeleyside updated its January 6 article to read, “According to Gomez Jr.’s Facebook page, they are a UC Berkeley student who lives in Berkeley. [A friend contacted Berkeleyside after publication to say that Gomez Jr. uses the pronoun “they.” This story has been updated.]”
Popular conservative columnist Ann Coulter reacted to Berkeleyside’s decision to satisfy the murderer’s pronoun request over social media:
Berkeley student arrested https://t.co/cRvyUqxjZ5. Article calls Gomez "they." Did newspapers call John Hinkley "Jodi Foster's boyfriend"? — Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) January 8, 2017
The AP reported, “After Raguso’s report, conservative commentator Ann Coulter ridiculed the pronoun change and mocked Gomez’s activist background. Breitbart.com and other conservative political websites picked up the story.”
Breitbart’s article can be found here.
Frances Dinkelspiel, co-founder of Berkeleyside, told Heat Street, “We decided to use ‘they’ for Pablo Gomez Jr because that is Gomez’s preferred gender pronoun. It’s as simple as that. We have used ‘they’ in other stories about non-binary/genderqueer people.”
Similarly, Heat Street pointed out that Andrea Platten, managing editor of the Daily Californian, also adopted “they” as a singular pronoun at the publication last February.
“We believe that any person’s preferred pronoun should be honored, regardless of whether they are accused of committing a crime,” Platten told Heat Street.
Not everyone agreed that Gomez should have the right to decide which pronoun is used to describe him.
“I think you give away your right to make a demand like that when you are arrested for killing somebody,” UC Berkeley junior and College Republicans member Jonothan Chow told the AP.
Follow Adelle Nazarian on Facebook and Twitter.There are many great players in NBA history. Over the next few weeks, I will be breaking down the 10 greatest at each position in league history. Today we will start ranking 10 Greatest NBA Point Guards of All Time.
I would like to begin by saying this, I will not include Stephen Curry in this list. Although Curry is an 2 time MVP and quickly becoming the greatest shooter of all time, I think he is a one-dimensional player who has played 2 great seasons. 2 seasons is not enough to make you a top 10 player of all time at your position.
I fully expect for Curry to eventually be on this list but as of right now he is not. With that out of the way, let’s get started.
Honorable Mentions
Kevin Johnson
The now mayor of Sac Town was once a 3x NBA All-Star who helped Charles Barkley lead the ‘92 Suns to a finals appearance that ended with a loss to the Jordan led Bulls.
Chris Paul
One of the best all-around players of our generation, even in his 30’s Paul is a top 10 perimeter defender in the league and is probably the best pure point guard in the league today but he simply doesn’t have the accolades to make the list.
Steph Curry
Curry will be here one day, just not today. The 2x MVP, 1 x Champion, he is only 28 years old and was only an All-Star once before he broke out 2 years ago. He has more to prove before I am willing to slip him in.
Gary Payton
Payton was famously nicknamed the Glove as he was one of the greatest perimeter defenders of all time. On top of this, he averaged 16 points and 6.7 assists for his career and won a championship on the back of Wade in 06. He is also a 9-time All-Star and won a DPOY in 1996.
Must Read: Greatest Playoff Winners Ever
10. Tony Parker
Parker is a little bit of a shot in the dark as many people would prefer to rank someone else ahead of Parker in their top 10, but the accolades are definitely there to make the case for Parker. The 4 time NBA champion is also a one-time final MVP, 6x All-Star, was selected to the All-NBA second team 3 times, the 3rd team once and is also a 2x FIBA European player of the year.
For his career, he averages 16.6 PPG and 5.9 APG as well as being San Antonio’s all-time assists leader. On top of all of this, you have to take it into account that throughout his career he has sacrificed personal stats for the good of the franchise. For these reasons, Parker comes in at 10th on my all time point guards list.
9. Nate Archibald
Archibald is pound for pound one of the greatest players of all time, coming in at 6’1, 150 lbs he spent 14 seasons in the league and he is a 1 time NBA champion. Archibald is the only player to ever lead the league in PPG and APG for a single season doing so in 1972-73 averaging 34 ppg and 11.4 apg for the Kansas City Royals.
He is a six-time NBA All-Star who won the ASG MVP in 1981 and aver 19 ppg and 8 apg for his career. Archibald was also a very smart player, shooting 47% from the field.
8. Jason Kidd
Kidd is second on all-time assists list, showing himself to be one of the greatest playmakers of all time. On top of this, he is third on all time triple double list for the regular season and second for the post season.
He is also a one-time NBA Champion, a former co-rookie of the year, a 10 time All-Star, made the All-NBA first team 5 times, he was named to an All-Defensive team 9 times and averaged 12.6 points, 8.7 assists and 6.3 rebounds per game for his career. All of this more than qualifies Kidd for his position on this list.
7. Bob Cousy
The Celtics legend was an 8 time NBA Champion. For his career, he averaged 18.4 points, 7.5 assists, and 5.2 rebounds, made the NBA 1st team 10 times, and a one-time MVP award. Those stats speak for themselves.
6. Steve Nash
Nash didn’t play organized basketball until he was 14, He defied all odds and got ONE division one offer and turned it into an 18 year NBA career. With this Nash averaged 14.3 ppg, and 8.5 apg.
The point god won the NBA MVP award twice, was an 8x NBA All-Star, had 4 seasons in the 50-40-90 club, and had his number retired by the Phoenix Suns. On top of this Nash has the highest free throw percentage of all time at.904 and I can say that he was Curry before Curry existed.
He was possibly the most crafty, flashy creative and possibly the greatest passer of all time coming in at third on all time assist list.
Steve Nash made players around him better. Nash made sub-par players like Leandro Barbosa, Jason Richardson, and Jared Dudley look like All-Stars, he helped Shaq and Grant Hill find new tread on their well-worn tires and had the court vision that you just can’t teach.
The biggest things are his leadership and influence, though, in Phoenix even today 90% of basketball jerseys worn are Nash jerseys, he was our homegrown superstar, he will always be Phoenix’s beloved golden boy.
And now for my most daring statement, Steve Nash had a leadership skill that paralleled Brady, Manning, and even Jeter, He made crap coaches look like amazing leaders and coaches because of his leadership and authority on and off the court.
5. John Stockton
The all-time assist leader and all-time steals leader is one of the most underrated players in the NBA history. To be completely honest I couldn’t pick just 10 so I needed an extra number 4. Stockton is the first of the number 4’s because, as I stated already he is the all-time assist and steals leader and was the instigator of the greatest pick and roll of all-time with Karl “The Mailman” Malone.
4. Walter Frazier
Walter “Clyde” Frazier may be the best defensive point ever. Making an All-Defensive team 7 times and an All-NBA team 6 times, it’s hard to deny his greatness.
He also faired very well statistically averaging, 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists over his career. Clyde was also a 2x NBA Champion with New York Knicks.
3. Oscar Robertson
Robertson was insane. A walking triple double. He is the only player to average a triple-double for an entire season, as well as being a 12x All-Star, a 1x NBA champion, and a 1x NBA MVP.
Also for his career, he averaged 25.7 points 9.5 assists and 7.5 boards per game, which is UNREAL. The only reason he doesn’t rank number one is because as youtube Star Mike Korzemba pointed out in a video if there were as many possessions per game today, LeBron James and Russell Westbrook would blow these numbers away.
2. Isiah Thomas
IT was a tough guy. At 6’1, 180 he battled with Jordan and actually won a few times. On top of this, he was a 2x NBA champion, 1x Finals MVP, 12x All-Star, and he was selected to an All-NBA team 5 times.
With all of this Thomas is the Pistons all-time leading scorer, and he averaged 16.8 points and 8.8 assists per game for his career. Like Archibald, Thomas was undersized but he was pound for pound of the greatest players of all time.
1. Earvin Magic Johnson
Was there any question about who lands at #1? Although I threw you all for a loop with Parker and Nash, Magic is the clear cut #1 on any top 10 point guard list.
Magic was a freak of nature standing at 6’9, he has the height of a power forward with court vision and passing skills better than Steve Nash, and a triple double and scoring ability similar to LeBron James.
He was a 5x NBA Champ, 3x NBA MVP, 3x NBA Finals MVP, 12x All-Star, and was selected to the All-NBA 1st team 9 times. On top of all of this, his career averages were 19.5 ppg, 11.2 apg, and 7.2 rpg. AND Johnson’s career was shortened after he contracted the HIV virus. With all of that, how could he not be 1st?
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On Monday night, wrestling media outlet Flowrestling first reported the commitment of rising HS senior Hunter Bolen to Virginia Tech.
Click here for a good article on Bolen.
Bolen, a local Christiansburg High School wrestler is a 2x VHSL State Champion entering his senior season. Flowrestling currently has Bolen ranked #4 nationally at 160 lbs and #17 nationally in the senior class. Bolen, the Hokies’ second class of 2017 commitment, chose Virginia Tech over ACC rival North Carolina State University and will anchor the 2017 recruiting class along with VA product John Borst. Tech fans can celebrate the high quality of recruits in-state this year and Kevin Dresser, Tony Robie, Mike Zadick and the rest of the volunteer staff should be praised for keeping the talent in Virginia.
Fans looking for impending results from Bolen should pay attention to the Junior Nationals Tournament held in Fargo, North Dakota next week from July 16th-23rd. Often referred to simply as Fargo, the tournament is a nationwide competition with teams from each state. Both Borst and Bolen will represent Team Virginia, as they seek to become Junior National All-Americans and win the national tournament.DANIEL Ricciardo is believed to have extended his contract with Red Bull until 2018 after backing the team to challenge for the F1 title next season.
After blaming the team for the tactical errors which cost him victory in Monaco and Spain, the Australian warned Red Bull at last week’s Canadian GP he would leave unless they supplied him with a title-winning package.
However, it is understood Red Bull have now exercised their option on Ricciardo, tying the 26-year-old to the former world champions for at least another two-and-a-half years.
“The contract was always long term and in a way it was always that length,” Ricciardo confirmed to Sky Sports News HQ.
“But it’s performance based and obviously Helmut [Marko, the Red Bull advisor who is the right-hand man of owner Dietrich Mateschitz] and the team are happy with what l am doing and happy with me and Max [Verstappen] and want to keep us on board.”
Daniel Ricciardo has extended his deal with Red Bull Racing despite recent setbacks. Source: Getty Images
With both of his parents of Italian descent, Ricciardo has been heavily linked with Ferrari amid widespread expectation the Scuderia will drop Kimi Raikkonen at the end of the year.
But the Australian has opted to stay put after concluding that Red Bull are the best placed of Mercedes’ rivals to forge a title challenge when the sport’s aerodynamic regulations are refreshed at the end of the current campaign.
“At the moment this looks like being the best place to be,” he said. “If Mercedes don’t make changes there is nowhere else that looks that attractive. With the rules next year, l think it’s going to be a strong fit and l hope we can really fight for a title in 2017.”
Daniel Ricciardo battles Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari at the Canadian GP. Source: AFP
After debuting in F1 with HRT and Toro Rosso, Ricciardo joined Red Bull for 2015 as a replacement for Mark Webber. He won three races during his maiden season with the team, out-pacing and out-scoring Sebastian Vettel in the process before the German announced he was departing for Ferrari.
Red Bull’s current driver line-up was completed in May when Verstappen was called up to replace Daniil Kvyat. “It has become increasingly clear that Daniil Kvyat could not withstand the pressure from Daniel Ricciardo, and he has been overdriving the car,” Marko said at the time.
The news of Ricciardo’s contract extension will come as a particular blow to Kvyat’s new team-mate at Toro Rosso, Carlos Sainz. The Spaniard, who has been in superlative form of late, told Sky Sports F1 earlier this month his ambition was to win a world championship with parent team Red Bull.
But with the terms of Verstappen’s promotion also believed to include a binding long-term contractual agreement, Sainz’s first opportunity of realising that dream may occur in 2019 at the earliest.
This article originally appeared on Sky SportsThe Islamic State (Isis)--known for its brutal and innovative ways to punish people--recently executed 27 people in Iraq by putting them on an electric chair. It said that these people were arrested for planning attacks against the group in Mosul.
A Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) official, Saeed Mamouzini, told IraqiNews.com that the men were arrested while they were planning to "carry out operations against" the Isis.
"The execution was by electric chair in the old prison of Mosul," Mamouzini added. In recent months, there has been an increase in anti-Isis activities in Mosul, which has been under the Isis control since June 2014.
Last week, reports had emerged that five women from al-Khansa Brigade (also spelled al-Khanssaa Brigade) of the Isis had been gunned down by unknown vigilantes opposing the Sunni terrorist group. The dreaded all-woman only secret police of Isis are notorious for their support for child marriage.
The women officers of the al-Khansa Brigade are given the task of ensuring that women in Mosul abide by Sharia dress code. They are also responsible for handling the Isis sex slaves and teaching them on how to "please the jihadi militants".
The Isis in Mosul has also seen a rise in internal conflict. In the beginning of September, the terror group had executed as many as 112 Isis fighters after they staged a failed coup against the Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.Leonardo DiCaprio has reportedly "burned" himself out.
The 'Wolf of Wall Street' star has been told to slow down by his friends as they fear his hectic work schedule is having a negative effect on his health and personal life.
A source told RadarOnline.com: "Leo has been working like a demon over the past three years - and it's now starting to come back and haunt him.
"He's pretty burned out at the moment and suffering from insomnia from pushing himself so hard.
"Everybody is begging Leo to slow down but he's just very focused on making a lot of money right now—to the exclusion of almost everything else."
However, it appears the 39-year-old actor has been investing his money wisely as he recently spent $10 million on a new four-bedroom apartment in New York.
He also splashed out $8 million on an apartment adjacent to a $4 million home he already owns in the eco-friendly 2 River Terrace in Battery Park City last month.
And in February, he spent $5.2 million on a six-bedroom mansion in Palm Springs, California.
Meanwhile, Leonardo - who was nominated for an Oscar award last year - has already got another project lined up for later this year as he's reportedly signed up to star in 'The Revenant', which will start production in November.
Bang ShowbizNftables: a new packet filtering engine
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Packet filtering and firewalling has a long history in Linux. The first filtering mechanism, called "ipfwadm," was released in 1995 for the 1.2.1 kernel. This code was used until the 2.2.0 stable release (January, 1999), when the new "ipchains" module took over. While ipchains was useful, it only lasted until 2.4.0 (January, 2001), when it, too, was replaced by iptables/netfilter, which remains in the kernel now. If netfilter maintainer Patrick McHardy has his way, though, iptables, too, will be gone in the future, replaced by yet another mechanism called "nftables." This article will give an overview of how nftables works, followed by a discussion of the motivations behind this change.
The first public nftables release came out on March 18. This code has been in the works for a while, though, and the ideas were discussed at the 2008 Netfilter Workshop. So nftables is not quite as new as it might seem.
The current iptables code has a lot of protocol awareness built into it. There is, for example, a module dedicated to extracting port numbers from UDP packets which is different from the module concerned with TCP packets. The nftables implementation is entirely different; there is no protocol knowledge built into it at all. Instead, nftables is implemented as a simple virtual machine which interprets code loaded from user space. So nftables has no operation which says anything like "compare the IP destination address to 196.168.0.1"; instead, it would execute code which looks like:
payload load 4 offset network header + 16 => reg 1 compare reg 1 192.168.0.1
(Patrick presents the code in mnemonic form, and your editor will do the same; the actual code loaded into the kernel uses opcodes instead). The first line loads four bytes from the packet, located 16 bytes past the beginning of the network reader, into register 1. The second line then compares that register against the given network address.
The language can do a lot more than just comparing addresses, of course. There is, for example, a set lookup feature. Consider the following:
payload load 4 offset network header + 16 => reg 1 set lookup reg 1 load result in verdict register { "192.168.0.1" : jump chain1, "192.168.0.2" : drop, "192.168.0.3" : jump chain2 }
This code will cause packets aimed at 192.168.0.2 to be dropped; for the other two listed addresses, control will be sent to specific rule chains. This set feature allows for multi-branch rules in a way which cannot be done with the current iptables implementation (though the ipset mechanism helps in that regard). The above code also introduces the "verdict register," which records an action to be performed on a packet. In nftables, more than one verdict can be rendered on a packet; it is possible to add a packet to a specific counter, log it, and drop it all in a single chain without the need (as seen in iptables) to repeat tests.
There are a number of other capabilities built into the nftables virtual machine. There's a set of operations for communicating with the connection-tracking mechanism, allowing connection information to be used in deciding the fate of specific packets. Other operators deal with various bits of packet metadata known to the networking subsystem; these include the length, the protocol type, security mark information, and more. Operators exist for logging packets and incrementing counters. There's also a full set of comparison operations, of course.
Network administrators are unlikely to be impressed by the idea of programming a low-level virtual machine for their future firewalling needs. The good news is that there will be no need for them to do so. Instead, they'll write higher-level rules which will then be compiled into virtual machine code before being loaded into the kernel. The nftables utility does this work, implementing a human-readable language encapsulating most of the needed information about how packets are put together. So, if we look back to the first test described above:
payload load 4 offset network header + 16 => reg 1 compare reg 1 192.168.0.1
The administrator would simply write " ip daddr 192.168.0.1 " and let nftables turn that into the above code. A full (if simple) rule looks something like this:
rule add ip filter output ip daddr 192.168.0.1 counter
This rule will count packets sent to 192.168.0.1.
The new nftables API is based on netlink, naturally. Unlike the current iptables API, it has the ability to modify individual rules without the need to reload the entire configuration. There is also a decompilation facility built into nftables that allows the recreation of human-readable rules from the current in-kernel configuration.
[PULL QUOTE: This could be a disruptive and expensive transition; the kernel development community will want to see some very good reasons for inflicting this pain on its users. END QUOTE] All told, it looks like a nicely-designed packet filtering mechanism, but the merging of nftables is likely to be controversial. The iptables mechanism works well, and is widely used; replacing it with code which breaks the user-space API and breaks all existing iptables configurations is guaranteed to raise some eyebrows. This could be a disruptive and expensive transition, even if, as seems necessary, the developers commit to maintaining both iptables and nftables in the mainline for an extended period of time. The kernel development community will want to see some very good reasons for inflicting this pain on its users.
There are some good reasons, but one should start by noting that it should be possible to create a tool which reads current iptables configurations and converts them to the nftables language - or even directly to kernel virtual machine code. Patrick seems to expect to create such a tool One Of These Days, but it does not exist at this time.
Some of the reasons for replacing iptables have already been hinted at above. The protocol knowledge built into the iptables code has turned out to be a problem over time; there is a lot of duplicated code doing the same thing (extracting port numbers, say) for different protocols. Even worse, the capabilities and syntax tend to vary from one protocol to the next. By moving all of that knowledge out to user space, nftables greatly simplifies the in-kernel code and allows for much more consistent treatment of all protocols.
There are a lot of optimization possibilities built into the new system. Some expensive operations (incrementing counters, for example) can be skipped unless the user really needs them. Features like set lookups and range mapping can collapse a whole set of iptables rules into a single nftables operation. Since filtering rules are now compiled, there is also potential for the compiler to optimize the rules further. Traditional firewall configurations tend to perform the same tests repeatedly; a smart nftables compiler could eliminate much of that duplicated work. Unsurprisingly, this optimization remains on the "to do" list for now, but the fact that all of this work is done in user space will make it easy to add such features in the future.
The nftables tool will also be able to perform a higher level of validation on the rules it is given, and it will be able to provide more useful diagnostics than can be had from the iptables code.
But, arguably, the most important motivation is the ability to dump the current ABI. The iptables ABI has become an increasing impediment to development over time. It includes protocol-specific fields which has made it hard to extend; that is part of why there are actually three copies of the iptables code in the kernel. When developers wanted to implement arptables and ebtables, they essentially had to copy the code and bang it into a new, protocol-specific shape. Patrick estimates that, even after four years of unification work, the kernel contains some 10,000 lines of duplicated filtering code. Beyond that, the structures used in the ABI are also used directly in the kernel's internal representation, making that implementation even harder to change. Separating the two would be possible through the addition of a translation layer, but the details involved (including the need to translate in both directions) increase the risk of adding subtle problems. In summary, the iptables ABI has become a serious impediment to further progress in packet filtering.
Nftables is a chance to dump all of that code and replace it with a much smaller filtering core which should prove to be quite a bit more flexible. With any luck, nftables should last a long time; the virtual machine can be extended in unexpected ways without the need to break the user-space ABI (again). It's smaller size should make it well suited to small router deployments, while its lockless design should appeal to administrators of high-end systems. All told, chances are good that the larger community will eventually see this change as being worthwhile. But not for a while: there are some unfinished pieces in nftables, and the larger discussion has not yet begun.
(For more information, see this weblog posting from August, 2008 and the slides from Patrick's presentation [ODF] at the Netfilter Workshop).TL;DR: SNOOZ is going to help you sleep.
Sleep is how we recharge our batteries. From improving brain function to helping prevent a whole host of health issues, sleep is so important that when we think of wellness it really should be: diet, exercise, and sleep.
But sometimes the noises around you keep you up, sometimes your own mind won't let you rest, and sometimes your neighbor decides to cut down a tree before the sun comes up...
SNOOZ is an acoustic white noise machine that helps you fall asleep and stay asleep. Using a proprietary fan in an acoustically optimized enclosure, SNOOZ produces peaceful white noise to help the world fade away so you can sleep.
Plenty of new devices track sleep disturbances. SNOOZ ends them. Period.
SNOOZ uses a real fan so you don't have to worry if |
like you're tunneling on your partner - yes, your partner will flip scum, but the Townies will start wondering if your conviction came from KNOWING you were right all along.
At the bottom line, though, deliberately sacrificing your teammate lets another game Day go by without any progress toward your Win Condition, and as the game slowly winds down to LyLo the job of avoiding the Town's ire gets more difficult. The sacrifice made by bussing has to be worth having to survive another Day.
You are not alone!
When you are given the ability to communicate with your scumpartners, USE IT. The ability for scumpartners to coordinate with each other with no concerns about each others' allegiance is a huge advantage for the Mafia. Discuss who you want to target with your factional kill, who might be a power role, your plans for how you want to enter the next Day, how you think you should interact with the other members of the team, who you think the best mislynches are probably going to be, or anything else that may help you. A functioning Mafia team is much stronger than the sum of its individual members.
If you have been given the ability to communicate during the Day phases, unless you are playing in a very quick game there is no reason for you to NOT be able to orchestrate whatever maneuvers you like at any given time. If utilized properly, daytalk is a huge boost to scum power.
Mafia, but not scum.
Don't spoil the game even if you have effectively lost. Let's say you know who the SK is, but you're getting lynched as the last Mafioso. It's very bad form to out the SK with your dying breath - it doesn't matter to you whether the SK wins or not; you still lose. Let the others have their fun and plot revenge after the game.
As Third Party (SK)
How NOT to Be Seen.
If you do not have immunity to Night kills, playing as SK forces you into the middle of the road. Playing too scummily will get you lynched, but playing too "well" will get you killed by the scum. You lose either way. If you're an unremarkable player on the list, you stand a decent chance of blending in without doing much special. If you're noted for getting lynched a lot or for being a good player, you have to learn to play a suboptimal game without coming across as scum. For instance, pick reasoned arguments with obvious Townies, but be able to argue your way out of a lynch. Try not to "catch onto" scum; they hate that and like shooting people for it.
If you do have NK-immunity, half of the pressure is mostly removed. However, you still don't want to get shot at - aside from decreasing the rate at which people die and thus dragging the game out, if the scum figure out that you're not an obvious target for protection they will deduce that you're an SK and start working on lynching you.
Do not claim a power role except as a last resort. That's just baiting the scumkill unless you think there is a Doctor in the setup.
The enemy of your enemy is kind of your friend.
As SK, the primary threat to winning the game is the Mafia. Some mods will let the Mafia win regardless of whether the SK is alive as soon as they attain a majority of the living players. You obviously want to prevent that, so if the Town isn't lynching scum, it's up to you to kill them.
At the same time, you also don't want to annihilate the Mafia at Night. While there is at least one Mafioso alive, there's the possibility that someone other than the person you target will die at Night. That extra kill is invaluable if you want to cut down on the length of time you have to spend hiding from the lynch. In addition, as soon as the Mafia is gone the Town will begin hunting for the SK, which you can really do without. Of course, if the Mafioso targets you with its kill and you don't have immunity, it's a failed endeavor, so decide if and how long you plan on taking the risk.
Conclusion
The above reflects some of the best general advice that Vi, the reviewers of this guide and several others, can offer in terms of making high-level Mafia games more common. Now that it's part of the public discourse, it can be hoped and expected that games will become more intriguing everywhere online Mafia is played.
At the heart of good play is experience, though. There's quite a difference between reading what you are recommended to do and actually doing it convincingly. Keep playing and learning from your mistakes and experiments until you learn for yourself what works and what doesn't.
I wish you the best of luck.
Other Useful Pages
A Beginner's Guide to Claiming
How to Win as Mafia: Calculated InactionA Chinese Long March 2F rocket launches on the Shenzhou 9 mission, China's first manned space docking flight and first flight of a female astronaut, on June 16, 2012 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center.
China announced Thursday (Feb. 28) that it will send three astronauts to space this summer on a docking mission to its orbiting lab, according to news reports.
Carrying three Chinese astronauts the Shenzhou 10 capsule will launch into space atop a Long March-2F rocket sometime between June and August, the Xinhua news agency reported. Once in orbit, the Shenzhou 10 spacecraft will link up with China's space station prototype, the Tiangong 1 laboratory module.
The new space mission will mark China's second manned docking of two spacecraft in orbit, and the fifth Chinese manned spaceflight. The country's space program achieved its first manned orbital docking 2012, when the three-person crew of Shenzhou 9 linked up with Tiangong 1.
China is the third country after Russia and the United States to achieve human spaceflight. The country's first human spaceflight launched in 2003 during the Shenzhou 5 mission that launched Chinese astronaut Yang Liwei into space.
During the upcoming Shenzhou 10 mission, China plans more tests of its spacecraft docking system, as well as the ability of Shenzhou 10 astronauts to adapt to the space environment, Xinhua reported. Officials with China's space agency said general assembly of the Shenzhou 10 spacecraft is complete, and the capsule is currently being tested and the astronauts are undergoing training.
Tiangong 1, which means "Heavenly Palace" in Chinese, launched in September 2011 and was followed by another unmanned vehicle, Shenzhou 8, in November of that same year during a successful docking test flight.
China plans to replace Tiangong 1 with a larger manned space station by 2020. Eventually, China aims to land people on the moon, officials with the country's space program have said.
Follow SPACE.com on Twitter @Spacedotcom. We're also on Facebook and Google+.Andreas "schneider" Lindberg has rejected the possibility of joining mousesports on a permanent basis.
Andreas "znajder" Lindberg has played for mouz as a stand-in in recent weeks after finding himself a free agent, and the team's results have been very impressive as they qualified for the LAN Finals of both ESEA and GameShow League.
Such reports led to suggestions that the Swedish talent would soon fill the void left by Oliver "kzy" Heck, who left the team after growing unhappy with their playing style.
schneider will not be able to commit to a team in the near future
However, the former fnatic ace has indicated that he turned down the possibility of joining mousesports on a permanent basis due to personal reasons.
"I just said that I could try it out and see how it goes," he told Aftonbladet. "The first week, I was really off my game, but after a while I felt that I reached at least 80 percent of my capacity. "I did not really know what to expect from Mousesports but when I play I always want to be the best and win against every team, so I just jumped into the team wanting to improve it. "Ater I got kicked from Fnatic, some things happened in my life. Things that make it impossible for me to pursue a professional career at the moment. "The team wanted to me to continue playing with them, but I had to decline and that’s very sad, of course. "Now, I will go on another hiatus and you will probably only see me play if it’s in the national team or as a standin somewhere."
znajder also admitted that his motivation took a huge blow following the disbandment of his FlipSid3 Tactics team, who also featured Andreas "MODDII" Fridh, Simon "twist" Eliasson, Martin "cENTRYZ" Brandal and Jacob "pyth" Mourujärvi
"I got my motivation back and tried to build my own team with players I thought had a lot of potential to be great," he noted. "But during my short time with Flipsid3, we had one problem after another, and tried everything to make the team work. "After three player changes I hit a wall, and have never been less motivated to play CS:GO."
This means that mouz have been left with:
Related videos:In the 1950s, a lone psychiatrist almost did what all the super villains in the world could never do…he put super heroes out of business. The noted doctor virtually destroyed the super hero medium. Who was this man Wertham and how did a single voice almost derail an entire industry?
The latter half of the 1950s was a wasteland for super hero books. After 15 years as a lucrative medium, the publication of Dr. Fredric Wertham’s book “Seduction of the Innocent” resulted in those super-powered men-in-tights being shoved into limbo, causing the comic book industry to reevaluate its material and switch to more comedy-oriented material and less action themed books. How did one man accomplish all this?
First of all, let it be said that Dr. Wertham was not a charlatan or con man or a huckster. He was a noted psychiatrist, educated in the universities at Munich, Erlangen, London and Würzburg, graduating with a medical degree in 1921. In 1922, Wertham emigrated to the United States and taught at Johns Hopkins University, and practiced at the university’s Phipps Psychiatric Clinic. He also wrote an article about the detrimental effects of segregation which was used in the milestone Brown v. Board of Education case, which eventually ruled that segregation was unconstitutional.
This impressive resume made his opinion all the more respected. In the early 50s, he began looking into the causes of juvenile crime. The growing problem of ‘juvenile delinquency’ was the hot-button political topic that everyone was talking about in the 50s. When Wertham began studying the problem during this period, his research into juvenile offenders found one thing most of them had in common—they liked to read comic books. Wertham came to the conclusion that violence in comics was the cause of juvenile delinquency. He began a one-man crusade to have super-hero comics banned. He was interviewed in the newspapers and on the radio, and his theories got a lot of support from politicians who were desperately looking for a cure to rising street crime by juveniles. His book on the topic, "Seduction of the Innocent" sold very well and influenced many people.
Wertham also took on the topic of the “inherent gayness” and psychological ‘damage’ that the example of the Batman/Robin relationship was doing to young people. He said, “Only someone ignorant of the fundamentals of psychiatry and of the psychopathology of sex can fail to realize a subtle atmosphere of homoerotism.” He believed Batman comics were fostering homosexual tendencies in young boys. Wertham, by the way, ran a clinic in New York to ‘cure’ what he called “sexually maladjusted individuals”.
In 1954, the US Senate began a series of hearings regarding the comic book industry and Dr. Wertham was the key witness. He convinced the Senate that comic books were harmful to society. This led to the creation of the Comics Code Authority, which regulated what could be show within the pages of comic books. Comic books were suddenly demonized, forbidden in homes and schools. Kids had to hide their comic books from their parents, much the way other kids have to hide their Playboys. A kid caught with a comic book in school could be suspended.
Most of the comic companies either went out of business or switched their focus to funny books, like those featuring cute talking animals. Archie Comics and other humorous, non-action books took over the medium. Even Timely Comics (the forerunner of Marvel) began churning out Monster anthology stories, like “Where Creatures Dwell” and “Monsters on the Loose”. The only three super hero books to survive the purge were Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, because they were too valuable in terms of merchandising to cancel. (The Adventures of Superman TV series, starring George Reeves, was hugely popular among kids in the 1950s.) For all intents and purposes, the super-hero comic genre was dead.
Fortunately, all things pass. The whole national juvenile delinquency debate and the influence of Wertham’s book began to fade by the 1960s. Super heroes had been greatly missed in their absence. Marvel and DC re-launched their super hero lines and reinvigorated the industry. Wertham himself eventually had a bit of a change of heart, publishing “The World of Fanzines: A Special Form of Communication” in 1974, where he conceded that comic books and science fiction fanzines were a unique type of communication tools. He even spoke at the New York Comic Art Convention that same year. However, despite this olive branch, he was heckled out of the building by hostile comic fans who hadn’t forgiven him. After this, he stopped writing about comics permanently. He died in November 1981.
Parenthetically, Carol Tilley, Assistant Professor at the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois, investigated the evidence collected by Wertham in his book in 2010, and she said, “Wertham manipulated, overstated, compromised, and fabricated evidence—especially that evidence he attributed to personal clinical research with young people—for rhetorical gain.”
And that is the story of how one man nearly caused the premature death of the comic book industry. Was Dr. Wertham a concerned but misguided man who took aim at the wrong target in his zeal to end juvenile delinquency, or was he an opportunist who saw the whole juvenile crime debate as a means of getting some attention for himself? Was his late-in-life reversal of opinion genuine or was he merely tired of the hate mail? Was he a flawed hero or a villain? What do you think?Lock City Brewing, which opened last month on Research Drive in Stamford, is founded by co-brewers Mike Bushnell and Patrick Casciolo who both share a passion for great beer. It should come as no surprise that Stamford’s newest brewery is no stranger to Alternative Control. We’ve been eagerly anticipating their opening since we first met at Beer Conn 2015, when they were just making the transition from nano to micro brewery; they’ve come a long way and we’ve been following them like a clingy girlfriend around the beer fest circuit ever since. They were kind enough to sponsor our first Oktoberfest show at Seaside Tavern last year — Patrick was even a judge in our food contest — and now we are very pleased to give you a glimpse into their brand new brewery and the minds behind the brew.
AltCtrl: How did you first get interested in brewing beer? And how did you start brewing together?
Mike: For me it’s something I’ve been interested in for a long time. When my wife went for her doctoral program she wasn’t around so that was a perfect time for me to start brewing some beer and building my whole system and concentrating on that for the weekends. It became a real hobby, essentially we both talked and decided after making some trips to Vermont and going to some good breweries that we should put our heads together and make some beer that’s comparable to what they’re doing.
Patrick: I just run the brewing process, the brewing is pretty much all Mike.
AltCtrl: The brewery looks great! How has the brewing dynamic changed brewing here vs brewing at home?
Mike: It’s really the same process. It’s all grain brewing, the thing that has changed is we’re brewing on a lot larger scale. Things are a little bit different as far as the type of water we use, we’re tweaking the reverse osmosis and blending it with city water, versus at home using all reverse osmosis, and that’s because of the amount of grain we’re working with in the mash. You can basically see at a small scale every kernel of crushed grain. Here it’s different, the efficiencies are a bit different, more valves to turn, but I think we’ve figured it out and I think the beers that we’ve brewed here are better than the ones we were brewing at home.
Patrick: It’s been a very successful transition from the small brewing system to the big.
Mike: And it helps to have a guy here that was showing us the ropes as far as the larger scale, Leo Bongiorno. He was here for our first beer and showing us now turn this valve, turn the pump down, turn the pump up, he was a huge help in setting up the brewing process. You’re working with more equipment essentially.
AltCtrl: Tell us about the process of building out the new location…
Mike: Building out the new location was kind of a real pain in the… The building department took 6 months to get approval on every little aspect. Working with the contractors was the easiest part of it. Getting out licensing was not as difficult as what everybody seemed to make of it, but every town has their different hurdles. Our largest hang up wasn’t really with the building portion of it, it was getting our equipment in the door. The manufacturer did not cooperate, took about a year to get the equipment in the door. And then when the equipment came in the insides of the tanks weren’t finished so we had another 3 week delay. So it was delay after delay with the manufacturer. So as slow as building the space out was we still had plenty of time because we were waiting forever for our equipment. It’s still an ongoing battle.
AltCtrl: What are your favorite styles of beer?
Mike: Plain and simple: IPA
Patrick: New England-style IPA
Mike: We do like some porters and stouts, but hop-forward IPAs
AltCtrl: Where do you get your brewing inspiration?
Mike: I mean, we have all these cans that are sitting up on our wall here..
Patrick: Had to be Alchemist, gotta give them credit.
Mike: Alchemist probably started it, and I would say even New England Brewing Co, cause we were drinking a lot of New England at that time. And if you look today I think a lot of inspiration comes from breweries out in California that are making great New England-style IPAs, Monkish for example their Foggier Window, it seems like they can’t go wrong over there. So far we feel like they’re setting the bar. Them, Hill Farmstead, Treehouse, Trillium, Vail, that’s the bar and we hold our product up to that bar, that’s where we want to be.
AltCtrl: You just mentioned a lot of my favorites breweries too. Monkish I haven’t had a chance to try yet but I’ve been hearing a lot about them.
Patrick: Because you’ve gotta give an arm and a leg to get one beer. They only produce about 100 cases at a time.
AltCtrl: What are Lock City Brewing’s core values when it comes to brewing?
Mike: Essentially making great beer that people are gonna love. It’s process driven, making sure we have the same process every time we brew a beer. For us, a major value is the beer has to be excellent. Anything less than really good or excellent and its gotta go down the drain. We’re hoping to be that brewery in Stamford where people don’t have to drive 2, 4, 5 hours one way to get to a really really outstanding brewery.
Patrick: And ultimately get the people to drive 2, 4, 5 hours to come here.
AltCtrl: For those who don’t know, what does Stamford have to do with ‘locks’?
Mike: Yale Towne Lock Manufacturing employed 25% of Stamford’s population from the late 1800s up through about 1950. Some people say it’s more, some people say it’s 50% of Stamford’s population, and because of that they called Stamford the Lock City so we’re trying to bring some history back to Stamford.
AltCtrl: Your artwork and names are very fun, how do you go about naming/branding a new beer?
Mike: Basically we’ll take the beer, OJ on Parole for example, when we tasted it we were very impressed with the orange juice qualities it had to it. We knew that OJ (Simpson) was going up for his parole hearing the following day so we should sit in front of the TV tomorrow to see what happens cause if he makes parole we’re gonna call this OJ on Parole. Everything really is taste first.
Patrick: We like to try to incorporate a “lock” kind of name, or wresting, anything where Stamford has some kind of history with it.
AltCtrl: The New England-style IPA is all the rage now and your initial beer lineup is very IPA heavy. Believe me there’s no complaints here, but curious to hear what other styles we can expect to see in the future?
Mike: We have our coffee brown ale that came out last week, people seem to really enjoy that. We have the blonde ale today, you’re gonna see some porters and stouts come out. We got our imperial pumpkin ale that’s gonna be coming out in the next few weeks. We’re gonna have seasonal beers, a few styles, but we’re gonna try to always remain IPA heavy.
AltCtrl: What’s the hardest part about brewing IPAs in particular? And what’s your favorite part?
Mike: In general the hardest part is the waiting around and the cleaning. The hooking up, cleaning, and waiting for processes to finish. Favorite part is dumping those hops in, pitching the yeast, the finishing touches of making these beers.
Patrick: Troubleshooting equipment… Very first batch of beer we turn the grain mill on, pour the grain in, the thing doesn’t work. Then we’re taking it apart for hours.
AltCtrl: What types of hops and grains do you use mostly?
Mike: For our base malts we use a lot of Rahr pell, pale malt, Thomas Fawcett Pearl, Thomas Fawcett Golden Promise. We’re not sold on any one base malt but Thomas Fawcett to me is something that’s not replaceable. I think it makes some of the best beers that we make in this brewery and even when I was home brewing. The hops that I like to use are Mosaic and Galaxy. Galaxy is probably my favorite, and I love Mosaic single hop beers.
AltCtrl: Any plans to can or bottle on the horizon? Your artwork is fantastic and is sure to be a hit at releases and on the shelves!
Patrick: We’d be doing it yesterday if we could.
Mike: We have slightly different views as far as canning, we don’t want to do any bottling we agree on that. My view is that hopefully we can start canning in the fall, and his view is a year from now we’ll be canning. When the time comes and we’ve had a chance to brew our beers a number of times.
Patrick: Canning is definitely in the future, I think you have to can.
AltCtrl: Where can one find Lock City on tap?
Mike: Coalhouse Pizza will pretty much have a dedicated line of our beer.
Patrick: Here and local bars, check your Untapped and Beer Menus. Soon we’ll be up above New Haven.
Lock City Brewing is located on Research Drive in Stamford, CT and is open Thursday and Friday nights from 5-9 and Saturdays from 12-7. Be sure to stop on down for a pint or flight — and even bring some home in a growler! If you are a fan of craft beer, you will not be disappointed! We will also be featuring Lock City on tap at Seaside Tavern on September 30th for our 2nd Annual Oktoberfest show.
Johnny Pluckman goes far and wide in search of the best music and beer coverage. Check out more of his intrepid reporting here.
For more from Alternative Control, find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Soundcloud, and bandcamp.Share
In a strange way, the latest lawsuit facing Google is a compliment of sorts. After all, at its core is the suggestion that Google has been so successful at what its original business was, that it has literally become synonymous with the idea of Internet search… which, in many ways, is a good thing. Of course, when that compliment is accompanying a lawsuit demanding that the name becomes genericized so as to allow anyone to use it, suddenly the compliment seems a little less flattering.
The lawsuit in question comes from one David Elliott, who is suing the company for the cancellation of its federally registered trademarks relating to its name, as well as a declaration that the word “Google” can be used to describe the act of searching for something online under the Fair Use Doctrine. The suit, which was filed in Phoenix, AZ, explains that “the term ‘Google’ is, or has become, a generic term universally used to describe the action of internet searching with any search engine, which cannot serve as a trademark to the exclusion of others.” It goes on to note that “The Collins English Dictionary, the online dictionary www.dictionary.com, and Wikipedia all recognize ‘Google’ a a transitive verb,” before pointing out that “On January 8, 2010, the American Dialect Society voted the verb ‘Google’ the word of the decade, identifying its meaning as ‘to search the internet.'”
While, admittedly, I’d argue against using Wikipedia as a reputable source for this lawsuit (or any lawsuit, for that matter), it’s worth admitting that the suit does make a good case for “Google” being widely accepted as a verb in general usage when discussing Internet search, even if the idea that that alone gives it cause for cancelling trademarks seems a little bit of a stretch. But, you may be wondering, why is this David Elliott bringing this lawsuit, anyway?
The answer lies elsewhere in the filing: “Plaintiff is developing an internet-based business that will promote commerce, community, relationships, personal health, charity and more. This business is based upon ICANN’s intention to remodel and restructure the Internet and its use by releasing affinity-and-location-based domain extensions… As part of these plans, Plaintiff obtained and registered the Domain Names in February and March of 2012 using Chris Gillespie’s GoDaddy.com account, to be used in connection with Plaintiff’s bona fide offering of goods and services. Plaintiff’s Domain Names, listed in Attachment A, contain the generic verb ‘Google’ (meaning ‘to search’) plus a noun, including topics, brands or persons, thereby creating a new term with a distinct meaning.”
Firstly: I don’t think whoever wrote that filing actually knows what “creating a new term with a distinct meaning” means. Secondly: The plaintiff wants Google to be de-trademarked so he can use their brand for his own gain? Really? Somehow, I don’t think this is going to be the most successful lawsuit of all time. Which is a shame, really; if you can ignore the (admittedly blinding) selfishness in the argument, there’s actually an interesting case here – When a company becomes so good at what it does that its name becomes a verb, how strictly can it control its trademarks? Sadly – but not the same sadness that David Elliott will feel – we may not find out anytime soon.Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption DIY drones: Enthusiasts making their own aircraft
The US aviation regulator has announced the six states that will host sites for testing commercial use of drones.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) picked Alaska, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Texas and Virginia.
The sites are part of a programme to develop safety and operational rules for drones by the end of 2015.
Hitherto mainly used by the military, the potential of drones is now being explored by everyone from real estate agents to farmers or delivery services.
The head of the FAA, Michael Huerta, said safety would be the priority as it considers approval for unleashing the unmanned aircraft into US skies.
Pilots will be notified through routine announcements about where drones are being flown.
The FAA said in a statement that its decision followed a 10-month process involving proposals from 24 states.
The agency said it had considered geography, climate, location of ground infrastructure, research needs, airspace use, aviation experience and risk.
The sites chosen are:
A set of locations proposed by the University of Alaska in seven zones with varying climates, from Hawaii to Oregon
Griffiss International Airport in central New York state will test how to integrate drones into the congested north-east airspace
North Dakota Department of Commerce will test the human impact of drones and also how the aircraft cope in temperate climates
The state of Nevada will concentrate on standards for air traffic and drone operators
Texas A&M University plans to develop safety requirements for drones and testing for airworthiness
Virginia Tech university will research operational and technical areas of risk for drones
The biggest chunk of the growth in the commercial drone industry is currently expected to be for agriculture and law enforcement.
Analysis For years, people thought drones would never be allowed to fly in the US. Then Jeff Bezos got involved. The Amazon chief executive said his company would start using drones to deliver packages - and even cynics began to think something might happen. Matt Scassero, a retired US Navy captain who has worked on efforts to expand the use of drones, said he thinks Amazon moved things along. "It adds a lot of interest," he said. The FAA announcement are signs of progress for Scassero and other drone enthusiasts. It means officials are taking their requests seriously - and things are on track for the drones to fly. Read more from Tara on drones
Police and other emergency services could use them for crowd control, taking crime scene photos or for search and rescue missions.
It can cost a police department hundreds of dollars an hour to deploy a helicopter, while an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can be sent into the skies for as little as $25.
Farmers, meanwhile, might find it easier to spray crops or survey livestock with the pilotless aircraft.
The FAA estimates as many as 7,500 aircraft could be in the air five years after widespread airspace access is made legal.
However, the commercial use of drones has drawn criticism from both conservatives and liberals.
In a report last December, the American Civil Liberties Union said that giving drones access to US skies would only ensure "our every move is monitored, tracked, recorded and scrutinised by the authorities".
But lawmakers from winning states were delighted with the selections.
"This is wonderful news for Nevada that creates a huge opportunity for our economy," said Senator Harry Reid, a Democrat from Nevada.
An industry-commissioned study predicted more than 70,000 jobs - including drone operators - would develop in the first three years after Congress loosens drone restrictions on US skies.
The same study, conducted by the Teal Group research firm, found that the worldwide commercial drone market could top $89bn in the next decade.This blog post outlines an idea for a service where people can register that they're using (i.e. dependent / reliant on) a CPAN distribution. This would provide additional information about which distributions underpin the Perl world, and if the registrants were contactable, it would help authors minimise breakages when making changes.
One central piece of the CPAN data model is recording of dependencies, and as an author an important piece is reverse dependencies: knowing which other dists on CPAN are using your dist (these are also known as downstream dependencies, as opposed to upstream dependencies, which are the dists you're using).
As a careful author, when making changes it is good to consider your reverse dependencies, to the point of running their tests against new versions of your dists before doing a non-developer release to CPAN (see DROLSKY's Test::DependentModules to help with this).
It's very easy to forget DarkPAN though: all the Perl code out there which isn't on CPAN, but which uses CPAN modules. Right now you've got no reliable way of knowing whether your module is even used, or by how many different people / companies.
So how about a service where people can say "I/we use this dist"?
We'd probably have to support companies as a registrant as well as individuals, so we don't over-report dependencies.
There should be an option to provide a contact email address. If you provide an email address, there'd also be an opt-out for "I don't want to be contacted by the author".
Registrants could specify their privacy level: whether they want other people to know they're using these modules, for example.
There are three immediate benefits I can think of:
It starts to give a more complete (though still inaccurate) measure of usage for distributions. This would be particularly useful for things in the App:: namespace and similar.
namespace and similar. It could provide a mechanism for authors to contact their user base for feedback on proposed changes, or to ask them to test a dev release.
It the various situations where an author is no longer available to maintain a distribution, it might provide additional people in the pool of potential adopters.
People could opt in to notifications: "tell me when there are new (major) releases of this dist please".
After quick discussion at the QAH, there seems to be agreement that this would be best done as a stand-alone service, which MetaCPAN etc can hook into.
Thoughts?
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DisqusAlliance Defending Freedom, a Christian legal advocacy group that filed the lawsuit on behalf of Snelling, alleged discrimination by the park. “National Park Service: Research in Grand Canyon okay for geologists … but not Christian ones,” read the headline on their press release. (Interior department and NPS spokespeople declined to comment because of the pending litigation.)
If the permit application hit a nerve, it’s because young-Earth creationists have a bit of an obsession with the Grand Canyon. Where geologists see billions of years of rock layers carved out by a persistent flow of water, young-Earth creationists see sediments laid down in Noah’s flood. As the flood receded, they believe, water became trapped behind natural dams, until it finally broke through in a “catastrophic erosion” that carved the Grand Canyon.
This is the story told on religious rafting trips organized by companies like Canyon Ministries, for which Snelling also works as a guide. In 2004, a book by the Canyon Ministries founder Tom Vail caused a stir when it was sold at the national park’s bookstores.
It’s all part of an uneasy relationship between the park and young-Earth creationists. The park does permit the rafting trips, and it has allowed creationists, including Snelling according to the lawsuit, to work in the park before. Another prominent young-Earth creationist, Steve Austin, took photos of nautiloid fossils in the park and used them to argue that the creatures died during the flood. “I think the NPS has felt a bit stung by past creationist research in the Grand Canyon,” says Steven Newton, who teaches geology at College of Marin and serves as the programs and policy director for the National Center for Science Education, a nonprofit that opposes teaching creationism in public schools.
Exactly why the park did not grant Snelling’s application is, of course, now the subject of a lawsuit. His project did involve collecting a sizable number of rocks, which can invite more scrutiny. In an email to Snelling filed as part of the lawsuit, a park officer said the project was not granted because the type of rock he wanted to study can also be found outside of the Grand Canyon. The park solicited peer reviews from three mainstream geologists. One mentioned the rocks could be found elsewhere; all three overwhelmingly denounced the work as not scientifically valid, a criterion the park also uses to evaluate proposals. Snelling, who holds a Ph.D. in geology, did not disclose his Answers in Genesis affiliation, nor did he explicitly say he wanted to prove the Grand Canyon is young in his initial permit application, but the reviewers became aware of his reputation.
Geology as a profession has struggled with what to do with young-Earth creationists, whose beliefs are contradicted by literal mountains of scientific evidence. Shut them down, and you get cries of censorship—like this lawsuit. “This just so plays into their hands,” Newton says about the national park’s treatment of Snelling’s application. Newton favors letting creationists do their research and then arguing on the merits of their science. But allowing them to present at scientific conferences, others say, is lending creationists legitimacy.This article is about the video game. For the series, see Quake (series)
Quake is a first-person shooter video game, developed by id Software and published by GT Interactive in 1996. It is the first game in the Quake series.[2] In the game, players must find their way through various maze-like, medieval environments while battling a variety of monsters using a wide array of weapons.
The successor to id Software's Doom series, Quake built upon the technology and gameplay of its predecessor. Unlike the Doom engine before it, the Quake engine offered full real-time 3D rendering and had early support for 3D acceleration through OpenGL. After Doom helped popularize multiplayer deathmatches, Quake added various multiplayer options. Online multiplayer became increasingly common, with the QuakeWorld update and software such as QuakeSpy making the process of finding and playing against others on the Internet easier and more reliable. It features music composed by Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails.[1]
Gameplay [ edit ]
Quake gameplay
In Quake's single-player mode, players explore and navigate to the exit of each Gothic and dark level, facing monsters and finding secret areas along the way. Usually there are switches to activate or keys to collect in order to open doors before the exit can be reached. Reaching the exit takes the player to the next level. Before accessing an episode, there is a set of three pathways with easy, medium, and hard skill levels. The fourth skill level, "Nightmare", was "so bad that it was hidden, so people |
$266,264 1% Cisco Systems $23.21 $119,561 0.9%
The outsized effect of just a few stocks is a major problem, as many people's perception of the state of the U.S. economy is based on the Dow. While this is a flaw in and of itself as the economy is not the same thing as the market, it's bad that instead of the movements of the largest companies having the biggest effects on the people's perception of the economy, the movements of random companies like Visa have the biggest effect on people's perception.
A better way
Now with computers, we can use far more rigorous methods to get accurate measures of the stock market and economy. The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX:^GSPC) is weighted by the market capitalization (size) of its 500 companies. As the below map of the S&P 500 from Finviz.com shows, the relative size of the square is the relative weight of each company. If you look closely, you might be able to see Visa (V) at the top of the map in between Dow stocks Wal-Mart (WMT) and ExxonMobil (XOM).
The fact that Visa is the biggest contributor to the Dow while the company is so small compared to the size of the market is ridiculous. Like cursive writing and other terrible ideas we continue to use just out of habit, the Dow should be phased out of existence. There are better measures out there of the state of the market, like the S&P 500, that are less prone to the swings of just a few stocks.Group of bikers block traffic, run red light at 192nd, Center Share Shares Copy Link Copy
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WEBVTT LIE: THAT'S WHERE KETVNEWSWATCH 7'S ALEXANDRA STONEREPORTS.rtALEXANDRA: A GREEN LIGHT, BUTTHESE DRIVERS CAN'T GO ANYWHERE.I'M TALKING HUNDREDSrt OFBIKES.I'VE NEVER SEEN A GROUP OF BIKESLIKE THIS IN OMAHA BEFORE.ALEXANDRA: THIS WAS THE SCENEFRIDAY NIGHT AT 192ND AND CENTERrtA GROUP OF BIKERS CAUGHT ON, CAMERA RUNNING A RED A LIGHTWHILE ONE IN THE GROUP BLOCKSTRAFFIC.THE TRUCK NEXT TOrt ME ON THELEFT-HAND SIDE HAD BEEN INCHINGFORWARD.HE WAS GOING TO GO, AND WE WEREBOTH SHOCKED, LIKE WHAT DO YOUDO?THEY RAN ALERTrt -- THEY RAN THERED LIGHT.ALEXANDRA: HE TOOK THISrt VIDEO,AND HAD RUN OUT TO WALMART ANDGOT CAUGHT IN THE CONFUSION.rtTHE VIDEO HAS BEEN VIEWEDTHOUSANDS OF TIMES WITH MORETHAN 100 PEOPLE COMMENTING.rtACCORDING TO THE CITYPROSECUTORS OFFICE THERE'S NODEBATE.THEY SAY THIS IS A VIOLATION OFOMAHA CITY ORDINANCE.IT'S ILLEGAL AND WOULD BECONSIDERED OBSTRUCTING TRAFFIC.rtLEE SAYS HE'S NOT THE ONLY ONETO SEE IT.MY NEIGHBOR'S SON LIVESrt AT130 SECOND AND CENTER, AND THEEMAILED ME AFTER THEY SAW THEVIDEO.ALEXANDRA: FOR HAVING IT IS AMATTER OFrt CEBU -- MATTER OFSAFETY ON THE ROAD.>> MY ONLY CONCERN IS REALLY FORTHE BIKERS.As a kid growing up on Long Island's South Shore in a largely glass house surrounded by tall trees, I always envied people who lived in Manhattan. I saw the city as a fortress against foul weather, the kind of place where a guy could enjoy a hurricane rather than worry about it.
I felt this way, that is, until I came across a little-known interim technical data report by the Army Corps of Engineers released in 1995, in which the corps concluded that even a modest hurricane, on just the right track, could drive an immense storm surge into lower Manhattan, submerge Kennedy Airport and drown a few subway trains. The greater message of the report, one I have heard often from tropical meteorologists over the last couple of years, is that despite satellites, hurricane-hunting aircraft and the Weather Channel, hurricanes remain potential killers with a persistent power to deliver the unexpected.
It is tempting to dismiss the corps' report as alarmist, especially after the fearsome Floyd left New York City relatively unscathed. But the corps is a pretty sober outfit. The authors discovered Manhattan's peculiar vulnerability to storm surge only after they had begun a routine evacuation study for the metropolitan region, the kind done for most other cities and states on the nation's hurricane coasts.
They deployed a sophisticated computer model -- Slosh, which stands for Sea, Lake and Overland Surge from Hurricanes -- used by coastal emergency planners throughout the country. The model, proven time and again to be accurate, takes into account the contours of a region's shoreline, undersea landscape and water depths to calculate how a storm surge would likely behave.
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When researchers with the National Weather Service, working with the Army Corps, applied the model to New York City they discovered, to their great surprise, that the slope of the sea bed and the shape of the New York Bight, where the coasts of New York and New Jersey meet, could amplify a surge to a depth far greater than if the same surge had occurred elsewhere.A new, inexpensive, easy-to-use cholera vaccine that is stockpiled for emergencies worked very well during a cholera outbreak in Africa, Doctors Without Borders reported recently.
Two doses of the oral vaccine called Shanchol, invented in Vietnam and produced in India, provided 86 percent protection against cholera, which causes diarrhea and dehydration so severe that it can kill, a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine last month found.
The study was done by Epicentre, the research arm of Doctors Without Borders, and the Health Ministry of Guinea, during a large 2012 outbreak there. More than 316,000 doses were given out, and about 75 percent of the residents of cholera-affected areas got two doses, which is good coverage for an outbreak already underway.
Two vaccines have been stockpiled by the World Health Organization since 2013. But the older vaccine, Dukoral, made by a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, was invented mostly for the wealthy travel market.It’s not always easy for farmers to get their produce, eggs, milk and products right to their customers. A new startup called Farmstr is hoping to change that relationship, forming a direct line between the producer and consumer.
And just a few weeks ago, they got $1.3 million from angel investors to do so.
Founded in February 2013, Farmstr is the brainchild of 41 year-old Janelle Maiocco, who grew up on a farm in Washington State. “I have a passion and understanding of that space,” Maiocco said to GeekWire. “Farmers are my people.”
Maiocco’s goal: to have sustainable farmers, fisheries and ranchers sell directly to consumers. From pea shoots to honey, producers put their products for sale on the site’s platform, and consumers choose what they’d like to purchase and pick it up at a local drop-site. (For now, Farmstr is just servicing the Pacific Northwest, those lucky ducks.) Maiocco often calls her platform the “Airbnb for local farm food”.
Not only is the platform easy to use, but Maiocco says it’s cheaper than going to a farmer’s market. Because farmers don’t have to deal with intermediaries who charge the farmer a retailer’s fee, Maiocco told GeekWire that 90 percent of food sold on Farmstr is cheaper than common chains like Whole Foods or PCC Natural Market. By cutting out the retailer, farmers are raking in more money, and consumers are getting fair prices.
Did you know that AgFunder is one of the most active agrifood tech investors?
We are democratizing access to venture capital. Learn how you can invest with us.
Maiocco aiming for better food at better prices, and wants to build a community while doing it. “Our goal is to build local community,” says Farmstr’s website, “and bring consumers the option of ‘know your farmer’ and ‘know your food.’ Farmstr is about Little Agriculture, and helping small, sustainable, organic quality producers succeed by helping them find customers like you, and an efficient way to directly sell their quality food.”
If you have any news, insights to share, would like to pitch guest posts, commentaries or white papers, drop me a line at [email protected].
FEATURED PHOTO: Nimish Gogri/FlickrWe hope you love the products we recommend! Just so you know, Ranker may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. Oh, and FYI — prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication.
Love Disney movies but hate the challenges they present to your super short attention span? Ever wish that they’d just ditch the classic plot lines and gorgeous art work and get to the point, already? Then you’ve come to the right place! Here we’ve collected quick retellings of all the best Disney movies, written in the language of the emoji. Yep, you read that right, below you’ll find an entire mini-library featuring plots of Disney movies spelled out in emojis! Isn't this exciting?!
So if you love classic fairy tales but have the attention span of a two-year-old at Disneyland, these Disney emojis are perfect for you! Now there’s no need to feel left out when your friends are talking about how bold Ariel was in standing up to her dad or how sweet it was when Aladdin and Jasmine took their first magic carpet ride together! Just scroll down and glance at these plots of Disney movies told with emojis and you’ll be an expert on all things Disney without ever overloading your easily distracted brain! That’s right, if you’re ready to hear tales of love, intrigue, passion, and adventure then scroll on down!
Gear up for a ridiculously dumbed-down experience of the true magic of Disney… or at least the closest you’re probably capable of getting to one! We’ve got Disney princesses and handsome princes just waiting to sweep you away into a world of classic stories - all told through the familiar medium of the emoji. Which emoji Disney tale is the most accurate? Cast your votes below!$ 275.00
High Resolution Image
By: R. L. Bronson
Date: 1940 (copyright) Sturgis, S.D.
Dimensions: 26 x 18 inches (66 x 44.7 cm)
This is whimsical pictorial map of the Black Hills region of South Dakota was produced to promote tourism throughout the area in the 1940s. The Black Hills are a small, isolated mountain range rising from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota and extending into Wyoming. In the 18th century, the area was primarily occupied by the Lakota tribe of the Sioux Nation. In 1874 Brevet Major General George Armstrong Custer of the 7th US Cavalry led an expedition there and discovered gold in French Creek. Almost immediately, thousands of prospectors made their way to the region, spawning a gold rush from 1875 – 1878 that populated the towns of Deadwood, Central City, and Lead.
This pictorial map displays all major and minor roads and highways as well as railroads throughout the region. Images focus on historical events, people, and places, as well as natural attractions, and more modern tourism opportunities. The map was produced by the Black Hills – Bad Lands Association as noted under the banner style title cartouche.
Condition: This map is in A+ condition with contemporary fold creases and exceptional bright coloring.
Inventory #19310
31 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60602 | T: 312-609-0016Children wave U.S. and Chinese flags as President Donald Trump arrives at Beijing Airport, Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2017, in Beijing, China. Trump is on a five country trip through Asia traveling to Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam and the Philippines. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump handily won the election a year ago Wednesday. Ask him and he’ll tell you about it.
Ten months into his presidency, Trump is still focused — some say fixated — on the election that catapulted him to power. Egged on by longtime friends and cable news, he repeatedly attacks his vanquished opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton. In public and in private, he still boasts of the size of his triumph.
“It was great victory, and a victory that made a lot of people very happy,” Trump said Tuesday in Seoul, South Korea, his second stop on a five-country visit to Asia.
The president spent Wednesday shuttling from Seoul to Beijing for meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping. He mused to reporters earlier in the week that he’d considered having “a big celebration party” but White House officials said there were no plans for any formal event marking the occasion.
From Beijing, Trump tweeted early Thursday: “Congratulations to all of the “DEPLORABLES” and the millions of people who gave us a MASSIVE (304-227) Electoral College landslide victory!” He was referring to Clinton’s campaign comment that half his supporters belonged in a “basket of deplorables.”
There’s no doubt the president remains preoccupied by his election, a fixation friends and advisers say is part ego and part defense mechanism. Despite occupying the most powerful position in the world, Trump has told confidants he still doesn’t get the credit he deserves for defeating Clinton. And friends say he’s well aware of the fact that numerous members of his own Republican Party expected him to lose and still cringe at seeing him in the White House.
“His obsession with the election is the fact that he wasn’t ever accepted by the establishment,” said Christopher Ruddy, a friend of the president and the CEO of Newsmax. “They have not given him the deference typical of the president.”
Trump won the Electoral College vote by a comfortable margin but lost the popular vote by nearly 2.9 million votes to Clinton.
Trump’s insecurity about his status has been magnified by Democratic accusations that he won the White House in part because of Russia’s interference in the election. The investigations into Russian meddling are now at the West Wing doorstep, with current and former White House officials being summoned to speak with special counsel Robert Mueller and former campaign chairman Paul Manafort indicted last week. The president has responded by calling on Republican lawmakers and the Justice Department to investigate Clinton’s potential ties to Russia.
The White House said Trump isn’t fixated on his past successes or the investigations shadowing his administration. Spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Trump’s focus is on the fact that “the stock market has hit record highs, unemployment has hit a 17-year low, and (the Islamic State) is on the run.”
“Over the next seven years, this president plans to keep his promises to the American people and create a more prosperous, free and secure future for all Americans,” Sanders said.
Still, the 2016 election arguably remains Trump’s most significant political accomplishment. He’s struggled in office to fulfill several of his lofty campaign promises, including overhauling President Barack Obama’s health care law and ripping up the Iran nuclear deal. He faces the very real prospect of ending 2017 without any significant legislative accomplishments, unless Republicans can coalesce around a tax reform package in the next seven weeks.
Some Republicans close to the White House say Trump’s obsession with the election isn’t quite as overt as it was in the early days of his presidency, when he seemed to turn every news conference, rally or private policy discussion into an opportunity to gloat about his electoral victory.
Two Republican congressional aides said Trump still brings the election up on occasion during meetings with lawmakers, but not with the frequency he did earlier. He also appears to have stopped handing out colored copies of the Electoral College map, something he did on occasion during his first few months in office.
The congressional aides, along with five White House officials and outside Trump allies, insisted on anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly disclose private discussions.
One election-related attribute that hasn’t slowed is Trump’s intense focus on Clinton, who no longer holds public office and almost certainly has no plans to run for the presidency a third time. Trump has latched on to revelations that Clinton’s campaign paid a research firm that produced a dossier of his unproven ties to Russia and he’s seized on a new tell-all book about the 2016 campaign from Donna Brazile, interim head of the Democratic National Committee for the last months of the race.
White House officials say that to Trump, Clinton and her years of political baggage are a reminder of the reasons millions of people voted for him.
Trump friends like Roger Stone, a Republican operative who has spent years spinning stories about the former secretary of state and former President Bill Clinton, have encouraged the president to keep up the attacks on his formal rival. And in an example of Trump’s often symbiotic relationship with Fox News, friends say the president gets validation from the cable channel’s heavy rotation of Clinton-related news.
As Trump hits the one-year mark of his election victory, a favorite parlor game among Republicans and several of the president’s allies is whether the 71-year-old will try to repeat the feat in 2020. His campaign launched work on a re-election bid shortly after the inauguration and White House officials frequently refer to Trump serving two terms. But others in his orbit are less certain.
“He could be a one-term, he could decide to not run again,” Ruddy said. “He’s the kind of guy that doesn’t psychologically need the presidency.”
___
Follow Julie Pace at http://twitter.com/jpaceDCGive the new guy a chance!
Two stars of THE FOSTERS believe fans will “fall in love” with new cast member Noah Centineo when he takes over the role of Jesus during the upcoming season 3B.
“I know it’s controversial and people are for the most part feeling quite strange about it,” star Maia Mitchell (Callie) admits.
“It is quite a jarring change. But I know that when the show starts airing people are just going to fall in love with him.”
Centineo, 19, is best known for his appearances on Disney Channel’s AUSTIN & ALLY and SHAKE IT UP.
He was tapped by producers when fan favorite Jake T. Austin abruptly quit the groundbreaking ABC Family/FreeForm series in March 2015.
“It wasn’t the right fit,” Mitchell tells TheTVPage.com in an exclusive interview.
“He wasn’t interested in doing the show anymore so he left.”
“I think it was a classic case of he didn’t see eye to eye,” co-star David Lambert (Brandon) adds.
The show’s first major casting change has led to widespread concern among fans of the show.
“Obviously people are wondering and if we could address those (concerns) it would be, be patient and wait and give this guy a chance,” Lambert says.
“I really think that Noah has done a great job with this character. Not specifically changing the character, but really adding on to it.”
Here’s more of what the two actors told me when we caught up last weekend in Los Angeles.
Were you surprised by Jake’s decision to leave the show?
MM: No.
Were you disappointed?
MM: No.
What can you tell us about the upcoming season?
MM: Our season 3A wrapped up with Callie being adopted, so Brandon and Callie have to kind of put their relationship on hold. So I think it is about getting a fresh start. She is part of the family now, so she is just doing her own thing. I think all of the characters are just experiencing a lot of new things. There is a lot of growth and new beginnings.
How long is this “will they or won’t they” thing going to go on?
DL: That is the big question!
MM: This season they have really been disciplined. They have really been doing their own thing. Brandon has got his own kind of interests. He is exploring his music really intensely.
DL: Brandon is doing a musical adaptation of “Romeo and Juliet” for a senior project in high school. So he enlists the help of a few familiar faces. You will see his friend Matt (Jordan Rodrigues) help him out with the music. Ashley Argota who played Lou will be back to play a part in it. We have Garret Clayton who made an appearance recurring in season one. Then we have new faces. Corbin Bleu will be joining us for the musical.
MM: We all get to have a little sing. I am not in the musical, but I got to sing a little bit. Callie plays guitar. We have never established her as a singer, but she kind of helps Brandon out in rehearsals a bit. They have a little bit of a duet — a Brandon-Callie duet, which is a long time coming…
But don’t you feel like before this show eventually ends one day, there will be a storyline about whether Callie and Brandon will end up together?
MM: I used to feel a little more like that. Like they will get married and she will never get adopted. But now that my character has been adopted I can’t see a way in which it would work. But you never know.
Does their relationship feel less dirty now?
MM: No. It actually doesn’t. It actually feels a little more secretive because especially this season they have this giant season they are holding on to.
DL: It is definitely a skeleton in the closet.
But as actors, does it seem less weird?
MM: It has always been a little weird.
DL: I think it is cleaner now. Because now it is legitimate. Because she is adopted, obviously nothing can happen.
MM: There are no shades of gray.
Where does Jude’s story go from here?
MM: The producers want to be really true to that story and to the character and what it means to be a young gay boy…
So they won’t be making out in every episode?
MM: Absolutely not. That relationship is so gentle and sweet and innocent. They are still young. There is nothing overly sexual. They are handling as they would if it were a young straight couple.
Can you share something that nobody knows about Callie?
MM: I know that my character was supposed to be blonde. So they never let me get a tan because our cast is predominantly dark eyes and dark features. Terri is our only real blonde. So they really wanted Callie to be blonde.
Did they want to color your hair?
MM: No. I just kept going in to auditions and they kept calling me back in to test and every time I would go in to test it would be me and blonde girls.
You have had a nose ring for about a year. Did you ask if you could wear it on the show?
MM: No. For me it was like… I don’t have any control over my [appearance]. I want to shave my head. There are all these things I want to do. I want to get tattoos all over my body, but I can’t. The only thing I could really do is get an invisible nose piercing.
What kind of tattoos do you want to get?
MM: I don’t know exactly. But I want to have the freedom to. That is just the sacrifice you make. It is not just for the show. It is part of being an actor.
Is the show constraining you?
MM: It is not. It is liberating me.
Where are you at with filming right now?
DL: We are actually finishing up 3B right now. We are still kind of in the grinder. Working long hours. We literally just wrapped the musical episode and are going into the finale. Then we will have a nice two month break and we will be back for season four.
The musical episode is just one episode.
DL: It culminates in one episode. It ramps up to it with rehearsals and that kind of thing. But the actual musical will be about half the episode. There are 12 original songs and it is a pretty full on kind of production that you get pulled out.
Is Rosie O’Donnell coming back?
MM: Yes. She is in this season. She is quite heavily featured. You get a bit more of a look into her relationship with her daughter and her struggle.
THE FOSTERS returns January 25 on Freeform (formerly ABC Family).Crate evaluation for 2017-08-29: rayon
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Discussion topicsFormer House Speaker John Boehner’s comments come as Republican lawmakers across the country are facing angry constituents at town halls worried that Obamacare will be yanked away without a suitable replacement. | AP Photo Boehner: Republicans won't repeal and replace Obamacare By Darius Tahir By | 02/23/17 11:04 AM EST
Former House Speaker John Boehner predicted on Thursday that a full repeal and replace of Obamacare is “not going to happen.”
Boehner, who retired in 2015 amid unrest among conservatives, said at an Orlando healthcare conference that the idea that a repeal-and-replace plan would blitz through Congress was just “happy talk.”
Story Continued Below
..
Instead, he said changes to former President Barack Obama’s signature legislative achievement would likely be relatively modest.
“[Congressional Republicans are] going to fix Obamacare – I shouldn’t call it repeal-and-replace, because it’s not going to happen,” he said.
Boehner’s comments come as Republican lawmakers across the country are facing angry constituents at town halls worried that Obamacare will be yanked away without a suitable replacement.
President Donald Trump has said in recent days that he will release a plan by early to mid-March on how the administration plans to move forward on repeal-and-replace.
On Thursday, Boehner said the talk in November about lightning-fast passage a new health care framework was wildly optimistic.
“I started laughing,” he said. “Republicans never ever agree on health care.”
In the end, “Most of the framework of the Affordable Care Act … that’s going to be there,” he concluded.ROME — Pope Francis on Saturday sidelined a powerful American cardinal who has emerged as an unabashed conservative critic of the reform agenda and the leadership style that the Argentine pontiff has brought to the Roman Catholic Church.
In an expected move, Cardinal Raymond L. Burke was officially removed as head of the Vatican’s highest judicial authority, known as the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura. He was demoted to the ceremonial position of chaplain for the Knights of Malta, a charity group.
The Vatican made no comment in announcing the change, but Cardinal Burke is hardly one of the pope’s favorites. Last December, Francis removed the cardinal from a position that gave him great influence in appointing new American bishops. In return, Cardinal Burke has questioned Francis’ leadership and has been a stern opponent of proposals to allow divorced or remarried Catholics to receive communion.
In a contentious October meeting of church leaders, known as a synod, Cardinal Burke also rejected positive, more welcoming language about gay people in a draft document that was released at the halfway point of the gathering. He and other conservative bishops forced the language to be watered down in the synod’s concluding summary document.At a press conference Jan. 24, the spokesman for Iran’s judiciary, Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, announced that 100 people have been arrested over the attack in early January on Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Tehran.
Mohseni-Ejei said that there were two groups of people who protested in front of the Saudi Embassy after the execution of Shiite activist Nimr al-Nimr. One group of approximately 200 people, who had no intention of committing crimes, consisted of individuals with grievances against Saudi’s foreign policy and responsibility in the hajj Mina stampede in September that killed 464 Iranians.
The other group, according to Mohseni-Ejei, consisted of suspects who entered the Saudi Embassy with the intention of setting it on fire or people that the “enemy had penetrated.” The term “penetrate” has become a popular phrase after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that enemy countries would attempt to politically, economically or culturally penetrate Iran's post-nuclear deal.
Mohseni-Ejei said that while the cases of the second group are being reviewed, “there is evidence that the enemy had a hand in this event.” He added that one cleric has been singled out for involvement in the case and for also issuing orders for the attack. Mohseni-Ejei described the cleric as someone who was kicked out of university 10 years ago and conducted his clerical training “not in person.”
According to Mohammad Reza Mohseni-Sani, a member of parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, the individual is Hassan Kordmihan, a mostly unknown but highly active cleric with deep connections.
Iranian Labour News Agency (ILNA) was one of the first news agencies to write about Kordmihan, who was reportedly detained after returning from Syria. Iranian media did not mention why Kordmihan was in Syria or for how long he was there before returning to Iran. ILNA introduced him as the “mastermind” of the attack on the Saudi Embassy. Soon, pictures of Kordmihan surfaced on Iranian social media of him sitting next to hard-line cleric Alireza Panahian, campaigning with Tehran’s Mayor Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and wearing karate attire.
According to ILNA, Kordmihan’s career began in the city of Karaj, Iran’s fourth-largest city 30 miles west of Tehran, where he was responsible for organizing an Ansar-e Hezbollah group. Ansar-e Hezbollah is often described as a vigilante group backed by senior figures within the government. They are typically accused of being behind “rogue” attacks on Reformist gatherings. Unconfirmed reports said that a panegyrist linked to Kordmihan’s Karaj center was also arrested.
ILNA wrote that Kordmihan did not condemn the attack on the Saudi Embassy. Nearly every official and institution has condemned the attack, including Khamenei. Kordmihan, instead of condemning the attack, justified it by saying, “Our support was of anger and zeal, not plunder.” He added, “If zeal is not displayed against such a thing, no one will have security. What’s an embassy? There are a handful of people here who laugh at our honor. They have to be kicked out disrespectfully. The administration is not doing anything. A handful of youth displayed their zeal. You cannot stop this type of revolutionary passion.”
Deputy Interior Minister for Security Hossein Zolfaghari had previously said that the individuals behind the Saudi Embassy attack were an organized group that have been active for at least 10 years, sometimes with “the knowing or unknowing support of officials,” a description that fits Kordmihan’s profile. During the 2013 presidential elections, Kordmihan was an effective campaigner on behalf of conservative candidate Tehran Mayor Ghalibaf. According to ILNA, Kordmihan also received financial backing from “some institutions and organizations” to conduct cultural and religious activities.Frosteyes Age Meme
❮❮ Newer Download | Full View Older ❯❯ Submission © 2013 Diamondstripe Main Gallery
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Frosteyes Age Meme - by Diamondstripe Submission information:
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Species: Chakat
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diamondstripe chakat frosteyes child cub kid teen young adult boobs where did you come from peter otter mlp scissors age meme progression cute derpy sarcastic teen
I said I was gonna draw some more! Here's some Frosty through hir childhood.
Age 1: Frosteyes was a scaredy kat, and who would blame hir. Being born blind, all shi could do was use her hearing and touch to navigate around. Whenever there was silence, Frosteyes became afraid and started crying. Her sire bought her a plushie otter that talked when you squeezed him as a comfort. werewolfss wrote the cutest little story to go with this here http://www.furaffinity.net/view/12232592/ Do check it out!
Age 5: Frosteyes became more ambitious when shi learned that not hearing someone doesn't mean that they weren't there. Shi would actually take advantage of the silence and come to the conclusion that it was okay to explore and get into things when no one was around. This led to many headache worthy experiences that would leave hir parents scratching their heads for years to come. For example, when shi was around 5ish, hir mother wanted to do something with hir mop of a hairdue. At this point, hir pink mane had grown out into a shaggy mess. This somehow got into Frosteyes' head that shi wanted to cut hir hair too, so shi could be like mommy, and the hair of every doll shi owned... lets just say, we learned to keep the scissors on a higher shelf.
Age 10: After the whole Haircut disaster, Midsnow decided to be cute and do the tips of her hair pink, along with a strip in young Frosty's hair. That way they can both be like mommy, even if Frosteyes couldn't really see the color difference. Year went by and soon shi was old enough to properly learn hir talent. The years prior, hir sire had attempted to teach Frosteyes telekinesis, but since shi was too young, it never really stuck. Now that shi is older, Frosty has come to realize the advantage of such a talent, and ended up using it to fulfill hir silly pranks. After one too many complaints from neighbors, Midsnow decided to restrain hir teaching to only those that would be relevant to Frosteyes' sight. This is why later in life, despite having telekinesis, shi can't move objects.
Age 15: At around this time in every chakat's life, changes begin to happen, both physically and mentally. Frosteyes was no exception. Gradually shi began to notice hir body changing and became more "aware" of hir surroundings. After confiding in hir sire about these changes, shi realizes that its normal. Soon after, shi goes into hir first heat, where shi then goes to a close friend to help relieve. Normal teenager hormones kick in and you know how that goes :p Let the unruly sarcasm and dicking around commence!
Age 18: Frosteyes has grown comfortable in hir talents and sexuality to the point that shi is considered an adulte. Shi has graduated highschool and is off to start the next chapter of hir life, where ever that may take hir. Will shi go to college, and pick a degree? Will settle down, and start a family? Who knows? You'll have to find out in voxian's book featuring Frosteyes "Fairytail: A Chakat Story"
Art © diamondstripe catnamedfishDear 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.
The Mossad is working with Saudi officials on contingency plans for a potential attack on Iran in the event that Tehran's nuclear program is not sufficiently curbed in the deal that may be concluded between Iran and world powers in Geneva this week, The Sunday Times reported.
Both Jerusalem and Riyadh have expressed displeasure at the deal being formulated between Iran and the P5+1 group of world powers that they see as doing little to stop Tehran's progress toward a nuclear weapon.
Times
Times
Le Figaro
Herb Keinon contributed to this report.
According to the, Riyadh has already given its consent for Israel to use Saudi airspace for a potential attack on Iran.The paper quoted a diplomatic source as saying the Saudis were willing to assist an Israeli attack by cooperating on the use of drones, rescue helicopters and tanker planes.“Once the Geneva agreement is signed, the military option will be back on the table. The Saudis are furious and are willing to give Israel all the help it needs,” thequoted the source as saying.Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said in an interview with French dailyon Saturday that there is a “meeting of the minds” between Israel and the “leading states in the Arab world” on the Iran issue – “one of the few cases in memory, if not the first case in modern times.“We all think that Iran should not be allowed to have the capacities to make nuclear weapons,” he said. “We all think that a tougher stance should be taken by the international community. We all believe that if Iran were to have nuclear weapons, this could lead to a nuclear arms race in the Middle East, making the Middle East a nuclear tinderbox.”Saying that an Iran with nuclear arms would be the most dangerous development for the world since the mid-20th century, |
enough muscle mass to produce the power it needed to swim at that speed," said Fish.
"This became Gray's paradox," Fish said—sparking a decades-long search for an explanation of how dolphins powered through the water.
Gray assumed that the dolphin must have been doing something to turn the turbulent flow over its body into a smooth flow. But scientists hadn't been able to figure out how the mammals did it.
Bubbles + Lasers = A Solution
Part of the problem was that researchers weren't able to directly measure the forces dolphins produce as they move through the water.
Obtaining that kind of data requires scientists to seed the water with visible particles, such as the tiny glass beads that are used in engineering experiments, explained Fish. Those beads are then illuminated with a sheet of laser light.
By filming how the illuminated beads move in reaction to an object moving through the water, experts can determine the forces generated.
But you can't do this with a dolphin. Since it could injure the animal, "no one's going to let you put little glass beads into a tank with a dolphin," said Fish. And researchers certainly can't shine potentially harmful laser beams at the mammals.
But a chance meeting with Timothy Wei at the University of Nebraska, who studies Olympic swimmers, gave Fish and colleagues their solution. (Read about five epic human swims.)
Wei had devised a bubble curtain to stand in place of the illuminated glass beads so that he could determine forces generated by human swimmers.
So Fish and colleagues created a bubble curtain at the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), where they performed experiments with two captive bottlenose dolphins.
"Dolphins tend to be afraid of everything the first time they see something," said study co-author Terrie Williams, a marine biologist who works with the animals at UCSC.
One of the dolphins seemed a little more skeptical of the bubble curtain than the other, but with some coaxing from trainers, the marine mammals soon got used to it.
"Once [the dolphins] got a feel for [the bubbles] on their skin, we were home free," said Williams.
Flexible Flukes
The results showed that a dolphin's tail, or fluke, is more than capable of producing enough thrust to speed the mammal through the water. (Also see "DNA Discovery Reveals Surprising Dolphin Origins.")
"The flukes are essentially wings," said Fish. "[They] generate a lift force that is directed forward, on both the upstroke and downstroke." This produces the thrust that pushes the dolphin through the water.
The flukes are also flexible, which is key to enabling the dolphin to maintain a highly efficient way of swimming over a broad range of speeds.
"The dolphin may have the ability to control that flexibility," Fish explained. It could be that the fluke becomes stiffer the faster the dolphin swims, increasing its swimming efficiency at high speeds.
Or maybe the dolphins can actively control fluke stiffness by changing the tension of tendons in their tail, he said.
Fish isn't sure how they're doing it, but the marine biologist and colleagues are in the midst of trying to figure that out.
Either way, "we can abolish Gray's paradox," he said.We’ve all heard the cliché that we become the average of the five people we spend the most time with. Without a doubt, humans are massively influenced by those we surround ourselves with. Hang out with people who drink every day? Chances are, you’ll start drinking every day too. If your friends are workaholics, you’re more likely to be a workaholic. Accordingly, if we improve the quality of our peers, we can improve our own lives.
Of course, it’s not quite that simple. After all, we can’t just get rid of our friends and pick up “better” ones (nor should we want to). We can, however, surround ourselves with greatness by other means. Living in the Internet-era means it has literally never been easier to influence yourself through the positive examples of others. You just need to have the discipline to curate your environment with the right inputs.
Read Books – Especially Biographies
“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free” -Frederick Douglass
If anyone knows the value of reading, it’s Frederick Douglass. In an era when teaching a slave to read was considered a major crime, Douglass became a voracious reader, partially through his own initiative and partially through the kindness of his master’s wife. Throughout his life, Douglass maintained that reading and knowledge have the power to free one from their present circumstances and improve their life.
Biographies and autobiographies are incredible resources for exposing yourself to real-world examples of how great individuals dealt with difficult circumstances. Even if you pay full price for your books, where else can you spend $20 and get a deep dive into the life of Abraham Lincoln, Steve Jobs, Andre Agassi, or countless others?
Another big advantage of biographies is they allow you to be mentored by the greatness of people who have been dead for hundreds, if not thousands of years. It’s not quite as good as witnessing events in real-time but it’s not a bad substitute.
Fiction is an underrated resource for surrounding yourself with greatness. After all, what we think of as “history” is usually fictionalized anyway, so why not learn from true fiction? There are tons of fictional characters who can provide positive examples for how we can act in our daily lives and there’s no reason not to learn from them. Books that come to mind are The Martian, the Harry Potter series, and the Hunger Games series.
Listen to Podcasts
If we’ve hung out recently, there’s a good chance I talked your ear off about podcasts. Although they’ve been around for awhile, I’m convinced that the podcast ecosystem is primed for hockey-stick growth. The content available now is just incredible. As more podcasts experiment with non-advertising driven business models, I expect the content quality will only increase.
Some of the best podcasts for exposing yourself to greatness take the form of interviews. Others are of the “lead by example” variety. Here are a few of my personal favorites:
All of these podcasts have deep libraries for you to dig into. Some episodes will really strike a chord – others won’t. Sample a few and discover what gets you going.
The best thing about podcasts is they make the person being interviewed seem more human and normal than articles, books, or video. When you hear incredibly accomplished individuals like Jamie Foxx, Jody Mitic, Lisa Randall, or Naval Ravikant in audio, there’s no embellishment by an author, no makeup turning them into flawless beings, and there’s simply a level of rawness that I haven’t seen elsewhere.
Finally, podcasts are a great way to make your commute useful. It doesn’t matter if you drive, take the bus, or ride the subway to work – podcasts are the ultimate way to turn that dead time into productive time.
Pay Attention to Pop Culture and Sports
I’ll be the first to admit it – the attention we pay to pop culture (and yes, I’m including sports in this category) gets on my nerves sometimes. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be inspiring. I’m far more into sports than music, film, or other types of celebrities but there are powerful examples from every field. To name a few just from football:
Aaron Rodgers going from community college QB to an NFL MVP and Super Bowl winner (I’m biased on this one – Go Pack Go) Lesson: It’s not about where you start, it’s where you end up.
The New England Patriots ridiculous Super Bowl LI comeback win yesterday over the Atlanta Falcons Lesson: It isn’t over until it’s over.
Russell Wilson’s inspiring, Stoic reaction to throwing an interception at the goal line in Super Bowl XLIX, when his Seattle Seahawks lost to the New England Patriots. Lesson: Be resilient when faced with adversity
***
I could go on for days with these examples. They are everywhere: basketball, music, books, movies, TV shows, tennis – you name it. It’s easier to surround ourselves with greatness today than at any other time in history. We just need to know where to look.Artificial Intelligence To Soon Eliminate Family Doctor
Close
The Internet has changed the traditional way patients interact with their doctors. Today, many self-resilient and enterprising patients are querying their symptoms on internet search engines. Searching knowledge databases with focus on medicine has become a common practice. But soon, the field of medicine is going to change beyond recognition. Your.MD, a new UK startup may be a real threat for all-purpose medical practitioners.
Your.MD was designed to change the way of online self-diagnosis. While the number of people turning on searching for medical conditions and symptoms online, the major flaws in this method are becoming increasingly evident. For many people without training in medicine a cold sore can sometimes be confused with some new and rare form of leprosy. A mole can look like skin cancer.
There are many ways to scare yourself by trying to self-diagnose your symptoms. It is to get worried and lose sleep by such means. Having such widespread access to medical encyclopedias has its uncontested advantages both also comes with its downside. People with little medical knowledge but great access to the available information online may have also little means of skillfully applying it.
For this reason Your.MD comes to fill a growing demand in an innovative new way. The website employs artificial intelligence in its advances diagnosis system able to eliminate unlikely causes of a disease.
The company behind this website claims that their self-diagnosis online system solves many of the flaws common to the old method of using search engines to find online information about your symptoms. For example, in case that many people start reporting symptoms of the seasonal flu in your region, the AI diagnosis system will take this factor into consideration and it is more likely to report that your symptom of fever is due to a flu virus rather than other possibilities. These advanced diagnosis capabilities are great step forward.
Your.MD gathers its data from the National Health Service. This way the software strives to eliminate another major flaw in online self-diagnosis systems, by ensuring the integrity and quality of its medical information. Your.MD can provide a better way to self-diagnosis by eliminating untrustworthy sources of data.
Your.MD is using the Apple Store and Google Play as its distribution network. This allows bypassing government bureaucracy. It is still to see whether or Your.MD will ultimately replace the family doctor or general practitioner.
Meanwhile, it is clear that introduction of AI can significantly improve online self-diagnoses. Your.MD can also provide service in undeveloped regions of the world, where people do not benefit of easy access to health care and doctors. For them, Your.MD might be the only form of diagnosis and for this it deserves recognition and support.
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© 2019 ITECHPOST, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxine McClean speaking at the United Nations. (FILE)
UNITED NATIONS – Lamenting the ignoring of clarion calls made over the years by Barbados and other leaders from Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in addressing climate change, Barbados on Friday called on the United Nations and the World Bank to convene an International Pledging Conference on the Recovery and Reconstruction of Caribbean islands ravaged by Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
“I urge all member states to support the recovery and rebuilding of the Caribbean,” said Foreign Affairs Minister Maxine McClean in addressing the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
“For Barbados and other SIDS, whether in the Caribbean, the Pacific, Asia or Africa, climate change is a matter of life or death.
“It is not an issue for sterile debates and endless meetings,” she added.
“For our people, it is about loss of life and livelihood. For our economies, heavily dependent on tourism, it is about a cycle of constant recovery and rebuilding, which is a serious impediment to sustainable development.”
Still, McClean said Barbados remains committed to ambitious action on climate change, and continued to support the implementation of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, viewing the proposed UN Secretary General’s Climate Summit in 2019 as “an important opportunity to take stock and to give additional impetus where necessary.”
“Today, I regret that I must report not on a potential threat but rather on the destructive impact of climate change on the globe,” the Barbados Foreign Minister declared.
“I speak most specifically of the utter devastation being visited on several Small Island Developing States in the Caribbean overwhelmed by an unprecedented wave of hurricanes.
“Barbados, by the grace of God, has so far been spared, but we in the Caribbean are one family; we are brothers and sisters, and, when one of us hurts, we all feel the pain,” she added.
McClean warned that the threat of disease from the destruction must be avoided, stating that one possible consequence of the recent floods and serious infrastructural damage in the region is the outbreak of diseases.
“Our ability to detect and respond to such biological threats must be strengthened,” she urged.
“There must be bilateral and multilateral cooperation to minimize and, indeed, eliminate such threats. A focus on Bio-security must be part of our response.”
McClean also urged that attention be paid to a global health security agenda, stating that, as an island state, the ocean is a priority for Barbados.
She said ocean governance and the promotion and conservation of marine resources are, therefore, among the island’s primary concerns.
The Barbados Foreign Minister said the road to recovery and reconstruction for Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica, and the other islands affected by this year’s devastating hurricane season will be “long and difficult.”
“I take comfort in the spirit, will and determination of Caribbean people,” she said. “We are down but not defeated.
“Our neighbours in the Caribbean affected by the recent hurricanes can be assured of the full and unconditional support and solidarity of the Government and people of Barbados,” McClean added.
“However, our friends in the international community must accompany the Caribbean region on this journey to rebuild Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica and the other affected islands. We are all morally obligated to do so.”
Barbados also took the opportunity to convey its solidarity with the Government and people of Mexico “suffering the painful effects of two deadly earthquakes in quick succession.”
While regretting that there can be no peace of mind for the people of the Caribbean who must rebuild their homes and their livelihoods in the wake of the passages of devastating hurricanes, the Barbados Foreign Minister noted that the Mission of the United Nations is to secure global peace.
“So, each and every member of this international community has an obligation to support efforts and take action to create an environment in which peace can flourish,” she said, stating that the countries of Latin America and Caribbean have declared the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace.
McClean, therefore, used the opportunity to express the “unwavering support” of Barbados for the “protection and preservation” of the territorial integrity of sister Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries of Guyana and Belize.
Stating that Barbados has been a “consistent and vocal advocate” for the treatment of SIDS as a special case for sustainable development because of their inherent natural vulnerabilities, McClean said there is “a pressing need for the international community to address the specific needs and interests of SIDS in a holistic manner.”
She said effective partnerships on a multi-sectoral basis are also required to assist SIDS in implementing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
She said Barbados welcomes the on-going efforts of the UN to focus international attention on the challenges facing oceans and the need for the international community to take meaningful steps to protect the marine environment.
McClean said she was pleased to head the Barbados delegation to the UN Oceans Conference in June this year, committing to ensuring the continued active participation of Barbados on this issue.
“Barbados signals its interest in working with UN agencies and other international partners to develop an oceans economy trade strategy, as well as effective systems to manage our fish stocks,” she said. (CMC)(WOMENSENEWS)–A Palestinian man was recently convicted of rape by an Israeli court after he had sex with a Jewish woman who believed he was also Jewish.
The court said in its ruling that the man committed "rape by deception" because the woman would never have consented to sex had she known he was Muslim. Focusing not on the specific religion of the offender, but on the nature of free choice itself, the three judge panel wrote:
"The court is obliged to protect the public interest from sophisticated, smooth-tongued criminals who can deceive innocent victims at an unbearable price, the sanctity of their bodies and souls. When the very basis of trust between human beings drops, especially when the matters at hand are so intimate, sensitive and fateful, the court is required to stand firmly at the side of the victims–actual and potential–to protect their well-being. Otherwise, they will be used, manipulated and misled, while paying only a tolerable and symbolic price."
A few years ago, a young woman in Massachusetts went through something similar, only the result from the court, and the reaction of lawmakers, was quite different.
The victim awoke in her boyfriend’s bed in the middle of the night and had sex with what turned out not to be her boyfriend, but her boyfriend’s identical brother who sneaked under the covers and deceived her. He was convicted of rape on the theory that there can be no knowing consent if a woman wants to have sex with Johnny but ends up with Fred.
Court Focuses on Force
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court overturned the conviction, reasoning that even if she didn’t knowingly consent, the perpetrator didn’t use force. Without force, there is no crime.
The court could have said there was force because tricking someone into consenting is the kind of force the Israeli court sought to prevent in its ruling, and courts in the United States routinely interpret "force" to mean whatever they want.
One example: A New York court recently held that force was present when a man, without consent, groped a woman’s genital area while she was clothed. The court ruled that "such unwanted contact "... [e]ven if done lightly... is "forcible" because "women are entitled to be protected from unwanted, physical sexual contact by males."
In Massachusetts, as in many states, the "force" bar has been set much too high because there can be no crime of rape–even if all agree there was no consent–unless the force used was more than that which was necessary to complete the sex act. This puts many types of unwanted, nonconsensual sex beyond the law’s reach, thereby, as the Israeli court wrote, devaluing "women’s bodies and souls."
Another Massachusetts example of this devaluing involved a pharmacist who pretended to be a doctor and told pregnant women he could not fill their prescriptions without first conducting a vaginal examination. He had them accompany him to a private location where he conducted a penetrating genital "exam." He was charged with rape but the charges were dropped when the prosecutor decided that he could not prove rape because the guy used no "force."
Well-intentioned legislators in Massachusetts came to the rescue and proposed the creation of a new crime called "rape by fraud," which would cover perpetrators who use deception to cause victims to consent to sex. The idea was quickly ridiculed as over and under inclusive.
Gray Area Too Vast
Yes, this crime would enable the prosecution of twins who rape their brothers’ girlfriends and fake doctors. But it might extend to men who pose as rock stars or otherwise inflate their resumes in a ruse to get women into bed. The gray area was too vast.
At the same time, the "rape by fraud" proposal wouldn’t cover the types of behavior that really should be criminalized, such as when a mentally ill woman is subjected to unwanted sex by a predator looking to take advantage of a vulnerable person. (Right now it’s a crime if the victim has retardation, but not if she suffers from a delusional disorder.) Or when a therapist takes advantage of a trust relationship and convinces a patient to have sex. These abuses are never prosecuted because physical force isn’t necessary to coerce the victim’s consent.
What we really need is a law that simply allows for the prosecution of rape without force. Period. If force is used, we’ll call it rape with force.
We already have exactly these types of laws in place for crimes against our property.
If you take my stuff without my consent, it’s called larceny. If you also use force, it’s called robbery.
But if you take my bodily integrity without my consent, it’s not a crime at all, unless you also use force. Crazy, right?
The U.S. Supreme Court has defined rape as the most severe insult to the self, short of murder; worse than any crime against property. Yet the law protects stuff better than it protects women’s bodies.
No Perfect Way
There’s no perfect way to pass laws that make people respect each other.
But rape without force is a good choice. It covers the fake doctor cases and much more, but doesn’t make a felony out of an occasional foreplay fib.
It’s a subtle distinction but one that matters, because the focus is not on whether the offender’s actions provided a substitute for the element of force, but rather, whether the victim’s choice was "knowing" and "voluntary."
This doesn’t forbid fantasy foreplay but does require that my decision be the product of free will. It means I can choose to have sex with you if you pretend to be a cowboy, if you pretend to beat me with whips and chains and even if you pretend to belong to a certain religion–so long as I know you’re pretending.
But if you know I wouldn’t have sex with you (condom-free) if you have AIDS or if you really hit me with chains or if you know my religion forbids sex in certain circumstances, and you lie about any of it, you’ve interfered with my "knowing" consent and committed the crime of rape "without force" because it was done without my freely given consent.
Wendy Murphy is adjunct professor at New England Law/Boston where she teaches a seminar on sexual violence. She’s a former sex crimes prosecutor and author of "And Justice For Some." An impact litigator who specializes in violence against women, Wendy consults and lectures widely on sex crimes, violence against women and children and criminal justice policy.
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Israel releases Arab man convicted of ‘rape by deception’ from house arrest:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/aug/04/saber-kushour-rape-deception-releaseST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - The family of Michelle O'Connell is asking State Attorney R.J. Larizza to follow the recommendation of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to have a coroner's inquest, saying O'Connell's death is consistent with homicide more so than suicide.
In a coroner's inquest, a medical examiner looks into the cause and manner of death, often with the help of a jury.
If the state attorney doesn't oblige, the family is asking Gov. Rick Scott to appoint a special prosecutor to do so.
"So far an unresponsive Gov. Scott has not gotten involved, has chosen not to get involved," said Jennifer Crites, O'Connell's sister. "We ask that he gets involved and to be transparent. We would think that the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office would like some transparency also by ordering a coroner's inquest if they have nothing to hide."
Tuesday marks four years since O'Connell, 24, died of a gunshot wound to the head. Her death has been ruled a suicide by three medical examiners.
Four years after her death a new witness has come forward in the St. Augustine case.
Some members of her family insist she was killed by her boyfriend, St. Johns County Sheriff's Office Deputy Jeremy Banks, on the night they were talking about breaking up. The gun used in her death was Banks' service weapon.
Crites read the following sworn affidavit from a witness that was taken recently: "'My name is Danny Harmon. My date of birth is 3-5-75. I'm over the age of 18, with a sound mind. I'm the former owner of St. Augustine, Florida, Ring of Fire Bar, which is located on Anastasia Boulevard. I became acquainted with Jeremy Banks, a sheriff's deputy with the St. Johns County Sheriff's (Office), as a frequent patron of my bar. On many occasions I would have to ask Mr. Banks to leave my bar due to his excessive drinking and rowdy behavior.
"'On the evening following the death of Michelle O'Connell, Mr. Banks patronized my bar with friend John Mollow. Mr. Mollow informed me privately of Michelle O'Connell's passing and asked me to be lenient with Mr. Banks' behavior, in light of the situation. As I served Mr. Banks drinks, I heard him say, 'That B got what she deserved.' Mr. Banks went on to state, 'All she did was make me feel bad, and I'm not going to let her ruin my life.' By his statements, I grew immediately suspicious that Mr. Banks had something to do with O'Connell's death. As I waited to hear the outcome of the investigation, I would later learn that Ms. O'Connell's death would be ruled a suicide. As the O'Connell family questioned the death, I knew I must come forward with my information because I believe that Jeremy Banks had something to do with Ms. O'Connell's death.'"
Crites said Harmon relayed his comments to others within days after O'Connell's death, but it's uncertain when Harmon talked with family attorney Benjamin Crump, who was just retained this year.
"He would definitely reach a point when he was drinking where he -- something would snap and he definitely had an angry side," Harmon said Tuesday afternoon. "I said, 'This ain't right and there is something deeper that is not being said.'"
At a news conference Tuesday morning, the family, alongside Crump and other supporters, asked for due process in a case that has garnered national attention.
"This cries out for an independent review. This cries out for a coroner's inquest," Crump said.
DOCUMENT: Special prosecutor's investigation into death
A special prosecutor had been previously appointed to the case and found insufficient evidence that Banks was involved.
O'Connell's family said the sheriff shouldn't have investigated his own, and they said Banks was given special treatment. An FDLE agent who investigated the case concluded O'Connell was likely killed. That agent, Rusty Rodgers, is now under investigation himself for improper techniques.
"We feel like the investigation was sabotaged from the beginning, evidence was thrown aside, tossed in the trash, not collected, not sent off for forensic evaluation," said Ciarra Morris, O'Connell's best friend and godmother of her daughter, Alexis. "Michelle was a good person, and her life was every bit as important as anybody else's, and it deserves a fair investigation. She counted, and we will fight and we are not going away. We will fight until we get the due process that we deserve. And we are not fighting for our emotion, we are fighting based on the evidence that we have been presented."
Sheriff David Shoar has admitted mistakes were made in the investigation, but said he's sure O'Connell's death was a suicide.
Meanwhile, Crump said the case has become a women's issue. Women's activist Barbara Devane, of Florida National Organization for Women, also asked Scott to order an inquest and said women are watching and will be voting, promising that "we will remember in November" if Scott doesn't get involved.
Following the news conference, O'Connell's family walked to the State Attorney's Office to deliver the letter.
"The documents provided to the St. Augustine Office are being forwarded to State Attorney Brad King of the Fifth Judicial Circuit," a spokesman for Larizza's office said in a statement. "Mr. King was appointed by Governor Scott as the special prosecutor designated to investigate the O'Connell case."
Jacksonville attorney Gene Nichols, who is not affiliated with the case, said given ht evidence and the investigations so far, it's unlikely this will lead to criminal prosecution.
"We know that they are proceeding in the civil realm and there are lawsuits that have already been filed," Nichols said. "But in order to try and follow any sort of criminal path they're going to have to get the state attorney's office to open this case again."
Nichols said moving forward, what will be key is determining Harmon's credibility.
"To know that a homicide, a potential homicide was involved and for this to have been dormant for four years… when we talk about a smell test or a sniff test… unfortunately we have to consider that as well as to why are we just addressing this now," Nichols said.
Nichols said hiring Crump was a strategic move, but it's not likely to bring the outcome the family wants.
"The State Attorney's Office will likely say, 'We are sorry for the outcome, but we have done everything we possibly can,'" Nichols said. "I would be surprised to see the Governor's Office appoint another special prosecutor because again, you get into saying the last special prosecutor did not do their job well."
Asked how confident the family is that O'Connell's death was not a suicide, Crites said, "The New York Times does not put suicides on the front page on a Sunday. Very confident."
The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office issued this statement Tuesday:
"It is not surprising that on the 4th anniversary of Michelle O'Connell's death, members of her family have orchestrated news events to again draw attention to this tragedy. Families of suicide victims often go to great lengths to try and demonstrate that their loved one did not take their own life and we have great compassion for these families.
"The fact is, the classification of this incident is'suicide' following independent rulings from three (3) Medical Examiners, who ruled the death a suicide, and the Governor appointed State Attorney who also found no legal standing to pursue the death as the result of a criminal event.
"Aside from the legal findings, The Florida Department of Law Enforcement continues their internal affairs investigation of Agent Rusty Rodgers which began nearly 1 ½ years ago; additionally, Agent Rodgers continues to be the subject of a criminal investigation by State Attorney William Cervone regarding potential 'official misconduct' relating to this case. Finally, FDLE and Agent Rodgers are both defendants in civil cases, one case filed by Michele O'Connell's brother and the other filed by Deputy Jeremy Banks.
"We will refrain from speaking about this case in any detail until the above items are completed."
Copyright 2014 by News4Jax.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.OUR MISSION
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is. They also lack basic information about mysterious dark matter and dark energy, which together make up 96 percent of the universe.
"It looks like we are at a relatively primitive early stage in cosmology, where we find the constituents that are necessary to explain the data that we have about the universe, but we don't really know what they are," Loeb said. "There are some islands of knowledge, but they are surrounded by an ocean of ignorance."
Still, he said, a Theory of Everything may eventually emerge — as long as scientists continue making landmark observations that can guide the theorists' thinking.
"I think it's possible, as long as we have experimental clues like this one, for example," Loeb said, referring to the detection of primordial gravitational waves.
"If we get enough constraints, then they can guide us in the right direction," he added. "But just thinking about it abstractly, like was done over the past few decades, just from pure thought — I think there are too many mathematical possibilities for us to figure out which one describes reality."
Follow Mike Wall on Twitter @michaeldwall and Google+. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com.Bear’s Guts KNK Longboard Camp with Red Bull and Cult
2
#KNK2015 returns to Slovenia with 2 Longboard Camps & 2 Races Marking the 5th anniversary of the KNK Freeride on the Bear’s Guts track, this year we’re stoked to announce two wicked races taking place.
KnK#1: 27.07.2015 – 01.08.2015 – Race#1 #RedBullNoPawsDown
Maga & Rob McWhinnie bring back their “Freeride” only race style & organization to Europe, this is truly the most technically demanding race on the Euro Tour & will show who’s boss at handling speed with style! Red Bull will be providing a cash prize & their film crew will be all over the mountain getting rad shots for the official video, which premiers at the 2nd camp.
Free for Week 1 riders of the camp, 30 EUR for all others.
KnK#2: 04.08.2015 – 09.08.2015 – Race#2 #CultSingleSetSurvivors
How well can you race your wheel of choice without swapping for freshies?! haha This race will need you to stick with a single set of wheels for the whole day of racing, rotation & flipping will be key to making sure you can thrash the competition while everyone burns through their ‘thane.
Entry price is 20 EUR & you’ll also receive a set of Cult Wheels, but you can race a wheel of your choice.
Longboard Camps, Freerides the Slovenian way! We believe in going big, that’s why our freeride features:
• 4km~ perfect surface track; two lanes wide
• 18 hairpins; nearly all pre-kinked for added tech
• Uplifts by tour bus; relax & rest on the way up
• 6 days of riding; skate it all or take a break, your choice
• Food; trackside lunch & evening restaurant options to suit all budgets.
We hope you’ll join us on the Bear’s Guts this year, with over 200’000km of skating by riders over the years, you might just see what all the road rash is about.
Check out the 2014 video and get ready for No Paws Down!
(feature image photo – Federico Prieto Samperio)
2Human rights advocate and lawyer Julian Burnside has told protesters in Melbourne they can look forward to seeing Tony Abbott in the dock in an international court.
Today's protest against the federal government's policies and budget drew around 10,000 people, although organisers put the figure closer to 20,000.
Mr Burnside criticised the government's policy on refugees.
"The way they are treating refugees in Australia is a crime, and there has already been a reference put into the international criminal court complaining of that very treatment," he said, drawing a cheer from the crowd outside the Victorian Parliament.
"If you feel exhausted keeping up the pressure on the government, if you feel so tired you can't keep going, just support yourselves with the vision of Tony Abbott and Scott Morison in the dock at The Hague."
The crowd also jeered as a large Tony Abbott puppet waved at them with smoke coming from its rear, representing a person with their pants on fire.
Protesters had chanted "We demand better" and "Bust the budget" as they marched through Melbourne's city streets that were closed to vehicles and trams.
Mother of two Kat Linde, from Traralgon, said she was most concerned about the government's plan to require job hunters under 30 to wait six months before receiving the dole.
"I've lived in the United States for nine years and I know what it's like living in a divided society," Mrs Linde also told AAP.
"In Los Angeles you see people living in cardboard boxes.
"I don't want Australia to turn into something like that... we should remain an egalitarian society."
© AAP 2019With Grammy night a wrap, DJ Khaled just dropped his brand new single, "Shining," featuring Jay Z and Beyoncé. Yes, you read that right. The release of the single comes just days after Khaled announced that his new album, Grateful, was officially on the way.
This is the first taste of new music we've heard from both Hov and Beyoncé in 2017. The song is dominated by Bey, with the expected hyped intro from Khaled before Jay comes on to talk that cash shit. Bey's portion of the track was co-written by OVO crooner PARTYNEXTDOOR. Throughout his verse, he raps about having twins with Beyoncé and then even gives 21 Savage a dope shoutout. "Don't let me have a son, I'm a fool, send him to school in all my jewels," Jay raps on the track.
For Khaled, this is a major look as he gears up for his next album, which is already rumored to have an appearance from Chance the Rapper who cleaned up at the Grammys on Sunday night.
You can stream the track above.Westboro Baptist Church asks the public not to protest the funeral of their founder
Update: the source used in the post was satire. This statement was not released by the Westboro Baptists. However, Fred Phelps is dead.
The Westboro Baptist Church gained notoriety for protesting the funerals of United States military personnel who were killed in action, claiming that their deaths were God’s retribution for America accepting and supporting gay people and their rights.
In doing so they had no decency regarding the privacy of the grieving families which may or may not have agreed with the gay agenda. They drew no distinction between the heroes who died fighting for this country out of duty and honor and the agenda promoted by those who are leading this country.
However now that the founder of this despicable organization, (I do believe this church has protection under the Constitution but that does not mean I do not have the right to oppose what they stand for or the way in which they express their beliefs and so I find it within my right to express my disdain for this organization by calling them despicable), Fred Phelps, has died the church actually has the unmitigated gall to ask the public to respect their privacy by not protesting the funeral.
Here is the statement the Westboro Baptists released:
“This is a very difficult time for us,” the statement reads, “so we ask that the public have a little decency and respect by allowing us to mourn a great man who served God and tried to protect America from the threat of fags and perverts (i.e. gays and U.S. soldiers).”
Even in their call for decency and respect they spew hatred.
I was always taught that we are all sinners but that God loved us anyway, I was always taught that he who is without sin can cast the first stone, yet this organization is casting stones as if they are not sinners themselves in any way and we know that there was only one perfect person who ever walked the face of the earth. So now, because they are apparently perfect, they are asking for the same “decency” and “respect” they denied our heroes who died in the service of our country and the irony is not lost on me.
I hope that thousand of United States veterans show up at the funeral and prove that those who live by the sword die by the sword.
AdvertisementsOnly Internet Explorer 11 and Edge are left standing after Microsoft pulled support for IE 8, 9 and 10 today.
As warned by the Redmond, Wash., software giant, Jan. 12 marks the date the company stops issuing updates and security fixes to the older versions of the browser software, which has been the default Windows Web browsing experience since the days of Windows 95.
Users still running IE 8, 9 and 10 will begin to receive notifications urging them to upgrade. For businesses, IE 11 contains a compatibility mode, fittingly called Enterprise Mode, to enable backward compatibility with Web applications built for older versions of the browser.
Not everyone got the message, according to John Swanciger, CEO of small-business marketing specialist and online community site Manta.
"Many small businesses are simply unaware that Microsoft is pulling support on their current IE browser," Swanciger told eWEEK. "Small businesses still using old Internet Explorer browsers might not have their automatic updates setting on, or they don't take the time to run updates when new versions are released."
According to Manta's Web traffic analysis, 34 percent of small-business owners are using Internet Explorer. Of those, 61 percent are using version 10 or earlier. Manta notes that Microsoft will continue to support IE 9 on Windows Vista since it is the last version that is compatible with the operating system. (Vista support ends on April 11, 2017.)
Unlike consumers who can typically upgrade to the latest and greatest Web browser without adverse effects, small-business owners have reason to cling to aging software.
"Legacy support is another reason small businesses stick to outdated Internet Explorer browsers. At their inception, most businesses choose a default browser as a platform for their servers, Web apps and other programming tools," Swanciger said. "These companies likely know using a different browser or updating IE are options yet choose to remain on old versions because the transition requires money, time or manpower."
While clinging to older software makes economic sense, it comes at the expense of data security. "Without the necessary security updates and support, small businesses are subject to malicious cyber-attacks that threaten critical business information and data," warned Swanciger. Further, he urges small businesses "to take action now and get off the old browsers to prevent consequences like loss of critical data or theft of data that can damage their company reputation."
The good news for small business that don't have investments in legacy Web applications is that they "are able to perform a painless update through the Automatic Updates portal," said Swanciger. "Those with existing Web applications should consult a Microsoft Certified Partner to gauge their best option for meeting business goals."
Once older versions of IE have been purged, it's time to turn one's attention to the operating system. "Browsers and operating systems are especially intertwined with Internet Explorer, so performing updates to the OS adds an extra layer of protection," said Swanciger.Dave attended DIT (Computer science degree) where he learned almost all the facts of life. Dave loves to travel and is a fully licensed skydiver. He loves to combine skydiving and travel. He also thinks that he can dance.
In a previous post, I went through some ways you can use “strong” words in combination with strong call to action words to improve your PPC click through rate (CTR). Since that post, there have been some updates to the AdWords quality score algorithm and as such, CTR plays an ever important role. In fact, it is my opinion that incremental CTR increase is the most important part of any PPC marketing campaign as it is one of the few factors you can directly influence to increase your ad position and reduce your cost per click (CPC). Remember to always be A/B split testing your ads and never leave an adgroup with only a single ad.
Below, I outline five examples of ways you can increase your CTR without doing anything technical or magical. The ads are fabricated but the data is not. The ads are as close to the original as possible. Besides, you’re going to test the theory yourself anyway right?
1) Trademark Symbol/Registered Symbol.
While I have been using this method myself for years, Brad and Amber make some great points on this very topic. Not only can special symbols be used to increase your PPC CTR, but they can also be used to increase your organic SERP CTR. I could not agree with Ian Lurie more on his blog post predicting that organic CTR will matter a LOT in 2009.
2) Price In Headline
Adding the price in the headline is a great way to increase CTR. Be careful with this one though, if you’re not the cheapest, you’re CTR will suffer.
3) Seasonal Headlines.
Doesn’t matter if your product is not seasonal. If you sell blue widgets all year around, a headline like “Easter Widget Sale” will work great. There are so many different holidays, festivals and events that this can be used with. If you’re targeting locally, even better.
4) Trademark in Display URL Subdomain
While you can’t use most trademark terms in your ad copy, you can use them in your display URL. Amber has a great post on why AdWords allows trademarks in the display URL here. Using the trademark in the display URL some argue confuses potential clickers into thinking that it is the “official” site of the trademark holder. Be careful with this one too… Google knows when a visitor clicks the back button on their browser!
5) The exact Keyword in the Headline.
An oldie, but a goodie. We all know that search engines BOLD your keywords when they match the search query. Having tightly knit adgroups will allow you to take advantage of this without having to use dynamic keyword insertion.
Remember, CTR for quality score reasons is only calculated on the exact match of the keyword and is only counted on the Google search network. This means that any increase in CTR from Dynamic Keyword Insertion does not improve your google quality score. CTR on Google search partners does not contribute to your quality score calculations.
Related Articles:The victim has been identified as Lance Golubinski, 18, of Goshen.
UPDATE (12:06 p.m.): Goshen Central High School Principal Kurtis Kotes remembers Golubinski, and a resident near the crash site details what he saw.
*****
UPDATE (11:53 a.m.): The victim has been identified as Lance Golubinski, 18, of Goshen.
Golubinski was traveling alone, southbound on Gate Schoolhouse Road, when, near the intersection with Laura Lane, his vehicle veered off the road and hit a tree.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Golubinski wrestled for Goshen Central High School; in January he won his 100th match.
"It's been a long time" since a Goshen wrestler won 100 matches, Golubinski said in January. "I know Goshen's history and I don't know when the next time someone is going to 100 matches."
He also played football and ran cross country for the Gladiators. In January the 18-year-old said he was accepted to attend Clemson University in the fall. He wanted to major in engineering.
Goshen Central High School Principal Kurtis Kotes wrote a letter to the Goshen community, posted on the school district web site. In the letter, Kotes noted that grief counselors would be available for students and staff members, and that "teachers have been counseled on warning signs for other students who may be having difficulty coping with their emotions."
Police say they believe speed was a factor in the crash.
On Twitter, Golubinski acknowledged repeatedly his love of driving.
"My new baby," he tweeted in August 2013 after getting his new car. "Put my new exhaust on and now my car sounds amazing," he wrote in March.
He also tweeted about driving fast, like in August, noting that he drove 75 mph in a 45-mph zone, past a police officer, and didn't get pulled over.
"I'm that kind of person who curses when they get a red light," he tweeted one month later.
*****
UPDATE (11:20 a.m.): The victim has been identified as Lance Golubinski, 18, of Goshen.
Golubinski was traveling alone, southbound on Gate Schoolhouse Road, when, near the intersection with Laura Lane, his vehicle veered off the road and hit a tree.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Golubinski wrestled for Goshen High School; in January he won his 100th match.
"It's been a long time" since a Goshen wrestler won 100 matches, Golubinski said in January. "I know Goshen's history and I don't know when the next time someone is going to 100 matches."
He also played football and ran cross country for the Gladiators. In January the 18-year-old said he was accepted to attend Clemson University in the fall. He wanted to major in engineering.
Police say they believe speed was a factor in the crash.
On Twitter, Golubinski acknowledged repeatedly his love of driving.
"My new baby," he tweeted in August 2013 after getting his new car. "Put my new exhaust on and now my car sounds amazing," he wrote in March.
He also tweeted about driving fast, like in August, noting that he drove 75 mph in a 45-mph zone, past a police officer, and didn't get pulled over.
"I'm that kind of person who curses when they get a red light," he tweeted one month later.
*****
UPDATE (9:45 a.m.): The victim has been identified as Lance Golubinski, 18, of Goshen.
Golubinski was traveling alone, southbound on Gate Schoolhouse Road, when, near the intersection with Laura Lane, his vehicle veered off the road and hit a tree.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police say they believe speed was a factor in the crash.
Golubinski wrestled for Goshen High School; in January he won his 100th match.
"It's been a long time" since a Goshen wrestler won 100 matches, Golubinski said in January. "I know Goshen's history and I don't know when the next time someone is going to 100 matches."
He also played football and ran cross country for the Gladiators. In January the 18-year-old said he was accepted to attend Clemson University in the fall. He wanted to major in engineering.
*****
UPDATE: An 18-year-old Goshen High School senior was killed in the crash. More to come at recordonline.com.
******
GOSHEN -- Town of Goshen police were called to the scene of a one-vehicle accident Wednesday night
on Gate Schoolhouse Road.
Reports from the scene indicate the car had crashed into a tree at around 10:30 p.m. Check back for further updates.White (and Orange) Noise
Oct 9, 2013 9 AM
R oughly half a mile of streetcar track will be laid out before Cincinnati’s next mayor takes office in December, and $117 million is already spent or contractually obligated to the transit project. But one of the two leading mayoral candidates still insists he’ll be able to shut it all down if he wins the election in November. Over the past year, canceling the $133 million streetcar project has become a cornerstone of former Councilman John Cranley’s mayoral campaign. Throughout multiple debates and while stumping on the campaign trail, Cranley has flexed his opposition as the one way he can differentiate himself from his opponent, fellow Democrat and Vice Mayor Roxanne Qualls. But with construction underway, federal grants tied to the project and multimillion-dollar contracts signed, more questions remain about what it would cost to cancel the project than what it would cost to finish it.
If Cincinnati’s obligations — including contracts with the construction companies currently working on the project and the design firm that on Oct. 7 released renderings of Cincinnati’s cars — are fully called on, the city could have to pay millions of dollars more to cancel the project than to complete it.
The move would also require support from City Council. A majority of the current City Council supports the streetcar project, but several council candidates oppose it, including P.G. Sittenfeld, Pam Thomas, Chris Smitherman, Charlie Winburn and Amy Murray.
The high costs involved in cancellation raise questions about whether opponents of the streetcar, who claim to be concerned with the project’s costs, would go so far as to take on even more expenses just to terminate it.
Calling on contracts
Because Cincinnati already signed contracts for the streetcar project, the city could call it quits and still be on the hook for up to $95 million that’s encumbered to developers and suppliers involved in the project, on top of the $22 million the city has already spent, according to the city’s monthly streetcar progress report.
Meanwhile, completing development and construction of the 3.6-mile streetcar line would cost the city $88 million. The rest will be financed by $45 million in federal grants specifically allocated to the streetcar project — nearly $41 million of which would be taken back by the federal government if the project were canceled.
In other words, after accounting for lost federal grant money, the city could be on the hook for an extra $29 million if it cancels the project over completing it.
Cities rarely cancel projects of this magnitude at such a late stage, so it’s unclear exactly how much stopping it would cost. But it would involve canceling a $71.4 million construction contract with Messer Construction, Prus Construction and Delta Railroad and a nearly $21 million contract to build the cars with CAF USA. Trying to pull back from the contracts would likely spur litigation from the companies that want to complete and get paid for the work they were hired to do.
For the Messer contract, the city would have to at least pay for all work leading up to cancellation and any construction necessary to close the project. For the CAF USA contract, the city is obligated to at least pay for all work done up to the point of cancellation — most of which is costly design work — and a little more to make CAF’s work profitable.
Should the city lose these lawsuits, the payments — for work that never was completed — would have to come out of the operating budget, as opposed to the capital budget that is currently financing the project. The operating budget, which was more than $350 million in 2013, pays for cops, firefighters, human services and other year-to-year city operations, while the capital budget uses debt obligations and other capital funds to finance big development projects. Since the contractual payments wouldn’t be going toward a capital project following cancellation, they would have to come out of the operating budget.
Cincinnati’s operating budget has remained structurally imbalanced since 2001, which means the city currently takes in less revenue than it pays out in operating expenses. Adding tens of millions more to the operating budget could force the city to dramatically cut services or raise taxes.
Cranley says one possibility is to get out of the contracts. “We’d see what the options are to cancel the contract,” he says. “We always have the option of renegotiating the contracts to do other infrastructure work in the city.”
But that means the city would need to work out a new deal with Messer, CAF USA and other developers, which might have little interest in taking on more work with a city that is, in this scenario, trying to cancel the first project they were hired to do.
Alternate infrastructure projects also wouldn’t be eligible for federal grants allocated to the streetcar project, so the entire cost of the contracts would theoretically need to be put to use and actually amount to a higher cost to the city after the federal money goes away.
For streetcar supporters like Qualls, the price tag of cancellation is just another reason the project must move forward.
“It would be financially reckless to cancel it at this point,” Qualls says. “We don’t know how much we would actually end up paying for, but we would be paying for something that we don’t have.”
Breaking the trust
Even if Cincinnati could get the cleanest possible break from the contracts, concerns remain about how the city’s partners — CAF, Messer, the federal government and other businesses — would react to the sudden cancellation of one of the city’s costliest projects in decades.
“Once (the city) makes a decision, people need to be able to take it to the bank — literally,” Qualls says. “Reneging on something like this creates huge uncertainty, not just for this project but other projects.”
Qualls says the city would also spend more political capital canceling the project than completing it. In 2008 and 2012, part of President Barack Obama’s platform touted light rail projects around the country. That, Qualls argues, shows Cincinnati is actually taking on one of the Obama administration’s top goals, and terminating the deal would actively go against federal priorities.
Qualls’ perspective helps explain why the Obama administration has been so willing to hand over money for the streetcar project, even as the local politics surrounding the issue have become more and more heated. The federal government in June agreed to give the city another $5 million for the streetcar as long as City Council managed to fill a $17.4-million budget gap for the project, which council agreed to do later in the month.
Given the federal government’s consistent support for the project, Qualls says pulling back now would betray the federal government’s confidence and trust in Cincinnati. At the very least, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) would take its money back.
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood said as much in a June 19 letter to Mayor Mark Mallory: “(A)bsent the satisfactory deployment of the project, DOT will be required to deobligate both the existing $10.9 million TIGER grant and the $25 million in Urban Circulator program funds. However, the $4 million in CMAQ funding for the Cincinnati area would be available to the region to reprogram in support of eligible projects.”
Cranley says he could still lobby DOT, with the support of Republicans such as local Rep. Steve Chabot and Gov. John Kasich, to redirect the grants to the interchange project for Interstate 71 and Martin Luther King Drive. That could also save the city the expense of putting its own funds toward the highway project.
“Right now, we have a divided approach to Washington,” Cranley says. “We have all of our Congress people and governor saying one thing, which is we want MLK and the Brent Spence Bridge done and prioritized, and we got the mayor and vice mayor saying we want the streetcar.”
But, as LaHood’s letter states, the federal government would likely pull its funding if the streetcar project isn’t completed. The grants are part of a highly competitive process that pits transportation projects around the nation against each other, so the federal government awarded the money after a lot of vetting with the streetcar specifically in mind. Some of the awards are also intended for public transit projects and light rail, not highway systems.
Given the risks, Qualls says it would be irresponsible to cancel the project and potentially anger the federal government and other business partners, which could damage far more than the streetcar and impact the city’s ability to lobby partners for other projects.
On track
While the mayoral debate rages on, construction for the streetcar project is well underway. John Deatrick, executive director of the streetcar project, says tracks should arrive starting in mid-October, and roughly half a mile of track should be laid out between 12th and Henry streets by December, when a new mayor takes office.
Deatrick says he’s also been in regular discussions with CAF USA about building the actual streetcars. The big milestone for him is testing the cars on the Over-the-Rhine loop once the track is fully laid out in June 2015. That, he says, is when the kinks should be worked out of the system and the project will take its finishing steps — hopefully in time for its opening day on Sept. 15, 2016.
But Cranley says he’s concerned that construction for the project is ongoing and claims it should be halted for two months until the new mayor is sworn in.
“Stop the reckless spending,” he says. “Eight weeks between now and the swearing in of the next mayor is not going to change anything for their schedule, but it wastes money if I’m elected.”
Streetcar supporters argue slowing down a project every time it becomes politically controversial would freeze the city’s abilities to take on big ideas.
In this case, a two-month delay could prove hard to swallow for developers who have already put in supply orders and worked on the project. Companies don’t typically make multimillion-dollar buy-ins with months-long delays in mind.
Cranley counters that the streetcar project is a “unique situation” that comes at a huge cost to voters. “Do they really need to lay half a mile of track five weeks before an election?” he asks. “They are doing this in a political manner.”
It wouldn’t be the first time the streetcar project was delayed because of politics.
The biggest obstacle came when Gov. Kasich, shortly after he defeated former Gov. Ted Strickland in 2010, pulled $52 million in state-allocated federal funds from the streetcar project. That forced Cincinnati to reconsider the scope of the project and, ultimately, eliminate a route to the uptown area, which includes the University of Cincinnati and nearby hospitals.
More delays also came through two voter referendums that voters eventually rejected to effectively back the streetcar project. In 2009, voters dismissed a city charter amendment proposed by the conservative Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes (COAST) and the local branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) that would have required a local vote for every rail project involving Cincinnati. In 2011, voters rebuffed another referendum led by COAST and the NAACP that would have stopped any spending on rail projects until 2021.
Earlier in 2013, the project was stalled again when construction bids came in $21.7 million higher than initial city estimates. That forced the city to make some cuts and commit another $17.4 million to the project, which caused more delays as the city administration and City Council worked out the details.
Given the circumstances, Cranley says that another delay wouldn’t mean much. But streetcar supporters, anxious to get the project going after years of delays, say it’s time to get the project on a clear track to completion.
Playing politics
Considering the streetcar project’s progress, contractual obligations and voter support to this point, some streetcar supporters have raised questions as to why Cranley, a Democrat who is seen as progressive in most other policy areas, has staunchly staked his campaign on stopping the project.
Cranley says canceling the project is necessary because it has pulled funding from other essential capital projects and forced the city to raise property taxes. He says a streetcar should be low on the city’s priorities.
Qualls counters with research from consulting firm HDR and the University of Cincinnati that found the streetcar project would produce a three-to-one return on investment and increase property values along the rail line. She says that makes the project a vital vehicle for economic development.
On the political side, Gene Beaupre, a political science professor at Xavier University, says the streetcar’s established recognition makes it an easy policy for two Democrats to differentiate themselves on. Beaupre says that’s true even if stopping the current phase of the streetcar project is implausible.
“If it becomes clear that that’s not possible, he can still use it to call into question the judgment of his opponent in supporting it to begin with,” Beaupre says of Cranley’s continued opposition.
According to Beaupre, the streetcar project might matter a lot to some voters, but for the majority it matters more how the candidates use discussion of the issue to show off their leadership abilities and other characteristics that voters look for in a mayor.
But even if the strategy proves politically successful for Cranley and he’s elected to office, repealing the project would take a majority vote from City Council. If the eight incumbents running for council are re-elected, whoever takes Qualls’ seat could be the necessary swing vote to save or kill the project.
In other words, the streetcar project might be on the ballot once again when voters select their representatives for City Council and mayor on Nov. 5. The question is whether elected representatives would actually take Cincinnati down that road if given the opportunity, considering the financial and economic risks involved. ©Friday, August 25, 2017
It was the only picture we could place that made sense... It is a robot after all.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Trump today help a press conference which was broadcast all across the USA... After being rocked with terrible events and blunder after blunder, a Trump press conference should of been the comedy event of the century but for Trump, it was no laughing matter. Standing at the podium with his posture bent and his eyes wide open; he told the American people that there was a secret robot uprising happening and that the US had to fight back against it.
“ We have discovered a threat that is worse than terrorism, that threatens to destroy the very America we have worked so hard to make great; they have been building up their numbers in secret, growing more and more everyday until they became strong enough to strike back and destroy these United States. This isn't a threat that can be reasoned with nor feel any compassion; this is a threat that's robotic in nature. ”
He then went on about the details provided by the FBI and the CIA, saying that these robots had traveled back in time from a future where there is a human resistance fighting against a computer AI overlord and have infiltrated every sector from science, technology, government, theater groups, coffee shops and local politics; even claiming that they are living normal, non-interesting lives among us as we speak. He then said that their ultimate goal is to create this "computer AI overlord" so it can launch nuclear missiles and take over the world.
The US government has authorized the use of lethal force against these robots and have ordered the US Army, Navy, Marines and SEAL teams to fight this robot uprising ditching whatever commitments they had in fighting the war in Afghanistan or protecting foreign countries from danger. Civilians will have a chance to fight the robot uprising as weapons will be airlifted to them in areas where robots are likely to attack including states like Oklahoma and cities like Macon, Georgia. Trump did not give out any other states or cities for fear the robots might be gathering information right at this moment.
While no information was provided to the public about what the robots would look like. UnNews has utilized it's underground connections with government officials (which cost us a lot of ad money, you're fucking welcome!) in order to gain what appears to be a slide showing what they look like and describing situations in where they may shoot.
He then brought out what appeared to be an Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonator while saying it was actually Arnold Schwarzenegger himself. He then went on the podium and proceeded to do a routine that though funny, contradicted everything Trump had intended to do or say.
“ Yo's. I am the Arnold Schwarzenegger; I hear my bestest friend Trump will do anything to stop this robot uprising and as The Terminator I'm here to show support. I brought me two shotguns and I'll aim it at the robots and I'll go... *impersonating shotgun sounds* and then I'll be like, "you's been terminated" and then I'll fire more shotguns like *impersonating shotgun sounds but more annoyingly* and I'll show the robots who's boss. Then when the robots come I'll be like "get in tha choppah"! and I'll be like *impersonating more fucking annoying shotgun sounds* and when I'm out of shotguns I'll take out my machine gun and say "say hello to mah little friend!" and then I'll be like *why won't he stop making gun noises? he isn't even good at it* and I'll stick on the ground because you knows, I'm The Terminator and I'll flex my bods and be all like *makes noises that sound like he's having a seizure* and when I aim my shotgun at the last robot standing I'll be like... "you's been terminated, say hello to mah little friend" and I'll go *why the fuck is this guy even an Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonator; he clearly sucks at it!*. ”
That routine got standing ovation for about 20 minutes or so which clearly angered Trump by the looks of his face captured by the cameras.
After the applause, he then stood on the podium and delivered the last few lines of his speech.
“ America is always under constant threat whether it's from foreign countries who want to use us to immigrants who want to cause trouble on the streets to these homeless dirtbags who are responsible for all of america's crimes. The people who built up these United States of America put in blood, sweat and tears to ensure that America would be great and all of it is being threatened due to some robots who don't understand how far we've come. Us humans built all of this; those statues which have historical value, our government which is far and incorruptible and our economy which is the best economy in the whole US of A and to let these robots who have implemented social security, elected Obama to the office of president and introduced the notion of "civil rights" take over the United States is an affront to the values of the United States of America! We must not let them take away our 2nd amendment, we must fight back! ”
Those last few lines drew applause, cheer and praise that made the room feel like a nightclub on a Saturday.
News organizations, cable news channels, newspapers, basically anything that reported the news expressed disgust and shock over what had happened. A lot of coverage was devoted to talk about how Donald Trump could get away with what is essentially genocide and how much Donald Trump could get away with in the future; with contributors and guests expressing in detail how this sets back society by decades and how humanity was were doomed from the start.
One particular guest was Arnold Schwarzenegger who yes, was the real deal... Despite his disastrous run as California governor, he had a couple of choice words for Trump; calling him a "failure to his party, failure to America, failure to humanity and a failure to anybody who |
as well and expect to create a model for the rest of the country.
Honigman: What are your top three pieces of career advice for LGBTQ entrepreneurs from your experience as a successful business owner?
Mendelsohn: An LGBT entrepreneur might wish to join a local LGBT Chamber of Commerce to get support and network with like-minded business owners. Other than that, I'm not sure my advice would be any different for those outside the LGBTQ spectrum. The following concepts have worked for me:
1) Recognize that your greatest assets are the people who you choose to work in your company. Choose carefully those you can trust enough to give them the autonomy to succeed and empower them to do so.
2) Be careful to choose your financial backer that they are aligned with your goals and can offer assistance in keeping you on track financially.
3) Surround yourself with great advisors who can join your Board of Directors when you are ready to form one. Choose people who know more than you do in areas that you most need assistance in your company. For example, you might choose a financial expert, a marketing expert and someone versed programmatically in your company's marketplace niche.BANGKOK (Reuters) - The mother of one of Thailand’s highest-profile anti-junta activists has been charged with defaming the monarchy, police said on Friday, in what a rights group said was an escalation in government attempts to stifle dissent.
Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha looks on before a weekly cabinet meeting at Government House in Bangkok, Thailand, April 26, 2016. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha
Political tension is building ahead of an Aug. 7 referendum on a military-backed constitution, which is the first vote under the junta and a test of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha’s popularity. His government has threatened to jail anybody campaigning against the charter.
Patnaree Chankij turned herself in on Friday after police issued an arrest warrant. In comments to TV reporters, Patnaree denied she had committed lese-majeste.
The junta, which took power in a May 2014 coup, has been cracking down on critics of the monarchy using Thailand’s strict lese-majeste law - a French term for the crime of offending the dignity of a sovereign.
Anon Numpa, one of the two lawyers representing Patnaree, wrote on his Facebook profile that his client has been charged by the authorities for not responding or discouraging another Facebook user from writing an offending message on a private Facebook chat.
“Someone sent you messages that may violate article 112, and you saw them, yet did not stop or prevent them, is equal to you participating in the offence,” said Anon in a Facebook post.
“Are we really going to walk this path?” he said.
He referred to the article 112 of Thailand’s criminal code which says anyone who “defames, insults or threatens the king, the queen, the heir-apparent or the regent” will be punished with up to 15 years in prison.
Last year, there was international condemnation when two people received jail sentences of 25 years and 30 years on lese-majeste charges for Facebook posts about the king.
Patnaree’s son is Sirawith Seritiwat, one of the leaders of a student anti-coup group and a consistent government critic. He says he has been detained and arrested at least 10 times since the army seized power.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, an organization that represents Patnaree, said on Twitter that she would be brought to a military court on Sunday.
The charges against his mother were an example of how the military is using lese-majeste laws as a political tool, he told Reuters.
“This is a marked escalation of the junta witch-hunt against dissidents,” said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “Now they are targeting a dissident’s mother as they try to gag his outspoken criticism. This is a new low even for a junta which has made abuses of human rights a daily occurrence.”
The junta has muted opposition with a ban on political gatherings of more than five people, and stifled freedom of expression by detaining academics, activists and other critics for what are referred to as attitude adjustment sessions.
That has given a semblance of calm to a nation bitterly divided for over a decade between the royalist-military establishment and the supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a telecommunications billionaire ousted in a 2006 coup.
“Two years of junta rule seems peaceful, but actually the problems haven’t decreased,” said academic Anusorn Unno of the Thai Academic Network for Civil Rights.
Junta spokesman Winthai Suvaree said the academics did not represent the views of majority of Thais.City Paper Photo Editor J.M. Giordano in green, covered by police - (Baltimore City Paper screencapture)
Baltimore police in riot gear wrestled to the ground and beat a photographer for the City Paper at a Freddie Gray protest as bystanders screamed at the cops that he was with the press.
In dramatic cell phone footage taken by City Paper Managing Editor Baynard Woods, photo editor J.M. Giordano is seen being tackled and swarmed by police officers.
In the video Woods can be heard yelling, “He’s a photographer! He’s press!” as the police continue to pile on Giordano.
Giordano and Woods were both covering protests against the police over the death of African-American Freddie Gray last Sunday, following his arrest during which he suffered a broken neck.
According to Giordano, he was swarmed by the officers and knocked to the ground with their riot shields after someone in the crowd threw a rock at them.
“They just swarmed over me,” he says. “I got hit. My head hit the ground. They were hitting me, then someone pulled me out.”
Giordano said he began re-shooting photographs again after being rescued but that police attempted to block his view.
According to Giordano, Reuters photographer Sait Serkan Gurbuz, who was standing nearby, was arrested and taken away by police van only to be released later after being cited for disorderly conduct.
On his Twitter account, Woods stated that supporters of the police were stating that the officers were attempting to protect Giordano, and not to believe it.
A Vine of the assault and tweets can be seen below:
Yesterday, the police assaulted a photographer. Now, this is violence. Baltimore. #FreddieGray https://t.co/JKPlyMTTzz — deray mckesson (@deray) April 26, 2015
1. I’ve seen people say that @BaltimorePolice tackled @jmgpix to protect him from being robbed. I was there and took the video. NOT TRUE — Baynard Woods (@baynardwoods) April 26, 2015
2.@BaltimorePolice @jmgpix if you’ve heard people say that, please don’t share it. It is false. — Baynard Woods (@baynardwoods) April 26, 2015Image caption Mo Mowlam and Jennifer Saunders both eventually revealed their diagnosis
French minister Dominique Bertinotti has revealed she was diagnosed with breast cancer eight months ago. She says she didn't make it public earlier partly because she didn't want people to focus on the cancer. Why do public figures choose not to reveal serious illness?
When French President Georges Pompidou died in office in 1974, it was a great shock to many. He had managed to keep completely secret that he was suffering from the rare cancer, Waldenstrom disease.
After asking his personal doctor to lie about his disease for 10 years, former President Francois Mitterrand finally had to announce his advanced prostate cancer in 1992.
British minister Mo Mowlam tried to keep her brain tumour secret but eventually revealed it after newspapers printed barbs about her appearance.
Other public figures have only chosen to discuss the disease after a successful treatment. The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, only disclosed he had prostate cancer after his successful operation in May this year. And comic actor Jennifer Saunders publicly spoke about her breast cancer after eight months' treatment.
Image caption Dominique Bertinotti says she didn't want to place cancer at the centre of things
But others are open from an early stage. Vinnie Jones, the footballer-turned-actor, revealed this week he was being treated for malignant melanoma skin cancer and TV host Sir Michael Parkinson announced earlier this year he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Does being a public figure play a role in the choice people make not to reveal their disease? Being in the public eye is an additional burden when coping with a life-changing diagnosis.
Bertinotti spoke about her condition only to a handful of family members, a friend, three people from her staff and President Francois Hollande.
Image caption Vinnie Jones revealed he had had several lumps removed
"Would I have remained silent if I hadn't been a political woman?" she told Le Monde newspaper. "I don't know. Instinctively, I didn't want to place the cancer at the centre. I was OK with being a minister, who was sick, not a sick person who was a minister. It is such a shock. I didn't feel strong enough to handle the look of the others in addition."
"I can understand why some people would choose to keep it secret because if they are handling something that has a lot of influence on many people, it can take away the message they want to convey," says Jan Caston, author of the charity book Living with Cancer - The Year When Even The Dog Got Cancer.
Others believe being a public figure doesn't necessarily play a role.
"To keep their cancer secret is their own decision. It's not a scandal because it is someone's personal choice," says a spokeswoman from the Macmillan Cancer Support charity.
"It is a disease that you cannot forget. Minister or not, it gets under your skin," Bertinotti says.
The choice whether or not to reveal you have a cancer "has a lot to do with personality", says Julia Langdon, author of Mo Mowlam: The Biography.
"Mo projected a personality which was a very 'can-do person' who was on top of everything. She presented differently from the way she really was. She was a 'hail fellow well met' type of person - it was a pretence.
Image caption Pompidou remained in office despite being gravely ill
"She projected an image of herself as being available to everybody but she wasn't. She was a very private person."
Mowlam had been unwell for 18 months before she was finally diagnosed with cancer and at the time the only person she told was her husband.
"And although Mo [later] told Tony Blair he nevertheless made her secretary of state for Northern Ireland," Langdon says.
More from the Magazine Many people now make bucket lists. The BBC's Helen Fawkes explores the experiences people want before they die, and her own "list for living". What would you do if you found out that your time was limited? If you were told that you could be dead within months, you certainly had no more than five years to live? Well, that's the situation which I'm facing. A list for living, not a bucket list BBC Science: Why is cancer so common?
But Langdon says she believes that Mowlam being a politician didn't have any impact on her decision not to reveal it. "It wouldn't have been different if she hadn't been in politics. All of her life, because of her personality, she didn't let on to things."
There are some people who would expect politicians - and to an extent business leaders - to be open about their health because so much is riding on their ability to work. But like anybody else, most public figures have a desire to keep some things private.
Mowlam's cancer became part of the story of the ultimately successful negotiations over the peace process in Northern Ireland. "Mo used it as a political tool. When giving interviews she would take her wig off to shock people and to encourage sympathy," Langdon says.
Bertinotti told Le Monde that politics had also helped her to remain strong. "I had to take care of myself twice as much. I got up one hour earlier every day to get dolled up. The worse it gets, the more make-up you put on."
After 40 years as a political correspondent at Westminster, Langdon says she has seen how politicians don't want to appear vulnerable.
But being a public figure or not, it all comes down to the same fear of people feeling sorry for you.
"I have had cancer myself, and I didn't want to tell too many people because I did not want pity," Langdon says. Although cancer can now be treated, the word itself is still redolent of death and misery, she says.
So why has Bertinotti decided to talk after eight months of almost absolute silence?
"To help change the social attitudes towards this disease which is terribly distressing. To show that you can have cancer and still continue to work. So that employers understand that long sick leaves are not necessarily the best solution. So that there is less fear and more understanding," she said.
"Choosing to remain silent is a private matter. As a minister, my only question was to find out if I was able to fulfil my mission. And I have."
Follow @BBCNewsMagazine on Twitter and on FacebookTORONTO — Police are searching for three suspects after two women in hijabs were allegedly verbally and physically harassed on a subway train Wednesday night.
TTC Head of Communications Brad Ross told Global News that two women were on an eastbound subway train leaving Bloor-Yonge Station, when two men and a woman “verbally accosted” them.
“They were harassed and racist comments were made towards them including suggestions that because these two women were wearing hijabs that they must therefore be terrorists and that, ‘we better not say anything more they might blow up the train,’ those kinds of comments,” Ross said.
“One of the victims was pushed by the woman of this trio and an individual witness on the train pressed the emergency alarm.”
Ross said the three suspects fled on foot after the train stopped at Sherbourne station.
He added that the TTC “is taking this very seriously” and that police attended Sherbourne station to take victim and witness statements. Ross said there is likely video and still images that police can use as part of their investigation.
READ MORE: Muslim woman attacked in Toronto, told to ‘go back to your country,’ police say
“The words escape me and the TTC in terms of condemning this, there are no words that are strong enough to condemn this behaviour and this action by these three individuals,” he said.
“The TTC is and must remain a safe and secure transit system, it’s one of the safest in the world, and it is our intention to keep it that way. Everybody should be able to ride this system without fear and in total safety and security and we’ll do everything we can to make sure that continues to happen.”
The #TTC condemns, in the strongest language possible, the harassment or racist taunts of anyone. The TTC is, and must remain, safe for all. — Brad Ross (@bradTTC) November 19, 2015
In a separate incident Wednesday night, GO Transit officials discovered anti-Muslim graffiti on a train that was being taken out of service at the GO Transit Willowbrook Rail Maintenance Facility.
“We’re cleaning it now, depending on what it was what they used, it may or may not be that easy to get off. But it won’t go back into service until it’s removed,” Metrolinx spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins told Global News.
“It’s anti-Muslim clearly and it’s displays some violence against women as well.”
Aikins said the graffiti was not tolerated by Metrolinx and issued an apology to any customers that saw the graffiti and was upset by it.
“We really encourage people if they see any incidences of racism or discrimination to report it to us quickly and we’ll take decisive action to find people that do it and protect the people if they’re being hurt and hopefully prevent this from happening,” she said.
“I know we have a big system with hundreds of thousands of people every day but I think the vast majority of our customers don’t tolerate this either and it’s really regretful that something like this would happen.”
READ MORE: PM Trudeau condemns acts of ‘hatred and racism’ aimed at Canadians
The incidents come after police in several Canadian cities have opened investigations into alleged hate crimes and racist incidents since the deadly attacks in Paris that killed at least 129 people on Friday, which prompted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to urge Canadians not to turn to “acts of hatred and racism.”
In Toronto, a woman wearing a hijab was attacked on Monday afternoon while trying to pick her son up after school and in a nearby neighbourhood the words “Muslims Go Home” were scrawled along the white wall of a large apartment complex.
A mosque was torched in Peterborough, Ont., on Sunday and a Hindu temple in Kitchener, Ont., had their windows smashed.
On Wednesday, police in Montreal arrested a 24-year-old in connection to an anti-Muslim Youtube video where a man wearing a Joker mask and promised to “kill one Arab a week.”
With files from Andrew RussellCopyright by WTEN - All rights reserved
TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) - A comprehensive plan has been developed to revitalize the Collar City and bring in new business.
"I hope they are realistic and that we have the resources to reach them," property owner Tristen Hernandez said. "If they are, I think this will be a very exciting time for Troy."
For the first time in 25 years, a comprehensive plan has been developed for the city. Two of the biggest ideas include building up the shoreline and revitalizing the historic downtown.
Hernandez said his building was built in 1890.
"That's a very exciting past that we have," he said. "Better to complement that than to destroy it or change it too much. If we are going to make changes, it could be complimentary to what we already have here and kind of integrate that into the future."
The plan mentions making downtown a creative and cultural hub and possibly creating a recreational space on the waterfront. It also introduces possible road changes.
Mayor Patrick Madden said the plan is not just about policy but also about action and reinvestment.
"It will address a lot of needs, tax base growth, job growth, and getting the heavy truck traffic out of South Troy," he said.
Madden is soliciting opinions and ideas. He believes that if Troy residents continue to give input and help tailor the plan, it will help make the city better for years to come.
"I often talk about the beautiful buildings that we have in Troy; I talk about our infrastructure, and I make note of the fact that people 100 years ago did that for us," Madden said. "Now, it's our turn to do that for the people that are going to follow us; the success of generations to come."President Trump on Friday chided Qatar for funding terrorism, remarks that could complicate U.S. efforts to ease the diplomatic crisis in the Persian Gulf.
“The nation of Qatar has unfortunately been a funder of terrorism, and at a very high level," Trump said during a press conference at the White House.
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Trump's comments came just hours after Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called for all sides to de-escalate the conflict, and for other Arab nations to end a blockade against Qatar. Tillerson was in the White House rose garden during the remarks.
A senior administration official told reporters later Friday that Trump and Tillerson are "on the same page" when it comes to Qatar. Regarding the blockade, the official said Trump relayed his position privately to Gulf state leaders this week.
"What he said was consistent with what the secretary of State said," the official told reporters aboard Air Force One.
"He mentioned that he was concerned with the food issue, the family separation issue. But he's also very concerned about Qatar support for terrorist finance and for supporting extremist ideology and other things, and he wants to see that addressed, too."
On Monday Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain severed diplomatic relations with Qatar and closed all land, sea and air borders. The countries accused its government of supporting extremist groups such as Hamas, al-Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood, and for its relations with Iran.
Qatar has so far denied the allegations.
“I've decided, along with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, our great generals, and military people, the time has come to call on Qatar to end its funding,” Trump said Friday.
“They have to end that funding and its extremist ideology in terms of funding. I want all of the nations to stop immediately supporting terrorism. Stop teaching people to kill other people and filling their minds with hate and intolerance.”
Trump — who traveled to Saudi Arabia last month and met with numerous Gulf leaders at a summit of Gulf Cooperation Council nations — said several nations “came together and spoke to me about confronting Qatar over its behavior,” following the conference.
Tillerson took a more diplomatic approach with the regional dispute earlier on Friday. In a four-minute speech at the State Department, he said Qatar needed to address its neighbors' concerns about terrorist financing, but asked Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt to ease the blockade.
The United States relies closely on nearly all Gulf countries involved in the dispute for military operations in the region.
Saudi Arabia and Qatar both have funded rebels fighting in the Syrian civil war, and about 8,000 to 10,000 U.S. troops are at Udeid Air Base in Doha, Qatar’s capital. Udeid Air Base is the largest U.S. base in the Middle East, the forward headquarters of Central Command and the staging area for much of the war against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Bahrain, meanwhile, hosts the U.S. Navy.
U.S. officials have sought to avoid taking sides in the dispute, but Trump earlier this week muddled the administration’s message when he took credit for the decision to cut ties with Qatar, saying his speech in Saudi Arabia calling on Muslim countries to unite against terrorism and Iran was the reason.
“During my recent trip to the Middle East, I stated that there can no longer be funding of Radical Ideology. Leaders pointed to Qatar - look!” Trump tweeted Tuesday.
“So good to see the Saudi Arabia visit with the King and 50 countries already paying off. They said they would take a hard line on funding …. extremism, and all reference was pointing to Qatar. Perhaps this will be the beginning of the end to the horror of terrorism!” he continued later.
The tweets blindsided top U.S. officials who had tried to downplay the issue.
Defense Secretary James Mattis and Tillerson on Monday told reporters it was up to the countries involved to work it out among themselves.
A Pentagon spokesman also on Monday said the United States was “grateful to the Qataris for their longstanding support of our presence and their enduring commitment to regional security.”
Updated at 6:11 p.m.Car of Facebook killing suspect Steve Stephens in Erie after he shot and killed himself following police manhunt https://t.co/y8fyjqqdXR pic.twitter.com/WOf0BeAFnV — NBC10 Philadelphia (@NBCPhiladelphia) April 18, 2017
Steve Stephens, the accused Facebook killer, has committed suicide in Erie, Pennsylvania in the white Ford Fusion police were seeking after he was spotted in a McDonald’s drive-thru ordering chicken McNuggets.
In the end, an “alert citizen” – and employees at the fast-food restaurant where Stephens ordered a 20-piece nugget meal with fries – gave police the tips that led to Stephens less than two miles from state police headquarters, State Police say.
The McDonald’s employees tried to stall on Stephens’ order of fries to give police enough time to arrive.
Stephens shot himself while his car was “spinning out of control” from a law enforcement PIT maneuver on April 18 after a brief chase around 11:10 a.m. in Erie. His car was heading into the City of Erie when he killed himself after State Police stopped it, police said.
Pennsylvania State Police have confirmed the cause of death of the behavioral therapist and former youth mentor known as “Stevie Steve,” who had been pursued for days in a massive manhunt after posting a gruesome Facebook murder video.
“Steve Stephens was spotted this morning by PSP members in Erie County. After a brief pursuit, Stephens shot and killed himself,” the Pennsyvlania State Police tweeted. The death brings to an end the dramatic manhunt for Stephens that had gripped the East Coast, where city after city reported that sightings of the killer were unfounded.
Steve Stephens was spotted this morning by PSP members in Erie County. After a brief pursuit, Stephens shot and killed himself. — PA State Police (@PAStatePolice) April 18, 2017
Police and FBI officials in Cleveland vowed it was only a matter of time before they got Stephens, who was accused of murdering a random stranger, 74-year-old Robert Godwin Sr., on a Cleveland street, recording the slaying on video, and then posting it on Facebook. Godwin’s family members have spoken out to the news media after Stephens’ death, with Godwin’s emotional daughter saying her heart is broken over her father’s loss.
“This started with one tragedy and ended with another person taking his own life,” said Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams. “Our investigators are on their way. Our federal partners are there already working with PA police.”
In the horrific video, Stephens said he was committing the murder because he was angry at his girlfriend, Joy Lane. You can watch the uncensored video at the end of this article, but be aware it is very graphic and disturbing.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Stephens’ Desire for Fast Food Led to His Undoing & Workers Tried to Make Him Wait by ‘Holding on to His Fries’
Cleveland shooter Steve Stephens found in Erie on Buffalo Rd by Rodger Young Park. Dead in vehicle of self inflicted gun shot wound. pic.twitter.com/KRR3ROBtTI — Dennis Weed (@DennisWeed) April 18, 2017
Imagine being the McDonald’s drive-thru worker who spotted Steve Stephens at the window ordering food. But that’s what the restaurant manager who helped bring an end to a multi-day and state manhunt says happened.
Henry Sayers, a McDonald’s employee, told Cleveland19 that Stephens “rolled through the drive-thru and ordered a 20 piece Chicken McNuggets and basket of fries. Sayers says he ‘acted normal’ and there would have been no of way of knowing it was him unless he was on television.” Sayers wasn’t the first person to spot Stephens, though.
The Harborcreek restaurant owner Thomas DuCharme Jr. spoke about the moment that a female employee working the drive-thru thought she recognized Stephens.
Harborcreek McDonalds owner Thomas DuCharme Jr. on what happened when Steve Stephens came through drive-thru today. https://t.co/dno3WAhFzg — Madeleine G. O'Neill (@ETNoneill) April 18, 2017
“My back drive thru person informed me that she thought she recognized…him in the drive thru,” he said. “She called me in the back. She wanted to have me take a look and make sure she wasn’t seeing things. She was already on the phone to call the police,” DuCharme says in the video. They told Stephens it would be a wait for his fries to give police the chance to arrive, but he left.
There was a $50,000 reward being offered in the case.
According to Cleveland19, “the alert McDonald’s drive-thru employee recognized Stephens while taking his order, and immediately dialed 9-1-1. Sayers says they weren’t 100% sure it was him, but called 9-1-1 anyways. The McDonald’s employees knew he might be in the area” because of previous news reports.
The New York Times reports that Sayers is the restaurant’s manager. The newspaper reports that workers at the McDonald’s say they tried to make Stephens wait by “holding onto his fries” as they dialed police. However, he said he “had to go” and left with only the chicken, reported The Times.
Sayers told the Cleveland television station “that Stephens exited the drive-thru and pulled right out onto Buffalo Street, that’s when police lights started flashing and a chase began.”
Stephens was “found dead of self-inflicted gunshot wound in white Ford Fusion on Buffalo Road, Erie police confirmed. State police had been following the car as it was headed west into the city of Erie,” reported GoErie.com.
The Cleveland police chief said Pennsylvania police officers received a tip that the Ford Fusion was in a McDonald’s parking lot near Erie PA. “The officers responded, and the vehicle fled from the area.” As the officers approached the vehicle, Stephens took his own life, said the chief.
Cleveland’s police chief thanked the public for its help in finding Stephens.
.@CLEpolice Chief Calvin Williams thanked the public for their help in finding #SteveStephens. pic.twitter.com/II4Fno0Msm — clevelanddotcom (@clevelanddotcom) April 18, 2017
The chief said the pursuit was short lived and that police stopped the vehicle. He said “there are a lot of places to hide” in the Erie area because there are remote areas, woods, and farms. Authorities are trying to pin down where Stephens was in the three days since the murder and “what he was doing.”
.@fox8news PA State Police were in pursuit of White Ford Fusion along Buffalo Rd. in Erie at approx. 11:10am, when suspect shot himself.#FOX8 — Nicholas A. Kovach (@TheKovach) April 18, 2017
A massive law enforcement effort was launched to find the Facebook killer that involved local, state and federal authorities. Authorities had said early on that Stephens might have left Ohio. The distance from Cleveland to Erie, Pennsylvania is only 103 miles, so it turns out that Stephens did not go very far.
Police held a press conference announcing Stephens’ death. You can watch it here. “Dozens of officers were involved in this case. We couldn’t have done this without their help and the help of the public,” Chief Williams said.
The chief said he would have preferred to take Stephens alive so that authorities could talk to him to figure out his motivations. Police had advised residents of Pennsylvania (as well as several other states) early on to be alert for Stephens.
The closest analogy to the case that people are drawing on Twitter is to Christopher Dorner, and that didn’t end very well – for Dorner. Dorner was a fired Los Angeles police officer who killed four people in a 2013 California shooting spree and then vanished as police launched a massive manhunt. He was eventually found burned in a cabin during a police standoff and gun battle. He had posted a manifesto to Facebook and mailed it to Anderson Cooper. It took authorities 12 days to find Dorner.
Stephens – accused of the gruesome videotaped murder of an elderly stranger in Ohio – disappeared on April 15 after posting the murder video. Authorities vowed they would get him, and tips flooded in.
Read more about Steve Stephens’ death in Spanish at AhoraMismo.com:
2. Stephens Killed Himself Across the Street From a Former Elementary School & Previously Gambled in Erie
Stephens had been to Erie before, according to his now deleted Facebook page.
“Stephens’ Facebook posts revealed that he had some familiarity with Erie as he wrote about his gambling losses at casinos there and in Cleveland,” reports Cleveland.com.
Pennsylvania State Police described the dramatic conclusion to the manhunt in a Facebook post, saying, “PSP troopers immediately began to canvas the area for Stephens and located him in his vehicle a short time later. Troopers in marked patrol units initiated a pursuit that lasted approximately two miles. The troopers attempted a PIT maneuver to disable Stephens’ vehicle, a white Ford Fusion. As the vehicle was spinning out of control from the PIT maneuver, Stephens pulled a pistol and shot himself in the head.”
A patrol trooper involved with the pursuit “could not stop in time and slid into Stephens’ vehicle causing minor damage. No injuries to law enforcement or members of the public were reported,” state police say.
According to WiseGeek, the PIT Maneuver law enforcement technique “likely originated in Germany, where it was used by German military and law enforcement. Some people believe that it may have been derived from the ‘bump and run’ technique used in professional auto racing. It was first used in the US by the Fairfax, Virginia, police department during the 1970s.” It’s now a “standard technique” in U.S. police chases.
WiseGeek describes the maneuver this way: “During a pit maneuver, the pursuing vehicle pulls up alongside a target vehicle and rides parallel. The pursuing vehicle’s front tires should be roughly lined up with the target’s rear tires. To execute the move, the driver of the pursuing vehicle steers sharply into the side of the target, which causes the target vehicle to skid. The driver of the target vehicle loses control, and his vehicle is likely to either spin out or come to a stop.”
The local newspaper in Erie reported that Stephens died near a former elementary school. There had been concerns throughout the country about schools, with some going into lockdown after various Stephens sightings.
“The car, pointed west, is stopped in the westbound lane of Buffalo Road, across from the former Burton Elementary School, 1660 Buffalo Road. Police are blocking off the entire school grounds. Erie police are also at the scene,” reported GoErie.Com.
Stephens’ mother, Maggie Green, told Fox News “she heard the news of her son’s death on the radio. She said she believed he would commit suicide because he visited her house before the murder to say goodbye.”
She contended he was a “good Christian person” who had a gambling problem and just “snapped,” Fox News reported.
3. There Was an Earlier Report that Stephens’ Cell Phone Had Pinged in Erie
There was an earlier report out of Erie, Pennsylvania that the killer’s cell phone “pinged” there, but local police had said they had no knowledge of that. Now it appears the report may have been accurate all along.
The Cleveland chief said the area had been searched previously after the ping reports, and ground and air assets were being sent to the area for a search on April 18 before he was found.
There had been confusion over the Erie cell phone ping angle when it first broke on CNN. However, GoErie.com previously reported that “the Erie FBI office received a lead on Sunday indicating that Stephens might be in the Erie area, said Brian Fox, the special agent in charge of the Erie FBI office.”
PA State Police “are not able to confirm if Stephens cell phone was pinged in the area or if he is in the area at all,” reported MyErie.com previously. The news site said reports had claimed that Stephens’ cell phone pinged in eastern Erie.
Police in Erie, Pa. also previously told The New York Post they were not investigating the Stephens case. CNN reported, “Though Pennsylvania authorities said early Monday that Stephens’ cellphone had issued a ‘ping,’ or a signal, in Erie, Pennsylvania, the Erie Police Department said Monday afternoon it had no knowledge of a ping emitted from its city. Erie is about 100 miles east of Cleveland.” However, the Cleveland police chief didn’t address the matter in a news conference when asked about it by a reporter on April 17.
It was baffling Twitter users that he’d escaped detection for days.
Some wondered: Couldn’t police just trace Stephens’ car with GPS? Authorities explained that point in an April 18 news conference. “That vehicle is not equipped with any of those systems,” Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams said. “Of course, that’s the first thing that we looked at from the dealership aspect, and also from Ford Motor Company itself. The vehicle is not equipped to offer that type of tracking.”
The vehicle police said Stephens might be driving was described as a white 2016 Ford Fusion with temporary tag E363630. The Erie reports say he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in that vehicle.
In the end, human beings at McDonald’s – not technology – cracked the case.
4. Godwin’s Family Members Expressed Extreme Grief & His Daughter Said She Wished Stephens Had Gone Down in a ‘Hail of One Hundred Bullets’
Stephens is dead, but his victim’s family members are left to deal with the loss of their father and grandfather.
“All I can say is that I wish he had gone down in a hail of one hundred bullets,” Godwin’s daughter, Brenda Haymon, told CNN of Stephens. “I wish it had gone down like that instead of him shooting himself.”
The Cleveland police chief asked the media to back off the Godwin family, saying, “We ask that you give the family space. For them this is not over.”
Previously, other family members had expressed forgiveness for the killer. “Each one of us forgives the killer, the murderer,” Godwin’s daughter Tonya Godwin Baines had previously told CNN, which described Godwin as a hard-working self-taught mechanic with a large, loving family.
There had been reported sightings of Stephens from Baltimore to Philadelphia – and authorities received hundreds of tips – but none had panned out until April 18 in Erie. Police were scouring abandoned homes in Cleveland. The attention, so far, had largely focused on the eastern seaboard.
Here’s a list of the top 10 most elusive criminals of all time, from the Alcatraz prisoner escapees to the soldier who shot and killed Abraham Lincoln’s assassin to DB Cooper, the skyjacker who parachuted into the night and was never seen again (although experts are still scientifically examining his left-behind tie for metallic particles; the mystery never ceases to fascinate).
With his three days on the run, Stephens’ escape from police didn’t last very long.
5. Stephens’ Graphic Facebook Video of the Murder Went Viral
The video Stephens posted to Facebook was graphic, horrific, and quickly went viral. It sat on the social media platform for several hours before police were alerted, and it’s since been taken down.
It shows Stephens randomly approach the victim, Godwin, on the street. He asks the man his age, mentioned Stephens’ girlfriend Joy Lane, and then shoots and kills the man for no reason.
"I think the people on social media kind of know the power and the harm it can do," says @CLEpolice chief https://t.co/UOWsuDHOhG pic.twitter.com/FHKKCA6HOs — CBS News (@CBSNews) April 18, 2017
Stephens also claimed that he had murdered numerous other people in what he called an Easter Sunday massacre, but police never found any evidence of additional victims.
You can watch the video Stephens filmed below, but be aware it is very graphic and disturbing.(Newser) – How do assassins kill strangers without a second thought or an ounce of guilt? A successful one convinces himself or herself that the victim is a target rather than a human, and that the killing is just another day's work, crimin |
they're close to transport.
"My concern is where are they going to move them and why tax people? Why put a tax on people's rent? Why increase their rent? They should look at an incentive rather than a tax."
Ms Cotsis says there is not enough alternative public housing to move vulnerable people.
"This government has cut $22 million from the housing budget," she said.
"That means there'll be less construction of public housing in New South Wales."
The Government's move follows a similar policy adopted in the United Kingdom in April where public housing tenants have their benefits incrementally cut for each spare bedroom.
Topics: tax, housing, states-and-territories, nsw, sydney-2000
First postedWASHINGTON – GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump appears to be winning the great immigration ban debate.
Half of all Americans suddenly support a temporary ban on Muslim immigration into the United States, according to a Reuters poll.
The stunning results represent an enormous sea change in public opinion that seemingly took place overnight in the wake of the Orlando massacre.
What do YOU think? Do you support a temporary ban on Muslim immigration? Sound off in today’s WND poll
The question was posed this way: “Agree/Disagree: The United States should temporarily stop all Muslims from entering the United States.”
Before Omar Mateen killed 49 people and wounded dozens more at an Orlando nightclub early Sunday morning, just 43 percent of Americans supported the ban and 53 percent opposed it.
By Tuesday, the Reuters poll showed 50 percent now agree that the “United States should temporarily stop all Muslims from entering the United States.” Just 42 percent oppose the ban.
On Monday, following the massacre, Trump renewed his call for a temporary ban against immigrants from global trouble spots.
He was severely criticized by President Obama, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and much of the national news media.
But Trump seems to be wining the argument in the minds of the American people, as evidenced by the sudden and dramatic increase in support for his position.
Trump took a lot of heat when he initially called for a pause in immigration from Muslim-majority countries after the deadly terrorist attacks in San Bernardino, California, in December 2015. But, after the worst mass murder in U.S. history over the weekend, Trump doubled-down on his call to drastically revamp immigration policy.
He vowed Monday, “When I am elected, I will suspend immigration from areas of the world where there is a proven history of terrorism against the United States, Europe or our allies, until we fully understand how to end these threats.”
“The days of deadly ignorance will end, and they will end soon, if I’m elected,” Trump declared during a speech at St. Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Trump did not, however, call for the same exact proposal as the ban he pushed in December. He made a key refinement by making no direct mention of banning Muslims from immigrating, but called for an immigration pause from countries with a “proven history of terrorism.”
While he may have modified the wording of his proposal, the candidate’s support for an immediate and dramatic change in immigration policy was expressed with greater passion than ever, in the wake of the Orlando atrocity.
Trump emphasized, “The bottom line is that the only reason the [Orlando] killer was in America in the first place was because we allowed his family to come here. That is a fact, and it’s a fact we need to talk about.”
The candidate trained his fire on the Obama administration, saying, “We have a dysfunctional immigration system which does not permit us to know who we let into our country, and it does not permit us to protect our citizens properly. We have an incompetent administration. And if I am elected president … it’s going to change and it’s going to change quickly.”
Trump recalled how he first called for a ban after the terrorist attack in San Bernardino “and was met with great scorn and anger. But now many are saying I was right to do so.”
The candidate then spelled out his plan in detail, beginning with how long the ban would last.
“It will be lifted, this ban, when, as a nation, we are in a position to properly and perfectly screen these people coming into our country. They’re pouring in, and we don’t know what we’re doing.”
Trump described what would give him the authority to establish the ban.
“The immigration laws of the United States give the president powers to suspend entry into the country of any class of persons. Any class, to be determined by the president, for the interests of the United States. And it’s as he or she deems appropriate. Hopefully, it’s he, in this case.”
Then, he vowed, “I will use this power to protect the American people.”
Trump explained what would follow the ban.
“After a full and long-overdue security assessment, we will develop a responsible immigration policy that serves the interests and values of America. We cannot continue to allow thousands upon thousands of people to pour into our country, many of whom, have the same thought process as this savage killer. Many of the principles of radical Islam are incompatible with Western values and institutions,” he said.
“Remember this,” said Trump pointedly, “radical Islam is anti-woman, anti-gay and anti-American.”
“I refuse to allow America to become a place where gay people, Christian people, Jewish people, are targets of persecution and intimidation by radical Islamic preachers of hate and violence.”
Just as important as the ban, said Trump, was the need to be honest with the American people.
“We need to tell the truth about how radical Islam is coming to our shores. And it’s coming. With these people, folks, it’s coming. We’re importing radical Islamic terrorism into the West through a failed immigration system and through an intelligence community held back by our president.”
On Fox News Monday, Trump said that letting in untold numbers of immigrants from countries such as Syria “could be the all-time great Trojan horse.”
While recognizing the terrorist who killed 49 people at an LGBT nightclub in Orlando was a U.S. citizen, Trump warned in a statement:
“Hillary Clinton wants to dramatically increase admissions from the Middle East, bringing in many hundreds of thousands during a first term – and we will have no way to screen them, pay for them, or prevent the second generation from radicalizing.”
And, on CBS Monday morning, Trump said his proposed pause in immigration was need because, once refugees arrived in America, “They’re becoming radicalized by people coming in and they’re also becoming radicalized by family members and others. ”
“You saw that with San Bernardino, where we had somebody in the country – he became probably radicalized through her when he married.”
He also told Fox News on Monday that U.S. policy is allowing immigrants to enter the country who are “no different than this maniac,” referring to Orlando killer Omar Mateen.
Trump warned that Muslim communities in America protect the potential terrorists in their midst, such as the Orlando killer.
“They don’t report these people. The people know who the bad apples are, where the bad seeds are. And they don’t report them,” he said. “You’ll find out shortly, you’ll find out that many people knew that he was bad. Many people knew he had some kind of an idea for an attack. It happens all the time. Almost all the time. We need much better intelligence.”
Trump initially reiterated his call for a temporary ban, or pause, on immigration from Muslim-majority countries on Sunday with tweets that read:
“What has happened in Orlando is just the beginning. Our leadership is weak and ineffective. I called it and asked for the ban. Must be tough.” “Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism, I don’t want congrats, I want toughness & vigilance. We must be smart!”
On CBS, Trump blasted critics who claim his comments on Muslims are inspiring terrorists.
“Well, did you see what happened yesterday? They weren’t about my words,” he insisted. “Look at the people who were killed yesterday. This is just the beginning, OK? This is going to get worse and worse.”
In fact, Trump scorched President Obama and Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton for their own rhetoric, claiming we will see such attacks “many times over” if they don’t begin blaming “radical Islamic terrorism.”
“Believe me, all I want is safety, I want safety for this country,” Trump told CBS over the phone. “What happened yesterday will happen many times over with a president like Obama that doesn’t even want to use the term ‘radical Islamic terrorism.'”
Trump even suggested Clinton had an ulterior motive.
“Hillary won’t use [the term], and the reason Hillary won’t use it is she’s afraid to offend her boss because she doesn’t want to go to jail,” he said.
Trump’s remarks appeared to get under Clinton’s skin.
Distancing herself from Obama, who never mentioned Islam or Muslims in his televised statement Sunday on the Orlando terror attack, the former secretary of state said, “[W]hether you call it radical jihadism or radical Islamism, I’m happy to say either. I think they mean the same thing.”
Speaking on CNN Monday, she also criticized Trump’s proposed pause on Muslim immigration, saying, “What I won’t do, because I think it is dangerous for our efforts to defeat this threat, is to demonize and demagogue and declare war on an entire religion.” She added, “That plays right into ISIS’ hands.”
When WND asked Trump supporter and conservative commentator Ann Coulter whether it was time for a temporary ban on Muslim immigration, she replied, “If I’d been around, I’d have thought it was time in 1965, about two minutes after Teddy Kennedy’s immigration act became law.”
In an email, she added, in all capital letters: “WHY DID WE DO THIS TO OUR COUNTRY?”
Asked the same question, Middle East expert Clare Lopez told WND, “Yes, I agree we need a comprehensive review of immigration and refugee resettlement policies. If we know that potential immigrants hold an ideology antithetical to the Constitution, and want to replace it with shariah (Islamic law), it doesn’t make sense to welcome them in. So, yes, at least a temporary moratorium till we work through this.”
In an interview with WND published Monday, Lopez said she thought Islamic immigrants themselves might be too busy becoming settled to become too involved in jihadism. But the interest is growing among their American-born offspring.
“What we are seeing it is the first and second generation that are more active, and I think that’s the pattern were going to see going forward,”Lopez concluded somberly.
She cited a Pew Research Center survey on the attitudes of Muslims around the world and observed how a disturbing percentage supported Shariah as the law of the land.
Indeed, support for Shariah as the law of the land in Afghanistan, where the Orlando shooter’s parents came from, is a staggering 99 percent.
“These are the countries of origin for our Muslim immigrants,” observed Lopez. “I mean, where do we think our Muslim refugees are immigrants are coming from? They come from the countries in the Pew Research survey where 80 percent more of the respondents support Shariah as one and only law of the land.”Image copyright Rex Features Image caption Waite won an Emmy for his role as the Southern family patriarch in The Waltons
Actor Ralph Waite, best known for playing John Walton Sr - Papa Walton - in the long-running TV show The Waltons, has died at the age of 85.
"Ralph was a good honest actor and a good honest man," said Michael Learned, who played his on-screen wife Olivia.
"He was my spiritual husband. We loved each other for over 40 years. He died a working actor at the top of his game.
"He was a loving mentor to many and a role model to an entire generation."
An ordained Presbyterian minister, social worker and former Marine, Waite turned to acting in the early 1960s, starring on Broadway opposite Faye Dunaway in Hogan's Goat.
Small screen roles followed, working alongside the likes of Paul Newman and Jack Nicholson in films such as Cool Hand Luke and Five Easy Pieces.
But it was with The Waltons, which began in 1972, that Waite found global fame.
The actor, already in his mid-40s played Depression-era homesteader John Walton - the father of seven, living in rural Virginia, who worked hard to look after his family while imparting wisdom and authority to his homespun brood.
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption The Waltons starring Ralph Waite began in 1972
"I am devastated to announce the loss of my precious 'papa' Walton," said Mary McDonough, who played daughter Erin Walton. "I loved him so much; I know he was so special to all of us. He was like a real father to me. Goodnight Daddy. I love you."
The show was an unexpected hit. Running for nine seasons, it prompted a series of movie spin-offs and found viewers around the world.
"Somehow, we struck a vein in the life of the world," Waite, who directed 16 episodes of the series, said in an interview last year with local paper The Lancaster News.
He once recalled a woman who told the actor she was inspired to go to college by the paternal figure of John Walton, Sr.
"She said, 'Now, I'm a lawyer and I don't think I would be if I hadn't seen that show,'" Waite said. "I'm still amazed by that. It happens all the time. The whole thing is still amazing."
Image copyright AP Image caption Waite played Jackson Gibbs in a handful of episodes of NCIS last year
The actor received an Emmy nomination for his role in The Waltons, and another for his performance in the 1977 mini-series Roots, playing Slater, the first mate of a slave ship.
In 1975 he founded the Los Angeles Actors Theatre, donating $50,000 to get the company off the ground.
Simultaneously he ran for Congress in California three times as a Democrat - albeit unsuccessfully - and, mindful of his own struggles with alcohol, became involved in an alcohol and drug recovery programme.
He remained a working actor until late last year, starring in '90s big screen hits such as Cliffhanger and The Bodyguard.
Last year Waite starred in the crime series NCIS, playing the father to Mark Harmon's protagonist. He also made recent appearances in Bones and US soap Days of Our Lives, as Father Matt.
He was married three times, and is survived by two daughters from his first marriage.There are now official images of the upcoming promotion for the LEGO Seasonal Gingerbread Man (5005156) minifigure box. You can get it for free with purchases of $50 or more at LEGO Stores and on [email protected] from December 12-18. The box is similar to the Easter Minifigure (5004486) but decorated to his theme. The Gingerbread Man himself is not exclusive as he was released back in 2013 with Series 11 Collectible Minifigures (71002). The only difference is that this one does not have the red “Dunk Me” cup as an accessory.
For those who missed him a few years ago or got into LEGO after that set retired, next week is you best chance of getting him if you’re still doing some holiday shopping. Of course you can also BrickLink him but he commands around $10 for just the minifigure.TWO Scottish sisters will bring a bit of festive cheer to families all over Glasgow after they collected more than 200 toys for needy children.
Orla and Marla Livingston, age seven and four, made posters and asked people in their community to donate toys to charity Children 1st, who will hand the gifts out to the families they work with.
Orla and Mara Livingston from Erskine deliver sack fulls of presents they have raised for charity.
It is the third year in a row that the sisters have instigated a toy drive for a good cause.
Mum Christine,35, said: “I’m really proud of them, they’ve worked really hard. Thanks to everyone who donated toys, including the Girl’s Brigade, who just got in touch with us and came up trumps.
“This all started because one of the girls had been going to Yorkhill Hospital and they asked what happened at Christmas time to the children in the ward. The past couple of years they’ve collected for Robin House and Yorkhill but this year they asked if they could give toys to children who didn’t have any.”
The girls collected the toys from their school, Barsail Primary in Erskine, as well as Mara’s nursery and from groups in the community.
Orla and Mara deliver their presents to Twinkle McSparkle the Elf. Picture: John Devlin
They visited the charity’s Glasgow office on Monday (December 14) where they were met by Twinkle McSprinkle, Santa’s Elf.
Twinkle said: “The gifts that we’ve received will ensure that the children we work with will have reasons to smile on Christmas Day. Santa was delighted to hear about their hard work and kindness and has noted their good deeds.”
Children 1st helps Scotland’s families with practical advice and with support in difficult times. When the worst happens it supports the survivors of abuse, neglect and other traumatic events in childhood to recover. Every penny it raises stays in Scotland. Last year it directly supported more than 17,000 children, young people, parents and carers.As we wait for emerging cryptocurrencies such as Darkcoin and the standardisation of Dark Wallet the current task of coin-mixing remains an immediate issue. As it stands Bitcoin Fog remains the gold standard of coin-mixing. However, it is important that people be made away that this is a slow process. Bitcoin Fog insist on six confirmations for deposits and will set a minimum delay of six hours for withdrawals to occur to held randomise/anonymise the process. This is a sound process for those approaching their transactions in a structured and planned manner. It is not ideal for anyone trying to get money quickly from one account to another.
On this basis we can say Bitcoin Fog remains the gold standard in long-term scheduled coin-mixing. Presumably this appeals most to vendors who are washing large amounts of Bitcoins (numbers most of us will likely never see!). It might also appeal to those content to sacrifice speed for privacy as a rule. Fees remain at 1%-3% in random order and this could be a hefty cut the larger the transaction. Nonetheless the service remains broadly unchallenged in terms of obfuscation. Bitcoin Fog is, further, only accessible through Tor though a clearnet gateway is sometimes running (https://gate.bitcoinfog.com/)
The second service to be analysed is the ‘Shared Coin’ feature of Blockchain.info. A descendent of their original ‘Shared Send’ feature (currently discontinued) this method suits those undertaking transactions with an eye toward the medium-term. In the old ‘Send’ service one essentially had a mirror of Bitcoin Fog’s process of absolute disconnection between transactions. Coins sent from one wallet to another had no connection except perhaps to the most determined of analyst.
However, these days the only option available is ‘Shared’ coin where one mixes in their transaction with a number of others thus muddling precisely who has sent coins to who.This is not fool-proof as a method since a certain degree of ‘taint,’ which can be more easily analysed, remains and thus we might say that this method introduces a degree of plausible deniability. The process is also relatively slow since one’s transaction is occurring within a much larger pool than normal and thus confirmations can take a little while to process.
In this sense we can safely call ‘Shared Coin’ a medium-term solution for those who simply wish not to have openly transparent transactions, but who are not absolutely attempting to disguise their wallet interactions. This service is likely to suit most casual Bitcoin users and darknet market customers will surely find it appealing in their efforts to at least provide some basic cover for their interactions with the various marketplaces. Darkcoin’s Darksend may make this requirement obsolete as a general wallet feature, but for now thisis the best option for most users. There is no extra cost to Sahred Coin beyond standard transactions fees (and if one chooses to increase repetitions a donation of 0.5% is asked for, but not required).
A more recent mixing service is Bitmixer (https://bitmixer.io/) whose entry to the market is relatively new. In such cases a certain degree of caution should always be carried by anyone employing it. Bitmixer draws upon its own pool of Bitcoin reserves and each deposit arrives at the end of the chain. The top end of the chain is used to further one’s deposit amount to a forwarding address thus breaking the link between wallets as one desires. It is an interesting service although it is not the easiest to use. The site design remains a little confusing and it is the opinion of this writer that a more direct input/output field should be implemented by the service. This is to avoid problems from users depositing funds, not waiting long enough for the deposit, and then trying to forward too early.
When this occurs one is provided with a new address with no real sense of whether this process has worked until the coins arrived at the desired destination. This is not a major flaw, but simply one that can be surely seen as a possible bug to be ironed out. That being said in terms of speed bitmixer.io offers the best short-term solution to disconnecting wallets albeit by placing their trust in a centralised system built on a reserve of coins. Neatly a letter of Letter of Guarantee is provided for those wishing to contact support and
a brief generic test revealed support to be prompt in responding to inquiries. Their reserve wallet currently holds 1632.32 BTC which should keep them in shape for a while to come.
It is important to keep in mind that anonymity in using any such service depends on constant self-vigilance. Accessing the latter two should be, at a minimum, through a VPN and make sure to cycle your IP address as much as possible. Furthermore, it is wise to sign up with a throw away address and for Shared Coin and undertaking each process with a new wallet. Any contact with a centralised service, such as Bitmixer, should be taken from a dummy account too. This is best for both parties though the simple act of the deposit ties you to at least one particular action. It is our opinion that the sensible user of any dark net marketplace ought to plan their transactions in advance by mixing their coins through Bitcoin Fog over Tor after deciding on their purchase. Once this process has occurred they will be operating at, at least, a decent level of privacy. Coupled with astute use of PGP encryption oneis, then, only left at the mercy of customs.YouTube streams video and audio separately and the web player/app combines them on the fly. Due to this, the audio bitrate is not directly affected by video quality like in the past. Rather, YouTube can stream the video and audio it deems appropriate for a given device and connection. It can also adjust one during playback without affecting the other.The audio you hear during a YouTube video will usually be 126 kbps AAC in an MP4 container or anywhere from 50-165 kbps Opus in a WebM container. Changing video resolution (360p, 720p, etc) in the video settings will probably not impact the audio stream, but it is likely that your connection performance will. YouTube recommends that uploads be in the MP4 video format with AAC audio. So where does WebM and Opus come from? YouTube will automatically encode a WebM/Opus version of a video once it becomes popular, and stream that format during playback whenever a person's browser supports it. How popular a video needs to be before it gets a WebM version is difficult to say. I have some 900-view videos that have WebM versions but other 1000-view ones that don't yet.Learn more about WebM and Opus audio here I created a YouTube video info tool that gives readable details on the streams YouTube has available for a given video, and allows you to download the individual audio streams for analysis.This tool works for most videos, but not VEVO or other copy-protected videos (if you get a blank screen or empty download that is probably why).The info that the tool provides comes directly from Google Video. Enter a YouTube video URL and hit enter. Thesection contains the individual video and audio streams YouTube picks from during playback. Thesection contains complete video files with audio that can be downloaded directly from YouTube. These Stream Maps are usually what YouTube Downloaders access when you want to download a YouTube video, but are not used by the YouTube player.Once a video or audio stream is downloaded from the Adaptive Formats section, you can use ffprobe (part of ffmpeg ) to analyse the file and obtain the real bitrate, which may differ a little from what is listed in the bitrate section on the tool.To make sure YouTube isn't streaming some other file than what is shown above, I analyzed network traffic to see just how many bits are really being transferred. I did this for both MP4 and WebM videos separately using Chrome and Firefox's Developer Tools. For more details on the http requests involved in a YouTube stream, please see this technical post I created a 2160p test video with 320 kbps AAC music. Since it is new it doesn't have a WebM version yet. After uploading to YouTube and allowing it time to process, I analyzed the network traffic during playback and found that it was 126.886 kbps audio/mp4, which matches up very closely with what is reported by ffprobe on the downloaded file from Adaptive Formats in the info tool.I analyzed a music video that had enough views to have a WebM version. I found that is was playing 156.188 kbps audio/webm, which also matches up very closely to what ffprobe reports.YouTube didn't always have separate audio streams. In 2013 and earlier, YouTube would play a specific audio bitrate depending on the video resolution selected. For example: 240p would get 64 kbps MP3, 360p would get 128 kbps AAC, and 720p would get 192 kbps AAC. For a full list of the legacy bitrates that YouTube used, see these tables:From July 2012 to some time in 2013, YouTube used these bitrates, as long as the originally-uploaded video had a high-enough bitrate or was lossless.Prior to July 2012, YouTube used these audio qualities:Prior to May 2011, YouTube used these audio qualities:Prior to March 2011, YouTube used these audio qualities for several years:
Please note that this post is over a year old and may contain outdated information.
Comments (115)
Clothem Jan 23, 2019
I recommend upload a Uncompressed AVI to get the best audio quality. I use Adobe Premiere Pro for this, Here is my settings 1080p, 1fps, Uncompressed AVI (v210), Audio 16-bit / 44100 You will get a huge file size, you need fiber optic like me for upload that faster
Tarno Dec 13, 2018
What do those clen, init, index, itag mean? (the value) Specially the index. Mostly it shows 266-1 or 266-2
Jackson Dec 06, 2018
I am using wonderfox free hd video converter factory to download youtube videos, besides, it can choose video formats and video quality, resolution and more. Just have a try.
Burt Dec 04, 2018
Thanks, man! Highly informative and interesting to read. YouTube just changed all of a sudden the quality of my uploaded music videos from 1080p to 144p since somewhere from the middle of August 2018. Couldn't find anything from the Google help forum — as usual. But, again: many thanks to you, sir!
test Sep 07, 2018
well, i respect that you approved my previous comment despite it making you look bad. that at least gives me more faith. still would like to see the backend, after researching, im assuming its just youtube-dl you're feeding the php with.
test Sep 07, 2018
any chance we can get a peak of that backend on the.php page? or are you just datamining everyone?
Nasko Aug 07, 2018
Florian Chevallot, thank you so much! I downloaded Videopad and started creating files exactly how you suggested. This is what I have been looking for. I was struggling to find the best way to upload Flac to Youtube with minimum compression. Your post was a blessing!
James Mar 17, 2018
My phone camera works fine
sandy price Mar 08, 2018
I am using bandicam. i just downloaded the newest version, and although my videos come out fine, once uploaded to youtube, the audio doesn't play. the bandicam people said to use one of the YouTube presets, but i see that the video stream upload is 360p, which is also one of the youtube presets. And it sounds like, from what you said above, that the video stream isn't going to have anything to do with the audio. Can you venture a guess as to what audio setting I need to adjust so the visual and audio will both play? Thanks! Here's a link to the video. https://youtu.be/-nYUQWnWaS0
Margus Meigo Waffa Jan 12, 2018
Really well put information, So according to here: https://yd.3dyd.com/help/youtube_formats/ the 144p when downloaded 3gp is 24 Bitrate, kbps. Keep this table updated, on same URL, looks good and neat info! Comes up in search at first on top related to Youtube audio quality search
Susie Ferrari Dec 12, 2017
How can I get this app
Nobir Hossain Jul 14, 2017
Can you give me your php file?? please reply
Clayton Macleod Apr 19, 2017
Is this broken? https://www.h3xed.com/blogmedia/youtube-info.php
Mauricio Guevara Apr 13, 2017
I have a question, let's say I want yo download audio from a YouTube vdeo in the best posible quality, Audio only streams is a 63 kbps AAC file, while the one contained in the mp4 file is 125kbps AAC. Since this post says that YouTube streams audio and vdeo separately and combines them informacin the fly, does that mean the 64 kbps AAC file is reencoded to 125 kbps?. There is Also the option of 128kbps OGG Vorbis.
riks Razguajevs Nov 24, 2016
Around march 30th 2016 (if I remember the month correctly) Youtube stopped using 192AAC in HD videos? so now opus became the best quality
David Carlstrom Oct 05, 2016
The YouTube Video Info tool is superb, but it gives a error, "An unknown error occurred. Please try again in a few seconds." on some YouTube URLs while it works fine on others. For the ones that fail the error repeats.
Florian Chevallot Sep 23, 2016
For the best audio quality, from a lossless audio file you encode an AVI file set to PCM uncompressed sound, you also set the frame rate at 1/sec (for the sole purpose of audio listening, your video is a still image!) otherwise your file will be huge and very long to process. I use Videopad to do this. Hope this can help...
Fahad Fadhi Aug 23, 2016
Thanks for sharing here is free youtube to mp3 converter you can use this site for youtube video converter with high speed downloading and fast server https://ytformp3.com/
Alexander Ge Aug 12, 2016
Hey, coud you get your video info tool working for livestreams? Would be very nice.
Luke Usherwood Aug 11, 2016
Cool tool! I found some WebM / VP9 videos that come with 4 "audio/webm" streams, which seems to suggest "audio bitrate is not affected by video quality" may not always be true (anymore)? There seem to be 2 audio streams at a similar bitrate (Different codecs? The tool doesn't seem to list them) and then 2 at lower bitrates. I would be interested in how those lower bitrates match up with the video bitrates. Also nice to see Opus in mainstream use. An awesome good-for-everything codec! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5uQMwRMHcs&index=5&list=PLSbDLF8wQ3oKcstd9ybCSv2lNm_8NTYkI
Kilo Monaghan Jul 30, 2016
You would not want to try to play these YouTube video's over your Hi-Fi sound system because they would sound distorted due to low audio bandwith right? Problem is, due to the Loudness war the audio CD's of these artist sound just as bad as the youtube audio or worst! Would seem to be that CLEAR CD Audio sound is dead. Why pay $29.95 for distorted sound?
Petr evk Apr 17, 2016
Daniel Hill SoundCloud uses 128 kbps mp3 lame 3.99, so I don't get the reason why you prefer it.
Matej Skullsk Apr 02, 2016
So do you wanna say Audio quality in 1080p and 240p is same?
Dennis Laurent Jan 14, 2016
So this means that less popular videos, where video and audio are not separated, might have a higher audio bitrate at 192kbps, while more popular videos only have a maximum audio bitrate of 170kbps? This is at least what I found. Weird youtube policy...
Craig N Carla Fletcher Jan 03, 2016
I'm not exceptionally tech savvy, I made a basic video in Windows Movie Maker MSWMM (still pic, with lyrics superimposed on it) and audio made up of music and vocal imported as a wav file from Cakewalk Home Studio (think Sonar). I converted this to mp4 using Any Video Converter AVC and uploaded this to Youtube YT. Playback from YT loses the vocal component of the audio but not the music on mobile devices iPhone and Android, but plays it on desktops and TV. Where did my vocal go?
Willson Law Dec 13, 2015
IF YOUTUBE UPGRADED THE QUALITY... HOW CAN MUSIC STORES SELL THEIR HIFI SOUNDTRACKS :/
Christian Buntrock Nov 23, 2015
Nick Vogt So by upscaling you just mean "writing wrong bitrate info into file metadata"? Because it doesn't seem to do a transcoding/conversion (at least it looks like to me). => Link gives error :( Thanks!
Nick Vogt Nov 23, 2015
The bitrate shown on that tool is directly from YouTube. If a downloader is giving you a 256kbps option, it is probably just upscaling. The information comes specifically from this URL: http://www.youtube.com/get_video_info?video_id=
Christian Buntrock Nov 23, 2015
This is really strange. It always just shows about ~128k as maximum audio bitrate. But I try several tools (e.g. jaksta) and they offer me 256k downloading with conversion?!
Christian Buntrock Nov 23, 2015
Everyone who lands on this page is... ;)
Christian Buntrock Nov 23, 2015
EXACTLY what I searched!!!!!!!! Will you share the source for that checker tool? Thanks!!!!
Mina William Michael Oct 24, 2015
awesome info!!!! Just what I needed to know :D :D Audiophile eh? ;)
Dylan Marriott Oct 15, 2015
Thanks man!
Nick Vogt Sep 28, 2015
Gio Pietra That video shows as 132 kbps for mp4 audio or 121 kbps for Opus/WebM audio (I guess the Opus bitrate can be lower than 155). The audio bitrates are never exactly 126 kbps, but usually range by a little in either direction.
Gio Pietra Sep 28, 2015
Nick Vogt https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FXBBdAL7Kk This video seems to be at 256 kbps using your YouTube video info tool. However videos more popular are still at 128 kbps. I can't understand why...
Nick Vogt Sep 28, 2015
Could you give me an example of some videos with 256 kbps audio? Google encodes videos into the WebM format with Opus audio after a video has gained enough popularity. The Opus audio format can provide very good sounding quality and also doesn't have the downside of being patented. As far as MP4 vs Opus at the same bitrate, I'm not sure which sounds bettet, but Opus probably costs Google less in licensing fees.
Gio Pietra Sep 28, 2015
Hi, I don't understand why some videos (the most) are played with an audio bitrate 128 kbps but others are played at 256 kbps. What makes the difference?
Christian Stoehr Sep 25, 2015
So going the route of the MFiT by using a very high grade Sample Rate Conversion which brings the master down to a standard 44.1kHz sample rate, but outputs it in a 32-bit floating file, and then taking that 32-bit floating file, and encode it into Apple's AAC format without any additional dithering wouldn`t make much sense, since Youtube probably applies its own dithering at all times?
Dennis Ehlers Aug 28, 2015
Nick Vogt ah I see the problem, I accidentaly commented on the wrong article. This was meant to be posted on your youtube-info page._.
Dennis Ehlers Aug 28, 2015
Nick Vogt Thats logical. I meant why the given bitrates at "youtube-info" are different compared to what they actually are. It says 19 mbit for my 1920x120050fps VP9 videos But thats wrong. That video has only ~10 mbit bitrate. Max you would get on that quality level would be 15 mbit, but 19 mbit is completely wrong. Same with the other given bitrates. It says too high bitrates. Maybe youtube-info reads just the peak bitrate and not average?
Nick Vogt Aug 27, 2015
YouTube compresses the bitrate down so they take up less file size than what was originally uploaded. Their compression is good so that not much audio quality is lost but the file size is reduced.
Dennis Ehlers Aug 27, 2015
This reduces your video quality though, because their VP9 encodes look much |
screen if they so choose.
Given the massive size and scope of these tournaments, a channel like ESPN would never dedicate a weekend to airing an entire Dota or LoL tournament, nor five hours a night of coverage to weekly leagues those games have. Then yes, an option is for some media magnate to get the idea to make an eSports dedicated channel, but again, this is looking backward, and solving a problem that doesn't exist. There's a clear and present shift away from traditional TV and to streaming. eSports is actually ahead of the game, by utilizing streaming since birth. eSports was born streaming, TV is just now starting to adopt it.
This idea that eSports needs to migrate en masse to television in order to be "taken seriously" or legitimized is misguided. Streaming is far and away the best way to consume these events, so seeing The International streaming on ESPN3 instead of airing on ESPN itself is actually a good thing. Though depending on how things go, fans may even wish they were watching on Twitch instead.
The question is not whether it would be progress if eSports ever made it to TV, it's whether traditional sports can progress by being widely available on streams without a bulky cable subscription.
Follow me on Twitter, and on Facebook, and pick up a copy of my sci-fi novel, The Last Exodus, and its sequel, The Exiled Earthborn, along with my new Forbes book, Fanboy Wars.
How does Watch Dogs stack up to Grand Theft Auto? Check out my analysis below:Words & Photos by: Bruno Long
While on a ski traverse almost a decade earlier, Greg Hill catches his first glimpse of the “White Whale”, the steep and heavily glaciated NE face of Moby Dick Mountain. Its beautifully ugly visage, with smooth white cheeks surrounded by gaping glacial-blue scars, leaves an impression on Hill that will, like Captain Ahab, follow him for years. Now, with his decade long quest staring him directly in the eyes, he hesitates. We all hesitate. We hesitate out of fear of the unknown hazards that await us. We hesitate with a lack of confidence in our physical bodies, and a mindfulness of families waiting back at home. Yet the hesitation, that moment hovering between turning back or forging ahead, is what we came here for: to test our mettle in the wildest of places, the Battle Range, a remote corner the Selkirk Mountains. As the moment of hesitation passes, we shrug off the cloud of doubt that shrouds us, the first step forward is taken, and the scale tips in favour of forging ahead.
24 hours earlier, we are standing at the top of a beautifully aesthetic line off of WhiteJacket Mountain. Our crew of five friends (all with a fortuitously free schedule) decided to camp at Pequod Pass for three days, in search of some great ski mountaineering objectives. A spring weather-window coupled with a well-timed helicopter drop keeps the adventure short and (hopefully) sweet. As we ready ourselves for what proves to be one of the best ski lines of our lives, there is no doubt that the prospect of skiing the face of Moby Dick weighs heavy at the back of our minds. We descend the amazingly steep, yet stable snow off of WhiteJacket, hooting and hollering all the way into the fan and back to camp, which happens to sit in direct view of the next day’s objective.
A cold, fitful winter sleep has us moving slowly in the morning. As the early morning sun kisses the snowy cliff face above the line, snow sheds onto the face and sends increasingly growing sluff over the 300-foot icefall; this happens to be directly below our approach and descent. We hesitate. The timing is wrong and we quickly decide on another nearby objective: Mount Butters. We ascend in the sun, the spring heat baking and softening the slope. We summit and gain a new perspective of the White Whale from across the valley. It is now entirely in the shade, our earlier concerns slowly melting away, much like our minds in this heat. We return back to camp to gain a closer look at the hazards we may encounter. As we get closer, our fears and concerns begin to slowly dissipate. The jumble of puzzle pieces is finally starting to take shape. And still, we hesitate.
Finally, the first step is taken and the hunt is on. Steep skinning leads to even steeper bootpacking. The exposure grows with every step, while a palpable feeling, tasting of fear and adrenaline, floats all around us. Focused on the moment, we take step after step, plunging our axes deep into the snow, making sure that each foothold is secure before taking the next. We finally top out into sunshine at the ridge top. As we nervously rip skins and ready ourselves for the descent, a different kind of focus takes hold, urging us towards the tipping point, where gravity’s pull is strongest. We gingerly make our way back down the face as a team, finally ripping fast turns as we reach the fan, heading directly back to camp for a few celebratory brews.
Much like the whale it is named after, Moby Dick cannot be defeated, captured, or tamed. Despite our successful mission, we cannot use any of these words to describe what we did. We were simply allowed to be in its presence for a short amount of time, becoming just a miniscule moment in the long life of this mountain. A brief flash between avalanches, crevasses, another ice age or global warming. One moment of hesitation was all we needed.Still trying to tell yourself that we don’t live in a police state?
A 24-year-old former college football player wrecked his car so badly in Charlotte, North Carolina yesterday that he had to climb out a rear window to get out. He took off running for the first house he could find and began banging on the door for help.
The woman inside didn’t recognize the man, Jonathan Ferrell; terrified of the stranger, her immediate reaction was to slam the door in his face, hit her panic alarm and dial 9-1-1.
Ferrell continued to try and get her attention. When the police showed up, he took off running for them. He didn’t make it very far.
One officer reacted by pulling out a stun gun, but it malfunctioned, so another reacted by pulling out his gun. He opened fire.
The officer gunned down the unarmed car wreck survivor in the street, killing him. Ferrell’s totaled car was found nearby after the fact.
All three officers at the scene have been put on paid leave. Officer Randall Kerrick has been charged with voluntary manslaughter, a felony, and is being held on $50,000 bond.
While the woman who was home alone may have been justified to slam the door in the guy’s face and call the cops, the cops reportedly did not even give the guy a chance to get to them before Kerrick fired multiple shots that left Ferrell dead in the street. According to CNN, “Police used both ‘charge’ and ‘run’ in their description of what Ferrell did.” Yeah. Because apparently he had been in a bad car accident and needed help.
The police used to be the people you could run to for help. That no longer seems to be the case in America.
Our post-9/11 nation, complete with the continued militarization of police, breeds a society of fear. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is currently investigating just how far this trend has gone:
American neighborhoods are increasingly being policed by cops armed with the weapons and tactics of war. Federal funding in the billions of dollars has allowed state and local police departments to gain access to weapons and tactics created for overseas combat theaters – and yet very little is known about exactly how many police departments have military weapons and training, how militarized the police have become, and how extensively federal money is incentivizing this trend.
Some examples the ACLU cites include police killing a confused seven-year-old after they threw a blinding, deafening flashbang into his home; an Arizona SWAT team shooting an Iraq war veteran 60 times during a drug raid; a Colorado neighborhood getting shut down for four hours while SWAT teams hunted for a man suspected of shoplifting a bike from Walmart; North Dakota police borrowing a predator drone from the Department of Homeland Security to arrest a family that failed to return six cows that had wandered onto their property; and an Arkansas town announcing plans for SWAT to regularly patrol streets with AR-15 assault rifles…you know…just because.
According to the CATO Institute:
These increasingly frequent raids, 40,000 per year by one estimate, are needlessly subjecting nonviolent drug offenders, bystanders, and wrongly targeted civilians to the terror of having their homes invaded while they’re sleeping, usually by teams of heavily armed paramilitary units dressed not as police officers but as soldiers. These raids bring unnecessary violence and provocation to nonviolent drug offenders, many of whom were guilty of only misdemeanors. The raids terrorize innocents when police mistakenly target the wrong residence. And they have resulted in dozens of needless deaths and injuries, not only of drug offenders, but also of police officers, children, bystanders, and innocent suspects.
Stories like Ferrell’s are becoming so commonplace, it’s ridiculous. Earlier this year, a man with Down’s Syndrome was choked to death by an off-duty officer patrolling a movie theater because he wouldn’t leave after the movie ended. The suspected officer was not charged with any crime. Police in California arrested a man for filming them and then killed his dog. A small organic farm in Texas was hit with a ten-hour-long paramilitary raid last month that appears to have been for nothing more than code enforcement. Alcoholic Beverage Control agents recently swarmed a University of Virginia student in a convenience store parking lot and drew their guns, and one even jumped on the hood of her car all because they thought the sparkling water she bought was beer.
It just gets more and more ridiculous as the examples of police state mania go on and on.
As the ACLU says, “Towns don’t need tanks.”
So many police in this country have apparently lost sight of their basic mission to protect and serve the people. Even though there are still good cops out there, sadly it is getting to the point that when in trouble, a cop is the last person anyone would want to call.
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Melissa Dykes is a writer, researcher, and analyst for The Daily Sheeple and a co-creator of Truthstream Media with Aaron Dykes, a site that offers teleprompter-free, unscripted analysis of The Matrix we find ourselves living in. Melissa and Aaron also recently launched Revolution of the Method and Informed Dissent. Wake the flock up!Dylan Buell/Getty Images
Tight end Martellus Bennett may try to play through a torn rotator cuff after the New England Patriots claimed him off waivers, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
Per Rapoport, the Green Bay Packers waived him due to the torn rotator cuff. If he can't play through it, the Patriots will put him on injured reserve.
Last month, Bennett suggested in an Instagram post that he was planning on retiring after the 2017 season, writing, "After conversations with my family, I'm pretty sure these next eight games will be the conclusion of my NFL career. To everyone who has poured themselves and time into my life and career. These next games are for you. Thank you," per NFL.com's Nick Shook.
The 30-year-old Bennett signed a three-year, $21 million contract with the Packers during the offseason. In seven games this season, he has registered 24 receptions for 233 yards.
He spent the 2016 campaign with the Patriots following a trade from the Chicago Bears, producing 55 receptions for 701 yards and a career-high seven touchdowns.
The 2014 Pro Bowler filled in admirably for an injured Rob Gronkowski, and he has a chance to join forces with Gronk this season if he is able to play through his injury.
New England acquired Dwayne Allen from the Indianapolis Colts during the offseason to serve a the No. 2 tight end, but he has yet to record a catch.
Bennett's first opportunity to begin his second stint with the Pats will come Sunday when 6-2 New England takes on the struggling Denver Broncos.Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption The interim leaders offered a "holiday ceasefire" to cover the Eid festival
Libya's interim leaders have given pro-Gaddafi forces until Saturday to surrender or face military force.
Mustafa Abdul Jalil, who leads the National Transitional Council (NTC), said the ultimatum applied to loyalists of Col Muammar Gaddafi in his hometown of Sirte and in other towns.
The announcement came after Col Gaddafi's wife and three of his adult children fled to neighbouring Algeria.
Algeria has defended the move, which the NTC called an "act of aggression".
The anti-Gaddafi forces are trying to overcome pockets of resistance by loyalists, and preparing to advance on Sirte.
Speaking at a news conference in Benghazi, Mr Jalil said that if there was no "peaceful indication" by Saturday that Gaddafi-loyalists intended to surrender, "we will decide this manner militarily".
Analysis The anti-Gaddafi forces are suggesting they will move in with all the force at their disposal if they don't get what they want by the weekend. If they are thinking about nation building for the future, they might be hoping for some kind of negotiated way out, because a big, bloody battle to end all this is not something they will want. If they want to build a new Libya, then the former pro-Gaddafi and anti-Gaddafi people are going to have to find a way to live together. The infrastructure has not been that badly damaged here in Tripoli. Water is quite a serious problem but they do have electricity and people are getting things back on their feet. But there is an utter vacuum at the top in terms of power. Big decisions have to be taken because it won't be easy reconciling all the forces in the country. Such a political leadership has not yet emerged and that is a major and urgent challenge.
"We do not wish to do so but we cannot wait longer," he said.
The NTC's military chief, Col Ahmed Omar Bani, said: "Zero hour is quickly approaching... So far we have been given no indication of a peaceful surrender."
UK Foreign Secretary William Hague welcomed the deadline, saying: "I think it's the right thing to do, to say to the forces loyal to the remnants of the Gaddafi regime: here is the opportunity to lay down your arms, to consider your situation."
Mr Hague also said the UN Sanctions Committee had agreed to its request to unfreeze 1.86bn ($1.55bn; £950m) in Libyan dinar bank notes held in the UK. He said the money would "help address urgent humanitarian needs".
Mr Jalil said he had spoken to Nato officials and that the NTC had decided no foreign troops were needed in Libya to maintain security.
"We are betting on our youths and we are certain our bet will pay off," he said.
But Mr Jalil warned that Col Gaddafi was "not finished yet".
"The danger that is threatening the revolution and the Libyan people still exists. Gaddafi has support and partisans" inside and outside Libya, he said.
Col Gaddafi's whereabouts remain unknown, with suggestions he may be in Sabha, Sirte or Bani Walid.
Deputy head of the NTC, Ali Tarhouni, said: "Gaddafi is now fleeing - and we have a good idea where he is. We don't have any doubt that we will catch him."
Another military commander on the NTC, Col Hisham Buhagiar, told Reuters news agency that 50,000 people were now thought to have been killed since the start of the uprising six months ago.
Nato 'committed'
The anti-Gaddafi forces made an attempt to reach Sirte last week but were fought back by loyalist troops. On Monday, fighters coming from Benghazi in the east captured the small town of Nofilia, on the road to Sirte.
The BBC's Jon Leyne in Benghazi says the anti-Gaddafi forces have mainly been negotiating with tribal leaders both in Sirte and the other two main remaining Gaddafi strongholds of Bani Walid and Sabha, deep in the Sahara desert region.
While they have had some success with the tribal leaders there has been little response from regime loyalists, says our correspondent, and there are fears that a military assault on Sirte could be a lengthy and bloody battle.
In a news briefing on Tuesday, Nato spokesman Col Roland Lavoie said there had been "dialogues in several villages" that had been freed with "minimal hostilities" and he hoped the same might apply to Sirte.
Col Lavoie said Col Gaddafi's regime was "rapidly losing control on multiple fronts" and that the Tripoli region was "essentially freed".
However, he said Col Gaddafi was "displaying a capability to exercise some level of command and control" and that Nato was still "very much involved" in military action.
"We remain fully committed to our mission and to keeping the pressure on the remnants of the Gaddafi regime until we can confidently say that the civilian population of Libya is no longer threatened," he said.
'Hospitality'
Algeria said Col Gaddafi's wife Safia, daughter Aisha and sons Muhammad and Hannibal crossed the border between Libya and Algeria at 0845 local time (0745 GMT) on Monday.
Image caption (L-R) Hannibal, Muhammad and Aisha Gaddafi have crossed into Algeria
The Algerian government later said Aisha Gaddafi had given birth to a daughter shortly after arriving in the country.
The NTC has condemned Algeria, which has not yet officially recognised the council, for offering shelter to the family, calling it "an act of aggression".
Our correspondent says Mr Jalil softened the tone on Tuesday, saying he believed Algeria would not host the family for long before they left for a third country.
Algeria's ambassador to the UN, Mourad Benmehidi, told the BBC earlier that in the desert regions there was a "holy rule of hospitality" and his country had accepted the family on humanitarian grounds.
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Spokesperson Oana Lungescu: "Nato still has a job to do in Libya"
Meanwhile, more details have emerged about recent mass killings in Libya.
According to the NTC's Justice Minister Mohammed al-Alagi, four mass graves have been discovered across the country - including one at Ain Zara in south-east Tripoli, behind the barracks of the so-called Khamis Brigade, whose commander was Col Gaddafi's son, Khamis.
Some rebel sources have said Khamis was killed on Saturday. However, the anti-Gaddafi forces have claimed his death before and on Tuesday, Col Lavoie said Nato had no word of Khamis's fate.
Meanwhile Zimbabwe, whose President Robert Mugabe is a strong ally of Col Gaddafi, expelled the Libyan ambassador and his staff on Tuesday after they recognised the interim National Transitional Council.According to guidelines funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, you should not smoke weed every day, but according to Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre, you most definitely should.
The recommendations also say that you should limit marijuana intake to once a week, abstain from use among special-risk populations, such as pregnant women, and avoid driving while under the influence which is, and will continue to be illegal. It also recommends consuming weed through methods other than smoking, such as through vaporizers or edibles.
Federal health minister Jane Philpott is supporting the “Lower-Risk Cannabis Use Guidelines” (LRCUG). By endorsing usage guidelines ahead of legalization, Philpott hopes to counter the potential health risks of increased public access to cannabis.
“From a scientific perspective, Health Canada considers the guidelines to be important, evidence-based information to help cannabis users reduce the health and safety risks associated with cannabis use,” says in Philpott’s statement.
“Our Government introduced legislation to legalize, strictly regulate and restrict access to cannabis. We are proposing a public health approach to minimize the harms associated with cannabis use. The proposed Cannabis Act focuses on protecting the health of Canadians, particularly youth.”
“I would put these guidelines in the same category as public health messaging that has been around for decades around drinking and the consumption of alcohol,” Fiona Clement said, a researcher at the University of Calgary’s Institute of Public Health.
The LRCUG notes that cannabis use is “common, especially among adolescents and young adults” and that there are “well-documented risks from cannabis use to both immediate and long-term health.”
“As with many substances, the younger you start, the earlier the risk of individualized damage to yourself,” Clement said. “Cannabis can have an impact on your brain as well as things like educational attainment, and the more you use, the higher your risks of exposure are.”
The federal government is zeroing in on legalizing recreational marijuana use by July 1, 2018.
Source: The GauntletBreaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings.
July 12, 2015, 9:01 AM GMT / Updated July 12, 2015, 9:03 AM GMT By Alexander Smith
Iraqi Christians driven from their homes by ISIS have formed their own militia and are fighting alongside their "Muslim brothers" to retake their homeland from the extremists.
The 1,000-strong Babylonian Brigades is the only Christian militia under the Shiite-dominated umbrella group of volunteer fighters known as the Popular Mobilization Forces — and they're out for revenge.
ISIS "displaced us from our houses, they took our money, killed our young men and women and they took our properties," the group's commander, Rayan Al-Kildani, told NBC News. "Therefore, Christians decided to fight the terrorists of ISIS."
"In battlefield you forget who you are, to which religion you belong...The only thing that you think of is how to defeat your enemy."
"By the will of God we will avenge what happened to our community," he added.
Al-Kildani said there was no room for religious differences on the battlefield.
"ISIS terrorists do not differentiate among Christians, Muslims, Sunnis and Shiites — they kill everyone," he said. "We have to help our Muslim brothers liberate Iraq."
Abu Yasser, a 53-year-old former Iraqi Army officer now fighting in the brigades, explained that the battlefield unity was just the latest chapter in a historically harmonious relationship. Christians served alongside Muslims — both Sunni and Shiite — in the country's army under former leader Saddam Hussein.Muna Madan
by Laxmi Prasad Devkota
adaptation by Pallav Ranjan
copyright of this English version held by Pallav Ranjan
All rights reserved [Muna]
Fire,
a fire burns in my mind.
Don't leave, my life,
don't leave.
Brightness of eyes,
my star of night,
don't take your light.
Tear open this chest of mine
perhaps the pictures
in my heart,
when you see them,
will change your mind.
Give me poison
to drink instead.
See? My pain
falls with my tears,
but tears do not speak,
thoughts stay within the mind.
Love, even my tears
fail to speak. [Madan]
Darling Muna,
don't speak like this,
I will be returning.
For twenty days
I will stay in Lhasa,
I will travel twenty days
on the road.
Smile at me,
for if you would smile
I could raise myself
to Lord Indra's Heaven.
My intentions
are to achieve or to die,
do not put a barrier of tears
upon my roads.
The cranes return
with the sun.
It will be a great day,
the day of our meeting. [Muna]
My Rama, my Krishna:
the sun at night,
smiles as you prepare your flight,
how shall I combine these?
Don't leave me here.
I sparkle beside you,
without you I am stone.
Take me with you,
hold my hands,
we will face jungles,
mountains, cliffs,
and murderers. [Madan]
Muna, my Muna,
look at mother, look at her,
the oil that feeds that lamp
is about to dry.
Both of us can't leave her,
stay, care for her.
Her eyes that have seen
three twenty winters
shine as she looks
upon your face. [Muna]
Pale hair, brittle body,
a mother's love
could not tie your feet.
Shadows of her affection call
but cannot hold you back.
What will you gain
in that land
as precious as her love?
Bags of gold,
they are the dirt of hands,
the soup of nettles,
our vegetables,
a peace in mind
are better. Stay,
satisfy your thoughts. [Madan]
But what do I do?
- a gulp of milk
for my mother's throat,
- her dreams to build a resthouse
and taps for her people,
- on your delicate hands
pretty bangles,
- a strong foundation for a home
made insecure by loans
these wishes sing in my mind,
their voices are in my mind.
The music moves my feet Muna.
There is God above
and I have a heart.
I will cross those angry floods.
I mean well, but if things go wrong,
at least I will have died
with a song. [Muna]
You tighten the knot
inside my heart.
Do not return then,
I will draw an unforgettable
picture of your face
for remembrance.
The maidens of Lhasa dance,
they seem as if they are carved of gold,
their voices laugh like the streams
as they play on barren hills and fields.
Leave, my love,
darkening the home and the city,
even tears do not have strength.
Maybe in darkness,
memories will gleam
or flash like lightning.
And sorrow shower
upon my clothes. [Narrator, describing Madan's journey]
Naked earth, cloud mists,
climbs are hot, flowers poison,
poles with flags are death.
There, see monasteries
and Lamas with shaven heads.
One day the roof of gold
against the skies
beneath the Potala Palace,
Lhasa smiled.
Yak skin walls,
angels on cloth.
Young Bhotenis white as bones,
passers by bowing
before gurus with sunken eyes. [Narrator, describing Muna at home]
Pearls fell. Pearls fell
when Muna smiled.
But now she wilts.
In sleep, tears wet her face,
her days are long,
her nights are long,
her time is sad.
In her voice, hear,
there is a soft tearful drizzle.
After the end of light,
even a flickering lamp is bright.
Women came with stories,
men showed they cared,
When you see a rose, brother,
do not touch it.
Do not with lust, spoil it.
A wondrous being
is a jewel of God
do not try and corrupt it. [Muna]
Go to the worms of the city
and tell them your words.
Make the moon fall,
make mountains rise,
I will wait for his feet
and my Heaven,
God has created
four beautiful days,
that is life,
don't throw mud
to spoil them. [Narrator, describing Madan's journey]
Smooth pebble gold,
new country, fresh light,
the smell of musk.
Madan stayed, six months passed
before memories came like water:
ill mother, Muna's eyes large with weeping.
At night he was unable to sleep.
Hiding a heavy bag of gold in clothes,
gathering the musk,
he met up with a few friends
and left for home. [Muna]
What a nightmare!
A buffalo dragged me down!
I fell in mud, mother,
the darkest buffalo dragged me down. [Madan's mother]
Come, darling,
don't shiver with fear,
I will take all the ill
that comes to you
upon my head,
don't shake. [Muna]
My eyelids quiver,
my heart is pain,
a shadow of evil
has come into our home.
Perhaps he has no time,
perhaps he hopes to come soon,
paths lead through high mountains
maybe this is why he has not come. [Narrator]
Madan falls ill with cholera on the road home. [Madan]
Don't leave! Don't leave me
to the crows and vultures!
My friends, I will not die yet.
I will stand,
my throat is dry,
my chest is burning,
wipe these tears from my eyes,
I still have breath. [Madan's companions]
We have no medication
and no one's here.
Stay! Each of us
has to leave someday,
God will give you salvation. [Narrator]
Madan wakes and leans on his elbows,
his friends have left, the day drowns in red,
wind sleeps, birds are quiet, it is cold, he falls. [Madan]
What is this fire?
Does the forest burn?
Is this fire going to kill the dead?
Is it a robber or a thief?
Is it a demon? Madan decides to call for help. [Tibetan]
Who cries?
Your friends are bad.
My house is some miles away,
you will not die. I will carry you there,
you'll be all right. [Madan]
Tibetan brother, you are a god,
your words are wonderful.
I have been told,
I am a man of lineage
and noble caste.
I hold your feet with respect, brother,
I am holding your feet.
A man's greatness
is determined by his heart
not by the caste
and the lineage he brings. [Narrator]
The Tibetan carries him to his house, rests him on wool, gives him water and kindness, searches for herbs, crushes them, and makes him drink. He gives Madan yak milk and makes him strong. At Madan's home tangerines are in flower, thoughts are soft and sad. [Muna]
You have forgotten me.
Tell me, how could you forget?
Which hateful god took you?
I cannot see, hills are covered by curtains.
The image I see of you is empty.
Your voice is tells me stories of happiness
in my sleep. I have no wings to fly with.
I cannot search for my love.
Why have you left our wealth
and stayed in that city.
Are you ill? Do your eyes fill up with tears
when you think of me?
Dust don't touch, thorn don't hurt. [Narrator]
Madan wants to thank the Tibetan by giving him some of his gold, but the Tibetan refuses material rewards. [Tibetan]
What will I do with yellow gold?
My children can neither eat this gold
nor will it give them warmth.
My wife is dead, she is in Heaven,
the clouds are her decoration,
her jewels and gold. Madan weeps. [Tibetan]
Chance blessed and I have helped.
I will not barter goodness for wealth.
Ask you mother, if you will,
to pray for my children. [Narrator]
Madan's mother sees a clear face
and calls, the air responds,
the breeze touches her.
No tears in eyes, only a peace
a softness of the evening
reflected on that pond.
She reaches out to Muna. [Madan's mother]
My darling, it is time to leave,
to cross the river, don't weep.
Everyone walks this way,
the rich and those who suffer poverty.
Earth has to meet the earth.
This flood of unhappiness,
stand against it, do not fall.
I saw the world flower,
I saw it wilt,
and I have known God.
The seeds we plant here
will grow in Heaven.
What you have given, love,
you will get back
when you leave this place.
Look at me, I take all
I have done with me.
The gold that you found in sleep,
I will take with me.
I want to leave now,
but is Madan not coming?
I want to see him before
shutting my eyes to this world
in case I die before I see him, tell him,
the old woman asked him not to weep. [Muna]
I will clean and shine
the memories of you with tears,
mother, don't worry,
nothing has happened yet. [Narrator]
Madan's mother begins to shake,
her voice fades,
she feels for Muna's hands at times
and when she holds them,
she asks in a faraway voice,
"Where is my son?"
A great wind shakes the branches,
a crow screams, travelers stare at the peaks. Madan's head is on his palms,
his arms rest upon his knees,
the crow screams.
Madan looks at the crow. [Madan]
Did you see my city?
My house is clean in that valley.
Go to my mother, she has white hair,
go to Muna, she is bright.
Tell them that I am well,
tell them not to worry about me,
trees on the lawn must be ripe with fruit,
go, eat, and tell them my story. [Narrator]
There is strange screaming in the city tonight.
wet eyes, dimmed lamps, strong winds,
dogs cry, no moon.
Rumor of Madan's death
has reached home.
See tears drip from leaves
and a young broken tree.
The old woman's breath struggles.
Muna has fallen. [Madan]
Why did I come, mother?
What did I come to see?
My mother, you have torn my chest.
Look at my face, mother, look at me.
I have come. I have sinned. Look at me.
Why do you look afar when I am close,
look at me. See me cry. Comfort me.
Don't leave, come back,
don't you recognize me?
I could not even
take care of you mother.
What is this peace
that has spread across your face,
speak to me. How could I hurt
that gentle heart of yours
I have brought bags of gold, mother,
I put them at your feet,
we will make the resthouse
and the taps, mother,
where you point.
Come back, don't look there,
don't point towards the skies. [Narrator]
Madan goes to his sister when he cannot find Muna. [Madan]
Tell me, sister, tell me, where is my Muna?
My mother is dying, but I do not see her. [Madan's sister]
Your Muna went to her parents in sorrow,
when you left and did not come back. [Madan]
She left my mother alone?
How could she leave her alone when I was gone? [Madan's sister]
Muna went away from us
when she was ill herself.
She shone like a diamond
among the daughters,
she left because she was unwell. [Madan]
How is Muna, who has been to see her?
She must ask for water,
who has given my Muna water to drink? [Madan's sister]
She does not need water, she is cured and healed,
she does not need your herbs.
And my love, I would have met her
but I could not find a road to take me
to her parents' home. [Madan]
If she is healed why hasn't she returned,
why hasn't she come back? [Madan's sister]
She searches for roads but there are no roads
to lead her back from her parents' home. [Madan]
This is strange, what do you mean? [Madan's sister]
She is over the clouds,
in that city heavy with light. [Madan]
My sister, tell me Muna is here.
Tell me she is upon this earth.
Tell me when she will be back. [Madan's sister]
She lives across the river.
On the other side.
But she laughs with the flowers,
dances with water,
blinks with the stars,
speaks with the blackbird,
and her eyes, they shine.
She weeps with the dew
and when she is sad,
you will see the mist sinking.
My brother, Muna is not dead,
the birds have made songs of her,
hear them sing. [Madan]
Muna isn't dead, tell me she lives.
Tell me she is at her parents' home.
The roots of my hopes,
the wings of my mind,
tell me Muna is here.
Tell me when she will be back! [Madan's sister]
She is not here, on this side of earth.
She lives where sorrow does not stain.
Across imagination
she picks flowers of happiness
in the gardens of Heavens. [Madan]
Cruel sister. Your words are death.
Letting the buds of hope open, bloom
and sway before my eyes. Making ears
swallow gulps of poison.
Muna, O Muna, you were the temple of worship
and the chains of life.
Life, why did you leave? My sister, let me look upon my Muna
call her, sister, let me see her for a little while.
O Muna, my Muna, come down to me,
my queen, let me gaze upon you for a little time. [Madan's sister]
My brother, my dear brother, take heart,
this dirty life has to leave.
In the end, the wind will take the fistful of ashes,
this blossom of meat has to fall and wilt. [Madan]
My sister, remember, "My chest wants to explode,"
she said. "What will we do with gold?"
"It is better to eat nettles and satisfy our souls," she said.
God, how could you create her
and then ruin what you have made.
How could you make this flower
and then drag her down like this?
You gave me this flower,
how could you destroy her like this?
My sister, when I first saw her,
when I first saw Muna's face
I never thought that Muna could die,
sister, I thought she would never die.
How could the fire take her?
Where can I find her,
hold her to my chest?
Give me her ashes, sister,
I want to rub her ashes on my chest.
Mother, Muna, I will not stay here.
I will not stay here sister,
I will not stay. Do not look upon this earth Muna
I am also coming.
With tokens of tears,
with the jewels of love
that you left behind.
[ Back to poem index ]Plus Violet talks coming to London for the Werq The World tour
On Sunday 30th May, the East London district of Limehouse will be showered in a glissade of glitter and a ululation of YAS’s, |
What songs could they pick? There’s so many but here is the likely culprits.
Or perhaps Stranglehold?
Or Tuesday’s Gone, or Gimme Three Steps, or I Know A Little or- well, you get the idea..
Or Burn?
Are you excited for a trip back to the 1970s? Are you uncomfortable with giving Ted Nugent money? Let us know!Serhii Plokhy is the Mykhailo S. Hrushevs'kyi Professor of Ukrainian History at Harvard University. He is the author of several books, including, recently, The Gates of Europe: A History of Ukraine and The Last Empire: The Final Days of the Soviet Union. The above story is an excerpt from his most recent book, The Man With the Poison Gun.
Shortly before 5 a.m. on August 10, 1961, Bogdan Stashinsky was waiting near his apartment building in Moscow to be picked up by his case officer, Yurii Aleksandrov. Before leaving, he put his household effects in order and destroyed the list of code phrases that he and his wife, Inge, had used in their correspondence over the past six months, he in Moscow, where the KGB kept an eye on him, and she in East Berlin, where she had gone to have their newborn son. The only incriminating evidence remaining was what he carried on him—identification papers and documents, issued in the names of his numerous aliases, that he was taking to Berlin against the orders of his case officer. If they were discovered, the KGB would have no doubt about his real intentions.
He was risking his life to escape the suffocating embrace of the KGB, the ultra-secretive Soviet spy agency that had ensnared him when he was 19 years old and made him one of the highest-profile assassins in the world.
Story Continued Below
The story of Stashinsky’s defection from the KGB—which has never before been told in such detail—started when he fell in love with Inge Pohl, an East German woman, in the spring of 1957. A son of Ukrainian patriots, he had been forced to spy on the anti-Soviet underground under the threat that his entire family would be arrested for helping the nationalist underground, and he was now in his seventh year of working for the Russian security agency. In the fall of 1957, he had ambushed the editor of a Ukrainian émigré newspaper on the stairs of a Munich office building and killed him with a top-secret spray gun that fired cyanide. Two years later, in October 1959, he scored an even bigger success, assassinating the top leader of the Ukrainian resistance hiding in Munich, Stepan Bandera, in the same way. He had told Inge nothing about his work for the KGB.
Stashinsky probably knew that his work for the KGB would make his marriage to Inge difficult. He argued with his bosses over his desire to propose to a non-KGB-employed, non-Soviet woman. They tried to dissuade him, citing her lower social status and her German nationality; they gave him a new assignment in Moscow, offered to pay Inge a cash settlement—but Stashinsky was still not dissuaded.
Eventually, Stashinsky settled on an agreement with his KGB superiors: He could marry Inge, but she would have to acquire Soviet citizenship. She would also have to agree to help him in his KGB work. The KGB’s logic was simple. If Stashinsky would not marry a Soviet woman in service to the KGB, then his German wife would have to become a Soviet citizen and join the KGB.
Stashinsky was taken aback by the proposal—these conditions would make the marriage a trap for him and his fiancée, not a psychological escape from the embrace of the KGB. Nevertheless, it was the best he could get under the circumstances, and he was not going to let it slip through his fingers. But the KGB grew ever more suspicious as it eavesdropped on the newly married couple and heard them expressing criticism of the Soviet system. The KGB would not allow them to travel abroad together, and it prohibited Stashinsky from visiting Inge in East Berlin, where she had traveled to give birth to their son. But suddenly things changed. A family tragedy was about to crush the young couple, while presenting them with the opportunity they long dreamed about—to escape the embrace of the KGB and start a new life for themselves in the West.
***
On the evening of Tuesday, August 8, 1961, Stashinsky took a call from Inge and learned that their son, Peter—the healthy boy born four months earlier—was dead. He had fallen ill, developed a high fever and died suddenly. Inge was disconsolate and wanted Stashinsky to come to Berlin. All Stashinsky could tell her was that he would talk to his bosses. He couldn’t contact his case officer, Lieutenant Colonel Yurii Aleksandrov, until the next morning.
During the sleepless night following Inge’s call, Stashinsky had devised a strategy that might bring him to Berlin, capitalizing on Inge’s precarious condition after the loss of her child. The couple had agreed some months earlier that defection from the KGB and life in the West was their only chance at a normal life. Now, under the most tragic of circumstances, their plan had finally become possible. In the morning, he told Aleksandrov that “in her present state of mind she might do something in despair that would be harmful to the KGB,” such as turning to the German authorities and demanding his arrival in Berlin. That could blow his cover.
A few hours later, the case officer had good news for him—his request for travel to Berlin had finally been granted. Stashinsky could not wait to pass on the good news to Inge, whom he spoke to by phone later that day. They would see each other either tomorrow or the day after, he told his anxious wife.
That evening, Aleksandrov told Stashinsky that everything was ready for his departure. He would go to Germany on a military plane the next morning and would need to be ready by 5 a.m. Aleksandrov would collect him near his apartment building. He asked Stashinsky to turn in all his KGB-issued documents and passes before leaving for Germany, keeping his travel document only. It was issued, as always, in the name of Aleksandr Krylov.
But in direct violation of Aleksandrov’s instructions, Stashinsky took the Joseph Lehmann identity card—his original identity—with him, which was good until April 1970, and a driver’s license in the same name. He also pocketed his Soviet passport and a Foreign Languages Institute student identity card, both issued in his real name. To these, he added the letter of reference that the KGB had provided for his enrollment at the institute. The letter mentioned the Order of the Red Banner—proof of the importance of the tasks he had carried out for the KGB. Stashinsky was ready not just to go to the West and request asylum, but to turn himself in and disclose the work he had done for the KGB.
On August 10, before dawn, Alexandrov picked up Stashinsky, armed with the documents and identification papers that would surely give him away and get him killed if he were discovered. When Stashinsky learned that Aleksandrov would accompany him on the trip to Berlin, his heart sank. He turned over to Aleksandrov the envelope with his identification papers and passes. Aleksandrov did not ask about the missing Lehmann and Stashinsky documents.
They drove to the military airport on the outskirts of Moscow and spent a few hours waiting for their flight. “He told me,” recalled Stashinsky later, “that … it was necessary that I be protected at all times, and that he had ordered a car with KGB personnel for that purpose.” Either scenario conveniently gave the KGB sufficient excuse to keep Stashinsky under constant watch during his stay in Berlin. His chances of escape were diminishing by the hour.
***
Once in Berlin, Stashinsky convinced Inge to attempt escape to the West before their son’s funeral, as the KGB would make it all but impossible afterward. Inge reluctantly agreed. They would try to make their way to West Berlin from Inge’s parents’ home in Berlin’s suburb of Dallgow, part of East Germany. Before Inge and Stashinsky, along with Inge's brother Fritz, embarked on their journey, Stashinsky changed his shirt and packed his raincoat. Inge changed her dress. Stashinsky later remembered: “We could not take much, as we had to be inconspicuous and allow for being challenged in the course of our flight.” But when Inge asked whether she could take the quilt she had used to swaddle Peter, Stashinsky agreed. They left the house from a side entrance. “Our flight to West Berlin really was a flight,” recalled Inge later. “There was no other way out for us, though with all the strain and stress and emotional burden of the last few days we were not really fully aware of the consequences of our step.”
On a map of Berlin and its environs, the trip from Dallgow to the western part of the city seems easy. Dallgow, located west of Berlin, bordered a section of the city that had been occupied by the Western Allies since 1945. The easiest way to get from Dallgow to West Berlin was to take a train heading east. In two stops, they would reach the relative safety of the western sector. But they did not dare show up at Dallgow railway station, where the KGB would certainly have agents posted. Fritz also told Stashinsky and Inge the alarming news he had heard from a friend: The police, desperate to stem the tide of refugees escaping to the West, were checking passengers’ documents at the station in Staaken, the last city before the border with West Berlin, turning back many East German passengers bound for the western part of the city.
Another route had to be found. Ultimately, Stashinsky decided that they would head for the nearby village of Falkensee, about three miles north of Dallgow, and try their luck there. Stashinsky, Inge and Fritz took the back entrance through the garden. Hidden by high shrubs, they walked to Falkensee.
Luckily, they were never stopped. The walk took them about 45 minutes. In Falkensee, Stashinsky decided to avoid the train and instead take a taxi. They found a taxi driver on a side street who agreed to take the three of them to East Berlin. He drove along the Berliner Ring Road, circling the city from the north. As they crossed the border between East Germany and East Berlin, which were both under Soviet occupation, they were asked for documents. Stashinsky told the guards that he was returning home to East Berlin and produced an identity card in the name of Josef Lehmann. Had the card been found on Stashinsky by his KGB “protectors,” it could have cost him his life. But now, the guards waved them through.
Stashinsky and Inge decided that the time had come to say goodbye to Fritz as well. Inge gave him 300 East German marks to cover the funeral expenses and told him that they probably would not see each other for a while. If he was asked at home where the two had gone, he was to say that they were visiting relatives in Berlin. Fritz made his way to the S-Bahn rail transit station and bought a ticket to Staaken through West Berlin.
With Fritz gone, Stashinsky and Inge went to Schonhauser Allee, where they boarded the S-Bahn. Their luck held; the police did not get to their car. They got off the S-Bahn at Gesundbrunnen, the first station in West Berlin.
There was no time to savor the moment. Stashinsky and Inge grabbed a taxi and asked the driver to take them to the apartment of Inge’s aunt, who lived in West Berlin.
Stashinsky and Inge spent no more than half an hour at her aunt’s apartment and then went to the police station near Tempelhof, the airport from which Stashinsky had flown to Munich so many times. Back then, he had wanted to avoid the police at all costs; now he believed that they were his only hope of salvation.
But the policemen were in no hurry. A Soviet intelligence officer wanting to turn himself in to the Americans? Was that for real? Heinz Villwok, Inge's uncle who negotiated the surrender, had to wait 20 minutes to talk to an officer. Then he waited again. After that, he spoke with police officials together with Inge. Finally they persuaded the police to call the Americans. It was already past 9 p.m., less than an hour before Aleksandrov would be certain to discover the Stashinskys’ disappearance, and three hours before the East German Army and police started unrolling their barbed wire—the start of the Berlin Wall.
Meanwhile, at Peter’s funeral three hours before in Dallgow, KGB officers were beginning to realize something was amiss. Stashinsky and Inge hadn’t come. Georgii Sannikov, a 32-year-old KGB officer then working in Berlin under diplomatic cover, later described the shock felt by his KGB colleagues and superiors once they realized that Bogdan Stashinsky had defected. “The KGB operatives present at the child’s funeral were puzzled by the parents’ absence,” wrote Sannikov. “By the end of the day on 13 August 1961 it was clear that the Stashinskys had gone to the West.” KGB officers immediately started recalling agents whom Stashinsky knew or might have known from the West. Every measure was taken to find the defector and silence him before he could talk to the Americans.
What had happened in Berlin was a major blow not only to Soviet intelligence operations but also to the international prestige of the Soviet Union and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev himself. The Western media were about to have a field day turning Khrushchev, a self-styled man of peace, into the assassin-in-chief. It was not just that a Soviet spy had been caught: This was an assassin who had taken orders and received awards from the top echelon of the KGB. “Khrushchev was very angry: they say he tore papers and threw things,” one of the KGB officers recalled later. “Anyone at all who had had anything to do with the matter was removed from his post, fired and put on trial.”
***
On August 13, the Soviet defector was the last thing on the mind of the chief of the CIA base, William Graver, who had just learned that the East Germans put up a barbed wire wall to separate the city in the middle of the night. He was trying to figure out what could be done if the Soviets crossed the border and took over West Berlin. He asked for evacuation plans but was told that no evacuation was possible: The Soviet armed forces had Berlin completely surrounded, and the Western Allies had few forces at their disposal to prevent an invasion. David Cornwell, who was then serving as a British intelligence officer in the West German capital of Bonn—and later became known under his pen name, John le Carre—remembered later that the British embassy personnel had discussed evacuation in secret conclave but failed to develop a plausible plan: “Where do you evacuate to when the world is about to end?”
The CIA officers in West Berlin began to activate emergency links with their agents on the other side of the rapidly rising wall. They also monitored the situation on the ground in West Berlin, where the locals were growing angry at the lack of Western response to Soviet actions.
Once the initial panic at the CIA Berlin base was over, and they realized there’d be no invasion, Bogdan Stashinsky was flown from besieged West Berlin to Frankfurt, where he would spend the rest of the month in CIA custody. As attested by CIA veteran William Hood, “when possible” (as Hood wrote about his experience in Vienna), the CIA tried to transfer defectors promptly from places where the Soviets could get at them.
Stashinsky was flown to Frankfurt on August 13, 1961, while Inge stayed behind and was interrogated separately by the West German authorities. Stashinsky would be housed in a block of buildings used by the CIA and U.S. Army personnel, and there he would be interrogated repeatedly by CIA officers.
The first of the many problems that CIA interrogators faced in dealing with Stashinsky’s testimony, both in Berlin and then at the CIA interrogation center in Frankfurt, was that they could not establish his identity. The many documents he produced had three different names on them: Bogdan Stashinsky, Joseph Lehmann and Aleksandr Krylov. The CIA officers did not know which of them, if any, was authentic. The CIA also had no way to verify Stashinsky’s career with the KGB, or his surprisingly candid claims that he had killed Stepan Bandera and Lev Rebet. Besides, no one thought that Rebet had been assassinated, and what Stashinsky was telling the interrogators about Bandera ran counter to all the evidence they had collected so far and all the theories developed on the basis of it. The documents assembled in the CIA’s Bandera file suggested that he had been poisoned by someone close to him, not by a lone killer wandering the streets of Munich with a strange tube in his pocket.
On August 24, as Stashinsky was being interrogated in Frankfurt, the chief of the Soviet Russia section at CIA headquarters received a memorandum summarizing an old report on the Bandera murder. To the CIA agents, this seemed like the most reliable information they had at the time of Stashinsky’s defection and sounded nothing like Stashinsky’s account. His stories about spray pistols and stalking Bandera around the streets of Munich not only sounded suspicious but also made no sense at all.
The CIA officers in Frankfurt decided to let Stashinsky be someone else’s problem. As far as they were concerned, he posed too many risks and offered too little benefit. “After initial Agency interrogation of Stashinsky in Frankfurt on Main in August 1961,” reads a later CIA report, “the conclusion was drawn that he would not be valuable operationally as a double agent, that he was not a bona fide defector and the individual he purported to be.” Since Stashinsky was not considered a genuine defector, his interrogation was over in less than three weeks. The CIA decided to dump him on its West German hosts, where he would stand trial for the crimes he claimed to have committed.
Stashinsky’s hopes for security and freedom in the United States, nourished during long and lonely months in Moscow, were dashed. The information he was offering the Americans, and for which the Soviets were ready to kill him, was deemed fake—the Americans would not be saving him. Had he and Inge made a mistake in risking their lives and fleeing to the West? But he had no choice but to accept the new reality. “Stashinsky told the Agency officials,” reads a CIA report, “that at the time he came to the West, he did not feel his past actions were criminal. They were patriotic acts committed in the name of the state. He said he now realized that the German law took a different view. He said that although he did not want to go to jail, he would have to suffer the consequences.” Furthermore, if he were dumped by the Americans and acquitted by the Germans, he would have nowhere to go but back into the hands of the Soviets, and he could only imagine what awaited him there. In many ways, a German prison seemed like the safest place available under the circumstances.
On September 1, 1961, Stashinsky was officially turned over to the West German authorities. Interrogations began immediately, and once again, his main task and challenge would be to prove that he was guilty, not innocent. There is no indication that throughout those weeks he was allowed to get in touch with Inge. They were now both in the West, but Inge would live there in freedom, while Stashinsky would be confined to a prison cell.
The chief investigating officer at the scene was Inspector Vanhauer of the Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt). He became the first German official to interrogate Stashinsky once the latter was in West German custody. Interrogations began on the day of his transfer, September 1, and continued the following day. Like the CIA interrogators, Vanhauer found it difficult to believe Stashinsky’s testimony. “At first I treated the matter skeptically, as this was the first we had heard of both murders,” remembered Vanhauer later. “After the interrogation, we discussed the case late into the night, weighing the ‘pros and cons.’ Later we were inclined ever more to the conviction that Stashinsky’s account was genuine.”
The investigators would leave no stone unturned in checking his story. On September 11, Oberkommissar Fuchs was asked to go back to Munich and check the automatic lock of the entrance door at Kreittmayrstrasse 7, where Stashinsky had assassinated Stepan Bandera.
Stashinsky had claimed that he had twice broken his keys trying to open the door. Sure enough, Fuchs found metal parts of the broken keys in the lock. Stashinsky’s testimony on the dates of his travel and hotel stays matched the records unearthed by Fuchs and his assistants. On September 11, the authorities interviewed Inge Pohl, who confirmed and further corroborated her husband’s testimony. The Americans, they concluded, were wrong: Stashinsky was not lying.
The final turning point in the interrogation came on September 12. Present in the interrogation chamber along with Vanhauer were the chief police commissioner and a number of security officers. A report filed by those present stated that “Stashinsky’s quiet, sure and precise statements with regard to events preceding the assassination, the lapse of time, and the description of the localities and the execution of the deeds led to the general conclusion that Stashinsky could, in fact, be the murderer of Rebet and Bandera.”
On September 22, the West German police brought Stashinsky to both crime scenes in Munich, at Karlsplatz 8, where Stashinsky had killed Lev Rebet, and the apartment building at Kreittmayrstrasse 7, where he had assassinated Stepan Bandera. The visit solidified his story. Stashinsky not only described how he had done so but also reenacted both crimes, walking the same routes and climbing the same stairs for the benefit of a police camera. At Karlsplatz, Stashinsky was asked to go to the second floor and then walk down toward an agent who was going up. He was told to aim at the agent with a rolled-up newspaper once they reached the same level and, after the virtual pistol shot, to hide the newspaper in the inside pocket of his jacket.
New Window This article was adapted from The Man With the Poison Gun, published by Basic Books in December.
In late September and early October 1961, Stashinsky was questioned once again by agents of the Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt, or BKA), who concluded once and for all that he was telling the truth.
News had reached the Soviets that Stashinsky had defected; they followed by circulating a fabricated story. Kurt Blecha, the head of the East German government press service, held a news conference about the “criminal intrigues of the Bonn Federal Intelligence Service.” As flaws came up in the original story, it evolved, but the basic storyline was that Bandera had been killed by ex-Nazis in the employ of the West, and it became the official story in the Soviet Union for decades.
What happened to Stashinsky afterward remains a mystery. The West Germans put him on trial in October 1962 for the crimes he insisted he had committed. Sentenced to eight years of imprisonment as an accessory to the murder committed by the Soviet state, Stashinsky was released on parole New Year ’s Eve 1966 and disappeared from the public eye forever. Rumor had it that he was brought to the United States by the CIA. In fact, the CIA files are silent in that regard. He actually ended up in South Africa—a country that had no diplomatic relations with the USSR and where he could feel relatively safe confronted with the possibility of being hunted down by his former spy colleagues. He is probably still living there, always looking over his shoulder, aware that the old habits of KGB die hard, if at all.Photo
Dear Diary:
I know that, as a native New Yorker, I’m not supposed to look as if I’m actively enjoying any of the performances on the subway. And for the most part, I can appear apathetic when a full mariachi band or a man playing Kesha songs on a kazoo boards the downtown R train during my commute.
But there is a certain time when I just can’t act nonchalant. They call it “show time.” And I can’t get enough of it.
Nimble teenagers throw themselves through the air of my narrow subway car, using only the train poles and their upper body strength to entertain passengers. The uncertainty of whether they’ll hit one of the riders in the head during their act so wrongly thrills me.
Recently during show time, one of the performers hung upside down from his knees on the long horizontal pole above a row of seats, held his fist out to each passenger and asked them to “pound it” as he made his way down the line of seated commuters, one by one. All eight subway riders gave in. Three of them even cracked a smile. I was one of them.
Read all recent entries and our updated submissions guidelines. Reach us via email diary@nytimes.com or follow @NYTMetro on Twitter using the hashtag #MetDiary.The civil lawsuit against Bulls guard Derrick Rose continues to wind its way through federal court in Los Angeles, with lawyers arguing about the cooperation of the accuser and a series of text messages released by the accuser's former roommate.
The former roommate characterized the allegations against Rose as a "sham" and an effort to "extort money" in a statement filed in court.
A woman previously involved in a sexual relationship with Rose has accused the Bulls player and two friends of rape, seeking $21.5 million in damages. The woman, 29, listed in court documents as "Jane Doe," accuses the three men of assaulting her in Los Angeles in August 2013.
Rose has denied the allegations, both publicly and in court filings.
After weeks of back-and-forth between lawyers, the accuser took part in a deposition Jan. 21 at the offices of Rose's attorneys. But one of Rose's lawyers said the woman's attorney "improperly instructed her not to answer multiple questions" and the deposition revealed that certain "text messages between Mr. Rose and Plaintiff had not previously been produced," according to a recent court filing.
Rose's legal team wants to obtain those text messages and compel the woman to answer certain questions. They said in the filings the accuser's allegations "are inconsistent" and that if recorded under oath would lead a judge to dismiss the case.
The deposition follows a series of filings centering on the accuser's former roommate, who signed a declaration document in December.
"I believe Jane Doe's efforts to extort money from Derrick Rose based on sham allegations is unfair and inappropriate," the accuser's former roommate and co-worker, Keyana LaVergne, said in the filing.
LaVergne entered the case after the accuser's attorney objected to the release of a series of text messages between the woman and the accuser to a basketball website. In the texts, the accuser discusses her financial problems, unemployment and "how I could not let this lawsuit go because of this."
The accuser's attorney wants to amend the complaint against Rose to add LaVergne as a defendant, saying she selectively edited the conversation so that the accuser "would be portrayed as a 'gold digger.' " The accuser's attorney said the roommate sold the text messages, but LaVergne denies she made money by providing the texts to the website.
The legal back-and-forth is taking place in federal district court, after Rose's attorney argued that state court did not have jurisdiction because Rose lived in Illinois at the time of the alleged assault. The woman filed suit in Los Angeles County Superior Court in August.
Rose and the woman were in a relationship from 2011 until about July 2013, when the woman said she became uncomfortable with Rose's requests for them to engage in sexual encounters with others. That pressure, the lawsuit says, contributed to the breakup, although the two remained acquaintances. A text message from Rose included in the lawsuit suggests that Rose was souring on their relationship as well.
In court filings, Rose, and later LaVergne, allege the accuser filed the lawsuit against the basketball player because she was upset with Rose over the lack of reimbursement for a sex toy.
The woman claims she was assaulted by Rose and two of his close friends and assistants, Randall Hampton and Ryan Allen, also named in the 31-page, explicitly worded lawsuit as defendants. The woman claims the men placed a drug in her drink during a night out at a Beverly Hills party, then later sexually assaulted her after they entered her apartment. She said she was in an "incapacitated state of consciousness" when the alleged sexual assault occurred.
Messages left with lawyers for Rose, Hampton, Allen and the accuser were not returned. When the lawsuit was filed, Rose said, "I know the truth, and am confident I will be proven innocent."
The lawyers recently signed a protective order effectively preventing them from publicly disclosing additional text messages during the discovery phase.
Rose sat out Monday's Bulls game with what he described as "just soreness all over."
poconnell@tribpub.com
@pmocwriterA dark secret that had been kept for more than 33 years may finally have burst into the light last week when, law enforcement officials say, a Milwaukee man told his wife, a counselor, a TV station and finally the police that he had killed a girl.
The fate of Carrie Ann Jopek, 13, gripped the city when she vanished in 1982, and again when her body was found, but then it faded into a very cold case. On Saturday, at long last, someone was charged in her death: Jose E. Ferreira Jr., a neighbor who was 16 at the time.
“I always prayed that we would find out, that we would find closure, but I had to wait,” Carrie’s mother, Carolyn Tousignant, said in a telephone interview. “It’s a relief.”
Mrs. Tousignant, who still lives in the same house, on the block where her daughter was killed, said she had known Mr. Ferreira as a teenager, and “he didn’t seem that bad,” so she always thought it unlikely that he was the killer. But one detail, she said, gave her pause.Leif Erikson Statue
In 1960, a Norse settlement was discovered at L'Anse Aux Meadows in Newfoundland, Canada. This is the only known location of an abandoned Viking town in North America. According to the Icelandic Sagas, in about the year 985, Bjarni Herjolfsson was thrown off course in a great storm, and sighted a new continent west of Greenland. He did not go ashore.
Starting in the year 1000, Leif Erikson led several expeditions to the new continent, and gave it the name "Vinland" due to the abundance of grapes in this land.
In the 1880s, a local college professor believed that he had found the remainder of Norse settlements in Massachusetts. During that period, several archeological digs were made along the coast with the goal of discovering traces of ancient Viking settlements.
Leif Erikson Statue
The excitement of purported Viking discoveries in Massachusetts culminated in 1887 with the erection of the Leif Erikson Statue on Commonwealth Avenue (at Charlesgate East). The statue is the work of Anne Whitney. The achievements of the Norse explorers cannot be understated. What is strange is that to this day a statue of John Hancock (and other revolutionary patriots) has never been erected in Boston, exemplifying the ancient tradition of whim-of-the-day planning in the city.
The following is quoted from Historic Pilgrimages in New England by Edwin M. Bacon (1898), which describes the local legends of the day about Norse explorers:
"Point Allerton (Hull) had an added attraction for Percy [Bacon's traveling companion] when I remarked that according to some archeologists it was the 'Krossaness' of the Northmen, discovered and so named six hundred years and more before the coming of the Pilgrims, by Viking Thorvald, and the place of Thorvald's death and burial. This opinion, I told him, rests on the romantic Icelandic sagas, which have been the subject of much interesting speculation by historical students. Thorvald was son of Erik the Red, and brother to Leif, supposed to have been the first to reach this coast, and to have discovered Cape Cod. Erik the Red was a Danish chieftain, who in the year 985 sailed for Iceland, and there founded a colony of warriors. Thence several of these warriors made frequent expeditions in their picturesque galleys to the southward along the wild coast, seeking'some new Drontheim Fiord on which to found a Norway of the west.'
Leif Erikson came some time in the year 1000, and it was the theory of the late Eben N. Horsford, who devoted much time and care to Norse investigations, that he sailed up the bay, crossed Boston Harbor, and penetrated the Charles River to Cambridge and Watertown, where he attempted the founding of Vineland. So strong was was Professor Horsford in this belief, that he caused stone tablets to be placed at various points, and the 'Norumbega Tower' to be built in Weston on the Charles River side."
A final note about the monument is that Leif Erikson is of course looking in a westward direction.The chief of Long Plain First Nation says he hopes to see a private for-profit medical clinic open in a building the band plans to construct on its urban reserve in Winnipeg.
Dennis Meeches says the First Nation is in the process of finalizing lease agreements with a number of potential tenants for a $20-million office building planned for land on Madison Street, near Polo Park Shopping Centre.
Meeches says one potential tenant is White Cross Healthcare, which is headed by Winnipeg businessman Daren Jorgenson.
"We still don't have a signed lease agreement with White Cross, but we're hoping that they will sign on, for sure," Meeches said.
Jorgenson, however, says the clinic will be part of an initiative called Our Buffalo Ltd., which he called an "economic empowerment project."
"One avenue is private health care and we're working with Long Plain First Nation and Chief Dennis Meeches to see that happen," he said in an interview on CBC's Information Radio.
The Winnipeg clinic aims to provide a wide range of private and public health care services, including family physicians, dental care, blood and urine tests, and diagnostic services, including MRI, CT scans, and X-ray, Jorgenson said. (CBC News)
Meeches says the First Nation isn't a partner with Jorgenson on the clinic project, although he says it supports what Jorgenson wants to do.
The band currently leases space on its urban reserve in Portage la Prairie to White Cross Healthcare.
Jorgenson said the Winnipeg clinic aims to provide a wide range of private and public health-care services, including family physicians, dental care, blood and urine tests, and diagnostic services including MRI, CT scans, and X-rays.
Jorgenson says he hopes to partner with Manitoba Health to provide a mix of public and private MRI services. He says he hasn't spoken to anyone in government about the idea, yet.
Possible Health Act challenges
The plan faces possible challenges under the Canada Health Act, which forbids charging a fee for any medically necessary services.
Health Canada says the Canada Health Act applies on and off reserve, and "medically necessary MRI scans are insured health services and should be covered by provincial plans whether these services are provided in hospitals or in private clinics."
Jorgenson argues that because the clinic is on a reserve, he's confident he can structure the business in a way that the act would not apply to him.
"We feel confident in our legal advice and we're pushing forward," he said.
Meeches says he supports the idea of an MRI clinic on the site, but expressed uncertainty about the plan.
"If he's able to achieve that, all the power to him. He has an opinion on that [and] he should be able to have one. If we could do anything to support that, I think we would," Meeches said.
Jorgenson recently put out a call for health-care workers with treaty status to work in the clinic. He says their income will be tax-free while working on the urban reserve as part of treaty rights upheld by the Supreme Court of Canada.
The 1983 case of Nowegijick v. The Queen concluded that personal income earned by people with treaty status working on reserve could not be taxed, because it is considered personal property, which is exempt under Section 87 (1) of The Indian Act.
Meeches says he doesn't know about whether the act would apply to Jorgenson's business, but he says his First Nation is always looking for economic opportunities and believes private clinics on urban reserves could be a "game changer."
"We think that health-centre concept that Daren is proposing would actually be a good fit. I think many people know right across the board that health issues are a major issue for Indigenous people," he said.
Before construction can begin, Meeches says they have to first demolish a building at 410 Madison St., which is owned by the First Nation but is not part of the urban reserve.The Blue Jays have released righty Steve Delabar, Brendan Kennedy of the Toronto Star reports on Twitter. Toronto also cut loose southpaw Randy Choate, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca was among those to tweet.
Delabar, 32, had agreed to avoid arbitration for $835K, and the Jays will remain on the hook for about one fifth of that (45 days of salary). But he was out of options and obviously wasn’t destined to make the pen. Things haven’t gone well for the righty since his All-Star nod in 2013. In the last two seasons he owns a 5.07 ERA in 55 frames with 8.3 K/9 against 5.4 BB/9 in the major leagues, and he’s also had stints at Triple-A in both years.
As for the veteran Choate |
iverpool FC via Getty Images))
“Mourinho teams are smart. It is completely okay, but we could have won last year. They will not be that passive this time. They are a different team in a different way.
“If there are one or two long balls that is not a problem for us. We can still win the ball there. You need to be ready for high pressure moments. You have chances in a game and you need to be ready. The rest is defending together.
“We have to improve in this switching mode from playing, playing, playing and then one chance to the opponent. That’s why I say it’s a concentration thing. It’s to learn.
“It is a difficult position. We have to be dominant, but if ever we make a mistake everyone says ‘ah it happens again’.
“Yes, we need a bit of luck too. Did we have much of it so far? I would say no but we have to work for it, nobody gives it to you for free.”
This season has been far from plain sailing for Klopp’s men. Too often their dominance in matches has gone unrewarded as a result of missed chances and glaring defensive errors.
'I was close, it was too much for a second'
Points have been carelessly squandered - the latest occasion at Newcastle a fortnight ago - and Klopp shares the fans’ frustration.
“At Newcastle, I was close (to losing it), it was too much for me for a second,” he added.
(Image: John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
“It felt unfair after the game. We were the better side, we had more chances. They had one chance and scored.
“Your colleague asked me ‘Do you think it’s a fair result?’ I said ‘What do you think?’ When he said ‘Yes’ I was close to getting up!
“As a human being I’m not proud of this. When I went out, I thought ‘Come on, go back, shake hands, it’s not his fault....’
“But it’s like the world is. They aren’t interested. It’s about results.
“Against City we were the better team before we had 10 men and then they scored five and something like 40 goals in two weeks.
“We got the other knock and thought ‘s***, we conceded five’ but it was not that bad. We were the better side in all the games after that and did not win, except at Leicester.
“The big challenge for us is to stay confident and play our football. I am ready for this and the boys are ready for this.”
There is no escaping the magnitude of Saturday’s game. Win and the gap to United will be down to just four points - belief will blossom. But lose and the Reds’ chances of catching Mourinho’s side this season will already look remote.
“These are facts, we cannot ignore facts, but it should not be in the middle of all the things we think about,” Klopp added.
“It is an early moment in the season. With all the problems we’ve had, we’re only just behind Tottenham and Chelsea
“Yes, it feels like we are the only team with problems and the two Manchester clubs are running.
“But we need to sort out our own situation and not think about gaps too early because it only makes you stiff. We need to be free and create atmosphere. It would be outstanding if all those who are with the Reds are ready.”What made you decide to work in tech?
Before I even knew what I was getting into, I picked up on some knowledge during middle school that engineers make a lot of money! {laughs} I was always good at math and science, but before it was a desire it was: What do my skills tell me I should do?
As I got into high school, I think I had a soft pulse on the evolution of technology, and where it would be by the time I was a young adult. I began to see glimpses of the progress within mobile technology, and even in video games (with what Sony and Microsoft were doing).
I also started getting into music production, and I always thought that the software and tools available were really cool. If I couldn’t be a hit producer or writer, I knew that I could at least help the creative create by using this discipline.
When you’re a software developer, you create something from nothing, and the same goes for when you’re an artist; you start with a blank canvas and end up with a beautiful song. I realized how much of a cross-pollination there was with the two disciplines.
I got an internship with Microsoft and that set that off.
How was the internship?
It was great! I even got to meet Bill Gates at his house!
How was he?
He was cool. He was actually really chill. It was funny: all the interns were asking super technical questions, and I was like, “What kind of music do you like?”
I was lucky, as I think that year was the last time they allowed interns to do that.
Where there any obstacles you faced?
Absolutely. Let’s just start off with school: every year at the beginning, I would find myself at a crossroad of do I want to keep doing this, or should I switch majors to music?
The main obstacle was obviously coursework, etc. but also as a minority in tech, finding that support group of friends who would help you carry on.
For me it was a struggle; I didn’t pick it up easily. But the thing that I had was the interpersonal skills, networking, and hustling.
I was also really blessed to have people at the internships I had, who saw my hunger and believed in me.
What is your experience being a POC in Tech?
I’ve actually had a a really delightful experience. I’m interested in seeing if the Valley really puts its money where its mouth is with all this “diversity” talk though, and gives more talented people of color a shot. However, I’ve had a blessed road thus far.
My first full time job was at Apple. I started off on the iOS QA team. There were three black people on my team, out of twenty-something people total {laughs}. But my parents did a good job of exposing me to different art, culture and people in various ways, even growing up in Detroit (which is one of the most segregated cities in the nation).
By the time I got to college, the campus population was 4% black out of a rough population of 40,000. So I was ready for anything when it came to the workplace.
I also made it a point that my work spoke for it self, in case there was any doubt based on the way I looked.
I do wonder how many people like me don’t know they can have this kind of experience. It will always be difficult to navigate this world if you come from a non-technical background prior to college like me, but I’ve really been passionate about letting young people know that if I can do it, you definitely can.
What’s been your perception of the industry over the years?
When I was a freshman, before any computer science classes, I always said I wanted to work for Microsoft. At the time Microsoft was everywhere. Working at a large tech company was the dream.
Now at my latest position at Snapchat, I joined as employee number 100, I was like looking around at everyone (with an average age of 22/23), thinking wow, they got Y’ALL running this ship {laughs}. I’ve just got a real sense of gratitude at the opportunities I’ve had to work with great people.
What’s it like at Snapchat?
Quick disclaimer: These are my personal views, and not the views of the company.
I got there in 2014. I was at Twitter at the time, and I could foresee what’s happening now with Twitter back then.
Can you elaborate on that?
Without saying too much, my manager (who was a big part of the reason I accepted my offer) decided to leave for personal reasons. That, along with the quick turnaround of management, made me feel like things didn’t look good.
I made some really great relationships there, but I just saw it moving in a direction that I didn’t want to be a part of. My day-to-day responsibilities were getting fuzzy, and the leadership wasn’t really making bold bets on product.
I’d always wanted to be in LA also for the sake of my music, but I also didn’t want to leave tech. I got reached out to by one of the head recruiters at Snapchat. I had just started using the product a few months ago. I initially thought it was stupid, but the more I used it, I became hooked. A month later I got an offer and moved out there.
It’s been amazing being at the ground floor stages of a wildly popular product. I don’t think at any point we’ve struggled to get a user base [knocks on wood]. Its been interesting seeing the growth internally and externally, and being a part of shaping and molding the future of media and communication.
What advice would you give to a young person who wanted to enter tech?
The resources are so vast now for learning to code. If you’re a kid spending a lot of time on Snapchat, Vine, Facebook, Twitter, etc., then you can spend a few hours learning to code. It’s always worth it. Working for Snapchat and interacting with celebrities/musicians etc., they view me as a ‘rock star’ by helping build the products they use everyday.
Having the technical skills gets you into so many different rooms. I never imagined I’d get to meet Steve Jobs or Bill Gates, being just a young kid from Detroit.
You’ll never be without an opportunity. I can’t count how many times I’m pitched an app idea.
I know as African-Americans we are heavy consumers of these products, and that we move the needle when it comes to pop culture. But we need to be on the inside influencing decisions internally as producers.
If you’re thinking about it, dive in. If you like it, cool. If you don’t, no worries, as I understand it’s not for everyone.
Are there any projects you are currently working on?
Check out my mixtape … {laughs} No I’m just playing, but you can checkout my soundcloud!
Shout out to God! God is good, shout out to family, shout out to Detroit, we outchea!
People that have helped me tremendously in my tech career: Kyra Watts, Erin Gatherum, Raquel Garcia, Garlin Gilchrist, DeVaris Brown, Erin Teague, Nik Spence, Johnny Ngai, Michael Creasy, THE FAM FAM (UMich Eng Class of ’10)….love!
Let me come of this microphone before I saying anything more. {laughs}The Jimmy Graham trade was shocking to many, including Drew Brees. A star playmaker and mismatch creator dealt in his prime? We see that maybe once every five years—and usually with extracurricular circumstance attached (think Terrell Owens, with his bad attitude and weird contract, going from San Francisco to Philadelphia).
But there was nothing sinister behind the scenes with Graham. Saints GM Mickey Loomis was refreshingly honest about why he gave up the three-time Pro Bowl tight end in exchange for Seattle’s first-round pick and two-time Pro Bowl center Max Unger: “We're trying to do some things to help our overall team. And we've been fortunate to have a really good offense for the entire time that Sean Payton’s been our head coach.” The Saints have finished in the league’s top five in offensive yardage in seven of Payton’s eight seasons (that doesn’t include the Bounty Gate suspension year, when they still finished second).
“So we've been able to generate offense throughout that period. And yet our defense has been up and down. So when you look at your team, you’re trying to assess the assets that you have and, ‘How can we help ourselves in areas of weakness?' And sometimes that requires you to take a strength of your team and turn it into something else.”
In other words, as long as Brees is under center and Payton is running his system, the Saints can manufacture offensive production just fine. If, as the GM, you believe this to be true, then your focus shifts from bolstering strengths to eradicating weaknesses. Because after all, the system itself is the strength.
This explains Unger’s presence in the trade. The Saints’ interior offensive line play has been spotty the past few years, particularly at center. That’s a problem because the man executing the system, Brees, is only 6-feet and predicates his game on climbing the pocket. This is why the Saints have always invested heavily at the guard positions. (They did just ship one of those heavily invested guards, Ben Grubbs, to the Chiefs, but they’re banking on addition by subtraction there. Grubbs, 31, was coming off an uncharacteristically bad season in pass protection. His internal replacement, Tim Lelito, is no stud, but he’ll at least be cheaper.)
• THE SAINTS’ 2006 DRAFT CLASS, TEN YEARS LATER: It was the year Sean Payton came on as head coach, Drew Brees signed on at quarterback, and the franchise helped lift the spirits of a city devastated by Hurricane Katrina. And a decade later, three late-round picks from a unique draft class are still around as franchise cornerstones.
With Graham gone, the Saints are betting they can create matchup problems through other means. Let’s understand what constitutes a matchup problem. If you have a less experienced quarterback with pocket limitations, your play design needs to create a single glaring mismatch to focus on. That simplifies the game. (Hence Seattle bringing in Graham to pair with Russell Wilson.) But with there being five eligible receivers on every snap, there usually is a “matchup problem” somewhere to exploit. A brilliant, trialed progression read quarterback like Brees doesn’t need it spotlighted to see it. More often than not, Brees can dropback and locate the mismatch naturally.
Graham may have often been the Saints’ most obvious matchup problem, but that doesn’t mean he was the only one. This same thinking is what allowed the Saints to move on from Darren Sproles, another matchup problem, after 2013. And, to a lesser degree, it’s what made them comfortable trading deep threat Kenny Stills to Miami shortly after unloading Graham. None of these moves weaken the system, they just reconfigure the system’s cogs.
Payton’s almighty system thrives on presenting a high volume of formations and personnel packages. Many of them involve only two wideouts, which keeps defenses in their more predictable base packages and affords the Saints the benefit of a run-pass mystery, as well as an expanded play-action game. Once the ball is snapped, the system shrinks. Most of the Saints’ runs are some form of inside zone, featuring powerful double teams at the point of attack. (Hence the selection of 6-7, 313-pound right tackle Andrus Peat in Round 1.) Through the air, the Saints stress defenses with three-level crossing patterns, seam routes and interconnected vertical route combinations.
Graham was a perfect fit for this, which begs the question: Are the Saints truly banking on their system being able to run smoothly per usual? Or, are they actually banking on it evolving into a quicker-passing, more spread-oriented system? One of the best kept secrets in football last season is that Brees, who’s now 36, showed signs of declining arm strength. His deep balls occasionally lost energy towards the end of flight. His zip through tight windows wasn’t always the same. Almost everything the Saints do has focused on pushing the ball downfield between the numbers. Could that be shifting towards more underneath east-west concepts?
• AN AGING STAR, A LOST SEASON: Greg Bedard sat down with Drew Brees after last year's Pro Bowl. Now 36, Brees can only hope the franchise learns from its mistakes and turns things around—before it’s too late for him.
Besides Brees, the one offensive player New Orleans made off-limits on the trade market this past offseason was wide receiver Brandin Cooks. The 2014 first-rounder has tremendous speed and lateral quickness. Cooks can be a deep threat Payton’s existing vertical scheme—as long as the designs call for him to run by people rather than outjump them—but he’s a more dynamic threat if he’s using the entire width of the field. Brees has never been a big outside thrower, but he’s proficient throwing on the move. With Cooks, there’s more room for stretch zone action, moving pockets and misdirection.
This style also fits new running back C.J. Spiller, a dangerous space-creator who can also hurt defenses as a receiver. And it fits New Orleans’ revamped O-line: Unger blocked a lot of moving-pocket concepts in Seattle; Peat has light feet for a big man; Terron Armstead might be the best raw moving athlete of all left tackles. Considering that promoted tight ends Josh Hill and Ben Watson don’t run as well as Graham and are best suited for catching balls in the flats, the argument can be made that New Orleans is now better equipped to play horizontally, not vertically.
The argument against this would be the old if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. That’s fair. Even with Brees’s declining arm, the system isn’t broken. It produced the most yards in the league last year (though only ninth most points). But great systems don’t become great by waiting to adjust after things break. Great systems are built to change smoothly with the times.
• MORE NFC SOUTH DEEP DIVES: THE MAN BEHIND JAMEIS WINSTON: The play-calling of offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, the biggest assistant coach hiring of 2015, will determine whether Winston sinks or swims. | FALCONS WILL GO AS FAR AS DAN QUINN TAKES THEM: Putting together a winner starts on defense, where the ex-Seahawks coordinator will put a Seattle stamp on the unit.
Marques Colston has made a living working the seams. (Robert Beck/Sports Illustrated)
Saints Nickel Package
1. There is no better illustration of the strength of the Saints’ system than wide receiver Marques Colston’s body of work. A seventh-round pick in 2006, it’s apparent that teams underrated Colston coming out of Hofstra. But 32 teams can’t all be wrong. In a vacuum, Colston has a lot of seventh-round caliber traits (namely, his running, which is measured if not methodical). The Saints almost never ask Colston to split out as a lone receiver and win battles on the perimeter. That’s because they know he can’t. Though roughly the same size, Colston is not Dez Bryant or Julio Jones. What he is, is a really good pass catcher down the seams. When aligned inside, he gets matched against linebackers and safeties—or at worst, backup corners—and wins by snagging tough balls away from his body. Colston is a cog in the Saints’ system, which is why his numbers are relatively the same from year to year.
2. Let’s remember what Loomis said was the main reason for trading Graham: The Saints need to revamp their defense. They have a good coordinator in Rob Ryan, but Ryan’s scheme relies on sound secondary play. Injuries and underachievement hindered the ’14 Saints here. This past offseason, the addition of corner Brandon Browner was a great move; he brings physicality to the boundary and showed in New England that he doesn’t necessarily have to always line up on the defensive right side like he did in Seattle. That’s important because in Keenan Lewis, the Saints have a corner who can travel with opposing No. 1 receivers. Lewis is no Revis, though; he needs safety help against certain guys. Ryan has always been willing to keep two safeties back. The Saints just need those two safeties, Kenny Vaccaro and especially Jairus Byrd, to bounce back from nightmarish seasons.
3. A weakened secondary might explain why the Saints ranked 29th in run defense a year ago (and 31st in yards allowed per carry). Compelled to play safer two-deep coverages, Ryan presented offenses with a lighter box. The Saints’ second level defenders weren’t good enough to handle the extra burden. (And the safeties who were kept back made a habit of missing tackles; New Orleans allowed 35 runs of 15 yards or more, second only to the Giants’ 42.) The hope is the linebacking corps improves with the addition of inside man Dannell Ellerbe and the late first-round selection of Stephone Anthony. They’ll battle for the starting job alongside David Hawthorne, a fast pursuer who understands angles.
4. Junior Galette’s release is damning, both to him and to the team. To him because, well, how bad must his character be if the team was willing to take $18 million in sunk costs to dump him? And we’re talking about a team for which Galette was the only veritable pass rushing threat. Maybe high-effort second-round rookie Hau’oli Kikaha can provide a spark. Even so, Ryan will have to manufacture pressure via blitz—something he’s willing to do, particularly in critical two-minute situations, but isn’t as crazy about as his brother. Blitzing usually means man coverage on the back end. The Saints may have an adequate (okay, barely adequate) slot defender in free-agent pickup Kyle Wilson, but ideally last year’s second-round pick Stanley Jean-Baptiste will earn this job. Even with myriad injuries to guys around him, Jean-Baptiste rarely saw the field as a rookie. The Saints likely aren’t too confident in either him or Wilson. If they were, they wouldn’t have drafted cornerback P.J. Williams in the third round or given meaningful camp snaps to CFL All-Star Delvin Breaux.
5. It was a little surprising to see defensive end Cameron Jordan receive a five-year, $55 million contract given how often he disappeared against the run and pass last year. Jordan’s deal has a $12.8 million cap number and carries $6 million in guarantees in 2016; after that, it can be voided at minimal harm to the team.The issue of habitable planets, earth’s own disastrous climate change, and Virginia politics don’t intersect every day. But today they do, and that does not reflect well on the human species or its prospects. Bear with me.
NASA’s now-idle Kepler telescope’s earlier search for habitable planets in the universe from time to time generates breathless reporting on how there are lots of (most recently, “ten billion”) earth-like worlds.
NASAsolarsystem reports that one in five stars have earth-sized planets orbiting in a ‘sweet spot’ so that water and life would be possible.
The problem with getting excited about all this is that space is incredibly big, and human beings have no, zero, nada prospect of ever going to any of those other earth-like worlds (most of which would not in fact support human life because of the need for the right mix of gases in the atmosphere, bacterially-churned soil to grow food in, etc., etc.) Space travel to other solar systems is a wonderful literary device, but given Einsteinian constraints on exceeding the speed of light (not to mention the severe challenges of going even a fraction as fast), human beings are stuck in our own little corner of the Milky Way.
India’s unmanned Mars mission, which just successfully blasted off, has provoked scientists to muse about the possibility of “terra-forming” that planet or engineering it to be habitable for human beings.
This enthusiasm for earth-like worlds, or making other worlds earth-like, makes me tear my hair out, given that we are assiduously destroying the only actual habitable planet we are likely to have any time in the foreseeable future.
The UN has just announced that the chances of us limiting global warming to only 2 degrees C (3.6 degrees F.) are almost zero and that we will exceed 2020 carbon emissions targets by 12 billion metric tons. That’s tragic, because 12 billion metric tons could certainly be cut out of our emissions in the next 6 years if we started a crash program to accomplish it. Just increasing our energy use efficiency (25% of American buildings have no insulation) and closing coal plants in favor of green energy sources would probably accomplish it. It would cost some money, but much of that would stimulate economic growth via the multiplier effect, which would be good for a world in the doldrums. The US reduced its emissions from 6 billion metric tons a year to 5 ( more because of wind power installations than because of natural gas) in the past couple of years. A global program to get 12 times that effect, with China, India, Russia and others joining in, is not impossible. It is just highly unlikely.
In my state, Michigan, we had a ten percent green energy goal for 2015, and even our Republican governor is considering increasing that to 15% in 2020 and 30% in 2030. But that isn’t the correct timeline for Michigan or the world. We would need to go twice as fast, 30% by 2020 and 60% by 2030, to avoid catastrophe. I’m putting solar panels on my house, but get virtually no help or encouragement from my state (compare to Washington state, where I’d get a 75% offset). The slower timeline is better for Big Oil and Big Coal, because their commodities keep their value longer, a delay worth trillions of dollars to them. But in order to keep them rich a little while longer, we are scorching and drowning, i.e. torturing to death, our unborn grandchildren.
The sense of urgency about the crisis is almost completely lacking in the political class. Even the world’s food supply is being endangered by our climate emissions.
So far from terra-forming Mars or hoping for life on Jupiter’s moon, Europa (the subject of a fine summer science fiction film, the “Europa Report,” a cautionary tale), we are de-terra-forming earth itself! If we go, as we are likely to, to a 5 degrees C. increase in average world surface temperatures, we could destabilize the climate in ways that would make human survival unlikely. Geologists looking at past eras when the temperatures were that high and this much carbon was in the atmosphere have found evidence of, e.g., 12,000-year-long storms. Gulp.
How does all this connect with the Virginia gubernatorial campaign? The likely loser, Ken Cuccinelli, is typical of today’s Republican Party, a Tea Party evangelical and anti-intellectual science denier. Cosmopolitan Northern Virginia is deeply dependent on science and technology for its economic success, and will join forces with the nearly 20% of the state that is African-American to defeat the rural and small-town population intoxicated with male chauvinism, know-nothingism and a superficial literalist religiosity that kills spirituality.
Cuccinelli among other things wasted $600,000 of Virginians’ money by pursuing a witch hunt against climate scientist Michael Mann, then at the University of Virginia. Mann, author of the revolutionary The Hockey Stick and the Climate Wars, is among our contemporary world’s few true heroes.
Our politicians are not only not announcing a crash program to keep global warming to a 2 degree C. increase, they are actively persecuting and making life miserable for our climate scientists, who are explaining to us the epochal challenge we face.
Human beings began the twentieth century thinking that they were at the apex of global evolution, the planet’s most intelligent and most innovative species. We begin the twenty-first century facing the real possibility that we are mediocre dodos, well-enough adapted to our initial niche but not smart enough to survive in a changed environment. Ironically, we are the ones inducing the changed environment, and aren’t even smart enough to stop digging the hole we’ve gotten ourselves in. Virginia politics, which once gave us Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, now produces bullying ignoramuses like Cuccinelli. It is small comfort that he will likely lose. His ilk is setting national and most state policy on climate.Magic mushrooms are the world’s safest drug, according to a brand new study done by Global Drug Survey.
The study, prepared by the GDS Core Research Team (Dr Adam Winstock, Dr Monica Barratt, Dr Jason Ferris & Dr Larissa Maier), is the world’s largest drug survey, which aims “to make drug use safer regardless of the legal status by sharing information in a credible and meaningful way.”
Focusing on the examination of different drugs and their usages, the ‘GDS’ works to inform the public on the effects of global drug usage, while promoting drug safety. The study provides a plethora of information, including the fact that mushrooms are the safest drugs in the world.
Out of almost 10,000 magic mushroom consumers in 2016, only 2 percent sought emergency medical treatment. Not only that, but mushrooms are also associated with a lower danger rate compared to LSD, due to the intrinsic safety of the drug, the smaller dosing, and a greater understanding of a typical dose.
The study also finds that cannabis is the most widely-used drug across participants (minus alcohol, tobacco and caffeine products), coming in at a whopping 77.8 percent. A full examination finds that alcohol conquers the spectrum at 94.1 percent usage among participants. Something important to note is that the most users seeking emergency medical treatment stemmed from MDMA usage.
And not surprisingly, the country who responded most highly to smoking a joint within five minutes/one hour (combined) of waking, is the U.S.
The study continues to provide heaps of useful information, such as an app to monitor drinking habits, 10 ways to go about using less MDMA this year. and more. You can see the full report here.Get our daily newsletter Upgrade your inbox and get our Daily Dispatch and Editor's Picks.
THE frightening spiral of violence in Syria and the determination of its ruler, Bashar Assad, to crush peaceful opposition are a bleak reminder of how far the Arab spring still has to go before summer arrives—and how easily the region's hopeful mood could turn wintry again (see article). Syria, unlike Libya, is a hub of the Arab world. If it were to embrace a democratic future, the beneficial regional impact would be enormous. Conversely, a successful reimposition of Mr Assad's iron rule would give succour to all Arab despots. Unfortunately, the West has no simple way to ensure that the forces of good will prevail. It can help in the margins by encouraging the opposition and putting sanctions on Mr Assad's regime. But Syria is primarily a challenge for the Syrians themselves, with help from their Arab and Turkish neighbours.
Syria is a hub of influence by virtue of its geography, history and the canniness—plainly on the wane—of its leaders. It is neither rich, having only modest amounts of oil, nor especially populous, with some 22m inhabitants. Despite some tepid reforms, most of its economy remains stuck in a dirigiste impasse. Its army, though crucial to Mr Assad's survival, is not powerful in global terms, having been serially swatted over the years by its Israeli neighbour.
Yet Syria can put spokes in just about every wheel in the Middle East. It has been a conduit for insurgents in Iraq and it ran Lebanon as a virtual dominion for 15 years until it was ousted in 2005. More recently, it has reasserted its influence in Beirut, partly by backing a Shia party-cum-militia, Hizbullah, which in turn is sponsored by Iran, Syria's biggest friend in the region. It hosts a “rejectionist” alliance that refuses to recognise Israel and eggs on Hamas, the harshest of the main Palestinian guerrilla groups. Indeed, it has cosied up to a variety of Arab terrorist groups over the years, and has condoned and connived at the assassination of people who seek to cross it. This has brought it many enemies. Relations with Saudi Arabia and Jordan have often been frosty. With Egypt under Hosni Mubarak they were icier still. Over the years, Syria has had difficult dealings with Turkey, its beefiest neighbour, though they have improved. In short, Syria has been a regional nuisance but one that can rarely be ignored or kept down for long.
There was a time when Mr Assad promised something better. An ophthalmologist by profession, he became the heir to his father, Hafez Assad, an air force general who ruled ruthlessly from 1970 until his death in 2000, only because his abrasive older brother had been killed in a car crash. He made tentative steps towards loosening things up. He let a few dissidents out of prison, sounded ready to negotiate with Israel, put out feelers to the West and, more recently, befriended Turkey. Many Syrians seemed willing to trade stability for freedom in a turbulent region. The Assads, themselves hailing from the minority Alawite branch of Shia Islam, have mostly managed to keep a sectarian peace between various religions and denominations, with Christians, among others, enjoying security.
But this stability has always been underpinned by coercion and the threat of force. As soon as the democracy bug began to spread earlier this year, Mr Assad wavered between promises of reform and growls of repression. Once the demonstrations gathered momentum, he chose repression. Already the death toll may exceed 450, with the scale of bloodshed rising fast. Few forget that when an Islamist revolt erupted in 1982 in the town of Hama, Assad père killed some 20,000 people. In the son's ruling circle the same old security apparatus remains paramount and the same grim logic seems to prevail.
If the West deems it right to bomb Libya in an effort to force the murderous Muammar Qaddafi from power, why not do the same to Syria? The answer is entirely pragmatic. Most Libyans inhabit a thin coastal strip connected by one big road that can be policed from the air; Syria's geography is complex. Moreover, Colonel Qaddafi is far more isolated and derided by his fellow Arabs than Mr Assad is. The Arab League, the UN Security Council and countless Libyans have all endorsed the Western assault on Libya. No such constellation has come together over Syria, and it is unthinkable at present for Western leaders to intervene militarily in the face of widespread local objections.
The mood in the region may change. Turkey, vaunting itself as a rising power, has the most clout: as one of Syria's main trading partners it should be pressing Mr Assad harder to call off the tanks and give his people a proper electoral choice. Egypt, renewing its authority as a regional giant, should do the same. If the Arab spring is to flourish, the Arabs must lead the way. There may be time, yet, for Mr Assad to back down. If he did, the Arab spring really might turn into summer.Would you enjoy a chocolate chip cookie... if I told you there were cockroaches baked into it?
Whoa! The look on your face says it all. Let me see if I can talk you into taking a bite anyway.
"There are some delicious chocolate chips in there!" I could say, which would be... a true statement indeed. (Hmmm. You're still looking a little green.)
"Cockroaches are harmless protein," is another perfectly valid argument I could make. "They certainly aren't going to hurt you!" (Ummm, OK, now you're making gag-reflex noises.)
Let's try this:
"Listen, chocolate chip cookies are your favorite, you're not going to let some unpleasant crunchy dead insect parts here and there ruin this, are you?"
So!
Who wants a chockroach chip cookie?
This, ladies and gentlemen, is essentially what Warner Bros., DC Comics and Zack Snyder (via Joss Whedon) are asking you to ingest with Justice League – a very big, soft, fresh-out-of-the-oven supercookie with hunks of gooey chocolate chips and also bits of dead cockroaches.
If a dog ate a box of neon crayons and puked on a casino hotel hallway carpet, you'd have the color palette
"But you can just eat around the yucky parts!" seems to be the sentiment of those who've sampled it already. And honestly, if you could do that without getting totally grossed out, here's what you may enjoy from the experience:
Superman, the character, has been somewhat course-corrected since Batman v Superman and Man of Steel. He's hopeful again, mostly upbeat, and that's good. The Flash, as played by a wide-eyed Ezra Miller, is kind of funny and charming! Danny Elfman's score has some great musical Easter eggs that I won't spoil here – if you go, be sure to listen for them.
And I can confirm that Wonder Woman is indeed in the movie. She doesn't get a whole lot to do besides fight and roll her eyes at the dumb boys – "children" is the word she uses to describe them, cue mild laughter – but hey, at least she showed up.
And truly, the "team dynamic" part of Justice League – the very thing Joss Whedon was hired to come in and punch up when Zack Snyder was pointed toward the exits – arrives in OK shape. They got the one fundamental part right.
Let's call the "league" feeling of Justice League the actual dough of this cockroach cookie.
Now. About those cockroaches.
The very first thing you see is the RatPac-Dune logo
Ugh. What a way to start. Someone booed the title card at Monday night's premiere in Hollywood while everyone else sat in awkward silence. Most of the ticket-buying public probably won't even realize that this is the financing company owned by Brett Ratner, the disgraced director/producer who's been kicked off the Warners lot for alleged sexual assault and helped pay for this mess. For those who do, it's a bummer right out of the box.
Henry Cavill's invisible mustache is a total disaster
From the very first frames of this film, it's a problem. Who knew that a little bit of facial hair (which the actor refused to shave for Whedon's copious reshoots) could present such a challenge for digital makeup artists who are used to removing all manner of flaws, including double-chins and terrible hangovers, from movie stars? Superman winds up looking like a CGI character from The Polar Express, in scene after scene, and it's terribly distracting. It's unconscionable that any studio executive would look at Cavill's creepy wax-figure appearance in 2/3 of his scenes and go "You know what? That's good enough for the biggest character in our top franchise. Print it." Shame on them.
The villain is utterly throwaway, yet again
Big, loud, dumb and ugly – that's "Steppenwolf," the mythical demon creature that's uniting the League. He's exactly like Ares, and that's a disgrace. He's boring and he looks ridiculous, like one of the weightless horned wights from a fantasy video game. The monsters of Warcraft looked more tactile. |
is a syntax for describing syntax. It's used to write a formal representation of a context-free grammar. If that doesn't sound abstract enough for you, a grammar doesn't have to be a programming language or even a human language — it can be any syntax that you want to describe.
I first encountered BNF when working on the 1992 ANSI standard for DIBOL, which contained a complete BNF syntactic specification for that language (it was 11 pages long). The exercise of defining the language in BNF helped the committee rigorously work out the details of its syntax. One of the language implementers also fed this BNF into Yet Another Compiler Compiler (yacc) to help build their compiler for their next version, so they could guarantee that it complied syntactically with the specification. That's where BNF really shines: Once you have a solid syntactic definition in BNF, you can use tools to rigorously parse the syntax it describes, without having to invent code that implements the specification, or rely on your mastery of Regular Expressions.
BNF uses a declarative syntax that allows you to define terms via "production rules." Each rule contains terms that each have more concrete rules until you get down to "terminals," which are terms that we can only describe as specific characters (literal values). Thus, for instance, if we wanted to describe the syntax for calling a shell command named "fred" that takes one required non-negative numeric value as its argument, we could express it like this:
<call-fred> ::= fred <whitespace> <number> <eol> <whitespace> ::= <space-char> | <space-char> <whitespace> <space-char> ::= \s | \t <number> ::= <digit> | <digit> <number> <digit> ::= 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 <eol> ::=
| <whitespace>
Each of the identifiers in angle-brackets is the name of a term. A line beginning with the term name, followed by "::=" and the components that make up the term forms the term's production rule. The terminals in the above are the literal values that aren't enclosed in angle-brackets. The "|" operator provides a logical "or." As in functional programming languages, we use recursion to describe variable-length lists like <number> and <whitespace>.
Many variants to the above syntax have emerged. Extended Backus-Naur Form (EBNF) provides a number of enhancements and simplifications. By requiring quotation marks around literal values, we can dispense with a lot of other punctuation. We can therefore express our example above in a form that seems more simple and familiar to programmers:
call-fred = "fred", whitespace, number, eol whitespace = space-char, { space-char } space-char = " " | "\t" number = digit, { digit } digit = "0" | "1" | "2" | "3" | "4" | "5" | "6" | "7" | "8" | "9" eol = [ whitespace ], "
"
Note the use of braces to indicate "zero or more," and square brackets for optional items. Some variants also use the Regex-like asterisk "*" trailing a term to indicate zero or more, as well as "+" for one or more.
For a more useful example, let's describe the syntax of comma-separated values (CSVs).
csv-file = { row } row = field-list, eol field-list = field, [ ",", field-list ] field = [ whitespace ], field-value, [ whitespace ] field-value = quoted-string | bare-string quoted-string = '"', quoted-content, '"' quoted-content = { quoted-char } quoted-char = (any char except '"' or eol) bare-string = { bare-char } bare-char = (any char except ',' or eol) whitespace = space-char, { space-char } space-char = " " | "\t" eol = "
"
In the first rule, we define a CSV file as a series of zero or more rows. A row is a list of fields, followed by an end-of-line character. The list of fields has at least one field (even though that field can have zero length). A comma and another list of fields can optionally follow (note the recursion). An individual field may have whitespace on either end, and the field value may be either a quoted string or a bare string. A quoted string may not contain a quote, and a bare string may not contain a comma.
In a future article, we'll see how we can transform this definition into code that parses a CSV file.Burglary and low donations threaten Christmas for thousands of children Copyright by WJBF - All rights reserved Children could go without because someone stole toys from Toys for Tots. [ + - ] Video
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) - The local chapter of a national organization issued a call for help to restore Christmas to thousands of children in the CSRA. It happened at the previous storage site of the Marine Toys for Tots. Coordinator Grace Anderson spoke with NewsChannel 6 about what took place.
"As you can see we only have enough to probably do about four agencies and normally we service a total of 85," she said.
Only a handful of agencies can expect to see toy deliveries from the local Marine Toys for Tots. Two months before Christmas someone nearly wiped the warehouse clean. An incident report filed with the Richmond County Sheriff's Office states the burglary happened between October 18 and October 20. Anderson told the responding deputy she and Toys for Tots employees moved some items from the warehouse inside the old Winn-Dixie on Gordon Highway on the 18th, and when they returned found out several items were missing.
"They stole 58 bikes, about $25,000 worth of toys, they stole desks, computers, chairs," Anderson said adding Marine clothing and plywood was also stolen.
Very few toys remain. Just a handful of bikes and a few boxes of toys. In the midst of the frustration, Anderson received some good news. Nationally syndicated radio host Bobby Bones heard the story of the crime and he said he's going to donate $5,000.
Bones said during an on the phone interview with DuBose, "I screen a lot of news and I saw the story and it was nothing more than 'Wow there may be kids that don't get a bike for Christmas who don't normally get a bike and maybe that was their only present.'"
The Nashville based radio host said he's been to Augusta a few times and even attended a Masters tournament. But knowing that children will be without toys was a truth that hit home.
"I grew up very poor without a mom," he described. "My dad had a lot of addiction problems. Without people like church groups and people stepping in I wouldn't have been able to have Christmas."
Anderson said donations this year are down too. She told us sites that normally collect such as Walmart usually bring in about five boxes. But this year, it's down to one.
"We actually have about 12,000 boxes out," she reassured. "They're not filling them up."
To donate to this cause, visit the warehouse at 1545 15th Street in Augusta. Anderson said monetary donations as well as toys can be accepted. She added that monetary donations help because Toys for Tots can receive discounted toys for Toys R Us. Donations can also be made through the Toys for Tots website here.
Toys for Tots will hold an event at S.H.A.R.P.E. Shooters in Augusta Saturday at 10:00 a.m. Shooters are asked to bring a toy worth $10 or more.
Photojournalist: Gary HippsJeremy Corbyn has issued his strongest criticism to date of Russia’s actions in Syria, saying there is “no excuse” for attacks on civilian targets.
The Russian-backed Assad regime has launched a final assault on Syria’s second city of Aleppo, leading to reports of mass executions of civilians and other atrocities.
Mr Corbyn has written to the Prime Minister to demand an “urgent and concerted effort” at the United Nations to secure a ceasefire and humanitarian corridors in the affected areas.
Britain and France today called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the bloodshed, but Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said Assad’s supporters Russia and Iran “have the future of Syria in their hands”.
The Labour leader has drawn criticism in the past for ambivalent statements, including his spokesman claiming that focusing on Russian bombing of civilians “diverts attention” from the crimes of others in the conflict.
In his letter to Theresa May, Mr Corbyn wrote: “The international legal system was born from the ashes of World War Two to militate against the recurrence of such atrocities yet this is effectively being dismantled in Syria. The rules of war are being broken on all sides.
“Labour has long condemned all attacks on civilian targets, including those by Russian and pro-Syrian government forces in Aleppo, for which there can be no excuse. We strongly believe that those responsible for violations of International Humanitarian Law in Aleppo and more widely in Syria should be held to account.”
A spokesman for the Labour leader added: “Jeremy has repeatedly condemned the Russian military intervention and bombing campaign in Syria and called for an independent investigation of evidence of war crimes.”
High-profile Labour backbenchers earlier challenged Mr Corbyn to speak out against left-wing newspaper the Morning Star, which ran a headline describing the operation in Aleppo as a "liberation”.
'ALEPPO WILL RISE AGAIN'
Meanwhile, the House of Commons today held an emergency debate about the desperate situation in Aleppo.
Mr Johnson responded for the Government and downplayed the possibility of the UK carrying out aid drops in besieged areas because the planes would be “sitting ducks” for militants.
Instead, he said it fell to Russia and Iran to end the bloodshed, and warned Assad that his victory in Aleppo "will turn to ashes in his mouth".
He said: "To those who ask what we would do, let’s turn the question around and ask: Do Russia and Iran want to stand behind Assad in this futile and indefinite struggle to subdue Syria? Do they want to be with him siege for siege, barrel bomb for barrel bomb, gas attack for gas attack, as the tyrant reduces his country to ashes?
"In the months or perhaps years ahead, does Russia still wish to be dispatching warplanes to bomb Syrian cities while casting votes in the Security Council on behalf of Assad, a man for whom they have no great regard?..
“It’s up to them. It’s up the Russians, it’s up to Iran. They have the future of Syria in their hands. This is one of the darkest hours in Aleppo’s four millennia of recorded history.
“One day that city will rise again, and one day Britain will be amongst the countries that helps restore Aleppo to the greatness it once had. That day may now seem far off, but it will come all the faster if the Russians and the Iranians do the right thing, abandon their puppet and go forward with a peaceful political solution which is the only way forward.”
Mr Johnson also joined George Osborne in lamenting the House of Commons' decision in August 2013 to oppose military strikes on the Assad regime in response to its use of chemical weapons.
"Ever since that vote our ability to influence events in Syria or to protect civilians or to compel the delivery of aid has been severely limited. The dictator was left to do his worst, along with his allies Russia and Iran, and the bloodiest tragedy of the 21st century has since unfolded.”IN THE photographs the young mother lies on a clinic bed, her hair obscuring her face. She appears as inert as the baby lying beside her. But 23-year-old Feng Jianmei is still alive, whereas her baby girl is not. The baby was killed while still in the womb by an injection arranged by local family-planning officials. They restrained Ms Feng, who was seven months pregnant, and then induced her to give birth to the dead baby.
Even three years ago, Ms Feng's suffering might have gone unnoticed outside the remote village in the north-western province of Shaanxi where she lives—just another statistic in China's family-planning programme. But her relatives uploaded the graphic pictures onto the internet, and soon microblogs had flashed them to millions of people across the country. Chinese citizens expressed their outrage online. It is not just the treatment of Ms Feng that they deplore. It is the one-child policy itself.
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Prominent voices joined in the criticism. “The outrageous and violent forced- abortion incident in June is not unique to Shaanxi”, wrote Liang Jianzhang, on Sina Weibo, China's version of Twitter. Mr Liang is chief executive of Ctrip, one of China's most successful travel companies. “Abolition of the absurd family-planning policy is the only way to root out this kind of evil,” he went on. Mr Liang's post has been retweeted more than 18,000 times.
The scandal is a blow to the one-child policy's public image, says He Yafu, a demographer and critic of the policy. That image has never been good, even if in recent years many learned to live with it. In 1983, 14m women had abortions organised by family-planning committees (many of them coerced). In 2009, there were 6m. The number has declined in recent years as local officials have more incentives to impose fines on extra births rather than prevent them altogether.
The fine for having extra children is known as the “social maintenance fee”. Mr He estimates the government has collected over 2 trillion yuan ($314 billion) in such fees since 1980. Failure to pay means the second “black” child cannot obtain a household-registration document, or hukou, which brings with it basic rights such as education. The amount of the fine varies from place to place. A husband and wife in Shanghai will each pay 110,000 yuan ($17,300), three times the city's average annual post-tax income, for a second child. The fine increases with income. The rich can shell out millions.
For Ms Feng, living in a rural area, the fine was lower—40,000 yuan. She was given the option to pay and keep the baby, but could not afford it. Her husband, Deng Jiyuan, earns 4,000 yuan ($630) a month at the local hydroelectric power station, but needed more to pay the fine. So on May 30th he set off for the coal mines of Inner Mongolia to boost his income. It was then that family-planning officials swooped.
At first a dozen officials tried to force Ms Feng into a car. She fled to an aunt's house, but they broke through the gate, so she escaped to the mountains nearby, where she hid under a bed in the house of a friend. “They laughed when they found her,” says Mr Deng. An official forced her to sign a form (in theory, consent is needed) and after an injection into her belly Ms Feng gave birth to the dead baby 30 hours later.
Not the only one
The public telling of Ms Feng's story has come as others were already assailing the one-child policy. Yang Zhizhu is one of a handful of people who have publicly criticised the heavy fines. He calls them China's “terror fee”. Mr Yang and his wife refused to pay a fine for their second daughter. The transgression cost Mr Yang his job as a law professor. In April a sum of 240,300 yuan was taken from his wife's account. In protest he launched an online “begging” campaign through his microblog account.
Another reason the hold of the one-child policy has been weakening is that it is so full of loopholes. In 2007 a family-planning official estimated that the one-child policy applied to less than 40% of the population. The right personal connections can secure discounts on fines. Couples in rural areas have long been allowed to have a second child if the first is a girl. Many other rules seem almost arbitrary. In Shanghai if either man or wife works in the fishing industry and has been going to sea for five years, the couple may have a second child without facing punishment.
But no loophole could help Feng Jianmei. On June 14th the provincial government apologised to Ms Feng, and said family-planning officials in Shaanxi would be fired. But that deals with the symptoms not the cause. “I had no money to pay the fine,” says her husband. “But does that mean we should suffer the grief of losing a child?”Did any of the "LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIAARRS LIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSS" people follow their last development update?It was pretty up front about everything:"According to Todd Howard, we're not seeing TES VI for a very long time. In a recent YouTube Live at E3 interview with Geoff Keighley, Mr. Howard talked openly about current and future Bethesda Game Studios projects. When being asked about TES VI, Todd Howard confirmed that they're currently working on it but implied that we won't hear about TES 6 for a really long time.Todd Howard actually went as far as saying that we'll see the 2 other projects BGS is working on, before the next The Elder Scrolls installment. Bethesdas VP of Marketing, Pete Hines also stated almost a year ago that we won't hear about the next TES game for a very long time.The most surprising part though is Todd Howard mentioning that the technology for TES VI just isn't out there yet, for what they're planning to do. "Plausibly one of the two projects is a mobile game, but the other sounds distinctly like something that would be a new IP given they were both referred to as large projects.SERIOUS discussions are being held about the potential for a mega-WWE pay per view event held at the MCG in 2018, according to a report.
The pro wrestling juggernaut is considering holding a sequel to its Global Warning Tour event, held in 2002 at Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium in front of over 56,000 people, according to Pro Wrestling Sheet.
The event would be held at the MCG in October 2018 and broadcast on both pay per view and the company’s streaming service, WWE Network.
While the news has not been confirmed, the reported timing makes some sense, given that WWE could squeeze in between the AFL and cricket seasons.
The Rock and Triple H were two-thirds of the main event of 2002’s Global Warning Tour show in Melbourne. Source: News Limited
WWE traditionally tours Australia in July or August, in front of packed houses at venues like Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne or Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney.
But it is unclear how WWE would gain an audience big enough to go from that to packing out the 100,000-plus capacity MCG, unless the card was truly stacked — or featured a local star.
There are no Australians currently on WWE’s main roster. Emma left the company earlier this year while Buddy Murphy, Billie Kay and Peyton Royce all feature to varying degrees in NXT.
The event could theoretically be held in the late morning or early afternoon in Australia, as that would then be broadcasted in the US at around 8 or 9pm, depending on the status of daylight savings.
In 2002, an international wrestling-starved audience packed out what was then called Colonial Stadium for the Global Warning Tour event which was main evented by a triple threat of The Rock v Triple H v Brock Lesnar. It was WWE’s first show in Australia since the 1980s.Arizona Cardinals receiver John Brown had a 2016 season to forget. Coming off a season in which he had more than 1,000 yards, his production fell off in 2016. He caught only 39 passes 517 yards and two touchdowns.
It was discovered he had sickle cell trait, which sapped his energy and caused leg pain. By the end of the year, he was able to contribute, but only about 25 snaps a game.
It turns out sickle cell trait wasn’t his only issue. He had a cyst on his spine that was discovered after the season, according to the official team site.
Once removed, “I was back to normal,” he said.
Hopefully, that is the case moving forward.
The cyst actually makes more sense of things. He dealt with leg pain last year. It seemed strange that sickle cell trait would cause so much trouble so quickly. Other players, like former teammate Jerraud Powers just finished an eight-year NFL career with the trait. He knew he had it a long time ago and it never hindered his playing the way Brown was held back last season.
His trait combined with the cyst made for a miserable year.
With his condition under control and the cyst removed, he should be poised for a big year.Joe Lusk started from nothing. This is not a name sprung from a legacy of family. This is a story of humble beginnings, and blazing trails.
Joe was born in Hackensack, New Jersey, but he grew up in Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania.
In 2001, at the age of three, Joe received a go-kart as a Christmas gift. His quick adaptation and control at such an early age prompted his parents to invest in a racing go-kart, putting these skills to the test.
Racing turned into Lusk’s future, quickly consuming his life. Over a hundred local karting wins later, Joe moved from a kart to a micro sprint car.
Always showing an innate ability to quickly learn the next car, Joe built on his success in karts, amassing a multitude of micro sprint car wins. At 15, he then moved to dirt pro-stock. Joe won his first race in a stock car on night one, setting up for three more rookie season wins. A year later he won half the races he competed in, en-route to a track championship.
Joe then moved to a dirt late model. Many were surprised at how quickly he learned not only how to drive the car, but also how to be quick in it. Joe won his first heat race and set up a solid two years of consistent performance, with many podium finishes.
Currently, Joe is keeping up high marks at Pennsylvania College of Technology, majoring in web design and interactive media. Joe also works in technology support at Jersey Shore Area School District.Palestinian leaders on Saturday mourned the death of former Cuban president Fidel Castro, hailing the iconic revolutionary president as a longtime supporter of the Palestinian cause and a comrade in the struggle against “Zionist imperialism.”
Castro, who died on Friday in Havana at the age of 90, was remembered by various Palestinian Authority groups for his close relationship with late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, and early support of “armed resistance” against Israel.
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a secular, socialist Palestinian terrorist group, was among the first organizations to mourn Castro’s death in a statement that praised the late Cuban leader for “consistently [standing] with the oppressed peoples of the world in their confrontation with imperialism, Zionism, racism and capitalism.”
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“Cuba stood with the Palestinian people and their liberation movement in all facets of international struggle, building a revolutionary alliance for collective movement against imperialism, colonialism and its particular manifestation in Palestine, Zionism,” a statement posted on the PFLP website on Saturday said. “Zionism has been a key weapon of racist oppression, a fact recognized by Fidel Castro and the Cuban people and state.”
The Palestinian National Council, the Palestinian Democratic Union and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine also released statements mourning the passing of the revolutionary icon.
According to the Palestinian news agency Ma’an, DFLP Secretary-General Nayif Hawatmeh on Saturday said “the departure of the comrade, the leader, the friend, the great revolutionist, the patriot, and the nationalist Fidel Castro is a great loss for all revolutionist and nationalist forces around the world.”
Castro, who ruled Cuba from 1959 until 2006, was a staunch supporter of Palestinian self-determination, and often leveled harsh criticism of Israel’s policies vis-à-vis the Palestinians.
In 1973, in the wake of the Yom Kippur War, Castro unilaterally cut diplomatic relations with Israel as he sought to strengthen ties with Arab states in the Non-Aligned Movement.
Castro developed close diplomatic and personal ties with Arafat, and during a 1974 visit to Havana, he awarded the Palestinian leader the Bay of Pigs Medal, one of the country’s highest decorations for his “struggle against imperialism, colonialism and neo-colonialism.”
In the 1980s, Castro’s Cuba supported the Palestinian Liberation Organization and provided military support for the Fatah movement as well as training for Palestinian terrorists during the First Intifada in 1987.
In 2014, he accused Israel of committing a “Palestinian Holocaust in Gaza,” and described the military offensive against Hamas and other terror groups that summer as a “new, repugnant form of fascism.”
In a brief conciliatory moment however, Castro in 2010 told American journalist Jeffrey Goldberg of the Atlantic that Israel has “without a doubt” the right to exist as a Jewish state and that he had “nothing but sympathy” for the persecution of Jews through history.
The bearded revolutionary, who survived a crippling US trade embargo as well as dozens, possibly hundreds, of assassination plots, died Friday, eight years after ill health forced him to formally hand power over to his younger brother.
Castro’s reign over the island-nation 90 miles from Florida was marked by the US-backed Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961 and the Cuban Missile Crisis a year later that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war.
AP contributed to this report.Welcome to another Good e-Reader Comparison Video! Today we compare all of the current generation Kobo e-Readers directly against each other. Conduct a nighttime reading test of the Kobo Glo, Kobo Aura and Kobo Aura HD. This will give you a sense on how the same book looks on all three devices.
The Front-lit screens that allow you to read in the dark has undergone constant refinement as each generation is released. Many people often wonder how the glowing display looks side by side and if its a viable reason to upgrade devices. We have seen from our own data that e-reader owners are the least likely to upgrade whenever a new model comes out. If you have the Kobo Glo, should you upgrade to the Aura? In this video we lay it all out, so you can judge for yourself.1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) may have dodged the RM2 billion (S$756.8 million) debt bullet for now, but the reputational blow suffered by the debt-saddled state-backed firm from the crisis could prove tough to recover from.
1MALAYSIA Development Berhad (1MDB) may have dodged the RM2 billion (S$756.8 million) debt bullet for now, but the reputational blow suffered by the debt-saddled state-backed firm from the crisis could prove tough to recover from.
This loan, twice rolled over since last November to end-January this year, that was owed by the controversial firm to Malaysian banks had set off deep concerns of a looming default risk in the country.
The episode, among others, also fanned worries that the firm was beginning to feel the impact of being crushed under a huge debt strain; as at end March 2014, loss-making 1MDB's debt had ballooned to RM42 billion from RM36 billion a year ago.
Last Friday, 1MDB broke its silence and issued a statement that it had fully settled the debt.
sentifi.com Market voices on:
"I can now confirm that 1MDB has settled, in full, a RM2 billion loan owed by an operating subsidiary of ours to Malaysian banks. The loan was settled in advance of the due date, per the terms of the loan facility agreement," said 1MDB's boss Arul Kanda Kandasamy.
It was a statement that was meant to placate worried Malaysians, although the firm may have been overzealous in referring to it as "advance" repayment, a term best employed when debt is settled before its original maturity date and less so, when it was refinanced less than a year ago and rolled over twice - for a month - and settled days before the extended grace period was up to avert a default.
"With the settlement of this loan, I reaffirm 1MDB's commitment to continue meeting all our debt obligations as they become due," Mr Arul added.
No other details were provided but it was widely believed that the funds for 1MDB to repay the loan involved Malaysian tycoon Ananda Krishnan - indeed, a glaring anomaly for Malaysia Inc when a private entrepreneur's aid is required to help settle a state-owned firm's debt dilemma.
Even so, over the weekend, Mr Arul was reported to have quashed as speculation the notion that Malaysia's second richest man, Mr Krishnan, had helped the firm resolve its debt woes.
Details aside, if 1MDB's financial troubles were mostly perceived as baseless suspicions by alarmists in the past, there now appears to be a growing number of believers that real trouble may be lurking in the six-year-old firm.
There are plenty more fires to fight - high interest costs, a sizeable debt burden that needs to be settled, a desperately-needed stock offering which may be uncertain now - as Mr Arul tears through 1MDB's operations to come up with a strategic turnaround plan.
But another crisis could soon unfold if as, The Business Times had reportedly recently, 1MDB walks way from its much-vaunted 2,000 megawatts power plant project called Project 3B that it had tied up with Japan's Mitsui & Co to undertake.
It's a confounding move which could have several jarring repercussions.
For one thing, could 1MDB still push ahead with the initial public offering and woo investors' monies with its most prized asset - Project 3B is only one of two greenfield projects in its energy portfolio of largely old power plants - out of the equation? More importantly, if it does indeed scrap the IPO, how will the firm settle its debt woes?
Walking away from Project 3B also dilutes 1MDB's long-held commercial argument that it had not over-paid for the power assets bought from Mr Krishnan three years ago as these assets held the firm in good stead to bid for other coal and gas-fired plants.
More importantly, another key question arises. Last September, according to 1MDB's latest accounts, it had coughed up a considerable amount of money - reportedly at least RM830 million - to Abu Dhabi's Aabar Investments to cancel an option for Aabar to pick up a stake in the future IPO of its energy assets; the payout was likely based on the valuation of the assets then, which would have included Project 3B.
Was 1MDB too hasty in scrapping Aabar's options to partake in a stock offering, which portfolio may be downsized and prospects look murky right now? And did 1MDB overpay to do that, at a time when it had other crucial debt obligations to meet? Back to you, Mr Arul.It’s been a week since we moved into our new office, and the walls don’t seem to be decorating themselves:
Our Welcome Area is currently less than welcoming.
Nancy shows off her bowling trophy. Note the bare walls in the background.
This wall looks like something Mark Rothko threw up.
Minimalism is for weenies. Long live ornamentation!
This plotter yearns for your SketchUp deliciousness. Note: In a grand stroke of irony, someone (who shall remain nameless) has accidentally plotted out the instructions for setting up a networked printer.
John (left) is crazed with relief as the new espresso machine is unwrapped. Tom (right) finds a better home for our previous caffeination solution. We have Scott (on behalf of our old friends at Google) to thank for our soon-to-be soaring productivity.
Here’s what we’d like you to do: Send us your best-looking SketchUp images so that we can print them out and hang them up. As we get to work on the future of our beloved product, we want to be positively swimming in visual inspiration.in it. When visitors come to the SketchUp Mothership, we want their eyes to pop out, dance the Charleston, sing Hallelujah and burst into flames. Inundate us with your imagery.Stylistically, anything goes: raw SketchUp, photo-renderings, LayOut files, pictures of 3D printed stuff—we want it all. And we’re planning to print BIG, too. The last thing we grabbed as we headed out the door was a mammoth HP plotter; it prints 36 inches (about a meter) wide.Please email your images to us at sketchupblog@gmail.com. Make sure that the images you send are of sufficient size: about 3000px should do nicely, packaged as JPEGs. Lastly, please include the phrase “SketchUp Wall Candy” in the subject of your email. After we’ve had time to decorate, I’ll take some pictures and blog again. Help us un-ugly our temporary space!On another note, something momentous occurred today. Scott (our old boss, and now the Boulder Site Director at Google) brought us a housewarming present: a beautiful, new espresso machine. I think I'll top off my firstwith aproductivity is about to soar.Posted by Aidan Chopra, SketchUp Evangelist| |There are calls for the Commerce Commission to take decisive action on the illegal practises of truck shops that sell door-to-door in New Zealand's poorest communities.
The consumer watchdog has released the damning results of its year-long investigation of mobile traders, commonly known as truck shops.
It found trucks were offering goods perceived as desirable by their target market of lower socio-economic customers, but at a lower quality than the goods in mainstream retail outlets.
READ MORE:
* Concern over home sales trucks
* Are new consumer protection laws toothless?
* Poor paying $20 for a can of baked beans
Truck shops were charging significantly higher prices than for comparable goods in normal shops and charging extra fees such as default fees for missed or cancelled payments, establishment fees and cancellation fees.
"The number of complaints we receive about the business practice of mobile traders has increased markedly in recent years," commissioner Anna Rawlings said
"We had anecdotal evidence that some of the most vulnerable members of our community were being given confusing or deceptive information by mobile traders, particularly over the total price of their purchases.
"We have taken action over mobile trader complaints before, but this project was a chance to delve deeper into the business practices of mobile traders and the extent to which they are complying with the law."
Commission staff visited 32 mobile traders around the country.
All but one, Home Direct, were found not to comply with their obligations under the Fair Trading Act and the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act. Two traders are under investigation.
Issues identified included making it difficult for customers to cancel agreements, obtaining multiple signed direct debit forms, continuing to take payments after an item was paid for, misleading and confusing representations and a range of disclosure issues.
Lawyer Catriona MacLennan, who has researched truck shops this year, said the amount of non-compliance was a shock.
But she said the commission should have done more than just tell the other 29 traders what changes were needed.
"I'm pleased the Commerce Commission is trying to deal with this issue but we need robust enforcement action.
"We have known for a long time there are problems with these trucks, we should be past the stage of warning and educating."
MacLennan said the trucks should immediately be banned from selling food and an interest rate cap should be imposed.
Labour MP Kris Faafoi has drafted a member's bill that would introduce such a cap.
Raewyn Fox, chief executive of the Federation of Family Budgeting Services, said banning the truck shops was not the answer because it would just push them underground.
"There is obviously a market for them otherwise there would not be an expanding number of people trading."
She said the Commerce Commission results were no surprise and mirrored her organisation's experience of the sector.
Budget advisers dealt with people who had problems with the operators being misleading around prices and being hard to contact after a purchase, she said.
Home Direct managing director Michael Wright said he thought the report was balanced and addressed the issues in the wider industry.
He said his own truck shops' prices were regularly checked against mainstream retailers and were comparable for most categories.
It was only whiteware and electrical goods where it was hard to match the prices offered by the bigger retailers, he said
Rawlings said customers were attracted to the convenience of mobile traders and the low weekly or fortnightly payments.
She said many offered easy credit as they did not do credit checks.
"While the total price of an item may be significantly higher than in other stores, sometimes more than double, the relatively low repayments, often as little as $10 per week, were attractive."
" Currently there is no law in New Zealand that restricts the prices or interest rates traders can charge, other than the CCCFA requiring that interest charges are not oppressive," Rawlings said.
"We will be revisiting the traders we have given compliance advice to in the coming months to check they have made changes and are now complying with the law.
"In the event they have not we will take further enforcement action, including criminal and civil proceedings where appropriate."
Checks on truck shops will be made as part of a second commission mobile trader project over the next 12 months.If you’d have asked me a few years ago to think up the most outlandish thing I might do in my life, running a mountain ultra starting and finishing at Dracula’s castle in Transylvania wouldn’t have even been close.
It’s such a big departure from the norm but last weekend Ally and I were on the steps to Bran castle waiting to go at 6am.
We signed up for the 50km race (there’s a 100k option too) a few months back and it would be our first overseas race to celebrate Ally’s 40th birthday earlier in the year and although it was a flying visit we planned to do the race (2 nights in Bran) and then have an extra night in Bucharest on the way back to at least sample the city too.
Race Day
Our target was to finish what we knew from last years race reports would be a brutally tough (11,000ft of ascent) mountain race so we made sure not to get caught up in any massed sprint from the castle start and settled into the power hike that we maintained for the duration of the race.
The start and finish point – Dracula’s Castle in Bran
The course runs you briefly though Bran (which is a very small town) before turning up towards the first climb of a very tough start that effectively sees you climbing from the start up to the highest point (6,500ft) of the course at about 12.5 miles. |
cyclists.
Cambridgeshire Police & Crime Commissioner Sir Graham Bright has also said helmets should be mandatory for cyclists – a call countered by Cambridge MP Julian Huppert, who is co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group.
It was also a week in which two London cyclists were seriously injured and one killed in collisions with large vehicles.
On Tuesday afternoon, 62-year-old Brian Holt was killed in a collision with a tipper truck while riding on Barclays Cycle Superhighway CS2 on Mile End Road.
That evening, another male cyclist aged in his sixties suffered sever head injuries when he was struck by a coach turning left from Vernon Place onto Southampton Row in Holborn.
On Wednesday evening, a female cyclist sustained severe leg injuries when she was dragged beneath a lorry at the junction of Mortimer Street and Langham Place close to Oxford Circus.
Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Johnson had officially opened the new Bow to Stratford section of Barclays Cycle Superhighway CS2, which includes safety features such as segregate cycle lanes that have been welcomed by cyclists’ organisations such as the London Cycling Campaign.In the final NBA draft he presided over, in 2013, David Stern, then the league’s commissioner, shocked the crowd at Barclays Center when he announced that the Cleveland Cavaliers had taken Anthony Bennett with the No. 1 overall pick. A 6-foot-8 power forward who had played one year at Nevada-Las Vegas, Bennett was a surprise selection over Nerlens Noel and other top prospects.
Shortly after the pick, Bennett sat in front of the assembled members of the news media and tried to make sense of it all.
“I’m just as surprised as everyone else,” said Bennett, the first No. 1 pick from Canada.
While many people tried to justify the pick, it quickly proved to be a huge mistake. On Monday, the Brooklyn Nets announced that they had waived him after he had played 23 games for the team, averaging 5 points and 3.4 rebounds. They became the fourth team in four years to give up on Bennett, who is quickly rising on the list of biggest busts in NBA history.
Such lists are generally led by Greg Oden, Kwame Brown, LaRue Martin and Michael Olowokandi. Like Bennett, they were No. 1 picks.
The term “bust” is subjective, of course, but in terms of on-court production, Bennett is 64th in win shares among the 65 No. 1 picks since 1950 who have played in an NBA game. (Win shares is a player statistic that assigns credit for team success to individuals.) The only player with fewer win shares than Bennett’s 0.5 was Mark Workman, who was taken by Milwaukee with the first pick in 1952, when the draft was much more of a crapshoot. Contrast that with Oden, who despite his injuries managed 7.3 win shares in three partial seasons.
Bennett was not quite an unknown when he was drafted by Cleveland, as he had shown up on lists of top 10 prospects. Even so, few considered him a legitimate option at No. 1.
Since then, even among only his peers in the 2013 draft class, Bennett has stood out for a lack of performance. In terms of win shares, he ranks 39th out of the 51 players in that class who have appeared in an NBA game. While that class’s best performers have proved thus far to be Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz (22.6 win shares, taken with the 27th pick) and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks (21, 15th), Bennett is outranked even by lesser-known players like Reggie Bullock (1.6, 25th), Nate Wolters (1.0, 38th) and Sergey Karasev (0.8, 19th).
Bennett is 23 and could have other chances to succeed. The argument that he is a larger bust than someone like Oden relies less on who was taken after him than his lack of production when he was on the court. Oden, infamously taken ahead of Kevin Durant, was felled by injuries, but when healthy, he was effective. Bennett, meanwhile, has found his way into 151 NBA games, 46 more than Oden, yet he has scored in double figures in only 16 games and managed 10 or more rebounds in only six.
Should nothing change, the biggest positive in drafting Bennett might be that he was one of the pieces, along with Andrew Wiggins, that the Cavaliers used to acquire Kevin Love and team him with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. So in a sense, Bennett contributed to a future championship for the Cavaliers, even if he was no longer there.Humans Traded Like Stock Via Birth Certificate Bond
Prior to the 17th century most money was commodity money, typically gold or silver. As the first public bank to “offer accounts not directly convertible to coin”, the Bank of Amsterdam established in 1609 is considered to be the first central bank.
Since then central banks and their international bankers have replaced real value gold and silver with worthless debt creating imitation (counterfeit) currency. It was this printing of this counterfeit money that forced both the USA and Canada into bankruptcy. The US Central Bank called the Federal Reserve Bank forced the USA into bankruptcy in 1933 and Canada soon after.
The United States Federal Government was dissolved by the Emergency Banking Act, March 9, 1933, 48 Stat. 1, Public Law 89-719; Declared by President Roosevelt, being bankrupt and insolvent. H. J. R. 192, 73rd. Congress in session June 5, 1933 – Joint Resolution To Suspend The Gold Standard and Abrogate The Gold Clause dissolved the Sovereign Authority of the United States and the official capacities of all United States Government Offices, Officers and Departments. The United States Federal Government exists today in name only.
The receivers of the United States Bankruptcy are the International Bankers, via the United Nations, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. All United States Offices, Officials, and Departments are now operating within a De facto status in name only under Emergency War Powers.
With the Constitutional Republican form of Government now dissolved, the receivers of the Bankruptcy have adopted a new form of government for the United States. This new form of government is known as a Democracy, being an established Socialist/Communist order under a new governor for America. This act was instituted and established by transferring and/or placing the Office of the Secretary of Treasury to that of the Governor of the International Monetary Fund.
Public Law 94-564, page 8, Section H. R. 13955 reads in part: “The U.S. Secretary of Treasury receives no compensation for representing the United States?”
Gold and silver were such a powerful money during the founding of the United States of America, that the founding fathers declared that only gold and silver coins can be “money” in America. Since gold and silver coinage were heavy and inconvenient for a lot of transactions, they were stored in banks and a claim check was issued as a money substitute.
People traded their coupons as money, or “currency.” Currency is not money, but a money substitute. Redeemable currency must promise to pay a dollar equivalent in gold or silver money. Federal Reserve Notes make no such promises, and are not “money.”
A Federal Reserve Note is a debt obligation of the federal United States government, not “money.” The federal United States government and the U.S. Congress were not and have never been authorized by the Constitution for the United States of America to issue currency of any kind, but only lawful money, – gold and silver coin.
It is essential that we comprehend the distinction between real money, and paper money substitute. One cannot get rich by accumulating money substitutes, one can only get deeper in debt. We the People no longer have any “money.” Most Americans have not been paid any “money” for a very long time, perhaps not in their entire life. The US and Canadian government ceased to have money a long time ago – since 1933.
Then why is income tax money collected if it is not used as government money to pay for government expenses? Your federal income taxes do not go towards financing the operation of your country. United States citizens pay their taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The IRS is not an agency of the US federal government.
It is an agency of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Canadian citizens pay their taxes to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Likewise, the CRA is not an agency of the federal government. It too is an agency of the IMF. All income taxes paid by all Americans and all Canadians eventually end up being deposited with the World Bank/IMF.
The IRS and the CRA are bank appointed bankruptcy receivers for the USA and Canada. When a corporation (the Unites State of America and Canada) goes bankrupt the bank (World Bank/IMF) will step in and appoint a receiver to act on its behalf. All finances generated by the corporations the Unites State of America and Canada are sent directly to the bank because the bank is now providing all the operating finances of those bankrupt corporations.
If our taxes don’t finance the operation of the federal government then what does? Or a better question is, how does the World Bank / IMF (World Bank and IMF are one and the same thing – banking institutions in the anti-sovereignty and negative prefix UN, a prefix meaning “not” United Nations system) provides the operating funds to the corporations of UNITED STATES and CANADA?
They do it via your birth certificate! Most of us have assumed that our birth certificate is just that – a certificate recording the information of our birth and nothing more. The following is taken from Robert Arthur Menard’s book, Bursting Bubbles of Government Deception. It reveals to us just what our birth certificate represents to our governments and the UN created and controlled World Bank.
BIRTH CERTIFICATE. A formal document which certifies as to the date and place of one’s birth and a recitation of his or her parentage, as issued by an official in charge of such records. Furnishing of such is often required to prove one’s age.
A Birth Certificate is a negotiable instrument, a registered security, a stock certificate evidencing, or representing, the preferred stock of the corporation and against which you are the surety; it is a pedigree chattel document establishing the existence of our straw man, a distinct artificial person with a fictitious name; it is a document of title to a straw man; it is a warehouse receipt for your body; delivery receipt; industrial bond between you (flesh-and-blood man or woman) and the industrial society and corporate US Government (artificial person).
In Canada, the original birth certificate is generally created at the PROVINCIAL level (in some rare instances municipal level) via birth documents from the hospital (for which the hospital receives $x# from the PROVINCE for causing the registration of the birth) and passed to the Provincial and Federal levels, and likely elsewhere. Per the definition of “birth” below, the document references both the newborn and the straw man. Certified copies of the birth certificate may be obtained at the Vital Statistics Office. Your birth certificate is one of the kinds of security instrument used by the Government to obtain loans from its creditor, under which it is bankrupt.
BIRTH. The act of being born or wholly brought into separate existence.
A man or a woman is “born”, straw men are “wholly brought into separate existence.” Each event qualifies as a “birth”. The birth certificate documents a muddied mixture of the two events that allows the system to both claim that it is “your” birth certificate yet also claim to hold title to (not ownership of) the corporately coloured straw man.
From Mary Elizabeth: Croft in her book, HOW I CLOBBERED EVERY BUREAUCRATIC CASH-CONFISCATORY AGENCY KNOWN TO MAN, we get the following:
Registration vs. Recording
“Registration” comes from Latin “Rex, Regis” etc. meaning regal. So think about what occurs to whatever you ‘register’ – you hand legal title over to the Crown. When you register anything with the public, it releases legal title to the government corporation and leaves you with only equitable title – the right to use, not own, and for that use you will pay a ‘use’ tax, be it income, sin, sales, property, etc. as opposed to lawful taxes, excise and impost.
So that it doesn’t appear that the government now owns the property which you have registered they put it in a name which so much resembles your own that you won’t suspect it, however, the NAME (capitalized name) is owned by the government. If you choose rather to record your legal title to your property with the public, you maintain your status as Title Owner. This is one of the most important things you can ever learn for the sake of your commercial affairs.
The best example of the effects of registration is the birth certificate. A bankrupt entity – city, state/province, and country – cannot operate in commerce. So how do they manage? Since USA and Canada have been bankrupt for decades, having no substance such as gold and silver to back it, the only asset it has is men and woman and our labour. We are the collateral for the interest on the loan of the World Bank. Each of us is registered, via the application for a birth certificate.
The treasury issues a bond on the birth certificate and the bond is sold at a securities exchange and bought by the Federal Reserve Bank or Bank of Canada, which then uses it as collateral to issue bank notes.
The bond is held in trust for the Feds at the Depository Trust Corporation. We are the sureties on said bonds. Our labour/energy is then payable at some future date. Hence we become the ‘transmitting utility’ for the transmission of energy.
The birth certificate created a FICTION (the name of the baby in upper case letters). The state/province sells the birth certificate to the Commerce Department of the corporations of USA/CA, which in turn places a bond on the birth certificate thereby making it a negotiable instrument, and placing the fiction, called a STRAWMAN, into the warehouse of the corporation of USA/CA. Representation for the created fiction was given to the BAR (British Accredited Registry/Regency), owned and operated by the Crown, for the purpose of contracting the fiction (which most of us think is ourselves) into a third party action.
Do not underestimate the power behind this trick. It is to con (defraud) us into contracting with the Feds so that they can ‘legally’ confiscate our property. All these contracts have only our signature on them because corporate fictions cannot contract (only natural beings have the right to contract – and the right not to contract).
Because there is no full disclosure – we are never told that we have just signed away what we believe to be our property – these contracts are fraudulent, and hence, we are still the lawful owner and the profit earned by the Feds from stealing securities (our property) belongs to us and must go into a fund for our benefit, otherwise it would be fraud. Not wanting to be charged with fraud, the Feds had to create a remedy for us…and hope we wouldn’t discover it.
If you examine your birth certificate you will find a number in red ink that begins with a letter. On the small plastic card the number will appear on the back of the card. On the larger Birth Certificate printed on bank note paper the red number may be on the front.
In the USA this bank note paper comes from the American Bank Note Company, in Canada it comes from the CANADIAN BANK NOTE COMPANY LIMITED. This information can be found along the lower left-hand edge of the note. If you are holding one of these you are holding a certified copy of a bank note in your name that has an alleged value of well over $1,000,000 (one million dollars). The number in red ink is a bond number or a bond tracking number. This bond is legally and lawfully yours. This is the most important fact the World Bank does not want you to know.
Even though the country was bankrupt the banks could not take away your rightsand freedoms, so they forced the government to create an artificial CORPORATION (STRAWMAN) in your name. Then they had you sign fraudulent contracts to accept the privileges and benefits attached to this artificial CORPORATION.
You only signed these contracts for SSN/SIN numbers, registrations and other licenses because you were led to believe this artificial CORPORATION was you and that you were obliged to sign. They did not tell you that by signing these contracts you were signing away your lawful rights and freedoms and giving the government total control of your life, property and labour.
Today, the one simple fact that the World Bank does not want you to find out is that all these contracts are fraudulent and that because of that fact you have always had and still, to this very moment, retain all your lawful rights andfreedoms. We have been deceived into being bound by rules, statutes and “laws” that simply do not apply to human beings.
Apparently you can not cash this birth certificate bond in… but you can use it to pay off any dept you have against you. It’s called “defusing”. If you have a student loan get them to send you a bill for all that you owe, then you go to the treasury and tell them to defuse the loan with your bond certificate.
You can do this with car payments, home payments,… etc.. etc. If someone you know dies penniless you can use his or her birth certificate bond tracking number to pay for a proper burial and to clear all outstanding debt he or she may have. But you can not use it to go out and buy a home, land, car, or toys, only to pay off what you owe.
What does the FBI (an agency originally created with agents of the Secret Service of the Department of the Treasury with the mission of suppressing counterfeiting – failed miserably as the Federal Reserve Note is an illegal counterfeit of the United States Note – and derived from the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887 which became the United States’ (U.S.) first regulatory agency.) have to say about this? The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) regards the instructors and promoters of what they call “Redemption schemes” as fraudsters. The IRS- Internal Revenue Service has included the “straw man” claim in its list of frivolous positions that may result in the imposition of a $5,000 penalty when used as the basis for an inaccurate tax return.
Who is really defrauding who? A fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual. It isn’t the individual person who is “creating” birth certificates, bonds, marriage certificates, vehicle registrations, drivers licenses, property tax and personal income tax using forged legal names – name which are intentionally created to resemble your own and impersonate you – for financial gain.
The sole purpose behind the creation and use of all capital letters names is done to create fabricated legal names such as “CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES”, “GEORGE W BUSH” or “NEW YORK CITY”. Fabricated legal names can then be used to fabricate additional legal names such as “THE PATRIOT ACT”, “NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT”, or “THE FEDERAL RESERVE ACT”.
“Fictions” arise from the law, not the law from fictions. Bastard legal names originate from any judicial/governmental actor that wishes to create them, regardless of whether he/she/it is empowered by law to do so. However, a law can never originate from a fictional foundation that doesn’t exist.
A warrant issued by a judge is invalid if the name of the person described in the warrant is spelled out in all capital letters. As stated before all capital lettering is – “done to create fabricated legal names”. If the warrant describes you using all capital letters it is describing a fabricated (fictional, fake, non-existent) name. You can legally reject any warrant if your name is spelled out in all capital letters. Fabricated legal names are invalid – fictional law without validity. A warrant issued using all capital letters is invalid – a fraud – an intentional deception made to damage another individual. No judge, no court, no lawmakers can issue a warrant against a fabricated (fictional, fake, non-existent) person. A law can never originate from a fictional foundation that doesn’t exist.
Copyright Information: This article was reprinted with permission from Presscore.ca. Please contact the author directly for republishing information.Many Injuries Have Struck Detroit At The Worst Time Of The Season.
Just when Detroit was getting healthy all around, things took a bump in the road after the Thanksgiving loss to Minnesota. Detroit can’t afford to lose a game now, as 11-5 is their best chance to appear in the postseason, and while one loss won’t ruin their chances completely, it certainly takes a hit. With the extra time off following the Thanksgiving game, players have been given more time to heal and for some, it hasn’t done much.
The good news: for the first time this season Ziggy Ansah hasn’t appeared on the injury report, and Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford seems to be just alright after a scary injury. The bad news, the running game is going to take an even bigger hit, not that it needs help or anything.
Week 13 Injuries: Ameer Abdullah and Jamal Agnew Miss Practice
For the first time this season, starting running back Ameer Abdullah has appeared on the injury report, and the injury he is dealing with is interesting, as it is labeled a neck injury. Nothing was noteworthy as a sign of a possible injury to the running back. With no practices for him in two of the three days, it isn’t looking like he will play.
The kick and punt return sensation Jamal Agnew was also absent from practice the past two days with a knee injury, something he has been dealing with since the week before, as he left the Bears game early and missed the Vikings game. He will most likely miss this game as well.
T.J. Lang And Travis Swanson Banged Up And Miss Practice Again
Starting right guard T.J. Lang missed back to back practices this week with a foot injury. He could be given these days off as he is a vet, or his injury could force him to miss time. Friday’s injury report will be the telling sign for him.
Starting center Travis Swanson missed both practices this week as well with a knee injury that he suffered against Minnesota. While he did some work on the sideline, odds are he will be out, Graham Glasgow will move to center and Corey Robinson will step in at left guard.
Dwight Freeney, Matthew Stafford, and Dwayne Washington All Practice Fully
After signing the vet through waivers, the Lions finally got to see what defensive end Dwight Freeney could do in practice on Thursday as he had the day off on Wednesday. He will make his debut on Sunday.
While limping and showing obvious pain, Matt Stafford was a full participant in practice which was a good sign for Lions fans as they feared the ankle injury could knock him out for a little bit.
Running back Dwayne Washington was a full participant as well in practice, with the hip injury he has been dealing with it seems to be getting better and he could play on Sunday.
Baltimore Ravens: Week 13 Injuries
Only one Raven was missing practice on Thursday and it was guard Jermaine Eluemunor with a shoulder injury. Other players limited in practice on Thursday were cornerbacks Marlon Humphrey (thigh), Jimmy Smith (Achilles), and linebacker C.J. Mosley (ankle).
Starting running back Alex Collins returned to practice fully on Thursday, as he was dealing with a calf injury on Wednesday, and offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley returned from a knee injury.
Thanks for reading! Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter @BKnappBlogs, find me on Reddit at /u/sportsguy4life and leave me your thoughts on the Detroit Lions subreddit.One of the more distinguishing features of the new Vikings stadium, set to open in 2016, is the huge glass exterior. But birds, who are stupid, would not call that a selling point. They would call it a dying point.
Audubon Minnesota, the state office of the world's largest bird-focused conservation group, put out a press release today accusing the Vikings stadium of endangering local and migratory birdkind by refusing calls to make its glass roof and walls more visible to the dumb avians.
"We're talking about a billion dollar stadium here, and the cost to save perhaps thousands of migratory birds – and make the Vikings a global leader in green stadium design – is about one-tenth of one percent of that," said Audubon Minnesota Executive Director Matthew Anderson. "Hundreds of millions of dollars of public money is going to build this stadium, and we know the people of Minnesota do not want their money killing birds. The Vikings recently approved spending millions and millions of additional dollars to make sure the stadium is 'iconic' – surely they also want to make sure it's not a death trap. We're asking them to change their minds and do the right thing."
Birds, showing why we invented the word "birdbrain," don't have the visual or spatial acuity to tell the difference between "outside" and "a reflection of outside." So they get confused and smack into windows; an Audubon Minnesota survey found more than 125 species that have fatally collided with buildings in the Twin Cities since 2007.
Throughout the planning and construction of the Vikings stadium—which is really coming along quickly—Audubon Minnesota and other activist and governmental groups have called on the Vikings to adjust the lighting and transparency of the structure to make it clear to those little winged morons that it's a stadium and not the sky.
As early as December 2012, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources had urged the stadium to incorporate bird-safe design into the new building. A few months later, a special committee of the Minneapolis City Council specifically recommended that the stadium adopt Audubon's suggestions to create a bird-safe structure through glazing techniques and special site lighting. Audubon staff communicated regularly with stadium developers until April 2014, when they were told that another meeting would be scheduled before a July 15 decision on the type of glass to be used. That meeting was canceled, and Audubon staff were told on July 17 that there would be no change in the stadium glass choice to protect birds.
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The Vikings never promised anything to anybody, so they can passively murder birds to their hearts' content. And, really, those birds are probably too feebleminded to live. But the thorniness could be in the Minnesota Department of Commerce guidelines, which requite all bond-financed structures—and the state is financing the stadium with a $468 million bond sale—to take steps to protect the feathered imbeciles from themselves.New Trail Blazers logo
For the first time since 2002, the Trail Blazers will update the logo with subtle changes driven by fan input.
(Image courtesy of the Portland Trail Blazers)
UPDATE: The Portland Trail Blazers have released the updated version of the team's logo, as seen in the image above.
Press release from the Blazers below:
Updated Portland Trail Blazers pinwheel
Many regard it as the most unique and dynamic logo among professional sports teams - the Portland Trail Blazers pinwheel. For the first time since 2002, the Trail Blazers will update the logo with subtle changes driven by fan input. The new emblem will adorn limited merchandise available exclusively at Rip City Clothing Company inside Moda Center until the official launch in October.
"We gathered plenty of fan feedback and support on this direction for modernizing our primary logo, while staying true to our heritage and maintaining its place as one of the most unique logos in professional sports," said Chris McGowan, President & CEO of the Trail Blazers. "Together, we landed on subtle changes that provide a nod to our past while allowing us to modernize other aspects of our creative assets."
The timing of the logo's evolution coincides with Nike becoming the provider of all NBA team uniforms, licensed apparel and merchandise beginning with the upcoming 2017-18 season. New Trail Blazers merchandise is now on sale at Rip City Clothing Company, with new team uniforms being revealed in late summer.
"With the conversion to Nike, we will introduce small changes to our primary home and road uniforms, as well as unveil some exciting new alternate uniforms unlike any ever worn by the Trail Blazers that were also fan inspired," said Dewayne Hankins, Chief Marketing Officer for the Trail Blazers. "Based on the fan feedback we received about uniforms and having the talented ideation of the renowned design staff of Nike, we're seizing the opportunity to add contemporary touches to our classic on-court look and push the creative limits with some alternate versions."
Since the team's inception in 1970, the Trail Blazers logo has been the subject of both admiration and diverse interpretation. The concept is a graphic interpretation of five basketball players from one side against five players from the opposing side rotating around a center circle in a pinwheel-like motion. It underwent its first modernization in the mid-1990s, and received additional design changes in 2002.
For an animated history of the evolution of the Trail Blazers logo through the years, please click here. For more information, please visit trailblazers.com/logo.
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The Portland Trail Blazers are set to unveil an updated logo in the near future, but it appears the NBA's official team store has already leaked the look with some recently released fan apparel.
(Hat tip to Conrad Burry of SportsLogos.net.)
Here's a look:
The pinwheel pictured above undergoes a very subtle update from the current iteration, which features sharper edges, silver on the top and red on the bottom, as seen below:
Trail Blazers current pinwheel logo
Trail Blazers president Chris McGowan said last September there would be a modernization of the team's logo and uniforms, but the changes wouldn't be drastic.
"I think we're blessed with some of the best uniforms in professional sports," McGowan said. "Our fans really like our identity, people know it whether you live in Portland or not. So I don't know if drastic is necessarily what we need to do, but I think you always need to modernize."
The team will officially unveil the updated logo in June, with the new uniforms to follow closer to the season.
You can take a walk down memory lane with a detailed history of the Trail Blazers logo from Fanatics.com, as well as our tour of the Blazers uniforms throughout the years.
What do you think of the updated pinwheel? Sound off below.The Red Sox have agreed to sign lefty Craig Breslow to a one-year, $2MM deal, Rob Braford of WEEI.com reports on Twitter. Baratta Partners represents the veteran hurler.
Breslow, 34, will look to bounce back from a rough 2014 in which he worked to a 5.96 ERA over 54 1/3 innings, with 6.1 K/9 against 4.6 BB/9. Though ERA estimators all felt that Breslow was the victim of some bad luck, even the rosiest among them (SIERA, 4.72) saw him as a well-below-average producer. Oddly, he struggled most against same-handed hitters, whom he walked more often than he struck out. Lefties hit Breslow to the tune of.291/.381/.456 last year.
That said, Breslow is not exactly an unknown commodity. He had never before gone over the four-earned-per-nine level in a season, and was fresh off of a 1.81 ERA campaign in 2013. Over his lifetime work, he has been much better against left-handed bats, though in general he posts minimal platoon numbers.Muppadhu kodi mugamudayal
Enil maipuram ondrudayal
Ival Seppumozhi padhinetudayal
Enil Sindhanai ondrudayal
(This Bharatmata has 30 crore faces
But her body is one
She speaks 18 languages
But her thought is one)
– Tamil poet Subramania Bharathi
Bhedad gana vinauyanti bhinnah supajapah paraih
Tasmat samghatayogesu prayateran ganah sada
(Republics have been destroyed because of internal divisions among the people;
Hence a republic should always strive to achieve unity and good relations among the people)
– Mahabharat, Shanti Parva, chapter 108, shloka 14
Tesam anyonyabhinnanam svauaktim anutisthatam
Nigrahah panditaih karyah ksipram eva pradhanatah
(Therefore the wise authorities should crush the separatist forces trying to assert their strength)
– Mahabharat, Shanti Parva, 108:26
Political leaders, film stars, cricketers, etc. are all falling over one another to pay tribute to the late Bal Thackeray. Amidst this plethora of accolades and plaudits pouring in from the high and mighty, I humbly wish to register my vote of dissent.
I know of the maxim De mortuis nil nisi bonum (of the dead speak only good), but I regret I cannot, since I regard the interest of my country above observance of civil proprieties.
What is Bal Thackeray’s legacy?
It is the anti-national ‘sons of the soil’ (bhumiputra) theory.
Article 1(1) of the Indian Constitution states: “India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.”
Thus, India is not a confederation but a union.
Article 19 (1) (e) states: “All citizens shall have the right — to reside and settle in any part of the territory of India.”
Thus, it is a fundamental right of a Gujarati, south Indian, Bihari, U.P.ite, or person from any other part of India to migrate to Maharashtra and settle down there, just as it is of Maharashtrians to settle down in any part of India (though there are some restrictions in J&K, and some North-East States, due to historical reasons).
The bhumiputra theory states that Maharashtra essentially belongs to Marathi people, while Gujaratis, south Indians, north Indians, etc. are outsiders. This is in the teeth of Articles 1(1) and 19(1)(e) of the Constitution. India is one nation, and hence non-Maharashtrians cannot be treated as outsiders in Maharashtra.
The Shiv Sena created by Thackeray attacked south Indians in the 1960s and 70s, and vandalised their restaurants and homes. In 2008, Biharis and U.P.ites living in Mumbai (the bhaiyyas who eke out a livelihood as milk and newspaper vendors, taxi drivers etc.) were described as infiltrators and attacked, their taxis smashed, and several beaten up. Muslims were also vilified
This, of course, created a vote bank for Thackeray based on hatred (as had Hitler, of whom Thackeray was an admirer), and how does it matter if the country breaks up and is Balkanised?
Apart from the objection to the ‘sons of the soil’ theory for being anti-national and unconstitutional, there is an even more basic objection, which may rebound on Thackeray’s own people.
India is broadly a country of immigrants (like North America) and 92-93 per cent of the people living in India today are not the original inhabitants but descendants of immigrants who came mainly from the north-west seeking a comfortable life in the sub-continent (see the article ‘What is India?’ on my blog justicekatju.blogspot.in and the video on the website kgfindia.com ).
The original inhabitants (the real bhumiputra) of India are the pre-Dravidian tribals, known as Adivasis (the Bhils, Gonds, Santhals, Todas, etc.) who are only 7-8 per cent of our population today.
Hence if the bhumiputra theory is seriously implemented, 92-93 per cent of Maharashtrians (including, perhaps, the Thackeray family) may have to be regarded as outsiders and treated accordingly. The only real bhumiputra in Maharashtra are the Bhils and other tribals, who are only 7-8 per cent of the population of Maharashtra.
Several separatist and fissiparous forces are at work in India today (including the bhumiputra theory). All patriotic people must combat these forces.
Why must we remain united? We must remain united because only a massive modern industry can generate the huge wealth we require for the welfare of our people — agriculture alone cannot do this — and modern industry requires a huge market. Only a united India can provide the huge market for the modern industry we must create to abolish poverty, unemployment and other social evils, and to provide for the huge health care and modern education systems we must set up if we wish to come to the front ranks of the most advanced countries.
Hence I regret I cannot pay any tribute to Mr Bal Thackeray.It’s not anecdotal folks, it’s real, and it’s strong. Latino’s, like all Americans, are not a monolithic group like many in the mainstream (left) media would like most to believe.
We’ve shared before how the Miami-Dade Cuban community is NOT automatically a Rubio coalition. The Latino/Latina community well understand the cultural concept of, and deeply held conviction toward, a strong familial patrone’. Do not buy the media spin on this.
HIALEAH — Cuban-Americans here have the rare opportunity to vote for two of their own for the presidency of the United States. Yet, some are making a different choice: They’re backing Donald Trump.
The controversial frontrunner has insisted he’ll draw Hispanic voters despite launching his campaign last June with inflammatory remarks about Mexicans and rapists. And as he competes in Florida, the biggest state yet to test his boast, there is anecdotal evidence of support among Miami-Dade’s staunchly Republican Cuban-American voters even as most back Marco Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, whom many Cuban-American voters helped elect to the U.S. Senate in 2010.
For Trump backers, ethnicity plays no factor.
“I don’t think Cuban, I think American,” said former Hialeah Mayor Julio Martinez, who, for two weeks, has held a Trump campaign sign outside an early voting site just blocks from where Rubio last week implored Hispanics to vote for him in Tuesday’s presidential primary.
Perched in a lawn chair outside the John F. Kennedy Library, holding a “The Silent Majority Stands with Trump” sign, Martinez said he was backing Trump because there was “nobody better suited” to fixing the economy.
“The worst problem the United States has today is the economy,” he said.
Trump’s pledge to force Mexico to pay for construction of a wall at the U.S. border and his call to deport the nation’s estimated 11 million immigrants who are here illegally have infuri |
many reported using an e-cigarette than a regular tobacco cigarette. And among 12th graders, we find in the past 30 days about 17 percent had reported using an e-cigarette, whereas only 14 percent had reported using a regular tobacco cigarette.
STEIN: The results come from a federally-funded survey of more than 41,000 students at more than 370 schools around the country.
MIECH: This is the first national study to show that among teens, e-cigarettes are now - have higher use than regular tobacco cigarettes. These results show that e-cigarettes have become the nicotine delivery device of choice among today's teens.
STEIN: Public health experts say the results are worrying for lots of reasons. Even though e-cigarettes may be safer than regular cigarettes, they still may cause health problems. And they worry e-cigarettes could hook a new generation on nicotine, increasing the chances they'll start using regular cigarettes, as well as other drugs.
Nora Volkow heads the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
NORA VOLKOW: These may in turn influence the patterns of other drug use because the research has shown that exposure to nicotine enhances the rewarding effects of other drugs. So they're concerned that in turn, it may serve as a so-called gateway drug.
STEIN: The companies that make e-cigarettes agree that teenagers shouldn't be using the devices, which is known as vaping. But Gregory Conley of the American Vaping Association says there is one bright spot. He thinks e-cigarettes have helped drive teen smoking rates to record lows.
GREGORY CONLEY: What I think is happening is that you have teens who would smoke, if e-cigarettes were not available on the market. And instead of smoking, they are turning to vapor products.
STEIN: Public health experts dispute that argument, though. They say there's evidence e-cigarettes are being used by the kinds of kids who don't usually smoke regular cigarettes.
Rob Stein, NPR News.
Copyright © 2014 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by Verb8tm, Inc., an NPR contractor, and produced using a proprietary transcription process developed with NPR. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.The Orioles are prepared to name Braves special assistant Dom Chiti as their new bullpen coach, according to industry sources. An announcement could come on Monday.
Chiti, 54, pitched, coached and scouted in the Orioles system, and served as manager Buck Showalter’s bullpen coach with the Texas Rangers in 2006.
Chiti last pitched professionally with Single-A Hagerstown, an Orioles affiliate, back in 1981.
Chiti started his coaching career with the Rangers in 1982 before joining the Orioles. He returned to Texas as a special assistant to the general manager in 2002-2003 before becoming director of player personnel.
He was named Rangers bullpen coach in 2006, Showalter’s final season as manager.
More on Chiti: Chiti and pitching coach Mark Connor were fired by the Rangers in 2008. The Orioles hired Connor as pitching coach in 2011, but he left two months into the season for health reasons.
Chiti, who worked with Orioles reliever Tommy Hunter and free-agent starter Scott Feldman in Texas, spent 12 years with the Cleveland Indians from 1989-2001, working as an advance scout, roving minor league instructor and major league bullpen coach. He served as Triple-A Buffalo’s pitching coach in 1995.
Chiti was fired as Indians bullpen coach in October 1993 by manager Mike Hargrove, who later managed the Orioles.
It’s a small baseball world.
New pitching coach Dave Wallace came to the Orioles from the Braves organization, so he’s quite familiar with Chiti.
It all makes sense.
No word on whether Bill Castro and Scott McGregor will remain in the organization. They weren’t contacted about the pitching coach or bullpen coach jobs.
Castro replaced Rick Adair as pitching coach on Aug. 15, with McGregor moving to the bullpen.The venn diagram that connects pro wrestling and heavy metal just got a little bigger. You know, we here at Metal Injection are big fans of both forms of entertainment, as proved by our podcast Squared Circle Pit, where we interview musicians about pro wrestling.
One noted musician who is a big fan of pro wrestling is Glenn Danzig. I first learned of this fact when Danzig said I looked like the son of the Big Show when I interviewed him back in 2010. Now, noted pro wrestling superstar and renowned podcaster Chris Jericho got Danzig to open up in his first podcast interview ever, and pretty interestingly, Danzig revealed that he always wanted to be a pro wrestler, but thought he was too small:
"I wanted to be a wrestler. Yeah! But I didn't think I was big enough. Then I met some wrestlers and I'm like 'I could've been a wrestler.' But it all worked out pretty good in the end. [laughs]"
Danzig and Jericho noted that when they first met, Danzig recognized him from old tapes of Smokey Mountain Wrestling, a small time mid-west promotion ran by Jim Cornette that was funded by Rick Rubin, Danzig's producer. Later in the show, Jericho asked Danzig who his favorite wrestlers were:
"My favorite all-time wrestler is Freddie Blassie. And then I like Superstar Billy Graham" later adding "I used to love Macho Man when he first broke in, and was the anti-hero. He was a bad guy but people rooted for him. There's so many great characters in wrestling. One of my new favorites is the Wyatt Family. It's this Cape Fear meets Charles Manson thing, it's pretty cool."
Danzig noted he still follows wrestling, and prefers it to sports like football and baseball:
"I love wrestling still, when something cool happens, I'm so excited. I don't watch football, I hate football, I hate baseball. I like watching wrestling because it's like this crazy spectacle. But still, it's very physical and violent… that's the kind of stuff I like."
Overall, it's a very eye-opening and chill interview with Danzig, who let his guard down with Jericho, as the two seem like good friends. They also discuss Elvis' influence on Danzig, working with Cherie Currie, horror movies and more.
Fun fact – Danzig reveals that he went to college for photography. Ironic, seeing as though Danzig is known for his no photo policy, even going as far as allegedly attacking photographers taking unauthorized photos. Speaking of photos, here's Danzig posing with some wrestlers…
Related PostsAlabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, known for his fiercely religious beliefs, railed against the Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage and declared, “Welcome to the new world.”
“It’s just changed for you Christians,” he declared to a church congregation yesterday. “It’s the time now where you’re going to be persecuted, according to the United States Supreme Court.”
He went off on the damage done to religious liberty and asked, “Is there such a thing as morality anymore?… Have we elevated morality to immorality? Do we call good ‘bad’? What are we Christians to do?”
And Moore, of course, is doing all he can to fight back against the Supreme Court ruling, with an order he said means no state probate judge “has to issue a marriage license to a same sex couple.”
Watch videos of Moore’s comments below, via WIAT and AL.com:
[h/t Salon]
[image via screengrab]
— —
Follow Josh Feldman on Twitter: @feldmaniac
Have a tip we should know? tips@mediaite.comFOIA Dump 11/1: Hillary Told Huma Abedin to Print without Identifiers a CONFIDENTIAL email received on a private server… from Sidney Blumenthal A new FOIA dump Hillary email CONFIRMS she directed/instructed Huma Abedin to remove all traces of markings that would identify a government document as CONFIDENTIAL… Hillary Clinton disseminated CLASSIFIED information WITH intent. This is a Confidential (the lowest level of classified intel, but still classified) government E-mail, sent from Sidney Blumenthal using an AOL account, to Hillary’s private unsecured E-mail, which Hillary sent to Huma and asked for the identifiers to be stripped (meaning at minimum who sent the E-mail, at worst the classification itself). Then Huma agreed to do just that. This is three people committing felonies, but that’s not even the most shocking part. Obama specifically urged Hillary not to use Blumenthal as an adviser, but she did anyway. And as an adviser Blumenthal seems to be suggesting that a small group of Syrian rebels should be trained and funded to fight Muammar Gaddafi. Even though the same E-mail states that rebel forces had captured Dutch and British troops. In addition it lays out how multiple factions are ALREADY fighting over who would rule Libya after Gaddafi was overthrown. Finally, rebel forces near or operating in Benghazi are mentioned three times. Hillary read this information and decided to support the rebels in Libya. We recently captured the terrorist behind the Benghazi attack, who else has the feeling he will admit he was trained by the US. Who else wants to bet that if Hillary was President this guy would have got a bullet to the face or a green card to keep him from talking? Doc No. C06179309:JTA — They left after Venezuelan secret police raided a Jewish club in 2007, and after the local synagogue was ransacked by unidentified thugs two years later.
They left after President Hugo Chavez expelled Israel’s ambassador to Caracas, and when he called on Venezuela’s Jews to condemn Israel for its actions in Gaza in 2009.
They left when Caracas claimed the ignoble title of most dangerous city in the world — and when inflation hit double digits, food shortages took hold and the country’s murder rate reached 79 per 100,000 people.
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With Venezuela now roiled by anti-government demonstrations — the death toll reached 18 last Saturday — Venezuelan Jews who remain have yet another reason to leave their country: growing despair.
“There’s less hope about the future,” said Andres Beker, a Venezuelan Jewish expatriate in the United States whose parents still live in Caracas. “My parents are huge fans of Venezuela. Until last year I thought they would stay no matter what. Now, for the first time, they’re talking about Plan B: leaving Venezuela.”
Over the last 15 years, from the time Chavez came to power and in the year since Nicolas Maduro has ruled the country, the Venezuelan Jewish community has shrunk by more than half. It is now estimated at about 7,000, down from a high of 25,000 in the 1990s. Many of those who left were community leaders.
‘There’s less hope about the future’
It’s not just Venezuelan Jews who are leaving. Hundreds of thousands of middle- and upper-class Venezuelans have relocated in recent years, swelling the size of expat communities in places like Miami, Panama, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic and Colombia.
The exodus of Venezuelan Jews has put a great strain on the community’s institutions.
“Emigration has really played a big factor in the community — that’s our main problem,” said Sammy Eppel, a Caracas journalist and Jewish community member who also serves as director of the B’nai Brith Human Rights Commission in Venezuela.
“When we were a numerous and prosperous community, we built numerous and heavy institutions,” Eppel said. “A lot of our members have left, and we are left with the same institutions but with less people to take care of them. We have to make serious adjustments while making sure the services we provide to the community don’t suffer.”
A high school junior named Allan who attends the Jewish community school, Hebraica, says his grade has shrunk to 85 students from 120 six years ago. The younger grades are much smaller, with 40-50 kids each. The school is now considering combining the first and second grades, he said.
Interested in keeping as low a profile as possible, leaders of Jewish institutions in Venezuela declined to be interviewed by JTA for this story.
The massive anti-government demonstrations that began on Feb. 12 were sparked in part by new lows for Venezuela’s economy and an upsurge in violence.
‘It started deteriorating to the point where a couple months ago you couldn’t get milk, chicken, eggs, toilet paper’
“It started deteriorating to the point where a couple months ago you couldn’t get milk, chicken, eggs, toilet paper,” Beker said. “It’s really started to affect all families.”
Allan, the high schooler, said the streets long have been off limits for him and his friends, due to threats of violence and kidnapping. But these days, it’s hard to leave the house to go anywhere.
“Now it’s more dangerous,” Allan said. “Nobody goes out, nobody goes to parties, nobody goes to dinner. Everybody’s in their houses.”
Outsiders might puzzle over why anybody would stay given the challenging circumstances of daily life. But Venezuelan Jews say leaving home is never easy. There are those with jobs that can’t be shifted overseas, and those who lack the money or energy to leave and start over somewhere else. And the changes have been gradual enough that, time and time again, Venezuelan Jews — like their gentile countrymen — simply have adjusted to the new reality.
“It’s a matter of adjusting, I think, not a matter of survival,” Eppel said. “That’s what the community has been trying to do: adjust to adverse circumstances.”
Sandra Iglicki, who left Venezuela for South Florida a decade ago but still goes back often, says it’s also been emotionally difficult to leave a country that for decades was good to Jews, serving as an anti-Semitism-free refuge for European Jewish families who fled the Nazis.
“It’s very painful for the community in Venezuela,” she said.
And there’s still some hope, even among expats, that the country eventually will right itself.
‘If you talk to a lot of Venezuelans that are here, they’re waiting for this to be over’
“If you talk to a lot of Venezuelans that are here, they’re waiting for this to be over,” Iglicki said in a phone interview from Florida. “I would love to go back to Venezuela.”
Many emigrants still work in Venezuela, commuting back for weekdays to run their businesses while their families adjust to life in a new country.
In Miami, the last few weeks have been particularly fraught for Venezuelan expats, filled with anxious phone calls to relatives back home and endless agitation on social media.
With state media in Venezuela blacking out news of the massive demonstrations, the expats have occupied the peculiar position of funneling news to relatives back home in Caracas about what’s happening in Venezuela, often via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Offline, there have been large demonstrations in Miami against the Maduro government, which is blamed for Venezuela’s tailspin.
“This is something that in Miami is top news every day,” said Juan Dircie, associate director of American Jewish Committee’s Latino and Latin American Institute in Miami. “The exile community of Venezuelans has been holding rallies, doing interviews on TV, writing letters to the editor. The demonstrations are in favor of democracy and human rights, but of course there is a big component of opposition to the Maduro government.”
Beker, who left Venezuela eight years ago at age 17 to go to Emory University, said he recently did a quick tally to calculate whether he had more family members in Miami or Caracas. He said he was shocked when he realized Florida won out.
“It’s a little sad,” Beker said. “You think: I’m just going to college for a couple of years and coming back. But that never happens.”LOS ANGELES — Seth MacFarlane has been laying low. Well, by Seth MacFarlane standards, anyway.
And that was probably a good call, after A Million Ways to Die in the West (which got a generous 33% on Rotten Tomatoes), Ted 2 (a merciful 42%) and the 2013 Oscars hosting gig (in which he probably dodged a few rotten tomatoes, or should've).
But listen, when you're the writer/producer/comedian/animator/actor/song-and-dance-man who created and did voices for Family Guy and American Dad! and The Cleveland Show and made a bunch of movies and once dated the Mother of Dragons, you can't sit still for long.
In fact, you're not laying low at all — you're gearing up for something big.
And so he was: MacFarlane will executive produce and star in an untitled, hour-long "comedic drama" set 300 years in the future aboard the Orville, a "a not-so-top-of-the-line exploratory ship in Earth’s interstellar Fleet," Fox announced Wednesday.
A linear primetime TV sci-fi dramedy starring Seth MacFarlane. That's about as high-risk, high reward a proposition as we're gonna get from the networks these days.
Fox has ordered up 13 episodes of the show for its 2017-2018 season. More from the logline:
Facing cosmic challenges from without and within, this motley crew of space explorers will boldly go where no comedic drama has gone before.
Well, except maybe Firefly. (Or if this reads more Galaxy Quest to you, never fear — plans for a TV revival were put on hold after the death of original cast member Alan Rickman.)
Anyway, MacFarlane's years-long relationship with Fox has surely earned him the right to more than a little creative freedom, so... why not a space comedy? Why should we crush MacFarlane's childhood dreams?
"I've wanted to do something like this show ever since I was a kid, and the timing finally feels right," he said. "20th and Fox have been good to me for many years... I think this is gonna be something special."
And finally, in case you're worried that MacFarlane, he of "We saw your boobs" infamy, can't be serious enough to hold up the "sci" in sci-fi, remember this: He was the creator/executive producer of the Emmy-winning Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey, the one hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson.
Because honestly, the guy needed a hobby.
Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un has ruthlessly executed a 'defeatist' terrapin farm owner after reacting furiously to the farm on a tour in May.
Following the embarrassing tour, Kim reportedly lashed out at the owner, promising 'grave consequences' for not producing any lobsters.
According to Daily NK, the dictator was enraged by the farm not keeping the tanks clean and allowing several baby terrapins to die of starvation.
Kim Jong-Un, pictured, expresses his displeasure at a visit to the terrapin farm outside Pyongyang
The leader visited the Taedonggang Terrapin Farm in May, where he was supposed to provide 'field guidance' to managers who were struggling to produce enough terrapins.
At the time of his visit, he issued a warning to managers, angered by their disrespect towards in his father in not having a room dedicated to teaching workers about his father's greatness.
His father, Kim Jong Il visited the same terrapin farm shortly after it was built in October 2011, where he described it as proof that there word 'impossible' is not found in the Korean vocabulary.
However, ominously for managers of the plant just outside Pyongyang, Kim discovered a number of problems at the farm.
His father wanted to provide the Korean people with 'tasty and nutritious terrapin'.
But during the young dictator's visit, he noted that the atmosphere was different to other locations where he has issued 'field guidance'.
Spot the vegetable: Kim Jong-un has been busy providing more field guidance at the Pyongyang Vegetable Science Institute
On the warpath: Appearing relaxed, Kim Jong-un's latest visit appeared to caused him less stress than his visit to the terrapin farm
Model pose: The North Korean leader's appears interested as he listens to one of the scientists
Smooth trip: Advisers carefully take note as Kim hands out his famous farm guidance
He said: 'It is hard to understand that the farm visited by Kim Jong Il did not arrange even the room for the education in the revolutionary history and the employees who failed to bear deep in their minds his leadership exploits could hardly perform their role as masters in production.
'Everything goes well, people substantially benefit from the results of the implementation of the party policies and hurrah for the WPK and socialism are heard from the units which consider it as the main line to uphold and glorify the leadership exploits of the great leaders and the party but only sighs of defeatists come from those units which failed to do so and they may get bogged down even if all conditions are provided.'
In a scathing attack on the plant's managers, Kim said the party had sent freshwater lobsters to the facility more than two years ago in the expectation that they would be able to breed. The failure, according to the dictator, was due to incompetence.
He said he wanted the facility's control room updated so they could automatically monitor the water quality.
Instead, managers installed CCTV cameras so they could look at the growing terrapins.
According to a report on the North Korean news agency KCNA, Kim said the entire nation was working 'around the clock' in order to provide 'good presents' for the 70th anniversary of the founding of the party in October.
In a stern warning Kim asked what the staff and management of the terrapin farm could provide for the celebrations.
Kim Jong un, left, ordered the execution of Hyon Yong-Choi, right, after the general fell asleep at a meeting
Hyon was killed using a ZPU-4 anti-aircraft gun, pictured, after being accused of showing disrespect to Kim
According to KCNA: 'Noting that if officials work the way those of the farm do, it is impossible to realize the desire of Kim Jong Il and they may bring such grave consequences as impairing the prestige of the party in the end, he called for turning the farm into the one from which people substantially benefit and a model unit in the nation's cultivation which introduces advanced breeding methods and technology into its operation.'
Last April, Kim ordered the execution of his 66-year-old Minister of Defence Hyon Young Choi, who fell asleep at a meeting where the dictator was the guest of honour. The general was taken away and shot with an anti-aircraft gun, obliterating his body.Kiara Robinson was enrolled in a training program with Outback Steakhouse. Credit:Janie Barrett "The Australian taxpayer is effectively funding this exploitation of young workers using the Vocational Education and Training system," South Coast Labour Council secretary Arthur Rorris said. Among those seeking backpay is Kiara Robinson, 22, who was enrolled in a training program with Outback Steakhouse in the Wollongong suburb of Fairy Meadow in 2014. She says she received no on-the-job training apart from about two sessions that involved filling out a booklet and answering what she described as very basic questions. Employed there for nine months, she said the sessions lasted up to two hours each. "There was no training while we were working," she said. "It was basically doing some paperwork to get a traineeship."
Outback Steakhouse in Fairy Meadow, Wollongong, where former employee Kiara Robinson says she was underpaid. Credit:Janie Barrett After she resigned, Ms Robinson received a "statement of attainment" as part of a Certificate III in Hospitality. It says she attained seven units including working effectively with others, working in hospitality and in a customer service environment. It also covered units in safe and hygienic food handling, sourcing information on the hospitality industry and showing social and cultural sensitivity. Ms Robinson was paid $11.80 per hour, about half the adult casual rate of $21.94 which Mr Rorris said she was entitled to for serving food and alcohol (as a level 2 employee under the Restaurant Award) in 2014. "Let's be clear, a full-time university student does not knowingly sign a three-year traineeship contract as a waitress just so that she can cut her wages in half," Mr Rorris said. "All of this is happening under the noses of the government and its 'Smart and Skilled' training system that has allowed private training companies to use taxpayer's money.
It makes me pretty angry that they were underpaying me and getting incentives from the government at the same time. Kiara Robinson "We are calling for an independent inquiry into the traineeship system and mounting evidence of exploitation that is emerging." Icon Restaurants Australia, which trades as Outback Steakhouse, still uses a 2002 wage agreement which says an employee who enters a traineeship is paid at "the minimum rate" for the duration of a traineeship. It also says a "trainee will undertake an average of 20 per cent of time in training" and their pay is to be reduced by this same percentage. Her employment records show that Ms Robinson was registered as a trainee from January 20, 2014 when she started working for the Outback Steakhouse Fairy Meadow. However, her training contract was not signed until March 7 that year. She was paid at the same minimum rate of $11.80 per hour from January 20 and after she started training.
The traineeship contract her employer completed and signed says Ms Robinson was working 21 hours a week and that she was one of 16 trainees working at the restaurant. According to the restaurant's wage agreement, the 21 hours should have been matched with an average 4.2 hours of training per week. But according to her pay records, Ms Robinson was only paid for about 388.5 hours in total for the 37 weeks she was employed. This means she worked an average of 10.5 hours per week and not the 21 hours stated on her training contract. Based on the actual number of hours she worked, Ms Robinson should have spent a total of 77.7 hours in training – about two hours per week. Ms Robinson said she and about 15 other employees were called into a room and rushed into signing documents to enrol in a training scheme. She had no idea it was a three-year traineeship.
"They said there is an opportunity to get some training and quite a few of us thought no worries, no cost to us," she said. "It was pretty rushed. We weren't told anything about the traineeship and how it related to our pay." Another former Outback Steakhouse employee who did not want her name published told Fairfax Media she attended only three or four training sessions during her 15 months of employment at Outback Steakhouse Fairy Meadow. She was paid the same rate as Ms Robinson for serving food and alcohol. "Basically nothing was taught to us," she said. "I didn't find it useful to our job at all.
"It was a workbook – questions and some diagrams. It was theory, but didn't cover anything we did in a practical sense." Mr Rorris said the traineeship should never have been approved because Ms Robinson worked an average of half the 21 hours in her traineeship contract and because she had no regular hours of work. The Department of Industry which administers the training subsidy under the state government's Smart and Skilled vocational training program said anyone doing a part-time traineeship must be offered regular employment and training each week, at least a minimum of 15 hours per week for traineeships of less than two years and 21 hours per week for traineeships of two years or more. As a full-time university student, Ms Robinson now questions how she was enrolled in the government-subsidised traineeship. "I wasn't getting enough hours of work to be a trainee anyway," she said.
"It makes me pretty angry that they were underpaying me and getting incentives from the government at the same time. "They didn't explain it to us." Ms Robinson said she felt exploited by the restaurant. "We were just a bunch of 18-year-olds in our first job," she said. "I don't think we should have been expected to know what we were getting into and I definitely think they took advantage of that."
A full page of her "NSW Apprenticeship/Traineeship – Training Plan" marked Part 2 which lists formal training details is blank and Part 3, which should outline further details of her training, is missing. Mr Rorris has called for the suspension of all new hospitality industry traineeships run through private registered training organisations until an extensive audit of existing traineeships is undertaken. NSW Teachers Federation president Maurie Mulheron said its state executive carried a resolution on April 4 in support of the campaign to stop the exploitation involving private registered training organisations. It supports the Labour Council's call for an independent inquiry into the NSW traineeship system. "The federation believes what has been uncovered may just be the tip of the iceberg," Mr Mulheron said.
"Federation is concerned that there may be significant numbers of school-aged children as well as university students forced to sign documents resulting in them being underpaid." A spokeswoman for Outback Steakhouse confirmed some of its employees participate in training courses through a registered training organisation and Apprentice Support Australia. "It is the responsibility of each individual employee to complete course requirements to secure qualifications," she said. "Employees remuneration is not discounted if they are enrolled in a traineeship and fully complies with Outback Steakhouse's Certified Agreement. This is lodged under Icon Restaurants Australia Pty Limited. "Fair treatment of all employees is core to the business and Outback Steakhouse encourages employees with concerns about their pay or training to contact the company directly."
The company which delivers training to Outback Steakhouse employees said Ms Robinson did not complete the training program but it "conducted an appropriate amount of training for her program". The training company rejected the claim that Ms Robinson only undertook about two sessions of training saying this was "not accurate based on her progress through the program". "It is our practice to provide all trainees with a full training plan," the company said. "At the completion of her units, Ms Robinson signed her training log confirming she had completed all hours necessary." The training company did not reply to Fairfax Media's requests for a copy of the logbook and the actual number of hours Ms Robinson completed as part of her training.
When Mr Rorris asked for copies of Ms Robinson's records, the training company replied in an email on March 22 that it was only required to keep documents for two years and the "records are no longer available". The Australian Business Apprenticeships Centre provided Ms Robinson with a copy of her training plan which it said the training company had provided. A spokesman for the NSW Department of Industry said Training Services NSW is currently monitoring the performance of training providers associated with the company. The providers received state government subsidies through its Smart and Skilled program. "Stringent quality controls govern the delivery of training subsidised by Smart and Skilled and protection for students is our absolute priority," the department spokesman said. "All Smart and Skilled training providers are subject to regular monitoring and review and we actively encourage students to contact Training Services NSW at any time if they are not satisfied with the training being delivered.
"All such concerns are taken very seriously and while we cannot comment on ongoing investigations we can confirm Training Services NSW is currently undertaking performance monitoring of Smart and Skilled training providers associated with [the company]." A spokesman for the Australian Skills Quality Authority said it has not received complaints about the company which has active registrations. Do you know more? Contact Anna Patty: apatty@fairfaxmedia.com.auTo view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
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Vitus First Tracks Film Competition Winner
Mountain Biking in Northern Ireland, that was the entire speck for the filming competition anything else goes. The film highlights a group on Facebook called “Just Ride Your Bike NI” and all the riders. It highlighs off some of Northern Ireland’s amazing MTB spots and shows what our riders are capable of!Donald Trump (Photo: Associated Press)
Donald Trump is the first president-elect ever known to go on a nationwide victory tour, which kicks off this week in a key swing state that helped the real estate mogul pull off his surprise victory.
The Republican is scheduled to be at U.S. Bank Arena at 7 p.m. Thursday for a campaign-like rally. Vice President-elect Mike Pence is scheduled to attend the kickoff of what the Trump campaign is calling the "USA Thank You Tour."
Political experts aren't surprised Trump is taking a victory lap before his inauguration on Jan. 20, nor that he's launching the tour in Ohio.
"I don't have a problem with it at all... (because) he has a lot of work to do to unify the country around his presidency," said Allan Lichtman, Washington, D.C.-based political analyst and history professor at American University. "I don't know if it will work or not. As it is with his entire life, I think this is all about his ego."
Trump's transition team did not return a message seeking comment from The Enquirer. His supporters view the tour as a populist's way of giving back to the voters. The event is free and tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
"One thing people don’t like about politicians is they never seem grateful," said former Northern Kentucky attorney Eric Deters, one of Trump's leading supporters in the region. "He knows he won because he connected with the average American who felt forgotten and left behind. This is truly a nice thing for him to do."
Trump will be making his fourth visit to Greater Cincinnati since March. His most recent Cincinnati visit also was at U.S. Bank Arena on Oct. 13, less than a week after a video surfaced in which Trump could be heard making lewd comments about a woman. Trump has talked about his love for Cincinnati, where he worked on one of the first projects in his real estate career in 1962.
Hamilton County went for Hillary Clinton in the presidential election, but as Deters pointed out, Trump "cleaned her clock" across the rest of the region. Trump easily won the seven counties that border Hamilton County in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. Those results were indicative of how Trump fared in flyover country, including key victories in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan.
Other "Thank You Tour" events have not yet been announced. Some believe these types of big-arena rallies could continue through Trump's presidency, something that also would be unprecedented.
“Donald Trump has already re-written the playbook on how to run a political campaign, so he may very well re-write the playbook for how to be president,” said Dan Tokaji, an Ohio State professor regarded as an authority in voting and elections law. "There’s nothing wrong with him trying to mobilize public support for his agenda" now or during his presidency.
A big question going into Thursday's event is whether top Ohio GOP politicians and leaders will show up, particularly those who did not support Trump.
U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, whose home is 15 miles from U.S. Bank Arena, told reporters on Tuesday he would try to attend if he can make it home from Washington in time. It depends on whether the Senate has votes Thursday afternoon. Portman withdrew his endorsement of Trump after the Washington Post's report on the video.
Gov. John Kasich has continued to refuse to support Trump. A spokewoman for Kasich did not return a message seeking comment whether the governor planned to attend Thursday's event.
But many Republicans far and near who refused to support Trump ahead of the Nov. 8 election have come around to the president-elect.
"My phone has blown up with people who want to go see him, even more so than before when he came to Cincinnati," Hamilton County GOP Chairman Alex Triantafilou said. "I’m not going to name names, but one of the calls was from a high-ranking Republican who has been anti-Trump. My jaw dropped to the floor when he said he wanted to go see him."
Read or Share this story: http://cin.ci/2gfFCLaBreaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings.
Jan. 23, 2014, 12:02 AM GMT By Rachael Rettner
A 42-year-old electrician in California developed star-shaped cataracts in his eyes after a serious work-related accident caused electricity to run through his body, according to a new report of the case.
The man's left shoulder came into contact with 14,000 volts of electricity, and an electric current passed through his entire body, including the optic nerve — the nerve that connects the back of the eye to the brain.
"The optic nerve is similar to any wire that conducts electricity," said Dr. Bobby Korn, an associate professor of clinical ophthalmology at the University of California, San Diego, who treated the patient. "In this case, the extreme current and voltage that passed through this important natural wire caused damage to the optic nerve itself," Korn said.
Four weeks after the accident, Korn evaluated the patient, who was experiencing vision problems. An examination showed the man had "striking cataracts in both of his eyes," that were star-shaped, Korn said. A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye.
The reason cataracts sometimes take on a star shape is not fully understood, Korn said. In animal studies, damage to the eye's lens from electricity first appears as small bubbles called vacuoles on the outside of the lens. These bubbles then coalesce to form a star-shaped cataract, Korn said.
Four months after the accident, the man had surgery to remove the cataracts and implant a new lens, and his vision improved slightly after the operation, Korn said. But the damage to his optic nerve still limited the man's sight, Korn said.
Korn explained that the eye is like a camera: If the lens is damaged, it can be replaced with a new one, but if the "film" — in this case, the optic nerve and retina — is damaged, "then you'll never get a good picture," Korn said.
Now, 10 years later, the man still has poor vision in both of his eyes, Korn said. But he is able to commute on public transportation and take classes at a community college using assistance, Korn said.
The man's case is reported in the Jan. 23 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine |
in 2015, according to federal lobbying data compiled by OpenSecrets. Rogers has personally lobbied for Southern through BGR this year on "[Federal Energy Regulatory Commission] and [Environmental Protection Agency] regulatory activity; climate change; loan guarantee program; nuclear power issues; cyber security; tax reform," according to federal disclosure forms. Mother Jones reported that Southern is the third worst "climate offender" in the country. The company states that 40% of its power generation comes from coal. [OpenSecrets.org, accessed 11/5/15; SouthernCompany.com, accessed 11/5/15; Senate.gov, 4/20/15, 7/20/15, 10/20/15; Mother Jones, 7/14/15]
BGR Has Lobbied For WEC Energy Group. BGR has received $120,000 in lobbying income so far from the Wisconsin-based utility We Energies, which has expanded its coal operations while expressing concern over the Clean Power Plan. [OpenSecrets.org, accessed 11/5/15; Journal-Sentinel, 5/12/15; POWER, 8/28/15]
BGR Has Lobbied For The National Mining Association. BGR has received $160,000 in lobbying income so far in 2015 from the National Mining Association. The association "represents U.S. mining before Congress, the administration, federal agencies, the judiciary and the media." It oversees a "Count On Coal Campaign" which aims to "identify, educate and recruit Americans to support our mission to keep electricity affordable by protecting and promoting the use of our abundant coal for power generation." [OpenSecrets.org, accessed 11/5/15; NMA.org, accessed 11/5/15, 11/5/15]
BGR Has Lobbied For Chevron. BGR has received $280,000 in lobbying income so far in 2015 from oil giant Chevron. [OpenSecrets.org, accessed 11/5/15]
Wash. Post's Rogers: Climate Change Science Isn't Settled And Might Be Manipulated
Rogers Dishonestly Used Chinese Coal Report To Suggest Climate Change Science Is Inaccurate. Rogers cited a New York Times report finding "the amount of coal China burns has been underreported" to cast doubt on the data "used to contrive the models that 'prove' the'settled science' of man-made global warming."
Some important numbers that will affect the global warming debate came out in the media this week and they are worth reviewing. First -- and most incredibly -- the New York Times revealed that the amount of coal China burns has been underreported by about 1 billion tons a year, and has been underreported for the last 15 years. The Times states, "Even for a country of China's size, the scale of the correction is immense... [and] the increase alone is greater than the whole German economy emits annually from fossil fuels." Oops! This revelation obviously raises questions about the overall accuracy and dependability of the sea of numbers that drive the policy decisions advocated by President Obama, Hillary Clinton and the Democrats. If the climate change activists were off by 1 billion tons of emissions just from coal use from one country and that's data they used to contrive the models that "prove" the "settled science" of man-made global warming, what else are they wrong about? And what makes us think these numbers are accurate now? And oh, by the way, I find it curious how liberals always seem to do things in increments of 1 billion: a billion tons missed here and there, a billion dollars for this and that. It doesn't inspire a lot of confidence that there is an actual equation supporting their numbers.
While Rogers used the Times report to suggest climate change data is being manipulated, the Times actually reported the "revised numbers do not alter scientists' estimates of the total amount of carbon dioxide in the air. That is measured directly, not inferred from fuel consumption statistics the way countries' emissions are usually estimated." [WashingtonPost.com, 11/4/15; New York Times, 11/3/15]
Rogers Pushed Baseless Attacks On NOAA To Suggest Climate Data Manipulation. Rogers used Rep. Lamar Smith's (R-TX) attacks on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to suggest scientists have been manipulating climate data:
Anyway, a second piece this week, "The Next Climate Scandal" from Holman W. Jenkins Jr. in the Wall Street Journal, reminds us of how easy it is to manipulate the global temperature numbers. Jenkins writes, "By the count of researcher Marcia Wyatt in a widely circulated presentation, the U.S. government's published temperature data for the years 1880-2010 has been tinkered with sixteen times in the past three years." This is politics at its worst: With 16 recounts, you can rig any outcome. Jenkins also highlights Rep/ Lamar Smith's (R-Tex.) quest to determine how and why U.S. government employees at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) took a second look at global warming data and subsequently determined there had been no cessation in global warming for the last 15 years, "eliminat[ing] the 'pause' in global warming seen in most temperature studies." Remarkable.
Rogers' attacks are baseless, as NOAA routinely makes adjustments to the temperature record to account for changes to measuring instruments and other non-climate related factors. Furthermore, NOAA's adjustments are peer-reviewed and well-documented, and its data is publicly available online. [WashingtonPost.com, 11/4/15; Media Matters, 11/3/15]
Rogers Concluded That Climate Science Isn't "Settled." Rogers concluded that climate change science isn't settled and supporters "don't really care what the numbers are or what inconvenient truths keep turning up":
The numbers associated with the global warming crusade aren't settled, but the Democrats' conclusions about global warming are settled. Bottom line: They want to dictate your lifestyle. They don't really care what the numbers are or what inconvenient truths keep turning up. This week's news compels us to ask how, if the data is so suspect, the science can be so "settled." The more we know, the more we realize how little we know. Republicans should not be shy about speaking up and keeping the liberals honest.
But climate change science is settled: 97 percent of peer-reviewed scientific literature affirms human-caused climate change. [WashingtonPost.com, 11/4/15; Media Matters, 7/1/15]
Rogers Has Used His Post Column To Attack The Clean Power Plan, Which His Client Is Also Fighting
Southern Company Is Fighting The Clean Power Plan. Robert Sussman, who previously worked in the Obama administration as an EPA Senior Policy Counsel, wrote in December that Southern has been a prominent naysayer against the EPA's proposed Clean Power Plan, a key component of Obama's Climate Action Plan that will place the first-ever federal limits on carbon emissions from power plants:
Prominent among the naysayers was the Southern Company, one of the largest US generators and distributors of electric power and a top emitter of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Through its subsidiaries, Southern has a dominant presence in electricity markets in Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and the Florida Gulf Coast. This region is conservative politically and Southern has historically been skeptical of federal environmental regulation. While Southern could not be expected to embrace EPA's proposal, its strongly worded condemnation of the Clean Power Plan is striking and unusual even compared to other critical voices. Southern asserts that the Plan "extends beyond EPA's authority under the Clean Air Act, is unworkable and would increase electricity prices to customers while jeopardizing reliability." This will result, Southern says, in a "complete deconstruction of the nation's electric sector and negatively impact America's energy security." Implementing the Plan, according to Southern, could cost $1 trillion.
In August, Georgia Power, the largest subsidiary of Southern Company, issued a press release reaffirming "its belief the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency extended beyond its authority in creating the most far-reaching environmental rules in the agency's history." In October, Georgia Power "joined with other energy companies across the country in support of a motion to stay the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Clean Power Plan." [Brookings Institution, 12/17/14; GeorgiaPower.com, 8/6/15; PR Newswire, 10/23/15]
Rogers Repeatedly Attacked The Clean Power Plan In The Post. Rogers wrote an August 4 post attacking the Clean Power Plan as "just another attempt by President Obama to make an ideological point." He said the plan "would serve only to raise energy prices for consumers and suppress job growth and would not have any appreciable impact on what are touted as the man-made causes of global warming." Rogers also wrote an August 5 post attacking the Clean Power Plan under the headline, "It's settled -- Obama's global warming plan won't accomplish anything." Rogers attacked the plan as having a "negative impact on business":
Our next president owes it to the American people to be more honest than his or her predecessor about the prospect of anything useful coming from increased costs, diminished economic growth and negative impact on business as a result of increased regulation. I repeat again, according to Coral Davenport in the New York Times, the payoff is only that these actions "could... prevent some of the worst effects of global warming." [Emphasis added.] Read: Maybe something good will come of it. Nobody knows. So much for "settled science." [WashingtonPost.com, 8/4/15, 8/5/15, emphasis added in original]
The Wash. Post's "Dishonest" Identification Of Rogers
The Wash. Post Does Not Disclose Rogers' Lobbying Clients Even If They Overlap With His Writing. While the Post notes that Rogers is "the chairman of the lobbying and communications firm BGR Group," it does not reveal BGR's specific clients and conflicts even when he writes about subjects that overlap with his lobbying work. In other words, the Post forces readers to actively research whether Rogers has lobbing clients that may conflict with his writing. A Post spokesperson defended the practice to Media Matters in January, stating: "His full-time lobbying job is in his bio on every single piece he writes." The spokesperson did not respond about why the Post didn't include specific disclosures that support issues favorable to a certain client. [WashingtonPost.com, 11/4/15, 8/5/15; Media Matters, 1/22/15]
Rogers Regularly Uses His Post Space To Advocate For His Clients' Interests. A Media Matters report in January found that Rogers regularly used his blog to advocate for the positions and interests of his lobbying firm's clients in numerous anti-environmental pieces. For instance, Rogers advocated building the Keystone XL pipeline; BGR has lobbied for Caterpillar, Inc., which would financially benefit from the construction of the pipeline. Rogers' firm received over $1.6 million in fees in 2014 alone from energy and transportation clients. [Media Matters, 1/21/15]
Media Ethicists Have Savaged The Post For Its "Troubling" And "Dishonest" Disclosure Standard. Media ethicists have panned this policy and urged the paper to do more. Ed Wasserman, dean of the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California, Berkeley, said in January that "without a specific disclosure that he has a horse to back in this, the blanket description of him as a lobbyist doesn't help." [Media Matters, 1/22/15]Image copyright PA Image caption The UK's universities are among the biggest beneficiaries of EU research funding
Barriers to research collaboration in Europe as a result of Brexit would harm scientific progress, says a group of leading UK universities.
Science and research should be a priority in the talks between the UK and the EU, says the Russell Group of research intensive universities.
Any barriers "would be bad for the UK and bad for Europe", said the group's acting director, Tim Bradshaw.
His comments come as the EU prepares to authorise the start of the talks.
The EU's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, is due later on Monday to seek a formal mandate from the European Council in Brussels to begin negotiations.
Mr Barnier expects the talks to begin immediately after June's general election.
Image caption UK universities are among the biggest beneficiaries of EU science funding
The Russell Group says there will be "no winners" if Brexit results in barriers between researchers and has pledged to work with "all sides to secure a positive outcome".
Dr Bradshaw said there had been "huge breakthroughs in medicine, engineering, and any number of fields" as a result of joint working, which he promised would continue after Brexit.
"We want to maintain the closest possible relationships with colleagues across the EU, and research must be a priority during talks," he added.
He called for the rights of EU students and staff at UK universities to be guaranteed after Brexit.
"We value our EU colleagues very highly and need urgent assurances, that after Brexit, they will retain the same rights to stay and work in the UK that they have now.
"Nearly half of all UK academic articles result from international collaboration and EU member states are some of our biggest partners.
"These relationships improve the quality of UK research and underpin the strength of our science base."
UK universities are among the biggest beneficiaries of the EU's huge Horizon 2020 research fund.
Non-EU countries can also draw on the fund if they contribute to it - but a major condition of countries being able to participate is allowing freedom of movement for researchers, a potential stumbling block in the talks.
Manifesto pledges
The Conservative party manifesto, promises to "collaborate in science and innovation" with EU member states.
The manifesto also pledges to secure the entitlements of EU nationals in Britain and British nationals in the EU.
"There may be specific European programmes in which we might want to participate and if so, it will be reasonable that we make a contribution," the document adds.
Labour's manifesto promises that the party in government would "ensure that the UK maintains our leading research role by seeking to stay part of Horizon 2020 and its successor programmes and by welcoming research staff to the UK".
The party also says it will seek to maintain membership, or equivalent, with European organisations that offer benefits to the UK such as Euratom and the European Medicines Agency.
The Liberal Democrat manifesto warns that "the Leave vote has already started to affect existing and proposed research programmes".
"We will campaign against any reduction in investment in UK universities and for their right to apply for EU funds on equal terms."
Manifestos have not yet been published for the SNP, UKIP or the Green Party.Every four years it’s the same game on the American left: arguments on anti-war listservs about whether or not to vote Democrat in the upcoming election.
Every four years it seems like an awful idea no matter where you live, whether it be a “swing state” or not.
Every four years the usual imbeciles line up behind the Dems: from Eric Alterman to Todd Gitlin, and the majority of those congregating around fluff sites like Moveon.org.
During these periods, the movements go into shut down mode, our armed forces murder thousands of innocent civilians each month, and the most absentminded of the peace activists blabber on about the need to support the troops.
Meanwhile, times get progressively tougher for your average dissenter, already pushed to the farthest margins of American society. A subservient culture has arisen in the Land of the Free, wherein truth telling and critical discussion are seen as signs of mental and physical weakness. You are told to suck it up and stop complaining: just accept the hardships of life and work 60 hours a week with no health care whilst being treated disparagingly because you have a clue.
This mass media culture rewards idiots. One thing that separates the United States from its European counterparts is the fact that the bourgeois culture in the former isn’t remotely appreciable. It was always foul and has merely gotten worse as my wretched generation has come to the fore. It’s a generation of insipid frat boys: rising through the ranks of corporate America not through their cunning and intellect, but rather via their ability to manipulate the show that passes for American culture. The louder and more demonstrative you are of your clueless-ness, the richer and more powerful you get. Is it any wonder that we ended up with the president we have?
Is it any wonder that our next president will probably be Barack Obama? For all intents and purposes, he was groomed by the morally-void University of Chicago, where he taught in the law school just prior to entering politics. What a record the UC has! They have already produced several members of the Bush cabal, including Paul Wolfowitz and John Ashcroft. I needn’t go in great detail about what they teach you at the University of Chicago, as my old friend at the University of Illinois, Dr. Francis Boyle, has already done so.
Now take it from someone born and raised in Chicago. What do Chicagoans think of the University thereof? For the most part, they find the campus to be an island of snobbish assholes fenced off from its surrounding ghetto. The culture of the Hyde Park neighborhood that it occupies is typical high brow progressivism: people showing off their worldliness by living in an urban environment and studying at a world-renown campus, conveniently forgetting that it’s world renown for spearheading the Manhattan project and introducing the underpinnings to neo-liberal economics and neo-conservative politics. With its eerily gothic architecture and its positioning in a tragically unequal part of Chicago, the University is like hell on earth. And its contributions to the world have gone a long way into turning the entire planet into a fiery inferno.
Their latest contribution to the world? Barack Obama!
There are numerous problems with this man, many of which have been rather thoroughly covered by any progressive thinking news site. As soon as he finally secured the nomination, he went and ass kissed the totalitarian AIPAC lobby to ensure these sponsors of terror that the U.S. would remain the world’s largest perpetrator of violence once he enters office. Prior to that, he built his entire presidential campaign on lies.
Two fibs, in particular, helped catapult him to predominance in the primary game. The first one is that he has won hard political battles before and will continue to in November. This millionaire graduate of one of the world’s premiere law programs was virtually handed his senatorial seat after the crippled Illinois Republican party had to ship Alan Keyes in from Maryland to fill the shoes left by Jack Ryan, a man whose divorce records were pried open by shifty goons from the Obama campaign aiming to find dirt. And what they found is the kind of stuff that sinks an American politician: evidence of sexual patterns deviating from the Puritan norm whilst touring Paris with his former wife.
And prior to that Obama was a state Senator in a district where there’s only one party: one infamously corrupt and spiteful party. If you are the Democrat chosen to win, then you win; the election is a moot point. Then, there was 2000, when Obama attempted to un-seat incumbent Congressman Bobby Rush from the right, and lost by a margin of 2 to 1. In other words, Obama had won jack shit prior to this presidential election.
The second errant claim made by the Obama camp is that he was against the war from the beginning. Now can someone explain to me how an impassioned opponent of war entering the U.S. Senate could possibly vote repeatedly to fund the war he was supposedly against from the beginning? Where was he when the Democrats took over the Congress and the anti-war American public was waiting for a leader in Washington to take charge of getting it done? One would expect a supposedly progressive and popular senator to do just that. Instead, he just went babbling on about how Iran should be wiped off the map if real evidence were found to demonstrate their intent to develop one measly nuclear warhead in a world plagued by the peril of 20,000 American nukes.
While the grassroots gave Obama and the Democrats everything they needed to run this administration and its wars out of Washington, Obama was too busy stumping for the annihilation of Hamas, voting for the appointment of Condoleeza Rice, and calling out fellow Illinois Senator Richard Durbin for making the obvious comparison of Guantanamo Bay, Abu Ghraib and a Nazi concentration camp.
All that I have learned from Obama’s brief tenure in the Senate is that he isn’t even the more progressive of Illinois’ two senators, and he most certainly is not a skilled leader. During a time when a good leader would be like Dennis Kucinich in the house and demand a debate on impeachment, organize members of Congress to vote against war funding, and spearhead a movement for a cabinet level Department of Peace, Obama was out writing books in preparation for his presidential bid.
He was out praising Ronald Reagan and denouncing the ’68 movements for being naïve and divisive. Ronald Reagan is his man: the architect of the Latin American holocaust of the ‘80’s, wherein the United States dropped bombs everywhere from Nicaragua to El Salvador and Grenada. Ronald Reagan, the man who alongside his wife Nancy told Americans to stop bitching and go to work. The man who began the reversal of the paltry social system that once existed in the United States. Ronald Reagan: the man who made sure that my generation would be one of idiots, unable to think critically, and un-interested at being global citizens.
Meanwhile, the last major social revolution, wherein social movements throughout the world shocked the prevailing social superstructure, is derided as naïve and short-sighted. That moment where students and workers together tore down the state apparatus in Paris, challenged the political elite of the University system in California, and were beaten down by police violence in Chicago, is seen as foolishness by this man. The last time that society functioned in the United States, wherein people had the nerve to demand structural shifts and a bridging of great sociological cleavages, was a stupid era.
Just to clarify. Ronald Reagan, the political architect of the destruction of the American social state and the dumbing down of society, is an admirable man. Meanwhile, the 1968 revolution, the underpinning of the European social democratic state and of New Social Movements from Seattle to Chiapas, is naïve and stupid.
Obama is essentially the American answer to the Extreme Center. You combine right wing economic policy with politically correct social policy, the worst of all worlds, and what you get is this horrific political tendency. L’extrême centre was a term invented by the French to describe the movement by François Bayrou in last year’s presidential elections. The idea behind it is that the old left-right discourse is dated, and what is needed is a time of coming together and happy fuzziness.
It’s the same ideology that drives the Europhiles, intent on creating a super-state despite repeated protest from the pesky people. These high and mighty extremists don’t care what the actual workers and toilers beneath them think, for they are backwards and haven’t progressed to the point of realizing that there are no more questions to be asked: we need to all accept neo-liberal economics and be cute and PC about it.
If you question a neo-liberal European super state or a two party plutocracy in the United States, you are derided as naïve and foolish. Your voice doesn’t count, despite the fact that you are clearly in the majority. The European Constitution/Treaty of Lisbon has squarely lost its last three public referenda. Meanwhile, in the United States, the vast majority of people don’t bother ever voting, because they have nothing to do with either choice offered in any election. It’s only the elitist minority that has any thing to gain from the extreme center.
So we are told to unite under “one United States of America,” as if that will automatically make everything swell. This is a disgusting lie, since the United States is in a state of absolute disrepair. There is a crisis ongoing basically anywhere a crisis could possibly exist. There is a public health crisis, as 100 million Americans are either un- or under-insured. There is a public infrastructure crisis, as people from New Orleans up through the heartland have found themselves dangerously vulnerable to nature’s occasional attack. There is an education crisis, as the United States has to continuously ship its engineers, doctors and professors in from other countries in order to compete. Meanwhile, the average American worker enters the work force $30-40,000 in debt, forced to dump a hearty chunk of their monthly income on paying off their exorbitant university fees.
Oh, and I almost forgot that there is that little problem with the Dollar. The currency that once made the world go around has been traded in for Euros by Jay-Z, as the real bling has jumped the pond. Who wants to hustle in a currency that’s running on par with the Swiss Franc and Canadian Dollar!?
Meanwhile, there is an ongoing cultural crisis. Anything resembling real cultural pursuit in the arts, literature and philosophy has been almost entirely trivialized by Hollywood. Southern California is, for all practical purposes, the center of the Empire. American power has always hinged on the American capacity to market its mediocre film and music industry to the world, thus re-enforcing the predominance of the English language and the strength of the imperial armies present on every continent. Hollywood has spent a great deal of its time and energy in glorifying war and warriors, treating the thoughtful and effeminate male disparagingly, while romancing the putrid characters played by the likes of Bruce Willis and the Governator.
Furthermore, your average citizen feels only as important as his financial worth. Any other value, be it intellectual, creative, or emotional, is of little importance in the Land of the Free, which, of course, would be a lot better known as the Land of the Cheap. People are made to be in bargain mode, falling down the cultural slippery slope via Walmart shopping sprees and fast food dining.
On Sunday, we lost a man who had a lot of insight on the decay of American culture and its fetish with cheap commodity. George Carlin also had advice for what to do with this election and all American elections. In his honor, I am going to sit home on Election Day rather than face the disgusting choice between two Reaganites and a token vote on the egomaniac Ralph Nader or the inept American Green party.
If you want change you can believe in, you’re best off convincing 10,000 of your best friends to take to the streets and fight the pigs. It’s only these movements, from Berkeley to Seattle to Chicago, that have ever changed the social tides. Electing a president has given us some fair entertainment, from the tragedies of Camelot to the precious days of Monica Mania. However, the American politician is too focused on his career to do anything of any good for the American people. Hope is in the streets, not at the ballot box!Kevin P. Coughlin / Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
Governor Andrew Cuomo is having a moment. On Tuesday, he took the stage with Bernie Sanders to unveil a plan to offer free college tuition for families earning less than $125,000. As the crowd of LaGuardia Community College students chanted “Bernie, Bernie, Bernie,” Cuomo clapped along, a wide grin on his face.
Never mind the well-intentioned Excelsior Scholarship will need legislative approval, where Cuomo’s Senate Republican friends still hold sway, or has no clear funding stream, beyond some money from existing tuition assistance programs. The announcement made a striking headline and scene for the once proudly centrist governor, now beginning to tinker with the idea of a White House run: a progressive icon with the 25-and-under crowd crediting him with a “revolutionary idea.”
But New Year’s Eve was another reminder that Cuomo’s liberalism will always have a ceiling. In a move that galled criminal justice reform advocates and elected officials in both parties, the governor quietly vetoed a bill on Saturday that would have required the state to pick up the cost from counties to fund legal services for the poor. The legislation had passed the Democrat-controlled Assembly and Republican-controlled Senate.
Local counties, already contending with a Cuomo-imposed cap on increasing property taxes, have limited resources, and the problem with the status quo is obvious: the finances and politics of counties vary, and so too does the standard of justice. A conservative county executive can slash funds to public defense, and the poor person unable to afford a decent lawyer finds a quicker path to a guilty plea and a criminal record.
In 2014, New York State settled a lawsuit with the New York Civil Liberties Union over funding for public defenders in five counties — Suffolk, Schuyler, Ontario, Onondaga and Washington — which motivated the state to provide more funding there. The lawsuit alleged that the conditions of indigent legal defense in the five counties did not live up to New York’s constitutional obligations as mandated by the Supreme Court decision of Gideon v. Wainwright. Since then, counties around the state have sought the help those five received, and the legislation was born.
Cuomo’s office said the legislature’s plan would cost the state too much money — as much as $800 million, by their estimates — and promised to introduce their own initiative to address the lawsuit this year. “Until the last possible moment, we attempted to reach an agreement with the legislature that would have achieved the stated goal of this legislation, been fiscally responsible, and had additional safeguards to ensure accountability and transparency,” said Rich Azzopardi, a Cuomo spokesman. “Unfortunately an agreement was unable to be reached and the legislature was committed to a flawed bill that placed an $800 million burden on taxpayers — $600 million of which was unnecessary — with no way to pay for it and no plan to make one.”
But this argument seems somewhat odd in the wake of Tuesday’s grand tuition announcement. Why does free schooling across the state require no current, viable funding plan but indigent defense does? How much will Cuomo deviate from the legislation he shot down? Why can’t the state just pay for both?
More importantly, if Cuomo is so concerned with fiscal prudence, why not make a serious effort to stop arresting New Yorkers for so many petty offenses? Seventy percent of arrests in the entire state are for misdemeanors. Were the state to decriminalize misdemeanor drug possession, the cost of defending the poor would drop because less people would be interacting with the criminal justice system.
This would mean Cuomo, and his erstwhile buddy Mayor Bill de Blasio, dispensing with their reverence for “Broken Windows” policing. Neither man has yet shown the guts for that.LAPEER, MI — It is 9 a.m. on Independence Day and Jessica Lewis is driving to jail.
She is headed out of town and the urban surroundings are giving way to a rural landscape. This, she says, is when the creepiness begins to set in.
"What a great way to celebrate the Fourth, right?" she says.
She makes this trip about twice a month. It's becoming familiar. Jail is a place where anything resembling an ordinary life must be imitated, manufactured or imported.
Today's import is haircuts. Lewis is the supplier.
She works in a regular salon all week, but is on the lookout for what she calls "income boosters" whenever money gets tight. She's a single mom of a teenager, and wants to send her daughter on a trip abroad that will cost about $4,000. Her car insurance recently went up, costing more than the payment, and the rear of that same car is rattling in ways that frighten her.
She's done lots of things for extra money, writing for websites and managing social media accounts among them. She's done the hair and makeup of corpses at funeral homes. None of those gigs lasted. She gets burned out quickly and wants to do new things. She also gets burned out doing hair — at the salon and occasionally out of her home — but she plans on staying at the jail as long as they'll have her.
"So many people are asking me about it. They're like, what the heck, are you crazy? Most people think I'm crazy," she said.
It was a job no one else wanted, but one she finds fascinating. She heard about it from a former inmate who came to her salon. He was sitting in her boss' chair, talking about how he hadn't had a haircut in five months. The jail couldn't find a barber. It was easy to see why.
The last one had fallen in love with an inmate, the former inmate said, and once the inmate was released she left her husband and kids for him.
A week later, she called the jail, and told the person who answered she understood they were looking for someone who could cut hair.
She got an interview. They conducted a background check. Then a guard told her the same story the man at the beauty shop had about the last barber.
She was scared her first day, she said. She was set up in the visitation room, where one wall was lined with two-way phones, stainless steel stools and thick glass.
There was also the smell.
"It smells like hell in there. Just sweaty, funky, like the inside of a boy's hat. Just like depression. Like deep, dark depression," she said.
The first time she cut an inmate's hair,there was something bothering her, but it wasn't the inmate. It was the guard standing behind her, looming. Lewis can't stand having anyone look over her shoulder, and it didn't help that he had a gun. Lewis was brought up in a home where even squirt guns were not allowed.
She asked him to leave.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"You just have to leave," she told him. "I got this. I'm fine."
The guard left, and Lewis became more conscious of the dustpan she has to flip over and wedge under the door to keep it open. If someone kicked it out and the door shut, it would, like all the doors in jail, be locked until she hit a button to summon a deputy who would open the door with the harsh tell-tale buzz.
There were 23 haircuts that first day, one right after the other. There would have been more but her clippers were getting so hot from constant use they were burning her hand and she had to stop. She came back three days later to finish the job and has been on call ever since, coming in about every two weeks.
She's starting to feel more comfortable, but not too comfortable. She recently started taking martial arts classes, learning the proper ways to grapple and apply a choke, but she hasn't been in a while -- money's still tight.
It's still scary, but there's something about it that doesn't exist at her day job. Her customers say thank you, every one. No one yells at her. She has not been sexually harassed once — a daily occurrence, she said, at her regular job.
She chats easily with most inmates. Even though they often tell her, she doesn't want to know what they've done. It's hard to keep an open mind between the person on trial for attempted manslaughter and the guy who wrote some bad checks. Not knowing makes it easier to treat the inmates like anyone else, it makes this "income booster" easier to do, and it makes it possible for the inmates to get something as simple as a haircut.
Besides, in her time there, the line between the inside and outside world has blurred.
The jail is perhaps just as scary, but it might only be as scary as the outside world.
"But what if?" her friends and family often ask her, not having to finish the question. She's getting tired of it.
"There are just as many creepy people in your everyday life. They just haven't gotten caught yet, they haven't snapped yet, whatever. And I don't want to live like that — what if?"
When she arrives at the jail on the Fourth, she awaits the deputy, then follows him through the first locked door before walking to the next one herself, putting her hand on the knob, waiting for the buzz.
Inside
Lapeer County Jail is a plain, one-story brick building. On the Fourth of July, there were 113 inmates inside, with offenses ranging from driving with a suspended license to attempted murder. Criminal sexual conduct charges are common. A prison is next door, and deputies say that's the place you'd rather be. You have more freedom in prison. You get to go outside. Some inmates sit in Lapeer County for as much as two years before they find out where they're headed next.
"They come to us before they go to anyone else," says Deputy Joe Davis.
There are different pods for different people. There are areas for people getting detoxed, areas with higher security, a special area for "trustees" — inmates with lesser offenses who can get time off for working for the jail. There's a special area for women, but Lewis never sees them. Only the men are interested in getting their hair cut.
All of this is visible from the jail's control rooms, areas where Led Zepplin softly plays on a radio, and handcuffs, chains, Tasers and bags of sunflower seeds sit out at the ready.
There are quiet days, long stretches where there are no incidents, that the deputies try not to mention, hoping not to jinx the good luck. Then there are other stretches — deputies remember one that lasted two months — when there are fights, suicide attempts, and other disturbances that happened daily.
"That's like working at the beauty shop," Lewis says a few minutes before heading to the visiting room. "Some days people are fine and some days it's like, is there a full moon?"
She is not the only outsider who comes into the jail. Lapeer County is very big on holding classes for inmates, with subjects ranging from how to be a better father to learning various skills. But those classes are designed for inmates. The people who run them know what they're in for. Lewis just needed some extra cash, and her job as a hair stylist as a unique one. The barber chair is a place where people -- on the inside and outside -- feel comfortable, spill secrets, and for a few minutes and a few dollars get to be the center of attention. For someone in an orange jumpsuit and slippers, that doesn't happen very often.
The visiting room is ready for her. An orange extension cord runs in from the hall and through the door propped open by the dustpan. Two plastic chairs are stacked so that the inmates will be at an easier height to cut — still, not having an adjustable barber chair makes it tough for Lewis.
She unzips her black bag of supplies, two sets of clippers that will get uncomfortably hot as she makes cuts back-to-back, and a pair of barber scissors — basically two razors bolted together that will set within arm's reach.
There are 15 inmates on the list today. They'll spend $8 of their own money for a haircut, five more if they want a beard trim — all paid for through an electronic payment system, something that help cuts down on problems that can work their way into jails, like bribing guards. |
accords were being pushed through, Kosovo was part of a much reduced ‘Federal Republic of Yugoslavia’ that comprised only two of the original six Yugoslav republics, Serbia and Montenegro. The time had come, it seemed to the Kosovars, Kosovo’s Albanian-speaking community, to break from Belgrade’s control. In 1996 a self-styled Kosovo Liberation Army began attacking police stations. Belgrade hit back, and tens of thousands of Serbia’s own Albanian-speaking citizens fled their homes. NATO bombed Serbian targets, trying to make Milošević abandon his heavy-handed military operations against Kosovan targets. In June 1999, UN Security Council Resolution 1244 put Kosovo under UN supervision and started a political process to decide its status. Serbian military forces left Kosovo. After years of diplomatic machinations — and, this time, openly angry disagreements between Western capitals and Belgrade and Moscow — Kosovo proclaimed itself independent in February 2008.
Today, the fighting has stopped, but the struggle has moved to a different level — a diplomatic battle over Kosovo’s status. Kosovo asserts its right to self-determination amid the wreckage from the collapse of Yugoslavia. Serbia insists that its territorial integrity has to be respected.
There is one fact in Kosovo that everyone accepts: Kosovars heavily outnumber Serbs. After the Second World War, the Yugoslav authorities’ attempts to improve the lot of the country’s Albanian-speaking population led to a sharp drop in child mortality without a correspondingly speedy reduction in family size. A boom in Kosovar numbers now ripples down the decades. Each year some 15,000 more Kosovars are born than die. Each year in Serbia some 33,000 more Serbs die than are born. The numbers currently are roughly 50,000 a year in Kosovo’s favour.
These discrepancies don’t sound large, but they mount up. Less than a generation from now the population difference between Serbia (currently some seven million) and Kosovo (currently approaching two million) is likely to shrink by nearly one million people. You see the difference. Kosovo is scruffy bustle, full of young people running kiosks and workshops or just moving around. Cross into Serbia and the scene abruptly empties out: lush meadows and tidy little farms, but eerily few humans. Sooner or later Kosovars will be trying to make lives for themselves across that border. A de facto ‘greater Albanian space’ will seep outwards into Serbia.
For purely demographic reasons, Serbia’s position is doomed to fail. In today’s world, numbers count. And the Kosovars have the numbers on their side
For decades successive leaderships in Belgrade have watched this demographic drama unfold. Dobrica Ćosić, the Serb nationalist writer who later became president of the rump Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, feared that these demographic forces would leave Serbs outnumbered not just in Kosovo but in Serbia as a whole. He told me in 1983 that Kosovo had to be cut off to prevent greater losses: ‘Sometimes you amputate the cancerous leg to save the body.’ No Serbian leader has dared take on this grisly task.
Both Serbs and Kosovars insist that, on any fair view of the problem, Kosovo ‘belongs’ to their side. They cite all sorts of historic and other evidence to support these mutually incompatible claims.
Serb experts agree that the ethnic balance of the Kosovo population has ebbed and flowed down the centuries. Nevertheless, ancient Serb monasteries and other sites attest to Serbia’s historic claim to the land. Serbs insist that it is not fair to accept today’s heavy Albanian-speaking majority as a decisive argument in favour of self-determination, because that advantage is artificial: for decades, external force and communist-era manipulations have whittled down Kosovo’s Serbian population, tilting the numbers in the Albanian-speakers’ favour. They add that NATO’s intervention in the late-1990s led to tens of thousands more Serbs leaving, and that the UN Administration then failed to set up a comprehensive ‘returns’ programme like the one that featured so prominently in post-conflict Bosnia.
In Bosnia, the Serbs point out, Holbrooke’s Dayton settlement gave the three rival communities a blunt message: Stop fighting! Get along with each other nicely, in a single state framework. Allow people back to their homes! Yet just down the road in Kosovo, the American-led policy is the opposite: If you Kosovars want to leave a democratic Serbia, who are we to stop you? Indeed, here’s plenty of our taxpayers’ money, with few strings attached! Returning Serbs to their homes in Kosovo? Not a priority. Asked to explain these inconsistencies, Western politicians study their shoes.
Kosovar experts coolly reply that Kosovo’s Albanian-speakers have plenty of their own historic claims to territory in this part of Europe. More importantly, the Serbs need to accept that their own sustained bad policies have brought about their downfall. For decades if not centuries, Serbs have looked on Kosovars as inferiors: ‘The snow’s deep — get a Šiptar to sweep it,’ they say, where Šiptar is an ethnic slur on Albanians. As one grim episode after another has shown, Serb leaders in Belgrade have defaulted to violence when dealing with legitimate Kosovar demands. In the 1990s Milošević drove hundreds of thousands of Kosovars — Serbia’s own citizens — out of the territory. Kosovars believe that the Serbian dream is an idealised Kosovo without them, an ambition that is as ignoble as it is unachievable, except by means of so-called ‘ethnic cleansing’. Given all this, say the Kosovars, how can we be expected to live under Serb rule? Kosovo had the substantive status of a republic in communist Yugoslavia: now the overwhelming majority of Kosovo’s people want to follow all the other Yugoslav republics that have broken free from what they see as Serbia’s malign and lugubrious nationalism.
More than half the countries in the world see the political logic and moral justice in this position. For purely demographic reasons, Serbia’s position is doomed to fail. In today’s world, numbers count. And the Kosovars have the numbers on their side.
States either win global recognition and a flag at the United Nations, or they don’t. Kosovo is either part of a modern Serbia, or it isn’t. Once Washington, London and other capitals decided to recognise Kosovo within its Yugo-era borders — in the face of strong opposition from Moscow, Beijing and many other important power-centres — all options for a single-state solution were lost. We could have reached into the European and global bran-tubs of precedent to find something that might work: Swiss-style cantonisation, or EU-supported power-sharing, or new ‘entities’ echoing the Dayton deal in Bosnia, or far-reaching autonomy such as Greenland enjoys under Denmark. Generous financial assistance and technical support could have launched the new deal.
Had the two sides still shown implacable unwillingness to live under one flag, we could have accepted this reality with a dash of pragmatism (usually the wisest approach) and proposed a deal that traded territorial integrity for self-determination. Kosovo would get its full independence — including recognition from Belgrade — only if some of its Serb communities were offered the option to stay in Serbia. Meanwhile, the Preševo Valley community of Albanian-speakers in Serbia might be invited to choose to join Kosovo. Both sides would be expected to make strategic compromises, with internationally supervised border adjustments reflecting the democratic wishes of the different local communities. The rest of the world would have nodded at this good sense and waited to endorse any deal that emerged.
In recent years, Serbia has floated such ideas and more. They have all met with EU and US disdain as cheap tricks to promote nasty ‘mono-ethnicity’ – as if Kosovo’s independence were not itself all about self-determination for a largely mono-ethnic Kosovo. Kosovars have no reason not to play for the maximum, and neither Europeans nor Americans use their huge leverage to challenge them. Serbia therefore falls back on Belgrade’s traditionally good ties with other key world capitals. It presses the attractive argument that, these days, it’s a wise move to see what Washington and Brussels want and to do the opposite.
Thus today’s diplomatic stalemate that divides the planet. Kosovo in effect vetoes Serbia’s European Union bid. Serbia makes it clear that, without its blessing, Kosovo won’t join the EU or the UN. This deadlock over territory and allegiance is one that the wily princes, dukes and bishops drafting the Peace of Westphalia would easily recognise.
No diplomat can be surprised that so many capitals round the world refuse to follow the clumsy lead of the US, London and Brussels on this issue. The vast majority of the countries that have not recognised Kosovo don’t care about Kosovo or Serbia. For these countries it’s not about Balkan bickering — it’s about their own security. Yes, some minority communities want to run their own affairs. But territorial integrity underpins the way the whole world works: grave dangers come from trashing that fundamental principle in the face of serious international objections. It’s one thing to amputate parts of your gangrenous leg yourself. It’s quite another for NATO to lunge in, wielding a rusty hacksaw. Good grief, who might be next? Syria?Op-Ed What the critics wrote about the Beatles in 1964
'Appallingly unmusical,' 'hirsute' and 'destined to fade away' — that pretty much sums up the general consensus.
An estimable critic writing for National Review, after seeing Presley writhe his way through one of Ed Sullivan's shows … suggested that future entertainers would have to wrestle with live octopuses in order to entertain a mass American audience. The Beatles don't in fact do this, but how one wishes they did! And how this one wishes the octopus would win….
With their bizarre shrubbery, the Beatles are obviously a press agent's dream combo. Not even their mothers would claim that they sing well. But the hirsute thickets they affect make them rememberable, and they project a certain kittenish charm which drives the immature, shall we say, ape.
Today, the Beatles hold an exalted place in the history of rock 'n' roll. But 50 years ago, when they first crossed the Atlantic to perform in the United States, the reaction was decidedly mixed. Here is a sampling of what the critics were saying.
The Beatles are not merely awful; I would consider it sacrilegious to say anything less than that they are god awful. They are so unbelievably horribly, so appallingly unmusical, so dogmatically insensitive to the magic of the art that they qualify as crowned heads of anti-music, even as the imposter popes went down in history as "anti-popes."
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Newsweek
Feb. 24, 1964
Visually they are a nightmare, tight, dandified Edwardian-Beatnik suits and great pudding bowls of hair. Musically they are a near disaster, guitars and drums slamming out a merciless beat that does away with secondary rhythms, harmony and melody. Their lyrics (punctuated by nutty shouts of "yeah, yeah, yeah") are a catastrophe, a preposterous farrago of Valentine-card romantic sentiments….
The big question in the music business at the moment is, will the Beatles last? The odds are that, in the words of another era, they're too hot not to cool down, and a cooled-down Beatle is hard to picture. It is also hard to imagine any other field in which they could apply their talents, and so the odds are that they will fade away, as most adults confidently predict. But the odds in show business have a way of being broken, and the Beatles have more showmanship than any group in years; they might just think up a new field for themselves. After all, they have done it already.
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Theodore Strongin
New York Times
Feb. 10, 1964
The Beatles' vocal quality can be described as hoarsely incoherent, with the minimal enunciation necessary to communicate the schematic texts.
Two theories were offered in at least one household to explain the Beatles' popularity. The specialist said: "We haven't had an idol in a few years. The Beatles are different, and we have to get rid of our excess energy somehow."
The other theory is that the longer parents object with such high dudgeon, the longer children will squeal so hysterically.
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Donald Freeman
Chicago Tribune
Feb. 29, 1964
The Beatles must be a huge joke, a wacky gag, a gigantic put-on. And if, as the fellow insisted on What's My Line?, they're selling 20,000 Beatle wigs a day in New York at $2.98 a shake — then I guess everyone wants to share the joke. And the profits.
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Hartford Courant
Feb. 23, 1964
Stiff lip, old chap, even the Beatles will pass! The question is, what next?
Alan Rinzler
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The Nation
March 2, 1964
The reaction at Carnegie Hall was not a real response to a real stimulus.... The full house was made up largely of upper-middle-class young ladies, stylishly dressed, carefully made up, brought into town by private cars or suburban buses for their night to howl, to let go, scream, bump, twist and clutch themselves ecstatically out there in the floodlights for everyone to see and with the full blessings of all authority; indulgent parents, profiteering businessmen, gleeful national media, even the police. Later they can all go home and grow up like their mommies, but this was their chance to attempt a very safe and very private kind of rapture.Doctors at Belgium's Erasme Hospital claimed a world first on Wednesday in extracting and later successfully re-implanting ovarian tissue to enable a young Congolese-Belgian woman to give birth.
Writing in the journal Human Reproduction, gynecologist and fertility specialist Dr. Isabelle Demeestere said it was the first time that medically induced infertility in someone so young had been overcome.
At the age of 11, the girl was ailing with sickle cell anemia. She was given a bone marrow transplant combined with chemotherapy, a practice that stimulates blood production but risks damaging the ovaries.
Doctors removed fragments of her right ovary when she was 13 at the onset of puberty.
Implanted a decade later
A decade later, they grafted the extracted ovarian tissue onto the woman's other ovary. Eggs grew in that inserted tissue and two years later the woman gave birth to a healthy boy - in November last year.
"It was a very happy moment," said Demeestere, who kept the woman's identity anonymous.
In previous cases, older women have had ovarian tissue removed and later transplanted to give birth, but none was treated in childhood, she said.
"We didn't know what would happen when you transplant tissue [back] into a patient that is completely immature," Demeestere said. "But once I saw that she had started ovulating and her hormone profile was normal, I was quite sure she would get pregnant."
Freezing ovarian tissue had been the only option for preserving fertility, she added.
'Hope for girls'
Pediatric oncologist Dr. Jill Ginsberg of the Cancer Center at the Children's Hospital in Philadelphia said the Belgian case gave "hope for girls."
"To have a child go through this and be able to have a baby years later is just remarkable," Ginsberg said. "But his is still going to be a long shot for anyone going through this kind of treatment."
Removing ovarian tissue was "no small undertaking" when children needed chemotherapy, added Professor Adam Balen of Leeds Centre for Reproductive Medicine.
The director of the Assisted Conception Center at Guy's Hospital in London, Dr. Yacoub Khalaf, said the procedure had worked "since youngsters survive chemotherapy much better than adults."
ipj/sms (Reuters, AFP, AP)Samsung Introduces the Chromebook Plus and Chromebook Pro, Designed for Google Play
At Google I/O 2016, the company announced that Google Play support would be officially extended to several Chrome OS devices. This move vastly extended the capabilities of Chrome OS machines, whose application availability was sorely lacking at the time. Now, Chrome OS has access to thousands of quality apps and games that already have established their presence on Android.
At CES 2017, Samsung announced a collaboration with Google to introduce the next generation of Chromebooks, explicitly designed with Google Play application support in mind. Meet the Samsung Chromebook Plus and the Samsung Chromebook Pro.
Both of these new Chromebooks sport a laptop form factor but with a 360-degree hinge. This allows the Chromebooks to be flipped and used as a tablet, which is more suited for Android applications. The devices feature a 12.3″ Quad HD 2400×1600 display with a 3:2 aspect ratio and Gorilla Glass 3 layered for protection.
The Chromebook Plus will be powered by an ARM microprocessor, though the exact model has not been specified, while the Chromebook Pro will be powered by an Intel Core m3 processor. Both devices will have 4 GBs of RAM, 32GBs of internal storage and will support 4K video output through either of the two USB Type-C ports on the device.
Flexibility is the key word on the new Chromebooks. You have a full-size keyboard and track pad for your conventional Chrome OS functionality. Then, using the 360-degree hinge and the touchscreen capabilities, you can use your device in tablet mode, tent mode, or stand mode. Furthermore, Samsung has equipped the Chromebooks with a built-in stylus embedded on the side of the device for storage and easy access. The pen has a 0.7mm tip and pressure sensitivity which opens up note taking and drawing capabilities.
The Chromebook Plus will be available in February across major retailers in the United States for $449. The Chromebook Pro will be made available later sometime during Spring 2017. Of course, both devices will ship with the Google Play Store pre-installed.11 Odd Facts That Will Make You Look At Porn Very Differently
If you have an Internet connection, odds are you’ve been to a porn site. Porn is as American as apple pie. Perhaps even more American than apple pie, seeing as though an estimated 40 million of us take part in its ritual viewing. Since it’s everywhere (as are facts about porn), we wanted to find some of the rarest tidbits out there. Here are some that you probably haven’t heard of…and maybe didn’t want to.
11 Odd Facts That Will Make You Look At Porn Very Differently
Utah ranks No. 1 in porn subscriptions in the United States.
In 2009, Harvard economics professor Benjamin Edelman published a study in the Journal of Economic Perspective that indicated Utah had the most porn subscriptions per capita in the country. Remember, this is porn subscriptions, not porn consumption.
This one’s for Subway — Every day, there are 116,000 queries for “child pornography.”
Shocking, I know. What’s even more shocking is that people are actually dumb enough to enter that query into Google.
Kenya comes in first in gay porn searches.
Interestingly, homosexuality is forbidden by law in Kenya. You could face up to 21 years in prison if convicted. One statistic even says that 92 percent of the country believes homosexuality to be unacceptable. Yet, their Googling says differently. Back here in the states, Mississippi holds the crown for the highest percentage of gay porn viewers. It seems the most repressed lash out in a fury of homoeroticism.
North Koreans who watch South Korean porn are killed.
In 2013, a witness told a Korean newspaper that 10,000 Wonsan residents were huddled into a stadium to watch eight executions via firing squad. Most of the offenders were caught with South Korean porn. Can’t we all just get along? North Korea isn’t the only country to outlaw pornography entirely. Iran, as well, will throw you on the chopping block for getting your jollies the wrong way.
The most popular search term in Finland is “mature,” followed by “granny.”
According to stats compiled by Gizmodo, Finland likes ’em old and wrinkly.
One small California town produces 85 percent of the world’s porn.
Chatsworth, CA, an unassuming town of about 41,000 people, creates the lion’s share of adult content. North of Los Angeles, it’s home to everything from female talent agencies to every major and minor adult film company. Almost everything you watch online — and on DVDs; can’t forget those archaic things — comes from this tiny, (almost) insignificant town.
The most popular time to watch porn is Sunday morning.
Religious jokes aside, the cold, hard truth is that Sunday morning is when the hungover and horny are rising and shining. Reminds me of that No Doubt song.
Adult actress Lisa Sparks set the record for biggest gangbang with 919 men.
In 2004, Lisa Sparks attended the Third Annual World Gangbang Championship and Eroticon with a single goal in mind: to make history. After 12 hours of bumping uglies (45 seconds apiece), she beat out her opponents and won.
Chris Crocker (of “leave Britney alone!” fame) does porn.
The small-town Tennessee native with a penchant for melodramatic vlogging took his talents to porn; I’ve already done the fact-checking, so don’t bother. Yes, it seems YouTube fame has its perks, with Crocker signing to Chi Chi LaRue in 2011 and Lucas Entertainment digitally releasing Chris Crocker’s Raw Love in 2014. Leave him alone!
A huge portion of male performers use a drug called Caverject to sport a superhuman rod.
It’s a little-known secret in the industry that many stars of the pornographic arts inject this drug into their penises for maximum effect.
Porn viewership spikes after presidential elections.
The simple explanation — you’re happy your team won. The losers, on the other hard, are probably too depressed for porn, or just depressed enough to want to go on a bender. A study published in the journal Evolution and Human Behavior found that testosterone increased after a personal political victory. The researchers looked at the 2004 and 2008 presidential elections and noticed porn searches increased in the states that helped their candidate win. Celebrate good times, come on!Top 5 Skills you need to acquire before transitioning to Applied AI
1 — Statistics
In order to understand Machine Learning, a solid knowledge of statistics fundamentals is essential. This involves understanding the following:
Different ways to measure model success (precision, recall, area under ROC curve, etc.). How your choice of loss function and evaluation metric biases the outputs of your model.
(precision, recall, area under ROC curve, etc.). How your choice of loss function and evaluation metric of your model. How to understand overfitting and underfitting, and the bias/variance tradeoff.
and, and the. What confidence can you attribute to the results of your model.
2 — Machine Learning Theory
When you are training a neural network, what is actually happening? What makes some tasks doable and others not? A good approach to this might be to first try to understand Machine Learning through graphics and examples, before diving deeper into the theory.
Concepts to understand range from how different loss functions work, why back propagation is useful, or what a computational graph is. A deep understanding is crucial both for building a functional model, and to communicate about it efficiently to the rest of the organization. Following are a few resources, starting with high level overviews, and diving deeper.
Another fundamental skill is the ability to read, understand and implement research papers. It can seem like a daunting task at first, so a good way to start is to look up a paper that already has code attached to it (on GitXiv for example) and try to understand the implementation in depth.
3 — Data Wrangling
Ask any Data Scientist and they’ll tell you 90% of the work they do is data munging. This is just as important for Applied AI, as the success of your model correlates hugely with the quality (and quantity) of your data. Data work comes in many aspects, and falls within a few categories:
Data acquisition (finding good data sources, accurately gauging the quality and taxonomy of the data, acquiring and inferring labels )
and of the data, acquiring and inferring ) Data pre-processing ( missing data imputation, feature engineering, data augmentation, data normalization, cross validation split)
imputation,, data, data, cross validation split) Data post-processing (making the outputs of the model usable, cleaning out artifacts, handling special cases and outliers)
The best way to get familiar with data wrangling is to grab a dataset in the wild and try to use it. There are many datasets online and many social media and news outlets sites have great APIs. Following the steps above, a good way to learn is to:
Grab an open dataset and examine it. How big is it (number of observations and features)? How is the data distributed? Are there any missing values or clear outliers?
Start building a pipeline of transformations to go from raw data to usable data. How will you backfill missing values? What is a proper way to deal with outliers? How will you normalize data? Can you create more expressive features?
Examine your transformed dataset. If everything looks good, move on to the next part!
4 — Debugging/Tuning models
Debugging Machine Learning algorithms that fail to converge or to give sensible results involves a very different process from debugging code. In the same vein, finding the right architecture and hyperparameters requires solid theoretical fundamentals, but also good infrastructure work to be able to test different configurations out.
Because of the pace at which the fields evolve, the methods to debug models are constantly evolving. Here are a few “sanity checks” from our discussions and experience deploying models that mirror in some ways the principles of KISS familiar to many Software Engineers.
Start with a simple model that has been proven to work on similar datasets to get a baseline as soon as possible. Classical statistical learning models (linear regression, Nearest-neighbors, etc.) or simple heuristics or rules will often get you 80% of the way and be much faster to implement. Start with solving the problem in the simplest way (See the first few points of Google’s rules of ML).
that has been proven to work on similar datasets to get a as soon as possible. Classical statistical learning models (linear regression, Nearest-neighbors, etc.) or simple heuristics or rules will often get you and be much faster to implement. Start with solving the problem in the simplest way (See the first few points of Google’s rules of ML). If you decide to train a more complex to improve upon that baseline, start by training it to overfit on a very small sub-section of your dataset. This assures that your model at least has the capacity to learn. Iterate on your model until you can overfit on 5% of your data.
on a very of your dataset. This assures that your model at least has the capacity to learn. Iterate on your model until you can overfit on 5% of your data. Once you start training on more data, hyperparameters start playing a bigger role. Understand the theory behind those parameters to understand what are reasonable values to explore.
behind those parameters to understand what are reasonable values to explore. Take a principled approach to tuning your model. At the bare minimum write down the configurations you’ve used and a summary of their result. Ideally, use an automated hyperparameter search strategy. Random search can be sufficient at first. Feel free to explore more principled approaches.
A lot of those steps can be accelerated significantly by your development skills, which brings us to our last skill.
5 — Software Engineering
A lot of Applied Machine Learning will allow you to leverage Software Engineering skills, sometimes with a little twist. These skills include:
Testing various aspects of the pipeline (data pre-processing and augmentation, input and output sanitization, model inference time).
various aspects of the pipeline (data pre-processing and augmentation, input and output sanitization, model inference time). Building code in a modular and reusable way to accelerate the speed at which you can experiment.
and reusable way to accelerate the speed at which you can experiment. Backing up ( checkpointing ) models at different points in training.
) models at different points in training. Setting up a distributed infrastructure to run training, hyperparameter search, or inference more efficiently.
For more details on some of the software skills we recommend acquiring to become a quality Machine Learning Engineer, check out our post dedicated to transitioning to Applied AI from Academia.
Putting the tools to work
The resources above will help you approach and tackle actual Machine Learning problems. But the field of Applied AI changes extremely quickly, and the best way to learn, is to get your hands dirty and actually try to build out an end-to-end solution to solve a real problem.
Action Items:
Find a product you could build that would be interesting. What would make your life more efficient? What is a tool that could improve the way something is done using data? What is a data driven way to solve an interesting problem?
Search for datasets related to the question. For most tractable problems today, labelled data is what you are looking for here. If no labelled datasets exist for exactly your problem, it is time to get creative. What are ways you can find similar data, or label it efficiently, or bootstrap it some other way?
Start by exploring the data and see if the task you are trying to accomplish is possible with the amount and quality of data you have. Before you bring out TensorFlow, it is a good idea to look online for ways that people have solved similar problems. What are some relevant blog posts, and papers you could read to get up to speed on good avenues to explore?
Find some inspiration, then dive in! Remember that while Machine Learning Engineering is about building products at heart, there is a research aspect to it. You will explore models and paradigms that will prove unsuccessful, and that is perfectly fine, as it will lead you to understand the intricacies of the problem better.
Accelerate your transition
Iterating rapidly on modeling and deployment, and learning from those experiences, is the best way to quickly get up to speed. Because of this, individuals looking to make the transition to applied AI roles need to take advantage of GPU compute to accelerate their progress. We recommend using Paperspace for a hassle-free way of doing this.
Paperspace is a cloud computing platform with cutting-edge GPUs and all the latest AI frameworks. Their systems make it possible to get models up and running in a matter of minutes and to prototype recently published research within days. You can launch your own ML machine for as little as $5 using the code INSIGHTAI5.
Keeping up to date
AI is an exciting, ever-changing field. The demand for Machine Learning Engineers is strong, and it is easy to get overwhelmed with the amount of news surrounding the topic. We recommend following a few serious sources and newsletters, to be able to separate PR and abstract research from innovations that are immediately relevant to the field. Here are some sources to help out:Welcome To Whittier, Alaska, A Community Under One Roof
Whittier, Alaska, is a sleepy town on the west side of Prince William Sound, tucked between picturesque mountains. But if you're picturing a small huddle of houses, think again.
Instead, on the edge of town, there stands a 14-story building called Begich Towers — a former Army barracks, resembling an aging hotel, where most of the town's 200 residents live.
Isolated By Distance And Winter Weather
Writer Erin Sheehy and photographer Reed Young visited Whittier for a report, "Town Hall," in The California Sunday Magazine.
When they first stepped inside Begich Towers, Sheehy says it felt like the halls of her high school.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Reed Young/The California Sunday Magazine Reed Young/The California Sunday Magazine
"There were bulletin boards along the hallway entrance," she says. "It's concrete blocks that look like cinder block, and they were all painted pale yellow."
The post office is near the entrance and the police station is right down the hall.
"It did remind me of, you know, my principal's office," Sheehy says.
Finding your way to the remote town isn't easy. You can get to Whittier by sea or take a long, one-lane tunnel through the mountains, which at any given time only runs one way.
"It's still a fairly inaccessible town," Young says. "Plus, at night, they close the tunnel completely."
Then there's the weather: The 60 mph winter winds are brutal. That's why residents inside Begich Towers have everything they need under one roof.
"There's a laundromat, a little market," Sheehy says.
"And there's a convenience store," Reed says. "There is a health clinic." It's not a hospital, but they can handle minor ailments.
There's even a church in the basement.
'They Want That Alaska Swag'
One Whittier resident, June Miller, owns a bed and breakfast on the building's top two floors.
"She prides herself on having the fanciest and prettiest, best interior-designed condos for rent in the whole town," Young says.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Reed Young/The California Sunday Magazine Reed Young/The California Sunday Magazine
"She outfitted all of the bed and breakfast [rooms] with binoculars.... Most people in town, particularly on the harbor side of the building, seem to have binoculars," Sheehy says.
"A lot of people keep them there to watch whales breaching and mountain goats grazing and things like that," Young says. "But June always told us that these are basically for finding out if your husband's at the bar."
Downstairs at the Kozy Korner grocery store, employee Gary Carr sits behind a computer.
"The store isn't so busy all the time," Young says. "So he spends a lot of time on that computer. And I remember Gary saying that one of his obsessions was keeping up with Top 40 radio."
Enlarge this image toggle caption Reed Young/The California Sunday Magazine Reed Young/The California Sunday Magazine
Sheehy says residents like Gary Carr were fully aware of how interesting their town was to outsiders.
"When we were setting up our portrait, he said, 'Oh, man, maybe I should shave my beard,' " she says. "And this guy who was in the store with him was like, 'No man, they want that Alaska swag, you know? They want that real Alaska.' "
200 Residents, 200 Stories
Erika Thompson, a teacher who lives in Begich Towers, says life is pretty normal in Whittier.
"For me it's just home," she says. "For the most part, you know everybody. It's a community under one roof. We have everything we need."
Thompson teaches at the school directly behind the tower, connected by an underground tunnel.
More From Erika Thompson Thompson spoke to PBS' 'Indie Alaska' series about life in Whittier. YouTube
She's lived there for five years now. She says everyone has a story of how they ended up in Whittier.
"Some people love it because it can be really social," she says. "And some people love it because it can be reclusive."
After Young and Sheehy's two-week reporting trip, they say they have a whole new perspective on their own hometowns.
"The views were just unreal. You have this bay, and then these giant mountains. It's hard to imagine that people get to wake up to that every day," Young says. "It was incredible."
"Coming back to New York, I see the ways that all of us compromise things," Sheehy says. "And for a lot of people in Whittier, it makes more sense to be there than somewhere down here."Xcode 9.1 Improves Display of Fatal Errors October 5, 2017
Swift has language constructs that allow you to specify your program’s expectations. If these expectations are not met at runtime, the program will be terminated. For example, indexing into an array implicitly expresses an expectation that the index is in bounds:
// Program will terminate if 'index' less than 0 or greater than 'array.count - 1'. let element = array [ index ]
Another common operation that will terminate the program on failure is a forced unwrap of an optional:
// Program will terminate if'self.navigationController' is nil. let nc = self. navigationController!
Preconditions are yet another example:
// Program will terminate if 'index' is less or equal to 0. precondition ( index > 0, "Index must be greater than zero." )
When the expectations are incorrect or when there’s a bug in the code, Swift guarantees that the program will trap. Especially during development it’s common that some precondition isn’t met, the program terminates and the debugger will show that. However, prior to Xcode 9.1 (currently available as a beta), the debugger displayed these situations just as any other type of crash — usually as EXC_BAD_INSTRUCTION or EXC_BREAKPOINT (which are the low-level Mach exceptions types).
This has been a source of confusion for both beginners and seasoned developers. In Xcode 9.1 the display of fatal errors is significantly improved. When running under the debugger, Xcode will now show the failure reason in the editor where the trap occurred:
Many events that trigger a runtime trap are covered, including:
forced unwrapping nil
forced-try expressions ( try! ) producing an error
) producing an error out-of-bounds indexing into arrays
precondition failures
assertion failures
fatalError calls
Note that this improved experience is only available when the app’s entry point is written in Swift (i.e. your app delegate with the @UIApplicationMain / @NSApplicationMain attribute).
Xcode 9.1 can be downloaded from developer.apple.com (currently a pre-release version, an official release will be available later this year).Over the years, the German music producer Frank Farian has consistently been creating one hit after the other at a breathtaking speed. The former cook seems to know the tastes of music fans perfectly well.
Although he has been achieving this through different bands, his most successful formation remains Boney M. The man who has once been nicknamed "Mr. German Hit" has also produced artists such as Meat Loaf, model and singer Yvonne Catterfield, and the infamous R&B duo Milli Vanilli.
In the beginning there was rock 'n' roll
Born on July 18, 1941 in Kirn as Franz Reuther, he wasn't really predestined to a career in music. He did receive a guitar when he was 12, but later started working as a trained cook in various restaurants. Why? "I was always very hungry," explains Farian.
Rock 'n' roll - and more specifically Elvis Presley and Bill Hailey - then changed his life for ever. After discovering their music, he invested everything he had in |
er (@KurtSchlichter) April 5, 2015
@2Shrill2Nasty @KurtSchlichter @VinnieTesla younger GOP arent religious at all. no college republican i know opposes gay marriage — Zaid Jilani (@ZaidJilani) April 5, 2015
Hey, when I want to check the pulse of young conservatives, I seek you out. @ZaidJilani @2Shrill2Nasty @VinnieTesla — Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) April 5, 2015
@KurtSchlichter @nwchap @RedwoodGirl Kurt you gotta be an atheist. You cannot imagine a God judging you for being such a dick — Zaid Jilani (@ZaidJilani) April 5, 2015
You’re very judgey today. If I had feelings they’d be hurt. @ZaidJilani — Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) April 5, 2015
@KurtSchlichter be honest bro, you would totally be an atheist if you were living your values youre just a christian cuz u were born into it — Zaid Jilani (@ZaidJilani) April 5, 2015
Which is a silly thing to say, suggesting that atheist values are on par with Schlichter’s, but anyway…
Always nice to have a Thing Prog alum evaluate my relationship with Jesus. @ZaidJilani — Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) April 5, 2015
@KurtSchlichter I dont think youre on speaking terms with him to be quite honest — Zaid Jilani (@ZaidJilani) April 5, 2015
@KurtSchlichter The guy broke bread with prostitutes, you sound like youre more in league with the snake handlers — Zaid Jilani (@ZaidJilani) April 5, 2015
Hey, why are you judging sex workers? It’s empowering. @ZaidJilani — Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) April 5, 2015
@KurtSchlichter Why are you a Christian? You dont seem to understand any of the lessons of the faith — Zaid Jilani (@ZaidJilani) April 5, 2015
But hey, always appreciate the “Leftist Jesus” rundown. @ZaidJilani — Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) April 5, 2015
@KurtSchlichter Its not leftist. its youre a mouthbreathing arrogant moron who latched onto jesus not understanding him — Zaid Jilani (@ZaidJilani) April 5, 2015
Now things get a little more serious.
@KurtSchlichter the church, left and right for centuries hated and despised capitalism and materialism — Zaid Jilani (@ZaidJilani) April 5, 2015
@KurtSchlichter the one you worship came about in the last 40 years and has nothing to do with traditional christian morality — Zaid Jilani (@ZaidJilani) April 5, 2015
@CharlemagSteak @KurtSchlichter he definitely wasnt a liberal, in fact early christianity viewed capitalism itself as immoral — Zaid Jilani (@ZaidJilani) April 5, 2015
@CharlemagSteak @KurtSchlichter it was so far to the left it can be in the same realm as american liberalism — Zaid Jilani (@ZaidJilani) April 5, 2015
@Olinecoacher @KurtSchlichter I love those teachings, sermon of the mount should be outside every courthouse — Zaid Jilani (@ZaidJilani) April 5, 2015
I’m also guessing you won’t think what I want done to Iran’s mullahs, Hamas and Hezbollah to be too Christian either. @ZaidJilani — Kurt Schlichter (@KurtSchlichter) April 5, 2015
@CharlemagSteak @KurtSchlichter im totally fine if the right wing admits its not emulating jesus and is actively anti-jesus — Zaid Jilani (@ZaidJilani) April 5, 2015
This thread is still going. To keep up with all the comments, follow it here. You can follow DeadState on Twitter at @deadstatetweetsThe human brain’s sensitivity to unexpected outcomes plays a fundamental role in the ability to adapt and learn new behaviors, according to University of Pennsylvania researchers.
Using a computer-based card game and microelectrodes to observe neuronal activity of the brain, the Penn study, published this week in the journal Science, suggests that neurons in the human substantia nigra, or SN, play a central role in reward-based learning, modulating learning based on the discrepancy between the expected and the realized outcome.
“This is the first study to directly record neural activity underlying this learning process in humans, confirming the hypothesized role of the basal ganglia, which includes the SN, in models of reinforcement including learning, addiction and other disorders involving reward-seeking behavior,” said lead author Kareem Zaghloul, postdoctoral fellow in neurosurgery at Penn’s School of Medicine.
“By responding to unexpected financial rewards, these cells encode information that seems to help participants maximize reward in the probabilistic learning task.”
Learning, previously studied in animal models, seems to occur when dopaminergic neurons, which drive a larger basal ganglia circuit, are activated in response to unexpected rewards and depressed after the unexpected omission of reward. Put simply, a lucky win seems to be retained better than a probable loss.
“Similar to an economic theory, where efficient markets respond to unexpected events and expected events have no effect, we found that the dopaminergic system of the human brain seems to be wired in a similar rational manner — tuned to learn whenever anything unexpected happens but not when things are predictable,” said Michael J. Kahana, senior author and professor of psychology at Penn’s School of Arts and Sciences.
Zaghloul worked with Kahana and Gordon Baltuch, associate professor of neurosurgery, in a unique collaboration among departments of psychology, neurosurgery and bioengineering. They used microelectrode recordings obtained during deep brain stimulation surgery of Parkinson’s patients to study neuronal activity in the SN, the midbrain structure that plays an important role in movement, as well as reward and addiction. Patients with Parkinson’s disease show impaired learning from both positive and negative feedback in cognitive tasks due to the degenerative nature of their disease and the decreased number of dopaminergic neurons.
The recordings were analyzed to determine whether responses were affected by reward expectation.
Participants were asked to choose between red and blue decks of cards presented on a computer screen, one of which carried a higher probability of yielding a financial reward than the other. If the draw of a card yielded a reward, a stack of gold coins was displayed along with an audible ring of a cash register and a counter showing accumulated virtual earnings. If the draw did not yield a reward or if no choice was made, the screen turned blank and participants heard a buzz.
“This new way to measure dopaminergic neuron activity has helped us gain a greater understanding of fundamental cognitive activity,” said Baltuch, director of the Penn Medicine Center for Functional and Restorative Neurosurgery.
The work is supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, the Conte Center and the Dana Foundation.
Source: University of Pennsylvania
Unexpected Outcomes Facilitate LearningDana Kayali is preparing for battle. Clutching a stack of home ads, the pension fund manager and her fiancee brave a swarm of about 30 people on a recent Saturday and step into the first of four open houses of the day. They’re all searching for what’s dawning on Kayali is a fantasy: a home in downtown Toronto for under C$1 million.
She’s immediately deflated. The floor in the master bedroom slopes up about half a foot, the upstairs hallway is so narrow another house hunter has to squeeze through sideways and an inspection report recommends that parts of the roof, outer walls, and back porch need to be replaced within two years because there’s a risk of water damage. It’s listed for C$699,900. Seven days and seven bids later, it sells for C$1.05 million.
“It’s terrible, it’s just discouraging,” Kayali, 27, said. “You go to the open houses and it’s mostly couples like us. And we’re all in the same boat, looking at one another and I’m thinking ‘O.K. You’re probably outbidding me.’” Just last week they hoped to bid on a semi-detached home similar in size and a five-minute drive away. The next day, it sold for C$1.4 million, 42 percent over asking.
Speak to prospective buyers in Toronto, where home prices surged the most in almost 30 years in January from a year earlier, and supply is tighter than Manhattan, and you hear the same lament: there’s nothing remotely affordable to buy. The desperation is sparking bidding wars and price gains in cities even a two-hour drive from downtown. The “bubble” word is regularly used to describe the market, and there’s little on the horizon to pop it with immigration booming, the economy strengthening and interest rates unlikely to rise soon.
Here are the facts: there were 5,400 properties on the market at the end of February, half of last year’s figure. That amounted to just one month of inventory — the time it would take to sell all available properties — compared with 5.6 months in Manhattan. Supply isn’t keeping up with demand. Housing starts rose only 13 percent to 52,941 units in Toronto in January from five years earlier.
While Canada’s west coast city of Vancouver has grabbed international attention for its soaring prices in recent years, Toronto is now in the eye of the country’s housing hurricane. The price of an average house in Toronto and its suburbs rose 28 percent in February to C$875,983 from the prior year, the sixth straight month of above-20 percent growth. By comparison, the median price rose 1 percent to C$1.55 million in San Francisco in the 12 months through January and 8.9 percent to C$813,387 in Seattle, according to Zillow Group Inc. Prices are still hot Manhattan, where a home costs about C$1.68million, but the 18 percent gain in the period is still below Toronto’s torrid pace.
All those numbers pale when compared with the price gain for a detached home in the Canadian city. That was up an average 30 percent to C$1.57 million.
“Nothing is more bubbly right now than the Toronto housing market,” David Rosenberg at Gluskin Sheff & Associates Inc. said in a note to clients last week. The chief economist, known for predicting the U.S. housing meltdown and the economic carnage it unleashed, says prices are more than 60 percent overvalued in the city when compared to incomes.
The exuberance can be seen in Toronto’s bidding wars. Erin Warner and her partner, 40-something professionals, purchased a townhouse in Toronto’s east end for C$1.05 million this year, paying about 15 percent above the list price to outbid a handful of other hopefuls. The couple used savings and the windfall from selling their smaller townhouses on the other side of town, which had doubled in value since they bought about seven years ago.
“We wanted to make sure we got it, and knew others were bidding over the asking price, too,” Warner said Saturday from the kitchen of an open house for a townhome in their complex. “That’s just a reality now.” The couple were browsing the open house to justify their purchase and they were immediately vindicated. The property, similar in size but older and less up-to-date, is also listed for C$900,000 and the agent said it’ll likely sell for at least C$1 million.
“Homeownership is going to be an issue for families who want to live in urban centers,” said Ara Mamourian, 38, who owns brokerage Spring Realty Inc., and scrapped his own plans to buy a house to accommodate an expanding family. He’s opting to rent for now and bought a two-bedroom, C$800,000 condominium that’ll be ready in 2019. “There’s already so much competition. It’ll be nuts.”
That competition is only heating up. Disgruntled foreign buyers are likely moving east after Vancouver last year imposed a 15 percent tax on foreign homebuyers. Transactions have since plummeted in Vancouver and prices have started to cool. Meanwhile, more than 100,000 people are forecast to move into the city and its suburbs each year.
And the province of Ontario, with Toronto as its biggest city, is only beginning to pick up steam. Growth is forecast to expand 2.3 percent in 2017, the fastest provincial rate in the country, according to estimates compiled by Bloomberg. That still likely won’t be fast enough to prompt the Bank of Canada to follow the U.S. with interest-rate hikes anytime soon. Governor Stephen Poloz has recently played up the slack in the economy, wary of derailing a recovery from the oil rout.
That means mortgage rates will likely stay lower for longer, tempting buyers.
So the hunt goes on. With the average price in Toronto’s suburbs cresting C$1 million for the first time ever in February, housing refugees are spilling further afield into Hamilton, an old steel town, and Port Hope, nearly a two-hour drive from Toronto.
Teachers Sylvia Kim Cota and her husband Danny are kicking themselves for not raising their bid over a year ago on a C$540,000 home in Mimico, 30 minutes from Toronto. It sold for C$600,000 after receiving eight offers. Today, they see listings for comparable homes for C$800,000.
“We should have jumped on it — there’s no way we can get a house like that for that price now,” Kim Cota said from the couple’s 700-square foot condo in downtown Toronto, which they now share with their 9-month-old child. “Everyone who wants housing in this city goes through this — we’re used to being slapped around financially now.”
The 29-year-old grew up in a high-rise just a few blocks away from their condo. A daughter of immigrants, she thought as a next-generation Canadian she might be able to move into a bigger home, maybe even with a yard. “Realistically, we probably won’t find a place,” she said.
She’s among prospective buyers like pension fund manager Kayali who will need to change life plans. Kayali recently got engaged and is planning a wedding for this year, but she and fiancee Basel live separately with roommates in downtown condos. It may have to stay that way for now.
“Hopefully more places will list this spring and that’ll push prices down a bit,” she said, sounding uncertain at the prospect. “If it keeps going this way, we won’t be buying this year.”
With assistance from Erik HertzbergAutomatic voter registration isn’t the sexiest way to start a political revolution, but it may be the most effective. The United States lags behind the rest of the rich world in turnout, but it leads the rich world in disparity in turnout across income and education levels, which has profound effects on policy. This so-called "turnout skew" further biases policy towards the rich, even more than it already would be because of the structural advantages the rich enjoy. Bolstering turnout could lead to a self-reinforcing feedback loop in the opposite direction.
Our uniquely bad turnout skew
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As I’ve shown, turnout in the United States is dramatically skewed by class, race and age, in both midterm and presidential elections. The class divides in U.S. turnout are dramatic when compared with other countries (see chart).
These divides lead to turnout that is overwhelmingly anti-redistribution, and biases the political system toward policies that favor the wealthy. As I’ve noted, among 18- to 24-year-olds earning less than $30,000, turnout was 12 percent in 2014, but among those earning more than $150,000 and older than 65, the turnout rate was five times higher, at 65 percent.
My work also shows that the people who are less likely to vote -- young people, low-income people and people of color -- are more favorable to a redistributive agenda.
Winning elections and changing policy
The impacts of skewed turnout are dramatic. The question about turnout is often framed about winning elections, and so is much of the political science literature. But as I’ve argued, the question should be how turnout affects policy, not electoral outcomes. A new metastudy finds that higher voter turnout bolsters progressive policy, though not always left-leaning parties. The author, political scientist William C. Terry, writes that while “most studies find no correlation between turnout and leftist vote shares,” the literature “suggests that structural turnout rates do affect policy outcomes. In particular, most of the quasi-experimental data from large structural turnout changes, including the enfranchisement of women around the world, or the working class in Western Europe, led to more expansive social spending, poor relief and public education.” In my recent Demos report (and earlier Demos explainer), I review the literature on turnout and policy outcomes and find that there is powerful state, national and international evidence that higher turnout leads to more representative policy and a stronger safety net.
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Obviously, a literature review that covers the international realm might not be able to account for our peculiarities: like complex registration systems and midterm and off-cycle elections that primarily decrease turnout among Democratic voters. Political scientist Anthony Fowler finds that by depressing turnout among marginal voters, midterm elections do favor Republicans, enough to win them seats (and gubernatorial elections). He tells Salon that “Republicans do about 1.5 percentage points better in midterm years than in presidential years. For governors, I estimated a 6 percentage point difference.” A recent working paper by leading political scientists Brian Schaffner and Stephen Ansolabehere has a similar finding using mass survey data. A recent study by political scientists Thomas Hansford and Brad Gomez helps clarify. They find that turnout modestly benefits the Democratic Party, but there are powerful compositional effects (meaning that the effect will be mediated by the partisan concentration of the district), anti-incumbent effects, mobilization effects (for a non-compulsory reform) and volatility effects (new voters are less likely to have strong partisan allegiances). All of this means that the electoral effects are incredibly hard to determine. My read on this literature is that Democrats could expect a slight boost from higher turnout, but that the other factors would also be powerful. However, turnout would certainly lead to more equitable policy and a more equitable economy.
How policy affects participation
Our national conversation on turnout often focuses on the clear barriers to turnout: registration, ease of access, time availability. But as I’ve noted, there are other key concerns -- for instance, perceiving that their are large partisan gaps and perceiving that parties are close to your interests. But another important factor is whether people feel that it is in their material interest. The classic example of this feedback loop, described by political scientist Andrea L. Campbell, is Social Security. Prior to its passage, older Americans weren’t known for their engagement in politics. Since its passage, however, older Americans participate at dramatically higher rates than middle-aged and young people. Social Security created a group of beneficiaries with a stake in democratic participation to protect their benefits. Similar mobilizations have occurred around the G.I. Bill, as extensively documented by political scientist Suzanne Mettler.
These mobilization effects are well documented. A study by Kimuli Kasara and Pavithra Suryanarayan finds that when policy preferences of the rich and poor diverge and bureaucratic capacity is high, the rich are more likely to vote. The authors theorize this is because the wealthy perceive the possibility of higher taxes. A working paper by political scientists Joshua D. Clinton and Michael W. Sances finds that, “Using county level vote returns from the 2014 midterm elections, we show that counties in expansion states experience higher voter turnout compared to similar counties in non-expansion states. Moreover, this impact is largest in counties with above average poverty levels.” This strongly suggests that the beneficiaries of the Medicaid expansion began mobilizing because they had a program in their interest they wanted to protect. A recent study comparing Western European countries with the United States shows that the income and education skew of American turnout sets it dramatically apart from other rich countries; however, over age 65, this skew decreases dramatically (see chart). The authors suggest that the causal mechanism is the robust welfare state in Western Europe, noting, “inclusive state institutions foster political integration with more widespread and less socially skewed electoral participation.”
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Cornell political scientist Jamila Michener finds that one key problem is that in many cases programs are designed in such a way as to reduce turnout. She tells Salon that, “Medicaid can be a boon for participation but on average it is actually a bust because it is too often designed and implemented in ways that alienate beneficiaries from politics (and federalism exacerbates this).” For example, political scientists Sarah K. Bruch, Myra Marx Ferree and Joe Soss find that Head Start bolsters political participation and civic engagement, while Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) depresses it. They argue that paternalistic programs like TANF decrease turnout, while participatory programs increase it. Indeed, in states with less paternalistic policy designs, the effects on turnout for TANF disappeared (this aligns with Michener’s forthcoming research). Government interactions that are negative and paternalistic reduce turnout, while positive interactions boost it. Political scientists Vesla Weaver and Amy Lerman find that interactions with the carceral state, whether incarceration or simply being stopped by a police officer, reduce civic participation.
Conclusion
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The research suggests that higher turnout would lead to more progressive policy, which would give more Americans a stake in elections, thus mobilizing them. To set the positive feedback loop in action, progressives should push for policies like automatic voter registration to get more Americans on the voting rolls so they can be targeted by politicians. Political scientist Eitan Hersh, who wrote an extensive study of how campaigns target voters, tells Salon that: “I feel very confident that AVR will help newly registered people be targeted. They can be very hard for parties to find and mobilize if they are not on the voter rolls.”
There has been a bipartisan attempt to win over donors and the ephemeral (and usually white) swing voter, rather than mobilize potential supporters. Political scientist Seth Hill finds in a working paper that, “Swing voters contribute on average 4.1 percentage points to change in party vote shares, while change in turnout influences outcomes by 8.6 points.” This suggests that mobilizing the base is a more effective strategy than trying to win over swing voters. In addition, a large literature shows that mobilization works, while the evidence suggests it’s difficult to persuade people to change their mind. One key problem is that both parties have failed to mobilize people of color, partially because of disparities in registration, but likely also because of their overwhelmingly white consultant classes. As Steven Phillips notes in "Brown Is the New White," though 46 percent of Democratic voters are people of color, nearly 97 percent of the money the Democratic party disburses goes to white consultants (83 percent white men). This has a profound effect on strategy. By making low-income people, people of color and young people a potent political force, both parties would be forced to develop policies to win their votes. The centerpiece of a more equitable and responsive democracy is automatic voter registration and voter turnout. As Larry Sabato notes, “Every election is determined by the people who show up.” And policy is decided by politicians trying to win over the people who show up.(CBS)
Yon posted on Facebook on Tuesday that he was handcuffed and "arrested at the Seattle airport" for refusing questions, including ones related to his annual income, that "had nothing to do with national security."
In the last few days, conservatives have seized on Yon's encounter -- apparently with Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection agents -- as an example of the Obama administration aiming its airline security efforts in the wrong direction. To Michelle Malkin, it's the "security idiocy of the day." On HotAir.com, Ed Morrissey says: "Instead of hassling American citizens about their income or watching the ice melt, how about paying attention to actual security and intelligence issues? Please?" And there's been at least one on-air mention on Fox News.
Meanwhile, the liberals at MediaMatters.org are rushing to defend the administration. And security hawks like Stewart Baker, former undersecretary for policy at Homeland Security under Bush (and NSA's top lawyer under Clinton), have been defending CBP. The title of Baker's first post: "Actually, a Chip That Big Will Have to Come Off Your Shoulder and Go Through the X-Ray." The second raised questions about whether Yon was accurately recounting what happened.
Matters became a bit more complicated when a post on the military-themed BlackFive.net site from an account named Johnnie Von Bernhardi said: "Just refusing to answer a question about yourself and your travel does not get you handcuffed during a secondary inspection in customs. You have to do alot (sic) more. And Yon was lying in his post where he claims that the airport police rescued him. CBP does not answer to the airport police and the airport police has no authority to interfere with CBP actions. Conservatives should get their facts straight before they go off. Yon actually has a history with CBP. His Thai girlfriend got stopped and questioned by CBP and he has a hissy fit afterward." (This may be a reference to Aew, Yon's Thai friend, who he said a year ago was unreasonably hassled by Minneapolis CBP agents.)
Officially, CBP isn't talking, except to say that there are "two sides to the story" and the Privaçy Act prohibits the agency from discussing the situation. But that BlackFive.net post does have the smell of a CBP agent trying to tell that second side of the story -- and, in fact, the site administrator did some digging and reported on Wednesday that the Internet address of "Johnnie Von Bernhardi" is actually DHS.gov.
Now Yon is saying he's "going to ask" his attorney "to examine a lawsuit for libel against the federal government for the post on BlackFive."
Any CBP official who handcuffed a U.S. citizen solely for refusing to answer a question about annual income is, of course, abusing his power and deserves to be fired. But the unfortunate truth of the matter is that unless security videos are released or depositions take place as part of a lawsuit, we may never know everything that happened during Yon's encounter with CBP. All we have right now are a few Twitter-length messages on Facebook, not even an article-length post on his Web site.
One possibility, if Yon is interested and CBP is willing, might be an authorized disclosure. The CBP cited the Privacy Act; if you read the text of it, you'll see that the law allows disclosure "pursuant to a written request by, or with the prior written consent of, the individual to whom the record pertains." So if the Privacy Act is the sole obstacle to setting the record straight, a mere written request might do the trick.
But what of the real reason for the online outcry -- that is, Yon's report of intrusive questioning about his salary and the subsequent handcuffing?
There's a fine line between questions that are probing and ones that are too intrusive. Malfeasants aren't known for volunteering their intentions, and tossing some questions at border crossings is, and should be, routine. CBP agents may ask questions to gauge reactions, even if they're entirely uninterested in the answers.
On the IrishAbroad.com forum, one poster claimed that questioning a permanent resident about where a U.S. citizen spouse is, and whether the couple is still together are overly personal. But reasonable people may disagree. (It's not as intrusive as asking about Viagra use or sexual history, or even annual income.)
Put another way, asking a question about income isn't the problem. The problem arises when someone known to be a U.S. citizen is handcuffed for refusing to answer it.
A U.S. citizen enjoys what the U.S. Supreme Court has described as "the absolute right to enter" the country, at least as soon as border agents are satisfied of his citizenship (and again, we don't know the details in Yon's case). But courts have taken a permissive view of what kind of questions are allowed. The Fourth Circuit, referring to an immigration checkpoint, ruled that: "It is the length of the detention, not the questions asked, that makes a specific stop unreasonable: The Fourth Amendment prohibits only unreasonable seizures, not unreasonable questions." Another federal appeals court, the Second Circuit, said that being asked about activities at a conference, the content of the lectures attended, and reasons for attending, was CBP behavior "that courts have regularly held to be routine."
And Yon is hardly the first to experience that kind of unwelcome interrogation. A report at FlyerTalk.com last February said a CBP agent at the Windsor-Detroit border asked about firearm and car ownership. Some reports say CBP has "a practice of asking intrusive questions of lawyers" entering the country. In 2007, Stephen Doggette, an IT manager from Dayton, wrote that CBP asked him "what I believed to be irrelevant and outright intrusive questions, including my current salary."
Does anyone remember the conservative outcry back then about an "out-of-control" Bush administration? (No? Didn't think so.)
If there is a problem, and being handcuffed for not answering questions about income certainly qualifies, neither the Bush administration nor the Obama administration are singly responsible. Bureaucracies endure, and it makes little difference to low-level federal employees when one president is swapped out for another. Both Democratic and Republican politicians were equally enthusiastic about creating our massive Homeland Security apparatus in the first place and have voted to increase its budget every year without demanding relevant changes in immigration procedures -- meaning that, if we need to assign blame, the least we can do is be bipartisan about it.Rocket debris crash landed in Vietnam last weekend when the spent second stage of a Russian-Ukrainian Zenit rocket re-entered over south-east Asia. Observers in Thailand caught sight of the blazing re-entry of the 8-metric-ton rocket stage as it disintegrated in mid-air on a trek taking it over Thailand, Laos and Vietnam where sonic booms were heard and multiple debris from the rocket were recovered.
The Zenit rocket, carrying a two-ton weather satellite, lifted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome back on December 11, 2015 in what likely will be Zenit’s final launch as the rocket got caught up in the conflict between Russia and the Ukraine in recent years. The first stage of the rocket, propelled by the world’s most powerful liquid-fueled rocket engine, fired for two minutes and 25 seconds and impacted downrange from the launch site – handing off to the second stage of the rocket that was in charge of powered flight for a little over six minutes.
The spent second stage reached an initial orbit of 166 by 538 Kilometers inclined 51.4° and the Fregat Upper Stage continued a mission of close to nine hours featuring three main engine firings to drop the Elektro-L No. 2 weather satellite off in a Geostationary Drift Orbit, slightly lower in altitude than satellites in the Geostationary Belt.
With a perigee below 200 Kilometers, the second stage was set for a gradual descent towards the dense atmosphere due to interaction of the spent rocket body with the tenuous upper layers of Earth’s atmosphere where it was slowed down by drag. As a result, the apogee of the rocket stage’s orbit gradually dropped and the orbit got more circular as is always the case when objects decay from an eccentric orbit. The exact speed of orbital decay depends on atmospheric conditions that are influenced by solar activity and therefore make it difficult to accurately predict the time an objects re-enters. Because spent rocket bodies have a low mass and relatively large surface area, their descent towards the dense layers of the atmosphere is relatively fast.
The Joint Space Operations Center tracks objects in orbit using ground-based radars including objects that are close to re-entry which are watched more closely to permit a calculation of the approximate re-entry point. Space-based assets operated by the military, primarily tasked with the detection of ballistic missiles, can also track the infrared signature of a re-entering object – allowing a precise determination of the re-entry location.
The second stage of the Elektro-L No. 2 launch re-entered the atmosphere at 23:35 UTC on January 1 +/-1 Minute, placing the position of orbital decay over western Thailand, though the 2-minute window of uncertainty means that the start of re-entry occurred at any point from the Andaman Sea around 300 Kilometers off shore to the border of Thailand and Laos on a trek taking the rocket stage from south-west to north-east. The time and location given by JSpOC corresponds to the object passing 80 Kilometers where the onset of fragmentation typically occurs, but objects are typically visible once below 104 Kilometers in altitude.
Observers in Thailand reported seeing a bright object passing across the morning sky with a speed distinctly slower than any natural meteors. Amateur footage shows a bright object with a visible smoke trail in the twilight skies before breaking up into a number of fragments and heading for the horizon.
Zenit’s second stage is 10.4 meters long and 3.9 meters in diameter with an inert mass of 8,307 Kilograms, capable of holding 90,800 kg of propellants consumed by an RD-120 main engine and RD-8 vernier to lift payloads up to 13,500 Kilograms into orbit.
First, the Zenit rocket stage only appeared as a small bright dot moving across the sky as plasma began building up around it. Given the extremely high speed of the object at Entry Interface (7.8km/s), air in front of it is compressed, creating a shock wave layer in which molecules are separated into ions and temperatures rise to the extreme. The shock wave layer forming just in front of the spacecraft and any separated components leads to considerable heating that causes the incineration of the majority of the spacecraft structure.
The mechanical deceleration experienced during re-entry can be up to 20Gs – further crushing the structural components and causing the break-up of the spacecraft. Although temperatures reached during re-entry can melt most metals, dense components and those that are shielded by other parts can survive the re-entry environment and typically impact 800 to 1,300 Kilometers downrange from the Orbital Decay Point depending on their properties and atmospheric conditions such as crosswinds. Assuming decay occurred in the center of the window, debris could have impacted anywhere between the Laos-Vietnam border and the Guangxi Province of China.
Witnesses in northern Vietnam report hearing sonic booms at 6:30 a.m. local time on Saturday – around the time of re-entry. Debris, in particular three metal spheres between 27 and 80 centimeters in diameter with Cyrillic writing on them, were found about 100 Kilometers apart. Photos show the spheres – weighing up to 45 Kilograms – embedded in soil to about half their diameter.
Small spherical tanks, typically used to hold reaction control system propellant or tank pressurant gases, are often found as surviving objects after rocket body re-entries along with heavier engine components. More dense components travel farther downrange from the decay point and likely ended up in China, though no reports of any debris sightings have been published.
Re-Entry Data
NORAD ID: 41107
Object: SL-23 R/B
Origin: Russia
Type: Zenit 2SL Second Stage
Mass: 8,307 Kilograms
Launch: December 11, 2015 – 13:45 UTC
Launch Site: 45/1 Baikonur Cosmodrome
Launch Vehicle: Zenit-3SLBF
Ascent Duration: 8 Hours & 56 Minutes
Payload: Elektro-L #2 (1,855kg) Re-Entry Prediction: January 1, 2016 – 23:35 UTC +/-1 Minute
Re-Entry Location: Thailand
.Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is worried about a newly adopted law in Russia that will hold major news aggregators accountable for the information they distribute, thereby establishing a principle that violates the freedom to inform.
Known as the “news aggregators law,” it consists of a series of amendments to the law on information and information technology that were introduced by opposition legislators. Adopted unanimously by the Duma on 10 June and approved by the Federation Council (the upper house) on 15 June, its promulgation is now just a formality and it will take effect in January.
Russian-language news aggregators with more than 1 million visitors a day will henceforth be held responsible for the veracity of the news reports they distribute if the reports do not come from media outlets registered in Russia.
The aggregators will be required to store all news stories and the details of the originating media outlets for six months after publication and ensure their availability to Roskomnadzor (the Federal Service for Supervision of Telecommunications, Information Technologies and Mass Communications).
If the authorities dispute the veracity of information of “public importance,” the relevant news report will have to be removed within 24 hours, failing which the owners of the aggregator will be subject to a fine that could as much as 3 million rubles (41,000 euros) for repeat offenders.
One of the law’s paragraphs stipulates that only Russian citizens or companies may own such news aggregators.
The law’s undeclared but obvious aim is to deter aggregators from distributing news reports from independent media outlets with views that may be at variance with the Kremlin’s.
Few aggregators are affected by the new law in its current form. Google News and Yahoo News get few visits in Russia so they are not concerned. The main news aggregators currently affected, such as Yandex and Mail.ru, are already so much under the government’s thumb that they will not have to change their practices.
Nonetheless, the government has established a disturbing legislative framework. Lowering the law’s threshold of 1 million visitors a day, for example, would suffice to make it apply to all news aggregators.
“Even if this law, when it takes effect, fails to radically change the way aggregators currently operate, a new tool for controlling news and information has been created,” RSF said.
“One of the Russian government’s characteristics is a constant concern to control news content. We are very worried about how this legislation may evolve, especially as other governments in Russia’s sphere of influence often base their own legislation |
gathered from the harsh, cold climates of the former Soviet republics. They sorted and cleaned 75,000 seeds and found that about only 2 percent were the precious Russian dandelion seeds, Kleinhenz said.
They used those original seeds to breed new plants.
"In spring 2012, we produced 13 million seeds," Kleinheinz said. "Now, we're getting the base... we're establishing the foundation." That, hopefully, will be enough to find the perfect specimen.
As a crop, the rubber-producing dandelions would be planted in the spring, spend the winter in the ground and then be harvested the following spring.
"So far, we are seeing that there's considerably more rubber in the spring than in the fall," Cornish said.
Scientists have produced plants with as much as 18.6 percent rubber when dried, or on what is called a dry weight basis. But for crop purposes, OARDC researchers believe they can average about 10 percent rubber on a dry weight basis, which means they can produce 250 passenger-truck tires from each acre of planting.
Still, they are working to increase that ratio, Cornish said. It's still relatively early in the research and she said they don't yet know the maximum amount of rubber a plant can produce on a consistent basis.
"Will we top out at 1 ton or will we top out at 2 tons? Or will we only get half a ton?" Cornish said.
Cornish's colleague Kleinhenz warns that right now, the scientists are still trying to find the perfect specimen to replicate in large-scale fields.
While cultivating the perfect dandelion, the researchers are also creating fertilizer and weed killers for the crop.
Once they have fine-tuned the plant and method of growing it, farmers from Oregon to New York and up into Canada could be planting crops of Russian dandelions for rubber, Kleinheinz said.
And -- most importantly for Ohio farmers the lucrative dandelions are expected to grow well in the state.
"The pieces are coming together," Kleinhenz said.
Follow on Twitter: @sjtribbleImage copyright Getty Images Image caption The sailors were on two Riverine patrol boats at the time of the incident
Iran detained 10 US sailors after two small patrol boats reportedly drifted into Iranian waters in the Gulf, US officials say.
They say the Riverine boats apparently developed mechanical problems and were taken to Iran's Farsi Island.
Tehran says the crew and the boats "will be returned promptly", Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook told the Associated Press news agency.
The sailors were "snooping" in Iranian waters, Iran's Fars news agency says.
It says the sailors - nine men and a woman - were held by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
Kerry 'personally engaged'
"We lost contact with two small US naval craft en route from Kuwait to Bahrain," a senior US administration official said.
Tuesday's incident happened near Farsi Island in the middle of the Gulf.
The sailors are likely to be released on Wednesday morning, US officials said.
After the incident, US Secretary of State John Kerry immediately called Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif to begin negotiations.
An unnamed official told the Associated Press that Mr Kerry "personally engaged with Zarif on this issue to try to get to this outcome".
Mr Kerry and Mr Zarif developed a personal relationship throughout three years of negotiating a nuclear deal.
The conservative Tasnim news agency reported that the American boats were equipped with machine guns.
"Frequent calls by US officials urging Tehran to free the detainees continues," reads the Tasnim report.
The Revolutionary Guard has aggressively protected Iranian sea borders in the past.
Fifteen British sailors and marines were held for 13 days in 2007 after they were captured in disputed area between Iran and Iraq.
Tensions between Iran and the US remain despite the breakthrough nuclear deal.
In December, Iran's navy conducted rocket tests near US warships and other commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
The tests were "highly provocative", a US military commander said at the time.Formula One’s chief executive wants to ‘tear up the rule book’ to reinvigorate the sport which he says has lost touch with its public
My high noon appointment with Bernie Ecclestone was precisely one hour before the start of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
Formula One’s old ringmaster had summoned me to his offices in the paddock. He was clearly unhappy. Along with everyone else in Austria for the previous race I had quoted an agency report and said that Ecclestone had described F1 as “crap”.
Not so, he wanted to tell me. In discussion with engineers on the topic of the new(ish) hybrid engines he told them that they had given him “a shitty product to sell”.
But, it transpired, Ecclestone just wanted to have a natter about the sport he has presided over for four decades. And it is clear that the sport’s chief executive, who will be 85 in October but has not suffered any decline in his mischievousness, wanted to make known his views about the whole vroom vroom (sotto) business. And engines clearly preoccupy his attention.
The 1.6-litre V6 hybrid power units introduced last year have never really been to Ecclestone’s liking. They have always been too quiet for him, for one thing. “If I had a clean sheet piece of paper the first thing I would do is make an engine that is not as complicated as the current one is,” he told me. “We need another Cosworth to supply teams.” Cosworth, funded by Ford, powered F1 cars to 176 victories – making it second only to Ferrari – between 1963 and 2003 and as recently as 2010 supplied four teams, Williams, Lotus, HRT and Virgin.
“If we had a simpler engine it would allow other people who wanted to make engines to come in. Look at Toyota, who I know – maybe – would be interested in coming back into Formula One. But no way would they come back with this power unit. They know that they would be in trouble before they start. If Ferrari are in trouble what chance have they got?”
The Mercedes power unit has dominated F1 this season as it did in 2014. But Ecclestone has misgivings. “Mercedes have got a super team, a super engine which is an incredible piece of engineering. But if you and I and go the grandstand and ask a spectator ‘How many cylinders has that engine got?’ one or two might get it right. And then you ask them what capacity it is. They don’t know, and they don’t care. They couldn’t care less.
“They want to see Williams winning, Ferrari winning, Red Bull winning – they want everybody to have a chance of winning. At the moment people like Vijay [Mallya] at Force India spend an awful lot of money and have got zero chance of winning. And it’s not on. Let’s tear the bloody rule book up and start again.”
Ecclestone is also worried that the drivers are not enjoying it as much as they once did. “I speak closely to most of the guys and they say the same thing: ‘It ain’t any fun any more.’ Because they’re on the limit but they’re not on their limit, if you know what I mean.
“When you get in a car and you’re on it and somebody says ‘be careful, you’re going to run out of fuel!’ We’re not a sport for saving fuel.
“Somebody said to me the other day that the way we’re going anyone will be able to drive these cars. A kid will be able to drive it, or anyone who has mucked around with PlayStation and can listen to instructions.”
It is also clear that Ecclestone and the other little big man of Formula One, the rather too consensual FIA president Jean Todt, will never see eye to eye.
“The trouble is we have an FIA president who wants everyone to agree. And that’s not possible. We don’t want to have to have a committee before you do something. That’s what we’ve got, and you’re never going to do anything that way. We need someone who will turn the lights on and off, whoever that is. But it’s going to happen. We’re going to make it happen.”
The problem for Ecclestone is that he cannot be the dictator he once was. The sport’s majority shareholders these days are CVC Capital Partners, for whom Ecclestone works. The leading teams also have more control than they did. The teams are calling the shots, when it comes to rules and regulations, and that cannot be the best way forward.
Most people are agreed: the best thing that could happen to Formula One is for it to be sold by CVC, who bought it for £1bn in 2006 and have made five times that much since, while failing to reinvest their huge profits in the sport.
So will F1 be sold, I asked Ecclestone? “There are genuinely people who want to buy,” he told me. “And CVC’s job is buying and selling companies. Donald Mackenzie is the major shareholder and he doesn’t want to sell. He loves the business and he loves Formula One. But he’s very good. He wants to get the sport in the right hands. He won’t sell it for a lousy price, but the people who are interested aren’t offering a lousy price.”
The Miami Dolphins owner, Stephen Ross, is one of the potential buyers. “That would help us in America for sure,” said Ecclestone. “The guy involved is already in that business.” At Silverstone on Sunday, though, Ecclestone did not give me the impression that he was about to go anywhere.A U.S. judge has ordered Novartis to do something it’s been trying for a year to avoid: Hand over documents on 79,236 educational events the company says it held with doctors.
Federal prosecutors claim those events were shams. They call them “kickbacks” instead. The government alleges that Novartis invited the same doctors to speaker events over and over, treating them to lavish dinners at Nobu and Smith & Wollensky—and gatherings at Hooters—in return for prescribing more Novartis meds.
In a legal drama on TV, this is when we would see a montage of photocopying and stacking, and a final shot of hand trucks delivering box upon box of documents. The whistleblower in the case, former Novartis sales rep Oswald Bilotta, might shake hands or high-five with the Justice Department lawyers accepting the delivery.
Lacking Hollywood license, Judge Paul Gardephe offers these comments in his Tuesday order (PDF) compelling Novartis to muster its paperwork.
Novartis must produce backup documentation on its events from a company database. The company also has to turn over records of its payments to doctors speaking at the events, educational PowerPoint presentations and reports on Novartis’ own investigations into complaints about its speaker programs.
Judge Gardephe denied a request that Novartis search electronic records kept by 363 additional sales staffers because the DOJ had agreed to limit those searches to 150 reps.
Novartis had argued that the DOJ also agreed to limit its demands for information to 6,600 events—rather than more than 80,000—and that gathering up documentation for the additional 70,000-plus would be too monumental a task.
RELATED: Novartis kickbacks case 'explodes' with feds' demand for backup on 80,000 doctor events
The court didn’t buy it. Satisfying the demands for evidence wouldn’t be unduly burdensome, Gardephe wrote. And in any case, the stakes are high enough to warrant some sweat on Novartis’ part, the order states.
The government claims that “sham” events and honoraria, paid from 2002 through at least 2011, were essentially bribes to induce doctors to prescribe Novartis cardiovascular drugs, including the now-off-patent blood pressure med Diovan and the diabetes med Starlix.
According to the feds, the presentations were often cursory at best and sometimes didn't take place at all. The DOJ says they were essentially social occasions disguised as educational programs. Novartis held some events in noisy restaurants without private dining rooms where speakers might have set up slide presentations. Physicians repeatedly attended programs on the same topic, the government said.
RELATED: Novartis dinner-party kickback case must go on, judge says
To amount to kickbacks, though, these entertainments had to be linked to increased prescription numbers. The lawsuit claims attendees did boost their prescribing of the drugs involved—and doctors knew they wouldn’t be asked back if they didn’t.
According to Gardephe’s order, the prosecutors say Novartis paid “tens of thousands of doctors kickbacks,” and each of those doctors then “wrote many thousands of dollars’ worth of prescriptions” for Novartis drugs that were paid for by federal healthcare programs. That means the case “has the potential for broad public impact”—justifying the time and trouble necessary to produce those records, Gardephe wrote.When a Watford couple told their vet they were going to treat their cat’s broken leg with swimming lessons he "almost killed himself laughing", however the unorthodox therapy has proved just the ticket.
Ra, an Egyptian Mau, had an accident last October and fractured his left femur.
The nasty break was repaired and the animal's leg was saved by surgeons at Medivet in Watford and they referred Ra for hydrotherapy.
The rare breed has been attending hsessions at Theravet, in The Common, Chipperfield, for the last two months.
Ra’s owner, Barry Peterson, said: "We would do absolutely anything for him. Ra has got the personality. He’s unreal and so funny. After his accident last year he really hurt his leg, he could hardly move and was dragging the limb along behind him.
"The therapy has been so helpful, anyone who has a pet with an injury should do hydrotherapy. He wouldn’t be where he is today without their help. It’s been amazing. He’s quite happy here and the vet is like another home for him."
Emma Vigor Craigie-Halkett and Rebecca Maffia have been treating Ra.
Ms Maffia said: "He is our first cat here. Most people think cats don’t like to swim, but I think we have proved that some cats can be trained to."
Hydrotherapy is a non weight bearing form of physiotherapy. It allows gentle exercise of the limbs in a non-weight bearing environment, allowing joints and soft tissues to mobilise within a greater normal range of motion.
It is more comfortable for the patient because they do not have to support their own bodyweight.
Mr Peterson’s wife, Pam, said: "When we told our vet we were going to take Ra for swimming lessons he almost killed himself laughing. He couldn’t believe that it would work and that Ra wouldn’t absolutely hate it."
Ra has been swimming at the pool for two months and wears a buoyancy aid during sessions. Afterwards, he is shampooed, conditioned and towel tried, and then wrapped up in a jumper, hand knitted by Mrs Peterson.
Emma Vigor Craigie-Halkett said: "When we first put him in the pool he automatically knew what to do but he was obviously cautious because cats are not at all used to being in water.
"We do the therapy on quite a lot of dogs but Ra is our only cat. Now though, he’s very at home in the water and although he’s still quite vocal he seems to really enjoy himself."
She added: "While hydrotherapy is helping Ra back to fitness, Medivet did a fantastic job in mending the break. ra is a success story for all of us."Of iPads and socialism By Alberto Mingardi
Can we have “socialism, with an iPad”? This is the picture the Labour Shadow Chancellor recently used, with the aim of providing a somewhat modernized, albeit only symbolically, face for Jeremy Corbyn’s economic proposals. Labour-leaning columnist Zoe Williams argues that there is no contradiction between the iPad and socialism – and actually socialists should claim the iPad as the living proof their values work.
Ms Williams’ piece is rhetorically fascinating, but ultimately misleading. She fears that one of “Thatcher and Reagan’s visions” still influences much of the contemporary debate: “the notion that humanity progresses through innovation; innovation is a function of the brilliance of the individual; individuals can only fulfill their potential with personal freedom; and the state, in all its guises, whether regulatory or taxational, is the main barrier to that freedom.”
She holds that the durability of this view is not based upon the fact that there might be a grain of truth there, but rather on the sad reality that the left is losing a battle of words.
When socialism allowed the iPad to be seen as the achievement of the right, it ceded more than the product – it ceded its natural territory. As Nick Srnicek and Alex Williams describe in their book Inventing the Future: “From early communist visions of technological progress, to Soviet space utopias, to the social democratic rhetoric of the ‘white heat of technology,’ what set the left apart from the right was its unambiguous embrace of the future.
To be sure, the Left has been also home to many technological skeptics, beginning with the Luddites. Leaders of the workers movement organised resistance to technological innovations, that they understood as a likely cause of the degeneration of the wage-earners as a class. Time and again, the idea that machines compete with human labour has been a major source of support for socialism.
Clearly, there were times when socialism was forward-looking, rather than backward-looking as in the case of Mr Corbyn, who openly regrets the good old times of outright nationalisation. In the last few years, socialism has been increasingly tempted by nostalgia. But, in a way, wasn’t it always? “Utopia” was many things, but not a technologically advanced island. There was only a genuine grasp of the fact that for everyone to have “her fair share” (however defined), a society should be somehow held in a stationary state. Yes, some theorists place socialism firmly in the future: a future of perfection, when you could do away with all those big and little “changes” that mark the daily life of a capitalist economy.
For Ms Williams, innovators are motivated by other things than the pursuit of profit and do build on the legacy of previous innovators, taking full advantage of the stock of knowledge that society assembled over time. I think she is absolutely right: but how is this supposed to be incompatible with a market economy, and indeed positively related with “socialism“?
She thinks “free-market fundamentalists” believe that everything is done just in the pursuit of profit. I’d like to assure her that most of free-marketers want a free market for real human beings: that is, for people that can act upon egoistic instincts as well as upon altruistic ones, as I think it happens to all of us. Assuming self-interest puts us on the safe side, so to say, far away from “nirvana fallacies” of different sorts. One indeed wonders where Ms. Williams got her understanding of the free-market from.
It is a bit of an irony that Ms Williams quotes Deirdre McCloskey (by the way, it is her third, not her fourth, book on “Bourgeois Virtues” which is coming out next year). McCloskey maintains that the industrial revolution was by and large the output of an increased social appreciation for mundane jobs: she believes that it was a change in social attitudes (culture) which made industrialisation possible. Not by chance, she openly talks of “virtues”.
Iain Murray here has already pointed out that basically Ms Williams cannot see that markets are a form of human cooperation, and not its opposite.
It is also not by chance that her argument is a bit self-contradictory. On the one hand, she emphasises the extent to which innovation is a collective enterprise. On the other hand, she can’t but focus on the case of Steve Jobs, who was “fascinated by sharing.” This is because she thinks of innovation as a purposeful, top-down “act”: and not as something that you can somehow stumble upon.
The key difference between “innovation socialists” and “innovation liberals” may well be that the former believe that innovation is something that should be pursued per se. Yes, the Soviet Union’s space program: big, grand design, for the sake of the grandeur of the Socialist Homeland!
The latter, instead, believe that innovation is market-tested. A great project is not good per se: it is good insofar as it satisfies other people’s needs. Innovation is good insofar as it makes people lives better, which you see if they’re ready to buy into it.
This is why “socialism with an iPad” would be indeed a rather novel thing.Google is often accused of having a heavy focus on the United States. That's certainly true, but come on - it's a US company. Nobody seems to mind that Samsung sells a ton of phones in South Korea, or that Japan gets the newest and hottest Canon cameras before anyone else. Can you really blame a company with limited hardware resources for prioritizing a new product launch in certain markets?
Image source: Ausdroid
Yes, you can. Sorry, what were we talking about again? Oh yes, the Nexus Player is available in nine new countries starting today. Or yesterday, depending on exactly where you are. They are:
Australia
Austria
Denmark
Finland
Italy
Norway
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Don't worry, we double-checked the whole Austria-Australia thing. The Nexus Player will be on sale in both locations.
The Nexus Player should be available either now or very soon in the Google Store and/or the Google Play Store, though it might be a while before it arrives at local retailers. The price should be about the local equivalent of $100 USD, plus a bit more because electronics always seem to be more expensive in Europe and Down Under. Ausdroid says that the Nexus Player costs $129 in Australia... and that local TV and cable providers are woefully unprepared. That isn't very surprising. The official ASUS controller, which costs $40 in the United States, should go on sale in these new markets sooner or later. Remember that any Bluetooth HID controller will work for Android TV-compatible games.
So far the Nexus Player is the only way to get your hands on Android TV. Both the NVIDIA SHIELD set-top box and the Razer Forge TV are set to launch in the United States next month, and the newest high-end Sony TVs run Android TV as their smart platform. The Nexus Player is now available in fifteen different countries.JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. (Reuters) - Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said on Saturday that a slowdown in China’s economy could push down further on inflation but it did not change, for now, the central bank’s position on when and how it might increase interest rates.
Bank of England Governor Mark Carney (L) talks with U.S. Department of Commerce Chief Economist Susan Helper during the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City's annual Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, August 29, 2015. REUTERS/Jonathan Crosby
Carney, speaking at an annual U.S. central banking conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, reiterated his view that the recovery in Britain’s economy “will likely put the decision as to when to start the process of gradual monetary policy normalization into sharper relief around the turn of this year.”
That comment echoed one he made in mid-July, before global financial markets took a hit in recent days over concerns about the health of China’s economy.
The BoE cut rates to 0.5 percent, a record low, at the height of the financial crisis in 2009. Although inflation in Britain is almost zero, the Bank is likely to start raising rates in the first quarter of next year as wage growth picks up, economists predict.
Carney said on Saturday a Chinese slowdown could add to pressure pushing down on prices in Britain and risk aversion in global markets could make financial conditions in the country tighter, which would also weigh on inflation.
“These are possibilities, not certainties. Their evolution needs to be monitored, not taken for granted,” he said, before adding the direct exposure of Britain’s economy to China was relatively modest.
He also said the BoE could “look through” the temporary disinflationary impact on inflation from lower demand in China for commodities but would watch for any longer-lasting impact on Britain from a slowing of the world’s No.2 economy.
“Developments in China are unlikely to change the process of rate increases from limited and gradual to infinitesimal and inert,” Carney said.
The BoE’s main guidance on interest rates has been that when the time comes to raise them, they will go up gradually and to a level lower than before the financial crisis.
Carney stressed that his comment on the timing of a decision by the BoE on rates did not prejudge any particular decision.
“But it does indicate that recent events do not yet, to my mind, merit changing the MPC’s (Monetary Policy Committee’s) strategy for returning inflation to target,” he said.Screencap via Mankato Local CBS News. Thumbnail via Flickr User Lauri Rantala
The four-year-old son of an Oklahoma City woman named Ren Gaulrapp recently got into her supply of e-ciagrette juice and went to town. He was vomiting and had to be hospitalized, becoming the latest statistic in an apparent rash of of e-juice poisonings. He recovered fully.
This was just after a New York Times story had pointed out that there were 1,351 cases of some form of poisoning linked to e-juice in 2013, and that this constitutes a 300 percent increase from 2012. With respect to noticeability, it helped that the article carried the headline "Selling Poison by the Barrel."
It's possible that the Gaulrapp poisoning case was not notable for anything other than timing, but her account is a little strange. Gaulrapp told her local news station, “I hear a little bit of a noise, come in, and he’s taken the lid off of all of them and has this liquid everywhere. He’s got it all over him. He’s been eating it." It's odd that there'd be enough around for him to take the lids off "all of them," and that they were accessible in the first place. Not to mention the child's ravenous appetite for a toxic chemical, although Gaulrapp mentioned that it was sweet.
Screencap via News 4 San Antonio
I recently asked medical toxicologist Dr. Cyrus Rangan about e-cigarette juice. "It does have kind of a palatable taste," he told me, referring to propylene glycol, the additive that produces the vapor effect. But it's the nicotine that likely does all of the poisoning. "The amount that’s in these e-cigarette preparations is hard to say, because there’s really not enough study on these issues to know exactly how much propylene glycol someone’s going to be exposed to by smoking these things, or being around someone who’s smoking them."
On one hand, maybe e-cigarette smokers are their own worst enemies and don't deserve to have nice things. It's not that hard to keep delicious e-juice away from children, or to just opt for child-proof containers. A Gizmodo article by Mario Aguilar made it clear that child-proofing is common.
Ren Gaulrapp. Screencap via Mankato Local CBS News
On the other hand, e-juice poisoning isn't a menace that should have America spooked. The cabinet under every American's sink contains enough poison to take down the Incredible Hulk. There are plenty of other tasty poisons like antifreeze, which poisons more people than nicotine annually. According to the nutbags who are scared of fluoride, even fluoridated toothpaste directly poisons about 1,000 kids per year, compared to nicotine's 1,351. I don't know whether this shows me that fluoride is deceptively dangerous or nicotine is surprisingly harmless.
But even if e-juice isn't as dangerous as all this sensationalism suggests, e-cigarettes have a huge controversy attached to them, and the media seems to be latching onto every sensational headline about e-cigarettes they can find. So for the type of social libertarians gunning for blanket legalization of all the fun substances, nicotine is a case study in letting the user be in control of the drug—1,351 poisonings is a crummy-sounding record for a new kind of poison just reaching the market.
The Man may be coming down unnecessarily on e-cigarettes, and it may not be fair, but the users of these products could maybe try advocating for themselves through their actions. They could be extra, extra responsible and call for regulations that require, say, that repulsive flavors be added to the liquid, or that child-proofing, and boring, kid-unfriendly packaging be made a rule.
But try and tell vaping enthusiasts what to do. People who smoke in movie theaters are rebels who don't need us telling them how not to poison their kids, man.
Follow Mike Pearl on TwitterGoogle changes policy in a move that restrict and eliminates clothes free blogs.
A long time ago when this site was in its infancy we had an alternate account on blogger. It was not separately maintained but we sent links of posts from this site to that blog. Today we received this email.
Dear Blogger User,
We’re writing to tell you about an upcoming change to the Blogger Content
Policy that may affect your account.
In the coming weeks, we’ll no longer allow blogs that contain sexually
explicit or graphic nude images or video. We’ll still allow nudity
presented in artistic, educational, documentary, or scientific contexts, or
where there are other substantial benefits to the public from not taking
action on the content.
The new policy will go into effect on the 23rd of March 2015. After this
policy goes into effect, Google will restrict access to any blog identified
as being in violation of our revised policy. No content will be deleted,
but only blog authors and those with whom they have expressly shared the
blog will be able to see the content we’ve made private.
Our records indicate that your account may be affected by this policy
change. Please refrain from creating new content that would violate this
policy. Also, we ask that you make any necessary changes to your existing
blog to comply as soon as possible, so that you won’t experience any
interruptions in service. You may also choose to create an archive of your
content via Google Takeout
(https://www.google.com/settings/takeout/custom/blogger).
For more information, please read here
(https://support.google.com/blogger?p=policy_update).
Sincerely,
The Blogger TeamYesterday, Donald Trump-worshiping sycophant Wayne Allyn Root appeared on “Newsmax Prime” to promote his new book, “Angry White Male: How the Donald Trump Phenomenon is Changing America—and What We Can All Do to Save the Middle Class.”
Root said that Democrats are intent on destroying white middle class males and that men like him therefore have every right to be outraged about it, just like blacks were angry when they were the victims of slavery and widespread institutional discrimination.
“We have a right to be angry,” Root said. “Certainly today they don’t say black people, when they were being persecuted, when they were enslaved, when they weren’t allowed to vote, when there were poll taxes, when they were treated like second class citizens, when they were being hosed by policemen in the South, do people today say they had no right to complain and be angry?”
Today, Root said, it is white middle class males who are facing this sort of relentless persecution.
Democrats are “looking to destroy us with taxes, with spending, with regulations, with IRS audits, with Obamacare, with climate change, you name it, we’re being attacked from every direction,” Root fumed, saying that everything that white males like him believe in has been “under massive attack in the United States of America for the last 50 years, but particularly, the last eight years of Barack Obama.”Collected by Robbie Genner, Huffington Post
[]
"Two of my favorite things are sitting on my front porch smoking a pipe of sweet hemp, and playing my Hohner harmonica." - Abraham Lincoln (from a letter written by Lincoln during his presidency to the head of the Hohner Harmonica Company in Germany)"Hemp is of first necessity to the wealth & protection of the country." - Thomas Jefferson, U.S. President"Make the most you can of the Indian Hemp seed and sow it everywhere." - George Washington, U.S. President"We shall, by and by, want a world of hemp more for our own consumption." - John Adams, U.S. President"Penalties against possession of a drug should not be more damaging to an individual than the use of the drug itself; and where they are, they should be changed. Nowhere is this more clear than in the laws against possession of marihuana in private for personal use... Therefore, I support legislation amending Federal law to eliminate all Federal criminal penalties for the possession of up to one ounce of marihuana." - Jimmy Carter, U.S. President"I inhaled frequently. That was the point." - Barack Obama, U.S. President"The war on drugs has been an utter failure. We need to rethink and decriminalize our nation's marijuana laws." -Barack Obama, January 2004"The illegality of cannabis is outrageous, an impediment to full utilization of a drug which helps produce the serenity and insight, sensitivity and fellowship so desperately needed in this increasingly mad and dangerous world." - Carl Sagan, renown scientist, astronomer, astrochemist, author and TV host"Why use up the forests which were centuries in the making and the mines which required ages to lay down, if we can get the equivalent of forest and mineral products in the annual growth of the hemp fields?" - Henry Ford, whose first Model-T was constructed from hemp fibers and built to run on hemp gasoline"Prohibition... goes beyond the bound of reason in that it attempts to control a man's appetite by legislation and makes a crime out of things that are not crimes. A prohibition law strikes a blow at the very principles upon which our government was founded" -Abraham Lincoln"The prestige of government has undoubtedly been lowered considerably by the prohibition law. For nothing is more destructive of respect for the government and the law of the land than passing laws which cannot be enforced. It is an open secret that the dangerous increase of crime in this country is closely connected with this." - Albert Einstein quote on Hemp"That is not a drug. It's a leaf." - Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California"I now have absolute proof that smoking even one marijuana cigarette is equal in brain damage to being on Bikini Island during an H-bomb blast" - Ronald Reagan"If the words 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness' don't include the right to experiment with your own consciousness, then the Declaration of Independence isn't worth the hemp it was written on." - Terence McKennaThe first Bibles, maps, charts, Betsy Ross's flag, the first drafts of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were made from hemp.80% of all textiles, fabrics, clothes, linen, drapes, bed sheets, etc. were made from hemp until the 1820s with the introduction of the cotton gin.It was legal to pay taxes with Hemp in America from 1631 until the early 1800s.Refusing to grow Hemp in America during the 17th and 18th Centuries was against the law. You could be jailed in Virginia for refusing to grow hemp from 1763 to 1769.Rembrants, Gainsboroughs, Van Goghs as well as most early canvas paintings were principally painted on hemp linen.In 1916, the U.S. Government Dept. of Agriculture predicted that by the 1940s all paper would come from hemp and that no more trees need to be cut down.For thousands of years, 90% of all ships' sails and rope were made from hemp. The word 'canvas' is Dutch for cannabis.Hemp fuel is non-toxic, biodegradable and does not contribute to sulfur dioxide air poisoning.In Feb. 1938, Popular Mechanics called Hemp a 'Billion Dollar Crop.' It was the first time a cash crop had a business potential to exceed a billion dollars.“Bill Nye debates Ken Ham – HD” - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6kgvhG3AkI
I notated pertinent parts of the debate found at the link above and have created a paraphrased reference guide for anyone who might be interested. I’ve provided hour/minute/second marks for the link above, though they may not translate to all versions of the video. Also note that anything that is bracketed [x] is my personal commentary or reactions to the content. Anything in quotations is a direct quotation from the clip.
[EDIT: Thanks to feedback from others, I have expounded more from Bill Nye's 30-minute presentation. Thanks to those who offered the suggestion!]
Introductory Statements
19:20: Ken presents a false distinction between “Experimental/Observational Science” and “Origins or Historical Science”. [The truth is, all observation is made indirectly, through the senses, etc., so this supposed difference of type is actually only one of degree.]
21:10: Ken states that “the word science has been hijacked by secularists in teaching evolution to force the religion of naturalism on generations of kids.”
22:01: Ham posits that “Creation is the only viable model of historical science confirmed by observational science in today’s modern scientific era.”
24:45: Bill Nye observes that on shows like CSI, there is no difference made between observational science and historical science, and charges that it a construct put forth by Ham, et al.
26:25: Bill Nye notes that there are billions of religious people who do not accept Ham’s Creationist model.
30-minute Presentations – Ken Ham
28:00: Ham goes first, and starts by showing several successfully scientists who are also Biblical creationists in order to dismiss the idea that creationists can’t do real science. [Ham is speaking past this particular criticism by concealing the true target. The issue is not that there are no scientifically competent creationists, but rather that creationism must ignore basic scientific methodology and tried-and-true theories in order to retroactively justify itself. The enterprise is not scientific, not necessarily those who hold to it.]
31:53: Ham: “Question for Bill Nye: How do you account for the laws of logic and laws of nature from a naturalistic worldview that excludes the existence of God?”
~35:00: Ham keeps hammering home the observation/historical science ‘distinction’.
36:45: [Ham acts as if the scientific method is only applicable to “observational science”.]
38:00: “Predictions based on the Bible:
Evidence confirming an |
from being digitized and put into the game (See: Tron), I’m pretty excited yet skeptical at the same time. With three major players investing so much money into virtual reality, they could use that money to feel a small country, it seems that virtual reality isn’t the fad that it once was. An impressive feat for sure, since a few years ago virtual reality was all but written off.
So who are the major players?
Oculus Rift virtual reality (Not available for consoles) – The daddy of the current state of virtual reality and the overall pioneer. Many would argue that it wasn’t for the steps and progress that Palmer and crew have made in virtual reality these last few years, virtual reality wouldn’t be in the current state that it is. And while the Oculus Rift is soley focus on the PC platform and, it’s still required to be mentioned due to the role it has played. That and well, it is one of the three virtual reality players in the gaming scene, even though consoles aren’t supported, at least not the current generation. Pre-orders for the system cost $599.99
HTC Vive (Not available for consoles) – While seen as a “me-too” virtual reality appliance, the Vive has come a long way, it is the love child of a newly formed alliance between HTC and Valve. Which is ironic as Valve originally was against virtual reality, the company has embraced it now. Hot on the heels of the Oculus Rift, the Vive has what I feel an uphill battle as many have picked the Oculus Rift as the winner of the virtual reality race when it comes to the PC. However many discount that Vive has the backing of Valve, and while they’re known as a software shop more than anything, despite the release of the Steam Controller and the Steam Link, they couldn’t be discounted. Especially since Valve owns what could be considered the ultimate virtual reality titles, mainly Portal and Half Life. And nothing would surprise me more than if Valve finally gets around to announcing a Portal 3 or Half Life 3, right around and shortly after the official release of the Vive. A killer app sells hardware, so this may not be far off. Oh, it’s also the most expensive out of the 3 major virtual reality camps at $799.99.
Sony’s PlayStation virtual reality – Finally announced with a price tag and a release date of $399/$499 and October 2016, it seems Sony is ready to play in the virtual reality scene. And while comparing it against its PC brethren, the PlayStation virtual reality may just be the weakest of the three in a hardware respect. It’s got the market share with over 35 million PlayStation 4’s sold. Combine that with the lowest price tag and supposedly debuting with over 50 titles by the end of 2016, the PlayStation virtual reality has a lot of momentum going for it. Not to mention that it’s $200 -300 cheaper than either of the previously mentioned virtual reality systems.
I know that’s a lot to take in, let’s fix that, shall we? Both the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive are open-ended virtual reality systems, meaning they are pretty much limitless when it comes to what they can be applied to. Spec wise both systems do share similarities in their hardware make up, but that’s about it. In addition both require a pretty beefy computer for both of them to be utilized. Lastly since this is about the virtual reality space as it pertains to consoles, neither of them apply as they are both a PC only experience, at least for now.
The PlayStation virtual reality however is the only virtual reality system that will be available solely in the gaming console space, which means it has been designed from the start as a closed platform that’s devoted to gaming and only gaming. And as far as the gaming consoles go, Sony is the only one competing in this area. While Microsoft isn’t exactly sitting on the sidelines, they’ve gone a different direction with their Microsoft HoloLens with is based on augmented reality and could be argued is the more involved, compared to virtual reality. But that’s a story for another time.
The PlayStation virtual reality, the only virtual reality headset / unit that is being produced and marketed towards gamers who play on consoles. On that same token it seems that Sony has done their research on the PSvirtual reality, since most of the feedback of the system seems to be positive. What’s more is that Sony has thrown the gauntlet in regards to what it expects anyone who is developing a title for the PSvirtual reality to follow. Case in point, Sony has mandated that any title that is submitted for PlayStation virtual reality must maintain 60fps as a minimum.
“I know I’m going to get flagged for this, but there’s no excuse for not hitting framerate. You cannot drop below 60 fps. Period. Ever. I can’t stress that enough. If you submit a game to us and you drop down to 30 or 35 or 51 we’re probably going to reject it. – Chris Norden, Senior Staff Engineer at Sony Computer Entertainment
I don’t know about you, especially if you’re a developer, but this shows that Sony is serious in its attempt to market and bring the PSVR to gamers. If done right, not only will the software sell the systems, but they’ll have a leg up on both the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, based on its price and appeal.
It’s already out front, anyone can pre-order the PlayStation virtual reality now at multiple outlets, if you can find it as there are reports that the system sold out just as fast as pre-orders started. And while there’s more than likely going to be second and third waves of pre-orders to come, I mean Sony should know that the demand is there, this should speak volumes. Gamers are hungry for virtual reality and the next dimension of gaming it will eventually usher in. More so, you also have the technology lovers and gearheads, who may not be gamers but want to get their hands on the latest and greatest. Even myself who I fashion to be a huge technology lover and gamer, is debating if I should snag one of these and put it through its paces with it finally releases.
Give me a properly done Gran Turismo, Armored Core (are you listening Fromsoftware?), Ace Combat or even a Dragon Ball Z game and have it implemented where the frame-rate doesn’t drop. Give me a complete immersive experience, once that finally tricks my eyes and brain to thinking that I’m doing something else other than sitting in my living room and that i’m actually in the game and I’ll happy plop down the hundreds of dollars is requesting. But they’ve got to show me and seeing how they’ve announced that October is the date, that’s six months away from now. And I for one really hope that they’re ready to by the magical date or they may likely never hear the end of it.
My hands on with all of these virtual units are limited, as I’ve only ever touched the Oculus Rift early on in its life cycle and never experienced either the HTC Vive or PlayStation VR. I hope that changes at the upcoming PAX East 2016, I’m eagerly awaiting both of them. Especially since for gamers like myself who own multiple gaming consoles as well as a gaming PC, we owe it to ourselves as well as to the product to determine which is going to be best for us; which one are we going to plop down the cash for and while one are we going to help shape the future for?
What was that, how can we shape the future you ask? Simple actually. Despite the fact that all three of these virtual reality units are being released as consumer products, they’re still a far ways from reaching their maximum potential and it will be up to each and every one of us who purchase one to provide feedback on them. What works? What you didn’t like? Did it make you sick? What could be done better? While this may seem like a beta, it’s more of a learning experience. Nothing is perfect from day one, and the best example of that is the human body.
The future is indeed coming and whether virtual reality is that future or not remains to be seen, but damn if it isn’t exciting. Don’t you think so?Being a productive rusher in the NFL takes a rare mix of skills and talents, such as speed, elusiveness, vision and anticipation. Those who have excelled at it have historically been rewarded with team-defining roles, league accolades, furious media attention and nice contracts to boot.
Of late, however, top rushers have seen their roles diminished and their pay stagnate. In the modern NFL, teams appear reluctant to commit resources to ball carriers like they used to.
Perhaps this reflects the new offensive landscape in the NFL, in which teams pass more and better than ever before. But it may also reflect a growing recognition that, for all their talent, traditionally great running backs probably don’t actually contribute that much to their teams’ chances of winning.
Consider the case of Adrian Peterson — the 2012 NFL MVP and the only running back to win that award in the past 10 years. Peterson has made by far the most money for a RB in NFL history after the Vikings paid him more than $12 million each year for the past six years — during which the Vikings averaged just over seven wins per season. He’s 32 years old and spent much of 2016 injured but led the league in rushing as recently as 2015. As an unrestricted free agent this offseason, Peterson signed with the New Orleans Saints for a modest $7 million over two years, with only $3.5 million guaranteed. In 2017, he’s slated to cost less than Bengals backup RB Giovani Bernard (who will cost $3.7 million against the cap) — not to mention 10 different kickers.
While Peterson’s situation has its own contours and meniscus tears, it’s something of an emblem for the NFL’s approach to RB talent right now. With top players at most positions getting paid more and more as the league’s revenues and salary cap have grown (and in some cases, exploded), the average pay for top running backs has stalled and even declined in recent years:
In 2017 the top 16 running backs (the league’s above-average starters, give or take a few) are slated to make less than any offensive or defensive positions — even tight ends and safeties, who were the bottom-feeders of the nonkicking game in 2000. Additionally, running backs and six other positions – WR, DE, CB, LB, DT and OL — averaged between $3 and $4 million in 2000. In 2017, top RBs will average around $6 million — the other six positions will each average more than $10 million. And even this picture may be slightly rosier than it appears, because for several years Peterson bent the RB curve upward.
If we look at each figure as a percentage of all money spent on the top 16 players at each position, things look even worse for running backs:
Relative to other positions, top running backs are slated to make around half as much in 2017 as they did at the start of the 2000s.
So why is this happening? Perhaps NFL teams have consciously devalued the running back, or perhaps it’s just a multitude of decisions in many different circumstances that have happened to lead us here. But while the RBs’ new situation almost certainly results directly from the league’s shift toward pass-centric offenses, it may also stem from the league ever so slowly wising up to the fundamental math of its own game. Much like with the 3-point shot in the NBA, passing the football in the NFL has virtually always looked better on paper. And, like the midrange jumper, the NFL seems to be (perhaps more slowly) creeping in the direction of running just about as rarely as the situation and game theory require. Indeed, the history of offense in the NFL is largely a story of running less and getting more efficient:
Over time teams have been passing more and more, and they have been picking up more and more yards as a result. Part of that is that teams are getting better at passing, but it’s also that they have gotten better at knowing when to pass. And, of course, those two trends play well together: As teams have gotten better at short, high-percentage passes, the rationale for running in situations where you need less-explosive but high-percentage plays has declined.
That said, the NFL still has a long and easily demonstrable history of running way, way too much — even recently. We can tell because we know how every play in the NFL since 2000 has affected a team’s likely win percentage. The stat is called WPA, or Win Percentage Added. WPA allows us to look at the results of plays beyond just yards gained, which is helpful since a successful run should positively impact a team’s chances of winning even if it picks up fewer average yards, etc. Indeed, if every team played perfectly and everything was in game-theoretical balance, we wouldn’t expect to see much difference between runs and passes at all. This is not the case.
For starters, let’s cut out a bunch of special circumstances and look at the most vanilla run/pass decisions possible: first and second downs, with 5-10 yards to go, outside the Red Zone, outside the last two minutes of either half — giving us about 278,000 plays to work with. This is where the traditional, workhorse, MVP-type running back butters his bread. Now, since the decision to run or pass is largely a function of how far ahead or behind a team is and how late it is in the game, let’s break our results down by quarter and score margin before the play:
Basically, there is pretty much no ordinary situation in which running produces better results than passing. If a team is more than 10 points ahead in the second quarter, running has seemed to do OK. And that’s about it. Even situations where running a lot is pretty standard — like up fewer than 10 points in the third or fourth quarters — passing has done substantially better. Of course, some amount of run/pass balance is necessary, or defenses would completely tee off on the pass every time. But this issue is likely overblown: As a pretty straightforward application of introductory game theory, if one option keeps producing substantially better results than the other, you should do it more often.
Of course, running the football has ancillary benefits, such as burning time off the clock, avoiding turnovers, gaining positive yards more consistently, picking up shorter yardage a higher percentage of the time, keeping the defenses honest, and so on. (There may even be situations in which teams pass too often, such as with 2-point attempts.) That sounds like a lot of good uses for the run! But note that, when it comes to these things, the quality of your running back — at least by conventional measures like how many yards they gain — is of secondary importance.
This is because even a great rushing attack is still worse at picking up yards than even a mediocre passing attack. The all-pro running back may gain a lot of yards as his team funnels its offense through him, but many (or even most) of those yards are picked up in spots — like when a team is slightly up or down in the third quarter — where passing would have been better (or at the very least, where teams should be passing more often). Indeed, much like with having a good punter, there’s a danger that a great running back could hurt his team, if he entices them to run too often. (Conversely, a potential problem with having a great run defense is that opponents may be bullied into passing!)
None of which is to say that the running back position will die out, or that the league’s unwillingness to pay a lot for them will continue indefinitely. Running backs and rushing may still be an important part of the game, so long as you aren’t trying to use it to pick up a bunch of yards on the ground. There are better ways to do that, and better things you could be doing with that slot.
For example, running backs who excel in short-yardage situations — such as Marshawn Lynch, Jerome Bettis or Marcus Allen — or “third down” or pass-catching RBs who can be legitimate multiway threats in a spread offense — may actually be more valuable than they seem. As the athletes who play “running back” get better at things like opening up the passing game and helping pick up first downs, the position may be leveraged more efficiently and see its value increase commensurately. Note the sole runner scheduled to make eight figures this year is Pittsburgh’s extremely versatile LeVeon Bell (whose one-year franchise player contract will earn him a little over $12 million in 2017).
But committing money to “workhorse” running backs who provide little outside of their ability to grind out a large number of yards inefficiently — a description that arguably fits Peterson as well as any great RB — is like doubling down on buggy whips when everyone else is scrambling to make flying cars.
CORRECTION (May 16, 1:32 p.m.): The “Why running sucks” chart in an earlier version of this article misattributed the source of its data. It was from Pro-Football-Reference.com, not ESPN Stats & Information Group.On Friday, students occupying the administration building at Occidental College ejected Breitbart News’ Adelle Nazarian from their “safe space,” saying they felt “threatened” by her presence and referring to her as “an adult in a student-occupied space.”
“We’re requesting that you respect the fact that this is a community-owned space by students,” one of the male students said. He said there was “an issue of safety” as a result of Nazarian’s “adult presence,” which supposedly posed a direct threat to the occupying students’ well-being.
Nazarian recorded the incident. The audio is below (language warning).
The episode recalls the classic quote by New Left activist Jack Weinberg, veteran of the UC Berkeley Free Speech Movement of 1964, who told the San Francisco Chronicle: “We have a saying in the movement that we don’t trust anybody over 30.”
The saying went viral and became a favorite for reporters who wished to ridicule the mindset of the young, New Left.
Meanwhile, at Occidental’s “safe space,” an Asian professor, whose gender was difficult to ascertain, refused to provide their name to Breitbart but offered to escort Nazarian out of the “safe space.” The professor claimed that administrators have expressed “discomfort” with Breitbart’s presence on campus because of the “conservative nature” of the publication.
When a student began recording Nazarian, and Nazarian objected, she was told that “this is actually part of the protocol of maintaining community safety.” Nazarian then responded by pointing out that these same students were demanding that campus security remove their bullet proof vests as one of their 14 demands.
A double shooting that left a husband dead and his wife severely wounded near Occidental College in 2013 prompted an increase in the protective equipment available to campus security, which is unarmed. Campus police officers Jasmine Vasquez told Breitbart News on Wednesday that the bulletproof vests are the only defense they have against harm: “We don’t have any other protection to defend ourselves. If we don’t have our vests, all we have is our voice and our hands.”
Upon initially entering the occupied administration building, Nazarian had approached a professor who was sitting on a set of stairs conversing with a student. When asked if he would answer a few questions, he said he was not speaking with the media. Asked why, he said it was because the students asked him not to.
Nazarian left the building shortly after the brief exchange. An NPR reporter who had just conducted an interview was not asked to leave and remained in the “safe space” unscathed.
Follow Adelle Nazarian on Twitter @AdelleNaz and on Facebook.Nasdaq is set to unveil its new blockchain-based platform, which will facilitate share transfers and sales on its private market.
The firm’s demonstration of the new platform is expected to take place at the Money 20/20 event in Las Vegas today.
A company-issued statement said Nasdaq Linq – first announced in May – would include Chain, Change Tip, PeerNova, Synack, Tango and Vera as its first private company clients.
Bob Greifeld, Nasdaq CEO, said in a statement:
“We are extremely encouraged by the initial demand for Nasdaq Linq from these innovative, first-mover companies, and the validation it represents of our application of blockchain technology … blockchain applied to the private market is innovation built on top of innovation, and carries with it the opportunity to forever alter the future of financial services infrastructure.”
The platform was developed by Nasdaq’s in-house technologists in collaboration with blockchain technology startup Chain – which recently closed a $30 million funding round with support from Visa – and contributions from global design and innovation firm Ideo.
Adam Ludwin, Chain CEO, said: “We are excited to leverage Nasdaq Linq to issue and manage our company’s securities in a more efficient and transparent way.”
The news comes after Fredrik Voss, vice president and head of blockchain strategy at Nasdaq, spoke to CoinDesk about the group’s crypto-related strategies earlier this month.
Nasdaq image via Shutterstock.For over a month now, with much concern and feelings of solidarity we have been following the Palestinian teachers in their struggle for fair wages and social justice. The teachers have raised the banner of democratic civil struggle for their right to organize in independent, democratically elected unions. The slogans of their struggle are the same as those that appeared five years ago in the popular demonstrations of the Arab Spring, expressing the Arab peoples’ aspirations for freedom, progress, and a life of dignity.
Against the teachers’ struggle, a defamation campaign attempts to mar the legitimacy of their strike and demands, claiming that the struggle serves narrow political or party agendas. Nothing could be further from the truth. The demands are for fair wages, for transparent and egalitarian management of national resources, for the right to elect the leaders of their union, and for their right to strike. All of these are basic demands that must be met in any proper society and that anyone supporting social justice is bound to endorse. Regimes that deny workers these basic rights create acute class differences, push towards internal polarization, and eventually destroy any constructive social dynamic.
WAC- MAAN organizes Arab and Jewish workers in Israel and protects their rights. For over two decades it has been promoting the creation of a democratic movement for workers of both peoples, rejecting discrimination of any kind or separation based on nationality, religion, race or gender. In the name of the solidarity of all workers, we oppose the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories and call for peace between our peoples.
WAC-MAAN invests great resources in protecting the rights of Palestinian workers in occupied Jerusalem and in the industrial zones of the West Bank settlements. Many Palestinian workers in these areas fall “between the chairs”: they suffer from exploitation and humiliation by Israeli employers and the official establishment, but the Israeli regime prevents them from getting help from the Palestinian trade unions, whose activity is forbidden in Jerusalem and the settlement areas.
As a union that has taken upon itself to protect workers who lack union support, and in view of the extreme capitalist tendencies that have taken over the world at large, it is obvious to us that the struggle of the Palestinian teachers deserves solidarity, and we support this struggle wholeheartedly. It deserves the support of all who fight for equality and justice worldwide.
We have no doubt that the teachers’ struggle is strengthening the dynamic elements in Palestinian society, who aspire towards justice, freedom, and independence.
Translated by Tal HaranNorwich City transfer rumours: Sheffield Wednesday win the race for Steven Fletcher
Sunderland's former striker Steven Fletcher has sealed a move to Sheffield Wednesday. Photo: Richard Sellers/PA Wire. PA Wire
Norwich City have missed out on Scottish international Steven Fletcher, who has joined Championship rivals Sheffield Wednesday after signing a four-year deal with the Owls.
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The beaten Championship play-off finalists confirmed the move on Friday afternoon, following the Scotland striker’s release from Sunderland.
The Sunderland Echo had reported the free agent was poised to snub Norwich in favour of a longer term contract at Hillsborough.
Earlier in the week the Sun claimed Norwich were prepared to offer Fletcher £35,000 a week to head to Carrow Road following his release from Sunderland.
The 29-year-old had a loan spell in France with Marseilles towards the end of last season, scoring once in 12 appearances, but the big targetman had also been linked with Celtic, Aston Villa and Hull City.
Alex Neil is in the market for strikers with Kyle Lafferty set to depart and Ricky van Wolfswinkel’s future up for discussion. Cameron Jerome signed a new longer term deal earlier this summer but Dieu Mbokani and Patrick Bamford both returned to their parent clubs following relegation from the Premier League.Vanity Fair claimed Friday that a Twitter post by Donald Trump attacking the magazine has resulted in a dramatic spike in new subscriptions — increasing 100-fold in a single day.
“This was the highest number of subscriptions sold in a single day ever at Condé Nast,” a spokesperson with publisher Condé Nast told Folio magazine.
The tweet in question, made Thursday morning by the president-elect, called out the magazine’s editor-in-chief, with whom he’s had a longstanding feud.
“Has anyone looked at the really poor numbers of @VanityFairMagazine. Way down, big trouble, dead! Graydon Carter, no talent, will be out!”
The tweet appears to be a reaction to Vanity Fair political reporter Tina Nguyen, who on Wednesday published a scathing dining review of a Trump Tower steakhouse, trollingly titled, “Trump Grill Could Be the Worst Restaurant in America. And it reveals everything you need to know about our next president.”
According to crowdsourcing review site Yelp.com, the Trump Grill averages a 2-star rating (out of a possible 5), although a fair number of reviews since Mr. Trump began his run for the presidency are questionably partisan in either direction, and the Vanity Fair review controversy only adds to the confusion.
As for Vanity Fair, Mr. Trump’s tweet notwithstanding, Condé Nast says the magazine’s performance in 2016 has been rather good, with a 2 percent increase in year-over-year revenues and an anticipated overall profit margin for the year, Folio reported.
What’s more, the magazine’s circulation is up 2.8 percent, according to the AAM statements for June 2015/2016, Folio reported. The mid-year audit showed the magazine’s circulation at 1,232,588 — up from 1,197,922 in 2015.
Copyright © 2019 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.Intel's x86 chipset is coming to Android tablets. Soon.
So says Intel CEO Paul Otellini. In the company's first-quarter earnings report on Tuesday, Otellini announced that Intel had received the source code for Android version 3.0 (Honeycomb) for tablets from Google, and the company is working on porting the operating system over to the x86 architecture.
Intel "expects to be able to ramp those [Android tablet] machines over the course of this year for a number of customers," Otellini said on a conference call with reporters. And in a separate interview with Forbes, Otellini said we may see those Intel-based tablets as early as May.
While Intel's chips have dominated the desktop and notebook industry, the company has not had so much luck with mobile devices. Instead, ARM architecture predominates among smartphones and tablets, through ARM-based chips made by various companies including Qualcomm, Texas Instruments and, most recently, Nvidia.
Part of what has kept Intel's processors from making gains in the mobile market may be the same thing that makes it so strong in the desktop and server areas.
"The big issue is power consumption," Richard Fichera, a semiconductor analyst from Forrester Research, told Wired.com in an interview. "ARM was designed from the beginning to be low-power consumption, while Intel's x86 came from a whole different design perspective."
Intel, however, has taken strides in reducing power consumption with its Atom series of processors: the 2009 Atom debut found power reduced by 20 percent from the previous generation of processors.
"Intel has radically improved their performance per watt on their server and desktop chips," Fichera said, "but this is a threshold they need to break past to move this architecture into mobile devices."
Last week, Intel debuted its "Oak Trail" series of Atom processors – the latest in the company's series of low-consumption chips – though some say they don't measure up to ARM offerings.
"Intel's core strengths are building advanced manufacturing processes and optimizing processor architectures," wrote Romit Shah, an analyst with Nomura Equity Research. "That said, we believe the x86 architecture is not competitive versus ARM in low power applications such as mobile handsets and tablets."
Intel's low-consumption Atom chips are currently implemented in notebooks, not smartphones or tablets.
Otellini also signaled Intel's move into the smartphone space should be expected in the future. "I would be very disappointed if we didn't see Intel-based phones for sale 12 months from now," he said.
Some of these mobile moves has been hinted at before by Intel, with little to show for it. Last July, Intel CTO Justin Rattner told Wired.com that January of 2011 "would clearly be the window of opportunity" for the company to bring its processors to mobile devices. January's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas – the premier annual event for electronics industry debuts – came and went, with no sign of Intel's processors in smartphones or tablets premiered at the show. Many of the devices introduced are using Qualcomm's Snapdragon processor, which is based on the ARM version seven instruction set.
"We’re not a strong player in phones yet, but we will be," Otellini told Forbes. "We were able to bring volume economics and technology to [PC markets], and you’ll see us do the same here...drive the power down, drive performance up, drive costs down, in typical Intel fashion—boom, boom, boom."The copious recent examples of favorable comments by President Trump and those in his administration about figures and monuments supporting the Confederacy have left many Americans wondering how the Trump administration feels about slavery exactly.
But things got testy when April Ryan, a White House reporter for American Urban Radio Networks, asked White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders to comment on slavery at Wednesday's news briefing.
RYAN: The question is, does this administration believe, does this president believe, slavery was wrong? And before you answer, Mary Frances Berry, the historian, said in 1860, there was a compromise. The compromise was to have Southern states keep slavery. But the Confederacy fired on Fort Sumter. That caused the Civil War. And because of the Civil War, what happened? The North won, and there’s no slavery. SANDERS: I think it is disgusting and absurd to suggest that anyone inside of this building would support slavery.
It is clear that White House chief of staff has a favorable view of Robert E. Lee, the Confederate general who led thousands into battle against the United States to fight for the continued enslavement of black people.
“I would tell you that Robert E. Lee was an honorable man,” John Kelly recently told Fox News' Laura Ingraham. “He was a man that gave up his country to fight for his state, which 150 years ago was more important than country.”
But many Americans — as the ongoing debates over Confederate memorials suggests — have a less favorable view of Lee, who even after losing the Civil War spoke out against racial equality.
Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns, creator of the Emmy-award winning “The Civil War,” said that the death toll that came as a result of Lee's actions was historic.
Ken Burns told me Robert E Lee killed more Americans than Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Ho Chi Minh, Saddam Hussein & Osama bin Laden combined. — Joe Scarborough (@JoeNBC) November 1, 2017
Even Lee's indirect descendant, the Rev. Rob Lee, an anti-racism activist, rejected Kelly's view of his relative.
“It is clear to me that General Kelly sees honor in a man who fought for continued enslavement of people and chattel slavery,” Lee told The Fix. “That is, after all, what states’ rights was for. There is no honor in that to me.”
Trump has repeatedly spoken of his support for the memorials celebrating the men who fought to preserve slavery.
Ed Gillespie will turn the really bad Virginia economy #'s around, and fast. Strong on crime, he might even save our great statues/heritage! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 26, 2017
Following Kelly's comments, Sanders said, “General Kelly was simply making the point that just because history isn't perfect doesn't mean it's not our history.”
What is not clear to some is whether this administration understands — or cares — that many Americans have views of the Civil War that include the belief that the defense of Confederate generals is support for slavery.
Hmmm. What exactly, I wonder, would be the right "compromise" between slavery and freedom for human beings?https://t.co/ZWwpwCSGzx — Rep Frederica Wilson (@RepWilson) October 31, 2017
Over the past few months, multiple states from New York to Virginia to Florida have conducted statewide polls gauging voters' view on what Lee and the Confederate memorials represent. Perhaps unsurprisingly, results often vary based on race and political ideology.
Trump promised to unite a very divided country, following an election where the country's continued racial strife was revealed to be a major issue for voters. Some want the president and his top officials to speak with clarity about a period of American history so horrific that many consider it one of this nation's original sins.
To some Americans, it's not absurd that some would think that the Trump White House may support slavery. To them, it's absurd that the president has left so many in a position where they need to wonder.The Clinton campaign is looking for volunteers in Michigan and Wisconsin to help with the recount efforts being pursued by the Green Party’s Jill Stein. There are Clinton campaign sign-up pages online that simply say “Help with the Michigan recount” and “Let us know if you want to get involved,” with a form asking for contact information. Wisconsin’s sign-up page is identical, except for the state name.
The Cap Times in Madison, Wisconsin, quoted an email sent to Wisconsin supporters Monday.
“In the weeks since the heartbreak of Election Day, our campaign has taken a number of steps to verify the accuracy of the vote tally in a few critical battleground states — and to this point, we’ve found no evidence that would change the outcome,” Clinton’s Wisconsin state director Jake Hajdu wrote, according to the Cap Times. “But as you might have heard, now that others have asked for a recount of the vote here in Wisconsin, we will participate to make sure everyone who voted for Hillary in this state has their interests represented.”
Clinton campaign general counsel Marc Elias wrote on Medium last week that “we intend to participate [in the recounts] in order to ensure the process proceeds in a manner that is fair to all sides.” While it’s not surprising that the campaign would ask for volunteers, the sign-up forms do not yet offer information on what exactly they would be doing.
In Wisconsin, each of the state’s 72 counties will decide whether to proceed with a hand recount or a machine recount, and the recount there begins Thursday.
Stein filed for a recount in Michigan Wednesday. State officials have authorized the 19 largest counties in the state to begin recounting on Friday or Saturday, and all the ballots will be counted by hand. Donald Trump has until next Wednesday to contest the recount there.
CBS News’ Jane Chick and Steve Chaggaris contributed to this story.2014 was a banner year for Yellow-throated Warbler sightings in Morris and especially Somerset. The spring of 2015 is off to a promising start, as well.
(Yellow-throated Warbler, Glenhurst Meadows, NJ, Apr. 17, 2015 – photo by Rob Gallucci. Clicking on the photo will send you to Rob’s Flickr portfolio with several more photos of this warbler.)
A Yellow-throated Warbler was found this morning at Glenhurst Meadows by Rob Gallucci and MacKay James and was present late in the afternoon. It favors the trees bordering Cory Brook heading north towards the ponds. It kept company with a group of Palm, Yellow-rumped and Pine Warblers.
(Yellow-throated Warbler, Glenhurst Meadows, NJ, Apr. 17, 2015 – photo by Jeff Ellerbusch)
In photographs, the individual appears to have a hint of a yellow supercilium before the eye, plus no white on the chin. Observers might think this is enough to label this individual as Setophaga dominca dominica, the “coastal” Yellow-throated Warbler rather than the typically white-lored S. d. albilora, the “Sycamore Warbler”. The bill, on the other hand, seems small for a typical dominica and more in the range of S. d. albilora.
Dunn and Garrett’s Warblers (Dunn, J. L., and K. L. Garrett. 1997. A Field Guide to Warblers of North America. Houghton Mifflin, New York) says the following: S. d. albilora is distinguished from S. d. dominica by its smaller bill (bill size is consistent throughout its range). The account goes on to say that while S. d. albilora have a white, rather than yellow, supraloral stripe, many have a yellow tinge to the area and some S. d. dominica appear almost whitish there. Furthermore, most, but not all, albilora show some white on the extreme upper chin.
Is there one feature that determines subspecies in this case? Apparently not. This individual could go either way depending on how much weight one puts on the specific characteristics.
Yellow-throated Warbler, Setophaga dominca, works for this observer. As far as is known, this is a first record for Glenhurst Meadows.
There are many reports this time of year, too many to include in a daily newsletter. For further details and to see what people are seeing in the mocosocoBirds region, see local eBirdChecklists viewed via eBird’s Region Explorer. Use the following links:
The eBird Hotspot Primer is here and can also be accessed via the Hotspot menu item on the mocosocoBirds.com website.
@mocosocoBirds at Twitter is another communications stream. Instant field reports and links of interest are tweeted throughout the day. The latest tweets appear on the sidebar of this page. One can follow mocosocoBirds at Twitter or link to @mocosocoBirds.
FinisCork-based shipbuilder’s Safehaven Marine have big plans for 2017.
Having just launched their newest vessel the 60ft high-speed boat Thunder Child in Cork harbour, and |
. News, and pledged to do more research so that they could provide more accurate numbers (numbers which should be up shortly, perhaps later tonight). The faulty data, they argue, is further evidence of how law schools misreport to U.S. News and highlights the need for more standardized and complete reporting. Fair enough. Yet the whole point of their site, as I understand it, is to give law school “consumers” access to more complete and accurate information than they are getting from U.S. News and law schools themselves. Further, some of these numbers — such as the CUNY cost-of-living figure — should have been dead giveaways that something was wrong.
My own curiosity was piqued not just by the CUNY number, but also by the variation in living cost estimates for schools in particular cities. In Chicago, for instance, the estimated cost of living varies dramatically, from Loyola ($15K) to UChicago ($17K) to DePaul ($28K). This seems like a massive difference across a single city, and is the sort of thing that jumps out after even the most casual review of the numbers. It’s hard to see such figures and not suspect that something is wrong.
Closer to home, I noticed that the estimated cost of living for Cleveland-Marshall was approximately $4,000 less than that for my own institution, Case Western Reserve University, even though the two schools are only a few miles apart. This didn’t seem right — if anything, it’s cheaper to live near Case than it is to live downtown. And here again the reported data was wrong. The cost reported in the database was $16,000, and yet Cleveland-Marshall’s own website lists expenses of over $19,000. Case’s data, I’m proud to report, was accurately reported.
As noted above, the folks at Law School Transparency were quite responsive when I pointed out these errors. They pledged to double-check the numbers and post corrections as soon as possible. This is all to the good, but this is also work that should have been done before trumpeting the data to prospective law students and the press. Some numbers, such as CUNY’s $7,425 cost of living estimate or the $10K spread in living costs across schools in Chicago, should have been red flags that something was amiss. At the very least, it should have been obvious that the cost-of-living numbers they decided to post were not apples-to-apples comparisons. Law schools deserve criticism for their relative lack of transparency, as does U.S. News insofar as it publishes inaccurate information or presents a misleading picture of specific schools. But the self-appointed watchmen of law school transparency should be held to a high standard as well, and need to be more careful about presenting false or misleading information themselves, whatever the source.
UPDATE: The cost of living data has been updated on Law School Transparency’s website. Quite a few schools have moved around in these rankings quite a bit. LST’s Kyle McEntee also comments below.
SECOND UPDATE: NLJ reports on this story.Felix & Paul Studios
Yesterday, I sat across from US President Barack Obama in the Oval Office. First impression: The room is way smaller than you'd think. (Obama agreed.)
It sounds like something that happened all in my head, but really it happened on my face -- a 360-degree video tour of the White House, led by the president and the first lady, via a Samsung Gear VR headset.
On Friday, Facebook's Oculus launched a 360-video version of the tour on its social network. You can watch on your phone, moving it around you to see in every direction or you can use a Gear VR headset like I did. The 8-minute clip is a prelude to a longer virtual-reality experience to come later this year.
"What we wanted to do is make sure that everybody felt they had access to the White House," Obama says in the experience.
Virtual reality is an entertainment format that makes you feel like you're in the middle of the action, created by wearing a googles-like device that presents a digital view of the world and that responds to the way you turn your head. It's among the buzziest consumer technologies, as big investments in VR hardware by tech giants like Facebook and Samsung start to deliver products to consumers more widely.
Samsung said last week that 5 million of its $99 Gear VR headsets are in use around the world, with more than 10 million hours of video viewed in them so far.
But by and large the technology, new and unfamiliar to creators and consumers alike, has yet to find widespread traction.
The beauty of spherical video
That limited reach, combined with the desire to release the tour before the Obamas leave the White House later this month, motivated the administration and the filmmakers to release the 360-degree-video version via Facebook, according to Félix Lajeunesse, one of the filmmakers.
"The beauty with spherical video, you can distribute all across the world," he said in an interview, since it lets anyone with a phone or tablet still experience the tour. Lajeunesse's company, Felix & Paul Studios, is the same VR filmmaking house that shot "Through the Ages," a virtual-reality experience that visited Yosemite National Park with Obama and his family.
The tour itself takes viewers into eight different areas of the White House. You sit across from Barack Obama in the Oval Office. Michelle Obama sits across the table from you in the Old Family Dining Room. They both narrate the experience with personal recollections and historical notes as you enter places you'll likely never visit in person, like the Situation Room, the White House's intelligence hub.
It's sure to make history buffs geek out. Fans of the Obamas will delight in having what feels like a private sit-down with the president and first lady. If you're not a fan of Obama administration, well, maybe you can start mentally redecorating all the rooms? Send tips and suggestions to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
"The People's House: Inside the White House with Barack and Michelle Obama" is available as a Facebook 360 video as well as Oculus Video for Samsung Gear VR.
Batteries Not Included: The CNET team shares experiences that remind us why tech stuff is cool. Take a look here.
CNET Magazine: Check out a sampling of the stories you'll find in CNET's newsstand edition, right here.Your new French bed will undoubtedly be the finest feature in your bedroom, so why not take extra time to browse through our extensive selection of beds ranging from ornate, meticulously hand carved; from sustainable wood - to our shabby chic upholstered style – whatever your choice, it is certain to provide you with that dreamy French ambience. At Homesdirect365 we pride ourselves on our dedicated customer service team, who are there to guide you through your requirements. If you should need any help please feel free to take full advantage of their comprehensive knowledge of our products.
Our French Beds are offered in a variety of colours; White, Gold, Black, Ivory, Silver and Natural wood finish. We are proud to present to you our distinctive matching furniture ranges, which allow for all the choice of combinations you may need to put together your personal shabby chic boudoir. These ranges include our exclusive La Rochelle, Bordeaux, Paris, Rococo, Baroque and Montpellier. All beds come in four parts and can easily be assembled; this also allows the bed to be accessible to properties of varying sizes. We also offer a white glove service from our highly trained delivery staff for a small charge of £50 available at the checkout, for which they will ensure secure assembly, thus taking all the hassle away from you, should you so desire.
Should you require something extra special, we can also offer a fully tailored bespoke service, which could even include a special design of your own or perhaps your initials carved into the bed itself, right down to choosing your own fabric to ensure an elite, upholstered, individual masterpiece.The NDP government insisted Thursday it remains committed to raising Alberta’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2018, even after Premier Rachel Notley suggested a day earlier the province could back away from its “notional” targets depending on economic conditions.
In an interview Wednesday, Notley was asked whether the government was having second thoughts about meeting its campaign pledge to hike the minimum wage to $15 in three years time.
The premier said the government would evaluate the province’s economic circumstances as it decided how to move forward on the minimum wage plan.
“The targets are notional,” said Notley.
“What we’ve said all along is the pace is something that needs to be sensitive to the current economic situation, the depth and breadth of which, we are still, all of us, coming to understand.”
On Thursday, Notley’s spokeswoman Cheryl Oates said the NDP government intends to keep the promise it made in the spring election.
In an interview, Oates said the “notional” targets referred to by the premier are increases in 2016 and 2017.
“She’s talking about the steps we’ll have to take to reach $15 per hour by 2018 and what the pace of the implementation will look like,” she said.
“At this point today we are moving forward with our commitment for $15 an hour by 2018 and we will look at the implementation of that and the economic challenges as we move forward with it.”
The only target set out by the government is the 2018 increase, with the NDP never laying out planned increases for the intervening years.
Related
The government raised the minimum wage from $10.20 an hour to $11.20 an hour in October.
The minimum wage promise has been criticized by businesses who say it will raise their costs and force layoffs in a province already grappling with the effects of slumping energy prices.
Wildrose Leader Brian Jean said he was happy when it appeared Notley would step back from the wage hike and it’s a mistake for the government to stick to its guns.
“I believe the premier is being pushed and pulled on this and other issues by the ideologues advising her from out of province,” he said. “That’s why you saw a flip-flop on this and other issues.”
An internal government document prepared last June showed the province can’t currently evaluate the impact of its plan to hike Alberta’s minimum wage to $15 per hour and that “significant job loss” could be a “realistic possibility.”
The note, obtained by Canadian Federation of Independent Business through a freedom of information request, says more research needs to be done on the effect of significantly hiking the wage over a four-year span and that “Alberta will essentially be sailing into uncharted waters at this point.”
The CFIB’s Richard Truscott said Thursday he was disappointed by the government’s renewed determination to keep its $15-an-hour commitment.
He wonders why Notley would temper the minimum wage increases in 2016 and 2017 depending on economic circumstances, yet the government insists it will meet its 2018 target.
“If we are going to see smaller or no increases over the next couple of years, does that mean we will see a huge jump in 2018?” he said. “That doesn’t make any sense at all.”
While business organizations have been pushing the government to reconsider its plan, the NDP government also faces pressure to raise the minimum wage as promised.
Joel French, executive director of Public Interest Alberta, said Wednesday the planned increase is needed to help low-income Albertans and he called on the government to move ahead.
Mount Royal University political analyst David Taras said the government is sending mixed messages on the issue. He said the NDP appears torn between keeping its campaign commitment and being flexible to meet changing circumstances.
Taras said it’s a “dangerous game” for any government when “you’re so trapped by your own promises and your own ideology that you can’t back down.”
With files from Don Braid, Calgary Herald
jwood@calgaryherald.comCONTACT: media@aclu.org
NEW YORK – The government today declassified 14 documents relating to legal violations by the NSA’s spying program. The documents were released pursuant to an agreement in a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union in May 2011. The ACLU’s FOIA request seeks documents related to the government’s use and interpretation of the Patriot Act’s Section 215.
“These documents show that the NSA repeatedly violated court-imposed limits on its surveillance powers, and they confirm that the agency simply cannot be trusted with such sweeping authority,” said Alex Abdo, staff attorney with the ACLU National Security Project. “The abuses revealed in these documents are alarming but also predictable. These violations are the inevitable result of allowing the NSA to assemble a vast database of sensitive information about every American. The documents provide further evidence that secret and one-sided judicial review is not an adequate check on the NSA’s surveillance practices. The so-called ‘compliance incidents’ are troubling, but this is a program that should never have been authorized to begin with. The NSA should end the bulk collection of information about Americans.”
Yesterday in Washington, Abdo and ACLU Legislative Counsel Michelle Richardson met with members of a group appointed by the Obama administration to review surveillance policies with the stated purpose of ensuring that national security needs are properly balanced with civil liberties.
The ACLU has filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the NSA’s mass phone records collection program. Oral argument in the case is scheduled for November 1 in New York.
The documents turned over today, which include opinions and orders from the secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance court, were also released to the Electronic Frontier Foundation under a separate FOIA request.
Information on the ACLU’s Section 215 FOIA lawsuit is at:
aclu.org/national-security/section-215-patriot-act-foiaImage copyright AP Image caption A vast crowd of people queue for aid at the Yarmouk refugee camp near Damascus
Starvation tactics against civilians are being used as a weapon of war by the Syrian government, the human rights group Amnesty International says.
A new report says at least 128 refugees have died at the besieged Yarmouk camp in Damascus as a result.
It says thousands of people still trapped there face a "catastrophic humanitarian crisis".
Amnesty says families have been forced to forage for food in the streets - risking being killed by snipers.
There were reports of fresh fighting on the edge of the camp last week.
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Rami Ruhayem says delivering food to those who need it is a struggle
Yarmouk camp, which is estimated to house around 17,000-20,000 Palestinian and Syrian refugees, has seen some of the worst fighting in the capital.
It has been without electricity since April 2013 and most of the hospitals have closed after running out of even the most basic medical supplies.
"Syrian forces are committing war crimes by using starvation of civilians as a weapon of war," says Philip Luther, Amnesty's Middle East director.
"The harrowing accounts of families having to resort to eating cats and dogs, and civilians attacked by snipers as they forage for food, have become all too familiar details of the horror story that has materialised in Yarmouk."
Malnourished
Mr Luther described the siege as "collective punishment" of the civilian population and called on the Syrian government to allow humanitarian agencies immediate access to the camp.
Residents told Amnesty that they have not eaten fruit or vegetables for months and at least 60% of people in Yarmouk are said to be suffering from malnutrition.
The camp was created as a refuge for Palestinians fleeing the 1948 Arab-Israeli war but it became a focus of heavy fighting in Damascus in late 2012 when opposition fighters moved in.
The majority of the 180,000 Palestinians at Yarmouk fled what had been their biggest community in Syria but around 20,000 have been trapped inside since government forces cut it off in July last year.
Last month the UN Security Council agreed a resolution calling for all parties involved in the conflict to immediately lift sieges, but this has so far failed to lead to an improvement in the situation of besieged civilians.
The UN made some aid deliveries but these were halted when a truce between rebels and pro-government Palestinian militants in the camp broke down.May 19, 2003
Olson family press conference, August 8, 2002, Frederick, Maryland.
Eric Olson and his son, Stephan Kimbel Olson.
In 1996, Manhattan D.A. Robert Morgenthau opened a new investigation into CIA Scientist Frank Olson's 1953 "suicide," assigning the case to a special Cold Case Unit staffed by two veteran prosecutors. Details about the activities and findings of that ongoing inquiry have never before been revealed. Investigative journalist and writer H.P. Albarelli Jr. conducted his own seven-year examination into Olson's death. In Part Two, he reports his findings about one of the U.S. government's greatest conspiracies and unsolved mysteries.
by H. P. Albarelli Jr.
H.P. Albarelli's book on Frank Olson's death, A Terrible Mistake: The Murder of Frank Olson and the CIA's Secret Cold War Experiments published in October 2009. Advance orders can be placed at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and from the book's publisher Trine Day Books. Additional information on the book may be obtained at: www.albarelli.net and from www.trineday.com.
Introduction
When CIA Scientist Frank Olson plunged to his death from the 10th floor of a New York hotel in 1953, his death was ruled a suicide. But in 1975 a government report prepared for the special Presidential Commission investigating the CIA's development of potent drugs for use in biological warfare and assassinations made its way onto the front page of the Washington Post. The Post revealed that an unnamed government employee "had jumped to his death from a New York hotel window after he was unwittingly dosed with LSD while attending a meeting on a test project that involved the administration of mind-bending drugs to unsuspecting Americans."
Days later, at a news conference attended by all the major media, Olson's family threatened to sue the CIA for wrongful death. Four days later President Ford met with Olson's wife and two sons at the White House. Ford apologized and told the Olsons that the CIA's experiments were "illegal and unconscionable." Ford ordered CIA Director William Colby to provide the Olsons with any records pertinent to Olson's death that it possessed. Colby turned over 150 pages of cryptic documents that shed no light on how or why Olson actually died.
The CIA continued to stonewall Olson's death, terming it "a tragic accident."
The Olsons subsequently agreed to accept $750,00 from the government in full settlement of Frank Olson's death.
As time went by and many more CIA misdeeds came to light, Frank Olson's unexplained death gnawed away at his sons. They decided to hire super sleuth James Starrs, a professor of law and forensic sciences at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., to reopen the investigation into their father's death. Olson's body was exhumed. Starrs's exam revealed "startling results." There were no traces of LSD in Olson's corpse; there was "a highly suspicious blunt force wound" on Olson's frontal skull, most likely caused by a hammer or similar object; Olson's skull revealed "many fractures," so many that "It would not be possible unless he were on a trampoline. You don't bounce like that. When you hit pavement, you hit pavement"; no facial disfigurements as were reported by the Medical Examiner who examined his body the morning of his death. (Starrs noted that Olson's face was remarkably well preserved due to the embalming procedures used.)
Based on Starrs's findings, Manhattan D.A. Robert Morgenthau opened a new investigation into Olson's death in 1996, assigning the case to a special Cold Case Unit staffed by two veteran prosecutors.
Details about the activities and findings of that ongoing inquiry have never before been revealed. Investigative journalist and writer H.P. Albarelli Jr., who has conducted his own seven-year examination into Olson's death and has been called upon to consult with prosecutors in the Manhattan district attorney's office, reports his findings about one of the U.S. government's greatest conspiracies and unsolved mysteries.
Questions Without Answers
Assistant D.A. Steve Saracco was also drawn to the results of Professor James Starrs's forensic autopsy. Saracco was surprised to learn that Starrs had been unable to obtain Olson's fingerprints, dental records, or any personnel records from the Army or CIA. Starrs's impromptu interview of Dr. Sidney Gottlieb also caught Saracco's eye. Starrs had reported that Gottlieb was an "unreliable witness." Further, Starrs concluded that Gottlieb "was concealing information on many critical points." Saracco noted that Gottlieb's parting comment to Starrs was the cryptic: "Professor, the national security of this country was on the line."
In 1977, Gottlieb had requested and received immunity from prosecution from Congress when he testified in open and closed sessions about the CIA's MK/ULTRA program and various agency-sponsored assassination attempts. Why had Gottlieb sought immunity, Saracco wondered. Was it possibly related to Olson's death? And why did the Colby documents still contain numerous redactions? Were these deletions intended to hide names and facts that could lead to indictments? Saracco also thought it odd that DCI William Colby had produced the documents so quickly in 1975, especially since Gottlieb had testified to Congress that he and Richard Helms had earlier destroyed all MK/ULTRA operational files.
Despite their many deletions, Saracco was drawn to several perplexing, but seemingly portentous, passages in the Colby documents. First, there were the passages describing the activities and observations of CIA security agents dispatched to Manhattan immediately following Olson's death. [See Part One of this article.] If Olson simply fell or jumped, why the need for all this skullduggery? Why was it necessary to dispatch at least five special agents to Manhattan to involve themselves in affairs after Olson's death if it were simply a case of suicide?
Especially puzzling was the written report of one of these agents to CIA Security Office chief Col. Sheffield Edwards. The agent recounted that he surreptitiously listened to a conversation between Robert Lashbrook and Dr. Harold Abramson hours after Olson died. During that conversation, he wrote, Lashbrook and Abramson listened to a tape recorded "interview" with Olson and then conspired to produce a report that portrayed the dead biochemist as a "psychotic person" suffering "from guilt and persecution complexes" and "prone to suicide."
Saracco knew from interviews with Frank Olson's family, friends, and colleagues that there was considerable disagreement with this image of Olson. Don Falconer, who befriended Olson in 1943 when they both were recruited to work at Camp Detrick, said that Olson was a "good-humored man" even a bit of a "practical joker." Said Falconer, "I never noticed Frank to be depressed or upset about anything." Gerald Yonetz, who also worked with Olson, said, "Olson was a happy-go-lucky kind of guy" whose favorite drink was "Maalox and vodka." Even Lashbrook, in a 1975 interview with a reporter, said that prior to the meeting at Deep Creek Lake, Olson had been "perfectly normal." Why was it necessary to project a contrived picture of Olson, Saracco wondered? But he was more curious about some of Dr. Abramson's remarks to Lashbrook during the same conversation.
According to the eavesdropping agent's report, Abramson told Lashbrook that he was "worried as to whether or not the deal was in jeopardy" and that he thought "that the operation was dangerous and that the whole deal should be reanalyzed."
What was the "deal" that was in jeopardy? What was the "operation" that was so dangerous? And why did both need to be reanalyzed? Clearly, there was more here than met the eye, Saracco thought. Even Saracco's partner in the district attorney's Cold Case Unit, Daniel Bibb, who was skeptical about the possibility of any foul play in Olson's death, agreed that the agents report to Col. Edwards raised a number of suspicious points.
A once secret memorandum about a conversation held among CIA officials two-and-a-half weeks after Olson's death raised Saracco's and Bibb's suspicions further. The brief memorandum reads: "Lovell reported that Quarles and George Merck were about to kill the Schwab activity at Detrick as 'un-American.' Is it necessary to take action at a higher place? Lovell knew of Frank R. Olson. No inhibitions. Baring of inner man. Suicidal tendencies. Offensive usefulness?"
Saracco and Bibb quickly learned that "Lovell" was Dr. Stanley Platt Lovell, a high-level consultant to the CIA and Camp Detrick's Special Operations Division (SOD). Lovell's talents were well established in the areas of biological warfare and assassination techniques. Described by historian Corey Ford as a "sunny little nihilist" who took great delight in concocting "calculated mischief" and "diabolical devices," Lovell seemed to be a shadowy, foreboding figure, a constant presence lurking in the wings of Olson's finals acts on earth. Once during World War II in his capacity as director of research and development for the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), precursor to the CIA, Lovell ordered that huge nets be erected on the roof of the Statler Hotel (then called the Pennsylvania Hotel) so that hundreds of bats could be captured. The nocturnal creatures were intended for employment as unwitting carriers of small incendiary bombs. Later, during the early 1950s as a consultant, Lovell assisted a joint CIA-SOD team with Operation Big City and Project Mad Hatter. These two operations were conducted in New York City employing SOD-designed aerosol devices for spraying LSD on a downtown street and in the city's subway system.
"Quarles" was Donald Aubrey Quarles, assistant secretary for research and development for the Department of Defense and a former official with the Sandia Corporation, a subsidiary of Western Electric. Quarles had overseen the Sandia Laboratory in New Mexico for the Atomic Energy Commission. Two years after Frank Olson's death, Quarles became secretary of the Air Force and then in 1959, he was selected by President Eisenhower to become secretary of defense, but he died of a massive heart attack just days before taking office. Saracco, a former officer in the Marine Corps, knew from experience that if someone at Quarles's level were concerned with any "activity" it would be taken quite seriously.
George Merck, who along with Quarles according to the memo, was "about to kill the Schwab activity," was George Wilhelm Merck, the president of the giant New Jersey-based pharmaceutical conglomerate, Merck & Co. George Merck had formerly overseen the government's initial foray into biological warfare when he headed the War Research Service during World War II and then became one of founding fathers of Camp Detrick.
"Schwab" was Dr. John L. Schwab, director of Camp Detrick's Biological Laboratories and Frank Olson's ultimate division superior. Schwab was quite familiar with Olson having worked closely with him in 1943 and 1944 on several classified research projects, one of which also involved Dr. Harold Abramson, who was then a medical officer in the Army and a consultant to the OSS. In September 1950, at the same time that CIA official James Jesus Angleton vetted Frank Olson to work for the agency's top-secret ARTICHOKE Project, Schwab was selected to be chief of the newly formed Special Operations Division at Camp Detrick.
Strengthening Saracco's and Bibb's sense of the seriousness of the cryptic memo was the fact that it had been written by Dr. H. Marshall Chadwell after consultation with security chief Sheffield Edwards. Chadwell was director of the CIA's Office of Scientific Intelligence. Fifty-five years old in 1953, Chadwell, who held a degree in physical chemistry form Harvard University, came to the CIA from the New York office of the Atomic Energy Commission. Prior to that, he had been employed in the Manhattan headquarters of the Rockefeller Foundation.
Saracco and Bibb knew that they would ultimately have to unravel the meaning of Chadwell's memo to get to the bottom of Olson's death. What was it about the so-called "Schwab activity" that was so unacceptable that even hardened, high-ranking Cold War warriors dubbed it "un-American" and called for its termination? How did Frank Olson fit into this and why was he mentioned in this context? Why was Olson branded a man of "no inhibitions" who laid bare his inner self? To whom and what was Olson baring?
Saracco wondered if the memo was somehow related to another cryptic note about Olson that had been discovered stuck in a Fort Detrick file in 1994 by an AP reporter. "Trip to Paris and Norway in 1953 and possible fear of security violation," read the note. "After death -- apparently large number of government checks left uncashed in personnel file," continued the unsigned note purported to be from a person who had worked closely with Olson.
The Kiss of Death
Intrigued with the complexities of the case, the two prosecutors decided to move quickly to interview several key individuals because of their advanced ages. They were former DCI William Colby, Vincent Ruwet, Robert Lashbrook, and Dr. Sidney Gottlieb. As amply documented in the Colby documents, both Ruwet and Lashbrook had been in New York with Olson the week of his death. Saracco drafted letters to Ruwet and Colby requesting interviews, mailing the letter to Colby first. Several days later, on April 28, 1996, Saracco was stunned to learn from the evening news that Colby had disappeared.
Colby went missing for a week, and then searchers discovered his decomposed body on the beach of an uninhabited Chesapeake Bay island nearby his Eastern Shore, Maryland home. His death was ruled an accidental drowning. The coroner speculated that he might have suffered a stroke while canoeing alone. In the ensuing days after Colby's death, Saracco and Bibb heard all sorts of wild rumors about Colby having been assassinated. An intern in Saracco's office pointed out a remark Colby had made about assassination: "If it's done right, you never know how it was done, or who did it for sure. That's what professionalism is all about." An avid reader of the works of enigmatic author Thomas Pynchon, Saracco, who can quote extensively from Pynchon's books at will, summoned up a line from the novel, V: "Events seem to be ordered into an ominous logic."
Saracco and Bibb met with retired army officer Vincent Ruwet in August 1996. They sat on the back porch of Ruwet's Frederick, Md., home drinking ice tea as the sky darkened and a thunderstorm rolled off the Cacoctin Mountains. Despite his hospitality, Ruwet was evasive. To the prosecutors, his answers seemed mechanical and rehearsed. Ruwet explained that he too had been dosed with LSD at the Deep Creek Lake meeting and that he had hallucinated wildly and "experienced the direct and indirect effects of the drug for weeks after." But when Saracco asked why then had he been entrusted to escort a similarly afflicted Frank Olson to New York just days later, Ruwet's explanation was less than satisfactory. Saracco and Bibb decided to meet again with Ruwet, but they would be too late. Ruwet dropped dead from a heart attack suffered in church on Nov. 16, 1996.
Colleagues kidded Saracco that he had become the "kiss of death" and he moved on to Lashbrook and Gottlieb convinced that the grim chain of evens had played itself out. After several letters to Lashbrook went unanswered, Saracco issued the first subpoena of the case. On Sept. 2, 1997, when a deputy sheriff in Ojai, Calif., knocked on Lashbrook's door to serve him, the retired CIA official told the deputy that he had the wrong address and that he did not know anyone by the name of Robert Lashbrook.
On Oct. 24, Lashbrook's attorney filed a motion in the District Court of Los Angeles to quash any request to take his client's deposition. Some six months later an appeals court ruled to enforce the subpoena. Saracco and Bibb made plans to go west, but at the last minute the CIA and U.S. Department of Justice thwarted them. Both agencies demanded to know in writing what questions the prosecutors intended to pursue. Only after the Justice Department approved this information would it agree to Lashbrook's availability and then only if the department were assured that Lashbrook would be granted immunity under New York law. The CIA's attorneys told Saracco that the agency had serious concerns that deposing the retired official might expose matters "still held top secret" thus "posing a risk to national security." Bibb quipped to Saracco that by the time they sat down with Lashbrook they too would be in their retirement years.
Finally in October 1998, following months of missed deadlines, delays, and broken commitments by the government, Saracco and Bibb flew to California to question Lashbrook. The event, not wholly unexpected, was somewhat anticlimactic though useful. Despite Lashbrook's advanced age of 80 and recurring health problems, the former CIA official was lucid while caustic. Bibb later characterized Lashbrook's attitude as "confident and cavalier." The two prosecutors questioned Lashbrook for nearly seven hours. CIA attorneys present for the session berated the prosecutors for "taking advantage of an old man."
The Bizarre Dosing of an Expatriate
Two weeks before they traveled to California, Saracco and Bibb learned that Lashbrook's former superior, Dr. Sidney Gottlieb, was the subject of a civil lawsuit for the alleged LSD dosing of an American citizen in Paris in 1952. The case was of obvious interest to the district attorney's office because of Gottlieb's involvement in Olson's dosing a year later. Saracco was informed that the attorney bringing the suit against Gottlieb was Sidney Bender of the New York firm Leventritt, Lewittes, & Bender. Saracco called Bender and was told the fascinating story behind the case.
In 1952, a 24-year old American named Stanley Milton Glickman was pursuing a promising career as an artist in France. Glickman, the son of a successful New York furrier, moved to Paris in the summer of 1951 to study painting at the Academy de la Grand Chaumier, and about seven months he became an apprentice in the studio of renowned French modernist Fernand Leger. (In the 1940s, Leger decorated the Manhattan apartment of Nelson A. Rockefeller.) By early autumn 1952, Glickman, who had already had one of his paintings displayed in new York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, had established his own studio on the outskirts of Paris.
One evening in mid-October, the young artist went into the city to meet a friend at the Cafe Select. There, two American men who Glickman did not know joined them. After some casual conversation and several glasses of wine, Glickman and the two men fell into a heated debate about politics, power, and patriotism. The debate went on for hours. The men told Glickman that he was a naive Bohemian unmindful of the real ways of the world. Glickman countered by telling the conservatively dressed men that their attitudes of political superiority were offensive to all that he felt was right with the world. When it grew late, Glickman prepared to leave and one of the men offered him a drink as a conciliatory gesture. Glickman, who had only been drinking coffee, reluctantly accepted. The man rose from the table, went to the bar, and returned with a glass of Chartreuse for the artist. As the man came back to the table, Glickman noticed that he walked with a pronounced limp.
Glickman sipped the liqueur slowly and the conversation turned to other subjects. One of the men remarked that France was fascinating for its many sites of religious miracles. Midway through his drink Glickman began to feel strange. A tremendous feeling of anxiety filled his chest that quickly gave way to the sensation that he was floating above the table. His perceptions of objects and their dimensions became distorted. Sounds took on an odd resonance, some painful to his ears. The two men watched him intently. One of them leaned toward him and said, "Surely a man of your many talents can perform his own miracles. Can't you?"
Believing that he has somehow been poisoned, Glickman fled into the street. When he woke up the next day he realized that he had lost several hours of time. He had no idea how he had returned home. He was also wildly hallucinating. For two weeks he wandered about Paris in, what he later described as, "the pain of madness, delusion, and terror." He returned to the Cafe Select, went to the same table as before, and sat with his eyes closed irrationally waiting "for someone to come and tell me what had happened." When he refused to leave he was taken away to the American Hospital of Paris and given electroshock treatment. Once released, he lived in a state of "stress, terror, and hallucination" for eight months until his family learned of his condition and brought him back to the United States in July 1953.
A psychiatrist treated Glickman for the next 25 years. Glickman lived in New York's East Village, never again painted, and ran a small antiques shop. His closest friends were his three dogs, Charlie, Gent, and Kuma. Sometimes he told people that his name was Paul Galen. He died on Dec. 11, 1992. But, that was only the beginning of Bender's story to Saracco.
One day in late September 1977, Glickman's sister, Gloria Kronisch, was watching the televised U.S. Senate hearings about CIA abuses chaired by Sen. Edward Kennedy. A hearing witness was on Gloria's screen describing an experimental CIA drug program called MK/ULTRA, which had used hundreds of unwitting American citizens as guinea pigs.
The witness, Dr. Sidney Gottlieb, informed the Senate committee that he justified the CIA experiments on the basis of national security. The country was essentially at war with the Soviets, Gottlieb said, and if using mind-expanding drugs like LSD on unsuspecting people was necessary to win then so be it. Said Gottlieb, "Harsh as it may sound in retrospect, it was felt that in an issue where national survival might be concerned, such a procedure and such a risk was a reasonable one to take."
Gloria had heard enough. She went straight |
them a divorce.
The rulings have no legal power and are not recognized in the UK legal system. Many Islamic marriages issued by the sharia councils have not been formally registered under British law.
“It’s true women will be stuck if you don’t provide a solution but that solution is not a parallel legal system,” Manea told the paper.
Manea is calling for the nationwide registration of all Islamic marriages.
“Interpretation in many Islamic countries including Tunisia and Morocco means a religious divorce automatically follows a civil one. It should be the same in Britain and a bureau within the courts should provide this service,” she said.
Fears that 'under-the-radar' Sharia courts law unto themselves at odds with law of the land https://t.co/LXwRmazsc3pic.twitter.com/pEwtcEADlv — RT UK (@RTUKnews) January 9, 2016
Nus Ghani, the Tory MP for Wealden who secured the parliamentary review into sharia councils last December, said: “Under sharia, men are in charge and women are treated as their property. That does not sit well under British law and cannot go unchallenged.
“We can’t have a system where we are championing equality for women on one hand and but on the other overlooking a whole section of society – vulnerable women who happen to be Muslim.
“It may be we have a nationwide survey to make sure everyone who has an Islamic marriage is told to register under civil law so if they need a civil divorce they will also get the talaq.”Pin +1 Share 0 Shares
Gamers from a totally different era will appreciate the R-Kaid-R from Swedish design company Love Hultén not only because it plays retro games from Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis and Atari 2600, but also for its unique good looks. Hidden inside of a handcrafted briefcase, this portable retro gaming system features its own custom OS and can even play games from PlayStation One and early PC games, in addition to more classic titles.
It’s made from several varieties of solid, stained wood and brass, with gamine done on its 8″ LCD screen. It’s built-in mono speaker provides just the right amount of sound to take you back to your early gaming days while playing your favorite old school games and when you’ve gotten your fill, the entire system folds nicely into a 3.5″ thick briefcase you can haul around with you. There’s also a USB port and SD-card slot that allows you to add your own games to the mix. The limited-edition retro gaming console will only see 50 units made when it goes on sale this September for $3,400.Ready to fight back? Sign up for Take Action Now and get three actions in your inbox every week. You will receive occasional promotional offers for programs that support The Nation’s journalism. You can read our Privacy Policy here. Sign up for Take Action Now and get three actions in your inbox every week.
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In 1494, Spain and Portugal were in serious competition over other peoples’ lands. This bothered the church, and Pope Alexander VI made it his duty to write up the Treaty of Tordesillas, which dictated that Spain was free to attempt to conquer lands west of an imaginary line on the Atlantic, and Portugal could attempt the same for all lands east of that line, essentially creating Eastern and Western hemispheres. Ad Policy
A little more than two decades later, Spain’s influence in what it thought was a new world grew nearly as much as its avarice. It wanted more lands, and all the resources that came with those lands. Ferdinand Magellan, who was Portuguese, offered his services to King Charles of Spain. His plan was to sail west, as the treaty obliged—but to sail so far west that he would essentially reach the Eastern Hemisphere, and attempt to conquer those lands for Spain. He eventually landed in what we now call the Philippines.
What we remember today is that Magellan led the first circumnavigation, going not only around the world itself but also cleverly around an international treaty. What we forget—or never learned to begin with—is that the nearly two-year voyage ended poorly for the explorer. Magellan was cunning enough to deceive a powerful religion and a budding empire, and was even crafty enough to get some indigenous leaders to sign on board for their own colonization on an island called Mactan, off the island Cebu in the Philippines.
But that wasn’t the case when it came to a local indigenous chief named Lapu Lapu. Magellan was sure that he could convince Lapu Lapu that he, too, should accept colonization, and he scheduled a meeting to do just that. And in case words didn’t do trick, Magellan brought along ships, mortars and more than 6,000 warriors that would. What Magellan wasn’t prepared for was the ferocity of Lapu Lapu’s resistance, backed by thousands of his indigenous warriors, who emerged victorious in the 1521 Battle of Mactan. Spain could claim that its agent sailed around the world—but it couldn’t claim that he could conquer anything. The Spanish would wait almost forty-five years before attempting to colonize the islands again.
Lapu-Lapu City, the warrior chief’s namesake that largely covers most of Mactan Island, was largely spared by Typhoon Haiyan. But the rest of the Philippines hasn’t been so lucky. Because the sheer magnitude of destruction there has been so devastating, rescue efforts haven’t yet started in earnest. And the immediate cleanup will be costly. To that end, the United States Agency for International Development has donated the paltry sum $20 million. Not only will that kind of money not get very far for the swift aid the Philippines needs right now, but it’s not even a drop in the bucket of the debt owed for the historical carbon emissions the United States has created in the atmosphere, which have created the kind of changes in the climate that lead to massive typhoons in the Philippines for the last three years in a row.
When Pope Alexander VI divided the world, he drew a vertical line separting east from west. But colonization, and the resource plundering that followed, can be better understood as a north-south phenomenon. With little exception, the global South was colonized by the global North, which benefited not only from the theft of land but also from the theft of resources, often in the form of exploited labor and raw materials. The global North was then able to accumulate untold wealth as a result. But what’s often left out of that calculation is the fact that the global South wasn’t only depleted of its tangible labor and materials on earth—it was also stripped of its climate rights.
As I’ve explained previously, climate debt accounts for the historical carbon emissions created by the global North and owed to the global South. The atmosphere is shared by all of the inhabitants on earth, and we should have equal access to it. Yet between 1850 to 2004, the global North created almost 70 percent of the carbon build-up in the atmosphere—created during a time in which the global North accumulated untold wealth at the cost of enormous carbon emissions.
The consequences of those massive carbon emissions equal changes in the climate that fuel destruction in the form of typhoons like the one that ravaged the Philippines. But as fmost countries in the global South were pillaged of their resources, they were also pillaged of their ability to amass wealth. That means that when a massive storm strikes in the global South, those countries are far less likely to have the necessary wealth to mitigate the destruction. While the global North holds only about 15 percent of the global population, it has created the vast majority of historical climate emissions—allowing it to accumulate 80 percent of the world’s wealth. The global South is home to about 85 percent of the world’s peoples, has created only 30 percent of historical climate emissions, and has amassed only 20 percent of the world’s wealth.
And although emerging economies like China are certainly responsible for growing levels of current carbon emissions, it doesn’t come close to what the United States emits on a daily basis. The US has successfully lobbied to keep the Pentagon out of any and all international climate negotiations and agreements. Our military consumes more than 300,000 barrels of oil daily—and that doesn’t count contracted facilities. If the Pentagon’s carbon emissions in its thousands of military basis around the world were counted, the United States would be the clear top polluter. Instead, its operations—and subsequent pollution—remain uncounted when we talk about climate change.
It is dishonest to analyze Typhoon Haiyan without acknowledging the global North’s historical carbon emissions, and current US pollution. As part of the global North, the United States owes a debt to the Philippines, and to the entire global South. A $20 million donation won’t do much, especially at a time when it’s already too late. Instead, the United States would be better suited to develop state-of-the-art energy technologies and share them with the world, and with the global South in particular. There are dozens of ways to pay down the climate debt. And they will only be realized once we admit what we owe.
Five hundred years ago, Lapu Lapu was able to resist Spanish colonization, and inspired generations of Fiipinos to fight against imperialism. As the corpses of climate change begin to rot in the Philippines, it’s important to remember that ghost of resistance.
Peter Rothberg looks at how to help the Philippines recover from Haiyan.Think of the AVS as an unofficial hardware refresh for the original Nintendo Entertainment System. It plays the same games and even uses the original controllers, but everything else is brand-new. Instead of pushing a fuzzy, ugly picture through ancient composite cables, it pipes a crisp, high-definition signal over HDMI. In lieu of a cumbersome AC adapter, the AVS uses a humble USB cable -- and can be powered solely by the media port on your HDTV. And, unlike the RetroN 5 or Analogue NT, the AVS is all new hardware: a custom FPGA board programmed to replicate the NES' original processor. No emulators. No repurposed hardware.
OK, that might sound like splitting hairs. After all, don't all three of these consoles pipe HD NES games to modern televisions via HDMI? Well, yes -- but how they do it varies wildly. The RetroN 5, for instance, is actually a $160 Android device that runs cartridges through an emulator. It's also widely derided in the gaming community for allegedly stealing code. The Analogue NT is completely legit, and actually uses repurposed Famicom chips to run the games on a mix of old and new hardware -- but it's also a premium device, costing a steep $500. The AVS is something of a happy medium: It's not made from original parts, but it authentically replicates their functionality without legal ambiguity. At $185, the RetroUSB AVS is comparatively affordable too.
Nostalgia by design
The RetroUSB AVS' trapezoidal chassis is nothing short of a love letter to the NES' iconic design. Obviously, the monochromatic color scheme is a nod to the black and gray tones of the original's case, but it's the little things that make this homage truly delightful. This includes the shape of the lid that covers the console's cartridge slot, and "power" and "reset" buttons that look and feel identical to their 1980s inspiration -- but the most wonderful (and pointless) details can be seen only when you turn the console over.
Here you can see three trenches leading up to an empty recessed square that represents the original NES' unused expansion slot, vent placement that mirrors the layout of the original console, and foot pads that look identical to the rubber nubs on my childhood console. All of these design nods are completely unnecessary, and on a part of the device most users will never even bother to look at. Clearly, the designers love the original Nintendo. It shows.
As much as I love how weirdly accurate the AVS' retro design is, it might be nostalgic to a fault. That cover over the console's cartridge slot does look exactly like the old NES chamber lid, but it's a lot longer too. It feels like a compromise, designed to ensure that users can more easily insert and remove games -- but opening and closing it feels awkward. I'm constantly worried it'll bend too far and snap off. With front-loading US region games, it at least feels secure when the lid is closed, but Japanese region Famicom titles use a separate top-loading cartridge slot that forces the door to stay open. It looks weird, and it makes me nervous.
Speaking of games, loading them can be a bit tricky. US titles slide in horizontally, just like on the original, but I never managed to seat a cartridge into the connector on the first try. Wiggling them back and forth a little usually did the job. The connector also holds on to games tightly -- removing them was just as much an exercise in wiggling as putting them in. It's not a deal-breaker, but I do wish changing games were a little easier.
Finally, it's worth noting that the AVS features four controller ports and a Famicom expansion slot -- which enables compatibility for the rare four-player NES game (they do exist!) and for extra controllers compatible with the original Japanese Famicom.
Practically pixel perfect
Playing NES games on the RetroUSB's console is like putting on prescription glasses for the first time: It brings a blurry, indistinguishable mess of light and color into focus. OK, the original NES isn't that bad, but the difference between composite cables and 720p over HDMI is startling. Did you know that Mega Man's sprite actually has white behind its eyes? I didn't. It always blended in with the character's pale skin tone. Backgrounds that were once a blurry haze of color now appear as distinct patterns; characters and stages are flush with "new" details and brighter colors. It's a surreal experience: I've been playing these games for 30 years, but now it seems like I've never really "seen" them before.
I know what you're thinking: Can't I already play NES games in HD through the Nintendo Wii U's Virtual Console? You can, but they'll look worse. For some reason, the Wii U's VC implementation presents classic games in dull, muted colors with a side of blur. I tested Punch-Out!!!, Dr. Mario and a couple of Mega Man games side by side, and the Wii U versions looked worse by every measure. The games are no less fun on the official hardware, but they lack pop and polish compared with how my old cartridges look on the RetroUSB AVS. Here, the AVS does better than even Hyperkin's RetroN 5 -- which looks much sharper than the Virtual Console but tends to have overblown, inaccurate colors.
Best of all, every classic game I own ran perfectly on the AVS -- and that's not something I can say about every NES clone console I've come across. Most of these products use NES-on-a-chip solutions that either gets audio wrong or simply won't play certain games. Paperboy, for instance, isn't playable on either the Retro Duo or the FC Twin, and both consoles play off-key audio in specific games. Not so with the RetroUSB AVS: Everything I played looked and sounded exactly as it was supposed to. It even got the glitches right, faithfully reproducing minor visual hiccups in Mega Man 3 and Super Mario Bros. 3 that were present on the original hardware.
Of all the devices that play NES games in my house, the RetroUSB AVS is the most accurate, hands down -- but that doesn't mean it's perfect. When compared directly with my childhood NES, it's clear that the AVS color palette is just a bit brighter. It's not overblown or washed out like the colors on the RetroN 5, but it does come across as a bit richer than the original hardware. I noticed it most in Castlevania and Mega Man 3. On the AVS, the bricks of Dracula's castle have more red in them, and Mega Man's helmet appears to be a darker shade of blue.
When I asked RetroUSB's Brian Parker about the difference, he chalked it up to differences in televisions. "NTSC," he joked. "Never The Same Color." I'm probably just seeing the difference between a clear digital signal and the fuzzy output of the old console's composite cables. Even if the colors are wrong, Parker says it's just part of the console's NES/RGB lookup table. "Easily changed with a firmware update," he says. The AVS also outputs only in 720p, but considering it still looks better than the RetroN 5 and Wii U at 1080p, it's a flaw I'm happy to overlook.
Extra features
If you're looking for a console to imbue your classic games with fancy graphics filters, instant-save-state features and other bells and whistles, look elsewhere: The AVS keeps things pretty simple. Beyond simply playing classic games in crisp, high definition, this console doesn't do much. In terms of visual options, the AVS allows users to switch between NTSC and PAL modes, adjust the screen margins (to hide overscan garbage in specific games) and adjust scanline darkness. The console's controller menu allows you to turn on some basic turbo features and see how many gamepads are connected, but that's about it.
At the end of the day, there are only two special features that the AVS adds to the vanilla NES experience: built-in cheat codes and an integrated scoreboard. The first is self-explanatory: The AVS automatically recognizes the game in its slot and offers players a short list of the most popular Game Genie codes. The second takes a little more legwork; if the AVS is being powered by a PC or Mac's USB port, users can download companion software that will keep track of their in-game score while they play and allow them to upload it to an online leaderboard.
Unfortunately, the AVS itself doesn't make this process clear, presenting users with only a menu that fails to connect to an amorphous server. There are no setup instructions for the scoreboard in the console's menu or the manuals that came in the box, or even on the product's website -- I had to ask Parker via email. Still, it's a neat feature if you can get it up and running.
Finally, RetroUSB offers one special feature that no competitor can boast: new NES games. The company has kind of made a name for itself in manufacturing new cartridges for homebrew developers, and it's neat to see that business cross over here to create a series of "launch titles" that work on both the AVS and the Nintendo's original hardware. I tried Twelve Seconds, a simple jumping game that challenges you to race to the top of the screen as fast as possible. None of the $45 launch titles seem particularly complex, but there's definitely a thrill to playing a new NES game after all these years.
Wrap-up
For me, the AVS is the ideal replacement for my original hardware -- it plays my cartridge collection perfectly, with better visuals than the original -- but it's not for everybody. Gamers who need modern conveniences like save states and graphic filters will probably rather have a RetroN 5. Folks seeking a nostalgic experience, but who don't already own a library of classic games will probably be happier with the 30 built-in games that come with Nintendo's NES Classic. Even hardcore collectors who demand that their games run on original hardware have other options in the expensive Analogue NT or a Hi-Def-NES mod.
If you have a classic game collection, however, and you don't care for the prestige of original hardware or the allure of added bells and whistles, check out the RetroUSB AVS. It's probably the best modernized NES experience you can get for under $200.THE RED BULL ARENA in Harrison, N.J., smells like soup. Campbell's Chunky Jammin' Jerk Chicken soup, to be more precise, vats of which simmer while awaiting disbursement into identical white bowls, which are then artfully arranged
to look as irresistible as possible. Not that it
matters. Victor Cruz, Giants wide receiver and intended recipient of said bowls, is happy to swallow any soup he is served, irresistible or
not. This is less because Campbell's has selected Cruz to be the sole face of the relaunch of its famous Mama's Boys campaign and more because Cruz is, by definition, game.
"Bigger laughs, ha ha ha!" instructs the director.
"Ha ha ha!" replies Cruz excitedly.
He's a natural performer, a quick study.
"More!" commands the director. "Crazier!"
Cruz complies, unburdened by self-consciousness. The extras try not to giggle. Then he adds the coup de grâce, flashing a
look of comic incredulity, a moment of incisive theatrical improv that tips the scene into Jammin' Jerk gold.
"Fantastic!" shouts the director, shaking his head. "Again! Again!"
Never let it be said that Cruz doesn't seize his moments. Since his first full season, in which he exploded out of football nowhere to grab
82 passes and set a franchise record with 1,536 receiving yards -- and nabbed the Giants' only receiving TD in their Super Bowl XLVI win, inspiring Madonna to salsa -- Cruz has seized a lot. He's started a successful clothing line, written a memoir, planned a wedding to his longtime sweetheart, modeled for GQ, stumped for President Obama and the NFL (as a face of the league's Latino outreach program) and ingested countless bowls of lukewarm, color-corrected Jammin' Jerk Chicken soup under a numbing midday sun with a smile as big as Broadway.
Along the way, the 25-year-old New Jersey native and his fiancée, Elaina Watley, who is both the mother of his 6-month-old daughter, Kennedy, and his very astute publicist, have turned his prior invisibility into an asset. This while doing whatever it has taken for Cruz to
be seen. Because, let's face it, whoever sees Victor Cruz seems destined to love him. He is handsome and good-natured, half Puerto Rican (on his mother's side) and half black, with the juice to launch a dance craze but without the glare that scares off the suits who approve endorsement deals. In the wider world, where Jay-Z personally invites you to the 40/40 Club to watch the Mayweather fight, or Calvin Klein wants to accompany you to Milan, or the president has your cellphone number and knows all about your tragic relationship with your father, Cruz already eclipses real superstars.
Once the underdog of all underdogs, he is now the fantasy. Like the nerdy librarian who removes her Coke-bottle glasses and morphs into Bardot before your eyes, Cruz -- who came of age in a single season -- set the field afire, did a salsa through the flames and dared people not to look.
"Victor is just being who he always was," says Watley, monitoring the shoot from the sideline. "Only now, everybody is watching."
Back on the Campbell's set, lunch is called. Cruz thanks the crew, then turns and heads toward the green room, spitting discreetly behind him. He walks a few paces, then freezes, wheels back. He finds the glob. Rubs it fast into the grass with his cleat.
Spend any time with Cruz and you immediately realize two things: 1) He is small (sample size, to be exact, which is to say built like a model, not a jock). And 2) he is sunshine in spandex. A man without edge. Malleable. Unfailingly pleasing. Perhaps the most perfectly pre-engineered celebrity athlete ever.
The training started early.
"Victor was never disrespectful to anyone," says his mother, Blanca Cruz, who ensured that he wasn't. Blanca had a plan. No downtime. Downtime in Paterson, N.J. -- a largely impoverished 8.4-square-mile town crammed with 52 nationalities and the resulting economic dissonance -- was the devil's playground. Says Cruz: "It was very easy to fall into bad situations in Paterson. You didn't find them; they found you." Especially if you grew up where he did, one block away from the infamous "murder row" on Tenth Avenue.
"We have a 50 percent dropout rate for black and Hispanic boys," says Cruz's high school coach, Benjie Wimberly, now a New Jersey state assemblyman. "Major drugs. In the area where Victor grew up, you never knew what time it was because people are there at all hours, walking like zombies."
Blanca was Wimberly's favorite parent. "She made sure Victor did what he needed to do, and she was never a pain in the ass," he says. "Blanca never quit on Victor. She had a bigger dream for Vic than Vic."
At 8, Cruz was enrolled by his mother in taekwondo. "He was so awkward," she says. "I wasn't sure he was going to make it." She made him practice combinations in the living room. He improved. Then came baseball, basketball, flute. "Anything to keep him moving, busy," she says. "I didn't want him standing on the corner."
The multiple diversions suited Cruz, manic by nature. "He always had so much energy, since he was a baby," recalls Blanca, 53, seated on the sofa inside the tidy row house where Cruz grew up and where Blanca still lives with her daughter, Andrea, a recent high school graduate. "The teacher in day care used to have trouble because he kept crawling out of the crib."
The risks increased substantially in Cruz's high school years. By the time he was a sophomore, four of his best friends from the neighborhood had become fathers. Other acquaintances were already incarcerated.
Rival gangs controlled the streets.
But Cruz wasn't there. While his mom worked in customer service for Benjamin Moore paints, he stayed home, scrubbing the sinks and toilets, his only transgression playing his hip-hop too loud. When girls came around, sure as sunrise, Blanca sussed them out. "Don't play games," she told her son. So he didn't.
Instead, he met Watley.
Founder and CEO of her own publicity firm, Watley, 27, has steered Cruz's career since they met in a Jersey club when he was 17. "It was love at first sight; I squeezed my sister's hand and said, 'I'm going to marry that man,'" she recalls. "He had the curliest eyelashes. Laser-beam eyes. His face was lit up." Like countless others to follow, Watley saw what she calls "the smile" and knew she had a winner. In short order, the teens committed to each other.
Also raised in a rough Jersey neighborhood, Watley refused to be hobbled by circumstance. A Latina Tracy Flick, she overachieved enough for the both of them, joining forces with Blanca to clear Cruz's path. She sweated the small stuff, like college forms and applications, while Blanca built her son's character. Playing backup was Cruz's maternal grandmother, Lucy Molina, who imbued him with history and culture and a sense of responsibility for things bigger than him.
Cruz thrived through high school. "He took criticism well," says his ex-coach Wimberly. "Unlike other boys his age, he never said, 'It's not my fault.'" His mom thought he would become a professional comedian. "Victor has always had it," Wimberly says. "Like a rock star." Which was also a way to describe his father, Mike Walker, a firefighter and local lothario, and the only man in town more popular than Cruz.
"Mike was flashy. He had an appeal to him," says Wimberly.
Adds Watley: "He always wore a hat, blasted his music, kept his shirt unbuttoned to his navel. He was just cooler than everybody else."
There were, of course, complications. This was Paterson, not Eden. Walker was married, but not to Blanca. He largely had been an absent parent until Cruz was 7. When Cruz was 11, Walker introduced him to football, enrolling him in the Fireman's League. "The first year, his father said he was a mess," remembers Blanca. "But by eighth grade, he was team captain, and they won a championship."
She sighs and looks away. "I don't know if Victor ever would have played without his dad urging him to do so."
At Paterson Catholic High School, competing on what was called "the swamp," a busted, grassless field with more holes than the moon, Cruz broke records, and the team was unbeaten. The games drew standing-room-only crowds of more than 2,000 fans, including Walker, who yelled "That's my son!" every play, loud as Christmas.
After graduation in 2004 and a semester of postgrad school in Maine, Cruz headed to UMass, where, unsupervised by the familial sorority for the first time, he fell apart. His GPA dipped to 1.7. "He got caught up drinking, staying out all night," Blanca says. Before playing a single game, he was expelled. His father wept at the news. The two exchanged words and eventually stopped speaking.
"They were very dark days for all of us," says Blanca of the year-plus when Cruz twice failed at college; Watley, weary of playing schoolmarm, took a break from the relationship. "His lifelong dream was happening," says Blanca. "And he was throwing it away."
Eventually, Cruz found himself selling designer jeans in the Paramus Park Mall,11 miles north of MetLife Stadium. "It was so difficult," Cruz recalls. "I was afraid I would see someone from my past who thought I was this big athlete, and then I end up being just normal. I was ashamed."
It was around this time, on March 1, 2007, that Cruz's half brother Malik called bearing shocking news. Their father had killed himself in his home. Walker had been depressed after losing his job, but there was no warning. "I hadn't spoken to him for over a month," Cruz says. "For him to be gone, it was unreal to me."
Cruz looked at his life. He saw the opportunities squandered. Saw too how alike he and his father were, what happens when the fantasy becomes what could have been.
Cruz resolved, in that moment, to "be a man." He would commit to Watley, graduate from UMass, fight his way into the NFL and finally embody the star everyone believed he was -- even if sometimes he didn't believe it.
Unlike most NFL stars, Cruz was overlooked: no heavy recruiting, no draft-day psychoanalysis. Despite a high school reel shooting off more fireworks than Katy Perry's nipples, no one cared. His best offer came from UMass, where two seasons of pyrotechnics and a fine performance at Boston College's pro day led to his being drafted by... nobody. He was too small. Too green. Finally, at the Giants' local
pro day after the 2010 draft -- the tryout for dreamers and long shots -- Cruz's efforts (and endearing attitude) were at long last noticed, and the Giants invited him to training camp.
When Cruz arrived in Albany, N.Y., Watley sent him a goody box to share with the veterans -- sunflower seeds, jelly beans, gummy bears. "I told him you do what you need to do, even if that's driving to Walmart and buying them 1,000 yards of tape," she says. That preseason, Cruz showed glimpses of what was to come in a memorable three-TD exhibition game against the Jets, but then he missed all but three games in 2010 because of a pulled hamstring. As the 2011 season began, he was near the bottom of the Giants' WR depth chart.
It wasn't until early-season injuries to others elevated Cruz's role that QB Eli Manning discovered Cruz's brilliance at creating space for himself and finding holes in opposing secondaries. Further, Manning began to notice what he later called Cruz's extraordinary "knack for making a little tick on a play designed to net five yards and turning it into 60 and 70 yards." Says fellow Giants receiver Ramses Barden, "It's his ability to start at top-end speed and accelerate out of cuts and create separation."
Last season, Cruz finished with 25 receptions of at least 20 yards. By the time Cruz had scorched team after team and had scampered 99 yards for a breathtaking score against the Jets on Christmas Eve, his post-touchdown salsa celebration had become a nationwide meme. He did it for Jimmy Fallon. He did it onstage at the Grammys, then was seated inches from Adele. He was parodied on SNL. Then there was the Puerto Rican Day parade in New York City in June, when he jumped off his float to salsa with a female police officer.(Source: EWTN YouTube page)
“I'll See You in Heaven”: Cancer-Stricken Mother Dies After Giving Birth
May God welcome Carrie home, and may He comfort her loving family with the promise of eternal life.
In March 2017, Carrie DeKlyen first experienced what she thought were migraine headaches. A few weeks later, the busy mother of five visited the doctor, expecting an easy fix; instead, she learned that she had a brain tumor. The news just got worse and worse. Doctors first thought it was lymphoma; but after surgery, pathology tests and an MRI revealed that DeKlyen had glioblastoma multiforme, the deadliest type of brain tumor. Without chemotherapy, she would die.
Oh, and the blood tests also revealed that she was pregnant.
Doctors told Carrie that unless she agreed to abort the fetus, she could not participate in clinical trials which could prolong or even save her life. But Carrie and her husband Nick, from the small western Michigan town of Wyoming, believed in the sanctity of life. As Nick explained, “Me and my wife, we are people of faith. We love the Lord with everything in us. We talked about it, prayed about it.”
And despite the warnings of the surgeon, the DeKlyens chose to continue the pregnancy, even though it meant that Carrie could receive no treatment and would surely die.
In June, DeKlyen began to experience severe headaches that left her nauseous. Nineteen weeks into her pregnancy, she ended up in the emergency room, where she lost consciousness. It was too late to save her, the doctors said, but they might be able to save her baby.
And so the comatose DeKlyen was put on devices to help her breathe and keep her alive, until the baby was strong enough to survive outside the womb.
On Wednesday, September 6, just 24 weeks and five days into the pregnancy, Carrie and Nick's baby girl entered the world weighing just 567 grams (1 pound, four ounces). In neonatal intensive care, the baby is doing well – gaining weight and, Nick says, “almost breathing on her own.” She's been given the name “Life Lynn”, the name chosen by her parents two years ago, before Carrie's illness and after the birth of their fifth child.
The following day, September 7, doctors removed the feeding and breathing tubes that kept Carrie alive. And on Saturday, September 9, surrounded by her loving family, Carrie died.
Faith played an important part in the lives of the DeKlyens. According to Carrie's obituary in the Detroit Free Press, they met in church when Carrie was just 10 and Nick was 12. They were married for 17 years and had five children ranging in age from two to 18, before she was diagnosed with cancer.
Nick DeKleyn's last words to his wife, as she lay in her hospital bed, were “I'll see you in heaven.”
Carrie's story is reminiscent of the story of Saint Gianna Beretta Molla, the Italian physician and mother who refused both an abortion and a hysterectomy while pregnant with her fourth child – even though she knew that her own life was at stake. Saint Gianna died in April 1962, after giving birth to a daughter, and was canonized by Pope St. John Paul II on May 16, 2004.
May God welcome Carrie home, and may He comfort her loving family with the promise of eternal life.Just yesterday, our stable or writers attempted to figure out what’s been wrong with the New Orleans Pelicans ever since they traded for DeMarcus Cousins. The answers are varied and after last night’s 94-87 home loss to the Toronto Raptors — a game where All-Star Anthony Davis left with a wrist in jury — the Pelicans’ woes are continuing.
The Pelicans — now 1-6 in games with Cousins on the court — are 4.5 games back of the Denver Nuggets for the eight seed with only 17 games left, and their postseason hopes continue to shrink with each passing loss.
While Davis’ injury was a concern by the end of the night, the biggest issue the Pelicans have faced since Cousins’ arrival has been the sudden regression in Jrue Holiday’s play as he’s struggled to figure out his new role.
Holiday, who was playing some of his best basketball of the season before the All-Star break, was held to seven points and six assists in Wednesday’s loss, and has averaged 13.6 points and 6.1 assists on 38.9 percent shooting in the eight games since New Orleans acquired Cousins.
Excluding the 22-point outburst Holiday had when Cousins was suspended for Mar. 1’s game against the Detroit Pistons, his averages drop down to 12.4 points and 6.3 assists on 35.8 |
, barefoot and wearing shirts emblazoned with slogans such as “Pardon me, Señor Jesus.”
It sounded intriguingly strange. Since I had nothing better to do, I headed to Manila to check it out.
When I arrived at the hostel in a posh Manila suburb and said I’d come to see the black Jesus, the staff tried to discourage me from going and issued dire warnings about pickpockets, thieves, and stampedes. Once I arrived on the grimy streets of Quiapo I wondered if I’d made a terrible mistake. Of the thousands of people around me, I didn’t see any other foreigners or tourists. I towered over the entirely Filipino crowd, which was mostly male, shoeless and draped in Jesus memorabilia.
Yet people began talking to me, starting with small children who shyly greeted me. That broke the ice with the adults, who must have wondered what I was doing in the middle of Quiapo. Soon I was being offered candy and drinks by barefoot devotees who, rather than seeing me as an interloper at their celebration, sought to welcome me.
I ended up talking to a man named Raymund, who wanted to practice his English before he moved to California in a few months. He spent the next four hours chaperoning me around the streets of Quiapo, telling me to watch my purse every few minutes. If there’s one thing more dangerous than Manila, it’s how dangerous Filipinos think Manila is.
Raymund told me that the Black Nazarene had blessed his own family. His sister had been married for eight long years and was heartbroken because she and her husband had no children. Raymund convinced his brother-in-law to attend the Feast of the Black Nazarene. “It wasn’t easy,” he told me. “Some people have a hard time believing.” But the brother-in-law came, and when the Black Nazarene finally passed by him he prayed for children. By the time of the next procession a year later, Raymund had become an uncle.
The Black Nazarene’s devotees believe that the statue has miraculous powers and that touching the image can result in the answering of prayers. It’s this belief that drives the sweating, teeming masses of Jesus-crazed Filipinos into the streets of Quiapo for an event that results in at least a few deaths and dozens of injuries every year.
Raymund escorted me through the crowd, explaining all this to me, pointing out to everyone that I was just visiting, and the masses would part to let me through. The level of courtesy, in what was essentially a three-million-strong mosh pit of underprivileged Filipinos hoping for a miracle, was nothing less than stunning. I kept expecting someone to ask me for money, as people did in other countries whenever even the tiniest favor was given. But then I was ashamed of myself for thinking such a thing, because it never happened.
Some call devotion to the Black Nazarene paganistic. Certainly I saw little of the dour conservatism that I associate with Western Catholicism during that feast day, where faith healers abounded, exorcisms took place on the sidewalks, and children danced barefoot in the garbage-strewn streets. And even though I wasn’t religious, no one cared. They were happy to include me in their holy day, in spite of the fact that I was wearing shoes. For the first time in my months of travel, I felt I wasn’t just watching from the periphery. And for the first time in my life I understood why religion is so appealing, and how powerful a feeling of community it creates.
Then, after five hours waiting in the dizzying sun, when I was ready to go home, the fervent crush of people exploded, chanting and swinging towels above their heads like so many lassos for Jesus. Is directing a wish to the Black Nazarene the same as wishing on birthday candles—if you tell, it won’t come true? I don’t think that’s how it works with Christ, so I’ll admit that as the statue went by, a burgundy-brown Jesus on a giant cross, I wished that over the course of my travels I could have more days like this one, here in the Philippines.
After the procession passed, Raymund walked me to the metro to make sure I didn’t get lost in the crowd. After depositing me safely in the station he shook my hand and explained that he was going to continue on with the procession, which would last another seven hours. Then he walked away, barefoot, to follow the Black Nazarene.
***
Sumpa Ng Kawayan / The Bamboo Curse*
Joi Barrios
for the survivors
SUMPA NG KAWAYAN
Matibay ang kawayan.
Iyan ang sumpa.
Hayaang ipaghampas-hampasan
ng unos,
lumangoy at magpaanod
sa baha.
Pigilin ang hininga
at baka malanghap
ang bangkay na naaagnas.
Tiisin ang gutom ng sikmura
na kahit sa papuri,
ay hungkag na hungkag.
Kalimutan natin ang kasakiman
na sa kabundukan
ay nagpapatag,
at nagbabago sa daloy
ng hangin at dagat.
Kalimutan ang pangulo
na mainit ang ulo
at sa sariling pulong
walang pakundangang lumalabas.
Kalimutan ang ayuda
na higit na bumabagal,
sa ating paghihintay.
Yumuyuko at umiindayog
sa hangin ang kawayan.
Ngunit kami ay tao, tao lamang,
Balat at dugo, luha at buto.
Ipagpaumanhin ang aming galit
at pusong nagpupuyos.
Naghahanap kami ng katarungan
sa gitna ng dalamhati’t pagluluksa
sa aming di matapos-tapos
na dalamhati’t pagluluksa.
THE BAMBOO CURSE
Resilience is the curse of the bamboo.
Suffer the storm,
swim through the floods.
Bear the stench of corpses
and the hunger
that does not go away
with praise.
Forget the greed
that levels mountains
and changes wind and seas.
Forget the president
who walks out,
Forget the aid
that crawls slower
as we wait.
The bamboo bends and sways
with the wind.
We are human, only human,
All flesh and tears and blood.
Forgive us our anger
as we seek for justice
in our grief,
in our inconsolable grief.
* Nakabatay ang tula na ito sa tekstong “Resilience is a Dirty Word” na sinulat ng dati kong estudyanteng si Soleil David.
This poem was inspired by Soleil David’s piece “Resilience is a Dirty Word.”
***
Contributing Writers:
Laurel Anne Flores Fantauzzo (Through the Flood) is a Filipina-American writer currently living in Quezon City, Philippines, where she teaches at Ateneo de Manila University. A former Fulbright Scholar and a graduate of the University of Iowa Nonfiction Writing Program, her work has appeared in Grantland, Lapham’s Quarterly, and Good Housekeeping Philippines, among others. Don’t miss Laurel’s essay Notes from a Storm-Wrecked Land: Watching the Typhoon from Quezon City, Philippines in this week’s New York Times. Visit her website at http://laurelfantauzzo.com.
Luisa A. Igloria (Elegy with lines from e. e. cummings) is Professor of Creative Writing and English, and Director of the MFA Creative Writing Program at Old Dominion University. She is the author of The Saints of Streets, Juan Luna’s Revolver (2009 Ernest Sandeen Prize, university of Notre Dame Press), Trill & Mordent, and 8 other books. Her work has appeared in numerous anthologies and journals, including Poetry, Crab Orchard Review, poemeleon, The Missouri Review, qarrtsiluni, Silk Road, Indiana Review, Rattle, and TriQuarterly. Various literary awards include the 2007 49th Parallel Poetry Prize, the 2007 James Hearst Poetry Prize; the 2006 National Writers Union Poetry Prize; and the 2006 Richard Peterson Poetry Prize (Crab Orchard Review). Luisa is also an eleven-time recipient of the Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for Literature—in three genres, and its Hall of Fame distinction. Luisa has degrees from the University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University, and the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she was a Fulbright Fellow from 1992-1995. Since November 20, 2010, she has been writing (at least) a poem a day, archived at Dave Bonta’s Via Negativa site. She enjoys cooking with her family, yoga, book-binding, and listening to tango music. Visit her website at http://luisaigloria.com.
Samantha Tetangco (Oh, Yolanda) is a Filipino-American writer who was born in Ohio, raised in California, and currently resides in New Mexico. Her short stories and poetry have appeared in Phoebe, the Oklahoma Review, Gargoyle, Gertrude, and others. She received her MFA in Fiction from the University of New Mexico where she previously served as editor-in-chief of Blue Mesa Review and currently teaches writing.
Kristen Radtke’s (Breaking News) work has appeared in Black Warrior Review, TriQuarterly, Witness, Ninth Letter, Gulf Coast, Brevity, Blackbird, Fourth Genre, and others. She has an MFA from the University of Iowa’s Nonfiction Writing Program and is the Marketing and Development Director for Sarabande Books. She is currently at work on a collection of graphic essays about abandoned places and hidden histories, research for which has taken her to vacant mining islands off the coast of Japan, Icelandic towns covered in volcanic rock, crumbling WWII barracks in The Philippines, and many other countries.
Bridget Crocker (Unknown Territory) is a river guide and outdoor travel writer whose work has appeared in Best Women’s Travel Writing 2011 and 2012, National Geographic Adventure, Outside, Paddler, and Lonely Planet guidebooks. In 2001, Bridget Crocker co-led an expedition team down an exploratory run of Luzon Island’s Chico River and taught a whitewater guide school for aspiring local river guides on the Cagayan River. She writes for the outdoor clothing company, Patagonia, where a version of “Unknown Territory” first appeared as a field report. Photo by Tony Demin. Visit her website at www.bridgetcrocker.com.
Marianne Villanueva (Emptiness of Air) is a writer from the Philippines. She is the author of the novella JENALYN, about a mail-order bride, and three collections of short stories: Ginseng and Other Tales From Manila, Mayor of the Roses, and The Lost Language. She co-edited the anthology Going Home to a Landscape, which includes the writing of Filipino women all over the world. Her work has been published in The Threepenny Review, The Chattahoochee Review, The Asian American Literary Review, Juked, J Journal, the New Orleans Review, and many other journals. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Amy Butcher (Displaced) is an essayist and short fiction writer whose work appears in Vela, Tin House, Salon, The Kenyon Review, The Rumpus, Fourth Genre, American Short Fiction, and Brevity, among others. She earned her MFA from the University of Iowa and, in May of 2011, visited 7 of the Philippine’s 7,000 islands during an overseas writing seminar; in addition to discussions on craft and international trends in literature, Amy also had the opportunity to sit in on a workshop at Silliman University, the oldest creative writing workshop of its kind in Asia, now entering its 53rd year. She is the editor-in-chief of Defunct. Visit her website at www.amyebutcher.com.
Angela Narciso Torres’s (After Haiyan) first book of poetry, Blood Orange, won the Willow Books Literature Award for Poetry and was published this year by Willow Books/Aquarius Press. Recent work appears in Cimarron Review, Colorado Review, and Cream City Review. A graduate of Warren Wilson MFA Program for Writers and the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Angela has received fellowships from the Illinois Arts Council, Ragdale Foundation, and Midwest Writing Center. Born in Brooklyn and raised in Manila, she currently resides in Chicago, where she teaches poetry workshops and serves as a senior poetry editor for RHINO. Photo by Rowie Torres. Visit her website at http://www.angelanarcisotorres.com.
Lina Goldberg (Prayers to the Black Nazarene) is an American writer based in Cambodia and has work published in VICE, BBC Travel, Wall Street Journal and CNN. She’s also the author of ‘Move to Cambodia: A guide to living and working in the Kingdom of Wonder‘ and runs Move to Cambodia, a site and blog for new and soon-to-be Cambodia expats. You can read more of her work at blog.linagoldberg.com.
Joi Barrios (Sumpa Ng Kawayan / The Bamboo Curse) teaches Filipino and Philippine Literature at UC Berkeley. She has written three poetry books, among them, Flowers in Water: Poems on Love and Revolt, which won the Gintong Aklat (Golden Book) Award in the Philippines. Before coming to the United States in 2006, Barrios was Associate Dean for the University of the Philippines College of Arts and Letters and a women’s desk coordinator of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN or New Patriotic Alliance).
This Vela Writers Respond was compiled and edited by Molly Beer.
***
More Ways to Contribute:
*Note: we are a literary magazine and not qualified to assess the efficacy of various charities.Ted Cruz campaign manager Jeff Roe met with Republican Party leaders in a closed door meeting Wednesday in Florida.
Roe was arguing Ted’s case to be the Republican nominee.
This came the day after Ted got skunked in New York.
Roe told the party leaders that a Trump nomination will be a “whitewash.”
The Politico reported:
Jeff Roe, Ted Cruz’s campaign manager, says he told Republican Party leaders Wednesday that Donald Trump’s nomination would be a down-ballot disaster so bad that “it could be a situation where we’d have to rename our party.”
“It will be a whitewash,” Roe told reporters after his briefing at the spring meeting of the Republican National Committee.
Cruz’s top brass — Roe, chief strategist Jason Johnson, delegate wrangler Saul Anuzis and former Virginia Atty. Gen. Ken Cuccinelli, among them — came to the RNC’s spring meeting here to press the case for Cruz’s path the presidency to top party activists.
Roe predicted it is “highly likely” that the GOP contest will go to a contested convention, and that his team was using the meeting of the GOP’s leadership to argue that Cruz would be far better for the party than Trump. The members of the RNC could prove key as almost all 168 of them would be unbound free agents to support whomever they want after the first ballot of a contested convention.
Roe said there were two keys to the Cruz case. “One, we can win, he can’t,’ Roe said. And second, that Cruz would support local elected officials across the country.Morning Campers. Glad to see you all assembled here, and with so few of you nursing neck wounds. We’ve drawn up some plans that’ll take us beyond Knox County, and hopefully to safety. We thought you might like to listen in on our schemes so, once you’ve stopped stroking that shotgun, we’ll get down to the nitty-gritty.
Our priority over the next few weeks is, as it was before, to finalise build 0.2.1 and get it officially launched on Desura and on our site – and in the immediate future clearly to pump out an equivalent R2 build for Mac and Linux users. We’re super sorry, and a little ashamed, that you haven’t had a play with the new animations yet.
Having met up with Valve over the Develop conference, meanwhile, our plans beyond that have been swayed slightly by the prospect of Steam Greenlight. We’d dearly like to be on Steam, as would a huge number of our players, so we’ll soon be going to be going all-out to get into your Steam Games List once Greenlight opens its doors.
To get on Steam, however, we’ll need something that looks and plays like a full game. As such we’ll now be concentrating on fixing all game-breaking bugs and all our strange little quirks that don’t quite make sense… so stuff like containers accessed through walls will soon become our enemy number one. On top of this we’ll be finishing the Kate and Baldspot tutorial, adding female characters and some necessary animations and making sure that the game installs and runs seamlessly on all three platforms.
To this end, Public Test Builds (and official releases here and on Desura) will start leaping incrementally up to what will be known as Project Zomboid 1.0: BUT as we’ve promised all along the story will not end there. Project Zomboid 1.0 will be the version built to satisfy Valve that PZ is ready for Steam (should we get through the Greenlight stage of course) but beyond that everything we’ve promised previously will continue to flow into the game. New map areas, survival gameplay, more PZ Stories and (yes!) eventually multiplayer will be added to Knox County – and, hopefully, our public test builds will be accessed from Steam’s beta tray as well as here on our site.
The biggest tweak we’re working on for PZ 1.0, meanwhile, is a new UI. Binky is currently working on a revamp of our current inventory and menu system (which will be entirely moddable in LUA) and you can find the details of what we’re discussing in this Greenlight thread on the forums. In the words of Lemmy it’ll be: “A unified windows explorer style inventory system with filters, icon/detail views, right click context menu, column sorting, nice drag and drop, resizable windows and marquis selection. “ The current thinking is that it’ll be somewhat backpack focussed too.
So that’s the current plan. Just to reiterate (and put in bold, and underline in red felt-tip pen) despite the version numbers progressing higher, nothing else has changed about our plans. 1.0 does not mean ‘done’, it just means that we’ll be able to tick Steam Integration (the second-most requested Zomboid feature) off the list – and we’ll find it easier to spread our infection wider, deeper and in an ever more distressing fashion.
For more information and a bit of a chinwag about Zomboid, Greenlight and our relentless shuffle forwards then pop along into this forum thread. Thanks y’all.
PS> It goes without saying, meanwhile, that if and when we do hitch a ride on the Valve Mothership anyone who has bought a Zomboid license from us in the past will be able to grab a Steam code. We will also clearly continue to work with the lovely folks at Desura, without whom little of what we’ve achieved so far would have been possible. They jumped in to help when we needed it most, and for that we’ll be forever grateful.
“Spiffo the Community Raccoon believed in the Steam Greenlight, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before him. It eluded him then, but that’s no matter — tomorrow he will run faster, stretch out his arms farther…. And one fine morning…”President Donald Trump starts his first full week in the White House with just two Cabinet secretaries confirmed by the U.S. Senate. That’s the lowest number in decades and a sharp contrast from former President Barack Obama.
The Washington Post called the Democrats’ tactics “an unprecedented break with Senate tradition.”
Trump’s picks have fared worse than past Cabinet nominees. Even though Trump enjoys a Republican-led Senate, Democrats have kept their promise to delay confirmation of his nominees, even if they lack the votes to ultimately defeat them.
The Daily Signal reviewed Senate confirmation data for newly elected presidents, beginning with Jimmy Carter in 1977 through Obama in 2009. The chart above shows when the Senate confirmed each president’s Cabinet secretaries.
Those six presidents had an average of 10 Cabinet secretaries confirmed in their first week in office. President Bill Clinton had the most with 13. President George H.W. Bush had two nominees confirmed in week one, although three others remained in office from the Reagan administration.
The Senate confirmed two Trump nominees on Inauguration Day: James Mattis to be secretary of defense (98-1) and John Kelly to be secretary of homeland security (88-11). Senators were also supposed to vote Friday on a non-Cabinet nominee—Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Kan., to be CIA director—but Democrats objected and delayed the vote until Monday.
Most of Trump’s nominees haven’t yet advanced out of Senate committees. Some of those votes will take place this week. The Senate Commerce Committee, for instance, announced it would vote on the nominations of Elaine Chao for transportation secretary and Wilbur Ross for commerce secretary on Tuesday.
While it’s possible the full Senate could act on those nominees this week, there’s nothing officially on the calendar.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., didn’t hold back in his criticism of Democrats for their delaying tactics.
“I urge colleagues to remember that we worked with the administration of former President Obama after he was first inaugurated,” McConnell said in a Senate floor speech Friday. “We confirmed seven members of his Cabinet the day he took office, and nearly the entire Cabinet was filled within two weeks.”
>>> Democrats Take Aim at Trump Nominees, Unlike Republicans’ Speedy OK of Obama Cabinet
In 2009, Obama had 10 Cabinet secretaries confirmed after his first week in office. Nine of those nominees won Senate confirmation by voice vote, where an official tally isn’t recorded. The Obama nominee who faced the greatest GOP opposition—Timothy Geithner for treasury secretary—was approved 60-34 on Jan. 26, 2009, less than a week after Obama took office.
Like Trump, Obama enjoyed a Senate controlled by his own party. Democrats had 57 senators on Jan. 20, 2009, when Obama took office. Today, Republicans have 52 senators.
None of Trump’s nominees currently face the likelihood of defeat, yet that hasn’t stopped Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., from delaying the confirmation process.
Schumer said Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he would continue to play the role of obstructionist.
“There are so many of these nominees that have different views than what the president-elect, now the president, campaigned on that of course there should be scrutiny,” Schumer said. “Now will we win some of these fights? Possibly. That’s why we have a debate.”
Friday’s debate over Pompeo illustrated the divisiveness in the Senate.
A new president’s national security team is usually the first to be confirmed. In the case of the CIA, both Director John Brennan and Deputy Director David Cohen resigned Friday, leaving the agency without a permanent director.
“It makes no sense to leave this post open,” McConnell said Friday. “Not for another week, not for another day, not for another hour. America’s enemies will not pause in plotting, planning, and training simply because the Democrats refuse to vote.”
Schumer countered that Trump’s nominees are “poorly prepared.” He said Democrats were slowing down the process to conduct a more thorough examination.
“If I were the Republicans, of course I’d want to ram a Cabinet like this through. I’m embarrassed by it,” Schumer said on “Meet the Press.”
Earlier this month, The Washington Post called the Democrats’ tactics “an unprecedented break with Senate tradition.”
“Republicans treated a newly inaugurated President Obama’s nominees fairly, and Democrats should do so now,” McConnell said. “Our country is counting on it.”WARSAW (Reuters) - When Lech Walesa, the man whose Solidarity movement helped bring down the Iron Curtain, found himself sitting across from Barack Obama at a banquet in the Polish capital on Tuesday evening, he offered the younger man a piece of advice.
U.S President Barack Obama gestures next to Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski (L) during a ceremony marking the "Freedom Day" anniversary in Warsaw's Castle Square June 4, 2014. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel
“I said that I wished the United States would lead,” Walesa told Polish television about the encounter, which he said was not so much an upbraiding of the U.S. president as an “interesting” encounter.
Obama was at the banquet at Warsaw’s Royal Castle to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Poland’s first partially-free elections, which ended the Communist Party’s domination and ushered in democratic rule.
Walesa, 70, did not go into details about what he had said to Obama, but he had previously said the Obama White House was not being sufficiently muscular in response to Russian interventions in Ukraine and other threats to world peace.
In a view that chimes with the criticism of Obama from many in the U.S. Republican Party, Walesa told Poland’s TVN24 broadcaster last week that the United States should be a global leader yet “the superpower has not been up to the job.”
A White House official, asked by reporters about Obama’s encounter over dinner, said someone of the stature of Walesa - like Obama himself a Nobel Peace Prize winner - deserved a respectful hearing.
“I didn’t speak at length with the president about it, but they definitely exchanged words at the dinner,” Ben Rhodes deputy national security advisor, told reporters on Air Force One as Obama flew from Warsaw to his next stop in Brussels.
“Look, the President did say to us that Lech Walesa is the man who did as much as anybody to help bring about freedom and democracy in eastern Europe,” Rhodes said.
“And the fact that he has occasionally criticized certain policies of the president in no way diminishes the respect we have for his extraordinary achievements.”
In a speech in Warsaw’s Castle Square on Wednesday, Obama showed his admiration for former shipyard worker Walesa was undimmed, thanking him for his outstanding leadership.
He described Walesa as “the man who jumped that shipyard wall to lead a strike that became a movement, the prisoner turned president who transformed this nation.”
A Reuters reporter who was briefly allowed into the hall at the start of the banquet on Tuesday said Obama was seated between Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski and Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite.
Walesa had been seated across the table from Obama, though the table was so wide and the room so loud it was unlikely they could have carried on a long conversation over dinner. It was possible one of them later walked around the table to talk.
Walesa was an electrician in the Baltic port of Gdansk when he emerged as leader of Solidarity. He was elected Polish president in 1990. Now without any official posts, he has developed a reputation for his blunt, homespun pronouncements.The Streak, the one that loomed over the Pittsburgh Pirates for two ignominious decades, is dead. Over. Done. Discarded. Smashed by an improbable summer and a thrilling fall.
Article continues below...
Now what?
Unburdened from the yoke of failure that loomed for 20 years as an ominous cloud over the franchise, the Pirates can point to the future with eyes wide open.
What exactly the future holds, however, remains unclear.
In a way, the man who shrewdly guided the franchise from 105-loss laughingstock three years ago to a 94-game winner that pushed the St. Louis Cardinals to the brink in the NL division series knows the easy part is over.
”The sustainability is what separates great organizations,” manager Clint Hurdle said. ”We were able to take a huge step forward this year in restoring the pride and the passion of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ organization, and rebonding our city with a ball team.”
The evidence lay in the signature Jolly Roger flags that came out of hiding across the city after spending a generation tucked away like an abandoned family heirloom. It could be seen at packed PNC Park, where record crowds – most of them wearing black – poured through the turnstiles in the playoffs and made baseball matter again in a city where it has long played distant third fiddle behind football and hockey.
It could be felt in a clubhouse comprised of young talent and established veterans unbowed by the club’s miserable recent past. Center fielder Andrew McCutchen cemented his status as a star with an MVP-worthy season. Third baseman Pedro Alvarez tied for the NL lead in home runs with 36. Rookie pitcher Gerrit Cole illustrated his electric 100 mph fastball. Catcher Russell Martin helped turn a pitching staff that looked like a question mark in March into a dominant force in September. Jason Grilli, aging reliever thrust into the closing role for the first time, became an All Star and the emotional center of one of baseball’s best bullpens.
When asked to describe the success of left-handed pitcher Francisco Liriano – who revived his flagging career by going 16-8 with a 3.02 ERA and becoming the de facto ace down the stretch – Hurdle said Liriano ”has a lot of Pirate in him.” Pressed on what exactly that means, Hurdle stumbled upon an ethos that resonated from the front office down to the bat boys.
”In the movies that I’ve watched and the books that I’ve read, there seems to be a spirit of I really don’t care what anybody thinks anymore, I’m crossing the line, I’m going to become a Pirate,” Hurdle said. ”It’s not about mom or dad or brother or sister, not about where I used to work. I’m going to be my own man. I’m going to hope to latch on to a bunch of other men who feel the same way, that are like-minded, and try to get something special done.”
The goal of a sixth World Series title, the one controlling owner Bob Nutting talked about at length during spring training, never materialized. The fact a world championship evolved from something preposterous to something very tangible will only fuel an offseason designed to prove the last six months were no fluke.
”I think it’s one thing to be happy and one thing to realize how far along we come and how much we can improve,” Alvarez said. ”It’s been a realization of all the hard work we’ve put in but at the end of the day we still have a lot of work to do.”
Figuring out how to go about it, however, will be tricky. Though Pittsburgh’s $73 million payroll was the highest in club history, it also ranked just 26th in baseball. And despite the windfall of two dozen sellouts and the second-largest attendance figure since the team was founded in 1887, general manager Neal Huntington knows the Pirates can’t just start throwing money around. So does his boss.
”I think that the playing field is not level, never will be. But we as the Pittsburgh Pirates have committed ourselves to never using that as an excuse,” Nutting said. ”Is it easier to build a great club with $200 million than with $75-$80 million? Absolutely. But I believe – have always believed and will continue to believe – that we can be competitive at that level.
”We need to make smart decisions.”
The decisions this winter will include whether to bring back A.J. Burnett, who put together a solid 10-11 season at age 36 and proved to be a capable mentor to youngsters like Cole and Jeff Locke. Burnett has hinted at retirement, but the truth is he may have pitched so well he priced himself out of the market.
The same goes for outfielder Marlon Byrd, part of a rare summer splurge. Byrd hit.318 in a month with Pittsburgh and was its most consistent hitter in six postseason games. While Byrd enjoyed his time in Pittsburgh, he also turned 36 in August and will likely look for a multi-year deal.
If Burnett and Wandy Rodriguez – who has an option for 2014 but spent the last four months of the season dealing with arm problems – don’t return, the Pirates will have to fill at least one spot in the rotation. Right field and first base are also a question mark if Byrd and Garrett Jones move on.
The last time Pittsburgh made the playoffs, it took 21 years to get back. There are no plans to have the gap repeat itself.
”This franchise is a great franchise, a franchise that won,” McCutchen said. ”We’re going to continue to keep that sail up on that boat and keep going.”Ryan Lochte turns 28 today. He has achieved a tremendous amount for such a young age, rising to the very top of the international swimming world and racking up 11 career Olympic medals. And yet, if this highlight reel of his interviews is to be believed, he thinks that seven times four comes out to 21. Can he really as slow out of the pool as he is fast in it?
Who cares, seems to be the answer for the many, many women who have joined the internet's informal Ryan Lochte fan club this week. In fact, if he is? All for the better! That hilariously dumb jock persona seems to be part of the appeal for plenty of them. (OK, if we are being painfully honest, I should probably say “us.” I can’t stop watching that video.) On New York magazine’s Cut blog, the ladies have gleefully compiled a slideshow of cheesecake shots of Lochte, accompanied by his “deep thoughts” from Twitter. “Always reach for the moon cuz if u slip up u will still be a star!! #Jeah.” There are lots of equally Greek-god-proportioned men at the Olympics, but none have gotten the attention Lochte has, and that doesn’t have to do only with his appearances on the medal stand.
“Jeah,” by the way, is Lochte’s personal catchphrase, stolen from Young Jeezy. (He generally seems to favor rappers who hit their stride during his late college years. Draw your own conclusions on what this means about the pace of his emotional maturation.) Jeah is like something Aziz Ansari might come up with to punctuate his Parks and Recreation character, Tom Haverford, at his most absurd; Jezebel uses it as the first of “10 Reasons Why Ryan Lochte Is America's Sexiest Douchebag.” Other highlights included his pride, at age 27, at finally being over the college dating scene, and his mom’s explanation of why he prefers one-night stands. “A sick, sad part of me read about Ryan’s gregarious genitalia and felt momentarily encouraged—MAYBE THAT MEANS THAT HE’LL SLEEP WITH ME—but then my hormone haze dissipated and I realized that 1- I’m engaged to marry a guy who I like an awful lot and 2- Gross,” wrote Erin Gloria Ryan on the site. Lochte is feminism’s guiltiest pleasure.A better way to inject environmental variables in Angular
Vitalij Kudresov Blocked Unblock Follow Following Sep 19, 2015
Problem
If you are developing something which is slightly more complicated than ‘hello world’ you should have multiple environments like: develop, staging, production. Depending on the environment you would use different resources (database, api, etc). These resources would be then injected via environmental variables. It’s a fairly common approach on most of today's cloud platforms. It’s also fairly easy to grab env variables on a server side, but how do you get them in you clientside JS?
Those env variables are so close and so far at the same time..
Background
I will assume that you know why it’s a good idea store your configuration in env variables. If you don’t I recommend to read 12 factor app manifesto http://12factor.net/config hopefully it has enough infomration to convince you.
So the solution we will be striving to is to have all configuration for both server and client in environmental variables.
Possible Solutions
I have seen people achieving it in different ways, I will go first through all these solution and will explain what is the problem with each of them.
Option 1: Embedding config in you client
This is a simplest solution. You just hardcode your api endpoints and other information into your angular app. To get some separation of concerns you could even create a constant service, like below:
Advantages
Simple
Disadvantages
You have leaked potentially sensitive info into your repo
When testing other environments you have to manually comment out current value and replace them with test ones.
You can’t support multiple environments with this setup
Summary
Not a scalable solution, only use for ‘toy code’, never use it for production systems. Unless you want to be that guy who screws up production!
Option 2: Get configuration values from the server via REST call
You create and endpoint on your server for example: https://www.mywebsite.com/config which returns you a configuration for your site and when your app loads, first thing you do is make a GET reequest to /config
This could work because your server has access to env variables and could return you different config set based on your env.
You server would probably have something like this:
On your client side you would request it as soon as your app start. So your angular code would be something like:
Advantages
You can truly access server env variables
It’s fairly simple
Disadvantages
Your app is delayed by at least as much the api call to get the configuration value.
Another issue I have tried to highlight here is hardcoding number of environments. This will limit you to only 3 envs and you will need to do a code change when you need a new one, not good!
Summary
Main disadvantage is that your app is delayed and these days users are very fussy about their load time, so let’s check some solutions which avoid that.
Option 3: Let your CI/CD inject correct configuration settings
Using this approach CI before doing a deployment will generate a configuration dynamically based on where you about to deploy to.
You could you use a gulp task for that, which would look something like this:
Now the question is where does CI gets those config values which it injects into angular config. There are 2 main options:
Have a set of configuration files which are checked in into your repo and can be accessed by CI during deployment. This brings the same problems as solutions 1. Inject those values into environmental variables of your CI, which is arguably a better solution. The new problem you have is managing env variables both on your server and CI.
Advantage
There is no need to wait for your |
they include the activation system and only preinstall the apps that will ship when Windows 10 goes live.
The new build should become available through Windows Update in the next few hours.TWITTER HASHTAG: #ETHLDN - Help us spread the word!
The January meetup will take place at the Blockchain Expo in Olympia on the 23rd of January at 16:00. In order to get in, you need to both RSVP to the meetup page you are currently reading AND sign up for your free pass (http://gateway.blockchain-expo.com/london/free-expo-pass/register/) which will get you access to the rest of the expo. Head to the "Blockchain Developers" track on the day for the meetup.
Speaker Line-up:
1 - Yanislav Malahov - http://www.aeternity.com/
Yanislav Malahov envisioned as early as 2013 to have powerful algorithms on blockchains (http://medium.com/@yanislav/king-of-bitcoin-godfather-of-ethereum-a9af9ecf56d5). Now he is working as the founder of æternity (http://www.aeternity.com) - a new lightning blockchain for smart contracts. In his talk he will share his personal story with the early Ethereum team, and what got him to start a new turing-complete blockchain, which he dubs 'The Oracle Machine'.
2 - Anish Mohammed - Zero Knowledge Protocols
(note: due to unfortunate circumstances Christoph Jentzsch couldn't be with us at this meetup to present Charity DAO, he will however attend one of the next ones)
Anish has been working in the security and cryptography area for the past 15 years, as a researcher and as a consultant. Most recently he has been involved in the Blockchain ecosystem as one of the founding members of UKDCA. He is also on the advisory board for Adjoint, Ripple Labs and Chain of Things. These days he works for large UK bank where he is lead security architect of Blockchain initiatives. He is regular speaker and contributor on both Blockchain and Cybersecurity.
3 - Mona El Isa - https://melonport.com/
CEO and co-founder of Melonport, Mona El Isa, will present “Melon”, a blockchain software for asset management. The talk will give an overview of Melon's vision, a deep dive into how the protocol will work as well as how they hope to achieve the next milestones. They will also be unveiling their new demo for the first time publicly in London!
Former star-trader at Goldman Sachs, Mona was promoted to Vice President by the age of 26 and made the “top 30 under 30” list in Trader Magazine in 2008. She Moved to Geneva-based macro fund Jabre Capital in 2011, before deciding in 2014 that the future of finance lay in blockchain technology. She studied Economics & Statistics at the University College London.
Note: We are looking for both speakers and sponsors to prepare the whole year 2017! Ping us ([masked]) with your projects, demos, PoCs etc and we'll get back to you ASAP.InWin 301 Tempered Glass MATX Mini Tower Computer Gaming Case Photos. Mnpctech shares a LIVE Unboxing and Review Video of the InWin 301 (below) on Wednesday, May 17, 2017
In Win 301 retail is $69.99 and released on May 15th, 2017. You can order the Black or White In-Win 301, HERE
In the video livestream of the In-Win 301, Mosquito (MosquitoMods) and Bill Owen (Mnpctech) share overview and brainstorm the ideal DIY watercooling cooling loop for the Win 301 MATX Case that retails for $69.99.
In Win 301 Liquid Watercool Loop parts in the livestream video.
1x Hardware Labs Black Ice GTS 250 Xflo Radiator (front)
(Optional 240mm radiator in floor of Inwin 301 MATX was a Darkside Dual LP240 Extra Slim Radiator )
1x EK-XRES 100 DDC MX - Acetal1x DDC Waterpump1x XSPC RAYSTORM CPU Waterblock
System Parts used in 301 Inwin build video
1x Gigabyte G1-gaming ITX Motherboard
1x Gigabyte Windforce 3 GTX with EK waterblock
Reviewing gaming cases is very subjective to personal taste. This market has become over saturated with an array of styles and standardized features. It's become harder to improve upon and reinvent the gaming case, but InWin continues to keep impressing me with their designs. I can assure you that it's $69.99 price will make this case very popular with enthusiast PC builders, Gamers, DIY liquid coolers, PC Modders, and Overclockers.
I'll be sharing a LIVE overview of the Inwin 301 MATX gaming case on my Fanpage and YouTube channel on May 17th, 2017. I will also be periodically posting updates to this page of people's Inwin 301 builds and case mods. that will include DIY guide on taking it apart for custom paint, and share any other modifications I create for it.
Let's take a closer look at this very unique MATX gaming chassis before we do the Livestream.
InWin High quality 1.2mm SECC Steel Enclosure
Left Side Removable Tempered Glass Side Access Panel with Quick Release Latch
Supports 240mm size Liquid Cooling Radiator in Front
Supports 120mm size Liquid Cooling Radiator in Rear
Metal Video Card Holder Supports Longer Graphics Cards
Top Chamber Power Supply Shroud / Cover
InWin 301 is a Compact MATX Case that supports high performance PC hardware
The Inwin 301's Tempered Glass side panel is easily removed with a simple release latch. I would like to see more PC chassis manufacturers implement this clever approach.
There is slight gradient tint along the front and top edge of the Inwin 301 window.
Close-up of Latch design on the Inwin 301 gaming chassis tempered glass side panel window.
To help cooling in the Inwin 301 chassis, the right side panel of the In Win 301 has Octagon shaped air hole perforations. Inwin's factory created a dye to stamp this unique ventilation hole design.
The right side access panel is 1.2mm thick steel and is fastened on with two black thumbscrews.
Backside of the Inwin 301's unique perforated ventilation holes.
The chassis is powder coated Black and includes a Power Supply shroud. You will need to install your own cooling fans in the Inwin 301. The In-Win 301 MATX gaming chassis doesn't include cooling fans from the factory.
PC cooling fan sizes the Inwin 301 Gaming Chassis supports
Front: 2x 120mm size cooling fans.
Rear: 1x 120mm size cooling fan.
Bottom: 2x 120mm size cooling fans. (Note: 2nd fan will occupy space for the bottom PCI-E slot)
The Inwin 301 gaming chassis will only accept MATX or ITX size motherboards. The maximum size CPU/Heatsink that will fit the Inwin 301 is 158mm tall or 6.22" tall.
The floor of the Inwin 301 has large Octagon shaped ventilation holes with a removable screen filter. The Inwin 301 rests upon a rugged black ABS plastic pedestal instead of individual case feet.
PC radiator sizes the Inwin 301 Gaming Chassis supports
Front: 120mm/240mm size cooling radiator.
Rear: 1x 120mm size cooling radiator.
The Inwin 301 has one filter, it's located on the bottom and easily slides out for cleaning.
The InWin 301 rests upon two black pedestals that are made from durable ABS plastic.
Ample airflow beneath the Inwin 301 chassis. I recommend creating a positive-pressure cooling fan configuration that draws in the cool air from the floor, and out of the rear 120mm fan and the PSU intake fan.
The front I/O panel wires and cables are covered with Black ABS plastic cover. This cover is removed with two black 6/32 thread screws.
The single plastic SSD tray location easily slides out and clips into position.
I really like the discrete and easy to access location of the SSD tray in the Inwin 301 Gaming Chassis.
Space to hide wires and cables is very limited behind the motherboard of the InWin 301. However, the MATX gaming chassis will fit ATX power supplies that measure up to 160mm long or 6.29"
The front dual 120mm cooling fan bracket is removable. It's held in place with four black 6/32 thread pan head screws.
The InWin 301 gaming chassis incorporates the motherboard plate with the power supply shroud.
The I/O panel wires are covered with this removable black ABS plastic cover.
The Inwin 301's front cooling fan & radiator mounting bracket is black powder coated steel and will hold two 120mm fans or 240mm radiators.
I'm impressed that the Inwin 301 will fit an 240mm X-flo or Crossflow Radiator.
The radiator I'm test fitting is a Hardware Labs GTS Black Ice 240mm Stealth Xflo radiator
The front panel on the Inwin 301 isn't removable. There is a headphone and microphone port and two USB 2.0 ports. The I/O is cleverly back lit with an LED light.
With all the different styles of MATX gaming cases, searching for one that suits your tastes can be daunting, but InWin managed to deliver all of the right features in a compact design that doesn't compromise usability and performance. After spending 2 days dissecting the Inwin 301, I found it to be an overall smart design, but I do think some high performance systems may struggle with the limited front air ventilation. The InWin 301's fit and finish and $69.99 retail price should make it a landmark product for our industry.
Pros:
*Excellent Build Quality, Fit & Finish.
*Quick release latch on tempered glass panel.
*Fits ATX power supplies without compromising it's compact size.
*SSD tray location and easy access.
*Pricing is very reasonable.
*Fits 240mm Xflo & Cross flow Radiators in front.
*Illuminated front I/O.
Cons:
*Poor Front ventilation.
*Lacks removable front bezel.
*No fans are included.
*Lack of space behind motherboard for cables.
Modability:
You could modify the front of the case with additional ventilation holes.
.The death of George McGovern on the eve of the presidential candidates’ foreign policy debate underscored a momentous political reversal spanning four decades. McGovern’s nomination for president in 1972, a consequence of the Democratic Party’s recoil against the Vietnam War and the riotous convention four years earlier, made the country uneasy about his party regarding national security. Four decades later, however, voters may be more ambivalent about America’s world role than at any time since the 1930s.
Hence the sense of tediousness Monday evening. The candidates — who really do not differ all that muchon foreign policy, although they constantly pretend otherwise — sort of argued for 90 minutes about matters concerning which most voters do not really care very much, although they occasionally pretend otherwise.
Forty Octobers ago, McGovern’s slogan was “Come home, America,” and he lost 49 states. Today, his slogan probably summarizes the foreign policy thinking, to the extent there is any, of at least a plurality of Americans, and perhaps a majority. Which is why Barack Obama thrice insisted he is hot for “nation-building” here at home. And about 35 minutes into the supposed foreign policy debate, Mitt Romney pirouetted into praise of Medicaid reforms in Arizona and Rhode Island, and then professions of love for teachers. In a time when consensus is elusive, the candidates agreed on the imperative need to do something to lower Americans’ standard of living by making imports from China more expensive.
Obama explained that he waged a war of regime change in Libya not, as he said at the time, because of a humanitarian responsibility to protect Libyans from Moammar Gaddafi but rather because Gaddafi “had more American blood on his hands” than anyone then living.
So it turns out this war actually was a delayed response to the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.
1 of 87 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad × Toles looks to Election 2012 View Photos A collection of cartoons on the presidential race. Caption A collection of cartoons on the presidential race. Dec. 5, 2012 Tom Toles Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue.
Romney has said he wants somehow to give Syrians “who share our values” — Syria’s Jeffersonian caucus? — heavy weapons “to defeat Assad’s tanks, helicopters and fighter jets.” In the debate he spoke of organizing “responsible parties within Syria” but without America being “drawn into a military conflict,” and without enforcing a no-fly zone.
Deploring the “rising tide of chaos” in the Middle East, Romney vows to “move the world away from” Islamic extremism. Such promises have a distinguished pedigree. Woodrow Wilson said: “I am going to teach the South American republics to elect good men!”
Russia is a third-world country with an extraction economy — it extracts oil, gas and minerals from the ground and caviar from sturgeon — but Romney says it is our “number one geopolitical foe,” although he says the biggest threat to America is a nuclear Iran. Both candidates agree that preventing a nuclear Iran is worth a fourth (counting Libya) U.S. war in that region. Romney thinks America should have “a military second to none,” which it will have until the next dozen or so largest militaries merge.
The remarkable fecundity of the George W. Bush administration rolls on. Its domestic policy of incontinent spending enkindled the most potent protest movement — the tea party — since the overlapping movements against the Vietnam War and for civil rights legislation. And Bush’s foreign policy helped to move the nation in McGovern’s direction.
President George H.W. Bush hoped that his 100-hour Gulf War against Iraq would banish the “Vietnam Syndrome,” which made Americans hesitant about military interventions. His son’s intervention produced an Iraq Syndrome that we should hope will be more durable than its Vietnam predecessor, which McGovern nurtured.
McGovern was the second major-party nominee with a PhD, which he earned at Northwestern University under Arthur Link, the foremost biographer of the first such nominee, Woodrow Wilson. Like Wilson, McGovern was a minister’s son. Wilson brought moral zeal to “the war to end all wars.” McGovern’s antiwar passion — in September 1963 he became one of two senators (Oregon’s Wayne Morse was the other) to oppose U.S. involvement in Vietnam during the Kennedy administration — was honorably acquired in the next great war: He flew 35 missions over Germany, where half the B-24 crews did not survive and suffered a higher fatality rate than the Marines on the Pacific islands.
In 1917, Wilson inserted America into the whitewater rapids of world politics. In 1972, with the Cold War still being waged, McGovern prematurely suggested retrenchment. Four decades and 10 presidential campaigns later, however, the nation is near a semi-McGovern moment. Both of today’s candidates seem to know this.
1 of 29 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad × Candidates square off on foreign policy View Photos President Obama and challenger Mitt Romney meet at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla., for the final presidential debate of the 2012 campaign. Caption President Obama and challenger Mitt Romney meet at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla., for the final presidential debate of the 2012 campaign. Oct. 22, 2012 At the end of the third and final presidential debate, Republican nominee for president Mitt Romney picks up his grandson, Miles, as President Obama chats with two of Romney's sons at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla. Melina Mara/THE WASHINGTON POST Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue.
georgewill@washpost.comISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey will “do what is necessary” to prevent U.S.-allied Syrian Kurdish rebels from declaring autonomy in the town of Tel Abyad near the Turkish border, including conducting further military operations, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan gives a speech during an inauguration ceremony of a water pipeline project linking Turkey to northern Cyprus, in Myrtoy October 17, 2015. REUTERS/Yiannis Kourtoglou
NATO member Turkey is part of the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State militants in Syria, but it sees advances by autonomy-seeking Kurds, led by the Democratic Union Party (PYD), as a threat to its own national security, fearing they could stoke separatism among Turkish Kurds.
Turkish jets recently hit the Syrian Kurds’ armed People’s Protection Units (YPG) targets twice after they defied Ankara and crossed west of the Euphrates River.
“This was a warning. ‘Pull yourself together. If you try to do this elsewhere - Turkey doesn’t need permission from anyone - we will do what is necessary,’” Erdogan said, signaling he could defy Washington’s demand that Ankara avoid hitting Syrian Kurds and focus its military might on Islamic State targets.
Erdogan, in remarks broadcast live on the Kanal 24 television station, also accused the PYD of carrying out “ethnic cleansing” in the area and said Western support for the Syrian Kurdish militias amounted to aiding terrorism.
Backed by U.S.-led air strikes, YPD fighters captured Tel Abyad in June from Islamic State, and this month a local leadership council declared the town part of the system of autonomous self-governing “cantons” run by the Kurds.
“The PYD is committing ethnic cleansing here (of) Arabs and Turkmen,” Erdogan said. “If the Kurds withdraw and don’t form a canton, there’s no problem. But if the mindset continues, then what is necessary will be done or we face serious problems.
“We are determined to (combat) anything that threatens us along the Syrian border, inside or out.”
Turkey does not want to see an autonomous Kurdish entity resembling Iraqi Kurdistan emerging on its southern flank, said Erdogan, speaking days before a Turkish parliamentary election that has aggravated political and security tensions.
Western allies are now arming the Kurds, he added.
“They don’t even accept the PYD as a terrorist organization. What kind of nonsense is this?” he said. “The West still has the mentality of ‘My terrorist is good, yours is bad.’”
Within Turkey, the armed forces have resumed their 30-year fight with militants of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which wants autonomy for the Turkish Kurds and also has close links with their ethnic brethren across the border in Syria.
Erdogan said 1,400 PKK militants were fighting alongside the YPG in Syria.
The United States and Europe, like Turkey, classify the PKK as a terrorist organization but regard the Syrian and Iraqi Kurdish groupings as valuable allies in the fight against Islamic State and other jihadis.Misfortunes in Mexico City never come singly. Built on an ancient lake bed that sinks an average of eight inches a year, the city is also situated on the Ring of Fire, a volatile basin of the Pacific Ocean that produces 90 percent of the world’s earthquake activity. Together, these infelicitous conditions help explain why a 7.1 magnitude quake rocked the city last month — killing 366 and injuring 6,000 — just as an 8.0 quake rocked it exactly thirty-two years ago.
But questions remain. Why, three decades after the devastation of 1985, was the city so badly damaged by an earthquake ten times weaker? Why did forty-four buildings — many of which were constructed in just the last few years — collapse? And why are three thousand more so close to collapse that residents had no choice but to abandon their homes for good?
The answer is that, in Mexico City, the law is a negotiation, and business typically wins. Despite years of reform, the city’s urban planning process still bends away from earthquake preparedness and toward developers’ profits. Slowly but surely, bribes from developers and lax oversight from regulators have undone the city’s resilience.
The flexibility of Mexico City’s housing regulation is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it is necessary for most of the city to survive. Roughly two-thirds of Mexico City residents live in informal settlements, or colonias populares, where families construct the homes they can afford — mostly out of cinder block and cement. These settlements are technically illegal: the Mexican government maintains a “zero-tolerance” policy toward informal construction in order to discourage unsafe living conditions. But, thankfully, the policy is not enforced. At least in this respect, the poor are not punished doubly for their poverty.
On the other hand, flimsy enforcement allows business to line its pockets. Consider the case of Norma 26, a policy that was supposed to encourage low-income housing construction through generous tax breaks. Real estate developers had a field day. Rather than build social housing, developers constructed apartments priced for Mexico’s upper class: more than 75 percent of their buildings failed to comply with the policy’s price ceilings. The city government turned a blind eye. In just three years, developers reaped more than 2.5 billion pesos — $170 million — in government subsidies.
Compliance with earthquake regulation is similarly for sale. “Suppose your building has a legal limit of eight floors, and you want a ninth,” says Josefina MacGregor, lead organizer of the progressive group Suma Urbana. “If you have the money, they will transfer you the rights to build another floor, just like that.”
Suma Urbana and other like-minded organizations have led a long campaign to promote compliance in the capital. Over the last five years, more than six thousand real estate projects in Mexico City have been reported to the Office of Environmental and Territorial Planning for failing to follow city regulations. A majority of these “irregularities” were located in the areas hit hardest by last month’s earthquake.
Yet the city hasn’t sanctioned a single developer. “We have tried to make a muscular civil society,” MacGregor says. “But the economic power of the developers is just stronger.”3 Maine Women Face Theft Charges for Stealing Dozens of Trump Signs
Former Dems Now Backing Trump: 'Our Country's Going in the Wrong Direction'
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas believes Washington, D.C. is broken and that our nation's institutions are being destroyed.
During an event at The Heritage Foundation marking his 25 years on the bench Wednesday night, Thomas lamented that issues can no longer be debated with civility.
"I think that we have decided that rather than confront the disagreements and the differences in opinion, we'll just simply annihilate who disagrees with me," Thomas said.
“This city's broken in some ways,” Thomas said of Washington. “At some point, we have got to recognize that we are destroying our institutions and we're undermining our institutions.”
He said that not only are the executive and legislative branches to blame, but the high court itself.
“What have we done to gain their confidence?” he asked. “Perhaps we should ask ourselves what we have done to not earn it or to earn it.”
Watch the co-hosts of "The Five" react above.
Michigan Town Votes to Ban Syrian Refugees Due to Concerns About Vetting
Clinton Aide in New WikiLeaks Email: 'We Need to Clean This Up. He Has Emails from Her'
'Creepy Clown' Prankster Is Lucky to Be Alive After Trying to Scare Armed Man
New Poll: Trump Has 2-Point Lead in FloridaImage caption Rebel fighters celebrate the fall of Sirte two years ago. Lawlessness has been rife across Libya since then
Libya's state news agency says gunmen have stolen $54m (£33.5m) in an attack on a van carrying foreign and local currency for the Libyan central bank.
Ten men stopped the van as it entered the city of Sirte from the airport. The cash delivery had been flown 300 miles (500km) from the capital, Tripoli.
"The robbery is a catastrophe for the whole of Libya," Abdel-Fattah Mohammed, head of Sirte council, told Reuters.
Libya has suffered continuing lawlessness since the 2011 civil war.
Guards 'overpowered'
Libya's government has been struggling to keep control of a country full of armed militias, gangs and radical Islamists.
Reports on Monday suggested that only one security vehicle had been assigned to protect the van.
Security guards "were unable to resist the 10 attackers", the Lana news agency reported.
Some 53m Libyan dinars were taken, along with another $12m in US dollars and euros.
Two banks in Sirte were hit by robbers in July, a city official told the AFP news agency.
The attackers made off with 500,000 Libyan dinars, he said.
Sirte was the last bastion of support for Col Muammar Gaddafi in the conflict that led to his overthrow.
However the city has largely been spared the wave of violence that has swept since then.Despite a recent press release confirming that Rachel McAdams is part of the Doctor Strange cast, the role she will play is currently unknown. Rumours point to Night Nurse, a character who had a major part in the Doctor Strange: The Oath miniseries, and if that report is accurate, we obviously won’t be seeing Clea in the movie, as Night Nurse would then go on to become a love interest for the Sorcerer Supreme.
While it may be some time yet before we find out exact specifics on her role, that hasn’t stopped the actress from opening up about her upcoming film. In a recent interview, McAdams was asked why she decided to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the True Detective star revealed one simple reason for her decision:
“I mean, I just love the director. I met with Scott [Derrickson] and loved his vision, he was so passionate. And the opportunity to work with Benedict was kind of a no-brainer. And Marvel makes amazing films, so it was a complete package.”
While we haven’t seen McAdams on set just yet, the actress confirmed that she’s already started work on the movie, so there’s at least a slim chance we’ll hear more about who she’s playing in the coming weeks/months.
As for Derrickson’s unique approach to the project, McAdams revealed that Doctor Strange is one Marvel movie which is going to be unlike all of the ones which have come before.
“It’s definitely not going to be like any of the other films.”
We’ll find out whether or not that’s true when Doctor Strange is released next year. As the second of Marvel’s 2016 movies, it remains to be seen when the promotional campaign for Doctor Strange is going to kick off, but a teaser trailer with next May’s Captain America: Civil War ahead of a big push at Comic-Con seems very likely indeed.A California Assembly resolution calling for a national tax on fossil fuels is headed to the desk of Gov. Jerry Brown.
The bill, AJR 43, calls on Congress to institute a federal tax on carbon-based fossil fuels in order to reduce fossil fuel usage and stave off the effects of climate change.
Assembly member Das Williams, D-Santa Barbara, introduced the bill. Williams is running for 1st District Santa Barbara County Supervisor.
The bill says a national tax like the one proposed by the bill could reduce carbon emissions by 33 percent, add 2.1 million jobs to the economy and save families $288 per month. The California Senate approved the bill Aug. 23 and the Assembly passed it on June 30.
“A national, revenue-neutral carbon tax starting at a relatively low rate and increasing steadily over future years is a market-based solution that would minimally disrupt the economy while sending a clear and predictable price signal to businesses to develop and use non-carbon-based energy resources,” the resolution states.
The bill says a tax would help achieve the goal of reducing carbon emissions in the U.S. to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.
“A national carbon tax can be implemented quickly and efficiently, and respond to the urgency of the climate crisis,” the resolution states. “The federal government already has in place mechanisms, such as the Internal Revenue Service, needed to implement and enforce the tax and already collects taxes from fossil fuel producers and importer.”
The bill does not propose a tax similar to California’s cap and trade program, which the Legislature approved in 2006, was signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and took effect in 2012. The program limits the amount of carbon credits available on a state-run marketplace and forces companies that produce more than 25,000 tons of carbon dioxide a year to buy credits from companies that produce less carbon dioxide.
In 2015, the cap and trade system nearly doubled in size as transportation fuels were also included.
On Aug. 23, the Legislature amended the 2006 bill to require the state to reduce carbon emissions by 40 percent from 1990 levels by 2030. Previously, the law only required the state to reach 1990 levels of emissions by 2020.
• Contact Philip Joens at [email protected]The news that Colin Turkington would be leaving Team BMR shook the British Touring Car Championship world at Autosport International last weekend, and everybody had their thoughts on what had happened, and what Turkington would do next.
Overtake Motorsport spoke to some drivers who attended the show, to see what they made of the news.
One of the likely scenarios for the future is that Turkington will move back to West Surrey Racing, though he’s yet to confirm any seat for 2017. Honda’s Gordon Shedden is sure Turkington won’t have a problem finding a seat, though.
“[Turkington leaving the team] looked like it was on the radar for a while, but I think it’ll be a loss for Subaru,” he said. “But I’m sure we’ll see Colin back in a BMW and fighting at the front.”
Once the Subarus began to perform as expected in the fourth round of the championship, Turkington became a strong challenger for the title. His talent will almost definitely be a loss for BMR but, as Matt Neal speculated, it could have been the cause of the decision too.
“I do know Jason [Plato] doesn’t take being second best,” Neal said, when asked his opinion on what had gone on. “It was never going to go down well. Because Colin in a rear wheel drive – I wouldn’t like to go against him. He’s a class act. So there was always going to be an upset there. It was always going to happen.”
Of course, any speculation of a falling out at BMR is just that: speculation. Ashley Sutton, who is one of the contenders for the seat, reminded us that nobody knows what happens behind closed doors.
“It’s a shame to see him leave BMR,” Sutton said. “Having that involvement with them, I got to work with Colin so it’s good for that.
“I don’t know the reasons [for Turkington leaving]. I think the best thing to do is to not read it from what it looks like. There’s always a true story behind closed doors that no one really knows, so it’s best not to make those judgements.”
What happened at BMR is still not known, but Turkington told Overtake Motorsport in an interview that his relationship with the team is still healthy.
Image credit: Caroline Rhea
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Have Questions?
-Visit our Frequently Asked page to see if we have your answer.It is estimated that over 10 million people have arthritis in the UK, which is more than 10% of the population, and so if you are living with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, you are most definitely not alone.
A chronic illness that affects people of all ages, even children, arthritis causes inflammation in the joints, tenderness and stiffness, which can make simple daily tasks such as dressing, cooking, and operating any kind of electrical goods or machinery difficult to complete. A painful condition with no cure, arthritis may feel like a life sentence, but it is possible to lead a long and happy life with this common condition, you just need the right diagnosis, effective pain relief medications, a healthy diet, regular exercise, and most importantly of all, to take care of your joints.
Types of Arthritis
The 2 most common types of arthritis are Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis. While they are both joint-related conditions, they each affect the joints differently and so an accurate diagnosis from your GP or medical professional is essential.
Osteoarthritis affects over 8 million people in the UK, and is the most common type of arthritis in adults over 50 years old. Osteoarthritis attacks the cartilage lining of the joints, causing it to thin and wear away. This results in joint swelling, stiffness, and pain, and most commonly affects the hands and wrists, the knees and hips, and the spine.
Rheumatoid arthritis is far less common, affecting less than 500,000 people in the UK. It is more commonly found in women, who are 3 times more likely to get it than men, and it usually occurs between the ages of 40 and 50 years. Unlike osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that attacks the body from within. The body’s immune system targets the joints, causing them to swell, change shape, and become extremely painful.
Living with Arthritis
If you have been diagnosed with arthritis, it is important to make lifestyle changes both at home and in the workplace to make your life as easy and pain-free as possible. Staying active is recommended, and so speak to your employer about your condition so that they can help you remain a valid member of the workforce, take regular exercise to keep your joints supple and your muscles strong, and take care of your joints to avoid further damage.
Keep heavy lifting to an absolute minimum, don’t grip too tightly, and replace small door handles with larger handles that are easier to grip.
Diet also plays and important role in the treatment of arthritis, and so try to eat a healthy balanced diet rich in foods with anti-inflammatory agents such as oily fish, nuts, garlic, olive oil, soy beans and cherries.
Effective Pain Relief Medication for Arthritis
When you live with a chronic condition such as osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, it is likely that you will need some form of pain relief medication to manage your systems. You can have your painkillers prescribed by your local GP, or you can buy codeine online from a registered pharmacy onlinepharmacyinuk.com. Popular pain relief medicines for arthritis include Celebrex, Co-Dydramol, codeine. Your doctor or issuing prescriber will determine which painkillers are most suitable for your condition during your consultation.
Alternative Remedies for Arthritis
If you prefer not to go down the prescribed medication route, you could try some of the many alternative remedies available such as acupuncture, natural medicines, physiotherapy, regular physical activity such as walking and cycling, topical treatments such as anti-inflammatory creams and gels, and electrostimulation such as TENS.Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has accused the European Union of favouring terrorists after Brussels protested the terrorism trial of an asylum seeker in Hungary.
“Brussels is openly on the side of terrorists,” said the prime minister Monday in Budapest in Hungary’s parliament. Mr. Orbán heavily criticised the political bloc who passed a resolution protesting the imprisonment of an asylum seeker named Ahmed H. who was found guilty of terror charges, Die Presse reports.
Ahmed H. was put on trial for being part of an attack on the Hungarian border in 2015 at the height of the migrant crisis. The court found him guilty of being a “ringleader” and sentenced the Syrian asylum seeker to 10 years in prison.
Orbán also railed against the EU for threatening sanctions on the country for not taking redistributed migrants from countries like Greece and Italy.
According to Orbán, Hungarians would not be “blackmailed” by Brussels and said: “We want a Hungarian Hungary and a European Europe.”
“The European Union is not Brussels,” he added, and would not submit to the idea that “our future is determined in Moscow, Brussels or Washington”.
“As long as I am the Prime Minister of Hungary and stand here, so will the border fence on the southern border,” he said.
Hungarian-born left wing open borders financier George Soros also came under attack from the premier who has vowed to fight against Soros’s network of progressive non-governmental organisations.
In a speech in April, Orbán said Soros had “ruined the lives of millions of Europeans”.
“George Soros is spending endless amounts of money to support illegal immigration,” he said.
“I believe that George Soros must not be underestimated: he is a powerful billionaire of enormous determination who, when it comes to his interests, respects neither God nor man.”
The Hungarian government has made it clear they want NGOs like those supported by Soros to be transparent and reveal where their money comes from and what they are using it for.
Orbán has also accused Soros of funding groups pushing for mass migration into Hungary saying: “These [open borders theories] are conceived in the Soros workshop, and these have also infiltrated a number of international institutions.
“We must fight these battles. We must argue against them. We must make their operations transparent, and we must make clear that often it’s not about the principles of human rights, but about greed and the migrant business.”Image caption Google has been trying to deal with China's censors since 2010
Google has began to offer search users in China suggestions about which words run foul of the country's strict censors.
Until now, users who searched for banned or sensitive words received a "webpage not available" message and their connection was temporarily cut.
Google will now advise users if they are entering a sensitive word, and let them try and find an alternative.
Google's business in China has been held back |
The constitutional safeguard extends beyond protection of the press; the "First Amendment protects the public's right of access to information about their officials' public activities."
Based on these principles, numerous jurisdictions have held that the First Amendment affords individuals the right to photograph and film police officers in public places. In Glik v. Cunniffe, for example, the First Circuit Court of Appeals held that "filming of government officials engaged in their duties in a public place, including police officers performing their responsibilities," is protected by the First Amendment. The First Circuit explained that "[g]athering information about government officials in a form that can readily be disseminated to others serves a cardinal First Amendment interest in protecting and promoting 'the free discussion of governmental affairs.' " Promotion of the free discussion of government operations is particularly desirable in the context of law enforcement officials because it may "aid[ ] in the uncovering of abuses" and "have a salutary effect on the functioning of government more generally."
Several other federal courts have likewise concluded that, in light of these considerations, individuals have a constitutionally-protected First Amendment right to photograph and film police officers in public. See Turner v. Lieutenant Driver (5th Cir. 2017) ("We agree with every circuit that has ruled on this question: Each has concluded that the First Amendment protects the right to record the police."); Smith v. City of Cumming (11th Cir. 2000) (recognizing a "First Amendment right... to photograph or videotape police conduct" because the amendment "protects the right to gather information about what public officials do on public property, and specifically, a right to record matters of public interest"); Fordyce v. City of Seattle (9th Cir. 1995) (recognizing a "First amendment right to film matters of public interest" and "to gather news" in the context of police officer's alleged assault and battery against individual filming the police officers assigned to work a demonstration); ACLU of Illinois v. Alvarez (7th Cir. 2012) (recognizing that the First Amendment protects "[a]udio and audiovisual recording" and "gathering news and information, particularly... about the affairs of government" in the context of civil liberties organization's plan to make audiovisual recordings of police officers and disseminate the recordings to the general public).
Recently, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals considered the right of bystanders to record police officers performing their official duties. Fields v. City of Philadelphia (3d Cir. 2017). The Fields court noted that "to record what there is a right for the eye to see and the ear to hear... lays aside subjective impressions for objective facts." Thus, "to record is to see and hear more accurately." In addition to the valuable benefit of recordings to facilitate discussion and be broadly distributed, the Third Circuit observed that
the proliferation of bystander videos has spurred action at all levels of government to address police misconduct and to protect civil rights. These videos have helped police departments identify and discipline problem officers. They have also assisted civil rights investigations and aided in the Department of Justice's work with local police departments. And just the act of recording, regardless what is recorded, may improve policing.... And of particular personal concern to police is that bystander recordings can exonerate an officer charged with wrongdoing.
The Fields court underscored that in order for the First Amendment's protection to have meaning, "the Amendment must also protect the act of creating that material."...
We agree with the reasoning of the First Circuit and of other federal courts of appeal that have considered this issue. The rights to free speech and press serve not only to protect the individual's right to self-expression, but also to promote the vital goal of "affording the public access to discussion, debate, and the dissemination of information and ideas." Exercising the constitutionally-protected rights to free speech and press plays a crucial role in "informing and educating the public, offering criticism, and providing a forum for discussion and debate."
This aspect of the First Amendment is all the more critical when the ideas and information sought to be disseminated pertain to government officials and law enforcement personnel, "who are granted substantial discretion that may be misused to deprive individuals of their liberties." Public access to such information serves to guarantee "public oversight of law enforcement" and "minimizes the possibility of abuse by ensuring that police departments and officers are held accountable for their actions."...
We also agree [with the cases cited above] that this right is subject to reasonable restrictions as to the time, place, and manner of the photography or recording. Such restrictions may be necessary to ensure that law enforcement officials are capable of carrying out their duties and maintaining the safety of both the general public and of the individual conducting the photography or videography. We are persuaded that the threshold requirement for the issuance of time, place, and manner restrictions as set forth by the First Circuit in Gericke strikes the appropriate balance between ensuring public safety, preserving law enforcement's efficacy, and protecting constitutional free speech and press rights. [Text moved:] [Gericke] specified that a time, place, or manner regulation could be issued by law enforcement to an individual filming police performing their duties in public "only if the officer can reasonably conclude that the filming itself is interfering, or is about to interfere, with [the officer's] duties."Metro Nashville Police Police were seeking Earnest Woodley, also known as Earnest Moore, 39, a convicted murderer with a long criminal record.
A woman and her three teenage daughters who were wounded when the woman's barefoot boyfriend shot them Friday in Nashville, Tenn., were listed as stable at a Nashville hospital Friday night, police said.
Police were seeking Earnest Woodley, 39, also known as Earnest Moore, a convicted murderer with a long criminal record. Police said Woodley, who was charged late Friday with four counts each of attempted homicide and aggravated assault, fled wearing a gray T-shirt, blue shorts and no shoes.
Nicole Luke, 34, her twin 14-year-old daughters, Deona and Keona Luke, and their 15-year-old sister, Kierra Smith, were all shot Friday afternoon at an apartment complex in the Madison neighborhood of northeast Nashville.
Luke, Woodley and the three girls were in two vehicles driving to Memphis, where they were all moving, when they stopped at the complex to visit a cousin of Woodley's, police said. All but Kierra went inside.
Woodley's cousin told police that Luke and Woodley began arguing before Woodley shot Luke, Deona and Keona. He then went outside and shot Kierra, police said.
Three other children who were at the scene weren't injured: Woodley's and Luke's 3-year-old daughter and the cousin's two sons, ages 7 and 13, police said.
A witness, Courtney Hiles, told NBC station WSMV in an on-air interview that she first heard two gunshots and then four more.
"We went outside and saw the man running past our house, so we went over here to see what had happened and we saw the car," Hiles said. "There was a lady in the front seat, and she had been shot, and all of the windows in the car had been shot out."
Woodley remained at large Friday night and should be considered armed and extremely dangerous, police said.
Woodley, sometimes using the name Moore, has a long criminal record, state corrections records show. He was convicted of second-degree murder in 1991 and finished parole in 2010. His other convictions include aggravated assault and cocaine possession.
Watch US News crime videos on NBCNews.com
This story was originally published onSituated between the superpowers of India and China, the isolated Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan, hailed by some as ‘the last Shangri-La’, has generated one of the highest numbers of refugees in the world in proportion to its population.
From 1991 over one sixth of Bhutan's people sought asylum in Nepal, India and other countries around the world.
The vast majority of the refugees are Lhotshampas, one of Bhutan’s three main ethnic groups, who were forced to leave Bhutan in the early 1990s.
Over 105,000 Bhutanese have spent 15 - 20 years living in UNHCR-run refugee camps in Nepal. Since 2008 a resettlement process has seen the majority of those living in the camps re-settled in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Europe.
Bhutanese refugees now live all over the world. Yet their story is largely unknown.
This website tells the story of the Bhutanese refugees.
It explains why these people became refugees and where they have resettled.
On this site you can explore how they became exiled, their lives in refugee camps, resettling in new countries and the ongoing situation for Lhotshampas in Bhutan.UPDATE: Mindy herself has confirmed that THE MINDY PROJECT has been picked up by Hulu for Season 4! Let’s all rejoice and praise the power of Beyonce Pad Thai!
Who else is feeling really unfulfilled by that Mindy Project finale? Join the club. It’s made up of … all of us who watch the show.
Seriously, though, while the Season 3 ender was still pretty damn great, what with Danny rockin’ a sweet beard and Dr. Ellie Satler Laura Dern playing a Russian gyno, there were so many things left unresolved. And with Season 4 still not confirmed, there is a legit possibility that we’ll never get the closure we need.
Of course, Mindy Kaling is hopeful that we’ll get a Season 4 (see the tweet above), and that’s why she wrote that cliffhanger ending. But at this point, we can’t be sure, especially since the finale ratings were not great, Bob! So that’s why I’m gonna make the case for why Season 4 is an absolute necessity with the help of the five moments we need from The Mindy Project before it (possibly) leaves us forever in a fever dream of coloured coats, rom-com references and red reading glasses.
5) Danny meeting Mindy’s parents, and thus, us meeting them
Big cliffhanger of the S3 finale ought to be resolved at the start of S4, right? And how much comedy could be found in Danny introducing himself to Mindy’s shocked parents while also trying to force wine and fancy novels on them as peace offerings? SO. MUCH.
Also, we need to know who brought the light of our lives, Mindy Lahiri, into the world. Bets are Mindy Kaling is still trying to figure out who can play that dynamic duo, and will spend the summer working on nailing those peeps down once she gets the renewal news. (Stay hopeful, guys! Mindy would!)
4) Mindy’s parents meeting Danny’s mom (and Dot)
Again, we don’t know who is playing Mindy’s parents yet, but we don’t need to know who they are to know that them meeting Danny’s Italian mom and her life partner Dot will be hilarious. Anything with Annette/Dot is outrageously perfect (see: their finale vests).
3) That Baby in That Onesie
Note that I didn’t include a wedding on this list because that was a sore point for Danny/Mindy in the finale, and I don’t want to judge couples who want to keep it common law for various reasons. But the baby is obviously coming our way and we need to meet that guy IRL and see Danny react to him actually wearing that onsenie with “Feminist” on it, not to mention all the fitted and fabulous little man jackets Mindy has hidden.
2) That Baby getting christened by Stephen Colbert
You don’t have Father Michael (Danny’s priest played by Mr. Colbert) say he wants to see that baby christened and not follow through, right? We need to see what offensive nonsense he will say to the sure-to-be-adorable fruit of Mindy and Danny’s loins at that ceremony.
1) Mindy makin’ it as a hot, career-rocking mom.
Although, sure, Mindy will relish in the post-baby pop time-off, we also know she’s a go-getter and will be back at that desk in no time. (Hey, if she was crazy about helping other people have babies before having her own, she’ll have baby birthing fever after!)
Please, FOX, let us see a leading lady on a comedy successfully juggle motherhood with being a confident career woman and sexually saucy partner. We deserve to see a woman who can actually do it all on TV because–guess what?!–that’s a reality for a lot of modern ladies! And moreover, both Mindy the show and Mindy the character deserve this rom-com happy ending, executed (naturally) in impeccable style.We’re looking forward to the World Showcase booths at the 2013 Epcot International Food and Wine Festival!
Click on BOOTH LINKS BELOW to see FOOD PHOTOS and MORE!
2013 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Booths and Menus
Africa, Introduced: 1997 as South Africa
Berbere Style Beef with Onions, Jalapeños, Tomato, Okra and Pap – $4.25, DDP Snack Eligible
Spinach and Paneer Cheese Pocket – $3.50, Vegetarian, DDP Snack Eligible
MAN Vintners Chenin Blanc – $2.50
The Wolftrap Red (Syrah, Mourvèdre, Viognier) – $2.50
Porcupine Ridge Syrah – $2.50
American Adventure Coffee Cart<– New for 2013!
Shakin’ Jamaican Coffee – Made with Kāhlua, Vanilla and Caramel. Served Hot or Frozen — $8.49 ($9.05 with tax)
Argentina, Introduced: 1996
Beef Empanada – $4.25 DDP Snack Eligible
Grilled Beef Skewer with Chimichurri Sauce and Boniato Purée – $5.25, DDP Snack Eligible
Pascual Toso Sparkling Brut – $2.50
Terrazas Reserva Malbec – $3.75
Terrazas Reserva Torrontes – $3.75
Kaiken Cabernet Sauvignon – $3.00
Australia, Introduced: 1997
Garlic Shrimp with Roasted Tomatoes, Lemon Myrtle and Rapini – $4.50, DDP Snack Eligible
Grilled Lamb Chop with Mint Pesto and Potato Crunchies – $6.00, DDP Snack Eligible
Pavlova (Crispy Meringue Shell with Fresh Driscoll’s® Berries and Vanilla Custard) – $3.25, Vegetarian, DDP Snack Eligible
Rosemount Estate Pinot Grigio – $2.50
Wolf Blass Gold Label Chardonnay – $4.25
Rosemount Estate Merlot – $2.50
Penfolds Bin 8 Cabernet Shiraz – $4.50
Belgium, Introduced: 2010
Potato and Leek Waffle with Braised Beef – $4.00, DDP Snack Eligible
Belgian Waffle with Warm Chocolate Ganache and Whipped Cream – $3.25, DDP Snack Eligible
Belgian Waffle with Berry Compote featuring Driscoll’s® Berries and Whipped Cream – $3.25, DDP Snack Eligible
Hoegaarden – $3.50-$6.75-$12.25
Stella Artois – $3.50-$6.75-$12.25
Leffe Blonde – $3.50-$6.75-$12.25
Leffe Brune – $3.50-$6.75-$12.25
Beer Flight: Hoegaarden, Stella Artois, Leffe Blonde, Leffe Brune – $13.00
Chilled Coffee featuring Godiva Chocolate Liqueur – $7.50
Minute Maid Light Lemonade – $2.75, DDP Snack Eligible
Seagram’s Orange Sparking Water – $2.75, DDP Snack Eligible
Dasani Bottled Water – $2.50, DDP Snack Eligible
Brazil, Introduced: 1996 <– Returning after year-long hiatus!
Seared Scallop with Ragout of Tomatoes, Peppers, Hearts of Palm and Steamed Rice – $4.25, DDP Snack Eligible
Crispy Pork Belly with Black Beans, Onions, Avocado and Cilantro – $5.25, DDP Snack Eligible
Cerveharias Kaiser Brewery Xingu Black Beer – $6.25
Carnaval Moscato White – $3.00
Frozen Caipirinha featuring LeBlon Cachaça – $8.25
Brewer’s Collection, Introduced: 2003
Schöfferhofer Grapefruit – $3.50 – $6.75 – $12.25*
Altenmünster Oktoberfest – $3.50 – $6.75 – $12.25*
Warsteiner Premium Verum – $3.50 – $6.75 – $12.25*
Warsteiner Premium Dunkel – $3.50 – $6.75 – $12.25*
Radeberger Pilsner – $3.50 – $6.75 – $12.25*
BraufactuM Palor – $3.50 – $6.75 – $12.25*
BraufactuM Roog Smoked Wheat Beer – $3.50 – $6.75 – $12.25*
BraufactuM Darkon – $3.50 – $6.75 – $12.25*
Beer Flight 1: Schöfferhofer Grapefruit, Altenmünster Oktoberfest, Warsteiner Premium Verum, Warsteiner Premium Dunkel – $13.00
Beer Flight 2: Radeberger Pilsner, BraufactuM Palor, BraufactuM Roog Smoked Wheat Beer, BraufactuM Darkon – $13.00
Canada, Introduced: 1996
Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup – $4.25, DDP Snack Eligible
Seared Rainbow Trout with Bacon, Frisee and Maple Minus 8 Vinaigrette – $4.50, DDP Snack Eligible
“Le Cellier” Wild Mushroom Beef Filet Mignon with Truffle Butter Sauce – $7.00, DDP Snack Eligible
Moosehead Lager – $3.50 – $6.75 – $12.25
La Face Neige Apple Ice Wine – $5.75
La Face Neige Sparkling – $6.00
Mission Hill Family Estate Syrah – $5.25
Cheese, Introduced: 2010
Almond Crusted Blue Cheese Soufflé with Fig Jam – $3.25, Vegetarian, DDP Snack Eligible
Artisan Cheese Selection: Flagship Reserve Cheddar, La Bonne Vie Triple Crème Brie, Wijngaard Goats Gouda – $4.75, Vegetarian, DDP Snack Eligible
Once Upon a Vine’s The Lost Slipper Sauvignon Blanc – $2.50
Once Upon a Vine’s The Fairest Chardonnay – $2.50
Once Upon a Vine’s The Big Bad Red Blend – $2.50
Once Upon a Vine’s A Charming Pinot – $2.50
China, Introduced: 1996
Mongolian Beef in a Steamed Bun – $5.00, DDP Snack Eligible
Black Pepper Shrimp with Sichuan Noodles – $5.50, DDP Snack Eligible
Chicken Potstickers – $4.00, DDP Snack Eligible
Silky Spun Ice with Toppings (three flavors: Coconut, Strawberry, Chocolate) – $3.95,Vegetarian, DDP Snack Eligible
Tsing Tao Beer – $6.50
Francis Ford Coppola Su Yuen Riesling – $3.50
Francis Ford Coppola Su Yuen Syrah – $3.50
Kung Fu Punch with Vodka – $8.00
Happy Lychee with Vodka – $8.00
Lychee Aerated Water – $3.00, DDP Snack Eligible
Craft Beers, Introduced: 2010
Dogfish Head Brewery, Namaste – $3.50 – $6.75 – $12.25*
Abita Brewing Company, Fall Fest – $3.50 – $6.75 – $12.25*
Leinenkugel’s® Seasonal Shandy, (Summer Shandy/Orange Shandy) – $3.50 – $6.75 – $12.25*
Florida Beer Company, Devil’s Triangle – $3.50 – $6.75 – $12.25*
New Belgium Brewing Company, Fat Tire – $3.50 – $6.75 – $12.25*
Widmer Brothers Brewing®, Alchemy Ale – $3.50 – $6.75 – $12.25*
Red Hook, Audible Ale – $3.50 – $6.75 – $12.25*
Sierra Nevada, Torpedo® Extra IPA – $3.50 – $6.75 – $12.25*
Beer Flight 1: Dogfish Head Brewery Namaste, Abita Brewing Company Fall Fest, Leinenkugel’s® Seasonal Shandy, Florida Beer Company Devil’s Triangle – $13.00
Beer Flight 2: New Belgium Brewing Company Fat Tire, Widmer Brother s Brewing Alchemy Ale, Red Hook Audible Ale, Sierra Nevada Torpedo® – $13.00
* All 22 oz. receive a Souvenir Stein
Desserts & Champagne, Introduced: 2000
Chocolate Orange Cupcake – $1.75, Vegetarian, DDP Snack Eligible
Hazelnut Chocolate Cheesecake – $1.75, Vegetarian, DDP Snack Eligible
Morello Cherry Pistachio Mousse – $1.75, Vegetarian, DDP Snack Eligible
Dessert Trio – $4.00, DDP Snack Eligible
Guylian Belgian Chocolate Seashell Truffles – $1.75, DDP Snack Eligible
Frozen S’mores – $3.00, DDP Snack Eligible
Pyramid™Weiss Cream Beer – $3.50 – $6.75 – $12.25
Möet & Chandon Ice Impérial – $13.25
Möet & Chandon Impérial – $10.50
Möet & Chandon Nectar Impérial Rosé – $11.75
Nicolas Feuillatte Rosé – $12.00
Fife and Drum
Skinnygirl California White Blend
Florida Local, Introduced: 2012
Florida Grass Fed Beef Slider with Monterey Jack and Sweet & Hot Pickles – $3.75, DDP Snack Eligible
Florida Shrimp Ceviche with Fire Roasted Vegetables and Micro Cilantro – $4.25, DDP Snack Eligible
Cigar City Brewing Florida Cracker Belgian-style White Ale – $3.50 – $6.75 – $12.25
Orlando Brewing, Sun Shade Organic Pale Ale – $3.50 – $6.75 – $12.25
Florida Orange Groves, Hurricane Class 5 White Sangria – $3.25
Florida Orange Groves, Key Limen-Key Lime Wine – $2.75
France, Introduced: 1996
Escargots Persillade en Brioche (Garlic and Parsley Snails in Brioche) – $5.25, DDP Snack Eligible
Boeuf Bourguignon (Braised Short Ribs in Cabernet with Mashed Potatoes) – $5.50, DDP Snack Eligible
Crème Brûlée au Chocolat au Lait (Chocolate Milk Crème Brûlée topped with Caramelized Sugar) – $4.00, Vegetarian, DDP Snack Eligible
Beer Kronenbourg Blanc – $7.00
Chardonnay, Macon-Villages, La Côte Blanche – $5.75
Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux, Château Bonnet – $5.95
Sparkling Pomegranate Kir – $7.95
Eiffel Sour Cosmo Slush (Vodka, Grey Goose Cherry Noir, Grand Marnier, Cranberry Juice) – $9.75
Germany, Introduced: 1996
Schinken Nudel (Pasta Gratin with Ham & Cheese) – $3.25, DDP Snack Eligible
Roast Bratwurst in a Pretzel Roll – $5.00, DDP Snack Eligible
Apple Strudel with Werther’s Original Karamel and Vanilla Sauce – $3.50,Vegetarian, DDP Snack Eligible
Altenmünster Oktoberfest – $3.50 – $6.75 – $12.25
BraufactuM Darkon – $3.50 – $6.75 – $12.25
J&H Selbach Bernkasteler Kurfürstlay Riesling Kabinett – $2.75
Selbach-Oster Mosel Riesling Spätlese – $4.75
J&H Selbach Bernkasteler Kurfürstlay Riesling Auslese – $3.50
Weingut Pitthan Dornfelder Dry Barrique Style – $3.00
Greece, Introduced: 1996
Taste of Greece: Grilled & Marinated Calamari, Hitipiti, Eggplant Dip, Olives and Pita Bread – $4.00, DDP Snack Eligible
Griddled Greek Cheese with Pistachios and Honey – $3.50, Vegetarian, DDP Snack Eligible
Chicken Gyro with Tzatziki Sauce – $3.50, DDP Snack Eligible
Spanakopita – $4.00, Vegetarian, DDP Snack Eligible
Dannon Oikos® Light & Fit Blueberry Greek Yogurt – $4.00, Vegetarian, DDP Snack Eligible
Domaine Skouras Moscofilero – $3.50
Domaine Siglas Assyrtiko/Athiri – $3.50
Alpha Estate Axia Syrah – $4.25
Ouzo by Metaxa – $3.50
Hawai’i, Introduced: 2011
Kālua Pork Slider with Sweet and Sour Dole® Pineapple Chutney and Spicy Mayonnaise – $3.50, DDP Snack Eligible
Tuna Poke with Seaweed Salad and Lotus Root Chips – $4.00, DDP Snack Eligible
Kona Brewing Company’s Big Wave Golden Ale – $3.00 – $5.50 – $12.00
Kona Brewing Company’s Pipeline Porter – $3.00 – $5.50 – $12.00
Lucien Albrecht Gewurztraminer Réserve – $4.50
Aulani Sunrise featuring Ocean Vodka – $7.25
Hops & Barley, Introduced: 2005
Griddled Lobster Tail with Garlic Herb Butter – $7.50, DDP Snack Eligible
Lobster Roll with Lemon Herb Mayonnaise – $7.50, DDP Snack Eligible
New England Clam Chowder with a side of Tabasco® – $3.00, DDP Snack Eligible
Craisin® Bread Pudding with Grand Marnier Anglaise – $3.25, Vegetarian, DDP Snack Eligible
Samuel Adams Boston Lager® – $3.00 – $5.50 – $12.00*
Samuel Adams® Octoberfest – $3.00 – $5.50 – $12.00*
Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat® – $3.00 – $5.50 – $12.00*
Rogue Chocolate Stout – $3.00 – $5.50 – $12.00*
Iron Horse Fairy Tale Cuvée – $8.75
Beer Flight: Samuel Adams Boston Lager®, Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat®, Samuel Adams® Octoberfest, Rogue Chocolate Stout – $11.00
* All 22 oz. receive a Souvenir Stein
Ireland, Introduced: 2001
Lobster and Seafood Fisherman’s Pie – $6.25, DDP Snack Eligible
Kerrygold Cheese Selection: Reserve Cheddar, Dubliner with Irish Stout, Skellig – $3.75,Vegetarian, DDP Snack Eligible
Warm Chocolate Pudding with Bailey’s® Custard – $3.50, Vegetarian, DDP Snack Eligible
Guinness Draught – $3.50 – $6.75 – $12.25
Bunratty Meade Honey Wine – $5.25
Chilled Irish Coffee featuring Bunratty Potcheen – $6.50
Italy, Introduced: 1996
Ravioli de formaggio all’emiliana – $5.75, DDP Snack Eligible
Salsiccia e ‘Papacelli” Napoletani – $5.75, DDP Snack Eligible
Cannoli al Cioccolato – $3.75, Vegetarian, DDP Snack Eligible
Moretti Beer – $8.00
Prosecco – $8.00
Pinot Grigio Placido – $6.00
Chianti Placido – $6.00
Italian Margarita – $10.00
Japan, Introduced: 1996
California Roll – $4.25, DDP Snack Eligible
Spicy Hand Roll – $4.95, DDP Snack Eligible
Teriyaki Chicken Hand Roll – $4.50, DDP Snack Eligible
Youki Tofu topped with Miso Sauce, Edamame and Served with Grilled Vegetables – $4.50, Vegetarian, DDP Snack Eligible
Sapporo Draft Beer – $8.00
Sake: Junmai Ginjo – $7.50
Green Tea Colada – $7.00
Mexico, Introduced: 1996
Shrimp Taco with Purple Cabbage – $5.50, DDP Snack Eligible
Taco de Ribeye with Salsa de Chipotle – $5.50, DDP Snack Eligible
Rice Pudding – $3.50, Vegetarian, DDP Snack Eligible
Dos Equis Beer – $8.50
Sangria – $6.75
Tequila Flight – $12.50
Mango-Habanero Margarita – $8.50
Morocco, Introduced: 1996
Kefta Pocket – $5.00, DDP Snack Eligible
Harissa Chicken Roll – $4.95, DDP Snack Eligible
Baklava – $2.95, Vegetarian, DDP Snack Eligible
Casa Beer – $7.00
Ksar White – $4.00
Sangria – $5.00
Mimosa Royale – $7.00
New Zealand, Introduced: 1997
Gratinated Green Lip Mussels with Garlic and Herbs – $3.50, DDP Snack Eligible
Lamb Meatball with Spicy Tomato Chutney – $5.00, DDP Snack Eligible
Venison Sausage with Pickled Mushrooms, Baby Arugula and Black Currant Reduction – $4.25, DDP Snack Eligible
Kim Crawford Pinot Grigio – $4.75
Mohua Sauvignon Blanc – $3.00
Kim Crawford Unoaked Chardonnay – $3.50
Kim Crawford Pinot Noir – $4.75
The Outpost
The Brown Elephant featuring Amarula Cream Liqueur
BGI Brewery, St. George Beer
Poland, Introduced: 1996
Kielbasa and Potato Pierogie with Caramelized Onions and Sour Cream – $5.25, DDP Snack Eligible
Zapiekanki (Toasted Mushroom, Caramelized Onion and Cheese Bread with House-made Ketchup) – $3.00, Vegetarian, DDP Snack Eligible
Okocim Brewery, Okocim O.K. Beer – $3.60 – $6.75 – $12.25
Temptation Zinfandel – $2.50
Frozen Szarlotka (Apple Pie) featuring Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka – $8.25
Refreshment Port, Introduced: 2013 <– New!
Dole® Pineapple Fritters – $1.99, Vegetarian, DDP Snack Elgible
Fried Shrimp with Dole® Pineapple Sweet and Sour Sauce – $7.19, DDP Snack Elgible
Fried Chicken Chunks with Dole® Pineapple Sweet and Sour Sauce – $8.69, DDP Snack Elgible
Orange Dole® Whip – $3.79, DDP Snack Elgible
Orange Dole® Whip with Crème de Cacao White – $5.79
Dragon Berry Colada featuring Bacardi® Dragon Berry Rum – $7.75
Scotland, Introduced: 2013 <– New!
Seared Scottish Salmon with Cauliflower Puree, Watercress and Malt Vinaigrette – $4.50, DDP Snack Eligible
Vegetarian Haggis with Neeps and Tatties-Griddled Vegetable Cake with Rutabaga and Mashed Potatoes – $3.25, Vegetarian, DDP Snack Eligible
Scottish Banoffee Tart with Bananas, Scottish Whisky Toffee, Walkers Shortbread Crumbles and Sweet Cream – $3.25, Vegetarian, DDP Snack Eligible
Innis & Gunn® Original – $3.50 – $6.75 – $12.25
Loch Lomond featuring Glenfiddich® 12 year – $10.50
Glenfiddich® Scotch Flight (12, 15 and 18 year) – $15.00
Singapore, Introduced: 2005
Lemongrass Chicken Curry with Coconut and Jasmine Rice – $4.25, DDP Snack Eligible
Seared Mahi Mahi with Jasmine Rice and “Singa” Sauce – $3.75, DDP Snack Eligible
Tiger Beer – $6.25
Marqués de Caceres Satinela – $2.50
Singapore Sling featuring Hendrick’s Gin and Cherry Herring (garnished with Cherry Man Farm-to-Market All-Natural maraschino cherry) – $8.00
South Korea, Introduced: 2010
Kimchi Dog with Spicy Mustard Sauce – $3.75, DDP Snack Eligible
Lettuce Wrap with Roast Pork and Kimchi Slaw – $3.50, DDP Snack Eligible
Bohae Black Raspberry Wine – Bokbunjajoo – $4.25
Jinro Chamisul Soju – $6.50
Soju Fruit Slushy featuring Jinro Chamisul Soju – $7.50
Terra, Introduced: 2012
Trick’n Chick’n Curry with Basmati Rice featuring Gardein™ Chick’n Breast – $3.75,Vegetarian, DDP Snack Eligible
Chili Colorado with House-made Chips and Cashew Cheese featuring Gardein™ Beefless Tips* – $3.75,Vegetarian, DDP Snack Eligible
Chocolate Cake with Coconut Mousse and Passion Fruit Sauce – $3.00,Vegetarian, DDP Snack Eligible
Fresh Watermelon Juice – $2.50
Napa Smith Organic IPA – $3.50 – $6.75 – $12.25
The Vegan Vine Chardonnay – $3.25
The Vegan Vine Red Blend – $3.50
More About the World Showcase Kiosks
Set up around the World Showcase, 29 individual kiosks will offer regional and national delicacies to sample and taste. Small plates and beverages were priced in 2012 between $3-$7 and most give guests the chance to try specialty recipes from International locations!
Scotland will make its debut in 2013 offering Innis & Gunn® Original Beer, a Loch Lomond Cocktail featuring Glenfiddich® 12 year, and Glenfiddich® Scotch Flight (12, 15 and 18 year). And we’re excited to hear that Africa and Florida Local will both be returning to this year’s festival! After a hiatus in 2012, Brazil is returning with an all-new menu. Hawai’i will once again bring the Seven Tiki Mai Tai and Kalua Pork Slider!
Terra is returning with the Trick’n Chicken Curry and other vegan goodies!
The France booth delights the senses again with an escargot dish, crème brulée for dessert, and Eiffel Sour Slush.
Canada is an extremely popular stop at the festival. This kiosk will serve up the delectable cheddar cheese soup again. It’s not-to-be missed!
Fun cast members make your culinary journey truly memorable!
Morocco will be serving up their fantastic Baklava!
Mexico is a lively stop every year – with great food and drinks. Margaritas!
Menu Pricing
2012 prices for most dishes were in the $3 – $7 range. However, we found options as low as $1.50 and as high as $7.50. That expensive item – Linda Bean’s Perfect Maine Lobster Roll – was available as a Disney Dining Plan snack credit at the Hops & Barley booth. That’s a great value!
Take a look at the example below. There are 3 items available for use with your Disney Dining Plan Snack Credit. Use your credits for the most expensive items, and if you are hankering for that pumpkin mousse at $1.50, then pay OOP (out-of-pocket). However, purchasing one of the more expensive items using a snack credit will get you a great counter-service “meal”!
In |
Barney Frank.
There’s a reason for this. It has very little to do with the facts. It has to do with the human brain.
We think in terms of stories. “Tell me a story,” says the child to her parents. She doesn’t say, “Give me some analysis.” In his book “Black Swan,” Nassim Taleb talks about the way human beings tend to create narratives around facts, whether the facts justify the narratives or not. Psychologist and political consultant Drew Westen’s superb book “The Political Brain” — a must read — argues that if you want to succeed at spin, you must basically spin a tale.
People on the right believe their alternative narrative about the crisis simply because it fits their broader narrative, the story of the Big Bad Government and the Perfect Market.
People on the left are just as bad. They are just as apt to believe all stories about the wonderful, beneficent effects of government spending, about the evils of any private-sector enterprise, and about universal racism, sexism and so forth.
People have a tremendous bias to think in terms of narratives. And in the new world of Infinite Media, where there are no rules, walls or restraints, all parts of the media are subject to an overwhelming incentive to pander to that bias. That is true of Fox News (owned by News Corp., the publisher of MarketWatch) and the liberal MSNBC, of The Wall Street Journal (ditto) and the New York Times.
Americans are programmed to call that “freedom.” I call it chaos. And I don’t trust it one little bit.
Get a daily roundup of the top reads in personal finance delivered to your inbox. Subscribe to MarketWatch's free Personal Finance Daily newsletter. Sign up here.We are happy to announce that KDevelop 4.5.0 is now available. For those who don't know, KDevelop is an IDE for all those developers who want to integrate the tools they need for developing, in a comfortable and simple solution. We have a focus on C++ and CMake, but you can find it useful when using other languages such as PHP and Python.
What's new
KDevelop is getting more mature in every release and this new version is a proof. Firstly, in this new version you will find brand new integration for Unit Tests, so that you can easily run and debug them while working on your projects. Furthermore, you'll find an iteration of our New Class wizard, many changes regarding polishing the UI in different places, better support for C++ 11 features and some other things you'll find along the way.
You can find a bit more information about what we have been working on in the last sprint's wrap-up page:
http://dot.kde.org/2012/12/12/katekdevelop-october-sprint-whats-new-kde…
Get KDevelop now!
If you want to try it, you can either compile it from our tarballs or use your distribution's packages. You can find more information about how to install it in your distro on this wiki page: http://userbase.kde.org/KDevelop/Install4.5
Download the source tarballs from the KDE mirrors: http://download.kde.org/stable/kdevelop/4.5.0/src/
Have fun using it, looking forward to your feedback!
The KDevelop TeamHisatake Murata has become the new Team President of TOYOTA GAZOO Racing (WEC) and President of TOYOTA Motorsport GmbH (TMG) with immediate effect.
Murata has been responsible for TOYOTA’s hybrid powertrain development in motorsport from the very first racing hybrid in 2006, and he has overseen the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) project since the team’s 2012 entry.
He takes over from Toshio Sato, who held the position since April 2015 and has now been reassigned to a key role within the Power Train Company of TOYOTA Motor Corporation.
Murata will bring his extensive motorsport experience to TMG, having previously worked on TOYOTA’s Champ Car and Group C Le Mans projects, whilst recently holding responsibility for the company’s successful Super GT and Super Formula programmes.
As well as retaining responsibility for the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WEC project, Murata will now additionally be responsible for TMG’s other activities, which include R&D projects for TOYOTA Motor Corporation, third party services and customer motorsport.
Working in close cooperation with Murata at TMG will be Rob Leupen, Managing Director and Vice President Business Operations and Pascal Vasselon as Vice President Technical Engineering.
Hisatake Murata: “I am proud to take this new role at TMG. Since the beginning of our hybrid LMP1 project, I have built up a strong relationship with TMG members so I am looking forward to working together even more closely as we push to succeed in all areas. I would like to sincerely thank Sato for his leadership of TMG since 2015 and wish him all the best in his new position.”
Toshio Sato: “I want to thank everyone in the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing team and at TMG for their hard work and dedication during the last three seasons. It has been a pleasure to be part of both organisations and I am proud of the improvement we achieved together after a difficult 2015 season. I am starting a new chapter in my career within the Power Train Company but I will always support TMG and the team. Murata has my full support and I wish him a successful time at TMG.”
Hisatake Murata Career Highlights
1987-1993 Toyota Motor Corporation, Motor Sports Division, Race Engine Engineer Le Mans program
1995-2002 Toyota Motor Corporation, Motor Sports Division, Race Engine Engineer Champ Car program
2003-2005 Toyota Motor Corporation, Production Engine Engineer
2006-2007 Toyota Motor Corporation, Motor Sports Division, Tokachi 24hr program
2006-2014 Toyota Motor Corporation, Racing Hybrid Project General Manager
2008-2014 Toyota Motor Corporation, Motor Sports Division Le Mans program
2014-2017 Toyota Motor Corporation, General Manager, Motorsport Unit Development Division
2017-present Toyota Motorsport GmbH, PresidentWith China descending into total madness, some sharp tourists are fleeing abroad this week, taking with them bundles and bundles of instant noodles.
31% of Chinese tourists will bring the convenient if toxic snack with them when traveling overseas, according to a recent study by Alitrip, Alibaba’s travel booking website, and wacai.com, a personal finance management app. Another 58% will just buy them when they reach their destination.
While 589 million tourists will be traveling around the mainland during Golden Week, another 6 million are also heading abroad, mostly to South Korea, Thailand and Japan.
So, according to our math, that’s nearly 2 million packages of MSG and wheat flour going overseas. However, that estimation is likely far too low, because 50% of those instant noodle carriers, also responded that they usually brought three to five packages with them to satisfy their hunger over a five-day trip.
Instant noodles have always been a popular option for Chinese tourists, leaving them with more time to shop and sightsee at their destination, and with more money in their pockets. Many prefer to slurp packages of Master Kong in their hotel rooms as an escape from the unfamiliar and pricey local cuisine.
In response to this popular practice, in 2013, luxury resorts in the Maldives stopped providing hot water for Chinese travelers. During his visit to the Maldives the next year, Chinese President Xi Jinping brought up this international incident and urged Chinese travelers to “Eat less instant noodles and more local seafood.”
Seems like they didn’t get the message.
In the event of emergency, instant noodle cups can also be used as a weapon.
[Images via Xinhua]
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PrintMichael Schumacher has not decided whether he wants to continue racing in Formula 1 next year.
The German legend has been dropped by Mercedes in favour of Lewis Hamilton, and is left with the choice of retiring or trying to find a drive elsewhere.
His manager Sabine Kehm said: "Michael didn't stay at Mercedes because he wasn't sure he wanted to drive and that didn't change over time."
Asked whether he had now made that decision, Kehm said: "No."
She insisted that Schumacher "would have been able to sign if he had wanted to earlier in the summer".
There are a number of seats potentially available for Schumacher should he wish to continue.
Media playback is not supported on this device Italian GP: Michael Schumacher rejects retirement rumours
Autosport reported on Friday that Kehm had had talks with Sauber at last weekend's Singapore Grand Prix about Schumacher joining the team.
But Kehm denied this, saying her visit was social.
"It's true I was at Sauber," she said. "I have been there quite often. I have known them for years. But that doesn't mean anything more than I'm regularly there."
Team boss Peter Sauber told the German magazine Auto Motor und Sport in Singapore that he would sign Schumacher "immediately" if he became available.
But a Sauber spokesman said the team would not comment on any of the drivers linked to the team.
There are few other options for Schumacher should he wish to continue racing.
There is a potential opening at Ferrari, but it is thought most likely that Felipe Massa will be retained as Fernando Alonso's team-mate next season.
Williams have a vacancy alongside Pastor Maldonado, but that is likely to be filled by their reserve driver Valtteri Bottas if they do not keep their current second driver Bruno Senna.
Media playback is not supported on this device Schumacher on 300th GP weekend
Lotus have not confirmed their line-up, but Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean are both under contract and expected to stay.
Force India are expected to continue with rising stars Paul di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg, although the German has been linked with a possible Ferrari move.
It is unlikely Schumacher would consider a role at lower-grid teams Toro Rosso, Caterham, Marussia or HRT, or that any of them could afford to pay him.YouTube/National Review The Republican Party's House campaign arm released an advertisement praising one Congressman for standing up to Donald Trump.
The National Republican Congressional Committee quietly released a TV advertisement in Illinois this week, touting Republican Rep. Bob Dold as "an independent voice who stood up to Donald Trump months ago."
The ad was first spotted by The National Review. According to the Review, while some House Republicans have released their own ads distancing themselves from Trump, who is the Republican Party's presidential nominee, none of those were created by the NRCC — the committee that works to elect Republicans to the House.
Dold is fighting to hold his seat in a solidly Democratic district. In May, he told a Chicago radio station he would not support Trump in the November election, saying "we're looking for a uniter, not a divider."
Watch the ad below:Japan, Germany, South Korea and the United Kingdom are fielding aggressive efforts to bring the economic and environmental benefits of cutting-edge micro-CHP technologies to mainstream energy markets.
Micro combined heat and power, or micro-CHP, is the small-scale production of electric and thermal energy in a single process. Micro-CHP systems are usually installed close to the point of consumption are most prevalent in the residential and light-commercial sectors.
This is the first of several posts about these national micro-CHP programs. Japan's Ene-Farm program, which Dan Carter, a fuel cell analyst at Fuel Cell Today, recently described as the "the most successful residential micro-CHP fuel cell project to date," seems like the obvious place to start. So let's start.
Toshiba, JX Energy, and Panasonic are the key players in Japan's stationary FC program, which is focused on the smaller end of the micro-CHP system size – 1 kilowatt (kW) micro-CHP units designed for single‐family homes. The Japanese government considers appliance-scale, stationary fuel cells to be one of 21 key technologies for the future. Japan has a small presence in larger fuel cell technologies. Fuji Electric is the only company in Japan making fuel cells larger than 100 kW.
In 2000, the Japanese government and industry launched the Ene-Farm deployment program for residential fuel cell micro-CHP system. In the first four years, the program focused on technology verification. In 2005, the program evolved from the verification phase into a large‐scale demonstration project involving 10 industrial partners who developed sales channels.
The sales were primarily to new homes, but plans to pursue the retrofit market are in reportedly in the works. During the first stage of the large-scale demonstration, nearly 3,000 micro-CHP fuel cell systems were installed. In 2009, the demonstration project evolved yet again into a full-blown commercialization program.
During the past three years, more than 20,000 units have been installed and that is likely the tip of the iceberg for future sale growth. In Japan, 45% of homes heat with natural gas, 45% with LPG and 10% with electricity.
"The spectacular growth in sales to date is expected to continue, and in 2012 it is hoped almost 20,000 units will be sold, rising to a sales target of 50,000 units per year by 2015," according to Carter's analysis in "Fuel Cell Residential Micro-CHP Developments in Japan."
Ene-Farm systems operate during the day and switch off at night, when demand for both hot water and electricity falls dramatically in most homes. One of the limitations of the Ene-Farm systems is that they must be connected to the electricity grid to operate. In other words, if the grid goes down, so do the Ene-Farm systems. If customers pony up the extra funds to pay for a battery, the system can be configured to operate independent of the electric grid.The 42 Christians who were accused of lynching two Muslims in Pakistan have reportedly been told they will be acquitted if they convert to Islam.
The group have been charged with murdering two men after suicide blasts targeted two churches in the heavily Christian area of Youhanabad, Lahore, in March 2015.
They were allegedly told their acquittal was 'guaranteed' if they renounced Christianity - despite one of the accused insisting he would rather be hanged that convert.
The 42 Christians who were accused of lynching two Muslims (pictured, one of the victims) in Pakistan have reportedly been told they will be acquitted if they convert to Islam
Rights activist Joseph Franci is legally assisting the accused during the trial at an anti-terrorism court.
He said Deputy District Public Prosecutor Syed Anees Shah made the acquittal offer, The Express Tribune reported.
'He asks them if they embrace Islam, he can guarantee them their acquittal in this case,' Franci told the Pakistani newspaper.
Franci claimed the Christians were shocked - with one even saying he was ready to be hanged if he was forced to embrace Islam.
Naseeb Anjum Advocate, counsel for some of the accused, claimed the prosecutor Shah had made the same offer six months ago but it was ignored.
The group have been charged with murdering two men after suicide blasts targeted two churches in the heavily Christian area of Youhanabad, Lahore, in March 2015 (pictured, the Christian community protesting the bombings)
The accused were allegedly told their acquittal was 'guaranteed' if they renounced Christianity - despite one of the them insisting he would rather be hanged that convert (pictured, the funeral of one of the bombing victims)
'They [lawyers] believe in independence of the court, but why is the DDPP blackmailing them?' he said.
'The government should get rid of such elements that bring bad name to the state by such acts.'
The newspaper claimed Shah denied the claims when he was first contacted.
It alleged that when he was told there was footage of him offering the acquittal deal, conceded that he may have 'offered them a choice'.
Bombs outside two churches in the Pakistani city of Lahore killed 14 people and wounded nearly 80 during Sunday Mass in March 2015.
Witnesses said quick action by a security guard prevented many more deaths.
Many in Youhanabad's mostly Christian community are said to have believed the two men were involved in planning the bombings.Photo
Last Updated, 3:17 p.m. Bombs in two Pakistani cities killed at least 115 people on Thursday, with the worst carnage inflicted by two explosions a few minutes apart in the southwestern city of Quetta, taking the lives of at least 81 people. As my colleague Declan Walsh reports from Islamabad, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, a Sunni militant group with strong ties to the Pakistani Taliban, claimed responsibility for the attack in a Quetta neighborhood dominated by ethnic Hazara Shiites.
The group maximized the deadliness of the bloody attack by sending a suicide bomber to detonate explosives inside a snooker hall, and then a second attacker blew up a vehicle outside the club a short time later, killing rescue workers and journalists.
Among those killed by the second blast was a rights activist, Irfan Ali, 33, who was helping the injured. Just before his death, Mr. Ali noted on his @khudiali Twitter feed that he had narrowly escaped the first blast. Then he posted another message, registering his dismay that the group behind the attack had also succeeded in driving some Hazara families out of their homes. The families who moved out, he wrote in his final words on Twitter, had “finally succumbed to the genocidal pressure” from the Taliban and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. It was, he noted, a “sad day for diversity in Baluchistan,” the northwestern province that has Quetta as its capital.
#Hazara families of #Machh,Khuzdir finally succumbed to the genocidal pressure&moving out. Sad day for diversity in #Balochistan. — irfan (@khudiali) 10 Jan 13
As my colleague in Islamabad explained in a telephone interview with the PBS Newshour, the Persian-speaking, Shiite Muslim Hazara community “immigrated from Afghanistan about a century ago” and “has suffered a series of attacks at the hands of Sunni death squads over the last couple of years.” More than 100 Hazaras were killed last year, and some of the killers are from militant groups believed to have links to the country’s security services.
As news of Mr. Ali’s death spread, he was mourned by fellow activists, bloggers and journalists online. Dozens of tributes to him were posted on Twitter; his Facebook page filled with words of sympathy and respect for his battles for peace and against sectarianism.
just talked to mother of @khudiali – dear friend, peace activist and a smiling face. He is no more. Martyred in today’s blast in Quetta — Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi (@Ali_Abbas_Zaidi) 10 Jan 13
The journalist and blogger Shiraz Hassan uploaded an image of Mr. Ali wearing a T-shirt that spelled out the word “Coexist” in symbols from different religions, and quoted the dead man’s Twitter biography: “I am born to fight for human rights and peace. My religion is respect and love all the religions.”
“I am born to fight for human rights & peace. My religion is respect and love all the religions.” – @khudiali, RIP //t.co/hCiHKcCC — Shiraz Hassan (@ShirazHassan) 10 Jan 13
His colleagues at the Youth Peer Education Network, a United Nations affiliate, wrote on Facebook:
Today, is a day of great loss for all of us, the entire Y-Peer family, and the whole Pakistani nation. 103 people lost their lives today in different attacks in Quetta and Swat, but out of 69 who died in a sectarian attack on a bustling billiard hall in the southwest city of Quetta, one is Irfan Ali — a great human right activist, peace lover and a district focal point of Y-Peer Pakistan — who lost his life while taking the victims of the first blast to the hospital. And in the second blast, he become prey of those who want to divide the humanity on the basis of sects, religions, and who kill people for the sake of their own interest. But this shameful act will not let them achieve their objectives, as there are hundreds and thousands of young people like Irfan Ali, who are brave enough to take the lead, and work for peace and harmony in their communities. Let us pray for Irfan Ali and his brother-in-law who lost their lives. May their souls rest in peace. Ameen.
Another activist, Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi, the founder of the Pakistan Youth Alliance, pointed to photographs of Mr. Ali at a demonstration against sectarian attacks on Shiites outside the presidential palace in Islamabad in September. In one image, the activist addressed the crowd through a megaphone; in another he took part in a symbolic protest, lying on the road with fake blood splattered on his chest, as others displayed signs with anti-sectarian messages, including: “Let’s get butchered together!”
@khudiali martyred in todays blast. SEE how he joined us infront of parliament to protest #Shiagenocide few mons ago > //t.co/szsc5szA — Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi (@Ali_Abbas_Zaidi) 10 Jan 13
@khudiali laying on the road, TELLING YOU how the end would be if you dont voice against religious intolerance > //t.co/ewi2WnUY — Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi (@Ali_Abbas_Zaidi) 10 Jan 13
Video of Mr. Ali at that protest is posted on his YouTube channel with a note explaining that the protesters demanded “sectarian harmony and peace in the country,” and “also condemned ‘Talibanization.'” The only options, Mr. Ali wrote, are to “save Pakistan from the Taliban, or leave Pakistan to the Taliban.”
An 18-year-old activist, Ghalib Khalil, posted a photograph on Tumblr of Mr. Ali speaking to the rally that day with the caption: “I share this picture proudly today in remembrance of a soldier for peace, who had a microphone not a gun in his hand.”
In a tribute to Mr. Ali on her blog, Beena Sarwar, an activist filmmaker, wrote: “I met Irfan in July in Karachi for the first time at the Social Media Mela, but we had been in touch for some time via email. Such a bright, smiling, courageous, committed young man.” She added: “Irfan was vocal and outspoken on many platforms. His presence will be sorely missed but his legacy of fearless activism remains. The best tribute we can pay him is to continue fighting those very forces who killed him.”
She also uploaded an image of the activist flashing a peace sign at a rally.
MT @beenasarwar: Remember him like this. Pic of Irfan flashing V-sign, holding peace placard. #RIPKhudiAli //t.co/VpFltNnj — Robert Mackey (@RobertMackey) 11 Jan 13
The Washington-based Afghan analyst Ahmad Shujaa, recalled a recent conversation with Mr. Ali over dinner “when he was part of a Pakistani contingent of civil society and human rights activists touring the United States under a State Department program.”
It took me a while to notice, but somewhere during that conversation Khudi had broken down, silently crying. I had imagined him as a hardened activist who had grown used to conversations about loss because he dealt with it so often. But that night he seemed just as hurt and vulnerble as the rest of us, pained by the memories of the friends he’d lost, the distances the attacks had created between the Shia-Hazaras and the non-Shia, non-Hazara residents of Quetta. In some ways, he was more hurt than me because, while I reacted to the bloodbath from the safety of Washington, he was in the middle of it, occasionally picking up the dead bodies and, as every so often happened, pieces of bodies…. Activism in Pakistan, as in many developing countries, tends to be an elite preoccupation. People who worry about their next meal rarely lead campaigns, rarely go on hunger strike and almost never coin revolutionary Twitter hashtags. People who have a family to feed and clothe are usually too busy to go to attack sites and rescue victims, to hospitals and give blood, to protest rallies and chant slogans. So, in a way, Khudi was an elite. But he was in the thick of it everyday. He wasn’t a dual citizen, didn’t have a safe perch, didn’t content himself with online petitions or after-work sit-ins.
Here, in chronological order, are just some of the many messages of mourning and condolence posted on Twitter on Thursday night.
Lost my best friend, Irfan Ali Khudi (@khudiali), in today’s #Quetta blast. I swear I’ll take revenge for you, dear bro. #RIPKhudiAli — Saleem Javed (@mSaleemJaved) 10 Jan 13
A friend just confirmed that Irfan Khudi Ali @khudiali a young activist against shia genocide lost his life in twin Quetta blasts :( — Nighat Dad (@nighatdad) 10 Jan 13
RIP @khudiali, You will be missed. A young activist lost his life today in bomb blast :-( #Quetta #ShiaGenocide — Shiraz Hassan (@ShirazHassan) 10 Jan 13
Oh my God. You, Irfan @khudiali had to leave? RIP @khudiali … You have left us eternally sad. — Darvesh (@Darveshh) 10 Jan 13
We lost a gem of a person :( “@nighatdad: Irfan Khudi Ali @khudiali who was born to fight for human rights and peace. You will be missed :(“ — Naseem Khan Achakzai (@nkachakzai) 10 Jan 13
Many on Twitter are saying that @khudiali was killed in today’s Quetta blasts. Rest in peace. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajaoon. — Arif Rafiq (@ArifCRafiq) 10 Jan 13
My God!! “@Faiz_Baluch: Sad News :( RT @qambarbugti our dear brother @khudiali (Irfan) left us today forever in #Quetta Blast.” — BalochFaryad (@BalochFaryad) 10 Jan 13
Rest in peace my friend @khudiali -> Sorry that we could not save a bright mind, a brave soul like you. We are killing ourselves. #Pakistan — Raza Rumi (@Razarumi) 10 Jan 13
I used to tell @khudiali about the security threats and always cautioned him.But he was brave and often told me that struggle was important. — Raza Rumi (@Razarumi) 10 Jan 13
I lost a respected acquaintance in Lahore Moon Market blast a couple of yrs ago. Today,I am mourning a young friend @khudiali. Prayers.Tears — Raza Rumi (@Razarumi) 10 Jan 13
We are shocked that @khudiali our Advisor on #TakeBackTheTech Project & #Balochistan lost his life today in a terrorist attack in #Quetta — Bytes for All, PK (@bytesforall) 10 Jan 13
We were together in this Protest against #Shiagenocide in #Islamabad.u will be missed @khudiali //t.co/dhCHDVnC — Naseem Khan Achakzai (@nkachakzai) 10 Jan 13
A humble request #Pakistan: Please RT @khudiali’s tweets to make sure his voice is not silenced by those who killed him today. Let it echo! — Fifi Haroon (@fifiharoon) 10 Jan 13
Like @khudiali – wont pick up guns. Our microphones, banners and voice is all we have against these terrorists. Not your war? It is ours. — Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi (@Ali_Abbas_Zaidi) 10 Jan 13
@beenasarwar @aliarqam The panel he spoke on was the most powerful session. It’s just too horrid. What an amazing young man we’ve lost. — Sabeen Mahmud (@sabeen) 10 Jan 13
I am gutted to learn abt @khudiali’s killing; sending condolences to @beenasarwar @Razarumi & everyone else who knew him/was touched by him. — Zahir Janmohamed (@ZahirJ) 10 Jan 13
Irfan (@Khudiali) was in Quetta to deliver a peace training to young activists. #RIPKhudiAli — Marvi Sirmed (@marvisirmed) 10 Jan 13
@khudiali Speaking in a workshop in #Quetta.Theme of the workshop was Giving voice to voiceless. Will som1 speak 4 him //t.co/g6V8QFbi — Roohullah Gulzari (@roohgulzari) 10 Jan 13
While we were Tweeting ranting about politics, he was on ground helping the injured in Quetta and paid for it by his own life #RIPKhudiAli — Wahaz (@wahaz) 10 Jan 13
This girl Zamarrud is fine health-wise today because of @khudiali ‘s work. She was injured on EidGah blast //t.co/KnuwVaQh — Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi (@Ali_Abbas_Zaidi) 10 Jan 13
After the first blast in the afternoon @khudiali tweeted that he escaped it, but he didn’t knew he would not be alive after the second one. — Tahir Imran Mian (@TahirImran) 10 Jan 13San Diego's city council unanimously voted Tuesday to adopt a plan to power the city entirely with renewable energy by 2035, joining cities like San Francisco, Paris and Vancouver, Canada, in setting ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions over the next several decades.
Spearheaded by Republican Mayor Kevin Faulconer, who took office last year, San Diego's Climate Action Plan puts the city on track to halve its greenhouse gas emissions by 2035. The city is the largest in the U.S. to adopt a 100 percent renewable energy plan. The blueprint also goes beyond California's statewide goal of 50 percent clean energy in the next 15 years.
"Today San Diego took a landmark step toward securing a greener and more prosperous future," Faulconer said in a statement. "We've done something remarkable, bringing business and environmental interests together in a bipartisan manner to support a cleaner community and a stronger economy. We've struck the right balance with this plan, and San Diegans can look forward to more clean technology, renewable energy and economic growth."
Vivien Killilea/WireImage/Getty Images San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer first proposed the climate plan last year.
The climate plan outlines specific steps the city and its residents will take over the next two decades to slash emissions. Those actions include installing electric car charging stations, imploring residents to use public transit, bolstering the city's recycling and composting efforts, enforcing requirements that city buildings be energy-efficient and shifting the city to solar, wind and water power sources.
"It’s important and I know we can achieve those goals," Faulconer told KPBS in March. "I know it won’t be easy, but at the same time when we look at the world class leadership we’re doing already on solar, energy just as one example here in San Diego, we can build upon that."
The plan has earned praise from environmental advocates, including the Sierra Club.
"100% clean energy is the new standard for climate leadership, and we’re thrilled to see San Diego stepping up in a major way," Sierra Club executive director Michael Brune said in a statement. "Local leaders know that going all-in on clean energy will create jobs, boost their economies, and protect clean air, water and our climate."
San Diego's vote comes on the heels of the United Nations' climate talks in Paris, where global leaders agreed to set a cap on global warming levels. That agreement has earned mixed reviews from environmental groups, some of which criticized the deal for not going far enough.
"This agreement won't save the planet, not even close," Bill McKibben, co-founder of the climate advocacy group 350.org, told The Huffington Post last week. "But it's possible that it saves the chance of saving the planet -- if movements push even harder from here on out."
Also on HuffPost:-- Defensive Records -- First Downs Fumbles INTs Kick Returns Net Yards Passing Punt Returns Rushing Sacks Scoring Turnovers
-- Individual Records -- Combined Field Goals Fumbles INTs Kick Returns Misc Passing PATs Punting Punt Returns Receiving Rushing Sacks Safeties Scoring Service Touchdowns Yards
-- Team Records -- Championships Field Goals First Downs Fumbles Games Lost Games Tied Games Won Kick Returns Net Yards Passing PATs Penalties Punting Punt Returns Rushing Safeties Scoring Touchdowns Turnovers
Team Records: Rushing Records updated through the 2007 season
Most Seasons Leading League
16 Chi. Bears, 1932, 1934-35, 1939-1942, 1951, 1955-56, 1968, 1977, 1983-86
7 Buffalo, 1962, 1964, 1973, 1975, 1982, 1991-92
6 Cleveland, 1958-59, 1963, 1965-67
San Francisco, 1952-54, 1987, 1998-99
Most Consecutive Seasons Leading League
4 Chi. Bears, 1939-1942
Chi. Bears, 1983-86
3 Detroit, 1936-38
San Francisco, 1952-54
Cleveland, 1965-67
Atlanta, 2004-06
2 By many teams
ATTEMPTS
Most Rushing Attempts, Season
681 Oakland, 1977
674 Chicago, 1984
671 New England, 1978
Fewest Rushing Attempts, Season
211 Philadelphia, 1982
219 San Francisco, 1982
225 Houston, 1982
Most Rushing Attempts, Game
72 Chi. Bears vs. Brooklyn, Oct. 20, 1935
70 Chi. Cardinals vs. Green Bay, Dec. 5, 1948
69 Chi. Cardinals vs. Green Bay, Dec. 6, 1936
Kansas City vs. Cincinnati, Sept. 3, 1978
Fewest Rushing Attempts, Game
6 Chi. Cardinals vs. Boston, Oct. 29, 1933
New England vs. Pittsburgh, Oct. 31, 2004
Arizona vs. Minnesota, Nov. 26, 2006
7 Oakland vs. Buffalo, Oct. 5, 1963
Houston vs. N.Y. Giants, Dec. 8, 1985
Seattle vs. L.A. Raiders, Nov. 17, 1991
Green Bay vs. Miami, Sept. 11, 1994
Detroit vs. Minnesota, Dec. 2, 2007
8 Denver vs. Oakland, Dec. 17, 1960
Buffalo vs. St. Louis, Sept. 9, 1984
Detroit vs. San Francisco, Oct. 20, 1991
Atlanta vs. Detroit, Sept. 5, 1993
St. Louis vs. San Francisco, Nov. 2, 2003
N.Y. Jets vs. Denver, Nov. 20, 2005
St. Louis vs. Carolina, Nov. 19, 2006
Detroit vs. Arizona, Nov. 11, 2007
Most Rushing Attempts, Both Teams, Game
108 Chi. Cardinals (70) vs. Green Bay (38), Dec. 5, 1948
105 Oakland (62) vs. Atlanta (43), Nov. 30, 1975 (OT)
104 Chi. Bears (64) vs. Pittsburgh (40), Oct. 18, 1936
Fewest Rushing Attempts, Both Teams, Game
16 Chi. Cardinals (6) vs. Boston (10), Oct. 22, 1933
30 Minnesota (15) vs. New England (15), Oct. 30, 2006
34 Atlanta (12) vs. Houston (22), Dec. 5, 1993
Atlanta (15) vs. San Francisco (19), Dec. 24, 1995
Philadelphia (14) vs. San Diego (20), Oct. 23, 2005
YARDS GAINED
Most Yards Gained Rushing, Season
3,165 New England, 1978
3,088 Buffalo, 1973
2,986 Kansas City, 1978
Fewest Yards Gained Rushing, Season
298 Philadelphia, 1940
467 Detroit, 1946
471 Boston, 1944
Most Yards Gained Rushing, Game
426 Detroit vs. Pittsburgh, Nov. 4, 1934
423 N.Y. Giants vs. Baltimore, Nov. 19, 1950
420 Boston vs. N.Y. Giants, Oct. 8, 1933
Fewest Yards Gained Rushing, Game
-53 Detroit vs. Chi. Cardinals, Oct. 17, 1943
-36 Philadelphia vs. Chi. Bears, Nov. 19, 1939
-33 Brooklyn vs. Phil-Pitt, Oct. 2, 1943
Most Yards Gained Rushing, Both Teams, Game
595 Los Angeles (371) vs. N.Y. Yanks (224), Nov. 18, 1951
574 Chi. Bears (396) vs. Pittsburgh (178), Oct. 10, 1934
558 Boston (420) vs. N.Y. Giants (138), Oct. 8, 1933
Fewest Yards Gained Rushing, Both Teams, Game
-15 Detroit (-53) vs. Chi. Cardinals (38), Oct. 17, 1943
4 Detroit (-10) vs. Chi. Cardinals (14), |
between President Kruger and Milner at Bloemfontein in May 1899 failed to resolve the Uitlander problem – Kruger's concessions were considered inadequate by Milner, and the Boers left the conference convinced that the British were determined to settle the future of South Africa by force. By now, British public opinion was supportive of a war in support of the Uitlanders, allowing Chamberlain to ask successfully for further troop reinforcements. By the beginning of October 1899, nearly 20,000 British troops were based in the Cape and Natal, with thousands more en route. On 12 October, following a Transvaal ultimatum (9 October) demanding that British troops be withdrawn from her frontiers, and that any forces destined for South Africa be turned back, the Transvaal and the Orange Free State declared war.
Boer War: early defeat and false dawn [ edit ]
Chamberlain was in charge of the war from his base in the Colonial Office. The Prime Minister rubber-stamped his decisions.[49] Boer regular army units outnumbered the British 3:1 on the front lines and quickly besieged the towns of Ladysmith, Mafeking and Kimberley. Some ten thousand Cape Afrikaners joined the Boers. In mid-December 1899, during 'Black Week', the British Army suffered reverses at Stormberg, Magersfontein and Colenso. Chamberlain was critical privately of the British Army's military performance and was often vexed by the attitude of the War Office. When the Boers bombarded Ladysmith with Creusot ninety-four pounder siege guns, Chamberlain asked for the dispatch of comparable artillery to the war, but was exasperated by the Secretary of State for War, Lord Lansdowne's argument that such weapons required platforms that needed a year of preparation, even though the Boers operated their "Long Tom" without elaborate mountings. Chamberlain made a number of speeches to reassure the public, and worked to strengthen bonds between Britain and the self-governing colonies, gratefully receiving over 30,000 troops from Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The slogan One Flag, One Queen, One Tongue expressed their loyalty to the Empire, although they each had some Opposition to the Second Boer War.[50] In particular, the contributions of mounted men from these settler colonies helped fill the British Army's shortfall of mounted infantry, vital in fighting the mobile Boers (who were an entirely mounted force of skilled marksmen).
Chamberlain managed the Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act through the House of Commons, hoping that the newly established federation would adopt a positive attitude towards imperial trade and fighting the war. Wishing to reconcile the British and Afrikaner populations of the Cape, Chamberlain was resistant to Milner's desire to suspend the constitution of the colony, an act that would have given Milner autocratic powers. Chamberlain, as the government's foremost defender of the war, was denounced by many prominent anti-war personalities, including David Lloyd George, a former admirer of the Colonial Secretary.
When in January 1900 the government faced a vote of censure in the House of Commons concerning the management of the war, Chamberlain conducted the defence. On 5 February, Chamberlain spoke effectively in the Commons for over an hour while referring to very few notes. He defended the war, espoused the virtues of a South African federation and promoted the empire; speaking with a confidence which earned him a sympathetic hearing. The vote of censure was subsequently defeated by 213 votes. British fortunes changed after January 1900 with the appointment of Lord Roberts to command British forces in South Africa. Bloemfontein was occupied on 13 March, Johannesburg on 31 May and Pretoria on 5 June. When Roberts formally annexed the Transvaal on 3 September, the Salisbury ministry, emboldened by the apparent victory in South Africa, asked for the dissolution of Parliament, with an election set for October.[51]
Zenith [ edit ]
The Khaki Election [ edit ]
With Salisbury ill, Chamberlain dominated the Unionist election campaign in 1900. Salisbury did not speak at all, and Balfour made few public appearances, causing some to refer to the event as 'Joe's Election'. Fostering a cult of personality, Chamberlain began to refer to himself in the third person as 'the Colonial Secretary', and he ensured that the Boer War featured as the campaign's single issue, arguing that a Liberal victory would result in defeat in South Africa.
Controversy ensued over the use of the phrase "Every seat lost to the government is a seat sold to the Boers" as the Unionists waged a personalised campaign against Liberal critics of the war – some posters even portrayed Liberal MPs praising President Kruger and helping him to haul down the Union Jack. Chamberlain was in the forefront of such tactics, declaring in a speech that "we have come practically to the end of the war... there is nothing going on now but a guerrilla business, which is encouraged by these men; I was going to say those traitors, but I will say instead these misguided individuals." Some Liberals also resorted to sharp campaigning practices, with Lloyd George in particular accusing the Chamberlain family of profiteering. References were made to Kynochs, a cordite manufacturing firm run by Chamberlain's brother, Arthur, as well as Hoskins & Co., of which the Civil Lord of the Admiralty, Austen, held some shares. Many Liberals rejected Lloyd George's claims, and Chamberlain dismissed them as unworthy of reply, although the charges troubled him more than he was prepared to make evident in public.[citation needed]
A 1901 cartoon of Joseph Chamberlain from Vanity Fair
Twenty-six-year-old Winston Churchill, famous for his escape from a Boer prisoner of war camp and his journalism for the Morning Post, successfully stood as a Conservative candidate in Oldham, where Chamberlain spoke on his behalf. Churchill recalled that
I watched my honoured guest with close attention. He loved the roar of the multitude, and with my father could always say "I have never feared the English democracy." The blood mantled in his cheek, and his eye as it caught mine twinkled with pure enjoyment.
Churchill later wrote that 'Mr. Chamberlain was incomparably the most live, sparkling, insurgent, compulsive figure in British affairs... 'Joe' was the one who made the weather. He was the man the masses knew.' Chamberlain used his popularity and the cause of imperialism in the election to devastating effect, and with the Liberals split over the issue of the war, the Unionists won a huge majority in the House of Commons of 219. The mandate was not as comprehensive as Chamberlain had hoped, but satisfactory enough to allow him to pursue his vision for the empire and to strengthen his position in the Unionist alliance.
Anglo-German Alliance negotiations: third attempt [ edit ]
Under pressure from Balfour and Queen Victoria, the ailing Salisbury surrendered the seals of the Foreign Office on 23 October though remaining as Prime Minister. Lansdowne was appointed Foreign Secretary, and Chamberlain's importance in the government grew further still. Chamberlain took advantage of Lansdowne's inexperience to take the initiative in British foreign affairs and attempt, yet again, to formulate an agreement with Germany.[52]
On 16 January 1901, Chamberlain and Devonshire made it known to Eckardstein that they still planned to make Britain part of the Triple Alliance. In Berlin, this news was received with some satisfaction, although von Bülow continued to exercise caution, believing that Germany could afford to wait. The Kaiser, who had come to the UK to visit his dying grandmother Queen Victoria (Chamberlain had been the last minister to visit her, a few days before her death), sent a telegram from London to Berlin urging a positive response, yet von Bülow wished to delay negotiations until Britain was more vulnerable, especially from the ongoing war in South Africa. On 18 March, Eckardstein asked Chamberlain to resume alliance negotiations, and although the Colonial Secretary reaffirmed his support, he was unwilling to commit himself, remembering von Bülow's rebuke in 1899. Chamberlain had a lesser role this time, and it was to Lansdowne that Eckardstein gave a proposal by von Bülow. A five-year Anglo-German defensive alliance was presented, to be ratified by Parliament and the Reichstag. When Lansdowne prevaricated, von Hatzfeldt took firmer control of the negotiations, and presented a demanding invitation for Britain to join the Triple Alliance, in which Britain would be committed to the defence of Austria-Hungary. Salisbury decided decisively against entering an alliance as a junior partner.[53]
On 25 October 1901, Chamberlain defended the British Army's tactics in South Africa against European press criticism, arguing that the conduct of British soldiers was much more respectable than that of troops in the Franco-Prussian War, a statement directed at Germany. The German press was outraged, and when von Bülow demanded an apology, Chamberlain was unrepentant. With this public dispute, Chamberlain's hopes of an Anglo-German alliance were finally ended. Denounced by von Bülow and German newspapers, Chamberlain's popularity in Britain soared, with the Times commenting that 'Mr. Chamberlain...is at this moment the most popular and trusted man in England.'
With Chamberlain still seeking to end Britain's isolation and the negotiations with Germany having been terminated, a settlement with France was attractive. Chamberlain had begun negotiations to settle colonial differences with the French Ambassador, Paul Cambon, in March 1901, although neither Lansdowne nor Cambon had moved as quickly as Chamberlain would have liked. In February 1902, at a banquet at Marlborough House held by King Edward VII, Chamberlain and Cambon resumed their negotiations, with Eckardstein reputedly listening to their conversation and only successfully managing to comprehend the words "Morocco" and "Egypt". Chamberlain had contributed to making possible the Anglo-French Entente Cordiale that would occur in 1904.
Boer War: victory [ edit ]
The occupation of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State in 1900 did not subdue the Boers, who waged a guerrilla campaign throughout 1901 until the end of the war in May 1902. Chamberlain was caught between Unionists demanding a more effective military policy and many Liberals denouncing the war. Publicly, Chamberlain insisted upon the separation of civil and military authority, insisting that the conduct of the war be left to the generals.
The revelation of concentration camps increased pressure on Chamberlain and the government to intervene more effectively – and humanely – in the management of the war. Chamberlain originally questioned the wisdom of establishing the camps, but tolerated them in deference to the military. During the autumn of 1901, Chamberlain took more interest in proceedings when the scandal intensified, strengthening civilian governance. Although he refused to criticise the military publicly, he outlined to Milner the importance of making the camps as habitable as possible, asking the Governor-General of the Cape whether he considered medical provisions to be adequate. Chamberlain also stipulated that unhealthy camps should be evacuated, over-ruling the army where necessary.
By 1902, the death rate in the camps had halved, and was soon to decrease below the usual mortality rate in rural South Africa. Despite the concerns of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir Michael Hicks Beach, at the increasing costs of the war, Chamberlain maintained his insistence that the Boers be made to surrender unconditionally, and was supported by Salisbury. Though Lord Kitchener, commanding British forces in South Africa, was eager to make peace with the Boers, Milner was content to wait until the Boers sought peace terms themselves. In April 1902, Boer negotiators accepted Chamberlain's insistence upon the loss of independence of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State. However, the Boers insisted that Cape Afrikaner rebels be given amnesty and that Britain pay the Boer republics' war debts.
Chamberlain overrode Milner's objections to accept the proposal, arguing that the financial costs of continuing the war justified the expenditure to relieve the debts of the Boer republics. The Treaty of Vereeniging (31 May 1902) ended the Boer War. The conflict had not been as decisive at Chamberlain had hoped, for the British had put nearly 450,000 troops into the field and had spent nearly £200 million. Nevertheless, the end of war and the inclusion of Boer territory as part of the British Empire presented what Chamberlain viewed as an opportunity to remodel Britain's imperial system.
Resignation of Salisbury [ edit ]
The end of the Boer War allowed Salisbury, in declining health, to finally retire. The Prime Minister was keen that Balfour, his nephew should succeed him, but realised that Chamberlain's followers felt that the Colonial Secretary had a legitimate claim to the premiership. Chamberlain was the most popular figure in the government, and Leo Maxse, editing the National Review, argued forcefully that Chamberlain should be appointed Prime Minister when Salisbury retired. Chamberlain himself was less concerned, assuring Balfour's Private Secretary in February 1902 that 'I have my own work to do and...I shall be quite willing to serve under Balfour.' On 7 July 1902, Chamberlain suffered a head injury in a traffic accident. Chamberlain had three stitches and was told by doctors to cease work immediately and remain in bed for two weeks.
On 11 July, Salisbury went to Buckingham Palace, without notifying his Cabinet colleagues, and resigned, with the King inviting Balfour to form a new government later that day. Before accepting, Balfour visited Chamberlain, who said he was content to remain Colonial Secretary. Despite Chamberlain's organisational skills and immense popularity, many Conservatives still mistrusted his Radicalism, and Chamberlain was aware of the difficulties that would be presented by being part of a Liberal Unionist minority leading a Conservative majority. Balfour and Chamberlain were both aware that the Unionist government's survival depended on their co-operation.[54]
1902 Education Act [ edit ]
Balfour's Education Bill was intended to promote National Efficiency, a cause which Chamberlain thought worthy. However, the Education Bill abolished the 2,568 school boards established under W.E. Forster's 1870 Act, bodies that were popular with Nonconformists and Radicals, replacing them with local education authorities that would administer a state centred system of primary, secondary and technical schools. The Bill would also give ratepayer's money to voluntary, Church of England schools. Chamberlain was aware that the Bill's proposals would estrange Nonconformists, Radicals and many Liberal Unionists from the government, but could not oppose it as he owed his position as Colonial Secretary to Conservative support. In response to Chamberlain's warning about Nonconformist dissent, and suggestion that voluntary schools receive funds from central rather than local government, Robert Morant replied that the Boer War had drained the Exchequer.
Chamberlain sought to stem the feared exodus of Nonconformist voters by securing a major concession – local authorities would be given the discretion over the issue of rate aid to voluntary schools, yet even this was renounced before the guillotining of the Bill and its passage through Parliament in December 1902. Thus, Chamberlain had to make the best of a hopeless situation, writing fatalistically that 'I consider the Unionist cause is hopeless at the next election, and we shall certainly lose the majority of the Liberal Unionists once and for all.' Chamberlain already regarded tariff reform as an issue that could revitalise support for Unionism.
Tour of South Africa [ edit ]
Chamberlain visited South Africa between 26 December 1902 and 25 February 1903, seeking to promote Anglo-Afrikaner conciliation and the colonial contribution to the British Empire, and trying to meet people in the newly unified South Africa, including those who had recently been enemies during the Boer War. In Natal, Chamberlain was given a rapturous welcome. In the Transvaal, he met Boer leaders who were attempting unsuccessfully to alter the peace terms reached at Vereeniging. The reception given to Chamberlain in the Orange River Colony was surprisingly friendly, although he was engaged in a two-hour argument with General Hertzog, who accused the British government of violating three terms of the Treaty of Vereeniging.
During his visit, Chamberlain became convinced that the Boer territories required a period of government by the British crown before being granted self-governance within the empire. In the Cape, Chamberlain found that the Afrikaner Bond was more affable regarding his visit than many members of the English speaking Progressive Party, now under the leadership of Jameson, who called Chamberlain 'the callous devil from Birmingham.' Chamberlain successfully persuaded the Prime Minister, John Gordon Sprigg, to hold elections as soon as possible, a positive act considering the hostile nature of the Cape Parliament since 1899. During the tour, Chamberlain and his wife visited 29 towns, and he delivered 64 speeches and received 84 deputations.
Zionism and the "Uganda Proposal" [ edit ]
When he first met Theodor Herzl on 23 October 1902, Chamberlain expressed his sympathy to the Zionist cause. He was willing to consider their plan for settlement near el Arish and in the Sinai Peninsula but his support was conditional on the approval of the Cairo authorities. When it became evident that these efforts were coming to naught, Chamberlain, on 24 April 1903, offered Herzl a territory in East Africa. The proposal came to be known as the Uganda Plan (even though the territory in question was in Kenya). The Zionist Organization, after some deliberations, rejected the proposal, as did the British settlers in East Africa. However, the proposal that Chamberlain made was a major break-through for the Zionists—Great Britain had engaged them diplomatically and recognised a need to find a territory appropriate for Jewish autonomy under British suzerainty.[55]
Tariff reform: Unionist split [ edit ]
Zebel explains Chamberlain's position by noting that for two decades before the Boer War, he was not a blind supporter of free trade as a goal in itself. Instead his goal was to both tighten the bonds of Empire and, simultaneously, solve Britain's domestic economic and political problems. He therefore merged political and economic nationalism in coming up with a formula for imperial preference in trade and tariffs.[56]
Chamberlain desired an imperial federation formed on the model of Bismarckian Germany to allow Britain to maintain its global role amidst the growing economic challenge of the United States and Germany. He wanted Imperial Preference in trade with the empire and tariffs on foreign imports. Chamberlain also believed that tariffs would generate finance for a scheme of old-age pensions and other social improvements. Such a programme would help Chamberlain secure the Unionists' hold on the West Midlands, and further enhance his power within the government. Chamberlain prepared to end the Free Trade consensus that had dominated British economics since the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846.
In April 1902, Chamberlain dined with the Hughligans, a small parliamentary clique which included Lord Hugh Cecil and Churchill among its membership. Churchill recalled that
As [Chamberlain] rose to leave he paused at the door, and turning said with much deliberation, "You young gentlemen have entertained me royally, and in return I will give you a priceless secret. Tariffs! They are the politics of the future, and of the near future. Study them closely and make yourself masters of them, and you will not regret your hospitality to me."[57]
Published 1906
In the same month, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Hicks Beach, levied a small duty on imported corn to raise revenue for the Boer War. Chamberlain wanted to use this as a start for the reform of Britain's trade, and he was encouraged by a report submitted in June by the President of the Board of Trade, Gerald Balfour, the Prime Minister's younger brother, recommending reciprocal agreements with the colonies. In July, the Colonial Conference was convened in London, and though it rejected Chamberlain's suggestion that an Imperial Council should be established, it passed a resolution endorsing Imperial Preference. Chamberlain was confident his proposals were gathering popularity, and he brought the matter before the Cabinet before embarking on a tour of South Africa in December 1902. The new Chancellor of the Exchequer, Charles Thomson Ritchie, was vigorously opposed to any scheme of Imperial Preference but although he made his opinions known, the Cabinet was generally favourable towards Chamberlain's proposal when it was considered on 21 October.
In November, the Cabinet agreed, at Chamberlain's prompting, to remit the corn tax in favour of the self-governing colonies in the upcoming budget. Thinking that he had gained the agreement of the Cabinet, Chamberlain went to South Africa, while Ritchie worked to reverse the Cabinet's earlier decision. In March 1903, before Chamberlain's return, Ritchie asked Balfour to schedule a meeting to propose the budget to the Cabinet. Balfour refused and warned Chamberlain, using Austen as an intermediary, of Ritchie's continuing opposition. Chamberlain arrived in Southampton on 14 March, prepared to struggle with Ritchie and determined that the corn tax should be maintained in the imminent budget.
Chamberlain was shocked to find on 17 March that the majority of the Cabinet was in agreement with Ritchie, and that the Chancellor of the Exchequer had reversed the decision made the previous November. Balfour chose not to take sides, but did not oppose Ritchie for fear of losing his Chancellor on the eve of the budget. Chamberlain accepted that there was not enough time to debate the matter in Cabinet before the budget, and allowed Ritchie to have his way. The Chancellor presented a Free Trade on 23 April, during which Chamberlain was completely silent. Though Chamberlain had been taken aback by the Cabinet's switch, he prepared to surprise his colleagues in return. On 15 May, in the midst of his power base, Bingley Hall, Chamberlain remarked before his speech to the event's chief organiser, "You can burn your leaflets. We are going to talk about something else." He lamented the demise of the corn tax to his audience and insisted that the greatness of the empire could be preserved by introducing Imperial Preference, which he hoped would dominate the next general election. His impromptu speech stunned Balfour and the Cabinet, the Prime Minister having just insisted publicly that it was not yet time to implement a policy of Imperial Preference. Furthermore, on 28 May, Chamberlain reiterated his challenge to Free Trade orthodoxy in the House of Commons, amidst cheering from many Unionists. Balfour hoped to calm the situation by devoting the summer to the question and publicly professed support for neither policy, earning him much criticism by the opposition Liberal Party.
Balfour was successful in preventing serious debate on the subject while the Board of Trade compiled statistics on the matter. A Cabinet meeting convened on 13 August failed to agree, and a final decision was postponed until 14 September. Balfour hoped that Chamberlain would moderate his espousal of tariff reform to satisfy the majority of the Cabinet, and particularly the other prominent Liberal Unionist, Devonshire. The Prime Minister was content with the prospect of losing die-hard Free Traders, and prepared a memorandum which contained a number of radical, reforming economic opinions. On 9 September, Chamberlain dramatically sent a letter of resignation to Balfour, explaining his wish to campaign publicly for Imperial Preference outside the Cabinet. An hour before the Cabinet meeting on 14 September, Chamberlain and Balfour agreed that Chamberlain would resign and attempt to rally public support for Imperial Preference if the Cabinet could not be persuaded to adopt the new policy. Balfour agreed to promote Austen to the post of Chancellor of the Exchequer, who would then speak for his father inside the Cabinet. If the campaign was successful, Balfour could endorse Imperial Preference at the next general election.
When the Cabinet meeting failed to endorse his proposals, Chamberlain announced his resignation, but Balfour did not tell the meeting about Chamberlain's resignation letter, instead telling many members of his belief that Chamberlain was not serious about resigning. The Prime Minister then forced the resignations of Ritchie and Lord Balfour of Burleigh for having submitted memoranda advocating Free Trade. The next day, Lord George Hamilton resigned, and the following day, 16 September, Balfour announced the resignations of Ritchie, Hamilton and Chamberlain. The Free Trade ministers were appalled that Chamberlain's letter of resignation had been kept secret, and the Duke of Devonshire, who had also resigned, rescinded his decision. But when Balfour explained his fiscal policy on 1 October, Devonshire re-submitted his resignation. The resignations of Chamberlain, Ritchie and Devonshire left the government gravely weakened.
Tariff reform: Chamberlain's last crusade [ edit ]
Tariff Reform League poster
Chamberlain asserted his authority over the Liberal Unionists soon after Devonshire's departure. The National Union of Conservative and Unionist Associations also declared majority support for tariff reform, which meant an end to free trade.[58] With firm support from provincial Unionism and most of the press, Chamberlain addressed vast crowds and extolled the virtues of Empire and Imperial Preference, campaigning with the slogan "Tariff Reform Means Work for All." On 6 October 1903, Chamberlain began the campaign with a speech at Glasgow. The newly formed Tariff Reform League received vast funding, allowing it to print and distribute large numbers of leaflets and even to play Chamberlain's recorded messages to public meetings by gramophone. Chamberlain himself spoke at Greenock, Newcastle, Liverpool and Leeds within a month of the outset. Chamberlain explained at Greenock how Free Trade threatened British industry, declaring that "sugar is gone; silk has gone; iron is threatened; wool is threatened; cotton will go! How long are you going to stand it? At the present moment these industries...are like sheep in a field."[59]
At Liverpool on 27 October, Chamberlain was escorted to the Conservative Working Men's Association by mounted police amidst wild cheering. Intending to enlist the support of the working class, Chamberlain assured his audience that tariff reform ensured low unemployment. When the Liberal-supporting Daily News used official import prices to demonstrate that a loaf of bread under tariff reform would be smaller than a free trade loaf of bread, Chamberlain arranged for two loaves to be baked based upon free trade and tariff reform prices. On 4 November 1903, Chamberlain spoke at Bingley Hall, Birmingham and put the loaves on display, raising them aloft. "Is it not a sporting question... as to which is the larger?" he asked the rapturous audience.[59]
While the Liberal Party healed its divisions and rallied for Free Trade, the division inside the Unionist ranks became more apparent. Balfour had endorsed cautious protectionism soon after Chamberlain's resignation, but was unwilling to go further or to announce an early general election, by-election results being comprehensively unfavourable for the Unionists. While Chamberlain toured the country, the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer, Liberal H. H. Asquith stalked him by preaching the virtues of Free Trade in the same venues in which Chamberlain had appeared a few evenings before. The campaign for tariff reform had a brief intermission as Chamberlain's health began to fail. Suffering from gout and neuralgia, Chamberlain took a two-month holiday in February 1904. Chamberlain decided that the Unionists were likely to lose the general election, and criticised Balfour for delaying the inevitable. Indeed, Chamberlain now hoped that Balfour would fail in promoting his guarded fiscal doctrine, probably with a strategy of eventually leading the Unionists on a purely protectionist platform after the expected defeat in the general election. He wrote to his son Neville that 'The Free Traders are common enemies. We must clear them out of the party & let them disappear.'
By the end of 1904, the Tariff Reform League's numerous branches were challenging the Conservative National Union. Chamberlain also attempted to secure the Tariff Reform League's representation inside Conservative Central Office. Balfour maintained his programme of retaliatory tariffs and attempted to minimise the obvious differences between Chamberlain and himself. Publicly, Chamberlain claimed that Balfour's stance was the precursor to a fuller policy of Imperial Preference. Now approaching seventy years of age, Chamberlain continued to campaign for tariff reform with zeal and energy. Reconciliation appeared imminent when Balfour agreed to a general election after the 1906 Colonial Conference, in which tariff reform would be discussed. However, threatened by backbench opposition, Balfour rescinded the agreement and demanded party unity. Chamberlain ignored this and intensified his campaign in November 1905, resulting directly in Balfour's resignation on 4 December.
1906 general election [ edit ]
With the Unionists divided and out of favour with many of their former supporters, the Liberal Party won the 1906 general election by a landslide, with the Unionists reduced to just 157 seats in the House of Commons. Although Balfour lost his seat in East Manchester, Chamberlain and his followers increased their majorities in the West Midlands. Chamberlain even became acting Leader of the Opposition in the absence of Balfour. With approximately 102 of the remaining Unionist MPs supportive of Chamberlain, it seemed that he might become leader of the Unionists, or at least win a major concession in favour of tariff reform. Chamberlain asked for a Party meeting, and Balfour, now returned to the Commons, agreed on 14 February 1906 in the 'Valentine letters' to concede that
Fiscal Reform is, and must remain, the constructive work of the Unionist Party. That the objects of such reforms are to secure more equal terms of competition for British trade, and closer commercial union within the Colonies.
Although in opposition, it appeared that Chamberlain had successfully associated the Unionists with the cause of tariff reform, and that Balfour would be compelled to accede to Chamberlain's future demands.
Decline [ edit ]
Vanity Fair, 1908. Although his family attempted to conceal his disability, Chamberlain was barely capable of standing unaided by this time, and was no longer an active member of the House of Commons. An ageing Chamberlain caricatured by "WHO" for, 1908. Although his family attempted to conceal his disability, Chamberlain was barely capable of standing unaided by this time, and was no longer an active member of the House of Commons.
On 8 July 1906, Chamberlain celebrated his seventieth birthday and Birmingham was enlivened for a number of days by official luncheons, public addresses, parades, bands and an influx of thousands of congratulatory telegrams. Tens of thousands of people crowded into the city when Chamberlain made a passionate speech on 10 July, promoting the virtues of Radicalism and imperialism. Chamberlain collapsed on 13 July whilst dressing for dinner in the bathroom of his house at Prince's Gardens. Mary found the door locked and called out, receiving the weakened reply "I can't get out." Returning with help, she found him exhausted on the floor, having turned the handle from the inside, and having suffered a stroke that paralysed his right side.
After a month, Chamberlain was able to walk a small number of steps and resolved to overcome his disabilities. Although unaffected mentally, his sight had deteriorated, compelling him to wear spectacles instead of his monocle. His ability to read had diminished, forcing Mary to read him newspapers and letters. He lost the ability to write with his right hand, and his speech altered noticeably, with Chamberlain's colleague, William Hewins, noting that 'His voice has lost all its old ring.... He speaks very slowly and articulates with evident difficulty.' Chamberlain barely regained his ability to walk.[60]
Though he had lost all hope of recovering his health and returning to active politics, Chamberlain followed his son Austen's career with interest and encouraged the tariff reform movement. He opposed Liberal proposals to remove the House of Lords' veto, and gave his blessing to the Unionists to fight to oppose Home Rule for Ireland. In the two general elections of 1910 he was allowed to return unopposed in his West Birmingham constituency. In January 1914, Chamberlain decided to not seek re-election. On 2 July, six days before his 78th birthday, he suffered a heart attack and, surrounded by his family, he died in his wife's arms.
Telegrams of condolence arrived from across the world, with the Prime Minister H. H. Asquith, Chamberlain's adversary a decade before, leading the tributes in the House of Commons, declaring that:
in that striking personality, vivid, masterful, resolute, tenacious, there were no blurred or nebulous outlines, there were no relaxed fibres, there were no moods of doubt and hesitation, there were no pauses of lethargy or fear.[61]
The family refused an offer of an official burial at Westminster Abbey and a Unitarian ceremony was held in Birmingham. He was laid to rest at Key Hill Cemetery, Hockley, in the same grave as his first two wives, and close to that of his parents. On 31 March 1916, the Chamberlain Memorial, a bust created by sculptor Mark Tweed, was unveiled at Westminster Abbey. Amongst the dignitaries present were former Prime Minister Arthur Balfour, Bonar Law, Chamberlain's sons Austen and Neville (then Lord Mayor of Birmingham), and other members of the Chamberlain, Hutton and Martineau families.[62]
Memory and historiography [ edit ]
Winston Churchill called Chamberlain "a splendid piebald: first black, then white, or, in political terms, first fiery red, then true blue".[63] This is the conventional view of Chamberlain's politics, that he became gradually more conservative, beginning to the left of the Liberal party and ending to the right of the Conservatives. An alternative view is that he was always a radical in home affairs and an imperialist in foreign affairs, and that these stances were not in great conflict with each other – with both he rejected "laissez-faire capitalism". For instance, after leaving the Liberals he remained a proponent of workmen's compensation and old-age pensions.
Historian J. A. R. Marriott says that in the 1870–1905 period Chamberlain was:
of all English statesman, the most representative and one of the most influential. Firmly convinced of the merits of parliamentary democracy, an ardent social reformer, though opposed to social revolution, above all, a whole-hearted believer in the Imperial mission of the British race, Chamberlain preeminently embodied the most vital of the most characteristic ideas of that epoch....[in Birmingham he was] A strong advocate of municipal enterprise, he stimulated the Corporation to purchase the gas-works, the water-works, the sewage farm, and by extensive scheme of slum clearance and rehousing, he transformed the outward aspect of the city is his adoption....[Once in Parliament,] from the [Liberal] Party point of view Chamberlain's support became increasingly indispensable but it was rendered with increasing reluctance.[64]
Historian Dennis Judd says:
There is something so elemental and, in a way, timeless about the meteoric rise of Chamberlain: from his modest London Unitarian background, via his brilliant industrial and commercial career in Birmingham, to a position of almost supreme political power, where he could (and did) make and break the two major parties of late-Victorian and Edwardian England, destroy the immediate prospect of Irish Home Rule, reshape the British Empire, press for a restructuring of British economic policies and bestride the international stage as significantly as Rhodes or Bismarck.[65]
Historian R. J. A. Adams writes: "A great patriot who burned to guarantee his country's future, Chamberlain's brilliance and impatience guaranteed that he would be judged a political messiah to some, but an unstable destroyer to many more."[66]
A. J. P. Taylor states:
Joseph Chamberlain was the greatest force in British politics between the decline of Gladstone and the rise of Lloyd George. He was a pioneer in social reform and municipal enterprise. He defeated Irish Home Rule. He inspired a new era in British Imperialism and directed its triumph in the Boer War....He challenged the accepted dogmas of Free Trade and launched the movement for Tariff Reform, which was to transform British economic life a generation after his death. Despite these achievements, nothing went right with him. He stands pre-eminent as a Splendid Failure.... Chamberlain, it seems, was successful only in destruction, bringing ruin first to the Liberal, and then to the Unionist, party.[67]
Memorials [ edit ]
He is commemorated by the large Chamberlain Memorial in Chamberlain Square, in central Birmingham, erected in 1880; and by the large cast-iron Chamberlain Clock in the city's Jewellery Quarter, erected in 1903 (in both cases, therefore, during his lifetime). His Birmingham home, Highbury Hall, is now a civic conference venue and a venue for civil marriages, and is open occasionally to the public. Highbury Hall is situated not far from Winterbourne House and Garden which was commissioned as a family home for Chamberlain's niece Margaret by her husband John Nettlefold: Winterbourne is now owned by the University of Birmingham.
The Midland Metro has a tram named after him. Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College in Birmingham is named after him. Chamberlain School, a pre-kindergarten-to-grade-12 public school in Grassy Lake, Alberta, Canada, is named in his honour: the name was chosen by William Salvage, a British immigrant and prosperous farmer, who donated land for its construction in 1910.
University of Birmingham [ edit ]
The University of Birmingham may be considered Chamberlain's most enduring legacy. He proposed the establishment of a university to complete his vision for the city, seeking to provide "a great school of universal instruction", so that "the most important work of original research should be continuously carried on under most favourable circumstances".[68] He is regarded as the University's main founder, was its first Chancellor, and was largely responsible for its gaining its royal charter in 1900, and for the development of the Edgbaston campus. The 100-metre tall Joseph Chamberlain Memorial Clock Tower ("Old Joe") is named in his honour: it is the tallest free-standing clock tower in the world.[69] The papers of Joseph Chamberlain, Austen Chamberlain, Neville Chamberlain and Mary Chamberlain are held in the University of Birmingham Special Collections.
Honours [ edit ]
Honorary Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Grocers, 1 August 1902.[70]
Popular culture [ edit ]
Books by him [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
Further reading [ edit ]
Primary sources [ edit ]DISGRACED wellness blogger Belle Gibson has one more chance to file a defence against Federal Court |
episode is very simple, Rick rekindles a romance with a world conquering hive mind named Unity. By the end of the episode we come to understand just how charismatic Rick can be to those around him, not to mention the destruction his charisma carries with it. Eventually Unity leaves explaining how painful it is to be with him. Naturally her speech ends with a joke as is characteristic of the show. Then comes a silent minute and half that changes the tone of Ricks character completely. It would be pointless to do anything but show it:
SPOILERS
This is true tragedy. A man so at his wit’s end from repression and the numbing of a million failures, only to fail yet again by falling unconscious on his work bench. Rick does nothing but suffer, he leaps from dimension to dimension running away from his problems, engaging in Camus’ ”fatal act of elusion”, drinking, smoking and snorting everything in the process. Each time he meets new people he causes them nothing but misery.
Understanding Ricks motivation, that is to say his tragedy (one which makes Rick and Morty not only one of the most complex cartoons ever created but one of the best shows on television.) portrays Rick as a man burdened by his own infinite experience this alters Morty’s function to a comic foil. Rick Sanchez has saved countless multi-verses but damned others. He constantly attempts to convince others to leave them well enough alone (He constantly tells Morty that he has to be in charge, not because he likes it but because he must bear the responsibility) like a hardened Prometheus who has stolen fire from the Gods only to burn himself beyond recognition in the process.
As long as Prime Rick exists Rick and Morty may be a show that can never find it’s happy ending. He is in every sense ”a great mind overthrown” by an absurd existence that has finally claimed his will, a tragedy as thought provoking as any of the best
iiAristotle, The Poetics
iiiCamus, Albert. ”The Myth of Sisyphus”: The Absurd Reasoning.
ivCamus, Albert. ”The Myth of Sisyphus”: The Absurd Reasoning.
AdvertisementsHow do you spell relief if you ride the south end of the Yonge subway?
D-R-L — downtown relief line.
Since 1910, when the idea first emerged of a transit line connecting the east end of Toronto with the south end of Yonge St., the DRL has gained very little traction.
But the concept has resurfaced lately. Crowding is already so bad at the south end of Yonge St. that new TTC chief Andy Byford immediately identified a DRL as a priority.
There is a chorus of experts who suggest that Mayor Rob Ford has been crusading for the wrong subway on Sheppard Ave. E.; that he could better serve suburban constituents by focusing on a downtown relief line.
“We’ve got to turn our attention back to the core, where the density is,” insists Toronto transportation planning guru Ed Levy.
“The downtown is starving, and it is being served by the oldest, most constricted stations in the city,” he said.
But downtowners can walk or use streetcars. The pain at the bottom of Yonge St. is as much a suburban commuter’s problem as a condo dweller’s.
It becomes “ludicrous,” said Levy, when you factor in the ambitions of York Region to extend the subway up to Richmond Hill, where new riders would only add to the crowds cramming platforms down the line at Dundas and Queen.
The Yonge line has been at capacity for more than a decade, and it’s only because development patterns have changed that it continues to limp along, said Bill Dawson, the TTC’s director of routes and service planning.
“A couple of things have kept a lid on this issue. GO has absorbed a lot of the ridership into downtown over those 15 years. The other big factor is condos downtown. Residential downtown has... a higher proportion of people working downtown that don’t have to take the subway,” he said.
Metrolinx’s 25-year regional transit plan includes a downtown relief line in the years beyond the plan itself. But in November, it was looking at a DRL as part of a solution to the looming capacity crisis at Union Station.
Although Metrolinx officials refused to be interviewed last week, their earlier report includes a scenario in which a DRL runs southwest from Danforth Ave. past Union Station, terminating at a secondary station around Exhibition Place.
But that scenario isn’t ambitious enough for Eric Miller, cities centre director at the University of Toronto. The DRL’s potential goes beyond solving capacity issues. Some iterations have shown it running as far north as Eglinton Ave.
“The big question is, what does it look like and where do you put it? There’s a lot of options, some better than others,” he said.
The identification of the DRL as a “downtown” line is somewhat misleading because it has the potential to be the subway suburbanites crave, Miller said.
“It should go up into Scarborough, it should go up into Etobicoke. It’s a way for people from Scarborough and Etobicoke to get downtown without having to traipse all the way over to Yonge St.,” he said.
It could also serve, said Miller, as “a spine that you build the Scarborough transit system around.”
Transit blogger Steve Munro agrees that a DRL “has a function in its own right. It’s not just there to give you a way to get around Bloor and Yonge.”
Running the DRL farther northeast allows it to pick up commuters from two important neighbourhoods, Thorncliffe Park and Flemingdon Park.
Munro puts the cost at more than $4 billion — in the range certainly of the projected Sheppard subway price tag. The density of the downtown mandates an underground transit line, and the stations would have to be deep.
Meantime, Dawson says, the TTC will continue to wring every bit of capacity possible out of the Yonge-University subway. By the end of the year it will be furnished entirely with the roomier Toronto Rocket trains, and by 2017 a new computerized signalling system will allow trains to run closer together. Some current riders will be diverted to the west side of the line when the Spadina extension into York Region opens in 2015.
But in 20 years, that additional capacity will also be maxed out.
The road to relief
• GO integration. The TTC and Metrolinx are looking at how some TTC riders could migrate to GO. But the pricing would have to be more attractive to city riders, who have traditionally been penalized by GO’s fare system, says blogger Steve Munro. He also notes that GO trains are so popular with regional commuters, they’re usually stuffed with people by the time they get close to downtown.
• Name change. Calling it a “downtown” relief line is misleading, says U of T's Eric Miller, because the largest benefits could accrue to suburbanites.
The word “relief” suggests the transit line is an add-on to the rest of the system, when it should be an important link in the network in its own right, says Munro.
• Funding. A DRL is a priority, but without a revenue source, Toronto can’t realistically think about construction, said TTC chair Karen Stintz, who floated the idea of putting transit on a referendum tied to the next municipal election.
There’s a growing belief that the best way to fund transit is a regional sales tax, Stintz said. She fears that unless some way is found to divorce transit expansion from election cycles, the city could be stuck.
Metrolinx needs to bolster its governance by putting municipal politicians back on the board or otherwise seeking their input into the revenue strategy it is mandated to produce by June 2013.
Otherwise, the province could be faced with a situation in which Mayor Rob Ford runs for re-election in 2014 on a platform opposing new transit taxes.
“Or he wins and we have a separate vote on the revenue tools and they both win,” said Stintz.
But, she said, it would “be odd if everyone in the region except Toronto votes for revenue tools. Then everyone in the region gets their transit and the DRL just becomes something we continue to dream about.”In Part II, I showed how type families can be used to do type-level programming in a functional style. For example, here is addition of natural numbers again:
data Z data S n type family Plus m n :: * type instance Plus Z n = n type instance Plus (S m) n = S (Plus m n)
Now, why might we want to do such a thing? One example (I know, I know, this is always the example… but hey, it’s a good example) is if we wanted to have a type of polymorphic length-indexed vectors (or as they are sometimes known, “Length-Observed Lists”) where the type of a vector includes its length. Using a generalized algebraic data type (GADT), we can write something like this:
data LOL :: * -> * -> * where KThxBye :: LOL Z a Moar :: a -> LOL n a -> LOL (S n) a
This says that
LOL is a type constructor of kind * -> * -> *, that is, it takes two type arguments of kind * and produces a type of kind *. The intention is that the first argument records the length, and the second records the type of the elements. KThxBye constructs a vector of length zero. Given an element of type a and a vector of as of length n, Moar constructors a vector of length S n.
The type-level function Plus comes in when we implement an append function for our length-indexed vectors: in order to express the type of append we have to add the lengths of the input vectors.
append :: LOL m a -> LOL n a -> LOL (Plus m n) a append KThxBye v = v append (Moar x xs) v = Moar x (append xs v)
If you haven’t already seen things like this, it’s a good exercise to figure out why this definition of append typechecks (and why it wouldn’t typecheck if we put anything other than Plus m n as the length of the output).
OK, great! We can make GHC check the lengths of our lists at compile time. So what’s the problem? Well, there are (at least) three obvious things which this code leaves to be desired:
It doesn’t matter whether we have already declared a Nat type with constructors Z and S ; we have to redeclare some empty types Z and S to represent our type-level natural number “values”. And declaring empty types to use like “values” seems silly anyway. It also doesn’t matter whether we’ve already implemented a plus function for our Nat values; we must re-code the addition algorithm at the type level with the type family Plus. Especially irksome is the fact that these definitions will be virtually identical. Finally, and most insidiously, LOL is essentially untyped. Look again at the kind of LOL :: * -> * -> *. There’s nothing in the kind of LOL that tells us the first argument is supposed to be a type-level number. Nothing prevents us from accidentally writing the type LOL Int (S Z) — we’ll only run into (potentially confusing) problems later when we try to write down a value with this type.
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could reuse (1) values and (2) functions at the type level, and (3) get more informative kinds in the bargain? Indeed, inspired by Conor McBride’s SHE, our work aims precisely to enable (1) and (3) in GHC as a start, and hopefully eventually (2) (and other features) as well. Hopefully soon, you’ll be able to write this:
data Nat = Z | S Nat type family Plus (m::Nat) (n::Nat) :: Nat type instance Plus Z n = n type instance Plus (S m) n = S (Plus m n) data LOL :: Nat -> * -> * where KThxBye :: LOL Z a Moar :: a -> LOL n a -> LOL (S n) a append ::... -- exactly the same as before
…or even this:
data Nat = Z | S Nat plus :: Nat -> Nat -> Nat plus Z n = n plus (S m) n = S (plus m n) data LOL :: Nat -> * -> * where... -- same as above append :: LOL m a -> LOL n a -> LOL (plus m n) a append =... -- same as before
In another post I’ll explain what the above fantasy code would be doing in a bit more detail, talk about precisely how we propose to accomplish this, and discuss why we might want to do things this way, rather than introducing full dependent types (or just chucking Haskell and all moving to Agda).
39.953605 -75.213937
AdvertisementsStudents who are in high pressure academic environments often look to ways to help maximize their time for studying and completing school work. As students feel more pressure to succeed academically, the notion of gaining an advantage to complete numerous projects and study for exams may appeal to some students. Aside from the medical risks from using such stimulants for those without ADHD, the desire to compete and perform has some students taking chances in order to boost their academic performance.
So, does casual use of ADHD meds by college students who study for exams and write papers constitute cheating?
According to a study presented May 3 at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, close to 20 percent of students at an Ivy League college reported misusing a prescription stimulant while studying, and one-third of students did not view such misuse as cheating.
Stimulants such as Adderrall, Strattera and Ritalin are commonly prescribed to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, recent research indicates that students not diagnosed with ADHD are misusing these medications in order to sharpen their focus and mental stamina and improve their academic performance.
The current study evaluated the prevalence of medication misuse at a well regarded ivy league college and whether students felt that misuse of ADHD medications constituted cheating.
Investigators evaluated responses from an anonymous online questionnaire in December 2012 from from 616 sophomores, juniors and seniors without ADHD.
Results indicated that 18 percent admitted to misusing a prescription stimulant for an academic reason at least one time during college, and 24 percent of these students used these medications on at least eight times. College juniors reported the highest rate of stimulant misuse (24 percent).
According to the results, 69 percent of those who misused stimulants used them to write a paper, 66 percent to study for an exam and 27 percent to take an exam.
It turns out that a greater number who played a varsity sport and were part of the Greek system reported stimulant misuse compared to students affiliated with only one or neither. In addition, a third of students did not believe that misusing stimulants for academic purposes constituted cheating. 41 percent thought it was cheating and 25 percent were unsure.
“While many colleges address alcohol and illicit drug abuse in their health and wellness campaigns, most have not addressed prescription stimulant misuse for academic purposes,” said senior investigator Andrew Adesman, MD, FAAP, chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Steven & Alexandra Cohen Children's Medical Center of New York. “Because many students are misusing prescription stimulants for academic, not recreational purposes, colleges must develop specific programs to address this issue.”
Stimulant misuse can also lead to medical complications including resulting anxiety and withdrawal in those who do not have ADHD after they stop using the medications, but could also trigger cardiac arrhythmias such as SVT, atrial fibrillation or atrial tachyarrhythmias in those at risk-- as well as cause dangerous complications in those with congenital unknown underlying arrhythmias such as Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW). Pediatricians need to be aware of these underlying risks, discussing this with parents and assessing ADHD patients who may fit a profile for stimulant abuse.
“To the extent that some high school and college students have reported feigning ADHD symptoms to obtain stimulant medication, should physicians become more cautious or conservative when newly diagnosing ADHD in teens? Additionally, should pediatricians do more to educate their ADHD patients about the health consequences of misuse and the legal consequences that could arise if they sell or give away their stimulant medication?”, said Adesman.
According to Natalie Colaneri, principal investigator for the study, and research assistant at Cohen Children’s Medical Center, it is vital to understand the moral as well as ethical implications of stimulant misuse not only in college, but also in high school where this trend may have its roots.
“It is our hope that this study will increase greater awareness and prompt broader discussion about misuse of medications like Ritalin or Adderall for academic purposes,” explained Colaneri. “It is important that this issue be approached from an interdisciplinary perspective: as an issue relevant to the practice of medicine, to higher education and to ethics in modern-day society.”Patrick Fallon / Reuters The company behind these hats has filed for bankruptcy protection.
A U.S.-based mom-and-pop manufacturer known for paying its workers well has declared bankruptcy.
Oddly, some fans of President-elect Donald Trump ― whose professed economic populism and repeated pledges to revitalize U.S. manufacturing helped him score a surprise election victory ― seem delighted.
Twitter users, some bearing frog emojis that allude to a cartoon that came to symbolize white nationalism, began tweeting a link to a Wall Street Journal story about the bankruptcy Friday.
That’s because Unionwear, which is based in Newark, New Jersey, made the red “Make Donald Drumpf Again” hats ― a parody inspired by a segment from comedian John Oliver’s HBO show “Last Week Tonight.”
Gooooood morning, Twitteratti. Coffee tastes amazing this morning for some reason.https://t.co/ryq2UcB6zM — James Steed (@James_May_Not) November 18, 2016
There are consequences if you try to stump the Trump. This guy learned the hard way https://t.co/aLTmczgJPH — Başkan (@OttomanZealot) November 18, 2016
Apparently you can't turn much of a profit on smug, self-satisfied snarky liberalismhttps://t.co/CpwTQ7MGok — gab: @Borzoi (@BorzoiKosh) November 18, 2016
Starting to get tired of winning so much... NOT! hehe https://t.co/BRXBoGLZbp — The Right Remarks (@TheRightRemarks) November 18, 2016
Please Donald, no more winning, Im so sick of it. We can't handle this much winning. https://t.co/N5ahFFkbwp — Deplorable Nikolai🐸 (@Nikolai03) November 18, 2016
“That was a very small part of our business,” Mitch Cahn, the company’s president and founder, told The Huffington Post on Friday. “We had a great year in political merchandise, but it didn’t make a big dent in our sales number.”
Unionwear employs 151 workers, who are represented by Workers United, Local 155 ― a point of pride for the company, which touts the union on its website. Cahn said the company was forced to file for bankruptcy protection because the pension fund had reached “critical status,” meaning it lacks enough assets to meet at least 65 percent of future obligations.
“Our union pension fund really has nothing to do with our business,” he said, “but we were affected by it.”
The company plans to reorganize and sell itself sometime in the next 60 days. Cahn said he has a buyer lined up who plans to honor the union but negotiate a new contract.
Unionwear has been in the political hat-making business since 2000. The company made every hat for the campaigns of President Barack Obama and Sen. John McCain. During this election cycle, Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Jeb Bush contracted Unionwear to make their campaign caps, too.
Trump’s popular “Make America Great Again” baseball caps are stitched in at a factory in Los Angeles, but an investigation by The Associated Press found that the hats did not contain a fabric the manufacturer insisted was used to make them. Two employees told the AP that the hats’ fabric, bills and stiffeners were imported.
Asked whether he sees any hypocrisy in Trump supporters gloating over Unionwear’s bankruptcy, Cahn paused and said “No.”President Trump’s executive order on immigration revealed an unacceptable level of ignorance and incompetence.
AMERICA is now truly facing a crisis, emanating from the White House.
President Trump’s executive order Friday that selectively restricts immigration and refugees creates a moral crisis, unilaterally imposing a policy contradicting American values and tradition.
Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson and peers from 15 other states are right to challenge the order. Bipartisan action is also needed from Congress, which must do more than express concern.
While this editorial board was willing to give Trump a chance to prove that he’d make America greater, Friday’s order revealed an unacceptable level of ignorance and incompetence.
A crisis of leadership was shown by how the order was developed and implemented. The order was apparently produced on the sly by Trump’s inner circle, without input from agencies that protect borders, process refugees and manage immigration.
Instead of increasing Americans’ safety, this nod to Trump’s base displayed ineptitude. It created uncertainty in and out of government and caused immediate suffering because of its poor execution.
Abruptly upending border policy on a Friday caused mayhem for customs officials, airports, travelers and legal residents, not to mention refugees. Those affected include families fleeing violence, translators who bravely helped the U.S. military and elderly relatives of Americans.
Also caught in Trump’s awkwardly thrown net are valuable employees of global companies such as Microsoft.
Although not an explicit ban on Muslim immigration, the order carries a stench of the unconstitutional Muslim ban that Trump vowed during his campaign.
Refugees are already extensively vetted.
If President Trump wants to improve that process, he should start by gathering facts and suggestions from the Department of Homeland Security, the State Department and other authorities.
Although Trump’s order is presented as a way to improve security, some experts say it actually weakens counterterrorism efforts. It is in America’s best interest to remain a welcoming, compassionate nation that can cooperate with Muslim-majority countries to combat terrorism.
Trump’s order repeatedly cites the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks as justification, yet it does not apply to countries that produced those terrorists. It blocks refugees from seven other countries, citizens of which have yet to commit terrorist acts in the U.S.
Fears of terrorism are not unreasonable but must be kept in perspective.
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, more than 240,000 Americans were murdered, of which 123 were killed by Muslim-Americans associated with violent extremism, according to statistics compiled by Charles Kurzman, a sociology professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Reducing all of these dangers should be a top priority, but it will take more knowledgeable, deliberate and cooperative responses.
States, courts and Congress must hold Trump accountable.
Ferguson contends the order violates the Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection and the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause, infringes the right to due process and contravenes the Immigration and Nationality Act.
In the meantime, Trump should own up to mistakes made Friday and accept that he has much to learn.HENRICO, Va. — A recent “listicle” posted by a real estate brokerage company, using a top-secret proprietary method of data analysis, has come to some conclusions that may rankle a few local suburbanites.
From the website that brought you such hits as “14 Things You Need To Know About Dating Someone From Virginia” (cough: Lorena Bobbit), and “10 Virginia Stereotypes That Are Completely Accurate,” comes the latest: “These Are The 10 Most Boring Place in Virginia.”
This super scientific analysis found that Short Pump is tied for second place with South Riding, Va. and is not QUITE as boring as Danville, but WAY more boring than Mechanicsville, which is listed in the ninth spot.
About Short Pump they said:
No offense, but when a shopping mall is your community’s big claim to fame, well, that’s a pretty good indicator of its level of excitement. No, we’re kidding. Short Pump has all sorts of things besides the Short Pump Town Center! You could go to a bar—though Short Pump does have some of the fewest per person… Or you could hit up some live music—again, good luck finding any. How about some fine arts or delicious dining, with the fifth and sixth fewest per capita in the state…? Ah, well. At least it has a bowling alley.
And about Mechanicsville:
I know what you’re thinking: How could the birthplace of Jason Mraz, writer of such exciting hits as “The Remedy” and “I’m Yours,” be boring? Glad you asked. It’s mostly because this place has so few young people—just 17.94 percent of residents are between the ages of 18 and 34—and even they’re more spread out than in most places in the state—just 1,284 people per square mile.
Top 10 Most Boring:
1. City of Danville
2. South Riding (tie)
2. Short Pump (tie)
4. City of Suffolk
5. West Springfield
6. City of Chesapeake
7. Lake Ridge
8. Dale City
9. Mechanicsville
10. Burke
You can click over to their site to see how they came to their conclusions.In a recent blog post, we outlined our plans for the future of Bread as we expand to become more than just a bitcoin wallet. The first steps we will take include adding the ability to manage Ethereum, Bitcoin Cash, and Ethereum-based tokens all within your Bread.
Many banks and credit card companies offer loyalty programs to retain users and increase the value of their products. As we strive to become the world’s largest, decentralized financial institution, we have decided to offer our own loyalty rewards program. We are calling it Bread Rewards, and we could possibly be the first cryptocurrency wallet to offer such a program.
At the core of Bread Rewards you will find the Bread token, a digital asset built on Ethereum that users will be able to hold in their Bread wallets. Just like any other cryptocurrency in Bread, users will have complete control over any tokens in their wallet, and will be free to hold them or transfer them to others. This makes Bread Rewards a truly decentralized rewards program, in which rewards never expire and users have the freedom to do whatever they wish with their Bread tokens, without relying on Bread to manage them. Additionally, the total supply of Bread tokens is fixed, and Bread will not be able to create more tokens once the rewards program is launched.
Bread tokens will provide various perks on the Bread platform. In the immediate future, Bread tokens will provide a discount on service fees when buying bitcoin or Ethereum through one of our service partners. Later we will be adding various premium services which will cost a fee to use, but holding a certain amount of Bread tokens will unlock complimentary or exclusive access to these features. This is similar to the multiple levels of perks one might get as they accumulate miles in their frequent flier account or spend more money with their credit card. As we add more features and services, Bread tokens will have more utility within the Bread app and will offer more value to our users.
This rewards program will not only give back to users, but will also benefit the Bread brand. We plan to incentivize users to regularly return to the Bread app by “airdropping” free tokens to users who meet certain activity requirements, which will encourage users to become Bread users and remain loyal. We are also designing various promotions and marketing campaigns that users can participate in to earn tokens; by answering opt-in surveys (which help us understand what our users want most) or posting on social media (which raises awareness of Bread), we will be able to craft a more powerful product and brand image while rewarding the users who contribute to our success.
It is important to note that participation in the Bread Rewards program will be completely optional and will not require any kind of registration. Our core wallet functionality will remain free and open source.
To fund the development of the many features that will make the Bread token most useful to users, we will be selling a limited number of Bread tokens to users who wish to acquire them before the official launch of the Bread Rewards program. Tokens, once received, will be immediately usable within the Bread app and transferable on the open Ethereum network. Promotions to award tokens to frequent Bread users will begin shortly after the close of this early token sale.
The Bread Rewards program is just one of many ways Bread will be replicating traditional financial services with a fully decentralized model, including funding for development, on our way to becoming the world’s largest decentralized financial institution.
More information on the early token sale can be found at token.breadapp.com.Two of the tightest races for U.S. Senate in 2012 were in Nevada and Arizona. Republican candidates eked out wins in both states with help from four so-called “dark money” nonprofits.
Then-Rep. Jeff Flake of Arizona and incumbent Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada benefited from $3.1 million in spending by the groups. Voters in the states had no idea who was funding the attacks because the organizations were not required to reveal their donors.
Adding insult to injury for the Democratic contenders, Shelley Berkley in Nevada and Richard Carmona in Arizona, it turns out one of the groups’ nonprofit benefactors explicitly warned them not to spend the money on that sort of politicking.
The fact that the four nonprofits — Americans for Responsible Leadership, American Future Fund, American Commitment and Americans for Tax Reform — did so anyway, without suffering any apparent harm, shows how little oversight a new wave of political nonprofits have received in the wake of the 2010 U.S. Supreme Court decision that has allowed them to flourish.
The group that supplied some of the funds for the four groups’ political spending was the Center to Protect Patient Rights — which is basically a mailbox and a bank account. The group, effectively financed by billionaire brothers Charles and David Koch and like-minded conservatives, has acted as a sort of bank distributing cash to political nonprofits.
Campaign spending not allowed
In its tax return, the nonprofit Center to Protect Patient Rights notes that it “carefully evaluates the missions and activities of recipient organizations prior to making any grants to ensure that funds are used only for tax-exempt education and social welfare purposes.”
It adds: “Grants are accompanied by a letter of transmittal indicating how grant funds may be used.”
But a Center for Public Integrity review of Internal Revenue Service and Federal Election Commission documents shows that the four groups involved in the Nevada and Arizona races received almost $79 million, or most of the $112 million the Center to Protect Patient Rights doled out. What’s more, they spent some of the non-political grants they received on political campaigning. Yet there were no repercussions.
Lax IRS rules and weak oversight may be to blame, according to interviews in December with a half-dozen nonprofit attorneys.
Meanwhile, the Center for Public Integrity also identified four other nonprofits that reported political spending to the FEC in 2012 but did not report those expenses to the IRS — most denying in IRS documents they spent any money on politics.
The IRS is mulling whether to beef up its rules on political activity by nonprofits that aren’t required to reveal their donors. “Social welfare” nonprofits, known as 501(c)(4) groups, and 501(c)(6) trade associations have played an outsized role in federal elections since the Supreme Court’s Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission decision in 2010.
That decision allowed corporations, unions and certain nonprofits to spend unlimited amounts of cash supporting or opposing candidates in elections.
The proposed IRS rules would more clearly define political expenses for social welfare nonprofits, making them less likely to mis-report political expenses to the IRS, and would effectively bar the groups from using social welfare grants on political activity. But opposition to key parts of the proposal from both liberals and conservatives could kill it, at least in its current form.
Adam Rappaport, senior counsel of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, argues that “dark money” groups should go further by reporting the true sources of funding for their political expenses.
“The public should know who is paying for political ads that can sway elections,” he said.
Politics investigations in your inbox: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email.
Restricted grants spent on politics
The Center to Protect Patient Rights and Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce are both part of the network of nonprofits backed by the Koch brothers. The groups’ IRS documents say they don’t engage, even indirectly, in political activity.
But some of the funds they provided to nonprofits apparently were spent on just that.
The Arizona-based Americans for Responsible Leadership is led by former Arizona House Speaker Kirk Adams, who was listed as the group’s president.
The organization received 97 percent of its $25.3 million in revenue from a Center to Protect Patient Rights grant, according to tax returns from both groups.
That means all but about 6 percent of Americans for Responsible Leadership’s $9.9 million in political spending also came from the Center’s grant. It spent nearly $91,000 supporting Flake and Heller’s runs for Senate, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. Flake won by a margin of about three percentage points, while Heller won by an even narrower margin.
Officials from Americans for Responsible Leadership didn’t return phone calls and emails seeking comment.
The Iowa-based American Future Fund, founded by Nick Ryan, a GOP consultant, received a $49.2 million grant from the Center and another $13.6 million from Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce. Freedom Partners, on its tax return, said that its letters of agreement for grants included “express prohibitions or protections against the use of grant funds for electioneering purposes.”
The combined $62.8 million in grants make up most of the Fund’s $67.9 million in revenue.
The group spent $26.7 million on political activity and ranked third among social welfare nonprofits for spending in the 2012 federal election, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. That included more than $20 million in spending aimed to oust President Barack Obama and $1.3 million to defeat Heller’s opponent, then-Rep. Berkley. Ryan declined to comment, and Sandy Greiner, a state senator in Iowa who was listed as American Future Fund’s president, did not return phone calls or emails.
Washington, D.C.-based American Commitment received a combined $11 million in restricted grants from the Center to Protect Patient Rights and Freedom Partners — out of its $11.7 million in overall revenue. That means most of American Commitment’s $1.9 million in political campaign expenses came from those grants.
The bulk of its political expenses went toward television advertisements for Flake and against his opponent, former U.S. Surgeon General Carmona, according to the Center for Responsive Politics and American Commitment news releases.
Phil Kerpen, president of American Commitment, denied that it used non-political funds for politics, writing in an email that all of the group’s “2012 political spending was from our organization's general treasury and we are in full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations” as well as commitments to donors.
Americans for Tax Reform, led by anti-tax activist Grover Norquist, received $350,000 from the Center to Protect Patient Rights. It also received $26.4 million for tax “exempt purposes, and not for political expenditures” from Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies as previously reported by the Center for Responsive Politics.
The two grants comprised most of Americans for Tax Reform’s overall revenue of $31 million in 2012, according to its tax return. That year, the nonprofit reported $15.8 million in independent expenditures to the Federal Election Commission, meaning at least some of the political spending was from grant money.
Americans for Tax Reform spent $320,514 opposing Berkley and most of the rest of its political dollars on competitive U.S. House races.
Officials from the nonprofit did not return calls or emails requesting comment.
James Davis, a vice president of Freedom Partners, wrote in an email that the group “places strict standards around all awarded grants, and our grants are fully compliant with the applicable IRS regulations.”
Officials from the Center to Protect Patient Rights and Crossroads GPS did not return calls or emails seeking comment.
More stories in the Consider the Source investigation from the Center for Public Integrity.
Donor intent
Some nonprofit attorneys say the nonprofit grantees could get in trouble for not following their donors’ wishes. A state attorney general, for example, could go after the groups and the IRS could follow suit, said James Joseph, a nonprofit attorney and a partner at Arnold & Porter.
“The IRS can take away tax-exempt status if a nonprofit violates a non-tax law; so here the IRS might argue the grantee is violating state law relating to donor intent,” he wrote in an email.
Representatives of several attorneys general in states where the nonprofits are based said it’s possible their offices would look into such an issue.
“Generally speaking, we’d have concerns about a grantee organization that is alleged to have clearly violated donor intent restrictions,” Geoff Greenwood, communications director for Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller’s office, said in an email, adding that he can’t comment on whether the office is investigating or will investigate a particular organization.
Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne’s office “would likely look into it” — if a complaint was made and the reason seemed valid, and the office had the jurisdiction and resources, said Stephanie Grisham, Horne’s press secretary.
A spokesman for Washington, D.C., Attorney General Irvin Nathan declined to comment on whether it would take action. The IRS also declined to comment.
Odds are the agency won’t, Rappaport said.
“Even before the IRS scandal, they weren’t particularly aggressive. Since [then], I fear they are very reluctant to take on the harder issues of enforcement,” he said, referring to reports in 2013 that IRS officials singled out tea party and other right-leaning nonprofit groups for enhanced scrutiny.
Most nonprofits err on the side of caution, said Ronald Jacobs, a partner at Venable law firm and co-chairman of its political law practice. He said he works with trade associations that are careful to use grant money from similar groups on appropriate non-political activity such as promoting “common business interests.”
No accountability for spending?
The Center to Protect Patient Rights and Freedom Partners claimed on their tax returns — under penalty of perjury — no “direct or indirect” political activity in 2012.
Yet 70 percent of the Center’s $112 million in grants went to four nonprofits that spent some of their social welfare grants on politics. And more than half of Freedom Partner’s grants went to two of those nonprofits and the Center combined.
“There’s not a lot [of regulation] on how grants are counted right now” said Jacobs said, adding that “there’s nothing that requires the [grantor] to look at how [the money] was actually spent.”
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If you looked at a metallic glass on a scale larger than a few atomic diameters, you would see tightly packed, jumbled clusters of atoms. A new study from the Greer group -- published in the September 18, 2015 issue of the journal Science -- shows that inside each of these clusters, on a scale of about two to three atomic diameters, atoms have a predictable arrangement called a fractal.
Fractals are patterns that are self-similar on different scales, and they can occur quite naturally.
"Take for example a piece of paper crumpled into a ball. If you look at the folds of the paper when it is flattened back after crumpling, it will look qualitatively the same if you zoom in on a smaller portion of the same paper. The scale that you use to examine the paper more or less does not change the way it looks," says David Chen, a fourth-year graduate student in the Greer lab and first author on this new paper.
The group did simulations and experiments to probe the atomic structure of metallic glass alloys of copper, zirconium, and aluminum. In crystalline solids like diamond or gold, atoms or molecules are arranged in an orderly lattice pattern. As a result, the local neighborhood around an atom in a crystalline material is identical to everywhere else in the material. In amorphous metals, every location within the material looks different--except, Greer and her colleagues found, when you zoom in to look at the distribution of atoms at the scale of two to three atomic diameters--about one nanometer. At this level, the same fractal pattern is present, regardless of location within the material. "Within the clusters of atoms that make up a metallic glass, atoms are arranged in a particular kind of fractal pattern called percolation," Chen says.
Other scientists have previously hypothesized that the atoms in metallic glasses are distributed fractally. However, this creates an apparent paradox: When atoms are distributed fractally, there should be empty space between them. However, metallic glasses--just like regular metals--are fully dense, meaning that they lack significant pockets of empty space.
"Our group has solved this paradox by showing that atoms are only arranged fractally up to a certain scale," Greer says. "Larger than that scale, clusters of atoms are packed randomly and tightly, making a fully dense material, just like a regular metal. So we can have something that is both fractal and fully dense."
The discovery was made with metallic glasses, but the group's conclusions about fractally arranged atomic structures can be applied to essentially any rigid amorphous material, like the glass in a windowpane or a frozen piece of chewing gum. "Amorphous metals can exhibit unique properties, like unusual strength and elasticity," Chen says. "Now that we know the structure of these materials, we can start studying how their atomic-level arrangement affects their large-scale properties."
In addition to applications within materials science, studies of naturally occurring fractal distributions are of high interest within the fields of mathematics, physics, and computer science. Fractals have been studied for centuries by mathematicians and physicists. Showing how they emerge in a metallic alloy provides a physical foundation for something that has only been studied theoretically.Your first name
A vegan woman who attempted to climb Mount Everest to demonstrate that “vegans can do anything” died on Saturday afternoon at an Everest base camp before reaching the summit.
The woman, Maria Strydom, was a professor at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, reports the Daily Mail.
Strydom, a 34-year-old citizen of South Africa, described herself as an experienced mountain climber.
On Friday, she turned back during the last leg of her expedition after she began to feel ill.
Strydom’s husband, Robert Gropel, was climbing with her. He is also a vegan. He carried on and, it is believed, made it to the summit without her.
Meanwhile, Strydom returned to Camp 4, the highest base camp — at 26,085 feet — before the 29,029-foot summit.
She did not recover. She died on Saturday due to lack of oxygen, according to a spokesman for a Nepalese expedition company.
A few weeks before she died on Mount Everest, Strydom promised in an interview that she and her husband would demonstrate the physical strength of vegans.
“It seems that people have this warped idea of vegans being malnourished and weak,” the professor wrote, according to the Mail.
“By climbing the seven summits we want to prove that vegans can do anything and more.”
Strydom also complained in the interview about other, lesser climbers.
“We’ve all heard stories of frostbite and having to turn around from excessive waiting times due to inexperienced people blocking routes,” she said.
“This can lead to life threatening situations and death where Sherpas and other climbers have to risk their lives to attempt rescues.”
Strydom’s body remained on Mount Everest as of Sunday, waiting for a Sherpa to “carry the body to Camp 1 where an air ambulance” will have access, the British newspaper noted.
Strydom’s mother said she is devastated. Earlier, she had said the mission of her daughter and her son-in-law had been to “demonstrate that vegan people can achieve anything everyone else can.”
Some reports suggest Gropel, Strydom’s husband, is in fine condition. Others suggest he is injured. In any case, he is believed to be the first vegan to ascend to the summit of Mount Everest successfully.
A second Everest climber, Dutch national Eric Ary Arnold, also died this weekend. Arnold died after making it to the summit of the world’s tallest peak.
Thirty climbers became ill climbing the mountain this weekend.
A pair of Indian climbers is missing as well.
Mount Everest is fraught with danger. An earthquake killed 18 climbers last year and an avalanche took the lives of 16 guides in 2014, notes BBC News.
Follow Eric on Twitter. Like Eric on Facebook. Send story tips to erico@dailycaller.com.Yahoos are legendary beings in the 1726 satirical novel Gulliver's Travels written by Jonathan Swift.[1] Their behavior and character representation is meant to comment on the state of Europe from Swift's point of view.[1] The word "yahoo" was coined by Jonathan Swift in the fourth section of Gulliver's Travels[2] and has since entered the English language more broadly. Its most famous use is as the name of a pioneering search engine, Yahoo!.[citation needed]
The Servants Drive a Herd of Yahoos into the Field by Louis John Rhead, by Louis John Rhead, Metropolitan Museum of Art
The original character [ edit ]
Swift describes Yahoos as filthy with unpleasant habits, "a brute in human form,"[2] resembling human beings far too closely for the liking of protagonist Lemuel Gulliver. He finds the calm and rational society of intelligent horses, the Houyhnhnms, greatly preferable.
The Yahoos are primitive creatures obsessed with "pretty stones" that they find by digging in mud, thus representing the distasteful materialism and ignorant elitism Swift encountered in Britain. Hence the term "yahoo" has come to mean "a crude, brutish or obscenely coarse person".[3]
Later mentions [ edit ]
American frontiersman Daniel Boone, who often used terms from Gulliver's Travels, claimed that he killed a hairy giant that he called a Yahoo.[4]
Yahoos were referred to in a letter sent by serial killer David Berkowitz to New York City police while committing the "Son of Sam" murders in 1976.[5][6]Towards Responsible Token Sales (ICOs)
Matthew Di Ferrante Blocked Unblock Follow Following Jun 27, 2017
Given the backlash from recent ICOs, it seems clear that as a community we need to set (and enforce) a baseline for responsible ICOs. Just like any ICO needs to (or should) use an audited ERC20 contract to be taken seriously, so should they use an “ERCXX” that implements fiscal responsibility.
Here I will lay out what I believe are important rules any project looking to crowdfund should follow, along with an analysis of their effects. Feedback welcome.
Under no circumstance should the money raised be released all at once to the development team.
We’ve seen a lot of projects lately raise 10+ million, with no real restriction as to how they should use this money beyond “trust us” declarations and vague roadmaps. I don’t think this kind of self-policing is sustainable, and why resign ourselves to this when we have the power of a consensus network at hand?
This risky proposition can be resolved as follows — have the smart contract encode “staggered” release of funds, e.g., if 10 million is raised and that’s supposed to last 4 years, release 2.5 million immediately and have the token holders vote at the end of that year to choose whether the next 2.5 million should be released or given back to the token holders (burning the tokens if gross incompetence is occurring). This gives a couple of nice properties, such as only holding the token long term if you actually care about the project and want to vote, and giving a kind of “base” valuation for the token. If the token holders acting as oracles choose to award the project with the next 2.5 million, it’s a vote of confidence for the underlying platform as it signals the token holders believe the project can generate more value if the dev team is funded, compared to the amount of Ether they would be refunded if they choose to burn the tokens.
This also keeps an implicit price floor in the token: If the price of the token ever dips below the crowdsale price over the amount of money already released, then burning the token gives you more ETH than the token would sell for.
One can prevent massive buying of the tokens right before the vote by requiring token holders to stake N months before the voting period to be eligible to vote. This prevents whales and exchanges being able to shut down projects single-handedly without risk.
This also lets the market expect how much ETH the project will reasonably sell to fund the first N months of development. Hence, people will be less likely to dump ETH right after a 100 million dollar crowdsale, as they know they’ll only be able to sell 10 million at first, for example. This “should” also increase the price stability of ETH during ICOs.
A common argument against locking funds centers on fluctuations over the value of ETH in the long term, but I don’t think that makes much sense. Assuming the Dapp makes use of the Ethereum platform, if Ether ever devaluates to the point that the crowdfunded money is not enough for the dev team to continue, then it’s likely the business model of the dapp itself will no longer be viable either way.
Plus, if the price is at an all time high, then hype and money flow is also at an all time high. So, if it wasn’t so high, it’s likely the amount raised would have been lower anyway. If the price is on the low-side when the crowdfund is taking place, then the locked funds will likely go up in value in the year. Over time the value should go up on average if all these projects are good projects that are building on ETH and increasing the value of the Ethereum platform (instead of damaging it with nonsense ICOs).
It also incentivizes the team to find independent revenue sources in the long term and pushes them to complete product milestones sooner rather than later. If the project is really any good, it should not be hard for the development team to acquire additional resources, especially after a year of serious development. Just like the Ethereum foundation has done with the foundation tip jar, which has gotten quite a bit of Ether over time: https://etherscan.io/address/0xfB6916095ca1df60bB79Ce92cE3Ea74c37c5d359
Eventually this should also be a non-issue once someone creates a proper stablecoin.
Ability for investors to set personal caps on valuation
Seeing as popular ICOs nowadays are basically DoS’ing the network, many people send hundreds of transactions each hoping one will be accepted. The problem with this is that if you want a condition like, “I only want to participate if they have raised less than 10 million so far, because I don’t think the team will ever need more than that”, you can’t guarantee this condition. If you were to wait until the contract had 10 million in it, it’s likely already too late to try and buy as the tx queue is full for the next 1,000 blocks. One could write a smart contract to check this and only forward the transaction if the condition is met, but most users won’t be able to do this.
Hence, in the ICO contract there should be a parameter N that the function can accept which, if non-zero, returns the funds to the sender if the amount raised so far is greater than N.
This prevents what happened with the bancor ICO where parties assumed it would be completed within the 3 hour deadline, and it was “extended” due to “attacks” and they doubled their own valuation due to misleading terms… which brings me to the next rule.
Absolutely no changing code or terms of crowdsale during the crowdsale, or up to a week before
You could enforce this as a sort of ERC ICO contract, where all ICO contracts must inherit from this contract a rule that if the contract was deployed less than 7 days ago then the ICO cannot yet start. It’s debatable whether this is a good solution code-wise as there would certainly be ways to modify parameters after the deployment, but either way, it’s something that the community as a whole really should enforce. Anyone who breaks this should be shunned by the development community as a whole — and if your platform has no devs it’s pretty useless in this space.
Optional: Lock tokens for 1–3 months after sale
Since nowadays tokens become tradeable immediately and there’s plenty of exchanges that also list them immediately, speculators who buy the token simply to sell it immediately after the crowdsale are aplenty. This should really not be the target market of token sales (if this is your target market, please leave Ethereum and take your project with you, we don’t need you). People who fund an ICO should be ones who actually believe in it, want to see the platform built, and want to use it.
The reason I put this as optional is that is kind of creates a bad incentive: a whale or exchange going in and buying ⅓ of the crowdsale, and then creating an IOU market for the token, like what happened with Ethereum after the crowdsale. Not sure how to solve this really beyond either having value-limited buys per on-chain identity (using uPort, for example), or maybe someone can create a sybil oracle of some sort. Suggestions welcome.
Conclusion?
These are the rules that I, at least, would follow if doing a token sale. While there are many good projects building on Ethereum right now, I’m always suspicious of how the funds will be used.
Most people’s mindsets will change very drastically before and after having 10–100 million in the bank. I think releasing the funds all at once makes people lack a sense of urgency, and in some sense motivation as well. Why feel rushed if you’ve got enough runway for 10+ years? If things get hard, why even do anything at all? Just take a vacation with your millions.
Most projects in this space that have been around for 6–12 months have delivered very little considering the amount of money they raised. Consider that a company like Uber raised 11 million in their Series A, and they already had a real product people used by then (it had already been live in San Francisco for a year).
As a final point, please, everyone: do some due diligence in what you invest in. Many projects sound “great”, but they hand-wave away insanely difficult research problems that might take years to solve. I have nothing against funding research towards these problems, but I do have a problem funding a project that assumes this problem will go away on its own.
Vlad approves
Let me know if you disagree with anything, and I’d love to see the rules formalized into some sort of ERC and enforced by the community (and exchanges).
Any feedback is more than welcome.Mars Offers Humanity A Do-Over
On Monday, the Mars One Project announced that its group of 1,058 finalists for a one-way trip to Mars has been whittled down to 705, based on the results of medical examinations and on personal decisions to drop out of the pool.
Last month when I wrote about Mars One's aim to establish a human colony on the red planet by around 2025, I learned a lot — through comments left here at 13.7 and through emails and Twitter updates sent to me directly — about two divergent channels of thought regarding this goal. Finalists and their supporters are excited about the mission, believing it key to the future health of our species; skeptics and detractors say it will never come about because the technological know-how and funding required are beyond the means of this organization.
I have no idea if Mars One will succeed in setting up habitable colonies on Mars in the next decade or so.
Or, for that matter, if NASA's plan to land humans on Mars sometime in the 2030s — and bring them home again, honed by practice on an asteroid — will succeed, though I hope so! (NASA's Mars Exploration Program website is a fun fount of news and views on this project.)
But as an anthropologist, I do know that the questions at the heart of this sort of enterprise go much further than the ones I took up last time, concerning the psychological and social tendencies of Mars One applicants.
What will it mean for us to start over on a new planetary home? What aspects of human societies, continuously developing and changing since our species first evolved 200,000 years ago, will we replicate on Mars? Which will we alter?
Perhaps the central question, from an anthropological perspective, is one of power: How will men and women representing so many different cultural, ethnic and religious traditions work out issues of decision-making?
Mars One project leaders have given thought to this matter. They write:
"Early on, because the settlement will be very small, it is likely that most decisions will be collective and require unanimity. As the community grows it will become necessary to develop more complex systems for managing conflict and maintaining effective ways to make decisions. Mars One will provide training and a database of knowledge about human social organization to assist in that process as the settlement grows." [Specifically, the Mars travelers] "will expand their knowledge on different forms of social organization on Earth, and how cultures vary in terms of determining issues of social structure (e.g. social hierarchy, distribution of power, approaches to decision-making, kinship structure, and management of resources)."
In other words, the colonists will be trained in anthropology — from an anthropologist, or a few of us, I hope.
The task, it seems to me, is fairly daunting. People who colonize Mars will arrive there with the political systems of nation-states set firmly in mind as examples they have lived with their entire lives.
Precisely how do we start over so that we don't just replicate the global inequities that plague us here on Earth? Understanding the cross-cultural histories of colonialism, racism and sexism through an anthropological lens would make a good first step.
These issues take center stage, as well, in Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson, the best novel about Mars colonization that I've read (and the first in a trilogy completed by the books Green Mars and Blue Mars, which I look forward to reading).
At one point early in the book, a character called Sax Russell comments, "Being on Mars will change us in an evolutionary way." In response, another colonist, Arkady, insists that no, evolution is a slow-acting matter of environment and chance, whereas what Mars colonists need to do is transform themselves as a matter of history.
"And so I say," Arkady concludes, "among all the many things we transform on Mars, ourselves and our social reality should be among them. We must terraform not only Mars, but ourselves."
What happens on Robinson's fictional Mars from that point forward is sobering (I won't include spoilers, but suffice to say Arkady's idealism meets significant obstacles.)
Terraforming ourselves on Mars with a goal of equality for all: the mind spins with the possibilities. The question remains, are they realistic possibilities for change?
Barbara's most recent book on animals was released in paperback in April. You can keep up with what she is thinking on Twitter: @bjkingapeResponding to Democratic doomsayers who see the potential for an electoral bloodbath in 2010, the man in charge of running House races for the party sought to calm rattled nerves within his party.
"We are going to make sure this is not 1994 all over again," Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said on Tuesday. "I think our Republican colleagues are prematurely measuring the curtains in their new offices and prematurely popping the champagne bottles."
Speaking to reporters at the centrist think tank Third Way, the Maryland Democrat relayed that the party had already taken concrete steps to avoid a repeat of the massive off-year election wipe out it suffered the last time a Democratic president was in his first term in office.
Van Hollen met in January 2009 with Vic Fazio and Martin Frost -- two former DCCC chairman -- to game out the way to avoid such a scenario. Since then, constituent outreach and communications have been ahead of schedule, he said, while fundraising activities have kick started.
"It is clear we have a tough political challenge ahead of us and the issue, from the beginning... has been not whether or not the Democrats have a tough climb this year, but how steep it is," Van Hollen acknowledged in his opening remarks.
The environment is, indeed, a tough one. Last week, Bill Clinton's former pollster Stan Greenberg, who manned the ship during the 1994 midterm elections, admitted feeling a bit of déjà vu as the Democratic Party approached this off-year contest.
"If the election were now, we would have a change election; we would have a 1994," he said, before peppering his prediction with caveats about the ability of an improved job market to help turn the tide.
On Tuesday, Van Hollen brushed aside the fatalism. "We will hold the majority," he predicted, after declining to peg how many seats he feels the party will actually lose.
Just how the Democratic Party plans to minimize its losses comes down to a multi-part strategy. Van Hollen stressed that leadership wanted to localize each race, "making them a district by district battle." At the same time, there would be a national message focused as much on the future as the past. Former President George W. Bush would play a prominent role -- as an illustration of the danger of a GOP re-emergence.
"In 1994 Republicans were seen as a real alternative to Democrats," Van Hollen said. "This time we will make the case that supporting the Republicans is simply turning back to Bush economic policies, the same policies that to us into this mess."
At the same time, Democrats would be buoyed by accomplishments of their own: including a recovering economy, the likely passage of financial regulatory reform (or as Van Hollen put it: "Wall Street accountability legislation") and, of course, health care.
"We have seen a big increase in enthusiasm among the Democratic activist voters and you can measure that in terms of emails, phone calls, and at the DCCC you can measure it in terms of grassroots online contributions, which took a huge jump after the passage of health care reform legislation," the congressman said. "It restored people's faith that we were able to get things done... and it is something that our members are experiencing back home."
The DCCC is also banking on the notion that the GOP would end up being its own worst adversary. Van Hollen called the rise of the Tea Party movement a "double edged sword" for Republican leadership -- an obvious source of political activism, but an unstable one as well.
Then there was the actual GOP leadership, which had done little to improve its party fortunes and, in some cases, caused more headaches than help. Van Hollen joked that RNC Chairman Michael Steele would "spend money on anything" -- an obvious quip at the recent spending debacle at the RNC.
Then he talked about former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin who had personally targeted 20 House Democrats for voting in favor of health care legislation. A handful of those 20 had actually used the targeting to their advantage, sending out fundraising appeals pointing to Palin's involvement in their race.Call it the Great Gascon Pile-On.
In the wake of the Kate Steinle verdict, which saw Jose Ines Garcia Zarate found not guilty of both murder and manslaughter, enemies of District Attorney George Gascon are sniffing out vulnerability for his 2019 re-election.
Failing to get a murder charge is understandable, most say, because it requires proof of intent. But failing to net a manslaughter conviction? That’s left San Francisco politicos — and indeed, the entire city — slack-jawed.
Now, the sense is, Gascon is an easy target for future political challengers.
“As someone looking from the outside, clearly it looks like his office made the mistake of not trying the case appropriately,” Board of Supervisors President London Breed told me on Monday.
Former Supervisor David Campos, as lefty-left as you can get, also said, “I like George Gascon, but I do believe many on the left wondered why this case was overcharged.”
Gascon has two heavily rumored political opponents in 2019: Former Police Commissioner Suzy Loftus, who was appointed by Mayor Ed Lee and considered a moderate, and Supervisor Jane Kim, who garnered backing from former presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders in her state Senate bid. Neither confirmed a run.
“I have not made any decisions,” Loftus told me, when reached Monday for comment.
Note: That’s not a no.
Loftus, as native San Franciscan, has six years of experience as a prosecutor in the DA’s Office — experience that Gascon’s opponents say he lacks. She also served as Special Assistant Attorney General to Kamala Harris when Harris was attorney general.
Kim did not respond to requests for comment. Still, she’s termed out next year, and it’s fairly obvious Kim needs a new perch. Running for the DA’s Office does not sound like a stretch.
Former Mayor Art Agnos was among those who felt Gascon is vulnerable.
“In my political judgment, the only one who could hurt him from an election is someone coming from his right, saying [the DA’s Office] should have been more skilled pursuing the hardcore case against Zarate,” Agnos told me. “I don’t know who that might be, but it’s a scenario that is possible.”
If that person is Loftus, then her prosecution record may boost her in an electoral throwdown against Gascon.
David Latterman, a longtime San Francisco political consultant, said Gascon may be vulnerable from the “right,” but a lefty challenger — perhaps Kim — would have a tougher time capitalizing on a failure to prosecute Zarate.
Latterman said Gascon has mostly pursued charges that are in line with San Francisco values. “He blew it on one major case, but other than that, what’s the real reason to kick him out?”
Moderates may be keen to see Gascon ousted after he pursued charges against Human Rights Commissioner Nazly Mohajer and commission staffer Zula Jones for allegedly facilitating illegal campaign donations for Mayor Ed Lee. (Lee has denied any wrongdoing.)
But there are reasons those on the left may see Gascon vulnerable, too.
Campos said progressives wonder “why no charges are brought [by Gascon] in other cases, especially regarding police brutality.”
For instance, the San Francisco Police Department shot and killed Amilcar Lopez, and Gascon declined to prosecute the officers involved. That may be an opening for Kim.
Gascon’s office defended its record.
In 2017, the District Attorney’s conviction rate for felony charges, as of October, was 90 percent, said spokesperson Max Szabo. Szabo also said the DA’s Office pursued charges against 19 law enforcement officers since Gascon took office.
“Idle speculation that a jury’s singular verdict somehow creates a political launchpad doesn’t give the voters much credit,” Szabo said.
Notably, the guy working for Gascon was the only person I found willing to defend him.
* * *
Political parties usually provide plenty of powerful hints. Cue last Monday, when political powerbroker David Ho celebrated his 40th birthday at 5a5 Steak Lounge. The man who helped push Supervisor Ahsha Safai’s campaign over the finish line, and who also has political ties to Supervisor Aaron Peskin, hosted two interesting guests in particular: City Attorney Dennis Herrera and Planning Commissioner Christine Johnson.
The two are alike in one crucial way: Both are heavily rumored candidates in their respective races, and their presence at Ho’s party may be a (very) strong hint at what’s to come.
Herrera is rumored to be running again for mayor. If he does throw his hat in, attending Ho’s party was smart. (Also in attendance was the only announced major mayoral candidate, Mark Leno, who has been heavily courting Chinatown support as well.)
Johnson, by contrast, is rumored to be the only major opponent for District 6 supervisor candidate Matt Haney. With Ho’s recent rebuke of Haney, Johnson’s attendance at the political bash all but seals the deal.
On Guard prints the news and raises hell each week. Email Fitz at joe@sfexaminer.com, follow him on Twitter and Instagram @FitztheReporter, and Facebook at facebook.com/FitztheReporter.
Click here or scroll down to commentMegadeth have just released their 15th studio album, Dystopia, today (Jan. 29) and the album's theme could not be more prevalent in the eyes of frontman Dave Mustaine. With another presidential election looming in the United States, the race has been heated thus far, more so with sensational headlines than substance and Mustaine has sounded off. The rocker asks where the real pioneers are, condemning corruption that coincides with greed and power.
Speaking about Dystopia, Mustaine told Billboard, "It's funny; if you know how to put current events into perspective, it'll be timely as well as timeless. I think that "The Threat is Real," "Post-American World," those are things that could have been sung about in the '60s and they could be sung about 10 years from now — if there is a world 10 years from now." Adding his own charm, the band leader quipped, "I mean, if the world is meant to heal itself, it's like in the Batman movie [ The Dark Knight ] where the guy said, 'This town needs an enema.' We need to have some real, real heavy-duty, fundamental changes with what's going on."
Reflecting on the current state of affairs and potential presidential candidates, Mustaine continued, "I've seen 10 presidents come and go during my lifetime and I can't help but ask myself if this is the best we've got." Discussing the triumphs of humanity, he added, "You think about some of the things people are capable of doing, the inventions they come up with and the things you see them do, like some of these Nobel Prize winners... I'm not talking about Obama. I'm talking about people who come up with cures for diseases and come up with incredible things that benefit mankind. Where are the people like that?"
"When people get a taste of greed and stuff, they lose sight of what's right," he remarked. Drawing a comparison, he expanded, "It's like a fighter: as soon as they go from being somebody who works out in a sweat lodge and practices to finally becoming the champ, the dollar signs get in the way and they lose perspective. The next thing you know, they're knocked out." Concluding his thoughts, the guitar great stated, "I think as long as the corruption is as rampant as it is right now and you have all the different factions, it's not gonna get any better."
Megadeth dove head-first into the futurist concept of Dystopia, going as far as creating special virtual reality videos for five of the album's songs. The thrash icons will be touring in support of their new record, teaming up with Suicidal Tendencies, Children of Bodom and Havok for a U.S. run. For a complete list of dates, visit our 2016 Guide to Rock + Metal Tours.
Dave Mustaine Discusses Dystopia SongwritingIn light of current events, USA Network has opted to postpone the launch of its sniper drama Shooter until fall. “After further consideration, USA Network, Paramount TV and Universal Cable Productions have decided to move the premiere of Shooter to the fall,” a USA rep said in a statement.
The move comes a week after USA pushed the Ryan Phillippe-fronted series’ debut from July 19 to July 26 in the wake of the July 7 ambush of Dallas police officers that left five dead and several others wounded. Since that initial delay, another ambush-style attack took place this past Sunday in Baton Rouge, LA., that claimed the lives of three law enforcement officers.
Based on a Stephen Hunter novel (Point of Impact) and the 2007 Mark Wahlberg film, Shooter stars Phillippe as Bob Lee Swagger, a highly decorated ex-Marine sniper who is coaxed back into action after he learns about a plot to kill the president.
USA Network itself delayed the Season 1 finale of Mr. Robot last August, because of a scene in which a man shot himself on live TV. That sequence was deemed too disturbing in the immediate wake of the real-life, on-air shooting of a Moneta, Va. TV reporter.G-20 is over but the acrimony is not. Bloomberg reports China Assails Monetary Easing, Citing Inflation, Bubble Risks
China renewed an attack on quantitative easing, citing the risk of increased prices in emerging economies, a day after the Group of 20 nations said the markets can adopt regulatory steps to cope.
China “doesn’t support” the monetary easing that causes “imported” inflation in developing countries, Commerce Minister Chen Deming told a forum today in Macau, a Chinese special autonomous region. The capital inflows increase the risk of “asset bubbles,” Jin Zhongxia, deputy director general of the international department at the People’s Bank of China, said at the same forum.
“Major reserve-currency issuing countries excessively print money to get out of their own economic difficulties, posing a policy dilemma for emerging economies,” Jin said in Macau today, without naming any countries. “That will impose greater pressure on capital inflows, bigger bubbles in asset markets and inflationary pressure.”
Capital flows into emerging markets are running at $575 billion a year, 20 percent higher than before the world financial crisis, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said in September. The U.S. dollar has weakened over the past three months against all 16 major market currencies tracked by Bloomberg.
Steps to impose restrictions on capital have increased as emerging-market currencies strengthened, with Brazil’s real climbing 21 percent against the dollar in the past 18 months, Chile’s peso up 18 percent, Thailand’s baht rising 16 percent and South Korea’s won appreciating 10 percent.
China plans to boost cross-border yuan-denominated trade with other countries 10-fold to 20 percent of total trade, or more than 2.5 trillion yuan, to reduce reliance on a few reserve currencies, Jin said, without specifying a target date.
More Regional Yuan Trading Proposed
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, fearful of the effects of the soaring baht due to massive capital inflows, has proposed the use of the Chinese yuan as a major regional trading currency.
"The G20 did not make any progress on the matter and it is difficult to get the United States and China to express their clear stances on the issue. But what we can do is try to cooperate in the region and reduce the impact from currency volatility," Mr Abhisit said before leaving for the Asian Games in China and an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) leaders' meeting in Yokohama, Japan, this weekend.
Only vague "indicative guidelines" were set for measuring imbalances between their multi-speed economies. Leaders called a timeout to let tempers cool and left details to be discussed in the first half of next year.
Mr Abhisit echoed a call made by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to use China's yuan as a major trading currency in the region to reduce the impact of currency volatility, especially linked to the weakening of the US dollar. He said he was the one who proposed the idea to the ADB.
Donald Tsang, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said the regional private sector should brace for high volatility in the currency and securities markets as economies were increasingly linked.
The most pronounced problem to result from capital inflows, stemming from US funds seeking returns in Asia, would be an unsustainable rise in asset prices, Mr Tsang said.
"The imbalance is unique. I have never seen it in my working life," he said.
An Attack on US$ Hegemony?
UN Proposes to Scrap Dollar as Sole Reserve Currency
A new United Nations report released on Tuesday calls for abandoning the U.S. dollar as the main global reserve currency, saying it has been unable to safeguard value.
But several European officials attending a high-level meeting of the U.N. Economic and Social Council countered by saying that the market, not politicians, would determine what currencies countries would keep on hand for reserves.
"The dollar has proved not to be a stable store of value, which is a requisite for a stable reserve currency," the U.N. World Economic and Social Survey 2010 said.
The report says that developing countries have been hit by the U.S. dollar's loss of value in recent years.
"Motivated in part by needs for self-insurance against volatility in commodity markets and capital flows, many developing countries accumulated vast amounts of such (U.S. dollar) reserves during the 2000s," it said.
The report supports replacing the dollar with the International Monetary Fund's special drawing rights (SDRs), an international reserve asset that is used as a unit of payment on IMF loans and is made up of a basket of currencies.
"A new global reserve system could be created, one that no longer relies on the United States dollar as the single major reserve currency," the U.N. report said.
Russia and China have also supported the idea.
But Paavo Vayrynen, Finland's Foreign Trade and Development Minister, told reporters that he doubted it was possible "to make any political or administrative decisions how to formulate the currency system in the world."
The Market Dictates Reserve Currencies
Function of Math
Why Are Countries Piling Up US$?
Mathematically, whoever has the biggest trade deficit and hot money outflows on a sustained basis will see the biggest amount of reserves pile up elsewhere. |
The HBO Films presentation takes a behind-the-scenes look at the groundbreaking documentary "An American Family," which chronicled the lives of the Louds in the early 1970s and catapulted the Santa Barbara family to notoriety in the creation of a new television genre - the reality TV series. The film also stars Patrick Fugit, Lolita Davidovich, Kathleen Quinlan, Shanna Collins and Thomas Dekker. Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini direct from a screenplay by David Seltzer. Gavin Polone and Zanne Devine executive produce; Karyn McCarthy produces. Debuts in April. TOO BIG TO FAIL: Based on the bestselling book by Andrew Ross Sorkin, this HBO Films presentation offers an intimate look at the epochal financial crisis of 2008 and the powerful men and women who decided the fate of the world's economy in a matter of a few weeks. Centering on Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, the film goes behind closed doors to examine the symbiotic relationship between Wall Street and Washington. William Hurt stars as Paulson; the film also stars (in alphabetical order) Ed Asner, Billy Crudup, Paul Giamatti, Topher Grace, Matthew Modine, Cynthia Nixon, Michael O'Keefe, Bill Pullman, Tony Shalhoub, and James Woods. Ayad Akhtar, Kathy Baker, Evan Handler, John Heard, Dan Hedaya and Joey Slotnick co-star. HBO Films presents a Curtis Hanson Film, in association with Spring Creek Productions; Curtis Hanson directs from a script by Peter Gould; based on the book by Andrew Ross Sorkin; Curtis Hanson, Paula Weinstein, and Jeffrey Levine executive produce; Carol Fenelon co-executive produces; Ezra Swerdlow produces. Debuts in May. HBO MINISERIES MILDRED PIERCE: Kate Winslet stars in the title role of this HBO Miniseries presentation along with Guy Pearce, Evan Rachel Wood, Br�an O'Byrne, James LeGros, Melissa Leo, Mare Winningham and Hope Davis. Directed by Todd Haynes from a script by Haynes and Jon Raymond, it tells the epic story of a proud single mother struggling to earn her daughter's love during the Great Depression in middle-class Los Angeles. The five-part miniseries, produced in association with MGM, will follow the story laid out by James M. Cain in his 1941 novel of the same name. Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler, John Wells and Todd Haynes executive produce; Ilene S. Landress co-executive produces. Debuts in March. HBO DOCUMENTARIES A PRESIDENT TO REMEMBER: IN THE COMPANY OF JOHN F. KENNEDY: Directed by Robert Drew and narrated by Alec Baldwin, this film combines footage from four previous documentaries - "Primary," "Adventures on the New Frontier," "Crisis: Behind a Presidential Commitment" and "Faces of November" - offering a front-row look at the brilliant life of an American President who struggled to bring wisdom, honor and integrity to the nation's top post. Debuts Jan. 20. REAGAN: Marking what would have been his 100th birthday, this documentary takes an in-depth look at the life of the 40th U.S. President. The film traces Ronald Reagan's rise from a small town in Illinois to Hollywood actor to California Governor to President, examining the legacy of his career and policies. Directed by Eugene Jarecki. Debuts Feb. 7. THE BATTLE FOR MARJAH: An unflinching first-hand portrayal of war, this timely presentation chronicles Afghanistan: Operation Mushtaraq, launched by U.S. Marines in Feb. 2010 to liberate the strategically vital town of Marjah, Afghanistan. Filmmaker Ben Anderson was on the ground in Marjah capturing the harrowing conditions of combat and revealing the implications of America's new counter-insurgency strategy. Directed by Anthony Wonke, the film debuts on the first anniversary of the attack, which was the biggest operation since the start of the war. Debuts Feb. 17. TRIANGLE: REMEMBERING THE FIRE: Marking the 100th anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire, the film tells the tragic story of the disaster that killed 146 garment workers in cptfc lower Manhattan, most of them young immigrant girls. The fire galvanized public opinion and sparked the birth of the modern labor movement, which led to regulations that still affect workers today. Directed by Daphne Pinkerson. Debuts March 21. LA 895: Directed by Oscar(R) nominee and Peabody winner Irene Taylor Brodsky (HBO's "The Final Inch" and "Hear And Now"), this gripping film tells the story of the rescue of pelican "LA 895," one of the oiled bird victims of the BP Gulf oil spill, by the Fort Jackson Oiled Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Louisiana. Debuts in April. HBO2 DOCUMENTARIES JFK: IN HIS OWN WORDS: This special encore presentation of the 1988 Emmy(R)-winning special commemorates the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy's inauguration. Directed by Peter Kunhardt, the intimate and revealing film features rare footage and audio, much of which was seen and heard for the very first time in the documentary, giving an enthralling look at a President who remains one of America's most revered figures. Presented Jan. 19 SILENCING THE SONG: AN AFGHAN FALLEN STAR: This documentary revisits Setara, a young Afghan woman featured in the acclaimed 2009 HBO documentary "Afghan Star. " When she was voted off Afghanistan's version of "American Idol," Setara danced exuberantly cptfc across the stage and her head scarf fell to her neck, an extremely dangerous act for a woman in post-Taliban Afghanistan. Within days, the country was in an uproar, with many people saying Setara "deserves to be killed." In this new film, director Havana Marking continues Setara's story as she deals with ever-present threats to her safety, a new husband and a baby on the way. Debuts Jan. 26. WHEN STRANGERS CLICK: FIVE STORIES FROM THE INTERNET: Finding love has never been easy. But it's also never been easier. Online dating sites thrive on the promise that dates and mates are just a "click" away, but are they? This documentary tells the sometimes-startling stories of five people whose lives were transformed in unexpected ways by encounters with others online. From Oscar(R)-nominated director Robert Kenner ("Food, Inc."), the film debuts on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14. QUADRANGLE: This documentary takes an unconventional look at two conventional couples who swapped partners and lived in a group marriage in the early 1970s, hoping to pioneer an alternative to divorce and change the way people live in the future. Directed by Amy Grappell. Debuts Feb. 16. SECRETS OF THE TRIBE: This 2010 Sundance Film Festival selection illuminates the world of anthropology and the practices of those who have studied the Yanomami, the most-observed indigenous people in the world. Directed by Brazilian Jos� Padilha (HBO's "Bus 174"), the film is a behind-the-scenes look at a scientific community torn apart by infighting and accusations of scandalous ethical lapses. Debuts in March. THE DARKNESS OF DAY: Directed by Jay Rosenblatt, this haunting and compassionate meditation on suicide is composed entirely of found 16mm footage that had originally been discarded. Stories include a poignant double suicide of an elderly American couple and a Japanese teenager who jumped into a volcano. Debuts in March. EARTH MADE OF GLASS: This thought-provoking presentation examines the repercussions of the 1994 Rwandan genocide from political and personal perspectives. The film details Rwandan president Paul Kagame's role in rebuilding the wartorn country into Africa's biggest success story, underscoring the international political tumult he and the nation still face. The touching documentary also tells the multigenerational story of genocide survivor Jean Pierre Sagahutu, who is haunted by his father's unsolved murder and teaches his own son about the atrocities and making peace with the past. Directed by Deborah Scranton. Debuts in April. INGELORE: Commemorating Mother's Day, this documentary focuses on Ingelore Honigstein, a deaf Jewish woman born in 1924 Germany, who offers a unique perspective on the Holocaust as she recounts her dramatic escape to America. Directed by her son, Frank Stiefel. Debuts in May. BURMA SOLDIER: This timely documentary tells the story of Burma (aka Myanmar) through the life of one man and his family. Myo Myint joined the Burmese Army at 17 and played a role in the brutal military regime that has run the country for 45 years. But when he lost a limb to a land mine and was sidelined by the army, he began a process of change that led him to join the democracy movement. Directed by Nic Dunlop, Annie Sundberg and Ricki Stern. Debuts in May. SPORTS REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL: Winner of 21 Sports Emmys(R), and the only sports show ever to receive a Columbia University-duPont broadcast journalism award, the magazine program explores issues, controversies and personalities in the sports world with more provocative reports in new monthly editions. Host Bryant Gumbel is joined by correspondents Mary Carillo, Frank Deford, Jon Frankel, Bernard Goldberg and Andrea Kremer. The next edition debuts Jan. 25. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING: DEVON ALEXANDER VS. TIMOTHY BRADLEY: Undefeated junior welterweight stars Devon Alexander (21-0, 13 KOs) and Timothy Bradley (26-0, 11 KOs) face off in this high-stakes, 12-round title showdown, presented live from the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Mich. Jan. 29. RUNNIN' REBELS OF UNLV: This HBO Sports documentary tells the story the UNLV Runnin' Rebels men's basketball team and their controversial coach, Jerry Tarkanian. Debuting in 2011 on the eve of college basketball's March Madness, the exclusive presentation revisits the period from 1973 to 1992, when the Runnin' Rebels embodied the brash, swaggering spirit of Las Vegas and the notion that winning and winning big was all that mattered. Debuts March 7. HBO THEATRICAL MOVIES JANUARY CLASH OF THE TITANS - Sam Worthington, Alexa Davalos, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Danny Huston and Gemma Arterton. Debuts Jan. 8. VALENTINE'S DAY - Jessica Alba, Kathy Bates, Jessica Biel, Bradley Cooper, Eric Dane, Patrick Dempsey, Hector Elizondo, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Topher Grace, Anne Hathaway, Ashton Kutcher, Queen Latifah, Taylor Lautner, George Lopez, Shirley MacLaine, Emma Roberts, Julia Roberts and Taylor Swift. Debuts Jan. 15. GREEN ZONE - Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Brendan Gleeson, Amy Ryan, Khalid Abdalla and Jason Isaacs. (Directed by Paul Greengrass; written by Brian Helgeland; inspired by the book "Imperial Life in the Emerald City," by Rajiv Chandrasekaran.) Debuts Jan. 22. REPO MEN - Jude Law, Forest Whitaker and Liev Schreiber. Debuts Jan. 29. FEBRUARY THE WOLFMAN - Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt and Hugo Weaving. (Directed by Joe Johnston; screenplay by Andrew Kevin Walker and David Self; based on the motion picture screenplay by Curt Siodmak.) Debuts Feb. 5. THE SUNSET LIMITED - An HBO Films presentation; see above for details. Debuts Feb. 12. THE LOSERS - Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Zoe Saldana, Chris Evans, Idris Elba, Columbus Short, Oscar Jaenada and Jason Patric. Debuts Feb. 19. DATE NIGHT - Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Taraji P. Henson, Common and Mark Wahlberg. (Directed by Shawn Levy; written by Josh Klausner.) Debuts Feb. 26. MARCH ROBIN HOOD - Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, William Hurt, Mark Strong, Mark Addy, Oscar Isaac, Danny Huston, Eileen Atkins and Max Von Sydow, Kevin Durand. (Directed by Ridley Scott; screenplay by Brian Helgeland; story by Brian Helgeland and Ethan Reiff & Cyrus Voris.) Debuts March 5. COP OUT - Bruce Willis, Tracy Morgan, Adam Brody, Kevin Pollak, Guillermo Diaz and Seann William Scott. Debuts March 12. MACGRUBER - Will Forte, Kristen Wiig, Ryan Phillippe, Powers Boothe, Maya Rudolph and Val Kilmer. Debuts March 19. JUST WRIGHT - Queen Latifah, Common, and Paula Patton. (Directed by Sanaa Hamri; written by Michael Elliot.) Debuts March 26. CINEMAX "SEE IT SATURDAY" THEATRICAL MOVIES JANUARY COP OUT - Bruce Willis, Tracy Morgan, Adam Brody, Kevin Pollak, Guillermo Diaz and Seann William Scott. Debuts Jan. 8. ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS: THE SQUEAKQUEL - Zachary Levi, David Cross, and Jason Lee and Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, Jesse McCartney, Amy Poehler, Anna Faris and Christina Applegate. (Directed by Betty Thomas; written by Jon Vitti and Jonathan Aibel & Glenn Berger; based on characters created by Ross Bagdasarian and Janice Karman.) (Alvin and the Chipmunks and Characters TM & (C) 2009 Bagdasarian Productions, LLC. All rights reserved. (C) 2009 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.) Debuts Jan. 15. THE BLIND SIDE - Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron and Kathy Bates. Debuts Jan. 22. THE LOVELY BONES - Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci, Michael Imperioli and Saoirse Ronan. (Directed by Peter Jackson; based on the novel by Alice Sebold; screenplay by Fran Walsh & Philippa Boyens & Peter Jackson.) Debuts Jan. 29. FEBRUARY OUR FAMILY WEDDING - Forest Whitaker, America Ferrera, Carlos Mencia, Regina King and Lance Gross. (Directed by Rick Famuyiwa; screenplay by Wayne Conley and Malcolm Spellman and Rick Famuyiwa.) Debuts Feb. 5. IT'S COMPLICATED - Meryl Streep, Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin and John Krasinski. (Directed and written by Nancy Meyers.) Debuts Feb. 12. AVATAR - Sam Worthington, Zo? Saldana, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez and Sigourney Weaver. (Directed and written by James Cameron.) Debuts Feb. 19. EDGE OF DARKNESS - Mel Gibson, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston and Bojana Novakovic. Debuts Feb. 26. MARCH TOOTH FAIRY - Dwayne Johnson, Ashley Judd and Julie Andrews. (Directed by Michael Lembeck; screenplay by Lowell Ganz & Babaloo Mandel and Joshua Sternin & Jeffrey Ventimilia and Randi Mayem Singer; story by Jim Piddock.) Debuts March 5. GET HIM TO THE GREEK (EXTENDED VERSION) - Jonah Hill and Russell Brand. Debuts March 12. THE BOOK OF ELI - Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Jennifer Beals, Mila Kunis and Ray Stevenson. Debuts March 19. GREEN ZONE - Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Brendan Gleeson, Amy Ryan, Khalid Abdalla and Jason Isaacs. (Directed by Paul Greengrass; written by Brian Helgeland; inspired by the book "Imperial Life in the Emerald City," by Rajiv Chandrasekaran.) Debuts in March 26.One of the sad realities of the internet is its lack of permanence. Outlets get redesigned, articles are changed without notice, YouTube clips get pulled down. Then there are the sites that straight up vanish out of thin air, like they never existed in the first place. That's what happened in 2010 when Kanye West's blog—one of the strangest and most fascinating looks into the man's brain—at KanyeUniverseCity.com shut down.
If you go to the site now, you get a sad, depressing error message. While the new destination, KanyeWest.com, initially served as a blog for a short period of time, the old spot was the place where Yeezy consistently let loose about everything––fashion, art, architecture, movies, and anything else that was rattling around his brain. Of course, music made it into the mix, too, with posts of old Gang Starr videos or rare Big L freestyles. However, that wasn't the focus. Instead, Kanye was mostly intent on hyping things outside of music. He would throw up a dopeass Gucci LED watch one hour and photos of the new Commes Des Garcon show the next. He would talk about the genius of Takashi Murakami or Damien Hirst, and then put media outlets on blast for taking his words out of context. He would say whatever he wanted to, whenever he wanted to, however he wanted to, multiple times a day for three years straight.
But that's the way Kanye has always been, constantly speaking his mind, straddling the difficult line between brilliance and utter insanity. The blog was just a new space for him to further explore his interests and passions––and to do it a hell of a lot more frequently. Today, Kanye is riffing about the same stuff he was back then, dropping nuggets of information about the fashion and music industries in interviews that go viral because anytime this man opens his mouth he seems to spit some sort of gold, even if he's said it countless times before. But the blog. Man, the blog was special. Not only was it a consistent unfiltered look at the world through Kanye's eyes, it was a sign of things to come (although, let's agree, nobody ever predicted this dude would be wearing disco balls as masks on stage).
Fortunately, we can still find all the old KanyeUniverseCity material through screenshots via the handy Wayback Machine. So, because I'm apparently nearly as crazy as Kanye himself, I spent an entire week mining the old site to shine a spotlight on some of the things Kanye was talking about then, years before they entered the public conscience. Some posts were just single photos alongside a title and caption. Some were all-caps rants. Some were photos of receipts. Some were photos of people he admired. Some were photos of inside of his house. I went through the entire god damn blog—all 6,594 posts of it—and found the highlights. And rather than offering any commentary, I've decided to simply put the posts on display, hopefully illustrating the behind-the-scenes of one of the most forward-thinking and innovative minds of our generation (who has even managed to inspire religions).
This, my friends, is a taste of what I found:
TAKASHI MURAKAMI AND KANYE WEST AT MURAKAMI'S STUDIO IN JAPAN
Date: 9/16/2007
CHECK OUT THESE PHOTO'S OF MY LA HOME IN INTERIOR DESIGN MAGAZINE. I LIKE THESE WAY MORE THAN PHOTOS IN PREVIOUS MAGAZINES
Date: 9/28/2007
CHECK OUT THE AMERICAN PSYCHO LITHO'S BY ROBERT LONGO
Date: 10/31/2007
In Boston I went to one of my favorites galeries -DTR Modern Galleries
THIS WEEK'S DESIGNER OF THE WEEK - YVES BEHAR
Date: 10/26/2007
Yves Béhar is an Industrial designer and founder of Fuseproject, the San Francisco-based design and branding firm he founded in 1999. He started off his career working in Silicon valley for clients like Apple Inc. and HP, and is widely acclaimed for his innovative, minimalistic and groundbreaking work in Industrial design.
Béhar's designs and creative positioning is contributing in diverse areas as technology, sports, lifestyle and fashion, for clients such as Birkenstock, Herman Miller, BMW's MINI, Nike, OLPC, Hussein Chalayan, Toshiba, haasprojekt, Microsoft, Hewlett Packard, PUIG and Philou. He also designed the Lance Armstrong watch.
ARTIST OF THE WEEK - BURTON MORRIS
Date: 10/31/2007
This is the esteemed pop artist Burton Morris... I purchased the Bob's Big Boy and Sugar Smacks pieces that are in my kitchen from him and loved the work so much that I later commisioned him 2 do his take on the Jetsons Family...
STILL NO HARD BOTTOMS
Date: 1/18/2008
We in Japan... just came from the Isatan store... Raf Simons is crazy this season... Comme des Garcons went crazy also, they've got this over the top Pink corduroy blazer but I ain't finna show it till I wear it... Dries kinda let me down last season (the stuff in the store now) but I saw a couple of really dope pieces today on the runway
DESIGNER OF THE WEEK - MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA
Date: 1/7/2008
Examples of Martin's genius are a dress inspired by a dress-form, a photo print of a life size leather jacket on a t-shirt, or a women's glove to be worn as a handbag. At a time when designers are their own best spokesperson, Martin Margiela has never been photographed nor given an interview to the press - again, challenging the conventional.
DIY FLYING MACHINE
Date: 1/18/2008
Looks a little dangerous....
The Performance Aviation Manufacturing Group ( PAM) has developed an Individual Lifting Vehicle (ILV) concept that is being developed as a kit in the United States. The PAM 100B has already achieved a maximum height of 20 feet and a maximum airspeed of 25mph in the trials. The lifting vehicle will be available as Do-It-Yourself kit for a whopping US $50,000. The ILV uses a counter-rotating rotor lifting system and gets its power from two 105 horsepower, Hirth F-30, 2 cycle, 4 cylinder engines with dual ignition and forced air cooling. Engine power comes through two 2.64:1 engine gearboxes. The best part is that if one of the engines fails, the other one can still sustain the flight. The ILV can soar over trees and houses requiring pilot skills equal only to riding a motor bike. Control of the ILV is obtained by simply shifting your body weight. The kit currently under development in the United States is dubbed PAM 200. On the other hand, flying cars don't seem to be far way. Many flying cars have already gone into production, including the PAL-V flying car, Terrafugia Transition, Moller M200G Volantor, and the Urban Aeronautics' X-Hawk.
THIS IS RETARDED
Date: 1/28/2008
This baby carriage is not covered with diamonds or any other precious metal but is just equipped with rear changing table, so the $14,899 price tag is not justified.
I'M NOT INTO IT, BUT I'M SURE VIVICA A. FOX MAY HAVE THIS IN HER BATHROOM!!
Date: 2/20/2008
These animal pattern ceramic tiles are designed by Settecento.
I SAW THIS SIGN WHEN I LANDED IN AUSTRALIA AND THOUGHT....(USING THE QUAGMIRE VOICE) OH YEAH!
Date: 2/18/2008
THE REST OF THIS QUOTE IS…
Date: 3/1/2008
I just love the clothes! Lex and I are not there 2 take pictures... I don't have an album about 2 drop... my tour is sold out... I love fashion and this is one of the funnest things we can make time for! I totally love and respect any designer that won't let me come 2 there show... it's their show... they don't owe me anything... Balenciaga is one of the illest lines right now and I don't feel any type of way about not getting in! There's always a catch 22 in being a celeb... your motives are always questioned... but only time will show my true love MY FIRST LOVE is for fashion and I appreciate just being in a position 2 afford 2 be able 2 spend a week in Paris visiting shows. I wish everyone could have this experience, the new music you hear, the new people you meet and most of all the beautiful clothes! I understand that some designers don't want all that unnecessary commotion at there shows, that's what I mean by "I get a lot of attention"... I feel like music and fashion don't bridge enough... at least not as much as it did in the 80's when Madonna and Michael actually influenced designers... there was a give and take. I never use my blog 2 clear stuff up... but this is so close 2 my heart I had 2 say something... Anyone saying something negative has it wrong, they've got me wrong... I just want 2 make great art on every level and fashion shows are one of the best forms of art in the world. Thank you Paris again for the inspiration!!!
LIFE IS GOOD… IN JAPAN PICKING OUT FABRICS FOR PASTELLE
Date: 4/09/2008
I don't do anything I don't love anymore... I loved the flashing lights vid so it didn't matter 2 me if someone one else didn't. While people chase money I pursue happiness. So many people talk about there investments or how much money they have but there's so many rich people who spend a lot of that trying 2 buy a piece of happiness. If there's anything my mom taught me is to enjoy life. I just recorded my first verse in the last 6 months 2 days ago at Bape's Studio in Japan. It felt good and I was inspired. I absolutely lost my mind (in a good way) on the new Glow in the Dark tour. The constant hours of creating helped me 2 keep from loosing my mind in a bad way. Chris Milk told me tragedy can produce great art and this is definitely true. I am a total mad man now, up till 3 am every night, trying 2 fight pain, board-um, and uncertainty with creativity. All that said, life is good..... good as finding the perfect fabric for a simple one button casual blazer with matching pants.
BOW IN THE PRESENCE OF GREATNESS! (Frank Gehry)
Date: 4/12/2008
HOUSTON I LOVE YOU!
Date: 5/4/2008
Don't believe the hype! When I started the show the other night we were having a lot of technical issues due 2 the heat. The 2 huge screens on both sides of the stage were glaring bright blue like when your DVD player acts up at home. I asked for them 2 turn the screens off 3 times because it was distracting 2 the show. The fans were not getting what they paid for. I admit, in my frustration, I did use profanity on the 4th time I asked. I stopped the show 2 go over and check it out myself. After the screens were turned off I started the same song from the beginning. The screens were eventually fixed 5 songs in but it was definitely better 2 have them blacked out rather than bright blue. Unfortunately for certain media outlets, you will never be able 2 'Michael Jackson' me. That means 2 make it seem like everything I do is so weird or out of place... they always try 2 make it seem like everything is about my ego! That joke is getting old. At a certain point you have 2 respect that I'm one of the last artist that still cares about the fans having the best time of there lives! Thanks 2 Bossip and Perez for taking it easy on me on the EW spaz... I did go in a little 2 much on that one. I'm sure there are some cool people who work over there and had nothing 2 do with that review. With all that said.... "I'm still the greatest!!!" lol!! Oh and I was in the studio with T.I. last night.... so get ready!!!
I AIN'T GOT NOTHING AGAINST ICE T OR NOBODY FOR THAT MATTER BUT I GOTTA RIDE WITH SOULJA BOY..
Date: 6/21/2008
Soulja boy is fresh ass hell and is actually the true meaning of what hip hop is sposed to be. He came from the hood, made his own beats, made up a new saying, new sound and a new dance with one song. He had all of America rapping this summer. If that ain't Hip Hop then what is? A bunch of wannabe keep it real rappers that ain't even relevant, recycling samples trying to act like it's 96 again and all they do is hate on new shit? Niggas always talk about the golden age but for a 13 year old kid, this is the golden age!!! That song was so dope cause everything he said had a hidden meaning... that's Nas level shit... he just put it over some steel drums which is also some Nas shit if you had the 2nd album cassette with the bonus track "Silent Murder" on it. In closing... new niggas get ya money$$$$$$$$$$ Keep this shit fresh and original.... ain't no fuckin' rules to this shit and that's what real hip hop is to me.
I am sick of negative people who just sit around trying 2 plot my downfall... Why???? I understand if people don't like me because I like me or if people think tight clothes look gay or people say I run my mouth to much, But this Bonnaroo thing is the worst insult I've ever had in my life. This is the most offended I've ever been... this is the maddest I ever will be. I'm typing so fucking hard I might break my fucking Mac book Air!!!!!!!! Call me any name you want.... arrogant, conceited, narcissistic, racist, metro, fag whatever you can think of.... BUT NEVER SAY I DIDN'T GIVE MY ALL! NEVER SAY I DIDN'T GIVE MY ALL! THIS SHOWS NO MATTER HOW HARD YOU TRY TO BE GOOD AT SOMETHING THERE WILL BE PEOPLE THERE TO LIE ABOUT YOU AND BRING YOU DOWN! LIKE WAYNE SAYS PLEASE DON'T SHOOT ME DOWN CAUSE I'M FLYING! I'M FUCKING HURT BY THIS ONE. ALL I CARE ABOUT ARE THE FANS. JUST SAY THIS OUT LOUD IN A ROOM FULL OF PEOPLE, "KANYE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT GIVING A GOOD PERFORMANCE." CAN ANYONE HONESTLY SAY THAT????????? HAS ANYONE EVEN TAKEN THE TIME TO AT LEAST DO THE MATH??? BONNAROO SHOULD HAVE RELEASED A STATEMENT IN MY DEFENSE BUT SINCE THEY HAVEN'T LET'S BREAK DOWN THE WALLS ON THIS TRUMAN SHOW AND LET YOU KNOW WHAT REALLY OCCURRED!!! FOR OVER A MONTH WE WENT BACK AND FORTH ON WETHER OR NOT WE COULD EVEN FIT MY STAGE AT THE FESTIVAL. ONE DAY THEY WOULD SAY YES... WE'D SEND THEM OUR SPECS THEN THEY THEY'D SAY OK... THEN THEY WOULD SEND SPECS BACK THAT DIDN'T FIT THE STAGE. WE WERE OBVIOUSLY DEALING WITH FUCKING IDIOTS WHO DIDN'T REALLY HAVE THE CAPACITY TO REALLY PUT ON THIS SHOW PROPERLY. THEY TRIED 2 GIVE ME A TIME SLOT WERE IT WAS STILL LIGHT OUTSIDE... I HAVE A FUCKING LIGHT SHOW DUMB ASS, IT'S NOT CALLED GLOW IN THE DARK FOR NO REASON SQUID BRAINS! MY PEOPLE WORKED OUT A COMPROMISED STAGE PLOT AND A 3AM TIME SLOT AND I AGREED. FAST FOWARD TO THE DAY OF THE SHOW. MY PRODUCTION MANAGER TRIED TO LOAD IN FOR 24 HOURS BEFORE I WENT ON STAGE BUT THE FESTIVAL WOULDN'T ALLOW US TO DO ANYTHING UNTILL PEARL JAM LEFT THE STAGE. PEARL JAM ENDED ONE HOUR LATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AT THAT POINT WE'RE RACING AGAINST THE SUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AT 4:20AM DON COMES BACK 2 THE BUS AND TELLS ME, " IT WOULD TAKE 45 MORE MINUTES TO PUT ALL YOUR PYRO IN!" I SAY I HAVE TO GET OUT THERE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I HIT THE STAGE AND PEOPLE HAD BEEN THROWING SHIT ON THE STAGE AND HAD ACTUALLY HIT THE JANE SCREEN WITH, I GUESS BOTTLES OR SOMETHING AND HAD BROKEN MY FUCKING SCREEN. REMEMBER WHEN YOU WERE A SHORTY AND WATER WOULD HIT THE TV?????? WHEN I GOT 2 "THROUGH THE WIRE" I STEPPED ON THE FRONT PART OF MY STAGE AND THERE WAS SO MUCH LIQUID ON THE STAGE I COULDN'T MOVE WITHOUT SLIPPING. I HAD TO ADJUST MY WHOLE PERFORMANCE STYLE BECAUSE OF IT. A FEW MORE SONGS IN AND THE SONG WAS ON IT'S WAY UP.. I CUT A FEW SONGS FROM THE SET BECAUSE I WANTED PEOPLE 2 EXPERIENCE STRONGER WHILE THERE WAS STILL SOME DARKNESS TO PERFORM IT IN. I'VE STRUGGLED WITH STRONGER FROM IT'S CONCEPTION. REMEMBER LAST SUMMER WHEN I CANCELED SOME TV APPEARANCES. IT WAS BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO PERFORM STRONGER IN THE DAYTIME. ANYONE WHO CAME TO THE GLOW TOUR CAN UNDERSTAND WHY I WANTED PEOPLE TO SEE IT PROPERLY. IT BROKE MY HEART THAT I COULDN'T GIVE THESE FANS STRONGER IN IT'S GREATEST FORM... BY THE TIME I GOT TO STRONGER IT WAS DAYTIME AND IT BROKE MY HEART. I'M SORRY TO EVERYONE THAT I DIDN'T HAVE THE ABILITY 2 GIVE THE PERFORMANCE I WANTED TO. I'M SORRY... SOMETIMES I GO 2, 3 DAYS W/O SLEEP WORKING ON MY PERFORMANCE... I HAVE TO ICE MY KNEES AFTER EVERY SHOW AND THEY HURT WHEN I WALK THROUGH THE AIRPORT... HAVING AN EXPENSIVE STAGE CUTS MY PAYDAY IN HALF... CALL ME WHAT YOU WANT BUT NEVER SAY I DIDN'T GIVE MY ALL!!!
Alex Suskind went on his own Kanye rant after digging through all of this. He's on Twitter — @AlexJSuskindTo keep the exam questions secure, the state requires that all school districts give the exams at the same time on the same day. They are administered three times a year, in January, June and August. There are no extra versions for any particular date, because they are costly to create.
Following a 2004 precedent, when Regents exams were also canceled by snow, state officials announced a compromise for several hundred city students who were hoping to graduate this month but needed to pass one or more of Thursday’s Regents tests to do so.
Those students may still graduate, with a so-called local diploma, as long as they had a passing grade in the related class. But students who want a Regents diploma, which represents a higher standard and is more attractive to some colleges, will have to take the June exam.
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The United States history exam is one of five Regents the city requires for graduation, along with English, math, global history and science. For some, the January tests offer a chance to improve a poor score from a past year; for others, it is a practice exam. At Columbus High School in the Bronx, about 15 seniors who arrived in high school speaking no or limited English hoped to pass so they would have to take fewer exams in June, said Christine Rowland, one of their teachers.
Their native languages are as diverse as Creole, Wolof, Albanian and Arabic, but they now all have to face questions like: “The presence of which pair of geographic conditions discouraged the development of a plantation economy in the New England colonies?” (answer: rocky soil and short growing season).
“It means they are going to go all spring with the anxiety of not knowing if they are going to pass it,” said Ms. Rowland said.
Asked about the pressure, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg said at his snow briefing: “The state will figure out ways to work it out, for the kids who need to take the test. But learning the material is not a bad idea.”
Barely suppressing a smirk, he added, “As a matter of fact, they’ve got the day free, they can go back to the books, and I’m sure most of them will want to spend this day doing that.”
High school students, posting on Twitter on Thursday, revealed some anguish, and some relief.
Sintayehu Dejene, 17, a junior at Bronx International High School, saw both sides. He immigrated from Ethiopia in the ninth grade speaking only Amharic, and was taking a shot at four Regents this week, even though his English is still far from perfect. In an e-mail, he said he understood why the Regents were canceled because none “of us want to get out of our house in this snow.” But he added that he was a little bit sad, “because I was hoping to see if it is going to be hard or easy |
League party.
Rohan had apparently disappeared in December and his father filed a missing person's report with the police a month later.
"I am stunned to learn this, dumbfounded," he told the BBC. "There was nothing at home, no books or anything to indicate he was leaning that way.
Mr Khan is still not sure how his son became a radical.
"Perhaps through the internet," he added.
On the face of it, the suspects appeared to have led normal lives, typical of people from similar elite backgrounds.
Image copyright AP Image caption Bangladesh has seen militant violence before but experts say the attack is an escalation
One of them played football, another enjoyed listening to music while a third was fond of racing his car through Dhaka's streets at night with his friends.
But at some point, all of them changed, became reclusive and then disappeared from public view.
The North South University is the country's first private university and is located in a quiet, leafy neighbourhood.
This is where Nibral Islam studied.
After a lot of attempts, I finally track down one person who knew him. He agreed to speak to me but only on the phone and after I promised not to reveal his identity.
"I used to see him on campus. I've run into him a few times in the canteen," he tells me.
I ask him if he could tell me what he was like. "Very normal, just like anyone else."
Image copyright AFP Image caption The affluent background of the attackers has been a big talking point in Bangladesh
He then told me that there are several Islamic radical groups who discreetly approach the students.
"It's very harmless at first. They ask them if they pray regularly and things like that."
Students who respond are then given literature and asked to attend discussions.
"Eventually they are told: 'This is no life. Join the jihad.' Those who get indoctrinated slowly withdraw from public and then simply disappear."
Bangladesh is not new to militant violence. But many agree that this attack marks a new and dangerous direction.
"This is only the beginning," says Brig Gen Shakhawat Hossain, a retired army officer and security analyst.
"There's more to come."The exact moment Noel Gallagher struts into J Sheekey, a seafood restaurant off Charing Cross Road famous for its thespy connections and exquisite oysters, two things happen in quick succession: he orders champagne and then he begins machine-gunning the first of about a thousand riotous anecdotes. We haven't even considered opening our menus and arguably Britain's Last Great Rock Star, sort of a Mancunian Elton John for the Britpop generation (adored, uncompromising, unapologetically blunt and really, really rich), is telling me how he and his absurdly beautiful wife, Sara, were round at Mark Ronson's house recently after an industry awards knees-up and something nigh-on cataclysmic occurred...
"Nothing good happens between 4am and 6am"
"We were on about the 15th hour of a 17-hour bender," Noel explains, chuckling, those eyebrows going off like a couple of mating Ewoks in a Zumba class, "and on the way to his gaff - we were coming from the Chiltern Firehouse, naturally - Mark tries to jump out of the taxi on the Westway. We had to grab him to stop him from being run over. Eventually, and alive, we make it back to his place and then he goes, 'So, does anyone want to hear the new Adele album?' Before anyone could say, 'No thanks, Mark, not at ten to five in the morning,' he sticks it on. Continuously. I kept saying, 'I thought you were a bloody DJ? No one wants this, not now!' The lesson of the story: nothing good happens between the hours of 4am and 6am. Nothing. Lovely lad, though, Mark. Adele? I'm not a fan. She always comes on the radio when I'm having my cornflakes: 'Hello?' No, f*** off!"
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As anyone who has spent any time with the man will tell you, Noel Gallagher is superb, dangerous company, not least because the High Flying Birds frontman has an opinion on absolutely everything, which this afternoon ranges from writing his autobiography - "Yes, I'll do one. No, I won't do a Wayne Rooney and write six" - to the absurdities of what he calls "Heston Blumenthal's barbed-wire-flavoured ice cream". We spend the afternoon talking, drinking champagne and - for me at least - laughing so much my face turns to clay.
Read next Talk Talk's Spirit Of Eden is one of the great masterpieces of modern music Talk Talk's Spirit Of Eden is one of the great masterpieces of modern music "What Spirit Of Eden taught me was to be open minded about art"
We cover, and scorch, a lot of earth. Topics discussed before our food arrives - which, incidentally, is haddock and chips (£18.25) cooked about as perfectly as is possible - include the new Star Wars film: "I went on set and discovered the Millennium Falcon is made out of bubble wrap and tons of Lego sprayed silver." Noel's fallibility when faced with an oven: "That's how I imagine I will die. Sara will go away and I'll accidentally undercook a piece of chicken." Vegetarians: "I open the fridge sometimes and think, 'What I call food lives on this.'" Saturday night television: "I've been offered the X Factor twice and - right after I left Oasis - Strictly Come Dancing. Just ee-f***ing-magine." The lunacy of some fans: "I signed a dry-cleaning receipt for someone's son once. I asked, 'Don't you need this to go and get your washing?'" And, of course, someone Noel once described as "a man with a fork in a world full of soup": "I saw Liam at a Man City game recently and we were all right. Bless him, he's going through a bit of a tough time - you live by the sword, you get divorced by the sword..."
Once done with our battered fish, we contemplate what will be Noel's next significant Oasis announcement. No, not Glastonbury 2016, sadly, but a documentary, directed by Asif Kapadia - the man behind Amy and Senna - celebrating the 20th anniversary of the band's monumental two nights at Knebworth in 1996. "We have all this footage from behind the scenes leading up to the gigs, most of which can't be used as there's just monstrous drug taking. We shot the gigs using 16 cameras and we forgot about it. It feels like the last great gathering before the internet; youth culture's last great stand. A sort of 'you had to be there' moment. Nothing will ever happen like that again." And he's right. It won't. Just like this meal. And with that we order two coffees and two more glasses of champagne. Remember: "Live Forever" kids, if only in your own lunchtime.
Cigarettes & Alcohol: ★★★✩✩
My Big Mouth: ★★★✩✩
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Rock'n'Roll Star: ★★★★★
F***in' In The Bushes: ✩✩✩✩✩
Overall: ★★★★★
J Sheekey, 28-32 St Martin's Court, London WC2. 0207 240 2565 Read our J Sheekey reviewWith Tim Pawlenty out of the presidential race, it is now fairly clear that the GOP candidate will either be Mitt Romney or someone who makes George W. Bush look like Tom Paine. Of the three most plausible candidates for the Republican nomination, two are deeply associated with a theocratic strain of Christian fundamentalism known as Dominionism. If you want to understand Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry, understanding Dominionism isn’t optional.
Put simply, Dominionism means that Christians have a God-given right to rule all earthly institutions. Originating among some of America’s most radical theocrats, it’s long had an influence on religious-right education and political organizing. But because it seems so outré, getting ordinary people to take it seriously can be difficult. Most writers, myself included, who explore it have been called paranoid. In a contemptuous 2006 First Things review of several books, including Kevin Phillips’ American Theocracy, and my own Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism, conservative columnist Ross Douthat wrote, “the fear of theocracy has become a defining panic of the Bush era.”
Now, however, we have the most theocratic Republican field in American history, and suddenly, the concept of Dominionism is reaching mainstream audiences. Writing about Bachmann in The New Yorker this month, Ryan Lizza spent several paragraphs explaining how the premise fit into the Minnesota congresswoman’s intellectual and theological development. And a recent Texas Observer cover story on Rick Perry examined his relationship with the New Apostolic Reformation, a Dominionist variant of Pentecostalism that coalesced about a decade ago. “[W]hat makes the New Apostolic Reformation movement so potent is its growing fascination with infiltrating politics and government,” wrote Forrest Wilder. Its members “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.”
In many ways, Dominionism is more a political phenomenon than a theological one. It cuts across Christian denominations, from stern, austere sects to the signs-and-wonders culture of modern megachurches. Think of it like political Islamism, which shapes the activism of a number of antagonistic fundamentalist movements, from Sunni Wahabis in the Arab world to Shiite fundamentalists in Iran.
Dominionism derives from a small fringe sect called Christian Reconstructionism, founded by a Calvinist theologian named R. J. Rushdoony in the 1960s. Christian Reconstructionism openly advocates replacing American law with the strictures of the Old Testament, replete with the death penalty for homosexuality, abortion, and even apostasy. The appeal of Christian Reconstructionism is, obviously, limited, and mainstream Christian right figures like Ralph Reed have denounced it.
But while Rushdoony was a totalitarian, he was a prolific and influential one—he elaborated his theories in a number of books, including the massive, three-volume Institutes of Biblical Law. And his ideas, along with those of his followers, have had an incalculable impact on the milieu that spawned both Bachmann and Perry.
Rushdoony pioneered the Christian homeschooling movement, as well as the revisionist history, ubiquitous on the religious right, that paints the U.S. as a Christian nation founded on biblical principles. He consistently defended Southern slavery and contrasted it with the greater evils of socialism: “The law here is humane and also unsentimental,” he wrote. “It recognizes that some people are by nature slaves and will always be so... Socialism, on the contrary, tries to give the slave all the advantages of his security together with the benefits of freedom, and in the process, destroys both the free and the enslaved.”
Rushdoony’s most influential idea was the concept of Dominionism, which spread far beyond the Christian Reconstructionist fringe. “‘Dominion theologians,’ as they are called, lay great emphasis on Genesis 1:26–7, where God tells Adam to assume dominion over the animate and inanimate world,” wrote the scholar Garry Wills in his book Under God: Religion and American Politics, describing the influence of the ideology on Pat Robertson. “When man fell, his control over creation was forfeited; but the saved, who are restored by baptism, can claim again the rights given Adam.”
For believers in Dominionism, rule by non-Christians is a sort of sacrilege—which explains, in part, the theological fury that has accompanied the election of our last two Democratic presidents. “Christians have an obligation, a mandate, a commission, a holy responsibility to reclaim the land for Jesus Christ—to have dominion in civil structures, just as in every other aspect of life and godliness,” wrote George Grant, the former executive director of Coral Ridge Ministries, which has since changed its name to Truth in Action Ministries. “But it is dominion we are after. Not just a voice... It is dominion we are after. Not just equal time... World conquest.”
Bachmann is close to Truth in Action Ministries; last year, she appeared in one of its documentaries, Socialism: A Clear and Present Danger. In it, she espoused the idea, common in Reconstructionist circles, that the government has no right to collect taxes in excess of 10 percent, the amount that believers are called to tithe to the church. On her state-senate-campaign website, she recommended a book co-authored by Grant titled Call of Duty: The Sterling Nobility of Robert E. Lee, which, as Lizza reported, depicted the civil war as a battle between the devout Christian South and the Godless North, and lauded slavery as a benevolent institution. “The unity and companionship that existed between the races in the South prior to the war was the fruit of a common faith,” the book said.
One could go on and on listing the Dominionist influences on Bachmann’s thinking. She often cites Francis Schaeffer, the godfather of the anti-abortion movement, who held seminars on Rushdoony’s work and helped disseminate his ideas to a larger evangelical audience. John Eidsmoe, an Oral Roberts University professor who, she’s said, “had a great influence on me,” is a Christian Reconstructionist. She often praises the Christian nationalist historian David Barton, who is intimately associated with the Christian Reconstructionist movement; an article about slavery on the website of his organization, Wallbuilders, defends the institution’s biblical basis, with extensive citations of Rushdoony. (“God's laws concerning slavery provided parameters for treatment of slaves, which were for the benefit of all involved,” it says.)
In elaborating Bachmann’s Dominionist history, though, it’s important to point out that she is not unique. Perry tends to be regarded as marginally more reasonable than Bachmann, but he is as closely associated with Dominionism as she is, though his links are to a different strain of the ideology.
The Christian Reconstructionists tend to be skeptical of Pentecostalism, with its magic, prophesies, speaking in tongues, and wild ecstasies. Certainly, there are overlaps between the traditions—Oral Roberts, where Bachmann studied with Eidsmoe, was a Pentecostal school. But it’s only recently that one group of Pentecostals, the New Apostolic Reformation, has created its own distinct Dominionist movement. And members see Perry as their ticket to power.
“The New Apostles talk about taking dominion over American society in pastoral terms,” wrote Wilder in the Texas Observer. “They refer to the ‘Seven Mountains’ of society: family, religion, arts and entertainment, media, government, education, and business. These are the nerve centers of society that God (or his people) must control.” He quotes a sermon from Tom Schlueter, New Apostolic pastor close to Perry. “We’re going to infiltrate [the government], not run from it. I know why God’s doing what he’s doing... He’s just simply saying, ‘Tom I’ve given you authority in a governmental authority, and I need you to infiltrate the governmental mountain.”
According to Wilder, members of the New Apostolic Reformation see Perry as their vehicle to claim the “mountain” of government. Some have told Perry that Texas is a “prophet state,” destined, with his leadership, to bring America back to God. The movement was deeply involved in The Response, the massive prayer rally that Perry hosted in Houston earlier this month. “Eight members of The Response ‘leadership team’ are affiliated with the New Apostolic Reformation movement,” wrote Wilder. “The long list of The Response’s official endorses—posted on the event’s website—reads like a Who’s Who of the apostolic-prophetic crowd, including movement founder C. Peter Wagner.”
We have not seen this sort of thing at the highest levels of the Republican Party before. Those of us who wrote about the Christian fundamentalist influence on the Bush administration were alarmed that one of his advisers, Marvin Olasky, was associated with Christian Reconstructionism. It seemed unthinkable, at the time, that an American president was taking advice from even a single person whose ideas were so inimical to democracy. Few of us imagined that someone who actually championed such ideas would have a shot at the White House. It turns out we weren’t paranoid enough. If Bush eroded the separation of church and state, the GOP is now poised to nominate someone who will mount an all-out assault on it. We need to take their beliefs seriously, because they certainly do.Post your picture here and have fellow Redditors tell you what they think about your appearance! We just want everybody to have fun and indulge in feeling a little vain, too, if you wish. :)
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We just want everybody to have fun and indulge in feeling a little vain, too, if you wish. :)Rockefeller pushes to rein in EPA
By Juliet Eilperin
Sen. John D. Rockefeller (D-WVa.) will introduce legislation Thursday to impose a two-year moratorium on the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to regulate greenhouse gases from power plants and other stationary emitters, a move that could undermine the Obama administration's plan to pursue a cap on carbon emissions in the face of congressional opposition.
Rockefeller's bill, one of several recent congressional efforts to curb the EPA's authority to address climate change under the Clean Air Act, highlights the resistance the administration will face if it attempts to limit carbon dioxide through regulation. Obama and his top deputies have repeatedly said they would prefer for Congress to set mandatory, nationwide limits on greenhouse gas emissions, but the EPA is moving ahead with plans to do so if legislation fails to pass this year.
"Today, we took important action to safeguard jobs, the coal industry, and the entire economy as we move toward clean coal technology," Rockefeller said. "This legislation will issue a two-year suspension on EPA regulation of greenhouse gases from stationary sources--giving Congress the time it needs to address an issue as complicated and expansive as our energy future. Congress, not the EPA, must be the ideal decision-maker on such a challenging issue."
Republicans, too, have repeatedly tried to rein in the EPA's climate authority--Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) has introduced a resolution of disapproval that would overturn the agency's scientific finding that greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare, and House Republicans introduced their own version of the resolution this week. But Rockefeller's effort is especially significant because it points to growing unease among Democrats over the prospect of the administration tackling climate change without explicit congressional approval.
Three Senate Democrats--Blanche Lincoln (Ark.), Mary Landrieu (La.) and Ben Nelson (Neb.)--are co-sponsoring Murkowksi's resolution. House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin C. Peterson (D-Minn.) and Armed Services Chairman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) have introduced a similar measure, and House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick J. Rahall (D-WVa), along with Democratic Reps. Alan Mollohan (WVa) and Rick Boucher (D-Va.), will introduce a companion bill to Rockefeller's. In addition, Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-N.D.) has introduced a measure that would strip the EPA of its authority to regulate pollution linked to global warming.
A 2007 Supreme Court ruling gave the EPA the authority to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act, and by the end of this month the agency is slated to impose the first-ever greenhouse gas limits on emissions from cars and light-trucks. While that set of rules--the product of a deal between the auto industry, the federal government and more than a dozen states--is not controversial, EPA's plan to then target power plants and other industrial facilities has sparked serious opposition.
Environmentalists have opposed any attempts to undermine the EPA's Clean Air Act authority, seeing it as both a dangerous precedent and a serious blow to the administration's ability to cope with climate change if Congress fails to pass a bill. While the House passed climate legislation in June, the Senate is still divided on whether to adopt a bill setting limits on greenhouse gases.
Tim Wirth, president of the U.N. Foundation, said the House-passed bill already provided several concessions to the coal industry, and urged President Obama to stop Rockefeller's legislation.
"The president ought to veto it, period," Wirth said. "This is a huge affront to his authority, and it's exactly what the coal industry wants. The coal industry has everything it wants in legislation, and now it wants more."
Two weeks ago a group of coal-state Democrats--led by Rockefeller--wrote EPA administrator Lisa P. Jackson, asking her to outline her timeline for regulating greenhouse gas emitters under the Clean Air Act. Jackson replied that she would not target major emitters of carbon dioxide until 2011, and many smaller facilities would not face regulation until 2016.
But this move did not satisfy Rockefeller, who usually serves as one of the administration's close allies.
"This is a positive change and good progress, but I am concerned it may not be enough time," he said. "We must set this delay in stone and give Congress enough time to consider a comprehensive energy bill to develop the clean coal technologies we need. At a time when so many people are hurting, we need to put decisions about clean coal and our energy future into the hands of the people and their elected representatives, not a federal environmental agency."
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Royal Guard Cape Armour Set (available in customisation settings)
Extra Head Packs (Also Available as Steam DLCs)
Priority Join (2 "Above Capacity" Slots for Supporters)
Exclusive Discord Roles + supporter-only channel
Updated Accolades for recent Community Tournaments
Player Heads in Scoreboard to ease identification of players in-game
KDR always rendered to 2 decimal places
Mapcycle Cleanup is underway at the moment, with more active cycling of older maps happening through #democracy on Discord
TDM map tweaks
Spanish Translation fixes
Chinese and Japanese translations in the works (see github)
Full Changelog: [added] synced armour set variable for players [added] cape class armour tied to armour setting + unlocked with tier [added] tier 2+ support unlocks extra heads packs [added] patreon popup link/image [added] PatronSupport.as to handle rules-side patron support - added to all vanilla gamemode.cfg [added] 2 patron extra capacity slots [modified] replaced irc with patreon (goodnight sweet prince) Maps: [modified] Mapcycle - move 8 old maps to returning maps pool [modified] map: pressurecooker - more open, longer time to flood [added] TDM Map FortMercury (not in cycle) Tweaks: [added] KDR always has two decimal places [added] player heads to scoreboard [added] separate required tier to heads packs as alternative way of unlocking them [added] epsilon to Cruxiat's head Accolades: [modified] Updated accolade_data.cfg with 5 tournaments [fixed] Shy github accolade. Broke with name change. Translation: [modified] Russian: Translated accolades and new emotes menus [modified] Update Spanish_es.json to fix typos Modding: [added] supportTier to apiplayer script bind [added] new native ImageData::remap function for performance [moved] fetchFromRules renamed to fetchRunnerTexture [modified] filename digest in paletteswap [modified] CGridMenu::SendCommand no longer passes through default params [modified] script join processing hooks get APIPlayer instead of just username, so they can access tier, registration time, role, etc as well
Hey Folks!You can nowover here! We've been working towards unveiling this for a while and we can't wait to hear what you think.Some features are still a little rough, but the bulk of the lower tier patreon features are there:Still to come is the custom heads for top-tier supporters, and making sure the integration is production ready - but we won't know the latter until we've tested it at proper volume!This build is part of the march towards a Sustainable, Open, F2P KAG that has been happening behind the scenes.F2P should significantly increase the accessibility of the game and help the player population. All current paid players will retain all current access, all Steam DLC will continue to function, and there will NOT be pay to win microtransactions - nothing to fearMore info on that soon as details are worked out! There's an overview of our current plans on the patreon page for those interested.This build also contains several bounty, feature, tweak and translation changes, with more on their way soon!A quick overview (check the changelog for full details):There's also a further 10 pull requests waiting on github for review before the next build, more mapcycle changes coming, and a lot of community development and discussion happening day to day. If you're not already, jump in The Official KAG Discord and get involved with #democracy, # |
if you are an “authorised user”.
Among the information they can access, the system can take a flashless, undetectable photo of the users' face (with the iPhone 4's front-facing camera) and multiple photos of the surrounding location.
It can also record the users' voice regardless of whether they are making a phone call, monitor their internet usage and record the heartbeat and “vibration signature” of the user.
According to the patent application, if these identifiers do not match the "authorised" user, the system then determines if there is "suspicious behaviour".
Suspicious behaviour, says the application "comprises one or more of hacking the electronic device, jailbreaking the electronic device, unlocking the electronic device, removing a SIM card from the electronic device, and moving at least a predetermined distance away from a synced device".
If Apple decides that all this adds up to unauthorised use they will remotely lock or shut down the offending iPhone or iPad, making it unusable.
It's been labelled by watchdog organisations as dangerous spyware. They even invented a new word for it – “traitorware”.
US civil liberties group, Electronic Frontier Foundation, has called the patent "downright creepy and invasive" and overkill for technology that is to track down a lost or stolen phone - something already possible with the "Mobile Me" app.
"This patented process could be used to retaliate against you if you jailbreak or tinker with your device in ways that Apple views as 'unauthorised' even if it is perfectly legal," it said.
There are obvious financial incentives for Apple putting an end to the legal process and the Electronic Frontier Foundation believe this could be the greater motive behind the software.
“This patent application does nothing short of providing a roadmap for how Apple can - and presumably will - spy on its customers and control the way its customers use Apple products.”
Electronic Frontiers Australia shares their concerns.
“There are huge privacy implications.” Colin Jacobs, chair of EFA told news.com.au
“It raises the risk of what happens if someone gains unauthorised access to the information… if this information is stored then it's pretty clear that someone will come looking for it.”Hi fellow UE4 developers! We are Blazing Badger, a small studio from Frankfurt, Germany, and we’ve developed a game called ‘Guardians’ for the Epic MegaJam. The game has won the Eye Candy and an Allegorithmic Award, for which we are very grateful. Michael Allar, who played through all the game jam entries in a truly epic stream-a-thon, suggested we write something like a “Making Of” blog post, so here it is!
Kick Off
Since Blazing Badger’s foundation in April 2014, we’ve worked on AIPD, our debut project. With its development finally wrapped up, we were happy when the Epic Mega Jam came along – a great opportunity to fill up the creative batteries.
The first day was filled with lots of brainstorming about how to incorporate the theme – “Standing on the shoulders of giants”. In the end we settled for two approaches in parallel: We’d introduce two characters, one small submarine and one a giant whale, entwined in a symbiotic relationship (two giants right there, both in their own way). Also we’d heavily lean into a classic game, metaphorically standing on its shoulders.
We finally settled on an underwater game that closely resembles “Tempest” (originally by Dave Theurer). It is simple enough to be done within a week, and there’s plenty of screen space available for a giant creature!
Technical Foundation
Even for a short-lived game jam project we wanted to have a solid foundation that would enable us to structure our gameflow and add things like credits, results screen etc. later on.
The game is broken down into a handful of Game States that are tied together using a simple State Machine. The two initial states were “Menu” and “In game” so we could get working on the core gameplay experience right away. Later we added a results screen as well as the credits screen.
Since there are clear transitions between the different states, those could easily initialize and clean up whatever data and actors would be needed for that specific state. In doing so we were early-on able to play a few rounds without the need to restart the game. And that is what “customers” would expect from a “finished” game.
We also set up a Session Data structure as well as a Persistent Data structure along with some service functions. Session Data holds “per in-game session” information such as the current score. Persistent Data holds “lifetime” information such as high scores.
Our Game Designers could use those data structures to add more session data or persistent data which would then be automatically cleared for every round or serialized into a save game, respectively.
Level Generator
Our levels are based on a procedurally generated track that forms an imaginary tube. All gameplay actors move along the surface of that tube. The environment geometry is placed outside of that tube.
As with most aspects of the game, we did not know in the beginning how many iterations and how much polishing we could apply to our procedural level generator. This meant we had to put something in place that we could leave in if needed but that was also easily expandable. We also had to make sure that the Game Designers could start working on enemy behaviour really early, so some basic form of level generation had to be implemented really quickly.
The important part here was to define a coordinate system that would not change even if the track layout changed. We came up with a system that represents the actor positions based on the distance travelled along the level track as well as the angle and the radius of the tube. This enabled the Game Designers to implement enemy behaviour logic using simple and consistent coordinates regardless of the final track layout. There is a function to convert those coordinates into an actor transform which is done at the end of every actor tick.
The first version of the level generator just output a straight line, and if we had run out of time we could have just left it that way. After some experimentation we ended up with a simple circle having a huge radius that is modulated by a few smaller sine waves with different wavelengths. In other words the tube very softly turns right globally and goes “randomly” up, down, left, or right locally.
In order to place the environment geometry, the track is divided into segments of different length. Every segment is assigned a primary environment geometry such as “wall” that dominates the segment. The other environment geometry types are used to fill up the segment. We ran out of time to add more environment types, however the system worked well enough with the assets given.
Player Controls
The player controls started out very simple and direct as did a lot of features of Guardians. As player controls are so important for the perceived feeling of a game, we added a few bells and whistles here: There is some short acceleration and deceleration of the player’s ship. The ship also turns and banks but only as a visual effect to keep the controls tight and direct. The camera also tilts a bit if the player’s ship rotates around the giant whale to make everything look and feel more dynamic. We also have a “screen shake fanatic” on our team, who added screen shakes all over the place to make everything feel impactful.
Since we didn’t want to include a manual, we simply mapped all gamepad buttons to “fire” and all directional axes to “movement”. So whatever you try intuitively will work. The same is true for keyboard controls, where we also mapped multiple keys to “fire” and “movement”.
Due to time constraints we decided to stick with a single control scheme that is used for gamepad and keyboard alike. However when watching people play the game for the first time, we realized they often tended to push the gamepad thumb stick to the upper-left because they want the player’s ship to be on the upper-left part of the tube. We feared this might happen, and we should have spent some more time coming up with an additional control scheme for gamepads.
Camera
One of our goals with the camera was to have the in-game action in the centre of the screen. We also wanted to show the giant size difference between the player ship and his giant whale companion, without obscuring the parts of the screen where the enemies are.
We built a little “tool” which enabled us to tweak the camera settings in-game to find the sweet spot between art and design requirements.
When we settled with a nice camera setup, there was one issue. The camera was “perfect” when the player was next to the whale (at + or - 90 degrees) but if he flew at 0 or 180 degrees, the player ship was not in vision of the camera. To fix this we interpolate between a CameraMinimumPositionOffset and a CameraMaximumPositionOffset, dependent of the player angle.
The final camera movement looked something like this:
The Blueprint for this part looked like this (FishAngle is the PlayerAngle):
In order to visualize different states the player could be in we had to go with something fairly simple due to time constraints.
The slow motion effect was achieved by blending between the regular scene texture and a distorted one. Due to the way we toggled our post process by using blend values that aren’t either 0 or 1, you automatically get that double vision effect.
The other post processes work in a similar fashion - fading to grey on death and a linear interpolation between very faint hue shift values when the player progresses along the track to imply a gradual change in the environment the player is in. We would have loved to do more in that regard and would probably allocate more resources to that area next time.
User Interface
For the UI we wanted to create something very simple but elegant. Something that looks slick and polished but was quick to produce.
One of the most important aspects for this was to decide which font we wanted to use, because a good font speaks for itself and can stand alone. We went with a font called “Geo Sans Light” which combined everything we were looking for.
In total we had three screens. A main menu, a mission results screen and a credits screen. The elegant font and the minimalistic approach of showing information worked very well, even without a background, but we wanted Guardians to make a good impression from the very first second you played the game, so we dressed a small menu level for this.
After the first playtesting, we quickly realized that it’s really hard to aim in Guardians, especially when the track is not just a straight line. One of the things we did to get rid of this issue was to give every enemy a widget component which would become visible when the player and the enemy are at the same tube angle (+/- angle tolerance).
Efficient Enemy Design
We decided to have three types of enemies. All enemies share a common parent enemy Blueprint, which deals with hitpoints/death, movement and registering/unregistering with the Blueprint that takes care of the spawning. This enabled us to have very slim actual enemy implementations.
The basic ‘drone’ enemy serves as the cannon fodder necessary for engaging second-to-second gameplay in a ‘Tempest’ style shooter. It slowly drifts sideways along the tunnel walls.
The ‘dodger’ can take more hits and frequently executes a barrel role on damage taken. It requires the player to deal with it at least twice and forces her to reposition herself.
Finally there’s the ‘splitter’, who splits in two after a few seconds. The children then split in two as well, providing the player with up to four targets if ignored.
Also we decided that as the player progresses in the game, the enemies should not only become more numerous, but also more aggressive in some way. The intended outcome was to limit the player’s ability to progress score wise. We implemented one parameter of each enemy to be affected by the game’s progress. The drone’s maximum drift speed increases. The dodger rolls even farther. The splitter splits up within an even shorter time frame.
Simplified AI Director
Now that we had enemies to fight against, we had to make sure they appeared in a proper manner. Our goals were threefold: Spawn positions should be perceived as ‘sufficiently random, but not chaotic’. The enemy type distribution should change over time, as new enemies are introduced and then ramped up in number. Finally the raw amount of enemies should slowly overwhelm the player.
The spawn position requirement we solved by not completely randomizing the spawn angle for each single enemy, but rather deciding on a new ‘general spawn direction angle’ every few seconds, then slightly offsetting enemy spawns from that general angle. This leads to a nice clustering effect, which allows the player to focus on one area at a time at the beginning of the game, while still forcing him to be all over the place towards the end game due to raw enemy amounts.
The spawn timer was implemented using a very basic formula which calculates the ‘time to next enemy’ depending on the amount of time that has passed since the game started. Using a few constants, the spawn time was tweaked to progress from ‘one enemy every few seconds’ to ‘several enemies a second’ over the course of a game session.
Last but not least, the enemy distribution was handled simply by filling an ‘enemy class’ array repeatedly with different enemy distributions over the course of the game, with new enemies being added over time. Each time an enemy was to be spawned, it would be shuffled and an entry selected at random.
The design of such “enemy directing” systems is a specialty of our Game Designers. They talked several times about this topic at various local conferences. If you like to know more about this, you can check out one of their presentations at slideshare.net.
Music & Sound Effects
It was not clear in the beginning if there would be time to compose some music for the game. This led to the decision that at least we would need a high quality background ambience. For Guardians the deep sea ambience is put together using five different sound effect loops, each occupying a different part of the frequency spectrum. The mixing of these different loops is also adjusted procedurally over time so the mood of the background ambience never stays exactly the same. Adding to that there are also a handful of one-shot sound effects being triggered about twice a minute to make the ambience even less repetitive.
The rest of the Guardians’ sound effects are mostly taken off commercial sound libraries and cut and mixed to make them fit. We were lucky to find some really good samples to make the giant whale come alive. We always wanted to implement something like the iconic horn sound from the movie “Inception”, therefore we tried cinematic horn sounds which worked really well for “epic whale giant monster sounds”.
We also composed our own in-game music, which is a simple uptempo electronica song based on a chord progression that is played as a riff. All sounds except the bass drum are softer than in a typical dance track to leave more room for the sound effects and the background ambience. We did not have the time to compose a title / menu track but that turned out to be a good thing as it exaggerates the contrast between the intense in-game action and the relaxing atmosphere throughout the menu screens.
Environment Art
The first step was to create a mood board regarding the colour palette and visual style of the game. In order to build as many assets as possible in such a short time, we wanted to keep the game simple and stylized.
Our environment concepts were painted above an engine screenshot of the planned camera angle and show potential assets, effects and colour schemes. We wanted the whole environment to change during the level without losing some constants like fish swarms and seaweed. In this way, we’d just need a few assets to create plenty of different environments. Sadly, we couldn’t produce as many assets as planned so in the end, we went with rocks, algae, seaweed and awesome light rays.
For animation purposes the vines were UVed in such a way that we could animate them with a sine wave along their height. The same UV gradient was used to mask the animation towards the bottom, so the vines would move less at their base. The direction and strength of the waving motion is controlled with a collection parameter to make tweaking the values easier. All in all, a very simple and fairly self-explanatory setup.
In order to make the movement a bit less uniform, a texture based offset that’s pans across the world was added. On top of that, random animation strength variation based on “PerInstanceRandom” was added, since we are using instanced static meshes when generating the level – why not use what EPIC so generously provides :)
Giant Whale
The giant is supposed to be a huge and ancient whale-like sea creature, having travelled through the ocean since the dawn of time. The water is filled with vicious creatures attacking the whale, so mankind sent a unit to protect what seems to be the last of the giants.
To illustrate the lore of an ancient creature, glowing veins float all over the body of the giant. Because the player circles the head of the whale, this part includes various shapes and materials to keep it interesting. First (but discarded) ideas also involved opening the giant’s mouth (AoE attack) and having its glowing eyes as a health bar.
This was our reference mood board for the whale:
Final concept:
Due to the very large size and the resulting amount of screen space the whale could potentially occupy we opted to build a simple rig for animation purposes instead of using vertex animation like we did for most of the other things.
Player Ship
The ship is based on the shape of a manta ray to fit into the underwater world and to provide it with character. Also manta rays are awesome. After elaborating the concept, a rough block out was made to test it in-game as soon as possible.
Enemies – Evil Jellyfish Cyborgs!
The main purpose of the enemy design was to ‘pop out’ of the surroundings. This was accomplished by intensive colours and effects. The environment was kept in blue and cyan while the enemies were given contrasting tones from yellow to red, so we didn’t have too many colours in one screen. We also went with jellyfish cyborgs, because it allowed us to provide them with different vertex shader animation approaches depending on the type of desired motion.
Conclusion
Guardians was a very fun project to work on. We are happy with the result because it almost feels like a complete game. If you’ve read through all of this and played Guardians, thank you very much! We certainly can’t enter every game jam from now on, but we’ll be back for the Epic Mega Jam 2016 :)
If you have further questions, reach out to us on twitter @blabadger or fb.com/BlazingBadger
Cheers,
The Blazing Badger TeamThe report calls for an analysis of US interrogation techniques The British government should not rely on US assurances that it does not use torture, a report by MPs says. The foreign affairs select committee said the UK and US differ on their definitions of what constitutes torture and it urged the UK to check US claims. It recommended the government carry out an "exhaustive analysis of current US interrogation techniques." The MPs also said the government should check claims that Britain is not used by the US for "rendition" flights. The committee highlighted the technique of "water-boarding" - a practice which simulates drowning. The US describes it as "a legal technique used in a specific set of circumstances" and President Bush has refused to ban it. Given the clear differences in definition, the UK can no longer rely on US assurances that it does not use torture
Foreign Affairs Select Committee However, the UK Foreign Secretary David Miliband said it is torture and "the UK unreservedly condemns the use of torture." In its report, the committee said: "Given the clear differences in definition, the UK can no longer rely on US assurances that it does not use torture, and we recommend that the government does not rely on such assurances in the future." The MPs also challenged the government to check more actively that Britain had not been used by the Americans for so called "rendition" flights - when detainees are taken to countries where bans on torture may not apply. The UK had repeatedly accepted assurances that it had not, but it was discovered earlier this year that two rendition planes refuelled on the British territory of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. The MPs stressed the UK had a "legal and moral obligation" to ensure no more of these flights landed on British territory. A change in approach would have implications for the extradition of prisoners to the US, particularly in terror cases, as a United Nations convention bars the return of individuals to states where they are at risk of being tortured. Human rights groups have protested about water-boarding The MPs also urged the Foreign Office to investigate allegations that the UK "outsourced" interrogation of six terror suspects to Pakistan's ISI intelligence agency, where they were tortured and interrogated by British intelligence officers. Foreign Office minister Lord Malloch-Brown told the committee: "We absolutely deny the charge that we have in any way outsourced torture to Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) as a way of extracting information, either for court use or for use in counter-terrorism." Human rights campaign group Amnesty International UK said the report justified its call for an investigation into terror techniques and rendition. The group's head of policy Jeremy Croft said: "While we have always stressed the need to combat terrorism, we share the committee's concerns over the UK government and its current counter-terrorism policy." He added: "In particular, the UK government needs to take allegations of torture at Guantanamo and other US detention centres altogether more seriously. The committee's conclusions amount to saying we can no longer rely on assurances from a US administration that purports to uphold the civil and political standards of behaviour
Andrew Tyrie MP "This must mean pressing harder for proper trial or safe release of Binyam Mohamed, Shaker Aamer and Ahmed Belbacha - three Guantanamo prisoners who are either formerly resident in the UK or with links to the UK." Andrew Tyrie MP, the chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on extraordinary rendition, said the government must demand answers from the US. "The committee's conclusions amount to saying that we can no longer rely on assurances from a US administration that purports to uphold the civil and political standards of behaviour, while in fact kidnapping people and taking them to places where they may be maltreated. "Only by practising what we preach will we be able to win back the support of Muslim communities at home and abroad and build the strongest coalition around the world against terrorism."
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StumbleUpon What are these?Violet Paige, the often brutal vigilante who has recently been seen prowling the streets of Gotham, kicks off a powerful new storyline in today’s MOTHER PANIC #10 that will cap off her first year. The sole title in DC’s Young Animal that’s set clearly within the DC Universe, Mother Panic has always been unique within Gerard Way’s boundary-pushing imprint, building its complexity within its characters rather than its setting and scenarios. Since its debut, it’s also relied on shorter storylines that bring to light new revelations about Violet’s personality and past, while showing off the work of a number of stylized artists.
Issue #10 marks the return of Shawn Crystal on art, and seems poised to answer many of the questions currently in the air about who Violet Paige is. Is she a hero? A villain out for revenge? Does she even know anymore? To gain a little insight into Violet’s strange, angry world, we spoke with Mother Panic writer and co-creator Jody Houser about where the book has been and where it’s going, and whether more Gotham City heroes may be paying their respects to Mother.
You’ve just finished a great storyline that showed us a slightly more vulnerable side of Violet Paige…
Yes, “Victim Complex.” But I’ve been calling it “the Remains arc” because that’s the name of our killer. I’m not sure it ever comes up in the story, but that’s what we’ve been referring to him as.
In issue #8, Violet started doing some investigating, which is kind of fun because unlike certain other heroes in Gotham, she has no background in detective work or anything like that. However, she figured out that Remains seems to be targeting people who have been victims of some sort of tragedy and either killing them or killing the people around them.
Yeah, he’s a jerk.
Violet’s also dealing with a few problems of her own. What’s going on with Violet physically?
Since she was a teenager in Gather House, Violet has been cybernetically enhanced. One of the very first implants she received—a spinal implant that helps her support the weight of the other additions to her physiology—has started to fail. She has been incapacitated by extreme bouts of pain. Violet’s not physically able to do much of anything at certain points, but it didn’t stop her from tracking down a serial killer. Which is funny because she claims she’s not a hero.
Yes, she says she’s not a hero and she doesn’t always act very heroic, but sometimes she does things you’d associate with being a hero. Do you see Violet as being on a heroic journey?
I definitely do. I mean, it’s still very much a journey of self-discovery for her—she’s figuring out who she is and what she’s going to be.
I think there are two very important things that she’s figured out in the midst of trying to get revenge for the wrongs of her youth. First, she can’t kill people. As much as she would like to, she can’t bring herself to do it. And second, she wants to help kids in trouble. If she sees a kid struggling, she’s going to help them because she remembers being a kid when no one helped her. So that’s sort of a big trigger point for her to act more heroically than she would normally because that’s something she connects to on a very personal, very fundamental level.
Violet’s relationship with Dr. Varma seems to have more layers to it than I ever would have thought. How would you describe Violet’s relationship with Dr. Varma, and Dr. Varma’s relationship with Violet?
Those are actually two very different things! Dr. Varma is Violet’s Alfred in a way. She’s her confidante—the person who helps her when she’s gotten trashed out on the field. Dr. Varma, on the other hand, seems like she’s in love with Violet. I think she realizes that she’s enabling certain behaviors that are very destructive, but she has trouble saying no to Violet.
How strong is this relationship’s foundation? Is it possible that it may be in trouble moving ahead?
We’ll see! I feel like any relationship that starts with a doctor implanting things in your body without your consent is always going to be a little uncomfortable and awkward. I think the fact that they even found a way to come together—and there’s a story there that I hope we get to tell at some point—despite their shared history says a lot about both of them. I think that’s another thing. Violet claims she wants to destroy the people that she sees as having destroyed her. But someone like Dr. Varma, who’s a part of that, Violet’s brought into her circle. So I think she has more of a capacity for forgiveness than she realizes as well.
At Comic-Con, we announced that DC’s Young Animal will be crossing into the DCU. What can you tell us about that and what it means for Mother Panic?
Young Animal is going to have its first big event for the imprint starting in January. There are going to be four big event issues for each of the main titles, including Mother Panic, and yes, there will be a bit of a crossover there. It’s going to be seeded with events in DOOM PATROL.
Does Violet play nice in Gotham? What do you think the other heroes think of her?
Well, that was an interesting touchpoint in issue #9. I think they see her intentions better than she does in a way. Like we discussed, she is doing some good in spite of herself. I think if she was just another crazy person in a costume running around hurting people, she wouldn’t have lasted as long as she has. So I think that does say something about how her actions are actually helping more than hurting.
So we’ve talked about the book’s recent past and it’s future. What can you tell us about where Mother Panic is now? What’s happening in this new storyline?
Shawn Crystal is back on art through issue #12. We’re going to see a figure from Violet’s past show up and maybe the return of a previous villain.
I was going to ask if we’ll be seeing Gala again…
Yeah, we are going to see Gala again. We’ll also be getting a couple more hints about the organization that put Gather House together and ran experiments on kids. Those guys really suck.
MOTHER PANIC #10 by Jody Houser, Shawn Crystal and Jean-Francois Beaulieu is now available in print and as a digital download.EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The Nets are bound for Brooklyn, but they are taking a piece of New Jersey with them.
In their final draft before making the move, the Nets on Thursday obtained the draft rights to the Tyshawn Taylor, who was born in Hoboken and played four years at point guard for Kansas.
Taylor was taken with the 41st pick by the Portland Trail Blazers, who sent him to the Nets for cash considerations.
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The 6-foot- 3-inch Taylor averaged 16.6 points and 4.8 assists as a senior, helping lead Kansas to the national title game, which the Jayhawks lost to Kentucky.
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The Nets also acquired Tornike Shengelia, a 6-10 forward from the Republic of Georgia, with the 54th pick (which they obtained from Dallas, for cash); and Ilkan Karaman, a 6-9 forward from Turkey, with the 57th pick. Both players will be left overseas to develop."I am very uncomfortable with a Japanese driver winning the Indianapolis 500 during Memorial Day weekend."
That's the message Denver Post sportswriter Terry Frei tweeted Sunday. Now, attempting to recover from public backlash, Frei says he "fouled up" by posting the message.
The Denver Post apologized as well, saying on Twitter that Frei's words do "not reflect the standards and values of our organization."
Late Monday morning, the Post sent a statement to 9NEWS, which said Terry Frei was no longer with The Denver Post.
The newspaper's statement read in its entirety:
"We apologize for the disrespectful and unacceptable tweet that was sent by one of our reporters. Terry Frei is no longer an employee of The Denver Post. It's our policy not to comment further on personnel issues.
The tweet doesn't represent what we believe nor what we stand for. We hope you will accept our profound apologies."
The Post would not elaborate on whether Frei was fired or quit.
"I should have known better and I regret it," Frei said of his now-deleted tweet in a lengthier post apologizing to the Denver Post and to Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato. "I made a stupid reference, during an emotional weekend, to one of the nations that we fought in World War II."
On Sunday, Sato became the first driver from an Asian nation to win the Indianapolis 500 race, tweeting, "thank you everyone for many messages! Can't thank enough the support I've got. Great team effort."
In his apology message, Frei went on to point out that his father flew recon missions over Japan during World War II in a plane with no mounted guns. Around the time he posted the racially-charged tweet, Frei says he was on his way to visit his father's grave at Fort Logan National Cemetery.
Frei's apology may be undercut by his Twitter activity since posting it. He thanked a woman who remarked in a sympathetic tweet that Frei saw Sato's win "as incongruous with today."
Copyright 2017 KUSACher Wang, the co-founder, chairperson and CEO of Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer HTC has been swindled out of a few million dollars by members of her church, it has emerged.
The culprit, as it turned out, was a longtime friend and business associate of her husband Chen Wen-chi, CEO of the integrated chipset maker VIA Technologies.
So trusted was Jonathan Chang, 60, by Chen, that he was appointed chief financial officer at VIA Technologies. Both he and his wife, Grace Chang, 57, were arrested on Monday in Cupertino and are now out of custody on $200,000 bond.
Jonathan Chang was the church elder in charge of managing day-to-day finances at the Home of Christ Christian Church in Saratoga, California, where Cher Wang and her husband were married. It was also here that Chen was baptized years ago.
Together with his wife, Chang set up a bogus foundation, Home of Christ Associates, and hatched an elaborate plan to bilk Wang of donations meant for the church’s new multi-million-dollar building project.
According to the indictment, the couple allegedly bilked Wang and the church out of $7.4 million between 2004 and January 2016.
This includes a $2 million donation and $3 million loan Wang was persuaded to provide the church with in 2004, as well as a later transfer of more than $892,000 for the church building.
To repay short-term loans, the church later agreed to sell the new building to Chang’s bogus foundation. Things came to a head when the 10-year lease expired in June 2015, and the Changs began to charge $10,000 in rent per month and threatened the church with eviction.
If convicted of the various charges of fraud and money laundering, the Changs face a maximum of 20 years in prison and several hundred thousand dollars in fines.
Identified in the indictment and in a report by the San Jose Mercury News only as C.W., Cher Wang’s role in the case was revealed by the World Journal, a Chinese-language national daily in the United States.
The Journal also revealed that Wang and her husband have been major donors of the church since 1996, giving over a million dollars towards special accounts such as the Seminary Fund, the Mainland China Mission Fund, and the Church Building Development Fund.
Long the power couple in Taiwan’s technology circles, Cher Wang and Chen Wen-chi topped the island’s rich list in 2011, but have seen their fortunes dwindle as HTC shares shed more than 90% of their value since then. They placed 37th in Forbes’ Taiwan’s 50 Richest list in 2015. Cher Wang was also listed as the world’s 54th most powerful woman by Forbes in 2014.
Wang’s popularity in Taiwan has also taken a hit since she began injecting herself into politics. In 2012, she endorsed President Ma Ying-jeou when he was seeking re-election, and voiced open support for the “1992 Consensus”, a verbal agreement by powers on both sides of the straits that there is only one “China”, and that each side would be free to define “China” their own way.
In 2013, it also emerged that HTC was working with the Chinese government to develop a mobile operating system that was hoped would break the dominance of Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android systems.
Critics also charge that Wang has been bankrolling the Bread of Life Church, a leading Taiwanese megachurch with billions of New Taiwan Dollars as it embarked on high profile campaigns to oppose same-sex marriage on the island.
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PrintCommemorating One Million Subscribers, ‘Gamestream Event’ Includes Chance To Win $5,000 Brass Batman Statue from DC Collectibles
To celebrate reaching the one million YouTube subscriber milestone, DC Entertainment’s original award-winning web series DC All Access will hold a must-watch live Gamestream event Friday, September 2nd from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST!
Hosted by Tiffany Smith and Jason Inman, the 8-hour gaming marathon will showcase some of DC’s best videogames including the recently released Batman: the Telltale Series. Tune in all day long to watch Tiffany and Jason hang out and play alongside special guest gamers such as fan-favorites Maude Garrett and Hector Navarro.
Plus, fans will have the chance to win prizes every hour (via Twitter @MyDCDeals) – including a brass statue of Batman from DC Collectibles worth $5,000!
Check out the full schedule for the DC All Access Gamestream below:
9am-10am PST – BATMAN (NES) - Loosely based on the 1989 film, the NES version contains five levels culminating in a showdown with the Joker in the bell tower of Gotham Cathedral.
10am-11am PST – DEATH AND RETURN OF SUPERMAN (SNES)- This 1994 game is based on "The Death of Superman" comic book storyline and features many characters from the comics including Superman himself, Superboy, Steel, Cyborg, the Eradicator (currently appearing in Superman), and Doomsday (currently appearing in Action Comics).
11pm-12pm PST – BATMAN: THE BRAVE & THE BOLD (Wii) - This 2010 game features characters such as Aquaman, Blue Beetle, Hal Jordan, Bat-Mite, The Flash, Green Arrow, and Black Canary.
12pm-1pm – BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY (PS3) - Released in 2011, this game set new standards for excellence in the next-gen console era.
1pm-2pm PST – INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US (PS4) - This 2013 game re-invigorated the fight genre, and set the stage for 2017’s INJUSTICE 2 combat game.
2pm-3pm PST – DC UNIVERSE ONLINE (PS4) - Players entered the DC Universe as part of a MMORG in 2013 and continue to have adventures as the game has expanded from PCs to consoles.
3pm-5pm PST – BATMAN: THE TELLTALE SERIES (PS4) - Brand new in 2016, this serialized game lets players experience another adventure in the life of Batman and Bruce Wayne.
New episodes of DC All Access can be viewed via DC Entertainment’s official YouTube page here: https://www.youtube.com/user/DCEntertainmentTV.RB Alonzo Harris and his family celebrate making the Green Bay Packers' 53-man roster.
By of the
Green Bay — The uneasy union of heart rate and time hinges on a gold iPhone in the center of a conference room table. Owned by Alonzo Harris, an undrafted running back from Louisiana-Lafayette who signed with the Green Bay Packers in May, the phone dictates emotions for everyone present, and each call possesses the unwelcome ability to make blood pressure spike and everything else freeze.
The Harris family, consisting of his mother, stepfather, girlfriend and 2-year-old son, gathered here in the executive boardroom of the Wingate by Wyndham hotel with the goal of never hearing the phone ring at all. It is the morning of Saturday, Sept. 5, and each team has until 3 p.m. to submit its 53-man roster to the National Football League offices. Only the players being cut are contacted by their respective teams |
week.
"These are matters of justice, social prestige, and political power," Carter wrote in the Huffington Post, regarding the GOP's insistence on. "There is no economic law that governs how the $19 trillion [in national wealth] we produce each year must be distributed. Figuring out who should get how much of that $19 trillion is a political choice—and the Republicans’ choice is to give much of that money to a few hundred financial dynasties."While Google’s Information Age dominance has long been recognized to have some unsavory consequences, the massive technology corporation has, in recent months, taken to directly censoring content and traffic to a variety of independent media outlets across the political spectrum — essentially muting the voices of any site or author who does not toe the establishment line.
This new offensive has coincided with Google efforts to clamp down on “fake news” and “extremist” content, which – on its subsidiary, YouTube – led to the categorical blocking of videos portraying war crimes and other disturbing events of the Syrian conflict and Israel’s occupation of Palestine. Other independent media figures, such as Luke Rudowski and Carey Wedler, on the popular video streaming service, saw many of their videos removed or demonetized as a result of the blocking algorithm.
Though the crackdown on YouTube was more obvious, the Google search engine – the most popular in the world – is now burying or blocking independent media sites from its search results.
Conservatives have long claimed that Google was selectively targeting their content due to the personal political bias of the company’s executives — but now, since Google announced its new guidelines, numerous progressive, transparency, and anti-war websites that act as watchdogs to the establishment have seen their traffic diminish substantially.
Counterpunch, World Socialist Website, MintPress News, Democracy Now, American Civil Liberties Union and Wikileaks are just a handful of the sites that have seen massive drops in their returns from Google searches. The World Socialist Website alone experienced a 67 percent decrease in returns from Google following the implementation of Google’s new algorithm targeting so-called “fake news.” MintPress News, however, has suffered the steepest decline, having seen a 76 percent decrease in traffic from Google since the new algorithm was put into effect.
Why has Google changed its search system to push down publications (left & right) critical of Washington DC? https://t.co/PYRYcGoAvZ pic.twitter.com/clgMVMqZKu — WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) August 9, 2017
Google has its reasons for choosing to censor viewpoints that clash with or even raise questions about the official narrative. Google shares deep connections with the U.S.’ political powerbrokers, notably with the CIA, which originally helped fund Google into existence with the intention of controlling the flow of information. Since then, the collusion has only grown. Google’s CEO Eric Schmidt is a regular attendee of the controversial Bilderberg conference and Google’s Jigsaw has been intimately involved in covert regime change operations abroad — including in Syria, where it created a tool to bolster Al-Qaeda’s ranks.
Related | YouTube Moves To Censor “Controversial” Content – Brings ADL On As Flagger
Understandably — in light of its deep connections to those who stand the most to lose from the actual free flow of information — Google has emerged as a leader of the “fight” against so-called “fake news.” The concept of “fake news” took on sudden weight following last November’s U.S. presidential election: in the tweets and rants of newly-elected President Donald Trump, media predictions of a Clinton victory were ridiculed as “FAKE NEWS,” while Clinton supporters also wound up blaming “fake news” for Clinton’s loss in the election.
In short order, the term became a term of derision and dismissal applied to any and all disagreeable reporting. With the “fake news” net cast so wide, the ground was fertile for a campaign against the official story-challenging work of independent media — dependent for its reach, to a far greater extent than its mainstream media counterparts, upon the good graces of monster Internet traffic cops such as Google.
The following guide offers a variety of solutions and options for those concerned with Google’s over-reach and its decision to become the Internet’s unelected “Ministry of Truth.”
Dumping Google Search
Dominating over 80% of global searches made on the Internet, Google’s chokehold on the flow of information is undeniable. Now that its algorithm has been shown to target news sites critical of the establishment on both sides of the aisle, finding an alternative becomes an essential task irrespective of one’s political leaning.
However, don’t expect other brand name search engines like Microsoft’s Bing or Yahoo to come to the rescue, as these too have been caught censoring search results in the past. Microsoft, in particular, is very untrustworthy, given its eager participation in the NSA’s PRISM surveillance program — where it illegally shared the Internet user data, including search queries, of U.S. citizens without their knowledge. Given its willingness to cooperate with the government against the interest of American citizens, Microsoft would be perhaps more willing even than Google to censor access to so-called “fake news.”
Yahoo is little better, as it too was an early adopter of the PRISM surveillance program, second only to Microsoft. Like Microsoft, they willingly cooperate with government censorship efforts – as well as the outing of dissidents – in other countries.
Thankfully, as far as search engines go, there are other options available that not only respect your privacy but also offer fairer searches, including some features that even Google doesn’t offer. These include:
DuckDuckGo
Of all the viable Google alternatives, DuckDuckGo is the most well-known, having been promoted by PCMag.com, the Guardian, and The New York Times as a “long-term” threat to Google’s search dominance. It was even one of the top 50 sites of 2011, according to Time magazine.
However, the “mainstream” accolades are, in this case, well-deserved. DuckDuckGo is best known for its motto “the search engine that doesn’t track you,” complete with Tor browser functionality. While this is a clear boon for privacy enthusiasts – or anyone concerned about illegal NSA spying – it also results in search results that are not filtered based on your search history. In other words, users are more likely to be presented with search results that challenge their existing ideas.
DuckDuckGo also boasts an impressive search algorithm that excludes Google results but includes results from other well-known search engines, mixed with the data obtained by DuckDuckGo’s own web crawler bot. The results are filtered for spam and re-ordered using its trademark “Instant Answers” platform, which places high-quality answers above other results and advertisements. The “Instant Answers” platform gathers answers provided by top popular websites, like Wikipedia, in addition to community-built answers.
For those tech-savvy users who don’t trust the spam filtering or even the “Instant Answer” platform, these functions — as well as DuckDuckGo itself — is open-source and also offers DuckDuckHack, where users can create their own plug-ins for use in DuckDuckGo and even help improve the search engine overall.
For less savvy tech users, DuckDuckGo conveniently functions like any other search engine, in addition to providing several features even Google doesn’t offer. It also has a search app for both iPhone and Android, as well as plug-ins for Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox, and offers support in several languages.
Ixquick/StartPage
Ixquick is an American/Dutch meta-search engine, meaning it simultaneously searches multiple databases and other search engines, including Google, across the Internet. It uses a “star system” to rank search results, placing a star next to each result for every search engine that ranks that result as one of its 10 best for a given search. A five-star result, for example, means that five search engines considered that result to be among the 10 most relevant.
Ixquick — which has now merged with its subsidiary, StartPage — also tackles the issue of privacy by not storing user-specific details such as cookies or past search results. Like DuckDuckGo, Ixquick offers unfiltered search results generated by Google’s “personalized” searches. Privacy enthusiasts may recognize Ixquick as the default search engine for the Tor browser.
Ixquick is supported in 17 languages and offers a plug-in for Mozilla Firefox. They also offer a privacy-minded, encrypted email server called StartMail.
Gibiru
Gibiru, like the aforementioned search engines, prides itself on offering maximum privacy. It avoids tracking its users by providing anonymous and encrypted searches. It describes itself as “the preferred Search Engine for Patriots” and offers non-personalized, anonymous web results while emphasizing the disdain of its developers for the NSA. Part of what sets Gibiru apart is its claim to offer “uncensored” searches, as their web crawlers intentionally include pages that Google has blocked or buried in its search results.
Gibiru also has a unique feature called “Uncensored News.” In addition to aggregating results from other search engines, Gibiru adds its own algorithm that specifically looks for results from independent media outlets, particularly those that tend to “promote ‘alternative’ views from the mainstream.” Recognizing that mainstream media results are picked up by Google and Bing, Gibiru does not use its bandwidth searching through these results. Even up-and-coming independent media sites can gain inclusion in Uncensored News results by communicating with the Gibiru team.
Gibiru offers both a toolbar and a plugin for Mozilla Firefox.
Subscribe directly to your favorite pages/author sites
Though the above search engines can assist in more accurate and less censored internet searches, the best way to get news you trust is directly from the source. Anyone who reads independent media eventually develops preferences for certain sites and authors whose content they consistently find reliable and interesting.
If you are concerned with Google’s clamp-down on independent media, the most surefire way to ensure your access to the sites you enjoy is by subscribing directly to them via email. Most independent media pages offer you the option to subscribe to their mailing lists, where you receive their top stories on a daily basis. Some pages charge for subscriptions, but most – such as MintPress News’ Daily Digest – are free and allow you to unsubscribe at any time. Some websites, including MintPress, also offer apps for Android or iPhone, which allow users direct and convenient access to the content of those pages.
Related | CounterPunch: Google Censors Block Access To Alternative News
If you are concerned that all of the newsletters and stories of the pages you want to follow will clutter your email, there are several good options. Some mail servers allow you to label certain types of incoming mail, and creating a specific label for “news” can streamline the process of following all of your favorite pages in one place. Alternatively, you can create an email account dedicated to news in order to keep it separate from email accounts more focused on work or socializing.
In some cases, however, your favorite writers may not regularly publish in the same place, making their work difficult to follow via email subscription. Many authors have either their own web pages dedicated to their work or publish on websites such as Medium — a site offering both free and premium membership options, that hosts the writings of many big names in independent news from across the political spectrum.
Signing up for Medium allows you to follow any writer you like, even mainstream ones – a boon, for instance, if you like a certain writer at, say, The Wall Street Journal but don’t trust the paper as a whole. Certain popular writers in independent media — such as Caitlin Johnstone and Nafeez Ahmed’s Insurge Intelligence — even publish some of their biggest stories exclusively on Medium.
Dump social media for news
Though some may value their Facebook account for keeping in touch with friends and family, the social media giant is quickly becoming unreliable for receiving news content posted by your friends as well as the people or pages you follow. Facebook and Twitter have each been caught censoring on several occasions and both now openly patrol for “fake news” and “hate speech” — burying stories that users would otherwise see, based on the recommendations of Facebook or Twitter-approved flaggers. Many of these flaggers have been found to publish “fake news” themselves or have a strong bias against particular viewpoints, particularly those critical of conservative politics.
Just as with Google, Facebook and Twitter users can no longer be sure that their newsfeeds contain the news they want to read, just as content creators and publishers can no longer expect the same scope and reach they once enjoyed on social media.
Unfortunately, the alternatives to Facebook and Twitter are few and lack the large user communities that make a social network successful. However, there are two notable sites that are attempting to change that.
One of those sites is Steemit. Steemit is a social media platform that runs a blogging and social network website built on top of a blockchain database. Steemit now boasts a decently sized community, though it hardly compares to Facebook in terms of daily users. Part of its success has been due to the site’s commitment to paying users for creating and curating popular content on the site. Per the site’s system, users receive digital points (“Steem”) depending on the success of their posts, which they can exchange for more tangible rewards or payment via online exchanges. With $1 of Steem now worth just over $4 USD, some people have found using Steemit to be both socially and economically beneficial.
Another potential Facebook competitor is Minds — an open source, encrypted, and community-owned social network site that values free speech and doesn’t bow to government or advertiser pressure. It hosts individual user profiles and blogs, and creates an unfiltered newsfeed for its users. Members can even be paid for posting their content if it garners a significant number of views and upvotes. Although at present the Minds community is tiny compared to that of Facebook, it may in years to come become a more popular alternative, as Facebook continues to disappoint.
Avoiding outright censorship if and when It happens
While censorship has long been a reality in countries like China, Western governments like to tout themselves as being the guardians of freedom and the free flow of information. But many of these governments, particularly the United States, have come to realize in recent years that they are on the losing side of the “information war,” as trust of the corporate-owned media and the government itself has sunk to historic lows.
Though Western governments have, so far, outsourced censorship to technology companies like Google and Facebook, there is little reason to believe that these governments will refrain from demanding the outright censorship of information that doesn’t toe the official line.
Take, for example, the recent rhetoric of U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May who, in the wake of the Manchester bombing, has pushed for censoring “extremist propaganda” online. May’s assertion concerned internet watchdog groups, who likened her proposals to China’s widespread censorship of the Internet.
Related | Newly Declassified Documents Detail CIA’s Relationship With Media
If official government censorship comes to your country – or if you suspect that it is already there – the easiest work-around is setting up a virtual private network, or VPN. A VPN allows you to use your computer as though it were connected to a network other than the one you actually use. In the event of government censorship in your country, a VPN allows you to virtually connect to a network set up in another country where such censorship is not in effect. Using a VPN has the added bonus of greater Internet privacy — as effective VPN protocols encrypt your traffic, helping to protect you from government surveillance as well as censorship.
VPNs are provided by VPN service providers, not all of whom are created equal. VPN providers with good reputations include Strong VPN, SurfEasy, and TunnelBear. Of these, TunnelBear is the least expensive – offering a free service – and SurfEasy the most expensive at $11.99 per month. However, the Opera browser now includes SurfEasy’s VPN services for free. A comprehensive guide on how to choose the best VPN service provider for your needs can be found here.
Top photo: Google’s campus-network room at their data center in Council Bluffs, Iowa. (Photo: Connie Zhou/AP)Image copyright TCHARA Image caption Deputy chair of the economic committee, Steve Aitken, said the budget had not been properly managed.
"Serious systematic failings" in a Stormont-run renewable energy scheme are likely to hit the Northern Ireland budget by "hundreds of millions of pounds", the Audit Office has said.
The Renewable Heat Incentive scheme was run by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI).
The Audit Office said £140m could be taken from the region's block grant from the Treasury to plug the deficit.
The economy minister said the findings were "deeply shocking".
The scheme was set up to encourage businesses and domestic users to switch to biomass heating systems, mostly burning wood pellets.
More than £1bn of public money is due to be paid out over the next 20 years as a result of it.
Generated
The investigation was prompted when a whistleblower contacted the Northern Ireland Executive in January alleging that the scheme was being abused.
One of the claims was that a farmer was aiming to collect about £1m over 20 years from the scheme for heating an empty shed.
The whistleblower also claimed large factories that had previously not been heated were using the scheme to install boilers with the intention of running them throughout the year to collect about £1.5m over 20 years.
Image caption Simon Hamilton said the potential ongoing costs of the scheme to taxpayers were "incredible"
Kieran Donnelly, the auditor general, said there was "no upper limit on the amount of energy that would be paid for".
"The more heat that is generated, the more is paid," he said.
In one example cited by the report, a business taking part in the same scheme in Great Britain could collect about £192,000 over 20 years by using a boiler all year round, but a Northern Ireland firm doing the same could earn £860,000.
Mr Donnelly said the scheme had "serious systematic failings from the start".
Inspections
DETI has since been renamed as the Department of the Economy.
The current minister Simon Hamilton (DUP) said ongoing costs of the scheme to taxpayers were "incredible".
"Opportunities were missed to remedy the situation" by those "directly responsible for administering the scheme," he said.
"External consultants are already being appointed to conduct on-the-spot and thorough inspections of installations to ensure they meet the spirit and letter of the scheme," he said.
Mr Hamilton said the scheme had been "well founded" but there would be "no toleration of fraud", adding: "Where it is identified it will be firmly dealt with.
"Lessons must be learned for the future to ensure this type of situation never arises again."
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment was held by the DUP since the return of devolution in 2007 until May this year, when it was renamed.
Arlene Foster - who is now Northern Ireland's first minister - was in charge of the department when the Renewable Heat Incentive was introduced.
Timeline of Renewable Heat Incentive
November 2012 - DETI minister Arlene Foster launches Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). It is given £25m for the period 2011-15.
Late 2014 - The initiative is extended to the domestic sector.
2014-15 - The department underspends by £15m due to lack of uptake in the scheme.
April 2015 - DETI is due to seek re-approval of the scheme from the Department of Finance but this is overlooked due to a "combination of staff changes and an administrative oversight".
April 2015 - Applications for the initiative "increase significantly".
January 2016 - The Office of the First and Deputy First Minister receives an anonymous letter from a whistleblower.
29 February 2016 - Both domestic and non-domestic initiatives formally closed by then minister Jonathan Bell, "in view of the significant financial risk to the Northern Ireland block grant for the next twenty years".
Speaking to the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme, Mr Hamilton said that: "It doesn't serve us well to get into the politics of this.
"It's clear from the mountain of evidence that I have looked at that ministers weren't warned by officials of any issues or risks which subsequently emerged.
"That's something that has been confirmed to me by the permanent secretary in the Department for the Economy and those areas that weren't highlighted include areas around cost control, cost over-run, creating budget issues.
"I would point out that whenever those issues were raised with my predecessor (Jonathan Bell) he stepped in very, very quickly - and whenever the full extent of the cost over-run was understood, he moved very quickly to close the scheme down," he added.
Ulster Unionist MLA Steve Aiken, the deputy chair of the Northern Ireland Assembly's economy committee, said the auditor's report revealed "a litany of maladministration" in the scheme.Amid the super-scaled changes spawned by the replacement of the old Transbay Terminal, it’s oddly heartening that the first segment of the new transit center to be completed is a taut work of functional infrastructure.
The structure is the new bus bridge that crosses Howard between First and Second streets. Fourteen steel cables hold up the north end of the ramp that will give buses from the East Bay a straight shot off the Bay Bridge to the new Transbay Transit Center.
Within the transit center’s $2.26 billion budget, a $57 million ramp is small change. And because the new facility doesn’t open until sometime next spring, the bridge, with its concrete tower flanked by roadways, isn’t yet in service.
But even viewed solely as sculpture, the robust span holds its own amid the emerging, emphatically urban scene.
The single tower itself is stark, unadorned concrete with angled slots where the cables are attached. The cables fan down in stiff diagonal lines, gripping the horizontal “ribs” that connect the two sides of the busway.
The structure has been likened to the eastern span of the Bay Bridge, which opened in 2013, but the only similarities are the presence of a central tower and diagonal cables with a white sheen. The newcomer isn’t a suspension bridge, the type we’re accustomed to in the Bay Area. It’s a cable-stayed span, the roadway held rigidly in place — a type of bridge more often seen in Asia, though Boston’s cable-stayed Zakim Bridge has been turning heads since 2003.
“As a bridge designer, I’m always a little surprised to hear the comparison,” says John Eddy, who leads the infrastructure practice in the firm Arup’s San Francisco office. “One had nothing to do with the other.”
Nor does the bridge aspire to be a visual symbol of the transit center, which will feature a rooftop park above an undulating white metal skin. It’s there because an underground train box for future rail service to the center means that when the overhead ramps approach Howard Street from the Bay Bridge, there’s only a compact spot where they can be given the support they need.
So instead of standard thick columns, as is the case where the bridge ramps cross Folsom Street, there’s a single narrow tower. On either side, narrow ramps flare around it heading north and south — the horizontal beams that connect the ramps are spaced about 15 feet apart, allowing wide shafts of light to reach Howard Street below.
The oppressive underpasses you’re used to? Not the same thing at all. In fact, below the bridge there will be a two-block-long park on the south side of Howard Street.
The bus lines also slice across Howard at an angle dictated by property lines, and with a slight tilt to the east. Both elements add kinetic energy to the visual show, something passersby will sense even if they can’t quite pin down why.
“The curved alignment was baked into the design, but it’s cool that it turns. And I love the fact that we were able to split the deck,” Eddy confesses. Overall, though, “we knew if we added ‘architecture,’ it would be cut out (because of cost pressures). So we were on a mission to keep it simple.”
Given the setting in an increasingly busy part of town on a now-prominent block of Howard Street where two towers will rise alongside it, I wish the bridge were more polished. The tower’s concrete form could be detailed, or chamfered at the top. Illumination above the roadbed would have been welcome after dark — not Bay Lights gaudy but a simple tracing of the silhouette.
Yet the perfunctory finishes jibe with the straightforward task at hand.
To see what I mean, take in the view from Second Street.
The background is silvery and sleek, the city of tomorrow sprung to life in thin metal and glass. In the foreground is the matter-of-fact masonry from the past, low-slung and nonchalant.
And in the middle, we have a self-confident celebration of getting from point A to point B. It has no desire to be an icon. These days, that’s a virtue in itself.
Place is a weekly column by John King, The San Francisco Chronicle’s urban design critic. Email: jking@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @johnkingsfchronThe Congressional Leadership Fund's attack ad against Georgia congressional candidate Jon Ossoff shows him dressing up in college as Han Solo, and backfires spectacularly as viewers watch and donate.
In the wake of multiple victories in special elections around the country, Democrats are turning their sights on Georgia, where another special election on April 18th will fill the congressional seat vacated by Donald Trump’s Health and Human Services Secretary, Tom Price.
Georgia’s 6th congressional district has been solidly Republican since 1978, when Newt Gingrich was elected to the seat. But this year, Democrats have a formidable candidate in Jon Ossoff, a documentary filmmaker and former congressional aide. Ossoff’s campaign has already raised $2 million in under two months, and he is leading polls by 6.8 percent.
Republican strategists on the Hill are alarmed by Ossoff’s meteoric rise, and a GOP super PAC, the Congressional Leadership Fund, just took out a $1.1 million ad buy against him.
The only problem is that the attack ad, titled “The Truth Strikes Back,” did not come off exactly the way they were likely hoping:
VOICEOVER: Jon Ossoff really wants you to think he’s ready to be in Congress. OSSOFF: I’ve got five years of experience as a national security staffer. VOICEOVER: There’s just one problem: Ossoff wasn’t exactly fighting against terrorism — he was fighting against restrictions on keg parties! You see, Ossoff was just a college kid, doing things like dressing up with his drinking buddies and pretending to be Han Solo. YOUNGER OSSOFF: I’m Han Solo, captain of the Millennium Falcon. She’s the baby that ran four kegs by DOPS in under 3 parsecs. VOICEOVER: And here’s Ossoff and his college buddies making fun of Georgetown’s female students. YOUNGER OSSOFF AND OTHERS: [singing parody song ‘Georgetown Girl’] VOICEOVER: Jon Ossoff: Not honest, not serious, not ready. Sorry, Jonny, but the truth strikes back.
The obvious aim with this ad was to depict Ossoff as an immature fraternity guy, who is not ready to shoulder the responsibility of public office.
Instead, it made him look like a genuinely fun, humorous, and relatable person, and reactions on social media make clear how badly this ad backfired:
Would someone like to remind these dummies that Han Solo was a hero and helped save the Republic? #electjon https://t.co/XlB5dqIT5c — JC Stephens ❄️ (@JanUnhinged) March 1, 2017
Ha! House GOP put out an attack ad on Dem Jon Ossoff in GA-06 special election. I'm guessing this wasn't the intended effect… pic.twitter.com/WbGWqEnoBz — Matt McDermott (@mattmfm) March 1, 2017
Hahahah @CLFSuperPAC forgot to turn off YouTube comments. Everyone's saying they like Ossoff more & just donated! https://t.co/qpGfvcXKr9 pic.twitter.com/LNUzYcijEN — David Nir (@DavidNir) March 1, 2017
If Republican megadonors and strategists are this out of touch about the way the American people perceive public officials, it bodes ill for Trump’s prospects of keeping his unified Republican majority for much longer.It’s not an unfamiliar story: There’s a niche market, which despite its relatively large size, goes unnoticed by most entrepreneurs and investors, because, simply put, it’s not sexy. For this and countless other reasons, as time goes by, legacy models and hardware, fragmentation, and high prices prevail. In short, it begs for new blood, new ideas, and a fresh perspective. The same can be said for countless industries, but it’s especially true for many of the markets within the bloated, backwards beast we know as the health industry.
Case in point: Hearing aids. Of the 27 million Americans who qualify for a hearing device, 75 percent choose not to purchase one — only one in seven Americans over 50 years old who need a hearing aid actually wear one. The problem is a sizable one, so former Stanford University classmates Sam Tanzer and Ross Porter decided to do something about it. In November 2011, they founded a startup called Embrace Hearing to apply some entrepreneurial pressure to the situation.
The co-founders tell us the top reason that 75 percent of Americans don’t purchase hearing aids is due to a familiar culprit: High cost. If you take it from CareCredit, hearing aids range in price from $1,000 to $6,000, with the average price being $3,000. And for those who do choose to wear them, the top pain point is the high cost of replacement.
The second reason for the low rate of adoption is the social stigma around wearing hearing aids, as many fear that wearing such a device, simply put, makes them look old. Not altogether untrue, even though we know that hearing loss can occur at any age, and over 50 percent of Americans with hearing loss are between the ages of 45 and 74, which may be on the older end for the tech industry, but hardly what we’d define as elderly. What’s more, studies have routinely linked untreated hearing loss to depression, memory deterioration and even career setbacks.
You may be starting to get an understanding of why this is not a simple problem to tackle. And, really, it’s just the beginning, as the Embrace Hearing co-founders tell us that there’s even more friction when it comes to distribution. Audiologists (health care professionals who specialize in hearing, and the loss thereof) control the majority of sales in the U.S. market. While these specialists provide essential services, they use the sale of hearing aids to their own gain, often charging markups of three to five times — because they can.
Not only that, but the clever business people they are, they bundle re-fittings and follow-up visits into the cost, generally using this as the explanation for why hearing aids cost so much. The Embrace co-founders say that the reality of the situation, however, is that only 20 percent of customers make five or more visits to audiologists in the year after being fitted for the device. For those who fall into that category, the insurance and other benefits might make sense, but for most it doesn’t. On average, Americans return to have their devices checked three times. If you say that costs $100 per visit, if a device costs a total of $700, you’re still at the very low end of the spectrum in terms of overall cost.
Of course, many Americans would rather trust a certified healthcare professional than buy their hearing aids online from people they don’t know. Again, it’s a tough hill to climb, but Embrace Hearing is trying to surmount these obstacles by cutting out the middlemen. The startup provides its customers with support and guidance during the process and works directly with their manufacturer, a Germany-based company that builds their products abroad (in Germany) and in the U.S.
What’s more, Embrace offers three lines of hearing aids, starting at $300, next at $500, and top of the line at $700. Obviously, the whole line prices way below the industry average of $3,000. Because manufacturers tend to have exclusive agreements with audiologists, Tanzer says, they collectively tend to set prices high, but the startup’s German manufacturer only recently decided to enter the market, and as a result, isn’t tied to any exclusive partnerships.
Again, many people who would consider buying a hearing aid online opt for the more expensive alternative of working with an audiologist because they want the options of insurance coverage and follow-up visits. Because Embrace Hearing is early-stage, bootstrapped, and has a small staff, it can’t manage the same kind of support as a licensed professional, but it does offer one free programming during a 45-day trial period if users aren’t satisfied with the initial programming. So that means users can potentially save thousands on the cost of the device and still get one free follow-up, which, while it isn’t perfect, removes a significant amount of friction from buying online.
Of course, Embrace Hearing is not alone in building an online platform for hearing aids. For example, companies like Miracle Ear offer free consultations and testing through an online storefront, and offer more style options compared to Embrace, which just has “over-the-ear” hearing aids. But the site doesn’t list its prices, and its UX makes it look like it, well, sells hearing aids. HearingAidesCentral, another online storefront, doesn’t do much better in terms of UX. Hi HealthInnovations is an improvement, but its products are still far more expensive, and Songbird Hearing just decided to exit the hearing products business altogether.
While selling hearing aids isn’t a sexy business, it doesn’t take much to see the market opportunity here. With some smart marketing and well-branded products, Embrace Hearing could very easily make a play at being the Apple (or Warby Parker) of hearing aids, taking tired designs and clunky models and giving them a smart, design-centric, and user-friendly alternative.
Though it won’t ever be able to offer the same level of services as audiologists, the co-founders are working on an web tool that would allow users to test their hearing right from the site, and thus think they can present an online experience that is similar (and robust) enough to steal a significant share of the market. And judging by the reaction they’ve seen from audiologists, they just might be right. Tanzer said that their model has already been deemed “controversial,” and audiologists are not fans, because it threatens the cushy deal they have going — their model makes price comparisons difficult, and people are likely to opt for prepaid services and the friendly experience of a licensed practitioner.
But the co-founders said that, so far, they’ve been encouraged by the fact that over half of the people that have emailed or called Embrace have gone on to purchase a device from the startup. “We’re comfortable that the value proposition is there, so we want to focus more on socializing that value proposition in the hearing aid community,” Tanzer said.
There’s a long hill to climb, and Embrace Hearing is just getting started, but there’s a chance that two young entrepreneurs with a good idea might just be able to provide the impetus for changing an entire industry. And sexy or not, that’s pretty cool. Hopefully after that they can move on to socializing healthcare in the U.S.
For more, check out Embrace Hearing at home here.
What do you think?COLUMBUS, Ohio--Two more Ohio Democrats have filed paperwork to run for statewide office in 2018: former Cincinnati mayoral candidate Rob Richardson Jr. for treasurer and ex-U.S. Rep. Zack Space for state auditor.
Richardson, a labor attorney, came in third during the May 2 Cincinnati mayoral primary with slightly more than 20 percent of the vote. It was his first run for political office, though he served nine years on the University of Cincinnati board of trustees - including one year as chair.
His father, Robert Richardson Sr., is a national labor leader and head of the Cincinnati NAACP.
The younger Richardson didn't return a phone call seeking comment Monday. But he told the Cincinnati Enquirer that Democratic Party officials approached him about exploring a run.
"I wasn't actually looking for it," Richardson told the newspaper. "I was in reflection mode, ready to get back to the private sector."
Richardson is the first Democrat to enter the race for treasurer. The current treasurer, Republican Josh Mandel, is term-limited and is running for U.S. Senate next year.
Two Republicans have launched campaigns for treasurer: Franklin County Auditor Clarence Mingo and state Rep. Robert Sprague of Findlay.
Space, a 56-year-old from Dover, represented Ohio's 18th congressional district for two terms until he was unseated by Republican Bob Gibbs in 2010. He now works for the prominent Columbus law firm Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease.
Republican Keith Faber, a state representative and former Ohio Senate president from Mercer County, is also seeking the auditor's job. Term-limited GOP incumbent Dave Yost is running for attorney general.
One of five statewide executive elected offices in Ohio, the state auditor is responsible for auditing public bodies, investigating fraud in public agencies, and providing financial services to local governments, among other duties.
Space was not immediately available for comment Monday.A wonderful trip down memory lane
Hello guys,
A few weeks ago when I was visiting jack-fi for an audition, we ended discussing about vinyls and old times. The guys from jack said that it was a time when they had a turntable in every audition room and that maybe they will bring them back, as they begun to miss them.
Two weeks ago I was pleasantly surprised to see a functional one in their second audition room, a Kuzma Stabi SD:
A pair of Focal Electra 1008 BE and a Jadis Orchestra amplifier stood proudly near the turntable. It was a time for a listen. My ears started itching.
The music started flowing and with it so did memories from my childhood. The sound had that magic analog/turntable touch that I missed throughout the years. We started with some old vinyls and we got that static that used to bug me while listening when I was a child. Now it surprised me to see the situation has changed in such manner that I actually loved that static for the particularity and emotion it brought to the music.
The Focal Electra and the Jadis amplifier did their job wonderfully and they impressed me very much. Those little 2 speakers did a very good job on the whole audio spectrum.
The sound overall flowed nicely and musically. The voices were very present and had a very nice texture. I started thinking how the hell did they manage to include all those details into that small thin groove. How could it make so many sounds |
of his system. He teaching a firm, defensive frame, and especially likes an upward elbow that explodes out of blocks, checks and fake teeps.
#12 Andy Thomson – Mad Scientist of Muay Thai (56 min) watch it here
Andy is absolutely unique in the lore of Thailand Muay Thai. An instructor for more than 2 decades, a mentor to so many, he innovatively teaches a Muay Thai emphasizing symmetry, strength, balance and explosiveness, expanding what the body can do under duress, holding pads like no others do.
#11 Karuhat Sor. Supawan Session 2 – Float and Shock (82 min) watch it here
In this session one of the greatest fighters who ever lived really digs into what must lie beneath techniques, a general state of relaxation and rhythm, the thing that made him one of the most dynamic fighters Lumpinee has ever seen.
#10 The Clinch Techniques of Yodwicha – Session 2 (34 min) watch it here
This is my second session with Yodwicha, you can see the first further down below. This one really gets into the specifics of clinch technique and defense. One of the best clinch fighters in Thailand, co-Fighter of the Year, sharing his unique attack style.
#9 Yodkhunpon “The Elbow Hunter” pt 1 – Slicing Elbow (37 min) watch it here
Simultaneous Raja and Luminee title holder at 118 lbs, Yodkhunpon was one of the most feared elbow fighters in Thailand, and in this session he teaches the looseness and spacing that made his lead elbow such a viscious weapon. He also shuns the traditional rocking chair knee, and instead teaches a powerful stand-in crossing, open-hipped knee that compliments his elbows up top.
#8 Sangtiennoi Sor Rungroj – Advanced Clinch (52 min) watch it here
The Golden Age Lumpinee and Rajadamnern Champion, a legendary Muay Khao fighter who fought all the greats instructs on the finer points of clinch technique. Small differences that make big differences. Advanced tips on the swim-in and turn, and the importance of going from long distance techniques to short distance grab and lock.
#7 Karuhat Sor. Supawan – Be Like Sand (62 min) watch it here
2x Golden Age Lumpinee Champion (112 lb and 122 lbs), Karuhat is considered elite among the elites. Mixing an explosive style with constant off-balances, angling, and melting aways, he was nicknamed the Ultimate Wizard. I can only describe the things he’s teaching here as: Be like sand. This is very subtle, advanced stuff, far above combo techniques or specific defenses. It may take a few viewings to absorb what he is teaching. Everytime I watch this I learn something new.
#6 Namkabuan Nongkipahuyut – Explosive Attack (28 min) watch it here
266 wins, 15 losses, 2 draws. Namkabuan may be the best fighter I’ve ever seen, and it was an intense privledge to train with him. I can honestly say that it changed me as a fighter, inspiring to become more. He combines Muay Khao fighting with technical precision and explosive energy. The knee he teaches in this session is really like no other I’ve seen, like it is shot out of a cannon.
#5 Hippy Singmanee – Developing Power (69 min) – watch it here
Two-time Lumpinee champion Golden Age legend Hippy Singmanee takes me though one of the most unique and valuable hours I’ve spent with a top trainer. He is building ground up how power and relaxation are related to each other. This session has been highly influential upon my own training. Learn how spacing+timing+relaxation produces dynamic power.
#4 Yodwicha – Clinch and Muay Khao (Knee) Specialist (35 min) – watch it here
Yodwich shared the Fighter of the Year award as only a 16 year old, and his success in the Lumpinee ring made him one of the most feared clinch fighters in Thailand. In this session he goes through his favorite Muay Khao techniques, shows why he prefers side-attack locks, and turns.
#3 Dieselnoi Chor Thanasukarn – The King of Knees (54 min) – watch it here
Dieselnoi is the greatest knee fighter who ever lived, and it just wasn’t because of his height. Spending this hour with him lets you feel how much love and energy he pours into his Muay Thai, even at this age, the real secret to what make him dominant in the Golden Age of the sport. There is nobody like Dieselnoi. Nobody.
#2 Joe Hongthong – Developing Muay Khao Style (87 min) – watch it here
This is nearly an hour and a half of straight on Muay Khao instruction. Joe was a top stadium fighter and he’s watched me fight for several years, so this is Advanced Level tweaking, as he teaches how to bring elbows and knees together, discussing the ways that dragging back can work for a forward fighter, and the differences with more technical (femur) approaches. Muay Khao is a technique unto itself.
#1 Pi Earn – Head Trainer of PTT Petchrungruang (34 min) – watch it here
PTT is the rising star of my gym Petchrungruang. He was so sought after he turned down title fights at Lumpinee and Rajadamnern and instead signed with Thai Fight where promoters feel he’s going to become an International star. Pi Earn has been a trainer who has sculpted PTT’s methodical Muay Khao fighting style, and in this session he starts right away making the tiny changes in my technique that are necessary for the strong, forward fighting approach that he favors.
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You can support this content: Sylvie von Duuglas-Ittu on PatreonBRUSSELS — Europe’s antitrust regulators are preparing to deliver a strong message: a deal is a deal, and if a company fails to live up to a settlement agreement, there will be consequences.
On Wednesday, the European Union is expected to impose a large fine on Microsoft for failing to give users of the company’s Windows software a choice of Internet browsers. It would be the first time that European regulators had punished a company for neglecting to comply with the terms of an antitrust settlement, and it could signal a tougher approach to enforcing deals in other antitrust cases, including one involving Google.
Microsoft and officials at the European Commission reached an antitrust settlement in 2009 that called on the company to give Windows users in Europe a choice of Web browsers instead of pushing them to Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. But Microsoft failed to offer users such a choice for more than a year — apparently without anyone at the company or the commission noticing.
Last July, the company admitted the problem and apologized. It said the failure was a result of a technical issue that had escaped its notice, and it updated its Windows 7 and Windows 8 software to give European users the browser choice.Overlooking the San Fernando Valley (Photo by Peter Rath via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr)
Six daily temperature records across Southern California had already been surpassed by 3 p.m. on Monday amid an unusually late-season October heat wave. Four of the daily temperature records dated back to 1965.
Robbie Munroe, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, told LAist that record-setting high temperatures for this day of the year were seen in downtown Los Angeles, at Los Angeles International Airport, in Long Beach, Burbank, Camarillo and Oxnard.
Downtown reached 102 degrees, far surpassing a previous daily record of 98 degrees, which was set in 1965. LAX, Long Beach and Burbank all hit 101 degrees, breaking previous records that were also set in 1965. The previous high temperature recorded on this day of the year at LAX was 97 degrees; previous records in Long Beach and Burbank were 99 and 98 degrees, respectively.
Camarillo reached a scorching 106 degrees, shattering the previous daily record (97 degrees) set in 2007 by a full nine degrees. Oxnard hit 103 degrees, surpassing the previous daily record of 96 degrees, which was also set in 2007.
Munroe wasn't familiar with a particularly historic 1965 heat wave that led to so many longstanding records being set that year, though he did say that "it was definitely an unusually hot period, given that widespread records were set [that year] for both today and tomorrow and the next day."
Records may also end up being broken in Santa Barbara and NWS's desert sites in Lancaster and Palmdale, all of which are currently a degree or so away from their current record temperatures. And don't expect any immediate relief: according to Munroe, Angelenos can expect more of the same Tuesday, and tomorrow may bring slightly warmer temperatures by a degree or two.
"I wouldn't necessarily say it's any more unusual than being set any other day," Munroe said when asked about the importance of such a large number of records being broken on a single day in October. "What's more unusual is the extent at which some of the records are falling," Munroe explained, noting that downtown had surpassed its previous record temperature by four degrees, and Camarillo's record had been surpassed by nine.
"Just seeing triple digit heat in general in late October is not very common," Munroe continued.
So, uh, does this have anything to do with global warming? "That's not something that we really focus on," Munroe said. "We just focus on the next seven days." Honestly, same.
Still, something definitely feels a little abandon-hope-all-ye-who-enter-here-y about our current Inferno... So we had to ask—even strictly speaking within the aforementioned seven day timeline—is there any chance the world is ending?
"The world is not ending," Munroe said [when directly asked if the world was ending]. "The biggest concern with this current heat wave is that we have some wind with it, so we have fire weather concerns." The National Weather Service issued a red flag fire warning on Monday that will be in effect through Wednesday, warning that the potent combination of Santa Ana winds and triple-digit temperatures could "bring the most dangerous fire weather conditions that Southwest California has seen in the past few years."
Please, for the love of all that is holy, no one throw a lit cigarette out the car window in the canyon.By exploring illuminations depicting rural life, Dr. Alixe Bovey examines the role of the peasant in medieval society, and discusses the changes sparked by the Black Death.
By Dr. Alixe Bovey
Head of Research
Courtald Institute of Art
In the Middle Ages, the majority of the population lived in the countryside, and some 85 percent of the population could be described as peasants. Peasants worked the land to yield food, fuel, wool and other resources. The countryside was divided into estates, run by a lord or an institution, such as a monastery or college. A social hierarchy divided the peasantry: at the bottom of the structure were the serfs, who were legally tied to the land they worked. They were obliged both to grow their own food and to labour for the landowner. They were in effect owned by the landowner. At the upper end were the freemen who were often enterprising smallholders, renting land from the lord, or even owning land in their own right, and able to make considerable amounts of money. Other workers carried out trades such as basket-weaving or bee keeping. A complex web of ties formalised by a sworn oath defined the relationships between kings, lords, vassals, serfs and so on.
The Luttrell Psalter, c.1320-1340 / This celebrated manuscript was commissioned by a wealthy landowner, Sir Geoffrey Luttrell, in the first half of the 14th century. It is one of the most striking to survive from the Middle Ages. Painted in rich colours embellished with gold and silver, with vitality and sometimes bizarre inventiveness of decoration, this manuscript is unlike virtually any other.
The juxtaposition of ‘the Lord’ with Lord Luttrell (top center image) seems to indicate the role of the manorial lord as a protector, in legal and practical terms, of his household and tenants.
What is special about the Luttrell Psalter?
The Luttrell Psalter is one of the most famous medieval manuscripts because of its rich illustrations of everyday life in the 14th century. It was not the first to include scenes of contemporary rustic life, but it is exceptional in their number and fascinating detail. Its lively and often humorous images provide a virtual ‘documentary’ of work and play during a year on an estate such as Sir Geoffrey’s.
As we turn the pages of the book, we see corn being cut, a woman feeding chickens, food being cooked and eaten. There are wrestlers, hawkers, bear baiters, dancers, musicians, throwing games, a mock bishop with a dog that jumps through a hoop – and a wife beating her husband with her spinning rod.
Such images played a large part in fostering the 19th-century romantic vision of a ‘merrie Englande’ peopled by bountiful lords and ladies and happy peasants playing as hard as they worked. Copies of the manuscript were published, and its pictures widely reproduced as illustrations in history books. Today scholars are more inclined to see the Psalter’s scenes as idealised versions of reality – they were, after all, designed to please Sir Geoffrey, not his workers.
What are those strange animals doing there?
The finest decoration is in the central section of the manuscript, painted by the most gifted of the artists. His pictures display acute observation and attention to detail – he even tidied up some of the other painters’ work. His clear talent for inventiveness and gentle humour is expressed in the so-called ‘grotesques’: hybrid monstrosities that may combine a human head, an animal/fish/bird body, and a plant tail.
The animals have attracted the interest of scholars and public alike. Many of these must have been products of the artist’s imagination, and seem unrelated to the text they accompany. Like those in the Hebrew manuscript of the Duke of Sussex’s German Pentateuch, they also terminate in leafy foliage. On this page they form a striking contrast to the more clearly religious imagery of a praying man that appears in the initial.
What is a Psalter?
The Psalms are 150 ancient songs, grouped together to form one of the Old Testament books of the Bible. In the Middle Ages (and down to the present day) they formed a fundamental part of Christian and Jewish worship, for ecclesiastics and lay-people alike; many people learnt to read by being taught the Psalms. The Psalms were often written out separately from the rest of the Bible, preceded by a calendar of the Church’s feast-days, and followed by various types of prayers. Such a volume is known as a Psalter.
Why is this called the ‘Luttrell Psalter’?
The manuscript is named by modern scholars after its original patron, whose picture appears in the book. Geoffrey Luttrell was lord of the manor at Irnham, between Grantham and Spalding in Lincolnshire, but he owned estates across England, thanks to his great-great-grandfather, also called Geoffrey. His ancestor’s loyal support and service to King John had been rewarded with grants of various properties, which were greatly added to by marriage to an heiress. The style of the illumination shows that Sir Geoffrey commissioned the Psalter some time between 1320 and 1340.
Who made the manuscript?
Most medieval manuscripts were produced by more than one person: one or more scribes wrote the text and one or more artists added decoration and pictures. The Luttrell Psalter was the work of one scribe and at least five artists, none of whose names are known. For so many people to collaborate, the book must have been made somewhere of substantial size (unlike the village of Irnham), and Lincoln is a possibility.
How did the manuscript come to the British Library?
The British Museum tried to buy it in 1929, but they didn’t have the then-record asking price of 30,000 guineas (£31,500). An anonymous benefactor loaned the money interest free; ironically, it was US millionaire John Pierpont Morgan, who could have bought it at auction for himself had he wished.
Images from rural life
It is possible to catch glimpses of rural life painted on the pages of medieval manuscripts, though it must be remembered that such images were almost always made for the wealthy patrons who had commissioned the works and so reflect their perspective on country life rather than that of those lower down the social scale. An interesting example of this is an image from a fine 13th century manuscript made in Paris, which shows a lazy ploughman, asleep by a tree as his team sit doing nothing; the ploughman represents ‘Idleness’. Below ‘Labour’ is symbolised by a sower scattering seed, who is visually likened to the powerful David in the act of hurling a stone at Goliath.
Illustration of ‘Prowess, Idleness, David, Labour’, from Laurent d’Orléans’s La Somme le Roi, c.1300 / Each of these four images represents a different scene or state of being. Idleness is depicted in the image of a lazy ploughman sitting down while his team are left to stand nearby. Labour is depicted in the image of a man scattering seeds. Prowess is shown in both left-hand images: in the top, a queenly figure is depicted standing on a bull holding a medallion of a lion passant or coat of arms, and in the bottom box the courageous David slays Goliath using only his slingshot. These two very different depictions of prowess suggest both a celebration of royal, womanly prowess and the bravery and wit of the ordinary man.
A wonderful visual record of life on a 14th century manorial estate in England is painted in the margins of the Luttrell Psalter, a deluxe illuminated manuscript made for Sir Geoffrey Luttrell, a Lincolnshire lord, and his family. Uniquely, a cycle of images shows the agricultural cycle from the preparation of the ground and sowing wheat to its harvest and transport. The cycle includes absorbing details, such as a man using a slingshot to hurl rocks at crows to scare them away from a freshly ploughed field.
The conclusion of this cycle shows the lord of the manor, Geoffrey Luttrell, and his household being served supper. Interestingly, this scene takes place under the verses of Psalm 114:4: ‘I met with trouble and sorrow: and I called upon the name of the Lord’.
Through the year
The calendars of medieval prayer books reveal that time was measured out by the movement of the heavens; by religious saints’ days and feast days; and also according to the seasons and agricultural cycle. Images of the Labours of the Months in calendars often show labourers pruning vines (March), reaping wheat (July), or knocking acorns from oak trees for pigs (October) which are later slaughtered (November); in other months, we see the gentry enjoying the benefits of this labour, for example feasting (January), or indulging in leisure activities. In April, gentlemen are sometimes shown hawking, and in May, elegantly dressed lovers are shown strolling in a meadow.
Full title: Book of Hours, Use of Rome (the ‘Golf Book’)
The Golf Book is a book of hours: a religious text that contains prayers and psalms for private worship.
It was written in Latin in Bruges, Flanders, around 1540. The Golf Book is particularly well-known for its miniatures which are attributed to one of the most celebrated artists of the time, Simon Bening.
Only part of the manuscript survives. It includes a calendar which records the religious festivals and saints’ days. In the Golf Book, each month is depicted with an outstanding illustration of the labours of the months: 12 scenes depicting activities (both agricultural and leisure pursuits) that took place during the year, all entirely typical of books of hours.
The lower margins of the page are decorated with illustrations of contemporary sports and pastimes.
The Golf Books contains a representation of a game resembling golf, which has given its name to the manuscript.
The Queen Mary Psalter, 1310-1320
The Queen Mary Psalter was named after Queen Mary I, having been presented to her in the 16th century, however it was originally created for an unknown patron between 1310 and 1320, nearly 200 years before Mary Tudor was born.
The Psalter opens with a unique cycle of 223 Old Testament miniatures, followed by a liturgical calendar (illustrated with images reflecting the signs of the zodiac), a bestiary, 87 colour and gold images depicting the life of Christ, and, of course, the Psalms.
The codex is illustrated with over 800 images, many of which depict everyday life in rural England, and reveal much about medieval life and medieval hunting techniques in particular. In one illustration, for example, we see two men beating oak trees with clubs in order to knock down the acorns to feed their pigs. In another we see medieval peasant women hunting rabbits using ferrets and nets.
Many of the images, in fact, reference women, including images of childbirth, mothers with their children, and many of the female biblical characters and saints. In part, because of this, many believe the original patron would have been a woman, the most likely candidate being Queen Isabella of France, Queen of England and consort of Edward II.
The margins of a law book illuminated in London c.1340 include images of ale houses, usually marked with a broom jutting out from the peak of the roof, communal bakers to which villagers could bring their risen loaves for baking, and mills to which grain could be brought for grinding. These images are not without a sense of irony: in one pair of images, for example, a woman brings a sack of wheat to a miller for grinding; in the next image, she is shown setting the mill alight, presumably as rather extreme revenge against an unscrupulous miller.
The Smithfield Decretals, c.1340
While at least five of the images in the Smithfield Decretals can be considered ‘original’, the vast majority are thought to have been added about 40 years after the scribe, probably in France, finished writing it. By this time the book was in England, where its owner commissioned a group of artists to illuminate its folios.
Alongside the 1,971 papal letters on specific points of ecclesiastical law, these images teach us much about rural life in the Middle Ages. One illustration, for example, shows two people baking bread in a communal bread oven, a common practice in the 1300s, which allowed all members of the village to bake their own loaves
Another image shown here is the second of two illustrations that tell the story of a woman. In the first picture she is seen taking her wheat to the mill while in the second she is shown setting fire to it. Although there is no record of the story that this is based on, we may infer that she burns the mill in retaliation, after being cheated by the miller.
At the end of the manuscript, on the back of page 314, the scribe has written ‘The whole thing is finished; give the guy who wrote it a drink’ in Latin.
The Black Death and Peasants’ Revolt
In the mid-14th century, the catastrophic plague known as the Black Death hit Europe, and swept through the continent rapidly. It would eventually kill between a third and half of the population. These huge death tolls sparked off a chain of events that would redefine the position of the peasant in England. Due to the fact that so many had died, there were far fewer people to work the land: peasants were therefore able to demand better conditions and higher wages from their landlords. Many advanced to higher positions in society. Thus the Black Death was ultimately responsible for major shifts in the social structure.
A firsthand account of the Black Death written at the Cathedral of Rochester, William de la Dene, Historia Roffensis, 1314-1350 / This manuscript extract provides a first-hand account of the Black Death, a devastating plague that reduced the population of Europe by a third. The account tells how relatives of the dead had to carry the corpses themselves to open mass graves. The Black Death killed so many that there was a severe shortage of people to work in the fields and this became a major catalyst in the rise of the peasant revolt. Knowing how much the land owners needed workers, the labourers used this as leverage in demanding higher wages and better living conditions.
The chronicle above, written at the cathedral priory of Rochester between 1314 and 1350, includes a firsthand account of the Black Death, describing the changes in the everyday lives of people across the social scale: ‘there was such a shortage of servants, craftsmen, and workmen, and of agricultural workers and labourers…[that] churchmen, knights and other worthies have been forced to thresh their corn, plough the land and perform every other unskilled task if they are to make their own bread.’
Resentment among the peasantry was simmering when between 1377 and 1381, a number of taxes were levied to finance government spending. This prompted a violent rebellion in June 1381, known as the Peasant’s Revolt. A large group of commoners rode on London, storming the Tower of London and demanding reforms from the young Richard II. The rebellion would end in failure. A number of prominent rebels were killed, including their charismatic leader Wat Tyler – pictured here. Richard quelled the rebellion by promising reforms but failed to keep his word. Instead, punishments were harsh.
Miniature of the death of Wat Tyler, from Jean Froissart’s Chroniques, 1460-1480 / This illustration depicts the death of Wat Tyler, the leader of the Peasants’ Revolt. In this image he had gone to meet with the young Richard II, but during a heated exchange he was attacked by William Walworth, the Mayor of London, who cut his neck. The most reliable chronicle states that Tyler attempted to escape after the attack, but was unable to ride more than 30 yards, where he was then dragged from his horse and decapitated. The image shows Tyler and Walworth fighting, as well as depicting the King twice, once gesticulating at Tyler and then again addressing his troops. Despite the lack of change achieved by the rebellion, the Peasants’ Revolt and Wat Tyler become embedded in our history and mythology as the first moment when the peasant classes attempted to break away from the shackles of serfdom.
The image above is from the Chronicles of Jean Froissart (the chronicles cover the years 1322 until 1400; this version was created c.1483). Froissart described the Peasants’ Revolt in detail. Here he explains the roots of the rebels’ resentment: ‘Never was any land or realm in such great danger as England at that time. It was because of the abundance and prosperity in which the common people then lived that this rebellion broke out…The evil-disposed in these districts began to rise, saying, they were too severely oppressed;… [that their lords] treated them as beasts. This they would not longer bear, but had determined to be free, and if they laboured or did any other works for their lords, they would be paid for it’.
Comments
commentsRing CEO Jamie Siminoff. Ring In September 2013, Jamie Siminoff went on ABC's "Shark Tank" in hopes of raising $700,000 for his company, DoorBot. He thought it was worth $7 million.
His company made a video doorbell that connected to your smartphone, so you could remotely see and talk to the person at the door through your mobile device.
The idea was largely based on the fact that burglars tend to ring the bell before breaking in. With DoorBot, you could see who is at the door and even pretend you're at home when you're not, making it a convenient home-security device.
Siminoff was already making about $1 million in annual sales then, and he had high hopes of getting one of the TV show's "sharks" in as investors of his company.
But the sharks weren't impressed. One by one, the sharks dropped out, leaving only Kevin O'Leary, also known as "Mr. Wonderful," as the last potential investor.
O'Leary's offer wasn't too enticing: he would offer a $700,000 loan, then take 10% of all sales until the loan was paid off. After that, O'Leary wanted to collect a 7% royalty on all future sales, forever, plus 5% of the company's equity.
Siminoff rejected the offer and walked away with nothing.
"It's that moment when I say you're dead to me, because you don't want to take my offer," O'Leary told him.
You can watch Siminoff's appearance on "Shark Tank" below (it starts at 2:03):
The most important thing that's ever happened to the business
Appearing on "Shark Tank" doesn't guarantee you airtime. Siminoff says that when you leave the set, the producers simply tell you, "Someone will call you."
"It's like you literally have no way of contacting anyone when you leave that set that day," Siminoff told Business Insider. "We were like, 'Ah, s---.' So we just had to block it out as if it just never happened, because that was a possibility. We were pretty significantly disappointed by not being able to raise money on the show."
But DoorBot still had a pretty solid business and was growing fast. It had $250,000 in sales in the month before appearing on "Shark Tank," all online. And after two months, Siminoff was able to raise $700,000 at a $7 million valuation (the exact amount he had offered the sharks).
And a week after raising, he also received a call from the "Shark Tank" producers. "It's going to air," they told him.
The episode featuring Siminoff ended up airing in November 2013. And as soon as the show aired, DoorBot took off like crazy.
"We think we got at least $5 million of additional sales through the airing of 'Shark Tank,'" Siminoff said. "It just absolutely throttled our revenue, awareness in the market from every level. Everything just popped after that."
"It was probably the most important thing that's ever happened to the business," he continued. "It's almost like it gave us a free check."
Richard Branson's call
As the company grew, Siminoff wanted to create a more serious image, and so he changed the name of the company to Ring.
His company's credibility went up too, and soon he was able to get into some of the world's top retailers, including Home Depot, Target, and Best Buy. Now Ring's products are sold in 93 countries worldwide.
Its wider reach also led to what Siminoff describes as a "lucky break" with one very prominent investor: Richard Branson, the founder of Virgin Group who has a net worth of $4.8 billion.
Richard Branson holding one of Ring's products. Ring
Siminoff says a Ring customer happened to be vacationing at Branson's island a couple of months ago. He used Ring to talk to a UPS delivery guy who was at his home in San Francisco. Branson, who happened to be next to that person, saw the interaction and was immediately hooked by the product.
In fact, Branson liked it so much that he asked for Siminoff's email address and soon started talking business with Siminoff. He wanted to invest in the product.
"I didn't even figure he'd invest," said Siminoff, who at the time was just about to close a Series B round. "But then he was like, 'What if I send someone right now?' And then I got on with a couple of his guys from his team of investment the next day."
In less than 48 hours, Branson agreed to join the round. And on Wednesday, Ring made it official: a $28 million funding that gives it a $60 million valuation. Other investors include: Shea Ventures, American Family Insurance, True Ventures, and multiple angels, including Sky Dayton.
"[Branson's team] was actually really careful with their due diligence," Siminoff said. "Probably more than any other investor we had."
Looking back, Siminoff says it is still hard to believe everything has unfolded the way it has. "It's like beyond surreal. I still can't believe it."
But it also makes him feel pretty good about his business, especially after getting turned down in a public manner by some top celebrity investors.
"I think it's a little bit of redemption that I'll take a slight smile on," he said. "But I got to get back to focus, get back to work now."Opinion: Xiaomi’s Love for the SD625 (and Other Sidegrades) Impacts the Value of its Affordable Smartphones
When I had the opportunity to review the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3, I went in with low expectations. After starting my Android journey with a low-end device and struggling to get a better smartphone for a few years, I certainly did not look forward to downgrading from my OnePlus One (considered close to a flagship then) to a device competing in the budget segment.
But my preconceived notions as an amateur reviewer at that time couldn’t have been more mistaken.
The Redmi Note 3 was a fantastic device which punched way above its selling price. The overall experience it offered did not resemble an ‘entry level’ device at all. Certain aspects of the device even came close to the flagship experience, and some like its battery life even went beyond that. As an occasional gamer, the Redmi Note 3 was a joy to use too — no signs of thermal throttling, even when subjected to intense gaming scenarios for long, sustained sessions, and a battery that let you stretch those gaming sessions even longer than usual. It ultimately redefined my understanding of low-end smartphones today, their potential, and how some companies can do it right.
A good chunk of credit for the Redmi Note 3’s remarkable performance and experience went to the SoC inside of it. The Redmi Note 3 that was sold in India came with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 650, a mid-range hexa-core processor with 4x Cortex-A53 cores for daily tasks and power efficiency, and 2x Cortex-A72 cores for when you need that extra performance. It was built on a crusty 28nm process, but that didn’t stop it – at the time – from punching above its segment. This particular combination resulted in smooth and efficient performance for daily tasks which was sustained in heavier use cases, too.
So when the Redmi Note 4 was announced, I was disappointed with the choice of SoC that Xiaomi opted for. The Snapdragon 660 was not official back then, so Xiaomi went in with the Snapdragon 625 – an octa core SoC with a dual cluster setup of Cortex-A53.
Again, I came out surprised with the resulting real-world performance of the device, mostly because I expected the lack of a heavy cluster to deeply impact the intensive usage of the device. As noted in my review, the Redmi Note 4 is still a theoretical downgrade when you consider where the Redmi Note 3 was sitting, because otherwise the Note 4 can hold its own in real world performance. But still, it was a marked, literal downgrade year-to-year and from one revision to the next, with slight advantages in power efficiency (but battery life was exceptional on its predecessor, anyway).
Even on the GPU end, the Snapdragon 625 with its Adreno 506 GPU performed worse when compared to the Adreno 510 on the Snapdragon 650. The Adreno 506 has a higher clock speed (650 MHz vs 600 MHz) and is built on the 14nm fabrication process, but it has lesser number of ALU’s (96 vs 128) and manages to score lesser GFLOPS (130 vs 180). Benchmarking scores place the Adreno 506 well below the Adreno 510 as it managed to score about ⅔ of the framerates on the same benchmarks, pointing towards a marked downgrade in graphics performance.
A similar situation or “downgrade” crops up with the Xiaomi Mi Max and Xiaomi Mi Max 2. The original Mi Max came with a beefy Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 on the higher end variants — an SoC which was a slight step up from the 650 by adding an additional 2x Cortex-A72 to the performance cluster.
But with the Xiaomi Mi Max 2, we see Xiaomi switching lanes as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 makes an appearance again in this device. We repeat, the Snapdragon 625 is not a bad SoC by itself — particularly if paired with decent software, but the performance difference between the Mi Max and Mi Max 2 would be larger than between the Redmi Note 3 and Redmi Note 4. This immediately makes the Mi Max 2 a definite downgrade in terms of peak performance. Consumers looking to purchase the Mi Max 2 would have to rely on other changes to the device, like the larger battery and Quick Charge 3.0 capabilities through the USB Type-C port, in order to justify the purchase over the Mi Max. Xiaomi, like all other OEMs, also tends to cease production and sales of older devices when newer versions are released, so that its current products do not face competition from the value propositions of its past products.
The choice of Snapdragon 625 on the Mi Max 2 is a bigger deal than on the Redmi Note 4 because of the existence of (or close proximity to) alternatives. The Redmi Note 4 was announced when the SoC choices available to Xiaomi would be to move along the 65x lineup and choose the Snapdragon 652 or newer 653 with their caveats being that they were built on the 28nm fabrication process, now old and rusty. Or, Xiaomi could choose the SoCs built on the new 14nm fabrication process and opt for the Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 or newer 626. Choosing the 625 back then to focus on battery life was more digestible, but again, these phones really weren’t lacking in terms of battery life anyway.
But with the Mi Max 2, most of the rumors and leaks surrounding the device indicated a higher-specced device coming in with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 660 SoC — a much more exciting SoC with its octa-core |
country with them.
There were no bustling crowds of people, though it was a place to gather to buy and sell at the market, but most of those people didn’t live in the city itself. Streets weren’t cobbled, they were muddy trenches that froze in the winter, and caused horrible clouds of dust in the summers. The few homes within the city all had gardens, and buildings, just like in the country, but on a smaller scale. I suppose that one could compare them to very small villages today. If one is going to live in the city, one needs to have a trade, and make a tidy living. Nothing extravagant; Instead of gold, or money, it was chickens, eggs, or dried whatever that you preferred to work for. As nice as gold is, one has never been able to eat it.
If we go look at a Lord’s chateau, one would think that this is where the good living is taking place, and it was! But, it wasn’t what you’d think. In fact, the nobles were forbidden to earn currency, they were expected to live off of that which was provided by the king, and this was not easy. Their homes were grand, and if you go to one today you will be impressed, but at the time things were very different. Today we live better than kings! In our homes we have cold and hot water on tap, we have a refrigerator to help us keep what we eat fresher longer. We can cook things on demand, but of all of these modern conveniences which we ignore every day, the men of the Renaissance had no central heating and cooling, specifically no heating. One can go see their massive fireplaces and marvel at their grander, but one is still standing in a modern temperature controlled environment. These places were cold! In the summer, they brought greenery inside to keep the stench down, but the hardest time was in the winter. Straw was brought in to cover the floors, imagine that for a moment. These lavish and beautiful chateau floors covered in straw. This helped keep the heat in. And one would assume that the lords and the servants avoided each other, but this is a Victorian idea, and one that never entered into the minds of our Renaissance ancestors. People didn’t have personal space back then. There were no comfort bubbles. People lived right on top of each other, and it wasn’t just people. The warmest room in any house has always been the kitchen, and that is where you found everybody. From the lady of the home, dressed in the most modern finery to the men who worked out in the fields all day covered in filth, they all crammed into the kitchen every chance they got. Imagine that you are a child, doing your studies, you’ve got everyone pressed together in the kitchen; dogs are running around fighting over scraps and looking for attention, not to mention the goats and the chickens which are kept indoors so nothing can take them. Your smaller siblings are running around, your infant sister is squalling for attention which she will not get. Your mother is dutifully and critically watching the maids who are trying to set the table, your father is there too yelling to be heard over all of the noise as a cook kicks a dog to get it to go back. How in the world did anybody get culture? This scene played itself out, not just in chateaus, but in homes all over Europe. The quest to stay warm was one of necessity, and when it comes to this, the more the merrier!
Travel was dangerous, thieves killed and robbed everybody who they judged game. One wanted to travel with armed men, and lots of them. Everybody knew that they were out there. That was a given. If you did survive traveling the roads by day, one found themselves at a dark inn full of homeless, fellow travelers, and the undesirable all gathered around to repeat this ritual of finding warmth in company. These places were not nice, the highwaymen could be found here as well, in droves. If one was lucky enough to get a room, we again run into the common theme, beds were huge, but most inn beds fit four men, and they slept together without a second thought, this too kept you warm. Being alone in the Renaissance never happened, and the men and women who lived here didn’t want it to happen! One didn’t find much rest here either, once a room was full, a dresser was pushed in front of the door, one drew their sword and rested as best as they could until the sun came up and travel was once again possible.
Actually, speaking of the sun, man had not yet tamed the darkness, and darkness was a very terrifying thing. Darkness dictated our lives. We were slaves to it. People didn’t sleep all night, to sleep for 6-8 hours was unheard of! One had to get up periodically and check on their loved ones, look in on horses and other animals too large or too dirty to be kept indoors. They would venture out into the night to check on their neighbors. Many of these jaunts were fatal, it is easy to get lost in the pitch blackness. If something happens to your light source, you were typically doomed. People fell into rivers, twisted ankles and froze to death. Superstition dictated much of what was known, and when the body of your neighbor is found floating in the river, people had only their fear and superstition to explain this.
Now, what about the King? When one thinks about a king, one imagines a powerful man sitting on a throne and making decisions for people, but this wasn’t all that accurate. A king who stays in one place will soon be a king of nothing. In France, from the time of his coronation, to the time of his death the king is on the move. What about his court? Well, the court traveled with him. Visions of beautiful princesses and ladies of the court are fantasies, these women were just as hard as the men, they had to be. Even the Queen was on the road with her husband. In the morning, the servants would rush ahead to where the King would be spending the night, typically a Lord’s Chateau. The royal huntsmen would attempt to find red meat or fish, which were rare. The royal cook would take over the lords kitchen and begin preparing supper while the lords servants rushed around to make the house look presentable and make room for all of the king's horses and all of the king's men. This was the life of a noble! God forbid that a holiday was coming up, typically the King wanted to be in a specific place for religious observances, some were long enough to give himself and his men a break from the road so that he could actually spend a month in one place.
The King would look over the lords records, which had to be kept in order. He himself was forbidden to earn currency as well, with the exception of leveling taxes upon the people. Nobles and the King were expected to live on a budget, if one went over their budget, then tough! The only class which could earn currency was the middle class, namely merchants, soldiers, and tradesmen. This formed the basis of European economy for centuries. A knight who went looking for wealth was unable to keep it, as the wealth that he found belonged to the people. That is something to think about.
Not that we want to be trapped in history while playing our games, but it is something to consider. If well used, history can provide many fun ideas for us to try. It is a lot of fun researching this kind of stuff too.The Russian Ministry of Defense tweeted on Tuesday “irrefutable” proof of collusion between the United States and ISIS in Syria.
But the “irrefutable” proof, as observed by Eliot Higgins of the investigative outlet Bellingcat, turned out to be a cropped image of a mobile phone video game “AC-130 Gunship Simulator: Special Ops Squadron” and grainy photos from Iraq a year before the alleged collusion took place.
The photos, posted to social media on Tuesday morning by the Russian Ministry of Defense, accused the American military of thwarting Russian airstrikes by providing cover to ISIS fighters as they fled the city of Abu Kamal in Syria on November 9.
One of the posts, as reported by The Telegraph, read, “This is the irrefutable evidence that there is no struggle against terrorism as the whole global community believes. The US are actually covering the ISIS combat units to recover their combat capabilities, redeploy, and use them to promote the American interests in the Middle East.”
Twitter users quickly identified the image as a YouTube video of the mobile phone video game.
Though the Russian MoD deleted the tweet and blamed the post on a lower-level civilian employee, the post remains archived.
This is not the first time Russia has misled with false claims. In the 2017 documentary, “The Putin Interviews,” directed by Oliver Stone, Putin shows Stone video footage on his phone which was allegedly Russian fighters battling ISIS in Syria, Newsweek reported. The footage was reportedly the Americans fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2009.AN escaped wallaby which forced the closure of York's ring road has been caught safe and well.
The A1237 was closed between Haxby and Strensall as some 15 police officers worked to catch the wallaby.
However, the animal has been tranquilized by a vet and was transported to Askham Bryan College following an extensive roadside operation at about 8.15pm.
Firefighters using heat sensors managed to find the wallaby and police officers surrounded it before a specialist vet, who travelled to the scene from Hull, tranquilized it with a dart gun.
The worst case scenario - and one officers worked to avoid - was that the wallaby could have been shot.
Inspector Richard Mallinson said: "We had a lot of difficulty with vets but we got one from Hull with expertise in the area.
"Within half an hour [of being shot with the dart gun] the wallaby became docile and was lifted into a horse box."
The wallaby has now been taken to a specially-built wallaby enclosure at Askham Bryan College.
Insp Mallison said he had to make the decision to close the road for the safety of the public as there was a danger it could move into the traffic and cause a potentially fatal accident.
Police had been at the scene since mid afternoon and made the decision to close the road just after 6pm.
A member of the public phoned police at 11.25pm on Tuesday after spotting the animal in Strensall Road, opposite Earswick Chase, “jumping on the grass verge”.
North Yorkshire Police confirmed a wallaby had been seen by officers who arrived just before midnight, and officers phoned for the RSPCA, but the RSPCA were unable to attend so the animal was left.
The wallaby was also spotted by Press reader Mark Taylor, who was driving his taxi and passengers on the road between Old Earswick and the turn off for Towthorpe.
He said: "I did also stop two other cabs as they passed by and they saw it too.
"Unfortunately my attempts to record it on my phone were a disaster, but at least my mates who I had told about the incident now have to apologise for the stick they have been giving me."
Local resident Karen Wyrill was walking the dog with her partner Steve when they saw the wallaby close to the road near Connaught Court in Strensall.
She and Steve managed to herd the marsupial into a gated and fenced field on Wednesday evening, and it had been there since, occasionally hopping through the fence into the public footpath nearby.
Karen said: "We just surrounded it and slowly walked it through the gate into the field.
"It could have caused a serious accident on the bypass, the poor thing. It didn't seem nervous, it seemed quite calm."When I was about twelve years old, I went through a phase when I was terribly afraid of hell. Like, wake-up-screaming scared of hell. Shouting-at-the-ceiling-because-God-won’t-answer afraid of damnation. My parents probably thought I was mentally ill, but that wasn’t quite right. I was living in a persistent state of spiritual terror.
Somewhere along the way (maybe at the church summer camps that tended to be run by the more fundamentalist-leaning folks in our denomination) I had come across the idea that my eternal soul was in peril. There was a deep, dark abyss of fiery torment waiting for me the moment I died, and there was nothing I could do to save myself. Nothing, except say a prayer inviting Jesus into my heart and asking God to forgive my sins.
So I did that. A lot. I can’t even remember how many times I invited Jesus into my heart. Asking God for forgiveness for my sins became a compulsive ritual, lifelessly recited several times a day, just in case I might die in the next few hours. My relationship with God was basically robotic. I just kept hitting save on my spiritual Word document, praying that when my physical computer crashed God would be able to recover the data.
I felt so empty, so distant from God. I was desperate to know that I was acceptable to him, and that I would not face unspeakable punishment when I died. I wanted the constant, gnawing anxiety to stop. Eventually, I became so desperate that I asked my mom to baptize me in a swimming pool.
This was a strange thing for me to ask of my mother, and perhaps even stranger that she agreed to it. You see, we were Quakers, and baptism is just not something that Friends do.
The Quaker church teaches that traditional Christian rituals, called sacraments by most groups, aren’t the true religion instituted by Jesus. You don’t have to eat bread and wine to commune with Jesus. You don’t have to get dunked in a river to experience spiritual conversion. Real faith comes from a living relationship with Jesus Christ, not from masses, baptisms, and suppers.
Following this logic, Quakers normally eschew the mainstream Christian rituals. Our understanding of Scripture leads us to believe that these practices are not only unnecessary, but can actually be harmful if they are allowed to take the place of the substance of Christian faith. There’s good reason to believe this is true: How many people have been burned, hanged, drowned, and tortured because they baptized by dunking rather than sprinkling, or baptized adults rather than children? How many communities have been ripped apart by disagreements over how the Lord’s Supper should be performed, and whether the wafers and wine are really the body of Jesus, or just symbolically so?
Jesus didn’t come to establish a particular way of eating bread or washing ourselves. The church’s historic obsession with these rituals has caused more harm than good, often even serving as tools of oppression. As one of the most radical Christian groups of the already revolutionary 17th-century England, Quakers did away with the iconic ceremonies of the historic church.
My parents being Quaker pastors, I was well-aware of our tradition’s rejection of sacramental rites. At this point, though, I didn’t really care. I had had enough of the torment. If dunking me in the chlorine-filled swimming pool would make the pain stop, I was for it. If my pastor mom (a former Baptist, conveniently) could impart some grace to my life, I was ready to give it a go.
I came up out of that water expecting to feel something. Anything. Some kind of shift in my mental state. A feeling of deeper communion with God. Relief from the burden of sin and the fear of hell.
I waited for it. Pretty soon, I realized I’d be waiting a long time.
It would be years before I would finally experience the connection with God that I longed for. When it did come, it was not the result of any ritual or rote prayer. I would have to learn that the grace and power of God is not a magic trick to be controlled, but a relationship to be received.
Before that, I would pass through a period of deep despair. I renounced God and religion, certain that the faith of my upbringing had nothing to offer me but daily fear and spiritual burden.
When I did come back to faith, it was through direct, personal experience of the Holy Spirit. This Spirit led me back into the Quaker community (though, admittedly, a very different corner of it). Even after becoming a Quaker again, I still found Christian theology and language offensive and threatening. Fortunately, the Spirit kept working with me. I eventually discovered the real Jesus, first in the pages of the New Testament and later in my own direct experience of him as risen Lord.
I finally realized that I had become a Christian in early 2007, when I was able to say with integrity: Jesus is Lord. Since that time, I have been growing in my understanding of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. My deepening experience of his life has been both beautiful and painful, teaching me that relationship with God is not only about feeling the Spirit’s presence, but also involves significant periods of spiritual dryness and doubt.
I am so grateful for the space that the Quaker community has given me to develop as a follower of Jesus. The rich and radical theology of the Quaker tradition has provided me with a greater awareness of the Holy Spirit, and the ability to name when I see Jesus alive and at work in the modern world.
As time has gone on, I have also felt myself drawn to other Christians, from different traditions. There is a radical stream of Christianity – found across denominations – that takes the Sermon on the Mount literally and experiences Jesus as alive and present to lead us. I’m inspired by Anabaptists, radical Catholics, charismatics, and rowdy believers of all kinds. I long for unity and collaboration with these other radical disciples. I want to be together with them, following the leading of the Holy Spirit and sharing the good news, just like in the New Testament church.
But my joy turns to sadness when I realize that my Quaker conviction about the sacraments may prevent me from entering into full fellowship with others in the radical church. It’s startling for me to realize that I actually can’t become a member of most non-Quaker congregations without being sprinkled or dunked with water. Even in relatively radical circles, where most ideas are up for debate, the necessity of certain rituals for group membership (if not salvation) is a core assumption.
I wish I could let this thing go. I really do. It seems silly to block ecumenical unity on the basis of arguments about water and bread and wine.
But it’s not silly. Sacraments don’t really matter. And that really matters.
It’s a question of whether my path to God and relationship with Jesus Christ are valid. It’s a question of whether I’m really a child of God, even if I didn’t do a certain ritual when I came to trust in Jesus as Lord. It’s a question of whether God’s power is greater than the human need for orderliness and rules to follow.
I am a baptized believer. I was baptized that night I stayed up late reading CS Lewis and was visited by the Holy Spirit. I was baptized on the campus of Lancaster University in England, when God called me into a life of service. I’ve been baptized in ecstasy, and I’ve been baptized through suffering. I’ve been baptized into the agony of God’s absence from my life, and into the joy of his presence. I’ve been baptized and re-baptized so many times, I’ve lost count.
I can’t throw all of that away for a false unity around water baptism. I can’t renounce my faith that God does whatever he wants to do, human rituals or no. I can’t forget that God saved me while I was still an unwashed sinner, and that no amount of outward washing can improve upon the inward work of Christ’s spirit in me.
In spite of the barriers that these convictions present to so many of my brothers and sisters, I still long for unity.
I accept you. I embrace the work that God is doing in your lives. Can you accept what God is doing in me?
Whether we have all passed through the same rituals is unimportant. What matters is the power of God at work in us. Clearly, God has poured out his Holy Spirit on the Anabaptist and the Quaker, the Baptist and the Catholic. Who are we to question the saving work of Christ in our midst? How much longer will we grieve the Holy Spirit with our human disputes?
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A Baptism of Humility
What is Real Faith? Actually Doing What You Believe“Uprising: Hip Hop and The L.A. Riots” premiered at SXSW on Wednesday night. The VH1 documentary examines the relationship between what was happening on the streets before the 1992 uprising and the rage expressed in hip-hop music.
The film, directed by Mark Ford, includes a well researched and compelling mix of archival footage from both local television news camera and video shot by community members on the ground–a lot of which has has never been broadcasted before. Interweaved throughout the film are interviews with well known figures and hip hop artists including: Rodney King, Arsenio Hall, John Singleton, Too Short, KRS-One, Nas and Sir Jinx. Current LAPD Chief Charlie Beck was also interviewed along with former chiefs Bernard Parks and William Bratton. (There were not very many women included in the film.)MIAMI -- The first half of the season has been a roller coaster for the Miami Dolphins. The first eight games have been a mix of quality victories and disappointing defeats, but Miami reaches midseason on the upswing after winning three straight games.
The Dolphins (5-3) are trying to end a six-year playoff drought and could do so with a similar second half of the season. Miami is gaining consistency at the right time, given a challenging November and December schedule.
Midseason MVP: Receiver Mike Wallace is having an impressive second season in Miami. He leads the team in receptions (35), yards (468) and touchdowns (five). Wallace has been the most consistent player on offense, which is why he gets the early nod for MVP honors. Wallace has scored at least one touchdown in five games this season, and he's on pace to tie his career high for touchdowns in a season (10). Quarterback Ryan Tannehill has yet to connect with Wallace on the deep ball, which has been an issue. Wallace can be even more dangerous if Tannehill can be more consistent with his deep passing in the second half of the season.
Biggest disappointment: The Dolphins had high expectations when they signed veteran running back Knowshon Moreno in free agency. Moreno was coming off a career year with the Denver Broncos; he recorded his first 1,000-yard season and helped lead Denver to an AFC title. But Moreno struggled to stay healthy from the moment he stepped foot in Miami. It started with a nagging knee injury in the spring that required a cleanup procedure. Then Moreno suffered an elbow injury in Week 2 of the regular season and a season-ending knee injury in Week 6. Moreno had just 148 rushing yards. With the mileage and wear and tear on his body, it's unlikely Moreno will return to Miami when he becomes a free agent next March.
Best moment: This is a tough call. The Dolphins started the season on a high note, with a 33-20 home victory over the reigning AFC East champion New England Patriots. That showed right away that Miami has the talent to compete with anyone. But Sunday's 37-0 victory over the San Diego Chargers overtook Week 1 as the biggest moment of the season. Miami pounded another playoff contender from start to finish and picked up its first shutout win since 2006. The Dolphins won their third game in a row for the first time this season and earned an emotional victory for head coach Joe Philbin, who missed two days last week after the death of his father.
Worst moment: Miami's worst moment in the first half of the season didn't involve a game. Philbin created an unnecessary quarterback controversy leading into a Week 4 matchup against the Oakland Raiders. Philbin refused to name the starting quarterback during the week, which caused national headlines and speculation Tannehill was close to being benched. Even Tannehill admitted he was bothered by Philbin's approach, and the quarterback said it was the toughest week of his career. Tannehill responded with one of his better games of the season in a win over Oakland and has mostly played well since.
Key to the second half: The Dolphins will only go as far as Tannehill can take them. Miami is 4-1 when Tannehill produces a passer rating of 80.0 or higher and 1-3 when he posts a passer rating under 80.0. The Dolphins have their most talented roster in years, and it is much easier to win when Miami gets solid and consistent play from Tannehill. Yet when the quarterback play is inconsistent, there is little margin for error for the rest of the team. In order to make a playoff push, Miami needs to find a way to get the best out of Tannehill on a weekly basis.Tourists who have come from around the world to see messy American democracy in action are watching far more mess than they ever expected.
“You guys are nuts,” said Joseph Eastwood, 44, a Toronto accountant who was waiting in the Capitol Visitor Center for a tour last week. “Instead of building the country, you’re destroying it.”
A German tourist standing nearby was more tactful but was perplexed as he tried to teach his two teenage children about the scale of United States debt. “They are not quite understanding the sum of money borrowed,” said Peter Radewahn, 54, the director of a Bonn lobbying group. (The United States has about $14 trillion in debt, which is 99.5 percent of its yearly economic output. Germany has $2.85 trillion in debt, or 80 percent of its output.)
Mr. Radewahn said he did not want to say more because he was a guest in America and wished to be diplomatic.
At the Washington National Zoo on Saturday, Dean Thompson, 53, a Republican and a mechanical engineer visiting from Augusta, Ga., was filled with disdain for lawmakers of both parties on Capitol Hill. “They’re playing with people’s savings is what they’re doing,” he said. “It’s like a game to them.”
Senator Charles E. Schumer, Democrat of New York, fumed on Friday that although Mr. Boehner was throwing “piece after piece of red meat to his right-wing lions” — that is, Tea Party-allied Republicans who are steadfastly opposed to raising the debt limit — they were never sated.
Of course, few could match the scorn last week of Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, who, quoting an editorial in The Wall Street Journal, derided the “Tea Party Hobbits.” (Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, a Tea Party-allied Republican, later retorted, “I’d rather be a hobbit than a troll.”)
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Beyond the sniping of opposing lawmakers, this legislative crisis has reached deeper into the layers of Washington, perhaps even more than the protracted debate over health care did.
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Much of what is occurring in Congress may be incomprehensible, but the basic issue — that the United States needs to increase the limit on its credit card or not be able to pay its bills — is understood.
“I get people stopping me around the Capitol more, asking what’s going to happen,” said Kelly O’Donnell, the Capitol Hill correspondent for NBC, who said she was averaging about four hours of sleep a night. “A lot of kids ask, which is interesting.”
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One such visitor, Luke Stancil, 13, the chairman of the Teenage Republicans of Johnston County, N.C., had many questions and thoughts about the debt crisis during a trip to Washington last week.
While waiting to see Mr. Paul with a group of other teenage Republicans in the Cannon House Office Building on Thursday, Luke said that although he liked conservatives affiliated with the Tea Party, he felt that in the interest of the country they should support Mr. Boehner’s bill to raise the debt ceiling.
“That’s all they have now,” he said soberly. (Mr. Boehner ended up postponing the vote because of a lack of conservative support, but a modified bill was passed on Friday before it was killed later that day in the Senate.)
Meanwhile, weighing in from Chicago was its newly elected mayor, Rahm Emanuel, Mr. Obama’s incendiary former White House chief of staff, who, had he been in his old job, would have been engaged in hand-to-hand combat on Capitol Hill.
“I just passed four bills today, so I’m very happy,” Mr. Emanuel reported. Well, what did he make of what was going on in Washington? “My basic point is, look, your country requires you to take responsibility and understand what an honest compromise is,” he said. He declined to answer a question about whether he missed the capital.
At the Old Ebbitt Grill, across the street from the Treasury Department, Cory Carlson, a 27-year-old account executive for the EMC Corporation, a technology giant, was at the bar on Thursday with friends. Asked about the chaos on Capitol Hill, Mr. Carlson said that the health of the economy depended on Congress raising the debt limit and that he was worried about his investments. “Don’t get me started,” he said.
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In front of the Treasury building on Friday, Margaret McCoy, a 64-year-old Democrat visiting from Pembroke, N.C., said she was worried, too — about her government disability checks.
“I’m fed up with it, just fed up with it,” she said, referring to the battle in Congress. “If their checks were cut like they said ours might be cut, I wonder how they would feel.”
She looked toward the White House and saw a knot of demonstrators. Were they protesting the debt crisis, she wondered, a note of hope in her voice.
Actually, no. The demonstrators were celebrating a White House visit by President Alpha Condé, considered Guinea’s first democratically elected leader. (A separate Guinean group was also protesting the visit. The street outside the White House is a busy place.)
The Guineans in the pro-Condé group said they were astonished by the debt crisis and the chaos on Capitol Hill. “It’s crazy, it’s just crazy,” said Noumouke Cisse, 57, a taxi driver from New Haven. “They are the world leaders, you know? We are very surprised they continue to fight each other.”by Adam Armstrong
The Final Nail In Violin’s Coffin Gets Bent, Goes In Crooked
We have been covering Violin Memory for years now at StorageReview. While we reported on several of their releases and even reviewed their WFA-64 Windows Flash Array, our recent reporting has leaned more toward their financial woes. Last month Violin threw in the towel and filed for Chapter 11. It looks as though the Violin saga is ended this month as the auction of its assets has begun, though buyers have yet to show up.
As we reported last month, Violin’s rocky financial road was coming to an end. Violin started as one of the pioneers in the all-flash array market. As with all markets, competition soon started flooding in. Once the competition was able to produce all-flash arrays with similar performance but at a significantly lower cost, it was only a matter of time for Violin to adapt or perish. Violin continued to innovate becoming VMware ready and releasing new products and services, but in the end they were not able to compete. Their stock took a dramatic fall and they reduced their workforce in an effort to stay buoyant. Alas, the effort wasn’t enough and the stock was delisted shortly before the company filed for bankruptcy.
Violin has continued to support its existing customers as it sought to auction off its core business. On January 6, 2017 a bankruptcy judge, Judge Laurie Selber Silverstein, granted Violin the auction plan with a bidding deadline of January 18 and a scheduled auction date of January 23 if necessary. Currently there are no reported bids, though there is a sale hearing set for January 30. Violin is auctioning off its core business, which includes its customer list, service revenue, over 100 patents (with nearly a 100 pending), along with its remaining hardware and software.
It is an interesting time in the tech industry. As we saw yesterday with vSAN, market dynamics can be extremely volatile. In vSAN’s case, the market itself is changing more to reflect its business model and saw a jump in adoption that eclipsed its two closest competitors. However, as turbulent as this market seems, an upstate can disrupt it quickly and take the throne from a sure bet in a matter of months.
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Bitcoin may be more popular -- and pricey -- than ever before, but its entrepreneurial ecosystem is still a work in progress. Now Plug and Play Tech Center, which has three locations in Silicon Valley and which was a seed investor in PayPal, has announced the opening of an accelerator program exclusively for Bitcoin-related startups.
The program, which is set to induct its first class of 10 startups in January 2014, will last for three months, with the option of extending a startup's stay to six months if it needs the extra time. The accelerator will be located in Sunnyvale, Calif., where Plug and Play Tech Center has its headquarters.
Each participating startup will receive a $25,000 seed investment in exchange for a 5 percent equity stake, Saeed Amidi, the founder and chief executive of Plug and Play Tech Center, tells Entrepreneur.com. "In special cases, we can go up to $100,000," he says.
In December, Plug and Play Tech Center will hold an expo focusing on financial technology and digital currencies. This will serve as a sort of prelude to the Bitcoin accelerator, which will begin accepting applications once the expo concludes.
Related: Coinbase Releases iPhone App Amid Strong Market for Bitcoin
The seven-year-old Plug and Play Tech Center is no stranger to startup investment; in the course of more than half a decade, it has accelerated 1,500 early-stage companies, by Amidi's reckoning. It also hosts a weekly Bitcoin meetup that is the largest in Silicon Valley.
So why is now the right time to put investment dollars into the Bitcoin space? "We've been following Bitcoin for two years, and we still have not totally figured it out yet," Amidi admits. "But nevertheless we think there is so much traction and so much interest [in the marketplace] that we want to be involved."
The value of a single bitcoin is now about $420, an all-time high that would have been inconceivable a few weeks ago. As reported previously, this stratospheric price has a lot to do with increased interest from China. Indeed, Scott Robinson, who will be heading Plug and Play Bitcoin, was unavailable to speak with Entrepreneur.com, as he is currently attending Asia's first Bitcoin conference, Bitcoin Singapore.
"We've pulled together a great community of Bitcoin users, enthusiasts, investors and entrepreneurs, so we feel as though we have a good understanding of the players in the space and the trends we're witnessing from hardware to regulation to new disruptive payment solutions," Robinson said in a statement.
In addition, Plug and Play Tech Center intends to invest in five more Bitcoin startups outside of the accelerator program. It will invest in two or three before the end of 2013, Amidi says.
Amidi has no doubt that Bitcoin is more than a passing fad. "I think it will go through some ups and downs, but it's going to stay around for a long time," he says. "But how big it's going to be, I don't know."
Related: Winklevoss Twins: Bitcoin Worth at Least 100 Times its Current PriceFrance is likely to be the first European country to experience societal upheaval and a radical reordering as a result of immigration. There are signs such an upheaval is already underway.
On Thursday evening, France was once again the target of a terrorist attack. A commercial truck ploughed into revelers gathered in Nice to celebrate France’s national holiday, Bastille Day, while the driver, and possibly other accomplices, shot into the crowd as they drove. Details are still emerging, but as of this writing 77 people are feared dead and hundreds more are injured. French police fired on the truck, killing the driver.
Images of the attack posted to social media Thursday night showed bodies strewn in the streets, scores of people running for safety along the waterfront, and the attackers’ truck riddled with bullet holes.
As France absorbs the shock of another mass-casualty attack, something dangerous is stirring in the heart of the republic. France’s chief of intelligence, Patrick Calvar, warned members of a French parliamentary commission earlier this week that if another terror attack were to happen in France, or something akin to the New Year’s Eve mass sexual assaults in Germany, it could spark a “civil war.” Calvar expressed concern about a populist backlash that would lead to a “confrontation” between ultra-right groups, such as Bloc Identitaire, and the rest of the country—especially Arab and North African immigrants.
With the revelation this week, due to a botched cover-up, that far more women were sexually assaulted in Germany on New Year’s Eve than was previously known, and the latest tragic terrorist attack in Nice, the possibility of major destabilization in the country seems all the more likely.
But a revolt in France wouldn’t just be a reaction to outside events. It would also come from deep within France’s unique culture and history. Indeed, France is likely to be the first European country to experience societal upheaval and a radical reordering as a result of immigration. There are signs such an upheaval is already underway.
The Rise of the Worldwide National Front
In the wake of high-profile terrorist attacks over the past year and a half, coupled with the ongoing migrant crisis, French voters are looking to the National Front for relief. The far-right nationalist party led by Marine Le Pen, who speaks openly about the dangers of terrorism, has called for leaving the European Union and the Euro.
The party’s rhetoric is unabashedly nationalistic, although it doesn’t approach the radicalism of the ultra-right. In recent polling, 28 percent of French voters said they would vote for Le Pen, twice as many as for current Socialist President François Hollande. Nicolas Sarkozy, former president and expected Republican candidate, comes in at 21 percent, making it likely Le Pen could reach the second round of |
Saudi Arabian Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends a summit of Arab and Latin American leaders in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. AP/Hasan Jamali
Saudi Arabia's strategy in the Middle East has for years focused on throwing money at majority Sunni states and groups in the region to counter Iranian influence. But its fiscal constraints started to limit its ability to project power even in the Arabian Peninsula.
Funding Sunni jihadist groups has not had the desired outcome. The rise of the Islamic State is evidence that this strategy can have unintended results. In fact, Saudi Arabia's attempt to expand its influence regionally may have actually reduced Saudi power both domestically and on the peninsula.
As such, the Saudis are coming to the realization that it can't shape the dynamics of the region. It can help create problems for its opponents, but it can't control the future course of events. That experience caused the Saudis to refocus their efforts closer to home, in places like Yemen.
In the meantime, low oil prices continue to strain its budget, inhibiting its ability not only to fund proxy groups throughout the region, but also to carry out conventional military action on the Arabian Peninsula.
An opening for Iran
Leaked emails between the former US ambassador to Israel and the United Arab Emirates' ambassador to the US reveal the impact of this budgetary constraint.
The Emirati ambassador wrote that the Saudi crown prince had expressed a desire to withdraw from the conflict in Yemen and a willingness for the US to engage Iran on the Saudis' behalf.
At this point, both Iran and Saudi Arabia know that Riyadh's financial struggles are limiting its ability to protect its interests closer to home. Any direct negotiation between the two countries will account for this weakness and result in a settlement that is far more in Iran's favor than Saudi Arabia will feel comfortable with.
Thus one of the consequences of Saudi Arabia's decline is that it creates an opening for Iran to pressure the Saudis into accepting a state of affairs they don't want to accept.
The Saudis are trying to obscure the extent of their economic problems by boasting about progress toward a balanced budget.
But on closer inspection, this claim falls apart.
It's true that Saudi Arabia's expenditures dropped by 1.3 percent in the second quarter, the majority of the deficit decline is due to a 28 percent increase in its oil revenue. Although Saudi Arabia has been attempting to diversify its economy, its non-oil revenue actually shrank by 17 percent.
These are not signs of a country becoming less dependent on oil. And while oil prices have increased slightly over the past several months, they will remain relatively low in the long term.
Mauldin Economics
A financial drain
Security services and military spending together are the largest expense in the country's budget, making up roughly 37 percent of the 2016 budget (but only 32 percent of the projected 2017 budget).
Yemen is an ongoing drain on the already stressed Saudi budget, and yet the kingdom doesn't have any real progress to show for it. Despite its two-year involvement in the civil war, Saudi Arabia has failed to push the conflict definitively in a direction that would benefit its interests (for example, diminishing the role of the Iranian-backed Houthis in the conflict).
An agreement with Iran would be no small capitulation for Saudi Arabia; it would pave the way for greater Iranian influence directly on Saudi Arabia's border. However, constraints often force states to choose between two bad options.
And if Saudi Arabia is faced with the possibility of continuing engagement in a war it cannot afford to be involved in, it may be compelled to accept some sort of power-sharing agreement with Iran.
This would be an admission that Saudi Arabia can no longer define the Arabian Peninsula's destiny and must rely on the United States to broker deals with its enemies to protect its interests.
The Saudis don't want to become even more dependent on the US, particularly in light of its deepening relations with Iran through the easing of nuclear sanctions. Saudi Arabia's desire to escape the quagmire in Yemen is a perfect example of how constraints restrict a state's ability to pursue its security imperatives.
While Saudi Arabia would certainly prefer to counter Iranian influence by defeating its proxies in Yemen, its oil-dependent budget is forcing it to reconsider a brokered agreement that will at least limit Iranian influence in the Arabian Peninsula. That may be the best that Saudi Arabia can do for now.
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How to spread Vermont’s human-rights victory throughout the country
Just as the uprisings in Wisconsin redefined what defensive struggles look like and ignited similar efforts around the country, Vermont's single-payer example shows how to build a proactive people's movement that can change the political landscape.
BURLINGTON, VT. – On May 26, 2011, as we watched Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin (D) sign “Act 48: Relating to a Universal and Unified Health System” into law–which sets Vermont on course to become the first U.S. state to have a universal healthcare system–we were struck by how far we had come. Only three years before, when the Vermont Workers’ Center launched the Healthcare Is A Human Right campaign, we were told by almost everyone that this couldn’t happen. Yet even as our dream takes shape, we realize more battles lie ahead. With deep-pocketed and well-connected foes plotting to defeat our people’s movement, we must scale up our grassroots organizing to build a broader movement for social and economic rights. We must keep building to establish real democracy.
Our ultimate success depends on Vermont becoming a catalyst for victories elsewhere. Just as the uprisings in Wisconsin redefined what defensive struggles look like and ignited similar efforts around the country, Vermont’s single-payer example shows how to build a proactive people’s movement that can change the political landscape. Other grassroots leaders and I have reflected on our experience of three years of intense human rights-based organizing and identified five lessons that can help our counterparts around the country:
1) People’s movements can redefine political priorities.
Unfortunately, past legislative initiatives for universal healthcare often fell victim to political expediency as politicians declared themselves to be advocates on the campaign trail, but, once in office, abandoned the platform for more “politically possible” incremental reforms. It had been clear for years that Vermonters wanted universal healthcare, but politicians would not take on the healthcare industry. Through grassroots organizing, we set out to demonstrate to every legislator in Vermont that the majority of their constituents supported equal, high-quality healthcare for everyone. We showed ambitious politicians that supporting healthcare reform was in their interest–and that ignoring the Vermonters who elected them would be politically costly.
2) A human-rights framework can be extremely effective for both organizing work and policy fights.
When we started our campaign, many healthcare activists and political pundits questioned whether “healthcare is a human right” would resonate with “middle Vermont” and rural communities. They expressed skepticism that a values-based approach could translate into an effective policy framework.
But the failure of single-payer arguments to receive a hearing in the national healthcare reform debate, along with the debacle of President Barack Obama’s “public option,” demonstrated the pitfalls of relying primarily on a narrative that revolved around costs and efficiencies. The human-rights framework puts people at the center of policy and practice, shifting the discourse from costs to needs, from figures to values, and it allows us to unite communities long divided on other issues. Using human rights, we were able to engage Vermonters from all walks of life and focus the debate on real people, their healthcare needs and struggles. We put our values as a community and a country in the forefront, thereby setting the stage for a broader movement for all economic and social rights.
To guide policy discussions and assess legislative proposals, we deployed five human rights principles: universality, equity, accountability, transparency and participation. These were expanded into a policy framework whose key elements were so persuasive that they made it into the statutory language of Act 48. As Vermont sets up its universal healthcare system, we will be able to use this framework to measure implementation proposals against human-rights standards and to develop policy alternatives.
3) Be prepared to counter divide-and-rule tactics.
In the early months of the campaign, the Vermont Workers’ Center, in collaboration with the Bay Area-based Catalyst Project, held a series of anti-racism workshops for our members and supporters. Included in these day-long trainings was an organizing role-play exercise about the divisive issue of covering undocumented workers. The take-home message was that, following human-rights principles, our campaign would be committed to a truly universal system in which everyone is included regardless of immigration status.
As expected, our workshop scenario eventually unfolded on the very real stage of the statehouse floor. After the reform bill had already passed the House and Senate healthcare committees, a last-minute amendment for excluding undocumented workers passed the Senate with a large, bi-partisan majority. Fortunately, through our past training and our emphasis on the principle of universality, our campaign leaders were crystal clear on this issue: When we say universal, we mean everyone!
Despite being told by the governor and legislative leaders that there was no chance of removing this divide-and-rule amendment, we immediately got to work demonstrating that the people of Vermont would only accept a truly universal and inclusive bill. On May 1, days before the final bill was passed, 2,000 Vermonters converged on the statehouse for our annual May Day rally, signed petitions against the exclusionary amendment, listened to speeches from undocumented farm workers and chanted, “Universal means everyone, everywhere.”
By May 3, the legislators reversed course and struck the amendment.
4) It’s not just about having convincing arguments, it’s about getting our communities organized to demand justice.
It certainly can be useful to have facts and statistics to back up what we are fighting for. But what matters most is having the people power to convince decision-makers to act on the will of their constituents. For years, advocates demonstrated that single-payer financing could cover everyone and still save money–yet cost-effectiveness was not enough to drive legislative action. We had to put pressure on our elected officials with an active, statewide network of thousands of people to create the political space for action. We now have organizing committees in every region whose members mobilize their neighbors to make calls, send letters, and come to rallies and events. Every day, we are holding our legislators accountable.
5) We need to tell our own stories.
Politicians and most media outlets will go out of their way to overshadow the role of a people’s movement in fighting for and securing positive social change. The coverage of Vermont’s universal healthcare breakthrough focused on a handful of politicians, policy experts and doctors, while largely ignoring the collective voice and unified action of thousands of Vermonters. This serves to contain and potentially neutralize our policy victories and to lull community members into passivity.
Since we cannot depend on the mainstream media to cover our mobilizing efforts, values, needs and demands, we must tell our own stories, our own people’s history of how human rights were won for future generations. People must understand that without their own actions and their own media, change will not happen. There is no hero who will come and save us.
The challenge ahead
Our opponents will not tolerate the development of Vermont’s dangerous example of providing healthcare as a public good. Those that reap enormous profits from the current system may be small in number, but they are influential. To overcome their resistance, we must cultivate a group of committed leaders and organizers who are as united and sophisticated as our opponents. Leaders of our campaign have traveled around the country to speak with our peers about these lessons. Ambitious campaigns around bold visions for systemic change must be launched, executed and defended by grassroots movements. Nothing else can ensure success.On September 11, the 16th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, thousands of spies, police officers, prosecutors, and surveillance profiteers will gather in Washington D.C. for a spying technology extravaganza known as ISS World Americas. On its website, the event organizers describe ISS World Americas as
the world’s largest gathering of Americas Law Enforcement, Homeland Security, Defense, Public Safety and other members of the Government Intelligence Community as well as Telecom Operators responsible for cyber threat intelligence gathering, DarkNet monitoring, lawful interception and cybercrime investigations. ISS World Programs present the methodologies and tools for Law Enforcement, Public Safety and Government Intelligence Communities in the fight against drug trafficking, cyber money laundering, human trafficking, terrorism and other criminal activities conducted over today’s Telecommunications networks, the Internet and Social Networks.
In other words, ISS World Americas is where US and Latin American cops and spies go to exchange tips and learn new tricks about how to conduct electronic surveillance. It’s also where corporations go to hawk their wares to an industry worth billions of dollars a year, and growing.
While the conference claims to instruct in “lawful interception” techniques, the conference’s agenda at a glance includes a number of sessions about mass surveillance. Among them:
“Recognizing Traffic Data and digital profiling”
“Understanding ISS Product Deployments in Telecommunication Networks for Lawful Interception and Mass Surveillance”
“Introduction to Wirelines and IP Infrastructure and Related ISS Products for Lawful Interception and Mass Surveillance”
“Understanding Mobile Wireless Infrastructure, and Related ISS Products for Lawful Interception and Mass Surveillance”
“Understanding the Internet Over-the-Top (OTT) Services and Related ISS Products for Lawful Interception and Mass Surveillance”
“Demystifying the Dark Web through Automated Data Monitoring, Collection, and Intelligence Production”
“Delivering a National Scale Data Intelligence Capability”
The conference also features a number of sessions on law enforcement hacking:
“Defeating Network Encryption: What Law Enforcement and the Intelligence Community Needs [sic] to Understand,” in which agents will learn how to counter the widespread use of encrypted messaging systems like WhatsApp and “defeat network encryption including cellular, Wi-Fi, MITM attacks, IT intrusion and more.”
“IP Address Resolution—Breaking the Anonymity of Network Address Translation”
Other sessions cover topics like undercover online investigations, cell phone surveillance and data exfiltration, cryptocurrencies, the surveillance implications of 4G/5G signaling replacing SS7, and the anonymizing web browser Tor. Former Tor executive director Andrew Lewman is set to deliver a talk on Tor, in which he’ll discuss, among other things, what law enforcement can do to “counter TOR 2.0.”
Law enforcement, military, and intelligence officials can attend the conference for $1,295.
The post Spies, cops, and corporate ‘security’ profiteers to gather in Washington appeared first on Privacy SOS.We have four more polls released today, only a handful of days out from the Israeli election. They show a small but clear and hardening lead for the Zionist Camp/Labor Party over Netanyahu’s Likud. Three polls show ZC/Labor with a four-seat lead over Likud. Another shows a two-point advantage for ZC/Labor. (Here’s the best aggregation of all the polls here.)
(Just after I published this post, two new polls were released, each also showing a four-seat ZC/Labor lead.)
Two points stand out in the polls. Likud is dropping and now ZC/Labor seems to be rising — at least a bit. Also notable is that the center-right bloc itself seems to be under pressure.
As we discussed earlier, one of the assumptions or key focuses of this election was how the right-wing vote would divide up between Likud, Jewish Home and Yisrael Beytenu. The last of those three is Avigdor Lieberman’s party. Their numbers have dropped dramatically, for a number of reasons, but largely because of a major corruption scandal. So they have been largely neutralized and are hovering right above the electoral threshold of four seats. The question has been whether Netanyahu could pull seats from the Jewish Home party to his right and bump up his numbers or whether the flow would go in the other direction.
But the latest polls show suggest that neither is happening. Likud is shedding seats. But they’re not going to Jewish Home. Jewish Home is either holding its own or itself losing ground. In other words, it is not just Netanyahu and Likud that is slipping. The two right-wing parties are shedding seats toward the center. Probably mainly to Kulanu (headed by a former Likud politician) and some to religious parties.
Here’s another critical issue to be aware of. Like most parliamentary democracies, Israel has an electoral threshold. You have to get a certain percentage of the votes or you get nothing at all. This is the first election since the threshold was raised from 2 to 3.5 percent. You need to get to four seats. If you don’t, you get nothing. Ironically, this was pushed in large measure by the aforementioned Avigdor Lieberman, seemingly to squeeze out the small Arab parties. But buffeted by that scandal, it is Lieberman’s party which might end up getting squeezed out. And the Arab parties (and the Arab-Jewish Hadash party) got their act together and formed a joint list which looks likely to increase their collective representation.
Here’s why that matters. The current poll of polls run by Haaretz shows four parties at 6 seats or lower. That is one right-wing party, one left-wing party and two religious parties — one somewhat centrist on non-religious issues and one far right. Each of those parties is in real danger of falling below the threshold. All might make it. But if one or more does not, that could dramatically alter the seat counts of other major parties. What’s more, whether it’s a party of the right or the left could be hugely important.
For instance, Meretz is a left-wing party which is a descendent of the left wing of the Zionist labor movement. Meretz has been the ironic casualty of ZC/Labor’s success. ZC/Labor has needed to pull together as many center and left votes as possible to beat Netanyahu and get the first chance to form a government. But if Meretz falls much further it could drop below the threshold, and suddenly four, five or six seats Herzog really needs to build a government disappear.
The implications are not quite as acute, but there is a parallel on the right with Lieberman’s Yisrael Beytenu. Comparable effects could be felt if one of the religious parties falls short.
In a U.S. presidential election, late polls can give you a fairly granular and precise read on the result because at least the national popular vote is a zero-sum game. But the multitude of parties in Israel, combined with the raised electoral threshold, create a level of multiplicity that makes definitive polling predictions very difficult.
As we’ve discussed numerous times, the coalition math is inherently more difficult for Herzog than Netanyahu. But the problem for Netanyahu is that this week’s movement in the polls does not seem driven by any particular news development — notwithstanding plausible news events discussed here. What seems more likely is that the cohort of undecided voters were waiting until the final days to make a decision and that decision is breaking against Netanyahu.
That kind of late trend is difficult to arrest and as often as not accelerates into election day.The blogosphere is talking about the fact that we’ve just signed a $680 billion defense bill without any national conversation while we are having a very heated debate about $90 billion a year for health care. Ryan Avent dreams about a world where transit gets the military budget; Yglesias has follow-up.
Here’s my simple idea. Let’s say your salary is $60,000/year, and you take one exemption. According to this paycheck calculator, this is what your pay stub looks like every two weeks, leaving the States out of it:
You see your hard earned money pulled off into Social Security, Medicare and Federal Withholding. If you are a person capable of harnessing great rage, your blood is probably boiling at the thought of the looters stealing from you.
Now let’s do one of those informational nudge things. Taking numbers from the Federal Budget from here, what if your paycheck looked like this instead, which is the same paycheck:
Here you get a special line that identifies the amount of the Federal Withholding was actually going to the defense budget all along, and it tells you what it is. You get a number that lets you identify exactly how much of your time you are working to keep the defense budget as large as it is.
(Social Security % = Defense Spending % = 21% ; Since SS has a fund it deals with, I assumed that [ (Federal Withholding + Medicare) * 21% / (1 – 21%) ] = Defense Spending, since I just wanted to take Social Security out of the front and back end. Right way to approach it?)
There was a similar argument with ‘menu labeling’, where chain fast food restaurants have to give the amount of calories with the menu, in order to give consumers better information. There’s evidence that it hasn’t changed consumer behavior when its been tried. Karl Smith has an excellent writeup. I’m not sure if that means it is a failure; if the calorie intact went up, for instance, wouldn’t it be a success still? People may have wanted to eat more junk food calories, and were unfortunately eating fewer calories than they thought they were, and now that they know better they can go to town on an super-sizes. So it goes with benevolent nudging paternalism!
It’s equally possible that workers will see this and think they want to spend more on the military. The half of the day it takes to get to that $97, sometime around 2pm on your Monday of the two week cycle, may be too little, and people might want to work until late Tuesday to make sure Blackwater is keeping its returns high. That’s how it goes. How much of your two weeks work cycle would you like to spend working to keep a global military hegemony going? I’d probably want to clock it out around my first coffee break on Monday (which is fairly early), but that’s me. But either way, making this information much more clear to workers would make for a much more interesting discussion when it comes to how our federal money gets spent.President Obama participates in a roundtable discussion to launch the My Brothers Keeper Alliance at Lehman College in New York on May 4, 2015. Photo by Nicholas Kamm/AFP/Getty Images
Of all the reactions to the viral video of a woman pummeling and verbally abusing her teenage son during the Baltimore uprisings, one stood out above the rest: an essay in the New York Times that used the video as fodder for explaining “What Black Moms Know” and why we are superior parents. According to the essay’s author, public corporal punishment and not reading books are among the helpful life strategies we picked up during slavery. The essay itself went viral; meanwhile, the New York Post hailed the Baltimore mom as “Mother of the Year.”
This black mom reacted differently. The video brought back a moment of motherly shame of my own.
I was flying cross-country with my then-3-year-old, battling canceled connections because of snow, bulky carry-on luggage, TSA workers confiscating my hair products—and my preschooler. What seemed like seconds before our connecting flight, she decided to park herself in the middle of the shiny airport floor. I was screaming at her to get up, so of course she dug in more. Then a kindly woman—holding her own toddler’s hand—approached my daughter and murmured something kind and soothing in her ear. She got up.
As she did, I looked around and saw myself through the eyes of the people marching past us to make their own flights, carefully avoiding eye contact with me—the lunatic who thought screaming at a 3-year-old would move things along.
I became that mom.
I have intense feelings of empathy for the Baltimore mother in the video and the generations of toxic stresses that pushed her over the edge. Still, the open celebration of slavery-style discipline adds perhaps the most troubling chapter in a stockpile of narratives about black mothers. Mammy. Ronald Reagan’s Welfare Queen. The turns-out-to-be mythical Crack Mother. These stereotypes have guided urban policy for the past half-century—except for the part where the Good Samaritan intervenes to help out.
In our urban policy, the Good Samaritan seems more focused on the daddies, whether in the now-50-year-old Moynihan Report or now in President Obama’s new My Brother’s Keeper Alliance, a nonprofit to improve educational and job opportunities for boys and young men of color—boys like the one being beaten in the viral video. What these well-meaning initiatives have always risked forgetting, though, is that that boy’s fate is inextricably linked to the fate of his mother, and to the fates of his female peers who will grow up to mother the next generation of black boys.
In 1965, amid the fires of the civil rights movement, then-Assistant Labor Secretary Daniel Patrick Moynihan wrote “The Negro Family: A Case for National Action,” which famously warned that the black community had been “forced into a matriarchal structure,” a “tangle of pathology” which “seriously retards the progress of the group as a whole, and imposes a crushing burden on the Negro male and, in consequence, on a great many Negro women as well.” Black girls were hogging all the spots on the honor roll, Moynihan noted; black women held more white-collar jobs than black men.
Fifty years later America as a whole has slightly more (28 percent) single-parent households than were in the black community at the time of the Moynihan report. All girls are hogging space on the honor roll. Women are making gains in the workplace and challenging patriarchal institutions, including the family.
That’s not a “tangle of pathology.” It’s part of a larger paradigm shift in American life when it comes to gender; black women just had a head start. Now that black mothers lead 53 percent of their families, one might assume they would get at least half the policy focus and investment.
Now that the single-earner-household economy is no more, we should shift the policy focus to fill gaps in areas such as child care and transportation that allow households to function. We need workplace rules that allow for a single parent to support his or her family. This fundamental imbalance goes beyond urban or black families—it’s tearing away at the American middle class as a whole.
Instead, the most ambitious urban policy on the table is My Brother’s Keeper, which is marshaling federal-government resources as well as private philanthropy. If you sense a whiff of patriarchal fetish, it’s especially ironic since both Moynihan and Obama, two of the most influential progressive voices of their generations, were raised by heroic single mothers. You’d think that their mothers’ struggles might have inspired them to find policy supports for families like the ones they grew up in and that have increasingly become the norm. Instead, with My Brother’s Keeper we are getting the policy equivalent of Dreams From My Father—a laser-beam focus on turning the next generation of boys into the father Obama wishes he’d had. But we need to figure out policies that support the families we have, not the one that progressives and conservatives alike wish we did.
In defending the My Brother’s Keeper initiative from questions about gender equity, once again, black girls’ academic achievements are seen as problematic. Washington, D.C.’s attorney general, Karl Racine, recently faced questions about whether the city’s $15 million plan for an all-boys prep school complied with Title IX requirements. In a remarkable letter, he pointed out that black girls were the largest demographic in the city’s most diverse magnet high school; he also pointed out that the city was investing in black girls through teen pregnancy programs—as if boys aren’t also teen parents or girls can somehow impregnate themselves. All-boys prep schools are a great idea, but as Georgetown legal scholar Paul D. Butler argues, we should require equal investment for girls.
If we want to do something about the structural, systemic challenges we see in Baltimore and many other inner cities, narratives and policies that marginalize black women only reinforce the racial caste system that brought us there. We can’t unsee what we saw on the viral video, and so many other desperate moments we watched in Baltimore. But no policy will be effective unless it comes to grips with our history and our present-day circumstances—including the girls and women in the picture.Foreign policy: unravelling 26/08/2014
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From the heady days when Blair had the world at his feet, with his doctrine of humanitarian interventionalism, we now seem to be having a few problems. In fact, nothing any more seems to be going right.
After the turmoil in Syria and then Iraq, from Complete Bastard we picked up yesterday on the latest from
There, emboldened by the withdrawal of US Marines from the Sangin district of Helmand, the paper tells us that insurgents have launched a massive offensive against Afghan forces. As these are threatening to gain the upper hand, the paper goes on to inform us: The incursion by hundreds of fighters in June sent residents fleeing to neighbouring hamlets by donkey and on foot. It was the first salvo in a massive, ongoing Taliban offensive against Afghan security forces in south-eastern Afghanistan. The increasingly bloody campaign shows the strength of the insurgents, who have been emboldened by the US military withdrawal from the area in May, local residents and Afghan security forces said. The outcome of the fighting in the Sangin district, which includes Sarwan Qala, will be a bellwether for how Afghanistan's national police and army might fare after foreign troops leave the country at the end of the year. Sangin is critical to both sides, but it was also critical to Independent records, with the Marines pulling out, Afghan forces – as predicted – are failing to cope.
Looking back over ten tumultuous years, and more, one now has to wonder whether any of our foreign policy interventions can be considered successful. One by one, they all seem to be unravelling. A very pertinent question to ask, therefore, is "what is wrong with our foreign policy". Nothing we touch seems to work, and nothing has a lasting effect. Largely, after our intervention, the impression is that things are inestimably worse.
It is hard to draw conclusions from what we observe, though. Either the world has suddenly got a lot more complicated, we are losing our touch when it comes to foreign affairs – or we are getting a distorted viewpoint: things were always this bad.
However, after our failure in Iraq, and a similar disaster now taking shape in Afghanistan, we really do need to think where we are going with foreign policy. The best place to look is
Hague's introduction, rather sets the tone. "We will work to resolve the crisis in Ukraine and to press Russia to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of her neighbours", he writes, then adding: "We will press on with our efforts, with key allies, to bring about an end to the conflict in Syria and help end the appalling suffering of the Syrian people".
Interestingly, those issues are getting inexorably linked, but in UK terms we have nothing but failure to report. Perhaps this is because the Ukraine policy is primarily determined by the EU, and we are committed to advancing the British national interest "through an effective EU policy in priority areas, engaging constructively while protecting our national sovereignty".
Apart from the incompatibility of protecting our national sovereignty by advancing the British interest through the EU, the very fact that we are so much reliant on the EU may partly explain our lacklustre performance. This, though, can only be a partial explanation. Much of our failure has to be home grown. And we seem to be nowhere near explaining why.
FORUM THREAD There, emboldened by the withdrawal of US Marines from the Sangin district of Helmand, the paper tells us that insurgents have launched a massive offensive against Afghan forces. As these are threatening to gain the upper hand, the paper goes on to inform us:Sangin is critical to both sides, but it was also critical to British forces in 2009, when many lives were being expended. After the British failed to pacify the area, the US Marines stepped in and held the ground. But, as therecords, with the Marines pulling out, Afghan forces – as predicted – are failing to cope.Looking back over ten tumultuous years, and more, one now has to wonder whether any of our foreign policy interventions can be considered successful. One by one, they all seem to be unravelling. A very pertinent question to ask, therefore, is "what is wrong with our foreign policy". Nothing we touch seems to work, and nothing has a lasting effect. Largely, after our intervention, the impression is that things are inestimably worse.It is hard to draw conclusions from what we observe, though. Either the world has suddenly got a lot more complicated, we are losing our touch when it comes to foreign affairs – or we are getting a distorted viewpoint: things were always this bad.However, after our failure in Iraq, and a similar disaster now taking shape in Afghanistan, we really do need to think where we are going with foreign policy. The best place to look is here and, try as I might, I cannot see anything inspiring in there. Page 22, for instance – where our "priorities" are set out – is distinctly underwhelming.Hague's introduction, rather sets the tone. "We will work to resolve the crisis in Ukraine and to press Russia to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of her neighbours", he writes, then adding: "We will press on with our efforts, with key allies, to bring about an end to the conflict in Syria and help end the appalling suffering of the Syrian people".Interestingly, those issues are getting inexorably linked, but in UK terms we have nothing but failure to report. Perhaps this is because the Ukraine policy is primarily determined by the EU, and we are committed to advancing the British national interest "through an effective EU policy in priority areas, engaging constructively while protecting our national sovereignty".Apart from the incompatibility of protecting our national sovereignty by advancing the British interest through the EU, the very fact that we are so much reliant on the EU may partly explain our lacklustre performance. This, though, can only be a partial explanation. Much of our failure has to be home grown. And we seem to be nowhere near explaining why. From the heady days when Blair had the world at his feet, with his doctrine of humanitarian interventionalism, we now seem to be having a few problems. In fact, nothing any more seems to be going right.After the turmoil in Syria and then Iraq, fromwe picked up yesterday on the latest from Libya to point to another foreign policy disaster. And now from the Independent, we have news of yet another disaster - this time from Afghanistan.The CBI searched on Saturday the Chennai home of Jayanthi Natarajan, the previous UPA government’s environment minister, over allegations of unlawfully diverting 55.59 hectares of forests in Jharkhand for “non-forest” use.
The agency registered a first information report (FIR) against the former minister for her 2012 decision that cleared a private company’s previously rejected proposal for projects in a forest reserved for elephants.
The 63-year-old lawyer-politician from Tamil Nadu has been accused of “criminal conspiracy” and abuse of her official position in collusion with the mining company — Electrosteel Casting Limited (ECL).
The former Congress leader, who resigned from the party in 2015, allegedly went out of the way to approve a proposal that was rejected by her predecessor, Jairam Ramesh, as well as the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC).
The FIR also names ECL and its managing director, Umang Kejriwal.
Besides Chennai, searches were conducted in New Delhi, Kolkata, Ranchi and the company’s office in Rajgangpur, an industrial town in Odisha’s Sundargarh district.
The corruption allegations first surfaced during Natarajan’s one-and-a-half year tenure from July 2011 until she quit in December 2013 to work for the party before the general elections next year.
Natarajan had denied the charges before. She couldn’t be contacted for comments on the FIR.
The CBI said Natarajan approved the ECL proposal without adhering to the advice of director general forests and directions of the Supreme Court.
According to the FIR, the Jharkhand government forwarded in 2005 a proposal from ECL to the environment ministry for leasing 192.50 hectares for mining in the Saranda forests of Singhbhum district. The company was also setting up a steel plant.
The proposal was then sent as a rule to the forest advisory committee.
In 2008, the Jharkhand government submitted another proposal that 55.79 hectares of the total 192.50 hectares should be diverted for non-forest use.
The committee rejected the plan and observed that “the proposed mining area was part of the core zone of the Singhbhum elephant reserve and critical to wildlife conservation”.
A year later, the ECL resubmitted the proposal to the Jharkhand government, which sent it the Union environment ministry under Jairam Ramesh.
The CBI’s preliminary probe revealed that the proposal was listed during an advisory committee meeting on August 20, 2009, but it was not taken up.
Ramesh rejected any reconsideration if the proposed land was within the core area of Singhbhum elephant reserve. He also noted that all previous approvals for mining in the core zone should be cancelled.
The company wrote to the Prime minister in 2010 for reconsideration. And the proposal was again put before the advisory committee, which rejected it.
On July 13, 2011, Natarajan succeeded Ramesh in the ministry. A fortnight later, the Jharkhand chief minister wrote for a “pragmatic” environmental clearance to projects since the steel plant was coming up in a most underdeveloped region.
In August, the file was marked to the new minister and company managing director Kejriwal met her next month, the FIR report said.
Thereafter, the minister in her noting asked whether any recommendation or report has been received from the Jharkhand government about other mines located in the elephant reserve.
A reminder was also sent to the state government in October 2011, seeking details of four other mines located in the core zone of the reserve.
The state government replied and the matter was resubmitted to the minister.
That is when the director general of forest and the special secretary advised that the case should be referred to the advisory committee again.
Before that was done, the minister approved diverting 55.79 hectares of forest land on February 4, 2012.
First Published: Sep 09, 2017 17:55 ISTOAKLAND — From the mouth of babes, as the saying goes, come words of wisdom that elders might do well to heed.
Roosevelt Middle School science teacher Ashlyn Brul |
use a t-test with all leagues played as the sample.
Our hypotheses are:
H0: μ=.33 (null hypothesis: the population mean is.33, or a fair 1/3 chance for Terran to win)
Ha: μ>.33 (alternative hypothesis: the population mean is larger than.33, so Terran has a larger than even chance of league victory).
The easiest way to conduct this test is to create a table with the values. It would be long and pointless to list, but it consists of 26 1's to indicate 26 Terran league wins, and 33 0's to indicate Terran losses in leagues. So we run the test:
n(number of sample points): 59
SE (standard error, t-test spread):.501
T value (test statistic measures distance from mean): 1.698
p value:.0475 or 4.75%
Sample Mean:.441 or 44.1%(this was calculated earlier)
Now, most of these values are pretty inconsequential, and are only listed for the purpose of noting statistics. The important thing here is the p value, which is the chance that such a sample mean would appear in a population with a mean as stated in the null hypothesis. As a rule of thumb, if the p value is less than.05 (5%), there is pretty strong evidence against the null hypothesis and in favor of the alternative one. It's not so strong that it's beyond a shadow of a doubt, but this test shows that we have pretty good evidence that Terran does indeed have a higher than fair chance of MSL/OSL victory.
This begs the question: how much higher? Well, let's run a test to create a new model. To do this, we'll need a winrate for all matchups. I added up all the games from 2002 onward (patch 1.08), and here is the result:
TvZ: 6549-5490 (54.40%)
ZvP: 5162-4280 (54.67%)
PvT: 4782-4317 (52.56%)
For anyone involved in BW, this T>Z>P>T trend is not at all surprising. Nor should the ZvP>TvZ>PvT trend be unexpected. At a quick glance, it's obvious that these results are ever so slightly favorable for Terran. If we were to equally weigh the percentages of each matchup (with the mirror being 50%):
Terran: 54.40*(1/3) + 47.44*(1/3) + 50*(1/3) = 50.61%
Zerg: 54.67*(1/3) + 45.6*(1/3) + 50*(1/3) = 50.09%
Protoss: 52.56*(1/3) + 45.33*(1/3) + 50*(1/3) = 49.30%
These are essentially the odds that a player faces in Proleague. So basically, a probable Terran is slightly more likely to win a given game than a probable Zerg or probably Protoss. However, by all means, even over a large period of time this isn't going to make results that are especially telling. Terran will have a higher winrate, but not by much. The imbalance truly comes out in the individual leagues. So let's look at a starleague.
Welcome to the Lightwip Hypothetical Starleague!
The Starleague proper consists of 36 players: 13 Terran, 13 Zerg, and 10 Protoss. Starleagues, unlike Proleague, are not race-balanced; the lower total winrate of Protoss actually hurts the chances of qualifying. If you look at every league in history, Protoss usually qualifies less than Terran and Zerg.
While I could average results from hundreds of simulations to find out the winrate, it would be too difficult to account for all factors and honestly not much more accurate. Therefore, the Lightwip HSL shall have a different set of rules: Victory is winning 16 of 20 games. This is pretty comparable to winning a Starleague proper, even if not exactly the same. By all means, it's a good proxy variable.
Let's calculate the win percentages by race and player count (mirrors are again 50%):
Terran: 54.40*(13/35) + 47.44*(10/35) + 50*(12/35) = 50.9%
Zerg: 54.67*(10/35) + 45.6*(13/35) + 50*(12/35) = 49.7%
Protoss: 52.56*(13/35) + 45.33*(13/35) + 50*(9/35) = 49.2%
This becomes slightly more Terran-favored. By binomial distribution(a situation in which there is a win/lose with a known percentage for each, as here), the chance for a hypothetical player of each race to reach 16 is (really low because 16/20 is an insane record):
Terran:.738%
Zerg:.548%
Protoss:.483%
Scaled,
Terran: 41.7%
Zerg: 31.0%
Protoss: 27.3%
For the most part, these statistics mirror actual SL results, reposted below.
Terran: 26/59 = 44.1%
Zerg: 20/59 = 33.9%
Protoss: 13/59 = 22%
Zerg actually has a slightly higher winrate while Protoss has a smaller one, but predictions are not perfect. It's close enough, at any rate. We could conduct another t-test to see whether 44.1% is far from 41.7%, but I think it's obvious that the new model is a good enough fit for all three races.
Like any statistical analysis, this one is not perfect. I'll outline a few things that ought to be considered below. There are two things that should be considered: bias and confounding variables.
Let's start with bias. Quite simply, there is none. We're not using any data that could be skewed by any form of human tendencies because all these numbers are a fact.
Now as far as confounding variables, there actually is something to consider.
The first is a simple problem: scaling up to 1. We did this to form our model above. This is not necessarily going to ruin anything, but admittedly it's not exactly 100% reliable. While it could generate meaningless data, I think it's not a problem. I could be wrong though, and the model is certainly imperfect.
The second is a bit more tricky: mirror matchups. Zerg and Protoss mirrors often devolve into a coinflip, which allows good players to be defeated by worse players. One consequence of this is that zerg and protoss titles are less concentrated in a few key players, but rather in a bunch of weaker ones. Terran, on the other hand, features numerous key players holding a good number of the titles. As I mentioned before, for one player to win, all others must lose(and the best is most likely to not lose), so simply chalking this up to skilled players is not enough. And on top of that, skilled players are more likely than unskilled players to win against all races, subject to the same conditions. So when a Terran key player advances from a TvT, he'll have more chance than any other Terran of winning his next game against Zerg or Protoss.
Now, this problem would not cause our experiment to incorrectly conclude that Terran has an unfair advantage; on the contrary, if anything it would cause us to underestimate Terran imbalance. But it also brings up an interesting topic: bonjwas. It seems that it is indeed easier for Terran to make bonjwas, simply because not only do Terrans have an advantage inherent in winrates, but they also have a mirror matchup that favors stronger players over weaker players to an extent higher than a coinflip. This certainly does help to explain why Terran spawns bonjwas so readily while Zerg and especially Protoss are hard-pressed to get one out.
I'd like to hear your thoughts and criticisms. Perhaps my logic, analysis, or numbers are somehow wrong. Please, point this out. Brood War is one of the most balanced games ever created. In fact, it may be the most balanced competitive game ever created, an amazing feat given the fact that the three races of Brood War are about as different from each other as they could possibly be. Indeed, the game is very well-balanced, and it's very hard to tell which race is superior when just starting to play. Yet, although it is hard to admit it for many fans of the game, there is one race which is clearly superior to them all. Meet Brood War's favorite child: Terran.In this post, I will give and explain my findings on this issue, and attempt to show that Terran has an upper hand in both general play, and especially in the creation of bonjwa players. I won't deny that I'm pretty biased on this subject, but I will try to avoid bias and justify my position through facts and numbers, not bias. It's as easy to say "tank imba, vulture imba" as it is to say "zealot imba, ultralisk imba" without any proof. In truth, I believe that no one unit makes Terran superior, but simply the presence of many options and outs in any given situation. However, let's consider facts rather than opinions. For those of you familiar with statistics, this should be pretty straightforward. For those of you who aren't, I'll explain as well as I can.My analysis will be based off the aggregate scores of all pro games played from the start of 2002 until present day that are listed in the TLPD. A few notes:1. There can be no complaints of a lucky season or an outlier player. The Six Dragons era is statistically insignificant. Swarm Season is statistically insignificant. Flash, Boxer, Oov, and Nada are also all statistically insignificant. Maps are also statistically insignificant as an aggregate. All these factors balance out into a value that would be very hard to refute.2. Over ANY 3-4 year period, these numbers are about equal. Savior's innovations, Nal_rA's innovations, etc. are all insignificant over time because all the other races are, in the long term, able to compensate for these differences. These statistics are not a relic of a pre-Savior past.3. 2002 is the logical starting point because it is after the release of patch 1.08, the last significant balance patch. It would make sense to start as early as possible, but not to evaluate a game with a different set of rules.4. It would be neither viable nor useful to look at non-pro games. At any level other than pro, the balance is irrelevant because players simply aren't good enough. If you're not a pro, you pretty much lose only because the opponent played better. Balance is more significant at a higher level, in general (the same rule applies for chess, where white is imba).5. "If terran is imba, why don't terrans win EVERYTHING?" Because terran is only slightly imbalanced. But as I will demonstrate, a little is enough.6. It really doesn't matter whether the league victories are concentrated in a single player or spread around many because it's important to realize that if one player wins, then every other player cannot. It only makes sense that better>worse and will win more often than not.7. Semifinalists and silver winners are completely irrelevant. There are dozens of mediocre and outright bad players who have made semifinals and even finals. Yet you'll be hard-pressed to justify that ANY of the starleague winners certainly didn't deserve to win. There are a few to argue, but even ones like July or Casy aren't even certainly unworthy. Too many non-winners who got close are, though.Let's start by looking at the MSL and OSL winrates by race.MSLTerran: 12Zerg: 10Protoss: 4Total: 26OSLTerran: 14Zerg: 10Protoss: 9Total: 33There really isn't much difference between the MSL and the OSL that would affect this experiment, so we can merge the two and set the winrates in terms of percentages.MSL+OSLTerran: 26/59 = 44.1%Zerg: 20/59 = 33.9%Protoss: 13/59 = 22%There's also no need to differentiate between Zerg and Protoss in this test, so we can simply make this in terms of Terran vs. non-Terran.Terran: 26/59 = 44.1%Non-Terran: 33/59 = 55.9%And now, we're ready to conduct a test.For anyone familiar with statistics, one helpful tool is to test a statistic. It involves an assumed, null, value for a statistic, and a test to see whether or not a statistic of a sample(of a population) obtained is likely to appear by chance if the null is correct. In this case, the sample is all leagues to date and the population is all leagues played and unplayed. Since we do not know the standard deviation(spread) of the population(because it is impossible to acquire in this situation), we will use a t-test with all leagues played as the sample.Our hypotheses are:H0: μ=.33 (null hypothesis: the population mean is.33, or a fair 1/3 chance for Terran to win)Ha: μ>.33 (alternative hypothesis: the population mean is larger than.33, so Terran has a larger than even chance of league victory).The easiest way to conduct this test is to create a table with the values. It would be long and pointless to list, but it consists of 26 1's to indicate 26 Terran league wins, and 33 0's to indicate Terran losses in leagues. So we run the test:n(number of sample points): 59SE (standard error, t-test spread):.501T value (test statistic measures distance from mean): 1.698p value:.0475 or 4.75%Sample Mean:.441 or 44.1%(this was calculated earlier)Now, most of these values are pretty inconsequential, and are only listed for the purpose of noting statistics. The important thing here is the p value, which is the chance that such a sample mean would appear in a population with a mean as stated in the null hypothesis. As a rule of thumb, if the p value is less than.05 (5%), there is pretty strong evidence against the null hypothesis and in favor of the alternative one. It's not so strong that it's beyond a shadow of a doubt, but this test shows that we have pretty good evidence that Terran does indeed have a higher than fair chance of MSL/OSL victory.This begs the question: how much higher? Well, let's run a test to create a new model. To do this, we'll need a winrate for all matchups. I added up all the games from 2002 onward (patch 1.08), and here is the result:TvZ: 6549-5490 (54.40%)ZvP: 5162-4280 (54.67%)PvT: 4782-4317 (52.56%)For anyone involved in BW, this T>Z>P>T trend is not at all surprising. Nor should the ZvP>TvZ>PvT trend be unexpected. At a quick glance, it's obvious that these results are ever so slightly favorable for Terran. If we were to equally weigh the percentages of each matchup (with the mirror being 50%):Terran: 54.40*(1/3) + 47.44*(1/3) + 50*(1/3) = 50.61%Zerg: 54.67*(1/3) + 45.6*(1/3) + 50*(1/3) = 50.09%Protoss: 52.56*(1/3) + 45.33*(1/3) + 50*(1/3) = 49.30%These are essentially the odds that a player faces in Proleague. So basically, a probable Terran is slightly more likely to win a given game than a probable Zerg or probably Protoss. However, by all means, even over a large period of time this isn't going to make results that are especially telling. Terran will have a higher winrate, but not by much. The imbalance truly comes out in the individual leagues. So let's look at a starleague.The Starleague proper consists of 36 players: 13 Terran, 13 Zerg, and 10 Protoss. Starleagues, unlike Proleague, are not race-balanced; the lower total winrate of Protoss actually hurts the chances of qualifying. If you look at every league in history, Protoss usually qualifies less than Terran and Zerg.While I could average results from hundreds of simulations to find out the winrate, it would be too difficult to account for all factors and honestly not much more accurate. Therefore, the Lightwip HSL shall have a different set of rules: Victory is winning 16 of 20 games. This is pretty comparable to winning a Starleague proper, even if not exactly the same. By all means, it's a good proxy variable.Let's calculate the win percentages by race and player count (mirrors are again 50%):Terran: 54.40*(13/35) + 47.44*(10/35) + 50*(12/35) = 50.9%Zerg: 54.67*(10/35) + 45.6*(13/35) + 50*(12/35) = 49.7%Protoss: 52.56*(13/35) + 45.33*(13/35) + 50*(9/35) = 49.2%This becomes slightly more Terran-favored. By binomial distribution(a situation in which there is a win/lose with a known percentage for each, as here), the chance for a hypothetical player of each race to reach 16 is (really low because 16/20 is an insane record):Terran:.738%Zerg:.548%Protoss:.483%Scaled,Terran: 41.7%Zerg: 31.0%Protoss: 27.3%For the most part, these statistics mirror actual SL results, reposted below.Terran: 26/59 = 44.1%Zerg: 20/59 = 33.9%Protoss: 13/59 = 22%Zerg actually has a slightly higher winrate while Protoss has a smaller one, but predictions are not perfect. It's close enough, at any rate. We could conduct another t-test to see whether 44.1% is far from 41.7%, but I think it's obvious that the new model is a good enough fit for all three races.Like any statistical analysis, this one is not perfect. I'll outline a few things that ought to be considered below. There are two things that should be considered: bias and confounding variables.Let's start with bias. Quite simply, there is none. We're not using any data that could be skewed by any form of human tendencies because all these numbers are a fact.Now as far as confounding variables, there actually is something to consider.The first is a simple problem: scaling up to 1. We did this to form our model above. This is not necessarily going to ruin anything, but admittedly it's not exactly 100% reliable. While it could generate meaningless data, I think it's not a problem. I could be wrong though, and the model is certainly imperfect.The second is a bit more tricky: mirror matchups. Zerg and Protoss mirrors often devolve into a coinflip, which allows good players to be defeated by worse players. One consequence of this is that zerg and protoss titles are less concentrated in a few key players, but rather in a bunch of weaker ones. Terran, on the other hand, features numerous key players holding a good number of the titles. As I mentioned before, for one player to win, all others must lose(and the best is most likely to not lose), so simply chalking this up to skilled players is not enough. And on top of that, skilled players are more likely than unskilled players to win against all races, subject to the same conditions. So when a Terran key player advances from a TvT, he'll have more chance than any other Terran of winning his next game against Zerg or Protoss.Now, this problem would not cause our experiment to incorrectly conclude that Terran has an unfair advantage; on the contrary, if anything it would cause us to underestimate Terran imbalance. But it also brings up an interesting topic: bonjwas. It seems that it is indeed easier for Terran to make bonjwas, simply because not only do Terrans have an advantage inherent in winrates, but they also have a mirror matchup that favors stronger players over weaker players to an extent higher than a coinflip. This certainly does help to explain why Terran spawns bonjwas so readily while Zerg and especially Protoss are hard-pressed to get one out.I'd like to hear your thoughts and criticisms. Perhaps my logic, analysis, or numbers are somehow wrong. Please, point this out. If you are not Bisu, chances are I hate you.Three RAF Hercules carrying members of the SAS and SBS flew into remote locations in the desert collecting and evacuating more than 150 people.
The passengers were flown to Malta, where they put in hotels overnight.
It was not immediately clear how many among the rescued workers were British, but those with UK passports were expected to be flown back to the UK on Monday.
Sunday night's mission takes to five the number of rescue flights ordered by the Government over the weekend.
Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox confirmed last night: "Three RAF C130 Hercules aircraft have successfully evacuated around a further 150 civilians from multiple locations in the eastern Libyan desert.
The first and second aircraft have landed in Malta and the third is due to arrive shortly. The aircraft have picked up civilians from a number of nations including Britain."
It is believed a number of British citizens, especially those who had been working in remote locations, could still stuck in Libya and the Foreign Office was last night working to assess numbers before deciding if any further missions are required.
On Saturday, following days of criticism over the Government's handling of the crisis, members of the special forces, who had been in Libya for almost a week, pressed the button and rolled out a text-book extraction of 150 people – a third of them British.
Officers from both the SAS and SBS had flown into Libya last week as the country descended into anarchy and violence began to escalate.
It is understood they arrived in the country on commercial airlines, disguised as business passengers.
Once inside Libya they retrieved weapons and other equipment from the British Embassy in Tripoli before assessing how best to proceed with the repatriation of those unable to leave by official means.
As the British Embassy temporarily suspended operations on Friday, the Daily Telegraph has learned Special Forces operatives also set about destroying a large number of top secret documents and files within the building.
As the security situation deteriorated across Libya and the threat to British oil workers intensified, the Government gave the go ahead to launch an airborne rescue mission.
With an area four times the size of the UK to search, the special forces units had to rely heavily on intelligence gathered by the Foreign Office, which had been appealing all week for trapped Britons to contact them with details of their locations.
The extraction teams flew into to the desert oil facility of Nafora before splitting up and heading to Amal and Wafa.
They then collected around 150 oil workers and escorted them towards two airfields south of the rebel held city of Benghazi.
The airfields had already been secured by militia opposed to Colonel Gaddafi and private security personnel working for the large number of international oil companies operating in the region.
On Saturday afternoon, without the permission of the Libyan authorities and in broad daylight, two specially equipped Hercules C130 transport planes took off from Luqa Airport in Malta for the 40 minute flight across the southern Mediterranean.
It is understood the aircraft belonged to RAF 47 squadron, which supports SAS missions around the world.
Landing at the secured airfields the units were then in a race against time to get the oil workers on board and leave the area before armed gangs, responsible for looting millions of pounds of equipment, were made aware of what was going on.
One of the rescued Britons reported the flights taking off amidst gunfire from the ground.
Nigel Bilton from Lincoln, who had been working for Siemens in southern Libya said: "While we sat on the aircraft there were reports of gunfire and all of a sudden another 20 or 30 guys were stuffed on the aircraft. I think things were starting to hot up." In total some 150 oil workers, around a third of who were British, were flown out of Libya to the safety of Malta.
Once there they were given food, water and medical attention where necessary and put up in a hotel overnight.
Yesterday the British workers joined some of those who had been evacuated by HMS Cumberland to be flown back to the UK, landing at Gatwick around 5pm.
Last night HMS Cumberland, which had returned to Benghazi once again, set sail with around 200 passengers from various nations, heading towards the Maltese capital of Valetta.
The Foreign Office was still appealing for anyone trapped to contact them either directly or through their families in the UK.
Some of those who had been unable to make it to the safe airfields were last night understood to be making their way by road to the Egyptian border.
A convoy of coaches, supported by private security, were expected to arrive in Cairo at lunchtime today.
A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: "We believe that the vast majority of British nationals who want to leave have now left Libya, through commercial means, Government charters and military evacuations. Small residue numbers remain. Where we identify those who want to leave we will take measures available to assist them."For the language, see Maasai language. For the Apache warrior, see Massai
Maasai are a Nilotic ethnic group inhabiting northern, central and southern Kenya and northern Tanzania. They are among the best known local populations due to their residence near the many game parks of the African Great Lakes, and their distinctive customs and dress.[4] The Maasai speak the Maa language (ɔl Maa),[4] a member of the Nilo-Saharan family that is related to Dinka, Kalenjin and Nuer languages. Some have become educated in the official languages of Kenya and Tanzania, Swahili and English. The Maasai population has been reported as numbering 841,622 in Kenya in the 2009 census,[1] compared to 377,089 in the 1989 census.[5]
The Tanzanian and Kenyan governments have instituted programs to encourage the Maasai to abandon their traditional semi-nomadic lifestyle, but the people have continued their age-old customs.[6] An Oxfam study has suggested that the Maasai could pass on traditional survival skills such as the ability to produce food in deserts and scrublands that could help populations adapt to climate change.[7] Many Maasai tribes throughout Tanzania and Kenya welcome visits to their villages to experience their culture, traditions, and lifestyle, in return for a fee.[8]
History [ edit ]
The Maasai inhabit the African Great Lakes region and arrived via the South Sudan.[9] Most Nilotic speakers in the area, including the Maasai, the Turkana and the Kalenjin, are pastoralists, and are famous for their fearsome reputations as warriors and cattle-rustlers.[9] The Maasai and other groups in East Africa have adopted customs and practices from neighboring Cushitic-speaking groups, including the age set system of social organization, circumcision, and vocabulary terms.[10][11]
Origin, migration and assimilation [ edit ]
Maasai man
According to their oral history, the Maasai originated from the lower Nile valley north of Lake Turkana (Northwest Kenya) and began migrating south around the 15th century, arriving in a long trunk of land stretching from what is now northern Kenya to what is now central Tanzania between the 17th and late 18th century. Many ethnic groups that had already formed settlements in the region were forcibly displaced by the incoming Maasai,[12] while other, mainly Southern Cushitic groups, were assimilated into Maasai society. The Nilotic ancestors of the Kalenjin likewise absorbed some early Cushitic populations.[13]
Settlement in East Africa [ edit ]
The Maasai territory reached its largest size in the mid-19th century, and covered almost all of the Great Rift Valley and adjacent lands from Mount Marsabit in the north to Dodoma in the south.[14] At this time the Maasai, as well as the larger Nilotic group they were part of, raised cattle as far east as the Tanga coast in Tanganyika (now mainland Tanzania). Raiders used spears and shields, but were most feared for throwing clubs (orinka) which could be accurately thrown from up to 70 paces (appx. 100 metres). In 1852, there was a report of a concentration of 800 Maasai warriors on the move in what is now Kenya. In 1857, after having depopulated the "Wakuafi wilderness" in what is now southeastern Kenya, Maasai warriors threatened Mombasa on the Kenyan coast.[15][16]
Because of this migration, the Maasai are the southernmost Nilotic speakers. The period of expansion was followed by the Maasai "Emutai" of 1883–1902. This period was marked by epidemics of contagious bovine pleuropneumonia, rinderpest (see 1890s African rinderpest epizootic), and smallpox. The estimate first put forward by a German lieutenant in what was then northwest Tanganyika, was that 90 percent of cattle and half of wild animals perished from rinderpest. German doctors in the same area claimed that "every second" African had a pock-marked face as the result of smallpox. This period coincided with drought. Rains failed completely in 1897 and 1898.[17]
The Austrian explorer Oscar Baumann travelled in Maasai lands between 1891 and 1893, and described the old Maasai settlement in the Ngorongoro Crater in the 1894 book Durch Massailand zur Nilquelle ("Through the lands of the Maasai to the source of the Nile"): "There were women wasted to skeletons from whose eyes the madness of starvation glared... warriors scarcely able to crawl on all fours, and apathetic, languishing elders. Swarms of vultures followed them from high, awaiting their certain victims." By one estimate two-thirds of the Maasai died during this period.[18]
Starting with a 1904 treaty,[19] and followed by another in 1911, Maasai lands in Kenya were reduced by 60 percent when the British evicted them to make room for settler ranches, subsequently confining them to present-day Samburu,Laikipia,Kajiado and Narok districts.[20] Maasai in Tanganyika (now mainland Tanzania) were displaced from the fertile lands between Mount Meru and Mount Kilimanjaro, and most of the fertile highlands near Ngorongoro in the 1940s.[21][22] More land was taken to create wildlife reserves and national parks: Amboseli National Park, Nairobi National Park, Maasai Mara, Samburu National Reserve, Lake Nakuru National Park and Tsavo in Kenya; and Lake Manyara, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tarangire[23] and Serengeti National Park in what is now Tanzania.
Maasai are pastoralist and have resisted the urging of the Tanzanian and Kenyan governments to adopt a more sedentary lifestyle. They have demanded grazing rights to many of the national parks in both countries.
The Maasai people stood against slavery and lived alongside most wild animals with an aversion to eating game and birds. Maasai land now has East Africa's finest game areas. Maasai society never condoned traffic of human beings, and outsiders looking for people to enslave avoided the Maasai.[24]
Essentially there are twenty two geographic sectors or sub tribes of the Maasai community, each one having its own customs, appearance, leadership and dialects. These subdivisions are known as 'nations' or' iloshon'in the Maa language: the Keekonyokie, Damat, Purko, Wuasinkishu, Siria, Laitayiok, Loitai, Kisonko, Matapato, Dalalekutuk, Loodokolani,Kaputiei,Moitanik,Ilkirasha,Samburu,Lchamus,Laikipia,Loitokitoki,Larusa,Salei,Sirinket and Parakuyo.[25]
Genetics [ edit ]
Recent advances in genetic analyses have helped shed some light on the ethnogenesis of the Maasai people. Genetic genealogy, a tool that uses the genes of modern populations to trace their ethnic and geographic origins, has also helped clarify the possible background of the modern Maasai.[citation needed]
Autosomal DNA [ edit ]
The Maasai's autosomal DNA has been examined in a comprehensive study by Tishkoff et al. (2009) on the genetic affiliations of various populations in Africa. According to the study's authors, the Maasai "have maintained their culture in the face of extensive genetic introgression".[26] Tishkoff et al. also indicate that: "Many Nilo-Saharan-speaking populations in East Africa, such as the Maasai, show multiple cluster assignments from the Nilo-Saharan [...] and Cushitic [...] AACs, in accord with linguistic evidence of repeated Nilotic assimilation of Cushites over the past 3000 years and with the high frequency of a shared East African–specific mutation associated with lactose tolerance."[26]
A Y chromosome study by Wood et al. (2005) tested various Sub-Saharan populations, including 26 Maasai males from Kenya, for paternal lineages. The authors observed haplogroup E1b1b in 50% of the studied Maasai,[27] which is indicative of substantial gene flow from more northerly Cushitic males, who possess the haplogroup at high frequencies.[28] The second most frequent paternal lineage among the Maasai was Haplogroup A3b2, which is commonly found in Nilotic populations, such as the Alur;[27][29] it was observed in 27% of Maasai males. The third most frequently observed paternal DNA marker in the Maasai was E1b1a1-M2 (E-P1), which is very common in the Sub-Saharan region; it was found in 12% of the Maasai samples. Haplogroup B-M60 was also observed in 8% of the studied Maasai,[27] which is also found in 30% (16/53) of Southern Sudanese Nilotes.[29]
Mitochondrial DNA [ edit ]
According to an mtDNA study by Castri et al. (2008), which tested Maasai individuals in Kenya, the maternal lineages found among the Maasai are quite diverse, but similar in overall frequency to that observed in other Nilo-Hamitic populations from the region, such as the Samburu. Most of the tested Maasai belonged to various macro-haplogroup L sub-clades, including L0, L2, L3, L4 and L5. Some maternal gene flow from North and Northeast Africa was also reported, particularly via the presence of mtDNA haplogroup M lineages in about 12.5% of the Maasai samples.[30]
Culture [ edit ]
In Wildest Africa (1907) Maasai warriors confronting a spotted hyena, a common livestock predator, as photographed in(1907)
Maasai society is strongly patriarchal in nature, with elder men, sometimes joined by retired elders, deciding most major matters for each Maasai group. A full body of oral law covers many aspects of behavior. Formal execution is unknown, and normally payment in cattle will settle matters. An out-of-court process is also practiced called 'amitu', 'to make peace', or 'arop', which involves a substantial apology.[31] The monotheistic Maasai worship a single deity called Enkai or Engai. Engai has a dual nature: Engai Narok (Black God) is benevolent, and Engai Na-nyokie (Red God) is vengeful.[32] There are also two pillars or totems of Maasai society: Oodo Mongi, the Red Cow and Orok Kiteng, the Black Cow with a subdivision of five clans or family trees.[33] The maasai also has a totemic animal which is the lion however, the animal can be killed. The way the Maasai kill the lion differs from trophy hunting as it is used in the rite of passage ceremony.[34] The "Mountain of God", Ol Doinyo Lengai, is located in northernmost Tanzania and can be seen from Lake Natron in southernmost Kenya. The central human figure in the Maasai religious system is the laibon whose roles include shamanistic healing, divination and prophecy, and ensuring success in war or adequate rainfall. Today, they have a political role as well due to the elevation of leaders. Whatever power an individual laibon had was a function of personality rather than position.[35] Many Maasai have also adopted Christianity and Islam.[36] The Maasai are known for their intricate jewelry and for decades, have sold these items to tourists as a business.
Maasai people and huts with enkang barrier in foreground - eastern Serengeti, 2006
A once high infant mortality rate among the Maasai has led to babies not truly being recognized until they reach an age of 3 months ilapaitin.[37] Educating Maasai women to use clinics and hospitals during pregnancy has enabled more infants |
comedy luminaries before they were famous, including Paul F. Tompkins and Kaitlin Olson—but that only lasted for four weeks. ABC’s Dana Carvey Show was a notorious bust (now worshipped as a cult classic) that featured writers and stars including Stephen Colbert, Steve Carell, Charlie Kaufman, and Louis C.K. It survived for seven weeks.
But those shows tried to make it in the far more competitive world of primetime TV, where bad ratings can spell cancellation within a week. Small-scale shows like Party Over Here are usually left to the cable networks, but bigger channels have likely noticed the recent awards attention (and even the ratings) that the likes of IFC and Comedy Central are enjoying. If it does well—attracting a cult following or sneaking into the Emmy conversation, for example—it could be a watershed moment: for the genre, for women in comedy, for network TV, and of course, for the fans themselves.
We want to hear what you think about this article. Submit a letter to the editor or write to letters@theatlantic.com.It's time to cut back on the sweet stuff. (Photo: Yahoo)
No one is under the illusion that sugar is good for you, but lately, study after study has been hammering home just how detrimental sugar is to our health. Take the latest research published today in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings, which found that added sugars are a principal driver of Type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes — even more so than other carbohydrates.
“This is the first comprehensive literature review showing that even when keeping calories the same, i.e., isocaloric exchange of starch for sugar, sugar is worse at promoting diabetes and the associated morbidity, including neuropathy, nephropathy, retinopathy and pre-mature mortality,” James J. DiNicolantonio, study author and cardiovascular research scientist at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute, tells Yahoo Health.
Related: The 9 Best Sugar Substitutes
The sugars found naturally in whole foods such as fruit (fructose) and milk (lactose) aren’t the issue. In fact, they’re likely protective against diabetes and cardiovascular risk, according to the Mayo Clinic study. The problem lies with added sugars, which are exactly what they sound like: sugars and syrups that are put in foods during processing or added at the table, such as with sugar and honey.
We’re consuming too much added sugar. The American Heart Association recommends that women have no more than six teaspoons of added sugar a day (nine teaspoons for men). But the average American consumes 22 teaspoons of added sugar each day, which adds up to an extra 355 calories, according to research in the journal Circulation.
Related: 5 ‘Health’ Foods That Are Worse Than a Donut
Food ingredient labels don’t make it easy since they don’t distinguish between natural and added sugar (though the proposed changes to the labels would fix that). What’s more, added sugar comes in many forms, from high fructose corn syrup and evaporated cane juice to maltose and dextrose. A good rule of thumb: If the food doesn’t come from nature (think: apple) and sugar is listed in the ingredients, there’s a good chance that it contains added sugar.
View photos
Your Next Read: How To Like Coffee Without SugarThe next generation of Ducks have landed.
Oregon assistant coach Erik Chinander tweeted out a group picture of the promising 2015 recruiting class, which arrived mostly intact to begin summer classes on Monday and conditioning workouts with their new teammates.
Only one member of the 22-man class, junior college linebacker transfer Jonah Moi, is not currently enrolled at UO. Another junior college linebacker, Paris Bostick, is now a man of Oregon.
There is also a Mariota on campus � Marcus� younger brother, Matt, a walk-on defensive lineman planning to major in sociology.
Vernon Adams is in Eugene, but the Eastern Washington transfer has not yet enrolled in a graduate program at Oregon. The former FCS star and potential replacement for the Heisman Trophy-winning Mariota at quarterback, told The Oregonian he expects to be in classes by the end of the month.
Another graduate transfer, former Notre Dame center Matt Hegarty, is enrolled and will start the final season of his career as a strong candidate to replace former All-American Hroniss Grasu.
Oregon�s new true freshman faces include offensive linemen Brady Aiello, Jake Hanson, Shane Lemieux and Calvin Throckmorton; tight end Jacob Breeland; wide receivers Malik Lovette and Kirk Merritt; defensive linemen Gary Baker, Drayton Carlberg, Gus Cumberland and Rex Manu; linebacker Fotu Leiato; and defensive backs Dylan Kane and Jihree Stewart.
Six of the more touted members of the class � cornerback Ugo Amadi, running back Taj Griffin, defensive lineman Canton Kaumatule, wide receiver Alex Ofodile, offensive lineman Zach Okun and quarterback Travis Jonsen � enrolled in January and participated in spring practice with the veterans.
Oregon�s first practice of fall camp will be Aug. 10.
�We have a lot of guys that need to have a mental summer,� coach Mark Helfrich said after the spring game. �We talk about playing fast and free. That involves confidence and that happens before you step on the practice field. You have to have the mindset you are prepared and ready to rock and whatever coverage comes or look comes, you are ready for it. Guys need that natural progression, and I think it will come.�
Follow Ryan on Twitter @rgduckfootball. Email ryan.thorburn@registerguard.com.Image caption The men said they had no intention of straying into Iran during their hike on the Iran-Iraq border
Two US hikers accused of spying and illegally entering Iran have been jailed for eight years by a court in Tehran, reports say.
Iranian state TV's website said Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal each received three years for illegally entering Iran and five years for spying.
The two men deny the charges, saying they unknowingly crossed into the country while hiking in July 2009.
Fellow hiker Sarah Shourd was freed on $500,000 (£314,386) bail last year.
She was released on humanitarian and medical grounds in September 2010 and flew back to the US. She did not return to face trial, saying in May she had suffered from post-traumatic stress and would find a return "too traumatic".
The US said it was trying to confirm reports of the sentences through the Swiss Protecting Power, which handles US diplomatic interests with Tehran because Washington does not have diplomatic relations with Iran.
"We have repeatedly called for the release of Shane Bauer and Joshua Fattal, who have now been held in Iran's Evin prison for two years," US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said in a statement.
"Shane and Josh have been imprisoned too long, and it is time to reunite them with their families."
Not a light sentence'
The trial began in February 2011 and Mr Bauer, 28, and Mr Fattal, 29, pleaded not guilty. Ms Shourd - Mr Bauer's fiancee - pleaded not guilty in absentia. The trial ended on 31 July, on the second anniversary of their arrest.
Image caption Sarah Shourd was released from Iran on humanitarian and medical grounds
"In connection with illegal entry into Iranian territory, each was given three years in jail and in connection with the charge of co-operating with American intelligence service, each was given five years in jail," the website reported, quoting an informed judiciary source.
The report said "the case of Sarah Shourd, who has been freed on bail, is still open", AFP news agency says.
The men are said to have 20 days in which to appeal against the sentence.
Their lawyer, Masoud Shafii, said he had not been informed of any verdict. "I don't know if this report is true or not, but this is not a light sentence," he told Reuters news agency.
Mr Bauer, a freelance journalist and fluent Arabic speaker, moved in 2008 to the Syrian capital Damascus, where he lived with Ms Shourd, 32, a teacher, writer and women's rights activist. The two met while organising demonstrations against the US-led invasion of Iraq.
Mr Fattal, an environmentalist and teacher, had travelled to Damascus in 2009 to visit his friends.
The trio - all graduates of the University of California, Berkeley - had travelled to Iraqi Kurdistan for a week's holiday. They had visited the tourist village of Ahmed Awa, and hiked along a trail local residents had recommended, Ms Shourd said.
While out walking they were stopped and arrested by Iranian troops who told them they were in Iranian territory. The friends have always maintained that if they did stray into Iran, they did so mistakenly.The University of Virginia men’s basketball team improved to 24-1 on the season Monday evening with a 61-49 win over a talented Pittsburgh team. The Cavaliers have been a major story this NCAA season, gelling under head coach Tony Bennett (no, not that Tony Bennett) and shocking a lot of opponents in the process.
The team is also one of the most boring things ever.
I’m not just talking boring for college basketball. I’m not just talking boring for sports. I’m talking boring, period. Virginia basketball is the guy at your dinner party who won’t shut up about his jet ski. It is the first hour of The Desolation of Smaug. It is the small talk at the hotel’s continental breakfast before an accounting conference.
UVA basketball is paint-drying, grass-growing, sixth-period-algebra boring.
Let’s look back at some of their scorching wins earlier this season. The Cavaliers won a barn-burner over Virginia Tech 50-47 on January 25. A couple weeks later, eager to flex their muscles, they beat Louisville 52-47. Those extra two points seemed a little gratuitous though, so the prudent Cavaliers reigned it in the next game, beating North Carolina State 51-47.
And let us not forget the crown jewel of 2015 Virginia basketball, a November 29th war of attrition with Rutgers that finished with the score of 45-29. (CORRECTION: It was actually 45-26. This is my favorite correction I’ve made this year.) Forcing someone to watch that basketball game should be a crime. Forcing someone to watch that basketball game might actually be considered a crime. At the very least it probably violates an international treaty.
The Cavaliers’ most exciting game this season was an 89-80 win over Miami, a game that took two overtimes to get to that score. They needed not one but two extra periods to score anywhere close to an acceptable amount of baskets in a basketball game.
And spare me the lecture about tactics. I don’t want to hear about old-school play and grinding defense. I especially don’t want to hear that the Cavaliers are 24-1 and the point of a basketball game is to win it, sonny, and you just pipe down and let the young men work.
Yes, Virginia’s way of playing, with its slowed-down offense and the interminable possessions and the lockdown defense, is effective. It’s extremely effective. But that doesn’t make it right.
A lot of things are effective. The flu virus is effective at mutating and surviving. U2 keeps making records. The military industrial complex. Two and a Half Men.
Sports is a viewing experience, and the NCAA televises its games for an audience to watch. And while I almost have to respect Virginia laughing in the face of the viewers (and the NCAA) and adopting a boring, win-at-all-costs strategy, that doesn’t mean I have to like it, and it doesn’t mean I have to watch it.
And if that makes me a college basketball philistine for not being able to appreciate a 30-second possession that ends in a good, high-percentage look at the basket, so be it. I know boring when I see boring. And if you’ll excuse me, this dude needs to tell me about his jet ski.Hello folks,In the interest of getting this project tested, I'm starting a bounty to the first person other than myself who uses the osCommerce Bitcoin Payment module available here : https://github.com/weex/oscommerce-bitcoin The store must be publicly accessible and should offer something cheap(1D3NrskpzB5Ydzs2RByDavbqqenbksgNoB Thanks,weex
Sorry I haven't had a chance to do it but it'll be gplv3 for as much of it as I can. It is now licensed under GPLv3.
I believe someone already made a bitcoin plugin for oscommerce but another one never hurts. I think it would of been better if you made it for zencart or maybe nopcommerce. Oscommerce hasnt had a release in a long time many people are moving away from it. My newest ecommerce site will be running nopcommerce when I get it set up, otherwise I would of Tried testing out your module. @globalbtc what goods do you have for $2?
@REF Thanks very much for the insight on oscommerce vs. other shopping carts. I am aware of and actually created this module starting with the other one. What this adds is automatic processing of received payments. That being said, I found a module for Zencart on github that can probably use the bitcoind-handling code from this module after some research into Zencart's code and database. -weex
I may pick up a copy this weekend and get it up and running if no one else picks this up. I sell vinyl decals online, which start at about USD $3 shipped.
The store must be publicly accessible and should offer something cheap(<$2) and preferably downloadable so people aren't turned off by the cost to test it. osCommerce handles downloadable goods so it shouldn't be too big a stretch to get working.
Weex, is the bounty for the 4.75 btc still available?, I have a store using your module, and it is running, however it is running in test mode, and very soon I will have it in production mode, by very soon I mean less than a week if everything goes fine, and it will be selling digital good, mostly voip calling cards. Thanks for the modules, it runs great, once I got it to run.The Winnipeg Jets wound up prioritizing defenseman Dustin Byfuglien over captain Andrew Ladd this season in large part because Ladd apparently turned up his nose at a six-year, $36 million contract sometime within the past couple of years. As a result, Byfuglien put pen to paper on a five-year, $38 million deal earlier this month, while Ladd's name continues to pop up in trade talks. And while there's no guarantee that Ladd will be dealt, the tone of recent reports involving Winnipeg has seemingly gone from "possibility" to "eventuality."
Dealing Ladd won't just affect the Jets now though - it will have far-reaching consequences for the makeup of GM Kevin Cheveldayoff's teams for years after. And it may help the Jets get over their fears involving budding blueliner Jacob Trouba, a player TSN's Darren Dreger believes the Jets and Cheveldayoff are "terrified" of.
"I just think that the Winnipeg Jets are still a little unsure as to what they have in Jacob Trouba," Dreger said Tuesday, while appearing on Vancouver's TSN 1040, per Today's Slap Shot. "I think that they think they've got a real good young defenseman here. I think that they're terrified of what his contract is going to have to look like (laughs) in the future.
"Look, you can always bridge and go through all of that nonsense, but a six-year term at what - 6.5, 6.75 - I mean, that's a lot of money invested in a player that you're still trying to get a handle on."
Dreger was responding to a direct query regarding a Trouba-for-Travis Hamonic trade scenario with the New York Islanders. While he did allow that it was "in the ballpark," it also sounds like he thinks any deal like that - Hamonic asked the Isles to trade him to a team in Western Canada so that he could be closer to family - will come to fruition in the offseason.
Which brings us to Trouba. Still just 21, Trouba is only scratching the surface of his potential as an NHL defenseman. That being said, he's already made great strides through parts of three professional seasons. In just 188 NHL games, he's got 21 goals and 65 points. He's already a top-four defenseman and is almost assured to develop into a top-pairing guy (though nothing is assured for any NHL player, of course).
He's big, he's agile and he's got the smarts and skating ability to become one of the league's best two-way defenseman.
But he's not there yet. And with restricted free agency looming next year, the Jets and Cheveldayoff are suddenly faced with the unfortunate prospect of trying to pay a player with an incredibly high ceiling who, though he's shown great promise, has not yet come close to touching that level of play. As Dreger notes, a bridge deal would be the likeliest outcome, but that doesn't solve the Jets' problem - it just puts it off at the same time as it commits a good chunk of the salary cap to a player with a promising, but uncertain future.
In the end, a Trouba trade won't be easy to pull off and if it does come, it's unlikely to be enacted ahead of the deadline later this month. But eventually he'll get paid (and handsomely) by someone, whether that's Cheveldayoff, Garth Snow or any of the league's other personnel men.Batch 115 voting is now open. The following polls are currently open:
Batch 115
Batch 114
Batch 113
Batch 112
Batch 111
Batch 110
Batch 109
Batch 108 results will be up soon.
The full list of matchups for today is:
Icequake vs Jenara, Asura of War
Dodecapod vs Mirror Wall
Aether Adept vs Peak Eruption
Desolate Lighthouse vs Elsewhere Flask
Alexi, Zephyr Mage vs Kalitas, Bloodchief of Ghet
Ronom Hulk vs Apocalypse
Drinker of Sorrow vs Shatterskull Giant
Compulsive Research vs Healing Salve
Ley Line vs Zzzyxas’s Abyss
Choice of Damnations vs Infernal Genesis
War Cadence vs Kiora, Master of the Depths
Chandra’s Phoenix vs Laccolith Grunt
Deathcap Cultivator vs Disciple of Phenax
Consuming Ferocity vs Kavu Climber
Seraph of Dawn vs Enhanced Awareness
Possessed Portal vs Venser, Shaper Savant
Bloodhunter Bat vs Slaughter Games
Entropic Eidolon vs Abandon Reason
Anarchy vs Odric, Lunarch Marshal
Ishai, Ojutai Dragonspeaker vs Aurora Eidolon
Ruhan of the Fomori vs Braidwood Sextant
Valor in Akros vs Geistcatcher’s Rig
Swift Reckoning vs Muck Rats
Earsplitting Rats vs Sacred Foundry
Blood Ogre vs Death’s Duet
Deadshot vs Nivix Cyclops
Morinfen vs Spiraling Duelist
Vessel of Volatility vs Blazing Archon
Blood-Cursed Knight vs Ashen Firebeast
Sublime Archangel vs Saproling Symbiosis
Enthralling Victor vs Children of Korlis
Venser’s Diffusion vs Greenweaver DruidUpdate, 10am 27/8: The keys went quickly yesterday, but we still have a few left. Grab yours now!
Original story, 11am 26/8: Ubisoft has kindly supplied us with 3000 keys to the closed beta for Might & Magic Heroes 7 to give away. This phase of the beta runs from today until the 2nd September, so you can redeem your code below and start playing straight away.
It's a first-come, first-served giveaway, so best to grab one before they're gone.
Heroes is the turn-based strategy arm of Ubisoft's fantasy role-playing series. The seventh instalment is due for release on PC at the end of September, and it's developed by German studio Limbic, which also made Might & Magic Heroes 6.
To claim your code, simply enter your email address in the box below and click 'Get a code'. If you would like to be the first to find out about our next giveaway, consider throwing us a follow on Facebook and Twitter.
Disclaimery stuff: We like offering you free stuff, such as access to the latest beta tests or even full copies of Steam games. But it's useful for you to know the mechanics of the giveaways before you decide whether or not you would like the code.
Our preferred method for distributing keys at the moment is using a Facebook app. To make sure that bots don't steal all the codes, this giveaway uses Facebook to verify that you are a genuine, unique individual. Facebook is also used to verify one code per user maximum. To verify your giveaway entry and provide a code, you will be asked to log in to Facebook and add the Coupon app. Eurogamer does not collect your Facebook data and will never use your email for marketing purposes. After you have claimed your free code, feel free to uninstall the Coupon app from Facebook.
In order to redeem your code and jump into the beta you will need to download Ubisoft's Uplay app, log-in, click on 'Activate Product' and enter your code.
UPDATE: Some readers have reported that the official redemption instructions above aren't currently working, however the following solution is working for many: visit https://mmh7.ubi.com/en/beta and click on 'ENTER YOUR BETA CODE' to redeem your code.October 9, 2013 4 min read
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
I've been meeting more and more app entrepreneurs who have made it in the app world without spending a penny on promoting their app. And I've known entrepreneurs who've earned more than a million dollars selling their app, largely promoting it for free. Some have made use of press publicity and some generated a lot of buzz on social media. While some manually recruited customers, others had tremendous customer referrals.
In my experience, it does not make sense to pay advertising dollars to get customers because the cost of a customer acquisition is never lower than the price of the app. What's more, there are many ways out there to promote your app for free. Here are 25 of your most creative options:The last two weeks of March saw the people of French Guiana stand up in a massive struggle for justice, health care, education and jobs, in addition to water and electric service.
All 37 trade unions in the Union of Guianese Workers began an unlimited general strike on March 27, which shut Guiana’s economy down completely and was still in full force on April 2. Before the general strike was called, protests mainly shut schools and set up roadblocks, especially where main roads cross.
In France, three of the most progressive unions, the CGT, the FSU and Solidaire held a press conference March 27 to support the unlimited general strike. It has been an issue in France’s presidential campaign.
When May 1, International Workers Day, comes up at the end of this month, the struggle in Guiana should have a prominent place in the placards, banners and speeches.
French Guiana is a virtual colony of France with the formal status of a French department. Located in the northeast corner of Latin America, it was used as France’s penal colony for 100 years or so. The Guiana Space Center is the main facility for launching European rockets. About 60 percent of the world’s commercial launches are done at the GSC, as its location near the equator gives rockets a 19 percent boost from the Earth’s rotation.
March 28 saw a massive demonstration of 20,000 people in Cayenne, the capital of French Guiana, called by the collective Pou Lagwiyann dékolé. Some 4,000 people people came out in Moroni, Guiana’s second-largest city. These were historic numbers, given that Guiana’s population is at most 250,000 people.
The main chant was “Nou bon ké sa” (“We are fed up”).
A people’s militia called 500 Brothers Against Delinquency led the demonstration and kept it on track. Video clips show the 500 Brothers — large Black men, dressed in black with face-covering hoods — encouraging merchants to remain closed.
The demonstrations, while predominantly Black, were very diverse, with many whites and descendants of indentured servants brought from India who mainly live in the interior of Guiana, an area not linked by roads to the rest of the country. Whole families came, along with nurses and doctors, truck drivers, farmers and teachers.
The situation of the majority of people in French Guiana is better than many other places in Latin America. It has drawn a large number of migrants, both those with documents and those without, so that today more than 35 percent of the people there are foreign born. But conditions in Guiana are far worse than those in metropolitan France.
Take the basics: electricity, water and roads. Antoine Karma, Guiana’s representative in the French Senate, told Radio France on March 24 that “30 percent of the people in Guiana don’t have access to potable water or electricity.” Seven out of the 22 communes in the territory are not connected by road. Some women have to travel around 250 miles for maternity care, according to a 2014 government study.
Youth have serious problems with education. Less than half the youth between 15 and 24 are in school and only 12 percent pass the “bac,” the test for going on to university or technical school. There is a serious shortage of middle schools and high schools.
Some 40 percent of the youth are unemployed, while unemployment overall is 22.3 percent and wages are so low that many more Guianese get government help in order to bring their incomes up to minimum standards than do people in metropolitan France.
Food and housing are much more expensive in Guiana than in metropolitan France. Food is 45 percent more expensive because it either comes 4,500 miles from Europe or is imported from nearby Latin America, which means it is subject to significant import duties. Housing is more expensive, since all construction materials have to come from Europe and the French state owns all the land in this former colony.
The leaders of the unions on strike and Pou Lagwiyann dékolé refused to meet with a delegation sent from Paris, including a group of high-level bureaucrats. But after the massive demonstration on March 28, the Holland government got its act together and the very next day sent Matthias Fekl, minister of the interior, and Ericka Bareigts, minister of overseas territories.
In their first meeting with the ministers, the Guiana leadership presented a list of 420 demands. On April 1, the government made an offer of 1.09 billion euros in immediate aid, followed by a medium-term grant of 4 billion euros this year.
The Guyanese rejected this offer because it didn’t have the changes they want in their relationship with France. On Sunday, April 2, they added a demand for 2.5 billion euros.This warning appears automatically Fridayon to military network, NIPRNet, when the user tries to access some sites for information. She advises the soldiers not to read, download and not send the contents of documents to Wikileaks, suggesting that this could be illegal.
“The MoD rules (…) all staff should avoid consulting the Dnieper articles published by Wikileaks,” the message states.
But the army has blocked the Internet, said a spokesman.
“U.S. forces in Iraq (USF-I) have not blocked any site,” said Sergeant Kelli Lane, in an e-mail to AFP.
“The Army has posted a warning about the ease with which Wikileaks published secret documents can be found on the Internet,” she added.
Lane said that it is only about a warning, that does not prevent soldiers from accessing information sites. It does not provide details of the names of sites covered by this warning.
Wikileaks began in recent days to publish some of the 250,000 U.S. diplomatic documents, causing a surge in chancelleries around the world.
Lane said that the U.S. military has made no previous warning on Internet users to confidential documents published by Wikileaks.A surprising twist in CBR policy was the emergence of a completely new goal to boost FX reserves to the $500bn level. According to the CBR, that level is"comfortable" from a financial stability perspective and should be achieved within a 5-7 year horizon.
"The CBR also stated that such an effort should not compromise the existing inflation targeting mandate, which remains the primary goal for the CBR. The existing disinflation momentum in the CPI trend should push inflation all the way down to 5.1% yoy in 2016 eop, right next to the CBR's ambitious 4% inflation target for 2017", argues Bank of America.
However, the CBR's new FX reserves policy goal might soon become an important inflationary risk that at some point might start to constrain thepotential for further rate cuts in 2016 and 2017, even despite the likely low inflation (see Gearing down for big targets).
The goal suggests net issuance ofaround RUB6,000bn in fresh RUB liquidity, which could start to create renewed inflationary pressures by re-accelerating money supply. Such issuance couldpotentially double the current size of M0 (RUB6,6tn as of 1 May) and is equivalent to roughly 20% of M2 (RUB32.1tn as of 1 May 2015). Even spread out over 5-7 years, such money supply growth could still be sufficient to compromise the ambitious 4% inflation target, especially taking into account that the CBR's ability to sterilize such liquidity inflows will be quite stretched by the Reserves Fund use, says Bank of America.
Forecasts:
Both RUB and local bonds have room for further consolidation, according to Bank of America. CBR actions and commentary clearly indicate diminished scope for RUB gains and there is scope for some disappointment on sanctions at the June EU review. Upcoming negotiations with Iran also pose a risk to oil and RUB.
Oil and the lingering Ukraine crisis remain two key risks to the real GDP outlook in 2015. Another spike in political risks could trigger a new round of capital flight, sanctions pressure and a decline in investment, adds Bank of America. A deeper slide in oil prices could do the same by undermining corporate profit growth and supporting inflation through FX weakness.
Risk:When fire crews first arrived, efforts were made to access the steeple from inside the church. When this was unsuccessful, they set up around the building and sprayed water onto the steeple in short bursts. Osborne said firefighters had to be careful to not put too much water pressure onto the structure.
“If we had put water on it, we could have collapsed it, depending on how much fire damage was inside on the structure,” he said. “Once the rooster fell, that allowed us to get water into an approximately 12-inch hole.”
Shooting water from aerial trucks on either side of the steeple, firefighters were able to drop water into the small hole, reaching the fire inside.
After the fire was under control, firefighters were able to go inside the church and set up tarps to help control the flow of the water falling inside. Their goal was to prevent further damage to the building, Osborne said.
'It's home'
Mary Visser Kerr, chair of the Church Property Committee, stood behind firefighters and watched as the fire was put out.
She said the church began a fundraising campaign earlier this year to help pay for repair work around the building. The steeple was set to undergo repair work next year as part of their 190-year anniversary.
“It’s was a very unhappy coincidence that lightning struck the steeple,” she said.
Shainna Poulin, the church secretary, said the building is extremely important to members of the church congregation, which totals around 300 members.
She said St. Andrew’s has the one of the oldest, if not the oldest, congregation in the city, dating back to 1828 when the church group used to meet where the farmers’ market is currently located. The stone church at Suffolk and Norfolk streets was built in 1858.
The church is not just a building, Poulin said. “It’s home.”
Home to the congregation but also home to a number of community groups that use the building throughout the year.Alabama Flag & Banner, a company that makes Confederate flags, has reportedly seen an increase in sales since last week’s protest in Charlottesville, Va., AL.com reported.
“Everybody’s got a different reason (for buying),” Belinda Kennedy, the company’s owner, told the website. “By and large, I think people are afraid they may not be able to get it one day.”
Kennedy is aware of the controversy surrounding the flag. She told the paper that she is a self-avowed Daughter of the Confederacy, but not a crusader for the cause. She said groups like the KKK “hijack the flag.”
“Does anybody really think by taking down monuments and renaming mountains and taking down Confederate flags, that we are really going to see racism end? That’s not going to fix it,” she said. “That comes from inside people.”
Kennedy told the paper that she has received over 100 orders in one day and orders continue to arrive. The flags can cost between $93 and $200, but account for only a fraction of her business.
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Independence Ink Ball $205 Minimalist Ink Ball $89The swine flu outbreak has been tracked back to cases beginning in February in La Gloria, Veracruz, Mexico.
April 2 Local media source Imagen del Golfo reported that state health officials recorded a 15% increase in disease over an unspecified period in the highland areas of Veracruz, which includes La Gloria. The increase was primarily due to higher levels of upper respiratory disease and gastroenteritis. Specifically, officials noted an increase in pneumonia and bronchial pneumonia cases. Health officials attributed the increase to seasonal climate changes. April 6 Veratect reported local health officials declared a health alert due to a respiratory disease outbreak in La Gloria, Perote Municipality, Veracruz State, Mexico. Sources characterized the event as a "strange" outbreak of acute respiratory infection, which led to bronchial pneumonia in some pediatric cases. According to a local resident, symptoms included fever, severe cough, and large amounts of phlegm. Health officials recorded 400 cases that sought medical treatment in the last week in La Gloria, which has a population of 3,000; officials indicated that 60% of the town’s population (approximately 1,800 cases) has been affected. No precise timeframe was provided, but sources reported that a local official had been seeking health assistance for the town since February.
Update 3a
The Mexican government has now confirmed a that a case of flu in this town was the new strain of swine flu.
A Mexican village whose inhabitants were overwhelmed by an outbreak of respiratory illness starting in February has emerged as a possible source of the swine flu outbreak which has now spread across the world. The state government of Veracruz in eastern Mexico has confirmed one case of swine flu in the village of La Gloria with the sufferer named locally as a four-year-old boy, Edgar Hernandez Hernandez. The federal government said tonight that he tested positive for the same strain of the virus which has claimed lives in Mexico.
La Gloria is the town where Smithfield runs a massive factory pig farm. The virus vector has been identified by Mexicans to be flies that live on pig feces in overflowing fecal waste ponds.
According to the swine flu timeline put together by a company called Veratect, who evidently map infection disease events for clients like the WHO & CDC: Residents [of La Gloria, Perote Municipality, Veracruz State, Mexico] believed the outbreak had been caused by contamination from pig breeding farms located in the area. They believed that the farms, operated by Granjas Carroll, polluted the atmosphere and local water bodies, which in turn led to the disease outbreak. According to residents, the company denied responsibility for the outbreak and attributed the cases to ‘flu.’ However, a municipal health official stated that preliminary investigations indicated that the disease vector was a type of fly that reproduces in pig waste and that the outbreak was linked to the pig farms. It was unclear whether health officials had identified a suspected pathogen responsible for this outbreak. Granjas Carroll is a subsidiary of Smithfield Foods. According to the Smithfield Foods website, Granjas Carroll produced 950,000 hogs in fiscal 2008.
Grist has picked up the story in the U.S.
My rough translation: According to one community resident, the organic and fecal waste produced by Granjas Carrol isn’t adequately treated, creating water and air pollution in the region. I witnessed—and smelled—the same thing in Hardin County, Iowa, a couple of years ago, another area marked by intensive industrial hog production. The article goes on to say that area residents have long complained of "fetid odors" in the air and water, and swarms of flies hovering around waste lagoons. Like their counterparts who live in CAFO-heavy U.S. areas, they also complain of respiratory ailments. Now, with 30 percent of the area’s residents now infected with the virulent flu bug, people are demanding that |
the recordings were made. Reaching each point was done with the help of a GPS receiver and a willingness to scramble over fences and run onto golf courses. The contents of those recordings are summarised in the graphic below:
The key on the left-hand side shows the most common sound categories encountered. The louder a particular sound type encountered at the centre of a grid square, the darker its icon. More than one icon of the same kind means that sound takes up more of the recording's length. Despite the wide spacing of the recording points and the brief duration of the sound files, they seem to do a reasonable job of plotting in outline the common or persistent sound types heard around London during the daytime.KUTV Screenshot A mother who was checking in on her son via Facebook may have saved the teen's life when she saw comments from posters threatening to shoot him and decided to intervene, CBS affiliate KUTV reported Monday.
The commenters said they would be at a specific place waiting to kill the teenager with a gun.
The mother called her son's school, West High School in Utah, to share the comments with administrators.
They agreed that the threats were not a joke.
"They were threatening his life on Facebook. Pretty credible threats. And there were also pictures on Instagram involving a weapon," detective Greg Wilking told KUTV.
KUTV reports:
Police arrested two teenagers on Friday afternoon, using the information boys had posted on social media to find them.
The boys were picked up down the street from West High School — right where they had said they would be, police said. In the suspects' car, police said they found a handgun, a loaded magazine, marijuana, and a large bong.
"Mom obviously was monitoring social media and did the right thing by calling us," Wilking said. "She saw something on there that concerned her and took it seriously, and that's what parents need to be doing. Paying attention to the social media that their children are involved with."Apple has released the fourth iOS 10.2.1 beta for developer testing on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. iOS 10.2.1 is likely a bug fix and performance improvement release. The initial beta was released on December 14 with a second beta issued before the holiday break. A third beta version was released at the start of this week. We’ll update to the latest version and highlight any changes discovered below.
iOS 10.2.1 beta is the next software update after the current public version iOS 10.2. Released on December 12, iOS 10.2 includes Unicode 9.0 emoji characters, three new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus wallpapers, a new TV app, additional camera features, new Messages screen effects, and more.
Major changes aren’t expected in iOS 10.2.1, although a new iOS 10.3 beta is rumored for this week and may include a new Theater Mode toggle accessible in part via Control Center ahead of iOS 11 later this year.
As we await those major releases, we’ll test the latest iOS 10.2.1 beta and note any changes here.
Subscribe to 9to5Mac for more videos“It was 20 years ago today…”
It feels like you could say that pretty much every week for something seismic related to Oasis at the moment. Today’s anniversary is genuinely noteworthy though – it’s exactly two decades since Liam, Noel, Bonehead, Guigsy, Alan White and about 40 brass and orchestra players stormed Maine Road, the then-home of Manchester (City) football.
Those two gigs were important. They came at a crucial time in Oasis history, landing before Knebworth had been announced but after the release of ‘What’s The Story (Morning Glory)?’, after ‘Roll With It’ vs ‘Country House’ and after ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ and ‘Wonderwall’ had done their thing in the charts. The band were in a curious, fleeting position: teetering on the edge of being a bona fide cultural phenomenon, yet still with something to prove.
In retrospect the shows marked the last moments Oasis could truly be considered a band ‘of the people’, rather than a band ‘for the people’. On a more basic level they were the first time the band had ever headlined a stadium and, thanks to a snappily released VHS documenting the event (the ‘There And Then’ live video hit shelves within half a year), the first time kids who couldn’t get into the gigs had a chance to see what all the fuss was about. I’d wager that a lot of successful post-Oasis British rock musicians’ first ‘gig’ was that live footage.
Here, with fresh input from rhythm guitarist Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs and Oasis sleeve designer Brian Cannon, are five reasons why those gigs ruled:
1). Noel’s guitar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7PalnZ2EL8
Probably the most famous instrument in British music since Macca’s Hohner bass, Noel’s Union Jack Epiphone Sheraton was played for the first time at Maine Road. It’s become the epitome of what Britpop was all about – unabashed pomposity married to traditionalist grandeur. Apparently, according to Bonehead, it was a gift from Noel’s then-girlfriend, Meg Matthews. “She got a guy in London who did up guitars to spray a Union Jack on it. I remember he pulled it out and I was like, ‘Whoa…’. It’s pretty iconic now. Instantly recognisable. You stick a picture of a Union Jack Epiphone on any wall and say, ‘Name that guy’ and it’s ‘Noel Gallagher’ every time, isn’t it?”
2). The way the band walk on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PW_g-ZjX3Eo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zN9h99grshI
Oasis weren’t alone in the 90s when it came to having gallons of onstage confidence. From Cobain being wheeled out at Reading Festival to a frightfully youthful-looking Damon and Graham laid bare at Finsbury Park, to Fatboy Slim and The Prodigy’s chest-beating heroics, to The Spice Girls, to Bjork, Nick Cave and Radiohead re-defining the word intense, the entire decade felt brash and OTT when it came to how spectacular gigs could be.
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This was in huge contrast to the inhibited shoegazing scene that preceded grunge, and few walk-ons in rock have ever been as self-assured – as cocky – as Oasis’ second night at Maine Road. Everything about it was forceful, from the drama of the chopper sounds being played at full blast over the PA (surely a sly nod to the gang culture that still existed on the streets around the stadium and in Moss Side at that point), to the way Noel strides onstage: arms outstretched, dead-eyed, face purposely screwed up yet blatantly trying hard not to break into a massive smile. Even his jacket became iconic at that gig. It was made by Penfield and, helped along by ‘There And Then’, it pretty much re-defined what the word ‘cagoule’ meant for people under 30. I’m not kidding here: that jacket is still being ripped off today and, sensing its influence, Penfield re-issued a carbon copy of it as part of their 40th anniversary campaign last year. Vogue paid tribute in an article entitled ‘How Noel Gallagher Made the Nerdy Trainspotter Anorak a Streetwear Classic’, by writing that the guitarist’s attire at the gigs “became an instant hit with city-dwellers across the globe”. You can credit him, it continues, “with elevating the anorak from trainspotting mundanity to the realm of streetwear cool”.
3). Live Forever
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLYmJwiImoY
Back to the music. What with them being new to the whole stadium-conquering game, the best Oasis could muster in terms of Guns N’ Roses-style onstage pyrotechnics were a few fireworks at the end of the show. Or, perhaps that’s they way they wanted to play it – subtle, letting the songs and the players do ALL the talking. Today, the TV screens dotted around them look remarkably tiny, while drummer Alan White’s riser almost looks like it’s being held up by cardboard boxes. But there’s one singular moment where it all comes together, elevating Oasis to the big guns league, where they remained ever since.
It comes during ‘Live Forever’, when a range of huge photos appear on the backdrop, dwarfing the band onstage. Elvis, Hendrix, Sid Vicious, Steve Marriott, Bob Marley, Marvin Gaye and finally, as the last throes of the chorus are belted out by Noel, the face of John Lennon. The entire audience roars, and the message is as clear as the song title. “Even Liam didn’t know it was going to happen, that’s why he looks amazed when he turns round and sees Lennon,” says Brian Cannon, who came up with the idea. For something so simple, it’s still remarkably touching. Rarely employed by Oasis since, Noel did bring it out of retirement at his Glasgow gig a few days a go, paying tribute to Prince in similar fashion.
4). The Liam kidnap rumours
Such was Manchester’s reputation back then that rumours began to fly that rival gangs were set to use Maine Road as a battleground, while another myth supposed that someone was trying to kidnap Liam at the gigs. Bonehead: “There were real threats. I keep reading it was Maine Road, but I think we got the same scenario when we did G-Mex too [on the ‘Be Here Now’ tour]. I can definitely remember we had extra security in. You always have security knocking about, but we had security with Doberman’s and Rottweiler dogs. We were like, ‘What the fuck?!’ and someone said ‘Yeah, there was a serious threat that they were gonna kidnap Liam, so – extra security.’”
5). That photo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNIRNnri2Ms
Jill Furmanovsky took the picture of Noel, arms outstretched, surveying the crowd. Talking about the gigs in her ‘Was There Then’ book, he reflected: “I was trying to take it all in, watching everybody go, and it was a weird thing because the lights were all on and it was dark outside. It looked like a big front room, except there were 42,000 people in it. Maine Road was where we all used to go as kids. So I was standing there, trying to make sure I never forgot this moment. And now I can’t remember a fucking thing about it, and yet I stood there for an hour and a half…”
Sleeve designer Brian Cannon has clearer memories of the gigs: “The Maine Road shows were of massive importance to Oasis. From second they walked onstage the first night it was blatantly obvious they were a genuinely huge rock’n’roll phenomenon. Add to that the fact the gigs were of equal importance to the fans, to whom the whole spectacle vindicated their love of Oasis – it meant an all round winner for everyone. I’ve seen them play live over 70 times and whilst I loved the early small shows – they were something else – the Maine Road gigs were far and away the best of the ‘big’ outings.”
Meanwhile, here’s a new Q&A with Bonehead on the shows:
NME: What are your memories of Maine Road?
Bonehead: “We all had security guards, big limousines for the gig. All the band were based in London, so they all got put up at a big hotel just outside Manchester, but I just chose to stay at home. I remember driving down to the soundcheck in my car – ‘I’ll just pop down!’ To put it into context, it was just a rapid ascent. Can you imagine when we started out we were playing to no people at the Duchess Of York in Leeds, and then only two years later we’re doing Man City’s football ground? It seemed like an overnight thing. Incredible.”
NME: You’re not pictured on the ticket – is that because you’re a United fan?
B: “Absolutely. But that’s not to say I didn’t spend a lot of my childhood at Maine Road. I was brought up a couple of miles away, I used to walk to the ground with the lads I knew. I spent a lot of time I my young years in the Kippax end watching City play with my mates, even though I was a United fan. So to play that gig, I was really familiar with it all, inside. And from the houses that surrounded it – from the stage we could actually see gaps in the stadium and you could see terraced houses and windows. It was really familiar.”
NME: Did it feel like a homecoming?
B: “There was a massive sense of that, yeah. We weren’t just coming back to play the Manchester Indoor Arena, we were coming back to play Maine Road. We’d all spent years of our childhood there. It was the crowd who made it, for me. Maine Road is when I really got a feel of what we were about, and what we meant to people. The way the crowd reacted to every song that we played. The place was bouncing.”
NME: You encored with Slade’s ‘Cum On Feel The Noize’, which you debuted live for the first time, and also played backed with an orchestra and brass section. That’s putting in a lot of effort…
B: “I don’t think we were gonna walk off there and say ‘That’s it!’. We probably would have played all night if we could! As for the brass, we could have just played it on our own, and we would have pulled it off, but we wanted to make it the best. We really did – Maine Road meant something.”Last week a local bicyclist reached out on facebook and shared this story:
I rode on Bike to Work day and it was awful. People treated it like a race. I was one of 3 women out of the at least 35 people on the trail (Mt VernonTrail) into the city, both to and from work. My pannier came unhooked and bounced off my bike that day and instead of anyone stopping to see if everything was fine, some jersey-wearing man yelled “GET A BACKPACK” while a peloton of jerks rode by. Then again on Monday—in the rain—my foot slipped off my pedal and I swerved for a second and a man passing by yells “GET OFF YOUR BIKE”. These are not ways to build camaraderie or boost ridership. These are reasons so many women or minorities don’t ride, or don’t ride safely. It really really bothers me that there is a very deliberate blind eye turned towards this macho attitude. It sucks.
She’s right. This sucks. This sort of behavior is totally unacceptable.
As your regional bike advocates, we are obliged to point out that to a certain extent, this is an infrastructure problem—the Mount Vernon Trail is narrow and bumpy and not really equipped to handle the number of people that use it every day.
But let’s be crystal clear here: this is mostly a jerk problem.
Inadequate infrastructure doesn’t make it OK to be a jerk.
So let’s remind ourselves of some basic principles for riding our bikes on a busy trail:
It’s nobody’s job to get out of your way. When you pass someone, it’s your responsibility to negotiate that space in a way that is comfortable and safe, both for you and for the person you are passing. This might mean slowing down and waiting for an opportunity to pass with enough space. This is not an infringement on your rights as a bicyclist, it’s a basic precept of sharing public space. As the bigger, faster moving entity on a trail, it’s your job to make sure the slower, more vulnerable people around you are safe and feel safe.
More importantly, you should expect to negotiate this space. An unimpeded 14mph ride from Alexandria to Arlington on the Mount Vernon Trail is not a reasonable expectation, any more than hitting every green light on Glebe Road is. You might get lucky every once in awhile, but you need to plan time into your commute to pass slower riders, runners, children chasing soccer balls, in-line skaters, whoever. Make sure you’ve had whatever coffee or breakfast you need to be polite, patient, and kind with your fellow trail users.
A multi-use path in not an appropriate place for a paceline. Period.
Don’t compete. What feels to you like a friendly sprint with your buddies feels to everyone else like a bunch of aggressive jerks in lycra riding inconsiderately. There are plenty of great opportunities to ride fast and be competitive, but a multi-use path is not one of them.
And just to cover the basics: ride right and pass left, ride single file, pull off the trail to stop, and angle your lights down.
One of the wonderful things about biking is that it creates community. We’re not encased in 2,000 lbs of car, which means we can see each other’s faces, we can talk to each other, we can interact as people rather than as metal boxes that only communicate with blinking lights. But the flip side is also true. Being harassed by someone else on a bike feels a lot more unwelcoming than the semiotic scattershot of a car horn.
Let’s talk about sexism.
Resist the temptation to ascribe this rider’s experience to some sort of equal-opportunity jerkitude. Women make up about a quarter of the people who ride bikes in the region. That’s a problem for everyone. There are a number of systemic reasons for this imbalance, from social structures to infrastructure, but the entitled macho nonsense described above is a very real barrier to biking. Here are a few simple ways to avoid perpetuating systemic gender discrimination while riding your bike:
Don’t shout stuff at women.
Don’t ding your bell repeatedly, or snap your brakes, or sigh loudly at people going slower than you. If you’re late or bored or just want to go faster, wait for an opportunity to pass, announce your intentions politely, negotiate the space you need to pass safely, and do so without fanfare.
Don’t shout stuff at women.
Don’t assume that a person with a flat tire is clueless. “Do you have all the tools you need?” is a way to offer help without being condescending. Phrases like “You look like you need help” or “Do you know what you’re doing?” make unwarranted assumptions about competence.
Don’t shout stuff at women.
Don’t offer unsolicited advice: mechanical diagnoses, bike fit suggestions, clothing tips, whatever. If someone asks your opinion, fine. If someone is in immediate danger of hurting themselves, fine. “Excuse me I can’t help but notice your quick release is open and your rear wheel is about to fall off” is fine, “you’d be more comfortable if you raised your saddle” is not.
Don’t shout stuff at women.
Call it out when you see it.
Toxic behavior like this won’t stop unless men call each other out on it. If someone you’re riding with (or a total stranger) is being a sexist jackass, don’t let it slide. You know the social nuances of your peer group best, but here are some things you might say:
“Um, not cool, man.”
“Hey, that’s sexist.” (or rude/unacceptable/privileged/abelist)
“Don’t shout stuff at women.”
“Way to perpetuate the kyriarchy, you ass.”
Why are we highlighting this?
We’re sharing this story because it’s depressingly familiar. We hear stories like it every single week. Sexism and harassment are barriers to biking, just like unsafe intersections or FedEx trucks in the bike lane.
WABA works to make our roads and trails safe for all users, and that includes safety from harassment by other bicyclists. This type of work is harder than educating police, harder than testifying before lawmakers, and yes, harder than removing a parking space to make room for a bike lane. It means having tough conversations with friends and neighbors, and sometimes taking a long look at ourselves. But it’s necessary to create the kind of community that we want to bike in.Philip Pullman once said: “After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.”
There are few mediums more captivating than a well told story. From ‘what happened next?’ to personal connections we make through characters and events, everyone loves them.
What you may not know is that stories are a very integral part of being persuasive. Those in sales and marketing have known for a long time that stories trump data when it comes to persuasion because stories are easier to understand and relate to.
I won’t keep you waiting with a cliffhanger, but if you’re interested in understanding power of storytelling found through research, keep reading.
Why You Need to Incorporate Storytelling
Storytelling works. But why should you have to incorporate this flowery style into your writing?
A lot of folks are averse to telling stories because they believe that “the facts” are the most persuasive pieces of content they can deliver. It’s not, and here’s a visualization that helps to explain why.
Is it better to say nothing in a memorable fashion? No, of course not. Instead, know that how you say something is just as important as what you are saying.
Refusal to recognize this places you at risk of having your good information become lost in a sea of less-worthy content. You also miss out on the connections to be made via a strong narrative.
While we are all often resistant to the idea of being told what to do, we are very susceptible to agreeing with the “moral of the story” due to how it is presented to us.
How Stories Affect the Mind
Do stories really hold that much influence? According to research by psychologists Green & Brock, they do.
In fact, it’s likely that you greatly underestimate how much stories affect you. The reason that stories work so well on us is that we are susceptible to getting “swept up” in both their message and in the manner of their telling.
Quite literally, stories are able to transport our mind to another place, and in this place we may embrace things we’d likely scoff at in the “harsh, real world”. You’ll often see politicians create a “story” for their campaign, and focus a lot of their efforts speaking with the public in crafting and standing by these stories.
Creating the story of “blue collar guy who is harsh on crime and supports states rights” is easier to understand than discussing the complexities of how the administration plans to actually tackle the crime rate.
You see this being utilized every day on platforms as big as TED talks to speeches by world leaders.
Instead of only discussing the information, they begin talks with phrases like, “Imagine if you will…”, and as we’ve seen, it’s with very good reason: stories help sell arguments of all types, from, “I believe that these liberal/conservative points of view are correct,” to, “I believe this product is suited for my goals.”
This information is useless, however, unless we address how to write better stories.
How to Create Better Stories
The #1 trait of a persuasive story is how engaging the story is. There are a million writers out there that will go on and on about how to craft amazing stories, but is any of that (potentially good) advice backed up by research?
In fact, there is an additional study conducted by Green & Brock that addresses just what makes a story engaging. Here’s what they found:
1.. Suspense works just as well as you’d expect
The “cliffhanger” just may be the oldest trick in the writing book, especially writing for television, but there is a reason why it’s used so often. It works!
Despite our numerous exposure to this method, our brain just can’t “get over” suspenseful moments: it’s a relationship that just won’t die, we will always want to know what happens next. In fact, suspense works so well that the hotly debated Zeigarnik Effect would have you believe that it’s the best way to kill procrastination.
Research in that area seems to point to humans being much more inclined to finish something that has already been started (researchers interrupted people doing “brain buster” tasks before they could complete them. Nearly 90% of people went on to finish the task anyway, despite being told they could stop).
Suspense in stories really allows you to create an addictive narrative, as long as the suspense appears early enough to capture interest, and doesn’t keep people hanging on forever
2. Creating detailed imagery helps craft the setting you want
Want to get people swept up in your stories? Tell them what they are getting swept up into, and they’ll respond.
Could any of us relate to the heroic deeds in tales like those of the Lord of the Rings without Tolkien’s exquisitely detailed descriptions of the dangers of Mordor or the perils faced by Frodo and Sam?
The imagery paints the picture of any good story, we could say that [Spoilers if you haven’t read/seen Lord of the Rings] “Frodo and Sam fight a giant spider,” but Tolkien spends an entire chapter on the ordeal, taking the time to help the reader visualize the ferocious nature of the enemy and the bravery of our heroes who persevere despite their many weaknesses (doubt, fear, dismay, etc.)
Implementing the “real” into a fantastic setting often helps create a better connection with the reader. I don’t know the feeling of encountering a spider the size of a house, but I do know what terror feels like, and I also know how hard it can be to persevere in the face of immense doubt of your abilities.
These all-too-real elements of a fantastical story make it easier to relate to.
3. Literary techniques are essential pieces of memorable stories
As with most high school kids in the United States, I was required to read a lot of the staples of high school literature. By far my favorite work was Animal Farm, a story that serves as a great example of the power of the many literary techniques at your disposal.
In the beginning, the story in Animal Farm seems quirky at best: When the de-facto leader of the animals, Old Major, dies, two pigs called Snowball and Napoleon take over and see out his “vision”, which they interpret to be the driving out of Mr. Jones, the farm owner.
Snowball is eventually chased away by Napoleon, and Napoleon begins to enact new rules for the Animal Farm, which begin to become warped as Napoleon and the pigs become more like their previous masters, culminating with the memorable phrase revealing what the rules have truly become:
ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL, BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS.
Needless to say, there is a lot at work under the surface of this story, as it is an allegorical tale that relates the events of the rise of Stalin and the Soviet Union before the second World War II. Suddenly, a book about pigs taking over a farm begins to serve as a cautionary tale on how political dogma can be turned into malleable propaganda.
There are many literary techniques and a countless amount of examples, I’m simply serving up this particular one to show you a singular instance of a writer using them to turn a seemingly simplistic story into a extraordinarily memorable and highly controversial work of art.
4. Modelling works because change is easier with an example
If you want someone to change a behavior (or become more inclined to taking a desired action), then you can model it with a story. The character in said story should go through the transformation that you would like the reader to go through.
The transportation effect is really evident here: people place themselves in the situation being told, re-imagining themselves as the main character. Oftentimes, they are made to see why the choices made were the right choices.
Strangely enough, I often see web hosting providers showcase stories of customers past “cheap web-hosting nightmares” in which the customer describes a situation where they were freaking out from their site being down after receiving massive exposure, eventually “learning their lesson” and vowing to never again use anything but ______ [insert whoever is selling].
Positive stories are also used quite often, stories where individuals solve a huge menace in their life or get to where most people would like to be serve as transportation vehicles to recruiting new people to the cause.
If you run a fitness based business (as an example), highlighting a tale of triumph over the generalized disadvantages of being out-of-shape to accomplish what previously seemed like “impossible” fitness results is a great way to get people fired up to become more interested in fitness.
6 More Characteristics of Highly Persuasive Stories
I’ve really enjoyed a recent analysis (and the research) discussed in a piece by Roger Dooley, author of Brainfluence.
Dooley discusses what a difficult time lawyers have in persuading the jury during a tough case, and the comparison he makes to your typical “car salesman” is spot on:
One of the toughest persuasion tasks is convincing a jury in a courtroom. Car salespeople have it easy by comparison – they control the environment and have the undivided attention of the customer. Imagine if you were in a Lexus showroom listening to why you should buy one of their vehicles, and at your elbow was a BMW salesperson, periodically objecting to the Lexus pitch and then delivering her own. That’s the situation in a courtroom – arguments presented by one side will be directly (and mercilessly) attacked by the other side.
So, how do the top lawyers overcome this?
Researchers Melanie Green and Dr. Philip Mazzocco conducted research on that very question, and their results reveal 6 interesting characteristics of persuasive stories, which we can compare to the earlier study.
Their research was called Narrative Persuasion in Legal Settings: What’s the Story?, and in the piece they discuss why stories are much more influential than facts (again, a conclusion backed by numerous studies) through their ability to change emotional beliefs in a way that “logical” arguments just can’t touch.
Knowing what we know about how emotions effect people’s reaction to written content, we can conclude that this is some research that warrants a closer look. So, what were the 6 characteristics?
1. Delivery
Similar to how a good joke turns into a great joke with perfect delivery, Mazzoco and Green’s research pointed to delivery in the courtroom being of the utmost importance.
This translates to writing in a similar fashion: pacing and deliver of the story matter as much as the content. What does that mean?
Well, it is largely determined by the author’s ability to keep the “flow” of the story going and to deliver during pivotal moments, the same way a good prosecutor may begin to bare down on a witness that starts to show signs of “cracking”.
Memorability also matters as well, check out this hugely viral story on Reddit entitled “Today you, tomorrow me.”
You’ll notice the main line is delivered in a way that creates a lasting impression.
2. Imagery
Without very specific and stirring visual cues in a story, listeners (or readers) may not be as totally immersed as they could have been with something to “see.”
If a prosecutor wants to convict a man of assault, he is (without a doubt) going to paint a picture for the audience of the suffering of the defendant, and will likely use expressive language to evoke a feeling of sympathy from the jury, who (as they listen) visualize the potential suffering of the man/woman in front of them. (Words like: victim, violated, abused, atrocious, attack, malicious, etc.)
Many studies show that the brain “lights up” in reacting to imagery, truly transporting the reader to the events being described (recall any good story you’ve read or heard, you know that you placed yourself “there” during it’s telling).
3. Realism
As I mentioned, I love finding complimentary evidence because it helps us in being more certain that the strategies we are using are accurate.
That being said, check out this quote from Dooley on the importance of realism:
Even if you are painting a fictional picture with the story, its elements need to relate to the reality that the audience is familiar with, for example, basic human motivations.
Doesn’t that remind you almost exactly of what I was talking about with the Lord of the Rings example? (in the earlier study)
It seems that we can conclusively say that the human mind is able to relate to and absorb stories much better if there is a “human” element in the story that is easy for the audience to imagine, even when the actual tale may not be.
4. Structure
One example I can’t help but think for this point is the film Memento and it’s subsequent praise & criticism for it’s plot structure.
The debate is over the telling of the main character’s story, which happens entirely in reverse (he has amnesia, and the viewer watches the ending of the movie and slowly views events preceding it).
The critics of the film point to the fact that it is quite hard to enjoy the film a second time: the suspense is really just imaginary because the plot is so confusing when you watch it backwards. Great movies, they would argue, can be enjoyed again even when you know what’s coming.
That’s because they use an effective structure that keeps you glued to the screen to see what’s next, even if you already know (obviously losing it’s effect over time for most people)
This research would agree, showing that people prefer stories that follow a logical manner, and that elements of suspense are most effective when established early to keep people engaged.
5. Context
Context can often have a significant impact on the persuasiveness of a story.
If the teller of a story comes off as not being genuine, as incompetent, or as just an “unlikable” person, it can have an averse effect on the story itself.
I’ve often noticed that stories on places like Reddit tend to flop when they are over-exaggerated or use language that is too flowery (not “real”).
Dooley also addresses the importance of more basic surroundings (in a literal sense), such as the detrimental effects of a noisy courtroom or a cluttered and messy website for instances online. It is often a good idea to address these concerns of the audience by establishing the storyteller (be it you or someone else) as sincere and credible enough to listen to.
6. Audience
Certainly the factor that you have the least “control” over, both in the courtroom and for your content.
People vary to such a great degree that the same story can have either a large or very minimal impact on them. Dooley mentions that jurors often go through a selection process and that lawyers are careful in keeping their eye out for “suitable” or “unsuitable” members.
While you won’t necessarily be doing the same thing with customers, you can do the same thing with your content: a thriving, engaged audience is only created when you determine who you don’t want reading your content along with who you do.
Be sure to establish in your unique selling proposition just what kind of reader your really after, and what kind you aren’t.
Beyond the “Digital Campfire”
If you’re familiar with the works of Steven Pinker, you’ll recognize the incredible importance that language has played in human history in the preservation of information (stories being used to because they were easier to remember).
Today, a huge contribution of the internet is to serve as our generation’s digital campfire. When it comes to selling, however, facts remain an important compliment to stories.
The research by Mazzocco and Green also discusses evidence that points to two ways in which the human mind processes information:
Rational appraisal “Experiential”
Experiential is the way most closely associated with stories, as it is when our minds (as the researchers put it):
“…[construct] an imaginary world filled with quasi-experiences.”
Meaning, we can relate to stories due to their general message, even when we haven’t had the same exact experience. Even more interesting? The researchers would suggest we can only operate with one at a time.
This would insinuate that you should use both the power of stories and the “logical” argument in different phases.
We make our decision emotionally (and, to varying degrees, unconsciously), and then let our rational processes justify that decision with facts.
Use stories to activate the experiential side of your reader’s brain, and you’ll have won their attention and interest. When you back those stories up with facts, you’ll have won their trust.Image caption The Advertising Standards Authority received 470 complaints about the Paddy Power advert
A TV advert which invited viewers to guess the gender of ladies at Cheltenham Festival has been suspended.
Clearcast, which pre-approved the Paddy Power advert, said it had appeared to cause offence so the decision was taken with broadcasters to no longer run it.
Some 470 complaints were received by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) which is investigating.
Bookmaker Paddy Power said it was "surprised and disappointed" with Clearcast's decision.
'Frustrating'
In the advert, transgendered people are shown at Cheltenham Festival and viewers invited to "spot the stallions from the mares".
Clearcast said it regretted any offence that may have been caused.
Image caption Paddy Power said it had cast members of the transgender community in the advert
A statement from Paddy Power said: "This decision is especially frustrating given that the commercial was already pre-approved by Clearcast, who then considered the humour in the advert, while not to everyone's taste, fell short of causing offence."
It added that UK transgender group, The Beaumont Society, had given feedback on the script for the advert and stated there was "nothing untoward with the advert concept".
The ASA said the general nature of the complaints was that the ad was "offensive, transphobic and derogatory towards transgender people".
Earlier, Jennie Kermode from charity Trans Media Watch, said the advert was "an attempt to offend in an effort to generate publicity".Barcelona are to study the possibility of sending out new signing Arda Turan to SuperLig champions, Galatasaray on a six month loan period according to reports in local Turkish media outlets. The current European champions are anxious that their new acquisition maintains his first team fitness and a return to Galatasaray, may be the ideal solution. Due to a FIFA sanction, Barça can sign new players but they can’t play in any official competition for the club until January 1, 2016.
Turan is a native of Istanbul and Galatasaray was the club he supported as a boy and the first club to give him a professional playing contract. He stayed with ‘CimBom’ for six years before moving to Atlético Madrid in 2011.
Neither Barça nor the Turkish side have made any official comment on the possibility and no definitive decision can be made about any loan deal for Turan until the outcome of the forthcoming presidential elections on July 18 for the new Barça president to approve |
bugs me.
Look, Sikhs don’t make me nervous in the slightest. They seem to form a generally peace-loving community. I don’t view them with suspicion, and I truly wish them the best. You write that opposition to kirpans in schools is inspired by fear and “incredible ignorance,” but I don’t think that’s fair. Not to me, not to the always thoughtful Jerry Coyne, and not to all the other atheists and agnostics who aren’t motivated by base fears or lack of knowledge, but by the proposition that secular and religious people simply have the exact same rights and obligations.
As for Sikhs not using their sacred blades to inflict violence, I hear you, and I don’t foresee (m)any problems in that regard. Then again, someone forget to tell these Sikhs in Queens, NY, about their holy duty. And also, these Sikhs at the Golden Temple in India, who are seen furiously hacking and slashing at each other in yet another fine display of superior religious morality.
Now, given your accommodating stance, shall we also allow Sikhs, and only Sikhs, to carry daggers into courtrooms? Canada began allowing just that last year. And how about airport security? Do we permit passengers of the correct god persuasion to carry daggers or swords on board? Or is that the point where 300,000 U.S. Sikhs’ “deeply held beliefs” should yield to rules and regulations that truly apply to all of us?
Like you, I remain in favor of religious rights … but not religious privilege. To me, that means that if Sikh parents want their children to carry daggers in class, I’m all for it — as long as they do it in their own (private) schools. In public schools, and in places like airports and courtrooms, Sikhs will, I hope, continue to be 100% welcome … provided that they follow the same rules that others are required to. If they can learn to compromise (for instance, they could carry a blunt wooden kirpan, or an inch-long sealed kirpan worn as a pendant), so much the better.
U.S. Sikhs should seriously ponder leaving their sacred silverware at home when appropriate. With any luck, they’ll eventually come to appreciate the luxury of having a government that — what a concept! — is constitutionally obliged to decline playing favorites.
(Top image via Absence of Clothing)Vafa'i system, the
pfotenhaur aggressors seem to have achieved a decisive victory.
After it's liberation from Onintza Libre basecamp, "Torledo 3", has become
an important staging ground for Pfotenhaur fleet personel, aswell as an HQ.
Mr. Madari a gentleman in the Society had this to say: "They put up a good fight
and should be proud, all remaining combatants should however stand down,
we are here to stay, it has been decided."
Economists expect increased exports to Onintza, now that it seems the plantary conflict is dying down.
// correspondent: Maezani Blackwell.
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Other roleplay related artwork I've done
Mr. Madari a gentleman in the Society had this to say: "They put up a good fightand should be proud, all remaining combatants should however stand down,we are here to stay, it has been decided."Economists expect increased exports to Onintza, now that it seems the plantary conflict is dying down.// correspondent: Maezani Blackwell.---------------------------------------------------Other roleplay related artwork I've done markwester.deviantart.com/gall…
FlavorThe Majid Journal//BREAKING NEWS//Pfotenhaur: Here To Stay!Following months of grueling fighting on Onintza in theIt seems thesociety is settling in, it is unknown how many freedom fighters remain, thejournals experts estimate fatal loses from the defenders, all signs point towards victory.The US vice-president, Joe Biden, today likened the WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, to a "hi-tech terrorist", the strongest criticism yet from the Obama administration.
Biden claimed that by leaking diplomatic cables Assange had put lives at risk and made it more difficult for the US to conduct its business around the world.
His description of Assange shows a level of irritation that contrasts with more sanguine comments from other senior figures in the White House, who said the leak had not done serious damage.
Interviewed on NBC's Meet the Press, Biden was asked if the administration could prevent further leaks, as Assange warned last week. "We are looking at that right now. The justice department is taking a look at that," Biden said, without elaborating.
The justice department is struggling to find legislation with which to prosecute Assange.
Asked if what Assange had done was criminal, Biden seemed to suggest it would be considered criminal if it could be established that the WikiLeaks founder had encouraged or helped Bradley Manning, the US intelligence analyst suspected of being behind the leak. Biden claimed this was different from a journalist receiving leaked material.
"If he conspired to get these classified documents with a member of the US military that is fundamentally different than if someone drops on your lap … you are a press person, here is classified material."
Asked if he saw Assange as closer to a hi-tech terrorist than the whistleblower who released the Pentagon papers in the 1970s, which disclosed the lie on which US involvement in Vietnam was based, Biden replied: "I would argue it is closer to being a hi-tech terrorist than the Pentagon papers. But, look, this guy has done things that have damaged and put in jeopardy the lives and occupations of people in other parts of the world.
"He's made it more difficult for us to conduct our business with our allies and our friends. For example, in my meetings – you know I meet with most of these world leaders – there is a desire now to meet with me alone, rather than have staff in the room. It makes things more cumbersome – so it has done damage."
The interview, though broadcast yesterday, was conducted on Friday. In an interview the previous day, he had been more neutral about WikiLeaks, saying: "I don't think there's any substantive damage."
The US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, led criticism of the WikiLeaks revelations at the end of November when she accused the website of mounting an "attack" on the world.End Times broadcaster Rick Wiles recently spoke to a representative of the Zombie Response Team, which trains people to prepare for a zombie apocalypse in a non-ironic way, about the popularity of zombies and shows like “The Walking Dead.” While Wiles was skeptical of an imminent breakout of zombies, he did however point to a 2012 military training scenario which centered around a zombie invasion as proof that the government is up to something big, or not, he is just asking the question!
After Zombie Response Team co-founder Morgan Bernhart told him that headshots are the most effective way to neutralize a zombie, Wiles wondered if the military exercise means that maybe “the government is prepping the public for mass executions of people.”
“Once you get down this road of being bizarre there is no limit to how bizarre you can think, you know?” Wiles said. “I’m trying to figure out: What are they up to? What are they preparing for?”Crisco wrote:
The only thing that separates them from Charlie at this point is general perception.
qq wrote:
Yes, size of his treasury would make him a target, but I honestly doubt it would create any worldwide alliance. Because, as you've said, people are stupid. And because, as you've forgot to mention, Charlie is dangerous.
qq wrote:
Ben is ONE Moneymancer in ONE city. To his benefit, his side is older than Charlescomm (not necessarily older than Charlie), but I honestly doubt he made any attempt of trying to find Charlescomm income from history books. At most he looked at his known assets, deals he made, prices he used in negotiations, and estimated it from there, with historical data playing no part in it at all (and I kind of doubt in his ability to process such data, not being Mathamancer)
wakko wrote:
If a unit of GK (Ivan) helps (by making a suit of armor) a unit that he knows wants to attack/harm Charlescomm, would that be a contract violation? Charlie was very careful about how he provided guns to FAQ, I don't see how building this armor for Big Think would slip past the contract.
Metallicat wrote:
A hypothetical alliance to steal Charlie's huge treasury runs into problems fast. First, whichever side begins the plan risks Charlie finding out, and playing a "natural disaster card" like he did with King Dickie. Whether the side was taken down directly by Charlie, or by one of his bribeable allies, the result would be the same. Dead Kings tell no tales.
Metallicat wrote:
Second, what are the odds that the alliance would really be a team, with that kind of payoff at the end? The backstabbing potential is simply too great.
Metallicat wrote:
Third, Charlie can just escape. The gems and the Arkendish are mobile, and the treasury could be spent in the fight, before he just takes over a distant capital site and begins again.
Metallicat wrote:
You'd need an alliance in the Magic Kingdom, like the Thinkamancers, to try to pull off a successful anti-Charlie team. So far, that hasn't worked nearly as well as Isaac and the others hoped.
I think that you also have to include how they perceive themselves in that "general perception". The GMTTA have always, even in the privacy of their own thoughts, felt it necessary to ascribe their motives to some purpose greater than their own welfare and safety. Charlie doesn't. Whether you feel one of those is "good" and the other "bad" is irrelevant to the fact that they are in fact different.Every ruler on Erf is "dangerous". The question is one of exact degree. Charlie is not a military match for the rest of the world (or even in a head to head matchup with GK), but he has the majority of the schmuckers that exist in Erfworld. That's a situation it is absolutely crucial to hide.Ben didn't need to look in history books to figure out the approximate size of GK's treasury which we know was mostly the unexpected result of an unconventional tri-link for an entirely different purpose. History books wouldn't have done a lot of good in figuring out the size of GK's treasury, and Ben didn't need them.Your contention has been that CC's treasury is mostly the result of precisely the kind of activity that does get into history books, over a long enough period of time for those history books to be the best way of calculating the Charlie's net worth to within a few percent. My contention is that people have done just that and the answer looks a lot like "as much as 20 million", with the vast majority of the treasury + gem hoard left inexplicable by normal methods. Eventually, the comic will reveal that Charlie does indeed have novel sources of income which will go a long way to helping Parson solve the economic problem of peace on Erf. Or not.I simply decline to bet on "not".Because the intent is to save Deiform (and consequently Ivan) from burning out, not to enable an attack on CC. Indeed, the creation of a bedrock armor is clearly a diversion from launching an immediate all-out assault on CC, Ivan's not just saying "don't tell me what you're going to do with these guns that I have no other reason to give you, wink wink", he's actually trying his level best to convince Deiform not to attack CC. Hell, if the contract were fair GK should be getting paid for distracting Deiform from it's mission of vengeance. Doing what is necessary to get Deiform to defer attacking CC until after Ivan is extracted from it is not in any way causing damage to CC. It's like when Lilith spotted Isaac which let Deiform track her connection to Wanda, to see Charlie's message, to target the archons. GK didn't get charged for that because it was all Deiform's own idea, using GK units who were actually, consciously, sincerely doing their best to avoid violating the contract as unwitting pawns.We can see instantly that the "Stark Imagery" has offensive applications which are every bit as crucial to the story as the utility in keeping Deiform (and linked casters) alive. But the clear intended purpose is the life/link-support/preservation functions. Meanwhile Charlie was selling the 'intent' of inviting Jillian take a break to see some trees (which she'd already seen, and had no desire to see again) combined with the 'intent' to leave some guns under those trees so...his archons wouldn't get tired out carrying them?No, it doesn't take a State 8 to bend or twist anything. Charlie provided a loophole big enough to drive a puppet ruler on a megalogwiffon through it, Ivan and Claud are now being pulled through that loophole by a mild-mannered caster possessed by an angry protean god.Except that they clearly do, and those tales are compiled in libraries across Erfworld. No one ruler has to be the "first" to suggest making an alliance to take out Charlie if everyone knows the basic facts which make such an alliance perfectly obvious. Which is why Charlie is so intent on making sure nobody knows.Only when victory was basically assured, and only if nobody was smart enough to hire a competent Signamancer to draw up the contracts.That this is the most plausible problem speaks to how desperately hopeless Charlie's situation would be. Charlie and over 500 million schmuckers of gems are not the most mobile thing in the world. I'm sure Charlie would try this as a last resort. But last resorts are often left till last for the perfectly obvious reason of being desperate.The Predictamancer and Hippimancy alliances seem to be doing somewhat better...but at this point I think we can say that even the GMTTA didn't go down as easily as Charlie hoped.The attached chart that I've built includes every Seattle Seahawk currently under contract, plus three Restricted Free Agents (Clint Gresham, Clinton McDonald, and Chris Maragos).
In putting it together, I have found that I am still amazed that the Seahawks only have 14 players on the roster right now that were drafted in the first three rounds. That number will obviously change after the draft and free agency, but is still shockingly low to me. For comparison, as said above, last season's San Francisco 49ers roster had 14 first round players - Vernon Davis, Michael Crabtree, Alex Smith, Justin Smith, Aldon Smith, Donte Whitner, Carlos Rogers, Patrick Willis, Ted Ginn, Randy Moss, Mike Iupati, Joe Staley, A.J. Jenkins, Anthony Davis, - am I forgetting anyone? Amazing.
The orange boxes indicate that a player first originated with another NFL team, even if it was only a practice squad appearance. The players without a surrounding box are 'internal' guys - Pete and John's guys.
This chart is also a reminder of how young the team is, and how Pete and John added to the roster, especially from the class of 2007, via trades and free agency (namely Zach Miller, Marshawn Lynch and Sidney Rice).
It is also interesting that Pete and John may have had a hard time convincing undrafted rookies to come to Seattle in 2010, as they never kept a player from that era, and ended up signing guys that were cut from other teams. They began to have better luck luring undrafted rookies in 2011 and 2012 it appears.All three major ratings agencies affirmed Baltimore County’s creditworthiness despite fiscal challenges County Executive Johnny Olszewski announced today that Baltimore County has retained its triple-A bond rating from all three major rating agencies, allowing the county to continue to issue bonds at the lowest possible interest rate, saving millions of dollars for Baltimore County taxpayers. Moody’s Investor Service, Fitch Ratings, and S&P Global Ratings have each affirmed the county’s triple-A rating, making Baltimore County one of only 45 counties nationwide to receive the highest rating from all three agencies. “Our county’s strong and diverse economy allows us to maintain the coveted triple-A rating, which is good news for taxpayers and for our ability to continue to borrow at the lowest possible rate for critical capital projects like school construction and infrastructure,” Olszewski said. “The agencies all acknowledged that, while we are facing fiscal challenges, we are taking important steps to address them.” “Maintaining Baltimore County’s creditworthiness is critical for ensuring we can continue to borrow the capital dollars we need at a low cost to taxpayers,” said County Council Chairman Tom Quirk. “I look forward to working with the County Executive and my colleagues on the council to ensure we can continue to maintain our triple-A ratings.” In their reports, the agencies noted Baltimore County’s strong economy and diverse tax base. However, all three also noted the county’s impending budgetary gaps, and Moody’s gave the county a negative outlook, noting the mounting challenges and additional capital needs in the coming years. Since taking office in December, Olszewski has taken a number of steps to share information about the county’s fiscal challenges and to address the $81 million deficit projected for the coming fiscal year. On his first day in office, Olszewski signed an executive order to create the Commission on Fiscal Sustainability, tasked with taking a top to bottom look at the county’s budget and fiscal management practices, and making recommendations for how to improve the budgeting process and make it more transparent. In addition, Olszewski has held a series of town hall meetings to share information about the impending budget deficit with county residents, and to hear their thoughts and concerns about how the county should prioritize its spending. The final town hall meeting is scheduled for next week. He has also announced plans to conduct a comprehensive performance audit in order to ensure the county’s taxpayer dollars are being spent efficiently and effectively.
Keywords:
by Tammy Price, Chief, Baltimore County 911 Center 911 has been featured in television shows (Rescue 911, and 9-1-1) and movies (Operator and The Call) so you may be pretty familiar with the profession, but there are some things you may not know about your local Baltimore County 911 Center. Did you know? We are only 39 years old! It seems like 911 has always been around, but The Baltimore County 911 Center has only been in operation since January 15, 1980. In fact, the very first 911 call was made a mere 12 years before -- in Alabama on February 16, 1968. We’re the 3rd largest 911 center in Maryland! As such, we handle over 800,000 calls for service each year – that’s an average of about 2,200 calls per day. We are a civilian organization. While we work in conjunction with the Police and Fire Departments, we are a separate agency. We have over 200 employees. Our dedicated men and women are the FIRST of the first responders.
Answering our questions doesn’t delay help. The location of the emergency is the most important piece of information you can give us. Once we have the location, we will dispatch the call and then ask the rest of our questions while help is on the way. Our non-emergency number is 410-887-2222. This is a 24 hour number that you can use to report non-emergency situations in Baltimore County. Young children call 911 too! Early education is key, so we attend community events and teach an elementary education program to help young children learn about 911. In our profession, we are known as telecommunicators. However, each 911 Center’s job title may vary. In Baltimore County, our calltakers and dispatchers are called Emergency Communications Technicians (ECTs). National Telecommunicators Week celebrates our calltakers and dispatchers. Each year, a week in April is designated as National Telecommunicators Week to recognize the work our men and women do. Just as the police and fire departments have the thin blue and red lines, our profession is identified by the Thin Gold Line.
Executive halts police department use of sexual assault confidential release authorizations; charges task force to review and offer recommendations
Towson-- County Executive Johnny Olszewski, Jr. today announced the formation of a Sexual Assault Investigations Task Force. The task force will examine current investigation and prosecution policies, practices, and training related to sexual assault complaints, including review of past casefiles. Earlier this month, the County Executive asked the police department to discontinue the use of sexual assault confidential release authorizations.
The task force consists of a diverse array of talented and knowledgeable individuals who understand the sensitivity and complexities of sexual assault investigations.
“Residents of Baltimore County have the right to feel safe in their community. Our residents deserve to know that, when they are the victim of sexual assault, law enforcement will respond with all of the resources at their disposal to bring justice. Too often in the past, this hasn’t always been the case,” said Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski, Jr. “I was disappointed when I heard about the excessive use of Confidential Release Authorizations and I immediately asked Chief Terry Sheridan to suspend this practice.” The scope of their review will include the following:
Examine current investigation and prosecution policies, practices, and training related to sexual assault complaints, including review of past case files.
Review training for law enforcement officials involved in the response to sexual assault allegations, ensuring investigations are victim-centered and trauma-informed.
Review data related to sexual assault investigations, ensuring proper tracking and accountability mechanisms are in place.
Assess resources available for investigating sexual assault complaints and testing old and new rape kits, and make adjustments as necessary.
Research and recommending implementation of national best practices, including the International Association of Chiefs of Police Trauma Informed Sexual Assault Investigation Training, which provides law enforcement and multi-disciplinary partners with information on the neurobiology of trauma and investigative strategies to respond to sexual assault crimes in a victim-centered, trauma-informed manner.
The County has also partnered with Baltimore County’s rape crisis center, TurnAround, to promote their helpline which is staffed by trained advocates and available to survivors 24/7. The helpline is available to anyone that would like to speak to someone about sexual assault, get advice on reporting an incident, request services, or speak to someone about a previously reported case. Advocates can be reached at 443-279-0379.
“We are delighted that County Executive Johnny Olszewski took decisive action when confronted with this practice,” said CEO of TurnAround Rosalyn Branson. “I am pleased to assist in establishing best practices for survivors of sexual assault.”
The task force members are:
• Sheryl Goldstein, the Vice President of the Abell Foundation, who will chair the task force.
• David Thomas, a Program Manager with the International Association of Chiefs of Police.
• Rosalyn Branson, the CEO of TurnAround.
• Laura Clary, a Program Manager, at GBMC for the sexual assault forensic exam or SAFE Program.
• John Cox, the Deputy State's Attorney from the Baltimore County State's Attorney’s Office.
• Lt. Brian Edwards, Commander of the Baltimore County Police Department’s Special Victim’s Unit.
• Nadia BenAissa, a student at UMBC/We Believe You.
“I was honored to chair the public safety portion of the County Executive’s transition team,” said Vice President of the Abell Foundation Sheryl Goldstein. “I am pleased to be part of this task force working to improve systems for handling sexual assault cases and improving outcomes for victims.”Prototype Images - Transformers Combiner Wars Brawl, Onslaught with Demolishor Head, Scattershot
Saturday, October 3rd, 2015 12:33PM CDT
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Re: Prototype Images - Transformers Combiner Wars Brawl, Onslaught with Demolishor Head, Scattershot (1730986)
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Va'al wrote:
I love that last shot, what a great implementation of the hand/foot. Reminds me of this a bit:
I love that last shot, what a great implementation of the hand/foot. Reminds me of this a bit: Posted by william-james88 on October 3rd, 2015 @ 12:37pm CDT
Re: Prototype Images - Transformers Combiner Wars Brawl, Onslaught with Demolishor Head, Scattershot (1730987)
Posted by
Alternate normal hands? Posted by RSC on October 3rd, 2015 @ 12:40pm CDT
Re: Prototype Images - Transformers Combiner Wars Brawl, Onslaught with Demolishor Head, Scattershot (1730989)
Posted by
RSC wrote: Alternate normal hands?
If you are referring to the hands (and feet) in these pics:
...then those are actually the third party ones from Perfect Effect, as seen here on my Superion:
So, alas, don't look for those on your toys from Hasbro. If you are referring to the hands (and feet) in these pics:...then those are actually the third party ones from Perfect Effect, as seen here on my Superion:So, alas, don't look for those on your toys from Hasbro. Posted by Yotsuyasan on October 3rd, 2015 @ 12:50pm CDT
Re: Prototype Images - Transformers Combiner Wars Brawl, Onslaught with Demolishor Head, Scattershot (1730997)
Posted by
Nice stuff, but i am not diggin the jetnose on Scattershot. The G1 looked like a cannon with a oockpit on it, this looks like a cruise missile. Posted by DMSL on October 3rd, 2015 @ 1:05pm CDT
Re: Prototype Images - Transformers Combiner Wars Brawl, Onslaught with Demolishor Head, Scattershot (1731000)
Posted by
Yeah, Brawl is definitely going to be a leg.
Since Demolisher is coming from the Onslaught mold, how about a Cyclonus from the Vortex mold?
And how about a Guzzle from Brawl? Posted by Rodimus Prime on October 3rd, 2015 @ 1:12pm CDT
Re: Prototype Images - Transformers Combiner Wars Brawl, Onslaught with Demolishor Head, Scattershot (1731003)
Posted by
Damn brawl makes one hell of an arm. Kinda disappointing there was no new combiner head for demolisher though. Posted by steals_your_goats on October 3rd, 2015 @ 1:32pm CDT
Re: Prototype Images - Transformers Combiner Wars Brawl, Onslaught with Demolishor Head, Scattershot (1731005)
Posted by
steals_your_goats wrote: Damn brawl makes one hell of an arm. Kinda disappointing there was no new combiner head for demolisher though.
The demolisher head (hopefully) isn't gonna be a real figure bscauze does that looks like demolisher we would all rather like a new demolisher but come on have you seen what demolisher looks like its nothing like that The demolisher head (hopefully) isn't gonna be a real figure bscauze does that looks like demolisher we would all rather like a new demolisher but come on have you seen what demolisher looks like its nothing like that Posted by Starsaber468 on October 3rd, 2015 @ 1:38pm CDT
Re: Prototype Images - Transformers Combiner Wars Brawl, Onslaught with Demolishor Head, Scattershot (1731007)
Posted by
Starsaber468 wrote: steals_your_goats wrote: Damn brawl makes one hell of an arm. Kinda disappointing there was no new combiner head for demolisher though.
The demolisher head (hopefully) isn't gonna be a real figure bscauze does that looks like demolisher we would all rather like a new demolisher but come on have you seen what demolisher looks like its nothing like that The demolisher head (hopefully) isn't gonna be a real figure bscauze does that looks like demolisher we would all rather like a new demolisher but come on have you seen what demolisher looks like its nothing like that
I get what you're saying but I'd still like to see at least what they were going for concept wise. If this this is to be released I'd probably just use him as a replacement torso for the clubs Thunder Mayhem I get what you're saying but I'd still like to see at least what they were going for concept wise. If this this is to be released I'd probably just use him as a replacement torso for the clubs Thunder Mayhem Posted by steals_your_goats on October 3rd, 2015 @ 1:42pm CDT
Re: Prototype Images - Transformers Combiner Wars Brawl, Onslaught with Demolishor Head, Scattershot (1731044)
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Brawl is looking good! He can make a pretty good arm there. I'm ok with Demolishor, but dammit I really wanted a different combined mode head and chest on Scattershot. That may be the 1 combiner in the line that I'm really not liking Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on October 3rd, 2015 @ 3:07pm CDT
Re: Prototype Images - Transformers Combiner Wars Brawl, Onslaught with Demolishor Head, Scattershot (1731070)
Posted by
william-james88 wrote: Va'al wrote:
I love that last shot, what a great implementation of the hand/foot. Reminds me of this a bit:
I love that last shot, what a great implementation of the hand/foot. Reminds me of this a bit: Before I zoomed in I thought I spotted some metal slug.
Before I zoomed in I thought I spotted some metal slug. Posted by carytheone on October 3rd, 2015 @ 3:53pm CDT
Re: Prototype Images - Transformers Combiner Wars Brawl, Onslaught with Demolishor Head, Scattershot (1731072)
Posted by
Leg. Posted by Rodimus Prime on October 3rd, 2015 @ 3:55pm CDT
Re: Prototype Images - Transformers Combiner Wars Brawl, Onslaught with Demolishor Head, Scattershot (1731075)
Posted by
Personally I would have preferred a heavy (and I do mean HEAVY) retool of Brawl into Demolishor rather than have him done from Onslaught. He looks cool but I'll await colour images before I consider buying him. I might just buy the old Armada toy, or wait 'till the 3P industry finally addresses the large Armada-shaped hole in the market.
Brawl though...even if I don't get the rest of the Combaticons (which to be fair I probably will) I'll pick this guy up.
Also, am I the only one who thinks Brawl looks bloody awesome as an arm? He's a big chunk of armour with a goddamn shoulder cannon. What's not to like?
ALSO Also, Demolishor's combiner head totally should have been the "Armoured Mohawk" noggin used on the Energon figure (when he went from an anti-air tank to a dump truck). Posted by Black Hat on October 3rd, 2015 @ 3:59pm CDT
Re: Prototype Images - Transformers Combiner Wars Brawl, Onslaught with Demolishor Head, Scattershot (1731079)
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steals_your_goats wrote: Starsaber468 wrote: steals_your_goats wrote: Damn brawl makes one hell of an arm. Kinda disappointing there was no new combiner head for demolisher though.
The demolisher head (hopefully) isn't gonna be a real figure bscauze does that looks like demolisher we would all rather like a new demolisher but come on have you seen what demolisher looks like its nothing like that The demolisher head (hopefully) isn't gonna be a real figure bscauze does that looks like demolisher we would all rather like a new demolisher but come on have you seen what demolisher looks like its nothing like that
I get what you're saying but I'd still like to see at least what they were going for concept wise. If this this is to be released I'd probably just use him as a replacement torso for the clubs Thunder Mayhem I get what you're saying but I'd still like to see at least what they were going for concept wise. If this this is to be released I'd probably just use him as a replacement torso for the clubs Thunder Mayhem
Tfcc wouldn't use that as an replacement for an non-menber of the team Tfcc wouldn't use that as an replacement for an non-menber of the team Posted by Starsaber468 on October 3rd, 2015 @ 4:09pm CDT
Re: Prototype Images - Transformers Combiner Wars Brawl, Onslaught with Demolishor Head, Scattershot (1731081)
Posted by
Delta Magnus wrote: Personally I would have preferred a heavy (and I do mean HEAVY) retool of Brawl into Demolishor rather than have him done from Onslaught. He looks cool but I'll await colour images before I consider buying him. I might just buy the old Armada toy, or wait 'till the 3P industry finally addresses the large Armada-shaped hole in the market.
Brawl though...even if I don't get the rest of the Combaticons (which to be fair I probably will) I'll pick this guy up.
Also, am I the only one who thinks Brawl looks bloody awesome as an arm? He's a big chunk of armour with a goddamn shoulder cannon. What's not to like?
ALSO Also, Demolishor's combiner head totally should have been the "Armoured Mohawk" noggin used on the Energon figure (when he went from an anti-air tank to a dump truck).
No it probably wouldn't plus it woild be an armada character nog an energon character verison plus i honestly hope and think that it won't even happen (i just think this plus i want AN NEW MOLD for demolisher not an repaint because if its an repaint its gonna stay like that for a long time) No it probably wouldn't plus it woild be an armada character nog an energon character verison plus i honestly hope and think that it won't even happen (i just think this plus i want AN NEW MOLD for demolisher not an repaint because if its an repaint its gonna stay like that for a long time) Posted by Starsaber468 on October 3rd, 2015 @ 4:13pm CDT
Re: Prototype Images - Transformers Combiner Wars Brawl, Onslaught with Demolishor Head, Scattershot (1731084)
Posted by
Delta Magnus wrote:
Also, am I the only one who thinks Brawl looks bloody awesome as an arm? He's a big chunk of armour with a goddamn shoulder cannon. What's not to like?
Brawl does look badass as an arm. big and beefy! Brawl does look badass as an arm. big and beefy! Posted by D-Maximal_Primal on October 3rd, 2015 @ 4:17pm CDT
Re: Prototype Images - Transformers Combiner Wars Brawl, Onslaught with Demolishor Head, Scattershot (1731087)
Posted by
D-Maximus_Prime wrote: Delta Magnus wrote:
Also, am I the only one who thinks Brawl looks bloody awesome as an arm? He's a big chunk of armour with a goddamn shoulder cannon. What's not to like?
Brawl does look badass as an arm. big and beefy! Brawl does look badass as an arm. big and beefy!
Agreed Agreed Posted by Starsaber468 on October 3rd, 2015 @ 4:29pm CDT
Re: Prototype Images - Transformers Combiner Wars Brawl, Onslaught with Demolishor Head, Scattershot (1731090)
Posted by
Starsaber468 wrote: steals_your_goats wrote: Starsaber468 wrote: steals_your_goats wrote: Damn brawl makes one hell of an arm. Kinda disappointing there was no new combiner head for demolisher though.
The demolisher head (hopefully) isn't gonna be a real figure bscauze does that looks like demolisher we would all rather like a new demolisher but come on have you seen what demolisher looks like its nothing like that The demolisher head (hopefully) isn't gonna be a real figure bscauze does that looks like demolisher we would all rather like a new demolisher but come on have you seen what demolisher looks like its nothing like that
I get what you're saying but I'd still like to see at least what they were going for concept wise. If this this is to be released I'd probably just use him as a replacement torso for the clubs Thunder Mayhem I get what you're saying but I'd still like to see at least what they were going for concept wise. If this this is to be released I'd probably just use him as a replacement torso for the clubs Thunder Mayhem
Tfcc wouldn't use that as an replacement for an non-menber of the team Tfcc wouldn't use that as an replacement for an non-menber of the team
I know THEY wouldn't I said I would do that. I feel like his colors would work better than bludgeons colors I know THEY wouldn't I said I would do that. I feel like his colors would work better than bludgeons colors Posted by steals_your_goats on October 3rd, 2015 @ 4:32pm CDT
Re: Prototype Images - Transformers Combiner Wars Brawl, Onslaught with Demolishor Head, Scattershot (1731094)
Posted by
Is Scattershot really going with those colours? red, white & blue! or is that not the final product? Posted by Stuartmaximus on October 3rd, 2015 @ 4:41pm CDT
Re: Prototype Images - Transformers Combiner Wars Brawl, Onslaught with Demolishor Head, Scattershot (1731100)
Posted by
william-james88 wrote: Va'al wrote:
I love that last shot, what a great implementation of the hand/foot. Reminds me of this a bit:
I love that last shot, what a great implementation of the hand/foot. Reminds me of this a bit:
Funny, I was thinking it looked like a Metal Slug tank, a la |
the catastrophe in which the U.S. dropped two atomic bombs on Japan during WWII. The wikipedia article on The Doomsday Clock begins, “The Doomsday Clock is a symbolic clock face that represents a countdown to possible global catastrophe (e.g., nuclear war or climate change). It has been maintained since 1947 by the members of The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists... including 18 Nobel Laureates. The closer they set the Clock to midnight, the closer the scientists believe the world is to global disaster.”
On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that Russia needs to modernize its nuclear weapons. But the next day he indicated that Russia already has been involved in a program of modernizing its nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons arsenals can deteriorate. U.S. President Barak Obama has had a plan to upgrade the U.S. nuclear weapons arsenal during the next decade at the huge cost of $1 trillion.
Hours after this first Putin revelation, U.S. President-elect Donal Trump tweeted, “the United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes.” Much speculation followed about what Trump meant. That’s because he often speaks in generalities, leaving listeners guessing about specifics. Trump’s unusual habit of making constant announcements on his Twitter account is a contributing factor to such guessing about what he means since it allows him to avoid answering media questions. So, there was debate as to whether or not he advocated a nuclear arms race. The next day, Trump seemed to clarify himself by saying in a telephone interview, “Let it be an arms race. We will outmatch them at every pass and outlast them all.” Another nuclear arms race would not be good.
Putin then responded. He said he would not be drawn into an arms race with the U.S. He also said Russia had improved its nuclear capabilities so that it can overcome any missile defense system the U.S. now has and has given to its allies. If that is true, why does Russia object so strongly about the U.S., as a member of NATO, placing missile defense systems in Eastern Europe, which it claims is for the purpose of being prepared against Iran if its has nuclear weapons.
This admission by Putin seemed to be new information that the U.S. has not addressed. Putin added that Russia has made such improvements to its nuclear readiness without violating New Start. This treaty with the U.S. involves nuclear disarmament.
In March this year, during Donald Trump’s campaign for U.S. president, he mentioned the rogue state North Korea with its nuclear weapons testing. Japan and South Korea are U.S. allies that have treaties with the U.S. to guarantee their protection against an enemy attack, such as from the belligerent North Korea. (Japan has no military due to an enforced restriction after WWII.) Trump said, “Japan and North Korea need to get their own nuclear weapons.” He said this because of his penchant that the U.S. should no longer provide such costly protection for its allies. For example, ever since the Korean War, the U.S. has kept nearly 40,000 troops in South Korea near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which divides the two Koreas. And Trump has said that the U.S. should no longer fund NATO as it does, providing about one third of its budget.
All of this rhetoric by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin goes against past U.S. policy. President Barak Obama announced at the beginning of his eight years in office that his main goal was to put the U.S. on a course of leading the world to abolish all nuclear weapons. He has had some success. The New Start Treaty between the U.S. and Russia was signed in 2011. It reduced the U.S. stockpile of nuclear weapons to a total of 7,000 warheads and Russia’s arsenal reduced to 7,300 warheads, with each side having no more than 1,700 of them deployed. And both sides were to reduce their number of warheads to 1,550 by the year 2018. Of course, if the U.S. and Russia sent all of their nuclear weapons flying through the skies at each other, those two countries would be obliterated.
With this latest nuclear rhetoric by Trump and Putin, it appears they may scrap New Start. This possible new direction toward a nuclear arms race could lead to a FALSE START, in which both sides could be more susceptible to a mistaken nuclear exchange.
If the U.S. and Russia renew the nuclear arms race that the U.S. and the Soviet Union engaged in vigorously during the Cold War, which lasted a generation, it could spark arms races between other nations, such as Japan and South Korea with North Korea, Saudi Arabia with Iran, and Pakistan with India, both of whom have nuclear weapons. Also worrisome would be further nuclear proliferation to non-nuclear weapons nations.
It seems to me that because of this rhetoric by the world’s two leading heads of state next month, the Doomsday Clock will soon be moved closer to midnight. That reminds me of my several posts about Bible prophecies of wars being fought in the latter days with primitive weapons. This requires that before that happens, the world will rid itself of not only all nuclear weapons and other Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD), but all conventional weapons as well. I speculate that in order for this to happen, the world may not do as Trump said Thursday, “until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes,” until the world experiences them again, perhaps far greater than it did in 1945. To read more about this horrendous possibility, see my following posts about future world disarmament: North Korea’s Growing Nuclear Capability Is Worrisome; The Doctrine of Imminence Prevents Abolishing Guns, Nuclear Disarmament Goes to World Court, Someday No More Guns.DMM copper disc sitting on the turntable of a Neumann AM131 lathe, built in the 1930s
Direct metal mastering (DMM) is an analog audio disc mastering technique jointly developed by two German companies, Telefunken-Decca (Teldec) and Georg Neumann GmbH, toward the end of the 20th century after having seen the same technology used by RCA Princeton Labs for its SelectaVision videodiscs in the late-1970s.
Records manufactured with this technology are often marked by a "DMM" logo on the outer record sleeve. Many current production high quality pressings, as well as standard production LPs from the 1990s, only indicate its use by inscribing "DMM" in the lead-out groove area of the disc.
Neumann was responsible for manufacturing the actual DMM cutting equipment as part of its VMS80 series lathes. Unlike conventional disc mastering, where the mechanical audio modulation is cut onto a lacquer-coated aluminum disc, DMM cuts straight into metal (copper), utilizing a high frequency carrier system and specialized diamond styli, vibrating at more than 40 kHz (i.e. 60 kHz) [1] to facilitate the cutting.
Overview [ edit ]
The advantages of DMM (hard surface material) over acetate lacquer cutting (soft surface material) are both sonic and practical: because of the rigidity of the master disc medium, no groove wall bounce-back effects take place after the cutting has been completed. This preserves the original modulation details in the groove walls much better, especially those involved with sudden fast attacks (transients). The improved transient response, as well as the more linear phase response of DMM improve the overall stability and depth-of-field in the stereo image. In addition, disturbing adjacent groove print-through sounds (groove echoes) are reduced in DMM. Also, there is no need to rush the finalized master disc directly into a refrigerator for groove preservation, as in conventional lacquer disc cutting, before processing the master disc to produce matrices for the pressing of the records.
The cutting lathe for DMM engraves the audio signal directly onto a copper-plated master disc, instead of engraving the groove into a lacquer-coated aluminum disc. Examination of early DMM discs revealed what appeared to be a high frequency modulation in the groove, thought to be caused by the use of an ultrasonic carrier tone. In fact, there was no carrier tone and the modulation was simply caused by the vibration (squeal) of the cutter head as it was dragged through the copper disc.
The DMM copper master disc can be plated to produce the required number of stampers using the one-step plating process. Rather than having to electroform a master (or "father"), mother and then stampers (the traditional "three-step process"), the DMM copper disc serves as the'mother". Bypassing the silvering process and two electroforming stages reduces the risk of introducing noise that can be generated in the electroforming (galvanic) process. In cases where hundreds of stampers may be required, the DMM disc is often used as a mandrel to electroform a master and mother, from which many stampers are then made. Chemical passivation of the metal surface of each part precludes "plating," so the parts can be mechanically separated from each other upon removal from the tank.
Along with mechanical audio recording, DMM is now more or less a thing of the past (certainly not in the mainstream of the sound recording industry any longer). Since the sale of Neumann to German microphone manufacturer Sennheiser, Neumann no longer produces lathes or supplies parts. The lathes in use today are kept operational by independent service consultants, as well as cutting room personnel themselves, often by buying incomplete lathes and stripping them for parts.
The DMM specification also includes a profile for the pressing of 12-inch records. To the naked eye, this profile has no obvious contour on the face of the record giving the appearance of a totally flat-faced record. For the purpose of compression moulding, which is the process by which records are pressed, the face of the record does indeed have a contour and a cross-sectional view of a 12-inch record will reveal that it is wedge shaped from the centre to the edge. The lack of obvious contour in the groove area on the face of the record closely replicates the original disc surface and reduces playback errors. Pressing records with this profile was mandatory for a record to bear the "DMM" logo. DMM licensees that did not use this profile were unable to use the DMM logo on its products, but were of course free to use terms such as "Mastered on Copper" as did EMI Australia when not using the DMM-profiled moulds or when cutting a DMM master for another record manufacturer. The best example of a DMM pressing can usually be found on the Teldec (Germany) or EMI (UK) labels from the early 1980s.
The decline of vinyl records in favour of the compact disc, saw many Neumann VMS82 DMM lathes converted for cutting lacquer discs as few plants were able to process DMM masters and so many disc cutting facilities conformed to the industry standard - cutting on lacquer.
As of 2009, there are six or seven DMM cutting facilities left in the world—all located in Europe. The USA lost its last DMM cutting facility in 2005 with the demise of New York City-based record manufacturer Europadisk LLC. Europadisk's DMM lathe was sold at auction on 20-SEP-05 to the Church of Scientology for US $72,500.
The DMM concept was a spin-off of RCA's SelectaVision development of CED videodisc recording equipment both in Indianapolis as well as the David Sarnoff Research Facility in Princeton NJ who traded it to Teldec for other research it used in other capacities. After further development, Teldec attempted to sell its DMM technology back to RCA, however RCA was not interested. Therefore, as a result, all DMM titles from RCA and subsidiary labels were all mastered elsewhere.
Although Neumann produced, demonstrated and promoted a successful prototype CD Mastering unit for DMM, it never went into commercial production. Most of the remaining original spare parts were purchased from Neumann by the UK disc cutting consultant Sean Davies, who carried on repair maintenance of existing systems since Neumann stopped production.[2]
The photo at right shows a DMM copper disc sitting on a very early Neumann AM series lathe from the late-1930s. The cutterhead shown is the Neumann SX74 for cutting lacquer discs (not copper discs) and was introduced in 1974.
Advantages and disadvantages [ edit ]
The direct metal mastering technology addresses the lacquer mastering technology's issue of pre-echoes during record play, caused by the cutting stylus unintentionally transferring some of the subsequent groove wall's impulse signal into the previous groove wall. In particular, a quiet passage followed by a loud sound often clearly revealed a faint pre-echo of the loud sound occurring 1.8 seconds ahead of time (the duration of one revolution at 33 rpm). This problem could also appear as post-echo, 1.8 seconds after a peak in volume.
Another improvement is noise reduction. The lacquer mastering method bears a higher risk of adding unwanted random noise to the recording, caused by the enclosure of small dust particles when spraying the silvering on the lacquer master, which is the necessary first step of the electroplating process for reproduction of the master disc. As the DMM master disc is already made of metal (copper), this step is not required, and its faults are avoided.
With the groove being cut straight into a metal foil, this removed a number of plating stages in the manufacturing process. This gave rise to more upper frequency levels and less surface noise. Additionally, groove pre-echo problems are significantly diminished. Bass is typically tight and well defined, even described as more accurate than the fat, mushy sound of lacquered vinyl pressings.
Because of the modulation arising from this cutting method, criticisms have arisen of the sound of such 'DMM' records. They are often labelled as bright or edgy.
DMM LP pressings are sometimes described as having a harshness or forwardness in the high frequencies. The fact the groove is cut to copper, a hard metal, and not to soft lacquer, nitrocelullose, supposedly endows DMM vinyl LP with a very different tonality to traditionally manufactured vinyl LP pressings. Direct metal mastering requires a radically different cutting angle than traditional (lacquer) cutting, almost 0 degrees.[3] However the playback cartridges will always have the standard playback angle of 15–22.5°. Thus, the DMM process includes electronic audio processing [4] so the records can be played with a standard cartridge despite having been cut at a substantially different angle. This electronic processing might account for the supposedly different high frequency "signature sound" of DMM records.
Digital recordings [ edit ]
A similar technique, developed by Teldec is used for digital records on CDs and DVDs.
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]
^ US patent 4484320 ^ Resolution Magazine (UK) feature story about disc cutting and interview of Sean Davies ^ US patent 4484320 ^ US patent 4538256My friend Crystal has been doing a “10 Things on Tuesday” post for a while now. This week she is hosting her first linkup so I decided to join her!
1. I forgot about the quotes under the caps on Magic Hat bottles. I just opened up one the other day and I love the quote in it. “Be a Traveler Not a Tourist” So true!
2. I love finding entire series on Netflix. I didn’t watch Dawson’s Creek when it was on over a decade ago, but I started watching it last week just for the heck of it. It’s not bad, but I can see why I didn’t become obsessed with it when it was on.
3. I’m giving my juicer a serious workout this week. I started a juice cleanse yesterday. It’s only a 3-day cleanse that Dr. Oz talked about, but I’ll give it a full review when I’m done.
4. Trying to blog as often as I want to can be time consuming. I do my best to write posts in advance, but usually I run out of ideas or I just reach a point of sheer exhaustion before I can complete more than two posts.
5. My swim coach is badass! She finished 8th in the Women’s Pro division of the Escape from Alcatraz triathlon. She had the fastest women’s time overall for the swim portion of the race.
6. I need to get some new Speedos. I’m trying to lose weight so I can fit into the one I have right now, but constantly swimming in my Tri suit top and regular bathing suit bottoms it getting a bit old.
7. I’m considering replacing the handlebars on my bike. I might want some of those racing handles that people use during triathlons.
8. I don’t know what I hate more about doing the laundry: folding the clothes or having to put away the clothes after they’re folded.
9. I love hearing random songs on Sirius XM. I wish I was able to get up and dance when I heard this song last night!
10. I’m finally back in my job at resorts and I couldn’t be happier!!!ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The number of people fleeing Hawija and surrounding areas more than doubled in the last half of August over the first half, the UN reported as forces gear up to launch an offensive to oust ISIS from the region.“There has been a sharp rise in displacement” from the Hawija area that spans Saladin and Kirkuk provinces over the past two weeks, the UNHCR stated in an update published Thursday.The number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) arriving at camps in Kirkuk more than doubled in the last half of August, 918 individuals up from 421.In addition, the UNHCR documented 1,200 individuals who fled westward, into Saladin province.The UNHCR noted that Iraqi forces air-dropped leaflets in August in the ISIS-controlled areas “advising the local population to avoid areas where extremist groups are positioned.”The Hawija pocket, centred on the town of Hawija 55 kilometres southwest of Kirkuk, contains fewer than 1,000 ISIS fighters, according to coalition figures, half of what was estimated in Tal Afar, but they are a large security threat.In the course of the past few months, ISIS has been carrying out deadly hit-and-run operations against the Peshmerga and civilians in the regions south and west of Kirkuk, particularly in Tuz Khurmatu and Daquq. Many of the militants came from the group's Hawija stronghold.Because of the recent spate of deadly attacks, the Peshmerga have closed corridors on the Daquq frontline, the UNHCR reported, noting that they are working with Kurdish officials to re-open the routes in order to give the IDPs “more options to access safety.”The UNHCR also noted it was concerned about forced returns of IDPs from urban areas of Kirkuk. Most of the 100 families who were notified to leave Kirkuk in the last half of August were from Anbar and Saladin provinces, with a few from Hawija and Nineveh.Noting “widespread fear and anxiety among IDP families,” the UNHCR urged Kirkuk authorities to end forced returns.Neymar produced and received the most challenges in the Confederations Cup
A fascinating piece of data emerged from the Confederations Cup - the player who committed the most fouls in the tournament was Brazil striker Neymar.
The 22-year-old - also the most fouled player - committed 17 infringements during the 2013 competition, closely followed by team-mate Oscar (14).
That Neymar was the most fouled player will come as no surprise, for two reasons. Neymar, who joined Barcelona from Santos last summer for £48.6m, is a wonderfully talented dribbler, superbly balanced and capable of changing direction at pace. On form, he is a defender's nightmare.
His relatively frail build means he can be knocked over, and his delivery from free-kicks gives him a strong incentive to go to ground when in striking distance of goal. Sometimes kicking him seems to be the only way to stop him, and sometimes he is only too happy to draw the foul.
The first statistic, however, might raise a few eyebrows. Few would expect two of Brazil's attacking talents to be at the top of this list.
On reflection, though, it is not hard to understand - and the explanation goes right to the heart of Brazil's challenge to win the 2014 World Cup.
Changes in both personnel and style of play since the last finals mean that the Brazilian side appear to be adopting a return to tactical fouling, infringements which break down an attack by a team's opponents, and it is forwards like Neymar who are the first line of defence.
After their quarter-final elimination by the Netherlands in South Africa four years ago, Dunga was sacked as national team coach and replaced by Mano Menezes. Relatively inexperienced, Menezes had to preside over two important changes.
Firstly, he had to rebuild the side. Brazil had taken an ageing squad to South Africa and Menezes had to identity and nurture the likes of Neymar and Oscar.
He also had to oversee a change of style. The problem was confronted in his very first news conference. Brazil had become over-dependent on the counter-attack.
They did not know how to play against opponents who sat back and denied them the space to launch their favourite weapon.
Neymar da Silva Santos Junior Born: 5 February 1992 Height: 5ft 9in Brazil caps: 47 Brazil goals: 30 Did you know? More than 14,000 Brazil fans signed a petition demanding that Neymar be called up for the 2010 World Cup finals after he was not named in then head coach Dunga's squad. They were unsuccessful.
Concern at this defect was all the greater because Brazil would be playing the next World Cup at home, where they were bound to meet cautious opponents.
In many of his training sessions, Menezes worked at getting the team to press high in the opponent's half. This has rarely been part of the Brazilian make-up.
The great 1970 side, for example, concentrated on bringing everyone bar centre-forward Tostao behind the line of the ball when they lost possession. One of the reasons that right winger Jairzinho was so successful in that tournament was that this created plenty of space into which he could burst and latch on to the magnificent long-range passing of Gerson.
When Luiz Felipe Scolari was recalled to replace Menezes at the end of 2012, some important changes were made. Straight away, a target man centre-forward was brought back into the team - this soon turned out to be Fred.
And the jigsaw started to fit together when a holding midfielder, Luiz Gustavo, was introduced, protecting the space in front of the centre-backs.
Otherwise, though, there were few changes in personnel. Scolari kept faith with the men Menezes had been blooding.
He also retained the tactic of occasionally pressing high in the opponent's half. But he was worried about it as it meant his team were leaving lots of space behind them.
It is important to stress here that former Chelsea boss Scolari made his name in the 1990s - a time when Brazilian football was dominated by tactical fouling. Some believed that the team that fouled most intelligently would win the game.
A foul, some argued, was covered by the rules, meaning that it was a resource of the game to be used at opportune moments.
Luiz Felipe Scolari guided his team to victory at the Confederations Cup last year
In 1999, Scolari said that "well played, normal football in certain situations obliges a player to commit a foul - a push, some shirt pulling, use of the shoulder, fouls that don't give the opponents the chance to organise an attack".
In the current context, this means that when Brazil lose possession, the likes of Neymar and Oscar (or Willian, who is doing well in training) have to take on the responsibility of being the first line of defence.
Part of their role is to slow down or halt the opposing counter-attack - preferably by winning the ball close to goal. But if their attempts to win possession end in a foul, so be it.
One possible problem is their relative lack of experience in this function. Against Italy in the Confederations Cup, Neymar had to be substituted because he was flirting dangerously with a red card.
And it also means Brazil's World Cup matches are likely to be tough to referee. In a highly charged atmosphere, there will be lots of decisions to make. Brazil's players will be under huge pressure during the World Cup. So will those who officiate their games.
Go to our new World Cup features and video index for more in-depth content and analysis.Band also tease music on Drones mini-site and share new track 'Reapers'
Muse have unveiled two huge new tracks 'The Handler' and 'Reapers' from upcoming seventh album, Drones. Check out both songs below.
The band have been teasing fans with new clips on their official Drones mini-site, before the track was premiered by Annie Mac on her BBC Radio One show. Starting with a classic Muse searing riff with bone-shaking rhythms, 'The Handler' carries the solid space-rock heft of numbers from the Absolution era, akin to 'The Small Print', 'Fury' and 'The Groove'.
It's sure to provide a pretty monolithic cornerstone for Drones.
Listen to 'The Handler' by Muse below
The Drones mini-site is urging fans to 'await missions' around the world soon - perhaps to win prizes, tickets or to see or hear exclusive content, as the band have done in the past.
Meanwhile, the site also uploaded the lyric video for another hard and heavy new one 'Reapers'.
Listen to 'Reapers' by Muse below
The lyrics to 'Reapers' are as follows
Home
It's becoming a killing field
There's a cross-hair locked on my heart
With no recourse
And there's no one behind the wheel
Hellfire
You're wiping me out
Killed by
Drones!
(killed by) Drones!
(killed by)
You rule with lies and deceit
The world is on your side
You've got the CIA baby
(you can run but you're never gonna hide, you can run but you're never gonna gonna gonna) All you've done is brutalize
(you can run but you're never gonna hide, you can run but you're never gonna gonna gonna) Drones!
War
War just moved up a gear
I don't think I can handle the truth
I'm just a pawn
And we're all expendable
Incidentally
Electronically erased
By your
Drones!
(killed by) Drones!
(killed by)
You kill by remote control
The world is on your side
You've got reapers and hawks babe
(you can run but you're never gonna hide, you can run but you're never gonna gonna gonna) Now I am radicalized
(you can run but you're never gonna hide, you can run but you're never gonna gonna gonna) Drones!
(you can run but you're never gonna hide, you can run but you're never gonna gonna gonna)
(you can run but you're never gonna hide, you can run but you're never gonna gonna gonna)
You rule with lies and deceit
The world is on your side
You've got the CIA baby
All you've done is brutalize
You kill by remote control
(you can run but you're never gonna hide, you can run but you're never gonna gonna gonna) The world is on your side
(you can run but you're never gonna hide, you can run but you're never gonna gonna gonna) You've got reapers and hawks babe
(you can run but you're never gonna hide, you can run but you're never gonna gonna gonna) Now I am radicalized
(you can run but you're never gonna hide, you can run but you're never gonna gonna gonna)
Here come the drones!
[SIREN] Here come the drones!
Here come the drones!
Muse release Drones on 8 June before they headline Download Festival alongside Slipknot, Kiss, Marilyn Manson and many more. See here for tickets and information. Bellamy has also said that the band will be headlining Bestival in September. Read about why that will be awesome here, and for tickets and information, visit here.WizKids/NECA is happy to announce brand-new content for Star Trek: Attack Wing, starting with Star Trek: Attack Wing: Card Packs – Wave 1. Each Card Pack contains 11 cards, Captain Tokens and a Ship Token. Each pack will focus on a particular ship and contain fun, thematic cards with a new point-efficient cost system that will add a fresh level of depth and excitement to gameplay. In addition, the new formatting and iconography for cards will now allow players to easily identify game effects such as triggers, durations, range and firing arc.
The next ship to be previewed is the I.K.S. Ves Batlh, a Raptor Class ship last seen in Wave 3 of the original expansion packs. Compared to the I.K.S. Somraw at 20 SP, the I.K.S. Ves Batlh is a lean 13 SP for the same ship stats, action bar, and upgrade bar. Even the generic version of the ship is reduced from 16 SP to 11 SP. The special ability for this ship, however, is what truly sets it apart from its predecessor. The I.K.S. Ves Batlh reduces the damage from mines by 1. That means the I.K.S. Batlh can fly into a mine field with little or no fear, knowing that it can use its Scan Action to reduce a cloaked mines attack from 3 dice to 2 and then use its special ability to further reduce any damage that might be taken by the mine. This valuable ability will make the I.K.S. Ves Batlh a mighty addition to any Klingon Swarm Fleet.
The I.K.S. Ves Batlh Card PackI.K.S. Ves Batlh Card PackI.K.S. Ves Batlh Card PackStar Trek: Attack WingStar Trek: Attack Wing Card Packs- Wave OneI.K.S. Ves Batlh Card Pack WizKids.com/AttackWing Star Trek: Attack Wing StarTrek.comFacebook may be making strides in some areas of privacy, but the company is still struggling when it comes to deleting user photos—or not deleting them, as the case may be.
We wrote a piece more than a year ago examining whether photos really disappear from social network servers when you delete them, and found that Facebook was one of the worst offenders when it came to leaving "deleted" photos online. We decided to revisit the issue recently when readers continued to point out that our deleted photos from that article were still online more than 16 months later. Indeed, this old photo of me remains on Facebook's content delivery network (CDN) servers, despite being deleted on May 21, 2009.
When we originally inquired with Facebook in 2009 about this, the company tried to tell us that deleted images were inaccessible even though they were on the server (a statement that's obviously false if you have a direct link to the image file, as we do). Simultaneously, Facebook told Ars that it was "working with" its CDN partner to "significantly reduce the amount of time that backup copies persist."
The company, it turns out, is mostly sticking to that party line. "For all practical purposes, the photo no longer exists, and we wouldn’t be able find it if we were asked or even compelled to do so," Facebook spokesperson Simon Axten told Ars via e-mail this week. "This is similar to what happens when you delete information from the hard drive of your computer."
Facebook does acknowledge now that the photos are technically accessible by some people, but basically repeats the line about working with the CDN. "It's possible that someone who previously had access to a photo and saved the direct URL from our content delivery network partner could still access the photo," Axten said. "However, again, the person would have to know the URL, and the photo only exists in the CDN's cache for a limited amount of time. We're working with the CDN to reduce the amount of time that the photo remains in its cache."
It seems we haven't quite found the limits of that "limited amount of time" just yet—after all, 16 months is quite a while. The other social networks in our original report have all removed our images from their servers by now, and Facebook is the lone holdout.
We'll keep checking up with Facebook to see if and when the situation gets improved, but in the meantime, we're sticking with our original party line too: if you don't want to give your enemies blackmail material, don't upload questionable photos in the first place. If you've already uploaded such photos and tried to delete them, then keep your fingers crossed that no one has the direct URLs saved somewhere.
Update (Oct. 12): After widespread coverage of this particular problem, Facebook has apparently removed my "deleted" photo from its CDN server. However, as far as we're aware, this problem is still in place for all other Facebook users who don't have the privilege of drawing widespread attention to the problem like we do. I've deleted another couple of photos from my Facebook profile in order to keep watching the issue.
Update 2: Ars reader Andrew Bourke e-mailed to say that a family member uploaded a semi-nude photo of his son and then deleted it more than 2.5 years ago (we agreed not to link it directly for privacy reasons). The photo still remains on Facebook's CDN servers today, despite repeated requests to Facebook to have the photo removed. Another reader named Filippo e-mailed to say that he deleted this photo in April of 2009, which also remains on the servers today.
Update 3: Facebook spokesperson Simon Axten checked back in with us after our latest updates above and said that the company is actively working with its CDN on this issue. "We're currently working with the CDN on a fix that will delete photo and video content from the CDN's cache shortly after it's removed on Facebook," Axten said. "The fix is already in place for videos, and we hope to implement it for profile pictures and photos in the coming weeks."Transgender activist Blaire White was assaulted on Hollywood Blvd for sporting a Make America Great Again hat in a social experiment gone awry.
“I wanted to see what would happen if I wore a Trump hat in public in Hollywood,” White tweeted. “Ended up bloody and covered in alcohol, so I’d say NOT all that shocking LMAO.”
NEW VIDEO: I wanted to see what would happen if I wore a Trump hat in public in Hollywood. Ended up bloody and covered in alcohol, so I'd say NOT all that shocking lmaooohttps://t.co/qKOkjD9maE pic.twitter.com/RGsNmbkgg2 — Blaire White (@MsBlaireWhite) November 12, 2017
A vlogger pointed out the individuals who assaulted White were “fat-ass white neoliberals.”
Noticed how the two asshats who assaulted @MsBlaireWhite in Hollywood are fatass white neoliberals with bad haircuts? Bitch on the right ran like a fucking pussy afterwards. pic.twitter.com/2iySuyokdD — 💀Meli Missfit🍇 (@MeliMissfit) November 12, 2017
The experiment, aimed at exposing how triggered the Left becomes over anything Trump-related, was simply to wear the hat in public peacefully, and she didn’t do anything provocative, White added.
By the way, I'd like to make it clear that the experiment was simply to wear the hat in public. We didn't do anything remotely inflammatory or investigative. We didn't even really speak to them. — Blaire White (@MsBlaireWhite) November 12, 2017
White also mentioned how women wearing hats or short skirts doesn’t mean they’re “asking for it.”
Women aren't asking for it when they wear short skirts & Trump supporters aren't asking for it when they wear their hats. 🙃 — Blaire White (@MsBlaireWhite) November 13, 2017
It’s worth noting how liberals preach tolerance and acceptance of everyone while at the same time viciously assaulting anybody – including a transgender woman – who doesn’t share their narrow anti-Trump viewpoint.
Liberals react more strongly to trivial matters like White’s MAGA hat than they do, for instance, when an Islamic terrorist mows down innocents with a truck in NYC.
Muslim Americans again brace for backlash after New York attack https://t.co/tD5eEpOitI pic.twitter.com/i2xxTgjVEA — NBC News (@NBCNews) November 1, 2017
Keep the Muslim fear-mongering to yourself, bigots. New Yorkers don't fuck with that. — Lauren Duca (@laurenduca) October 31, 2017
8 people died in #Manhattan in what officials are calling a terrorist attack. As we mourn those lost, Muslim Americans brace for backlash: pic.twitter.com/gtsHsjB0NL — Splinter (@splinter_news) November 1, 2017
Twitter: Follow @WhiteIsTheFuryHarvard Law Professors Say New Sexual Assault Policy Is One-Sided
Enlarge this image toggle caption Darren McCollester/Getty Images Darren McCollester/Getty Images
Just a few months after Harvard University announced a new, tougher policy against campus sexual assault, a group of Harvard law professors is blasting the rules as unfair.
Harvard announced its new policy this summer, after the school came under federal investigation for being too soft on sexual assault. The group of 28 law professors says Harvard has overreacted with rules that are "overwhelmingly stacked against the accused" and "starkly one-sided."
"The Harvard policy goes so far that it's pretty shocking," says Harvard Law professor Janet Halley.
She says Harvard's process, at its core, is biased because it is run by a single Title IX compliance office that's under pressure to show the government results.
"It's the charging agent like the prosecutor, it's the investigator — they're the judge, and they're the [people who hear] the appeal from all those decisions," she says. "So they're not neutral. They're there to increase the number of persons held responsible."
Halley is also troubled that the policy, she says, gives alleged victims many more rights and protections than the accused. She says it is also too broad in what it considers sexual misconduct. The school, she argues, relies too much on what a victim says is a violation, and too little on what a "reasonable person might say," as federal law requires.
"When |
it what’s known as a significant peculiar velocity. But on the largest scales, Hubble’s law, or the velocity/redshift relation, shows itself incredibly clearly.
Image credit: Andrew Liddle’s Introduction to Modern Cosmology.
You might instinctively wonder, especially if you know about the framework of the Big Bang, whether this will continue forever or not? Hubble’s famous law was formulated all the way back in 1929, and for the majority of the 20th century, scientists were seeking the answer to that very question.
Image credit: retrieved from John D. Norton at University of Pittsburgh, modified by me.
You see, the Universe originated from a hot, dense, very rapidly expanding state. It was full of matter and radiation, and over time it expanded, cooled, and the expansion rate began to slow. In addition, gravitational imperfections grew into galaxies and clusters of galaxies, or shrank into great cosmic voids.
From a time billions of years ago when the Universe was almost perfectly uniform, with no life, planets, stars or galaxies in it, we now have — on average — hundreds of billions of stars in each of hundreds of billions of galaxies, populating an observable Universe some 92 billion light years across. And it looks something like this.
Sure, the Universe started off expanding very rapidly, but it also started out with a tremendous amount of matter-and-energy in it. Over time, gravitation slowed the expansion rate down. And things are still expanding… for now.
But that’s our past history. What about the future?
You can imagine — as most scientists did for most of the 20th century — three possible scenarios:
Gravity wins. If there’s enough matter-and-energy, then gravitation could eventually overcome the initial expansion. The Universe will reach a maximum size where the expansion rate drops to zero, and then a contraction phase begins. Over enough time, the Universe will return to a hot, dense state, and ends in a fiery fate known as the Big Crunch. Expansion wins. If there isn’t enough matter-and-energy, then gravitation fails to slow down the initial expansion sufficiently. Distant galaxies will continue to recede away, and even though the expansion rate drops, it will never reach zero and will never reverse itself. Eventually, everything will be so far apart that it will end in a state where all its matter is arbitrarily close to absolute zero: the Big Freeze. The “Goldilocks” case. If the Universe had just one more proton in it, it would recollapse and end in a Big Crunch. If it had just one fewer proton, it would expand apart forever. But in a critical Universe, the expansion rate and gravity sit right on that edge. The expansion rate asymptotes to zero, but freezes at the slowest possible rate without recollapsing.
For a long time, we attempted to measure which of these three options described our Universe. Was it going to recollapse, was it going to “coast” forever, or was it the critical case?
Image credit: Pearson / Addison-Wesley.
Imagine our surprise when the data came in — just in 1998 — indicating that it was none of these options! Instead, the expansion rate isn’t going to keep dropping, but will asymptote to a finite, non-zero value.
This means that each and every galaxy, as it moves farther away from us, will recede faster and faster over time, appearing to accelerate away!
Image credit: NASA & ESA, via http://www.spacetelescope.org/images/opo9919k/.
In one sense, this is just the nature of the Universe, doing what it does by obeying the laws of physics. But in another, more thoughtful sense, this is incredibly depressing.
You see, in the three scenarios we had envisioned previously, if you left Earth in a rocket ship that could move at arbitrary speeds, you could always reach any galaxy in the observable Universe, given enough time. Sure, the more distant a galaxy was, the longer you’d have to travel to get there, but everything was reachable in principle, no matter how dim, faint or distant it was. Because gravity would decelerate the expansion rate over time, if you were dedicated enough, and traveled at a fast enough speed for a long enough time, you could inevitably run down anything in the Universe.
Image credit: Jean-Charles Cuillandre (CFHT) & Giovanni Anselmi (Coelum Astronomia), Hawaiian Starlight.
But not if our Universe is accelerating. If something is receding from us right now at more than 299,792.458 km/s — faster than light speed — and it’s accelerating too, how could anything reach it? Even a photon, moving at the speed of light, wouldn’t be able to reach such a galaxy. Instead, anything beyond that point will do something that cosmologists call red out, which means they’re sufficiently redshifted that anything we do today could never, ever reach them, and only the light they emitted in the past will ever reach us. We are already causally disconnected from them.
And one incredibly frightening thing is that any galaxy with a redshift bigger than about 1.5 (which is not that big a number) is already gone.
NASA, ESA, H. Teplitz and M. Rafelski (IPAC/Caltech), A. Koekemoer (STScI), R. Windhorst (Arizona State University), and Z. Levay (STScI).
Consider an image like this: 10,000 of the faintest, most distant galaxies we’ve ever discovered. By measuring their redshifts, we can determine (going back to Hubble’s law) precisely how far away these galaxies are.
And as it turns out, about 40% of the galaxies in this image are already unreachable, even for a beam of light that left today. If we zoom in to this region of space and imagine what these galaxies look like as far as “depth” goes, as in the video below, we’d find that everything left in the image after about the 0:38 second mark has already redded out.
And as the Universe continues on in time, more and more galaxies are redding out as the Universe continues to accelerate. With each second that goes by (on average) thousands of stars and their planetary systems cross that horizon forever, and leave our ability to reach them for all eternity. Of the hundreds of billions of galaxies (maybe even as many as a trillion) in our Universe today, only about 3% of them are still reachable. And every time a mere three years goes by, another one fades from our present reachability.
We can always hope that some type of controlled wormhole, or spacetime-bending faster-than-light travel can save us, but there’s no evidence that such an innovation — despite our best science fiction dreams — can ever be practically realized. Until then, we’d better plan on starting our journey sooner rather than later.
Because the expansion marches on.New York: Continuing misery in Rockaways in aftermath of Hurricane Sandy
By Philip Guelpa
12 December 2012
Nearly a month and a half after Hurricane Sandy hit the northeast coast of the United States, thousands of residents in the Rockaways section of the borough of Queens in New York City continue to live in misery. People in this area, where a number of public housing complexes are located, continue to cope with limited heat, electricity, food, medical care, and transportation.
As of late November, nearly 10,000 people were still without power. It is estimated that up to half of the small businesses that served this area have been destroyed and will never be rebuilt. Direct subway service to the Rockaway peninsula is not expected to be restored until next spring. The substitute bus service is grossly inadequate, causing long delays for those commuting to work or school.
The neighborhoods known collectively as The Rockaways (named after a Native American tribe which once inhabited the New York area) lie on a long, narrow peninsula that is effectively a barrier island on the south shore of Long Island, though connected to the mainland at its eastern end. It forms the southern boundary of Jamaica Bay, on which JFK airport is located.
As a barrier island, the south side of the Rockaway Peninsula fronts directly on the Atlantic Ocean. It therefore took the full brunt of Hurricane Sandy when the storm made landfall on October 29. The flood map published by the city shows that the low-lying peninsula was completely inundated with at least four feet of water coming from both the ocean and the bay. Many homes and other buildings were destroyed and many more were severely damaged. At least four people are known to have died in this area.
In addition to the direct effects of flooding, the storm caused the outbreak of multiple fires, including one in Breezy Point that destroyed over 100 homes. Hurricane conditions made it impossible for firefighters to effectively respond.
The city’s disorganized and poorly planned response to the storm is exemplified by the experience of residents and workers at more than a dozen nursing homes on the Rockaway Peninsula. These facilities were told to “shelter in place” even though the whole area was in a mandatory evacuation zone. Removal of the residents in the immediate aftermath of the storm was extremely difficult and dangerous, putting their lives at risk. The haphazard nature of the evacuation to scattered shelters meant that medical records were often unavailable and relatives had a difficult time finding their family members.
Rockaway neighborhoods are home to 125,000 people, including public employees as well as thousands of the unemployed and the working poor, many of whom live in four major public housing complexes. Although the peninsula was in the mandatory evacuation zone, no concerted effort was made by the city to provide adequate emergency shelters or to help residents, many of whom are elderly or infirm, to leave. Those shelters that were available rapidly became squalid and dangerous.
Even prior to the storm, living conditions for many residents of the Rockaways were difficult. The area is one of a number of low-lying neighborhoods in the city, including Coney Island and Red Hook in Brooklyn and the Lower East Side of Manhattan, where large numbers of housing projects were built in past decades.
During the post-World War II period, a number of waterside locations that had once been popular recreation and residential areas fell into disfavor as affluent New Yorkers moved farther out on Long Island or to the Jersey Shore. Other low-lying areas in the city had long been undesirable enclaves for the poor or had lost commercial or maritime-related activities. The marginalized real estate was cheap and available for placement of apartment blocks. This effectively created high-rise ghettos located far away from the wealthier areas.
Although at first such developments were a relative improvement compared to previous living conditions, decades of neglect and underfunding by the city have resulted in severe deterioration. The effects of Hurricane Sandy have only compounded these conditions.
The WSWS spoke with Rockaways residents about their experiences in the aftermath of the storm as well as the current situation.
Cynthia Leathers works in a local nursing home that is operating on generator power. Other facilities are in worse shape. “Many of them were damaged and won’t open back up,” she explained. “What about the people there? What about the people who lost their jobs?”
Jonathan Lloyd
Jonathan Lloyd, an unemployed resident of Far Rockaway, whose basement apartment and all his belongings were completely destroyed by the storm, described conditions facing many of the area’s residents. “Basically I’m homeless now. I don’t want to go to the shelter. I took one look at it. It was overcrowded and dirty. I’ll stay at my mom’s or my sister’s or my friend’s house. I’ll stick around for a few days then you see that, ok, it’s been long enough, it’s time to stay somewhere else. I shouldn’t have to go through this. I’m 50 years old. Do you think I want to sleep on my mom’s couch?”
Jessica Macias
Jessica Macias told the WSWS that she spent 13 days without light, heat and hot water after the storm. Utilities are still not fully restored, with hot water unreliable. “I’m mad at LIPA (Long Island Power Authority). I just got a bill that was the highest ever. But why didn’t they do more to prepare? Why couldn’t they order transformers before the storm if they knew it was going to be bad? LIPA’s president gets on TV and makes it seem like they have everything under control. That’s a lie. It wasn’t until Obama’s visit two weeks later—that’s when the lights came back on.”
Cynthia reported similar difficulties. “We still have no hot water. It took 23 days before I got my lights back on. It’s crazy. People on my block still don’t have lights. We shouldn’t have to be here one and a half months later.”
As time goes on, the rampant growth of mold is becoming an increasingly serious danger to health in buildings that were inundated by the floodwaters and left without heat for weeks on end. The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), which runs the public housing complexes, has hired workers to apply disinfectant to walls where mold is growing. At a public school in the Belle Harbor neighborhood parents and teachers are complaining that the administration’s solution was simply to paint over the walls of the flooded auditorium. Neither action gets rid of the moisture that has soaked into the walls. The city is recommending that homeowners tear out and replace flood-drenched walls.
The response of governmental agencies, such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to the needs of Rockaway residents, as well as many other working class areas in the region hit by Sandy, has been grossly inadequate.
Jonathan told the WSWS that he is skeptical about FEMA’s efforts. “I think they should give jobs to people in the neighborhood. We suffered through it and lost everything. I saw flyer that said FEMA was hiring. I thought, ‘Yeah I want to give back,’ so I went online and applied, but after that I never heard anything. A lot of people are unemployed around here. Everyone I checked with said: ‘Did they call you? No. You? No.’ But they’ve got to make it seem like they’re doing something, otherwise people would start rioting.”
Even those hired for post-Sandy cleanup are having difficulties. The WSWS spoke with Marcy, who is working for a FEMA contractor. She said that half of those hired with her had already been let go and that their pay had been cut from what was advertised. She’s also had difficulty cashing her paychecks because of problems with another contractor.
The contractors are placing workers in dangerous situations without adequate protection. Marcy reported, “They didn’t have the right protection for us when we started. What we face is like another 9/11 scene. Anything the beach water touches is contaminated. Anything we touch is hazardous. In the beginning all we had were latex gloves. Now we have masks, hardhats and heavy-duty gloves. We have glasses, but they aren’t goggles that fit tightly to our face.”
The callous indifference of the ruling class to the plight of working class residents in areas such as the Rockaways is exemplified by billionaire Mayor Bloomberg’s two perfunctory visits, as well as by his callous and complacent statements that all was nearly normal in the days following the hurricane. Six days after the storm, the mayor made a brief stop in the area. He had hoped for a quick “photo op,” but was instead confronted by angry residents demanding to know why they were not receiving assistance. The mayor had no response except to say that people should be patient. In a return visit several weeks later, Bloomberg was kept well away from local people by a phalanx of police.
At a time when both the Democrats and Republicans are determined to impose savage austerity on the working class, there can be no expectation that the resources necessary to make those devastated by Sandy whole again will be forthcoming.
President Obama recently announced that he will ask Congress for $60.4 billion for Sandy relief, which is already substantially less than the $82 billion combined requests from the governors of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. As New York City’s billionaire mayor declared at a recent news conference, “Saying we’re going to spend whatever it takes just is not realistic.”
The author also recommends:
One month since Hurricane Sandy
[1 December 2012]Nom is performant, minimalist (3 public methods), dependency free library for working with the DOM.
Avoid invalid expectations
NomJS is not a framework, Nom is no Mithril, Riot or React.
It seems that perfection is attained, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing more to take away. — Antoine de Saint Exupéry
React calls itself a library, but it tells you how to structure most of your code. Both Riot and Mithril are honest frameworks which are minimalist and performant. Riot forces you to the build tool world: Mithril does not. Yet Mithril also gives full suite of application building tools.
And then we have Nom, and Nom only does DOM. You can write your code whichever way you want using whatever paradigm you see fit. Nom simply gives you DOM elements and helps you render your stuff.
Feature Nom Mithril Riot React Easy to build DOM Yes! Yes Yes Yes* Compact syntax Yes! Yes Very Nope* Fancy HTML syntax Nope! Nope* Yes* Yes* Virtual DOM Nope! Yes Yes Yes Router Nope! Yes Yes Nope* Size (minified + gzip) 1.5 kB (0.0.13) 7.0 kB (0.2.0) 4.75 kB (2.1.0) 34 kB (0.13.3)
NomJS is very fast. Nom's internal code is built using pattern repetition and classic procedural style, avoiding slow code style, and preferring fastest known methods when possible. This kind of coding style doesn't make Nom as small as it could be, yet Nom is very small.
Why no Virtual DOM?
Virtual DOM is like the coolest thing that is around here right now. NomJS doesn't have it, because frankly it isn't necessary.
Mithril and React work for the most part so that you build a single render function or a view that gets executed. Then a virtual DOM tree is built and diffed against existing DOM. Nom is different here.
Nom's elements are created once and no actual virtual tree is built on each render. Instead you provide a property update function (if necessary) which is called on each render for each element that has such a function. Changes are made only if there are changes to do. Nom also gives a special treatment to children property: you can pass an array of DOM elements and changes are made to DOM as array's content changes.
In short: binding data to elements happens outside of Nom's scope and Nom does not control it.
Compatibility
NomJS is built for ES5 and browser standards. If you know DOM, you know Nom. Nom just makes DOM easy.
Nom can run in browser engines as old as IE5 as long as a requestAnimationFrame polyfill and es5-shim are provided.
Nom Examples
TodoMVC benchmark & screenshots
Remember that these benchmarks are a better indicator of browser vs. browser performance. A browser side optimization can greatly vary the results.
The most important thing to notice is that both Nom and Mithril are amazingly fast. React is so slow that I didn't want to include it in these benchmarks (being roughly 10x slower than the Mithril TodoMVC 1.3 implementation).
Try it yourself: TodoMVC benchmark
TodoMVC: 250 items
250 items: Chrome 43 250 items: Firefox 38 250 items: Internet Explorer 11
TodoMVC: 500 items
500 items: Chrome 43 500 items: Firefox 38 500 items: Internet Explorer 11
TodoMVC: 1,000 items
1000 items: Chrome 43 1000 items: Firefox 38 1000 items: Internet Explorer 11
TodoMVC: 2,500 items
Only the two fastest implementations fighting from now on.
2500 items: Chrome 43 2500 items: Firefox 38 2500 items: Internet Explorer 11
TodoMVC: 5,000 items
5000 items: Chrome 43 5000 items: Firefox 38 5000 items: Internet Explorer 11
TodoMVC: 10,000 items
Mithril's Chrome-friendly optimizations for thousands of elements kick in.
10000 items: Chrome 43 10000 items: Firefox 38
All benchmarks ran on Windows 7 64-bit.A couple of years ago, the Atheists, Humanists, & Agnostics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison discovered that anyone could put up a display in the State Capitol Building as long as the person filled out the proper paperwork.
So to counter the Nativity Scenes around Christmas, they put up signs honoring gods from Game of Thrones.
Last Easter, they honored the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
And this year? They’re going with Jedis.
Their poster reads “One Man Died for All”, referring to the Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi. The poster displays a portrait of Obi-Wan Kenobi as a Jedi, but is oftentimes confused as a portrait of Jesus. Their poster asks the following questions with respective answers: “Who is this man?” “Obi-Wan Kenobi”, “Why is it important that we remember him?” “To escape the death star”, and “How does his death help us?” “Because he comes back as a ghost at times and it can be quite surprising”.
The kicker is at the very bottom.
Do you think Jedism in the capitol is ridiculous? So do we! Protect the separation of church and state.
Happy Easter!Last week and this week have seen several inquests into London cycle deaths, with a series of sometimes almost unreadably sad tweets by Ross Lydall at the coroner’s courts. One of the inquests has been into the death of the architect Francis Golding, killed by a coach last November at the junction of Vernon Place and Southampton Row.
A report by the BBC’s Tom Edwards quoted a fellow cyclist present at the scene as saying: “I don’t think he was paying enough attention for two seconds of his journey and he really paid the consequence” while “[e]vidence from the [Metropolitan Police] showed [the coach driver] had two seconds in his mirrors to see Mr Golding. The driver did not see him.”
Leaving aside the specific details of the case and the comments made, Vernon Place clearly is a location where two seconds (one’s own momentary distraction, or a driver’s) could mean the difference between life or death for people on bikes or on foot.
There are still so many places like this, including places supposedly designed for cycling. Riding to Brixton and back last night for a meeting (on designated or recommended cycle routes, for most of the journey) I experienced around four near misses, where two seconds could have been fatal, including a Northbound junction on Cycle Superhighway Seven where left hooks are invited: motor vehicles swing left across the cycle lane, with the turning radius positively encouraging them to continue at speed. Another near incident was my own ‘fault’: I had failed to realise that I needed to take a sharp right turn after traffic lights, and so had to cross a fast moving traffic stream to do so. I wobbled slightly in front of another cyclist when I realised this, to her annoyance. And fair enough: had I wobbled more, we might both have gone under the wheels of a van driver who wanted to go straight on, and was not keen to hold back to enable cyclists in ‘the wrong place’ to cross his path. Had we had safe infrastructure, the potential risks of my slight incompetence would have been far, far lower. Being hit by another cyclist, and being hit by a motor vehicle, carry very different risks.
I wouldn’t expect or accept this kind of thing elsewhere in my everyday life. At the meeting I attended, two seconds’ inattention would have at most mildly irritated my colleagues. If I briefly lose concentration while writing, or while lecturing, the effect is minimal. At most I might write a nonsense sentence or say something that isn’t clear. Two seconds looking out of the window while doing the washing up has once or twice led to minor cuts, but that’s pretty much it.
I’m not singling out CS7, or London. These kinds of ‘routes’ exist up and down the country, in fact more so in many other places outside the capital. Environments where, as a person on a bike or on foot, if you make a small mistake, or get distracted by something, you face the death penalty. We know this, and we know how to change it. Until our streets are designed for safety, inclusiveness and kindness, rather than for motor vehicle capacity and convenience, these preventable deaths will continue. Do we want streets where motor vehicles can shave two seconds off their journey time, or do we want streets where a person walking or cycling can be pleasantly distracted by a garden, a shop, or a passing cat, without dying?EAST LANSING -- Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o will play Saturday at Michigan State despite losing two people close to him this week.
Te'o lost his girlfriend, Lennay Kekua, on Wednesday after her long fight with leukemia. This came less than 24 hours after his maternal grandmother died.
Coach Brian Kelly confirmed Thursday night that Te'o will be there Saturday night at Spartan Stadium when No. 19 Notre Dame (2-0) plays No. 10 Michigan State (2-0).
"He lost some people very close to him, and it's obviously taken a toll on him," Kelly told reporters after Thursday's practice. "Our players have been there for him, and there has been great support.
"He wants to be with his teammates. He wants to be with his people that care about him. He's a strong man, and he's going through a tough time, but he'll rise to the occasion."
Kelly also said it's possible Te'o could return home to Hawaii between Saturday's game and the next game, Sept. 22 at home against Michigan.
Te'o was a key figure in Notre Dame's defensive effort last season against Michigan State when the Irish held the Spartans to 29 rushing yards in a 31-13 win.
"He's a great player," Michigan State offensive coordinator Dan Roushar said of Te'o. "He runs sideline to sideline. He gets them lined up. He looks to be their leader on defense and makes a lot of great plays. You know, he's gonna play in the NFL, and you can see his qualities."Here's one way to tell if you're drinking enough water
Listen to your body.
We are constantly told that water is good for you, almost any health problem we have, we are advised to 'drink more water'.
With all these warnings there is surely some people by now who drink enough of it.
If you think you are one of these people, there is an easy way to tell.
A recent study by Michael Farrell and his at the Monash University in Melbourne found that it's all about listening to your body.
It found that swallowing played an important and subtle role in controlling our fluid intake. While thirst is one feeling, the ease at which your drink goes down indicated a lot too.
If we are dehydrated, swallowing is effortless; if we are over-hydrated, swallowing feels more difficult, putting us off drinking.
The research team asked volunteers to rate the sensation of taking a small sip of water. They found that people who had recently drunk a lot of water said it took much more effort to swallow than those who were mildly hydrated.
Do you ever notice that when you're really thirsty, a whole pint of water will glide down your throat without effort? However if you're forcing yourself to drink it doesn't happen as easily.
So next time you're forcing a drink down, remember that you may not need it.Republican Peter Hoekstra who’s campaigning for a seat in the US Senate in Michigan has run a creepy, racist Super Bowl ad against his Democratic challenger Debbie Stabenow to insinuate that she’s actually working to help the Chinese:
The advertisement, which will run in Michigan during the Super Bowl and afterward, features an Asian female with a conical straw hat riding a bike through a rice paddy field.
“Your economy get very weak. Ours get very good [sic],” the actress says, in broken English.
“Thank you Michigan Senator Debbie ‘Spend-it-now’. Debbie spend so much American money [sic],” the actress says, without a Chinese accent. “You borrow more and more, from us… we take your jobs. Thank you Debbie ‘Spend-it-now.’”
James Fallows of The Atlantic tells us what he finds so revolting about the ad:
1) The “Chinese” woman speaks in American-accented English, and I would bet she is actually an Asian-American. But the script has her make pidgin grammar errors, “Me likee!!”-style.
2) The ad’s words are about trade, budgets, and jobs, but its images are about — ‘Nam!! Of course some parts of southern China look the way this ad does, with rice paddies, palm trees, no big buildings, people wearing conical straw hats and bicycling along dike tops. But this is nothing like how the typical big-factory zone looks in China, or the huge cities that would exemplify Chinese wealth and the country’s rise — ie, the subjects of this ad. So why this rural setting? I think it’s because it offers a kind of visual dog-whistle, for those Americans who, either through experience or through Apocalypse Now-style imagery, associate smiling-but-deceptive Asians in a rice-paddy setting with previous American sorrow.
This ad is embarrassing for America! Regardless of party, I hope it loses Hoekstra more votes than it wins him.
Follow @shanghaiistThe first tangible result of the agreement will be that this very year Finland and Estonia will adopt the latest version of the data exchange layer X-Road. In Estonia the entire process is pulled by Information System Authority (RIA), and in Finland by VRK – Population Register Centre subject to finance ministry.
«The initial phase of creation of data exchange layer based on X-Road will be concluded in November 2015,» VRK project manager Eero Konttaniemi confirmed yesterday. The X-Road adopted will be basis for entre Finnish e-state architecture.
Citizens blessed
RIA deputy director-general Katrin Reinhold said the development is significant as in addition to improvement e-services cooperation between Estonia and Finland, international services may be built on it.
«Not limited to further developing X-Road together, we are already planning the next mutual steps. We are agreeing about new requirements and are harmonizing these, distributing tasks, testing the stuff etc,» explained Ms Reinhold.
Also, RIA and VRK plan to unite in building a better knowhow for organisations using the X-Road. The nations will not move money between themselves as the systems are largely created with help from EU structural funds. The outcome of the cooperation will be joint property of both.
Once the common X-Road is launched, agencies and local governments in both nations will interface their databases and e-services with it. Thereafter, data will travel between the systems in Estonia and Finland.
Mr Konttaniemi said there are already 15 Finnish state agencies who have this year launched developments to make their data available on X-Road central base.
«In the initial phase, three to five major databases and information systems will gain connection to Kansallinen palveluväylä (name of the Finnish X-Road – edit),» he specified.
In all likelihood, the inhabitants of the two nations will be offered the services at the end of 2016 – latest – as the Finnish side will complete its public e-services viewing project, including total switch from their current citizens portal suomi.fi.
As the new system is launched, every Estonian citizen should be able to view his tax data stored in Finnish databases, file applications and declarations, submit admission applications to universities, and whatnot – including digital prescriptions issued in Estonia valid in Finnish pharmacies. The same would be available for Finnish citizens in Estonia.Continued from The Top 50 trips in movies
25: Requiem for a Dream (2000)
Darren Aronofsky captures the tenderness of his doped-out characters in some of the psychedelic imagery of this hard-hitting and ultimately very glum view of drug abuse. Here he uses that most psychedelic of real-life constructions, a pier (a blocked road that extends over the ocean but cannot take you anywhere) to signify the characters' longing to escape the mundanity of existence, and the impossibiliy of their ever doing so...
24: Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
Matt Dillon is the disaffected leader of a nomadic, drug-addicted clan robbing drugstores to survive and get high in the early 1970s. The breakthrough film for Gus Van Sant, it features an unlikely cameo from William S. Burroughs (as a proselytising priest) and some classically surreal trip-imagery including flying houses, bicycles and cows...
23: Shrooms (2006)
With one of the best taglines ('Get ready to get wasted') and posters of the year, it's a shame there's so little new ground broken in Paddy Breathnach's slasher. Lindsey Haun is the cheerleader-level head of a party of holidaying US students who head to Ireland to partake of psilocybin but end up being slaughtered in the backwoods. A lot of the drug imagery is standard J-horror stuff, but one exceptional scene finds a shroomer having a rather antagonistic conversation with a cow...
22: The Salton Sea (2002)
D.J. Caruso's tale of detective work among the tweakers of Southern California has such an inconsistent tone that it ultimately made little impression. It's alternately as funny and baffling as Memento and as devoted to outright comedy as Tarantino at the height of his powers, but unfortunately it doesn't gel as a whole. The arguable gem of the movie is this early explanation of the history of crystal meth, and particularly its effect on Japanese kamikaze pilots, bored housewives and JFK...
21: Saving Grace (2000)
Calendar Girls director Nigel Cole helms Craig Ferguson's tale of a woman (Brenda Blethyn) who naively turns to peddling cannabis in order to make a living. At one point she decides that she can't sell something she has never tried, so it's off to the seaside with Mr. Ferguson for a quick taster...
20: Bobby (2006)
Emilio Estevez directed and starred in this off-beat story of the day prior to the assassination of Robert Kennedy. The film dips in and out of the lives of the various residents at Kennedy's hotel, and at one point accompanies a couple of his campaign staff on a journey into LSD-land. Which just goes to show that you should never open a wardrobe just in your underpants - Nixon might be in there...
19: A Very Brady Sequel (1996)
Up-to-no-good Tim Matheson gets accidentally served with spaghetti where the sauce has been made out of the psilocybin mushrooms he had stashed away. The subsequent trip and music video 'Good Morning Sunshine' is a hoot...
18: Jacob's Ladder (1990)
Vietnam vet Tim Robbins is suffering a more-than-usually nasty case of PTSS. Having been experimented on with a violence-inducing drug during his tour, monsters and apparitions can appear in his view at a moment's notice...
17: Young Guns (1988)
Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland and Lou Diamond Phillips lose their pragmatic attitude to survival when they share some Peyote round the campfire with a tribal elder. The sound-work is particularly effective in these scenes...
16: The Doors (1990)
Oliver Stone approached his biopic of the controversial rock band as a visceral and sensual experience rather than a rote chronology of events in the life of Jim Morrison. Though not to all critics' tastes, it's stood the test of time, and the fairly rare psychedelic SFX are put to good use, as in this scene where Jim Morrison (Val Kilmer) channels the Serpent out in the desert...
15: Midnight Cowboy (1969)
I wish I could go back to 1968 and harshly reprimand the Colonel for not letting Elvis do this movie. Nevertheless, Jon Voigt deservedly won plaudits and an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of the hapless wannabe gigolo lost in the impersonal cynicism of early 70s New York. When some passing Warhol-clones dig Voigt's cowboy look, he gets invited to a psyched-out loft happening among the effete literati of Manhattan. This sequence is arguably the best of many that attempted to capture the emotional disassociation of the dying counter-culture of the late 60s...
14: Trainspotting (1996)
Possibly the most iconic film of the 1990s; writer Irvine Welsh and director Danny Boyle will bend any visual or narrative rule in order to make jaws drop, and the 'toilet diving' scene for Ewan McGregor's lost suppository is one of the most revolting yet strangely beautiful sequences of surreal cinema. But if anything burns itself ineffably onto the viewer's subconscious, it will be Renton's bad 'comedown' and the wall-climbing, head-turning baby...
13: The Trip (1968)
Cult king Roger Corman lost no time exploiting the mania for psychedlic imagery, and Peter Fonda is the TV commercial director who finds himself on a trippy rite-of-passage in Hollywood's sunset strip. To save on costly SFX, Corman used imaginative editing of shots of the neon and environs of Sunset Strip to simulate the psychedelic LSD experience.
12: Masque Of The Red Death (1964)
In this classic example of low-gore terror, the devil-worshipping Morgana (Hazel Court) seeks an early communion with satan in order to impress her straying lover and master Prince Prospero (Vincent Price). The devilish potion she drinks brings on a stylised fantasy-meeting with a series of nightmarish demons. I can't find a video of this sequence, but at 1m 32s into this trailer, you'll see some excerpts from it.
11: Naked Lunch (1991)
William S. Burroughs' original novel was considered unfilmable, but David Cronenberg's attempt to render it is an interesting failure at worst. When bug-exterminator Peter Weller follows his wife into addiction to the pesticide he uses, reality begins to fracture and Weller finds himself in a delusional'spy world' similar to that of John Nash in A Beautiful Mind. Talking (literally) assholes and cockroach/typewriter hybrids aren't things you're going to see in most movies...
10: American Beauty (1999)
Kevin Spacey's adoring obsession with Mena Suvari- in Sam Mendes' tribute to the beauty we fail |
Sorry for the long post. I had to say something to you that I never thought I would have the opportunity to. You helped put my family in an almost debt-free life through the stock and option plays that I made during my time as a customer of your service and that has made us very happy. You are a good man and I wish you and your family many years of joy and happiness. I wish I could do ads for you! DaveJ
I started with $250,000 in cash as of Oct 1 and have realized gains of $81,000 thru close of business. And that's in an IRA with no margin or naked trades. Whenever you are in Argentina or Chile I owe you a drink. I'm looking forward to it. Denlundy
I've recently done exactly what Phil described. I upgraded my ability to trade the IRA acct. by transferring acct. from TDA to TOS. TDA would not allow spreads; TOS does. Neither will allow naked options. With spreads I am able to buy calls or puts several months out then sell front month calls or puts over and over. This allows me to collect premium, which is, of course, the goal. This wasn't an original idea. Phil put me onto it. Since the transfer I've substantially increased my performance in the IRA! IflanthemanI believe the ancient Israelite psalmist Asaph did the world a great favor by confessing his unhappiness and bewilderment with the prosperity of the wicked in his day. It wasn’t merely that he envied their prosperity, but something much worse. He was discouraged from being good and doing good by the success of the arrogant. He was troubled that God would permit such a discouragement to take place. In Psalm 73, Asaph wrote:
Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure
and have washed my hands in innocence.
All day long I have been afflicted,
and every morning brings new punishments.
If I had spoken out like that,
I would have betrayed your children.
When I tried to understand all this,
it troubled me deeply. (Psalm 73:13-16, New International Version)
An antidote for discouragement
When I read about the seven deadly sins, I discovered that there were two varieties of the sin of sloth. One variety of sloth is the laziness or indolence commonly associated with sloth. Another variety is the sloth of discouragement, the unwillingness to do good because of the belief that justice cannot or will not triumph.
I am pleased to share an antidote for discouragement from the New Message from God. This antidote is found in Step 245 of Steps to Knowledge. Step 245 teaches “When others fail, I am reminded of the need for Knowledge.”
I consider the word “fail” in this context to mean “fail to do the right thing, fail to demonstrate good character, fail to act consistently with one’s true self.” In this context, Knowledge is used to signify the great mystery of a person’s life, the greater aspect of mind that we have brought with us from our Ancient Home.
The very first sentence of the step seems to say to me “and by ‘the need for Knowledge,’ we mean ‘your need for Knowledge.'” As I pondered this step further, the step seemed to say to me “and by ‘your need for Knowledge,’ we mean ‘your need to practice, your need to follow the practices (stillness, inner listening, mental investigation, etc.) of Steps to Knowledge.'” It is as if this step is discouraging from looking at those who fail and saying “There for the grace of God go I.” It is as if this step is encouraging me to look at those who fail and say “There for the lack of my practice go I.” An antidote for discouragement over those who fail is to be found in the practice studio, in making the effort to become a better person.
* * *
Welcome to Mystery of Ascension! Добро пожаловать в Тайну просветления! We document the study of the New Message from God in general, and the book Steps to Knowledge in particular. Мы тут делимся своим опытом изучения Нового Послания от Бога, в общем, и книги Шаги к Знанию в частности. Find out more about us here. Узнайте больше о нас здесь. Find out how to contact us here. Узнайте, как связаться с нами здесь.Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Witnesses living near to the industrial site recorded footage of the flames
Up to 100 firefighters have tackled a major blaze that broke out close to one of the UK's busiest railway stations.
Trains were hit with delays for more than six hours because of the fire in London's Battersea, just metres away from Clapham Junction station.
Crews were called to Parkfield Industrial Estate, where flames leapt from rooftops alongside the track.
Southern Trains warned of delays across its network, but services were later restored and the fire is under control.
London Fire Brigade said some fire crews remained at the site and were damping it down.
Ninety emergency calls
Crews from Lambeth, Brixton, Tooting, Chelsea and Peckham to the scene in Culvert Place, after the first emergency call at 20:51 BST.
A fire service spokesman said: "Brigade 999 control officers have taken around 90 emergency calls to the incident."
Image copyright Neil Lancefield Image caption The fire has led to no trains being allowed into or out of Victoria Station
Image copyright @ray_sadri Image caption Witnesses said they could see the smoke from "miles away"
The brigade urged people living close to the estate to keep their doors and windows shut because of the smoke.
Delnaaz Ahmed, who lives near to where the fire occurred, said she was "worried that if there was an explosion, the trains would be hit".
Image copyright London Fire Brigade Image caption The industrial buildings are very close to the railway line
In a tweet, Southern Rail said delays would last into the early hours, with all lines shut between Clapham Junction and Victoria.
At about 04:30 however, the company confirmed all lines between the stations had been reopened.
Passengers had previously been are advised to travel to London Bridge or Blackfriars and change, with tickets valid on Thameslink Southeastern, South West Trains, London Underground and London Bus.
Image copyright London Fire Brigade Image caption Residents living close to the site were warned to keep doors and windows shut
Are you in the Battersea area? Have you been affected by the fire?
If you have an experience of this incident you would like to pass on, then share it with us in the following ways:
Email us at haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk
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Read our terms and conditions.If you are the Caucasian mother of a boy who was premature, you have likely heard this term before. This is also sometimes called “wimpy white boy syndrome” or just “white boy syndrome” so named because white males tend to do the worst when born prematurely. When you are going through the NICU experience, it is difficult to hear that your child may be the weakest simply because of his race. The NICU experience in and of itself is traumatic and hearing that phrase certainly doesn’t help.
But it’s important to remember (if at all possible in the midst of this situation) that even if the nurse or doctor seems callous to you, this is not a racial issue but rather a statistical likelihood. Here’s what you need to know:
The Difference Race Makes
When it comes to how babies do in the NICU, race, as well as gender, make a big difference. Of all premature babies, black girls tend to do the best. There has been some speculation among sociologists that perhaps black babies have a slightly shorter gestational period. There have also been a few widely reported studies suggesting such, however, the gestational period is considered 40 weeks as far as your obstetrician is concerned regardless of your race!
With that said, white boys for some reason do not do as well when they are born prematurely. They simply take longer to develop. If you are told by someone in the hospital that your child has wimpy white boy syndrome, you need to remember that this is not meant as a racial statement against you or your family. It is simply a matter of statistics. White males do not tend to do nearly as well in the NICU compared to girls and boys of other races. While there have been several studies proving this to be statistically true, there are not any good studies (at least not that I’m aware of) that suggest why this is the case.
Weak White Male is NOT a Diagnosis
I was amazed as I looked for information on this subject how many moms would say that their child suffered from wimpy white boy syndrome. This is not a diagnosis in the same way that something like jaundice would be a diagnosis. This is a tendency for white males to develop more slowly and have longer stays in the NICU. This means that their lungs are slower to develop and like all premature babies, they could possibly suffer life long effects from being born prematurely.
If you are in the NICU and you’re told your boy has to stay because of wimpy white boy syndrome press for further details. Generally, it means that his lungs are simply not developed enough. However, it is important for you to get that information so you can know how best to help your baby.
You Can Help Your Preemie
Despite the statistics, you can help your baby by bringing him as much breast milk as possible, and by doing kangaroo care as much as possible. Both of these practices have been shown to dramatically reduce NICU time and have also been correlated to better outcomes.
Surviving the NICU is never easy. It is heart wrenching to see your baby hooked to wires and tubes and hear scary words like ‘viability’, and ‘physiological immaturity‘. The more you know however, the better you’ll be able to make informed decisions and feel confident in what’s going on.
Related Articles:
Do You Kangaroo?
Breastfeeding and the NICU
‘Lotsa’ Helping and ‘Outsourcing’ with the New BabyEven though the U.S. was bankrolling the venture, local leaders were meant to oversee the vetting of recruits. Yet many, including Shujayi, were handpicked by U.S. advisors, according to Sardar Wali, then a district police chief in eastern Uruzgan. Wali was present during the meeting when U.S. captains pushed for Shujayi to join the local ALP, despite villager protest that he was neither law-abiding nor from the area. Rumors about Shujayi abounded: He had ordered 14 men to climb into a well and then stoned them to death; his troops had burned a young girl alive and beaten a child to death in front of his mother.
Hanifi recalled telling the Americans that hiring Shujayi was a terrible plan: “If you hire only Hazaras, this will create problems. They will kill us and they will say, ‘Oh, they were Taliban.’ ”
Shujayi was nonetheless selected. He and the others chosen were fitted with official uniforms, given weeks-long training by U.S. forces, and sent out into the communities bearing America’s stamp of approval.
Despite its more formal structure, in many provinces the ALP proved to be as violent and unaccountable as its predecessors. In 2011, one year after the ALP’s creation, Human Rights Watch documented a series of alleged abuses—extrajudicial killings, torture and sexual assault—that raised “serious concerns about ALP vetting, recruitment and oversight” and “questions about the relationship of U.S. forces with abusive members of the ALP.”
Shujayi was a poster child for the ALP’s excesses—and its invulnerability. Soon after he was made commander, his officers reportedly killed two young Pashtun students traveling on a motorcycle, according to Wali, the former district police chief.
Wali says that when he unofficially inquired about the travellers, Shujayi laughed and said, “The Americans have my back.”
Villagers from eastern Uruzgan issue formal complaints about Shujayi at their provincial governor’s palace in Tirin Kot in May 2015. Photo by May Jeong.
4. Flight
In the years following the Khataba massacre, Shujayi became so notorious that Afghan authorities could no longer ignore the mounting allegations against him. In a complicated web of alliances that cut across ethnic, religious and tribal lines, local leaders, politicians, federal prosecutors and even the head of the ALP tried to bring Shujayi to justice. All were thwarted, sometimes under inexplicable circumstances. Shujayi appeared to enjoy protection from powerful men.
In the summer of 2010, three provincial officials—Uruzgan’s governor, police chief and finance officer—set out to apprehend Shujayi and charge him with murder, kidnapping, torture and other crimes. According to finance officer Abdul Jalil Achekzai, the three found Shujayi at the U.S. military’s Firebase Anaconda, kitted in the same uniform as the Americans. Over lunch, the delegation sat negotiating the terms of the capture with their American hosts. Eventually a captain agreed to let Shujayi go into their custody, but said the Americans had some last-minute business to go over in private, and asked the delegation to wait in the helicopter. After some time, the rotors began to turn, and the American captain came running out with an interpreter to tell the delegation that Shujayi had escaped. The disbelieving delegation was advised to return home before the sky turned dark.
Charles Cleveland, then-spokesperson for the American mission in Afghanistan, told me the U.S. military was not aware of the encounter. “While it is possible that he worked with a U.S. team during 2010, we just don’t have a record of it,” Cleveland wrote in a February 2016 email.
A military prosecutor for Uruzgan recalls being part of a similar delegation in 2012. He says the Americans refused to hand Shujayi over, repeating that he was a brave soldier who fought the Taliban.
Things seemed to change in October 2012, when the Afghan interior ministry issued an order for Shujayi’s immediate capture. Three months later, interior minister Gholam Mujtaba Patang testified before Parliament that Shujayi would be detained “within the week.” But Shujayi was never formally indicted or arrested. According to multiple government sources, he had allies among influential warlords and officials, who obstructed efforts to bring him to justice. The Afghanistan Analysts Network reported that Shujayi spent 2013 traveling frequently to eastern Uruzgan to oversee security posts there, as if they were still under his command.
A third near miss occurred in Kabul in 2014. ALP chief Ali Shah Ahmadzai received a tip that Shujayi was at the interior ministry and met him with an arrest warrant. Shujayi was taken into custody. Satisfied, Ahmadzai went home. The next morning, Ahmadzai told me, he received a phone call from defense minister Bismillah Khan Mohammadi, who angrily demanded that all charges against Shujayi be dropped. “He threatened to fire me,” Ahmadzai recalled. Shujayi was released.
Eight years after the Khataba massacre, he remains a wanted man.
Soon after, Shujayi dropped out of the public eye. According to U.S. military spokesperson Cleveland, the commander took “some weapons and vehicles” and was gone. By that time, eastern Uruzgan locals allege, Shujayi had killed as many as 60 civilians—all Pashtun villagers. In a country where few know their date of birth, and where the central government’s reach does not extend into remote villages, the only official evidence the villagers had was a list of the dead they had kept. Among the more than 50 family members, local elders and others I interviewed for this story, nearly everyone believed Shujayi was to blame for the deaths.
A villager shares photos of a family member who was allegedly killed by Shujayi with Afghan senators on a fact-finding mission in May 2015. Photo by May Jeong.
5. Contact
Shujayi was not just a pariah, a commander gone rogue. Many commanders before him had committed equally egregious crimes, according to villagers from eastern Uruzgan, who told me that Shujayi’s predecessors were also Hazara, and like him, were handpicked by the Americans. Unlike Shujayi, however, most managed to leverage their proximity to foreign influence to resettle abroad.
“It needs to be mentioned that he is not uniquely horrible,” says Uruzgan expert van Bijlert. “He became strong because of his links to the Americans. He was artificially propped up because the Americans needed him.” It just so happened that Shujayi’s reign of terror came as the U.S. special forces were leaving Uruzgan. His services were no longer needed, and he was left to fend for himself.
In 2015, a contact connected me with Sayed Ali, a Hazara fighter and close associate of Shujayi’s. Ali reflected bitterly upon Shujayi’s treatment by the United States: “The Americans, they use you like a tissue paper and they throw you away.”
In November 2015, Ali gave me Shujayi’s phone number. After multiple calls, the commander picked up.
“I am innocent,” Shujayi told me. “I have not committed any crime. I am being framed because of my ethnicity. I was only doing my job.”
By then, he had been on the lam for nearly two years. On occasion, sightings of him were rumored in Kabul. He was said to live freely in the Hazara area of his native Ghazni province, but no one knew for certain. When I spoke to Shujayi, he was vague about his whereabouts. Over a crackling phone line, he did tell me about the vigilante force he ran, protecting some 5,000 Hazara families living in the borderlands between Uruzgan and Ghazni province. The group was called niro-e Shujayi, or the Shujayi brigade.
Shujayi did not express resentment at those who had pushed him into the life of a fugitive, but he did want me to note that everyone who had accused him was a Pashtun (whom Ali derisively calls “Taliban necktie-da,” Taliban with neckties). Everything they said was slander, he told me. For one, he was responsible for no more than 30 deaths, all “in battle.” Shujayi said his level of aggression had been necessary to protect his community.
Which version of events you believe depends largely on your tribe. Images hailing Shujayi as a hero of the Hazara people make regular rounds on Facebook. One advisor to a prominent Hazara ethnic leader, who asked not to be named because he lives in a majority-Pashtun area and fears retribution, wanted me to explain why the U.S. military had tacitly endorsed the behaviors of the Pashtun police chief of Kandahar province, Abdul Raziq, who was accused of violent abuses, but the international community gave Shujayi, a Hazara commander, a difficult time over “some minor misconduct.” (Raziq, while remaining on the Afghan government payroll, has been implicated in various human rights violations, including torture and extrajudicial killings.)
“Shujayi is a hero of the Hazaras,” says Hossain Bahman, a Hazara filmmaker who worked on a documentary about the commander that aired on a Hazara-owned network. “He was only defending his family, his own people.”
One thing that both the Pashtuns and the Hazaras agreed on was how the United States created the conditions for Shujayi’s rise to power, his blood-fueled tenure, eventual escape and continued freedom.The Iranian scientist who returned to his homeland this week was one of two CIA informants whisked out of Iran last year by the agency amid concerns that the Tehran government had discovered they were providing secrets to the United States, current and former U.S. officials said.
Before his abrupt departure for Iran, Shahram Amiri was among half a dozen sources who had provided information to the CIA from inside Iran's nuclear program and were subsequently resettled in the United States, officials said. All were given reward packages -- including the $5 million set aside for Amiri -- administered by financial firms outside the CIA's control.
The disclosures are among the details that have surfaced about the CIA's efforts to gather intelligence on Iran, as well as its handling of defectors from that country, since Amiri's highly public return to Tehran.
Amiri has alleged that he was drugged and abducted by the CIA before being brought to the United States and was subjected to coercive interrogations on Iran's nuclear program. U.S. officials have adamantly denied Amiri's assertions, saying he defected voluntarily and is concocting stories to enable his return to a country that he betrayed.
Amiri was among a small network of spies inside Iran that had provided intelligence about nuclear programs and sites for several years, current and former U.S. officials said. Some were brought out because they wanted to relocate, but Amiri and a second informant were pushed to leave Iran after indications that they had come under suspicion by the country's Ministry of Intelligence and Security.
"There was fear of exposure," said a former senior U.S. intelligence official familiar with the cases. One had gotten "sloppy" in his communications with the agency, the former official said, but even when told of the exposure risk remained in Iran "longer than we thought prudent."
The CIA is expected to conduct a damage assessment to determine whether any sources or methods were compromised by Amiri's return. "They have to go over everything he did provide and put a big caveat on it," said a former high-ranking CIA official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the case.
If Amiri's information was being used in a widely anticipated assessment of Iran's nuclear weapons plans that has already missed several deadlines, the assessment could again be delayed, officials said.
U.S. officials said that when Amiri was resettled in the United States, it was his decision not to try to bring his family, perhaps because those relations were strained. Once inside the United States, defectors are typically allowed to choose where they want to resettle.
"There is no retirement resort for defectors," the former senior U.S. official said.
The rewards they get are often based on promises made while they worked as spies, but are subsequently spelled out in memoranda drafted by the CIA's National Resettlement Operations Center in the United States.Just a month after the Democratic National Convention and less than a week before their official launch on Wednesday, the new Bernie Sanders' group, Our Revolution, is fighting, according to a POLITICO report published Tuesday. However, that's not necessarily a bad thing — in fact, Our Revolution may, ultimately, better reflect what Sanders preached during the primaries because of it.
The newly formed Our Revolution seeks to promote Sanders' values through organized involvement in local politics, ranging from school boards all the way up to Congress. So far, Our Revolution is off to a bumpy start: POLITICO reported the digital director, Kenneth Pennington, stepped down along with four other members of the 15-member core group.
Following the exodus of Our Revolution's digital director Pennington and other critical members, Sanders' former presidential campaign manager Jeff Weaver was named the new president of the group. "We're very happy to be putting the A-team back together," Weaver told POLITICO addressing the quick flux in membership. "This is an organization that's a couple of weeks old, and every new organization has to find its footing."
However, the reinstated presence of Weaver has caused further tension among some members who believe he plans to accept donations from large, unethical corporations. According to Claire Sandberg, the director of digital organizing for Sanders' campaign for White House, the reinstatement of Weaver will only further alienate the internal debate about finance:
It's about both the fundraising and the spending: Jeff would like to take big money from rich people including billionaires and spend it on ads. That's the opposite of what this campaign and this movement are supposed to be about and after being very firm and raising alarm the staff felt that we had no choice but to quit.
While the temporary lack of unity may look disparaging, the fact that Sanders effectively draws people with such different views on everything from fundraising techniques to campaign promotional tactics speaks both to the diversity of his voting bloc and the integrity of his supporters.
According to POLITICO, some of the infighting continued conflicts that arose during Sanders' presidential run, during which older members of the campaign claimed their political experience and strategy translated into votes for the Vermont senator, while younger members attributed his success to their digital organizing abilities. The fact that there is infighting based on heavy multi-generational involvement might sound discouraging at first, but appealing across age demographics, gender demographics, and other diverse groups is one of the very traits that makes his movement strong. In this case, I believe in-house friction begets political nuance.
Image: Bustle/Dawn FosterSubscribe to spoiled NYC's official newsletter, The Stoop, for the best news, eats, drinks, places to go, and things to do.
Hey New Yorkers, we have some groundbreaking news for your taste buds.
According to Commercial Observer, food celebrity Anthony Bourdain and business partner Stephen Werther have finally chosen a location for their new food hall.
Their delicious new food hall will be dubbed Bourdain Market, and will imbue the long-abandoned, 560,000 square-foot Pier 57 with life again.
The food hall will be located on the corner of West 15th Street and the Hudson River, and according to Mr. Werther will include such delectables as “a farmers market with an oyster bar, bakery, tapas bar and much more.”
If you’re not excited enough already, there’s more.
Eater also reports the food hall will house 100 vendors, some as permanent fixtures and others rotating in for a few weeks at a time, and that there will be a rooftop beer garden as well.
So now, you’ll be able to slurp oysters, sip beer, chill with friends, and gaze out onto the Hudson River. Sounds pretty phenomenal to us.
The food hall is set to open in early 2016, and it won’t just contain prepared or packaged foods either. “We will work with the tourism boards to create a complete experience of the place,” Werther said.
So, you can expect this new food hall to soon be a New York City staple. And we can't hardly wait.Peter Daou (born April 25, 1965)[1] is a Democratic strategist[2] who has advised major political figures, including Hillary Clinton, Arlen Specter, and John Kerry. He was described by the New York Times [3] as "one of the most prominent political bloggers in the nation." The Washington Post [4] said that his early work in digital politics helped innovate "a whole new way of campaigning." Daou is a former producer/engineer/keyboardist.[5] He is the author of the upcoming book, Digital Civil War: Confronting the Far-Right Menace, publishing on April 30, 2019 by Melville House.
Early life [ edit ]
An American who grew up in Beirut during the Lebanese Civil War, Daou survived some of the most brutal urban warfare of the 20th century. At 15, he was conscripted by the Lebanese Forces (a Christian militia)[6][7] and underwent three years of military training. He attended the American University of Beirut, and amid ongoing strife in Lebanon, moved to New York to study philosophy at NYU.[8]
Music career [ edit ]
During the 90s, Daou was a sought-after producer and keyboardist, appearing on hundreds of recordings by artists ranging from Björk to Miles Davis to Mariah Carey. An accomplished jazz pianist, he produced three #1 Billboard Club singles and was signed to Columbia/Sony and Universal Music Group. He toured the U.S. and Europe, and was featured in Vibe, Spin, Billboard, and TIME.
Huffington Post [ edit ]
Daou and James Boyce claimed to have performed a founding role in the Huffington Post and said they were shut out of any profits from its sale to AOL. A suit was filed in 2010 by Daou and Boyce, which was settled in 2014.[9]
Political campaigns [ edit ]
Daou was an online communications adviser to John Kerry's 2004 campaign, and led Hillary Clinton's digital operation in her 2008 campaign.[10]
Digital media [ edit ]
Daou was the prior chief executive of Shareblue.[10] and the co-founder of the media platform Verrit, which was placed on hiatus in early 2018.[11]
References [ edit ]
Official websiteHow I Used Tinder Smart Photos to Prove Once and for All That I’m More Attractive Than a Plate of Cold Refried Beans
Tinder now has a feature called “smart photos” that uses an algorithm to determine which of your photos is most successful and then automatically shows that photo to potential matches. 2017 has been a rough year for me — I hit the wrong side of 25, I got dumped, and I lost my job. I didn’t think I’d be able to turn this year around, but then I realized something. Maybe I could get some of my confidence back if only I knew once and for all — am I more attractive than a plate of cold refried beans? It was so simple — and Tinder smart photos could help me answer this question.
To conduct this experiment, I needed a set of test data. Tinder smart photos will look through all your photos and chose the best one. You’ll know which one it’s chosen because that’ll be the first photo you see when you log in. All I wanted to know was that if I chose my five best photos, are all of those photos more successful than a plate of cold refried beans?
If I made just one Tinder account with five pictures of me and one plate of cold refried beans, the best one might be a picture of me followed by the cold plate of refried beans followed by four more pictures of me. If this happened, I’d only find out which picture was the best, not the full ranking of pictures. Therefore, to conclude definitively that I’m more attractive than a plate of cold refried beans, I needed to make five separate Tinder accounts. On each account, I’d upload two photos: one of me, and one of a plate of cold refried beans. Of course, for consistency, I used the same picture of a plate of cold refried beans every time. How’d I get this picture, you might ask? I fried beans. Then I fried them again. Then I left them out overnight. Because I’m a goddamn scientist.
My test pictures were the following:
Me from a very high angle to accentuate my best feature, namely my knowledge of which photo angle makes me look skinny.
Me doing stand-up comedy to demonstrate my wit and charm but actually just my wit.
Me and my sister to show how family-oriented I am and also to trick people into thinking I’m 21.
Me in a Safeway parking lot to demonstrate my love for the great outdoors.
Me in a bikini because as my mother used to say: “If you don’t have a bikini pic on Tinder, you’re probably less sexy than a plate of cold refried beans.”
A plate of cold refried beans.
I was now ready to begin Tinder-ing. I wanted to make sure the experiment had its time to collect adequate data, so I left each account open for a day, logged which picture won, deleted the Tinder account, and then made a new one. For keeping track of data of this magnitude, I’d recommend an SQL server, a Mongodb database, an excel spreadsheet, or also you could write the results in eyeliner on your inner thigh. I chose the eyeliner route because I wanted to be able to iterate quickly, but please offer feedback if you think I could improve upon the data collection portion of the experiment.
After the first four days of my experiment, the score was GINNY: 4, PLATE OF COLD REFRIED BEANS: 0. Things were looking good for this girl. I just had to get through one more photo — the dreaded bikini pic. I don’t have an especially great swimsuit bod, perhaps owing to my affinity for eating cold refried beans for dinner. I braced myself for a challenging day ahead as I made a new Tinder account that was just my body and the beans. Around 9pm, I was still too scared to look at the results. Could my self-esteem handle the knowledge that men would rather fuck a fart-inducing shit-like substance than my naked body? I was about to find out. At midnight, I was ready to get the final results. I held my breath as the app loaded. What would it be?! It stalled — damn my slow wifi. And then I saw it — IT WAS MY BIKINI PIC!! I AM MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN A PLATE OF COLD REFRIED BEANS!! WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE!!
I’ve obviously been on Cloud 9 since the conclusion of this experiment. If I were to extend my analysis, I’d want to know if I were sexier than other plates of cold food, such as plates of cold spaghetti or plates of cold broccoli. I’d also want to see how I compared with stuff like grass and pavement. Perhaps one day I might even wonder if I’m more attractive to men now than I was when I was 11. But for now, I’m just happy knowing I’m more attractive than a plate of cold refried beans.It’s like Freedom Fries but in reverse: As tensions between the United States and Russia continue to rise in the wake of MH17 being shot down, a Russian regulator is pushing to block certain McDonald’s products from being produced and sold in the motherland.
The watchdog agency Rospotrebnadzor is hitting the fast-food chain, which opened its first Russian location on Moscow’s Pushkin Square in 1990, with a barrage of charges, including posting false nutritional information and food-safety violations. It filed a lawsuit against the chain, seeking a temporary ban on certain menu items.
“The regulator says the company is deceiving consumers about the energy value of its Cheeseburger Royales, Filet-O-Fish, Cheeseburgers and Chicken Burgers and about [the] nutritional value of its milkshakes and ice creams,” according to Reuters. Rospotrebnadzor also contends other products were contaminated with coliform bacteria, which could lead to food poisoning.
“We have identified violations which put the product quality and safety of the entire McDonald’s chain in doubt,” the consumer protection group’s head, Anna Popova, told Russia’s Interfax news agency.
There are plenty of public health groups and activists in the United States who would agree with that sentiment. But this isn’t the first time the chain has been treated as a stand-in for the United States, or that food regulations have been used as a foreign policy tool.
Last June, Russia’s chief sanitary officer encouraged Russians “to temper their interest in exotic, foreign foods and instead, to stick to a ‘patriotic’ diet of traditional national cuisine.” He singled out McDonald’s as one of the exotic interlopers watering down his idea of a nationalistic cuisine.
And then there are the more direct incidents, such as when Georgian wine imports were blocked in 2006, contributing to rising tensions between Russia and the former Soviet republic that led to war in 2008. Imported Ukrainian cheese, American chicken, Moldovan booze, and other foreign food products have been similarly politicized.
None of those incidents, however, went to court.The Fed described the economy as recovering at a “moderate pace” in its statement, a dovish downgrade from the “firmer” recovery it stated before. The Fed also kept the language that it would remain accommodative for an “extended” period. In his first monetary policy press conference, Bernanke made no hints that his ongoing purchases of $600 billion in Treasury securities would be ended earlier than their June expiration date.
“QE2 has artificially reduced the risk premium of U.S. government bonds to below the level necessary to compensate investors for the worsened U.S. fiscal position,” added Woo.
Gold settled at a record for a 12th time this month on Thursday and is now up 31 percent from a year ago on concern that Bernanke has lost control over inflation. Silver is inches away from its 1980 record and is up 150 percent in the last 12 months.
“The recent parabolic spike in silver and to a lesser degree gold, shows that the market considers a ‘disorderly decline’ of the U.S. dollar an increasing possibility,” said
Jim Iuorio, managing director at TJM Institutional Services. “Devaluing your currency has always been a risky proposition and its success is dependant on knowing how to exit gracefully from monetary stimulus.”
The dollar was convertible into gold until the early 1970s, when President Nixon ended that agreement. Soon after, as the major currencies went from fixed rates to floating, the U.S. dollar established itself as the world’s reserve currency because of its economy’s size and relative strength. Floating, paper currencies are only worth what others deem them to be and the country’s central bank can print as much, or as little, of it as it wants.GreenArrowTV speaks with Executive Producer Andrew Kreisberg about Arrow Episode 100
Alongside Greg Berlanti and Marc Guggenheim, Executive Producer Andrew Kreisberg was with Arrow at the very beginning. Kreisberg’s involvement moved on to the launches of The Flash and Supergirl, two series that are also highlights of any given week of TV viewing.
We caught up with Mr. Kreisberg at the Arrow Episode 100 “Green Carpet” in Vancouver where the cast and crew were celebrating 100 episodes of the series. We all, of course, get to see Episode 100 this Wednesday, December 30.
There’s text of the interview below; if video is more your thing, you can find it at the very end. More Arrow Episode 100 interviews can be found here!
GREENARROWTV’s CRAIG BYRNE: When did you first start to realize that people were loving Arrow?
You know, I’ve always said that Arrow benefited from perfect timing. The Christopher Nolan movies were |
cc96f15f5b02204d903b7cbdaab5d69ed1e4cb595d3ec94e1e4c0a0231bd36b5f954f7d26d4725[ALL] 0361d98ae65e38a8a360f7710a990e1e2512c1047f75d42c91118e1720d2cc13a7", "hex": "473044022032bb36a1a9cf4e7bb3fb46e19222c44f21947ab2ac4b935e6d25eecc96f15f5b02204d903b7cbdaab5d69ed1e4cb595d3ec94e1e4c0a0231bd36b5f954f7d26d472501210361d98ae65e38a8a360f7710a990e1e2512c1047f75d42c91118e1720d2cc13a7" }, "sequence": 4294967295 } ], "vout": [ { "value": 0.01450000, "n": 0, "scriptPubKey": { "asm": "OP_DUP OP_HASH160 452c4d0744a4b211f61c59ece60ca34f0c53c81c OP_EQUALVERIFY OP_CHECKSIG", "hex": "76a914452c4d0744a4b211f61c59ece60ca34f0c53c81c88ac", "reqSigs": 1, "type": "pubkeyhash", "addresses": [ "17JkhKLroUoT1Urtphdrqbrkkpuh2WpKpv" ] } }, { "value": 0.00000000, "n": 1, "scriptPubKey": { "asm": "OP_RETURN d28a129cd4475132846a49f84a85fc8cad4330622a6a8103a3e8c446f3d9ae4c", "hex": "6a20d28a129cd4475132846a49f84a85fc8cad4330622a6a8103a3e8c446f3d9ae4c", "type": "nulldata" } } ] }
We can see that the transaction did in fact spend the genesis seal’s txout, closing that seal over the message with the SHA256 digest d28a129cd4475132846a49f84a85fc8cad4330622a6a8103a3e8c446f3d9ae4c. We download the first header file and check that its digest matches:
$ wget https://petertodd.org/assets/2016-12-07/acme-solvency-proof-dec-2nd-2016-header.txt $ sha256sum acme-solvency-proof-dec-2nd-2016-header.txt d28a129cd4475132846a49f84a85fc8cad4330622a6a8103a3e8c446f3d9ae4c acme-solvency-proof-dec-1st-2016-header.txt
Now we can check that the header commits to the solvency proof:
$ cat acme-solvency-proof-dec-2nd-2016-header.txt Solvency: 8c055d6890ab8b315618c3ba0c89ec83bc0291ae43c93ee0edc238b7865f09f3 Next Seal: c68fe1abc91e294c600911fc17db71ee627c9f3ad0fcf428c34fd1e804ed9859:0 $ wget https://petertodd.org/assets/2016-12-07/acme-solvency-proof-dec-2nd-2016.txt $ sha256sum acme-solvency-proof-dec-2nd-2016.txt 8c055d6890ab8b315618c3ba0c89ec83bc0291ae43c93ee0edc238b7865f09f3 acme-solvency-proof-dec-2nd-2016.txt
Great! Provided that Bitcoin itself is working, we’ve successfully downloaded the first solvency proof and verified that our copy of it is the same copy everyone else in the world has. We also know what the seal for the second solvency proof is; you can verify it by downloading the tx proof, tx, header, and solvency proof and repeating the above process.
Note that so long as the Bitcoin block chain isn’t reorged, all of the above is secure even if the private keys used to sign the transactions are leaked, because an attacker with those keys can’t re-spend previously spent coins. In fact, I’ll even give you that wallet.
Defeating Miner Censorship
A potential issue with using Bitcoin to implement single-use-seals is miner censorship:
Miners who learn the txout associated with the seal can censor transactions spending that txout. Miners can censor OP_RETURN outputs in general.
We can solve the first problem by making use of a blinding nonce that’s kept secret until the transaction closing the seal has been mined. The way the transaction commits to the message is changed from simply putting the hash of the message directly in the transaction to putting H(nonce + H(message)) instead. Finally, rather than publishing the seal directly as we did before, a commitment to the seal is published; the seal itself is now the outpoint and nonce, and is provided as part of the proof that the seal has been closed.
As for the second problem, the protocol for how seals are closed can be modified to allow the message to be committed in ways other than OP_RETURN outputs, e.g. unspendable outputs, multisig outputs, or via pubkeys/signatures with ECC math tricks like pay-to-contract-hash. Just make sure that the protocol is such that all the different commitment methods are guaranteed to be mutually exclusive, least it become possible to generate multiple valid proofs of the same seal being closed in different ways.
Single-Use-Seals for Globally Consistent, Updatable Key-Value Maps
The linear chain we described previously is inefficient when an exchange customer only needs to verify a subset of all solvency proofs, such as the most recently generated proof; a linear chain of seals forces them to download all solvency proofs even if they only need to verify the most recent one.
An obvious solution to this problem is to use a tree structure, with multiple levels of seals. In the case of an exchange, an obvious way to do this is to divide the levels by year, month, and day. Thus rather than having a genesis seal, you would have a genesis seal list:
Acme Bitcoin Exchange Solvency Seals - By Year ============================================== 2016: <per-year seal> 2017: <per-year seal> 2018: <per-year seal> 2019: <per-year seal> 2020: <per-year seal>
By month:
2016 Acme Exchange Solvency Proof Seals ======================================= Jan: <per-month seal> Feb: <per-month seal>... Nov: <per-month seal> Dec: <per-month seal>
By day:
Jan 2016 Acme Exchange Solvency Proof Seals =========================================== 1st: <per-day seal> 2nd: <per-day seal>... 31st: <per-day seal>
Of course, actually doing this would be a bit silly; any sane programmer would come up with a more generic solution that could be applied regardless of what type of key is being used to index the tree. On the other hand, seals are relatively expensive - just implementing a binary tree of them doubles the total number of seals needed - so we want a n-ary tree. Can we do better while keeping the code generic?
Fake Single-Use-Seals
Recall that a single-use-seal is simply a thing that can be uniquely identified, and can be closed to commit to a message. So from the point of view of the verifier, does it matter if the seal was ever open? Of course not! Thus cryptographic hash functions (aka commitments) can also implement perfectly good single-use-seals!
Concretely, a single-use-seal trait written in Rust might look like the following:
trait SingleUseSeal { type ClosedProof; fn verify(&self, &Self::ClosedProof, msg: &[i8]) -> Bool; }
A fake single-use-seal implemented with SHA256 might look like:
struct SHA256_FakeSeal { digest: [u8; 32], } impl SingleUseSeal for SHA256_FakeSeal { // Fake seals are always closed, so we don't need any extra data to // prove that. type ClosedProof = (); fn verify(&self, &Self::ClosedProof, msg: &[i8]) -> Bool { self.digest == SHA256(msg) } }
Now we can write a generic, binary, seal tree implementation. Each inner node will commit to left and right seals as you would expect, but we’ll replace multiple levels in the tree with sub-trees of fake seals that commit to a smaller number of real seals. In short, we now have the equivalent of an n-ary tree where we can pick n appropriately at runtime, that to the rest of the codebase acts like a binary tree.
The Big Picture - Rivalrous Systems and Consensus Amplification
A Bitcoin exchange is just one of many examples of systems that are rivalrous. By that, we mean that one user’s use of the system is in competition with other users; in the case of the Acme Bitcoin Exchange, if Alice and Bob both deposit funds, they now have competing claims on the limited supply of BTC the exchange actually has, and it’s quite possible that both claims can’t be satisfied simultaneously even though they are equally valid. Unsurprisingly, almost all financial systems are rivalrous because the whole point of finance is to manage conflicts over limited resources.
Conventional cryptography is ill-equipped to deal with rivalry. Encryption has little, if anything, to do with the problem. Cryptographic signatures are good at telling you a message is authentic - a signature can prove to Alice that Bob really did sign a contract selling her his house - but a signature by itself tells you nothing about what other authentic messages might also exist - Bob may have also sold that same house to Charlie.
With commitments we took a small - but important - step towards fixing that problem: we can now create cryptographic proofs linking many different message together (commonly referred to by the overused term “blockchains”). The trees we discussed in the nested commitments section made those proofs efficient, by limiting where different messages could be in the overall data structure.
But commitments still require users of a system to somehow come to consensus on some “root” commitment every time the data changes. So we came up with single-use-seals, a “post-crypto” slight-of-hand that models something akin to a magical time-travelling commitment, reducing the problem to coming to consensus on a genesis seal.
What we didn’t talk about is how to actually implement a single-use-seal; we just assumed that Bitcoin works. While a full discussion is out of scope for this article, I’ll leave you with this: under the hood Bitcoin is itself just a bunch of commitments called “the blockchain”, and the exact data structure isn’t even particularly good (something I’ll cover in another blog post).
The magic in Bitcoin is simply the fact that there’s an effective mechanism - the proof-of-work and economic incentives underlying it - to determine which commitment - which blockchain - to use as the root consensus. Secondly, once consensus is reached, proof-of-work makes changing that consensus provably expensive in a way that’s tied to physics itself.
Bitcoin isn’t the only possible way to do this, but regardless it and systems like it all share something in common: In conjunction with commitments and single-use-seals we can use them as consensus amplifiers, allowing us to leverage a bit of consensus on one system to efficiently provide consensus for a whole world of other systems.KALAMAZOO, MI - Abbey Thompson's dream of a cat cafe in Kalamazoo will soon become a reality, thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign.
Thompson, a 28-year-old residence hall director at Western Michigan University, said they have now secured a location with funds from the Kickstarter.
"I'm feeling a lot of gratitude because people clearly want us to open the cat cafe," Thompson said.
Thanks to 268 donors, the Kzoo Cat Cafe will be located 1128 W. Michigan Ave.
BIG MEWS! We officially have a location!! Kzoo Cat Cafe will be located at 1128 W Michigan Ave... just off Stadium... Posted by Kzoo Cat Cafe and Rescue on Monday, April 24, 2017
In-order to secure the funds from donors pledged through the Kickstarter website, Thompson had to meet her goal of $15,000 by 4:13 p.m. April 9. Ultimately, she surpassed that goal, raising $15,721.
Kzoo Cat Cafe will be joining the handful of these popular shops throughout Michigan, including Catfe Lounge in Ferndale, Tiny Lions in Ann Arbor and Happy Cat Cafe coming soon to Grand Rapids.
The next steps for the cafe include renovations to the building and working closely with the city of Kalamazoo and the health department to ensure they're up to code and ready to open as soon as possible.
"We're trying to go as fast as we possibly can but there's a lot of different departments and a lot of different people to coordinate with," Thompson said.
Plans are in the works for a Kzoo Cat Cafe Abbey Thompson, a WMU residence hall director, is raising funds to bring a cat cafe to Kalamazoo.
The Kzoo Cat Cafe will operate as a shelter but will offer pre-packaged snacks and self-serve beverages including coffee, canned drinks and bottled water, all included in the entry fee.
Cat Nap Lodge, a non-profit cat rescue, will provide adoptable cats and the cafe will use their adoption process. The process consists of an application, screening and a veterinarian reimbursement fee of $150, which includes an exam, feline leukemia test, vaccinations, spay/neuter and flea/parasite treatments.
As for an opening date, Thompson said they are still unsure, but hope to be open sometime this summer.
For more information and to stay up to date on the Kzoo Cat Cafe, visit their Facebook page.Combined national TV package will feature 21 NASL games
The NASL and beIN SPORTS announced its national TV schedule on Tuesday for the league’s upcoming Fall Season, unveiling a lineup of 21 games that will air on either beIN SPORTS USA, beIN SPORTS En Español or both channels. All games aired on either channel can also be seen live on beIN SPORTS CONNECT.
The live action will begin on Saturday, July 29, the opening night of the Fall Season, and will run through the month of October. The Fall Season package is a continuation of beIN SPORTS’ excellent coverage of the Spring Season. In total, 17 NASL games have aired live on the network this year, including Miami FC’s Spring Season Championship-clinching victory over the San Francisco Deltas.
Over the course of the Fall Season, five games will air live in English exclusively on beIN SPORTS USA, 11 will be carried live in Spanish exclusively on beINSPORTS En Español, and another five will air live on both channels. To kick off the Fall Season package, each channel will air a game live on July 29: New York Cosmos vs. Miami FC (beIN SPORTS USA), North Carolina FC vs. Puerto Rico FC (beIN SPORTS En Español).
For the games that air in Spanish, beIN SPORTS will have English-language commentary available via the SAP function on the viewer’s remote control.
Continue below for beIN SPORTS’ full lineup of Fall Season action:
Date Time (ET) Matchup Channel July 29 7 p.m New York vs. Miami beIN SPORTS USA July 29 7:30 p.m. North Carolina vs. Puerto Rico beIN SPORTS En Español August 5 7:30 p.m. Indy vs. Edmonton beIN SPORTS USA August 5 7:30 p.m. Puerto Rico vs. Jacksonville beIN SPORTS En Español August 12 7:30 p.m. Miami vs. Indy beIN SPORTS USA August 12 7:30 p.m. Puerto Rico vs. San Francisco beIN SPORTS En Español August 19 7:30 p.m. New York vs. Indy beIN SPORTS USA August 26 7:30 p.m. Puerto Rico vs. Miami beIN SPORTS USA & beIN SPORTS En Español September 2 7:30 p.m. Indy vs. San Francisco beIN SPORTS USA & beIN SPORTS En Español September 6 8 p.m. Miami vs. New York beIN SPORTS USA & beIN SPORTS En Español September 9 7:30 p.m. Puerto Rico vs. New York beIN SPORTS En Español September 13 7 p.m. Indy vs. North Carolina beIN SPORTS USA & beIN SPORTS En Español September 16 7:30 p.m. North Carolina vs. Puerto Rico beIN SPORTS En Español September 20 7:30 p.m. New York vs. San Francisco beIN SPORTS USA & beIN SPORTS En Español September 23 7:30 p.m. Indy vs. Puerto Rico beIN SPORTS En Español September 30 7:30 p.m. Puerto Rico vs. New York beIN SPORTS En Español October 7 7:30 p.m. Miami vs. San Francisco beIN SPORTS En Español October 14 7 p.m. New York vs. Edmonton* beIN SPORTS En Español October 18 7 p.m. Jacksonville vs. Edmonton* beIN SPORTS USA October 21 7:30 p.m. North Carolina vs. San Francisco* beIN SPORTS En Español October 28 7 p.m. New York vs. Puerto Rico* beIN SPORTS En Español
*Matchups are subject to change based on NASL postseason race
Earlier this month, Miami FC captured the Spring Season title, which comes with an automatic berth to The Championship, the league’s four-team postseason tournament. The Fall Season Champion will also earn its spot in a November postseason game, as will the two other clubs with the best combined records between the Spring and Fall Seasons.
For broadcast listings and channel availability, please visit beINSPORTS.com/US.Poland’s market share of agricultural products within the European Union is on the increase, thanks to a hike in exports of cigarettes and beer.
Latest estimates from the Polish Agriculture Ministry show that Poland exported cigarettes to the tune of EUR 432.2 million in the first quarter of 2015.
The figure may spell a record for the export of cigarettes this year, with Poland retaining its position as the largest cigarette producer in the European Union.
In 2014, tobacco-related exports grew by 27 percent to land in at over EUR 1.9 billion, a new report from the Foreign Agricultural Markets Monitoring Unit/Foundation for Assistance Programmes for Agriculture (FAMMU/FAPA) reveals.
Cigarettes accounted for around EUR 1.74 billion of the total sum in 2014, up from EUR 1.37 billion the previous year.
Exports of Polish beer are also gaining ground, with international sales amounting to EUR 135.7 million, up by 14.5 percent year-on-year.
“Taking into account Poland’s total beer production, it can be ascertained that beer exports remains a niche, although the figure is rising and there is a chance of further rapid development,” comments Danuta Gut, Director of the Management Board at the Polish Breweries – Union of the Brewing Industry Employers in Poland. (jb)
Source: RzeczpospolitaPrime Minister Stephen Harper is backing a plan to send oil to Canada’s eastern provinces from Alberta as the Obama administration decides whether to allow construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. Harper met Canadian oil-industry executives in Calgary April 11 to build support for a plan by TransCanada Corp. to ship crude to Saint John, New Brunswick, about 640 kilometres northeast of Boston. Executives from TransCanada and Saint John-based Irving Oil Corp. attended the meeting, according to two people familiar with the matter who asked not to be named because the discussions weren’t public.
Environmental activists march through midtown protesting the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, May 13, 2013 in New York. ( Don Emmert / AFP/Getty Images )
Canada “strongly supports constructing energy infrastructure that will help transport Western Canadian oil to the east,” Harper wrote in an April 29 letter obtained by Bloomberg News. He was replying to Conservative lawmakers from New Brunswick who had asked for a fast regulatory review of the proposed project. A “made-in-Canada” pipeline to the east coast could have a “huge” impact on shares of Alberta-based producers, while lessening eastern Canada’s need to import crude, said Daniel Cheng, vice president and portfolio manager in Calgary at Matco Financial Inc. who helps oversee $420 million. Canada should “evaluate as many options as possible as opposed to simply relying on one, like Keystone XL,” Cheng said in a phone interview May 31.
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Calgary-based TransCanada plans to convert part of its Mainline natural-gas line to carry crude and extend it by 1,400 kilometers to reach refineries as far east as Saint John. The company started soliciting bids April 15 from refiners and oil producers interested in transporting crude on the pipeline, which could handle as many as 850,000 barrels per day. The project, which TransCanada calls Energy East, would provide relief to producers facing a supply glut in the central U.S. that has helped depress the price for Canadian heavy crude. Oil-sands crude has traded at an average discount this year of $23 (U.S.) a barrel to the main U.S. grade, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. With Energy East, “that differential would at least stabilize and narrow,” said Cheng. Alberta Premier Alison Redford said Jan. 24 the province will collect $6 billion less revenue this year as a result of the price gap. The Bank of Canada cited the glut as a factor that helped cut 0.4 percentage points from the country’s annualized growth rate in the second half of last year.
Harper has stressed the need to diversify markets for Canada’s energy exports even as his government lobbies for approval of Keystone, which would transport Alberta oil to the Gulf Coast. The U.S. consumes 99 per cent of Canada’s oil exports. The government “strongly supports, in principle, proposals that would transport western Canadian oil to Eastern Canada,” spokesman Carl Vallee said in an email
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TransCanada spokesman Philippe Cannon said in an email the company won’t comment on meetings with elected officials. “We view all levels of government, municipalities and provinces, as important stakeholders.” Carolyn Van der Veen, a spokeswoman for Irving Oil, declined to comment when asked about the meeting. New Brunswick Premier David Alward said the pipeline would give a “huge boost” to the province, which had a jobless rate of 10.9 per cent in April, compared with 7.2 per cent nationally, according to Statistics Canada. “This project and what it could mean to our country is as important as the construction of the railway was to Canada centuries ago,” Alward said June 3 by phone, adding he will discuss the project with Redford tomorrow when she visits Saint John for an Irving-Oil sponsored luncheon. Redford will support the “push for stronger East-West pipeline links” in Saint John this week, Stefan Baranski, a spokesman for the premier, said by email. Interest in Energy East is rising as Keystone remains stalled. TransCanada applied to Canadian and U.S. regulators to build the pipeline five years ago and originally planned to open the line in 2012. Since Obama initially rejected the project in January last year, citing concerns over its route through ecologically sensitive lands in Nebraska, Canadian energy stocks have underperformed their U.S. peers by 12.8 percentage points. TransCanada shares have lost 0.6 per cent so far this year, while energy stocks have returned 2.6 per cent. The company rerouted the line and submitted a new application last year. It postponed in April its targeted startup to the second half of 2015, citing delays in getting a U.S. presidential permit. Building a route west to the Pacific coast has also been a hard sell for pipeline companies. Enbridge Inc. has faced opposition from environmentalists and aboriginal groups to its proposed Northern Gateway pipeline to the British Columbia coast. The provincial government said May 31 it can’t support the $6 billion project because of spill risks. Enbridge has proposed its own pipeline to the east coast. The company plans to reverse a crude conduit called Line 9 to carry oil to Montreal. In their March 22 letter to Harper, 14 Conservative lawmakers called on the government to conduct a single regulatory review for Energy East. “The last thing this project needs is unnecessary red tape or approval processes.” John Williamson, one of the lawmakers who signed the letter, said in an email “A lack of political support has, at best, delayed projects elsewhere or, at worst, killed them in other Canadian and U.S. jurisdictions.” More business stories on Thestar.com More national news stories on Thestar.com
Read more about:The tech industry is opening its eyes to the possibilities of raising money using cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and Ethereum through ‘initial coin offerings,’ and it’s about to see the first ICO from a major venture-backed company.
Last week, Kik, a messaging app popular with young people in North America, announced an ambitious plan to launch its own currency as a basis for a developer community. Kik has raised over $120 million from investors to date and it claims 300 million registered users, making it the most established company to throw its hat in the ICO ring thus far, but it is about to be beaten to the punch by Omise, a Thailand-based company that provides Stripe-like payment features in Japan and Southeast Asia.
Four-year-old Omise has raised $20 million from investors, including SBI, Sinar Mas and Ascend Group, but now it is turning to cryptocurrencies and the blockchain for its next move. The company is looking to raise up to $19 million through the sale of its own coin — OMG, short for Omise Go — which will be used to power a network that lets users transfer money and make payments without the need for a bank account or high service fees.
The core aim is to encourage financial inclusion in emerging markets by creating a platform that other companies beyond Omise can use.
Bloomberg previously reported on Omise’s desire to hold an ICO. Omise declined to provide a specific date for the event, but sources close to the company told TechCrunch it is on course to hold a token sale on June 7.
Under proposed terms, 65 percent of all coins will be released during the sale. A further 20 percent will be retained by Omise for future costs and expenses with 10 percent left for the company’s team. The remaining five percent is set aside for “airdropping,” which essentially means that small amounts will be given to people who already own Ethereum’s Ether coin to stoke interest and widen engagement.
The company isn’t planning to make another token sale in the future, representatives told TechCrunch, in order to prevent dilution.
ICOs, or token sales, have to date proven popular with blockchain- and bitcoin-focused companies, but the appeal and possibilities are beginning to spark interest among more mainstream businesses in the tech domain. CNBC recently reported that ICOs have raised $180 million this year, compared to $101 million in all of last year.
Cloud services firm Storj is generally agreed to be one of the more successful initial coin offerings to date having raised $30 million from its Storjcoin thus far. Digital identity platform Civic is planning an offering that could top that, according to CNBC, but neither has raised anything like the capital from traditional VCs as Kik or Omise.
Kik’s plan for its coin — which will be called Kin — is focused around enabling a developer ecosystem that isn’t reliant on advertising. It’s a major play against existing systems like Facebook, and therefore bold and risky. Omise, meanwhile, is taking a more conventional path with its plan to develop a wholly decentralized payment platform — Omise Go.
The company, which serves business customers in Japan, Thailand and Indonesia, currently operates as a payment enabler that lets companies take money from customers online. That predominantly focuses on credit cards but, unlike larger global players such as Stripe, Omise offers support for alternative options such as paying over the counter at convenience stores. That’s because credit card and bank account penetration is substantially lower in emerging markets like Southeast Asia so alternatives are needed in order to cater to mass market consumers.
With Omise Go — and the “OMG” coin — Omise wants to remove even more of the boundaries by removing even the need to own a bank account. Omise plans to open-source its mobile wallet technology, and develop a decentralized payment system using the blockchain and OMG, which Ethereum’s ERC20 token standard. By decentralizing its network, Omise hopes to offer a more level playing field for fintech startups — providing services that exceed traditional credit card networks — and ultimately increase financial inclusion.
“The reason we chose blockchain technology is that we want to build a network that people can actually trust,” Omise co-founder Donnie Harinsut said in a video explaining the motivation behind the token offering.
“We want everyone to have access to financial services no matter who you are in society. It’s a fundamental right, not a privilege,” he added.
Beyond a fundraising event for the company, the ICO offers an opportunity for would-be investors to buy into the Omise Go network. OMG coin owners will be able to make money — like a dividend — by earning fees from validating transactions that occur on the Omise Go network. There’s also the potential to sell their coin should the value of it increase — that’s dependent on the network and success of the product.
This isn’t an overnight decision for Omise. The startup has invested in cryptocurrencies and the blockchain since 2015, that included providing a $100,000 grant for the Ethereum Foundation’s Devgrants program. It lists Ethereum creator Vitalik Buterin and Joseph Poon, the architect of bitcoin’s Lightning Network, among its advisors, and there are other ties, too. Wendell Davis, who was part of the original Ethereum founding team, is Omise’s product development lead while special advisor Thomas Greco has also served as an advisor to the Foundation.
Prior to its June ICO, Omise has published a technical whitepaper and a crowdsale document — think a pre-IPO prospectus, but for ICOs — to provide further color on its plans. There’s even a dedicated Slack channel where interested investors can ask questions and gather further information.Despite being polar opposites in politics, Bill Clinton and Kim Jong-il are united by a love not merely of big hair but of the noble game of golf. Trouble is, both men are also known for the "creative accounting" when it comes to totting up their scorecards.
In October 1994, for instance, the Dear Leader played his first ever round of golf at the testing 7,700-yard championship course at Pyongyang, and, according to the state media, completed all 18 holes in a mere 34 shots, a score some 25 shots lower than the next best round in history. What made his performance even more astonishing, if that were possible, was that Kim also recorded no less than five holes-in-one on his way round. With the odds of getting a single hole-in-one calculated by Golf Digest at around 12,000-1, to get five, and in your very first round, and without a single lesson, suggests true and unequivocal omnipotence.
Clinton, meanwhile, has long been obsessed with the size of his handicap. Having honed his swing in Little Rock when he was governor of Arkansas, Clinton still managed to squeeze in four rounds a month after he was elected president and could often be found practising on the White House putting green installed by Eisenhower. But practice didn't make perfect. When the New York Times reporter Don Van Natta Jr played with Clinton in 2000, the duffer-in-chief simply replayed any of his stray shots, leading Van Natta to conclude that "[Clinton] followed the rules... for about a hole and a half."Prosecutors who bend or even break the rules to win a conviction almost never face any punishment. But even given lax controls, the blatant and systemic misconduct in the Orange County district attorney’s office in Southern California stands out. In a scheme that may go back as far as 30 years, prosecutors and the county sheriff’s department have elicited illegal jailhouse confessions, failed to turn over evidence that is favorable to defendants and lied repeatedly in court about what they did.
These unconstitutional abuses are all the more troubling because Orange County is not some corrupt backwater with one rogue prosecutor. With more than three million residents, the county itself is more populous than nearly half the states in the country. Its district attorney’s office employs 250 prosecutors. In March, a California judge, Thomas Goethals, removed all of them from the county’s highest-profile murder prosecution in years because misconduct had tainted the entire office’s handling of the case. He reassigned the case to the California attorney general, Kamala Harris, a ruling her office is appealing.
The case involved a 2011 mass shooting in which eight people were killed by a man named Scott Dekraai. Mr. Dekraai pleaded guilty in 2014, and a jury will consider whether to sentence him to death or life in prison. In early 2014, Mr. Dekraai’s public defender filed a 505-page motion detailing illegal and unconstitutional acts by prosecutors and the sheriff’s department, arguing that this record should take the death penalty off the table. Among other things, the defense argued, deputies intentionally placed informants in cells next to defendants facing trial, including Mr. Dekraai, and hid that fact.
Image Judge Thomas Goethals Credit Pool photo by Mark Boster
The informants, some of whom faced life sentences for their own crimes, were promised reduced sentences or cash payouts in exchange for drawing out confessions or other incriminating evidence from the defendants. This practice is prohibited once someone has been charged with a crime. Even when using an informant is allowed, defendants and judges must be told of the arrangement. That did not happen in Orange County. As Mr. Dekraai’s defense lawyer discovered, the sheriff’s department kept secret a computer file showing where jailhouse informants were placed that went back decades. The prosecutor’s office kept separate files of data on informants and their deals. Some of the informants have helped law enforcement repeatedly in exchange for favors, a fact that is highly relevant in weighing their credibility.Tim Tebow, the NFL quarterback arguably better known for his religious convictions, was reportedly dumped by former Miss USA and Miss Universe Olivia Culpo because he wouldn’t give up his virginity for her. (Because Jesus.)
According to an anonymous source close to Culpo (so you know it’s reliable):
He was really into her, he was sending her love letters and cute notes and professing his love for her. She had to break up with him because she just couldn’t handle it. He still hits her up, but she just can’t deal with the sex thing. He’s pretty adamant about it, I guess.
Since the news broke, Tebow’s chastity has been the basis for all sorts of criticism. Consider the puns being made about how Tebow “still can’t find the end zone,” and how, like Tebow, his girlfriend is “having trouble scoring.” Or the suggestion that he’s “making a big freakin’ mistake here.”
Regardless of his ultra-masculine physique and having won the Heisman Trophy, there are people insistent on shaming him for being able to control his sexual urges in the presence of a gorgeous woman. This particular article shared a full-body shot of Culpo in a bikini, as if to emphasize that breaking his convictions is not only excusable, it’s expected.
NFL stars, especially over the past few years, have frequently been in the news on charges of domestic abuse. Shouldn’t we save the contempt and disgust for the men who knock their partners out instead of the guy who chooses not to touch a woman?
The only voices in support of Tebow’s abstinence seem to be religious bloggers, including *disgusted face*. Never in my life did I think I’d side with Feuerstein over anything. I’ll go cry in the shower as soon as I’m done typing.
We shouldn’t leave it up to the religious to defend their own in this case. Bodily autonomy is a completely separate issue. Even without his faith, his choice to not have sex with someone shouldn’t be ridiculed, just as someone’s choice to have sex shouldn’t be. How preposterous would this story seem if religion weren’t in the mix?
Although his reasons for abstaining make me roll my eyes, I fully support whatever decision he makes for himself as well as privacy over the whole matter. His commitment to his convictions is admirable. It’s almost expected these days (Josh Duggar) that those who flaunt religious morality (Josh Duggar) fall guilty to the hypocrisy test (Duggar Duggar). In the case of Tebow, he’s clearly walking the walk.
Best of luck to him on his quest to find a woman who mirrors his life choices.
And to Olivia Culpo: you should consider finding new friends. A true pal wouldn’t gossip about your sex(less) life to the tabloids.
(Images via Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com and FashionStock.com / Shutterstock.com)Local bicyclists aren't happy about an entry that depicted a vehicle hitting a bike and rider at the annual Doo Dah Parade. The black sport utility vehicle had a bike affixed to the front of it and a pair of stuffed legs draped over the roof. A neon green sign on the passenger door read: "I'll share the road when you follow the rules." Bicyclists said the float advocated for violence against them. Parade organizers said it was satire and in character with a parade that often has harsh political messaging at its center.
Local bicyclists aren�t happy about an entry that depicted a vehicle hitting a bike and rider at the annual Doo Dah Parade.
The black sport utility vehicle had a bike affixed to the front of it and a pair of |
hybrid printer was adapted to print cartilage. Scientists hope that this kind of manufactured cartilage could eventually be implanted into injured patients. Photo from the Institute of Physics (published in the journal Biofabrication). This hybrid printer was adapted to print cartilage. Scientists hope that this kind of manufactured cartilage could eventually be implanted into injured patients. Photo from the Institute of Physics (published in the journal Biofabrication).
"This is a proof of concept study and illustrates that a combination of materials and fabrication methods generates durable implantable constructs. Other methods of fabrication, such as robotic systems, are currently being developed to further improve the production of implantable tissue constructs."
Testing the constructs in a real life systems
Engineering cartilage from pluripotent stem cells
"This technique of creating induced pluripotent stem cells - an achievement honored with this year's Nobel Prize in medicine for Shimya Yamanaka of Kyoto University - is a way to take adult stem cells and convert them so they have the properties of embryonic stem cells."
The authors explained they have achieved a major breakthrough in the printing of 3D tissue. With their system, cartilage is "printed".The printer was used to make cartilage constructs which could eventually be implanted into specific areas of injured patients, such as joints, to help regrow cartilage.They created a printer hybrid which is a combination of two low-cost fabrication techniques:The scientists said that by combining these two systems, they were able to build a structure made from synthetic and natural materials. While the natural gel materials provide an environment in which cells can grow, the synthetic material ensures the strength of the construct.They managed to produce, in this hybrid system, cartilage constructs that were much more mechanically stable compared to those an ink jet printer could produce using just gel material.They also found that the constructs maintained their functional characteristics in both the laboratory and a real-life system.The electrospinning machine uses an electrical current to generate extremely fine fibers from a polymer solution. Electrospinning allows the polymers' composition to be controlled easily, producing porous structures that encourage cells to incorporate into surrounding tissue.Co-author, James Yoo, M.D., Ph.D., said:Flexible mats, made of electrospun synthetic polymer, were combined with a solution of cartilage cells from a rabbit ear. The mats were combined layer-by-layer with the cartilage cells which were deposited using a traditional ink jet printer. The mats were 0.4mm thick, with a diagonal of 10cm.They measured their strength by loading them with different weights. One week later they tested to find out whether the cartilage cells were still alive.The scientists inserted the constructs into mice for two, four and eight weeks to determine how well they performed in a real life system. Within eight weeks of being implanted, the constructs had developed the structures and properties that are typically found in elastic cartilage, demonstrating their potential for use in injured humans.The cartilage constructs could eventually be clinically applied using a blueprint from an MRI scan of a knee, for example, from which a matching construct could be created. "A careful selection of scaffold material for each patient's construct would allow the implant to withstand mechanical forces while encouraging new cartilage to organize and fill the defect," they added.Researchers from Duke Medicine managed to engineer cartilage from induced pluripotent stem cells, which were grown and sorted for use in the repair of tissue of patients with osteoarthritis or injuries.They reported their findings on the. The scientists added that iPSCs (induved pluripotent stem cells ) could eventually be used effectively for patients with specific cartilage tissue injuries or defects.Co-author, Farshid Guilak, PhD., said:Written by Christian NordqvistNEW YORK—In a month that has already seen several key changes to popular comic book characters, publisher Marvel Comics revealed Monday that a new version of Spider-Man archenemy the Green Goblin would be left-handed. “We felt it was time for Marvel to give the Spider-Man series an exciting new perspective, and we’re confident readers are going to agree when they catch sight of obsessive Oscorp researcher Dr. Charles ‘Lefty’ Langkowski,” Marvel chief creative officer Joe Quesada said of the change, which will come in an issue that follows the left-handed scientist, who accidentally spills a biogenic serum from his clumsy right hand and subsequently transforms into the unhinged, Halloween-themed supervillain. “From throwing his signature arsenal of Pumpkin Bombs with his left hand rather than his right, to leaning in the opposite direction while riding the Goblin Glide, it’s a fresh, new path forward for the character, and everyone at Marvel is excited for fans to follow the ‘Sinister Southpaw’s’ reign of terror.” Reactions to the announcement have reportedly been mixed, with a number of readers praising the introduction of a more relatable figure, while others expressed frustration that the Marvel Universe still lacked an ambidextrous character.
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Have you recently ordered Pizza! Who doesn’t Love Pizza? We all do. But… if it takes too long to arrive, we will quickly move on to something else to fulfill our hunger. Time is clearly a important factor in our lives. One second can change our minds, and change our life. That’s pretty much the same when it comes to our experience online.
So you’re working really hard on your blog, you have an outstanding audience, and it this Seems like the last thing you should worry about, right?
How often do you abandon a page when it takes too long to load? You’re not the only one, In fact a study on travel websites, revealed that over 57 percent of online shoppers will wait three seconds or less before abandoning the site. The younger generation expects everything to load fast, the same study also found out that 65 percent of 18-24 year old expect a site to load in two seconds or less.
So, I decided to optimize my website and reach the 100%. At first I thought it would be easy, I installed a couple plugins, optimized my code a little bit, and thought that would be enough. Yet I couldn’t be more wrong, I couldn’t get more than 70-80 % on Google’s Speed test.
Over the time I’ve been trying, and searching the web for the best way to accelerate my blog and Here’s How I Got Full Score On Google’s Page Speed:
My WordPress optimizations:
I started with 10 plugins enabled on my WordPress installation, I disabled as much I could disable. I even disabled some of the features of Jetpack.
I removed the extra plugins, fonts, and javascripts
I replaced the fancy sharing bar, that loads all the counters and external javascripts with a simple html/css sharing bar.
I disabled the extra styles and JavaScript loaded by Jetpack, and added my customized styling to my style sheet css
i replaced the default Jquery call, with a “deferred” Jquery file hosted by Google.
I removed my style sheet css, from the initial page load, and replaced it with a small inline css, then I added a simple javascript that loads my css file after the page loads.
I optimized my images with WP-Smuth it plugin ( don’t forget to deactivate it after you’re done)
I disabled the plugin that auto posts to twitter, and replaced it with a standalone script hosted on a different server.
Used sprite images as much as i can, for those of you who don’t know what that is it’s when you combine your template images into one image, so that the user downloads one image instead of multiple images, and the css code will display the required parts of it where needed.
I set Jquery and Disqus to lazy load
Used the Async version of Google Analytics tracking code.
My Server and W3 total cache optimizations:
I installed PageSpeed Module on my server, It’s a apache module that optimize your site automatically. It minifies your css and Html, and Optimizes your images. In addition to many other critical features.
It minifies your css and Html, and Optimizes your images. In addition to many other critical features. I installed Memcached, and apc php module on my server. Two caching agents that optimize the serving of php pages
I Installed W3 TOTAL Cache plugin on my WordPress, and configured it to use object cache, page cache(using memcahed and apc), and add expiry header to my files.
I configured W3 Total Cache, to use one of my other servers(plus.ultgate.com) as a cdn to serve some of my files.
The result
With all of that I reached a score that varies between 91 and 100%. I had 3 problems left. The first is that Google is grading me for not caching, compressing, and minifying the files called by Google’s Adsense. That is impossible to do, as the files are served by Google and only Google can do that. And again since Adsense loads in iframes, Google deducts further points for not Prioritizing the load of the ads. Which is also impossible because Adsense loads ads after the page loads.
So I was left with One Site issue that Can’t be solved: the server response. Since mysite’s cache gets refreshed over the time, it’s impossible to always load pages from the cache, which will make the server response time vary from below 0.2 seconds for cached pages, and the maximum of 0.5 seconds for those that didn’t get cached yet. And that is totally normal! While simple html pages are easier to cache, and get a good server response, the result i got is the best result anyone can get with a blog.
With that said, I’ve been working on optimizing my blog, to reach the highest speed, and I finally did it. Now, I can finally brag and say that I have The Fastest Blog and website in Town, or even in the whole region.CEO of Netflix Reed Hastings Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
In May of 2014, Netflix began to raise the price of its standard streaming plan for new subscribers, first to $8.99 per month, then to $9.99 per month last October. Existing subscribers were grandfathered into the plan at $7.99 per month for the two-stream, "HD" quality plan.
That is set to change this May, when these grandfathered customers begin being moved up to the $9.99 plan. Analysts at UBS have estimated that this will affect about 17 million US subscribers (37%).
And people are grumbling.
In a survey conducted by UBS, 41% of respondents said they would accept no price increase for Netflix. They would, allegedly, not be willing to pay a single extra cent. This seems like horrible news for Netflix, which presumably is about to get gutted by insane subscriber losses in the coming months.
Except that it actually won't. Why? Because when people estimate how much more they would be willing to pay for their entertainment service, they lie — maybe even to themselves.
UBS analysts spelled it out clearly in a report published Monday:
For those less familiar with how consumers typically respond to survey questions regarding subscription service price increases, it is uncommon for consumers to admit they are willing to pay more for most services. 41% of respondents in our survey were not willing to accept any price increase for Netflix, which is actually very positive when compared to 68% for pay TV. Consider pay TV costs have been rising 3-5% annually and the industry is now losing only ~1% of customers each year, relative to 68% of pay TV customers in our survey indicating no tolerance for price increases.
So how many people will cancel?
UBS estimates roughly 3%-4% of affected subscribers will cancel. This will drop US net additions to 450,000 from 903,000 in the same quarter of 2015. But it's hardly the doom and gloom the survey results suggest.
One reason why Netflix users won't cancel: it's still a great value per hour spent watching. Netflix costs 9 cents per hour of viewing, while a typical pay TV package costs 30 cents per hour, according to UBS.The Marriage of Figaro (Italian: Le nozze di Figaro, pronounced [le ˈnɔttse di ˈfiːɡaro]), K. 492, is an opera buffa (comic opera) in four acts composed in 1786 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with an Italian libretto written by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It premiered at the Burgtheater in Vienna on 1 May 1786. The opera's libretto is based on a stage comedy by Pierre Beaumarchais, La folle journée, ou le Mariage de Figaro ("The Mad Day, or The Marriage of Figaro"), which was first performed in 1784. It tells how the servants Figaro and Susanna succeed in getting married, foiling the efforts of their philandering employer Count Almaviva to seduce Susanna and teaching him a lesson in fidelity.
The opera is a cornerstone of the repertoire and appears consistently among the top ten in the Operabase list of most frequently performed operas.[1]
Composition history [ edit ]
Beaumarchais's earlier play The Barber of Seville had already made a successful transition to opera in a version by Paisiello. Beaumarchais's Mariage de Figaro was at first banned in Vienna; Emperor Joseph II stated that "since the piece contains much that is objectionable, I therefore expect that the Censor shall either reject it altogether, or at any rate have such alterations made in it that he shall be responsible for the performance of this play and for the impression it may make", after which the Austrian Censor duly forbade performing the German version of the play.[2][3] Mozart's librettist managed to get official approval from the emperor for an operatic version which eventually achieved great success.
The opera was the first of three collaborations between Mozart and Da Ponte; their later collaborations were Don Giovanni and Così fan tutte. It was Mozart who originally selected Beaumarchais's play and brought it to Da Ponte, who turned it into a libretto in six weeks, rewriting it in poetic Italian and removing all of the original's political references. In particular, Da Ponte replaced Figaro's climactic speech against inherited nobility with an equally angry aria against unfaithful wives.[4] Contrary to the popular myth, the libretto was approved by the Emperor before any music was written by Mozart.[5]
The Imperial Italian opera company paid Mozart 450 florins for the work;[6] this was three times his (low) yearly salary when he had worked as a court musician in Salzburg.[7] Da Ponte was paid 200 florins.[6]
Performance history [ edit ]
Figaro premiered at the Burgtheater in Vienna on 1 May 1786, with a cast listed in the "Roles" section below. Mozart himself directed the first two performances, conducting seated at the keyboard, the custom of the day. Later performances were conducted by Joseph Weigl.[8] The first production was given eight further performances, all in 1786.[9]
Although the total of nine performances was nothing like the frequency of performance of Mozart's later success, The Magic Flute, which for months was performed roughly every other day,[7] the premiere is generally judged to have been a success. The applause of the audience on the first night resulted in five numbers being encored, seven on 8 May.[10] Joseph II, who, in addition to his empire, was in charge of the Burgtheater,[11] was concerned by the length of the performance and directed his aide Count Rosenberg [de] as follows:
To prevent the excessive duration of operas, without however prejudicing the fame often sought by opera singers from the repetition of vocal pieces, I deem the enclosed notice to the public (that no piece for more than a single voice is to be repeated) to be the most reasonable expedient. You will therefore cause some posters to this effect to be printed.[12]
The requested posters were printed up and posted in the Burgtheater in time for the third performance on 24 May.[13]
The newspaper Wiener Realzeitung carried a review of the opera in its issue of 11 July 1786. It alludes to interference probably produced by paid hecklers, but praises the work warmly:
Mozart's music was generally admired by connoisseurs already at the first performance, if I except only those whose self-love and conceit will not allow them to find merit in anything not written by themselves. The public, however... did not really know on the first day where it stood. It heard many a bravo from unbiased connoisseurs, but obstreperous louts in the uppermost storey exerted their hired lungs with all their might to deafen singers and audience alike with their St! and Pst; and consequently opinions were divided at the end of the piece. Apart from that, it is true that the first performance was none of the best, owing to the difficulties of the composition. But now, after several performances, one would be subscribing either to the cabal or to tastelessness if one were to maintain that Herr Mozart's music is anything but a masterpiece of art. It contains so many beauties, and such a wealth of ideas, as can be drawn only from the source of innate genius.[14]
The Hungarian poet Ferenc Kazinczy was in the audience for a May performance, and later remembered the powerful impression the work made on him:
[Nancy] Storace [see below], the beautiful singer, enchanted eye, ear, and soul. – Mozart directed the orchestra, playing his fortepiano; the joy which this music causes is so far removed from all sensuality that one cannot speak of it. Where could words be found that are worthy to describe such joy?[15]
Joseph Haydn appreciated the opera greatly, writing to a friend that he heard it in his dreams.[16] In summer 1790 Haydn attempted to produce the work with his own company at Eszterháza, but was prevented from doing so by the death of his patron, Nikolaus Esterházy.[17]
Other early performances [ edit ]
The Emperor requested a special performance at his palace theater in Laxenburg, which took place in June 1786.[18]
The opera was produced in Prague starting in December 1786 by the Pasquale Bondini company. This production was a tremendous success; the newspaper Prager Oberpostamtszeitung called the work "a masterpiece",[19] and said "no piece (for everyone here asserts) has ever caused such a sensation."[20] Local music lovers paid for Mozart to visit Prague and hear the production; he listened on 17 January 1787, and conducted it himself on the 22nd.[21] The success of the Prague production led to the commissioning of the next Mozart/Da Ponte opera, Don Giovanni, premiered in Prague in 1787; see Mozart and Prague.
The work was not performed in Vienna during 1787 or 1788, but starting in 1789 there was a revival production.[22] For this occasion Mozart replaced both arias of Susanna with new compositions, better suited to the voice of Adriana Ferrarese del Bene who took the role. To replace "Deh vieni" he wrote "Al desio di chi t'adora" – "[come and fly] To the desire of [the one] who adores you" (K. 577) in July 1789, and to replace "Venite, inginocchiatevi" he wrote "Un moto di gioia" – "A joyous emotion", (K. 579), probably in mid-1790.[23]
Roles [ edit ]
The voice types which appear in this table are those listed in the critical edition published in the Neue Mozart-Ausgabe.[24] In modern performance practice, Cherubino and Marcellina are usually assigned to mezzo-sopranos, and Figaro to a bass-baritone.[25]
Synopsis [ edit ]
The Marriage of Figaro continues the plot of The Barber of Seville several years later, and recounts a single "day of madness" (la folle journée) in the palace of Count Almaviva near Seville, Spain. Rosina is now the Countess; Dr. Bartolo is seeking revenge against Figaro for thwarting his plans to marry Rosina himself; and Count Almaviva has degenerated from the romantic youth of Barber into a scheming, bullying, skirt-chasing baritone. Having gratefully given Figaro a job as head of his servant-staff, he is now persistently trying to exercise his droit du seigneur – his right to bed a servant girl on her wedding night – with Figaro's bride-to-be, Susanna, who is the Countess's maid. He keeps finding excuses to delay the civil part of the wedding of his two servants, which is arranged for this very day. Figaro, Susanna, and the Countess conspire to embarrass the Count and expose his scheming. He retaliates by trying to compel Figaro legally to marry a woman old enough to be his mother, but it turns out at the last minute that she really is his mother. Through Figaro's and Susanna's clever manipulations, the Count's love for his Countess is finally restored.
Place: Count Almaviva's estate, Aguas-Frescas, three leagues outside Seville, Spain.[27]
Overture [ edit ]
The overture is in the key of D major; the tempo marking is presto; i.e. very fast. The work is well known and often played independently as a concert piece.
Act 1 [ edit ]
A partly furnished room, with a chair in the centre.
Figaro happily measures the space where the bridal bed will fit while Susanna tries on her wedding bonnet in front of a mirror (in the present day, a more traditional French floral wreath or a modern veil are often substituted, often in combination with a bonnet, so as to accommodate what Susanna happily describes as her wedding cappellino). (Duet: "Cinque, dieci, venti" – "Five, ten, twenty"). Figaro is quite pleased with their new room; Susanna far less so (Duettino: "Se a caso madama la notte ti chiama" – "If the Countess should call you during the night"). She is bothered by its proximity to the Count's chambers: it seems he has been making advances toward her and plans on exercising his droit du seigneur, the purported feudal right of a lord to bed a servant girl on her wedding night before her husband can sleep with her. The Count had the right abolished when he married Rosina, but he now wants to reinstate it. The Countess rings for Susanna and she rushes off to answer. Figaro, confident in his own resourcefulness, resolves to outwit the Count (Cavatina: "Se vuol ballare signor contino" – "If you want to dance, sir count").
Figaro departs, and Dr. Bartolo arrives with Marcellina, his old housekeeper. Figaro had previously borrowed a large sum of money from her, and, in lieu of collateral, had promised to marry her if unable to repay at the appointed time; she now intends to enforce that promise by suing him. Bartolo, seeking revenge against Figaro for having facilitated the union of the Count and Rosina (in The Barber of Seville), agrees to represent Marcellina pro bono, and assures her, in comical lawyer-speak, that he can win the case for her (aria: "La vendetta" – "Vengeance").
Bartolo departs, Susanna returns, and Marcellina and Susanna exchange very politely delivered sarcastic insults (duet: "Via resti servita, madama brillante" – "After you, brilliant madam"). Susanna triumphs in the exchange by congratulating her rival on her impressive age. The older woman departs in a fury.
Act 1: Cherubino hides behind Susanna's chair as the Count arrives.
Cherubino then arrives and, after describing his emerging infatuation with all women, particularly with his "beautiful godmother" the Countess (aria: "Non so più cosa son" – "I don't know anymore what I am"), asks for Susanna's aid with the Count. It seems the Count is angry with Cherubino's amorous ways, having discovered him with the gardener's daughter, Barbarina, and plans to punish him. Cherubino wants Susanna to ask the Countess to intercede on his behalf. When the Count appears, Cherubino hides behind a chair, not wanting to be seen alone with Susanna. The Count uses the opportunity of finding Susanna alone to step up his demands for favours from her, including financial inducements to sell herself to him. As Basilio, the music teacher, arrives, the Count, not wanting to be caught alone with Susanna, hides behind the chair. Cherubino leaves that hiding place just in time, and jumps onto the chair while Susanna scrambles to cover him with a dress.
When Basilio starts to gossip about Cherubino's obvious attraction to the Countess, the Count angrily leaps from his hiding place (terzetto: "Cosa sento!" – "What do I hear!"). He disparages the "absent" page's incessant flirting and describes how he caught him with Barbarina under the kitchen table. As he lifts the dress from the chair to illustrate how he lifted the tablecloth to expose Cherubino, he finds... the self same Cherubino! The count is furious, but is reminded that the page overheard the Count's advances on Susanna, something that the Count wants to keep from the Countess. The young man is ultimately saved from punishment by the entrance of the peasants of the Count's estate, a preemptive attempt by Figaro to commit the Count to a formal gesture symbolizing his promise that Susanna would enter into the marriage unsullied. The Count evades Figaro's plan by postponing the gesture. The Count says that he forgives Cherubino, but he dispatches him to his own regiment in Seville for army duty, effective immediately. Figaro gives Cherubino mocking advice about his new, harsh, military life from which all luxury, and especially women, will be totally excluded (aria: "Non più andrai" – "No more gallivanting").[28]
Act 2 [ edit ]
A handsome room with an alcove, a dressing room on the left, a door in the background (leading to the servants' quarters) and a window at the side.
The Countess laments her husband's infidelity (aria: "Porgi, amor, qualche ristoro" – "Grant, love, some comfort"). Susanna comes in to prepare the Countess for the day. She responds to the Countess's questions by telling her that the Count is not trying to seduce her; he is merely offering her a monetary contract in return for her affection. Figaro enters and explains his plan to distract the Count with anonymous letters warning him of adulterers. He has already sent one to the Count (via Basilio) that indicates that the Countess has a rendezvous of her own that evening. They hope that the Count will be too busy looking for imaginary adulterers to interfere with Figaro and Susanna's wedding. Figaro additionally advises the Countess to keep Cherubino around. She should dress him up as a girl and lure the Count into an illicit rendezvous where he can be caught red-handed. Figaro leaves.
Cherubino arrives, sent in by Figaro and eager to co-operate. Susanna urges him to sing the song he wrote for the Countess (aria: "Voi che sapete che cosa è amor" – "You ladies who know what love is, is it what I'm suffering from?"). After the song, the Countess, seeing Cherubino's military commission, notices that the Count was in such a hurry that he forgot to seal it with his signet ring (which would be necessary to make it an official document).
Susanna and the Countess then begin with their plan. Susanna takes off Cherubino's cloak, and she begins to comb his hair and teach him to behave and walk like a woman (aria of Susanna: "Venite, inginocchiatevi" – "Come, kneel down before me"). Then she leaves the room through a door at the back to get the dress for Cherubino, taking his cloak with her.
While the Countess and Cherubino are waiting for Susanna to come back, they suddenly hear the Count arriving. Cherubino hides in the closet. The Count demands to be allowed into the room and the Countess reluctantly unlocks the door. The Count enters and hears a noise from the closet. He tries to open it, but it is locked. The Countess tells him it is only Susanna, trying on her wedding dress. At this moment, Susanna re-enters unobserved, quickly realizes what's going on, and hides behind a couch (Trio: "Susanna, or via, sortite" – "Susanna, come out!"). The Count shouts for her to identify herself by her voice, but the Countess orders her to be silent. Furious and suspicious, the Count leaves, with the Countess, in search of tools to force the closet door open. As they leave, he locks all the bedroom doors to prevent the intruder from escaping. Cherubino and Susanna emerge from their hiding places, and Cherubino escapes by jumping through the window into the garden. Susanna then takes Cherubino's former place in the closet, vowing to make the Count look foolish (duet: "Aprite, presto, aprite" – "Open the door, quickly!").
The Count and Countess return. The Countess, thinking herself trapped, desperately admits that Cherubino is hidden in the closet. The enraged Count draws his sword, promising to kill Cherubino on the spot, but when the door is opened, they both find to their astonishment only Susanna (Finale: "Esci omai, garzon malnato" – "Come out of there, you ill-born boy!"). The Count demands an explanation; the Countess tells him it is a practical joke, to test his trust in her. Shamed by his jealousy, the Count begs for forgiveness. When the Count presses about the anonymous letter, Susanna and the Countess reveal that the letter was written by Figaro, and then delivered by Basilio. Figaro then arrives and tries to start the wedding festivities, but the Count berates him with questions about the anonymous note. Just as the Count is starting to run out of questions, Antonio the gardener arrives, complaining that a man has jumped out of the window and damaged his carnations while running away. Antonio adds that he tentatively identified the running man as Cherubino, but Figaro claims it was he himself who jumped out of the window, and pretends to have injured his foot while landing. Figaro, Susanna, and the Countess attempt to discredit Antonio as a chronic drunkard whose constant inebriation makes him unreliable and prone to fantasy, but Antonio brings forward a paper which, he says, was dropped by the escaping man. The Count orders Figaro to prove he was the jumper by identifying the paper (which is, in fact, Cherubino's appointment to the army). Figaro is at a loss, but Susanna and the Countess manage to signal the correct answers, and Figaro triumphantly identifies the document. His victory is, however, short-lived: Marcellina, Bartolo, and Basilio enter, bringing charges against Figaro and demanding that he honor his contract to marry Marcellina, since he cannot repay her loan. The Count happily postpones the wedding in order to investigate the charge.
Act 3 [ edit ]
A rich hall, with two thrones, prepared for the wedding ceremony.
The Count mulls over the confusing situation. At the urging of the Countess, Susanna enters and gives a false promise to meet the Count later that night in the garden (duet: "Crudel! perchè finora" – "Cruel girl, why did you make me wait so long"). As Susanna leaves, the Count overhears her telling Figaro that he has already won the case. Realizing that he is being tricked (recitative and aria: "Hai già vinta la causa!... Vedrò, mentr'io sospiro" – "You've already won the case!"... "Shall I, while sighing, see"), he resolves to punish Figaro by forcing him to marry Marcellina.
Figaro's hearing follows, and the Count's judgment is that Figaro must marry Marcellina. Figaro argues that he cannot get married without his parents' permission, and that he does not know who his parents are, because he was stolen from them when he was a baby. The ensuing discussion reveals that Figaro is Rafaello, the long-lost illegitimate son of Bartolo and Marcellina. A touching scene of reconciliation occurs. During the celebrations, Susanna enters with a payment to release Figaro from his debt to Marcellina. Seeing Figaro and Marcellina in celebration together, Susanna mistakenly believes that Figaro now prefers Marcellina to her. She has a tantrum and slaps Figaro's face. Marcellina explains, and Susanna, realizing her mistake, joins the celebration. Bartolo, overcome with emotion, agrees to marry Marcellina that evening in a double wedding (sextet: "Riconosci in questo amplesso" – "Recognize in this embrace").
All leave, before Barbarina, Antonio's daughter, invites Cherubino back to her house so they can disguise him as a girl. The Countess, alone, ponders the loss of her happiness (aria: "Dove sono i bei momenti" – "Where are they, the beautiful moments"). Meanwhile, Antonio informs the Count that Cherubino is not in Seville, but in fact at his house. Susanna enters and updates her mistress regarding the plan to trap the Count. The Countess dictates a love letter for Susanna to send to the Count, which suggests that he meet her (Susanna) that night, "under the pines". The letter instructs the Count to return the pin which fastens the letter (duet: "Sull'aria...che soave zeffiretto" – "On the breeze... What a gentle little zephyr").
A chorus of young peasants, among them Cherubino disguised as a girl, arrives to serenade the Countess. The Count arrives with Antonio and, discovering the page, is enraged. His anger is quickly dispelled by Barbarina, who publicly recalls that he had once offered to give her anything she wants in exchange for certain favors, and asks for Cherubino's hand in marriage. Thoroughly embarrassed, the Count allows Cherubino to stay.
The act closes with the double wedding, during the course of which Susanna delivers her letter to the Count (Finale: "Ecco la marcia" – "Here is the procession"). Figaro watches the Count prick his finger on the pin, and laughs, unaware that the love-note is an invitation for the Count to tryst with Figaro's own bride Susanna. As the curtain drops, the two newlywed couples rejoice.
Act 4 [ edit ]
The garden, with two pavilions. Night.
Following the directions in the letter, the Count has sent the pin back to Susanna, giving it to Barbarina. However, Barbarina has lost it (aria: "L'ho perduta, me meschina" – "I have lost it, poor me"). Figaro and Marcellina see Barbarina, and Figaro asks her what she is doing. When he hears the pin is Susanna's, he is overcome with jealousy, especially as he recognises the pin to be the one that fastened the letter to the Count. Thinking that Susanna is meeting the Count behind his back, Figaro complains to his mother, and swears to be avenged on the Count and Susanna, and on all unfaithful wives. Marcellina urges caution, but Figaro will not listen. Figaro rushes off, and Marcellina resolves to inform Susanna of Figaro's intentions. Marcellina sings an aria lamenting that male and female wild beasts get along with each other, but rational humans can't (aria: "Il capro e la capretta" – "The billy-goat and the she-goat"). (This aria and Basilio's ensuing aria are usually omitted from performances due to their relative unimportance, both musically and dramatically; however, some recordings include them.)
Motivated by jealousy, Figaro tells Bartolo and Basilio to come to his aid when he gives the signal. Basilio comments on Figaro's foolishness and claims he was once as frivolous as Figaro was. He tells a tale of how he was given common sense by "Donna Flemma" ("Dame Prudence") and learned the importance of not crossing powerful people. (aria: "In quegli anni" – "In those years"). They exit, leaving Figaro alone. Figaro muses bitterly on the inconstancy of women (recitative and aria: "Tutto è disposto... Aprite un po' quegli occhi" – "Everything is ready... Open those eyes a little"). Susanna and the Countess arrive, each dressed in the other's clothes. Marcellina is with them, having informed Susanna of Figaro's suspicions and plans. After they discuss the plan, Marcellina and the Countess leave, and Susanna teases Figaro by singing a love song to her beloved within Figaro's hearing (aria: "Deh vieni, non tardar" – "Oh come, don't delay"). Figaro is hiding behind a bush and, thinking the song is for the Count, becomes increasingly jealous.
The Countess arrives in Susanna's dress. Cherubino shows up and starts teasing "Susanna" (really the Countess), endangering the plan. (Finale: "Pian pianin le andrò più presso" - "Softly, softly I'll approach her") The Count gets rid of him by striking out in the dark. His punch actually ends up hitting Figaro, but the point is made and Cherubino runs off.
The Count now begins making earnest love to "Susanna" (really the Countess), and gives her a jeweled ring. They go offstage together, where the Countess dodges him, hiding in the dark. Onstage, meanwhile, the real Susanna enters, wearing the Countess' clothes. Figaro mistakes her for the real Countess, and starts to tell her of the Count's intentions, but he suddenly |
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And as expected, the angry comments started coming in with one Twitter user using the handle @mashmsqxrd asking if Abdul Rahman was a twin of Ahmad Maslan.
Ahmad Maslan, now international trade and industry deputy minister, was widely mocked for his never-ending gaffes in his passionate defence of the Goods and Services Tax when he was deputy finance minister.
To this, Abdul Rahman merely replied: "No, he is better looking than me."
Minister a 'village boy'
Another user with the Twitter handle @LeBarnacle made fun of the Kota Belud parliamentary constituency which Abdul Rahman represents.
"Does he even know the roads in Kuala Lumpur? For all we know this village boy from the interior of Kota Belud may get lost," he said.
Responding to this, Abdul Rahman said: "I have Garmin GPS (global positioning system)".
Joining in the criticism was DAP Selangor committee member Young Syefura who said: "Is it compulsory to issue stupid statements if someone becomes a minister? Where are your advisers, special officers and personal assistants? Don't they advise ahead?"
However, Abdul Rahman did not address this criticism but instead made fun of Young's Twitter name which read 'Rawrr'.
"Rawrrrrrrr.... there it is," he said without elaborating.
On a serious note, Abdul Rahman criticised Malay Mail Online which he accused of using a'mischievous' headline in reporting his comment about tolled highways.
"Read the content of my press conference, not only the mischievous headline by Malay Mail," he said.U.S. Border Patrol agents in southern New Mexico captured a Mexican national wanted for murder in his home country after he fled to America.
The agents assigned to the Deming Station were alerted by camera technology to a group of illegal immigrants that crossed the border west of the Columbus, New Mexico, Port of Entry. Agents at the camera monitoring station used the technology to guide the interceptors to the exact location where the migrants were hiding, information obtained from U.S. Customs and Border Protection by Breitbart Texas revealed.
The group had moved to an area northeast of the port of entry and were attempting to hide in the brush. They admitted to agents they had illegally entered the U.S. The agents arrested all of the migrants in the group and transported them to the Deming Border Patrol Station for processing and identification.
A background check revealed that one of the illegal aliens, Francisco Esparza Gallegos, 29, had a long criminal history. Agents learned Gallegos was wanted in Mexico for a homicide. He also has pending charges in the U.S. for “re-entry of a deported migrant,” CBP officials stated.
The agents contacted the Border Patrol’s Foreign Operations Branch. Those agents contacted the Attorney General of Mexico’s office to confirm the validity of the outstanding warrant. He will be deported to Mexico after facing charges in the U.S. for illegal re-entry.
“This incident demonstrates how vigilance by U.S. Border Patrol Agents, and the ability to rapidly respond, is instrumental in keeping our nation’s borders safe,” CBP officials said in the written statement.
It is not uncommon for Mexican murder suspects to flee to the U.S. to avoid prosecution. In September 2016, Breitbart Texas reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement Removal Operations (ERO) agents deported a Mexican national for the third time in three years. Elmer Tinoco-Eutimio, 22, was turned over to Mexican authorities to stand trial for his alleged role in a bludgeoning homicide of an elderly woman.
Another Mexican national hiding deep inside the U.S. was deported by ERO agents in California. Jose De Jesus Barajas-Lopez, 30, was turned over to Mexican authorities at the San Ysidro Port of Entry in California on November 9, according to information obtained by Breitbart Texas from ICE officials. Officials with Mexico’s Procuraduria General de la Republica (PGR) and Mexican immigration officials took custody of Barajas-Lopez as he was deported. The Mexican national had been arrested by FBI agents in Othello, Washington, and was wanted in Mexico for a 2013 murder in Tecomán, Colima.
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas. He is a founding member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.Revelers attending the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California, got a special treat when a message in the clouds reminded everyone that Donald Trump is the worst.
America is great. Trump is disgusting. Anybody but Trump. #roseparade2016 pic.twitter.com/bXBJx1oZ9K — Amanda Tendler (@loveyoubyebye) January 1, 2016
"America is great! Trump is disgusting. Anybody but Trump" the skywriting read, referring to the 2016 GOP presidential front-runner. Witnesses on Twitter said five or six planes appeared to write the message, though it's not yet clear who the culprits were.
Above @RoseParade 6 planes wrote. The entire message "America is Great. #Trump is disgusting. Anybody but Trump." pic.twitter.com/N41YwoqSkI — Sara Sidner (@sarasidnerCNN) January 1, 2016
Although we don't know why the skywriters find Trump "disgusting," we've compiled some possible reasons for the sentiment:
- He called for a "complete shutdown" of all Muslims coming to the U.S. and to keep a database of the ones already here.
- A former KKK Grand Wizard called Trump a "net positive" for racists everywhere.
- Trump believes sexual assault in the military should be expected, and generally just doesn't seem to care for women.
- His vocabulary mostly consists of using the words "weak," "tough" and "loser."
A new terror warning was issued for European cties. At what point do we say we have had enough and get really tough and smart. Weak leaders! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 26, 2015President Donald Trump, perhaps aspiring to be the next American Historian Laureate, has doubled-down in his defense of white supremacy by declaring it’s “sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments. You can’t change history, but you can learn from it.” He went on to remark “Robert E. Lee. Stonewall Jackson--who’s next, Washington, Jefferson?”
Trump’s comments apparently do reflect public opinion, even if polling also indicated a strong rejection of his handling of the Charlottesville events and intense dislike of Neo-Nazis and the KKK. Most people think that the statues honoring the leaders of the Confederacy should remain as a “historical symbol” and not be removed because they are “offensive” to some people.
This unfortunate view might reflect the success of long-term efforts of defenders of the Confederacy to obscure the actual motives behind secession. Virtually all historians agree that a desire to preserve, strengthen and expand slavery was the reason the Confederacy came into being, not for the defense of abstract “state’s rights.” After the Confederacy’ defeat, there was an all-too-brief Reconstruction Era (1865-77), during which the former slaves benefited economically, politically and socially. Reconstruction ended for a variety of specific reasons, but ultimately because the vast majority of both northern and southern whites rejected racial equality and integration. Subsequently, institutionalized white supremacy in the South reasserted itself in the form of legal segregation. The statues under dispute were all built during the decades after blacks once again became subjugated.
The Neo-Nazis, KKK, and fellow travelers understand full well the symbolism of what was being torn down. They wish, in their fashion, to restore a white supremacy that has never been fully eradicated. There is, after all, no valued area of life in which whites’ opportunities and outcomes are truly less than those of non-whites---wealth, income, education, the justice system, health, and longevity. But, white supremacists perceive they are losing ground because the extraordinary relative advantages whites once enjoyed under slavery, legal segregation, and de facto segregation outside the south, have significantly diminished.
Trump, also, of course, wants to change history, though it’s true the past cannot be altered by returning to it. Rather, he wishes to create a new reality, to enhance the already considerable white skin privileges that he and his fellow Caucasians already have. Preserving the cultural artifacts of the glory days of white supremacy is a symbolic reminder of Paradise Lost. That is also the history from which he wishes to learn.
Trump’s observation that George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were slave holders and might become the targets of future attempts to remove statues or monuments might have persuaded some fence-sitters.The two great historical figures were indeed slave-owners, but monuments to them do not exist because of that aspect of their lives, but because of their role in the American Revolution against British colonialism. None of the disputed works were built except to promote nostalgia for the Confederacy and a usable past, replete with heroic ancestors, for the new segregation era.
If we leave American history and consider Germany we can understand the shallowness of Trump’s argument regarding the need to preserve the visibility of artifacts of the Confederacy to learn from it. Germany, perhaps more than any other country, has taken as its historical responsibility acknowledgment of the crimes of the Nazi period. Public spaces and buildings were systematically stripped of any visual association with Nazism. This was, of course, first done under the denazification policies promulgated by the victorious Allies. But later, by the Germans themselves, who call it “defensive democracy.” Criminal statutes outlaw any new displays of Nazi paraphernalia and symbols (e.g., flags, swastikas), public glorification of anything associated with the Nazis, including denial of the Nazi genocidal policies directed at Jews, Gypsies, gays and the mentally and physically infirm. Neo-Nazi political parties are also illegal. The Nazi past is not erased. It is exposed. In public education, the mass media, museums and public memorials, citizens, residents, and visitors from abroad can see the evidence of atonement. There are, of course, a small fraction of Germans today who might be nostalgic for the Third Reich in its ascendancy. Neo-Nazis exist, but they are not aided and abetted by any attempts to officially “normalize” their demagoguery in the way Trump and some of his top advisers and supportive media have done.
The U.S., by contrast, though hardly unique in this regard, officially buries its dark history as much as possible. There are no Smithsonian-type museums which address in depth the ethnic cleansing of Native Americans; numerous wars, almost none of which were a response to being attacked; or its placement of Japanese-Americans in concentration camps. The National Museum of African American Culture and History is a welcome exception, but required Herculean efforts to overcome resistance.How to Download & Install Ares Wizard Kodi on Kodi Krypton 17.6 & more:
Ares Wizard Download: Ares Project is one of the Best and Long Working Kodi Repos that is maintained well. Ares Repo has a lot of functions like Ares Wizard, Plexus Program Addon, Ares Music, Ares Comedy, Fitness, Cookbook, Sports and other famous Kodi Addons. In this article, we will see How to download and install Ares Wizard Kodi on Latest Version Kodi Player that is Kodi Krypton 17.6, 17.5 & 17.4 and Kodi Jarvis 16.1. We have provided Clear image explanation for your better understanding. Let us proceed with the article friends.Check out: Latest Covenant Kodi Addon[Working][10 DEC 2017]
Check This Also: Best Kodi Addons for Kodi 17.6 Free Download March 2018 Updated!!Most of the famous Kodi Addons and Kodi Repos are down and hence it is better to check out the for Kodi 17.6 Free Download March 2018 Updated!!Most of the famous Kodi Addons and Kodi Repos are down and hence it is better to check out the Alternate Kodi Addons that are currently working
Quick Navigation List:
Various methods available to Download Ares Wizard Kodi Addon:
To get this Addon on Kodi Player, there are two different methods available. The following are the methods available to download and install this addon. Best Ares Wizard Alternative: Download Looking Glass Wizard Addon
Direct download using Ares Repo Zip file.
Install Ares Wizard Kodi using File Manager of Kodi.
Download Ares Repo on Kodi Krypton 17.5 & 17 [Direct Method]:
Note: This is a 3rd party addon/plugin and that is not supported by the Kodi Team and so do not try to post questions related to this addon/plugin on the Kodi Official Forums”
This is the simple method to download this addon. Kindly note this method is suitable for downloading this addon on Kodi Krypton 17.5 & other Krypton series such as 17.4 and 17.3. The steps are very simple to follow. Alternate URL for ares repo is “http://areswizard.co.uk/”, “http://ares-repo.eu”.
Download
Download the Ares Repo Zip file.
Open Kodi Krypton.
. Go to Addons section that is available on the Left side of the main Kodi Interface.
section that is available on the of the main Kodi Interface. Choose Package Installer which is available on the Top left of the screen.
which is available on the of the screen. Proceed with Install from Zip file option now.
option now. Kindly Navigate to the Ares Repo that we have downloaded in the first step. The repo usually found in Downloads Folder. You can also download the Ares zip file using ares repo URL. The Ares Repo URL is http://ares-repo.eu.
that we have downloaded in the first step. The repo usually found in Downloads Folder. You can also download the Ares zip file using. The Ares Repo URL is. Wait for Addon Enabled Notification of Ares Project Repo.
. Once you get the Addon enabled notification of ares repo then it is ready for use on your Kodi Krypton.
of ares repo then it is ready for use on your Kodi Krypton. Now go to Install from Repository of Addons section.
of section. Open Ares Project Repo.
. You will find Program Addons over there. Choose that.
over there. Choose that. Locate Ares Wizard from the list.
from the list. Choose Install of Ares Wizard.
of Ares Wizard. Kindly wait for Addon Enabled notification of Ares Wizard Kodi. Once you get the Ares Wizard Kodi Addon enabled notification then it is ready for use on your Kodi Player.
of. Once you get the Ares Wizard Kodi Addon enabled notification then it is ready for use on your Kodi Player. When you open Ares Wizard Kodi for the first time, it will install several files and it will take some time for loading.
Once the process is done then Ares Wizard Kodi will open now.
Using Ares Repo, you can Browse and download Kodi Addons, Repos, Kodi Builds and you can also maintain your Kodi Player, Clear logs and cache and more.
Update on Ares Project Repo as of 15 November 2017:
Friends, unfortunately, on 15 November 2017, all the famous Repo such as Ares, Colossus, Smash are completely gone and we will soon update you with any further information we get and also we will come up with best alternate for Ares Repo soon. Thank you.
Install Ares Wizard Kodi using File Manager Method:
Disclaimer Notice: The Kodi Addons or or www.thekodiaddons.com provides information about Kodi Software and provides tutorials about How to use Kodi, How to install addons on Kodi and similar Tutorial things. The Kodi Addons states that this is just an information providing site and does not bear any responsibility for what user does with the contents of the site.
This method is quite long compared to the earlier method and hence we have explained this method as an alternate one for the above method. This method is useful for installing this addon on Kodi Krypton and as well as Kodi Jarvis 16.1.
Open Kodi Player.
. Choose Settings.
. Select the File Manager tile.
tile. Choose Add source.
. Add file source pop up will appear now. Select None from that.
will appear now. Select from that. Enter the file Path as “ http://ares-repo.eu “. Click OK.
as “ “. Click. Enter the Media name as Ares Repo. Click OK.
as Ares Repo. Click. Finally, Click OK.
. Go to Install from Zip file option now.
option now. There you will find the Ares Repo file that we have created now. Select now.
file that we have created now. Select now. Download the Latest Version Ares repo from that.
from that. Kindly wait for Addon enabled notification of Ares repo.
. Once you get the Ares repo Addon enabled notification then follow the same steps explained in the first method to install Ares Wizard Kodi.
How to Use Ares Wizard & options available in Ares Wizard Kodi:
Browse for Builds:
The first option is the Browse Build option with which you can able to search for Kodi Builds and Install them. There are a lot of Kodi Builds available in this option.
Browse for Addons:
Lot of Video Addons such as Covenant Kodi and other program Addons, Kodi Repositories and more are available in this section.
Maintenance option in Ares Wizard:
This section contains various options such as Thumbnail Management, Package management, Cache Management and more.
Backup option of Ares Wizard Kodi:
This section deals with the Backup option. You can able to do a full system backup, Addon backup and more.
Other Addons available in Ares Repo:
Ares repo provides a lot of options for different things such as Music, Documentaries, languages, Food, Kids and even more.
There are a lot of video Addons available such as Ares anime, Chef Skills, Comedy, Cookbook, Fitness, Kids, Sports, Music and more.
,,,,, Kids, Sports, Music and more. Moreover, one of the Best Program Kodi Addon Plexus is also available in Ares Repo.
How to Download & Install Ares Wizard Kodi- Video Tutorial:
Contact Us with your Query:
We hope we have provided all the information regarding Ares Repo and Ares Wizard Kodi and also provided different methods to download and install ares wizard Kodi on latest version Kodi player 17.5 and other Kodi 17 and also on Kodi Jarvis 16.1. If you have any Query then Kindly Comment Us and we will revert with a solution soon. Thank you!!Draft is a series about the art and craft of writing.
For years, it was my filthy secret, my private shame. I was allegedly a novelist; a crime writer, no less — a gritty, hard-boiled practitioner in the dark art of killing on the page. I was supposed to be a spinner of the tallest of tales. My books began with the disclaimer, “This is a work of fiction…”
And yet I kept having this problem: I couldn’t make stuff up.
I was bound by the truth, and my truth was that I had been a newspaper reporter from the time I was 14, when I hooked on as a stringer at The Ridgefield (Conn.) Press, my hometown paper. I was weaned off the milk of double sourcing by the food of supporting documents.
Later, as a young professional at The Washington Post and The (Newark) Star-Ledger, I learned that even at respectable papers, the standards for behavior in journalism were far more lax than they were in other industries. I could show up drunk, scream obscenities in the newsroom, eschew regular bathing, all things I watched my colleagues do — especially when I worked in the sports department, a haven for the inebriated, profane and malodorous. All would be forgiven and/or ignored as long as I filed clean copy on deadline. But if I made something up, that was different. Then I’d be fired on the spot.
There would be no equivocation — no memoirists’ hand-wringing about the squishiness of human recall, no postmodernist posturing about how we determine reality, no quibbling about infinite quantum realities or any of the other things professors and grad students spend too much time pondering. The newspaper world has long known the difference between fact and fiction, and it is clear about the consequences for those who stray into the latter.
At first, when I was in high school, getting canned wouldn’t have been a big deal — it would just have meant going back to baby-sitting. But as time went along, the money I made from newspapers became more important. In college, it was beer money (’nuff said). Then, it was my rent. Then my mortgage. Then the food in my children’s mouths.
Photo
It was more than that, too. It was about maintaining the sacred trust between the paper and the reader, and knowing that if I wavered I wouldn’t just be destroying my reputation. I’d be taking the paper, and the colleagues who had become like a second family, into the pit with me.
So somewhere along the line, not making stuff up became more like religion. Even when I started writing, ahem, “fiction” — first as a hobby, then as a serious career alternative — those old habits died hard.
For years I felt as if I was merely passing as a novelist. My narrator was a stiff, dorky white guy — just like me. I made him an investigative reporter in Newark — just like I was. I sent him out on streets I had walked to chronicle the kind of crimes that I had covered. Virtually every detail was wrested from real life and given perhaps a quarter turn to protect the innocent/guilty.
The lone contrivance in my first book, “Faces of the Gone,” was that I had the protagonist dating the city editor, a hot brunette — and any journalist could tell you there has never been a hot city editor, male or female, in newspaper history.
In my second book, “Eyes of the Innocent,” I sneaked in one small, fabricated detail: that drug dealers in a housing project used birdcalls to communicate. I had been to that project many times and had never heard a single chirp. But it struck me as a cool thing that could happen. I can still recall the reckless thrill of typing that paragraph. I imagined myself writing impassioned defenses of a fiction writer’s right to literary freedom in response to all the angry e-mail from incredulous readers.
Instead, I didn’t get one.
In my third book, I grew more daring. I had a passage where the protagonist, Carter Ross, is chased by a bear through Newark. I so loved the absurdity of it that I simply couldn’t help myself. I reveled in my devil-may-care insouciance. Again, I braced myself for protest. It ended up being everyone’s favorite scene in the whole book.
So when it came time for the fourth novel, “The Good Cop,” I was finally ready to embrace my inner fibber. I invented a cop-killing gun-smuggling criminal syndicate to serve as the bad guys. I got Carter stoned on absinthe and had him break into the county morgue. I created an intern who is goaded into dipping pregnancy tests into toilet water as a means of determining if a certain house has a plumbing problem.
Some of it sounds ridiculous out of context, but what I’ve discovered is that succeeding at fiction is not a function of what I write, but of how I write it. It’s all about selling the story. Frankly, it was a lesson I should have learned not from my years in the newspaper game, but because I have an older brother.
During our childhood, my brother Greg got me to believe that we were related to the baseball legend Ty Cobb; that buried in the dirt beneath a fallen tree trunk in our backyard were dinosaur bones; and that when he was 5, he owned a motorcycle, which he had sold by age 7.
How did he get me to swallow that bunk? Because I was innately trusting, sure, but also because there was never any doubt in his delivery (Greg is now a lawyer, so his abilities in this area remain well practiced).
Writing believable fiction requires having the confidence to do the same thing. And, in some ways, we have an even easier audience than a gullible younger brother. People who read fiction want to be transported to a different place.
What’s more, I’ve learned to harness the voice of authority I used back in my double-sourcing days to do it, creating a fictional world in which anything is possible. If I want pigs to fly, they can — as long as I have it be the result of a mad scientist who has found a way to splice porcine and avian genes.
I can’t tell you what a relief it’s been. I can now call myself a novelist with the cleanest of consciences. Honestly. Forthrightly. As any proper liar would.
Brad Parks is the author, most recently, of the novel “The Good Cop.”Were the twelve apostles poor and illiterate? I was leading a Bible Study tonight when one of the people involved made the statement that the Twelve Apostles were probably mostly poor and illiterate. After all, they were fishermen and salt of the earth, and many people did not know how to read or write back then. But, is this an accurate statement of the probable situation of the Twelve Apostles? Well, I had the people go to a certain passage in the Gospel of John:
And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest. But Peter stood at the door outside. Then the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door, and brought Peter in.
This passage is obviously right after Jesus’ arrest. Read it again. One of the disciples is so well known to the high priest and to the guards at his place that he is able to walk right in without being stopped. And then he shows how well-connected he is by going back and giving the guard permission to let Simon Peter in. Now let’s review a bit what has happened. The priests and the Sadducees are so worried about crowd reaction to the arrest of Jesus that they arrange to arrest him late at night and secretly so that there will be no riot. In this type of setting, security would have been very tight at the high priest’s house. In fact, the Scriptures comment on how the high priest’s courtyard was crowded with guards and servants. This is not a setting in which just anyone can walk in. In fact, Simon Peter was stopped and prevented from entering, showing the elevated security level.
So, who is this disciple who is so well connected that even on a night of elevated security he can walk right in? This is the Apostle John, the brother of the Apostle James, one of the sons of thunder, whose father was Zebedee. But, this means that John and James bar Zebedee were not simple poor fishermen from the Sea of Galilee. You may wish to reread some of the Gospels. Notice that a couple of times, when they are shown fishing, there is more than one boat mentioned. Given the connection with the high priest, it is quite likely that James and John were educated and obviously able to travel in high society circles. Notice that while Simon Peter’s accent is pointed out, nothing is ever said about John’s accent or about his being a follower of Jesus. That is, John is placed high enough that neither the guards nor the serving maids feel comfortable hassling him. They do feel quite comfortable hassling Peter, who goes on to deny Jesus three times.
Have I begun to help you reevaluate your opinion of at least some of the Apostles? Well, there are other apostles that might surprise you, but that is for another post.
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Like this: Like Loading...A regular update of Haskell in Arch Linux
Arch now has 962 Haskell packages in AUR. That’s 17 new packages this week, and lots of updates as well.
Notable releases this week
htar-0.3: Command-line tar archive utility
haskell-llvm-0.6.5.0: Bindings to the LLVM compiler toolkit
haskell-harpy-0.4.1: Runtime code generation for x86 machine code
haskell-future-1.0.0: Supposed to mimics and enhance proposed C++ \”future\” features
haskell-holumbus-mapreduce-0.0.1: a distributed MapReduce framework
haskell-holumbus-storage-0.0.1: a distributed storage system
haskell-holumbus-distribution-0.0.1: intra- and inter-program communication
hevolisa-dph-0.0.1: Genetic Mona Lisa problem in Haskell – using Data Parallel Haskell
doctest-0.0.0: Test interactive Haskell examples
haskell-happstack-0.2.1: The haskell application server stack + code generation
Here they all are, broken down by category, so you can get a sense for what’s new in your area of interest:
Algorithm
haskell-hmm-0.1.1: Hidden Markov Model algorithms
Codec
htar-0.3: Command-line tar archive utility.
haskell-tar-0.3.0.0: Reading, writing and manipulating \”.tar\” archive files.
Compilers
haskell-llvm-0.6.5.0: Bindings to the LLVM compiler toolkit
haskell-harpy-0.4.1: Runtime code generation for x86 machine code
Concurrency
haskell-future-1.0.0: Supposed to mimics and enhance proposed C++ \”future\” features
Control
haskell-stateful-mtl-1.0.6: Stateful monad transformers with pure evaluation semantics.
haskell-explicit-exception-0.1.3: Exceptions which are explicit in the type signature.
haskell-pqueue-mtl-1.0.6: Fully encapsulated monad transformers with queuelike functionality.
haskell-explicit-sharing-0.1: Explicit Sharing of Monadic Effects
haskell-level-monad-0.2.2.1: Non-Determinism Monad for Level-Wise Search
haskell-stream-monad-0.1.1.0: Simple, Fair and Terminating Backtracking Monad
Cryptography
haskell-sha-1.2.0: Implementations of the SHA suite of message digest functions
Data
haskell-logfloat-0.11.1: Log-domain floating point numbers
haskell-fraction-0.0.0.0: Fractions
haskell-applicative-numbers-0.0.2: Applicative-based numeric instances
haskell-binary-0.5.0.1: Binary serialisation for Haskell values using lazy ByteStrings
haskell-storable-0.1: Storable type class for variable-sized data
haskell-utility-ht-0.0.4: Various small helper functions for Lists, Maybes, Tuples, Functions
haskell-emgm-0.3.1: Extensible and Modular Generics for the Masses
haskell-simple-reflect-0.2: Simple reflection of expressions containing variables
Database
haskell-hdbc-mysql-0.5: MySQL driver for HDBC
Devel
cabal2arch-0.5.1: Create Arch Linux packages from Cabal packages
leksah-0.4.2.1: Haskell IDE written in Haskell
Distributed Systems
haskell-holumbus-mapreduce-0.0.1: a distributed MapReduce framework
haskell-holumbus-storage-0.0.1: a distributed storage system
haskell-holumbus-distribution-0.0.1: intra- and inter-program communication
Graphics
hevolisa-dph-0.0.1: Genetic Mona Lisa problem in Haskell – using Data Parallel Haskell
hevolisa-0.0.1: Genetic Mona Lisa problem in Haskell
Network
hichi-0.0.1: haskell robot for IChat protocol
System
haskell-miniplex-0.3.4: simple 1-to-N interprocess communication
haskell-augeas-0.1.2: A Haskell FFI wrapper for the Augeas API
Testing
doctest-0.0.0: Test interactive Haskell examples
Text
haskell-polyparse-1.2: A variety of alternative parser combinator libraries.
haskell-liboleg-0.1: A collection of Oleg Kiselyov’s Haskell modules
haskell-regex-tdfa-1.0.0: Replaces/Enhances Text.Regex
haskell-pandoc-1.2: Conversion between markup formats
Web
haskell-happstack-0.2.1: The haskell application server stack + code generation
haskell-happstack-server-0.2.1: Web related tools and services.
haskell-happstack-ixset-0.2.1: Efficient relational queries on Haskell sets.
haskell-happstack-state-0.2.1: Event-based distributed state.
haskell-happstack-data-0.2.1: Happstack data manipulation libraries
haskell-happstack-util-0.2.1: Web framework
haskell-happstack-helpers-0.20: Convenience functions for Happstack.
Xml
haskell-tagsoup-ht-0.3: alternative parser for the tagsoup package
haskell-xml-basic-0.0.1: Basics for XML/HTML representation and processing
The Arch Haskell Team maintains the Haskell toolchain on Arch Linux. You can join us in #arch-haskell on freenode.org, or on the mailing list.
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While television’s original programming may arguably the best it’s ever been, the small screen is rapidly attracting re-imaginings of some big screen properties. Production has already started on Robert Rodriguez’s From Dusk Till Dawn series, which is only the tip of the iceberg for Movie-to-TV adaptations. Plans are in the works to bring such properties as Sin City, Stephen King’s The Mist, and a series based on the 2010 film The Wolfman to the small screen. As money gets tighter, budgets get smaller and in-home viewing becomes the preferred manner of entertainment consumption, television is poised to welcome its big screen brethren with open arms. Hit the jump for more.
The latest news from the arm of the entertainment world concerned with movie properties making the jump to television comes courtesy of Deadline, who reports that The Wolfman series is in the works for NBC. Although NBC’s supernatural pairing of Grimm and Dracula currently occupy the Friday night slot, the network is developing The Wolfman series in the same vein. From Dracula executive producer/head writer Daniel Knauf, The Wolfman “is described as a supernatural thriller that explores what it means to be a man and to be human. It centers on Lawrence Talbot, who is afflicted by an ancient curse and jacks into the powerful, primordial soul of the alpha-predator.”
While NBC is converting its movie properties to television series, a surprise contender is aiming to do the same: The Weinstein Company. As the NY Times reports, the Weinsteins are keen on bulking up their presence in the television world. In the pipeline are half-a-dozen new scripted series along with an increased presence in their unscripted reality TV programming. Among the adapted series plans are “a proposed 10-part series with Frank Darabont, based on Dimension’s film version of Stephen King’s The Mist” … and an MTV pilot based on the Scream films, plus a Sin City series from Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez that will ideally follow the August 2014 release of the directors’ Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.
The Weinsteins have more TV planned than mere movie property re-imaginings, however, with scripted series based on the Ten |
encounters Black Canary.[18]
"Tabula Rasa" and "Veritas Liberat" [ edit ]
In the "Tabula Rasa" storyline, Bane learns from the Jesuit priest that there is a possibility that his biological father is an American doctor.[13] In researching this issue, Bane comes to the conclusion that he and Batman share a biological father: Thomas Wayne, who had been close to Bane's mother during his time in Santa Prisca. Bane alerts Batman to this possibility and, during the time that the DNA tests are being performed, stays at Wayne Manor and fights alongside Batman on the streets of Gotham. Ultimately, it is revealed that Dr. Wayne is not Bane's father, and Bane leaves Gotham peacefully - and with Batman's blessing and financial backing - to pursue leads in the snowy mountains of Kangchenjunga.[19][20][21][22]
Bane eventually finds his father, who turns out to be the unscrupulous King Snake,[23] in the "Veritas Liberat" storyline. Bane, with Batman looking on, helps foil King Snake's plans to unleash a powerful weapon upon the world. Bane saves Batman from being shot by King Snake, but is mortally wounded in the process. Batman then saves Bane by bathing him in a Lazarus Pit, and leaves him with a clean slate.[24][25][26][27]
Infinite Crisis & One Year Later [ edit ]
In Infinite Crisis #7, Bane fights alongside the villains during the Battle of Metropolis. During the battle, he breaks the back of the hero Judomaster, killing him. No reason was given for his actions in #7, though in Infinite Crisis' collected edition, one of the many changes made to the original series was Bane saying "I finally know who I am. I am 'Bane'. I 'break' people."[28]
Bane resurfaces in the One Year Later continuity of JSA Classified #17-18 searching for the Hourmen (Rex and Rick Tyler), asking them for help. To win their trust, he tells them how, prior to the Battle of Metropolis, he returned to his homeland to put an end to the drug lords' government and in the process discovered that a new, more addictive strain of Venom had been created. In his furious carelessness to wipe out the drug trade, he was captured, and re implanted with the cranial tubes, hooked to the new Venom, and now unable to shake off his addiction without dying from the withdrawal. Bane was forced to work as an enforcer for the drug cartel, unable to escape. Believing that Bane sought Rex Tyler's expertise in chemistry, Rick lets him approach his father, only to discover that the story is a ruse. Bane, who had never truly been addicted to Venom, had in fact wiped out the drug lords, and destroyed every research note on Venom. He discovered in the process both strains of Venom derived from Rex Tyler's early research on Miraclo. He discovers from the Tylers that no written notes exist of Rex' work, captures Rex, and steals Rick's equipment, planning to kill Rex and force Rick to take the last of the new Venom, living forever as an addict. Rick manipulates Bane into using Miraclo and demolishing the building as he and his father escape, burying the mercenary in the rubble of the very same Santa Priscan penitentiary where his story began.[29]
Eventually, Bane resurfaces in Santa Prisca and leads the country to democratic elections. Upon discovering that the elections were rigged by Computron, he uses his influence to enforce martial law, plunging the country into a civil war. Computron offers information to Checkmate who ordered him to rig the elections in exchange for their help to escape the country. Fire and Judomaster's son, Thomas Jagger, are sent on the mission, with Jagger debating whether or not to seek revenge for his father's murder. He fights Bane in order to allow Fire to escape, defeating him easily, but chooses not to kill him.[30]
At the end of the miniseries Suicide Squad: Raise the Flag, Amanda Waller recruits Bane into the Squad. In Outsiders #50, he appears once more to be wearing the tubing system to apply Venom.[31]
In Salvation Run #2, Bane is tricked by his fellow squad members, and sent to the prison planet.[32] In Salvation Run #3, Bane remains with Lex Luthor's faction after the Joker's faction rebels against Luthor's leadership. He attacks Thunder and Lightning when they were attempting to feed Martian Manhunter.[33]
Superman/Batman #53-#56 reveals Bane is trading his Venom supplies with drug lords around the globe. One of his shipments includes a trip to Gotham. Batman, who was temporarily endowed with Superman's powers, responded by attacking Bane at his home. Not only was the Dark Knight able to easily defeat the villain, the hero nearly killed him with his far superior strength. Bane survived his injuries due to the enhanced stamina from his Venom supplies.
Secret Six [ edit ]
Since September 2008, Bane has appeared as a regular character in the ongoing Secret Six series. In the first issue, Bane is depicted as a stoic devil's advocate for the group, offering alternative points of view for both Deadshot and Catman on the subject of love.[34] He is later shown to have an almost father like concern for Scandal Savage's well-being.[35] Although this is largely played for laughs in the early issues, the first arc's final issue displays the depth of Bane's affection. When the Six are attacked by an army of supervillains, a wounded (and seemingly dying) Bane's concern for Scandal results in temporarily breaking his vow to never take Venom again in order to save her.[36] Bane is later shown to have recovered from his ordeal, appearing in Gotham City with Cat-Man and Ragdoll in an attempt to stem some of the chaos caused by the apparent death of Batman. During the team's several escapades, Bane reveals both a deep respect for his onetime adversary and a painful yearning to assume the mantle of Batman, telling a trio of rescued citizens to tell people that it was the Batman who saved them. Bane ultimately gives his blessing to Dick Grayson, praying that "God help him."[37] Following a near-disastrous mission, Bane assumes leadership over the Six. His first act as leader is to remove Scandal from active duty, not wishing for her to be endangered.[38] In the latest issue of Secret Six, Bane's Secret Six and Scandal Savage's Secret Six finally square off against each other. Bane and Scandal engage in a one on one fight where he refuses to fight back until Scandal uses her Lamentation Blades to slash his throat.[39] The card is ultimately used to resurrect Knockout.[40]
Driven to near madness, Bane decides to lead the Secret Six to Gotham in an attempt to psychologically break Batman by killing several of his closest allies. The team kidnaps the Penguin, who Bane pumps for information about Batman's partners.[41] In the final issue of the series, Bane ultimately decides on Red Robin, Azrael and Batgirl as his victims. Before the Six can make their move, Penguin betrays their location, resulting in a massive army of superheroes ranging from Green Lantern, Batman and the Superman family to the Justice League, Birds of Prey, and Booster Gold converging on Gotham. The Secret Six stage a desperate last stand, but are quickly defeated. With the fates of the other Secret Six members left ambiguous, Bane is last shown being driven away in a Gotham police van. The ending of the issue implies that he plans to escape. This is also the first issue that Babe comes out as being gay to Poison Ivy. A theme later seen in future comics.[42]
The New 52 [ edit ]
In September 2011, The New 52 rebooted DC's continuity. In this new timeline, Bane is re-introduced in the DCU by Paul Jenkins, and David Finch's run on Batman: The Dark Knight Volume 2.[43] As Bruce Wayne is unable to keep up with the various legal conspiracies involving Batman Incorporated, he decides to investigate a breakout in Arkham. There he finds criminals being fed a modified fear toxin that is mixed in with Venom which makes the criminals extremely strong and immune to fear. He finds it being given to criminals by a new foe named the White Rabbit, when Batman approaches her she quickly defeats him and injects him with the fear toxin which she then gives to the Flash. Bruce then finds Bane to be behind the new fear toxin and combats him, Bruce manages to burn the fear toxin out of his and the Flash's bodies by getting pushed to the limit. Bruce manages to defeat Bane and knock him off an edge, but is left confused by the White Rabbit. Bane is then washed away by the tide.[44]
Bane later appears in Detective Comics (Vol. 2) #19, in the story "War Council".[45] There, his look had been altered to include a vest and cargo pants, and he now has an army serving him. In the story, it's revealed in flashback that prior to his appearance in Batman: The Dark Knight, Bane had intended to steal a nuclear device to threaten Gotham City, only to have a run-in with the Court of Owls, who prevented him from stealing the device and didn't want him to interfere with their plans. Later, after Batman defeats Bane, a mysterious figure confronts the villain and informs him that the Court of Owls had undermined his plans. Bane returns to Santa Prisca to lead his army against them.
During the Forever Evil storyline, Scarecrow learns that Bane may be the cause of the Blackgate uprising and will be their leader in the impending war, and that Talons were stored at Blackgate on ice.[46] Bane, having escaped Peña Dura Prison in Santa Prisca, ships his Venom to Gotham City to be there for when he arrives. As he is traveling to Gotham, he orchestrates the release of Blackgate's prisoners during the Crime Syndicate's broadcast to the world. Later, on board his ship, he prepares his men for the impending war with Scarecrow, and with Gotham in the distant, claims it will be his.[47] Bane enters Blackgate through the sewers to join the prisoners there. While there, he comes across where the Talons are stored hoping to make them in to his weapons. While the attack on Gotham City begins between Bane's men and the GCPD, Bane also approaches Professor Pyg, forcing him to join his cause, and spread word that everything in Gotham is now controlled by Bane.[48] Bane arrives at Blackgate as Man-Bat and his fellow bats are attempting to transport the Talons to Mr. Freeze and is able to keep one from leaving.[49] Bane retrieves Emperor Penguin for the Penguin as part of their agreement.
When Bane brings Emperor Blackgate to the Penguin, the Penguin tells him that the Arkham fighters are not scared of Bane, as he does not instill fear as Batman did. Realizing this, Bane constructs a Batsuit for himself and heads to Wayne Tower to confront Killer Croc. Bane fights Killer Croc and is able to defeat him, setting his sights on retrieving the Talons.[50] Bane wakes up the Talon William Cobb and takes him through Gotham where he fights various inmates of Arkham Asylum. Bane begins recruiting Gotham citizens to his side, offering his base at Wayne Tower as a haven to the people to escape the rule of the Arkham inmates. He tells Cobb his plan to turn the city over to the Court, in exchange for use of Talons at his disposal to be powered by his Venom.[51] The Talons attack Bane's men, and eventually set their target on Bane. With Cobb's help, Bane is able to injure the Talons enough to activate their regenerative powers to remove the mind-control technology.[52]
During Batman: Eternal, after Alfred is attacked by Hush and infected with a fear toxin,[53] he is briefly transferred to Arkham before it is attacked as part of the conspiracy. However, Alfred manages to survive the explosion of the asylum and trick Bane into helping him reach an emergency cave Batman had installed under Arkham, the cave's defences knocking Bane out and allowing Alfred to call for help.
DC Rebirth [ edit ]
At the beginning of Rebirth, Bane still lives in Santa Prisca. In Batman #6, it is revealed that he had been trading Venom to Professor Hugo Strange in exchange for the services of the Psycho Pirate, who was helping him overcome his addiction to the substance. Strange then used the Venom to revive the corpses of several of his patients, as seen in the Night of the Monster Men crossover. In Batman #10, Batman, per the suggestion of Amanda Waller, undertakes a suicide mission to Santa Prisca aided by Catwoman, Bronze Tiger, the Ventriloquist, and the clown couple Punch and Jewlee to take Psycho-Pirate from Bane. Batman needs Psycho-Pirate to undo the damage he caused to Gotham Girl, and each member of the team will receive some sort of reward for their efforts. Bane captures Batman shortly after he arrives, and then breaks his back and throws him into the cell where he spent his childhood. Batman escapes, however, and fixes his back on his own. After allowing Catwoman to "betray" him and having Bronze Tiger, Punch, and Jewlee fake their deaths, Batman uses Ventriloquist to incapacitate Psycho-Pirate and tells Catwoman to break Bane's back. This act of humiliation and the loss of the Pirate causes Bane to snap and scream for Venom from the prison guards.[54]
In Batman vol. 3, #16, Bane has recruited his old henchmen Bird, Trogg, and Zombie in his quest to break Batman once and for all before recapturing Psycho-Pirate from Arkham Asylum. Bane hangs Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, and Damian Wayne in the Batcave before setting off for the asylum, but the three survive. Bane's henchmen then capture Catwoman, Duke Thomas, Commissioner Gordon, and Bronze Tiger to cut Batman off from his allies. Bane beats Batman savagely in an alley and believes him dead, but finds out that Catwoman has escaped, freed the rest of the hostages, and tied up Bane's henchmen, giving Batman a chance to flee.[55] Enraged, Bane storms Arkham Asylum where Alfred is forcing Psycho-Pirate to undo the fear he inflicted upon Gotham Girl. Batman decides to release many of the inmates to fight Bane and thus buy Alfred and Psycho-Pirate more time, but Bane easily beats the likes of Two-Face, Solomon Grundy, Amygdala, Scarecrow, Firefly, and the Mad Hatter, among others, before making the Riddler open a door to Batman for him.[56] Bane and Batman then have another fight, with a bloodied Batman barely beating his nemesis.[57]
Bane: Conquest [ edit ]
In the twelve-issue miniseries "Bane: Conquest", it is revealed that Bane survived his fight with Batman, as he focuses on his criminal exploits outside of Gotham City. Bane and his trio: Bird, Zombie, and Trogg, learn of suspicious activity outside of Gotham and investigate it. They discover a freighter and several mercenaries transporting nuclear warheads and other armaments to Gotham which leads them to suspect a terrorist attack. Because they interrupted the sale at sea, they suspect the buyer is still in Gotham. Thorough interrogations of local criminals point them to a warehouse which had already been raided by Batman, but they find the buyer who points them to Qurac. Bane impulsively storms the compound their lead informed them of and easily overwhelms the armed resistance. Bane is eventually subdued by a heavy duty taser after battling Damocles, the mercenaries arrogant but highly skilled leader;Bane's trio narrowly escape their exploding van. Bane later finds himself unmasked and jailed with several other men including Bruce Wayne. Batman had also been investigating Damocles before being captured. The two put aside their feud in order to plan an escape. Bane is subjected to extensive torture during interrogation but does not break. Bane later acts on a hunch by jamming an opening in his cell which was used to deliver food and water. He and Bruce escape and head in separate directions. Bane goes on a rampage throughout the facility and eventually exacts bloody retribution upon the arrogant Damocles. Bane later uncovers a labyrinth of technology beneath the facility controlled by the outfit's true leader: the subhuman Dionysus, who is little more than a head and two pairs of limbs. Bane sees little value in Dionysus until discovering the latter's deep-rooted connections to various criminal outfits and activities effectively making him an obscenely wealthy and powerful figure in the global criminal underworld.
Bane and his trio decide to appropriate Dionysus' vast criminal empire. After imprisoning Dionysus, they accept his challenge to destroy a formidable criminal adversary and target globally infamous thieves known as the Vor. While Bird watches over Dionysus, Bane and the others break into an apartment complex believed to be the heart of the Vor's operation because of its cache of weapons and money. Unfortunately, the careless Bird is incapacitated by the sneaky Dionysus who alerts the local Spetsnaz claiming to have discovered terrorist activity. While Trogg and Zombie help themselves to valuables, Bane encounters Catwoman who had been forced by Russian law enforcement to hack the Vor or face incarceration. Catwoman gives Bane the slip and activates an alarm which alerts Vor foot soldiers;Dionysus hacks the building's security and initiates a lockdown which separates Bane from the others. Bane catches up to Catwoman and she fulfills her deal with Russian law enforcement by using the thumb drive they gave her to steal mass amounts of data from the Vor database. Catwoman tasers Bane and escapes and Bane regroups with Zombie and Trogg to narrowly escape the arriving Spetsnaz. Looking for a new challenge Bane and his trio look to stagger Kobra by abducting its prophesied leader the Naja-Naja. They abduct the current Naja-Naja, a spoiled young man while he is attending a fancy party. Bane and his trio later find themselves ambushed by Kobra forces and narrowly escape as the Naja-Naja is recovered by Kobra. Tragedy strikes however when the Naja-Naja is killed in a freak accident while entering his submarine. Directed by Dionysus, Bane and his trio take advantage of Kobra's void in leadership to search for the Naja-Naja's successor, believed by Kobra to be an infant with a snake birthmark born at precisely the moment his predecessor died. This search leads the trio around the globe and eventually to Bludhaven. Bane and the trio encounter Kobra agent Valentina who has acquired the infant before an arriving Kobra airship forces Bane and the trio to make a painful and humiliating escape. To prevent the leaderless Kobra from infighting, Valentina directs the organization's attention towards systematically dismantling Bane's criminal empire. Bane is nonplussed about his rapid losses of territory and capital which troubles Bird. The shift in the global criminal empire catches Batman's attention, leading him and Alfred to plan a trip. Bane reveals to the trio and Dionysus that they need an army and a general to battle Kobra. His first stop is in Russia to recruit the elderly but still lethal KGBeast.
In addition to the KGBeast, Bane also recruits the sniper Gunhawk and his partner Bunny, the retired King Faraday and two others to go to war with Kobra. Bane has his operatives abduct a high-ranking member of Kobra for interrogation. While this is happening, Valentina grows frustrated with failed efforts by Kobra operatives to either capture Bane or confirm his death. Using Zombie's newly discovered power, Bane gets the location of Kobra's fortress from their captive. With this info, Bane and his team plan an assault on the Kobra fortress. Bane's team questions his strategy of striking at the heart of Kobra, because its fortress is in a heavily policed country, vaguely implied to be North Korea. To enact his plan, Bane stages an attack on a high ranking military official to gain his trust and access sensitive information such as codes, passwords and necessary military clearance. Bird begins questioning Bane's dependence on venom, believing it has dulled his judgment. Batman, who has infiltrated Bane's operation, places a call to Alfred asking for a special shipment to be sent to him. Zombie overhears the call and snitches to Dionysus who begins to decrypt the call, already knowing it was made to Gotham which enrages Bane. With the sensitive military intel, Bane, Gunhawk, and Pistolera pass through a harbor checkpoint in a submarine containing weapons and Kobra disguises. Having split into two groups, Bane and his team infiltrate Kobra's stronghold. Valentina becomes suspicious of a power outage and puts the complex on high alert, sending the brunt of Kobra's forces to protect the Naja-Naja in his nursery. During the fighting, Bane becomes suspicious of the missing King Faraday and finds him transmitting to a third party. Bane, believing Faraday to be a disguised Bruce Wayne, ambushes him and breaks his back. After realizing his error, Bane is attacked by Valentina wearing an exo-suit, but quickly repels her. Bane makes a beeline to the nursery which is empty save for several downed Kobra soldiers and a discarded mask once worn by the french mercenary, Crow. Bane vows to finally kill Batman when they next meet. Valentina pursues Batman and the infant before Bane interferes. Bane ultimately destroys the exo-suit before confronting Batman once more. Bane demands the infant which he plans to use to usurp control of Kobra when Batman appeals to his humanity;rationalizing that Bane would never allow an innocent to be raised the same way he was. Bane allows Batman to depart with the infant aboard the submersible "Sea Bat" which was the delivery that Batman asked Alfred to make. Bane escapes Kobra's wrath by boarding the Sea Bat. Faced with the loss of the Naja-Naja, Valentina and her peers decide to silence Kobra elder, Rampo, who had been trying to marshal all of Kobra's forces to retrieve the infant. The infant appears on the doorstep of a Gotham Orphanage, his birthmark having been obscured/replaced by a skin graft. Some nuns take in the infant who had been left with some money and Bane's childhood Teddy Bear, Osito.
Vengeance on the Bat [ edit ]
Powers and abilities [ edit ]
Bane is highly intelligent; in Bane of the Demon, Ra's al Ghul says that Bane "has a mind equal to the greatest he has known" (although he dismisses Bane's intellect as the cunning of an animal rather than the cultured, trained intellect of Batman). His strength gives him more ways to go against Batman. Bane has shown to be capable of lifting 15 tons.[13] In prison, he taught himself various scientific disciplines equal to the level of understanding of leading experts in those fields.[5] He knows ten active languages and at least four additional arcane and dead ones. Among these are Spanish, English, French, German, Russian, Mandarin Chinese, Persian, Dari, Urdu, and Latin.[13][58] The Bane of the Demon storyline reveals that he has an eidetic memory. Within one year, he is able to deduce Batman's secret identity.[13]
He is also highly devious and a superb strategist and tactician.[5] In prison, Bane also invented his own form of calisthenics, meditation, and a fighting style that he uses against other well-known martial arts fighters within the DC Universe. Bane creator Chuck Dixon's early tales portray Bane as a very calm, centered warrior akin to Bruce Lee; in as much that he draws strength through calm meditation, and the spiritual energy of the "very rock of Peña Dura". Dixon imbued Bane with an almost supernatural quality when he explained that Bane triumphed in all of his prison fights by employing these abilities, while his opponents had only rage and greed to propel them. Multiple scenes in "Vengeance of Bane" explore this aspect when it explains that Bane's mastery of meditation techniques "made time and space playthings to him." A subsequent scene that reinforces this ability comes when Bird first comes to Bane for help, because he heard from other inmates that Bane has "magic... the kind that allows him to travel beyond the prison walls."[13] Usage of Venom enhances his physical abilities, including his strength and healing process, to superhuman levels.[6][59][60] In most incarnations of the character, Bane requires a specialized tank to help control the amount of Venom which he injects into his body.
Although Bane had sworn off using Venom in Vengeance of Bane II in 1995, and his character is actually written as having kept that promise to himself, it is still not uncommon for artists to draw Bane as still wearing the tube leading from his old wrist device to the back of his head, as well as almost all media adaptations of the character show him actively using the Venom compound. Writer Gail Simone explained these lapses in the continuity of Bane's appearance in an issue of Secret Six, in which Deadshot remarked that Bane merely kept his old Venom equipment with him out of habit, even though Bane states that he would sooner die than use it again.[61]
Other versions [ edit ]
In other media [ edit ]
See also [ edit ]
References [ edit ]Mahershala Ali may have an Oscar for Moonlight, but he still has one regret: that a backless stool bungled his audition for the Game of Thrones Season 2 role of Qarthian merchant Xaro Xhoan Daxos. “I had gone in for this casting director before, and I felt like I had two other wonky auditions with her,” Ali told Jimmy Kimmel in a January interview, before describing how the seating options ruined his planned audition poses.
Nina Gold was that casting director. An industry veteran and three-time Emmy winner (two of them for Thrones), Gold has considered actors for roles as varied as a Dothraki and a White Walker. She’s also handpicked actors like Sophie Turner and Kit Harington and turned them into stars. With the show’s seventh season approaching, and even more actors preparing to enter the spotlight after Gold chose them, the casting director got on the phone to look back at the decisions she’s made... and, yes, a few regrets. After calling the actor who got the part of Xaro Xhoan Daxos, Nonso Anozie, “bloody great,” Gold admits, “Wow, how could I have ever turned down Mahershala Ali?”
The Ones That Got Away
Ali isn’t the only future star who never made it to Westeros. “I auditioned for Game of Thrones seven times!” Outlander heartthrob Sam Heughan told Vulture in 2014. “I’m sure that’s an exaggeration,” Gold laughs now. But Heughan has total recall: “I auditioned for Renly, Loras, some of the members of the Night’s Watch. And I’d always get so close! I’d be like, ‘Guys, just give me a sword!’”
O.K., Gold didn’t spot Sam as the kilted diamond in the rough he was. But what about someone like Gillian Anderson? “She is about one of my favorite actresses,” Gold says. But for Anderson, the feeling wasn’t entirely mutual. “My 18-year-old cannot believe that I would turn down Game Of Thrones or Downton—things she loves to watch,” Anderson told The Daily Mail in 2013. “But if I am going to be spending that amount of time working on something, I would rather be working with a director like Martin Scorsese.”
Get Them While They’re Young
Thrones has a reputation for casting incredible young performers. Without the likes of Maisie Williams, Sophie Turner, Isaac Hempstead-Wright, Jack Gleeson, and more, the show about Stark and Lannister children could never have gotten off the ground. You can see Williams and Turner auditioning in the clip above, in a scene George R.R. Martin himself has said he regrets cutting from the show. Gold says casting the original kids was a process that took “a long time” and that she “looked all over the place.” The casting director has since refined her technique for finding young talent, and cites The Television Workshop—a “great young actor’s workshop in Nottingham”—as a solid source for picks like Season 6 scene-stealer Bella Ramsey (a.k.a. Lyanna Mormont).
Go Abroad
Gold confesses that she has a passion for Scandinavian dramas, a fact evident to anyone who recognized two stars of the Danish TV series Borgen filling out the Game of Thrones ranks: Birgitte Hjort Sørensen as the Season 5 Wildling warrior Karsi in “Hardhome,” and Pilou Asbaek as villainous Season 6 newcomer Euron Greyjoy.
Ask Gold to speak to her love of the Nordic crime genre, and the reserved Brit starts gushing. “I was just completely obsessed with The Killing. It’s really great when you do casting to watch that Scandinavian stuff. You don’t know anyone, and it’s a complete thrill to see what seems like completely new people. I started to believe I could speak Danish really quickly, even though I obviously can’t. Borgen, I just love them. Trapped—I don't know what it’s called in Icelandic—I love The Bridge. And the other one with Aksel Hennie who was in Headhunters with Nikolaj [Coster-Waldau]. Nobel!”
So Scandinavian crime actors might want to start brushing up on their auditioning skills for Season 8—or, better yet, one of the many, many potential upcoming spin-offs.
Sometimes There’s No Audition at All
Dig all you like: you’ll never find footage of either Sean Bean or Peter Dinklage auditioning for Game of Thrones, because they never had to. Bean and Dinklage were the first and only picks for the roles of Ned Stark and Tyrion Lannister. “We did have a nice lunch with Sean Bean,” Gold recalls. Some of the bigger names who are joining the series nowadays also don’t have to audition. Thrones once boasted a cast of largely unknowns, but Gold has started to pepper more famous names like Jonathan Pryce, Ian McShane, Max von Sydow, and Jim Broadbent into the mix.
“We’ve got to the place where it doesn't unbalance it—the other actors have become stars in their own right—and we haven't overdone it,” Gold explains. “It’s quite a subtle smattering. We’re not casting them because they’re names or they’re not names, we’ve just been casting them because they seem like they’d be really great in the part. And when you say, ‘What about Max von Sydow?’ and [showrunners] David [Benioff] and Dan [Weiss] really respond to it, once you start thinking about it, it’s just kind of irresistible.”
How Do You Cast When There’s No Dialogue?
“Oh, Hodor, poor Hodor,” Gold murmurs when the subject of Kristian Nairn’s gentle giant comes up. “Hodor should be the most impossible part to cast.” While searching for the trusty Stark servant, Gold recalled Nairn from his audition for Edgar Wright’s Hot Fuzz. (Another Thrones star, Rory McCann, eventually got that monosyllabic part.) Nairn says that Gold asked for tape with only “fifteen minute’s notice.” The Irish actor crashed a friend’s 40th birthday party in order to borrow a child for the tape, and got around the challenges of a largely dialogue-free audition by cantering around someone’s yard with the young boy, shouting Hodor with as much inflection as he could muster. As for Sam Coleman, the teenaged actor who played Hodor in Season 6, Gold says finding him was just “an incredible stroke of luck. He somehow walked through the door. And you thought, my God, this is the most lucky day of all time.”
Jason Momoa, who landed the Season 1 role of Khal Drogo, took a different approach to his character’s minimal dialogue. “[Drogo] doesn’t say much,” he recently told The New York Times. “So how do you convey him? There’s nothing in the script. So I said: ‘I have this idea. Is it O.K. to do [a dance] before the audition?’ And they were like, ‘Oh, sure.’ Then I did the Haka. It was challenging to do the audition afterward—I couldn’t stop my heart from beating. The first time I did it, they were very scared. But then they wanted me to come back in so they could put it on tape.” Momoa’s on-screen partner, Emilia Clarke, also busted a move in her audition, going with The Funky Chicken and The Robot in order to land the part. Gold recalls of both: “It’s fun, and sort of a welcome relief when something like that happens. There’s so much heavy stuff in Game of Thrones that sometimes it’s quite nice to laugh for a moment.”
A Diverse Choice
“Oh my God, don’t you just totally love Pedro Pascal so much?” Gold gushes of the scene-stealer who played Oberyn Martell in Season 4. Pascal stole more than just scenes, as he recently admitted to Seth Meyers. The actor nabbed the part of Oberyn right out from under the nose of one of his protégées. Pascal leaned on his close friendship with Sarah Paulson (who is in turn close with David Benioff’s wife, Amanda Peet) to get his audition in front of Gold. For his tape, Pascal adopted an accent based on his father, who is Chilean. “We basically wanted to have this sort of Latin element to it,” Gold says of casting the fictional kingdom of Dorne.
When asked about Game of Thrones being hammered over the years for a lack of diversity in the cast, Gold explains: “Even though these are fantasy worlds, there are tribes, families, and dynasties. Once you’ve put one mark on the canvas for the Targaryens or the Starks, you really owe it to the, oh I can’t think of the word, but the authenticity of trying to make them a family somehow. In the books, the Targaryens are these white, white people with silver hair and violet eyes. The Starks are kind of rough, like Northern English people. The Lannisters are golden, aren’t they? We really believed we were doing it like the books, basically.”
“I guess I don’t know what to really say about it, because it’s not like there’s no diversity in the casting in Game of Thrones. We’ve turned Grey Worm and Missandei into really deep characters.” Gold, who has also cast the most recent, multi-cultural Star Wars films adds, “I really do believe in diversity in casting, and always have done. I don’t feel I have to defend it, really.”
Casting a Part Audiences Already Know and Love
Gold had a unique challenge for Season 6, when she had to cast younger versions of not only Hodor, but also the show’s first hero: Ned Stark. “You do find yourself staring at ancient pictures of Sean Bean, from when he was 17,” she says. Eventually, she settled on Robert Aramayo and the even younger Sebastian Croft. “Then closing your eyes and wondering if you’re imagining the resemblance.” Aramayo, for what it’s worth, had no idea he was auditioning for Ned Stark. “It was very ambiguous. I just put a tape together,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. Gold explains, ”It’s definitely more of a quality and a kind of spirit that makes it work, more than an exact look-alike. Look-alikes can do as well, if you can find it. But it’s a quality, isn’t it, that you’re looking for.”
Gold applied a similar logic when casting the Season 6 “players”—Essie Davis, Richard E. Grant et. al.—who were meant to stand in for Cersei, King Robert, and more. “It’s a total hoot, basically,” she says of casting the fake play. “The actors think it’s really good fun, as well.”
Sometimes the Right Actor Reads for the Wrong Part
Iwan Rheon (a.k.a. Ramsay Bolton) famously auditioned to play Jon Snow. But he’s not the only performer Gold decided would be better suited elsewhere in the cast. Conleth Hill (Lord Varys) initially read for the part of Robert Baratheon, but says he gave up all hope for the part when he saw actor Mark Addy was also up for it. “It is funny to think of it now,” Gold explains, “but at the time, a lot of the young men actors auditioned for all the different young man roles. Richard Madden [Robb Stark], Alfie Allen [Theon Greyjoy], and Gethin Anthony [Renly Baratheon] all read for multiple parts. Thankfully, it all worked out for the best for all of them.” Perhaps best of all for Allen, who is the only one whose character is still alive on the show.
Who Chooses the Audition Text?
Gemma Whelan—who plays Yara Greyjoy—recently told the story of an audition scene in which she and her fictional brother, Theon, have a rather inappropriate meeting while riding a horse. In the original audition script, Whelan explains, it says “Yara is ‘worrying’ [Theon’s] cock.” Gold explains that it’s Weiss and Benioff who pick which bits of text an actor will audition with. “They really know the material, and it’s normally pretty obvious which is the kind of seminal scene that’s got all the stuff we really need to see. So, they’re very good at picking that stuff out.”
The Process Is Much Harder Now
As you might imagine, the massive amount of scrutiny on Game of Thrones means the audition process has become somewhat fraught for Gold. “It was quite secretive at the beginning,” she says, ”but everybody’s so desperate to find out what’s going on these days.” While old Thrones audition footage contains familiar lines of dialogue, nowadays actors are asked to audition with wholly |
…but the rule has not been fully implemented, and IRA investors in particular won’t get the full benefits of the rule until that occurs. And, of course, it only applies to retirement accounts. So if you are getting advice from a broker-dealer or insurance agent, the rest of your accounts will still be governed by the weaker ‘suitability’ standard.”
The state of the rule is far from certain as Denise Valentine, author on a reporton the Fiduciary Rule, notes. The Trump White House is currently debating the rule to determine the Rule’s value.
What Can You Do?
Anne Tergesen in The Wall Street Journal recommends, “To ferret out conflicts, it is important to ask the advisers how they are compensated and how they manage the ethical dilemmas that arise as a result of their fee arrangement. Clients need to be aware that such advisers stand to make more money by, say, recommending that clients refrain from paying down mortgages or giving money to their children.”
Tergesen continues, “Also be aware that advisers at brokerage firms may be ‘dually registered,’ which allows them to serve as both a broker and a [Registered Investment Advisor]. To avoid situations in which a dually registered adviser may work for you as a fiduciary when preparing a financial plan but as a broker when recommending investments, ask whether he or she will serve as a fiduciary for you at all times.”
As Roger Ma in Forbes interviewed Julie Ford, CFP® and financial planner at Ford Financial Solutions, “Anytime you interact with someone calling themselves a financial advisor, make sure you understand how they are being compensated for the service they are providing. More conflicts of interest arise when commissions are involved. It becomes harder for the advisor to stay independent and put your interests ahead of their own.”
“Focus not only on how the advisor is getting paid, but also the all-in costs associated with their strategy, such as fund expense ratios, trading costs, and taxes,” recommends David Oransky, CFP® and financial planner at Laminar Wealth.
Are There Alternatives?
While having a retirement or financial advisor seems perilous, especially before the new Fiduciary Rules is enacted, there are alternatives. Ben Steverman found that “technology makes it possible to provide advice to more people more efficiently.” He is referring to “robo-advisors” such as Betterment or Wealthfront. These sites focus on automatic investing and use computers to make investment decisions on your behalf. Unfortunately, they have little in regard to advice and planning outside of investments, such as estate, medical, or retirement planning. However, if your primary concern is where to put your money, these robo-investors can be an excellent choice.
Thanks for reading!(Mod: yup, back to active here also maybe : 3)
>： | is rude to interrupt when someone eating!
(Mod: Sorry for the long hiatus but im back!I will update the blogs when I have times since there is quite number of sketch planning but I will post more art in mod blog and DA lately since trying more diversity of art style, please follow my mod blog and deviantart if you feel convenient, thank you for all the love!)
No, Nope, Dinner that’s not how you eat a cake!
Sorry for Hiatus, but now enjoy some 4000X2499 size wallpapers of Dinner and Jack for a while back:3
the Bed Lounge
the Eames Chair
I may still not be most active, but will update when possible since there is some drafts planned : )!
Thank you very much : )Friday Night Fanfiction :: Grumbleforps and Where To Find Them
Posted by Stevo on January 13, 2017
The drunken fanfiction podcast you’ve been waiting for! Friday Night Fanfiction combines dramatic readings of the worst-of-the-worst NSFW fanfic with drinking games.
The downward spiral of Niduranduran’s “Solaceon Daycare’s Excellent Adventures” continues, and we’ve made it to the most infamous part: the battle scene where Lethe confronts her previous trainer who abused her. Nah. Just kidding… None of that happens…. Yet. But we do get to the part where Adam discovers inappropriate feelings for his sister, who was caught on spycam enjoying his Poképorn.
So join us for this two-sectioned pre-MAGFest episode and our double sets of guest readers!
Download from the player above | Subscribe via iTunes
Readers: Stevo, David, Shawn, SwordScout, Symphoenix, Val, Ryan, Addie, Tom, Beth
Solaceon Daycare’s Excellent Adventures:
Social Links:Gulshan Zone Assistant Deputy Commissioner Abdul Ahad told bdnews24.com that the incident took place at Road 90, Gulshan-2 on Monday evening.
Cesare Tavella, aged around 50, died at Gulshan’s United Hospital.
He was followed by the assailants who shot him three times while on his evening walk, a witness said.
Former army sergeant Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain told bdnews24.com that he took Tavella to the United Hospital after he was fatally wounded.
He said the foreigner was walking past the street near the High Commission of Pakistan and Bangladesh Bank governor’s residence wearing a t-shirt and three-quarter pants.
Hossain, an area inspector of Integrated Security Services, said he saw two persons walking behind Tavella.
“Probably they were following him. Another person stood at one end of the Road 83 parking his motorcycle in front of the German Development Cooperation Building,” he said.
“I could not identify them as the street lamps were off. One of the two persons behind him shot him after sometime.
“I heard three gunshots,” he added.
Hossain said it did not appear to be a mugging case.
“It is possibly a planned incident. Because, if it was a mugging, they would have taken away his belongings. But they didn’t do so. Everything, including his mobile phone, was left behind,” he added.While the cost of college education in the US has reached record highs, Germany has abandoned tuition fees altogether for German and international students alike. An increasing number of Americans are taking advantage and saving tens of thousands of dollars to get their degrees.
In a kitchen in rural South Carolina one night, Hunter Bliss told his mother he wanted to apply to university in Germany. Amy Hall chuckled, dismissed it, and told him he could go if he got in.
"When he got accepted I burst into tears," says Amy, a single mother. "I was happy but also scared to let him go that far away from home."
Across the US parents are preparing for their children to leave the nest this summer, but not many send them 4,800 miles (7,700km) away - or to a continent that no family member has ever set foot in.
Yet the appeal of a good education, and one that doesn't cost anything, was hard for Hunter and Amy to ignore.
"For him to stay here in the US was going to be very costly," says Amy. "We would have had to get federal loans and student loans because he has a very fit mind and great goals."
More than 4,600 US students are fully enrolled at Germany universities, an increase of 20% over three years. At the same time, the total student debt in the US has reached $1.3 trillion (£850 billion).
Each semester, Hunter pays a fee of €111 ($120) to the Technical University of Munich (TUM), one of the most highly regarded universities in Europe, to get his degree in physics.
Included in that fee is a public transportation ticket that enables Hunter to travel freely around Munich.
Health insurance for students in Germany is €80 ($87) a month, much less than what Amy would have had to pay in the US to add him to her plan.
"The healthcare gives her peace of mind," says Hunter. "Saving money of course is fantastic for her because she can actually afford this without any loans."
To cover rent, mandatory health insurance and other expenses, Hunter's mother sends him between $6,000-7,000 each year.
At his nearest school back home, the University of South Carolina, that amount would not have covered the tuition fees. Even with scholarships, that would have totalled about $10,000 a year. Housing, books and living expenses would make that number much higher.
The simple maths made Hunter's job of convincing his mother easy.
"You have to pay for my college, mom - do you want to pay this much or this much?"
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption How Hunter saved $60,000 over the course of his four-year degree
'Mind blowing'
The financial advantages of studying in Germany have not been lost on other US students. Katherine Burlingame decided to get her Master's degree at a university in the East German town of Cottbus.
A graduate of Pennsylvania State University, Katherine spent less than €500 ($570) a month in Cottbus, which included housing, transportation and healthcare. On top of that she received a monthly scholarship by the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Council) of €750 ($815) which more than covered her costs.
"When I found out that just like Germans I'm studying for free, it was sort of mind blowing," Katherine says.
"I realised how easy the admission process was and how there was no tuition fee. This was a wow moment for me."
In the 2014-2015 academic year, private US universities charged students on average more than $31,000 for tuition and fees, with many schools charging well over $50,000. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, Sarah Lawrence University is most expensive at $65,480.
Public universities demanded in-state residents to pay more than $9,000 and out-of-state students paid almost $23,000, according to College Board.
In Germany, tuition fees of €500-1000 were briefly instituted last decade, but Lower Saxony became the last state to phase them out again in 2014.
Students pay a fee to the university each semester to support the student union and other activities. This so called'semester fee' rarely exceeds €150 and in many cases includes public transportation tickets.
How much does it cost? in Euro/month Hunter Katherine Anna Living in Garching Cottbus Freiburg Rent 280 200 360 Health insurance 80 80 80 Semester fee* 20 35 20 Groceries 140 100 150 Misc 100 30 76 TOTAL 620 445 686 *includes transportation
Sprechen Sie Deutsch?
When Katherine came to Germany in 2012 she spoke two words of German: 'hallo' and 'danke'. She arrived in an East German town which had, since the 1950s, taught the majority of its residents Russian rather than English.
"At first I was just doing hand gestures and a lot of people had compassion because they saw that I was trying and that I cared."
She did not need German, however, in her Master's programme, which was filled with students from 50 different countries but taught entirely in English. In fact, German universities have drastically increased all-English classes to more than 1,150 programmes across many fields.
Image copyright Alison Trowsdale
US students in Germany 4,654 fully enrolled at German university 61% pursue Master's degree 29% Languages, Cultural Studies
27% Law, Social Sciences
12% Engineering
10% Math, Natural Sciences
In 1999, European Union members signed the Bologna Accords, which called for uniform university degrees, and established a Bachelor/Master system across Europe. With hundreds of thousands of students from Portugal to Sweden freely travelling abroad, studying and getting degrees in other countries, English became the common language.
At Hunter's university, the Technical University in Munich, 20% of students are non-German. The University president is keen to have every single graduate programme offered in English, and only in English, by the year 2020.
"You can feel sad and think it's a pity that we are losing our own mothers' tongue in the technical disciplines, but that's the development in the world," says Wolfgang Herrmann.
He acknowledges that people wanting to study philosophy and other cultural sciences would still have to be taught in German.
"But in the technical disciplines you could say the world is easier."
Still, to thrive in daily German life, students and experts alike told the BBC that German language skills are crucial.
"If you go to a pub or supermarket and you don't understand what everyone is saying in the long run you don't feel comfortable," says Sebastian Fohrbeck, Director of Scholarships at DAAD.
Most universities offer subsidised language programmes, and in some cases a certificate proving the applicant's German skills is required to apply to certain courses or scholarships.
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption What you need to know about studying for free in Germany
What's in it for Germany?
One student in Berlin costs the country, on average, €13,300 ($14,600) a year. That number varies according to the field of study. With no tuition fees that expense is shouldered by the individual states, and ultimately the German taxpayer.
Of 170,000 students in the capital city of Berlin, more than 25,000 are from outside Germany. In simple math, that's €332.5 ($364.3) million that Berlin spends a year on foreign students. The question is why?
"It's not unattractive for us when knowledge and know-how come to us from other countries and result in jobs when these students have a business idea and stay in Berlin to create their start-up," says Steffen Krach, Berlin's Secretary of Science.
German students do not need to worry either, he says, because the city has increased capacities massively in recent years at its universities and there is enough space for everyone on campus.
Image copyright Getty Images
Research shows that the system is working, says Sebastian Fohrbeck of DAAD, and that 50% of foreign students stay in Germany.
"Even if people don't pay tuition fees, if only 40% stay for five years and pay taxes we recover the cost for the tuition and for the study places so that works out well."
For a society with a demographic problem - a growing retired population and fewer young people entering college and the workforce - qualified immigration is seen as a resolution to the problem.
"Keeping international students who have studied in the country is the ideal way of immigration. They have the needed certificates, they don't have a language problem at the end of their stay and they know the culture," says Fohrbeck.
Can it last?
Yet with more students from the US and across the world turning their attention to a cost-effective education in Germany, questions arise how long this system can be sustainable.
At Technical University in Munich, Dr Herrmann can imagine a future when international students are asked to pay in order to keep up with the global competition.
"If we ignore the question of how to finance an outstanding university in the future we will not continue to have outstanding universities in Germany." Dr Herrmann says. "Education, teaching and research are very intimately connected with money. That's a global law we cannot escape."
An amount of €5,000-10,000 ($5,400-11,000) would be appropriate, says Dr Herrmann, who thinks these fees would also see an increase in services for international students.
But students and educators alike are warning that even the smallest fees could bring an end to the flow of talent to Germany from certain parts of the world.
"I definitely think a limited amount would be fair for American students," says Katherine, who finished her degree in Cottbus and is now living in Berlin.
"But they also have to consider students who come from developing countries that can't pay these kind of tuition fees."
In the capital city of Berlin, the most popular destination for international students, the state government says it has no plans to introduce fees anytime soon.
"We will not introduce tuition fees for international students," says Krach, the Secretary of Science. "We don't want the entry to college to be dependent on your social status and we don't want that the exchange between countries is only dependent on the question of finances."
In the US, meanwhile, there won't be any movement to create a system similar to the one in Germany as long as people flock to expensive schools for their reputation.
"College education in the US is seen as privilege and expected to cost money and in Germany it is seen as an extension of a free high school education where one expects it to be provided," says Jeffrey Peck, Dean of the Weissman School of Arts and Sciences at Baruch College/CUNY. "It's a totally different attitude in what we expect as a society."
Personal recommendations
After Jay Malone received his Master's degree in the West German town of Siegen last year he decided to stay in the country and start an agency called Eight Hours and Change which advises US students who wish to study in Germany.
Selling a free college degree to US high school students and their parents isn't a hard undertaking.
"Most of the questions are 'is it really true?' and then I have to spend five minutes reassuring," says Jay. "But slowly people have wrapped their mind around it and have started associating Germany with this system."
One of the biggest stumbling blocks for potential applicants is convincing them that the quality of education can be high even though it is free.
"Nobody in the US wonders why high school is free," says Sebastian Fohrbeck of DAAD. "Our economic success proves that we are not completely wrong. If you really train your manpower and womenpower well, this is of extreme benefit for the whole country."
Katherine also decided to stay after graduation and moved to Berlin to work for a start-up association. Sitting in a trendy cafe where the bartender speaks little German but fluent English, Katherine says this experience made her question the way education is financed in the US.
"I can't imagine ever thinking that my children one day are going to end up in thousands and thousands of dollars in debt when they can come to Germany and have no debt and you can live so cheaply as a student."
Even during stressful times studying in a foreign language in Munich, Hunter has not regretted the step he took, and already knows he wants to stay in Germany after graduation.
"I miss my family all the time, but there was never a moment where I thought I belong back home. Germany as a whole fits so well to my needs in life."
His mother Amy is okay with that as long as her son finds a good job and doesn't struggle. She does wonder why her own country was not able to give him a similar education at a price tag that this single mother could afford.
"I feel like my child is getting an absolute wonderful education over there for free. Betrayal is too strong of a word, but why can't we do that here?"
Written by Franz Strasser whom you can tweet here.Hello Everyone!
My name is Morgan and I am a recent graduate of the University of Portland who is raising funds for a 3 week summer fellowship with the non profit organization Saha Global. I will be traveling to Africa this June with Saha Global to participate in their Global Leadership Program bringing electricity to rural villages outside of Tamale, Ghana.
For 3 weeks I will be working in a village and facilitating the women of the village in setting up, implementing, and successfully running a solar electricity business. For some perspective, in Northern Ghana only 10% of Saha's partner villages have access to power and people travel up to 2 hrs into town to charge electronics. These villages need electricity and this is the perfect opportunity to help bring this much needed asset to them.
How will your donation help?
100% of your donation will go towards in-country equipment to build, monitor and maintain the solar power system and provide the females of the village the initial infrastructure to run a profitable solar business. I will be doing the dirty work, but I just need your help to get me there! Once established, the business will provide a long term source of electricity for their community.
If you'd prefer to send a check, please write my name (Morgan Mueller) in the memo and send it to:
Saha Global
PO Box 225342
San Francisco, CA 94122-5342
Here is a link to Saha's website:
sahaglobal.org
Thank you guys so much for your help in providing this modern day necessity to a community that is truly in need. If you have any additional questions about my time in Ghana, SAHA or anything at all please send me a message at morgan.muellerb@gmail.com
Thank you all so much!
MorganThank you for supporting the journalism that our community needs!
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Thank you for supporting the journalism that our community needs!
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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!
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Yet a local portfolio manager says what we’re seeing right now is a teachable moment in investor psychology. It’s a phenomenon that has played out countless times before — from the Dutch Tulip Bubble of the 1600s to the Dot-Com Bubble of the late ’90s and early 2000s.
High on the promise of big profits, investors have been pouring billions into companies licensed to produce legal medical marijuana based on the pending legalization of the weed recreationally across the country — which would make Canada the first large, industrialized economy in the world to do so. (Uruguay is the first nation to have legalized cannabis for recreational consumption, by the way.)
Mark Twain might have never actually said history doesn’t repeat itself, but that it instead often rhymes. Yet this statement is an incredibly prescient observation of humanity’s lack of ability to learn from its mistakes... especially when it comes to investing.
Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 20/5/2017 (648 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 20/5/2017 (648 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Mark Twain might have never actually said history doesn’t repeat itself, but that it instead often rhymes. Yet this statement is an incredibly prescient observation of humanity’s lack of ability to learn from its mistakes... especially when it comes to investing.
Case in point is the present mania over marijuana stocks.
High on the promise of big profits, investors have been pouring billions into companies licensed to produce legal medical marijuana based on the pending legalization of the weed recreationally across the country — which would make Canada the first large, industrialized economy in the world to do so. (Uruguay is the first nation to have legalized cannabis for recreational consumption, by the way.)
Yet a local portfolio manager says what we’re seeing right now is a teachable moment in investor psychology. It’s a phenomenon that has played out countless times before — from the Dutch Tulip Bubble of the 1600s to the Dot-Com Bubble of the late ’90s and early 2000s.
"I’ve always been a student of investor psychology and it’s interesting because it really works against us when it comes to getting good returns on our investments," says Hardev Bains, president and portfolio manager with Lionridge Capital. "And this whole excitement over marijuana stocks is a very good example."
With every bubble, large swaths of investors, blind with greed, put their dollars in danger in the pursuit of big profits that never materialized.
They are cautionary lessons about the hazardous mix of greed and fear, and how investors are often driven more by emotion than by reason.
The portfolio Bains manages for his clients certainly wouldn’t include cannabis stocks as they are today. That’s because these firms don’t have good fundamentals.
While they may have growing revenues, they are not yet profitable for the most part. Yes, some have dominant market positions. And while their products and services are in high demand and likely to grow in the future, they are not reasonably valued. Consequently, an investor is paying too much to own them.
"We took a look at a few of them just on a sampling basis and over the last 12 months, and some of these stocks have tripled or quadrupled in their market price without any kind of earnings to show for it, so it’s all based on future earnings," Bains says.
"At the valuations they’re trading at, the amount the earnings are going to have to grow to justify them is very high."
All of this reefer madness reminds Bains of the Dot-Com Bubble, only smaller.
"We knew that technology was going to be a growth industry, but you had no idea who was going to be the winner or loser," he says.
"There was a lot of pain."
Yes, some companies did turn out to be great investments — such as Alphabet (also known as Google).
"But those companies that became winners at least had what we call ‘moats’ due to patents and proprietary technologies," Bains says.
And he’s not so sure the same argument can be made for cannabis companies that are ultimately producing a commodity.
Moreover, all of these marijuana firms — including the largest, Canopy Growth, with a market capitalization of more than $1 billion — are largely speculative. "We like situations where the upside outweighs the downside, but in a speculative bubble like this, it’s the opposite," he says.
"The downside appears to far outweigh the upside."
Still, the current drug-induced frenzy offers investors a chance to see investor psychology — the bad — in action. It is an example of what emotional levers get pulled, the wrong way, when investors get too worked up about the latest investment fad, Bains says.
To that end, he adds, "here are some of the psychological traps that people get caught by that cause them to lose a lot of money."
Greed
It’s pretty obvious this emotion — if you can call it that — can get investors into trouble.
Yet, even though we all know its potential perils, greed still gets the better of us more often than not when it comes to our portfolios.
"People have the tendency to want fast returns," Bains says.
"They see something that’s gone up three or four times in value in the last 12 months, and they want to jump in."
Recency bias
Hand in hand with greed is a psychological phenomenon called recency bias. "This applies not just to investing but to all kinds of things," he says. "We tend to take the most recent data about something and extrapolate forward." In this case, investors see that cannabis stocks have made early investors a mountain of cash.
"Then they assume that the past 12 months foretells what’s to come in the future: even higher share prices.
"But if you do some professional analysis and step back, you’d go, ‘No, this just doesn’t make sense,’ " he says.
"Stocks going up so much in the last 12 months should actually be seen as more of a negative than a positive."
The story effect
Compelling stories capture the imagination. Indeed, legalization of marijuana is a sexy bit of news. Who doesn’t enjoy images of tie-dyed, 21st-century hippies puffing away on doobies? The storyline sucks people in and they fail to do thoughtful analysis. The narrative is so strong they believe they have enough evidence, when in reality they have nothing but a two- to three-sentence anecdote. Even more troubling is the fact much of the information available to the investing public tends to be biased toward the upside. That’s because often the investment industry is more than happy to help investors jump on board the bud bandwagon.
"The investment industry, unfortunately, does cater to the mania," Bains says, citing the recent launch of a marijuana ETF (exchange traded funds) as evidence.
Herd mentality
We like to think we’re independent thinkers and one-of-a-kind individuals. But we’re very interdependent social creatures who are biologically driven to be part of the group.
"There are a couple of psychological phenomena underlying this and one is called the confirmation effect," he says. "If someone else has made the decision and it seems like a lot of other people have made this decision, then we have a lot more confidence in making the same decision for ourselves."
The other driver is fear.
Usually, fear is the emotion that causes investors to flee en masse from markets during a crash. But that’s not what’s happening here.
"Instead, it’s the fear of missing out or the fear of falling behind," he says. "Everyone probably has one neighbour that claims to have jumped into marijuana stocks and made a ton of money."
When you hear about your neighbour making mad cash, then you start worrying about being left out. And that can drive you to invest in something you shouldn’t.
Just say ‘no’?
Bains says the marijuana industry does actually have a lot of promise.
"Anyone with common sense can understand that it will be a growth industry," he says. "The right companies that are run properly should be able to make a lot of money."
But for the time being, investing in publicly traded marijuana stocks is akin to gambling.
You’re betting on one horse over another. Some might be odds-on favourites, but that doesn’t guarantee profitability and success.
Cannabis stocks are "glamour stocks," he adds.
There’s a lot of hype around them. And while people have made money, those getting on board now have to ask, who is going to make a profit in the future?
The answer is likely the founders of these companies and investment firms helping them go public, but probably not you.
In other words, Bains says, "don’t let your profits go up in smoke."
joelschles@gmail.comBy David Madden and Cleve Bryan
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (CBS) — Once the crown jewel of the Atlantic City casino industry, the Trump Taj Mahal filed for bankruptcy Tuesday and gave employees notice they’ll be laid off by mid-November.
“The Trump Taj Mahal is expected to close on or shortly after November 13, 2014, with all operating units expected to be terminated between November 13, 2014 – November 27,” said part of a notice sent to employees.
Trump Entertainment has filed for federal bankruptcy protection for its Taj Mahal casino-hotel in Atlantic City, just a week before its sister property, Trump Plaza, is set to close down.
In a surprise press release, the company said it would shut down the Taj Mahal on or after November 13th if it doesn’t get major concessions from its creditors and the union representing its casino, hotel, and restaurant workers.
It’s not that the filing, in Delaware Bankruptcy Court, wasn’t expected.
Workers have not yet been issued the federally mandated employment-loss warning letters. But there were reports suggesting the place could close in mid-November. If the warning letters go out in the next few days, that would meet the 60-day legal requirement.
The company owes creditors $285 million and according to a financial report for the first 6 months of 2014 Trump Entertainment is having a hard time making enough money to meet expenses.
“It’s sad for the people, I don’t know where they’re going to get a job,” said Taj Mahal customer Patricia Traver.
Taj Mahal could become the 5th Atlantic City casino to close this year with Trump Plaza the next to shutdown next week.
At the end of July there were about 2,800 employees so in all more than 10,000 Atlantic City casino workers could become unemployed in 2014.
“It’s scary but we’re still keeping hope,” says Kaushik Vashi who works in housekeeping at the Taj Mahal with his wife Bina Vashi.
Their union leader Bob McDevitt, president of Unite Here Local 54, believes the Taj will get a new owner rather than close.
“I believe that the Trump organization is trying to capitalize on the fear of workers in Atlantic City to get concessions that no other casino in this city has even considered,” says McDevitt.
He says during negotiations last week management at Taj Mahal asked if union employees would consider giving up health and retirement benefits to reduce operating costs.
“No one is willing to give up their healthcare and their retirement so people who have mismanaged the property into the ground get a few more months of salary,” says McDevitt.
McDevitt, president of “Unite Here” local 54, issued a statement that said in part, “It’s unfortunate that Trump wants to play the blame game, but the fact is that Taj Mahal had the 5th highest gaming revenue in Atlantic City so far this year, and Trump’s management has failed to capitalize on over $130 million in gaming revenue so far this year from Taj Mahal. Fundamental to Trump’s problems is the fact that the company has almost $300 million in debt.
“If our members were to work for minimum wage with no benefits, it wouldn’t be enough to keep this property in the hands of its current owners for a year.”
Trump Entertainment did not respond to requests for comment.The Anne Arundel County Police Department will be getting some new equipment after receiving more than $470,000 as part of the seizure of funds tied to a federal investigation into illegal gambling.
Federal investigators shared the money after county detectives helped in an investigation that seized more than $33 million from gambling organizations using banks in Guam and Charlotte, NC.
Police said they would use the money for equipment to assist with undercover investigations, plus new vehicles and weapons.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations division led the probe, which centered on payment processors that move funds between online gamblers.
Anne Arundel County Police have three officers assigned to ICE HSI in Baltimore. Detective Scott Gunn is assigned as an undercover officer exclusively with the money laundering task force. County police are currently involved in 12 federal task forces, including four with ICE.
"This type of activity exists in this county just like it does in other jurisdictions," Anne Arundel County Executive John Leopold said. "Wherever we find it, we're going to root it out."
Federal investigators said they targeted online gambling sites because the proceeds from illegal gambling are often used to fund other illegal activity and organized crime. It is illegal for Internet gambling businesses to operate in Maryland, regardless of where the website is based.
In its investigation, ICE HSI in Baltimore created a fictional payment processor business, Linwood Payment Solutions, and spent between December 2009 and January 2011 processing more than 300,000 transactions worth more than $33 million.
According to an affidavit tied to the case, ICE used a woman based in Maryland to set up an account on the gambling website BetEd.com and use the phony payment processor to receive funds.
In April, a federal grand jury indicted two companies and three men, who were then charged with conducting illegal gambling business and money laundering. The government also seized 11 bank accounts and the domain names of 10 gambling sites.
"The cooperation between our department and [ICE HIS] investigation goes far beyond normal law enforcement task forces," County Police Chief James Teare Sr. said.
The investigation involving Anne Arundel County Police is separate from the investigation resulting in the closure last month of several major Internet poker sites including Full Tilt Poker, Absolute Poker and PokerStars.
Teare said the department receives an average of about $250,000 per year in forfeited assets. He said the $470,407.62 in assets announced Thursday is the largest one-time distribution in the department's history.
Leopold said he was happy to see the department receive new equipment as a result of the seizure.
"Especially in these tough economic times, when I've had to make very unpleasant budget cuts, I'm pleased to see these revenues will come to the police department to help them out and help them do their job," he said.
Editor's Note: A previous version of this article misspelled the name of an Anne Arundel County Police detective involved in the case. He is Det. Scott Gunn.CTVNews.ca Staff
Red-tailed hawks usually fear eagles in nature, competing for similar prey -- and sometimes becoming prey themselves. But in Sidney, B.C., one bald eagle is defying the usual bird politics, taking a baby hawk into her nest and under her wing.
Dr. David Bird, of the Hancock Wildlife Foundation, says the female bald eagle most likely snatched the four-week old red-tailed hawk from its nest with the intention of serving it as food to her eaglets. But instead, something unbelievable occurred.
“What probably happened in this case is that when they brought this little guy back, he probably begged for food, as he would do, not even realizing the danger it was in,” said Dr. Bird, who has been helping to monitor the nest.
The hawk’s desperate squawks likely triggered the mother eagle’s instinct to feed, rather than eat the baby bird.
“So it saw the begging young, started giving it food, and now it’s got to the stage where it begs for food very, very well.”
The red-tailed hawk is currently sharing a nest with three eaglets, who are all twice its |
A second goal of the KeyNIX implementation was to learn where such decomposition into separate domains would cause performance degradation. In several areas, multi-domain implementations were tried where the problem area was clearly a boundary case in order to explore the limitations of the domain paradigm.
Broadly speaking, the UNIX system provides the following services:
Process management (fork, exec, exit, kill),
File system and namespace services (open, link),
I/O services (read, write, stat,...)
Timing facilities (sleep, nap, sometimes socket)
Messaging (sockets, pipes)
Memory management (mmap, mprotect)
Signals
Device support
Networking (TCP/IP, NFS)
With the exception of networking, KeyNIX implements all of these services. Adding networking support would be straightforward, but was not part of the prototype effort.Under KeyNIX, every UNIX process runs as a KeyKOS domain with a segment as its address space. A standard KeyKOS segment keeper is used to manage stack and heap growth within the address space segment. From the outside, the UNIX process model is essentially unchanged. No KeyNIX code is mapped in with the application, nor is special linking required. The application address spaces are bit for bit identical. This severely penalizes all trivial system calls, and is a significant departure from the implementations used by other microkernels. The penalty could be eliminated in a dynamic-library based standard such as System V Release 4.
Figure 1: Structure of the UNIX Implementation
To support UNIX processes, we implemented a domain keeper, known as the UNIX Keeper. The UNIX keeper interprets the system call and either manages the call itself or directs request to other domains for servicing. The implementation includes a number of cooperating domains, is shown in Figure 1. The gray box surrounds the domains and segments that are replicated for each UNIX process.
Each of these domains in turn depends on other domains provided by the KeyKOS system. For example, a small integer allocator domain is used to allocate monotonically increasing inode numbers. To simplify the picture, domains that are not essential to understanding the structure of the UNIX implementation have been omitted.
An unusual aspect of the KeyNIX design is that every UNIX process has a dedicated copy of the UNIX Keeper. When a process forks, the UNIX Keeper is replicated along with the process. By providing a separate UNIX keeper to each UNIX application, the scope of UNIX system failures is reduced to a single process. If a given UNIX processmanage to crash its copy of the operating system, no other processes are impacted. An individual kernel is very hard to crash. To crash the entire UNIX system essentially requires physical abuse of the machine or its power supply.
State that must be shared between multiple UNIX keepers, including the process table and open file table, is kept in a segment shared by all UNIX Keepers. Each process has a description block (a process table entry) that describes the process' address space, open files, and signal handling. Process table entries contain chains of child processes and pointers to the parent process table entry. Each open file has an entry in the Open File Table which keeps track of the number of processes that have the file open, the attributes of the file, and a pointer to the data structures that buffer the file data in memory.
The UNIX keeper implements UNIX process and memory management services by calling directly on the underlying KeyKOS services. The nanokernel handles virtual memory mapping and coherency directly. When a program is loaded by exec(2), the UNIX keeper builds an address space segment and copies the executable file segment into it. Manipulating the KeyKOS segment structures is simpler than the equivalent structure manipulations in UNIX, and allows the UNIX keeper to be largely platform independent. The nanokernel is responsible for the construction of mapping tables for the particular hardware platform.
The UNIX Keeper holds a key to the root inode of the KeyNIX file system. Each inode contains the usual UNIX inode information, and is implemented by a KeyKOS domain. If the inode denotes a file, the inode domain holds a key to a KeyKOS segment containing the file data. If the inode denotes a device, the device major and minor numbers are contained in the inode.
By making each UNIX inode into a KeyKOS domain, the UNIX Keeper does not have to manage an inode cache or worry about doing I/O to read and write inodes. When the Keeper needs to read the status information from an inode it sends a message to the Inode object and waits for the reply. Similar arguments apply to other operations. The Keeper does not cache file or directory blocks, and does not maintain paging tables for support of virtual memory. All of these functions are handled by the nanokernel.
In the original KeyNIX implementation, directory inodes contained a key to a B-tree domain that was an underlying KeyKOS tool. An analysis of typical directory sizes led to the conclusion that it would be more space efficient to implement small directories (less than five entries) in the inode itself. As a result, directory protocol requests are implemented directly by the inode domain. If the inode does not denote a directory it fails the directory messages appropriately. A curious artifact of this approach is that directory order is alphabetical order. This is occasionally visible to end users as a change of behavior in programs that search directories without sorting them.
When opening a file, the UNIX Keeper issues a message to the file system root inode domain. This domain in turn calls on other domains, until ultimately the request is resolved to a segment key that holds the file content. Once the file has been located, the UNIX keeper maps the segment into the keeper address space and adds an entry to the open file table. The open file table is shared by all UNIX Keepers, and is used to hold dynamically changing information such as the file's current size and last modification date.
When opening a device, the UNIX Keeper receives the major and minor device number from the appropriate inode domain. The major number is in turn handed to the device table domain, which returns a key to the domain that implements the driver. Drivers implemented in the prototype include character I/O, graphics console (supports the X Window System), the null device, sockets, kmem, and the mouse. Support for /dev/kmem is limited to forging those responses necessary to run the ps(1) command. In most cases, the device driver domain consists of the original UNIX device driver code linked with a support library that maps the UNIX driver-kernel interface onto KeyKOS key invocations.
The most difficult part of the KeyNIX implementation, was support for the(2) mechanism. One of the deliberate design decisions of KeyKOS is that domains are single threaded. A domain is either waiting for a message, waiting for a reply to a message, or processing a message. There is no mechanism for stacking messages. This decision increases the reliability of the KeyKOS system, but occasionally requires that queuing domains be inserted into an otherwise straightforward remote procedure call.
UNIX signals are asynchronous with respect to the receiving process. As a result, the implementation of the signal mechanism is one of the more complicated and pervasive (not to say perverse) aspects of the UNIX kernel.[3]
To ensure that the UNIX Keeper is always able to receive signal notifications promptly, trivial queuing domains are required where an operation might block or complete slowly. The purpose of these domains is to queue messages to devices such as ttys and pipes that might otherwise delay the receipt of signals by the UNIX Keeper. The UNIX Keeper delivers these messages through the queue domain, and waits asynchronously for the queue domain to send a message indicating completion of the requested service. In effect, a series of fork messages are used to implement a non-blocking remote procedure call to the device domain in order to ensure that the UNIX kernel is always ready to receive another message.
Figure 2: Domains in a Pipe
The queue insertion approach has unfortunate consequences for slow devices (with disk devices one can reasonably assume instant service and duck the issue), and severly impacted communication facilities such as pipes or sockets, as shown in Figure 2.
These mechanisms are penalized by the requirement from both sides to remain able to receive signals while proceeding with the I/O transfer. The impact is easily visible in the performance of KeyNIX pipes. A better alternative is discussed below.
To the best of our knowledge, the KeyNIX system uses far more processes than any other microkernel-based UNIX implementation. Reactions to the KeyNIX design from UNIX developers range from shocked to appalled at the profligate use of processes. UNIX developers find it difficult to accept that the task switch cost can be lower than the data management code that it replaces. We find this ironic, as one of the major innovations of the UNIX system was the notion that processes were cheap.
The object paradigm was at the heart of the design of the KeyKOS system and, as a result, the task switch costs are very much lower than in traditional systems and several times lower than in competing microkernels such as MACH and Chorus. On the Motorola 88x00 series, a typical message send takes less than 500 cycles.[4] The low cost of task switches makes it possible to obtain better performance with much simpler software by taking an object-oriented approach to the decomposition of the system. The UNIX implementation described here takes considerable advantage of KeyKOS building blocks. The complete UNIX kernel implementation is approximately 16,000 lines of C code.
The KeyNIX implementation is 99% compatible with the Omron BSD 4.3 implementation. While KeyNIX could be equally compatible with MACH 2.5, the existing prototype is not. There are four significant incompatibilities in the prototype:
The application prolog ("crt0") in MACH 2.5 initializes certain MACH ports. Because KeyNIX does not yet implement MACH ports, applications built with the MACH 2.5 crt0.o do not run under KeyNIX. MACH 2.5 port functions are accessed by a trap instruction in the same fashion as are UNIX system calls. KeyNIX does not implement these traps. In MACH 2.5, the fork(2) system call does the same port initialization for the new task that was done by "crt0" in the parent task. This change is not implemented in KeyNIX. MACH 2.5 does not implement the sbrk(2) system call. This call is handled by a library routine that uses the "VMALLOC" of MACH 2.5 to handle memory expansion and contraction. The KeyNIX text segment is writable, which can impact buggy programs. This is the result of a quick and dirty implementation, and could be easily fixed.
Programs compiled on the Luna 88K under MACH 2.5 that are to be run in the KeyNIX system must be linked with a new prolog and new library stubs for(2) and(2). In cases where the ".o" files exist, there is no need to recompile the programs, but the programs must be relinked.
The existing prototype does not support all BSD 4.3 system calls. The major criterion for choosing what to implement and what not to implement was the need to run X-Windows, csh(1), ls(1) and similar useful utilities. If the system call is not needed to run these applications then it is not implemented. There are a number of calls that are implemented in a limited fashion, again sufficiently to run the required applications. As an example, csh(1) makes usage(2) calls but does not depend on the answers for correct behavior. Usage(2) always returns the same fixed values and is not useful as a measuring tool as a result.
To get an intuitive sense of the compatibility achieved, it may suffice to say that all of the application binaries running on KeyKOS were obtained by copying the binary file from the existing BSD 4.3 system. The X Window System, compilers, shells, file system utilities, etc. all run without change under KeyNIX.
Operation Iterations KeyNIX MACH 2.5 Ratio getpid(); 10,000 12,000/sec 30,000/sec 0.4 open();close(); 1,000 714/sec 2,777/sec 0.26 fork();exit(); 100 64/sec 10/sec 6.4 exec(); 100 151/sec 12/sec 11.6 sbrk(4096);sbrk(-4096) 100 2,564/sec 181/sec 14
A limited performance comparison was made between the KeyNIX prototype and the Omron MACH 2.5 implementation. A more careful analysis would be required for any serious evaluation of the two systems for production use. KeyNIX got mixed results for common system call sequences:
I/O performance was equally mixed:
Operation KeyNIX MACH 2.5 Ratio Pipe (round trip).588 Mbyte/sec 1.05 Mbyte/sec.56 Disk access program 4 seconds 26 seconds 6.5
As anticipated, the simplification achieved by adding domains doesn't always lead to better performance. The cases that the KeyNIX prototype handled poorly have straightforward corrections which are discussed below.
Simple system calls include calls such as(2),(2), and(2), which are essentially accessor functions. A trap is taken, but the system call itself performs little or no interesting activity within the kernel. The KeyNIX system is binary compatible with this approach.
The MACH 2.5 implementation is able to execute these system calls 2.5 times as fast as the KeyNIX system because no context switch is involved. MACH 3 uses special system call libraries to implement some of these functions in the UNIX process address space. A similar approach would be possible in KeyNIX if the system calls were implemented in dynamic libraries, as in System V Release 4, or if binary compatibility could be sacrificed. We were surprised that KeyNIX did so well on this comparison.
To explore the limits of domain performance, we elected to implement each inode as an individual domain. On the basis of our previous experiences, it seemed likely that the simplification achieved by this approach would overcome the overhead of multiple domains. With the benefit of hindsight, we were mistaken, and the performance of(2) suffered excessively. The namei() routine within the UNIX kernel is heavily used, and the decision to use multiple domains in effect inserted four context switches into the inner loop(for two round-trip RPC's). [5] In a small program that simply opens and closes a single file 1,000 times, the MACH 2.5 system outperformed the KeyNIX system by nearly four to one (3.89). Alternative implementations are discussed below.Because the UNIX programming model assumes that processes are cheap, the performance of(2) is critical to the overall performance of the system. In KeyKOS, the equivalent to(2) is even more critical, and is possibly the most carefully optimized path in the nanokernel. We therefore expected KeyNIX to do well on(2) calls. KeyNIX outperforms MACH 2.5 by a little more than six to one.
The current KeyNIX implementation suffers from an extremely naive loader implementation in the UNIX keeper. When performing a fork(2), a complete copy of the process address space is made. The implementation could be improved by sharing the read-only text pages rather than copying their content. In addition, it would not be difficult to implement UNIX copy-on-write semantics as part of the segment keeper that services faults on the UNIX address space. Neither of these optimizations was performed in the prototype due to time constraints, and we would expect each to result in substantial improvements.
Given the naive loader implementation, we were pleasantly surprised to find that KeyNIX outperformed MACH 2.5 by better than eleven to one on(2) calls. The test program simply calls(2) one hundred times and exits. Implementing shared text would significantly improve the KeyNIX results.In order to compare the performance of the(2) system call, a program was written to repeatedly grow and shrink the heap. 100 calls to sbrk(4096) and sbrk(-4096) were executed with a fetch of a byte from the newly allocated memory. The fetch of the byte forces the UNIX implementation to actually allocate the main store for the page, and consequently forces the page to be deallocated when the heap segment size is reduced. KeyNIX outperformed the MACH 2.5 implementation by fourteen to one, which was consistent with our expectation.Pipe performance is one of the areas where we expected KeyNIX to suffer. In order to compare the pipe implementations, a megabyte of data was passed through a pipe to a child process task and back in 1000 byte chunks. The MACH 2.5 implementation outperformed KeyNIX by nearly two to one.
This result is principally due to the insertion of queue domains into both ends of the pipe, imposing considerable context switch overhead. In retrospect, we could have eliminated the queues and depended on the fact that asynchronous signal delivery timing is not guaranteed by the UNIX process model. In particular, correct UNIX programs cannot depend on the fact that interprocess signals will interrupt a system call in the receiving process. Taking advantage of this loophole would allow for a much simpler and faster implementation.
To measure disk performance, we built a program to create a large test file and read it repeatedly. The I/O model of KeyNIX and MACH 2.5 are so radically different that other comparisons are very difficult. Uncached writes, for example, are dominated by disk arm movement, so a comparison of such activity is unenlightening. The times reported are the elapsed time to write and then read a one megabyte file ten times. KeyNIX outperforms MACH 2.5 by better than six to one.
KeyNIX I/O performance is a direct result of the underlying KeyKOS I/O design. KeyKOS never writes to disk as a direct result of writing to a file. All writes to the disk are part of the paging, checkpoint, and migration system.
To determine the impact of the checkpoint process on the test, we arranged for KeyKOS to perform a checkpoint and migration in parallel. This process increases the KeyKOS time to 4.4 seconds, giving a performance ratio of 5.9 to one. To the best of our knowledge, the prototype KeyNIX system achieves the highest I/O bandwidth utilization of any UNIX system today.[6] KeyKOS's I/O performance makes the overall performance of many applications better under KeyNIX than under a more conventional system, and appears to more than balance the prototype's performance deficiencies.
The overall performance of the KeyNIX system is quite comparable with MACH 2.5. Some operations are slower and some quite a bit faster. A user using X-Windows doing VI and using a variety of shell commands and scripts is unaware of any significant performance difference between MACH 2.5 and KeyNIX.In the course of the prototype effort, we came up with several ways to simplify the UNIX keeper and to cut down on some of the overhead. Each of these ideas represents a compromise in the use of domains and multiple instantiation.The current process table segment is an array of process table entries. The UNIX process id is used to index the table. Process numbers are reallocated quickly, which leads to certain problems in the human interface for system maintenance. Also there are circumstances when process table entries should be chained so that children can be located more quickly. This is best handled by introducing a domain for process table entry manipulation that allocates and chains process table entries. The UNIX keeper continues to reference its own process table entry directly, but accesses other process table entries (to obtain a signal key) using the process table management domain. Similarly, the open file table could be implemented by a domain. These modifications would both simplify the UNIX keeper and remove the primary impediment to distribution of the KeyNIX implementation on loosely coupled architectures.The data for small files could be kept in nodes instead of segments. A small file might be a single-level tree of nodes with up to 16 leaf nodes each holding 176 bytes of data. When the 17th node is required the file is converted to a segment. The inode domain would convert the file to a segment when it is opened, and on the last close would convert it back into node form if it is small enough. This would allow KeyNIX to achieve more efficient storage of small files than current UNIX systems.Opening files is a crucial operation in UNIX systems, and the domain-per-inode approach is not nearly fast enough. Two alternative implementations would have delivered competitive performance.
The first approach is to build the entire directory and inode support structure for a file system into a single domain, while continuing to implement files as individual segments. This would eliminate almost all of the context switching performed in the file subsystem, and would probably outperform the MACH 2.5 implementation.
The second alternative is to implement a compatibility library that would enable us to simply compile a vnodes-compatible file system into a domain. Using this approach, the entire file system would reside in a single KeyKOS segment, and bug-for-bug compatibility is achievable. This approach is something like the File Manager tasks of CHORUS and MACH 3. In practice, supporting vnodes file systems is probably a compatibility requirement for a commercial UNIX implementation, but system reliability suffers greatly from this requirement.
Our current preference would be the first alternative, mainly to eliminate the bugs of the existing file system implementations. In addition, we feel that this approach significantly simplifies recovery in the event of a disk block failure, as it eliminates the need for a complicated file system consistency checker.
The KeyKOS nanokernel has been running in production environments for nine years. It is proven technology, and we feel that the architecture and implementation have much to offer to the computing community at large. A serious development project could far exceed the performance that we obtained from the six month UNIX prototype effort.
KeyKOS represents a pardigmatic shift in operating system technology. It is therefore difficult to make direct comparisons with other approaches. A pure capability architecture brings fundamentally greater discipline, control, and reliability to application construction. In the long term, we feel that this degree of reliability is necessary to realize the productivity promises of the information age.
For further information on KeyKOS:
Norman Hardy
143 Ramona Road 3754
Portola Valley, CA 94028
(415) 851-2582
norm@netcom.com
Jonathan S. Shapiro
870 North 28th Street, Suite 101
Philadelphia, PA 19130
(215) 236-7583
shap@gradient.cis.upenn.edu
Theodore A. Linden, "Operating System Structures to Support Security and Reliable Software," NBS Technical Note 919, U.S. Department of Commerce, National Bureau of Standards, Institute for Computer Sciences and Technology, August 1976. (Also published in ACM Computing Surveys, 8, 4, December 1976, pp. 409-445). Norman Hardy, "The Keykos Architecture," Operating Systems Review, September, 1985. Introduction to KeyKOS Concepts, KL004, Key Logic, 1988. KeyKOS/370 Principles of Operation, KL002, Key Logic, 1988. KeyKOS Architecture, KL028, Key Logic, 1988. Butler Lampson, "A Note on the Confinement Problem," Communications of the ACM, 16, 10, October 1973. Henry M. Levy, Capability Based Computer Systems, Digital Press, 1984. M. Ritchie and K. L. Thompson, "The UNIX Time-sharing System." Communications of the ACM, July, 1974. System/370 Principles of Operation, GA22-7000-9, IBM, 1983. Patent number 4,584,639 (describes the secure factory mechanism). William A. Wulf, Roy Levin, and Samuel P. Harbison, Hydra/C.mmp: An Experimental Computer System, McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1981.
[1] The system can support multiple master space banks. In a B3 implementation, system pages would be partitioned into multiple security classes, and there would be one master space bank for each class.
[2] Up to a point. There ain't no such thing as a free lunch.
[3] This is also a significant problem for debugging interfaces, such as /proc(4) and ptrace(2).
[4] This time includes the context switch and copying both data and keys. The Motorola implementation is the slowest implementation to date.
[5] One round trip to access the inode domain, the second to access the directory domain.
[6] We are well aware of the significance of the I/O subsystem design in this claim, and believe that the claim would hold up when examined with other I/O subsystems and bus architectures. On the System/370, KeyKOS achieves channel utilization of better than 95% on all channels. With current SCSI technology, KeyKOS's disk utilization is limited by the SCSI channel performance.NEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. senator has urged the Federal Trade Commission to investigate reports that applications on the Apple Inc and Google Inc mobile systems steal private photos and contacts and post them online without consent.
Democrat Charles Schumer's request comes after iPhone maker Apple tweaked its privacy policies last month after prodding from other lawmakers.
The distribution of third-party applications on iPhones and phones running on Google's Android system has helped create a surge in the popularity of those devices in recent years.
However, Schumer said on Sunday that he was concerned about a New York Times report that iPhone and Android applications can access a user's private photo collection.
He also referred to a discovery last month that applications on devices such as the iPhone and iPad were able to upload entire address books with names, telephone numbers and email addresses to their own servers.
"These uses go well beyond what a reasonable user understands himself to be consenting to when he allows an app to access data on the phone for purposes of the app's functionality," Schumer said in a letter to the FTC.
The lawmaker said it was his understanding that many of these uses violate the terms of service of the Apple and Android platforms. He said "it is not clear whether or how those terms of service are being enforced and monitored".
As a result, he said, "smartphone makers should be required to put in place safety measures to ensure third party applications are not able to violate a user's personal privacy by stealing photographs or data that the user did not consciously decide to make public".
Schumer said phone makers have an obligation to protect the private content of their customers.
"When someone takes a private photo, on a private cell phone, it should remain just that: private," said Schumer.Russell Westbrook is back to his old tricks.
Only two games into the season, he is back to jacking up more shots than Kevin Durant. Not only that, but Durant is, yet again, shooting a significantly higher percentage. Scott Brooks needs to get the memo: this is inexcusable.
best offensive player in the game. It’s utterly pathetic that there is somebody on KD’s own team getting more shots than he is—and a teammate who shows time and again that he does not deserve those shots. Kevin Durant is arguably the. It’s utterly pathetic that there is somebody on KD’s own team getting more shots than he is—and a teammate who shows time and again that he does not deserve those shots.
Westbrook’s selfishness has held the Thunder back and now, with Harden gone, there is no buffer.
point guard and Durant is a three-time scoring champion! Why would the scoring champion ever have more assists than his point guard? Shouldn’t he be the one racking up the assists to the lights-out shooter? Westbrook will be fully exposed for what he is: the most selfish player in the NBA. More than Kobe, more than Carmelo, more than anybody else in the league, Westbrook just does not share the ball. Want some more proof? Durant has more assists (12) than Westbrook (11). The math here just does not add up. Westbrook is aand Durant is a three-time scoring champion! Why would the scoring championhave more assists than his point guard? Shouldn’t he be the one racking up the assists to the lights-out shooter?
Sure, it was one of the more surprising turn of events when Oklahoma City Thunder GM Sam Presti dealt James Harden to the Houston Rockets. Maybe the financial disparity was not that large and the end result had to be a trade.
If that was the case (as it appears to have been), Presti should have traded Westbrook
And it was not hard to do either, that is what I find particularly disappointing. The Thunder did not need Chris Paul or Rajon Rondo dishing dimes to Harden and Durant, just a mediocre point guard would have worked wonders. Harden could even run the point if necessary.
Westbrook’s trade value could have satisfied that and more.
But, to OKC’s dismay, three games into the season, Harden is absolutely demolishing the competition. Granted, the Detroit Pistons and Portland Trailblazers are not the NBA’s best, but a Lin and Harden backcourt looks like the perfect match—a pair of unselfish scorers. That duo has the potential to be a second-tier version of the Miami Heat’s LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.
Unfolding before our very eyes is proof that Westbrook was holding back Harden’s true potential…as he is no doubt continuing to do with Kevin Durant.
There is no other way to put it: Sam Presti kept the wrong number two player. Even though Russell Westbrook may be a more gifted athlete than Harden, the Bearded One would have been a better match with Durant. Chemistry is important and that is one thing that Russell Westbrook does not bring to the basketball court.
I gave Westbrook a favorable preseason ranking with the NBA’s best, but he has slapped me in the face, screaming only two games into the season that he might not even deserve a top-10 spot. I thought he could change his shot-happy ways, but Westbrook cannot figure out something as simple as giving the ball to Kevin Durant. We don’t need a basketball analyst to figure out that the best player should be taking the most shots for his team.
Without Harden, this is a ship waiting to get wrecked.
Don’t be surprised if Harden shows us this year that he is a better basketball player than Westbrook, either. And with that statement whisks the excitement away that has been built in OKC after incredible drafts over the past couple years.
Before we jump to conclusions about this season, all hope is not lost. There is time for change.
There are two solutions, however. For one, get Russell Westbrook out of the point guard position. How? …Well Presti put OKC into this mess so he should be able to find someone to fit the bill.
The second, and more critical adjustment, involves a change in a Thunder player with a non-zero number on the back of his jersey: Kevin Durant must stand up to Westbrook and insist on getting the ball more often. Durant does not have to make a public scene, because that’s not him. But he needs to make an emphatic statement to a clueless Russell Westbrook.
In no situation should the box score ever show that Westbrook took more shots than Durant. None. Oklahoma City will not win a championship with Westbrook trying to run the show like he is.
In the end, Kevin Durant is the captain of this ship. He has to command a change of direction or else prepare for wreckage.Once the assembly of the frame is done we simply put in the filter with the assembled fan and funnel and its done. Pretty straightforward. The big question however is; does it actually work?
To answer this question I bought a Plantower PMS7003 sensor from aliexpress. Wrote some code (https://github.com/vandenbroucke/PlantowerCSVLogger) and tested it within a near perfectly sealed closet.
I gather a lot of dust from above my closets and sprayed it within the test cabin together with some aereosols (propane & butane). My goal target was around 100µ/m³ of PM2.5 to start the tests with.
The tests clearly indicate that the filter does in fact work and provides an air cleaning effect. You can also very clearly see when tapping the filter (video) after 3 days of usage that a lot of dust comes loose which indicates that it has actually done something.
After the tests were done inside the chamber the air within the test chamber was "cleaner" or less polluted then the air outside. We can clearly see the difference as we opened our test chamber after testing the filter.
Plantower PMS7003:Maya Jane Coles has announced her second album, titled ‘Take Flight’, to be released next month on her label I/AM/ME.
With 24 tracks, including two from her 'Won't Let You Down' EP, the album has been described as her “most ambitious work to date", according to the press release.
The LP will serve as a long-awaited follow up to her 2013 debut album ‘Comfort’, and her Nocturnal Sunshine side project, which saw Maya return to her darker, dubstep nuances back in 2015.
‘Take Flight’ is out August 25 on I/AM/ME via Skint Records/BMG. Pre-orders are available here and you can see the tracklist below.
1. Weak
2. Bo & Wing
3. Old Jam
4. Take Flight
5. Darkside feat Chelou
6. Lucky Charm
7. Blackout
8. Unholy
9. A Chemical Affair feat Wendy Rae Fowler
10. Misty Morning feat Wendy Rae Fowler
11. Keep Me Warm feat GAPS
12. Let You Go
13. Won’t Let You Down
14. On My Way
15. Go On And Make It Through
16. Cherry Bomb
17. Chasing Sunshine
18. Golden Days
19. Werk
20. Passing Me By
21. Trails
22. Stay
23. Pulse
24. Starlight
Jasmine Kent-Smith is Mixmag's Digital Intern. Follow her on TwitterSOLS, a 3D-printing company which is today focused on custom printed shoe insoles that help with foot pain and other ailments, has raised $6.4 million in Series A funding, in a round again led by the startup’s seed investor lead, Lux Capital. In addition, new investor Founders Fund also participated, along with existing investors RRE, Rothenberg Ventures, Felicis Ventures, FundersGuild, and Grape Arbor VC.
Previously, SOLS had raised $1.75 million in seed funding.
The company was founded by Kegan Schouwenburg, the former Director of Operations and Industrial Engineering at 3D printery Shapeways, who was the sixth employee for Shapeways in the U.S., and who helped them launch a Shapeways factory here in the States. She was fascinated and inspired by the potential for 3D technology, and she envisions a grander future for SOLS when (not if, but when) its initial product gets off the ground.
Today, the company has developed an application that runs on iOS or Android devices, that lets you “scan” your foot by recording a video. SOLS then runs a series of processing algorithms on the video to help it create your custom insole, along with taking into account other things, like your weight, information about your lifestyle, and what you’ll be using the insoles for, in order to create the final product.
The company is initially working with around 50 doctors in the U.S. who are prescribing these insoles to patients – at a rate of around 100 per week, combined. During the beta, the insoles have been given away for free, but starting next month, doctors will begin reselling the insoles at market rates of $300-$700. (SOLS’ MSRP is $500.) By year-end, the plan is to have 200 doctors on board, and further down the road, the product will be introduced to consumers at lower price points.
However, custom insoles may be just the start for the company.
“We’re building this platform that spans scanning, and product design and 3D printing, and what does that mean? Well, we now have the ability to bring custom fit and custom products to these very specific product categories,” says Schouwenburg.
Orthotics may the first industry SOLS attacks, she says, but she’s also been thinking of things like custom-printed shoes, safety gear, braces, prosthetics and even clothing – specifically plus-sized clothing.
For the time being, though, the company is working to move into its new offices in New York, which will now include a couple of machines to help SOLS speed up its R&D efforts. However, it continues to work with its strategic investor ALM (Advanced Laser Materials) of Austin, Texas on development of materials and production.
And while early hires have been on the engineering side, SOLS is looking to use some of the new funding for additional hires in product, on both the physical side and the digital side of things. Including a new hire who starts in June, the team is now 13 full-time, and by the end of June, they hope it will grow to 20.And how we burned in the camps later, thinking: What would things have been like if every Security operative, when he went out at night to make an arrest, had been uncertain whether he would return alive and had to say good-bye to his family? Or if, during periods of mass arrests, as for example in Leningrad, when they arrested a quarter of the entire city, people had not simply sat there in their lairs, paling with terror at every bang of the downstairs door and at every step on the staircase, but had understood they had nothing left to lose and had boldly set up in the downstairs hall an ambush of half a dozen people with axes, hammers, pokers, or whatever else was at hand?... The Organs would very quickly have suffered a shortage of officers and transport and, notwithstanding all of Stalin's thirst, the cursed machine would have ground to a halt! If...if...We didn't love freedom enough. And even more we had no awareness of the real situation.... We purely and simply deserved everything that happened afterward. ― Aleksandr SolzhenitsynHemp is turning a new leaf. The plant fiber, used to make the sails that took Christopher Columbus' ships to the New World, is now a building material.
In Asheville, N.C., a home built with thick hemp walls was completed this summer and two more are in the works.
Dozens of hemp homes have been built in Europe in the past two decades, but they're new to the United States, says David Madera, co-founder of Hemp Technologies, a company that supplied the mixture of ground-up hemp stalks, lime and water.
The industrial hemp is imported because it cannot be grown legally in this country — it comes from the same plant as marijuana.
Its new use reflects an increasing effort to make U.S. homes not only energy-efficient but also healthier. Madera and other proponents say hemp-filled walls are non-toxic, mildew |
not to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. He argued that they were not bound to follow the federal ruling.
Four same-sex couples requested a hearing with Granade to clear up the confusion over the issue in the state. Her order came a few hours after the hearing concluded Thursday afternoon. Granade's order was directed specifically at Mobile County Probate Court Judge Don Davis, who has refused to give licenses to same-sex couples, but it also negates the arguments of other probate judges who have been refusing to follow her earlier decision.
In her order, Granade said Davis may not deny marriage licenses "on the ground that Plaintiffs constitute same-sex couples or because it is prohibited by the Sanctity of Marriage Amendment and the Alabama Marriage Protection Act or by any other Alabama law or Order pertaining to same-sex marriage." In other words, the federal decision trumps the state laws.
Randall Marshall, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama, said Granade's ruling "confirms that the U.S. Constitution requires Alabama probate judges to issue marriage licenses to all qualified couples, gay and straight."
"We hope state and local officials will recognize that their first obligation is to comply with our federal Constitution and will move quickly to follow the court’s ruling so that all couples in Alabama will be able to share in the dignity and protection that marriage provides," he added.
“It is time for the judicial chaos that Chief Justice Roy Moore has caused to end,” said HRC Legal Director Sarah Warbelow in a statement. “Both the law and Judge Granade’s action today are crystal clear: refusing to follow the law has consequences. All probate judges should do their duties as public servants and begin to issue licenses to committed, loving same-sex couples immediately.”
And shortly after Granade's order, Mobile began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
At 4:06 pm Feb. 12, 2015, gay marriage is happening in Mobile, Al. #ALmarriage pic.twitter.com/q5WVaPe7Lb — Casey Toner (@ctoner) February 12, 2015
Our #mobile #Alabama marriage case plaintiffs, Robert & Milton, are first in county to get marriage license pic.twitter.com/P9ovUB8zOW — Erik Olvera (@JErikOlvera) February 12, 2015
Moore has a history of defying federal decisions. In 2003, Alabama's judicial ethics panel voted to remove Moore, who was chief justice at the time, from office after he refused to follow a federal order to take down his Ten Commandments monument in the state judicial building. Moore was elected as chief justice again in 2012.
Others in Alabama have also done their fair share of trying to ignore federal directives. One of the most iconic moments from the civil rights movement was when then-Gov. George Wallace (D) blocked the doors to the University of Alabama to stop black students from enrolling. Wallace cited states' rights as his reason for refusing to follow the federal order. He ultimately stepped aside when President John F. Kennedy's administration called the Alabama National Guard to intervene.
Want more updates from Amanda? Sign up for her newsletter, Piping Hot Truth.About a billion people live without electricity, and they often turn to kerosene lamps: ultra dangerous, carcinogen-spouting, open flames that could turn homes into tinderboxes. So a new Indiegogo campaign’s out to provide safe, reusable lights that need zero outside energy sources.
It’s called GravityLight, and it’s kind of like those hand crank-powered camp lanterns you see at Bed Bath & Beyond, but instead of 10 minutes of manual cranking, the light is powered by gravity.
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It looks kind of like a pulley hanging from the ceiling. You lift a 25-pound weight (rocks, sand, whatever) by pulling down on a beaded cord. After the weight has reached the top and you let go, it slowly descends, powering a drive sprocket and gear train that lights an LED. Once the bag hits the floor, you repeat the process. The light lasts 20 to 30 minutes each cycle.
On top of being fuming death traps, kerosene lamps are a cash suck: The GravityLight team says they can consume up to 30 percent of a family’s income. GravityLight, on the other hand, costs less than 10 bucks. The campaign is specifically targeting families in developing countries who don’t have access to electricity, with special attention to Kenya, where they hope the product can create jobs for people who can manufacture and sell the lights.
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The Indiegogo campaign’s closing in on about half of its $199,000 goal and has a month to go. This current project is actually for the second version of the light. Last year, the team got a trial batch of the lamp funded, which was tested in nearly 30 countries. This time around, the light is brighter, easier to use, longer lasting, and stays lit while being charged.
Gravity for good is a force we can get behind.
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Image credit: GravityLight 2 Indiegogo pageMumbai: Asia’s oldest stock exchange BSE Ltd is planning to open an international stock exchange at GIFT City, India’s maiden international financial services centre in Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
BSE, which has filed for an initial public offering (IPO), said in its prospectus that it has requested in-principle approval from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) to open the exchange.
BSE plans to start operations in GIFT City by January during the Vibrant Gujarat summit, two BSE officials with direct knowledge of the matter said, on condition of anonymity. This is, of course, subject to the capital markets regulator approving the new bourse.
The new exchange will provide a platform for Indian companies to raise capital by issuing foreign currency instruments, allow start-ups to raise equity from foreign investors by getting listed on the international exchange and also allow companies incorporated outside India to list in the international financial services centre, the draft prospectus said.
It will enable members to “trade from the international financial services centre in global capital markets such as NYSE, LSE, NASDAQ, etc., which many brokers are currently doing from other financial centres such as Singapore and Hong Kong," according to a presentation BSE made to investors and brokers soliciting membership in the proposed exchange.
An international exchange would open up a new stream of revenue for BSE which has been losing market share to rival National Stock Exchange of India Ltd (NSE) for quite some time. In the last five years, BSE’s market share in the equity cash-trading segment has halved to 15%. Its share in the derivatives segment is close to negligible.
BSE’s consolidated net profit dropped 37% to Rs96.74 crore in fiscal 2016. In the June quarter, the exchange’s net profit increased 40% to Rs52 crore.
The new exchange “will increase our brand’s profile and also provide us with additional sources of revenue", the prospectus said.
A BSE spokesperson declined to comment.
A Sebi spokesperson didn’t respond to an email sent on Monday.
According to the draft prospectus, BSE plans to spend Rs50 crore to capitalize a clearing corporation and another Rs25 crore for the stock exchange. It expects to fund these through its internal accruals. At the end of March, the bourse had cash and bank balances amounting to Rs1,610 crore.
The exchange’s IPO is a pure offer-for-sale (OFS), giving an exit opportunity for existing investors.
BSE will seek partnerships with other exchange operators to start the international exchange at GIFT City, the draft prospectus said. It intends to set up an international exchange and clearing corporation, both wholly owned subsidiaries.
The exchange signed an agreement with GIFT SEZ Ltd to set up these two entities in January 2015.
On 11 August, BSE secured approval from the ministry of corporate affairs (MCA) to set up the international exchange.Russian military planes, which were involved in a five-month campaign in Syria, are departing the Khmeimim airbase. The aircraft are deploying in formations of transport planes and fighter and bomber jets.
The first group of warplanes have departed from the Latakia airbase, said the Russian Ministry of Defense.
Russian warplanes leaving airbase in Syria Russian military planes, which were involved in a 5-month campaign in Syria, are departing the Khmeimim airbase. President Putin announced his decision to withdraw the main part of Russian forces from its Syrian airbase in Latakia. This brings to an end the anti-terror operation launched on September 30, 2015. Learn more: http://on.rt.com/76yw Posted by RT Play on Tuesday, March 15, 2016
“The first group of Russian planes has left the Khmeimim base and flew towards their respective bases in Russia. The formation is led by a Tu-154 and includes Su-34 multipurpose bombers,” the ministry said in a statement.
Hours later the group landed at a military airfield in Voronezh, where it was welcomed by chief of the Russian Air Forces, Colonel General Viktor Bondarev.
WATCH 1st VIDEO of Russian jets taking off for home from Syria airbase
On Monday evening, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced Moscow’s decision to withdraw the main part of Russian forces from its Syrian airbase in Latakia. This brings to an end the anti-terror operation launched on September 30, 2015. Putin explained that the operation’s objectives have been generally achieved.
To control the observation of ceasefire agreements in the region, Moscow will maintain its Khmeimim airbase in Latakia province and a base at the port of Tartus, he added.
READ MORE: 9,000 sorties, 400 localities freed: What Russia has achieved during its 5-month Syria operation
The announcement came as the UN-mediated talks on Syria resumed in Geneva on Monday.Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and at Yale University have discovered that grasshoppers stressed by spiders affect the productivity of soil.
“How do grasshoppers who are being frightened by spiders affect our ecosystem? In no small measure,” the researchers said.
A grasshopper who is in fear of an attacker, such as a spider, will enter a situation of stress and will consume a greater quantity of carbohydrate-rich plants – similar to humans under stress who might eat more sweets. This type of reaction will, in turn, cause chemical changes in the grasshopper and in its excretions, affecting the ecosystem it inhabits.
When the scared grasshopper dies, its carcass, now containing less nitrogen as a result of its diet change, will have an effect on the microbes in the ground, which are responsible for breaking down animals and plants. With less nitrogen available, the microbes will be decomposing the hard-to-break-down plant materials in the soil at a slower rate. Thus, the fear of predation may slow down degradation of complex organic materials to the simpler compounds required for plant growth.
In the study, published in the journal Science, the team exposed grasshoppers to spiders in order to arouse the stress reaction. The researchers also used a control group of non-stressed grasshoppers. The scared grasshoppers had a higher carbon-to-nitrogen ratio in their bodies than non-scared grasshoppers.
In further laboratory and field tests, they tested the influence of remains of grasshoppers from the two groups on soil. After the microbes consumed the grasshopper remains, the researchers added plants to the surface. In the experiments, it was shown that the decomposition rate of the plants in the areas in which the stress-free grasshopper remains were introduced decomposed at a rate between 62 and 200 % faster than in the samples in which the stressed grasshoppers were put.
In a further experiment, the researchers used “artificial grasshoppers” – a mixture of sugar, protein, and chitin (the organic compound found in the grasshopper external skeleton) – in varying quantities. Here, too, they found that even a small amount of nitrogen (found in the protein) added to the soil increases significantly the functioning of the microbes responsible for breaking down the organic matter in plants.
“We are dealing here with an absolutely new kind of mechanism whereby every small chemical change in a creature can regulate the natural cycle, thus in effect affecting the ecology in total, such as the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere (through decomposition) and field crop productivity. This has tremendous consequences for our ecological understanding of the living world,” said lead author Dr Dror Halwena of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
“We are gaining a greater understanding of the necessity of conserving all of the component parts of the ecosystem in general and of predators in particular. We are losing predators in nature at a much faster rate than other species,” Dr Halwena concluded.
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Bibliographic information: Hawlena D., Strickland M.S., Bradford M.A., Schmitz O.J. 2012. Fear of Predation Slows Plant-Litter Decomposition. Science vol. 336 no. 6087 pp. 1434-1438; doi: 10.1126/science.1220097BOSTON (CBS/AP) – Legal challenges against President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban mounted Thursday as Washington state said it would renew its request to block the executive order and Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced she would be joining the effort.
It came a day after Hawaii launched its own lawsuit, and Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson said both Oregon and New York had asked to join his state’s legal action.
“President Trump’s second travel ban remains a discriminatory and unconstitutional attempt to make good on his campaign promise to implement a Muslim ban,” Healey said in a statement.
“We are consolidating our legal efforts and joining fellow states, led by Washington, in continuing to challenge this Administration’s unlawful immigration policies. We look forward to presenting our arguments to the court in the coming days to protect our residents, institutions, and economy in Massachusetts.”
Washington was the first state to sue over the original ban, which resulted in Judge James Robart in Seattle halting its implementation around the country. Ferguson said the state would ask Robart to rule that his temporary restraining order against the first ban applies to Trump’s revised action.
Trump’s revised ban bars new visas for people from six predominantly Muslim countries: Somalia, Iran, Syria, Sudan, Libya and Yemen. It also temporarily shuts down the U.S. refugee program.
Unlike the initial order, the new one says current visa holders won’t be affected, and removes language that would give priority to religious minorities.
Ferguson said it’s not the government, but the court, that gets to decide whether the revised order is different enough that it would not be covered by previous temporary restraining order.
“It cannot be a game of whack-a-mole for the court,” he said. “That (temporary restraining order) we’ve already obtained remains in effect.”
White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Thursday the administration believed the revised travel ban will stand up to legal scrutiny.
“We feel very confident with how that was crafted and the input that was given,” Spicer said.
Ferguson said he was pleased that attorneys general from New York and Oregon had sought to take part in the legal action.
“We have a strong case and they are willing to join our efforts,” he said of his fellow Democrats. New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman in a statement called the executive order “a Muslim ban by another name.”
In his initial lawsuit Ferguson said the original ban was unconstitutional and hurt the state’s businesses and universities.
A federal appellate court later upheld a temporary restraining order issued against the first travel ban.
The Trump administration says the old order will be revoked once the new one goes into effect on March 16.
In filing a lawsuit Wednesday night, Hawaii said the revised order would harm its Muslim population, tourism and foreign students
Attorneys for Hawaii filed the lawsuit against the U.S. government in federal court in Honolulu. The state had previously sued over Trump’s initial travel ban, but that lawsuit was put on hold while other cases played out across the country.
Hawaii’s complaint says it is suing to protect its residents, businesses and schools, as well as its “sovereignty against illegal actions of President Donald J. Trump and the federal government.”
(TM and © Copyright 2017 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)First, the council is preparing to drastically reduce the amount of protected habitat in New England waters, including by nearly 80 percent around the Georges Bank. The plan would allow for expansion of bottom trawling and dredging, two of the most destructive fishing methods, into protected habitats.
In addition to gutting habitat protections, the council wants to suspend a program that places observers on fishing vessels to monitor compliance. But without monitoring the numbers of fish being taken out of the ocean, there is no way to accurately determine the health of their populations or ensure that quotas are respected.
The fishing industry had agreed to eventually pay for the monitoring. But as federal funds near expiration, later this year, the industry is trying to renege on its responsibilities by pressuring the council to eliminate the program. When the bank balance is low, it isn’t time to fire the accountant.
Pressure for even more change looms. Atlantic scallops are one of the most lucrative parts of the American fishing industry, responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars worth of shellfish every year. Scallop companies have a well-funded industry group, paradoxically named the Fisheries Survival Fund, which spends more than a quarter of a million dollars a year advocating for their interests, often at the expense of other fisheries. Dissatisfied with its current profits, the scallop industry is pushing the council to reopen portions of the most important New England cod habitat on Georges Bank, where the bottom-scraping scallop dredges would destroy any hope of rebuilding cod populations.
Similar pressure is coming from the cod, haddock and flounder industries, which are in a perpetual state of crisis as fishermen work with small catch limits that were set by managers trying to rebuild the populations. In the last two years, the New England fishery was declared a disaster and received more than $30 million in relief funding from the federal government to help with the losses. To stay viable for another year, the industries claim that they need additional access to closed areas.Looking for news you can trust?
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A new paper in Global Environmental Change has a generated some interesting chatter online. The title, “Cool dudes: The denial of climate change among conservative white males in the United States” sums it up the central question pretty well: Why do white guys think climate change is a bunch of baloney?
Via Chris Mooney, here’s the summary of the data on conservative white males, or CWM:
— 14% of the general public doesn’t worry about climate change at all, but among CWMs the percentage jumps to 39%.
— 32% of adults deny there is a scientific consensus on climate change, but 59% of CWMs deny what the overwhelming majority of the world’s scientists have said.
— 3 adults in 10 don’t believe recent global temperature increases are primarily caused by human activity. Twice that many – 6 CWMs out of every ten – feel that way
It’s not exactly shocking news, if you’ve ever taken a moment to consider that white men seem to make up the majority of the audience for Fox News, Glenn Beck, or Rush Limbaugh. The authors boil it down to a few psychological explanations: “identity-protective cognition,” or seeking out and believing that which affirms the beliefs or values one already holds, and “system justification,” or a motivation to defend the status quo.
Mooney also raises a good point about one theory the report authors left out of the discussion: “social dominance orientation.” Basically, the idea is that white men like things they way they are now, because so far they’ve made out pretty well. They also seek out and are affirmed by others who believe the same things (i.e., Limbaugh and Beck). Mooney explains it eloquently:
Rather, I simply think they experience modern climate science and climate advocacy as an affront, an attack on them and what they believe. They were brought up in a certain way, they believe certain things, and they have no reason to think of themselves as bad people—and indeed, mostly they’re not bad people. They give to charity. They go to church. They provide for a family. And so on.
But then they perceive all these attacks on their values coming from outsiders—hippie environmentalists and ivory tower climate scientists. If you didn’t do anything wrong, and you consider yourself as reasonable and intelligent–but people are attacking you and your values—you maybe get kind of outraged and worked up.
What I wonder, though, is how much shifting demographics will affect this. Demographers expect that white people will become the minority in the US in the next 40 years. So the next generation of white men will not be as large or politically powerful, for one. And they might also be less inclined toward those psychological traits, having perhaps not enjoyed quite the vaunted status of our current generation of white guys.
But that also creates the potential for a backlash. As conservative white males become less numerous and powerful, this might increase the tendency toward protectionism/withdraw/hostility, particularly on the question of climate change.
Anyway, there are more interesting thoughts from Mooney, David Ropeik, and David Roberts—all of whom happen to be white dudes.By the spring of 1968, President Lyndon Johnson was desperate to end the Vietnam War. His desperation was displayed for all the world in the peace talks that began that year.
The Paris peace talks to end the war began in early May 1968 and hit an immediate snag. South Vietnamese President Nguyen Cao Ky refused to sit at a table with the North Vietnamese-sponsored National Liberation Front, also known as the Viet Cong, and the North Vietnamese refused any negotiation to which the VC weren’t an equal party. The seating arrangement and the shape of the table were debated for months.
After President Richard Nixon’s election, he ordered his team to continue the shape-of-the-table debate instead of walking away from that charade and resuming the bombing of the North. They did so because they, as much as Johnson’s team, knew we were negotiating from a position of grave weakness.
After the seating arrangements were agreed to the negotiations continued for years while the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong gradually gained ground. In 1973 a “cease-fire in place” agreement was authorized by President Nixon, leaving thousands of North Vietnamese troops and Viet Cong inside South Vietnam. The agreement provided that the two Vietnams were to be reunified peacefully.
We know how that worked out. Desperation diplomacy never works.
In late September, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that America was in direct contact with North Korea, saying “We are probing, so stay tuned…We ask, ‘would you like to talk? We have lines of communications to Pyongyang — we’re not in a dark situation, a blackout.” He added, “We have a couple, three channels open to Pyongyang.”
Until last week, President Trump’s position has been that the Norks must stop their provocations before negotiations could begin. There’s been no cessation of their threats of war and more substantial provocations. In the past year, they’ve fired 23 missiles in 16 separate launches — some over Japan or landing near it — and detonated a nuclear device which they claimed was a hydrogen bomb.
Their latest missile test demonstrated a missile that could probably deliver a nuclear warhead — or an electromagnetic pulse attack — to any part of the United States. Their threats of nuclear war against the United States have been made almost weekly.
In a speech last Tuesday to the Atlantic Council, Tillerson displayed a Johnsonesque desperation. He said that he wanted to negotiate with North Korea without any preconditions. He said, “Let’s just meet and let’s talk about the weather if you want and talk about whether it’s going to be a square table or a round table, if that’s what you’re excited about. Then we can begin to lay out a map, a road map, of what we might be willing to work towards.”
It was a beggar’s plea, a pre-emptive confession of defeat that would be expected from the loser of an ongoing hot war. Tillerson made his supplication doubly worse by the unmistakable reference to the shape-of-the-table debate that became a symbol of our defeat in Vietnam.
Trump neither refuted nor confirmed Tillerson’s remarks, but he apparently reined Tillerson in. On Friday, Tillerson walked back his Tuesday position in remarks to the UN Security Council. He said “A cessation of North Korea’s threatening behavior must occur before talks can begin. North Korea must earn its way back to the table.”
This isn’t usually how things are set up to work diplomatically. The cabinet official is usually the bad cop and the president — playing the statesman — is the moderating influence, the good cop. This isn’t a “good cop/bad cop” approach. It’s more like “good cop/dummkopf.” Tillerson has proven himself no smarter or more skillful a diplomat than former basketball player Dennis Rodman who wants to take over the negotiations with North Korea.
Trump, too, is clueless. He called Russian President Putin on Friday to seek Putin’s help. After the call he said, “We would love to have his help on North Korea. China is helping. Russia is not helping. We’d like to have Russia’s help — very important.” It was a confession of weakness, not as bad as Tillerson’s, but nevertheless inept.
Trump evidently doesn’t understand that neither China nor Russia has any incentive to help us defuse North Korea. Both trade with the Norks (China clearly violating the UN arms embargo by sending missile launch vehicles and other assets) and both are quite happy to see us tied in knots with an unending crisis.
Because the answer surely isn’t clear, the question must be asked: What do we believe can be accomplished by negotiating with North Korea?
As I’ve written before, the North Koreans thrive on military provocations. They prove their worth to themselves by threatening us with missiles and nuclear weapons. They’re reportedly now building an arsenal of biological weapons to up the ante again.
As the February start of the Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea approaches, we can count on the Norks to try to disrupt the games with more missile launches and probably another nuclear detonation. (Their only disincentive for the latter is that the mountain under which they test nukes may collapse because of the next test.)
At this point we have to understand that the Norks aren’t just aiming to blackmail us into giving them oil, food, and money to get them to behave for at least a short while. That they succeeded in with Bill Clinton. Both George W. Bush and Barack Obama ignored what the North Koreans were doing.
The Norks’ ambitions have grown as their nuclear and missile arsenals have grown in capability. They want to scare us sufficiently that we’d not interfere if they tried to conquer South Korea. Or Japan. Or any other neighboring nation. We have to recognize that disarming North Korea of its missiles and nuclear weapons is something they will never do peacefully.
Winston Churchill once said that “jaw-jaw is better than war-war.” So it is, but our negotiator needs to have goals that would benefit us. There are few, if any.
Disarming North Korea of its nuclear weapons and intercontinental missiles is the only goal that can improve the situation. That goal cannot be reached without China’s direct and forceful intervention.
The old adage, “deal with the organ grinder, not the monkey,” is entirely apposite. Initially, the greatest benefit to American and our allies’ security would be to have the Chinese be a party to the negotiation, thereby taking responsibility for the results. North Korea dances to China’s tune, so negotiating only with Kim’s regime will necessarily fail to produce any substantial result. South Korea is our ally, and it obviously has to have a seat at the table as well.
China, of course, won’t want to do that but our demand that they do will increase pressure on China to help rein in the Norks. We can play that game for months, if not years, while we still demand other preconditions for negotiation.
Other U.S. actions can be taken, and preconditions for negotiations demanded, including the cessation of provocations that the president has always demanded and Tillerson was for after he was against.
One action that the president should take is to replace Tillerson as soon as possible. A tougher, more adept diplomat should take his place as soon as possible.
Between now and the time the China gambit fails — and a demand that China take a seat at the table will probably fail — we need to take other actions.
First, we have to engage in a crash program to put a missile defense system — something like the “Brilliant Pebbles” system of the 1990s — in orbit. Doing so would effectively negate the North Korean threat and would just as effectively negate much of the Chinese, Russian, and Iranian threats. The technology exists, but the money won’t be spent unless the president demands it.
Simultaneously, in secret, we must urge the Chinese to replace the Kim regime with a more pliant puppet. The Chinese want neither a reunified Korean Peninsula under a U.S.-aligned government nor stronger U.S. allies — Japan and South Korea — around it.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wants to change his nation’s pacifist constitution (which we wrote after World War II) to add a provision that would enable Japan to maintain a military force that could provide more than self-defense. His proposed change is a recognition of the North Korean reality and to the extent we can, we should advocate for it.
South Korean President Moon Jae-In has resisted further deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Air Defense system, but his resistance is reportedly fading. We should deploy additional THAAD batteries in South Korea as soon as possible. Though Moon will resist, we should insist on deploying nuclear-armed offensive missiles, under U.S. control, in South Korea as well.
When — not if — North Korea tries to disrupt the South Korea Olympic Games by missile launches or nuclear tests, we should test our anti-missile capabilities by shooting down their missiles. For a number of reasons, including the fact that our anti-missile systems could fail, we haven’t done so yet. If any missile is launched close to any U.S. ally or territory, we will have to take that risk.
Lastly — not in importance — we have to expose the cooperation between North Korea and Iran in developing nuclear weapons and missiles. As I’ve written before, it’s one of the least mentioned, and most important, threat multipliers we face.
Peace is not merely the absence of war. It is the stability of world order that Iran and North Korea — both revolutionary regimes whose ideologies compel them — are working tirelessly to destroy. Our national security depends on stopping them. Desperation diplomacy won’t.http://na.leagueoflegends.com/sites/default/files/styles/scale_xlarge/public/upload/rgm.jpg Heya everyone, as we get closer to adding the new Rotating Game Mode queue, I wanted to give an update on where we’re at and some further insight into how it works. ^.^b -------------------------------------------------------------- **What times exactly is the queue going to be active?** We’re aiming to have the queue available every weekend starting around Friday afternoon and switching off sometime early on Monday morning. This will be in the local time for each region. The goal is to have it up once the weekend starts (that’s Friday night right?! :P) so we should get three evenings of fast game mode funtimes. This is just a first implementation, if the queue proves to be exceedingly popular, we can always lengthen the window. **How often will we see modes repeat?** This will depend on how many modes fall into the stable rotation. Modes will likely repeat every 1.5~2 months. Again, once we get started and see what modes come and go from the rotation, this could shift a little bit. This might feel short, but that’s compared to our previous cadence of _“once a year”_. Technically, _“anything less than 12 months”_ is shorter than that! :P In short (see what I did there?), we’re looking forward to getting everyone **more facetime with more modes, more frequently**. **How will champ mastery & loot work in the Rotating Game Mode queue?** Much like regular SR currently, there will be 2 ways to get a loot chest: --- Earn any S rank. --- Be in a premade with a friend who earns any S rank. All the regular loot conditions will also still apply, so you need to have a chest available to earn, only 1 per champion, etc. Champ mastery has also been customised for each one of these modes, so you’ll need to perform well at the particular mode. This is obviously different to the current SR earning and might be a little difficult initially compared to SR as each mode has varying ways to excel. We’ll be keeping a close eye on it though and tune as the queue goes on. **How do you choose what modes will go in the queue?** We’re interested in capturing a wide slice of the different types of gameplay that each of the historical featured game modes embody. We also want modes proven popular with players, who voted with their valuable playtime and spent it in those modes. <3 **Specifically what modes will be in the queue?** Poro King is already live on PBE and helping us test the new champ mastery algorithm. Later this week you’ll see Ascension go live on PBE to begin its tuning journey as well. We’ll announce more as we get closer to switching the Rotating Game Mode queue on live. -------------------------------------------------------------- That’s all I’ve got for now. Just wanted to keep everyone up-to-date on where we’re at. o^.^O Stay tuned for more news soon. I’ll hang out in here and grab questions for today too. ^_^/ L4T3NCY
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SaveWhile the rest of the world recovers from the great recession of 2008-2009, Europe is stagnating. Eurozone growth is expected to be 1.7% next year. What can be done about it?
One solution is a weaker euro. Earlier this month, the chief executive of Airbus called for drastic action to reduce the value of the euro against the dollar by about 10%, from a "crazy" $1.35 to between $1.20 and $1.25. The European Central Bank (ECB) cut its deposit rates from 0 to -0.1%, effectively charging banks to keep money there, but these measures had little effect on foreign exchange markets.
That is mainly because nothing is being done to boost aggregate demand. The UK, US and Japan all increased their money supply to revive their economies, with currency devaluation becoming an essential part of the recovery mechanism. The ECB's president, Mario Draghi, often hints at QE – last month, he repeated that "if required, we will act swiftly with further monetary policy easing" – but his perpetual lack of commitment resembles that of Mark Carney, the Bank of England governor, whom one former UK government minister recently likened to an "unreliable boyfriend".
The ECB's inaction is not, however, wholly responsible for the appreciation of the euro's exchange rate. The pattern of current account imbalances across the eurozone also plays a large role.
Germany's current-account surplus, the largest in the eurozone, is not a new phenomenon. It has existed since the 1980s, falling only during reunification, when intensive construction investment in the former east Germany more than absorbed the country's savings. The external surplus has grown especially rapidly since the early 2000s, and today it remains close to its pre-crisis 2007 level, at 7.4% of GDP.
Now, however, countries previously stricken with deficits are moving into surplus, which means the eurozone's current account is increasingly positive. Indeed, the eurozone-wide surplus is now expected to be 2.25% of GDP this year and next. The eurozone is saving more than it is investing, or, equivalently, exporting more than it is importing. This is strengthening its currency.
Back in October 2013, the US Treasury pointed the finger at Germany's structural surplus as the source of Europe's woes. Its argument was that if one country runs a surplus, another must run a deficit, because the excess savings/ exports of the surplus country must be absorbed by another country as investment, consumption, or imports.
If the surplus country takes no steps to reduce its surplus – for example, by increasing its domestic investment and consumption – the only way the deficit country can reduce its deficit is by cutting its own investment and consumption. But this would produce a "bad" equilibrium, achieved by stagnation.
Something like this seems to have happened in the eurozone. Germany has retained its "good" surplus, whereas the Mediterranean countries slashed their deficits by cutting investment, consumption, and imports. Greece's unemployment rate soared to nearly 27%, Spain's is almost as high, and Portugal faces a banking crisis.
In November 2013 Paul Krugman wrote that, "Germany's failure to adjust magnified the cost of austerity". Though it "was inevitable that Spain would face lean years as it learned to live within its means", Krugman argued, "Germany's immovability was an important contributor to Spain's pain".
But Germany rejected this logic. Its current-account surplus was its just reward for hard work. Indeed, according to the German finance ministry, the surplus is "no cause for concern, neither for Germany, nor for the eurozone, or the global economy". Because no "correction" was needed, it was up to the deficit countries to adjust by tightening their belts.
John Maynard Keynes pointed out the deflationary consequence of this attitude in 1941. Deficit countries with a fixed exchange rate (as is the case in the eurozone) are forced to cut their spending, while surplus countries are under no equivalent pressure to increase theirs. Keynes's proposed solution to this problem was an international payments system that would force symmetric adjustment on both surplus and deficit countries. Persistent surpluses and deficits would be taxed at an escalating rate. His plan was rejected.
Of course, a creditor country can always help a debtor by investing its surplus there. Germany is willing to do this in principle, but insists that austerity must come first. The problem is that stagnation ruins investment prospects.
China has shown that voluntary adjustment by a surplus country is possible. Until recently, the global imbalances problem was centred on China's bilateral surplus with the US. China used its excess savings to buy US Treasury bonds, which drove down world interest rates and enabled cheap borrowing, permitting America to run a vast current-account deficit. The main impact of low interest rates, however, was to fuel the housing bubble that burst in 2007, leading directly to the 2008 financial crisis.
Since then, China has |
financing's in order
So why PBOC is in such an urge to open the floodgate of liquidity? This economist will spare you the boredom of looking at the diagrams of China's economic misery: HSBC PMI, etc, since you can find those eye candies everywhere else on the web. Let me cut to the chase: However high it aims, PBOC's action in practice merely work as the band aid to the bleeding economy. But it won't be able to fix it. The central bank's aggressive pro-liquidity maneuvers at best serve to sustain the over-leveraged economy and avoid the systematic short-circuit of debt financing. Now allow me to divulge:
The main drivers of China's debt financing,China's state-owned banks, are starving for cash. According to Citigroup estimates, in 2011 seven of the biggest Chinese banks raised 323.8 billion renminbi ($51.4 billion) of new fund. Several financial firms are expected to raise another $17.7 billion in the next few months, with China's fifth-biggest lender, the Bank of Communications, accounting for $9 billion. The unprecedented lending binge encouraged by the central government,increasingly rigorous requirement of regulatory capital and excruciating maintenance of excessive dividend payouts have rendered the most-profitable banks in the world--Chinese banks--in a rather precarious position.
GaveKal's data will illustrate this is no exaggeration: In 2010, China's five biggest banks — the Big Four plus the Bank of Communications — paid more than 144 billion yuan in dividends while raising more than 199 billion yuan on the capital markets. The ballooning balance sheet caused by the loan frenzy and strict capital requirement make China's banks' cash-craving burning at both ends:this march, China's big four— Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, the Bank of China, China Construction Bank and Agricultural Bank of China — have a combined 14 percent increase in total assets, to 51.3 trillion yuan, which is roughly the size of the German, French and British economies combined.
Meanwhile, under a new set of rules, the country's biggest banks will need to increase their capital levels to 11.5 percent of assets by the end of 2013.Their core Tier 1 capital ratio will need to be at least 9.5 percent. These requirements are more stringent than the rules that apply to American and European banks. Hereby, we shouldn't be surprised why the world's most profitable banks are in the dire need of cash. It has to be PBOC who comes to the rescue.
But we can't expect the alchemy of central banking to conjure miracles other than administrating monetary band aids when the economy is broken.
3. The over-leveraged economy and unsustainable bubbles
According to the great Ray Dalio's principles, the credit-fueled China's economy is so over-leveraged that a great de-leveraging is going to be the only way out. The pyramid of debt/credit is cracking and will collapse since the conditions of underlying economic agents are deteriorating.There's no mount of monetary band aids that can alter that destiny.
According to Fitch's data, the ratio of total financing/GDP in China rose from 124% at end‐2007 to 174% at end‐2010, and rose by another 5pp to 179% in 2011.In 2012 the growth of broad credit will slightly decelerate but still outpace GDP. Clearly China is not suffering a liquidity crisis but the diminishing economic return on credit. According to Fitch, in 2012, each CNY1 in new financing will yield ￥0.39 yuan in new GDP versus ￥0.73 yuan pre-crisis.Returns would have to rise above ￥0.5 yuan for domestic credit/GDP to stabilize at 2011's 179%.
The dilemma is that business entities will need more and more credit to achieve the same economic result, therefore will be more and more leveraged, less and less able to service the debt, more and more prone to insolvency and bankruptcy. It will reach a turning point when the increasing number of insolvencies and bankruptcies initiate an accelerating downward spiral for underling assets prices and drive up the non-performing loan ratio for the banks.
And then the over-stretched banking system will implode. A full blown economic crisis will come in full force. The chain of reaction is clearly set in the motion now. The question is when we will reach that turning point. What PBOC has done is only adding fuel to the fire because it is unable to tackle the root causes of China's economic ills.
The root causes are unsustainable economic bubbles and collapsing demand.
Firstly, I will analysis China's construction industry to illustrate the severeness of China's economic bubbles.
According to Société Générale, in 2010, China spent more than $1,000bn on construction (including residential/non residential real estate and infrastructure), representing around 20% of its nominal GDP,or almost twice the world average as the chart below shows. In 2010 the scale of the Chinese construction market outpaced that of the US and became the largest construction market worldwide with around 15% share. That year China's construction binge push its investment/GDP ratio to 48.5%, a record unprecedented in the recent history of China and other major economies. It's sufficient to say China is a construction-led economy.
In 2010, China's cement consumption surpassed 1,800mt, which is around 55% of global consumption and about 25 times more than US consumption. With average consumption of 1,400kg per capita, China stands well above the world average ex-China of 300kg. History shows that such high consumption is hard to sustain for a number of years and ultimately leads to a construction crisis sooner or later.
In 2010, China has built around 1.8bn square meters of new residential floor space, which is the equivalent of Spain's housing floor space stock. This construction has already provided accommodation for 60 million people while the urban population has merely increased by c. 20 million. If China were to keep its current construction pace over the next five years, the 9bn sqm new housing area built would provide accommodation for 300 million more people by 2015.
Therefore the available floor space stock in China will then be able to accommodate an urbanization rate of 65-70%.But according to IMF's forecast, it will be not until 2030 for China's urbanization to reach that level. How can the central government punishes those farmers migrating ever so slowly to the cities? Obviously, China will have more and more cities like Ordos, a modern Chinese Ghost Town photogenically praised by the Time magazine.
Still not convinced? China can look to pre-crisis Spain for signs of construction bubbles. Spain had a very high consumption per capita for years before it crashed with the financial crisis. Spanish annual cement consumption topped off at nearly 1,300kg per capita in 2007, ahead of the financial crisis. 4 years later, Spanish consumption stands barely at around 500kg per capita, down 60% from its peak. If China's cement consumption per capita keeps its current momentum, sooner or later China's construction bubble will reach its end game.
Economic bubbles are unsustainable. It works like a Ponzi scheme. When it first starts, the excess liquidity unleashed by the central banks will drive the asset prices higher and higher. There will be more and more people and money buying into the game assuming the price will keep rising up. Back then the leverage is not a problem. But when the great de-leveraging is beckoned, there will be a stampede towards the exit. That's when any Ponzi scheme collapses. Let's make no bones about the fact that China's investment-fueled growth including the construction binge is just such a Ponzi scheme.
4. Bust the myth of China's transition towards consumption-led economy
To this stage, China can't reply on the excessive investment to propel its growth much longer. So what about seeking the growth more and more from the demand side of the economy: the foreign and domestic demand? Well, that path looks rather bumpy as well.
As to the foreign demand, China's export growth clearly is decelerating recently as the major customers--EU and the US--are both fighting on the edge of double-dip. It is immoral to accelerate the export growth while trade partners are drowning in their debt crisis. It is also rather dangerous while those trade partners are fighting for their survival and won't hesitate to start a trade war to defend their lifelines. China can sincerely hope that EU and the US soon bounce back from the economic abyss to become their best customers again but that won't happen for a long time.
I agree with Ray Dalio that this economic crisis is a great deleveraging, which will take more than a decade to unwind. According to UBS Wealth Management Research's report, the great deleveraging will likely play out through 2020. The ratios of debt-to-incomes must go down in EU and the US. Sorry, China, no more easy fuel for your export growth.
Now that's too bad. The Ponzi scheme of investment growth and the export growth are both collapsing. What's left for China to seek the growth then? Domestic demand aka private consumption? It's much promised but not very convincing.
Let's examine the structural reasons that China's domestic demand will have its work cut out to refill the tank space of the economic growth left out by collapsing investment and export:
1st, Contrary to what many choose to believe, China's trade surplus is not caused by Chinese consumers' high saving rate, but has much to do with their deteriorating disposable incomes which far lag behind GDP growth and inflation. According to the All China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU), workers' wages/GDP ratio have gone down for 22 consecutive years since 1983. It goes without saying that the consumption/GDP ratio is shrinking all the while.
Meanwhile, Aggregate Savings Rate has increased by 51% from 36% in 1996 to 51% in 2007. Don't jump to your conclusion yet that Chinese consumers has been over-tightening their purse strings. The truth is far away from conventional perceptions: according to Development Research Center of the State Council's report, that increase is mainly driven by the government and corporations and not by the household. For the past 11 years, Household Saving Rate has only increased from 19% to 22%. Even India's Household Saving Rate of 24% is higher than China's right now.
All the while, government and corporations' saving rate has increased from 17% to 22%, which accounts for nearly 80% of the increase on Aggregate Savings Rate. For the past decade, Government's fiscal income is growing faster than GDP or Household Income. In 2009, the fiscal income was 687.71 billion yuan, and achieved an annual growth of 11.7% while GDP growth was 8.7%, Urban household disposable income growth was 8.8% and agriculture household disposable income growth was 8.2%. It is obvious that the state and corporations has taken too much out of national income and hence they continue to weaken the consumers rather than empower them.
2nd, The state enterprises and crony capitalists have heavily dominated the income distribution. The deteriorating income inequity makes it harder for GDP growth to trickle down to the overall consumption. In 2010, the net profits from two central enterprises(China Mobile and Petrol China) outstrip the net profits from the top 500 private enterprise combined. Meanwhile, Central enterprises only contribute 30% of GDP, and provide 20% of national employment while the private enterprises contribute 70% of the GDP and provide 80% of the national employment.
Adding fuel to the fire, monopoly enterprises also account for 55% of national wage and salary. The widening income gap will skew more and more national income towards corruption, rent seeking, capital flight, asset investment and speculation. Thus the consumption-side of economy will be continually weakened.
The biggest problem for China is the state, central enterprises and crony capitalists wield too much power over national economy, have too much monopoly power over wealth creation and income distribution, and much of the GDP growth and vested interest groups' economic progress are made on the expanse of average consumers stuck in deteriorating relative poverty. If these problems aren't solved, the faster the Chinese GDP growth, the less Chinese consumers will be able to support the over-capacity expansion, the more export momentum China will need to sustain its growth. This is a vicious circle of global imbalance. Even the revaluation of RMB can't break it.
5. The end game is coming
There you have it: the unsustainable economic bubbles and collapsing demand are the root causes plaguing China's economy. PBOC's current maneuvers won't fix any of it. As I said previously,those alchemy recipes of central banking at best can serve to sustain the over-leveraged economy and avoid the systematic short-circuit of debt financing for now.
Other than that, there won't be much liquidity invested in capacity and job intensive projects since there's no much demand to go around and the economic return on credit will deteriorate. If these structural deficiencies aren't properly addressed by the central government, things will get worse, more frivolous rate cuts and RRR cuts and other central banking's gimmicks are sure to come but to no avail, the chain reaction will be accelerated, and China will face its end game: the dark side of a great deleveraging.The owners of a Sioux City bee and honey operation fear vandals may have cost the couple their business. Justin and Tori Engelhardt own Wild Hill Honey, and they found the damage Thursday morning when they went to dust snow off their 50 hives in a grove on their west Sioux City property. Justin Engelhardt says all the hives were knocked over, killing at least 500,000 bees. The vandal or vandals smashed any equipment they could reach but didn't steal anything. He estimated the damage at $50,000 to $60,000. He says "this probably sunk us," because insurers don't offer beehive coverage. No arrests have been reported.A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the owners. To donate, go to http://bit.ly/2pVQBzR.
The owners of a Sioux City bee and honey operation fear vandals may have cost the couple their business.
Justin and Tori Engelhardt own Wild Hill Honey, and they found the damage Thursday morning when they went to dust snow off their 50 hives in a grove on their west Sioux City property.
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Justin Engelhardt says all the hives were knocked over, killing at least 500,000 bees. The vandal or vandals smashed any equipment they could reach but didn't steal anything. He estimated the damage at $50,000 to $60,000.
He says "this probably sunk us," because insurers don't offer beehive coverage.No arrests have been reported.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the owners. To donate, go to http://bit.ly/2pVQBzR.In the wake of the Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal, Tarantino will be making his first film without the support of Miramax or The Weinstein Company.
Quentin Tarantino is moving forward with his ninth feature film, which will mark the first time the director does not work with his longtime collaborator Harvey Weinstein. Deadline reports Tarantino has finished the script for the movie and is now shopping it around to several studios. The director previously worked with Miramax or The Weinstein Company on all of his feature films, but he’s breaking from the company after over 90 sexual harassment and assault allegations have been made against co-founder Harvey Weinstein.
Details on Tarantino’s new movie, which is currently being referred to as “#9,” first broke over the summer when it was revealed he was putting together a script based on the Manson Family murders. Deadline reports that the script hews closely to “Pulp Fiction.” One of the stories is expected to focus on Sharon Tate, a role that has been reportedly offered to Margot Robbie.
Early rumors also suggested Tarantino made offers to Jennifer Lawrence and Brad Pitt. The latter starred in Tarantino’s 2009 film “Inglourious Basterds.” Sources have told Deadline that Tarantino also wrote characters with Samuel L. Jackson and Leonardo DiCaprio in mind. Both gentleman have worked with the director in the past. No casting decisions have been confirmed yet.
Tarantino reportedly spent the back half of the summer writing the screenplay and it now appears to be finished and ready to bring to studios. The budget required for “#9” is allegedly near the $100 million mark, which puts it in “Django Unchained” territory. The only studio not in contention for the film is Disney, since Tarantino’s hard R-rated subject matter wouldn’t be a fit. The director is hoping to start production on the movie over the summer in 2018 for a targeted 2019 release.
The filmmaker made headlines last month in the wake of the Weinstein scandal by admitting to The New York Times that he knew about some of the allegations made against the former studio head. “I knew enough to do more than I did,” Tarantino said, later explaining that he was aware of the accusations made by Rose McGowan and his former girlfriend Mira Sorvino.
Tarantino is expecting to lock in a studio to finance, market, and distribute “#9” within the next two weeks.Newsweek has issued an apology after senior writer Alexander Nazaryan compared Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz and his supporters to Nazis.
“I would like to express on behalf of Newsweek our disappointment that this occurred and reiterate that this does not align with our editorial values,” Newsweek’s editor-in-chief, Jim Impoco, told the Washington Examiner in a statement.
“I apologize for any doubt that this might have cast on Newsweek’s editorial integrity or credibility. We’ve addressed the situation with Alexander and the rest of the staff and will be reviewing and reiterating our social media policy in coming days.”
Mr. Nazaryan tweeted, then promptly deleted, an image Wednesday morning depicting Nazi soldiers, writing, “Ted Cruz has a strong ground game in Iowa.”
Facing a wave of social media backlash from conservatives, Mr. Nazaryan later tweeted, “I deleted my tweet calling Ted Cruz a Nazi. Not fair to his totally decent supporters, as much as I dislike the man himself.”
Mr. Nazaryan publicly expressed his disdain for the Texas senator just a day earlier, calling him “an atrocity of a human being.”
Faced with calls for him to resign or be fired, Mr. Nazaryan wrote: “Because part of my job is having opinions. One opinion I have is that Ted Cruz would be a very bad president.”
According to Mr. Nazaryan’s staff page at Newsweek, he was previously on the editorial board of the New York Daily News.
Copyright © 2019 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.A new poll has found that 63 percent of Americans believe President Donald Trump hastried to “impede or obstruct” the investigations into Russian interference in the U.S. election and possible links between Trump’s campaign and the Kremlin.
Additionally, 40 percent are convinced Trump did something “illegal” with Russia, according to theAssociated Press-NORC poll, while 32 percent believe he has done something “unethical” concerning Russia.
Among those polled, 38 percent believe the Russia investigation is very or extremely important. Yet 54 percent are not confident that congressional investigations into the Russia issue will be fair and impartial. Forty-two percent aren’t confident that the Justice Department’s investigation led by former FBI director Robert Mueller will be fair and impartial.
The poll found the president had only a 32 percent approval rating, with 67 percent disapproving of the way Trump is handling his job as president. Those numbers mimic thefindings of an earlier Pew Research poll.
That makes Trump the most unpopular first-year president on record.
The Russian results were based on surveys conducted Nov. 30 through Dec. 4 among 1,444 adults with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.Jamie Chung for TIME A patient at Red River clinic awaits consultation with a doctor
Cover Photograph by Jamie Chung for TIME
In January 1973, the Supreme Court made access to abortion a federally protected right. As I write in this week’s TIME cover story, that seemingly decisive victory 40 years ago kicked off a war that the pro-choice movement has been losing ever since. In many parts of the country today, obtaining an abortion is more difficult than at any point since the 1970s.
There are fewer doctors willing to perform the procedure and fewer abortion clinics open for business. Pro-choice activists have been outflanked by their prolife counterparts, who have successfully lobbied for state-based regulations that limit access. Scores of states now require women to undergo counseling, waiting periods or ultrasounds prior to obtaining abortions. Minors across the country must often get permission from their parents if they want to terminate pregnancies. And pro-life state legislators are passing laws that require clinics to comply with arcane requirements—such as a hallway having to be more than five feet wide— that make it difficult for them to stay open.
(Viewpoint: Pro-life and Feminism Aren’t Mutually Exclusive)
The pro-life cause has been winning the abortion war, in part, because it has pursued an organized and well-executed strategy. But public opinion is also increasingly on their side. Thanks to prenatal ultrasound and advanced neonatology, Americans now understand what a fetus looks like and that babies born as early as 24 weeks can now survive. Although three-quarters of Americans believe abortion should be legal in some or all cases, most support state laws regulating the procedure and fewer and fewer are identifying themselves as “pro-choice” in public opinion surveys.
The prochoice establishment has also been hampered by a generational divide within the cause. Young abortion rights activists today complain that the leaders of feminist organizations, who were in their 20s and 30s when Roe was decided, aren’t eager to pass the torch to a new generation whose activism is more nimble and Internet-based. But the most pressing challenge for prochoice activists may simply be that abortion is legal. In a dynamic democracy like America, defending the status quo is always harder than fighting to change it.
MORE: Read TIME’s cover story, “What Choice?” By Kate PickertCompany of Heroes pre-orders on Steam will grow in value as more sales targets are met.
In an increasingly common scheme, pre-orders for the RTS on Steam will unlock progressively better rewards.
Exact required numbers have not been revealed, but eager consumers have already unlocked the first tier, a set of exclusive Team Fortress 2 items featuring a German Officer’s Cap and Badge and a Soviet Commander’s Cap and Badge.
The second reward tier is a free, giftable copy of Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II: Retribution, which lends credence to rumours that THQ will offer Metro: 2033 as a pre-order incentive for Metro: Last Light.
The third and final tier grants purchasers a Company of Heroes 2 Commissar Chest, which packs in an XP boost, a unit boost, the Commander archetype, and a slab of in-game currency for future content.
Company of Heroes 2 is due on PC in March, having been delayed out of the final quarter of 2012. It is only the latest game to utilise Steam’s tiered pre-purchase scheme; its most recent peer is Tomb Raider.Emergency crews are responding to damage after a tornado touched down in the city of Denair Sunday afternoon. The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department said deputies and fire crews are on the scene.The National Weather Service confirmed through video and eyewitness reports this was a tornado and not just a funnel cloud. Stanislaus County fire officials and emergency managers reported two touch downs to the NWS. The first touch down was at 1:45 p.m. in Denair, and the second touch down was at 2 p.m. between Denair and Hughson. The NWS Sacramento tweeted it will survey the area Monday to estimate the strength of the tornado.The sheriff's department tweeted photos of damage caused by the tornado and storm. Trees were downed on Zeering Road and the roof of a church was damaged. The sheriff's department said the tornado traveled east on Zeering Road, just east of Santa Fe Avenue. It is unknown how may homes were damaged by the tornado. No injuries were reported, the sheriff's department said.The Turlock Irrigation District said power to the whole town was knocked out at one time. As of 6:20 p.m., 200 accounts were still without power. The district warned for people to stay away from downed power lines.A temporary shelter is set up at the Denair Elementary School gym. Showers and food will be available for residents.The unusual weather comes as Northern California experiences a storm system for the third Sunday in a row.Some rain began in the Valley early Sunday morning and scattered showers are expected to continue throughout the day.
Emergency crews are responding to damage after a tornado touched down in the city of Denair Sunday afternoon. The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Department said deputies and fire crews are on the scene.
The National Weather Service confirmed through video and eyewitness reports this was a tornado and not just a funnel cloud.
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Stanislaus County fire officials and emergency managers reported two touch downs to the NWS. The first touch down was at 1:45 p.m. in Denair, and the second touch down was at 2 p.m. between Denair and Hughson.
The NWS Sacramento tweeted it will survey the area Monday to estimate the strength of the tornado.
The sheriff's department tweeted photos of damage caused by the tornado and storm. Trees were downed on Zeering Road and the roof of a church was damaged. The sheriff's department said the tornado traveled east on Zeering Road, just east of Santa Fe Avenue.
It is unknown how may homes were damaged by the tornado. No injuries were reported, the sheriff's department said.
The Turlock Irrigation District said power to the whole town was knocked out at one time. As of 6:20 p.m., 200 accounts were still without power. The district warned for people to stay away from downed power lines.
A temporary shelter is set up at the Denair Elementary School gym. Showers and food will be available for residents.
The unusual weather comes as Northern California experiences a storm system for the third Sunday in a row.
Some rain began in the Valley early Sunday morning and scattered showers are expected to continue throughout the day.
AlertMeThe Wisconsin Craft Beer Festival was One of the Good Ones
Beer fests can be hit or miss, but the Wisconsin Craft Beer Festival at the Harley-Davidson Museum was a hit. Plus: Sprecher's Wisconsin Pale Lager, the beer selection at the Riverside, and more.
I spent Saturday afternoon at the Wisconsin Craft Beer Festival at the Harley-Davidson Museum. Beer fests can be hit or miss, but this was one of the good ones. One of the reasons why was an accurate list of breweries and the beers they were pouring, which made it really easy to find oddities and interesting recipes. Unique sips of brews like Ballast Point Wahoo with Thai chili and ginger or Jester King Funk Metal Sour Barrel-Aged Stout are the reasons to attend beer fests. Plus, there were very few lines and the crowd was subdued and didn’t behave like drunken bunch of frat boys (that can happen at beer fests too). Props to the fest. I’ll go again.
Sprecher Whole Cone Hop Series
Sprecher just released Wisconsin Pale Lager, which is dry hopped with fresh Cascade hops grown in Wisconsin. The beer is the first in Sprecher’s new Fresh Hop Series. The next, slated for release in mid-November, is Citra Bomb. It will be followed up by a Belgian Pale Ale. The fourth beer is still a secret and the fifth is an All-American Pale Ale. Keep an eye out.
Barley Pop of the Week
I was able to sample Smoking Wood Bourbon Barrel Stout from The Bruery at the Wisconsin Craft Beer Festival and it was amazing. It has a hint of smoke, but not enough to be off putting. The big flavors are vanilla and a sweet booziness. It’s a complex brew, and the best one that I tried at the fest.
Quick Taps
I was part of the throng at The Riverside this weekend for Widespread Panic’s visit. It’s hard overstate what a great venue the place is. The beer selection is solid (I rotated between Surly Furious and Lakefront Fixed Gear) and the staff is outstanding. It’s a great showcase for hundreds of folks who made the trip from other states and cities. Well done, Riverside.
Events Brewing
Wednesday, Oct. 28: Get a taste of Luxembourg when Bofferding owner Georges Lentz comes to Draft & Vessel (4417 N. Oakland Ave.). Sample a pilsner from the tiny European country.
Wednesday, Oct. 28: The Milwaukee Beer Society samples Halloween beers from 6 to 9 p.m. at Best Place (901 W. Juneau Ave.). Cost is $10.
Thursday, Oct. 29: Romans’ Pub (3475 S. Kinnickinnic Ave.) is bringing a few Founders brews up from the cellar. On the list is a 2013 Curmudgeon Ale, 2014 Backwoods Bastard Barrel-Aged Scotch Ale, 2015 Blushing Monk Raspberry Ale and a rare 2015 Kentucky Breakfast Stout.
Friday, Oct. 30: Discount Liquor Milwaukee (5031 W. Oklahoma Ave.) hands out Dogfish Head samples from 4 to 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 30: Get your pumpkin fix with Southern Tier Pumking and Warlock samples at Discount Liquor Waukesha from 4 to 6 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 30: The Malt Shoppe (813 N. Mayfair Rd.) pours Cerverceria Mexicana’s Cerveza de los Muertos beers from 5 to 7 p.m. The Beer of the Dead line is certainly perfect for Halloween.
Saturday, Oct. 31: Try “lesser-known beers” at Three Cellars (7133 S. 76th St.) from 1 to 4 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 31: Three Floyds takes over the taps at Palomino (2491 S. Superior St.) for Halloween. Show up at 7 p.m. to see what tasty brews are being poured.
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commentsTop 10 Films gets up close and personal with those elusive, often mysterious anti-heroes. Are they good? Are they bad? Well, they like to think they’re a little of both…
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In recent film, it seems an increasingly popular trend for movie makers to shy away from the gratuitous archetypal role of ‘the hero’. The notion of ‘anti-hero’ remedies a tired movie stereotype and fits a modern audience’s need for characters who reflect a genuine model of contemporary society. No longer is a hero a character with unscathed reputation or flawless personality, today’s hero mirrors a believable character who, despite their more than apparent failings rises against the odds to win the day.
Here are 10 of the best to don the silver screen:
Eric Draven (The Crow, 1994)
The Alex Proyas-directed 1994 cult classic The Crow is the birth place of one of the most notorious anti-heroes in film. Protagonist, Eric Draven is brought back from the dead by the power of a crow to seek revenge on his and his fiancé’s murderers. One by one Draven picks off his assassins until he comes face to face with gang leader Top Dollar, where the two embrace in an epic battle to the death.
Robin Hood (Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, 1991)
History’s favourite lovable rogue who robs from the rich and gives to the poor was famously brought to life by Kevin Costner in the 1991 classic Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. Although the audience’s affiliation of good and evil is never doubted within the film, Robin of Loxley himself played against the rules of the gentry at the time carving his anti-hero status in history.
Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean, 2003)
The character Captain Jack Sparrow, of the Pirates of the Caribbean saga, starting with the 2003 smash The Curse of the Black Pearl, is the epitome of the idea of anti-hero. The character’s constant ambiguity between good and evil throughout the whole saga gives him his deserved place in this list.
Rorschach (The Watchmen, 2009)
Just as in The Crow, the vigilante actions of the protagonist, Rorschach, earns him the title of anti-hero. Based on the original DC comic, the 2009 action thriller Watchmen, tells the story of a disillusioned, disenfranchised band of super heroes no longer wanted by the populace of a fictional 1985 New York. Once one of their own is brutally murdered the former city heroes embark on a winding tale of detective work.
Leon (Leon, 1994)
In the 1994 film of the same name, the protagonist, Leon, saves a young girl from certain death after her parents are killed in a corrupt police attack. The contradictory nature of the plant loving, milk drinking Leon makes him an anti-hero to remember. Assassin by trade, Leon brings young Mathilda into his world and teaches her the ropes in an attempt to wreak vengeance on her family’s killers.
Marv (Sin City, 2005)
Again, set in a graphic novel inspired back drop, this film noir, pulp fiction aesthetically stylised movie tells the intertwining stories of three separate protagonists, all trying to find their way in this city of debauchery and of course, sin. Although all three protagonists to his own tale have their element of anti-hero, Marv wins on that front. His rough, disfigured appearance matched with his apparent zeal for violence make him the perfect body guard for any lady of the night.
The Driver (Drive, 2011)
Ryan Gosling does justice to the driver of unknown name in the 2011 film, Drive. As always with our anti-heroes, Gosling portrays a rough rouge with a heart of gold. The ambiguity between good and evil comes from his mixed up past and his tendency to play by his own rules. The element of romance within the plot shows the audience a glint of emotion from the driver, making him the perfect anti-hero.
Tyler Durden (Fight Club, 1999)
Although imaginary, Tyler Durden reflects most the embodiment of what the blue collared, down trodden, consumerist masses secretly wish they could be: free, in every way. David Fincher’s 1999 film feast depicting a run of the mill man’s decent into madness is based on the 1996 novel by Chuck Palahniuk of the same name. Schizophrenic, soap selling, alter ego, Tyler Durden brings anti-hero to a new level as he comes to save the person in whose mind he resides.
Travis Bickle (Taxi Driver, 1976)
With the dark echoes of the Vietnam conflict still ringing in his ears, Travis Bickle drives his taxi around the decadent corruption and sleaze that is night time in New York. Robert De Niro brings an honest depiction of a character who is simply trying to find good in the world. The jaded, cynical and at times violent protagonist of the 1976 movie Taxi Driver is brought back from the brink of apathetic meltdown by his noble acts involving teenage prostitute Iris.
William Munny (Unforgiven, 1992)
The line between hero and villain is again blurred by the cowboy turned farmer and all round bad ass William Munny. Munny’s rouge ways were turned into a life of agriculture for his young wife years before but after her death, looking after the farm and two children was up to the main protagonist played by Clint Eastwood. The 1992 film Unforgiven then takes an unexpected turn when one of the town’s favourite ladies is killed and a bounty slapped on the heads of the cowboys to blame. Munny takes the opportunity and saddles up with his old pall Ned for one last adventure.
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THEME | ACTOR | DIRECTOR | TIME PERIOD | GENRE | COUNTRY | SPECIAL INTEREST | FUNNY
See the A – Z of films featured on Top 10 Films / Check out our film review databaseA man in Georgia decided to call 9-1-1 after not receiving everything he ordered during a recent trip to his local McDonald’s. His plan backfired, however, when he was the one who ended up behind bars.
The customer tells WALB-TV that he’d placed a sizable order at the Golden Arches — 7 McDoubles, 1 McChicken, and 1 order of fries.
“I left out the store without checking it, but when I got to my truck and I got ready to leave I looked in my bag and come to find out I had six McDoubles,” he recalls.
When he went back into the eatery, he claims the employee he spoke to “was trying to get an attitude with me,” so didn’t just threaten to call the cops, he actually dialed those three digits that are intended for us in emergency situations.
“I called the police and thinking that everything all cool by calling the police,” he says. “I didn’t know I was misusing 9-1-1.”
But that’s exactly what the officer who showed up on the scene charged him with. His call about the missing McDouble landed him in a jail cell overnight.
“I want justice,” he tells WALB. “I want to be treated like a person with respect.”
Authorities tell the station that while it may seem amusing that someone called 9-1-1 on a fast food incident, the fact is that the time wasted on that call could delay responders from dealing with an actual emergency.
“It’s really not funny,” says the Deputy Director of the Albany, GA, 9-1-1 team. “The person who was waiting to get a call in, to call for an ambulance because of a car wreck is having to wait, possibly.”
While the customer might have had a valid dispute on his hands, it probably did not merit bringing in the police. It certainly didn’t seem to rise |
put the crowning touch on an unforgettable run for the team that came a maligned, lower-tier place in the middle of the regular season, to surpass all expectations (and some of the favourites) to bring the Cup home to LA for the first time in the team's 45-year history. In short, it was an amazing season for the Kings.
Best Goals
Bobby Ryan is a gem, and through what was at times a rather bleak Anaheim season, he was a shining point. Here's one reason why.
As Jonathan Toews battled some injuries this year, more pressure fell to Patrick Kane to guide the Blackhawks. He helped their campaign along with doozies like this feed to Marian Hossa.
Evgeni Malkin had the memories of Mario flooding back with this (almost) coast-to-coast effort.
The shootout is always contentious, but always exciting, and here, Claude Giroux showed everyone why this season he was arguably one of the best in the league.
Benoit Pouliot might not necessarily rank with the Malkins, Nashes and Stamkoses of the world, but this was a beauty.
Again, Malkin. He didn't have as many as Stamkos this year, but boy were some of them ever nice.
Speaking of Steve Stamkos, how can we forget the man at the top? Here's his 60th goal, capping off an amazing season for him.
Which were your favourites?Found out about League of Legends recently.
Started to love their characters ^^
TAGS: pwart_sfw pwart sfw poisewritik_art pw_art poisewritik pw art poisewritik_drawing pw_drawing drawing artist_poisewritik artist artist_pw commission mammal feral furry cougar yordle league_of_legends league of legends lol female girly feminine male masculine looking_up looking up front_view front view open_mouth open mouth opening_mouth opening closed_mouth closed smile smiling smiles tongue_out tongue out eyes_closed eyes sit sitting_position sitting position focusing focus presenting_character presenting character lowering_tail lowering tail tail_down down all_fours all fours on_fours on lick licking duo two_characters two characters orange_fur white_fur brown_fur purple_fur pink_fur orange white brown purple fur black_eyes black pink_nose pink nose purple_ears brown_ears ears purple_tail fluffy_tail fluffy short_tail long_tail short long short_ears long_ears teeth claws toe_claws toe paw_claws paw paws 4 toes 4_toes markings spots cute sweet charming nice beautiful cool seductive happy positive stripes 2017 video_game video game games video_games size_difference size difference fan_character fan signature signed watermark larger_female larger smaller smaller_male hi_res high_resolution high resolution high_quality quality simple_background simple background bg pin_up pin-up pinup pin portrait digital_artwork digital artwork digital_media media digital_drawing digital_artThis story originally appeared in the Nov. 7, 2016, issue of Sports Illustrated. Subscribe to the magazine here.
A city bus would pull up in the darkness, to the stop at the corner of Lacordaire and des Tulipes in Montreal-Nord, running on the 380 line overnight between 1 and 5 a.m. On some nights an improbably long and rawboned teenager would slide into one of the gray plastic seats, lined with blue cloth. He'd put his headphones on to drown out the whine of the brakes and the compressed air hiss of the doors opening and closing every few blocks as the bus rumbled southwest down Boulevard Henri-Bourassa, the scenery alternating between neon in the windows of drab retail stores and the low-slung, brick apartment buildings set close to the road. Often he'd listen to Bob Marley, the island reggae bringing some sun into his mind, and he would imagine how his life could be different.
Chris Boucher left Saint Lucia on a plane for Montreal when he was five months old. His mother, Mary MacVane, was emigrating from the tiny, French-Creole-speaking island in the eastern Caribbean, to join Jean-Guy Boucher, the Quebecois man she'd met in 1989 while working as a caretaker in Montreal. They'd gotten married, and after Chris was born in Saint Lucia in 1993, they obtained the necessary paperwork in order to make a go of it as a family in Canada. Chris's maternal grandmother thought he should stay behind. Saint Lucia was a free-and-easy place for a boy, and their extended family, much of whom lived within blocks of each other near the capital of Castries, could handle raising him. But off he went to grow up in Montreal-Nord, a tough neighborhood that was a landing spot for many Caribbean and African immigrants. There was supposed to be opportunity in Montreal, but by the time he turned 19 in early 2012, Boucher had yet to find any of it.
He had bounced between multiple high schools and dropped out before getting a diploma. He worked at a St-Hubert restaurant where, as his best friend and former coworker, Morgan Michael Asibey-Bonsu puts it, "Chris was the best grill man. They liked him because he had skills, and he could make a show with the flames." But the job was part-time and minimum wage, just under $10 (Canadian) per hour. And although Boucher spent substantial hours playing basketball in city parks and recreation centers, he had yet to be part of a serious team with a coach. He had grown from 6' 1" at 16, to 6' 8", but was so skinny that with his hair in short dreadlocks, his profile was almost like that of a mop turned upside down, balancing on its end. And he did not always have someone there to prop him up.
• Read all of SI's 2016–17 college basketball preview coverage
His parents had another son and a daughter in Montreal, but divorced when Chris was 9. After the split he lived with MacVane—until he had a falling out with her new boyfriend, who by the time Chris was 15, no longer wanted him around. He lived with his father after that, but they argued over Chris's lack of direction. Jean-Guy had dropped out of school at 14 to work and regretted it; he didn't want his eldest son to go that route and saw little point in all the time Chris spent playing basketball. It's your life if you mess it up, his dad would always say, and Chris became increasingly doubtful that he would ever accomplish anything. He would often sleep at the apartment where Asibey-Bonsu lived with his family, but on the nights that Boucher's plans fell through or he didn't feel like going home, he would catch the 380 bus and ride it to the end of the line, losing himself in his thoughts along the way.
Sure, he and Asibey-Bonsu, an aspiring battle-dancer and musician, had talked about having some genius idea that would make them millionaires, and Boucher had dreamed about making it in basketball. But by 19 he had settled on a more realistic wish list. I'd still be poor, but I wouldn't be on this bus. I'd have a little house, and it would be like when you see a guy on a TV sitcom, where you wake up in the morning and your girl is there, and then you go to a 9-to-5 job, maybe at a video-game store, and you come home and make some food. That would be a good life for me. If someone had walked up to Boucher and offered him that life, he would have taken it on the spot.
If Boucher had been offered what has since come true—four years, four stops and so many miles down the line—he would have found it inconceivable: That he would be a scholarship power forward at Oregon, coming off a junior season in which he became just the third major-conference player of this decade to average at least 17 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks per 40 minutes, with an offensive efficiency rating of at least 120—the others being Kentucky's former No. 1 draft picks Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Davis. That he would be the only three-point threat of that trio (he drained 38 last season)—an added dimension that makes him a college basketball unicorn. And that he would already have a Pac-12 title ring and be chasing a national championship as a senior, when SI projects him to be the nation's most efficient major-conference starter, on the No. 4 team in the country.
In 2012 the odds of any of that happening seemed about the same as those of the bus sprouting wings and flying Boucher back in time to Saint Lucia, where he could restart his life on a different track. How was anyone even going to find him? The closest he had come to playing on an AAU team, where he might have been seen by a college coach, was not very close at all: That March he had taken the initiative to fill out an email form on the website of a team called QC United, in hopes of being invited to a tryout.
Boucher entered his name and his birthdate, that he was 6' 8", and added his phone number and email address. He never heard back. That wasn't because QC United's coaches, Igor Rwigema and Ibrahim Appiah, didn't receive it. It was just that they already had around 100 kids signed up for the tryout, needed to pare down the roster and weren't going to make room for an old player who probably meant to type 5' 8" in the height field. The basketball scene in Montreal is so small that Rwigema said at the time, "it's impossible that there's a 6' 8" player here that I don't know about." Appiah agreed; he looked at the form and said, "There's no way this kid exists."
*****
Nineteen years and five months is young in the context of a lifetime, but almost hopelessly old on the time line of a basketball prospect waiting to be discovered. When the most famous Canadian basketball phenom of Caribbean descent, Andrew Wiggins, reached that age, he had already been famous in recruiting circles for five years, played one season on a top U.S. prep-school team and another as a freshman at Kansas, entered the NBA draft and been picked No. 1 by the Cavaliers, and signed an $11 million endorsement contract with Adidas.
On May 31, 2012, some regulars from the Montreal-Nord pickup-game scene had an open roster spot for their entry in the annual Hang Time tournament at Centre Sportif de la Petite Bourgogne, and invited Boucher to join. He accepted, and although his team was blown out the next day by Montreal's most established AAU program, the Adidas-sponsored Brookwood Elite, he showed off his relentless motor in that game, scoring 44 points, mostly by running in transition and fighting for put-backs. Rwigema happened to be in the crowd, and he asked one of his QC United players, "Who is this kid?"
When told it was Boucher, Igor recalled the unanswered, tryout-registration email and began laughing. He went up to Boucher afterward and confirmed that he was the one who submitted the form. "So," Rwigema said, "you really do exist!"
Rwigema and Appiah soon offered Boucher something better than an AAU tryout: a spot on the prep-school team they were starting at Alma Academy, which was still in Quebec, but a 4½-hour drive northeast of Montreal. Rwigema got his start in the province's coaching scene in 2007 by founding a summer team he called the Okapi Ballers, with a roster of players from his Congolese immigrant community in greater Montreal. Rwigema's grandfather, Barthélemy Bisengimana, had been a key member of Mobutu Sese Seko's administration in what was then known as the Zaire. Before the regime was overthrown during the first Congo civil war, in 1996, a 10-year-old Rwigema and his family found refuge in Quebec. His Okapi team grew into an AAU program he named QC United, and Appiah, a Ghanian immigrant who played briefly at High Point University, joined as a coach. They were looking to place their players in a stable living situation and coach them year-round, and Alma was the solution. Boucher says their pitch to him was simple: "You don't have anything happening [in Montreal] right now. If you come with us, we can't guarantee that you'll excel, but you'll at least have the opportunity to do it."
• Scouting report: Everything you need to know about No. 4 Oregon
His parents signed off, in different ways. Rwigema recalls that when he spoke with Boucher's father, "he basically said to me, 'My kid is useless, he isn't going to do anything with his life, but if you think you can save him, go ahead.'" (Boucher's father says he told Chris that Alma would be "a chance to make your life better.") Appiah says MacVane told them, "I'll let you take him, but if anything happens to him, I'm coming to get you." (MacVane declined SI's interview requests for this story.)
Rwigema and Appiah's initial plan was modest: Have Boucher get his secondary-school diploma, then spend two years at Alma in CEGEP—the Canadian equivalent of college prep—before evaluating his options. Boucher was not viewed as a surefire NCAA prospect, or even Alma's best prospect. He was thinking no further ahead than making the current situation work, because it gave him a consistent living and training arrangement after a childhood that even his mother characterized as "unstable" in an email to USA Today last year.
"With all the imbalance in Chris's life," says Appiah, "I don't think he ever had time to map out any plan. When you're thinking about meals or where you're going to sleep, or how you don't want to go to your mom's boyfriend's house or your dad's house, you don't think much beyond today."
But on Feb. 1, 2013, after a 10-hour van trip to Providence, Boucher did something that made his future a subject of great interest for an audience of American college coaches who'd never before scouted him. In a National (technically, international) Prep School Invitational game between Alma and New Jersey's Blair Academy, Boucher scored 29 points—only missing one of his 14 shot attempts—and had 12 rebounds, five blocks and no turnovers. Among the most intrigued onlookers was Mike Mennenga, an assistant at Canisius who had strong Canadian recruiting connections. But when he did his due diligence on Boucher, "it was already a foregone conclusion"—due to his meager academic résumé—"that first, he'd have to go to junior college."
Boucher's basketball progress got him fast-tracked out of Alma and into American juco ball. He and Alma point guard Nicky Desilien left Montreal for New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs, near the Texas border, in the fall of 2013. After their freshman season they transferred together to a more obscure part of the American West: Northwest College in Powell, Wyo. (pop. 6,462), where the main hangout spot is a McDonald's and one of the seven sports the school offers is men and women's rodeo.
Boucher went to the rodeo once, but it was too much of a culture shock. "I just didn't feel like it was my world," he says. He and Desilien played more video games that season than they ever had in their lives, but it was also in that stark environment that Boucher did the work to transform into a big-time prospect, putting up what Mennenga would later describe as "stupid numbers that were bound to translate to D-I." Boucher averaged 22.5 points per game on 62.7% shooting from the inside and 44.4% from deep, and had the nation's third-highest blocks-per-game average (4.7) and its fifth-highest rebounding average (11.8). Teammate Colin May, a guard from nearby Lovell, Wyo., was shocked to find out, midway through the season, that Boucher's organized basketball career was only in its infancy. "He was the best player I'd ever played with," says May, "and it just did not seem possible that he had only been playing for three years."
• Oregon's Dillon Brooks among preseason POY candidates
Northwest coach Brian Erickson says that Boucher, who led the team to a 31–5 record and had a 29-16-11, points-boards-blocks triple double in their penultimate game, in the national quarterfinals, didn't grasp the extent of his progress either. When Erickson texted Boucher to break the news that he'd been named NJCAA Division I player of the year, he didn't believe his coach. "He just didn't realize how good he was yet," Erickson said.
Boucher's Division I recruitment was, like the rest of his story, abnormal. There were naive moments, like the time Minnesota coach Richard Pitino, during a visit to Powell, made a reference to his father, and Erickson had to interject and say, "Real quick: Can you explain who that is? Because Chris has no clue; growing up, he never watched college basketball." Mostly the process was defined by Boucher's desire to have extremely limited interaction with coaches and put off a final decision until the last minute. In May 2015 he verbally committed to TCU, the school that recruited him the hardest, but when the Horned Frogs sent over his national letter of intent, he left it unsigned, went away for a juco all-star game in Las Vegas, and backed off the commitment when TCU hedged by adding another power forward to its class. Mennenga, who'd been hired by Oregon in '14 and "sporadically" recruited Boucher for the Ducks, made a late push to get him to visit Eugene. Boucher came to campus on May 15 and committed that same evening, having been convinced that he was a better fit for the Ducks' wide-open playing style than for the physicality of the Big 12.
Boucher's slow-play of his recruitment was not strategic. It was just how he approached every potential good thing in his life: with a skepticism born from years of having seen things put in peril by ill-timed obstacles. "I've always felt like there's no point in me thinking further ahead, because it might not happen," Boucher says. "You could tell me, in two years you're going to be a millionaire, but who knows—I could wake up tomorrow and go to jail or something. So whatever you'd tell me, I'd never say I don't want that to happen—but I'd be like, we'll see what happens. That's why I'm always surprised when good things come to me."
*****
Robert Beck
On Aug. 23, 2015, a few days after Boucher arrived on campus at Oregon, Mennenga told him and the Ducks' other Canadian newcomer, graduate transfer Dylan Ennis, that they all were going on a welcome hike.
With the temperature in the mid-80s, they wore basketball shoes, T-shirts and shorts, and headed off in the late afternoon on the trail to Spencer Butte, a popular, one-mile ascent. They hiked up through a ferny and mossy forest of tall Douglas fir that eventually gives way to a naked, rocky summit, 2,058 feet above sea level that offers 360-degree views for miles, including all of Eugene and the Oregon campus to the north.
Ennis already knew Mennenga well—four years earlier the coach had helped Ennis's stepfather, Tony McIntyre, run CIA Bounce, Toronto's premier AAU program—but Boucher was a mystery. "I'd looked on YouTube and couldn't find anything," says Ennis, who concluded that Boucher must've been "literally hiding in Canada" to remain that underexposed. They all sat at the top of Spencer Butte and talked, and Boucher clued them in about his unsteady life and why it was so hard for him to break out. It had taken him all summer—with Appiah and Rwigema pushing him along—to finish the online classes he needed to be eligible for enrollment at Oregon, and Boucher had wept before leaving Montreal for Eugene, knowing that it would be his toughest and loneliest test yet. But there on Spencer Butte, he vowed that he would not blow his chance to thrive with the Ducks.
Mennenga took some pictures to commemorate the hike, and Boucher posted one of himself looking introspective on Facebook that same night, writing, "My life was never easy. Ive work for everything I have right now. This journey is just starting no matter how hard it gets... believe me ill make it happen.... Nothing is given."
Instagram: @slimmduck
It was not a given that he would make it: Only a handful of juco transfers have a big impact on major-conference teams, and Boucher was still alarmingly bony for a 22-year-old junior, weighing just 169 pounds despite standing 6' 10". He looked, upon arrival, "like a giant praying mantis," walk-on guard Charlie Noebel recalls, and when the team did its preseason strength training, Boucher could barely bench-press 100 pounds. Teammates would crowd around Boucher while he benched and clap while watching his pipe-cleaner arms wobble against the weight.
In part due to an injury to then sophomore forward Jordan Bell, Boucher was in Oregon's starting lineup for its second game of 2015–16, on Nov. 16, against Baylor. He was playing before the largest crowd he'd ever seen, and it was his first time appearing on national TV. (He would call Appiah immediately afterward just to say, for the first of many times last season, "That was crazy.") The Ducks' coaches looked out before tip-off, saw Boucher standing next to his matchup—Baylor's Rico Gathers, who was 6' 8" and 275 pounds and went on to be drafted last April as a tight end by the Cowboys—and Mennenga says, "we were questioning ourselves a little, like, this might be a long night." Boucher's first shot was an open three, from the left corner; he says his nerves got to him, "and my arms were shaking all the way up until the ball left my hand." The ball barely grazed the rim. But the nerves soon faded and the optics of the matchup turned out not to matter, as Boucher finished with 15 points and eight rebounds in an upset victory, while Gathers had nine and four. "What we realized," Mennenga says, "is that nobody he's going against can replicate that motor."
Over and over again during his junior season Boucher's productivity mattered more than his lack of mass. In Pac-12 play, he finished with the league's highest effective field goal percentage (63.2%) and its highest block percentage (12.2% of opponents' twos), and Oregon's defense made a leap from a No. 116 national ranking in efficiency in 2014–15 to 37th in '15–16. With Boucher adding all-around value in support of star small forward Dillon Brooks—a fellow Canadian and a national player of the year candidate—for another season, Oregon can chase its first national championship in 78 years.
• Introducing SI's preseason All-America team
The Ducks' lone title came in 1939, in the first NCAA tournament, for which the final game was held on the campus of Northwestern. That team was nicknamed the Tall Firs; its entire starting lineup was indigenous to Oregon, and its front line went 6' 8", 6' 4" and 6' 4", with the tallest tree being a senior that then coach Howard Hobson called "the best collegiate defensive center I've ever seen": Urgel Wintermute, who went by the nickname Slim. Although Oregon fans nicknamed Boucher Swatterboy, and he's bulked up (relatively) to 200 pounds, his Instagram handle is still Slimmduck, making him a Tall Fir for the 21st century—and the tallest of a crop of Canadians who've been successfully replanted in Eugene.
When Boucher appeared in nationally-televised games last season, culminating in a Sweet 16 win over Duke, what mattered most wasn't the large-scale attention. It was that people back in Montreal could see him as a different person—one who finally had a sense of purpose. Neither his mother, father nor any of his siblings had been able to watch or attend any of his juco games, or travel to Oregon, so, he says, "[on TV] was the first time they actually saw me giving everything I had for something."
Boucher aspires to be a therapist after his playing career is over. In the meantime, he has changed his father's mind about basketball—"I'm very proud of what Chris is doing now," Jean-Guy says—and last summer made it home for a transformational event on the other side of the family. MacVane was getting remarried, to a new boyfriend of whom Boucher—after some natural, initial skepticism—approved. In a small, postwedding reception at the couple's apartment in Côte-Vertu, Boucher, decked out in a purple vest and purple bow tie, said a blessing for them and promised to use basketball to help give them a better life. Asibey-Bonsu was there, and he could tell his best friend was happy to see things genuinely changing. It was just odd, knowing that in order for it to happen, Boucher had needed to step out of the picture. "I feel like everything started to get better when I left Montreal," says Boucher. "My mom didn't have to think about me because I was doing good, and I didn't have to worry about them worrying about me. She was right when she said, 'You just needed a place to go away, and be by yourself and fix it.'"Chapter 332: A Kitsune has Seven Forms, and a Tanuki, Eight
(TL: This is a Japanese saying that just says the Tanuki is more skilled in deception, but has less malicious intent)
“Hmm… now my anger is a little… no, it hasn’t cleared at all.” (Naofumi)
I kick the fallen Tact as I spit out these words.
“Exactly. I think we should just kill him already.” (Fohl)
“Don’t be that way. This man needs to face greater despair. For the crime of killing Atlas, the Queen, and my villagers, this isn’t nearly enough.” (Naofumi)
“… Understood, Aniki.”
Now then, I look around.
I wonder how Raphtalia and the others are faring.
First, Raphtalia is… before I can turn my eyes to her, lightning surges, and I turn my attention to that.
“Oy, wait. This onee-san isn’t satisfied at all, yet…” (Sadina)
Sadina is lifting up her enemy, who now looks like nothing but a grilled piece of fish, while she continues to discharge electricity.
When I remember what I did to Tact, I don’t think I’m in a place to say this, but I think she’s going a bit too far.
So Sadina was someone this vicious… No, perhaps she channeled my rage.
Her opponent is… dead already, right?
Death by electrocution doesn’t sound too nice.
“Naofumi-chan, this onee-san hasn’t rampaged enough yet.” (Sadina)
“You’ve done enough.” (Naofumi)
“When I’m in this form, it makes me feel mildly drunk. It’s not a bad feeling~” (Sadina)
“Just turn back already.” (Naofumi)
“Ara, he got mad at me.” (Sadina)
Sadina follows my orders and turns back to her Orca form.
Now then, to lecture her… no, I’ll leave that for another time.
“And wait, you still haven’t recovered?” (Naofumi)
“Oh my, Naofumi-chan saw the colors he dyed me.” (Sadina)
(TL: as in her brown form)
She makes an annoying embarrassed pose as she messes around, but her actions are no joke.
“She went and mistook me for a Luka, and I was still quite pissed off because of Atlas-chan and Naofumi-chan. That was quite refreshing.” (Sadina)
She says, as she points her harpoon at Tact and starts releasing electricity at him.
Her tone heavily implies that her stress is still built up. She’s definitely angry.
She’s the type that acts flippant when she’s really angry, I guess.
I mean… She is the oldest one in the village, and the one’s who’s like everyone’s older sister.
There’s no way she isn’t mad about Atlas.
“So after Fohl is Sadina, and…” (Naofumi)
Sadina points her harpoon at the remaining women, who were moving to do something.
“If you move around, you may become like this child, so stay still.” (Sadina)
“Hii!” (Women) (TL: Sound of fear)
After seeing the end of the one who challenged Sadina, it seems these women won’t make a move against her.
Tact’s wrung out like a wet rag, the Aotatsu women had her head blown off, and finally we have electrocution.
Honestly, I don’t think I would make a move if I was in their position.
“DERYAAAAAAAH!”
“KYUAAAAAAAAAAA!”
“AAAAAAAAH!”
Hmm? I hear Ren and Gaelion’s voices shouting out.
When I looked up, I saw the moment when the giant body of the Dragon Empress colliding with the fortress.
Gaelion had his mouth clamped on the giant’s throat, and Ren had his sword on her core.
A large tremor radiates from the building.
“KUUUUAH!”
Gaelion cries out in a muffled voice.
“Don’t screw with me! Give you my Dragon Emperor Core!? A minor fragment like you, who needed a hero’s assistance to challenge me shouldn’t get so high and mighty!”
When it looks like the dragon is going to act up again, Ren applies force to his sword, and she roars.
The end is clear.
“Even if I perish, you shall not obtain it!”
“… Gyau.”
She flipped a switch. That one is the Adult Gaelion.
Likely, they had switched places numerous times in battle as they assisted Ren.
And this is the time when he offers his words of parting to his fellow fragment.
An ominous sound rings through the air.
“Gufu…”
It was the sound of Gaelion piercing through the empress’s throat.
The giant body convulses and stops moving. Ren lifts his sword and skillfully uses the blocks of the fortress wall to climb up it.
“Is it over?” (Ren)
“For argument’s sake.” (Naofumi)
I place my foot on Tact as I declare this.
What is Gaelion doing?
Uu…
He appears to be in the middle of a meal.
Blood is gushing out like a fountain, and Gaelion digs around the inside of the Dragon Empress’s body.
I’ve seen Firo feast on wild monsters before, but this scene is much more grotesque.
Ren covers his mouth with his hand as he witnesses the scene.
He’s definitely stomaching his urge to throw up.
“W-what is… he doing?” (Ren)
“The enemy dragon spoke of minor fragments and Dragon Emperor Fragments, right?” (Naofumi)
“Yeah.” (Ren)
“The entity called the Dragon Emperor was split into thousands of Fragments, and their parts compete to complete the whole. Something about collecting past memories…” (Naofumi)
“I don’t really get it, but pretty much, Gaelion has a fragment, and he’s claiming one from that Giant Dragon?” (Ren)
“Apparently. And since the opponent didn’t submit, he killed her and is manually trying to take it.” (Naofumi)
The fragments were supposed to gather when the world was in peril. I thought that Gaelion didn’t seem to have the instinct to collect them all, but he went and hunted Tact’s Dragon.
Gaelion greedily gnaws on the Enemy Dragon’s heart.
I’ll bet the fragment is kept somewhere around there.
“He’ll likely gain the knowledge of how to breach level 100. If all goes well, Gaelion’ll be able to bestow that power too.” (Naofumi)
“I see! So we’ll be able to make the villagers and the people of the country stronger!” (Ren)
“It’s only a possibility.” (Naofumi)
But considering that, I can’t really kill Tact yet.
If I don’t get the knowledge of how to breach 100 from him, the future looks grim.
Looking at the air, Firo is still fighting the enemy Gryphon.
“You’re quite… skillful.”
“Firo won’t lose!” (Firo)
But I can tell at a glance who has the better prospects of victory.
Firo’s movements are sharper.
The Gryphon’s already taken hits here and there, and she’s on the verge of collapse.
The end will eventually come.
I should really get to Raphtalia already.
I concentrate my attention on her battle.
Raphtalia and Raph-chan continue their illusionary battle with the Kitsune woman.
“You’re good for a Raccoon. I remember… the Raccoon who sealed me carried a scent like yours!”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, nor do I have any interest.” (Raphtalia)
It really is a battle of delusion.
Fire rains, and water wells up. The surrounding landscape is warping.
Was Raphtalia that great of a mage?
Or is this just an illusion?
Raphtalia’s ability to see through illusions is high.
I bet that’s why she can keep up with that Kitsune’s blows.
Affinity is important.
It’s good that Tact didn’t cooperate with that woman.
If I were to challenge her without the Cane, it would probably be impossible.
Well, if that were the case, I would need Raphtalia’s help to dispel her illusions.
“Rafu~” (Raph-chan)
“Hmm, duplication magic, is it? Do you truly think I am unable to see through it?”
Raph-chan changes to a form identical to Raphtalia and stands next to her.
Oy… she didn’t notice?
Ah, I see. This was what Raphtalia was training for.
If that’s the case, this might prove to be an effective weapon.
Though, I feel this is a bit too light for a decisive blow.
“Raphtalia! Catch!” (Naofumi)
I throw the Houou Sword at Raphtalia.
“Rafu~!”
But Raph-chan jumps up high and catches the sword I threw.
Eh? Raph-chan’s taking it?
And wait, there’s a problem more important than that. Can Raph-chan even use weapons?
“So that one’s the real one!”
Raph-chan uses the sword to deflect a blow aimed at him.
Ah, so that was his intention when he intercepted it.
Despite his cute appearance, he has a surprisingly good head on his shoulders.
“Hahaha, Raccoon wench. To think you thought an illusion of this level would -gufu!?”
The real Raphtalia stabs the smiling Kitsune woman in the back.
She really was deceived.
It seems Raphtalia was more skillful.
“Unfortunately, you were wrong.” (Raphtalia)
“Rafu~.” (Raph-chan)
“Impossible… an illusion with physical substance!? Even its scent is the same!”
“I have no reason to tell you the truth of the matter. Isn’t it a battle of deception? Anyways… what did you think this child was supposed to be?” (Raphtalia)
“Raccoon wench… so it wasn’t you who used an illusion to breach the Dragon Emperor and the Gryphon’s sanctuary…”
So Tact’s side thought it was Raphtalia who used the sanctuary.
Even their most skilled illusionist was deceived, so I guess they thought Raph-chan was merely a part of her.
In truth, he was created with her genes, so even his scent is the same.
His voice and feel are different, though. I’ll investigate it later.
“Unfortunately, no.” (Raphtalia)
Raphtalia pulls out her sword, and starts a coordinated attack with Raph-chan.
Right, this attack was the one that Trash proposed.
Using one of them as bait, and making an opening for the other. And Raphtalia, and Raph-chan…
“Here we go! Make sure to keep up with me!” (Raphtalia)
“Rafu~!” (Raph-chan)
Raphtalia starts unleashing sword strikes at a high speed.
“Na-… gu-… u…”
Slash, thrust, rest, Karma Blade, kick, First Stroke, Second Stroke, Third Stroke, followed by a stream of Hengen Musou sword skills.
And Raph-chan imitates that as if a mirror was placed on the other side of the Kitsune’s body.
This brings to mind a famous attack from a fighting game.I believe it was the attack of a Demon of Dreams.
The combo ended with them lifting their swords together, turning their backs to the Kitsune, and swinging downward to wipe off the blood.
「Illusion Mirror」!
「Rafu~」!
Raph-chan returns to his Tanuki form.
“I have… yet to… fall.”
Though she should have collapsed, the Kitsune woman stands while covered in blood.
No matter how you look at it, it’s her loss… the woman’s form gradually begins to change.
… As if her transformation had been dispelled, her shape becomes that of a giant fox.
Is this the time for me to offer assistance?
When I took a step in their direction…
“Not… yet.”
Tact’s consciousness returns, and he suddenly stands up.The GOP’s new tax bill, which passed Congress on Wednesday afternoon after one last vote in the House of Representatives and will be signed by President Donald Trump, is also a health care bill. The tax bill does at least as much (if not more) to upend Obamacare, or the Affordable Care Act, than even all of the Trump administration’s thousand cuts to the health law over the past year by repealing the individual mandate. Which |
Weber observed a century ago that the rise in administrative costs and complexity in government and economics will lead to self-empowerment of the functionaries. The division of labor between politicians, who make decisions, and the public servants who put policies into play, will be ruptured. A vague class arises in the middle with no real power to lead but also no professional self-discipline. This class uses power and sometimes decorates it 'with hopes of happiness,' as Weber says. This class tends toward self-drama, but fails to recognize questions of fate for the entire nation."
"Julian Assange can send loads of data around the world and never evince the slightest concern for world security. The'revolution' mentioned with relish by masters of the Internet is really a game of delay. They avoid the pressing questions of the world; everything is just held in place in the (data-)stream."
The center-left Süddeutsche Zeitung writes:
"Of course the US government can't put up with wholesale public dumps of classified documents. But it needs to prevent them through an improved system of secret-keeping, not by constructing a questionable case in court. The real case against Assange is being built in Sweden -- a charge of sexual molestation. It just has nothing to do with WikiLeaks."
The Financial Times Deutschland writes:
"Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the imprisoned ex-CEO of what was Russia's largest oil company, is another example of a flawed, uncompromising person who challenged the flawed people in power and their unaccountability. Such people do not die for our sins; they sin on our behalf, so we may live comfortably while they afflict the authorities at great personal risk and in disregard of (authorities' interpretation of) the law and sometimes even ethics."
"Assange's motives... are not anti-American, but anti-authoritarian. He would argue... that he has no power other than to authenticate and publish documents that others send to him about people with power, and thus that he has no obligation to reveal anything about himself."
"This is and should be the principle behind WikiLeaks and its successors -- to publish information that officials would keep secret, not information about private lives. In a world where governments, corporations, and other institutions have so much information about us, it is only right that we should have more information about them and about the activities of people acting on their behalf."Switch captions on/off By Kathryn Westcott
BBC News
A multi-million dollar project that involves building one of the largest concrete arch bridges in the world, in the shadow of the Hoover Dam will reach a major milestone in the next few weeks. Construction workers will close the six-foot gap before the end of the month The Colorado River Bridge - which at its highest point will reach almost 900 feet (274m) above the river - is being built to take the pressure off the narrow, winding road that runs across the Depression-era dam. Just six feet separate the two concrete fingers of the arch that will form the backbone of the bridge. One stretches out from the terracotta red canyon walls across the river from Arizona, the other from the Nevada side. The fingers will meet when the final section of the 1,060ft (323m) arch is put in place before the end of the month. A four-lane highway supported by concrete pillars will sit on top of the arch. It will provide a new key route between Las Vegas and Phoenix. The project is scheduled to be completed late next year. Aerial view of the Hoover Dam under construction
Enlarge Image
The bridge will stand a quarter of a mile downstream from the Hoover Dam, which when it was completed in 1936 was both the world's largest electric-power generating station and the world's largest concrete structure. "It's been a great honour for everyone involved to build something worthy of standing in the shadow of the Hoover Dam," project manager Dave Zanetell of the Federal Highway Administration told the BBC News website. Everything about the job is special. Big bridges are really tough and this has represented all those challenges but it has been exacerbated by the extremes of the site. It is extremely harsh terrain, a physically demanding place." Some 1,200 workers have toiled in the searing heat - which frequently reaches 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius) - and high winds, 1,000ft (305m) above the river. HOT DAM Steel cables holding the arch in place, will be removed during September The 1060ft arch will form the centrepiece of one of the longest concrete arch bridges in the world Concrete towers will hold up the bridge roadway. The tallest will reach 280ft in height More than 17,000 cars and trucks are expected to use the new bridge on a daily basis once it is completed next year Many have been hoisted above the gorge in cages and transported along the steel cables that form part of a high-line system supported by temporary cranes on both sides. "This has truly been a team effort at every level," said Mr Zanetell. "It is a testament to how successfully teams of engineers, architects and the best of our construction industry can overcome many challenges and together to focus on a single goal." Work, however, was set back a year in 2006, when two 280ft steel construction cranes collapsed amid high winds. The bridge is the centrepiece of the $240m Hoover Dam bypass project, which involves creating a major commercial route between the states of Arizona, Nevada and Utah. The old road over the dam, which had originally been built as a construction access road, is now deemed to be unsafe. Building the approaches to the bridge involved blasting into the immense rock formations to build five miles of roadway and seven bridges.
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StumbleUpon What are these? E-mail this to a friend Printable versionJames Martin/CNET
The Steve Jobs era may not quite be over at Apple.
The late co-founder may have been involved in the development of the next two versions of iPhone, according to a report in the San Francisco Examiner. That information was supposedly imparted to San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón by Apple's government liaison, Michael Foulkes, during discussions with Apple regarding the growing problem of mobile phone theft.
Gascón described his hour-long discussion with Foulkes as "very underwhelming," saying that Foulkes did most of the talking.
"It was incredible. He would just go on and on, one subject to the next," Gascón said. "It was hard to follow. It was almost like someone who's been trained in the art of doing a lot of talking and saying nothing."
However, whatever special communications skill Gascón suspects Foulkes of mastering, the Apple liaison may have accidentally said too much about closely guarded company secrets. In discussions about kill-switch technology for lost or stolen devices, Foulkes allegedly revealed that the next two generations of iPhone had already been developed and that he was told: "They preceded Tim Cook."
If true, that would seem to suggest that Jobs was involved with concept and design discussions about several future models not long before his death in October 2011.
CNET has contacted Apple for comment and will update this report when we learn more.
Law enforcement officials report that the problem of mobile phone theft, particularly of Apple's iPhone, has reached near epidemic levels, especially in metropolitan cities. Last year, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg blamed a surge in thefts of iPhone and iPads for a slight uptick in New York City's overall crime rate, noting that Apple's products were the preferred mobile device target of many thieves in the city.
Recognizing how popular its phones and tablets are with criminals, Apple filed a patent application last year for a theft detection system for smartphones that would sound an alarm if the device determined that it had been stolen.Get the biggest daily 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
A city centre club has been forced to temporarily close after 'gang members' were allowed in, and after a brawl involving 15 people.
Councillors ruled that The Press Club in Queen Street cannot trade until October 28, when a full licensing review will be held at Manchester town hall.
After the case club bosses told the M.E.N they were disappointed but confident they would be able to re-open following the next hearing.
A town hall hearing this morning heard that there had been an “alarming number of assaults” at the venue over the past 10 months.
Police added that there had been a 'noticeable change in clientele' and that a 'large proportion of known gang members are now patrons'.
PC Alan Isherwood told the hearing that gangs from Salford, Cheetham Hill and south Manchester have frequented the venue.
Greater Manchester's cold case murders: A special report
PC Isherwood said: “Officers have described the clientele as openly hostile to them and clearly anti-police.”
GMP were most recently called at about 4.40am on October 1, when three people were bottled during a “large scale disturbance” inside the club involving up to 15 people.
One man suffered a four inch gash to his head, another male had a cut lip and the third male suffered swelling to his left eye.
Police said no customers would assist with inquiries, including the victims, and no arrests have been made.
The M.E.N. previously reported on an incident at about 3am on June 18, in which shocking footage shows a man suffering a broken jaw after being punched outside the club, and then suffering fractured ribs after being stamped on as he lay on the ground.
The attack was only reported to police on June 29, and no arrests have been made following a public appeal.
PC Isherwood told the hearing: “The severity of this attack and complete lack of regard for human life shown by this offender is truly shocking.”
GMP has also been called out to five other incidents of violence since the start of this year.
PC Isherwood added: “GMP have serious concerns as to the levels and frequency of violence occurring at the premises, and by the demographic of the patrons who are frequenting there.”
Hainsley McFayton, the owner of the Press Club, which opens on Friday and Saturday nights from 10pm to 6am, told the hearing that he had recently taken on new security staff after three long serving doormen retired or moved to new roles.
The club has members, but is also open to certain professions on showing their ID, including NHS staff, lawyers, and journalists.
Gavin Clarke, his lawyer, said: “The allegation that it is a haven for criminals is not one that is recognised by my client.
“It is a haven for bankers, lawyers and accountants, as much as anybody else.
“That said, clearly the incident on October 1 is deeply regretted. It is not typical of what happens at the Press Club on Friday or Saturday night.”
He claimed that the police statements read out were “laced with hyperbole”, and that it was the first such hearing Mr McFayton has had to attend in his near 10 years as the boss of the club.
Mr McFayton said there were a “few bad apples” in the club on the night of October 1, and that a number of actors and lawyers were there as well.
He said: “It was an absolutely cracking night until this incident.”
Footage showed that glass bottles were being sold in the club, which was a breach of their licence which states alcohol must be served in shatterproof glass.
Mr McFayton said he accepted the finding, and on his behalf Mr Clarke added that the club will abide with the councillors’ decision and make improvements.
Barbara Gora, the council’s legal adviser said that the decision was made because of concerns about violent incidents, the breach of licence with bottles being sold, problems with security staff and a lack of knowledge by club bosses about licencing.
The Press Club was originally opened in 1870 as a drinking establishment for late-finishing journalists, and its website says it continues to be popular with the media and celebrities working in the city.
It was re-opened in 1977 by Princess Margaret, the Queen’s late sister, after renovation work was carried out.
Recent incidents at The Press Club
January 1, 2016, 6.38am Man punched in the head, suffered cuts. No arrests
May 29, 2016, 5.59am Woman assaulted by five men who had punched her leaving her unconscious. Claims door staff who saw the attack told her to go to hospital and phone the police after being discharged. No arrests
June 18, 2016, 3am Man suffers broken jaw, fractured ribs, open wound to the back of his head and wound on forehead which needed gluing, after being punched and stamped on outside the club. No arrests
June 19, 2016, 4.27am Woman punched in the face by a man which caused her to fall backwards onto the floor, injuring her back. No arrests
July 27, 2016, 4am Man suffers cut to the head after being bottled. It is believed the bottle was thrown at him. No arrests
September 24, 2016 Woman claims she was punched in the face by another woman after an argument over a handbag. No arrests
October 1, 2016, 4.40am Large scale disturbance involving 15 people. Three men bottled and suffered facial injuries. No arrests
Greater Manchester's cold case murders: A special report
Read our in-depth series of reports on seven of the unsolved murders still being investigated by Greater Manchester Police, here... cases include the naming of a man thought to have played a part in the murder of Jessie James in Moss Side in 2006, and a fresh appeal over the death of a young couple found bludgeoned in their bed in the 1970sThe Zurvivalist - Episode 38 - Tony from Portland
This week on the show I interviewed author Tony Faville about how he’d use his knowledge of the undead to survive the apocalypse in the Pacific Northwest.
Here is a link to where you can find Tony’s books!
http://www.amazon.com/Tony-Faville/e/B0033K6W9M/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
Here is a list of sponsors for this week’s episode of The Zurvivalist!
ThrivalistGear (http://www.ThrivalistGear.com)
Thrivalistgear - purveyors of surivalist, disaster preparedness, recreational, and homesteading equipment.
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Hope For Zombies (http://www.HopeForZombies.com)
Community resource for all things you’ll need, or need to know, for the upcoming apocalypse. Hope For Zombies, Plan For Everything.
Remember, you can find KZOM Radio on Twitter at http://twitter.com/KZOMRadio and on Facebook at http://Facebook.com/KZOMRadio
(…or go to http://KZOMRadio.com for all of our other great shows)Exetel founder John Linton has passed away from a stroke.
Linton suffered an "intensive stroke" according to his son, James Linton, while at lunch yesterday.
"There was nothing the doctors could do, without killing him in an operation or leaving him severely brain damaged," James Linton announced on an Exetel blog this morning.
"So last night, with most of my family present, his ventilator was turned off and a few hours later he passed away peacefully."
Linton established Exetel as a telecommunications consultancy in the 1990s and later became an internet service provider in 2003, competing with low-cost providers for consumer and business internet services.
James Linton said his father would "not want us fussing over him" and asked that any donations to the family be redirected toward the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.
The company would continue.
"He put in a place a strategic plan, so we need to move on as he had wanted us to, and remember him for the great man he was," James Linton said.
Industry luminaries mourned his passing in various notes passed around forums and newsletters.
NextDC managing director Bevan Slattery characterised John as a "tremendous asset to our industry".
"[He] provided much colour, excitement and leadership of change," he said.
"But of course John was a family man and our heart goes out to them and the team at Exetel."
Steve Waddington, chief engineer at Exetel, also shared his thoughts.
"We started Exetel with the objective of creating a 'perfect company'. We faced many challenges, some that would have undoubtedly overwhelmed anyone with less indomitable determination than John," he said in a blog entry.
"He was the toughest person I think I will ever meet. The most honest person I have ever met, and one of the kindest. But above all he was unique, with the clarity of vision and sharpness of mind that was simply awesome.
"He has been my manager, my mentor and my friend."Books. We love them. Chances are if you're reading this, you do too. And the fact that millions of books are bound with our glues makes us love them even more.
We have been manufacturing glues for the book binding industry for nearly 70 years. When it comes to binding books, there are two major commercial techniques: traditional and perfect binding. Traditional bookbinding is generally used for hardcover books. Perfect binding is used for paperback books.
Bookbinding glue has always been one of our premier glue products.
Book Covers We Love
We are told from a young age not to judge a book by its cover. This is a good motto to live by, but when it comes to books we've all picked up a few purely because the cover was awesome.
Today we wanted to focus on some awesome examples of book cover designs that we think really knock it out of the park.
Dr. Knox, Source
How To Set a Fire and Why, Source
The Brief History of the Dead, Source
Subliminal: How Your Unconscious Mind Rules Your Behavior, Source
The Human Factor, Source
Fahrenheit 451, Source
The Vacationers, Source
Devil In The Details, Source
Harry Potter series, Source
All Things Cease to Appear, Source
Jaws, Source
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Source
More Than This, Source
Imagine Me Gone, Source
Gone, Source
Lord of the Flies, Source
Falls The Shadow, Source
The Pretty One, Source
But What if We're Wrong?, Source
The Dark, Source
Free Will, Source
Can you think of an awesome book cover design that we missed? Comment below and let us know. We would love to check it out!The Catalan midfielder dreams of a return to his hometown club but the form of La Masia's latest star may see Pep Guardiola wait a year, causing uncertainty for Gunners skipper
Until just a few days ago, there seemed to be an air of inevitability about Cesc Fabregas' move from Arsenal to Barcelona.
Cesc, claimed Barca coach Pep Guardiola, was a priority, but the first item on the Catalan club’s agenda was a forward, he revealed. So once Chile attacker Alexis Sanchez had signed up, the midfielder’s arrival appeared imminent. Hurrah. At last, Barca fans could rest in peace – Cesc was coming home. Then, on Wednesday night, against the mighty Bayern Munich, those supporters witnessed a new No. 4, a man ready to adopt the mantle of midfield maestro once Xavi declines and pull on the jersey immortalised at Camp Nou by Guardiola himself.
Impressive, imposing, imperious, irrepressible, industrious, imaginative, illuminated and indefatigable, this No. 4 dotted all the i’s, defeating Bayern with a classy header and a stunning strike, shining like a beacon in a bright young side. But this was not Cesc Fabregas ; it was Thiago Alcantara.
Thiago’s emergence is nothing new to Barca fans, of course. In fact, the all-action midfielder is highly thought of in the Catalan capital and many supporters, although keen for Cesc to return for reasons of nostalgia, nationality and necessity, are beginning to believe their former youth team player is actually not the long-term successor to Xavi they once saw him to be – especially at a cost of around €40 million.
Thiago’s appearances last season were limited, leaving some Barca followers frustrated, but the cultured
centrocampista
has gone from strength-to-strength this summer, playing a pivotal part in Spain’s European Under-21 Championship win, scoring in the game against Internacional on Tuesday and then beating Bayern with an elite exhibition a day later. So while Cesc’s price fails to drop, Thiago’s stock continues to rise. And all of that has brought about an intriguing numbers game.
In mint condition | Thiago's double downed Bayern on Wednesday
Guardiola’s decision to hand Thiago the No. 4 shirt is shrouded in significance, smacking of Pep politics, Pep psychology; the Barca coach knows better than anyone that Cesc wants to inherit the jersey worn by his idol, and in fact, when Fabregas’ parents were going through a divorce, Guardiola signed a shirt for the youngster with the message: “One day, this shirt will be yours.”
No doubt, then, Cesc was alarmed to see this shirt, without an occupant since the departure of Mexico’s stylish stopper Rafa Marquez, not only worn by a new incumbent, but fit perfectly as well. Guardiola genuinely feels Fabregas could be doing more to return to the club that gave him a start in professional football. Publicly, he has maintained the need to respect Arsenal, but privately, he believes Cesc could be more proactive in seeking a solution.
Guardiola is also keen to see how Thiago will cope with the added responsibility of a regular starting spot, whether the 20-year-old will thrive in the part of protagonist or wilt under pressure. So far, be it in the red of Spain, or in the
Blaugrana
“ Thiago and Cesc are very good players and both can fit in the same team; they are perfectly compatible.
”
- Xavi
Guardiola’s marvellous mind is in overdrive as he seeks not just greatness for his beloved Barca, but the pursuit of perfection. A prime example of such is when he claimed before the Champions League final against Manchester United at the end of May that his side had not played very well in the 2009 showpiece, when most observers had agreed that his men had produced a masterclass. “We can do much better,” he claimed. So leaving sentiment to one side, Guardiola will now be consciously considering the Cesc / Thiago debate.
At the moment, the cerebral creator is Xavi, who said last night: “ Cesc and Thiago are perfectly compatible.” Xavi is far from finished yet, and has reached a peerless pinnacle in his position, but the midfielder admitted he almost left the club at one stage due to the comparisons with predecessor Guardiola. Xavi will never be Pep, they said. And yet he has proven to be even better. Ditto Andres Iniesta. Guardiola had seen it, though, as he told a teenage Xavi : “You will retire me, but he [ Iniesta ] will retire us both.” Long live the evolution. After Iniesta comes Cesc, and following Fabregas, there’s Thiago.
CESC & THIAGO | Their numbers from last season
GAMES GOALS ASSISTS FABREGAS
35
9
17
THIAGO
17
3
3
Cesc still seems likely to arrive, but Thiago’s talent has put a spanner in the works. Barca only field three midfielders in any case and those, currently, are Xavi, Iniesta and the more defensive-minded Sergio Busquets. Javier Mascherano is a useful understudy to the latter, while the Catalan club can count on Seydou Keita as a reserve for Iniesta. And if Thiago can step up, as he has shown signs of doing, perhaps Barcelona and the drama of Cesc and the city will drag on for one more season.
In fact, it probably should. After all, Barcelona president Sandro Rosell admitted at the start of the summer that the club had barely €45 million to spend in the current window, before later clarifying that the Catalans may dip into next year’s budget. It is worth remembering that just last summer, the club had to rush through the sale of defender Dmytro Chygrynskiy in order to pay players and that a €150m bank loan was taken out to balance books, albeit artificially.
“ Thiago
has a great personality and nothing fazes him - he is a great talent for the future. He
is extraordinary and we are very fortunate to have him.
”
- Pep Guardiola
With that in mind, Thiago’s fantastic form actually represents more of a sound solution than a difficult dilemma. And a compromise with Cesc could suit all concerned. If a deal is agreed in principle for next summer, Arsenal will be less angered by Barca's aggressive attempts to sign the midfielder. The Gunners are aware that Fabregas craves Catalunya and are conscious they cannot hold onto the player for much longer, so an alternative agreement could therefore suit all, and may even bring the price down. Barca could save money (which would be better used to bring in a central defender as cover for Carles Puyol and a reserve left-back), Thiago would receive more first-team opportunities and Cesc a more dignified exit, with the promise of realising his dream in 12 months.
In practice, it sounds reasonable, but can Cesc hang around for another year in London after recently admitting his frustration at his current club’s inability to compete for the major trophies – something he would be guaranteed at Barca? Fabregas has been identified by some as the 'Mister X' monitored by Milan and if he were to be left high and dry by the club he loves, the midfielder may opt for an interim move. And then there’s Barca, as well. Should Cesc stay at Arsenal, another player could make the No. 4 shirt his own and deem Fabregas’ arrival unnecessary in a year’s time. Guardiola may also decide to depart for pastures new, in search of fresh challenges. So it may even be now or never for Fabregas, because in football, much can happen in a short space of time. Just ask Thiago.
Follow Ben Hayward on
By Ben Hayward, the midfielder has responded with flying colours. Pep is looking – and he is liking. “He is extraordinary and we are very fortunate to have him,” was his assessment on Wednesday night.Last time on ugh blog dot jpg etc, several many thousands of internet people (in, like, a day) came here to read about old protocols. That was very exciting, and I was gobsmacked by all the nice things everyone said! Unfortunately, it had the weird side effect of making it nearly impossible to write anything new … until today. (omg are you excited?)
An aside before we begin: There is literally no reason to ever do this at all ever. It is a stupid idea. But if you’re into that, read on.
How to Make a Blinking Commit Message
All you need is a git repo and a change to commit. (For the purposes of this “tutorial,” I am assuming you write your commit messages in vim. Like, idk if it works in emacs, you can lmk, w/e.)
Kk, so get all your git things staged because the party starts here:
git commit, hit enter, congratulations, you have now entered vim! Go into insert mode and hit Ctrl + v, followed by the esc key. (Don’t be like me and try Ctrl + v + esc all at once. That isn’t a thing and won’t work.) This tiny keystroke combo is how you escape esc! 🆒
^[ should have appeared on the screen! (If it didn’t, make sure you’re in insert mode and try again!) Pretty neat, huh? Now type
[5myour commit message here, do Ctrl + v, esc again, then type [0m
Your whole message will look like this:
^[[5m#yolo^[[0m
Now save the commit, et voilà! git log and you’ll see:
#yolo
And that, my party compatriots, is how to end six weeks of Hacker News-induced writer’s block. As always, thank you for reading.
With thanks to the incomparable Tom Ballinger for showing me ANSI escape sequences and Allie Jones and Gonçalo Morais for help making this page blink. (All complaints should be addressed to me.)Leaders of several major space industry companies have claimed that the unrivalled capability of the Space Launch System (SLS) may create a demand for additional missions, that will in turn increase the flight rate. Speaking at the 6th Wernher von Braun Memorial Symposium, a heavyweight panel of experts spoke of their optimism that SLS may launch up to twice per year.
SLS Flight Rate:
SLS will debut in 2017 – a date created due to political language to support a potential switch to a contingency crew resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) – on what is known as Exploration Mission -1 (EM-1), a flight that originally tasked SLS with a validation mission to loft Orion on a trip around the Moon.
This mission has since been placed under a “Change Request” – calling for the replacement of the original Uncrewed “Lunar Flyby Tactical DRM (Design Reference Mission)” with a “Distant Retrograde Orbit (DRO) Tactical DRM”, citing the mission would directly aid the new EM-2 asteroid objectives.
EM-2 was changed from a crewed version of the original EM-1 flight – to become part of the Asteroid Redirect Crewed Mission (ARCM) – earlier this year, all part of President Obama’s vision of getting hands on with an asteroid prior to the middle of the next decade.
However, that is where the officially manifested missions end, leaving SLS – at least in the eyes of the public – as a huge monster rocket, costing billions of dollars and only flying twice in four years.
Additional missions are being planned, with L2 sources noting EM-3 is set to become a long-duration mission to an asteroid located in deep space.
Such a mission would stretch NASA’s understanding on how to complete a long-duration crewed mission ahead of potential missions to Mars in the 2030s.
Also, EM-3 is being planned as the fourth, or fifth – pending the requirement of additional supporting hardware having to be launched first – SLS mission, along with the first use of the upgraded 105mT SLS Block 1A or B.
While the gap between EM-1 and EM-2 is – by nature of the law to support the ISS – a gap that is unlikely to change, the current drive is to fill out the manifest in the 2020s.
The question about how the manifest could be beefed up was raised at the Wernher von Braun Memorial Symposium on Tuesday, aimed at a panel of space industry leaders, most of whom are directly involved in the SLS Program.
“We do need a higher flight rate when the vehicle is ready to go,” noted Charlie Precourt, Vice President & General Manager, Space Launch Division, Aerospace Group, ATK.
“You see these evolving missions that people are asking about and I think we’re going to be able to fly one or two (SLS missions) per year.
“That would see the benefits of a lower fixed cost on one end and more interesting, deep reaching and inspiring missions on the other end, that would motivate us to fly more often.”
One of the main criticisms of the SLS plan relates to the vehicle being developed without its range of missions, or payloads, already in place. However, that was countered by Mark Kinnersley, Director, MPCV ESM Resident Liaison, Astrium North America Inc.
“I’ve been involved in introducing a new launch vehicle and there weren’t any missions for it. But because the vehicle became available we suddenly enabled a multitude of missions. I think these ideas (new missions) will come about as SLS matures.”
Another concern is based on the cost of the launch vehicle placing a stranglehold on funding for the payloads it could launch. However, panel members believe that the capability of SLS may prove to be attractive to science organizations by vastly reducing the mission timescales for scientific exploration.
“One of the things that we forget about is that when you have a capability, people say the payloads are going to be so expensive, where are we going to get the money?” Jim Crocker, Vice President and General Manager, Civil Space, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company noted.
“When you have that capability, you can substitute that capability for expense, or you can get some other advantage. Think about outer planet exploration, (such as) with today’s launch vehicles it can take a decade to get out to the outer planets.
“Imagine the science return with SLS, where we can get there within a few years and how that can accelerate scientific discovery.”
SLS managers have already made attempts to court potential science missions, with L2 notes showing they have been working alongside the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) on a notional science mission to the Jupiter moon, Europa. However, this was an exercise, as opposed to the opening plans for an action mission.
SLS managers have also touted missions involving the return of samples from Mars. This too is classed as highly notional.
However, the panel members believe there are a number of possibilities, with claims the payloads could be less expensive if launched on the multi-billion dollar HLV.
“We don’t know what we’re going to find in science, but we do know that if you find it sooner, you get a much higher science return for your investment,” added Mr. Crocker. “We’ve looked at other low cost innovative ways for science payloads that could be much less expensive than if you had them on a smaller rocket.”
Citing how the previous monster rocket in NASA’s stable, the Saturn V, was capable of lofting Skylab into orbit in one launch, Mr. Crocker believes the huge capability of SLS will open up new possibilities.
“Someone reminded me that up until the last two modules were put up on the ISS (via Shuttle), Skylab had more crew volume. Skylab was done with one Saturn V. Sometimes it requires re-thinking of what you’re doing.”
The panel also touched upon how they are streamlining their processing and manufacturing capabilities for SLS, in order to drive down the costs and increase the value of their responsibilities (or contracts) with the Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle (HLV).
“For SLS, we’re doing the entire booster. not just the motors,” noted former Shuttle commander, Mr. Precourt.
“If you recall from Shuttle, the United Space Alliance (USA) did the Aft Skirt, Trust Vector Control (TVC), Frustum and Avionics. We’re doing all of that now, for less than one third of the workforce that we used for the motors in the past.”
The streamlining also relates to SLS’ primary payload, the Orion spacecraft, with contractor Lockheed Martin adding they have already practised processing flows via simulation work inside the Collaborative Human Immersive Lab (CHIL) in Denver, ahead of implementing them at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC).
“With the Orion vehicle, it’s designed to re-fly, to be refurbished,” added Mr. Crocker. “A lot of attention was paid to processing, so that we could do that quickly and efficiently in the O&C.”
The O&C (otherwise known as the Operations & Checkout Building) will be the equivalent of the Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) for Orion, with the spacecraft set to be processed inside the refurbished building before and after its missions.
The first Orion, set to fly in one year’s time, is currently being prepared for its Exploration Flight Test -1 (EFT-1) mission. SLS remains on track for its 2017 debut, with around five months of margin.
(Images: Via L2 content from L2’s SLS specific L2 section, which includes, presentations, videos, graphics and internal – interactive with actual SLS engineers – updates on the SLS and HLV, available on no other site. Other images via NASA, Boeing and ATK)
(L2 is – as it has been for the past several years – providing full exclusive SLS and Exploration Planning coverage. To join L2, click here: http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/l2/)
*Don’t forget to tweet and share this article by using the options below*Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption During California's worst drought on record, some farmers are using precious water to grow hay that is then shipped to China
While historic winter storms have battered much of the US, California is suffering its worst drought on record. So why is America's most valuable farming state using billions of gallons of water to grow hay - specifically alfalfa - which is then shipped to China?
The reservoirs of California are just a fraction of capacity amid the worst drought in the state's history.
"This should be like Eden right now," farmer John Dofflemyer says, looking out over a brutally dry, brown valley as his remaining cows feed on the hay he's had to buy in to keep them healthy.
In the dried-up fields of California's Central Valley, farmers like Dofflemyer are selling their cattle. Others have to choose which crops get the scarce irrigation water and which will wither.
"These dry times, this drought, has a far-reaching impact well beyond California," he said as the cattle fell in line behind his small tractor following the single hay bale on the back.
"We have never seen anything like this before - it's new ground for everybody."
Image copyright unknown Image caption The drought-stricken Central Valley (left) contrasts with the lush Imperial Valley, which gets water through a canal from the Colorado river
California is the biggest agricultural state in the US - half the nation's fruit and vegetables are grown here.
Farmers are calling for urgent help, people in cities are being told to conserve water and the governor is warning of record drought.
But at the other end of the state the water is flowing as the sprinklers are making it rain in at least one part of southern California.
The farmers are making hay while the year-round sun shines, and they are exporting cattle-feed to China.
The southern Imperial Valley, which borders Mexico, draws its water from the Colorado river along the blue liquid lifeline of the All American Canal.
It brings the desert alive with hundreds of hectares of lush green fields - much of it alfalfa hay, a water-hungry but nutritious animal feed which once propped |
, after which I might decamp to a university to teach and write. Or I could stay—for as long as I wanted.
The CRS struck me as the perfect place to work. It feels much like a university, stuffed with smart people and dusty papers. It offers a front-row seat to the legislative process. My office was in the Library of Congress, which has a wealth of resources that I could use to research and publish articles and books. Unlike Hill staffers, who work monstrously long hours, I would put in a steady forty-five hours a week. The compensation is good—young CRS experts start at a salary approximating that of an assistant college professor, and many reach the top of the general schedule pay scale (a band of $125,000 to $157,000) in less than ten years.
Much of my eighty-person division had been there since the early 1970s; members of Congress and their staff may come and go, often after a short time, but the CRS endures. Culturally, the CRS approximates the civil service ideal. Its people are unbelievably earnest, and really nice. CRS employees will remind you that Congress is the first branch of government, and they want it to function well. While CRS staff may have opinions about politics and policy, they mostly keep those opinions to themselves. At the Congressional Research Service, objectivity is next to godliness.
But the agency’s cultural dowdiness frustrated me. The CRS’s difficult institutional location is part of the problem. It is housed in a building owned by the Architect of the Capitol that was designed to hold books, not people. Little daylight enters, so employee workspaces are dim and depressing, and the place resembles a rabbit warren. Information doesn’t flow easily between staff members, who seldom know who is where and doing what. But the institutional culture is also to blame. The CRS is a remarkably risk-averse organization, tenaciously clinging to old ways and habits. New ideas are always entertained—the CRS’s people are thinkers—but too many reforms never happen. (I once sought to alter a form used internally by the agency, which could have been done in a day or two. It took me four months of dogging the people responsible to make the change.)
Upon my arrival as a Presidential Management Fellow in 2003, I was shocked that 1980s Selectric typewriters remained in some offices. The CRS stopped using WordPerfect to compose its reports just five years ago, long after the rest of the Hill had moved on. Along with most other analysts, I did not have my sluggish PC tower replaced with a laptop until 2010, and the ones we got were heavy as bricks and buggy. A few years ago the agency gave BlackBerries to staff, even though other workers on the Hill were already using iPhones and Androids. On any given day, printers and copy machines conk out, and Internet connectivity is sometimes erratic.
Despite all this, I had an incredible experience there, especially in my first year. I got to assist Congress at every step of the policymaking process. I analyzed public policy problems, devised possible solutions, and worked with congressional attorneys to prepare legislation. I also helped committees to identify hearing topics, drafted questions to ask witnesses, and testified myself. And I got to work with some veteran greats at the agency, like Louis Fisher, Harold Relyea, and Ronald Moe. At Moe’s suggestion, I wrote in depth about government-sponsored enterprises like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and advised Congress to think systematically about GSE reform. With Nye Stevens, a senior CRS manager and mentor, I studied the U.S. Postal Service. Just a half year into my career, my memorandum on the USPS leadership structure was used by the Senate Homeland Security Committee in both a hearing and a report.
In 2005, after my two-year PMF stint was up, the agency offered me a permanent spot. I took it without a second thought. The CRS offers, as a perceptive colleague once said, a “comfortable” job. My first supervisor once quipped, “This is one of the few places where you can get paid to read the newspaper.” Staying up on the news is a duty of the position, as is studying government reports and poring over academic studies. At the CRS, you get paid to think, and there is very little managerial direction. Congressional staff usually call or email CRS experts directly with their research needs. Few people leave the agency, other than to retire. It is a plum job, especially for anyone who loves reading and writing about government.
During my first few years at the agency, 2003 through 2006, it was not unusual for agency analysts to write thoughtful pieces on governance issues for reputable newspapers and journals. Doing so was lauded by the agency, not least because members of Congress read op-eds. A number of professional journals listed CRS specialists on their editorial board. In my first few years, I wrote on governance topics for outside publication, and joined the editorial board of the Public Administration Review.
That environment changed abruptly in 2006. That year, Louis Fisher made comments to a reporter about the limitations of the whistle-blower protection law. It ought to have been a shrug-worthy comment, especially as the facts indicated that agencies defeated whistle-blowers in court almost every time. But someone in Congress took offense and complained. A media circus ensued, and the Internet lit up with anger. In the end, the agency transferred Fisher out of his job and into another agency within the Library of Congress. We had lost a valuable and productive colleague. Congressional requests that would have gone to him were routed to others at the CRS with much less experience.
The CRS’s blood was in the water, and more attacks came. Many of us were particularly shocked when Michigan Representative Pete Hoekstra, then chairman of the House Select Committee on Intelligence, rebuked the agency. A CRS expert had written a confidential memorandum on wiretapping, concluding that the executive branch probably had not given Congress as much notification as the law required. Hoekstra told the CRS that it had no business writing about the topic. It was remarkable: the CRS’s expert had warned Congress that the executive branch might be taking advantage of the legislature, and a powerful member of Congress had essentially replied, “Shut up.”
Agency management found this new operating environment both bewildering and a bit terrifying. The CRS gets all of its funding from Congress, and management had not forgotten that a decade earlier Congress, led by Newt Gingrich, had slashed the budget of the Government Accountability Office and abolished the Office of Technology Assessment. The CRS clamped down on its analysts talking to the media, and forbade the distribution of CRS reports to anyone who was not a member of Congress or an employee of the legislature.
The crackdown had a large effect on CRS researchers. The job I had signed up for permitted and even encouraged publishing for an audience beyond Congress. In the new environment, outside writing by CRS analysts on public affairs became rare. Outside publications would not get you promoted and became a needless peril. Endlessly we were warned by management to avoid writing anything that might be perceived by someone somewhere as partisan or biased. Increasingly, I devoted my freelancing to uncontroversial, non-governance subjects like the history of whiskey.
A more serious consequence of the attacks on the CRS was a change in the quality of our internal reports. The CRS’s researchers felt the chill. Reaching conclusions—the job of an expert—became verboten. In fact, for a time, CRS analysts were told not to end their reports with a section titled “conclusion.” That sounded far too definitive and authoritative. Analysts were told to end studies with an “observations” section. To ward off these critics, we often larded our work with caveats and “on the one hand”s—“weasel words,” as a colleague colorfully called them.
Despite the agency’s effort to stay beneath the radar, partisans kept hitting it year after year. A particularly ugly incident occurred in 2012. The CRS economist Tom Hungerford published a paper that concluded, “Analysis of … data suggests the reduction in the top tax rates have had little association with saving, investment, or productivity growth. However, the top tax rate reductions appear to be associated with the increasing concentration of income at the top of the income distribution.” In a saner era, the report would have been shrugged off. The debate over taxes and economic growth has been going on forever, with smart economists disagreeing. But Capitol Hill has gone mad. A multi-month media hullaballoo erupted. Republicans called the report flawed; Democrats waved it like a bloody flag. Hungerford later bolted for a think tank. At the end of that same year, another CRS analyst found herself in the soup. Her December 2012 examination of pending legislation related to coal ash raised concerns about its environmental effects. The report instantly became a political football, praised by environmentalists and trashed by industry supporters. When the Senate held off acting on the legislation, its supporters blamed the CRS for a biased analysis.
It was dispiriting to see Congress treating the CRS’s work less as sources of information than as weapons for use in partisan warfare. We were civil servants who tried to render thoughtful assessments about complex matters. We helped Congress respond to the endless torrent of constituent questions and demands—yet this was the thanks we got?
Like most folks at the CRS, I wanted to help Congress do important things. But with the exception of TARP and a few other enactments, not much has been achieved in the past decade in the half-dozen areas I covered. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were not reformed, and despite dozens of reports and memoranda on the USPS, the agency remains broke. Congress, the centerpiece of our democratic machine, is crippled by partisan gridlock.
When I left the CRS, the agency was doing what it could to adjust to the changing environment in Congress. Its technology, always behind the times, has nearly caught up with the rest of the Hill. The agency created new, short-form products that are more easily viewed on the smartphones used by congressional members and staff. Younger staff members are filling some of the spots vacated by CRS retirees, bringing youthful energy and fresh perspectives to the agency.
The CRS cannot, however, do it all on its own. Congress should help itself by helping the agency to further reinvent itself to meet the needs of a twenty-first-century legislature. There is every reason to expect that Congress’s need for research assistance will keep growing. The Internet is adept at spreading what comedian Stephen Colbert called “truthiness,” things that feel true even when they’re not, in fact, true. Helping Congress discern the good information from the biased or crackpot is something the CRS already does and will need to keep doing daily. Congress also will need the agency’s experts to help it parse important issues, like which agencies offer what benefits to same-sex partners or whether Speaker John Boehner’s potential lawsuit against President Obama has any legal grounds (it basically doesn’t, according to a recent CRS report).
Unfortunately, the agency’s budget has not kept pace with demand. In addition, the CRS’s charter is forty years old and full of anachronisms, including the requirement that the agency identify for Congress all the issues worthy of examination. The CRS expends enormous time and energy doing this task, and Congress mostly ignores the agency’s recommendations. (Politics, not reason, tends to guide congressional action.) The CRS’s statute should be revised to better square with the agency’s current research duties, which include conducting complex analysis and rudimentary reference work. With the explosion of constituent-driven requests, the agency needs a bigger workforce, but one with more reference librarians and research assistants.
Amending the charter also would provide the opportunity to liberate the agency from the many Library of Congress regulations that drag on its operations and drive up costs. The human resource rules, in particular, negatively affect the CRS’s productivity. The hiring process is byzantine, time-consuming, and enormously expensive. When an analyst departs the CRS, it can take a year to hire a replacement, dumping extra work onto the desks of already harried staff.
Under library rules, it is nearly impossible to fire anyone, no matter how little work he or she does. With so much work to do, the CRS desperately needs each employee to be highly productive. The agency should have the authority to clear out the few bad apples. It should also be allowed to require that each new hire serve a two-year probationary period, such as my experience in the PMF, to ensure that he or she is the right person for the job. Life tenure should be replaced with a ten-year renewable contract. Those employees who have the passion to continue will be kept on; those who are no longer an asset to the agency will be shown the door and replaced with fresh talent.
Giving the CRS more funds and freedom to run its operations would be good for both the agency and Congress. With our nation’s challenges growing by the day, Congress needs the Congressional Research Service now more than ever. And who knows? Maybe a stronger CRS can help Congress fix itself.We're all going on a summer holiday (Keystone)
Swiss workers may get a chance to vote themselves two extra weeks of holiday per year, after a unions' assocation collected enough signatures to call a ballot.
Citing stress and the need to be on a par with other European countries, the trade union umbrella organisation Travail Suisse is putting the case for more time off. It has backed up its argument with an initiative signed by 108,000 people.
After the signatures have been checked by the Federal Chancellery in Bern, the matter will be considered by cabinet and debated by parliament. The people's initiative is a central pillar of Swiss democracy, allowing any citizen to propose an amendment to the Constitution.
Eva Linder of Travail Suisse told swissinfo.ch that payback time had come for bosses in Switzerland.
"Employers have been asking more and more of their employees and we have seen productivity increase in the past years. But this does not come for free. You cannot demand and demand without giving something back."
Linder also referred to a recent national health survey, which indicated that more than 40 per cent of workers said they felt under increasing pressure at work. Pressure that leads to stress and ultimately to costly stress-related illnesses, Linder argues.
Cold water
Meanwhile employers have tried to throw cold water over the idea of more holidays since the initiative was first mooted in mid 2007.
It is a notion that belongs to a different era, according to Hans Reis of the Swiss Employers Association, who points out that the initiative originated at the peak of the economic boom.
"In the current economic climate, the initiative seems like a demand from another planet," he said.
The Swiss government has launched three stimulus packages in the last nine months to help stabilise the Swiss economy to counter a potentially "long and marked recession". The economy is expected to shrink by 2.7 per cent this year.
People's initiative The people's initiative allows every citizen to propose a modification of the constitution. To be valid it must be signed by at least 100,000...
International comparisons
When it comes to international comparisons of vacation time, different surveys tend to give different results.
An OECD survey in 2007 put Switzerland at the bottom of a group of 16 European countries in numbers of days of paid vacation and paid public holidays combined, alongside Britain and the Netherlands.
The total of 20 days' leave did not include Switzerland's four public holidays because there is no legal right to be paid on those days. However in practice Swiss employers give up to 13 days of paid public holidays per year, depending on the canton.
A more realistic overview, compiled by Economic Promotion Geneva, gave Switzerland a grand total of 31 days off in practice, compared with 43 in Germany, 39 in Italy, 38 in Britain and 35 in France.
Time poor
Swiss employers prefer to compare employment costs rather than days off.
"In international comparisons Swiss employment costs are at the top of the table which limits any leeway for any further improvements in working conditions," Reis pointed out.
Reis also argues that many employees already enjoy more holidays than the statutory minimum thanks to collective bargaining contracts and common in-house practice. "Holiday entitlements that increase with age to five or six weeks are fairly common."
But there is another way of calculating free time – in hours. Here the Swiss are well behind most other European countries.
On the basis of working hours, the Swiss have 120 fewer hours of free time per year than the average European employee. "That's three weeks less time for family, friends and oneself," Travail Suisse notes.
Of course this hardship pales in comparison with working conditions in other parts of the world. In the world's largest economy, the United States, paid annual leave is typically ten days, while the statutory minimum in Japan is 17 days.
Clare O'Dea, swissinfo.ch
EU leave entitlement Statutory minimum days' leave+ public holidays= total
Finland: 25+14=39
Austria: 25+13= 38
Greece: 25+12=37
France: 25+11=36
Portugal: 22+14=36
Spain : 22+14=36
Sweden : 25+11=36
Denmark : 25+10=35
Luxembourg : 25+10=35
Germany : 20+13=33
Belgium: 20+10=30
Italy: 20+10=30
Ireland: 20+9=29
Netherlands: 20+8=28
UK: 20+8=28
Source: Mercer Human Resource Consulting, entitlements for an employee working five days a week with 10 years' service end of infobox
Short-time work In response to the economic crisis, trade unions have called for better protection against mass layoffs amid fears of increasing unemployment.
The Swiss Trade Union Federation, which represents about 380,000 employees in 16 different sectors, said that short-time work was a viable option to prevent collective dismissals.
The federation urged the authorities to extend the period of short-time work, where employees agree to work fewer hours than usual, from 18 months to 24 months.
Companies which benefit from state assistance should be obliged to keep their staff until the economy picks up again and mass sackings should be made conditional on salary caps for management.
The unions want Swiss labour laws to follow European regulations, including allowing improved consultation guarantees for employees.
A survey published in June found that four out of every ten Swiss companies were planning to lay off staff over the next 12 months to deal with the economic downturn.
Also in June the government last week unveiled a third stimulus package worth SFr750 million ($688 million) to stabilise the job market.
The economics ministry expects the jobless rate to soar to 5.5 per cent next year. end of infobox
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SWI swissinfo.ch on Instagram SWI swissinfo.ch on InstagramToday, we mark the end of Evolution. New pressures have some to bear, and the survival of the fittest no longer has a place for the survival of the fastest: the mighty Mitsubishi Evo is no more.
After a long run squawking around the rally stages of the world, Mitsubishi’s last truly interesting car has run up the curtain and joined the choir invisible. It has, regrettably, snuffed it, and Mitsubishi’s vague talk of a hybrid sport coupe to be released at some unknown future date holds little comfort for fans of the Diamond-Star brand; mate, this thing wouldn’t vroom if you put ten million volts through it.
In the battle between the Impreza WRX STI and the Lancer Evolution, we must now pass the performance laurels onto the Subaru. Mitsubishi’s new Lancer will likely be built in partnership with Renault, and will focus on green technologies and a comfortable ride. There is no spot for a banzai all-wheel-drive rally-rocket in Mitsu’s new kinder, gentler, greener lineup.
Gallery: Subaru and Mitsubishi’s rally rivalry through the years
Happily, the latest STI is pretty much a Lancer Evo with a Subaru pancake-four swapped in. The new car steals some of that razor-sharp steering and chassis input from its closest rival, and finds its character changed. The old Subaru STIs were a bit like golden retrievers, friendly, a bit slobbery, and most at home in the mud. The new one is a tarmac weapon. It’s good, and Subaru ought to leave a bundle of red-and-white roses on the Evo’s tombstone every year as tribute. Like James Hunt and Nikki Lauda, or Snake Prudhomme and Mongoose McEwen, the STI and the Evo defined and improved each other by their fierce rivalry.
The Lancer’s story, however, starts far ahead of the Subaru’s. At first a humble, compact Japanese sedan and coupe, the first generation car came alive when a twin Mikuni-carb 1,600 cc motor was swapped in; weighing less than 900 kilograms, the 1973 Lancer 1600GSR powered its way to victory with just 169 horsepower. Canadians got the base car badged as the Plymouth Colt which – as you’d expect from the name – had literally less horsepower, but was at least good on gas.
Drivers like Andrew Gowan and Joginder Singh gave the Lancer its first rally victories, competing in the gruelling Australian Southern Cross rally, and the Safari Rally in Eastern Africa. While the Lancers were light and fragile, they were also very nimble, and made the most of their power.
Later, in the 1980s, the Lancer would get proper turbocharged power with the 2000EX Turbo. Just like the BMW 2002 Turbo of the 1970s, this rear-drive drifting machine had an airdam emblazoned with reversed lettering so that drivers in front could glance in the rearview mirror, see what you were packing and then get the heck out of the way. A real hooligan’s car, it made up to 280 horsepower in rally-trim, and was the first time the iconic 4G63T four-cylinder engine would be mated to a Lancer chassis. Mitsubishi never sold the car here, and didn’t make another hot Lancer for a full decade.
When they returned, it was with a vengeance and a very old recipe. While the Lancer had soldiered on through the ’80s as a humdrum workaday appliance, the larger Galant had been competitive in rally with Mitsubishi’s VR-4 viscous all-wheel-drive system, and that 4G63T turbocharged engine. With the World Rally Championship (WRC) Group A series, there was the chance to continue to victory by simply swapping the drivetrain of the big car into the new platform of the little one.
However, this was not to be a one-off factory special. Homologation rules required that Mitsubishi build 2,500 street-going examples to prevent them entering a ringer. As it happened, the company built and sold 5,000 cars, for the Japanese home market only. They called it the Lancer Evolution I. You could buy the first Evo one of two ways: either in a stripped-out version called the RS, which had roll-up windows and no ABS; or in the GSR, which was about 70 kilograms heavier and loaded with power seats and the like. The former was really a starter kit for privateer teams to begin building their own rally entries.
The spec-sheet of the Evo I makes for an interesting read, especially compared to modern cars. It weighed just 1,238 kilograms (1,168 in RS trim), and sat on skinny 195-series tires. Power was a stout 244 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm, with torque slightly less at 228 lb.-ft. @ 3,000 rpm.
Part of what made the first nine generations of Evos so great was their forced-induction heart, the 4G63T. This same engine would show up over here in cars like the Eagle Talon, with smaller turbos and a little less power. With double overhead camshafts in an four-valve-per-cylinder head, and a stout, cast-iron block, the 4G63T was born to be boosted. By the time the third generation of Evo rolled around, the new 16G turbo – also to become a code that tripped off the tongue of import-tuning gearheads – was helping the 4G63T push out over 270hp.
This was enough for Mitsubishi to claim WRC victory an unheard-of four consecutive times between 1996 and 1999. Each year, the Evo would receive a tweak or two, and gain an extra Roman numeral, evolving from the Evo III to the Evo VI.
Along the way, a few key Mitsubishi technologies showed up that would imbue the Lancer Evo with on-tarmac prowess its rivals could simply not replicate. The first of these was active yaw control, an electronically-controlled system that’s capable of monitoring the angle of attack of the car and shunting the power to the correct wheel through a rear differential. In the rallying world, where cars slingshot through the turns leaving blackened pavement and deafened spectators in their wake, it gave the Evo a killing edge.
Some of the credit, though, does have to go to the rally-car’s icy pilot. Tommi Mäkinen is one of the most successful WRC rally drivers of all time, ranking second in wins only behind Citroën driver Sébastien Loeb, who everyone knows is some sort of Cylon plant anyway. His four straight championship wins lit a fire for Mitsubishi enthusiasts everywhere, and it resulted in a very special car.
The sixth Lancer Evo came in several special editions, one of which was painted in the red-and-white livery of Makinen’s rally car, and fitted with the same white Enkei wheels as the tarmac-spec version of the racer. These must have been a real pain to keep clean, but they looked great. The car was now officially making 280 horsepower, with torque swelled to match, and turbo lag was cut down by innovations such as twin-scroll technology and a titanium impeller turbine, the first seen on a road-going car.
While a so-called gentleman’s agreement kept any Japanese manufacturer from building a car with more than 280 horsepower, it was widely accepted that the Evo was putting down more power than the spec sheet indicated. Just like the muscle cars of the 1960s, Mitsubishi was playing coy with its output figures, and backyard tuners were making monster power with just a tweak or two.
It was about this time that the Gran Turismo series of games starting becoming commonplace for the Playstation system, and thus a wider North American audience was introduced to the STI and the Evo. They had two questions: “When can I buy one of those?” and “How about now?”
The first Evo to show up in the U.S. – and not Canada, thanks to that massive front intercooler coming up against our bumper regulations – was the Evo VIII. If you’re starting to feel like this car’s naming conventions were based on Rocky, you’re not alone.
The USDM car wasn’t anywhere as cool as the Japanese car. It had a five-speed transmission instead of six, there was no active yaw control and there were no special edition models. Even so, in 2003, the mighty STI had yet to show up, so the Evo was king, far faster than the “bugeye” WRX of the time. Then the ’04 STI showed up and the Evo was still capable of giving the Subaru a hard time. Off road, the Subie was tougher, but on the track the Evo was razor-sharp. The battle-lines were drawn.
Meanwhile, the rest of the world got some seriously looney-tunes versions of the Evo. In the UK, British tuners released a factory-backed version of the Evo VIII with over 400 horsepower. Here was a four-door compact sedan that could easily smoke a Ferrari, on the street, or (preferably) at the track. Plus you could load up the trunk with the week’s groceries. Considering what a hyperactive car it was, that’s probably just three cases of Red Bull and a vat of creatine powder, but still.
If that wasn’t enough haulage prowess for you, Mitsubishi also build a very rare wagon version. Another Japan-only special, these were offered with an optional automatic transmission, and they only built 2,500 of them.
The Evo IX was the last hurrah for the 4G63T, now with MIVEC valve-timing for better responsiveness, and perhaps the last time you could buy a truly raw version of the car. It was also the last time you could buy an Evo with a six-speed manual transmission, and by “you”, I mean, “you American.”
The Evo finally arrived in Canada in 2008 – though earlier models have been known to trickle across the border by way of private importation. This was the tenth-generation car, and it was larger, more polished, and available with an automatic. Happily, the latter was a quick-shifting dual-clutch system on the MR model that made the Evo X worthy of its cool rear badging. Better yet, this model had the active yaw control and adjustable centre differential missing from previous North American models.
While a little heavier than any previous generation of Evo, the Evo X is still an amazing car on the track, and has a high degree of tuneability. Even today, six years after it first showed up on our shores, it’s still capable of embarrassing much more expensive machinery at the track.
But not anymore. While this current generation will probably stay in production for at least one more year, it’s not going to be replaced. Mitsubishi is finished with their rally experiment, and is leaving the hoonery to Subaru. That’s a real shame. While it was never as popular or as common a sight as a WRX on our roads, the Evo was always a special car. It was a bit of a scorcher, a bit of a boy racer. It was a car that handled like it had retractable claws, and looked happiest in the paddock waiting for a turn on the track.
We’ll miss it. I want to say I can see a future where it still exists, maybe a little more compact and lightweight, maybe with a cleaner-running engine. Trouble is, I can’t help feeling that such a vision is just a mirage.Image caption The view of the previous Castle Market site, looking on to the Old Town Hall and Lady's Bridge
The remains of a castle where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned for more than a decade are to be uncovered.
Sheffield City Council announced nearly £800,000 to kickstart a revamp of the city's Castlegate Quarter, including a fresh dig on the castle site.
The money will also go towards a new green "corridor", the transformation of empty shops and to help protect the city's Old Town Hall.
Castlegate is the oldest part of Sheffield.
More on this and other stories from across Yorkshire
Image copyright Sheffield City Council Image caption An artist's impression of how the Castlegate redevelopment might look
It had a castle, bridge, market and houses on the site since at least the Norman Conquest.
The area was the centre of trading, commerce, local government, law and order, trade, transport and hospitality but declined in the 20th century.
The council said the money, £786,000 from its Capital Growth Fund, would kickstart the area over the next 18 months, giving "new life" as a digital business hub, whilst also celebrating its history.
Image caption The archaeological dig will reveal the full extent of the castle's surviving ruins for the first time
It will pay for:
A major archaeological dig to reveal Castlegate's "hidden history and landscape" and reconnect it with the nearby canal basin at Victoria Quays
Uncovering of the underground River Sheaf, which gave Sheffield its name
Designs to turn "redundant road space along Exchange Street and Castlegate into colourful meadows" - the Grey to Green corridor currently runs past the city's law courts on West Bar
Empty shops and buildings on Exchange Street and Waingate transformed and used for new shops, cafes, arts and music spaces, and start-up tech businesses. Castle House Co-op, the former Sheffield Stock Exchange, Hancock and Lants stable building and Canada House will be brought back to life
Museums Sheffield, commissioned by the University of Sheffield, has begun the first professional evaluation of the Castle Remains collection
Preventing further deterioration of the 200-year-old Grade II-listed derelict Old Town Hall on Waingate
A new conservation area to protect the historic townscape
Security patrols to protect the castle site
Image copyright Picture Sheffield Image caption Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned in Sheffield in the 1560s
Sheffield Castle was destroyed in 1648 and its remains were covered by Castle Market in the 1960s, with the only visible parts locked in basements.
The indoor Castle Market closed in 2013 and was demolished in February 2015. It was replaced with the new Moor Market.In 1993, every parent’s nightmare became a reality for Ron Suskind and his wife, Cornelia, when their 3-year-old son vanished. But the Suskinds’ youngest child had disappeared right in front of them.
One day Owen was a rambunctious toddler with a ready smile and a budding vocabulary. The next day he was withdrawn, bereft of words, inconsolable. After a stream of doctor visits, Owen was diagnosed with regressive autism, a developmental disorder that typically appears between a child’s first and third years.
The condition turned Owen inward and upended the way he engaged with the world, including his parents and brother. Suskind’s new book, “Life, Animated: A Story of Sidekicks, Heroes, and Autism,” is an affecting account of how the family gradually reconnected — through Disney movies.
‘A world was growing inside of him, in that silent place.’
“It was always a question we asked: What is it about his affinity with Disney?” Suskind, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and currently a fellow at the Safra Center for Ethics, said in a recent interview. “We felt our way along here for almost two decades. We know a lot now through this kind of search and find that we discover along the way. Mostly, we just said, ‘There’s something about these films that speaks to him.’”
The first insight came about a year after Owen’s diagnosis. As he watched “The Little Mermaid,” Owen wasn’t simply babbling, his father realized — he was repeating part of a song lyric from the film.
“That’s was the beginning of the process of starting to see the movies as he sees them,” said Suskind. “That was the key.”
Owen had always been a fan of the films, but at the onset of autism, his interest in grew into an obsession, Suskind said. He would watch and rewatch the movies scores of times. When he was 6½, his parents came to understand that the activity signaled far more than the compulsive behavior of an autistic child. They realized, in one astonishing moment, that their son was using the Disney canon to navigate the world.
“Owen says: ‘Walter doesn’t want to grow up, like Mowgli or Peter Pan,’” Suskind recalled. He was describing his older son’s ninth birthday in 1997, and his younger son’s comment, seemingly out of nowhere, after seeing his brother in tears as the party wound down.
“That was a huge moment for us. That was complex interpretation, speech. He had never done that before. … He had been largely silent for so many years, and he then said something that startling. It gave us a glimpse into what was happening inside — that a world was growing inside of him, in that silent place.”
With help from specialists, the Suskinds learned in time to negotiate Owen’s private domain. By day they followed their regular routines, but at night the family would inhabit an undersea world, an enchanted castle, or a lush jungle, connecting through a musical crab, a French candlestick, or a benevolent bear.
“The more we gently moved into his world and brought fun to it, playing the characters, the more he said, ‘Come on in.’”
Role-playing was key. Suskind would recite lines from, say, “Aladdin,” and his previously withdrawn son would become voluble, quoting at length from the film. But it wasn’t merely echoing Owen was engaged in — he was enriching his emotional life. Disney, it turns out, was an ethical and social education. In addition, writes Suskind in “Life, Animated”: “We discovered that he learned to read using the slowly scrolling credits at the ends of movies.”
Suskind discussed his most personal work on a cloudy afternoon in a small fifth-floor office at the edge of Harvard Square. A recent flurry of book-related interviews and speaking engagements hadn’t quelled his energy. He was quick to laugh, and offered dead-on impressions of Sebastian, the Jamaican crab from “The Little Mermaid,” and Merlin from “The Sword in the Stone” — voices that have so often brought him closer to his son.
In 1995, Suskind won the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing for articles profiling high school honors students in Washington, D.C. His 1998 book, “A Hope in the Unseen,” was based on those pieces. His more recent works, which he called “big, noisy books,” have explored aspects of presidential power.
Suskind sees a common thread running through much of his writing.
“In some ways, I searched the whole world for almost 30 years for people who are left behind, and it dawned on us … that the most dramatically left-behind person that I had met, by this twist of neurology, was living in the bedroom.”
When Owen was about 11, Suskind saw him feverishly copying images of Disney characters in a sketchbook — images of sidekicks, those characters who in Owen’s words “help the hero fulfill his destiny.” Scrawled on the last two pages of the notebook were the lines “I am the Protekcter of Sidekicks” and “No Sidekick Gets Left Behind.”
“He is responding to us and the wider world he is now beginning to see,” Suskind writes. “Other kids are racing forward, with their dreams of heroism. He’s caught in the starting blocks, a sidekick. And he becomes protector of the sidekicks, the supporting cast, demanding that none of them be left behind. That’s all. Not asking for the world, here — just don’t leave us behind.”
Deconstructing the films’ hold on his son, Suskind pointed to the genius of Walt Disney, a businessman with no shortage of creative flair, who thought that moving cartoons should be works of art and “carry all of the real emotions, the big ones.”
Affinity therapy, Suskind noted, runs counter to much expert advice over the years. Instead of trying to curb a passion for things like trains, or maps, or the films of Walt Disney, as some specialists have advised, it’s possible, with a careful approach |
Now, the obverse side of each bill will feature illustrations of nautical scenes and coastal life from the sea by The Metric System. The reverse side of each bill will feature what appears to be glitch art by Snøhetta.For the former New Zealand department store, see Kirkcaldie & Stains
Kirks is a soft drink manufacturer founded in Queensland, Australia in 1865, popular for their range of flavours including lemonade, creaming soda, and sarsaparilla. Currently, Kirks is owned, manufactured, and distributed by Coca-Cola Amatil.[1]
Kirks produces a wide selection of soft drink flavours available throughout Australia. In 2014, Kirks launched a new line of limited edition original flavours, "Kirks Surprises". From the Surprises range, Watermelonade and Enchanted Fruits were produced in collaboration with Chupa Chups.
History [ edit ]
Before Kirks [ edit ]
The Helidon Spa Water Company was founded in 1947 as a partnership between chemist Ernest Wallis, and West Australian entrepreneur William. J. Draffin to bottle the spring water of Helidon, Queensland.[2] Their competitor, Owen Gardner & Sons was founded by Alfred Lucas Gardner in 1850, and in May 1957 was sued by the Helidon Spa Water Company for "infringement of his patent rights in connection with the sale of Helidon Spa water". This prevented Gardner and Sons from using the words ‘Helidon’ or ‘Spa Water’ on their bottles or advertisements, until a similar suit against Edward Campbell of the 'Brisbane Aerated Water Company' was appealed and the rules were relaxed.
After Wallis's death in 1960, the business was left to his son Arthur and his son in law, William. J. Draffin and following the death of Arthur in 1967, management duties were maintained by a Mr T. Kirkpatrick. With chemist W Doolan, Kirkpatrick developed 'Kirk's Ginger Ale', which would go on to become the company's flagship product. During the 1960s, Kirkpatrick left Owen Gardener & Sons to work for main competitor, Brisbane bottler 'Tristram's', selling 'Kirk's Ginger Beer' under their brand. For this, Tristram's were taken to court by then Owen Gardner & Sons' owner Robert Sweeney, asserting their exclusive right to the Kirk's name. Winning the case, the popularity of kirk's (now lowercase) later led the company to use the name for their soft drink products as a whole.
In 1959, to compete with competition from imported products such as Coca-Cola, the long time competitors, Helidon Spa Water Company, and Owen Gardner & Sons merged to form Helidon Gardner Pty Ltd, trading together under the popular name "kirk's".[2] Tristram's was also invited to take part in the merger, but declined. The claim "Since 1865" present in much of Kirks' marketing is untrue, referring to neither the founding date of Helidon Spa Water Company, Owen Gardner & Sons, or the Kirks name itself.[3]
1980s [ edit ]
During the nineteen-eighties, the Kirks, Shelleys (NSW) and Gest (WA) brands shared a range of drinks with consistent packaging style and marketing material. Each brand was marketed to its own state of origin.[4][5]
Merger [ edit ]
In 2000, now under Coca-Cola Amatil, the brands Kirks, Shelleys and Gest, along with Halls (SA), and Marchants, were unified, all taking the name of the Queensland bottler nationwide. The relaunch campaign aimed to evoke nostalgia for the door to door soft drink delivery by local brands in the 1960s to early 80's.[6] Remnants of the original structure remain, as some flavours traditionally produced by local bottlers are only available in certain states.
In 2006, Kirks' packaging and advertising materials were redesigned, and again in 2014 with a more modern look.
Products [ edit ]
Much of Kirks' range originates from flavours once produced by local bottlers, before the 2000 merger under Coca-Cola Amatil. A number of products remain available only in the region of its original manufacturer.[7] Some are still considered local icons.
Kirks' ginger Ale was originally sold by Owen Gardner & Sons before the company was merged with the Helidon Spa Water Company to become "kirk's" in 1959. Before the 2000 merger under Coca-Cola Amatil, Kirks sold its creaming soda under the name "Kandy".[8] Fruita and Sno Drop were originally products of Halls, whereas Kole Beer was produced by Gest. The brand's "Olde Stoney" ginger beer originates its name from the stone pottery bottles that non-alcoholic ginger beer was sold in during the 1800s.[9]
Kirks Originals: Creaming Soda, Lemonade, Big Sars, Old Stoney Ginger Beer, Lemon Squash, Pasito, Portello, Ginger Ale (QLD Only), Kole Beer (WA Only), Sno Drop (SA Only), Fruita (VIC, SA & TAS Only)
Kirks Surprises: Strawberries and Cream, Watermelonade, Lime Spider, Enchanted Fruits and Sticky Toffee Apple.
Mixer Drinks: Soda Water, Tonic Water, Dry Ginger Ale
Other: Brewed Ginger Beer
Diet varieties of some flavours are also available.
See also [ edit ]I'm living two lives right now. I spend the majority of my time split between two environments that are almost as diametrically opposed as is possible in the spectrum of human interactions.In one, Occupy Richmond, I spend the majority of my time in consultation with other people. It may be five to ten people in a work group or seventy to eighty in a General Assembly. I am, at all times, a fully empowered participant. The degree of my empowerment is limited only to the restrictions on my ability to participate. There's nothing arbitrary about it. My voice carries as much weight as the next person. The amount of information I have to inform that voice is limited only to the amount of time I can dedicate to following the thread of events taking place during any period of time and the understanding of the topic and those things tangentially related to it that I bring to the table. General Assembly's can consist of short discussions where consensus is reached relatively quickly on things as crucial as finance or where exactly this stage of the Occupation is going to occur. It can also be long, heated discussions related to some form of inner group discrimination, sometimes getting down to details like the use of pronouns. It always hinges on the press for the empowerment of the human being to satisfy their needs and to treat them with dignity. It's an environment that rewards the proactive service of the community, which satisfies my personal needs in a way that is extremely rare. I get nothing out of it except community, satisfaction in the understanding of the depth of my own efforts and camaraderie with others who are doing and experiencing the same. What all of this will produce is anyone's guess. I know that in considering this in terms of my own personal well being in congruence with a larger group or organization, nothing has ever been this good. It is the fruition of a lifelong dream to be able to take part in social movement dedicated to human dignity and a profound social and political change. I'm being consistently challenged, resulting in being often frustrated, but having more fun in the actual work of what Occupy Richmond is than I've ever had before. It's certainly not perfection, but it's a better vision of human interaction than I've found elsewhere.In the other environment, work and school, I'm expected to essentially be a passive observer, servile. Last week, I had an interaction with an individual that ended up with him somehow bringing the topic of conversation around to people's sexual preference. It really came out of nowhere. It had no relation to the discussion at hand, which had revolved around a business transaction. Suddenly, for some unknown reason, he made some off hand comment about "the gays." It was then immediately followed by jokes. "Well, ya know, the only good gay is a dead gay. AMIRITE? AMIRITe?" Unfortunately, I wasn't so much shocked as disturbed, angered and disgusted. Having gotten nothing in return but a blank stare, he continued, "I hear they're starting to bury gay people fifteen feet down, because you know...." The sarcastic disdain with which he finished his comic presentation was a miasma in the room. At that point, with the implications of what he was saying starting to set in, I was surprised. It must have registered on my face somehow, because he went on to make some comment about how he had family members "who were like that," and that he "just doesn't understand it." My surprise wasn't that he was a homophobe, unfortunately. Being male with no outward indication of my sexuality in contemporary society apparently suggests you're probably a homophobe too, because homophobe's certainly seem to expect that you are. Racists and misogynists are like this as well. They just expect that you are part of the club. The difference being that in any other environment, it would be perfectly acceptable for me to participate in that conversation and say, "Wow. You just implicitly suggested that you believe that what you don't understand should be destroyed, and depending on someone's opinion of you as a human being, it could also be argued you suggested that killing gay people, for being gay, is perfectly acceptable... so long as you bury them deep enough. Oh, genocide, you so crazy."In this environment, I'm essentially expected not to participate in my community in the way I honestly believe is the responsible manner. Of course, it's never explicitly stated, but if I were to start making customers uncomfortable about the racist, homophobic and hyper misogynist comments they make, calling attention to the fact that not everyone is in the club, and therefore questioning the possibility that theirs is the dominant set of values, the business I work for would start losing customers, and probably a lot of them. I'd be out of a job relatively quickly in that case because this is far from the first time something like this has happened. Let's also be clear that in the hyper political environment we're living in now, even if I were to leave the sarcasm and disdain out, and simply be clear that this kind of proclamation makes me deeply uncomfortable and that as someone who has helped this individual to find ways to make his business more profitable, I should at least deserve enough respect and human understanding to not be subjected to it now that I've told him, it would still only take one call for my job to be on the line. It's becoming ever clearer that profit isn't at the top of the list of priorities... obedience is, because it is required in order to have profit.I know there are people who will say, "Why would you possibly work there?" My answer is simple. It's good to eat, and in case you've not noticed, jobs are hard to come by. Right now, the schedule this one affords gives me time to go to school and tend to the other important things in my life with some modicum of success. Essentially, I can make money with the least amount of intrusion on the things that are actually important to me and my future (which, incidentally, isn't just about me because it effects the woman I love, and my ability to contribute more efficiently and effectively to things like Occupy etc.)In school, it's essentially no different. I spend a significant amount of time attempting to meet arbitrary requirements that have no actual benefit to me, as a member of the student community or seemingly to any other members of the student community at this point. I spend entire semesters in the service of those requirements, in full knowledge they are truly arbitrary in relation to the degree I'm seeking. I know that most employers at this point feel the new graduates they're hiring are unprepared, often in their fields and for professional life. I also know that these arbitrary requirements were put in place either to attempt to make students more attractive as employees or they are the remnants of the classical education model, kept in place to suggest colleges are still attempting to produce well educated, well rounded citizens. It essentially doesn't matter whether I graduate with a C or with honors. The degree is the thing, not the education. At this point, it's not even about creating attractive employees anymore, because the majority of employers believe new graduates are less well prepared when hired than at any point in the history of recording that information. This is not a problem that is specific to the U.S. either. If you're someone who has developed an appetite for self education, this is not shocking. Having been in the working world and witnessed the economic decline on an up close and personal basis, I'm more than a little alarmed at what's going on in education. Through all of it, I'm not an active participant in those decisions. By every standard of measurement we have, with a few exceptions in the extremely technical or deeply specialized sciences, our educational institutions are failing. The marriage of actual education with degree seeking isn't producing good results right now, and the people that most effects, students, have spent their academic lives being taught obedience before all else, not active participation or critical analysis about the efficacy of the model that's being used to teach them. Long held beliefs are being proven untrue by science. People do not learn in different ways, "learning disabilities" (many of which may have been invented to explain away the inefficacy of the educational system more than they explain any actual disability with the students in question) not withstanding. Interest and engagement are better indicators of success than anything else, and the obedience paradigm demands students somehow magically develop interest and engage through the limited methods available to them, whether they are successful or not is framed as a failure of moral character.Consultation, dialog, and understanding aren't part of the equation. At work, the closest thing to a real dialog tends to be with my co-workers, but that is the largely theoretic and ideological conversation that has no desire to see itself made into a verifiable set of actions. It's a stark contrast, a group of individuals attempting to reach some level of consensus related to an action or set of actions they can take that will help to either make very real their beliefs and values or at the least to symbolize the degree to which they have been ignored or unmet by the society and economic structure they exist in. One of these environments creates and supports an open structure for all participants to take part in creating a consensus to take actions that make their values, beliefs and needs real and met while the other demands compliance... above all else. In both school and work, the focus isn't on anything other than obedience. At work, in some ways, I'm relatively lucky. I get along with both of the people I work with on an everyday basis and I actually like them. They're intelligent and genuinely good human beings. We disagree on matters of politics and society in many ways, but they are at least people who haven't come to their conclusions through some specious media outlet leading them by the nose, and they do genuinely care about other people and society. We just disagree about what possible solutions are best to handle the issues that face the individual and society. I've been in employment situations where that was not the case. I'm also the low man on the totem poll in this triumvirate, which adds other layers to the equation.All of that being true doesn't change the fact that obedience goes before all else, and in some ways that makes it worse. Because I genuinely like the people I work with, because I genuinely care about their well being, I don't want to put them in positions which are going to draw the ire of their supervisors and bosses. I not only want to stay employed, I also don't want to put my boss in the position to be forced to fire me. All the while, I am not privy to or even able to access the information that is directly informing decisions that have a direct effect on me, my coworkers, and my continued employment. It's been a very bad few months in our business. There's been a press on to produce results, using methods specifically dictated, based on information none of us have access to, even when the possibility of a long term slump like this will have a direct effect on our daily lives, and for me, as the low man on the totem pole, my actual employment. If lay-offs begin, I'm in the first line, and that's not a theoretical concern in our current economic environment. Another bizarre twist of casino capitalism is that lay-offs will keep a stock price up, but they contribute to depressing the economy further because those newly unemployed aren't going to havedisposable income, which drives an economy based on services and consumption. Let me be clear here as well, this is definitely not the worst job I've ever had either. My direct supervisors, and their supervisors have so far been adept at walking the line between recognizing me as a human being, with a life beyond the hours of business operations, and being an employee and I appreciate that. I also realize they're just as trapped in this system as anyone else is. At the same time, participating in Occupy has made more stark the reality that I'm a passive observer, subservient to other interests that are not necessarily in any way interested in my well being, as are the people in my direct sphere of interactions.A life dedicated to the constant toll of the bell for ever more intrusive obedience necessarily produces obedient citizens. Critical analysis doesn't come from nowhere, and like anything else, it develops with practice, and we've become trained by circumstance to use that critical analysis in ways that strengthen systems that don't serve us well, if they attempt to serve us at all. This, as much as the butt sniffing, sniveling, black hole of amorality the mainstream media passes off as "objectivity" have served to create a population that values obedience before critical thinking or valid criticism of the systems they're obedient to. At best, we value the spectacle of argument, more than the actual effort of consensus or the dedication necessary to actually be informed in an environment where information is all pervasive, but rarely reliable, which is a irreplaceable component of critical analysis and effective critique. Critical analysis, questioning and criticism are immediately taken as disrespect or disruption. In an environment like a classroom or school in general, nothing could be further from the truth. If a school or class is wasting the students time by forcing them through a curriculum that neither serves to prepare them for employment or educates them to be better, more active and informed citizens, then that school and the curriculum are wasting the students time, which should be paramount. The institution's time shouldn't be a consideration. We seem to be at a crossroads that asks us to make a decision about which is the aim of these institutions, education or career advancement and training. Do we want to require an education or do we want to require a degree?At work, that obedience requirement takes another form as well. It involves education because at this point, the one thing I don't have to advance further is education. It's a ceiling that is punitive on more than one level. On the first, it's the blatant fact that ability and effort have no meaning. No matter what your level of ability or your work ethic, there is no advancing beyond a certain point because of the requirement. Also, without being able to meet the requirement, the costs of education can be extremely prohibitive. There's also the very real fear that taking on the debt for that education may not be the most intelligent thing to do as jobs are scarce, and I personally know a number of people who have college educations and have been among the long term unemployed in the last few years. Interestingly, one of the skills most lamented as lacking in today's graduates is the ability to communicate well in writing. That's not a skill I lack, and it's a skill I could probably even teach. Without the degree though, there isn't an opportunity to prove that. I'm required to submit to one system just about everyone agrees is broken in order to then submit to another system which is increasingly proving itself to be unsustainable and disastrously flawed, with no ability to address any of that. In a nutshell, this is why I have completely rejected the "change the system from the inside" mantra and chosen to be involved with Occupy. Once you're inside "the system" it prevents you from having any genuine ability to effect change, much less even present a critical analysis in the hope of creating dialogue, unless of course, you can provide the necessary documentation and accreditation. The process of acquiring that documentation and accreditation then makes you dependent on the continued existence of that exact system. At best, you can tinker around the edges without putting all of the things you have worked for in jeopardy or making them completely irrelevant.At Occupy, none of this is true. My ability to participate is limited only by the time and effort I have to expend in doing so. Is there a complete lack of any respect for education and experience... absolutely not. If someone is in a particular field or has a degree that gives them the ability to be more effective, it naturally follows that anyone involved, specifically in the working groups, are going to be happy to have them and are going to value that experience and expertise. But not having those things doesn't preclude anyone's involvement in anything either. It's also harder work than I've ever done in my life because of the degree of compromise involved, and because I'm forced to take other people's ideas and perspectives into account in a way that isn't natural to someone who has finally gotten adjusted to the kind of system of unthinking obedience I'm confronting in the other arenas in my life. The truth is that I like to work hard, and enjoy it. My real request is that I'm able to do so in the employ of something I think is worth that time and effort since I only have one life to do it with. Unfortunately, there's a large choir of voices who while calling for each of us to find our place, doing that which we are passionate about, willing to work hard for and love, who also find it impossible to believe that someone can of their own volition, in possession of their conscience, find that making a better world possible is that thing they feel that way about.In this context, the Occupy movement makes sense. Many of the problems we face as a people are the result of unthinking, unquestioning obedience to various entities. Political institutions, media, academic institutions and certainly corporations have all been allowed to demand obedience from the population they were actually created to serve, and as a result, we've ended up serving them with little to no thought about our actual well being because we've been so busy trying to understand how to make our lives and ourselves fit around that demand for obedience. From this perspective, Occupy Wall Street, and the movement it has inspired are deeply conservative. It's a primal outburst in recognition that we have been denied the responsibility of creating our own destinies because we've been required to submit so thoroughly to these institutions that don't serve us, and a demand that not only do they start serving us, but that it's time we start taking the responsibility of making the decisions about exactly what we have to be obedient to and why. Civil disobedience on this scale isn't the result of some kind of outlying fringe group, it's the logical result of the incivility we've been subject to from the institutions we've obedient to for far too long.Occupy hasn't brought these things to my attention either, they're things I've known they existed for most of my life. What it has done is give me some hope that all of this isn't irredeemably lost, that maybe, just maybe, since I now know I'm not alone in feeling and seeing all of this as I interface with employment and academics, it doesn't always have to be this way. Maybe, just maybe, we can develop a more human approach to the way we see each other and not demand that the people around us become automatons, dedicated solely to the continued existence of the institution we're dealing with or a part of and can instead start to look at our communities, institutions, neighbors, co-workers, friends and ultimately ourselves in more human terms.I believe that to the political and financial institutions who have so thoroughly abused the trust and power society has afforded them, that possibility is the new terror.What is a FIFO in an FPGA
How FIFO buffers are used to transfer data and cross clock domains
The acronym FIFO stands for First In First Out. FIFOs are used everywhere in FPGA and ASIC designs, they are one of the basic building blocks. And they are very handy! FIFOs can be used for any of these purposes:
Crossing clock domains
Buffering data before sending it off chip (e.g. to DRAM or SRAM)
Buffering data for software to look at at some later time
Storing data for later processing
A FIFO can be thought of a one-way tunnel that cars can drive through. At the end of the tunnel is a toll with a gate. Once the gate opens, the car can leave the tunnel. If that gate never opens and more cars keep entering the tunnel, eventually the tunnel will fill up with cars. This is called FIFO Overflow and in general it's not a good thing. How deep the FIFO is can be thought of as the length of the tunnel. The deeper the FIFO, the more data can fit into it before it overflows. FIFOs also have a width, which represents the width of the data (in number of bits) that enters the FIFO. Below is an image of the basic interface of any FIFO. These signals will always be found when you look at any FIFO. Often there are more signals that add additional features, such as a count of the number of words in the FIFO. See the figure below:
Basic Interface Signals of a FIFO
The FIFO can be divided up into the write half and the read half. The write half has the signals Write Enable, Write Data, and FIFO Full. The designer should never write to a full FIFO! Always check the FIFO Full flag to make sure there's room to write another piece of data, otherwise you will lose that data.
The read half has the signals Read Enable, Read Data, and FIFO Empty. I find it easier when designing code to separate the write-code in one file and the read-code in another file, just to be careful. The designer should never read from an empty FIFO! As long as you obey these two basic rules you and FIFOs will get along nicely. I'll restate them again because they're just that important.
The two rules of FIFOs:
Never write to a full FIFO (overflow) Never read from an empty FIFO (underflow)
FIFOs themselves can be made up of dedicated pieces of logic inside your FPGA or ASIC or they can be created from Flip-Flops (distributed registers). Which one of these two the synthesis tools will use is entirely dependent on the FPGA vendor that you are using and how you structure your code. Just know that when you use the dedicated pieces of logic they have better performance than having a register-based FIFO. I created an example of a register-based FIFO in VHDL that comes with a fully functional testbench.
FIFOs are one of the basic building blocks for FPGA designers and are critically important to understand and use correctly!
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Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.Video: See simulations of the chaotic brain Video: See simulations of the chaotic brain
HAVE you ever experienced that eerie feeling of a thought popping into your head as if from nowhere, with no clue as to why you had that particular idea at that particular time? You may think that such fleeting thoughts, however random they seem, must be the product of predictable and rational processes. After all, the brain cannot be random, can it? Surely it processes information using ordered, logical operations, like a powerful computer?
Actually, no. In reality, your brain operates on the edge of chaos. Though much of the time it runs in an orderly and stable way, every now and again it suddenly and unpredictably lurches into a blizzard of noise.
Neuroscientists have long suspected as much. Only recently, however, have they come up with proof that brains work this way. Now they are trying to work out why. Some believe that near-chaotic states may be crucial to memory, and could explain why some people are smarter than others.
In technical terms, systems on the edge of chaos are said to be in a state of “self-organised criticality”. These systems are right on the boundary between stable, orderly behaviour – such as a swinging pendulum – and the unpredictable world of chaos, as exemplified by turbulence.
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The quintessential example of self-organised criticality is a growing sand pile. As grains build up, the pile grows in a predictable way until, suddenly and without warning, it hits a critical point and collapses. These “sand avalanches” occur spontaneously and are almost impossible to predict, …Copenhagen closing plenary
Transcription of closing plenary IARU Climate Congress, Copenhagen, Denmark 12 March, 2009
Transcribed by Paul Baer (panel co-chair of Session 10) Draft 2.1
Editor’s notes: Congress Chair Katherine Richardson (KR) began the panel by reading the “key messages,” which can be viewed (as presented on her slides) at http://climatecongress.ku.dk/newsroom/congress_key_messages/. Then she asked the panelests – Stefan Rahmstorf (SR), Will Steffen (WS), Lord Nicholas Stern (NS), and Dan Kammen (DK) to respond to the key messages. After that, she invited the Danish Prime Minister (PM), Mr. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, to respond to the messages. Next there was a dialogue between the panelists and the Prime Minister, with closing remarks from the Prime Minister.
This version (2.1) now includes Katherine Richardson’s introduction and presentation of the key messages, as well as the panel discussion that began the previous draft. Note also that there are still a few unclear transcriptions, marked by comments that say “verify”; as I was unable to rewind the webcast to make clarifications, it will take me a while to get back to them. And, also, I have made a few – very few – minor changes to reflect the clear intent of the speakers in a more grammatical fashion.
Please send me any corrections you identify!
DISCUSSION HERE
--pb
KR: For me the last three days have absolutely flown by, and it hardly seems possible we’re meeting here now for the closing session. Many, many details relating to climate change science have been presented in this congress; and Lord Stern, I use the word science in its broadest term here; I even consider economists to be a kind of scientist.
As exciting as all these details are, it’s been hard to see the overall messages emerging from the deliberations in 58 different sessions. Therefore for this final session we have invited a very prominent poitician, who is closely associated with the COP 15 process, and a few selected scientists to discuss the main messages we already see emerging frrom this congress. As that prominent politician, it is a very great honor and privilege for me to introduce the Prime Minister of Denmark and host of the COP 15 in Denmark in December, Mr. Anders Fogh Rasmussen.
Finding scientists to populate the panel was a whole lot more difficult. How do you choose four scientists from a cast of thousands? Every one of you deserves to be up here. We ended sort of by doing a lottery, by asking one plenary speaker from each of the three days, and a member of the scientific steering committee and writing group for this IARU congress to join the panel. It is a pleasure for me to introduce a plenary speaker from today, Professor Lord Nicholas Stern; a plenary speaker from yesterday, Professor Dan Kammen; last but not least, a plenary speaker from day one, it seems like a long time ago, Professor Stefan Rahmstorf.
And finally, representing the scientific steering committee and writing team, Professor Will Steffen from the Australian National University.
And I’m the gender distribution.
Obviously, we will continue, in the weeks and months to come, analyzing the results coming out of this meeting and synthesising them. But we – that is to say, the writing group for the synthesis report for this congress – have assembled what we think, at this point at least, are the major messages that have emerged from our deliberations here. I would like to present those messages to you and to the Prime Minister.
The first of these messages, key message 1, deals with climatic trends. Our conclusion is that recent observations confirm that, given high rates of observed emissions, the worst-case IPCC scenario trajectories (or even worse) are being realised. For many key parameters, the climate system is already moving beyond the patterns of natural variability within which our society and economy have developed and thrived. These parameters include global mean surface temperature, sea-level rise, ocean and ice sheet dynamics, ocean acidification, and extreme climatic events. There is a significant risk that many of the trends will accelerate, leading to an increasing risk of abrupt or irreversible climatic shifts.
Key message number 2 deals with social disruption. The research community is providing much more information to support discussions on “dangerous climate change”. Recent observations show that societies are highly vulnerable to even modest levels of climate change, with poor nations and communities particularly being at risk. Temperature rises above 2oC will be very difficult for contemporary societies to cope with, and will increase the level of climate disruption through the rest of the century.
Key message 3 deals with Long-Term Strategy. We believe that rapid, sustained, and effective mitigation based on coordinated global and regional action is required to avoid “dangerous climate change,” regardless of how you define “dangerous climate change”. Weaker targets for 2020 increase the risk of crossing tipping points and make the task of meeting 2050 targets more difficult. Delay in initiating effective mitigation actions increases significantly the long-term social and economic costs of both adaptation and mitigation.
Key message 4 deals with equity. Climate change is unfair. Climate change is having, and will continue to have, strongly differential effects on people within and between countries and regions, on this generation and future generations, and on human societies and the natural world. An effective, well-funded adaptation safety net is required for those people least capable of coping with climate change impacts, and a common but differentiated mitigation strategy is needed to protect the poor and most vulnerable.
Message 5: there is no excuse for inaction. We already have many tools and approaches – economic, technological, behavioural, management – to deal effectively with the climate change challenge. But they must be vigorously and widely implemented to achieve the societal transformation required to decarbonise economies. A wide range of benefits will flow from a concerted effort to alter our energy economy now, including sustainable energy job growth, reductions in the health and economic costs of climate change, and the restoration of ecosystems and revitalisation of ecosystem services.
And last, but not least, we believe that to achieve the societal transformation required to meet the climate change challenge, we must overcome a number of significant constraints and seize critical opportunities. These include reducing inertia in social and economic systems; building on a growing public desire for governments to act on climate change; removing implicit and explicit subsidies; reducing the influence of vested interests that increase emissions and reduce resilience; enabling the shifts from ineffective governance and weak institutions to innovative leadership in government, the private sector and civil society; and engaging society in the transition to norms and practices that foster sustainability.
I am in a few moments going to ask the panel members to discuss, to explain more deeply what we mean by some of these messages, but first, to make sure that these messages don’t get forgotten, Mr. Prime Minister, I would very much like to make sure that you have a written version as well. [Hands him a copy]
OK, you have seen the six messages, or you have heard now the six messages, some people even have a written version of the six messages at their disposal. I’d like now to ask the panel if they would like to tell a little bit more about what we mean by some of these messages. And Stefan, perhaps it would be an idea that you take hold of key message one, and see if you can tell us, tell the Prime Minister what we really mean by key message 1.
SR: Yes, I’d be happy to start it off. First of all, not everything is worse than expected. So that’s the good news. The global temperature is actually rising just as expected. If you look at the trend over the last twenty years or so, of course there is natural variability, around that trend, there are some warmer years like 2001 to 2005 were above the long term trend, and then 2008 is a little below the long term trend. But global temperature is basically rising as expected, and that’s very reassuring to me as a climate modeler, because we think global temperature is easy, we understand it well, it’s simple energy balance, so we shouldn’t be too far off.
But there are other components of the climate system that we don’t understand that well for example the sea ice behavior, the continental ice sheet behavior, the sea level, and unfortunately, in these components, where we don’t understand them so well that we can confidently compute them, things seem to go faster and worse than we had expected so far. For example the shrinking arctic sea ice is actually declining much faster than in any of the climate models, and we also sea that sea level over the last 20 years or so is rising about 50% faster than the climate models have projected.
Another reason for concern is that if you look at the history of this planet, climate changes – the natural climate changes in Earth’s history, we find that past warm climates were significantly underestimated by models, for example the Pliocene, it was the last time in Earth’s history where it was significantly warmer about three million years ago due to higher greenhouse gas levels. We can’t quite reproduce how warm it was back then, especially in the higher latitudes. And we also find that climate changes in earth’s history often have been very abrupt, that’s another thing that we can’t quite reproduce in the models, and at this conference I’ve seen some interesting evidence as to why some aspects of the climate in the climate models may be systematically too stable, so that in the real world things might actually be more unstable than in our models. So I think I leave it here for the moment.
KR: Will, would you have anything to add? And you might want to maybe say a little bit about, we say that temperature rises above 2ºC will be very difficult for societies to know what to deal with.
WS: Yes, I think that one of the aspects again that Stefan referred to that is reassuring because we think we understand and that models predict the fact that extreme events will increase in frequency and intensity as the climate shifts towards higher temperatures and more energy basically at the earth’s surface. We’re starting to see this now |
three netminders were servicable, and that's being generous, as they combined for the NHL’s worst team save percentage in the 2013-14 season, with a.894 mark. The NHL average save percenatage last year was.914.The situation is now a bit more complicated, as Anders Nilsson has revealed to his home country’s media outlet Expressen.se that he is unwilling to play another year in the AHL with the Sound Tigers. Nilsson has spent the majority of the past three years in the AHL, with some time spent in the NHL as well.The translated version of the article is clear on Nilsson's thoughts:[sny-box]“I have done for three years in the AHL and I do not think it would be good for my development to play a fourth year in the AHL. That's what I've said to them, since we have not started to go into contract negotiations.”...“My hope and my goal is to play in the NHL, but I do not want to play in the AHL. So it will not be the NHL so it will be well anywhere in Europe.”[/sny-box]So there it is, Europe or the NHL for Anders Nilsson next year. You almost have to wonder if Snow knew this, or at least had a feeling. As of February 28 of this year, Nilsson only had 10 NHL games on his resume. After that point, he played in 13 of the Islanders final 22 games. Nilsson finished the 2013-14 campaign with an.896 save percentage.Poor Aamir. He's a superstar. And he has every right to behave like one. He is also a patriotic Indian and he has every right to behave like a disgruntled one. I wish he hadn't issued a statement clarifying his disgust at what we are becoming as people: Hugely over-reactive, deeply biased and phenomenally careless. Or is this just a creation of the media?
Who knows? Perhaps those of us who sit in nice climate controlled offices and spew out everything at will - from repeated footage that can brainwash anyone about a speech that turned into a "spooch", to the creation of the political mirage, after the tenth take, that a certain incident was motivated by religion are to blame. We pay for "trends" on Twitter to appease our own egos and perhaps even hang onto our jobs (What? He beat you today in ratings again?). The media has one agenda and one agenda alone. To be relevant to the perception it sets out to create so your eyeballs pop out with the news you don't forget and tune in again for another eye-popping dose of engaging entertainment.
Also read - Does the media want to start a war in India?
We have seen how even measured methods that predict votes and political trends can go horrendously wrong. If eminent people who have built their careers on fortunate accurate predictions on political leanings of the masses are today having to apologise for being way off the mark, it's a sign that India knows more than the media does. I would like to ask: Who has decided that we Indians want to be divided by religion? Then what accurate method is used to determine what is and what isn't news? An editorial news decision today makes a Hindi film actor who happens to be of Muslim origin influence the minds of every Indian, Hindi speaking or not, just because he revealed a domestic conversation in a televised forum? The sentence makes it to the social media and therefore seeps into every community and gets more and more warped and dangerous as it turns from a rabid media debate into a feeling of alienation from your neighbour. Who gains from this venom? Let's do a "poll" and see if anyone is really enjoying it.
What if we as media had decided not to play out the clip for fear of creating a new fear psychosis? If a common man had said this on a village stage, would it have made the headlines, baselines and trendlines? I suspect not.
Also read - Why Paris, why not Beirut: Stop whining about media coverage
The media has decided that "intolerance" is a good buzzword to create an addictive interest for audiences and ensure ratings and debate. Politicians don't think twice about turning every "interaction" with the public at large into a negative diatribe. Even if "achhe din" are somewhere over the horizon, we are ensuring that we will never see them. We'll be too depressed, terrorised by an invisible force and polarised to even recognise them.
In the coverage of the Paris attacks, not one image of gore, not one looped tape to incite more phobias was used to gain audience share. I am reminded of the irresponsible coverage of 26/11. And speaking of social media, I am convinced that every hashtag we create alters our perception of who we think we are as a society. It's like giving bait to a hungry mouth who will be hooked to it and purge the poison we as media and politicians love to feed on. That frustration and anger exist is a given, but creating a "trend" in the media is irresponsible when done without considering the psychological consequences.
We live in an age of visible self-expression and whilst we must never curb that liberty, we must restrain ourselves from creating news that will give us the thrill of but one more prime time victory, but leave fellow Indians terrorised by our own professional agendas.
Also read - It's not real life: Why an Instagram celeb gave up social mediaAs our readers may be aware, on multiple occasions over the last two years Russia has made data public on contaminated imports from Japan which have been sent back due to radiation concerns. In early August, Rospotrebnadzor, Russia’s federal customer rights protection agency told Russian media outlets that some 112 contaminated batch lots of goods from Japan had been barred from entering the country after failing radiation tests.
In one Russian report, the head of Rospotrebnadzor Gennady Onishckenko said the agency was still concerned about the import of contaminated used cars from Japan. Every month some 18,000 vehicles from Japan are imported into Russia, and every month dozens of them have been sent back due to failed radiation tests.
According to RIA Novosti, many Japanese used cars enter Russia through the seaport at Vladivostok. “[Our] specialists keep detecting used and disassembled cars, specialized equipment, and containers with spare parts that show radioactive contamination,” a Russian customs official told RIA Novosti. “Since the disaster at Fukushima [Daiichi], 697 such items have been detected [at the port of Vladivostok], 591 were banned from entrance.”
Naturally, I wanted to see if I could get the same information from the United States Customs and Border Patrol Agency. I contacted them and spoke with one of their Public Affairs officials. I requested the total number of vehicles and shipping containers from Japan which had failed radiation tests for a period between January of 2011 and to date. I was first told that the information requested was not immediately available, and that they would be unable to meet my press deadline. After I followed up a few days later and asked whether or not I would have to file a FOIA request to get this information, I was told that they had checked with multiple offices within the CBP and unfortunately “the specific information” I had requested was not tracked, instead of not immediately available.
All this has brought me to wonder whether or not we are being vigilant or whether we are asleep at the wheel. I spoke to Arnie Gundersen with Fairewinds Energy Education to get his take. He said, “I’m not surprised, I don’t think we are even monitoring the fish from the Pacific, let alone the used car imports. I wish we were doing more, but I would be happy to hear that we were even testing fish.”
Source: Bellona
Source: Wall Street Journal
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EmailImagine how scared you would be if you were taken into custody by the police and told repeatedly that you are not who you know yourself to be. You are already afraid and the process is out of your control. You want to at least be kept safe while you are in custody, but officers ignore your pleas.
Eleven years ago, Patti Shaw was arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) in D.C. and held in the custody of both the MPD and the United States Marshal's Service (USMS). Even though she repeatedly told officers that she is a woman and that it was not safe for her to be housed in the men's areas of the police station and holding areas, and even after she showed them her government-issued identification that classified her as female, she was held with men and searched by male officers. Officers looked on as other detainees, " called her names, were lifting up her skirt, exposing their penises and masturbating in front of her, and reportedly sexually assaulted her."
Though the abuse she suffered was documented by Amnesty International and in the D.C. press, nothing changed. Ms. Shaw again experienced harassing and violent treatment while in the custody of the MPD and USMS on three occasions between 2009 and 2012. As in 2003, officers again claimed that there was no mechanism for updating the gender associated with Ms. Shaw's police record and therefore, that they had no choice but to treat her as male – that they are simply not responsible for the fact that she was groped by other detainees, urinated in front of by an officer, and had a thick liquid thrown at her while detainees masturbated.
But this time Patti is fighting back against the harassment and violence she experienced in custody. She filed a lawsuit alleging violations of her constitutional rights. Now on appeal, the government defendants are arguing that Ms. Shaw's rights were not violated. They claim that there is no way they could have known that a transgender woman would be vulnerable to harm if placed in men's holding areas and cellblocks.
We disagree.
Today, we filed an amicus brief in Patti Shaw's case as part of our ongoing efforts to end the abuse that transgender people experience in the custody of police departments and corrections agencies.
The Court should follow clear law that officials cannot meet their constitutional obligations by placing vulnerable individuals in an obvious path to harm. The Court should also find that Ms. Shaw's clearly established constitutional rights were violated – constitutional rights that were set forth in the seminal case of Farmer v. Brennan. In that case Dee Farmer, a young transgender woman who was sexually assaulted while in the men's general population of a federal prison, brought a lawsuit against the officials who failed to protect her and ended up before the Supreme Court (represented there by ACLU attorney Elizabeth Alexander ).
The Court ultimately allowed Ms. Farmer to proceed with her lawsuit despite the claims of the officers that her rights were not violated" Like Dee before her, and many others since, Patti is standing up to a system of injustice in which transgender women are particularly vulnerable. Her bravery enables the next person coming through MPD and USMS custody to imagine the fight to survive.
In a letter to CeCe McDonald on the eve of CeCe's release from prison, writer Janet Mock reflected, "Because of you, CeCe, I know that there are others, and like Angela Davis before you, your story is an example of the injustice of our culture of incarceration, racism, misogyny, and much more. Because of you, CeCe, I know our lives are worth fighting for."
We support Patti in her message to others about the dignity of transgender women in custody.Under the Radar Blog Archives Select Date… January, 2019 December, 2018 November, 2018 October, 2018 September, 2018 August, 2018 July, 2018 June, 2018 May, 2018 April, 2018 March, 2018 February, 2018
Court extends stop on order blocking indefinite detention law
A federal appeals court has extended a temporary stay of a district court judge's order barring the government from using an indefinite detention provision in a defense bill passed by Congress and signed by President Barack Obama late last year.
A three-judge motions panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit issued the order Tuesday afternoon, indicating they saw flaws with the scope and rationale for U.S. District Court Judge Katherine Forrest's original order blocking the disputed provision of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2011.
"We conclude that the public interest weighs in favor of granting the government's motion for a stay," Appeals Court Judges Denny Chin, Raymond Lohier and Christopher Droney wrote in a three-page order that also expedited the appeal.
The judges continue:
First, in its memorandum of law in support of its motion, the government clarifies unequivocally that, 'based on their stated activities,' plaintiffs, 'journalists and activists[,]... are in no danger whatsoever of ever being captured and detained by the U.S. military.' Second, on its face, the statute does not affect the existing rights of United States citizens or other individuals arrested in the United States. See NDAA § 1021(e) ('Nothing in this section shall be construed to affect existing law or authorities relating to the detention of United States citizens, lawful resident aliens of the United States, or any other persons who are captured or arrested in the United States.'). Third, the language of the district court's injunction appears to go beyond NDAA § 1021 itself and to limit the government's authority under the Authorization for Use of Military Force...
Last month, Lohier alone temporarily blocked Forrest's order, using a so-called administrative stay.
The case will go forward now before what will likely be a different trio of judges, but the stay will likely remain in place pending resolution of the government's appeal.
The import of the law is disputed. Proponents say it simply reinforced authority a federal appeals court in Washington had already accorded to the U.S. government, at least as far as foreigner are concerned. Critics say the measure exposes journalists and human rights activists who meet with alleged terrorists to the prospect of open-ended detention.
All three judges on the motions panel were appointed to the appeals court by President Barack Obama.
A copy of the panel's order is posted here.
CLARIFICATION (Tuesday, 4:08 P.M): This post has been revised to indicate that Lohier's administrative stay was issued last month.
CLARIFICATION 2 (Tuesday, 5:01 P.M.): This post has been revised to clarify that all three judges were appointed to the appeals court by Obama.Mastering the dance of center of mass. Who wouldn’t sign up for a class about that?
With a thick handle and off-set center of mass, the design of the kettlebell is unique and carries with it unique benefits and also some challenges. Traditional dumbbells and barbells tend to center the weight with your hand, but a kettlebell’s center of mass is about six to eight inches from the handle, and that changes depending on what exercise you are performing.
The purpose of this article is to describe this dance between the user and the center of mass of the kettlebell and how it can be used to your advantage and when to understand the challenges presented.
Understanding Center of Mass in Kettlebell Training
First let’s begin by defining center of mass:
The center of mass is the location where all of the mass of the system could be considered to be located.
For a solid body, it is often possible to replace the entire mass of the body with a point mass equal to that of the body’s mass. This point mass is located at the center of mass.
For homogenous solid bodies that have a symmetrical shape, the center of mass is at the center of body’s symmetry, its geometrical center.
The center of mass is the point about which a solid will freely rotate if it is not constrained.
For a solid body, the center of mass is also the balance point. The body could be suspended from its center of mass and it would not rotate, i.e. not be out of balance.
The center of mass of a solid body does not have to lie within the body. The center of mass of a hula-hoop is at its center where there is no hoop, just hula.
So for the kettlebell, the center of mass could be considered to be at the geometric center, but for the human body the center of mass is bit more “active” and changing depending on gravity and our movement.
As you see in the picture above, the center of mass of a person elevates by raising the arms and the center of mass falls outside the body during a toe-touch movement. The dance of center of mass means coordinating the center of mass of the kettlebell and the center of mass of the individual, which is ever changing depending on movement.
Easy, right?
Center of Mass and the Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift
In the simplest terms, the kettlebell sumo deadlift allows you to place your center of mass over the kettlebell’s center of mass. A huge advantage when you consider how efficiently this allows you to load this pattern.
Performing a hip hinge, and the posterior weight shift with the trunk angle, means the individual’s center of mass will be changing and then re-centering once the kettlebell is grasped and lifted. This combined center of mass should be centered in the base of support. This should also explain why some deadlifts and swings will look very different depending on body structure and the impact it has on center of mass.
Center of Mass and the Kettlebell Swing
The kettlebell swing begins to make things interesting. Now the dance becomes a dynamic series of adjustments and balancing/counterbalancing as the force production greatly enhances or challenges this dance. Below is a picture of force plate data from my swing from Brandon Hetzler’s Science of the Swing:
Here you can see the float of the kettlebell at the top of the swing, the large eccentric load at the bottom of the downswing, and the force production to once again pop the kettlebell to the float.
At the bottom of the downswing, there are not only the forces of the eccentric hip hinge and weight of the kettlebell pulling my center of mass outside my body into a “face plant,” but also trying to pull me off my feet backward. All of this is balanced out as I drive into the ground to move back from deceleration into force production. Lots going on.
Didn’t realize all of that did you? And while driving to the top for the float, the kettlebell and the center of mass is being projected straight away from me – meaning I have to maintain my center of gravity and not get pulled forward by the kettlebell.
Center of Mass and the Clean and Snatch
We take advantage of this displaced center of mass during the clean and snatch, where the hip action of the swing is used to propel the kettlebell, but the arc of the swing is “tamed” and the centrifugal force and rotation center of mass of the kettlebell are directed to efficiently land the kettlebell at the rack or overhead position. And again on the downswing of both exercises, the arc must be tamed and the rotation and centrifugal force of the kettlebell must be dealt with to efficiently move into the downswing.
All of this means the person swinging, cleaning, or snatching the kettlebell must produce tension and relaxation at the right times, including the grip. During the ballistic drills, the dance of center of mass requires a unique set of skills versus when using a dumbbell.
Center of Mass and the Grinds
Take a moment to look at the pictures above. Note the center of mass of the kettlebell in relation to my right shoulder in the overhead position in the picture on the left versus the center of mass of the kettlebell over my left elbow in the same picture. Then, look at the center of mass of the kettlebell in the bottom-up position in relation to my right forearm and elbow in the other picture. I believe the kettlebells in the leftpicture are 32kg and the kettlebell in the picture on the right is a 24kg.
Notice how the overhead kettlebell center of mass basically lines up over my shoulder, keeping the center of mass of the kettlebell over the center of the joint supporting it. This also means that if the kettlebell is large enough, the arm supporting it may not look vertical but the center of mass of the kettlebell will line up over the shoulder/base of support.
During the press, the movement from the rack position shown on the left arm to the overhead position means you will move through the vertical position shown in the bottom-up picture. With kettlebells upwards of 32kg for men and 16-20kg for most women, the off-set center of mass will guide the path of the press and be advantageous for the mechanics of the press. Beyond 40kg and 20kg, the ability to hit a vertical forearm is challenged and individuals can end up pressing from a slightly internally rotated shoulder position. A volume of pressing from this position could cause some irritation at the shoulder.
During the get-up, the individual “moves around” this center of mass through the different positions and transitions. Again, if the kettlebell is large enough, there may not be a vertical arm at certain stages of the get-up, but the center of mass of the kettlebell will line up with the base of support. Otherwise, the off-set center of mass can produce a negative stress on the shoulder.
Understanding Center: The Dance of Mass
Also keep in mind that the larger the kettlebell and the more displaced the center of mass, the more it will impact the stability to keep the alignment of the center of mass with the supporting structures. Limb length also plays a role. Longer limbs mean more displacement of center of mass and shorter limbs can mean more of a mechanical advantage. Read more on this in Brandon Hetzler’s article A Long Way to Press.
So, there you have it. A quick rundown of the dance of center of mass in kettlebell training. This dance means kettlebell training is more “alive” than some other forms of resistance training and can be a benefit or a challenge depending on the exercise.After devoting long minutes to careful analysis of Tuesday night's election returns, I now know what Americans want:
We want roads and bridges that are always in good condition but do not require tax money for upkeep.
We want world class schools with teachers who are so dedicated that they will work for minimum wage. (Note: the best one should be in my neighborhood)
We want 60-inch plasma TVs that cost $200 and are produced by workers in Ohio making at least $30 per hour.
We want our military to win every war, every heart and every mind, everywhere, at no cost in lives or money.
We want cheap, clean, efficient mass transit that goes through someone else's neighborhood.
We want no-fat triple-decker hamburgers that are good for you and taste great.
We want fast, efficient, friendly government services provided by clerks who work happily for free.
We want "clean" coal and domestic crude that does not produce pollution or require digging or drilling.
We want SUVs that get 100 miles per gallon and produce jobs in Detroit.
We want Social Security benefits to go up and Social Security taxes to go down.
We want cheap labor from legal citizens who don't mind living in poverty.
We want clean drinking water and pristine parks and the right to dump anything, anywhere.
We want colleges that are inexpensive and not too hard but produce world class leaders.
We want football where every hit is brutal but no one gets hurt and baseball where everyone hits 40 home runs but no one uses steroids.
We want government to deliver all these things — then cut taxes and then cut taxes some more. Mostly, we want what we want, and we want it now.
Personally, I want leaders who will tell us frankly that all these things are not possible, that the blessings of infrastructure and education given us by our fathers are wearing out. I want thinkers who can paint a picture of a greater America that could exist in 50 or 100 years, and then unite us with a roadmap to get there. I want America to have a shared vision and an understanding that we all benefit when we all contribute, and that we all suffer when we demand only for ourselves. I want leaders who will tell the truth: that there is no free lunch.
But then, I also want the World Series to end in early October, yet I know that some things are just too grand to even wish for.
Mac Nachlas, BaltimoreREYHANLI, Turkey — In the border towns where Syrian rebels recuperate and resupply, the buzz is that the long wait for Barack Obama may be near an end. The excitement is not the result of the White House announcement on June 13 that the United States will supply light weapons to the groups seeking to overthrow the homicidal regime of Bashar al-Assad. Bullets and body armor won’t help much against Assad’s tanks, bombs and mortars. But the rebels say they see Obama’s hand in some bigger, less-publicized developments: the arrival of more and better antitank weapons, and rumors of long-withheld antiaircraft weapons. The heavier ordnance is coming from Europe, the gulf and — as The Times reported Saturday — from Libya. But it seems to be flowing now with a wink and a nod from the U.S.
“These thing don’t happen without America’s permission,” said a logistics coordinator for a rebel unit fighting in Homs, the birthplace of the uprising.
When I set out to meet with Syrian rebel operatives in the wake of Obama’s halfhearted shift, I expected a reaction of rolled eyes, too-little-too-late and thanks-for-nothing. What I found was a surprising surge of optimism, a sense that something has changed — specifically, that America is inching toward more serious engagement.
Of course, nobody is saying this is yet a game-changer. Gen. Salim Idris, the former Syrian Army officer who heads the opposition Supreme Military Council, told me that while the Americans have become more helpful in recent days, the speculation about antiaircraft missiles is premature, and there is still no sign that the United States is willing to enforce a no-fly zone or use cruise missiles against Syrian airfields, which could shift the advantage to the rebels. (I’m told Qatar arranged a small shipment of surface-to-air missiles and the U.S. looked the other way.) Whatever the details, intentionally or not, Obama has raised expectations.Q: Has the Pentagon recently declared that sharing one’s faith is punishable by court-martial?
A: No. The Pentagon merely restated its long-held policy that military members can “share their faith (evangelize)” but “not force unwanted, intrusive attempts to convert others … to one’s beliefs (proselytization).”
FULL QUESTION
I have seen several postings on Facebook regarding a story in Breitbart News concerning the Pentagon court-martialing soldiers, including chaplains, who share their Christian or Jewish faith with others in the military. What’s the truth behind this story?
FULL ANSWER
After the publication of an April 30 Fox News Radio report about religious proselytizing in the military, a number of conservative websites jumped to the erroneous conclusion that the Pentagon would court-martial members of the military for merely sharing their religious faith.
That article, from Fox News contributor Todd Starnes, quoted Lt. Cmdr. Nate Christensen, a Defense Department spokesman, saying that “religious proselytization is not permitted within the Department of Defense,” and that “court martials [sic] and non-judicial punishments are decided on a case-by-case basis and it would be inappropriate to speculate on the outcome in specific cases.”
Those quotes spawned some inaccurate claims from a variety of sources:
Breitbart.com reported that “President Barack Obama’s civilian appointees who lead the Pentagon are confirming that the military will make it a crime — possibly resulting in imprisonment — for those in uniform to share their faith.”
A post on Examiner.com followed with “the Obama administration has released a statement confirming the unthinkable: Any soldier who professes Christianity can now be court-martialed and may face imprisonment and a dishonorable discharge from the military … even if they are a military chaplain.”
The New American magazine ran a story claiming that the Pentagon had admitted “that U.S. military personnel could face court-martial for sharing their Christian faith with others.”
And Rep. Michele Bachmann posted an online pledge encouraging supporters to sign “if you agree that we cannot and should not prevent our military from practicing their own faith.”
Even Starnes wrote that the “Pentagon confirmed to Fox News that Christian evangelism is against regulations.” But that isn’t what Christensen, the Pentagon spokesman, was saying either. He clarified his statement to the media on May 2, saying that soldiers can “share their faith (evangelize), but must not force unwanted, intrusive attempts to convert others … (proselytization).”
Lt. Cmdr. Nate Christensen, May 2: The U.S. Department of Defense has never and will never single out a particular religious group for persecution or prosecution. The Department makes reasonable accommodations for all religions and celebrates the religious diversity of our service members. Service members can share their faith (evangelize), but must not force unwanted, intrusive attempts to convert others of any faith or no faith to one’s beliefs (proselytization). If a service member harasses another member on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, or disability, then the commander takes action based on the gravity of the occurrence. Likewise, when religious harassment complaints are reported, commanders take action based on the gravity of the occurrence on a case by case basis. The Department of Defense places a high value on the rights of members of the Military Services to observe the tenets of their respective religions and respects (and supports by its policy) the rights of others to their own religious beliefs, including the right to hold no beliefs. The Department does not endorse any one religion or religious organization, and provides free access of religion for all members of the military services. We work to ensure that all service members are free to exercise their Constitutional right to practice their religion in a manner that is respectful of other individuals’ rights to follow their own belief systems; and in ways that are conducive to good order and discipline; and that do not detract from accomplishing the military mission.
Furthermore, this isn’t a new policy by the Obama administration. As an example, U.S. Central Command, during the Bill Clinton and George W. Bush administrations, issued orders that prohibited proselytizing.
General Order 1B, which was issued in March 2006 under Bush, prohibited “proselytizing of any religion, faith, or practice.” That order superseded General Order 1A, issued in December 2000, during Clinton’s presidency, which contained the exact same language. Both orders said that civilian violators may be subject to criminal prosecution or administration action and that military violators may be subject to penalties under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
And while it is possible that service members of any faith who violate military prohibitions against proselytizing could potentially face a court-martial, it is by no means a guarantee that they will. “Religious harassment complaints,” as Christensen noted, are handled on a case-by-case basis.
The Role of Mikey Weinstein
This all became an issue because of an April 23 meeting between Pentagon officials and Mikey Weinstein, the founder and president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. Two other members of the foundation’s boards, Larry Wilkerson, a former chief of staff to Colin Powell, and Joe Wilson, a former ambassador, also attended. As Starnes wrote, the three men were there to encourage the Air Force to enforce its policies against religious proselytizing and suggest courts-martial for non-compliers. In her piece on the meeting for the Washington Post, Sally Quinn wrote that Weinstein called proselytizing in the armed services a “national security threat” akin to “spiritual rape” that should be “punished.”
The regulation in question — published on August 7, 2012, as part of Air Force Instruction 1-1 — says that Air Force “leaders at all levels must balance constitutional protections for an individual’s free exercise of religion or other personal beliefs and the constitutional prohibition against governmental establishment of religion.” It also says that “they must avoid the actual or apparent use of their position to promote their personal religious beliefs to their subordinates or to extend preferential treatment for any religion.”
Scott Martin, a senior lawyer for the Air Force’s administrative law agency, told the Air Force Times that there’s nothing new in the Air Force Instruction 1-1 booklet — which the article describes as “like a Cliffs Notes to all Air Force instructions and standards.” Martin said, “There is nothing different about this instruction from any other instruction out there.”
While the guide to “Air Force Standards” was published in 2012, it wasn’t distributed until May 2013. At the time they were originally published last year, Weinstein wrote that the regulations, unless they were properly enforced, “will be as useful as a ‘football bat’ in preventing an evangelical Fundamentalist coup d’etat within the U.S. Air Force.” And he still maintains that the Air Force has not backed up what it wrote.
And while some religious groups, such as the Family Research Council, have questioned why Pentagon officials would meet with Weinstein, it is not true that he was “hired” as an adviser to the Obama administration as some have suggested, including contributors for the online-based Christian Post.
Christensen said in an email to us that “Mr. Weinstein requested, and was granted, a meeting at the Pentagon April 23, with the Air Force Judge Advocate General and others, to include the Deputy Chief of Chaplains, to express his concerns of religious issues in the military.” He added: “Mr. Weinstein is not part of any DoD Advisory Group or Committee, nor is he a consultant to the Defense Department regarding religious matters.”
— Jesse DuBois, with D’Angelo Gore
Sources
Christensen, Nathan, LCDR, Defense Department spokesman. Email sent to FactCheck.org. 8 May 2013.
Quinn, Sally. “U.S. military should put religious freedom at the front.” Washington Post. 26 April 2013.
Carroll, Chris. “Pentagon: OK to talk about faith, but not to push beliefs on others.” Stars & Stripes. 2 May 2013.
Garamone, Jim. “DOD Counters Internet Posts on Religion Issue.” American Forces Press Service. 3 May 2013.
Klukowski, Ken. “Pentagon May Court Martial Soldiers Who Share Christian Faith.” Breitbart.com. 1 May 2013.
Hallowell, Billy. “Is the U.S. Military Really Planning to Court-Martial Christian Soldiers Who Proselytize? TheBlaze Explores the Stunning Allegations.” The Blaze. 8 May 2013.
Moon, Robert. “Obama criminalizes Christianity in the military.” Examiner.com. 1 May 2013.
Bohon, Dave. “Pentagon Confirms That Soldiers Could Be Court-Martialed for Sharing Faith.” The New American. 2 May 2013.
Bachmann, Michele. “Protect Religious Freedom in the Military.” Online pledge. Accessed 3 May 2013.
Starnes, Todd. “Pentagon: Religious Proselytizing is Not Permitted.” Fox News Radio. 30 Apr 2013.
Christensen, Nathan, LCDR. “Statement on Religious Proselytizing.” Email. 2 May 2013.
U.S. Central Command. General Order Number 1B (GO-1B). 13 Mar 2006.
U.S. Central Command. General Order Number 1A (GO-1A). 19 Dec 2000.
U.S. Air Force. Air Force Instruction 1-1, Air Force Standards. 7 Aug 2012.
Weinstein, Mikey. “Without Concrete Action, New USAF Regulations on Church-State Separation Will Be as Useful as a ‘Football Bat.’ ” Truthout.org. 20 Aug 2012.
Ricks, Markeshia. “New booklet outlines Air Force standards.” Air Force Times. 5 May 2013.
Zaimov, Stoyan. “Pentagon Hires Anti-Conservative Activist Who Branded Fundamentalists as ‘Christian Monsters.‘ ” Christian Post. 1 May 2013.
Stamper Brown, Susan. “Religious Freedom in Our Military; This Is What Intolerance Smells Like.” Christian Post. 1 May 2013.Four years ago his TV series Black Mirror imagined a storyline in which the prime minister gets intimate with a pig. It’s not the first time Brooker has appeared to be clairvoyant
“The first question people were asking me was, Did I know anything about it? And the answer is no, absolutely not. I probably wouldn’t have bothered writing an episode of a fictional comedy-drama if I’d known. I’d have been running around screaming it into traffic. It’s a complete coincidence, albeit a quite bizarre one.”
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Black Mirror poster. Photograph: Channel 4
To fill you in: four years ago, Charlie Brooker’s dystopian TV series Black Mirror began with an episode called the National Anthem, in which the prime minister of Britain – to hoots of derision on social media – is required to have sex with a pig on television in order to ransom a kidnapped princess. On Monday, the Daily Mail printed extracts from Lord Ashcroft’s biography of David Cameron, in which Ashcroft claims to have been told by a current MP that Britain’s real prime minister allegedly “inserted a private part of his anatomy” into the mouth of a dead pig during an initiation ceremony while he was studying at Oxford. The MP knows someone with photographic evidence, according to Ashcroft, but he does not supply any.
For Cameron, whether or not the allegation is true (Downing Street have refused to comment), it must be unspeakably embarrassing. For Brooker, it is just deeply, deeply weird. Indeed, when the story broke, and his phone went crazy, he was just sitting down to work on another dystopian script idea. “I did genuinely for a moment wonder if reality was a simulation, whether it exists only to trick me. Which isn’t meant to sound narcissistic,” he says. “It’s just a bit of a worry.”
According to Brooker, the real origins of his pig storyline are the media frenzy that followed Gordon Brown’s “bigot” remarks in 2010, and an edition of the Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers comic, in which, as he remembers it, a police chief is required to have sex with a hog. The comic itself may have picked the idea up from what seems to be a standard piece of political wisdom, attributed by Hunter S Thompson to Lyndon Johnson, in which a politician smears a rival by falsely “calling him a pig-fucker” in order to “make the sonofabitch deny it”.
While developing Black Mirror at Channel 4, Brooker remembers exploring alternatives to pigs. “We thought all through the farmyard,” he says. “At one point we were |
, is arguing that every legal system in the world should be brought into compliance with Islamic prophetical texts. That’s not what’s happening! Khan is specifically limiting himself to a discussion of Islamic culture and law ― which is a thing that really does exist and which one can discuss separately from other cultures and their juridical philosophies.
When Khan refers to “all other juridical works” that “must always be subordinated to the Shari’ah,” he is referring exclusively to Islamic juridical works, not Western ones. When Khan notes the unadorned fact that the Quran “is the absolute authority from which springs the very conception of legality and every legal obligation,” he is confining himself ― again, exclusively ― to the Islamic world and its legal practices, not to societies and cultures outside of that context.
Sperry includes this weird, scare-quoted sentence in his indictment of Khan: “Khan then notes that Quranic law includes ‘constitutional law.’”
It appears that what Sperry believes is that the use of the phrase “constitutional law” is a reference to the United States Constitution. This is incorrect ― it refers to small-c “constitutional law” in general. Believe it or not, the United States is not the only nation that has a constitution, from which “constitutional law” is practiced. Within the context of this piece of writing, Khan is simply using a term that applies to the codified bodies of laws that dictate how states govern their citizens ― in this case, specifically Islamic states.
In fact, here is the only instance in which Khan uses the term “constitutional” in his explainer (emphasis mine):
It has to be admitted, however, that the Quran, being basically a book of religious guidance, is not an easy reference for legal studies. It is more particularly an appeal to faith and the human soul rather than a classification of legal prescriptions. Such prescriptions are comparatively limited and few. Family law is laid down in seventy injections; civil law in another seventy; constitutional law in ten; international relations in twenty-five; and economic and financial order in ten. Such an enumeration, however, can only be approximate. The legal bearing of some injuctions is disputable, whereas in some others it simultaneously applies to more than one sphere of law. The major portion of the Quran is, as with every Holy Book, a code of divine exhortation and moral principals.
So, there’s no mention of the United States Constitution. In fact, this single reference to “constitutional law” doesn’t even wade into the murky arguments of whether any nation’s constitutional law should be Sharia-compliant ― it simply and dryly notes that the Quran offers 10 prescriptions that specifically pertain to “constitutional law.”
Like I said before, in this “Juristic Classification of Islamic Law,” Khan is only rendering a set of indispensable and explanatory facts about Islamic juridical culture so that people might better understand it. He’s not arguing that everyone, the world over, should adhere to Islamic law, nor is he offering any sort of passionate value judgment about it. Insofar as Khan allows any personal judgment to slip out, though, let’s note that it arrives in the form of Khan describing the severe limitations of using religious texts to guide legal practices.
Moving on to Khan’s review of the book Human Rights In Islam, Sperry’s criticism of Khan demonstrates that he is either unwilling or unable to make the necessary distinction between an argument that a reader notes has been convincingly made, and an argument to which a reader agrees. By eliding over that distinction, he smears Khan as some sort of enemy of the United States. I’m pretty sure these distinctions will be lost on Sperry, but since I’m in for a penny here, let’s address it.
Khan makes his interest in the seminars that formed this Human Rights in Islam book plain from the start of his review, saying that the “position of human rights in the cynosure of world attention has created a need among scholars to explore the historical development of human rights.” The concept of “human rights,” as it turns out, has evolved among different cultures in different ways, and the Islamic world is no different. Khan evidently found this 1982 seminar useful because it included contemporary jurists from the Islamic world, all of whom were invited to explain their points of view.
Additionally, Khan notes forthrightly at the beginning of his piece that this seminar made no effort to enjoin an argument about whether the points of view of these Islamic jurists are a model to follow or deserve a greater share of attention over the points of view of other jurists that emerge from other cultures and societies. As Khan explains, “The seminar’s purpose is neither to address human rights situations in particular countries nor to provoke a dialogue between the Muslim and Western worlds.” Instead, the seminar was a “forum for discussion of human rights issues which are important to Muslims” in particular.
In other words, any battle of whose legal culture is getting “human rights” right and best is tabled for another day, in favor of simply exploring these jurists’ ideas and getting them on the record.
Eventually, Khan arrives at a discussion of a keynote speech delivered by a Dr. A.K. Brohi, who at the time of the seminar was the “former Pakistani minister of legal and religious affairs.” Sperry treats Brohi’s mention as a red flag:
As Pakistani minister of law and religious affairs, Brohi helped create hundreds of jihadi incubators called madrassas and restored Sharia punishments, such as amputations for theft and demands that rape victims produce four male witnesses or face adultery charges. He also made insulting the Muslim prophet Muhammad a crime punishable by death. To speed the Islamization of Pakistan, he and Zia issued a law that required judges to consult mullahs on every judicial decision for Sharia compliance. Khan, who says he immigrated to the U.S. in 1980 to escape Pakistan’s “military rule,” nonetheless spoke admiringly of Brohi in his review of his speech. He praised his remarks even though Brohi advocated for the enforcement of the medieval Sharia punishments, known as “hudood” (singular “hadd”), that were later adopted and carried out with brutal efficiency by the Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan.
It’s worth pointing out Sperry’s lengthy depiction of Brohi is more of a menacing, spectral caricature than it is a fair and factual assessment of the man’s career, warts and all. Brohi had a very long and varied legal career that included defending some of Pakistan’s seminal rights icons, like Sheikh Mujeebur Rahman ― who won the 1970 elections, but was prevented from taking power by the Pakistani establishment (and Henry Kissinger) in a move that sparked the ensuing Bangladesh crisis. He also defended Zaib-un-Nissa Hamidullah, the country’s first woman editor and publisher.
Brohi was, at worst, a political operative who, to a certain extent, shifted as the winds changed in Pakistan. He served under both secularists and radical religious figures, and did what he thought was necessary to fit in with both types of regimes and preserve his career. It’s really difficult to tell whether he actually devised the nutty policies of chopping off hands and the like, or merely tacitly accepted them to remain in his position. But overall, his thinking seems to be not so much “radical imposition of Sharia” as it is “Islamic re-awakening” along fairly peaceful Sufi lines.
Finally, it’s worth noting that the madrassas Sperry refers to were not merely established because of Pakistani government policy ― the United States colluded in their foundation because they were where the mujahideen were trained to fight the Soviets in Afghanistan. In general, Brohi was a fairly devout Muslim who found communism objectionable and Islamic socialism in particular to be “contentious.” Opposition to Islamic socialism meant that Brohi opposed the rule of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Naturally, it also meant that Brohi happily went to work for the regime that overthrew Bhutto and sentenced him to death.
Nevertheless, I’m happy to concede the logic of anyone having numerous objections to Brohi’s overall political point of view. But Khizr Khan doesn’t actually applaud any of these objectionable things anywhere in his writings. The sole instance in which Khan speaks “admiringly” and offers “praise” for Brohi has nothing to do with the establishment of madrassas or “medieval Sharia punishments.” It certainly has nothing to do with the Taliban ― who wouldn’t be founded for another 12 years after this seminar was held.
In his review, Khan merely acknowledges that Brohi is a key figure in the world of Islamic legal scholars, and concedes that he’d found that Brohi had made a convincing argument during these seminars ― specifically this argument: Properly defining human rights in any context first requires the institutionalization of a “moral value system” to which a culture can commonly agree. Khan writes:
To illustrate his point [Brohi] notes, “There is no such thing as human right in the abstract. First we have to locate the human being in a given social cosmos, view him against the background of a certain economico-political and socio-cultural conditioning before we can meaningfully talk about his rights.”
At the risk of being labelled a Taliban sympathizer or a madrassa founder, I agree with this wholly uncontroversial idea. That is a convincing argument. Funnily enough, saying this is so doesn’t make me want to go out and stone adulterers or support those who do.
That’s because this is not how “appraising an argument” works. Marx and Engels convincingly argue that modern laborers experience a sense of alienation from the fruits of their labors, That doesn’t make me a fan of Soviet-style autocracy. Shakespeare convincingly argues that Richard the Third was a debauched hunchback. He wasn’t, but I still enjoy a good production of that play. I’ve read convincing arguments from atheists and equally convincing arguments from Christian theologians. This is life ― this happens.
It doesn’t actually do any discredit to a point of view to acknowledge a countering argument that’s convincingly made. In fact, if you enjoy the rigors of thought, finding convincing arguments that differ from your point of view can be immensely valuable. If nothing else, it can help hone your own argument. I suspect that acknowledging this simple premise would cause the complete collapse of Breitbart’s institutional philosophy. As it happens, the organization’s institutional inability to come to grips with the convincing evidence that suggested that former Breitbart (and current Huffington Post) reporter Michelle Fields was in fact manhandled by then-Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski led to a cascade of intractable ― and wholly unnecessary ― internal schisms.
Having read all of the source material that Sperry cites, I find no evidence that Khizr Khan ever argued, or accepted the argument, that United States law should be subordinated to Islamic law. But then, I’m not really convinced that was Sperry’s aim in the first place. Instead, I have become convinced that Khan’s knowledge of and facility with the facts of Islamic law and society, and his willingness to publicly share his knowledge, are meant by Sperry to be an indictment of his character, in and of itself.
There are those who believe that if a person is merely exposed to ideas, they somehow become infected with them, that demonstrating an understanding of an idea is proof of such an infection, and that the willingness to then propagate that information belies an intent to further spread this infection. This is an offshoot of an ancient philosophical argument, dating back to Plato and Aristotle, that still informs our times and adds fuel to modern philosophical debates. We’ll never really resolve this argument, and a big reason why is that Plato and Aristotle were both very gifted thinkers ― both of whom can be said to have “argued convincingly.”
To my mind, I wouldn’t think it smart to attempt to use the 2016 election to litigate this dispute. I also don’t think it’s particularly bright for people who support Donald Trump to continue to litigate the dispute between Trump and Khan. It would, in fact, seem to be best for Breitbart’s reporters to consider moving on from Khan’s speech at the Democratic National Convention and all of its attendant fallout, and instead undertake an substantial effort to explain how Trump’s policy preferences and political perspective will enable him improve the lives of ordinary Americans should he become president.
But then again, perhaps that’s not something they are capable of arguing convincingly.
The Huffington Post’s Akbar Shahid Ahmed contributed reporting.
The Huffington Post
~~~~~How I took the red pill and got on the Trump train
Degenerate Scumbag Blocked Unblock Follow Following Aug 22, 2017
Before the 2016 election, I wasn’t a Trump fan at all. I saw traits in him I considered negative — excessive ego, reckless undiplomatic speech. I thought he would be a disaster as President. I wasn’t a Hillary fan either, but considered her the safe choice. In my defence, I’m not from the US and wasn’t paying that much attention.
Then he won, and the backlash began. I started to pay more attention. And what did I see? Lies, lies and more lies. Hysterical screeching from brainwashed morons who believe these lies. A feedback loop of lying media, generating increased hysteria, producing ever more twisted, unjustifiable interpretations of his every word and action, producing more media lies. I’m utterly aghast at the complete inability of a large part of the population to think rationally and distinguish truth from baseless propaganda. Saturday in Boston was a brilliant showcase of how far this insidious cancer has spread. What the fuck has happened to the world when 40,000 sheep turn up to protest AGAINST FREE SPEECH and the terrible threat posed by 40 mild-mannered Conservatives? The world has gone mad.
While I was waking up to the extent of the truth deficit, I was also learning about the cause. Jordan Peterson was very informative about this. I always knew university professors tended to lean left, but I had no idea just how serious the problem was. It is no exaggeration to say that Western Society has been subject to widespread Marxist subversion. They took over academia long ago, the news media and the entertainment industry followed. They control 90% of the key methods of disseminating information. Marxist ideas have been dressed up in a cloak of liberal tolerance to make them acceptable to the masses. This cult of “Social Justice” has spread so far, it’s a wonder we’re not all communist already.
I think two things have saved us. Firstly, Western culture makes people resistant to the program. We have a long history of encouraging intellectual inquiry and rational thought. Marxist ideology does not stand up well to intelligent thought processes. Secondly, the internet. It’s taken power away from media corporations — anyone can put up a website to challenge the narrative. Its decentralised nature makes it nearly impossible to control information flow, but they’re trying their best. Despite its decentralised design, it has become frighteningly centralised around a few large corporations and the undercover Marxists have thoroughly infiltrated them.
So what has all this produced? A hugely divided society, riven by a polar divide between weak minded sheep who have allowed themselves to be brainwashed, and rational thinkers that resisted. The centre of political thought has shifted, and many people, myself included, who once considered themselves left of centre are now placed firmly in the right-wing camp. Criticising certain sacred tenets of the left is enough to earn that status.
The insane contradictions of leftist thought have been brought into focus over the past couple of years by their schitzophrenic attitude to Islam. Whilst claiming to want freedom and fairness for all, they embrace followers of an ideology so brutal it would suppress all the freedoms they claim to cherish. In certain European countries, this lunacy has become so entrenched that they opened their arms to welcome an influx of young Muslim men. The result? Whilst these governments are still congratulating themselves for their progressive credentials, they are simultaneously telling their women to dress modestly and avoid walking alone at night to deter rape. Where is the slut-walk to protest this?
The results of this influx will be felt decades into the future. Leftist policies had already sent native populations into deep decline, whereas Muslim populations breed prodigiously. When you look at the demographics, it becomes apparent that certain Western European countries may already be lost. Ironically, it’s the former communist ones that have proven most resistant to this Marxist-inflicted disease, because they know the bitter taste of living under it. If there’s going to be a third World War, it may look somewhat like the second — the Anglo-sphere allied with Russia and Eastern countries fighting over the future of Europe.
This is starting to look like a coordinated plot. Governments have been acting so far against their own citizen’s interests that it’s now reasonable to wonder if they are controlled by outside forces. But if so, who is using who? Are the Marxists using Islam to break down Western Culture? Is the Muslim Brotherhood using Marxist idiots to further its cause? Are they both being used by other forces to push a hidden agenda? I don’t have the answer, but I think investigating George Soros might turn something up.
So, back to Trump. Now I see that those traits that I criticized him for are essential at this moment in time. They are behind his refusal to be neutered and kowtow to a totally corrupt system. Donald Trump is key in keeping the entire Western world from surrendering to an Orwellian nightmare of Newspeak and Doublethink, with brutal repression of the individual to follow. Thank you, ordinary Americans, for electing him.Lag, Lockups, and Reboots: Things You Might Experience After Updating to XE16
Many People have already received the XE16 software update, and many others are patiently waiting for their device to update. The XE16 software update is pretty big, so bugs are expected. Here are some of the problems you might face after installing the XE16 software update.
Lag
Many people are reporting that Google Glass is laggy and isn’t as responsive as it used to be. Some cards are reading audio before they even show the card information and some take 10-20 seconds to load at times.
Lockups
Google Glass seems to lockup occasionally after the update. This problem coexists with the Reboot problem because usually when the device locks up, a reboot happens soon after.
Reboots
Some Explorers have been having problems with their device randomly rebooting at times. People aren’t doing anything odd on the device; it just reboots on its own.
Worse Battery Life
Google claimed that this update was supposed to improve battery life, but a few people are saying the opposite. Battery life has worsened for a few Explorers, which is not good considering the device already suffers in the battery life department.
Certain Languages Have Font Issues
Tavit Chaiyawan reported that he had lost the ability to read Thai and other languages after the update. Google Glass XE16 update seems to be having a few font issues as well.
Connection Problems
This problem has only been mentioned a couple of times. Some people are having a hard time keeping Google Glass connected to wifi and their phones.
iPhone App Not Working Correctly
After updating to XE16, some people have been experiencing a problem with the MyGlass app. The app is always checking the connection when Google Glass is connected.
Display Problems
Some Explorers have been experiencing a problem where the display dies after a 10-15 seconds and Explorers are forced to reboot to use the device again.
Not Calibrating
XE16 seems to be having trouble responding to wink, head tilt, and the touchpad. A few people have reported that it is difficult to calibrate the head sensor.
Random Phone Calls
Sometimes Google Glass will occasionally pop up a random phone call when it isn’t actually calling someone.
These are some of the problems you might face after updating your Google Glass to XE16. Many people have decided to factory reset their device after installing the update and that seems to fix the reboot issue and the lag. Like we said above, bugs and problems are expected, but hopefully Google will get them fixed quickly.
Have you experienced any problems after updating your device? Let us know in the comments section down below!This book encourages me to make my own doughnuts, or donuts--make them healthier and tastier than you find at your local chain grocery store. Out here near Portland, we have the famous Voodoo donuts. How can I measure up to that? After reading this book, I'm inspired to do just that, and even surpass them!
Okay, let's deal with the title first, get it out of the way. How can anyone claim "the best recipes" of anything? Just a promotional term, of course. But do these recipes come to being at least "really good?" The variety is nice--milk-glazed, jelly-filled, buttermilk, apple-cider glazed, almond glazed, cinnamon, salted caramel glazed chocolate, etc. Actually, the variety is almost endless--take a basic donut and add just about any other stuff to it.
As a writer myself, I give this suggestion to this author and others. Don't try to make your book longer by adding fluff. If I pick up a book on making donuts, I don't need to be told WHY I should do it. Or how making donuts at home will save me time and money. Just get to the recipes and the how-to's.
Speaking of how-to's, most donuts require the same recipe for most part. What are the basics? Cover those and you won't have to repeat the basics for each recipe. Also, explore more of the healthy versions of donuts--not using oil for deep frying, not using white flour at times, adding healthier fillings. The author does have a few healthier versions, such as making donuts in a bread-maker.
A good introduction and start to your culinary donut experience. Now where's that follow-up book--HOW TO LOSE THE FAT YOU GAINED FROM YOUR DONUTS? Cheers to all fellow donut lovers!LONDON, Ont. — For the second time in three years, a court has fined the owner of a west London house who crammed so many tenants into the modest abode, nine bedrooms weren’t enough — mattresses were found in closets and in the furnace room.
A numbered company that owns Food Island Supermarket at Wonderland Road and Oxford Street was fined $2,500 and placed on two years probation. A third strike and someone could end up in jail, said city bylaw chief Orest Katolyk.
"We’re dealing with a repeat offender (who put) people’s lives at risk," he said Friday. "The next step, we’re talking about more than the issuing of a fine."
The home at 1709 Beaverbrook Ave. is no stranger to controversy. Three years ago, its front door and banister were smeared with blood after one worker at Food Island was stabbed by another. An investigation of that house and another next door found at least 32 people living there. The owners of the two homes were fined $3,500.
Both owners were ordered to remove all but five bedrooms in each home, the most allowed in the residential neighbourhood, Katolyk said.
But though the owner of 1709 Beaverbrook made the required changes, neighbours later complained they saw drywall and other building material being brought in. When bylaw officers investigated, they found even more bedrooms than the last time.
"We were beyond the stage of issuing a warning," Katolyk said. "We went straight to charges."
The Free Press phoned the owner, Ontario corporation 1843450 and the call was picked up by an employee at Food Island, who then passed the phone to a manager at both the corporation and the store, Anh Luong.
"This issue has been taken care of," Luong told The Free Press. "We have a lawyer... I can’t tell you anything.... I don’t want to tell you anything about the company."
The director of the numbered corporation is listed as Xiaoxing Shi, Katolyk said. The Free Press asked to speak with him at Food Island but was unable to reach him.
Three years ago, then store manager Curtis Nguyen claimed all the employees were Canadian citizens or permanent residents even though the man accused in the stabbing was a Chinese national held then on an immigration warrant. Nguyen also claimed the store let out-of-town employees live in the two Beaverbrook houses, for free until they found apartments, and that most had their own rooms.
jsher@postmedia.comDuke will pay for cost of clean-up after spill coated 70 miles of the Dan river in North Carolina and Virginia
Federal environmental officials said Thursday that they have reached a deal with Duke Energy to clean up its mess from a massive coal ash spill into the Dan river.
The US Environmental Protection Agency announced it had finalized an enforceable agreement with the nation's largest electricity company over the February 2 accident. The spill coated 70 miles of the river in North Carolina and Virginia with toxic gray sludge.
EPA will oversee the cleanup in consultation with federal wildlife officials under provisions in the Superfund law. Duke will reimburse the federal government for its oversight costs, including those incurred in the emergency response to the spill.
"EPA will work with Duke Energy to ensure that cleanup at the site, and affected areas, is comprehensive based on sound scientific and ecological principles, complies with all Federal and State environmental standards, and moves as quickly as possible," said Heather McTeer Toney, the EPA Regional Administrator based in Atlanta. "Protection of public health and safety remains a primary concern, along with the long-term ecological health of the Dan River."
Duke has already begun vacuuming out three large deposits of ash found in the river, including a pocket that collected at the bottom of a dam in Danville, Va. The byproduct left behind when coal is burned to generate electricity, the ash contains numerous toxic substances, including arsenic, selenium, chromium, thallium, mercury and lead.
Separately, North Carolina lawmakers are debating a measure about what to do with Duke's 33 ash dumps at 14 power plants in North Carolina, which are located along rivers and lakes that cities and towns rely on for drinking water. State environmental officials say all of Duke's unlined waste pits, which contain more than 100 million tons of ash, are contaminating groundwater.
Environmental groups are calling for Duke to be forced to remove the ash to lined landfills licensed to handle hazardous waste. Duke has agreed to remove ash from four sites, including the plant on the Dan River. But it has asked state officials for flexibility to consider other options at the other 10 sites, including leaving the ash in place cover with plastic sheeting and a layer of soil.The devil can, indeed, be in the details. And in the case of brothers Scott and Steve Leader of Boston, the details are disturbing.
Massachusetts State Police arrested the brothers on Wednesday, alleging they urinated on and beat up a homeless man while he was sleeping outside a Boston subway station. The man suffered a broken nose and a large bruise across his torso. Police believe the Leaders targeted the man because he was Hispanic.
Scott Leader Credit: Suffolk County District Attorney
Steve Leader Credit: Suffolk County District Attorney
According to the police report, while in custody, Scott Leader told officers, “Donald Trump was right, all these illegals need to be deported.”
A state trooper also wrote that Scott Leader told police since the victim was Hispanic and homeless, it was all right to attack him.
Leader Brothers Arrest Report
Responding to the attack, Trump, who has ignited a storm of controversy due to his comments on undocumented immigrants, told the Boston Globe:
“It would be a shame…I will say that people who are following me are very passionate. They love this country and they want this country to be great again. They are passionate.”
Trump later softened his tone on Twitter, distancing himself from the attack:
Boston incident is terrible. We need energy and passion, but we must treat each other with respect. I would never condone violence. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 21, 2015
But supporters like the Leader brothers aren’t an exception. Some of those “passionate" backers supporting Trump also include a number of white supremacists.
Craig Cobb, a white supremacist who in 2013 failed to start a whites-only community in Leith, North Dakota, recently made an unsuccessful attempt to buy property in the North Dakota town of Antler, not far from the US-Canada border. According to Fargo’s WDAY-TV, Cobb wanted to name the town in honor of Trump – either “Trump Creativity” or “Creativity Trump.” The “Creativity” refers to the Creativity Movement, a racist religion that teaches the superiority of the white race.
The Southern Poverty Law Center has tracked a number of other white nationalists who have been throwing their support behind The Donald. They include:
Gregory Hood, a writer who penned an essay in support of Trump for the white nationalist blog Radix. Hood wrote:
Trump is worth supporting. He is worth supporting because we need a troll. We need someone who can expose the system that rules us as the malevolent and worthless entity it is. We need someone who can break open public debate. We need someone who can expose and heighten the contradictions within the system. And we need someone who can call out the press, the politicians, and the pseudo-intellectuals as the empty shells they are.
Brad Griffin, founder of the Occidental Dissent, a website that describes itself as "Pro-White, Pro-South, Pro-Indepdence." On Trump, Griffin recently wrote:
Donald Trump isn’t a conservative or a racialist by any stretch of the imagination, but he is a tornado that can inflict a lot of damage upon the two-party system.
Jared Taylor, considered one of the leading intellectual voices of the white nationalist movement, praised Trump's comments about Mexican immigrants in a video posted on the website of his American Renaissance journal:
Americans, real Americans have been dreaming of a candidate who says the obvious, that illegal immigrants from Mexico are a low-rent bunch that includes rapists and murders.
Richard Spencer, president of the National Policy Institute, a white nationalist think tank, called Trump's criticism of Senator John McCain's war heroism "revelatory:"
Trump is ‘divisive’ in that he forces his opponents and rivals to take sides. In this case, he demonstrated that the other GOP candidates are interchangeable cowards and conformists. As an added bonus, he associated them all with an unpopular failed presidential candidate and immigration enthusiast.
The White Genocide Project, a group whose mission is to raise awareness of the "genocide" of the white race, launched a White House peition demanding President Barack Obama to honor Trump for "opposing white genocide." The petition only gathered 243 signatures and was closed for not reaching the signature requirements.
The Daily Stormer, a Neo-Nazi news and commentary website, endorsed Trump for president, writing:
He is certainly going to be a positive influence on the Republican debates, as the modern Fox News Republican has basically accepted the idea that there is no going back from mass immigration, and Trump is willing to say what most Americans think: it’s time to deport these people. He is also willing to call them out as criminal rapists, murderers and drug dealers.
Mark Potok, a senior fellow at the Southern Poverty Law Center, says Trump's words and their potential consequences will get worse before it gets better.
"We have seen repeatedly how this kind of language leads to criminal violence," Potok says.
He adds that a figure of authority like Trump making such comments is akin to "permission giving" to supporters like the Leader brothers.
Among the crowd of about 20,000 who heard Trump late Friday in Mobile, Alabama, were those who wanted to shoot Mexican immigrants on sight. “Hopefully, he’s going to sit there and say, ‘When I become elected president, what we’re going to do is we’re going to make the border a vacation spot, it’s going to cost you $25 for a permit, and then you get $50 for every confirmed kill,’ ” Jim Sherota, 53, who works for a landscaping company, told the New York Times. “That’d be one nice thing.”
The Mexican government sent out a press release condemning the Boston beating. The Globe also reports that the Mexican government has pledged to assist the 58-year-old homeless man with consular protection and legal assistance.
Trump is also feeling the heat closer to home: from an undocumented immigrant who works in his New York hotel. Ricardo Aca, who came to the US from Mexico when he was 14, is using his photography to push back against Trump's description of Mexican immigrants as rapists and murders.
"It’s more about sending the message and telling my story," Aca says "which is the story of many other immigrants like me.”Recycled ocean trash sneakers might be the new Air Jordans.
German apparel giant Adidas has created a prototype for a sustainable new shoe made almost entirely from recycled garbage pulled from the ocean, the company announced on Monday. The upper shoe is made entirely of yarns and filaments reclaimed from illegal deep-sea gillnets and other ocean waste, while the base is made from sustainable cushioning material.
The new kicks are the first to come out of Adidas’ recent partnership with Parley for the Oceans, an organization that aims to end pollution of the world’s oceans.
“We are extremely proud that Adidas is joining us in this mission and is putting its creative force behind this partnership to show that it is possible to turn ocean plastic into something cool," Parley founder Cyrill Gutsch said.
Gathering the garbage to assemble the shoe was no easy feat. The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which collaborated on the project, retrieved the trash over the course of a 110-day expedition to track an illegal poaching vessel off the coast of West Africa. The green fishing nets collected during that voyage can be seen in the design of the upper shoe.
Sea Shepherd Conservation Society employees stand among the fishing nets collected on their 110-day expedition. The new Adidas shoe is made out of these very nets.
A spokeswoman for Adidas told The Huffington Post the shoe is not for sale, and she was unsure whether it would be in the near future. “This is not a plan, this is an action,” she said. “We did this to show what we are capable of doing when we all put our heads together.”The one constant in Lake Tahoe this season is snow. The City of South Lake Tahoe is responding to several community complaints and questions about how they have, and will be dealing with removing the snow:
1) Concern – City has rotary blowers sitting idle at the corporation yard.
A) The Picture that went viral of several blowers sitting idle was taken while all snow plow graders and loaders were working in zones removing the last round of storm snow. The Public Works snow removal operation is to plow roads first to maintain travel ways and then widen after storm abates. All six of the City’s rotary blowers have been in operation since Tuesday 1-24-17 and will continue to be in operation 24 hrs. a day until all roads are widened. There is one blower remaining at the yard which is a 1960’s era machine with a blown motor.
2) Concern – The Public Works Department is understaffed.
A) The Public Works Department currently has 26 employees within the snow removal field operations group. We are at the same capacity as we have been for many years. 22 of the 26 employees are full time City employees while 4 are seasonal. We have an opening in the Mechanics Division. We’ve completed the recruitment process and expect to have another full time employee this month. To address that, as well as to supplement our team, we contracted with two heavy-equipment companies to hire mechanics; they have been working nights and alongside our mechanics through the last series of storms.
3) Concern – The Snow Removal Operators are new and untrained.
A) About 2/3 of the 26 snowplow operators group have five or more years’ experience plowing for the City, some have much more experience and less than 1/3 are new this season. All employees go through route and equipment training in September and October and familiarize themselves with the patterns. Over the last seven years, some of our most experienced and professional operators retired, as was expected and is customary in business and public agencies. It is always such a loss to lose experienced personnel in any department. Now that most of our operators are fulltime, rather than part-time/seasonal, we expected to retain our current staff and attract new operators as needed.
4) Concern – The Snow Plow Drivers make $10/hr and receive no benefits therefore we get $10 worth of service.
A) Wages and benefits of our snowplow drivers are negotiated by their paid union representatives (Local 39). Currently, the base wage begins at $18.40 to $25.96 based on classification, which allows us to compete for drivers and not lose drivers to neighboring agencies. As stated above, 22 of the 26 employees are full time employees and receive full employee benefits and most of those employees are at the top of the pay scale. All employees receive overtime. Night shift receives a night shift differential. In big storms such as we’ve seen this January, these operators often receive many hours of overtime, holiday pay, paid time off, sick leave and other benefits; their pay can also be supplemented by advanced education and training and promotions.
5) Concern – Hire more people during these big storms.
A) The City has for many years hired “temporary” / seasonal drivers – hired them each fall, train and wait for storms. The Public Works Department implemented a reorganization plan converting most of our temporary/part-time positions to full time to provide a more consistent, stable workforce and develop long-term experienced drivers. Hiring “additional people” just prior to a storm or for “on-call, stand-by” service isn’t efficient and is quite difficult because all operators must have a valid commercial driver’s license, be drug and background tested and also must quickly become familiar with the snow plow patterns. Finding, hiring, training and putting valid commercial licensed operators on ‘stand-by’ in the Tahoe area is difficult if they are simply being told they “may be utilized for sporadic work when needed.” In addition, during heavy storms like we’ve had, the plowing is even more difficult because the roads, driveways, corners and intersections are hard to see. We do attempt to hire a few temporary “storm-to-storm” drivers in the fall to provide time to train. This year we have a few experienced snow plow drivers who are city retirees back in the seat helping out.
6) Concern – Berms.
A) First, we know how frustrating the berms are, we live here too, we have driveways too, we too hate those berms. We truly apologize for any large berms throughout this storm. The following is provided to explain how berms occur and the process: Each one of the City’s graders have a “gate” that is approximately 3’ long by 18” high that can be lowered when approaching driveways to minimize berms. Even when the gate is lowered, the snow often rolls right |
seats for those who stay up all night on the sidewalk. Nothing for those who have their local ticket outlet on speed dial. There's not even the cruelest of all ticket methods, the public lottery. Even the NCAA Final Four has a lottery. Even Super Bowl tickets are potentially available to fans of the competing teams. Heck, even the Masters has a public waiting list, even if it has been filled for 20 years. Tickets for the 12,000-seat Mandalay Bay Events Center were grabbed during a three-hour meeting last June between De La Hoya promoter Bob Arum and the eight hotels that have helped underwrite the event. The Las Vegas Hilton received 3,000. Mandalay Bay received 3,000. Steve Wynn's hotels received 1,500. Officials' comps numbered 1,500. Arum received the remaining 3,000, only 500 of which were contractually obligated to Trinidad promoter Don King. Which may explain why King keeps calling Arum on his cell phone. Which also may explain why Arum has stopped taking his calls. "I have never seen anything like this," Arum said. "We got into this meeting, and the cell phones start ringing from all around the table, and by the time the meeting ended, the fight was sold out!" Arum said he knew it would look bad. He stopped the hotel executives before they left the room. "I said, 'This bothers me, let's all take some of our own tickets and make a little lottery out of them,' " he said. "They wouldn't do it."
Arum realized the strength of their convictions when he returned to his office. There, on his desk, less than an hour after the meeting, was a check from one of the hotel owners for $1.6 million. "He wanted to make sure his tickets were guaranteed," Arum said. "In the beginning, I thought this would be the biggest non-heavyweight fight of all time. Now I think it may be the biggest fight, period." Amid some outcry, muted as it was by the slot machine's jingle, some of the hotels have started to blush. Now that their tickets have all been passed out to high rollers, of course. "We're very sensitive to the public and, in hindsight, we would consider doing something like the NCAA lottery," said Bill Doak, director of marketing for Mandalay Bay. The Final Four would be lucky to contain some of the athletic moves the absent tickets have caused. The fighters on Saturday's undercard will have to hustle out of the arena after their bouts. They don't have tickets. Bill Caplan, veteran Los Angeles publicist, has spent weeks touting the fight, yet he can't even plop down and watch it live. "I don't have a seat," Caplan said. "I will either kneel, stand or go back in the press room and watch it on TV." He won't be the only one in front of the tube. About a million pay-per-view buys are expected, making it the largest non-heavyweight event of that type in history. But nothing is quite like witnessing a major boxing match in the same room, sweating with the fighters as they take the ring, the air thick with smoke and anticipation. Nothing is quite like cheering for a punch while thousands of others cheer the same punch, thousands of hands thrusting through the air, witnessing sports at both its most gruesome and dramatic. Perhaps this is why that little boy who approached Arum on the sidewalk this week was crying. "He said he was a big fight fan, and just had to see Oscar's biggest fight," Arum said. "What could I do? I went back to my office and sold him one." Yeah, sold. The demand for tickets is so great, even during the brief moments when Arum has had any, he couldn't afford to give them away. For prices that range from $300 to $1,500, Arum has sold them even to the people who expect freebies. "Yeah, even the Hollywood stars are paying for their tickets for this one," Arum said. "That's how big this fight is." And for the usual last-minute guests?
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MORE:After Brock Osweiler led the Broncos over the Patriots should he remain the starting quarterback even if Peyton Manning gets healthy? (1:45)
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- With two NFL starts now on his résumé -- the first two in a career that has spanned almost four seasons -- Brock Osweiler already has launched a thousand nicknames.
The digital universe is awash in monikers for the Denver Broncos' 25-year-old quarterback, which include the Brocket Launcher, Kid Brock, the Wizard of Os and Brockalypse. He even has a Twitter hashtag: #ForThoseAbouttoBrockWeSaluteYou.
“I’ve seen some of them," said Broncos safety David Bruton Jr., who happens to be the longest-tenured Bronco on the roster. “They just started popping up, but we’ve seen Brock every day for four years, he isn’t new to us, he didn’t just arrive. We’ve seen him work, we’ve seen him practice, we’ve seen how he’s handled himself. None of this is a surprise to us."
Osweiler, who was the Broncos’ second-round pick in the 2012 draft, has made -- at least in the short term -- the transition from the Broncos’ quarterback of the future to the team’s quarterback. Peyton Manning's partially torn plantar fascia near his left heel has forced him out of the lineup.
After a 43-month stint as understudy, with just 54 regular-season pass attempts before this season, Osweiler has thrown for 250 and 270 yards in two wins. And it was the second win, in overtime Sunday night against Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots, that has suddenly put Osweiler in the spotlight.
"Think about it, he went against Tom Brady, who's going to the Hall of Fame and done everything, and we won," Bruton said. "He shook Brady's hand after the game as the guy who won."
“The No. 1 thing that's impressed me is I think he understands exactly what he needs to do for the team to be successful," Broncos coach Gary Kubiak said. “What I mean by that -- sometimes guys will get put in situations and they'll try to do too much. I think he understands he's on a good football team. If he'll just do his job, handle the ball well, handle the team well, then our football team will have a chance to be successful. I'm really impressed with how he's approached that."
Brock Osweiler's constant studying and preparation have allowed him to be confident while in charge of the Broncos' huddle. AP Photo/Jack Dempsey
Broncos executive vice president John Elway looked at the quarterbacks available in the 2012 draft as the No. 57 pick approached -- Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin III, Ryan Tannehill and Brandon Weeden already had been selected -- and took Osweiler. Elway liked the kid’s swagger and youth -- Osweiler was just 21 at the time. Elway liked Osweiler's tall frame; he is listed at 6-foot-8. He also saw the athleticism that prompted Gonzaga to offer Osweiler a basketball scholarship after his freshman season at Flathead High School in Kalispell, Montana. Perhaps most of all, Elway liked Osweiler’s attitude.
That attitude would be key, because the Broncos had signed Manning a few weeks before the 2012 draft. Manning was coming off a missed season after spinal fusion surgery. If he was able to come back, Manning would be the starter and Osweiler would spend time as the future Hall of Famer's backup.
But if Manning’s recovery didn’t go as planned, the Broncos believed Osweiler had the mental strength to learn on the job.
“I’ve always said Brock had to be both things," said former Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer, who, like Osweiler, played at Arizona State. “He had to be good enough to play right away and he had to be smart, patient, willing to learn and a hard worker, somebody they didn’t have to babysit, if he didn’t play because Peyton was playing. He had to be both. Some guys can't even be one of those, but he's been both and it's I why I've always been excited for him to get a chance to show what he can do."
That is what allowed Osweiler to emerged from a 43-month game-day hiatus and become the guy running a five-play, 83-yard touchdown drive in the final minutes of regulation against Belichick’s defense. It's why Kubiak trusted him to call the play on the game-winning 48-yard touchdown run in overtime by C.J. Anderson.
Osweiler has watched, learned and spent more time with Manning than any other player or coach currently in the Broncos' building. His team's general manager is also a Hall of Fame quarterback, a professional resource the well-mannered Osweiler still calls "Mr. Elway" in public.
“I really don’t know if people believe me," Osweiler said. “But I have really tried not to get involved in all of the what-if scenarios. I really just have tried to get a little better every day and make the most of a situation most guys don’t get. I have not wasted a single moment."
Before he made his first start against the Bears two weeks ago, Osweiler said he wanted "to keep my focus small" and that he “had prepared for a very long time for this moment."
“And you know where he came from, his parents drove to that game because their flight got cancelled [from Montana]," Bruton said. “So, they got in the car and drove all the way through to the game. You can see that in Brock, he just steps in there and gets it done. You can tell he's watched and learned from the best. He's ready for what's happening."
“He's just Brock, he's Brock, he's the Brock we know," Broncos linebacker Von Miller said. “Maybe everybody else didn't know him, but we did. We saw it every day and now he's just showing everybody else."The Legislature finally finished its session, and here is what we got:
$1.6 billion in cuts to our public schools and a $300 million increase for dubious, unaccountable voucher schools.
The repeal of the Healthy Youth Act mandating accurate, age-appropriate sex education.
A ban on private health insurers providing abortion coverage.
The rollback of the state's pay-equity law for women.
23,000 low-income Wisconsinites losing their health insurance under BadgerCare, including 2,900 children.
Here is what we didn't get:
Jobs.
During Gov. Scott Walker's first year in office, Wisconsin posted the single worst record in the nation for job losses.
While the nation as a whole gained jobs for 17 straight months, and our neighboring states all participated in the economic recovery, posting job gains, Wisconsin was one of only five states to lose jobs. The 12,500 jobs we lost made our record three times worse than the second-worst state on the list, Missouri.
So much for Walker's supposed focus on jobs, jobs, jobs.
Turns out the legislative session was all about sex, sex, sex. Well, that plus massive cuts to education.
There were a couple of bright spots. Some of the worst ideas concocted by the infamous American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) - which cooks up right-wing boilerplate bills for all the states - went nowhere. One of these would have created a statewide charter school district, draining resources from every public school district in the state and siphoning the cash to a company that provides online courses. Moderate Republicans in the Senate, empowered by the recalls of some of their right-wing colleagues, put the bill on the backburner, where it is still cooling.
Another lousy bill that withered due to lack of enthusiasm from moderates in the Senate was special needs vouchers. Parents of disabled children could get a voucher worth $13,500 - in exchange for giving up their right to a free, appropriate education. Florida, which pioneered the idea, was the subject of a scathing exposé in the Miami New Times, which reported on kids housed in strip malls, taught by unqualified 20-year-old teachers, paddled, and parked in front of blaxploitation flicks.
As Donna Pahuski, the mother of a disabled child, testified before the education committee: "Maybe if you live in Florida or Texas or Mississippi, and you are bringing up the rear, you might want to try something really risky," like the special needs voucher bill. "But not Wisconsin!"
You'd never know it from listening to the school choice lobby, but we still have one of the top public school systems in the nation.
Even as Walker was declaring Wisconsin "Open for Business," proposing his budget cuts and more than $500 million in new tax breaks for corporations as part of his plan to attract business to the state, Forward Wisconsin, a nonprofit corporation established to market Wisconsin's assets to corporate executives, was touting high-quality schools as one of our major selling points. Among the "statistics and facts about Wisconsin's great schools" the group promotes on its website:
Wisconsin ranks first in the nation for its percentage of teachers meeting the standard "highly qualified" under the revised Elementary and Secondary Education Act.
Wisconsin leads the nation in public high school graduation rates.
The state's public schools consistently rank in the top 10 for ACT, SAT and Advanced Placement scores, making Wisconsin one of the "eight smartest states."
Not only has Walker failed to attract jobs to Wisconsin, he has gutted one of our biggest assets.
Finally, there was that controversial mining law, drafted at the behest of a single out-of-state mining magnate, Bill Williams, CEO of Gogebic Taconite. Relaxing state environmental and public meetings laws, at the mining company's request, was supposedly going to land Wisconsinites a bunch of jobs.
But the price was too high for moderate Republican Sen. Dale Schultz and his Democratic colleague Sen. Bob Jauch, who voted against the bill. When they offered a compromise that would preserve environmental protections and public input, Walker and the Republican leadership refused to even entertain it.
Here is how Walker explained the no-compromise position to reporters in a conference call:
"Gov. Scott Walker said he spoke with the president of the mining company, Gogebic Taconite," Shawn Johnson, who was on the call, reported. "He says GTAC told him it felt it had already compromised enough and did not want to bend any more."
Speaking for the mining interest, Gov. Walker said, "The bottom line is, would they come to Wisconsin if we passed a bill? I believe the answer is yes. But it essentially would have to be either exactly that bill or something that made modest, modest technical changes to that."
As Sen. Jauch put it: "I thought the governor of the state of Wisconsin had the veto pen, not the owner of the Gogebic Taconite company."
Apparently not.
Same outcome, though. No jobs.
Ruth Conniff is the political editor of The Progressive.NOTE (Friday September 27th): Samsung has now said that the region-locking only applies at the time of initial activation, allowing the use of any SIM card after that.
I really thought the days of region-locking were dying with the DVD, but it seems I was wrong – Samsung has decided to revive the odious practice with its Galaxy Note 3 smartphone.
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Yes, if you buy an unlocked Note 3 in Europe and travel to, say, the U.S., you will not be able to use a local SIM card. The same applies the other way round. In other words, you will be forced to pay for your carrier’s outrageous roaming fees or go Wi-Fi-only.
This fact first came out in a Wednesday blog post by the British online retailer Clove. Samsung has confirmed to me that they are really doing this, and I’m waiting on a statement.
Here’s what Clove said:
“If you travel internationally (outside Europe) and usually insert a local SIM card when in those countries, the Note 3 will NOT be able to use the local network. It will lose all mobile connectivity with the exception of emergency calls. “For example, if you travel to the USA and insert a SIM card issued in the USA, you will not be able to use the Note 3 for any voice calls, text messages and mobile data connection. It will work via a WiFi connectivity only.”
Interestingly, Samsung Switzerland has been telling customers on Facebook (in German) that they can use non-European SIM cards in phones bought there. That directly contradicts what the stickers on the Note 3 boxes say, and what Samsung’s German PRs told me, but it’s worth mentioning.
My opinion on the matter, if expressed as I’m feeling it, would not be fit for a family-friendly publication such as this. The great advantage of the GSM telephony standard (the “G” stands for “global”, by the way) is that it puts power into the hands of the consumer. Unlike CDMA, it uses SIM cards, allowing users to easily swap carrier if needed (assuming of course that they have an unlocked phone).
Right now I can only guess that the carriers asked Samsung to region-lock its devices, so that customers will have to pay the crazy roaming rates of their home carriers while travelling in other parts of the world. But that’s speculation. Go on, Samsung, tell us why this is OK.
This post was updated at 5.50am PT to reflect the fact that this wasn’t just a European thing, as it first appeared to be, and at 6.40am PT to include a reference to Samsung Switzerland’s assurances to worried customers.Saskatchewan leads Canada’s provinces on The Conference Board of Canada’s first provincial food report card assessing the performance of their food systems and food sectors. Canada’s Food Report Card: Provincial Performance presents data and analysis on five categories: industry prosperity, healthy food and diets, food safety, household food security, and environmental sustainability.
Ottawa, May 18, 2017—Saskatchewan leads Canada’s provinces on The Conference Board of Canada’s first provincial food report card assessing the performance of their food systems and food sectors. Canada’s Food Report Card: Provincial Performance presents data and analysis on five categories: industry prosperity, healthy food and diets, food safety, household food security, and environmental sustainability.
Saskatchewan excels with “A” grades in four of five categories: food safety, industry prosperity, household food security, and environmental sustainability. Its only “B” grade is awarded on the healthy food and diets category. British Columbia is also among the top performers. It leads all provinces on healthy food and diets, and environmental sustainability, earning “A” marks on the two categories. Quebec, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario are middle-of-the-pack performers, while Atlantic provinces trail with the lowest grades.
Highlights
Saskatchewan is the best performing province on the food report card. British Columbia receives top marks on two categories: healthy food and diets and environmental sustainability.
Quebec, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario are middle-of-the-pack food performers.
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland trail with the lowest grades.
“As a developed nation, most Canadians enjoy access to foods that are safe, nutritious, affordable, and available to everyone, produced in ways that are environmentally sustainable,” said Jean-Charles Le Vallée, Associate Director, Centre for Food, The Conference Board of Canada. “The food report card highlights areas where the provinces are doing well, but more importantly points out areas where improvements are needed.”
Two Provinces Standout Performers on Healthy Food and Diets
British Columbia and Quebec lead when it comes to healthy food and diets, while Newfoundland and Labrador is the weakest provincial performer in this category. Newfoundland receives “D” grades for most of the indicators used to assess diet-related chronic diseases and health conditions. The province has the highest rates of type 2 diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure/diagnosed hypertension, and gastrointestinal disease prevalence. Many Canadians across all provinces consume more calories and sodium than they need, and do not eat enough fruits and vegetables, fish and shellfish. As a result, most provinces earn “D” grades on these four indicators. On a more positive note, Canadians across all provinces are consuming less than, or close to, the recommended limit for daily dietary energy intake from added sugar and saturated fat.
Four Provinces Get “A” Grades on Food Security
When it comes to household food security, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador receive overall “A” grades in this area. Most Canadians are food secure and have few problems accessing or affording food. However, for approximately 4 million Canadians food insecurity is an issue. In particular, single parents, Indigenous people and low-income households are among the most food insecure Canadians. Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan have the largest share of single parents with children experiencing moderate to severe food insecurity, while Prince Edward Island has the highest rate of child food insecurity. Food is also least affordable in P.E.I., where nearly 10 per cent of residents reported that they could not afford balanced meals or had run out of food, with no funds available to purchase more. The report card shows that households in British Columbia and Ontario are more vulnerable to food emergencies, while food bank usage was highest in Manitoba and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Two Prairie Provinces Top Performers on Food Safety
On the food safety category, Saskatchewan and Manitoba earn “A”s, while Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador receive “B”s. Meanwhile, P.E.I., New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia are the lowest ranking provinces with “D” grades. Some 4 million Canadians suffer from food-borne illnesses acquired within Canada every year. P.E.I. has the highest rate of food-borne illness incidences, while Quebec had the lowest number of food recalls per 100,000 population relative to its peers.
Only Two Provinces Earn “A”s on Environmental Sustainability
Looking at provinces’ performance relating to food environmental sustainability, only Saskatchewan and British Columbia earn overall “A”s for this category. At the other end of the spectrum are Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador with “D” grades. The Canadian food system wastes approximately 40 per cent of all food, equivalent to $31 billion annually. Meanwhile, Canadians throw out the equivalent of one or more grocery bags of food each week. New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, and Alberta had the highest levels of food waste among the provinces. Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec are the top performers in household organic waste diversion, while Alberta and New Brunswick lag the other provinces.
Saskatchewan only Province to Get an “A” on Industry Prosperity
Saskatchewan is Canada’s strongest provincial industry prosperity performer and is the only province to get an “A” in this category. It receives ten “A” grades and five “B” grades out of 17 industry prosperity metrics. Meanwhile, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador receive “D” grades. British Columbia also earns a “D” on industry prosperity and ranks last among the provinces. B.C. receives lower grades than most peer provinces for industry prosperity, in part due to the category’s greater focus on farming and agriculture. The province receives “D” grades for all but two farm-related metrics. All other provinces fall in the middle with “C” grades.
In all, 63 food performance metrics were used to evaluate the overall food performance of the provinces. Definitions for the indicators and the full report are available from our e-Library.
Canada’s Food Report Card: Provincial Performance was prepared for The Conference Board of Canada’s Canadian Food Observatory (CFO). The Observatory monitors progress on improving food performance, spurs the required changes, and encourages action to make the Canadian Food Strategy a reality.by BAR managing editor Bruce A. Dixon
The Sanders campaign named Cornel West, and 4 others to the Democratic party 2016 platform committee. But platform promises to Democratic voters have always been worthless. Bill Clinton's 1992 platform promised inner city job programs, reinvestment of military spending and much else. Obama's 2008 platform pledged relief to homeowners in the foreclosure crisis and more. The 2016 platform committee is a dead end for the "political revolution" leveraging the credibility of Brother West behind empty pledges neither the platform committee nor Democratic voters can enforce, promises which Hillary Clinton has no intention of keeping.
Seats on the 2016 Democratic Platform Committee Are a Dead End, NOT a "Political Revolution"
by BAR managing editor Bruce A. Dixon
Our friend and brother Cornel West has been named by Bernie Sanders to the Democratic Party's 2016 platform committee, along with four other picks. If this is all the millions “feeling the Bern” are gonna get they should feel burnt. Seats on the Dems platform committee have nothing to do with “a political revolution,” nothing at all.
The Democratic party platform is nothing but a list of promises, and while Democratic platform promises to one percent are generally honored, promises made to the 99% in Democratic party platforms are pretty much worthless.
Take the Democratic party platform of 1992, the year Bill Clinton was elected. It promised targeted jobs programs to reduce inner city unemployment, the building of affordable housing, funding of urban mass transit, measures to begin weaning the economy off fossil fuels. It promised a peace dividend, the investment of some of the former Cold War military budget into the civilian economy to create jobs and opportunities. It pledged new environmental protections and committed Democrats to rolling back carbon dioxide emissions to 1990 levels by 2000. Every bit of this was garbage. On the other hand, the one percent were promised the end of welfare, so that millions would be thrown out onto the low wage labor market, and NAFTA. Those were among the promises that were kept.
1992 wasn't a fluke. Here's a snatch from the 2008 Democratic party platform.
“We will provide immediate relief to working people who have lost their jobs, families who are in danger of losing their homes, and those who – no matter how hard they work – are seeing prices go up more than their income. We will invest in America again –in world-class public education, in our infrastructure, and in green technology –so that our economy can generate the good, high-paying jobs of the future. We will end the outrage of unaffordable, unavailable health care, protect Social Security, and help Americans save for retirement. And we will harness American ingenuity to free this nation from the tyranny of oil."
None of that ever happened either, in fact none of it was even tried.
Millions of families lost their homes to speculators, black families were stripped of about 90% of their wealth, speculators made tens and hundreds of billions, and banks were compensated for their losses. The so-called “unemployment rates” are worthless because they don't count tens of millions who are statistically invisible because they are no longer actively looking for employment that isn't there anyway. Labor force participation in the Obama era is at an all time low, with a few weeks of unemployment compensation for some classes of workers the entirety of the safety net for the jobless. Most new jobs generated by the economy are low wage no-benefit jobs.
The Affordable Care Act left 18 million disproportionately black still uninsured, while many who do have Obamacare find excessive co-pays and high deductibles make it prohibitively expensive to use. President Obama offered Republican leaders what he called a “grand bargain” in which social security raises would be limited and the Medicare eligibility age raised. Fortunately Republicans by that time had made a fetish out of non-cooperation with the First Black President, so it didn't happen.
As for freeing us from the tyranny of oil, the Obama White House covered up the extent of the DeepWater Horizon disaster, the second or third worst oil spill in history, lying to the public about its volume, deploying the US Navy, Coast Guard and local law enforcement to prevent coverage of the corporate crime from land, air or sea. The administration shielded the oil companies from paying the cost of their crime at every turn, and despite having majorities in both houses of Congress at the time, passed no new laws or executive regulation to prevent future catastrophes. To this day the Obama administration is still granting offshore permits for undersea drilling and even deep sea fracking in earthquake prone waters. What could go wrong?
Democratic party platform promises to the 99% are worth exactly nothing, except to campaign surrogates, whose job it is to make promises to gullible audiences the candidate herself would not. The platform committee's purpose is to leverage the credibility of people like Cornel West to make campaign promises Hillary Clinton has no intention of keeping, promises which Democratic voters are also powerless to enforce. Bernie Sanders gets to name 5 platform committee members, Hillary gets 6 and Debbie Wasserman Schultz names the other four. At best, West and the other four Bernie people will be able to insert a few of the traditional empty promises, which are in no way binding upon the next president, any more than previous platforms were binding on Democratic presidents.
Bernie Sanders talks a lot about the pernicious influence of corporate money in political processes as vital to his “political revolution.” If he were serious about keeping that issue alive and reforming the Democratic party Bernie would demand the dissolution of the DCCC, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. The DCCC exists soley for the purpose of extracting millions in contributions from the one percent and funneling those millions to carefully chosen Democratic congressional candidates who will serve the one percent. Back in 2006 Rahm Emanuel headed up the DCCC, in which capacity he recruited and funded every pro-war candidate he could find to run for Congress in Democratic primaries against the Democrats who opposed Bush's invasion of Iraq.
No talk about “capturing” the Democratic party from below, about running local and congressional candidates in future races who oppose the banksters, unjust war, mass incarceration and the like is serious if Bernie and his minions won't name and shame the corporate institutions which actually run the Democratic party while they still possess the national stage provided by Bernie's campaign. It's the DCCC that selects and bankrolls corporate Democrat stooges in primary congressional elections. Similar institutions controled by state legislative leaders in every state perform the same function in local and state elections.
Undoubtedly Brother Cornel and the rest will affirm some lofty principles and make the usual inspiring promises on the 2016 Dems platform committee. We've seen that commercial before. Hyping the selection of new and representative faces on the platform committee as part of some “political revolution” is nonsense. The Democratic party doesn't take orders from the platform committee, from voters or from small contributors. It takes orders from those who write the big checks. If you cannot or will not take aim at the big funders and their bag men inside the Democratic party, your “political revolution” is another empty promise.With Photo And A Joke, Neil Bush Becomes Internet Sensation In China
China's latest online sensation is a Bush, but perhaps surprisingly, it's neither the 41st or the 43rd President of the US. In fact, Neil Bush, the younger brother of 43 and the son of 41 has become an online sensation in China after posting a joke photo on China's version of twitter.
Neil Bush was virtually unknown in China a week ago, despite being co-chairman of Beijing-based real estate company, CIIC.
Enlarge this image toggle caption Weibo Weibo
He opened an account on China's vibrant micro-blogging platform, Weibo, back in August 2011 by introducing himself in Chinese, as "the unpolitical member of a very political American family."
Now his microblog has become a hot political topic inside China, after he posted a photo of himself wearing a Communist-style green cap with a red star. Slung across his chest is a bag emblazoned with Chairman Mao's slogan "Serve the People", and he's holding a mug featuring Chairman Mao.
The caption — accompanied by a chuckling face icon — reads, "I'm thinking of joining the Chinese Communist party. What do you think of my accessories?"
This picture has been forwarded almost ten thousand times, with more than five thousand comments posted, mostly sarcastic, which is not atypical on China's microblogs. Most of the comments have not been censored or deleted.
One user wrote, "To join our party, you need to know how to be corrupt and how to take bribes, how to rape young girls and how to cheat and hurt ordinary people. These are not things that ordinary people can do. Can you do that?"
Another offered to sponsor him in exchange for a Green Card, while one wit joked that he would only qualify if he absconded to the US with 200 million dollars, in a reference to a city party secretary, Wang Guoqiang, who fled to the US with his wife and reportedly millions of dollars.
The wealth of China's Communist party members has been much discussed on the internet, with bloggers joking that the legislative session in March should be rechristened Beijing Fashion Week due to the parade of luxury accessories on display. So several wags joked that Bush had noticed the CCP is becoming one of the world's richest political parties.
Another popular comment was that Bush's accessories don't make the grade: Today's basic Communist party gear, one netizen said, includes a Patek Philippe watch and a Hermes bag.
China's own political culture of brutal political campaigns and purges was also skewered, with one Internet user suggesting CCP membership would only be possible if Bush took part in Cultural-revolution-style "struggle sessions" criticising both the junior and the senior presidents in his family.
But others expressed concern about the tastefulness of the photo, drawing parallels to dressing up in Nazi-era uniform. But as one of the few Chinese media reports about this points out, the popularity of Bush's post has little to do with his own political pedigree.
Rather China's unruly online masses are using this as a platform to vent their anger at the Communist party.
(Louisa Lim is NPR's Beijing correspondent.)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.
Abraham Lincoln’s oft-cited quote that people “can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts and beer” may be apocryphal, but it rang true in Tel Aviv Monday night.
At the behest of the municipality, some 20 bars on Dizengoff street offered patrons a buy-one-get-one-free deal to encourage Israelis to get back to their routines in the aftermath of Friday’s deadly shooting attack.
“The terrorists want people to be afraid, so the weapon that citizens have against terrorism is to continue our daily lives,” said Anna, a 35-yearold Italian immigrant sipping a beer on Dizengoff square.Her friend Cosima had mixed feeling about whether or not the event was useful, but admitted that it had spurred her to leave the house.“I was conflicted, but it did cause me to think about coming out, and I invited all my friends,” she said.For bar-owners, many of whom have seen a drop in customers in the days following the attack, signing on was a no-brainer. But many said they were participating out of solidarity rather than a sense that the deal would help attract customers.“When they called I said it’s a nice idea, and we’ll do it of course. But I don’t think you need to tell people by force to go back to the street,” said Omri Rosengart, co-owner of the bar Concierge. “My opinion is that it sounds great, but I think that people need to decide for themselves.Beer Garden manager Idan Malul found the idea of fighting terrorism with drinking equally amusing and legitimate.“It is funny, but I think we are fighting: for our way of life, and not letting them win,” he said.When The Jerusalem Post asked patrons why they had turned out, many said they hadn’t heard about it.“We were going to drink anyway. But we’ll take a 1+1!” said Stacey Tohar, 25, an American tourist. Her friend, Ariella Raviv, however, expressed doubt that discounts would be the deciding factor for people still alarmed at the situation, especially with the shooter still at large.“If I were scared I wouldn’t come out for a 1+1,” she noted.Kerstin Hauser, a Swiss tourist, concurred. “It doesn’t matter for me. I’m not scared,” she said.Even if only a small swath of people turn out as a result of the event, the municipality said it was a useful method of changing the tone.“Definitely in a time of crisis we feel that we have a great role in making sure that life gets back to normal as soon as possible,” said Mira Marcus, the municipality’s international press director. “I think if tomorrow morning people wake up and see on their favorite news website a picture of people having a drink in the non-stop city and going back to their normal life, it will be very encouraging and reassuring.”Beyond good messaging however, some see the process of people returning to Tel Aviv’s nightlife as an important step for dealing with traumatic events.“After you sit and watch television and see terrorism and death, there’s a certain point when someone calls you and says, ‘Hey let’s go have a beer.’ I’d love to see people here today because this is our part, to show people a nice time and help them forget about it,” said Rosengart.
Join Jerusalem Post Premium Plus now for just $5 and upgrade your experience with an ads-free website and exclusive content. Click here>>Steamhawke 34 Posts
Assault and Battery – A Guide to Stalker DPS
Wildstar Version 1.0.8.6710
You’ve tried playing a ranged class, and it just didn't feel fair pelting your enemies from afar with bullets, imaginary birds, orbital strike cannons, and dubstep remixes. You started playing a melee class to “level the playing field”, but found the heavy armor, crazy damage output, and ridiculous mobility of a Warrior to be a bit over the top. You’ve always secretly wanted to be Wolverine/Batman/Predator all AT THE SAME TIME.
So you’ve rolled a Stalker.
Stalkers in Wildstar have much more in common with the Berserker archetype in D&D-based games, rather than a Rogue or Assassin. Though you possess the ability to stealth, you play much more of a finesse-oriented hit-and-run style game, using stealth for a brief boost in combat prowess, rather than a full disengage and escape. In PvP and PvE alike, the Stalker spends much more time weaving in and out of combat while visible, rather than bursting, vanishing, and repeating. |
air this spring. Network president promises show will air this spring.
Is Season 5 of Person of Interest the final year for the show?
Just the other day, J.J. Abrams, one of the show's executive producers, said he "guesses" this is it for the series, which received a truncated 13-episode renewal and still has no premiere date.
However, when asked today at the TCA (Television Critics Association) press tour if he could confirm the status of both Mike and Molly and Person of Interest, CBS president Glenn Geller definitively said Mike and Molly was over, while simply saying, "I don't know," on Person of Interest, noting, "It hasn't aired yet."
Exit Theatre Mode
But when will it air? Said Geller, “Person of interest, we ordered 13 episodes. We hope to get them on this spring. Greg [Plageman] and Jonah [Nolan] have planned a terrific season. I can’t wait for fans of the show to see it. It’ll be a real treat for viewers.”
The “we hope” in his statement certainly seemed to imply the show could be held for summer, but when I asked Geller for a follow-up, he clarified, “We will air Person of Interest this spring,” saying it would not debut in the summer.
Person of Interest: Sarah Shahi and Amy Acker Season 5 Interview - NYCC 2015 > <
... Exit Theatre Mode
Abrams revealed that the Season 5 finale was written as a series finale, and Geller said, “I think it could function as both a season or series finale. I think the fans will be very satisfied. Greg and Jonah have made, once again, a very compelling season arc. [There are] big, big surprises this season, but it will air this spring.”If feasibility and certainty were the litmus tests for world changing ideas, there would never be any.
I am what many would consider a successful entrepreneur, and like most successful entrepreneurs, I am not done. I have that need, desire, drive, urge, maybe even frustration -- call it what you want; it is always there. It is the feeling that there is always something else out there for me to do. My work is not done here and there are new dimensions in my entrepreneurial existence waiting to be explored. I tend to surround myself with people who feel the same way. Price Givens, a long-time business partner and friend is one of them. For over half of our lives, we have celebrated each other's successes, supported each other in times of failure, and above all, pushed each other to put our ideas (some would say hallucinations) into action.
Many have been surprised that we have chosen to explore, make a significant investment in, and launch just such a hallucination into a reality that centers on Bitcoin.
Yes, Bitcoin.
The two of us have been fascinated with Bitcoin for years. Like many, we have both invested in the currency, and like many, we have both done well -- but just being an owner was not enough for either of us. The two of us are fascinated by the implications of what Bitcoin is and what it may become. To a life long opportunity seeker and dreamer, the effect that a payment system that is capable of acting as an instantaneous-universal-trading-mechanism may have is overwhelming, exciting and can be argued will change the world. Many would argue it already has.
Is Bitcoin Really "There" Yet?
The arguments are varied from: Yes, it is everything it needs to be; to no, it is simply a pyramid or Ponzi scheme and it will eventually be exposed then disappear. It is difficult to say exactly where it is today since it is a technology that is evolving, however, it has and will continue to shift the world paradigm on value, transaction costs and wealth transfer. It also will become an incredibly powerful mechanism for commerce that has and will continue to open doors and opportunities previously thought impossible.
I find it interesting that any new idea or concept, specifically those that challenge the status quo in a profound way (like Bitcoin) are held to standards that the idea or concept occupying the status quo could never meet. The world is resistant to change, skeptical and critical of new ideas and in some ways it is difficult to understand how change is ever created.
Lets be honest: If feasibility was the litmus test for any world-changing entrepreneurial idea, most would be discarded before they began.
In 2004, a niche website company was formed to allow people to connect with each other online. Limited at first to just Harvard students, Facebook expanded to include other Boston-area colleges then over time to include anyone. The site was and has been called a passing fad, a diversion, or just a place for people to pass the time. It has also been called invasive and dangerous. Facebook's critics have been and continue to be relentless and I will admit that, at one point, I was critical of the IPO valuation however today Facebook has solidified itself not as a platform, website or app but as a part of our lives. It is not uncommon for someone to refer you to Facebook, rather than repeat themselves, for the latest news about their lives.
For perspective, the company value created by this "fad" in just 10 short years exceeds that of many established companies. In fact the Gap, Campbell's Soup, Harley Davidson and Best Buy are all valued at less than not just Facebook but What's App -- the 50-person company Facebook just purchased for $19 Billion. Facebook today has a value higher than icons like McDonalds, Home Depot and Intel.
Bitcoin has been called a fad by some of the same people who ascribed this label to Facebook. Perhaps, this is actually confirmation that there is more here. I am inclined to think there is.
A few years ago, I was waiting in a Fox News green room before a live appearance with another contributor also waiting for his live spot. As with most green rooms, the live show was playing so we could both see and hear what was going on. A small start-up car manufacture, Tesla, was mentioned on the live broadcast as we watched. His response startled me. "Those idiots are out of business and they don't even know it!" he said more to the screen than to me. "No one will buy an electric car that takes hours to charge and there is no way anyone will pay more than they would for a golf Cart!"
What Elon Musk and his team have done is nothing short of awe-inspiring and the show continues as they rack up awards and recognition like the rating they received from consumer reports as the safest car they had ever tested. The Model S actually caused one of the testing machines to fail before the car did.
On average, there are 17 car fires in the U.S. every hour. The last time I thought about a car fire was about seven years ago when I drove by a car that was engulfed in flames. Recently, there has been a tremendous amount of interest in a few car fires, four Teslas, all in collisions, have been lost to fires. All the occupants survived yet there is now an investigation into the safety of the Model S. Of course, there is. It may change everything so it has to live up to a higher standard than the status quo are we to believe that a Tesla should not only be the structurally safest vehicle in history, it should also be fireproof?
Bitcoin has had its share of controversy recently as well. Not the least of which is the failure of one of the largest exchanges in the world with losses in excess of $400,000,000. This is terrible and a huge financial blow to it's clients and to the Bitcoin community. Some have signaled this is the definitive end to this experiment and Bitcoin will surely fizzle away.
From 2008 to 2011, in the United States alone, there were 665 bank failures with assets in excess of $669,035,000,000. The losses due to these failures is estimated to be somewhere around $40 billion. Yes, there have been those who have said these endemic failures would be the end of the U.S. banking system, yet really to no one's surprise, U.S. banking is alive and well. We have not heard about bank failures in the media because they have become so commonplace. They are no longer newsworthy, but they have not stopped. This year (yes, 2014) there have been five failures (so far) with losses over $90 million, or about double the Gox losses. The majority of these depositor losses will be covered by FDIC insurance that was put in place in 1934 during the great depression to reassure consumers that the US banking system was safe.
No such safety net existed for Gox exchange users; however, who is to say that one will not be created and put in place?
Bitcoin has been criticized for it vulnerabilities and lack of universal fail proof security. Is this really the standard that financial instruments should be held to?
Recently, a sophisticated data theft at Target exposed the financial data of 40 million patrons and the personal information of up to 70 million. The collective losses that will be caused by this theft are estimated to be anywhere from over one billion to several billion dollars. While Target, and the associated companies affected by this loss, will experience significant costs and consumer have experienced significant inconvenience and some losses not one credible organization has decried the end of Target, debit cards, electronic payments or retail shopping.
What critics of Tesla, Facebook, the U.S. banking system, Target and Bitcoin have failed to recognize is that in each represents more than just a car, website, a financial system or an alternative payment method. In each case, there are not just customers; there is a community.
Tesla presold cars that had never existed before with 100 percent down payments and wait times that were simply unreasonable some said embarrassing. Facebook is a complex site with hundreds of thousands of user options and over a billion users however there is not customer service department one can call. The U.S. banking system is not just a set of financial institutions but also a representation of the confidence and belief in the United States itself. And Target has a community of 22 million plus on Facebook I will stop here lest my references become all together circular.
Bitcoin has quietly done something that international corporations, government agencies and educational institutions around the world strive to do daily. It has created a passionate, dedicated community. In the case of Bitcoin this is not just any community, Bitcoin has attracted the fascination and efforts of many of the most brilliant minds in the world who see this not as just a currency but a way to make the world better, more accessible and more connected one person at a time.
This new paradigm created by Bitcoin where currency, capitalism and community intersect has the potential to be far more powerful than what any of it's critics have the vision to recognize.
Communities have the capacity to drive adoption, create value and increase usage in a way that most don't understand.
Our investment is not only in Bitcoin, a payment system or a new financial paradigm. It is an investment in and a ratification of our belief in this fledgling community that has already changed far more paradigms than most will ever understand. It is our confirmation that we believe in the power of individuals to connect with each other and shift what we know of our world in comparatively no time when examined in historical perspective. It is our public confirmation that we are passionate capitalists who have glimpsed just a sliver of what Bitcoin will do to empower capitalists around the world.
Bitcoinwallet.com is our contribution to this passionate community and through the technology and ease of use we have created, our submission to the community at large that we may solidify our approval and inclusion.
Was this investment a speculation? Absolutely. As entrepreneurs, it is our role to seek opportunity, speculate as to how we can contribute and profit and take action.
We have.
--Tweets and analysis below
Vishy wins! Powerful opening,precise calculation, good technique,excellent time management. He played,dare I say it, like a World Champion. — Jonathan Rowson (@Jonathan_Rowson) November 11, 2014
There is a lot being made of Anand's prep, but you still have the knowledge to play the correct moves at the board. #carlsenanand #c24live — Daaim Shabazz (@thechessdrum) November 11, 2014
28...Ba5 may not have been best, but this game was not decided there but in home preparation. Black never got into the game. #CarlsenAnand — Lars Bo Hansen (@GMLars) November 11, 2014
31...e5 32 Bxe5 No chance to save this. #CarlsenAnand @anandcarlsen14 — Susan Polgar (@SusanPolgar) November 11, 2014
For the 1st time, I feel that Anand will win this game. Magnus will not be able to hold this #CarlsenAnand @anandcarlsen14 — Susan Polgar (@SusanPolgar) November 11, 2014
Ba5 is a bad move by Magnus. Qa6 and it is close to winning for Anand #CarlsenAnand @anandcarlsen14 — Susan Polgar (@SusanPolgar) November 11, 2014
Carlsen has 10 minutes left for 13 moves. He's not in time trouble often. How will he deal with it, under this pressure? #CarlsenAnand — ChessVibes (@ChessVibes) November 11, 2014
I like white's position but i like the time situation even more!#govishy #CarlsenAnand — Abhijeet Gupta (@iam_abhijeet) November 11, 2014
Magnus is very clever. He is making Anand calculate this out. He is making it complicated for his opponent #CarlsenAnand @anandcarlsen14 — Susan Polgar (@SusanPolgar) November 11, 2014
A very neat resource! Black wants to improve the Bishop and to control a5 to be able to play...Ra5 at some point. #CarlsenAnand — Yelena Dembo (@yelenadembo) November 11, 2014
Hmmm... Bg3,not even considering Be5.. Idea on Bb4 to play Qxb4-Qxc6-Qe7! and g5 is hanging... #CarlsenAnand — Teymur Rajabov (@rajachess) November 11, 2014
Looks like White has a rather large plus already, his pieces are very active and the a-pawn doesn't anywhere right now. #CarlsenAnand — Yelena Dembo (@yelenadembo) November 11, 2014
After...Rc8, Rc6 looks right to me. Then Black needs a creative answer to slow burning threat of Rfc1, Qa6 and Rc6-b6-b8. #CarlsenAnand — Jonathan Rowson (@Jonathan_Rowson) November 11, 2014
You don't score points for possession. The ball has to go in the back of the net #CarlsenAnand — Nigel Short (@nigelshortchess) November 11, 2014
0-0 is not bad in general,is just bad compared to Qa6 I think! #CarlsenAnand — Teymur Rajabov (@rajachess) November 11, 2014
If Carlsen escapes this, maybe there is something to Korchnoi's theory that the Norwegian is hypnotizing his opponents. #CarlsenAnand — Tarjei J. Svensen (@TarjeiJS) November 11, 2014
Qa6 is such an easy move with engines running 😀 in my opinion 0-0 is more human #CarlsenAnand — Harikrishna (@HariChess) November 11, 2014
Anand got cold feet and chose a safer line with 0-0 #CarlsenAnand @anandcarlsen14 — Susan Polgar (@SusanPolgar) November 11, 2014
If (emphasis on IF) @vishy64theking can avoid another blunder, he evens the match after today's game. His advantage is clear. #CarlsenAnand — Art Smart (@Art_Smart) November 11, 2014
Anand looks to be seriously better but this is an unholy mess of a position. Game 3 #CarlsenAnand — devangshudatta (@devangshudatta) November 11, 2014
This actually why I have never touched this line as Black. I prefer to lose in different ways #CarlsenAnand — Nigel Short (@nigelshortchess) November 11, 2014
My sense, after watching last hour of World Chess Championship, I have no idea what #CarlsenAnand are thinking. Ever — Warren Leight (@warrenleightTV) November 11, 2014
There is something wonderful about following #CarlsenAnand even if you are not a strong chess player. (tension, drama, waiting) — Hernan Bruno (@HernanBruno1975) November 11, 2014
White's advantage in part consists of the fact that his bishop (which protects c7) is far more active #CarlsenAnand — Nigel Short (@nigelshortchess) November 11, 2014
He will castle next, then Rf2-h3-Qx one of the pawns, blockade them and see what is going on.Easy to play with white #CarlsenAnand — Teymur Rajabov (@rajachess) November 11, 2014
Let's be clear. Both sides know this line. But it seems that Anand remembers it better & Magnus has to recall what he knows #CarlsenAnand — Susan Polgar (@SusanPolgar) November 11, 2014
The reason I said this is the best Anand got is because Magnus usually stays away from sharp theorical battles -> favor Anand #CarlsenAnand — Susan Polgar (@SusanPolgar) November 11, 2014
Anand could not have asked for a better chance. This is super sharp. 1 mistake by either side and it's over #CarlsenAnand @anandcarlsen14 — Susan Polgar (@SusanPolgar) November 11, 2014
GM Agdestein after 18...Nxe4: "Just a tiny error in this position can be fatal for either." #CarlsenAnand #vgsjakk — Tarjei J. Svensen (@TarjeiJS) November 11, 2014
After Nxe4 now, black has to take with the pawn on e4, otherwise after Nxe4 f3 he has to solve hard problems.#CarlsenAnand — Teymur Rajabov (@rajachess) November 11, 2014
17...Ndf6 played - so now we'll see what Anand's idea is - still following Aronian-Adams. #CarlsenAnand — Thomas Rendle (@TERendle) November 11, 2014
Only 20 minutes into the game and hearts racing already! #CarlsenAnand — Mym (@MymCassiopee) November 11, 2014
I hope Vishy has a good novelty in mind because neither the engines nor past experience suggest Black has problems here #CarlsenAnand — Nigel Short (@nigelshortchess) November 11, 2014
15...a4 Interesting that both teams feel that this position is good for them. We'll see which team did a better job preparing for this game — Susan Polgar (@SusanPolgar) November 11, 2014
Everyone is saying this is a solid line for Black. But.... isn't that a white pawn on c7? #CarlsenAnand — Fabiano Caruana (@FabianoCaruana) November 11, 2014
I guess you all want some witty explanations about what is going on. I have no idea. Heavy theory, that's all #CarlsenAnand — Nigel Short (@nigelshortchess) November 11, 2014
Vishy is going for a sharp line instead of playing more positionally #CarlsenAnand — Susan Polgar (@SusanPolgar) November 11, 2014
#CarlsenAnand Anand is playing my favorite opening lines with d4 today. It's very aggressive.... — Ravi Shekhar Ojha (@RaviShekharOjha) November 11, 2014
Black wants to apply pressure on the queenside with ideas like...Qc8 and perhaps doubling on the a-file in the future #CarlsenAnand — Yelena Dembo (@yelenadembo) November 11, 2014
Preview
Game three could be a pivotal game for Viswanathan Anand. His win-less streak against Carlsen is now at 12 games in this format and he has lost four of the last eight games going back to their 2013 world championship match in which Carlsen beat Anand in 10 games.
Anand needs a win, or at least a superior position that puts Carlsen under pressure, to create some doubt in the mind of the 23-year-old champion. Anand's body language after the second game suggested that he is currently downbeat, especially since the openings in both games left the players with an even position.
But it is precisely those sorts of positions that Carlsen exploits so ruthlessly.
"Watching Game 2, I was irresistibly reminded of two rules or rather, two heuristics, both of which I learnt some 40 years ago," Devangshu Datta writes on his blog. "Magnus Carlsen broke one of those rules and Viswanathan Anand broke the other. The result was a one-sided classic. Carlsen demonstrated yet again, how he can squeeze effortless victories out of a seemingly dull, dry simple position."
Meanwhile Firstpost sports editor Ashish Magotra thinks Carlsen is in Anand's head, which was the case in Chennai too.
"Carlsen is in his prime. Anand knows that but he is perhaps allowing himself to over-think the situation. If the 44-year-old India can reproduce the form he displayed at the Candidates, then he would be fine.
"But right now, he isn't playing chess... he is playing Magnus -- an incomparable genius who, in Anand's mind, doesn't make any mistakes."
Firstpost is now on WhatsApp. For the latest analysis, commentary and news updates, sign up for our WhatsApp services. Just go to Firstpost.com/Whatsapp and hit the Subscribe button.Using the latest in genetic diagnostic testing, doctors at UCLA determined that Vianna Gevorkyan, here with her mother, Audrey, had a mutation previously seen in only one other child.
A new UCLA program offers hope and potential answers for people who have undergone extensive medical testing that has failed to identify their illness.
“Undiagnosed diseases take a huge toll on patients, their families and the health care system,” said Dr. Katrina Dipple, who is a co-principal investigator of the program along with fellow UCLA geneticists Dr. Stanley Nelson, Dr. Christina Palmer and Dr. Eric Vilain. “The lack of a clear diagnosis can prevent patients from obtaining the correct care for their condition. Our goal is to quickly give patients a firm diagnosis and clarify the best way to treat them.”
The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA was one of six U.S. institutions chosen last year by the National Institutes of Health to help launch a $43 million initiative called the Undiagnosed Diseases Network. The NIH created the network to tackle the most difficult-to-solve medical cases and develop new ways to diagnose rare disorders. UCLA is accepting online applications for its program as of today.
People enrolled in the program will undergo an intensive weeklong assessment featuring a clinical evaluation, consultations with specialists and multiple medical tests, including DNA sequencing to uncover genetic mutations. The UCLA team will also evaluate the impact of genetic counseling and genomic test results on patients and families to develop best practices for conveying this information.
“A vast number of children and adults suffer from severe, often fatal undiagnosed disorders,” said Vilain. “This program is for patients who’ve been through the diagnostic ringer yet still received no information. We hope to discover new genes causing ultra-rare medical conditions and to identify environmental factors that lead to disease or interact with genes to cause disease.”
A $7.2 million grant that UCLA received from the NIH last year will minimize the cost of patients’ diagnostic testing.
To qualify, patients must be at least 1 month old and able to travel. They must be suffering from a disease that remains undiagnosed despite extensive medical evaluation. The online application, which is open to the public, requires a letter from the patient’s physician explaining the case. The physician may also apply on a patient’s behalf.
The breadth of the national program will enable researchers to share data with one other, boosting the likelihood of discovering multiple people with the same rare disorder.
“That’s the beauty of the network,” said Dipple. “By expanding the study population, we increase our chances of finding patients with the same disease and determining whether a single DNA change indeed caused their rare disorder.”
The Undiagnosed Diseases Network capitalizes on the strengths of UCLA’s genetic medicine program. The university’s Medical Genetics Clinic evaluates more than 750 new patients per year with state-of-the-art diagnostic testing that has uncovered multiple new disease-causing genes.
Patient evaluation will take place on the UCLA campus at the Clinical Translational Research Center of the Clinical and Translational Science Institute.The work we do these days on F* is often in service of Project Everest. The goal of Everest is to verify and deploy a drop-in replacement for the HTTPS stack, the protocol using which you are probably reading this page, securely (hopefully). So far, we’ve been focusing most of our efforts in Everest on TLS, the protocol at the heart of HTTPS.
Right now, I’m stuck in the Eurostar back from our week-long meeting in Cambridge, UK, so it feels like a good time to write down some thoughts about KreMLin, a new compiler backend that we’re using in Everest, that several of us have been working on over the summer, at MSR and INRIA.
As a reminder, Everest sets out to verify and deploy secure cryptographic protocols, starting with TLS 1.3. Deploy is the salient part: in order to see people adopt our code, we not only need to write and prove our TLS library, but also to
make sure it delivers a level of performance acceptable for browser vendors, and
package it in a form that’s palatable for a hardcode Windows developer that started writing C before I was born.
A TLS library can, roughly speaking, be broken down into two parts: the protocol layer that performs the handshake (“libssl”) and the cryptographic layer that actually encrypts the data to be transmitted (“libcrypto”). The handshake connects to the server, says hi, agrees on which algorithms to use, and agrees on some cryptographic parameters. Once parameters have been setup, the cryptographic layer is responsible for encrypting the stream of data.
Experience shows that the performance of a TLS library most often boils down to the performance of the underlying cryptography. The handshake is network-bound, but when transmitting a big file, encryption needs to be fast. This means that for Everest, we need super efficient cryptography. Fortunately, many smart people have spent a lot of time and energy writing super-neat C implementations that squeeze the last bit of performance out of your compiler. However, we wish to write and verify our programs in F*, not C.
This is where KreMLin comes in. The workflow is as follows: one takes a neatly optimized cryptographic routine, then translates it into F* syntax (“shallow embedding”); using KreMLin, one extracts it back to C, but gets a verified version that pretty much looks like the original. For instance, here’s a bit of F* that implements the main entry point of Chacha20.
let rec counter_mode key iv counter len plaintext ciphertext = if len =^ 0ul then () else if len <^ blocklen then (* encrypt final partial block *) begin let cipher = sub ciphertext 0ul len in let plain = sub plaintext 0ul len in prf cipher key iv counter len; xor_bytes_inplace cipher plain len end else (* encrypt full block *) begin let cipher = sub ciphertext 0ul blocklen in let plain = sub plaintext 0ul blocklen in prf cipher key iv counter blocklen; xor_bytes_inplace cipher plain blocklen; let len = len -^ blocklen in let ciphertext = sub ciphertext blocklen len in let plaintext = sub plaintext blocklen len in counter_mode key iv (counter +^ 1ul) len plaintext ciphertext end
One goes great lengths to prove the following properties of this piece of F* code.
Memory safety. We model stack allocation in F* using a new Stack effect; one may only allocate local mutable variables, or buffers on the stack. Every buffer operation needs to prove that the buffer is still live, and that the index is within bounds. For instance, in the code above, the calls to sub take a pointer into one of these buffers, and verification happens behind the scenes.
We model stack allocation in F* using a new effect; one may only allocate local mutable variables, or buffers on the stack. Every buffer operation needs to prove that the buffer is still live, and that the index is within bounds. For instance, in the code above, the calls to take a pointer into one of these buffers, and verification happens behind the scenes. Functional correctness. We have written in this style a bignum library, some elliptic curve operations, stream ciphers and mac algorithms, as well as an AEAD construction. For the math part, for instance, the optimized curve operations are shown to implement the correct mathematical operations.
We have written in this style a bignum library, some elliptic curve operations, stream ciphers and mac algorithms, as well as an AEAD construction. For the math part, for instance, the optimized curve operations are shown to implement the correct mathematical operations. Cryptographic properties. By using a technique called “idealization”, one can prove two versions of the same code: one that relies on cryptographic assumptions, such as “this function can be replaced by a function that returns random bytes”; and one that actually uses real cryptography instead of Random.bytes(). The code branches on an ideal boolean; for cryptographic proof purposes, we consider the ideal case; for extraction purposes, we only consider the other, “real” case.
F* already performs erasure and extraction for its OCaml backend; the tool I wrote, KreMLin, takes it from there and performs further rewritings and transformations so that the code ends up in a limited, first-order, monomorphic subset of F* called Low*. If code falls within the Low* subset, then KreMLin knows how to translate it to C. Here’s what comes out of the tool after extraction:
void Crypto_Symmetric_Chacha20_counter_mode( uint8_t *key, uint8_t *iv, uint32_t counter, uint32_t len, uint8_t *plaintext, uint8_t *ciphertext ) { if (len == UINT32_C(0)) { } else if (len < Crypto_Symmetric_Chacha20_blocklen) { uint8_t *cipher = ciphertext + UINT32_C(0); uint8_t *plain = plaintext + UINT32_C(0); Crypto_Symmetric_Chacha20_prf(cipher, key, iv, counter, len); Buffer_Utils_xor_bytes_inplace(cipher, plain, len); } else { uint8_t *cipher = ciphertext + UINT32_C(0); uint8_t *plain = plaintext + UINT32_C(0); Crypto_Symmetric_Chacha20_prf(cipher, key, iv, counter, Crypto_Symmetric_Chacha20_blocklen); Buffer_Utils_xor_bytes_inplace(cipher, plain, Crypto_Symmetric_Chacha20_blocklen); uint32_t len0 = len - Crypto_Symmetric_Chacha20_blocklen; uint8_t *ciphertext0 = ciphertext + Crypto_Symmetric_Chacha20_blocklen; uint8_t *plaintext0 = plaintext + Crypto_Symmetric_Chacha20_blocklen; Crypto_Symmetric_Chacha20_counter_mode(key, iv, counter + UINT32_C(1), len0, plaintext0, ciphertext0); } }
One can see that the tool goes great length to generate beautiful C: names and control-flow are preserved, and everything is pretty-printed. This is to tackle the second concern I mentioned initially: there is no hope of getting a browser vendor to integrate code written in F*, which would be considered in that setting “not a real language”. In constract, by offering an extracted C version of our library, we have reasonable hope that reviewers can skim the code, convince themselves that it’s legit, and take us a little bit more seriously.
We worked out a simulation between Low* and a simplified version of C we dubbed “C*”; this grounds our translation in some theoretical basis. The simulation covers trace preservation: if the program does not have side channels in the first place, then the translation from Low* to C* does not introduce any new side channels. The tool is unverified; we plan to extend the formalism to cover more of the transformations performed by the tool; in the long run, I would like to write KreMLin in F* and certify it, but that seems non-trivial.
We have adopted that style for an entire body of cryptographic code (> 10,000 lines of F*, including whitespace and comments), and obtain competitive performance. Right now, the tool and formalism deal with one specific flavor of code that performs stack-based allocation only. However, we are extending it right now to deal with other patterns of allocation, such as allocation on the heap.
KreMLin is currently written in OCaml; I re-used a fair number of tricks from my earlier Mezzo project to make writing transformation passes on the internal AST easier. These including monomorphization, inlining, hoisting and rewritings to go from an expression language to a statement language, and some tricks to go from the ML scoping rules to the C ones.
KreMLin is open-source; we have an ML’16 abstract if you’re curious, as well as some slides.Tucker Carlson learns more shocking truths about the liberal media from Glenn Greenwald.
Glenn Greenwald has been dismissing reports of Russian interference in the election on behalf of Donald Trump since the story first appeared, and the massive accumulation of evidence has not dissuaded him from his belief that he has been correct about this all along and the liberal news media horribly, hysterically wrong.
Last night, in his most recent appearance on Tucker Carlson’s show, Greenwald explained why the news media has (according to Greenwald) published a series of wild lies about Trump and Russia. The problem was not, as Carlson suggested, that their sources in the Deep State were manipulating them. It was worse! “They’re willingly and eagerly being manipulated,” he said.
The problem — as it usually is, whenever anybody arrives at a different conclusion than Greenwald — is that they have been corrupted. “They get applause on social media from their peers, they get zillions of retweets, huge amounts of traffic, they end up on TV. They get applauded across the spectrum because people are so giddy and eager to hear about this Russia and Trump story.” It was all so shocking to poor Tucker Carlson that the Fox News host, disabused of his naïve faith in the integrity of the news media, exclaimed, “Gosh, that’s so dishonest!”
One of the hallmarks of a Greenwald analysis is the conviction that career incentives have warped the view of people who disagree with Greenwald. Greenwald himself is a famous and successful journalist. Every incentive he can ascribe to the mainstream media could be ascribed just as easily to Greenwald himself.
To be clear, I don’t believe Greenwald has been corrupted at all. His fanaticism is earnest. But consider how easy it is to make a Greenwaldian analysis of Greenwald: There is a large audience on the left and right that is eager to hear him dismiss the Russia scandal. He gets to go on TV. He is applauded across the political spectrum.
Indeed, Greenwald made his comments about how the news media has been corrupted by the chance to go on TV and be applauded across the political spectrum while he was appearing on television and being applauded across the political spectrum. Other journalists might be warped by this, but for Greenwald, it is merely in the service of his zeal for Truth.If it wasn’t for Bayonetta at the beginning of the year, Super Meat Boy would be my “Game of the Year”. Perhaps I can just slide Bayonetta back into GOTY for 2009. Whatever, such distinctions are silly anyways. Super Meat Boy is a wonderful 16-bit style platformer made by Team Meat, featuring the beautifully bearded Edmund McMillen and the wonderfully bald Tommy Refenes. Together they produced what has to be 2010s best independent game (or in my case, best game of the year, period). Sure you got Minecraft, but it’s barely a ‘game’ (Best …computer…thing? of 2010 would be the appropriate award?) and Limbo is cute and artsy but just doesn’t have a ton of real gameplay like Meatboy does.
The Gameplay (And why it’s so good)
The game follows the Story of Meat Boy. A boy. Who is made of meat. His girlfriend, Bandage Girl is kidnapped by a fetus who lives in a glass tank that wears a monocle and a suit. Dr. Fetus kidnaps Bandage girl because he hates you, hates Meat Boy, and if the developer’s twitter is to be believed, is a heavily closeted homosexual (Not being open with your self can lead to a lot of emotional and behavioral issues! D: ). The premise of each stage is simple. Use Meat Boy to get to Bandage Girl (Whom is then swooped away by Dr. Fetus) to advance to the next level. Levels tend to be short, almost always being less than a minute to complete on a successful run. The game is separated into 5 primary worlds, each containing 20 of these levels (each with an alternative hard mode), 4 warp zones (Each with 3 8-bit style levels and one unlocking a secret character) and a boss fight. There is also an end chapter with 5 super long stage and a Boss level, an alternative Chapter with Bandage Girl (only lacking warpzones and a boss fight). I believe the total for all of the content stands at 316 levels.
Meat Boy himself is an extrapolation of the “Mario Ideal”. Mario is slippery, he is fast and he’s somewhat hard to control. He never feels to ‘cheat’ you with his controls. He feels like a nuanced tool you come to understand the nuances |
building into a glowing lantern or beacon in the harbour.
Zeitz MOCAA Interior, image © Heatherwick StudioPython Code: import Image
import numpy as num
#this list contains the names of the seperate files
data = num.genfromtxt('list.txt',dtype='str')
#Now we just stack the images and only save the lighter pixels
#So will compare every pixel of 2 pictures and return the higher one.
pic = 0
for i in range(len(data)):
im1=Image.open(data[i])
pic1=num.array(im1)
pic = num.maximum(pic, pic1)
print(i)
im = Image.fromarray(pic)
im.save("allblend.jpg")
exactly
Python Code: import Image
import numpy as num
data = num.genfromtxt('list.txt',dtype='str')
for i in range(len(data)):
im1=Image.open(data[i])
im2=Image.open(data[i+1])
pic1=num.array(im1)
pic2=num.array(im2)
pic = pic1-pic2
im = Image.fromarray(pic)
im.save("red/img"+str(i)+".jpg")
print(i/len(data))
Tonight (22-2-2014) was a problematic night, it was one of those legendary clear nights, but I had no access to telescopes. So to not let this night go to waste I grabbed my canon 450D and set it up outside.Equipt with a cheap, but good, wide angle lens it was quite well suited for making star trails.For those who don't know, star trails are pictures where you either expose for a very long time (hours) or stack a lot of short (30s) exposures while aiming your camera at the sky and not moving it in any way.This will enable it to capture the movement of the stars across the sky, the longer you wait, the nicer your startrails will be.I chose for making a lot of lose exposures, as you are more in control of the exposure on your ccd, and the chance of everything going wrong is smaller.This however does require you to stack the images afterwards, something which can be done with python or generic software from the net. (And since I'm lazy, I picked the latter.)A great piece of free software can be found here. It lets you stack the images and also to make an video of the pictures to see how they progress. (Again easy to do in python, but this is less effort.)The video of my star trail series can be seen here:As you can see, I have not been as lucky as to have a nice cloudless sky, something which will heavily affect your star trail. (As this software picks the lighter pixels between two frames and saves them, etc. So once something bright shows up, it won't be averaged out.)However, since I did not want to scrap an hour worth of pictures, I plugged it into startrails.exe and got this:As you can see, every cloud which was in any picture has been kept there, for the same reason that the stars remain. So lets call them cloud trails. (not to confuse with chem trails.)Ok, so I decided to stop being lazy and write a few lines of code:Which give this:A bit suprising, but this code gave methe same result, and about as fast.So why would you do it this way, and not by stacking all the frames equally, you might ask. Well the answer is simple, this is because by adding all the frames you will greatly suppress anything bright on the frames, especially if it is not stationary.This is great against clouds, but remember that our stars are also moving.So if you do that you will get something like this:As you can see, this works perfectly for removing the clouds and stacking the trails, however it looks a bit less photogenic than the last picture. The values are all either very high (before everaging) or verly low (after averaging) and the picture suddenly contains strange fringes. (No idea what these could be.)There is one plus though, if you look very closely, you will see a few satellites/meteorites in the picture. (vague straight lines which are not stars)This means that in some of the frames, there is a satellite or meteorite (We know that they are not planes, as those would blink with red light.) We could look for these objects by hand, obviously missing the dim ones. But there are better ways of doing this, one of them is image differencing.Here you simply subtract two images from each other and see whats left, if nothing moved you will get a neat background. However if something did move, it will be very visible!So using this code, I made a bunch of difference images and just like above stacked them into a video.Here you can see the the clouds change a lot, the stars hardly move and everything else soars by within a few frames. One of the most obvious satellites caught on this video can be found in frame #96. You can clearly see two satellites, where one seems to be blinking. This is most likely a tumbling satellite (google it for more videos), which is basically a satellite where only one side is reflective, which is rotating around its axis. So only at times does it reflect the sunlight into your camera.This guys has 24 dots on a 30s exposure, so we can calculate that it is 1.25 s between each blink. If it is anything like an Iridium flare then it could have 2-4 reflective sides. So we can't say for sure how fast it is tumbling without knowing how it looks. But at least we know the maximal velocity.Knowing that this picture was taken at 10:24 PM in Rotterdam the best idea is to just open Heavens-above.com and look for the brightest satellites at that place around that time.The closest hit would be the COSMOS 2455, a "New generation electronic reconnaissance satellite" launched in 2009. The satellite looks like the picture on the right.In the map we see that around the time of the picture it will be just beyond Draco, which is the case with our satellite. This would mean that it the flares we see are caused by the solar panels and since it has two, we can conclude that it takes 2 flashes to complete one rotation, hence 2.5s.The same could be done with other satellites in the images. There also is room for other calculations, but I'll finish here.There is place for improvement, but most of that would be based on not having clouds in your pictures and longer runs. It would also be a good idea to have Polaris in the shot for easy bearings on finding satelites.Walkers at Ben Nevis and other mountains in Scotland have been warned not to build mini rock piles because people are hiding their poo in them.
The piles of rock - known as cairns - are a feature of mountain walks, with many official examples along trails, but a number of DIY cairns are being constructed to hide rubbish and even human excrement.
Fran Lockhart, from conversation charity the John Muir Trust, told The Guardian: “When we take some of these cairns to bits we find things underneath, like rubbish and even piles of poo.
“Occasionally you get one which is quite robust and built as a memorial.
“It just gets bonkers – it takes one or two people to start it and now it’s gone daft.”
The official cairns are used as markers to guide walkers, particularly if it is snowing in winter.
The makeshift cairns are being removed from the summit of Ben Nevis.
“People think it’s a fun thing to do but we would prefer them to leave the countryside as it is,” said Mr Lockhart.
“They detract from the scenery and now we clear any new cairns that appear on the summit.”
(Picture: Rex Features)“Allegations that Ellison and Carson are secret Muslim agents with extremist leanings are usually found among fringe groups online, often discussed in dire tones on poorly designed websites. Rarely, if ever, do such sentiments get read into congressional testimony, with the imprimatur that offers.”
The media elites’ scorn for the unwashed masses is brimming over in this article: “fringe groups” who speak in “dire tones” on “poorly designed websites” couldn’t possibly be saying anything true or accurate, right? If your website design is poor, what you’re saying must ipso facto be false — not to mention “bigoted” and “Islamophobic”! And Ellison and Carson are not “secret Muslim agents with extremist leanings.” They’re just careless about appearing before groups with ties to Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood — and why should they care, when the mainstream media so eagerly runs interference for them instead of calling them to account?
But this really shouldn’t be so hard, even for a blinkered Leftist propagandist like Sam Stein of the HuffPo. He quotes Faryal Khatri of ISNA saying: “I can definitely tell you we are not Muslim Brotherhood. We are not affiliated with them at all and never were. That much I can reassure you.” But he doesn’t tell his hapless readers that ISNA has actually admitted its ties to Hamas, which styles itself the Palestinian arm of the Muslim Brotherhood. Nor does he bother to note that it wasn’t “fringe websites” or Frank Gaffney or Ted Cruz who identified ISNA as a Muslim Brotherhood front group; this designation comes from the United States Department of Justice, which classified ISNA among entities “who are and/or were members of the US Muslim Brotherhood.”
There is still more that Stein failed to notice in his haste to excoriate Cruz for “Islamophobia” and association with “poorly designed websites”: in 2008 Ellison accepted $13,350 from the Muslim American Society (MAS) to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca. The Muslim American Society is a Muslim Brotherhood organization: “In recent years, the U.S. Brotherhood operated under the name Muslim American Society, according to documents and interviews. One of the nation’s major Islamic groups, it was incorporated in Illinois in 1993 after a contentious debate among Brotherhood members.” That’s from the Chicago Tribune in 2004, in an article that is now carried on the Muslim Brotherhood’s English-language website, Ikhwanweb.
“Witness At Ted Cruz Hearing Accuses Congress’ Two Muslim Members Of Muslim Brotherhood Ties,” by Sam Stein, Huffington Post, June 28, 2016:Telecommunications infrastructure is riddled with security holes so severe that a handful of malformed packets could take down GSM communications systems, according to veteran pen tester and founder of Qualys, Philippe Langlois.
He said the security flaws persisted due to inaction by telco equipment manufacturers, the complexity of networks, and a lack of security oversight.
In January 2010, Langlois, now director of P1 Security, discovered that a single malformed packet could disable one of the Home Location Register server clusters which store GSM subscriber details as part of the global SS7 network.
This packet could be sent from within any network or even femtocells, he said.
"We were able to remotely crash HLR frontend for two minutes each by sending one malformed packet," Langlois told SC.
"That means with 20 packets a minute, you would crash the world's HLR. This means there is no communication possible for that operator in a country."
He said 83 per cent of telco operators do not apply traffic filtering over the SS7 network.
In further research to be released within weeks, Langlois will detail how similar attacks could cripple GRPS systems. The world-wide SS7 report was a product of Langlois' 15 years of telecommunications research.
Tech sandwiches
The SS7 attacks were but one example of how large holes in telecommunications infrastructure could be exploited.
Telcos the world over were running networks tantamount to "technology sandwiches" where layers of legacy kit had created such high complexity that operators were unaware of glaring holes which Langlois regularly revealed in penetration tests.
Other operators were less fortunate, and had such flaws exploited by malicious actors.
Recently in Eastern Europe, a telco had routed half of its telecommunications traffic through its rival's network, forcing the company to fund a significant bandwidth burden. It had not yet settled the case.
Such attacks were most common within Eastern Europe but the region was also home to the most security-savvy telcos who had the best understanding of their network exposures, according to Langlois.
He said most vulnerabilities existed because equipment providers suppressed knowledge of them to avoid what could amount to hundreds of millions of dollars in cash from network outages.
"It is troubling to see very talented, expert people [at telcos] who are shielded from the reality of their network by the vendor who has no interest in educating them about the telecom security and exposure of their own networks."
"It feels like the 1980s in terms of security."
Langlois said he often accessed telco networks using services that administrators were unaware were active.
"We accessed [an operator's] systems through their x25 network which they never knew was running because the network vendor never disclosed it -- it was just underlying technology."
"All of these change management, configuration management and monitoring systems are specific to one kind of equipment, and you need to access several of these to get a clear vision of what is on your systems."
Langlois and MegaPay director Emmanuel Gadaix spoke at Hack In The Box Malyasia. His presentation slides are available (pdf).Two of Canada's biggest agricultural trade irritants with China have gone away.
A deal reached in Ottawa today means Canadian canola exports will continue through 2020 while both sides conduct research to resolve a shipment quality dispute, while exports of bone-in beef from Canadian cattle under 30 months of age will resume following a BSE-related ban.
The canola compromise came at the last minute during talks between Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Parliament Hill Thursday.
Li, who is on a four-day official visit to Canada following the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York, arrived late Wednesday. Intense negotiations went on overnight between Canadian officials and Zhi Shuping, the Chinese minister responsible for the canola file who's also in Ottawa for the visit.
Fearing a disease outbreak, the Chinese have been questioning the quality of Canada's canola shipments and threatening to impose restrictions or cut access to a market that was worth roughly $2.6 billion for Canadian canola producers in 2015.
In this compromise, both sides agreed to conduct additional scientific research to find a "science-based and stable solution," the prime minister said.
"This is great news," Trudeau said. "Our progress on this file goes to show how two countries can collaborate, can solve difficult challenges together."
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau outlines the results of trade discussions with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang which include a new deal on canola. 2:46
A worldwide surplus of the crop allows China to put pressure on its international suppliers.
The size and growth of the largest Asian market, where cooking oil like that derived from canola is in high demand, made resolving this dispute essential.
Canada is the world's largest canola exporter. Over 40 per cent is exported to China.
The dispute was a priority for International Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland during Trudeau's trip to China last month.
Talks continued over the past three weeks on a near daily basis. Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay is planning a trip to China in November.
Under the agreement, trade will continue under current terms while additional research is conducted to determine whether there's a legitimate link between the level of dockage — stems, leaves or chaff that might be found in a grain shipment — and the risk of disease transmission.
Changing the level of allowable dockage in shipments would have added a significant cost for the industry without meaningfully lowering disease risk, the Canadians argued. The two sides have been grappling over this since 2009.
China is the world's largest banquet, and we want Canada to be the caterer. - Brian Innes, Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance
"If we hadn't been able to come to an agreement, other exporters would have gotten into that market and we would have lost significant share, but it wouldn't have been easy for China to replace what we send to them," said Patti Miller, president of the Canola Council of Canada.
Until the prime minister and ministers intervened, "we really were at a stalemate over the last couple of years," she said. "We were stuck. I think their engagement in the negotiations, in raising the profile of it, really helped move things along."
Final major BSE holdout
The beef deal — to resume trade in bone-in beef cuts from cattle under 30 months of age — was among several bilateral agreements signed Thursday on a range of issues.
China is among the final few countries that haven't completely reopened their markets following Canada's 2003 outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).
Trade in the lowest-risk products — boneless beef from young cattle — resumed in 2010. Thursday's deal adds bone-in beef, worth potentially $10 million in new exports, to start.
China's large market will remain closed, however, to Canadian beef from cattle over 30 months of age. This restriction is considered less commercially meaningful, because good markets now exist for this in North America.
The deal signed between China and Canada Thursday to resume exports of bone-in cuts of Canadian beef is projected to be worth at least $10 million for the Canadian industry. (CBC News)
In a dispute unrelated to BSE, Canada has also not seen eye-to-eye with China on importing fresh (chilled) beef, not just frozen. Now that Air China has added a flight to Edmonton that could carry cargo, Canada wants to start shipping fresh beef cuts too.
Asian markets hold valuable potential for Canadian beef exports not just because of their size and growing middle class: consumers there purchase different cuts from the steaks and hamburgers favoured by North Americans or Europeans.
Taiwan, another significant market, reopened to Canadian beef exports in July, mere days after the visit of Mexico's president to Ottawa yielded a deal to reopen that valuable North American market as of Oct. 1.
Indonesia continues to place restrictions on beef byproducts like bone meal, but most other countries who closed their borders over the issue have now reopened.
A few, like Australia, have restrictions not for scientific reasons but as a means of protecting domestic business — a symbolic ban with little commercial impact on Canada.
Late seeing this, but ICYMI too: China re-opened to UTM bone-in beef from the U.S. yesterday too. Co-ord move? <a href="https://t.co/uCqP15t7in">https://t.co/uCqP15t7in</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/hw?src=hash">#hw</a> —@janycemcgregor
New markets drive optimism
After a long stretch of bad news — bad prices, bad weather and currency fluctuations — "we're really coming to the light at the end of the tunnel," said John Masswhol of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association.
"Our herd sizes haven't grown," he said. "Ultimately what we need is for producers to be confident that if they're going to expand their herds, that they want to know that the return on the investment is going to be there for them in the years ahead."
The canola breakthrough wasn't clear until the last minute: neither the industry nor officials knew they had a deal until the leaders spoke. (Fred Chartrand/Canadian Press)
Export-oriented agricultural sectors need new Asian markets in order to expand.
Both sectors voiced support for Thursday's announcement of exploratory talks with China towards a free-trade agreement. Beef, for example, enters China at a 25 per cent tariff.
"China is the world's largest banquet, and we want Canada to be the caterer," said Brian Innes in a statement on behalf of the Canadian Agri-Food Trade Alliance.
And with the ratification of the Trans-Pacific Partnership on the ropes, Canada needs alternative strategies in Asia.
Australians already have a free-trade deal with Japan and "eat our lunch," Masswohl said.During what would be the last month of his short-lived tenure as Director of Central Intelligence (DCI), William Raborn distributed to his employees copies of a publication he believed had “important and useful things to say about problems in communication.”
Fifty years after it first made the rounds at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the 40-page instructional article, which was recently pulled out of CIA’s CREST archives, contains plenty that is still relevant to discourse today.
But this presentation of how meaning gets mucked up - whether or not that was actually the goal in some CIA cases - was not a homegrown intelligence curriculum. “The best ‘short course’ on semantics,” according to then Deputy Director of Intelligence R.J. Smith, with its fun illustrations and stories on the difficulties of language, actually came from an unusual corporate source: the Public Affairs Department of Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corporation.
The magazine opens with a philosophical meditation on the now, the so-called “somewhere/somewhen,” and what we talk about when we talk at all …
Then it moves on a discussion of interpretational variety, using Rorschach tests to demonstrate the multitude of ways that a single image can be perceived and interpreted …
(along with a Peanuts strip thrown in for good measure)
and providing a list of commonly-misunderstood words that once, and still, are used everyday with a great amount of difficulty.
The phrase “Too much government is bad for business!” is specifically called out as being vague and noncommunicative.
For students of speech without the time to spare, the lessons are summed up in a checklist of important considerations to make when receiving information from somewhere, still useful weapons in the battle against “fake news.”
The Kaiser Aluminum News was a regular publication, and the concern with communication was embedded in the huge chunk of money that was estimatedly spent each year due to communication failure. Editor Don Fabun had compiled a list of resources for those students interested in learning more about the art of communication, though “Most of the Work” on the issue was done by Secretary Marji Welham, according to its masthead.
For the whole magazine, complete with more Peanuts strips and pictures, read it embedded below, or find it in CREST.Also Please join Me on July 23rd for an afternoon of great comic fun! I will be taking part in a group art show. The Rabid Robot Rampage!!!
Featuring art from myself and these other great artists:
Calvin Bosanic, Jill Thompson, Hilary Barta, Archangelo Crelencia, Mandi Siegel, Paul Czarnowski, CaptainJoel Siegel, and more!
This was for the Challengers Assemble Sketch blog, the theme was "John Constantine Hellblazer and this theme refers to the Dc comics character from the comics,movie and TV show of the same name. Enjoy my take on this guy.Hey when you get a chance POP on over to the Challengers Assemble blog.here is the link. Go to that site it's really cool and I totally encourage everyone to participate in the sketch blog and it's themes they are tons and tons of fun as well as a great creative challenge.I created this illustration using my wacom tablet, Adobe Photoshop CS6 and a few custom textures that I made.You can also follow me out on my other social network feeds here:FacebookTumblerTwitterPintrestInstagramSheriff David Clarke of Milwaukee County, Wis., said Wednesday he has accepted a job in the Department of Homeland Security.
Clarke told conservative radio host Vicki McKenna during an interview on 1130 WISN that he will leave his post as sheriff to serve as a deputy secretary of Homeland Security.
“I’m both honored and humbled to be appointed to this position by Secretary Kelly, working for the Trump administration,” he said during the radio show.
Clarke said he will leave his position as sheriff in June to work in the Office of Partnership and Programs as a liaison with state, local and tribal law enforcement.
While the DHS did not confirm Clarke's reported role, it did note the position in question does not require Senate confirmation.
Sr. positions are announced when made official by the Sec. No such announcement w/ regard to the Office of Public Engagement has been made. — Homeland Security (@DHSgov) May 17, 2017
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During the 2016 presidential race, Clarke supported President 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 and has praised him since the inauguration.
At the Conservative Political Action Conference in February, Clarke spoke of his support for Trump’s executive orders on immigration.
"In President Trump, we have chosen a leader," Clarke told the audience at CPAC. "A leader who I expect many of you in this room well know that I both campaigned and vigorously supported for the highest office in this land."
Clarke has been an outspoken supporter of Trump's proposed wall on the U.S-Mexican border.Windows 10 is running on 110 million devices, Microsoft said yesterday as it introduced a new Surface Pro tablet, the Surface Book notebook and several Lumia smartphones, all of which run the OS.
"There are 110 million users running Windows 10 right now," said Panos Panay, the chief of the Surface team, during a two-hour presentation of the new hardware.
Panay's data point was the first time since late August that Microsoft has claimed a Windows 10 number. More than a month ago, Microsoft said Windows 10 was on 75 million machines.
The difference of 35 million supported the trend portrayed by third-party analytics vendors that measure operating system user share and usage share by tracking website visitors and page views.
Data from both U.S.-based Net Applications and Ireland's StatCounter have illustrated a slowdown in Windows 10 adoption during September, the second full month after the OS's July 29 launch. Net Applications, for example, said that Windows 10's September gains in user share, a proxy for the number of devices running the operating system, were less than a third of those in August. StatCounter's usage share numbers showed a similar slowdown in September.
Microsoft's 110 million described those running Windows 10, not downloads, the company confirmed. A spokeswoman declined to describe how the company tracks uptake, but presumably it does via Windows 10 activations, which it could easily tally from its logs.
Coincidentally, the 110 million was identical to what Computerworld came up with by analyzing Net Applications' user share for Windows 10, comparing it to Windows' overall user share, then multiplying the result against the 1.5 billion devices that Microsoft claims run Windows.
StatCounter's usage share numbers -- an indication of online activity because they're based on website page views -- showed a trough in Windows 10's growth on Sept. 20, then an upward swing that peaked on Sept. 26 and lasted through Oct. 3.
The usage upswell was noticeable when the data was charted, but an explanation was more difficult to discern. It may have simply been a more active stretch for Windows 10 users -- more online activity, in other words -- or it may have signaled that Microsoft pulled the upgrade trigger on a larger number of personal computers running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1.
Users of those operating systems have been allowed to "reserve" an upgrade since June. Microsoft then pre-loads the Windows 10 upgrade bits -- as much as 6GB worth -- to those devices, but staggers the notifications displayed on customers' computers to alleviate server overload.
Windows 10's usage share remains higher than Windows 7's at the same post-release point, but the gap has been shrinking, largely because Windows 7 launched later on the calendar -- October rather than July -- and thus accumulated impressive gains around the 2009 holidays as large numbers of consumers and some businesses bought new PCs near year's end.
Windows 10 should crack the 10% usage share mark for the first time on Sunday, reinforcing the impression that the free upgrade gave the OS about a one-month boost compared to Windows 7, which was a paid upgrade and also obtained through device purchases.High-end VR’s first chance at mainstream success has finally arrived after years of demos, teasers and sizzle reel-filled trailers.
The main question surrounding Sony’s PlayStation VR (PS VR) is whether or not the headset has the ability to push high-end VR to the masses.
So let’s get this out of the way first: Yes, Sony’s PS VR is the easiest to setup high-end headset on the market and it’s also the least expensive, especially if you already own a PlayStation 4 (PS4).
On its own, PS VR is priced at $549 CAD, though most people will opt for the pricier $699 bundle that includes a pair of Move controllers and a PlayStation Camera. On top of this cost is the price of the PS4 at $379, coming to a total price of $1078 for those who don’t already own Sony’s console; a steep price tag.
$1078, however, gives you a complete VR package, including the device that powers the headset. The HTC Vive is priced at $1,149 CAD just for the headset alone, with the Oculus Rift coming in at $849. On top of this price, you also need a high-end gaming setup that will typically cost between $1000 and $1500 dollars.
To my surprise, PS VR is also for the most part on par with the HTC Vive and Oculus in terms of visuals and tracking functionality, though the Vive’s room-scale functionality remains unmatched. Somehow, Sony has found a way to eek enough power out of the PS4, allowing its headset to compare admirably to the Vive and Rift. Keep in mind a more powerful, PlayStation 4 Pro is also still on the way.
PlayStation VR has a distinct advantage over other high-end VR headsets in a broader industry context. When developers create games for Sony’s headset, they are able to build the experience with just the PS4’s technical specifications (or rather limitations) in mind, allowing creators to ostensibly do more with less powerful hardware. When making a game for the Vive or Oculus, developers are required to consider a wide variety of graphics cards, processors and a slew of other specs. In most cases, this forces them to develop their title to run on high-end gaming rigs as well as mid-range VR-capable PCs.
There are also approximately 43 million PS4s out there right now, giving PlayStation developers the potential to reach a much wider install base that could surpass both the Vive’s and Oculus’ sales in a matter of months.
For this install base to grow, however, PlayStation VR needs to impress and offer users an accessible, high-end VR alternative that features games actually worth playing, something the Vive and Oculus have yet to do.
Does PS VR shake this trend and offer games and experiences worth checking? In some respects it certainly does, though in others, Sony’s long-awaited virtual reality headset falters.
Specs
Dimensions: 187mm x 185mm x 277mm Processor unit: 143mm x 36mm x 143mm
Weight: 610g Processor unit: 365g
Display: 5.7-inches, 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution, 120hz, 90hz
Field of view: 100 degrees
Sensors: Six-axis motion sensing system (three-axis gyroscope, three axis accelerometer
Connection interface: HDMI, AUX, stereo headphone jack Processor unit: HDMI TV, HDMI PS4, USB, HDMI, Aux
Processor unit function: 3D audio processing, social screen (mirroring mode, seperate mode, cinematic mode
The best looking and most comfortable VR headset
While PlayStation VR isn’t a wild reimagining of the standard VR headset, it is sleek and considerably more attractive looking than the Vive or even the Oculus Rift. Over the course of my week with PS VR, I’ve had numerous multi-hour play sessions and wasn’t irritated by the headset’s weight or fit.
This is something I haven’t been able to say about the Vive, which at least for me, turns my face into a sweaty mess after only a few minutes of playing. This issue is exemplified when playing more intensive, physically demanding games.
Overall Sony’s head-mounted display adopts a minimalist look and features black and white matte plastic with strategically placed blue lights that the PlayStation Eye camera tracks in order to detect location and head movement.
I’ve gone hands-on with PS VR in the past and felt that while its head tracking was decent, it still didn’t feel quite as accurate as its competitors. With the retail version of PS VR, those head tracking problems seem to be gone, even in my somewhat cluttered, dimly lit apartment, thanks to latency measuring in at just 18ms.
Under the hood, the PlayStation VR features a 5.7-inch OLED display with a 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution, amounting to 960 x 1080 pixels per eye though on one panel, with a 100-degree field of view and 120Hz refresh rate. Despite the fact that PlayStation VR features a lower resolution than the Oculus and the Vive’s 2160 x 1200 pixel resolution screens, which amount to 1080 x 1200 per eye, the difference in quality is negligible.
Like the Vive, PS VR also features a head-phone jack, allowing any pair of headphones featuring a 3.5mm male plug to hook into the headset, all with surprisingly impressive 3D audio (I’d even say the 3D audio is better than the Vive’s). I found standard over the ear headphones felt a little too bulky for my taste because of the PS VR’s ergonomic shape, and instead opted for earbuds, though this decision will come down to personal taste (PS VR comes with a pair of in-ear headphones).
The PlayStation VR’s secret to comfort is the fact that all of its weight sits on the top of your head, putting most of the pressure on the bridge of your nose and forehead.
The material that constructs PlayStation VR’s liner is also rubber rather than fabric, though the top part of its clasp features a pillow-like mesh construction. You might think this would make the headset uncomfortable but it actually doesn’t.
In my experience, the rubber lining is great at blocking the outside world, though some light does enter through the base just beneath your nose unless you maintain a tight fit. On the plus side, the liner is much cleaner and more hygienic than any other VR headset I’ve tried; just wipe down the head mounted display after a sweat-filled session and you’re good to go.
PS VR’s fit is adjusted by a knob at its rear that allows its band to expand, as well as a button located under the right-hand side of the head mounted display that shifts how far PS VR’s display sits from your head. Both methods of adjustment allow for a more precise and comfortable fit, surpassing the Vive’s awkward band and even the Rift’s strap. I also liked that sliding the headset out with the button on its base allowed me to easily view the outside world without having to actually remove the headset.
And finally, and this is particularly useful for someone like myself who needs glasses, wearing spectacles under the PlayStation VR is not only possible, but also comfortable, considerably more so than the Vive and Oculus. I found pulling out the headset’s display a little farther than normal resulted in a comfortable fit.
How the magic happens
A variety of Sony devices combine together to make PlayStation VR’s headtracking work. In its current form, PS VR requires the PlayStation Camera for head-tracking, a standard Dualshock 4 remote and two Move controllers.
Sony’s Move controllers had their first run back in the ‘waggle’ motion popularized by the Wii, but are being reintroduced and slightly revamped with the PS VR. The same can be said about the PlayStation Camera, which first launched alongside the PS4. Sony’s motion tracking lens is also getting an aesthetic rework and is required for PlayStation VR to operate.
While the wand-like Move controllers felt half-baked with the PS3, they work great with PS VR and are comparable to the level of tracking the Vive is capable of with its wands, though they sometimes do run into minor tracking issues.
Next, a processor unit facilitates the connection to the PS VR, your television, and allows for 3D audio to wired headphones via the headset’s built-in inline remote. While the setup process initially seemed daunting, compared to putting together the Vive, I was up and running with PlayStation VR in a matter of minutes. Arranging the PlayStation Camera on an angle that makes sense is, however, somewhat difficult, especially if you’re using the headset in a small space. Also, PS VR’s output resolution to the television, allowing observers to view the action going on inside the headset, is a sub-HD resolution. This is disappointing, but given that PS VR is powered by the PS4, also understandable.
Overall, PS VR requires a 1.9m x 3.0m box of space to operate properly, though you can get away with less room with most titles. Batman Arkham VR is perhaps the most notable example of a game that requires a lot of space because it features a small amount of Vive-like room-scale tracking. Think of this as a less accurate version of the Vive’s standing room tracking system.
Some titles like Tumble VR, Wayward Sky and Job Simulator utilize the Move controllers, whereas others such as Battlezone requires the DualShock 4. There are also games that offer players the choice between the Move or Dualshock 4. Menu navigation can be performed with the Move remotes, though it’s finicky at best and in most cases unresponsive.
This means that I commonly found myself setting down the Move controllers in order to pick up the Dualshock 4 for a brief period of time in order to navigate through menus. This creates a jarring experience that unfortunately seems unavoidable for Sony, though I can’t help but wish there was a better way to navigate when using the Move remotes.
The games
Just like any video game console, PS VR will live or die based on the experiences that come to the device. Unfortunately, at least at launch, PlayStation VR’s lineup is lacklustre, with most of the title’s I’ve tried feeling more like demos than actual games. It’s important to note that just like the Vive and Oculus, PS VR is still in early days, so this issue could change in a matter of months.
Games like Arkham VR, a title that puts you in the role of Batman from a first-person perspective, feature some of the most impressive graphics I’ve seen in a virtual reality title. Other games like Wayward Sky, a cute, third-person point and click adventure game, Tumble VR, a block-building puzzle game and Sony’s VR demo collection, VR Worlds, offer players unique, worthwhile experiences.
Games worth skipping include Until Dawn: Rush of Blood, a snore-inducing on-rails horror shooter, Battlezone, which actually made me sick because it gives you full orientation control via the Dualshock |
justices who follow the Constitution; states’ rights and local values.
In any normal year, this would be rote rhetoric. Thanks to Donald Trump, it’s a near-revelation.
“Hillary Clinton believes government should make virtually every choice in your life,” Cruz said. “But something powerful is happening...Voters are overwhelmingly rejecting the establishment, and voters are overwhelmingly rejecting big government. That is a profound victory, and it is one earned by each and every one of us. People are fed up with politicians who don’t listen to them.” And, said Cruz, we must build a wall to keep America safe.
“Freedom will bring back jobs and raise wages,” said Cruz. “Freedom will lift people out of dependency to the dignity of work.”
Cruz concluded by complimenting various Americans: soldiers, the victims in Charleston, the Alton Sterling family for calling for non-violence. “We deserve leaders who stand for principle, who unite us all behind shared values,” Cruz stated, “who cast aside anger for love. That is the standard we should expect from everybody. And to those listening, don’t stay home in November…stand and speak and vote your conscience, vote for candidates up and down the ticket who you trust to defend our freedom and to be faithful to the Constitution.”
Then, when New York began chanting, “We want Trump,” Cruz quipped, “I appreciate the enthusiasm of the New York delegation.”
Cruz finished, “We will be able to say: freedom matters, and I was part of something beautiful. The case we have to make for the American people, the case each person has to make to the American people is to commit to each of them that we will defend freedom and be faithful to the Constitution. We will unite the party, we will unite the country by standing for shared values, by standing for liberty.”
Cruz received extraordinarily loud boos as he exited the stage without endorsing Trump. Cruz's wife, Heidi, had to be escorted from the hall by security.
But Trump already knew what was happening – and he suddenly appeared in the arena to join his family in the middle of Cruz’s conclusion. Zeke Miller of Time reported that the Trump team actively whipped up the boos in the room.
This, in a nutshell, is the conflict: conservatives who still believe in principle, and are therefore either undecided on Trump, against Trump, or unenthused but obliged to vote Trump by anti-Hillary sentiment; and an enthusiastic band of Republicans willing to overturn principle to cheer Trump forward. And that enthusiastic Trumpster crowd is driving legitimate conservative fear that conservatism will be buried by them.April 16, 2011 — andyextance
Dwindling food supplies, caused by climate change, are threatening two species of penguin. Adélie and chinstrap penguins are both suffering thanks to falling availability of tiny shrimp-like crustaceans called krill that they eat. This is contrary to previous predictions, explained George Watters, director of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Antarctic Ecosystem Research Division. That’s because those predictions directly link the amount of sea ice cover to the number of penguins.
“The prevailing ‘sea-ice hypothesis’ would say that chinstrap penguins might be expected to benefit from climate change because they are “ice-avoiding” penguins,” Watters told Simple Climate. By contrast, “ice-loving” Adélie penguin populations had been expected to fall as the planet warms and ice cover decreases. “But we’re showing that in fact the populations of both species are declining,” Watters said. “We think that the the availability of krill is governing the decline of both animals.”
The sea-ice theory developed from some of the earliest penguin population studies in the 1970s and 1980s, showing that Chinstrap penguin populations were increasing as Adélie penguins decreased. The team that did that work included Wayne Trivelpiece, lead author of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA paper published on Monday that now shows both species are in decline. Both studies involved extensive fieldwork in the world’s coldest continent. “Wayne has been going since the Antarctic was invented,” Watters joked.
Husband and wife reunion
The NOAA team surveys penguin populations from field camps at Cape Shireff and Admiralty Bay in the South Shetland Islands region of Antarctica. “It’s an ongoing long-term monitoring effort, a lot of really detailed work we do to study penguins that involves counting, weighing and tagging birds,” Watters explained. Also among the team doing this is Susan Trivelpiece, Wayne’s wife, who spends approximately half the annual October-March study period in Antarctica, rotating with her husband. “Usually Sue goes in first,” said Watters. “She comes out around Thanksgiving time and then Wayne goes in.” As I interviewed Watters the couple were departing for a long weekend reunion at the end of another year’s separation.
As well as their own detailed records, the NOAA scientists also called on population studies made by other researchers who visited penguin habitats at a wider range of locations. “The other kind of study, the way a lot of those work is somebody can get to a colony once and count the birds there, then go back after some period of time and recount them” Watters said. With some colonies boasting populations in the millions, the counting process isn’t necessarily simple. “If it’s small enough, you break it up into grid lines visually and just count the birds,” Watters said. “Another way is with aerial photography.” A third option is to walk around the edge of the colony with a GPS receiver to determine its size, Watters added. Then a scientist can work out how many birds are typically in a given area, and then multiply that by the size of the whole colony.
Reversal of fortune
Watters, the Trivelpieces and their colleagues combined these studies with measures of krill abundance, air temperature changes and sea-ice levels in the region since the 1970s to explore the relationship between these factors and penguin abundance. These revealed that the availability of krill – the penguins’ main food source – could influence penguin populations more directly than access to sea-ice. That means that both penguin species would suffer as sea-ice disappears, because krill need it to reproduce successfully. Overall, the studies showed that rather than growing as had been predicted, populations of chinstrap penguins were less than half their 1977 levels. The situation is therefore “particularly critical” for them, the team say, as they haven’t been seen to adapt to other locations. Consequently the team recommend that the International Union for the Conservation of Nature consider putting chinstraps higher on their “at risk” Red List.
While Adélie penguins had suffered a similar fate in the rapidly-warming West Antarctic Peninsula, climate change has helped them elsewhere. “Adélie populations in the Ross Sea area are actually growing right now,” Watters explained, although he warned that they may ultimately have problems if the ice is not where they need to feed in winter. “In Antarctica, climate change is supposed to play out so that you’ll have more ice in some areas and less in other areas. The Ross Sea is an area where you’re going to have more ice and possibly as a result of that better production of krill, so Adélie penguins are doing well there for now.”
AdvertisementsTwo men on Tuesday reportedly hurled abuse at an elderly Muslim man in India who had requested them to vacate a seat for him on a Delhi Metro coach, Hindustan Times reported.
Hurling abuses at the senior citizen, the men told him to "go back to Pakistan", the daily said.
According to a post on Facebook by women's rights activist Kavita Krishnan, when the request was made a second time, the two young men said: “This seat is for Hindustanis not for Pakistanis like you. If you want a seat, go to Pakistan and get it there.”
Krishnan's post on Facebook recounted the incident as witnessed by Santosh Roy, the National Secretary of All India Central Council of Trade Unions, who was also travelling on the Delhi Metro.
Watching the incident unfold, Roy got up from his seat and asked the two young men to apologise for their behaviour.
According to Krishnan's post, the youngsters, instead of apologising, started hurling abuse at Roy and, grabbing him by the collar, told him to "Go to Pakistan" also.
When the metro arrived at its destination, a guard entered the compartment and intervened. The two young men were taken to the police station where a complaint was lodged.
However, the old man did not pursue the case further, forgiving the two young men keeping in mind their age, Krishnan's post read.Boilable Bag FAQ
Can I use a Boilable Bag to prepare eggs in my JetBoil?
Yes. We have used the boilable bags with JetBoil's classic "personal cooking system" model and they work great. Eggs cook to desired doneness just fine in about 8 minutes with one "scramble;" and although the pot is smaller than a standard cookpot, the boilable bag and its contents fit well enough to do the trick. We suggest that you cinch the bag to start; after about 3 minutes open the bag and give the eggs mixture a "scramble" with a spoon; re-cinch the bag and continue until the eggs are done. We use a silicone lid on ours to hold in the heat.
How should I close my Boilable Bag?
Because the Boilable Bags are so tall it is possible to simply lay the bag over the side of the cookpot and secure in place with the lid. This negates the need for a fastener and allows for easy access when checking to see if your egg or other contents have thoroughly cooked through.
If you would like to use a fastener, we recommend a twist tie. There is often plenty of unused bag making it easy to use many different types of fasteners with success, however, the fastener should be heat tolerant if it will be near your heat source for some time.TWO familiar brands that have for decades been the targets of complaints about their depictions of women have joined forces for a promotional campaign that tells critics they are proudly “unapologetic” about who they are.
The brands are Barbie, sold by Mattel, and the annual Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue. The campaign is centered on the 50th anniversary edition of the issue, which is to come out next Tuesday, and presents Barbie as a doll-size version of the magazine’s supermodels like Tyra Banks and Christie Brinkley, clad in a new version of the black-and-white swimsuit she wore when introduced in 1959.
“Unapologetic,” the theme of the campaign, is underlined by its use, with a hashtag in front, in social media like Twitter, as well as on a billboard in Times Square. “As a legend herself, and under constant criticism about her body and how she looks, posing in” the issue “gives Barbie and her fellow legends an opportunity to own who they are, celebrate what they have done and be #unapologetic,” Mattel said in a statement on Tuesday.
The partnership includes a four-page advertising feature in the magazine, photographed by Walter Iooss Jr., who has been shooting the magazine’s (human) swimsuit models for four decades; video clips; a cover wrap that will appear on 1,000 copies of the issue, declaring Barbie to be “The Doll That Started It All”; a limited-edition Sports Illustrated Barbie, to be sold exclusively on Target.com; and a beach-themed party on Monday night in Lower Manhattan.For Immediate Release
Contact: Brian Magee, bmagee@americanhumanist.org, 202-238-9088 x 102
(Washington, DC, May 24, 2013)–The American Humanist Association called for its members to support Oklahoma tornado victim Rebecca Vitsmun in order to help her in this time of need and recognize her for her honesty and bravery during her appearance on CNN this week. A $10,000 donation was forwarded to her today through the American Humanist Association’s charitable project, Humanist Charities.
In a live interview, CNN’s Wolf Blitzer spoke to Vitsmun after her decision to leave Moore, OK at the last minute to avoid the tornado that ultimately killed 24 people and destroyed hundreds schools, businesses and homes, including her family’s. Blitzer asked, “You’ve gotta thank the Lord, right? Do you thank the Lord for that split-second decision?” Vitsmun replied, “I’m actually an atheist.”
“Rebecca Vitsmun’s courage to speak forthrightly about her atheism inspired humanists and others who are good without a god across the country to help her through this difficult time.” said Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the American Humanist Association. “Natural disasters are a product of our environment, not supernatural forces, and we have a responsibility to help those affected by them.”
“We are so appreciative for all of the support we have been receiving during this difficult time,” Vitsmun said. “People from all around the world have reached out to us and the people of Moore and Newcastle and we don’t know how we can ever thank everyone enough for their generosity. It is really hard to even know where to begin, but having so many here to embrace us while we figure it out makes the path ahead less intimidating. Thank you all so much.”
The American Humanist Association established Humanist Charities in 2005 in response to an outpouring of generosity from humanists and atheists who wanted to support relief efforts in the aftermath of major disasters around the world.
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The American Humanist Association (www.americanhumanist.org) advocates for the rights and viewpoints of humanists. Founded in 1941 and headquartered in Washington D.C., its work is extended through more than 160 local chapters and affiliates across the United States.
Humanism is a progressive philosophy of life that, without theism, affirms a responsibility to lead ethical lives of value to self and humanity.Pure Maple Butter (also known as maple cream or the best spread on earth!)
You know when someone asks what you’d want to eat for your last meal? I never know what the heck to say. Umm, everything?! There are really so many foods I adore, such as this maple butter. To be honest, I’d love nothing more than a huge vat of maple butter on my death bed. Ok, and maybe some homemade almond milk to wash it down. I’d kindly ask someone to feed it to me with a big wooden spoon and I wouldn’t even worry about ruining my appetite or splitting my pants. What a glorious way to kick the bucket.
I’ve wanted to make maple butter since I had my first visit to a maple farm as a little girl. They sent us home with maple leaf candy (the start of a lifelong obsession) and I’d watch in awe with my classmates as the adults showed us huge pots of boiling syrup in the chilly Canadian outdoors. The best part was when they’d throw syrup onto the snow and it turned into big chunks of maple candy for us to eat. Us kids, of course, thought that was magic. Even though I was very young, this experience instilled a warm curiosity about food from nature and an interest in making things from scratch.
In case some of you aren’t familiar, maple butter (or maple cream) is pure maple syrup that has been boiled to a certain temperature, left to decrease in temperature, and then whipped/stirred like crazy for a good 30-35 minutes. This technique is hard-freaking-work, but I certainly don’t regret making it. I was thankful though that Eric helped me with the stirring. Every 5 minutes we’d switch so one person could rest and watch the other moan and complain about how long it was taking. Ok, ok, it was more like a 7 minute to 3 minute split, but who’s counting?
Twenty-five minutes into the 35-minute marathon stirring session, self-doubt crept in. I was sure that it wasn’t brought to the right temperature or we didn’t use the right grade of maple syrup.
Eric, as always, shows me why I shouldn’t give up so easily. Not just with cooking, but with everything in life.
“Oh it will work, keep the faith.”
Of course he was right.
Right before my eyes, the shiny amber candy turned into a beautiful tan matte butter. It was the most rewarding, magical thing.
And then I got to lick the wooden spoon! And then scrape the pot! Suddenly, I forgot all about my tired, weary arms. I could now climb mountains.
Then we had it on muffins. Needless to say, it’s “hidden” in the back of the fridge where I will obviously discover it multiple times per day just by coincidence. Did I mention it’s good on oatmeal? And by good on oatmeal I mean good on everything.
Anyway, there’s no need for me to re-write the recipe today. I’m not reinventing the wheel, just using a technique that has been explained wonderfully elsewhere. America’s Test Kitchen has a video and step-by-step photos on their site and it helped me a lot. You can find the directions here.
The only thing I would add to their directions is to test your candy thermometre before you start. Just bring a pot of water to a boil and make sure that your thermometre reads about 212 F (the boiling point of water). Once you know it’s working properly, you can proceed with confidence. Oh and it’s also worth mentioning that you shouldn’t have any kids or pets around when making this. The syrup is extremely hot and dangerous so be careful. My last tip is to increase the heat fairly gradually from the start. I, of course, cranked the burner heat to MAX and it nearly boiled over sending me into a panicked frenzy (as if I wasn’t already). I’m sure the next time will go much more smoothly now that I know what to expect.
One more thing. Sketchie says hi. ….and stop bugging me when I sleep.
Have you ever tried maple butter before or made any type of candy at home?
Let's get social! Follow Angela on Instagram @ohsheglows, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Snapchat, and Google+Each week, host Jeff Probst will answer a few questions about the latest episode of ‘Survivor: Cagayan.’
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: During the immunity challenge you said, “Tony with a huge time advantage. The question is, does he know how to do slide puzzles?” I’m going to go out on a limb and say the answer to that question is a big fat no. These challenge puzzles usually take a very long time to solve so you often have to edit down what we see on the show due to time, so give us your on-the-scene take on just how quickly Spencer got this done, and just how lost Tony was.
JEFF PROBST: The lead Tony had going into the puzzle was pretty significant, but based on past performance I knew there was some question as to how long it would take him to finish. When Spencer bounded up the ladder to start on the puzzle I didn’t necessarily think he could win. I was just happy that it was going to be a better ending because now we had two people doing the puzzle. What was apparent right away was their very different styles. Tony was just slamming pieces back and forth without any clear direction and Spencer was literally just standing there studying it. So I focused my attention back on Tony, thinking Spencer would be a while — and when I turned around to check on him he was almost finished. I didn’t actually see what he did to get there. I turned around, saw he was close, and then — WHAM! It was over. Had there been more players for me to check in on. I might have missed the entire thing. It really was that fast.
EW: Traditionally, the final 5 is the last time one can use a hidden immunity idol, although you made no such announcement to that effect. Does that mean Tony is indeed bluffing by making people think he can use his special idol at the final 4?
PROBST: Hmm, did I miss it? I thought Tony was really clear in saying that it’s only good until final 5 and that he’s bluffing them telling them it’s good until a final 4. [ED NOTE: He did, but Jeff never confirmed at Tribal Council.] Either way, yes, the idol is only good until the final 5 and after that it has no value. So Tony is indeed bluffing. It’s a brilliant move that none of us anticipated. He realized that because it was “new” and had “different powers” that he could create any story he wanted. This is why we continue to experiment with different ideas. You put in something new and you see what it births. While the power of this special idol was not new, we did think the placement of it as a “one-off” at the merge might yield some interesting results. There isn’t a science to Survivor, we just do our best to think through ideas and the ones that feel solid we give them a shot.
EW: We’ll find out what the jury thinks next week, but if this game ends right now — which we know it does not and there is plenty left to change your thoughts, but if it did — who gets Jeff Probst’s vote for the million dollars and why?
PROBST: Ah, that is an extremely tough question. I honestly think it could go to any of the four of them depending on who they sit next to at the final. Tony has played an incredibly strong game — from the get go. He has hustled and maneuvered on a level with some of the best. He is a great read of people. Spencer has earned so much respect because he has never given up even though he’s the Charlie Brown of this season. He continues to fight even when everything says, “You’re done.” Kass, evil as many may see her, has played a pretty shrewd game and I think could make a very strong argument that she made some huge moves and deserves the dough. Woo would have to finish strong and then choose wisely. If he puts himself against the right person, I think Woo could charm his way to the money because he really hasn’t made any enemies. How long has it been that we’ve had four potential winners? It’s a great way to finish what has been a fantastic season.
EW: We’re going old school! For the first time since season 1, the Survivor finale will be back on a Wednesday night (May 21). What can you tell us about the final installment of this terrific season and the live reunion that follows?
PROBST: I love that we’ll have our finale on a Wednesday! It just feels new and fresh and fun! We’re changing things up in other ways too. To start with, I’ll be live from the beginning of the two-hour finale. I’ll also be live at the end of every act. I’ll be interacting via social media @jeffprobst with fans at home and in the audience. We’re endeavoring to make this more of a shared event rather than a passive viewing experience. I’m excited. I think it’s going to add a nice bit of energy to the show. As for the finale itself, still more surprises to come regarding how it finishes and two of the most exciting challenges of any finale. Then we have the reunion. where we’ll focus on some of the more interesting relationships of this season — there is definitely a lot of unfinished business that we’ll deal with. I anticipate a really fun night to finish off a really fun season!
Click on the video player below to watch an exclusive deleted scene from last night’s episode. Also make sure to read Dalton’s recap. And for ‘Survivor’ scoop sent directly to you, follow Dalton on Twitter @DaltonRoss.Do-It-Yourself Edition!
Grab a marker and go nuts, or procure some acrylic paint to create your masterpiece.
Some Customizing tips:
Wash the figure lightly in soap and water before you paint to clean off any dirt or residue for better results!
Most permanant and acrylic-based paint makers will work well, but be sure to let them dry or they can smudge!
Avoid oil-based paint pens.
For best painting results, give the figure a light spray of primer before you go at it with your brushes!
Here's a template to sketch out some ideas!
Product Specs
3" blank vinyl figure
Rotating arms & head are easily removable for painting*
Sold individually or order 16 for a case!
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* 2011 edition and laterEPA/Christopher Berkley/Corbis
Oil company BP would pay US$18.7 billion over 18 years to settle civil lawsuits related to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, under a tentative settlement with US state and federal governments.
The deal, announced on 2 July, would be the largest settlement with a corporation in US history, according to the US Department of Justice. It covers most legal claims arising from the disaster. Eleven people died when the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, damaging a seafloor wellhead that spilled 3.19 million barrels of oil before it was capped months later.
The agreement covers claims brought by the US federal government; the states of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas; and more than 400 local government entities.
BP would pay $5.5 billion over 15 years in penalties under the Clean Water Act — significantly less than the maximum potential fine of $13.7 billion. The oil company has also agreed to pay $7.1 billion to state and federal governments over 15 years, to settle natural-resource damage claims, and $4.9 billion to the states over 18 years for economic and other claims. Local governments would split $1 billion from the company.
The proposed civil settlement dwarfs the separate $4-billion deal BP signed in 2013 to settle a criminal case brought by the federal government. “This is a realistic outcome which provides clarity and certainty for all parties,” said Bob Dudley, BP’s group chief executive, in a statement.
Fred Krupp, president of the Environmental Defense Fund in New York City, called the settlement “a significant step toward justice”.
Before the agreement can be finalized, it must undergo a public comment period and review by a federal court.A recent study from researchers at the University of North Dakota offered some troubling data about the sex lives of college men. Among the respondents, a group of 73 straight male students, one in three reported that they would force a woman to have sex if they knew they could get away with it. According to the report, 31 percent of the men surveyed said they would force a woman to have sex "if nobody would ever know and there wouldn’t be any consequences."
But when researchers asked the same question, this time dropping the language of forced sex and using the word rape instead, that number dropped to 13 percent. Respondents, it seems, were comfortable with the act of rape, just not the name. The findings, that copping to sexual violence can be a strange matter of semantics, aren't all that unique, according to the researchers. Here's what the study had to say about the conclusions of similar research that dealt with perceptions about rape among men and women:
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Specifically, when survey items describe behaviors (i.e., ‘‘Have you ever coerced somebody to intercourse by holding them down?’’) instead of simply label them (i.e., ‘‘Have you ever raped somebody?’’), more men will admit to sexually coercive behaviors in the past and more women will self-report past victimization (Koss 1998). [...] Given that rape is defined as intercourse by use of force or threat of force against a victim’s wishes, this discrepancy suggests that at least some men who rape do not seem to classify their behaviors as such.
What the researchers, led by Sarah Edwards, an assistant professor of counseling psychology, wanted to understand through this study was the relationship between men's views about themselves and about women and their willingness to force sex.
More from the study:
Results indicated that participants can be differentiated into three groups based on scores from scales on hypermasculinity and hostility toward women. High hostility toward women and callous sexual attitudes separated the no intentions group from those who endorsed either intentions to rape or those who endorses only the behavioral description of rape. The two types of offender groups were distinguishable mostly by varying levels of hostility, suggesting that men who endorse using force to obtain intercourse on survey items but deny rape on the same may not experience hostile affect in response to women, but might have dispositions more in line with benevolent sexism.
"When we talk about benevolent sexism we are talking about... men [who] might think that women shouldn’t change the oil in their car," Edwards told me. "That’s not hostile -- it’s actually a nice thing to change a woman’s oil. But it still has a sexist component to it that believes that women shouldn’t get their hands dirty or women shouldn’t work with cars." Those normative ideas about gender might carry over to sex and beliefs about "what it means to be a man," she continued. "Those would be men who find sex as more of a way to demonstrate their manhood... who might be more likely to believe that women are supposed to say 'no' to sex but really they mean 'yes.'"
I talked to Edwards about her research, why she believes it is significant despite its limited sample size and what she thinks her findings mean in terms of policy and current debates about addressing rape on college campuses. Our conversation has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.
The men involved in your research were categorized into three groups. The first didn’t indicate a willingness to force sex or rape women, a second group said they would force sex but wouldn’t rape women and then a third group of men said they would commit rape. Is this accurate or too simple a breakdown?
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That’s accurate. We asked men for their likelihood that they might force a woman into sexual intercourse against her will or rape her and categorized them accordingly.
The study notes that the men who endorsed descriptions of forced sex but denied rape "might have dispositions more in line with benevolent sexism.” Can you talk more about what those attitudes might be and what they mean in the context of this study?
Basically what we found was the men who said they would rape, that they had intentions to rape, they seemed to be more overtly hostile towards women. More angry, suspicious of women’s motives. But those men who said they have an intention to use force to have sexual intercourse but then said no to rape, they seem to be more motivated by the macho personality, hypermasculine idea.
Also, the opposite or inverse of the construct of hostility. We termed that as benevolent sexism, meaning that those are men that still have attitudes that are sexist, but they are not overtly hostile. Rather, when we talk about benevolent sexism we are talking about this concept, for example, that men might think that women shouldn’t change the oil in their car. That’s not hostile -- it’s actually a nice thing to change a woman’s oil. But it still has a sexist component to it that believes that women shouldn’t get their hands dirty or women shouldn’t work with cars.
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They had very stereotypical ideas about what it means to be a man in terms of sexual encounters. Those would be men who find sex as more of a way to demonstrate their manhood, who view sex as more of a conquest, who might be more likely to believe that women are supposed to say “no” to sex but really they mean “yes.”
Do you feel that force was part of how these men conceptualized their sense of sexual identity?
That is what we are thinking. Obviously, we could not ask them specifically because we do not know who endorsed that. But the answer to the personality questions about hypermasculinity, we are suspecting that this aspect of hypermasculinity that objectifies women more, that tells men to be strong and take the lead and be aggressive -- I think that part of the masculine identity exaggerated into hypermasculinity is what might have enabled them to see their acts as normal. As part of what they do, their friends do and the culture expects them to do.
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Your research is acting in dialogue with a phenomenon that’s been explored in other studies as well. Individuals, it seems, struggle with defining rape and the range of circumstances that constitute sexual assault.
What research has found in general is that most people are very much able to identify the prototypical rape, which is something along the lines of a woman walks down a dark alley, a strange looking guy jumps out from behind the bush, pulls her into a secluded area and violently rapes her. When you give people that sort of scenario everyone identifies that it’s rape.
But there are many other ways that people are raped in actual life, and some of these are much more grey zones where we don’t all agree where something is a rape. For example, If a woman is raped at a party where she is intoxicated and dressed provocatively. She agrees to go upstairs to a secluded room with a male friend and starts kissing him, but then stops agreeing to the sexual interaction and tries to leave. But she’s really very drunk and lands on the bed again. She passes out and the man has sex with her. Something like that, not everyone would label that as rape.
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Or if there’s sexual assault in a marital relationship. It was only fairly recently that there were laws passed in the U.S. that actually recognize rape in marriage. People in society have a harder time classifying those. For us, that was interesting and we have done our own study on that topic as well, how people perceive different rape scenarios.
Researchers have known for a very long time that it really matters how we ask the question. For example, if we ask people if they rape or have rape or have been raped, you get fewer responses than if you ask people about descriptions. Like, “Have you ever forced anyone to have sexual intercourse” or “Have you ever been forced to have sexual intercourse?” You have many more people who will say yes to those questions.
We really wanted to figure out what the difference in people’s minds, of the behavioral description versus the label.
There was another study that came out last year in which women and teenage girls talked about violent and coercive sexual behavior as being a normal part of sex.
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I tend to explore men’s behavior more, but I am a little familiar with how women will actually have the same difficulties labeling rape as such. And even in therapy, I am a therapist as well, I often times work with young women who come in and describe experiences that, to me, clearly are rape, but they do not necessarily conceptualize them as such. They have difficulty figuring out whether or not what happened to them was rape because of, I think, the cultural norms around saying it’s a woman’s fault, that it matters how you dress, that it’s because a woman was intoxicated or because she didn’t say “no” more forcefully.
One of the interesting questions that comes out of this research is the matter of what to do with your findings. How violence prevention programs could possibly be better tailored to this middle group of men who say they would force sex but not rape. I know policy prescriptions are not part of this study, but I wonder if your team had ideas about what kind of interventions might be better suited to this category of men?
Clearly we need to do more research on this area. Preliminarily, based on this study, what I am thinking is that we have to be careful in terms of how we phrase prevention programs because if we want to address that middle group of men, who do not seem to self-identify their actions as rape, that group of men might actually be very taken aback or put off by a program to prevent rape. Because in their minds they are not rapists, so they might block that message out and feel that it’s not applicable to them.
I think that we might want to consider how we can talk to these men more carefully without necessarily using this label at the outset. We can have an opportunity to engage and really learn more about their own behaviors, and what that means for them and for others.
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You said earlier that this middle group held benevolent but very limited ideas about women, like in the example of the oil change. Do you think that another level of intervention might be challenging these normative assumptions about women?
That’s another area where we can do more research. I very much think that it’s very deep in this cultural notion of how women should act and how men should act. How we think about sex in general. A sizeable part of the population believes that sex should only happen in a married relationship. And now part of the population doesn’t think that. So I think there is a lot of tension going around, and in cultural norms around that.
One thing I noticed while reading the study is that the research assistant who administered the survey was a man. Was that intentional? Do you think that if a woman had been the one to hand out the paperwork that it might have influenced men’s willingness to be candid in their responses?
I think so. For that type of research, I always try to have a male research assistant interact with the participants.
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I read that you debriefed the men who participated after the research concluded. What were those interactions?
The research assistant debriefed them. During that process we would talk with them about what is and what isn’t rape. What is and isn’t informed consent. We would talk about things like if your date or girlfriend is passed out and too drunk to say no, how that does not mean you can have sex with her.
We challenged their notions of rape, and talked about sexual stereotypes. What people generally thought about men and women and how that affects our interactions with each other and our sexual relationships. Now, for a study like that, anonymity is very important. We did not know, nor do we know to this day, who said “I have intentions to rape” and who said they don’t. The debriefing was general prevention, and done with all of these groups.
This is a small research sample, which you acknowledge in the study itself. What do you make of criticism alleging that it's too narrow to be considered legitimate?
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It’s unfortunate that people focused so much on the location. This study was not conducted with students at the University of North Dakota. But people seem to have homed into that. I think it really speaks to people’s worries about men having some intention to be sexually assaultive. I think it’s easier to want to label it as though it only happens in certain places, but my sense is, from other research, that this is pretty representative and happens all across the country in similar ways.
I really hope the study allows us to pay more attention to this middle group of men who do not identify their own actions as rape, to talk with them and |
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KARACHI: The Pakistan men’s baseball team has been handed a huge boost ahead of the 2017 World Baseball Classic qualification rounds as Chinese Taipei have agreed to provide a batting coach two months before their qualifier against Brazil, announced Pakistan Federation Baseball (PFB) Secretary Syed Khawar Shah.
Pakistan have been pitted in Qualifier 4 alongside Brazil, Israel and Great Britain and will face Brazil in the preliminary round on September 22. The top team from the Qualifier will get to play the World Baseball Classic in February next year.
Shah, who also serves as the executive director of the West Asia Baseball Development, revealed that the PFB enjoys great relations with Chinese Taipei’s board, Chinese Taipei Baseball Association (CTBA), and requested them to offer their assistance, to which they obliged.
Landmark moment: Women’s baseball team hits home run
For now, no name has been revealed as Shah intends to consult with the CTBA before making any formal announcement. “The coach will be named after talks with the CTBA. I want to bring in a coach who can interact with the players easily,” said Shah. “He will be arriving here in the beginning of August.”
Meanwhile, head coach Musadiq Hanif is confident that the qualifiers will open up more avenues for the players.
Jays-Rangers baseball game marred by heated brawl
“Pakistan will be participating in an extremely prestigious tournament and a good performance at this competition can open doors for the pitchers and batsmen in the US League,” he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 20th, 2016.
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Read full storySame-sex marriage supporters Barbara Lawrence and Kimmy Denny chant outside the Miami-Dade County courthouse following a hearing seeking to strike down the state’s de facto ban on gay marriage on July 2, 2014. Photo by Zachary Fagenson/Reuters
The U.S. Constitution protects gay people’s right to marry the person they love. It does not, however, protect them from getting fired for doing so. Throughout the first decade of marriage equality, most states that legalized gay marriage also proscribed anti-gay employment discrimination, rendering this legal dissonance moot. But as more and more states find marriage equality foisted upon them by a judicial mandate, this discordance in rights presents something of a ticking time bomb for the LGBT movement.
Currently, Pennsylvania is the only state in the nation with both gay marriage (thanks to a federal judge) and no employment protections for gay people. But as this dizzyingly polychromatic Guardian chart illustrates, several other states also boast same-sex marriage while lacking hospital visitation, adoption rights, or housing protections for sexual minorities. In New Mexico, a man can marry his male partner—but can be forbidden from visiting him in the hospital. In New York and New Hampshire, trans people can be evicted from their houses and fired from their jobs for being trans. In Hawaii, a gay student can legally be kicked out of school based solely on his orientation.
And when the Supreme Court almost inevitably legalizes marriage equality nationwide, the chasm between gay marriage and broader LGBT equality is going to expand rapidly in dozens of red states. Marriage equality was supposed to be an umbrella issue, pulling purportedly lesser gay rights into its sweep. To some extent, this strategy has succeeded: Most Americans now profess a generalized support for gay equality. But in direly reactionary states, it may take decades to convert this support into legislative action—even after the judiciary renders gay marriage a settled issue.
There are some stopgap solutions here. President Barack Obama has ordered most hospitals to provide visitation rights to gay couples, extended LGBT protections to federal employees and federal contractors, and forbidden gay and trans discrimination by HUD-assisted housing programs. But administrative regulations and executive orders can’t extend as far as a federal measure would, and a Republican president could swiftly reverse them on his first day in office. An ENDA-type federal law could permanently outlaw this kind of discrimination everywhere, but the Republican-controlled House refuses to pass one, and LGBT job discrimination remains legal (and common) in 29 states.
What’s the solution to this coming crisis? The fight for nationwide gay marriage will turn out to be a hollow joke if gay couples in red states are too afraid of discrimination to actually get married and enjoy the dignity of true, state-prescribed equality. Because the Republican House refuses to consider gay rights measures—and because states like Tennessee and Alabama seem unlikely to act on their own to protect sexual minorities—the best solution is probably the one gays have relied on for decades: the courts. Thanks to federal lawsuits, judges are already considering the idea that existing law outlaws anti-gay discrimination in every state and that the Constitution guarantees same-sex adoption rights. The same logic that shoehorns anti-gay discrimination into sex discrimination could be used to turn the Fair Housing Act’s sex discrimination clause into a protection for LGBT people.
That’s not to say that a lawsuit trumps a law: The best-case scenario remains the one in which once-homophobic Americans wake up to the beauty of equality once gay marriage is imposed on their states, and Republicans across the country suddenly preach the gospel of gay rights. As the judiciary outpaces red-state America, though, this dream seems increasingly absurd. We didn’t get marriage equality just by changing hearts and minds; we did it by taking the government to court. It’s nice to imagine that, once we achieve marriage rights, our court battle is over. But in reality, it’s just beginning.Image: Night Dive Studios
System Shock, easily one the most influential first-person shooters ever made, is now more accessible than ever with a new "Enhanced Edition" sold through the digital game store GOG.com.
If you haven't played it, System Shock is known for combining first-person shooter and role-playing game elements, and open-ended environments where the player could use a number of tools to come up with a variety of solutions to any problem. Whereas, say, Doom just asked the player to go down a dark hallway and shoot monsters before they shot back, System Shock popularized the idea of "emergent gameplay," allowing players to choose how and what they wanted to do next.
Warren Spector, a System Shock producer, went on to create the cyberpunk thriller Deus Ex, which followed the same model. Ken Levin, a designer on System Shock 2, similarly brought the same ideas to the BioShock series.
System Shock: Enhanced Edition supports resolutions up to 1024x768, which is much lower than what even the most modest modern computers are capable of today, but also a big improvement over the original's 640x480. It also supports a native 854x480 widescreen mode.
Here's what System Shock used to look like:
Image: Night Dive Studios
And here's what System Shock: Enhanced Edition looks like:
Image: Night Dive Studios
Another big improvement in this new edition, which also illustrates how different games were when System Shock was first released in 1994, is the addition of "mouselook," meaning the ability to look in any direction by moving your mouse. That wasn't a standard back then, but it's been added to System Shock: Enhanced Edition, along with an improved inventory and item management system, remappable keys, and various bug fixes.
Video: YouTube
Most importantly, there's just an easy way to buy an install System Shock now. You could always find the game files with a quick search and run them with an emulator like DOSBox, but unlike System Shock 2, there previously wasn't a place online where you could pay for a copy that's guaranteed to work.
System Shock: Enhanced Edition is developed by Night Dive Studios, which is currently in the business of resurrecting games that aren't easily available to buy online, like Turok: Dinosaur Hunter.
You can buy System Shock: Enhanced Edition from GOG.com.Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
For a team with no real in-house alternatives, it made an amount of sense for the Texans to sign Brock Osweiler. In the prism of perfect hindsight, though, it was just the last desperate compensation cap hit the Texans got for passing over the 2014 quarterback class. One mistake lead to Ryan Fitzpatrick as quarterback for a year, then Brian Hoyer, and then finally, $37 million of guaranteed cash for Osweiler. The pressure to win now led to this signing, a huge expenditure on a quarterback who is awful under pressure and in the red zone.
Let's be clear that while this was a seemingly reasonable gamble—one that John Elway would've made for not much less money had Osweiler not saved the Broncos from themselves—it has failed. Osweiler's 12 weeks in Houston have been a disaster. He has succeeded in minimizing DeAndre Hopkins to a bit player, and the offense, at its absolute peak, has devolved into the two drives a game where Osweiler hooks up deep with Will Fuller. When the Texans have won this season, they have done so with the worst offense by DVOA in the NFL. Osweiler, having played with the Broncos and Texans, is somehow 11-7 as a starter, which should tell you everything you need to know about the validity of quarterback wins.
The Texans, though, still have a season to save. At 6-5, a half-game up on the Titans, they are still somehow in a driver's seat to make the playoffs. But to do so, they have to admit that a sunk cost is a sunk cost. Osweiler hasn't gotten any better and won't be getting any better. Managing him has just left the Houston offense hoping that defenses forget to cover the tight end in the middle of the field, whether it's C.J. Fiedorowicz or Ryan Griffin.
So, as they did when they reached out for Osweiler, it's time to embrace the unknown. It's time to come full-circle to 2014. It's time to start Tom Savage.
Savage was picked in the fourth round as a developmental quarterback who the Texans apparently preferred to Teddy Bridgewater and Derek Carr near the top of the second round. And, while he was a complete tools freak of a prospect, with little in the way of college production, he did appear fairly competent in the preseason. His arm strength is the best the Texans have on their roster at the moment.
The most important reason to let Savage start now is to avoid a situation like the Jets stumbled into this year. They didn't know if Bryce Petty was ready, and still really don't, so rather than go with the unknown, they've trotted out Fitzpatrick over and over again to horrendous results. They don't know if they can believe in any of their quarterback options, and are too scared to try new ones because they might lose by even more.
Starting Savage would do a few things for the Texans. One is that, with no tape on him, defenses will be playing at a disadvantage for a few weeks while they figure out his tendencies. Another is that he can't really perform much worse than Osweiler has. Finally, it will forever close the book on 2014. The Texans still have an out in the midst of a horrible situation. They may even still be vindicated for passing on Carr and Bridgewater.
Naturally, they won't take it. Because the NFL is very much a devil-you-know league, and the Texans are nothing if not stubborn about the people they believe in. Sometimes, as with edge rusher Whitney Mercilus and corner Kareem Jackson, that has paid off in the long run.
In this case, all starting Osweiler will do is lead to a sad, regrettable, hard-fought loss for everyone else on the team. Whether it's a 9-7 playoff team being made to eat dirt by a superior opponent, as happened against the Chiefs last year, or if they fall prey to the Titans and Colts and don't even get there.
It's very clear what we can expect for these Texans. But it doesn't have to be.v England, 1st Test, Lord's
First innings
6.4 Mohammad Amir to Cook, no run, dropped. Oh no. Hafeez. What have you done? Superb channels from Amir. Just outside off on a good length. Cook is drawn forward and has to play. A thick outside edge carries low to Hafeez at first slip, who gets down but the ball bursts out of his hands. Hit his left hand and bounced out, hands not in a good place. Should have been taken
25.1 Mohammad Amir to Cook, no run, pitched up, draws the drive, Cook nicks through to Sarfraz... who shells another chance off Amir! Unbelievable! Amir is understandably a little miffed by all this. Sarfraz dived to his left and got to the ball, a fairly simple chance but it hit his wrists and then rebounded into his face, only lacking the comedy sound effect for complete embarrassment
The cost: Alastair Cook was on 22 when he was first dropped, and on 55 the second time. He went on to score 81 and was England's top-scorer. Amir removed him eventually, but had to wait 45 overs for his first wicket on his comeback.
v England, 2nd Test, Manchester
First innings
6.3 Mohammad Amir to Hales, FOUR, reaching for the drive, thick-edged and, sad as I am to type it, a tough chance is dropped at gully! He was standing quite close, only got one hand up to the ball and it burst through
The cost: Nought. Amir burst through Hales' defence three balls later, removing him for 10.
57.5 Mohammad Amir to Vince, no run, big wind up, the ball whizzes through outside off, kisses the edge as Vince goes for the big drive... but Younis drops it! He seemed surprised by the pace, it flew around chest height and it hit the palm of his right hand before ricocheting off his chest and down. Still no one has taken a catch off Amir
The cost: Vince added 12 more before he was dismissed for 18 six overs later.
Younis Khan drops a catch from James Vince Getty Images
v England, 4th Test, The Oval
First innings
30.6 Mohammad Amir to Ali, no run, edged, flat and low to Azhar at third slip, who drops the chance! He clung on, fortuitously, to a near identical fumble off Ballance, but this was was if anything an easier opportunity in the first instance. Straight in, straight out. Amir kicks the turf in fury
The cost: England were 130 for 5. Ali went on to score 108 and was the last man out, with the score on 328.
v West Indies, 3rd Test, Sharjah
Second innings
0.5 Mohammad Amir to Johnson, no run, oh Pakistan's horror day refuses to end. Perfect seam position, on a length, on off, just about holds its line, takes the edge, goes to Misbah at third slip at a nice catchable height. Misbah lets it slip, though. Oh just when you thought you had said goodbye to the naughty Pakistan of old
2.5 Mohammad Amir to Johnson, no run, West Indies won't lose this match even if they want to. Poor cricket all around. Loose push to a shortish ball outside off, the edge carries chest high to Sami Aslam at first slip, but he makes a meal of it. Never in any danger of catching this. Hard hands, don't close at the right time. Poor Amir is left to kick the ground in disgust
The cost: Leon Johnson was on 0 and 3. He was dismissed for 12 after adding 29 for the opening wicket in a historic West Indies victory.
Mohammad Amir is livid after a dropped catch Getty Images
v New Zealand, 2nd Test, Hamilton
First innings
0.3 Mohammad Amir to Raval, no run, another catch dropped off Amir, Aslam is the culprit now at first slip. Full away-swinger, pokes and edges it low to the left of Aslam. He bends low and shells the knee-high grab
4.6 Mohammad Amir to Williamson, no run, Amir drops a return catch to his right. Full and angling away outside off, Williamson drives it in the air to the right of the bowler. Think Amir was reluctant to dive, he ultimately tumbles late to his right. Attempts the catch with both hands but spills it
28.6 Mohammad Amir to Raval, 1 run, Aslam drops another straightforward catch off Amir at first slip. Raval was reprieved on 4 on the first morning, he is reprieved again on 40 on the second morning. Good length, angled in, and then straightens away outside off. Raval has a naughty flirt and outside-edges it. Aslam is slow to react to start with; he then dives across to his right and shells it. He did not even have to fall that far to his right. The hands are apart and he is never really balanced. Amir is livid and is ready to tear his hair apart
The cost: Jeet Raval was on 0 and 41 when he was dropped. He top-scored with 55. Williamson made 13 after being dropped on 0.
Second innings
30.4 Mohammad Amir to Latham, 2 runs, midwicket drops a tough catch diving to his left. Aslam drops another catch off Amir in this Test. Short and outside off, Latham skips back and pulls in the air. Aslam throws himself to his left, the ball hits his left hand and bobbles out. Poor Amir, and Aslam has been banished to the deep
The cost: Latham was on 39 when he was dropped. He finished with 80.
v Australia, 2nd Test, Melbourne
First innings
80.5 Mohammad Amir to Handscomb, no run, dropped. All return catches are hard but they are still chances. Handscomb pushes casually and fails to keep this down. Amir is off balance is his follow through and is hit on that high part of the hand as goes to claim this dipping offering
The cost: Handscomb was on 51 when dropped but could only add three runs to his score before Sohail Khan dismissed him.
v West Indies, 2nd Test, Barbados
First innings
4.3 Mohammad Amir to Kraigg Brathwaite, no run, put down. Amir has another dropped opportunity against his name. Everything according to the ploy here with short cover there just for the checked defensive drives. Amir gets Brathwaite to do just that, only to watch his efforts neutralized by the ball popping out of Shehzad's palms. Oh dear
The cost: Nothing - Brathwaite was on 9 when dropped, but fell two balls later to Amir, caught behind by Sarfraz Ahmed.
v Sri Lanka, 1st Test, Abu Dhabi
Second innings
54.3 Mohammad Amir to Dilruwan Perera, no run, dropped at second slip! Oh Amir, doesn't even have anything to say. Happens that often. Back of a length in the corridor, pokes at it and gets a thick outside edge that's heading towards first slip. But Asad Shafiq leaps to his left and puts it down. The pace of the pitch is the reason. It was hanging up for quite a while and he grabbed at it
The cost: No runs. Perera fell in the next over, leg-before to Yasir Shah.
Ed Joyce helped Ireland make a solid start to their second innings AFP
v Ireland, only Test, Malahide
Second innings
0.3 Mohammad Amir to Joyce, no run, dropped? Nicked for certain, but did it carry? Full just outside off, but the ball shapes away slightly, and takes the outside edge. Drops in front of first slip, but definitely a chance for the keeper, because he stands slightly forward. Nervy start
The cost: To be determined. Joyce had yet to score but ended day three of the Test on 39.
4.5 Mohammad Amir to Porterfield, no run, dropped again! This time Porterfield gets the life. Another missed chance off Amir. Good length on off stump, shapes just enough to take the edge and that was pretty simple for Azhar at third slip
The cost: To be determined. Porterfield was on 3 at the time and finished day three of the Test unbeaten on 23.It’s time to kick-off another week of fabulous story-telling in Voice, brought to Second Life and Kitely by the staff and volunteers at the Seanchai Library.
As always, all times SLT / PDT, and unless otherwise stated, events will be held on the Seanchai Library’s home on Imagination Island.
Sunday August 31st
09:00: The Heart of Ireland: The Red Girl – Seanchai Kitely
Via Goodreads.com:
In the 1930s, Irish novelist Maurice Walsh placed the moors and mountains of Ireland firmly on the literary map with this celebrated collection of stories. Since then, readers have continued to be charmed by these accounts of the simple and common activities of the characters in 1920s rural Ireland.
The lives of Hugh Forbes, Paddy Bawn Enright, Archibald MacDonald, Joan Hyland, and Nuala Kierley intermingle as the themes of nationalism, human dignity, honour, and love are given full play. Made famous by John Ford’s Oscar-winning film The Quiet Man, starring John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara, these remain humorous and poignant tales set against a backdrop of intrigue and Irish civil unrest.
Join Caledonia at the White O’ Morn cottage on Glen Island at the Seanchai Homeworld (grid.kitely.com:8002:Seanchai) as she once again takes listeners to the very heart of Ireland
13:30: Tea-time at Baker Street: The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes
Caledonia Skytower, Corwyn Allen and Kayden Oconnell once again open the pages of The Casebook of Sherlock Holmes, the final set of twelve Sherlock Holmes short stories first published in the Strand Magazine between October 1921 and April 1927.
This week: The Adventure of the Lions’s Mane
“It is a most singular thing that a problem which was certainly as abstruse and unusual as any which I have faced in my long professional career should have come to me after my retirement, and be brought, as it were, to my very door. It occurred after my withdrawal to my little Sussex home, when I had given myself up entirely to that soothing life of Nature for which I had so often yearned during the long years spent amid the gloom of London. At this period of my life the good Watson had passed almost beyond my ken. An occasional week-end visit was the most that I ever saw of him. Thus I must act as my own chronicler.”
Thus begins the second of only two stories of Sherlock Holmes’ adventures to be narrated by the great man himself. As the opening suggests, Holmes is now in retirement in Sussex, where he meets an old friend whilst on the beach. Harold Stackhurst is the headmaster of a local preparatory school, and as the two men chat, one of the masters from the school, Fitzroy McPherson, staggers up to them, his torso covered in livid welts as if he had been whipped with a hot wire. McPherson manages to utter the words, “Lion’s mane,” before dying.
More mystery ensues when it emerges that McPherson was involved with one Maud Bellamy – much to the chagrin of her father and brother -, and he had a sometimes strained friendship with another of the school’s masters, Ian Murdoch. What’s more, Murdoch may have also once been a suitor for Maud Bellamy.
Is murder most foul in the air? Could hatred or jealousy be the reason? Is McPherson’s death the result of his involvement with Maud Bellamy? The mystery seems to become more perplexing when McPherson’s dog is found dead, apparently having suffered as agonizingly as its master. But is its discovery the clue Holmes has been seeking?
To find out more, be sure to turn up on time for a spot of afternoon tea at Baker Street!
Monday September 1st, 19:00: Far From Home: The People Deluge
Zenna Chlarson Henderson was one of the first female science-fiction authors, having started reading publications such as astounding Stories from the age of 12, and becoming a popular author in the 1950s and 1960s.
She is perhaps best known for her The People stories, which focus of a race of human-like aliens forced to flee their homeworld due to a natural disaster, and some of whom arrive in the American southwest shortly before the start of the 20th century.
The People have the very best of human qualities: love, gentleness, spirituality; and also special powers of healing, levitation, telekinesis and more, who wish only to preserve their home culture and beliefs amidst a world which, despite their human appearance, does not understand them.
Henderson’s tales about The People ran to some 17 stories which examined the lives of The People, their past on their homeworld, their attempts to live quietly on Earth, their interactions with their human neighbours, all told in a beautiful, moving style. Why not join Gyro Muggins to learn more as he resumes their story through the pages of The People Deluge?
Tuesday September 2nd, The Sea Fairies
Lyman Frank Baum is best known for his Wizard of Oz novels. However, over the course of his life he wrote some 59 novels (including four “lost” novels), 83 short stories and over 200 poems.
The Sea Fairies, first published in 1911, was intended to be the first volume in a new series of stories after Baum had “finished” the Oz series with the Emerald City of Oz. It tells the tale of young Mayre Griffiths, known to all as Trot, who lives on the coast of Southern California, where her father is the captain of a sailing schooner. Trot’s home life is shared with Cap’n Bill, her father’s former skipper, who has lived with the family since an accident cost him a leg.
Cap’n Bill is a devoted guardian to little Trot, and spends his days walking the beaches with her, or rowing her along the coast, regaling her with tales. But when the subject of mermaids comes up, Trot’s wish to see one is granted, and both she and Cap’n Bill fix themselves transformed into merfolk – who are sea fairies – and taken to the undersea realm of Queen Aquarine and King Anko, where they witness many things and are forced to come up against the wicked Zog the Magician …
Join Faerie Maven-Pralou as she takes to the seas once more and continues this lasting tale.
Wednesday September 3rd, 19:00: Stories from the Shadows
With Shandon Loring
Thursday September 4th
19:00: Letter to My Daughter
From the publisher’s notes:
Dedicated to the daughter she never had but sees all around her, Letter to My Daughter reveals Maya Angelou’s path to living well and living a life with meaning. Told in her own inimitable style, this book transcends genres and categories: guidebook, memoir, poetry, and pure delight.
Here in short spellbinding essays are glimpses of the tumultuous life that led Angelou to an exalted place in American letters and taught her lessons in compassion and fortitude: how she was brought up by her indomitable grandmother in segregated Arkansas, taken in at thirteen by her more worldly and less religious mother, and grew to be an awkward, six-foot-tall teenager whose first experience of loveless sex paradoxically left her with her greatest gift, a son.
Whether she is recalling such lost friends as Coretta Scott King and Ossie Davis, extolling honesty, decrying vulgarity, explaining why becoming a Christian is a “lifelong endeavor,” or simply singing the praises of a meal of red rice–Maya Angelou writes from the heart to millions of women she considers her extended family.
Join Caledonia Skytower as she opens these remarkable pages.
21:00: Seanchai Late Night
With Finn Zeddmore.
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Please check with the Seanchai Library SL’s blog for updates and for additions or changes to the week’s schedule. The featured charity for September-October is Reading is Fundamental: seeking motivate young children to read by working with them, their parents, and community members to make reading a fun and beneficial part of everyday life.
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AdvertisementsMore than 370,000 people were killed in car crashes in the U.S. from 2004 to 2013. Alcohol was involved in 31% of those, while distracted driving led to 18%, according to the Department of Transportation. Speeding was also a factor in almost a third of those deaths.
The Metrocosm blog recently brought those numbers to life in a graphic that, at first glance, looks more like a population density map or an electric grid glowing across the country.
But click on the interactive version and you’ll find an amazingly detailed and troubling look at what’s been happening on our roads over the past decade. Dots begin to take shape as men, women and children as you zoom in. The different colors represent drivers in red, passengers in orange, pedestrians in yellow, cyclists in blue and groups in purple.
For example, here’s a look at the Bay Bridge connecting San Francisco and Oakland. As you can see, one male pedestrian was killed by a car on the bridge over that time frame.
And here’s a look at midtown Manhattan, where driver distraction (illustrated by the green circles) is a serious danger. Pedestrians, understandably, appear to be more at risk in these parts.
Come 2050, an updated version of this map might look nothing like this one, according to a report from McKinsey & Company earlier in the year. The consulting firm’s analysis projects that, by the middle of the century, driverless cars could reduce deaths on the road by 90%.
There is a long way to go, of course. Driverless cars are still getting into accidents more often than those with drivers, a recent study from the University of Michigan showed. And just last week, a self-driving car was pulled over by the police for driving too slowly. As it stands now, Google GOOG, +0.52% cars are allowed on the area roads with speed limits of 35 mph or less.When I was a teenager pretending to fly a spaceship, I got to do a lot of really cool things with a lot of really cool people. The price of admission to this wonderful world, though, was the most annoying hairdo I've ever experienced in my life. I called it Wesley's Helmet Hair, because it did not move at all once the hair department shellacked it, and I really, really hated it.
There was some decree that hair was perfect in the future, so before every take, one of the hairdressers would come over and drop a small cloud of hairspray around my head. By the end of the day, it was like there was this foreign thing sitting on top of my skull that I couldn't wait to get home and wash off (I clearly remember showering after work, and feeling a slick of hairspray and other products run down my back, like I was living out some horrible fanfic. Ugh, I'm getting chills just thinking about it) and when they finally retired this particular hairdo, I may have cried tears of relief.
Well, yesterday, I learned that a friend of @MartySever's loved Wesley's helmet hair as much as I hated it.
BEHOLD!iPhone users and app developers got a sneak preview at what the future holds for them on Tuesday, when Apple showcased its upcoming iPhone 3.0 software. The next major version of the iPhone operating system, slated for a summer release, promises a number of changes aimed at end-users and software makers alike.
For iPhone users, that number is more than 100—the amount of new features Apple promises in iPhone 3.0. Topping the list is the ability for users to copy and paste information—including text, blocks of HTML, and photos—in the iPhone’s built-in apps. Users will also be able to copy and paste between applications. Third-party developers will have the ability to add copy-and-paste functionality to their apps as well.
iPhone 3.0 will also bring Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) support for sending and receiving photos, contact information, audio files, and locations; a Voice Memos app to record, edit, and share audio files; Spotlight search capabilities; CalDAV and.ics calendar support; the ability to sync notes via iTunes; stereo A2DP Bluetooth support; auto-fill; anti-phishing technology; and extended parental controls.
Get more details on Apple’s announced iPhone 3.0 improvements
While the full iPhone 3.0 release won’t be available for a few months, developers can get their hands on a beta version now. With iPhone 3.0, developers will now be able to build push notification into their apps, to alert users of changes in closed apps—a new instant message, for example. Apple had first promised to come out with a push-notification service at its 2008 Worldwide Developers Conference but delayed the launch. On Tuesday, Apple executives cited developers’ overwhelming initial interest in the App Store as the reason for the delay.
In addition to offering push notifications, the iPhone 3.0 software also lets developers create apps that provide turn-by-turn GPS driving directions (as long as they provide their own maps); embed Google Maps in their apps; sell subscriptions as well as add-ons through their apps; and much more.
Get more details on iPhone 3.0 changes aimed at iPhone app developers
The iPhone has become a lucrative platform for Apple. On Tuesday, Apple vice president of iPod and iPhone product marketing Greg Joswiak told reporters that the company had sold 17 million iPhones since the June 2007 launch of the original iPhone. The phone is now available in 80 countries, with 77 of those countries also enjoying access to the App Store.The verdict in the trial of an Irishman who has been imprisoned in Egypt for the past four years has been postponed until September 18.
The verdict in the trial of an Irishman who has been imprisoned in Egypt for the past four years has been postponed until September 18.
Ibrahim Halawa (21) has been in jail for the last four years after he was arrested along with hundreds of other individuals during 2013 protests against the ousting of former president Mohamed Morsi.
There have been numerous court hearings, which have all been adjourned, prompting widespread criticism here of the length of time he has been held without trial. There was much anticipation among Irish officials for the verdict today.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Coveney, has expressed disappointment and frustration at the news from Cairo.
Confirmed from Cairo - No verdict today on Ibrahim Halawa case. Judges have adjourned until 18 September - v frustrating but we keep working — Simon Coveney (@simoncoveney) August 28, 2017
“I am frustrated at the news that the final hearing in the court case involving Irish citizen Ibrahim Halawa was today deferred. The Irish Ambassador was in court for this morning’s proceedings, and our understanding now is that the verdicts in the case will be announced on Monday, 18 September.
"This is very frustrating for Ibrahim Halawa and for his family, who were expecting some definitive news today, and I fully share that sense of disappointment and frustration at yet another delay in this long-running case.
"Nonetheless, we will be continuing to work in support of Ibrahim and his family and doing everything we can to ensure that he is able to return to Ireland as soon as possible once the trial ends.”
Children's Minister Katherine Zappone said she shares the "deep disappointment" of the Halawa family.
Ibrahim Halawa is still in jail
“I share the deep disappointment felt by the family of Ibrahim Halawa following the postponement of a verdict," Minister Zappone said.
"Ibrahim and his family are in my thoughts and prayers during this enormously difficult time.
Pauline McLynn with fellow campaigners calling for the release of Ibrahim Halawa, inset below. Photo: Doug O’Connor
"As Ibrahim’s local TD I remain in continuous contact with the family, his legal team as well as Government colleagues. This is a very difficult consular case for the Department of Foreign Affairs and the officials working behind the scenes have my full support.
"Ireland has respected the legal process and we expect it to deliver.
Dubliner Ibrahim Halawa has been in jail in Egypt awaiting a mass trial since August 2013, when he was aged just 17
"At a time when hopes are high this further delay is very frustrating. Nevertheless we must continue to put in place the supports necessary to ensure Ibrahim’s health and well-being when he is allowed home to be reunited with his loved ones."
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is to speak to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi by phone at 5pm today.
Speaking about the case over the weekend, Mr Varadkar said: "Certainly the Government is very keen to ensure that Ibrahim Halawa can return to Ireland as soon as possible," he said.
"The Egyptian government has always said that they cannot interfere in a trial in the same way an Irish Government cannot interfere in the court process. We will do everything we can to enable him to come home."
Speaking to RTE Radio One's Morning Ireland earlier this morning, Minister Coveney said the Irish Government are in "close contact" with the Halawa family.
"The Taoiseach is speaking to the Egyptian president at 5pm today to talk about the Halawa case once we get an idea of what that verdict is," he said.
"We'll have clarity between 11am this morning and the afternoon.
"We are in close contact with his family to try and bring an end to the four-year ordeal today."
Online EditorsMNT
CHICAGO (Sept. 5, 2015) – The U.S. Men’s National Team will follow up its decisive CONCACAF playoff against Mexico on Oct. 10 with another challenging match against a regional rival when it hosts 2014 |
failed to win the rebounding battle in either of its first two games. Manhattan’s tallest starter is 6’10” and Northeastern’s is 6’8″.
Though Bojanovsky and Ojo are only about halfway through their collegiate careers, it appears as though they’re maturing slower than the Seminoles expected. Areas that size would suggest should be places for a FSU advantage like on the boards and in the paint have been anything but so far.
For Florida State’s best teams under Leonard Hamilton, utilizing its size has been instrumental. In the past, players like Uche Echefu, Xavier Gibson and Jon Kreft have managed to be significant contributors as were future NBA draft picks in Bernard James and Ryan Reid.
Too often last season, Florida State was outplayed on the block and glass by more physical teams. After four straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 2009-12, FSU has had to settle for consecutive NIT appearances. Unless the Seminoles can find a way to make their presence known down low, that’s a trend that may continue.Buy 2017 Silver Lynx coin from the RCM’s Predator Series for just $2.09 over spot!
Product Specs
Mint: Royal Canadian Mint
Year of Issue: 2017
Composition: One troy ounce of.9999 fine silver
Face Value: $5 Canadian
Obverse
Like most of the Royal Canadian Mint’s coins, the obverse of the Silver Lynx features a profile view of Queen Elizabeth II. You’ll also find inscriptions of “ELIZABETH II,” “5 DOLLARS,” and “2017.”
Reverse
Designed by Canadian artist Emily Damstra, the reverse features a powerful lynx leaping toward its prey. The Canadian Lynx inhabits the boreal forests across the country. These skilled hunters live solitary, secretive lives, yet they easily adapt to changing seasons.
RCM engravers used a variety of techniques and finished to create an image with enough depth to give the lynx a more realistic appearance. Radial lines on both sides of the coin provide enhanced security, along with a maple leaf-shaped privy mark under the lynx’s belly on the reverse.
About the Royal Canadian Mint and The Predator Series
The Royal Canadian Mint produces all of Canada’s circulation coins, precious metal bullion coins, and various medallions. One notable feature on RCM coins, including the popular Silver Maple, is the micro-inscribed radial lines on the field of both sides. These lines create a unique light diffracting pattern when held to the light, adding another measure of security. This falls under the mint’s proprietary bullion DNA technology.
The Silver Lynx is the second silver coin to be released in the Predator series produced by the RCM. Once finished, the series will include four coins featuring North America’s iconic mammalian predators. The Silver Lynx has a limited mintage of only 500,000 coins.
Shipping Info
Single Silver Lynx coins ship in a plastic flip. Quantities of 25 ship in mint-issued and sealed plastic tubes. Quantities of 500 ship in a strapped monster box.
Place your order online or call a customer service representative at 800-313-3315.Celeste Ward Gventer is a former deputy assistant secretary of defense who consults on a variety of defense and security issues in Europe and the Middle East.
On Dec. 19, 1971, Sir Geoffrey Arthur watched as HMS Achilles and HMS Intrepid pulled out of their berths at the port of Bahrain. The two ships carried off the last elements of Britain’s fighting forces remaining in the Persian Gulf in the post-World War II era. Arthur, the last political representative of the old British order, could still see the Intrepid on the horizon when two American destroyers hove up, escorted by Bahraini tugs, to occupy the vacated slips. Arthur rightly understood this event to be an augury of things to come. Indeed, the scene could hardly have been more aptly choreographed to signal a changing of the guard in the gulf and in the wider Middle East.
Andrew Bacevich bluntly sums up this symbolic transfer of responsibility: “That was not a baton that the Americans were grasping but a can of worms.” In his new book, “America’s War for the Greater Middle East,” the historian and retired U.S. Army colonel provides a critical review of American policy and military involvement in what he calls the Greater Middle East over the past 35 years.
Those familiar with Bacevich’s work will recognize the clarity of expression, the devastating directness and the coruscating wit that characterize the writing of one of the most articulate and incisive living critics of American foreign policy. The central argument of the book is that the U.S. experience in the Middle East over the past 3 1/ 2 decades is not a disconnected series of largely unsuccessful military engagements but a virtually continuous war in the heart of the Islamic world that persists to this day. His opening note to readers previews what his nearly 400 pages ineluctably reveal about this ongoing war: “We have not won it. We are not winning it. Simply trying harder is unlikely to produce a different outcome.”
For Bacevich, the turning point is not the departure of the British in 1971 but a proclamation by President Jimmy Carter in his January 1980 State of the Union address: “Let our position be absolutely clear: An attempt by any outside force to gain control of the Persian Gulf region will be regarded as an assault on the vital interests of the United States of America, and such an assault will be repelled by any means necessary, including military force.” This Carter Doctrine, by the author’s lights, was aimed primarily at ensuring the uninterrupted flow of cheap energy and ushered in a new era. A region that the U.S. armed forces “had by and large steered clear of... leaving it in the hands of diplomats and spooks” (or at least the British) became a core interest — and area of operations — for the military.
"America's War for the Greater Middle East: A Military History" by Andrew J. Bacevich (Random House)
This date makes sense. As Bacevich observes: “From the end of World War II to 1980, virtually no American soldiers were killed in action while serving in that region.... Since 1990, virtually no American soldiers have been killed in action anywhere except in the Greater Middle East.” He reminds readers that in the decade between the departure of the British military and Carter’s announcement, the U.S. government’s solution to regional stability in the Greater Middle East was to outsource. After the shambles in Vietnam, the Nixon administration handed the task of keeping regional peace to local allies (an approach that earned its own moniker — you guessed it — the Nixon Doctrine). In the gulf, the United States supported its twin pillars, Saudi Arabia and Iran. Arms sales soared, and Carter feted the shah’s Iran as “an island of stability in one of the more troubled areas” (a moment, Bacevich observes, that was destined for the “blooper reel”).
But events in the region over the course of the 1970s gradually suggested to many that the challenges in the Persian Gulf required a U.S. military solution. In Bacevich’s reading, the foremost rationale was a perceived need to protect American and allied access to oil. Both the Iranian revolution and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan convinced many of the undecided, Carter included, that it was crunch time. The vulnerability of America’s “coronary artery,” and that of its allies, had become intolerable. In ensuing years, the United States would seek further basing options in the region, develop contingency plans for a Soviet invasion of Iran and eventually establish Central Command, the U.S. military headquarters responsible for the planning and conduct of military operations in the region.
A review of U.S. operations there makes it difficult to dispute Bacevich’s central premise: that American military engagement in the Greater Middle East has not been crowned with success. From the disastrous attempted rescue of hostages in Iran in April 1980, in which eight Americans were killed, to the 1983 bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut, where 241 servicemen perished, to the tragic 1993 operation in Somalia, in which 18 Americans and countless Somalis lost their lives, all the way to the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, which claimed the lives of more than 5,000 Americans, in almost every case American military intervention has brought disaster, failed to achieve its objectives or been strategically irrelevant.
Some might point to the 1991 Persian Gulf War as a resounding triumph, but Bacevich cautions that “victory served to foster illusions and underwrite folly.” Despite the dazzling success of U.S. military forces, the strategic outcome was negligible and did little to address the deeper challenges facing the region. More pernicious was the self-congratulation and widespread “belief that the United States now enjoyed unparalleled military supremacy.” This “fundamental misreading” of Desert Storm, in Bacevich’s view, would lead the United States to woe.
Some readers will consider Bacevich’s inclusion of the Balkans as part of the Greater Middle East an unconvincing contrivance to put the 1990s into the service of his argument. But there is a larger problem with Bacevich’s pitch. What would he have had the United States do differently, and how could things have turned out better in the repeated cases of failure he describes?
Many of the failures that are self-evident to us today were not, and often could not have been, foretold. U.S. policy at any given time may have been the least bad option, even if things did not turn up roses or there were unintended consequences no one predicted. Bacevich does not explain how different decisions by U.S. policymakers over time would have delivered a more satisfactory outcome to this “war for the Greater Middle East.” His critique would also have been strengthened by a greater empathy for decision-makers facing radical uncertainty and complexity, an unknown future, and few easy choices, and by allowing that smart, patriotic public servants sometimes get it right.
Bacevich seems to concede that the Carter Doctrine had a coherent strategic rationale. His real beef is the steady expansion of the mission for reasons that have become less and less clear. In his view, America’s approach to the region has slipped its mooring to national interests. The original motivating forces behind U.S. policy have disappeared, yet the American military footprint in the region persists, seemingly as an end in itself. “Like the war on drugs or the war on poverty, the War for the Greater Middle East has become a permanent fixture in American life and is accepted as such,” he writes. Despite President Obama’s advertised view that his administration has taken a substantially different approach to the region, the ineffective Afghanistan surge of 2009, the ill-fated Libya operation in 2011, the thousands of drone strikes, the steady increase in the number of U.S. trainers in Iraq and the expanded airstrikes against the Islamic State tell a different story.
Why can’t we seem to get out? Bacevich offers reasons that will be familiar to readers of his other works. He takes aim at Washington and the widely held assumptions that feed a “collective naiveté” about the nature of American preponderance and the utility of military power. He notes that some simply have much to gain from continuing the status quo. Meanwhile, the lack of any meaningful opposition to military intervention abroad and comprehensive disinterest among the public ensure that a small elite in Washington will make the decisions about war and peace. As Bacevich has written extensively about, the all-volunteer U.S. military, in which less than 1 percent of the American population serves, puts the general public at a comfortable remove from any real consequences of policy. Most people remain, in Bacevich’s view, unaware — and fundamentally uninterested — in the matter.
If America’s military fortunes in the region have not changed the nation’s approach, Washington is apparently not alone in missing the plot. A December 2014 article in the British newspaper the Telegraph revealed that Britain would open a permanent naval base in the Persian Gulf, explicitly announcing a return to “East of Suez.” Britain plans to take on a greater role in the region as the United States allegedly pivots to Asia. British warships will be returning to Bahrain, headquartered not far from the berths they departed more than 44 years ago.It’s been a hot topic during this tumultuous primary season: are the cable news networks giving GOP frontrunner Donald Trump significantly more airtime than the other Republican candidates?
A team of MRC analysts logged each prime time interview of a presidential candidate or a plainly-identified supporter or surrogate on CNN, MSNBC and the Fox News Channel over the past four weeks (March 21 to April 15, weekdays only), poring over approximately 240 hours of programming.
Our study found that FNC spent much more time interviewing Trump and his surrogates than either of his GOP competitors. Over the past four weeks, Trump was interviewed for a total of 178 minutes on Fox, vs. 106 minutes on CNN and 43 minutes on MSNBC. (Interviews includes network-sponsored town halls as well as sit-downs with a network host, but not debates or live coverage of rallies or speeches.)
Trump’s leading competitor, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, was featured in interviews totaling 120 minutes on FNC, slightly less than the 133 minutes he received on CNN, but much more than the 35 minutes he managed on MSNBC. The only other active candidate, Ohio Governor John Kasich, received 84 minutes on Fox, 106 minutes on CNN and 100 minutes on MSNBC.
Adding in the airtime for campaign surrogates (family members, campaign staff, or designated surrogates), Trump’s tally grows to 397 minutes on Fox, or nearly 60 percent of the total, compared to 164 minutes (25%) for Cruz and 105 minutes (16%) for Kasich.
On CNN, Trump eclipsed Cruz by a much smaller margin: 331 minutes to 265 minutes, with 134 minutes for Kasich. On MSNBC, Kasich’s campaign actually took the most airtime during the four weeks we examined: 115 minutes, vs. 71 for Trump and 65 for Cruz.
The gap between Trump and his competitors on Fox might have been wider but for the fact that the campaign in early April moved from the Midwest to New York, where all three cable news operations are headquartered. During the first two weeks of our study, Trump and his surrogates claimed 214 minutes of airtime, vs. 62 minutes for Team Cruz and an even punier 24 minutes for Kasich’s crew.
But from April 4 to April 15, as the campaign in Wisconsin ended and the candidates moved east, Trump’s coverage ebbed slightly, to 183 minutes, while both Cruz and Kasich saw their face time on Fox expand — Cruz to 102 minutes, Kasich to 81.
The top surrogate for any candidate: conservative columnist and Trump supporter Kayleigh McEnany, who appeared on CNN for a total of 70 minutes during the four weeks we examined.
There’s obviously more to news coverage than just interviews, including day-to-day reporting and roundtables with the networks’ own pundits as well as non-aligned party members. But the tally of interview and town hall airtime shows, once again, that Donald Trump is getting the lion’s share of media attention this year.
Tomorrow: How cable news has covered the Democratic presidential candidates.As the battle between Hollywood and high tech reaches a fever pitch, serial entrepreneur Stephan Paternot has an idea that strikes at the lifeblood the movie biz: funding from independent producers.
Inspired by AngelList, Paternot founded Slated, a private marketplace for accredited investors to track and back independent film projects.
“What you’re seeing with Hollywood is the result of a dysfunctional incumbent desperate to save itself,” said Paternot. “What we need is not just new methods of distribution, like Netflix and Hulu, but going farther up the food chain, to find new platforms for creating big budget independent films.”
Parternot has long been ahead of the curve. He founded The Globe, one of the earliest attempts to build an online social network. It was the most spectacular IPO of the dot-com boom, and also one of the biggest busts when the bubble burst. His experience with the public markets got Paternot thinking about alternative systems for funding.
Paternot is an investor in SecondMarket and conversely, SecondMarket founder Barry Silbert is an investor in Slated. While Paternot’s initial plan uses crowdsourcing and social networking to better allocate capital, his long term vision is to tackle the bizarre accounting used for many films.
“Hollywood is bleeding the investors in their own films dry,” said Paternot. “Phase two of Slated will be closer to SecondMarket, where we act as registered broker-dealer and make sure that the investors who risked the most on producing these films get to see their fair share of the rewards.”
A good example of “Hollywood accounting” would be “Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix”, which took in $938 million in revenue, yet still produced a $167 million loss. In cases like this the distributor, Warner Bros., still makes a bundle, but the film and its backers, set up as a independent corporation, wind up in debt.
How is this possible? You can get a more detailed picture in this episode of Planet Money, which details how Disney paid itself more than $200 million in distribution fees on the Nicholas Cage vehicle “Gone in 60 Seconds.” The film made a lot of money for Disney, even while the corporation created to produce “Gone In 60 Seconds” was a loser on the official accounting.
“I’ve been investing in ideas around crowd sourcing for a while now. I backed IndyGoGo and Lending Club.” Paternot told Venturebeat by phone. “To me, finding more efficient ways of allocating capital is going to be the next big wave of successful internet companies.”
Hollywood and the tech industry have come to view one another as an existential threat, even though they depend on one another in many ways. Many in the tech industry thought SOPA and PIPA, bills backed by the entertainment industry, would destroy the internet. In response Paul Graham, the Svengali of of the startup community, posted an essay calling for ideas that would kill Hollywood.
Just like AngelList, Slated will need to establish a critical mass of well-respected talent and investors if it hopes to succeed. “We know that social proof is one of the big factors that made Angellist succeed,” said Paternot, who has been learning the movie business since 2004 as the founder of Palmstar Entertainment.
So far it has signed up producers from notable indie films like The Kids Are All Right, Waiting for Superman, An Inconvenient Truth, and The Station Agent. On the actor side it has projects starring names like William H. Macy, Sam Rockwell, Liv Tyler, and Felicity Huffman. Slated claims to have over $100,000,000 in capital lined up on the investor side already.
Why can’t the small studios and specialty divisions of Hollywood handle this business?
“Unfortunately, Hollywood remains inefficient, insular and opaque, always acting as an agent between investors and the projects that need their capital and collecting its ‘fees’ on the backs of investors,” Paternot declared. “Combine this gatekeeper mentality with the closed communication silos of the agencies and studios, and the results are massive inefficiencies across all levels of the industry, especially in the movement of capital.”
It’s far too early to tell if the film industry will take to this new marketplace. But if the growth of pledges on Kickstarter and shares on SecondMarket is any guide, there is very healthy appetite for new channels through which to invest in the private projects which were once the domain of Wall Street and Hollywood.First it's sour, then it's sweet. We're not talking about Sourpatch Kids, we're talking about Seven Lions' new collab with Anjunabeats fellow Jason Ross and MUTEMATH singer Paul Meany.
“Higher Love” comes on aggressive, almost to the point of hardstyle. But just when you're about to pull your hair out, it draws back. Suddenly, you're surrounded by calm piano and beautiful melodies.
“This collab with Jason was probably one of the quickest and smoothest I've ever worked on,” Seven Lions says in a press release. “It started out with a really simple piano melody that you hear in the middle and then we just started building on it over a few weeks. (It was done) all through email, but we would be working on it at the same time and constantly sending updates. I think it was a really fun collab, really excited about how it turned out.”
The lull doesn't last long. The energy grows ever stronger until you're thrusting your hands to the sky -- the kind of song that pairs well with festival fireworks.
"It was amazing to see how quickly the rest of track took shape," Ross says in a press release. "Working with (Seven Lions) was a breeze and felt completely natural. We really trusted each-other's creative sense and just built on idea after idea. We knew at the start that we wanted a powerful track that displayed both of our styles, and we think we did just that.”
“Higher Love” is out on Anjunabeats Friday, Jan. 13, but you can listen to it below exclusively on Billboard Dance.This article is about the song. For other uses, see Going to California (disambiguation)
"Going to California" is a ballad written and performed by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. It was released from the band's untitled fourth album in 1971.
In 2012, Rolling Stone ranked "Going to California" number 11 on their list of the 40 greatest Led Zeppelin songs of all time.[3]
Overview [ edit ]
The song's folk-style sound, with Robert Plant on lead vocals, acoustic guitar by Jimmy Page and mandolin by John Paul Jones, contrasts with the heavy electric-amplified rock on five of the album's other tracks. Page's guitar is in the D–A–D–G–B–D tuning.[citation needed]
The song started out as a song about Californian earthquakes and when Jimmy Page, audio engineer Andy Johns and band manager Peter Grant travelled to Los Angeles to mix Led Zeppelin IV, they coincidentally experienced a minor earthquake.[4] At this point it was known as "Guide to California".[4] In an interview he gave to Spin magazine in 2002, Plant stated that the song "might be a bit embarrassing at times lyrically, but it did sum up a period of my life when I was 22."[5]
At Led Zeppelin concerts the band performed this song during their acoustic sets, first playing it on their Spring 1971 tour of the United Kingdom.[4] One live version, from Led Zeppelin's performance at Earls Court in 1975, is featured on disc 2 of the Led Zeppelin DVD and again on the Mothership DVD.
It was performed on Plant's solo tours during 1988/1989 and at the Knebworth Silver Clef show in 1990. He played it again on his Mighty ReArranger tour, with additions of a double bass and a synthesizer.
Other versions [ edit ]
A different version of this song is featured on the second disc of the remastered 2CD deluxe edition of Led Zeppelin IV. This version, known as "Going to California (Mandolin/Guitar Mix)," is an instrumental recorded on January 29, 1971, with the Rolling Stones Mobile Studio at Headley Grange with engineer Andy Johns. This mix runs 3:34, while the original version runs 3:32.
Cover versions [ edit ]NRO case: SC seeks assets details from Musharraf, Zardari, Qayyum
ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday, while extending its jurisdiction, directed former presidents Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf and Asif Ali Zardari as well as former attorney general Malik Qayyum to furnish the details of their assets and properties along with an affidavit.
A three-member bench headed by Chief justice Saqib Nisar and comprising Justice Umer Ata Bandial and Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan was hearing in a petition, filed by the president of Lawyers Foundation for Justice, Feroz Shah Gilani, for the recovery of losses Pakistan had incurred after the promulgation of the NRO.
Farooq H Naek, the counsel for Zardari, submitted before the court that the instant matter was related to NRO and such an order could not be passed. However, the chief justice said they knew that and were extending their jurisdiction, adding that accountability should begin with the powerful.
The chief justice asked Naek to also submit assets details of his clients’ children, to which his reply was that both Zardari and Bilawal had recently submitted the details with the ECP in their nomination papers.
The chief justice said they could issue separate notices to Zardari’s children if the learned counsel wanted to do so.
Naek contended that the properties of Benazir Bhutto were also transferred to her spouse and children. The chief justice, however, said it wasn’t the matter being considered by the court and adding that he had great respect and regards for Benazir who embraced martyrdom.
Meanwhile, the court sought the assets details of all the respondents and adjourned further hearing for date-in-office (indefinite period).
It is pertinent to mention that the petitioner, Gilani, had prayed the apex court to issue orders to recover the huge amount of public money misappropriated and wasted by the respondents through unlawful means already on record in different judgments of the Supreme Court and high court.
Earlier submitting his reply before the apex court, Zardari had said he had no role in the promulgation of NRO, adding that he was in jail at the time of its promulgation. He had contended that the instant petition was frivolous and classic example of a politically motivated petition in order to malign him so that maximum political damage was caused to the PPPP. Hence, he prayed the apex court to dismiss it forthwith.
Similarly, Musharraf in his reply had informed the Supreme Court that the NRO was promulgated without any mala fide or vested interest and all his actions were in accordance with the laws as existed at that time.
The former military dictator had contended that he promulgated the NRO on the advice of the government (through his channel) and it was declared void-ab-initio by the apex court in 2010.
He had submitted that the move aimed at fostering mutual trust and confidence amongst the holders of public office and remove the vestiges of political vendetta and victimisation, to make the election process more transparent and to amend certain laws for that purpose and for the matters connected therewith and ancillary thereto.
The NRO was promulgated in Oct 2007 by the government of the then president Musharraf. Under the ordinance, the cases registered against politicians were removed, paving the way for many of them return to the country.5 Thoughts On No Fap
I did no fap for 75 days.
Until, last week, in a moment of weakness in the shower, I ended the streak. No, it isn’t because my girlfriend has decided to withhold sex (quite the contrary, actually, we have great and crazy sex using fun things like these bed restraints ), as I’d actually been laid less than 24 hours prior. But there I was, in the shower, after a long day at work and a great workout. One Five minutes later I was done.
And you know what, I didn’t feel guilty about it. 75 days was easily my longest streak ever for no-fap. Sometimes, a little self love is what you need. Let’s face it, one way or another, it has to get out.
So, here are my thoughts on the matter:
1.) You Will Have Killer Motivation With No Fap
I’d gone periods of a couple weeks with no fap before. This was the longest it had been, undoubtedly helped by my blossoming relationship.
However, when previously going a week or so without fapping (while playing the field), I can reasonably say this – you will have killer motivation if you haven’t gotten off recently. Approaching girls, setting up dates, and escalating. You’ll be pushy as hell for sex, and will continue at all costs to get it. However, there is a catch to this.
2.) No Fap Limits Motivation To Specific Areas
You reach a certain point where your only thoughts are “sex, sex, sex, SEX!!!”
I started getting antsy at work, unable to focus. All I could think about was sinking my dick in a warm snatch. I was walking around all the time with a hard-on sticking out of my slacks. I’ll add too, that I’m normally a very focused person. I am capable of setting myself to a task and carrying it through.
No fap made that much more difficult, unless the task was getting laid.
3.) You’ll Blow It
I blew this lay by being way too aggressive, likely due to not jerking off:
Long story short, I got drunk and basically said, “we’re having sex tonight.” Whoops. Oh well. We drank several vodka champagnes and an entire bottle of my wine. When we finished that bottle, she brought in a bottle from her car. After I said my offensive comments, she left…AND TOOK THE WINE!
Now, in no way whatsoever will I say you should tone down your escalations. Being an asshole, or alpha works better than being a beta any day of the week. However, there is a very fine line.
That previous quote is a perfect example of it. I really, really wanted to get my dick wet. So I pushed the interaction as far as I possibly could have. In hindsight, if I’d had just a little more patience, I probably could have fucked her within an hour or two. Worst case scenario, she definitely would have been ready to bang the next date. Realistically, we had only had three hours of face time together.
4.) You’ll Blow It Part II
Despite this post, I actually never raw dog. I’ve only raw dogged two girls in my life, one of whom is my current girlfriend.
Over the 75 days I didn’t fap, in which I was in a relationship with her for much of that time, it became much harder to hold out from ejaculating. I have no doubt a condom would have slowed the process down, but I definitely saw a notable drop in the time that it took me to “get to the edge”. Now, fortunately I’ve trained myself to be able to hold off from cumming, but I had reached the point where consistent stimulation would bring me to the edge, and I’d be forced to stop thrusting.
If you need actual sex advice, I’d check out Red Pill Orgasm.
5.) Finally, Every Man Should Try No Fap
If you have not gone at least a month without not fapping, you owe it to yourself to try. Everyone responds differently to it. It might be the single best thing to motivate you this year.
Personally, I think a little self love once every few weeks is no big deal. It is a fine balance though – it is very easy to fall into a habit of jerking it daily. This will hurt you far more than making it a once in a while habit.
One final note – if you do decide to jerk it, stay away from porn.
Want to quit jerking off, and go on dates instead? CLICK HERE.
Also, check out: The Opportunity Cost Of Her Orgasm(CNN) -- The Vermont House on Thursday passed a same-sex marriage bill by 95-52, which is not enough of a margin to override a veto promised by the governor.
Republican Gov. Jim Douglas has said he does not support the sam-sex marriage bill.
The vote came late in the day after five hours of debate before a crowded chamber, said the group Vermont Freedom To Marry, in a posting on its Web site.
"It's a testament to the power of telling our stories," said Beth Robinson, a spokeswoman for the group. "We know we've got more work to do in the run-up to the override vote."
Last week, the bill passed the Senate 26-4.
A final House vote is slated for Friday, when the bill is to be sent back to the Senate for approval of changes in the legislation sought by the House, and then to the desk of Gov. James Douglas, whose threatened veto could be overridden by a two-thirds vote.
That override vote could take place as soon as Tuesday, Robinson said.
Douglas, a Republican, has left little doubt about where he stands. "I believe our civil-union law serves Vermont well and I would support congressional action to extend those benefits at the federal level to states that recognize same-sex unions," he said last week in a written statement.
"But, like President Obama and other leaders on both sides of the aisle, I believe that marriage should remain between a man and woman."
Vermont Senate President Pro Tem Peter Shumlin, the main sponsor of the bill, has described Douglas' decision as "cowardly."
"You cannot veto love and commitment between two people," the Democrat said. "This is a civil-rights issue. It is time for the governor to show some courage."
Massachusetts and Connecticut are the only states that have passed same-sex marriage laws.
All About Vermont • Same-Sex MarriageBy Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
The Campaign Legal Center (CLC) wrote to the Chairman of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics, U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., requesting an immediate investigation into whether U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore failed to declare honoraria earned, liabilities owed, and compensation received on his financial disclosure statement, in violation of federal law and Senate rules.
The CLC is the non-profit “watch dog” that the Daily Beast cited as experts for their Thursday, September 28 story charging that Moore had violated campaign reporting requirements when his June Senate disclosure form appeared to have discrepancies with his filing with the Alabama Ethics Commission two months earlier.
The Senior Director of Trial Litigation and Strategy for CLC Adav Noti wrote in the letter to Chairman Isakson: “Moore, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in Alabama, filed his Senate financial disclosure report with this office on June 26, 2017, and certified that ‘the statements I have made on this form are true, complete and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.’ The instructions state that the reporting period for honoraria, income, assets and liabilities is the preceding calendar year and the crrent calendar year, up to the date of filing the report; in Moore’s case, this means the relevant reporting period is January 1, 2016 through June 27, 2017. Two months before Moore filed his Senate financial disclosure report, he filed a Statement of Economic Interests with the Alabama Ethics Commission similarly reflecting honoraria, income, assets and liabilities for calendar year 2016.”
The Moore campaign said the allegations were another misleading attack on Moore and his wife.
On Saturday, September 30 the Moore campaign issued a statement in response to the Daily Beast reporting.
“This is another misleading attack on Judge Moore and his wife,” Moore’s campaign said. “First, the 990 Form, as reported in the Daily Beast story, is a manipulated document. Second, the liabilities Judge Moore disclosed on his Alabama ethics filing were not required to be disclosed on his U.S. Senate filing, which does not require Senate candidates to disclose mortgages on their personal residences. Third, all of the Moore Family’s income and liabilities for 2016 were fully disclosed to the State of Alabama Ethics Commission and the Internal Revenue Service by McGriff Dowdy & Associates, a professional accounting service. Any perceived discrepancy in the reporting of honoraria on the form Judge Moore filed with the U.S. Senate will be corrected swiftly by the filing of an amendment, as provided in Chapter 5 (p. 127) of the Senate Ethics Manual.”
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Moore is a former Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. Moore faces Clinton era U.S. Attorney Doug Jones in the special general election on Dec. 12, 2017.The Amalantrah Working [Liber XCVII]
Original key entry by Fr. H.B. in New York
4/12/90 e.v. ASCII conversion
by Bill Heidrick, T.G. of O.T.O.
--- needs further proof reading
Copyright (c) Ordo Templi Orientis
O.T.O.
P.O.Box 430
Fairfax, CA 94930
USA
(415) 454-5176 ---- messages only.
LIMITED LICENSE Except for notations added to the history of modification, the
text on this diskette down to the next row of asterisks must accompany all
copies made of this file. In particular, this paragraph and the copyright
notice are not to be deleted or changed on any copies or print-outs of this
file. With these provisos, anyone may copy this file for personal use or
research. Copies may be made for others at reasonable cost of copying and
mailing only, no additional charges may be added.
The Amalantrah Working [Liber DCCXXIX]
January 14 to June 16, 1918 e.v.
by Roddie Minor, Soror Achitha Ayin-He-Yod-Taw-Ayin 555, Aleph-Cheth-Yod-Taw-Aleph 420, Soror Ahitha Aleph-He-Yod-Taw-Aleph 417, Soror Ahita Aleph-He-Yod-Teth-Aleph 25 {WEH Note: sic, This spelling gives 26. Drop an Aleph to get 25}
with The Wizard Amalantrah 729
Aleister Crowley, The Master Therion 666
Mary Desti, Soror Virakam
Charles Stansfeld Jones, Frater Omnia in Unis, Unis in Omnia, Frater Arcteon, 777
Marie Lavroff, Soror Olun Ayin-Lamed-Vau-Nun 156
Elsa Lincke, Soror Barzedon 444
Eva Tanguay, Soror Darola Dalet-Aleph-Resh-Ayin-Lamed-Aleph 306
and
Dorothy Troxel, Soror Wesrun Vau-Aleph-Samekh-Resh-Vau-Nun 333 {WEH Note: sic, Should either be 323 or it needs a Yod in it}, Vau-Aleph-Shin-Resh-Ayin-Nun 627
888
[Monday] |
The term has been used to describe ideologies such as: communism, anarchism, anarcho-communism, left-communism, anarcho-syndicalism, Marxism–Leninism, Trotskyism, and Maoism. [1] [2]
Far-left politics are political views located further on the left of the left-right spectrum than the standard political left.
This article is about extra-governmental politics. For states with a socialist constitution, see socialist state. For states with a communist constitution, see communist state
Luke March of the School of Social and Political Science at the University of Edinburgh defines the far-left in Europe as those who position themselves to the left of social democracy, which they see as insufficiently left-wing. The two main sub-types are called the radical left, who desire fundamental changes to the capitalist system yet remain accepting of liberal democracy, and the extreme left, who are more hostile to liberal democracy and denounce any compromise with capitalism. March specifies four major subgroups within contemporary European far-left politics: communists, democratic socialists, populist socialists and social populists.[3]
Vít Hloušek and Lubomír Kopeček add secondary characteristics to those identified by March and Mudde, such as anti-Americanism, anti-globalization, opposition to NATO and rejection of European integration.[4]
In France, the term extrême-gauche ("far-left") is a generally accepted term for political groups that position themselves to the left of the Socialist Party, such as Trotskyists, Maoists, anarcho-communists and New Leftists. Some, such as political scientist Serge Cosseron, limit the scope to the left of the French Communist Party,[5] but there is no real consensus.With the weather finally starting to warm up in the great Garden State, it's only natural that we beer lovers start to seek out lighter, more refreshing styles. Styles that align with our rekindled love for all things summer.
Luckily for us there are plenty of great local breweries crafting serious seasonal brews! Some celebrate the traditional summer styles of beer pioneered by early German, Belgian and French farmers. Styles such as saisons, wheats and pilsners, which were brewed to provide a safe source of hydration and nourishment, while being low enough in alcohol that the farmers could keep working.
Other breweries take inspiration from the best that summertime in New Jersey has to offer, with beers meant to be enjoyed while vacationing at the Jersey Shore. Or how about a beer that was brewed as the perfect hiking companion?
We've assembled a list of the best locally brewed summer craft beers. You're bound to find a style you like that complements whatever summer activities you enjoy! Here's to a great summer in New Jersey. Cheers!
Have any other recommendations? Leave them in the comments below.There’s just something about 8-bit art that is undeniably awesome. Maybe it’s the nostalgia. Some of our best childhood memories were made with old 8-bit art games, like Castlevania, Legend of Zelda, Dragon Quest, and Final Fantasy. The invention of the NES in the 1980s and all of its subsequent 8-bit games were revolutionary for gamers everywhere. Some of us got our start in those old 8-bit games, and we still have a very fond place in our hearts for them.
Well, one Youtube channel, CineFix, decided to put two great things together to make an awesome thing. They took favorite films, like Star Wars, Spirited Away, Donnie Darko, and others – and turned them into 8-bit art! It’s a winning combination. The videos even have retro versions of the films’ themes. Check them out for a huge dose of nostalgia:
Star Wars
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Kill Bill
A Christmas Story
Frozen
Spirited Away
Army of Darkness
Sin City
Finding Nemo
Godzilla
Forrest Gump
Mad Max: Fury Road
Donnie Darko
Pan’s Labyrinth
What do you think CineFix should “gamify” next? Which one of the videos is your favorite? Leave us a comment and join the discussion! Love old films? Don’t miss our classic film collection of tees from all your favorite old movies. We’ve got a Studio Ghibli collection and gaming collection, too.
Love 8-bit art? Why not put it on a t-shirt? We’ve got a whole bunch we think you’ll love.
Cool 8-Bit Art Tees:US ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro on Monday leveled sharp criticism against Israel’s West Bank settlement policy, and alleged Israel had two standards of law in the territory, one for Israelis and one another for Palestinians.
The comments — coming on the day that an Israeli mother-of-six killed by a Palestinian terrorist was laid to rest, and a pregnant woman was injured in a second attack– drew a harsh response from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, who called the remarks “unacceptable and incorrect.”
While Shapiro praised the the progress made in the investigation of the deadly arson attack on a Palestinian family by suspected Jewish extremists — a far-right wing Jewish extremist was this month charged with the murder of the Dawabsha family in Duma last July — he asserted that too often Israel turns a blind eye to settler violence against Palestinians.
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“Too many attacks on Palestinians lack a vigorous investigation or response by Israeli authorities; too much vigilantism goes unchecked; and at times there seem to be two standards of adherence to the rule of law: one for Israelis and another for Palestinians,” Shapiro said at the INSS security conference in Tel Aviv.
Shapiro went on describe the US administration as “concerned and perplexed” by Israel’s settlement policy which he said raised “honest questions about Israel’s long-term intentions.”
“This government and previous Israeli governments have repeatedly expressed support for a negotiated settlement that would involve mutual recognition and separation,” he said. “Yet separation will become more and more difficult” if Israel continues to expand settlements, Shapiro said.
The comments were met with a harsh response from Netanyahu’s office, which also chafed at the timing of the remarks, closely following two stabbing attacks on Israeli women in the West Bank.
“The words of the ambassador, on a day in which a murdered mother of six is buried and on a day in which a pregnant woman is stabbed — are unacceptable and incorrect,” a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office read. “Israel enforces the law for Israelis and Palestinians. The Palestinian Authority is the one responsible for the diplomatic freeze, and continues to incite and refuse talks.”
The settlements are seen as major stumbling blocks toward peace efforts since they are built on land the Palestinians see as part of their future state. Some 400,000 Israelis live in West Bank settlements in near-constant tension with 2.5 million Palestinians.
Shapiro also condemned the recent stabbing attacks on Israelis as “barbaric acts of terrorism” and anti-Israel incitement.SAN ANTONIO -- All-American TCU wide receiver Josh Doctson won't have enough time to recover from wrist surgery to participate in the Jan. 2 Alamo Bowl, news that should be considered a holiday gift for a porous Oregon Ducks defense.
Doctson was a former walk-on who in his senior season became a consensus All-American after leading the nation with 132.7 yards per game to go with 14 touchdowns and 79 receptions, all of which are TCU single-season records.
TCU coach Gary Patterson said disappointment was the wrong way to look at Doctson's absence.
"Oh, no," Patterson told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "If you become disappointed, then you're not trusting the rest of your group."
Doctson suffered a wrist injury Nov. 7 at Oklahoma State and has undergone two procedures since but won't be ready in time to face a Ducks defense that ranks 95th against the pass.
"It kind of eases up the pressure on the secondary and the whole defense in general," senior defensive end DeForest Buckner said. "It's kind of a benefit for us and we just have to take advantage of something like that."
Regardless of the final score Oregon will set a new school record for points allowed after the Alamo Bowl, breaking the 1977 squad's mark of 33.4 points per game. UO ranks 113th in that regard and 100th or lower in seven defensive categories overall, though a bright spot has been its pressure with 3.0 sacks per game, which ranks 10th.
"After the Arizona State game (we) made some true progress and through the first half of the Oregon State game we were playing a lot better and then the second half of the Oregon State game kind of shut it down," UO coach Mark Helfrich said. "That's first and foremost on me but then on everybody else kind of realizing that can't happen. That can't happen from the opening kick in a game like this, that can't happen in a rep of a practice or meeting or any session when you prepare for a team like this.
"It goes back to the fundamentals of tackling, of identifying things, communicating and executing."
Yet the Ducks aren't getting off easy due to Doctson's absence.
Quarterback Trevone Boykin will be completely healthy after he'd suffered an ankle injury in November and still has several fast receivers he can target. With 612 rushing yards and 3,575 passing yards this season Boykin averages 380.6 yards per game and finished tied for ninth in Heisman Trophy voting, falling out of the main contenders due to his injury. He has passed for 31 touchdowns against 10 interceptions.
"There's not really anybody like him in the Pac-12 this year," Helfrich said. "He's not a huge guy in stature as a passer and what they do but then he can really throw it and really run.... He runs a little bit more powerfully than people, maybe than you go into with those preconceived notions. But he's an elite passer, an elite runner and they have a great system."
No news yet on who will call plays
Two weeks after indicating either he or wide receivers coach Matt Lubick would call Oregon's offensive plays in the bow lgame, Helfrich did not say who it will be Saturday.
"We'll talk about that in the next couple days," he said. "It's gone really well. Our game plan is in and there's at this point, like we talked about last week, you have to fight the urge to add. Coaches say, 'what if this happens or what if that happens' or if there's this great idea in the 11th hour. You have to go with what your guys do well and do it with confidence."
Oregon has been without an offensive coordinator since Scott Frost departed Nov. 29 to become Central Florida's head coach. Lubick has been moved into a quasi-coordinator role in the interim and has become more involved in creating an overall game plan, though both he and Helfrich stressed it's already a collaborative process between all offensive coaches.
Lubick joined Helfrich's first staff in 2013.
Ducks are glad to be here
A year ago, the Ducks visited Texas with a national championship on the line.
This year, the highest the stakes go is extending its streak of 10-win seasons to eight.
No one would admit to any dimmed enthusiasm, however, for the matchup with No. 11 TCU (10-2), which finished third in the Big 12 Conference.
"We're going to do the best with what we've got," said sophomore running back Royce Freeman, who is 99 yards from tying Oregon's single-season rushing record of 1,805 yards set by LaMike James in 2011. "A lot of the guys still want to play and go out strong and we want to put out the seniors strong and whoever else is leaving. So we're not thinking about the stakes of the game; we're just thinking about it as another game we have to handle business."
Buckner is one of those seniors playing his final game. The Pac-12 Conference's defensive player of the year reiterated the opinion of several from both the Ducks' and Horned Frogs' sides since the matchup was announced in early December.
"A lot of people had this game as a semifinal game in the playoffs earlier on in the season," Buckner said. "Being able to finish off the year against a team like TCU is going to be a really fun one."
-- Andrew Greif
agreif@oregonian.com
@andrewgreifWHEN my mother-in-law was in the final, harrowing throes of pancreatic cancer, she had only one good day, and that was the day she smoked pot.
So I was heartened when, at the end of last month, the governors of Washington and Rhode Island petitioned the Obama administration to classify marijuana as a drug that could be prescribed and distributed for medical use. While medical marijuana is legal in 16 states, it is still outlawed under federal law.
My husband and I often thought of recommending marijuana to his mother. She was always nauseated from the chemotherapy drugs and could barely eat for weeks. She existed in a Percocet and morphine haze, constantly fretting that the sedation kept her from saying all the things she wanted to say to us, but unable to face the pain without it. And this was a woman who had such a high tolerance for pain, coupled with a distaste for drugs, that she insisted her dentist not use Novocain and gave birth to her two children without anesthesia. But despite marijuana’s power to relieve pain and nausea without loss of consciousness, we were afraid she would find even the suggestion of it scandalous. This was 1997, and my mother-in-law was a very proper, law-abiding woman, a graduate of Bryn Mawr College in the 1950s. She’d never even smoked a cigarette.
But then an older family friend who worked in an AIDS hospice came bearing what he said was very good quality marijuana. To our surprise, she said she’d consider it. My husband and I — though we knew nothing about marijuana paraphernalia — were dispatched to find a bong, as the friend suggested water-processing might make the smoking easier for her. We found ourselves in a head shop in one of the seedier neighborhoods in New Haven, where my husband went to graduate school, listening attentively to the clerk as he went over the finer points of bong taxonomy, finally just choosing one in her favorite color, lilac.
Photo
She had us take her out on the flagstone patio because she refused to smoke in her meticulously kept-up house. Then she looked about nervously, as if expecting the police to jump out of the bushes. She found it awkward and strange to smoke a bong, but after a few tries managed to get in two and a half hits.
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And then she said she wanted to go out to eat.
For the past month, we’d been trying to get her to eat anything: fresh-squeezed carrot juice made in a special juicer, Korean rice gruel that I simmered for hours, soups, oatmeal, endless cans of Ensure. Sometimes she’d request some particular dish and we’d eagerly procure it, only to have her refuse it or fall back asleep before taking a bite. But this time she sat down at her favorite restaurant and ordered a gorgeous meal: whitefish poached with lemon, hot buttered rolls, salad — and ate every bite.
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.Preet Bharara, a scholar in residence at New York University Law School, was U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York from 2009 until this March.
The most dramatic hearing I helped to arrange as chief counsel to a Senate subcommittee took place 10 years ago Monday, when James B. Comey, then deputy attorney general in the George W. Bush administration, described how he and FBI Director Robert Mueller intervened at the hospital bedside of Attorney General John Ashcroft.
The encounter occurred in 2004, after White House Chief of Staff Andrew H. Card Jr. and White House Counsel Alberto R. Gonzales tried to overrule Comey’s and Mueller’s legal objection to a secret terrorist surveillance program. When the White House nonetheless sought the ailing Ashcroft’s blessing to proceed, Comey prepared to resign. Ultimately, Comey and Mueller prevailed.
(Jenny Starrs,Julio Negron/The Washington Post)
Jim Comey was once my boss and remains my friend. I know that many people are mad at him. He has at different times become a cause for people’s frustration and anger on both sides of the aisle. Some of those people may have a point. But on this unsettling anniversary of that testimony, I am proud to know a man who had the courage to say no to a president.
And in the tumult of this time, the question whose answer we should perhaps fear the most is the one evoked by that showdown: Are there still public servants who are prepared to say no to the president?
Now, as the country once again wonders whether justice can be nonpolitical and whether its leaders understand the most basic principles of prosecutorial independence and the rule of law, I recall yet another firestorm that erupted 10 years ago over the abrupt and poorly explained firing of top Justice Department officials in the midst of sensitive investigations. The 2007 affair was not Watergate, the more popular parallel invoked lately, but the lessons of that spring, after the Bush administration inexplicably fired more than eight of its own U.S. attorneys, are worth recalling.
When the actions became public, people suspected political interference and obstruction. Democrats were the most vocal, but some Republicans asked questions, too. The uproar intensified as it became clear that the initial explanations were mere pretext, and the White House couldn’t keep its story straight. Public confidence ebbed, and Congress began to investigate.
In response, the Senate launched a bipartisan (yes, bipartisan) investigation into those firings and the politicization of the Justice Department. Early on, the then-deputy attorney general — Comey was gone by then — looked senators in the eye and said the U.S. attorneys were fired for cause; although such appointees certainly serve at will, this assertion turned out to be demonstrably false. We learned that the U.S. attorney in New Mexico, David C. Iglesias, was fired soon after receiving an improper call from Republican Sen. Pete V. Domenici pushing him to bring political corruption cases before the election. We learned that Justice Department officials in Washington had improperly applied a conservative ideological litmus test to attorneys seeking career positions, to immigration judges and even to the hiring of interns.
Ultimately, amid the drumbeat of revelations, every top leader of the department stepped down under a cloud. Finally, Gonzales himself resigned. Strict protocols were put in place severely limiting White House contacts with Justice officials on criminal matters. The blow to the morale and reputation of the department was incalculable.
For me, the past week has been deja vu all over again. To restore faith in the rule of law, three obvious things must happen: First, we need a truly bipartisan investigation in Congress. That means no partisan nonsense — just a commitment to finding the facts, whatever they may be, proving (or disproving) Russian interference in our election and anything related. Congress is a check and a balance, and never more important than when a bullying chief executive used to his own way seems not to remember the co-equal status of the other two branches.
Second, the new FBI director must be apolitical and sensitive to the law-enforcement mission, not someone with a long record of reflexive partisanship or commentary on the very investigative issues that will come before the bureau. Unfortunately, some of the candidates paraded by cameras this past weekend reality-show style fall into that category. I can’t think of anything worse for FBI morale, for truth-finding or for public trust. More than ever the FBI needs a strong and stabilizing hand, which means somebody who has not spent most of his or her career pandering for votes, groveling for cash or putting party over principle.
Finally, I join in the common-sense call for an independent and uncompromised special counsel to oversee the Russia investigation. Given the manner of Comey’s firing and the pretextual reasons proffered for it, there is no other way. My former colleague, now-Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein, is a respected career prosecutor but has mostly deserved the doubts he generated with his peculiar press-release-style memo purporting to explain Comey’s sudden sacking. He can still fix it. The move would not only ensure the independence of the investigation, but also provide evidence of Rosenstein’s own independence.
History will judge this moment. It’s not too late to get it right, and justice demands it.The moment, when it comes, is utterly sublime in a way I can’t possibly put into words. It’s a late night in New York. Richie (Shawn Christensen) has been asked by his estranged sister Maggie (Emmy Rossum) to look after his 11-year-old niece Sophia (Fatima Ptacek), who is a bit of a type-A handful. He’s not just distracted; he was literally killing himself when the phone rang, and he’s got a million problems and dangers buzzing around him. Desperate, he takes Sophia to a bowling alley, and in the middle of their conversation, a new song blasts over the PA. “Oh my God, I love this song!” Sophia exclaims, and she scurries off and dances down the lane, and the music gets louder, and suddenly bystanders are tapping their feet, and then the people at the bar are shimmying and the bowlers are dancing and Richie is watching all of this in wide-eyed bewilderment and you can’t blame him because holy shit, this movie could go anywhere. It’s the moment when I realized I had fallen for Before I Disappear, a thrillingly audacious new movie that isn’t getting a fraction of the attention it deserves this holiday weekend.
Let it be said that I realize its logline does it no particular favors — the familial phone call at the moment of possible suicide calls up unfortunate memories of Elizabethtown, and the arc of a burnout who realigns via a wise-for-her-years kid is littered with landmines. But those descriptions convey only a fraction of the picture’s narrative and none of its tone, which is an all but indescribable stew of absurd comedy, dark drama, coming-of-age story, and familial heart-warmer, snapped into the framework of a “one long, weird New York City night” story in the style of After Hours. Christensen, who not only stars but writes, produces, and directs (and also composed the song in the aforementioned bowling alley scene), does about a dozen things simultaneously that most movies can’t get right individually.
He expanded Before I Disappear from a 2012 short called Curfew (the bowling alley scene from that version is above), which won the Oscar for Best Live-Action Short Film. It’s not just about his relationship with Sophia, whom he hasn’t seen in over five years and who quickly assesses him, not inaccurately, as a specter who’ll go as quickly as he came. As one might expect from a man on the verge of suicide, he’s got all sorts of trouble: he hasn’t recovered from his girlfriend’s overdose death, he owes money to some troublesome types, etc. Oh, and the previous evening, he found a dead girl in a bathroom stall of the bar where he works, and his boss Bill (Ron Perelman) would like him to kindly forget about it.
Christensen’s semi-hallucinatory style creates a particularly subjective viewing experience — Richie’s just dealing with whatever gets thrown at him, as it comes, and the picture has the same jazzily improvisational spirit. That marriage of story and style allows him to perform the kind of tonal shifts that keep the picture on its toes, from the joy of that semi-surrealistic musical moment to a beat in a particularly sketchy building that acknowledges the real danger Richie might be putting his niece into.
And alongside those extremes is a pair of scenes between Richie and Gideon (Paul Wesley), another of our hero’s occasional employers, and both are little masterpieces of duet acting. You see, Gideon’s girlfriend was the dead girl in the stall, and he’s got a feeling Richie knows something about it, and Richie’s got a feeling that Gideon’s got a feeling. The result is a mirrored set of loaded conversations, one where nothing is said, another where everything is. There’s nothing pat or cliché about either of these characters, or the situation they’re in; the stakes are real, and the threat of physical danger typical to such altercations is coupled with a much more interesting (and powerful) sense of emotional intensity. They both know what’s happened, and they’re both terrified of it, for surprisingly similar reasons.
Shot by Daniel Katz with a keen eye for casual late-night beauty (and with a slow walk-out to “House of the Rising Sun” that’s one of the most Scorsese moments I’ve seen in a non-Scorsese movie, and yes that’s a compliment), Before I Disappear is stylish and cool without breaking a sweat, yet free of the hollow emotional detachment that’s so often associated with those qualities. It’s the kind of movie that could presumably find an audience, but it’s getting an oddly muted release, even for an indie; despite its Oscar pedigree and Audience Award win at SXSW, it’s getting dumped into a crowded, sink-or-swim weekend by IFC (and it’s not even their only release this week). I might not have even heard of it, much less seen it, had it not closed my hometown film festival.
But I did see it, and now I’ve seen it again, and forgive me for doing a bit of missionary work here. Because, you see, this is one of the pleasures of this job: when you find a film that is truly, genuinely special, in the hopes of helping other people make the same discovery, you shout and shout about it, as loudly and as insistently as you can. It’s an original, intoxicating, giddily alive movie.
Before I Disappear is out Friday in limited release and on demand.With the reveal of Microsoft's Project Scorpio and Sony's PlayStation Neo, the platform holders find themselves at a crossroads. Whether it's a 2.3x or 4x increase in processing power compared to their predecessors, the question is, just how should these resources be used to improve the games we play? As things stand, we've been told to expect higher resolutions, increased fidelity and more stable frame-rates, but the ambition here sounds limited when the hardware is capable of so much more.
The bottom line is this: both Sony and Microsoft are effectively selling us the status quo in terms of gameplay, the idea being that they can create a two-tier market - existing console hardware caters for those with 1080p displays while the new machines are best experienced paired with a 4K UHD screen. But fundamentally, it's the same software, and in order to ensure that owners of existing systems are "not left behind", the chances are that they'll play much the same too. Indeed, Sony's guidelines for developers actively prohibit game-makers from providing exclusive features for the Neo hardware.
Cards on the table here - I'm not entirely sure that this is the best way forward, but I am one of the few to have had a preview of this kind of next-gen experience - and I was blown away. At the recent Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 launch, I played Rise of the Tomb Raider at native 4K with HDR enabled and with quality settings that, while not quite maxed, easily out-strip the Xbox One version. Aside from what looked like a wobbly 35-40fps (something easily fixed) the experience was simply magnificent. Improved effects, higher detail texture work, brilliantly vivid colour - this was the best Rise of the Tomb Raider experience it's possible to have, and compared to the existing console version, there was undoubtedly a 'next-gen' feel about it.
But the bottom line is that the full impact of this experience depends on ownership of a top-tier display that currently costs a lot of money. Stripped of HDR and its immense detail level, this demo would not translate particularly well when downsampled to a standard 1080p screen. And that's the display hardware that the vast majority of these new machines are likely to end up connected to. In this scenario, all you'd get is improved anti-aliasing, while other features - like the higher detail textures - tend to blur away in the downscale. This is exactly the point made by Phil Spencer, when he told Giant Bomb that Scorpio games would "look different" and "run a little better" when paired with 1080p displays, and presumably why he told Wesley Yin-Poole to stick with Xbox One if you aren't 4K-enabled.
A video overview revealing everything we know about the Project Scorpio hardware specs.
But there's something else worth mentioning too - these new consoles are potent and a significant improvement over PS4 and Xbox One, but let's be clear - they're not all-powerful. GTX 1080 is the most capable consumer GPU on the planet today. It offers more raw gaming power than Scorpio can hope to, and positively annihilates PlayStation Neo. If the Tomb Raider demo I experienced were ported to console, the chances are we'd see reduced resolution and cut-back effects work, further narrowing the gap between old gen and new - even if it were played on an HDR-equipped 4K screen.
The real question is, could this new console technology be used differently, to achieve tangibly superior results that wouldn't require investing in a new TV? Could Neo and Scorpio actually be used to deliver better gameplay? Resolution aside, there are further options open to developers armed with this substantial boost in GPU power - many titles could be run at 60fps over the standard 30fps, the biggest game-changer in terms of playability. Alternatively, in-game worlds could become deeper, with a much higher degree of simulation - more NPCs, better physics, real-time global illumination - you name it. More time can be invested by developers in GPGPU, the process of utilising graphics hardware for tasks more traditionally suited to the CPU.
Scorpio and Neo could literally become game-changers, but there are always trade-offs when it comes to hardware utilisation and it would almost certainly mean an end to any aspirations of 4K support, or anything close to it. It would also mean that a generational divide would start to open up between old-gen and new. Both Sony and Microsoft are mandating that this divide must not happen, but realistically, this rule is going to bent out of shape pretty quickly and I expect it to be a thing of the past within the next two to three years. The key point is this: assuming a two/three year development period, games going into production now will launch in 2018/2019. Are developers really going to fully support vintage 2013 consoles by then?
We've got the full PlayStation 4K Neo hardware specs, and this is what we think of them.
I do have to wonder how long the 'no-one gets left behind' strategy will remain in effect, and I suspect it's all going to be down to adoption figures for the new consoles. And we may well find ourselves in a chicken and egg situation here: if the benefit is only found mostly for those with 4K displays, take-up will be artificially limited. Looking closely at Sony's developer guidelines for Neo development, it seems that the platform holder is OK with game-makers embellishing 1080p presentations, and while 4K and higher resolutions is encouraged, there is no hard and fast mandate here. This may well be how Neo overcomes the issue of its lower spec - by handing in enhancements that can actually appreciated by those with 1080p screens, assuming Microsoft goes all-in on 4K. In fact, the only resolution guideline I can find in the Neo docs is an absolute minimum of 1080p - which will be absolutely fine for the majority of gamers.
In the meantime, Microsoft has its own larger scale strategy that's arguably more important than any upcoming hardware launch - effectively taking Xbox cross-platform, and dual-releasing key software on both console and Windows 10. It could work out rather well for them. On June 29th, AMD launches the Radeon RX 480 graphics card for $199. It's noteworthy in that at an architectural level it is extremely similar to the PlayStation Neo graphics tech, the main difference coming from clock-speed: the Sony console runs its GPU at 911MHz, the RX 480 will be faster - leaks are indicating a 1266MHz boost clock. If that's true, it would bring its overall computational power closer to Scorpio's projected capabilities.
And being a PC part, we would be able to tailor the gameplay experience however we want it. The RX 480 - and presumably its upcoming GTX 1060 competitor - are set to offer performance that improves on the R9 390 and GTX 970. And that's significant. These are our 'go to' cards when we want to run games at console-equivalent settings - or better - at 1080p60. It's an outlier but in the case of Forza Motorsport Apex, the game even runs locked for the most part at 1440p with 8x MSAA on this class of hardware, which obviously bodes well for a superb Forza 7 experience on Scorpio.
Do gamers really want extreme resolution displays? AMD's next-gen GPU launch - RX 480 - aims squarely at the mainstream audience gaming at 1080p or under. And based on this stat, it's not hard to see why.
But the graphic above from AMD is telling. According to the Steam hardware survey, 95 per cent of PC gamers are using 1080p or lower resolution screens. 1440p and 4K displays barely register, neither failing to hit even one per cent of the audience. 4K may well gain more traction in the living room, but the inescapable conclusion from the PC market is that the majority of gamers simply don't care about higher resolution screens. And with that in mind, the RX 480 is AMD's audacious play at targeting the mainstream PC gamer - and there is some irony that the same core technology is fuelling Sony's 4K aspirations.
Work still needs to be done on ensuring a great experience on a range of PC kit 'out of the box' - which is something I believe Microsoft is set to put a lot of work into - but it seems that the move to a mid-gen console refresh cycle is going to be a difficult sell. And already there are signs that PC hardware manufacturers may adapt sooner, with more powerful parts. Check out this motherboard scoped out at the recent Computex trade-show: it'll house a standard Intel Skylake chip, and right next to it is an embedded GTX 1070 from Nvidia. It'll be pricey for sure, but plug in a £150 Core i5 6500 and 8GB of DDR4 and you have a small form-factor Windows PC that already offers more power than either next-gen console.
Several sources have indicated to me that PlayStation Neo launches this year, despite its E3 no-show. If that is the case, it'll be interesting to see how developers utilise its resources, and whether 4K really is the focus. And we can be equally as sure that Microsoft will be watching just as intently as it gears up for its own next-gen roll-out.Wiretapping and J. Edgar Hoover
Some critics of the US national security wiretapping system – pursuant to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) – may not realize how much more stringent the standards for securing a wiretap have become since the tenure of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover.
I recently read Curt Gentry’s J. Edgar Hoover: The Man and the Secrets (1991), and found myself aghast at the abandon with which Hoover wiretapped the American populace. The NSA warrantless wiretapping program utilized by President Bush was dwarfed by Hoover’s exploits –both in method and scale.
To illustrate this, I will present a series of Gentry’s passages, covering Hoover’s tenure as Director of the FBI from Roosevelt to Nixon.
Some may be surprised to find that during the presidencies of Franklin Roosevelt and Harry Truman, wiretapping was used with little oversight.
Truman called in his military aide, Brigadier General Harry Vaughan, and, after introducing the two men, told the FBI director that from now on if any especially important matters came up that needed his immediate attention he should route them through Vaughan… That same day Hoover sent Vaughan a memo beginning, “I thought you and the President might be interested to know…” He then went on to report some partisan political intelligence. Vaughan responded by asking for more: “future communications along that line would be of considerable interest whenever, in your opinion, they are necessary.” Hoover also sent confidential reports to other presidential aides, including Matthew Connelly, Sidney Souers, E.D. McKim, and George Allen… Within thirty days after Truman became president, the FBI was carrying out secret investigations for the White House. Within sixty days the FBI was wiretapping and conducting surveillances for the White House. One tap, on the office and home telephones of the attorney – and political fixer – Thomas “Tommy the Cork” Corcoran, remained in place three years, generated over 175 summary logs and 6,250 pages of transcriptions, and resulted in the monitoring of many of the most prominent people in the government. (Gentry, p.322)
Hoover’s ability to instigate wide-scale wiretapping was reaffirmed with the appointment of each new attorney general. In 1945, Truman hired Tom Clark (who later became a Supreme Court Justice) to fill the post; according to Gentry:
Clark showed no inclination to actually supervise the FBI… he turned over all wiretap requests to an assistant because he “didn’t want to know who was tapped or who wasn’t tapped.” Very few of the requests were denied. As far as Clark was concerned, the very fact that Hoover had requested them meant they were needed. Tom Clark was, in J. Edgar Hoover’s estimation, a nearly perfect attorney general. He rubber-stamped the FBI director’s every request. He even –unknowningly– greatly broadened Hoover’s powers. On July 7, 1946, the attorney general wrote the president asking him to renew Roosevelt’s 1940 [wart |
wondering what if, Cobain’s death arguably fulfilled his potential. He was such a perfect distillation of adolescent angst, he had nowhere to go musically that would not have diluted his impact.
Nevermind by Nirvana may be the greatest, the purest, and most utterly thrilling rock album ever made. It boils rock down to its core sounds and emotions, with a loud/quiet dynamic that constricts to sorrowful self-pity and erupts in raging fury. There is a Beatley-elegance to the melodies, a classic crunch and swagger to the playing, and a punk economy to its attack, focussed on the hurting tone of Cobain’s voice and elusive, intangible truthfulness of his songwriting. Released in 1991, it completely recalibrated a genre that had become fatuous and overblown, and today it still sound urgently and paradoxically alive, the last clarion call of a form of music reaching the end of its creative relevance.
It is Nirvana’s only masterpiece. Their first album, Bleach, is all angry promise, their third album, In Utero, is an uncomfortable compromise emerging from the dissonance between their punk roots and stadium success. The myth of Kurt Cobain is based on the way Nevermind perfectly chimed with his sallow, wasted, sad-eyed beauty, and voice that ached with hoarse pain, as if every note wrung out of him was a matter of life or death. Which, it turned out, it really was. At the height of his fame, Cobain was the tortured poster boy for doomed youth. And then he killed himself.
I am not, for a moment, suggesting that Cobain took the right course, or that I concur with the bravura sloganeering of his suicide note, “its better to burn out than to fade away”. Personally, I’m all for long fade outs, in music as in life. Cobain’s suicide was a terrible waste, that left human wreckage in its wake. But I wonder where he would stand in the pantheon had he soldiered on? As a lyricist, Cobain was impressionistic at best, fond of apparently meaningless non sequiturs. Who really knows what Smells Like Teen Spirit was about, with its incantation “A mulatto / An albino / A mosquito / My libido” evoking emotion through delivery rather than poetry? Could he possibly have matured to articulate the complexities of ageing, or would he, like so many musicians, be forever trapped in the image created by his first success, spinning around the same point in ever diminishing circles? As a musician, he was clearly already struggling with the tensions between the simplicity verging on banality that punk represented and the broader, singalong qualities that made Nirvana radio-friendly exponents of anthemic, commercial rock.
Maybe he would have found his own answers to this conundrum. MTV Unplugged In New York offered a heartbreaking, posthumous grace note, its acoustic setting full of yearning, hinting at unexplored musical dimensions. Yet it is effectively coffee-table Nirvana, grunge made palatable for people who don’t like loud guitars. The truth is, rock itself was coming to an end as a genuinely, creative musical force as the 20th Century drew to a close, and the 30 million album selling success of Nevermind only extended its half life. After grunge came the backward referencing genres of Britpop, Nu Metal and a last wave of garage influenced indie. Radiohead certainly pushed rock towards new experimental hinterlands yet the biggest selling guitar bands in the world now are Coldplay and Mumford & Sons. The ears of young listeners have tuned into hip hop and digital dance, and rock has become a vintage pursuit.FRISCO, Texas – The Cowboys’ 2017 rookie class will take the field together for the first time next weekend at rookie minicamp.
A top draft pick last year, linebacker Jaylon Smith, is expected to join them.
Head coach Jason Garrett told reporters last Friday that he anticipates Smith being eligible to participate in this year’s rookie camp after spending last year on the Non-Football Injury list.
“My understanding is he will be allowed to be in it,” Garrett said. “The discussions we’ve had over the last few days, my understanding is he’s allowed to be in it.”
The Cowboys spent a second-round pick on Smith last April, five months after the former Notre Dame All-American suffered a torn ACL and nerve damage in his final college game.
The team is now entering Phase Two of its voluntary offseason program, which includes three weeks of on-field individual and team work on a “separates” basis with no live-contact offense vs. defense permitted. Garrett said back at the NFL Scouting Combine that he anticipated Smith being able to do everything from the outset, though they’ll monitor his work as they would with any player coming back from an injury.
The Cowboys have been pleased with Smith’s rehab in a foot brace over the past year, though there’s an element of patience required with the damaged nerve: it must regenerate on its own, with no timetable.Against the Odds: Five-Color Nexus Control (Modern)
by SaffronOlive // Jun 08, 2017 Tweet
video Against the Odds modern
Hello, everyone. Welcome to episode eighty-nine of Against the Odds. Last week, we had the leak of some Five-Color Dragon cards from Commander 2017, and in celebration of some sweet new five-color cards, we had an Against the Odds poll featuring some famous five-color cards from the past. In the end, we had a clear winner in Maelstrom Nexus, which took home a massive 41% of the vote, nearly doubling up the second-place finisher Chromanticore! As such, today we are heading to Modern to see if we can get some sweet, random cascade value with the enchantment in a five-color control shell! Can we make Maelstrom Nexus work in Modern? We're about to find out!
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Against the Odds: Five-Color Nexus Control (Deck Tech)
Against the Odds: Five-Color Nexus Control (Games)
The Deck
Building around Maelstrom Nexus was actually pretty challenging, mostly because I spent a lot of time trying to figure out a way to make the card support a specific combo or synergy, but in the end, I realized it was mostly impossible—the randomness of Maelstrom Nexus is built into the card, and there isn't really a good way around it. While it is possible to have a slight bit of control over the cascade (mostly by using one-mana spells to cascade into zero-mana spells), for the most part, building around Maelstrom Nexus is about embracing the randomness.
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After figuring this out, my first attempt was a five-color Maelstrom Nexus Panharmonicon deck, but it didn't really work. While getting a Maelstrom Nexus on the battlefield and then using a Mulldrifter to cascade into Panharmonicon and draw four was sweet when it happened, but more often, we just got run over by more consistent decks, since we had minimal interaction and were playing a lot of expensive cards that made us tap out without generating any immediate value. So we changed things up and went with our Five-Color Nexus Control build instead!
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As I mentioned a minute ago, for the most part it's really difficult to control the randomness of Maelstrom Nexus; however, there is one exception: our one-mana removal. Fatal Push, Lightning Bolt, and Path to Exile are all cards we want in our deck anyway to help deal with opposing creatures in the early game, and then after we get a Maelstrom Nexus on the battlefield, we know that whenever we cast a copy, we'll cascade into our single no-mana card...
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Ancestral Visions is amazing in our deck, especially when we can cascade into one with our cheap removal spells. Drawing three cards is extremely powerful. In fact, a successful Legacy deck (Shardless Sultai) is mostly built around using the cascade mechanic to find Ancestral Visions. Ancestral Visions gives us a way to refill our hand and find more copies of Maelstrom Nexus (they do stack, so if we have two copies on the battlefield, the first spell we cast each turn cascades twice), removal, and eventually our finishers to close out the game.
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The other main synergy of the deck involves Snapcaster Mage. When we cast a Snapcaster Mage with a Maelstrom Nexus out, we know that we'll hit Ancestral Visions (which is never bad), Thoughtseize, or a one-mana removal spell like Path to Exile or Fatal Push. While these cards are good for general value, they also let us do some fun (although random) tricks. For example, we can cast a Snapcaster Mage on our opponent's draw step and hope to cascade into Thoughtseize to take the card our opponent drew for the turn, since cascade breaks the timing restriction on cards. Likewise, we can cast Snapcaster Mage without a target in the graveyard and hope to cascade into a Path to Exile (or other one-mana removal spell, which is our most common cascade hit from Snapcaster Mage). The Path to Exile resolves first, exiling one of our opponent creatures, and then by the time Snapcaster Mage enters the battlefield, the Path to Exile will be in the graveyard. so we can flash it back and exile another creature!
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While Mulldrifter, Shriekmaw, and Murderous Cut don't really help us control our cascade hits, they do work really well with Maelstrom Nexus because they allow us to cheat on mana costs and cascade into more expensive spells. We can evoke our Mulldrifter for three mana, evoke our Shriekmaw for two mana, and delve Murderous Cut for one mana and hopefully cascade into a powerful four-drop like Damnation to sweep the board or Cryptic Command to counter a spell or bounce a permanent.
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Speaking of Cryptic Command, it's the only counterspell in our 75, but it does a great job of exemplifying not just one but two important aspects of building around Maelstrom Nexus. First, Cryptic Command is an instant, which is important because Maelstrom Nexus triggers each turn, which means one of the simplest ways of abusing it is by making sure we can cast something on our turn to cascade into a free card, and then something else on our opponent's turn to cascade again.
Second, and equally important, one of the challenges of building around Maelstrom Nexus is that we want to minimize the bad cascade hits, which means even though we are a controlling deck, we can't really play counterspells because they are horrible when we cascade into them. Cryptic Command is the one exception because it's fine with cascade—in the worst case, we can bounce one of our opponent's lands and draw a card, which isn't exciting but also isn't a whiff with Maelstrom Nexus.
Finishing the Game
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Apart from just overwhelming our opponent with card advantage from Maelstrom Nexus, we have a handful of actual finishers. Cruel Ultimatum not only generates a ton of value but also lets us cascade into any card in our deck. The dream is that we cast one, empty our opponent's hand, draw some cards, and cascade into a Grave Titan, which can close out the game in just an attack or two. Of course, this won't happen all that often thanks to the randomness of cascade. We can also cast a Grave Titan and cascade into a Dragonlord Ojutai or Thragtusk, both of which are strong and resilient five-mana threats.
The rest of the deck is pretty typical control stuff. We have some sweepers in Supreme Verdict, Damnation, and Anger of the Gods, which help us stay alive against creature-based builds. Kolaghan's Command generates a lot of value, allowing us to return a Snapcaster Mage or one of our finishers from our graveyard along with killing a creature / artifact or making our opponent discard. Coalition Relic helps us ramp into our Maelstrom Nexus by providing two mana of two different colors, and Sphinx's Revelation (our one bad hit from Maelstrom Nexus) is a great way to stabilize and draw into our Maelstrom Nexus and finishers.
The Matchups
Heading into our matches, I thought that our deck would be good against random creature decks, since we have a lot of removal and wraths along with stabilizing creatures like Thragtusk and Grave Titan, but would struggle against combo, since we can't really play counters thanks to their anti-synergy with Maelstrom Nexus. However, our matches turned out exactly the opposite, with us losing to creature decks and winning against every combo deck we played. While I still think that combo is a hard matchup and creature decks are good matchups, maybe the gap isn't as wide as I initially thought.
The other issue with the deck is aggro. While we do have a lot of early-game removal that can keep us alive if we draw it, being built around a five-mana enchantment that doesn't do anything until our next turn means we can easily be run over by Zoo, Burn, or even Death's Shadow. Also, we'll pretty much never beat Blood Moon, and our mana base can be pretty painful because we need to play so many fetches and shocks to actually be able to cast our Maelstrom Nexus.
The Odds
All in all, we got in five matches and won two, giving us a 40% match-win percentage, while we played 14 games and won six, putting our game-win percentage at 42%. While this isn't exciting, it's roughly average for an Against the Odds deck. Maelstrom Nexus itself was also super high variance. While it generated a ton of value when the game went long, there were also games where it didn't do anything because we died before we could get one on the battlefield. Thankfully, the deck was pretty fun to play, partly because of the randomness of the cascade effects. We had some situations where our life was quite literally in Maelstrom Nexus's hands, hoping to cascade into a removal spell or wrath, and while it didn't always work out, it does lead to an interesting and tense moment as we are flipping cards from the top of our deck!
Vote for Next Week's Deck
We've played Modern for the last few weeks, which means we are about due to head back to Standard. So, for this week's Against the Odds poll, we have some sweet Standard options that we've never played before. Which of these cards should be play next week? Let's us know by voting!
$ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00
$ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00
Conclusion
Anyway, that's all for today. Don't forget to vote for next week's deck! As always, leave your thoughts, ideas, opinions, and suggestions in the comments, and you can reach me on Twitter @SaffronOlive or at SaffronOlive@MTGGoldfish.com.The University of Pennsylvania’s Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, otherwise known as Penn Museum, is about to open their stunning new Middle East Galleries in 2018 and one of the undisputed stars of their collection will include a 4,000-year-old footprint that was left behind in the Sumerian city of Ur, in what is now Iraq.
The individual who either knowingly or unknowingly left their footprint behind in a once wet piece of mud brick used for construction 4,000 years ago in Ur is a mystery to us now. Perhaps they were helping to construct a building in what was once a large city in southern Mesopotamia or perhaps they just happened to be gliding by and thought they would permanently leave their mark behind.
In this they would have been correct, as their footprint will reportedly be standing guard at the entrance to Penn Museum’s New Middle East Galleries to welcome visitors to a vast survey of civilizations now extinct.
When it comes to the exploration of ancient cities in the Middle East, Penn Museum was the first museum in the United States to really understand the region’s inherent worth and sent the country’s first expedition there in 1887. During their archaeological survey, officials visited the old city of Nippur in what was Ottoman territory during the time of their visit.
Now that the museum has been there hundreds of times since, it makes sense that they are one of the undisputed world leaders when it comes to their collection of artifacts from the Near East. In fact, their collection is so large that they currently hold well over 100,000 objects from this region according to Popular Archaeology.
Penn Museum’s new Middle East Galleries will host many of these ancient artifacts while they take you on a 10,000 year journey that lets visitors understand what it would have felt like to have lived in the world’s smallest villages, which eventually turned into massive and complex city-states over time.
There will be 1200 different objects on display at the new exhibit including the intricately designed 4,500-year-old jewelry that once adorned the Sumerian Queen Puabi. This particular headdress was created using silver, gold, lapis lazuli and carnelian.
Other treasures will include one of the most ancient vessels that contained wine along with one of the oldest known musical instruments known as a lyre which was constructed with the head of a bull. Also featured are a pair of very famous figurines known as the Ram in a Thicket. These statuettes are a pair of goats that were sculpted between the years 2600 to 2400 BC and were discovered in 1928 by archaeologist Leonard Woolley when visiting the Royal Cemetery at Ur.
Penn Museum's new Middle East Galleries will feature the headdress of Sumerian Queen Puabi constructed of silver, gold, carnelian and lapis lazuli. Featured image credit: Khue Bui AP Images
Penn Museum’s Executive Director Dan Rahimi believes that there are many lessons to be imparted from their new exhibit, particularly when it comes to learning about the lives of ancient Mesopotamians who once lived in cities. This is especially appropriate as the majority of Americans also live in cities today.
“What’s remarkable about this story: by 2700 BCE, about 80 percent of Mesopotamians lived in cities. Today, 81 percent of U.S. citizens live in cities. What can we learn from the past?”
Julian Siggers of Penn Museum also believes that the study of the transformation of lives lived mainly in small villages which eventually shifted to large cities works well in the context of the history of the city of Philadelphia.
“It is especially fitting that we begin our Signature Gallery transformations with these new galleries. The story of how ancient Mesopotamian societies gave rise to the world’s first cities, cities not so very different from Philadelphia, America’s first World Heritage City, is one that we are uniquely qualified to tell.”
A new suite of Middle East Galleries is slated to open at the Penn Museum in April 2018—inviting visitors on a remarkable 10,000-year human journey, from life in the earliest villages and towns to increasingly complex cities. Learn more: https://t.co/2jygy7wYTVpic.twitter.com/QFnCPTGVBA — Penn Museum (@pennmuseum) December 18, 2017
If you’re interested in perusing lovingly collected ancient artifacts from Mesopotamia and going on a journey through time, Penn Museum’s new Middle East Galleries will officially open to the public on April 21, 2018.Global Game Jam 2017 Postmortem: Flipwrecked
So I went to Global Game Jam 2017 with only one real goal: Write a game in Rust, using ggez. My previous game jams had all been Ludum Dare, which is very much an exercise of one lone madman trying to do everything, while it turns out that GGJ is much more of a team-based endeavour. I had no team already built, so I swiftly judged my chances of getting a team together with such a dev environment to be pretty low.
The theme was “Waves”. It’s a good theme! After brainstorming and BS’ing with all the other unattached programmers, I came up with a game idea I liked and thought I could implement, and went off all on my lonesome to do it. To my surprise a couple other coders wanted to help, and to my greater surprise they weren’t completely turned off by the prospect of using Rust and a, shall we say, quite young game framework. One of them had played around with Rust but not managed to climb the wall of the borrow checker yet and was happy to work with someone who had. As he put it, “all my coworkers are going to laugh when I tell them what I did this weekend.” The other was a complete newbie to Rust but was game to dive in.
So, after 48 hours, we actually ended up with a game! Didn’t win any prizes for it, but with three coders, no actual artists or other content-type people, and a toolset that is honestly pretty darn spartan compared to any professional game engine (jammin’ games like it’s 2003 again!), I think we did pretty well anyway. (And props to Daniel Cohen for making us awesome music! Even if I made the mistake of getting it into the game early; I still hear the first four bars of it in my sleep…)
Game available here: Flipwrecked!
Rust
Rust was darn painless to use, honestly. Even the semi-learned and completely new teammates I was working with had minimal problems with it. Though with a 48 hour game, we really only made one scene in the game and not a whole lot of complex interactions, so there were very few opportunities for the borrow checker to make life tricky. But rustup got people’s compilers working easily, cargo got libraries working (excepting C dll’s), all that basic stuff that’s so painful in many other languages. By pure chance we had one person using Linux, one using Windows, and one using Mac, so we had the full spread of platforms, and it worked pretty much flawlessly and identically on all of them. The only hiccup was having to install MSVC build tools on the Windows system.
Dream come true there, really.
One entertaining fact is that we ended up with the game running at about 0.5 FPS in Debug mode and 300 FPS in Release mode, so we just ended up always building in Release mode by default. Fortunately we didn’t need to do too much debugging! At first I thought that LLVM must be doing some kind of bleak space magic to make this possible, but lore from the Rust IRC channels suggested that it’s more just that Debug mode generates very pessimal code, and that “hopefully MIR will make it better.” Fair enough.
Another interesting tidbit is that removing a single? from a tight inner drawing loop and replacing it with an “eh this Result will never fail, right?” ignored return value took the game from 275 FPS to 325. Not a significant difference, really; 0.6 microsceonds per frame. But still an interesting demonstration that Result handling is not free.
ggez
ggez also worked very well for the most part, and I actually got complements from my teammates on how easy it was to use. I saw them browsing the docs for it to find bits they needed to get stuff done, and seemed to more or less figure it out without problems. So huzzah, it works! Props to the LÖVE game engine for making a pretty sweet API for me to steal. :-D
Were there bugs in it? Of course there were! …though surprisingly few of them to be honest, and now that I look at them… they’re actually all in SDL2. Either in the Rust binding, because SDL2 defines its memory use so poorly that it’s very hard to map to Rust’s expectations, or just outright things that didn’t work. In order of discovery…
(Yes I need to do some hunting and replication and then actually submit them to the sdl2 crate maintainers. Sigh.)
I had to apologize to Ralith in #rust-gamedev, ’cause he badmouths SDL whenever it comes up and I end up defending it. I mean, it’s been what I’ve been using for gamedev off and on for 15 years, it can’t be THAT bad, right? Well, yes, unfortunately it can. So, making ggez be pure Rust and getting away from depending on SDL is now high priority for me. At least then it’ll be easier to build and distribute, and if there’s bugs we have a prayer of hunting them down and fixing them.
There WAS one actual change I had to make in ggez; it started out as an experiment I was playing with before the game jam, and I think my experiences with the game jam itself more or less confirmed it:
It’s basically one of the few parts where translating the Love2D API into Rust didn’t work well. Ah well, they can’t all be winners.
Overall, though? GREAT SUCCESS.
Next steps
RIP AND TEAR! Specifically, get as much SDL2 code out of ggez as is feasible, and replace it all with pure Rust. Before I was worried about degrading functionality; for instance, SDL2 runs on Android and iOS, while getting Rust to go on those platforms is pretty painful, and SDL2 handles controller input, which glutin (the best-so-far pure-Rust window management library) does not. But if that functionality is bloody broken anyway, then there’s not much downside.
But I think I need a break from game dev for a bit. Maybe in a couple weeks.Mike Johnston was a shaggy-haired Thornton school principal in 2008 when then-presidential candidate Barack Obama came to visit as part of his campaign in battleground Colorado.
Johnston — who because of his work in low-income schools was already advising the Obama camp on education issues — soon found himself offering help to the White House when Obama won the election.
By 2009, Johnston had become a Colorado state senator. And now he’s running for governor.
“He was a primary influence, obviously,” Johnston said of Obama. “It was the idea that it was still possible for good people to come together and solve problems in bipartisan ways and that sometimes the least (flashy) service had the highest impact.”
Johnston wasn’t the only one who got the bug for public service — at least seven people in Colorado who worked for Obama the candidate or Obama the president are building on that experience by running for office themselves. Johnston may be among the highest-profile hopefuls, but others are seeking office across a strata of government, from county clerk and recorder on up to Congress and several stops in between.
They’re among a wave of Obama-linked candidates across the nation who are as inspired by the former president as they are riled by the current one. But they also know that to overcome the circumstances in 2016 that led to the election of Donald Trump, they have to move beyond the coattails of Obama even as they try to preserve the substance of his ideas.
While the Colorado candidates have a range of values, they all generally want to preserve hallmarks of Obama’s presidency — such as protecting young immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children, expanding voter rights and making health care more available.
“It’s definitely happening all over,” said Craig Hughes, a Democratic operative who served as a senior adviser to Obama’s Colorado campaigns in 2008 and 2012. “I think it’s less about carrying on his legacy than getting involved and making their own legacy — making a difference on their own.”
However, the Obama alumni in Colorado say that trying to channel the former president’s dazzle is not enough for victory — they have to provide voters with something other than the status quo, much in the way the former president did when he first ran in 2008.
“I’ll never pretend or even try to have the same charisma as Barack Obama,” says Dylan Roberts, a 28-year-old who worked on Obama’s presidential campaigns and is now running for the state House of Representatives. “But that mere identity association is the direct problem with the Democratic Party right now and was last year.”
Obama’s presidency and campaigns were defined by his ability to draw young people’s support and translate that into steady popularity. In Colorado, that helped him beat John McCain in 2008 54-45 and Mitt Romney in 2012 51-47, which could give the candidates tied to him a boost.
But while he left office with fair national approval ratings — a CNN/ORC poll from September 2016 in Colorado showed him with a 50 percent approval rating — that likability didn’t trickle down to other Democrats, says Floyd Ciruli, an independent pollster in Denver.
“If you looked elsewhere in the country during his time in office,” Ciruli said, Democrats lost governorships and state legislatures.
The Colorado candidates say they know they have to be more than just the Obama or the anti-Trump candidate if they want to win.
Jewel Samad, AFP/Getty Images Former U.S. President Barack Obama shakes hands with a bystander wearing a horse head mask on street in Denver on July 8, 2014.
Hyoung Chang, The Denver Post Former President Barack Obama holds a rally that is part of a coast-to-coast campaign barnstorm of swing states at the Meadow in City Park Denver on Wednesday. Oct. 24, 2012.
AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post Former President Barack Obama speaks to a crowd during a presidential campaign stop at the at the Communtiy College of Aurora on Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012.
Christian Murdock, The Gazette via AP, Pool Former President Barack Obama, center, meets with Thunderbird pilot Maj. Alex Turner at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colo., Thursday, June 2, 2016, before returning to Washington after the Air Force Academy graduation ceremony. The pilot of a U.S. Air Force Thunderbird that crashed following a flyover met with Obama shortly safely ejecting safely into a Colorado field.
Andy Cross, The Denver Post Former President Barack Obama gives his commencement address to the United States Air Force Academy 58th graduating class at Falcon Stadium June 2, 2016.
Kent Nishimura, The Denver Post Former U.S. President Barack Obama waves as he boards Air Force One at Denver International Airport on Wednesday, July 9, 2014 in Denver. The President is en route to Dallas, Texas where he will meet local elected officials and faith leaders to discuss the humanitarian situation at the Southwest border.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post Former President Barack Obama plays pool with Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper at Wynkoop Brewery in downtown Denver after arriving in Colorado, July 8, 2014. President Obama is in Colorado to speak about the economy and raise money for Senator Mark Udall's re-election campaign.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post Former President Barack Obama discusses the economy during a speech at Cheesman Park in Denver, July 09, 2014. After the speech President Obama will attend a private luncheon at the Westin Denver Downtown hotel to raise money for U.S. Sen. Mark Udall's re-election campaign.
RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post Former President Barack Obama discusses the economy during a speech at Cheesman Park in Denver, July 09, 2014. After the speech President Obama will attend a private luncheon at the Westin Denver Downtown hotel to raise money for U.S. Sen. Mark Udall's re-election campaign.
Joe Amon, The Denver Post President Barack Obama speaking to uniformed officers community leaders at the Denver Police Academy calling for Congress to act more like the state's Democratic-controlled legislature to pass stronger gun-control laws April 3, 2013 Denver.
“To be an innovator, sometimes you have to break through the system,” said Levi Tillemann, who worked in Obama’s Department of Energy and is running as a first-time candidate to unseat U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman, a Republican “That’s what Obama did. That’s why Obama inspired people, and that’s how Obama was successful.”
Phil Weiser, who worked in Obama’s Justice Department and is now running for Colorado attorney general, is heeding Obama’s advice to focus on work he wants to get done more than any office he wants to pursue.
“One of the things he told all of us who worked for him is to focus on what you want to do, not what you want to be,” the first-time candidate said. “That’s something I took to heart as I was making this decision to run. I’m not running because of some long-held dream to be a politician.”
Rochelle Galindo, a Greeley city councilwoman, has been working her way into politics for years and worked on Obama’s campaign in 2012 as a campus field organizer at the University of Northern Colorado. For her, Obama’s words might as well be gospel.
“Some people say, ‘What would Jesus do?’ ” said Galindo, who is running for a seat in the state House. “I say, ‘What would Obama do?’
“I don’t think its dangerous to tie me to him at all. He’s a part of my political history and the work that I’ve done in the community”
The thread that ties nearly all of the Obama alumni candidates in Colorado together is Trump. His presidency, for them, is such a departure from Obama — and so unsettling — that they felt obligated to run.
Jena Griswold was an election monitor during Obama’s 2012 campaign. When the Trump administration started requesting voter information from across the nation as part of its Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity, she was moved into seeking public office — a decision she said she wouldn’t have made without working for Obama.
“What we’re seeing now, we’re seeing attacks against women, against Latinos against Muslim-Americans against the judiciary, against democratic institutions,” said the first-time candidate who is running for Colorado secretary of state.
Dylan Roberts said he diverted his plans to build a career as a lawyer and instead run for a job in the Colorado legislature.
“Had last November never happened, I don’t think I would ever be doing this,” he said.
2018 candidates for Colorado governor Who is running for governor of Colorado in 2018? (And who is on the fence?)
Even George Stern, who worked in the Obama administration’s White House Counsel office and is now running for Jefferson County clerk and recorder, is hoping to push back.
“When I say the federal government is in disarray, I’m talking about this current administration,” he said. “I think as I see everything that is going on federally, that is why I have such a drive to make sure that at the local level I want to make sure our government is working for everyone.”
And that seems to answer the proposition Obama left his followers as he exited office in January.
“If something needs fixing, lace up your shoes and do some organizing,” Obama said in his farewell speech in Chicago. “If you’re disappointed by your elected officials, grab a clipboard, get some signatures and run for office yourself.”MOSCOW -- Sailing down the Moscow River on a cool evening earlier this month, I found myself in intense conversation with the chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chinese National People's Congress. Meanwhile, South African and Brazilian parliamentarians were swaying to Russian music and a guide pointed out the sights. The first parliamentary forum of the BRICS countries -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- had come to a convivial conclusion.
Before the meeting opened, many wondered whether the five parliaments could possibly find common ground. What on earth could India's fractious and rumbustious Lok Sabha, with its impassioned debates and disruptions, have in common with China's decorous NPC, a rigorously controlled echo chamber for Communist Party decisions? Membership in the new BRICS grouping, many believed, did not provide a strong enough basis for cooperation.
Such skepticism has been leveled at the BRICS grouping itself from its inception, with some dismissing it as the only international organization invented by an investment bank. Specifically, the term BRIC was coined more than a decade ago by then-Goldman Sachs analyst Jim O'Neill, who did not initially count South Africa among the ranks of the major emerging economies.
But Russian President Vladimir Putin liked the idea from the start, and suggested in 2006 that the four countries should meet regularly. The grouping was soon formalized, with annual summits planned. South Africa joined in 2011, solidifying the BRICS' presence across the global South, with only Russia in the North.
In fact, this is why Russia's centrality to the enterprise is so intriguing. Given that Russia was, until recently, a member of the G-8 -- the northern hemisphere's most important economic grouping -- it would seem to have little affinity with the other four BRICS members, which have traditionally been viewed as the leading developing country voices in global forums. But, by seizing on the idea of the BRICS, Putin revealed his desire to build an alternative global platform -- and advance an alternative worldview.
"If the BRICS are not allowed to help lead within the existing global system, they will inevitably create their own."
The continual deepening of the BRICS enterprise has caught many international observers by surprise. In addition to their annual summits -- which have produced joint declarations covering every major global issue, from questions of peace and security to United Nations reform -- the BRICS have conducted foreign ministers' meetings and engaged in think tank consultations. Moreover, the BRICS have created the New Development Bank, headquartered in Shanghai and headed by one of India's most respected private sector bankers.
Seen against this background, the recent parliamentary forum is just the newest in an expanding array of institutions and mechanisms that are establishing the BRICS as an international grouping that cannot be ignored.
The BRICS are emerging at a time when the future of the international system that arose in the immediate aftermath of World War II is increasingly being called into question. After two world wars, numerous civil wars, colonial oppression and the horrors of the Holocaust and Hiroshima, the far-sighted statesmen of the time decided that liberal internationalism, based on |
happened so often, when the story turns out to be false or misleading, little or nothing is done to correct the deceitful effects.”
Glenn, welcome to Democracy Now! We have never seen Julian Assange in the news as much as he is—and cited, as he is being cited by President-elect Donald Trump. Talk about what we know at this point around the hacking. The briefings are being had now by President Obama today, President-elect Trump tomorrow. President-elect Trump is citing Julian Assange over the intelligence chiefs that will brief him tomorrow.
GLENN GREENWALD: What’s most remarkable, given how much discussion there has been, how many media reports have been devoted to this topic, what we actually know about any of this is very little. Of course, it’s possible that the Russian government was actually behind these hacks. Nobody has ever said that Russia didn’t do it. Nobody has ever said that this is the sort of thing Putin wouldn’t do. This is the kind of stuff that the U.S. and Russia have both done to one another and to multiple countries around the world for many decades, not just things like this, but far, far worse, in terms of interfering in other countries’ democracies and in their internal affairs.
The real issue, though, is that there has been a very extreme dearth of evidence to actually support the claims that have come from the U.S. government, largely, though not exclusively, through anonymous sources laundered through newspapers. People were very skeptical, rightly so, when Julian Assange came out and declared that his source was not the Russian government or any state actor. There’s good reasons for skepticism about whether Julian even knows that and, if he does know that, whether he’s accurately describing who his source is, when he has a duty to protect his source. Unfortunately, there is very little skepticism being applied to the agencies that have repeatedly misled and deceived and lied to the American public, which is the CIA and other intelligence agencies, who, when they’re not lying, are often simply wrong, particularly when it comes to things like attribution of a hack, which is a very difficult thing to pin down.
And so, you have a really consequential and dangerous issue, which is ratcheting up tensions between two nuclear-armed powers, who have decades of tensions, who have almost come to nuclear war on multiple occasions simply through misperception and miscommunication. And all of this is happening in a media environment that has proven over and over that they’ll print anything, no matter how false and dubious, if it feeds the hysteria about Vladimir Putin and the Russians. And so, this is a really toxic environment, and I think that journalists ought to be trying to rein it in and to demand some skepticism and restraint, and, most of all, insist on seeing evidence, conclusive evidence, publicly presented, that what the CIA and the other intelligence agencies are claiming about the Russian government and what they did here is actually correct.
AMY GOODMAN: But are you surprised to hear what—that what Assange has to say is being repeated by Donald Trump, the president-elect? I mean, go back to 2010, when Trump had a very different position on WikiLeaks and Julian Assange. As he was preparing to appear on Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade’s radio program, Trump had this to say when the show host brought up WikiLeaks.
DONALD TRUMP: Well, I think it’s disgraceful.
BRIAN KILMEADE: You think it’s disgraceful?
DONALD TRUMP: I think this should be like death penalty or something.
AMY GOODMAN: “He should be given the death penalty or something,” Donald Trump said in 2010. At the time, Trump was host of the reality television series Celebrity Apprentice. So, Glenn Greenwald, can you talk about Trump’s change of heart?
GLENN GREENWALD: Sure. Trump’s change of heart is purely opportunistic. It’s obvious that that’s the case. Republicans hated WikiLeaks when they were publishing cables about what the Bush administration was doing in both Iraq and Afghanistan, the war crimes that were committed. They wanted them hung as traitors. They wanted Julian Assange hurled into the United States to be imprisoned or worse. There were lots of calls for his death on Fox News and elsewhere. And that was at the same time, by the way, that lots of Democrats and liberals were praising WikiLeaks for bringing needed transparency to the war crimes and the abuses of the Bush administration. Now both sides have done a complete reversal, for the same reasons we’ve seen over and over, which is partisan opportunism.
WikiLeaks became this year a leaker not of documents that reflected poorly on the Bush administration, but that reflected poorly on the Clinton campaign and Hillary Clinton. And as a result, Democrats went from supporting WikiLeaks and viewing them as heroic and important agents of transparency to viewing them as traitors and liars and people that ought to be convicted. And Republicans did exactly the opposite reversal, for exactly the same reasons, which is they went from viewing Julian Assange as a traitor to being a hero and an important conduit for information that the public has the right to know. And the polling, you can just look at it, and you see the Democrats completely reversing what their view of WikiLeaks is from 2010 to 2016, and you see exactly the same thing with Republicans, although it is amazing that not just Donald Trump, but even someone like Sarah Palin, who also called for WikiLeaks’s death, execution, who herself had her own emails published by WikiLeaks in the past, going on Facebook and saying, “I want to apologize to Julian Assange. He’s doing a really important service. And P.S., it’s really important to go see Oliver Stone’s film about Snowden.”
This is the ideological realignment that Trump’s victory has ushered in. It has caused everybody to be very disoriented, to lose their footing. And that’s what you’re seeing, is a lot of just grappling for positioning and people abandoning positions they’ve held for a really long time, for reasons of convenience and opportunism.
NERMEEN SHAIKH: Well, we don’t know—to go back to the intelligence briefings scheduled for today and tomorrow, we don’t know what these briefings will reveal, but some have said that U.S. intelligence agencies have not published evidence for their findings on Russian involvement in the election for fear of exposing their sources. Do you think that’s a legitimate concern, since it’s one that journalists frequently invoke?
GLENN GREENWALD: It’s possibly legitimate, depending upon what the evidence is. But because we don’t know what the evidence is, all we can do is speculate. So, assume they have the most conclusive evidence possible, that they literally have a wiretap of Vladimir Putin personally on a telephone call or through an email ordering the hacks of the DNC and Podesta in order to help Donald Trump. Just let’s fantasize that that’s the evidence that they have. Is there a good reason for them not to want to publicly disclose that? Of course there’s a good reason, which is that it would blow their methodology for how they’ve accessed the communications at the highest level of the Kremlin.
The problem, however, is that whatever legitimacy they might have for wanting to keep this evidence a secret, we, as citizens, and we, as journalists, are then put into a position where we either have to blindly believe what it is they’re claiming—notwithstanding their long history of lying and deceit and error, we just say, “We appreciate the fact that you can’t show us this evidence. We’re willing to blindly put our faith in the accusations that you’ve made, and believe them to be true, even though you can’t show us the evidence”—or we say, “As citizens and as journalists, look, we understand that you can’t show us this evidence, but because we can’t see the evidence, we’re not willing to blindly assume these accusations to be true and then resurrect a Cold War and pursue aggressive and bellicose policies the way John McCain and Lindsey Graham and Democrats in the Senate want to do, because we don’t see evidence that what you’re claiming is true.” And I think that’s the dilemma, is that, as journalists and citizens, we need to see evidence before believing claims from institutions that have proven over and over that they’re willing to lie and mislead.
AMY GOODMAN: Glenn, we have to break, then we’ll come back to this conversation. Glenn Greenwald, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, one of the founding editors of The Intercept. This is Democracy Now! We’ll be back with him in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in a minute.Arron Banks has accused Ukip of declaring "war on Muslims" a day after announcing he will not be one of the party's candidates in the general election.
The millionaire former party donor hit out after Ukip placed a crackdown on female genital mutilation, a ban on full-face veils and Sharia Law courts and a block on new Islamist schools being opened at the heart of its general election manifesto.
Ukip bosses said the policies were aimed at improving "integration" in British society.
But Mr Banks - who performed a major U-turn yesterday by ditching his plan to run in Clacton - took to Twitter to make clear his opposition to the strategy.
Not sure campaigning with the national party going in entirely the wrong direction is smart. I don't approve of the war on Muslim religion https://t.co/BcKQtka2yW — Arron Banks (@Arron_banks) 25 April 2017
Meanwhile, Ukip's deputy leader has said party boss Paul Nuttall will "probably" stand to become an MP.
Mr Nuttall yesterday ignited speculation that he would not put himself forward for a sixth time, telling reporters that Ukip leaders had “done quite well” outside the Commons.
Peter Whittle said his boss was still weighing up his options, and also denied that Mr Nuttall had locked himself in a room after a press launch in an apparent effort to avoid journalists’ questions.
“Paul is still thinking about it; he didn’t lock himself in a room. He was at a press conference yesterday with 50 or 60 members of the media and he went from the room and went to get into his car and go away,” Mr Whittle told the Today programme.
“Some people have got it in for Paul. It was a very important conference we had yesterday, very important press announcements, and of course what they want to do is trivialise it by looking at what went on afterwards or on the side.”
He added: “We had a leader in Nigel Farage, an incredibly effective one, who was leader while we had an MP in parliament.
“I’m sure Paul probably will stand but he is still thinking about it, as indeed am I.”
Mr Nuttall said yesterday lunchtime: “Ukip leaders have done quite well not being in parliament, haven’t they?”
The Ukip leader this year suffered a bruising defeat to Labour at a by-election in Stoke-on-Trent Central, triggered by the resignation of former MP Tristram Hunt.
Mr Whittle also defended the party's policies on burkas and FGM.
He said: "The burka is not something in the Koran, it’s not specified by the Koran, it’s a cultural practice. FGM is a cultural practice," he said.
“We have talked about these issues in Ukip for many years. [In] 2010 we actually had this in our manifesto, that we should ban face coverings - not, for example the headscarf, not those sorts of things at all, just purely the face covering, because we believe that is a literal barrier to integration in our society.
“We are actually, in this country, rather behind the curve on this. Because even the biggest party in the EU has called for an EU-wide ban on this.”Radel was caught buying cocaine from an undercover federal agent. Radel resigns from House seat
Rep. Trey Radel resigned from Congress on Monday, ending a once promising career that collapsed after the Florida Republican was caught buying cocaine from a federal law enforcement agent.
Radel, 37, spent nearly a month in a rehabilitation facility late last year before returning to Congress after the winter recess.
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He sent a letter on Monday to Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) announcing his resignation, saying it “is my belief that professionally I cannot fully and effectively serve as a United States Representative to the place I love and call home, Southwest Florida.” He said that 2014 has already “been tremendously positive as I focus on my health, family and faith.”
( PHOTOS: Pols, drugs and alcohol)
His resignation is effective Monday at 6:30 p.m. It’s up to Florida Republican Gov. Rick Scott to schedule a special election for Radel’s seat. His southwest Florida district is solidly Republican — Mitt Romney won the district with 61 percent of the vote.
The race for Radel’s seat had begun even before he decided to resign. Republican Paige Kreegel, a former state representative, has already launched a campaign for the 19th District. Kreegel, who finished third to Radel in a 2012 primary, has drawn the support of a super PAC, which has raised $1 million with the intention of helping him win the seat.
Lizbeth Benacquisto, a Republican leader in the Florida Senate in Tallahassee, is widely expected to run for the seat. Former Rep. Connie Mack (R-Fla.), who held the seat before Radel, has also mulled over a run. In a statement, Mack said Radel made the right decision, and noted that it’s now time for the district to elect a new congressman. He then mentioned his economic plan.
( PHOTOS: Top congressional scandals)
Before this incident, Radel looked like he had a bright career. He gained prominence by playful banter on Twitter. He called himself the hip hop congressman.
But in October 2013, Radel was caught buying cocaine at a Dupont Circle restaurant from an undercover federal agent. He didn’t tell his colleagues or House Republican leadership about the incident. But on Nov. 20, it became public when Radel appeared in D.C. court to plead guilty to charges that he possessed cocaine. While Radel was in rehab, his staff — many of them junior aides — kept his office afloat.
Top Florida GOP leaders — including the governor and senior party officials — publicly called on Radel to resign. He ignored the calls, and returned to Washington at the beginning of January. The House Ethics Committee launched its own investigation of Radel — an inquest they’ll now have to give up.
This article tagged under: Resignations
Trey Radelor, why PFS is obsessed with [S] JOHN. RISE UP.
“To die would be an awfully big adventure.”
–J. M. Barrie
There have been several people who expressed interest in reading this, so… here we go.
It’s really difficult for me to put into words why this flash is so amazing to me, as so much of it has to do with the general feeling I get from it. There’s a feeling I get from this flash that is entirely different than any of the others—it’s similar to why I will sit there with the walkabout flashes in the salamander village up. The music and the imagery just creates this feeling of tranquility, regardless of the content matter (because come on, let’s be honest, [S] JOHN. RISE UP. is brought on by a main character’s death, and I am thinking of one very specific moment in the salamander village involving salamander firefighters armed with cans of Barbasol…). So the first thing to keep in mind is that it is largely due to feel, which definitely differs from one person to the next.
That said, there are a number of factors that play into this flash that aren’t personal! The largest one of them is probably what it means in terms of the flow of the story. This flash is page 4987 of MSPA—that’s page 3087 of Homestuck. That’s a long way into a story. We’ve been with John since page 1. We’ve laughed at his antics, we’ve rolled our eyes, we’ve watched him grow as a character and, well, we’ve gotten attached to the little fucker. As I mentioned way back in my character analysis of John, he is our everyman in this story. He’s the one that goes into the story with no idea what’s happening, and he serves as our link to the narrative. When John learns about the mechanics of the game, we do as well. Without him, we would have been thrown right into the deep end, lost amidst sylladexes and captchalogue cards and prototyping sprites and alchimeters. In a way, no matter what prompted you to start reading in the first place, John is our first real tie to Homestuck.
So by this point he’s our constant. Though everything and everyone around him is changing, John’s simple, optimistic nature remains the same. He’s still the same kid that began this crazy ride, and he isn’t affected by the sort of madness that’s taking hold of the rest of the narrative. He’s not involved in these crazy schemes like the other kids are; he’s just kind of shooting the breeze (pun totally intended) and going along with what everybody else is saying or doing, seeing where it takes him. He’s still the almost naïve ingénue we were introduced to at the beginning of the story, even though he’s grown a lot and is becoming much more capable as a player.
And all of this is why it’s so heart-stopping when Jack stabs him.
John isn’t the character that these sorts of things happen to. John is the hero, after all, the one we expect to come out on top no matter what challenges he faces. We’ve seen him making mistakes before, sure, but they’ve always turned out right in the end. Even when he does get himself into a mess he can’t wiggle out of, he’s got his friends to help him out (or a conveniently located pile of rocks awash in a sea of oil. Either one). Though he has died in the past, it didn’t happen onscreen. It was almost immediately reversed! Rather than showing us the reality of a main character’s death, Hussie only mentioned it through dialogue. He softened the blow. Here? He doesn’t shy away from it at all. You get one panel of John sleeping peacefully, Bec Noir looming over him, and bam, dead, stabbed through in a pool of blood while Vriska watches and is pleased with this turn of events.
That’s part of why this flash works so very well. John’s death and then rebirth into the god tiers signifies a very big shift in the story—for one thing, it shows us the kids’ vulnerability. In most games if you die, you just respawn. But here, there’s something very finite about John’s death. Even though he resurrects as a god tier, his physical body remains dead. He can no longer inhabit it. Consider: by this point, just about everything John has on him was created through alchemizing. His computers, his clothes, his glasses… everything on him is a construct. And with his resurrection, he’s shedding the last remnant of our world—his own body. His dream-self is a construct of the incipisphere; whether it was created by the game itself or if it existed prior to the creation of this session is unknown, but it is still not of our world. Sure, he has his house, the most visible feature of the Land of Wind and Shade, but by this point he has grown far beyond it. We can even say he’s grown even beyond LOWAS—after all, he’s at the top of his echeladder; it’s not as though much there poses a threat to him there any more. At this point, he should be able to defeat his denizen, even without having reached the god tiers.
When he reaches the god tiers, John moves beyond even WV’s reach—and this may be the reason this flash gets me the most. WV sees both halves of this flash: he sees what happens on the battlefield, where John resurrects, and then years later, sees it happen on the screens of the command station. When he sees John on the battlefield, WV is still quite young himself. He’s just seen the combined black and white armies decimated by Bec Noir, has just cast away his Dersite origins for the RAG OF SOULS that fell from John’s tower in the destruction of Prospit’s moon… and he sees the quest bed on the battlefield lighting up, watches the Heir of Breath coming into his power. You can see his awe in the flash as he watches. Then, hundreds of years later, after he’s been exiled to the remains of Earth and he discovers the command station where he can watch John, he recognizes him. He knows John is the Heir of Breath—he commands several times for him to do the “windy thing.” WV doesn’t necessarily realize that while he’s gone on into the future and aged, the version of John he’s viewing on the command screen is younger, hasn’t come into his power yet.
So when he sees John die at Bec Noir’s hands… that’s the end. WV is actually the one to type the command JOHN. RISE UP. in the first place, and it doesn’t seem to do anything. WV doesn’t know that he’s seeing the other side of John’s ascension. He sees John die, he sees the fireflies gather around him and the lights of his quest bed light up… and then nothing. You can see how stricken he is near he very end of the flash as John remains dead. Bec remains victorious. The archagent has won.
And then WV turns the screen off.
The motion is twofold here—on one level, WV accepts a loss and an end. He accepts that the Heir of Breath was slain by Bec Noir. But on another level, John is freed of the exiles’ influence. Much as WQ gives Rose advice and then leaves her to her own devices, John is now on his own as well. There will be no more help from somebody who has already lived these precise events. He must utilize the resources that area available to him: the advantages the game presents to him, the help of his friends, and the outside help offered to him by the Alternian trolls.
Which brings me to another reason why I love this flash so much: Vriska’s apparent betrayal. John has been tricked by the trolls before, led to his death by Terezi. Vriska appears to be somewhat different; she certainly views John as a pawn to play, but she isn’t just messing with him for shits and giggles. She’s somebody who always has a plan, and we reason that she’s got a plan for John as well. So when her plan to reach the god tiers ends in him dying… well. It’s a shock. At this point we don’t know yet that to reach the god tiers you must die on your quest bed, so it seems as though she’s simply led John to his death under the pretense of helping him out. The addition of her “8888)” to the final panel before the flash only adds to that idea.
Then we reach this flash. And John resurrects into the god tiers. And, regardless of if you like Vriska or not, you have to admit that in the end she assisted him here. She may have gotten him killed, but at the same time you realize that perhaps she didn’t tell him what was going to happen because she thought it would have been difficult for him to face. Facing your mortality is an incredibly difficult thing to face—would you have been able to go to sleep, knowing that as soon as you did you were going to be murdered? Could you face Bec Noir without wanting to fight back, to cling to life? Even if you knew you would be resurrected in the god tiers, there’s a natural inclination we have that makes us want to avoid dying at all costs.
Which brings me to the quote from J.M. Barrie I placed at the top of this. “To die would be an awfully big adventure.” That quote is all about not being afraid of the unknown, and this flash echoes that idea. Although it is very difficult to face our mortality—and in fact John really didn’t at all, or won’t until after the fact—it leads to the next adventure. A whole new realm of possibilities is opening before John here, and when you watch this flash you know that things aren’t going to go back to the way they were before. This flash is Hussie stepping Homestuck up to the next level. John’s ascension is such a big deal that it’s visible from all the other lands; we see Jade and Dave and Rose all stop what they’re doing and look to the sky, ostensibly seeing the light of his quest bed from Skaia. Even though they don’t know what’s going on, it’s enough to make them give pause—the entire world halts for John.
And all of this fell into the hands of a hero who had no idea what he was about to do. Who had no idea that he was about to change their entire game.
I love the animation of [S] JOHN. RISE UP., I love the music (I know I’ve mentioned before that “Savior of the Waking World” is actually the most-played song in my entire iTunes library; it’s over 400 plays by this point). The art and the music work so well together that I can just sit and stare and be brought into a state of utter chill. But that the flashes are great is a given. What really makes this flash my favorite by far is the content, is John becoming more than he’d ever imagined himself capable of, more than I had imagined him capable of. This flash showcases his growth—yes, his personality is (for the most part) the same as he began… but he’s grown so much, too. He’s become a leader, someone for the others to rally around. He’s stepped into his role as “Heir,” and in this flash he comes into everything that implies.
[S] JOHN. RISE UP. is a turning point for the entire story—and for that reason, it’s my favorite in the entirety of Homestuck so far. It’s amazing.The Georgia Athletic Association has entered into a 10-year, $152.5 million multimedia and marketing rights deal with IMG College and JMI Sports.
A copy of the contract was obtained by Onlineathens.com on Monday through an open records request. It was agreed to on Dec. 8 and extends a previous deal set to expire on June 30 until 2027. A memorandum of understanding was first agreed to last May.
The deal pays Georgia a guarantee of at least $12.8 million for 2017-18 with increases each year through 2026-27 when the school is to make at least $15.7 million. That annual royalty amounts for 2017-18 includes $11 million for multimedia rights, $1.4 million for new media and $400,000 for seatback rights.
Georgia’s previous multimedia rights deal with IMG was worth $92.8 million over eight years.
The new deal is worth nearly $15.3 million per year, up from $11.6 million in the previous contract. That includes a $10 million royalty payment in the new contract.
Sports Business Journal reported in September that the Georgia deal was expected to "keep the Bulldogs near the top of the pack," for most lucrative in the nation.
Alabama’s deal averages about $16 million a year with Learfield but includes more rights than most multimedia agreements.
The Georgia contract includes media rights, sponsorship rights, trademarks and service marks.
That includes radio broadcasts for football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball and a weekly radio coaches’ show, football and men’s basketball coach’s TV show and UGA athletics TV show. It also grants some digital rights and some web site rights.
There are "pouring rights and beverage sponsorships" in the deal, but those are non-alcoholic.
There are also "rivalry-based theme projects" if Georgia opts for that but those also require the review and approval of each rival.This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
I... the the... a... Clinton has become a chore and a chat where much of... it says on the escalating tension... on over to... the ad territorial dispute in the region... joining me now is South East Asia appear cheap packet part to... take a... hatchet to the fact that Hillary is right now in Asia and then a back bend Democratic National Convention does this highlight the importance the US government is really putting on... these territorial disputes going on in the region... more importantly this is not the only reason she's here she's here because of Syria North Korea... she's supposed to bring him some human rights issues in Indonesia and this time tomorrow when she's there but yes I think that the DNA data security issues and these disputes reading across... the South China Sea in other parts of the China Sea involving... Japan and Korea as well... it's a very troubling to the United States I think that she's trying to make a last ditch effort to try to... get some common ground of those I should... point out that the present Obama if he does when the next election is expected to come to Asia... but later November so... the whole thing is she's running interference for that trip trying to lay the groundwork for some kind of deal... or you're some kind of compromise on those issues when he's here if he is re elected... Antioch... was just that as an income I and that advocate guidance... so she had said that and she started out with that and that a direct message to China saying... she was urging China to act in a fair and transparent way... so um do you think that this is really the main reason than to send this message that I'm that that kind of... that really be careful with its military aggression in the region... well I mean that that's consistent with the message the United States is been standing for... quite some time in even saying that they want... China to be but you know in your words are responsible after in the region um no the US is not going to push them so far that they set up some kind of... um no deeper... dispute here but the duty show to countries like the Philippines Vietnam Jake goes to their of wanting to see more action... if the show to them that they do have their backs they do want to push China to come to the table and create some kind of multilateral solutions to those disputes rather than I'd negotiating a bilateral basis which is what China prefers... that we can say that... Asian nations are support of of the US increasingly we are the things on... the U S expanding its missile rated defense shield in the East Asia he... on when to say that it is in these nations are some more to add... the extra military support by the US... well I think I would say that most Orbital the guy would say that all are against our review of the Philippines and Vietnam are refined centers countries that want... more euro supporting factors been speculation that the US has been going... far enough to please them... but there are other countries like Thailand which seems to be a bit on the fence... and a little bit worried that perhaps the U S will be shaking stake in China I and and treating more attention than I had to say Cambodia of all all of these countries is... gone... the partners to take China cited this is one of the reasons why... in July we had an Ozzie on Sunday there was no agreement whatsoever in double meaning in it in total disarray because Cambodia would not say basically the same table with all the other Asian nations that what the deal... so I think that this is one of the things that I was doing trying to get all of these countries is the with one voice and until that happens is can be very difficult to reach a consensus... in the South China Sea are any means it's... okay and tactics that made it started out as... well as on the agenda... well she's going to China after she goes head to Tunisia today and tomorrow... I'll show also have some smart TVs in East Timor overnight I think the big ones... of course your art Indonesia and China and one reason to go to mini followers... because against trying to get all the other Asian countries on the same page so she can take that to China's growth... Asia that supports this is just units holding out against the grain and in in these is Peter Waters answer you need to cover the table now let that happen this time it is unlikely and that is... why the country China with us as really incentive to reach a binding agreement on Eebee's is because both countries are facing... up our trends and traditions that you're potentially we certainly have China is in China is really in the mood to do a deal right now... and cake thanks Fran much South East Asia appear cheap packet part to...Vegan Lucky Charms
Reporting back with another vegan meringue development: you can make vegan Lucky Charms out of a can of freakin’ chickpeas and it’s blowing my mind.
When I made Lemon Meringue Pie and a test batch of meringue cookies over the weekend, my first thought was, “oh shit, this tastes like Lucky Charms marshmallows!” I waited about a day before trying it out. Set aside an afternoon for this recipe because we are making hundreds of little hearts, stars, horseshoes, clovers, blue moons, pots of gold, rainbows, and red balloons by hand.
Lucky Charms marshmallows color reference
You should have red, yellow, blue, purple, and green meringue to make the following marshmallows:
1. Hearts (red)
2. Red balloons (red)
3. Red rainbow stripe (red)
4. Stars (yellow)
5. Pots of gold (yellow)
6. Yellow rainbow stripe (yellow)
7. Blue moons (blue)
8. Blue rainbow stripe (blue)
9. Horseshoes (purple)
10. Clovers (green)
Get the recipe:
Vegan Lucky Charms Save Print Prep time 1 hour 30 mins Cook time 1 hour 30 mins Total time 3 hours Homemade vegan Lucky Charms cereal using aquafaba to make Lucky Charms marshmallows Author: Kelly Peloza Recipe type: Breakfast Cuisine: Vegan, Vegetarian, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free, American Serves: 1 large box of cereal Ingredients Box of sugary Cheerios-type cereal
1/3 cup aquafaba (liquid from can of chickpeas)
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon agar powder
3/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
Food coloring: red, blue, yellow Instructions Combine the chickpea liquid and cream of tartar in a stand mixer equipped with a balloon whisk attachment and whip until it starts to thicken. Mix together the sugar and agar powder. Gradually add the sugar/agar mixture and the vanilla, and continue whipping until thick, about 8 minutes. Line 3-4 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Grab 3 small bowls and spoons and divide up the meringue mixture into the bowls. Using food coloring, make red, blue, and yellow meringue. Grab 2 more small bowls, then using some of the red and blue meringue, mix some purple meringue. Then using blue and yellow, make some green. Preheat oven to 200°F. Fill 5 small piping bags or ziptop bags (cut off the tip) with each color of meringue. Using Lucky Charms for reference, pipe your tiny marshmallows onto the prepared cookie sheet. How many marshmallows does this make? A lot. Depending on the size of your marshmallows and the spacing between them, you might fill up 2-4 full cookie sheets. Bake/dehydrate the marshmallows for 1 hour. Turn off the oven and leave the marshmallows in the oven until they return to room temperature. Finally, mix with cereal, and eat with your non-dairy milk of choice! 3.5.3226
Making Meringue
If you’re new to making vegan meringue, here’s a video that shows how the bean liquid will whip up:
The verdict?
I ended up using whole oat-y cereal, so the feedback I got was, “this tastes like childhood, but with fiber!”
These marshmallows are lighter and more airy than original Lucky Charms marshmallows, but they hold up just fine in a bowl of cereal and milk. Feel free to play around with the recipe, then report back if you can make the marshmallows any denser. Maybe a mixture of that technique plus more agar powder or a different kind of gum would alter the results.
I accidentally made my rainbow colors in the wrong order because Lucky Charms doesn’t understand how rainbows work and uses blue on the outer stripe.
If you want to go into even more detail, you can mix orange and a darker green to add detail to the pots of gold and make clover hats. But let’s get real: we’re making these marshmallows by hand without the help of a cereal factory, so it’s okay if your clovers are all one color.
I would tell you that they’re magically delicious, but I don’t want a cease and desist letter from General Mills.
The aftermath:
Finally, go make some Lucky Charms!
I did not invent the chickpea meringue, or Lucky Charms (duh.) Thank you to Goose Wohlt and Révolution végétale for the inspiration!Knoji reviews products and up-and-coming brands we think you'll love. In certain cases, we may receive a commission from brands mentioned in our guides. Learn more.
The Canary Islands are part of the Spain is the best honeymoon spot for couples, but they are located much closer to Africa than the Spanish mainland. The seven islands are in the Atlantic Ocean, 1,350 kilometers south of the Iberian Peninsula.
Canary Islands consists of 7 larger islands Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote,Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro and a few smaller ones Alegranza, Graciosa, Montaña Clara, Roque del Este, Roque del Oeste and Lobos.Greeks and Romans call this island as the Happy Islands, Garden of the Hesperides.
The climatic conditions of the Canary islands are between the seasons vary only some 6º C, and the monthly islands average temperatures are from 18º to 24º C.
Together with their glorious weather, the Canary Islands offer a wide range of natural and man-made attractions that attract nearly14 million visitors per year.It also consists of vast volcanic craters, spectacular black beaches and ancient forests occupied by dolphins and whales. The quieter islands are a heaven for nature lovers whilst the most popular islands offer action-packed resort areas with every form of facility and entertainment for foreign visitors.
In 1496 the islands became part of the Spanish kingdom, and the ships of |
emakers, those currently making wine here in America – not the great ones who have come before, but folks who make wines you can find now. There are some 7,000 bonded wineries in the U.S., and there’s a lot of forgettable wine being made. And in a world of homogenization of wine styles and a sense that our domestic wine industry is not legitimate without a French or Italian flare, we desire to promote regional flavor profiles of all American wine craftspeople. There are names here you’ll know and recognize, and names you never heard of but everyone on this list is influencing the public, fellow winemakers and the media in large and small ways. Use this list to learn about wines, varieties and regions you may not have considered; comment on it, share it with everyone, but above all continue your joy of being IntoWine.
100-Helen Keplinger: Influential winemakers understand potential. Keplinger is making extraordinary wines in unassuming steep, rocky vineyards of Amador and El Dorado counties in the Sierra Foothills, known for affordable but forgettable Zinfandels. Formerly she worked in Napa with Heidi Peterson Barrett, and Fiddlestix in the Santa Rita Hills. That was followed by a three years in Spain making wine for Melis. She returned to California working for Kenzo Estate, a $100 million, star-studded startup owned by a Japanese video-game mogul and was winemaker for cult Cabernet producer Bryant Family Vineyard. But it is the Foothills where she is changing the game.
99-Hardy Wallace doesn’t make wine using numbers, recipes, or pretense but he does consider spicy fried chicken. Dirty and Rowdy is a side project of two couples in the wine industry, making wines you cannot mass produce - naturalistic, unconventional and food specific like a single vineyard, whole cluster Mourvedre, and an egg fermented Sémillon – exactly the style of wines that rarely get made anymore. They pursue exploration of what wine can be and that’s exactly what’s needed in a homogenized wine world.
98-Bryan Ulbrich of Left Foot Charley has assembled Northern Michigan’s grape growers to produce wines that display the range of aroma and flavor found among the appellation. What you end up with is a co-op of growers whose grapes, formerly sold elsewhere, are being turned into some of Michigan’s best white wines, expressing individuality of site. Located in the former Northern Michigan Asylum for the Insane in Traverse City, Michigan, this urban winery focus on white wine varietals, hard cider, and sparkling wine and Ulbrich was the Winner of Jefferson Cup in 2011 for his Riesling
97-Craig Kritzer of Frogtown Cellars in Georgia is still under the radar, for now. But this Georgia winery continually competes in wine competitions against California wines…and wins. Helping to place Georgia on the wine map for dry red and white wines, Kritzer takes this a step further and is one of the few Georgia wineries to not blend some percentage of California grapes, juice or concentrate, with his wine, a common practice in Georgia. This keeps his consumers drinking 100% Georgia wine, and keeps them coming back.
96-Abe Schroner used to teach college students ancient philosophy. But after an internship at Luna Vineyards in Napa he started The Scholium Project, a winery rooted in the philosophical belief that only by experimenting with wine at the precipice of disaster can one challenge our understanding of what wine should be. Part Nutty Professor, part wine renegade (in the truest sense) Schroner is not constrained by orthodoxy nor a “bottom line,” rather Schoener, explores the furthest reaches of wine's microbiological potential, and comes up with both successes and failures. But he attempts the new, and in that he affects change.
95-Ron Bitner has been growing high quality grapes in Canyon County, Idaho for over 30 years. Bitner Vineyards was planted in 1981 with the first production in 1985. There are 15 acres planted to Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Merlot, Shiraz, Petite Verdot and Viognier, and who would have expected that? He spent eight years on the Idaho Grape Growers and Wine Producers Commission, two of those as acting director. Bitner was instrumental on the petition that established the Snake River Valley AVA in 2007. In 2009 Bitner Vineyards was named Wine Press Northwest's “Idaho Winery of the Year.”
94-Garrit Stoltz makes wine in an old funeral home in Hood River, Oregon. Stoltz Vineyards is a winery and négociant in downtown Hood River, over looking the Columbia Gorge River and producing single barrel lots of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. To push the envelope and to create and influence his consumers, they also produce exclusive blends and unique varietal wines such as Fernão Pires, and Zweigelt, and the public cannot get enough of these unusual, small lots wines from an unusual place.
93-Paul Sloan: As Small Vines Wines proprietor and viticulturalist based in Sebastopol and pushing compact spacing, Sloan’s philosophy is that high-density plantings focus the energy of the vine into smaller, more intensely flavorful clusters, producing better quality wine, as is evidenced by his Pinot Noirs. Striving to innovate, not duplicate, Sloan advocates water conservation, soil conservation, and utilizing more efficient machinery to reduce pollutant outputs. He utilizes close spacing of vines similar to what you find in Burgundy and Bordeaux and many grape growers are taking notice.
92-Steve Doerner has been making sustainable wines from his early days in California at Calera (in the barely noticeable Hollister region of California), before moving to helm Christom Vineyards in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA of Oregon, where Doerner has put down roots. He crafts Pinot Noir and other varietals with native yeasts, and no fining or filtering, receiving critical praise from every major wine publication for a variety of his wines, not just Pinot Noir. Sustainably farmed, he shows that sourcing the right fruit shows off the land more than winemaking does.
91-Jared and Tracey Brandt. By experimenting with novel techniques such as making wine using grapes growing wild in abandoned vineyards, and a steadfast refusal to use new oak, Donkey and Goat Winery is helping to change the way wine is made. They're also changing precisely where it is made: they produce their distinctive Rhône-style wines in a warehouse in downtown Berkeley, California, in the heart of fast-growing urban-winemaking country. This reduces the mystique and pretentiousness of the wine industry, making accessible wines for the masses.
90-Daniel Daou is committed to producing collectible, world-class Bordeaux style wines to rival those of the most respected appellations in the world. But the thing is, his wines come from Paso Robles. Daou and others like him have raised the bar, very high, in order to show that Paso Robles’ signature grape should be Cabernet Sauvignon with the potential to rival Napa. That’s a bold agenda, but Daou and his meticulous attention to detail is pulling it off.
89-Tony Kooyumjian of Augusta Winery in Missouri understands the history of his region– the people, the places, the wineries that preceded his. He had a major role in having Augusta declared the very first AVA in 1980. He has won the Governor’s Cup and he operates Montelle Winery as well. As a champion of Norton, hybrids and other unique mid-west wines he has pushed the acceptability for these wines to a broader American public
88-Kris Kane of 21 Brix is working with dozens of varieties including, Cayuga, Blaufrankish and virtually unknown Noiret and his wines are available nationally through Olde Chautauqua Farms. Kris makes stylish, dry, Vinifera wines in the Lake Erie region where winemakers have historically left aggressive residual sugar in the wines for their regional consumers, which also made them unappealing to the wine trade and general public. That tide had turned. If and when Lake Erie is on the map, it will be because of him.
87-John Charito might be a mere whisper on the wind, especially since his winery in the Mendocino region of Ukiah is so obscure, you’ve probably never heard of him. But the Italian born Charito produces true Italian varieties like Negroamaro and Nero D’avola, both of which he petitioned TTB to include on their varietal list, thereby becoming the first U.S. winery to get them on a wine label. Then Charito became the first U.S. winery to produce Nero d'Avola.
86-Dan Lee opened the doors of Morgan Winery in 1982 when Monterey County was barely a blip on the radar. Their very first Monterey Chardonnay earned a Gold Medal at the LA County Fair and a Platinum Medal from Wine & Spirits Magazine. Since then, Morgan has earned “Winery of the Year” honors from Wine & Spirits, and the San Francisco Chronicle. Dan’s leadership and expertise in the district led to his being named the first Board President of the newly formed Santa Lucia Highlands’ winegrowers association in 2005.
85-Hank Beckmeyer of La Clarine Farms in the Sierra Foothills of California makes wines that are alive in the glass. Beckmeyer farms 10 acres according to the principles of the Japanese agricultural philosopher Masanoubu Fukouka, known as Do Nothing Farming, whereby the land does what the land wants to do. There is a minimalist approach in the vineyard and cellar which shows in his Mourvèdre, rosé, red blends, and Viognier. Beckmeyer is part of a new generation returning to the land.
84-Thomas Rivers Brown made history as the youngest winemaker to score two perfect 100 point ratings from Robert Parker, the first time two Cabernets from the same producer in the same vintage have received two perfect ratings. Then Wine Spectator, awarded him two 100 point ratings to his Cabernet Sauvignons, making Thomas the first American winemaker to ever receive 100 points from Wine Spectator. Aside from that tidbit he consults for over a dozen labels in Napa, casting his influence far and wide. Food & Wine Magazine named him Winemaker of the Year.
83-Morgan Twain-Peterson: As winemaker and proprietor of Bedrock Wine Company in Sonoma, Twain-Peterson is also one of the founders of the Historic Vineyard Society which advocates for the identification and support of older heritage vineyards. He has also passed the prestigious Master of Wine exam and upon successful completion of the dissertation will become one of the less than thirty American M.W.’s. His dedication to older vineyards ensures not only unique wines, but maintains historical integrity to vineyards that might otherwise be lost.
82-Clay Shannon recognized the potential of Lake County long before it was fashionable. Committed to preserving his land, not only for the great vineyard sites but also for the bear, elk, mountain lions, eagles and other creatures which live there, only 35% of his 1,400 acres have been converted to vineyards. The vineyards have corridors open to migrating animals and protect sensitive nesting areas. His portfolio of award-winning Shannon Ridge wines includes the Single Vineyard Collection, and Ranch Collection, as well as affiliated brands Vigilance, Hillgate, Dos Brotos, Dalliance, Cross Springs, and now High Valley Vineyard. Shannon Ridge's vineyards are certified sustainable.
81-Johnathan Lachs of Cedarville Vineyards in the small Fair Play appellation of the Sierra Foothills uses organic growing to produce intense Rhone wines, varieties that Lachs and others have been promoting over the standard Zinfandel offerings. After nearly a decade of producing wine here, the region is getting more and more acclaim, in large part to Lachs and others like him who make excellent wines at terrific price points, while deviating away from the traditional wines of the Foothills.
80-Joe Hart. Quiet and unassuming, Hart Winery is an earlier pioneer of the Temecula Valley, outside of San Diego, and Hart was only the fourth person to start a winery here. He has spent over 30 years as a champion for the Temecula wine region. Hart Winery capitalizes on the soils and climate at 1,500 feet above sea level to produce the premium varietals like Merlot, Fume´ Blanc, Viognier, Grenache Rose´, Syrah, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.
79-Jordan Harris is winemaker and general manager of Tarara Winery in Leesburg, Virginia. While many of Virginia’s vintners are concentrating their efforts on the sure sellers like Bordeaux-style blends and Chardonnay (which frankly don’t show well here) Harris champions varieties that are often overlooked. Pushing the boundaries of his various blends, Harris is blazing trails in the state with bottlings like his blends of Tannat, Petit Verdot and Pinotage; and a white wine mix of Viognier, Roussanne, and Petit Manseng. Bucking the trend, and providing the consumer with choices is where Harris succeeds.
78-Jeff Emery. As owner and winemaker of Santa Cruz Mountains Vineyards for the past 35 years, his focus was on Pinot Noir, though he was the first winery with the first label in the U.S. to be exclusively focused on Iberian varieties, which are now more commonplace. In addition to mentoring younger winemakers Emery has long been advocating for moderate alcohol and oak in today’s wines. His second brand, Quinta Cruz features only varieties that originated on the Iberian Peninsula but are now grown here in California. These Portuguese and Spanish varieties include Tempranillo, Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Souzao, Graciano, and Tinto Cão, bringing diversity to the marketplace.
77-Manfred Krankl of Sine Qua Non in Santa Barbara makes cult wine for wine nerds. To get a shot at sampling them, you almost have to know someone who knew Manfred Krankl back when he first started making them when he was still sommelier at Campanile in Los Angeles. Small lots, sold virtually only via mailing list, Krankl has managed the rarest of feats - to be a true cult winery, one that doesn’t give a damn about press, reviews, a fan base or anything other than making killer wine how he wants and when he wants.
76-Caleb Foster. Throughout a winemaking career spanning two decades, three continents and with experience gleaned from working at wineries like Woodward Canyon, Chateau Ste. Michelle, Rapaura Vintners (New Zealand), and Bookwalter, Foster has established himself as one of Washington State’s best winemakers. As the previous winemaker for Buty, he created an acclaimed portfolio several pioneering blends including Cabernet/Syrah, which became some of the defining wines of Washington winemaking. Practicing organic farming and getting his wines consistently praised by the national wine press, Foster’s single minded focus on single vineyard wines has paid off.
75-Charles Smith. A decade ago, Smith, a California native, was managing a rock band in Copenhagen when he made a career shift: Smith taught himself how to make wine by creating tiny lots of Syrah for his own K brand. Now his wines are some of Washington’s most sought-after. And Smith’s The Magnificent Wine Company wines (House Wine Red and White) and “modernist” Charles Smith Wines (The Velvet Devil Merlot, Kung Fu Girl Riesling and more) are among the best values anywhere. Food and Wine Magazine named Smith Winemaker of the year in 2009.
74-Ian Brand. After moving to California to pursue surfing, Brand found his calling at Bonny Doon in Santa Cruz, where he was assistant winemaker. He has also been winemaker for Nicholson, and Pierce Vineyards and consults for various clients in the Monterey region. Coastview Vineyards, and Le P'tit Paysan, are his labels and Brand is experimental and eager to push the envelope in the Salinas Valley. Known for his progressive approaches to plantings, commitment to organic farming and tireless promotion of Monterey as the next region to watch, Brand tireless searches funky forgotten parcels of lonely vineyards to bring back to life.
73-Ben Smith of Cadence has been quietly producing superb wines at his urban winery in South Seattle since 1998. Obsessed with letting his wines express the characteristics of the vineyard sites he balances boldness with elegance. Focusing on Bordeaux-style wines, he combines grapes from the Red Mountain AVA with an Old World sensibility and a gift for finding the right blend. He makes his own label, Cara Mia, from which he produces extraordinary Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot blends. Under the radar, but over the top in quality, Cadence shows how great Washington wines can be.
72-Marco Capelli. The name might not be familiar, even though Capelli spent 17 years at Sawnson Vineyards in Napa. But it is his work in the tri-county Sierra Foothills, where Capelli has not only his own label, but where he has been a consultant winemaker to the likes of Miraflores, Toogood Estate, Andis, Rancho Olivo, and Indian Rock, among others. It is here where Capelli has been the driving force of quality for the Sierra Foothills wines, elevating their quality and stature.
71-Stephen Bernard is the winemaker for Keswick Vineyards in Virginia, helping to shape the full potential of the Virginia wine culture. He started working in the wine industry at the oldest winery in South Africa and joined Keswick Vineyards as an intern and held that position until 2004 when he took the position of Winemaker at Rappahannock Cellars, but two years later returned to Keswick Vineyards as the Winemaker and General Manager. Keswick is one of the few wineries that ferments most of its wines without the addition of yeast and does not fine or filter any of their reds.
70-Maggie Harrison was living in Santa Barbara working as assistant winemaker at Sine Qua Non. She had no plans to leave but a random vineyard site in Oregon’s Willamette Valley changed everything. The rocky 11-acre Antica Terra vineyard, located on a prehistoric seabed grows extraordinary Pinot Noir and her Antica Terra's 2009 vintage was ranked No. 1 in a blind expert tasting of 39 of the top Pinot Noirs in the world. Her California wine project, Lillian, focuses on Syrah. Food & Wine Magazine chose her as Winemaker of the Year.
69-Joe Davis of Arcadian Winery is a believer in Old World methods of crafting Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. A classicist, his wines often need a few years to really offer their charms. He developed the Pinot Noir program at Morgan Winery in Monterey, then moved to winemaker at Bernardus Winery. Davis is now one of the best known figures in Santa Barbara wine country, thanks to his top-quality Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, and Syrah’s. At the heart of Arcadian’s success is Davis’s terroir-driven philosophy: make wines that fully express the distinct characteristics of each vineyard.
68-Wes Hagen of Clos Pepe Estate not only turns out stellar Pinot Noir and Chardonnay solidifying the Santa Rita Hills appellation in Santa Barbara County, he has tirelessly promoted the region as a whole. He has successfully petitioned and guided three AVA’s in Santa Barbara to fruition in the last 20 years, never an easy feat, but one which helped to identify Santa Barbara’s diverse growing regions, including Santa Rita Hills, Happy Canyon (where Cabernet Sauvignon is beginning to flourish), and Ballard Canyon.
67-Jon McPhearson of South Coast Winery in Temecula oversees a dizzying portfolio of red, white, sweet and sparkling wines, helping to elevate the image of the Temecula wine region and Southern California. Named California Winery of the Year for three years by the California State Fair, he has affected the perception of Southern California winemaking, and in the process has become one of the regions most awarded, and popular wineries in Temecula.
66-Alan Phillips helped develop Monticello Cellars. Various consulting jobs led him to New Zealand, Germany, France, Spain, and Portugal, giving him the opportunity to view winemaking on a global level. He became winemaker at Byington Winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains, then he moved to director of winemaking at Foley Estates and Lincourt Vineyards in Santa Barbara. He presently makes wine for Mercy (Monterey) as well as his own family winery, Fontes & Phillips in Santa Barbara, showcasing small, intriguing lots of wine.
65-Lee Lutes of Black Star Farms in Michigan recently hosted a Twitter tasting marking the release of two new vintages of sparkling wine at a modest price. As the head winemaker for Black Star Farms Lee Lutes overseas winemaking operations for two processing facilities on the Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas. He also directs the distillation program that produces European style fruit brandies and dessert wines, giving credence to the Michigan region, as viable region to be reckoned with.
64-Andrew Meggitt has been in the wine business for over 20 years. A native of New Zealand, Meggitt joined the St. James Winery in Missouri in 2002. Under his direction as executive winemaker, St. James Winery has consistently been among the top gold medal awarded wineries in the U.S. Meggitt creatively stretches the boundaries of traditional winemaking while integrating both old and new-world techniques. At 200,000 cases, St. James is best known for their dry Chambourcin, but also sweet, semi-sweet, and fruit wines, showing that even unknown wines can, and should, make an impact.
63-Adam LaZarre gained recognition was during his eight-year tenure at Hahn Estates in Monterey County. LaZarre left Hahn for a job closer to home and became winemaker for Villa San-Juliette in San Miguel, near the up and coming Paso Robles area and was part of the team that created the superstar wines of Rex-Goliath and Cycles-Gladiator. He’s also the consulting winemaker for Hearst Ranch Winery and has his own label, LaZarre Wines, where he makes Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, displaying a diversity of style and showcasing the Central Coast.
62-Duncan Arnot Meyers and Nathan Roberts: Eight years after founding their label, Arnot-Roberts, these two have made a string of wines that defy conventional wisdom. Pulling fruit from Sonoma, Mendocino, and Sonoma, their addition of the obscure Trousseau, Sylvaner and Ribolla Gialla grapes to their roster of California's odd-ball grapes keeps these kind of unknown varieties at the forefront. The San Francisco Chronicle selected them as Winemaker of the Year in 2013.
61-Steve MacRostie, founder of MacRostie Winery and Vineyards has earned critical acclaim since being founded almost a quarter century ago. Some of the winery’s most noteworthy praise has come with MacRostie’s focus on Sonoma Coast Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and the addition of vineyard-designate wines from the tumultuous Wildcat Mountain Vineyard; proof that even the most difficult sites can produce noteworthy wines. MacRostie was recognized in Wine & Spirits Magazine’s 20th Annual Restaurant Poll, as one of America’s Most Popular Chardonnays.
60-Andrew Quady. Napa, Sonoma, Santa Barbara - these are the names you associate with wine. But Madera County in Central California? Quady Winery has been proudly making sweet wine here since 1975 refining the art of dessert wines and varieties which other wineries have ignored, including vermouth. Additionally the sheer focus of crafting sweet wines in a wine world that uniformly disrespects sweet wines takes a lot of guts, and a lot of dedication that sweet wines are not an enemy.
59-Jim Bernau of Willamette Valley Vineyards was the first person to take his own company public. He has contributed his expertise as President of the Oregon Winegrowers Association, in addition to lobbying for passage of the Oregon Wine Advisory Board and its financing provisions, which advocated passage of laws permitting wineries in exclusive farm-use zones, direct shipment of wine to consumers, in-store wine tastings and a winery marketing tax credit, ultimately benefiting wineries across the U.S. Bernau launched his own employee biodiesel program; offering biodiesel each month to each employee, at no cost.
58-Kenneth Volk started Wild Horse Winery in Templeton, which he built into a powerhouse national brand. After selling Wild Horse, Volk resumed winemaking starting Kenneth Volk Vineyards in Santa Maria, with a 2nd tasting room in Paso Robles. What sets Volk apart is his love for, and constant support and promotion of, heirloom varieties like Negrette, Cabernet Pfeffer, Blaufrankish and Aglianico, among others. Without winemakers like Volk many of these relatively unknown wines might never get made, and never be appreciated by the public.
57-Bob Betz of Washington State not only holds the title Master of Wine, but he worked 28 years with Stimson Lane Vineyards and Estates, with interests in Washington and California, Antinori (Col Solare) and Dr. Loosen (Eroica). Betz retired from Stimson Lane and formed Betz Family Winery focused on 3,000 cases of red wines from Washington State's Columbia Valley using Bordeaux and Rhone varieties. Though Betz sold his winery he continues to consult on winemaking, becoming a mentor for many other Washington winemakers.
56-Steven Mirassou has helped define Livermore Valley and continues the family's six generations of winemaking in the Livermore Valley with his wine brands, Steven Kent Winery, and La Rochelle Winery, currently making stellar Chardonnays. He is the only family member connected to the family winery who still owns a wine brand. Steven Mirassou purchased La Rochelle brand from his cousins, fifth-generation family members, Daniel and Peter Mirassou in 2005, and continues to be the voice for the under-rated Livermore Valley.
55-Dan Petroski makes a captivatingly refreshing white wines out of Ribolla Gialla, Tocai Friulano and Chardonnay, which demonstrate that Napa can do crisp and lively white wines as well as weighty and powerful reds. By day, Petroski is the winemaker at Larkmead, a historic property that makes fine if conventional Napa Valley wines. At Massican, Petroski shows a fascinating alternative side of Napa and promotes Italian varieties grown in California.
54-Wendy Stuckey. Born and raised in Australia, Stuckey left the Barossa Valley to join Chateau Ste. Michelle as its white winemaker. Prior to this Stuckey was considered one of Australia’s best white winemakers while working with the Fosters Group based at the Wolf Blass Winery for 15 years. She was responsible for some of the company’s iconic white wines, most notably the highly regarded Wolf Blass Gold Label Riesling. Today her commitment to Riesling is as strong as ever, making eight iterations of American Riesling.
53-Christian Roguenant: Baileyana and Tangent Winery's winemaker oversees an ever growing production of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir but he is particularly eager to see the U.S. embrace lesser-known varietals such as Albariño and Grüner Veltliner, which are now fashionable. He makes cool climate Grüner Veltliner under the Zocker label in the Edna Valley. Roguenant has aggressively pushed for unknown grapes, thereby creating awareness and a market for them.
52-Fred Frank manages Dr. Konstantin Frank in the Finger Lakes region in New York, and studied winemaking in Germany. As Konstantin's grandson, Fred Frank, has expanded the business tenfold, working closely with winemaker Peter Weis, and Dr. Frank wines are now distributed in 36 states and internationally. Earning 79 gold medals in 2012, their wines, specifically Riesling, have earned the reputation as world class. Wine Enthusiast nominated the winery American Winery of the Year, and the winery is one of the Finger Lakes’ Most Award-Winning Wineries raising the bar for American Riesling.
51-Jeff Meier of J. Lohr advocates for the Arroyo Seco region of Monterey County and Paso Robles. As head winemaker for J. Lohr for nearly 30 years, Meir oversees a broad portfolio of highly successful wines, and makes Valdiguié and an award winning non-alcoholic wine. An active member of the American Society of Enology and Viticulture, Meier works on tannin management experiments in conjunction with the University of California, Davis.
50-Dave Ramey is held in high esteem as a true innovator, a talented wine artisan and an industry revolutionary. More than 30 years ago Ramey helped lead the charge away from technically proficient, squeaky clean wines toward natural winemaking methods that embrace site, indigenous yeasts, sur lies aging and malolactic and barrel fermentation. He was instrumental in crafting a new California style of Chardonnay that was richer, more lush and silky smooth than previously known. As a result, he created a benchmark style now emulated by many.
49-Greg Harrington is the founder of and winemaker for Gramercy Cellars in Washington State. His winemaking focuses on minimalist intervention in the winemaking process. Having passed the Master Sommelier exam, he uses those skills to craft Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo. Seattle Magazine named Greg as "Best New Winemaker in Washington" and Gramercy Cellars "Best New Winery." Wine & Spirits Magazine has named Gramercy among the Top 100 Wineries in the World three years running.
48-Cameron Hughes is a wine négociant. He does not own a vineyard or a winery but outsources all the labor that goes into making a bottle of wine; growing the grapes, crushing and fermenting them. Working with wineries and vineyards in California, Oregon and Washington, as well as in Europe, he is on track to produce 300,000 cases of wine utilizing an effective business model under four different labels. His mid-priced wines routinely receive awards and accolades bringing diversity and consumer friendly wines to the masses.
47-Ehren Jordan is better know, or maybe not, as the winemaker at Turley, not Helen herself, for 18 years, helping to craft iconic California Zinfandels. But his Faille label has taken off and is an anomaly in Napa where he makes tightly allocated and highly regarded Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah, proof that the right winemakers can make high alcohol Zinfandels while also making delicate Pinot Noir. The San Francisco Chronicle named him Winemaker of the Year in 2008.
46-Tony Soter founded Etude Wines specializing in Pinot Noir. After a lifetime of California wine consulting Soter decided to leave California for good. He currently spends all his efforts on his Oregon wine label, Soter Vineyards. Soter has worked with such famous wineries as Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Stonegate, Spring Mountain, Chappellet, Sequoia Grove, Robert Pepi, Araujo, Niebaum-Coppola, Shafer, Spottswoode, Viader and Dalle Valle, leaving his influence on some of Napa’s top wines.
45-Neil Collins of Tablas Creek Paso Robles legally imported Rhône grape varieties from France, propagating them in a nursery at the winery after they were released from quarantine. The availability of this new vine material helped raise the quality of Rhône grapes in the U.S., and wineries all over the country are growing the so-called Tablas Creek Vineyard Selections in their vineyards. Currently they are the only winery in the U.S. to have planted Picardan, continuing to stretch the boundaries of grape selection in America.
44-Milla Handley. After earning a degree in Fermentation Sciences at Davis, Handley worked for winemaker Richard Arrowood at Chateau St. Jean, then moved to the remote winemaking region of Anderson Valley in Mendocino, where she became assistant winemaker to Jed Steele at Edmeades Winery. She struck out on her own making the first Handley Cellars Chardonnay in her basement when Anderson Valley was still uncharted viticultural territory. She was the first woman winemaker to have her name on a label, and she has emerged as a champion of Anderson Valley as a winemaking region. She is committed to producing Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer, and sparkling wines.
43-Gary Eberle has earned the title, the “grandfather of Paso Robles wine.” One of the first to purchase major acreage in Paso, and then build one of the first large commercial wineries long before anyone had ever heard of the area, his tireless promotion of the Paso Robles wine region is clearly evidenced today with a region labeled as “the next Napa.” As the single most awarded winery in the country, constantly winning at competitions across the U.S., Eberle continues to promote not only Paso Robles, but wines which reflect a sense of place, while retaining solid value. Though Gary eventually hired winemaker Ben Mayo, Eberle himself occasionally produces terrific Reserve Cabernets.
42-Elias Fernandez has been the winemaker at Shafer Vineyards in Napa for 28 years - a lifetime in winemaking terms. While some winemakers hopscotch from winery to winery, Fernandez prefers working for the same vineyard. His father from Mexico and his mother from Napa harvested prunes and crop trees before there were grapes, teaching Fernandez the value of the land. Both Quarterly Review of Wines, and Food & Wine Magazine named Fernandez “Winemaker of the Year.” Shafer Vineyards was selected as one of the “25 Great Vineyards in the World” by Wine & Spirits Magazine, and Fernandez received a “Hall of Fame” award from the Hispanic Scholarship Fund in Washington D.C.
41-Daryl Groom has held numerous positions in the wine industry including Vice President of Winemaking for Peak Wines International, and Beam Wine Estates, and both Senior White Winemaker, then Senior Red Winemaker for Penfolds Wines in Australia. His foundation was producing Penfolds famed red wine, Grange, which he oversaw six years. He has been named Winemaker of the Year by the LA Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, the Huston Chronicle, Quarterly Review of Wines, and others. He currently produces Groom Wines, and judges at international wine competitions, and his Colby label raises money for heart health-related charities since his own son, Colby, suffers from a heart condition.
40-Lynne Penner-Ash was one of the first female winemakers in Oregon, blazing a trail which allowed others to follow and still motivates women winemakers after 30 years n the wine business. She started at Stag’s Leap in Napa, then left for Oregon to start work at Rex Hill winery. Along the way she nurtured the Penner-Ash brand which has grown from a mere 125 cases of Pinot Noir in 1998 to today’s production of roughly 9,000 cases of Pinot Noir, Syrah, Viognier and Riesling.
39-Richard Sanford is a Burgundy fan and inductee into the Vintners Hall of fame by the Culinary Institute of America. Graduating from UC Berkeley with a degree in geography he drove across Santa Barbara County with a thermometer before settling on a site west of U.S. Highway 101 in the Santa Ynez Valley to plant Pinot Noir. For some years Sanford had the west side of the highway to himself; he was the first winemaker to prove the potential for Pinot Noir in the chilly Santa Rita Hills. He founded Sanford Winery in 1981 and spent the next 20 years making some of the best-regarded Pinots from the region. Sanford left his namesake winery in 2005 and founded Alma Rosa Winery.
38-Celia Welch is an independent winemaking consultant who makes wine for some of Napa’s most prestigious labels, including Kelly Fleming, Scarecrow, Buccella, Hollywood & Vine, Keever, and others. Formerly she worked with Cornerstone, Silverado Vineyards, Robert Pepi and Staglin Family, among others. She has become an icon, known for making big, intense, classic Napa Cabs and for mentoring young wine professionals. She makes yet another Cab for her own Corra label and has devoted her influence almost single-mindedly to Cabernet Sauvignon.
37-Steve Matthiasson started out as a vineyard guy, not a winemaker, but with clients that included Araujo, Spottswoode, Chappellet, and Stag's Leap, Matthiasson gleaned valuable info on creating fresh, vibrant new wines. With his “grapes come first” sensibility, his skill at balancing lusciousness with crisp intensity and his fascination with little-known varieties, Matthiasson is helping to change the Napa Valley paradigm.
36-Aaron Pott is taking Napa Cabernet Sauvignon back to its roots avoiding artificially concentrated, super fruity wines championing profound single-vineyard reds. He also makes wine for star properties like Blackbird, Seven Stones, Quixote and Bello Family. Pott’s influences are far-ranging, he has managed Bordeaux châteaus and made wines all over the world, but his true inspiration is his home turf, Napa. He was named Winemaker of the Year in 2012 by Food & Wine Magazine.
35-John Williams of Frogs Leap Winery in Rutherford is a pioneer on the Napa organic scene, and an advocate of dry farming, and composting. Irrigated grapes, Williams feels, lack the flavor of those from dry-farmed vineyards. His vineyard was the first to have received LEED certification, and his operations run on solar power, geothermal, recycling, and lightweight bottles. But |
percent bump in population in just over four years. That’s largely due to the annexation of Hassan Township, which was the county’s last township when it merged its 17 square miles and 2,600 residents with Rogers in 2012.
Even without Hassan’s population, Rogers’ city leaders said it’s had a more than 10 percent increase in residents, and that still puts it in the top fastest growing cities in the state.
The growth spurt hasn’t come without challenges. The city is grappling with issues other suburbs long have had to deal with — figuring out how to pay for rebuilding and adding roads, redeveloping its downtown and balancing its small-town character with suburban-style development.
“We’re protective of that small-town feel,” said resident Shannon Klick, who moved to Rogers three years ago from Maple Grove for its schools, youth sports and bigger home lots. “We don’t want to become a big city where there’s small lots … we don’t want to grow too fast.”
Christi Tullbane was driving past Rogers on I-94 eight years ago to her house in Maple Grove when she spotted an intriguing housing development sign. She and her husband, drawn to the city’s small-town feel, moved to Rogers for a new house on a larger half-acre lot for their three young daughters.
“There’s just that sense of community,” she said.
Larger home lots, small schools and a gateway location to the metro area are drawing new residents to Rogers, while the wide open spaces are bringing a huge influx in industrial development — with 1.9 million square feet being built since 2011.
“It’s really booming here,” said DJ Hartley, who runs the I-94 West Chamber of Commerce.
Keeping small-town feel
Population projections from the Metropolitan Council say that Rogers will pass 14,000 residents in the next four years and hit 18,000 by 2030.
But in a community still known for farmland and open spaces, bringing in higher density housing to meet the Metropolitan Council’s requirement spurred some resident backlash this year over smaller lot sizes.
And when the city proposed imposing franchise fees on public utilities — an increasingly popular funding method cities are using to pay for projects — residents rallied against the idea.
Nevertheless, city leaders say, home lots are still larger than most other metro cities’, and taxes have remained relatively flat.
“We’re still a rural community,” said Ihli, reeling off a list of the last names of longtime families and owners of four-generation-owned farms.
This year, new housing developments have slowed because of the reduced availability of lots, with about 50 new homes being built. But there are future plans for another 500,000 square feet of industrial development and a 300-acre housing development, City Administrator Steve Stahmer said.
“There’s plenty of room for growth,” he said, but “we’re not looking to outpace ourselves or grow too quickly.”
‘It’s really booming’
Just two decades ago, Rogers had no stoplights and only one school. Now its high school is building a third wing and home lots are sprouting out of former farm fields. New major businesses, like a massive FedEx Ground distribution center, are drawing hundreds of jobs.
The city’s population jumped from 2,649 people in 1990 to more than 11,000 residents in 2010, according to census data. Now the city is nearing 13,000 residents, half of whom commute 30 or more minutes to work, usually to Minneapolis and other west metro suburbs.
Employers in Rogers provide nearly 10,000 jobs, drawing employees from across the metro to companies like Graco Inc. and Cabela’s.
“It’s not a bedroom community,” Stahmer said.
Lifelong resident Dave Christian, who was born on a farm in Rogers, has watched the town’s dramatic shift.
“It’s unbelievable; this place is just gangbusters,” he said. “We’ve had some of the largest companies move in here.”
Aside from the lack of affordable housing, which he believes is needed, he said many long-term residents like himself are pleased with Rogers’ evolution.
“It’s really been a blessing and boon to this town,” he said. “We’re living in a little paradise here — it’s the place to be, that’s for sure.”SEATTLE WA – Washington freshman forward Mason Robertson was voted the Pac-12 men’s soccer Player of the Week for the week of Nov. 4-10, the Conference office announced today.
Robertson, a freshman forward from Phoenix, Ariz., scored two game-winning goals in two victories for the Huskies as UW took back sole possession of first place in the Pac-12. Against Stanford, Robertson headed home a cross from teammate Justin Schmidt in the 30th minute as the Dawgs shutout the Cardinal, 2-0. On Sunday against California, he scored the golden goal just 37 seconds into overtime as Washington won, 2-1.
The honor is Robertson’s first of his career, and Washington’s 30th all-time. He is also the second freshman to earn player of the week honors as freshman teammate Cristian Roldan took home the accolade earlier this season. It marks the first time since 2010 that two freshmen in the Conference have received a weekly award, and the first time since 2003 that two freshmen from the same team have earned player of the week nods.
Husky teammate Taylor Peay has also earned the award twice this season, giving Washington a conference-leading four awards this year.
Robertson was also named the National Player of the Week by the NSCAA and College Soccer Madness.
Washington rounds out the regular season by traveling to face Oregon State on Sunday, Nov. 17 at 11 a.m. PT. The match between the Beavers and the Huskies will be broadcast on the Pac-12 Networks.
goalWA.net Local Soccer News is sponsored by Pro Roofing Northwest, Kirkland, Bellevue, Seattle, Redmond, Woodinville, Federal Way, Everett, Snohomish, Issaquah, Renton, Kent, Bothell, Edmonds Washington roofing company.
AdvertisementsDonald Trump leads Hillary Clinton by two-points, 43 percent to 41 percent, according to the IBD/TIPP presidential tracking poll.
Investors Business Daily reports this is Trump’s biggest lead in the IBD/TIPP presidential tracking poll.
Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson received six percent in the poll, while Green Party candidate Jill Stein received two percent.
Trump’s two-point lead comes after FBI Director James Comey announced on Sunday that the FBI did not find any information that would change the decision issued in July, when the FBI announced it would not recommend prosecution against Clinton for her use of a private email server during her time as secretary of state.
The poll surveyed 1,026 likely voters — including 322 Republicans, 319 Democrats and 344 Independents. The results have a 3.1 percent margin of error.
The IDB/TIPP tracking poll has been historically accurate, predicting President Obama would beat Mitt Romney in 2012 by 1.6 points. Obama did in fact beat Romney, but by 3.9 percent.
According to Investor’s Business Daily, “Looking at the last three elections, IBD/TIPP has been the most accurate of 11 national polls.”With A.J. Burnett headed to the Pittsburgh Pirates, the New York Yankees next expect to sign Raul Ibanez as a left-handed designated hitter and Eric Chavez as a backup infielder, according to an official with direct knowledge of the team's plans.
The Yankees paused their DH search as they finished up their agreement for the trade that is set to send Burnett to the Pirates for two marginal prospects. In the deal the Yankees saved $13 million on the remaining $31.8 million of Burnett's contract. Burnett's original contract was for five years and $82.5 million.
The Yankees will receive $5 million in salary relief from Pittsburgh this year. They will use part of that money to sign Ibanez and Chavez.
Ibanez, 39, is favored by the Yankees baseball people over Johnny Damon and the other DHs available on the market. Ibanez hit.256 with 16 homers and 60 RBIs against righties in 2012 for the Phillies. If signed, Ibanez will play against righties, but will sit a lot against lefties because Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter, among others, will take half-days as DH.
Chavez could also see some time as DH, but he really is an insurance policy for Rodriguez at third. If Chavez can stay healthy, the Yankees feel he is an excellent backup.
Chavez hit.263 with two homers and 26 RBIs last season as he once again got hurt. He played just 58 games last year. The last time he played more than 100 games in a season was 2006.
Andrew Marchand covers the Yankees for ESPNNewYork.com.ST. LOUIS -- Chicago Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau believes an important aspect of Derrick Rose's game has been forgotten in his return: the former MVP's defense.
Thibodeau said Monday he believes Rose has the ability to make the NBA All-Defensive team one day.
"His defense was a point of emphasis for him in training camp," Thibodeau said. "He's responded well to that challenge. We want him to be a complete player. I think he understands how important that is. I think he's grown in that area significantly in the last three years."
Rose said last week he doesn't believe he gets enough credit for his defensive ability, which is overshadowed by his scoring. Appreciative of Thibodeau's remarks, Rose wants to improve in all areas.
"I hope so," he said of possibly making the All-Defensive team one day. "But it's nothing that I want that bad. I just want people to look at (my defense). I think guys really won't have like huge nights really against me, so for me I'm just trying to play team defense and stay within our team and just play as hard as I can."
The key for Rose, according to Thibodeau, is to continue focusing on the same defensive principles.
"It's great balance, speed, quickness, strength, anticipation, knowledge," Thibodeau said. "Knowledge is quickness. Knowing how to play people, knowing what their strengths are, what their weaknesses are. A lot goes into it."
As for Monday night's second preseason game against the Memphis Grizzlies, expect Rose's workload to be the same as Saturday's preseason opener against the Indiana Pacers: three six- to eight-minute segments.Food shortages in Venezuela, South America, has caused a dramatic increase in child malnutrition.
In the capital of Caracas alone, the number of cases of severely malnourished children is reported to have at least doubled.
According to Dr Ingrid Soto, chief of nutrition at children hospital J. M. de los Ríos, so far this year 65 kids have been admitted, whereas in all of 2015 the total was 35. And across the socialist country seven children under the age of 14 have died from simply not having enough to eat.
Maria del Carmen Chourio, 5, (pictured) weighed just 11 pounds when she was admitted to hospital as the food shortages in Venezuela, South America, spread, causing a large increase in child malnutrition
According to freelance journalist María Emilia Jorge, writing for Fox News Latino, 66 per cent of the children admitted this year to J. M. de los Ríos are nursing babies, according to hospital records. And the consequences of this are not only dire, but irreversible.
Dr Soto said: 'If an adult suffers from malnutrition, it will not affect his brain and development so much as it would a kid in the first 1,000 days of life, then they will have issues with memory, concentration, school problems'
In the city of Maracaibo, Zulia state, Maria del Carmen Chourio, a five-year-old girl with cerebral palsy weighed just 11 pounds until she was admitted to Chiquinquirá Hospital thanks to the support of the Angeles Chiquinquireños Foundation.
Maria del Carmen Chourio, who lives in Maracaibo, Venezuela, with her family of 11 children (right), was discharged after three months and having put on six pounds (left)
Caroline López, says the foundation is currently supporting 12 other children hospitalized for lack of food.
President Nicolas Maduro stated recently that 'the ‘Maduro diet’ makes you hard'.
Laura Montilva, 22, visited the hospital in search of treatment for her five-month-old son who weighs just 8.5 pounds.
He is one of 60 children being treated at J. M. de los Ríos Hospital, Venezuela's main pediatric hospital, for malnutrition.
One of the rooms in Maria del Carmen Chourio's family home
'I don’t have money. I don’t feed him well and I can’t buy him milk formula,' she told Fox News Latino.
But it is not just children suffering malnutrition because they are living in poverty.Leigh Halfpenny was selected for the 2009 and 2013 British and Irish Lions tours
Toulon's Wales full-back Leigh Halfpenny has confirmed he will be available for the British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand next summer.
Halfpenny, 27, scored 49 points in the Lions' 2-1 series win against Australia in 2013.
There had been doubts whether Halfpenny would be released by Toulon.
But Halfpenny has said the French club will allow him to miss the Top 14 finals to join up with the Lions should he be selected.
"The staff and the president told me that having a player selected with the Lions would be an honour for the club," Halfpenny said.
"We have an agreement with (Toulon president) Mourad Boudjellal. When I extended for this season, it was expected that I be released if I was selected for the British Lions tour."
Halfpenny, who won the Heineken Cup with Toulon in 2015, has scored 508 points in 62 Tests, and was man of the series on the Lions' tour of Australia in 2013.
The former Cardiff Blues player suffered a serious knee injury during Wales' friendly win over Italy in September 2015 and subsequently missed the Rugby World Cup.
Having also missed this year's Six Nations he had been expected to return in April after having an operation on his knee,
But he suffered a setback which meant he was not considered for Wales' summer tour of New Zealand and remained with Toulon.
Halfpenny made his comeback from injury in Toulon's Top 14 semi-final win over Montpellier in June.When screenwriter Steven Moffat launched his reboot of Sherlock, it came with inevitable questions connected to the character's long literary and cinematic lineage. How will Sherlock Holmes fit into contemporary society? How will they treat Watson? How will they tell the story of the Hound of the Baskervilles?
"What we were doing all the time was saying Sherlock Holmes does work, even though he's got an iPhone. Basically the question was, how can Sherlock Holmes work in the world where he has an iPhone?" Moffat says.
Elementary: Benedict Cumberbatch (left) and Martin Freeman in Sherlock.
"Then, within seconds of the show going out, [and] I mean seconds, by the time we were promoting episode two people had so gotten used to the idea that it was updated that it's never really been raised again. It just disappeared and it became its own thing. Hopefully that meant that [co-producer Mark Gatiss] and I were right when we said the period setting isn't that important."
Now, in an unusual twist, collaborators Moffat and producer/writer Gatiss have delivered a Sherlock special, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman, which is set in Victorian England. "Of course... what's the first question we get? No kidding, it was how can Sherlock Holmes survive without his iPhone?" He says: "There is some precedent for that."COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX/WTTE) -- A new Ohio law that took effect Tuesday may change the face of boarded up properties and blighted areas.
The state became the first in the nation to outlaw the use of plywood on certain vacant properties.
The ban was tucked into House Bill 463 and is expected to be a boon for a practice called clear-boarding. Columbus Code Enforcement Administrator Dana Rose said the law only applies to expedited foreclosures.
"An average citizen that has a house that becomes vacant for some reason and they need to board it up, at this time they can go ahead and use the plywood," said Rose.
"It's a lot stronger than plywood, harder to rip off, harder to get off the property, and it is clear. So from the street, it makes the property look a whole lot better. A lot of times you can't tell the property is vacant at all," said Rose.
Other proponents of the polycarbonate said it would be helpful to first responders so they can see what or who is in a house before they enter.
"I think it is a good idea for protection-wise, safety-wise and for other reasons why because people can look in, see what is going on before they go in an empty house," said Don Jordan, a retired repair person.
So far, the Columbus Fire Division of Fire's spokesman said they have no official position on the ban and want to see how clear-boarding works out.
However Jordan, who was shopping at Lowe's, points out the cost difference between plywood and clear board is significant. A 4-by-8 sheet of plywood costs around $20, but a clear sheet of polycarbonate costs about $115.
The bill does not specify any penalties for breaking the ban.
Rose said he will look at best practices in other cities to explore whether the city may expand the plywood ban to other areas.DHARAMSALA: An Indian group has threatened to dig up the pitch of the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamsala to protest Pakistan’s cricket team participation in the World Twenty20 fixture against India on March 19, according to a report published on the NDTV website.
The All-India Anti-Terrorist Front (AIATF), led by former minister Maninderjeet Singh Bitta, said on Friday that it would dig up Dharamsala stadium’s pitch to protest Pakistan’s participation.
“If the Pakistan team comes to Dharamsala to play against Indian cricket team, we will dig out the pitch in HPCA [Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association] stadium,” said the national president of the AIATF, Virender Shandilya.
“There is a high risk that Pakistani terrorists can enter the area during the match and if Himachal Pradesh government allows the tie, it will be the disrespect towards the martyrs of Pathankot and Pampore,” warned Shandilya.
He claimed to have written letters to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the home minister to lodge a protest, as well as Himachal Pradesh chief minister and the leader of the opposition.
Radical groups have called for Pakistan to cricket with India in the recent past.
In 1999 protesters from Shiv Sena dug up the pitch in Delhi’s Ferozeshah Kotla stadium just before India snapped cricketing ties with Pakistan to protest against a tour by Pakistan, though the game was unaffected.
In 2004, Pakistan's religious parties promised India a trouble-free tour while Shiv Sena opposed the series
In 2012, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council) said India should refuse to host the tour until Pakistan brought to justice the masterminds behind the Mumbai attacks that left 166 people dead.
Chief Minister Himachal Pradesh said Sunday that the match should be moved to another venue out of respect for the “martyrs” killed in the assault by militants on an Indian air force base in neighbouring Punjab.
He threatened not to provide security for Pakistan's players at the venue in the scenic Himalayan town.
While Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday ordered Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali to ‘send a team to India’ to assess measures adopted for Pakistan cricketers’ security for the World T20.
A final decision on whether Pakistan’s cricket team will fly to India will be made after a report is submitted by the ‘security team’, said the statement.
Pakistan kick off their World T20 campaign at Kolkata before they travel to Dharamsala for the high-profile encounter with arch-rivals India.“International Law,” Justice Sandra Day O’ Connor of the US Supreme Court famously observed, “is no longer an issue just for diplomats and trade lawyers”. In a globalised world, where people, commerce and ideas cross borders with ever-increasing frequency, it is indisputable that international norms and standards are needed for the smooth functioning of the system. The ubiquitous nature and all-permeating character of international law is evident in its widening ambit and vertical percolation.
The United Nations was founded not only to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war and to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, but also to “establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained.” Encouraging the development of international law as a way to regulate international relations has been a major objective of the United Nations since its very beginning. In 1948, the General Assembly established an expert body, the International Law Commission (ILC) “to promote the progressive development of international law and its codification.”
“Progressive development” can be understood as the preparation of draft conventions on subjects which have not yet been regulated by international law or in regard to which the law has not yet been sufficiently developed in the practice of states. “Codification”, on the other hand, is defined as “the more precise formulation and systematization of rules of international law in fields where there already has been extensive state practice, precedent and doctrine.” Since its creation, the ILC has worked extensively in the area of international law, meeting annually to review pertinent issues.
The members of the ILC get elected by the UN General Assembly from a list of candidates nominated by member states. The term of office of the 34 present members is going to expire in December 2016. The results of the elections for membership to the ILC for the 5-year-term beginning on January 1, 2017 were declared last week. India’s nominee was elected by an overwhelming and unprecedented majority with the Ministry of External Affairs going all out to ensure the young but politically well-connected candidate, Aniruddha Rajput, made the cut. Although the vote is the product of the diplomatic clout India wields at the UN and is thus a matter of celebration for some, the systemic improprieties involved in the selection of the country’s nominee raise disquieting questions about the Indian approach to international law and its associated institutions. Even as we wish Rajput well, India’s nomination needs to be judged on the touchstone of suitability as well as procedural transparency. Simply put, as a rising power, India should not have allowed nepotism and political patronage to influence the selection of talent for such a vital legal body.
The ILC statute says that members of the commission shall be persons of “recognised competence” in international law. Given the inherent subjectivity of the term ‘competence’ and its qualification by the term ‘recognised’, we need to appreciate the question of eligibility versus suitability. Arguably, ‘competence’ in international law can be ascertained through parameters like a candidate’s academic contribution and standing in doctrinal and practical aspects of the subject. ‘Recognised’ is a relative assessment but suggests at a minimum that the fraternity of international law scholars and practitioners be familiar with a candidate’s writings and/or work. One way to present a clear picture is to peruse the credentials of India’s nominee alongside those of the nominees from leading countries like the United States, Britain, China, Australia and France – who take part international policy-making very seriously – as well as aspiring states like South Africa and Brazil.
The table below is neither an attempt to belittle or praise the individual accomplishments of an individual candidate nor an endeavour to gauge the absolute competence of any candidate. Rather, the focus is on the ‘relative suitability’ of the nominees. The data has been obtained from the official submissions made by the nominating countries to the UN.
Nominated Candidate Previous and present designations Significant academic contribution International law standing/Experience at International forums Aniruddha Rajput (India) Advocate, Supreme Court of India; Member of Expert Group appointed by Law Commission of India Authored 5 articles in national and international journals and 1 book chapter. Member of Drafting Committee of LCIA-India. Sean D. Murphy (U.S.A.) Professor at George Washington Law School; Member and Special Rapporteur of ILC; Legal Counsellor (US Embassy, The Hague); Attorney Office of the Legal Advisor US Dept. Of State, etc. More than 6 books published by leading publicists, authored more than 35 articles in reputed, peer reviewed international journals, contributed significantly to UN Audio Visual Library, more than 75 distinguished conference lectures/commentary etc. Represented different countries like USA, Ecuador, Kosovo, Ethiopia, etc. in more than 20 cases before international law courts and tribunals. Michael Wood (United Kingdom) Senior fellow (Lauterpacht Centre for International Law); Special Rapporteur and Member of ILC; Chairman of CAHDI; Chairman of 29th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, etc. More than 20 international publications including various entries in the Max Planck Encyclopaedia of Public International Law and contributions to UN Audio Visual Library, etc. Served as Agent/Counsel before the International Court of Justice for countries like UK, Ukraine, Kosovo, Peru, Belgium, etc in 8 cases; represented as agent/counsel before ITLOS, ECtHR and other international tribunals in more than 10 cases Huang Huikang (China) Professor of International Law; Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Peoples Republic of China; Member of ILC; Member Int’l Institute of Space Law, etc. Authored and edited 13 books, 34 publications in international law journals, etc. Head of Chinese delegation to Seoul, the Hague, New York, Vienna, COPs, Uruguay, Washington, etc.; invited expert at UNEP; Head of AALCO for 3rd and 4th sessions; panellist and expert UN Colloquium on progressive development and codification of International Law, etc. Chester W. Brown (Australia) Professor of International Law and Associate Dean at University of Sydney; Asst. Legal Advisor at British Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Overseas Associate at Essex Court Chambers, London and Maxwell Chambers, Singapore, etc. Authored and edited 4 books and contributed more than 55 articles in esteemed international law journals, etc. Counsel for the governments of Australia, New Zealand, Iran, Hungary, India, etc at different international courts and tribunals; advised and assisted in more than 18 international proceedings, etc. Mathias Forteau (France) Professor of Law at University of Paris; Member of Int’l Law Association, European Society of International Law, ILC, etc. Authored/edited more than 6 books and 69 articles in international journals, etc. Counsel and advocate for Bolivia, Myanmar, Chad, France, Iran, Indonesia, etc at different international adjudicatory forums; legal consultant for the government of Korea, Gibraltar, Gambia, etc in different cases, etc. Dier D. Tladi (South Africa) Professor of International Law at University of Pretoria; Member and Special Rapporteur ILC; Principal State Law Advisor (Int’l Law); Legal advisor to the South African Permanent Mission to the United Nations; South African diplomat at many international forums including ICC, AU, etc. Authored 9 books/book chapters and contributed more than 45 articles in international law journals. Invited by the curatorium of the Academy of International Law at the prestigious Hague Academy; served as the Chairman of the drafting committee during the 65th session of the ILC; Part of legal advisory team in the mediation of the border dispute over Lake Malawi/Nyasa, etc. Gilberto Vergne Saboia (Brazil) Ambassador to Sweden, Netherlands, Hungary, Latvia, etc; Member of ILC; Deputy Permanent Representative of Brazil to the International Organisations in Geneva Several articles on aspects of the establishment of human rights standards in Brazil and in Latin America and on issues related to the fight against racism and other forms of discrimination and intolerance. Co-ordinated the Working Group of the Assembly of State Parties to the Rome Statute; Delegate to Legal Subcommittee of the Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space; Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the World Conference of Human Rights in Vienna; President of UNHRC, etc.
One wonders what propelled India’s nomination despite the availability of a diverse, experienced and rich pool of international law scholarship in India – including those who are recognised by their peers abroad as scholars of distinction.
The unparalleled significance of the commission stems from the ‘normative consequences’ attached to its work. In the past, the ILC has worked extensively in various areas such as state responsibility, state immunity, state jurisdiction, state succession, international water courses, International spaces, individual criminal responsibility, diplomatic protection, nationality, etc. which has repercussions on states as well as individuals and non-state entities. Unlike the position under domestic legal system, the writings of jurists hold a distinguished position under international law. Article 38 of the statute of International Court of Justice lists the writings of highly qualified publicists as a subsidiary source of law. In his paper, Professor Michael Peil conducted a survey of ICJ judgments, orders and advisory opinions and made a raw compilation of the most commonly cited publicists. Amongst these, the ILC has been the most frequently cited, followed by former ILC members like Hersch Lauterpacht, Gerald Fitzmaurice, Ian Brownlie, Manley O. Hudson, Sir Humphrey Waldock, J.L. Brierly, etc.
In India, sadly, there has been no debate in government or outside on the priorities and criteria that should drive the country’s nominations bodies like the ILC and even the International Court of Justice. The obscure process of candidate selection and the complete opacity over the reasons, grounds, procedures and priorities deserves serious reconsideration. Although not much literature is available on the process of nomination in other legal systems, the profile of the nominees is self-evident and a testimony to the requirement of suitability. This also gets reflected in the official position of a country like, say, South Africa which said that “…for this reason the government is steadfast in its belief in nominating only the most qualified candidates for election to the ILC.” (emphasis added). The Indian government, on the other hand, expects everyone to be satisfied by the fact that a qualified candidate – and not necessarily the most qualified – has been selected. This is the difference between countries that understand the role the development of international law plays in world affairs and those who look at the ILC as just another parking slot for someone from the ‘parivar’.
Transparency and arbitrariness are sworn enemies. One furthers national interest and the rule of law while the other is subservient to parochial political interests. The interest of the ruling party/government need not coincide with the national interest. At a time when disagreement is called sedition, criticism betrayal, and irrationality trumps reason and common sense, it should hardly surprise us that the government will cite the vote at the UN as proof of its nominee’s excellent credentials for the job. The reality is that it the international reputation of India which carried the day – a reputation that the government is willing to compromise for petty political considerations.
Aditya Roy and Anmolam are founder-members of BDLAAAW- Buddies for Legal Aid and Awareness. BDLAAAW is an organisation registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860.Reports: Bergdahl Tells Medical Officials Taliban Kept Him In A Cage
Enlarge this image toggle caption AP AP
The New York Times and the Associated Press are reporting details about how Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was treated by his Taliban captors.
The AP reports that Bergdahl, who was freed after almost five years when the U.S. agreed to trade five Taliban prisoners in exchange for the U.S. soldier, was tortured and beaten and held in a cage in Afghanistan.
The New York Times adds that Bergdahl is still receiving medical treatment in a military hospital in Germany. He has not been allowed to consume media coverage, so he is oblivious to the debate his release has unleashed in the United States.
The paper adds:
"He has received a letter from his sister but has not yet responded, and objects when hospital staff address him as sergeant instead of private first class, his rank when he was captured nearly five years ago after walking off a remote outpost in eastern Afghanistan, the official said. "While medical officials are pressing him for details about his time in captivity to help begin repairing his medical and psychological wounds, these specialists have not yet focused on the critical questions about why he left his outpost and how he was captured by insurgents, the officials said — and there is no predetermined schedule for doing so. "'Physically, he could be put on a plane to the U.S. tomorrow, but there are still a couple of mental criteria to address: the family unification piece and the media exposure piece,' said one American official who has been briefed on the sergeant's condition."
Meanwhile, NPR has confirmed that the FBI is investigating threats made against Bergdahl's parents, though the nature of those threats is still unclear. Critics have claimed that Bergdahl deserted and that other soldiers were killed in the search for him.
The Washington Post reported earlier this week that the town of Hailey, Idaho, was planning a homecoming celebration for Bergdahl but ended up canceling. City Hall, for example, received many letters criticizing the president's decision and calling Bergdahl's father a Muslim.
Secretary of State John Kerry defended the administration decision in an interview with CNN today.
He said it would be "offensive and incomprehensible to leave an American behind." Especially, Kerry said, with captors who may "torture him, cut off his head."
Kerry also said the five Guantánamo detainees released in exchange for Bergdahl are being watched by Qatar and others.
"I'm not telling you that they don't have some ability at some point to go back and get involved (in fighting)," Kerry told CNN. "But they also have an ability to get killed doing that."When the Halifax Mooseheads won the Memorial Cup in 2013, the team did it with a trio of star players.
Forwards Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin and goaltender Zach Fucale were the key players on the championship team.
Now, new Mooseheads coach André Tourigny is hoping the names Groulx, McIsaac and Gravel will lead the franchise to another title.
'Really good young players'
Benoit-Olivier Groulx and Jared McIsaac were the top two picks in the 2016 QMJHL draft, and Gravel was the second- rated goaltender. All three of the 16-year-olds will be playing in Halifax this season.
"We have a lot of really good young players and we have a lot of depth," Tourigny said.
"Up front, we are strong and I really like our young group of defencemen — and we have a good veteran goalie and a good young goalie."
Halifax will play their first game on the road against Moncton on Sept. 23. The home opener at Scotiabank Centre will be played Sept. 24 against Saint John.
Mooseheads coach André Tourigny has coached in the NHL. (Paul Palmeter/CBC)
'A period of adjustment'
Groulx grew up in Gatineau watching his father coach the QMJHL's Gatineau Olympiques for 10 seasons.
As the league's top draft pick, Groulx is expected to make an impact on the team right away.
"It's been nice so far playing with guys who are older than me, and they've been helping me along," Groulx said.
"It's been a period of adjustment, and our team leaders have really helped me through this situation."
Beniot-Olivier Groulx was the first overall pick in the 2016 QMJHL draft and was taken by the Halifax Mooseheads. (Paul Palmeter/CBC)
'Bigger, stronger, faster guys'
The Mooseheads made defenceman Jared McIsaac the second overall pick in the draft. He turned heads over the last two seasons playing midget hockey in Cole Harbour, but he's already seeing a difference at the higher level.
"Every time you make a jump up to another level, you're dealing with bigger, stronger, faster guys," McIsaac said.
"Defensively, you've got to be on your game or you're going to get burned night in and night out, so I'm just taking it one practice at a time."
Alexis Gravel is a lanky left-hander, who will be pushing Kevin Resop for the Mooseheads' starting goaltender job.
He's been impressive in the team's training camp so far.
Jared McIsaac of Truro, N.S., was taken second overall in the 2016 QMJHL draft by the Halifax Mooseheads. (Paul Palmeter/CBC)
Coach aims to grow team
The trio should benefit from the experience of their new head coach.
Tourigny has spent the last four seasons as an assistant coach in the NHL. Before that, he was the longtime head coach of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. He has a reputation of working well with young players.
"That's my job here, and we have a lot of teaching ahead of us both on and off the ice," Tourigny said.
"It will be really interesting to build this group and to grow as a team."
Import players, young talent
Many of the young players who finished last season with the Mooseheads logged valuable ice time, including import player Otto Somppi of Finland, who had a breakthrough season, especially in the second half. He was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2016 NHL draft.
The team landed a coveted import player in this year's import draft. Nico Hischier of Switzerland is considered another blue-chip prospect, expected to start the season on Halifax's top line.
The Mooseheads' captain is optimistic about the team's fortunes this season.
"We are a young team again this year, but we've got a lot more talent," said defenceman Taylor Ford.Alan Conway (1934 – 5 December 1998) was an English conman, best known for impersonating film director Stanley Kubrick. Conway and his wife were travel agents with offices in Harrow, Muswell Hill and London.
Early years [ edit ]
Alan Conway was born Eddie Alan Jablowsky in Whitechapel London in 1934. At the age of 13 he was sent to a borstal for |
books. Oh, and Arthur's last name is, in fact, Read.
3. It's super-meta. The characters have more than once broken the fourth wall to take control of the show, and in one particularly brilliant episode called "The Contest," they managed to parody not only Arthur itself, but also South Park, Dexter's Laboratory, and* Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist*.
4. Obligatory Star Wars reference made for no reason whatsoever: Arthur's friend Buster, having gone away for the summer with his dad, appears over Arthur's shoulder as a robed figure, translucent and sparkly. "Use the Force, Arthur," he intones – and then he admits he has no idea what it means, but that he "thought it would be funny."
5. Lucasfilm call-out number two: In an episode about misconceptions regarding the life of his Turkish pen pal, Arthur is sadly misinformed by the comic-book adventures of* Illinois Jack and the Caravan of Horrors*, complete with a couple brief Raiders of the Lost Ark send-ups.
6. What literary phenomenon keeps the kids of Elwood City stampeding back to the bookstore? That would be the tales of the boy wizard who's the star of Henry Screever and the Cabbage of Mayhem, and the related Brick of Wonders and Knights of the Bouillabaisse.
7. Arthur and Buster are huge fans of comic-book hero "Bionic Bunny," a great nod to Batman, right down to his sinister-toned TV spinoff Dark Bunny.
8. Brain: Arthur's super-smart friend (Real name: Alan) who's always there with a detailed scientific explanation and a winning school project at the ready. He also happily loans Arthur his books on spline extrusion and the Copernican universe model.
9. Arthur and his friends have an oft-stated fondness for clearly-cheesy-but-fun-anyway horror and sci-fi action movies like Carpet of Doom and 5000 Explosions and a Supernova.
10. Fleeting, subtle, and genius: There's an episode in which Arthur's friend Francine displays a swallow and then a coconut, explaining that the former had been carrying the latter. (She does not specify whether it is an African or European swallow.) Best Monty Python reference in a kids' show ever.IDEAS Gro Harlem Brundtland is a former Prime Minister of Norway and former Director-General of the World Health Organisation. Jimmy Carter is a former President of the United States of America. Both are members of The Elders, a group of independent leaders, founded by Nelson Mandela ten years ago, who work together for peace, justice and human rights. The Elders are campaigning with civil society partners for UHC as part of the #WalkTogether initiative, highlighting courageous moral leadership in communities around the world. Dr Brundtland is Deputy Chair of The Elders. President Carter is an Elder Emeritus.
“Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” are the inalienable rights at the heart of the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America. The text is as dear today to the hearts of the American people as it was when Thomas Jefferson first penned his words nearly two and a half centuries ago.
But these fundamental rights are denied to millions of Americans because they do not enjoy one of the essential foundations of a fair society: the right to health.
Universal Health Coverage (UHC) is a target defined in the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and it is achieved when everybody receives the health care they need without suffering financial hardship.
Twice in the last five years, all countries of the world have gathered in New York and committed themselves to achieve this noble goal, and it is the explicit health priority of the World Bank and the World Health Organization.
The Elders – the group of independent former leaders founded by Nelson Mandela, of which we have the honor to be members – has been campaigning for UHC at a global and national level for the past two years. We believe that it is as vital an issue for the US as it is for any other country in the world, and that with bold leadership from national and state leaders, it could and should become a reality.
Even after the Affordable Care Act slashed the number of uninsured Americans by about 20 million, another 28 million still lack any health insurance coverage. Many millions more who do have insurance still face unaffordable co-payments whenever they use health services.
In 2010, before the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, an estimated 26,000 Americans died prematurely due to their lack of health coverage.
This represents a violation of basic human rights. Millions of Americans cannot live healthy lives, or protect their children from illness or disease.
In a country as rich as the United States, blessed with talented medical professionals, world-class hospitals and research institutes, and an almost unparalleled capacity for technological innovation, the lack of universal health coverage should be a national scandal.
It is all the more scandalous given the extremely high cost of the US health care system, which takes up 17.1 percent of Gross National Product. This is 40 percent higher than the average for high-income countries, but the heavy reliance on private financing leads to severe inefficiencies and inequalities within the system. Around a third of health expenditure is spent on administrative costs rather than infrastructure or patient care.
None of this is inevitable, and a viable alternative is close at hand. For US neighbors and allies such as Canada and the United Kingdom, UHC has been a cherished element of the social contract between government and citizens for decades. UHC is also now an explicit Sustainable Development Goal of all countries, and some developing countries such as Thailand and Sri Lanka are already covering their entire populations.
Why should Americans not enjoy the same health rights as citizens of other countries around the globe? Why does the US have a lower life expectancy than Costa Rica (which has UHC), and a higher maternal mortality rate than Kazakhstan? Why should health care costs remain the biggest cause of bankruptcy in the US, thwarting the hopes and ambitions of hardworking families?
The answer is quite simple: commercial self-interest.
The US healthcare industry, pharmaceutical companies and private insurance firms have assiduously lobbied for decades at state and federal levels to protect their business interests. Their spokespeople and spin doctors distort arguments, so that concepts that are commonplace in almost every other industrialized country are portrayed as outlandish and dangerous.
Challenging this consensus takes political courage and commitment.
President Obama’s health reforms were a step in the right direction, especially in making health insurance mandatory, and not allowing insurance companies to exclude people with pre-existing conditions. Millions of American women also benefited from accessing free family planning services on their health insurance plans thanks to the Affordable Care Act.
But the tide has turned in the White House over the past twelve months, leading the health care debate into treacherous waters. President Trump seems intent on dismantling his predecessor’s reforms, through successive executive orders, including a halt on federal funding to provide health insurance coverage for nine million vulnerable children.
What gives us hope, however, is that the American people do not agree with this approach. A recent poll in The Economist shows that 60 percent of Americans want to see publicly-funded Medicare expanded to cover all citizens, and some political leaders are beginning to respond to their voters’ concerns.
States including California, Ohio, Colorado, Vermont and New York are all seeing moves to bring publicly-financed UHC at a state level. We urge them to lead the way.
The chaos and paralysis surrounding health reform on Capitol Hill must not be an excuse for vested interests to regain the initiative and block progress. Responsible leaders and citizens must come together and demand Americans enjoy the same rights to health as their fellow global citizens.
The Elders will stand in solidarity with you to make Jefferson’s dream a reality.
Contact us at editors@time.com.Photo: DARPA/Team WPI-CMU Team WPI-CMU tests their Atlas robot.
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The DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC) just got bigger, more awesome, and more international. DARPA has just announced that 14 new teams from seven different countries have qualified to participate in the DRC Finals. These 14 teams join the 11 teams previously qualified during the DRC Trials.
This means a total of 25 teams will compete in what is possibly the most anticipated robotics event ever. Twenty five robots are a lot of robots. They will converge to the simulated disaster zone that DARPA will set up in Pomona, Calif., where the DRC Finals will take place in June.
In a call with reporters this afternoon, Gill Pratt, program manager for the DRC, said the tasks for the final challenge will be similar to the ones we saw at the trials. But this time the tasks will be “put together in a single mission” that teams have one hour to complete.
The robots will start in a vehicle, drive to a simulated disaster building, and then they’ll have to open doors, walk on rubble, and use tools. Finally they’ll have to climb a flight of stairs. But one more thing, Pratt said: there will be a surprise task waiting for the robots at the end.
Just when we thought the DRC couldn’t get any cooler—it just did. Naturally, Pratt declined to elaborate on what this mystery task might entail.
He also emphasized that now the robots will operate completely untethered. There won’t be cables to provide power and data—and to keep them from falling down. “They’ll have to get up on their own,” he said. “That’s raising the bar on how good the robots have to be.”
Seven teams are using the recently upgraded Atlas humanoid built by Boston Dynamics. The other teams have developed their own robots, which come in a variety of sizes and shapes. “We’re going to see a whole range of different approaches,” Pratt said.
The teams will score points based on how many tasks they are able to finish and how fast they perform them, competing for US $3.5 million in prizes.
The 14 newly qualified teams are:
Germany
Team Hector (Technische Unversitat Darmstadt, Darmstadt)
Team NimbRo (University of Bonn, Bonn)
Hong Kong
Team HKU (Hong Kong University, Hong Kong; Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland)
Italy
Team Walk-Man (Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa; University of Pisa, Pisa)
Japan
Team Aero (University of Tokyo, Tokyo)
Team AIST-NEDO (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tokyo)
Team HRP2-Tokyo (University of Tokyo, Tokyo)
Team NEDO-JSK (University of Tokyo, Tokyo)
Team NEDO-Hydra (University of Tokyo, Tokyo; Chiba Institute of Technology, Chiba; Osaka University, Osaka; Kobe University, Kobe)
China
Team Intelligent Pioneer (Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changzhou)
South Korea
Team ROBOTIS (ROBOTIS, Seoul)
Team SNU (Seoul National University, Seoul)
United States
Team DRC-Hubo (University of Las Vegas, Las Vegas)
Team Grit (Grit Robotics, Grand Junction, Colo.; Colorado Mesa University, Grand Junction, Colo.; AutonomouStuff, LLC, Morton, Ill.; Harbrick, Moscow, Idaho)
To qualify for the Finals, the new teams had to submit videos to DARPA proving they could perform five sample tasks, which included walking or driving 10 meters without falling, going over a barrier, and operating a valve.
These 14 teams join the 11 teams that competed in the DRC Trials and earned enough points to automatically qualify for the Finals:
Tartan Rescue (Carnegie Mellon University, National Robotics Engineering Center, Pittsburgh)
Team IHMC Robotics (Florida Institute for Human & Machine Cognition, Pensacola, Fla.)
Team KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, South Korea)
Team MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Mass.)
Team RoboSimian (NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif.)
Team THOR (University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles; University of Pennsylvania,
Philadelphia)
Team TRACLabs (TRACLabs, Inc., Webster, Texas)
Team Trooper (Lockheed Martin Advanced Technology Laboratories, Cherry Hill, N.J.)
Team Valor (Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.)
Team ViGIR (TORC Robotics, Blacksburg, Va.; TU Darmstadt, Germany; Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.; Oregon State University, Corvallis, Ore.; Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.; Leibniz University Hanover, Germany)
Team WPI-CMU (formerly Team WRECS - Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Mass.)
[ DARPA Robotics Challenge ]
Updated 03/06/15 7:50 am ETNew research reveals that baits used by hunters have become a substantial portion of black bears’ diets. In northern Wisconsin, over 40% of the diet of harvested animals consisted of bait subsidies.
The widespread availability and consumption of these calorically rich baits—often high-sugar foods, such as cookies, donuts, and candies—may be bolstering the bear population density in the region.
Thirty states permit hunting black bears, 12 of which allow baiting prior to the opening of the hunting season. However, the findings indicate that the goals and consequences of baiting policies should be re-evaluated.
“It’s not surprising that bears are eating bear bait, but what is notable is the extent. Not only are these bears consuming bait just before they are harvested, but also throughout their lifetimes, which makes them one of the most highly subsidized populations of bears,” said Dr. Rebecca Kirby, lead author of the Journal of Wildlife Management study.
Additional Information
Link to Study: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jwmg.21304/full
About Journal
The Journal of Wildlife Management publishes manuscripts containing information from original research that contributes to basic wildlife science. Suitable topics include investigations into the biology and ecology of wildlife and their habitats that has direct or indirect implications for wildlife management and conservation.The video will start in 8 Cancel
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Joe Allen is set to leave Liverpool with Stoke City keen to wrap up a £13million deal.
The Potters have emerged as the surprise front-runners to sign the Wales international midfielder.
Today's Transfer Rumours:
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The ECHO understands that talks between the clubs are at an advanced stage with the offer matching the Reds' valuation.
It remains to be seen whether Swansea City, whose initial bid of £8million was rejected last month, respond by matching Stoke's bid.
Allen's future has been the subject of speculation all summer as he entered the final year of his existing contract with no new deal on the table.
The 26-year-old, who cost Liverpool £15million from Swansea four years ago, struggled to hold down a regular starting spot following Jurgen Klopp's appointment last season.
Allen, who has made 132 appearances for the Reds, no longer wants to be a squad player and has accepted the need to move on to further his career.
There has been plenty of interest in him following his impressive performances for Wales at Euro 2016 which saw him named in the team of the tournament.
However, as it stands, Stoke are the only club who are close to having an agreement with Liverpool in place.Hurricane Irma is threatening to wreak havoc on Florida farmlands, threatening $1.2 billion worth of production in the top U.S. grower of fresh tomatoes, oranges, green beans, cucumbers, squash and sugarcane.
Though its economy long ago diversified from its rural roots, Florida still has a huge influence on American grocery stores as the No. 2 U.S. produce grower, trailing only California.
The state accounts for almost 10 percent of the nation’s land dedicated to fresh fruits and vegetables, according to government data. The storm threat has pushed orange-juice futures and domestic-sugar prices higher this week.
For farmers such as Andy McDonald, who grows strawberries in Plant City, Florida, there’s only so much that can be done to prepare for the damage. His fields are ready for planting his winter crop next week. But if punishing rains and overpowering winds tear away the sheeting already laid down over 500 acres that protects the plants from pests in the fall and keeps them warm in the winter, "we won’t have a crop," he said. The custom-made cover takes months to manufacture, ship, and lay down.
"It’s not something that has a quick turnaround," said McDonald, 40, who’s the manager of Sweet Life Farms. Multiply his situation by the thousands of farmers in Florida, and Irma "will cripple a lot of communities," he said.
Most Expensive
Hurricane Irma, which is sweeping through the Caribbean and threatens to become the most expensive storm in U.S. history, could devastate the farm economy of Florida, a state with a unique history as a producer of winter fruits and vegetables given its warmer climate. Damage to croplands could affect U.S. food prices and farmer finances in the months and years to come.
Some markets are already moving. Orange juice futures in New York are trading near their highest level since May, while the benchmark contract for U.S. sugar rose on Wednesday to the highest since July. If Irma tracks further north and moves inland through Georgia or the Carolinas, corn, soybeans, cotton and peanut harvests in that region could be damaged.
In Florida, Irma’s timing offers comfort to at least some growers. For tomatoes, greenhouses nurturing seedlings may be in the storm’s path, but most of the crop isn’t yet in the ground, reducing damage potential, said Reggie Brown, executive vice president of the Florida Tomato Exchange and a farmer outside Immokalee.
Better Than October
"There’s never a good time for a hurricane, but this is better than late October or November," Brown said.
Oranges may be able to better withstand winds now than later in the season because they’re not yet full-size, and lighter fruit could be spared from being blown off trees, said Dean Mixon, president of Mixon Fruit Farms in Bradenton.
Still, according to Mixon, his family took two years to recover from Hurricane Donna in 1960, the last hurricane to hit their groves. The strong winds and heavy rains knocked down trees and buildings and damaged machinery. Donna’s multiple landfalls were as a Category 3 and Category 4 hurricane. Irma may be a Category 5, indicating greater severity.
"The vast majority of central and southern Florida fruits and vegetables are vulnerable to losses," said Lisa Lochridge, director of public affairs for the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association based in Maitland. "Wind and excessive rain will case major damage."
Crop Insurance
Once the storm is over, farmers may largely have to draw on their own resources to cover losses. A federal farm bill in 2014 created a disaster program for livestock producers, but use of the main government mechanism to handle crop losses, the federally subsidized crop-insurance program, varies widely depending on what’s planted.
About 300,000 of Florida’s 367,500 acres of oranges are insured this year, according to government data. But only about half of the state’s fresh-market tomatoes are covered, and policies tailored to strawberries simply don’t exist outside of California.
Smaller crops simply don’t have the acreage to support policies, and hurricanes, though devastating, are relatively rare and unpredictable, said John-Walt Boatright, spokesman for the Florida Farm Bureau Federation.
"Insurers don’t know what to expect, and it’s hard for them to charge a premium it makes sense for a farmer to pay," he said.
McDonald, the Plant City strawberry grower, doesn’t have coverage. For the time being, he’s sandbagging his fields, turning sprinklers onto the plastic covers to weigh them down more heavily -- and wondering what happens it if all blows away.
"I can’t plant on bare dirt,” he said. “We’d be done for the season before it ever began.”For the British general, see Charles Brisbane Ewart
Ensign Charles Ewart (1769 – 23 May 1846) was a Scottish soldier of the Royal North British Dragoons (more commonly known as the Scots Greys), famous for capturing the regimental eagle of the 45e Régiment de Ligne (45th Regiment of the Line) at the Battle of Waterloo.
He was born near Kilmarnock (although recent research has found that he may have in fact been born nearer Moffat) in 1769, and enlisted in the cavalry at the age of twenty. He fought in a number of actions in the French Revolutionary Wars, was briefly taken prisoner, and emerged from the conflict as a Sergeant in the regiment. Over the next two decades he became a well-respected and competent soldier, serving as fencing-master of the regiment; a heavily built man, reported as 6'4" tall and "of Herculean strength" he was an expert swordsman and accomplished rider.[1]
Ensign Ewart's grave
The engagement [ edit ]
At Waterloo, the Greys were part of the Union Brigade, a formation of heavy cavalry regiments held in reserve by Wellington. In the line of battle, General Thomas Picton's 5th Division was held in reserve, on the right of the Allied line, behind the Dutch-Belgian 2nd Division. The 5th contained a number of experienced veteran units from the Peninsular War, including the 92nd Foot (Gordon Highlanders).
After a heavy exchange of fire, the Belgians were forced to fall back to the far side of the ridge on which they were stationed, and the 5th Division moved forward over the crest of the ridge to hold the line. After the heavy exchange of fire continued, with the 5th holding firm, it was decided that the division should charge to break up the French columns; the cavalry held in reserve were brought forward, and passed through the ranks of the infantry and into action.
At this point, the Gordon Highlanders were exchanging fire with the 1st Battalion of the 45th, which was deploying around thirty yards to their front. The Greys quickly and unexpectedly passed through the infantry, moved forward the short distance between the lines, and broke through to the centre of the French infantry as it was forming into a defensive line. In the confusion that followed, the 45th was effectively broken as an organised unit, and the eagle it carried was quickly seized by Sergeant Ewart, in close fighting with a number of Frenchmen.
"One made a thrust at my groin, I parried him off and cut him down through the head. A lancer came at me - I threw the lance off by my right side and cut him through the chin and upwards through the teeth. Next, a foot soldier fired at me and then charged me with his bayonet, which I also had the good luck to parry, and then I cut him down through the head".
To prevent it being recaptured, he was ordered to take it to safety; he did, but paused for some time overlooking the battlefield before finally carrying the trophy to Brussels. Whilst the brigade had not taken significant losses, they were disorganised, and carried forward to attack French artillery; charged by French cavalry in turn, they took heavy losses, and played no further part in the battle.
The reminiscences of James Paterson [ edit ]
James Paterson was a printer, editor and historian born and throughout his working life, mostly based, in Ayrshire. In 1846 he and several others dined with Charles Ewart at the Monument Inn in Kilmarnock and published the story of this Ayrshire hero in the Observer.[2]
"Charles Ewart was about 6 feet high, firmly knit, with a countenance indicative of high mental and physical energies.
In the retreat of the British through Holland after the disastrous Battle of Nimguen, Ewart one day heard the wailing sounds of a child coming from close to the roadside. He dismounted and found a woman and child lying in the snow. The mother was dead, but the infant, still clinging to life, was in the act of suckling from the breast of its lifeless parent. Ewart rescued the baby and on reaching the encampment for the evening, met with his colonel who offered to defray the expenses of a wet nurse. Great difficulties were encountered in this, however he was successful and also fortunate in discovering the father of the child, a sergeant in the 60th regiment. Some years later the father, now a sergeant-major and father of a healthy son, fortuitously met with Ewart. He tried to give Ewart a sum of money, which upon being firmly rejected, was replaced with the gift of a silver watch, and this was finally accepted as a memento of the events.
The Eagle captured by Ewart, now on display in the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards museum.
At Waterloo, Ewart was involved in a hand to hand combat with an officer, whom he was about to cut down, when a young ensign of the Greys offered to instead take the Frenchman to the rear as a prisoner. No sooner had he agreed to the request when he heard the report of a pistol and upon turning, saw the ensign falling from his horse, and the officer in the act of replacing the weapon with which he had dispatched the life of his preserver. Thus enraged, Ewart cut down the officer, deaf to his pleadings for mercy. Dashing forward he now found himself close to the standard-bearer of one of the French Invincible regiments. A short and deadly conflict ensued and as the staff had stuck fast in the ground he was able to lay hold of it without further trouble. Looking round he saw a lancer single him out, gallop forward and hurl his spear at his breast. He had just enough strength to ward off the blow, so that the lance only grazed his side; then raising himself up in his stirrups, he brought his opponent to the ground with one cut of his sword. When riding away with the Eagle he experienced another narrow escape, for a wounded Frenchman, who he had taken for dead, raised himself up on one elbow and fired at him as he passed. The ball fortunately missed him and he was able to take his prize to the rear.
In 1816 he was invited to a Waterloo dinner at Leith near Edinburgh, where Sir Walter Scott proposed his health and invited him to speak. Lieutenant Ewart begged that he might be excused, saying that he would rather fight the battle of Waterloo over again, than face so large an assemblage."
The legend [ edit ]
Richard Ansdell: The Fight For The Standard depicting Ewart's capture of the French Eagle.
Cap badge of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards
The capture of the eagle is one of the most prized honours of the Scots Greys and, in commemoration of this, their cap badge shows the eagle. As with many such incidents, the story of the capture has grown greatly over the years, to the status of a legend; it is often told that the Greys charged the 45th, with the Gordons seizing hold of their stirrup-leathers and carrying themselves along into the fray, crying "Scotland Forever!". On the contrary, modern research suggests that there was no charge, but rather a quick walk (commonly used by large cavalry formations to preserve order when speed of arrival is irrelevant) into the advancing French line. The rest of the British Army called the Greys The Birdcatchers, as a wry nickname for the eagles capture.[3]
Throughout the entire Waterloo campaign, only two French Eagles were captured during battle, both by the Union Brigade in this particular action. Ewart was hailed a hero, honoured, and travelled the country giving speeches. He was given a commission as an ensign (a second lieutenancy) in the 5th Veteran Battalion in 1816, and left the army when this unit was disbanded in 1821. He lived in Salford, and in his final years at Davyhulme, near Manchester, retiring on the full pay of an ensign, and died in 1846. He was buried in the New Jerusalem Chapel graveyard in Bolton Street, Salford. His memorial read "In Memory of Ensign Charles Ewart, who departed March 23, 1846, aged 77 years". His grave was paved over and forgotten for many years, being uncovered in the 1930s, and he was reburied by the Royal Scots Greys (as they were then titled) on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle in 1938.
Today, he is best known to the general populace by a pub in Edinburgh which bears his name, the Ensign Ewart; it is located next to the Castle esplanade, where a monument marks his burial place.A new report from the Centers for Disease Control confirms that 78 percent of the abortions done in babies in New York City were done on babies who were black or Hispanic. But you’ll be surprised if you see riots in the streets or civil rights activists like the NAACP or Jesse Jackson complaining about that in the same way they have condemned the shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
The new CDC data confirms 77.56% of the abortions in 2011 were done on African-American and Hispanic babies — consistent with previous reports from prior years.
CNS News has more:
The Abortion Surveillance report published by the CDC, for which the latest abortion numbers are for 2011, show there were 76,251 abortions in New York City that year. For that total, 9,550 abortions were of white babies, which is 12.5% of the total; 35,188 babies were black (46.1% of total); 23,959 were Hispanic (31.4%); and another 7,554 “other” abortions, 9.9%, which includes Asians and Native Americans, as well as those babies not reported by race. Abortions of black and Hispanic babies combined totaled 59,147 – that is 77.56% of the total abortions in NYC. Blacks, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, make up 25.5% of the population of New York City, and Hispanics comprise 28.6% of the NYC population. Despite those population percentages, blacks make up 46.1% of the abortions, and Hispanics, 31.4%. While whites comprise 44% of the NYC population, they made up 12.5% of total abortions in that city. That total for one city, 76,251 babies killed, surpasses the number of abortions of any state reporting, according to the CDC.
The CDC’s numbers are usually a year behind and underestimated compared to figures from the pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute, formerly affiliated with Planned Parenthood, the nation’s biggest abortion business. They also differ from the official statistics the City of New York collects.
In 2012, there were more black babies killed by abortion (31,328) in New York City than were born there (24,758), and the black children killed comprised 42.4% of the total number of abortions in the Big Apple, according to a report by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
The report is entitled, Summary of Vital Statistics 2012 The City of New York, Pregnancy Outcomes, and was prepared by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Office of Vital Statistics. (See Pregnancy Outcomes NYC Health 2012.pdf)'The government gives [blacks] the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing 'God Bless America.' No, no, no, God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human.' [198]
Such were the words of the Reverend Jeremiah Wright as he addressed the congregation of the mostly black Trinity United Church of Christ in southside Chicago on April 13th 2003. As the world has since learned, one of his parishioners was Barack Hussein Obama II.
Many people were shocked at Wright's rhetoric, believing racial diatribes were mostly behind us. But as Judge Andrew P. Napolitano explains in his latest book, Dred Scott's Revenge: A Legal History of Race and Freedom in America, Wright's comments are one of the predictable outcomes of government's sordid history of race relations.
The Judge's book is a gripping read from start to finish. It is not legalese that greets us as we turn the pages, but a fact-based tale of institutionalized oppression, horror, and retribution, made possible by government at every level.
How could government be complicit in racial injustice? The author builds his case with sound arguments and relevant details, some of them shocking.
Most readers have heard about black lynchings that gripped the South for generations following the War for Southern Independence. But how many knew they were often a major social event? 'Witnesses often included the entire white community,' Napolitano tells us, 'and, in many cases, the victim's body was cut up and pieces were handed out as souvenirs.... The local police, governments of each Southern state, and every American president from Ulysses S. Grant to Harry S. Truman allowed this to take place.' [130; numbers refer to book's page numbers]
And why were these blacks lynched? For being black. And perhaps 'for being economically successful, being more than minimally educated (they were too 'uppity'), failing to step aside for a white man's car, being politically active, staring whites in the eye....' [131] Just about anything, because blacks had no real protection under the law.
The laws and slavery
Napolitano makes clear that there are two kinds of law: Natural law, which is given to us by virtue of our nature, and positive law, which is imposed on us by government. Natural law is enshrined in our Declaration of Independence, the'self-evident' truths''that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.' Positive law emerges from our legislators and, to be binding, must be consistent with natural law. Slavery is the most egregious example of natural law violation.
Despite the proper implementation of slavery through positive law (laws legally enacted at the time), its violation of natural law (because it steals the core natural right: freedom) makes it inherently and profoundly unlawful....[30]
The Articles of Confederation, which were too anemic for the Federalists of that era, did not specifically recognize slavery. The Constitution did, though without mentioning it by name.
The framers' goal was to establish a stronger central government, and in doing so they had to keep certain sensitivities in mind and be willing to compromise. The South had a big stake in slavery; the North didn't. The compromises were reflected in the Fugitive Slave Clause, the Importation Clause, and the Three-fifths Clause. Slavery was an irreconcilable issue, but few were willing to admit it.
Convention delegate John Dickinson noted on July 9th 1798 :
'Acting before the World, What will be said of this new principle of founding a Right to govern Freemen on a power derived from Slaves... themselves incapable of governing yet giving to others what they have not.' [40]
It should not surprise us that the Constitutional Convention strengthened the institution of slavery. As Napolitano observes, 'Government is essentially the negation of liberty. By its very nature, government removes natural rights in one way or another.' [49] (If only those sentences could become standard boilerplate on all printed material.)
Slavery and its proliferation were two of the most contentious issues in early 19th Century America. Abolitionists claimed that any slave taken to a free state was thereby freed. But slaves were regarded as the property of their masters, and one's property cannot legally be forfeited by crossing a state line.
Dred Scott, a slave, claimed his freedom on the basis of the abolitionists' argument, and in 1857 his case reached the Supreme Court. Chief Justice Taney, who wrote the opinion, was a slaveholder and advocate of slavery. The Court held that blacks were not citizens and were therefore not entitled to the rights and privileges accorded to citizens. And because Dred Scott was not a citizen, he could not sue in the federal courts.
Taney added that the federal government had no power to prohibit slavery in any part of the United States. It followed logically that states had the power to enslave free blacks.
Justices Curtis and McLean, writing in dissent, pointed out that at the time of the founding, 'ten of the thirteen states allowed free blacks to vote,' though five of those ten had limited or withheld the right. [64] Taney's decision, Napolitano concludes, was not a case of 'dispassionate adjudication' based on a strict interpretation of the law, but rather an 'aggressive form of judicial activism to carve new meaning into the text of the Constitution.' [64]
Lincoln and Reconstruction
Lincoln came into office, and the South seceded; he told them they had no right to leave and tricked them into firing the first shot. Four years and a million casualties later, the South surrendered. As a voluntary association of free states, the Union was dead, the South lay in ruins, and the slaves, by virtue of the Thirteenth Amendment ratified on December 18th 1865, were no longer slaves. They were said by some to be free.
President Johnson pursued a lenient Reconstruction policy that angered radical Republicans. Congress overrode Johnson's veto twice in 1867 to pass bills prolonging military occupation of the South in every state except Tennessee, Johnson's home state. The goal was to create loyal governments. The acts were about power, not freedom or equality.
Congress passed another bill authorizing anyone but former Confederates to write the new state constitutions. In other words, only blacks, carpetbaggers, and scalawags were qualified. White southerners seethed with resentment.
Organizations of white militants began to flourish, especially when Grant became president in 1869. Groups such as the White League, the Red Shirts, and the KKK used violence and intimidation to keep blacks from holding political office or voting for anyone supporting Reconstruction. 'These groups effectively destroyed the weak political and economic stability that Congress was trying to build in the South,' Napolitano tells us. [118]
By 1877, all federal troops had left the South. Reconstruction had been a failure. Republicans could not force the South to bow to their decrees. On the contrary, their orders inflamed passions against the Union and especially against blacks.
To white southerners, blacks came to personify federal intervention.
Jim Crow
The period known as Jim Crow ran from the 1890s to the Civil Rights |
employs LXDE and bundles lightweight applications
into the base system. I didn’t test U-lite mainly because there
appears little possibility that it will become an official member of
the Ubuntu family. The project was originally called “Ubuntulite” but
changed its name following a communication
from Canonical Ltd. that the name violated Ubuntu trademarks. In
contrast, Mark Shuttleworth, Canonical’s founder, personally invited the Lubuntu
project to start up. The prospects appear
excellent for Lubuntu to become an official member of the
Ubuntu family soon.
(For example, you can already mark your question as pertaining to
Lubuntu in the official Ubuntu forum.) U-lite may be an excellent distro but it fell out of scope for this project.
Puppy
is an innovative light distro that consistently places among the top dozen
distros according to the popularity rankings at Distrowatch. Puppy
automatically loads completely into memory, and runs solely from there,
on any computer having 256 M or more. This eliminates slow disk and
CD/DVD access and speeds system performance.
Puppy’s resource consumption is less than or equal to Lubuntu’s, as shown in the chart. Puppy
achieves all this with ease of use I’ve found sufficient
for end users (as long as the system has been installed and configured
for them). I’ll review Puppy next month.
From the perspective of computer refurbishing, both Lubuntu and Puppy
are great candidates. It’s nice to have choices!
Older Computers?
One question I have about Lubuntu is whether it will run on computers
under 500 mhz that still meet its system requirements. This encompasses
Pentium II’s, early Celerons, and even some Pentium I’s.
Competing
distros take specific measures to support these older machines that Lubuntu
does not. For example, Puppy supports a “retro kernel” release in
parallel for each new version. You can run Puppy with either the retro
kernel or a current kernel. Damn Small Linux still uses the 2.4
kernel and offers the SYSLINUX boot loader for systems that can not
boot
ISOLINUX.
In
the worse case, if the current release of Puppy or
DSL won’t boot
on your old computer, you can go back and try older releases
through
five or six years of product evolution. I’ve sometimes
had to resort to this to pick up support for older devices. You can’t
do this
with Lubuntu. It’s new and was first released in 2010. To my
knowledge, it’s not specifically tested on old computers that it could,
theoretically, run on from the standpoint of system requirements.
What this means is that there are really two kinds of lightweight Linux
distributions. Some specifically support older computers, while others
offer current software for reasonably current machines that just happen
to be resource-light. I suspect that Lubuntu fits into the latter category.
If any readers have tried Lubuntu on sub-500 mhz computers please
share your experiences with us by posting a comment. Did Lubuntu boot without tweaking? Did it recognize your old
devices? Please post experiences with Lubuntu on
netbooks, too. I had only a single netbook to try it on and it worked fine.
Thanks for your feedback.
Ubuntu Means “Change” in Bantu
Does “Ubuntu” mean “change” in Bantu? Well, actually no. Ubuntu is named for the south African concept of “humanity towards others.”
But
in terms of operating system compatibility, Ubuntu does mean Change.
One of the Ubuntu family’s big advantages is that it quickly
capitalizes on new
technology. These are fast-moving distros. The downsides are occasional
incompatibility or disruptive change across releases.
In the last two years, the Ubuntu family has moved from the GRUB boot loader to
GRUB 2, to continually changing networking management tools, to eliminating
the xorg.conf configuration file and moving to RandR for video. Lately I’ve heard they may replace GDM with LightDM, move to more regular updates, replace X.org with Wayland, switch the user interface
from GNOME to Unity, and replace OpenOffice with LibreOffice.
These are changes to Ubuntu, not
Lubuntu. But Lubuntu follows Ubuntu and this philosophy of rapid change is fundamental to the Ubuntu family.
So consider your needs carefully when evaluating Lubuntu. Do you need rapid updates and improvements? The
Ubuntu family does a superior job in providing them. Or do you crave
stability and backward compatibility? In this case you may find
Ubuntu’s constant push for new technology and features annoying or burdensome.
Lubuntu Is a Winner
Lubuntu successfully extends the Ubuntu family to limited-resource
computers. I love its responsiveness on five to ten year old machines! The Lubuntu
team has clearly done an excellent job in figuring out how to preconfigure a
leaner, meaner Ubuntu.
While
Lubuntu is a faster, lighter alternative to Ubuntu, you still
get all the important Ubuntu benefits — the thousands of downloadable
applications,
the forums, the helpful websites,
the wikis, and more. You can get the best of both worlds by installing
Lubuntu, then adding any extra applications you need from the
Ubuntu software repositories.
If you
seek a resource-light, well-supported Linux, Lubuntu could be your solution.
– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
Howard Fosdick (President, FCI) is an independent consultant who
specializes in
databases and operating systems. His hobby is computer refurbishing as
a form of social work and environmental contribution. You can reach him
at contactfci at the domain
name of sbcglobal (period) net.
Previous Articles on
Computer Refurbishing
Lubuntu 10.04 Screenshots
The Basic Screen
The initial Lubuntu desktop has no icons. Like Windows, the system menu
always
starts from the lower left-hand corner of the screen. (With LXDE — unlike XFCE or JWM — you
can’t right-click anywhere you like to bring up the menu.) This
screenshot
shows the Accessories bundled with Lubuntu:
Memory Use is Low
In this example I’ve opened mtPaint, AbiWord, Gnumeric, the Xfce4
Taskmanager, and the Chromium browser with three active tabs. Total
memory use:
114m. Wow!
The File Manager
The PCMan file manager replaces Ubuntu’s Nautilus. I’ve found it runs visibly
faster on slow computers. PCMan is an LXDE component. By
default Lubuntu dynamically mounts all partitions on all disks. This is consistent with Lubuntu’s excellent ease of use.
Monitoring System Resources
The Xfce4 Taskmanager is a comprehensive but easy-to-use tool for
managing system resources on a low-end box. It replaces Ubuntu’s System
Monitor.
Synaptic Package Manager
Lubuntu uses the same Synaptic Package Manager as Ubuntu. Here I am
searching Synaptic while trying to figure out how to take screenshots
by looking for an
appropriate package to install, since none is bundled with Lubuntu.
Turns out I
didn’t need to download anything. Lubuntu has the scrot line command. I used this
command to take all the screenshots you see here, with a delay of 10
seconds and the top
quality of
100%: scrot -d 10 -q 100 -uHello contestants and welcome back to another entry of The Culling: Island Diaries.
We’re pleased to announce that we are rolling out the Test Servers today! Anyone who owns the game should find “The Culling Test” in their Steam Library (you may need to restart your Steam client to see it). Once you’ve installed the test build, you will be able to join us in testing a proposed set of new combat changes during designated times when the test servers are live. Servers will be live tonight from 8PM-10PM (EDT) for the first round of testing.
Getting the most out of the Test Servers is going to be a learning experience for us, so we appreciate your patience and support as we roll the system out.
A few things to note:
To kick things off, Test Servers are only located in North America. If the first run is successful, we expect to add Test Servers in other regions.
Servers will be available only during scheduled times in order to keep queue times reasonable. We can adjust this schedule based on feedback and demand. The first test will run from 8PM-10PM Eastern this evening. Future times will be announced after we’ve had a chance to analyze the first test.
Test builds will not be available every day throughout development. We will post builds to test specific aspects of the game and remove them when we’ve gathered enough feedback.
In order to communicate in real time with the devs and your fellow contestants during active server times, we invite you to join us on Discord here.
All queues will be available (Free For All, Teams, and Private Lobbies). We don’t know how much turn-out we can anticipate, so we encourage you to join us in Discord so we can coordinate private matches together.
If you want to share your feedback outside of Discord, we’ve set up a new Steam discussion sub-forum specifically for the Test Server build here. For this first round of testing, we’d like to focus on the mechanics of melee combat. How do you feel about the first round of changes? What would you like us to try next?
We are likely to update the build for the Test Servers much more frequently than we update the live build. Due to the current nature of UE4, this likely means lots of big patches, so prepare your body.
Remember: The Test Server is a place where we can experiment with changes in order to get feedback. Just because something is on the Test Server doesn’t mean it will automatically find its way into the live build. We’re excited to have the Test Servers in our toolbox as we continue our campaign to do Early Access right. We hope you are all equally excited to participate in the process.
We’ll see you on the (test) island!The entire male population of a village in Iran has been executed for its alleged role in drug trafficking, according to an Iranian cabinet minister.
Shahindokht Molaverdi, a vice-president of Iran responsable for Women and Family Affairs, said in an interview to the Mehr news agency that she fears violence could worsen in the unnamed village in the Sistan and Baluchestan province:
“The children of the executed criminals are also already drug traffickers. They want to avenge the deaths of their fathers. At the same time they are feeding their families with money from the drugs trade and the people of this village can not be protected.”
Sistan and Baluchestan province shares thousands of kilometres of land borderwith neighbouring Pakistan and Afghanistan and is a key smuggling point for opium and other narcotics. Largely underdeveloped and poor, a large part of the local population relies on the drugs trade for income. In recent years the area has become a base for Sunni, mainly Salafist extremist groups originating in Pakistan.
Both drug traffickers and Sunni extremists have been main targets of a strict crackdown led by the Iranian government.
The exact number of men executed in the province has not been published, but Sistan and Baluchestan figures among the Iranian provinces that applies capital punishment most often.
“If we do not act against these people, crime will return,” said Molaverdi. “Society is responsible for the families of those executed. Although the family support programme was neglected for several years, it has now been relaunched as part of the sixth national development plan.”
Iran is among the countries that carries out the death penalty most frequently, and many of those sentenced to death are done so for drug-related crimes. The country’s national assembly recently launched a bill that would see drug offences punished by life imprisonment rather than death.Reactions to China’s recent Shenzhou-9 mission, and to the Chinese space program in general, often seem like a Rorschach test, with Western observers variously seeing it as a threat or an opportunity, with purported goals ranging from setting up lunar bases to launching anti-satellite attacks.
There is general agreement, though, that Chinese space officials are not racing the United States as they recreate—with the number of steps greatly compressed—the 50-year technical evolution of human spaceflight. In just five missions, the Shenzhou program has gone from a Gagarin-esque solo flight to placing a small space station in orbit.
Gregory Kulacki, an analyst with the Union of Concerned Scientists, argues convincingly that China’s ambitions to orbit a space station date to the 1980s, and was primarily an attempt to keep up with other space powers who started planning their own stations around that same time.
Kulacki’s background paper on the subject is well worth reading, and has interesting detail on the internal deliberations that led China to abandon the notion of building a winged space shuttle and go with the Shenzhou capsule instead. He describes how 60 Chinese research organizations were asked for proposals for a reusable launch vehicle, six of which were chosen for further study in June 1988.
Five of the six proposals called for a space plane or space shuttle. The sixth proposal, in a challenge to the original request, called for a non-reusable launch vehicle with significantly less lift capacity, which could carry a much lighter capsule for use in a possible human program. In the end, after four years of increasingly contentious debate, this was the proposal that was adopted. Opponents of the capsule proposal argued the combination of an existing Chinese launcher and small space capsule, like those used by the U.S. Apollo and Soviet Soyuz programs, was outdated technology. In August 1989 Ding Henggao, the director of and the head of an ad hoc National Leadership Small Group Office on Space, received a letter from the Advanced Technology Research Small Group of the Chinese Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT). The CALT letter argued a reusable space shuttle was “far superior” to the proposed capsule and was “the trend in international space development.” France had proposed a small space plane and the Soviet Union was beginning to develop its own shuttle program (which the new Russian government canceled in 1993 after only a single flight). The CALT group argued that launching astronauts in a space capsule rather than a shuttle would “not only not bring acclaim” to China’s space program, it would “disgrace the nation.” Tu Shancheng, who headed the Project 863 experts group on space, called into question the value of a space shuttle. He calculated it would take a very large number of launches to realize the economy promised by any large reusable launch vehicle. Regardless of what China planned, it was highly unlikely China would approach such a high number of launches, especially since even the United States was well below the threshold Tu believed was needed to make a space shuttle economical. Others members of the Project 863 expert group on space argued a space shuttle was unnecessarily complex, and carried a high risk of long delays given the state of Chinese aerospace technology at the time. Curiously, none of the Chinese histories mention the impact of the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster on this debate. Yet, for surprising and accidental reasons, it was this event, more than any other, which may have helped China’s experts move towards a consensus on the more modest capsule proposal. The accident coincided with an emerging Chinese interest in entering the satellite launch business.
Kulacki goes on to explain how, in the months following the Challenger accident, the United States decided that its space shuttle would get out of the business of launching commercial satellites. Chinese officials saw an opening for the county’s Long March rocket to compete for that business, and approved a more capable version of the Long March.Okay. What the actual hell? There I was pottering around my kitchen - I'm a world class potterer if I do say so myself - when on my radio pops up an ad advising me, if I'm not full of the joys of life, that a vaginal rejuvenation might be just the thing. Yes you heard that right
Okay. What the actual hell? There I was pottering around my kitchen - I'm a world class potterer if I do say so myself - when on my radio pops up an ad advising me, if I'm not full of the joys of life, that a vaginal rejuvenation might be just the thing. Yes you heard that right
Dr Ciara Kelly on vaginal rejuvenation: 'Is there really no bit of us that is just good enough?'
A vaginal rejuvenation. On the radio. I won't tell you the expression I used but it caused my teenage children to raise their eyebrows and one of them to snort their tea.
As if women don't have enough pressure about their appearance. As if we aren't hit over the head already with so many bodily inadequacies. Cellulite. Muffin tops. Bingo wings. Neck beards. Now it's our vaginas that need improving! Rejuvenation! Why can't they just be their actual age? It is my own personal view on intimacy, that if someone is lucky enough to get anywhere near your vagina, they should realise that that's a privilege you have bestowed upon them and they should be grateful for whatever they find. But that seems to be an increasingly minority view.
So many young girls are now looking for cosmetic surgery to enhance the appearance of their genitals - (most of them already plucked, preened and vajazzled into tip-top shape) that in the US, there was an 80pc rise in girls below the age of 18 having cosmetic procedures performed on their vulva in 2015. And studies from the UK show that there has been a 500pc rise in cosmetic genital surgery in the past decade. The problem is growing to such an extent the extent that now the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, ACOG, has had to issue guidelines urging caution, and suggesting that reassurance of the wide variety of what is normal for female anatomy is necessary.
Cosmetic genital surgery for adult women is marketed as vaginal rejuvenation.
The ACOG in 2014 stated that the vaginal-tightening or rejuvenation procedures were not medically indicated, had not been proved safe or effective and could cause serious complications.
So why do it?
Are we that vulnerable to marketing, that insecure about ourselves that we will take a knife to our innards, with no actual proven benefits and possibly mess up our vaginas, our sex lives and our urinary tract in a misguided attempt to'make' ourselves more attractive?
And it has got to raise the question about advertising here. Doctors and surgeons aren't allowed advertise for procedures that you might actually need - like a hernia repair or a haemorroidectomy - so why are they allowed to advertise for stuff that you don't need, that is possibly dangerous and that makes you feel that aging is unacceptable and your body is unattractive?
It makes no rational sense that medics can't advertise what you might actually need but can advertise spurious nonsense to you. I hope you are reading this, Medical Council.
Either way, listening to ads for vaginal rejuvenation on a Sunday afternoon, as a woman, has to be one of the most depressing things imaginable.
You are left with the feeling - 'Is there really no bit of us that is just good enough? No bit that doesn't need improvement? No bit that we do not need to overhaul?' Well, I'm sorry but I'm not buying it. Age-appropriate vaginas for all.
@ciarakellydoc
Sunday Indo Living1. Create a style guide.
One of the first questions I’ll ask when speaking to a business owner is whether or not they have a style guide. The majority of the time, the response is a chuckle and an admission that they don’t.
However, this is one of the easiest ways to keep things consistent from a look-and-feel perspective. Determine the colors, typography, iconography, and imagery that you either already use, or should be using. Write it down somewhere. Share it with your team. Ask friends for their input.
Of course, this exercise is useless if you don’t actually implement the rules that you’ve figured out. As your business grows, there will be more involved parties, and you need to ensure that there is a central location for all of the style guidelines that you come up with.
Here’s an example of a great one from Google.
2. Develop a content curation strategy.
Today, nearly every business can benefit from a properly developed social media presence. Most businesses, however, will really take social as an afterthought. The Facebook or Instagram pages hardly ever get updated. Nothing is consistent. No wonder it doesn’t have benefits for these companies.
To go along with the first point in this article, you need to develop a content curation strategy. This really goes along with a style guide as well, but on a more specific basis of what kind of messaging/tone you may be using in an article, what kind of pictures are best to use on Facebook/Instagram, where to find (or how to create) said images, and so on.
Here’s a favorite example of mine:
Even before they had a single product to show, their Instagram profile knocked it out of the park in terms of consistency and quality of imagery. Everything’s pink, with a clean/minimal aesthetic. That’s no accident.
3. Read more. Research more.
One of the first steps in creating design work or branding work for a client is always to perform visual research. What kind of emotions are we trying to evoke and what imagery/typography/color scheme is best suited for that? What is the competition doing well and what are they doing wrong?
When you’re able to look and pick and choose different elements, you end up with a better result than if you just took a piece of paper and a pen. Over time, and with practice, you can more quickly think of what works best for what sort of scenario.
Reading is undeniably important for all aspects of life, and the quality of certain books is unbelievably high. I’m a big believer in getting to know a little bit about everything, it puts you in a better position to make decisions and to be less dependent on others. You don’t have to be a designer or a developer to at least know some basics.
While not really about design, a great and newly-released book that goes over, well, a little bit of everything is Tools of the Titans, by Tim Ferriss.
Something a bit more specific is Thinking with Type, which is required reading for anyone even remotely interested in typography.
4. Practice photography.
Unless you genuinely want to learn how to be a developer or a designer, there’s a long learning curve before your output is decent enough to be of use. With photography however, I think it’s much easier (and for many, more fun) to pick up and have as a hobby. You don’t even need to have a fancy DSLR.
It helps a lot if you live in a place where there’s a lot of interesting subject matter, such as a major city, but anywhere will do. Read up on some basics of photography, and get to work.
Practicing photography will sharpen your eye for details, patterns, and symmetry. The best part, is you’ll have the added benefit of being able to create your own content for your business.TGIO Lunch Party
Golden Corral University Drive. Huntsville, AL 12:30-2:30
We hope that everyone will be able to attend. E-mail to follow with full details.
Library write-in tonight at 5:30. See you there.
TGIO lunch planning needs restaurant suggestions and comments. See new thread in our forums.
Hope everyone got started today, but if you're slow like me, never fear! We have 29 days to catch up to our speedier Wrimos!! Write on!!
Kick-Off
6:00 P.M.
October 29, 2018
El Coyote, 6610 Madison Pike, Huntsville, AL
Welcome back North Alabama Wrimos. Hope everyone is excited to write. Kick-off info coming.
Kick-Off
11:30 am
October 22, 2017
El Coyote, 6610 Madison Pike, Huntsville, AL
One week to go!!. Tonights write-in at the library was a bit small compared to the last three weeks. Thanks to those that did attend. We will have one more on the 30th. Also I want to ask you all to make your Halo Donations to NaNoWrimo so they can keep the lights on and continue doing such great work with the Youth Writing Program. Also don't forget the Party on December 1, at 6:00 pm at Big Eds. Keep writing you can do it!!!!!!
Wow one more day left of the World Fantasy Convention, talk about writing inspiration. With hundreds of published authors here, most New York Times Best Sellers, who wouldn't be. So here is something we have learned this weekend that will help you in your writing, "if you add any element to your story, be sure that it flows naturally from the story and is not gratuitous. - Glen Cook"
Can't figure out this App, argh. Don't forget our Kickoff lunch tomorrow, Nov. 1, 11:30 am until 1 pm, El Coyote on Madison Pike just east of Research Park Blvd./Rideout Rd. We have 48 goodie bags to give away and need a volunteer to moderate next two Monday write-in at the main branch, Huntsville-Madison County Public Library. Thanks! Amy
REMEMBER, Kick-off Lunch at 11:30 a.m. at El Coyote on Old Madison Pike, November 1, 2015
Bryan
Welcome back Wrimos.
Hope to see you at the Kick-Off.
Bryan
Congratulations to all the winners!!! We have all had a great run and now it is time to relax, step back and breath. We have posted on the calendar and in the forum regarding the Thank Goodness It's Over Lunch. We hope everyone will join us. As we consider everyone that participates a winner, everyone can come. Please RSVP in the forum.
Bryan & AmyThis year, the biggest crop of top prospects for the A’s has been playing for the Stockton Ports in the Class-A California League. Four of the A’s top five picks from the 2012 draft class were all playing for the Ports until catcher Bruce Maxwell was promoted to Midland on Tuesday. And three of the team’s top four picks from the 2013 draft class were playing there as well until top pick Billy McKinney was traded. If you want to see what the future has to hold for the A’s, then you need to take at look at Stockton – and that’s just what we did!
A’s Farm took the opportunity to talk with seven of the team’s top players while in Stockton earlier this month, shortly before Bruce Maxwell’s promotion to Midland. It’s clear that they’re not only a talented, but also a tight-knit, group of players who’ve got their noses to the grindstone and are ready and willing to do what it takes to keep moving onward and upward as far as their talents will take them…
BRUCE MAXWELL
The A’s 2nd-round draft pick in 2012 out of Birmingham-Southern College, the 23-year-old catcher was just promoted to Midland on Tuesday. With his previous college experience, he’s always been a half-step ahead of his peers from the top tier of the 2012 draft. Maxwell has always had the ability to get on base, but he’s also worked hard to become a solid backstop behind the plate. He currently has to be considered the A’s top catching prospect and, now that he’s at Double-A, he’s just one step closer.
AF: You came up to the California League last year and have been here for about a year now. Is there anything in particular that you’re working on or have been focused on trying to accomplish here?
BM: One thing is just to stay consistent – that’s a big thing for me. Last year, I came out hot in the Midwest League and came out here and just kind of lost sight of what I was doing mechanically and mentally. Also, I’ve been trying to expand my game a little bit to the pull side of the baseball field. So just working on that and seeing the ball a little earlier, but also sticking to my middle-away approach is a big thing.
AF: And what about behind the plate? Starting out, you didn’t have a whole lot of catching experience. But now you’re throwing out baserunners at a great rate and you seem really confident back there. What’s changed for you and how confident are you feeling now as a catcher?
BM: I feel very confident. I can finally say I’m comfortable behind the plate. It just took repetitions. I was new to it. Just doing it day in and day out and getting used to what I can do and what I can’t do, what’s comfortable and what’s not, and just getting efficient at it. I’m throwing the ball very well. My footwork has gotten a lot better over the years, and so now I can actually feel confident and relax in a game and just do it naturally.
AF: So was the key to being able to throw a lot of runners out for you just getting the footwork down?
BM: Yes, it’s getting to my launch position as quick as possible with my feet. Behind the plate, you have such small room for error that everything has to be very efficient and very quick. I had a little more time as an infielder, so I had to shorten things up and be a little more exact. It took me years to try to master my footwork.
AF: So now you’re at a point where you can just let your arm do the work.
BM: Correct.
AF: Let me ask you about a few of the pitchers here in Stockton. Seth Streich has been having one of the best seasons of anyone in the A’s system. What’s he doing right and what’s been working for him this year?
BM: He just does his homework. He pays attention very closely when he’s not pitching. But when he gets on the hill, he just trusts in me and trusts in [fellow catcher] Ryan Gorton and his game plan. Sometimes he gets in trouble when he over-thinks, just like every pitcher. So we try to keep him in a very light and breezy mentality when he’s on the mound so he can just go out there and shove it at anybody who steps up to the plate.
AF: And what have the most effective pitches in his repertoire been this season?
BM: His fastball command is definitely a strength – in and out, up and down. And his changeup has been doing wonders for him as well. In this league, everybody can hit fastballs for the most part, but everybody struggles with the changeup.
AF: What about Nolan Sanburn? He’s finally been healthy and been able to get out there on the mound and get some innings in out of the bullpen. How’s he been looking and what’s been working for him this year?
BM: Nolan looks great. He got into a new mindset a few weeks ago just to go out there and put it on table and say, “Hey, here it is – see what you can do with it.” And ever since he’s taken that mentality, he’s been more efficient, he’s been throwing harder, he’s been throwing more strikes and he’s been dominating a lot more hitters. He’s got a great curveball, he’s working on a slider, but his fastball has been blowing people away.
AF: Now what about Michael Ynoa? How’s he been throwing and where’s he at at this stage of the game?
BM: He’s progressing just like everyone else. Last year, he threw 72 innings, so this year they’re trying to get his innings up. He’s doing better. When he goes out there and has the right mentality and actually believes in what he does, he dominates pretty easily – just trusting in his fastball and working on putting it where he wants to put it. He’s already got the stuff, he’s already got the movement, he’s already got the velocity. Now he’s just got to work on putting it where he wants to put it.
AF: So it sounds like being confident, being aggressive and mastering his command are the keys for him at this point.
BM: Definitely. The guy sits between 95-100 mph every outing. So if he can put 95 mph on a corner, then I think he’ll be something to reckon with down the road.
AF: So how much time do you spend with pitching coach John Wasdin talking about things?
BM: Being with Wasdin for the second year in a row, we know each other very well…but I spend a lot of time with him. We talk about everything throughout BP, before the games and sometimes even on the bus. This league’s a little different than the Midwest League – the Midwest League has more teams, so you have to have a little bit more of an in-depth scouting report. In this league, you play everybody a ton, so we tend to remember things. So we bounce ideas off each other. And we just kind of correlate and make sure everything’s running smoothly before we bring our pitchers in and talk to them and make sure we agree on everything.
AF: What about working with the pitching staff? Do you enjoy that whole aspect of the game?
BM: I love it. The scouting reports and the day-in and day-out stuff with our pitchers is very enjoyable. We have a great group of guys here. A lot of us have been around each other for a long time, so we know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. We feel very comfortable with each other, so it’s easier to notice things with guys because you’ve seen them over and over again. So the communication between pitcher and catcher on this team is easy…and it’s all constructive.
DANIEL ROBERTSON
The A’s 1st-round supplemental draft pick in 2012 out of Upland High School in California, the 20-year-old infielder had been looked at as the second-best shortstop in the A’s system until the trade of his good friend Addison Russell. Robertson has impressed both at the plate and in the field this year, and his play undoubtedly made it a little easier for the A’s to deal their top prospect and install Robertson as the A’s new “shortstop of the future.” He has the second-most hits among A’s minor leaguers so far this season and his improved plate discipline this year has allowed him to put up the third-best on-base percentage in the A’s minor league system.
AF: How surprising was it for you to see one of your best friends, Addison Russell, along with one of your teammates here in Stockton, Billy McKinney, get traded?
DR: It was a surprise, no doubt. With me and Addison getting drafted, as well as Matt Olson, the same year, the last couple years we got real close to each other and did everything together when we had the opportunity. But that’s just how baseball goes – it’s a business. He has his new journey now, and I believe he’ll be successful no matter where he plays. I was surpised, but you’ve still got to go out and play the game.
AF: There’s always a game to play tomorrow.
DR: That’s right.
AF: So are you still planning on staying together out in spring training now?
DR: That’s a good question. It’s up to him. The place is always open. He was the first one there. I’d love to have him there, but it’s up to him.
AF: So as for you, how does it feel to know that you’ll now be sticking at shortstop and people won’t always be asking when and if you’ll be switching positions with Addison at shortstop in front of you and the path is a little clearer for you now?
DR: You can say it’s clearer but, for me personally, I always just tell myself you’ve got to come out here and play every day. I felt my abilities were good enough to get to the big leagues no matter who was playing with me or beside me or the Addison question – it didn’t really affect me at the time. But like you said, I guess it’s more open, but that really doesn’t change my mindset at all. I just love coming out here and playing every day, and whatever happens after that is what happens.
AF: Is shortstop a position you particularly enjoy playing?
DR: I love playing short. I’ve done a lot of work to stay there, so I’d like to stay there as long as I can. I enjoy it. I feel like you’re the captain of the infield and you can just take control of the game on the defensive side. I love it – I like making that big play there.
AF: Well, you’re definitely right in the middle of the action there. Now what about at the plate? This year, you seem to have really improved your plate discipline – your walks are up, you’re getting on base a lot. Was that something you were consciously focused on coming into the season and have there been any particular adjustments you’ve made this year?
DR: I just think it’s getting at-bats under my belt. With more experience and just playing, that stuff’s going to come. I’ve always had a pretty solid approach, but I feel like now I’m really dialed into my zone and when I get my pitch, I’m not missing it. The walks have gone up…but nothing has changed. I didn’t go into the offseason thinking that I’ve got to work on my approach and get my walk numbers up. I just try to come out here and see the ball as well as I can…but I just think it’s been coming with more experience. Even the at-bats I got in big league spring training I think really helped me a lot too.
AF: I was going to ask you about that. How was that experience for you, having the chance to spend a little bit of time in the big league camp for more than just a day or two this spring?
DR: I got into some pretty good action there. And it was awesome. All the guys there treated me real well. Bob Melvin’s a great guy. I just soaked up the whole experience. It was my first healthy spring training I’ve had where I was out there every day. And to be put in that situation, I feel like it was a blessing. I learned a lot and I feel like my game got a whole lot better. Just seeing what those guys were doing day in and day out and how they went about their business, it kind of put in my head that I could do this – not that I had any doubts before. But all those guys up there are top-notch guys and real class acts. They welcomed me and I enjoyed it and had a lot of fun.
AF: Was there anyone in the A’s clubhouse who was particularly friendly |
in the USA?
“Some of our One All products are composed of foreign and domestic parts. Some of our One All products are composed entirely of parts made in the USA. Most of the One All products are fully assembled here in our factory in Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA!”
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Today each kettle takes hard work and skilled labor from five separate individuals. With a hand-made process, the kettles are not always geometrically perfect and have minor cosmetic imperfections as a natural part of the creation process.
REVIEW OF TOP QUALITIES
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Holds 6 Cups (36 Ounces)
7.5 x 7 x 4.25 (inches)
NOTES
With a Copper Handle Wear Oven Mits
Hand Wash Only
Do Not Boil Dry
Over time, if left untreated the copper finish will naturally oxidize to a beautiful patina (but not if you give it a good ol polish).
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Tea Kettles NOT Made in China
Many people looking for products made in america, not only want to support local businesses but also to buy a product that is built following the highest manufacturing standards around. Since there are such a limited number of tea kettles fully manufactured in the US, it is worth mentioning other options that are NOT made in china. Sometimes, all you really want is something that is manufactured with high quality, tightly controlled standards and in China manufacturing standards can be lax.
Tea Kettles Made in the UK
This kettle is spun by hand from copper and plated with a beautiful chrome finish, so that you never have to worry about polishing the copper. It will simply sparkle on your stovetop.
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Copper Plated with Chrome
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The Knob on the Lid is Plastic
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Tea Kettle Made in the Japan
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Whether you drink tea regularly or break out the tea kettle when hosting a party, there are beautifully designed and affordable tea kettles for all needs.It’s been a foregone conclusion all season that Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper would jump to the NFL after this season, a notion that was only reinforced as he broke record after record during his junior season. On Tuesday, Cooper’s offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin confirmed those thoughts.
“I don’t have to worry about him coming back next year. That’s pretty much done with,” Kiffin said in an interview with radio station 103.7 The Buzz in Little Rock, Ark. following the Broyles Award banquet.
Kiffin lauded Cooper’s hard work and dedication to football after learning on-air about the receiver’s selection as an all-SEC performer as well as the SEC Offensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press, saying that Cooper is always in the film room, setting a great example for Alabama’s younger players.
Related: Kiffin says Saban loves him
After not speaking to the media all season, Kiffin also gave a speech at the awards banquet. On the radio, he even made a remark about not being allowed to speak to media per Alabama coach Nick Saban’s decree.
Kiffin also talked about how he wound up at Alabama, discussing the time he spent around the program after Alabama’s Iron Bowl loss last season, then being asked to come in for a formal interview when former offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier left for Michigan.
You can listen to the full interview here.A New York City woman accused of being married to eight men at the same time has pleaded not guilty in state court in the Bronx to two counts of felony fraud.
Prosecutors say the charges stemmed from a scheme to gain US citizenship for grooms from countries "red flagged" by the Department of Homeland Security.
After Liana Barrientos, 39, married men from Egypt, Turkey, Georgia and other countries, she tied the knot an eighth time with Pakistani man Rashid Rajput, the Bronx District Attorney's Office said.
Mr Rajput was later deported to Pakistan in 2006 following an investigation into making threatening statements about the United States by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency's Joint Terrorism Task Force.
ICE, part of the Department of Homeland Security, tags certain countries with red flags as part of efforts to prevent "illegal export of sensitive US munitions and strategic technology" and protect "American technological accomplishment from adversaries," according to the State Department.
"Not guilty," Ms Barrientos, who was sporting a ring on her left hand, said.
According to the criminal complaint, Ms Barrientos got married as many as six times in a single year - 2002.
Assistant District Attorney Jessica Lupo said Ms Barrientos is still married to four men.
When investigators asked her about her marriage to husband Vakhtang Dzneladze of Georgia as he sought US residency, Ms Barrientos admitted "receiving money for those actions," Ms Lupo said.
As soon as the wedding bells stopped ringing, seven husbands filed for legal permanent resident status, Ms Lupo said.
"When some of them were denied, they filed for divorce immediately and re-filed for their immigration status with other marriages," she said.
Ms Barrientos was arrested last November after forms she filed in New York City in 2010 for a marriage license with Salle Keita from Mali raised suspicions.
A District Attorney's Office investigator found a trove of marriage certificates tying her to multiple other husbands in various towns across New York state.
Ms Barrientos had stated on the 2010 forms that Mr Keita was her first and only husband, and that statement prompted the two felony counts of offering a false instrument for filing, each punishable by up to four years in prison if convicted.Editor’s note: Tadhg Kelly is a veteran game designer and the creator of leading game design blog What Games Are. You can follow him on Twitter here.
Since microconsoles first surfaced, I’ve always been a big advocate. Why? Some of my reasons are to do with finally seeing digital-native distribution come to the TV, which is long overdue. Others are to do with watching how the world of apps has transformed the pricing structure of games, resulting in more games for more players. Some are to do with interesting game design challenges that they present, the possibilities of the new and the strange.
My primary reason, however, is the sense of developer democracy.
History
I am old enough to remember how designing and developing games used to be. I remember just how awkward working for consoles was, how there were endless hoops to jump through, and how it was universally accepted at the time that you had to personally deal with platforms to get your game to the public. You needed a publisher who knew a guy at SCEE and that was that.
At that time games had become a messy business of concept approvals, publisher milestones and licensed properties. Each platform used its own custom tech, which meant getting them to work properly was an exercise in dealing with provided tools that were often tortuous. More importantly there was the sense of lock-in and shut-out. It was impossible to get development kits unless you already knew people, and they cost $30,000 each. Even on the PC you still needed a lot of publisher help because there just weren’t many options for selling directly to the public.
It was a closed, complex and pretty corrupt business back in those days largely because of all the gatekeeping. It left many would-be indies out in the cold and discouraged innovation while breeding terrible working practises. “You should consider yourself lucky to work in games” was the overriding mantra while you worked 90 hour weeks on tatty versions of games that supported equally tatty movies. It was just how life was.
However cracks started to emerge. Many studios who were simply unable to function in the console business shut down, and this led to greater startup climates. Starting with venues like Steam and certain Flash sites, some on-the-ground momentum started to build. Then Facebook happened. iPhone happened. Steam got good, then great. And in the process a lot of power transferred over to developers.
Gaming became more chaotic and democratic, more innovative and far more investable. Where it had been the case for a generation that venture capital would never invest in games, suddenly it would. As the gatekeeping fell by the wayside we saw large studios emerge and excitement in the air. It was the age of Zynga and Mojang. And while there are certain signs that the cost of doing business in new channels is becoming more challenging, that sense of can-do still prevails. We’ve seen how changing the power relationship over to developers results in great companies, great innovation and the expansion of games as an art form.
Everywhere except in TV gaming, that is.
Console games largely remain a closed shop of mega-studios and expensive ambitions. Talking with people who work in that AAA world often feels a bit like stepping back in time. They’re still having the fight to be the biggest and the baddest, and spending $265 million on a single game to get there. The sense of you-should-be-so-lucky is alive and well. The reward for working on such mass teams is usually a pink slip, or failing that a small raise.
TV gaming is yet to be disrupted, to empower developers to run their own businesses direct with their customers as has happened everywhere else. So you would think that, for the legions of indies who want to make the next Canabalt but feel shut out by The Man, there would be overwhelming positivity for projects like the OUYA.
Not so much.
Where Microconsoles Fit
Consider the recent brouhaha over OUYA’s “Free The Games” project. It’s a fund that the company has established to match any Kickstarter game projects that opt to publish exclusively on OUYA for a time. If you raise $50k then OUYA will give you another $50k in exchange for a temporary lock-in. OUYA wins by gaining some cool exclusives and developers win by obtaining funding and making a game that will easily port to other formats over time. Implicitly the OUYA team would also probably talk up the game as a part of their platform story, which is essentially free marketing. Free money, high-profile marketing, a non-proprietary platform to develop for that could launch your business. Win-win right?
Well in fact the reaction to the FTG fund has been very negative in both the gaming press and developer community. The words “scam” and “controversial” appear in many headlines or copy covering it. The reaction has been so huge in fact that it caught up several developers, some of who had applied to the fund, others who had worked with OUYA directly. Most especially the story of Ryan Green’s game That Dragon, Cancer. He had to take to the pages of Gamasutra to patiently explain that, no, his game is not a cynical exploitation. It’s actually about his son who is dying of the big C.
My point is that there is a tendency to overreact when it comes to microconsoles. OUYA most especially because it tends to be at the forefront, trying a lot of experiments etc, but also in general. The world is falling down in people who want to believe the worst of these tiny little machines, and their reasons perplexing. Of course there are mistakes. And yes, it seems a couple of developers tried to massage their Kickstarters a bit to get access to the FTG fund. But still. Several mid-to-high profile indie devs have taken to Twitter demanding that public apologies and whatnot for amounts to an excellent way for indie projects to get funded. The horror.
Move Fast And Break Things
When people ask me about how microconsoles are doing so far, or declare them as dead, or how they feel betrayed, I always give the same answer: “You try funding, launching and building out a platform in 12 months with a tiny team, and see how perfectly you do it.” Set against watching vastly better funded companies like Microsoft with its campuses and its giant facilities, any new platform has to be scrappy. Or as Zuck said it, moving fast and breaking things.
Take one look at Facebook today and Facebook back when and you see exactly what it means. Microconsoles are young, weird and trying to figure out what they want to be when they grow up. They’ve moved very quickly to latch onto an opportunity enabled by affordable low-powered hardware. This means that some parts of that program will come out half-baked at first and then iterate, as happens with all new technology businesses.
But the gaming world doesn’t seem to understand that, and it’s a key difference between tech and gaming communities. Tech journalists are used to the new idea that shows promise, the device or service that might one day become something. They tend to be very forgiving of things being a bit broken as long as they have optimistic ambitions for the future. Sometimes perhaps they are too wide-eyed, but still.
The gaming community, on the other hand, operates by a totally different set of criteria. Certain influential sites that lead tribes of players and build a community of fans (like Giant Bomb, Penny Arcade, Rock Paper Shotgun) in a way that is fundamentally different to the tech model. It’s mostly extended fandom, media critique, sometimes gossip and cheerleading. Games journalism is often obsessed with legitimacy and trying to establish a narrative of the medium. The community tends to look backward fondly and forward skeptically. It takes a lot to wow them, and it’s not just a matter of features.
While working on PS2 was very painful, for players it was arguably the greatest console ever. It had a huge catalog of diverse games and established many modern classics, such as Ico. The sense of polish, production values and a premium experience has long been the secret to the console industry (as compared to the PC, which has often been rougher) and it’s treasured. Gamers still rankle heavily about the need for patches in modern games, for example, remembering a better time when cartridges just worked.
With some exceptions, most of the gaming community is not used to “move fast and break things”. It remembers the platforms that failed, of which there were many. Systems like the Saturn, the 3DO, the CDi, the CD32 and many more only ever managed a handful games before dying. Failures have tended to fall into either the “principled end” model or the “shady bastard” model. In the former we see projects like the Dreamcast or the Indrema. In the latter it’s slapped-together formats like the Gizmondo (complete with links to the Swedish Mafia). There are many examples of both.
The memory of platform failures is strong, enough to make the gaming community wary of any newcomers. It doesn’t give its loyalty easily because it has been disappointed many times. Nobody wants to buy into a platform that will end up as a Dreamcast or a Gizmondo. So a key part of the reason why any platform gets short shrift unless it comes from a Sony or an Apple is that sense of reliability. And this (to me at least) explains why indie game developers in particular have reacted so curiously to microconsoles.
Indies Gamed
Both Sony and Microsoft have mixed histories when it comes to dealing with independent developers. That version of Xbox Live as seen in Indie Game: The Movie (for example) hasn’t been around for quite some time and the Xbox 360 felt like an indie ghost town for everyone bar Minecraft. Meanwhile Nintendo has almost no history with indies at all.
All three have recently started to change their tunes. They’ve worked to bring indie developers into their folds and – for Sony especially – this seems to be working. Between execs like Shahid Ahmad saying things will be better and indie heroes like Jonathan Blow bigging up the PS4, the mood for console is positive. Indies now consider platforms like the PS Vita to be desirable venues even though Sony has sold very few actual units.
An informal system has sprung up where console platforms look at what’s hot on Steam and then tap successful developers from there to publish with them. Platforms now offer increased support to these developers and are removing many of the old roadblocks, such as lowering the prices of dev kits. Consoles have become cool once more and the community has responded in kind. But I ‘m dubious.
A lot of the new generation of game makers are too young to know what a full console cycle feels like. The hype may be exciting but, historically at least, the troughs of disillusionment have been very deep. Young guns often don’t understand that the point of having a few Journeys is not to effect a big change in the platform, but to just have a few arty games that win awards. Also mobile is scary and full of people who want to talk monetization. Tablet is scary. Facebook is scary. Microconsole is scary. But everybody thinks Nintendo is cool, so it must be good to be on Wii U yeah? It’s like that.
Ahead of new console launches the industry tends to become exuberant even though the financial argument rarely makes sense. Consoles don’t sell a giant number of units (in their 8 years of operation Microsoft and Sony combined sold less consoles than Android phones now sell per quarter) and so their games tend to experience a lot of short-head downward pressure.
While the early phase may seem like virgin territory and breed a few key successes it’s usually only 2-3 years after that when conditions flip. Execs in charge feel they have enough arty games to tick that box and seem legitimate to journalists. They back away from support, refocusing their digital divisions to become profitable. They steward. They constrain. It doesn’t make sense to run an Apple-sized curation operation when they don’t sell Apple-sized numbers of units, so they rationalize.
It’s a similar story on Steam. Greenlight is flooded with wannabe games trying to get onto the Steam platform, and PC gaming has become such that if you’re not on Steam you’re probably screwed. Developers rarely have the power to chop and change their distribution to other PC stores (and Microsoft’s failure to make the Windows 8 Store work is a big problem here). Yet developers remain emotionally attached to those older paradigms, as do many players.
Overcoming The Skepticism
Some people can’t see past the fact that most microconsoles are built on Android and may in some former life have had similar guts to some mobile phones. It’s been a weird couple of years for the gaming community between tablets and Zynga and gestural controllers and TV TV TV. The community wants gaming to make sense again, like it used to. Microconsoles seem to be just one more thing that’s piling on some unspecified destruction of gaming as they know it.
The microconsole idea is fundamentally different to many of the failed platforms of yesteryear, but much of the gaming community does not yet see that. It’s seeing the past, the Gizmondos and the Dreamcasts, and assuming that the new is the same as the old. That kind of skepticism can be overcome but it takes time. I mean, sure, the first generation OUYA is a beachhead product (I say again, you see how well you’d do in that timeframe), but it was supposed to be. “Move fast and break things” means built to mess around with, to find the fun and help steer. So is the fund and the idea that the hardware will update every year so rather than every seven years. In a sense the whole platform is currently a big project between many companies trying to figure out this big new idea.
The community’s reaction is valid. It can’t be wished away, but it can be addressed. Yes there are some snafus to be resolved. But trust is earned over the long term by watching games like That Dragon, Cancer come out and more and more like them. With continued demonstration of good intent and ambition the gaming community will eventually be won around. As Valve showed with Steam, skepticism can be beaten by continuing to push and adapt, to listen and respond, game after game.
Over time the community will shift from saying “not as bad as I thought” to “quite good” to “actually pretty cool” if microconsoles’ course holds true. It may take a couple of years, but eventually the people will come around.Steve White, chair of the Police Federation, says service is ‘on its knees’, and predicts end of policing by consent and move towards more violent style.
Police will be forced to adopt a “paramilitary” style of enforcement if the government inflicts big budget cuts on them, the head of the police officers’ organisation has warned.
Steve White, chair of the Police Federation, said his 123,000 members, from police constables to inspectors, fear a move towards a more violent style of policing as they try to keep law and order with even fewer officers than now.
White told the Guardian that more cuts would be devastating: “You get a style of policing where the first options are teargas, rubber bullets and water cannon, which are the last options in the UK.”
White said cuts would see the bedrock principle of British law enforcement, policing by consent, ripped apart.
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Steve White, chairman of the Police Federation. Photograph: Police Federation/PA
The week ahead sees the federation stage its annual conference, which starts on Tuesday 19 May. The key day will be Wednesday when the home secretary, Theresa May, will address rank-and-file officers.
Last year May stunned delegates with a speech telling them to reform or be taken over by government, and telling them policing was failing too often.
Police leaders have a fine line to walk in opposing cuts. Rank-and-file members are furious at the effects of austerity on their terms and conditions, as well as falling officer numbers nationally. But May and her advisers believe some members of the police force use over-the-top rhetoric in predictions that cuts would lead to chaos on the streets, and instead believe they should squeeze maximum value out of the public money given.
White said police had already endured five years of austerity and were braced for more “swingeing cuts” after the election of a Conservative government with a majority.
White said that since 2010, when the Conservative-led coalition started slashing its funding to police by 20%, the service had been cut by 17,000 officers and 17,000 civilian staff, but had managed to limit the effect on the public.
He said the service was now “on its knees”, with some internal projections within policing of a further 20% to 25% of cuts by the end of the next parliament in 2020. This would lead to more than 15,000 officers disappearing off the streets, only being seen when responding to crime or serious events such as disorder on the streets.
White said: “You are left with a police service who you only speak to in the direst of circumstances, a police service almost paramilitary in style.”
“You police by consent by having a relationship with local communities.
“If you don’t have a relationship, because the officers have been cut, you will lose the consent which means the face and style of policing changes.
“The whole service, from top to bottom, is deeply concerned about the ability to provide the service that the public have come to expect over the next five years.”
After the Conservative election win, May was reappointed to the Home Office. The party’s manifesto promised further reforms to police. There is no sign the Conservatives, emboldened by an electoral mandate, will reduce the size of cuts in government funding the police face.
Theresa May stuns Police Federation with vow to break its power Read more
White said: “The concept of the British bobby at the heart of policing will be coming to an end.”
He said crucial parts of policing which help prevent crime are under threat, including prevention, reassurance patrols and neighbourhood policing.
“The police officers we represent are telling is, day in and day out, that they are close to being on their knees,”the Federation chair said.
The burgeoning stress on officers has led to increased mental health problems, increased sick leave and plunging morale, he claimed.
White said policing needed longer-term planning, and less political turmoil, about how it is structured and what it continues to do and what it stops doing. He said political parties were too short term and big reforms could save money and limit the damage to policing. White said: “I’m saying give us more money or let us radically reform.”
Some chiefs have talked privately about cuts so large their forces are reduced to 1980s-style policing, responding to crises only, with heavy cuts to prevention and building relationships with communities.
West Midlands police is planning ending the bobby on the beat in some areas, and expects its funding from government to be cut by 40% by 2020, compared to the money it received from central government in 2010.
Unlike the National Health Service, policing was not protected from cuts.
The Conservatives point to the fact that official figures show crime has fallen, while police numbers have been cut and the service reformed.
The Conservative manifesto for the general election pledged to “finish the job of police reform”, vowing that would boost confidence in the police.
On Thursday Britain’s top counter-terrorism officer, assistant commissioner Mark Rowley, said he would fight for police to be kept on the beat, amid fears budget cuts will see fewer officers gathering potentially crucial intelligence needed to thwart a growing tide of terrorism. Rowley said he would stress in upcoming budget talks the “essential” role played by uniformed officers in neighbourhood teams.
White won the top job in the embattled Police Federation last year on a promise to reform the organisation whose reputation had been tarnished. He beat his rival on the toss of a coin after the committee supposed to make the decision was evenly split.Politicians are notorious for going out the door of Congress and going right back in as industry lobbyists, and that's exactly what you do in this deck. Your valuable legitimate experience takes every bill that comes in the door and revolves it right onto the board to be lobbied into passage by our friends from Haas-Bioroid or Martian job creators.
Persistent obstructionists getting you down? Worry not; in this new era of bipartisan cooperation between formerly hostile adversaries, you can hold clandestine, deniable meetings with notorious rival corporations after hours, and when your day begins the next morning, they’ll never be the wiser.
As a card carrying member of the One Percent, you can freely use money to make money. When the markets open for the day, you can invest responsibly, reinvest gains, and guiltlessly take profits at the closing bell.
Of course in all of this, the last thing you want is for your tax returns to be made public. Unfortunately our records department is closed for renovation and currently not accessible. Some of the staff have regrettably misread our retention policy and archived materials earlier than intended. Not to worry though; the public has a short memory and any troublesome regulation won't be a problem once our prior scandals have passed into history.
I played this deck against CodeMarvelous and Sanjay on 6/20 Codebusting stream with a couple of substitutions for unimplemented cards from the last 3 packs of Red Sand. Game starts about 12:35.All this time, I've been thinking about Ouya the wrong way.
When the $99, Android-powered game console showed up on Kickstarter last year, I immediately preordered one. My thinking was that it would be interesting to see if a low-cost console that caters to indies could take on industry giants like Sony and Microsoft in the marketplace. I was thinking about Ouya as just another a platform for indie developers, or as a cheap alternative to the Xbox.
That's not what Ouya is. It's not about "focusing on that core gamer," like Sony says, or re-imagining "the living room experience" like Xbox One. It will not compete with the new consoles because it's not trying to.
The Ouya is a toy. An elegant, affordable, fun toy.
Little Cranes and Pirate Ships ——————————
Ouya is a new television game console, but one radically different from its competition. Launched as a record-breaking Kickstarter project that has recently raised millions more via venture capital funding, Ouya's plan is to go super-cheap for consumers and super-easy for developers. Anyone can create a game on Ouya and start selling it with minimal hassle, and consumers only pay a hundred bucks for the hardware. All the games are digital, and all of them have at least a free demo version (if they're not free-to-play entirely). It'll show up at retailers like Target, Amazon, Best Buy and Gamestop on June 25, but since I backed the project on Kickstarter, I got my hands on an early unit.
The Ouya's digital store is already host to dozens of apps, some of them good, lots of them less so. The thing being promoted as the flagship Ouya game is a port of the mobile version of Square Enix's Final Fantasy III, but that is probably the least interesting game on the platform. It also happens to look like steaming garbage when blown up onto a big screen TV.
The interesting games on Ouya are the weirder, more creative stuff. A few early gems include Stalagflight, an endless jumping game with a nutty multiplayer mode, and Polarity, a first-person puzzle game.
Who needs graphics when you can play basketball using a crane? Image courtesy Abraham Stolk
But my favorite game on Ouya right now is The Little Crane That Could, a puzzle simulation game ported from Android that puts you in control of a truck equipped with an extendable claw. You have to perform simple tasks—move soccer balls into a trailer, for instance—which are made incredibly, hilariously difficult thanks to the complexity of operating a realistic crane on wheels.
One early mission in The Little Crane That Could has you pulling pipe-shaped locks out of a gate so you can escape a room. After successfully tugging one of the pipes out I nonchalantly dropped it behind my vehicle. Moments later I unthinkingly backed up and ran over the pipe. The cylinder lodged in behind my back-left tire, and the whole vehicle lifted up on its side. No traction. Stuck.
The beauty of the game is its super-realistic physics system, which punishes you in comical ways when you do dumb stuff, so you get to laugh at yourself and your many failures. Luckily, this also allows you to play creatively: After a bit of wild thrashing, I discovered that I could spin my crane around, angle it downwards, and push off from the ground to awkwardly scoot away from the hateful little pipe that plagued me. A few thrusts later I was free.
I haven't laughed so hard while playing a game in a long time. It's exactly the kind of weird, inscrutable, rough-around-the-edges game that would never get an Xbox Live Arcade publishing deal, but fits perfectly on Ouya.
Ouya CEO Julie Uhrman has hinted that video apps like Hulu Plus and Netflix will be coming soon to Ouya. For now, there's a Twitch TV streaming app, which works great. It has an embarrassing, terrible menu interface, but on my 3 MB/s internet connection the video quality of the feeds I tested was super sharp. I watched some guy play Call of Duty for about 15 minutes, and the quality was so clean that it looked like I actually had Black Ops 2 running on my Ouya.
Just like in marketplaces for other Android devices, the Ouya is already host to a handful of emulators that play games from classic gaming consoles like the Commodore 64 and the Super Nintendo. In the Ouya's case, these are organized not in the "apps" section of the store, but in the "retro" game genre section. While Ouya developers cannot distribute copyrighted game ROMs, downloading the emulator software and then finding the ROMs online is trivially easy. With its low price point and comparatively fast processors, Ouya may soon become the best way to enjoy classic games on a high-definition television, once more developers pile aboard and optimize their Android emulators for it. Of course, you've got to be a pirate to do it.
Kim Swift's Airtight Games is developing Soul Fjord exclusively for the Ouya. It's due out later this year. Image courtesy Airtight Games
Controlling Ouya's Future ————————-
One game available at launch, Bomb Squad, is particularly interesting because it supports controllers from consoles other than the Ouya, including PlayStation 3's and Xbox 360's. I even played a few rounds using my iPhone as a controller.
Before this, I was unaware that the Ouya actually had the ability to connect to all these other devices. Assuming other developers follow Bomb Squad's lead and build similar function into their software, Ouya owners may be able to get by without ever splurging on those $49.99 Ouya-branded controllers at retail.
Speaking of those controllers, they've been the subject of some concern, since it's been reported that the face buttons tend to get stuck under the detachable faceplate that covers the battery compartment. It seems that Ouya's claims that the issue has been fixed are true, because I had no such problem with my unit.
In fact, the Ouya controller feels pretty great. The trigger buttons are definitely a little too mushy for my taste, but the analogue sticks are excellent and the overall ergonomics and weight of the thing feel just about right. The button layout, which reads O-U-Y-A instead of the traditional A-B-X-Y, is a little bit weird since the A is placed where the B or O button would go on pretty much any other game console, but that's hardly a big deal.
The weirdest part is the touch panel built into the top half of the center of the controller. It's way too small to function as a proper trackpad for web browsing, and I often brushed my thumb against it accidentally, bringing up the Ouya's ugly, outdated mouse navigation system in the middle of games or sections of menu that offered no support for interactivity via the touch panel.
Ouya says that the complaints that early backers like me have will be updated before the console is made available to the general public on June 25. That's a good thing, because there's a lot I would change about the Ouya's software: everything from its bland, bright-orange main menu and the way games are displayed to the confusing presentation of games in the store, where no pricing information is given.
This brings us to one of the most interesting and controversial things about the Ouya: All games have to be free to download, but can offer in-app-purchases. The makers of Ouya have done a pretty poor job of communicating how this will work, especially since they've occasionally used the phrase "free to play" to describe their approach (they've since adopted "free to try"). To some, those words connote endless FarmVille clones and the moral decay of all nations. Some particularly self-righteous game developers balk at the mere mention of the word "free" in the context of games.
In reality, Ouya's system is pretty similar to Xbox Live Arcade, which requires all games on the service to offer a free demo. The difference is that Ouya doesn't let developers charge people anything until they've already downloaded the game.
Already this is manifesting itself in some strange ways. In some games, players are given access to a timed demo version of the game before being asked to pay for the upgrade. Other games offer a set number of levels before the cut-off point hits. Stalagflight is totally free, but you can "buy pizzas" (in-game items that do nothing) to support further development of the game. (Apple, Ouya says, does not support this sort of donation-based model.)
Going forward, it's not hard to imagine that there will be ever-more complex pricing structures attached to these games. It would be in Ouya's best interest to set some sort of limits or regulations on how far things can go (can I sell Ouya players a $200 in-game item?) or, at the very least, do a better job of communicating how much a game might ask for from players. I almost always hate games that ask me to pay for "coins" or other in-game currency, so I want to know up-front if that's what I'm getting into when I hit "download."
A Wonderful Toy —————
We live in a culture that is obsessed with comparing and ranking things: the 10 best these, the 15 ugliest those. Hell, Maxim literally ranks human beings based on their physical traits.
If you absolutely have to make a list of the five most awesome, impressive game consoles available right now, Ouya would not be at the top. It lacks the pizzazz of the Xbox One or PlayStation 4. Its controller is not innovative like the Wii U's. It does not have the same raw horsepower of a PC, or the multimedia capabilities of an iPad.
But in my opinion, if you've got $99 and want to play some fun, inventive games on your TV, the Ouya is a great purchase. It's super hackable and is almost certain to attract some cool mods.
My great fear for the Ouya has been that it will become a dumping ground for ports of mobile games from big, successful publishers and established indies.
Although there are indeed a lot of ports of Android phone games on the Ouya right now, it's now obvious to me that the console will find its own niche, and will accomplish exactly what it set out to do: open up the TV for any and all creative developers to tinker with.An independent candidate running for Tennessee’s 3rd Congressional District seat is under fire for a campaign billboard he posted with the slogan “Make America White Again,” local TV station WRCB reported Wednesday.
Rick Tyler confirmed to the station that he put up the billboard, which also lists the address for his campaign website. Tyler told WRCB that he does not hate people of color, but does believe America “should go back to the 1960s.”
“(The) Leave it to Beaver time when there were no break-ins; no violent crime; no mass immigration,” he told the news station.
Tyler also posted a billboard for his campaign that features part of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I |
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